Hizb Ambush in J&K Leaves Three Soldiers, Civilian Dead

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Printed at . Chennai . Coimbatore . Bengaluru . Hyderabad . Madurai . Noida . Visakhapatnam . Thiruvananthapuram . Kochi . Vijayawada . Mangaluru . Tiruchirapalli . Kolkata . Hubballi . Mohali . Allahabad . Malappuram . Mumbai NEARBY Hizb ambush in J&K leaves BJP sweeps Maharashtra, three soldiers, civilian dead trails Sena in Mumbai Boost for Fadnavis as party wins 8 out of 10 municipalities Abhay Chautala arrested for violating orders Lt. Colonel, Major among 5 injured as militants attack Army convoy in Shopian Alok Deshpande CHANDIGARH Mumbai Punjab police on Thursday Peerzada Ashiq The Bharatiya Janata Party arrested Indian National Srinagar (BJP) continued its political Lok Dal (INLD) leaders Three soldiers were killed dominance in Maharashtra including Leader of and five others, including a with resounding electoral opposition in Haryana Lieutenant Colonel and a victories in key municipalit- Assembly Abhay Chautala Major, were injured when ies and zilla parishads across for violating prohibitory militants ambushed an Army the State. It won eight of the orders. convoy in Shopian early on 10 municipal elections that NORTH Ī PAGE 2 Thursday. One woman was were held on February 21. Modi lights into Akhilesh also killed in the crossfire. The Shiv Sena, its erstwhile for ‘donkey’ barb A Srinagar-based police ally, won in Mumbai and Bahraich (U.P.) spokesman told The Hindu Thane. Prime Minister Narendra that a joint search team of In the Brihanmumbai Mu- Modi on Thursday said he army and police was at- nicipal Corporation (BMC), was amused that Uttar tacked by militants at Mulu it was a close call, with the Pradesh Chief Minister Chitragam, Shopian, 60 km Sena winning 84 out of the Akhilesh Yadav was south of Srinagar, at 2:25 227 seats and the BJP 82. In “afraid” of the donkeys of a.m. Thane, the Sena won 67 of Gujarat. The militants fired at the the 131 seats, while the BJP NEWS Ī PAGE 11 Army patrol for an hour un- won only 23, fewer than the rashtra Navnirman Sena party will now work towards der cover of darkness. Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist (MNS) had won in the 2012 delivering the promises it Kashmir law student Congress Party (NCP), which elections, the BJP won 67 of had made in the campaign. goes missing Search operation bagged 34 seats. the 122 seats. The MNS was The people have accepted Srinagar The personnel of the 44 In eight other municipal decimated, with five seats. Prime Minister Narendra A Kashmir University law Rashtriya Rifles were return- zones, the BJP swept the Modi’s demonetisation student has gone missing ing from a search and cor- At loss:Villagers attend the funeral of a woman who was killed in the crossire at Mulu elections, giving Chief Minis- ‘We’re more powerful’ wholeheartedly. The trans- days after participating in don operation at Kungnoo Chitragam, 60 km south of Srinagar, on Thursday. NISSAR AHMAD ter Devendra Fadnavis a ma- “This victory has made us parency agenda has also re- an anti-government protest village when the militants jorimageboostaswellasan more powerful in Maha- ceived tremendous support over civilian killings in the opened fire. Naik Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din sues. The unending cycle of number of security person- upper hand against the rashtra,” Mr. Fadnavis said at from the people.” Kulgam encounter on The police said the wo- Rather of Bijbehara, Sapper violence has brought untold nel killed in Kashmir in just a Sena, a party that is a part of a press conference. “Our “I thank my Marathi February 15. man, identified as Taja, “was Sreejith M.J. of Palakkad in miseries to the people and fortnight has gone up to the government. For the mu- politics consists of trust and brothers and sisters for their NATION Ī PAGE 6 hit by a stray bullet inside Kerala and Sepoy Vikas collective efforts are needed nine. Nineteen militants nicipal elections, the Sena transparency. This result is a overwhelming trust in me,” her house during the cross- Singh Gurjar of Rajasthan. to get the State out of the have also been killed in the had broken the alliance and clear indication that Mum- Shiv Sena president Uddhav fire”. Lieutenant Colonel morass of death and same period. While two dared the BJP to go it alone. baikars and the people from Thackeray said in a state- The Hizbul Mujahideen Mukesh Jha and Major Am- destruction.” jawans were killed on Febru- In Pune, the BJP won 98 the rest of the State have ac- ment released at a press has claimed responsibility ardeep Singh, who sustained Another cordon and ary 5 during an operation of the 162 seats, with the cepted our way of function- conference. for the attack. “A Hizbul grievous injuries, are under- search operation in north which left four Hizbul Mu- NCP coming a distant ing. No other party in the He said the party had ex- squad carried out the attack. going treatment, along with Kashmir came under stone jahideen militants dead, Feb- second with 40 seats and last 25 years has delivered pected a few more seats, but We congratulate it for the three other injured soldiers, pelting in Baramulla’s Pal- ruary 14 saw a Major killed in the Sena bagging a mere 10. such results.” lost in a close contest. “Not successful attack,” said the Army spokesman said. halan area. Locals said three an encounter at Kupwara. In Nagpur, Mr. Fadnavis’ ho- He added: “The victories only will the next Mayor of Hizbul deputy chief Peer Sai- Chief Minister Mehbooba residents were hit by pellets The same day, three Army metown, the BJP won 108 of in the BMC and other muni- Mumbai, but also the next fullah Khalid and Mehmood Mufti condemned the attack during the clashes. personnel were killed in the 151 seats, leaving the cipal corporations have Chief Minister, be from the FRIDAY REVIEW Ī 12 PAGES Ghaznawi. and said, “Violence has heavy fire from militants hid- Congress way behind with made the BJP more humble. Shiv Sena.” (TABLOID) The deceased soldiers never been and could never Rising toll ing in a house in Parrey Mo- 29 seats. In Nashik, where Instead of merely talking DELHI METRO Ī 6 PAGES were identified as Lance be a means to address is- With Thursday’s attack, the halla in Bandipora. Raj Thackeray’s Maha- about good governance, the CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 10 DU campus calm a day after violence Proctor’s oice to conduct investigation after talking to the Delhi Police

Jaideep Deo Bhanj soft on ABVP activists who holiday had been planned deal with the protesting stu- New Delhi allegedly started the viol- well in advance and was not dents, the area outside Arts The Delhi University campus ence, Prof Tyagi said “there declared due the incidents Faculty on Thursday was remained calm on Thursday, is no question about going on Wednesday. barricaded and hundreds of a day after protesters and hard or soft on a particular The National Students’ policemen stood on duty. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi section of students. They are Union of India (NSUI) and Parishad activists clashed, all our students and what is the ABVP took out marches Vocal protest turning the university into a important is maintaining an from the Arts Faculty. There was even a water can- battleground. environment of learning.” Outside the Delhi Police non parked outside. While Delhi University Vice headquarters in ITO, hun- the NSUI organised a silent Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi Classes not held dreds of students, teachers march to the Maurice Nagar said: “The Proctor’s office Classes were not held as the and activists from various Police station, condemning will conduct an investigation university administration left groups also protested, the violence, the ABVP car- after speaking to the Delhi had suspended teaching demanding action against ried out a more vocal Police. Universities are between 9 30 a.m. and 5 the ABVP. protest. temples of learning and p.m. to enable students to In contrast to the arrange- MORE REPORTS ON Ī DELHI there should always be participate in the annual ments that were in place on METRO PAGE 1 peace on the campus.” flower show. Tuesday and Wednesday Asked if the police was The university said the outside Ramjas College to CAMPUS CHILL Ī EDIT PAGE

‘Pulsar’ Suni being taken to Aluva. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT On the run, ‘Pulsar’ Suni held in court

Hiran Unnikrishnan KOCHI In a dramatic end to a six- day cat and mouse game with the police, Sunil Ku- mar aka ‘Pulsar’ Suni and V.P. Vijesh, key suspects in the abduction and molesta- tion of a film actor, were arrested at the District Court complex in Ernaku- lam on Thursday afternoon. The police later filed an FIR under Section 376 of the IPC. The police nabbed the duo even as they attempted to surrender before a magistrate here. The drama unfolded around 1.15 p.m. when the accused entered the Dis- trict Court complex after moving a surrender application with the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court. The duo managed to reach the complex un- detected in a two-wheeler. CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 10 CM YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

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DELHI Timings Friday, February 24 INLD leaders court arrest over SYL FIR registered under RISE 06:51 SET 18:18 RISE 05:04 SET 16:11 Saturday, February 25 pressure, says BJP RISE 06:50 SET 18:18 They were trying to enter Punjab to dig the controversial canal at Shambhu barrier on NH-1 RISE 05:48 SET 17:09 Vikas Vasudeva Rally conducted sans permission: Cong Sunday, February 26 were arrested when they re- ana government will not al- CHANDIGARH RISE 06:49 SET 18:19 fused. low these parties to succeed Staff Reporter After First Information RISE 06:31 SET 18:09 The Punjab police arrested in their evil designs and will DEHRADUN Reports (FIRs) were re- Indian National Lok Dal Strong case ensure that Haryana get its Over a week after polls were gistered against Haridwar (INLD) leaders, including Haryana Health Minister Anil rightful share of the water conducted in Uttarakhand, BJP workers over Mr. Modi’s Leader of the Opposition in Vij, meanwhile, said the within the ambit of the law,” Prime Minister Narendra rally, Uttarakhand BJP pres- the Haryana Assembly INLD was inciting the people he said. Modi’s rally in Haridwar ident Ajay Bhatt, while ad- Abhay Chautala, for violating to dig the canal so that the Punjab Congress presid- continues to be an issue of dressing the media on prohibitory orders when decision of the Supreme ent Amarinder Singh warned political and legal debate Thursday, alleged, “The FIR they attempted to step into Court cannot be implemen- of a serious law and order between the Congress party against our workers was re- Punjab to dig the controver- ted. “The State had presen- problem in the old Naxalite and the Bharatiya Janata gistered under pressure sial Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) ted a strong case for the con- and Khalistani belt of south- Party (BJP) here. from the chief minister canal at Shambhu barrier on struction of the SYL Canal in ern Punjab if the SYL canal While the Congress has [Harish Rawat].” NH-1 at the Punjab and Hary- Water war: INLD workers in Ambala taking part in the march the Supreme Court, which construction was completed been alleging that the rally On Wednesday, Assistant ana border. towards Punjab on Thursday. PHOTO: AKHILESH KUMAR ruled in favour of the State. without taking the ground in Haridwar was conducted Returning Officer (ARO) Fifteen party MLAs and The step taken by the INLD realities into account. without prior permission cum Haridwar city magis- two MPs were among those Haryana and we will fight to wards the Shambhu barrier was not in the interest of the Pointing to the huge infra- and was in violation of the trate Jai Bharat Singh re- who courted arrest after they get water for the State,” said in an attempt to enter Punjab people and was more likely structural cost involved in Model Code of Conduct gistered FIRs against Bhar- were stopped by the Punjab Mr. Chautala, addressing a and start digging the SYL to harm the State.” the canal construction, he (MCC), BJP leaders said that atiya Janata Party workers police near the Shambhu “Jal Yudh Sammelan” rally at Canal in symbolic gesture. At He said the Shiromani said all efforts would come to the party had the required under Section 188 (disobedi- barrier for breaching section the Ambala vegetable mar- the barrier, the Punjab police Akali Dal and the INLD were naught if there was no water permission for holding Mr. ence of order given by a 144 of the Cr P C. ket. Thousands of INLD issued them a warning and colluding to hamper the con- to share with the neighbour- Modi’s rally at Haridwar’s public servant) of the Indian “SYL canal is the lifeline of workers then marched to- asked them to leave. They struction of the canal. “Hary- ing States. Rishikul Maidan. Penal Code. Bihar MLA crawls to Assembly

Special Correspondent Patna On the first day of the budget session of the Bihar legislature, a BJP MLA crawled from his house to the Assembly to demand the laying of a road in his constituency in West Champaran district. Vinay Bihari, who rep- resents Lauriya constituency, crawled wearing only a vest and pair of shorts. By the time he reached the gate of the Assembly building, his knees were bruised and bleeding. “I have requested [chief minister] Nitish Kumar, [deputy chief minister] Te- jaswi Yadav and even [Union transport minister] Nitin Gadkari, asking them to get a road constructed in my constituency, but nothing has happened so far. This is my way to protest and to draw their atten-

Governor's speech disrupted

Special Correspondent JAIPUR Opposition Congress and National People's Party members disrupted Gov- ernor Kalyan Singh’s address on the opening day of the Rajasthan As- sembly's budget session here on Thursday. The MLAs alleged that there was all-round corruption, unemployment and insec- urity in the Bharatiya Janata Party rule. As soon as Mr. Singh began his speech, Congress Deputy Whip Govind Singh Dotasara rose to protest against the government's alleged failure to check corruption, while charging that it was busy in “meeting, sitting and cheating”. Supported by NPP MLAs, Mr. Dotasara said the government had failed to address the issue of unemployment among the youths. NPP MLAs Kirorilal Meena, Golma Devi, Geeta Verma, Naveen Pilania and Independent MLA Hanu- man Beniwal soon trooped to the well of the House, where they staged a sit-in. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

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IN BRIEF For irst time, Record olive ridley nesting power cut halts metro bales wildlife experts Special Correspondent Kolkata A major power failure on Authorities studying how turtles detect salinity levels before laying eggs Thursday morning disrupted Kolkata Metro service Sib Kumar Das “Olive ridley turtles bury during peak hours, leaving Trinamool show of Berhampur their eggs on the beach. many passengers stranded strength in Agartala A record-breaking mass nest- These eggs incubate with the in darkness for almost 15 AGARTALA ing by 3.8 lakh endangered help of sand heat for 45 to 50 minutes. With just a year left for the olive ridley turtles days. High sand salinity may Kolkata Metro authorit- Assembly elections, the (Lepidochelys olivacea)took damage eggshells, while low ies blamed the Calcutta Trinamool Congress organised place at the Rushikulya rook- salinity will minimise the Electricity Supply Corpora- a huge show of strength in Agartala on Thursday. Though ery coast in Ganjam district corrosive effect,” said Mr. tion for disconnection of it was only the party’s youth of Odisha in February 2017. Behera. power without any prior wing that had called for a Interestingly, no mass nest- It’s possible the olive rid- information and said it was “disobedience” agitation , all ing had taken place at the leys took the salinity factor for the first time in history ranks of the party from across site a year ago. into account while nesting at that metro rail services the state joined it. It was then suspected that Rushikulya rookery coast were affected because of - Special Correspondent several environmental this year, but what remains power failure. factors, including chemical Endangered: Olive ridley turtles at the Rushikulya rookery in unanswered is how they “Electricity supply was factors like salinity of the Ganjam district of Odisha. - PHOTO: LINGARAJ PANDA sensed it. disconnected at 9.53 am. Chinese ship crew stuck beach and the sea near the Normal metro services re- at Haldia served food coast, may have prompted This behaviour, however, ity of sea water near the Many questions sumed at 10.08 am,” Chief KOLKATA these marine reptiles to give has prompted experts to coast towards north of the According to Bivash Pandav, Public Relations Officer, The Chinese Consulate here the coast a miss in 2016. study turtle sensing river mouth,” said Mr. Be- a scientist with the Wildlife Metro Railways, Indrani and the Kolkata Port Trust superpowers. hera. Usually, the DFO ad- Institute of India (WII), sev- Banerjee, said (KoPT) Authority have come Mass nesting Explaining what may have ded, mass nesting takes eral mysteries related to the The trains which were in together to provide food and According to experts, most prompted the mass nesting, place between Gokharkuda life, migration and mass the tunnel were rolled and water to the crew of a Chinese cargo vessel stuck at mass nesting sites of olive Berhampur Divisional Forest and new Podampeta, where nesting of olive ridleys are brought to the platforms, the Haldia port since ridley turtles in the world Officer (DFO) Ashis Kumar the effect of fresh river water yet to be unravelled. she said. December end. are located near river Behera said a sandbar diverted by the sandbar may Dr. Pandav, who has been Passengers claimed it “The food and water reached mouths, where salinity is emerged at the mouth of be high. studying olive ridleys since was pitch dark inside the the ship on Wednesday as per low. However, a lot still Rushikulya river near Purun- Low salinity also means decades, said a proper study tunnel and fans and air- the list of the ship’s captain,” needs to be explored with re- abandha this year. This, he more small fish and insects, of sea salinity levels near the conditioners stopped said an official of the Alap gard to the influence of the added, prevented fresh wa- which are food for the coast in relation to the extent working leading to Carrier, the cargo handling salinity factor as not much is ter from the river from enter- turtles near the coast during of mass nesting during past suffocation. agent. known about the relation ing the sea directly. mating and mass nesting sea- years will have to be taken Since the power disrup- - Special Correspondent between mass nesting by “So the fresh water star- sons. The corrosive effect of up to understand the relation occurred during peak these endangered turtles ted flowing northward. This salinity on eggshells cannot tion between salinity and office hours, the trains Myanmar delegation and coastline salinity. must’ve decreased the salin- be ignored either. nesting behaviour. were crowded. visits Mizoram AIZAWL A Myanmar delegation on Thursday said that they had Cong, BJP seek discussion on poll violence visited Mizoram to study the federal system of the country Special Correspondent Thursday. proceedings. ing rural polls in the especially how the areas BHUBANESWAR As the opposition past. inhabited by minority MLAs shouted slogans as ‘Unprecedented’ The veteran Congress communities were As many incidents of vi- soon as the House as- When the House reas- leader alleged that polit- administered. The delegation olence were reported sembled on the second sembled, Leader of the ical activists of the op- led by a MP of Arakan during the panchayat day of the budget session Opposition Narasingha position parties were at- National Party, said that they polls, legislators of the and demanded that the Mishra demanded that tacked and killed. also wanted to know how opposition Congress and issue be discussed can- the Speaker allow a de- BJD Chief Whip peace was achieved in the BJP demanded a dis- celling question hour, bate as violence in such Ananta Das said they Mizoram which was reeling cussion on the issue in Speaker Niranjan Pujari large scale had never oc- were in favour of a de- under insurgency. - PTI the State Assembly on adjourned the House curred in the State dur- bate on the issue. 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NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 4 WEST FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BJP landslide in western Maharashtra, Pawar citadel Emerges single largest party in municipal corporations of Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nashik and Solapur

Shoumojit Banerjee Pavan Dahat Pune/Nagpur As predicted by the exit polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), like a tidal wave swept the polls in western Maharashtra, emerging as the single-largest party in the four municipal corporations of Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nashik and Solapur. Except the Solapur Muni- cipal Corporation, where it narrowly missed total majority, the BJP scored landslide victories in the remaining three municipal corporations. The BJP also emerged victorious in all three civic bodies in the Vidarbha region, including the Nagpur Muni- cipal Corporation, and also emerged as the largest party in zila parishad bodies in many districts of the region. The victory in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad effort- lessly supplanted the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Con- gress Party (NCP), definit- ively breaking the Pawar clan’s power bases in the district and ending its decade- long reign in the cash-rich Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pimpri- Chinchwad Municipal Cor- poration (PCMC). A last-minute pact between the Congress and the NCP in the battle for PMC Grand victory: BJP workers clebrating results of the Pune Municipal Corporation elections. came a cropper, as the BJP (Left) 84-year-old BJP candidate Devika Laxman Katkari celebrating with her supporters after juggernaut notched a record- winning panchayat samiti elections in Raigad. MANDAR TANNU & YOGESH MHATRE best performance winning 98 of the 162 seats. tally of 83. The Congress 108 out of total 151 seats, and Assembly segments of the In contrast, the NCP was failed to open its account, the main Opposition, the city and made sure that all routed with 40 seats. The while the Shiv Sena and the Congress, was limited to 29 six MLAs from Nagpur, MLCs Congress and the Sena se- MNS got nine and one. seats. Vikas Thakre, Nagpur and even Rajya Sabha MPs, cured 11 and 10 seats Likewise, the BJP ousted district president of the Con- actively participated in the respectively. the beleaguered Congress gress, was defeated by the campaign. The Raj Thackeray-led Ma- from its traditional citadel in BJP’s Dilip Dive from ward The party’s ideological harashtra Navnirman Sena the Solapur Municipal Cor- number 37 by 800 votes. mentor, the Rashtriya (MNS), managed just two poration (SMC), but narrowly The Bahujan Samaj Party Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) seats. missed absolute majority won 10 seats, down from 12 headquarter is also based in here. It secured 49 of the 102 seats it had won last time. the city. The BJP registered a Winning strategy seats with Shiv Sena, emer- The Shiv Sena secured two majority despite denial of In the cash-rich PCMC, ging second with 21 seats. seats, and the Nationalist tickets to relatives of senior where the voting figure Congress Party (NCP) was RSS functionaries and touched a historic high of Bitter infighting limited to just one seat. Bajrang Dal leaders. 67%, the saffron party’s The decimation of Congress The BJP carried out an or- In Amravati, the BJP won strategy of awarding tickets in Nagpur and neighbouring ganised campaign in Nagpur, 45 out of 87 seats in the civic to heavyweight defectors Municipal Corporations and with Union Minister Nitin body. The ruling Congress from opposing parties, espe- Zila Parishads could see the Gadkari involved in the selec- was restricted to 15 seats and cially the NCP, paid-off as the emergence of a new and tion of candidates and the Shiv Sena won only seven BJP secured an emphatic ma- young leadership in the campaigning. seats. The BJP also managed jority, winning 78 of the 128 party. However, it will be up The NMC election had be- to retain Akola Municipal seats. against a powerful BJP which come a prestigious election Corporation by winning 48 The NCP, after consecutive had made Nagpur and the for Chief Minister Devendra out of 80 seats. The Congress landslides in the PCMC in Vidarbha area as its bastion Fadnavis as he hails from won 13 seats, the Shiv Sena 2007 and 2012, was reduced since 2014. Nagpur. Mr. Fadnavis ad- eight seats, and the NCP won to 35 seats from its previous In Nagpur, the party won dressed a meetings in all six five seats in the civic body.

Weather Watch Rainfall, temperature & air quality in select metros yesterday Divided Cong. decimated in Nagpur The district leadership party was openly pitted against its own party leaders

Pavan Dahat cific group which was not in- paign citing “undue ticket rashtra Chief Minister De- Nagpur terested in effecting a Con- distributions” by district vendra Fadnavis. Even before the results for gress win but wanting Congress president Vikas At the time of ticket distri- the Nagpur Municipal Cor- Congressmen to lose. In the Thakre who is considered bution, the party conducted poration were fully declared last three decadesthat I have close to former Nagpur MP many surveys and denied on Thursday, senior Con- dedicated to Congress, this is Vilas Muttemwar. Mr. Thakre tickets to around 40 sitting gress leader from Nagpur, the lowest point for the could not retain his own seat corporators and relatives of Nitin Raut issued a statement party in the city I have ex- and lost the election by 800 senior RSS and Bajrang Dal blaming “certain party lead- perienced and all this is be- votes. Promising candidates functionaries in the city. ers” for “discarding party cause somebody put himself like Praffula Gudadhe Patil, Mr. Gadkari had camped principles of democratic first and the party second,” who had contested the last at his home for three days at functioning” resulting in said Mr. Raut, who was also a Assembly polls against CM the time of selection of can- third successive defeat for cabinet minister in Congress- Devendra Fadnavis from didates and was actively in- the party in Nagpur Muni- NCP government. Nagpur (South-West) con- volved in every election pro- cipal Corporation polls. The division in Nagpur stituency, had to wait for a cess, from candidate This debacle follows the Congress was clearly evident ticket till the last moment. selection to pacifying those Congress party’s big defeats in previous elections as well. Mr. Patil won his seat by de- who were denied tickets. Mr. in Lok Sabha and Assembly However, this time round, feating the BJP candidates by Gadkari also gave tickets to elections here two years ago. the district leadership of the over 4000 votes on many OBC candidates from Temperature Data: IMD, Pollution Data: CPCB, Map: Skymet “The debacle of the Con- party was openly pitted Thursday. open seats. Forecast for Friday: No weather warning gress in Nagpur's civic polls against its own party On the other hand, the However, the BJP will now city rain max min city rain max min is a direct result of certain leaders. BJP was led by two heavy- have to deal with the high ex- Agartala...... 35.5.....30.0.....21.2 Kozhikode...... — .....34.4.....25.6 leaders discarding party's Senior leader Satish weight politicians from Nag- pectations of the Nagpur Ahmedabad...... — .....33.2.....14.7 Kurnool ...... — .....39.7.....23.7 Aizawl...... — .....23.1 .....8.9 Lucknow...... — .....27.4.....10.9 principles of democratic Chaturvedi, Anees Ahmad, pur — Union Minister for Sur- public to develop the city on Allahabad...... — .....28.7.....13.2 Madurai ...... — .....36.4.....21.0 functioning. We witnessed and Mr. Raut kept them- face Transport and Shipping the lines of a metropolitan Bengaluru ...... — .....35.0.....19.2 Mangaluru ...... — .....33.7.....23.6 dictatorial attitude of a spe- selves away from the cam- Nitin Gadkari and Maha- city. Bhopal ...... — .....29.9.....13.2 Mumbai ...... — .....33.7.....17.4 Bhubaneswar..... — .....36.3.....24.9 Mysuru ...... — .....34.9.....16.8 Chandigarh ...... — .....24.0.....10.9 New Delhi...... — .....25.5.....11.0 Chennai ...... — .....32.6.....24.2 Patna...... — .....28.7.....12.6 Coimbatore ...... — .....36.8.....22.2 Port Blair...... — .....31.0.....23.8 Dehradun...... — .....24.5 .....9.0 Puducherry ...... — .....31.8.....21.1 Gangtok...... — .....17.7 .....9.5 Pune...... — .....36.7.....13.8 BJP supplants NCP in Pune, Pimpri Goa...... — .....34.7.....21.6 Raipur ...... — .....33.7.....19.1 Guwahati ...... — .....30.2.....15.6 Ranchi ...... — .....28.6.....18.2 Hubballi...... — .....35.0.....22.0 Shillong ...... — .....20.4 .....9.6 Hyderabad ...... — .....37.7.....19.3 Shimla ...... — .....14.3 .....5.0 The future looks bleak for Congress, NCP, MNS in State politics Imphal ...... — .....23.7.....15.2 Srinagar...... — .....13.4 .....0.9 Jaipur ...... — .....27.8.....12.0 Trivandrum...... — .....33.5.....24.7 Kochi ...... — .....33.4.....26.2 Tiruchi...... — .....35.9.....22.0 Shoumojit Banerjee Girish Bapat, senior BJP panel (number 15) emerged proved costly for the NCP in Kohima ...... — .....21.6 .....8.4 Vijayawada ...... — .....35.6.....22.8 Pune leader and Pune Guardian victorious. the PCMC area, where the Kolkata ...... — .....31.2.....24.8 Visakhapatnam..... — .....31.4.....24.2 Pragmatic politics and calcu- Minister, said, “Our win is a The Congress, too, with its BJP secured 78 seats, a land- Particulate matter in the air you are breathing Yesterday lated risk-taking ensured massive team effort with unfocused strategy, suffered slide win for the first time.

