First India-Ahmedabad Edition-05 December 2020

AHMEDABAD l SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 2 l Issue No. 11

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JAVADEKAR ASKS DELHI GOVT TO TAKE SWIFT ACTION ON THE COMPLAINTS FORWARDED BY POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, AHMEDABAD & LUCKNOW

BJP PRESIDENT JP NADDA LAUNCHED HIS 120-DAY NATIONWIDE TOUR ON FRIDAY BY VISITING UTTARAKHAND

16°C - 34°C

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HYDERABAD CIVIC POLLS VERDICT

COUNTDOWN BEGINS

PM MODI: COVID VACCINE MAY BE READY IN FEW WEEKS

Vaccination prog would begin as soon as a go-ahead from scientists is given New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India’s vaccination programme against COVID-19 would begin as soon as a go-ahead from scientists is given, and asserted that healthcare workers involved in treating coronavirus patients, frontline workers and old people suffering from serious conditions would be inoculated on priority.

In his closing remarks at an all-party meeting with leaders of various political parties to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country, Modi said experts believe the wait for the COVID-19 vaccine will not be long and it may be ready in a few weeks.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs an all-party meeting to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country, via video conferencing, in New Delhi on Friday.

—PHOTO BY PTI

FIRST TO 1 CRORE HEALTH WORKERS We must make sure rumours are not spread during vaccination. all political parties must make sure that we save all Indians from such rumours and spread awareness —Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

COVID-19 vaccine will be first given to about one crore health workers from both the public and private sectors, and then to about two crore frontline workers, the Union Health Ministry said in its presentation at the all-party meet on Friday, said government during the all-party meeting on Friday.

Trudeau’s ‘farmers’ remark: India

summons Canadian high commissioner Statement could have ‘damaging impact on bilateral ties’, conveys India New Delhi: India on Friday summoned the Canadian High Commissioner and conveyed to him that the comments made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and some other leaders there on the farmers’ agitation constituted an “unacceptable interference” in the country’s internal affairs.

The Canadian diplomat was also told that such actions, if continued, would have a “seriously damaging” im-

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau

pact on the bilateral ties, the external affairs ministry said.

Trudeau, backing the agitating farmers in India, had said that Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protests, and expressed concern over the situation.

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“The Canadian High Commissioner was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs today and informed that comments by the Canadian Prime Minister, some Cabinet Ministers and members of Parliament on issues relating to Indian farmers constitute an unacceptable interference in our internal affairs,” the MEA said, adding a demarche was made to the envoy.

The MEA said these comments by the Canadian leaders have encouraged “gatherings of extremist activities” in front of the Indian High Commission and Consulates in Canada, raising issues of safety and security. Turn to P6

AZAD: PANDEMICS THREAT TO COUNTRY’S INTERNAL SECURITY COVID-like pandemics can pose a threat to the country’s internal security and policy makers should address this challenge, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Friday. Addressing the all-party meeting, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha also said that the country should be well placed to get vaccines at affordable prices and at an early stage.

Vijay Mallya’s assets in France worth 1.6 mn euros seized

New Delhi: Fugitive billionaire Vijay Mallya’s assets in France worth 1.6 million euros have been seized by the Enforcement Directorate, the probe agency said in a statement on Friday. “On the request of Directorate of Enforcement (ED), a property of Vijay Mallya located at 32 Avenue FOCH, France has been seized by the French Authority. Investigations revealed that a large amount was remitted abroad from the bank account of Kingfisher Airlines Ltd,” the ED said.

KCR LOSES TO SHAH & YOGI!

BJP MAKES KCR AIMIM-BJP ENGAGE IN DEPENDENT ON NECK-AND-NECK FIGHT IN OWAISI, YET AGAIN HIGHLY POLARISED BATTLE Hyderabad: The BJP’s great push in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls has paid off partially for the party that is eyeing the Telangana Assembly election due in 2023. The BJP has ended the single-party dominance of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in the GHMC, thanks to highpitched campaign by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and BJP National President JP Nadda.

Shah hailed the BJP’s impressive performance in the GHMC elections in Hyderabad.

Taking to Twitter, he expressed gratitude to the voters who ‘reposed faith in PM Modi-led BJP’s Politics of Development.’

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Amit Shah

K Chandrasekhar Rao Yogi Adityanath

2020

2016

TRS

55

TRS

99

BJP

48

BJP

04

AIMIM

44

AIMIM

44

Congress

02

Congress

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MORAL VICTORY, PARTY ONLY ALTERNATIVE TO RULING TRS IN TELANGANA, SAYS BJP New Delhi: BJP’s performance in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls is a “moral victory” for the party and it has emerged as the “only alternative” to the ruling TRS in Telangana, its general secretary Bhupender Yadav said on Friday.The BJP’s performance has confirmed the trend that it is replacing the Congress as the main challenger to the TRS, Yadav said.

“Block all roads to Delhi”, say farmers as they call for ‘All-India Bandh’ On Dec 8 New Delhi: Hardening their position ahead of the fifth round of talks with the government, agitating farmers on Friday announced a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on December 8 and said they would occupy toll plazas on that day.

Addressing a press conference, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chadoni said if the Centre does not accept their demands during Saturday’s talks, they will intensify their agitation against the new farm laws.

“In our meeting today, we have decided to give a ‘Bharat Bandh’ call on December 8 during which we will also occupy Turn to P6

SIKH BODY DEMANDS KANGANA’S APOLOGY

Farmers during Delhi Chalo protest against new farm law, at Delhi-Haryana Singhu border, in New Delhi.

Mumbai: It was Kangana Ranaut versus not just Diljit Dosanjh but several other Punjabi artistes as well as the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee on Friday with the actor’s comments against an elderly participant in farmers’ protest leading to a bitter war of words and demands for an apology. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee President Maninder Sirsa said Ranaut’s tweets tried to portray farmers protest as “anti-national” and were derogatory against the aged mother of a farmer.

Khedawala demands privilege motion against ACS Gupta The Jamalpur MLA wrote a letter to the Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi, making the request First India Bureau Ahmedabad: In a letter to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi, Jamalpur MLA Imran Khedawala has asked that he pass a privilege motion against Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Rajiv Gupta.

The people’s representative requested

the speaker to take action against the officer on special duty under assembly rule 249.

The reason for Khedawala’s move can be attributed to a series of events that happened last month.

When the MLA asked Gupta for data on the COVID-19 pandemic using social media platform Twitter, he did not receive any response

MLA Imran Khedawala

from the ACS, who even blocked him.

Taking offence at

ACS Rajiv Gupta

that, Khedawala said, “This is the move of an officer who is sup-

posed to share information with people’s representatives and

the public whenever called upon.”

“He (ACS Gupta) has

denied all claims of the media regarding ‘data management’, terming them false or fake news. I was not given information when I used an open platform like Twitter but got blocked. There is no transparency or accountability among officers, and Gupta is one of them,” asserted the Jamalpur MLA. In his letter to the speaker, Khedawala also highlighted the hardships being faced by citizens to receive treatment for COVID-19. “Hospitals have waiting lists and patients are unable to get admitted for med-

ical care. People are not even being granted a dignified final journey on their death,” he stated.

“The appointed officer on special duty never receives calls from people or responds to messages.

When I tried to draw his attention to the issues being faced by the people using another platform, he blocked that communication medium. I do not need to get any personal work done, but as a people’s representative, I have a special responsibility to take care of the people,” mentioned the letter.

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AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020

AHMEDABAD

—PHOTOS BY HANIF SINDHI

KISAN SUPPORTERS FACE THE IRE OF POLICE Standing in solidarity with the ongoing protests near Delhi, several farmers took to the streets and joined the agitation across the state on Friday First India Bureau Ahmedabad: With the call for rollback of the recently passed farming laws, thousands of farmers have blocked highways in protest.

Camped there in the northern cold with food and other essential supplies, the farmers portray a picture of defiance against the Centre.

Extending their support to the ongoing farmer protests near the national capital, several agricultural workers gathered at different locations across the state on Friday.

Farmers and their supporters were detained by police in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bardoli, Bhuj, Rajkot, Junagadh, Modasa, Navsari and Surat.

The state unit of the Congress party also announced that it would organize gatherings across the state on Friday, in support of the farmers.

In Ahmedabad, members of the party were set to gather at the Gandhi Ashram, but before protestors could even make their way to the Ashram for the demonstration, city police detained the 10 people who reached the venue, within minutes.

A convoy of police officers was pelted with

stones by protestors near the Collectorate and at other places in Ahmedabad, when rumours started circulating that large numbers of workers were planning to descend on the city, as soon as Congress announced its support for the farmers’ movement. The ‘activists’ were detained by police.

In Patan to oppose the ‘anti-farmers laws’, Gujarat Assembly Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani along with his supporters submitted a memorandum to the District Collector Supreet Singh Gulati.

Expressing their dissent for the new farming laws, members of the Navsari district Congress gathered at the collector’s office and chanted anti-government slogans Around 35 people, including Vansda MLA Anant Patel, were detained.

The Congress party and members of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh presented an application letter to the Rajkot District Collector Remya Mohan seeking the resolution of farmers’ issues with immediate effect. A total of 12 people were detained in Rajkot by Crime Branch police officials.

RAJKOT

JUNAGADH

MODASA

UNA

BHUJ

VADODARA

DUE PROCESS

Govt constitutes vaccination taskforce in every district & city To allow RT-PCR testing in private labs without doctor’s prescription First India Bureau Gandhinagar: With the state ready administer COVID-19 vaccine the government has formed a taskforce in every district and city, to ensure that the vaccination is conducted smoothly. Moreover, the norms for undergoing RT-PCR test were also relaxed by the state on Friday. Now, citizens will not be re-

quired to produce a doctor’s prescription to undergo the test.

State Chief Secretary Anil Mukim reviewed the preparations for state-wide vaccination at a steering committee meeting on Friday. The state plans to store vaccines at a zonal level in six stores and 41 stores at district and city level.

Around 2,189 cold chains will be kept

ready for the transportation of the nCoV vaccine to the remotest places in the state.

