India to Attend Lahore Meet on Indus Waters Treaty

follow us: friday, march 3, 2017 Delhi CityEdition thehindu.com 36 pages ț ₹10.00 facebook.com/thehindu twitter.com/the_hindu

SC ban on liquor sale on Camping banned on 100 Jef Sessions met Coach Anil Kumble highways not applicable metres of Ganga from Russian envoy during irked by continued to bars: Mukul Rohatgi Shivpuri to Rishikesh Trump campaign pitch-talk page 7 page 6 page 12 page 15

Printed at . Chennai . Coimbatore . Bengaluru . Hyderabad . Madurai . Noida . Visakhapatnam . Thiruvananthapuram . Kochi . Vijayawada . Mangaluru . Tiruchirapalli . Kolkata . Hubballi . Mohali . Allahabad . Malappuram . Mumbai NEARBY India to attend Lahore meet Congress stand on GDP on Indus Waters Treaty data unfortunate: Jaitley ‘Growth rate igures are a matter of pride for every Indian’

Jats to block highways World Bank oicials play mediator in two months of diplomatic negotiations Nistula Hebbar to Delhi on March 20 VARANASI FM seeks to NEW DELHI Suhasini Haidar Union Finance Minister Demanding quota in New Delhi Key SAARC post Arun Jaitley on Thursday mollify traders education and jobs, Signalling a major shift in its termed “unfortunate” the thousands of Jats from i position on talks with for Pak. o cial Congress’s stand question- Special correspondent Haryana, Punjab and other Pakistan on the Indus Waters ing the GDP data pegging Varanasi northern States gathered at Kallol Bhattacherjee Union Finance Minister Jantar Mantar on Thursday Treaty (IWT), India has ac- the growth rate at 7.1% . NEW DELHI Arun Jaitley made a whistle- and threatened to gherao cepted an invitation to at- He was speaking to journ- stop visit to poll-bound Parliament and block major tend the next meeting of the After months of difficulty alists on a visit to Varanasi highways leading to Delhi on Permanent Indus Commis- posed mainly by India, that will go to the polls in the Varanasi. He spent much of March 20 if their demands sion (PIC) to be held in Pakistan on Wednesday seventh and last phase of the his time speaking to traders, were not met. Lahore in March, various succeeded in getting its Assembly elections in Uttar the core support base of the sources confirmed to The official elected to the post of Pradesh on March 8. Bharatiya Janata Party, to DELHI METRO Ī PAGE 1 DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Hindu. Secretary-General of the The growth rate figures soothe the ruffled feelings According to officials South Asian Association for “are a matter of pride for Arun Jaitley addresses a over demonetisation and privy to the development, Regional Cooperation every Indian, and it is unfor- press conference in tax notices. Ī PAGE 11 HC orders CBI probe the move came after two (SAARC). Pakistan was tunate that the Congress ap- Varanasi on Thursday. PTI DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD into Mathura clash MEERUT months of diplomatic negoti- backed by all members, pears disappointed by this ations, with World Bank offi- including India, which made achievement,” he said. the collection of excise and the organised sector,” he The Allahabad High Court on Thursday ordered a Central cials playing mediator in en- the selection consensus- The Congress had ques- Value Added Tax had in- said. That data was available Ī PAGE 11 Bureau of Investigation probe couraging Pakistan to extend based. tioned the veracity of the creased. Thus, in these fig- and there was no scope for into the violence in the the invitation and for India DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD data and several econom- ures of November-Decem- analysis, he added. Jawahar Bagh park area in to accept. ists, too, expressed surprise ber, when there was a Mr. Jaitley said Uttar Pra- Mathura in which 24 people, The news closely follows Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. ing” the talks after the Uri at- key officials, including Na- at the robust growth of the currency squeeze and re- desh was the most signific- including two senior police the visit of World Bank Chief Officials acknowledged tacks in September. tional Security Adviser Ajit economy especially after the monetisation was happen- ant in the five States which oicers and many squatters Executive Officer Kristalina that the holding of the next According to senior gov- Doval and Foreign Secretary disruption caused by de- ing, for the excise and VAT have gone to Assembly polls belonging to Swadhin Bharat Georgieva to Delhi, where annual round of the PIC, ernment officials at the time, S. Jaishankar, to “review” the monetisation. collections to rise, is a clear and said the BJP would form Vidhik Satyagrah, an armed she met with Union Finance which was last held in July the decision to suspend the IWT. Mr. Jaitley dismissed indication of an endorse- the government there. group led by Ram Vriksh Minister Arun Jaitley, weeks 2016 was a “positive” sign, talks had been taken when (With inputs from Arun S) these as attempts to spread ment of our position that the Yadav, were killed. after her visit in January to given that India had an- Prime Minister Narendra misinformation. “I had said country should move for- EC SEEKS BSP RESPONSE ON NORTH Ī PAGE 2 Islamabad, where she met nounced it was “suspend- Modi held a meeting with CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 10 in November-December that ward to more and more of BIG CASH DEPOSITS Ī PAGE 11 DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Aadhaar must for online CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC booking of rail tickets NEW DELHI Learning lane Univs are places of debate, The Railways will soon move towards Aadhaar-based online ticketing system to not violence, says President prevent touts from blocking a bulk of tickets, end fraudulent bookings. The Pranab’s comments come days after unrest in Ramjas Aadhaar number has been The President’s sugges- tion when our universities made mandatory for senior K.S. Sudhi Kochi tion comes in the wake of a like Nalanda and Takshshila citizens to avail concessions Asserting that there should raging debate on the free- were at the height of their in train tickets from April 1. NEWS Ī PAGE 10 be “no room in India for the dom of expression following glory. Nalanda and Taksh- DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD intolerant Indian”, President the violent clashes at Ramjas shila are not mere geograph- Pranab Mukherjee on College of Delhi University. ical expressions but repres- Thursday said it was tragic entations of the idea for free to see universities across the Intellectual exercises thought which flourished in country “caught in the vor- Mr. Mukherjee said these these great universities of tex of violence and temples of learning must re- the past. Our premier insti- disquiet”. sound with intellectual exer- tutions of higher education Delivering the K.S. Raja- cises, free thinking and free are the vehicles on which In- mony memorial lecture here exchanges and creativity dia has to propel itself into a on Thursday, Mr. Mukherjee and that there should be knowledge society,” he said. said “universities must en- space for legitimate criticism India, said Mr. Mukher- gage in reasoned discussion and dissent in the country. jee, has been since ancient FRIDAY REVIEW Ī 12 PAGES and debate rather than The President pointed out times a bastion of free (TABLOID) Burning the midnight oil: Students studying for the HSC and SSC exams late into the night on a footpath of Poddar Lane propagate a culture of that “India was a world thought, speech and expres- DELHI METROĪ 6 PAGES at Worli in central Mumbai, known as ‘Abhyas Gali’ (study lane). RAJNEESH LONDHE unrest”. leader in the field of educa- sion.

Still struggling: Ganga Bahadur Thapa at his home in Lohitpur, Arunachal Pradesh. RITU RAJ KONWAR Kallol Bhattacherjee which has banking facilities. TEZU (ARUNACHAL PRADESH) For this group of elderly Can’t afford it Gurkhas who fought in the The difficulties facing the 1962 war, old age has veterans stand out. A become a formidable enemy. promise was made by One of the soldier- President Pranab Mukherjee veterans is 82-year-old to the Gurkhas in Pokhara. Ganga Bahadur Thapa, “The ex-servicemen are the bedridden for a year now in foundational pillars of the Lohitpur village of friendship between Nepal Arunachal Pradesh. Apart and India. The Indian from physical paralysis, he Government and Indian faces a different kind of Army are proud of the suffering: his pension is Gurkha soldiers and ex- literally too far away to servicemen. I, on behalf of collect. the Government of India He and others can get assure you that the their pension only if they Government of India will travel to Pokhara in Nepal, never step back in its efforts which is over 1,600 km by for the welfare of its ex- road. Most Gurkha soldiers servicemen. Today 32,000 living in Lohitpur are among Gurkha soldiers are serving the 1.26 lakh Gurkha ex- in the Indian Army,” the servicemen in India entitled President said to the Gurkha to pension. But they cannot soldiers on November 4, receive the money and 2016, during a visit. health benefits here. “I cannot afford to go to “The rules say that we can Pokhara every year,” said Mr. receive pension only in our Pun. The rules also make it place of origin,” said Bhim impossible for relatives of Bahadur Pun, a veteran. the Gurkhas to collect the Having retired decades money. The former soldiers ago, the soldiers live on the have turned to a social farm, and want their worker, Jogin Tamai, who pension transferred to Tezu, has taken up their cause for near the China border, speedy relief. CM ND-ND YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 2 NORTH FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DELHI Timings Friday, March 03 Farmers seek policy changes RISE 06:44 SET 18:22 Allahabad HC orders CBI RISE 09:59 SET 23:20 Saturday, March 04 to resolve agrarian crisis RISE 06:43 SET 18:23 RISE 10:45 SET 00:00 probe into Mathura clash Sunday, March 05 Massive rally held in Jaipur under the banner of AIKS RISE 06:42 SET 18:23 RISE 11:35 SET 00:22 Court directs the agency to form a special team to investigate the violence Special Correspondent last month, the farmers' Congress adopt an identical JAIPUR body, backed by CPI(M), de- line of arguments,” said Mr. Mohammad Ali Thousands of farmers cided to go ahead with the Mollah. He said the NDA gov- Meerut gathered here on Thursday agitation, saying a number ernment at the Centre had The Allahabad High Court to take part in a massive rally of other issues were yet to be misled the farmers by its on Thursday ordered a Cent- organised under the banner resolved. false promises and was in ral Bureau of Investigation of the All India Kisan Sabha Mr. Amra Ram – CPI(M) fact going ahead with the im- probe into the violence in (AIKS) to highlight the Bhar- MLA from Danta Ramgarh in port of wheat, which would the Jawahar Bagh park area atiya Janata Party govern- the previous Congress re- ruin the Indian farmers. in Mathura in which 24 ment’s policies which they gime – said the BJP govern- people, including two senior said had led to an agrarian ment was not willing to ex- Policy reforms police officers and many crisis. tend relief to farmers by Mr. Dhawale called upon the squatters belonging to Swad- Former CPI(M) MP Han- giving remunerative prices farmers to strengthen their hin Bharat Vidhik Satyagrah, nan Mollah, Leftist leader for agricultural produce, unity and put pressure on an armed group led by Ram Ashok Dhawale and AIKS changing the crop insurance the governments at the Vriksh Yadav, were killed. president Amra Ram joined rules in favour of farmers Centre and in the States to Yadav, once a follower of the march which coincided and waiving agricultural go for policy reforms. Jai Gurudev, who had been with the ongoing budget ses- loans. He affirmed that the real occupying the site since sion of the Rajasthan As- change would come only 2014, was also killed in the sembly. Farmers, peasants ‘No tangible relief’ through a political police operation to evict the and agricultural labourers Addressing the rally, Mr. transformation. huge tract of land in Jawahar were mobilised in different Mollah said though the farm- Inside the Assembly, Con- IN BRIEF Bagh on June 2, 2016. parts of the State during the ers’ struggle had forced the gress Deputy Whip Govind The high court bench last two months for the rally. State government to with- Singh Dotasara raised the is- headed by Chief Justice D.B. draw the increase in electri- sue of the public sector dis- Bhosale and Justice Yash- Power tariff hike city rates, they should not coms not releasing agricul- want Varma also asked the The call for joining the expect any tangible relief un- tural power connections and CBI to submit a status report march to Jaipur was initially less the ruling party changes increasing the load at their of its probe on May 2 before given to protest against the its neo-liberal economic whim in Sikar district. the court. increase in agricultural policies in agricultural and He said demand notices Justice Bhosle asked the power tariff by 5.5% in the power sectors. were not being issued to investigating agency to form September last year. Despite “In pursuing these over 500 farmers who had Gurmehar issue rocks aspecial team to probe the the rollback of the tariff hike policies, the BJP and the installed new tubewells. Haryana Assembly violence, which had brought CHANDIGARH the armed group into the na- Gurmehar Kaur issue rocked tional limelight. the Haryana Assembly on The court order for the Kashmir gets irst cashless hospital Thursday, with INLD seeking CBI probe came in response minister Anil Vij’s apology for to a public interest litigation that the Uttar Pradesh gov- armed group which un- and if the government his tweet that dubbed her (PIL) filed by Mathura-based ernment was “in the know of leashed the violence.” wanted, the armed groups Move is expected to go a long way in easing transactions anti-ABVP campaign advocate Vijay Pal Singh To- the dangerous activities hap- While talking to The would not have grown to this supporters as pro-Pakistan, mar and others. pening inside Jawahar Bagh Hindu, Mr. Tomar alleged extent,” he added. Special Correspondent machines at the district hos- in making various hospital liable to be thrown out of the Srinagar country. - PTI in Mathura unleashed by the that “it was a fit case to be pital in Pulwama. services patient-friendly,” Encroachment issue illegal armed group but the handed over to the central ‘Parallel govt’ The J&K government on “We are extending the said Dr. Saleem ur Rehman, 21 students injured Mr Tomar, a former presid- government sat on repeated investigating agency because Yadav was allegedly running Thursday embarked on the service to other sub-district Director, Health Services, ent of the Mathura district requests of the district ma- astate cabinet minister and aparallel government, com- path of digital payments at hospitals. This move is Kashmir. in road mishap bar association, had been gistrate for more force so senior members of the in- plete with administration, government hospitals with aimed at making district- JAIPUR consistently raising the issue that an operation could be cumbent party in UP were revenue and armed forces, the inauguration of the level hospitals cashless,” Lessen inconvenience Twenty-one students were injured when their school bus of encroachment of the pub- launched to evict the armed allegedly involved in the within the park which he State’s first-ever public hos- said Muneer-ul-Islam, Dr. Rehman said the author- collided with a private bus in lic land by the armed groups group.” case.” and his followers had en- pital in south Kashmir for Deputy Commissioner, Pul- ities were replicating the ini- Shahpura area of the district since 2015. Mr Tomar also alleged in “There are reasons to be- croached upon since 2014. cashless transactions. wama. The move is expected tiative across other hospitals on Thursday, the police said. It was Mr Tomar whose his PIL that “a fair investiga- lieve that there was a deeper He had assembled deadly to go a long way in easing run by the directorate. While the injured were rushed PIL in the Allahabad High tion by the UP government conspiracy behind the incid- weapons and explosives POS machines money transactions at hos- “It will remarkably lessen to a nearby hospital, three Court pushed the authorities could not be expected given ent because the armed which were used against the The Directorate of Health pitals in the Valley. “It will the inconvenience faced by students who received critical into taking action against the that senior members of the group had allegedly received police when they started the Services, Kashmir (DHSK), definitely improve the finan- attendants and reduce the injuries have been admitted squatters in June last year. Akhilesh Yadav government direct and indirect patron- eviction operation at Jawa- has started the service by in- cial transparency, and such time spent by them at the to SMS Hospital, Jaipur. - PTI In his petition he alleged were seen to be backing the age of the State government, har Bagh. stalling point-of-sale (POS) initiatives will go a long way payment counters,” he said. Woman naxal carrying ₹8 lakh reward surrenders

Press Trust of India Geeta, who worked in the RAIPUR Left wing cadre for about Awoman Naxal, wanted for seven years, laid down her the 2013 ‘Darbha ghati’ arms before a CRPF bat- killings of politicians in talion in Jagdalpur in the

Bastar, has surrendered be- south Bastar region on Wed- fore the CRPF in nesday, the CRPF said. Chhattisgarh. She carried a bounty of Maoist Budhri alias ₹8 lakh on her head.

Published by N. Ram at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002 and Printed by S. Ramanujam at HT Media Ltd. Plot No. 8, Udyog Vihar, Greater Noida Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P. 201306, on behalf of KASTURI & SONS LTD., Chennai-600002. Editor: Mukund Padmanabhan (Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act). Regd. DL(ND)-11/6110/2006-07-08 G RNI No. TNENG/2012/49940 G ISSN 0971 - 751X G Vol. 7 G No. 53

CM ND-ND YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 EAST 3 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF ₹ 70k crore in black money Assam govt decision on detected: SC-appointed SIT Sanskrit angers parties Sanskrit made a compulsory subject till Class VIII Speaker seeks statement It will submit its sixth interim report to the apex court in April on farmer suicide Press Trust of India government should clarify Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) also BHUBANESWAR Correspondent Guwahati whether now there will be alleged that the move was a Odisha Assembly Speaker CUTTACK most of our recommenda- On Odisha-specific eco- The Assam Cabinet’s de- the four-language formula in “well-orchestrated conspir- Niranjan Pujari on Thursday tions have been accepted by nomic offences and unearth- cision to introduce Sanskrit Assam instead of the three- acy are being micro man- directed the State Justice (retd) Arijit Pasayat, the government, some are ing of black money, Justice as a compulsory subject till language formula followed aged and monitored from government to make a deputy chairman of the Su- under active consideration”, Pasayat said the meeting was Class VIII has evoked sharp in other States”, AASU chief Nagpur (the RSS statement on the alleged preme Court-appointed Spe- he said. specifically convened to en- criticism from students or- advisor Samujjal Bhat- headquarters)”. suicide of a farmer in Bargarh cial Investigating Team (SIT) sure a smooth coordination ganisations and opposition tacharya said on Thursday. The State government and distress sale of on black money, on Cash holding between all investigating political parties in the State. was preparing to “recruit vegetables by March 4. Mr. Thursday disclosed that so “One of our proposals, on agencies for easy detection The All Assam Students’ No compromise Sanskrit teachers from out- Pujari issued the ruling after far around ₹70,000 crore cash holding of ₹15 lakh or of ill-gotten money. Union (AASU) has criticised Moreover, there can be no side since the State now the House was paralysed for had been detected in black Arijit Pasayat above to be presumed as un- He said he has asked the the decision to make compromise with the teach- lacks the required strength the last two days over the money, including over disclosed, is under serious State crime branch, investig- Sanskrit compulsory instead ing of Assamese in schools but we won’t allow teachers farmer suicide issue. PTI ₹16,000 crore by Indians Court in the first week of consideration of the Central ating into various wrongdo- of promoting Assamese in and the language has to be a from outside the State to be stashing funds abroad. April. government”, Justice Pasayat ings of private educational schools. part of the syllabus in the recruited in our schools,” After a meeting with of- He said the SIT during the said, adding that on our re- institutions, jewellery shops, “We are not opposed to State, he added. AJYCP president Biraj Kumar Tripura TMC leader ficers of several government past two years had made sev- commendation, the govern- real estate companies, self- the Cabinet decision but the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Talukdar said. resigns from party agencies dealing with eco- eral recommendations ment has already declared styled godmen, mafia dons, AGARTALA nomic and financial affairs through its interim reports to that cash transaction beyond to share their findings with Former president of the here, Justice Pasayat said the the apex court to check the ₹3 lakh to be treated as il- income tax (IT) and Enforce- Tripura unit of the Trinamool SIT would submit its sixth in- generation and tap the black legal and punishable under ment Directorate (ED) Congress (TMC), Surajit Datta, terim report to the Supreme money at source. “While law. sleuths for a thorough probe. has resigned from the party. “I have resigned from TMC and sent my resignation to Mamata Banerjee, but not Bill to empower going to disclose the reason Tripura govt warns senior now.I am discussing the urban bodies’ matter with my supporters and future course of actions oicial for insulting media would be drawn soon,” Mr. oicers passed Datta said. PTI He had described newspapers as ‘toilet paper’ Press Trust of India Kolkata PCI seeking redress in the ing’ to the official "to be HC dismisses petition Staff Reporter The West Bengal Assembly on Agartala matter. more careful in future Thursday passed the West Bengal against BJP MLA After holding two while expressing per- GUWAHATI Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2017, The Tripura government hearings in New Delhi, sonal opinion in public as The Gauhati High Court on which empowers executive officers has issued a warning to a one of which was atten- he is a senior government Thursday dismissed a petition of urban local bodies to shoulder ad- senior civil service offi- ded by Mr. Chakraborty, official”. against BJP MLA Kishor Nath ditional responsibilities in order to alleging adoption of corrupt cial for making derogat- the PCI adjudicated: "In The memo was issued provide better civic services. practices in the 2016 ory remarks against the opinion of the en- aday after the matter was The Bill seeks to empower the ex- assembly polls. Mr. Nath was newspapers on social me- quiry committee, the discussed in the State As- ecutive officers of urban local bodies elected from Borkhola in dia. The General Admin- conduct of Mr. sembly. Chief Minister in discharging their functions to- Cachar district. PTI istration Department is- Chakraborty is repre- Manik Sarkar and Law wards better civic administration. sued a stricture in hensible". Minister Tapan State’s Municipal Affairs Minister response to observations Chakraborty described Firhad Hakim explained that the Two held for smuggling of the Press Council of In- PCI order Mr. Chakraborty's opin- amendment would enable the exec- cannabis in Aizwal dia (PCI). Though the PCI passed ion as ‘indecent’ and had utive officers to share the work load AIZAWL Senior Deputy Magis- the order on November hinted at issuing a of elected representatives like the Two persons were arrested trate of Khowai district 17, 2016, the State govern- stricture. chairman of a municipality or a after 33 kg of cannabis was Pankaj Chakraborty in ment issued a memo only Opposition MLAs councillor. seized from their possession his Facebook post on Au- on February 28, 2017. Sudip Roy Barman and here, police said on Thursday. gust 18, 2015 had de- He [Mr. Chakraborty] Ratan Lal, both former The drug, worth ₹1 lakh, was scribed newspapers as should have been careful leader of the opposition, allegedly smuggled from ‘toilet paper’, which in- in the choice of his words demanded punitive Manipur. Mizoram Excise and vited ire of newsmen. while sharing them on measures against Mr. Narcotics Department While media rights social media as they have Chakraborty. They also officials seized the cannabis and arrested the duo, they groups condemned Mr. awide reach”, the expressed concern over said. PTI Chakraborty, Agartala- memorandum stated. incidents of violence and based senior journalist The memo ended with intimidation against Pranab Sarkar moved the an ‘administrative warn- journalists in Tripura. Bills to rein in private hospitals today

Special Correspondent hospitals, including setting up of the West Kolkata compensation to famil- Bengal Health Regulat- Two Bills aimed at rein- ies affected by medical ory Commission. ing in irregular activities negligence and payment of private healthcare fa- of up to ₹10 lakh in case Apollo director quits cilities in the State will of death. While one le- Meanwhile, Apollo Hos- be tabled in the West gislation will amend the pitals on Thursday an- Bengal Assembly on Fri- existing West Bengal nounced that the day. The Bills will have Clinical Establishment group’s president, east- stringent provisions to Amendment Act, the ern region, Rupali Basu, deal with erring private other will facilitate the has resigned.