CITIES SO2 NO2 CO PM2.5 PM10 CODE In observations made at 8.00 stunning wins for the BJP in careful planning and heavily. It’s old warhorses, Issues like the endangered p.m. air quality index in Ahmedabad ...... 161 .121 .109 .. 422...... —.....* the Pimpri-Chinchwad and strategy. It signifies that the like Kamal Vyawahare, lost ecology, the Pune Metro Rail Siri Fort, Delhi, was Bengaluru...... 44 .195 ...94 ...... — ..160.....* the Pune Municipal Corpora- people in Pune were craving heavily to their BJP project and the Develop- Chennai ...... 3 ...37 ...82 .... 59...... —.....* hazardous with a score of Delhi ...... 49 .125 .101 .. 362 ..423.....* 420. Chandrapur in tions, as it put an end to the for change.” opponents. ment Plan of the old city Hyderabad...... 142 ...99 .101 .. 341 ..212.....* Maharashtra followed NCP’s monopoly over the Vandana Chavan, the played to the BJP’s Kolkata...... 20 ...87 ...54 ...... — ..137.....* at 314. At Karve Road in cash-rich civic bodies on NCP grounded NCP’s city unit president, advantage. Lucknow...... 20 .102 .107 .. 302...... —.....* Pune and Mumbai ...... 27 ...41 .103 .. 223 ..168.....* Saneguravahalli, Bangalore Thursday. The BJP’s onslaught has put said, “The party accepts de- After Thursday’s results, Pune...... 55 ...98 ...56 .. 295 ..135.....* the AQI was The BJP’s unprecedented other parties in the shade. feat and will work as a con- the future looks bleak for the Vishakhapatnam . .211 ...76 ...84 .. 116 ..140.....* moderate with a score of 50. performance in the PMC Very few NCP loyalists man- structive Opposition.” Ms. NCP, the Congress, and Ma- Air Quality Code: * Poor * Moderate * Good bested all previous tallies of aged to hold their ground. Chavan tendered her resig- harashtra Navnirman Sena SO2: Sulphur Dioxide. Short-term exposure can harm the respiratory system, making the NCP. While Mayor Prashant nation after the results were (which reduced to a ‘double- breathing difficult. It can affect visibility by reacting with other air particles to form haze and stain culturally important objects such as statues and monuments. A jubilant BJP leader said, Jagtap managed to win from announced. digit’ party in the Nashik and NO2: Nitrogen Dioxide. Aggravates respiratory illness, causes haze to form by “Our win put an end to Ajit Wanowrie, other stalwarts Pune Municipal Corpora- reacting with other air particles, causes acid rain, pollutes coastal waters. Dada’s [NCP leader Ajit like five-time corporator Affected by defections tions). CO: Carbon monoxide. High concentration in air reduces oxygen supply to critical Pawar] ‘Dadagiri’”. Subhash Jagtap were com- Besides, defections from top While the NCP has been organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, it can cause dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and even death. The results proved that prehensively beaten. party leaders like Reshma supplanted by the BJP from PM2.5 & PM10: Particulate matter pollution can cause irritation of the eyes, nose the BJP’s wins in the 2014 In the PCMC, the Pimpri Bhosale, Bhosari legislator its power bases in Pune, the and throat, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, reduced lung function, Parliamentary and Assembly Mayor, NCP’s Shakuntala Mahesh Landge, and senior Congress is in danger of be- irregular heartbeat, asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature death in people polls still cast long shadows Darade, bit the dust, while NCP leaders Azam Pansare ing reduced to a non-entity with heart or lung disease on the NCP. all the BJP candidates in her and Yashwant Bhosale also in State politics. CM ND-ND YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 SOUTH 5 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

IN BRIEF Retired IAF oicer’s CPI (M) oice Sex ofenders’ list in Kerala soon in Karnataka The govt. will keep a register with their names and details in public domain murder solved attacked Special Correspondent C. Gouridasan Nair transport authority to en- It was a robbery bid gone wrong: Police Mangaluru THIRUVANANTHAPURAM sure transport operations Amid Sangh Parivar’s op- In a first for the entire coun- under a single command. Special Correspondent position to Kerala Chief try, Kerala will soon have a Terming the demonetisa- Bengaluru Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s Rohith’s family seeks sex offenders’ register and a tion of high-value currency Nearly two-and-a-half years participation in the Kara- comprehensive relief fund notes one of the most dev- after a retired senior officer vali Souharda rally here on time to reply to notice for sex crime survivors. An- astating catastrophes in In- of the Indian Air Force was Saturday, miscreants broke GUNTUR nouncing this in the course dia’s financial history, Mr. murdered in his residence into the CPI(M) office at The family of Rohith Vemula, the deceased research of his customary policy ad- Sathasivam told the As- off Hosur Road, the Thokkottu under the Ullal scholar of the University of dress to the Assembly on sembly that heart-tending Bengaluru district police on police station limits on Hyderabad, has sought more Thursday, Governor P. Satha- stories were coming in from Thursday claimed to have Thursday. They set ban- time to reply to the show- sivam said the register, to be various parts of the State on solved the case. ners, posters and furniture cause notice given by the kept in the public domain, how farmers had to dump They arrested a gang of 12 on fire. Guntur district administration would contain all identifica- their crops, and small and persons, comprising mostly The miscreants are sus- to prove that they belonged tion details of sex offenders. marginal business and truck and cab drivers, in pected to have entered the to the Scheduled Caste. Interim relief would be households had to give away connection with the case. Parvez Khokar office early on Thursday. provided to the survivors of at throwaway prices invent- Some gang members While the CPI(M) has sex crimes, children and ories built up over time. were picked up while mov- across the city, and five blamed Sangh Parivar for Body cameras for Kerala adults, from the proposed Stating policy: Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam delivering The Governor was greeted ing around suspiciously were involved in the murder the incident, the police police personnel soon relief fund. policy address to the Assembly on Thursday. S. MAHINSHA by Opposition banners al- near a gated community on of Air Commodore Parvez have said they are investig- THIRUVANANTHAPURAM The government, he said, leging ‘mafia rule’ in the the outskirts of the city. Khokar (retd.) during a rob- ating. Vasantha Achari, sec- Soon, police officers in Kerala would soon come out with a to the Five Year Plan mode. outlay of ₹10,000 crore State and the slogan ‘no rice, Police said the gang mem- bery attempt, sources said. retary, Dakshina Kannada will wear body cameras. comprehensive law covering In another first for the State, would be cleared by the no money, no work, no wa- bers were from the outskirts They had smothered 71- unit of the CPI(M), said Officials claim the devices will citizens’ charter, transpar- the government proposed to newly formed Kerala Infra- ter, no pension.’ The Opposi- of the city. They were arres- year-old Air Commodore about 10 flexes and ban- deter police misconduct when ency, accountability and so- come up with an export structure Investment Fund tion leaders termed the ted in connection with a da- Khokar after he resisted ners, chairs, files, and a engaging with the public. The cial audit, the core of which policy to boost the State’s ex- Board by next month. In the policy address a ‘disappoint- coity case. their robbery attempt in his television set were burnt. State police had come under would be public service de- port potential. tourism sector, the government,’ and a reiteration of villa in November 2014, the Mr. Achari said the scathing criticism on Tuesday livery. Massive reforms A fast track system for ment would soon introduce what had been stated in last Smothered to death police said. Sangh Parivar was trying to after two “overzealous” would be initiated to put the clearing investment propos- ‘Safety App’ for tourists. year’s policy address and the When questioned, they His wife Promila was create a “fear psychosis” policewomen on patrol State on top in ‘ease of doing als would be put in place. Each of the five cities in the last budget of the LDF gov- claimed to have committed asleep in an adjacent among people to disrupt adopted a “moralistic” business'. Kerala would stick Projects with an estimated State would get metropolitan ernment. more than 20 robberies bedroom. Saturday’s rally. approach towards a couple.

Obscene video lands A.P. civic leader in trouble Naidu to oicials: Ensure there Family awaits body of kin killed in Sudan KURNOOL An obscene video, allegedly posted by Nandyal municipal is no drinking water crisis Basha was shot dead at Abyei, South Sudan, after Friday prayers on February 17 vice-chairman Vijaya Kumar on the “TDP Nandyal” M.V. Subramanyam camp in South Sudan. months ago, but was reluct- WhatsApp group, led to KURNOOL “We were shocked on re- ant to go back to South Su- registration of a case against Calls a pre-budget meeting of agriculture & allied sectors The grief-stricken family ceiving a call at 3 a.m. on dan, torn by civil strife, as he him. The clip of a naked members of Syed Farook February 17 from Syed Peer had been a victim of mug- woman doing a belly dance Staff Reporter Naidu said that the ayacut role in ensuring food secur- Basha, 26, who was shot Basha Khadri, Basha’s ging thrice, Ms. Banu said. enraged women councillors VIJAYAWADA for the third crop under the ity. There was no dearth of dead at Abyei in South Su- brother-in-law, who works in He went back after the who filed a complaint. The Andhra Pradesh govern- Pattiseema project needed funds. The fisheries and hor- dan last Friday, are eagerly the same company,” Basha’s management representatives ment has set a target of 25% to be finalised. Water levels ticulture departments still awaiting the arrival of his elder sister Syeda Ayesha of his company repeatedly growth in the agriculture in Pulichintala, Nagarjunas- would have to spend ₹200 body at the Rajiv Gandhi In- and maternal aunt S. Syeda called him by making him Uber-Ola protest leaves sector and 30% in its allied agar, and Srisailam would go crore allocated in the cur- ternational Airport at Hy- Banu told The Hindu. higher offers. commuters stranded sectors during next fiscal. down during November and rent fiscal budget, he said. derabad. Basha studied in the ZP They had agreed to post BENGALURU The government has de- December. It was necessary Fodder cultivation in A group of armed men high school and the Medha him at a place of his choice As a majority of app-based cided to encourage mixed to prepare advanced plan- Krishna district also needed surrounded the car in which Junior College, both at in Sudan, as he was super- taxis remained off the road crop cultivation under the ning to provide water for the to be encouraged. The offi- Basha, Field Project Co- Syed Farook Basha Mydukur. He did his gradu- vising three to four projects, for the second consecutive Nava Dhanya scheme. second crop. The water cials would have to encour- ordinator in Omaski Sai Infra ation in Computer Science. Ms Banu added. day on Thursday in Chief Minister N. would have to be stored and age farmers to go in for or- Company Ltd., was travel- for External Affairs Sushma Basha’s mother, Syeda Bengaluru, the autorickshaws Chandrababu Naidu called a levels maintained. It was ganic farming. ling after the Friday prayers, Swaraj seeking her assist- Mugged thrice earlier Naseem Banu, who is in a were among the most sought after mode of transport. meeting on agriculture and equally important to ensure Chemicals and pesticides and allegedly shot him dead ance to bring the body to In- Basha, who went to Juba, dazed condition, has hardly Taking advantage, its allied sectors as apart of that there was no drinking usage should be discour- on February 17. dia, she instructed the In- capital of South Sudan, spoken since a week, she autorickshaw drivers started pre-budget exercise at the water crisis during summer, aged. Effective use of rain dian High Commissioner in along with his brother-in-law said. She was planning to fleecing commuters. For one Secretariat, near here, on he said. guns would help in saving Sushma’s assistance South Sudan to make ar- in 2013, visited India on two perform his marriage during week, cab drivers have been Thursday. The fisheries sector the standing crops, he After his cousin Ejaz Hussain rangements. The body is months’ vacation every year. his visit in October/Novem- opposing cab aggregators. On the occasion, Mr. would have to take a lead added. tweeted to Union Minister now in the Abyei UNISFA He came home four ber this year.

‘Roads create barriers to movement, impacting animal population in many ways’

G. Venkataramana Rao Some animals were prone to Vijayawada road mortality, mainly due Wildlife conservationists to their natural defence have strongly criticised the mechanisms, which they re- National Board for Wildlife quired to survive in the wild. (NBWL) for granting permis- Turtles often perceive sion to the widening of a vehicles as a threat and draw road that falls in the buffer themselves into their shell, zone of the Nagarjuna Sagar- which puts them at risk of Srisailam Tiger Reserve and getting struck because they also the Ecologically Sensit- stay on the road longer. ive Zone of the Gundla Snakes might also become Brahmeswaram Wildlife immobilised when ap- Sanctuary. proached by a car and re- The NBWL gave permis- main so for a minute after a sion for widening of the car passes. Venomous Nandyala-Atmakur road in snakes might be less inclined Kurnool district from the to flee from a perceived single lane to double lane at threat because they typically its most recent meeting held A ile picture of the Srisailam Tiger Project. NAGARA GOPAL use venom for defence. in New Delhi. Some bigger birds that Former honorary wildlife vehicles would also increase, portion of the forest that is normally fly away from pred- warden and conservationist he said. on the fringe of the road. ators may be unable to initi- K. Mruthumjaya Rao said the Roads not only fragment the ate flight quickly enough NBWL should have sugges- Displacement threat habitat but also alter them, when approached by a fast- ted a detour around the “Roads create barriers to leading to displacement of moving vehicle. small piece of forest instead movement, impacting an- some species. The way in which animals of widening it. imal population in many “Animals with large home naturally respond to threats Doubling the lanes would ways. “When a road runs ranges, such as panthers, may increase their risk of be- Unrelenting mood: The activists of Festival Coordination Committee take out a march in Thrissur on Thursday to protest against also double the traffic, and through a forest, it creates have a high chance of en- ing struck by vehicles, wild- the curbs on ireworks display during Pooram festivities. K.K. NAJEEB the number of heavy an edge habitat along the countering roads,” he said. life experts say.

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 6 NATION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF Fluorosis haunts Nuapada JD(U) suspends MLA as govt looks the other way over appointment ‘fraud’ Irregularities alleged in illing of 161 positions at BAU

Over 50,000 villagers in Odisha district consume luoride-laced groundwater (retd) Syed Mohammed Mah- Farooq, Omar greet Amarnath Tewary fooz Alam of the Patna High people on Shivratri Patna Satyasundar Barik Court found him guilty of ir- SRINAGAR KHARIAR (ODISHA) The ruling Janata Dal regularities in appointments National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Nearly two decades after the (United) on Thursday sus- at the university. “A case and working president Omar world came to know about a pended party MLA Mewalal against Mr. Choudhary has Abdullah on Thursday large population in Odisha’s Choudhary after he was been lodged under sections greeted the people of Jammu Nuapadadistrict suffering booked in a case of “gross ir- 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 and and Kashmir on Shivratri and from crippled backbones on regularities” in the appoint- 120B”, said Neeraj Tiwari, of- expressed hope that the account of consumption of ment of assistant professors Mewalal Choudhary ficer-in-charge of the Sabour festival will be celebrated in high fluoride-laced water, and junior scientists at Bihar police station. “Many ap- a spirit of harmony. the government is yet to Agricultural University (BAU) charges of irregularities pointments during his ten- They prayed for peace and provide a solution to the during his tenure as vice- against him in the appoint- ure were made by ignoring tranquillity and hoped for a problem. chancellor in 2012. ment of BAU staff were the candidates’ performance new era of goodwill among Over 50,000 villagers in Bihar Agricultural Univer- found to be true,” said JD(U) in written tests and aca- all sections of society, a the district have been af- sity at Sabour in Bhagalpur chief spokesperson and demic records. Those selec- spokesman of the National fected by fluorosis. district is an autonomous in- party MLC Sanjay Singh. Mr. ted were given high marks in Conference said. PTI stitute under the Bihar gov- Choudhary was the founder interviews and power-point Suffering in silence ernment and was estab- vice-chancellor of the uni- presentation by the screen- Adults mostly suffer from lished under the Indian versity till 2015 when he con- ing committee,” said a mem- Ajay Singh named skeletal fluorosis that de- Council of Agricultural Re- tested the Assembly poll ber of the probe committee. leader of Opposition forms bones and causes search in 2010. from Tarapur on a JD(U) However, speaking to BHOPAL acute pain. Most cannot The MLA was suspended ticket. journalists, Mr. Choudhary Ajay Singh, a close conidante straighten their backs and from the party for alleged in- said he was not given a of senior Congress leader get exhausted very easily. volvement in irregularities in Case registered chance to explain his side of Digvijaya Singh, was on Children below 15 years of the appointment of 161 as- Recently a case (no: 35 / 17) the story. “I was suspended Thursday appointed as the age suffer from mottling of sistant professors and junior was lodged against Mr. without a show-cause notice. leader of the Opposition in teeth or dental fluorosis.A scientists. “The party has de- Choudhary after a probe But I respect the decision of the Madhya Pradesh few hundreds have even died cided to suspend him as committee headed by Justice the party,” he said. Assembly for the second of the disease. time. The appointment In 1997, Prafulla Behera, comes two days after party’s then a 36-year-old healthy central observer, Ajay Maken, man of Karlakot village un- chaired the Congress der Boden block, started ex- Kashmir law student missing Legislature Party (CLP) periencing pain in his neck meeting here. The post was and backbone. Doctors in lying vacant since last four Odisha could not diagnose after participating in protest months, after the death of his problem. Two years later, Satyadev Katare. PTI doctors in Visakhapatnam pointed out consumption of University iles complaint, cops deny he has been picked up contaminated water as the Two woman Maoists reason behind his ailment. Peerzada Ashiq the university campus at agency. Preliminary investig- surrender in Odisha Mr. Behera was the first per- zones do not wish to estab- off. In 2015, the National BikashPati, an expert on the Srinagar 3.00 pm on February 21. ations have revealed that his BERHAMPUR son from Nuapada to be dia- lish any marital relationship Bank of Agriculture Rural De- issue. A Kashmir University law cell phone was last located Two woman Maoists, gnosed with fluorosis. with people in the contamin- velopment (NABARD) sanc- The government, how- student has gone missing Parents banking on cops at Srinagar’s Batamaloo including one from Government records show ated pockets. tioned ₹543.63 crore to the ever, claims that fluoride days after participating in an “We have no idea about his area, a police officer said. Maharashtra, surrendered in Nuapada has a total of 2,784 government towards setting contamination has been ad- anti-government protest whereabouts. The police “There is also a transac- Malkangiri district of Odisha habitations. Fluoride content Projects hanging fire up a project that would have dressed. “Of the 905 habit- over civilian killings in the should trace our son,” said tion made from his bank ac- on Thursday. The Odisha is found beyond the permiss- The steps taken by the gov- supplied drinking water to ats, 350 have pipe water sup- Kulgam encounter on Febru- Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, the stu- count in an ATM in south government had declared a ible level of 1.5 part per mil- ernment to mitigate the 1.2 lakh families in the fluor- ply. Further, 600 fluoride ary 15. dent’s father. Kashmir,” the police officer reward of ₹4 lakh each for lion (PPM) in 905 habita- problem have had little im- ide-affected blocks of Sinap- removal plants have been set Aqib Mushtaq Malik, a The university’s public re- said. the capture of the duo, tions. In Nuapada, the pact. First, a pipe water sup- ali, Boden, Khariar, Komna up in 543 villages and 34 resident of Pinjura Shopian, lations officer Faheem Meanwhile, a Hurriyat Sumitra Madvi (35) and Jagi fluoride content in water var- ply (PWS) project was set up and Nuapada. This project, PWS projects are being ex- a student of the third Aslam said, “We also have spokesman described the Madkami (33), who were ies from 0.14 - 7.2 PPM. Apart at Karlakot village. However, too, is hanging fire. ecuted to cover 98 habitats,” semester, has been missing lodged a missing report. The students’ protest as “legitim- active in Malkangiri district. from causing health hazards, people in other villages con- “The State government is said Bhagaban Sahu, engin- since February 21. University vice-chancellor has written ate.” “Kashmiri students Both of them reached the fluorosis adversely affects tinued to consume ground- duty-bound to provide unin- eer-in-chief, Rural Water students, who disrupted to the Director General of have often been at the re- Malkangiri district police the economic productivity of water. Between 2010 and terrupted supply of uncon- Supply and Sanitation De- headquarter to surrender class work on Thursday, al- Police (DGP) to look into the ceiving end of atrocities. It’s before the district the area, leading to hunger 2015, the government an- taminated water to the villa- partment. PWS projects, leged that Mr Malik went case and ensure the safety of the duty of the government Superintendent of Police and malnutrition. There is a nounced 21 mega PWS pro- gers in Nuapada, one of the meanwhile, have failed to ad- missing immediately after the student.” The police to trace the whereabouts of Mitrabhanu Mohapatra. social impact, too. People jects at a total cost of ₹273.87. country’s poorest districts,” dress the crisis due to electri- participating in the anti-gov- have denied that he was the student,” a Hurriyat STAFF REPORTER from the non-contaminated The projects are yet to take says Bhubaneswar-based city failure. ernment protest. He had left picked by any security spokesman said. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 NATION 7 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

IN BRIEF CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Shivratri today Decision on Bench soon, SC tells Delhi

Sheena Bora murder trial Appeal against High Court verdict on L-G’s powers adjourned for two weeks MUMBAI Legal Correspondent The Sheena Bora murder case NEW DELHI of 2012 hit a road block on The Supreme Court on the first day of trial and was Thursday said it would con- adjourned for two weeks. sider setting up a Constitu- On Thursday, Inspector tion Bench soon for hearing Ganesh Dalvi of Khar Police appeals filed by the Delhi deposed before the special government against the High CBI court. He narrated how Court judgment holding Indrani Mukerjea’s driver Lieutenant Governor as the Shyamvar Rai was held with a administrative head of Delhi. pistol and taken into custody in 2015. “We will see whether it will come up before or after the There are several questions of law that need to be interpreted, summer vacation,” Chief said the Bench. FILE PHOTO Another arrest in child Justice of India J.S. Khehar traicking case told senior advocate Gopal said there were several ques- The batch of seven special JALPAIGURI (WB) Subramaniam, representing tions of law that need to be leave petitions filed by the The CID on Thursday made the Delhi government. interpreted and settled by a Delhi government has chal- another arrest in the Recently, a two-judge Constitution Bench. lenged the Delhi High Court’s Jalpaiguri child traicking case, taking the total number Bench had referred to a Con- Justice Sikri’s Bench had August 4 judgment which up- of arrests to three.PTI stitution Bench a series of ap- heard the appeals, which held the Lieutenant Gov- peals filed by the Delhi gov- were filed in August 2016, on ernor’s power not only over ernment for laying down the a preliminary basis to decide the police, land and public Rangoon can be released law on whether the Lieuten- whether the matter deserves order but also in the “ser- after ₹2 cr. is paid: HC ant Governor can unilaterally to be referred to a larger vices.” MUMBAI administer the National Cap- Bench. The judgment had effect- The Bombay High Court on ital without being bound by The two-judge Bench had ively shrunk the Kejriwal Thursday said the ilm the “aid and advice” of the however refrained from Cabinet’s girth. Rangoon made by Vishal elected government. framing questions for the The Supreme Court had Bhardwaj can be released on A Bench of Justices A.K. Constitution Bench to hear however refused to stay the February 24, its scheduled Religious fervour:: Ganga Arti in progress on the eve of Shivratri at the Dr Rajendra Prasad Ghat in Varanasi on Thursday. PHOTO: R. V. MOORTHY Sikri and R.K. Agrawal had on. High Court judgment. day, but ₹ 2 crore has to be deposited in court. Neyyar case: SC to hear ex-ISRO WhatsApp’s update could kill Snapchat SC asks for scientist’s plea in April witness list New feature could turn WhatsApp from a functional messaging tool to a platform for entertainment Case was fabricated, says Narayanan Mihir Balantrapu can be up to 45 seconds, and your Privacy Settings. On fare of about 60 billion mes- Legal Correspondent CHENNAI they cannot be saved on iOS, tap the icon ‘Privacy’. sages. This includes 3 billion NEW DELHI Krishnadas Rajagopal WhatsApp now has a new your device. On Android, look for ‘Status photos, 750 million videos The Supreme Court on NEW DELHI feature called Status, It will be available to all Privacy’. You can make your and 80 million GIFs, accord- Thursday asked Tamil The Supreme Court on launched on February 20, users, iOS and Android. Statuses a universal delight, ing to Bloomberg. Now, by Nadu and Kerala to place Thursday agreed to hear in which will allow users to up- or select individual friends milking its potential for mul- on record their lists of wit- April a petition filed by date their statuses with time- Where is it located? who will get to view your timedia usage, WhatsApp nesses in the Neyyar river former ISRO scientist Nambi limited photos, videos, Once the feature becomes Status updates, or exclude can augment itself from a water dispute case. Narayanan, discharged in scribbles and GIFs. Sounds available, it will automatic- specific contacts. If you want functional messaging tool to A Bench of Justices Ran- the 1994 espionage case, familiar? ally show up on your app. to send the content to a spe- a platform that users go to jan Gogoi and Navin Sinha seeking an order to initiate Facebook, which acquired You will see an icon between cific friend, you send them a for entertainment. asked both the States to file criminal action against three WhatsApp two years ago for ‘Calls’ and ‘Chats’ on the private chat message as This can effectively spell the lists within two weeks former top police officers for a whopping $19 billion, has navigation bar of your What- usual. real trouble for Snapchat, in the original lawsuit pre- allegedly fabricating the case Nambi Narayanan always been known to share sApp home-screen. The tra- * You can discover which which has already seen an ferred by Tamil Nadu against him. a rivalry with Snapchat, an- ditional text status update of your contacts has viewed 82% drop-off in user growth against its neighbour in Siby Mathews, K.K. Joshwa other dynamic messaging viour, including customising function will remain your Status on a ‘View since the 2016 launch of Ins- 2012. Seeks more time and S. Vijayan. Mr. Naray- platform, regularly ringing in the previously templatised separate. Counter’ at the bottom of the tagram Stories, another The Supreme Court had, A three-judge Bench led by anan moved the court after a changes in step with its com- status messages. screen. copycat that surpassed the in November 2016, framed Justice Dipak Misra has Division Bench of the Kerala petitor. How it works original. the issues to be heard, in- scheduled the case for hear- High Court refused his plea. Its latest WhatsApp fea- What is Status? * Once you have captured a Statuses, yours and mine This, therefore, opens up cluding whether the river ing in the second week of ture update, though, is more Status allows WhatsApp photo or video you wish to Clicking on the Status tab, fresh avenues for monetisa- can be classified as an April after one of the re- Narayanan’s contention upfront than ever. users to share photos, share, you are taken to an in- you will see a horizontal list tion, which can help offset inter-State river. spondent parties sought In his petition, Mr. Naray- WhatsApp has made sev- videos, emojis, sketches and terface that is a virtual pho- of all your contacts with up- the opportunity cost of the The court had decided more time to file a counter anan contended that the eral useful modifications of even GIFs as status updates. toshop. Here, you can... dated Statuses. Swipe left or scrapping of its earlier $1 to move ahead with the to Mr. Narayanan’s petition. High Court had “failed to ap- its own. From introducing These updates will disap- - Scribble on the captured right to scroll through the nominal fee. long-pending suit between The petition was filed in preciate the real undercur- ‘Read Receipts’, user tag- pear after 24 hours. They file list, tap to pause, or press- The expanded user base the two States, and agreed 2015. The court had issued rent that passed through the ging, end-to-end encryption, will also, like all text mes- - Superimpose and posi- swipe on a Status to reply to and usage can be used to at- to hear on several disputed notice to the respondents mind of the Supreme Court, WhatsApp Web, to the re- sages, be encrypted end-to- tion emojis on the file it. tract advertisers, who could issues, including whether shortly thereafter in July the NHRC and the single traction of the paltry $1 an- end. You can schedule mul- - Add a caption below ex- insert their plugs and the supply of water to 2015. The case has been judge of the High Court in nual subscription fee, What- tiple updates, which would plaining the content What’s in it for WhatsApp product-placements in Tamil Nadu by Kerala since pending since then. their verdict and, on unten- sApp has updated itself with run like a reel and give your * Once your Status is cre- WhatsApp currently has between Statuses to catch 1965 was only a gesture of The petition has ar- able reasons, quashed the key functionalities in con- friends a glimpse of your en- ated, you can control who over 1 billion monthly users, the user’s eye as he scrolls goodwill or a legal obliga- raigned former Kerala ADGP order of the single judge.” sonance with user beha- tire day. Its content duration sees it by specifying so in and hosts a daily thorough- through them. tion imposed by Section 108 (2) of the State Re-organisation Act, 1956. Bhojpur man leaves his village

