First India-Delhi Edition-01st JUNE 2022

NEW DELHI l WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI TITLE NO. DELENG/2021/19840 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 272 RAJYA SABHA ELECTION: THE RAJYA SABHA ELECTIONS 2022, TO BE HELD ON JUNE 10, IS CRUCIAL AS IT COMES AHEAD OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SLATED FOR JULY. ABOUT 57 RAJYA SABHA SEATS WILL HAVE TO BE FILLED THIS YEAR FROM 15 STATES, INCLUDING UP, MAHA, TN, BIHAR, AP, AND RAJASTHAN P3

BORDER TALKS SOON! INDIA AND CHINA ON TUESDAY AGREED TO HOLD NEXT ROUND OF SENIOR COMMANDERS’ MEETING AT AN EARLY DATE TO ACHIEVE COMPLETE DISENGAGEMENT FROM ALL FRICTION POINTS IN EAST LADAKH TO CREATE CONDITIONS FOR RESTORATION OF NORMALCY IN BILATERAL TIES

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, LUCKNOW, NEW DELHI & MUMBAI

UNION HOME MINISTER AMIT SHAH ON TUESDAY SAID NARENDRA MODI GOVERNMENT HAS DONE MORE WORK IN EIGHT YEARS OF ITS RULE FOR MAKING FARMERS SELF-RELIANT THAN WAS ACCOMPLISHED EVER BEFORE AND ITS AGRICULTURE-FRIENDLY SCHEMES HAVE BECOME THE REAL POWER OF FARMERS

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

PM MODI IN SHIMLA: EVENTS TO MARK 8 YEARS OF HIS GOVT

‘MY GOVT HAS ZERO-TOLERANCE

POLICY FOR CORRUPTION’ Earlier people talked about ‘atki-latki-bhatki’ schemes, Modi takes a jibe at Congress Shimla: Corruption was viewed as an essential part of government before 2014, PM Narendra Modi said on Tuesday and asserted that India saw a sea change in the last eight years due to the BJP-led dispensation’s zero-tolerance towards graft. At the rally in Shimla’s Ridge Maidan, PM Modi said that after coming to power, his govt pruned 9 cr fake names from list of beneficiaries of various schemes.

“We have transferred over `22 lakh crore to the bank accounts of beneficiaries of various schemes through direct benefit transfer,” the PM said.

Modi said that before 2014, there was news about scams but now his govt’s devp schemes and zero-tolerance against corruption are discussed. Before 2014, corruption was viewed as an essential part of govt. India exported Covid vaccines to various countries and HP’s Baddi unit played a vital role in manufacturing jabs, plan to build medical college in every dist of country, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves at crowd during a public rally at Ridge Maidan in Shimla on Tuesday. Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur & Union Minister Anurag Thakur are also seen.

PM BREAKS PROTOCOL FOR MOM’S SKETCH

PM TRANSFERS `21K CR TO OVER 10 CR FARMERS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released Rs 21,000 crore to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme.

This transfer is 11th installment under the PM-KISAN scheme. Modi interacted with beneficiaries of different govt schemes at the event.

CONTRIBUTIONS REPORTS BY THE ECI

BJP gets `477 crore and Congress gets `74 crore New Delhi (Agencies): The BJP received contributions of over `477.5 crore in financial year 2020-21, and Congress over `74.50 crore, just 15% of the funds received by the ruling party.

According to the contribution reports of 2 parties put in public domain by the ECI on Tuesday, BJP received `4,77,54,50,077 from various entities, electoral trusts and individuals. According to the contribution report

of Congress, it received `74,50,49,731 from various entities and individuals.

Parties have to file report of contributions to EC received in excess of `20,000 as per provisions of election law.

During his roadshow here, PM Modi stopped his car to accept a painting of his mother made by a girl. A huge crowd flocked across road leading to Ridge Maidan to have a glimpse of Modi. A girl named Anu was holding a painting of Modi’s mother Heeraben. PM stopped his cavalcade, get out of his car and approached the girl.

—Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

MODI LAUDS MUDRA YOJNA BENEFICIARY

THAKUR EXUDES CONFIDENCE IN BJP’S RETURN TO POWER IN HIMACHAL Ahead of Himachal polls, CM Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday exuded confidence in return of BJP govt to power in the state, he said that under leadership of Modi, our govt has completed 8 years in country, relation between PM Modi & people of state is very strong.

Hardik to join BJP on June 2: Spokesperson Ahmedabad: Former Congress leader Hardik Patel will join BJP on June 2 in presence of Gujarat party president CR Patil, state party spokesperson Yagnesh Dave said on Tuesday. Hardik Patel had recently praised BJP’s decisionmaking capacity and style of functioning, while severely criticising the Congress leadership. Patel had joined the Congress in 2019.

Earlier people used to talk about ‘atki-latki-bhatki’ schemes, nepotism and scams. But time has changed. Today people talk about the benefits of government schemes. Today India’s start-ups are being talked about globally. Even World Bank talks about India’s Ease of Doing Business.

PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday virtually interacted with a beneficiary of the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana hailing from Mehsana in Gujarat and appreciated him for choosing to be a “job creator” instead of becoming a “job seeker”. Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana was launched by PM in 2015 to provide loans up to `10 lakh to small and micro enterprises.

COURT SUMMONS CONG LEADER DK SHIVAKUMAR FOR MONEY LAUNDERING

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday summoned Congress leader DK Shivakumar and others in a money laundering case lodged against him in 2018 after taking cognisance of chargesheet.

Special Judge Vikas Dhull directed Shivakumar to appear on July 1. Shivakumar was arrested by ED on Sept 3, 2019, was granted bail on Oct 23, 2019.

She did a wonderful service to ‘Sanatan Dharma’ by renovating many temples from Somnath to Kashi. As a ‘Prajavatsal’ ruler, she also set many excellent examples of women empowerment and public welfare.

Amit Shah, Union Home Minister

Amit Shah

ples from Somnath to Kashi. As a ‘Prajavatsal’ ruler, she also set many

excellent examples of women empowerment and public welfare,” he

TEACHER SHOT DEAD AT KULGAM SCHOOL Seventh targeted killing this month Kulgam: A school teacher — shot at by terrorists in J&K’s Kulgam — died of the gunshot injuries on Tuesday, the police have said. The teacher has been identified as Rajni Bhalla. The incident comes amid a spate of attacks on non-locals in the union territory, and also weeks after protests over the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit, Rahul Bhat, and a TV artist Ambreen Bhat. Rajni was from Samba District of Jammu province. A government teacher working in Kulgam area of South Kashmir, she lost her life in a despicable targeted attack. My heart goes out to her husband Raj Kumar & the rest of her family.

P8

CRUCIAL READ SATYENDAR JAIN SENT TO ED’S CUSTODY TILL JUNE 9 New Delhi: Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendar Jain was on May 31 sent to ED’s custody till June 9 in a money laundering case by a court here which noted that his interrogation was required to unearth alleged larger conspiracy. ED arrested AAP leader under criminal sections on May 30.

P3

CONSENTING SPEEDY HEARING COUPLES CAN LIVE OF DESHMUKH’S TOGETHER, SAYS HC BAIL PLEA: SC Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala HC on Tuesday allowed a same-sex couple to live together. HC acted upon a habeas corpus petition moved by Adila Nazrin, 22.

She complained that her partner Fathima Noorah, 23, has been forcibly taken away by the latter’s family.

HOME MINISTER SHAH REMEMBERS AHILYABAI HOLKAR ON HER 297TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY New Delhi (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday remembered the warrior queen of the Maratha empire, Ahilyabai Holkar on her 297th birth anniversary for her service to ‘Sanatan Dharma’ by renovating many temples from Somnath to Kashi.

“There is an incomparable contribution of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar ji in the preservation of Sanatan culture,” Shah said in a tweet.

“She did a wonderful service to ‘Sanatan Dharma’ by renovating many tem-

Rajni Bala was shot at allegedly by terrorists in Kulgam district.

Relatives & daughter of deceased teacher mourn her demise, at their residence in Samba on Tuesday.

—PHOTOS BY PTI

tweeted in Hindi.

Maharani Holkar was born on May 31, 1725, in

Chaundi village (current day Ahmednagar), Maharashtra. Tuesday marked the 297th birth anniversary of the Queen, regarded as one of the finest female rulers in Indian history.

She was known for her wisdom and administrative skills. Her birth anniversary is celebrated on May 31st. As a prominent ruler of the Malwa kingdom, she spread the message of ‘dharma’, promoted industrialization, and built many Hindu temples and Dharamshalas across India.

New Delhi: SC on Tuesday asked Bombay HC to consider hearing former Maha HM Anil Deshmukh’s bail petition in a money laundering case expeditiously. Advocate Aniket, said SC had considered the jailed NCP leader’s age and sickness while passing order.

‘UNFORGETTABLE RESPONSE’ COMING: LG J&K LG, Manoj Sinha, vowed an ‘unforgettable response’ would be given to her killers and their sympathisers.

‘Deepest condolences to bereaved family. Terrorists & their sympathizers will be given unforgettable response for dastardly attack,’ said Sinha.

Omar Abdullah @OmarAbdullah Another targeted attack against a migrant government teacher in Kulgam area of South Kashmir. Reports of her condition are conflicting. Praying that she survives the attack.

2 TERRORISTS KILLED IN J&K

Pulwama: Two terrorists, Shahid Rather & Umar Yusuf were killed in an encounter in Awantipora in South Kashmir on Tuesday.

Shahid was involved in killing of a woman named Shakeela of Aripal & a govt employee Javid Ahmed of Lurgam Tral, said Vijay Kumar, IGP Kashmir.

KASHMIRI PANDITS WARN OF MIGRATION Kulgam: Kashmiri Pandits on Tuesday warned of “mass relocation” if the government fails to provide a strong solution within 24 hours for the killings of innocents by terrorists in the valley. They staged a sit-in in Srinagar, demanding justice for teacher & better safety.

P8

THOUSANDS BID TEARFUL GOODBYE TO MOOSE WALA! A large number of crowd thronged on Tuesday to pay final respects to Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh aka Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot dead on Sunday.

SAD Amritsar President Simranjit Singh Mann and Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also attended the last rites, in Mansa district.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Tuesday obtained the custody of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, named as a suspect in the daylight murder of Moose Wala for 5 days.

More on P5

Gandhi family used Amethi for politics, did nothing for its development: Irani Amethi (PTI): Union Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday alleged that the Gandhi family used Amethi for politics for decades and filled their coffers but did nothing for its development.

Referring to former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Irani said he never took up issues of Amethi in Parliament.

“This political family did politics from here for decades but kept people of the constituency poor so that they stood in front of them with folded hands,” she said.

“They ran Amethi for

Smriti Irani

their interests and did not pay heed to people and filled their coffers,” Irani said while addressing a programme here on the completion of eight years of the Narendra Modi government.

Irani had defeated

Rahul Gandhi in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, she said before 2019, he was not seen in Amethi but only went on foreign visits.

“He never took up issues of Amethi in Parliament and when I raised local issues there, I got many calls for this,” she added.

“The Gandhi family always cheated people of Amethi. They knew the people of Amethi had resentment against them and that is why he (Rahul) left for Kerala in 2019,” Irani said.

CAPITOL NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

02

The civic body’s horticulture department fears some of the uprooted trees might be among those tagged as ‘heritage trees’

In Lutyens’ zone, Monday’s storm uprooted 77 trees New Delhi (PTI): Lutyens’ Delhi lost at least 77 trees, some of them decades old, while 58 big branches broke off and fell in Monday’s fierce thunderstorm and heavy rains in the national capital, NDMC officials said.

The civic body’s horticulture department fears some of the uprooted trees might be among those tagged as ‘heritage trees’ by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), but the team is yet to compile a damage report and ascertain the facts.

