First India-Delhi Edition-4th January 2022

NEW DELHI l TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 l Pages 12 l 3.00

PRIYANKSA IN ISOLATION AFTER FAMILY MEMBER, STAFF TEST +VE

Cngress leader Priyanka Gandhi took to Twitter to state that she will remain in isolation for a few days. “A member of my family and one of my staff have tested positive.

I have tested negative,” wrote Priyanka.

SENSEX SURGES OVER 900 POINTS IN NEW YEAR

The Sensex surged 929 points higher at 59,183 while Nifty rose 1.6% finish above 17,600. Global stock markets and U.S. futures were mostly higher on 2022’s first trading day after Wall Street ended last year with a double-digit gain.P6

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, AHMEDABAD, LUCKNOW & NEW DELHI

5,000-PAGE

...SIT CHARGESHEET AGAINST MoS MISHRA’S SON, 13 OTHERS l This is the first chargesheet in the October 3 case. Mishra’s car was allegedly part of the convoy that ran over a farmers’ march against the agri laws

Mohd Fahad Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday filed a chargesheet against Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra and 13 others, under charges including murder and attempt to murder, in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that left four farmers and a journalist dead.

Of the 14 chargesheeted by the police SIT, 13, including Ashish, are in jail. The one not in jail is Virendra Kumar Shukla, who is named for alleged destruction of evidence. Sources said Shukla is Mishra’s distant relative and block pramukh, and the SIT has sent him a notice. Senior prosecuting officer SP Yadav said the SIT had filed a 5,000page chargesheet, and the details will be known after studying it.

BJP’S STAND AWAITED ON BIHAR’S CASTE SURVEY: NITISH

All parties in Bihar, except the BJP, have made known their stance on conducting a headcount of castes in the state, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Monday. He, however, made it clear he was “not blaming” his ally.

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LAKHIMPUR KHERI VIOLENCE

l Accused faces murder, conspiracy charges

RNI TITLE NO. DELENG/2021/19840 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 126

EC asks five poll-bound states to ramp up Covid-19 vaccination New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has written to the chief secretaries of five poll-bound states, asking them to “accelerate” the pace of Covid-19 vaccination. The poll panel also expressed concerns over the low percentage of first dose coverage in Manipur.

This comes after the Commission had at a press conference in Lucknow last week emphasized on the need to speed up vaccination in pollbound states, EC officials said.

China builds bridge across Pangong Lake

CHARGES PRESSED

FLASHBACK

Ashish has been charged under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs 50) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy), as well as under the Arms Act.

October 3, 2021: MoS (Home) Ajay Mishra Teni was on a visit to inaugurate government schemes in Banbirpur village. Several protesters were blocking the road to restrict their passage in Tikunia village of Lakhimpur Kheri when an SUV, allegedly belonging to Ashish Teni, son of the Ajay Mishra Teni mowed down the peacefully protesting farmers.

84% OF DELHI COVID SAMPLES TESTED IN TWO DAYS OMICRON

CORONA CATASTROPHE INDIA

NEW DELHI

new cases

new cases

33,750 123

new fatalities

4099 01

new fatalities

New Delhi: Eighty-four per cent of all COVID-19 samples tested in Delhi in two days are of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, the national capital’s Health Minister said on Monday.

Genome sequencing reports of December 3031 have found Omicron strain in 81 per cent of samples, Health Minister Satyendar Jain told PTI. The national capital recorded over 4,000 new corona cases on Monday.

WINTER CARNIVAL IN MANALI

New Delhi: Satellite imagery accessed by geo-intelligence expert Damien Symon indicates that China may be constructing a bridge across Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh.

The bridge, which is being constructed across a part of the lake that falls within Chinese territory, connects both banks of the lake and gives China the ability of quickly move soldiers and heavy weaponry. The tweet by Symon shows the bridge almost complete across a narrow part of lake.

Women perform Kulvi Naati dance on Mall Road on Monday. (Inset) Artists from Punjab perform during the fiveday-long national level Winter Carnival festival, the largest tourism event of Himachal, in Manali. —PHOTOS BY PTI

Yati Narsinghanand named ‘Practice your religion, don’t indulge in hate speech’ in 2nd FIR; SIT to investigate Dehradun: The Uttarakhand police on Sunday registered a second FIR in connection with the three-day ‘Dharam Sansad’ in Haridwar where a series of hate speeches targeting Muslims were made.

FIR, registered on the complaint of a social worker, Nadeem Ali, has been filed under Sec-

tions relating to promoting enmity and wounding religious feelings.

DHARM SANSAD IN HARIDWAR The second FIR only names Yati Narsinghanand, along with

“unidentified others”.

SIT has been formed with an Additional SP and a Deputy SP-level officer as members to investigate the speeches made at Haridwar event on December 17-19.

Meanwhile, a court rejected bail plea of Kalicharan Maharaj in Raipur Dharam Sansad case.

Kottayam: Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu on Monday spoke out against hate speech, saying it goes against the country’s culture, Constitution and ethos, and that “every person has the right to practise and preach his or her faith”.

Addressing an event marking the 150th death anniversary of Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara in Kottayam,

The Vice President Venkaiah Naidu called for strengthening the Indian value system during his speech in Kerala’s Kottayam.

Kerala, the Vice-President said, “Hate speech and writings are

against (the country’s) culture, heritage, tradition and Constitu-

SCRIPTING SUCCESS STORY

AN OTHERWISE NONDESCRIPT TILOI TOWN OF AMETHI

TURNING A MEDICAL HUB, SAYS SMRITI IRANI

Union Minister hails UP govt for boosting health infrastructure First India Bureau

Lucknow: Heaping praises on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Smriti Irani said on Monday that an otherwise nondescript Tiloi town in Amethi district is becoming a medical hub and it’s due to the concerned efforts

of the BJP government led by Yogi. She was accompanied by the UP Chief Minister.

Irani said the Yogi govt opened many new medical colleges, while the Akhilesh government did not even provide basic treatment facilities to the UP people.

Smriti Irani was addressing a political rally in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi district from where she is the Lok Sabha MP. Irani had scripted a history in this Parliamentary constituency by defeating

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Smriti Irani in Amethi, on Monday.

Congress’ Rahul Gandhi. Notably, Amethi has been a stronghold of the Gandhi family for the last many decades.

“With a 200-bed hospital, a medical college,

and a trauma centre, Tiloi, a town in Amethi district, is becoming a medical hub,” she said while addressing the gathering on this occasion.

The extensive

groundwork by the BJP govt is now being witnessed by the people of Jagdishpur, Tiloi, Amethi, Gauriganj, and Salon, she added.

Meanwhile, Irani, while attacking the Congress, said that the people of Amethi today confront that “family” (Congress) for not building a single bus stand in the district in 30 years.

Speaking on this occasion, in a veiled attack on the Gandhi family for its “divisive politics”, Yogi Adityanath said that those who called

themselves ‘accidental Hindus’, cannot call themselves Hindus. It is during the election, they used to go out to become a Hindu- ‘unhe chunaav mein he ‘mandir’ aur Amethi ki yaad aati hai.’

Yogi laid the foundation stone for Government Medical College in Amethi worth Rs 293 crores and also inaugurated a 500-bedded district-level referral hospital built at a cost of Rs 86.42 crores in the district. Union Minister Smriti Irani was also present on the occasion.

tional rights and ethos.

Every person has the right to practise and preach his or her faith in the country. Practise your religion but don’t abuse and indulge in hate speech and writings,’’ he said, expressing his “disapproval of attempts to ridicule other religions and create dissensions in society”.

Saying Saint Chavara, the 19th cen-

tury Catholic priest, philosopher and social reformer, “has taught us that peaceful human relationships are sacred and more important than anything else”, Naidu said, “Today, we need a Chavara in every community — a towering individual with a vision to unite all sections of society socially and culturally, and take the country forward.”

DELHI HC EXTENDS TIME FOR FB, WHATSAPP TO RESPOND TO CCI NOTICES New Delhi: WhatsApp and Facebook have challenged the CCI’s June 4 and 8, 2021, notices respectively, asking them to furnish certain information for the purpose of inquiry conducted by it.

The Delhi High Court on Monday extended the time for filing replies by Facebook and WhatsApp to two notices issued to them by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) which has ordered a probe into the instant messaging app’s new

privacy policy.

WhatsApp and Facebook have challenged the CCI’s June 4 and 8, 2021, notices respectively, asking them to furnish certain information for the purpose of inquiry conducted by it.

More on P8

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NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

DELHI OBJECTS

02

BJP’s ‘chakka jam’ against AAP Govt’s new excise policy leads to traffic woes

TO BULLI BAI, SULLI DEAL APPS

DCW summons Delhi Police in connection with investigation into ‘Bulli Bai’, ‘Sulli Deal’ cases New Delhi: The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) on Monday asked police officials to appear before it later this week in connection with a probe into objectionable content on ‘Bulli Bai’ and ‘Sulli Deal’ apps.

The DCW, in a statement, said it has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports regarding pictures of many Muslim women being been uploaded on ‘GitHub’ platform without their consent.

It has asked the Delhi Police to appear before it and provide a list of people arrested in both the ‘Sulli deal’ and ‘Bulli Bai’ cases.

The commission said non-arrest of culprits in such a serious matter is appalling and that this “callous attitude of the law enforcement agency has emboldened the culprits

DCW has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports regarding pictures of many Muslim women being been uploaded on ‘GitHub’ platform without their consent —DCW statement DCW Chief Swati Maliwal

and others who are continuing to sell women and girls online”.

“It was reported that doctored photos of hundreds of Muslim women and girls were uploaded by an unidentified group of persons on an app using internet platform ‘GitHub’ and were shared with

the term, ‘Bulli deal of the day’,” it said.

The commission said in 2021, pictures of many Muslim women and girls were uploaded on the same ‘GitHub’ platform under the name “Sulli Deals”. “In that matter, while the Delhi Police had registered an FIR in July last year after

DCW’s intervention, it is yet to make any arrests,” it said.

The DCW has sought details of action taken against the ‘GitHub’ app by the Delhi Police along with steps taken in preventing such platforms from uploading “derogatory” and “illegal” content in the future.

—PTI

Police seek info from Twitter, GitHub; direct removal of content New Delhi: The Delhi Police has sought details from the GitHub platform about the developer of the controversial ‘Bulli Bai’ mobile application and has written to Twitter for information about the account handler who first posted about the app, officials said on Monday. The city police also asked Twitter to block and remove on the microblogging platform any “offensive content” shared from the ‘Bulli Bai’ app’, which had put up pictures of hundreds of Muslim women including prominent personalities for “auction”, they said. After widespread outrage

and demands for action against those behind the app, IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said on Sunday that the government is working with police in Delhi and Mumbai, where cases have been registered in the matter. He also said that GitHub has blocked the user who had uploaded the app and that the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), the country’s nodal agency on cyber security, and police are coordinating further action in the matter.

