First India-lucknow Edition-20 February 2022

QUEEN ELIZABETH, 95, IS COVID POSITIVE Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday but her symptoms are “mild” and she intends to continue with light duties.The news comes after Prince Charles tested positive on February 10.

www.firstindia.co.in

I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/

I twitter.com/thefi

rstindia I facebook.com/thefi

Promoted by Shree Cement Limited rstindia I instagram.com/thefi

rstindia

DOW

PERSPECTIVE

N THE MEMORY DUSTY LANES TO LANE… CROWNING GLOR Y- THE MAKING OF PM MODI – PART JAIPUR | MONDAY,

NARENDRA MO DI: FROM

FEBRUARY 21,

2022

04

3

A ‘PRACHARAK’

TO A STRATEGI C BJP LEADER !

SHASHIKANT SHARMA

F

LUCKNOW l MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI NO. UPENG/2020/80229 l Vol 2 l Issue No. 101 OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, AHMEDABAD, LUCKNOW & NEW DELHI

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

P4 Prime Minister Narendra

Modi

TELANGANA’S MO AGAINST THE BJP VE

BIG PLAYERS WITH HIGH-STAKES

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav with wife Dimple Yadav hold identification cards during polling in Saifai on Sunday.

Punjab CM Charanjit Channi leaves a polling President of Punjab Lok Congress and candidate from Patiala constituency booth after casting vote in Kharar on Sunday. Capt. Amarinder Singh shows his inked finger in Patiala on Sunday.

Punjab Cong chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and wife Navjot after casting votes.

A

The writer is Consulting Editor, First India

or those who thought that Narendra Modi doesn’t care PM Narendra Modi for Muslims should with former PM late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. revisit the deadly floods of Morbi in 1979 when thousands of people lives to this disaster. lost their There was a great risk of epidemic due to rotten bodies.

Most of the people living in that area were Muslims. Soon after knowing the pathetic condition dents, Modi swing of the resiinto action Narendra Modi and took them PM Narendra Modi to relief camp with veteran RSS in Rajkot. He took leader Lakshman Rao Inaamdar. personal care of Muslims and arranged for their However, a major sehri during the pious Ramzan political event month. Modi stayed in the relief happened on 6th camp for 2-3 April months and 1980 when leaders left only after settling of them.

Jansangh founded Meanwhile in a political party Chaudhary CharanNew Delhi, Bhartiya Janata Partyover from Morarji Singh took - which has become Desai as Prime Minister. the But he could not largest political party the govern for and is presently ruling even and the experiment 6 months PM Narendra Modi the country. The being welcomed at of Janta Ahmedabad Airport. front failed. session of BJP was first Fresh elections held were held in out in the country 1980, in Mumbai where simultanethe dira Gandhi back bringing In- ously putting former Prime Minister kumbh of Gangaji played an important role to power. in reand photo of However, a vival of BJP and where one of major political Mother India and changed the to- face of electoral the event happened gether. This spread on 6th April 1980 BJP’s founding politics. People a meaningwhen leaders of ful message to members Atal Bihari Jansangh foundHindus,” he said. related with the slogan and the ed a political party political acceptability Meanwhile, Prime Vajpayee had famously Minister Inincreased nata Party - which Bhartiya Ja- dira Gandhi simultaneous was assassinated said - Andhera ly. has become the on largest political 31st October, After the great Chhatega, Kamal party and is pres1984 and Congress win at ently ruling the romped home with great majority Ahmedabad Nagar Nigam, country. The first Khilega session of BJP Modi’s role in was held in Mum- riding on the sympathy votes.

The prominence the party gained bai where the newly formed former Prime BJP ended up and he was entrustSoon after coming Min- ning just win- ed with ister and where the two seats. In one of the BJP’s BJP, in 1989 Modi into the next ganising responsibility of Orfounding members year, assembly had Secretary in elections were Atal Bihari a tough challenge Gujarat.

Vajpayee had famously held in Gujarat and Congress won Modi took out yatras to connect ahead which he turned said - And- 149 hera Chhatega, with the people out of 182 seats Kamal Khilega. into an opportunity. of while the BJP state. could manage In 1981, the country to win just 11 seats. While he carried out ‘Nyay There was an election was shak- This yatra’ en up by mass championing set the alarm conversion of of Ahmedabad Nagar the cause of farmbells on and Dalits to Muslims at Meenaxipuram Sangh started sending pracha- ers in 1987, he also took Nigam. Modi took out Lok over in Tamil Nadu. raks to strengthen Shakti yatra in the entire responsibility Sangh parivar support of tribals the immediately took in 1988. In the On 6th December BJP. of poll strategy and cognisance of same year, Modi 1986, prachathat and started rak Narendra went on one more publicity. He gave Modi was sent Ekatm Yatra yatra - Kailash the to Mansarovar across the country BJP by the then yatra, which Sarsanghchal slogan – ‘Bas ab . This emboldak organised was ened Hindus Bhajapa’. That slogan and during these Bala Saheb Devras. Modi,

by External Affairs who ministry yatra, representativ was working played an important for the first time. selflessly for the Soon parivar connected es of Sangh Sangh for last role in revival of BJP one and half dec- after he returned from the yatra, more than 6 crore Hindus. ades, found a new he came to know and changed the face Narendra Modi path about his faof led this campaign Soon after coming to trudge. ther’s ill health. electoral politics. People in He immediately into BJP, in ing new dimensionsGujarat giv- 1989 Modi had related with the slogan a tough challenge went to Vadnagar, only to see to his lead- ahead his ership father skills. which he turned taking his last and the political into an Modi’s breath. opportunity. There Kaushik Mehta acceptability increased father probably of VHP bewas waitlieves that the tion of Ahmedabadwas an elec- ing for the last simultaneously.His concept of this sight of his son. role Nagar Nigyatra was of am. Modi took However, undeterred in Party also gained Narendra Modi over the entire by his only. “Every citizen responsibility father’s demise, prominence of poll strategy of the counNarendra try is one. Two raths were taken and publicity. He gave the slogan Modi left his home the next day – ‘Bas ab Bhajapa’. for a journey meant for nation That slogan building.

TOP TWEETS President of India @rashtrapatibhvn President

n anti-BJP senKovind inaugurated the three-year-long There have to be a timent is growhost find a common of the 150th birth celebrations ing in Telangameeting of reasons for the anniversary of ground for a unified Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta na with Chief oppoSaraswati Telangana Rashtra sition front? And Goswami Prabhupad, Minister a bigger of Gaudiya Math the founder K. question Samithi (TRS) leader, and Mission in Puri, Chandrashek ar Rao (KCR) Odisha today. who whether that looms is leading the these regional once sided with the charge. His BJP leaders, including meetings with Amit Shah@AmitSha Chief MinKCR, in Parliament, to turn h will be able to ister Uddhav Thackeray Extend my warm rein-in their wishes to the of against the BJP and balloon-sized Shiv Sena and people of Mizoram ambitions Nationalist on the national interest? in Congress Party’s statehood day. Mizoramtheir Prime Minister Sharad There have to Pawar are being for its vibrant culture is known Narendra Modi be a host seen as an is making inroads of reasons for attempt to stitch people, passionate and amazing the Telanin Telup a nonabout the port issued full-page angana and gana Rashtra nation’s growth.

Congress front giving KCR adSamithi continue scaling May the state against the vertisements pinpricks with (TRS) leader, new heights of development. jee and Prashant BJP before the announcing remarks on who once Kishor’s 2024 various projects bifurcation of sided with the plans for a unified tions. The meeting elecin Andhra the state BJP front. to dilute the that please YSR liament, to turn in ParWhile reaching place at Thackeray took impact ads Congress against out to reinitiagreeting Rao. SPIRITUAL SPEAK chief YS Jagan the BJP and Prime gional parties, tive. This unity KCR has both Miniseffort apblamed the BJP Reddy, the chief Mohan ter Narendra to keep the Congressintend pears to be a for not reModi. minister move out of leasing funds of Andhra Pradesh.

One of the reasons “The wise grieve neither their scheme pendent of Mamata indefor of clearBanerstate’s development. the On Chief ly is the political dead. There was never for the living nor for the Could KCR and things.

Minister KCR threat to Mamata must remember KCR’s birthday, all the kings gathered a time when you and I and the TRS. The saffron that the Union here have not existed Vol party is no double-engin there 3 Issue No. 256 Ministry of will there be a time Road TransRNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77 e govwhen we will cease and nor Published at 304, ernment there. to exist.”

764. Printed and 3rd Floor, City Mall, —Bhagavad Gita published Bhagwan Das Road, C-Scheme, Jaipur-302001,by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Rajasthan. Phone 0141-4920504. Editor-In-Chief: Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Press, D.B. Jagdeesh Chandra.

Corp Limited, Shivdaspura, Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible Tonk Road, Jaipur. for selection of news under the PRB Act

AAP CM candidate Bhagwant Mann after casting vote in Mohali on Sunday.

UP: 60.46%; PUNJAB: 65.32% BJP, SP battle for UP in third phase Punjab seals multi-cornered contest

A

n average voter turnout of 65.32% was recorded in Punjab while Uttar Pradesh, in its third phase of the Assembly elections, witnessed an average voter turnout of 60.46% till 5 pm on Sunday.

In Punjab, the highest voter turnout was in the Mansa constituency with 73.45%.

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi claimed after casting his vote that the Congress party will form government with 2/3rd majority in Punjab.

The Samajwadi Party had pinned hopes in the third phase in the largely Yadav-dominated region to solid its tally in the polls.

SP again alleges discrepancies in working of VVPAT in Kanpur Rural WILL HIT TON IN ANOTHER TWO PHASES: YADAV; YOGI HITS BACK Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said his party has hit a Century in first two phases and even in the next two phases, the party alliance will be ahead of everyone else. “The maximum number of unemployed youths are from Bundelkhand region. The income of farmers has not doubled. From Bundelkhand till here, the BJP has stopped development, snatched jobs,” he added. Meanwhile, UP CM Yogi Adityanath contradicted Akhilesh’s claim saying it is clear that the BJP is coming back to power in the state

COPS IMPOUND SONU SOOD’S CAR, ASK HIM TO STAY AT HOME Punjab police on Sunday impounded the vehicle of actor Sonu Sood and instructed him to stay at home after receiving a complaint from SAD that he was visiting polling booths in Moga district and allegedly trying to influence voters. Sonu Sood’s sister Malvika Sood Sachar is the Congress candidate from Moga constituency.

Meanwhile, the actor took to Twitter and alleged that other candidates in Moga are buying votes.

Poll panel restores the number of star campaigners to 40 as Covid cases wane

BUTTON ON SP, VVPAT SLIP FOR BJP, ALLEGES SP Soon after polling for the third phase of Assembly elections kicked off in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party alleged discrepancies in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) stating that the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) issued a slip of the BJP as the voter cast his vote to the former. . “BJP’s slip is coming out after pressing the button of Samajwadi Party at booth number 121 of Bhognipur 208 assembly of Kanpur rural.

The Election Commission should take cognizance for ensuring smooth and fair voting,” the SP tweeted in Hindi.

Oppn parties fighting for second position: Yogi

—Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister

while they are fighting among themselves for the remaining 20 percent,” he said.