“77 trees were uprooted last evening during the severe storm while 58 big branches fell, blocking several roads in NDMC areas. All

OFFICIAL SAYS

A fallen tree on the Jantar Mantar road after getting uprooted due to strong winds and heavy rains that lashed Monday.

roads have been cleared,” an official said.

The uprooted trees include neem (7), peepal (6), jamun (5), arjun (4), and seemal, pilkhan and bargad (two each).

One tree each of imli, kadelia, kusum, kekan, balam, bheda and eucalyptus were also lost during the storm.

“Most of the uprooted

trees were on Baba Kharak Singh Road (six), while Parliament Street lost five neem trees. Maximum tree branches fell on Moti Lal Nehru Marg (12), followed by Golf Link (eight),” the official added. The horticulture department and the enforcement department of the NDMC are re-

sponsible for clearing uprooted trees and debris. Other roads where trees were uprooted and traffic movement affected include Mother Teresa Crescent, Ashoka Road, Shankar Road, Firozshah Road, Jantar Mantar Marg, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Copernicus Marg, Tilak Marg, Purana Qila Road, Pan-

dara Road, Subramanyam Bharti Marg, Janpath, Mansingh Road, Sardar Patel Marg, K Kamraj Marg, Krishna Menon Road, Tolstoy Road, Tyagraj Marg and Sunehri Bagh Road.

“Some of these trees were very old but the team is yet to ascertain if any trees with heritage tags were lost. A damage report will soon be compiled,” the official said, adding that heritage trees are commonly those which are above 80 years old. Delhi witnessed the first storm of “severe” intensity since 2018 on Monday throwing traffic out of gear within minutes as the uprooted trees blocked roads and also damaged several vehicles.

Saxena assures quick redressal of the issue New Delhi (ANI): Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Tuesday informed that the government has taken a serious note of trees uprooted following a storm and assured that the issue will be addressed at the earliest.

This came a day after several trees were uprooted in the national capital due to heavy rainfall along with winds, leading to havoc and damage to life and property.

“I share the concern of every resident of Delhi about the maintenance and upkeep of trees in the City and their related uprooting and breakage that happens in the event of a storm, throwing the City traffic out of gear,” Delhi LG tweeted.

“Let me assure you

Instructed officials to take immediate steps to remove debris and clear the roads immediately so as to mitigate the inconvenience to people Vinai Kumar Saxena

that we have taken the matter seriously and will address it at the earliest,” he further said in a tweet.

Earlier on Monday, Saxena visited several places in Delhi where the trees were uprooted due to heavy rainfall and expressed distress upon the situation.

“Distressed by the sight of uprooted trees, fallen branches and waterlogging at places after the early evening storm. Visited a few

places.

Instructed officials to take immediate steps to remove debris and clear the roads immediately so as to mitigate the inconvenience to people,” he added.

Two people were killed and several injured as fierce rain along with winds hit the national capital yesterday. It also disrupted road and air traffic, damaging vehicles and buildings, including the iconic Jama Masjid.

Govt to give nod to procure CM terms case against Jain as ‘completely fake’ AAP IS STRICT AND HONEST GOVT 1,500 e-buses in two weeks New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi government is all set to accord its final approval to procure 1,500 electric buses for the Delhi Transport Corporation’s (DTC) fleet in the next 15 days. After this, the work order for induction of the buses will be awarded to the finalised bidders, said an official with the transport department.

According to a senior official, the government has already finalised the bids to purchase 1,500 buses under DTC and is awaiting final Cabinet approval from the Chief Minister. The e-buses will be manufactured by

Tata Motors. The transport department has also finalised the bids for 330 electric buses which will be inducted under the cluster scheme.

The ruling AAP’s target is to push the public

NGT stops construction next to DU campus New Delhi, May 31 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal Tuesday set aside the environmental clearance granted to a private builder for the construction of group housing near the Vishwavidyalaya metro station here.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said the Environment Clearance (EC) has been granted without proper evaluation.

“In view of our con-

clusion that EC has been granted without proper evaluation, project cannot be allowed without such proper evaluation about its sustainability or otherwise in the light of available data, a case is made for interference by this Tribunal.

to adopt electric buses for their daily commuting needs. Each of these buses are expected to save 0.33 million tons of PM 2.5 and PM 10 in carbon emissions during their life span of 10 years.

Skye Air Mobility launches long-range UAV New Delhi (PTI): Skye Air Mobility, a Delhibased drone delivery logistics provider, on Tuesday unveiled its long-range drone called ‘Artemis’ that is equipped to carry a payload of 6 kg up to a range of 100 km, a company statement said.

“The biggest USP of the new UAV is that it has the largest wingspan electric vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL) in India,” it said.

New Delhi (PTI): A day after Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain’s arrest, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called the case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) “completely fake and fraud” and said that Jain was targetted due to “political reasons”.

“I have personally read Satyendra Jain’s case filed by the ED and it is completely fake. All the actions that have been taken by centrally maintained agencies are politically motivated. And in this case, also Jain has been targeted because of political reasons. We have a very honest government, which neither

tolerates nor does corruption. This case will not last long, the truth always wins in the end.

We have faith in our judiciary,” said Kejriwal.

“We always stood against corrupt activities and took action against such activities.

Corruption of not even

a single penny has happened in our government. You must have seen in Punjab, action was taken against a Cabinet minister based on the evidence of an audio recording of the minister indulging in corruption. No one from the opposition or

HC asks Govt to clear backlog of unfilled EWS seats in pvt schools New Delhi, May 31 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has asked the Delhi government to endeavour to clear the backlog of unfilled EWS seats in private schools in the next five years. It also said the state has to step in to aid EWS category students in cases where schools have not complied with the requirements of admissions.

A bench of Justices

Najmi Waziri and Vikas Mahajan said the state shall ensure that the 25 per cent seats in the EWS category be filled up on the basis of declared sanctioned strength at the entry level — pre-school,

nursery, pre-primary, KG and class-I — irrespective of the actual number of students admitted in the general category.

“In instances where schools have not complied with the strict requirements of admission of EWS category students, the state has to step-in to the aid of the latter and exercise its duty as a welfare state, the bench said.

DEVELOPMENT

Govt to develop 500 kms of roads as per European standards 

Road beautification pilot project is going in full swing on all 16 stretches, and work on these will be done by September to October.

New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi government today said that they are redeveloping more than 500 kms of Delhi’s roads according to European Standards.

For this, Delhi Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal inspected the pilot stretch developed from Britannia Chowk to Outer Ring Road today, where he said, “Delhi boasts of very wide roads but they don’t meet international standards of quality.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal with Deputy CM Manish Sisodia during the inspection of a pilot stretch developed from Britannia Chowk to Outer Ring Road, in New Delhi on Tuesday. —PHOTO BY ANI

Hence, the Delhi Government is redeveloping more than 500 kms of

Delhi’s roads according to European Standards, for which I took stock of

the progress of one of the stretches today” He further said, “Road beautification pilot project is going in full swing on all 16 stretches, and the work on these will be completed by September-October. After completion of the pilot project, the best model will be chosen and applied to the 500 kms across Delhi to redesign them at par with European standards.”

The CM said, “As a part of the first phase of

the beautification of roads, we have made it our priority to properly develop and beautify 500 km of PWD roads, the pilot project for which is already in progress. The stretch that we have inspected today is one of 16 such stretches which are a part of this pilot project. After the work on the pilot project is completed, we will take stock of all the models, and accordingly decide which one should be applied for all 500 kms across Delhi.”

media knew about this incident and if we wanted we could have hid it, but ours is a strict and honest government. Action was immediately taken against the minister and he was dismissed.

A similar incident happened a long time ago

here in Delhi also and prompt action was taken against the minister immediately,” the Chief Minister pointed out.

Jain, who holds the portfolios of health, power and home, was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case on Monday evening.

CRUCIAL READ DRUG ADDICT CAUGHT STEALING LAMP-HOLDER FROM MEHRAULI DARGAH New Delhi, May 31 (PTI) A suspected drug addict has been arrested after he allegedly attempted to steal a brass lamp-holder from a dargah in south Delhi’s Mehrauli, police said on Tuesday. The accused was identified as Bhim (50), they said. According to the dargah’s security guards, the accused was caught while he was trying to run away with a ‘chiragdan (lamp holder)’. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Benita Mary Jaiker said a case was registered against the accused.

BODY FOUND IN WATERLOGGED UNDERPASS; TOLL ROSE TO THREE

New Delhi (PTI): The body of a man has been fished out from a waterlogged railway underpass in southeast Delhi’s Pul Prahladpur, police said, taking the death toll in Monday’s thunderstorm and heavy rains in the city to three. Winds of up to 100 kmph and heavy rains battered the city on Monday evening, uprooting hundreds of trees, disrupting road and air traffic and damaging vehicles and buildings, including the iconic Jama Masjid. DCP (Southeast) Esha Pandey on Tuesday said, “Around 10:22 pm on Monday, a call was received at the Pul Prahladpur police station about a person drowning in the underpass.”

UPSET OVER BEING SCOLDED, MAN SETS TAXI STAND IN DELHI ON FIRE; ARRESTED New Delhi, May 31 (PTI) Upset over being scolded by a taxi stand owner, a man allegedly set the place on fire following which five people, who were sleeping there, sustained burn injuries, police said on Tuesday. The accused, Jhandu Shah alias Manoj who is a resident of Jharkhand's Giridih district and worked as a driver here, has been arrested, they said. The condition of two of the five people who sustained burn injuries is stated to be critical, police said, adding that the incident took place in the early hours of Tuesday in east Delhi's Madhu Vihar area.

INDIA NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

RAJYA SABHA POLLS

Sitharaman, Surjewala, Maken & other leaders file nominations New Delhi (PTI): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP’s OBC Morcha chief K Laxman, Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Ajay Maken and Rajeev Shukla and media baron Subhas Chandra were among those who filed their nominations on Tuesday for the June 10 Rajya Sabha polls.

The elections are being held to fill 57 Rajya Sabha seats from 15 states that will be falling vacant due to the retirement of members on different dates between June and August.

While 11 seats are falling vacant in Uttar Pradesh, six members each are retiring from Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, five from Bihar and four each from Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka. Three members each from Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, two each from Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Punjab Jharkhand and Haryana, and one from Uttarakhand are also retiring.

Scrutiny of the nominations will be done on June 1, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 3.

Results will be declared on June 10.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman files nomination papers for Rajya Sabha elections in the presence of Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai, BS Yediyurappa and others, at Vidhanasoudha in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

—PHOTO BY PTI

The BJP currently has 95 and the Congress 29 MPs in the 245-member House.

The BJP announced 22 candidates for these polls and will support one Independent candidate each from Rajasthan (Chandra) and Haryana (media honcho Kartikeya Sharma).

Though the party’s list of candidates includes the names of Union ministers like Piyush Goyal and Sitharaman, some other prominent names such as that of minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi,

POLLS BEING HELD TO FILL 57 RS SEATS FROM 11 STATES THAT WILL FALL VACANT The elections are being held to fill 57 Rajya Sabha seats from 15 states that will be falling vacant due to the retirement of members on different dates between June and August. While 11 seats are falling vacant in Uttar Pradesh, six members each are retiring from Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, five from Bihar and four each from Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

Three members each from Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, two each from Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Punjab Jharkhand and Haryana, and one from Uttarakhand are also retiring.

and senior leaders Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and OP Mathur are missing.

In the Congress, there have been several

voices of discontent emerging from within the party over the choice of candidates.

In Karnataka, while Sitharaman is seeking

re-election, actor-politician Jaggesh (BJP), a former MLA and MLC, is contesting his first election to the Upper House of Parliament.

