Mutual Fundinvestments aresubject tomarket risks,readall schemerelated documents carefully. For moreinformation,contact yourmutualfunddistributororvisit:mf.nipponindiaim.com This ensuresthatyouarealwaysinvestedintheassetclasses wherethegrowthismostlikely tobe! superior risk adjustedreturns. This dynamicframeworkusesarobustsetofMacro,Micro &Market Indicatorswithanaimtodeliver allocation acrossLargeCap,MidSmallShortTerm LongTerm Debt, DebtandGoldETF. Gold ETF model. of This Nippon model India decides Mutual Fund with the help of an in-house proprietary AllocatorNippon IndiaAsset FoF investsacrossEquityorientedschemes,Debtschemes and But we have asolution for you! Even best the of minds cannot always predict which asset class will do well. Performance of various Classes Classes keep and Sub Asset Asset changing time. Investors will be bearing the recurring expenses of the scheme in addition to the expenses of underlying schemes. ofunderlying to inexpenses addition the scheme ofthe recurring expenses Investors the bearing be will the Growth is the Be Where Nippon IndiaAssetAllocatorFoFissuitableforinvestors whoareseeking*: *Investors shouldconsult theirfinancialadvisorsifindoubtaboutwhethertheproduct issuitableforthem. GoldETFofNipponIndia MutualFund • Anopenendedfundoffundsschemeinvestingin equityorientedschemes,debtschemesand • Longtermcapitalgrowth NFO OpensOn:18 (An openendedfundoffundsschemeinvesting inequityorientedschemes,debtschemesandgoldETFofNipponIndiaMutualFund)

Debt th January'21|NFOClosesOn:1 Nippon India Asset Allocator FOF Allocator Asset India Nippon Nippon IndiaAssetAllocatorFoF Large Cap

(An openendedfundoffundsschemeinvestinginequityorientedschemes, Gold debt orientedschemesandgoldETFofNipponIndiaMutualFund)

Small & Mid Cap Visual is for illustration purpose only. for illustration is purpose Visual st February'21 In v est ors underst will beatHighrisk and thattheirprincipal DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA

JOURNALISM OF COURAGE TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2021, KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 12 PAGES SINCE 1932 `5.00/EX-KOLKATA `6.00(`12INNORTHEAST STATES &ANDAMAN)WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM Vaccines cross 3 FARM HEARING ON JAN 20 lakh; 2deaths but SC:intervention no link: Ministry misunderstood, WardboyinUP, 43-yr-old in Bellary diedof‘cardiopulmonarydisease’ policemusttake

KAUNAINSHERIFFM EXPRESS NETWORK NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 tractorrallycall TN,KERALA,PUNJAB, AT THE end of three days of ana- CHHATTISGARHTOLD Chief MinisterMamata BanerjeeatarallyinNandigram on Monday. Express tionwidevaccinationprogramme TOWORKONVACCINE Talksput offbyaday;Tomarsays againstCovid-19,theUnionHealth COVERAGE PAGE 4 MinistryonMondaysaid that solution if farmers discuss options while no case of severe adverse Mamata backtowhere it started: eventsfollowing immunisation death due to cardiopulmonary (AEFI)canbeattributedto thevac- disease.Therewerepockets of EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE EXPRESS NETWORK cines, twopersons, who got their pus in the lungs and an enlarged NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 doses on January 16,reportedly heart. The death is notrelatedto will fight election from DISPUTERESOLVED, dieddue to cardiopulmonarydis- the vaccination,” said Dr Manohar EVENASthe Government post- CHADUNITOTAKE ease notlinked to the vaccine. Agnani,Additional Secretary, Suvendu vows to defeat her by morethan 50,000votes, mocks Trinamool ponedthe tenthround of talks PARTINTALKS In thefirstofthe twocases, MinistryofHealth &Family with protesting farmers by aday, PAGE 5 Mahipal Singh, a52-year-old who Welfare(MoHFW). to fight this election from Bhabanipur,someone else will state. Adhikari wasthe TMC MLA the Supreme Courtobserved workedasawardboyinagovern- The post-mortem procedure EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Nandigram.” contest. Iamrequesting our from Nandigram until he re- Monday that itsintervention on ment hospital in Moradabad, died in the second case —that of 43- KOLKATA,JANUARY18 The Chief Ministeradded party president SubrataBakshi signedfromthe Assemblyin the newfarm laws has been be held Wednesday. In aletter on Sunday, aday afterhewas vac- year-old Nagaraju, an employee that she would give agood can- that theyshould considermy December 2020. “misunderstood”, and that the sent to representativesof40 cinated.“The post-mortem by a of the statehealthdepartment on Monday didateatBhabanipur, candidaturefrom On Monday, Adhikari question of who should be al- farm unions, Agriculture boardofthree doctorsrevealed CONTINUEDONPAGE2 announcedshe would contest the constituency in Nandigram,” she said. mockedthe TMCasa“private lowedintoDelhi to hold protests SecretarySanjayAgarwal did not the Assemblyelection from Kolkatathatshe has The Trinamool's 2007 limited company”, and vowedto is alaw and order issuethat has citeany specific reason. Nandigram, the stronghold of represented in Vidhan agitation in Nandigramin defeat Banerjee by alarge mar- to be handledbythe police and “The meeting between SuvenduAdhikari, who aban- Sabha since 2011. Purba Medinipur district gin. The Chief Minister's decision notthe court. Central Government'sministerial India to send 20 lakh donedthe Trinamool Congress “Bhabanipur,please played akey role in end- to contestfromNandigram As the Centre’s plea, seeking committee and the agitating forthe BJP lastmonth. don't feel bad.Iwill DECISION ing the Left’s 34-yearrule would changenothing, he told an injunction againstthe pro- farmer unions wasscheduledto “What willhappen if Ifight give youagood candi- 2021 over West Bengal in 2011. BJP workers afteramassive posedtractor rallybyfarmers in be on January19. Due to in- vaccines to Dhaka, (the election) from Nandigram,” date,” she said. WEST The land agitations in roadshowinSouthKolkata. Delhi on Republic Day, came up evitable reasons, it has become MamataBanerjee asked the Later in her BENGAL Nandigram and Singur “The TMC is aprivate limited before the bench, Chief Justice of necessarytopostpone this meet- crowdatarally in Nandigram. speech, Mamataindi- catapulted Banerjee to company. She and her extortion- India SABobde remarked: “The ing. Nowthis meeting will beheld Pak explores options Afterapause, shedeclared, “I will cated that she might the political centrestage ist bhaipo (nephew, areference question of entryintoDelhi is a on January20,” the letter said. contestfromNandigram. My contestbothseats. “Nandigram in the state. Nandigram, which CONTINUEDONPAGE2 lawand order situation that is to Earlier,the Supreme Court soul said to me, 'Nandigram is is my elder sister, Bhabanipuris wascoordinated closelyonthe be determinedbythe police.” adjournedits hearing till January AstraZeneca vaccine —manufac- your lucky place, Nandigram is my younger sister... Iwill fight ground by Adhikari, also marked Later in the day, the 20 when it will also consider a SHUBHAJITROY tured in Indiabythe Serum your holyplace. Youshould fight from both if possible. In case Iam the beginning of his rise in the ANOTHER REPORT Government said thatthe latest plea seeking the reconstitution NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 InstituteofIndia under the name from Nandigram.' Ithen decided unable to contestfrom TMC and in the politics of the PAGE 3 round of talks, whichwas sched- of the four-member committee Covishield —toDhaka. The con- uledtobeheld Tuesday, will now CONTINUEDONPAGE2 WHILE INDIA plans to send 20 signment will be handedoverto lakh doses of Covid-19vaccines the Bangladesh government by Govt moves to to Bangladesh, another neigh- the Indian High Commissionin NCLAT underlines IBC terms: bour,Pakistan, is exploring op- Dhaka. Bangladesh has had wind up Devas, tions to getmade-in-India vac- morethan 5lakh cases of Covid, cines, either through aglobal with about 7,900deathssofar. can’t accept offer if it comes late $1.2 bn award alliance forvaccines or through Pakistan's move to source the bilateral route, TheIndian Indian vaccines comes afterthe theadjudicatingauthoritycannot Express haslearnt. country'sdrug regulator,theDrug AASHISHARYAN entertain an application of aper- still pending On Monday, authorities in RegulatoryAuthority of Pakistan NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 son who has notparticipated in Bangladesh confirmedthaton (DRAP), over the weekend ap- CIRP (Corporate Insolvency Wednesday, January20, aspe- proved Oxford-AstraZeneca’s THE NATIONAL CompanyLaw Resolution Process) even when AASHISHARYAN, ciallyequippedplane will carry Covid-19vaccine foremergency AppellateTribunal (NCLAT)has Limitingroleof suchpersonisreadytopay more KARUNJITSINGH 20 lakh doses of the Oxford- CONTINUEDONPAGE2 ruledthat the National Company amountincomparisonto thesuc- &JOHNSONTA LawTribunal (NCLT) cannot ac- thetribunal cessful resolution applicant,” a NEWDELHI,BENGALURU, ceptarevisedoffer from abid- three-member benchheadedby JANUARY18 WORLD der who enters the fray late even WHILE IBC provides for acting NCLATchairpersonJustice BUSINESSASUSUAL if the offerishigher thanthat of the idea of maximisation Bansi Lal Bhat said. ALMOSTTHREE months aftera other bidders thathaveadhered of value of assets of acor- In some of earlier cases that federal courtinthe US ordered BKU president Naresh Singh Tikait with his grandsons and a BY UNNY to the bidding timeline. poratedebtor,itsays all have seen legal battles, bidders ISRO’s commercialarm Antrix photograph of hisfather Mahendra SinghTikait in The issue of revisedoffers af- bids must be in by dead- have accused theresolution pro- Corporation Ltd to pay$1.2bil- Muzaffarnagar. Praveen Khanna REPORT,PAGE6 terthe deadline forsubmission line. The NCLAThas lim- fessional (RP) and CoC of various lion to Bengaluru start-up Devas of bids has crossedhas seen ited the role of the tribu- corporatedebtors of sidingwith Multimedia Private Ltd, the manyprolonged legal battles, in- nal to testing whether the bidders whose bid, even MinistryofCorporateAffairs has cluding in the recent case of bids submitted within though low, areplacedwell authorisedAntrix to move ape- IN U.S., FEARS OF DewanHousing and Finance time stand the test of ap- withinthe stipulated time frame tition before theNational NIA casts net wide: Limited (DHFL) and an earlier proval under the IBC. approved by the CoC. CompanyLaw Tribunal(NCLT) INSIDER ATTACK case involving Binani Cement. In the recent case of insol- forwinding up of Devas. AHEAD OF BIDEN The judgment, deliveredon vency of DHFL, bidders suchas In anotification issued Awriter, journalists, INAUGURATION January11and madeavailable stand the test of therules of plan the Adani Group, whichhad ini- Monday,the MCAhas autho- WESTTELLS RUSSIA lateronthewebsite,hasheldthat approval under the Insolvency tiallysubmitted asmaller bid risedRakeshSasibhushan, theonlypower theNCLThas is to and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). withanintent to buy only the Chairman-cum-Managing traders and activists TO FREE NAVALNY, adjudicatewhether the bids that “Weare of theviewthatwhen wholesale and Slum Director,Antrix, to present the MOSCOWHITS BACK were placedintimeandapproved theapplicationforapprovalof res- Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) petition on the grounds specified PAGE 10 by theCommittee of Creditors olutionplanispendingbefore the portfolio of the non banking under clause (c) of Sub-section NIA in the case areunited by (CoC)ofthe corporatedebtors adjudicatingauthorityatthattime CONTINUEDONPAGE2 (1) of Section 271ofthe DEEPTIMANTIWARY& their association, in some wayor Companies Act. KAMALDEEPSINGHBRAR the other,with the farmers' The clause statesthat acom- NEWDELHI,AMRITSAR, protestagainstthe three farm SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUTCOVERAGE panycan be wound up if NCLT, JANUARY18 laws at the borders of Delhi. The Jharkhand cracks down, basedonanapplication by a agency questionedfivepeople Centre-authorisedperson, is of AMONGTHOSE summonedby on Monday, officials said. HC: Republic, Times Now ran vicious key official suspended theopinionitwasset upforfraud- the National Investigation Among thosewho have re- ulentandunlawfulpurposes,orif Agency (NIA)inacase of alleged ceivednotices from the NIAis persons concernedinits forma- terror funding by the pro- Jasbir Singh Rode, aformer Akal campaign… coverage contemptuous ABHISHEKANGAD THE tion or management were guilty Khalistanorganisation Sikhs for Takht Jathedar and nephewof RANCHI,JANUARY18 SCHOLARSHIP of fraud, misfeasance or miscon- Justice (SFJ) arefarmers, shop- Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. with both channels running a duct,orifits affairs were con- keepers, activists,and journalists Rode, who says he is affiliated to OMKARGOKHALE "vicious campaign" playing the STEPPINGUPits crackdown, the SCAM ducted in afraudulent manner. from Punjab and Haryana. the International Panthak Dal MUMBAI,JANUARY18 roles of "the investigator,the Jharkhand government has sus- Agovernment official, who The NIA,whichisinvestigat- and Kisan Bachao Morcha, has prosecutor as well as the judge". pendedakey districtwelfareoffi- the scholarship, by anexus of did notwishtobenamed, said ing multiplecases againstSFJ,reg- been protesting at Singhu since RULINGTHAT"trial by media" of Ruling on PILs filedbyformer cial in Dhanbadfor notfollowing middlemen, school authorities, Antrix Corporation itself sought isteredafresh case againstthe December 2. cases underinvestigation is an police officers from Maha- due process and accepting appli- banking correspondentsand the authorisation to file apeti- proscribed organisation on Some of the others who have “interferencewithadministra- rashtra, as well as activists, cations withoutverification for government staff, based on the tion forwinding up of Devas. He, December 15,2020. The FIR said receivedsummons from theNIA tion of criminal justice,” the lawyers and NGOs,seeking re- the Centre's pre-Matric scholar- findings of an investigation by however, did notmention if SFJwas sending foreign funds are: BombayHigh CourtMonday Media trial interference straining orders againsta“me- ships forpoor minority students. The IndianExpress. Devaswas providedanopportu- through NGOs to “pro-Khalistani” ■ Balwinder PalSingh is awriter said the reportage of Republic withjustice…TVchannels dia trial”inthe Sushant Singh This is the firstpunitive step Separately, the Jharkhand nity to be heard. elementsfor “on-ground cam- from Jalandhar who writes on Television and Times Nowinthe must follow Press Council Rajput deathcase, the benchof takenbythe stateagainstany of StateCo-operative Bank has On October 27,2020, afederal paignand propaganda against Sikh and Dalit issues. “I got Sushant Singh Rajput case was guidelines on suicide:bench Chief Justice Dipankar Dattaand itsofficials afteritlauncheda frozen theaccountsoftwo court in the US had confirmeda Government of India”. Covid-19inOctober and Iamyet "prima facie contemptuous", CONTINUEDONPAGE2 probeintothe illegal diversionof CONTINUEDONPAGE2 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 All those summoned by the CONTINUEDONPAGE2

PAGE 1 ANCHOR His father’s dreamcomes to life on thebiggest stageofthem all

Tolichowki in to the feelings in words.” But Siraj did Ismail had spoken about the days ferent from the one who came to money. “I hadabikeand Rs 60 SANDIPG Indian Test team wasuncharted managetoregainhis calm, and followingtheirfather’sdeathand my academymanyyearsago.He would go justonfilling petrol. If &VISHALMENON and beyond his means. even trysome humour.Asked the call he receivedfromhis leads amoredisciplinedlife. He the tyregot punctured,I’d call a NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 Today, Siraj is living that about special moments outside youngerbrother.“Hedidn’tspeak sleepsontime, takesgood careof friend, and if therewas no cash, dream.AndafterDay 4oftheTest, the ground, he replied: “Bubble aword, he wasjustweeping,” he his dietand is fit. He has changed I’d borrowitwith the promise of AFTERTHEhandshakesandhigh- when his maiden five-for in Test meinkyapyara momentshoga,sir? had recollected.Inthe days to fol- forthe better and it’sreflected in repaying it later,” he said. fives, Mohammed Siraj broke cricketplayedamajor role in giv- (Whatmemorable moments can low, Siraj would insistonspeak- hisbowlingnow,” he said. Itwasn’tuntilthe2017 IPLauc- away fromhisecstaticteammates ing India an outside chance of one have in abio-bubble, sir?)” ing to their mother and that Siraj's Hyderabad Ranji team- tion, whereabidding warsaw andtookamomentforhimself.In chasing 328 or managing adraw The breakout star of the tour, would bringpeace, helpingthem mate, CVMilind, talksabout his Siraj go forRs2.6croretoSunrisers thegreatestmomentof hisyoung to retain the Border-Gavaskar Siraj haswonalot of fans.The im- cope with the loss. discipline. “Today, everything fell Hyderabad,thatmoneyceasedto career,and his life, he missedhis Trophy, the 26-year-old washid- ageoftearsflowing when the na- Friend Mahboob says Siraj is in place, and he wasrewardedfor beaworry.While the IPL allowed father MohammedGhouse,who ing tears behindthe smiles. tional anthem wasbeing played very close to his family, and that being disciplined.Evenafter hiscareerto take off,itwasalways hadpassedawayjustafew weeks Dedicating his success to his before his debut game —the he hasn't changed at all afterhis so manyovers in this se- going to be red-ball cricketthat before Siraj madehisTest debutin father,hesaid: “My dadhad Boxing DayTest-went viral. He Mohammed Siraj at the Gabba,Brisbane, on Monday. AP success —exceptonthe field ries, it washeartening to see him definedhisdreams—orrather,his Melbourne. An autorickshaw wishedthat his son would play receivedalot of supportwhen he wherehehastransformedfroma clocksuchimpressive speedson father’s. On Monday, Siraj puthis driver, Ghousealways managed andtheentireworldwouldwatch didnotreelundertheracialtaunt- gullycricketer to ahardened pro- Day4,” he said. hand up in adressing room full of to sparecash to fuel his son’sam- him. This is because of his bless- inghewassubjectedto inSydney. has shown on this tour.Healso smart,reticent but notreluctant, fessional. “The MohammedSiraj In apreviousinterview, Siraj injured players.AsVirender bitious cricketing dream —even ings that Ihavegot afive- Indeed, Siraj embodies the breathes and wears an Old soft-spoken but tough at heart. who pickedupfivewickets in had spoken about howhis father Sehwagtweeted,“Theboyhasbe- though that journeyfrom haul in Tests. Ican’t express my rare toughnessthattheIndianside Hyderabad simplicity —shy but His brother Mohammed Brisbane todayiscompletelydif- usedtogivehim Rs 70 as pocket come aman on this tour." Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 2 THE SECOND PAGE THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021

DOWNLOADAPP WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

■ VISUALSTORIES

■ DAILY BRIEFING

■ PODCASTS NEWYEAR,NEWTRAVELS:HOW2021ISREIGNITINGWANDERLUST

■ CUSTOMIZABLE Fromroadtripstooffbeatdomesticdestinations,findouthowIndiansareplanningtheirtripsthisyear The strangecase of NEWS EXPERIENCE

WEB comedian Munawar Indian Express EXCLUSIVE ★★★★★■4.6 Faruqui and his arrest EXPRESSTECH EXPRESSEXPLAINED NEWEPISODEEVERYDAY WHAT DATA DOES RUSSIA LEADER ALEXEI On the 3Things podcast, we talk about how WHATSAPP COLLECT? NAVALNY DETAINED Faruqui and 5others have been arrested Here’s what we got The US and European and deniedbail, and the concerns it raises SCANTHISQRCODETO when we generated our countries call for about free speech DOWNLOADTHEAPP account information his release