CINEMAG ARTSGGARTSEVENTS G EVENTS WARYA - Vocal (Great Grand MUSIC DANCE DRAMA Daughter of Bharat Ratna Dr.M.S.Subbulakshmi), SHANMUKHANANDA G.RaghavendraPrasath - Violin, SANGEETHA SABHA , NEW Delhi J.Vignesh – Mridangam DELHI & 6.00 PM S.SAKETHARAMAN - SRI PARTHASARATHY Vocal, VittalRangan- Violin, SWAMI SABHA, CHENNAI D.S.R.Murthy-Mridangam In association with TEAM A.P. S.Sunilkumar-Kanjira BHAWAN 05.03.2017- 4.00 PM ‘3RD EDITION BHARAT SAN- R.SURYAPRAKASH - Vocal, GEET UTSAV” From 3rd to 5th Dr.M.Narmadha -Violin Kum- March, 2017 At Dr.Ambedkar bakonamN.Padmanaban – Mri- Auditorium, Andhra Pradesh dangam, Trichy Bhawan, NO.1, Ashoka Road, S.Krishnaswamy - Ghatam 6.00 New Delhi PM SHERTALAI 03.03.2017 5.45 PM - Inaugura- DR.K.N.RENGANATHA tion and Felicitations 6.00 PM - SHARMA - Vocal Dr.M.Nar- ‘Trisakthi’ by NadhaKalanidhi madha – Violin, M.V.C hander A.KANYAKUMARI With Embar Shekar – Mridangam, Kannan and Vitta lRangan - Vi- TrichyS.Krishnaswamy - olin Trio, D.S.R.Murthy – Mrid- Ghatam You are cordially in- angam, S.Sunilkumar-Kanjira vited Powered by : Nalli Chin- 04.03.2017 - 4.00 PM S.AISH- nasami Chetty

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 4 WEST FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Shoumojit Banerjee ated metro system. Pune Despite the fanfare sur- Cost effective rounding it’s inauguration by Project authorities contend the Prime Minister last year, otherwise and state that an and the BJP projecting the elevated metro is cheaper Pune Metro as a remedy to and more hassle-free to con- the city’s traffic problems, struct. questions on the project’s “The underground Line 3 technical feasibility of the Mumbai Metro costs continue. ₹350 crore a kilometre. In The debate over the kind the case of elevated Pune of metro most suited to Metro, the cost comes to Pune’s topography, elevated ₹200 crore to ₹225 crore a or underground, persists. kilometre. Additionally, Environmental concerns there will be the inevitable apart, advocates for an un- displacement [removal of derground metro, like city- Former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan performing Bhumi Pooja shops and residential places] based rail expert Dilip Bhat for the Pune Metro in December last year. FILE PHOTO if an underground metro is contend it is cheaper than an constructed in Pune,” a top elevated corridor which In the DMRC report, the axle load of coaches forming official associated with the would only aggravate traffic projected PHPDT figure for the train allegedly corres- Pune Metro Rail project told snarls. Corridor 1 (from Vanaz to ponded to a ‘medium capa- The Hindu. Speaking to The Hindu, Ramwadi) is 10,982 while the city’ system, which is the The official said the initial Sun’s out: Sertha village, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, is a sea of red with the chillies season at it’s peak. VIJAY SONEJI rail expert Dilip Bhat said, projected figure for Corridor same as recommended for inconvenience to public and “Based purely on techno- 2 (linking the Pimpri-Chinch- Pune. traffic would ease out soon economic feasibility, the wad Municipal Corporation In the DMRC report on the as the casting of the U- only criterion that determ- with Swargate) is 20,035. Kochi metro (Alwaye to Petta girders over the metro via- ines whether a metro rail route), prepared in 2011, the duct would not involve Sanathan system is to be adopted or Error in projections PHPDT projection till 2025 is much time. Chhota Rajan gang not is that of the Peak Hour The projections are made to 21,065 – higher than the 2031 The other argument members Peak Direction Traffic de- accommodate passenger projections of both the Pune against proponents of under- mand (PHPDT), which indic- traffic till the year 2031. Ac- metro routes. “There is a ground metro is the peculiar member nabbed in Pune quizzed by SIT ates the maximum number cordingly, the DMRC report question mark on how a geographical terrain of the of passengers that would has suggested a ‘medium ca- ‘light capacity’ system is ad- city itself, namely the prob- Special Correspondent travel on a selected pacity’ rolling stock (mean- equate for the Kochi metro, lem of water gushing in the Swapnil Kulkarni has been associated with the gang since 2010 Panaji corridor.” ing the Metro train cars) for but unsuitable for the Pune underground Metro owing A special investigation Mr. Bhat said the detailed Pune. metro in view of the PHPDT the to the Mula-Mutha river, Special correspondent from the ammunition fact- after he landed at Denpasar team (SIT) of Maharashtra project report (DPR) for the However, according to Mr. figures stated in the respect- which runs through the city. Pune ory in the city’s Khadki area. airport in Bali. His arrest CID probing the alleged Pune Metro prepared by the Bhat, despite the DMRC re- ive reports,” he said. Authorities say the Pune The city police nabbed The police are attempting was on the basis of an Inter- murder of Communist Delhi Metro Rail Corporation commending a ‘light capa- Mr. Bhat said that author- Metro is being designed as a Swapnil Kulkarni (27), a to ascertain how they came pol red-corner notice issued leader Govind Pansare (DMRC) showed that author- city system’ in their reports ities strongly ought to con- communication-based train criminal of the Chhota Rajan in Kulkarni’s possession. against him in 1995 for com- questioned several mem- ities had gone about the se- for the Nagpur and sider the alternative of an control (CBTC) signalling sys- gang, from Sahakarnagar According to the police, mitting criminal acts such as bers of the Sanathan San- lection of metro systems in Ahmedabad metros, the underground metro system tem, and will function as a area on Thursday evening. Kulkarni is believed to be murder, running an organ- stha at it’s ashram in Ram- an arbitrary manner. physical dimensions and instead of the proposed elev- driver-less train. Kulkarni, a history- plotting a murder with these ised crime syndicate, con- nathi, Goa, on Tuesday and sheeter, has been associated arms, which he allegedly ob- spiracy etc. Wednesday. with the Chhota Rajan gang tained from a dealer in Rajan is currently await- Among those ques- since 2010. Nashik district. ing trial in CBI custody. He tioned included the organ- 1,064 killed in naxal incidents: Minister Police sources said In 2012, he was involved was wanted in the shooting isation’s founder Jayant Kulkarni is wanted in sev- in a firing near the Shivajin- of Shiv Sena leader Ajay Athavle and other trustees. Press Trust of India In response to a question men, 49 other security Maoists were arrested and eral cases of murder, at- agar Sessions Court, while Bhosale during an Assembly Abhay Vartak, a spokesper- Raipur by Congress Legislative Party forces personnel, 26 govern- 149 convicted during this tempt to murder and in 2015, he was briefly arres- election campaign in Pune’s son of the organisation, As many as 1,064 people, in- Leader T.S. Singhdeo, Home ment officers/employees and period.” It also stated that dacoity. ted. The Rajan gang have a Koregaon Park area in Octo- said the team held discus- cluding a large number of se- Minister Ramsewak Paikra 531 civilians were killed.” the State received ₹58,683.63 According to the history of crimes in the city. ber 2009. While Bhosale sions with Virendra curity personnel, have lost stated in a reply, “Total 3,507 The reply also stated that lakh from the Centre under Sahakarnagar police, a car- Indoesian police inter- was unhurt, his driver was Marathe, a trustee, on their lives in Naxal incidents Naxal incidents took place in 2,057 naxals surrendered different schemes, including bine, three country-made cepted Rajendra Sadashiv injured in the shooting. Thursday. He said Mr. between 2010 to 201616 in the State from 2010 till 2016. during this period, and the construction of fortified po- revolvers and 21 cartridges Nikalje alias Chotta Rajan on Rajan is also a suspect in Marathe has always co- Chhattisgarh, the legislative In these incidents, 205 CRPF highest number of sur- lice stations for Left Wing Ex- of different bores were October 25, 2015, based on a the 2003 murder of Bhar- operated with the adminis- Assembly was informed on personnel, 43 SPOs [special renders (1,214) were repor- tremism (LWE) affected seized from him. The cart- tip off by the Australian au- atiya Janata Party (BJP) tration in such matters and Thursday. police officers], 210 police- ted in 2016. “Similarly, 4,939 areas between 2010 to 2016. ridges were purportedly thorities from Canberra, corporator Satish Misal. will continue to do so.

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 SOUTH 5 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF UDF lays spat among oicials Herd of deer found dead

Opposition blames Pinarayi govt. for failure to resolve feud among bureaucrats outside Nagarahole park

Special Correspondent VACB of overstepping its lim- Thiruvananthapuram its, he said the High Court Oicials suspect it to be a case of deliberate poisoning The Opposition United observation about a ‘Vigil- Democratic Front (UDF) in ance Raj’ had cast a blot on Special Correspondent Kerala launched a blistering the government. mYsuru attack on the government in Mr. Vijayan said the Aherd of deer, desperate to Bengaluru will not see the Assembly on Thursday, guidelines for the function- quench its thirst, was found Satyadev IPS on Friday accusing it of failing to re- ing of the VACB would be fi- dead close to a watering BENGALURU solve the simmering feud nalised after getting the re- hole outside the Nagarahole The release of Satyadev IPS, among senior bureaucrats quisite directives from the National Park on Thursday, an Ajith-starrer dubbed from that had brought the admin- High Court. in what is suspected to be a Tamil film Yennai Arindhaal istration to a halt. The Administrative Re- case of deliberate poisoning. to Kannada, appears doubtful in Bengaluru city with Armed with the sharp ob- forms Committee headed by The twisted carcasses of Kannada organisations and servations made by the High V.S. Achuthanandan was the seven barking deer film artistes threatening to Court against the Vigilance working on recommenda- triggered the suspicion that launch a protest. and Anti Corruption Bureau tions to improve the civil ser- the animals came out of the The film, however, is (VACB), Leader of the Op- vice. Mr. Vijayan clarified forest in search of water and expected to release on Friday position Ramesh Chen- that the decrease in Plan consumed it only to twitch in other parts of Karnataka. nithala and V.D. Satheesan, Demanding answers: Leader of the Kerala Opposition spend was due to the de- and fall as the poison began who sought leave for a dis- Ramesh Chennithala, left, and V.D. Satheesan. monetisation of currency to take effect. Pathetic sight: Deer which were found dead outside the VSoft to set up centre cussion on the issue, said the and the elections. All the five spotted deer Nagarahole National Park in Amaravati widening rift between offi- arguing that there were no no administrative crisis,” he Before leading the and four of the seven bark- VIJAYAWADA cials in the top civil service “serious” differences maintained. walkout, Mr. Chennithala ing deer were female. even the limited water boundary, the area is fre- Hyderabad and the U.S.- had paralysed the adminis- between officials. Moving the notice, Mr. said the “cold war” among source though it was outside quented by animals as it is based VSoft Technologies, tration. Satheesan said the Chief bureaucrats had slowed On the migratory path the park’s boundary. part of their migratory path. which is in an expansion The UDF staged a walkout No crisis, says CM Minister had been reduced down the administration. It is a double whammy for The incident occurred Deputy Conservator of mode, is planning to set up a after the Speaker refused The government, he to a mere spectator for five “The Chief Minister has not the wild animals reeling un- near G.M. Halli, close to the Forests (Territorial) V. software development centre at Mangalagiri in Amaravati. permission for the claimed, had the full support months as top bureaucrats only failed to handle the situ- der the impact of severe Metikuppe range of Karikalan said water The company on Thursday discussion. of the bureaucracy in taking sparred with one another ation, he has aggravated the drought and extreme water Nagarahole. samples had been collected signed an agreement and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vi- development and welfare and even Cabinet decisions situation by his failure to stress. The authorities are Though the place is out- to ascertain if they were con- registered with the APIIC, jayan put up a stout defence, schemes forward. “There is were flouted. Accusing the take timely action,” he said. stunned by the poisoning of side the national park’s taminated or poisoned. which allotted a 1,882- square feet area of land in the IT Park. Low jowar price hits Soldier from Kollam Telangana farmers From becoming a woman to Mammootty’s heroine NIZAMABAD found dead in Nashik Drastic fall in the price of red sorghum or jowar from Anjali Amir is one of the few transsexual women in India to star in a feature ilm — in a lead role ₹4,800 last year to ₹2,100 this year has caused panic He feared for his life, says family P.K. Ajith Kumar “There is another actress in She has always been his decided that she wanted to among farmers in Nizamabad, KOZHIKODE the film, but mine is the fan, even when she was a be a woman. “That shocked Special Correspondent as it will not cover even their Kollam investment. The traders have Dressed in an off-shoulder main role,” she told The boy. “I had watched him my relatives; I come from a formed a cartel to rig the blue evening gown, Anjali Hindu here on Thursday. “I shoot for Vesham while I vis- conservative Muslim fam- A33-year-old Lance Naik, price to their advantage, the Amir looks quite like a star- am indebted to Mammootty ited my cousins in ily,” she says. “So I left Roy Mathew, attached to the farmers said, and appealed to let. And a starlet she is. for this break; he was the Kozhikode during my school home.I am based in Coim- Nasik Regiment of the In- the government to ensure a She is playing Mam- one who recommended me days,” she reminisces. “I batore these days. Now, dian Army, hailing from profitable price. mootty’s heroine in a Tamil to director Ram.” could only watch him from a most of my relatives have Karuvelil in Kollam district, film, Peranbu, which is in Mammootty came to distance.” begun to accept me.” was found lying dead at an Naidu opens legislature the post-production stage. know of Anjali from a televi- She was about 10 then. Anjali is focussed on her isolated area off Nashik. complex at Velagapudi For Anjali, acting in films sion news report. “I was go- “And that was the time acting career.“Peranbu is His wife and other family VIJAYAWADA has been a dream from a ing through a rough time when I had begun to realise also being made in Malay- members were informed A.P. Chief Minister N. very young age. then,” she recalls. “I had that I was different from alam,” she says. “I cannot about the incident on Roy Mathew Chandrababu Naidu But to make that dream been dropped from a televi- other boys,” she says. “My say much about my role ex- Thursday morning. His fam- inaugurated the Legislative come true, she first needed sion serial shortly before it friends were mostly girls, cept that I play a Malayali ily alleged that mystery diers like him by senior of- Council and Assembly to make another dream Anjali Amir. K. RAGESH went on air because I am a along with whom I particip- girl called Meera. I am also shrouded the death. In his ficers. The interview was Complex at Velagapudi on Thursday. The stage has been come true: to become a transsexual. Now I feel it ated in dance competitions doing another film in Tamil last phone call home, carried online. It pertains to set for the commencement of woman. man. She is delighted that was good that I did not do at school, in and one in Telugu.I also Mathew had expressed fear soldiers being made to do the State’s first budget She was born a boy. But a she has become one of the that serial; if I did, I would Thiruvathirakali, Oppana continue to do modelling.” for his life. menial jobs for officers. The session in Amaravati on March couple of years ago, she un- few transsexual women in not have got this opportun- and group dance, dressed as Life appears to be finally There are reports that news went online on Febru- 6. Mr. Naidu said it had been derwent a sex reassignment India to star in a feature film ity to act in a film, that too agirl.” looking good for this pretty Roy had spoken to an online ary 25. That was the last his endeavour to build a surgery and became a wo- –that too in a lead role. opposite Mammootty.” Afew years later, Anjali woman. newspaper about the ‘har- time he spoke to the family world-class capital city. assment’ meted out to sol- over phone, a relative said.

Certiication being delayed to Ka Bodyscapes to frustrate me, says ilm-maker

Special Correspondent But the board would have Kochi to state the reasons for each Despite a Kerala High Court and every alteration thus de- order to the contrary, the manded. Central Board of Film Certi- “They are just delaying fication (CBFC) will not cer- the certification so as to frus- tify the indie film, Ka Body- trate me,” rued Mr. Cherian, scapes for public screening. who was amenable to reas- In a letter sent to film- onable changes suggested by maker-producer Jayan the body. Cherian, the board said: “The film is glorifying the ‘Flimsy reasons’ subject of gay and homo- Having spent a lot of money sexual relationship, nudity organising screenings in accentuating vital parts of Thiruvananthapuram, Chen- male body (in paintings) in nai and Mumbai over the closed shots in the whole past year for the certification movie. The film is explicit of Kicking up row: A still from the ilm Ka Bodyscapes process, Mr. Cherian reckons scene offending Hindu sens- that the reasons given by the ibilities depicting vulgarity of the places ... . The film has watched the movie three board are flimsy and laugh- and obscenity through the references to Hindu organ- times, the last by a second able. “What do they mean by movie. The religion of isations indirectly, which is revising committee led by the argument that the film ‘Hindu’ is portrayed in a unwarranted.” chairman Pahlaj Nihalani in has indirect references to derogatory manner ... which February following a High Hindu organisations which is may cause law and order ‘Appeal in 30 days’ Court order that asked the unwarranted,” he asks. problem in society. The film The CBFC also asked him to body to issue a certificate, Mr. Cherian’s debut fea- contains posters depicting go in appeal before the Film even if that would require a ture film, Papilio Buddha, homosexuality throughout Certification Appellate bit of excision, blurring and also had a run-in with the the movie and derogatory re- Tribunal, if he so desires, in bleep-out in accordance CBFC, but the film went on marks against women. Abus- 30 days. with the provisions of the to receive wide critical On the mark: Fishermen get ready to enter the sea of Kothapatnam in Prakasam district on Thursday morning. KOMMURI SRINIVAS ive language is used in most The CBFC has so far Cinematograph Act of 1952. acclaim. This rural innovator has invitation Golden Chariot’s Southern Splendour now of the track to visit Rashtrapati Bhavan Railways inding it diicult to accommodate the train at stations, says Karnataka tourism department

K.C. Deepika traverses Chennai, Ma- Pandu Ranga Rao invented a liquid to arrest tyre punctures Bengaluru habalipuram, Puducherry, Hopping on to The Golden Thanjavur, Madurai, R. Avadhani succeeded in developing a Chariot for a lavish tour of Thiruvananthapuram, NARAYANAKHED chemical that would arrest tourist destinations in south Kovalam and Kochi, before Pandu Ranga Rao is on the air leak in the tubes India is now a thing of the returning to Bengaluru. cloud nine. The native of pierced by a nail or any past. The Southern Splend- With the ‘Southern Sukkal Teerth village in other sharp object. our tour, spanning seven Splendour,’ introduced in Kangti mandal under the He fills the liquid in the nights and eight days on the 2013, being scrapped, the Narayanakhed constituency tube, which flows to the luxury train from Bengaluru luxury train experience will limits, which is synonymous point where there is a leak via Tamil Nadu, Puducherry now be left only to those with backwardness, has re- and arrests it. He experi- and Kerala, has been taken who wish to travel within ceived an invitation from mented with bigger nails off the track. The last trip Karnataka and Goa. Rashtrapati Bhavan to re- and tested the tubes success- ended on February 27. Mr. Pushkar maintained ceive the Visitor’s fully. The Karnataka State Tour- that the occupancy rates for Award-2017. He will leave for Pandu Ranga Rao’s innov- ism Development Corpora- both routes were more or Delhi on Friday. ation was identified by Brig. tion (KSTDC) cited the South- less the same — around 33%, P. Ganesham of Palle Sru- ern Railways’ difficulty in due to which the scrapping Turning point jana, a voluntary organisa- accommodating the train at of one route would not result It all started when Mr. Rao’s Pandu Ranga Rao repairing a tion promoting rural innova- stations to be the reason be- in major losses. two-wheeler tyre got tyre in Sangareddy tion. He was linked with the hind withdrawing the route. Truncated tour: A ile picture of the Golden Chariot. BHAGYA PRAKASH K The train is usually run flattened in a remote area a district. MOHD ARIF National Innovations Found- Passengers on the train stay between October and March. few years ago. Instead of for- ation. He sells his product on it when they are not visit- ate the train. On the second, Golden Chariot offers,” said 2008, offers two packages: “We are planning to intro- getting the issue after getting puncture of cycle and mo- through Airceil Tubes ing destinations. third and fourth day, the KSTDC Managing Director ‘Pride of South,’ which cov- duce shorter hauls this sum- back home, Mr. Rao thought torcycle tubes. For more Private Limited. Besides “They said there were train is at the stations. They Kumar Pushkar. ers Bengaluru, Kabini, mer instead of keeping the of addressing it seriously. He than a year, he experi- local markets, he has mar- more trains coming in now suggested we accommodate The Golden Chariot, south Mysuru, Hassan, Hampi, train idle. So it should make set out to prepare a liquid mented with over 30 differ- kets in Maharashtra and due to which they were find- the passengers in hotels, but India’s only luxury train Badami and Goa; and the up for the loss of the second which would arrest the ent chemicals and finally Karnataka too. ing it difficult to accommod- that is not the experience the which began operations in ‘Southern Splendour,’ which route,” he added. CM ND-ND YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 6 NATION FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

IN BRIEF Child No camps within 100 m of Ganga: NGT marriage River rafting should be encouraged but not cause any environmental and biodiversity degradation, says green panel stopped in nick of time Akanksha Jain for camping while 23 volving tenting, toilets and New Delhi beaches were not. Out of the other incidental require- Staff Reporter Berhampur Drying Naini Lake poses The National Green Tribunal 33 sites recommended for ments should remain pro- on Thursday prohibited all beach camping, three fall hibited,” the bench said. The marriage of a Class X threat to Nainital camping activity from outside 100 meters, eight “While on the other hand, girl scheduled for NAINITAL Shivpuri to Rishikesh on sites are wholly within 100 if 70% area falls within 100 Thursday at Kanchudu vil- Water in the famous Naini Lake, the lifeline of the town beaches along the Ganga meters while the remaining meters and only 30% area lage in Ganjam district was and a tourist attraction, has which fall within 100 meters 22 sites are partially within falls outside 100 meters then stopped following timely dropped a foot below the of the river. The roughly 50 the limit imposed by the the effective camping activ- intervention by the police zero level mark by the end of km stretch between Shivpuri NGT. ity with its related infrastruc- and the administration. February. to Rishikesh is a hub of eco- The judgment came on a ture requirements could be Afriend of the victim Locals are worried about the tourism and river rafting. petition filed by environ- carried on only in 30% of the had called up Childline on future and the very existence ment activist Vikrant beach area while leaving the 1098 on February 26, said of the town, keeping in view Significant components Tongad, who highlighted entire 70% area free from Berhampur Childline dir- the alarming speed at which “It cannot be disputed that how unregulated camping such interference,” it said. ector Sudhir Sabat.A the water body seems to be river rafting is one of the sig- was leading to pollution in After the judgement, Mr probe was started. drying up. The lake is a prime nificant components of eco- the river and its adjoining Tongad said “the real con- Since the allegation was tourist attraction and the tourism. It needs to be en- areas. He also highlighted cern now was the imple- found to be true, Childline only source of water supply couraged but with a clear how tourists coming to the mentation, which is a state informed the Ganjam dis- for the town. PTI mandate that it should not area left behind litter and issue.” trict administration, Gan- cause any environmental polluted the river and the jam District Child Protec- and biodiversity degradation soil. Improper activities tion Officer (DCPO) Man, teenage sister particularly in relation to the The bench clarified that The bench ordered the im- Subodh Kumar Sadangi flood plains and the forest “the portion of the identified plementation of the manage- and the police about it. killed in road mishap areas adjacent to the sites beaches which mostly fall ment plan prepared by the The authorities had to AMETHI identified for river rafting,” a outside the restriction of 100 State government while not- act fast as the marriage was A21-year-old man and his teenage sister were run over bench headed by NGT chair- meters should alone be used ing how the authorities al- scheduled for Thursday by a bus on the Sultanpur- person Justice Swatanter Ku- for effective camping activ- lowed people to carry noon. Moreover, the girl Allahabad Highway near here, mar said. ity.” weapons, drink on the also had to appear for her the police said on Thursday. The bench relied on vari- The remaining part of the beaches and even raise per- Class X board examination. Sanjiv Verma and his 17-year- ous studies conducted by the beach should not be permit- manent/concrete structures On March 1, a high-level old sister, residents of Uttarakhand government ted for any effective activity, at the camping sites. team reached Kanchudu Basdevpur village, were killed and the Wildlife Institute of the bench said. “In other “The illegal and improper village. They held discus- on the spot on Wednesday India. As per the studies, of words, on the remnant part activities at the camping sions with the parents of when a UPSRTC bus mowed the total 56 beaches, 33 of the beach that falls within sites led to the pollution of the girl as well as leaders of them down, Station House beaches were recommended 100 meters any activity in- (the) Ganga,” it said. the community. Officer Bharat Upadhyay said. The police have impounded the bus. However the driver and conductor managed to flee, he added. PTI Greens see red over Bengal Minister’s comment on wetlands Environmentalists express apprehension that his comment was an attempt to ‘legalise illegal constructions’ in East Kolkata Wetlands French woman tourist booked for cheating Staff Reporter to “legalise illegal construc- natural purification system. the East Kolkata Wetlands WMA is not “democratically Kolkata JAIPUR tions” in the EKW, which is The sewage-fed ponds are Management Authority, the sound”, thus making the re- AFrench tourist has been Environmentalists and civil shrinking fast. They also al- also used to farm fish.About government body respons- lated amendment “question- booked for cheating after she society activists have indic- leged that a large section of 20,000 fishermen are de- ible for conservation of the able.” left a guest house here ated legal action against the the wetlands has already pendent on the wetlands. EKW. Refuting the Minister’s ar- allegedly without paying her government following West been encroached upon. The EKW was declared a “He recently told the me- gument that the Kolkata civic bill and taking away some Bengal Environment Minis- Ramsar site in 2002 — the dia that the State wishes to body was kept in the dark valuables. ter Sovan Chatterjee’s com- Ecological significance only such site in the State utilise the vacant land of the when the wetlands were de- Gavarian Gerlach Ninon had ments. The EKW, located in the east- and one of the 26 in the EKW. We’re apprehensive clared a Ramsar site in 2002, checked into the guest house Mr. Chatterjee, who is also ern fringes of the city, spans country. The environmental- that this will not only result Dhrubajyoti Ghosh, the on January 24 and left on the Kolkata Mayor, had last an area of 12,500 hectares. It ists said construction in the in sharp increase of illegal former State Chief Environ- February 20 without informing guest house month stressed on the need is a low-lying area compris- area is also prohibited under constructions in the EKW, ment Officer and a member officials, said the police. An to “properly utilise” the vast ing several shallow ponds. the East Kolkata Wetlands but will also legalise such en- of the National Wetland FIR against the tourist was lands lying vacant in the East The wetlands are of extreme (Conservation and Manage- croachments,” said Naba Committee, said “the EKW registered on Wednesday Kolkata Wetlands (EKW). ecological significance to ment) Act, 2006. Following Dutta, the convener of Sabuj was declared a Ramsar site under Sections 420 The environmentalists ex- Kolkata since a large portion recent amendments to the Manch. The experts added after comprehensive map- (cheating) and 406 (criminal Nature’s bounty: East Kolkata Wetlands is located in the pressed apprehension that of the city’s sewage falls into Act, Mr. Chatterjee also holds that the Environment Minis- ping and that the State gov- breach of trust) of the IPC. PTI eastern fringes of the city. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT his comment was an attempt the wetlands, which acts as the post of the chairman of ter being the head of the EK- ernment was aware of it”.