Among the others who filed papers during the day from the state are BJP’s third candidate and outgoing MLC Lehar Singh Siroya, and former MP D Kupendra Reddy from the JD(S).

Congress candidates — former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh and state general secretary Mansoor Ali Khan — filed their nominations on Monday.

Graft case: Jain sent to ED’s custody till June 9 New Delhi (Agencies): Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendar Jain was on May 31 sent to Enforcement Directorate’s custody till June 9 in a money laundering case by a court here which noted that his interrogation was required to unearth the alleged larger conspiracy.

The ED had on May 30 arrested the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Special Judge Geetanjli Goel issued the remand order after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, sought Mr. Jain’s custodial interrogation for 14 days.

Satyendar Jain

CBI SAYS NO CLOSURE REPORT FILED AGAINST JAIN

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday refuted reports claiming that the agency has filed a closure report against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s cabinet minister Satyendar Jain in the Disproportionate Assets (DA) case. “No closure report has been filed against Satyendar Jain,” a CBI official told media.

New Delhi: Although, one may say that it is not a major news and that there is no need to draw any conclusion from this, but despite this, the news is politically significant that Vice President Venkaiah Naidu unveiled a statue of DMK founder M Karunanidhi in Chennai. He had unveiled the 16 feet tall statue in the premises of Multi Super Specialty Government Hospital in Omandurar Estate. A hundred meters away from this place, Karunanidhi’s statue was earlier installed, which was demolished 35 years ago at the time

Tamil Nadu CM and DMK chief MK Stalin.

of MG Ramachandran’s death. In this sense, this place and the idol have great importance. On this occasion, Venkaiah Naidu also expressed his opinion on the language dispute and said that no language should be imposed on anyone.

Remember how everything that happened

—FILE PHOTO

in the Karunanidhi family in the last four years happened at the hands of the members of the Nehru-Gandhi family. When Karunanidhi’s statue was to be unveiled at the DMK headquarters in December 2018, MK Stalin called Sonia Gandhi and gathered all the op-

position leaders. Similarly, when Stalin’s autobiography was released in February this year, he called Rahul Gandhi for it. Even when the party office was to be inaugurated in Delhi, he called Sonia Gandhi. But now suddenly he invited Venkaiah Naidu to his program and now political observers believe that this move will definitely bring some change in politics. Venkaiah Naidu may also benefit from this ‘association’ with Stalin as the election of the Vice President is also due in the next two months.

Whatever it is, this program is of special importance politically.

New Delhi (Agencies): The voting for the three Assembly seat — Champawat, Thrikkakara and Brajrajnagar — ended peacefully on Tuesday.

Around 69 per cent polling was recorded till 5 p.m. in the by-election to Brajrajnagar assembly segment in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district, Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) SK Lohani said.

Despite rain and strong storm, Uttarakhand’s Champawat Assembly constituency witnessed 64.08 per cent voter turnout in the byelection. The voting be-

New Delhi (PTI): Members of the CPWD Engineers Association on Tuesday staged a protest outside Nirman Bhawan here over the illegal detention of two colleagues in Ramban district by Jammu and Kashmir Police on directions of Amarnath Shrine Board CEO Nitishwar Kumar.

A heavy police deployment was made at the protest site.

Later, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) engineers met Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and submitted a memorandum, demanding apology from CEO Kumar for “illegal detention” and alleged misbehaviour with two CPWD engineers, R K Mattu and Rizwan Alam, in Jammu and Kashmir.

Student police cadets take selfies with UDF candidate Uma Thomas at a polling booth during the Thrikkakara Assembly bypolls, in Kochi on Tuesday.

—PHOTO BY PTI

gan in all 151 polling stations at 7:00 am.

The by-election will decide the fate of four candidates, including Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

In Kerala, the final

GRAND OLD PARTY LOSING ITS BIGWIGS

After Patel, Jakhar and Sibal, who is next for Congress?

Sharat K Verma New Delhi: After the Nav Sankalp Shivir of the Congress in Udaipur, three big leaders have left the party.

Sunil Jakhar left the party during the camp itself, followed by Hardik Patel and later when Kapil Sibal was nominated for Rajya Sabha as SP candidate, it was found that he had left the party on 16 May itself. Just imagine, what a big setback it has been for Congress as three big leaders have left the party within two weeks, but the Congress party has become so immune to such setbacks

that it does not mind such developments. In a way, the party has become ‘shock proof ’. And perhaps that is why, there is no concern or any thought in Congress about it. The Congress is not ready to accept that there is some shortfall or deficiency in it, due to which the leaders are leaving.

However, the process of leaders leaving the Congress is not going to stop yet and party leaders are also aware of this. After the announcement of Rajya Sabha candidates, a new round will begin when some leaders will leave the fold. Before

Kapil Sibal

Sunil Jakhar

that, one of the leaders who is ready to switch sides is Kuldeep Bishnoi. He is a MLA from Haryana and is reportedly in touch with the BJP. He has already met BJP leaders and is ready to resign from Congress and Vidhan Sabha. There is even a discussion that BJP can field him as the third

Hardik Patel

candidate of Rajya Sabha so that the game of Congress can be spoiled.

However, there is a demand from his side that he wants to contest his wife Renuka Bishnoi on a BJP ticket from his vacant seat and wants a guarantee of a Lok Sabha seat for himself.

Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was removed from

the post of Punjab Congress President, is also not going to stay in Congress for long. Courtesy of the Aam Aadmi Party government, looking at the way he is being informed in Patiala Jail, it seems that he can join AAP. It is being told that in Patiala Jail, he is being given rosemary tea in the morning and chamomile tea is being given at night. Lactose free milk, soy milk, tofu, nuts etc. are being given instead of paneer in the food. To say, this diet is being given to him on the recommendation of the Medical Board made on the order of the court, but in reality he

KEJRIWAL BACKS JAIN, SAYS ‘EPITOME OF HONESTY’ New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday termed the case against Satyendar Jain ‘fraud’ while saying that Jain was the “epitome of honesty.” Kejriwal said that he had personally studied the case filed by ED and felt that the Delhi minister was framed in order to settle political scores.

CPWD staffers protest ‘illegal’ ED questions detention of colleagues in J&K Farooq Abdullah

Will Stalin’s politics also change? Polling ends for Odisha, Kerala, U’khand Assembly by-elections Moni Sharma

03

had ensured these facilities for himself by meeting Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann even before the Supreme Court’s decision.

However, it is not that he will decide to leave the Congress immediately or while in jail. He will decide only after his release from jail, but before that his wife and former MLA Navjot Kaur will continue to handle his political work. It is believed that he is not going to contest the next Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket and if he does not go to AAP, he will return home to BJP, which perhaps would be the last option before him.

voting figures of 68.75% in the by-election to the Thrikkakara Assembly constituency held on Tuesday eventually fell below last year’s Assembly election voter turnout of 70.39%.

for 3 hours in JKCA scam case Srinagar (Agencies): Former J&K Chief Minister and Lok Sabha member Farooq Abdullah was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for over three hours on Tuesday in connection with the J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) scam being investigated by the agency.

The National Conference chief reached the ED office in the Rajbagh locality of Srinagar at around 11 am.

Before reaching the ED office, Abdullah told reporters, “I won’t say much about the summons. There are elections to be held and they will trouble us till then.”

ED had summoned Abdullah on May 27 at its Srinagar office in connection with the case. The 84-year old National Conference leader had earlier recorded his statement in the same case in 2019.

The National Conference said the veteran leader would continue to cooperate with the authorities like he has done in the past.

Abdullah was the president of JKCA from 2001 to 2012.

Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh dies at 80 New Delhi (Agencies): Founder of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party Professor Bhim Singh passed away in Jammu on Tuesday, May 31, after being unwell for about a month. He was 81.

The former legislator hailed from Udhampur district’s Bhugterian village. He has left behind his wife Jai Mala and son Ankit Love, who lives in London.

Singh breathed his last at GMC Hospital here.

Expressing his condolences, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Prof Bhim Singh Ji will be remembered as a grassroots leader who devoted his life for the wel-

PM MODI CONDOLES DEMISE OF J&K’S NPP CHIEF BHIM SINGH

Jammu (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed condolences on the demise of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party founder Bhim Singh. Taking to Twitter, he said, “He was very well-read and scholarly. I will always recall my interactions with him. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters.”

fare of Jammu and Kashmir. He was very wellread and scholarly. I will always recall my interactions with him. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti.”

PERSPECTIVE NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

OH MY ‘GHOSH’!

The curious case of Bengal BJP

ABOUT GHOSH’S TERM AS BENGAL BJP PREZ

ROBIN ROY

The writer is Senior Associate Editor, Free Press Journal, Mumbai and former Managing Editor, First India

D BJP’s central leadership must realise that whatever may have happened in the Assembly elections in 2021, but the party cannot afford to take the Lok Sabha lightly especially when it had a good standing in 2019 and 2024 is not far away!

ilip Ghosh, national vicepresident of the BJP, has been recently given organisational responsibilities in seven states and a Union territory even as there are rumours in the Saffron camp that the central leadership may have done “this” in Bengal to give the leadership a free hand and enough room to exercise their power.

Ghosh’s new assignment is to oversee and strengthen the party’s booth organisations in Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura and Andaman ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He will be functioning as a member of the committee which will spearhead the move. The committee also has BJP’s national chief JP Nadda and general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh.

About 75,000 booths have been identified for the purpose.

It may be noted that Ghosh’s term as the Bengal BJP president ended prematurely after the “outcome” of crucial Assembly polls in May 2021.

A closer look though would reveal that the BJP had grown under Ghosh’s leadership when the party’s Lok Sabha tally rose from two in 2014 to 18 in 2019 and from

TARGETING RESOLVE OF GOVERNMENT, PANDITS

z A closer look though would

reveal that BJP had grown under Ghosh’s leadership when party’s LS tally rose from 2 in 2014 to 18 in 2019 and from 3 seats in 2016 Assembly polls to 77 in 2021 Assembly polls

z 2014 LS polls: While TMC

garnered 39.05% vote share, BJP’s % vote share was pegged at just 17.02%, a gain of +10.88%

z 2019 general polls: TMC’s

vote share went up to 43.3% up by 3.48% but real newsmaker was BJP with a whopping vote share of 40.7% up by 22.76%

three seats in the 2016 Assembly elections to 77 in the 2021 Assembly elections!

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, while the TMC garnered 39.05% vote share, BJP’s percentage vote share was pegged at just 17.02%, a gain of +10.88 per cent.

In the 2019 general elections the TMC’s vote share went up to 43.3 per cent… up by 3.48 per cent…but the real newsmaker was the BJP with a whopping vote share of 40.7 per cent up by 22.76%!

The corridors of BJP HQ in West Bengal were then buzzing with the leadership capabilities of Ghosh and “finally” the “Saffron might” started believing that there’s hope for the party in West Bengal.

With that belief, the party had put in all its might into the

R

ajni Bala, a 36-year-old school teacher, was killed right outside her school in Kulgam on Tuesday. She belonged to the minority Kashmiri Pandit community. This was the third targeted killing in the month of May. A Kashmiri Pandit, Rahul Bhat, working in the J&K administration, was killed in his office in Budgam district on May 12. A policeman and a woman TV anchor, both Muslims, also fell to terrorists’ bullets in May. That is not very flattering about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir which is under Governor’s rule even if security forces are able to take out terrorists in retaliatory actions. Pandits want their own killings to be pre-

NEW ASSIGNMENT

G

hosh’s new assignment is to oversee and strengthen the party’s booth organisations in Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura and Andaman ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He will be functioning as a member of the committee which will spearhead the move. The committee also has Bharatiya Janata Party’s national chief JP Nadda and general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh. About 75,000 booths have been identified for the purpose.

crucial Assembly elections in 2021… and several TMC leaders also made a beeline to join the BJP sensing prospects for the Saffron camp.