On the general perception that he was “opposed” to Muslims, Adityanath dubbed it as “opponents’ tactics as part of their vote bank politics.”

Asserting that he would continue his operation against criminals and mafias after returning to power, Adi-

tyanath said, “There will be a stick of development in one hand while another hand will be on a bulldozer to run over the anti-social elements.”

Asked if he has any prime ministerial ambition, the saffron-clad seer answered: “I am a simple worker of the BJP and perform the task given by the party to me. I have never run after any post or chair.”

KANPUR MAYOR BOOKED FOR TAKING SELFIE INSIDE POLL BOOTH BJP leader and Kanpur Mayor Pramila Pandey has been booked for allegedly clicking a selfie and making a video while exercising her franchise at a polling booth during the third phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, officials said. They said legal action is also being initiated against another BJP leader, former city president of the party’s Yuva Morcha Nawab Singh, for clicking selfies inside a polling booth. The mayor has shared her video online that has gone viral on social media platforms.

tack on Samajwadi Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that between 2014-2017 the ‘Parivarvadis’ did not let him work for the people of Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a public rally in Hardoi, the Prime Minister said that the people of Hardoi will celebrate the first Holi on March 10 with the bumper victory of the BJP. “People of Hardoi have made preparations to play Holi twice.

First Holi will be played with BJP’s bumper victory on 10th March. But

Embassy in Kyiv advises Indians, its staff & families to leave Ukraine

CM Yogi Adityanath’s roadshow in Lucknow on Sunday in support of party candidate from Sarojini Nagar seat, Rajeshwar Singh.

We have no fight with anyone. They are fighting for the second position.We have a strong support base among 80 percent of the voters while they are fighting among themselves for the remaining 20 percent.

The Uttar Pradesh election got personal on Sunday with Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan calling the Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav a modern-day Aurangzeb. “Akhilesh is today’s Aurangzeb. The one who wasn’t loyal to his father, how will he be loyal to you?,” news agency ANI quoted MP Chief Minister Chouhan while he addressed a poll rally in Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh.

Hardoi: In a veiled at-

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting in Hardoi on Sunday.

if you want to play Holi on 10th March, you will have to make arrangements at polling booths,” said PM Modi.

PM Modi said that BJP government is for poor, farmer and youths of the country.

Putin gives Russian commanders orders for Ukraine invasion, US channel claims

PHOTOS BY PTI

Lucknow: With rivals equating the Lakhimpur Kheri incident to the Jallianwala massacre to target the BJP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday asserted that the law is taking its own course in the matter and the Opposition’s attempt to derive political mileage in the polls will not succeed.

Asked as to who he thinks is the main opponent in the UP polls, Adityanath said, “We have no fight with anyone. They are fighting for the second position.” “We have a strong support base among 80 percent of the voters

AKHILESH IS ‘AURANGZEB’ OF TODAY: MP CM SHIVRAJ CHOUHAN

‘Parivarvadis’ didn’t let me work for UP from 2014-17: Modi

He laughed when asked about the Samajwadi Party’s claim of being a “nayi (new) SP”.

“The distribution of tickets to criminals, mafias and those assisting terrorists makes it amply clear that the party has not changed even a bit”, he said.

“Nayi hawa hai par wahi SP hai” (the air is fresh but the SP is the same old one). There is not a bit of change in the nature of the party which, like in the past, has made criminals who are behind bars, mafias and those assisting terrorists as its nominees in the current election,” he said. —PTI

New York: The US has intelligence that Russian commanders have received orders to proceed with an invasion of Ukraine, with commanders on the ground making specific plans for how they would maneuver in their sectors of the battlefield, CBS News national security correspondent David

GROOM, 8 OTHERS KILLED AFTER CAR FALLS INTO CHAMBAL RIVER IN KOTA

WON’T RESPOND TO RUSSIAN PROVOCATIONS: UKRAINE PREZ An instructor shows a Kalashnikov assault rifle during a training of members of a Ukrainian far-right group in Kyiv on Sunday.

Martin reported on “Face the Nation” programme on Sunday.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Sunday agreed to work for a ceasefire in

eastern Ukraine, Macron’s office said.

According to a top diplomat, US President Joe Biden is also willing to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin “at any time” to prevent a war in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s president has said his nation will not respond to provocations amid a deadly escalation in fighting in rebel Russian-backed eastern territories. But Volodymyr Zelensky told world leaders Ukraine would defend itself.

Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed on a third day of clashes between Ukraine’s military and Russian-backed rebels.

LOW-GRADE POLITICS, NOT HINDUTVA: Uddhav Thackeray, KCR hit out at BJP Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray assured support to Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao’s efforts to form an anti-BJP front

Bhanwar S Charan Kota: Nine people, including the groom, were killed when a car carrying a marriage party fell into the Chambal river in Kota on Sunday, police said. The deceased were travelling in a Maruti Ertiga car to Madhya Pradesh from Sawai Madhopur for his marriage when the driver lost the control over the car and it fell into the river from a bridge in the Nayapura police station area, SP (Kota city) Kesar Singh Shekhawat said.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao along with Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut. (Right) KCR with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel and Prakash Raj in Mumbai.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray targetted the BJP and said that damage to the country’s federalism, and “lowgrade politics that is not Hindutva”.

His Telangana coun-

terpart K Chandrashekar Rao, during his Mumbai visit, declared they were practically brothers, since their states shared a 1,000-km border. The Telangana CM assured the talks will continue. “We will sit in

Hyderabad or somewhere else in a few days and discuss more,” he said. Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar stressed the need for all like-minded parties to join hands to resolve socio-political issues.

UTTAR PRADESH www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

LUCKNOW | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

02

OPPN SOFT ON TERROR DUE TO VOTEBANK POLITICS: PM MODI SP withdrew cases against terrorists responsible for 13 attacks in UP, alleged PM Hardoi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Samajwadi Party and other opposition parties were soft on terror, adding that SP had withdrawn cases against terrorists responsible for 14 incidents in the state when they took over in 2013.

Addressing election rallies in Hardoi and Unnao, which are going to polls in the fourth phase on February 23, PM said: “Our country has been facing terrorism of Jehadi organisation for past several decades. When a terror attack takes place, it hurts the poor and the middle class the most.

Tourism and trade get affected. However, opposition parties are soft on terror because of their votebank politics.

SP withdrew cases against terrorists responsible for 14 attacks in UP, some of whom were given capital punishment and life imprisonment by courts later on. They withdrew cases against those responsible for attack on Sankat Mochan Temple in Kashi and Lucknow court. Congress leaders called a terrorist lika Osama Bin Laden ‘Osamaji’ and shed tears on the killing of a terrorist in Batla House encounter. And we have built National War Memorial and National Police Memorial.”

Modi. in his address said that during their governments a series of blasts took place in Delhi Mumbai, Ahem-

They could hardly give houses to the poor and built only 34,000 toilets while the Yogi-Adityanath Government has built 70,000 houses and 5 lakh toilets in Hardoi alone.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to the cheering crowd in Unnao on Sunday.

—Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a poltical rally in Hardoi on Sunday.

Prime Minister

Samajwadi Party sympathises with terrorists, points out Yogi Lakhimpur Kheeri: UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Sunday accused the Samajwadi Party of being sympathetic towards terrorists, alleging that the father of one of the convicts in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blast case has links with the party.

The Uttar Pradeshchief minister made the allegation while addressing an election rally here in Lakhimpur Kehri which goes to the polls on fourth phase of the seven-phase state assembly elections.

“Why does the Samajwadi Party have sympathy towards these terrorists? Will the people support those who play with dabad, Hyderabad etc, adding that when he saw blood shed of inno-

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participates in a political rally organised in Lakhimpur Kheeri on Sunday.

YOGI AGAIN MAKES ‘KABRISTAN’ JIBE

the security of the Nation?” the CM asked while urging people to vote for the BJP to let the state stay riot free.

Yogi Adityanath cent people in Ahemdabad, he took the pledge to give the cul-

All criminals, goons, rioters linked to Samajwadi Party, says Anurag Thakur Lucknow: Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday slammed the Samajwadi Party saying that all criminals, goons and rioters have links with the party.

His latest attack on the party comes a day after he had questioned its chief Akhilesh Yadav on the alleged involvement of his party’s leader in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case. “All criminals, goons and rioters have their links to the Samajwa-

Gujarat blasts linked to appeasement politics: BJP MP

Anurag Thakur

di Party,” said Thakur to ANI. He called out chief Yadav for his silence on the alleged connection of his party’s leader with 2008 Ahmedabad blasts, saying that ‘Aantankiyo ka abbujaan, Sam-

ajvadiyo ka bhaijaan, isliye band hai zubaan’ (father of terrorists, brother of socialists, that is why tongue is silent).

A special court in Gujarat on Friday pronounced the death sentence to 38 out of 49 convicts in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blast case.

The terror attack had led to the death of 56 people who were killed at various places in the city due to the bomb blasts and over 200 people were also injured.

—ANI

posted the twin query while referring to Ahmedabad’s anti-terror court ruling in the 2008 serial blasts in the city. prits a lesson and recently the court awarded them death sentence.

Arun Singh

Prayagraj: BJP general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Arun Singh on Sunday targeted the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, saying the 2008 Gujarat bomb blasts were the result of their appeasement politics.

A special court on Friday handed down the death penalty to 38 people and sentenced 11 others to life imprisonment for the Ahmedabad serial blasts, which killed 56 and injured over 200 in 2008.

Five of those given death penalty belonged to UP’s Azamgarh.

The BJP leader here said everybody has seen how those given death penalty went to Gujarat from UP for bomb blasts.

“This is the result of appeasement politics,” he said, blaming the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) for it.

The Congress, Samajwadi Party always has stood for terrorists, separatists, he said. —PTI

Akhilesh humiliated father to seize party, now pleading him to save his seat: Modi Unnao: Attacking Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the CM-candidate is “insecure” about his seat and had to plead to his father, whom he had “humiliated” to capture the party, to save him from defeat in the constituency.

“You can gauge the direction of wind...

The seat, which these people were considering as the safest, is also getting out of their reach,” Modi said in an apparent reference to the Karhal seat from where Yadav is contesting in the family-stronghold of Mainpuri.

Ahead of polling in the third phase, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav had campaigned for his son Akhilesh Yadav on the seat though he has maintained a low pro-

PM MODI GETS ROUSING WELCOME IN UNNAO, AS PEOPLE CHEER FOR HIM As Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s helicopter landed in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao on Sunday afternoon, he received a grand welcome as people thronged on terraces and buildings near the helipad to catch a glimpse of the BJP leader.Loud cheers could be heard as the PMstepped down from the helicopter.

—ANI file during this election.

The Karhal seat with a majority of Muslim and Yadav voters is considered safe for the Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav as the communities have over the years favoured the SP in the caste-dominated politics of Uttar Pradesh.

Modi targeted Akhilesh Yadav who was seen in a video purportedly pushing Mulayam Singh Yadav on the stage during a power struggle within the party before 2017 assembly elections.

“You must have

Lakshmi does not ride bicycle or elephant, but visits people on lotus: Rajnath Singh Patti: Goddess Lakshmi does not visit people on a bicycle or an elephant but goes around sitting in a lotus, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said here on Sunday, seeking to link peoples’ prosperity and state’s development with the BJP’s poll symbol.