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 NATION 7 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF Prajapati to lose ‘Y’ RSS leader’s remark on Pinarayi draws lak Will give ₹1 crore to one who brings Kerala CM’s head, says Kundan Chandrawat

Staff Reporter MLA Mohan Yadav. The BJP- category security Thiruvananthapuram RSS is rattled by the Chief Aspeech by a Rashtriya Minister’s presence in a com- Swayamsevak Sangh leader munal harmony rally in Rape accused Uttar Pradesh minister remains elusive from Madhya Pradesh, in Mangaluru, despite the which he declared a bounty Sangh Parivar’s threats to PRess trust of India ₹ My health is all right: minister’s assembly constitu- might even apply for cancel- of 1 crore for anyone who disrupt the meeting. Prime LUCKNOW Naveen Patnaik ency, and Delhi where he lation of his passport so that brings him Kerala Chief Min- Minister Narendra Modi and BHUBANESWAR The Uttar Pradesh Police on was said to be hiding. the minister cannot escape ister Pinarayi Vijayan’s head, the RSS leadership should Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Thursday initiated steps to AUP police team went to from the country. has created a flutter in the condemn the threat.” Patnaik on Thursday trashed withdraw ‘Y’ category secur- Delhi to record the state- Interestingly, the minister State. Leader of the Opposition a report that claimed he was ity to Gayatri Prasad Pra- ment of the 16-year-old vic- was earlier seen moving Even as Mr. Vijayan chose Ramesh Chennithala deman- unwell and would go abroad japati as the rape accused Ut- tim who is in a state of freely from one place to to dismiss the threat in a ded the arrest of the RSS for treatment, saying “my tar Pradesh minister remains “severe trauma” and is other in his constituency Facebook post, there was all- Kundan Chandrawat Pinarayi Vijayan leader who issued the death health is all right”. elusive. housed in a restricted ward seeking votes. round condemnation of the threat. The report in a web portal “We have initiated the at the AIIMS. speech from various quar- you forgotten Godhra? has announced a reward for “This is an indication that had became a hot topic of process to withdraw his ‘Y’ ADSP-rank officer, invest- Last seen on Feb 27 ters. When they killed just 56 of my head. The RSS has the ones who celebrated the discussion with leaders from category security,” a senior igating the matter, recorded The last time Prajapati was The State BJP and RSS us, we sent 2,000 of them to chopped off several heads. death of Mahatma Gandhi parties seeking to hear from Lucknow Police official said. the victim’s statement after seen in public was on Febru- have distanced themselves the kabristan (graveyard). But that cannot prevent me will turn against anyone,”he the CMO about his health. Aperson enjoying ‘Y’ cat- seeking permission from ary 27 when he spoke to the from the Madhya Pradesh Now, the communists have from walking my way. I dis- said. CPI leader and Agricul- “Not at all true,” he said egory has a security cover of AIIMS Medical Superintend- media saying he will win leader’s comments. killed 300 of us in Kerala. We miss with contempt their ture Minister V.S. Sunil Ku- when told about the the web 11 personnel, including one ent. The statement was with a huge margin and will In the speech, RSS’s Ujjain will adorn Bharat Mata with death threats.” mar said the comments were portal’s report. -PTI or two commandos. videographed as per the work under Chief Minister Prachar Pramukh Kundan agarland of three lakh The CPI(M) State secret- reminiscent of those made rules under Protection of Akhilesh Yadav once again. Chandrawat was heard say- heads.” ariat said the death threat re- by Godse. ‘Arrest soon’ Children from Sexual Of- 49-year-old Prajpati is fa- ing: “I have enough property vealed the RSS’ face of ter- Distancing itself from the NCP to stay away “Police teams are on the job fences (POCSO) Act, 2012. cing imminent arrest follow- in my name. I will bequeath CM dismisses threat ror. “The seriousness of this comment, the BJP State lead- from Sena, BJP and we will arrest him soon,” Acting on Supreme Court ing an FIR lodged against my property of ₹1 crore to In his short response, Mr. Vi- threat increases from the ership said such threats were MUMBAI he said even as special police orders, police made frantic him on the apex court order anyone who is ready to be- jayan said: “I have seen the fact that it was made in the not the style of the party, The Nationalist Congress teams returned empty— efforts to nab him and after at Gautampalli police station head the Kerala Chief Minis- news that a Sangh Parivar presence of BJP Ujjain MP which worked in a demo- Party on Thursday said it handed from Amethi, the having failed to do so they here on February 18. ter.” He further said: ‘‘Have leader in Madhya Pradesh Chintamani Malviya and cratic way. would maintain a distance from both the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Mayoral elections in the SC ban not for restaurants Mumbai Municipal Cash-for-marks scam Man held for bid to extort Corporation, where the recent polls resulted in a and bars, AG tells Kerala hung house. in medical college Maharashtra NCP president money from ilm-maker Sunil Tatkare told reporters ‘It is conined to retail liquor outlets’ here that his party was clear Gujarat ACB arrests two persons about this right from the start Threatened to kill Mahesh Bhatt’s daughter Alia Legal Correspondent his opinion as the SC dead- of the campaign for the civic Mahesh Langa also arrested as the police es- NEW DELHI line for the ban, April 1, elctions across the State. AHMEDABAD tablished that the cash col- Gautam S. Mengle and told him to wait for fur- Attorney-General Mukul Ro- 2017, was fast-approaching. When Gujarat’s Anti Corrup- lected by the duo was meant Mumbai ther instructions. Shortly hatgi has, in an opinion Incidentally, Mr. Rohatgi tion Bureau (ACB) caught for him. Following the arrest, An extortion call made to thereafter, Mr. Bhatt re- given to the Kerala govern- had appeared in the Su- Technical glitch leaves AI Bharat Sawant and Ashok the police raided several film-maker Mahesh Bhatt, ceived a text message from ment, said that the Supreme preme Court for some passengers stranded Tailor accepting ₹20 lakh premises of Mr. Shah’s and supposedly by a notorious the same number, demand- Court’s ban on sale of liquor private bars owners against NEW DELHI from a doctor couple to allow recovered 200 signed gangster from U.P. threatening ₹50 lakh. within 500 metres of Na- the Kerala government’s li- As many as 150 passengers of their daughter to appear in cheques worth ₹101 crore ing to kill his daughter Alia if “The message contained tional and State highways is quor policy in August 2015. a Mumbai-bound Air India the final year MBBS examina- from students. At the back of he did not pay ₹50 lakh, sent an account number, and the actually confined to retail li- He was the Attorney-Gen- light were left stranded at tion of the Sumandeep Vid- each cheque, the name and the Mumbai Police Crime caller instructed Mr. Bhatt to quor outlets and not bars, eral even then, but he had Goa’s Dabolim airport after hyapeeth (SV), a deemed uni- details of students were writ- Branch into a tizzy. transfer the money into the pubs or restaurants. appeared in his private ca- the aircraft was grounded After four days of joint ef- account,” said Additional In its verdict on Decem- pacity against the State’s due to a technical glitch. versity that runs medical and ten, but the instruments did The light AI 662 was dental colleges in Vadodara, not have dates or the receiv- forts with the U.P. Special Commissioner of Police ber 15, 2016, a three-judge policy to ban serving of li- scheduled to depart for the agency had little idea that er’s name on them. Task Force, the culprit, who (Crime) K.M.M. Prasanna. Bench of Justices (retired) quor in all except five-star Mumbai at 1830 hours but a amassive cash-for-marks and “Cheques were taken in turned out to be a debt-rid- Alia Bhatt Mr. Bhatt informed the T.S. Thakur, D.Y. bars. Ignoring objections software glitch forced the ‘donation’ scam would be advance from students in ad- den 27-year-old Lucknow police, and the matter was Chandrachud and A.M. raised by a lawyer to his ap- airline to irst reschedule its unearthed. dition to their regular course native, was nabbed in his ho- notorious gangster from Ut- assigned to the Anti Extor- Khanwilkar said the ban was pearing for Kerala’s four-star departure and then to ground The ACB laid a trap to ar- fees, which means those metown on Thursday. tar Pradesh with a long his- tion Cell (AEC) for investiga- necessary to curb drunk- private bar and hotel own- the aircraft. rest Sawant and Tailor on cheques were meant for According to Crime tory of kidnapping and other tion. driving. It noted that drunk- ers, Mr. Rohatgi had submit- The airline is making Monday; the duo worked to other purposes, either as Branch officials, Mr. Bhatt crimes, and who is currently The culprit was identified driving was behind a large ted in court then that the alternative arrangements to collect money on behalf of donation for admission, or as received a call on his cell lodged in the central jail in as Sandip Sahu (27), a resid- number of road accidents policy impacted the ordin- ly passengers to their Mansukh Shah, SV’s chair- cash for marks in exams,” a phone on February 26 from Bareilly. ent of Lucknow, who had and tragic deaths. Mr. Ro- ary man who would be de- destination, an Air India man and managing trustee. senior official of the ACB told aman who identified him- “The caller threatened to used his own number to hatgi was approached by prived of an affordable wa- oicial said. -PTI Subsequently, Mr. Shah was The Hindu. self as Bablu Shrivastav, a kill Mr. Bhatt’s daughter Alia make the extortion call. the Kerala government for tering hole. Karnataka drops steel lyover project

Protests by Bengaluru citizens, corruption allegations dogged controversial plan

Special Correspondent crore were paid to the Con- BENGALURU gress high command and CM Following allegations of cor- Siddaramaiah’s family. ruption and a sustained cam- The decision to scrap the paign by the Opposition project was taken after con- Bharatiya Janata Party and sultations with the Congress citizen groups, the high command, party lead- Karnataka government on ers said. Thursday decided to shelve On Thursday morning, the controversial ₹1,791 crore hours before the announce- steel flyover project. ment, more than half-a- The construction of the dozen Congress MLAs and 6.7-km-long, six-lane project, Ministers from Bengaluru from the busy Basaveshwara Minister for Bengaluru Development K.J. George announcing city, including KPCC working circle to Hebbal junction in the decision in Bengaluru on Thursday. V. SREENIVASA MURTHY president Dinesh Gundu Bengaluru, was cleared by Rao, opposed the project, the Cabinet in September cerity. There are corruption BJP after the contents of a di- saying it tarnished the image 2016. Announcing the de- charges levelled against us ary, allegedly maintained by of the government. cision, K.J. George, when not one rupee has Congress MLC K. Govinda- The Congress Ministers Bengaluru Development been taken as kickback.” raj, were “leaked” to the me- also hit out at Rajeev Minister, said: “We have can- The decision was an- dia. The BJP claimed that the Chandrasekhar, Rajya Sabha celled the project as we have nounced in the backdrop of entries bolstered its accusa- member, who played a lead been forced to prove our sin- arenewed offensive by the tion that kickbacks of ₹65 role in opposing the project. Respond to bar girls’ plea, SC tells Maharashtra ‘Legislative ploy to vilify their profession’

Legal Correspondent topless.” Legal experts said NEW DELHI terms like “lascivious move- The Supreme Court on ments” were at best vague Thursday asked the Maha- and exposed the dancer rashtra government to re- and her establishment to spond to the bar girls who the whims of the authorities have challenged the State’s itching to crack down on new law, calling it a deliber- them. ate legislative ploy to vilify ABench led by Justice their profession and crimin- Dipak Misra gave the State alise women working for a government four weeks to livelihood. file its response and posted The Bharatiya Bargirls the case for hearing on Union contended that the April 20. Maharashtra Prohibition of The 2016 Act was passed Obscene Dance in Hotels, by the State Assembly sub- Restaurants and Bar Rooms sequent to a Supreme Court and Protection of Dignity of judgment of 2015 that Women (working therein) ordered that dance bars be Act, 2016 had kept the throw open again and clas- definition of what qualified sified dance as a profession. as obscenity in dance vague The Bench had already ex- only to use the ambiguity pressed its suspicion that against women working in this law was just a ruse to the bars. “circumvent” the apex The Act says an ‘obscene court’s order of October dance’ consists of “a sexual 2015. act, lascivious movements, The Supreme Court is gestures for the purpose of already hearing petitions, sexual propositioning or in- including one filed by the dicating availability of Indian Hotel and Restaurant sexual access to the dancer, Association (IHRA), challen- or in the course of which, ging the constitutional the dancer exposes his or validity of certain provi- her genitals or, if a female is sions of the 2016 Act. CM ND-ND YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 8 EDITORIAL FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Campaigning on a budget To keep election expenditure transparent and in check, the executive-legislature dynamic must be addressed tinational companies that have limit of ₹28 lakh is far of this mark. centive to desist from a proposed entered India following liberalisa- Assuming that there are ive con- action, postponement of a pro- tion, and have tended to root them- tending candidates in a constitu- posed action to a favourable point selves in a region, may tend to fa- ency, and even if each one of them of time, a third party advantage, The stakes in Manipur vour a party prominent in the area does not spend as much, but just etc. In a country such as India, Afour-month-long blockade is the while not antagonising its national half of their elected counterpart, political funding may seek to en- CK counterparts. an amount of about ₹15 crore will sure a certain measure be not im- main issue in the Assembly election Valerian Rodrigues TO The recent demonetisation be spent in each constituency, plemented or be implemented in a move has afected the ‘undis- which with about 4,215 MLAs in In- certain way rather than another. ₹ anipur will vote in 38 of its 60 Assembly con- IMAES/ IS closed’ sources of income of polit- dia works out to an about 13,000 Given the signiicance of public stituencies on Saturday in the irst of two There is a considerable body of TY ical parties, positioning a ruling crore per annum. While the legal opinion in a democracy, political

thinking in India that political GET party such as the BJP in a much limit that a Lok Sabha candidate funding may just be employed to Mphases. This election is shaping up into some- funding is the nodal centre of unac- In India political parties are ex- more advantageous position. The can spend is ₹70 lakh, a victorious create favourable public opinion. thing new for Manipur’s polity, a direct contest counted and illicit money trans- pected to ile their income tax re- recent Budget announcement of candidate on an average does not between two national parties, the Congress and the fers, and is the primary cause of turns every year although they do the Finance Minister that every spend less than ₹10 crore for the The way out Bharatiya Janata Party. The Congress is seeking to de- corruption of the body politic. not have to pay income tax. Ac- cash donation above ₹2,000 needs purpose. Suppose we assume The key to regulate political fund- fend its 15-year record in power, while the BJP fancies its Partyfunding is often equated with cording to a recent resort to the to be acknowledged in the IT re- again an average of ive candidates ing therefore lies in bringing down chances in a State that has generally voted favourably political funding, as is demon- Right to Information Act, the Asso- turns further constrains low of per constituency, and halving the election expenditure and ensuring strated in much of the political ciation for Democratic Reforms funds to parties other than a ruling amount to losers, about ₹30 crore that it provides an opportunity to for the party ruling at the Centre. The four-month-long rhetoric following demonetisation. found that the total income of all party. As a result, political parties will be spent in each Lok Sabha get the best public men and wo- blockade by the United Naga Council of highways lead- But political funding need not be political parties in India from that are not ruling parties at constituency, and given 543 mem- men to participate in the institu- ing up to the valley has dominated the discourse in the limited to party funding, and may 2004-05 to 2014-15 was ₹11,367.34 present may tend to resort to bers of the Lok Sabha, about tional life of Indian democracy. run-up to the elections. The Manipur elections are im- encompass election expenditure crore, in which the share of the greater subterfuge in the process. ₹3,300 crore per annum. That this One of the ways suggested for the portant for both national parties. The Congress is seek- of candidates at various tiers, fed- Congress and the BJP was more However, it is important to stress is not far of the mark is corrobor- purpose is holding simultaneous ing to retain its hold as the only party that has electoral eral, state and local. It is also im- than half. Till recently political that between 2004-05 and 2014-15 ated by the Centre for Media Stud- elections to the Lok Sabha as well support across various ethnic and geographic regions portant to distinguish such fund- parties were required to disclose the average income of all the polit- ies, which estimated that an as the State Assemblies. While a re- ing from political corruption that donations only for amounts higher ical parties in India was just over amount of ₹30,000 crore was turn to this practice that prevailed in the State, while the BJP is keen to get power in an- may involve funding of members of than ₹20,000. From such known ₹1,000 crore, and comes to about spent by the government, political till 1967 is worth exploring for other northeastern State, after its victory last year in As- legislative organs of political donors, for the period mentioned ₹2,000 crore at present annually. parties and candidates in the 2014 other reasons, it may not lead to sam. A contest between the Congress and the BJP in Ma- parties directly, members of the ex- above, political parties received Even the income of large parties Lok Sabha elections. Then there any signiicant reduction in the nipur is welcome, as both parties do not represent any ecutive branch of the government ₹1,835.63 crore, i.e. 16%, of their in- such as the BJP and the Congress is are elections to the Upper Houses, election expenditure as such. Bet- speciic ethnic groups, unlike other parties in the fray in or even of the judiciary. come, and another 15% they raised just about the budget of a modest both at the Centre and in some ter and close monitoring of the previous elections. But the BJP lacks a grassroots base in In India much of the known ex- by way of membership, sale of university in India. Therefore, States, and the local governing election process by the Election Manipur and largely comprises leaders who have defec- tent of corruption is strongly asso- coupons, interest on deposits, etc. while the dossiers of political party bodies. While there are a few in- Commission has ensured that ciated with the bureaucracy, com- The rest, i.e. 69%, of the income of funding need to be made transpar- stances of people spending their overt modes of violation at the ted from the Congress. This has resulted in a political mand organs, public sector, and political parties came from un- ent, the larger breach may lie own money in elections, someone hustings are checked. But political campaign largely made up of accusations and counter- other constitutional and statutory known sources, and this segment elsewhere. else doles it out to others. entrepreneurs have always found accusations of corruption, besides the blame game on bodies. Further, even civil society has been steadily on the rise during One of the important considera- ways of subverting oicial vigilance the ongoing blockade. institutions such as the media can this period. Funding of elections tions before political parties in se- and spend lavishly to gain compet- The decision in early December 2016 by the Okram act both as the conduit of corrup- The big political funding in India, lecting their candidates today is itive advantage. Ibobi Singh government to notify the formation of tion or harbour it as such. All polit- Party funding however, goes into election ex- whether they can foot the ex- There are, however, many short- seven new districts, creating 16 districts in the State, ical corruption involves an unfair, If we disaggregate these numbers, penditures. The funds that a polit- penditure of their election. Often term and long-term solutions that and most often unlawful, use of a much more complex picture ical party advances to its party can- other considerations, such as the are feasible without disparaging was momentous. It allowed the Congress to seek sup- public oice to secure a private emerges — for some regional didates in an election vary from background of the candidate or his competitive electoral democracy, port from the hill areas for this decision, as the new dis- gain. In the process common good, parties, more than three-fourths of one candidate to another, and or her ideological commitment, such as citizen activism that keeps tricts in the hills made for better administrative access which a public oice is supposed to income came from unknown there is much variation across become secondary. Once a candid- a close watch over campaigning. in areas far from the valley. However, it resulted in the serve, is appropriated for partisan sources. While the income of na- political parties in this regard. In ate is so elected, he has to make re- But in the longer run, political pat- intensiication of the blockade sponsored by the UNC, ends. However, given the fact of tional parties increased by 313% the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, 263 turns for this patronage, or at least ronage itself needs to be reined in. severely hitting normal life in Manipur. The persistence competitive electoral democracy, from such sources during this members of the House claimed hold out such a promise. The striv- This calls for not merely a decent- ₹ of the blockade has led to some degree of disafection political parties cannot be denied period, that of regional parties in- that they received a total of 75.59 ing of an MLA to become a Minister ralisation of power in more sub- legitimate ways of aggregating creased by 652%. It is also import- crore from their parties, which av- at the earliest is built into the logic stantive ways, but also reordering owing to the inability of the Congress government to their corpus funds, and a candid- ant to bear in mind that the corpor- erages out to roughly ₹28 lakh of this system of patronage. The re- the relation between the legis- bring it to an end, even if the government’s defence that ate is entitled to seek resources for ate sector in India that contributes each. These are mere peanuts at turn from political funding need lature and executive. any punitive measures against the UNC would have led his/her elections. When do these to political party kitties has gener- the hustings! not always be a substantial gain, to violence cannot be summarily dismissed. The Con- two modes of political funding ser- ally not favoured the disclosure of We can safely assume that an such as land or coal blocks; it could Valerian Rodrigues is Professor at the gress blames the Centre for not prevailing upon the iously compromise public the name of the donor, for obvious MLA spends on an average about be deferred advantage, defeat of an Department of Political Science, ₹ UNC and other Naga groups to end the blockade, while purpose? reasons. A large number of mul- 5 crore to get elected. The legal adversary, ideological support, in- Mangalore University. the BJP blames the Congress for precipitating the crisis. In a State where insurgent groups remain active and that is still dependent on Central transfer of resources to shore up its economy, the electorate would have wel- comed a genuine discourse on such issues in the run-up to the elections. Sadly, this did not happen. Insurgent in the White House If Stephen Bannon gets a free pass, the world will be a much more polarised place in four years

he evolved into a Conservative in- civilisations with Islam. Compon- injustice to its workers. His protec- surgent with ethno-nationalist ents of this political philosophy can tionism and anti-immigrant views Conciliatory, sketchy ideals and a contempt for globalisa- be located elsewhere. For example, derive from this conviction. There Donald Trump sounds more presidential, tion. Be it his attacks on the Wash- Prime Minister Narendra Modi him- are several parties in the West that ington establishment, criticism of self has said he’s a “Hindu national- share the same world view such as but fails to address concerns about his policies Wall Street, support for Brexit, CK ist”. Cultural nationalism is the the- the UKIP in Britain, AfD in Germany TO pledge to ban Muslims from enter- ory and praxis of the Rashtriya and Freedom Party in the Nether- stanly johny resident Donald Trump’s address to the joint ses- ing the U.S., promise to reset ties Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideolo- lands. Unlike traditional leftists, with Russia or even the deliberate gical parent of Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya who look at the crisis in capitalism sion of Congress was unusual insofar as he adop- IMAGES/ IS

tephen K. Bannon, the ideolo- politically incorrect statements, Mr. TY Janata Party. Mr. Bannon, in his Vat- as the failure of the economic sys- ted a distinctly less combative tone on certain is- P gical guru of U.S. President Trump’s campaign rhetoric had Mr. GET ican speech, actually said Mr. tem, these parties saw the crisis as sues, and refrained from his melodramatic oratorical SDonald Trump, is perhaps the Bannon’s imprint on them. Modi’s “great victory” was part of a being brought upon them by the strategy of painting America as a nation facing a dark fu- second most powerful person in the Mr. Bannon, who was running via Skype, Mr. Bannon said that the “global revolt”. President Recep establishment. ture in a dangerous world. Most striking in terms of the world. As the President’s Chief the Breitbart website till he was ap- “Judeo-Christian West is in a crisis”, Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey is an- change in his tenor were his remarks on immigration. Strategist, he sits in on National Se- pointed Mr. Trump’s campaign and is “ighting an outright war other example. If Mr. Modi emphas- No antidote Through most of his election campaign, he frequently curity Council meetings, and is in a chief executive in August 2016, against jihadist Islamic fascism”. ises on Hindu nationalism, Mr. Er- If Mr. Bannon had remained at position to inluence critical policy- hasn’t said or written much about More recently, at the Conservative dogan banks on Turko-Islamic Breitbart, he wouldn’t have been so promised to detain and deport “illegal aliens” and build making. His rise from being the ex- his world view. But Breitbart, which Political Action Conference, he said nationalism for support. Mr. Ban- much in discussion. But he’s found a wall along the Mexican border to keep “rapists” and ecutive chairman of a Conservative was launched as a Conservative the U.S. is a “nation with a culture” non wants white cultural national- the world’s most powerful spokes- drug dealers out. While the Department of Homeland website that was hardly heard of news aggregator in 2005, turned and not just an economic unit in a ism in the U.S. The three do not hold man for his dangerous ideals — the Security has indeed carried out raids against undocu- outside the U.S. till six months ago into a platform for the Alt-Right (Al- borderless world. liberal democracy in high regard. President of the U.S. Given the so- mented immigrants in a number of major American cit- to what he is now is rather phenom- ternative Right) movement under The cultural nationalist state of cial and economic challenges West- ies over the past few weeks, Mr. Trump on Tuesday ex- enal. But for those who tracked Mr. Mr. Bannon. Alt-Right, a white na- Religio-cultural nationalism Mr. Bannon, however, is not a free- ern societies face, Bannonism looks Trump’s campaign speeches and tionalist political insurgency, is market state like Mr. Modi’s India or contagious without an antidote. If pressed his willingness to consider a merit-based Mr. Bannon wants to “deconstruct” tactics, it’s an I-told-you-so story. known for its exclusivist attitude to- the American administrative state, Mr. Erdogan’s Turkey. It’s not anti- Mr. Bannon gets Mr. Trump to ex- system, rather than relying on lower-skilled immig- In the initial days of the Repub- wards other races, misogyny, polit- something which he said is already capitalist either. Rather, Mr. Ban- ecute his ideas, like he’s doing in the rants, which could be achieved through “real and posit- lican primaries, Mr. Trump, a loud- ical incorrectness, and protection- on under the Trump administra- non is opposed to globalisation. He initial days of the presidency, the ive immigration reform”. Yet Mr. Trump appeared to mouthed businessman with no ist economic philosophy. Mr. tion. But the America he imagines is believes globalisation, the inlux of world will be a much more polar- blunt the positive impact of this long-awaited softening political experience, was written of Bannon opened a larger platform a cultural nationalist entity with refugees and rampant consumer- ised place in four years. in his rhetoric on immigration when he announced a as a “clown” by the pundits. But for them in Breitbart. In 2014, ad- closed borders and protectionist ism are threatening America’s tradi- dressing a conference at the Vatican tional values, while doing economic proposal to create an oice to serve ‘Victims of Immig- during the course of the campaign, policies that’s involved in a clash of [email protected] ration Crime Engagement’, apparently a special agency with a mandate to focus on tackling crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. As before, the fact that LETTERS TO THE EDITOR multiple studies of the demographics of crime suggest Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials. that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans has not deterred him from mak- The numbers ight December 2016 quarter, it is that the efect of Hotter by the year there would be zero 2018”, March 2). The ing such xenophobic proposals. It seems as though Prime puzzling how an demonetisation would be The forecast of a harsh tolerance towards clergy government should not shy Minister Narendra Modi aggregation of these sectors known only in the long run. summer should serve as a who sexually abuse away from enforcing Mr. Trump is also likely to have been alluding to In- lacks the maturity required can show growth. The Opposition has wake-up call for authorities children. While it is measures such as closing dian iscal policies when he spoke of a country that to lead the country and put Economists should verify forgotten that the analysis (“Withering highs”, March incumbent on the Church to down or relocating taxed U.S.-made Harley-Davidson motorcycles at a it on a stable path (“GDP these igures, but the Prime for the third quarter was for 2). The threat of water punish the ofenders, it industrial units located near 100% rate. Even though subsequent reports pointed igures suspect: Cong.”, Minister has already a three-month period; the scarcity now looms large should also shed some of its the river which discharge out that the sales of the motorcycle company have March 2). The impression branded them as the efects of demonetisation over many parts of the dogmatic practices and untreated eluents, grown at a brisk pace of 30% over the past two years in that he gives is that of a man Harvard kind. There is a will show up only later. Both country with monsoon become more pragmatic in declaring some of the most India despite such taxation, it is Mr. Trump’s penchant in a hurry, with a penchant serious need to restore sides have used the playing truant. The El Niño order to keep up with the polluted stretches as eco- to throw around red credibility to our economic numbers for their own efect combined with the times. sensitive zones, etc. People for lirting with the idea of introducing protectionist herrings and resort to indices for which the political ends. Neither of rise in emission of C.G. Kuriakose, should realise that non- measures in U.S. trade policy that is causing alarm in In- diversionary tactics. Take Central Statistics them has educated the greenhouse gases over the Kothamangalam, Kerala adherence to water dia and elsewhere. It is hard to distinguish how much of the most recent instance. At Organisation (CSO) should public about how the CSO’s years has led to a signiicant pollution laws will be Mr. Trump’s attack on the global trade system, which he an election rally in U.P., Mr. bring out a White Paper reports are put to use. It increase in temperatures. Unclean water detrimental to their own blames for taking away Americans’ jobs, is bluster, and Modi took a dig at Harvard explaining the basis for the would be advisable for both We must expand tree cover, It was in 1986 that Prime interests and well-being. how much portends actual policy change. For example, economists and quoted GDP calculation of each index sides to engage in real and implement rainwater Minister Rajiv Gandhi Right now, even 2050 seems among the multiple companies that he named in his growth igures. Mr. Modi and the base years that are meaningful debates rather harvesting, adopt scientiic launched the Ganga Action to be a far-fetched target to may want to educate his used in computations. than cherry-pick data and water conservation and Plan. Since then, successive clean up the Ganga. speech as irms promising to invest in production lines audiences about GDP S. Kamat, engage in mud slinging. management practices, and governments have tried to Ramkrishna T. E., on U.S. soil since November’s election, fact-checkers growth, but seeking Santa Cruz B. Sundar Raman, switch over to renewable clean the river but they have Chennai discovered that many had already made plans to do so applause for it is a bit much Coimbatore sources of energy. all failed (“River Ganga more letters online: during his predecessor’s time in oice. This apparent as the demonetisation move The CSO is being loved and M. Jeyaram, unlikely to be cleaned up by www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/ lack of interest in factual accuracy and speciicity on de- may not have afected hated for its numbers: loved Harvard and hard work Sholavandan, Madurai tails seemed to echo through other parts of Mr. Trump’s growth, as the Prime by the government and Hard work always pays Minister claims, but it did hated by the Opposition. dividends (“PM: Hard work Tainted priests corrections & clarifications: speech — for example, in his glossing over precisely claim lives and afect daily Both sides have seen the beats Harvard”, March 2). It is high time that the >>A ile photograph taken in September 2016 of Bruno Le Maire, what “historic tax reform” his administration would in- wage workers, microinance results through the prism of But studying at Harvard and insistence on clerical French right-wing Les Republicains party MP, was wrongly published troduce to enable U.S. companies to be competitive the and small industries, even demonetisation alone. The working hard would be the celibacy is reviewed by the along with the story, “Fillon faces charges but vows to ight on” (Else- world over. While many Americans may be willing to leaving some of them with Opposition has gone to the most powerful Church (“Church in the where, World page, March 2, 2017). tolerate presidential strategies of purposeful equivoca- no other choice but to close extent of suspecting the combination. Also, does the dock again”, Mar.2). That It is the policy of The Hindu to correct signiicant errors as soon as possible. Please down. The igures he numbers, while the Prime Minister mean to say priests are allegedly specify the edition (place of publication), date and page. The Readers’ Editor’s office tion, they are probably hoping that, at the very least, can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday Mr. Trump’s speech may be an inlection point in his quoted are dubious. When government is patting itself that those at Harvard don’t engaging in sexual abuse is to Friday); Fax: +91-44-28552963; E-mail:[email protected]; Mail: Readers’ every sector of the economy on the back. The work hard? very distressing to hear and Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India. evolution toward a more conciliatory ethos. has been reporting bad government seems to have Muhammad Waseem, is unpardonable. Pope All communication must carry the full postal address and telephone number. No Kanpur personal visits. The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on results in the October- forgotten that it had said Francis had rightly said that www.thehindu.com