However, all zeal was over

by May 2, 2021 when despite a high-octane campaign, the BJP failed to get anywhere closer to the three-figure mark.

It was obvious that some heads were to roll and it seemed all was not well in the party’s state unit.

Trouble started way back On July 2, 2021, when Ghosh said he was unaware of LoP Suvendu Adhikari’s trip to Delhi and what transpired between him and Amit Shah and Harsh Vardhan.

Ghosh’s comment was seen by political analysts as a sign of the growing rift between two camps in the Ben-

For the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in the Valley finding a soft target like a woman teacher or government official is the easiest thing to do.

More such killings will undermine Pandits’ trust in the government’s assurance of safety.

Already there is a sentiment that the BJP was doing politics over their plight to secure votes vented instead of police avenging their murders.

That is no consolation for the Pandit community which was looking forward to a peaceful rehabilitation in the land of their forefathers. After Bhat’s killing an angry protester wanted to know if

gal BJP, one led by Ghosh and the other by Adhikari.

Then again in the first week of June in 2021, Adhikari had visited Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda. Even then, Ghosh had said he was unaware of the trip and its reasons.

After that Delhi trip in early June, Adhikari said he had informed the state BJP general-secretary, Amitava Chakraborty. Adhikari, however, refused to comment when he was told about Ghosh’s claim that he was unaware of the former’s visit to Delhi.

If you thought this was not enough… sample this…

Bengal BJP’s current president Sukanta Majumdar and his predecessor Dilip Ghosh on April 25, 2022 publicly traded barbs over their (political) experience at a time when the party is plagued by infighting.

Ghosh had even quipped that Majumdar was new to politics.

“Everyone begins politics as inexperienced. When I became the state president, I had been an MP for two-anda-half years. I had political experience of two-and-a-half years. When Dilipda began, he had experience between six months and a year,” Majumdar told the media.

In response to Majumdar’s jibe, Ghosh said the party had made a “42-year-old youth” as the state president.

“I didn’t say (that Majumdar is inexperienced), he (Majumdar) himself did,” Ghosh said.

“I’m always with him. Our party has made a 42-year-old youth the chief of a state where we have so many MPs and MLAs. In other parties, one isn’t named a chief unless he/she is old. These young people will work for the party for the next 50 years,” he added.

All this has obviously not gone down well with the central leadership especially at a time when there is so much Bengal BJP could do on Ground Zero given the fact that CBI is grilling TMC honchos for the SSC, coal and cattle scams and it was time the Saffron party took out massive rallies to mobilise mass opinion on these issues… however, the party is haunted by infighting especially at the top.

Earlier this month, when Shah had visited Bengal, Majumdar and Adhikari were seen with him all along.

Ghosh was, however, invited to specific programmes and was not present at the dinner party hosted by BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly at his Behala residence. BJP’s central leadership must realise that whatever may have happened in the Assembly elections in 2021, but the party cannot afford to take the Lok Sabha lightly especially when it had a good standing in 2019 and 2024 is not far away!

IN-DEPTH

THE LEAKED VIDEO OF GYANVAPI MOSQUE AND FOUR PETITIONERS

I

t is a case fit for M. Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective made famous by Agatha Christie. The case in point is that of the leaked video recording of the Gyanvapi mosque done by the court-appointed commission. The purported videos claiming proof of Hindu symbols in the mosque reached some media houses soon after they were received by Rekha Pathak, Manju Vyas, Sita Sahu and Laxmi, the four women petitioners. They have now threatened to return the survey report. The videos were meant for the eyes of the presiding officer only. The petitioners insist that they had not opened their packets and demanded action against the person responsible for the leak.

The court is believed to have received 117 requests for copies of videos. It is not known how many of them actually got a copy. Besides finding out the person who leaked the video there is also the issue of a leaked report being accepted by the court.

SPIRITUAL SPEAK Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

—Bible

TOP TWEETS Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp

The bond of trust between Hon. PM @ narendramodi ji and people of Odisha is phenomenal. Mothers, sisters, farmers & citizens from all walks of life joined me at Barahipur in Cuttack to bless PM Modi on #8YearsOfGaribKalyan and listen to his address at the Garib Kalyan Sammelan.

Smriti Z Irani @smritiirani

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

this was the normalcy the government talks about.

They feel like pawns in the ongoing political game. Bhat was one of the thousands of Pandits who returned to their roots under the Prime Minister’s Rehabilitation and Return Scheme of 2008. They were provided with a high security area for residence.

For the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in the Valley finding a soft target like a woman teacher or government official is the easiest thing to do.

More such killings will undermine Pandits’ trust in the government’s assurance of safety. Already there is a sentiment that the BJP was doing politics over their plight to secure votes. The government needs to do a lot more to make them think otherwise.

04

The name of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar ji is counted in history as a ruler devoted to public welfare. His contribution in the protection and restoration of Sanatan culture is invaluable. Tributes to such a great heroine on her birth anniversary.

His dedicated life as an efficient administrator is exemplary.

l Vol 1 l Issue No. 272 RNI TITLE NO. DELENG/2021/19840 Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Impressions Printing and Packaging Limited, C-21, 22 Sector-59, Noida-201301. Published at G-20, 3rd Floor, 309, Preet Vihar, New Delhi-110092. Phone 011-49846474.

Editor-In-Chief: Jagdeesh Chandra.

Editor: Sharat K Verma responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

l

To Receive Free Newspaper PDF Daily Whatsapp: http://bit.ly/whatsappdelhi

Telegram: https://t.me/firstindianewdelhi Click the above link☝ & subscribe us on your preferred platform.

INDIA NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

States asked to send suspected Monkeypox samples for testing New Delhi (Agencies): The Union ministry of health and family welfare on Tuesday issued a set of guidelines to states and Union territories on the management of the Monkeypox disease. So far, there is no reported case of monkey pox in India. The guideline has been issued amid a rapid rise in cases worldwide.

The ministry said clinical specimens would have to be sent to the apex laboratory of the National Institute of Virology (NIV)), Pune, through Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme network.

It said contacts of suspects should be monitored at least daily for the onset of signs or symptoms for a period of 21 days (as per case definition) from the last contact with a patient or their contaminated materials during the infectious period.

IN BRIEF NORMAL MONSOON LIKELY ACROSS INDIA, SAYS IMD REPORT

New Delhi (Agencies): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday announced that the crucial-forfarming southwest monsoon in the country as a whole is most likely to be normal with a quantitative forecast of 103 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA). A normal monsoon rainfall is within the range of 96 to 104 per cent of the LPA.

GYANVAPI CASE: COURT REJECTS TO ACCEPT ‘SEALED’ REPORT Lucknow: A day after the purported video clips of the court-ordered survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex were leaked to media, the Varanasi district judge court on Tuesday did not accept the sealed envelopes containing the videos and photographs of the survey from the four women petitioners.

ASTRAZENECA VAX COULD INCREASE RISK London: A correlation between a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and a small but significant rise in cases of the serious neurological condition Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), has been identified. Researchers said they are yet to understand the cause of the link.

However, they noted that the small numbers of GBS cases observed appear similar to increases previously seen in other mass vaccination campaigns.

‘water GOVT RELEASES RS 86,912 Indo-Pak talks’ conclude on CRORE GST DUES TO STATES a positive note New Delhi (Agencies): The Centre on Tuesday released the entire amount of Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation payable to States up to May 31, 2022 by releasing an amount of Rs 86,912 crore, dipping into its own coffers beyond the Rs 25,000 crore balance in the GST Compensation Fund.

The Finance Ministry said this is being done to assist the States in managing their resources and ensuring that their programmes, especially the expenditure on capital, is carried out successfully during the financial year.

Now, the States are only owed compensation under the GST regime for one month — June 2022, the Ministry noted. States had been guaranteed a certain level of revenue for the first five years of the GST regime that was

GST WAS INTRODUCED IN COUNTRY WEF JULY 1, 2017

launched in 2017.

“This decision has been taken despite the fact that only about Rs 25,000 crore is available in the GST Compensation Fund. The balance is being released by the Centre from its own resources pending collection of Cess,” the Ministry said in a statement.

In April, the Ministry had pegged outstanding GST compensation dues to States for 2021-22 at Rs 78,704 crore, equiva-

lent to four months of such accruals. So dues had been remitted to States for the eightmonth period of April 2021 till November 2021, but had been pending since December 2021.

Citing an inadequate balance in the GST Compensation Cess account, the Ministry had said the pending amount will be released “as and when amount from cess accrues in the compensation fund”.

MOOSEWALA MURDER

Goods and Services Tax was introduced in the country with effect from July 1, 2017 and states were assured for compensation for loss of any revenue arising on account of implementation of GST as per the provisions of the GST (Compensation to States) Act, 2017 for a period of five years.

For providing compensation to States, Cess is being levied on certain goods and the amount of Cess collected is being credited to Compensation Fund. Compensation to States is being paid out of the Compensation Fund with effect from July 1, 2017. Bi-monthly GST compensation to States for the period 2017-18, 2018-19 was released on time out of the Compensation Fund.

much more

ANOTHER SINGER REQUESTS SECURITY COVER

DELHI POLICE GETS 5-DAY CUSTODY OF JAILED GANGSTER LAWRENCE New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Tuesday obtained the custody of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, named as a suspect in the daylight murder of Punjabi singercum-politician for five days. His custody has reportedly been obtained in connection with an old case. According to sources, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police will interrogate Bishnoi in connection with Moose Wala’s murder. Earlier in the day, Bishnoi moved the Delhi high court after claiming a day ago that he feared being killed in a fake encounter by police.

headed by Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah, the Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters.

During the meeting, the annual report of the PIC for the year ending 31 March 2022 was finalised and signed, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The meeting was held in a cordial manner. The commission appreciated the commitment of the two sides to interact frequently and resolve issues through bilateral discussions under the Indus Water Treaty.

Bill to swap Guv with WBSSC SCAM CBI: Number CM as Chancellor in of irregular WB likely next week appointments

New Delhi: Just as thousands thronged Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s cremation a day after his gruesome murder, another Punjabi singer has revealed that he too has received death threats. According to sources, 31-year-old Mankirt Aulakh has requested the Punjab police to increase his security cover citing a threat to life.

Kolkata (Agencies): The proposed Bill to replace the Governor with the Chief Minister as the chancellor of all state-run universities in West Bengal will be tabled in the Assembly for clearance during the forthcoming Monsoon Session starting June 10, sources said.

Going by Trinamool Congress’ numerical strength in the Assembly, the state government will have no problem in getting the proposed Bill passed with a

comfortable majority.

However, the state government will then have to send the Bill to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar for his assent. State Education Minister Bratya Basu has already said that in case the Governor refuses to clear the Bill, the state government will pass an ordinance to bring the changed system into practice.

Dhankhar himself has slammed the move, calling it a diversionary tactics by the state.

Kolkata (Agencies): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment irregularities scam, has cast doubts over the number of irregular appointments to be much higher than what was initially perceived.

According to CBI sources, the actual figure of the appointments will surely be much higher than the figure quoted by the Calcutta HC-appointed judicial probe committee headed by retired Justice Ranjit Kumar Bag. The committee’s report was the basis on which the Calcutta HC ordered the CBI to investigate the scam.

Cops ordered not to arrest Vijay Babu till Thursday Kochi (Agencies): In major relief for actor producer Vijay Babu, who is accused of rape by an actress and presently on the run, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday asked the police not to arrest him till Thursday, when his bail plea will be considered again.

The court was informed by Vijay Babu’s counsel that he will be arriving from Dubai on Wednesday.

The court also chided the police and the prosecution, saying that he might be a star for some, but for the court, he is an ordinary per-

son and that the police is trying to stage a drama for the media by arresting him as soon as he arrives from Dubai.