Purusharth Aradhak Bhojpur (Modinagar) A 25-year-old Dalit man who was allegedly beaten up and forced to drink urine after he allegedly peeped into a neighbour’s house in an inebriated condition has left his village in Bhojpur, near Modinagar. His family, meanwhile, has demanded security and a fair probe from authorities.

Police complaint It is alleged that on Febru- ary 10, the man was caught peeping into a house where a woman was sleep- ing. The family of the woman lodged a police complaint, but then decided to teach him a lesson by calling a panchayat. The punishment was allegedly doled out in front of the panchayat on February 14. Locals said that following the punishment, the man tried to commit suicide and then left his house with his wife.

Beaten up “In the presence of a hundred people, the man was beaten up and forced to drink urine. Thoroughly humiliated, he tried to commit suicide but was saved by the locals. Since then, he and his wife have fled the village. They fear for their lives as pressure is mounting on the family to withdraw the complaint they have lodged against those who beat him up,” said Chaman Lal, uncle of the victim. CM YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 8 EDITORIAL FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Beneath the surface calm Western Uttar Pradesh has been transformed by the corrosive post-Muzafarnagar discourse

anywhere. In the 2014 election, cused in the Muzafarnagar viol- in Ajit Singh, reciting the by now fa- voters primarily connected with ence, which automatically placed miliar complaints against the BJP. Mr. Modi on the aspirational prom- him on the side of Jats, who saw However, the mood changed dra- Life elsewhere ise. However, they knew exactly themselves as primary victims in matically when a boisterous group The discovery of seven exoplanets makes the what cues to pick up when he the Hindu-Muslim conlict. But of young Jats muscled into our con- spoke in the same breath of Jats, or at least a section of them, versation. They noisily proclaimed search for extraterrestrial life more exciting Pakistan, the soldier dying on the seemed to have voted for Javed that Mr. Modi was and will remain Vidya Subrahmaniam border, and the “pink revolution” Rao. their hero. A 16-year-old school he quest to ind life outside the solar system got a sweeping the country. The last Had I walked away after merely boy, Anirudh Chhikara, was big boost with the discovery of seven Earth-size By any reckoning, the Narendra mentioned was a euphemism for ascertaining the voting prefer- presented to me as the region’s Textra-solar planets, or exoplanets, orbiting a Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party the rise in meat exports, with the ences of Jats in both places, I ‘mini Sangeet Som’. The chief dwarf star about 40 light years away. Unlike earlier dis- (BJP) had been dealt the best set of further veiled suggestion that the should have truly been happy and claim to fame of Mr. Som, the sit- coveries of exoplanets, all seven planets could possibly cards for Uttar Pradesh 2017. Its meat in question was beef. convinced that Jats and Muslims ting MLA and current candidate 2014 Lok Sabha performance — 71 had inally reconciled to living in from Sardhana, also in Meerut dis- have liquid water — a key to life as we know it on Earth — of 80 seats won on a vote share of Tricolour politics harmony. But longer conversa- trict, is that he is an accused in the with three planets having the greatest chance. This is by 42% — provided it with both an air The reason why voters in the 2014 tions revealed that hate and suspi- 2013 riots. On January 17, 2017, Mr. far the largest collection of Earth-like planets in the hab- of invincibility and a margin to election readily absorbed the sub- cion lingered deep in Jat hearts. Som, nicknamed Sangharshveer itable ‘Goldilocks’ zone of a star — neither too close nor withstand a large negative vote text to Mr. Modi’s messages was be- Ms. Begum and Mr. Rao were the (brave warrior) for frontally ight- too far from a star, which raises the possibility of liquid swing. cause they had already been preferred choices only because Jats ing Muslims, had a case booked

water being present on the surface. Only Earth has li- Yet today U.P. presents a con- AFP primed for it by Muzafarnagar. Mr. felt betrayed by the BJP which had against him for showing video clips quid water in the solar system. Less than a year after sci- founding picture as the seven- Modi’s instantly attractive ‘politics reneged on promises made to of the 2013 riots. However, for phase election to the State As- pendent of who he might vote for of transformation’ came wrapped them. There was anger over denial ‘mini Sangeet Som’ and other entists announced the discovery of three planets orbit- sembly enters midpoint. There are in an election. in the tricolour: U.P. and its people of a job quota to the community, young Jats, this was only proof that ing the dwarf star, the team found four more through keenly fought triangular — and in Which is why a BJP victory or de- could shine only if the nation could but balingly, the litany of com- he remained committed to protect- intense searches using several ground-based tele- places quadrangular — contests feat is really only for the record. shine and the jawan was given his plaints included the Modi govern- ing ‘us from them’. scopes, including a 20-day continuous monitoring us- where only some months ago an The language and thought pro- respect. That this could be under- ment’s failure to abrogate Article As in the case of Jats, there were ing the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Adminis- emphatic lead for the BJP was cesses of U.P.’s people have already stood as excluding Muslims was 370 of the Constitution which gives reports of Muslims voting for the tration’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Since the dwarf star is treated as a given. been transformed and conditioned perhaps intended. Jammu and Kashmir its special SP-Congress’s Hindu candidates in much cooler than the Sun, the dimming of light each The uncertainty must explain by the corrosive discourse that has Travelling in western U.P., I status. To add to this, Jats were preference to Muslims in the fray. why the BJP campaign, which star- split the State on Hindu-Muslim found a deceptive calm in the parts seized by guilt that in the 2014 elec- Muslims I spoke to were more time a planet passes or transits before the star could be ted on a lofty note with a promise lines. Analysts have welcomed the where the 2013 riots had raged. tion they had preferred the BJP to guarded in their choice of words, easily recorded from Earth unlike in cases when planets to stay above caste and religion, absence of communal violence and Prima facie, it seemed that the Mr. Singh, a fellow Jat and heir to avoiding direct attacks on Hindus. transit a Sun-like bright star. Since the initial discovery has begun to tread the familiar failed attempts at polarising voters wounds of the past had healed. the mantle of Charan Singh. But the tension was palpable. of three planets was made using the Chile-based Trans- ground of Hindu consolidation. along Hindu-Muslim blocks in this There were examples of Jats voting But, as they argued, their vote Babloo Saii, a resident of iting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope, the The references to kabristan (grave- election as a sign of a State and its for Muslim candidates in places was to the RLD, not its Muslim can- Raikabad Colony in Dhaulana con- exoplanet system is called TRAPPIST-1. Unlike in the yard) and shamshaan (cremation people returning to normality after such as Purqazi, a Jat-dominated didates. “We swallowed a bitter stituency, said Muslims had made case of our solar system, the planets have apparently ground) in a speech by Mr. Modi, four years of being held hostage to reserved constituency in Muzaf- pill,” they said. Further, in 2014, up their minds to vote the SP’s and Amit Shah’s coinage of the ac- communal provocations. The Muz- farnagar district, and Thana the BJP was their “only defence Dharmesh Singh Tomar. But Yogi formed far away from the star and gradually migrated ronym ‘Kasab’ (name of the afarnagar riots of 2013 may have Bhawan in Shamli district. Jat villa- against the aggression of Muslims.” Adityanath’s sudden tour of the re- towards it; they share a similar formation history with Pakistani terrorist caught and been physically located in western gers in Kaji Kheda in Purqazi said A few days after my interaction gion and his “calculatedly provoc- the Galilean moons, which migrated towards Jupiter hanged by India for 26/11) for his U.P. but the poison from it had trav- they would vote for Choti Begum of with Jats in Kaji Kheda, I received a ative” speeches had convinced a after formation. Another major diference in compar- opponents, leave no scope for mis- elled wide, thanks to hotheads the Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal call from Deependra Malik, who section that they would be safer ison with the solar system is the tight packing of the understanding which way the BJP such as Yogi Adityanath (RLD) in preference to the BJP’s was among those I had spoken to. voting the Bahujan Samaj Party’s seven planets around the star. The closest planet in the campaign is being led. headquartered in eastern U.P. The Pramod Utwal. Choti Begum is a He said Jats had set out to vote the Muslim candidate, Aslam Ali. lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dalit married into a Muslim house- RLD’s Choti Begum, but on voting Everywhere, the conversation TRAPPIST-1 system takes just 1.5 days to complete an or- Divisive discourse Dadri and the pernicious love jihad hold and hence the Begum suix. day a good number had switched invariably revolved around bit and the farthest one takes 20 days; the orbital period Mr. Modi and his party chief should campaign were nothing if not Muz- Jats have a history of hostility with to the BJP after hearing reports of a Pakistan, the Indian lag, and how of the planets is also similar to the Galilean moons. rest easy. If they leave the pulpit for afarnagar by another name. Dalits while Jats and Muslims, once massive Muslim consolidation in Muslims were not part of the na- With a fair possibility of liquid water being present a few days and travel in western On a recent tour of western U.P., the backbone of Jat icon Chaud- favour of the Samajwadi Party- tionalist narrative. What began as a on at least three planets, the focus is now on decipher- U.P., they might be stunned to dis- I was astonished by how often a hary Charan Singh’s peasant Congress alliance: “An SP-Con- cheerful interaction ended with, ing the climate and chemical composition of their at- cover that the model citizen of well-conducted, amicable conver- parties, have been turned into two gress victory means return of “This is a Hindu-Muslim election.” mosphere. As a irst measure, scientists are keen to their imagination, who is one part sation suddenly got diverted into inimical blocks by the Muzaf- Muslim supremacy which we will My impressions are from western proud Hindu and one part aspira- hate talk and Muslim-bashing. This farnagar violence. On both counts, not allow.” U.P. but my takeaway is that Prime know if the planets are Earth-like, by ruling out the tional, already exists. This citizen happened at almost every stop I Jats would seem to have transcen- Minister Modi is popular and the presence of hydrogen gas enveloping them. Mass estim- has rote learnt and can recite at will made and was a pattern that cut ded their prejudices. A ‘Hindu-Muslim’ election BJP’s messaging has hit the target. ates already suggest that the inner six planets might all that has been communicated to across castes. In Thana Bhawan, the BJP’s can- In Khanpur village, which falls in have a rocky composition, while the one with a low him ever since the BJP became a In one word, Muzafarnagar, didate, Suresh Kumar, was pitted, the Siwalkhas Assembly constitu- Vidya Subrahmaniam is Senior Fellow at density may have a volatile composition due to the pres- major player in U.P. politics. And and the communal divide it has among others, against the RLD’s ency of Meerut district, the elder the Hindu Centre for Politics and Public ence of an ice layer or atmosphere. The composition of this ideological grooming is inde- come to represent, hasn’t gone Javed Rao. Mr. Rana was an ac- Jats unanimously placed their faith Policy the atmosphere can be identiied by measuring the wavelength characteristics of light. Since the TRAP- PIST-1 system is close by and the star is cool enough, it would be easier to decipher the various critical features of the planets. If there is life on these planets, we would Basic income and mental health gains know this in about 10 years. The search for extraterrestrial life has just become more focussed. Innovative interventions such as unconditional cash transfers could work wonders for millions

marked by early identiication and that depression and anxiety are and non-health pathways to achieve the Banyan’s service users’ disabil- appropriate care paradigms, could twice as prevalent among women mental health gains, what if we ap- ity allowance of ₹3,600 per annum Campus chill yield ideal results. than men, and inordinately high plied unorthodox and creative op- for over 11 years again indicated en- among the poor. This cannot be tions, such as unconditional cash hanced social mobility and sus- There must be action against those behind A challenging nexus viewed exclusively in medically he- transfers (UCTs), as a stress-redu- tained engagement with the mental The gender-poverty-caste nexus gemonic frameworks of a depress- cing, equity-promoting interven- health system. the violence at Delhi’s Ramjas College opens up a Pandora’s box in an un- ive illness. Sociological and philo- tion for those among the 150 million It is time to discern whether our Vandana Gopikumar quiet ecosystem that underestim- sophical attributes relective of in need of inancial recourse? Evid- iscal climate would allow this. Pro- very uneasy calm was restored to the Delhi Uni- ates the impact of structural barri- one’s disempowered status and im- ence from a rigorous randomised fessor Pranab Bardhan from the versity’s North campus by Thursday, with anxi- A National Mental Health Survey ers on mental ill health. Poverty is poverished internal locus of control control trial conducted in Kenya by University of California, Berkeley Aety still gripping colleges and hostels after two conducted by the National Institute feminised in an uninterrupted, are just as relevant. social scientists Johannes seems to think it could, especially days of violence. Trouble started on Tuesday when of Mental Health and Neuros- ceaseless cycle; characterised by Haushofer and Jeremy Shapiro from since direct bank transfers would malnourished women and girl chil- Poor budgetary allocations Princeton University indicates that eliminate middlemen, corruption, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the ciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, estimated that approximately 150 mil- dren who drop out of school to care Yet, in the 2017 Union Budget, UCTs resulted in an increase in subsidy leakages and related admin- student organisation linked to the BJP, stormed Ramjas lion people in India experience one for their male siblings or because growth in health and disability earnings and other assets, greater istrative costs. However, UCTs can- College to disrupt a seminar titled “Cultures of Protest” or the other mental health condi- they are unable to manage their budgets remains marginal. Particu- nutritional spend, decrease in do- not operate independent of, or as a organised by its English department and the literary so- tion. Typically, care access points menstruation in schools without larly disappointing is the negligible mestic violence and increase in substitute for public goods, namely ciety. They focussed attention on the participation of are limited to clinics, psychiatrists toilets or water. The last to access focus on mental health, especially mental health gains, qualiied by an health and education. Umar Khalid, a student leader from Jawaharlal Nehru or therapists, all serving essential health care when unwell and the considering India’s suicide rates increase in levels of happiness and The bi-directional inluence life satisfaction, and reduction in between mental ill health and University (JNU) who had been controversially booked and distinct purposes. However, irst to play caregiver, girls are mar- rank among the highest globally. concerted attacks on inequality ried of before the legal age even Unimaginative allocations primar- stress and depression. There was no poverty is clear as is the need to for sedition last year in a particularly fraught ideolo- through innovative social interven- today, often subject to brutality per- ily assigned towards upgradation of adverse impact on alcohol or to- make meaningful investments and gical stand-of between the establishment and the left- tions that build social capital and petrated by a patriarchal society, ills premium institutes leave scarce re- bacco spend, crime or inlation. pursue inclusive development. Ex- leaning JNU. They forced the cancellation of not just his decrease the experience of relative of dowry and intimate partner viol- sources to address challenges in Economist Esther Dulo in another perience of autonomy, one’s agency session at Ramjas College but also what remained of the poverty and discrimination could ence. We fare poorly (130/150) on mental hospitals, leave alone grap- study observed that the gains were and choice — the allied, yet pivotal two-day event. A day later, as a protest against the incid- inluence trajectories of well-being the gender inequality index, meas- pling with issues around long-term not unitary — i.e. the person who re- beneits of UCTs — are imperative to ent was organised on the DU campus, ABVP members and mental ill health, especially ured by indicators including work- care in inclusive community spaces ceived the transfer also seemed to social change. among families living in poverty (In- force participation, access to sec- or constructing a robust social care inluence outcomes, so if the wo- again arrived at the gates of Ramjas College to prevent dia is home to 30% of all poor chil- ondary education and control over component within the District Men- man received the transfer, better Vandana Gopikumar is co-founder, students from participating in the march. In no time, dren globally). These in conjunc- reproductive rights. tal Health Programme. outcomes for girl children seemed Banyan and BALM, and Professor, School clashes erupted, with students of the college alleging vi- tion with efective health systems, In this context, it is no surprise Taking into cognisance health possible. Closer home, a survey of of Social Work, TISS olence by the ABVP members and a hands-of response from the Delhi Police. Student politics in DU has often been edgy, but this week’s events mark a dark and wor- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials. rying turn. Fearing trouble, many students associated with the anti-ABVP protest who live around the campus On Masood Azhar and the intolerance towards shows that despite our Caring for the elderly Abadpoliticalmove Speaker is well within his left to stay elsewhere. Students are mobilising to de- That China continues to be dissent even in secular impressive advancements in Life for senior citizens has The Madras High Court’s rights to decide the voting mand that the irst information report make a distinc- reluctant to declare Masood spaces such as universities science and technology over become more diicult over refusal to grant any interim procedure. No member can tion between those who disrupted the seminar and Azhar a terrorist even after and colleges (“DU on edge the centuries, our the years (“Ageing with relief to the DMK, which adopt violence in the House ample evidence against him after attack on students”, understanding of the dignity”, Feb.23). Joint challenged the manner in and force the Speaker to those rallying in its defence. But the most grave con- shows its true face (“Case Feb.23). It is disheartening universe has not reached its families are disappearing, which the voting was change his decision. The sequence is the message that is being sent out about the against Azhar solid”, to know that the JNU PhD full potential. Perhaps more the younger generation’s conducted, is correct (“HC party could have easily possibility of free debate. Feb.23). It is strange that scholar, Umar Khalid, had such discoveries will be lifestyle has changed asks DMK to produce video earned a good image had its Umar Khalid was to have spoken in a session on “Un- China wants more evidence, to cancel his visit to speak at made over the years. drastically and their careers footage of loor test”, members conducted veiling the state: Regions in conlict — the war in Adivasi for the U.S., the U.K. and a seminar at DU. The Delhi M. Jeyaram, take up all their time. Feb.23). The DMK themselves appropriately areas”, reportedly based on his research on Bastar. It France have all thrown their police reportedly said they Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu Health care shields the attempted to cash in on the and allowed the loor test, was part of a programme cleared by the college author- weight behind India to get can’t protect Mr. Khalid. elderly from physical public’s anger towards V.K. irrespective of the result. Azhar designated as a global Why can’t the police control Not really disillusioned sufering. But what senior Sasikala; hence the protests V.S. Ganeshan, ities. If they are so quickly intimidated into cancelling terrorist. China’s attitude mob attacks? The whole In “Tackling the Islamic citizens need is more family in the Assembly. But the Bengaluru the seminar, if the police do not rally suiciently to pro- proves that it does not want episode must be probed and State” (Feb.23), the writer support. Laws have been party cannot act innocent tect debate on the campus, the signal goes out that stu- to annoy Pakistan. Since action should be taken calls the deserters of the enacted to ensure that as its MLAs’ violent dents and faculty are on their own in defending the India cannot possibly against the guilty. Islamic State (IS) children should look after behaviour in the Assembly more letters online: right to free debate. The Ramjas College incident also provide more evidence Manzar Imam, “disillusioned” while also their parents and senior deserves censure. The www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/ New Delhi comes a year after the events at JNU when the ABVP led against Azhar, it is time for stating that they have not citizens, but how many corrections & clarifications: the Sangh’s charge against what they deemed to be China to come around if it given up their ambition to senior citizens are assured wants to improve trade and Whole new worlds establish a Caliphate. of such care? “anti-national”. Then too an impression was created A sentence in the Editorial, “Ageing with dignity” ( Feb. 23, 2017), bilateral relations instead of The discovery by NASA of Clearly, their Senior citizens who are read: “It is projected that approximately 20% of Indians will be elderly that the police were too easily led to heed the ABVP’s dodging the issue on one seven Earth-like planets disillusionment is with the poor especially need by 2050, marking a dramatic jump from the current 6%. The current agenda; the reverberations of that episode are still be- pretext or another. orbiting around a star, implementation attention. A good step percentage of elderly population is 8. ing felt. Universities are arenas for intellectual evolu- K.R. Srinivasan, around 40 light years from methodology of the IS and towards this would be The second deck of “Top court backs income rule for foreign tion, they are meant to be spaces where discussion and Secunderabad the Sun, with conditions not with its ideology. As implementing the universal spouses” (World page, Feb. 23, 2017) read: “Ruling impacts U.K. citizens with parents from outside EU”. It should have been partners. debate push boundaries, where students learn not only favourable for the existence long as the IS’s ideology basic income scheme. With No place for dissent of life is a signiicant A report, “Environmentalists urge PM to cancel visit to Isha event” the art of provocation but also the argumentative skills survives, it means that India having such a high The manner in which development in our search extremists are not losing population of senior (Feb. 23, 2017, some editions), inadvertently said Minister Narendra to defend and oppose such provocation. Certainly, students were roughed up for other life forms in the ground. The military citizens, it is time we came Modi instead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. there are necessary curbs such as a bar on speech that at Delhi University’s North universe (“7 Earth-like victories against them are up with a comprehensive It is the policy of The Hindu to correct signiicant errors as soon as possible. Please incites violence and hate. But when a students’ organ- campus by members of the planets spotted”, Feb.23). short-term wins. The root plan for covering the specify the edition (place of publication), date and page. The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday isation uses violence to have a seminar cancelled, and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi The fabulous discovery has cause of the problem needs physical and emotional to Friday); Fax: +91-44-28552963; E-mail:[email protected]; Mail: Readers’ when the authorities succumb so easily, Indian aca- Parishad (ABVP) has once lent credence to the theory to be addressed irst. issues of senior citizens. Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India. All communication must carry the full postal address and telephone number. No again brought to light the that we are not alone in this Sriharsha S., Y.G. Chouksey, demia stands diminished. personal visits. The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on Chennai Pune attack on democratic values universe. This discovery www.thehindu.com

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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 OPED 9 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

LEFT, RIGHT, CENTRE Should triple talaq be outlawed?

