DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021, KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 12 PAGES SINCE 1932 `5.00/EX-KOLKATA `6.00(`12INNORTHEAST STATES &ANDAMAN)WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM Modi, Putin discuss HELDBYMAHARASHTRAPOLICEAFTERSENAFIRs Afghanistan; India UnionMinisterRane flags terrorconcern heldoverremarkson at BRICS, UNHRC Uddhav,grantedbail SHUBHAJITROY THE WORLD NEWDELHI,AUGUST24 Says would have “slapped” CM; clashesbetween BJPand AWEEK intothe evacuation of morethan800 people from Sena workers; BJP calls arrest againstconstitutional norms Afghanistan—mostlyIndiansand some Afghans —New Delhi on Tuesday stepped up diplomatic JAYPRAKASHSNAIDU engagement withkey countries &VISHWASWAGHMODE withstakesinthe region. BIDEN TO STICK TO MUMBAI,AUGUST24 Underlining concerns about AUG 31 DEADLINE Pakistan-based terroristgroups, UNION MINISTER and BJP Rajya India extendedits hand to deal CIADIRECTORMET Sabha member NarayanRane withthe humanitarian situation BARADAR: REPORT wasarrestedTuesdayby in Afghanistan, and also called Maharashtra Policefor threaten- upon the Taliban —without DANISH LEFT BEHIND ing to “slap” Chief Minister mentioningorcriticising them ‘INCHAOS’,KILLED UddhavThackeray.Hewas re- —toensureaninclusive gover- PAGE 10 leasedonbailinMahad in nance structureinthe country. Raigad,nearly ninehoursafter Aday afterhediscussedthe his arrest,but district officials situation in Afghanistanwith ior officials to remain in touch, said therewerefourother FIRs Policetry to control aclashbetween Sena, BJP supporters German Chancellor Angela the MEA said. againsthim in the state. over the case againstRane, in MumbaiTuesday. ANI Merkel, Prime Minister Later in the day, National The BJP ralliedbehind Rane, NarendraModi spoketoRussia’s Security Advisor Ajit Doval claiming that while it did not President VladimirPutin on chairedameeting of the NSAs agree with his remarks,his ar- Tuesday. Thetwo leaders of the BRICS (Brazil-Russia- rest wasinviolation of constitu- Battle lines sharpen “agreedtoformapermanent bi- India-China-SouthAfrica) tional procedures. lateral channel forconsultations” countries, whereIndia “raised Speaking to reporters ahead of key civic body on this issue, theRussian govern- the issue of cross-border terror- Monday evening in Mahad in ment said in astatement. ism and activities of groups Kawsar Qazizada (left) with her elder sisterDewaatMinneapolis airport, US, Monday.The Raigad,Ranehad said: “Itis “They expressed intentionto suchasthe Lashkar-e-Toiba and familyapart from Kawsar had gone to Afghanistan amonthago,and got stuckthere. AP shameful that the Chief Minister polls early next year enhance cooperation on coun- Jaish-e-Mohammedwhichen- doesnot knowthe year of tering the dissemination of the joyState supportand threaten Independence. He leanedbackto Corporation. terroristideology and the drug peaceand security”. enquireabout the countofyears VISHWASWAGHMODE TheRane-Sena showdown threatemanating from the terri- The meeting of the “High In hiding overseas, head of Afghanistan’s of independence during his &SHUBHANGIKHAPRE and his arrest Tuesdayhave tory of Afghanistan,” the Russian RepresentativesResponsiblefor speech.Had Ibeen there, Iwould MUMBAI,AUGUST24 raisedthe stakes, withthe Sena statement said. National Security” —attendedby poll panelrues:20years of progress lost have given(him) atightslap.” claiming that Rane’s utterances Thetwo sides notedthe “im- Russia’s General Nikolai Rane’s remarks ledtoaspate WHEN THE BJP asked Union againstChief MinisterUddhav portance of coordinated efforts” Patrushevand China’s Yang In Beirut for role in conducting elections in of protests across Maharashtra. MinisterNarayan Rane to tour Thackeray have galvanisedits forthe establishment of peace Jiechi among others —“reviewed RITIKACHOPRA ameetsince the country, alleight Election In Mumbai, the Yuva Sena, the Mumbai, itssatellite cadres, and the BJP and stability in Afghanistan, en- the regional and global political NEWDELHI,AUGUST24 Aug8, Commissioners changed their Sena’s youth wing ledbyAaditya cities and areas of the maintainingthat Sena suring security in the region as a and security scenariowithpar- Nooristani travel plans and flewtoanother Thackeray,was at the forefront of Konkan region, it was vandalism on the streets whole,itsaid. ticular reference to current de- WHEN HAWA Alam Nooristani waswarned countryinstead. protests. Amey Ghole, ShivSena the start of amission to is onlygoing to work to The MinistryofExternal velopmentsinAfghanistan”, (56) leftKabul on August8toat- nottoreturn Among these officials now corporatorand Yuva Sena treas- preparethe ground for itsadvantage. EXPLAINED E● Affairs said the leaders discussed amongother issues. tend aconference in Beirut, she strandedabroad is Nooristani, urer,put up banners in Dadar civicbody elections