Addressing an election rally in Jagdishpur near here, Singh said only the BJP is the true well-wisher of the poor and the weak.

“Goddess Lakshmi never goes to anyone’s house riding a cycle or an elephant or on

BLAMES OPPN

Rajnath Singh with Aparna Yadav in Lucknow on Sunday.

(someone’s) hand. Goddess Lakshmi visits people only sitting on a lotus, said Singh.

The PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, Ujjwala Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana are the indicators of goddess

Lakshmi’s arrival,” he added.

The defence minister said even international agencies have said only the BJP is running a good government in India.

Attacking the Sama-

jwadi Party, he said, “Socialism (Samajwad) has not even touched the Samajwadi Party.

Socialism makes the society free from the fear and crime which is what the BJP is doing, he said.

PM Modi gave freedom to crores of muslim women: JP Nadda Nadda not only praised the efforts made by the PM for upliftment of women, but also attacked SP for attacking Kar Sewaks in 1990

Shravasti: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda on Sunday said that nations like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq and Indonesia do not have Triple Talaq but our secular nation had it and it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who gave freedom to crores of Muslim women by bringing a law against Triple Talaq.

Addressing a public rally at Sharavasti in Uttar Pradesh, Nadda said, “Those appeasing Muslims don’t know that there’s no Triple Talaq in Afghanistan or Pakistan or Bangladesh or Iran or Iraq or Indonesia. These Muslim nations did not have Triple Talaq but our secular nation had it.

PM Modi gave freedom to crores of Muslim women.”

Attacking

JP Nadda waves to the crowd a political rally in Shravasti.

Congress and Samajwadi Party, he said, “When

VIP’s Nat’l Prez Mukesh Sahani at a press meet.

‘Yogi govt exploited people’

ON TRIPLE TALAQ



seen, the father who was pushed from the stage was humiliated and the party was captured, he had to plead to him for saving the seat,” the prime minister said.

Batting for a second term for Yogi Adityanath as the next chief minister, Modi said, “Today in UP there is only one echo everywhere‘2017 me haraya tha, 2022 me phir se harayenge, UP ke log keh rahe hain yogiji ko layenge” ( People of UP are saying that you will be defeated in 2022 as in 2017, and we will bring Yogiji again).

—PTI

Prime Minister Modi talked about Swachh

‘AKHILESH JI NOW GOING TO TEMPLES’ Furthering his attack on Akhilesh Yadav, Prime Minister Modi said, “During the SP government, bullets were fired on kar sevaks. But nowadays Akhilesh ji is going to the temple and ringing the bell”.

Bharat from the ramparts of the Red Fort,

then Congress and SP leaders born with a silver spoon used to laugh and joke. Ram Manohar Lohia ji had also expressed concern in 1960 over the lack of toilet facilities for women in Parliament.”

After the formation of Modi government in 2014, work was done to give respect to women by constructing 11 crore toilets across the country, he added.

—ANI

Bahraich: National President of Vikassheel Insaan Party and Bihar Animal and Fisheries Minister Mukesh Sahani, who is in alliance with BJP in Bihar but is fighting the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh alone, has slammed the Yogi Adityanath government for having exploited the people of the state.

Vikassheel Insaan Party is the BJP ally in Bihar along with JD(U).

Addressing a public meeting on Saturday, Sahani said, “The food that the government is giving for free today belonged to people.

The government of Uttar Pradesh is only exploiting the people.” —ANI

UTTAR PRADESH www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

CRUCIAL READ BJP WORKER SHOT AT DURING ELECTION VIOLENCE IN MAINPURI

LUCKNOW | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

HC SEEKS GOVT RESPONSE ON STRAYS PLEA SAYS SEVERAL CATTLE GATHERED SANS FACILITIES First India Bureau

Mainpuri: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was shot in dispute between SP and BJP workers during voting in Awadh Nagar area in Mainpuri assembly area here. Police sources here said that BJP worker Aman Pandey was shot after dispute between SP-BJP workers during voting in Awadh Nagar area.

He was rushed to the district hospital. BJP supporters thronged at hospital and protested against SP. In another incident stone pelting occurred between two groups after heated arguments during voting in Fareinzi village under Kishni assembly seat.

KHURSHID, WIFE CAST VOTE IN FARRUKHABAD

DELHI, UP POLICE ARREST TWO WITH 115-KG CHARAS

Lucknow: Expressing concern over the condition of stray cattle in rural areas of the state, the Allahabad HC sought a counter-affidavit from the Chief Development Officer, who also serves as the Chairman of a Committee formed to ensure the safety of cattle in cattle shades.

A bench of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhya and Justice Mohd Faiz Alam Khan also ordered the State Counsel to seek instructions in the matter within two weeks.

The Lucknow Bench

further appointed Advocate Yogendra Misra, assisted by Advocate S. M Singh Royekwar, as Amicus Curiae to assist the court in the matter.

The order was passed on a PIL filed by Ravi Kumar Singh, alleging that respondent no 5, who is a candidate for election to the UP Legislative Assembly (from Harchandpur constituency in District Raebareli), gathered thousands of stray cattle/animals on his private land with no provision for fodder, drinking water, or shade.

The plea also claimed that respondent no 5

FILE PHOTO

‘MARRIAGE CERT NOT MUST TO ADOPT’

made a public announcement in order to entice the electors/voters of the area that he would pay Rs 50 per animal to anyone, who brought such stray cattle to the aforesaid land.

The court found the current proceedings were a proxy petition instituted by the petitioner on behalf of a person, who was running for election as a rival candidate for UP Assembly, in which respondent no.5 was also running from a different political party.

The bench condemned the petitioner’s conduct in initiating these proceedings ostensibly in public interest, and as such, it deemed it appropriate to dismiss him as

WE THE WOMEN Farrukhabad: Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid and his wife Louise Khurshid cast their votes at a polling booth in the Farrukhabad Sadar constituency on Sunday.Louise Khurshid is also the Congress’ nominee from the seat.

“Feeling euphoric.

Because of Priyanka Gandhi everywhere I went, women expressed interest in voting,” she said. Polling in 59 constituencies for the third phase of UP elections began at 7 am on Sunday.

New Delhi: The Special Cell of Delhi Police and UP Police conducted a joint operation and arrested two persons with 115-kg charas from Jangalgram Nahar near Neelawala Pul on Meerut Expressway under Masoorie police station, Ghaziabad. They were identified as Ankur Verma (30) and Sanjeet Singh (30). A case was registered under section 08/20/29/30 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 at Masoorie police station.

First India Bureau

ACTION AGAINST ANOTHER LEADER

Officials said legal action was being initiated against another BJP leader, former city president of the party’s Yuva Morcha Nawab Singh, for clicking selfies inside a polling booth.

her video online that has gone viral on social media platforms.

At a separate polling booth, Nawab Singh also violated the EC rules by taking a mobile inside the booth and shooting a video ans clicking a selfie while casting his vote.

—PTI

a petitioner.

However, considering the poor condition of stray cattle/animals kept in a shabbily erected and constructed cattle shade, the court entertained the writ petition on the limited issue of appropriate arrangement for stray cattle in rural areas.

It, however, directed that the cause title of the writ petition be described as ‘Yogindra Misra vs State of U.P. and others’.

Before dismissing the order, the bench imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on the petitioner for unnecessarily abusing the court’s process in an attempt to advance his personal interests.

WOMAN COP MURDER: TEHSILDAR, WIFE, AIDE ARRESTED

Knp mayor booked for clicking selfie inside booth against EC norm Kanpur: BJP leader and Kanpur Mayor Pramila Pandey has been booked for allegedly clicking a selfie and making a video while exercising her franchise at a polling booth during the third phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, officials said.

They said legal action is also being initiated against another BJP leader, former city president of the party’s Yuva Morcha Nawab Singh, for clicking selfies inside a polling booth.

DM Neha Sharma said Mayor Pandey took her mobile phone inside the polling booth at Hudson School, and clicked a selfie while voting.

Sharma said the Kanpur Mayor Pramila Pandey has violated the rules of the Election Commission by revealing the name of the party she voted for.

The mayor has shared

03

MARCH OF DEMOCRACY...

Women voters of all ages and communities across rural and urban areas of Saifai, Mainpuri, Etawah, Kannuaj, Karhal came out in large numbers to cast their vote as the state went into —PHOTOS BY SUMIT KUMAR the third phase polls on Sunday.

Lucknow: Police have arrested tehsildar, his wife and other accomplice for murder of woman police constable in PGI police station area here.

Police said deceased cop Ruchi Chaudhary and accused tehsildar Padmesh Srivastava were in a relationship. Ruchi was married and had dispute with her husband Ankit Gupta, constable posted in Prayagraj.

Ruchi was asking Padmesh for marriage and dispute occurred when he told her that he was married.

Ruchi wanted to marry Padmesh and asked him to divorce his wife. When matter escalated Padmesh conspired to murder Ruchi.

During interrogation it was revealed that Padmesh planned hermurder with his friend Namvar Singh. On February 12 Padmesh and Namvar offered her intoxicated substance and when she fell unconscious, they strangulated her to death.

ORDER OF MERIT

Moment of pride for LU as more than 100 alumni qualify UGC-NET, JRF First India Bureau Lucknow: Over 100 students from 18 departments and institutes of Lucknow University have qualified in UGC NET and JRF held in November 2021, the results of which were declared on Sunday.

The examination is

the basis for stepping into the world of academics as it is an essential qualification to get entry into any higher education institution as an assistant professor.

V-C Alok Kumar Rai, said, “It is a prestigious moment for an education institute when erstwhile students

achieve new heights and bring laurels to it.”

UGC conducts the exam twice every year and post graduate students from across India appear in it. UGC also gives Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) to students with higher merit for pursuing PhD from recognized varsities. Over 40 students

(L-R) Archit Pandey, Mohit, Shreya Katiyar and Anand Mishra, who have scored above 99 percentile in the exams.

of the university have qualified JRF. At the

same time more than 60 students have qualified

the UGC NET. Archit Pandey a stu-

dent of Political Science has got 100 percentile which is a monumental achievement.

The Department of Sociology has the maximum achievers with 11 students qualifying for JRF and 11 in NET followed by Department of Political Science with 5 JRF’s and 12 NET’s. Students of De-

partment of education bagged 5 JRF’s and 6 NETs. Other departments include Applied Economics, Sanskrit, Geography, Home Science, Library Science, Western History, Modern History, Psychology, Persian, Journalism, Modern Indian History, Statistics, Tourism, English and Economics.

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

LUCKNOW | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

04

DOWN THE MEMORY LANE… DUSTY LANES TO CROWNING GLORY- THE MAKING OF PM MODI – PART 3

NARENDRA MODI: FROM A ‘PRACHARAK’

TO A STRATEGIC BJP LEADER !

SHASHIKANT SHARMA

The writer is Consulting Editor, First India

F However, a major political event happened on 6th April 1980 when leaders of Jansangh founded a political party Bhartiya Janata Party - which has become the largest political party and is presently ruling the country. The first session of BJP was held in Mumbai where the former Prime Minister and where one of the BJP’s founding members Atal Bihari Vajpayee had famously said - Andhera Chhatega, Kamal Khilega Soon after coming into BJP, in 1989 Modi had a tough challenge ahead which he turned into an opportunity.

