First India-Ahmedabad Edition-06 June 2020

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

CORONA

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ALERT AHMEDABAD l SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00

COVID-19 UPDATE

RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 191

INDIA

WORLD

DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

OVER 4,200 SHRAMIK SPECIAL TRAINS HAVE RUN TILL JUNE 3: CENTRE OVER 20.5L MIGRANTS HAVE GONE BACK FROM GUJARAT: STATE GOVT TO SC The Centre informed SC that around one crore migrant workers across the country have already reached their destination—around 41 lakh by road transport and 57 lakhs by trains. On the behalf of State of Gujarat, senior advocate Maninder Singh said in a statement to the Court, “No further detailed enquiry is required. Out of 22 lakh, 20.5 lakh migrants have been transported back”. While Maharashtra’s csaid that “11 lakh migrants have gone back while only 38,000 remain.” During the hearing, the advocates representing various states gave the figures of migrant workers as per which, over 11 lakh and 20.5 lakh people have gone back from Maharashtra and Gujarat respectively. Maharashtra has so far reported 77,793 COVIID-19 positive cases and 2,710 deaths. India, overall, has recorded over 2.26 lakh cases and 6,348 death due the pandemic. the state to transport the migrant workers and to develop a mechanism for their registration and providing them employment opportunities.

The top court was in-

India begins campaign for UNSC seat New Delhi: India on Friday launched its campaign to secure an elected seat at the UN Security Council, saying that it can play a constructive global role by offering inclusive solutions to overcome old and new fault lines in the world.

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar launching the bid said India will seek responsible and inclusive solutions; concrete and result-oriented action at the UNSC for an effective response to international terrorism; reform multilateralism to reflect contemporary realities; a comprehensive approach to peace and security guided by dialogue, mutual respect and commitment to international law for which India also hopes to streamline UN peace keeping; and technology with a human touch.

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GUJARAT

3,95,250 67,67,705 6,649 2,36,001 1,190 19,119

SEND MIGRANTS HOME WITHIN 15 DAYS: SC TELLS CENTRE New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said it intends to give 15 days to the Centre and states for transporting all stranded migrant workers to their native places and will pronounce its order on June 9 on the issue including their registration and employment opportunities.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah took note of the submissions of the Centre and state governments on steps taken so far to mitigate the miseries of the migrant workers stranded across the country during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The bench, hearing the matter via video conferencing, said it intends to give 15 days to the Centre and all

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formed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that till June 3, over 4,200 Shramik Special’ trains have been deployed to transport migrant workers to their native places.

Mehta said that till now over one crore migrant workers have been transported to their destinations through trains and buses and most of the trains ended up in Uttar

Pradesh and Bihar.

He said state governments can tell as to how many more migrant workers need to be shifted and how many trains are required for that purpose.

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DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

Ladakh standoff: Lt Gen-level talks today; India-China have already held about 12 rounds

Hope for an amicable solution through talks

New Delhi: Indian and Chinese armies will hold a Lt General-level dialogue on Saturday in their first major attempt to resolve the monthlong bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh even as both militaries maintained their aggressive posturing in the sensitive areas in the high-altitude region.

The Indian delegation will be led by Lt General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding of Lehbased 14 Corps, while the Chinese side will be headed by the Tibet Military District Commander at the talks in the Border Personnel Meeting Point at Maldo, official sources said.

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CHINA APPOINTS NEW PLA COMMANDER FOR INDIA BORDER Beijing: China has appointed a new Army commander for its Western Theatre Command ground forces responsible for the SinoIndia border, ahead of the key talks between senior Indian and Chinese military officials on Saturday to end the border standoff. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theatre Command, on its official website, announced that Lieutenant General Xu Qiling has been appointed as the new commander for its ground forces. Before this, he reportedly served in the Eastern Theatre Command.

Tight purse strings!

No new Central govt scheme for a year

AWAITING DEVOTEES!

Priests in Agartala, pour milk over a statue of Subhadra (C), sister of Lord Jagannath, during the Jal Yatra procession ahead of the annual Rath Yatra, on Friday.

Meanwhile in Puri, amid the outbreak of coronavirus, the much-awaited Snana Yatra of Lord Jagannath was held, where devotees were not allowed near the temple and only servitors, temple administrators and security forces attend the event. This year the Yatra will be held on June 23.

—PHOTO BY ANI

New Delhi: The Union Finance Ministry has asked all ministries and departments to not initiate any new scheme in the current financial year as there is a need to use resources prudently in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

Only funds for schemes under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package and any other special package or announcement would be allocated, according to an office memorandum by the Department of Expenditure under the Finance Ministry.

Any scheme that has already been approved for the current financial year, including those schemes for which in-principle approval has been given, will remain suspended till March 31 next year

or further orders.

The expenditure department said it has been receiving many new proposals for inprinciple approval from various ministries or departments.

“It may be appreciated that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is unprecedented demand on public financial resources and a need to use resources prudently in accordance with emerging and changing priorities,” it said.

“No new proposals for a scheme/subscheme should be initiated this year (2020-21) Turn on P6

RS HOPES: Merja’s move checkmates Congress dream MORBI LAWMAKER IS THE 14TH MLA TO RESIGN FROM THE PARTY SINCE THE 2017 ASSEMBLY ELECTION Gargi Raval Gandhinagar/ Ahmedabad: A third Congress MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) resigned on Friday giving a fresh jolt to the party in the run-up to the Rajya Sabha elections. Brijesh Merja’s

departure could mark the end of the grand old party’s ambition to win two seats of the four empty seats in the upper house of the Parliament.

With eight Congress MLAs stepping down since March, the June 19 poll is likely to be a shoo-in for the three

Brijesh Merja submitting resignation to Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi on Friday.

candidates fielded by the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaker of the Assembly Rajendra Trivedi accepted Merja’s resignation letter on Friday.

In his resignation letter to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, Merja mentions that he has been unable to serve the people while remaining a part of the party.

The development comes two days after Akshay Patel (Karjan) and Jitu Chaudhary (Kaprada) tendered

their resignations on Wednesday. Sources say the Congress’ losing streak is likely to continue with two more MLAs set to leave the party before the Rajya Sabha elections.

As a Patidar candidate, Merja had won the 2017 election in the midst of a Patidar wave.

“His history is full of twists and turns.

He was never loyal to any party. In the past, he has left BJP and Congress twice.

While he was work-

ing with the state government, he was very close with Narhari Amin. This resignation is nothing but a form of help to Amin.

Of course, either Amin or the BJP must have made him a very lucrative offer,” said a source in the party.

Narhari Amin, formerly of the Congress, is one of the BJP’s three candidates in the upcoming poll, with the other two being Abhay Bhardwaj and Ramilaben Bara.