It is the constitutional obligation of the government to only because a few judg- calling for just and fair footing between man and woman. tion of Muslim women in our coun- ments have declared it divorce. But patriarchal misinterpretations try. Muslim women are still subject enable Muslim women to obtain a level playing ield invalid. Why should a All we are seeking is and distortions rule our lives. Any to the Muslim Personal Law man have unilateral that the Supreme Court talk of reform in personal law is (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 There are four or five through phone with no witness powers to divorce, and should lay down the pro- brushed aside as interference in re- which is silent on triple talaq, nikah judgments where the deemed necessary and where the the woman just comply? cedure for talaq based on ligious matters. halala and polygamy. We need to be triple talaq provision has burden is on the wife to legally con- What is wrong in seeking the talaq-e-ehsan method. brought on a par with Hindu sisters zakia soman LEFT been struck down as in- test it? There is no law binding the a level playing field There is a debate about On a Uniform Civil Code and Christian sisters who have a Co-founder of valid. But it has not led to man, he can just act on his whim. between husband and personal laws being violat- As far as our position on the Uni- legal recourse. The Hindu women Bharatiya Muslim this un-Koranic practice being This is absolutely unfair and must wife? Such arguments ive of fundamental rights. form Civil Code (UCC) is concerned, have the Hindu Succession Act and Mahila Andolan, an rooted out from our society. Triple be stopped. only further the patriarchal order. But the personal law being prac- we are clear that a secular law al- the Hindu Marriage Act. We are a autonomous talaq continues to be the most com- As far as the Koran is concerned, tised by the Muslim community in ternative must be available to every patriarchal society and it is not as organisation, and a mon method of divorce. We had Seeking a level playing field triple talaq is just not valid. There India is not based on Koranic in- citizen. This alternative exists in the though Hindu and Christian wo- co-petitioner in the done a sample study of 4,710 wo- Let me cite a case from Madhya Pra- are verses calling for reconciliation junctions. Rather triple talaq is a vi- form of the Special Marriages Act. men have attained equality. But triple talaq case before men and found that out of 525 wo- desh where a woman who did not and mediation over a period of 90 olation of the tenets of justice and But abolition of triple talaq and they do not face legal discrimina- the Supreme Court men who were divorced, 349 were wake up when her husband re- days involving both sides. The ob- fairness. UCC are two separate issues. The tion the way Muslim women do. victims of triple talaq. While the turned late from work received jective is that the woman should Gender justice is a central tenet UCC question applies to the entire It is the constitutional obligation courts have settled the matter, we talaq thrice when she was asleep! not be rendered a destitute. Also, of the Koran and gender inequality Indian population, not just of the government to enable have to look at the unjustness of the She was informed about her hus- when the final pronouncement of and triple talaq are in violation of Muslims. Muslim personal law Muslim women to obtain justice. It entire process. How can we accept band’s decision by her mother-in- talaq is made, the women should the Koranic principles. In fact, in needs drastic reform just like the is not about the BJP or the govern- that a man can simply utter the law. It is a convoluted argument to not be menstruating. This is an the Koran, the very conception of Hindu code or the Christian laws. ment but about gender justice for word talaq thrice or communicate it say that triple talaq is not an issue evolved system of jurisprudence humankind is based on an equal There has been a legal discrimina- Muslim women.

Triple talaq is a Koranic injunction. But it depends on under extenuating circum- treme situations. Even moved RTIs to find out the divorce cerned. He has many duties to fulfil stances. It allows for an when a person goes to rates among the religions in India and many responsibilities too. That the terms drawn up in the marriage contract exit when the marriage buy a pen, he is bound and I can share with certitude that is why he has been given the re- breaks down but only un- by contractual agree- it is the least prevalent among sponsibility of ending the marriage The pronouncement being accepted, the pronounce- der certain conditions. ment. In the case of a Muslims. It is rare among Muslims. only when it breaks down. Women of triple talaq is ac- ment of talaq at one go or over the The talaq-e-ehsan, one nikah/marriage, the con- And those who practise it are usu- too have the option of khula. She ceptable to all four prescribed period of three months form of divorce, is over a tract is between two ally the uneducated and the poor will have to approach the qazi if her Kamal Faruqui RIGHT schools of thought in is allowed in the Koran. Don’t forget period of three months parties in the presence of who do not know their Koran or husband is absconding, of bad char- Former chairperson of Islam and though not that Islam is the first religion in the and it is only after the at least two witnesses. those who are misled by others. It is acter and so on. the Delhi Minorities desirable, it is very much a Koranic world to institutionalise marriage. completion of the third month that We are governed by the Muslim Per- also incorrect to say that triple talaq We will plead before the apex Commission and injunction. Those who criticise it do Nikah imposes conditions, pre- you are no longer man and wife. sonal Law (Shariat) Application Act, has been banned in 22 countries; it court to have a separate depart- founder-member of the not understand the Koran. Having scribes equality of women, main- The talaq-e-bidat or triple talaq at 1937, and if the Supreme Court says has been regulated in most of said ment with people who are well- All India Muslim said that, I should also state that tenance of children and so on. one go allows the man to exhaust all this must be revisited, we will op- countries. You could have concerns versed in the Sharia laws if at all the Personal Law Board eventually it comes down to the the options at once. Again, if the pose it. about why is it that a man can take court wishes to mediate on the mat- nikahnama, which is a contractual Conditions for triple talaq nikahnama has proscribed it, then recourse to uttering talaq and not ter. So far, the courts have been obligation between the two parties. But please don’t assume that the the man cannot take recourse to Many misconceptions the woman. Under Islam, the man very careful in interpreting per- If the terms of the contract do not Koran does not condone talaq. It this divorce. Divorce is one of the I also wish to clear the misconcep- shares the greater responsibility in sonal laws — which are part of the have provisions against triple talaq has been described as one of the worst things in the institution of tion on the number of triple talaqs marriage as far as maintenance of fundamental right to religion for and have not been contested before worst options to be exercised only marriage and allowed only in ex- practised among Muslims. We his wife and children are con- every citizen of the country.

Why rake up matters that have already been settled by been created now when both parties being rep- tional rights guaranteed to all Hazrat Khadija. She was 15 years all the contesting parties resented during the ne- citizens. older than him, she was a widow, the SC and create discord between communities? that are shouting had gotiation. This is a Kor- and he worked for her. It was she earlier kept quiet. The anic injunction and it is Egalitarian treatment who proposed marriage. This is the Back in 2002, the Su- Muslim Personal Law Board and whole triple talaq issue is only after following these On the issue of polygamy, which is Prophet’s Sunnah (practice). What preme Court had given other affiliates protesting against repugnant to Islam and conditions that talaq is again being contested in court, it is example does it provide for the its ruling on triple the judgment. There was a similar those who say it legitim- granted and once gran- conditional on so many things as believers? Syeda Hameed CENTRE talaq in the Shamim judgement from the Aurangabad ises Islam are doing a ted is irrevocable. You spelt out in the Koran, which makes Islam is going through a turbu- Women’s rights Ara v. State of U.P. case Bench of the Bombay High Court in great disservice to Islam. cannot say that you it abundantly clear that it is against lent phase world over and this issue activist, educationist, a — when Justice R.C. Lahoti and the Dagdu Pathan v. Rahimbi case The whole point of talaq is to uttered the word in a drunken human nature to give egalitarian can be used as an excuse to create former member of the Justice P. Venkatarama Reddi said a (2002) which struck down triple find a dignified way of getting out of stupor; neither can you pronounce treatment to everyone. So, the discord between communities giv- Planning Commission, mere pronouncement of talaq in re- talaq. So I am perplexed why a marriage that has irrevocably it over the phone or send it on concept of four wives is simply not ing rise to a communal situation. I and the irst woman sponse to a woman’s plea for main- Shayara Bano, who recently filed a broken down. But it is not that email or fax it or send a text mes- possible if you follow the letter and also fear that the hardliners will Qazi from Lucknow tenance cannot be treated as pro- public interest litigation before the simple. It is actually very difficult to sage. But I feel that the community spirit of Koran. It specifies that in raise the spectre of ‘Islam in nouncement of talaq. In order to be Supreme Court, was not advised by get out of marriage. The Koran has to look within and take the lead case there is more than one mar- danger’ through this issue. I am valid, talaq has to be pronounced her lawyers that the issue had been states the conditions which have to in reforming such reprehensible riage, it is essential that identical afraid this is not the right time to according to the Koranic injunc- addressed and settled in the past. be observed. Triple talaq must be practices, or else the state will inter- treatment is given to each wife. But debate on matters that have been tion. Triple talaq, in fact, was pronounced over three months. fere with personal laws. And it has since this is not possible given hu- settled by the courts. banned in 2002 by the apex court Cues in the Koran One per month. During the already been settled that personal man nature, it is best to have only and I don’t recall the All India An unnecessary controversy has months, mediation is essential with law is in sync with the constitu- one wife. The Prophet married All views as told to Anuradha Raman

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC SINGLE FILE FROM ARCHIVES Choke on it FIFTY YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 24, 1967 DMK gets majority in Tamil Nadu Air quality continues to deteriorate, but Mr. K. Kamaraj, Congress President, and Mr. M. Bhaktavat- there is no pressure on the government salam, Chief Minister of Madras, have been defeated in the to take action elections to the Madras Assembly. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has secured absolute majority in the 234-member Veena Venugopal House. Mr. Bhaktavatsalam, five of whose Cabinet colleagues AreportfromThe Lancet, pub- have also been defeated, will meet the Governor to-morrow lished on Sunday, estimated that [Feb. 24] and submit the resignation of his Ministry. Counting two lives in India are lost every of votes in the following constituencies was not over by 8 p.m. minute due to ambient air pollu- to-day and it will be resumed to-morrow: Vanur, Pennagaram, tion. The irst response from the Srivilliputhur, Cheyyar, Melmalayanur, Tiruvallur, Kaniyam- Environment Minister, Anil badi, Kadaladi, Kunnathur and Ottapidaram. Madhav Dave, was that the gov- SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA ernment would come out with its own study to understand the efects of air pollution on human A HUNDRED YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 24, 1917 health. “A proud country,” Mr. Dave said, “always trusts its own data and takes action on that.” Protest meeting against Punjab order It is diicult to discern which is worse: the fact that the authorities are not interested in taking any immediate measures A public meeting was held last evening under the auspices of to tackle the problem of the killer air, as described in the re- the Home Rule League at Morarji Goculdas Hall to protest port, or that they have not even initiated a study to understand CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC against the order passed by the Punjab Government under its impact. The Minister, as well as anyone who has visited the Defence of India Act, prohibiting Mr. B.G. Tilak and Mr. Delhi in the last couple of months, would be able to vouch for CONCEPT-UAL ACT ONE B.G. Pal from entering the Punjab. Mr. B.G. Horniman, editor the fact that the evidence of the impact of the smoggy air on of the “Bombay Chronicle”, presided. The hall was crowded. the health of the city’s population has, to use a terrible cliché, Public sphere/ Awaiting judgment on demonetisation On the motion of the Hon’ble Mr. Manmohandas Ramji, the been literally blowing in the wind. following resolution was adopted: the citizens of Bombay Sociology Legislative support has been given to the move but the view with strong disapproval and grave concern the action Valuing cars over lungs taken by several Provincial Governments against recognised Acute respiratory infections (ARIs), which have a direct link to German sociologist and Supreme Court is yet to hear petitions on it political leaders and regard the measure as an unjustifiable pollution, have been rising signiicantly. The National Health the guru of mass commu- restriction of the liberty of subjects and groundless interfer- Proile 2015 reported a 30% increase in ARIs since 2010. Ac- nication theory, Jürgen Krishnadas Rajagopal government did not seek ural unreasonableness”. ence with legitimate and constitutional political propaganda. cording to private doctors and paediatricians, the rise in the Habermas, wrote about legislative support during The 2017 Bill seeks to number of respiratory ailments, skin and eye infections — all of how mass media changed The introduction of the the winter session of Par- extinguish the liability of which can directly be linked to air pollution — in the last three the concept of public Specified Bank Notes (Ces- liament, from November the government and the CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC months is well over 50%. The elderly and children are espe- sphere. From the free- sation of Liabilities) Bill, 16 to December 16, 2016. RBI on demonetised ₹500 cially vulnerable to this. Yet, much like the government, flowing discussion of ideas 2017 is a rather late move It was only a fortnight and ₹1,000 notes that have DATA POINT people too have decided to err on the side of denial. in coffee houses in 18th to give legislative support after the Parliament ses- not been returned. It is In January 2016, when the Delhi government decided to run century Europe, public to the demonetisation of sion ended on a deadlock meant to replace the 2016 the odd-even experiment and restrict the number of cars in sphere became the medi- ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes. over the issue that the gov- Ordinance. The declared the city, it was met with much outrage by a citizenry that ated space of the mass me- In 1978, when the Mor- ernment initiated the pro- objective is the same: to seemed to value its automobiles more than its lungs. In Octo- dia, where journalists and arji Desai government de- cess of procuring legislat- get rid of a “parallel sys- ber and November 2016, even when a dense brown air was opinion-makers helped cided to demonetise ive support by tem” of black money and blowing from the burning ields of Punjab, a vast majority of readers make informed ₹1,000, ₹5,000 and promulgating on Decem- end the spread of counter- the city’s population had no qualms about bursting irecrack- decisions about the world ₹10,000 notes, it first pro- ber 30 the Specified Bank feit currency. The Bill not ers and adding more toxins to the air. Ever since, though the in which they live. mulgated an ordinance. Notes (Cessation of Liabil- only extinguishes the liab- average PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 micrometers in Now the explosion of so- Then it got legislative back- ities) Ordinance, 2016. ility of the government diameter) has stood consistently at over 300 (it peaked to cial media (and fake news) ing through the passage of But by this time, the Su- and the RBI, but also crim- 1,680 in October), there are hardly any masks visible in the has once again changed the High Denomination preme Court had already inalises citizens found streets of the city. Even in upscale apartment complexes in the nature of the public Bank Notes (Demonetisa- referred a batch of writ pe- “holding” more than 10 Gurugram and Greater Noida, where presumably the edu- sphere. tion) Act, 1978. However, titions challenging the de- demonetised banknotes. cated and the erudite population of the region reside, most the Narendra Modi govern- monetisation policy to a But in March 2017, the activities carry on as normal. Senior citizens practise yoga in CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC ment implemented the five-judge Constitution Constitution Bench is the manicured lawns at 6 a.m. when the PM10 levels are usu- policy in November 2016 Bench. The reference con- scheduled to hear the peti- ally above 450; on weekends children are out early in the MORE ON without legislative sup- tained nine questions of a tions challenging the de- morning being coached in football or karate. THE WEB port. Mr. Modi’s televised very fundamental yet monetisation. Judicial pro- This baling lack of personal awareness about the real im- announcement was fol- probing nature, starting nouncements that the thehindu.com/opinion pact of air pollution is part of the reason why there is no pres- lowed by a notification un- with whether the Novem- move was not implemen- sure on the government to take action. Mr. Dave said bringing der the Reserve Bank of In- ber 8 RBI notification was ted with legislative backing down pollution levels is not “rocket science”. Yet, he wasn’t The 1267 Committee, dia Act, 1934. “unconstitutional” and or that the RBI notification willing to lay down any concrete steps to enable it. The Centre, China’s hold and Masood The demonetisation ex- whether the manner in was ultra vires of Section he said, could only work like a “philosopher and guide”. If this Azhar: A short history ercise was replete with which the policy was im- 26 (2) of the RBI Act, 1934 was a WhatsApp message, here’s where you would be aixing multiple, and often contra- plemented suffered from could be a blot on the an eye-roll emoji. http://bit.ly/1267Committee dicting, notifications. The “substantive and proced- government.

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 10 NEWS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

FROM PAGE ONE Hasina to ‘Naga accord is still in the works’ visit India BJP sweeps in April Interlocutor R.N. Ravi says framework pact only mentions broad parameters of a inal settlement Maharashtra Haroon Habib Dhaka Special Correspondent and Arunachal Pradesh, The council operates un- and you do not serve half- Both the Sena and the BJP For the fifth consecutive New Delhi which have a sizeable Naga der the patronage of the cooked meal. We believe it is Bangladesh Prime Minister have staked claim to the time in Mumbai, though, population, said they had NSCN (I-M). not in the larger interest to Sheikh Hasina will visit In- post of Mumbai Mayor, but the Sena has become the R.N. Ravi, who was the inter- not been consulted by the Mr. Ravi told a news release the details now. But I dia in the second week of have avoided the vitriolic single largest party. It not locutor in the Naga peace Centre. The government is agency on Thursday: “The have explained it to all the April at the invitation of language that peppered the only increased its 2012 tally talks, said here on Thursday yet to release the terms of framework agreement is stakeholders by and large by Prime Minister Narendra campaign. BJP city unit of 75, but Mr. Thackeray’s that the peace agreement the framework agreement. less-than-one-page docu- going and meeting with Modi. chief Ashish Shelar claimed gamble to go it alone by was yet to be finalised and it ment; it tells about broad them on what it contains. An The schedule of the visit the support of four Inde- snapping its alliance with would not compromise the Manipur situation parameters within which the incomplete agreement can was disclosed after Foreign pendents and said the next the BJP also proved to be a territorial integrity of any Manipur, which goes to the final settlement will be create issues,” he said Secretary S. Jaishankar Mayor will be from Mumbai. major factor in consolidat- State. polls on March 4 and 8, has worked out. So it’s the prin- Minister of State for Home called on Ms. Hasina at her Meanwhile, the Congress ing the party’s traditional On August 3, 2015, at a been under an economic ciples within which we will Kiren Rijiju said that without parliament office on lost several of its seats in Marathi vote base. much-publicised ceremony blockade for more than four work out the settlement. It consulting all stakeholders, a Thursday. A source said Mumbai, winning only 31. Though the BJP narrowly at Prime Minister Narendra months following a strike does not mention anything final decision would not be the visit would take place The party’s Mumbai chief lost to the Sena in Mumbai, Modi’s residence, Mr. Ravi R.N. Ravi called by the United Naga about Manipur or any State, taken. The Minister said: “I “most likely after April 8”. Sanjay Nirupam offered his it was the real overall gainer. signed a “peace accord” with Council (UNC), a conglomer- it does not compromise the will expose the evil design of The news was confirmed resignation, accepting re- The party had won 31 seats T. Muivah, general secretary the Naga issue. However, fol- ate of Naga bodies, against territorial integrity of Congress, which will bust by the Prime Minister’s sponsibility for the defeat, in 2012, and that number the National Socialist Coun- lowing the signing of the the Manipur government’s Manipur.” their strength. I will change deputy press secretary which he blamed on infight- rose to 82 in 2017. It not only cil of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), agreement, the then Chief decision to carve out seven “A framework agreement the wrong perception by ex- Nazrul Islam. ing. The MNS was the retained the strong Gujarati to find a lasting solution to Ministers of Assam, Manipur, new districts. is not the final agreement posing the truth.” The visit will focus on biggest loser as it managed and North Indian vote banks mutual interests and devel- to win only seven seats as but also made inroads in opment initiatives along against 28 in 2012. None of Dadar, the Sena’s turf. Mr. with issues of connectivity, its candidates was able to Thackeray said he was con- Mr. Jaishankar was quoted catch the imagination of the cerned about the missing India, Israel to develop missile for Army as saying. people. names from the voter list. “We can solve any problem through discussion if we have good intention,” ₹17,000-crore deal approved by Cabinet panel ahead of Modi’s visit to Tel Aviv likely in June Prime Minister Hasina told On the run, ‘Pulsar’ the diplomat. She also put Dinakar Peri consists of 40 units and 200 The CCS had approved the emphasis on increasing New Delhi missiles. It has a range of 50- deal for additional AWACS connectivity between the Suni held in court Ahead of the first visit of an 70 km. last year expected at a cost of countries as well as Indian Prime Minister to Is- “The system will be based ₹7,500 crore. strengthening cooperation They entered the ACJM the court objected to the po- rael later this year, India has on the older Barak system of for the welfare of the court from the rear by scal- lice action. In the melee, approved a deal to develop Israel, which is in use in In- Russian partnership people of the two ing the compound wall, dur- Suni fell down but was jointly a medium range sur- dia. It is being changed as India currently operates countries. ing the lunch time recess- dragged away by the police. face-to-air missile (MR-SAM) per requirements,” a de- three Phalcon AWACS Israeli Ms. Hasina’s visit to In- .They were accompanied by The duo was taken away in a system for the Army in a fence source said on radars mounted on Russian dia was earlier scheduled around 12 lawyers. They police vehicle. Police also ₹17,000-crore deal. Thursday. IL-76 transport aircraft, un- for December but was reached the court via a lift in seized the bike used by Suni This is the latest in a series The systems will be manu- der a $1-billion tripartite deal postponed. Prime Minister the complex and Vijesh and traced its re- of other variants of SAM sys- factured in India and would with Russia, signed in 2003. Narendra Modi visited However, as the magis- gistration to Chennai. Even tems for the Navy and the Air have an 80% indigenous con- Russian officials said at Bangladesh in June 2015. trate was inside his chamber as the police shifted the duo Force being jointly de- tent. the recent Aero India that In- Earlier, Mr. Jaishankar for lunch, a team led by to the Aluva Police club for veloped with Israeli help un- The DRDO would play a dia had already ordered two arrived in Dhaka on Circle Inspector, Ernaku- detailed interrogation, der deals estimated at bil- crucial role in developing IL-76 aircraft to be converted Thursday afternoon from lam, Ananthalal grabbed the Suni’s counsel filed a peti- lions of dollars. the target homing system. to AWACS. Officials said they Beijing and was received opportunity and caught tion against the alleged po- Waiting in the wings: A model of Phalcon AWACS at Rajpath Deliveries would begin in were hopeful of a deal dur- by his Bangladesh counter- Suni and Vijesh, who have lice overreach. Joint development during Republic Day parade rehearsal this year. SANDEEP SAXENA 2023, a source said. ing Mr. Modi’s visit, and ad- part Shahidul Haque and evaded the law since the in- Considering the petition, The Cabinet Committee on The two countries are also ded that discussions were Indian High Commissioner cident on Friday. The ac- ACJM Siju Sheikh ordered Security (CCS), headed by the Defence Research and Israel in June, and prepara- in an advanced stage of ne- under way for additional Harsh Vardhan Shringla. cused put up a stiff resist- the Ernakulam Central SHO Prime Minister Narendra Development Organisation tions were currently under gotiations for the purchase long-range drones. India and Mr. Jaishankar met Mr. ance but were overpowered to take steps to hand over Modi, which met on Wednes- (DRDO) and Israel Aircraft way in both countries. of two more long-range Phal- Israel have stepped up their Haque in the evening and by the police. the accused to the Investiga- day, gave the go-ahead for Industries (IAI). A source The deal is for five regi- con Airborne Warning And defence relations since Mr. reviewed areas of bilateral A few lawyers present in tion Officer.. the deal to be executed by said Mr. Modi is likely to visit ments of the missile, which Control System (AWACS). Modi came to power. cooperation. President Cong., BJP trade charges returns By the Nile, a nest of Indians Bihar Bill Ansari visits the town of Jinja to underscore enduring link between the nations over ‘pay-ofs’ to leaders Press Trust of India Nistula Hebbar Jinja (Uganda) Patna Many names igure in diary seized from MLC’s house President Pranab Mukher- Jinja in Uganda is a town where history often over- jee has directed return of Special Correspondent whelms the occasion. they were speaking about the Bihar Sugarcane (Regu- NEW DELHI lation of supply and pur- Built around the source of giving money to stay in chase Amendment) Bill, the Nile, Jinja was discovered A diary seized by the In- power, as also about a con- 2007, to the State As- in 1862 by the British ex- come Tax Department last spiracy hatched through a sembly for plorer John Speke. It has one year from the residence of diary to accuse the Congress reconsideration. of the biggest Indian com- Karnataka Congress MLC K. government in Karnataka. The President’s message munities on the continent. Govindaraj has led to allega- Both of them are currently in this regard was read out Indians first entered Uganda tions of huge pay-offs to sev- being investigated.” by Speaker Vijay Kumar to trade and then cultivate eral party leaders, says a re- Chaudhary in the House on sugar cane on the banks of port aired by a television BJP lodges complaint Thursday. the Nile after the First World news channel. B.S. Yeddyurappa Mr. Surjewala said this The Sugarcane Amend- War. In 1948, Mahatma The report comes just proved that the “fake and ment Bill approved by the Gandhi’s ashes were con- days after BJP State presid- people of Karnataka. The forged diary is being pushed Assembly in 2007 seeks to signed to the swirling waters ent B.S. Yeddyurappa al- party would take the issue by the Modi government by set up State Advisory of the Nile here, and almost leged that huge sums of to a logical end and the di- misusing the agency of In- Board to fix cane price on 50 years later, in 1997, Prime Diverse channels: Hamid Ansari on the banks of the Nile in Jinja on Thursday. PTI money were routed to the ary proved the allegations come Tax/ED/CBI to ... as a its own in place of that Minister I.K. Gujral estab- Congress high command made by Mr. Yeddyurappa, reaction to the Congress fixed by the Central lished a bust of the Mahatma Jinja and in Uganda is a key 1953, is the town’s primary Ugandans banking with us, from the Karnataka party he added. raising the issue of Sahara- government. by the riverside. part of our relationship with banker and is heavily inves- but the ratio is reversed unit. The diary excerpts ap- The Congress has denied Birla papers, wherein PM “Having considered the It was to address this en- the country,” he said. ted in the local economy. when you see the value of pear to corroborate these the charges, alleging that Modi has been named.” Bill reserved for my consid- during link between India The town is said to be the The town reflects the business they bring in,” claims that surfaced on they are part of a pre- The diary, contents of eration , I do hereby direct and the East African country home of Indian millionaire complications of the India- Chandan Jha, a senior man- Thursday. planned conspiracy. which were released by the the Governor in pursuance that Vice-President Hamid businessmen Mayur Mad- Uganda relationship, with In- ager at the bank, said. The State BJP has since The Congress media in- television channel, has a list of proviso the Article 201 of Ansari decided to visit Jinja. hvani and Jay Mehta, who, as dians, who pay a lion’s share Sanjeev Patel, a business- demanded the resignation charge Randeep Singh Sur- of acronyms purportedly the Constitution that the Ugandan President Yoweri of the taxes, are a tiny man from Kampala, says he of Chief Minister Siddara- jewala said: “The Congress showing payments running Bill be returned to Legislat- Honouring Gandhi Museveni said, returned to minority. does not see any economic maiah over the “revela- party released the video of into crores of rupees to M. ive Assembly of Bihar with “We are at the source of the the country after the expul- “As far as account holders dominance or even the tions.” Former minister and Union Cabinet Minister Vora, AICC, AP, RG Office, a message to reconsider it,” Nile and here to honour Ma- sions of 1972 under Idi Amin. are concerned, we have a events of 1972 as hindrances BJP spokesperson Suresh Ananth Kumar and SG Office, DGVS, KJP, MBP, the President’s message hatma Gandhi,” he said. The Bank of Baroda, which 80:20 ratio of local to expanding the footprint of Kumar said the Congress Karnataka BJP president KJG, RLR, etc. said. “The Indian community in set up a branch as far back as Ugandans to Indian Indian businesses. owes an answer to the B.S. Yeddyurappa, wherein Kalikho Pul’s wife withdraws Universities to compete Three killed in freak accident in Chennai petition in Supreme Court with IITs, IIMs in rankings Staff Reporter Chennai pital. Four persons have been admitted to the gov- Her advocate says she may approach the Vice-President NIRF rankings are drawn up on the basis of ive parameters Three youths were killed, ernment hospital. Accord- and four others seriously in- ing to Railway Protection Vikas Pathak tionally bring out the ranks different kinds of job place- jured in a freak railway acci- Force officials, the accident Krishnadas Rajagopal The suicide note was an- NEW DELHI in the larger sub-categories, ments with different salary dent near St. Thomas Mount was caused when the back- NEW DELHI nexed to the letter to the CJI. Central and State universit- like last year,” the official levels. We are also account- station on Thursday morn- pack of one of the com- Dingwamsai Pul on Ms. Pul had in her Febru- ies will have to compete with added. ing for students continuing ing. All seven were re- muters got entangled in an Thursday withdrew her peti- ary 17, 2017 letter to the CJI institutions such as the In- The NIRF rankings are in higher education,” the of- portedly travelling on the iron ladder fixed to a signal tion in the Supreme Court said two of the judges dian Institutes of Techno- done on the basis of five ficial told The Hindu. footboard of a suburban fast post. As a result he was seeking the registration of an named in her husband’s Au- logy and Indian Institutes of parameters against which in- “But if students passing service from Chengalpet to thrown off the train. In the FIR and a CBI investigation gust 8, 2016 suicide note Management in this year’s stitutions are rated: teaching out from an institution end Chennai Beach when the ac- melee that followed, the into allegations of corrup- were part of the Constitu- official rankings of higher and learning resources; re- up doing nothing, there is cident occurred. others on the footboard also tion her husband, former Ar- tion Bench that quashed the education institutions, search and professional some problem and that will A senior official of the fell from the train. The three unachal Pradesh Chief Min- Governor’s decisions, lead- which will be released early practice; graduation out- reflect in the scores.” Government Railway Police victims have been identified ister Kalikho Pul, had ing to the imposition of in April. come; outreach and inclusiv- As far as perception of an said two youths were killed as A. Praveenraj (19) and K. levelled in his suicide note President’s rule in Ar- The National Institutional ity, and perception. institution goes, 2.4-2.5 lakh on the spot while the third Manikandan (22) and against politicians, “two unachal Pradesh and com- Ranking Framework (NIRF) people across India have died on the way to the hos- Jaysingh. seniormost Supreme Court pelling Pul to step down as was put in place by the Min- Pay packages been asked to rank institu- judges” and even the Kalikho Pul Chief Minister. Pul commit- istry of Human Resource De- Asked whether a common tions. Last year, the Indian President. ted suicide on August 9, velopment last year, but the ranking of institutions would Institute of Technology, Senior advocate Dushyant cuse himself from the case. 2016. first NIRF ranked engineer- not be like comparing what Madras, had topped the list Dave, appearing for Ms. Pul “Your Lordships should The Constitution Bench ing colleges, business were intrinsically different of engineering colleges and who was present in court, not hear this matter...,” Mr. was led by Justice Khehar. schools and universities in kinds of institutions — as, for the Indian Institute of Man- said they were now consid- Dave began as soon as the “Your Lordship [Justice separate categories. instance, placements from agement, Bengaluru, had ering approaching Vice-Pres- Bench sat at 1.30 pm. “If Goel] should recuse. Justice “This year, we will have a the IIMs were likely to be edged out its Ahmedabad ident Hamid Ansari. In a no- Your Lordships insist on must appear to be done. common list of all institu- better than universities of- counterpart to come top holds-barred hearing on hearing, we do not want to The institution must be pro- tions across disciplines and fering humanities’ courses — among the business schools. Thursday, Mr. Dave first participate in this hearing.” tected,” Mr. Dave submitted. fields. The IITs, IIMs and our the official said the compar- Among universities, Jawa- asked a Bench of Justices The lawyer said Justice Ms. Pul’s two-page letter universities will be ranked in isons would be done in such harlal Nehru University and Adarsh Kumar Goel and Goel and Chief Justice of In- was converted into a crim- a common list,” said an offi- a way as to account for the Hyderabad University were Uday Umesh Lalit to refrain dia J.S. Khehar were once inal writ petition and posted cial who did not wish to be differences. ranked three and four, re- from hearing the matter. He “colleagues” at the Punjab for judicial hearing before named. “We are not just looking spectively, while University said Justice Goel should re- and Haryana High Court. this Bench. “However, we will addi- at pay packages but also at of Delhi was at sixth rank. CM YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 NEWS 11 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF 61% turnout in U.P. Phase 4 polling ‘Congress slipping in many States’ Impoverished Bundelkhand region in focus, in addition to ive major districts of the State