In accordance with the guidelines of the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), the first phase of vaccination will be conducted on 3.96 lakh medical and paramedical professionals across the state. This will include government employees and

staffers employed at privately-run hospitals.

Earlier in the day, the state government also announced that if a person wishes to get tested for novel coronavirus, they will not be asked to present a doctor’s prescription for an RT-PCR test. Previously, it had been mandatory for private laboratories to request a doctor’s prescription

from potential patients to perform the test.

Ahmedabad Medical Association had represented before the state that the stipulation would not be viable as a few towns specifically in rural areas did not have doctors with specialization degrees.

It was then that the government agreed that a prescription from a doctor with an MBBS degree would

suffice for an RT-PCR test. But now, the stipulation itself has been removed from enforcement.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will lay down the foundation stone for the Tapi-Karjan pipeline today. The project, which cost the state Rs711 crore, will supply water to over 71 villages from the Tapi basin to Central Gujarat.

Gujarat Chief Secretary Anil Mukim

GUJARAT AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020

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Man kills cousin, injures his wife and daughter in Naswadi The deceased, Meraman Pithia, was principal of Linda School in the Chhota Udepur town First India Bureau Vadodara: A school principal in Chhota Udepur’s Naswadi town was killed by his cousin, who also injured the deceased’s wife and daughter, for reasons that are as yet unknown. The police have launched an investigation, and say the accused is absconding.

According to the police, Meraman Pithia, the principal of Linda School, lived with his family in Ramdevnagar area, just across the road from his cousin Bharat Pithia.

On Friday morning, Bharat is said to have barged into Meraman’s house wielding a big knife, and proceed to assault and stab the latter. When Meraman’s wife and daughter tried to intervene, Bharat turned his focus on

CHAIN OF EVENTS

Police have begun an investigation.

them. However, he soon fled.

Meraman’s wife and daughter informed the police and then called for an ambulance. The attending paramedics found that Meraman had died on the spot, but rushed the wife and daughter to the local Commu-

nity Health Centre for treatment.

Deputy Superintendent of Police AV Katkad told the media that it is too early to give the motive behind the attack. “The police can share such details only after the accused is arrested and his statement is recorded.

The deceased was stabbed in the throat, chest and the head.

The injuries left him bleeding profusely, which could have caused his death,” he said.

He added that the body has been sent for a postmortem, and that police teams have

been formed and dispatched in order to catch the accused.

I n t e r e s t i n g l y, Bharat Pithia is slated to be married on December 09, in his native village of Selra in Junagadh’s of Vanthali Taluka.

Police has recovered the knife used in the assault.

Guj murderer shot dead in encounter in Ratlam First India Bureau Dahod/Ratlam: A Dahod man wanted for multiple murders was shot dead in an encounter with the Madhya Pradesh police in Ratlam in the early hours of Friday morning. Five personnel of the MP team were also injured in the incident, but are now stable.

Gaurav Tiwari, Ratlam Superintendent of Police, told the media “A special Investigation Team (SIT) of police got information on Thursday evening that Dilip Dewal was seen near Khachrod square of the city. When police cordoned off the area and tried to nab him, he ran towards an agricultural farm. Police personnel warned him but he started firing. So, the police returned fire.”

After the gun battle, which lasted for a few minutes, the police team inspected the field and found that Dewal had been hit and was unconscious. He was rushed to a district hospital where doctors de-

No respite in sight as state adds 1.5K cases

CRIMINAL HAD TWO AADHAR CARDS

clared him brought dead, said the SP. Two sub-inspectors— Ayub Khan and Anurag Yadav—and three constables sustained injuries in the incident. “All five police personnel have been admitted to the district hospital, where they are being treated,” said the SP without disclosing the nature of the injuries.

Dewal (38), a native of Kharedi village in Dahod district, had been convicted for the

BRAVING THE COLD

First India Bureau Gandhinagar: Gujarat continues to remain firmly in the grip of the novel coronavirus with another day where more than 1,500 new cases of COVID-19 emerging across the state.

According to the daily bulletin issued by the state government’s health department, Friday brought 1,510 new cases and 16 new fatalities, taking the total tally and death toll to 2,15,819 cases and 4,049, respectively, since March.

The spread does not seem to show any signs of slowing, with doctors in Ahmedabad estimating that more than three lakh people in the city have come in contact with COVID-19 positive patients so far.

Similarly, owing to an increase in the number of cases, Patan collector Suprit Gulati has once again banned Shradd rituals at the

They may or may not be wearing masks to protect themselves against the COVID-19, but these women certainly seem to be doing their best to stay warm as they ride across Ahmedabad’s Ellis Bridge on Friday.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI A medic takes a swab sample from a policeman in Ahmedabad’s Chandlodia on Friday. Joint commissioner of police Ajay Chaudhary has said that at least 100 cops have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last three days.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

1,510 cases, 16 fatalities take state tally to 2,15,819 cases, toll to 4,049 riverbank in Siddhapur.

The ban was originally announced a week ago, but was later lifted for a brief time. It has been imposed again after crowds began to throng the spot.

Ahmedabad topped the district-wise listing of worst-hit cases, with

324 new cases emerging on Friday. Surat followed with 248 new cases in a 24-hour span.

Cases also emerged in Vadodara (174), Rajkot (143), Gandhinagar (73), Mehsana (64), Banaskantha (46), and Patan (36) among other districts.

At present, there are a total of 14,778 active cases across the state, the health department bulletin said. It added that 92 people are currently on ventilator support.

Zaverchand Meghani’s son dies at age of 82 First India Bureau Bhavnagar: Jayantbhai Meghani, the son of Gujarati author, poet and freedom fighter Zaverchand Meghani died aged 82, in Bhavnagar on Friday. He is known for books such as ‘The Story of Gadhi’, ‘Anukriti’, ‘Ravindra Putravadhu’.

Jayantbhai had been working on his computer when he died. His body was not cremated

Jayantbhai Zaverchand Meghani

by family members but donated as per his wishes. On hearing about his

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—FILE PHOTO

sudden demise, the Meghani residence was flooded with relatives

and friends who called on the family to express their condolences.

Known for establishing dissemination of arts and culture in Bhavnagar, Jayantbhai used to conduct readings to promote literature among the masses.

His father Zaverchand Meghani was known as the national poet (shayar), a title bestowed on him by Mahatma Gandhi. He was also actively involved in the Indian freedom struggle.

murder of Viral Sheth and sentenced to life in prison. In September 2019, he violated parole and moved to Madhya Pradesh, where he settled with his relatives in Ratlam district. There, he resumed his criminal activity.

Dewal had been wanted for multiple murders—including that of three members of a family and a teacher—in Gujarat. He was also facing a rape charge.

Woman sits on road to register police complaint

First India Bureau Surat: A woman sat down on the road near the Surat Collectorate on Friday and levied allegations of domestic violence against her in-laws. The Kamrej resident also accused police and other government officials of not taking action against them.

Traffic police officers stationed at the spot attempted to counsel her, to no avail. It was only after hours of dialogue that she accompanied Kamrej police officials to record a statement, where she said that she had resorted to dramatics since nobody was filing her complaint. It was later learnt that she was mentally unwell.

EXTRACTED KNOWLEDGE

Multi-author book on management techniques bags world record 

The authors, 16 alumni of the Surat’s Al Jamea TuS Saifiyah University, have articulated 14 tried and tested approaches

Masuma Bharmal Jariwala Surat: In a case of art drawing from life the members of the Bohra community— who are known for their business acumen—have put together a book of tried and tested management techniques. The book has already made its mark by securing an entry into the World Book of Records London for Sigatul Mazaraat, Al

Vazaratus Saifiya, the Mumbai administration of His Holiness Dr Sayedna Aaliqadar Mufaddal Saifuddin Saheb TuS, for publishing it.

The volume articulates 14 timeless, traditional management techniques which have been successfully implemented for centuries. It has been authored by 16 employees of the organization, all of whom are graduates from Surat’s Al Jamea TuS Saifiyah

The 16 authors (in white) of ‘A Book on Management Techniques’ during the book’s launch, in Surat.

University, which is seen in the community as the “source of eternal Fatemi (Islamic) knowledge”.

One of the authors, Abdulkadir Dhamangamwala, told First India, “Most books focus on the theories that can be put into practice later, but this book is unique because it contains extracted knowledge of techniques that have been in use for years and implemented across sectors universally.”

Another author of

the book, M Aliasgar Sunelwala said, “The 14 unique management tools for effective management includes 7C’s—continuity/consistency, contextuality, completeness, compatibility, competitiveness, controllability and customization—as well as seven dimensions of entrepreneurship development. The Record Certificate of inclusion was presented digitally by officials of the World Book of Records.

PERSPECTIVE AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020

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IN-DEPTH

COVID GLOOM CLEARS AS VACCINE ROLLOUT NEARS

DEALING WITH INFORMATION

& TECH OVERLOAD

T

here’s a need for caution, but not fear.

The Covid-19 vaccine is just a few weeks away. Quoting experts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told an all-party meeting that a vaccine could be rolled out in the next few weeks. The encouraging news comes close on the heels of the United Kingdom announcing an emergency rollout of Pfizer’s vaccine from next week.

“It is believed that a vaccine would be available in the next few weeks,” he said, adding that vaccination will begin as soon as scientists give their nod. Earlier, Serum Institute of India’s CEO Adar Poonawalla had said that the Centre was likely to buy 30-40 crore vaccines by July 2021. He also said that they were to apply for an emergency use trial in two weeks’ time. As Poonawalla said this on November 28, his institute should be preparing for its next move.

On logistics, the prime minister said that after getting inputs from states the cold chain and other support would get the necessary fillip. On the distribution network also the PM dispelled doubts, claiming that it was much better than in many other countries. The price of vaccines as yet remains undecided.

According to a Duke University study, India has secured 1.6 billion doses of coronavirus vaccine for its people with healthcare, frontline workers and the elderly to be vaccinated on priority.

Against 95,71,559 positive cases in the country, 90,16, 289 patients had recovered. The high recovery rate has helped clear the gloom surrounding the coronavirus. The good part is that three vaccines were being developed indigenously.