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AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

MORE THE MERRIER

02

GLOBAL STATE OF AFFAIRS

BJP EYES FOUR

COUNTRY TOTAL CASES

TOTAL NEW DEATHS DEATHS

1,933,926 BRAZIL 621,877 RUSSIA 449,834 SPAIN 288,058 UK 283,311 ITALY 234,531 GERMANY 185,354 TURKEY 168,340 IRAN 167,156 FRANCE 153,055

110,608 34,212 5,528 27,134 40,261 33,774 8,758 4,648 8,134 29,111

USA

MORE CONG MLAS

Mastermind strategists Amit Shah and Ahmed Patel keep a close watch from New Delhi on Gujarat developments

+435 +173 +144 +1 +357 +85 +22 +18 +63 +46

WWW.WORLDOMETERS.INFO LAST UPDATED: JUNE 5, 2020, 11:37 PM

IN GUJARAT DISTRICT

TOTAL CASES

TOTAL NEW DEATHS DEATHS

13678 968 VADODARA 1224 42 SURAT 1942 82 RAJKOT 120 3 BHAVNAGAR 136 10 ANAND 104 11 BHARUCH 49 3 GANDHINAGAR 399 14 PATAN 92 7 PANCHMAHAL 95 10 BANASKANTHA 132 5 NARMADA 23 0 CHOTA UDEPUR 34 0 KUTCH 83 4 MEHSANA 147 6 BOTAD 60 2 DAHOD 45 0 PORBANDAR 12 2 JAMNAGAR 61 3 MORBI 4 0 SABARKANTHA 112 3 ARAVALLI 118 7 MAHISAGAR 116 2 KHEDA 84 4 GIR SOMNATH 45 0 VALSAD 46 2 TAPI 6 0 NAVSARI 29 1 DANG 4 0 SURENDRANAGAR 44 2 DWARKA 15 0 JUNAGADH 31 2 AMRELI 14 1 OTHER STATES 24 0 TOTAL 19119 1190 AHMEDABAD

Haresh Jhala Gandhinagar: You would think the Bharatiya Janata Party would be satisfied with the number of Congress MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) abandoning ship. However, its army is working to “guide” at least four more resignations among MLAs from the opposition party.

Sources in the power corridors of Gandhina-

Amit Shah

It seems Jitubhai Chaudhary has learnt a lesson from my career. As a BJP MLA, I am now able to develop my constituency.

—Arvind Patel, former Congressman and now BJP MLA for Dharampur

gar say that the BJP’s original plan had been to ensure the Congress tally in the House fell to 63.

Now, these sources say, it wants to see the Congress with 60 seats or fewer.

This is only possible if another three or four MLAs resign.

Given that the arithmetic of voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls is hardly straightforward or simple, some insiders feel there is still a marginal chance that the Congress party’s second candidate might beat out the BJP’s third candidate to the coveted seat in the Upper House.

As of Friday, each candidate requires a minimum of 35 votes to win. So, if the BJP allocates 38 votes for its first candidate Abhay Bhardwaj, and 37 for its second, Ramilaben Bara, and a mere 28 for its third candidate Narhari Amin.

Against this, the Congress has

TOTAL SEATS

voting, another three of its MLAs--Jagdish Panchal, Balram Thawani and Kishor Chauhan--are down with COVID-19.

Even if these three get out of quarantine in time, there is no guarantee that the other MLAs will not be infected over the next two weeks. So, to be on the safe side, the party is eyeing the resignation of four Congress MLAs: two from central Gujarat, one from northern Gujarat and one from Saurashtra. If it succeeds, there will be no stopping all three BJP candidates from heading to Parliament for the upcoming Monsoon Session.

PARTY-WISE BREAKDOWN OF ASSEMBLY SEATS

ASSEMBLY STRENGTH

182

172: Total

103

Present strength (As of 8 pm on June 05)

65

172

02

BJP Cong BTP NCP IND

01

01

CONGRESS MLAS WHO RESIGNED AFTER 2017 ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS  Kunvarji Bavaliya (Jasdan)

 Pravin Maru (Gadhda)

 Jawahar Chavda (Manavadar)

 Pradyumansinh Jadeja (Abdasa)

 Ashaben Patel (Unjha)

 JV Kakadia (Dhari)

 Vallabh Dharaviya (Jamnagar rural)

 Mangal Gavit (Dang)

 Alpesh Thakor (Radhanpur)

 Jitubhai Chaudhary (Kaprada)

 Dhavalsinh Zala (Bayad)

 Akshaykumar Patel (Karjan)

 Somabhai Patel (Limbdi)

 Brijesh Merja (Morbi)

65 MLAs, at least until the next one resigns. So, if the party allocates 35 votes for its first candidate Shaktisinh Gohil, it will still have 28 for its second one, Bharatsinh Solanki--the same number that the BJP set aside for its third candidate. If this happens, the extra

votes the BJP set aside to bolster the chances of its first two candidates would be meaningless.

Therefore, bringing down the Congress tally even further is its best bet for a shoo-in.

There is another reason for the BJP’s seemingly intense cau-

There is groupism in the party. Even in the 2017 Assembly Elections, former Congress MP Kishan Patel had tried to ensure my defeat. He has been creating obstacles in my political career, and I had to resign as a result.

These are baseless allegations. Why did Jitubhai wait till now to realize that I had “attempted to get him defeated”? The fact is that he has been paid heavily and so he has sold his soul and his ideology.

—Jitu Chaudhary, Former Congress MLA, Kaprada

—Kishan Patel, Former Congress MP

tion.

MLA and Minister of State for Fisheries Parsottam Solanki is bed-ridden.

While the party has taken due per mission for proxy

Ahmed Patel

I lost the 2017 Assembly election to the Congress candidate Akshay Patel, who has now resigned from his position as an MLA. Irrespective of whether or not he joins the BJP, I will go by whatever the BJP state leadership decides.

—Satish Patel, BJP’s Karjan candidate in 2017

Over the past week, I have been offered Rs15 crore to resign both as MLA and from the Congress. However, I have declined all such offers.

—Babubhai Vaza, Congress MLA from Mangrol

SAMPLE RECEIVED SAMPLE NEGATIVE

30 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 35

2,39,911 2,20,792

UNDER EXAMINATION

0

Keep house in order before Money, abuse of power causing blaming us: DyCM to Cong MLAs to resign: Amit Chavda First India Bureau

First India Bureau Gandhinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has attributed the resignations of Congress MLAs to dissatisfaction with their party’s machinery. The BJP has claimed that it played no part in their resignations and urged Congress to not make false allegations.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel strongly condemned the allegations of Congress leaders, terming them ‘baseless’. He opined, “Congress should first put its own house in order and introspect why so many

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel.

MLAs resigned from the party. The resignations happened because they were unhappy with their leaders and due to the lack of growth within the party.”

According to Patel, most of the MLAs who resigned have alleged that there is groupism in

Congress and senior leaders of the party turn a deaf ear to their problems. He also stated that, Congress does not want to find the root cause of the exodus or hold any seniors responsible, so they have turned to making baseless allegations against the BJP to tar-

nish its reputation.