There was an election of Ahmedabad Nagar Nigam. Modi took over the entire responsibility of poll strategy and publicity. He gave the slogan – ‘Bas ab Bhajapa’. That slogan played an important role in revival of BJP and changed the face of electoral politics. People related with the slogan and the political acceptability increased simultaneously.His role in Party also gained prominence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

or those who thought that Narendra Modi doesn’t care for Muslims should revisit the deadly floods of Morbi in 1979 when thousands of people lost their lives to this disaster. There was a great risk of epidemic due to rotten bodies. Most of the people living in that area were Muslims. Soon after knowing the pathetic condition of the residents, Modi swing into action and took them to relief camp in Rajkot. He took personal care of Muslims and arranged for their sehri during the pious Ramzan month. Modi stayed in the relief camp for 2-3 months and left only after settling them.

Meanwhile in New Delhi, Chaudhary Charan Singh took over from Morarji Desai as Prime Minister. But he could not the govern for even 6 months and the experiment of Janta front failed. Fresh elections were held in 1980, bringing Indira Gandhi back to power.

However, a major political event happened on 6th April 1980 when leaders of Jansangh founded a political party - Bhartiya Janata Party - which has become the largest political party and is presently ruling the country. The first session of BJP was held in Mumbai where the former Prime Minister and where one of the BJP’s founding members Atal Bihari Vajpayee had famously said - Andhera Chhatega, Kamal Khilega.

In 1981, the country was shaken up by mass conversion of Dalits to Muslims at Meenaxipuram in Tamil Nadu. Sangh parivar immediately took cognisance of that and started Ekatm Yatra across the country. This emboldened Hindus and during these yatra, representatives of Sangh parivar connected more than 6 crore Hindus. Narendra Modi led this campaign in Gujarat giving new dimensions to his leadership skills.

Kaushik Mehta of VHP believes that the concept of this yatra was of Narendra Modi only. “Every citizen of the country is one. Two raths were taken

PM Narendra Modi with former PM late Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

PM Narendra Modi being welcomed at Ahmedabad Airport.

out in the country simultaneously putting kumbh of Gangaji and photo of Mother India together. This spread a meaningful message to Hindus,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated on 31st October, 1984 and Congress romped home with great majority riding on the sympathy votes. The newly formed BJP ended up winning just two seats. In the next year, assembly elections were held in Gujarat and Congress won 149 out of 182 seats while BJP could manage to win just 11 seats.

This set the alarm bells on and Sangh started sending pracharaks to strengthen the BJP. On 6th December 1986, pracharak Narendra Modi was sent to BJP by the then Sarsanghchalak Bala Saheb Devras. Modi, who was working selflessly for the Sangh for last one and half decades, found a new path to trudge.

Soon after coming into BJP, in 1989 Modi had a tough challenge ahead which he turned into an opportunity. There was an election of Ahmedabad Nagar Nigam. Modi took over the entire responsibility of poll strategy and publicity. He gave the slogan – ‘Bas ab Bhajapa’. That slogan

A

There have to be a host of reasons for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader, who once sided with the BJP in Parliament, to turn against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi jee and Prashant Kishor’s plans for a unified front.

While reaching out to regional parties, both intend to keep the Congress out of their scheme of things.

Could KCR and Mamata

find a common meeting ground for a unified opposition front? And a bigger question that looms is whether these regional leaders, including KCR, will be able to rein-in their balloon-sized ambitions in the national interest?

There have to be a host of reasons for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader, who once sided with the BJP in Parliament, to turn against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

One of the reasons clearly is the political threat to the TRS. The saffron party

played an important role in revival of BJP and changed the face of electoral politics. People related with the slogan and the political acceptability increased simultaneously.

After the great win at Ahmedabad Nagar Nigam, Modi’s role in the party gained prominence and he was entrusted with the responsibility of Organising Secretary in Gujarat.

Modi took out yatras to connect with the people of the state.

While he carried out ‘Nyay yatra’ championing the cause of farmers in 1987, he also took out Lok Shakti yatra in support of tribals in 1988. In the same year, Modi went on one more yatra - Kailash Mansarovar yatra, which was organised by External Affairs ministry for the first time. Soon after he returned from the yatra, he came to know about his father’s ill health. He immediately went to Vadnagar, only to see his father taking his last breath.

Modi’s father probably was waiting for the last sight of his son.

However, undeterred by his father’s demise, Narendra Modi left his home the next day for a journey meant for nation building.

TOP TWEETS

TELANGANA’S MOVE AGAINST THE BJP n anti-BJP sentiment is growing in Telangana with Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) leading the charge. His meetings with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party’s Sharad Pawar are being seen as an attempt to stitch up a nonCongress front against the BJP before the 2024 elections. The meeting took place at Thackeray initiative. This unity effort appears to be a move independent of Mamata Baner-

PM Narendra Modi with veteran RSS leader Lakshman Rao Inaamdar.

Narendra Modi

President of India @rashtrapatibhvn President Kovind inaugurated the three-year-long celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad, the founder of Gaudiya Math and Mission in Puri, Odisha today.

is making inroads in Telangana and giving KCR pinpricks with remarks on bifurcation of the state that please YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.

On Chief Minister KCR’s birthday, the Union Ministry of Road Trans-

port issued full-page advertisements announcing various projects in Andhra to dilute the impact ads greeting Rao. KCR has blamed the BJP for not releasing funds for the state’s development. KCR must remember that there is no double-engine government there.

Amit Shah@AmitShah Extend my warm wishes to the people of Mizoram on their statehood day. Mizoram is known for its vibrant culture and amazing people, passionate about the nation’s growth. May the state continue scaling new heights of development.

SPIRITUAL SPEAK “The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead. There was never a time when you and I and all the kings gathered here have not existed and nor will there be a time when we will cease to exist.”

—Bhagavad Gita

Vol 2 Issue No. 101 RNI NO. UPENG/2020/80229. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Amar Ujala Ltd. B-5 Amausi Industrial Area Kanpur Road Lucknow.

Published at 98, Friend’’s Colony, Raheem Nagar, Dudouli Road, Madiyaon, Lucknow (UP). Editor-In-Chief: Jagdeesh Chandra. Editor: Vishal Srivastav responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

To Receive Free Newspaper PDF Daily Whatsapp: https://bit.ly/whatsapplko Telegram: https://t.me/firstindialucknow Click the above link☝ & subscribe us on your preferred platform.

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

LUCKNOW | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

MANN CASTS VOTE, SAYS PUNJABIS WANT CHANGE Dhuri: After casting his vote for the singlephase Punjab Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said that everyone wants a change in the State which AAP will bring if voted to power on March 10.

His mother, Harpal Kaur, also participated in polling and expressed her happiness stating that Bhagwant Mann has already become the Chief Minister for her.

Speaking to ANI, Harpal Kaur said, “By God’s grace, everyone loves him. For us, he has already become the Chief Minister. People love him.”

“If a mother has said this, what else does one

PARKASH SINGH BADAL, SUKHBIR AND HARSIMRAT CAST VOTE IN MUKTSAR

want...Youth, students, everyone wants a change here,” Bhagwant Mann said.

Voting for 117 constituencies in Punjab is underway amid tight security.

In Punjab, over 2.14 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,304 candidates who are in the fray from 117 constitu-

encies.

Punjab is witnessing a multi-corner contest this time with Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance and the coalition of Bharatiya Janata Party-former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress party as

Muktsar: Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal along with Parkash Singh Badal and Harsimrat Kaur cast their votes in Muktsar for the single-phase Punjab Assembly polls on Sunday. Earlier, Badal said the SAD-BSP alliance will win over 80 seats while Harsimrat said people want a stable, strong government in Punjab. The state is witnessing a multi-cornered contest with Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), SAD-BSP alliance, and the coalition of Bharatiya Janata Party-former CM Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress party as key players.

—ANI key players.

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress won 77 seats in the 117-member House whereas Shiromani

Akali Dal could win only 18 seats. On the other hand, AAP emerged as the secondlargest party with 20 seats.

—ANI

05

Will decide on tie-up with BJP after Punjab polls, says SAD’s Bikram Majithia PUNJAB

POLLS Gurdaspur: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia said on Sunday that the party will decide on forming an alliance with the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) post Punjab Assembly elections if the SAD-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alliance comes to power.

Talking to media, Bikram Majithia said, “My fight is for the people of Punjab. Amritsar East needs development. There are poor

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia

people who do not get welfare schemes. It is the most backward. The truth will win.”

“We will decide on the tie-up with the BJP after the state Assembly polls,” he added.

Majithia, who had

CONGRESS WILL BE WIPED OUT FROM PUNJAB, SAYS CAPT AMARINDER SINGH

filed his nomination papers from two seats — Majitha and Amritsar East — in January, will be facing off with Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu in the Amritsar East constituency.

—ANI

AAP DOES NOT HAVE ANY RELATION WITH PUNJAB: PARKASH SINGH BADAL

Conjoined twins vote separately, EC permits 40 star given dark glasses for secrecy campaigners as Amritsar: Conjoined twins but two separate votes. Amritsar-based Sohan Singh and Mohan Singh who are joined in the hip exercised their franchise for the first time in the Punjab assembly polls on Sunday.

The conjoined twins, fondly known as Sohna-Mohna, had recently been handed over two separate electoral photo identity cards.

They had turned 18 last year and became eligible to vote.

The conjoined twins were treated as two separate voters and special arrangements were made for them so that both could maintain the secrecy of their votes. ❍

Covid-19 cases dip

They said dark glasses were provided to them when they voted.

The twins live in Pingalwara, a charitable home for the destitute in the city. Born in June 2003 in Delhi, they were abandoned by their parents. Later, an orphanage in Am-

TN URBAN LOCAL BODY POLLS 2022

Post AIADMK plaint, repolling ordered in 7 polling stations Chennai: The Tamil Nadu State EC on Sunday ordered repolling on February 21 in 7 polling stations falling under Chennai and 3 other districts. In Chennai Corporation area, the repolling would be in a booth (Washermenpet) under Ward 51 and another polling station (Odaikuppam-Besant Nagar)

in Ward 179. Two polling stations each in Jayamkondam and Tiruvannamalai municipalities and a booth in Tirumangalam muncipality would again go for the polls, a TNSEC release said. The AIADMK had alleged violence by DMK and demanded repolling in some of the wards.

—PTI

ritsar adopted them.

Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, Gurpreet Singh Khera reached the polling booth where the conjoined twins exercised their franchise and handed over certificates to them as firsttime voters.

—PTI

New Delhi: Citing the decline in COVID-19 cases, the Election Commission Sunday restored the number of star campaigners a party can field for campaigning in the ongoing polls in five states.

Now, recognised national and state parties can field a maximum of 40 star campaigners.

Other parties which are registered but not recognised can now have 20 star campaigners.

The Commission had in October 2020 reduced the number of star campaigners for recognised national and state parties from 40 to 30, as large gather-

ings were witnessed during campaigning in Bihar assembly elections and bypolls in several states amid the coronavirus pandemic.