It said as soon as he arrives from abroad, he should present himself to the police probe team, but should not be arrested till Thursday.

GAREEB KALYAN SAMMELAN

‘J&K essential part of Modi’s New India journey’ Srinagar (PTI): Kashmir is an essential part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s New India journey, Union Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday.

Singh said that a three-tier system of government has been introduced for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir in 70 years and it will not be long before people get to see and feel the benefits of such a system.

New Delhi (Agencies): Amid reports of backchannel talks to break the stalemate in the bilateral relationship, India and Pakistan concluded a two-day meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) comprising Indus Commissioners of the two countries in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The Indian delegation at the 118th meeting of the PIC was led by AK Pal, the Indian Commissioner for Indus Waters, while the visiting Pakistani delegation was

❍

Delhi HC agrees to hear Bishnoi’s plea citing ‘fake encounter’ fears New Delhi (Agencies): The Delhi High Court will on Wednesday hear the plea filed by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, named as a suspect in the sensational murder of famed Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, alleging apprehension of a fake encounter by the Punjab police for ‘political mileage’.

Through his counsel Vishal Chopra, Bishnoi approached the high court after a NIA court of Patiala House Court junked his plea on Monday. In the plea, he sought a direction to the Delhi Police and the Tihar Jail authorities to ensure all necessary security arrangements for him.

Punjab police has alleged that Bishnoi was involved in the murder.

05

“Kashmir is an essential part of PM Modi’s New India journey. It is time to avail of the enormous new openings initiated over the past eight years, which are shaping the destiny of 135 crore Indians under the able guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said while addressing an event at Budgam.

Titled ‘Gareeb Kalyan Sammelan’, the event was organised at the Bihishte Zahra Park to

Dr Jitendra Singh addressing an event “Gareeb Kalyan Sammelan” in J&K’s Budgam on Tuesday.

mark the eight years of the Modi-led government at the Centre.

The Union minister deliberated on different centrally sponsored

schemes and different initiatives launched by the Modi government to

ensure equitable development of people of Jammu and Kashmir, something which they had been deprived of for long for no fault of theirs.

Singh also distributed benefits among the beneficiaries under Mudra, PM Svanidhi, Ayushman Bharat, PMAY-G and various agriculture and horticulture related schemes.

The event was also addressed by Prime Minister Modi through virtual mode from Shimla.

J&K: Prez awards Kirti Chakra to slain cop President Kovind confers one Kirti Chakra and 14 Shaurya Chakras New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday awarded Kirti Chakra to Jammu and Kashmir Police Constable Altaf Hussain Bhat posthumously for his gallant act, raw courage, utmost dedication and commitment to duty and supreme sacrifice for the nation.

Altaf Hussain Bhat was the only officer among others from the Indian Army and armed forces to receive Kirti Chakra posthumously from the President at the

Defence Investiture Ceremony in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Altaf Hussain Bhat was deputed to ensure the safety and security of protected functionaries in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. On October 6, 2020, a protected person visited his family at Nunner and was about to proceed to his safe accommodation at PDC Colony Kangan when he was targeted by terrorists, who indiscriminately fired at him.

BIZ BUZZ NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

India’s growth projection being revised

Kolkata (PTI): The IMF is in the process of revising India’s growth projection for 2022, which could be lower than its earlier forecast of 8.2%, amid risks of a global stagflation, an official said.In April, the IMF had lowered India’s growth projection to 8.2% as compared to 9% estimated in Jan. By 2023, the country is expected to grow at 6.9%, it said. “IMF is currently revising India’s growth forecast for 2022, which may be lower than 8.2%. This is work in progress at the moment,” IMF said.

Private telcos to hike tariffs in H2

AU Royale programme extended to salaried & business segments Mumbai (FIB): AU Small Finance Bank, the largest Small Finance Bank and one of the fastest-growing retail Banks in India, has launched two new products under its affluent banking programme AU Royale – ‘AU Royale Salary’ and ‘AU Royale Business’ Current Account.

The affluent segment in India is consistently growing. As the Hurun India Wealth Report 2021 estimates, Indian millionaire (USD) households are set to rise by 30% over the next five years. As this segment is experienc-

ing a steady growth, its expectations from banking are ever evolving.

Considering this, AU Bank had launched its Royale programme designed specifically to cater to the everyday banking requirements of this segment. While the Bank was already offering customized premium products for HNIs and NRIs, now it has launched niche products, ‘AU Royale Salary’ and ‘AU Royale Business’, specially curated for the salaried and business class respectively.

Commenting on the launch Mr. Uttam Tibre-

AU Small Finance Bank has launched two new products under AU Royale – ‘AU Royale Salary’ & ‘AU Royale Business’ Current Account wal, Executive Director, AU Small Finance Bank said, “Over the years, we have seen growing interest from the affluent segment towards our personalized ser-

vices and higher returns. While we have been a preferred choice of Bank for the self-employed business class, the number of salaried class customers has

GDP GROWS 8.7% IN FY22, 4.1% IN JAN-MARCH QTR In the previous fiscal 2020-21, the economy had contracted by 6.6 per cent as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted business activities

London (AP): The country’s top three private telecom operators will resort to another round of tariff hike in the second half of the current fiscal and will close FY23 with a revenue growth of 20-25%, a report said on Tuesday. A growth in average revenue per user is essential for the industry to invest in the network and spectrum, and if they do not do so, it can result in poor service offerings, domestic rating agency Crisil’s research wing said in a report published on Tuesday.

No plans to ban or curb exports of basmati rice

New Delhi (PTI): The govt has no plans to ban or impose curbs on export of either basmati or non-basmati rice as the country has sufficient supplies and prices are under control, a senior official said on Tuesday. “There is no move to regulate export of any kind of rice. There is enough supply in our godowns and even with private traders.

Domestic prices are also under control as of now,” the official said. India had exported non-basmati rice worth $6.11 billion in 2021-22.

Sugar production rises 15% to 35.24 mn tons

New Delhi (PTI): Sugar production in India, the world’s largest producer and second-largest exporter, rose 15% to a record 35.24 million tonne till May 30 in the ongoing 2021-22 marketing year on higher output. Sugar production stood at 30.63 million tonne in the year-ago period. The sugar output achieved so far is much higher than the total output of 31.12 million tonne in the entire 2020-21 marketing year.

06

New Delhi (PTI): India’s economy grew by 4.1% in the JanuaryMarch quarter of 202122, pushing the annual growth rate to 8.7% on account of better performance by manufacturing, mining and construction sectors, official data showed on Tuesday.

In the previous fiscal 2020-21, the economy had contracted by 6.6% as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted business activities.

China had registered economic growth of 4.8% in the first three months of 2022.

The 4.1% expansion during the JanuaryMarch period of 2021-22 is the lowest quarterly

Core sector output expands by 8.4% in April New Delhi (PTI): Eight infrastructure sectors grew by 8.4% in April against 62.6% expansion in the year-ago period, according to official data released on Tuesday. The output of eight infrastructure sectors of coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity had expanded by 4.9% in March 2022. The output of crude oil contracted by 0.9% against a 2.1% decline in April.

Lowest qtr growth

growth in the last fiscal.

The growth was 20.1%, 8.4%, and 5.4%, in the first, second and third quarters, respectively, as per the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO).

The GDP had grown by 2.5% in the January-

Mandatory 6 airbags to hit small car market adversely New Delhi (PTI): Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) wants the government to reconsider the proposal to make six airbags mandatory in passenger vehicles, saying the norm will adversely hit the already shrinking small car market and may even impact jobs in the auto sector going ahead.

The auto major noted that the regulation would largely impact the cost-sensitive entrylevel car segment.

“So, the fear is that

Per capita income in FY 22 below pre-COVID level New Delhi (PTI): India’s annual per capita income at constant prices remained below the pre-COVID level at `91,481 in 2021-22, official data showed on Tuesday.

However, the per capita income based on Net National Income (NNI) at constant price grew by 7.5% in FY22 over the previous year.

The per capita income at constant price was `94,270 in 2019-20 before it dipped to `85,110 in 2020-21 on account of the disruption in economic activities caused by COVID-19 pandemic and subse-

March quarter in the previous year.

The NSO, in its second advance estimate released in February, had projected the GDP growth during 2021-22 at 8.9%.

The Economic Survey tabled in Parlia-

quent lockdowns.

At current prices, the per capita income rose by 18.3% to `1.5 lakh during in 2021-22 fiscal.

The per capita income at current prices had dipped to `1.27 lakh in 2020-21 from ` 1.32 lakh in 2019-20.

The per-capita income is a crude indicator of the prosperity of a country.

due to this (six airbags) the market will become smaller. The car manufacturing sector is important because it is a big creator of employment. When the car sells in the market it creates many jobs — drivers, maintenance, repairs, accessories etc,” MSI Chairman RC Bhargava stated.

ment in February had estimated the GDP growth for the current fiscal (2022-23) in the range of 8 - 8.5%.

According to the NSO data, India’s real GDP grew to `147.36 lakh crore from `135.58 lakh crore in 2020-21.

gradually started growing as we increase our footprint in Metros & Tier-I cities. As we have strategically expanded our range of services across the banking spectrum, with ‘AU Royale Salary’ and ‘AU Royale Business’, we are expanding our class leading solutions to different segments of the affluent customers. In line with our commitment to bring Badlaav in Banking, we shall continue to enhance our proposition and deliver unparalleled value to our customers.”

The AU Royale Business Current Account

India sends 40K MT-diesel consignment to Sri Lanka Colombo (PTI): India on Tuesday said it has delivered one more consignment of 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel to Sri Lanka to help ease the acute fuel shortage in the debt-ridden island nation which is grappling with its worst economic crisis.

India on May 23 delivered around 40,000 metric tonnes of petrol to Sri Lanka.

“Powering #SriLanka !!!! A shipment of 40,000 MT of diesel supplied under #Indian assistance reached #Colombo yesterday (Monday) evening,” the Indian High Commission tweeted.

India and Sri Lanka signed a $500 million Line of Credit Agreement for the purchase of petroleum products on February 2, 2022.

offers family banking which allows grouping of business and family accounts. While the Relationship Managers provides end-to-end personalized banking, customers can avail a host of benefits offered by a feature Rich Royale Business Signature Debit Card. Other benefits include best in class Merchant Solutions (QR, PoS, Payment gateway); preferential pricing on banking products; choice of Account Number and domestic airport lounge access.

The AU Royale Salary Savings account offers

family banking for up to five family members and exciting cashback of upto 1% on Signature Debit Card spends.

While a dedicated relationship manager provides support all the banking needs, customers can avail a host of other benefits like complimentary movie tickets on BookMyShow; low currency mark-up on international transactions and 75% discount on Lockers.

Customers wanting to enroll for AU Royale programme can visit www.aubank.in or visit the nearest branch of AU Small Finance Bank.

Recent steps to cut inflation by 0.4%: SBI report

New Delhi (Agencies): The recent cuts on excise duty and import taxes could result in the easing of inflation by 35-40 bps as stated in SBI’s research report.

The CPI inflation for the ongoing month of May could come down by 10 bps from the earlier projection to 7.0%. The full impact of the government’s move will reflect in upcoming months.

In current fiscal, the

retail-based inflation is expected to average at 6.5%-6.7%.

“Considering the conservative budgetary estimates for FY23 the net fiscal implication could be around `66,000 crore to `17.27 lakh crore from `16.61 lakh crore in FY23 BE. But with higher nominal GDP estimates, fiscal deficit as % of GDP can still be contained closer to 6.4%-6.6% in FY23,” stated the State Bank of India (SBI) report.