Don’t use FROMPAGEONE

WhatsApp thelastfew weeksreachedout who losttheir lovedones due to Two deaths to the Pakistan government on the farm agitation. Maybethe In the Moradabad case, while the supplyofvaccines. government wantstoknowthe if insecure: Singh's son Vishal said his con- While tensions between SC: Police must taketractor rally call source of my funds,” he said. dition deteriorated afterhetook India and Pakistanhaveim- ■ Nobeljit Singh (37) and Delhi HC the vaccine on Saturdayand that pacted bilateraltrade between NarendraSingh Tomar told re- police. “Weare notthe firstau- -- in twomonths -- what sions aregoingoninacordial Karnail Singh (55) from he held “the government re- the twocountries, the supplyof porters that the deadlockin thority,” he said. changes, if any, were neededaf- atmosphere right now. In the Hoshiarpur belong to theSikh sponsible” forit, healthofficials, “life-saving medicines” is ex- talkscontinues but asolution The AttorneyGeneral urged terhearing all sides. Farmer discussion that will take place organisation Awaz-e-Kaum. SOFIAHSAN including the Chief Medical empted from restrictions. would be foundduringthe the court to passanorder to this unions spearheadingthe tomorrow, maybethose peo- “Wehavebeensupporting these NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 Officer denied that thedeath Bilateral trade betweenthe talksifthe farmers arewilling effect since it has takenupthe protests on theoutskirtsof ple will consider the options. A protests from dayone. We par- waslinked to the vaccine. twoneighbours has almost to discuss “options”. The pro- issue. The CJI said: “But whydo Delhi rejected thecommittee, waywill be found through dis- ticipatedinthe blockade of the THE DELHI High Court on “He diedthe next dayand it come to astandstill —firstafter testers have maintainedthat youwant us to tell what pow- saying itsmembers were in cussion.” toll plaza in Hoshiarpur and or- Mondaysaid that aperson can cannotbeanaphylaxis (life- the Pulwama terror attackin theywant the three laws to be ers youhave...Wehavenot favour of the newlyenacted Tomar also expressedhope ganising langar forthe protest- leave WhatsApp if theyfeel the threatening allergicreaction to February 2019 and later,after repealed. takenupthe entireissue. The laws. that farmers will reconsider ers,” Nobeljit, who has acloth messagingapplication waslikely the vaccine). The person had pus the special status of Jammu and In the Supreme Court, intervention of the courthas Tomar,meanwhile, said the their decision to hold the trac- shop, said. Karnail said: “Weare to compromisetheir data. The in the lungs, confirming a Kashmir waswithdrawn. Attorney General KK been misunderstood.” farmers should be willing to torrally on January 26. notafraid of these summons, we courtwas hearingapetition chal- chronic lung disease,” said Dr Sources in New Delhisaidthe Venugopal described thepro- The courtadjournedthe discuss provisions of the laws. “I want to requesttoall willcontinue to protestagainst lenging the Facebook-owned Suryakant Tripathi,Professor Pakistangovernment has notyet posed tractorrally by thepro- hearing to Wednesday as the “TheGovernment is dis- farmer unions thatJanuary26 the farm laws.” platform’s newprivacy policy. and Head of the Respiratory formallyapproachedthe Indian testers as an “extraordinarysit- composition of thebenchwas cussing, and it wantstodiscuss is our Republic Day, anational ■ Three committee members of Followingaglobal backlash, Medicine Department at King government forthe vaccines. uation” and said the entryofso different -- the matter wasear- with an open mind the amend- festival, and the countryhas got SikhYouth PowerofPunjab (SY- WhatsApp lastweek announced George's Medical University in Giventhe tensions, vaccine manypeople would be illegal. lier heardbyabenchofCJI mentstothose provisions on freedomafter abig sacrifice. POP), Palwinder Singh, Parmjit that it wasdelaying the imple- Lucknow,and an expert mem- diplomacy couldbekey to un- However, the bench, also com- Bobde,and Justices AS whichfarmers have objections. Therefore, anymovebythe Singh Akali, and PardeepSingh mentation of itsnew policy until berofthe UP statecommittee for locking the ties. prising Justices LNageswara Bopannaand R But the unions arenot dis- farmers should notaffect the have receivedsummons; May. AEFI. Raoand VineetSaran, asked: Balasubramanian. cussing the provisions. dignity of Republic Day. It is also PalwinderSingh appeared be- In Bellary, Deputy Mamata “DoesUnion of Indianeedthe Lastweek,the deadlock in Therefore, the deadlockcontin- the responsibility of the farm- fore the NIA on Monday. The courtdeclinedto Commissioner PavanMallapati to theMPfromDiamond Supreme Court to tell what talks--overthe demand forre- ues. The meeting willagain ers and Ihopethat theywill re- “Farmer unions saywedon’t said thedistrict AEFI committee Harbour Abhishek Banerjee) can powers it has under the Police peal of the three central laws take placetomorrow,and I consider(thetractor rally),” needtoappear,but we willap- immediatelyissue had ruledout adirect correlation announce itscandidates from Act?” It said the Government is and legal guarantee forMSP -- hope that if farmers discuss op- Tomar said. pear before theNIA as we have notice in the case, and between the vaccination and the anywhere, but the BJP does not under liberty to invoke itspow- made the apexcourt, hearing tions tomorrowthen asolution Alongwithhis Cabinetcol- nothing to hide,” ParmjitSingh deferredthe hearing of deathofthe worker. function likethat. However, Ican ers under the law. petitions relatingtothe will be found,” he said. leagues, Food MinisterPiyush Akali said. The SYPOP is running “Thehighestlevel of treat- give it in writing that if Iam The CJI pointed out thatthe protests, put on hold the imple- Asked whether thefarm Goyaland MoS forCommerce a langar at Singhu border. the matter to January25 ment wasprovidedbut he could fieldedbymyparty in courthad said earlier that who mentation of the laws until fur- leaders were seeking a“yesor and IndustrySom Prakash, ■ Ranjit Singh Damdami Taksal notbesaved.Noneofthe other Nandigram, Iwill either defeat and howmanyshould notbe ther orders. no” from theGovernment on Tomar is leading the calls himself aKhalistani activist, healthcareworkers who took the honourable Chief Minister allowedare matters of lawand It then namedthe four- their demand forarepeal, Government in talkswith the but said he has nothing to do “This is aprivate app. Don’t the vaccine from the same vial by amargin of morethan 50,000 order to be dealt with by the member committee to suggest Tomar said, “I think the discus- farm unions. with SFJ. “I had distribution tur- join it,” said JusticeSanjeev had anyadverse events,'' officials votes, or Iwill quit politics,” bans at the farmer protests. I Sachdeva,addressingthe peti- said. Adhikari said. have bills... Iamactive as a tioner’s counsel.“If youfeel In NewDelhi, the Health “The Chief Ministerisso Capital Management, whichal- ing November,led to theregis- avoid analysing the version of backdrop of the 2G scam and al- Khalistani activistsince 2012 WhatsAppislikelytocompro- Ministrysaid that according to a cleverthatshe has announced leged that theAdani Group was tration of an FIR by CBIinBihar victims whose evidence could legations of asweetheartdeal in and Ihavenever used anyunde- mise with your data, delete provisionalreporttill 5pmon she will be the candidateofher lateinsubmitting the bids. and separateFIRs across be vital at the trial stage, from the allocation of S-band spec- mocratic means or violence. I WhatsApp and go to some other Monday, 3,81,305 beneficiaries party from all 294Assembly The Adani Group had, while Dhanbad by theJharkhand po- publishing anyconfession al- trum to Devas, afledgling firm. became partofthe farmers' applicationwhichisavailable. from the priority group of seats. Her condition has become revising the bid offer, said that liceagainst103 people.Noar- legedly made to apolice officer The S-band spectrum allocated protestbecause everyone in What is the problem?” healthcareand frontline work- suchthat she has to hirean itsonlyintent wasto“provide an restshavebeen made yet. by an accusedand "trying to forthe S-band satellites to be Punjab is associated with this is- The courtdeclinedtoimme- ers have been vaccinated across agency from Bihar (a reference unconditional offerand poten- In 2019-20, the Ministryof makethe public believe that the usedbyDevas wasneededfor sue,” he said. diatelyissuenotice in the case, the country, with 580 AEFIs re- to political strategistPrashant tial value maximisation forall Minority Affairs disbursed Rs 61 same is apiece of evidence". The militarypurposes, the govern- ■ GurpreetSingh Mintu Malwa and deferredthe hearing of the portedsofar.“No case of serious Kishor) to sharpenher intelli- the stakeholders”. croreunder this scheme to courtsaid such"media trial", ment had said. Afterthe BJP-led from Ludhiana runs an NGO matter to January 25. or severe AEFI attributable to gence. She cannotstopthe BJP In the case of BinaniCement, Jharkhand. Under the scholar- pending the investigation of any NDAcame to powerin2014, it calledManukhtaDiSeva Additional Solicitor General vaccination till date,” Agnani this way.” the NCLT had asked UltraTech ship, studentsfromClass 1to5 police case, violates the asked the Central Bureauof (Service of Humanity), which ChetanSharma, whileagreeing said. Banerjee, Adhikari alleged, Cementstorevise itsbid and ex- receive Rs 1,000 peryear,and Programme Code under the Investigation to probethe 2005 has organisedalangar at Singhu. with the court, said the petition On Monday, 1,48,266were remembered Nandigram only tendedthe deadline forthree studentsofClass 6to10receive Cable TV NetworkRegulation Devas-Antrix agreement. In “Thegovernment is trying to neededtobeanalysed.“It will re- vaccinatedacross 25 states and before elections: “She is playing days.This, too, had notgone Rs 5,700 ayear if they areday Act. "In our considered opinion, August2016, theagency fileda cowusdown,” he said. quiresome determination,” UTs. The ministrysaid at least with the sentimentsofthe peo- down well with other bidders scholars or Rs 10,700 if theyare telecastofreports/ discussions chargesheetagainsteight offi- ■ Surender Singh Thikriwala, a Sharma submitted. sevenpeople have been hospi- ple of Nandigram. That will not suchasthe Dalmia Group, which in ahostel. /debates/interviews by these TV cials from Devas, ISROand Sikh activist, has been camping The courttold the counsel for talisedsofar following the work this time, andher party had submitted their bids in time. The Indian Express reported channels on the deathofthe ac- Antrix, for“being party to a at Singhu anddistributing wa- petitioner:“Idoubt if youhave Covid-19vaccination. Delhi has will be democraticallydumped In the January11judgment, that in severalcases, middlemen torand eventssubsequent criminal conspiracy with an in- ter, biscuits, and T-shirts with read the termsand conditions of reported three hospitalisations intothe BayofBengal. Today duringthe insolvency process of convincedschool owners to pro- thereto, brought on recordby tent to cause undue gain to pictures of Bhindranwale to pro- anymobile application thatyou –while twohavebeen dis- therewas only30,000people in Bindals SponngeIndustries, the vide their institution’s login ID the petitioners is, prima facie, themselvesorothers by abusing testers. “The NIA wantsto have installed.Ifyou would have, charged, in the other,the bene- her public meeting who were NCLATflayedthe idea of bidders and passwordonthe NSP,oruse contemptuous having ingredi- official positions”. threaten us. Iwill followthe in- youwill be shocked and sur- ficiary, who reportedlyfainted, mostlybrought from other coming lateunder the pretextof afakeschool letter pad to obtain entsofcriminal contempt…” Among the eight persons structions of the farmer unions prisedastowhat all youconsent is under observation at Max places. TomorrowIwill give her maximisation of value of assets them. Then, theyinvolvedbank- The courtdirectedthat TV chargesheetedbythe CBI is for- on the NIA notices,” he said. to,and it is avoluntarything. Hospital, Patparganj. abefittingreply,”hesaid. of acorporatedebtor and said ing correspondentstoopen ac- news channels mustfollow mer ISROChairman G ■ Jang Singh is an activist who Don’t acceptit”. In Uttarakhand, whichhas Adhikari has ledthe exodus that if this process wasallowed, countsofprospective benefici- guidelines issuedbythe Press MadhavanNair.The CBI has also worksfor Sikh prisoners who he The petition, filedbylawyer reportedone hospitalisation, the of TMC leaders and workers to the NCLT would alwayshaveto aries using their Aadhaar cards Council of India, aprint media accusedformer ISRO officials says remain in prison despite Chaitanya Rohilla through advo- beneficiaryis“stableand under the BJP over the pastseveral direct the CoC to consider the and fingerprintsbeforeapplying watchdog, on reporting cases of and Devasofcausing aloss of ap- having completedtheir sen- cateManoharLal, sought an im- observation” at AIIMS Rishikesh. weeks. Over 40 Trinamool lead- plan whichisthe highest, even forscholarships on their behalf. death by suicide until new proximatelyRs578 croretothe tences. “I am also active in the mediateinjunction againstthe In Chhattisgarh, one beneficiary ers joinedthe BJP along with if it wasnot within the stipulated guidelines forelectronic media Indian government. farmers' agitation. The govern- updated privacy policy,and adi- is under observation at Adhikari at amegarally in timeline. TV channels areframedbythe Central gov- The Directorateofment is sending us these notices rection to the Centre to laydown Government Medical College, Midnaporethatwas addressed “Once the resolution plan Justice Girish SKulkarni was ernment and associationsregu- Enforcement (ED) under the becauseitwants to provethat guidelines to ensureWhatsApp Rajnandgaon. Karnataka has re- by Union Home MinisterAmit has been openedand funda- scathing in itsindictment. lating electronic media. MinistryofFinance has fileda Khalistanis arebehind this agi- does notshareuser datawith any portedtwo hospitalisations. Shah. mentals and financials of the “In an attempt to out-smart CJ Datta, pronouncing the charge sheet under the tation,” he said. thirdparty,orFacebook and its On Monday,25statesand In Nandigram, Banerjee said plan and offermade therein eachother (for reasons which judgment,said the benchhad Prevention of Money ■ RishamjitGabhaand Naresh, companies, forany purpose. UTsconducted 7,704sessions. the BJP wasluringleaders with were disclosed to all the partic- we neednot discuss here), these answered questionsand con- Laundering Actagainstaformer twobusinessmen from Lal submitted therewerepri- According to the provisional the promise of turning their ipantsincluding RP…Then any- twoTVchannels startedavi- cerns raisedbythe petitioners Managing Director of Antrix and Ludhiana who aresaid to be vacy concerns withregardtothe data, Karnataka (36,888), Odisha blackmoneyintowhite. one can enhance itsoffer before cious campaign of masquerad- “tostrikeabalance between five Devasofficials.The ED has partners in Nankana Bus newpolicy.SeniorAdvocate Kapil (22,579), West Bengal(11,588), “Washing powder Bhajapa the adjudicating authorityinthe ing as the crusaders of truth and freedom of speech and expres- stated Devastransferred85per Company, have receivedsum- Sibal, representing WhatsApp, Telangana (10,352), and Andhra (BJP); TMC mein kaala, BJP ka guise of maximization of reali- justiceand the saviours of the sion and right to fair trial and to cent of the Rs 579crore foreign mons. submitted that thenew policy Pradesh (9,758) toppedthe list washing machine me shaada sation. Therefore, no further situation therebyexposing, what extent, if at all, media re- funding it receivedonthe back Home Ministrysources said all wasyet to belaunched, and there of vaccinations. (blackinthe Trinamool, whitein fresh bid or offercould have what in their perception, porting that impactsthe probe of the2005deal to the US under those who have been sum- wasnoquestionof thedatabeing WITHENS,LUCKNOW, the BJP's washing machine),” been accepted,” the NCLATsaid Mumbai Police had suppressed, can be restricted.” various claims. monedhaverecentlyreceived compromised. BENGALURU she said. in itsjudgment. caring less forthe rightsofother "While one cannotignore funds from abroad from When Lalsubmitted that the “Somepeople aremoving stakeholdersand throwing the that but forthe media'sinter- NIA net sources that appear dubious. application analyses users’ be- from heretothere.Theywill be Jharkhand commands of the CrPC and all vention, the criminals in the to recoverfully. Ihavebeencon- “Atthis moment none of those haviour,the courtsaid all appli- Dhaka, Pak fought by ourlocal leaders. Don't banking correspondentsin sense of propriety to the winds,” PriyadarshiniMattoo case, the tinuously writting on the farm who arebeing summonedare cations —and notjustWhatsApp use. Pakistanhas reportedmore worry,these people (who have Ranchi fortheir alleged involve- the courtsaid in its251-page JessicaLal case, the NitishKatara agitation and againstgovern- accusedorsuspects. But if they —dothat. “Do youuse Google than 5lakh Covid cases and al- left) were nottherewhen the ment in the scam. verdict. case and the Bijal Joshi case ment policiesregardingfarmers, areinreceiptofforeign funds, Maps? Do youknowit(also) cap- most11,000 deaths. Trinamool Congress was Lastweek,the stategovern- It said the twoTVchannels could have escapedunpunished, labourers, Sikhs and Dalits. I the agency has all the right to tures and shares your data?” the Sourcessaid the thinking in formed. It is good that some peo- ment issuedanorder placing “took uponthemselvesthe role overzealous ‘investigative jour- have sent amedical certificate ask what these funds are court asked. Islamabad is thatitcan getthe ple have left,” she said. DhanbadDistrictWelfare Officer of the investigator,the prosecu- nalism’ in cases that aresensi- and requestedNIA to postpone meantfor,” aMinistryofficial Senior AdvocateMukul vaccine through Covax, an al- “Thereare some in politics Dayanand Dubey undersuspen- toraswell as the Judge and de- tive and arecapable of arousing my hearing till Irecover,” said. Rohatgi, who represents liance setupbythe Global who aregreedy. Then thereare sion “with immediateeffect for liveredthe verdict as if, during interest among themasseshas Balwinder PalSingh said. Sources said the NIA is also Facebook in the matter,argued Alliance forVaccines and some who have loads of money, notfollowing due process in the pandemic, exceptthey, all ledtocomments/observations ■ Jasveer Singh of Muktsar and looking at open fundingplat- therewas ahullabaloo about Immunisation (GAVI), Coalition and to save that money, they conducting anyinquiryresult- organs of the Statewereinslum- ... whichmay qualify as instances Tajinder Singh of Amritsar are forms suchasGofundme nothing, and that WhatsApp had forEpidemic Preparedness have gone to the BJP.” ing in illegal disbursement of the ber”. of obstruction to ‘administration journalistswith television chan- where, theyclaimed, more repeatedlysaid messages on the Innovations(CEPI) and World In Kolkata, stones were scholarship amount”. The courtwent on to observe of justice’, calling forjudicial nels KTVand Akal Channel re- than$1lakh has been collected platform were end-to-enden- Health Organisation. The al- hurledand blackflags were The official’s name figures in that even if news reportsare scrutiny,"the High Courtadded. spectively.MonuSinghof in the name of farmers’ crypted. “Even WhatsApp can’t liancehas pledged free vaccines shown at the roadshowat- an FIRregisteredinDhanbad in considered to be mere“insinu- Ludhiana is avideoeditor with protests. read it and WhatsApp can’t store for20per cent of the population tendedbyAdhikari and other November that accusedacom- ations and aspersionsagainst Devas KTV. Jasveer and Tajinder said “Wehavenoquarrelwith it.Soitiscompletely safeand the of around 190countries, includ- BJP leaders, including Medinipur puter operator at the District Mumbai Police and actress Rhea $1.2 billion compensation theybelievedtheyhad been funds being collected to sup- policyisthe same whichwas ingPakistan. Pakistanexpectsto MP and stateparty president WelfareOffice of allegedlyreg- Chakraborty,theylack awardedtoDevas by an arbitra- summonedfor their reports on portfarmers’protests.But therefor the lastfiveyears. It is getthe firstconsignment from . In retaliation, BJP istering schools on the National bonafides, areaimedatinterfer- tion tribunal of theInternational the farmers’ agitation. “They thereissuspicion that some of still the same,” he said. Covaxjustafter the startofthe workers chasedthe TMC work- Scholarship Portal (NSP) forthe ing with and/or obstructingad- Chamber of Commerce over the want to silencethe media that is these funds collected in the Rohatgi submitted that the second quarterof2021. ers with sticks.The BJP said scholarship without Dubey's ministration of justiceand have cancelation of aJanuary2005 notpeddling government news nameoffarmershas been di- changehas been made onlywith But, forthe remainingpopu- some of itsworkers were in- signature. propensity to shakethe public agreement betweenAntrix and to defamefarmagitations,” verted by certain vested inter- regard to WhatsApp Business, lation, Pakistanhopes, the jured. Dhanbad is among the six confidence in the capability of Devastobuild and launchtwo Tajinder said. ests to fund secessionistactiv- whichiscompletely different Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as districtsinJharkhand, apart police machinery and efficacy of satellites to provide multimedia ■ Winner Singh, afreelance ities of the SFJ. That partneeds from private chats, whichare well as Bharat Biotech-ICMR’s from Ranchi, Latehar,Ramgarh, judiciary”. services via the S-band spec- journalist from Ambala,was re- investigation,” the official said. completely encrypted. Sibal Covaxin can be procured NCLAT Lohardagaand Sahibganj, where Thebenchsaid while it was trum. The Supreme Courtof centlyquestionedinconnection MHA sources said the investi- addedthat users have the option through bilateral arrangements. finance company, later revised The Indian Express found thatthe refraining from takingaction India had in November,until fur- with the receiptofRs6lakh gation wasordered in the wake to engagewith abusinesses us- Alternatively,Pakistancan pro- itsstance, offering atotal of Rs nexus colludedtodupe gullible againstthese channels, “we ther orders,keptinabeyance the from Sikh Channel, aTVchannel of protests organisedrecently ing Facebook services at their curethe India-made vaccines 30,000crore, plus Rs 3000crore parentsand students, and setup hope and trustthat theyshall act implementation of the US fed- that broadcasts in the UK and by SFJand other such entities discretion. “It is optional forthe through athirdcountry, but that in interest, forentireDHFL loan fake beneficiaries, while genuine moreresponsiblyinfuture and eral courtorder. Canada. in front of Indian missions user,and usersalwayshavethe maypush up costs. book. applicants were leftout. notcreateasituation forthe The January28, 2005, Devas- ■ Gurcharan Singh, 65, is asso- abroad. During the course of choice whether to use products Asource told The Indian The revisedbid did notsit The findings of this newspa- Courttotakerecourse to legal Antrixagreement wasannulled ciated with the Sikhmilitant investigations certain financial offeredbyWhatsAppor Express that oneofthe vaccine well with rivalbidders suchas per’s ongoing investigation, pub- provisions”. by theCongress-ledUPA gov- Jagtar Singh Hawara.“Ihave trails have been found which Facebook,”Sibal told the court, manufacturers in Indiahas over the Piramal Group and Oaktree lishedinaseries of reports start- The courtasked the media to ernment in February2011inthe givenmoneytosome families arebeing probed.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021 3 WEST BENGAL

JALPAIGURI TMC leaderstabbed StoneshurledatBJP’ssouthKolkataroadshow to death, four BJP SuspectedTMC workerscallSuvendu Adhikari traitor The police were mute spectators. EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE SAUMITRARAPPED Earlier,theywerelikeparty workers detained KOLKATA,JANUARY18 workers. Now, they have turned FORPROJECTING into slaves. Butour workers have VIOLENCE BROKE out at aBJP DILIPGHOSHASCM also paid TMC miscreantsback EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Sources said Ranjit roadshow in southKolkataon in their owncoin.” KOLKATA,JANUARY18 Adhikari wasattacked Mondayasstones were hurled Kolkata: BJP MP and party's This wasAdhikari’s firstrally and blackflags were shown at state Yuva Morchapresi- in Kolkatasince joining the saf- ATRINAMOOL Congress (TMC) in Maynaguri around Oppositionparty leaderssuchas dent SaumitraKhan has fron party lastmonth. leader wasstabbed to death in 10 pm Sundaywhen he Dilip Ghosh, Suvendu Adhikari been pulledupbythe party StateBJP vice-presidentJoy Jalpaiguri district’s Maynaguri wasreturning from a and DebashreeChaudhuri. leadership forprojecting PrakashMajumdar said, “The area on Sunday, following which Ghosh, the state BJP chief, stateparty chief Dilip TMC is scared to see suchamas- four BJP workers were detained party programme and former statetransportmin- Ghoshasachief ministerial sive turnout in our rally. forquestioning, the police said on isterAdhikari ledthe roadshow candidate. Addressing a Therefore, it attackedour work- Monday. from TollygungetoRashbehari. rallyinWestMidnaporelast ers to disruptthe rally. This The deceasedwas identified face and body.The body has been As soon as the procession week,Khan hadsaid, shows itsfrustration and desper- as Ranjit Adhikari, the zone pres- sent to Jalpaigurifor autopsy. reachedthe Charu Marketarea, “WhenDilip Ghoshwas ation to stop the BJP.The TMC ident of agrampanchayat. Trinamool leaderslodgedacom- some suspected Trinamool giventhe responsibility of government will have to take re- Sources said he wasattackedin plaintagainstthe BJP at the Congress (TMC) workers hold- heading the BJP in West sponsibility forthis attack. Maynaguri block’s Saptibari area Maynaguri police station. ing party flags were seen hurling Bengal, the party had no People of the statewill respond around 10 pm while he wasre- “A complaint has been re- stones at the rally, calling major presence... Alot of to suchactsofviolence through turning from aparty programme. ceived. The motive of the murder Adhikari atraitor. people aretrying to contain votes in upcoming elections.” Local peopleheardhim scream- isn’tclearyet.Aninvestigation is BJP workers chasedthe TMC him. But Dilip Ghosh will TMC leader and stateminis- ing,and on reaching the spotthey underway,” said an official. workers with sticks.The run the state one day. He terTapas Roysaid, “It is notclear found him in apoolofblood. While local TMC leader Opposition party claimedthat will be ourchief minister.” whodid this.The BJP might have Adhikari wastaken to alocal SibsankarMajumdar blamedthe some of itsworkers were injured hireditsworkers to do this so that healthcentre,wherehesuc- Opposition party,BJP Jalpaiguri in the attack. Ahugepolice con- it can target theruling party.” cumbed to his injuries. districtvicepresidentDipen tingent soon reachedthe spot Adhikari said, “Today’s road- Earlier this month, shoes The police said the TMC Pramanikclaimedthatthe mur- (Fromleft) BJP leaders Bharati Ghosh, Debashree Chowdhury, Dilip Ghosh and Suvendu and brought the situationunder showwas held with police per- were hurled at aBJP roadshow leader had aseverehead injury der wasthe falloutofafactional Adhikariataroadshowinsouth KolkataonMonday. Express control. mission. Yet, TMC miscreants ledbyits leaders Kailash apartfromseveral injuries on his feud in the rulingparty. Speaking about the attack, hurled stones at ourworkers. Vijayvargiyaand . BRIEFLY DAY2OF COVID IMMUNISATION Mannan meets Mamata has forgotten Full benchofEC CoWIN snag hits vaccination Dhankhar, seeks to visit Kolkata 400-year-old removal of retd BJP role in Nandigram tomorrow idolstolenfrom target, 14 AEFI cases reported OSD appointees Nadiatemple movement, says Sovan EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE KOLKATA,JANUARY18 Dignagar: A400-year-old EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA idol of LordVasudeva and KOLKATA,JANUARY18 KOLKATA,JANUARY18 PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA Mamata THE FULL benchofthe Election over 200gmofgoldand AMTALA,JANUARY18 indulging in Commission of India (ECI) will silverornamentswere ON DAY2of the Covid-19vacci- SENIOR CONGRESSleader dangerous visit Kolkatathis week to take stolen from atemple in nation drive Monday, the state Abdul Mannan on Mondaymet BJPLEADER SovanChatterjeesaid game: Sovan stockofthe law-and-order situ- Nadia district on Monday, again fell shortofits target to im- GovernorJagdeep Dhankhar on Mondaythat Chief Minister Chatterjee ation in West Bengal. police said. Unidentified munise all frontlineworkers reg- and advocated the removalofall MamataBanerjee wasindulging Chief Election Commissioner persons brokeintothe isteredinthe second list. retired OSDappointeesand in a“dangerous game” by brand- Sunil Aroraand Commissioners 242-year-old terracotta Asmanyas14,110peoplewere non-deployment of civic volun- ing saffron campleaders as out- about the role playedbyLK RajivKumar temple in Dignagarand inoculated againstatotal of teers forpoll duty to ensure free siders,asit wasdetrimental to the Advani, and and Sushil stole the idol and the 20,700 at 207centres dueto, in and fair Assemblyelections in interestofthe nation, whichisa in the Nandigram Chandrawill valuables, apolice officer whatofficials said, glitches in the the state. classic example of unity in diver- movement. Theyvisited the arrive in said.r. PTI Centralgovernment'sCoWINap- Mannan, the Leader of sity. strife-tornarea in 2007 to provide Kolkataon plication. Total15,707 people Opposition in the Assembly, re- Chatterjee, who wasonce a supporttothe movement that Wednesday 3deadasbike were administeredthevaccineon Ahealth worker being givenaCovid-19vaccineshotatthe questedthe governor to take up close confidanteofBanerjee, catapulted her party to power. aftermeeting DECISION Saturday. Baruipur Sub-Divisional Hospital in South 24 Parganas the matters withthe Election claimedthatthe TMC supremo “In 1998,the TMC had entered politicalpar- 2021 hitstruck “Thenumber is lessdue to district on Monday. Express Commission of India. has forgottenthe fact that intoaseat-sharing pact with the ties in Assam some communication issue. The "He (Mannan) expressed Suvendu Adhikari, who recently BJP,whichisnow the ruling around 10 am. WEST Krishnanagar: Three per- (CoWIN)portalwas notworking concern that earlier action by switchedovertothe BJP from the party'smain opponentforthe up- The following BENGAL sons were killedafter the smoothly, and manyofthe se- STATECOUNT the Election Commission ruling camp, had playedavital coming assemblyelections. You day, at 10 am, motorcycle theywere lected recipientsdid notget the Daily caseload againstofficials has turnedout role in the Nandigram movement arecalling the BJP awashing ma- the three will meetpolitical par- travelling on collided SMS. We have triedtocall them TOTAL CASES to be a'medal' forthem as such —whichwas also backedbysaf- chine, it is the same machine you ties here.According to sources, with atruckinNadia dis- over the phone,” said ahealthof- declines by 31% officers were rewardedwith fron party leaders LKAdvani and had usedbackthen,” he said. theymay alsomeetsenior ad- trict on Monday, police ficial. 565661 plum postings... Forensuring Rajnath Singh. Banerjee had contendedthat ministration and police officials. said. The accident that According to sources in the INCREASE DEATHS Kolkata: West Bengal’s daily free &fair elections, he advo- “You areindulginginadan- the BJPrunsthe party likeawash- Apartfromthe law-and-order took place in Gowaldanga stateHealth Department,atleast coronavirus caseload on cated that allretired OSD (offi- gerous game by harping on the ing machine, wherecorruptlead- situation, theyare expected to in Chaprapolice station 14 vaccinated people reported 389 10063 Mondaydroppedto 389 from cer on special duty) appointees outsider issue over and over.In ers turn intosaintsthe moment look at other aspectsofthe up- area early in the morning AEFI (Adverse EventsFollowing 548705 RECOVERED the previous day's 565 —a31 must be removedastheyare po- India, language, dialect, cus- theyjoin the organisation. coming state elections. is suspected to have been Immunisation) cases in the state. per cent drop. With this, total litical. And civicvolunteers be toms changeevery 50 kilome- Chatterjee alsorecalled that Recently, Deputy Election causeddue to low-visibil- Twoofthem were admitted to 7666238 SAMPLES cases rose to 5,65,661. kept away from the election tres.Our countryisanexample the Adhikari familyhad fought Commissioner in charge of West ity,police said. PTI hospitals.A34-year-oldman,who TESTED TILL JAN18 As manyas5,48,705 Covid duty.The ECI musttakedirect of unity in diversity,” the BJP toothand nail againstthe CPI(M) Bengal,Sudeep Jain, visited the wasshiveringandvomittingafter patients, including 569 in the action by pre-emptivesteps, in- leadersaid at apublic meeting during the Nandigram move- city andmet senior officials and vaccination, wastaken to who wasreferring to anurse who last24hours, have been dis- cluding suspension, to maintain here in DiamondHarbour con- ment in 2007. reviewedpoll preparations. Copquizzed DiamondHarbour Medical wasadmitted to NRSHospital in charged. Active cases dropped purity of the election,” stituency.Earlier,Chatterjeeand incoalscam Collegeand Hospital in South 24 Kolkataafter shefaintedpostvac- to 6,893,and therecoveryrate Dhankharsaid in aseriesof hisfriend Baisakhi Banerjee led Parganas district. A46-year-old cinationonSaturday. reachedthe 97 percent mark. tweets. aroadshowfromDhankol More Kolkata:The CBI on woman with respiratorysymp- AMRIHospitalinKolkata, TenCovid patientssuc- The governorsaid Mannan in Bishnupur to Circus groundof Mondayquizzedseniorpo- tomsandnauseawasadmittedto whichvaccinated 110priority cumbed to the virus since urgedhim to take up themat- Amtala in South 24 Parganas liceofficer TathagataBasu FalakataMultiSpecialityHospital group workers on Monday, said Sunday, taking the toll to ters with the ECI so that "timely district. inconnectionwiththecoal in Alipurduar district. Both pa- onlyafew recipientshad com- 10,063. steps" aretaken. “TheTMCbosshas forgotten scamthatrunsintoseveral tientsare under treatment. plainedtoarmachesormildfever. Of the fresh cases, North thousands of crores, “Todayalso,theAEFIrate isjust “In the lasttwo days of vacci- 24 Parganas reported128 fol- sources in the agency said. around1/1000,whichisexpected nation,onlyahandfulof benefici- lowedbyKolkata's 90 South Basuisthe deputy com- forany vaccination. The patient aries complainedofmild fever 24 Parganas's 15,Hoogly's 13 missioner of (nurse) admitted to NRS Medical andacheinthe arm wherethe and Howrah's 11.Other than ChandannagorePolice College andHospitalisbetterto- vaccine wasadministered. These these districtsinsouth Bengal, Commissionerate. He one dayandisrespondingto treatment healthcareworkerswere kept un- 20 people tested positivein of the twoIPS officers well.However, sherequiresto stay der abrief observation and were , 19 in Paschim summonedinthecase.PTI at the hospital forsome other in- later allowedtogohome," read a Burdwanand15 in Nadia. ENS vestigation," said another official statement by AMRI.

PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE Amartya to VBU: Withdraw NOTICE is hereby given that (1) Susanta Debnath, s/o Late NOTICE is hereby giventhat (1) Susanta Debnath, s/o Late Ajit Ajit Debnath, AND (2) Moumita Debnath, AND (2) Moumita Debnath, Debnath, w/o. Sri Susanta Debnath, false claim over varsity land w/o. Sri Susanta Debnath, both both residents of Hemanta residents of Hemanta Basu Sarani, Basu Sarani, Udayrajpur,P.O. Udayrajpur,P.O. Udayrajpur,P.S. Udayrajpur,P.S. Madhyamgram, Madhyamgram, Kolkata –700129 EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Economist Kolkata –700129 District North District North 24-Parganas have 24-Parganas have jointly agreed KOLKATA,JANUARY18 Amartya jointly agreed to sell the schedule to sell the schedule property property purchased by Deed of Sen wrote purchased by Deed of Conveyance Conveyance 30th January,2017 NOBEL LAUREATE AmartyaSen aletterto 30th January,2017 being Deed being Deed No.588/17 in ADSRO No.585/17 in ADSRO Barasat, on Mondayasked the Visva- the VBUV-C Barasat, hereto, to my client. hereto, to my client. All persons claiming any interest in Bharati University (VBU) admin- All persons claiming any interest the said schedule property or any istration to withdraw its“false al- in the said schedule property or part thereof by way of sale, gift, any part thereof by way of sale, legation” that he wasillegally Sen’s letter came days after lease, inheritance, mortgage, charge, gift, lease, inheritance, mortgage, lien, trust, possession or otherwise occupying aplotofland belong- the central university asked the charge, lien, trust, possession or are hereby required to make the ing to theuniversity. West Bengal government to otherwise are hereby required same known to the undersigned In alettertoVBU Vice- measurethe plotownedbythe to make the same known to the within 7days from the date hereof, undersigned within 7days from the failing which the said sale will be Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty, economisttoresolve the dis- date hereof, failing which the said completed, without any reference Sen wrote, “You have heardfrom pute. sale will be completed, without any to such claim and the same, if any, my lawyer...asking youtowith- In astatement, the university reference to such claim and the shall be considered as waived. same, if any,shall be considered SCHEDULE draw immediatelyyour false al- said, “Wedemand the surveyor as waived. ALL THATapiece and parcel of legation made to the news agen- of the land and land reforms de- SCHEDULE Bagan land admeasuring 02 Cottahs cies that aplotoflandownedby partment of the government of ALL THATapiece and parcel of 10 Chittacks being Scheme Plot Bagan land admeasuring 02 Cottahs No. G, Mouza –Doharia, J.L. No. Visva-Bharati is unlawfullyoc- West Bengalmeasurethe plot 06 Chittacks being Scheme Plot No. 45, Touzi No. 146, Re. Sa. No. 132, cupiedbyme. While youhave and this should be done as soon G, Mouza –Doharia, J.L. No. 45, 139, R.S. Khatian No. 839, R.S. Dag Touzi No. 146, Re. Sa. No. 132, No. 716, under P.S. Barasat (Old) notbeen able to provide anyjus- as possible to permanently re- 139, R.S. Khatian No. 839, R.S. Dag Madhyamgram (New), within Ward tification forthis astonishing al- solve the dispute.” No. 716, under P. S. Barasat (Old) No.10 of Madhyamgam Municipality, legation, younow saythat you Lastmonth, the VBUadmin- Madhyamgram(New), within Ward Holding No. 379, Jessore Road, No.10 of Madhyamgam Municipality, East Bankimpally,District :North arerequesting the West Bengal istrationhad written to theWest Holding No. 379, Jessore Road, 24-Parganas, ADSRO Barasat government to measure thearea Bengalgovernment, alleging East Bankimpally,District :North butted bounded : of our homestead,Pratichi,to that dozens of itsplots had been 24-Parganas, ADSRO Barasat ON THE NORTH By Plot No. F butted bounded : ON THE SOUTH By Plot No. H; comparewith the long-term incorrectly recordedand thelist ON THE NORTH By Plot No. G; lease of land takenbymyfather of unauthorisedoccupantsin- ON THE SOUTH By Plot No. I; ON THE EAST By 60 ft. wide in 1940 from Visva-Bharati. Your cludes Sen. ON THE EAST By 60 ft.wide Jessore Road; officiating Registrar,MrMahato, According to the Visva- Jessore Road; ON THE WEST By Part of Dag ON THE WEST By Part of Dag No 718; has threatenedthat ‘if thereis Bharati estate office, it recently No. 718; anyadditional land occupiedby prepared alistofillegal occu- SUBHASHIS SAHA Advocate SUBHASHIS SAHA him [Sen], legal action will be pantsthat includes the name of 6, Old Post Ofice Street,1st loor, ,Advocate 6, Old Post Ofice Street,1st Room No. 59,Kolkata –700 001 loor,Room No. 59,Kolkata –700 001 taken’.” Sen as his house.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021 4 EXPRESS NETWORK

BRIEFLY DIRECTSENGAGEMENT WITH HEALTHCARE WORKERS QUOTA IN FACULTY POSTS Centre flags poor vaccine Govtpanelsoughtwaiverfor coverage in TN, Kerala IITs,panelwritestoministry KAUNAINSHERIFFM TRACKING INDIA’S COVID CURVE NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 CASES: ACTIVECASES:2,08,012 of reservation" in studentadmis- Centrefor AdvancedScientific tions from unreserved cate- THE CENTRE has flagged Tamil 322 RITIKACHOPRA sions and faculty positions at IITs. Research,Physical Research gories,” he wrote. Nadu and Kerala over their poor DAYSSINCE 1,05,71,773 DEATHS:1,52,419 NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 Instead of implementing Laboratory, Space Physics “Therefore, it is abaseless PANDEMIC PM NarendraModi vaccine coverage of their prior- BEGAN TESTS: 18,70,93,036 | RECOVERIES: 1,02,11,342 quotas in faculty positions, the Laboratory, IndianInstituteof pointmentionedbythe commit- ANI Photo/Tweeted by ity group at less than 25 per cent THE NATIONAL Commission for panel had suggestedthatthe 23 Remote Sensing and Homi tee... Also,itwill impact the diver- Home MinisterAmit Shah and has directed them to engage CASES DEATHS RECOVERIES TESTS BackwardClasses (NCBC) has IITs shouldbeexemptedfrom Bhabha National Instituteand all sity issues in these instutions, with healthcareworkers to build JAN17 13,788 14514,457 5,48,168 soughtaninquiryintoacomplaint reservations altogether under its10constituentunits arecov- whichwill beagainstthe spirit of GUJARAT vaccine confidence, TheIndian againstagovernment-appointed the Central Educational ered underSection 4ofthe law. the ConstitutionofIndia.” Express has learnt. committee thatrecently recom- Institutions (Reservation in The committeewas chaired The 23 IITsreserveposts while PMelectedchair “Duringthe video conferenc- mendedthatIITsbeexemptfrom Teachers’ Cadre) Act2019. by IIT Delhi director VRamgopal recruitingfaculty at the entry- ing that is held everyday,both reservingfaculty positions. Rather thanspecific quotas, Raoand had IIT Kanpurdirector levelofAssistantProfessor.There ofSomnath Tamil Nadu and Kerala told us On January5,the diversity issues should be ad- Abhay Karandikar, representa- is no SC/ST/OBCquotafor recruit- templetrust that theyfoundvarying amounts Commission wrotetoAmit dressedthrough outreachcam- tivesofsecretaries of the depart- ing at senior faculty posts suchas of vaccine hesitancy among their Khare,Higher Education paignsand targeted faculty re- mentsofSocial Justice and AssociateProfessor and Professor. Rajkot: Prime Minister health careworkers,” atop gov- Secretaryinthe Ministryof cruitment, the panel had said in Empowerment, Tribal Affairs, Even at the entry-level, if the IITs NarendraModi was ernmentsource, partofthe team STATESWITHRISINGACTIVECASES Education (MoE), seeking acom- itsreporttothe government. Department of Personnel and cannotfind suitable SC, ST and elected the chairman of monitoring the vaccination ACTIVECASES RISEINLASTWEEK pliance reportwithin 15 days of The reportstatedthatIITs Training, Persons with Disabilities OBC candidates, theycan de-re- the Shree Somnath Trust drive,told TheIndian Express. Kerala 69,162 4,830 the letter's receipt. According to should be addedtothe listof and registrars of IIT Bombayand servethese posts afterayear,as (SKT), the religious body Topgovernment sources said Goa 87846sources, the ministryreceived “Institutions of Excellence” men- IIT Madras as itsother members. per guidelines notifiedbythe whichmanages and that during itsreviewmeetings Daman 41 7 the letter on Monday. tionedinthe Schedule to the CEI Kumar,inhis complaint, government in 2008. However, in maintains the Somnath withthestates,theCentrehasalso NCBC's letter takescog- Act. Section 4ofthe Actexempts questionedthe panel's justifica- humanities and management temple in Gujarat, at avir- highlighted Punjab and STATESWHEREACTIVECASESAREDECLINING nizance of acomplaintfiledby “institutions of excellence, re- tion that faculty positions can- courses at IITs, quotas areoffered tual meeting of the board Chhattisgarhovertheir“poorcov- ACTIVECASES DECLINEINLASTWEEK Dharmendra Kumar,presidentof search institutions,institutions notbekeptvacant forlong (in at all three levels. of trustees Monday. The erage” in vaccinating itspriority UttarPradesh 8,8812,253 the Technical Universities of national and strategic impor- case no suitableSC, ST andOBC According to the Education posthad fallen vacant fol- group. “Wehavetold thesestates Chhattisgarh 6,832 2,135 TeachersAssociation(TUTA), last tance” mentionedinthe candidates areavailable) if the Ministry’s datashared with lowing the death of to engagewiththese healthcare Rajasthan 5,050 1,676 month.Inhis complaint,Kumar Schedule and minority institu- IITshavetobreak intothe top Parliament in 2018,out of 8,856 , former workers.Afterall,thevaccinehes- requestedthe Commission "todo tions from providingreservation. global ranking. teachingposts across 23 IITs, chief ministerofGujarat, itancyisnotgoingto go away if the STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMCASES the needful" to ensurethat the Currently, Tata Instituteof “... thereare manyIITswhich 6,043 faculty were,atthat time, in October.Modi, Home stategovernment is notgoing to ONJAN17 TOTAL government does notacceptthe FundamentalResearch,National were establishedmorethan 60- in position and 2,813 vacant. Of MinisterAmit Shah, BJP engagewiththebeneficiariesand Kerala 5,005 8,47,849 committee's recommendation. Brain Research Centre,North- 70 years agobut neverobtained the 6,043 teachers, only149 are leader LKAdvani, chair- communicatethe facts,” sources Maharashtra3,08119,90,759 The committee wasset up by Eastern IndiraGandhi Regional worldranknig even within top from the ScheduledCaste (SC) man of Kolkata-based saidthe four statesweretold. the MoE in Aprillastyear to look Institute of Health andMedical 200despitebeing theremore categoryand and 21 from Karnataka745 9,31,997 Ambuja Neotia Goup, Sources saidthatitwas fur- into"effective implementation Science, Jawaharlal Nehru than 95% faculty of these institu- ScheduledTribe(STs). Harshvardhan Neotia, re- ther highlighted that theIndian STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMDEATHS tired chief secretaryof Medical Association (IMA), most ONJAN17 TOTAL Gujarat Pravin Laheri and of whose topofficialshail from Maharashtra5151,637 RATHYATRA IN KUTCH FORAYODHYA RAMTEMPLE NBA: Suspend retired professor Jeevan Tamil Nadu, has “givenacallthat Kerala 21 3,511 Parmar arethe members the 3.5 lakh members would be IBF membership West Bengal 12 10,053 of the boardoftrustees. willingly taking the vaccine”. 3FIRs after migrant ‘stabbed to Laheri ,who is the secre- Sources said during the re- DataasonJanuary17,releasedbyUnionMinistryofHealthandFamilyWelfare,IndianCouncilofMedical of Republic TV Researchandstategovernments.Often,thenumbersreleasedeverydaycontaindatafrompreviousdays taryof SKT, told TheIndian viewmeeting, the success of aswell.Assuch,trendsbasedondailynumbersareonlyindicativeandnotdefinitive Express.“Shah proposed Karnataka, AndhraPradesh, and death’ in clash during procession NewDelhi: In astatement on al- name of Mr Modi forthe Telanganawas highlighted -- all leged “collusion” between postofchairman and have reportedanimpressive 70 have had detaileddiscussionson held 97 sessionsand vaccinated passedamosque that provoked The thirdFIR waslodged by RepublicTVeditorArnabGoswami everyone secondeditand per cent coverage . the communication especially 5,592beneficiaries,while Punjab EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE another community”, leading to Vipul Jaru,aresident of Kidana, and former CEO of Broadcast elected himnew chair- “In Karnataka, Telangana, and building vaccine confidence. held 59 sessions and vaccinated RAJKOT,JANUARY18 stonepelting, arson and violent who had joinedthe rath yatrain AudienceResearchCouncil(BARC) man uncontested.” ENS Andhra Pradesh, extensive plan- Theyhavegone beyond justissu- only1,319 beneficiaries. attacks with swords and sticks. his village. He alleged in his com- Partho Dasgupta,the News ninghas gone intoexecuting the ing directions,” sources said. AndhraPradesh on day1 THREE FIRswerelodged on The FIR states that Majirana plaint that amob of around 200 BroadcastersAssociation(NBA),an vaccination drive.Ineachsession Accordingtoofficial data, on held 332sessions and vaccinated Mondayafter amigrant worker wastrailing the rath, andwhen people of the other community industrybody of news channels, site, the health departmentofthe the firstday,Tamil Nadu held 161 18,412 beneficiaries, Karnataka from Jharkhand wasallegedly the clash brokeout, police tried hatchedaconspiracy to notal- onMondaydemandedthatIndian MANIPUR stategovernment has sat with sessions and vaccinated only held242 sessionsand vaccinated stabbed to death, while several to pacify both the groups. “But lowthe rath to passthrough BroadcastingFederation,abodyof the medical superintendent, the 2,945 beneficiaries, Kerala held 13,594beneficiaries, while others, including four policemen, theydid notobligeand sensing their area and resortedtostone- televisionchannelsof thecountry, 2editorsaccept director,orthe principal of the 133sessionsand vaccinated Telangana held 140sessionsand were injured in violentclashes that the situation could get pelting afterblocking the rath’s should suspend the channel’s ‘oversight’, medicalcollege.These states 8,062 beneficiaries, Chhattisgarh vaccinated 3,653 beneficiaries. during aprocession takenout by worse, we requestedour police path and vandalisedvehicles. membership. the VHP on Sundaytocollect inspectorSSDesai on phone at Jaru also said that the as- NBAisheadedbyIndia TV’s released funds forthe construction of the 6.30 pm to come to the spot with sailantsalso lootedthe donation Chairman and Editor-in-Chief RamtempleinAyodhya. reinforcements.” amount kept in therath and that Rajat Sharma. Guwahati: Twoeditors of Kerala: 29 cases filed over The “rath yatra” held in KutchEastSPMayur Patil said, he wasinjured in the violence The NBAsaid it is “shockedto an online news portal in Kidana villageofKutchdistrict “VHP had permission to take out along with twoothers. see hundredsofWhatsApp mes- Manipur,who were ar- did nothaverequiredpermis- the rath yatraonMondaybut Asked whythe ‘B’Division sages” exchanged between rested aday earlier on sexual abuse of girl, 18 held sion, police said. Forty people theydid it aday early.” police station sent ateam of Goswami and Dasgupta,and the chargesofseditionandter- have been roundeduponcharges In the violence, migrant sevenpolicemen,including aSI, “messages clearly establish collu- rorism over an articleon actingonapetition from herpar- of murder,rioting, arson and con- worker Arjun Manki Sovaiya an assistant sub-inspector and sion between the twoinmanipu- militancypublishedonthe EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE The girl, who was ents,the CWCallowedthe family spiracy,among others, in all the (30), anative of West five constables for“bandobast” lating ratings to garner greater portal, were releasedon THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, custody of the girl. three cases. Singhbhum district of of rathyatraifthe rallywas taken viewershipnumbersfor Republic Monday.The develop- JANUARY18 staying with her Afterasecond POCSO case The FIR by sub-inspector GB Jharkhand,diedofstabwounds. out without due permission, TVmonthaftermonthby fraudu- ment comes afterFrontier brother,went missing pertainingto herin2017,theCWC Majirana who wasinjured, He wasriding an autorickshaw Patil said, “That is under investi- lentlymanuallyreducing ratings Manipur’sexecutive editor POLICE HAVE registered29cases last month shiftedthe girltoagovernment states that “loud religious slo- drivenbyNurmamad Chavda, gation. We shall do the needful of otherchannels to give Republic Paojel Chaoba andeditor- pertainingto sexualabuseof ami- shelter, butherbrothersoughther gans were raisedasthe rath who has lodged aseparate FIR. in this matter.” TV an unfair advantage”. ENS in-chief DhirenSadokpam nor girlinMalappuramdistrict. custody.“As her familymembers wrotetoChief Minister N Theysaid18 peoplehave beenar- girlintocustody,and subsequent were notinvolvedinthe case, the BirenSingh,acceptingthat rested underPOCSO Act, and a counsellingbythe Chief Welfare CWCallowedher custody to her therewas an “oversight” probeisontoascertain the actual Committee (CWC) brought to brother in October 2019,” said a UP woman says willingly on their partinpublishing number of accused. light the sexual abuse. police source. the article whose author Thegirl,who wasstaying with Police said the girlwas first Lastmonth, the girlwent went withyouth wasnot verified. ENS her brother,went missing last abusedin2016and waslodgedin missingfromher brother’shouse. month.Days later,policetook the ashelter home run by CWC. But, While probing the case, the po- AWOMAN from Gorakhpur sionlaw.“The womantold the lice took the girlintocustody whose father had filedanabduc- police that shehad gone on her from Palakkad. During CWC tion complaintagainsta22-year- owntoKarnataka in searchofa Government of Gujarat counselling,the girl reportedly old Muslim man from Karnataka job. She deniedthe allegation that Narmada Water Resources, Water Supply and said she wasabusedseveral aftershewentaway withhimhas she had been kidnappedbythe Kalpasar Department times. told the police that she wasnot youth and wasforcedtoconvert Tender Notice No.26of2020-21 CWCchairpersonShajesh kidnappedorforcedtochange her religion. She further told the Bhasker said,“As perJuvenile her religion. police that she came in contact 1 Name of work Providing 60 MT Capacity Additional gantry crane (moving) on JusticeAct, arescue home The 19-year-old woman and withMehboob through social existing rail track of Main spillway,Replacement of 20MT Capacity gantry crane with replacement of existing rail track of HR spillway should be the lastresort... Her theman, identifiedasMehboob media and he did nothide his real Union Ministers VKSingh, Rajnath Singh and and Replacement of Passenger elevator by dismantling old for family wasnot involved in the Chapparband, were brought back identity.The woman showeda at the launchofthe National Road SafetyMonth. Gadkari has gallery inspection at block No.9on main spillway at Ukai dam site, allegedincidents.Itwas coun- to UP on Sunday, days afterthe willingness to go with Mehboob pulled up the deadline he had setfor a50percent reduction Ukai, Dist. Tapi, Gujarat (Estimated Cost Rs.3,81,42,019/-) selling by CWCthat ledtothe policeregisteredacase against forajob,”said ASP Gorakhpur, in road accidentsand deaths from 2030 to 2025. Anil Sharma 2 Date of Online 25/01/2021 to 24/02/2021 upto 16.00 Hrs. expose of abuse.” the man under the anti-conver- Manoj Kumar Awasthi. ENS Tender submission

3 Last date of submission 25/02/2021 to 05/03/2021 upto 18.00 Hrs. Government of Gujarat of physical document Narmada Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpasar Department Tandav makers say 4 Office Name and Execurive Engineer,Irri. Mech. Div.No. 7, Bahumali Tender Notice No. 38 of 2020-21 address Bhavan, B-Block, 4th Floor,Manjushree Mill Compound, 1Name of work 1. Construction of Newroads of 3.75 in width with Concrte Girdharnagar,Asarwa, Ahmedabad -380 004, Tr imix, Strengthening of existing 6.70 mwidth Asphalt roads sorry; FIR in Lucknow Phone No.(079-29703375). by providing profile correction 8M where required with 30 BASIRHATMUNICIPALITY mm thickSDBC and strengthening of existing 3.75 mwide BASIRHAT, NORTH 24 PGNS ship with intent to insult the reli- Any kind of amendments will be published only on online &will be final &binding asphalt roads with Tr imix concrete over existing surface, WBMAD/BASIR/E-07/AMRUT to all. Forfurther details contact to this office during office hours.Detailed Tender KRISHNKAUSHIK gionof anyclass),505(1)(B)(pub- culverts and minor bridges at Ukai Dam. Estimated cost. 2020-21 NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 lic mischief with intent to cause Notice can also be seen on www.statetenders.com and www.nwr.nprocure.com. Rs.115166390.81 Online E-Tendersare invited for fear or alarm) and 469 (forgery for No.INF/ABD/1273/2021 2. Providing and installion of Dam TopLighting and other Survey,Design, drawing, supplying electrification work at Ukai Dam. Estimated Cost Rs. and laying of MS conduit and carrier ON Aday the Information and purpose of harming reputation) 56050317.20 pipe across &underneath the Broadcasting Ministrycalled and the Information Technology Government of Gujarat 3. Providing and installing of CCTV Surveillance system, Railway Track under AMRUT Amazon Prime to respond to Act. Sources said avirtual meet- Scheme. Tender submission Closing Narmada Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpasar Fire safety arrangements,boom barrier and related works complaintsagainstweb series ing washeldMondaymorning Department date 09.02.2021 at 18:00 hrs. For including O&MatUkai Dam. Estimated Cost more information, visit: Tandav,makers of the show is- betweenministry officials and Tender Notice No. 27 of 2020-21 Rs.23753670.40 www.wbtenders.gov.in and suedapublic apology if it “unin- representativesof Amazon Prime, 1Name of work Inspection and Testing of Spillway Radial 4. Providing and installing of SCADAbased gate operation, www.basirhatmunicipality.in tentionallyhurtanybody’s senti- and the show, including Zafar. gates Size-51'x48.5'-22nos.including ARMC &Monitoring Control System, instrumentation and Sd/- ments”. Zafar and Mehratweeted a Hoisting arrangements and Embedded other related worksincluding O&MatUkai Dam. Estimated Chairperson parts of Ukai dam At-Ukai dam site,Dis- Cost Rs.128928983.00 Basirhat Municipality Meanwhile, LucknowPolice statement Mondayevening. Tapi. Gujarat 5. Turfing work forD/s slope of Earthen Dam portion at Ukai has filedanFIR againstTandav’s “Wehavebeen closelymoni- (Estimated cost Rs.77,86,948/-) Dam. Estimated Cost Rs.73361833.48 makers forallegedly portraying toring viewerreactionstothe 6. Renovation worksofVIP Rest house at Ukai Dam site. BASIRHATMUNICIPALITY Hindu Gods in abad light follow- webseries ‘Tandav’ and today 2Date of Online 25/01/2021 to 24/02/2021 up to 16.00 Hrs. BASIRHAT, NORTH 24 PGNS Tender submission Estimated Cost Rs.37163912.45 ingacomplaint by Senior Sub- during adiscussion, the Ministry 7. Protection work to damaged portion near RT wall of diver- WBMAD/BASIR/E-08 of 2020-21 Inspector Amar Nath Yadav. Head of Information and Broadcasting 3Last Date of 25/02/2021 to 05/03/2021 up to 18.00 Hrs. sion channel of Ukai Dam. Estimated Cost Rs.24950765.83 Submission of Online E-Tenders are invited for of India original content of have informedusregarding a 2Date of Online 25/01/2021 to 24/02/2021 up to 16.00 Hrs. Physical Document ConstructionofBoundry Wall, Amazon Prime, Aparna Purohit, large number of grievances and Tender submission 4Office Name and ExecutiveEngineer,Irri. Mech. Div.No.7. Flooring Work, and sinking of PVC has also been namedinthe FIR at petitions receivedonvarious 3Last Date of 25/02/2021 to 05/03/2021 up to 18.00 Hrs. Tubewell ar PHC Building under address "Bahumali Bhavan", B-Block, 4th Floor, Hazratganj police station. facets of the webseries…,”it said. Submission of NUHM. Tender submission Closing Manjushree Mill compound, Girdharnagar, Director Ali Abbas Zafar,pro- In November,the government Physical Document Date 02.02.2021 at 18:00 hrs. For Asarwa, Ahmedabad-380004, Phone No. ducer HimanshuKrishna Mehra broughtcontent on digitalplat- (079-29703375) 4Office Name ExecutiveEngineer,Ukai Division No.1. Ukai. Ta.Fort more information, visit: and address Songadh Dist.Tapi-394680 (Phone No.02624-233221) www.wbtenders.gov.in and and others have been bookedun- forms, including Over-the-top Anykind of amendment will be published only on online &will be www.basirhatmunicipality.in der IPC sections 153A(promoting (OTT) media platforms under I&B final &binding to all. Forfurther details contact to this office during Anykind of amendments will be published only on online &will be final &binding to all. Sd/- enmity between different groups Ministry’s purview. office hours.DetailedTender Notice can alsobescenon Forfurther details contact to this office during office hours.Detailed Tender Notice can Chairperson on grounds of religion, race, place The issue around Tandavhas www.statetenders.com and www.nwr.nprocure.com also be seen on www.statetenders.com and www.nwr.nprocure.com Basirhat Municipality of birth, residence,language),295 again brought the issue of regu- No.INF/ABD/1274/2021 No.:INF-Surat/1233/2021 (injuring or defiling place of wor- lation of OTT content intofocus.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021 5 GOVT &POLITICS

MAHARASHTRA GRAM PANCHAYAT POLL RESULTS DMK says will contest MVAsettodominate,BJP,Sena all Puducherry seats, DELHI CONFIDENTIAL ally Congress says neckandneckfortopposition watching closely wherethe Congresshas fared EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE well. In Marathwada, Western