—PTI

A long vehicular traffic is seen at Delhi - Meerut Expressway as BJP supporters stage a ‘chakka jam’ protest against the Delhi Government’s new excise policy in New Delhi —PHOTO BY ANI

New Delhi: Delhi BJP workers staged a “chakka jam” protest against the city government’s new excise policy on Monday and blocked roads at different locations in the national capital, leading to traffic snarls at important stretches including at the ITO, near the Akshardham temple and on the Ring Road.

Reacting to the protest, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said BJP leaders are “rattled” as the new excise policy aims to curb illegal liquor sale.

The protest near the Akshardham temple was led by Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta.

“The Delhi government is opening liquor shops illegally across the city under its new excise policy. Shops are being

VISHWAS’S FAITH?

opened near residential and religious places. Our protest will continue until the policy is rolled back,” Gupta told reporters. He said liquor shops will not be allowed to operate near religious places, schools and residential areas.

—PTI

Sisodia introduces bill for CM to pay `1 cr to kin of soldiers killed in U’khand AAP ANNOUNCES FIVE MORE Delhi Teachers University CANDIDATES FOR PUNJAB POLLS New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday introduced a bill for Delhi Teachers University on the first day of the two-day session of the Delhi Assembly.

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, said for the last seven years, historical decisions were taken by the AAP government, including expenditure of 25 per cent budget in the field of education.

“This is not a romanticism formula. We are doing it considering education as the most fundamental requirement. The credit for the education revolution goes mostly to the teachers,” he said in the House.

The minister had also visited an under construction campus of the Delhi Teachers University in Bakkarwala on January 1.

—PTI

Delhi Assembly

AAP MLA SEEKS DETAILS OF VIGILANCE CASES

DELHI ASSEMBLY CONDOLES DEATH OF GEN. RAWAT

New Delhi: Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel sent a matter pertaining to “not answering” a question related to action taken in corruption cases by vigilance department to privileges committee. The question pertaining to departmentwise details of vigilance cases such as corruption and dereliction of duty was asked by AAP MLA Somnath Bharti.

New Delhi: The Delhi Assembly on Monday condoled the deaths of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and others in a helicopter crash last month. The House also condoled the deaths of those killed in a stampede at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra and prayed for a speedy recovery of those injured in the incident.

Dehradun: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday promised to pay Rs 1 crore to the next of kin of security personnel killed in the line of duty in Uttarakhand as “Samman Rashi” if the Aam Aadmi Party comes to power in the state in the 2022 assembly polls.

Kejriwal also promised to give jobs in government to retired Army jawans aged 34-35 years and make them partners in the building of a new Uttarakhand making full use of their patriotism, military skills and discipline.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

He made the announcement at the party’s Uttarakhand Nav Nirman rally at the Parade Ground here.

“Families of Army, police and paramilitary personnel who are martyred will be paid Rs 1 crore as Samman Rashi

to honour their martyrdom,” he said. Kejriwal said Uttarakhand has the largest representation in the armed forces and if soldiers make up their mind, no one can stop the Aam Aadmi Party from coming to power in the state.

—PTI

A boy receives a dose of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin against COVID-19 disease during a vaccination drive for children aged 15-18 years, at the Star Imaging and Path Lab, in New Delhi

—PHOTO BY ANI

HC asks officials to look into illegal encroachment The NGO sought direction to concerned authorities for demolition of illegal construction encroaching graveyard land in Jamia Nagar

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the municipal body and other authorities to inquire into the allegations of encroachment on graveyard land in Jamia Nagar and demolish the structure in question if it is illegal.

The Division Bench of Justices DN Patel and Jyoti Singh on Monday disposed of the matter after hearing the submission of petitioner and respondent corporation and asked the authori-

ties to make enquiry into the allegations and take action as per law. The petition filed by NGO, Janhit Vikas Sanstha sought direction to concerned

authorities for demolition of the alleged unauthorized and illegal construction encroaching graveyard land in Jamia Nagar of Delhi.

Advocate Alamgir appearing for the petitioner alleged that the private builder originally occupied the said graveyard land by using their powers and links and association with land mafia which is the subject matter of the present writ petition and built illegal construction.

The plea further said that the respondent builders are still carrying on unauthorized construction over the graveyard land after encroach-

har Cantt, and Dr Baljit Kaur from Malout. In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years. Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the secondlargest party winning 20 seats in 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal could only manage to win 15 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party secured 3 seats.

—ANI

CRUCIAL READ

CATCH THEM YOUNG

JAMIA GRAVEYARD



New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday released its seventh list with five candidates for the upcoming Punjab Assembly Elections. For the 117 seats in the state, the party has announced the names of 101 candidates so far. As per the list, Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli Majithia will be contesting from Majithia, Dr Ajay Gupta from Amritsar Central, Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal from Tarn Taran, Surinder Singh Sodhi from Jaland-

ing the said land illegally and have raised construction on the ground up to the 5th floor without any sanctioned plan or without following any building bye-laws in collusion with the respondents’ authorities.

The action and inaction of the respondents authorities are in complete violation of law of the land and the judgments and orders passed by this Court and the Supreme Court, said the petition.

—ANI

65-YEAR-OLD DISABLED BEGGAR AMONG 2 HELD FOR KILLING MAN IN DELHI New Delhi: Two people, including a 65-year-old disabled beggar, were arrested on Sunday over the killing of a man on January 1 in west Delhi’s Rajouri Garden area following an argument, police said. The victim’s body, with stab wounds on the chest and near the collar bone, was found lying in a shanty on a pavement in the Subhash Nagar area on Saturday. During the enquiry, it was revealed that the victim, Chandan, was celebrating New Year with his two friends near Ansal Plaza.

4099 NEW COVID CASES, POSITIVITY RATE AT 6.46 PC

TWO MINOR GIRLS RESCUED, TWO SUSPECTS HELD

New Delhi: The Delhi on Monday reported 4,099 new Covid cases, 28 pc more than on Sunday, and one death due to the disease as the positivity rate rose to 6.46 pc, according to the official data. If the positivity rate is over five per cent for two consecutive days, it would trigger a ‘red alert’ under the Delhi Disaster Management Authority-approved Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) leading to a ‘total curfew’ and halting of most economic activities.

New Delhi: Crime Branch of Delhi Police has rescued two kidnapped minor girls in two separate cases and arrested the suspects who had allegedly married the victims, according to the Delhi Police. The suspects Ajay Rana and Daya Shankar have been arrested. The police rescued the victims and arrested the suspects from the Shutrana area of Patiala and Delhi’s Nithari respectively, police said.

INDIA NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

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03

PUNJAB POLLS

RANDHAWA CLAIMS SIDHU IS UPSET WITH HIM

Sidhu has some problem. But ever since I have become the home minister of Punjab, Sidhu is upset with me: Randhawa Punjab: Rift in Punjab Congress became evident once again as state Home Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Monday said that P u n j a b Pradesh Congress Committee chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is upset with him ever since he became the Home Minister of Punjab.

Addressing a press conference, Randhawa said, "Sidhu has some problem. I share old relations with his family.

But ever since I have become the home minister of Punjab, he is upset with me. If he wants the Home Ministry, I will leave and offer it to him."

Further commenting on the allegation by AAP that the Charanjit Singh Channi-led Pun-

ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM COLLAPSED, IN LAST 5 YRS UNDER BJP RULE: RAWAT

New Delhi: Taking a jibe at the ruling BJP in Uttarakhand, former Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat on Monday alleged that the state has witnessed a collapsed administration system and rising unemployment under the leadership of three Chief Ministers in the last five years during the Bharatiya Janata Party’s tenure.

Speaking to ANI, here in New Delhi, Rawat said, “Uttarakhand has seen 3 CMs in the last 5 yeats under BJP rule. The administration system has collapsed. Unemployment is on rising.” “People are suffering from inflation, corruption has become a system of governance. It’s time to change the system,” added Rawat. Uttarakhand is due to go to the Assembly polls early this year.

—ANI jab government is not arresting SAD MLA Bikram Singh Majithia in a drug case, he said that the pictures and videos that surfaced of him offering prayers at Golden Temple in Amritsar is fake.

"As per my informa-

tion, Bikram Singh Majithia is not in Punjab.

These are fake videos and pictures. If Vikram Singh Majithia is seen anywhere in Punjab, we will immediately arrest him. Our teams are searching him," he said.

—ANI

SIDHU PROMISES RS 2,000 FOR HOMEMAKERS, 8 LPG CYLINDERS

dvancing the race to lure voters with promises A of freebies ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh

Sidhu on Monday promised Rs 2,000 per month for women homemakers if his party is voted to power.

Sidhu also promised eight free cooking gas cylinders to homemakers every year. The state Congress chief also promised two-wheelers to girls taking admission in colleges for further studies, Rs 20,000 to those passing 12th class, Rs 15,000 to the ones passing 10th standard and Rs 5,000 to the others passing fifth grade. Sidhu’s promises virtually outdo those of Aam Aadmi Party national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who has promised Rs 1,000 to all women in Punjab, besides up to 300 units of free domestic power every month if his party is voted to power in the poll-bound states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Goa. Sidhu made these announcements in a rally organised in Punjab’s Barnala district. Addressing the rally, Sidhu made the promises while stressing the need for empowering women in the state. Women homemakers will be given Rs 2,000 per month and eight (LPG) cylinders free by the Punjab government, he said.

Prez poll to remain unaffected by postponement of Assembly polls! Centre urges SC to

Anita Hada New Delhi: The suspense still persists regarding the assembly elections of five states including Uttar Pradesh.

The Election Commission team has been asked by all the parties of Uttar Pradesh to conduct elections on time. But in view of the rapid spread of corona virus infection, a few days ago a judge of the Allahabad High Court appealed to the Prime Minister to postpone the election.

After that Durga Shankar Mishra, a close official of the Prime Minister from Delhi, was sent back and made the Chief Secretary of the state. Because of this, it was being said that elections in the state can also be postponed. But due to the compulsion of the presidential election, the election may not be postponed.

However, it is not that

if the elections to these five states are postponed, then the BJP will have any problem in getting its President. In the presidential election, the value of the vote of the MPs is equal to the value of the vote of the MLAs of all the states, where the BJP has an overwhelming majority.

BJP is in government in four of these five states.

But only Uttar Pradesh is important in terms of the number of MLAs. The value of the vote of MLAs in the Electoral College of Presidential elections is close to five and a half lakh, in which the value of the MLAs of Uttar Pradesh is 84 thousand and the value of the vote of the MLAs of the remaining four states is close to 20 thousand. If elections are not held in these states, then the required figure of majority will also be reduced.

On the other hand,

the value of the votes of 543 MPs in the Lok Sabha is a little more than three lakh 84 thousand, in which the government has more than two lakh 35 thousand votes.

The value of the votes of Rajya Sabha MPs is close to one lakh 65 thousand, out of which about 77 thousand votes belong to the government. That is, out of the total five and a half lakh votes of Parliament, the government has three lakh 12 thousand votes with the government.