SADHGURU, ISHA FOUNDATION

Ranked amongst the fifty most influential people in India, Sadhguru is a yogi, mystic, visionary and a New York Times bestselling author Sadhguru has been conferred the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India in 2017, the highest annual civilian award, accorded for exceptional and distinguished service

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BJP MAKES BIG INROAD IN HYDERABAD CIVIC POLL

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olarisation of votes is profitable politics.

This is evident from the significant surge in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s tally in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. The party which had only four out of 150 divisions has won 48 divisions, a massive gain of 44, after an extremely divisive campaign unleashed by senior BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which held 99 divisions, has this time won 58 suffering a loss of 41 divisions. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) of Asaduddin Owaisi with 44 divisions has been able to hold on to its 2016 tally of 44.

These elections are important for the BJP as five districts contiguous to Hyderabad come under the GHMC limits. Together they account for five Lok Sabha and 24 assembly seats would give the BJP a decisive edge over K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s TRS in future electoral battles. The party is naturally buoyed by the success, KCR will have to analyse its losses. The results are a backlash against his government’s handling of the flood situation and other local issues.

It was somewhat a pyrrhic victory for the BJP, however. The party suffered a much bigger setback in Maharashtra where it lost the prestigious Nagpur graduate constituency, BJP’s stronghold for 25 years, to the Congress. It is the home turf of Union minister Nitin Gadkari and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. What’s more, it also lost two Pune seats to Congress and the NCP.

Those who are complaining about information overload must visualize life a thousand years ago. You would not know what was happening just one hundred kilometers away.

Even if something fantastic happened, or there was a great calamity, it would take one or two months for you to get the information.

Today, whatever is happening anywhere in the world comes to you quickly

ol. Rajyavardhan Rathore: The period of youth is defined by challenges, goals, achievements, and ambitions. Many chase success as defined by others. In this hyper-connected, information-saturated era, there is the added stress of information overload and workrelated burnout. Such stress takes away the happiness of our youngsters. We see more and more cases of depression amongst youth. How can the youth continually be happy in such challenging times? I want to know the truth about youth and happiness.

Sadhguru: Namaskaram Raj. In every generation, there is a set of people who are always complaining about something. Of course, there are also people who are making use of the situations of their times.

As a generation today, we have more conveniences and comforts than ever before. The world is not moving any faster than what it was a few thousand years ago – it is still spinning at the same pace. But we feel that the distances have been reduced simply because of technological progress.

Those who are complaining about information overload must visualize life a thousand years ago. You would not know what was happening just one hundred kilometers away. Even if something fantastic happened, or there was a great calamity, it would take one or two months for you to get the information. Today, whatever is happening anywhere in the world comes to you quickly.

We are technologically empowered like never before. This is one of the greatest privileges we have as a generation. Right now, people are complaining about technology which has made their life easy and comfortable. The problem is just that they have not prepared themselves for the life that they need to handle.

ENHANCING YOUR CAPABILITIES I want you to just imagine if you lived a thousand years ago.

In the morning when you woke up, you would need water for your use, so you would have to walk down to the river and carry two buckets full of water.

Believe me, most of the youth today are not fit enough to carry two buckets of water for a mile. Physically, they are just not capable of doing it.

If you were here a thousand years ago without technology, would you carry these buckets of water without complaint?

You would definitely complain because you are physically not capable. Similarly, if you have not made yourself mentally capable to handle the various realities of today, then you will complain.

You must engineer yourself in such a way that you are fit for life. In the early part of your life, the most important thing is not your ambitions, your desires, or the lifestyles you aspire for. The only thing you should be concerned about is how to enhance this life to a

THE TECHNOLOGY AROUND YOU IS PHENOMENALLY UPGRADING ITSELF EVERY FEW MONTHS OR YEARS. IT IS TIME YOU UPGRADE YOURSELF. INNER ENGINEERING OR YOGA MEANS YOU FOCUS ON ENHANCING THIS LIFE

higher level of possibility. If you invest enough time in the inner development of who you are, handling the present situations will be effortless. Above all, you will not be complaining about the greatest gifts that have been offered to you.

Never before could you fly from India to the United States in fourteen hours’ time, or pick up your phone and talk to someone in any part of the world, or see a million things happening all over the world and even in outer space. You

Boeing 737 Max: Has enough been done to fix the aircraft?

T

he Boeing 737 Max began flying commercially in May 2017 but has been grounded for over a year and a half following two crashes within five months. On October 29, 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 took off from Jakarta. It quickly experienced problems in maintaining altitude, entered into an uncontrollable dive and crashed into the Java Sea about 13 minutes after takeoff. Then on March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 from Nairobi suffered similar problems, crashing into the desert around six minutes after leaving the runway.

In total, 346 people lost their lives. After the second crash, United States regulator the Federal Aviation Administration decided to ground all 737 Max planes, of which around

04

350 had been delivered at the time, while they investigated the causes of the accidents.

Now, 20 months later, the Federal Aviation Administration has announced that it is rescinding this order and has set out steps for the return of the aircraft to commercial service. Brazil has responded quickly, also approving the 737 Max. So, what went wrong – and can we be confident that it has been fixed?

The causes of the two accidents were complex, but link mainly to the 737’s manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system, which was introduced to the 737 Max to manage changes in behaviour created by the plane having much larger engines than its predecessors.

There are some important points about the manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system

which we must consider when reviewing the “fixes”. The manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system prevented stall (a sudden loss of lift due to the angle of the wing) by “pushing” the nose down.

Stall is indicated through an angle of attack sensor – the 737 Max is fitted with two, but manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system only used one.

If that angle of attack sensor failed, then the system could activate when it

should not, unnecessarily pushing the nose down.

The design meant that there was no automatic switch to the other angle of attack sensor, and manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system kept working with the erroneous sensor values. This is what happened in both crashes.

The design of the manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system meant that it was repeatedly activated if it determined

that there was a risk of a stall. This meant that the nose was continually pushed down, making it hard for pilots to keep altitude or climb. The system was also hard to override. In both cases, the flight crews were unable to override the manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system, although other crews had successfully managed to do so in a similar situation, and this contributed to the two accidents.

THE FIXES Have these things been fixed? The Federal Aviation Administration has published an extensive summary explaining its decision. The manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system software has been modified and now uses both angle of attack sensors, not one.

The manoeuvring characteristics augmentation

system software also now only activates once, rather than multiple times, when a potential stall is signalled by both the angle of attack sensors. Pilots are provided with an “AoA [angle of attack] disagree warning” which indicates that there might be an erroneous activation of manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system software. This warning was not standard equipment at the time of the two accidents – it had to be purchased by airlines as an option.

Importantly, pilots will now be trained on the operation of the system and management of its problems. Pilots claimed that initially they were not even told that manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system existed. This training will have to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.

can see beyond your normal vision, hear beyond your normal sense of hearing, and experience things beyond your normal sense of experience.

UPGRADING YOURSELF The technology around you is phenomenally upgrading itself every few months or years. It is time you upgrade yourself. Inner Engineering or yoga means you focus on enhancing this life. If you enhance your activity without enhancing this life, of course, you suffer the activity. It is like taking an old, junky car on an F1 track – it will fall apart. That is all that is happening to people.

Instead of educating our children just to make a living and find a job, we have to educate them first of all to enhance themselves. Tools for self-transformation are the most important requirement of this age because external situations are largely going to be handled by machines. It is very important you are a little smarter than the machines you handle.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank @DrRPNishank #ShodhGanga captures, indexes, stores, disseminates/preserves ETDs submitted by the researchers, making them accessible to the entire learned community. Happy to share that over 2 lakh+ theses were uploaded on the portal during #COVID19.

Prakash Javadekar @ PrakashJavdekar Replacement of single-use plastic items is important and India has practically achieved replacement and is adopting alternative methods. Our cooperation is Multifaceted & #India and #France share a rather deep collaboration.

We shall continue with it and improve upon it.

Spiritual SPEAK

There is neither this world, nor the world beyond. nor happiness for the one who doubts. —Bhagavad Gita

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION

Vol 2 Issue No. 11 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Planet Survey No.148P, Changodar-Bavla Highway, Tal. Sanand, Dist. Ahmedabad.

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FARMER’S PROTEST

Bhartiya Sahitya Akademi Award winners from Punjab return awards

05

Gadkari unveils NH projects in Nagaland

On Wed, Former Punjab CM & SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal returned the Padma Vibhushan

Chandigarh: The winners of Bhartiya Sahitya Akademi Award in Punjabi including Sirmour Shire Dr Mohanjit, eminent thinker Dr Jaswinder Singh and Punjabi playwright and editor of Punjabi Tribune Swarajbir have returned their awards to show support for farmers, said Central Punjabi Writers’ Association on Friday.

“It may be recalled that earlier a large number of Punjabi writers had protested against the attitude of such a tyrannical government on the question of freedom of expression by withdrawing the Academy Award. Today again when the Government of India, instead of accepting the legitimate demands of farmers, is rolling them on streets in the harsh winter, Punjabi writers are protesting at national level by returning the honour,” CPWA said.

Former Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal had returned Padma Vibhushan in support of protest. —ANI

CORONA FEAR: PIL IN SC TO REMOVE FARMERS

Farmers sitting at Singhu border during their protest against the new farm law, in New Delhi on Friday.

MAMATA EXPRESSES SOLIDARITY WITH FARMERS

AMARINDER SINGH BEHAVING LIKE BJP CM, SAYS SISODIA

Kolkata: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee expressed her solidarity with protesting farmers against three farm laws passed by the Centre. “14 years ago on 4 Dec 2006, I began my 26-day hunger strike in Kolkata demanding that agricultural land cannot be forcefully acquired. I express my solidarity with all farmers who are protesting against draconian farm bills (now laws) passed without consultation by Centre #StandWithFarmers,” she tweeted. —ANI

New Delhi: Hitting out at Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh for speaking on the lines of Bharatiya Janata Party over the ongoing farmers’ protest, AAP leader Manish Sisodia said, “Captain Amarinder Singh met BJP leaders yesterday and is now defending BJP. He is saying that the farmers’ agitation is a danger to national security. The Punjab Chief Minister is behaving like a BJP Chief Minister. He is speaking on the lines of BJP. —ANI

Mins Goyal, Naik review status of AYUSH Trade & Industry New Delhi: The Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goel and the Minister of State (IC) for AYUSH Shripad Naik took a review of the current status of AYUSH Trade and Industry in the context of the various initiatives taken by the Ministry of AYUSH at 4.00 pm on Friday.