Sensex snaps 3-day rising streak Mumbai (PTI): Equity benchmarks declined on Tuesday after a three-day rally, with the Sensex falling 359.33 points amid selling in index majors HDFC, Reliance Industries and Infosys.

The 30-share BSE Sensex went lower by 359.33 points or 0.64% to settle at 55,566.41. During the day, it tanked 556.6 points or 0.99% to 55,369.14.

The broader NSE Nifty declined 76.85 points or 0.46% to end at 16,584.55.

` slips 12 paise to close at 77.66/$

LIC SHARES DECLINE OVER 3% AFTER EARNINGS

New Delhi (PTI): Shares of LIC on Tuesday declined over 3% after the company posted a 17% decline in consolidated net profit for the fourth quarter ended in March 2022. The stock declined 3.05% to settle at `811.50 on the BSE. During the day, it tanked 3.23% to `810. At the NSE, it fell by 3.21% to end at `810.85. In volume terms, 2.22 lakh shares were traded at the BSE and over 43.73 lakh shares at the NSE during the day.

Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated 12 paise to close at 77.66 (provisional) against the US dollar on Tuesday. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened lower at 77.65 against the greenback and finally settled at 77.66, down 12 paise over its previous close.

During the session, the rupee touched an intra-day low of 77.70 and a high of 77.62.

India’s textiles exports Centre clears entire GST compensation dues till date highest-ever in FY22 New Delhi (PTI): The Centre has cleared the entire GST compensation payable till date by releasing `86,912 crore to states, the finance ministry said on Tuesday.

Of this, `25,000 crore is released from the GST compensation fund and the balance `61,912 crore is being released by the Centre from its own resources pending collection of cess. Of the total compensation released, `17,973 crore is towards April and May dues, `21,322 crore towards February-March dues and `47,617 crore is the

balance of compensation payable up to January 2022.

“The government of India has released the entire amount of GST compensation payable to states up to May 31, 2022 by releasing an amount of `86,912 crore.

This decision was taken to assist the states in managing their resources and ensuring that their programmes especially the expenditure on capital is carried out successfully during the financial year,” the ministry said.

New Delhi (PTI): India recorded its highest-ever textiles and apparel exports in the financial year 2021-22 at $44.4 billion, the government said on Tuesday.

The exports tally, which also includes handicrafts, indicates a substantial increase of 41% and 26% over corresponding figures in FY21 and FY20, respectively.

USA was the top export destination for the country’s textiles and apparel shipments accounting for 27% share, followed by

the European Union (18%), Bangladesh (12%) and UAE (6%).

“In terms of product categories, the export of cotton textiles was $17.2 billion with 39% share registering a growth of 54% and 67% during 2021-22 over FY21 and FY20, respectively,” an official statement said.

NEWS NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

07

Saffron party takes care of caste and regional balance; it has chalked out prolonged plans for upcoming Rajya Sabha election

UP: 8 BJP candidates file papers for RS polls First India Bureau

Lucknow: Eight candidates nominated by the BJP for the Rajya Sabha from UP filed their nominations in the assembly on Tuesday in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and it is believed that all the candidates are sure to be elected unopposed.

Dr Laxmikant Bajpai, coming from western Uttar Pradesh, has been the president of BJP Uttar Pradesh. In the Lok Sabha elections held during his tenure, the BJP got the maximum 75 seats in the state. He has also been MLA and former minister from Meerut Sadar seat four times.

In view of his contribution in the elections, the party has made him a Rajya Sabha candidate.

Darshana Singh, who represents women, is the national vice

After missing RS bus, Naqvi contest LS by-poll from Rampur M Tariq Khan

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

president of BJP Mahila Morcha and she has also been the state president of Mahila Morcha.

Sangeeta Yadav was elected MLA for the first time in the last election from Chaurichaura seat of Gorakhpur. BJP has also made him a Rajya Sabha candidate from UP. She could not contest the elections as her seat went to the Nishad Party in the alliance.

Therefore, the party has made his adjustment for the Rajya Sabha. At present, she is also the National Min-

ister of BJP Mahila Morcha.

Dr Radha Mohan Das Agarwal (Pediatrician) also comes from Gorakhpur. He had to leave the seat in Gorakhpur city, from where he has been MLA for four consecutive terms, due to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath contesting the assembly elections.

Apart from this, Baburam Nishad is the chairman of State Backward Classes Finance Development Corporation. Surendra Nagar is a big face of Gurjar society in the party and he was al-

TEELE WALI MASJID CASE

BJP trying to make connect between Lucknow, Lakshman through Lakshman Teela First India Bureau Lucknow: The decade-old controversy over Teele Wali Masjid in Lucknow has gained momentum. Emboldened over successes in Gyanvapi Masjid complex where court-ordered survey and videography was done last month, the right wing groups in Lucknow have launched exercise for similar survey of Lucknow Mosque.

Originally, the case was filed by lawyer Hari Shankar Jain in Lucknow Civil Court in 2013 seeking survey of the mosque. Hari Shankar Jain and his son Vishnu Shankar Jain are also representing petitioners in Gyanvapi and Mathura cases. The Teele mosque also has a “Mazar” of Shah Peer Mohammad, forefather of late Maulana Fazlur Rahman.

While the Teele Wali Masjid controversy has been going on for

The case was filed by lawyer Hari Shankar Jain in Lucknow Civil Court in 2013 seeking survey of the mosque. several decades senior BJP leader late Lalji Tandon, who was known for his historical knowledge of Lucknow, mentioned it in his book “Ankaha Lucknow” in which he had accused Muslims of severing the city’s connect with Laxman younger brother of Lord Rama. Triggering a political controversy late Tandon wrote “the state capital’s biggest Sunni Mosque build during the reign on Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb

was constructed over Lakshman Teela, a raised platform named after Lord Rama’s brother.

Earlier this month of chief minister Yogi Adityanath welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in a tweet: “Sheshavatar Bhagwan Laxman ki pawan nagri Lucknow mein aapka swagat aur abhinandan.". The tweet has also led to speculations about plan for changing the name of Lucknow to Lakshmanpuri.

Lucknow: Will Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi be BJP’s choice for contesting the upcoming Rajya Sabha poll from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh?

According to a BJP leader there is a possibility that Naqvi may contest the bypoll for the Rampur Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh. The election is scheduled for June 23. Naqvi is among the three Union ministers whose term in the upper house expired. He was ready a member of Rajya Sabha.

The party has given him another chance.

Mithilesh Kumar

nominated from Jharkhand.

The speculation gained momentum on Tuesday after Naqvi when Naqvi’s name did not figure in the list of RS candidates announced by the ruling party for UP from where it is poised to win eight out of the 11 comes from the Dalit community. Apart from this, it has also been decided to send National President of BJP Back-

seats in the fray. This indicates that the BJP may not be considering him for a re-nomination to the Upper House. Party leaders however refused to comment on the issue.

Naqvi is the Minority Affairs Minister and the only Muslim minister in the Union council of ministers.

The development has also cast a shadow on his continuation in the Union council of ministers as the rules mandate that a minister has to be a member of either House of Parliament. ward Classes, Dr K Laxman, who lives in Hyderabad, to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh.

Seechewal, Sahney file nominations from Punjab Chandigarh (PTI): Noted environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal and entrepreneur and social activist Vikramjit Singh Sahney on Tuesday filed their nomination papers for two Rajya Sabha seats from Punjab.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had declared them as its candidates a few days ago.

“Seechewal and Sahney, both Padma Shri awardees, filed their nominations with the secretary of the Punjab legislative assembly in the presence of cabinet ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal,” an official said here.

The terms of Rajya Sabha members from Punjab Ambika Soni (Congress) and Balwinder Singh Bhunder (Shiromani Akali Dal) are due to expire on July 4.

Given the overwhelming majority of the AAP

Balbir Singh Seechewal

in the Punjab assembly, its candidates are set to be elected unopposed.

Tuesday was the last day for filing of nominations.

Scrutiny of nominations will be done on June 1, while the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is June 3.

Seechewal is known for his efforts to clean the 160-km-long Kali Bein rivulet in Kapurthala’s Sultanpur Lodhi.

Sikhs believe that Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, attained enlightenment after taking a dip in Kali Bein.

Amarnath Yatra: Online booking for chopper services New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court was informed on Tuesday that the Amarnathji Shrine Board has decided to do sale of tickets of helicopter services from Jammu and Kashmir online for the yatra.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta disposed of a plea seeking direction to the board to adopt online system for booking and sale of tickets of helicopter services from Jammu and Kashmir, especially for old, ailing and disabled pilgrims, for the yatra.

The bench disposed

of the plea after the petitioner organisation Indian Council of Legal Aid's general secretary and advocate RK Saini submitted that it has no grievance with the system put in place and now nothing survives in the petition.

The board's submission was made in a counter affidavit filed in pursuance to the high court's May 23 order when notice was issued on the petition.

The petition had submitted that the refusal of Centre and the shrine board to introduce the online system for booking and sale of all tick-

COURT ORDER

ets of helicopter services from Jammu and Srinagar for Amarnath yatra, is resulting into hoarding and black marketing of tickets leading to the misery for thousands of genuine and needy pilgrims.

It had termed it as wholly arbitrary, dis-

criminatory, irrational, unwarranted and unjust, and against public interest.

The petition, through lawyer Avadh Kaushik, said that according to a news report, it is the priority of the Narendra Modi government that the pilgrims coming for

the Amarnath yatra should have hassle free darshan and they should not face any problems.

"But surprisingly, the problem of not being able to obtain helicopter tickets for Baba Amarnath Yatra, by the old and ailing and disable pilgrims on account of the black marketing of tickets by the authorised agents in collusion with the local hoteliers which already stood highlighted /exposed by the local newspapers and about which a representation already stood made by a public representative...," the plea said.

32 foreigners detained Truth will be out in Tikait attack in B'luru for illegal stay case, says Karnataka police Bengaluru (Agencies): The Karnataka police in a crackdown on foreigners staying illegally in Bengaluru, have detained 32 foreigners including 13 women, the police said on Tuesday.

Police sources said that all the foreign nationals are from African countries, especially from Nigeria. The raids were conducted on Monday in Kothanur, Bagalur, Amruta-

halli, Sampigehalli, Yelahanka, Chikkajala and other places.

The raids are being conducted to nab foreigners who are involved in cyber crimes, drug peddling and frauds.

Bengaluru (PTI): Special teams have been constituted to look into farmers' leader Rakesh Singh Tikait attack case and probe is on to uncover the design of those who had supported the accused persons either directly or indirectly and bring out the truth in the matter, police said on Tuesday.

Steps are being taken to seek 7-day custody of the 3 accused persons, who attacked Tikait

with a television mic and threw black ink on him at a press conference here on Monday. As part of the overall investigation, the trio would be questioned during

custody to "bring out the truth", police said. "We have arrested three people. They will be produced before the magistrate, DCP (Crime) Dr Sharanappa SD told PTI.

EMPOWERMENT FOR STATE

Haryana notifies TSU for PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan 

It will work to review and monitor implementation of the State Master Plan and to set out a procedure

First India Bureau Chandigarh: Haryana Government has notified that State Logistics Coordination Cell will act as Technical Support Unit (TSU) for PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP), as a State level Institutional Setup for operationalizing the PM Gati Shakti NMP in Haryana.

Giving information in this regard, an official spokesperson of Industries and Commerce Department said

19-MEMBER EGOS TO MONITOR

that Administrative Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department will be the Chairman of Technical Support Unit (TSU) and

Nodal Officer of Revenue Department, Power Department, Public Works (B and R) and Architecture Department, Irrigation and Water

Resources Department, Environment and Climate Change Department, Finance and Planning Department, Civil Aviation Depart-

ment, Skill Development and Industrial Training, Haryana Space Applications Centre (HARSAC), Information Technology,

Electronics and Member Communication Department, Town and Country Planning and Urban Estates Member Department, Urban Local Bodies Department, Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Member Development Corporation, Industries and Commerce Department, Transport Department and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Department will be the members of TSU. The spokesperson

further informed that the Nodal officers of the concerned Department will be responsible to ensure that the data inputs of the progress pertaining to the respective department have been correctly mapped in the PM Gati Shakti NMP through the individual applications provided by BISAG – N. He said that Nodal Officers would act as the Sectoral experts from their respective Departments.