The votes of the parties that indirectly support the government are apart from this fugure.

Similarly, in the votes of MLAs, the BJP, its allies and the parties giving indirect support have a very clear majority. So, postponement of elections to five states will not affect the government's maths much in the presidential election.

A Congress-BJP-Cong round trip for Punjab MLA in less than a week Chandigarh: BJP's latest Punjab recruit from the Congress has returned to his former party in what could be the fastest homecoming of an MLA in the state where elections are just months away.

Balwinder Singh Laddi, a Congress MLA from Hargobindpur, had joined the BJP six days ago. Last night, he rejoined the Congress in a small ceremony held by the party's Punjab incharge Harish Chaudhary and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.

Laddi's Twitter timeline is still fresh with congratulatory messages to him on joining the BJP. He has also retweeted a few of them.

A lot of movement is

hear EWS quota case New Delhi: The Centre on Monday requested the SC to urgently hear a case relating to reservation of EWS category in NEET admissions for PostGraduate medical courses. A Bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud said it would consult the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and see if a special bench can be constituted for hearing the

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday appointed four new judges in the Calcutta and Bombay High Courts. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, President Ram Nath Kovind in consultation with Chief Justice of India NV Ramana appointed Aniruddha Roy as judge of Calcutta High Court.

J-K TERRORISM

HC seeks 3 terror suspects’ response New Delhi: The Delhi HC has sought three terror suspects’ response on the plea of the NIA challenging trial court order rejecting the extension of custody of accused in the J&K terrorism case. The Delhi HC on Monday asked the three suspects to file a response on the NIA’s plea challenging a trial court order which rejected the application filed by probe agency earlier seeking further extension of police custody of 3 accused.

happening as the elections come closer. Another Congress MLA, Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa, the brother of senior party leader and MP Pratap Bajwa, joined the BJP recently.

The BJP has also formed an alliance with former CM Captain Amarinder Singh, who was

Rane moves Bombay HC for pre-arrest bail plea Mumbai: BJP MLA Nitesh Rane, son of Union minister Narayan Rane, has approached the Bombay HC with an anticipatory bail plea in an attempt-to-murder case filed against him in Sindhudurg district last month.

As per the case lodged by the Kankavli police, one Santosh Parab, 44, who was allegedly stabbed in the chest by a man who knocked down the former’s mo-

CCI NOTICES: HC GRANTS TIME TO FB, WHATSAPP New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday granted more time to Whatsapp and Facebook to file their response over notices issued to them by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

The Division Bench

was hearing the petitions of Whatsapp and Facebook challenging

the single bench, which had dismissed their pleas challenging a CCI order for an investigation into the messaging app’s new privacy policy.

The court adjourned the matter for March 30, 2022.

SC declines Suvendu Adhikari’s plea New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined a plea of the West Bengal government challenging the order of the single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court protecting BJP leader

earlier with the Congress. Amarinder Singh runs his own outfit now after he left the Congress on bitter terms.

The BJP, which had till now played second fiddle in Punjab to ex-ally Shiromani Akali Dal, has raised its stakes in the state and plans to go big in the elections.

IN THE COURTYARD

Prez appoints judges for Calcutta, Bombay HCs

case tomorrow or the day after. Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta appearing for Centre told Justice Chandrachud, “There is some urgency.”

Balwinder Singh Laddi returned to the Congress from the BJP in six days.

Suvendu Adhikari from any coercive action in criminal cases registered against him by the state police. A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna told the West Bengal

government’s counsel that it has already dealt with a similar matter earlier. “Parties would be governed by the order which was passed by this court on 13 December 2021”.

torbike with a car in Kankavli, heard the assailant telling another person in the car that “they should inform Gotya Sawant and Nitesh Rane”.

TENURE ENDS

Wankhede’s eventful stint with NCB ends New Delhi: Sameer Wankhede, whose tenure as the NCB’s Mumbai Zonal director came to an end on December 31, will report to the Director of DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) in Delhi from Monday.

It was earlier informed that the top NCB officer, in spotlight since the arrest of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan in the drugs-on-cruise case, had not sought an extension of service.

CHINA UPS THE ANTE

Chinese Checkers: A challenge for India's 'name changers'!

Mahesh Sharma New Delhi: All the people who changed the names of cities, roads, streets, railway stations, districts etc. are silent on the matter that China changed the names of many places in a state of India and there is no statement, other than an official statement, warning China to be taught a lesson for such an act. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Arindam

Bagchi also said that Arunachal Pradesh is and will remain an integral part of India, nothing will happen with fabricated names. In fact, China changed the names of 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh, while identifying these places on the basis of latitude and longitude and gave new names according to the Tibetan and Roman alphabets.

Among the areas that China has renamed, eight are residential ar-

eas, four are mountains, two are rivers and mountain passes. Earlier in 2017, when the Doklam dispute was going on between China and India, at that time also they had changed the names of six places but it was not discussed much then.

Right now, since there is a dispute with China in many places and it has made a new land border law, which has been implemented from January 1, there has been more discussion about chang-

ing the names of 15 places. India’s concern has increased with this new land border law.

Just imagine how

many places in India have been renamed so far. Names are being changed from Allahabad to Faizabad and

from Habibganj to Mughalsarai in the name of establishing Hindu identity and erasing the identity of Muslim history. But in one stroke, China challenged the sovereignty of India. It claimed stake on one of our state and changed the names of its places.

China has already been saying that Arunachal Pradesh is Southern Tibetan, whose Chinese name is Zang Nan. But now going a step ahead,

it has started changing the names of its places.

This is not a merely a statement from China’s foreign ministry, to which India’s foreign ministry will respond.

This is a decisive step, which must be countered at the top level of the government. There should be increased pressure from India that China should fix the names of the places which have been changed. India did not do this in 2017, there

China is being courageous now. If nothing is done even now, then China will strengthen its claim on the places whose names have been changed. India should immediately call the Chinese ambassador and give a warning in strict words. By law, diplomatic and business relations should end, but India cannot end business relations because the country’s economy is largely dependent on China.

PERSPECTIVE NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

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MYSTIC OF BENARAS

ATTRACTS WIDOWS

04

IN-DEPTH

BOLD AND BLUNT, MEGHALAYA GUV SHOOTS “ARROGANT” JIBE AT THE PM

Come to Kashi and die. For centuries, devout Hindus have descended on the ancient town on the banks of the swiftly-flowing Ganga to do just that. It is believed, if anyone dies in Varanasi they attain salvation and freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth

M

OM SHARMA

The writer is a Class 12 student of The Newtown School, Kolkata (West Bengal)

O Varanasi is a city with more than 38,000 widows at its various ashrams and Widow Houses. It is the highest in any city after Vrindavan in India.

Over the decade’s widows of Benaras has been considered an important research topic for social scientists and scholars of India and the world over. I as a student, indeed have my head held high, to be joining these learned scholars in trying to unravelling this mystery of the widows living in isolation.

Putting my best foot forward in aid to help them I travelled the street of this holy town to know more about their lot!

n the banks of the holy River Ganga, breathes Benaras also called Kashi/Varanasi, which is believed to be the oldest living city in the world. For centuries, the mystic of this place has been attracting pilgrims from across the globe. It is believed that widows in India ply to Varanasi to seek shelter in the abode of Lord Shiva.

Varanasi is a city with more than 38,000 widows at its various ashrams and Widow Houses. It is the highest in any city after Vrindavan in India. Over the decade’s widows of Benaras has been considered an important research topic for social scientists and scholars of India and the world over. I as a student, indeed have my head held high, to be joining these learned scholars in trying to unravelling this mystery of the widows living in isolation.

Putting my best foot forward in aid to help them I travelled the street of this holy town to know more about their lot!

Durga Kund Ashram Widows of the Durga Kund HelpLine ashram spend time by organizing Bhagwad Katha & spiritual get-togethers. In the absence of family support, they spend most of their time praying and looking for food.

While visiting here, the first one I met was a strong, tall woman putting on light ornaments and clean tied-up bun, Somvati, a resident of Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh took us to a happy

AFTER SULLI IT’S BULLI BUT

THE LAW IS IN SLUMBER

positive world despite staying away from family. It is nothing less than a home away from home for her as she is residing here for 18 years.

Skinny Shanti Devi, whom I met second was looking weak as she was stepping down the stairs but her conversation was clean and crisp. She is a resident of Bihar and has been putting up at Kashi for 20 years now. About 40 people are staying here for 15 years.

The Birla Ashram While neglected by authorities, widows of Birla Ashram here are lost in a state of desolation. In one of the many narrow by-lanes behind Kashi Vishwanath Temple, stands the Birla Ashram with a narrow entrance gate.

Faded walls of an old damaged haveli with tiny 10 rooms is the adobe for 10 widows. The first widow I met here was Gita Agarwal from Kolkata, she gave up on her family after the wedding of her 4 daughters. Though uneducated she has a bold voice and is partially happy with the services here.

These widows display a strong faith in routine and they follow it rigorously despite their falling health.

On the banks of the holy River Ganga, breathes Benaras also called Kashi/Varanasi, which is believed to be the oldest living city in the world. For centuries, the mystic of this place has been attracting pilgrims from across the globe. It is believed that widows in India ply to Varanasi to seek shelter in the abode of Lord Shiva Early in the morning, they take a dip in the Holy Ganga, braving the chill in the air, and start their daily chores.

Most of the women here are a stickler for their privacy and do not entertain interactions from strangers. However after much coaxing, they inform that some ran from their homes after their sons took all their money and property, some had failed to be useful for their families while a few were thrown out of their houses due to failing health. The deep scare visi-

SULABH INTERNATIONAL IN YEAR 2013 ADOPTED 150 WIDOWS, GIVES `2K/MONTH

G

itHub, an open source platform, has allowed itself to be used by an app that specialises in humiliating, denigrating and trolling Muslim women by uploading their photos picked from their social media sites. In July last year the app ‘Sulli Deals’ shocked netizens as it had the tagline of “Sulli deal of the day” along with photographs of Muslim women. Sulli is a derogatory term for women and the site was purportedly meant for auction of Muslim women whose morphed, lewd photos were uploaded. The disgusting purpose was to cause hurt and social and mental trauma to the minority community.

Women were soft targets for the malicious campaign.

Sulli is a derogatory term for women and the site was purportedly meant for auction of Muslim women whose morphed, lewd photos were uploaded. The disgusting purpose was to cause hurt and social and mental trauma to minority community GitHub should have been permanently blocked but it was not. It has now been used by another app which goes by the name of Bulli Bai. Muslim women again found themselves targeted by the app just

ble on their faces, frail voices, and tears rolling down their eyes narrates the unfortunate circumstances that have befallen them.

Mata Anandmayi Ashram On visiting Mata Anandmayi Ashram, we found that their major focus was Sanskrit studies, preserving the old teaching of Mata Anadmayi, spiritual equality for women.

Here we found women or devotees rekindling thoughts of Ma amongst people.