As per the official statement of the Ministry of AYUSH, the re-

view came against the backdrop of the growing global interest in Ayush-based diseasepreventive solutions in

the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The last joint review meeting of the Ayush Trade and Industry was taken by both Ministers on April 9, 2020, and since then the Ministry of AYUSH has taken many initiatives to integrate AYUSH Systems into the efforts to protect the people from COVID-19 as well as to treat them successfully.

Javadekar seeks Delhi govt’s action on CPCB complaints New Delhi: Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday asked the Delhi government to take swift action on the complaints forwarded to it by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Javadekar said that the CPCB has issued a

notice to the Delhi gover nment.The waste that is being

RUPEE SETTLES 13 PAISE HIGHER AT 73.80 AGAINST US DOLLAR Mumbai: The rupee snapped its two-day losing streak to close 13 paise higher at 73.80 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday as the Reserve Bank of India maintained status quo on the benchmark interest rate for the third time in a row. At the interbank forex market, the domestic unit opened at 73.81

—PHOTO BY ANI

and saw an intra-day high of 73.70 & a low of 73.81.

It finally closed at 73.80 a dollar, registering a rise of 13 paise. On Thursday, rupee had settled at 73.93 against the American currency.RBI left interest rates unchanged for the third straight time amid persistently high inflation and said the economy was recuperating fast.

burnt in the open in the national capital is not disposed off properly. “Now the Delhi government should take action on the notice. Burning of straw ranges from 60 to 62 days but rest of the days the menace of pollution has to be dealt by the NCR.”

New Delhi: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking its directions for immediate removal of the protesting farmers from the borders of the national capital in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, advocate on record Om Prakash Parihar said on Friday. Advocate Om Prakash Parihar, the advocate on record for the petitioner, said that the petition has been filed in view of the fact that the protests may pose a risk of spreading the COVID-19 pandemic in the national capital and across the country. This comes as thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting at the gates of the national capital against the recent farm laws passed by the Central government. —ANI

Nitin Gadkari virtually also laid foundation stones of 14 NH projects.

New Delhi: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday inaugurated a major National Highway project in Nagaland and laid a foundation stone for 14 other NH projects with a cost of about Rs 4,127 crores.

According to the official press release, Gadkari virtually inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 15 National Highways projects in Nagaland today.

These NH Projects have a length of about 266 km involving a cost of about Rs 4,127 crores.

Nagaland Chief Minister Nephi Rio was also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari stated that Union Government is committed to the development of North East and Nagaland and informed that 667 km were added to the NH

network in Nagaland during the last 6 years, which depicts growth of nearly 76 percent.

“The NH network in the State today has been extended to 1,547 km up from 880.68 km till 2014”, he added.

The Union Minister said that almost all districts in Nagaland now have been connected except a few, to a robust network of National Highways.

Gadkari requested CM to urgently send estimates for Land & Damage Compensation in respect of Kohima Bypass. He also informed that NH and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited has taken up twolaning of Kohima-Mao road in Nagaland, and the civil work has already been awarded on Sept 30, 2020.—ANI

IN THE COURTYARD

SC declines to revoke approver status to Rajiv Saxena

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Delhi High Court order that had declined Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) plea seeking the revocation of approver status granted to Rajiv Saxena in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde also issued notice to Saxena on the plea filed by the ED challenging the High Court order. It had challenged the June 8 order of the High Court dismissing its plea to revoke approver status of Rajiv Saxena in the case.—ANI

PNB SCAM: NO BAIL FOR TOP OFFICIAL OF CHOKSI’S FIRM Mumbai: A special CBI court rejected the bail plea of Vipul Chitalia, V-P of the Gitanjali Group of Companies arrested in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. Chitalia, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in March 2018, had filed a bail application for the second time. Special CBI judge V C Barde rejected the application. CBIhad alleged that Chitalia was the “mastermind” for putting through fraudulent transactions along with absconding accused Mehul Choksi, owner of Gitanjali group.

Beant Singh killing: SC quizzes Centre over delay in proposal New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday questioned the Centre over delay in sending proposal to the President for commuting the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the 1995 assassination case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde

asked the Centre to apprise it as to when the authority would send the proposal in this regard to the President under Article 72 of the Constitution.

The article deals with power of President to grant pardon, suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases.

Apex court noted that a letter was sent from MHA to Punjab chief secretary on September 7 last year intimating that a proposal would be sent to the President to commute death sentence of Rajoana.—PTI

SC rejects plea seeking appointment of govt nominees in trust for mosque Ayodhya New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea which had sought directions for nominating central and state government representatives to the ‘Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation’ trust for building a mosque in Ayodhya.

The apex court on November 9 last year had

paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a trust at the disputed Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid site at Ayodhya, and direct-

ROSHNI SCAM: CBI INITIATES ENQUIRIES TO PROBE COMPLICITY New Delhi: Widening its probe in Roshni scam cases in Jammu and Kashmir, the CBI has registered four preliminary enquiries into the alleged non-compliance of high court directives by officials of the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and others to “cover up” the complicity in illegal acts of encroach-

ment of land. The first enquiry registered by the CBI relates to matter pertaining to the encroachment on 784 kanals, 17 marla of land in Gole, tehsil Jammu which was transferred to JDA. A preliminary enquiry (PE) is the first step initiated by CBI to assess criminality in prima facie allegations levelled by a complainant.

ed the Centre to allot an alternative five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a “prominent” place in the town in Uttar Pradesh.

The matter came up for hearing before a bench headed by Justice R F Nariman which rejected the plea filed by two lawyers. —PTI

Nitish Katara murder: 5-day custody parole to Sukhdev New Delhi: Delhi High Court granted custody parole to Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan, serving a 20-year jail term without remission for the murder of business executive Nitish Katara in 2002, to attend the marriage of his daughter.

Justice Anu Malhotra allowed Pehalwan to go to Kushinagar to attend his daughter’s wedding, scheduled on December 6, and other related functions in custody parole for five days.

The HC directed the jail personnel to take him to his native place where the marriage is scheduled and to bring him back on expiry of custody parole. However, the court said allegations of animosity alleged by the witness cannot be ignored and did not grant him that relief. —PTI

1,525 KG OF EXPLOSIVES SEIZED IN MEGHALAYA, 6 HELD Shillong: Six persons were arrested in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district with a huge quantity of explosives and detonators, police said. Acting on a tip-off about possible movement of explosives, police conducted raids in the 4 Kilo area on Wednesday night. An SUV with Assam registration was intercepted at Kongong in the Ladrymbai police outpost area, police said. Ten cartons with 250 kg of explosives, 1,000 live detonators, eight rolls of fuse were found in car, said AIG Police GK Iangrai.

INDIA AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020

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Indian Navy is an outstanding Force: Def Min Rajnath Singh —PHOTO BY ANI

Singh hailed Navy’s professionalism and its efforts to keep India’s sea lanes safe Comic book series launched

by Navy Vice Chief Admiral

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the 2nd edition of the Armed Forces Flag Day CSR Conclave, in New Delhi on Friday.

New Delhi: Defence minister Rajnath Singh described the Indian Navy as an “outstanding force” as he lauded it on the occasion of the Navy Day. A number of union ministers, diplomats and prominent personalities also conveyed their greetings to the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy has increased its surveillance missions and beefed up opera-

tional deployment in the Indian Ocean in the wake of increasing forays into the region by Chinese naval vessels and submarines.

The Day is celebrated on December 4 every year to commemorate the Indian Navy’s achievement in inflicting heavy damage on the Pakistani vessels in Karachi harbour during the India-Pakistan war in 1971.

‘FEARLESSLY PROTECTS OUR COASTS’

P

New Delhi: A comic book series chronicling India's maritime heritage was launched by Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar on the occasion of Navy Day, officials said.

"First of the threebook comic series chronicling India's maritime heritage launched on the occasion of Navy Day. The series, being published in collaboration with Amar Chitra Katha celebrates the glorious naval and maritime heritage of India," the Navy spokesperson tweeted.

The Navy spokesperson, in the following tweet, informed that the comic book released today tells the story of our nautical past, while the upcoming book two and three will showcase the transformation of the Indian Navy since the Independence.

SETBACK FOR BJP IN KEY MAHA POLLS Mumbai: The BJP suffered losses in key polls in Maharashtra, where it lost power last year. Of the six seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council where polling was held earlier this week, the BJP could win only one. Ruling Shiv SenaNCP-Congress coalition won 4 seats and an independent member took remaining seat.

The Shiv Sena did not win a single seat even though its alliance partners bagged four. The Sena’s lone candidate lost in Amravati, where an independent candidate won.

The BJP only won bypolls to the Dhule-Nandurbar local body seat, the results for which were declared earlier.

The BJP appears to have lost out in its perceived strongholds, the graduate constituencies. Its biggest loss is the Nagpur seat, a party stronghold that was represented in the past

by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and former CM Devendra Fadnavis’s father Gangadhar Rao Fadnavis. The NCP of Sharad Pawar held on to the Aurangabad constituency.

Active caseload further dips to 4.35% of total cases: Health minister BJP National President JP Nadda being welcomed as he arrives in Haridwar on Friday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

BJP chief Nadda starts his 120-day nationwide tour to strengthen party Haridwar: BJP chief JP Nadda began his 120day nationwide tour with a visit to Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya in Shantikunj, Haridwar. The aim of the nationwide tour is to strengthen the party.

"I am starting my journey of 120 days where I will travel to all the states to strengthen my party. I have started it from Shantikunj to take the blessings of the Gurus," Nadda said while addressing an event at Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya. Nadda also attended Gan-

ga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri Ghat in Haridwar during his visit. In a bid to strengthen party machinery in every nook and corner of the country for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP national president JP Nadda is undertaking a 120-day nationwide tour.