Similarly, BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya, Pandya said, “Congress has not been able to digest its failure of keeping MLAs and party workers happy. That is the reason it is levying such allegations on the ruling party.”

He added, “Top leaders in the Congress have selected ‘wrong’ candidates for the Rajya Sabha election so there is disappointment among MLAs. Those unhappy with the decision are resigning from the party. In fact, Congress party and its leaders have never worked for the welfare of its own party or workers or the nation.”

Gandhinagar: In light of multiple resignations from the Congress party, a senior leader has alleged that Congress MLAs were lured with money and threats by the administration machinery, if they declined to resign from the party. In fact, soon after, the MLA who had written a letter to the governor complaining against the harassment on the government’s end has himself resigned under pressure.

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Chavda stated, “The MLAs who resigned

GPCC president Amit Chavda.

LOP Paresh Dhanani.

were weak and could not withstand the pressure or were keen to make money in a hurry.

So, they compromised with their conscience and ideologies. It is very easy to claim that one resigned in order to do developmental work in their constituency by joining the ruling party.

But, a real leader can get it done even being on the opposition bench.”

Reacting to Brijesh Merja’s resignation, Chavda said that on Thursday he attended a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting.

And, the day before Jitubhai Chaudhary

resigned from the party, he had visited Chavda and gifted him mangoes from Valsad.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani has alleged that MLAs have been threatened if they decline to succumb to the pressure to tender their resignations.

Senior Congress MLA Punja Vansh claimed, “Nobody can be bought without their consent. If someone is available for sale, then there are many buyers for them. I am not surprised by the resignations of MLAs, because they did it for money or to save their own skin.”

GUJARAT AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

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03

against GHCAA Day 5 of Unlock 1.0 brings PIL over ‘physical’ hearings 510 fresh cases across Guj First India Bureau

24 hours: 35 dead, 344 discharged; total: 19,119 cases, 1,190 dead, 13,011 discharged Gandhinagar: As many as 510 new cases emerged from 22 districts on the fifth day of Unlock 1.0.

Dang district, which had not had a single active case for more than 10 days, reported two new cases on Friday. Ahmedabad and Surat continue to lead the state in terms of fresh cases.

Ahmedabad has 324 cases: 300 from the city and 24 from rural areas including Dholka (9), Dhandhuka (6), Detroj (5), Daskroi (3), Sanand (1) and Mandal (1). Thirty deaths occurred in Ahmedabad, including three in rural areas.

Four police personnel of Krishnanagar police station have tested positive. A few more nurses, paramedical staff and doctors have also been infected.

The state bulletin puts the number of cases in

—FILE PHOTO

First India Bureau

TAX RELIEF

Ahmedabad’s ambulances are being put to good use with the city continuing to report high numbers.

Surat at 67, but the local civic body shows 86 new cases as of Friday evening, 79 of which emerged from the city. The highest cases were from Katargam zone (21) on the second consecutive day,, followed by Rander (13) and Udhna (13), Limbayat (12). The rest came from the Central zone and Varachha-1 & 2.

Among Surat’s front

line warriors, a Salabatpura Police Station head constable, a Bamroli ward sweeper, a private bus cleaner and a private hospital peon have tested positive for Sars-CoV-2.

Amreli Assistant Superintendent of Police Sushil Agrawal has also tested positive and is being treated at a Surat Hospital.

In Vadodara district,

cases have emerged from rural areas including Karjan, Bhaili, Dasrath, Undera, Khatamba, Padra and Savli.

Within the city, fresh cases are being reported in new areas. The entire staff at a city branch of a private finance company has been home-quarantined after the branch manager tested positive.

In Saurashtra, new cases were reported from Amreli and Bhavnagar. Most of these patients have a travel history of Ahmedabad or Surat.

Similarly, Jamnagar has reported six new cases, four of which have a travel history of Mumbai, raising questions about the efficacy of Unlock 1.0.

Showers arrive while AMC plans to launch pre-monsoon tasks —PHOTO BY NANDAN DAVE

Gargi Raval Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has been caught napping, and by the weather, no less. Parts of the city saw a spell of rain on Friday, even as the local civic body contemplates kickstarting tasks such as road repair, drainage, and storm-water networking, which were supposed to have been completed well in time for the monsoon.

“The COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown led to issues in getting labour. So, the work was halted. Catchpit cleaning work started mid-May but no work was done in containment areas and red zones,” said Rashmin Shah, chairman water and drainage committee, AMC, who added, “Pre-monsoon work is going on in Bodakdev and on Rajpath Club road. So people will have to avoid these areas this monsoon.”

Meanwhile, the local civic bodies in Surat

It rained in parts of Ahmedabad on Friday.

Farmers start sowing as rain spatters state First India Bureau Ahmedabad: The monsoon might officially be 10 days away, but the rain has begun to arrive, causing optimistic farmers to begin sowing.

Gondal received 3 inches of rain in just one hour on Thursday evening, leaving many parts of the town waterlogged and jammed with traffic. Friday morn-

ing also brought rain to Dhari and Savarkundla. Many villages of Bhavnagar and Ahmedabad district too reported heavy rains, with Ganeshgadh and Mevasa reporting almost zero visibility in the downpour.

Khambha taluka saw its second consecutive rainy day, prompting farmers to start buying seeds of cotton and groundnut for cultivation.

and Rajkot have no need for excuses, with all pre-monsoon work having been dealt with already.

Standing committee chairman of the Surat Municipal Corporation Anil Goplani said: “There was lockdown, but essential services were on.

And, as the monsoonrelated work to be done in advance, we had completed it in May. Last-minute fixes will be completed in a day or two.”

He added: “The health crisis did not halt the work of desilting.”

The Rajkot Municipal Corporation is also well prepared.

“Last year, we received more rains than average, which led to waterlogging in the Miyana Vas locality. This year we have installed a storm-water pipeline in that pocket to do away with waterlogging. We began desilting, drainage repair, and storm-water network cleaning in May,” Mayor Beena Acharya said.

Ahmedabad: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been moved before the state high court against the Gujarat High Court Advocates’ Association (GHCAA) president Yatin Oza for attempting to conduct polls regarding resumption of physical hearings.

The petitioner’s contention is that by conducting such polls through an online platform, the respondent Oza has tried to make a case for reopening of in person hearings at the court.

The petitioner’s advocate Amit Panchal raised the issue in the petition stating, “Yatin Oza, president of the GHCAA has tried to make a case for opening up of the physical court, while circumventing the process that had been initiated by the high court itself. The court had issued a questionnaire and asked for submissions by June 1, 2020. However, in utter disregard of the process initiated by the court,

LIGHT & DARK

—FILE PHOTO

Gujarat High Court.

the respondent GHCAA president has sought to conduct its own poll using the medium of a Google form.”