MUMBAI,PUNE,JANUARY18 Maharashtra, it waschallenged ARUNJANARDHANAN& ED by Congress, NCPand ShivSena. MANOJCG Without AS THE counting of votes polled StateBJP president CHENNAI,NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 Cong,uphill in Maharashtragrampanchayat wasstumped PLAIN E taskforDMK ● elections continues, the BJP is in hisnative villageKhanapur by JUSTMONTHS ahead of the EX slightlyahead of the ShivSena in apanel backedbyShivSena MLA AssemblypollsinTamilNaduand atight race forthe single largest Prakash Ambitkar.However, Patil Puducherry,thereistensioninthe WHILE SOME in the DMK party,with the NCPfollowing argued, “Adefeat in one gram Congress-DMK alliance in the maybethinking of relying EYE ON SAFETY close behind. panchayatdoes notundermine Union territory. Thefirstsignal on the resources of S The elections were notfought our success. We areconfident of thatthe alliance maybeheading Jagathrakshagan, abusi- SPEAKINGATanevent about his experience of being in aroad on party symbols, butgoing by winning6,000grampanchayats.” foracollapse came on Monday nessman withseveral in- accident manyyears ago, Road Transport andHighways the backing that the panels of Congress statepresident and withtheDMK’sPuducherrylead- terestsinIndia and MinisterNitin Gadkari said that at that time he had found out candidates receivedineverypan- revenue ministerBalasaheb ership announcing that the party abroad, to go it alone in the that his driverhad cataract. He cautionedDefence Minister chayat, those backedbyMaha Thorat claimedhis party would will contestinall the 30 seatsin Puducherry polls, the Rajnath Singh and allgovernment officials to getthe eyesight VikasAghadi(MVA)constituents win 4,000gram panchayats. the elections. party’s prospectswithout of theirdrivers checkedbyprivate doctors.Government driv- —Sena, NCPand Congress —ap- In Sena’s home turf Konkan, Thediscordcomesdays ahead the Congress remain a ers oftenget fake certificates since bad eyesight makes them pear to have wonmostofthe the BJP benefited from Rane’s of Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Tamil questionasithardlyhas liable to lose theirjob, he said.After Gadkari, when Rajnath panchayats.This will give MVAa BJP-backedwinning candidateChetanKeni in Panvel, on clout, wresting 55 out of 80 gram Nadu,hissecondthismonth.If the anypresence in the UT.Of Singh rose to speak,hesaidthatjustnow his aide had con- clear edge in the sarpanchelec- Monday. NarendraVaskar panchayats in the region. Nitish DMKandtheCongresspartways, nine seatscontestedby firmedthat alldrivers working forhim had their eyes checked tions, whichare to beheld in afew Rane said, “In spiteofhaving Shiv the tension could castashadow the DMK in thelastelec- already and theywerefine. days’time. Sena CM UddhavThackeray,they in Tamil Nadu as well. The tions,the party wononly The statehas atotal of 27,920 kan to sworn opponent Narayan scribed the outcome as averdict failedtodislodgeusbecause we CongresshighcommandinDelhi two, adding another in a gram panchayats,ofwhich Rane,whodeliveredintheregion on the good governance by the work at the grassroots.” saiditwaswatchingthesituation bypoll held later. OUT OF BOUNDS 14,234went to thepolls on forthe BJP. MVA. He appealedtograssroot Other bigwigs suchasBJP closelyand is in touchwithboth January 15.The tenure of therest The BJP mayyet emerge with workers to setaside politics and leaders RadhakrishnaVikhe- Chief MinisterVNarayanasamy soon announceJagathrakshagan FOLLOWINGCRITICISM of the NIA’s move to send summons to is notyet complete.Voting took the single largest tally, but with work fordevelopment of villages. Patil in Ahmednagar, Udayanraje and the Puducherry leadership. as the CM candidate,asenior somefarmerleaders,DelhiPolicehasclosedtheroadoutsidethe place for12,711 gram panchay- MVAholding strong, that will be StateNCP chief Jayant Patil Bhosale in Satara, senior The announcement by senior DMK leader in Chennai said he agencypremisesatCGOcomplex.Theheadquartersof theagency ats, as in the remaining 1,523, cold consolation. said all three constituentsofMVA Congress leaders Prithviraj DMK leader SJagathrakshagan hasbeenaggressively pushingfor andtheareaarounditwasmadeoutof boundsforallexceptNIA onlysingle candidates were in The MaharashtraNavnirman have done well in the gram pan- ChavaninKarad and Ashok came afterameeting of DMK hiscandidature inPuducherryde- and MHA officials. Sources said the police took the step in antic- the fray,who arelikelytobede- Sena also registeredits presence, chayat elections. “Though these ChavaninNanded,NCP state functionariesinPuducherry.After spitethe camaraderie between ipation of farmers staging adharna in front of the agency. clared unopposed. bagging 36 gram panchayats. elections arenot fought on party chief Jayant Patil in Sangli faced chairing the party meeting, DMK chief MKStalinand Full resultswillbeavailable Displaying their united front, symbols, the candidatesowingal- embarrassment as gram pan- Jagathrakshagan addresseda PuducherryCMNarayanasamy. on Tuesday, but trends indicate leaders from Sena, Congress and legiance to aparticular parties are chayatsbackedbythem lost. In gatheringnearPuducherrywhere “Even Narayanasamyhad a DIGITAL LEARNING thatcollectively,MVA will dom- NCPdeclaredit wasthe victoryof fielded. When the finalresultsare Beed,panels backedbythe NCP he categoricallystatedthat DMK hope that he could talk and re- inatethe gram panchayats for the MVA. The BJP assertedit out, it will be clearthat the Maha leader and ministerDhananjay willcontestandwinall30seatsin solve anyproblemthroughStalin. LOKSABHA Speaker Om Birla has been exploring newways thenextfiveyears. Thelastgram would emerge as the No.1party. Vikas Aghadihad wonmaximum Munde emergedsuccessful. the UT.“If we fail (towin polls), I But Jagathrakshagan was to utilise the digital platforms available to Parliament forthe panchayatpolls were held in “The BJP wascontesting aga- gram panchayats,” he said. The ShivSena also did well in willcommitsuicideonthisstage,” adamant. We have onlythree benefit of theMPs.Birla has asked officials to ensure that best 2015-2016. instthree parties. The BJP’s suc- Stateminister UdaySamant, Beedfor the firsttime. In Ralegan he said to around of applause. seatsinPuducherry now. The practices and domain knowledge of Padma awardees can be The main takeaway is that the cess can be attributed to the pro- aSenaleader,said, “The ShivSena Siddhi,thegram vikaspanel sup- CongresssourcesinDelhisaid leadership is told thatmorethan shared with MPs. Padma awardees and social workers will Sena, whichhad the imageofala- people policies of the Narendra will finallyemerge as the number portedbycrusader Anna Hazare the developments in Puducherry five or six winnablecandidates sharetheir knowledge and experiences that will be recorded rgelyurban party,has enlargedits Modi government during Covid- oneparty...andtogetherwiththe emergedvictorious. were worrying.“If they(DMK)are will join DMK from other parties and made availabletothe members online. The presentations footprint in rural Maharashtraat 19.Incomparison, the MVAgov- MVAconstituents, will have the The AamAadmi Party also talking,obviouslythereissome- before pollsto capturepower.We will coverarangeofareas suchasagriculture, animal hus- the costofBJP,helpednodoubt ernment wasunable to address maximum number of gram pan- made asuccessfulelectoral thing to it,” asenior leader said. willwaitandsee,”theseniorDMK bandry, biogas, agrobiodiversity conservation andmicrofi- by the fact that the MVA, headed the unrestathome,”former CM chayatsunder itsbelt.” foray,with apanel of itssup- Another leader said if the DMK leadersaid, adding thatthe DMK nance, andthese will be on members’portal. The MPs can by aSena chief minister, is in DevendraFadnavis said. From the trends, the BJP ap- porters winning five seatsinthe and Congress partwaysin leadership in Chennai feels the watchthem as per convenience. powerinthe state.But it lost On the other hand, Deputy peared to be losing considerable Dapkyal Gram Panchayatin Puducherry,itwillhave “someef- Narayanasamygovernmentisun- groundinits traditional turf Kon- Chief MinisterAjit Pawarde- groundinitshometurf Vidarbha, Latur district. fect in Tamil Nadu…it givesfod- likelytoreturn and it maybebet- der forother parties to talk.” tertolistentoJagathrakshagan’s When contacted,AICC in plan to contestalone. ‘Kisan sansad’ dispute charge DineshGunduRaotoldThe WhileNarayanasamywasnot In western UP, farmers are angry, Indian Express,“We arelookingat available forcomment, sources it closely.The party high com- closeto himinPuducherryaswell resolved, Chaduni to be mandwilldiscussitwithourChief astheDMKleadershipinChennai MinisterandPCCpresidentthere. saidthedevelopmentswillnotaf- tractors get ready for R-day protest We arelooking at it...wewill see fect the alliance in TamilNadu. part of talks with govt howitplays out.” FULLREPORTON mentisnotenforcingthis,howcan Suggestingthatthepartymay www.indianexpress.com HARISHDAMODARAN contract farming be asolution for MUZAFFARNAGAR(UP), othercrops?”saysAmitMalik,who EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE JANUARY18 growssugarcaneoneightof his12- CHANDIGARH,JANUARY18 bigha (2.4 acres) holding at Kharar AT SISAULI, the villageof villagenear Sisauli. ADAY aftercracksappearedinthe MahendraSinghTikait,onwhose The 40-year-oldsupplied470 seven-memberSayunkat Kisan call half-a-million farmers from quintals of cane to Bajaj Morcha(SKM) —leading the on- western Uttar Pradesh occupied Hindusthan’s factoryatBudhana going farmers’ agitation —over NewDelhi’s Boat Club lawns fora in 2019-20,againstwhichhehas key memberGurnam Singh week in October 1988, there’s BKU chief Naresh Tikait at ameeting organisedbythe union got paymentonly for300quintals. Chaduniand agroup of other ac- anger againstthe Centre’s three at Sisauli villageinMuzaffarnagar. Praveen Khanna He has deliveredanother 240 tivistsholdingameetingwithop- agricultural reform laws – kaale quintalsinthe2020-21seasonbe- positionleaders over aproposed Gurnam Singh Chaduni kanoon is the refrain. ginning October,for whichno ‘kisan sansad’, leaders of the “Thereare 11,000voters here. Gangnauli mills belonging to PanchayatatSisauli attendedby payment has comesofar. MorchaonMonday evening said Outof8,000-oddvotescastinthe Triveni Engineering&Industries elders from other Khaps as well. This, even as the Yogi thedisputehas been resolved. hadstated,“SKM,aftertakingnote 2019 LokSabhapolls,nearly 5,500 and BajajHindusthan Sugar Ltd, The single-pointagenda: Adityanath-ledBJPgovernmentin TheSKMleadersalsosaidBKU of MrChaduni’songoingactivities went to BharatiyaJanataParty respectively.That crop, of some Mobilising themaximum num- UP is yettoannounce the SAPfor leaderChaduni will be part of the withpoliticalparties,afterduedis- (BJP). But on this issue, farmers 2,000growers,wasworthroughly bers forthe proposedRepublic thenewseason.UPmillscurrently delegation whichwillhold talks cussion on the same in ageneral aren’t withthe party and thereis Rs 27 croreatUP’s stateadvised Daytractor march to Delhi. owe cane farmers morethan Rs withthe CentreonWednesday. bodymeetingof SKMSunday, has Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi KPalaniswami with Union Home tremendous opposition,” says price (SAP) of Rs 325/quintal. “Our district alone will send 11,000 croredues, includingRs Itisnotclearwhetherthe‘kisan formedacommittee that will in- MinisterAmit Shah at his residence in Delhi. PTI YashpalBanji,ex-chairmanof the “Yehsarkarziddirajaaurhathd- 1,000-1,200tractor-trolleys,each 1,850 crorefromthe lastseason. sansad’ —proposedbyagroup of quireintothe matter andgiveits Sisauli NagarPanchayat now harmi raja hai (this government is carrying25people,forJanuary26,” “Since this government took activists to knowthe point of view reportinthree days’time. SKM headedbyhis wifeNeeru Devi. stubborn and obstinate). If the claims Rajkumar Guddu, aBKU over (in March 2017), the SAPhas of political leaders over three new willtake furtherstepsthereafter.” Sisauli, in Muzaffarnagar dis- British could yieldtoSir Chhotu leader from Banat near Shamli. beenincreasedbyjustRs10/quin- farmlaws—willnowbeheldwith On Monday, Chadunisaid, EPS in Delhi, Sasikala’s trict’sBudhanatehsil,isaquintes- Ram(legendaryJatpeasantleader) Sugarcane, unlikewheat or tal. During the sameperiod,ithas Chaduni announcing that he will “Conspiracies arebeing hatched sential West UP sugarcaneheart- in1943–whenhedemandedrais- paddy,isn’tsoldinagriculturalpro- doubledour monthlyelectricity notbepartofthe same. to defame us so that amessage return to AIADMK or landvillage.Thecropcoversabout ing the official ceiling price of duce market committee (APMC) chargesfor10-horsepowerirriga- “MrChaduni... stated in writ- can be sent that the morcha 2,600 of itsestimated 3,200-acre wheat from Rs 5toRs10per mandis.Moreover, thecane SAP tion pumps to Rs 2,000and for2- ingthatyesterday's meeting was stands divided. ButIwon’tlet the farmland almostentirely owned maund –why can’t the Narendra has to be mandatorily paid by kilowatt domestic connections organised by him in his personal agitation be broken... Iwon’t at- mergermay be discussed by Jats. The community has over Modi government repeal these sugar mills, whichisnot so with fromRs400toRs1,060.If youadd capacity... Morchaisnot associ- tend the kisan sansad.” 6,000 of thetotal 11,000 voters, kaale kanoon (three laws)?” asks minimum supportprices (MSP) diesel (Rs 62 to Rs 75/litre)and atedwiththisactivity...heassured Meanwhile, Haryana CM “Weneedtostrengthen our withKashyaps(1,800),Jatav Dalits Naresh Singh Tikait, presidentof declared forother crops. So why LPG cylinder (Rs 400toRs700) the Committee that in future, ,who had ARUNJANARDHANAN secularfront.HavingBJPintheal- (1,400), Muslims (1,300) and as- the BhartiyaKisan Union (BKU) areWestUP’s cane growers wor- rates,theyhavemadeagriculture while the ongoingfarmers' agita- earlierblamedChadunifor“incit- CHENNAI,JANUARY18 liance means we aregoing to lose sortedother castes (Brahmin, thathislatefatherfoundedin1987. riedabout the three farm laws? a ghaatekasauda,” adds Malik. tion is underway, he will notat- ingpeople” to disturbhiseventin secular,minority votes. Getting Bania, Kumhar and Khatik)mak- The junior Tikait is also “If we don’t stand with our Farmershave simultaneouslyex- tendanypoliticalpartymeetings. Karnal district, also hit out at the CHIEF MINISTER Edappadi K Dhinakaran on boardwill bring ing up the rest. Chaudhary(head) of the Baliyan Punjab and Haryana brothers to- periencedrisingcostofpesticides Healsoassuredthatheis,andwill BKU leader.“Themisdeedsthey Palaniswami’s visit to Delhi on backasizableminority of votes,” In the 2019-20 sugar season Khap, aJat community organisa- day, itcouldbesugarcane’sturnto- (fromRs1,400toRs1,800per250- continue to be associated with aredoinginthe name of farmers Mondaygainedhugesignificance said aminister. (October-September), Sisauli’s tion representing84villages of morrow. Themills arelegally re- ml for‘Coragen’ insectcontrol so- SKM,” read ajoint statement is- arecondemnable. The politics in withmultiple sources in the While Dhinakaran campisof farmers supplied 8.34 lakhquin- MuzaffarpurandShamlidistricts. quiredtopayusSAPwithin14 days lution)andcaneharvestinglabour suedbysix SKM leaders. the name of farmersshould be AIADMKand BJP mentioning ne- theviewthattheyshoulduniteto tals of cane to the Khatauli and On Sunday, theBKU held aKisan of cane .But if the govern- (Rs 25 to Rs 40/quintal). Earlier,inthe day, the morcha condemned.” gotiationsto letVKSasikala—the defeatDMKintheupcomingpolls oustedpartyleaderwhoissched- anddealwithalldifferenceslater, uledtobereleasedfromajail in another AIADMK minister said it CM BAGHEL IS AMONGACCUSED Bengaluruonorbefore January27 wasnot the AIADMK but No CM candidate for Cong in Kerala,but —merge or jointhe AIADMK-BJP Dhinakaranwho firstpitchedthe In Supreme Court, CBI alliancebeforetheAssembly polls. idea about amergeragain. “He Palaniswami is expected to didn’t approachusdirectlybut Chandy gets lead roleinpoll campaign talk politics with BJPbigwigs on talkswerehappeningthroughBJP. seeks transfer of sex CD Mondayand Tuesdayduringthe It could be either the Sasikala fac- ing candidates and notonthe ba- mittee.SourcessaidCongress’sal- visit —touted as one to invitePM tion, including Sasikalaand case outside Chhattisgarh MANOJCG sis of factions. lies, including Indian Union NarendraModifor the inaugura- Dhinakaran, joining back NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 The defeat in the localbody Muslim League, were keen that tionof thenewly-builtJayalalithaa AIADMKwithsignificantposts or Chhattisgarhwhen one of the elections had triggered awar of theformerChiefMinisterplays an MemorialinChennai. theirAMMKjoiningthealliance,” EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE accusedisthe Chief Minister.The THE CONGRESS high command wordsinthe CongressinKerala. active roleintheelectionsandre- Asenior BJP leadersaid theministersaid. NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 trial needs to be shiftedtoDelhi on Mondaydecidedtoset up a Amiddeepeningfactionalfeud,top turns to lead the campaign. Palaniswami’smeetings with However, reportedly, no talks or anyother placeaslong as it is committeeheaded by Oommen leaders –among them Chandy, Partyleaders said it wasnot a Home MinisterAmit Shah and were unconditional. Multiple THE CBI on Mondaypitchedfor outside of Chhattisgarh.” Chandy to oversee and manage stateCongress chief Mullappally setbackforChennithala,whowas PMModiwilldiscussthepolitical leaders in both AIADMK and transferring the trial in the sex He also referred to the the party’s campaign forthe up- Oommen Chandy Ramachandranand Leader of the said to be eying the leadership scenario too. “Election seat-shar- Sasikala camps told The Indian CD case, in whichChhattisgarh Chhattisgarhgovernment filing coming AssemblypollsinKerala, OppositionRameshChennithala– role.“Thecommitteewillhave all ingand alliance strengthening ExpressthatDhinakaranhasbeen ChiefMinisterBhupesh Baghel an impleadment application and signalling thatthe former Chief metthe Congress president along topleaders. So the party is going were pendingfordiscussion,”the demanding 30 seatsfor AMMK if is an accused, to outside the said, “That the respondent-ac- Minister, who has notbeen very from the stateand reviewed withseniorleaderAKAntony, AICC intoelections under acollective leader said, adding that Sasikala’s thereisadeal foranalliance. And state. The agency contendedthat cusedisseeking impleadment is active forsometime,wouldplaya preparations forthe Assembly general secretaryincharge of or- leadership,” one senior leader nephewand AMMK chief TTV if both ousted leaders aretaken witnesses arebeingthreatened in itself agoodenough reason to leadroleintheelectionefforts.The elections. The high command ganisationKCVenugopalandAICC said. “Afterwewin the elections, Dhinakaran had also expressed backtothe party, the demandis and would notdaretotravelto transfer.” Taking note,the bench party,however, will notproject a onceagainaskedthestate leaders in charge of Kerala Tariq Anwar. we will decide on the CM and the hiswillingness to join the forkey party posts. the stateinsuchasituation. headedbyJusticeAshok CMcandidatetoavoidaninternal to work unitedly. It is learnt that Anwarhad visitedthe state ministry,” Antonytold reporters. AIADMKand“ourleadershiphad While the BJP is supporting Appearing forthe agency, Bhushan adjournedthe hearing showdown before polls. the stateleadership has been earlier this month. ChandypraisedChennithala’s aviewthatwe shouldconsiderall the idea, it is nowreportedly Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to February. TheSCstayedthe Close on the heels of the asked to give ticketstoasizable Sources said it wasdecided work asLeaderof theOpposition. possible options to makethe al- Palaniswami’sconcernthatisde- told the SupremeCourt,“The trial in the case on October 21, Congress’spoorshowinginthelo- number of freshand young faces. that acommittee comprising top Chennithala, on the other hand, liancestronger”. layingthetalksashefearshemay witnesses arefromDelhi,some 2019 andissued notice on the cal body elections, party chief The stateleadershiphas been leaders will be setuptodevise saidtherewasnobasisforreports Sources close to Dhinakaran have to work underSasikalaagain from Bombay… it is impossible agency’s plea seeking transfer of Sonia Gandhi and senior leader asked to applymeritand strategies and managethe cam- thatthe party wasdivided. “We andtwoseniorAIADMKministers incasethe AIADMKisdefeatedin that theywould travel to the case out of Chhattisgarh. Rahul Gandhi mettop leaders winnability as criteria forselect- paign.Chandywillheadthecom- areall united.” confirmed this. the upcomingpolls. Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021

WORDLY WISE It is better to be hated forwhatyou arethan to be 6 THE EDITORIAL PAGE loved forwhatyou arenot —AndreGide Poet and the Republic

§ FOUNDED BY § RAMNATH GOENKA Gurajada AppaRao’smessage—acountryisnot defined BECAUSE THE TRUTH INVOLVES US ALL by itsgeographybut itspeople —resonates in our times

LENDING AHAND SanjayaBaru Setting up abad bank mayhelp to clean up banks’ balance sheet. But it should notbeusedtotaper over structural deficiencies ADDRESSINGTHE NATION on the dayhis ous familyand alarge countrytoadopt. If apeople remain poor,how can anation government rolledout the COVID-19vaccine, Of the manyother gems in Gurajada’s be great? If one’s neighboursare notsecure HE IDEA OF floating abad bank to tackle the worseningassetqualityofthe Prime MinisterNarendraModiquotedthe poem, twostanzas stand out as being of par- and prosperous howcan we be so? Gurajada great Telugu poet, scholar and social re- ticular relevance to what Modi has oftenre- did notviewpraising the pastaspatriotism. banking system in India has surfacedonce again. RBI governor Shaktikanta former Gurajada Appa Rao(1862-1915): ferred to as “New India”. Rather,hesaw it in the building of abetter T Das recentlyindicatedthatthe central bank could consider it to addressthe Sontha labham kontha maanuko/porugu Desabhimaanamu naku kaddani/votti future. He sought to reassureadherentsof issue of stressedloans in the system. This comes afterstress testscarried vaadiki thodu padavoy./Desamantey matti goppalu cheppukokoi./Pooni yedainaanu different religions that their faith would outbythe RBI, published in itslatestfinancialstability report, found that gross non-per- kadoyi, desamantey manushuloy.Ihavefreely vokamela/ koorchijanulaku choopavoi. neverbeanimpediment to national unity. formingloansofthe banking system couldrise to 13.5 per cent of advances by September translated this to read: “Give up some of your (Don’t claim patriotism as virtue of you Through his writings, Gurajada shapedna- 2021, up from 7.5per cent lastyear.The Economic Survey 2016-17had also arguedin ownwelfare/profit, to lend supporttoyour alone,/don’t boastoffalse claims./Resolve to tional and social consciousness of the neighbour./Soil does notmakeacountry, do something good/andshowthat to people Telugus as theyentered the 20th Century. favour of setting up a“Public Sector AssetRehabilitation Agency” to help tackle the prob- but it is people who do so.” around you.) Leaders of the Congress, socialists andeven lemofbad loans. Thereisareasonable argument to be made in favour of setting up abad Gurajada wasnot justapoetand awriter. In asubsequentstanza, Gurajadaviews communists derived inspiration from the bank.Suchaninstitution, by taking over thestressedloans offtheir balance sheets,will He wasasocial reformer who wroteinsup- the meeting of minds and hearts irrespec- writings of Gurajada. leave the banks unencumbered to lend —revivingcredit growth is afterall critical fora port of gender equality and againstcaste and tive of religious differences as asource of na- It is one of the great legacies of the na- sustainable economic recovery.And as loans of astressedentity areoften held across communal prejudice. His influence on tional powerand prosperity when he says: tional movement that progressive intellec- severalbanks, aggregating them intoasingleentity maypavethe wayfor aquicker, more Telugu literature, society,social movements Mathamu veraitenu yemoi?/Manasulokotai tuals likeGurajada, Tagore,Premchand and effective restructuring of the loans. However, before proceeding, severalconcernsneed and politics cannotbeunderestimated. manushulunte/Jaathamannadi lecchi perigi,/ so on notonlyinstilledpatriotism in the These linesfromGurajada have been immor- lokamuna raanimchunoyi. (What if our reli- minds of acolonisedpeoplebut also encour- to be addressed. talisedincountless speeches of social and gions differ?/If one is human,our hearts aged them to adoptliberal and secular val- Firstwhat kind of loans will be takenover? Will only those loans that have turned politicalleaders notjustinthe Andhrare- unite./The nation shall rise and prosper,/shin- ues. They wroteagainstcasteism and prop- stressed due to the economic distress stemming from the COVID-19pandemic be in- gion,fromwhichhehailed, but across the ing and standing out in the world.) agated gender equality,theyrespected all cluded? Or will loans extendedtofirms in sectors likepower and real estate,whichhad country. Modi deserves praise forreciting Prime Minister Modi, we Prime MinisterModi, we nowknow, religions and found value in modernity and Gurajada to a“NewIndia” that worryingly chooses his quotes carefully. That he should science. soured even before thepandemic had hit, also be brought intoits ambit? Considering nowknow, chooses his that bankshaveinthe pastbeen reluctant to decide on the extent of haircut theywerewill- pays little attention to thesesentiments. quoteaprogressive,liberal,social reformer At atime when manyofthese values that ThePrime Minister, the other leaders of quotes carefully.That he likeGurajada to reachout to peopleacross have definedthe Indian Republic arebeing ing to take,how will the prices at whichthese loans aretransferredtothe badbank be de- his ownparty and the members of the wider should quote aprogressive, the countryseeking their supportfor theroll- increasinglyquestioned, we mustreturn to termined? Who will absorb the losses? And will the newentity be professionallyman- Sangh Parivarshould read Gurajada in full. liberal, social reformer like out of avaccineisahopeful gesture. It will the writings of these modernistsons of the aged,operating at an arms length from the political dispensation? Or will political While the second partofthe four lines mean nothing if it remains averbalgesture. soil. Liberalism, secularism, modernity,ra- considerations influence decisionmaking? quoted by Modi arethe mostfamous and oft- Gurajada to reachout to If it encourages hisso-calledbhaktsand the tionalism arenot merely“Western”ideas. Thereisalso the concernthat setting up abad bank will free lenders from the reper- quoted ones from the 18-stanza poem people acrossthe country morerabid members of theSangh Parivarto Theyfind resonance in scholarly Indian writ- cussions of their actions. And if allowed, theremay notbeany incentive forbankstofo- Desamunu Preminchamanna,writtenin1910, seeking their support forthe read the likes of aGurajada and appreciate ing going backcenturies. Those who claim thereare other equallyimportant thoughts their modernising, humanising patriotism to be supporters of Modi should read the cus on the quality of credit extended, or forthem to monitor loans, and guardagainst rollout of avaccine is a conveyedinitofparticular relevance, espe- and sociallyprogressive views then Modi writings of nationalistintellectuals who too ever-greening. While the idea of setting up abad bank maysoundappealing, this oncein ciallyasweapproachyet another Republic hopeful gesture. It will mean would have greatlycontributed to the cause sought to createaNew India free of casteism, agenerationcrisis mustnot be usedtotaper over the inherent problems in the banking Day. nothing if it remains averbal of national unity. genderinequality,religious intolerance, su- system. Abad bank does notaddress the structural weaknesses in public sector banks. The firsttwo lines of the stanza quoted gesture. If it encourages his Gurajada’s message, that acountryisnot perstitious beliefsand extreme economic in- Neither does bank recapitalisation. The largersystemic issues needtobeattended. The by Modi also have relevance forIndia’s ap- so-called bhakts and the definedbyits geographybut by itspeople, equality. proachtoher neighbourhood. Gurajada’s ad- goes contrarytothe obsession withland bor- Tailpiece:Inthe early 1990s. ayoung upcoming budget mustlay out aclear roadmap on howthe government plans to address more rabid membersofthe the weaknesses in public sector banks. vice to “giveup” something in favour of one’s ders that preventsbetterrelations with woman walked intomyofficeroomatThe neighbour has been an aspect of Indian pol- to read the neighbours. The idea that patriotism requires Economic Times in NewDelhi with her bio- icy towardssome of her neighbours. Prime likes of aGurajada and claiming“everyinch” of acartographically datainhand, seeking ajob. Her second name MinisterManmohan Singh’s policy of non- visualised“Mother India”, “every inch” of the wasGurajada. Iasked if shewas arelative of reciprocaland unilateral trade liberalisation appreciate their erstwhileState of Jammu and Kashmir or of The Gurajada. She said she was. Igaveher an with respect to the less developedcountries modernising,humanising the highHimalayas, placeslandatthe cen- appointment letter without hesitation. As THE GENDER FIREWALL (LDCs) in the neighbourhood is oneexam- patriotism and socially treofthe idea of India. It is this geographical long as Iamaneditorhere, Itold her, any ple. Modi’s Neighbourhood Firstpolicy has progressive viewsthen Modi definition of anation, of battles fought in the Gurajada who walksinwill be assured ajob! Likethe rest of Indian internet, online dating apps have a also triedtoreachout to some, notall, of name of land, that Gurajada wasquestion- would have greatly problem: Toomanymen India’s neighbours. Securingone’s ownwel- ing. He wasurgingthe ruling class to payat- Baru is an economistand author.Hehas fare by ensuring the prosperity of one’s contributed to the cause of tention to andsecure the welfareofpeople recently edited Beyond Covid’s Shadow: neighbour is agoodprinciplefor aprosper- who inhabit thatland. Mapping India’sEconomic Resurgence HE PANDEMIC’SAMPLIFYINGeffect on genderinequalities has been felt in national unity. matters of income, employment, sexual violence and education —and now T on intimatedigital livesaswell. As areportinthis newspaper reveals, dat- ing apps have seen an unexpected growth of users in Tier-II cities in the past year,perhaps partlyexplainedbyareverse exodus of studentsand working profession- als from metropolises to hometowns as work and educationshiftedonline. But, likethe rest of Indian internet, this surge in online datinghas aproblem: Toomanymen. Sixty- sevenper cent of the 31 million Indian dating appusers in 2020 were men. Forwomen THE VACCINE AND RESILIENCE on datingapps, this does notalways equal to aluxuryofchoice.Inapatriarchal society that struggles to understand the idea of awoman’s sexual consent, it makesthem the Recovery from pandemic maytake years. Government mustinvest in welfareprojects objectsofunwanted attention and ardour that can shade intostalking and harassment. The internetisnot firewalledfromthe real world. Justaspublic spaces in India, whether theyare villagesquares or bus terminals or assemblies and Parliament, tend to be over- Nishtha Tewari whelminglymale, women arevastlyoutnumberedonthe webaswell. AHarvard University study in 2018 found a33per cent gender gapinmobile ownership in India. When it came to social media use and smartphone ownership,the gapwas above 60 per WITH THE firstbatchofanti-COVID vaccines the firststepinarebuilding programme that nificantlylower than countries suchasSri cent. Access improves with education and the gapnarrows in urban areas. But the famil- being rolledout, the mood of the nation could span decades. The impactsonthe Lanka and Bangladesh in healthcarespend- ialneedtocontrol unmarriedwomen’s friendshipsand sexuality stands in theway.Inan seems to be upbeat as it bids farewell to the mental and physical well-being of the direct ing. The needtocreateaccessible and qual- increasinglydigitisedworld, this degree of inequitable access has implications foreco- pain and anguish of lastyear.The emer- andindirect survivors of COVID-19willhave ity healthcarefacilities that comprise both gency-use approval to the vaccine developed abearinginthe years to come. The role of traditional service delivery and aholistic ap- nomic opportunity and income —all of whichstand to be exacerbated by the economic by OxfordUniversity and the Swedish-British frontline healthworkers (FLHWs)and med- proachtowell-being can be pressedforward shockofthe COVID-19pandemic. pharma major AstraZeneca, manufactured ical practitioners wascritical during the cri- at atime when health is asalient concern The lackofwomen skews the cyberspace in ways that tend to makethem even more in India by Pune-basedSerum Institute, and sis, especially in the rural areas. The de- forcentral and stategovernments. vulnerable to abuse and harassment. It is aproblem that online datingapps have sought Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin has sent positive mands of these workers forfair wagesand Policymakers should seize the moment. to addressinthe pastastheyexpand in the country. In 2018,Tinder rolledout afeature signals to themarket. The debatebetween labour recognition remains to be addressed. Developing countries do nothavethe forits Indian marketthat, onceenabled, gave women users the exclusive right to initiate the twomanufacturers in the aftermath of Moreover, the real scale of the pandemic’s luxuryofslowing down in the face of rapid the approval speaksof attemptstodominate impact on rural areasand migrant progress nor can theyfallpreytothe “plan- conversations. The Bumble dating app in India offers another shieldofprivacy by allow- the market. In acrisis of this magnitude, re- Public health practitioners economies is yettobeascertained. Along ning fallacy”and be over optimistic about ing awoman to be represented by the initialletterofher firstname. The questfor love via lief unitstry to be fast moving while address- knowthat regulatory with the redressal of the immediatehealth the time it will take to attain the Human the swipeofanapp is an ongoing experiment of Indian modern identity,withthe possi- ing the needs of as manypeople as theycan. crisis, it is incumbent upon policymakers DevelopmentGoals. The pandemic has in- bility of freeing young people from constraintsoffamilydiktat, gender,sexual orientation Vaccine developers and marketers see them- approval is merely the and practitioners to take lessons from de- creasedthe vulnerabilities of large sections —and the puritanism about sex. As it finds newconvertsinnew geographies, however, selvesasnodifferent from suchrelief-units; beginning of along journey velopmentsinthe past10monthsand over- of the population.Manywho were barely it will come up againstthe oldestopposition known to the love story—the unfreedom they, however, desire economic gains as well. towards effective health come the shortcomingsinthe country’s managingtomakeendsmeethavebeen Thereis, therefore, both an economic impe- welfaremechanisms that have been ex- pushedintoextreme poverty, resulting in of women. provisioning. Awell-defined tus as well as an altruistic impulse forvac- posedbythe pandemic. Strengthening over- majorsetbacks to their aspirations –ithas cine-developers to push their products– COVID-19immunisation burdenedhealth systems and guaranteeing also hitthe prospectsoftheir futuregener- there’s also the promise of “instant returns”. policy is, therefore,likely to health workers due protections is an urgent ations.Itisimperative that people’s re- Suchasituation demandsregulatoryinter- be the firststep in a imperative to ensurethat the vaccination silience is enhancedbygovernment efforts. vention. Abalance needs to be struckbe- rebuilding programme that programme is along-term success. Policymakers mustnow provide society A SINGULAR NOTE tween the urge forreturn to normalcy and Public health in India has traditionally with ablueprint forabetter future.Wemust the patience required to see this crisis could span decades. The been ignored as an electoral subject with notforgetthat even the mostdedicated re- Ghulam Mustafa Khan, doyenofRampur Sahaswan gharana, through. impacts on the mental and governmentsfocusing moreonissues such lief unit musteventuallydepart. In the af- Public health practitioners knowthat physical well-being of the as economic growth or employment gener- termath of acrisis, it is the citizenry, there- stood out forhis eclectic musical repertoire regulatoryapproval is merelythe beginning ation. The current scenario is ideal forpoli- fore,whichmustberesilient. of alongjourney towardseffectivehealth directand indirectsurvivors cymakers and practitioners to drive home HE TRUE ESSENCE of anation livesinits arts and artists.Ustaad Ghulam provisioning. Awell-definedCOVID-19im- of COVID-19will have a the importance of health spendingand insti- The writer is aresearcher at Centrefor Social Mustafa Khan,who passedawayinMumbai on Sundayaged89, wasaflag- munisation policy is, therefore, likelytobe bearing in the yearstocome. tutionaldevelopment. India still rankssig- andBehaviour Change, Ashoka University T bearer of the Rampur Sahaswan gharana. However, his contribution extended beyond the concertcircuit to includeforays into Bollywood, as asinger and a mentor to manyofthe film industry’s famedvoices. The beneficiaries of his learning and training includedLataMangeshkar,Geeta Dutt, ARRahman, Hariharanand Sonu Nigam. Born and raisedinBadaun in UP,Khan wasthe grandson of Ut InayatAli Khan, amu- JANUARY 19,1981, FORTY YEARS AGO sicianinWajid Ali Khan’s court. He trainedunder his father,UtWarisKhan, and from rel- atives, including Ut Fida Hussain Khan and Ut NissarHussain Khan.While the gharana’s IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS one” on dollar paymentsand “a legal prob- itsfailureinassessing the magnitude of stylewas generallyvigorous, Khan honeyeditwith his ownpersonal style. It washis ren- IRAN REPORTED THATithas reachedan lem in courtjurisdictions”. povertyinthe country. In astudy on dering of jhoola kinne daala re in MuzaffarAli’s UmraoJaan (1981) thatmade him popu- agreement with the US on the termsfor re- poverty, theagency concludes that,“leave leasing the 52 American hostagesbut US DHAKA NO TO CANAL alone measurement, even the conceptof lar.The rigour and tenderness with whichUtGhulam Mustafa Khan presented this jhoola Vice President Walter Mondale said that BANGLADESH HAS OFFICIALLYrejected povertyiscomplicated andraisesseveral stood out;itcaptured the spirit of the monsoon season and the tehzeeb of Awadh. In fact, twoissues remainedtoberesolvedbefore India’s proposal foraGanga-Brahmaputra basicissues whichare noteasy to resolve”. his concertswererepresentative of the Ganga-Jamuni confluence of cultures. Theywould the442-day-old crisis is resolved. Despite link canal proposal of India, the English However, it concedesthatthe approach oftenhaveaTulsidas bhajan segue intoatributetoNizamuddin Auliyaorathumri describ- the announcement by Iran’s official agency weekly, Holiday, reported. It said that the re- takentomeasurethe povertyline is “one of ing Krishnaleela. Pars quoting the chief Iraniannegotiator jection has been made known to India in the simplest” —absolutepoverty in terms of Ut Ghulam Mustafa Khan wasn’t averse to film music likemanyofhis seniors, family Bahzad Nabavi, therewas no word on when Bangladesh’s reviewreportonthe impact minimumrequirement of intakeofcalories. members and even contemporaries, and wasalways willing to experiment. In 2013,he the Americans will be released andnode- of theimplementationofthe Farakka agree- tails of the reportedsettlement. Mondale ment betweenthe twocountries. DESAI BLAMES REDDY sang a bandish in raag Yaman in CokeStudio@MTV, tuning intohis student ARRahman’s said he wantstohear directly from Iranian THE FORMER PRIME MinisterMorarji Desai worldofsounds. Khan putsondisplay, a jugalbandi alongsideRPrasanna on electric gui- officialchannels before announcing any- DATAQUESTIONS has said that the Janatagovernment would tarand Mohini Deyonthe bass guitar,alchemising the raga intoflesh and blood, the soar- thing on the agreement.Headdedthat the THE CABINET’S CENTRAL Statistical have remained in powerifPresident ing voice going straight forthe heart. twoissuesawaiting resolution are“aminor Organisation (CSO) has virtuallyadmitted Sanjeeva Reddy hadnot played mischief.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021 WHATTHE OTHERSSAY “"Withoutany obstruction, Pompeo's personal emotions are masquerading as the diplomatic proclamationsofthe US,asuperpower. This example of 7 THE IDEAS PAGE 'democratic politics' seems to be likeabad joke.” —GLOBALTIMES,CHINA Reading Biden in Delhi At easewith