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 OPED 9 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

LEFT, RIGHT, CENTRE Are our campuses under siege? The Right does not want education to be a catalyst for ism, and other ideologies In Central and State- logues know that education played solidarity, so needed to create a sec- can be attacked by coun- funded universities, a arole in the October Revolution ular ethos. We all know that educa- change. That explains the assault on public universities terpoising them against large number of students and that’s why they assault public- tion is an important tool to achieve nationalism and patriot- who take admission be- funded universities, so that educa- this. Left politics works on dia- The political party in equality, freedom of expression, ism through emotional long to the marginal section does not become a catalyst for lectics, which provides ample scope power has failed miser- cultural freedom and secularism. blackmail and aggression. tions of society and the change. for dialogue. ably to address the issues Moral and cultural policing, misuse Whenever these issues are middle-lower class. If Any struggle can only come Rajiv Gupta concerning people. It has of force with the involvement of po- raised, there is an easy en- they undergo the process Promoting private players through a peaceful dialogue. Uni- is former professor LEFT weakened democratic in- lice, and attacks on universities and dorsement from the capit- of cultural understand- The rightist forces are, in fact, versities are important for de- and head, Department stitutions which has led to restless- colleges are tools with which as- alists and the ruling class. Such ag- ing about the relationship between afraid of universities and colleges classing societies — that’s why they of Sociology, University ness. It is also a fact that neo-liberal saults on students are organised. gression can be perpetrated state and society, they can be effect- which are public-funded because become the centres for revolution- of Rajasthan, where he economic forces and rightist forces effectively among a category of stu- ively used for institutionalising an they provide an understanding of ary consciousness. If these univer- taught for 37 years led by the BJP-RSS combine are in- Managing the discourse dents by raising communal con- alternative polity of the working diversity, tolerance and scientific sities are run down, private players before retiring in 2013 terested in turning India into a sur- There are two important ways to sciousness based on religion and class in which the working class, temper. When students from Ram- can take advantage. The universit- veillance society. These forces are achieve this. One is the use and mis- culture which the ruling class and peasantry and women along with jas College or Jawaharlal Nehru Uni- ies are also under siege from also trying to replace class politics use of the media. I keep a close its ideologues deploy. The Educa- SCs, STs and minorities play instru- versity raise questions relating to policies like skill development be- with identity politics. These object- watch on the language media and I tion Minister of Rajasthan directs mental roles in the decision-making Maoists or the rights of Jammu and ing propagated by the NDA govern- ives can be achieved by an organ- can see its rampant misuse. Add so- the college board to introduce Ma- process. The ruling class, which Kashmir or the Northeast, they try ment. Universities are not meant ised assault on the ideologies of social media to this churn, and you harana Pratap as The Great, in comprises capitalists and landlords, to make it a part of the public dis- for skill development. They are for cialism, liberalism and feminism, find the classic creation of a surveil- place of Akbar — projecting it as would never wish for this alternat- course and there is a unity between nurturing a critical understanding on the principles of social justice, lance society. Communism, femin- Hinduism versus Islam. ive polity to emerge. Their ideo- the faculty and students indicating of the social world.

Campuses are under siege from those who cannot ist school, for instance, capture of state power. Rashtra is thus neither a product of als will have difficulty in appreciat- claims that nations are Interestingly, India, or imagination or narration; it is a nat- ing. Attempts in the past few years appreciate peoples’ connect to the motherland ‘real’, and ethnicity forms Bharat as the Constitu- ural reality. What unites the inhab- to revive an authentic Bharatiya the basis for a nation to tion defines it, does not itants of this land for centuries re- soch (thinking) have turned many of Nationalism, as under- In the last 15 years or so, with the emerge. Germany comes fit into any of the three gardless of the plurality of gods and them hostile. Bharatiya soch is stood by the anarch- onset of the liberal economy, the to mind, where people categories. India as a na- deities, socio-cultural practices, tra- based on the recognition of di- ists —I would refrain Left has been losing ground to rad- came together to create tion-state model is sui ditions and customs is a set of fun- versity of beliefs and views — not Aswini Mohapatra RIGHT from calling them left- ical and anarchic elements for the nation first and then a generis. It emerged in damental beliefs, notably the just tolerating plurality but respect- is professor, Centre for ists — is confined to which the idea of a nation is an arti- unified state. The second 1947 as a modern, sover- concept of transmigration, pres- ing those beliefs and views. Until re- West Asian Studies, raising anti-India slogans publicly ficial construct and national iden- are the proponents of civic nation- eign nation-state entity but that ence of astral body (a spiritual cently, the movement was mostly Jawaharlal Nehru and defending their right to do so tity is a discursive construction sub- alism — as in France — where the does not mean that the idea of counterpart to physical human reactive, proving to its critics what University under freedom of expression. This ject to revision, negotiation and state is first, then the nation. The Bharatavarsha is new. Historically, body) as reflected in commonly it was not. With the movement group also has a pre-determined reinterpretation. third, popularly known as the con- it does refer to an entity with its dis- used names like Radha, Krishna spreading across the country, it is mindset and prejudice against the structivist school, contests the ex- tinct culture, social practices and and Ram (from Ramaswamy in the projecting itself as what it is and BJP-led government at the Centre.I Nation and nationalism istence of nation as ‘real’ or ‘nat- set of beliefs within a territorially south to simple Ram, for instance) hence it is not averse to healthy, would say campuses are under Based on the available literature re- ural. For the constructivists, the delineated area. The description of across the country. meaningful criticism or intellectual siege from this group. And it is this lated to the concept of nation and discourse on nation makes it ‘real’. Bharat is found in our epics, our engagement. It is a home-grown group that is raking up the issue of nationalism (largely drawn on the National identity, according to sacred texts, shastras, in Kalidasa’s The idea that is Bharat movement unlike the leftist or nationalism, which came to the fore Western historical experiences and them, is made-up narratives based poem ‘Meghaduta’ (Cloud Messen- What underlies all this is a kind of Maoist movements; it is inclusive after they were caught red-handed philosophical traditions), one can on selective manipulation of facts ger), apart from the speeches and emotional connect to this Devab- and at the same time fiercely pro- shouting anti-India slogans on Feb- broadly identify three major and used as an instrument by the writings of Swami Vivekananda and humi, Bharat, that our so-called tective of national identity and its ruary 9, 2016 on the JNU campus. schools of thought. The primordial- political elite for mobilisation and Sri Aurobindo. The idea of Bharat secular and left-leaning intellectu- territorial sovereignty.

More than Left versus Right, what we are witnessing peacefully with a Leninist? ledge-seeking is made dangerous. We saw an interesting an outright attack on the very free- In India, historians R.S. subservient to what is and novel effort to frame a cur- dom to know, to think. It is very is an outright attack on the very freedom to think Sharma and Romila thought to be politically riculum framework for schools in crucial for political parties having Thapar, both historians of correct, it flounders. 2004 which sought to provide an authoritarian tendencies to gag uni- The Akhil Bharatiya even the political class is ancient India, are con- Today the RSS variety of anxiety-free and egalitarian atmo- versities. Stalin did it; painters, Vidyarthi Parishad pro-Hindutva. sidered Leftists but have nationalism defines this sphere for learning for children. artists, scholars had to flee Hitler’s Apoorvanand (ABVP) as well as the very different methodolo- political correctness. Na- The effort was attacked viciously by Germany; Mao unleashed terror on ruling party at the Reaction to Left hegemony gies to understand the tionalism in India has a the Left then as it thought that it universities in the name of Cultural is a literary and CENTRE Centre, both children It is often argued that this is a reac- past. Knowledge is very Hindu overhang, and it was not serving explicitly the aim of Revolution; the student militia of cultural critic who of the RSS, are trying to take over tion from the right-wingers as the fluid. Existentialism impacted has become easy for its advocates secularism. But the rightist RSS out- the Islamic government of Iran po- teaches Hindi at universities across India irrespect- ABVP, for long confined to the mar- Marxism and got changed in the to present their variety of national- fits did not spare it either. Petitions liced universities, reported on stu- Delhi University ive of who is in power in the States. gins by the Left which enjoyed su- process; similarly Freud helped ism as the nationalism. If you ques- were filed, books attacked in Parlia- dents and teachers. What do all The ABVP enjoys immunity be- premacy in the educational institu- Marxists see human nature in a tion its universality from the stand- ment, court cases were lodged these cases tell us? Marxists were cause its government is in power at tional life of India, is acting with a very different light. Do not forget point of women, Dalits, Adivasis, against the National Council of Edu- eliminated by communist regimes; the Centre and that makes it em- vengeance. Many also see it as a feminism, environmentalism, etc. minorities or the dispossessed, you cational Research and Training for people who could not be remotely boldened. battle for hegemony in the educa- It is true that the Left, when in are immediately branded an anti- ‘hurting’ nationalist sentiments. called leftist were destroyed by Is- It also enjoys an advantage over tional sphere between the Left and power, has displayed a tendency to national. It prevents any inquiry lamic or Nazi regimes. The target is any other ideology as the default Right. The Left is a very broad cat- hegemonise all social and cultural into its claim. Targeting of the free mind then a mind which thinks freely. setting of the mental make-up of In- egory inhabited by diverse ways of spaces. It destroyed the intellectual To not allow knowledge to grow What we are witnessing now is not dian police and administration or thinking. Can a Trotskyite live life of West Bengal. When know- in directions the powers dislike is aclash between Left and Right. It is All views as told to Anuradha Raman

To all Indian parents FIFTY YEARS AGO MARCH 3, 1967 If your children come to the U.S. to New West Bengal Cabinet Asix-member non-Congress coalition Ministry with Mr. Ajoy pursue their careers, there are many Kumar Mukherjee as Chief Minister assumed office here [Cal- who will protect them cutta] this morning [March 2]. The Governor, Miss Padmaja Naidu, administered the oath of office and of secrecy to Mr. Mary-Claire King Mukherjee, Mr. Jyoti Basu (C.P.I.-Marxist), Mr. Somnath Lahiri (C.P.I.), Mr. Hemanta Kumar Basu (Forward Bloc), Dr. P.C. I am a geneticist working in cancer Ghosh (Ind.) and Mr. Jehangir Kabir (Bangla Congress). research in Seattle, Washington. Among the invitees present at the swearing in ceremony at For the past few weeks, I have been the Raj Bhavan were Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab and Mr. Hu- in India to meet with early career mayun Kabir. The ceremony was simple and solemn, rigidity scientists and physicians, their of protocol being relaxed. mentors, and their supporters in

AP government. I’ve heard creative research ideas from young, intelli- AHUNDRED YEARS AGO MARCH 3, 1917 gent and dedicated people at the Cancer Institute in Chennai, the National Centre for Biological Sciences and the Kidwai Me- Portuguese Governor morial Institute of Oncology in Bengaluru, the All India Insti- tute of Medical Sciences in Delhi, and the National Institute of Their Excellencies Senor Couceiro Da Costa, Governor-Gen- Biomedical Genomics in Kolkata. As fellow scientists, we’ve eral of Portuguese India and Lady Couceiro Da Costa, who are discussed how modern genomics technology can assist our re- CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC coming to Bombay on a visit to H.E. the Governor and Lady search and its application to public health. We’ve shared en- Willingdon, left Mormagao on Wednesday (March 2) arriving thusiasm for the rapid progress of science in India. We’ve CONCEPTUAL ACT ONE the same evening at Margao where they spent the night. Next made plans for collaborations. At an awards ceremony in morning they were to start for Bombay breaking their journey Delhi, we celebrated prizes to Indian PhD students for the Free-floating The right to choice at Poona where they were due this morning, their pro- most outstanding original research carried out in India and gramme being to pass the day there. His Excellency receiving published in international scientiic literature. At the cere- intelligentsia/ The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) visitors in his saloon carriage at the railway station. Their Ex- mony, some students accepted their prizes in person while cellencies will arrive at the Victoria Terminus on Saturday others sent their parents or friends as representatives, since Sociology Bill of 2014 relaxes the legal limit for abortion morning at 11-25. In the evening they will attend races. they are in the U.S. as postdoctoral fellows. During this idyllic trip came the appalling news of engineer Is it possible for social sci- Krishnadas Rajagopal terminate her 24-week lows a woman to take an CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Srinivas Kuchibhotla’s murder. My irst reaction was as a entists to remove them- pregnancy. The foetus in independent decision in mother, of the unfathomable shock of having let one’s child go selves from the particular On Tuesday, the Supreme that case was diagnosed consultation with a re- DATA POINT out into the world, to grow up and do well — only to be killed by nature of their social af- Court declined a woman’s with anencephaly — a con- gistered health-care pro- a crazed bigot who should never have been allowed near a gun. fairs and be objective, as, plea to abort her 26-week- genital defect in which the vider. Under the 1971 Act, We read that others on the scene reacted well, that the suspect say, a physicist studying old foetus detected with baby is born without parts even pregnant rape vic- was quickly caught and that the authorities expressed outrage sub-atomic particles Down’s Syndrome. Senior of the brain and skull. The tims cannot abort after 20 and sorrow and tendered their apologies. All this was appro- could? Karl Mannheim advocate Colin Gonsalves court had said abortion weeks, compelling them to priate. As an American, I also send my profound apologies to spoke of the free-floating argued that it was the wo- was necessary to preserve move court. the Kuchibhotla family and to all Indian families. But as any intelligentsia not by way of man’s constitutional right the woman’s life. In the With the 2014 Bill in parent would know, apologies will never be enough. thinking up a classless, to terminate her preg- case of the foetus with limbo, the Supreme Court creed-less, value-neutral nancy. It was contended Down’s Syndrome, the has agreed to look into Citizens of the world section of social scientists that the congenital abnor- court said the foetus posed whether a wider interpret- So, what next? Every Indian family will take its own decision who could mimic the mality found in her foetus no danger to the woman’s ation ought to be given to whether the U.S. at present is too dangerous for its children. If I methods and results of and the woman’s anguish life. phrases like “risk to the were an Indian mother, would I let my daughter go to the U.S. natural science, but of the about the future were the Had the draft Medical life of the pregnant wo- or stay in the U.S. if she were already there? I’m not sure. Prob- modern intellectual who reasons for her decision. Termination of Pregnancy man” and “grave injury to ably, because our children follow their own ambitions and could empathise with the The court refused per- (Amendment) Bill of 2014 her physical and mental these ambitions often take them far away for some time. But I feelings of different sec- mission for abortion, call- been implemented as law, health”. would be terribly concerned. Despite these fully justiiable tions of society without ing the foetus “a life”. It this case would not have Legal experts have ar- concerns, I hope your children will continue to come to the ever being affected by her said the Medical Termina- come to court at all. The gued that medical science U.S. and those there will not lee for home. Young Indian sci- own place in the milieu. tion of Pregnancy Act of Bill amends Section 3 of and technology have made entists working in the U.S. are advantaged by what they learn, 1971 places a 20-week ceil- the principle Act of 1971 to the 20-week ceiling re- the U.S. is advantaged by their skills, India is advantaged by the ing on termination of provide that “the length of dundant and that conclus- new knowledge they bring home, and science and medicine CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC pregnancy. pregnancy shall not ap- ive determination of foetal are advantaged by all of us working together. Scientists are cit- However, this case is dif- ply” in a decision to abort abnormality is possible in izens of the world. If your children come to us for a time to pur- MORE ON ferent from the ones that afoetus diagnosed with most cases after the 20th sue their scientiic careers, we will protect them as we do our THE WEB have preceded it. In Janu- “substantial foetal abnor- week of gestational age. own. We will do our best for your children, as you would do for ary, the same Bench of malities as may be pre- Mr. Gonsalves has led ar- ours. Thank you for welcoming me to your country. thehindu.com/opinion Justices S.A. Bobde and L. scribed”. Besides increas- guments that at least 3% of GPS vs. reading your city Nageswara Rao had re- ing the legal limit for the 26 million births annu- Mary-Claire King is Professor of Medicine and Genome Sciences, University http://bit.ly/GPScity laxed the 20-week cap to abortion from 20 weeks to ally in India involve severe of Washington permit another woman to 24 weeks, the draft Bill al- foetal abnormalities.

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 10 NEWS FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE FROM PAGE ONE Half of India-Bangladesh border fenced India to attend meet of Indus Commission BSF to go in for cameras and lasers on riverine stretches; aim is to curb iniltration and smuggling of cattle and currency Shiv Sahay Singh proposal to the govern- der serve as the border. For At the time, tensions with the World Bank decision Kolkata ment,” R.P. Singh, Additional instance, 70 km of the south Pakistan were high, as the was biased in Pakistan’s fa- Half of the 4,096-km border Director-General of the Bor- Bengal frontier — from South government considered all vour, threatening to “take India shares with Bangladesh der Security Force, East, told 24 Parganas to Malda — is riv- retaliatory measures after steps” against it. has been fenced. Land ac- The Hindu. He said land ac- erine. “Where fence is not the Army camp attack in Eventually the matter was quisition is a major challenge quisition was a “legal pro- possible, we are going in for which 19 soldiers were resolved after it was taken to completing the work by cess” and the moment the fi- technological solutions such killed. up at the highest levels the 2019 deadline. nal approval was received, as cameras and lasers,” Mr. “Meetings can only take between the World Bank The border runs along fences would be erected. Singh said. place in an atmosphere free President Jim Yong Kim, West Bengal for 2,216.7 km, Asked why fake currency of terror,” a senior official who also spoke over tele- Assam 263 km, Meghalaya Land acquisition notes were being seized in briefing the press about the phone to Finance Minister 443 km, Tripura 856 km and Asked whether the State gov- Malda district, he said the suspension of the Indus Arun Jaitley and to his Mizoram 318 km. ernments were not cooperat- fake currency note syndic- talks had said. Pakistan counterpart Ishaq The aim of the project is to ing in land acquisition, he ates are “...located in Malda Asked if the scheduling of Dar. This was followed by curb infiltration and smug- said the West Bengal govern- and Churiantpur areas.” BSF the talks now in March des- visits to India and Pakistan gling of cattle and fake In- ment formed a committee officers said that 13 of the 17 pite the previous decision by World Bank expert Ian dian currency notes. for acquiring land. security features of the meant a climbdown in In- Solomon and then Ms. Geor- “We have surveyed every Another important issue ₹2,000 note had so far been dia’s position or whether gieva. inch of the land to be fenced. in West Bengal is that a large compromised. In February, terror attacks had in fact de- According to the sources, We have identified plots to part of the border is riverine: fakenotes with a face value creased in the past few Ms. Georgieva discussed the be acquired. We have sent a rivers running along the bor- of ₹2.96 lakh were seized. On alert mode: BSF soldiers patrol the Bangladesh border in West Bengal. months, the MEA did not of- impasse over the IWT at fer an official comment. length with Mr. Jaitley dur- “It is a regular bilateral ing her visit to Delhi, and meeting of the Permanent even suggested putting Tender for Indus Commission which some of the key issues on I-T Dept wants stricter bail A weapon-locating implements the Indus Wa- Kishenganga and Ratle hy- speed boats ters Treaty,” a senior official del projects on the agenda told The Hindu, denying that for the Lahore meeting. conditions for Qureshi cancelled radar for the Army there was any “shift” in In- In an exclusive interview dia’s position. to The Hindu on Wednesday, Special Correspondent In November another Ms. Georgieva said: “Our The meat exporter is on bail in the case New Delhi ‘Swati’ extensively tested along LoC controversy erupted over contribution is to help the The Home Ministry has Special Correspondent Dinakar Peri the World Bank decision to countries better understand New Delhi port Office later found that court later modified it and cancelled a tender for the ‘Kalvari’ test-ires constitute a Court of Arbit- each other’s concerns and Moin had lied to the court as asked him to just intimate it purchase of 75 speed NEW DELHI ration to look into com- address them. We have seen The Income Tax Depart- his wife was in India at that about his foreign visit. boats, which were sanc- The DRDO on Thursday anti-ship missile plaints from Pakistan over that the Treaty has served ment has urged a court here time, the Department coun- Qureshi was stopped at tioned for coastal security formally handed over an in- Special Correspondent India’s construction of the two countries very well to make it mandatory for sel alleged. the Indira Gandhi Interna- after the 26/11 Mumbai ter- digenously developed NEW DELHI Kishenganga and Ratle river and has survived difficult meat exporter Moin Qureshi Qureshi is on bail in this tional Airport here last Oc- ror attacks in 2008, fol- Weapon Locating Radar water projects. India said moments.” to take its prior permission case. The Department is tober in compliance with a lowing allegations of (WLR) system called ‘Swati’ Kalvari, the first of the whenever he wishes to visit prosecuting him for al- look-out notice issued by corruption. to the Army. It has been ex- Scorpene submarines abroad. legedly not disclosing in- the Enforcement Director- “Fresh process will be tensively tested along the being built in India, Counsel for the Depart- come of about ₹20 crore. ate in a money laundering initiated to procure the Line of Control. successfully conducted its Aadhaar to become ment on Thursday made this Additional Chief Metro- and hawala deals case. vessels,” a Home Ministry The organisation also maiden test-firing of an submission in the back- politan Magistrate at the Tis However, he was later al- official said. The speed handed over a Nuclear, Bio- anti-ship missile in the ground of Qureshi visiting Hazari courts Ajay Garg later lowed to visit Dubai when boats were to be delivered logical and Chemical (NBC) Arabian Sea on Thursday. must for train tickets London via Dubai last Octo- asked the Department coun- he showed an order which to the police forces of recce vehicle and NBC treat- Kalvari is is scheduled to ber falsely informing the sel to file a proper applica- said that he had intimated coastal States. ment drugs to the Army. be commissioned into the Press Trust of India stalling 6,000 point-of-sale court that his visit was for tion in this regard and listed to the court about his for- Navy very soon. However, New Delhi machines and 1,000 auto- the purpose of taking care of the matter for April 7 for eign travel. Mumbai attacks Export potential the submarines are still The Railways will soon matic ticket vending ma- his wife who was admitted consideration. Later, he had gone to The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Speaking at an event, De- without a heavy weight move towards Aadhaar- chines across the country. there in a hospital. To take prior permission London informing the terrorists involved in the fence Minister Manohar Par- torpedo, their primary based online ticketing sys- An integrated ticketing However, the Department of the court for travelling court through his counsel 2008 Mumbai attacks had rikar said it was an indigen- weapon. Navy sources said tem to prevent touts from app will also be launched by while checking the veracity abroad was part of his bail that he was going there as all come from Pakistan ous effort with an export the missile fired was a blocking a bulk of tickets, May to promote cashless of his claim with the Pass- conditions. However, the his wife was hospitalised. through the sea route, ex- potential. However, exports French SM-39 Exocet end fraudulent bookings transaction. posing the loopholes in would take place after the anti-ship missile.“This and curb cases of imperson- “The Aadhaar number security. Army’s requirements were launch is a significant ation. will be required for one- So far, 183 coastal po- fulfilled. milestone,” the Navy said. Hizbul man arrested in Kashmir CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC The Aadhaar number has time registration at the lice stations have been op- DRDO officials said Swati been made mandatory for IRCTC site. The step is erationalised under the provides quick, automatic The WLR has been a senior citizens to avail them- aimed at eliminating touts Arms and ammunition recovered from him in Pulwama comprehensive and integ- and accurate location of all critical requirement of the selves of concessions in from registering with fake rated Coastal Security enemy weapons like mor- Army, and in the aftermath train tickets from April 1. identities,” a senior Railway pora area, on Wednesday. The militant has been Scheme (CSS). tars, shells and rockets fir- of the Kargil conflict, it had Special Correspondent The measure was un- Ministry official said, adding Srinagar identified as Hilal Ahmad India’s coastline is 7,516 ing within its effective zone to be imported from the veiled by the Railway Minis- the Railways are preparing a Joint nakas Bhat, a resident of Renzi- km long. While the police of coverage and simultan- U.S. in 2002 to fill critical ter Suresh Prabhu on software for the purpose. AHizbul Mujahideen milit- “Acting on a tip-off about the pora. “Arms, ammunition forces of coastal States eously handles multiple pro- needs. Thursday. Despite taking several ant was arrested and am- presence of militants in and incriminating docu- and Union Territories jectiles fired from different Swati has a range of 50 As per the new business steps, touts corner a bulk of munition recovered from Awantipora and Pulwama ments were recovered from have jurisdiction up to 12 weapons at different loca- km which brings all artil- plan for 2017-18 unveiled by tickets and sell those at him in a police operation in areas, the police, CRPF and him,” a spokesman said, nautical miles from the tions. Swati can also direct lery guns presently in ser- Mr. Prabhu, the Railways much higher prices and this south Kashmir’s Pulwama the Army laid multiple joint adding that Bhat had re- coast, the Indian Coast artillery response based on vice worldwide under its will move towards a cashless is becoming a serious prob- district. A police spokesman nakas [barricades] at differ- cently joined the ranks of Guard and the Navy have the incoming enemy fire. coverage. Four systems are ticketing system by in- lem for the Railways. said a joint team of police ent places. During checking, Hizbul Mujahideen and was jurisdiction over the en- Army Chief General Bipin currently in operation and and security personnel ar- one militant was arrested,” active in Awantipora and tire maritime zone up to Rawat called the system a another 30 are on order for rested the militant in Gulzar- the spokesman said Pulwama. 200 nautical miles. success. the Army. CBI to probe illegal sand mining in 5 U.P. districts Fat-shamed M.P. cop PG medical seats up by 4,000 Enquiries under HC directions operated upon Devesh K. Pandey NEW DELHI the High Court following a These slots will be available in 2017-18 session itself, says Minister J.P. Nadda directive. He may lose 80 to 100 kg in one year The Central Bureau of In- The U.P. government had Special Correspondent Many government col- vestigation has instituted last year opposed the order Special Correspondent be discharged in a day or New Delhi leges, out of the total 212, separate preliminary en- for a CBI probe, but the Mumbai two.” The Health Ministry, on were sending their propos- quiries against unknown court rejected the plea. Sub- The obese cop, who was fat- Mr. Jogewat weighed 180 Thursday, increased the als and it was expected that government officials in con- sequently, the State govern- shamed by author and kilograms and suffered from number of postgraduate at least 1,000 more seats nection with alleged illegal ment had removed the then columnist Shobhaa De on hypertension, diabetes, (PG) medical seats in India could be added during sand mining in five Uttar State Mining Minister Twitter, underwent a sleep apnea and knee pain. by 4,000. In a release, the March 2017, he said. Pradesh districts, including Gayatri Prasad Prajapati. weight-loss surgery at Saifee Doctors are hopeful that he Ministry gave no further de- The increase in seats in- the poll-bound Deoria. Hospital on Thursday. would lose nearly 80 to 100 tails but said that an “an all- cludes dental courses, “The five preliminary en- PIL filed Daulatram Jogewat un- kg in one year and his co- time record number of over which are equivalent to an quiries have been set up on The High Court had asked derwent a procedure called morbid conditions would 4,000 PG medical seats MD or MS degree. Accord- the directions of the Alla- the CBI to examine the alleg- gastric banding bypass first reduce and then disap- have been approved by the ing to the Ministry, the num- habad High Court for invest- ations in the PILs filed by Vi- which involves reducing the pear completely. Government of India in vari- ber of dental seats have in- igating allegations of illegal jay Kumar Dwivedi and oth- size of the stomach to a tiny Posted as a police in- ous medical colleges and creased by 2,147 in the last sand mining in Deoria, ers. pouch. This procedure spector in Madhya Pradesh’s hospitals for the academic one year. Shamli, Fatehpur, Hamirpur It was alleged in the peti- helps patients reduce the Neemuch, Mr. Jogewat’s pic- session 2017-18, taking the Reason to cheer: A ile photo of medical students at their Mr. Nadda said there had and Siddharthnagar,” said a tion that though there was food intake and feel satiated ture had been doing the total number of PG seats graduation ceremony in Mangaluru. H.S. MANJUNATH been a total addition of CBI official. no subsisting lease in favour faster. rounds on social media for available to 35,117.” 4,193 PG seats in the coun- The agency has dis- of any person, excavation of Amember from bariatric the past three years. But it Union Health Minister J.P. seats in clinical subjects, the leges,” Mr. Nadda said in the try so far. The Budget an- patched a team to the State minor minerals, specifically surgeon Dr. Muffazal Lak- was when Ms. De tweeted Nadda informed that 2,046 government had decided to press statement. This nouncement of adding Uttar Pradesh to initiate the sand, was being done by the dawala’s team confirmed the picture on February 21, seats were increased in amend the teacher-student change alone had resulted 5,000 PG medical seats was probe. sand mafia in collusion with that Mr. Jogewat was oper- stating “heavy police bando- medical colleges. “Consid- ratio in clinical subjects in in the creation of 1,137 extra likely to be achieved soon, The CBI had earlier sub- the district administration ated. “It was a two-and-a- bast in Mumbai today!” that ering the need for more PG government medical col- seats in 71 colleges. he said. mitted its initial findings to officials. half hour procedure. He will turned around his luck.