Therefore, the petitioner pleaded to the court to declare the polling by the respondent as illegal and contrary to judicial discipline. He also added that the polls were being conducted contrary to the constitution of the GHCAA as well as, without a general body meeting or the meeting of the management committee.

The petition also stated, “Until a decision comes on this petition, the court should prohibit GHCAA office

bearers from passing any resolution or taking any action in respect of whether the court should function normally or virtually.

Meanwhile, late on Friday evening GHCAA president Yatin Oza took to social media and questioned how he had made serious allegations about the modus operandi of the state high court. According to Oza, over 80% high court advocates are currently facing various problems.

“If the lockdown norms have been relaxed by the state, why can’t the high court function normally too?” he asked.

—PHOTO BY NANDAN DAVE

The usually busy overbridge at Shivranjani Crossroads in Ahmedabad remains mostly deserted despite Unlock 1.0.

SGCCI prez sends legal notice to Union Bank of India for negligence First India Bureau Surat: The president of Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) Ketan Desai, on Thursday, sent a legal notice to Union Bank of India (UBI) of Nanpura branch for negligence in clearing checks, sparking a

controversy.

The president of the chamber alleged that Rs26.25 lakh were sanctioned from the bank without his knowledge or signature on March 11-12.

The amount was reportedly approved by board members Rajendra Chokhawala and Ashok Shah from the

savings account of the chamber. UBI’s Nanpura branch manager Sunil Lohia said, “A resolution was tabled on June 25 last year to include chamber president Ketan Desai along with four other members including vice president Dinesh Nawadia and trustees Hetal Mehta, Rajendra

Chokhawala and Ashok Shah. Checks have been passed with the signatures of two out of five members.”

However, Desai said, “A letter was sent by the chamber to the bank on March 11 and 12 to stop the process of clearing the check. But the check was approved.”

Did Siddharth Patel expose Congress’ weakest links to BJP? Gargi Raval Ahmedabad: Despite not having sufficient votes, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded three candidates for the Rajya Sabha election, while Congress in the driver’s seat to win two seats put forth two candidates in the fray.

However, after eight MLAs resigned from the Congress party, it is now clear that the three BJP candidates

are likely to find a seat in the upper house. So, the big question which arises is that who revealed the weakest links of Congress to the ruling party?

In the 2017 Rajya Sabha election, Shankarsinh Vaghela (former CM) resigned from Congress along with two supporters thereby helping the BJP at the time.

According to sources, in this election, it is Siddharth Patel, two-time

Siddharth Patel, former GPCC president and son of former CM, Chimanbhai Patel.

—FILE PHOTO

MLA and son of former chief minister Chimanbhai Patel who wanted a Rajya Sabha seat from the BJP. “He had met BJP leaders before the saffron party announced the name of Narhari Amin. It was Patel who gave the list of defectors to the BJP to showcase his strength.

Brijesh Merja, the latest defector, is loyal to Patel,” said a highly placed source.

Merja was earlier

associated with the Janata Dal when Chimanbhai Patel was leading the party.

Many loyalists had informed party leaders that Siddharth Patel was the black sheep and had met several BJP leaders in March.

“Patel was aware that he would not have enough numbers, in case BJP gives him the opportunity to contest the election. He was calculating the number of heads who could resign

from the party. But, the fault lies with the party leadership,” added the source.

“Earlier, the party took MLAs to Jaipur in March. The names of Akshay Patel, Jitu Chaudhary, and Merja were doing the rounds even then. Chaudhary was out of any contact for two whole days.

How come the party never talked to them?

This is a failure at leadership,” concluded the source.

PERSPECTIVE AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

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IN-DEPTH

ECONOMY IS IN CRISIS, WAIT FOR UPTURN

RS Poll: Will Rajasthan’s Congress government also bear witness to circumstances similar to MP and Gujarat? The speculation remains an uphill task and almost impossible as senior Congress leader…

GEHLOT HITS BACK! KARTIKEY DEV SINGH

A

s India slowly gets closer to overtaking Italy in the number of Covid-19 cases, the jury is still out on the nation-wide shutters down policy of the government for approximately sixty days.

That the coronavirus enforced lockdown has hit the economy hard is no longer a state secret. With supplies stalled and demand restricted to essential commodities, there were apprehensions about consumer sentiment and manufacturing. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Survey on Consumer Confidence covering 13 major cities said that confidence collapsed in May 2020, to a historic low.

With 100 as the dividing line between pessimism and optimism, the current situation index fell to 83.7 in January, the lowest in five years.

Another RBI report said that with a fall in consumer spending, manufacturers too cut down production leading to a slump in capacity utilization from 73.6 percent in April-June period to 69.1 percent in the quarter ending March. This is the lowest since 2009.

The central bank said, “Current perception on the general economic situation, price levels, and household incomes remained weak when compared with the position a year ago.”

Painting a dismal picture, the survey showed that the weak consumer sentiment will continue for the next year. “Consumer perception of the general economic situation, employment scenario, and household income plunged deeper into contraction zone, while expectations for the year ahead were also pessimistic.” The survey said that consumers reported sharp cuts in discretionary spending and also do not expect much improvement in the coming year. This sentiment indicates that the economy is not coming out of the lockdown rut anytime soon.

The survey was conducted through telephone in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Patna.

With the total lockdown extending up to April 2020, business activities had come to a halt. This was reflected in Rs 43,000 crore goods and service tax (GST) collection in April. During the same period in 2019, the GST totalled Rs 100, 289 crores.

The sharp decline was mainly due to the complete curb on all services and big and small businesses.

With the steep fall in revenue from GST alone, the government began tightening its purse strings to check expenditure. The finance ministry has therefore put in cold storage all the new schemes, including those approved under current fiscal. The exception has been made only for those schemes announced under the relief package. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna and the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan are the ones to get a reprieve.

The government’s total revenue receipts during April totalled Rs 27,548 crore against the total expenditure of 3.07 lakh crore. The department of expenditure under the finance ministry said in a statement, “No new proposal for a scheme/ sub-scheme…should be initiated this year (FY 2020-21)…”

A contracting economy and expanding footprints of the coronavirus--- these are not the happiest of times.

THE WRITER IS BUREAU CHIEF, FIRST INDIA, JAIPUR @KartikeyBanethi

P Known to be a shrewd politician with a calm and collected demeanour, Gehlot knows when to hit the adversary with his verbal barbs and when to actually make a mockery of them.

And perhaps with the Rajya Sabha polls only a fortnight away; the rumours of factionalism within the Congress party; and the continuous alleged attempts by the Saffron party to lure Congressmen to its fold to destabilise Gehlot government, brought the political ‘giant’ out of the woods to issue a cautionary note to the rivals

olitics, as they say, is a game of chance. If any ‘player’ sees a chance in scoring over his/ her adversary, they will never hesitate to take the shot and come on top. Those who have mingled into the deepest parts of its quagmire, know this and hence remain alert at all levels to keep the opposition at bay. The pre-lockdown political developments in Madhya Pradesh and recent developments in Gujarat, wherein, 8 MLAs have tendered their resignations since March 2020, are an ode to the above lines as to how the ‘power-play’ is going on in the neighbouring states, which threatens the political stability of Rajasthan government.