Earlier in November, BJP national general secretary, Arun Singh had said that Nadda during his country tour will give priority to visiting the constituencies where the BJP had lost in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

New Delhi: India's COVID-19 active caseload has fallen to comprise 4.35 per cent of the total coronavirus infections reported so far from 4.44 per cent on Thursday, the Union health ministry said.

Continuing with the trend of the last seven days, the country has also reported more daily recoveries than daily new cases in a span of 24 hours, it said on Friday.

The trend of more daily recoveries than daily cases has led to a continuous contraction of India''s active caseload which stands at 4,16,082 as on date, the ministry said.

While 36,595 persons in India were found to be infected with COVID-19 in a span of 24 hours, 42,916 new recoveries were registered during the same period, it said.

"The difference of 6,321 between new re-

Mishra declared unfit to take part in Covid vaccine trial

People wearing face masks when stepping outdoors to combat the coronavirus spread.

—FILE PHOTO

KARNATAKA TO BAN NY CELEBRATIONS

T

coveries and new cases has led to a net decline of 6,861 cases from the

total active caseload in a day," the ministry said. —PTI

making the TRS dependent on its ally. The AIMIM is an ally of the TRS but in the last GHMC polls, KCR’s party did not need its ally to govern the Hyderabad municipal body. At the last count of votes in the GHMC election, the TRS emerged as the singlelargest party but with a massively reduced strength in the civic body. While AIMIM and BJP were engaged in a neck-and-neck fight.

The TRS looked set to win 55 seats -- 21 short of majority mark in the 150-member municipal corporation.

Trudeau’s ‘farmers’...

“We expect the Canadian government to ensure the fullest security of Indian diplomatic personnel and its political leaders to refrain from pronouncements that legitimize extremist activism,” the MEA said.

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Friday said that he was declared unfit to participate in the trial for the COVID-19 vaccine and added that he is pained by the development.

"I was eager to participate in the vaccine trial and through that do something for the society. I was declared unfit as per the ICMR eligibility criteria of the COVID-19 vaccine trial. It is an extremely painful development," Mishra told reporters here. Earlier, Narottam Mishra had said he is ready to volunteer for the COVID-19 vaccine trial.

Mishra had consulted a doctor to participate in the vaccine trials. —ANI

FROM PG 1 PM Modi...

Nearly eight vaccines are at different stages of trial with their manufacturing assured in India, Modi said.

Three vaccines from India are also at different stages of trial, he said.

Experts believe that the wait for COVID-19 vaccine will not be long and it is believed that it may be ready in the next few weeks, Modi said.

“India’s vaccination drive would begin as soon as we get a goahead from scientists.

The Centre is working on the basis of sugges-

tions from state governments about who will be inoculated in the first phase of the vaccination drive,” he said.

“Priority in this (vaccination) will be given to the healthcare workers involved in treating COVID-19 patients, frontline workers and old people suffering from serious conditions,” he said.

Central and state government teams are working in tandem for the distribution of the vaccine against COVID-19, Modi said, adding that India has expertise for vaccine distribution as well as capacity.

“Our scientists are very confident of succeeding in their endeavour of developing a vaccine against COVID-19.

There are names of vaccines from different countries doing the rounds in the market, but the world is keeping a watch on having the cheapest and safest vaccine. That is why, it is natural that the world is watching India,” he said.

KCR loses...

The BJP’s performance in the GHMC polls has worked well for its rival Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM

“Block all... all toll plazas,” said Harvinder Singh Lakhwal, another farmer leader.

“We have planned to block all roads leading to Delhi in the coming days if new farm laws are not scrapped,” he also said.

Delhi’s border points

remained choked as thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab, and other states held demonstrations for the ninth consecutive day, after talks with the government failed to yield any resolution on Thursday. The farmer community has expressed apprehension that the new laws are “anti-farmer”, and would pave the way for dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations. However, the government has maintained that the new laws are good,

06

POWER Gallery WILL PUJARI GET EXTENSION?

Latest information says that P K Pujari, Chairperson , CERC is likely to get one year extension in January. He was appointed as Chairman for three years – till Jan next year.

WHO IS IMPORTANT IN DEFENCE MINISTRY?

After Secretary Defence, who is considered important in the Defence Ministry. Naturally, the Secretary Defence Production but people say not the Defence Production Secretary but the Special Secretary Defence Acquisition.

LT GEN PARAMAJIT SINGH TO BE DY CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF!

Lt Gen Paramjit Singh is being tipped to be Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) as part of Army headquarters’ reorganisation.

NO SECRETARY DEFENCE FINANCE

The post of Secretary, Defence Finance, is lying vacant after the retirement of Ms Gargi Kaul in October. She was a 1984 batch IA&AS officer. It is said that this is for the first time that the post of Secretary Defence Finance is vacant.

SUNIL KUMAR BARNWAL JOINS AS JOINT SECRETARY, MHA

Sunil Kumar Barnwal has taken over the charge as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Barnwal, who is a 1997 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, will serve till December 2, 2025.

RAJEEV RANJAN IS ALSO SECRETARY, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY FOR A WHILE

Rajeev Ranjan, Secretary Fisheries, has been assigned an additional charge of Secretary, Animal Husbandry & Dairying till December 13, 2020. He is a 1985 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre.

CENTRAL DEPUTATION TENURE OF A K MOHANTY EXTENDED

The central deputation tenure of Anjan Kumar Mohanty, working as Inspector General of Forests, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF & CC), New Delhi, has been extended for a period of six months beyond October 17, 2020.

He is a 1992 batch IFS officer of Sikkim cadre.

FORMER IB CHIEF IS NO MORE

Former Chief of the Intelligence Bureau and presently Administrator of Lakshdeep Dineshwar Sharma has passed away. He was 1976 batch former IPS officer of Kerala cadre.

By arrangement with: http:// whispersinthecorridors.com

Pari Murder Case: Rajborn senior IPS Arun Bothra to head SIT Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has selected senior IPS officer Arun Bothra to head a special investigation team (SIT) which has been formed to investigate the alleged kidnapping and murder of Pari, a five-year-old girl whose body had been found days after she went missing while playing near her house in a village in Nayagarh district in July this year. Originally hailing from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, Bothra besides, donning the cop hat, had also been the horse power behind Odisha Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) and Capital Region Urban Transport. Given the juggling of many hats, in bureaucratic and political circles, Bothra is well known as CM Naveen Patnaik’s man of all seasons. It’s CM’s trust that saw Bothra again being sent on Nayagarh Mission, to investigate the kidnapping and murder of 5-year old girl.

After completing his graduation from Sri Ganganagar college, Bothra cracked

Arun Bothra

the UPSC exams to join the Indian Police Service (IPS) of Odisha cadre in 1996. Needless to say, Odisha became Bothra’s ‘Karambhoomi’ thereafter.

This celebrated cop’s life canvas shows hues of a social worker, when one takes glance at his NGO ‘India Cares’. He hogged the national headlines in lockdown times, when responding to a SOS by a desperate mother, Bothra arranged camel milk for her thalassemic son.

The death of Pari has sparked a massive public outrage after her parents attempted to commit suicide in front of Odisha Assembly on Tuesday.

The victim’s parentsAshok and Saudamini Sahu alleged that Minister Sahoo was shielding the prime accused, Babuli Nayak as he was a worker in the BJD.

TALKING POINT AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020

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07

HOME ALONE AT 30

How one case of parental neglect led to (hilariously) painful outcomes DARYL SPARKES Senior Lecturer (Media Studies and Production), University of Southern Queensland

W

hat was f i l m maker John Hughes thinking when he made Home Alone? His previous films were either about awkward teens finding their way in the world (The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), or awkward adults finding their way in the world (Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains and Automobiles). Plus a franchise featuring both groups (National Lampoon’s Vacation).

But Home Alone (1990), plays differently.

Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is punished and forced to sleep in the attic. There, he wishes his family never existed.

The next morning he wakes to find himself the only occupant of his house — forgotten by the rest of his family as they head to Paris for Christmas.

There are no self conscious teens grappling with coming-ofage issues and no irresponsible and naïve adults belatedly lear ning life lessons in this film. Instead we get super cute Kevin pretending to be the “man of the house”.

H

A false sense of cuteness

ughes obviously knew he had lightning in a bottle with Culkin, who had costarred in Uncle Buck the year before.

Although only nine

H

ow one uberviolent kid’s movie is frequently ranked among the best Christmas movies of all time defies description. It was by far Hughes’ greatest commercial success.

I am not sure exactly what messages child audiences are picking up through all of this.

I doubt they would be healthy, but that is probably better left to a psychologist to parse.

Still, this screen duality of cutesiness/darkness appears to have been experienced by Culkin himself in real life.

Culkin’s parents carefully fostered the “America’s darling”

at the time of filming, Culkin is a strong, extroverted actor with great comic timing and a lively, energetic performance. He delivers his lines thoughtfully

and can turn on the emotion when he needs to. He carries the film single-handedly. All other characters are really just plot devices for Kevin’s mischievous-

ness — or his introspection.

But if Kevin is “home alone”, where is the drama? Hughes introduces a secondary plot of two burglars trying to break

into the house. This is where the film takes an uncharacteristic turn for the macabre.

What has been one of Hughes’ usual saccharine romps involving dysfunctional people learning to deal with family life becomes a sadistic and bruising experience akin to a PGrated Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The film lures you into its cutesy first two acts – Kevin walking around in his dad’s shoes; shopping at the supermarket; the famous aftershave scene where he evokes Edvard Munch’s The Scream – before Kevin unleashes a bloody onslaught of booby traps and tortures expected of an Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie.

We need to talk

persona throughout his young career. In his teens, Culkin became emancipated from them, taking

control of his finances. (He later claimed his father had been psychologically and physically abusive).

Career-wise, Culkin basically disappeared after 1994’s Richie Rich. The typical descent into drugs and

alcohol followed. Now 40, he says he is substance free and has described himself as essentially “retired” from acting.

Home Alone spurred four sequels, but only Home Alone 2 (1992) features Culkin again. It’s basically the same movie as the original, set in a different place, complete with torture scenes on the same burglar characters.