Omar Rashid Jaitley blames its objection to note ban CHITRAKOOT Police foil attempt to Special Correspondent lock down Tata plant The fourth phase of voting in NEW DELHI AHMEDABAD the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Having denied the Congress The Gujarat Police on elections for 53 seats con- the status of the ruling party Thursday put an end to a bid cluded on Thursday. Polling in 2014, the electorate is to lock down the Tata Nano plant near here by detaining was held for 19 seats in seven now denying it the status of Alpesh Thakor, an OBC districts of the impoverished the principal Opposition leader, and his supporters, Bundelkhand region, in ad- party, Finance Minister who had been staging a dition to the five major dis- Arun Jaitley said here on protest demanding jobs for tricts of Allahabad, Pratap- Thursday after results of the the local youth in industries garh, Kaushambi, Fatehpur municipal polls in Maha- Arun Jaitley in the State. PTI and Rae Bareli, a Nehru- rashtra were announced. Gandhi bastion. Total voting He said the Congress’s these States. Many in the recorded in this phase till 5 opposition to demonetisa- Samajwadi Party are won- Samajwadi Party expels p.m. was 61%, which is ex- tion and the use of new dering if it was worth leav- Aman Mani Tripathi pected to rise by 2% given technology and its reliance ing 103 seats to the Congress LUCKNOW the many persons still wait- on one family were the key in Uttar Pradesh.” The Samajwadi Party on ing to vote. reasons for its present state. The Congress, he said, Thursday expelled Aman Mani In 2012, the SP won 24 Mr. Jaitley said the BJP had acquired an image of Tripathi for contesting as an seats in these districts — the was now emerging as a pan- being a fringe, anti-reform- Independent against the highest number — while the Indian party, spreading its ist, anti-growth party. “The official candidate from BSP was second with 15, roots even in eastern and Congress Party’s stand on Nautanwa in Maharajganj seven of which came in southern India. demonetisation of high district. PTI Bundelkhand. The BJP, value currency is costing it which is hoping to make ‘Tailender party’ dearly. Tax evasion enables Baggage tag goes in gains here based on its out- “But what about the Con- a small percentage of the seven airports reach to non-Yadav back- gress? In Odisha, it got population to unjustly en- ward castes had won only squeezed out of the contest. rich itself at the cost of the NEW DELHI five, while the Congress has In Maharashtra, it got exchequer. Public resources The Centre on Thursday scrapped the use of hand six seats in its hand. Day of the franchise: Voters queue up at the Aliganj polling station in Banda district of Bundelkhand region during the fourth pushed to third or fourth get reduced and hence the baggage tags at the airports phase of Assembly elections on Thursday. RAJEEV BHATT place in most cities. It is not expenditure on the vast sec- in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Heavy polling even a major contestant in tion of population is Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata While both seats in Lalitpur problems, was locked in a In 2007, the BSP won a com- BJP’s chances, he accuses the party, despite losing top States like Tamil Nadu, West reduced.” and Ahmedabad. Minister district in Bundelkhand re- three-way fight. In the 2012 manding 12 seats. It is also the SP of taking anti-people OBC leaders from the region, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh,” “The poor have suppor- Ashok Gajapathi Raju said this corded over 71% voting, the elections, the BSP won the the only party to fight on all decisions, patronising illegal including the Maurya and Mr. Jaitley said in a state- ted the demonetisation. The in a series of tweets. lowest turnout was in Alla- highest number of seats in 53 seats in this phase. The SP mining and goondaism. Patel communities, gained ment. “It is struggling to sur- Congress has lost its tradi- habad North (42%) and Bara Bundelkhand, seven, while and the Congress are fighting through the support of the vive by becoming the tai- tional constituency of the (49%), also in the Sangam the SP got five, the Congress on 30 and 23 respectively. BSP plank Nishad-Kewat-Mallah, most lender in an alliance in poor to the BJP,” he said. ED attaches ₹1 crore of city. Hamirpur district, four and the BJP three, out of “We are aiming at 17 out of A major plank of the BSP’s backward castes.“We have Surat man in note case which has two seats, recor- which one was later lost in a the 19 seats. We will be the campaign was to talk about the support of the Nishad NEW DELHI ded 60.39%, while Alla- byelection. party to beat on every seat,” the projects started here un- and Kewat communities. All The Enforcement Directorate habad district, which has 12 The BSP is confident that says Gaya Charan Dinkar, der Mayawati’s previous ten- top Nishad leaders in the re- has provisionally attached ₹1.02 crore in the money seats, the highest in the it can double its tally this BSP MLA from Naraini in ure — overbridges, technical gion, including Ache Lal laundering case involving State, had an average time — the region has tradi- Banda, and also the leader of institutes, medical college Nishad, and the core team of Surat-based businessman turnout of 50.3%. tionally been strong for the the opposition. He faced a and an agricultural univer- SP Rajya Sabha MP Visham- Kishorebhai Bhajiawala for Bundelkhand, often in fo- party and some of its top tough challenge from the BJP sity. But there is also caste har Nishad are fully with us,” alleged illegal conversion of cus for its drought, poverty, leaders, including Nasimud- this time. While he says that mobilisation. BSP workers says BSP worker R.K. Nishad banned notes. illegal mining and agrarian din Siqqidui, hail from here. demonetisation will hurt the across the region claim that in Tindwari. Amit Shah faces fury Modi lights into Akhilesh for ‘Kasab’ remark for ‘donkey’ barb Mayawati, Akhilesh slam BJP chief I take inspiration from ‘loyal’ and ‘hard working’ animal: PM

Press Trust of India Press Trust of India Mr. Modi said. Elaborating, Ambedkarnagar/Balrampur (UP) Bahraich (U.P.) he said, “Donkeys do not BSP supremo Mayawati and Prime Minister Narendra discriminate while carrying Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Modi on Thursday said he anything on their back ... Akhilesh Yadav lambasted was amused that Uttar Pra- whether it is a bag of sugar BJP chief Amit Shah on sep- desh Chief Minister Akhilesh or of lime... [those who dis- arate platforms on Thursday Yadav was “afraid” of the criminate] are the ones who for his “Kasab” remark, with donkeys of Gujarat, but he are neck deep in corrup- Ms. Mayawati going to the on his part took inspiration tion.” extent of calling him a from the “loyal” and “hard- “terrorist”. working” animal. Gujarat’s greatness The BJP president on Responding to the donkey “Akhileshji, you might hate Wednesday used the ac- Mayawati remarks made by Mr. Yadav Narendra Modi the donkeys of Gujarat but it ronym “Kasab”, saying ‘Ka’ at an election meeting in Rae was that very State which (in Hindi) stands for Con- ful”. Mr. Akhilesh said, “BJP Bareli three days ago, Mr. reflection on animals too... gave birth to Dayanand gress, ‘Sa’ for Samajwadi people have lost the battle Modi said the criticism of you found donkeys so bad ... Saraswati, Mahatma Gandhi Party and ’Ba’ for BSP. He on the ground and so their donkeys by the Chief Min- it is natural as your govern- ... and Lord Krishna chose to had said that till “Kasab” language has changed ... We istry only reflected his ment is so efficient that the stay,” he said. was laid to rest, Uttar Pra- used to study that it was KA “casteist mentality” and entire government goes “This feeling of hatred desh would not have devel- se kabutar, but these (BJP) “the feeling of hatred does about looking for buffaloes does not suit you,” Mr. Modi opment. Kasab was the people are teaching some- not suit him”. when they go missing,” he told Akhilesh, adding that Pakistani terrorist who was thing else. This time, people “In elections, opponents said. his alliance partner Con- arrested during the 26/11 were going to set your kabu- criticise each other ... Mr. Modi’s reference was gress, which led the Mumbai attack and hanged tar (pigeons) free.” Akhileshji, I can understand to the buffaloes of Minister erstwhile UPA government, in 2012. Ms. Mayawati had earlier if you attack me and the BJP, Azam Khan which had gone had even released a stamp In a stinging retaliation, taken on Prime Minister but I am amused that you missing in Rampur and the on Gujarat’s donkeys. the BSP leader said there NarendraModiwhenhe have attacked donkeys ... are police had to track them “Jinko aapne gale lagaya “cannot be a bigger Kasab” used an acronym to de- you afraid of donkeys ... down. “This is the pehchaan hai... unko bhi samajhne ka than Mr. Shah. scribe the three parties. these are thousands of kilo- [identity] of your govern- prayas kartey jab unki sarkar “Aaj apney desh mein “SCAM is Samajwadi, Con- metres away,” Mr. Modi said. ment but you are not aware thi... 2013 mein inhi gadho ka Amit Shah se bada koi aur gress, Akhilesh and May- that donkeys too give us in- postal stamp nikala tha,” he bhi Kasab nahin ho sakta awati,” he had said at his ‘People are my master’ spiration if heart and mind said, adding it must have hai, arthaat aatanki nahi ho first election meeting in U.P. Addressing the BJP’s Vijay are clear ... we can also take been clear to him by now as sakta hai (There cannot be a Mr. Modi had this week de- Shanknaad rally here, he that inspiration, it is loyal to to how talented and import- bigger Kasab, meaning a ter- scribed the BSP as Behenji said, “The people of this the master and is very eco- ant donkeys are. rorist, than Amit Shah in Sampatti (property) Party. country are my master, I nomical,” he said. At a rally in Rae Bareli, our country now),” she said. In her riposte, Ms. Mayawati take inspiration from the “Akhileshji, these 125 Mr. Akhilesh had said: At an election meeting in called the BJP “Bharatiya donkey because I work for crore countrymen are my “There comes an advertise- Ambedkarnagar, Ms. May- Jumla (rhetoric) Party” and people day and night ... don- masters ... I do all the work ment featuring a donkey. I awati said such language re- used Mr. Modi’s initials to keys are loyal to their mas- they ask me to do as I take will ask the megastar of this flected the mindset of the call him “Mr. Negative Dalit ter.” “I am amused that your inspiration from donkeys century to stop campaigning BJP leader and was “shame- Man.” casteist mentality is having a and take it with full pride,” for donkeys.” Dimple Yadav comes into her own Akhilesh’s low-proile MP-wife charms her audiences and leaves her stamp on the party’s policies

Omar Rashid she even quoted a famous of U.P. with that in the States LUCKNOW song from an Amitabh ruled by the Bharatiya Janata “Aap chillate ho, mujhe darr Bachchan film — Mere angne Party (BJP), she also delved lagta hai. Shant ho jaiye mein tumhara kya kaam hai into farm debt, police re- (When you shout, I get —to reject Mr. Modi as an cruitment, free gas cylin- scared. Please be quiet),” ir- outsider. ders, Samajwadi pension, ritated by the relentless slo- Metro Rail and women’s gans, Dimple Yadav politely A stark contrast safety. She was assertive appealed to the audience to This is in stark contrast from when she promised women maintain decorum. But the the nervous Dimple Yadav of that, if voted back to power, interruptions did not stop. the past — only a year ago, the Samajwadi Party would She then jokingly threatened while delivering a speech in provide 33% reservation to to walk off the stage, and the Lok Sabha on women’s them in government jobs, warned the animated party emancipation, she fumbled and remove the age barrier supporters that she would on several occasions, mis- for women in the govern- complain to the Chief Minis- Dimple Yadav is backing her husband, Akhikesh Yadav, with pronouncing difficult Hindi ment sector. ter if they did not heed her. her conidence on public platforms. RAJEEV BHATT words. The video went viral The aggressiveness and “I will tell bhaiya that you and she was widely confidence in her speeches did not let me speak. I will ure, deploying humour and known before: a focussed ridiculed. has impressed party workers complain ... bhaiya is com- playfulness to keep her and confident attack on Her address in Allahabad and those close to her. “She ing here tomorrow,” she listeners engaged. political opponents (in this pointed to her emergence as used to read things out at said. Barring minor distrac- election, that includes Prime a confident leader this elec- public platforms. There was tions from party workers, Minister Narendra Modi) and tion, raising critical political also this clumsiness. But Strong composure the Kannauj MP’s election the advertisement of issues while coolly managing now her speeches are inter- Though she appeared dis- meeting in Allahabad on schemes and work by her unruly party workers from active. She looks more pre- tracted by the crowd, Ms. Ya- Tuesday stood out for reas- party’s government in Uttar the stage. If she compared pared than before,” an aide dav rarely lost her compos- ons for which she was not Pradesh. On one occasion, the law and order situation of Ms. Yadav said. CM YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 12 WORLD FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ELSEWHERE Iraqi troops capture Mosul airport U.S. scraps protection for transgender students Hope to use it as launchpad for future operations against the Islamic State in the city’s western part Reuters the airport as a launchpad prevent them regrouping,” Trump sides with the conservatives South of Mosul for their campaign to drive said federal police captain U.S.-backed Iraqi security the militants from Iraq’s Amir Abdul Kareem, whose Agence France-Presse ministration is leaving it up Dhaka editor ‘stopped’ forces captured Mosul air- second largest city. units are fighting near Washington to States and school districts from flying to London port on Thursday, state tele- A Reuters correspondent Ghozlani military base. “Its The White House on Wed- to decide whether students DHAKA vision said, in a major gain in saw more than 100 civilians the best way to knock them nesday overturned protec- should have access to bath- Prominent Bangladeshi editor operations to drive Islamic fleeing towards Iraqi security down quickly.” Western ad- tions for transgender stu- rooms that do not reflect Shafik Rehman, on bail for State (IS) from the western forces from the district of al- visers supporting Iraqi forces dents that required public their biological sex. charges of plotting to kill half of the city. Mamoun. Some of them were seen some two km schools to allow them to use In a two-page guidance Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son, said on Elite Counter Terrorism were wounded. away from the front-line to bathrooms and locker letter to public schools, the Thursday he had been forces advanced from the “Daesh fled when counter the southwest of Mosul, a Re- rooms matching the gender White House said the exist- stopped from flying to southwestern side and terrorism Humvees reached uters correspondent said. with which they identify. ing guidance did not “con- London to visit his sick wife, entered the Ghozlani army al-Mamoun. We were afraid With the move, President tain extensive legal analysis despite having high court base along with the south- and we decided to escape to- Ghozlani base retaken Donald Trump has sided or explain how the position clearance to travel. Mr. western districts of Tal al- wards the Humvees,” said Iraqi forces last month ous- with social conservatives on is consistent with the ex- Rehman was released from Rumman and al-Mamoun. Ahmed Atiya, one of the es- ted IS from eastern Mosul a key issue at the centre of a press language of Title IX, jail last September, five caped civilians said. and embarked on a new of- broader cultural battle nor did they undergo any months after he was arrested Flight of civilians “We were afraid from the fensive against the militant between conservatives and formal public process”. on charges of plotting to kill Losing Mosul could spell shelling, he added. group in densely-populated liberals. The decision comes after Ms. Hasina’s son. AFP the end of the Iraqi side of Federal police and an elite western Mosul this week. a reported disagreement militants’ self-styled ca- Interior Ministry unit known Knocking IS out: Iraqi forces participating in an ofensive to Counter-terrorism service Gender identity over the language between liphate in Iraq and Syria, as Rapid Response had retake Mosul airport on Thursday. AFP (CTS) troops fought their By lifting federal guidelines Attorney-General Jeff Ses- Ecuador to hold run-off which Islamic State leader battled their way into the air- way inside the nearby issued by the Obama admin- sions, a major opponent of presidential vote Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi de- port as IS fighters fought Police officers said the from the southwestern side Ghozlani base, which in- istration — interpreting Title the LGBT rights movement, QUITO clared from the city after back using suicide car militants had also deployed of the city. cludes barracks and training IX, the federal law banning and Education Secretary Ecuador will hold a run-off sweeping through vast areas bombs, a Reuters corres- bomb-carrying drones “We are attacking Daesh grounds close to the Bagh- sex discrimination in Betsy DeVos, who is said to presidential election in April of Iraq in 2014. pondent in the area south of against the Iraqi Counter [Islamic State] from multiple dad-Mosul highway, a CTS schools, to include gender support LGBT rights and after a hard fought and Iraqi forces hope to use Mosul airport said. Terrorism Forces advancing fronts to distract them and spokesman told Reuters. identity — the Trump ad- had to sign off on the move. inconclusive first round, the electoral commission said on Wednesday. In voting on Sunday, ruling party’s leftist candidate Lenin Moreno finished first but fell short of 8 killed in Lahore market blast Tillerson visit: U.S., Mexico the margin needed to avoid a run-off. He will face a run-off on April 2 against his Explosives in under-construction building ignite; unclear if they were bombs square of on immigration conservative rival Guillermo Lasso. AFP Associated press dozens of cars parked out- Lahore side, their windscreens and Mexico says it rejects unilateral decisions imposed by U.S. Explosives in a building un- rear windows shattered. Le Pen favourite to win der construction ignited on Pakistani Prime Minister Associated Press first round in France Thursday, ripping through a Nawaz Sharif, speaking to re- Mexico City PARIS market in an upscale neigh- porters during an official Mexico’s mounting unease Far-right leader Marine Le bourhood in Lahore, killing visit to Turkey on Thursday, and resentment over U.S. Pen remains favourite to win eight people, officials said. It asked Afghanistan to act President Donald Trump’s the first round of France’s was not immediately clear against those militants who immigration crackdown was presidential election but whether the explosives were are using Afghan soil for ter- looming over a gathering of would lose the May 7 run-off meant to be a bomb or rorist attacks in Pakistan. U.S. and Mexican leaders against either the centre- right’s Francois Fillon or merely stored in the build- Mr. Sharif’s comments Thursday that the U.S. had centrist Emmanuel Macron, ing. came hours after the Afghan hoped would project a two polls showed on The news came as a shock Ambassador to Pakistan, strong future for relations Thursday. A BVA poll showed to many in Pakistan, where a Omar Zakhilwal, demanded between neighbours. Mr. Macron beating Ms. Le string of brazen attacks the reopening of border U.S. Secretary of State Rex Pen comfortably, by 61% to claimed by Pakistani Taliban crossings closed by Is- Tillerson and Homeland Se- 39%, in run-off. REUTERS over the past two weeks have lamabad in the wake of the curity Secretary John Kelly killed more than 125 people. shrine bombing. Pakistan were meeting with their Tough trip: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Islamabad claims that Living in fear: The blast in Lahore damaged vehicles parked says any decision about re- Mexican counterparts in Ambassador Roberta Jacobson in Mexico City. AP Anti-Dakota pipeline Pakistani Taliban use Afghan outside a market in the Defence Housing Authority. AFP opening the crossings “will Mexico City before they protesters leave camp soil to stage terrorist attacks be taken in due course”. were supposed to sit down said on a morning news decisions imposed by one CHICAGO across Pakistan, a charge Ka- provincial Counter-Terror- mote control device. Earlier in the day, Shekib with Mexican President show. Even Mr. Trump, government on another,” After nearly a year of bul denies. ism Department (CTD) said Lahore police operations Mustaghni, the Afghan For- Pena Nieto. whose White House has in- said Mexico’s foreign rela- occupying North Dakota Thursday’s blast was so was caused when explosives chief Haider Ashraf said the eign Ministry spokesman, But a top Mexican official sisted relations with Mexico tions secretary, Luis Vide- prairie land to block the route powerful that it shattered inside the building ignited. explosion took place inside a said Afghanistan was ready suggested the meeting with are “phenomenal”, acknow- garay. “We are not going to of an oil pipeline, many of the windows of nearby buildings Mohammad Iqbal, spokes- building that was under con- to seek United Nations sanc- Mr. Pena Nieto, announced ledged he’d sent his top dip- accept that, because we camp’s holdouts marched out and damaged vehicles man for the CTD, told report- struction and where labour- tions against suspected ter- days in advance by the U.S., lomat to Mexico on a “tough don’t have to.” on Wednesday. Some 10 activists who had remained parked outside a market in ers that investigators were ers were working at the time. rorist networks and their might not take place after trip”. Mr. Videgaray added a after the 2:00 pm (2000 the Defence Housing Author- still trying to determine the The explosion was so supporters, a veiled refer- all. “I want to say clearly and cryptic but pointed warning GMT) deadline were arrested, ity, said Rana Sanaullah, pro- purpose of storing explosive powerful it littered the park- ence to Pakistan. Kabul ac- “It all depends on the most emphatically that the that Mexico wouldn’t hesit- according to the North vincial Law Minister. material in the building, and ing area outside the building cuses Pakistan of aiding agreements that they arrive Mexican government and ate to challenge the U.S. Dakota Joint Information Nearly 30 people were whether it was an impro- with broken glass and debris. Taliban insurgents, particu- at,” Mexico’s Economy Sec- the Mexican people have no move at the United Nations Center. AFP wounded in the blast that the vised explosive device or re- Dust and smoke covered larly the Haqqani network. retary Ildefonso Guajardo reason to accept unilateral or other global venues.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Syria talks resume in San Jose inundated N. Korea lashes out at Geneva after 10 months Malaysia Agence France-Presse Envoy holds separate meetings with government, rebels Seoul North Korea's state media Reuters ing. After meeting Mr. As- UN resolution, he said. broke a 10-day silence on Geneva sad’s top negotiator at the The scope of the talks has Thursday on the murder of Syrian peace talks in Geneva talks, Russia's envoy to the been cut back to core polit- Kim Jong-un’s half brother, resumed on Thursday after United Nations said de- ical questions since last year, launching a ferocious as- breaking down 10 months mands from rebels and their after an initiative by Russia, sault on Malaysia for “im- ago as the battle for Aleppo Western and Arab backers Turkey and Iran took thorny moral” handling of the escalated, with the UN medi- for Mr. Assad to step down military issues off the case and for playing polit- ator hoping to corral the were “absurd”. Geneva agenda and assigned ics with the corpse. warring sides into a rare them to a separate process In its first comments on face-to-face meeting. Agenda uncertain in the Kazakhstan’s Astana. the airport assassination of UN’s Syria envoy Staffan “The delegation of the “Geneva is where the Kim Jong-nam, KCNA said de Mistura convened separ- [Syrian] government arrived politics are. Astana is abso- Malaysia bore responsibil- ate meetings with represent- in Geneva with constructive lutely suitable as a place to ity for the death, and ac- atives of the government and instructions to reach pro- strengthen the ceasefire,” cused it of conspiring with opposition delegations on gress at these talks,” Ambas- one Western diplomat said. South Korea. Thursday morning. sador Alexei Borodavkin told Also, air strikes hit rebel- “Malaysia is obliged to The aim is to end almost reporters. held areas in Deraa and hand his body to the DPRK six years of war by agreeing “The agenda of these Hama provinces and insur- [North Korea] side as it on the future governance of talks is not yet ready, as far gents fired rockets at govern- made an autopsy and Syria, where the position of as I understand,” he said. He ment targets, the Britain- forensic examination of it President Bashar Al-Assad is was hoping for progress on based Syrian Observatory in an illegal and immoral stronger now than a year ago creating a government of na- for Human Rights said. But manner”, the North’s after government forces tional unity, drafting a Con- the overall level of violence Korean Jurists Committee gained control of Aleppo stitution and scheduling in western Syria was less Mass evacuation:Thousands of people in San Jose, California, were ordered to evacuate early on Wednesday as loodwaters said, in comments carried with Russian military back- elections, as mandated by a than in previous days. inundated neighbourhoods after an area reservoir overlowed. AFP by the state-run news agency. Malaysia has not released the corpse “under the absurd pretext” that it China ‘aware’ needs a DNA sample from Why 20 million people are on brink of famine the dead man's family, it of patrol in said. Throughout its lengthy S. China Sea Nations facing famine — S. Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen — are either in war or recovering from decades of conlict dispatch, KCNA avoided any reference to the dead Reuters Somini Sengupta three criteria are met: when in many instances, the lead- warning system funded by man's identity, calling him Beijing United Nations one in five households in a ers of warring parties are the U.S. Agency for Interna- only “a citizen of the DPRK China’s Defence Ministry In a world filled with excess certain area face extreme blocking aid workers from tional Development. But bearing a diplomatic pass- said on Thursday it was food, 20 million people are food shortages; more than delivering relief where it is travelling through the area is port”. North Korea has aware of the presence of a on the brink of famine, in- 30% of the population is most needed. so dangerous that aid work- never acknowledged him U.S. aircraft carrier strike cluding 1.4 million children acutely malnourished; and The situation in Somalia ers have been unable to as the estranged brother of group in the South China at imminent risk of death. In at least two people for every today is different from what verify the levels of hunger its leader. Sea and China respected the face of such grim num- 10,000 die each day. it was in 2011. The govern- there, let alone deliver relief. Also Malaysia’s police freedom of navigation for bers, a stark question con- ment is functioning, al- At least 5 million people face chief said on Thursday that all countries in the waters fronts the world’s most Not enough money though there are vast pock- the risk of famine. the country has requested there. powerful: Why in 2017 can’t Famine was last declared in ets where al-Shababthrives. The biggest crisis is in Ye- Interpol to put an alert out The U.S. Navy said the they avert such a Somalia in July 2011, after an But Somalia has already had men, where a coalition led to apprehend four North strike group, including the catastrophe? estimated 260,000 people two consecutive years of by Saudi Arabia and backed Korean suspects. Nimitz-class aircraft carrier UN Secretary-General An- had died, mostly in a two- drought. In South Sudan, by the U.S. is battling Houthi Speaking to reporters on the USS Carl Vinson, began tónio Guterres raised the month period. Mr. Guterres 100,000 people are affected rebels. Thursday, Malaysian police “routine operations” in the alarm on Wednesday after- cited two reasons for the by famine in a part of the More than seven million chief Khalid Abu Bakar said South China Sea on noon about the risk of fam- Conlict, hunger, starvation: Children from South Sudan in a crisis. First, he said, there is country that is most people need urgent food aid, a request had been made Saturday. ine in northern Nigeria, refugee camp in Arua, Uganda. GETTY IMAGES not enough money; the UN troubled by the civil war. according to the UN . Among to Interpol to put out an Defence ministry Somalia and Yemen. And needs $5.6 billion to address In northern Nigeria, them, 462,000 children face alert to apprehend the spokesman Ren Guoqiang this week, the United Na- tion or indifference,” Mr. Gu- in the case of Somalia, recov- the needs. Barely 2% of that where the military is battling “severe acute malnutrition,” four, who are believed to said China had a “grasp” of tions declared famine in a terres said at a news confer- ering from decades of money is in hand. Boko Haram, there was which means that even if have made their way back the situation regarding the patch of South Sudan. ence, flanked by the heads of conflict. Second, all four countries probably a famine in two they survive, they will prob- to North Korea, having fled carrier group in the South “In our world of plenty, his aid agencies. Each coun- Famine is a rare and spe- facing the threat of famine towns, called Bama and ably have developmental dis- Malaysia on the day of the China Sea. there is no excuse for inac- try facing famine is in war, or cific state. It is declared after are reeling from conflict, and Banki, according to an early abilities. NYT killing. CM ND-ND YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 BUSINESS 13 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