It would be naive to mention here that senior Congress leader and third time Chief Minister of Rajasthan - Ashok Gehlot knows this, for the simple reason that he has spent over four decades in this environment and knows the ‘game’ like the back of his hand. After all, who is a bigger politician than Gehlot in the current era for whom even late Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said that he remains politically alert and aware, 24/7. Interestingly, those who know Gehlot or follow his political journey, know that Gehlot’s polity is synonymous with ‘message ki rajneeti’ i.e you need to give the adversary a message that their cover is blown and Gehlot is alert.

Known to be a shrewd politician with a calm and collected demeanour, Gehlot knows when to hit the adversary with his verbal barbs and when to actually make a mockery of them.

And perhaps with the Rajya Sabha polls only a fortnight away; the rumours of factionalism with the Congress party; and the continuous alleged attempts by the saffron party to lure Congressmen to its fold to destabilize Gehlot government, brought the political ‘giant’ out of the woods to issue a caution-

ary note to the rivals.

In a recent interview with senior journalist Shekhar Gupta, Gehlot, in a hushed tone, not only gave a ‘verbal lashing’ to the ‘young leaders’ but also issued his ‘war-cry’ against the BJP claiming that he has full knowledge of developments and people behind them trying to destabilize his government.

Now here is the question… how often have you seen Gehlot issue warnings, after all, at least one faction of the Congress party and even the BJP claims it is exactly that - Warning!

The ‘Marwar’s Gandhi,’ as he is fondly called by people displayed calm aggression and called a spade, a spade; accepted that attempts were being made to fall his government too. “But I am in complete know-how of what is happening and who is behind these developments,” Gehlot said in the interview.

And what happened next has created the buzz in political circles of both Congress and BJP. Giving a piece of his mind to the ‘young leaders’, Gehlot said these leaders have not gone through the hardships the old guard had faced to rise up to the level they currently are. Although, he then softened his tone saying it was not their fault that they were given chances early in their political career, this made them not go through

GIVING A PIECE OF HIS MIND TO THE ‘YOUNG LEADERS’, GEHLOT SAID THESE LEADERS HAVE NOT GONE THROUGH THE HARDSHIPS THE OLD GUARD HAD FACED TO RISE UP TO THE LEVEL THEY CURRENTLY ARE

the ‘troubles’ Gehlot and other senior leaders had faced in their political journeys, perhaps an important aspect in ensuring the ‘hardiness’ and political maturity are needed to lead people.

It is worth noting here that political observers believe the comment has been ‘heard’ loud and clear in certain factions within the Congress and even its arch-rival the BJP. A few observers have even claimed Gehlot’s ‘advice’ to be akin to a father disciplining his son by mere words and refraining from the use of

Bending the curve of fake pandemic news W

ould you believe that the c o r o n av i r u s was developed by a government to weaken its foreign rivals? Or that “patriots” created it to foment a revolution against “big government” and the “deep state”? Sadly, far too many people who have encountered such disinformation online have shared it with their friends and family.

Nonetheless, we are learning more about who produces fake pandemic news, and how to stop its circulation. Over the past few years, the world’s fact checkers have developed a capacity to spot and label lies circulating in the public sphere. Now, they have turned their attention to junk news about the COVID-19 crisis, helping socialmedia platforms move

04

more quickly to dispel and discourage rumors, misinformation, and conspiracy theories.

At the Oxford Internet Institute, we are tracking the large-scale, multi-platform flood of COVID-19 misinformation produced by authoritarian regimes. Statebacked news outlets in China, Iran, Russia, and Turkey have substantial global audiences, and theoretically could reach one billion social-media accounts with English-language content.

Although some of these accounts are fake, the content is being shared across networks of tens of millions of real users.

The disinformation outlets tend to produce less content than independent, professional news outlets do, but they can attract as much as ten times the effective engagement with

the material they turn out.

Unlike more responsible publishers, they are actively politicizing health news and information to tap into pre-existing fears and frustration. By criticizing democracies as corrupt and incompetent, praising authoritarian leaders’ global leadership, and promoting conspiracy theories about the origins of the coronavirus and the motives of international health agencies, they are trying to

shape – or at least muddy – the global narrative as much as possible.

Of course, similarly distracting narratives are also emanating from the world’s democracies. In the United States, the Trump administration has emphasized the fact that the virus originated in Wuhan, China – a point that is largely irrelevant to finding a cure or organizing a public-health response. The only reason to fixate on the Wuhan con-

nection is to politicize the crisis or promote stereotypes about ethnic Chinese.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that we now know where the disinformation is coming from. By analyzing a large sample of health-related COVID-19 lies, we found that one in five can be sourced to politicians, celebrities, and prominent public figures, and that a huge proportion of the misinformation is being propelled by media agencies controlled by authoritarian governments.

We also know that the civic response has been aggressive. A global community of fact checkers that came together after the United Kingdom’s Brexit debate and the US presidential election in 2016 has rapidly pivoted to checking health information. While volunteers in the UK track

misinformation through the Infotagion project, their American counterparts are developing a database of legitimate COVID-19 testing sites. With many credible fact-checking organizations cataloguing lies, there was a ninefold increase in health-news fact checks between January and March of this year.

As we fight the virus, we also must battle junk pandemic news and misinformation. The dissemination of politicized health messages is especially dangerous, as are attacks on credible public agencies and trustworthy, professional news organizations. We need to do everything we can to ensure that people are making the best choices for their own health and the health of those around them..

FOR FULL REPORT LOG ON TO WWW.PROJECTSYNDICATE.COM

‘force’. How the ‘sons’ take the advice, remains to be seen.

Here it becomes interesting to note that when questioned about differences between him and Deputy Chief Minister and PCC Chief Sachin Pilot, Gehlot straight away declined to have any issues stressing that he has no differences with Pilot and that they go about doing their work. Since the Congress party returned to power in 2018, with the CM and deputy CM powersharing equation, this one question has haunted the party both at centre and at state too and time, and again the speculations have been denounced by all quarters of the party. But then conspiracy theorists cite the photo shared by Rahul Gandhi flanked by Gehlot and Pilot captioned ‘United Colors of Rajasthan,’and claim there must be something.

Perhaps there is really something, and perhaps there isn’t any issue. But politics does not depend on ‘perhaps’ or speculations and it certainly does not wait for any other day for developments to happen. Politics happens in the now and as of now, it is Gehlot, who is at the helm of affairs and with his impeccable career from a foot soldier to a full-rank General devoted to the party, there remains no doubt that he will fend off any crisis that comes his way.