Disney has announced plans to reboot the Home Alone series. It may not be a bad move on their part. But could they ever find another child actor who epitomised “cute” as much as Culkin did?

A dark psychology

H

ughes knows his cinema history. You can see the influence of Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin in Home Alone, setting up one sight gag after another. But here, each gets increasingly violent.

Hughes demonstrated fine comic writing skills with John Candy and Steve Martin in Planes, Trains and Automobiles and with Candy again in Uncle Buck.

Both films are laden with slapstick. But their jokes are the result of stupidity on behalf of the adult characters.

The hurt is to themselves, and mostly superficial. Kevin’s tricks, however, involve BB gun shots to the face and genitals, scorching metal searing flesh, nails inserted into feet

and the use of flamethrowers.

At the end of the film Kevin doesn’t need the pandering of his mother — he needs a serious psychological assessment.

It is almost like watching a short film within a much larger one. It seems Hughes started out writing a script with the same central idea of most of his films: that even though families bicker and often harass each other, familial love is the unbreakable core of life.

But then he went dark. Really dark.

Home Alone feels like it was written by Hughes for the first hour — then Quentin Tarantino, with its ultra violence. It then lapses back into Hughes-with-extraschmaltz for the last 20 minutes.

SOURCE: THECONVERSATION.COM

In a team, the conduct of one person reflects on all and the results too, never ignore the impact of an individual.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

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COVID-19 UPDATE

WORLD

INDIA

GUJARAT

15,18,338 6,58,92,936 1,39,700 96,06,810 4,049 2,15,819 DEATHS

MAHARASHTRA 47,599 DEATHS 18,42,587 CASES

CONFIRMED CASES

UTTAR PRADESH 7,877 DEATHS 5,51,179 CASES

DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

KARNATAKA 11,834 DEATHS 8,90,360 CASES

DEATHS

DELHI 9,497 DEATHS 5,86,125 CASES

18 months on, Takshashila fire victims’ parents burn in anger

CONFIRMED CASES

RAJASTHAN 2,389 DEATHS 2,76,420 CASES

Rape or Extortion?

Ahmedabad love feud takes nasty turn

—FILE PHOTO

Parents of 22 kids who died in the 2019 Surat fire give 300-page memo to CP First India Bureau Surat: Over 18 months after a massive fire at a commercial building snuffed out the lives of 22 children in the age group of 14 to 17 years, their devastated parents are still awaiting justice.

Their frustration and anger are evident in a memorandum running into as many as 300 pages to Surat Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Tomar demanding action against senior officials of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) for the tragic incident.

The 22 children were killed on May 24, 2019, in a huge fire in a private coaching centre on the fourth-storey of Takshashila Arcade building in Sarthana area in Surat. Seventeen other students were injured.

08

“We have sent several complaints to the police commissioner. The police have picked up only lower level officials while letting the big fish go. Even the Human Rights Commission stated in its letter to the authorities that high-level officials were responsible.”

—Jaysukh Gajera,

22 students were killed in a huge fire at the Takshashila Arcade in Surat on May 24, 2019.

Since there was no exit except a wooden staircase leading to their coaching centre, which had burnt down, many of the scared children jumped from the 4th floor. Some of them had died because of this too.

This was the fifth

time the family members reached the police commissioner’s office with the same demand.

So far, the police have arrested 14 people in the incident.

They include the owner of the building, the tenant, the owner of the coaching class, Deputy Chief Fire Of-

ficer of the SMC for giving fire safety certification, a deputy engineer of the power company DGVCL, and other SMC officials for giving building use permission to the commercial complex.

Jaysukh Gajera, father of Grishma Gajera, who died in the

RAJ FORMER CS DB GUPTA IS CIC

1 held for attack on Dalit for keeping ‘Kshatriya’ surname

Jaipur: Former Chief Secretary, Rajasthan DB Gupta has been appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner of Rajasthan while senior journalist Narayan Bareth and social worker Sheetal Dhankar were appointed as Information Commissioners.

Governor Kalraj Mishra issued the appointment orders on Friday.

Gupta, who was appointed as the chief minister’s advisor prior to retirement, is a wellknown name. A post graduate in economics, Gupta a 1983 batch officer has held various important posts like ACS in

First India Bureau

Dr Rituraj Sharma

finance and PWD, principal secretary in UDH, agriculture, planning etc. during his career.

Narayan Bareth was also an associate professor in Haridev Joshi University of Journalism and Mass Communication during the earlier tenure of Ashok Gehlot while Sheetal Dhankar a graduate from Lady Shri Ram College is the daughter of former RTDC chairman Randeep Dhankar.

Ahmedabad: An upper caste man was arrested on Friday for the assault on a Dalit youth allegedly for keeping an “upper caste surname” in Sanand town near Ahmedabad.

According to the FIR filed at the Sanand GIDC police station on Thursday, Bharat Jadav, a local, was attacked by 3 persons around 10 pm on Wednesday allegedly for having a “Kshatriya” surname.

The 20-year-old, who works at the nearby

Magneti Marelli Motherson (MMM) company, told police that he was assaulted by Harshad Rajput, a co-worker, and 2 other unknown persons.

“As I arrived at the factory premises around 2pm on Wednesday, I was stopped by Harshad Rajput who asked me to spell out my name.

I did as told.” Rajput again came at the factory gate with 2 strangers and started beating him.

He somehow managed to escape and caught a bus that had just come.

Father of Grishma Gajera, who died in the fire.

incident said, “We have sent several complaints to the police commissioner. They have picked up only lower level officials while letting the big fish go. Even the Human Rights Commission stated that highlevel officials were responsible.”

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: A cross complaint was lodged with the Krishnanagar police station in Ahmedabad on Thursday night where a girl alleged that she was raped multiple times by her boyfriend in the last few months. The boy, in turn, claimed that the girl and her mother tried to extort Rs 10 lakh and framed him in a rape case when he failed to pay the money.

According to the cross complaint, the girl has alleged that she became friends with accused Vishal Gyananni through Instagram. In August, Vishal established a physical relationship with her by

promising to marry her soon. When she tried to pursue Vishal for marriage, he threatened her with dire consequences.

Police have lodged the complaint under the sections of Indian Penal code for rape charges and criminal intimidation.

On the other hand, Vishal lodged a complaint alleging that the girl and her mother had tried to extort Rs. 10 lakh from him and threatened to frame him in a rape case if he refused to pay.

When he failed to pay, they lodged a fake complaint against him, he claimed.

Both complaints were lodged on Thursday night and are being investigated by Police Sub Inspector J B Chauhan.

PM Awas allottees protest after being denied flats First India Bureau Surat: As many as 660 flat owners of a housing scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana on Friday staged protests at the construction site demanding that they be handed over the possession immediately.

The flat owners were selected in 2018 through a lucky draw process but they complained that they had still not got the possession of their flats despite paying the deposit.

They held the demonstrations following a meeting with the officials of the Surat Municipal Corporation at

PM Awas Yojana allottees protest at construction site.

its head office. They were apparently not satisfied with the replies and assurances they got from the SMC, though after a meeting with the project manager, the officials assured them the possession of flats till March 2021.

The project ‘Suman

Malhar’ is being constructed behind the Rahul Raj Mall in the city.

The allottees bemoaned that even after 2 years of having made the payments and after completing all procedures, they were yet to get the possession.

The beneficiaries of the flat said they had not been given the possession because the project was still under construction. “The Covid-19 pandemic has created a financial crunch and at the same time we are forced to pay rent and bank instalments. The timely possession could have saved our extra expense of rent.”

Gujarat ACB nabs ASI taking bribe from bootlegger

—FILE PHOTO

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested an assistant subinspector (ASI) attached with Shehra police station for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a bootlegger in Panchmahal district.

Following a complaint, the ACB laid a trap at Chalali village of Panchmahal district on Thursday and caught ASI Mahendrasinh Bariya (40) red-handed while accepting Rs 30,000 from the bootlegger, officials said.

The complainant had alleged that although he had shut down his illegal liquor business before Diwali, the accused policeman asked him to start the illegal IMFL trade again and demanded Rs 1 lakh as “Diwali gift”, he said.

After Diwali, Bariya again went to the complainant’s house and demanded Rs 1 lakh and settled for Rs 60,000 after negotiations, taking Rs 30,000 as first instalment on November 25.

After the ASI demanded the remaining amount, the bootlegger approached the ACB and then he was caught.

A DAY’S VISIT TO THE CITY OF NAWABS! During his one day visit to Lucknow on Friday, Jagdeesh Chandra met ACS, Information Department Navneet Sehgal and shared with him the growing role and popularity of the newly launched Lucknow edition of First India newspaper in bringing out the state government’s popular policies and programmes to the grassroot readers.

Jagdeesh Chandra took the Editorial review meeting with his Lucknow team at Taj Lucknow on Friday. Seen here with him are Vishal Srivastava, Tariq Khan, Ahtesham Siddiqui, Amit Raj, Sonu Chhabra, Rajesh Gupta, Santosh Shukla, Dilip Solanki and Asheesh Shukla.

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia AHMEDABAD, SATURDAY DECEMBER 5, 2020

A fabric that was once considered the old world, lace has made a big comeback and is taking the fashion world by storm. City First shares some trick to ace the lace!

THE LOOK KARISHMA GWALANI karishma.gwalani@firstindia.co.in

W

ith winter still in full swing, it’s nice to sit back and dream of Spring and all the new trends we will be wearing once it warms a little. From high-fashion houses to smalltime street stores, everyone is jumping on to the lace-loving bandwagon. Lace has always been associated with luxury and this delicate fabric has shown surprising strength lately in creating and sustaining interest. Lace dresses tend to look elegant, and while that may not be for everyday wear when the opportunity arrives to dress up a bit, this is always a lovely standby to have in your arsenal. Personally, I love this fabric for its chic texture that makes its wearer look charming and extremely feminine. Of course, everything depends on your style.

There are pretty much lots of awesome ways how to wear it in real life. City First shares a few tricks to rock this elegant trend.

Balance the transparency

Although lace evokes elegance and delicacy, wearing it from head to toes can produce the opposite effect.