Histeamtakes charge withthe recognition thatAmerica’sglobalistambitions the janata have lostmuchdomestic political support. ForDelhi, this is an opportunity to deepenties Kamal Morarka wasaman of manyparts who was engaged with,and comfortablein, the many different worlds of adiverse India

religion that lead to discriminationorexclu- sion.His strong belief in secularism,inaplu- raland democratic India, wasanintegral partofsuchthinking. Thus, progressive pol- itics, juxtaposedwiththe idea of India, re- RAJA MANDALA mained his lifelong passion. Rare as it mighthavebeen, he practised by CRajaMohan what he preached through his short career in politics. On completion of his term in the ANY IDEA OR policy associated with Donald Deepak Nayyar RajyaSabha, he was, forawhile, amediator Trumpmight betootoxic forthe political class amongthe warring factions of the Janata in Washington, at leastfor some time, afterthe Dal. But he withdrew from thepolitical stage failedinsurrection incitedby Trumpearlier this KAMAL MORARKA,DISTINGUISHEDcitizen as times changed,onlytoreturn as an elder month and his impeachment in the Congress and good samaritan, passedawayathome statesman working behind-the-scenes to afew days later.But one ideathatdefined in Mumbai on January15atthe ageof74. reunitethe dividedJanataparivar. This Trump’s worldview —putting “AmericaFirst” He wasaremarkable person whocon- turnedout to be an elusivequest. —has already hadaconsiderableimpacton tributed to polity,economyand societyin KamalMorarka wasaman of many the agenda of his successor,Joe Biden. manydifferent ways.The multiple dimen- parts,who wasengagedwith, and comfort- Understanding this continuity could help India sionsofhis persona —fromparliamentar- able in the manydifferent worlds of adi- productively engagewith the newAmerican ian and minister,through industrialist and verse India. His close lifelong friendships administration. philanthropist, to activist and concernedcit- with political leaders across the spectrum Immediatelyafter he is sworninamidst CRSasikumar izen —made foranunusual life in our times. of parties —JanataDal, Congress, BJP, unprecedentedsecurity arrangementsin We firstmet 30 years ago, some months NationalConference, NCP, and the Left— WashingtononWednesday, Biden is expected andmorebyJakeSullivan,oneofBiden’sclos- pected to be as tough as Robert Lighthizer, afterVishwanath Pratap Singh assumedof- were something rare in ourdividedpolitics. to issueaseriesofexecutive orders (muchlike estassociates, who hasbeen designatedasthe Trump’s USTR. In herfirst speechearlier this fice as Prime Minister, when Iwas Chief Thedinners he hostedatthe Delhi Golf Club our ordinances) in adecisivebreak from the newnational security adviser.Areportissued month, TaiexpandedonBiden’s trade policy. Economic Adviser to theGovernmentand everyyear,whichbrought together agalaxy Trumpera.The newPresident’s decrees are by Washington’s Carnegie Endowment for “The president-elect’s vision is to implement Secretary in the MinistryofFinance. of stars from the worlds of politics, govern- expected to take the US backtothe 2015 Paris InternationalPeacelastfall,whichwas co-au- aworker-centred trade policy”. “What it Morarka, aMember of Parliament then, was ment, media, law(bar andbench), acade- Agreement on mitigating climatechange, re- thoredby Sullivan, givessome insightsintothe means in practice is that US trade policy must one among asmall cohortofpersons in their mia and civilsociety,wereatributetothe verse some of Trump’s sweeping restrictions thinking thathas gone intomaking Biden a benefit regular Americans, communities and early forties who enteredthe political main- regard andaffectionfor him. on immigration, extend pandemic-related championof theAmericanmiddleclass. Titled workers.Andthatstartswithrecognisingthat stream aroundthattimeriding the crestof Forthose who knewMorarka, it is no limitsonevictionsandstudent debtpayment, “MakingUS ForeignPolicy Work Better forthe people arenot justconsumers. Theyare also the JanataDal wave. He servedas Ministerof surprise that his primary professionalen- and makeitmandatoryfor everyone to wear Middle Class”,thereport notesthedeepening workers and wage earners.” Stateinthe office of Prime MinisterChandra gagement over alifetime, as an industrial- amask on federal government properties. economic anxiety and discontent in the Biden’steamtakes charge with the recog- Shekhar forashort period, from November ist, wasoften backstage somewhereamong At thesame time,Bidenis expectedto reaf- American heartland. It underlines the propo- nitionthattheexpansive globalistambitionsof 1990 to June 1991,aphase of crisis manage- theprops. He ledGanon Dunkerley, acom- firm an important theme in his inaugural ad- sition that trade liberalisation has notworked the American foreign policy establishment ment in the economy, whenwegot to know pany engaged in civilengineering,construc- dress —that he will reunitethe nation and re- foreveryone in the US. This is notverydiffer- have lostmuchdomesticpolitical support. eachother well. He continuedasMember tion engineering and turnkey plants, with a dress the multiple economic and political ent from Trump’s viewonfreetrade. Tempering the gospel of globalisation, resist- of the RajyaSabha until 1993 afterwhichhe topline and abottomline that wasalways challenges confrontingthe US. Throughout his ButunlikeTrump, thereportsuggests that ingknee-jerkinterventionism, andavoiding steppedout of active politics, but his engage- morethan respectable. Yet, he served as the campaign, whichtook place amidstthe - trade is onlyone partofthe problem. It calls ideological crusades arelikelytobesome of mentwith politics as acitizencontinued. non-executive Chairman,later onlyasa astating impact of the COVID crisis, and in his forpolicies to address the deepening income the political impulsesthatBiden’s team brings Even though we returnedtoour verydif- Director,onthe Board, althoughhewas the victoryspeechafter theelection resultscame inequalityat home andadomesticinvestment to Washington. ferent worlds thereafter, we kept in touch. primaryowner. This wasmostunusual. To in the firstweek of November,Biden stuckto and industrialstrategythat will allow America While Biden brings averyexperienced Over the pasttwo decades, we metregu- begin with, it allowedhim an incarnation one important political message—“to restore to become morecompetitive in the world. team to implement his vision, he will in- larly.And it wasnot long before our associ- in politics. Later,itenabled him to be aphil- the soul of America” and “rebuild the back- The reportalso pointstothe overreachof evitablyconfront significant divisions on all ation evolvedintoaclosefriendship. Ifondly anthropist. bone of the nation, the middle class”. American foreign policy in recentdecades and TheTrump yearshaveseen these issueswithinthe Administration, be- recallour conversations. Therewereengag- The philanthropyhad multipledimen- At itscore,Biden’semphasisonthemiddle proposes a“lessambitious” foreign policy.The tween competing interests in theDemocratic ing discussions and debatesonpolitics and sions. In Nawalgarh, his ancestral home, a classisnot verydifferentfromTrump’sempha- Carnegie reportnotesthat“Thereisnoevi- twoimportant developments Party, andbetween Democratsand economics. Givenhis wide-ranging social small town at the edge of the Thar Desert in sis on America First. It is notaterm that Biden dence America's middle class will rallybehind in India-USrelations. One is Republicans. network, therewas also interesting gossip Rajasthan, he supportedrural development willuse,giventhehistoricpoliticalbaggageas- effortsaimedatrestoringUSprimacy in a the sharpening tensions on The Trumpyearshave seen twoimportant butalways without malice. in 250 villages. It wasanattempt to do some- sociated with it.For theinternationalistestab- unipolar world, escalating anew Cold War developmentsinIndia-US relations. Oneis the Kamalwas born with aproverbial silver thing forpeople at the grass roots. The un- lishment, “America First” has come to repre- with China, or waging acosmic struggle be- trade and the other is the sharpening tensions on trade and the other is spoon in his mouth endowedbyfamily derlying premise wasthat development is sentthenegative forcesof narrow nationalism, tweenthe world's democracies and authori- deepening defence and the deepening defence and security coopera- business. He waseducated in eliteinstitu- notsomuchabout providing resources to isolationism, and populism. But Joe Biden and tarian governments.” securitycooperation. The tion. The Biden moment offers the opportu- tions, Cathedral School and St Xavier’s the poor as it is about enhancing their capa- histeamhave beensmartenoughto recognise That this wasnot merelycampaign rheto- Biden moment offersthe nity forDelhi to overcome the bilateral differ- College, in what wasthen Bombay. His fa- bilities to help themselvesasindividuals and theenormouspoliticalappealithasacquiredin richasbeenseenin someof the appointments. ences on trade and elevate defence ther wasanindustrialistbut also asocial- as collectives. In addition,heorganised an recent years and preparetoaddress itsconse- In introducing Sullivanashis NSAtothe press opportunityfor Delhi to cooperation to ahigher level. ist. Hisuncle, arolemodel forhim,was a Annual Shekhawati Festival in theregion to quenceseffectively.America’skey interlocu- corps lastmonth, Biden said: “Jakeunder- overcome the bilateral India’s ownattitudes to tradeand globali- parliamentarian and asocialist. Therewas revive folk music, theatre,art,craftsand cul- torswillbewiseto seethisimportantcommon stands my vision that economic security is na- differences on trade and sationhaveevolved under PrimeMinister social democratic politics in his genes. It was ture,while restoring old havelis. thread running from TrumptoBiden. To be tional security,and it helps steer what Icall a elevate the defence NarendraModi.Apragmaticinternationalori- to be reinforcedbyameeting with Chandra Kamal Morarka wasawonderful person sure, therewillbemuchdifference in the style foreign policy forthe middle class.” entation to the Atmanirbharstrategycould Shekhar,soon aftercompleting his studies with human qualities that were special. He betweenthetwoleadersandmajordifferences As partofthe effort to integratethe con- cooperation to ahigher level. open some space forworking with Biden on in the late1960s,who wastobecome his wasaffable, modestand unassuming. He onpolicyissueslikeclimatechangeandimmi- duct of the foreignanddomesticpolicies, Biden India’sown attitudes to trade reformingthe global trading system and make guru in politics. wasapatient listener.Hewas open to en- gration, but both Trumpand Biden areunder has appointed SusanRice, whoserved and globalisation have it morepoliticallysustainable. Left-of-centrepolitics wasanatural out- gaging with views different from his. He pressuretoreorientAmericanforeignpolicyin President BarackObama as the UN Envoy and evolved under Prime An Americathatmoves towardsdoing come of these associations. But it wasalso couldreachout andpersuade. He could be responsetochanging domestic imperatives. theNationalSecurity Adviser,astheDirector of less on the global security frontwillneed embeddedinapersonal belief system. firm and critical without being offensive. Trumpchallenged the traditional notions his Domestic Policy Council. Announcing her Minister NarendraModi. A strong partners likeIndia who can contribute Morarka always arguedthatthe prosperity And he wasaloyal friend. Giventheseat- of America’s global leadership, international appointment lastmonth, Biden said Rice will pragmatic international more. Apolitical understandingonstrategic of India cannotbebased on economic tributes, his wide circle of friendsfromdif- militaryinterventions, and the pursuit of free work closely with Sullivanand senior eco- orientation to the burden-sharing would help Delhi and growth alone. It canbecome areality onlyif ferent walksoflifewas no surprise. The trade and globalisation. If Trump’s contesta- nomic officials to “align domestic policy,eco- Atmanirbhar strategy could Washington developdeeper militarycoop- India becomes amoreegalitarian and less Republic of India sorelyneeds morecon- tion of the traditional American post-war for- nomicpolicy and national security unlikeever eration and moreintensive diplomaticcoor- stratifiedsociety. This means narrowing the cerned citizens likehim. eign policy wascrude and chaotic, the Biden before”. The incoming president emphasised open some space forworking dination in the Indo-Pacific. differences between the richand the poor team is making amoresophisticated case for the same theme when announcing his nomi- with Biden on reforming the by reducinginequality. Thismeansdisman- The writerisaneconomist and former Vice changeinthe wayAmericadealswith the nee forUSTrade Representative,Katherine Tai, global trading system and The writer is director,InstituteofSouthAsian tling the barriers of caste,community and Chancellor, University of Delhi world. aposition that has become critical for Studies, National University of Singaporeand The newapproachtoforeign policy was America’s foreign economic policy. makeitmore politically contributing editor on international affairs for articulatedmostconsistentlyoverthe lastyear Tai,an experiencedtrade negotiator, is ex- sustainable. The Indian Express LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR

POLITICIANS FIRST The Capitol lesson THIS REFERS TO the editorial, ‘Shortcir- IDEAS cuit’ (IE, January 18). Finally,the much- awaitedCOVIDvaccinationdrivehasbe- ONLINE gun. The sideeffectsare,however, India’svictoryagainstdivisive politicswillcomewheneverydayHindussayenough worrying and needtobelookedinto. ONLYINTHE EXPRESS Healthcarepersonnelhave alreadygone through alot of stress and hardship dur- ● LETTHEFARMERS Rajmohan Gandhi ingthispandemic.Inviewofthis,would- LEAD:RADHIKAROY n't it be moreprudent to delay vaccinat- AND IMPORTANTAMERICANEVENTSwerepushed men likeGraham and McConnell no longer The state has other strengths.For 33 years theAmericancall,openorsubtle,forwhitesu- ing healthcare personnel to save them PREMSINGH offstage by videosof thehideousJanuary6bid matter.Theymerelyjoin those who should be until his deathlastJuly, John Lewis, the civil premacy. this ordeal?Rather,asthe editorial sug- to prevent the US Congress from certifying “hanged”,alistthatalreadyincludesvice-pres- rightsheropossessing numerous whitefans, Whoare theHinduleaderswhowillspeak gests,ourelectedrepresentativesshould ●ADEBTTRAP: Biden’s victory. America’s response willbe identPence.However, frankreiterationof elec- represented aGeorgia constituencyin franklytoIndia’scow vigilantes or “love jihad” firstbegiventhejabto helpthemresume TARUNIMAPRABHAKAR watchedwithinterest,butafocusonwhatwas toralfactshelpsothers whovoted Republican Washington. His autobiographyreveals that militantsthe wayPence, McConnell and their work.This would helpbuild public removedfromviewisalso calledfor. to acceptthe resultand move on. Lewis had closelystudiedGandhi and satya- Grahamfinally spoke onJanuary6toAmerica’s confidence and act as amorale booster www.indianexpress.com Only an hour or so before the Trump-in- Some Republicans arestarting to express grahainthe1950sand1960s.Alsocloselycon- Trumpbackers?If “enoughisenough”willnot forthosewho have developedthese citedattack occurred, Democratshad wrested another political fact:Theirparty cannot ex- nectedtoGeorgiaand itslargest city,Atlanta, escape the lips of aNarendraModi, an Amit vaccines. control of the US Senate: Their nominee, Jon pecttowin futurenationwide elections with were Martin LutherKing Jr.and his father.In Shah,anAdityanathoranyprincipalcolleague, Melville XD’Souza, Mumbai Ossoff,wasprojectedasthewinnerinthefinal onlythewhitevote,whichinpercentage terms fact, Warnock,thenew senator,isthe pastorat everydayHindusmustutterthewords,intheir nificant and amuch- neededcorrection. Georgia runoff. Then, afew hours afterthe at- is steadilyshrinking. In manyindividual con- theAtlanta church where“Daddy”Kingandhis homes to kithand kin, outsidetheirhomesto NOT WITH CENTRE The30-day publicnoticeof acouple'sin- tack,top Republicans in the Senate openly stituencies,onthe other hand, as also in sev- morefamous sonhad both served. fellowcitizens. tentto marryundertheSpecialMarriage brokewithTrump.Enlistingmostoftheirparty eral states takenasawhole,whitesupremacy Inanylong-termcontestintheUSbetween “India belongs as muchtoher Muslims, THE ‘IDEA EXCHANGE’ withOmar Act,1954,clearly infringestherightto pri- colleagues, theyensured certification. remainsanappealingmessage,andonewhich whitesupremacy and what King sawashis Sikhs, Christians, Jains,Buddhists,Parsis, Jews, Abdullah (IE, January18) is simplybril- vacy,freedom of choiceand individual Both Kentucky’s MitchMcConnell, the can beconveyedwithout using precisewords. “beloved”,multiracialAmerica,mostobservers atheists or others as to her Hindus.” With such liant.Sadly, outsidetheminusculeEnglish autonomy. Senate’s veteranleader,and South Carolina’s Likemostother states of the American would pickthe latter to win. Still,the attack on words,Gandhi,NehruandAmbedkarinspired press readership, the interviewwill not Aditi Seth, Jabalpur LindseyGraham, until thatmoment Trump’s south, Georgia thus farwas reliably“Red” (the the Capitolexposedanuglyreality,which is freeIndiato commenceanimpressive journey. reachpeopleacrossIndia.Andforthevast mostpersuasive ally, told the Senatethat the Republican colour). Currently, thestate’s elec- thatsomeormanyofthe74 millionwhovoted Hindusunableorunwillingtodaytoutterthese majority of us, the year will unfold as if RACISMCONFIRMED Congress wasobligated,bylaw and the facts, torate is52percentwhite,32percentBlack,10 forTrump(as againstthe 81 millionfor Biden) wordsare India’scounterpartsofthe enablers nothing has happenedinJ&K. Since the to certifyBiden’s win. percentLatinoand4.4percentAsian.JonOssoff, believe thatwhites ownAmerica. of the January6attackonAmerica’scoreand people of J&K (as the recentDDC results THIS REFERS TO thearticle, 'The incite- Frontally addressing Trump’s repeated aJew,and Rev. Raphael Warnock, aBlackpre- “This is our house,” attackers told the po- constitutional meaning. show)arenot onboardwiththeCentre's ment to racism' (IEJanuary18).The falsehood that “thousands of dead men” and acher,defeatedtheirRepublicanrivalsbecause lice as theyforcedtheirway intothe Capitol But Kamala Harris, Raphael Warnock, Jon actionsorlegal movesinthe region, it is racism underlying Donald Trump's poli- “thousandsoffelons” had voted forBiden, acrucial slice of the whitevoteplus an over- withConfederateflags, Trumpbanners, guns, OssoffandStaceyAbramstoohavetheirIndian irrationallyobstinatetogoontrying to tics wasconfirmedagain by the recent Grahamsaid he had asked to see just10Biden whelmingshareoftheBlackvote cameto them. explosives,atleastonenoose,and“Jesus”plac- counterparts:Leadersfromminoritycommu- administerthat state, sorry UT,bymili- incident at the Capitol building. Trump votes from dead men or criminals. He hadn’t Blackpercentages aredistinctly largerin ards. Without their permission, Blacks and nities,and weaker castes, who feel connected taryoccupationandapartisanandpoliti- supporters made it apoint to provethat been shown even one. the American South, which meansthat their other non-Whitesshouldnot enter or inhabit alsotoother Indians, including casteHindus cisedadministration. it's aGod-givenright of Whites to rule “Enough is enough,” Graham shouted in politicalfutureshouldbebrightif,whileretain- thishouseof theirs.PersonslikeSpeakerNancy andhigh-caste Hindus.Whentheirvoicesring VinayTandon, Kasauli that country. The wayinwhichthe po- videosanyonecanaccess,“JoeBidenwillbethe ing Blacksupport, Democratscan modestly Pelosi were trespassers. outwithoutfear,asalsothevoices of everyday lice acted wasupsetting and reinforces president and Kamala Harris the vice-presi- widentheirappealamongWhitesandLatinos. InIndia,Muslims,DalitsandAdivasis,taken Hindus offendedbythe coerciveness of Hindu WELCOME VERDICT Whitedominanceand racism. The hope dent.” Possessing no role in auditingthe vote, Suchagoal maynot be beyond reachfor peo- together,form the equivalent of America’s supremacy,Indian Trumpism will find its lies withthe newleadership in reinforc- the Senatedid notneedthis assertion. But, ple likeWarnock, Ossoffand Stacey Abrams, Blacks.Counting Dalitsand Adivasis in the nemesis. THIS REFERS TO the editorial, ‘The cor- ingequity,inclusionand diversity. bombardedbyTrump’sfalsehoods, everyday the remarkablewomanwho has steadilybol- Hindu fold, Hindu radicalsreservetheir public rection’(IE,January15).Theverdictissig- Sarachana Sisodia, Delhi Republicansacross America required it. stered Black voting and the Democratic Party ireforMuslims.“Hinduconsolidation”against Gandhi is currently teachingatthe Universityof Fortrue believers in Trump’s infallibility, in Georgia. Muslims is the political equivalent in India for Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 8 CALENDAR THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021

OVER THE HEDGE by Michael Fry &TLewis CROSSWORD4331 DAYTODAY BYPETERVIDAL

ARIES(Mar 21 -Apr 20) LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct.23) Yesterday's rather Asensational aspect awkwardplanetary to asensitive sector aspectsare replaced of your solar chartis by asmall burstof encouraging your romance and idealism. In a artistic inclinations. Be sureto sense this is adangerous keep everything clear and combination forall but the above boardatworkand setout mostirresponsible day- to impressindividuals in dreamers. Common sense authority.You maypostpone a dictates that cash concerns number of practical matters mustcome first, and the next until certainty returns. fewdays look pretty expensive. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 -Nov.22) TAURUS (Apr. 21 -May 21) You’re fond of laying Mercury’s friendly down the law, butdo challengetoyour think long and hard chartisanindication before issuing any CALVIN &HOBBES by Bill Watterson of rare poetic charm. directivesorultimatums. Teach Among those Taureans who are by example and don’t think that in forspecial treatment this justbecause youespouse a week,are all involved in particular setofstandardsor education, the law, travel and ideals, other people should agree communication. Thereare also with you. Yousee,what works distinctlyhopeful signs for this week maynot be so effective ACROSS DOWN those of youwith professional next week. 1Policeman with debtsin 1Commanding officer married ambitions under way. abundance (7) and broken in spirit SAGITTARIUS (Nov.23-Dec.22) 4Finish on your head maybe (5) GEMINI(May22-June 21) The best adviceIcan (3,2) 2Despair aworry?Not here, You’ll be eager to give youistoaccepta 7Aminor drawback surely (8) weigh in with your personal dilemma (4) 3The artist’s sitting-room assessmentofthe philosophically. If you 8Itmay be usedbyaboxer (6) factsbut I’m afraid find this difficult, tryignoring without aring apparently 4Come and go tidily that your judgment maybeabit stressful developmentsand (8) (3,3,4) faulty.You see,Mercury, which embarkonanentirelydifferent 10 Rational conclusions to be 5Profound in the main rules your razor-sharp brain, is course. Youneedtothink very drawnfromone’s earnings (4) currentlyalittle rusty.It’s also carefullyinall work androutine (10) 6Stinker of aplace to renovate inclinedtoblowtinydetails into matters -ifyou jumpthe gun, 12 Gloomylittle sergeant-major (7) major issues of principle. you’llmiss one vital detail. with face put out (6) 9Happening in so laconic away MARVIN by Tom Armstrong CANCER (June 22 -July23) CAPRICORN (Dec. 23 -Jan. 20) 13 Kept self-sufficient by asum of (10) Your grip on the In spiteofanunusual amount of money(6) 11 Avoraciousreader figures needs to be irritation in the 15 He enriches himself from other (8) sharper.Plus, it’s heavens, youare people’s investments 12 Composer due by ship perhaps time to wallowinthe afforded aunique (10) (7) fact that youwereborn acaring, opportunity to 18 EdwardIIappears to have 14 Theygodownhill in cold compassionate, artistic, completely rearrangeyour givensupport(8) weather creative,poetic and soulful plans. Yousee,difficulties and 19 Antelope drops before making (6) Cancerian. Your romantic and rewards alwaysgohand in hand astride(4) 16 Astepintrade reform emotional stars areaboutto in the zodiac. Youcould even 20 Off-peakcall (5) (5) take aturn forthe better,by turn alegal hitchorethical 21 Cooked me instead 17 Sour disposition of maniac the way. question to your advantage. (7) idealist (4) LEO (July24-Aug. 23) AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb.19) SolutionsCrossword4330:Across:1Gardenparty,9Affairs,10Erase,11Idly,12 Confusion and chaos Everything that Felonies,14Spread,16Beggar,18Uptodate,19Impi,22Ratio,23Notable,24 arenot anecessary came to lightina Frenchchalk.Down:2Awful,3Drip,4Nested,5Anemones,6Tearing,7Magic partofthe week’s roundabout way square,8Teastrainer,13Handdown,15Rotator,17Stench,20Mabel,21Etch. personal mustnow be developments,but will creep in analysed andunderstood. It if youimagine that it’s possible seemsmostlikelythat, before to carry on as before.Great very much longer,you will have subtlety is required,especiallyif reachedamuchdeeper JUMBLEDWORDS DifficultyLevel5s partners come to feel that you understanding of your own Instructions have letthem down. Even if you purpose in this life. If youget Givenbelowarefourjumbledwords.Solvethejumblestomakeproperwordsandmovethemto TosolveaSudokupuzzle, haven’t, youmay still have to the largerpattern figured out, reassurethem. you’ll makesense of anumber therespectivesquaresbelow.Selectthelettersintheshadedsquaresandjumblethemtoget everydigitfrom1to9 4356 theanswerforthegivenquip. mustappearineachofthe of otherwise meaningless, Artcannotbe___.Artisprimordially____.-EgonSchiele(6,..,7) VIRGO (Aug. 24 -Sept. 23) personal developments. nineverticalcolumns,in The real advances eachoftheninehorizontal over the coming PISCES (Feb. 20 -Mar 20) 4357 GSEEE BOULNT rowsandineachofthe month will be made Your personal stress nineboxes. in social areas. levelshould begin to

SUDOKU Lovers, close friends and even drop. Bitter strangers will all offer disappointments ZAORR MIDDEN DifficultyLevel youthe stimulation and and hardknocks have taught supportyou need and deserve. youafew tough lessonsinthe SUDOKU 1s=Veryeasy;2s=Easy; Looking ahead, your financial past, but youmustask yourself 3s=Medium;4s=Hard; situation is about to shiftgears, whethernow is notthe time to

5s=VeryHard;6s= so getuptodatewith forget whathas been and look

e iel ch nS go -E . nal er et y iall rd imo pr is rt .A ern mod be ot nn ca rt :A er sw An Genius yourself,now. forwardtothe future.