Nepali Mandir Ashram Nearby Lalita Ghat is famous for housing the Nepali Mandir, which was built by the King of Nepal almost 20 years ago. Set in this tranquil backdrop, is a widows’ ashram that is supported by the temple.

After spending some days with these unfortunate women, some important issues related to the social-economical problem of the widows of Benaras came to the fore.

Benaras can be considered as one of the rehabilitation hubs for these destitute widows of Indian society. Widows choose this place as their secure shelter!

eghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik has been raising his voice against his party and its leadership unmindful of the consequences of his outspokenness. As Governor of Goa from 2019-20, he targeted the Pramod Sawant government accusing it of corruption. He said he saw “corruption in everything the Goa government did”.

His remark caused a political uproar in the state and the BJP’s central leadership was apprised of the Governor’s role against the government of his own party.

His latest salvo is aimed at none other but the prime minister himself. He was openly critical of PM Narendra Modi’s handling of the farmers’ protest.

Even as Governor of Meghalaya, Malik made statements which were pro-farmer and antiCentral government.

This time he has gone to the extent of calling the PM “stubborn” and “arrogant”. Despite his outbursts, the Centre has tolerated Malik all these years. Why the leadership is soft on him is difficult to understand. How long a rope will Malik be given?

SPIRITUAL SPEAK The soul is never born, it never dies having come into being once, it never ceases to be.

Unborn, eternal, abiding and primeval, it is not slain when the body is slain.

—Bhagavad Gita

TOP TWEETS

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Rajnath Singh @rajnathsingh

S

ulabh International in 2013 adopted the widows of Varanasi and identified 150 widows who would be given `2,000 per month. “My idea is how to change thoughts, behaviour, and attitude of people of this country towards widows of India who are their mothers, sisters…,” said Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International.

as they were done by the Sulli deal app. FIRs have been registered and Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the “government was working with the police organisations in Delhi and Mumbai in the matter”. The IT Ministry has the power to permanently block GitHub for allowing its constant misuse by the obnoxious misogynist apps. Twitter also should be questioned for not taking immediate action.

Asking the IT Minister to take “stern action against such rampant misogyny and communal targeting of women through #sullideals like platforms”, Sena MP Priyanka said it was “a shame that it continues to be ignored”. Targeting of Muslim women and Dharm Sansad’s call for ethnic cleansing are ominous signs.

Space sector is deeply connected with mapping, imaging and connectivity facilities, speedy transportation, weather forecast, disaster management as well as border security. The new technologies played a crucial role in keeping the world connected during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Smriti Z Irani @smritiirani

Tributes to the pioneer of women’s liberation movement, the country’s first female teacher Savitribai Phule ji, who worked for life for women’s education and their honor, on her birth anniversary. The efforts made by her for women empowerment are inspiring for the entire society.

Vol 1 Issue No. 126 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.

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Amid Covid surge, over 40L teens inoculated on Day 1 of vax drive New Delhi: Vaccination of children in the 15-18 age group against Covid-19 began on Monday. Over 40 lakh teens got their first dose on Day 1, Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said. On a day 33,750 cases were reported in a span of 24 hours and Omicron cases continued to rise, reaching the 1,700-mark.

The vaccine option for this age group would only be Covaxin, according to guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry. The Drugs Controller General of India granted emergency use authorisation to indigenouslydeveloped Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for children above 12 years with certain conditions.

The CoWIN platform had till Sunday evening recorded over six lakh registrations in the age group of 15-18, a day after the process began.

In Delhi, vaccination for children in Delhi began at 159 government hospitals, primary healthcare centres, and government schools.

There are at least 1.01 million children be-

GOA SEES COVID SPIKE AFTER NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS, POSITIVITY RATE AT 10.7%

New Delhi: Goa recorded a massive jump in coronavirus cases on Monday, at 388, with over 10 percent of COVID-19 tests returning positive. The coast state now has 1,671 active cases. The huge spike in Covid cases has prompted the state government to impose curbs, including night curfew, to control the spread of the virus. A night curfew will be imposed soon. “We deliberated on various ways to ensure we don’t take any knee-jerk decision & ensure that citizens as well as tourists coming to Goa are safe,” Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane tweeted.

UNEMPLOYMENT RISES TO FOUR-MONTH HIGH AMID COVID UPTICK

New Delhi: India’s unemployment rate rose to a four-month high in December as some States imposed fresh virus curbs to staunch surging case numbers. The jobless rate increased to 7.91 per cent last month, from 7 per cent in November, rising in both urban and rural areas, according to the data from the Centre for Monitoring A boy receives a dose of vaccine at Ernakulam General Hospital, Indian Economy (CMIE), a in Kochi on Monday.

—PHOTO BY ANI private research firm.

23 DOCS OF DELHI TEST+VE IN A WEEK AS CASES SPIRAL tween the ages of 15 to 18 years in Delhi who are eligible to get the shot, according to data

Malik clarifies his statement on Modi New Delhi: Home Minister Amit Shah meant no disrespect to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik clarified hours after a video — that shows him making contradictory remarks — went viral, and the Opposition latched on this.

Malik, 75, has been a vehement critic of the BJP over farmers’ issues. A video that shows him talking about his

recent meeting with the PM was widely shared.

“When I recently went to meet the PM over the farmers’ issues, I picked up a fight within five minutes... I told him 500 people have died... He asked — ‘Have they died for me?’”

“I told him yes, since you are the king. Anyway, I ended up having a fight with him. He told me to meet Amit Shah and so I did,” he is heard saying in the clip.

New Delhi: Media reports claiming that expired vaccines are being administered in India are false and misleading, stated a Ministry of Health and Family Welfare release on Monday. “There have been some media reports alleging that expired vaccines are being administered in India under its vaccination programme.

This is false and is based on incomplete information,” the statement said.

Twenty-three resident doctors of a top hospital in Delhi have tested positive for Covid-19 over the span of a week, even as the national capital is reeling under a sharp spike in cases. The medics at Safdarjung hospital have mild symptoms.

shared by the Central government. The drive will be expanded Tuesday in a “camp mode” at

Exports surge 37% in Dec; variant can’t hit businesses: Min

Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

—FILE PHOTO

NO EXPIRED VACCINE ADMINISTERED IN INDIA: CENTRE

New Delhi: Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said that India has achieved the highest ever exports of $37 billion in December 2021, a 37% jump from December 2020.

The Commerce and

Industry Ministry said, India is well on its way to achieving an export target of $400 billion. Goyal said that the Omicron will be a shortterm disruption on businesses, adding that supply chains activities will continue at full speed.

private schools with more than 500 students.

Teenagers were offered flowers, pens and

masks after taking the jabs in Pune, while the Mumbai civic body launched a free inocula-

CHINA UNFURLS FLAG IN GALWAN, OPPOSITION SLAMS BJP-LED GOVT

z Bihar: Over 100 doctors

in Patna test positive for Covid-19 in 2 days

z `1.15 crore penalty, 45 FIRs registered for defying Covid norms: Delhi govt

z Karnataka Cabinet to discuss long-term measures: Bommai

z HC allows Moser

Baer bank fraud accused Shivani to travel abroad for vaccine booster dose

z 91% Covid Cases

Asymptomatic, No ICU Case: Mumbai Civic Body Chief

z Centre Allows 50% Staff Below Under Secretary-Level To Work From Home

z Ekta Kapoor, John

Abraham & his wife test Covid-19 positive

z Bihar’s first

genome sequencing becomes functional

z 3 cops among 14

attendees to CM Nitish’s Janta Darbar test positive for Covid-19

z Jharkhand imposes

Covid restrictions till January 15

tion drive for the children, as inoculation for the 15-18 age group began in Maharashtra.

New Delhi: Just as the new year began, China laid claim to Galwan Valley once again by unfurling its national flag on January 1. Videos of the event were put out by various Chinese government mouthpieces.

Global Times tweeted, “In the Galwan Valley near the border with #India, under the characters “Never yield an inch of land,” PLA soldiers send new year greetings to Chinese people on January 1, 2022.” Shen Shiwei, a Chinese state-affiliated media representative, tweeted, “China’s national flag rise over Galwan Valley on the New Year Day of 2022. This national flag is very special since it once flew over Tiananmen Square in Beijing.” Opposition grabbed the opportunity to train their guns on the BJP-led government.

INDIAN COAST GUARD OPERATIONS SAVE SEVEN STRANDED FISHERMEN

Chennai: The Indian Coast Guard successfully coordinated and rescued seven stranded fishermen of IFB SREE 190 nautical miles away from Chennai on January 2, 2022. The rescue operations began on December 31, 2021. Indian Coast Guard Dornier aircraft identified and located the boat. The fishing boat was reportedly adrift due to engine failure. It is presently being towed by another fishing boat back to Chennai.

‘1 WOMAN IN PANEL OF 31’: PRIYANKA CHATURVEDI ON MARRIAGE AGE BILL

New Delhi: Maharashtra MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has raised concerns over the make-up of a committee that is looking into a bill for raising the legal age of marriage of women from 18 to 21. In a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, Ms Chaturvedi said that the committee of 31 MPs deliberating on a bill of huge significance for women has only one woman member-West Bengal MP Sushmita Dev. I am writing this letter to you as a concerned Member of Parliament.

WANT ARRESTS, SAY WOMEN LISTED FOR ‘AUCTION’ ON BULLI BAI APP

Commuters travel amid a light spell of rain.

also expected.

“We are expecting widespread rains in northwest India and parts of central India till January 9 with chances of heavy rain on January 5 and 6, and January 8 and 9. Due to two intense western disturbances back to back, day temperatures may be lower than normal and there is likely to be an overcast sky.

Night temperatures are likely to be above normal. There is likely to

ENCOUNTERS IN J&K

Dreaded LeT ultra eliminated in gunfight Srinagar: Two terrorists including a wanted Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) ultra Salim Parray were killed in two encounters with security forces in Harwan area on the outskirts of the city on Monday, police said.

“Srinagar police neutralised dreaded terrorist of proscribed terror outfit LeT Salim Parray,” IGP Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar said.

He said details of the operation will be shared later.

Another encounter broke out between the ultras and security forces at nearby Gasu vil-

CRUCIAL READ

HIGHLIGHTS

‘Spell of rain expected in northwest India this week’ New Delhi: Overcast weather, lower than normal day temperatures, and widespread rain is expected in northwest India till January 9, the India Meteorological Department said as a western disturbance in the Himalayas is likely to affect the weather in the region from Monday.

Under the influence of the disturbance, widespread rainfall or snowfall is likely in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand this week.

Isolated hailstorms are also likely in the region.

Scattered to fairly widespread light or moderate rainfall is likely in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. Isolated thunderstorm activity is

be widespread rain in Delhi also on January 5 and 7. Due to the effect of the second disturbance, there will be rainfall and hailstorm in Telangana, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand also,” said RK Jenamani, senior scientist at the IMD. Under the influence of another active western disturbance from January 7 to 9, rainfall or snowfall activity to increase in the western Himalayan region.— PTI

New Delhi: Last week, Muslim women targeted by an app called ‘Bulli Bai’ took to social media to raise their voices. They said that photographs of hundreds of Muslim women had been uploaded on the app on open-source platform GitHub. The group behind the app collected photos of Muslim women from their social media accounts and encouraged people to participate in their “auction”, the women said. IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed that an investigation was underway.