market watch

23-2-2017 % CHANGE Sensex dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 28,893 dddddd 0.10 ‘Legally vetted’ dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd dddddd Bharti joins battle with Telenor buy US Dollar 66.82 0.21 Gold dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 29,850 dddddd 0.34 Brent oil ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd57.09 dddddd 2.44 The deal helps Bharti gain spectrum as Vodafone and Idea mull a merger, and Jio adds customers pact on services

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ited,” Fitch said. NEW DELHI In Fitch’s view, the 43MHz tabled at WTO NIFTY 50 Less than a month after of 1800MHz spectrum Bharti PRICE CHANGE Vodafone confirmed it was in will acquire as part of the ACC...... 1438.10...... -9.50 talks with Idea for a possible transaction is the primary Adani Ports...... 297.25...... -3.05 Ambuja Cements ... . 232.00...... -1.15 merger in India that could benefit to the company. Aims to ease passage for skilled staf Asian Paints...... 1009.00...... -11.30 create the country’s largest “Telenor’s Indian opera- Aurobindo Pharma . 666.25...... -11.95 Axis Bank...... 528.15...... 2.85 mobile operator, Bharti Air- tions will also come with 45 SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Bajaj Auto...... 2814.10...... 14.35 tel on Thursday said it would million subscribers (com- NEW DELHI Bank of Baroda ...... 168.15...... 0.45 Bharti Airtel ...... 366.25...... 5.25 acquire the local unit of Nor- pared with Bharti’s Indian India on Thursday said it BHEL ...... 153.45...... -0.85 way’s Telenor. subscriber base of 266 mil- has submitted to the World Bosch ...... 21990.90...... -70.30 BPCL...... 717.65...... 3.35 The deal will help India’s lion), who generate revenue Trade Organisation (WTO) a Cipla ...... 592.40...... 3.15 largest telecom services proof $600-700 million and legally vetted proposal on a Coal India ...... 327.70...... -0.65 Dr Reddys Lab ...... 2887.40...... -15.80 vider to widen its lead over EBITDA of $50-60 million global services pact, that Eicher Motors Ltd...24877.70..... -192.60 Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance (compared with $14.5 billion among other things, aims to GAIL (India)...... 517.55...... -1.35 Grasim Ind...... 1024.90...... -22.60 Jio, which has already and $5-5.3 billion, respect- ease norms for movement HCL Tech ...... 842.85...... 8.65 notched up 100 million ively at Bharti),” Fitch said, of skilled workers across HDFC ...... 1385.70...... -8.40 HDFC Bank ...... 1394.30...... -4.85 users. Were Vodafone and adding this won’t enhance borders for short-term Hero MotoCorp...... 3176.75...... 10.55 Idea to successfully conclude the acquirer’s debt levels. work. Hindalco ...... 182.10...... 2.05 Hind Unilever ...... 858.25...... -5.90 a merger, the combined en- “During 2012 and 2014 The proposal for a Trade ICICI Bank...... 284.50...... -1.65 tity would have almost 400 spectrum auctions, Telenor Facilitation in Services (TFS) Nirmala Sitharaman Idea Cellular ...... 119.60...... 7.00 IndusInd Bank ...... 1340.75...... 14.20 million users. acquired spectrum worth Agreement will be taken up Bharti Infratel Ltd. . 297.90...... -2.85 “Bharti Airtel has entered ₹48 billion,” Deutsche Bank by an expert committee at and commercially meaning- Infosys...... 1008.85...... 18.70 into a definitive agreement Big buy: Bharti will acquire all of Telenor India’s assets and operations in seven circles — Andhra Market Research said. the WTO headquarters in ful and not about ‘new’ (or ITC...... 265.65...... 2.20 Kotak Bank ...... 810.95...... 15.10 with Telenor South Asia In- Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, U.P. (East), U.P. (West) and Assam. REUTERS “Adjusting for the upfront Geneva during March 14-17, greater) market access.” L&T...... 1486.60...... 9.65 vestments Pte. Ltd. to ac- payment, the license-fee set- following which it will be Meanwhile, the TFA in Lupin ...... 1450.00...... -2.80 M&M...... 1304.85...... -6.35 quire Telenor India,” Bharti (East), U.P. (West) and As- ther strengthen our market off and the annual payments put up for discussion among Goods — adopted by the Maurti Suzuki ...... 6031.00...... -48.65 said in a statement. “It will sam. “These circles repres- position considerably in sev- made to date, we estimate all the WTO members, com- WTO Members in 2014 — NTPC ...... 165.50...... -1.20 ONGC...... 196.00...... 0.40 also enable Airtel to further ent a high population con- eral key circles.” Telenor’s outstanding spec- merce minister Nirmala entered into force on PowerGrid Corp ...... 199.15...... -2.45 bolster its strong spectrum centration and therefore trum liability would be Sitharaman said. Wednesday. Reliance Ind ...... 1182.75...... -24.75 State Bank ...... 270.45...... -1.85 footprint in these seven offer a high potential for ‘Consolidate or perish’ around ₹16 billion ($230m). Ms. Sitharaman said: “We According to the WTO Sun Pharma ...... 674.55...... 4.20 circles, with the addition of growth,” the company said. According to Fitch Ratings This would transfer to Bharti have submitted the legally Director General Roberto Tata Motors ...... 462.35...... 2.30 Tata Motors Dvr...... 280.95...... -2.10 43.4 MHz spectrum in the “As the new owner, Airtel the agreement by Bharti Air- in the event of the acquisi- vetted paper (on TFS) in Azevêdo, the TFA in Goods Tata Power ...... 83.45...... -0.70 1800 MHz band,” it said. will take over Telenor India’s tel to buy Telenor’s Indian tion.” Geneva. Till March 17, only aims to streamline, simplify Tata Steel ...... 485.75...... 1.70 TCS ...... 2481.80...... 70.30 Though the companies spectrum, licenses and oper- telecom operations “is the Telenor’s other assets the Council for Trade in Ser- and standardise customs Tech Mahindra ...... 503.65...... -4.30 didn’t disclose the deal size, ations, including its employ- latest sign that the entry of were likely to fetch minimal vices members will be privy procedures. By doing so, it UltraTech Cement.. . 3786.10...... 8.30 Wipro ...... 486.10...... 11.60 a Deutsche Bank Market Re- ees and customer base of 44 aggressive new operator Reli- value, Deutsche Bank Market to it. After that we will take will help to cut trade costs YES Bank ...... 1446.75...... -0.20 search report pegged the million (4.4 crore),” Telenor ance Jio is spurring incum- Research added. it up for discussion with all around the world, he said in Zee Entertainment . 518.55...... 2.40 value of the transaction at said in a statement. bents to consolidate to better the WTO member countries a statement. about $300 million, or more Bharti has more than 269 meet the intense competi- Price war to build awareness.” than ₹2,000 crore. Bharti million (26.9 crore) sub- tion and weaker telcos to exit The price war triggered by According to official TFA in goods Airtel shares gained 1.4% on scribers and a revenue mar- altogether.” the arrival of Reliance Jio has sources, the proposed pact “By 2030 the (TFA in Goods) the BSE to close at ₹366.05 ket share of more than 33% It added that Bharti’s hurt revenues and profits also aims to ensure portabil- Agreement could add 2.7% EXCHANGE RATES on Thursday. in the telecom market. Ac- statement said, adding that credit profile will remain un- margins of telecom players, ity of social security contri- points per year to world Indicative direct rates in rupees a unit except yen at 4 p.m. on February 23 cording to Fitch Ratings, the exposure to claims re- affected by the planned ac- including Bharti Airtel, Voda- butions, a single window trade growth and more than CURRENCY TT BUY TT SELL Sixth acquisition Bharti’s revenue market lated to the period Telenor quisition as the benefits from fone and Idea. mechanism for foreign in- half a percentage point per US Dollar...... 66.63...... 66.95 This is the six domestic ac- share will rise by 2 percent- owned the business, will re- additional spectrum assets Bharti Airtel last month vestment approvals and year to world GDP growth. Euro ...... 70.30...... 70.65 British Pound ...... 83.06...... 83.47 quisition by Bharti in the last age points to 35%, post the main with Telenor. will offset the spectrum liab- reported a 54% drop in con- cross-border insurance cov- This impact would be Japanese Yen (100) ...... 58.89...... 59.18 five years. It had acquired acquisition. The deal is expected to ilities taken over. solidated net profit for the erage to boost medical tour- greater than the elimination Chinese Yuan...... 9.69...... 9.74 Swiss Franc ...... 66.00...... 66.33 Qualcomm AP’s India busi- “The decision to exit India close within 12 months, sub- Jio’s massive investment of December quarter. ism. In October 2016, India of all existing tariffs around Singapore Dollar ...... 47.14...... 47.37 ness in May 2012, Loop Mo- has not been taken lightly,” ject to requisite regulatory $20-25 billion and unpreced- Idea reported its first ever had tabled a concept note the world,” he said. India Canadian Dollar...... 50.67...... 50.91 Malaysian Ringitt ...... 14.97...... 15.05 bile in June 2014 and Augere Sigve Brekke, Chief Execut- approvals from the Depart- ented offering of free voice quarterly loss for the Octo- on the proposed TFS at the has already ratified the TFA

Source:Indian Bank Wireless Broadband India a ive Officer of Telenor Group ment of Telecommunica- and data for six months to ber-December period and WTO and followed it up in Goods. year later. Last year it had ac- said. “After a thorough con- tions and the Competition new subscribers have accel- Vodafone last year wrote with a paper on its possible Ms. Sitharaman said: “It quired Videocon Telecom- sideration, it is our view that Commission of India. erated industry consolida- down the value of its Indian elements in November 2016, will lead to effective func- munications and Aircel Dish- the significant investments Gopal Vittal, Managing tion, according to Fitch. business by €5 billion. Ms. Sitharaman said. The tioning of ports and reduce net Wireless. needed to secure Telenor In- Director and CEO (India and “The on-going consolida- Last year, Reliance Com- TFS proposal is on the lines transaction costs. Logistics BULLION RATES CHENNAI As part of the agreement, dia’s future business on a South Asia), Bharti Airtel, tion is likely to leave four lar- munications, which had ac- of the Trade Facilitation will improve, goods will February 23 rates in rupees with previous rates in Bharti will acquire all of Tel- standalone basis would not said: “On completion, the ger operators – Bharti, Jio, quired Sistema Shyam Agreement (TFA) in Goods. move faster. Besides, since parentheses enor India’s assets and oper- have given an acceptable proposed acquisition will un- the combination of Vodafone Teleservices and is con- According to India, the pro- all the ports will be connec- Bar Silver (1 kg) ...... 43,055....(43,420) ations in seven circles - level of return.” dergo seamless integration, India and Idea Cellular, and trolled by Mukesh Ambani’s posed TFS pact is also about ted electronically, we will Retail (1 g) ...... 46.10...... (46.50) 24 ct gold (10 g) ...... 29,730....(29,770) Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Ma- The transaction will not both on the customer as well the combined Reliance Com- brother Anil, said it would ‘facilitation’ – that is “mak- have export and import data 22 ct gold (1 g) ...... 2,824...... (2,828) harashtra, Gujarat, U.P. trigger any impairment, the as the network side, and fur- munications and Aircel Lim- merge with Aircel Ltd. ing market access ‘effective’ on a real time basis.” Piramal to MobiKwik to invest From 56, fund realty labour logs with Ivanhoé ₹300 cr. to expand cut to just 5

Special correspONDENT SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT a loyalty initiative that SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT mumbai NEW DELHI promises benefits to users NEW DELHI Piramal Enterprises has an- Digital wallet provider Mo- on every transaction. Industries will have to nounced a strategic part- biKwik on Thursday an- “Supercash is the first maintain only five registers nership with Ivanhoé Cam- nounced that it will invest ever loyalty initiative for compliance with nine bridge, a real estate ₹300 crore in the current launched by a mobile wallet Central labour laws as subsidiary of Caisse de year as it looks to triple its in India…Users can earn re- against the 56 registers re- dépôt et placement du customer base to 150 ward points at all MobiKwik quired earlier, according to Québec (CDPQ), to provide million. merchants…These points a notification issued by the long-term equity capital to “The company aims to can be used on every trans- Labour Ministry on residential developers become three times larger action thus enabling the Tuesday. across five metro cities in in the year, acquiring over user to save money every The move will give relief India. 100 million users,” Upasana time he transacts on Mo- to about 4.54 crore estab- According to a joint Taku, Co-Founder of Mo- bikwik,” a company state- lishments as “it will save ef- statement issued by the biKwik said. “The increase ment said. forts, cost and lessen the companies, Ivanhoé Cam- in user base will also cata- compliance burden”, the bridge is allocating an ini- pult MobiKwik’s annual 1.4 million merchants Labour Ministry said in an tial $250 million while Gross Merchandise Value to MobiKwik currently has official statement on Piramal Enterprises will $10 billion by end of the over 1.4 million merchants Thursday. commit an additional year from the current $2 bil- on its network and aims to “Such an exercise has amount alongside and co- lion.” grow the base to over 5 mil- reduced number of data invest between 25% and The investment of ₹300 lion by year end. fields in 5 registers to only 50% of each transaction. crore will go into loyalty ini- Founded in 2009 by 144 from the then existing The capital will be made tiatives, expanding reach & Bipin Preet Singh and Upas- 933 fields in 56 registers.” available to a selective list network, and introduction ana Taku, the company has The Ministry will de- of Grade A developers who of other financial services raised three rounds of fund- velop a software for these have already demonstrated such as loans & investments ing from Sequoia Capital, common registers so that a track record of execution on our platform, she added. American Express,Tree Line they can be maintained in capability, corporate gov- The company, which Asia, MediaTek, GMO Pay- digitised form, and write to ernance and strong return competes with Alibaba- ment Gateway and Cisco In- States asking them to fol- potential, said the backed Paytm, said that it vestments, according to a low a similar practice for statement. will also roll out Supercash, posting on its website. State labour laws. VW, Tata Motors to hasten talks in Geneva Negotiations to focus on synergies in autonomous driving, shared mobility

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Group. It is therefore, pre- NEW DELHI mature to make any further Tata Motors and the world’s disclosures at the moment.” largest automaker Volkswa- With its future pro- gen, are likely to give a con- gramme ‘TOGETHER — crete shape to their ongoing strategy 2025’ Volkswagen ‘open-ended’ talks for part- Group empowers its brands nership at the Geneva Mo- with new responsibilities in tors Show scheduled for next the respective regions, the month. VW spokesperson added. The two companies are Similarly, a Tata Motors understood to have been spokesperson said: “As pre- holding discussions for a valent in the automotive in- while over the possibility of dustry, we regularly have joining hands and finding discussions with different synergies, keeping in view companies to explore future the technological develop- collaborations but we do not ments such as autonomous Single lane: Industry sources said there are possibilities of have any specific announce- driving and shared mobility technical collaboration and joint venture from the talks. AFP ments at present.” along with stricter emission Industry sources said that norms challenging the auto- country is an integral part of solutions, for example in In- the current discussions motive industry. its growth strategy — espe- dia, Volkswagen Group is between the two companies When contacted, a Volk- cially among the emerging discussing and defining are “wide ranging and open swagen group spokesperson markets. these proactively with poten- ended” with possibilities of said that it is committed to “To enlarge the product tial partners as well as technical collaboration and the Indian market, as the portfolio with tailor-made between the brands of the joint venture. CM YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 14 BUSINESS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF INTERVIEW|VINIT SAMBRE Gold scheme’s fourth Near-term volatility not ruled out tranche starts on Feb. 27 Investors who have long-term horizon of 3-5 years should not be worried First three tranches saw sales of bonds worth 5,114.95 kg SANJAY VIJAYAKUMAR fund need not be worried. CHENNAI We are not giving any negat- SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Fund House DSP BlackRock ive signal for our portfolio or NEW DELHI Investment Managers Pvt. the scheme. The Centre on Thursday an- Infosys board nod for Ltd. recently decided to tem- nounced that it would issue new articles porarily stop fresh inflows Small and mid-cap stocks applications for the fourth CHENNAI into its DSP BlackRock Micro have run into high valu- tranche of the Sovereign The board of Infosys has Cap Fund, which is focused ations. Was this a factor in Gold Bond scheme from recommended the adoption on investing on small and your decision? February 27 to March 3. of new Articles of mid-cap companies. In an e- ½ That factor has played a The bonds will be issued Association. The decision mail interview, Vinit role in our decision. on March 17. was taken at a meeting on Sambre, Senior VP and Fund Rising market levels leads The bonds will be sold Thursday. The objective is through banks, Stock Hold- to ensure that the Articles Manager, DSP BlackRock says to increase in valuation of of Association is in sync liquidity challenges and soar- companies especially the ing Corporation of India, with the Companies Act of ing valuations are the key small and mid-space where designated post offices, and 2013. The board has sought factors which led to the de- the rise has been much the National Stock Exchange shareholder approval via cision. Edited excerpts: more. and Bombay Stock postal ballot. Under the In some way, this is re- Exchange. Secure future: The bonds will be sold through banks, NSE, BSE current Articles of Why did you decide to stricting our ability to find The first three tranches of and designated post oices. ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES Association there is no stop fresh inflows into many opportunities at reas- the scheme saw the sale of provision for buy-back, a DSP BlackRock Micro Cap onable valuations, given the 5,114.95 kg worth of bonds ing sold, and the third help in reducing the de- board member said. Fund? size of the fund. amounting to ₹1,373 crore. tranche in April collected mand for physical gold by ½ Over the course of the Lot of money chasing The first tranche, in 1,128 kg of gold worth ₹329 shifting a portion of the es- last few years, DSP Black- fewer ideas makes it difficult November 2015, saw bonds crore. timated 300 tonnes of phys- UPASI opposes cut in Rock Micro Cap Fund has to build adequate position of worth 915.95 kg and ical bars and coins pur- rubber import duty grown to become one of the a company. amounting to ₹246 crore Physical demand chased every year to gold BENGALURU largest funds in its category. Hence we took a call to sold, while the second The aim of the scheme, as bonds. The United Planters’ While we continue to find in- stop fresh inflows into the tranche in January 2016 wit- stated by the government at The minimum amount Association of Southern teresting investment oppor- scheme. nessed 3,071 kg of gold the time of its introduction that can be bought are eight- India (UPASI) asked the tunities for the fund to invest We tried to defer this bonds worth ₹798 crore be- in September 2015, was to year bonds worth 1 gram. Centre not to further cut in, its current size posed the move as much as we could, import duty on natural bigger challenge of liquidity. but when we felt it is becom- rubber as it will impact over Due to the fund size, it is in- ing quite challenging, we 1.2 million growers. “Any creasingly difficult to incre- took this decision. Petainer such move will be Pepsico to focus on mentally build positions, i.e. Rising market levels leads to increase in detrimental to the interest <> to increase stock weightage valuation of companies especially the What is your outlook in Innopac to of 1.2 million growers the small and mid-cap dependent on this agro of companies to a meaning- people, product, planet small and mid-space where the rise has space? Do you think there industry and tantamount to ful size in the portfolio. set up units been much more. will be a correction? ixing the inal nail in the Building 2-3% position of coin,” said Vinod Sivappa, this fund into any company ½ We continue to like the N.Anand To deliver ‘transformation products’ cision. Investors seem to be 17th February, it will con- Chennai President, UPASI. in the micro-cap category re- curious to know if we have tinue to accept inflows from small and mid-cap space quires us to buy a decent size with a long-term view of 3-5 New Delhi-based Petainer K.T.Jagannathan turned cautious on the mi- existing SIPs. Chennai of the company capital and cro-cap category. I would If one has a SIP in the years horizon. Innopac Packaging Pvt. CBEC unveils mobile PepsiCo India Holdings given the liquidity scenario it like to allay these fears and scheme, their bank account We still believe that small Ltd., which makes 20 litre app on GST Private Ltd. has embarked is not easy to do the same. In stick to our positive long- will continue to get debited and mid-cap space remains bulk water cooler jar ‘pe- NEW DELHI on a ‘3P’ initiative to put in the process we end up own- term view. Investors who on the SIP date for the same the best way of creating tainerCooler,’ is planning The Central Board of Excise place an India-centric busi- ing less than desired holding have long term horizon of amount. wealth in the long-term by to set up two production and Customs on Thursday ness strategy that binds it to of the company capital, 3-5 years should not be wor- participating in the growth units in the South and the unveiled a mobile consumers in a purposeful which we believe could po- ried. In the near term volatil- What is your advise for of these companies. North. It is also installing application for information tentially impact our future the investors? However, we do not rule an additional line at its fa- way. relating to the Goods and ity is not ruled out given the performance. Due to these ½ We are explaining to our out volatility in the market in cility in Maharashtra. “In Explaining the new ap- Services Tax. The app will global geo-political issues challenges we decided to the near-term given the phe- the next three years, we proach in an interaction people within and by caring provide guidelines for the and slower than expected investors that stopping flows stop fresh flows into this nomenal rise of the category here on Wednesday, Harsh for the larger good of the migration to the GST earnings momentum locally. doesn’t signal anything unto- will have our expansion K Rai, Vice-President & GM, ecosystem. regime and include draft scheme in the interest of ward in our portfolio mix. in the last two years and is- programme in place,” said versions of the Central GST, investors. What happens to existing We continue to actively man- sues like UP election, GST Atit Bhatia, Managing Dir- Po1 (Power of One) India The core objective of the State GST, Interstate GST investors and those who age the portfolio, our core in- implementation, demonetiz- ector. “While, we might se- Sales, PepsiCo India, said 3P initiative was to be relev- What has been the reac- and GST Compensation invested in SIP? vestment philosophy has not ation-led slowing earnings lect Chennai or Bengaluru the three Ps comprised ant to people in terms of laws. It will have draft rules tion of the investors? ½ While the scheme has changed and we continue to growth, among others. to service the southern people, product and planet. products in a dynamic envir- on registration and returns, ½ We are reaching out to temporarily stopped accept- hold positive view on our in- It is possible that small market, we are yet to de- The focus would be on deliv- onment where the focus payment, refunds, and our investors across different ing fresh applications (both vestee companies. Hence and mid-caps may cide on the location for the ering ‘transformation had shifted to healthy living, invoices under the regime. channels regarding our de- lumpsum and SIPs), after long-term investors in our under-perform. northern market,” he said. products’ by working with he said. 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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 SPORT 15 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF Honours even after an eventful opening day Australia begins well, then loses its way before late lourish sees it to 256 for nine