SOLUTION

D NDE MI T, OL UNB R, AZO ,R GEESE SOLUTION:

GOVERNMENT OF MANIPUR ANDHRA PRADESH MEDICAL SERVICES & Directorate Head Quarter,Social Welfare Near 2nd MR Gate, A.T.Line, Imphal-795001 INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION NOTIFICATION Plot No.9, Survey No.49, IT Park, Mangalagiri-522503, Guntur District. Imphal, the 14th January,2021 Amaravathi Region, Andhra Pradesh, email :[email protected] No. 5/1/13-SW(ICDS): Tenders are invited for supply of 2Packaged Medicine Kist-Medicine Kit- Tender Notice No.1/APMSIDC/DESIGNS/2020-21, Dated:18.01.2021 Main &Medicine Kit-Mini for use in the AWCs and Mini AWCs under Social Welfare Department, Govt. of Manipur.Interested bidders may download detailed tender documentsfrom the following Tenders are invited through e-procurement platform (Reverse Tender cum websites: e-Auction) for Providing Sanitation Services (3rd call), Security Services (3rd call) i) www.manipur.gov.in,ii) www.manipurtenders.gov.in,iii) www.socialwelfare.mn.gov.in 2. Bids are to be submittedonline through e-Procurement/Tender portal and Pest &Rodent Control Services (2nd call) to all the District Hospitals, Area https://manipurtenders.gov.in. Hospitals, Mother and Child Hospitals and Community Health Centers under the 3. Modification/Amendment/Corrigendum, if any shall not be advertised in the newspapers, but shall be uploaded in the website i.e., www.socialwelfare.mn.gov.in control of APVVP and Teaching Hospitals, Govt.Medical Colleges /Nursing Colleges Sd/- under DME institutions under Zonal wise Packages-I (Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, (Ngangom Uttam Singh) Visakhapatnam &East Godavari) Package-II (West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Director (Social Welfare) Manipur Prakasam &Nellore) Package-III (Chittoor,Kadapa, Kurnool &Anantapur). The other details can be seen at the website http://msidc.ap.nic.in. Sd/- Managing Director PIMPRI CHINCHWAD MUNICIPAL CORPORATION DIPR No.552PP/CL/ADVT/1/1/2020-21, Dt: 18/01/2021 CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TAMILNADU CIVIL SUPPLIES CORPORATION TENDER NOTICE No :CIVIL/H-HO/72/7/2020-21 Head Oice: 12, ThambusamyRoad, Kilpauk,Chennai-600 010 Offersbyway of e-tendering(Percentage)are invited by the City Engineer,Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation Ph. No. (044) 26426773 Email id :[email protected] from contractors in e-tendering system forfollowing works. CIN :U15137TN1972SGC006157 1) The contractor shall quote his Percentage offer on the Cost of work excluding Royalty and material testing charges as Short e-TENDER NOTICE mentioned below. 2) The offer forworkshall be exclusiveofGST.The GST at the applicable rate shall be paid separately by PCMC forwork No. :BS3/001315/2021 Dated:18.01.2021 3) Regarding the Royalty,the policy that the corporation determines will be binding on you. short e-tender No. :TNCSC/20-21/ET-23 Sr. Name of work Estimated Cost of Work Royalty Testing Earnest Security Time Cost of Online electronic tender for“PURCHASE OF 300 LAKH NUmBERSOF No. cost put to excluding (Rs) Charges money Deposit limit in Tender FORTIFIEDRBD PALmOLEIN OIL 1LITRE POUCHES(910 gms)”. the Tender Royalty & (Rs) (Rs) (Rs) calendar Document (Rs) (4+6) Material Months With GST (non Complete e-tender documentcan be viewedand downloadedthrough testing refundable) htps://www.mstcecommerce.com/eprochome/tncsc and also available charges(Rs) (Rs.) in www.tenders.tn.gov.in (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (1(100)) The biddershavetoparicipate online bidding only with Digital Signature 1. Construction &Development 33,059,107/- 32,812,908/- 61,718/- 246,200/- 165,300/- 1,652,960/- 12 15,075/- of Sundarbaug Road at Ceriicate(DSC) of Class-II or Class-III. Prabhag No.30 Dapodi ForRegistraion and furtherdetails contact MSTC LIMITED,Ph:25222842/ 2. Development of Road From 57,537,044/- 57,288,494/- 438,036/- 248,550/- 287,690/- 2,876,860/- 15 22,523/- 25251910/25261005 e-Mail: [email protected] Railway Gate to Visava Hotel LastDate forOnline Submission : 04.02.2021 in Prabhag No.30 Kasarwadi As per ModernTechnics DIPR/313/Tender/2021 mANAGING DIRECTOR. 3. Providing hotmix treatment to 24,640,645/- 24,566,895/- 156,990/- 73,750/- 123,200/- 1,232,040/- 12 15,075/- the Main road and other area at Dapodi in ward No.30 4. Construction of Pavana river 82,434,854/- 81,507,854/- 495,894/- 927,000/- 412,170/- 4,121,750/- 18 22,523/- side road from (Shankar Mandir) Nashik Phata S.No. 502 to S.No.496 (Pimple Gurav)ByModernMethod At ward No.30 5. Development of roads By 40,711,029/- 40,441,379/- 259,556/- 269,650/- 203,560/- 2,035,560/- 18 15,075/- ModernMethods upto Visava hotel Kasarwadi Shashtri Nagar in Prabhag No.30 6. Development of road by 40,808,984/- 40,539,334/- 236,216/- 269,650/- 204,040/- 2,040,450/- 18 15,075/- ModernMethodinDapodi fromShitaladevi Chowk S.No.6 to Muslim Dafanbhumi S.No.15 In Prabhag No.30 7. Development of road by 24,593,976/- 24,324,326/- 104,778/- 269,650/- 122,970/- 1,229,700/- 18 15,075/- ModernMethod in Dapodi From Shitaladevi Chowk S.No.6 to Railway Gate in PrabhagNo.30

Time table forthe tendersshall be as follows: Online sale of tenders : Date 19/01/2021 to Date 01/02/2021 Last date of submission of tenders : Date 01/02/2021 up to 3.00 pm Pre Bid Meeting Date &Time (For Above Rs.1.50 Cr.) : Date 27/01/2021 at 3.00 pm “IMPORTANT” Place of Pre Bid Meeting : Office of Joint City Engineer,1st Floor,PCMC Main Building Pimpri, Pune -411018 Whilstcare is taken prior to acceptance of advertising copy,itisnot possible to verify its Date of opening of tenders : Date 03/02/2021 at 03.00 pm (if possible) contants. The Indian Express (P) Limited cannot The Municipal Commissioner PCMC reservesthe right to accept or reject anytender partially or completely without anyreason be held responsible for such contents, nor for any thereof.The details of above works, such as Security Deposit, Earnest MoneyDeposit, Terms&Conditions of the Tender and lossordamage incurred as aresultof Schedule of works, are available on website www.pcmcindia.gov.in, http://mahatenders.gov.in. In case of anytechnical problem transactionswithcompanies, associations or related to the tender document, the same can be referred to the NIC email [email protected] or on telephone numbers individuals adversing in itsnewspapers or 0120-4200462, 0120-4001002, 0120-4001005,0120-627787 Publications. We thereforerecommendthat readers make necessary inquiries before sending ADVT No.693 Sd/- any monies or entering into any agreementswith No: ENGG/TEN/H-HO/25/2021 Joint City Engineer advertisersorotherwiseacting on an Date : 18/01/2021 PimpriChinchwad Municipal Corporation, Pimpri-411 018. advertisement in any manner whatsoever.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021 @ieExplained #ExpressExplained 9 If thereare questions of current or contemporaryrelevancethat youwould like E EXPLAINED explained, please [email protected]

SIMPLY PUT QUESTION &ANSWER CORONAVIRUS DASHBOARD INDIAACTIVE CASES 208,012 Balance sheet of abad bank 250,000 As the problem of non-performing assets persistsinasector stressedbythe pandemic, the RBI Governor has

224,190 agreedtolook at aproposal forcreating abad bank.What arethe argumentsfor and againstthe concept?

225,000 hopefully, we would liketotakeitupagain 208,012 GEORGEMATHEW&SUNNYVERMA and see that thereisaconsensus to push this MUMBAI,NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 idea. Somehowpeople have that feeling that bankswill parkall their bad assets and noth- LAST 10 DAYS THE IDEA of setting up abad bank to resolve ing will happen there. We needtoconvince Jan 8Jan 17 the growing problem of non-performing as- allthestakeholders about the purpose behind 200,000 sets (NPAs), or loansonwhichborrowers have it and the action plan and the strategy behind defaulted,isbackonthe table. With commer- the ARC. Once we areable to convince them, Note:The Jan 17 figure in this graph is based on thegovernment update on Jan 18 cial banksset to witness aspike in NPAs, or hopefullywehope to gain traction,” Union badloans,inthe wake of the contraction in Bank MD and CEO Rajkiran Raisaid in arecent the economy as aresultofthe Covid-19pan- interviewtoThe Indian Express. INDIA TOTAL CASES WORLD TOTAL CASES demic, ReserveBank of India(RBI) Governor The idea of abad bank wasdiscussedin 10,571,773 95,155,602 ShaktikantaDas recentlyagreedtolook at the 2018 too, but it nevertook shape. During the proposal forthe creation of abad bank. pandemic, banksand India Inc were also Source:MinistryofHealth&Family Source:JohnsHopkinsUniversity, pitchingfor one-timerestructuringofloans Welfare,updatedat11pmonJan18 updatedat11pmonJan18 What's abad bank and howdoes it work? and NPAreclassificationnorms from 90 days Abad bank conveys the impression that to 180days as relief measures to tackle the it will function as abankbut has bad assets to RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has recently agreedtolookatthe proposal to setup impact of the lockdown and the slowdown in start with. Technically, abad bank is an asset abad bank to address banks' NPAproblem. Express Archive theeconomy. Currently, loans in whichthe reconstruction company(ARC) or an asset borrowerfails to payprincipaland/or inter- In protecting the wearer, management companythat takesoverthe estchargeswithin90days areclassified as bad loans of commercial banks, manages manyprocedural issues. italisation of public sector banksbythe gov- NPAs and provisioning is made accordingly. them and finallyrecovers the moneyovera Now, with the pandemic hitting the ernment,the problem of NPAs continues in two masks can be better period of time. The bad bank is notinvolved banking sector,the RBI fears aspikeinbad the banking sector,especiallyamongthe Howseriousisthe NPAissue in the wake in lending and taking deposits, but helps loans in the wake of asix-month morato- weaker banks. As the Covid-related stress of the pandemic? commercial bankscleanuptheir balance rium it has announcedtotackle the eco- pans out in the coming months, proponents Bad loans in the system areexpected to than one, scientists say sheets andresolve bad loans. The takeover nomic slowdown. of the conceptfeel that aprofessionally-run balloon in the wake of contractioninthe of bad loans is normallybelowthe book bad bank,fundedbythe private lenders and economyand theproblemsbeing facedby Surgical value of the loan and the bad bank tries to re- What is the stand of the RBI and supportedthe government, can be an effec- manysectors. The RBI notedinits recent KABIRFIRAQUE mask coverasmuchaspossible subsequently. government on abad bank? tive mechanism to deal withNPAs. The bad Financial Stability Report thatthe gross NPAs NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan While theRBI did notshowmuchenthu- bank conceptisinsome ways similar to an of the banking sector areexpected to shoot Tightly had opposedthe idea of setting up abad siasm about abad bank all these years, there ARCbut is fundedbythe government ini- up to 13.5% of advances by September 2021, IN Apandemic duringwhichour woven bank in whichbankshold amajority stake. “I aresigns that it can look at theidea now. Last tially, with banksand otherinvestors co-in- from 7.5% in September 2020, under the knowledge of the novelcoronavirus is fabric justsaw this (bad bank idea) as shifting loans week,GovernorDas indicated that the RBI vesting in due course. The presence of the baselinescenario,as“amulti-speedrecov- stillevolving,twoscientistshavesought from one government pocket (the publicsec- can consider the idea of abad bank to tackle government is seen as ameans to speedup eryisstruggling to gain traction” amidstthe to clearsome of the confusion over the Tightly torbanks) to another (the bad bank) and did bad loans. In recent months, the Finance the clean-up process. Manyother countries pandemic. The report warnedthatifthe performance of masks. Theyhaverec- woven notsee howitwould improvematters. Ministrytoo has been receptive to the idea. had setupinstitutional mechanisms suchas macroeconomic environment worsens into ommendedtwo masksratherthanone fabric Indeed, if the bad bank were in the public ViralAcharya,whenhewastheRBIDeputy the TroubledAssetRelief Programme (TARP) aseverestressscenario, the ratio mayesca- in certain settings, and explainedthat sector,the reluctance to actwould merelybe Governor, had said it would be better to limit in the US to deal with aproblem of stress in lateto14.8%. Among bank groups, the NPA amaskprotectsnot onlypeoplearound Filter shiftedtothe badbank,” Rajan wroteinhis theobjective of theseassetmanagementcom- the financialsystem. ratio of PSU banks, whichwas 9.7% in the wearer but also the wearer. book IDoWhat IDo. paniesto theorderly resolutionof stressedas- September 2020, mayincrease to 16.2% by Therecommendationsby scientists Recommended formaximal US-basedMellon Bank created thefirst sets,followedbyagraceful exit. Acharya sug- Has the banking system made any September 2021under the baselinescenario. Linsey Marr(Virginia Instituteof protectioninMarrand Gandhi’s bad bank in 1988, afterwhichthe concept gested twomodels to solve the problem of proposal? The KVKamath Committee, whichhelped Technology) and Monica Gandhi paper. Cell Press has been implemented in other countries in- stressedassets.Thefirstisaprivate asset man- The banking sector,led by theIndian the RBI with designing aone-time restructur- (Universityof California,SanFrancisco) cluding Sweden, Finland, France and agementcompany(PAMC),whichissaidtobe Banks’Association,hadsubmittedaproposal ing scheme, also notedthat corporatesector appearasacommentarypublishedby Germany. However, resolution agencies or suitablefor stressedsectorswherethe assets last Mayfor setting up abad bank to resolve debt worth Rs 15.52 lakhcrore has comeun- Cell Press,and have been reportedby airtight. Rather,the fibres in the mask ARCs setupasbanks, whichoriginate or arelikelytohaveaneconomic value in the the NPAproblem,proposing equity contribu- der stress afterCovid-19hit India, while an- TheNewYorkTimes.Severalprominent fabric createahaphazardobstacle guarantee lending, have endedupturning shortrun,withmoderatelevelsofdebtforgive- tion from the government and banks. The pro- other Rs 22.20lakh crorewas alreadyunder Americans have already been seen course forair and airborne particles. intoreckless lenders in some countries. ness. The second modelisthe National Asset posal wasalso discussedatthe Financial stress before the pandemic.This effectively wearing twomasks; the NYT report The idea thatmultiple mask layers ManagementCompany(NAMC),whichwould Stabilityand DevelopmentCouncil (FSDC) meansRs37.72crore (72%of thebankingsec- citestheexamplesof Americanfootball blockthe virus moreeffectivelyhas Do we need abad bank? benecessaryfor sectors where the problem is meeting, but it did notfind favour with the tordebtto industry)remainsunder stress.This coachBillBelichick,President-electJoe beentestedandshownby previousre- The idea gainedcurrency duringRajan’s notjustoneof excesscapacitybutpossibly also government whichpreferred amarket-led is almost37%of thetotal non-foodbankcredit. Bidenand Senator Mitt Romney. search.Inastudylastyear in the tenureasRBI Governor. The RBI had then ini- of economicallyunviableassets intheshortto resolution process. The banking industry’s The panel ledbyKamath, aveteran Formaximal protection, Marrand American Chemical Society’s journal tiated an assetquality review(AQR) of banks medium terms. proposal wasbasedonanidea proposedbya banker,has saidcompanies in sectorssuch Gandhihave recommendedthatmem- ACSNano,researchershad identifieda and found that severalbankshad suppressed panelonfasterresolutionof stressedassets in as retail trade, wholesale trade, roads and bers of the publicwear either: combination of twofabrics as possibly or hidden bad loans to showahealthybal- Will abad bank solve the problem of publicsectorbanksheadedbyformerPunjab textiles arefacing stress. Sectorsthathave ■ Acloth mask tightly on topofa thebest forfilteringoutrespiratorypar- ance sheet. However, theidearemainedon NPAs? National Bank Chairman Sunil Mehta.This been under stress pre-Covid include NBFCs, surgicalmaskwherethesurgicalmask ticles—eithercottonplusnaturalsilk,or paper amid lackofconsensus on the efficacy Despiteaseries of measures by the RBI panel had proposedacompany, SashaktIndia power, steel, real estate and construction. actsasafilter and the cloth mask pro- cotton plus chiffon(The Indian Express, of suchaninstitution. ARCs have notmade forbetterrecognition and provisioning AssetManagement, forresolving large bad Setting up abad bank is seen as crucial vides an additional layeroffiltration April20, 2020).That study and others anyimpact in resolving bad loans due to againstNPAs, as well as massive doses of cap- loans twoyears ago. “This is agoodidea and againstthis backdrop. whileimprovingthefit; or have alsostressedtheim- ■ Athree-layermask portanceofaproperfit. withouter layers consist- Marrand Gandhi’s ing of aflexible, tightly commentary,titled From climate to masks, Biden’s Day-1 agenda wovenfabricthatcancon- ‘UnitingInfectiousDisease form well to the face and and Physical Science amiddle layerconsisting Principles on the So, what is an executive order? agreement on November 4, 2020, and Biden with Congress everySeptember. of anonwoven high-effi- PAPER Importanceof FaceMasks MEHRGILL An executive order is awritten directive said the same daythat the US would re-join COVID-19: The US is the worst-hit coun- ciency filter material. forCOVID-19’,addsto var- NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 issuedbythe President. Suchorders arenot it in 77 days underhis administration. To do trybyCovid-19, with the mostcases, the If these fitwell, they CLIP iousfindingsbyunderlin- legislation and don’trequirethe approval of so, the US will have to inform the UN mostdeaths, andone of the worstdeath write,thesecombinations ing the role masksplayin ON WEDNESDAY, US President-electJoe Congress, whichalso meansCongress can- Framework Convention on ClimateChange. rates. During mostpartofthe pandemic, canshould provide a90% NEWRESEARCH protectingthe wearer. Biden will take oath of office. On itsveryfirst notoverturn them. According to the Thirty days afterapplying, the US will be- Trumphas been sceptical of the effective- efficiencyinblockingpar- “Itwasveryconfusing day, theBiden-Harris Administration is set American Bar Association (ABA), Congress come amember of the climatedeal again. ness of masksinhelping curb the spread. ticles larger than 1micron. atthebeginningof thepandemicwhen to roll out aseries of executive orders as part maypass legislation that makes it difficult or IMMIGRATION: In 2017,Trumpan- Biden, on the other hand, has likenedwear- “Weare recommendingtwo masks infectious diseases [scientists]were of itsagenda forits first10days. impossible to carry outanexecutive order, nouncedaban restricting travel from seven ing amask to a“patriotic act”, and has said insettingswhere thepatientisvulner- saying onething (masksprotect oth- In amemo sent to theincoming senior suchasremoving funding. However, only the Muslim-majoritycountries. Countries have that on the dayheissworn in, he will sign an able (elderly or have amedical condi- ers)andphysicalscientists were saying staffatthe WhiteHouse, Biden’s Chief of Staff President can overturn an executive orderby been addedtoand removedfromthis list executive ordermandating that people wear tions)orindoors whereconditions are another (masksprotect you),” Gandhi RobKlain said the administration faces “four issuing another one. since; as of now, thetravelban covers 13 masksonfederal properties and on buses crowded,” Gandhi told The Indian told TheIndianExpress.“This article overlapping and compounding crises”: the According to the ABA,US Presidentshave countries including Iran, Libya,Syria, Yemen, and trains while on interstate travel,aspart Express,byemail.“Theadvantageof unites an infectious diseases doctor Covid-19,crisis the resulting economic cri- issuednearly 14,000 presidential orders Somalia, Venezuela, NorthKorea,Myanmar of a“100Day Masking Challenge”. twomasks(acloth maskwith asurgi- [Gandhi]and physical scientistre- sis, climatechange,and racial inequity. since GeorgeWashingtontookoffice in 1789. and Nigeria. Trump’s 2017 executiveorder Bidenhas also promised100million vac- cal mask combined) is thatitblocks searcher [Marr] to explain whymasks Some of the actions on Biden’s agenda will President Donald Trumpissued209 execu- said the ban wasbeing imposedtoprevent cine shots forAmericanswithin thefirst100 particles coming intothe wearer at al- protect youand othersand areanin- changethe direction of policies undertaken tive orders between 2017 and 2021, and for- the entryof“anational of one of thesecoun- days of taking office, and expanding testing. mostthesamelevelasamedicalgrade crediblyimportant tool in the fight by theTrumpAdministration, suchasthe ban mer President Barack Obamaissued291 dur- tries who intends to commit terroristacts…” STUDENT LOANS: LastNovember, Trump N95mask—90-95%. Thisincreasesthe againstCovid-19. Scientists from dif- on immigrantsfromsome Muslim-majority ing his eight-year tenurefrom2009-2017. Biden has calledthis ban unconstitutional issuedamemorandum extendingastudent safetyfor the wearer.” ferent disciplines needtocome to- countries and re-joining the Paris climateac- and plans to repeal it on Wednesday. loan payment relief offeredinMarch 2020. The NYT articlequotesMarrassay- gether moretopresent aunified mes- cord. Subsequent executive orders that are What arethe executive ordersbeing AccordingtoBloomberg,since the ban was Under this, federalstudent loan payments ingthatthepointisnot to make amask sagetothe public on Covid-19.” being plannedinclude expanding access to plannedbythe Biden Administration? imposedbyapresidential proclamation, could be deferredwithout interestuntil healthcareand reforming the criminal jus- PARIS PACT: Under the Trump Bidenwill be able to rescind it. However, al- December 2020. Biden is settoextend the tice system. Administration, the US leftthe Paris climate lowing morerefugees requires consultation interest-free moratorium. WhatCBI’scattlesmugglingprobeinWestBengalhasfound

smugglers Md Enamul Haque ,Anarul packaged meat exportedbyBangladesh. At Customs officers being bribed by smug- SWEETYMISHRA Sheikh,MdGulam Mustafa,Anarul Sheikh, suchtimes, cattle fetchtwice theprices at glers.Now,the CBI is probing alargercon- KOLKATA,JANUARY18 and Md Golam Mustafa.Theyhavebeen whichtheyare procured in India. spiracy possiblyinvolving political leaders. chargedunder Section 120B of IPC (criminal According to CBI sources, afterthe cattle The opposition BJP has movedonfrom ACBI crackdown on cross-border cow conspiracy) and Sections 7, 11 &12ofthe were seized, these were shown as smaller the Saradha and Narada cases to the cow smuggling in West Bengalhas thrownthe PreventionofCorruption Act, 1988. thantheir actualsizeinthe BSF seizure smuggling crackdown, as well as illegal coal spotlight notonlyonanexus among BSF of- The FIR alleges that during Satish memo. This reducedtheir value at auctions mining. Afterthe recentraids, the BJP has ficials, customs officials and racketeers, but Kumar’s posting, the BSF seizedmorethan that the BSF and Customs conduct forseized accusedthe ruling Trinamool Congress of also on politicalleaders,besides Bengal 20,000heads of cattle before they could be cattle. CBI officials alleged that only selected involvement in cattle smuggling, whichthe Policepersonnel who arebeing questioned transportedacross the border,but vehicles traders, with an alleged nexuswith BSF and Trinamool has denied. forinformation theymay be able to provide. carrying these animals were notseizedand Customs officials, would be allowedtobuy Beforethe search on theTrinamool The CBI recentlycarriedout raids on the persons involvedwerenot apprehended. the cattle at suchlow prices at the auctions. leader’s houses, the CBI had procured court homes of VinayKumarMishra,one of the So far, Satish Kumar and the alleged Once bought, the cattle would be smuggled orders. AfterVinay Mishra, theTrinamool Trinamool Youth Congress’s general secre- kingpin Enamul Haque have been arrested. intoBangladesh by thesame traders. leader,skippedthe CBI'ssummons, the taries. The CBI has summonedhim and, af- At least sixBengal Police officialshavebeen TheCBI has alleged that Enamul Haque agency has summonedhis brother Vikas. terheskippedthe summons, has issueda summoned and twohavebeen questioned would pay, perhead of cattle,Rs2,000 to In the run-up to the 2013 rural polls, and lookout notice againsthim. forany light theymay be able to throw on BSF officials and Rs 500toCustoms officials. the 2014 and 2016 Assembly the racket,CBI sourcessaid, whileafew Besides, it has alleged,Customs officials elections, CBI and Enforcement Directorate The accused&the suspects businessmen said to be linked withinflu- At theBangladesh border in CoochBehar.This photograph wastaken in 2015. would also take bribes of 10%ofthe auction investigations intoseveral ponzi schemes The CBI filedthe FIR on September 21 ential people areunder the CBI scanner. Partha Paul pricefromsuccessful bidders. had resulted in the arrest of anumberof against sixpersons who arenamed, and TrinamoolCongress leaders and the inter- others. Among those namedare Satish Howthe racket works The timing &the politics rogation of severalothers. Aheadofthe Kumar,who wasthe Commandant of BSF’s Everyyear,tens of thousandsofcattle km border in the state. 40,000-50,000 (smaller breeds from The crackdown has come ahead of Assemblyelections, the statewill be watch- 36 Battalion in Malda from December 19, areestimated to be smuggled from West Eachcattlehead is priced at Rs 80,000- Bengal) in Bangladesh.Prices shootupdur- Assemblypolls this year.Inits preliminary ing if anyruling party leaders arecalledfor 2015 to April 22, 2017,besidesalleged Bengal to Bangladesh through the 2,216- 90,000(breeds from UP and Haryana) or Rs ing Eid ,whenthereishighdemand for enquiry, the CBI has spoken of some BSF and interrogation in the cattle smuggling case.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021 10 THE WORLD

TOPOFTHE SECURITY CONCERNSGRIP WASHINGTON AFTER CAPITOLRIOT WORLD FBIvettingtroopsinDCamidfearsof insiderattackaheadofInauguration