A Good leader keeps his head in an emergency but a great leader recognises the problem before it becomes an emergency.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor-in-Chief, First India

NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

08

KULGAM KILLING OF TEACHER

TERRORISM WILL NOT END IN ONE DAY: EAM Ahmedabad (PTI): In the wake of terrorists shooting dead a woman teacher in Jammu and Kashmir, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said terrorism will not end in one day and expressed confidence in winning the ongoing battle against extremism.

Responding to a question of reporters about the targetted killing of the teacher by militants in Kashmir’s Kulgam district, Jaishankar said the Centre is confident of winning the battle against terrorism which has been going on for many years.

“Our fight against terrorism, which has been going on for several years, will continue. See, terrorism will not end in one day. But, even terrorists know that the present regime is not like the previous government,” Jaishankar told reporters on Tuesday.

Terrorists on Tuesday shot dead Kashmiri Pandit teacher Rajni Bala (36) in the Kulgam district, police said.

Bala sustained injuries when terrorists fired at her in the Go-

AAP seeks appointment with MCD special officer New Delhi (PTI): AAP has written to MCD special officer Ashwani Kumar seeking time for an appointment to plug loopholes in the collection of house tax by the civic body.

AAP leader and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak said that they have learnt that the MCD is planning to increase house tax in order to augment its revenue generation.

“We have written to Kumar seeking an appointment with him.

The three MCDs have more than 27.50 lakh registered houses from whom the house tax is collected. The house tax collection would generate a revenue of `4,700 crore whereas the MCD is only able to collect `1,750 crore,” he said.

Kashmiri Pandits threaten mass migration after teacher’s killing

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

—FILE PHOTO

KASHMIRI PANDIT TEACHER SHOT DEAD

palpora area of Kulgam where she was posted as a teacher. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival, officials had said.

“We will definitely take necessary steps against terrorism. Our battle against terrorism will continue and we are confident that we will be successful,” said the external affairs minister.

Before attending the event, Jaishankar, who

was on a two-day visit to Vadodara city in Gujarat beginning Monday, visited Police Bhavan and interacted with women police personnel of “She Team”- a special cell to address complaints and distress calls by women.

“Visited Vadodara city Police Bhavan and met the highly motivated She Team. A great example of gender sensitive and socially caring policing” Jaishankar tweeted.

Srinagar (PTI): Kashmiri Pandits, employed under the PM package, on Tuesday threatened to undertake mass migration from the valley if the government did not relocate them to safe places within next 24 hours as employees from the community hit the streets at various places to protest against the killing of a lady teacher by terrorists in Kulgam district.

We have decided that if the government did not take any concrete steps for us (safety) within 24 hours, there will be mass migration again, one of the protestors said here.

He said the target killing of Kashmiri Pandits is continuing and the community is now tired of making appeals to the govt.

We should be relocated so that we can be saved. Our delegation had met the LG

Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw greets a farmer during an event organised to virtually attend the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Garib Kalyan Sammelan’ in Shimla, at Railway Indoor Stadium, in Kolkata on Tuesday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

‘Rise above politics’: Vaishnaw to WB govt

A daughter mourns after getting informed about her mother and school teacher Rajni Bala being shot down by militants at Govt High School, in Gopalpora area of the south Kashmir’s Kulgam on Tuesday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

earlier and we had asked him to save us.

We are asking for temporary relocation for two to three years till situation in the valley returns to normal. It is the same time frame put by IGP Kashmir for making Kashmir terrorism free, he added. A handful of KP employees assembled at the Ghanta Ghar at

Lal Chowk here to protest against the killing.

Another group of employees assembled at Batwara in Sonawar area of the city and raised slogans against the union territory administration for its failure to ensure foolproof security for employees of Hindu communities.

Kolkata (PTI): Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday urged WB govt ‘to rise above politics’ on the issue of commissioning welfare projects for the poor and claimed that not a single resident of the state has got the benefit of Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Vaishnaw also said that majority of the farmers of the state are yet to get the benefits PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.

“Why has Ayushman Bharat Yojana not been implemented till now in Bengal? Why are most of the poor farmers of the state not getting the money channeled into their Jandhan accounts

Ayushman Bharat

despite being eligible?

The WB govt owes an explanation on these issues,” Vaishnaw said.

“There can be different governments in different states ruled by different political parties. But that should not come in the way of improving the condition of the poor and needy.

We are all Indians, there should not be any division,” he said.

RS polls: Subhash Chandra files papers as BJP-backed candidate First India Bureau Jaipur: Backed by the BJP, media baron Subhash Chandra filed his nomination for the elections to the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, a move that could scuttle the Congress chances of winning a third seat from Rajasthan.

The other candidates who filed their papers from the state on Tuesday are Congress leaders Mukul Wasnik, Pramod Tiwari and Randeep Singh Surjewala, and BJP’s Ghanshyam Tiwari.

Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra is currently a Rajya Sabha member from Haryana and his term is going to expire on August 1.

The filing of papers by him as an independent prompted Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to allege that the BJP wants to indulge in

BJP LACKS NUMBERS, TO INDULGE IN HORSE-TRADING: RAJ CM GEHLOT First India Bureau

Former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje greets Subhash Chandra after he files his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections in Rajasthan as a BJP-backed candidate, on Tuesday. —PHOTO BY ANI

horse trading.

The ruling Congress in Rajasthan with its 108 MLAs in the state Assembly is set to win two of the four seats going to the elections on June 10.

After winning two seats, the Congress will

have 26 surplus votes, 15 short of the required 41 to win the third seat.

On the other hand, the BJP has 71 MLAs in the state Assembly and set to win one seat, after which it will be left with 30 surplus votes.

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot termed the filing of papers by Chandra as a “game” by the BJP, alleging that the party wants to indulge in horse trading as it does not have the required numbers.

“We are going to win three seats. I don’t know why the BJP has played the game,” Gehlot said.

“They did the same 15 years ago but had to announce the withdrawal of support at 12 at night. They said that the candidate had promised them that he had extra votes but he could not arrange,” he

Congress nominees Randeep Singh Surjewala, Pramod Tiwari and others accompanied by Rajasthan PCC president Govind Singh Dotasra, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and party leader Sachin Pilot show victory signs after filing nomination papers for the upcoming RS elections.

—PHOTO BY ANI

told reporters outside the Assembly building after the Congress candidates filed their nominations.

“This time also, Subhash Chandra has been fielded despite

knowing that they do not have votes. Will they be doing horse trading? From where will they bring votes?

They want to indulge in horse trading. This is not a good tradi-

tion,” he added.

Congress candidate Randeep Surjewala claimed that his party has a total of 126 MLAs by its side, which included 108 MLAs of the party.

—With PTI inputs

TO SPREAD AWARENESS

DELHI POLICE TO ENCOUNTER FAKE NEWS WITH ‘SMC’ 

Delhi Police has established SMC for holding Podcast, Twitter Live sessions, panel discussions, press briefings and countering fake news

New Delhi (PTI): The police in the national capital has got Social Media Cell at its headquarters to counter fake news.

Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana on Monday inaugurated the Social Media Cell (SMC) of the force with an in-house state-of-theart studio Face-2-Face’ at its headquarters on Jai Singh Marg.

Delhi Police has established SMC for holding Podcast, Twit-

ter Live sessions, panel discussions, press briefings and countering fake news, the officials said.

Speaking on the occasion, Asthana underlined the importance of communication in today’s well-networked society. It is equally important to fight fake news as to propagate actual facts in public domain, he said.

“Social Media is the best medium to spread awareness and for de-

The SMC has been set-up in police headquarters for quick dissemination of information in case of exigencies Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana.

bunking fake news in shortest time. Educational and awareness videos produced by SMC can be shared by

EOW, SPUWAC(Special Police Unit for Women and Children ) and other verticals of Delhi Police,” he said.

The SMC has been set-up in police headquarters for quick dissemination of information in case of exi-

gencies like violence, fire incident, building collapse, bomb threat or other such emergent situation, said Suman Nalwa, Deputy Commissioner of Police (PRO).

On several occasions, situations related to law and order are mischievously escalated on social media with certain false narratives to disturb peace and harmony, she said.

“Social Media Cell will counter such fake

news. Moreover, the city’s traffic can be regulated through regular updates with video advisories especially on mega-events such as Republic Day, Independence Day, summits and conferences. The much advanced studio will be used for making internal productions and content to be used for training and welfare purposes, besides catering to general public through regular connect,” she added.

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

TRUE BEAUTY IS ENHANCED BY HONESTY AND DEDICATION TOWARDS WORK AND SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. ONE SUCH MESMERIZING CHARISMA IS VAIBHAVI KOHLI FROM DELHI WHO BELIEVES IN THE SAME. CITY FIRST SPOKE TO VAIBHAVI ABOUT HER MODELLING JOURNEY AND HERE ARE SOME EXCERPTS OF THAT CHIT CHAT DHANUSHREE VYAS cityfirst@firtsindia.co.in

D

escribe yourself and what would you say are some vital skills or characteristics to have to make it in the modelling world?

My name is Vaibhavi Kohli and I was born in Delhi. I currently stay in Faridabad.

I am a model by profession.

I graduated from Delhi University and have done diploma in French. I have always been a bright student.

I taught students for some time and also worked in the corporate sector. My little sister motivated me to make videos on TikTok. Hence, my journey as a model started on TikTok where I had 70k followers but then it got banned in India.

Modelling is a profession that requires a lot of discipline and regularity. Everything needs to be maintained from skin to hair to diet.

If you could go in the future and tell yourself one thing about your career what would it be?

I would ask myself to be careful while trusting people quickly in the fashion industry. It is

VIVACIOUS

VAIBHAVI so because not all of them are genuine and they might have twisted intentions. I would advise myself to work as hard as possible as there are no shortcuts to success.

What inspired you to become a model?

My partner encouraged me to pursue modelling because he saw a model in me. He has been my trainer and supporter. One needs support to pursue something like this be it a partner or someone from the family. I believe that the right guidance and dedication make everything possible.

Even my sister has been my pillar of strength throughout my journey.

Now everyone is happy to see me succeed in my career.

What was the biggest rookie mistake you made when you started?

Initially, I made multiple wrong choices when it came to certain professional associations. However, luck was always by my side and I sailed successfully through it all. My dedication helped me and I feel it stands important to be honest with your profession.

What has been the most memorable or rewarding moment in your career?

There are so many numerous memorable moments in my career.

When I won the Fresh Face Bridal Contest in Chhatarpur, Bhopal with my makeup

artist and during a live show in Kurukshetra are my best memories.

However, the most memorable moment for me is when people remember me as a famous model.

09

NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022 www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

ETC

10

MAGIC OF

VAN-VISION! VAN GOGH FOR ME IS THE SYNONYM OF ART, HE NOT ONLY PAINTED THE ICONIC STARRY NIGHTS BUT HAS REDEFINED THE BEAUTY OF NATURE. FOR VINCENT VAN GOGH, FANTASY AND REALITY MERGED AFTER DARK IN SOME OF HIS MOST ENDURING PAINTINGS, WITH HIS ARTS HE TRIED EXPLAINING HIS VISION TOWARDS THE NEW WORLD THAT WAS TAKING BIRTH IN THE BEAUTIFULLY CREATIVE MIND OF THE OLD MASTER.