Tanveer Hussain from Kashmir accused of abusing a minor Vijaita Singh held at the Rann of Kutch in locate the schools of each New Delhi 2015. martyr and organise Peerzada Ashiq that a Kashmir-origin cials accused Mr. Hussain In keeping with the Following this, the Home functions as a tribute to their Srinagar sportsman has been de- of kissing and inappropri- government’s policy of Ministry had directed all the sacrifice. AKashmiri sportsman has tained. We are in the pro- ately touching a 12-year-old instilling patriotism among Central Armed Police Forces At these functions, we been held on charges of cess of providing him legal girl. students, the Central (CAPF) to organise “befitting also invite the family molesting a minor during aid. So far, we have sketchy Reserve Police Force (CRPF) functions” in schools falling members of the jawans and an international snowshoe details of what actually Denied visa earlier has installed 110 busts of its in their respective felicitate them,” said a senior racers’ event in Saranac happened,” Mr. Parra said. In January, The Hindu re- personnel, killed in the line jurisdictions, where security CRPF official. Lake village, New York. Hussain is a J&K Bank ported that two Kashmiri of duty, at the schools they personnel who were killed in The Home Ministry had J&K Sports Council sec- employee. “He [Mr. Hus- athletes, including Mr. Hus- had studied in. Ever since it action had studied. asked the CAPF to install retary Waheed-ur-Rehman sain] was arrested on Wed- sain, were denied visa by was raised in 1939, the CRPF The busts carry citations these busts in time so that Parra confirmed to The nesday and charged with the U.S. Embassy in India has lost 2,059 personnel in detailing the operations in students could pay respects Hindu that a sportsman at- first degree sexual abuse “due to the Trump admin- counter-insurgency which the personnel were to the fallen soldiers on tending an independent and endangering the wel- istration’s tough laws”. operations and internal Remembering heroes: As many as 110 busts of CRPF martyrs killed. It also includes the Martyrs Day, observed on event “has been detained.” fare of a child,” the website According to the web- security duties. have been installed in schools. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT details of their close family October 31 every year. AU.S.-based website, quoted the Adirondack site, he was granted visa The Border Security Force members. The Central The day marks the death northcountrypublicra- Daily Enterprise. following lobbying by offi- (BSF), which is posted along details to commemorate the The move comes after Armed Police Forces, anniversary of former Prime dio.org, identified the In- In a statement released cials and residents of the Pakistan and Bangladesh sacrifice of its personnel. Prime Minister Narendra comprising CRPF, BSF, ITBP, Minister Indira Gandhi and dian snowshoe racer as by the Saranac Lake Village Adirondacks, as well as by borders, has also installed Ever since it was raised in Modi shared the idea at the SSB and CISF, are a 9.8-lakh also the birth anniversary of Tanveer Hussain, 24. Police, according to a U.S.- Senators Kirsten Gillibrand over 1,400 plaques 1965, the BSF has lost 1,476 annual Director General of strong force. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the “Initial reports suggest based newspaper, the offi- and Charles Schumer. containing photographs and personnel in the line of duty. Police (DGP) conference “We had been asked to first Home Minister of India. CM ND-ND YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU VISAKHAPATNAM FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 NEWS 11 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF This village by Ganga nurtures jawans Jaitley seeks to mollify traders, BJP’s core base Nearly every family in this U.P. hamlet has members who have served or are serving in the Army ‘U.P. is tired of BSP, SP style of politics’ Omar Rashid GHAZIPUR Nistula Hebbar Varanasi Shoe hurled at Gujarat The Abdul Hamid Bridge, Home Minister named after the 1965 war’s Union Finance Minister GANDHINAGAR Param Vir Chakra awardee, Arun Jaitley made a whistle- Aman hurled a shoe at transports people beyond stop visit to Varanasi, a city Gujarat’s Minister of State the Ganga and towards Gah- in the throes of Assembly (MoS) for Home, Pradipsinh mar. If the vast expanse of polls, declaring that the BJP Jadeja, as he was about to the river makes for a tranquil had, in these elections, address mediapersons sight, the bumpy ride that managed to expand its so- outside the State Assembly follows after the bridge is cial base beyond its tradi- on Thursday. The man, crossed returns attention to tional strongholds, but identified as Gopal Italia, was the infrastructural poverty spent much of his time Arun Jaitley immediately taken away by that defines Purvanchal. speaking to traders, the core the police. Gandhinagar With an estimated 30,000 support of the BJP, to soothe Samajwadi Party[SP]-Bahu- range IG, R.B. Bhrambhatt, described him as “mentally residents (according to the ruffled feelings over demon- jan Samaj Party [BSP] type disturbed and frustrated.” As 2011 Census, its population etisation and tax notices politics.” the police took him away, the was 25,994), Gahmar is per- since then. “The kind of political 30-year-old told the media haps the largest village in the Mr. Jaitley, who arrived model these two parties that “he had attacked the country. But its mammoth here on Wednesday even- have imposed on the State, arrogance of the corrupt size is overshadowed by an- ing, held a meeting at the of dividing it on caste lines, government.” other trait: the village’s long swanky Vinayak plaza, identifying with particular connection with the armed home of the city’s wealthy, groups, a natural fallout of Campaign ends in 38 forces. Nearly every home in and a breakfast meeting that was that there were Manipur constituencies this village, located less than with another set of trade only one or two communit- IMPHAL akilometre off the Ganga bodies on Thursday morn- ies who would dominate The campaign for 38 out of along the Uttar Pradesh-Bi- ing, in order to reassure this governmental and other 60 Assembly constituencies har border, has members Going the extra mile: Army aspirants jog as part of a routine exercise at Gahmar on the banks of the Ganga at Ghazipur, about most loyal of the BJP’s sup- structures. Other groups in Manipur ended on who have served or are 90 km from Varanasi, with hopes of being recruited into the service. RAJEEV BHATT port base. would be kept out of the Thursday. Polling will be held serving in the Army. State machinery, as this in these seats during the first By the village’s own estim- with the armed forces goes Short Service Commission causing damage to property. in his speech last year imme- Anguish at tax notices identification with only par- phase on Saturday.Violent ates, around 15,000 resid- back to the British rule. A (SSC) interview, he is now But the village’s biggest bane diately after the surgical Sources say that those who ticular groups was seen in incidents were reported on ents are serving in the armed white stone plaque outside searching for an alternate seems to be its bad roads strikes, and BJP president attended the meeting ex- government appointments the last day of campaign. Unidentified persons opened forces, police and navy, the Gahmar police station job. Each morning, Amit and connectivity. Villagers Amit Shah is expected to pressed their anguish at the as well,” he alleged. fire at the house of BJP while around 12,000 are re- testifies to this. “From this Singh joins scores of young prefer to travel all the way to hold a rally here for the last tax notices that had been He claimed that the BJP candidate Yumkham Erabot, tired personnel, many hav- village, 228 men went to the men at the Mathiya ground Buxar in Bihar to purchase phase. Retd General V.K sent out after demonetisa- had, in the poll phases gone who is contesting from ing participated in the wars Great War 1914-1919. Of on the banks of the Ganga essential items, as the road Singh has already held a tion, looking at the data for by, managed to bring along Wangkhei. with China and Pakistan. As these, 21 gave up their lives,” for physical training. The to Ghazipur, the district meeting here. deposits. alarge section of society we head towards the village it reads. makeshift training ground headquarters, is in a poor The village falls under the “Mr. Jaitley assured them that had been kept away Dharamshala to be made square, a group of men, has old-style free weights, condition. A few days ago, Zamania Assembly seat in that these were just email from power. Himachal’s second capital young and old, are resting Desire to serve nation pull-up bars, dip bars, angry locals set a truck on Ghazipur, currently held by enquiries that required to “That is the polarisation SHIMLA under a peepal tree. The of- While a ‘tradition’ of sending benches, and a 400-metre fire and staged a ‘chakka veteran Samajwadi Party be answered with explana- that has occurred in these The Himachal Pradesh fice of the Bhootpurv Sainik men to the Army, and a de- running track. Tips from the jam’ (road blockade) after (SP) leader and former min- tions, and that ‘notices’ in elections,” Mr. Jaitley said. Cabinet on Thursday Seva Samiti, which helps sire to serve the nation has old guard help the youth, the vehicle allegedly rolled ister Om Prakash Singh. The fact had been few and far approved a proposal to make youth connect with the over the years inspired most of them barefoot, to over a few people, leaving BJP’s candidate, Sunita between,” said a senior On nationalism debate Dharamshala the second Army, is located behind youth to enlist, a prime train skilfully. Most of the one dead. Singh, hails from Gahmar source in the BJP who was Commenting on the debate capital of the State. The them. reason today also appears to young men start training the “The biggest crisis arises and the village appears to be part of the meeting. over the Akhil Bharatiya decision was taken in a The older ones are play- be the lack of employment moment they reach Class 10. when pregnant women need strongly backing her, espe- It is to be seen whether Vidyarthi Parishad’s violent Cabinet meeting chaired by ing cards, while the young avenues in the region. Gah- The Bulaki Das Baba temple to be transported to the hos- cially the dominant Thakurs, the meetings will soothe disruption of a meeting in Chief Minister Virbhadra men are enjoying the shade. mar has no industries in its here is said to inspire them. pital urgently. We dread trav- who are from her caste. ruffled feathers among the Ramjas College in Delhi Uni- Singh, who had earlier Among them is Babloo vicinity and is poorly Gahmar battles infrastruc- elling,” says Vinay Singh, If the SP MLA, incidentally Vaish (or trading com- versity, where JNU student expressed his desire to make Singh, 28, who has been in connected. tural shortcomings. It does who has made several un- also a Thakur, was criticised munity) that makes up Umar Khalid was to speak, Dharamshala the second the Army since he was 20. The Army provides youth not have proper medical fa- successful attempts at secur- for failing to build a new nearly 4.5% of voters across Mr. Jaitley said that “if there capital.A mini secretariat He is back home on vaca- here an opportunity to live a cilities — doctors are hardly ing an army job. canal and constructing new the State and is often said to is a debate on nationalism, would come up there to house the offices of ministers tion. Babloo’s grandfather stable though perilous life. present at the lone primary roads as promised, Mr. Modi punch above its numerical then we will participate in it and senior officers. Urban served in the Army and Even then, the competition healthcare centre. The irrig- Politically important and the Minister of State for weight in electoral influence of course.” Development Minister Sudhir fought in the Second World is tough and the benchmark ation system is also poor as Given its size, Gahmar is also Railways, Manoj Singh, who because of its role as em- “Everywhere, national- Sharmasaid it was “the War. Following the estab- high. Sudhir Singh com- the two canals in the village politically important and has hails from Ghazipur, are ployer. ism is a good word, and it is biggest gift” of the lished tradition, his father pleted his B.Com a few years are often deprived of water. the potential to impact elect- praised for launching a new Speaking to the media only in this country that it is government to the people of too served in the forces. ago but he is still unem- On the other hand, each oral results. If PM Narendra railway bridge and a loco- later, Mr. Jaitley said Uttar being made to be a bad those areas. PTI The village’s connection ployed. After failing the year, floods create havoc, Modi mentioned the village motive engine factory. Pradesh was “tired of the word,” he said. Poll panel questions BSP response sought award to Olympians on big cash deposits Manipuris’ felicitation under a cloud Election Commission issues notice

Special Correspondent Special Correspondent penses,” said the EC in its NEW DELHI NEW DELHI communiqué to the BSP, The Election Commission In view of an Allahabad also taking note of media re- on Thursday asked the Cent- High Court order, the Elec- ports. ral government to explain tion Commission on The Commission ob- why it did not seek its per- Thursday issued notice to served that in the writ peti- mission before felicitating the Bahujan Samaj Party, tion before the High Court, sportspersons in poll-bound seeking its response to alleg- it was alleged that the party Manipur. ations that it had, in a short had deposited huge “It has come to our notice duration, deposited huge amounts of money in its through news reports that amounts of cash in its ac- bank account in cash within the Ministry of Develop- Dipa Karmakar counts after the demonetisa- ashort period, on different ment of North-Eastern Re- tion announcement on days, after November 8. gion [DoNER] and the Min- were Dipa Karmakar (gym- November 8 last year. “You are requested to istry of Home Affairs on nastics), P. Sushila Chanu send your comments on the February 28 felicitated nine (hockey), H. Lal Ruatfeli EC’s guideline issue raised in the petition, sportspersons who particip- (hockey), L. Bombayla Devi The EC’s transparency along with your version re- ated in Rio Olympics from (archery), K. Chinglensan guideline provides that any garding the contribution re- the North-Eastern States. Singh (hockey), K. Kothajit amount or donation received in cash by your party Five of them hail from poll- Singh (hockey) and Saikhom ceived in cash should be and the deposits made in bound Manipur,” said an EC Mirabai Chanu (weight duly accounted for in the the party’s bank account/s,” official. lifting). relevant account books and said the Commission, seek- Two other sportspersons deposited in the party’s ing a reply by March 15. March 4 deadline felicitated, but who did not bank account within a week It is alleged that the BSP The poll panel has asked the attend the function, were of its receipt. had deposited over ₹100 government to respond by Shiva Thapa (boxing) and T. “However, the party can crore in cash in its bank ac- March 4. Anuradha Devi (hockey). retain a reasonable amount count in Delhi’s Karol Bagh. Among the sportspersons Each of them was presented required for day-to-day The Income Tax Depart- of the North-East States acash award of ₹2 lakh be- functioning of the party and ment is also probing the honoured by the Centre sides a memento. for defraying cash ex- matter. Jaishankar Pakistan returns to SAARC, meets U.S. NSA, Speaker gets Secretary General post Special Correspondent Washington But oicials say the election is of administrative nature On his third trip to the United States since the Kallol Bhattacherjee rorism posed problem for election of Donald Trump, NEW DELHI the candidate, who has been Foreign Secretary S. After months of difficulty, in waiting since March 2016. Jaishankar met U.S. Na- posed mainly by India, Sources at the SAARC sec- tional Security Adviser Lt. Pakistan on Wednesday suc- retariat said the election of Gen. H.R. McMaster, House ceeded in getting its official Mr. Sial was possible as India Speaker Paul Ryan and Un- elected to the post of the and Pakistan had indicated a der Secretary of State Secretary General of the greater willingness to allow Thomas Shannon on Wed- South Asian Association for SAARC to function. nesday. Regional Cooperation Earlier, India had op- U.S officials have termed (SAARC). posed holding of the 19th his visit a proactive ap- Wednesday’s success for SAARC summit in Islamabad proach to explore areas of Pakistan was backed by all in November 2016 following cooperation with the members, including India, transition from Nepal to the terror strike in Uri. Trump administration. which made the selection Pakistan,” said a source in The Hindu had reported Mr. Jaishankar is expec- consensus-based. the Secretariat in Kath- that India had sent deleg- ted to meet more United Officials at the SAARC sec- mandu. ates, including Joint Secret- States officials on Friday. retariat, however, said the ary in charge of SAARC, for a election was of administrat- Veteran diplomat meeting of SAARC represent- Expresses condolences ive nature and diplomatic in- The new chief of SAARC, atives in the first week of Mr. Ryan expressed content should not be read in it. Amjad Hussein B Sial, is a February to finalise the issue dolences on the death of “As the incoming chair, veteran Pakistani diplomat, of budget and other adminis- Indian engineer Srinivas Pakistan was supposed to who was expected to take trative matters. Kuchibhotla, who was provide the next Secretary charge a year ago. The Ministry of External killed in an act of racial vi- General and all members of However, India’s tough Affairs has not yet commen- olence in Kansas recently. SAARC allowed the smooth stance on cross-border ter- ted on the issue. CM VZ-VZ YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 12 WORLD FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ELSEWHERE Sessions caught in Russia scandal Sri Lanka to co-sponsor UN resolution Trump’s A-G met Moscow’s envoy twice last year but didn’t inform Senate during hearing Agence France-Presse from the investigations and Committee on January 10 Tamil leaders call for monitoring even Washington for Congress to name an in- that he did not know of con- U.S. Attorney-General Jeff dependent special investig- tacts between Trump cam- as government seeks more time Sessions was under fire on ator to oversee a broad paign members and Russia. Merkel in Egypt, hopes Thursday after it was re- probe. “Given A-G Sessions’ “I did not have communica- Meera Srinivasan were not binding, they had to limit migrant flows vealed he met twice last year false statements about con- tions with the Russians,” he Colombo agreat moral force. CAIRO with Russia’s Ambassador to tacts with Russian officials, said under oath. Even as Sri Lanka prepares “If Sri Lanka is to be German Chancellor Angela Washington, seemingly con- we need a special counsel to Nancy Pelosi, the top to co-sponsor a UN resolu- counted among countries Merkel landed in Cairo tradicting statements he investigate Trump associ- Democrat in the House of tion at the ongoing Human that carry out their under- Thursday on a two-day trip to made in Senate confirmation ates’ ties to Russia,” said Representatives, called for Rights Council session, seek- takings, then surely it must Egypt and Tunisia, in a push hearings. Democratic Senator Ron Mr. Sessions to step down. ing more time to fulfil its ob- do what it undertook to do,” to limit migrant flows to The revelation cast a fresh Wyden, a member of the AWhite House official ligations, the country’s he said. Europe through North Africa, cloud over President Donald Senate Intelligence dubbed the latest report an Tamil leadership has called It is in that context, Mr. especially chaos-torn Libya. Trump’s administration, Committee. “attack”.“Sessions met with for a time-table and strict Sumanthiran explained, Ms. Merkel, who faces which has repeatedly denied the Ambassador in an official monitoring of government that Sri Lanka must be given elections in September, has been under intense pressure any suspected ties between Met envoy in July capacity as a member of the initiatives. atime extension. “Those to reduce the number of members of his election The Washington Post repor- Senate Armed Services Com- Currently working on a who say Sri Lanka should asylum seekers. She was team and Russia — which ted on Wednesday that Mr. mittee, which is entirely con- draft with the U.S., the U.K. not be allowed more time scheduled to meet Egyptian U.S. intelligence says in- Sessions — formerly a Sen- sistent with his testimony.” and Montenegro, Sri Lanka are playing straight into the President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi terfered in the 2016 cam- ator who advised Mr. Mr. Sessions later told will soon submit a resolu- hands of those who want to on Thursday. She will depart paign against Hillary Clinton. Under ire: Jef Sessions said he would recuse himself from Trump’s campaign on for- NBC News that he would re- tion that, it hopes, will give avoid accomplishing the un- to Tunisia on Friday. AFP the Russia-related probe “whenever it’s appropriate.” AP eign policy and other issues cuse himself from the probe an extended deadline for dertakings.” ‘Attack by Democrats’ —met Ambassador Sergey “whenever it’s appropriate.” the war-battered country to Drone strike in Pak. kills The White House quickly la- sions, the Trump administra- false.” But with U.S. intelli- Kislyak in July and Septem- Meanwhile, the Kremlin implement promises it Four-pillar approach 2Taliban militants belled the report an attack tion’s top law enforcement gence agencies, the Justice ber, just as accusations of said it was unaware of any made in 2015, the Colombo- In October 2015, the UN Hu- PARACHINAR by partisan Democrats, con- official, said: “I never met Department, and four Con- Russian interference in the meetings between Mr. Ses- based Daily FT reported on man Rights Council adopted Asuspected missile-firing firming the meetings but ar- with any Russian officials to gressional committees ex- election were mounting. sions and Russia’s Ambas- Thursday. aresolution that Sri Lanka U.S. drone killed two Afghan guing Mr. Sessions did noth- discuss issues of the cam- amining the Russia scandal, Mr. Sessions, however, sador to Washington ahead According to Mano Tit- co-sponsored, calling for a Taliban militants on Thursday ing wrong. paign. I have no idea what Democrats demanded that told his confirmation hear- of the presidential election tawela, Secretary General of credible judicial process to in a Pakistani village near the In a statement, Mr. Ses- this allegation is about. It is Mr. Sessions recuse himself ing at the Senate Judiciary last year. the government-appointed probe the island’s civil war Afghan border, Pakistani Secretariat for Coordinating excesses. Sri Lanka assured officials in the area and a Reconciliation Mechanisms, the international com- village elder said. Officials Sri Lanka has sought a two- munity of a “four-pillar ap- said a missile struck the two U.S. conducts year time frame to imple- proach” to address truth, re- men while they were riding a Heart attack killed Kim: Ex-envoy ment the 2015 resolution. conciliation, accountability motorcycle in the northwestern Kurram Agency, 20 air strikes Earlier this week, Foreign and non-recurrence. While part of a Pashtun tribal belt Minister assured the Council the government’s appar- along the Afghan border He had a history of heart issues and was hospitalised in the past, he says in Yemen in Geneva that Sri Lanka ently slow-paced efforts areas where militants from would go the distance, and have made minority Tamils both the Afghan and Pakistani Associated Press following the law. Also on Deputy Ambassador to the Reuters urged the people and civil anxious, its attempt to draft Taliban, as well as al Qaeda, Kuala Lumpur Thursday, amid growing fal- United Nations, told a news Washington/Aden society to be patient. anew Constitution has hit a operate. REUTERS Aformer North Korean en- lout from the killing, Malay- conference that it made no The United States said it However, the country’s roadblock without adequate voy rejected a Malaysian sia announced it is scrapping sense to say the two women carried out more than 20 main Tamil political alliance consensus among various In final ruling, Egypt autopsy finding that VX visa-free entry for North used such a deadly toxin precision strikes in Yemen has expressed disappoint- political actors. court acquits Mubarak nerve agent killed Kim Jong- Koreans. without also killing or sick- targeting al-Qaeda in the ment over the government’s Pointing to questions on CAIRO nam, saying on Thursday the Malaysian officials say two ening themselves and Arabian Peninsula on failure to fulfil its obligations the disappeared persons, Egypt’s top appeals court man probably died of a women smeared VX nerve people around them. Thursday, in what ap- in the last 18 months. land and political prisoners found former President Hosni heart attack because he agent a banned chemical Mr. Ri said Kim had a his- peared to be the first major Addressing Colombo- as “pressing concerns” that Mubarak innocent on suffered from heart disease, weapon on Kim’s face as he tory of heart problems and operations against the based foreign correspond- merit urgent action, Mr. Thursday of involvement in diabetes and high blood waited for a flight at Kuala had been hospitalised in the group since a January raid ents on Tuesday, Tamil le- Sumanthiran said other the killing of protesters Ri Tong Il, former North pressure. Malaysia dismissed Lumpur’s airport on Feb. 13. past. He said he understood by U.S. commandos. The gislator and TNA spokesper- matters relating to account- during the 2011 uprising, the Korean Deputy-Ambassador the claim. Kim died within 20 minutes, that Malaysian officials son M.A. Sumanthiran said ability might take time, as final ruling in the case. to the UN. AP Pentagon said the strikes The death of Kim, the es- authorities say. No bystand- found medication for dia- the extension should be sub- the government needed to Mubarak was originally targeted al-Qaeda milit- sentenced to life in prison in tranged half brother of ers reported falling ill. ted speculation that North betes, heart problems and ants, heavy weapons sys- ject to a clear time-table enact legislation and set up 2012 for conspiring to murder North Korea’s ruler, has un- The women, who were Korea orchestrated the at- high blood pressure in Kim’s tems, equipment, infra- provided by the Sri Lankan special courts. “But mean- 239 demonstrators during the leashed a diplomatic battle caught on grainy surveil- tack. Experts say the oily belongings and concluded structure and fighting government on “what it while, we would like the 18-day revolt. An appeals between Malaysia and North lance video, have been poison was almost certainly he wasn’t fit to travel. North positions. would accomplish when”. [new] Constitution done court ordered a retrial that Korea. The autopsy is espe- charged with murder. Both produced in a sophisticated Korea does not acknowledge Residents and local offi- Emphasising that every and dusted as soon as pos- culminated in 2014 in the cially sensitive because say they were duped into state weapons laboratory. that it was Kim Jong-nam cials in southern Yemen one of the commitments sible. We have a national case being dropped. An North Korea had asked thinking they were playing a North Korea has denied any who died. Instead, it refers said that at least nine sus- given by Sri Lanka “must be unity government in power appeal by the public Malaysia not to perform one, harmless prank. Malaysia’s role and accused Malaysia of to the victim as Kim Chol, pected al Qaeda militants necessarily implemented”, for the first time in Sri prosecution led to Thursday’s but authorities carried it out autopsy finding that VX bias. On Thursday, Ri Tong- the name on the diplomatic were killed in two separate Mr. Sumanthiran said that Lanka’s history. We must retrial. REUTERS anyway, saying they were nerve agent killed Kim boos- il, the former North Korean passport he was carrying. drone strikes on Thursday. while UNHRC resolutions seize the moment,” he said.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Shanty town on ire Sweden to reintroduce Syrian Army recaptures conscription after 6 years Palmyra Reuters Security situation has changed, says Defence Minister Beirut The Syrian Army said on Agence France-Presse based on motivation and Thursday it had recaptured Stockholm skills. They will be called up the ancient city of Palmyra Sweden announced on each year after January 1 from Islamic State (IS) for Thursday that it will reintro- 2018. the second time in a year, duce compulsory military with help from allied forces service starting this summer The Russia factor and Russian war-planes. to respond to global security Sweden is not a NATO mem- IS retook Palmyra in a challenges, including from ber but has signed the surprise advance in Russia. “The government body’s Partnership for Peace December, after having wants a more stable staff programme launched in been driven out eight supply system and to boost 1994 to develop military co- months before. “With its military capability be- operation between NATO backing from the Syrian cause the security situation and non-member countries. and Russian air forces, has changed,” Swedish De- A patrol by Swedish military On defence issues, units of our armed forces fence Minister Peter Hultqv- personnel last year. REUTERS Sweden is very close to its recaptured the city of ist told TT news agency. Finnish neighbour, which Palmyra, in cooperation The Scandinavian nation, set to introduce to the Parlia- has with Russia a border of with the allies,” the milit- which has not seen armed ment a bill to restore con- 1,340 km. The Nordic and ary said. conflict on its territory in scription this summer for all Baltic region’s only non- The Army and Iranian- two centuries, ended con- Swedes born after 1999. It aligned countries, Finland backed militia advanced in- scription in 2010 after it was will last for 11 months. and Sweden, have stepped side Palmyra on Thursday deemed an unsatisfactory Some 13,000 young up their military coopera- as IS withdrew completely, way of meeting the needs of Swedes are expected to be tion with U.S., following con- the Syrian Observatory for amodern army. mobilised from July 1, but cerns over Russia’s in- Human Rights said. Wave of destruction: Fire in the shanty town of Paraisopolis in Sao Paulo, Brazil, destroyed approximately 50 homes on Sweden’s minority gov- only 4,000 of themwill be creased military activity in IS militants retreated to ernment on Thursday was selected for military service northern Europe. Wednesday. Picture shows residents trying to extinguish the ire. REUTERS areas in the east, the Ob- servatory reported. Gov- ernment forces took control of swathes of Palmyra and conducted combing High court bans liquor Bush exhibits portraits of veterans operations to clear mines, it said. IS is on the back foot in Syria after losing sales in Sindh province Collection features 66 portraits, paying tribute to wounded military personnel territory in the north to an alliance of U.S.-backed, Agence France-Presse to donate profits from its sale Kurdish-led militias, and to Order comes on Pakistan Hindu Council’s complaint Chicago to his presidential centre’s Turkey-backed Syrian After putting down his exec- work aiding veterans. rebels. The Syrian Army is Mubashir Zaidi of non-Muslims. The Hindu The ruling came after Ad- utive pen, former U.S. Pres- He said the paintings also fighting IS in the area Karachi Council and Dr. Ramesh Ku- vocate General and lawyers ident George W. Bush picked would not be sold in his life- east of Aleppo and in the In an unusual move on mar Vankwani, a member of of wine shops admitted that up a paint brush — and the time, but would be endowed city of Deir al-Zor, where it Thursday, the High Court in the National Assembly, ar- most of wine shops are not hobby has become some- to his foundation. controls an enclave that is Pakistani province of Sindh gued before the court that operating according to their thing of a career. besieged by the group. has banned sale of liquor sale of alcohol beverages permits. An exhibition of his oil ‘Incredibly meaningful’ and ordered the provincial without regulation is viola- Dr. Vankwani also said paintings depicting U.S. mil- Matt Amidon, deputy dir- Al-Qaeda leader killed government to shut all li- tion of Article 37(h) and Hu- majority of the wine shops itary veterans was to open ector of the Military Service Also, al-Qaeda confirmed quor shops and prepare a dood Ordinance. The ordin- are established in the most on Thursday at the former Initiative at the George W. on Thursday that a U.S.-led strategy to regulate its sale. ance, enacted in 1977 as part expensive residential areas President’s library in Dallas. Bush Institute, said the veter- coalition drone strike had The order comes in re- of the then military ruler where a poor non-Muslim The collection, on display ans have found it “incredibly killed senior leader Abu al- sponse to a complaint filed Zia-ul-Haq's ‘Islamisation’ could not afford to go. The at the George W. Bush Pres- meaningful... to have a Khayr al-Masri, in a joint by the Pakistan Hindu Coun- process, replaced parts of High Court had imposed a idential Center in Texas until Traumatised by war: Paintings of wounded military veterans by former Commander-in-Chief statement issued by the cil, a representative body of the British-era Penal Code, similar ban last year, but the October 1, features 66 por- George W. Bush in Dallas, Texas. AFP to take the personal time to militant group’s Maghreb the Hindu community in adding new criminal of- owners of wine and liquor traits and a four-panel paint each one of them”. and Arabian Peninsula Pakistan. Pakistani law al- fences. shops and wholesale dealers mural. America’s Warriors, which Bush said during a Wednes- Mr. Bush, who referenced branches. lows sale of liquor to minor- Dr. Vankwani also pro- had challenged the decision includes images of the por- day forum at the Reagan impressionism in describing AHellfire missile fired ities, including Hindus and posed to adopt the biomet- in the Supreme Court. The Book of paintings traits and the veterans’ per- presidential library near Los his work, said he was origin- by a CIA drone killed him Christians. But the law is of- ric verification process in Supreme Court gave the Mr. Bush’s paintings pay trib- sonal stories. Angeles, as part of his book ally not very interested in late on Sunday while he ten manipulated when selling liqour. He said alco- owners a temporary relief by ute to the nearly 100 Mr. Bush said he wanted promotion tour. art. was riding in a car near the Muslims get liquor through hol is forbidden in all allowing the sales again. wounded or traumatised to use the paintings and “And I also wanted to But since taking up paint- northwestern Syrian city of their non-Muslim col- religions. Advocate Mir Jawed, who personnel who he has book to highlight the veter- highlight the invisible ing he said he has come to Idlib, a U.S. intelligence of- leagues, friends or employ- “A bill has already been represented owners of alco- known personally since leav- ans’ struggles with post-trau- wounds. That’s my biggest see the world in a new light. ficial said on Wednesday. ees, according to its critics. presented to the National As- hol shops, argued that all li- ing the White House in 2009. matic stress and the trans- concern.” “I see colours and shad- Al-Masri was second-in- The Sindh High Court sembly for the amendment quor shops were legal. There Mr. Bush released on ition to civilian life. Mr. Bush’s book has ows that I never did before.I command to the groups Chief Justice, Sajjad Ali Shah, of Article 37(h)” to regulate are 120 liquor shops across Tuesday a book titled Por- “They’re stories of cour- already shot to the top of see the sky differently,” Mr. leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, ruled that liquor was being the sale of alcohol, he told Sindh. Of them, 59 shops are traits in Courage: A Com- age, injury, recovery, willing- Amazon’s best-seller list, and Bush said. “It has changed and a member of its shura wrongfully sold in the name the court. in provincial capital Karachi. mander in Chief’s Tribute to ness to help others,” Mr. the former President plans my life to the better.” council, said the official. CM ND-ND YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 BUSINESS 13 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