To achieve the ideal look, it’s important to complement lace pieces with opaque fabrics.

Choose wisely

Sometimes it’s hard to notice the difference between lace clothing and Lingerie. If you don’t want your blouse to look like a negligé or a robe, avoid combining it with fabrics like satin or tulle, ribbons, thin stripes, or any other detail that would remind you of lingerie.

Complement your look

Consider that lace is a statement piece by itself and if you add huge and showy accessories you’ll overload your look. Before choosing

your jewellery and accessories, bear in mind that lace looks classy and harmonious when it’s combined with sober and small accessories.

Pay attention to the body parts

No matter what you do, lace will always show some sections of your body.

Make sure the lace shows the parts you want to highlight and rock the streets.

Use colours properly

Nowadays lace comes in a wide variety of colours and if you’re tempted to go for the bold and flashy just make sure you know how to combine them well.

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AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020

10

DEEPAK’S CORNER

THE BOOK THIEF

BY MARKUS ZUSAK

DEEPAK

deepaklifemusings@gmail.com

T

FA CE OF TH ED AY

he Book Thief ’ was published in 2006 in Markus Zusak’s native Australia. In 2007 the novel received a Michael L. Printz Honor selection, a citation given for literary excellence in “Young Adult Literature”.

The book is a brilliant work of art. It’s made even more fascinating by its narrator- Death. Imagine death being its central protagonist.

“I am haunted by humans” sums up Death’s inability to reconcile the remarkable cruelty and compassion of which human beings are simultaneously capable. At the end of the novel, Death appears to be no more capable of judging humanity than at the book’s outset. A jaded metaphysical being so used to dying could only be fearful of- and at times amazed- by those who live.

Death here, ironically is “more alive” than many so called humans. It is warm, beautiful, compassionate and most picturesque as it reveals each episode through myriad colours.

“The Book Thief ” is the story of Liesel Meminger, a 9 year old German girl, going to a foster home to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann, in the small town of Molching. She’s travelling in a train with her mother and her 6 year old brother Werner, who dies and is buried enroute.

Liesel reaches alone, given up by her mother, broken, torn apart, traumatized by her nightmares. Hans, the

foster father, is a gentle being, who brings her comfort, helps her learn to read, starting with the book Liesel took from the cemetery where her brother was buried. He plays the Piano accordion, has steel grey eyes, smokes self rolled tobacco cigarettes and us a man of remarkable integrity and bravery. He develops a deep, loving, comforting bond with Liesel. He teaches her to read, word by word, as she hungers to learn more by stealing books. Rosa, the foster mother, a squat woman, has a fiery attitude, loudmouth, always cursing but a solid practical woman who faces crisis and runs the house in the most challenging times, deeply caring for her family.

Liesel’s best friend in the village is a little boy, Rudy Steiner, “the boy next door, who is obsessed with the black American athlete, Jesse Owens”. Motivated by his love for Liesel, he does everything possible to protect her. All through he pesters her for a kiss, which he finally does receive- but only as a corpse, victim of the senseless air raid of Nazi Germany.

Over the course of the novel Liesel befriends Max Vandenburg, a 23 year old

Jew, who seeks refuge in the Hubermann’s home and heart. Like Liesel, he is a fighter and together they share a deep bond of friendship. She reads to him every night, when he is battling death and he gifts her with two books of sketched out stories. They paint, write, learn, sing together, hiding in a very small basement, as the world above them is ripped apart by the horrors of war.

YOUR DAY Horoscope by

Saurabbh Sachdeva

The Book Thief, is set in 1939, Nazi Germany. Hitler is at his peak. The massacre and torture of Jews continues. People are freezing and starving to death. The beauty of this book lies in the fact that being set against the horrific backdrop of the atrocities of ll World War, humanity still survives, held forth by the poignant power of friendship, hope and love. ‘Death’ gently recovers the souls and takes them to the place they are meant to be. The tragedy doesn’t strike you in the face. It gradually creeps up your nerves, as you accept the grim reality in your soft laughter, humour and the stinging tears that often well up in your heart and eyes.

The sense of dread is allpervading. The country is holding its breath. “Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.”

Written with such a deep understanding of human capa-

transform Nazi ideology into compassion. Throughout the book, communication, cultural awareness and empathy are concepts that are strained across the pages.

When Liesel encounters Max being forced to a concentration camp, she becomes hopeless and disdainful, realising that Hitler’s propaganda is to blame for the senseless war, the Holocaust and also the death of her biological parents. Ilsa Hermann, the Mayor’s wife, encourages Liesel to write her story, by giving her a blank book- a luxury beyond expectation. Till now she had been writing on used, discarded, old newspapers, that she scavenged from garbage bins, straightened out and painted white. Liesel writes at a fevered pace, negating the viciousness of humanity, by her words of selflessness and love. “I have hated the words and I have

loved them and I hope I have made them right.” This is actually the story that Death remembers. After the air raid on Himmel Street, in which Hans, Rosa, Rudy and many others died, Death had retrieved Liesel’s autobiography lying on the sidewalk in the bloodstained snow.

Humanity - Humane-ness is all that survives the ordeals that break apart all people in this book. ‘The Book Thief ’ is set out in short but powerful chapters, each headed brilliantly with the key themes covered on those pages. Zusak has created a cast of palpably unforgettable individuals, rich up to their depths and cleverly juxtaposed them with a wryly observant, mythological presence, the Death. It’s a truly magnificent combination. It is gripping, compelling & thought provoking read. One just cannot put it down.

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

This is a good day, when you achieve what you set out for. There is no need to become big hearted where property is involved. A family member may become a cause for concern and can push you to the limit. Things move smoothly on the work front.

Time management may assume importance on the academic front. Those into real estate can strike it rich. Drive carefully to avoid problems. A marriage proposal for the eligible will brighten the home front. Someone at work may have a pleasant surprise waiting for you.

You are likely to meet someone who will help you out in your current venture.

Excellent showing on the academic front is likely to boost your morale. A property booked by you may come into your possession now.

A practical solution may be found for a complex problem at work.

Your brilliance on the academic front is likely to get you noticed by those who matter. Money is not likely to pose any problems for those thinking of a new venture. You may become much sought after for your helpful nature. Partner’s bold ideas are likely to make your day.

MAR 21 - APR 20

APR 21 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Investing in a lucrative scheme is likely for some.

Don’t contest the ownership of property without mustering all your resources.

You may need to keep some options handy on the professional front to avoid getting stuck. Shrewd investments will make you secure.

A loan gets repaid and finally makes you a proud owner of a major purchase.

Buying a piece of land or a constructed house is possible for some. You may be required to go out of the way to assist someone at work. A bonus or increment is on the cards for some.

Your circle of friends will help you in warding off boredom. Laurels are likely to be won on the academic front. Those thinking of buying property can find some good bargains. Someone’s good gesture will save you from facing the traffic today.

You are likely to become popular on the social front, just by keeping in touch with others. Cracking a tough competition on the academic front seems possible. A new plot, house or apartment can be acquired by some. There is a possibility of a transfer for some to another city.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Your domineering nature is likely to get you in a spot on the social front. Outside help on the academic front may come as a boon for some. A property that fits your budget is likely to be found. Your competence in tackling with issues at work may be in full evidence today.

A tough competition is likely to be cleared by those pursuing academics.

Homemakers will be able to balance the home budget admirably. A new venture started by you will show promising results.

Higher ups are likely to repose full faith in you for carrying a project.

Making a choice was never so difficult, but you will be at liberty to take your time.

Some of you may get hard pressed for something important, but persistence will pay. A competitive situation on the academic front is likely to bring out the best in you. Shifting to a new accommodation is on the cards.

Your well wishers are likely to ensure your popularity on the social front. Those pursuing higher studies are likely to realize their ambitions.

Acquisition of property is in the pipeline for some. Family will help in putting you in a positive frame of mind. Your love life will improve.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

NAGMA MIRAJKAR, Content Creator

bilities, flaws and potential.

The words will not fail to move you. The book emphasizes both: the danger of words and their potential redemptive value. Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party rose to power by sheer fire of words, delivered through violent speeches, propaganda and his seminal book.

On Hitler’s birthday Liesel defies the Nazis and steals a smoldering book from a public burning of banned literature. Hans hides a map and key in a copy of Mein Kampf, to help bring Max to safety of his home. Ironically, Max rips out pages from this same book, paints them white and draws on them a story that is entirely different from the virulent anti-Jew material that Hitler originally wrote.

Beauty and kindness come forth as words forge a remarkable bond between a hidden Jew and a German girl. Together, they boldly

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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TESTED POSITIVE

AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020

11

The BIG interview I

Cast of ‘Jug Jug Jeeyo’

A

ctors Varun Dhawan and Neetu Kapoor, and director Raj Mehta, have tested Covid-19 positive. The stars as well as the filmmaker are part of the unit of the film Jug Jugg Jeeyo, which arrived in Chandigarh a few days ago for an outdoor stint. Shoot has been temporarily halted. The cast and crew had arrived in Chandigarh in the second week of November.

The film’s other two lead actors, Anil Kapoor and Kiara Advani, have tested negative for the virus, informed celebrity photographer Viral Bhayani.

—Agency

ndian-American Gitanjali Rao has been named as TIME’s first-ever Kid of the Year. The 15-year-old scientist and inventor was selected from more than 5,000 nominees. As part of her feature, Angelina Jolie interviewed the young mind wherein they spoke about the use of technology in dealing with many issues including contaminated drinking water, opioid addiction and cyberbullying. Angelina asked Gitanjali about her latest innovations to combat cyberbullying. The young innovator explained that her service can detect cyberbullying at an early stage. She explained that she identified the phrases which could be considered bullying and her artificial technology identified similar words. Angelina concluded the interview by saying that she is looking forward to using Gitanjali’s innovations in the years to come.

—Agency

... her post

Back to work!

I

t’s indeed been a beautiful few months for young lovebirds Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid as the couple welcomed their first child, a baby girl, in September.

Since then, the new parents have given their undivided attention to their darling daughter.

Now, it’s back to work for the 25-year-old supermodel as revealed by Hadid herself through Instagram Stories.