‘IMRAN’S NEW PAK?’: EX-WIFE’S BARB AFTER ALLEGED FIRING ON CAR

Islamabad: Reham Khan, activist and former wife of Pakistan PM Imran Khan, has slammed him over the country’s law and order situation after her car was allegedly fired at last night. In a series of tweets, Reham asked if this is “Imran Khan’s new Pakistan”. She wrote that she had “just changed” the vehicle and that her secretary and driver were in the car. “On the way back from my nephew’s marriage my car just got fired at & two men on a motorbike held vehicle at gunpoint!!

Shah discusses threats from terror groups

INDIAN HC IN PAK FACILITATES RETURN OF INDIANS, NORI VISA HOLDERS

Islamabad: Indian High Commission in Pakistan is facilitating the return of 47 Indian nationals, 15 No Obligation to Return to India (NORI) visa holders and travel of 04 Saudi, 07 Nepalese and 146 Pakistan nationals. “@IndiainPakistan is facilitating return of 47 Indians, 15 NORI visa holders and 4 Saudi nationals, 7 Nepalese and 146 Pak nationals holding appropriate visa from Pakistan to India between 10-15 January 2022,” tweeted Indian High Commission in Pakistan.

J&K SET TO HAVE DISTRICT-LEVEL GOOD GOVERNANCE INDEX Jawans after an encounter in Srinagar.

lage, police officials said.

“An unidentified militant has been killed in the operation which was going on till reports last

—PHOTO BY ANI

came in,” the officials said adding the identity and group affiliation of the slain militant was being ascertained. —PTI

05

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir will soon become the first Union Territory to have a district-level Good Governance Index, Union minister Jitendra Singh announced on Sunday. Singh said the Centre will set up the index and the department of administrative reforms and public grievances will carry out this task in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir government.

Amit Shah during a security review meeting, through virtual conference in New Delhi on Monday.

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday reviewed the country’s prevailing security situation and emerging challenges that include threats from global terror organisations, illicit use of cyberspace and

“movement of foreign terrorist fighters”.

This was the first such high-level meeting, chaired by Mr Shah and attended by the top brass of the country’s security and intelligence apparatus, in the new year.

Telangana BJP president held in Karimnagar Karimnagar: Telangana BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar was arrested by Karimnagar police on Sunday evening during a protest, informed local police.

The arrest came after Kumar was taken into custody by police while he was holding a protest in Karimnagar demanding the resolution of teachers’ problems in the state.

The arrest of Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay is highly condemnable and amounts to the murder of democracy. He was staging a protest following all protocols in his office.

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06

Future asks HC to declare

Amazon arbitration illegal

Amazon has long argued that Future violated terms of its 2019 deal in deciding to sell retail assets to Reliance

Manufacturing PMI at 55.5 in Dec

New Delhi: India’s manufacturing sector activities moderated in December but output remained in the growth territory, amid slower rise in sales and new orders, even as business sentiment was dampened by concerns surrounding supply-chain disruptions, COVID-19 and inflationary pressures, a monthly survey said on Monday.

The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit India Manufacturing PMI eased to 55.5 in Dec, from November’s ten-

month high of 57.6. The Dec data pointed to a “substantial, albeit slower, rises in sales and output”, the survey said, adding that the latest quarterly reading was at 56.3, its highest since the final quarter of fiscal year 2020/21.

The December PMI data pointed to an improvement in overall operating conditions for the sixth straight month.

In PMI parlance, a print above 50 means expansion, while a score below 50 denotes contraction.

—PTI

New Delhi: India’s Future Retail has asked a New Delhi court to declare arbitration proceedings in Singapore with Amazon.com as illegal, arguing that India’s antitrust agency had suspended a 2019 deal used by Amazon to assert rights over Future.

Amazon successfully used the terms of its toehold $200 million investment in debtladen Future to block the Indian retailer’s attempt to sell retail assets to a rival, alleging breach of certain contracts.

But the Indian antitrust body, the Competition Commission of India, in December suspended the 2019 deal saying Amazon suppressed information while seeking approvals.

The long-running dispute is being heard by a Singapore arbitration panel, but both sides have been fighting parallel cases in Indian courts to enforce or overrule certain decisions taken by the arbitrator.

SUGAR TURNS BITTER

India waiting for global sugar prices to rise

Oct-Dec sugar output up 4.74%: NFCSFL

New Delhi: Indian sugar mills are still waiting for global sugar prices to rise to enter into further export deals, industry body ISMA said on Monday.

Owing to fall in global prices of raw sugar, not many export contracts happened in the last one month or so. “Since almost nine months are left for the current season, mills are still waiting for the opportune time to enter into further export contracts,” ISMA added.

New Delhi: The country’s sugar production is estimated to have risen by 4.75%to 115.70 lakh tonne during the OctoberDecember period of the 2021-22 season, sugar cooperatives body NFCSFL said on Monday.

Sugar output stood at 110.45 lakh tonne in the same period of 2020-21 season. Sugar season runs from October to September.

About 491 mills had crushed 1227.17 lakh tonne of sugarcane as on Dec 31, 2021.

—PTI

—PTI

SBI MF launches CPSE

Bond Plus SDL index fund New Delhi: SBI Mutual Fund on Monday launched a CPSE Bond Plus SDL index fund, an open-ended targeted maturity index fund investing in the constituents of the Nifty CPSE Bond Plus SDL Sep 2026 index.

The new fund, which tracks the state development loans (SDL) Sept 2026 50:50, opened on Monday and closes on January 17.

The scheme seeks to provide

returns that closely correspond to the total returns of the securities as represented by the underlying index. The new fund is suitable for investors who are seeking income over the target maturity period and safer fixed income avenues.

—PTI

In the latest Future Retail filing in New Delhi, the company argues that since the 2019 deal no longer has antitrust approval, it has “no legal existence” in India and Amazon can no longer assert any of its rights.

The “continuation of the entire arbitration proceedings is a perpetuation of illegality,” Future said in its filing dated Dec. 31.

The case will likely be heard by the court later.

The filing also showed that Future’s appeal to the Delhi High Court comes after the Singapore arbitration panel did not agree to its immediate demands to terminate the proceedings, saying arguments would continue this month.

A source with direct knowledge said Amazon had told the Singapore arbitrator in December that the CCI’s suspension of the 2019 deal does not mean the transaction is void, as the watchdog has allowed Amazon to reapply for clearances.

—Agencies

Sensex soars 929 pts to reclaim 59K-mark Mumbai: The Indian equity market kicked off 2022 on a bullish note on Monday, with the benchmark BSE Sensex surging over 900 points to reclaim the 59,000-level.

Starting off the session confidently, the BSE gauge further strengthened its gains as the trade progressed and went to hit the day’s high of 59,266.39. It finally ended 929.40 points or 1.60 per cent higher at 59,183.22.

Likewise, the NSE Nifty soared 271.65

points or 1.57 per cent to settle at 17,625.70.

Among the prominent gainers on the Sensex chart were Bajaj Finance, Bajaj FinServ, ICICI Bank, Axis bank, Tata Steel, IndusInd Bank and HDFC Bank -- rising as much as 3.50 per cent.

—PTI

Rupee settles 3 paise up at 74.26/US Dollar Mumbai: The rupee pared its initial losses and closed on a positive note in the first trading session of 2022 on Mond a y, tracking posi-

tive domestic equities.

At the interbank forex market, the local unit opened at 74.35 against the greenback and witnessed an intra-day high of 74.25 and a low of 74.47. The domestic unit finally settled at 74.26 (provisional) against the US dollar, registering a gain of 3 paise over its previous close.

—PTI

Fino Payments Bank’s global service gets nod

New Delhi: Customers of Fino Payments Bank will be able to receive remittance money sent from overseas as it has been granted approval by the RBI to offer the international money transfer service. Fino Bank has received the RBI approval to commence the international remittance business under the Money Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS), bank said.

The lender will undertake inward cross-border money transfer activities in associa-

tion with an overseas principal, the details of which are being worked out.

The customer segment of Fino Bank at the middle of the pyramid is targeted to families of many of the people working in foreign countries, Fino Bank said.

The money remitted by family members abroad can now be directly withdrawn at the nearest micro-ATM or Aadhaar-enabled payment services-enabled Fino Bank’s merchant point.

—PTI

SAYING BRIEFLY AUDI INDIA POSTS 2-FOLD RISE IN RETAIL SALES New Delhi: German luxury carmaker Audi on Monday reported a two-fold jump in retail sales at 3,293 units in India in 2021.

The company had sold 1,639 units in 2020. The uptick was propelled by these electric cars -- e-tron 50, e-tron 55, e-tron Sportback 55, e-tron GT, RS e-tron GT and the petrol powered Q-range along with Asedans, Audi India said in a statement. Other models, sedans A4 and A6 along with SUVs Q2, Q5 and Q8 remained volume sellers for the brand, while the RS and S performance cars continued strong demand and a good order bank for 2022, it added.

—PTI

WASTE-TO-ENERGY: RAM TO INVEST 15K CR

RELIANCE BECOMES PROMOTER IN SWREL

Chennai: Ram Charan -- the littleknown Chennai-based chemicals trader which, of late, has been developing technologies and equipment to convert industrial and municipal waste into energy that leave no residues -- is investing `15,000 crore to set up two such manufacturing plants in Tamil Nadu and Guajrat, a top company official has said. —PTI

New Delhi: Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy Ltd (SWREL) on Monday said that Reliance New Energy Solar Ltd (RNESL) has become its promoter post payment of balance `1,583 crore for acquisition of 25.90 per cent equity in it. With this transaction, RNESL and other group firms together hold over 40 per cent —PTI stake in SWREL.

CONTRACT FOR HALDIA TERMINAL AWARDED New Delhi: The government on Monday said that a contract has been awarded for the Haldia inland waterway terminal and the jetty will be operational soon for sending Exim and inland cargo to Pandu terminal in Guwahati connecting the Northeast with Kolkata via the National Waterway 2. This will provide an alternative to the Chicken Neck route for easy and cost effective movement of cargo to and from the Northeast to foreign countries and to other states of India.

—PTI

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07

SAFFRON PARTY STARTS REACHING OUT TO YOUTH THROUGH CONCLAVES

BJP WOOS UP’S GENEXT WITH SPORTS “Talk about sports and the youth are quite attracted,” says political analyst Suhel Ahmad of Saharanpur First India Bureau Lucknow: After the withdrawal of controversial three farm laws the ruling BJP has been making hectic efforts to regain lost ground in Western UP and in this connection the party has targeted the youth force of the region through “sports politics”.