Amol Karhadkar CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC remove Stephen O’Keefe — a partnership. PUNE ț Umesh took Warner’s brilliant catch by a diving While Hazlewood pre- One decent partnership. wicket for the ifth time in Wriddhiman Saha — and ferred to block most of the Two contrasting fifties. 10 innings. Shaun Marsh is Nathan Lyon whose review deliveries he faced, Starc Danica reckons dozen Three double blows suffered the only other batsman confirmed that he was in- went after the spinners en concussions in career by Australia. And four wick- the Indian has dismissed deed lbw, it looked like the route an entertaining fifty. DAYTONA ets by paceman Umesh Ya- as many times Indian openers would have Left-arm spinner Ravindra Danica Patrick estimates she dav on a wicket that turned to bat out at least half an Jadeja bore the brunt of it as suffered at least a dozen ț from the first ball. That was Renshaw (20 years, 332 hour in the evening. Starc hit him for two fours — concussions during her racing days) is the youngest career and told reporters the tale of the first day’s play However, rather than run- the first coming off an inside of India’s series-opener Aussie to make a ifty in ning in hard at the India bats- edge — before clearing the during Daytona 500 media India. Rick Darling (22, day at Daytona International against Australia at the Maha- men, the Australian pace- field. rashtra Cricket Association’s 154; Kanpur, 1979-80) bowling duo of Starc and All of that ensured that the Speedway said she would held the previous record retire from NASCAR if a stadium here on Thursday. Josh Hazlewood frustrated 7,504 spectators had enough CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC doctor told her there would The visiting batsmen the hosts with an unbroken, reason to call it a memorable be long-term risks from seemed to cope with the con- run-a-minute 51-run day. another head injury. REUTERS ditions pretty well before In- tinued in the same vein with dia’s spin triumvirate pegged Peter Handscomb. 1st Test, Day 1, MCA Stadium, Pune them back. Umesh Yadav Towards the end of the CoA sets the ball rolling then displayed his skills with session, however, both the AUSTRALIA — 1ST INNINGS RUNS BALLS 4s 6s seeking tenure details the old ball before Mitchell set batsmen were dismissed Matt Renshaw c Vijay b Ashwindddddddddd ddd 68 ddddd 156 dddddd 10 dddddddd 1 MUMBAI Starc’s late assault made the in successive overs. While David Warner b Umesh dddddddddddddddddd ddd 38 dddddd 77 dddddddd 6 ddddddddd The chief of the Committee first day of Test cricket in Jadeja set Handscomb up Steve Smith c Kohli b Ashwin dddddddddddd ddd 27 dddddd 95 dddddddd 2 ddddddddd of Administrators Vinod Rai Shaun Marsh c Kohli b Jayant ddddddddddd ddd 16 dddddd 55 dddddddd 3 ddddddddd took the first major step by Pune an intriguing one. with a floater followed by an Peter Handscomb lbw b Jadeja dddddddddd ddd 22 dddddd 45 dddddddd 3 dddddddddd seeking individual declaration Australia finished the day arm-ball that trapped him ddddddddddddd ddddd dddddd dddddddddd dddddddddd from all the managing at 256 for nine. Breakthrough: After batting with restraint against spin, David Warner attempted to go after right in front, Smith mis- Mitchell Marsh lbw b Jadeja 4 18 committee members of the Considering how dry the Umesh Yadav as soon as the pacer was introduced into the attack, but ended up dragging one timed a flick off Ashwin Matthew Wade lbw b Umesh dddddddddddd ddddd8 dddddd 20 dddddddd 1 dddddddddd State associations about their surface was, Steven Smith onto his stumps. K. MURALI KUMAR straight to Kohli at mid- Mitchell Starc (batting) dddddddddddddddddd ddd 57 dddddd 58 dddddddd 5 dddddddd 3 tenure. A communication would have been relieved wicket in the next over. Steve O’Keefe c Saha b Umesh dddddddddd ddddd0 dddddd 13 dddddddddd dddddddddd seeking details of the years when the coin landed in his handers, found themselves Brought on as late as in with two new batsmen at the Even though Renshaw, re- Nathan Lyon lbw b Umesh ddddddddddddddd ddddd0 dddddddd 1 dddddddddd dddddddddd served by each members of favour. David Warner and tackling off-spin from both the 28th over, Umesh took crease. suming his innings at the fall Josh Hazlewood (batting) ddddddddddddddd ddddd1 dddddd 31 dddddddddd dddddddddd all the BCCI affiliates is Matt Renshaw displayed ex- ends. just two balls to draw Warner Although Smith and of Handscomb, held his end Extras (lb-6, nb-9) ddddddddddddddddddddddd ddd 15 reportedly sent by the CoA to cellent technique and pa- Renshaw and Warner, into a drive which resulted in Shaun Marsh batted pa- up and went past his half- Total (for nine wkts. in 94 overs) ddddddddd dd 256 the office-bearers of the tience for most the first ses- though, resisted the tempta- the batsman dragging the tiently, their association century, the lower middle-or- Fall of wickets: 1-82 (Warner, 27.2 overs), 2-119 (S. Marsh, 46.4), 3-149 (Handscomb, State bodies. The deadline sion after India opened with tion of poking at the balls ball back onto his stumps. helped the Indian spinners der crumbled against the 59.2), 4-149 (Smith, 60.1), 5-166 (M. Marsh, 67.4), 6-190 (Wade, 75.4), 7-196 (Ren- for submitting the details is R. Ashwin from one end, sav- that were turning away from Barely had Smith walked out settle into a rhythm in the af- spin. shaw, 78.3), 8-205 (O’Keefe, 81.4), 9-205 (Lyon, 81.5). March 1. ing Umesh for the older ball. them. Just as the partnership into the middle when Ren- ternoon session. Even after Renshaw eventually fell to Note: Renshaw (36) retired ill at 82 for one (27.2 overs) and returned to the crease after In fact, Jayant Yadav was inched towards the three-fig- shaw was rushing to the Marsh’s attempted sweep off Ashwin, nicking one that Handscomb’s departure (149/3, 59.2). #T20 GDL will change introduced into the attack by ure mark, the Australians dressing room after ‘retiring Jayant took a top-edge before turned to M. Vijay at slip. INDIA BOWLING: Ishant Sharma 11-0-27-0, R. Ashwin 34-10-59-2, Jayant Yadav 13-1- face of S. African cricket the ninth over as the Aus- were hit with an unusual ill’ to address an upset falling into Virat Kohli’s When Umesh came back and 58-1, Ravindra Jadeja 24-4-74-2, Umesh Yadav 12-3-32-4. MUMBAI tralian openers, both left double-blow. tummy. That left Australia hands at leg-slip, Smith con- struck off successive balls to Toss: Australia. South Africa batsman Hashim Amla has said the #T20 Global Destination League (GDL) will change the face of domestic cricket in the Bangar dead-bats ‘I wasn’t sure of the rules about going of’ African nation. “It’s massive. We have been longing for a big league of our own to query about pitch Smith wasn’t too thrilled about the ‘comfort break’, but he understood, says Renshaw showcase the talent, facilities G. Viswanath back to you. If there’s an op- and beauty of South Africa,” When it’s time to Special Correspondent the nature of the wicket Pune portunity to try and hit a six <> Amla was quoted as saying in PUNE answer nature’s call, remains the same over Matt Renshaw was in no pos- you take it. a media release. PTI no amount of will All through the long- the length of the first- ition to continue batting be- Starc’s batting: We were all power can control drawn season, the Indian class matches that have cause of the need to “rush to sitting in our whites and contingent has stressed been played here,” the toilet” and he decided to ready to go, but we could that on the team succeeding Bangar said. leave the field when David hear the crowd and we were — in varying conditions and “But this is the first Warner fell to Umesh Yadav. trying to guess if it will be a Sanjay Bangar, sporting pitches. Test being played on this The young left-hander was four or a play and miss. It India’s batting coach In the final stretch of ground and you will find quite unabashed as he was a really entertaining in- the season, however, the out after the match be- fielded a number of ques- Gotta go: Australia’s Matt Renshaw seeks permission to leave nings and it helped us Hahahaha... I had no Indian team management cause judging the nature tions on the incident that the ground as captain Steve Smith looks on. K MURALI KUMAR massively. <> seems to have demanded of the pitch or passing took place before lunch. Facing Ashwin and Jadeja: idea what I was a tailor-made pitch, comments can’t happen On being asked when he And then, coming back; it The nature of the pitch: They’re two class bowlers. watching! which resulted in a strip on day one, we have to began feeling uncomfort- was probably a bit strange I’ve never seen a pitch like You can tell why they’re No. — contrary to the reputa- wait for the Test over the able, he said: “It came pretty for me, waiting to bat, be- that, so I went with a pretty 1 and 2 in the world. I Brazilian wins Hamilton Michael Clarke, helmet challenge tion of the Maharashtra next four days how it suddenly, probably about cause as an opener you just open mind and I tried to do thought we played them former Australia captain, on Twitter LONDON Cricket Association sta- pans out. five or 10 minutes before go straight out there to bat, just what I normally do in quite well, we just worked on A Brazilian designer, Rai dium at Gahunje. Umesh Yadav, the fast- Davey [David Warner] got so that was the most challen- Australia, which is bat as what we spoke about. Caldato, won a competition Sanjay Bangar, India’s est bowler in the Indian out. I asked Richard [Kettle- ging bit, waiting to bat.” long as possible and weigh Ashwin taking the new I’m still getting my to design Lewis Hamilton’s <> batting coach, preferred team,wasn’t given the borough] how long there On the conversation he the bowlers down. ball: We discussed the head around this... 2017 helmet, the F1 driver to dead-bat a query about new ball, with Kohli opt- was till lunch, and he said had with Steve Smith on his Playing Jadeja: I think it chance of that happening. JL (Justin Langer) announced on Wednesday. the pitch. “I think Pune ing to bowl with R. Ash- half-an-hour. I was struggling way to the dressing room, helps having the ball turn It’s the first time I’ve faced a Caldato incorporated into the wickets have been known win’s off-spin. According a bit then. It was tough. Renshaw said: “He wasn’t into you. It’s quite hard to at- spinner opening the bowl- would have lost a head-piece a tribute to for being very batsman- to Bangar, it was a tactical “I wasn’t sure of the rule; I too thrilled about it, but he tack Ashwin when he gets ing, so I was just enjoying the limb and still batted Ayrton Senna, along with friendly. You see the move considering Yadav’s didn’t know you could retire understands that when you some to turn big past the bat challenge. Facing the best on three stars for the Formula number of first-class ability to make the old One titles won by both the out or retire ill, so thought need to go, you’ve got to go. and some to go straight on. bowler in the world is a great — games played here, and ball talk. late Brazilian and the Briton. I’ll just get out there and It wasn’t an ideal scenario, As a left-hander, you natur- challenge in itself, be it with Damien Martyn, REUTERS make sure I batted till lunch. but it’s life, pretty much.” ally want the ball coming a new ball or an old ball. former Australia batsman Dhoni in his new avatar — that of the mentor As a non-playing member, he had guided the Jharkhand players in their irst-ever Ranji Trophy semiinal

Y.B. Sarangi Howrah along with team- way he handles things and Donning a pair of shorts, a KOLKATA mates, some players prefer stays calm and composed Jharkhand jersey and a navy M.S. Dhoni’s ‘perfect smile’ to maintain a distance. are things to learn.” blue hat, Dhoni keenly over- amidst an abundance of grey “I respect him, so I main- Of late, Dhoni’s self-as- saw his team’s preparation. stubble may signify his jour- tain a distance. However, if I sumed role of a guide has Even while engaging in ney as a mentor at the fag need to know anything, I go seen him grow in stature. some football action, an end of his illustrious career. up to him,” said top-order As a non-playing member, hour of spin bowling and Not surprisingly most batsman Virat Singh on he had mentored Jharkhand batting in short phases, he members of the Jharkhand Thursday, following in its first Ranji Trophy semi- kept assessing his squad, barring a young Jharkhand’s nets session at final appearance, against Gu- colleagues. Monu Singh, are in awe of the Eden Gardens here jarat at Nagpur in December. There was a conscious ef- their two-time World Cup- ahead of the Vijay Hazare The session at the Eden fort to let others train and be winning skipper. Trophy one-day matches. on Thursday was another in- prepared for contests against Notwithstanding Dhoni’s “He is a legend and I can- stance of Dhoni sharing his quality opposition like Follow the leader: M.S. Dhoni leads a warm-up session of the effort to bridge the gap, evid- not say enough about him… knowledge and experience Karnataka, Hyderabad and Jharkhand team. PTI ent from the train journey to His leadership qualities, the with fellow cricketers. Saurashtra. Bumrah exudes conidence ‘Given a chance, I can show what I am capable of’ S. Dipak Ragav will also be with Mumbai CHENNAI Indians. What are the things you would be asking them? After another impressive I played with Johnson in performance in the limited 2013 when I graduated from overs format against Eng- the under-19. I have good land, Jasprit Bumrah is back memories with them. I usu- with the Gujarat side for the ally talk to Malinga on death Vijay Hazare domestic ODI bowling issues. starting on Saturday. The In- Twenty20 bowler? I ask him for his sugges- dia fast-bowler speaks about It doesn’t matter to me what tions. It is always good to death bowling, his Test am- people think. My prepara- have a word with him, what bitions and more. Excerpts. tion is different for every he thinks and what I should You have done well in the format. try. shorter formats. How keen In Ranjis I focus on a con- How do you plan on a are you to play in Tests and sistent line and length, bowl- batsman like Virat Kohli? how prepared are you? ing longer spells, using the It’s difficult. He is a master shorter ball and trying to It is always a dream to play batsman. You have to always swing the ball. Test cricket but I don’t focus have a clear plan and try to on selections. I try to do well In shorter formats, you stick to it even if it doesn’t go wherever I play. have to use the slower balls your way. You try to think I did well this year in the and yorkers. People have like a batsman and think Ranji Trophy also. I have only seen me bowling with where the batsman will hit. bowled long spells for India the white ball. I have the The game is towards the A and in the Ranji Trophy, confidence that if I get a batsman with short bound- so I am mentally prepared chance, I can show what I aries and flat wickets. So you for that. am capable of. have little margin for error. You are good bowling at the You have interacted with You fix that this is the ball death. Do you fear you could Lasith Malinga previously. you are going to bowl and be typecast as a ODI or a This time Mitchell Johnson believe on that ball. CM YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU 16 SPORT FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