For unrecognised registered political parties, the maximum number of star campaigners was brought down to 15 from 20.

“The Election Commission after due deliberation has decided to restore the maximum limit on number of star campaigners.

For unrecognised registered political parties, 20 star campaigners are allowed,” it said in a letter to political parties.

—PTI

EVERY VOTE COUNTS

People wait in queues to cast their votes at a polling booth during the third phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in Hathras on Sunday.

—PHOTO BY PTI

Captain Amarinder Singh

Parkash Singh Badal

Patiala: Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that Congress will be wiped out from the state in the Assembly elections.

Speaking to media, Amarinder Singh, who left Congress and formed Punjab Lok Congress, said, “I am certain of winning Patiala. I think we will win the elections...They (Congress) live in a different world & will be wiped out in Punjab.” “Bhagwant Mann is an anti-national and he is supporting Arvind Kejriwal,” said the Punjab Lok Congress founder after casting his vote in Patiala. The former CM also said that his party is performing well and positive reports coming from the ground.

Lambi: Former Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday took a dig at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying the party does not have any relation with Punjab. Speaking to the media persons after casting his vote with the entire Badal family, he said, “AAP does not have any relation with Punjab. Neither does it have any sympathy with the state. They do not know how many districts are there in the state.” Slamming Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s “UP-Bihar” remark, Badal said that if you behave inappropriately with the people of other states, they would do the same with you.

RJD snubs Cong in Bihar legislative council elections Patna: Lalu Prasad’s RJD has slammed its doors shut on the possibility of any understanding with the Congress, its estranged ally, for elections to 24 seats of the legislative council in Bihar.

State RJD president Jagadanand Singh on Saturday announced its candidates for two seats, having done the same for 21 others a week ago, and declared that it was leaving one for the Left parties.

Elections to the two

Cong leader Rahul Gandhi with RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav.

dozen seats, vacant for quite some time, are expected in March or April.

The development came barely a day after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra came out in support of Prasad,

—FILE

who is in jail after conviction in yet another fodder scam case. The two parties, along with the CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(ML) had formed a Grand Alliance to contest the 2020 Assembly polls.

—PTI

POLITICAL INTRICACIES

How Assembly polls will impact Presidential and RS elections New Delhi: The outcome of the five state elections will have an impact on the Presidential poll and will also bring some change in the Upper House of Parliament as except for Punjab the other four states were ruled by the BJP with brute majorities in UP and Uttarakhand.

The Bharatiya Janata Party may not be that comfortably placed in the Presidential election which is likely to be conducted in June-July 2022, as the President is

indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both the Houses of Parliament and the assemblies.

The electoral colleges comprises 776 MPs of both the Houses and 4,120 MLAs of all the states and Union Territories. The electoral college has 1,098,903 votes, and a majority is 549,452 votes. As far as the value of votes is concerned, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of votes, approximately 83,824 followed by Maharashtra

and West Bengal.

The BJP has a brute majority in the assemblies of UP and Uttarakhand and any reduction of seats will put the game in the opposition camp as the Chief Ministers of different regional parties are trying to join hands.

If they join hands and put up a joint candidate, the BJP will find it difficult to get its nominee elected.

The only way would be a divi-

sion in the opposition camp which may be a difficult task. After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is trying to expand her party, Trinamool Congress’ footprints at the national level, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) had a

meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Not only is the Mumbai meeting important but KCR is also meeting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Even Mamata Banerjee is likely to

travel to Hyderabad to meet KCR. He has the support of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda who could be another possible candidate for President.

However the Chief Ministers trying to unite en bloc is not a good sign for the Congress which may get isolated in the opposition while the BJP has to search for a consensus candidate for the Presidential poll.

KCR’s new initia-

tive is to save his home turf as the BJP is expanding its base in Telangana. He is being forced to take on the BJP due to domestic political compulsions, otherwise the party had been bailing out the BJP on key legislation in the Upper House since 2014.

The southern states and Maharashtra account for more than 200 Lok Sabha seats and almost half of the electoral college which could be crucial in the next Presidential poll. If the regional parties team up, it

will be unlikely that the BJP will have its way in the choice of President.

Thus the electoral outcome in the five states which include UP will impact the presidential election.

If the opposition puts up a candidate like NCP supremo Sharad Pawar who is capable of mustering support from others like the Trinamool Congress, the BJD, the TRS, the YSRCP, the CPIM, the CPI and the other parties, then the BJP will have a tough task ahead of it.

—Agencies

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

117th ROUND OF PIC

Indian delegation to visit Pak for Indus panel meet 1

Meeting of PIC to take place in Pak from 1st to 3rd March

Mumbai: A 10-member Indian delegation will visit Pakistan for the annual meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) from March 1-3, a senior Jal Shakti Ministry official said on Sunday.

In a first since the signing of the Indus Water Treaty between the two countries, three female officers will also be part of the Indian delegation, which will be advising the Indian Commissioner on various issues during the meeting, the official said.

Last year, a delegation led by the Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters had visited India for the annual meeting.

“The annual meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission will be held in Islamabad, Pakistan between March 1 and 3, 2022,” Pradeep Kumar Saxena, Indian Commissioner for Indus Waters, told PTI. The delegation will

2

3 female officers will also be part of the Indian delegation According to sources, the delegation is expected to leave around February 28th and return on March 4th. This will be the 117th meeting of the commission led by the commissioners from both sides.

comprise Saxena's advisers from the Central Water Commission, the Central Electricity Authority, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation and the Ministry of External Affairs. The Pakistan side will be led by Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah, the Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters.

The Indian delegation will leave for Pakistan through Atari border on February 28 and

will return through the same route on March 4.

The agenda for the meeting is being finalised between the two Commissioners, officials said. Pakistan's objections on Indian hydroelectric projects namely Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Lower Kalnai (48 MW) and Kiru (624 MW) in Chenab basin in Jammu and Kashmir and few small hydroelectric projects in Ladakh are likely to be on the agenda for discussion.

According to the treaty, India has been given the right to generate hydroelectricity through run-of-the-river projects on the western rivers subject to specific criteria for design and operation.

The pact also gives the right to Pakistan to raise objections to designs of Indian hydroelectric projects on the western rivers. Pakistan has raised objections on the design of these projects.

—PTI

LUCKNOW | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

06

India’s relations with China going through ‘very difficult phase’: EAM Munich: India's relationship with China is right now going through a "very difficult phase" after Beijing violated agreements not to bring the military forces in the border, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said, emphasising that the "state of the border will determine the state of the relationship".

Speaking at a panel discussion on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2022 in Munich, Mr Jaishankar said that India was having a problem with China along the Line of Actual Control.

"For 45 years, there was peace, there was stable border management, there were no military casualties on the border from 1975.

That changed because we had agreements with China not to bring military forces to the border and the Chinese violated those agreements," the Minister said.

"Now, the state of the border will determine the state of the relationship. That's natural. So obviously, the relations with China right now

India, Germany committed to promote green growth: EAM

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addresses a meeting with Indian community in Munich on Sunday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

'LAZY ANALOGY': S JAISHANKAR ON COMPARISONS OF QUAD WITH NATO Munich: Dismissing the notion that the Quad is an Asian NATO, EAM S Jaishankar has said that there are "interested parties" who advance such analogies and one should not slip into it, underlining that the four-nation grouping is a kind of 21st century way of responding to a more diversified and dispersed world. Jaishankar was speaking during a panel discussion on 'A Sea Change? Regional Order and Security in the Indo-Pacific' at the MSC 2022. Quad is a grouping of four countries who have common interests a great deal of comfort, who happen to be located —PTI at four corners of the Indo-Pacific.

Chinese militaries erupted following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually

are going through a difficult phase," he added.

The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and

Munich: India and Germany share a commitment to promoting green growth and clean technology, EAM S Jaishankar has said, as he held a "constructive meeting" with German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze.

Jaishankar arrived in Germany on Friday to take part in the Munich Security Conference 2022.

"A constructive meeting with German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development @SvenjaSchulze68," Jaishankar tweeted. enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

—PTI

Active Covid cases decline to 20K after 51 days Development in Arunachal New Delhi: Daily new Covid-19 cases in India fell below 20,000 after 51 days, taking the total virus tally to 4,28,22,473, while the active cases dipped to 2,24,187, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

A total of 19,968 cases have been reported in a day while the death toll climbed to 5,11,903 with 673 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The daily Covid-19 cases have remained below one lakh for 14 consecutive days.

India reported 16,764 corornavirus infections on December 30 last year. The active cases comprise 0.52 per cent of the total infections.

New Delhi: Bharat Biotech on Saturday said its Covaxin will be evaluated as a Covid-19 vaccine candidate in the US. In a statement, Ocugen Inc, Bharat Biotech's partner in the US and Canada for Covaxin, noted that the American health regulator — the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — has lifted its clinical hold to evaluate the Covid-19 vaccine candidate BBV152, known as Covaxin —PTI outside US.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to lead delegation to UAE from Feb 21 To 25 New Delhi: The Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, will lead an parliamentary delegation to the United Arab Emirates from February 21 to 25 on the invitation of the Federal National Council of UAE. This is the first-ever visit under the bilateral exchange of parliamentary delegations from either side, read the official release of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

During their visit to UAE, the delegation, apart from meeting their host, Saqr Gobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council of UAE, will also call on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,

UK TO SCRAP ALL CURBS NEXT WEEK

US TO EVALUATE COVAXIN, SAYS BHARAT BIOTECH

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

This is the firstever visit under the bilateral exchange of parliamentary delegations from either side, read official release

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, added the release. —ANI

INDIAN ARMY USES DRONES TO SUPPLY VACCINE DOSES IN JAMMU & KASHMIR

New Delhi: In a bid to ensure that the Covid-19 vaccine reaches members of the armed forces in the most farflung areas in the country, the Indian Army has opted to use drones.

The Indian Army is using drones to supply the booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to forward troops in snow-bound areas in Jammu and Kashmir.

—PTI

London: The British government confirmed that people with Covid-19 won't be legally required to self-isolate starting next week, as part of a plan for “living with Covid” that is also likely to see testing for the coronavirus scaled back PM Boris Johnson said ending all of the legal curbs brought in to curb the spread of the virus will let people in the UK “protect ourselves without restricting our freedoms.” —AP

being speeded up, says PM New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the government has done unprecedented work to speed up development in Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that modern infrastructure is being built there considering its role from the national security perspective.

In his message to the people of Arunachal, Modi said that it has been his firm belief that eastern India and particularly the northeast will be the engine of the country's development in the 21st century.

—PTI

MODI GREETS PEOPLE OF MIZORAM, ARUNACHAL ON THEIR STATEHOOD DAY New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi on Sunday greeted the people of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh on their statehood day. "Greetings to the people of Mizoram on their Statehood Day. India takes great pride in the vibrant Mizo culture and the contributions of Mizoram to national progress," PM said in a tweet. "I pray for the good health and well-being of the people of Mizoram," he said. PM also extended best wishes to the people of Arunachal on their statehood day. "The people of the state are known for their stupendous talent and hardworking nature. May the state scale new heights of development in the times to come," he —PTI said.