Top

TWEET Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp Modi govt is committed to the prosperity and progress of our Annadatas and has proved it time and again with its policy reforms and decision making. A young farmer from Sangrur, Punjab thanks #ModiGovt for the hike in MSP for paddy and on the recent agricultural reforms.

Piyush Goyal @PiyushGoyal The journey of Railways so far under PM @NarendraModi ji has been a continuous process of massive development & modernisation. The crowning glory of the year gone by is zero passenger fatality due to rail accidents.

Spiritual SPEAK

Let the motive be in the deed and not in the event. Be not one whose motive for action is the hope of reward. —Bhagvad Gita

Vol 1 Issue No. 191 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.

Published at D/302 3rd Floor Plot No. 35 Titanium Square, Scheme No. 2, Thaltej Taluka, Ghatlodiya, Ahmedabad. Editor: Jagdeesh Chandra, responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

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No CBI probe needed in Tablighi case: Centre to SC New Delhi: The Central government on Friday, submitted before the Supreme Court that there is no need for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the congregation of Tablighi Jamaat held in the Nizamuddin area of the national capital. The congregation had reportedly become an epicentre for the spread of COVID-19 in the country, with hundreds of attendees, including foreign nationals, testing positive for the virus.

The Centre made the submissions in an affidavit filed before the

apex court today, in which it said that the probe in the matter is being conducted on a day to day basis in accordance with the law

and all efforts are being made to submit a report in a time-bound manner. The affidavit was submitted in the court while responding to a

SUGARCANE FARMER’S SUICIDE

Priyanka slams UP govt New Delhi: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed UP government after a sugarcane farmer committed suicide in the state over his pending dues.

In a series of tweets in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi, who is also the party in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh said, “Seeing his sugarcane crop drying in the field and not getting the slip, a sugarcane farmer of Muzaffarnagar committed suicide.

The BJP claimed that full payment would be given in 14 days, but the sugar mills have been closed with payment due worth thousands of crores.”

“I had apprised the

RAGA SHARES SAINT KABIR COUPLET

government two days ago. One can imagine how these sugarcane farmers would be feeling during this financial crisis without getting the payment for their dues. But now the BJP government does not even mention about

‘1 held in connection with elephant’s death’ Thiruvananthapuram: A man was arrested and another detained by the joint investigation teams of the police and forest departments in connection with the brutal killing of a pregnant elephant in Palakkad in Kerala, state’s forest minister K Raju said. The arrested man has been identified as P Wilson, an employee of an estate that cultivates cash crops and spices.

The two men have reportedly told interrogators that they set up a snare of fruit filled with crackers to scare wild boars, which often destroyed their farms. The incident came to light on May 27 when Mohan Krishnan, a forest of-

ficer, wrote a Facebook post after witnessing the death.

The elephant rushed to nearby Velliyar river after eating the fruit and died there even as forest officials rushed to rescue it. The crackers exploded when the elephant chomped on the pineapple.

A lawyer has filed a complaint with Superintendent of Police, Malappuram against BJP leader Maneka Gandhi and others for allegedly indulging in a hate campaign against Malappuram district and its residents.The complainant alleged that the campaign against the district was very derogatory and with a malafide intent. —ANI

MP: BJP LEADER BALENDU SHUKLA JOINS CONGRESS Bhopal: Former state minister & BJP leader Balendu Shukla joined Congress in presence of exCM Kamal Nath.

“Balendu Shukla joined Congress.

The reason why he left Congress earlier is not in party anymore. It is his homecoming. We all welcome him,” said Kamal Nath.

the sugarcane payment in 14 days.

She also attached a news report of suicide by the farmer with her tweet. The Congress leader has been vocal over the issues of UP in the last one and half years. —ANI

petition filed by one Supriya Pandita seeking a CBI investigation into the alleged lapses by the Delhi government and Delhi Police which led

Rajouri: Soldier dies in ceasefire violation by Pak New Delhi: An Indian Army soldier from Tamil Nadu was killed in the ceasefire violation

by Pakistan on LoC in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district in J&K late on Thursday, officials said on Friday.

A defence spokesperson, Lt Col Devender Anand said. said havaldar Mathiazhagan P died in shelling & said he belonged to Sreerangai Kadu village in Tamil Nadu’s Salem district.

“Our troops responded strongly to enemy fire. Hav Mathiazhagan P was critically injured.

The soldier was evacuated to Army Hospital, where he succumbed to the injuries,” he said.

to the congregation at Tablighi Jamaat.

Notably, the CBI had last week registered a preliminary enquiry against Tablighi Jamaat and unknown persons on a complaint alleging that the organisation's trust indulged in dubious cash transactions.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have filed several charge sheets against foreign nationals who attended the congregation in March this year.

Several FIRs have been filed against Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad under relevant sections of IPC & the Disaster Management Act. —ANI

Centre’s response sought on plea of pvt hosps to cap treatment cost New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking an upper limit on fees that can be charged by private hospitals across the country for treatment of coronavirus patients.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan and also comprising Justices MR Shah and V Ramasubramanian also asked the Central government to file its re-

CYCLONE NISARGA

Maha CM on review visit @Raigad Raigad: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray visited Raigad's Alibaug to take stock of the situation in the wake of cyclone Nisarga.Ministers Aaditya Thackeray, Aslam Shaikh and others accompanied the Chief Minister.

Earlier, he directed officials to file a report of the damage caused by the cyclone within two days, in order to assure that speedy help is provided to the farmers and villagers.

Noting that six persons had lost their lives due to the natural disaster, the Chief Minister directed officials to provide aid of Rs 4 lakh to the family

`100 cr ‘first-aid’announced Mumbai: Two days after Cyclone Nisarga claimed 6 lives and wreaked havoc in over a dozen districts, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray visited Raigad, the worsthit in Maharashtra & announced an initial aid of Rs 100 crore.

Addressing the media, the CM made it clear that “this is not an aid package” but just a preliminary amount given to the district for relief of the deceased.

The Chief Minister also ordered officials to

IN ALL ITS WILDERNESS...

Peacock and peahens are perched atop a tree at Jhalana Forest area of Jaipur during the waterhole census of wildlife being undertaken by state forest department in all forest areas on a full moon night on Friday. Although, the exercise couldn’t be carried out in Jaipur due to sudden rainfall, but it was held in other national parks. The 24-hour exercise is an annual affair wherein, forest staffers, nature enthusiasts and organisations participate by observing and counting wildlife species that visit each waterhole. The exercise was earlier scheduled for May 7, but had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdown.

—PHOTO BY SANTOSH SHARMA

SPL COURT DISMISSES INTERIM BAIL PLEA OF AAP MLA JARWAL New Delhi: A special court in Delhi dismissed the interim bail plea of AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal, who was arrested in connection with the alleged suicide case of a doctor in the national capital.

Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal, while dismissing the interim bail plea, said, “The investigations are still in progress, in

these circumstances if the accused is released on interim bail, considering his dominant position, who is stated to be resident of the same locality as also the local MLA, so, chances of accused influencing witnesses cannot be ruled out. Hence, no ground for interim bail is made out at this stage. The application stands dismissed.”

sponse on the PIL, filed by one Avishek Goenka, within a week. The apex court asked the petitioner to serve a copy of the PIL to Solicitor Gen-

eral Tushar Mehta to ensure that the law officer of the Centre can take proper instructions from the government on the matter, and fixed it for further hearing after one week.

The petitioner, Avishek Goenka, had approached the top court seeking directions to appropriate authorities for an upper limit on fees that can be charged by private hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. —ANI

TIRUMALA TEMPLE TO REOPEN FOR DARSHAN FROM JUNE 8 Tirupati: After a two-month COVID-19 lockdown ban on devotees’ entry, darshan at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala will begin from June 8. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Trust Board chairman Y V Subba Reddy told that initially only 6,000 to 7,000 devotees would be allowed per day against 60,000 to 70,000 who throng the hill shrine on normal days. Darshan will commence at 6.30 a.m. and end at 7.30 p.m.

People above 65 years and children below 10 years will not be allowed into Tirupati Balaji.

works pending completion of formalities before full package is announced.Thackeray said that priority is ensure early restoration of electricity in Raigad district, where

being given to restore power & tele-communication lines besides repairing the damaged houses of people. uprooting of poles has led to a disruption in the power supply. —ANI

Preserve planet's rich biodiversity: PM New Delhi: On World Environment Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to ensure that the flora and fauna thrive and take a pledge to preserve our planet’s rich biodiversity.

“On #WorldEnvironmentDay, we reiterate our pledge to preserve our planet’s rich biodiversity. Let us collectively do whatever possible to ensure the flora and fauna with whom we share the Earth thrive. May we leave an even better planet for the coming generations,” he tweeted. He also shared a clip from his last ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme where he spoke about about rainwater conservation.

“Much of the avian fauna had sort of disappeared due to sound and air pollution, and now after years people can once again listen to their melodic chirping in their homes,” he said.

He said conservation of rainwater, is essential & exhorted everyone to strive for saving rainwater in upcoming monsoons. —ANI

PRAKASH JAVADEKAR LAUNCHES URBAN FOREST PROGRAMME New Delhi: On World Environment Day, Minister of Environment, Prakash Javadekar launched the urban forest programme.

“We have forests in rural areas but not much in urban areas. In many cities, there are 2-3 forests but we need more. Thus, we have introduced scheme of urban forests. In cities, there are gardens but not

forests. We have to create forests so we decided to launch an urban forest programme. We will fund it to some extent.”

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is baggage ‘GOVT TRYING TO DISTRACT China left by Nehru, says PEOPLE FROM REAL ISSUES’ Jitendra Singh ‘Modi’s ‘Atmanirbhar’ idea is merely a slogan,’ Cong leader Sibal said New Delhi: Dubbing the “financial economic package” and “vocal for local” call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as more rhetoric, the Congress on Friday said that the government was trying to divert the attention of the people from “real issues”.

Addressing a press conference through video conferencing, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, “The Prime Minister on May 12 asked the country to go vocal for local and announced an economic package to make the country selfreliant and termed it as Atmanirbhar Abhiyaan (Self reliant).”

“However, it failed to help make the poor, the farmers, the migrant workers, the industry or the states self-reliant,” he said. Targeting the government, Sibal said that similarly his exhortation to industry to push ''Make in India, Made for the World'', expand globally not be de-

pendent on another country in strategic sector did not have a clear roadmap as to how this goal should be achieved.

Firing salvos at the government, the Congress leader said, “How can India become selfreliant until it creates innovation and intellectual property in its uni—FILE PHOTO

UPSC revises Civil Services exam schedule New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) announced the revised dates for the civil service examinations 2020 and interviews. According to the new schedule, the UPSC Civil Services (Prelims) will now be conducted on October 4. The Civil Services (Mains) exam will be held on January 8, 2021. Indian Forest Service (Prelims) will be held along with the UPSC Civil Service examination and Mains will be held on February 28, 2021.The Civil Services Examination consists of three stages – Prelims, Mains and interview — to select officers for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), among others. At least 796 vacancies were announced by the commission to be filled.

The examination was scheduled to be held on May 31. It has been deferred in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic in India. —Agencies

Modi, Shah wish CM Yogi New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi on Friday, greeted UP CM Yogi Adityanath on his birthday, saying under his leadership, the state is scaling new heights of progress. “Birthday greetings to UP's dynamic and industrious CM, Shri @myogiadityanathJi. Under his leadership the state is scaling new heights of progress across all sec-

‘Will definitely contest 2022 Assembly polls’ Chandigarh: Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh shared his resolve to contest the next Assembly elections in state but said the decision on leading the party rests with the Congress president.

He said though he had initially termed 2017 polls as his last election, he had, on the persuasion of his party colleagues, announced his decision to contest the 2022 polls. —ANI

tors,” he tweeted.

“Birthday greeting to CM of UP Yogi Adityanath. Your dedication towards good governance, law & order & welfare of the people in the state is highly appreciated. Under your leadership, the state continues on the path of development. I pray to god for your health and longevity,” Amit Shah tweeted.

versities? This is an act of self deception. This is another rhetoric that you sell to the people of the country,” the Congress leader said.

Attacking the government, Sibal said, “We are only manufacturing rhetoric, statements.

That is the only thing we make in India and we are masters at that under this government.” “The reality is that Modi''s ''Atmanirbhar'' idea is merely a slogan like innumerable others,” Sibal said.

He also called for private investment in universities to create innovation and ideas, which he said did not amount to privatisation. —Agencies

New Delhi: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday, attacked Rahul Gandhi on his focusing on the BJP-led authorities over the border stand-off with China, saying that the Congress chief was conveniently forgetting that issues with China are a “baggage left” by his nice grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru.

He stated errors had been made by Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, and the nation continues to be paying for it.

“Within the context of China they began discovering fault with out realising or conveniently forgetting that China is baggage left by Rahul Gandhi’s nice

POWER Gallery COMPLETE OVER HAULING OF MHA PR TEAM

MIB has overhauled the entire PIB PR team of MHA and strengthened with new officers. Nitin D Wakankar, DG, BoC, has been posted as new DG M&C in MHA. Raaj Kumar posted as ADG, M&C, MHA, Praveen Kavi also joins MHA as Dy Director and Amandeep Yadav also posted as Asstt Director(M&C), MHA. They are all IIS officers.

GUPTA TRANSFERRED FROM MHA

grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru who had walked the streets of Delhi with Zhou Enlai (then Chinese language premier) the place folks round chanted Hindi Cheeni Bhai Bhai,” Singh stated.

“No matter occurred is historical past. The Himalayan tragedy of 1962 and we’re nonetheless paying for it,” he added.