PM Modi’s move to lay the foundation stone of Major Dhyanchand sports university is being seen in the political circle in this context in the run up to the assembly election. In three previous elections (2014, 2017, 2019) apart from caste-combination the younger generation had played a vital role in the huge victory of the saffron brigade.

The university is going to play a vital role in boosting sports activities as well as career promotion in Meerut, which is known as “sports capital of UP”.

The city is also known for exporting various

BJP wants Yogi to contest from Mathura, writes to JP Nadda First India Bureau

PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Major Dhyan Chand Sports University in UP Meerut on Sunday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

types of sports to around 100 countries.

Modi, while carefully avoiding touching farmers issues except mentioning measures taken by the UP government for their welfare, largely concentrated on the “youth factor” in western UP which returns around 120 lawmakers in UP assembly and the BJP had swept the region in 2017.

The BJP’s “sports politics” for west UP

seems to be well curated as it appears to help the party to effectively connect with GenNext.

More than any other parts of the state, the younger generation in west UP has developed passion for sports, especially in three divisions of Meerut, Saharanpur and Moradabad during the last few decades.

Since the “Taus” (old people) of western UP’s rural areas were largely on the forefront of

farmers’ stir against farm laws and they still continued to be unhappy with the central and state govt, the BJP has devised an alternative strategy to again win over the younger generation through “sports politics’’. The region has also produced national and international sportspersons, who have brought laurels for the country in previous Asian and Commonwealth games.

Lucknow: A BJP MP has written to party president JP Nadda urging the latter to declare UP CMYogi Adityanath the party’s nominee from Mathura seat.

In his letter to Nadda, BJP Rajya Sabha member Harnath Singh Yadav said that Lord Krishna himself had ‘inspired’ him to write to the party president and urge him to make Adityanath the saffron party’s nominee from Mathura seat.

“Lord Krishna inspired me to write this letter to you to request for Adityanath’s nomination from Mathura,’’ Yadav said in the letter to Nadda.

BJP POISED TO WIN MORE THAN 300 ASSEMBLY SEATS, SAYS NADDA First India Bureau Lucknow: The national president of BJP JP Nadda on Monday said that the party was poised to win more than 300 assembly seats in the forthcoming elections in the state.

Addressing a public meeting on the conclusion of “Jan Vishwas Yatra” in Lucknow on Monday Nadda said there was massive enthusiasm among the people for the party. He said the people had full confidence in the leadership of PM Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath who has provided an effective corruption-free government during the last five years. Pointing out that the BJP has fulfilled promises made in the 2017 election manifesto and would do the same in future also. Nadda said neither Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav nor BSP

BJP National President JP Nadda

president Mayawati had capacity to launch programmes like “Jan Vishwash Yatra”. He said the opposition parties did not have anything to offer to the people.

Nadda said the previous SP government was known for corruption and mal-administration whereas the BJP had provided an honest and transparent government. He said “itra would not do away with the foul smell of the previous govt”. While un-

—FILE PHOTO

der the present govt the funds meant for beneficiaries was directly going to their accounts, while during the SP regime the money did not reach the targeted people, Nadda said and added that Akhilesh Yadav had been making fake claims of providing 300 units of free electricity to the people.

He said when the SP government could not provide adequate power supply how it could give free supply.

Revolutionary changes are AAP’s Raghav Chadha attacks needed in new Punjab: Sidhu previous goverments for Punjab debt AMBUSH

First India Bureau Barnala: PPCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday announced revolutionary changes coming towards Punjab in the near future. He emphasised that distribution of money without plan and agenda does not contribute to growth of the state and its people.

Siddhu, while attacking Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for its poll promises, said, “It’s important Navjot Sidhu addressing a rally in Barnala on Monday. to fight the battle for the SIDHU HARDSELLS CONG’S PUNJAB MODEL right causes and gain what’s yours through the right methods. Unlike AAP, Congress intends to work towards cohesive growth and not isolated self-serving short term agendas.”

“Giving women freebies like AAP, will not empower them. There- knows the roots better ready carries 33% resfore, we want to give than the women them- ervation for women in them 50% reserved selves who gave birth to jobs and it’s time that seats in the Urban Local all the leaders. Addi- we enable them to ocBodies (ULBs) and Pan- tionally, the current cupy their reservachayat because no one Punjab Government al- tion,” he added.

He said that the women of Punjab are mothers, sisters, wives, daughters of someone or the other. They deserve equity and respect much like everyone else. Therefore, it is announced that Rs.2,000/- per month will be provided to the women folk of Punjab who are housewives.

“It is important that their hard work be recognised. They will also be provided with home based, kitchen-based business opportunities and interest free loans to run them. They will also be provided with eight gas cylinders per year to keep their kitchen running under all circumstances,” he added.

To battle the high dropout rates of girls from school, it is proposed that female students will be rewarded with Rs 5,000 on completion of class V, whereas Rs 10,000 on completion of class VIII.

India’s ‘Breadbasket’ Punjab, destroyed by corrupt leaders says Raghav Chadha Mahesh Kumar Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and the party’s Punjab affairs co-incharge Raghav Chadha accused the previous Akali-BJP and current Congress govt of plunging Punjab in debt. He said, “The Congress and Badal govts have made Punjab a debtor of Rs. 3 lakh crores in the last 50 years. With a population of 3 crore, today every individual in Punjab has a debt of 1 lac. Every child who is born in Punjab already has a debt of 1 lac rupees on them right after their birth.”

Chadha said, “It is very surprising that 20% of the annual budget of Punjab is being spent only to pay the interest of the loan. If the state govt did not have so much debt, then this money would have

RAPS SIDHU

AAP’s Punjab co-incharge Raghav Chadha.

been used for good hospitals, schools, roads, bridges and other facilities for the people. But the public’s tax money is being spent in repaying the debt of Rs. 3 lakh crores.”

Referring to the golden history of Punjab, Chadha said, “Once upon a time, Punjab used to be the ‘breadbasket’ state of India. The biggest sports industry in the entire country was in Punjab. But the loot and corruption have ruined Punjab.

‘WILL SELL CHIT FUND COMPANIES’ PROPERTY TO REPAY PEOPLE’S MONEY’ Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party has promised to auction the properties of chit fund companies to repay the hard-earned money of people if the party forms govt in Punjab. LoP in Punjab assembly Harpal Singh Cheema announced, “Properties of Pearls Pvt Ltd and other chit fund companies will be auctioned to return

the money of their victims, who were looted in the name of investment.

Not only will the demands of these victims be included in the manifesto of AAP, but also all forms of justice will be ensured when the govt is formed.” He said despite the orders of the SC, Captain failed to make return the hard-earned money of the people.

FUTURE AT STAKE

147 kids study in a commercial building in Rajkot Dhoraji town 

Primary students in Dhoraji study in shops and godowns as the school building will take one more year to develop

First India Bureau Rajkot: Around 147 primary school students are studying in shops and godowns in a commercial building in Dhoraji town of Rajkot. There are no facilities like benches, school playgrounds, and even blackboards are limited. Yet, this school has been functioning from this building for decades. Several

requests for a new school building finally received a nod, only for the students to wait one more academic year for its construction to happen. School number 14’s classes I to VIII students are studying sitting on the ground in shops, godowns, with no ventilators and doors.

More than one class runs in one space that can hardly accommo-

Government primary school functioning from shops and godowns for decades in Dhoraji of Rajkot district.

date 50 students if they sitting maintaining social distancing.The school principal said,

after making several written requests to the DEO, requesting for a new building, they fi-

nally received a nod recently.

But the construction will take one more aca-

demic year.Dhoraji’s sitting MLA Lalit Vasoya claims to have raised the issue even in

the state assembly last year, but the state government lent a deaf ear.

DEO DR Saradva said that he had sent numerous requisitions to the Sarva Sikshan Abhiyan (SSA) to approve funds for the new school building, based on the principal’s requests. In the new building, students of school numbers 4 and 14 will study together.

Don’t let your struggles define you, be beyond them, have a life that is separate from them.

2ND FRONT

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

NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

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08

Guj hikes compensation for power lines passing through farms Around 39 MoUs signed for investments in various sectors ahead of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit First India Bureau Gandhinagar: The state government on Monday decided to increase compensation for the electricity transmission lines and poles installed in agriculture fields. As per a notification issued, “If standing crops or trees

or fruit plants are damaged due to installation of transmission lines or poles, farmers will receive compensation.” To that effect, jantri (land value) rates have also been increased by the state government.

Announcing the decision, state Finance

and Power Minister Kanubhai Desai said, “Earlier, only 7.5% of the land value was paid as compensation, and now, it has been doubled as 15% land value will be paid. We have even increased jantri rates with a cap of maximum 10%.

Transmission companies will have to calculate the final amount with compound interest rate.”

Meanwhile, the 10th edition of the Vibrant

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was weighed with herbal medicinal plants, during the dedication of Dr Subhash Ayurvedic and General Hospital in Junagadh on Monday.

PRIVACY POLICY

WhatsApp, FB granted time to respond to CCI notices

Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS), showcasing the progress and success of the central theme ‘From Aatmanirbhar Gujarat to Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, will be held in Gandhinagar from January 10-12, 2022, as planned. The state’s industries department culminated the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for proposed investments in various sectors on Monday, with

the signing of 39 MoUs. A MoU for an aircraft flying training institute in Amreli was also signed on the day.

Other MoUs signed were for a captive jetty, solar power plant, lithium refinery development, green renewable energy hydrogen facility, intermediary pesticides, synthetic and organic chemical plants, a research centre for nano satellites, among others.

3rd wave knocking at door, but no need to panic: Vij

Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh noted that the Data Protection bill is yet to be finalised and, therefore, adjourned the proceedings to March 30 New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday extended the time for filing replies by Facebook and WhatsApp to two notices issued to them by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) which has ordered a probe into the instant messaging app’s new privacy policy.

WhatsApp and Facebook have challenged the CCI’s June 4 & 8, 2021, notices respectively, asking them to furnish certain information for the purpose of inquiry conducted by it.

A Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh noted that the Data Protection Bill is yet to be finalised and, therefore, adjourned the proceedings to March 30.

The court was hearing the appeals of Facebook and WhatsApp challenging its singlejudge order dismissing their pleas against the probe ordered by the CCI into WhatsApp’s new privacy policy.

“Till then the time

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij lights a lamp during the launch of COVID vaccination programme for children aged between 15 to 18 years at SD College in Ambala Cantonment on Monday.

First India Bureau

LAST ORDER BY SINGLE JUDGE IN THE MATTER z The single judge on April 22 last year, had said it saw no merit in the petitions of FB and WhatsApp to interdict the investigation directed by the CCI.

z CCI had contended before judge that it was not examining the alleged violation of individuals’ privacy which was being looked into by the SC.

to file replies to the June 4 and June 8, last year, notices issued by CCI to the appellants [Facebook and WhatsApp] is extended,” the Bench said.