Sharing a selfie video of herself, Gigi looked stunning as ever in a simple white tee while her hair was centreparted and left open.. As her caption, Hadid wrote, “Would say back to work but being a mamma is a job like no otherrrr. BACK IN THE OFFICE.” —Agency

Broken but beautiful

Gigi Hadid

Sidharth Shukla

F

ans of ALTBalaji and ZEE5 Club’s highly-anticipated love story – Broken But Beautiful Season 3 can rejoice, as the makers have finally revealed a romantic couple of the third season of the successful franchise. The jodi who is all set to win the hearts of the audience this time is none other than Sidharth Shukla and Sonia Rathee! The makers have launched a soul-touching musical logo of the show in September this year that beautifully ended at a point which was quite intriguing and has left many wondering about the actors playing the lead couple in the show!

— Agency

Angelina Jolie

JUSTIN BIEBER GETS EMOTIONAL

J

ustin Bieber attempted to put an end to comments comparing his wife Hailey Bieber with his ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez. Things un-

Justin and Hailey Bieber

folded after a fan posted a video urging Selena fans to bombard a live session.

The video caught Justin’s attention and he shared a note on his Instagram Sto-

Playing the Lead

ries. “As many people as there are that want to spend their time publicly degrading shaming and trying to humiliate us we would like to ask those who have it in

them to lift us in prayer. We need prayer and support as we continue to put ourselves out there!” Justin commented.

—Agency

TWITTER WAR

H Sonia Rathee

SERIES ADAPTATION

ow does a small cottage industry, started with a capital of Rs 80, grow into a multi-crore business in six decades? While MBA students will find a valuable business management lesson there, the Lijjat Papad success story offers a bigger learning - that of self-reliance and women empowerment. Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, who has a knack for bringing classic homegrown stories to the big screen, has placed his bet on the real-life narrative of how the Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Organisation came into being. Headlined by Kiara Ad-

vani, the film - tentatively titled Karram Kurram - will narrate the journey of a woman who brought together six other homemakers to create a source of income by making papads.

—Agency

T Kiara Advani

BRANDON ASKS FOR SUPPORT

Ronnie Screwvala

I

ndian media mogul Ronnie Screwvala has optioned the audio-visual rights to eminent authors Dominique Lapierre and Javier Moro’s terrifically researched and written book, “Five Past Midnight in Bhopal: The Epic Story of the World’s Deadliest Industrial Disaster.” Set in 1984, in the ancient city of Bhopal, a cloud of toxic gas escaped from an American pesticide plant, killing and injuring thousands of people – the Bhopal gas tragedy. In “Five Past Midnight in Bhopal” Lapierre and Moro weave hundreds of characters, eyewitness accounts, and adventures into one thrilling human tapestry.

— Agency

Lijjat Papad

I Brandon Blackstock Kelly Clarkson

t has been months since Kelly Clarkson filed for a divorce from her husband Brandon Blackstock. Now, as the divorce proceedings continue, it has been learned that the latter has asked for $436,000 per month for child and spousal support. This amount has been reportedly cited in the documents produced at the court on Monday. For the unversed, the couple tied the knot in 2013.

Kelly reportedly decided to end her sevenyear courtship with Blackstock earlier this year in June and approached the court for the same. The Because of You singer had earlier demanded joint custody for their children, Remington Alexander, and River Rose. She has won the temporary primary custody of both the kids on November 19, 2020.

—Agency

Kangana Ranaut

he ugly Twitter war between Diljit Dosanjh and Kangana Ranaut has paved ways to memes, taking potshots at the Manikarnika actress. Before we look at the social media memes.

Kangana Ranaut got h e r s e l f mired in yet another controversy after she said that an elderly woman, who was seen protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) at Shaheen Bagh in the national capital in December-March, was seen in the ongoing farmers’ protest in Delhi as well. Diljit Dosanjh was quick to slam Kangana for the false tweet.

—Agency

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AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020

12

One Legend refers to another Legend ANITA HADA

or the people of Rajasthan, Kaun Banega Crorepati – the mega show hosted by Amitabh Bachchan was made all the more special when the episode telecast on 2 December at 9 pm had a question concerning the popular Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot which was correctly answered

CM Ashok Gehlot

by the contestant Tej Bahadur Singh, from a remote village in Uttar Pradesh. As soon as the episode was telecast a lot

of common people posted on social media that they were excited to see Ashok Gehlot on screen and most of them

shouted out the correct answer-‘Rajasthan’. There was a certain thrill in hearing the name of CM Ashok Gehlot- a legend from the lips of another legend Amitabh Bachchan when he said with awe and respect in his voice that Ashok Gehlot ji was elected as the chief minister of Rajasthan in 2018 for the third time.

This shows the popularity of Ashok Gehlot pan India. cityfirst@ firstindia.co.in

NAMAN

Amit Bimrot

Digital Baal Mela CITY FIRST

B

ollywood actor Amit Bimrot, who arrived at the Digital Baal Mela to teach children acting tricks, said that a good actor never copies anyone. Natural acting makes you a big star.

Those who believe that there ain’t any need for wisdom to become an actor, they are wrong.

Bollywood is full of intelligent people. To be a good actor, a good writer, a good director, it is necessary to be a good student.

Vasu, a student from Ratangarh questioned how successful actors are who started their acting career from childhood. On this, the star replied, “ There are very few names who started acting

from childhood and became very successful faces, like Lt. Rishi Kapoor Ji because as children everyone is focused on studies, very few children get a chance. Sometimes they get a chance too but disappear in no time.”

“Acting is a continuous practice. Just as a good runner has to practice running continuously, every actor has to make constant efforts”, he concluded. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

EVENTS!

A SHREE INITIATIVE

ANITA HADA

S

hree Cement once again proved that it is a class apart with “Project Naman” - a National initiative of Shree Cement to provide free cement to the families of Armed Forces Personnel martyred in the past twenty years. Lt Gen Alok Kler, PVSM, VSM, GOC-in-C, Southern Western Command, Indian Army, formally released the scheme today with Sanjay Mehta, President (Commercial) & Chief Happiness Officer and Arvind Khicha, Jt President (Commercial), of Shree Cement Ltd. “Since cement is the most vital input for building a house, we felt that the Naman scheme would be extremely helpful towards meeting the housing needs of the

GUJ: Dipak painter gives final touches to his painting on a car decorates for wedding session in Ahmedabad on Friday. Due to Covid-19 pandemic, they don’t have large orders in this Wedding Session otherwise they have around 20 Wedding —PHOTOS BY HANIF SINDHI decoration orders usually.

GUJ: Dr Amit Patel, Senior Academician of Ahmedabad represented from the Western zone as an Expert Telehealth professional and received the Fellowship from South Asia for the foundation in the year 2020 -21.

The foundation is established in the year 2017 at Chicago by Ex-US President Barack Obama.

Arvind Khicha, GOC-in-C Lt. Gen. Alok Kler and Sanjay Mehta

families of Martyrs. It is a great honour for us.

We salute the Martyrs of our nation. I take this opportunity to thank Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh Ji for his guidance and support in implementing the scheme,” said Prashant Bangur, Joint Managing Director, Shree Cement Ltd. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Sunita Devi, receives ‘NAMAN release order’ from Lt Gen Alok Singh Kler

Heritage Transport Museum is presenting India’s first exhibition of Original Indian movie posters and lobby cards that share a connection to modes of transportation from today and continues till 31st January 2021 at Bilaspur, Chowk, Tauru, Gurgaon, Haryana on the occasion of their 7th Anniversary.

HAR KAAM, DESH KE NAAM CITY FIRST

S

During the launch

ALL IN ONE

K

errimo, an 11+ years old food & beverage brand from the Philippines, has close to 150 operational stores in the same country. With India turning its tide as a successful prospect in

the F&B retail market, the brand set a course to enter in as a unique snackbrand, by offering eat-drink-in-onecup as a novel concept of snacking convenience. The brand suc-

Amitabh Bachchan

cessfully inaugurated its 4 new Jaipur stores’ opening at a digital launch event in Crowne Plaza Jaipur on Friday in the presence of renowned dignitaries. Anil Kumar, Arpit Joshi and Vikas Arora are the franchise partners in Jaipur.

—City First

SUPER WOMEN!

warnim Varsh Cyclothon was organised by Konark Corps at Pithewala on Thursday, followed by a Medical Camp at Ramgarh.

Battle Axe Division team led by Lieutenant Manya covered a distance of 171 Kilometres today as part of Konark Corps Cyclothon and reached Pithewala, a remote village in Rajasthan.

The team was flagged off by the war veteran Naik Chotu Singh,

Cyclothon; (inset) Blood Donation Camp

Shaurya Chakra (Retired). There was a plantation drive carried out by the team at Srimohangarh prior to flagging off.

War veterans Brigadier Khosla (Retired) and Colonel Prasad, (Retired) who were part

PALMISTRY...

of the 1971 war, applauded the efforts of Konark Corps to commemorate the historic win through video messages. The brave hearts felt nostalgic over the remembrance of the operations in 1971. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Chairman of Tab India and AMSUM & ASH Amit Gupta made the nation proud by being elected as one of the directors of the board of Natural stone Institute, USA.

BUZZ

JAIRANGAM

T The Real Super Women 2020 Award was organised recently for women who have performed in various fields, one winner was chosen in each category from each city.

FICCI Ladies Organisation, Jaipur Chapter, under the leadership of its Chairperson, Wandana Parnami, held a virtual session on Palmistry. They unfolded the mystery hidden in our hands through an expert astrologer and palmist, Rajiv Sood.

he Jairangam Online Fringes Festival 2020 starts today, 5 December, and will include exclusive workshops for children, women, theatre teachers, and much more along with 20 plays, 30 workshops, 10 talk shows and 7 cultural evenings. It will go on till 27 December.

—City First

Mandakini Chhabu Patil of Nashik district of Maharashtra State, WEAA Face of Nashik 2020 and Top Model of Maharashtra 2020, has been named as the Brand Ambassador of Women Excellence Achievement Award. Mandakini Patil is a wealth planner and MIDC consultant by profession and a member of the Indian National Congress party.