due While the street bat- the “unfoldingsituation in Theyalso discussedIran, had no inkling of what layahead. the firstwoman to headthe area with Rane’s photograph ti- next Februaryand to take the tles across the stateshowedthat Afghanistanand itsimplications West Asia, and the Gulf,and Aweek later,onAugust15, as Taliban’s rapid advance on IndependentElection Comm- tled“Kombdi Chor” (a derogatory battle to ShivSena strongholds, the Sena could still mobilise, it forthe region and the world”. emerging threatstonationalse- Nooristani and her colleagues Afghanistan’s capital. Returning ission (IEC) of Afghanistan, and reference to the poultrybusiness including the Sena-controlled wasclearthatthe party heading Theyagreeditwas important for curity,suchascyber security. waited in transit at Dubai airport home wasnolongersafe, she who signedoff on Ashraf Ghani’s CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Brihanmumbai Municipal CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 the strategic partners to work to- Other items on the agenda were to boardthe flight backtoKabul, wastold. victoryinthe presidential gether,and instructedtheir sen- CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 her familyinformedher of the Fearing retribution fortheir CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 MF-like trusts key financingtool BUSINESSASUSUAL Fresh tremors in Punjab Cong, ministers hold in mega asset monetisation push BY UNNY meeting, claim 34 MLAs want Amarinder out including ports,airports,ship- SUNNYVERMA ping, telecom, warehousing, KANCHANVASDEV NEWDELHI,AUGUST24 mining, and gas&petroleum CHANDIGARH,AUGUST24 productpipelines. INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT “The firsttranche of NHAI JUSTOVER amonth afterthe Trusts (InvIT) will be akey fi- InvIT transaction is expected to Congress high command made nancing mechanism as the gov- be completedbyQ2/Q3 of NavjotSingh Sidhuthe Punjab ernment kick-starts itsambi- FY2022 subject to market condi- chief toutingitasaformula to tious plan to monetise tionsand stabilisation of toll rev- keep the peace in the stateunit, brownfield assets,with a enuesinwakeofCovid,” says the afresh revolt is in the works. Rs 5,000 croreNational NITI Aayog’s National Mone- Thirty-four Congress MLAs, of Highways Authority of India tisation Pipeline (NMP) FY’22- THE EDITORIAL PAGE the party’s 80, held ameeting Afterthe meeting, the MLAs (NHAI) InvIT issue expected to 25. “(This) issue is envisaged to along with other party leaders calledonSidhu. Express setthe ball rolling. be privately placed, withindica- MANAGING hereTuesday, following which InvITsfor railways andpower tive value fund raise at about Rs at leastfour ministers claimeda sectorassets arebeing planned CROWNJEWELS ARE 5,000 crore.” THEPLAN demand had been raisedtore- Singh Randhawaand Sukhbinder Baghel and Singh Deowith Punia aftertheir meeting at as well —evenasaPublic Private BEING SOLD TO A The firsttranche of the NHAI SUCCESSOFMONETISATION place Chief MinisterAmarinder Singh Sarkaria would be partof Rahul Gandhi’s residence on Tuesday. Prem Nath Pandey Partnership (PPP)-basedtem- SELECT FEW: RAHUL InvIT is expected to include 586 TODEPENDONCAPACITY, Singh, adding theyhad "lostcon- the delegation.Randhawa and platehas also been preparedto PAGE 5 km of road assets in Rajasthan, MONITORING PAGE6 fidence in him". Sarkaria were also present at monetise assets across sectors CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Sidhu and the four working Tuesday’s meeting. Baghel, SinghDeo thrash it presidentsappointed with him Hours later,the CMO re- stayed away from the meeting, leasedastatement saying “seven held at CabinetministerTript of the 20-odd Punjab Congress outatmeeting with Rahul, ‘Raped’ by BSP MP, woman who set herself RajinderSingh Bajwa’s official MLAs andex-MLAs” present at residence. However, later,some the meeting had distanced no call on CM rotation yet of the MLAs present at the meet- themselvesfromclaims of a“fes- on fire dies; familysays was beingharassed ing went andmet Sidhu at the tering revolt” and vowedsup- balance of the party’s five-year Congress headquarters. porttoAmarinder —including, EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE tenureinthe state. man, a27-year-old Delhi againstBSP MP Atul Rai, and al- severe burninjuries and treat- Another ministerpresent at it said, MLAs Kuldeep Vaid, NEWDELHI,AUGUST24 Partysources said splitting JIGNASASINHA University graduate, had died leged that senior IPS officers and ment wasdifficult. Theysuffered the meeting, CharanjeetSingh Dalvir Singh Goldy,Santokh the five-year tenurewas dis- &MANISHSAHU during treatment on Saturday. ajudgefromUttar Pradesh were organfailure.” Channi, said six of them, includ- Singh Bhalaipur,Angad Singh, STEPPINGINTOresolve the cussedbetween Rahul Gandhi, NEWDELHI,LUCKNOW, The woman, astudent