The court had earlier granted time to the social media platforms to file replies to notices and thereafter, the time was further extended.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing WhatsApp,

submitted that the Data Protection Bill was tabled in Parliament and the court had earlier granted time to file replies to the notices till October 11, 2021, but it could not be extended thereafter as the matter was not taken up.

Additional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi, appearing for CCI, contended that Data Protection Bill is “irrelevant” to this con-

z CCI had argued that new privacy policy of WhatsApp would lead to excessive data collection and “stalking” of consumers for targeted advertising.

z In January last year, the CCI on its own decided to look into WhatsApp’s new privacy policy on the basis of news reports regarding the same.

troversy and that the case does not deal with ‘privacy’ but with the provisions of Competition Act relating to abuse of dominant position and inquiry into certain agreements and dominant position of an enterprise.

Meanwhile, the counsel for Facebook India submitted that he has filed an application seeking to be impleaded as a party to the case. However, the

court asked him to file a fresh petition.

The case relates to the appeals of Facebook and WhatsApp against a single judge order dismissing their pleas against the probe CCI ordered into the instant messaging app’s new privacy policy.

The Division Bench of the high court had on May 6, 2021, issued notices on the appeals and asked the Centre to respond to it.

Chandigarh: Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij has said that even though the third wave of Covid is definitely knocking at our door, no one should be fearful.

Instead it is important to practice caution and follow guidelines that are set to combat the pandemic. Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secy (Health) Rajeev Arora virtually launched a vaccination campaign.

Anil Vij on Monday started the programme of administering Covid vaccines to children in the age group of 15 to 18 years in the state from the Vaccination Centre set up at SD College, Ambala Cantonment. Earlier, he also duly inaugurated the centre. On this occasion, Vij also presented certificates to the

children who got the Covid vaccine. He informed that from January 10, a vaccination campaign will also be started for frontline workers, healthcare workers and people with

Additional Chief Secy (Health) Rajeev Arora virtually launches vaccination campaign co-morbidities above 60 years of age. So far in Haryana, the first dose has been administered to 98 percent of people and the second dose has been administered to 71 percent of the people. On this occasion, CMOs from across the state also participated in this programme through VC. The Health Minister said that the world’s largest vaccination

campaign is being successfully run in India under the able guidance of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi.

The Health Minister said that all arrangements to fight against Covid have been made and whatever is required is being made available in Haryana. When Covid came, there was not a single RT PCR lab in Haryana, today RT PCR labs are established in all the districts except one district where it will soon be set up. Genome sequencing lab has been started in Rohtak’s MDU. Vij said that PSA plants have been commissioned in 84 govt hospitals and 54 PSA plants in private hospitals. We have sufficient number of isolation, oxygen beds, ICUs, ventilators, & a large number of oxygen concentrators.

LS Speaker Birla flags off Gehlot’s words of appreciation for FI’s vaccination drive for kids Editor-in-Chief Jagdeesh Chandra Kota: Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Monday inaugurated a COVID-19 vaccination drive for children aged between 15 and 18 years in Kota.

Inaugurating a vaccination camp at a community centre in Vigyan nagar, he said that every life is important and every person in the country will be provided with a protective shield of vaccine.

Birla spoke to the teenagers and adolescent girls who got the first dose on Monday and asked them to follow all COVID-19-related guidelines.

He also called upon all public representatives,

Chandra responded by expressing gratitude to Gehlot for his ‘aashirwad’ Anita Hada

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at an event in Kota on Monday.

social organisations, religious leaders and intellectuals to encourage the vaccination.

Birla also addressed a programme of retired railway employees at Purohit auditorium and acknowledged their contribution in strengthening the rail network.

Birla said that the Railways has made a significant contribution in bringing about socio-economic change in the country and due to the tireless work of the employees who are now retired, a strong rail network was established in the country.

Jaipur: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is one of the rare politicians who observe a person not only on the basis of public perception, but going several steps ahead and understanding how an individual is as regards their nature and true self. Even though he remains busy in the development of the state, sources close to him reveal that he keeps an eye on the issues raised by media and knows good journalists

like the back of his hand.

On Monday, while interacting with media, Gehlot lauded and appreciated, with an open heart, First India’s channel head Jagdeesh Chandra and made encouraging comments on his style of work. In return, Chandra responded by expressing gratitude to Gehlot for his ‘aashirwad’.

“It has to be said about him that he is a ‘master’.

He effectively answers all the questions raised by journalists in his New

Ashok Gehlot

Jagdeesh Chandra

JC Show. He is a major player,” Gehlot said, adding, “I used to observe that he would land in a flight with the PM at 4 in the morning and at 6 AM, he would leave in another flight with the Vice-President. Therefore, there must be some-

thing special about him.

In 10 years he has travelled around the world with the President, VicePresident and PM.” “It is difficult to find such a person. He does not hide his limitations, which is a rare quality.

When we travel by

planes, he would get the nearby seats booked in advance. There is much to learn from him. You all should learn. He sends flower bouquets wherever you are. One thing has to be said that he can impress anyone and everyone,” Gehlot said in appreciation.

The CM also lauded the crisp, brief news (patti) that was started by Chandra. “He is a master of these pattis. He was in ETV, then Zee and now First India, only he knows where he will head next. He knows in advance where and what he has to do,” a smiling Gehlot said.

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia NEW DELHI, TUESDAY JANUARY 4, 2022

FASHION CONNECT SEASON 11

After the amazing success of Fashion Connect season 9 at Dubai in March 2021, we are pleased to announce that Season 11 of this mega fashion show will once again be held at the Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Dubai. We promise you an even better show and this year with the second season of Luxury Lifetsyle Awards teamed with the first ever First India Queen of Cosmos, 2022 is going to grander than ever with these flagship events.

WANTS MORE Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Dubai is all set to host the Fashion Connect Season 11 to be held on March 12, 2022!

—JAGDEESH CHANDRA CEO & Editor-in-Chief, First India

We’re proud to announce that this is the second time we will host The Fashion Connect event at the Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel. Their team hosted an amazing show in 2021, where many attendees from Dubai shared the same enjoyment with this extravagant and glamorous event. This year, we’re thrilled to welcome back and host this event with even greater achievements and memories to take with us.

Hotel Team

MITALI DUSAD

mitalidusad01@gmail.com

T

he Fashion Connect set the bar high with the completion of its very successful previous seasons.

The Fashion Connect season 11 will be held on March 12 at Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel Dubai. Season 9 was also held in Dubai and was greatly appreciated by one and all.

With the huge response and netizens going gaga over the exemplary lineup and digital

readiness, the first international Fashion Connect scored an amazing win over the fashion industry.

Jagdeesh Chandra unveiled the poster of Fashion Connect Season 11 on December 4 at the Leela Palace, Jaipur.

He said, “After the grand success of the First Miss India/Teen 2021 held at Novotel Goa on October 30, First India has come up with another magnificent season. Along with our endeavour to showcase the beauty and talent of charismatic ladies, with Season 11, we also strive to empower women by transforming them into stronger individuals who are aware of their credentials. This pageant will be a great contributor to the welfare of society, while also working in

—MARLON ABEYAKOON General Manager

the fashion and entertainment industry. I congratulate the entire team.”

Featuring a rooftop pool, Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Dubai offers modern rooms. It features 4 restaurants and bars reflecting the journey of the great Arab explorer with tastes from around the world. The spacious rooms feature a modern, Moroccan-inspired décor. Each comes with a flat-screen TV and a mini-bar. All rooms are en-suite with a bathtub and walk-in rainforest shower.

Free WiFi is available for guests.

Fashion Connect season 9 File photos

It’s not easy to do an event or a Fashion Show abroad, outside your own country.

And we are not only doing, Fashion Connect, but we are also doing our international pageant called The Queen of Cosmos along with Luxury Lifestyle awards.

So basically if you see there are 3 events in Dubai and something so massive, something so big could only be possible with the support of Jagdeesh Chandra. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed, wanting that COVD should settle down in our country and UAE as well and there shouldn’t be many cases. We also have film actress Daisy Shah on board. She’ll be joining us as well, and we have Salman Khan’s costume designer, Ashley Robello on board.

Looking forward to a great time.”

—RISHEE MIGLANI Brand Ambassador

I am very much excited for the Fashion Connect Season 11 and every time we set a new benchmark. I’m sure this season will be bigger and better than the previous ones. The best part of it is that we have a legendary designer Suneet Varma as our grand finale designer. This is also a very good time to do a show in Dubai because the whole world is looking at Dubai Expo.

Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Dubai

—LOKESH SHARMA Show Director

09

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10

YOUR FOOD,

LIFESTYLE AND

YOUR HEART “A BETTER OPTION IS TO CREATE A DIET PATTERN RATHER THAN A SPECIFIC DIET OR NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT.”

DR RAM AWATAR SHARMA ramawatarf132@gmail.com

I

FA CE OF TH ED AY

t has been known for a long that specific foods and nutrients can empower your heart against many diseases including myocardial infarction. But it is also a fact of life that people don’t adhere to a bland diet for long especially during their youth which is actually the time that future heart diseases start taking their r o o t s . People who

are health conscious mostly go for specific nutrients or diet which, again, is not sustainable for the whole life. A better option is to create a diet pattern rather than a specific diet or nutrition supplement. The first important action is to balance calorie intake as per the need of a person according to sphere and type of work - the calorie requirement of an office worker is very different from that of a construction worker. A work-related calorie intake also helps maintain weight and general fitness.

The second important step is to go for seasonal and different varieties of fruits and vegetables. These natural products for great heart health should prompt us to protect and promote the tree population. This would

be a mutually beneficial coexistence mainly for the human race.

Avoid refined grain products. Go for wholegrain foods as they protect your heart, are more nutritious and help in maintaining weight. Whole-grain foods digest better as well.

Your major source of protein should be of vegetarian origin in form of pulses, legumes, low-fat dairy, nuts, and fish. In nonvegetarian foods, avoid processed meat, prefer lean meat.

It is always benefi-

YOUR DAY Horoscope by

Saurabbh Sachdeva

cial to avoid tropical oils like palm oil. Go for cold-pressed sunflower, sesame oil, mustard, and extra virgin olive oil. Overall, oil intake should be the bare minimum as per presentday lifestyle. Repeated heating of the oil is a big NO. Foods with added sugars including sweetened beverages should always be denied for the sake of your heart as well as overall health. As far as the salt intake is concerned, it should be a low salt diet. Some people including many physicians go over-

board and stop salt intake totally. This may lead to low sodium levels in the blood which is a very serious condition and may cause brain damage and even death. Similarly, those who love alcohol should also go for moderation.

If you can tolerate chili pepper, then is would be a fine addition to your food. Capsaicin in chili peppers is anti-inflammatory, antioxi d a n t , blood glucose regulator, and anti-cancer

mulate at the cost of living a natural and vibrant life, monotonous routine, being a workhorse, anger, greed, hate, poor sleep, overexertion and even excessive exercise are other factors that put a strain on your heart. A blissful and con-

tented life with the moderate but continuous progress of living standards is, perhaps, the best option.