market watch ‘Growth 02-03-2017 % GST levy may go up to 40%, CHANGE ‘Public procurement Sensex dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 28,840 dd -0.50 forecast for US Dollar dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 66.70 dddd 0.18 Goldddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 30,000 dddd 0.00 IT in May’ Brent oil ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 55.47 dd -2.30 needs to be opened up’ 4-slab structure to remain SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT NIFTY 50 HYDERABAD The Council moots raising the peak rate in the Bill to 20% PRICE CHANGE The purchases are estimated to be about 30% of the GDP The National Association of ACC ...... 1407.85...... -1.10 Software and Services PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Adani Ports...... 293.85...... -8.65 SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Companies (Nasscom) will NEW DELHI Ambuja Cements ... . 228.60...... -0.25 NEW DELHI Asian Paints ...... 1028.75...... -4.00 in May make a projection The GST levy may go up to Aurobindo Pharma . 668.25..... -10.00 Public procurement in India of the rate at which it ex- 40% after the GST Council Axis Bank ...... 506.30...... -7.10 should gradually be opened pects the IT industry to proposed raising the peak Bajaj Auto ...... 2832.05...... 63.05 up in a fair manner to en- grow in 2017-18. rate in the Bill to 20%, from Bank of Baroda ...... 161.60...... -3.75

Bharti Airtel ...... 356.85...... -5.90 sure greater competition, Until then, it intends to the current 14%, to obviate BHEL ...... 158.20...... -2.05 while privatisation of public maintain the 8-10% growth the need for approaching Bosch ...... 21608.25...... 93.65 assets has to be done keep- it had projected for the cur- Parliament for any change in BPCL ...... 635.15..... -24.30 ing in mind the country’s so- Cipla...... 589.25...... 2.95 rent financial year for the rates in future. Coal India ...... 321.40...... 1.20 cio-economic needs and ob- next fiscal as well. The model Goods and Dr Reddys Lab ...... 2870.50..... -52.80 jectives, Commerce Minister “In November, I had Services Tax Bill will replace Eicher Motors ...... 23448.95... -260.75 Nirmala Sitharaman said. given a Nasscom projection the clause which states the GAIL (India) ...... 501.60...... -4.75 Public procurement (pro- Grasim Ind ...... 995.10..... -10.60 of 8-10%,” Nasscom chair- tax rate “not exceeding 14%, HCL Tech...... 843.75...... -5.35 curement by government/its man C.P. Gurnani said on with “not exceeding 20%” HDFC...... 1399.00...... -1.55 agencies for their own con- the sidelines of ZF Techno- when it comes up for debate HDFC Bank...... 1380.10..... -11.55 sumption and not for com- Hero MotoCorp...... 3229.30...... 51.15 logy Centre opening in Hy- in Parliament during the Hindalco ...... 189.45...... 0.20 mercial resale) in India is es- Cautious approach: PSUs in sectors such as defence, railways derabad on Thursday. second phase of Budget ses- Hind Unilever ...... 877.50...... 2.00 timated to be about 30% of and telecom account for a majority of the procurement. “I am sticking to that... sion beginning next week. ICICI Bank ...... 278.65...... -0.45 the country's GDP, with sec- will make changes only Idea Cellular ...... 109.60...... -3.65 tors such as defence, rail- During her speech, Ms. lead to greater competition IndusInd Bank ...... 1306.45..... -19.75 after the Q4 data has come Four-slab structure Bharti Infratel ...... 289.80...... 0.85 ways and telecom — having Sitharaman referred to a re- and referred to the case of in,” Mr. Gurnani said. The The change in the peak rate Infosys ...... 1023.30...... -1.85 state-owned enterprises — cent article by the econom- Russia and China saying frontline IT industry body will not alter the 4-slab rate ITC ...... 264.75...... -3.75 accounting for a major por- ics commentator Martin privatisation there has led to usually releases the projec- structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28% Kotak Bank ...... 816.15...... -8.00

L&T ...... 1473.95...... -2.20 tion of it, Ms. Sitharaman Wolf, where he quoted Jawa- oligarchy. tion for the next fiscal in agreed upon last year for the Lupin...... 1460.90...... -8.90 said at the National Confer- harlal Nehru's phrase “tryst Mr. Subramanian said reg- February. Mr. Gurnani, moment, but is only a provi- Fast track: The GST Council has decided to keep the upper cap M&M ...... 1325.00..... -23.75 ence on ‘Economics of Com- with destiny” and wrote that ulatory institutions in India however, was confident of sion being built into the higher at 20% to avoid Parliament’s nod. Maurti Suzuki ...... 5918.75...... -0.85 petition Law’ organised by once again India has a tryst are still a “work-in-pro- NTPC ...... 155.95...... -4.00 the growth in FY18 in the model law to take care of ONGC ...... 192.70...... -1.15 the fair-trade watchdog with destiny as it is trying to gress,” adding that they need context of the secondary contingencies in future, two agreed to keep the upper states and Union Territories, PowerGrid Corp ...... 189.75...... -2.90 Competition Commission of emerge as a democratic su- to learn that instead of using data. officials in the know told band of the rate in the law at respectively. Reliance Ind...... 1236.75...... 2.25 India (CCI). Referring to the perpower by the middle of blunt instruments such as Besides pointing to the PTI. 20%. The Centre plans to intro- State Bank ...... 267.30...... -4.45

Sun Pharma ...... 676.15..... -18.50 recent CCI orders imposing the century, but faces bans and restrictions includ- technology spend going The revised draft of “For the moment, we will duce in Parliament the Cent- Tata Motors ...... 461.70...... 12.25 penalties on some cement enormous challenges. ing in the area of competi- up, it showed that conver- model GST law, which was not tinker with the rate ral GST (CGST) Bill in the Tata Motors DVR ... . 282.55...... 8.00 companies for rigging bids She, however, said though tion policy, what will work gence between IT, commu- made public in November structure of 5, 12, 18 and forthcoming session begin- Tata Power ...... 81.05...... -0.90 for supply of cement to the it might be easy for many to better is to have a nuanced Tata Steel ...... 494.65...... -5.70 nications and technology is 2016, provides for a max- 28%. The GST Council has ning March 9. TCS...... 2501.45...... 21.90 government, as well as on state that India needs to approach and intervention. happening. “Technology is imum rate of tax under the decided to keep the upper After it is ratified, the Tech Mahindra...... 499.90...... 0.15 firms for bid rigging of move faster, “opening up of He said India is becoming part of every vertical, new regime at 14% (14% cent- cap higher at 20% so that in states will introduce the UltraTech Cement ..3817.80...... 86.70 tenders floated by Indian the economy cannot be ahighly litigious society, in every industry. So second- ral GST and an equal state future in case of need to hike State GST (SGST) Bill in their Wipro ...... 490.20...... 1.65 Railways for procurement of done at any cost.” turn leading to a situation YES Bank...... 1424.70..... -29.95 ary data says that the in- GST, taking the total to 28 tax rate, there is no need to respective legislative Assem- Zee Entertainment . 501.65...... -4.75 ‘brushless DC fans,’ the min- Opposing demands for ex- promoting decision-making dustry will grow.” %). approach Parliament for a blies. ister said these regulatory pediting the privatisation by the judiciary, and the ju- On talk of the U.S. tight- “There shall be levied a nod and the GST Council The central and state offi- orders are with an aim to en- process, the minister said, diciary at times becoming EXCHANGE RATES ening immigration norms tax called the central/state can raise it,” the officials cials will soon start the exer- Indicative direct rates in rupees a unit except yen at sure greater competition in “Public assets cannot be just more powerful than the ex- and proposing a bill on H1B goods and services tax said. cise to determine which 4p.m. on March 02 India’s public procurement. thrown away resulting in un- ecutive and legislature. visas, he said President (CGST/SGST) on all intra- This means the central goods and services should CURRENCY TT BUY TT SELL desirable outcomes. India’s “How do we expedite the Donald Trump “has not state supplies of goods and/ GST and state GST can be up fall in which tax bracket and US Dollar ...... 66.50...... 66.82 ‘Fair manner’ socio-economic needs and implementation of decisions Euro ...... 69.98...... 70.33 made any announcements or services... at such rates as to 20% each, leaving the the same will be taken to the

British Pound...... 81.67...... 82.07 “You have to open it (public objectives and demographic taken by the executive in which do not signify India may be notified by the cent- scope for a maximum levy at Council for approval soon. Japanese Yen (100) ..... 58.19...... 58.47 procurement) up, but layer divided will have to be kept such a situation,” he asked. as a great strategic partner. ral/state government... but 40%. Chinese Yuan ...... 9.66...... 9.71 by layer in a fair manner in mind… We are not jump- “Introduction of Bills not exceeding 14 % on the “The 4-tier rate structure July rollout Swiss Franc...... 65.71...... 66.06 even in this transition stage, ing straight into privatisa- ‘Dynamic institution’ Singapore Dollar ...... 47.14...... 47.39 and a legislation there is a recommendation of the that has been decided will Together with this, they will Canadian Dollar ...... 49.74...... 49.98 for greater competition,” Ms. tion. We can’t be an open Ms. Sitharaman differed considerable journey. I am Council and collected in hold for now. By keeping the also decide the goods and Malaysian Ringitt ...... 14.94...... 15.04 Sitharaman said. economy like Singapore with Mr. Subramanian say- sure inputs from different such manner as may be pre- upper cap at 20%, we are services that would attract a Source:Indian Bank “Collusive bidding and straight away. India is moving “I would not say regulat- parts of the industry, scribed,” the draft law just keeping an enabling cess on top of the peak rate cartelisation (in public pro- ing cautiously with a well- ors like the CCI are a ‘work- meaning CEOs in America, states. provision which the Council to create a corpus that can curement) are very serious. planned middle path.” in-progress’. The CCI is try- and trading partners will Officials said this will now can exercise at a later date be used to compensate BULLION RATES CHENNAI The CCI has an important ing to be a dynamic be heard before it becomes be changed to say the rate after deliberation,” the offi- states for any loss of revenue March 02 rates in rupees with previous rates in parentheses role to play to prevent them Russia, China institution. You have to take abill. I am quite hopeful will not exceed “20%.” cials added. from implementation of GST and to ensure that there is Speaking on the occasion, into consideration the pecu- Bar Silver (1 kg) ...... 44,100.. (44,195) that what we are seeing is a The GST Council, headed Mirroring the model GST in the first five years. Retail (1 g) ...... 47.30.... (47.30) fair trade and ultimately the chief economic adviser liar needs of India rather constructive discussion by Finance Minister Arun law, the CGST, the SGST and The union government is 24 ct gold (10 g)...... 29,940.. (29,940) consumer benefits,” the Arvind Subramanian said than compare the situation and I am sure decision is Jaitley and comprising rep- the UTGST law will be looking at GST rollout from 22 ct gold (1 g) ...... 2,842.... (2,844) minister said. privatisation per se will not here to Singapore or China.” still awaited.” resentatives of all states, has firmed up by the Centre, July 1. Reliance promoters FinMin tells PSBs to rejig holding pattern exit non-core ventures No change in promoter group stake Some banks have started the process

Special Correspondent PRESS TRUST OF INDIA (PSBs) have insurance ven- MUMBAI NEW DELHI tures or capital advisory Reliance Industries has de- As part of capital raising ex- firms, besides holding stake cided to simplify the com- ercise, the Finance Ministry in financial institutions such plex holding structure of the has advised state-owned as stock exchanges. company as eight promoter banks to prepare a list of For instance, State Bank entities have agreed to buy their non-core assets and of India holds stake in vari- about 119 crore shares rep- look at disposing them at ous companies including resenting 36.7% stake in the opportune time. National Stock Exchange, firm from 15 promoter entit- They have been asked to UTI, ARCIL and so on. ies at a price of ₹1,100.78 per Mukesh Ambani move forward on the idea SBI has expressed inten- share. based on deliberations at tion pare its stake in some of “The promoter group en- transfers will not result in the Gyan Sangam last year, the subsidiaries including tities of RIL propose to re- any change in promoter sources said. life insurance firm. structure their shareholding group shareholding in RIL,” Some of the banks have Last month, the board of in RIL by inter se transfer of the spokesperson added. started the process while IDBI Bank also approved di- shares among the promoter As of March 31 2016, 58 others are gearing up, the lution of stake in some non- group entities and have promoter group entities to- sources said, adding that the core businesses to shore up made the necessary disclos- gether held 45.15% stake in move will not only help capital base. ures in this regard on RIL. The move, analysts be- them raise the much needed The board of the bank Thursday,” a spokesperson lieve, is aimed at simplifying capital for growth but also has approved in-principle for the promoter group said the holding structure of RIL. sharpen their focus on the the proposal for disinvest- in an e-mail statement. Reliance closed at ₹1,233.25 core business. ment of some of its non-core “The proposed inter se on the BSE on Thursday. Most public sector banks investments. Jaguar Land Rover unveils Velar SUV IHS Global Insight says sales may be about 51,000 Velars a year at its peak in 2019

VIDYA RAM “We expect it to sell well,” LONDON said IHS Global Insight’s Ian Jaguar Land Rover unveiled Fletcher, noting the price the fourth member of the point at which the Velar sits, Range Rover group of starting at just under vehicles, as it introduced the £45,000, which combined Velar, a sleek 5-seater SUV– with the high level of techno- sized between its popular logy available in the car, and Range Rover Evoque and the on-road focus was likely Range Rover Sport – at a to make it attractive, includ- glitzy event in central Lon- ing to those who had previ- don on Wednesday. ously opted for either the Gerry McGovern, design Sport or the Evoque. director at Land Rover said “I think that what we are that the vehicle, distinctive seeing is a further evolution by its “clean reductive of where Land Rover sees design” was another step in the Range Rover brand.” the “transformational journey” of Land Rover, and New kid: JLR expects sales of Velar to be spread evenly across ‘Touch Pro Duo’ hailed those involved in the its markets. AFP Velar, derived from the Latin development of the vehicle word for “to cover,” refers to including Ratan Tata who he ies beginning with the U.K. expects sales to be spread acode name used on ori- said had been a “passionate and Europe over the evenly across its markets. ginal Range Rovers in the advocate” of the car from summer. IHS Global Insight estim- 1960s. the moment he saw it.” CEO Dr. Ralf Speth ates that the company could Its notable features in- stressed the Tata Motors’ sell about 51,000 Velars a clude retractable door Solihull plant unit’s commitment to Bri- year at its peak in 2019, a siz- handles, and rear LED light The Velar, which went on tain. “Our heart, soul and able figure though below the clusters that give the vehicle sale from Wednesday even- headquarters will always be Range Rover Evoque that has aparticularly sleek appearing, will be produced at JLR’s in the U.K.,” he said on Wed- been selling more than ance, while the interior Solihull manufacturing nesday, ahead of the event. 1,00,000 vehicles annually houses a new “Touch Pro plant, in the U.K., with full While JLR does not since 2012, and is expected Duo” infotainment system production set to commence provide estimates on the to keep doing so at least until with two high-definition in coming weeks and deliver- numbers it hopes to sell, it the updated model. touch screens.