Temporarylockdown at US Capitol afterfireerupts nearby Prospectofpardonsin Russianopposition leaderAlexeiNavalnyatanairportin ItalyPMGiuseppe MoscowonSunday. Reuters ConteinParliament ASSOCIATEDPRESS WASHINGTON,JANUARY18 final days fuels market ITALY West tells Russia to PMConteseeks US DEFENCE officials saythey to buy access to Trump areworried aboutaninsider at- tosavehisgovt tack or other threat from service free Alexei Navalny, members involved in securing fromfalling President-elect Joe Biden’s inau- MICHAELSSCHMIDT ED Adifferent ITALIAN PREMIER guration, prompting the FBI to &KENNETHPVOGEL approach Moscow pushes back Giuseppe Conteon vetall of the 25,000 National WASHINGTON,JANUARY18 PLAIN E ● topardons Mondayacknowledgeder- Guardtroops coming into EX He is put in 30-daypre-trial detention rors in fighting the pan- Washington forthe event. AS US President Donald Trump demic, but in aspeech The massiveundertaking re- Peopleevacuatefromthe West Front of the US Capitol during prepares to leave office in days,a WHILE THERE have been re- afterarrestuponarrival from Germany aimedatpreserving his flects the extraordinarysecurity arehearsalofthe Presidential Inauguration,onMonday. AP lucrative market forpardons is ports thatTrumpisconsider- second mandate, he told concerns that have gripped comingto ahead,withsomeof his ingpardoning himself,many lawmakershis govern- Washington following the deadly alliescollectingfeesfromwealthy constitutional experts believe ANTONZVEREV& Don’t be afraid, take to ment can “hold itshead January6insurrection at theUS tialthreat, and he warnedcom- down Mondayduring arehearsal felons or theirassociates to push suchamove maybeillegal. ANDREWOSBORN the streets. Don’t go out high”. Contewas fighting Capitol by pro-Trumprioters.And manders to be on the lookout for forInauguration Dayafter afire theWhite Houseforclemency,ac- But the President does have MOSCOW,JANUARY18 for me, go out for yourself forhis political lifeafter he it underscores fears that some of anyproblems within their ranks brokeout in ahomeless encamp- cordingtodocumentsand inter- the legal authority to pardon and your future.” losthis coalition majority the very people assignedtopro- as Inauguration Dayapproaches. ment roughlyamile away. views withlobbyistsandlawyers. anyone elseaccusedoffed- ARUSSIANjudgeremanded with the defection of tect thecity over the next several While the militaryreviews But lawenforcement officials Pardonsand commutations eral crimes. BillClinton had Kremlin critic AlexeiNavalnyin —ALEXEI NAVALNY, Cabinetministers belong- days couldpresentathreat to the service members forextremist said the fire,whichwas quickly areintendedtoshowmercy to been criticisedfor aspree of pre-trial detention for30days on RUSSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER, ing to former PM Matteo incoming presidentand others. links, the FBIscreening is in addi- extinguished, wasnot believedto deservingrecipients, but Trump 170pardons in his final days Mondayfor violating the terms TOLD THE PUBLIC IN AVIDEO Renzi’s tinybut keyItalia ArmySecretaryRyan tion to anypreviousmonitoring. be athreat to the inauguration. has usedmanyofthem to re- as president, but mostof of asuspendedjailsentence, ig- POSTED ON TWITTER Viva party.Renzi has faced McCarthysaid Sundaythat offi- Meanwhile, the US Capitol Theysaid the lockdown wasor- ward personal or politicalallies. thosewent to people whose noring calls from Western coun- harsh criticismfor the cials areconsciousofthe poten- complextemporarilylocked deredin an abundance of caution. Thepardonlobbying heated caseshad been reviewed by tries to free theopposition politi- Navalny, in avideo released powerplayduring apan- up as it became clear that Trump the Justice Department and cian immediately. on Twitter afterthe ruling, urged demic. But with billionsof hadnorecourseforchallenginghis identifiedasdeserving of The ruling,aday afterpolice Russians to protest. EU pandemic funds ex- Harris set for central White House role electiondefeat, lobbyists and clemency.However,Trump detainedhim at theairportwhen “Don’t be afraid, take to the pectedtoflowintothe lawyerssay.One lobbyist,Brett hascompletely shunnedthis he returnedtoRussia forthe first streets. Don’t go outfor me, go country, he has defended Harris is “at spokeswoman,saidthevicepres- Tolman,aformerfederalprosecu- process, openingupthe pos- time since being poisonedbya outfor yourself and your future,” the move as necessaryto ALEXANDRAJAFFE the tablefor ident-elect has ahand in all as- torwho has been advising the sibility of apardon to anyone military-grade nerveagent last Navalnysaid. preventContefromamass- WASHINGTON,JANUARY18 everything” pectsofBiden’sagenda.“Thereare White House on pardons, has who has access to the August, could be the prelude to Leonid Volkov,aNavalnyally, ing toomuchpower. AP that Biden piecesthatBidenmayspecifically monetisedhis clemency work, President or hisclose aides. himbeing jailedfor years. wrote on Twitter thatsupport- KAMALAHARRIS will make his- intends to ask her to champion,but outside collectingtensof thousandsof dol- Moscow’s prisonservice has ers would hold rallies nation- toryonWednesdaywhenshebe- accomplish of thatsheisatthetableforevery- lars in recent weekstolobby the appliedtoconvert asuspended wide on Saturday. comes the nation’s firstfemale thing,involvedineverything,and WhiteHouseforclemencyforthe $50,000 to help seek apardon three-and-a-half year embezzle- Navalny, 44,calledhis treat- BRITAIN vicepresident—andthefirstBlack givinginputandfeedbackandbe- son of aformerArkansas senator; forJohn Kiriakou, aformerCIA ment sentence in the same case, ment illegal underRussian law Trumpbaby woman and the firstwoman of California aheadofthe ingasupportive partnerto himon the founder of the notorious on- officer convicted of illegallydis- whichhesays wastrumpedup, and accused President Vladimir South Asian descenttohold that Inauguration. The governor of all pieces,” she said. line drug marketplace Silk Road; closingclassifiedinformation. intorealjailtimeearly nextmonth. Putin of throwing the criminal blimplandsat office. But that’s onlywhereher California,Gavin Newsom, is ex- People workingclosely with andaNew York City socialitewho Trumphas also suggestedto He faces three other separate code out of the windowinfear. boundary-breaking role begins. pected to appoint another Harris said the sheer number of pleadedguilty in afraud scheme. aideshewantstotaketheextraor- criminal cases too. The Kremlin did notrespond, Londonmuseum With the confluence of crises Democrat to fill Harris’ seat in the challengesthe Biden administra- Trump’s former personal dinaryandunprecedentedstepof The United Nations and but has previouslysaid Navalny ABLIMPdepictingUS confronting Joe Biden’s adminis- Senate, whichisnow divided tion faces means it will be “all lawyer,John MDowd, has mar- pardoninghimself,althoughitwas Western countries told Moscow mustface justice if he has done PresidentDonaldTrumpas tration,Harrisisshapinguptobea evenlybetween Republicans and handsondeck”.Theysay she’llbe keted himselftofelons as some- notclear whether he had before theruling to letNavalnygo, anything wrong. asnarling, nappy-wearing centralplayerinaddressingevery- Democrats.Asvice president, involved in all four of the major one who could secure pardons broachedthe topic since his sec- and some countries have called About 200Navalnysupport- orangebabyhas found a thing from the coronavirus pan- Harriswillgetatie-breakervote in priorities they’ve setout:turning because of his closerelationship ond impeachment. He has also fornew sanctions afterearlier ers had gatheredoutsidethe po- home in oneofLondon’s demic to criminal justicereform. thechamber,tiltingthebalanceto- around the economy, tackling with thePresident. discussed issuing pre-emptive penalties from theEUoverhis licestation in freezing tempera- mostpopular museums. OnMonday, shesubmittedher wardsthe Democratic party. Covid-19,andaddressingclimate Aonetime topadviser to the pardonstohis family members poisoning. Moscowtold them to tures and demandedhebeset The helium-filled balloon, resignationassenator from SymoneSanders,Harris’chief changeand racial justice. AP Trumpcampaign waspaid and lawyer Rudy Giuliani. NYT mind their ownbusiness. free, awitness said. REUTERS originallypaid forthrough crowdfunding,firsttookto theskiesoverLondondur- Indian-American ing protests against Questions hover over Samsung Trump’s visit in 2018 and to head US agency hasflowninotherlocations for consumer including France, as chief returns to jail for bribery Argentina,Ireland and financial protection Denmark.Gladlyaccepting Lee Jae-yong sentencedtotwo andahalf years in prison thedonation,theMuseum Washington: US President-elect of London said theblimp Joe Biden on Mondaynamed would join itsprotest col- Indian-American RohitChopra CHOESANG-HUN lection. REUTERS as thehead of afederal agency SEOUL,JANUARY18 tasked with protecting the in- INDONESIA terestsofconsumers financials. LEEJAE-YONG,chiefofthesprawl- If con- ing Samsung conglomerate, re- Sulawesiquake firmedbythe turnedtoprison on Mondayfor deathtollgoes Senate,Chopra bribing aformer South Korean would be suc- president,leavingmajorquestions upto84 Rohit Chopra ceeding hangingoverthefate of oneofthe APOWERFUL earthquake KathleenLaura world’s largest business empires. that struckIndonesia’s Kraninger as The Seoul High Court sen- Sulawesi island lastweek directoroftheConsumerFinancial tencedLee earlier on Mondayto has killedatleast84peo- Protection Bureau. NEW CARAVAN HEADED TO US twoand ahalfyearsinprisonfor Lee Jae-yong with reporters at the Seoul High Court. AP ple and displacedmore Chopraiscurrentlyacom- bribing Park Gyun-hye,the pres- than 30,000,according to missioner on the Federal Trade Hondurans, takingpart in anew caravan of migrants headedtothe US,clash with Guatemalan identwho wasimpeachedin search and rescue agency Commission. He has previously soldiersastheytry to crossintoGuatemalan territoryinVado Hondo. Guatemalanforceson 2016 on corruption charges. He unit, Samsung Electronics, ac- from hands-on management (Basarnas) dataon served as assistant director of the Sundayusedsticks and teargastobeat backthe large migrant caravan. The newUS will serveonlyone and ahalf counts fornearly one-fifth of the could spell disasterfor Samsung Monday. The6.2-magni- Consumer Financial Protection administration,set to be sworn-in on Jan 20, hasurged migrants to abandon the journey. Reuters years because he had already country’s total exports. and the South Korean economy. tude quake, one of astring Bureau. PTI spent about ayear in jail on pre- Lee’s legal troubles have be- Lee is said to be the onlyper- of disasters to hit vious chargestiedtothe case. come afixtureofSouth Korean son who can makebold deci- Indonesia in recentweeks, “YourHonour, Ihavenothing media and dinner table conver- sions and pour billions of dollars struckWestSulawesi early to say,”Lee said whenthe pre- sation. He has been in and out of intothe sortofrisky,long-term Israel trades medical data for Pfizer doses siding judgegavehim achance court since 2017,with his for- projectsthat have helped Fridaymorning, sending thousands fleeing from to make afinalstatement before tunes seemingly turning with Samsung becomeaglobal player their beds. As search and forthe continuedflowofits lations and adeepening of the elections as Israel’s vaccinator- being arraignedand whisked everybang of agavel. in semiconductors, flat-screen rescue operations contin- ILANBENZION hard-to-get vaccine. global divide that enables in-chief —has said that he away to prisononMonday. The briberycase is notLee’s TVsand smartphones. uedonMonday, Basarnas JERUSALEM,JANUARY18 Proponentssay the deal wealthycountries to stockpile reachedthe deal withPfizer’s The newsentence deals a onlylegal trouble. In September, But Samsung’s deep benchof official Didi Hamzar told a could allowIsrael to become vaccines as poorerpopulations, chief executive to speedupvac- blowtoSamsung, acorporate he wasindicted on separate dedicated executiveshavefilled news conference that 84 AFTERSPRINTINGaheadinthe the firstcountry to vaccinate including Palestinians in the cine deliveriestoIsrael. leviathanthat touches manyas- chargesofstock price manipu- in forLee before.When he was peoplewereconfirmedto race to inoculateits population mostofits population,while Israeli-occupiedWestBank and “Israel will be aglobalmodel pects of SouthKoreanlife. It is lation and unfair trading. The in jail in 2017,Samsung have died. Morethan 300 againstthe coronavirus, Israel providing valuable research Gaza, have to wait longer to be state,” he said. “Israel will share the biggest and mostlucrative of trial related to those chargeshas Electronics successfully navi- had been seriously has struckadeal with Pfizer, that could help the rest of the inoculated. with Pfizer and with the entire ahandful of family-controlled onlyjustbegun.Lee has said he gatedascandal in whichsome of injured. REUTERS promising to sharevasttroves world. But critics saythe deal Prime MinisterBenjamin worldthe statisticaldatathat conglomerates, or chaebol, that is innocent. itsGalaxy Note 7smartphones of medical datawith the inter- raises major ethical concerns, Netanyahu —who is stumping will help develop strategies for dominateSouth Korea’secon- Pro-business groups have were found to spontaneously national drug giant in exchange including possible privacy vio- ahead of the country’s March defeatingthe coronavirus.” AP omy. The group’s electronics warnedthatLee’slong absence catchfire. NYT

ASURGE OF CORPORATE MONEY COULD SOON TRANSFORM CARBON REMOVAL FROM SCIENCE FICTION TO REALITY Businesses step up bid to pull greenhousegases from the air. It’s agamble

Agrowing number of corpo- have eachbegunspendingatleast manycarbon removaltechnolo- cutting emissions deeplytoday. improvingenergyefficiency. BRADPLUMER& rations arepouring moneyinto $1 million per year on start-ups gies remain tooexpensive for “Carbon removalshouldn’t Mostofthe time, it’s easier to pre- CHRISTOPHERFLAVELLE so-calledengineered carbon re- workingoncarbonremovaltech- widespread use, oftencosting be seen as aget-out-of-jail-free vent emissions in the firstplace JANUARY18 moval—for example, using giant niques, suchassequestering the $600ormoreper tonne of carbon. card,” said Jennifer Wilcox, a than it is to pull backcarbon diox- fans to pull carbon dioxide from gasinconcretefor buildings. The hope,companies say, is leading expert on the technology ide afterit’s diffusedintothe at- USINGTECHNOLOGY to suckcar- the air and trap it. Thecompanies Microsoftwillsoonannouncede- that early investmentscan help at the University of mosphere. But that still leaves bondioxideoutoftheskyhaslong saythesetechniques, by offset- tailedplanstopay to remove one drive down prices to something Pennsylvania. “It has arole to significant sources of emissions been dismissedasanimpractical ting emissionstheycan’t other- million tonnes of carbon dioxide. morepalatable —say,$100per play, particularly forsectorsthat that have no easy solutions, like waytofight climatechange— wise cut, maybethe onlyway to The United Nations-backed tonne or less—muchasinvest- areverydifficult to decarbonise, cement manufacturing, long-dis- physicallypossible,butfartooex- fulfill lofty “netzero” pledges. Intergovernmental Panel on mentsinwindand solarhave but it shouldn’t be an excuse for tance shippingorair travel. pensive to be of much use. OccidentalPetroleumand ClimateChangehas said nations made those energy sources everyone to keep emitting “If we want to makeavia- But as globalwarmingaccel- United Airlinesare investing in a mayneedtoremove between cheaper over time. greenhousegases indefinitely.” tion sustainable, everything has erates and society continues to large “directair capture” plantin 100billion and1trillion tonnesof But thereare risks, too. As There’s widespread agree- to be on the table,” said Lauren emit greenhouse gases at adan- Texasthatwillusefansandchem- carbon dioxide from the atmos- morecompanies pledgetozero ment that companies pledging to Riley, managing director of en- gerous rate,the idea is gaining ical agentstoscrub carbon diox- pherethis century to avertthe outtheiremissionsby 2050,some address climatechange should vironmental affairs at United supportfromasurprising ide from thesky and injectitun- worsteffectsofclimate change— Adirect aircapture system, developedbythe Swisscompany expertswarnthattheycouldhide firstdoeverything possible to Airlines. “Carbon removal source: large companies facing derground. Stripe and Shopify, farmorethancanbeabsorbedby Climeworks, in Hinwil, Switzerland. Reuters behind the uncertain promise of slash their emissions —say,by might notbeasilverbullet, but pressuretoact on climate. twoe-commerce companies, simply planting moretrees.But removingcarbon later to avoid usingmorerenewable poweror we have to try.” NYT

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021 11 ECONOMY GOLD RUPEE OIL SILVER `48,332 `73.28 $54.74 `64,657

Note:Gold,silverrates at Delhi spotmarket;gold per 10 g, silverper 1kg; Brent crude as of 0000IST SENSEX: 48,564.27 ▼ 470.40 NIFTY: 14,281.30 ▼ 152.40 NIKKEI: 28,242.21 ▼ 276.97 HANGSENG: 28,862.77 ▲ 288.91 FTSE: 6,713.87 ▼ 21.84 DAX: 13,799.21 ▲ 11.48

Internationalmarket data till 1900IST PRE-BUDGET CONSULTATION Prioritising frontline workforce, FMmeetsstates,UTstodiscuss global airlines begin inoculation ENSECONOMICBUREAU NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 growth,investment,fiscalpolicy WITHMASSCovid-19 vaccination programmes rolling out through- out the world, global airlines have EconomicAdviser KV startedinoculationdrivesfortheir ENSECONOMICBUREAU ‘Govt may hike Subramanian and senior officers staffers. While Singapore Airlines NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 were also present during the beganitsvaccinationprogramlast import duties meeting. week,Dubai-basedEmirates FINANCE MINISTER Nirmala on over 50 items’ Lastmonth, the Finance startedvaccinating itsUAE-based Sitharaman Mondayheld apre- Ministerchaired aseries of pre- employees on Monday. Theair- Budget consultation meeting NewDelhi: The government Budget meetings forBudget lines have been prioritising their The Emirates Group’s Covid vaccination programme forits withstate Finance Ministers, is considering hiking im- 2021-22, from December 14-23. frontline workforcesuchascock- workforcebasedinthe UAE. Credit: Emirates who suggestedsteps to revive portduties by 5-10per cent Ahostofsuggestionsconcern- pitandcabincrew,andotheroper- growth and boostrevenue col- on more than50items in- ing fiscal policy,taxation and ationallyfocussedroles. lection againstthe backdrop of cluding smartphones, elec- growth among others were re- In astatement, the Emirates health and wellbeing of aviation cinated as soon as possible”. Covid-19crisis.The meeting was tronic components andap- ceivedfromvariousstakehold- Group —whichcomprises both employees who servethe travel- Further,speaking to aviation heldthrough video conference pliances in the upcoming ers duringthe customarypre- Emirates airlinesand the airport ling public and help move essen- workers at avaccination drive at and attendedbyChief Ministers, budget,three government budget meetings convenedby serviceprovider‘dnata’—saidthat tialgoods,” it said. Singaporeairport on Monday, the Deputy Chief Ministers, Finance sources privy to the the finance ministry. it wasmaking both thePfizer- Separately,atSingapore city-state’sTransportMinisterOne Ministers, Ministers and senior discussions told Reuters In the upcoming Budget ses- BioNTechandSinopharmvaccines Airlinesmorethan5,200employ- Ye Kung said: “SIA (Singapore officers from the states, Union on Monday. sion, the government willalso available forits employees across ees have signeduptobevacci- Airlines)canbethefirstvaccinated Territories and the Union gov- The officials did not table the 15th Finance variouscompanylocationsacross nated—representingabout50per international airline of the world. ernment, the Finance Ministry Finance MinisterNirmala Sitharaman chairs ameeting with specify howmuchofahike Commission’s report in the UAE. “The airline, along with cent of those eligible forthe vac- Trytoget that done,” Transport said in astatement. stateand UT Ministers through video conferencing at North wasplanned on furniture Parliament,alongwith an ex- dnata, areamongthe firsttrans- cine,whichisbeingofferedforfree MinisterOngYe Kungtoldaviation Sitharaman highlightedthe BlockinNew Delhi on Monday. PTI and EVs. REUTERS planatorymemorandum/action portandairservicesorganisations to residentsbythegovernmenton workers at avaccination drive at importance of this meeting as a takenreport on the recommen- intheworldtoofferemployeesthe avoluntarybasis,Reutersreported. the airportonMonday. sign of cooperative federalism dations. The reportseekstoad- option to getvaccinated against As per the report, in amemo sent Eventhoughairlinesandother and indicated the manner in Territories during the worst Stateministers arelearned Sisodiaand Punjab Finance dress awhole rangeofissues in- theCovidvirus.Overthecourseof to employees Monday,Singapore transportindustriesinIndiaare re- whichthe Union government months of pandemic, by en- to have expressed their views MinisterManpreetSingh Badal cludingtransfer of funds to local thepandemic,Emiratesanddnata Airlines CEO Goh Phong Choon portedtohaveapproachedthe wasstrongly supportiveof hancing borrowing limitsand about resources requirements were among thosewho partici- bodies, disastermanagement have implementedmultiple lay- noted: “Vaccinationsare widely governmentto have theirfrontline states/UnionTerritories(with providing backtobackloans to of states, fiscal policy and the pated in themeeting.Along grant and performance incen- ers of safetymeasures, to ensure expectedtobethe game-changer employees inoculated,the focus Legislature) fight againstthe States. The participantsalso ways to boostgrowth and in- with the Finance Minister, tivestostates, issues of defence thehealthandsafetyofcustomers, in facilitating the opening of bor- on providingCovid-19 vaccine pandemic. “Mostparticipants gave numerous suggestions to vestment. Finance SecretaryABPandey, expenditureand the devolution employees and the communities dersonceagain…Thiswillalsobe shotsiscurrentlybeing put on thanked the Union Finance the UnionFinance Minister for Haryana Chief Minister ExpenditureSecretaryTV of Central taxrevenues to states served. The rollout of itsvaccina- an important differentiator in the healthcareworkers,police staff Ministerfor financially support- inclusioninthe budget speech,” Manohar Lal Khattar,Delhi’s Somanathan, Economic Affairs forthe five-year periodfrom tion programme is another step airline industry...I strongly urge and other frontline government ing their States/Union the Ministrysaid. Deputy Chief MinisterManish SecretaryTarun Bajaj, Chief 2021-22 to 2025-26. forward, helpingtosafeguard the everyonewhoiseligibleto getvac- workers. WITHREUTERS IRFC IPO subscribed $2.5BILLION DEAL $111-mn award: Devas ‘Digitisationpush: Banks’ Totaltobuy 20% in 65% on Day 1: What lowprofitability adifficulty’ investorsknockatUS The banking system’s lowprofitability and weak asset Adani Green Energy does the issue entail? quality present some difficulties in significantly boosting court for confirmation digitisation forseveral state-owned and smaller private- cent stake in Adani Green. sector banks, as per S&P Global Ratings ENSECONOMICBUREAU “Thisisinline with the com- the US courtfor the western dis- MUMBAI,JANUARY18 mitment of both Adani and Total JOHNSONTA trict of Washington on the basis ENSECONOMICBUREAU IRFC’s is the firstinitial DIGITAL DISRUPTION to be leading participants in the BENGALURU,JANUARY18 of aSeptember 14,2015ICC tri- NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 public offering in the poses arelatively low risk to its TOTALSEofFrancehasdecidedto sustainableeconomyofthefuture bunal awardhas been kept in top-tier banks’ longstanding acquire20percentminorityinter- and help India in itsquest forde- THREE MAURITIUS-BASED enti- abeyance by the Supreme Court THE INITIAL public offering (IPO) calendar year 2021and market position estinAdani Green Energy (AGEL) velopment of renewableenergy,” ties, whichinvestedinthe Indian of India through aNovember 4, of Indian Railway Finance the firstpublic issue by and half the ownership in opera- theAdaniGroupsaid.In2018,Total space start-up DevasMultimedia 2020 order. Corporation(IRFC),asubsidiaryof arailway non-banking Top-tier private-sector banks tive solarassetsfor $2.5 billion. As and Adani embarked on the en- Pvt Ltd on the backofa2005 The Mauritius-basedentities theIndianRailways,hasbeensub- and SBI are well-placed to deal partofthe current deal, Totalwill ergypartnershipwithinvestment satellite launch deal withISRO’s approached the US court forthe scribed 65 per cent on January18 financial company with tech disruptions, given pickupa50percentstakeina2.35 by TotalinAdani’scitygas distri- commercialarm Antrix District of Columbia on January —thefirstday of bidding.Theoffer their dominant market ADVANTAGEBANKING GW portfolioof operatingsolaras- bution business, associated LNG Corporation, have filedaplea in 13 forconfirmation of an initial receivedbids for80.89crore eq- positions and continued SYSTEM:UPIdoesnotleadto sets ownedbyAGEL and a20per terminalbusinessandgasmarket- aUSfederal courtseeking confir- July 26, 2016 merit awardand a uity shares againstanIPO size of crease significantly, according to investments in technology depositsmovingoutofthe cent stakeinAGEL foraglobalin- ing business. mation of acompensation of final October 13,2020 compen- over 124.75 croreequity shares, analysts.The downside is that the bankingsystem.Thatallowsthe vestment of $2.5 billion, said an Totalacquired 37.4 percent over $111 million awardedbyan sation awardof$111,296,000 the bidding dataavailableonthe company’sfortunesaretiedtothe Covid boost for India’s bankingsystemtomaintainan AGEL statement. stakeinAdaniGasand50percent United Nations Commission on made by the UNCITRAL tribunal exchanges showed. Indian Railways’capexplans. majordigitalpayment system edgeinthepaymentsystem It said the investment in AGEL stakeinDhamraLNG project. It International Trade Lawtribunal in favorofDevas investors. According to ICICIdirect.com, Unified Payment is another step in the strategic al- wasalsothenagreedthatTotaland on October 13,2020, over the Twoofthe Mauritius firms What does the issue entail? as adedicated finance arm of Interface (UPI) Source: S&P Global Ratings/PTI liancebetween Adani Group and Adani will continue this alliance February2011cancellation of the were created by foreign equity IRFC’s is the firstinitial public IndianRailways, IRFCremainsa Totalacrossvariousbusinessesand intothe wider sustainable energy deal by India. firmsColumbia Capitaland offering in the calen- lowrisk model with companies of the Adani Group, space. “Weare delightedto The three Mauritius-based Telcom Ventures who bought 17 dar year 2021and the no non-performing Collaborations betweentraditional banks in India and covering investmentsinliquefied deepenourstrategicalliancewith entities,CC/Devas(Mauritius) percent shareeachinDevas firstpublic issue by a assetwith areturn fintech companies are likely to increase. At the same time, natural gasterminals, gasutility Total, aglobal energy major,and Ltd, DevasEmployees Mauritius Multimedia whenthe 2005 railway non-banking on equity of we believe traditional banks require considerable business, and renewable assets welcome it as asignificantshare- Pvt Ltd, and Telecom Devas Devas-Antrix deal to launch two financial company. 11-12per cent. investments to upgradelegacy systems across India. As of September,the holder in AGEL,”Adani Group Mauritius Limited,that have ISROsatellites forDevas to pro- Investors can partici- Analysts at promotergroup held 74.92 per chairman Gautam Adani said. sought confirmation of the videmultimedia broadband pateinthe issue by Anand Rathi UNCITRAL tribunal awardwere service to mobile handsets was placingbids in alot Financial Services early investors in Devas alive. DevasEmployees Mauritius size of 575shares, have also givena Multimedia, afirm startedin Pvt Ltd held a3.5 per cent stake translating to Rs 14,950 per lot. ‘subscribe’ rating to IRFC. “Webe- NSEL ex-CEO Anjani Sinha arrested Bengaluru in 2004-05byformer in the startupfirm. Throughtheinitialpublicoffer, the lieve thecompanyisreasonably ISRO officials and US-based tele- The Mauritius investors in Centre, the promoterofIRFC,will valuedatcurrent valuation and Delhi, through itsdirectors has in collusion and conspiracy with ers forcheating, criminal misap- com entrepreneurs. DevasMultimedia have,intheir offload13.6per centstake in the enjoys high creditworthiness. EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE cheatedthemby inducementand the exchange(NSEL)and the sell- propriation and use of forged in- Earlier,onOctober 27,2020,a plea in the US federal court, said company, bringingthe promoter However, itishighly dependenton NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 misrepresentationregarding ers(tradingmembers)didnotcol- voices,” an officer said. US federal courthad confirmed thatthey“seek recognition and shareholding to 86.4 per cent IndianRailways’capexplans,”an- commodity tradingonthe plat- lect the delivery orders and the NSELsaidinastatement:“NSEL a$1.2billioncompensation confirmationofafinal, binding post-issue. At the higher price alysts added. The IPOnoteofthe DELHIPOLICEhasarrestedformer form of National SpotExchange warehouse receiptswhereas the crisis wasanengineered crisis, awardedtoDevas Multimedia by arbitration awarddatedOctober bandofRs26per share, the gov- brokeragealso added that the CEOof NationalSpotExchange Ltd Ltd (NSEL). “The trading-cum- transactionswere doneonbehalf though it wassolvable, but it was an arbitration tribunal of the 13,2020, entitled‘awardon ernment would raise Rs 3,243 Government of India has under- AnjaniSinhafor allegedly duping clearing member has to ensure of the complainants. “Itwas al- notsolved,withaviewtothrow 63 International Chamber of quantum’ made in petitioners’ fa- croreand the companywill have takenvariouspolicyinterventions investorsby assuringfixedreturns that the commodities purchased leged that fictitious stocks were Moons outofthe exchangebusi- Commerce over the cancellation voragainstthe RepublicofIndia amarket cap of Rs 23,845 crore. in order to liberalisethe Railways on fictitioustrading. by theclientsorinvestorsthrough tradedontheexchangeasaresult ness.Alltheprobeagencies...have of the2005agreementbetween pursuant to theAgreement including development of freight JCP (EOW) Dr OPMishra said contractsweredelivered to the of whichthe settlementofcon- tracedthe entiremoneytrail of Rs DevasMultimedia and ISRO’s Betweenthe Government of the Should investors subscribe? corridors,high speedrailway and theaccusedhasbeenidentifiedas NSEL certifiedwarehouses. The tractswas notdoneonthe dayof 5,600croretothe22defaultingen- Antrix Corporation. RepublicofMauritius and the IRFC is the dedicated market elevatedcorridors. Analysts at Anjani Sinha. He wasarrestedon warehousereceiptswere to bede- maturity,causinglosstothecom- tities and itsestablishedthat nota The implementation of this Government of the Republic of borrowing arm of the Indian AngelBrokingsaidtheyexpectthe SundayfromMumbai. liveredbythe member to its plainants,” the officer said. single paisa has come to NSEL, 63 compensation order issued India forthe Promotionand Railways.Theextensive expansion companytopoststronggrowth Police said thecomplainants clientsatthe time of the settle- “Complainants alleged Moonsoritsfounder...Despitethis, againstAntrix Corporation by Protection of Investments.” plansof theRailways inthefuture drivenbycapexbyIndianrailways, alleged that the brokeragefirm, ment of thecontracts,” asenior Integrated Commodity Traders alltargetedactionshavebeencon- will involve significant financing along with stable margins due to M/sIntegrated Commodity police officer said. Pvt Ltd, NSEL, itsCMD Jignesh centratedagainstNSEL, 63 Moons and the operation of IRFC will in- costplus model. TradesPvtLtd,BarakhambaRoad, Policesaid the alleged broker Shah, CEO Anjani Sinhaand oth- and itsfounder.” BELAGAVI SMARTCITY LIMITED 1stFloor,BUDAOffice, Ashok Nagar,Belagavi-590016. PERSONALINSOLVENCY Phone: 0831-2461352, E-mail: [email protected], BRIEFLY website: www.bscl.in NCLT agrees to hear case against TENDER NOTIFICATION FinMinreleases Tender No:BSCL/ICEA/TND-62/2020-21/1403 `6,000crore Date:16/01/2021 Rajkumar, Pradeep Kumar Dhoot On behalf of the Managing Director BelagaviSmart NewDelhi: The Finance City Limited Belagavibids areinvited from eligible bidders Ministry has releasedthe such as theRupee Term Loan through E-Procurementunder KTPP Act 1999 forthe below 12th instalment of Rs 6,000 AASHISHARYAN LOOKINGTORECOVER agreement signedbetween VIL mentioned projects. Further details maybedownloaded croretostatestomeetGST NEWDELHI,JANUARY18 ABOUT`600CRORE and SBI in 2012 andthe Fourth from the e-procurementwebsiteofGovernment of compensation shortfall. Supplemental Working Capital Karnataka (.https://eproc.karnataka.gov.in ) THE MUMBAI Benchofthe ■ The bank is seeking Consortium Agreement dated 1.The date from which documentcan be downloaded is Govtsetto National CompanyLaw Tribunal recoveryof approx- May25, 2012.After the failureof 16/01/2021 to22/01/2021.up to 5.00 pm, 2.LastDatefor (NCLT) has agreed to hear State imatelyRs600crore VILanditsassociatecompaniesto Submission of Bid 22/01/2021 Up to 5.30 PM,3.LastDateto amendLLPAct Bank of India’s(SBI’s) plea to initi- from Rajkumar Dhoot paytheamount,SBIsentdemand receiveTechnical Queries 19/01/2021 Up to 4.00 PM, 4.Pre atepersonal insolvency against and Pradeep Kumar certificates to the three Dhoots in Bid Meeting is on 20/01/2021 At 11:30AM at BSCL office, NewDelhi: Decriminalising Rajkumar Dhootand Pradeep Dhootfor giving the February2018and,then,againon 5.Technical Bid Opening is on 25/01/2021At11.00 variousoffences,introducing Kumar Dhoot, tworelativesof personal guarantees, July 23, 2020, both of whichhave AM,6.Financial Bid Opening is on 29/01/2021 At 11.00 AM conceptofsmallLLPsandal- VenugopalDhoot,thefounderand sources said. receivednoresponse to date.The Sl No:01:NameofWork:INVITING TENDERSFOR lowing LLPs to issuenon- former chairman and managing totaldebt givenbySBI under both INDEPENDENT CHARTERED ENGINEERING AGENCY (ICEA) convertible debentures are director of Videocon Industries the agreementsamount to FORTHE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY among the changes being Limited (VIL). The bank is seeking fore the MumbaiBenchofthe Rs 3,700 crore, one of the sources PROJECTFOR STREET LIGHTS BY REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING proposedundertheLimited recoveryof approximatelyRs600 NCLT,the state-run bank has close to the development said. CONVENTIONAL LAMPS WITH LED LAMPS ALONG WITH LiabilityPartnershipAct.PTI crorefromRajkumar Dhootand sought to initiatepersonal insol- The Dhootfamily, owner and CENTRALISED CONTROL AND MONITORING SYSTEM (CCMS) Pradeep Kumar Dhootfor giving vency againstthe three brothers promoterofVIL, in October 2020 IN BELAGAVI CITY OF KARNATAKA,EMD Amount(in Lakhs):As the personal guarantees, sources for being personal guarantors in offeredtopay Rs 30,000 croreto per Governmentorder No.DE 675 ªÉZÀÑ-12/2020, Bengaluru Chinagrows intheknowtoldTheIndianExpress. loans takenbyVIL. lenders of the debt-laden com- 6.5%inQ4 The casewill be next be heard Rajkumar Dhoot, who is afor- pany. It wassimilar to one made dated:22-12-2020 agency/ contractor mustupload figured on January27. merRajya Sabha member from by Venugopal Dhootin2017, in EMD declaration (As per APPENDIX-G of LED RFP/DCA Beijing: China’s GDP ex- Aseparatecaseofpersonalin- Shiv Sena andrepresented whichhehad offeredtopay the document),CostofTenderDocument:As PerE-Portal, panded 6.5 per cent in Q4, solvencyagainstVenugopalDhoot Maharashtrabetween April2014 entiredebt.Theofferwasrejected Category of Contractor:Asper RFP Document datafromNationalBureauof is scheduledtobeheardbythe and 2020, gave personalguaran- by thelenders,whosubsequently Sd/-Deputy General Manager (Procurement) Statisticsshowed.REUTERS NCLT on January29, one of the tees to SBI assuringrepaymentby movedthe Mumbai Benchofthe DIPR/BGM/RO-NO-1129/MCA/2020-21 BelagaviSmart City Limited sources said. In the case filedbe- VIL of variousloan agreements NCLT forinitiation of insolvency. Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,JANUARY19,2021