IN BRIEF RACING Go for it, Vijay Goel It’s Life Awaits vs. Goldberg BENGALURU: Life Awaits and BUGS BUNNY TROPHY (9) Arshad Alam 59.5, 4. Ace Bad- Flame’s Fury (6) Rajesh Kumar Goldberg may fight out the finish 3 (1,200m), 3-y-o only, (Terms), raan (1) Anjar Alam 58.5, 5. Super 58, 5. Real Generous (12) Srinath of the Saptharishi Cup (1,200m), 3-15: 1. Aafrikaan (6) Irvan Singh Success (12) Suraj Narredu 58.5, 6. 57, 6. Anmol Hira (3) Syed Imran tells Indians the main event of the races to be 57, 2. Depth Charge (7) P.P. Dhebe Royal Defence (2) Rayan Ahmed 56, 7. Feet On Fire (1) Nazerul held here on Friday (Feb. 24). 57, 3. Lofty Thoughts (5) Srinath 55.5, 7. Taqdeer Ka Badshah (6) Alam 56, 8. Carducci (7) Janard- Mallya optimistic, False rails (width about 7.5m from 57, 4. Starry Wind (8) I. Chisty 57, Rajesh Kumar 55.5, 8. Areca Won- hanP55.5,9.FlyingBullet(2)B. dreams big Shooting World Cup inaugurated in Delhi 1,600m to the winning post) will 5. Ultimate Power (2) Jagadeesh der (10) P. Trevor 55, 9. Emperor Nayak 55.5, 10. Goat (11) R. Pra- 57, 6. Bos Indicus (4) Vinod Cruise (4) M. Kumar 53, 10. Fab- deep 54.5, 11. Air Dancer (4) SILVERSTONE be in position. Kamesh Srinivasan Shinde 55.5, 7. Indian Rocket (-) (-) ulous Touch (8) P.S. Chouhan 53, Jagadeesh 53.5 and 12. Scorching Vijay Mallya has promised MUDABIDRI PLATE (1,400m), 55.5, 8. Malana (1) David Allan 11. Saladin (3) David Allan 53 and (5) Rayan Ahmed 53.5. NEW DELHI Force India will “dream big” 1 rated 00 to 20, 5-y-o & over, 2- 55.5 and 9. Setaglow (3) P. Trevor 12. Fourth Dimension (7) 1. REAL GENEROUS, as it looks to break into the 15 pm: 1. Chicago (6) M. Naveen 55.5. Jagadeesh 50. 2. BREAKING AWAY, Union Sports Minister Vijay 60, 2. Moher (3) P. Surya 60, 3. 1. SETAGLOW, 1. LIFE AWAITS, 3. AIR DANCER top three of Formula One this Galeno (8) Nazerul Alam 59.5, 4. 2. LOFTY THOUGHTS, 2. GOLDBERG, Goel had very encouraging DEVARAYANADURGA PLATE season. “I said to Sergio Resemblance (5) Rayan Ahmed 3. MALANA 3. ACE BADRAAN words for the Indian shoot- (Div. II), (1,400m), rated 45 to Perez that as much as people 58.5, 5. Campfire (7) S. Shareef 57, DEVARAYANADURGA PLATE STAR OF WINDSOR PLATE 8 ers as he inaugurated the 6. Dontworrymonday (1) Praveen 65, 5-45: 1. I’ve Got Clout (4) S. may say that there is a huge (Div. I), (1,400m), rated 45 to (1,400m), rated 15 to 35, 4-45: first World Cup of the season Shinde 56.5, 7. Fioroloco (2) Dar- 4 6 John 60, 2. Possimpossible (8) barrier of breaking into the 65, 3-45: 1. Alexandrite (8) Suraj 1. Erdemir (5) Srinath 60, 2. Calico shah 56 and 8. Crazy Pineapple Rayan Ahmed 57, 3. War Envoy at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Narredu 60, 2. Summerhill (7) P. King (3) K. Mukesh 59, 3. Anemos top three, I see no reason (4) Sunil Samson 55.5. (10) Srinath 57, 4. Colour Of Gold Tughlakabad, on Thursday. Trevor 58.5, 3. Thomas More (6) (6) Jagadeesh 56, 4. Mission Blue (2) Ramesh Kumar 57, 5. Hector why we can’t,” Mallya said.AFP 1. MOHER, Though he named Gagan N.S. Parwar 58.5, 4. Topaz (1) Dar- (2) I. Chisty 56, 5. Candice (7) (5) Jagadeesh 55.5, 6. Hidden Sol- 2. CHICAGO, Janardhan P 54, 6. Queenofgood- Narang, Heena Sidhu, Jitu shah 58.5, 5. Honour (9) P.P. dier (1) Rajesh Kumar 55.5, 7. 3. DONTWORRYMONDAY Dhebe 58, 6. Splendid Splasher times (9) Md. Akram 54, 7. Prin- Mariko (9) Vinod Shinde 55.5, 8. Sabeena begins in Rai and Chain Singh, the (5) P. Surya 58, 7. Virat (4) Rajesh cess Holly (8) Rajesh Kumar 53, 8. Royal Rein (11) Syed Imran 55.5, 9. fine fashion Sports Minister exhorted all MANDYA PLATE (1,600m), Kumar 57.5, 8. Native Elements (2) Nagarjuna (1) Adarsh 52.5 and 9. Wise Guy (6) K. Mukesh 55.5, 10. rated 30 to 50, 2-45: 1. Cadillac R. Manish 56.5, 9. El Fenix (10) Perfect Prince (4) A. Ramu 51. Sabeena Athica began the the Indian shooters, what 2 Zafran (3) P. Trevor 55.5 and 11. Sky (2) S. John 60, 2. Tanoura (4) Jagadeesh 56 and 10. King Of The 1. ERDEMIR, Racing Fire (7) Suraj Narredu 55. defence of her title in fine with the host fielding the Jagadeesh 58.5, 3. Super Smart (5) Court (3) Indrajeet Singh 56. 2. MISSION BLUE, 1. WAR ENVOY, fashion at the 27th National largest contingent of 63 Suraj Narredu 56, 4. Intrepid War- 1. ALEXANDRITE, 2. SUMMERHILL, 3. PRINCESS HOLLY 2. HECTOR, rior (3) Rayan Ahmed 54.5, 5. tenpin bowling championship, shooters, to follow in the 3. THOMAS MORE ALCHEMY PLATE (1,200m), 3. RACING FIRE Fiorenzo(6)P.Trevor54and6. opening up a 72-pin lead at SAPTHARISHI CUP (1,200m), rated 15 to 35, 6-y-o & over, 5- Day’s best: REAL GENEROUS footprints of the country’s Tinderella (1) David Allan 54. 7 rated 60 & above, 4-15: 1. Gold- 15: 1. Breaking Away (9) A. Ramu Double: ERDEMIR – WAR ENVOY the top of the standings. only individual Olympic gold 1. TANOURA, 5 The Tamil Nadu bowler sits berg (11) S. John 64.5, 2. Life 60, 2. Game Guy (10) Raja Rao 60, Jkt: 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8; Tr (i): 3, 4 and medallist Abhinav Bindra 2. SUPER SMART Awaits (5) Srinath 60.5, 3. Topspot 3. Cannes (8) Jaykumar 58, 4. 5; (ii): 6, 7 and 8. ahead of Karnataka’s Judy and bring glory to the Alban (1029) and Telangana’s nation. We swear! Gagan Narang and Heena Sidhu take the oath on Sumathi Nallabantu (993) in “I call upon everyone to behalf of the shooters. the women’s classification. follow Abhinav Bindra and Over on the men’s side, St. Andrews wins Malabar Hills Club Cup Shabbir Dhankot posted a make a lot of records,” the the formation of the sports half of the athletes, while score of 1201 from the first Minister said, after declaring ministry had helped in tak- Dhiren Bhatia and another MUMBAI: St. Andrews, ridden by Tanala: Rs. 42 and Rs. 17. Favour- 46: POWER SHADOW (Trevor) 1, 1-1/4, 3-3/4, Lnk. 1m 13.85s. Rs. 40 block of six games in the the World Cup open, in the ing such elite sports like delegate from abroad took Suraj Narredu, claimed the ite: St. Andrews. Owners: Mr. & Zoom Zoom (A. Gaikwad) 2, (w), 10, 18 and 25 (p). SHP: Rs. 32, presence of ISSF president shooting to the common the oath on behalf of the Malabar Hills Club Cup, the main Mrs. Shapoor P.Mistry rep. Manjri Grande Vitesse (Nazil) 3 and Back- FP: Rs. 117, Q: Rs. 139, Tanala: Rs. second round to keep the event of Thursday’s (Feb.23) even- Horse Breeders’ Farm Pvt Ltd & street Bay (Shubham) 4. Nk, 1/2, 493 and Rs. 201. Favourite: Lucky lead. Olegario Vazquez Rana and man. officials. ing races here. The winner is Mr. Dilip Thomas rep. Ragiri Rub- 1/2. 1m 12.53s. Rs. 18 (w), 10, 23 Strike. Owner & Trainer: Mansoor secretary-general Franz “I am happy to be here in An energetic dance show owned by Mr. & Mrs. Shapoor P. ber & Produce Co Ltd. Trainer: and 27 (p). SHP: Rs. 65, FP: Rs. 77, Shah. Mistry rep. Manjri Horse Breed- Q: Rs. 93, Tanala: Rs. 265 and Rs. Schreiber. this beautiful city again, said by the Zenith troupe, to a Bezan Chenoy. ers’ Farm Pvt Ltd & Mr. Dilip BOMBAY PRESIDENCY RADIO 106. Favourite: Power Shadow. CRICKET CLUB OF INDIA “I have great expectations Vazquez Rana. Commending mix of Western and Indian Thomas rep. Rajagiri Rubber & CLUB TROPHY (1,400m), Owners: Mr. Haresh N. Mehta and 8 TROPHY, DIV.I (1,200m), Cl. V, from our shooters and look the organisers for the “excel- Produce Co Ltd. and trained by 3 KNIGHT’S QUEST numbers, along with a bril- Maiden, 3-y-o only: CAPRISCA Mr. Manav H. Mehta rep. Rohan rated 1 to 26: forward to their perform- lent arrangements, hospital- liant ‘hand shadowgraphy’ Bezan Chenoy. (Trevor) 1, Themis (Parmar) 2, Bloodstock Pvt Ltd. Trainer: (Parmar) 1, Samurai (Joseph) 2, ances over the next week,” ity and friendship”, he said THE RESULTS: Selfie Star (Sandesh) 3 and Mansoor Shah. Isinit (Merchant) 3 and Baker by Amar Sen, kept everyone Street (Zeeshan) 4. 1-1/4, Nose, 3. Goel said. Delhi would be the centre ACRES CLUB TROPHY (1,600m), Massimo (J.Chinoy) 4. 3/4, Nk, 4- NATIONAL SPORTS CLUB OF IN- entertained on a pleasant 1/2. 1m 24.75s. Rs. 28 (w), 13 and 1m 12.84s. Rs. 45 (w), 16, 23 and 22 The Sports Minister re- of attention for the shooting 1 Cl. IV, rated 20 to 46: ELSA 6 DIA TROPHY (1,200m), Cl. III, (p). SHP: Rs. 45, FP: Rs. 105, Q: Rs. evening, on the eve of (Bhawani) 1, Flashing Honour 27 (p). SHP: Rs. 56, FP: Rs. 220, Q: rated 40 to 66: ARTISTIC (A. called that the shooting world for the next 10 days. Rs. 102, Tanala: Rs. 172 and Rs. 49. 121, Tanala: Rs. 1,463 and Rs. 530. competition. (Dashrath) 2, Sumaaq (C.S.Jodha) Gaikwad) 1, Flashy Wings (Neeraj) Favourite: Knight’s Quest. Own- range, built for the 1982 With the ISSF having con- 3 and Nelsons Blood (Trevor) 4. Favourite: Selfie Star. Owner: Mr. 2,AnJolie(Parmar)3andLord The opening day’s pro- ers: Mr. Vijay V. Shah rep. Vs Zaia Pacquiao negotiating Asian Games had been conducted its general assembly Nk, 3/4, Lnk. 1m 39.03s. Rs. 445 K.H. Vaccha. Trainer: Imtiaz Sait. Arazan ( J. Chinoy) 4. Not run: Re- gramme on Friday will have Thoroughbred Racing & Breeding Amir fight siderably developed over the and executive committee (w), 58, 15 and 16 (p). SHP: Rs. 35, BOMBAY GYMKHANA TROPHY member The Time. 1-1/4, 1, 1-1/2. Pvt Ltd, M/s. Syed Mehmood MANILA men’s and women’s air rifle Q: Rs. 459. Favourite: Nelsons (1,000m), Maiden, 3-y-o only: 1m 11.97s. Rs. 27 (w), 16 and 20 years to world class stand- meetings here over the last 4 Ahmed, G. Shewakramani & Mo- Philippine boxing hero Manny apart from women’s trap Blood. Owners: Mr. Niraj Tyagi POKERFACE (J. Chinoy) 1, Ascen- (p). SHP: Rs. 35, FP: Rs. 165, Q: Rs. han Chattaram. Trainer: Narendra ards and expressed happi- two days, top officials as well and Mr. Vikas Sachdeva rep. Blaz- sion (Neeraj) 2, Wild Fire 19, Tanala: Rs. 244 and Rs. 172. Fa- Pacquiao on Thursday said he finals. Lagad. ness that it would host the as shooters from 50 coun- ing Saddles. Trainer: Subhag (Dashrath) 3 and Polynecies (Tre- vourite: Beach Game. Owners: was in negotiations to face There will also be the first Singh. vor) 4. 1-1/4, 1, 2-3/4. 58.94s. Rs. 99 Mr. Kishore M. Dingra & M/s. Jackpot: 70 per cent: Rs. 10,824 British fighter Amir Khan, World Cup Finals in October, tries, enjoyed a crisp open- Gautam Thapar & Sultan Singh MALABAR HILLS CLUB CUP (w), 28, 13 and 15 (p). SHP: Rs. 34, (29 tkts.) and 30 per cent: Rs. 954 and also another World Cup ing ceremony, after National stage of competition in FP: Rs. 130, Q: Rs. 38, Tanala: Rs. rep. Sohna Stud Farm Pvt Ltd. (141 tkts.). after weeks of conflicting (1,400m), Cl. II, rated 60 to 86: in 2019, which would offer Rifle Association of India men’s rapid fire pistol as well 2 392 and Rs. 202. Favourite: Ascen- Trainer: C.D. Katrak. reports over his next bout. ST. ANDREWS (Suraj Narredu) 1, Treble (i): Rs. 158 (54 tkts.); (ii): Olympic quota places in rifle president Raninder Singh as trap. Khayyam ( J.Chinoy) 2, She Is Spe- sion. Owners: Mr. Jaydev M. Mody WILLINGDON SPORTS CLUB “My team and I are in rep. J.M. Livestock Pvt. Ltd. Rs. 564 (34 tkts.). negotiations with Amir Khan and pistol for the Tokyo welcomed the gathering. cial (Dashrath) 3 and Jeannine 7 CUP (1,200m), Cl. V, rated 1 to NRAI secretary-general Trainer: Nosher Cama. SUPER BOLT for our next fight. Further Olympics. Gagan Narang and Heena (C.S.Jodha) 4. 1-1/2, 2, 3. 1m 26: (S. Amit) 1, Dec- Super Jackpot: 70 per cent: Rs. D.V. Seetharama Rao pro- 24.30s. Rs. 14 (w), 13 and 13 (p). OTTERS’ CLUB TROPHY can King (Nadeem) 2, Ricardus 18,922 (3 tkts.) and 30 per cent: announcements coming He also pointed out that Sidhu took the oath on be- posed a vote of thanks. SHP: Rs. 19, FP: Rs. 20, Q: Rs. 12, 5 (1,200m), Cl. IV, rated 20 to (Ajinkya) 3 and Vitesse (Vishal) 4. Rs. 1,871 (13 tkts). soon,” Pacquiao, 38, said on his official Twitter feed. AFP CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC India gets 2019 rile CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC\ REGIONAL ROUNDUP \ Dohmen, van As win FIH awards Samir sizzles Sanjith Devineni 6-2, 6-1. Harte again named Goalkeeper-of-the-Year and pistol WC NEW DELHI: Five goals by Girls: U-16: Rituparna Samir Suhag powered Sona Choudhury bt Ria Washimkar CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Polo to a 6-1 victory over SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT named the Player-of-the-Year 6-0, 6-1; Ishita Singh bt CHANDIGARH ț India had two Cavalier/Drakon in a league Mekhala Manna 6-1, 6-4; and was joined by Rio gold- Other World Cups to be in Munich, nominations — P.R. medallist ’keeper Maddie match of the Maharaja Jiwaji Sunskriti Damera bt Aditi It isn’t often that Olympics- Sreejesh and Harmanpreet Hinch of England and Maria Beijing and Rio de Janeiro Rao Scindia Gold Cup 10-goal Narayan 6-1, 6-0. winning team members get Singh polo tournament here on Granatto of Argentina as the U-14: Sunskriti Damera bt sidelined at a function to CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Special Correspondent Thursday. Young Player of the Year. The ISSF also approved Deepshika Sriram 6-2, 6-2; honour the best in the busi- NEW DELHI The results (league): Sona the recommendations of its Mekhala Manna bt Ria ness. But at the first-ever FIH — go completely unrepresen- Though the annual Watanabe seeks Polo 6 (Samir Suhag 5, The International Shooting ad hoc committee for the in- Washimkar 6-1, 6-2; Joshika Hockey Stars event here on ted in the winners’ list. awards have existed for al- Tokyo gold and more Abhimanyu Pthak) bt Cavalier/ TOKYO Sport Federation (ISSF) has troduction of three mixed Premkumar bt Aditi Narayan Thursday, Argentina was The team had two nomin- most two decades, this is the Drakon 1 (Basheer Ali). Fresh from setting a new officially announced that doubles events in air rifle, 6-1, 7-6(6); Sanya Masand bt conspicuous by its absence ations for the Player-of-the- first time such an event has Kabir overcomes world record in 200m New Delhi would host the air pistol and trap, to Hrudaya Shah 6-1, 7-6(5). among the men even as Bel- Year and one among the been organised to recognise Anurag breaststroke, Japan’s latest rifle and pistol World Cup in achieve gender neutrality as gium swept the awards. goalkeepers but remained the achievements of players KOLKATA: Kabir Hans DSPORT TO beam swim sensation Ippei 2019, which would offer suggested by the Interna- Among the women, empty-handed. and coaches. overcame a strong challenge Watanabe is plotting Olympic Olympic quota places for tional Olympic Committee. Daytona 500 live though, the awards were India had two nomina- Till now, the awards were from Anurag Agarwal 6-4, glory in 2020 at home and Tokyo 2020, following its more equally distributed. tions — P.R. Sreejesh and handed over on the sidelines wants his gold medal sealed 4-6, 7-5 to book a berth in the KOLKATA: Discovery’s DSPORT Administrative and Execut- A fundemantal step Belgium, which finished Harmanpreet Singh — but of the season-ending Cham- with a kiss. “I’ll be at my peak under-16 boys’ singles channel will telecast the ive Committee meetings in “We believe this is a funda- runner-up at Rio, saw its cap- couldn’t win any either. pions Trophy. when the Olympics arrive. My semifinals of the Sunfeast Daytona 500 race, also the Capital over the last two mental step forward for our tain John-John Dohmen The changing dynamics in aim is to win with a world AITA Super Series junior known as the Great The winners: days. beloved sport,” the ISSF named Player-of-the-Year world hockey can be gauged record and then propose to tennis tournament at the American Race or the Player-of-the-Year: Men: John- The other three World president, Olegario Vazquez while compatriot Arthur van from the fact that among the someone with my gold Calcutta South Club here on Superbowl of Stock Car John Dohmen (Bel); Women: Cups in 2019 would be held Rana, was quoted as saying Doren, currently participat- men, the powerhouses — medal,” he coyly added. AFP Thursday. Racing, for the Indian Naomi van As (Ned). in Munich, Beijing and Rio by the ISSF. ing in the HIL, was named The results (quarterfinals): viewers on February 26. Germany, the Netherlands de Janeiro. The shotgun “We want to retain 15 the U-23 Player-of-the-Year. and Australia — had no Goalkeeper-of-the-Year: Men: Hamilton’s calls for Boys: U-16: Rhythm Malhotra World Cups will be held in Olympic events, preserve NASCAR Daytona 500 will be winners. David Harte (Ire); Women: revival of Formula One bt Asish Sinha 6-3, 6-3; Udit This is the first time a Bel- Changwon, Lahti, Al Ain and equality in our three discip- beamed live from 1.30 a.m. gian has won the award in Maddie Hinch (Eng). LONDON Gogoi bt Aryan Pandit 6-2, 5-7, Australia, in fact, had just Acapulco. lines, rifle, pistol and shot- on Sunday. either category. a single nomination across U-23 Player-of-the-Year: Men: Lewis Hamilton said that 6-1; Aman Dahiya bt Abhishek While deciding that the gun, and offer all female and Among the celebrated Irishman David Harte, all categories —Kathryn Slat- Arthur van Doren (Bel); Wo- Formula One was “outdated” Mohapatra 6-2, 6-4; Kabir Hans World Cup Final in shotgun male athletes the same op- drivers participating in the meanwhile, was named tery in the young player men: Maria Granatto (Arg). as he urged Grand Prix bt Anurag Agarwal 6-4, 4-6, portunities. Goalkeeper-of-the-Year for category. racing’s new owners to lead a would be held in Al Ain, 7-5. event will be Joey Logano Coach-of-the-Year: Men: revival of the sport’s UAE, in 2018, the committee Shooting is one of the old- U-14: Udit Gogoi bt Abhishek (Ford), Jimmie Johnson the second year in a row. Among the women, Na- Danny Kerry (Eng); Women: fortunes. “I don’t feel has kept pending the de- est and most universal Mohapatra 6-4, 6-1; Girish (Cheverolet), Kyle Burch It was, however, surpris- omi Van As, who announced Karen Brown (Eng). Formula One is winning, and cision to allot the rifle and sports of the world, inclu- Chougule bt Kartik Saxena 6-2, (Toyota), Kevin Harvick ing to see the Argentine her retirement after Rio, be- Umpire-of-the-Year: Men: it hasn’t been for a long pistol World Cup Final for sion is part of our DNA,” said 6-1; Aman Dahiya bt Kritanta (Ford) and (the only woman men’s team — that won its came the third Dutch wo- Christian Blasch (Ger); Women: time,” Hamilton said. AFP 2018. Rana. Sarma 6-4, 6-1; Rudra Kapoor bt driver) Danica Patrick (Ford). maiden Olympic gold in 2016 man in as many years to be Laurine Delforge (Bel).

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FAITH THE HINDU CROSSWORD 11939 (set by Arden) SUDOKU

1 2 3 4 5 12 Search over — hard hat cracks 3 Complaint on stigma attached hydrocarbon (7) to a South American woman The Gita on Yoga Siddhi 6 7 8 (10) As Krishna explains the stages of yoga that a jivatma has to 9 13 Article becomes more of an 4 Beef or ish? (4) cross to attain yoga siddhi, Arjuna is diffident about the jiv- accepted idea (7) 10 11 atma’s effort in this path. 5 Old sailor left a mark (6) First of all, it involves patient practice and rigorous train- 14 Hundreds are sick, it's a ing of the mind, the biggest challenge ever for anyone from a 6 Polished up a bit, then a brush 12 13 complaint (11) novice to the trained yogi. There are plenty of opportunities was used (6) to err and fall from the yoga that one has striven to practise. 19 Players pick a new area for 8 Hit man kept outside the circle Amid all this constant effort, there looms the possibility of 14 15 16 game (7) (7) easy disruption to the yoga, just as a cloud gets dragged 17 18 away from a group and is lost when a strong gust of wind 21 Beer is clearly visible — not a 9 Man of science rose and blows. 19 20 21 22 trick (7) declared himself the arbiter Will this be the plight of a jivatma who falls from his yogic (5) practice halfway through? Will he not lose what he has 23 Financially sound, shows 13 Islam — it can work like a gained? 23 24 25 liquidity (7) charm (10) While admitting that the mind is difficult to control and that repeated practice, abhyasa, and renunciation, vairagya, 25 It's a bad bad sign if it bulges 15 In the beginning one may use are essential to keep it under check, Krishna reassures one 26 27 (7) ice — yes, and it's essential that the jivatma would obtain suitable reward for whatever throughout (7) yoga he has practised, said Velukkudi Sri Krishnan in a dis- 26 Before Aishwarya got married, course. 16 Legend about Rome and the it was on the menu (8) Solution to puzzle 11938 Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku If one desires for life in swarga loka, it will be granted. But big chief (8) soon he will realise the futility of this desire when his term ■ ACROSS G A M B L E F A V O U R 27 Particularly strange, not 17 Money for transfer — one F W R R L I N P of life in swarga loka expires. He then has to get back to hu- O Z O N E H O L E S A D H U typical of the countryside (5) raises quietly (1-4) man existence. 6 Extremist getting some useful R K A S A T E T Once again he starts his yoga and aspires for something training (5) A G E N T I T B E A T S M E 18 One hundred + one ifty S H O A I M more permanent and gradually will seek the Lord’s feet by ■ DOWN H A S B E E N G I N T R A P 7 Drop of cordial for a round of unkeyed (6) His grace. What happens when one is unable to pursue the O T I E E H yoga that he begins, either because of his own failings or be- Gin? It doesn’t make sense (8) 20 Poor ailing animal (6) R E I G N E D G R A N D M A 1 Place to accommodate the T C E E R S cause his life comes to an end before he can complete it? President — one with loose T A K E H E A R T L A S S I 10 A hard place in Colorado (7) 22 Stand over a river (6) Will his efforts go waste, asks Arjuna. morals (8) I Y A D I Y K S M I E N S S A N M A R I N O The Lord reassures him that by His Sankalpa, that jivatma 11 A cheap alternative to acquire 24 Despicable fellow — only E N T E T L R N will be born in a suitable family where conditions are favour- new style (7) 2 The thief was born with it (6) intruding a bit (4) I D L E S T O F L A T E able for continuing the pursuit of the yoga from his past life.

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 SPORT 17 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

IN BRIEF Vishnu in Late strikes give Juventus edge over Porto semiinals Sports Bureau Jamie Vardy scores a late away goal to keep Leicester’s hopes alive against Sevilla JORHAT Reuters Second seed Vishnu Vard- Porto UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE han battled past Mohit Juventus edged closer to the Mayur 6-3, 7-6(7) in the Sandro’s cross with his chest Correa made amends by quarterfinals of the Champions League before finishing calmly. netting in the 62nd. A big off-season quarterfinals after second- $15,000 ITF Futures tennis “We can be happy as it’s a challenge: Eating! half goals from Marko Pjaca Sevilla had 80% of posses- tournament on Thursday. SILVERSTONE really good result, but to be The results: Quarterfinals: and Dani Alves earned it a sion in the first half, and it honest after the first-half red Sriram Balaji bt Mateusz Ter- New F1 regulations will see 2-0 away win at 10-man took a number of brilliant faster cars, and greater card, we had to win this czynski (Pol) 6-0, 7-5; Vijay Porto in a last-16 first-leg tie saves from Schmeichel to G-forces on the drivers. game,” said Juventus mid- keep it in the game. Sundar Prashanth bt Shane on Wednesday. Vinsant (USA) 6-2, 6-4; Sasi That will mean the leaner fielder Sami Khedira. Vardy made the most of a drivers — like Force India’s Porto’s downfall was Kumar Mukund bt Haadin “It’s absolutely not over,” rare attacking opportunity Esteban Ocon — will have to partly self-inflicted after left Bava 6-1, 6-4; Vishnu Vardhan he added. “We’re happy with for the struggling English bulk up. The 20-year-old has back Alex Telles received a bt Mohit Mayur 6-3, 7-6(7). tonight but in three weeks had to incorporate eating into red card in the 27th minute champion by blasting in a Doubles quarterfinals: Sriram we’ll need to be careful as his off-season preparations! following two senseless cross from Danny Drinkwa- Balaji & Vishnu Vardhan bt Porto are angry and have “It’s been a very hard training bookings in the space of 90 ter from close range in the Timur Khabibulin (Kaz) & VM regime and not only the seconds. nothing to lose.” 73rd minute and Claudio Ranjeet 6-1, 6-2; Primin training, but the eating,” he Despite holding Juventus Meanwhile in Seville, Ranieri's side was fortunate Haenle (Ger) & Shane Vinsant said at the launch of the at bay for 72 minutes, Porto’s Jamie Vardy gave Leicester not to concede late on when (USA) bt Jui-Chen Hung (Tpe) team’s new VJM10 car at resolve was broken when City some hope of staying in Adil Rami’s header smashed & Karunuday Singh 6-1, 4-6, Silverstone on Wednesday. Miguel Layun deflected Europe’s elite competition against the crossbar. 10-8; Rishab Agarwal & Niki “I had to eat so much food!” despite a 2-1 loss to Sevilla. Poonacha bt Vijayant Malik & AGENCIES Paulo Dybala’s pass into the The results: At Porto: FC Porto path of Pjaca who slammed Pablo Sarabia headed the 0losttoJuventus2(Pjaca72, Sidharth Rawat 7-5, 6-3; Mo- it past Iker Casillas. host into the lead in the 25th Dani Alves 74). hit Mayur & Vijay Sundar Saurabh sizzles, gives Dani Alves made sure of minute after Kasper At Seville: Sevilla 2 (Sarabia 25, Prashanth bt Mateusz Ter- India u-19 the lead victory two minutes later Schmeichel had saved Joa- Correa 62) bt Leicester City 1 Marksman: Marko Pjaca (left) latched on to a ball from Miguel Layun and slammed it home to czynski (Pol) & Jose Fco. Vidal Azorin (Esp) 6-2, 6-4. First NAGPUR when he controlled Alex quin Correa's penalty. (Vardy 73). open Juventus’ account against Porto on Wednesday. AFP Saurabh Singh’s 109 gave round: Jui-Chen Hung (Tpe) & India under-19 a slender Karunuday Singh bt Aryan first-innings lead against Goveas & Dhruv Sunish 6-3, England on day three of the Harika loses 6-3; Mohit Mayur & Vijay Valencia stuns Real Sundar Prashanth bt Anirudh second ‘Test’ on Thursday. Under-17 WC tickets to Daryl Ferrario (55), Siddharth irst game Chandrasekar & P.C. Vignesh Akre (54) and Abhishek Zaza, Orellana strike for the winner 6-2, 6-4. Goswami (58) were the Sports Bureau others who chipped in as the be priced below ₹100 Tehran hosts declared at 388 for nine Vani wins in reply to England’s 375. Chinese underdog Tan Special Correspondent ous task. The progress has the DY Patil stadium sets a The scores: Special Correspondent Zhongyi upstaged a sur- KOLKATA been very satisfactory and I different benchmark. Guwa- England 375 & 34 for two in KOLKATA nine overs vs India 388 for prisingly passive D. Harika Six venues across the coun- am sure by the time the FIFA hati (Indira Gandhi Stadium) nine decl. (Abhishek Goswami in the opening game of try are close to being called team comes visiting, 90 to has done well to get things in Vani Kapoor’s final round 58, Saurabh Singh 109, Daryl their semifinal clash in the ‘ready’ to host the FIFA Un- 95 per cent work on the core place and the training ven- even-par on Thursday saw Ferrario 55, Siddharth Akre women’s World chess der-17 World Cup, feels the infrastructure would be ues in Delhi are quite good. her win the fourth leg of 54). PTI championship here on tournament director Javier completed,” said Ceppi. Goa had got everything the Hero women’s Profes- Thursday. Playing black, Ceppi. Keeping in mind the in- ready before AFC U-16 tour- sional Golf Tour. Harika chose to be too de- After having guided Chile terests of football aficion- nament last year.” The scores: Mixed day for fensive for her own com- successfully through the ados in the country, ticket Talking about Delhi’s Vani Kapoor (70, 73, 70) Kyra Shroff fort and Zhongyi seized the same event in 2015, Ceppi prices would be kept below ₹ chances, Ceppi said the Na- 213; Amandeep Drall (71, 72, NEW DELHI On cloud nine: Fabian Orellana celebrates his goal. AP chance to launch a severe says India presents its own 100 for a match. “We will be tional capital will host 74) 217; Saaniya Sharma (69, Kyra Shroff lost in the second offensive on the castled sets of challenges. But the launching tickets by mid- matches but there is a con- 76, 73) and Sharmila Nicollet round of singles but made the Agence France-Presse over their title rivals. king. Harika’s fortress was preparations have been “90 May. I cannot reveal the pri- cern about the air quality in (75, 67, 76) 218; Afsan Fatima doubles semifinals of the MADRID (74, 74, 73) 221; Smriti Mehra “We lost this match in the crushed and she gave up per cent” up to the mark. cing, but it would be eco- the city post Diwali. $15,000 ITF women’s tennis (72, 76, 74) 222; Neha Tripathi Two goals in the opening opening ten minutes, ten on the 44th move. The fixtures for the 52 nomical and definitely less “We know that there is air tournament in Sharm El bad minutes where we let (78, 73, 72) 223. Sheikh on Thursday. nine minutes from Simone On Friday, fourth seed match tournament, sched- than going to a movie. The quality concern post-Diwali. two goals in,” Real coach Zi- The results: Zaza and Fabian Orellana Harika faces a must-win uled to be held in October idea is you can watch a It has nothing to do with nedine Zidane said. $15,000 ITF women, Sharm blew the La Liga title race situation with white to stay this year, would be an- World Cup match for less Delhi hosting matches. Let TV PICKS El Sheikh: Second round: wide open as Valencia beat “I’m not worried, I’m alive in the competition. nounced after the final set of than ₹ 100,” Ceppi said. me be very clear that Delhi Yuliya Hatouka (Blr) bt Kyra leader Real Madrid 2-1. angry more than anything, In the other semifinal, inspections by a FIFA team Asked about the prepara- will host matches. What is Ind v Aus: 1st Test, STAR The defeat leaves Madrid because we only have second seed Anna in March. tions at other venues, Ceppi being analysed now are the Shroff 6-1, 6-1. Doubles 1, 3 & HD1, 3, 9.30 a.m. quarterfinals: Emily Webley just a single point clear of ourselves to blame.” Muzychuk, playing black, “Preparing the Salt Lake sounded satisfied saying measures that could be La Liga: Sony Six & Six Smith (GBr) & Kyra Shroff bt Barcelona and three points The result: Valencia 2 (Zaza 4, defeated third-seeded Stadium, which could ac- each one of them offered taken to lessen the impact HD, 1.10 a.m. (Saturday). Elena Bogdan & Miriam Bianca ahead of Sevilla and now en- Orellana 9) bt Real Madrid 1 former champion Alexan- commodate 1,20,000 people something remarkable. on the tournament post Di- NBA: Sony Six & Six HD, Bulgaru (Rou) 6-4, 6-2. joys just a game in hand (Cristiano Ronaldo 44). dra Kosteniuk in 64 moves. at one time, was a humong- “Being a private stadium, wali,” Ceppi said. 6.30 a.m. (Saturday).