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 14 BUSINESS FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF Essar Steel enters defence sector TVS Logistics’ U.K. arm buys The irm plans to develop indigenous armour plate for ballistic protection more than 60% stake in SPC PRESS TRUST OF INDIA successfully supplying steel NEW DELHI to many defence projects. U.K.-based SPC International ofers supply chain solutions Essar Steel has forayed into This has given us the confid- high-growth defence manu- ence and encouragement to K.T. Jagannathan facturing sector by develop- expand our product portfo- CHENNAI ing steel grades which find lio for this segment,” Mr. TVS Rico Supply Chain Ser- DSK Hyosung unveils application in land and naval Oommen said. vices, the U.K. arm of TVS limited edition bikes defence. The revised Defence Pro- Logistics Services Ltd., a CHENNAI The company has de- curement Policy 2016 en- well-known name in the DSK Hyosung has announced veloped several products courages ‘Make in India’ and field of integrated supply the rollout of 100 limited which are import substitutes supports indigenous manu- chain solution, has acquired edition Aquila 250 as well as innovated to de- facturing of defence equip- more than 60% stake in SPC motorcycles in three colour velop indigenous armour ment and spares. The goal is International, an Uxbridge, options — Matte Green, plate for ballistic protection, to achieve an indigenisation U.K.–based company, for an Carbon Black and Desert Essar Steel said in a state- level of 60% to 70%, against undisclosed sum. Brown. Aquila 250 is a stylish ment on Thursday. the existing 40%. cruiser bike featuring a SPC International is re- The estimated expendit- Apart from saving foreign 4-stroke, V-twin, 249cc ported to have an annual Adding muscle: The acquisition will help TVS Rico to add repair ₹ DOHC engine. Equipped with ure in defence sector is more exchange, it will bring about turnover of 165 crore. and parts supply to its portfolio. GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO front telescopic suspension than the $200 billion over self-sufficiency and self-reli- R. Dinesh, managing dir- and hydraulic rear shock the next five years. ance, as well as position the ector, TVS Logistics said the supply chain services. 350 skilled professionals absorbers, the bikes are Steel deal: In land defence, Essar Steel products are used for country as an exporter of de- acquisition would help the TVS Rico’s earlier acquisi- across these geographies. priced at ₹2.89 lakh (ex- Naval destroyers battle tanks among others. GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO fence goods. logistics provider to enhance tions include well-known showroom Chennai). Essar Steel’s import substi- While Essar Steel has its integrated service offer- U.K. brands likeDHL Same- Hardware support tute products have been cipate in the indigenisation vehicles and artillery guns. been servicing the defence ings to beef up the value Day and Circle Express. It offers hardware support Micromax unveils used in the construction of of products used in naval de- “The defence sector is sector for the past six-seven chain of its customers. It operates in Australia, with specialisation in IT air-conditioner range advance naval destroyers, fence, including destroyers, witnessing exponential years, the entry of private Though the exact amount India and more than 19 spares and repairs, support- HYDERABAD offshore patrol vessels and offshore patrol vessels used growth,” Essar Steel MD and players has enhanced the invested forthe acquisition countries in Europe with 45 ing OEM (original equip- Mobile phone maker floating docks. by both the Navy and Coast CEO Dilip Oommen said. marketability of its products. is not known, the total locations in the U.K. and Ire- ment manufacturer) and Micromax has unveiled a new They also provide ballistic Guard, rocket launchers, “Essar Steel would like to be Essar Steel has set up a 1.5 money infusion by TVS Lo- land. It offers spares man- multi-vendor maintenance range of air conditioners. protection to combat floating docks and apart of this growing seg- million tonnes per annum 5- gistics into SPC International agement, transport, ware- companies. Seven split ACs and one vehicles and battle tanks. In submarines. ment so we can capitalise on metre-wide steel plate facil- (comprising acquisition cost housing, and engineering TVS Logistics set up its window AC form part of the addition, Essar Steel In land defence, the steel our strengths, which include ity at Hazira to meet the re- and growth funding) will be solutions to its broad range base in the U.K. in 2004 and range. Punjab, Karnataka, products are used in the con- making company’s products state-of-the-art manufactur- quirements of the defence in excess of ₹100 crore. of customers. has invested about ₹6.17 bil- A.P., Maharashtra, Gujarat, struction of Coast Guard ves- are used for battle tanks, ing and product develop- sector. The plant has three The latest purchase by SPC International has op- lion over the last decade. Delhi, Rajasthan, West sels and in the repair of motor casing of missiles, ment.” types of rolling capabilities Bengal, Telangana and Tamil TVS Rico in the U.K. adds re- erations in the U.K., France, It now provides employ- Nadu will be the focus naval ships. mine protected and combat “We have developed an that include thermo-mech- pair and parts supply to the Slovakia, the U.S. and India, ment to more than 3,500 markets for Micromax’s Essar Steel aims to parti- vehicles, military and civil excellent track record by anical controlled rolling. company’s list of end-to-end and provides employment to people in the U.K. air-conditioners. The new AC range is priced between ₹21,000 and ₹35,000, the company said in a release. ICICI Bank’s bond sale India to get ‘fair share’ of BASF’s €3 bn. Asia outlay AstraZeneca expands footprint in Chennai to raise $500 million German chemicals group has invested about €300 million in manufacturing, R&D in the country CHENNAI AstraZeneca India Pvt. Ltd., PRESS TRUST OF INDIA lion global medium-term Special Correspondent Mr. Gandhi said. be growing at about 3.4% Chennai, to serve the fast has announced a new facility MUMBAI notes programme. Global CHENNAI “Asia is the biggest chemic- next year as per the com- growing automotive market in Chennai. The centre will Private sector lender ICICI rating agencies S&P and Germany-based global als market in the world at pany’s estimation and a main India. focus on expansion of IT and Bank hit the overseas debt Moody’s have rated the pro- chemicals major BASF will present with more than 50% jority of that growth is expec- non-IT services. With a market with a $500-million posed senior unsecured invest €3 billion (₹21,000 of the global chemicals de- ted to be from Asia. New plant capacity to accommodate dollar-denominated bond is- notes at ‘BBB-’ and Baa3, crore) between 2017-2021 in mand generated in the re- BASF operates in 17 coun- Mr. Gandhi inaugurated the more than 1,000 employees, sue and is expected to close respectively. the Asia Pacific Region to gion,” he said. tries in Asia at present, Mr. 47,000 sq. metre plant, it will support global the 5.5-year issue tonight. Assigning ‘BBB-’ rating to build newcapacities, a top Gandhi added. which will produce a full operations of the pharma company and strengthen skill “The benchmark issue the debt instrument, S&P company official said. Growth markets According to him, China range of catalyst solutions sets of the workers, the will be sold through the said the rating on the notes “India will get a fair share “Markets such as China, India and Taiwan accounted for al- including light duty, heavy company said. Key features Dubai International Finance reflects the long-term issuer of it [investment],” said San- and Vietnam are emerging most 50% of the Asian duty and motorcycle emis- of the centre are include an Centre branch of the bank, credit rating. The Baa3 rat- jeev Gandhi, member of the Sanjeev Gandhi very fast,” Mr. Gandhi told business. sions catalysts to meet the new innovation hub, smart and the lead-managers have ing to the proposed RegS Board of Executive Direct- the media. Meanwhile, BASF Catalysts growing demand for cus- meeting rooms, surface hub given a price guidance of notes issued under its $7.5 ors, BASF SE. “The “Over the past four years, The company’s target in India Pvt. Ltd. announced tomers’ technology needs. and a library. The new facility 1.55% over the U.S. treas- billion MTN programme will quantum of investment in BASF has invested around the mid-term and long-term that it had doubled produc- BASF SE, the German was inaugurated by Fiona ury,” merchant bankers have a maturity of 5.5 years India depends on how com- €300 million in manufactur- is to exceed the chemicals tion capacity of its mobile chemicals company, holds Cicconi, Executive Vice said. They said the issue is and will be listed on the petitive are the plans sub- ing and research and devel- market growth in Asia. The emissions catalysts unit at a90% stake in BASF Cata- President- HR, AstraZeneca.. part of ICICI Bank’s $7.5 bil- Singapore Stock Exchange. mitted by the Indian arm.” opment activities in India,” global chemicals market will Mahindra World City, near lysts India.

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 SPORT 15 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF Kumble irked by constant talk over playing surface India failed to adapt, and the team has moved on, says the coach

Shreedutta Chidananda close. So I don’t see a reason “We went far away from practise for one day, the abil- Bengaluru why we need to worry too the cricketing environment ity of a player decreases. Or There came a point in Anil much.” After the first Test for a day. It’s important be- if you practice for one extra Dwayne Smith Kumble’s press conference finished inside three days, cause we’ve been playing day, the ability increases. announces retirement here on Thursday when he India’s players took time off matches day-in and day-out There’s nothing like that. As BARBADOS would not hear any more to trek in the Western Ghats. for 10 months. Sometimes acoach it is tough to peek West Indies batsman Dwayne Smith, who made his last talk about the pitch. The break had been neces- results go your way, some- into someone’s head and see appearance for the national “Can we move on?” he sary, Kumble felt. times they don’t. It’s import- what he is thinking. side at the 2015 World Cup, snapped. “It’s only 22 yards; “When matches don’t go ant to keep the team-bond- “We just ensure that play- has announced his retirement it won’t be different here.” your way, it’s all the more im- ing going, and to keep their ers remain fresh so that they from international cricket After multiple questions portant that your minds are spirits high. do what their mind wishes, with immediate effect. on the playing surface, In- fresh,” he said. “It’s not like if we don’t in the middle.” He played in 105 One-Day dia’s head coach did not take Internationals and 33 T20Is, kindly to an observation on smashing a total of 2,142 runs the team’s performances on in the two formats. ANI turners. ‘Won’t abandon ive-bowler Guptill heroics won’t No reason to answer earn Test recall “These kinds of questions WELLINGTON were never asked during the strategy after one defeat’ New Zealand batsman Martin last nine Test matches. So I Guptill’s record-breaking don’t see a reason for me to Centre of attention: While the pitch has hogged the limelight, coach Anil Kumble says that he has Special correspondent the right combination to win a cessful over the last couple of performance in a one-day never lost sleep over its condition. G.P. SAMPATH KUMAR Bengaluru Test match. If we believe that years. In terms of the team international against South answer the question at this four bowlers are enough or composition, we still haven’t Africa is not enough to secure point in time because of one India will not reconsider its five bowlers are needed [then discussed that. All 16 are him a Test recall, Black Caps failure. We didn’t adapt well As a player, Kumble dwell on the loss in Pune. In- its use of the DRS, Kumble in- five-bowler-strategy merely we will do that]. Which five available. coach Mike Hesson said on and we lost. It’s a team fail- noted, he had never lost dia had failed to adapt, and sisted. “We keep talking because of the defeat in Pune, bowlers or which four bowl- Thursday, though he ure and you can’t point fin- sleep over the nature of the the team had moved on, he about it...and I don’t think Anil Kumble stated here on “It’s unfortunate that ers...all that depends on what acknowledged Guptill’s knock gers at anyone.” pitch. “There’s nothing like said. “You can’t keep win- we messed it up,” he said. Thursday. Karun missed out after he we want. Our aim is to win scored that triple hundred was “exceptional”. AFP Earlier, though, Kumble that (a pitch he didn’t want). ning every game. It has to India’s batsmen lasted less every game,” he said. (against England). That’s the had spoken pleasantly of the Yes, you look at the pitch and come to an end at some We did better than 75 overs across both in- Kumble was asked if Karun way the composition of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium then come up with a point. But 20 games (19- “If you looked at the two nings as Australia won the TV PICKS Nair could play the second team has been where we’ve producing a ‘result wicket’. strategy. That’s about it. game-unbeaten run) in the series since it was intro- first Test inside three days, Test, starting here on Sat- looked to play five bowlers but Kumble, the home team’s West Indies vs England: 1st “I have grown up playing “There was a lot of talk current scenario of Test duced, we did better than urday, in place of Ajinkya Ra- and you know it’s unfortu- head coach, was clear that a ODI, TEN 3 & TEN 1 HD, 6.45 on this ground. It’s generally during my playing career: cricket is quite challenging. the opposition, both against hane. nate...he came in as a replace- single result did not warrant p.m. been a good batting surface ‘He can bowl only on one That’s what this team has England and Bangladesh. “There’s absolutely no ment. It’s really nice to have any big changes. La Liga: Sony Six & Sony Six and I’m sure it’ll be a result particular pitch’. That didn’t been able to do across condi- “It’s too early to talk about question of dropping Ra- these kinds of choices. That’s HD, 1.30 a.m. (Saturday) wicket. That’s exactly what really bother me. Nor does it tions: Sri Lanka, India, West that. You can always feel in “I don’t think so. It all de- hane,” the 46-year-old said. the beauty about this group: NBA: Sony Six & Sony Six HD, we want in a Test match,” he bother me now.” Indies.” hindsight that you [erred] pends on what we believe is “He’s been extremely suc- whoever comes in does well.” 6.30 a.m. (Saturday) said. Kumble did not wish to India had not faltered in but those calls were really Pitch preparation — never interfere ‘India will come hard at us’ Kohli’s men have a good chance to come back if there is no tinkering Not reading too much into the wicket: Mitchell Marsh

starts working on the pitch much and Jadeja to destroy the Aussies on Shreedutta Chidananda group,” he said. “Although on my defence, playing with earlier. The friction stems from this as- rank bad turners. Bengaluru none of us have played here soft hands so that it takes the pect. The members don’t have sound When it comes to batting on crum- It will not have come as a sur- we want to continue our win- fielders around the bat out of knowledge about the local climate pat- bling pitches, Gavaskar, Viswanath, prise but as Australia’s play- ning ways at this ground. the game as much as pos- tern and refuse to cooperate with the Vengsarkar and Mohinder Amarnath, ers walked back from their Hopefully that’ll be the case sible. To be able to spend 80 local curators. in the past, have shown determination training session here on in six days’ time.” (sic) balls in the second in- FRANKLY SPEAKING It is true that pitch preparation has and correct technique. Gavaskar’s 96 Thursday, they were treated In the team as an all- nings on that wicket has makarand waingankar followed scientific methodologies. But, in the 1987 Test at Bangalore against to the sight of ground staff di- rounder, Marsh was not re- given me a lot of confidence the local curators of our country have Pakistan spinners was an object lesson ligently running a mower quired to bowl in the first to hopefully score a few runs Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh their thumb-rule theories. It may not to all. Similarly Alvin Kallicharran’s over the playing surface. Test in Pune, when Steve in this game.” Sidhu always says, “Pitches are like be entirely scientific, but the theories masterly 124 at the same venue in 1974- It is fair to say the tourists O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon The win in Pune was the wives – most unpredictable!” However, have sound basis nonetheless. 75 series was one of the finest innings. do not expect any grass on sent down nearly three-quar- 11th of Marsh’s 20-Test career. the crumbling pitch at Pune was de- Squabble arises when the BCCI com- In another instance, there was a the pitch when the second ters of Australia’s overs. “I It was also, the Western Aus- signed to be poor and hence unpre- mittee members refuse to accept the match between Mysore and Rajasthan Test begins at the M. Chin- didn’t need a rest afterwards, tralian felt, one of the dictable. India suffered a humiliating traditional process. played at Central College Ground, Ban- naswamy Stadium on Sat- that’s for sure,” he joked sweetest. “It’s probably one defeat against Australia and the only The chief curator of the BCCI and galore in 1966. Mysore batted first and urday. when asked how the team of the best victories. [I was] plausible cause for its downfall was the the West Zone curator were allegedly scored 397. Soon after, the pitch began “Looks like a reasonably spent the two free days. pretty emotional at the end over-confidence of the Indian team under immense pressure from the to show signs of wear and tear. good wicket,” said Mitchell Mitchell. G.P. SAMPATH KUMAR But with the bat, the 25- of the game. It was fantastic.” management. team management to prepare a turner. Prasanna and Chandrashekhar were Marsh, speaking to reporters. year-old made a mark, Marsh and Australia, The BCCI is trying to accommodate It is known that at certain venues, bowling in tandem and there was no “It looks pretty dry, there are that the venue had been kind demonstrating an improved though, fully expect that In- all and sundry who in turn, increase when the local curators defy the BCCI hope for Rajasthan after Durrani was afew cracks already. But we to his side. Of its five Test ease against spin in the dia will respond to that sting- the number of committees. By this, the pitch panel, it results in their dismissal dismissed try not to read too much into matches on this ground, Aus- second innings. ing defeat. “We know India is mess just seems to be multiplying. One from the post. This could be the But, the turning point of the match the actual wicket. Both teams tralia has won two and lost “I had quite hard hands aproud cricketing nation,” such panel is the Pitch & Grounds com- reason why one of the best pitches in was with the entry of Vijay Manjrekar. have to play on the same 22 one. when I first played on the he said. “This team will cer- mittee. For decades, it was the ground the country got such rating. An altern- The players who participated in that yards.” “Yeah, that’s something subcontinent,” Marsh admit- tainly come hard at us. We’re staff who prepared the pitches. ate probable solution could also be to match recall that it was fantastic Marsh was aware, though, we’ve spoken about as a ted. “I’ve been trying to work expecting a great fight.” Without any bookish knowledge, they forbid the team management from cricket between two spinners and made pitches that are conducive to interfering. Manjrekar. CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC cricket with experience. Vijay Manjrekar scored 175 (142m, Ramkumar moves up However, the formation of a separ- Main reason 22x4) that day and Rajasthan was all Tuk tuk express ate committee caused total mayhem. So, was the rank turner the main out for 458. He was at his attacking Sports Bureau Austin (US) 6-2, 6-3. The continuous interference in the reason for India’s humiliating loss at best. Prasanna and Chandrashekhar ORLANDO (USA) process by the newly-appointed mem- Pune? Definitely. The Indian team was bowled more than 50 overs each and $15,000 ITF men, Sharm El bers led to mess in organising Ranji not prepared to handle Australian got five for 162 and two for 165 respect- Ramkumar Ramanathan ad- Sheikh: Doubles (quarterfi- Trophy matches at neutral venues. spinners. They had no clue about play- ively in Rajasthan’s first innings. vanced to the singles second nals): Chandril Sood & Lakshit Alas, nothing changed. The hindrance ing spin bowling on a crumbling sur- The young cricketers are in a com- round and the doubles Sood bt Denys Klok (Ukr) & continued with pitch preparation. face. At times attack is the best defence fortable position playing cricket tour- semifinals in the $15,000 Rudolf Molleker (Ger) 6-4, 6-2. Now, what could be a possible solu- but not when the opposition bowlers naments of BCCI on covered pitches. ITF Futures here. $15,000 ITF women, Palman- tion for this sticky situation then? Of are at you all the time. Hence, they are thrown off-balance The results: ova, Spain: Singles (quarterfi- course, the obvious answer is disband- The visitors, on the other hand, when the conditions are not ideal. $15,000 ITF men, Orlando: nals): Yuki Kristina Chiang (US) ing the Pitch & Grounds committee. were better equipped in this regard. With heavy bats, batsmen struggle to Singles (first round): Ramku- bt Snehadevi Reddy 6-0, 6-2. The committee members reach the The Australians went through rigorous play on turning tracks. Aerial shots are mar Ramanathan bt Hunter $15,000 ITF women, Sharm El venue a few days prior to the match. training in Dubai and worked on all as- preferred. This indicates desperation Callahan (US) 6-1, 6-2. Sheikh: Doubles (quarterfi- This is of no use and is insufficient any- pects. But, after the glorious back-to- and lack of technique. With three Doubles (quarterfinals): nals): Estelle Cascino (Fra)& way. back victories against New Zealand more Tests to go, India still has a very Jaume Pla Malfeito (Esp) & Kyra Shroff bt Sofia Dmitrieva The local curator knows the climatic and England, the Indian team manage- good chance to turn the tables if the New passion: Former Australia skipper Michael Clarkegets Ramkumar Ramanathan bt &Anna Pribylova (Rus) 6-1, condition of the place very well and ment perhaps was relying on Ashwin pitches are not tinkered. acquainted with the nuances of driving an autorickshaw. Colin Al Tamirano & Gonzales 6-2. Tendulkar throws light Verdasco sends on his retirement Monils packing

Press Trust of India Agence France-Presse New Delhi Dubai Sachin Tendulkar has re- Gael Monfils fired down 10 vealed that the first thoughts aces but the fourth seed still of retiring from international crashed out 6-3, 7-5 to cricket came to his mind in Fernando Verdasco in the October 2013 during a Cham- quarterfinals of the Dubai pions League Twenty20 Championships on match here, just a month be- Thursday. The French show- fore he decided to call it man was unable to make a quits. major impression in a match Tendulkar has recently which was paused for al- joined professional network- Sachin Tendulkar. PTI most half an hour in the ing site ‘LinkedIn’ as an ‘In- closing stages due to light fluencer’, and in a write-up “Were these signs... signs rain. titled ‘My Second Innings’ that I should stop? Signs that The results: At Dubai: Dubai posted on Thursday, he the game that has been so Open: Quarterfinals: Fernando dear to me, would no longer Verdasco bt Gael Monfils 6-3, shared his experience. Fernando Verdasco. “It was October 2013 dur- be a part of my daily 7-5; Robin Haase bt Damir TOM DULAT/GETTY IMAGES ing one of the Champions routine?” the legendary Dzumhur 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Second League games in Delhi. My cricketer, who is also a Rajya round: Evgeny Donskoy bt Ro- Borna Coric 6-3, 2-6, 6-3; mornings would start with a Sabha MP, wrote. ger Federer 3-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(5); Yoshihito Nishioka bt Jordan gym workout, a routine I had Writing about the process Dzumhur bt Marcel Granollers Thompson 6-4, 3-6, 6-0; Ra- been following for 24 years. of making the retirement de- 6-3, 6-4. fael Nadal bt Paolo Lorenzi 6-1, Doubles: Pre-quarterfinals: But that morning in October, cision, he wrote, “Sunil 6-1. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez & Women: Mirjana Lucic-Baroni something had changed,” he Gavaskar, one of my heroes Leander Paes bt James Cer- bt Shelby Rogers 6-4, 6-4; wrote. and a former cricketer, once said that he made up his retani & Philipp Oswald 6-2, Pauline Parmentier bt Andrea 6-4. Petkovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1; Jelena Realisation mind to quit the game when At Acapulco: Mexican Open: Ostapenko bt Madison Brengle he found himself checking “I realised that I had to force Men: Second round: Novak 7-5, 6-4; Lesia Tsurenko bt Ju- the clock, to see how much myself to wake up and go Djokovic bt Juan Martin del Po- lia Goerges 6-1, 2-0 retd.; about my day. I knew that the time there was left for the tro 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; Nick Kyrgios Christina McHale bt Taylor gym training was a critical lunch and tea intervals. bt Donald Young 6-2, 6-4; Townsend 6-1, 7-6(5); Monica part of my cricket — some- “Suddenly I knew exactly Dominic Thiem bt Adrian Man- Puig bt Daniela Hantuchova thing that had been my life what he meant. My mind and narino 7-5, 6-3; Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-4; Kirsten Flipkens bt for 24 years. my body were telling me the bt David Goffin 6-2, 6-3; Steve Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5 retd.; “Yet, there was reluct- same thing. Maybe, it’s time Johnson bt Ernesto Escobedo Kristina Mladenovic bt Heather ance. Why? to hang up my boots.” PTI 7-6(5), 6-3; Marin Cilic bt Watson 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 7-5. CM ND-ND YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 16 SPORT FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

IN BRIEF Oh Dear claims main event Ajgar-Mustafa rule the roost HYDERABAD: Oh Dear (Deepak anan. Trainer: K. Satheesh. (Akshay Kumar) 3, Creator (Deep Singh up) won the Havoc Plate Shanker) 4. Shd, 2-1/4, 1. 1m HAVOC PLATE (D. I), (1,200m), (Div. I), the main event of the 12.20s. ₹52 (w), 12, 28, 6 (p), SHP: races held here on Thursday. 5 Cat. II, 5-y-o & over, rated 66 OH DEAR (Deepak Singh) 1, 80, FP: 1043, Q: 599, Tanala: The winner is trained by D. Netto to 90: Show great understanding right through to clinch maiden international title City Of Dreams (Mukesh Kumar) 3808. Favourite: Vancouver. Own- and owned by Mr. S. Pathy. 2, Italian Cypress (Akshay Kumar) ers: M/s. K.S.N. Murthy, B.S. Rayan Rozario OKAI OKAI OKAI PLATE (D. I), 3, Rubyonrails (Arshad Alam) 4. 1- Reddy, Gudur Narayan Reddy & Siliguri 1 (1,200m), Cat. II, Maiden 3-y-o 1/2, 1/2, 1/4. 1m 12.14s. ₹26 (w), 8, C.V. Krishna Rao. Trainer: K.S.V. only (Terms): ASHKA ASHKA 9, 19 (p), SHP: 32, FP: 134, Q: 78, Prasad Raju After traversing through the ASHKA Pelicans beat (Arshad Alam) 1, Rose Tanala: 1477. Favourite: Morning SERGEANT MAJOR PLATE (D. hills and the plains for over Petal (G. Naresh) 2, Inzaire (Ab- Miracle. Owner: Mr. S. Pathy. 10II), (1,400m), Cat. II, 5-y-o & Pistons 1,250km in five days, Ajgar hishek S. Pawar) 3, Royal Green Trainer: D.Netto over, rated 46 to 70: DANDY GIRL LOS ANGELES (Ajit Singh) 4. 1-1/2, 2, 3/4. 1m (Md. Ismail) 1, Aston Doulton (Md. Ali (Kolkata) and co-driver ₹ PLACERVILLE PLATE Anthony Davis reached the 14.19s. 16 (w), 7, 22, 12 (p), SHP: Sameeruddin) 2, Delta Force (An- Mohammed Mustafa (Erode) 74, FP: 267, Q: 167, Tanala: 1885. 6 (1,400m), Cat. III, 5-y-o & eel) 3, Azarenka (Arshad Alam) 4. ABRACOS (G. 7,000 point milestone as New Favourite: Ashka Ashka Ashka. over, rated upto 30: 5-3/4, 2-3/4, 1/2. 1m 25.16s. ₹46 emerged a clear winner over Naresh) 1, Rainbow Blues Orleans Pelicans defeated Owners: M/s. M. Ramachandra (w), 11, 18, 11 (p), SHP: 49, FP: 741, nearest rivals Deep Dutta (Praveen Gaddam) 2, Sir Legend Detroit Pistons 109-86. Rao & Pamulapati Srinivasa Rao. Q: 482, Tanala: 5077. Favourite: (P. Ajeeth Kumar) 3, Enter Canter (co-driver Prakash Trainer: R.H. Sequeira. Azarenka. Owners: Lt. Col. A.R. Other results: Rockets 122 bt (Gopal Singh) 4. 3, 2-1/2, 1. 1m Muthusamy) in the Biswa Raju & Mr. Subodh Kumar Clippers 103; Nets 109 bt OKAI OKAI OKAI PLATE (D. II), 28.56s. ₹10 (w), 6, 42, 17 (p), SHP: Ananthula. Trainer: Arjun Anne. Kings 100; Timberwolves 107 Bangla JK Tyre Himalayan 2 (1,200m), Cat. II, Maiden 3-y-o 153, FP: 489, Q: 322, Tanala: 3069. Drive 5 here on Thursday. only (Terms): LA ROMANCE Favourite: Abracos. Owner and RAMBO PLATE (1,400m), Cat. bt Jazz 80; Spurs 100 bt (Mukesh Kumar) 1, Univision Ajgar and Mustafa en- trainer: Mr. M.P. Ananta Vatsalya. 11III, 5-y-o & over rated 26 to 50: Pacers 99; Celtics 103 bt (Kiran Naidu) 2, Soaring Sensex LAVENDER (C.P. Bopanna) 1, RAZEEN PLATE Cavaliers 99; Nuggets 110 bt joyed the extra edge of a (Abhishek S. Pawar) 3, Golden (1,200m), Cat. Western Express (Arshad Alam) 2, strong lead in the national Hope (Akshay Kumar) 4. 4-1/2, 7 III, 4-y-o & over, rated 26 to Nelly (Akshay Kumar) 3, Sea Bucks 98; Wizards 105 bt KHAN SAHIB (Deep Shanker) 3/4, 1/2. 1m 13.58s. ₹1184 (w), 135, 50: Change (Deepak Singh) 4. Not Raptors 96; Hawks 100 bt class points table going into 1, Matica (Akshya Kumar) 2, 14, 16 (p), SHP: 45, FP: 7970, Q: run: Upon A Star. 3/4, 1, 1/2. 1m the final day. But the duo de- Beauty Flash (Praveen Gaddam) Mavericks 95; Heat 125 bt 3456, Tanala: 73810. Favourite: 27.88s. ₹15 (w), 7, 8, 15 (p), SHP: 3, Born To Do It (Md. Ismail) 4. 76ers 98; Knicks 101 bt Magic cided to stick to the basics. Golden Hope. Owner: Mr. Ashok 27, FP: 72, Q: 40, Tanala: 349. Fa- 1/2, 2-3/4, nk. 1m 12.51s. ₹277 (w), AFP Rupani. Trainer: Anupam vourite: Lavender. Owner: Mr. M. 90. They showed great under- 59, 12, 22 (p), SHP: 34, FP: 3117, Q: standing from the start (Hile Sharma. Narayanan. Trainer: K. Satheesh. Pele’s son 998, Tanala: 34878. Favourite: in Nepal) and reached here GREY GESTON PLATE War Cry. Owners: M/s. Mo- RIYAHI PLATE (1200 m), Cat. released 3 (1,200m), Cat. II, 4-y-o & over, hammed Rashed Ali Khan, Ar- III, 4-y-o & over, rated upto without having to nurse the BIG FLASH 12 RIO DE JANEIRO rated 40 to 70: shad Ali Khan Mohd, Aziz Ahmed 30: GOLDEN ADARA (Md. car right through the (Deepak Singh) 1, Awesome Ap- Brazilian football legend Khan & S. Mohan Raju. Trainer: Sameeruddin) 1, Invasion (Akshay journey. proach (Arshad Alam) 2, Miracle S.S.F. Hassan. Kumar) 2, Touch of Gold (N. Pele’s son was ordered King (Akshay Kumar) 3, Undu “There was nothing much Rawal) 3, Cash For Rank (Arvind released on Wednesday Undu Undu (P. Ajeeth Kumar) 4. HAVOC PLATE (D. II), ₹ Joshi) 4. 1/4, 2-1/2, 3/4. 1m 14.13 s. to do for us today. We had to 3-1/4, 1-3/4, 3-1/4. 1m 11.60s. 19 8 (1,200m), Cat. II, 5-y-o & over, ₹136 (w), 50, 11, 14 (p), SHP: 32, pending an appeal against his CITY OF WONDER just keep the car on the road (w), 7, 7, 7 (p), SHP: 19, FP: 60, Q: rated 66 to 90: FP: 1419, Q: 724, Tanala: 12348. conviction and 13-year (Mukesh Kumar) 1, Altruist (Ar- Ajgar Ali and Mohammed Mustafa cashed in on a strong lead to emerge on top. 25, Tanala: 97. Favourite: Miracle Favourite: Oh Pharaoh. Owners: sentence for laundering for the title,” said Mustafa. Super pair: King. Owner: Mr. Raoof Ali Khan. shad Alam) 2, Vallee Secrete (Ak- They were obviously Mr. Manish Jaiswal, Mrs. Candida drug-trafficking money. As his Trainer: D. Netto. shay Kumar) 3, Kimono (Aneel) 4. Tania Jaiswal & Mr. C.S. Suresh. Hd., 1-1/4, shd. 1m 12.09s. ₹22 (w), lawyers had lodged an thrilled to have clinched ferent countries, beautiful brilliant drive.I was always stage, the former Himalayan SERGEANT MAJOR PLATE (D. Trainer: Zoheb Shaikh. 8, 8, 10 (p), SHP: 25, FP: 78, Q: 34, their maiden international locations and lovely people confident of him. He also Drive champions promised I), (1,400m), Cat. II, 5-y-o & ₹ appeal, the judge permitted 4 Tanala: 172. Favourite: Altruist. Treble (i): 8999 (four tkts.), over, rated 46 to 70: POLL PROM- Edinho to remain free. AFP title. “We have driven to- and that set the winning does not complicate things.” to return next year. Owners: M/s. K. Thribhuvan (ii): 216 (174 tkts.), ISE (C.P. Bopanna) 1, Rebellion (iii): 10550 (five tkts.), gether for five years and mood for us,” he added. Ajgar was pretty pleased “We will be back and in an (Md. Sameeruddin) 2, Canberra Reddy & Chitturi Krishna Kan- have been successful in Mustafa said they were as well and credited the title even better shape to defend naiah. Trainer: M. Satyanarayana. (iv): 5783 (23 tkts.). (Akshay Kumar) 3, Rock Heights ₹ about 50 TSD events. But under some pressure after win to Mustafa’s clean work. our title,” said Ajgar. (Mukesh Kumar) 4. 4-1/4, 1-1/4, 1- FRIENDLY FIRE PLATE Consolation: 30%: 210 (440 ₹ tkts.); this was our first interna- taking the lead on the first “He did a great job right Ashish Budhia (co-driver 3/4. 1m 25.40s. 13 (w), 8, 49, 13 9 (1,200m), Cat. II, 3-y-o only (p), SHP: 197, FP: 854, Q: 450, (Terms): CELTIC QUEEN (Md. 70 %: 72052 (three tkts.). tional event. It was a totally day. “But we managed to through.” Having tasted suc- Arindam Ghosh) had to rest Tanala: 3658. Favourite: Poll Sameeruddin) 1, On The Fire (Ar- Jackpot: 30%: ₹3060 (76 tkts.); new experience. We saw dif- come clean thanks to Ajgar’s cess at the international content for the third place. Promise. Owner: Mr. M. Naray- shad Alam) 2, Southern Crown 70 %: 542733 (one tkt.).