PM Narendra Modi

CRUCIAL READ SUSPECTED LeT ULTRA ARRESTED

Jammu: A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was arrested in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Sunday. Adil Iqbal Butt, a resident of SazanBajarni village, was apprehended by a joint search party of police.

‘AN OBLIGATION, NOT A CHOICE’, ZAIRA JUMPS INTO HIJAB RING New Delhi: 'Dangal' actor Zaira Wasim, reacted to the ongoing hijab controversy in Karnataka.

Former actor Zaira Wasim is the latest to use her social media power to react on the same. On Twitter Zaira posted a long note. "It's often either a construct of convenience or ignorance. Hijab isn't a choice but an obligation in Islam. Likewise, a woman who wears the hijab is fulfilling an obligation enjoined upon her by the God she loves and has submitted herself to," the 21-yearold shared.

FILE CASE AGAINST 18 UP COPS: COURT

Shahjahanpur: A court in Shahjahanpur has directed the police to register a case against 18 policemen including the then superintendent of police chief in an alleged fake encounter case in which two persons were killed 18 years ago.

MAHARASHTRA: FORGERY CASE AGAINST SAMEER WANKHEDE OVER BAR LICENCE Mumbai: An FIR was filed against IRS officer and former zonal director of Mumbai NCB Sameer Wankhede for forgery in Mumbai's Thane for allegedly obtaining a license for a hotel by willful misrepresentation of his age, said the Kopri police on Sunday. The FIR was filed on Saturday night on the complaint of State Excise Department official Shankar Gogavale who alleged that Mr Wankhede was below 18 years of age in 1996-97 while obtaining a license for Sadguru Bar in the city.

ASI probes ‘risks’ to heritage Khajuraho temples Mumbai/Khajuraho: Taking cognisance of a complaint by a Maharashtra heritage expert, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is probing allegations of certain activities reported from the vicinity (buffer zone) of the ancient Khajuraho Temples — a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The quiet development follows objections by the Jalgaon-based Heritage Foundation

—FILE PHOTO

Director Bhujang Bobade to the ASI Director-General, Madhya Pradesh ASI officials, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others.

Bobade said in his complaint that a group of Jain Temples in the close proximity of the Khajuraho Temples have recently carried out certain minor renovations and used chemical/synthetic paints.

"This poses a severe threat to the safety of

the 11-12 centuries old Khajuraho Group of Monuments, comprising two dozen temples.

They were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

It was in December 2021-January 2022 that locals were taken aback to witness painting and minor repairs being undertaken on the equally ancient cluster of Jain Temples outside the Khajuraho Group of Monuments. —Agencies

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

LUCKNOW | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

07

Poll cycle now heading towards heartland of UP

In the fourth phase, polling will be held for 60 seats in nine districts of Rohilkhand, Terai region, Awadh and Bundelkhand Gyanendra Kumar Shukla Lucknow: The electoral struggle of UP, passing through the western and Bundelkhand areas, is now entering in the periphery of the heartland of Uttar Pradesh, i.e.

Awadh region.

In the fourth phase, polling will be held for 60 seats in nine districts of Rohilkhand, Terai region, Awadh and Bundelkhand. In the elections held in 2017, the BJP had won 51 of these seats. One seat

was won by its ally Apna Dal (S). Four were captured by the SP, while two seats were won by the Congress and two by the BSP. BJP did a clean sweep in four districts.

Out of which four seats are in Pilibhit, eight seats in Lakhimpur, four seats in Banda and five seats in Fatehpur. Jaikumar Singh Jackie of BJP’s ally Apna Dal (S) won the election from Jehanabad seat of Fatehpur district. In this phase, voting is also

16 SEATS FOR SC

—REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE going to be held in the hotseats of the capital Lucknow. The state capital has nine assem-

bly seats, out of which eight seats are with the BJP. Brajesh Pathak, Ashutosh Tandon and

17 years later, 18 police personnel booked for alleged fake encounter First India Bureau Shahjahanpur: Police on Friday lodged an FIR against 18 police personnel in connection with an alleged fake encounter of two men 17 years ago. The FIR has been registered at Jalalabad police station on the basis of a court directive.

The officer added that the case was filed on the directives of the sessions court of Shahjahanpur. The complainant had moved court after a local court rejected his plea seeking direction to register an FIR. Police said that as per the record, an investigation was con-

CASE TRANSFERRED TO THE CRIME BRANCH OF THE DISTRICT POLICE

—REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE

ducted in 2014 by the district police and later by the UP Police Crime Branch (CID), which gave clean chit to the policemen concerned.

The Shahjahanpur court accepted the closure report filed subsequently. In the magisterial inquiry too, the policemen were given clean chit, said station house officer, Jalalabad police station, Jai

The then Superintendent of Police, Additional Superintendent of Police, three circle officers and in-charges of 10 police stations are among the 18 accused. Superintendent of Police, Shahjahanpur, S Anand, said the investigation of the case has been transferred to the crime branch of the district police.

Shankar Singh. He added that “almost all the police officers named in the case have retired.”

According to sources, two persons, identified only as Prahlad and Dhanpal, were gunned down in an alleged encounter at Chachuapur village on October 3, 2004.

The police declared them to be members of

a dacoity gang.

Prahlad‘s brother Ram Kirti, who is the complainant in the case, has denied the police claim and alleged that they (police) had gunned down innocent persons.

Later, the police planted guns and cartridges to make it appear that they were dreaded dacoits, he alleged in his complaint.

Swati Singh, who won from here in the year 2017, got a berth in the Yogi cabinet. Defense

Minister Rajnath Singh is an MP from this parliamentary seat, whereas Union

Minister Kaushal Kishor is the MP of Mohanlalganj parliamentary seat of Lucknow. Deputy CM Dr. Dinesh Sharma has been the Mayor of Lucknow twice, while Cabinet Minister Mahendra Singh also belongs to this city. Winning the seats here associated with central and state governments ministers and a deputy CM has become a symbol of prestige for the BJP. After the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, the Terai area, here, had be-

come the focal point of the farmer movement.

Ashish Mishra, the main accused in this case and son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, has come out on bail. The opposition has constantly targeted the ruling BJP regarding this well-known incident. Obviously the heat of this issue can be felt in this phase of elections. In the Congress bastion, Rae Bareli, the Gandhi-Nehru family is also facing a tough electoral test.

MISCREANTS OPEN FIRE ON FATHER-SON DUO Meerut: Miscreants beat family members of traders in the Kashiram colony under the Kharkhauda area when they refused —REPRESENTATIONAL to pay extortion IMAGE money. When victims informed police, they opened fire on family members in which the trader and his son were severely injured. Police sources said Ram Niwas Gupta, a resident of the Kashiram colony was attacked by a gang of miscreants who were demanding extortion money from him. When Ram Niwas threatened to complain about the incident to the police, the accused along with other perpetrators opened fire on his family members in which Ram Niwas and his son Nikki were severely injured.

The injured were rushed to the district hospital where the condition of Nikki was stated to be critical. Police have registered the case and the investigation is underway.

CRIME ROUND-UP PROPERTY DEALER SHOT IN BARABANKI

Barabanki: A property dealer was shot in Fatehabad area.

Police sources said Amit Kumar (36) was in the property business and it was reported that some unidentified assailants shot at him near a temple in the Fatehabad area.

He was rushed to the district hospital from where he was referred to Lucknow trauma centre. Suresh Pandey, Kotwali in-charge said that initial investigations revealed that land dispute could be the reason behind the attack.

MINOR GIRL RAPED IN BULANDSHAHAR

Bulandshahr: A 15-year-old girl was raped in the Khurja area when she was returning home late on Saturday. Police sources said family members of a village under the Kotwali area filed a complaint that the perpetrator of the same village dragged a 15-year-old girl to a secluded area and raped her when she was returning home. Police have registered a case against Faizan on the complaint of the father of the victim and launched a manhunt to nab the accused. In another incident in the same area, police have arrested 3 accused for gang-raping a girl and making a video of the crime.

Station in-charge brings food to fellow cops during polls

SHOW OF STRENGTH

BJP youth wing leader shot dead in Hathras

First India Bureau

Samajwadi Party candidate from Lucknow North, Pooja Shukla during a bike rally as part of her campaign, in Lucknow on Sunday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

Hathras: Hathras went to the polls in the third phase on Sunday. During this, thousands of police personnel were deployed on duty to maintain security and conduct peaceful polling. In such a situation, Sasni police station in-charge Satendra Singh Raghav came forward to arrange food and water for the policemen on duty since morning.

The service and the noble step taken by the Sasni police station incharge Satendra Singh Raghav for their colleagues are being appreciated everywhere. Voting was also held in Ha-

First India Bureau

Satendra Singh Raghav with his fellow police personnel.

thras on the 20th. Since morning there was enthusiasm among the people to cast their vote.

During this, thousands of policemen have been deployed on duty to conduct the elections in a peaceful manner and to maintain the security system. Sasni police station in charge Satendra

Singh Raghav came from among the policemen to ensure that the security personnel on duty do not face any problem and get to eat clean and healthy food.

Raghav said that the policemen on duty continue to do duty from morning till evening without any complaint

Thali served to fellow cops

an cannot leave their place and go anywhere.

In such a situation, they have to work hungry & thirsty for the whole day.

That’s why he had thought that at least this time during the elections, no police personnel posted in his area will face any problem with food and water.

Hathras: Bharatiya Janta Party Yuva Morcha (BJYM) district general secretary was shot at his residence in Gausganj colony under Sikandaramau town here. Police sources said that Krishna Yadav, general secretary BJMU was shot dead at his residence & was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to injuries. Police said further investigations are underway.

Voters return dejected as names go missing

ALLD HC STAYS DEMOLITION OF

Sumit Awasthi

Prayagraj: In an urgent hearing, on Sunday, the Allahabad High court stayed the demolition of a homeopathic clinic and restaurant, till the next date of hearing, which was going to be demolished by the Prayagraj Development Authority while removing all the bottlenecks leading to various colonies on Kanpur road and construction of a dedicated corridor for the prayagraj airport. The court had also directed authorities concerned to show in what manner the encroachment has been made by the petitioners which require demolition by the next date of hearing which is fixed as February 24. The

Kanpur: In the third phase of voting, voters exercised their votes, but due to chaos and discrepancies in names on the voter list, hundreds of people could not cast their votes.

Till 6 pm, the decision of the political fate of 93 candidates in the fray in ten assembly seats, was sealed in the EVM. By the time of filing this news, about 55 percent was the voters turnout in the city and rural together.

In many places, even after 6 pm, the voters in the queue were giv-

Kakadev Kanpur Public Inter College MP Satyadev Pachauri after casting his vote.

Cong candidate and nat’l secy Ajay Kapoor, after casting his vote in Kidwai Nagar Assembly

Kanpur Police Commissioner Vijay Singh Meena and District Officer Neha Sharma

Minister of State for Higher Edu & BJP candidate Neelima Katiyar at Kalyanpur Assembly

en a chance to cast their votes. Due to disputes at dozens places, hundreds of women and youths at the polling booths with their Voter ID cards and

Aadhaar in their mobiles had to return.

At the same time, there were hundreds of people whose name was not found on the voter list despite hav-

ing their voter ID card, due to which they could not cast their vote.