UTTKARSHA SHEKHAR

uttkarsha.shekhar@firstindia.co.in

W

ith his bright sunflowers, s e a r i n g wheat fields and blazing yellow skies, he described his perception of light.

“Oh! that beautiful midsummer sun here,” he wrote to the painter Émile Bernard in 1888 from the south of France. “It beats down on one’s head, and I haven’t the slightest doubt that it makes one crazy. But as I was so, to begin with, I only enjoy it.”

The art Gogh was also bedazzled with night, as he wrote to his brother Theo that same year: “It often seems to me that the night is much more alive and richly coloured than the day....The problem of painting night scenes and effects on the spot and actually by night interests me enormously.”

His art involved a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behaviour. A beautiful feeling away from fierce reality and personal relationships into fantasy, delusion, and a creative sense of mental fragmentation.

Through magnificent art he described the daylight or Starry night wonderfully as the diamonds flowing in the river of a colourful world, he also gave the world many of its most treasured paintings.

His 1888 Sunflowers, says critic Robert Hughes, “remains much the most popular still life in the history of art, the botanical answer to the Mona Lisa.”

And van Gogh’s visionary landscape The Starry Night, done the next year, has long ranked as the most popular painting at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). This inspired the museum, in collaboration with Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, to mount the exhi-

bition “Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night” (through January 5, 2009). It will then travel to the Van Gogh Museum (February 13-June 7, 2009).

“The van Gogh we usually think of, that painter of the most audacious, crazy, passionate, frenzied, unleashed bursts of brushwork, may be more evident in his daylight paintings,” shared by MoMA’s curator for the show, Joachim Pissarro, great-grandson of the French Impressionist Camille Pissarro.

Throughout his creative career, his life before art had a significant impact on his self-perception. Van Gogh couldn’t get rid of his remorse at betraying his family, and he felt continually like a burden on his brother, Theo.

His creative talents were supported by his patrons and established his own artistic style.

This amazing minded creator tried to interact with the world through his magical views and brushes. His relationships with his art went straight into the heart of real art admirers.

Along with his growing mental troubles, he had a surge of growth in the latter half of his life. His life before art held a heavy influence over his self-perception throughout his artistic career. Van Gogh could not escape his sense of guilt from failing his family and constantly felt like a burden on his brother, Theo, who sponsored his artistic endeavours. Through Theo’s encouragement and work as an art dealer, Van Gogh developed his own artistic style and met other popular artists from his time.

His friendships along with his developing mental issues lead to an incredible discovery in the world of art. And we as his fans are dying to learn more about him and his remarkable journey as an artist.

“But in paintings such as the Arles café at night, his touch is more restrained and you really see his intelligence at work. Despite all the mental anguish and depression he experi-

enced, van Gogh never ceased to enjoy an astonishingly clear selfawareness and consciousness of what he was doing.” It was a misconception about him that Van Gogh was a rough and ready chromomaniac person driven by his instincts to render what he saw almost as quickly as he saw it, the artist’s twilight and night scenes are actually elaborate constructions that also call on his vast literary knowledge.”

It seems that van Gogh never dreamed his paintings would become such fixed stars in the art firmament. In 1890, less than two months before he ended his life with a pistol shot, he wrote to a Paris newspaper critic who had praised his w o r k .

Like his paintings, van Gogh’s biography has gone into legend. He was born in 1853 in the Netherlands; his father was a minister and his uncles, successful art dealers. He was dismissed while working as a missionary in southwest Belgium for being too zealous and failed as an art salesman by being too honest. When he took up drawing and painting, his originality offended his teachers. One stu-

dent later described the scene at the Antwerp Academy where van Gogh enrolled: “On that day the pupils had to paint two wrestlers, who were posed on the platform, stripped to the waist.

Van Gogh started painting feverishly, furiously, with a rapidity that stupefied his fellow students. He laid on his paint so thickly that his colours literally dripped from his canvas onto the floor.”

He was prompt-

ly kicked out of the class.

Van Gogh himself hinted at this in a letter to his sister Wil, written in 1888 as he was painting his first starry night

canvas. He was inspired, he said, by imagery in the poems by Walt Whitman he was reading: “He sees...under the great starlit vault of heaven a something which after all one can only call God— and eternity in its place above the world.”

Well, as a big Van Gogh fan I want to say Van Gogh is the wizard that has driven the world through the magic of his brush and I am lucky to be a part of this euphoria.

Artworks inspired by Van Gogh

ETC NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

SHUBHANSHI PATHAK cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

B

eing a parent is one of the most universal experiences.

Our parents face a lot of challenges long before we are born.

And while many of us didn’t appreciate being nagged to clean our rooms, someone had to help us fight off the dust bunny invasion. Honestly, if we had never learned to handle tiny responsibilities like that, we’d have no hope of coping with the adult world.

The Parent-Child Relationship is one that nurtures the physical, emotional and social development of the child. It is a unique bond that every child and parent will enjoy and nurture.

The sacrifices, beliefs and values our parents implant in

us will help determine the person we grow up to be. A child is like a sponge that absorbs their parent’s thoughts and viewpoints that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Parents make great sacrifices for the care of their children.

Day after day, parents protect their children from danger, attend to their cries, and reassure their children after a bad dream. Parents give up many necessities for their children every day.

And if you happen to be a parent, give yourself a big pat on the back (seriously). Parental love is characterized by warmth, affection, care, comfort, concern, nurture, support, acceptance or simply love that a child can feel from their parents. So let’s use this day to say thanks to our first teachers and nurturers.

City First brings to you heartwarming messages for the parents of their beloved children as a token of love and respect.

11

Global Day of Parents

MUSIC IS WHEN

PARENTS SAY

I LOVE YOU I

am so lucky to have two blessings like you in my life! I know we have our ups and downs but I always look up to you in times of an emergency. We both are aware that you often put your own relationship on the back burner to concentrate on us and our future. Your compassion and kindness are forever motivating to me. When you two are happy, our home feels like heaven. There is no way to repay you for your efforts, so I want to thank you instead!

Chandrika Begerhotta and Navindra Pathak

Shravya, Poonam and Avika

O

ur parents always takes care of us and puts us before themselves. They are like a glue that binds us together as a family.

They carry us with so many responsibilities yet they never show it. Moreover, even when they have arguments, they always make up without letting it affect us. We aspire to become like our parents and achieve success in life with their blessings. You make our childhood awesome and our life wonderful. We are thankful to have them in my life.

—Shravya and Avika

—Ria Pathak

P

arents mean different things to different people. For me, they are our source of happiness and protection. They are the ones who are the closest to us and understand our needs without having to say them out loud.

Similarly, they love us unconditionally for who we are without any ifs and buts.

I cannot imagine my life without them.

Vijay Gupta, Soniya Gupta and Reva Gupta

Rama Kanwar and Nathu Singh

I

love my parents because It’s because all the unconditional love they provide me with , whether it’s love, support, or anything. They spend their whole life in grooming you, raising you, and making you what you are today. Most of us would not be at this place if our parents didn’t support or encourage us morally as well as financially. They make many sacrifices for me that I am not even aware of. I hope to be the best version of myself and make them proud.

—Praveen Nirwan

—Reva Gupta

I

am blessed to have such a unique couple as my parents.

Both are North and South. They don’t celebrate things much, but I on other hand am always looking for some jamming. Making me the West in this Eastern part of the world. My parents are my strength who support me at every stage of life. My parents are like a guiding light who take me to the right path whenever I get lost.

—Vijendar Singh

I

am really lucky to have them as my parents.

I see them arguing a lot and instantly making up, and that’s what I think love is . I am really thankful of them for being so understanding and lovable and for handling all my tantrums, always. I could not have asked for more.

Sarita Khandelwal and Rajesh Khandelwal

Shyam Singh and Manohar Kanwar

—Saloni Khandelwal

CITY

STAY MASKED

GET VACCINATED

BUZZ

NEW DELHI | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2022

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/delhi I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

12

‘Beauty is power’ “I STARTED AS A FREELANCER A FEW YEARS BACK AND SOON IT BECAME A FULLFLEDGED JOB,” VRINDA SAID AS SHE SPEAKS TO CITY FIRST ABOUT HER JOURNEY.

DHANUSHREE VYAS cityfirstdel@gmail.com

W

e want to know more about you.

My name is Vrinda and I am from Delhi.

I have done my master's in fashion merchandising from Pearl Academy. Currently, I am a makeup artist who works across the globe.

During the inauguration

Rajnath Singh lauds Indian Coast Guard

CITY FIRST

Vrinda

U

What inspired you to become a makeup artist?

Makeup has always been a hobby because I am a creative person attracted by colours. I started as a freelancer a few years back and soon it became a full-fledged job. I received immense appreciation for my work.

nion Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the three-day 39th Commanders' Conference of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Monday in New Delhi.

The event was marked by the presence of Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, DG ICG VS Pathania and other senior officials of the Ministry of Defence and the ICG. The Defence Minister commended the professionalism and dedication of the ICG and said that its unparalleled performance has made it one of the best and largest Coast Guard in the world. Singh stressed the need to maintain maritime preparedness in the constantly-changing global scenario, terming it as a crucial aspect which safeguards the econom-

What are the challenges that you faced?

It has been a pretty smooth journey for me till now but different skin types do create problems with a smooth finish. However, it is a part of the learning process as I believe that beauty is power.

Where do you see yourself after five years?

I wish to start my skincare line in future. I want to be as successful as possible.

CITY FIRST

Vibha and Gourabmoy Das

ic and strategic interests of a nation. He pointed out that there has been a shift in India’s maritime security needs due to the ever-evolving global situation. Recalling the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Singh said the incident showed that for a long time, the country’s orientation was focused on the security of land borders and not much attention was paid to coastal security.

He lauded the ICG for continuously enhancing its capability in the last few years in line with the government’s

vision and for playing a key role in bolstering coastal security. Due to these efforts, the country has not witnessed any terror activity from the sea route since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Minister said.

Singh further said, “The growing regional and global trade in this region has brought forth new challenges.

Geopolitical tensions and a clash of strategic interests have led to traditional security challenges. Terrorism, drug trafficking and piracy are some non-traditional challenges in front of us today.”

GOURAB’S B’DAY BASH WITH BELLS ON! —PHOTOS BY SHAZID CHAUHAN

G

ourabmoy Das, the cabin crew of Air India and an ace grooming expert and fashion choreographer, celebrated his birthday at Club Aquila in New Delhi with his friends and all the socialites recently.

The decorations of the gala bash were done by Silverkey events by Saksham Arora. The spectacular party was enjoyed by all the guests amid lipsmacking snacks and scrumptious delicacies. It was an energetic evening full of music and enjoyment. The guests thoroughly enjoyed the party and made memories by clicking pictures and dancing together.

The gala event witnessed friends of the birthday boy and big socialites from the national capital. The guests who attended the event were Bharat, Reshma Grover, Navneet Arora, Pooja Gupta, Sylvie Rogers, Pankaj Nagarwal, Jyoti Nagarwal, Anasthasia, Vibha, Gauri Arora, Sujay Ghosh, Arti, Kanika and Neelam, etc.

During the meeting

Priyanka, Pavni, Karan, Nitesh and Manika

Vinay Rana, Gourabmoy Das and Ritika Rana

Gourabmoy Das with his friends

Navneet Arora and Pooja Gupta

Sylvie Rogers and Gourabmoy Das

Reshma Grover and Bharat

Anasthasia and Gourabmoy Das

Shivang Kapoor and Gourabmoy Das

Gouri Arora and Gourabmoy Das

Pankaj Nagarwal, Gourabmoy Das and Jyoti Nagarwal

Arti, Kanika and Neelam

Saksham and Sujay Ghosh

Babli Saroj and Sallu Jindal