CRICKET Women’s Knee injury lays The lamentable state of domestic cricket Kevin Durant low Brathwaite, Stokes cricket league OAKLAND (CALIFORNIA) Current generation of fans interested only in Indian Premier League Golden State Warriors’s Kevin planned Durant, who suffered a knee renew rivalry Vijay Lokapally sprain in the match against NEW DELHI: Trying to cash in Bhubaneswar Washington Wizards on NORTH SOUND (ANTIGUA): Car- While the Englishman on the popularity and pro- The entry to the DRIEMS Tuesday, will be out los Brathwaite and Ben has gone on to be named mote the game among wo- gate is marked by a standee indefinitely, the NBA said on Stokes face off on Friday for vice-captain of his team and men, the formation of a announcing the ongoing Vi- Wednesday, dealing a blow to the first time since the giant become the expensive for- Women’s Cricket League jay Hazare cricket tourna- the team’s bid for a third straight trip to the finals. West Indian clubbed four eign signing in the Indian was announced on ment.A premier limited- REUTERS successive sixes off the fiery Premier League, Brathwaite Thursday. overs tournament named Englishman to help win last has been struggling with Conceptualised on the after a premier batsman who Punjab beats Andhra, year’s World Twenty20. form. lines of the Australian Big once scored 116 and 145 in clinches title The two play against each The 28-year-old from Bar- Bash and Super League in the Adelaide Test against PATIALA other in the first of three bados has in 39 innings, England, WCL would be Don Bradman’s Australia in Punjab scored a 101-run win ODIs as West Indies and since the Kolkata final, formally launched on 1948. over Andhra in the Col C.K. England prepare for the scored just 423 runs at an March 8, coinciding with Hazare may not appeal Nayudu Trophy final here on Champions Trophy in June average of 12, with a solitary International Women’s much to this generation of Thursday thanks to left-arm with a brief series. half-century. REUTERS Day. cricket followers who have spinner Karan Kaila’s been bred on the limited i impressive spell of nine for DISINTERESTED? A lone spectator at the Ranji Trophy quarter nal match between Karnataka overs format. It was thus and Tamil Nadu at Visakhapatnam. C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM 80. Resuming at 31 for three, CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Andhra was all out for 151 in CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC\ NEW DELHI ROUND-UP \ hardly surprising when a 52 overs. student of this educational centres,” rued a star player. Wassan. There was also no “Interaction with players at The scores: Punjab 144 and institution wanted to know Well, his first few years were anti-corruption officer the end of the day and Madras pips Patiala Jagjit Singh 2, Shubhraman aleague match of the Radha 225 bt Andhra 117 and 151 in the significance of the Vijay spent playing at small standing as barricade cricket goodies as prizes Singh 2, Karanbir Singh, Mohan Rajinder Mohan 52 overs (M. Pranith 43, in a thriller Hazare tournament. centres only. between the players and through lottery can be a way Mehreet Singh) bt Acharya Bheema Rao 28, Karan Kaila Man of the Match V. Gold Vase 8-goal polo “Any IPL player here?,” Apacked venue for a do- their fans at the stadium. forward,” suggested a vet- Nagarjuna University, Guntur nine for 80). Veeratamizhan struck twice tournament at the Jaipur she asked innocently. “Only mestic match has been the eran cricket fan. 0. but it took a late strike from polo ground here on afew.” sole domain of the Holkar Good packaging The focus on going G. Saravana Kumar to help VBPS University, Jaunpur 3 Thursday. “Anyone bïg?” “None.” Stadium in Indore. “Citizens As Jagdale noted, “Today through domestic cricket at (Kamlesh 2, Brijendra Singh) bt Madras University, Chennai It was a shock submission by She walked away with dis- of Indore have genuine pas- there is too much of cricket hectic pace before the IPL is Barkatullah University, Bhopal register a narrow 5-4 win Sona Polo after it had beaten appointment evident on her sion to watch cricket and in one place (metro venues). an issue with the players. 2(Nikki Kaushal 2). against Punjabi University, 61st Cavalry 8-7 a day earlier face. This is the new cricket cricketers. We generally You have Tests, ODIs, T20s. “Look at the scheduling of Patiala for its second Pool B: MG Kashi Vidyapeeth, in the tournament. fan. Not interested in cricket have decent turn out at do- People get tired if there is matches, the hectic travel, consecutive victory in the varanasi 14 (Dharambir Yadav The results (league): other than the IPL. mestic matches and roaring too much of something. In no time for recovering from 24th Nehru inter-university 4, Govind Singh Rawat 3, Md. Domestic cricket in India response for the big interna- Indore, we have cricket cul- injuries. The fatigue factor Salman Khan 2, Md. Faiz Rajnigandha Achievers 8 hockey tournament on is an antithesis on an ODI or tional matches,” said former ture and also coordinate does not concern the admin- Sarwar 2, Sumit Kumar, Abhay (Matthew Perry 6, Siddhant Thursday. Sharma, Padmanabh Singh) bt an IPL match. Even the do- National selector Sanjay with local media to create istrators. Why should I pun- Kumar, Anaj Singh) bt SGB Madras raced to a strong 4-0 mestic T20 matches are University, Amravati 1 (Wasim Sona Polo 3 (Samir Suhag 2, Jagdale. awareness. We also have vo- ish my body when the Abhimanyu Pathak). played in front of near- lead in the Pool B by half Sohail). Speaking of small centres lunteers who work tirelessly cricket is not appealing? Plus time but complacency saw Drakon 9 (Salim Azmi 4, empty venues. “It hurts,” and cricket in earlier times, even for a domestic match. there is none to watch,” Madras University, Chennai 5 Mushfiqur not to keep Patiala fight back, slamming Basheer Ali 3, Baljinder said a regular on the circuit. when spectators would We give importance to fans lamented a journeyman (V. Veeratamizhan 2, J. Joshua wickets against Sri Lanka in three goals in 10 minutes Dhillon, Rehat Virk) bt Navy throng the venues, one is re- and provide them a good cricketer. Benedict, V. Surender, G. DHAKA to narrow the gap. Cavalier/RVC 3 1/2 (Vijay Singh Avoiding smaller centres Saravana Kumar) bt Punjabi minded of the rousing recep- package — good pitches and Not just spectators. Even Bangladesh captain Saravana's 67th minute 2, AP Singh, handicap 1/2). It has been a downtrend for tion at the Bhilwara Station outfield. We offer the same National selectors have Mushfiqur Rahim will play University, Patiala 4 (Ranjit strike helped the leader Jindal Panther 12 (Miguel domestic cricket for some- to receive the North Zone facilities for domestic and in- skipped this leg of the tour- the upcoming two Test series Singh 2, Paramjeet Singh, breathe easy and even time now unless the games team for the Duleep Trophy ternational engagements.” nament. On the other hand, against Sri Lanka as a Bishan Singh). Saravia 5, Simran Shergill 5, though Ranjit Singh got one Arif Khan, Raghav Rao) bt travel to small centres where tournament. Access to international the players are preserving specialist batsman and has to Perry propels Rajnigandha back a minute later, there Haryana Polo 3 (Uday Kalaan 2, the crowds turn out in a big More than 1000 fans cricket on television has also their energy and best for the give up his position as the to victory designated wicketkeeper, was little time for it to get Angad Kalaan). way. But big players avoid greeted the North Zone team kept the fans away from do- IPL starting next month. Do- informed manager Khaled the equaliser. Matthew Perry struck six Sona Polo 8 (Samir Suhag 6, travelling to such centres for which had, among others, mestic competitions. The ad- mestic cricket holds little in- Mahmud. Liton Das will don The results: goals in powering Abhimanyu Pathak 2) bt 61st want of decent playing con- Ajay Sharma, Vikram ministrators would have to terest for them since a per- the big gloves in the first Test Pool A: GND University, Rajnigandha Achievers to an Cavalry 7 (Ravi Rathore 5, ditions. “Accommodation is Rathour, Vijay Yadav, introduce innovative attrac- formance here is unlikely to beginning next Tuesday. ANI Amritsar 10 (Harsahib Singh 4, 8-3 victory over Sona Polo in Navjit Sandhu, Akhil Sirohi). the main issue at small Bhupinder Singh and Atul tions for the domestic fans. appeal to the selectors.

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

FAITH THE HINDU CROSSWORD 11945 (set by Scintillator) SUDOKU

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 couple getting tense (8) 6 An advertisement that's not 13 Every other journo in ours is restricted but keen (8) Fire — seen and heard inexperienced (6) The Chandogya Upanishad talks of five deities, Aditya, 9 10 15 Superstar emerging from Haiti 7 Wonderful to ind two minute Chandra, Agni, Parjanya and Akasa, as the door keepers of condominium (4) hands? (5) 11 the world of Brahman. The Upanishad then goes on to talk 16 Hear and defend ill-treated of meditation of Brahman as gastric fire. The Upanishad says 12 13 liberal (4-6) 8 Colour of biblical vessel about that the light of this fire is the same as the light that shines 19 Benevolent old man to be covered by theologist 14 above the highest worlds, explained M.K. Srinivasan in a dis- vanquished Satan with edged (4,3) course. 15 16 17 article (5,5) The gastric fire is said to be ‘antarjyotih.’ That means that 20 Rip-off causing some laptops 11 Fiery republican's mistaken 18 this gastric fire is the body of the Supreme Brahman. to be returned (4) belief overwhelming (7) The word ‘antarjyotih’ is also used by Vedanta Desika in 19 20 21 23 Fold leg from backside, mate his Bhagavad Dhyana Sopana, where he describes Lord Ran- (3,3) 14 Kicked out from big league 22 ganatha of Srirangam. Desika says the Lord is daivatam 25 Novice recruited by CEO to wrestling is a German cheat daivatAnAm — the God of all gods, the only One who can 23 24 25 stumble helplessly (8) (7) grant moksha. 27 Overall, advanced 26 In the Bhagavad Gita, the Supreme One is said to be of the degeneration of tiny parts of 17 Declining standard of college 27 28 form of VaisvAnara agni. lungs (8) in New York after 70s, say (9) Chandogya Upanishad also talks of how this gastric fire 28 Select jail, for auditors, could can be perceived. It can be felt by experiencing the heat of be a timepass (6) 18 Birds on a peepul tree harm us 29 30 the body, which is felt by touch. It can also be perceived as 29 Soldier's employer is an (8) the internal sound one hears when the ears are closed, the attentive person — nut before Solution to puzzle 11944 Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku rumbling in the ears. This rumbling is the sound of that (8) 19 Divided and worried after Agni. So this Jyoti is drishtatva and srutatva — that is, it 30 They produced neon and ninth month (7) D I P S O M A N I A C I ACROSS S I H C L D R M should be meditated upon as seen and heard. acetylene (6) 1 Impressive gold dust, with less 21 Holy men's claim to fame, I'm L O T T O L A V A L I E R E The Supreme One is known through meditation. This density for good (6) I I T S O E E A K DOWN clear, is fake (7) P R O S P E C T O R A M M O Paramatman, who has all auspicious qualities, resides in the 4 I have a partner that's unsound 1 American priest's founding of U H K L S N heart. (8) ideology from irst principles P O D I A V I E T C O N G He is smaller than the smallest grain of rice; smaller than 22 Dramatic lover putting India I T W D 9 Troublemaker meets end (1,6) ahead? (6) S E S T E R C E I R A T E amustard seed. Yet He is greater than all the worlds. He as- mostly near port (6) 2 Two thongs cast off in deserted A C H T T S sumes a small proportion in order to reside in our hearts, 10 Doctor nicely cured a round area (5,4) I R O N M A N U S C R I P T 24 Refreshing piece of prose (5) G V M O N H S A and this is to facilitate our meditation on Him. He who be- igure (8) 3 Sluggish general imprisoned by O V E R E A T E N I N L E T lieves firmly that he will reach Sri Vaikuntha when he de- 12 Child in multiple birth secret agent (6) 26 Ganja never attracts a N R G I E N E E parts from this world shall definitely reach the abode of the developing temperature — 5 Mom's calling for sauce (4) calamitous woman (4) S E A R C H L I G H T Supreme One.

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 SPORT 17 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF Sheikh slips early in skeet inal Asian athletics: Jharkhand opts out Riccardo Filippelli beats Gabriele Rossetti for gold; Paul Adams takes bronze Odisha could be the next option Kamesh Srinivasan but a round of 21 in the NEW DELHI second on Wednesday, had Stan Rayan president. taken the punch away from KOCHI Bale cries foul Sheeraz Sheikh stumbled out “It is not an issue of or- of the men’s skeet final early his challenge. Jharkhand has officially de- ganising or not organising over red card owing to lack of experience Overall, it was a very en- clined to host the 22nd the championship, the issue MADRID in the World Cup at the Dr. couraging fare from the host Asian Athletics Champion- is how much time was Gareth Bale (left) complained Karni Singh Range, Tugh- which placed fifth in the ship which was scheduled to wasted. They have not given he had been harshly treated lakabad, on Thursday. medals table with a gold, two be held in Ranchi from June any reason for declining to after the first red card of his Competing in his maiden silver and two bronze 1to4. host the championship. Real Madrid career cost the final in a World Cup, his fifth medals, from among 19 Madhu Kant Pathak, the “It is not only a big blow European champion in a in all after the four last year, countries that won medals. president of the Jharkhand for Jharkhand but also for thrilling 3-3 draw at home to and understandably nervous Athletics Association ( JAA), India. It was supposed to be Las Palmas on Wednesday. “I The Hindu don’t believe that it was in front of the packed gather- China reigns supreme confirmed this to one of the most high-profile deserving of a red card. I was ing, the 28-year-old Sheeraz China topped with six gold on Thursday. events that Jharkhand had shown the yellow for the missed early birds to finish and six silver medals, and “Yesterday, I got a letter ever hosted.” foul, I was then pushed and I sixth, with a total of 16 out of was followed by Italy with from Jharkhand’s Director- Odisha is now a front-run- just pushed him back. I want 20. two gold and three silver and Sports that they are not doner to host the champion- to apologise to the team and The European champion Australia with two gold and a ing the event. I have con- ship, at the Kalinga Stadium the fans.” AFP Riccardo Filippelli of Italy bronze. Japan also finished veyed this to the Athletics in Bhubaneswar. An AFI beat compatriot Gabriele ahead of India with two gold Federation of India,” said team was in the Odisha cap- Indian women Rossetti, the reigning Smiles all around: Gabriele Rossetti, Riccardo Filippelli and Paul Adams, who won the silver, and a bronze. Pathak. ital on Thursday to inspect outclass Belarus Olympic champion and gold and bronze medals. KAMESH SRINIVASAN Thailand and the US were In a desperate bid to save the venue. BHOPAL World junior champion 57-53 the situation, and have the “The Odisha Government Adams. Earlier, two-time Jesper Hansen of Denmark. the other two countries that Indian women defeated in the 60-shot final, for the SHOOTING WC championship in Ranchi it- is very interested, only thing Asian champion Sai Bin Fut- In the shoot-off, to decide managed to win at least a Belarus 5-1 in the first hockey gold. gold, from among 50 coun- self, the AFI president Adille we don’t have sufficient ‘Test’ here on Thursday. Paul Adams, who had tais of the UAE had settled tion process. Resuming at 72 the last two berths from Sumariwalla has sought an time,” said a senior AFI offi- for the fifth place after hav- among the three, Sheeraz tries that competed in the India opened the scoring in topped the qualification out of 75, Sheeraz shot 25 World Cup. urgent appointment with cial. the 11th minute through a ing been tied with Paul and 24, to equal his best of shot both the birds, while chart with 123 out of 125 The results: Men: Skeet: 1. Ric- the Jharkhand Chief “We have a lot of work in penalty corner and followed Adams on 27, owing to his in- 121, which he had shot in the Hansen missed one. Laitinen along with Rossetti, was cardo Filippelli (Ita) 57 (WR) Minister. Bhubaneswar, the stadium it up with Navjot Kaur’s field lucky to squeeze his way ferior qualification rank. last Asian Shotgun champi- smashed both to make the “Our president has sent a is under renovation, the goal. Punam Barla made it cut along with Sheeraz. 122; 2. Gabriele Rossetti (Ita) 53 through for the bronze. Tino It was a commendable onship. (123); 3. Paul Adams (Aus) 45 letter that he wants to meet track is being relaid but they 3-0 in the 29th minute. Laitinen of Finland had to performance to make the fi- There were many ahead Sheeraz had a dip early in the CM at the earliest. We are doing everything on a However, Sviatlana (123); 6. Sheeraz Sheikh 16 shoot one of the last two nal for Sheeraz, who was of him after four rounds, but the final and thus could not have submitted this to the war footing. Bahushevich reduced the (121)2; 13. Mairaj Ahmad Khan margin in the 37th minute. In birds to ensure a medal backed by coach Ennio Falco in the overall shuffle that sustain his challenge for 119; 32. Angad Vir Singh Bajwa CM’s office and once he gets “But we are also trying the fourth quarter, Indian ahead of the Aussie, but to make the team in place of happened after the last long. Olympian Mairaj 116. MQS: Arjun Singh Mann a confirmation about the Jharkhand, we are trying women found the net missed both in the fifth sta- Amrinder Cheema who had round, Sheeraz was tied on Ahmad Khan had two per- 110; Amrinder Singh Cheema date and time, he will come our best to have it there through penalty cornersby tion, to revive the fortunes of stood second in the qualifica- 121 with Timo Laitinen and fect rounds in the morning 110. down here,” said the JAA itself.” Deep Grace Ekka (57th) and Gurjit Kaur (60th minutes). PTI Judge recuses himself Vishnu Vardhan in semiinals MSN on target as Barca routs Sporting Gijon from Sreesanth case REUTERS KOCHI Sports Bureau Doubles: Semifinals: Sanam nals: Fatma Al Nabhani (Oma) bt 3 (Tana 10, Viera 56-pen, MADRID A single judge of the Kerala Guwahati Singh & Vijay Sundar Prashanth Sai Samhitha 4-6, 7-5, 6-2; Ma- Boateng 59); Osasuna 1 High Court on Thursday Second seed Vishnu Vardhan bt Alexander Centenari (USA) & hak Jain bt Bhuvana Kalva 5-7, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez (Roberto Torres 64-pen) lost to recused himself from hearing was stretched by Vijay Sami Reinwein (Ger) 6-4, 6-2. 6-3, 6-4; Lulu Radovcic (Sui) bt and Neymar each scored as Villarreal 4 (Soriano 2, Soldado a writ petition filed by Sundar Prashanth before Quarterfinals: Sriram Balaji & Natasha Palha 6-3, 6-0; Zeel champion Barcelona 27-pen, Santos Borre 74, 79); cricketer S. Sreesanth seeking posting a 6-3, 6-7(9), 6-4 vic- Vishnu Vardhan bt Mateusz Ter- Desai bt Riya Bhatia 6-4, 6-3. thrashed basement club Granada 2 (Wakaso 38, Cuenca a directive to the Board of tory in the quarterfinals of czynski (Pol) & Jose Fco. Vidal Doubles: Semifinals: Natasha Sporting Gijon 6-1 on Wed- 53) bt Alaves 1 (Camarasa 57); Control for Cricket in India to the $15,000 ITF men’s Fu- Azorin (Esp) 7-6(5), 6-1; Vijay Palha & Rishika Sunkara bt Alex- nesday to go provisionally Celta Vigo 2 (Aspas 21, Wass lift the life ban imposed on tures tennis tournament on Sundar Prashanth & Sanam bt andra Walters (Aus) & Shivika top of La Liga and banish 30) drew with Espanyol 2 (Ger- him after the 2013 IPL spot- Thursday. Pirmin Haenle (Ger) & Shane Burman 4-6, 6-2, [10-5]; Riya any lingering doubts about ard 28, Piatti 32). fixing scandal. Vinsant (USA) 7-5, 6-2. Bhatia & Shweta Rana bt Prerna its recent stuttering form. Italian Cup: (semifinal, first- Justice Shaji P. Chaly passed The results: Bhambri & Nidhi Chilumula 6-3, leg): Lazio 2 (Milinkovic-Savic the recusal order as he was Singles: Quarterfinals: Shane The results: Zeel advances 7-5. 29, Immobile 78) bt Roma 0. among the panel of lawyers Vinsant (USA) bt Jose Fco-Vidal La Liga: Barcelona 6 (Messi 9, Zeel Desai defeted second appearing for the Kerala Azorin (Esp) 6-4, 6-2; Sami Re- Quarterfinals: Natasha & Juan Rodriguez 11-og, Suarez German Cup: (quarterfinals): Cricket Association before his inwein (Ger) bt Sanam Singh seed Riya Bhatia 6-4, 6-3 in Rishika bt Sai Samhitha & Amrita 27, Alcacer 49, Neymar 66, Bayern Munich 3 (Lewandowski appointment as a High Court 6-1, 6-2; Sasi Kumar Mukund bt the quarterfinals of the ITF Mukherjee 6-0, 6-3; Prerna & Rakitic 87) bt Sporting Gijon 1 3, 29, Thiago 16) bt Schalke 04 judge. The petition will now Sidharth Rawat 6-3, 6-4; Vishnu women’s tennis tournament Nidhi bt Rushmi Chakravarthi & (Carlos Castro 21); Real Madrid 0; Hamburg 1 (Wood 90+2) lost come up before another Vardhan bt Vijay Sundar Prash- in Gwalior on Thursday. Eetee Maheta 7-6(4), 4-6, 3 (Isco 8, Cristiano Ronaldo 86- to Borussia Monchengladbach 2 Opening salvo: Lionel Messi heads his team’s irst goal against single judge. K.C. GOPAKUMAR anth 6-3, 6-7(9), 6-4. The results: Singles: Quarterfi- [10-6]. pen, 89) drew with Las Palmas (Stindl 53-pen, Raffael 61-pen). Sporting Gijon REUTERS

CM ND-ND YK NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 18 FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

CM ND-ND YK