Further angered by the insistence of taking off the veil while going

to the booth, the Muslim women refused to cast their vote which lead to ruckus but the matter was later pacified.

The woman could

not be identified but the video went viral. It is alleged that when asked to remove the veil of the woman, the latter removed the veil from the face and got her face matched with the ID but despite this, she was asked to remove the entire veil, which led to an argument.

As soon as the video went viral, the police administration swung into action mode. ACP Tripurari Pandey said that nothing like this had happened in the polling station and if anything happened outside then he was not aware of it.

CLINIC, RESTAURANT BY CIVIC BODY bench comprising justice Pritinker Diwaker and justice Ashutosh Srivastava passed the order on a petition filed by Rakesh Gupta and two others.

Petitioners were in possession of the plot and homeopathy clinic and restaurant for the last 100 years and their property was also allotted a house number and was also assessed for the taxes by the Nagar Nigam. According to the petitioner, the high court in public interest litigation filed in 2019 directed for removal of all the encroachments leading to various colonies on Kanpur Road and in the way of a proposed dedicated corridor for the Prayagraj Airport.

Family keeps us rooted, like branches we spread out reaching to the sky, but remain one at the roots.

2ND FRONT

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

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

WORLD

COVID-19

UPDATE

LUCKNOW | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

424,352,949 TOTAL CASES

INDIA

5,903,460 349,562,801 68,886,688 TOTAL DEATHS

TOTAL RECOVERED

ACTIVE CASES

UP ELECTION 2022

AKHILESH YADAV: BJP GOING TO BE ELIMINATED First India Bureau

Etawah: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday slammed the BJP govt over the deteriorating law and order situation in UP. After casting his vote at a polling booth in Saifai, the SP chief, citing the incident where a woman constable was kidnapped and found dead in the drain, alleged that women were most unsafe in UP.

‘‘Farmers of Uttar Pradesh won’t forgive them’’, said Yadav.

“A businessman’s son was kidnapped in Agra and killed days later. Was the UP CM sleeping? Will he be able to fix responsibility and punish the culprit? He could not even join the expressway in Gorakhpur. Baba CM does not want to do or see any good,” said Akhilesh, targetting Yogi Adityanath. Yadav further slammed Yogi for sharing fake pictures for showing development in the

MAYAWATI’S ‘NO JOBS’ ATTACK ON BJP

PHOTOS BY SUMIT KUMAR Samajwadi Party National President Akhilesh Yadav along with Dimple Yadav, Shivpal Singh Yadav, Ramgopal Yadav and other family members cast there vote in Saifai on Sunday .

state. ”The strictest action should be taken against any terrorist.

Making allegations by BJP before elections, BJP runs on strategy.

Baba Chief Minister had come to Etawah, he had shown a fake picture. When the development was to show in UP, who brought it by stealing China’s photo,” the SP chief said after voting in Jaswantnagar. ”BJP going to be eliminated. Farmers of Uttar Pradesh won’t forgive them. We have hit a century in the first two phases and even in this phase SP and alliance would be ahead of everyone else,” said Yadav.

‘‘BABA BULLDOZER’ WILL BE GONE, JUST LIKE FARM LAWS WITHDRAWN’ After Amid the ongoing polling for the third phase of the UP assembly polls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a jibe at incumbent CM Yogi on Saturday by calling him “Baba Bulldozer” and said that “Baba” will lose election just like contentious farm laws were withdrawn. “BJP leaders are now learning abcd, I want to tell them, “agar Kaka chale gaye toh Baba bhi chale jaenge” (if black farm laws were taken back, CM Yogi will also go back),” said Yadav while addressing a rally in Rudauli of Ayodhya district. Akhilesh further said, “He (Yogi Adityanath) changed the name of everything. Till now we were calling him “Baba CM” but today one of the reputed English newspapers called him “Baba Bulldozer”. I have not kept this name, this name was kept by a reputed English newspaper.

“Bulldozer” is a reference to the action taken by the Yogi govt to vacate illegally occupied land.

—ANI

—ANI

INSISTENT

First India Bureau New Delhi: As the third phase of polling in UP was underway, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati urged the people to vote out the ruling party for giving false promises of providing them employment.

In a series of Tweets, BSP chief said that to get rid of all kinds of false promises of the BJP, it is necessary that the ruling party should be changed. In another tweet, she said, “ruling party’s wrong policies which made the poor people more poorer, should not be trusted anymore and that BSP should be trusted.”

Mayawati added, “the biggest failure of the BJP is not being able to provide employment to the people In fact, the opportunities that were there were also snatched away”. —ANI

08

Samajwadi Party candidate from Sarojini Nagar, Prof Abhishek Mishra, submitted another complaint on Sunday to the Chief Electoral Officer to demand the removal of IG, Lucknow Range, Laxmi Singh, who is the wife of Mishra’s rival in the Sarojini Nagar seat, BJP’s Rajeshwar Singh.

42,822,473

511,935

42,086,383

224,155

TOTAL CASES

TOTAL DEATHS

TOTAL RECOVERED

ACTIVE CASES

Mulayam comes in wheelchair to vote for brother Shivpal Yadav First India Bureau Etawah: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday casts his vote in Jaswantnagar, Saifai during the third phase of the assembly elections.

The SP leader was seen arriving at the polling booth in a wheelchair owing to his poor health.

Among the key constituencies where polling began today include Karhal where former chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is contesting his maid-

SP WILL WIN OVER 300 SEATS: SHIVPAL

First India Bureau Etawah: Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) Shivpal Singh Yadav and the younger brother of Samajwadi Party (SP) patron Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday that the Samajwadi Party-led alliance will win over 300 seats in election. “I am confident we will witness big victory in this election.

I think that our alliance (Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) & Samajwadi Party) will get around 300 seats,” Shivpal Singh Yadav said. The PSP leader added that his nephew Akhilesh Yadav will be sworn in as chief minister of the state. He said that the Samajwadi Party and its allies will form a government with an overwhelming majority.

Yadav’s party, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP) is an ally of the Samajwadi Party in the elections.

—ANI

Mulayam Singh blesses his younger brother Shivpal whose seat Jaswant Nagar went to polls on Sunday.

en Assembly election.

The BJP has pitted Union Minister of State in the Ministry of

Law and Justice Satya Pal Singh Baghel against Akhilesh Yadav. Voting for the third

Mulayam Singh arrived on wheelchair to cast his vote

phase of Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh was held on Sunday.

—ANI

SP WILL REACH MAJORITY MARK BY 4TH PHASE, CLAIMS RAM GOPAL YADAV First India Bureau Etawah: Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Sunday cast his vote in Etawah’s Jaswant Nagar in the third phase of Assembly polls in UP and claimed that the party will cross 150 mark at the end of 3 phase of polls.

Speaking to the reporters after casting his vote, Yadav said, “We will attain the majority number by the fourth phase of Assembly elections.

Ram Gopal Yadav

Seats won in the remaining phases of the election will be surplus. We are winning more than 100 seats in the first two phases of the polls.

We will cross 150 af-

ter the third phase.”

The SP leader further said that party chief Akhilesh Yadav who is contesting from Karhal that votes today, will win a one-sided election in the constituency.

Taking a dig at Yogi, Yadav said that Yogi knows that he is getting only 20 per cent votes while the Samajwadi Party is getting 80 per cent votes. Time has come to end the rule of Yogi Adityanath,” he said.

—ANI

‘PEOPLE WILL VOTE THOSE WHO PROVIDE FACILITIES’

MYTH OF ‘YADAVLAND’ WILL BREAK: BAGHEL

Etawah: Samajwadi Party MP Tej Pratap Yadav on Sunday said that the people of UP will vote for those who provide basic amenities and employment and work.

Yadav, who is the younger brother of former CM Akhilesh Yadav, said, “People of Tej Pratap Yadav this state will vote for those who provide them basic amenities, employment and work for the welfare of farmers.” He further said, “Akhilesh Yadav, who is contesting from Karhal seat which comes under Mainpuri district, will win the election with a huge margin. Etawah and Mainpuri districts are SP’s stronghold and we will retain our fort.”

—ANI

Mainpuri: BJP leader SP Singh Baghel, who is contesting against Akhilesh Yadav from Karhal seat in Mainpuri, said that the myth of Mainpuri being a ‘Yadavland’ will break during the assembly polls in the state. He was in Mainpuri offering prayers at a temple amid SP Singh Baghel the third phase of elections in the state. “The myth of Mainpuri being a ‘Yadavland’ will definitely break,” said Baghel.

Baghel said that referring to Mainpuri as a ‘Yadavland’ is disrespectful towards communities of Brahmins, Rathores, Darji, Sunnar, Diwakars etc. With a strong Yadav population, Karhal has for 3 decades been an SP fortress.

—ANI

VOTING SEASON

Priyanka Gandhi’s day two of hectic campaigning in Rae Bareli 

PGV also held roadshow in Jagatpur, Babu Ganj, Unchahar, Gadaganj, Gaur, and Maharajganj before moving on to Unnao to campaign

First India Bureau Lucknow: On the second day of two-day campaigning in Raibareli, the AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday reached out to the people to vote for the party.

She was accompanied by the Chhatisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel at a rally in Bachrawan. Raibareli is Lok Sabha constitu-

ency of AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

Addressing the rally Priyanka Gandhi said the BJP had suffered major reserves during the last three phases and the people were determined to ensure the defeat of the BJP in the state.

Referring to farmers problems, Priyanka Gandhi said that around 700 farmers were killed during yearlong agitation on Delhi

ICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi while waving hands during campaign for elections in Raebareli on Sunday.

and the BJP govt remained mute spectator

to their sufferings. She said the Yogi govt was

extremely insensitive to the farmers issues.

Calling upon the people to be careful in their voting in Rai Bareli which goes to poll to on Feb 23 in fourth phase, Priyanka tried to connect the people with late Indira Gandhi and late Rajiv Gandhi who represented Rai Bareli and adjoining Amethi constituencies respectively for a long time. She said Gandhi-Nehru family

was always concerned with the problems of farmers and poor people. She said the BJP was simply concerned with religion and castes to contest the elections.

Gandhi said while the govt had failed to ensure the sugarcane dues of farmers, the NDA govt was only interested in selling the public sector organization and purchasing aero plane for the Modi.

—ANI

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

09

LUCKNOW, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

(L-R) Bai sa, Farah Ansari, Akanksha Bhalla, Shivani Soni, Ayush Soni, Ankur Jain, Poonam Madan, Gaurav Gaur, Karan Vig, Ajeet Soni, Dhirendra Raghav and Virendra Singh

Jagdeesh Chandra and Gaurav Gaur

Jagdeesh Chandra and Aarna Vishvkarma

JAIPUR COUTURE SHOW 2022!

EXQUISITE ENSEMBLES The grand poster launch ceremony of Jaipur Couture Show Season 10 was held at U-Club, Jaipur on Saturday. The star-studded event will be held from April 6 to 8 at The Palace, Jaipur!

MITALI DUSAD

mitalidusad01@gmail.com

C

JD Maheshwari

Couture Show has served as a forum for fashion, jewellery, and accessories d e s i g n e r s, as well as models. This year, various fresh and wellknown designers will also display their craftsmanship and craftsmanship and we’re beyond excited to hold this.”