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

Success is foretold on the academic front. Your reputation may boost your image on the social front.

On the work front, you will manage to keep your superiors in good humour. Spend time with family.

Good planning will see you complete a task at work in record time.

Professionals will be able to give their best in a new situation. Financially, this day may prove lucky for you, so go ask for the raise that is keeping you on tenterhooks. Don’t take any chances with your health.

You will succeed in putting your stagnant love life back on the track.

Your happiness is in your hands. Spouse may need her space, respect that.

This is a favourable day for completing pending jobs. Financially, no problems are foreseen. Much fun is in store on the social front. Those in love with the adventures may chase the excitement very soon.

Your desire for an exciting time on the social front is likely to be fulfilled today.

Those looking for buying a house can get a good bargain.

Appreciation is in store for some homemakers. A professional victory is yours if you play your cards well today.

MAR 21 - APR 20

APR 21 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Some positive changes can be expected on the home front. This seems a good day for job seekers. New avenues for earning open up as you get more determined. Fitness through extra efforts is assured for the deskbound. Chances of making an exciting plan with lover is possible.

You may wait for someone’s invitation for a trip. Tenant troubles are foreseen for some house owners. You will find family life more than fulfilling. A senior is likely to put in a good word for you to the higher ups. Financially, you will be able to consolidate your position.

A family youngster may do you proud. A business trip is indicated. Your strategy to promote yourself on the professional front will bear fruits.

You may need to speed up things on the academic front to remain ahead.

On the social front, the day finds you in your element.

You will manage to achieve what you had aimed for on the academic front. A celebration can find you in your element today. Praise and honour are likely to greet you in something that you have managed to achieve. You will be a pillar of strength to a friend or associate.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Some favourable developments on the social front are foreseen. Buying new furniture or a major appliance is possible. With good networking, a prized posting can be yours Those trying to get back their money will succeed. A healthy phase of life begins for some.

You may take up someone’s cause and earn appreciation from all quarters on the social front. Remaining on the good side of those who matter on the academic front will help you achieve much.

Good tidings of well wishers will keep you going on professional front.

Those fond of travelling may get their chance soon. This is the time when you enjoy yourself with a new group of friends or colleagues. A change of job is likely to give you better salary and perks. Those in business will soon get a chance to make profits. Spending time with lover proves most fulfilling.

You will have to be focussed on the academic front. You may get busy organising something on social front. Put your ideas into action to prove yourself. A party may be thrown in your honour at work.

Your good performance may be noticed by higher ups.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

AKSHARA KHANNA, Blogger

agent. A good chutney with garlic is bliss, especially during winter.

In summary, the better heart-protecting foods are - green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables, whole grains, fruits, tea, and coffee in moderation. The foods that harm your heart are refined grains, red meat, processed meat, deep-fried foods and sugary beverages.

Finally, what matters most is your attitude towards life. A tendency to accu-

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, FILMMAKER VISHAL BHARDWAJ REVEALED THAT HE WILL BE ADAPTING AGATHA CHRISTIE‘S NOVELS INTO FILMS. THE FILMMAKER HAS PREVIOUSLY SUCCESSFULLY RECONSTRUCTED CLASSIC LITERATURE INTO MARVELLOUS HITS, LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF HIS WORKS

NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

11

PARTH

cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

HAIDER

Haider is a must-watch, as it has a phenomenal story, which is backed up by amazing performances by actors. Shahid shines in this movie, it is his best performance as of now. Haider, the protagonist returns to Jammu and Kashmir when the state is bedevilled by a violent insurgency. He seeks closure regarding his father’s disappearance, but the state’s politics overpower him. Set amidst the insurgency-hit Kashmir conflicts of 1995 and civilian disappearances, Haider is a modernday adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Haider was the first Indian film to win the People’s Choice Award at the Rome Film Festival.

MAQBOOL

Maqbool is a 2004 Indian crime drama film starring Late Actor Irrfan Khan, Tabu and Pankaj Kapur is an adaptation of the play Macbeth by Shakespeare.

Maqbool, an underworld don’s henchman, falls in love with his boss’s lover, Nimmi, who prompts him to kill the don and become the next frontrunner. The plot of the film is based on that of Macbeth about events and characterisation.

“Maqbool” is one of those rare films which just didn’t warm to despite its quality. The writing is a surprising adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” to modern-day India.

OMKARA

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Omkara is a renovation of William Shakespeare’s Othello set in the Indian farms. Half-caste bandit Omkara Shukla played by Ajay Devgan abducts his lady love from her family. A conspiracy, however, forms against him when he denies his right-hand man, Langda Tyagi a promotion and appoints Kesu played by Vivek Oberoi as his lieutenant, Langda feels betrayed and plots revenge. Dark theme, robust language, rigid script, intensely executed drama sequences, that’s Omkara.

7 KHOON MAAF

The film tells the story of a Fatale Susanna played by Priyanka Chopra who is hungry for love and will go to any extent to find it in its purest form. In her quest for the perfect man, she gets married several times as each of her husbands dies mysteriously. The movie is based on Ruskin Bond’s book Sussana’s Seven Husbands. It is knitted gorgeously and pours the aroma of precise acting.

THE BLUE UMBRELLA

Binya – a small girl from the hills. Few tourists’ gift Binya a blue umbrella and she gains immense popularity. However, Nandakishore played by Pankaj Kapoor, the only shopkeeper in their village, tries to get his hands on her umbrella.

The main theme of the very sober story is to keep others happy by doling out the things that you love most. It is tough to renounce the things that we love.

CITY BUZZ www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

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M

usic is a way to express yourself, keep you c o m p a n y, and always give you something to do. It is the soundtrack of your life and shorthand of emotions. To re-live the old era, City First gives you a sneak peek into the life of artist Randolph Mandis of Delhi from Band 'Desert Wolf'.

T

he 8th edition of the R a jasthan Inter national Film Festival (RIFF) will be organised by RIFF Film Club from March 25-30 in Jodhpur and will also celebrate Rajasthan Diwas.

The First List of Officially Selected Films for RIFF was released on Monday which includes ‘It Gets In Your Blood’, ‘Gajra’, ‘Habikur (Night Visit)’, ‘Pilibhit (The Yellow Wall)’, Mayank Pushpam Singh’s directed Short Film ‘Naa Jaane Kyun’, ‘E-Rickshawali 2021’, ‘Ancient

Randolph Mandis

Sahab Gayatri Devi. Though 1980 was like a time turner to my life, I moved out of the country to Yemen where I played western/Yemen music at the Taj Sheba.

Have always had an affinity for music, the beat the rhythm the sound ever since I was a child, when I was in school was part of the Brass band played the Trumpet & Sliding Trombone; and it was a wonderful feeling to be able to play music for the first time. In 1969 I moved to Jaipur and for med a band called "The trends".

At that time we were influenced by the area of Rock and British acts such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin etc.

In the 1970s we renamed the band to keep up with the times called it "Desert wolfs". We have also played Charlie Rich's song " Behind Closed Doors" at the Lilypool for Raj Mata

well as music albums can be submitted by visiting the website www. riffjaipur.org and also by filmfreeway. The next deadline to submit the film is January 31. cityfirst@ firstindia.co.in

Mick Jagger from the rolling stones and Tom Fogerty from the CCR have inspired me a lot.

Q. One such moment shared on stage or while performing that has changed you or motivated you or has been captured in your memory.

Being on stage with my boys as the desert wolfs the band that I started 30 years ago and In the 1970s when multiple Bollywood stars asked me to move to Mumbai to join the scene there.

WASTE TO WONDER! City First

Dak Bhawan

file work."

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan a few years ago, Smriti Sharan, a senior IPoS official, and her colleagues set about cleaning the dump yard. India Post Payments Bank and the then CEO AP Singh supported CPLO's endeavour by funding the entire project. On his recent Mann Ki Baat address, Modi commended the formation of Frangipani Aangan. Calligrapher Shipra Rohatgi

Lover’, ‘Princes and Vagabonds’ among other films.

Somendra Harsh and Anshu Harsh, Managing Trustees of RIFF Film Club and Founders of the Rajasthan International Film Festival said, “The Closing Ceremony and The Grand RIFF Award Night 2022 will be organised on 30th March 2022 in Jodhpur on the occasion of Rajasthan Diwas.”

In this edition, short, documentary, animation, feature, regional, Rajasthani films as

Q. Talk to us about your favourite artists and your source of inspiration.

Q. What was your initial step, how did it all begin?

T

CITY FIRST

OF HIGH!

Music has always been a very deep & integral part of my life, the strongest form of addiction, and I love to remain high in it.

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RIFF announced

SAFE KIND

Q. How does it feel as you look back on your journey?

he centre of Dak Bhavan, which was used as a dump yard, has now undergone a changeover that was unbelievable till a few years ago. The courtyard, now titled Frangipani Aangan, was created as a place to connect by the Central Postal Ladies Organisation (CPLO), a non-profit registered society of the Department of Post, which undertakes community work in addition to their official responsibilities.

The courtyard's walls are adorned with Warli art, Sanskrit shlokas in delicate calligraphy and its windows are covered in glass artwork. CPLO also operates four creches and a cafeteria.

A senior functionary of CPLO said, "Some brilliant ideas got exchanged when we were sitting, and connecting with each other a few years ago. It helped one realise that there was more to life than just

NEW DELHI | TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022

and plant stylist Namrata Yadav were commissioned by CPLO to do the unimaginable and their all-women team worked relentlessly for three months.

Sharan said, "Frangipani Aangan serves as a wonderful example of all the possibilities that come into being when ideas are shared and heard and people come together to give back to the society. The mission is to create small islands of tranquillity and beauty where people can always meet and connect."

Not every emotion has to be conventional.‘Gajra’ by Vineet Sharma is one such unconventional metaphor that bridges the two worlds- the aristocrat Mr Agarwal and his humble chauffers Ramakant.

JIFF awards!

J

aved Siddiqui, a widely known screenplay and dialogue writer would be honoured with Jaipur International Film Festival’s Life Time Achievement Award.

Born in 1942, in Rampur, Javed Siddiqi has earned great name and fame by writing screenplays and dialogues for more than 60 super hit films in his career.

He’s been honoured with the prestigious Film Fare Award twice.

‘SEEPED, a short movie produced and directed by Mauraya Sharma has won 'Special Jury Mention

Maurya Sharma

Award' in 14th Jaipur International Film Festival - JIFF 2022 to be held on Friday, January 7 and online film screening will be held on Sunday, January 9.

Mauraya Sharma at just 17 years, is a pool of talent and is a circumspect balance of creativity and intellect. Relevantly, a boy wonder is always assertive in

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Javed Siddiqui

learning and exploring art genres like filmmaking, theatre, fashion-designing and painting.

JIFF founder-director Hanu Roj shared

that Javed Siddiqi would be awarded Life Time Achievement Award at the Opening Ceremony of JIFF, at Maharana Pratap Auditorium, on January.