CHANDRASEKHAR RECOVERING Former Indiacricketer BSChandrasekhar hasbeen hospitalised 12 after sufferingastrokebut is recovering well and is set to be dis- SPORT charged in the next couple of days,his family said on Monday. PTI

SCORECARD Bairstow guides AUSTRALIA VS INDIA THE GABBA Atop-class second string England home Toss: Australia, chose to bat

AUS1ST INNS 369 India’s replacement fast bowlers continuetoimpress as Siraj (5/73), Thakur(4/61) restrict Australia to 294 in tricky chase INDIA 1STINNS 336 AUSTRALIA 2ND INNS 294(O/N: 21/0) SANDIPG Beforethis match, the five- ASSOCIATEDPRESS MHarrisc†PantbThakur38(82b,8x4) JANUARY18 GALLE,JANUARY18 DWarnerlbwbSundar 48(75b,6x4) pronged Indian bowling firm MLabuschagne cSharmabSiraj IF AUSTRALIAthought theycould feastonan had acollective experience of JONNY BAIRSTOWand Dan Lawrence held 25(22b,5x4) Indian bowling brigade that got progressively their nerveina62-run unbroken stand to SSmith cRahanebSiraj 55(74b,7x4) four Test matches and shared weakenedasthe seriesprogressed, they guide England to aseven-wicket win over Sri MWadec†PantbSiraj 0(3b) were rudely mistaken. Injuries kept piling between them just13Test Lanka on Mondayonthe fifthand final CGreencSharmabThakur 37(90b,3x4) on, and theylosttheir figureheads one after victims.Australia’s morning of the series-opening Test.England Paine(c)†c†PantbThakur 27(37b,3x4) the other.But India did notwallowintheir ensured it didn't have anymorehiccups in PCumminsnotout 28(51b,2x4,1x6) corresponding numbers read misfortune.With everyblow, theyonlygot erasing theremaining 36 required on thelast MStarccSaini bSiraj 1(4b) tougher.TheylostMohammedShami; they 1,013in246 Tests. dayafter Sri Lanka had setupatricky 74-run NLyoncAgarwalbThakur 13(10b,1x6) discoveredSiraj.TheylostJasprit Bumrah, target on aturning wicket. JHazlewoodcThakurbSiraj 9(11b,2x4) ShardulThakur put his hand up. Theylost England had slumpedto14for 3lateon ■ Extras (b5,lb2,nb4,w2) 13 RavindraJadeja andRavichandran Ashwin, shiftfromthirdgear to fifth, Siraj,relentless the fourth evening, includedacrucial run- ■ Total(75,5overs) 294 but found and T in energy and intensity,interruptedagain. out of itscaptain Joe Root forjust1,before ■FoW: 1-89(MarcusHarris,24.6ov),2-91(David Natarajan. Notlike-for-likereplacementsby HavingdroppedSmith twice, once offhis Bairstowand Lawrence combinedtousher Warner,25.6ov),3-123(MarnusLabuschagne, anystretch of theimagination,still replete ownbowling, he whipped ashort-of-length the tourists to 76 for3. 30.3ov),4-123(MatthewWade,30.6ov),5-196 with flaws and callowness, but theydid their ball,thatjumpedontohis gloves and ended Bairstow remainedunbeaten on 35 off65 (StevenSmith,54.2ov),6-227(CameronGreen, job, manfullyand stoically. in the hands of AjinkyaRahane at gully. Of all balls and Lawrence,who hit agritty half cen- 60.5ov),7-242(TimPaine,64.6ov),8-247 MohammedSiraj pickeduphis maiden his 13 wicketsinthe series, this washis turyinthe firstinnings of debut, finished21 (MitchellStarc,67.3ov),9-274(NathanLyon,72.1 fifer, ahaulwhichincludedthe wicketsof favourite, Siraj said. notout. Sri Lanka had the chance of abreak- ov),10-294(JoshHazlewood,75.5ov) SteveSmith and MarnusLabuschagne,while through afterEngland resumedon38-3. Thakur took four. Changeofapproach Bairstowmay have been out lbwoff ■ Bowling: Beforethis match, the five-pronged Smith’s exit forced Australia to reassess Dilruwarn Perera's off-spin in the third over, MdSiraj: 19.5-5-73-5 Indian bowling firm had acollective experi- their plans. Their hopesofpushingontoa butstand-in Dinesh Chandimal did- TNatarajan: 14-4-41-0 ence of four Test matchesand shared be- 350orthereaboutstotal faded, and nowthey n'tgofor the television referral. WSundar: 18-1-80-1 tween them just13Testvictims. Australia’s had to preservewickets to prevent defeat. Bairstoweventuallysealedthe victory SThakur: 19-2-61-4 corresponding numbers read 1,013in246 They decelerated,inthe process eating up with aboundarywhen he swept Perera to NSaini: 5-1-32-0 Tests. The gulf in experience wasyawning, overs, and onlylater in the daydid theypress squareleg. "Tocome with little prep and play INDIA 2ND INNS 4/0 but that hardlymattered to theperceivably Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj got one to rear up and smackintothe gloveofSteve forquick runs. in the manner we have,has been reallyim- RSharmanotout 4(6b,1x4) hotchpotchgroup. Smith, who wascaught by AjinkyaRahane at gully,onDay Four at the Gabba. AP Theyhad to contain their ownurgency, pressive," Root said afterreceiving his man- SGill notout 0(5b) Therewas no shortage of self-belief, in the wake of tightIndian bowling. It was of-the-matchaward. ■ Total (1,5 overs) 4 courage,skill or endurance. Forthe second the difference between India’s batsmen hav- Root's 228inthe firstinnings--his fourth time in thismatch,theypicked10wickets, nowhere,Thakurproducedanuncomfort- that didn’t prevent him from devouring ing to negotiatemorethanthe 1.5overthey test double century--providedEngland a ■ Bowling: impeding Australia’s charge at the startof able bouncer. Warner.Heflightedthis ball morethanhe eventuallydid before the rain came battering hefty lead of 286 runs as the visitors posted MStarc: 1-0-4-0 Day4.The hosts did bat briskly, andgathered He doesn’t quitehavethe pace to instil usuallydoes. Warner thought the ball would down. Everyone playedtheir part, including 421runs in the firstinnings. 294runs,setting India aformidabletargetof thefear of lifeinbatsmen, but could com- turnawayfromhim, and committed himself the wicketless TNatarajan. So muchsothat "The thing that pleasedmethe mostwas 328,but notbeforeIndia’sbowlers put on a pensateitwith accuracy and precision of ontothe backfoot. the reducedinfluence of the injured Navdeep my mindset," Root said of his innings."Ifelt spirited performance, one thatillustrated as length. The ball landedinlinewith Harris’ But it kickedonstraight to hit theback Saini, who bowled justfiveover, went largely Igot intoagoodplace, managed to getmy muchheartasexpertise. One thatshould be body and climbed ontohim. He wascaught leg,right in front of off-stump. Thewickets unnoticed. feet apart,get forwardand backwell. People counted amongone of their finestperform- in twominds —toupper-cut or duck.It’s the arrested the Aussiemomentum. Thus, irrespective of thematch’s outcome have been critical of my conversion, so nice ances in Australia. indecision lackofoutright pace could pro- It wasSiraj’s chance to intervene next. He —taking 20 wicketsalone would notsuffice to go up and makeabig one." At one stage, Australia seemedontheir voke.Finally, when he decidedtobail out of brokethe mostdangerous of Australianpart- to draw or win aTestmatch abroad —the feat The England captain also praisedthe ef- waytoaninsurmountabletotal. From David the shot, it wastoo late, Harris pushedhis nerships this summer,between Smithand theymanaged in Brisbane should be counted fort of his twospinners--Dom Bess and Jack Warner’sbat flewout belligerent strokesthat gloves defensively at the ball in asemi- his protegeLabuschagne, both sustainingthe as one of the finest bowling performancesby Leach--who snared 14 between offeredathrowbacktothe halcyon days crouchingposition. impetus the openers had furnished. Siraj de- IndiainAustralia. It’sunsurewhether all of them, eachbagging afive-wicket haul. when their openers assaulted new-ball The dismissal proved Thakur’s height- voured Labuschagneand MatthewWade in them would ever featureinthe same Test,if David Warner made 48 in an bowlers without aspeckofmercy.Marcus enedself-awareness. He might nothavethe the space of three deliveries to have Australia theyplayanother Test at all, butnoneofthem BRIEFSCORES: SriLanka 135&359lostto opening partnership of 89. AP Harris toocrunchedafew boundaries, as pace to discomfit batsmen, but certainlyhas reeling at 123/4. In the next 24 overs, India would forget Gabba 2021. Neither would England421&76/3in 24.2ovs(JonnyBairstow Australia blitzedto89inonly24.5 overs,the the crafttotrouble them. So hasWashington. kept things quiet, conceding only73runs. Indian cricket.And no one embodiedthe col- 35 notout, Dan Lawrence21not out; Lasith best run rate of the entireseries. Then, from He is no Ashwin with abagful of tricks,but And justwhen Smith seemedtoaccelerate, lective fight better than Siraj. Embuldeniya2/29). Messi’s red cardand BCCI plans Bouncers:Nothingshortof Ranji Trophy an obsessionfor Thakur his frustration at Barca before IPL

SHAMIKCHAKRABARTY DEVENDRAPANDEY SRIRAMVEERA KOLKATA,JANUARY18 MUMBAI,JANUARY18 MUMBAI,JANUARY18 LIONEL MESSI receivedmarching orders dur- THE RANJITROPHY, India’spremier First- SIX YEARS ago, alightbulb went offinsome- ing Barcelona’s 3-2 loss to Athletic Bilbao in Class tournament, whichcouldn’t be con- one’s head in the Mumbai Cricket the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday. For ducted last year due to the pandemic,will Association and theygot in JeffThomson, the the firsttime during his long and illustrious likelybeheld before the Indian Premier legendaryAustralian pacer whose idea of Barcelonacareer, Messiwas red-carded. League (IPL). The Indian boardpaysRs preparing foracricket series during his ca- Going beyond the arid facts, however, there 40,000per daytothe players forthe four-day reer wastochase down pigs. couldbemoretothis thanmeets theeye. Ranji Trophymatches, whichisthe main The humidOctober sun wasroastinghim There’s aquestion whether the ongoing source of income formorethan 800domes- through his sun hat but the man who “didn’t off-the-pitchissues/uncertainties has made tic cricketers. The BCCIhas also giventhe bowl your little outswingers”was in acon- thegreat man feel frustrated. green signal to hostwomen’ssenior games, versation with Shardul Thakur. but is yettodecidewhether to go ahead with Later as he sauntered beyond the boundary, What wasthe incident? junior cricketthis season. Thommo would sayhehad spoken about the The matchwent intoextra-time and on The IndianExpress understands that dur- needfor aggression in line, length,pace,de- 121minutes,Messi sawred afterthe Video Lionel Messi has been unhappyover ingSunday’s ApexCouncilmeeting of the meanour and body languagetoall the Assistant Referee(VAR) spottedhim taking Barcelona offloading Luis Suarez and Indian cricket board, secretaryJay Shah Mumbai pacers. “This kid, theytell me,likes aswing at Athletic’s Asier Villalibrewhen the salary cutsfor theplayers. Reuters soughtfeedbackfromthe members whether to bowl bouncers,”and the gaze of the man latter ranacross his path. RefereeGil theypreferred the 50-overs tournament infamous forcrash-landing batsmeninhos- Manzano missedthe incident, but VARin- VijayHazareTrophyorRanji afterthe Syed pitals wasfocusedatThakur. tervenedand Messi wasshown astraightred Bartomeu wascited as thereason. Eventually Mushtaq Ali T20 ends on January31. Theywereright. Therehavebeen Indian card. It washis 753rdappearance for Messi stayed,while Bartomeu had to step It’slearnt that the Ranji Trophycould be bowlers who have used bouncers effectively Barcelona and forthe firsttime Messi had down ahead of avoteofnoconfidence in atruncated affair,likethe ongoing T20 com- as awicket-taking weapon but Thakur is a been dismissed. October lastyear.Barcelonaappointed petition. rarity;heloves to getittosnarlatthe bats- Koeman as their headcoachthis term and The boardhas onlyatwo-month window men’s head. It would be hardtofind aRanji What could be the punishment? Messi reportedlydidn’t have asay in hisap- to hostits four-daycompetition as it wantsto batsman whose head hasn’t been under Messi’s action falls underviolent conduct, pointment. One of the firstdecisions that startthe IPL in April. With morethan two threat from him. whichcould ensue at leasta Koeman took upon his arrival lakh Covid-19cases still active in the country, At times,hecouldn’t drop thebouncer- Shardul Thakur celebrates afterdismissing Australian opener Marcus Harris with four-game ban subject to are- wastodeem Luis Suarez surplus the BCCI will have to chalk out planstostage addiction and would suffuse aspell with so ashortball on DayFour.Harris’ attempt to sway didn’t work. AP viewfromthe Spanishfootball to the team’s requirements. the tournament safely. manybouncers that onewould lose count. authorities. So, Messi is likelyto The Uruguayanforward was “The ApexCouncil had adiscussion on Luckily, thebroadcasters kept count in the miss Barcelona’s Copadel Rey notonlyagreat friend, but he the issue. And Jaybhai wasofthe viewthat Brisbane Test match–awhopping84per cent forabouncer is to hurlitintothe middle of thought that an Indian from avillageonthe fixtureagainstCornella followed also providedMessi with the players earn moreinRanjiTrophyascom- of Thakur’s deliveries in the final session of the pitch. Bang it in. Fling it down, without Mumbai-Ahmedabad rail corridor would by La Ligamatches againstElche, mostnumberofassists –54– pared to Syed Mushtaq Ali. The livelihoods the fourth daywereprettyshortinlength. worrying excessively about wheretheyare one daymakeanAustralian opener look silly. Athletic Club and Real Betis. during his time at Barcelona. of domesticcricketers dependonthe four- And this when he is visibly slowerafter aslew landingit. But when taller bowlers do it, the Marcus Harris ducked, took hiseyesoff the Also,the club’s decision to re- daygame.The operations team has been told of injuries threatenedtowaylay his career. bouncer can flyoverthe batsman’s head. ball, and held his gloved handsabove his WasitMessi’s first-everred card? duce playersalaries by 30 per centtocope to go ahead and makeaconcreteplan forthe At onepoint,acoupleofIndian players Theyhavetotweak their release point to tar- head to asharp bouncer from Thakur. Messi has been red-cardedtwice for with the economic fallout of the pandemic Ranji Trophy,”aBCCI official said. includingRishabh Pant seeminglyinter- getanareaslightlyfuller –and unnatural to Thathad an element of surprise; not Argentina: on his international debut against displeasedMessiwho reportedlywrote alet- With 38 teams playing in Indian domes- venedtotell him to go easy at PatCummins. an extent –toget the ball to stay underbats- what transpired in thepost-tea session. Hungaryin2005and in the 2019 Copa tertothe club board, criticisingthe decision, tic cricket, logistics and mobility couldbea On air on SonyLiv, Mohammad Kaif asked men’s head. Repeatedly, Thakur banged them in to test America, wherehewas sent offduring and the manner in which it wastaken. big task.The boardhad takenverbal feed- the producers to replaythe visuals so that he Zaheer Khan said as muchwhen he men- out the Aussies’ techniqueand resolve.Tim Argentina’sthird-place play-offagainstChile. backfromstate associations and many could lip-read Thakur. tioned Thakur’s “short”height as the secret Paine wasslowonthe hook and top-edged it CouldBarca’s financial woes be areason? wanted to hostthe T20 and 50-overcompe- “He is telling Pant, nahin, Iwill bounce behind the efficacy of the bouncers in atea- to Pant. And he didn’t letuponthe Australian Did on-pitchfrustrations lead to the red Apandemic-hit season andthe wage-cut titions. However, it is learnt that afew play- him,” and remindedusthat Cummins had time studio chat on SonyLiv. bowlers justastheyhadn’t gone easy on him. card? that followedirked Messi, but Barcelona’s ers requestedShah to hostthe Ranji Trophy bowled afew at Thakur.For aman who does- Thakur still has to direct it properly,have One Indian in Brisbanewould have been Thatcould be the case, because Barcelona road to financial recovery appears uncertain. instead of the VijayHazareTrophy. n’t even needareason to bounce at batsmen, enough pacebehind it, have afeelfor it,of happytosee theaggression. Sunil Gavaskar ledtwiceduringregulationtimebut failed According to areportinthe Catalan newspa- The dithering over junior cricketisdue to the paybackurgewould have been impossi- course, but his height does help. has swayed out of plenty of missiles directed to hold on to their lead. In fact, Athletic scored per La Vanguardia,Barcelona’s debt is ap- the bio-bubble situationasthe boardfeels ble to resist. On the second daytoo, after Likeithelpedthe great Malcolm at him. Tenyearsback, in aBarbados press their secondgoalon90minutes before net- proaching €1 billion ($1.2 billion). dealing with it will be atougher task forthat lunch, he had triedthem but endedupspray- Marshall. Whirring arms at release and the box, he waschatting with Andy Roberts. As ting the winner in extra-time. The defeat saw With the matches being playedbehind age-group. ing them with width and when he went in ability to skid his bouncers made him even the legendarypacer known forhis twotypes Barcelona miss outonatrophy. Messihad closeddoors, the club is also missing out on fortea, it’s learnt that the pacer got agentle moredeadly, but so did his shortstature. of bouncers, walked away,Gavaskar would missedthe semi-final againstReal Sociedad €320 million ($386 million) from gate re- Theboard had takenverbal spray from thethink tank.Ithasn’t deterred Youtubehas enough destructive chunksto say, “Itna baat karta hai ab! (Howmuchhe owing to an injury. Since the defeat against ceipts.Barcelona spend 70 per cent of their him in the pastand on evidence of what we makeuswince. Justone storywould suffice. talksnow!) Ijustremember his cold stare, Athletic, Barcelona fans have been roasting revenueintransfersand wages. According feedbackfromstate sawonthe fourth day, it is unlikely to do so When he brokethe MikeGatting’s nose, he notawordhewould saybut my god, what a the team’s head coachRonald Koeman on to the newspaper,€170million($205mil- associationsand manywanted in the future. Even though he isn’t as pacyas sawskeletalremains on the ball. “Funny fearsome man he was.” social media forplaying Messi for120 min- lion)has nowbeen withheld afterthe wage to hostthe T20 and 50-over before,Thakur doesn’tlet go of hisobsession thing is when Iwent to pick up theball, there It seemedasifhewas talkingtohimself, utes,as, according to them,the playerdidn’t reduction. On the pitch, an 8-2 defeat to because he knowshehas the abilitytodirect wasapiece of bone. Iwas so scared that I trying to reconcile the present with the past. look to be at 100per cent. Bayern Munichinthe Champions League last competitions. However, it is his bouncers when in rhythm. droppedit, leftitthere,” once said Marshall, Gavaskar,who had clappedfromfirstslip term laid bareBarcelona’s decay. learntthat afew players His height is an important ally. He is rel- withalaugh, just afterjesting, “at leastit when adebutant Kapil Devbowledhis first Is Messi unhappyatBarcelona? Messi questionedthe club’s commitment atively shortand unliketaller bowlers, he can made him [Gatting] alot better-looking bouncer in aTestinPakistan, would have en- Beforethe startofthe 2020-21season, and ambition to setthings right, when he requestedShah to hostthe Ranji bang it in his half and still getittorear at bats- man!” Luckily, Thakur didn’t leave any joyedthe well-directed snarlers from Thakur, Messi, 33,told theclub through aburofax publiclyexpressedhis desiretoleave Trophyinstead of the Vijay men’s head.Aluxurythattallerbowlers don’t Australian scarredbut did rattle afew. though probablynot as muchasthe man that he wanted to leave.Areportedfallout Barcelona. Barcelona areplacedthirdinthe HazareTrophy. have.The easiestthing forabowler gunning In years gone by,not manywould have who hurledthem. with the club’s erstwhile president Josep La Liga, with34pointsfrom18matches.

R.N.I.No. WBENG/2005/20789 VOL. XVI No.257 Printed by V.Srinivasan and PublishedbyV.Srinivasan on behalf of The Indian Express (P) Ltd and Printed at Saraswati Print FactoryPvt.Ltd, 789,Chowbhaga(West), Kolkata-700105 and PublishedatThe IndianExpress (P) Ltd JL No.29 &30, N.H.-6,Mouza -Prasastha & Ankurhati, P.O. -Salap, P.S.-Domjur,Howrah-711 409. Ph: (033)66043800Fax: (033) 66043825 &66043847. Chairmanofthe Board:Viveck Goenka,Chief Editor :Raj Kamal Jha, Editor :Unni Rajen Shanker,Editor (Kolkata): Rakesh Sinha* (*Responsible forselectionofnewsunder the PRB Act)Copyright :The Indian Express (P) Limited.All rightsreserved.Reproduction in anymanner,electronic or otherwise,in whole or in part,without prior written permission is prohibited. The Indian Express ®

Kolkata