At the same time, like in previous years, a gathering of Bollywood and television superstars will be visible on the Couture show’s stage. Prince Narula and Yuvika Chaudhary of Roadies and Bigg Boss fame will spend four months on the ramp. Shiney Ahuja, of Metro, Bhool Bhuliya, and Welcome Back fame, will also be seen doing a runway walk in designer clothes. The three-day event will have 16 sequences with 4-5 celebs serving as show stoppers. Khizar Hussain and Karan Wig, two acclaimed artists, will choreograph the show.

The season will definitely provide an artistic symphony of fine craftsmanship and finesse to cherish one’s special moments.

Aarna Vishvkarma, Akanksha Bhalla, Jyoti Saini, Srishti Khatri, Megha Shyam, Nupur Jhankal and Divisha Paliwal

—PHOTOS BY MUKESH KIRADOO

elebrating the transition of grand weddings to more intimate nuptials, the Jaipur Couture Show 2022 revisits the traditional techniques synonymous with the vision to refashion and recreate veritable pieces of art with a new commitment to drapes & silhouettes which are luxurious yet light. Straddling the present and tradition rooted in Indian heritage, each designer’s creation exemplifies the guiding philosophy—“all that we were and more”, combining historical opulence with modern chic.

The Pink City’s fashion and beauty extravaganza, ‘Jaipur Couture Show,’ is back for its tenth season. The three-day fashion festival is set to take place on April 6, 7 and 8 at The Palace, Jaipur. The event will bring together a medley of

fashion designers showcasing their vivacious and latest collections. The poster unveiling ceremony was held at the U Club on Saturday.

Gaurav Gaur, director Elite Miss Rajasthan along with various dignitaries like patron JD Maheshwari, Nakul Vijay, Ankur Jain, Virendra Singh, Yasheel Pandel, Ajit Soni and supermodels Akanskha Bhalla, Astha Khandelwal, Vasudha Tiwari, Muskaan Kamdar among others graced the occasion.

Rajasthan, according to Gaurav Gaur, is evolving quite quickly in the realm of fashion today. He said, “For the past ten years, the Jaipur

ETC 10-11

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

LUCKNOW | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

—PHOTOS BY SANTOSH SHARMA & MUKESH KIRADOO

Scintillating Evening!

Jagdeesh Chandra and the First India family with the winners. (L-R) Mitali Dusad, Anita Hada, Kavita Chauhan, Angela Kumar, Sanskriti Sharma, Aarna Vishvkarna, Sanskriti Negi, Khushi Verma, Ashok Singh and Shaan

Jagdeesh Chandra with Manju Sharma and Rishee Miglani

Vinay, Maria, Parul, Minal, Nupur, Dushyant and Rajiv

Anjula and Mohit Falod with Arti Dubey, Poonam Madan and Dr Bhavna

Mandakini, Usha Punia, Vishaal Mathur, Meera Kataria and Hemant ambwani

Indu, Gunjan, Rajat Sharma and Vineet

Tusharika, Jagdeep, Vishaal and Gagan

Anshuman Bhomia and Dhirendra Raghav

Richa and Vishal Jhalani

Usha Punia, Meera Kataria and Rimmi Shekhawat

Deepak and Anjali Gupta

Anjana and Kewal Miglani with Akansha and Preeti Bakshi

Gaurav and Swaroop Bhati

Shalini and Farha Ansari

Parul amd Dushyant Beel

Aaysha and Pradeep

Rohit, Ankit, Shivani and Payal

Ayush, Purva and Piyush

Nikhil Anand and Timsy Sikri. Also seen are Ashok Singh and Mitali Dusad

Ayan and Simran

Pankaj and Reema Kothari

Pooja Karwasra, Shruti Pareek, Bahaar, Kalpana Yadav, Priya Vinod Singh, Muskan Moolchandani, Nivedita Dhariwal, Dayana Jayanath and Tripti Arora

Amisha and Bharat

Queen of Cosmos India, held on Hotel Fairmont on Friday is still grabbing all the attention. City First brings to you some more glimpses of the glamorous evening. Brand Ambassador Rishee Miglani and Show Director Lokesh Sharma along with the First India team paid immense gratitude to the team including the sponsors and partners in the Queen of Cosmos International Beauty Pageant!

CITY

STAY MASKED

GET VACCINATED

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

BUZZ

LUCKNOW | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

MY VOICE IS MY BIGGEST OUTLET RAINU SINGH

T

Rainu Singh

he very idea of writing about myself cuts against my grain due to my natural reticence!!

Yet, the programme I have anchored for the past thirteen years, starting on the cold & windy first Sunday of February 2009, compels me to write and do justice to its popularity, longevity, and a huge impact on my life.

Throughout my journey, there was an invisible Anchor in Jagdeesh Chandra. Without his unassuming guidance,

Jagdeesh Chandra cuts the cake with Rainu Singh and Chief editor, First India News Sudhanshu Mathur.

Also seen are Shweta Mishra and Ayushi Vijayvargiya

without his subtle nudges, my ship would have faced rough weather. No words can credit this debt I owe my Mentor.

For me to be sitting in front of the TV Studio spotlights and anchoring was not even a dream at one time!

Nervously, I wrote the

first script and faced the lights and the whirring cameras. Mercifully, the glare of the lights settled my nerves as it hid the world around me. That was the first step, and I never imagined it would become a journey of 4000-episodes piercing through my very being.

Jagdeesh Chandra with Iqbal, Rainu Singh, Shriyendra, Sudhanshu Mathur, Hemant Sharma, Aslam and Shabnam

My introversion has always prevented me from expressing my deepest emotions. It was causing a growing pressure inside.

But as I found expression in front of those lights and cameras, a strange kind of catharsis took place. My voice became my biggest outlet as I wove my

scripts around thousands of songs. Just as those songs were expressions of multiple emotions by poets and lyricists, so were the words I spoke from my scripts. I started to communicate with an unknown audience, and as the compliments started to flow back, I knew I had struck

12

the right chord in this Musical show. This role of an Anchor became MY ANCHOR! This programme that I have Anchored for the last 13 years, without a break, has endeared me to millions of unknown smiles, tears and cheer!!

Because this fact deserves to be brought to light, I have to state in all humility that this show of pre-1980 songs has been the longest-running show under the SAME ANCHOR!! I pray that the love of my viewers will continue to be a cohesive source of support & stability for me and remain MY ANCHOR!!

If I was in an emotional solitude before the show, I am now in a secure and solitary place far ahead of the pack!!

Casting Vote, Responsibly!

‘LUCKNOW VOTES’, A CAMPAIGN ORGANIZED

BY THE CII & THE YOUNG INDIANS LUCKNOW CHAPTER TO CREATE AWARENESS ABOUT THE NEED TO CAST A VOTE. MONICA PRABHAKAR cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

‘THE STARS IN MY SKY' Jagdeesh Chandra with (L-R) Rishee Miglani, Jagdeep Singh, MLA Rafiq Khan, Bina Kak, Divya Dutta, Usha Punia and Vishaal Mathur

MITALI DUSAD

mitalidusad01@gmail.com

A

book session was organised

by Mathuradas Mathur Charitable Trust at Chirmi Palace.

Divya Dutta was in conversation with Jagdeep Singh. The well-known actor, Divya Dutta, was in Jaipur on Sunday for the launch of her new book ‘The Stars in My Sky’.

Jagdeesh Chandra graced the occasion as the chief guest.

MLA Rafiq Khan, Former Tourism Ministers, Bina Kak and Usha Punia, Gauravi Kumari, Narendra Singh, and Secretary, Science and Technology, Mugdha Sinha graced the occasion as special guests.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Jagdeep Singh in conversation with Divya Dutta

Narendra Singh and Gauravi Kumari

Dutta on the occasion said that even as an unknown Ludhiana girl, who had come to Mumbai with no connections, has made a mark for herself with the assistance of several personas like Amitabh Bachhan, Shahrukh Khan, Yash Chopra, Salman Khan,

Jagdeesh Chandra greeted Divya Dutta with a bouquet

Shabana Azmi, among others. She said that they facilitated her success time and time again in the Mumbai film world. However, she also underlined the role played by her mother in first letting her come to Mumbai to try her hand in films and thereafter

supporting her at every step.

Divya spoke in detail about her films like Veer Zara, Dilli 6, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Welcome to Sajjanpur, among others. She narrated various anecdotes from her films. She also highlighted her being selected in

HEART TO HEART! ‘#CoffeewithVC’ series saw the third interaction between the students this time representing the Faculty of Law giving them an open heart to heart dialogue with Prof.

Alok Kumar Rai, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lucknow. This innovative practice initiated by Prof.

Rai and organised by the Dean Student Welfare enriches feedback mechanisms in the system and has immense potential to contribute to institution building.

UPGRADING EDUCATION SYSTEM!

The birthday of IAS Maneesh Chauhan and IAS Mohammad Iftikharuddin was on Sunday, February 20. We wish them all the best!

a talent hunt by the Stardust Academy which gave her a break into films. She also recited a poem she wrote recently on Covid-19 as well as a poem by Amrita Pritam written for her lover, Imroze. She later signed copies of the books for the audience.

Children belonging to economically weaker sections will be able to apply for admissions in private schools to the extent of 25% of the total capacity for the academic session 2022-23 under the Right to Education (RTE) Act from March 2.

A

s the political wind is in uproar in Uttar Pradesh, the statewide population is preparing to exercise their biggest electoral right to choose an ideal government.

To better understand the importance of casting the vote on February 23, 2022, ‘Lucknow Votes’, a campaign organized by the CII & the Young Indians Lucknow Chapter to create awareness about the need to cast a vote.

The event took place on the evening of February 19 in the presence of Jyotsna Singh Agarwal, Chair, YI Lucknow Chapter & Director, Rishi Agarwal, Vice Chairman, YI Lucknow Chapter & Managing Director, Techno Medicals India and Gaurav Prakash, Founder Chair, YI Lucknow among other prominent industry members, academia and media. The seminar was then followed by a book launch of ‘Lucknow to Lutyens’, written by Abhigyan Prakash, Senior Executive Consultant and National Affairs Expert, ABP News.

Speaking at the event about the importance of voting, Jyotsna Singh Agarwal, Chair, YI Lucknow Chapter & Director, CP Group of Schools said, “change needs to be encouraged at the grassroots level and it is heartening to see how the administration is engaging to educate and motivate the people of Uttar Pradesh to exercise their voting rights.” Rishi Agarwal, Vice Chairman, YI Lucknow Chapter & Managing Director, Techno Medicals India echoed the same sentiments and said, “As citizens, we are fully responsible for the government that comes into power and each person must exercise their right to

News Director, TV9 Hemant Sharma with Gaurav Prakash

Varun Tiwari with Gaurav Prakash and Abhigyan Prakash

Gaurav Prakash and Manjula Goswani

Alok Shukla, Joshna Singh Agarwal, Gaurav Prakash, Abhigyan Prakash, Sudhir Mishra and Rishi Agarwal

Abhigyan Prakash addressing the audience

vote.” The event concluded with a round table conference about the major points of the book and a brief

speech by the writer Abhigyan Prakash about ‘Lucknow to Lutyens’.

—PHOTOS BY ASHOK DUTTA