Committed to provide worldclass facilities to people: Rlys New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways on Friday reiterated its commitment to provide world-class facilities to its passengers through one of the best rail networks in the world.

“In order to provide a clean environment and smooth travel experience to its passengers, the Indian Railways has taken various steps under Swachh Bharat, Swachh Railways initiative,” said the Ministry of Railways in a press release.

In the statement, the Ministry listed some important steps in this direction, which include 49,487 bio-toilets installed in 14,916

06

Vasudha Gupta, DG, M&C, has been transferred from MHA and posted as DG, PIB and to look after the work of PIB Fact Check unit. Virat Majboor, Dy Director, has been transferred to AIR News, Delhi in the same capacity, Shelat Harit Ketan, Dy Director, posted in DPD as DD and Ankur Lahoty joins DD News, Delhi as Asstt Director. Majboor, Ketan and Lahoty were also posted in MHA media cell. They are all IIS officers.

PRATIBHA PAL IS ALSO ADDITIONAL MD, MP METRO RAIL CO LTD

Pratibha Pal, Commissioner, Indore Municipal Corporation, has been assigned an additional charge of Additional Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Company Limited, Indore.

She is a 2012 batch IAS officer.

HARIKISHORE NOMINATED AS DIRECTOR, NITTAN GELATIN INDIA LTD

Harikishore S, MD, KSIDC, has been nominated as Director on the Board of Nitta Gelatin India Limited. He is a 2008 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre.

DR KP SINGH APPOINTED CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF DLF

Dr KP Singh, Non-Executive Director / Chairman, DLF, has been appointed as Chairman Emeritus of DLF. DR KP SINGH QUITS AS CHAIRMAN, DLF LTD AFTER SERVING 50 YEARS

—FILE PHOTO

coaches during 2019-20.

This takes the cumulative number of bio-toilets to more than 2,45,400 fitted in 68,800 coaches with a coverage of 100 per cent.

The Ministry of Railways, which has been lauded for the implementation of 'Swachhta Action Plan,' said that

200 railway stations were certified for the implementation of Environment Management System to ISO: 14001 in 2019-20.

At present, around 315 PBCMs have been installed at 229 stations including several district headquarters railway stations. —ANI

Plaint against Arnab under Cable TV Act

#WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Trees represent beautiful and resilient life.

Let us do our bit to make our world more beautiful, more resilient and more green.

Let us plant a tree let us plant a life.

Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan along with his family plants a sapling at his residence on the occasion of World Environment Day.

Pune: Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami faces a new complaint, this time under the Cable Televisions Network Act, 1995, for allegedly running television channel “to create communal hatred, religious polarisation and threatening national integrity”. Social activist Nilesh Navlakha lodged a complaint with Commissioner of Police, Pune, through his lawyer Asim Sarode.

Dr KP Singh, Chairman, DLF Limited, has resigned from the post after rendering his services for 50 years to the company. Dr Singh is known for his pioneering contribution in urban housing and infrastructure development, commercial offices and malls, stepped down after leading the DLF Group to become the most valued real estate player in the country.

RAJIV SINGH APPOINTED CHAIRMAN, DLF LIMITED

Rajiv Singh, currently Vice Chairman & Wholetime Director, has been appointed as the Chairman, DLF Limited.

WILL GUPTA BE NEW CHAIRMAN OF CBDT?

Extended tenure of Chairman of the CBDT PC Mody is coming to an end in August. In the corridors of power, grapevine has it that if 1984 batch IRS (IT) officer SK Gupta gets extension in service in June, he will succeed PC Mody.

WILL DR RAJENDER KUMAR BE NEW PS TO PM MODI?

Dr Rajender Kumar is likely to succeed Rajeev Topno as new Private Secretary to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is 2004 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre.

SHORTLISTING FOR SEBI CHAIRMAN THIS WEEK?

Shortlisting of new SEBI Chief is expected in a couple of days. One can wait and watch, informed a few reliable sources from the organisation, while sharing about the development.

LEKHAN THAKKAR APPOINTED COUNSELLOR (ECON), EMBASSY OF INDIA, BEIJING

Lekhan Thakkar has been appointed Counsellor (Economic) at Director level, Embassy of India, Beijing, China. He is a CSS officer.

FROM PG 1 RS HOPES...

Meanwhile, senior leaders Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki will represent the Congress on June 19.

In the 182-member Assembly, the BJP has 103 MLAs, while the Congress now only has 65. The Bharatiya Tribal Party has two MLAs, the Nationalist Congress Party has one, and there is one Independent legislator, Jignesh Mevani.

India begins...

The UN Security Council elections are slated for June 17. As a single endorsed candidate of

the Asia-Pacific Group, India’s candidature is very likely to succeed.

Once elected, it would be its eighth term on the UN Security Council. The new two-year tenure will start in January 2021.

However, Jaishankar said, “As a rule abiding democracy and a positive contributor to the security of global commerce, India will work constructively with partners to overcome old and new faultlines and offer innovate and inclusive solutions.”

The minister said India’s approach will be guided by five ‘S’s, as set

out by Prime Minister Narendra Modia -- Samman (Respect), Samvad (Dialogue), Sahyog (Cooperation), and Shanti (Peace), to create conditions for universal and Samriddhi (Prosperity). India’’s overall objective during this tenure in the UN Security Council, he said, will be the achievement of N.O.R.M.S: a New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System.

Emphasizing India’’s long-standing role as a voice of moderation, an advocate of dialogue, and a proponent of international law, Jaishankar set out India’’s prin-

cipled approach to international relations, which India’’s foreign policy establishment would bring to the table at the UN Security Council, once India is elected to a two-year term on the Council. —IANS

Tight purse... except the proposals announced under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package and any other special package/announcement,” it added. With regard to the existing ongoing schemes, the Department of Expenditure

said it has already given an interim extension till March 31, 2021, or till the date the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission come into effect, whichever is earlier. —Agencies

Send migrants...

The Solicitor General assured the bench that necessary trains are being made available to the concerned States and it would be provided in future as well, when demands are raised.

On May 28, the top court had directed that the migrant workers wanting to return to their home states will

not be charged train or bus fares and those stranded across the country will be provided food free of cost by the authorities concerned.

Hope for...

The two sides have already held at least 12 rounds of talks between local commanders and three rounds of talks between major general-rank officials but no positive outcome came out from the discussions, they said.

In Saturday’s meeting, the Indian side is expected to press for restoration of the status quo ante in at least Pangong

Tso and Galwan Valley to gradually deescalate the tension removal of temporary camps erected by China after a violent face off between the two sides on May 5.

The Indian delegation will also insist on implementation of the strategic guidelines issued by the two militaries in line with decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in their first informal summit in April 2018 in Wuhan.

Meanwhile Indo-Tibetan Border Police has operationalised its newly sanctioned twin com-

mands in Chandigarh and Guwahati that supervise the deployment of its troops along the 3,488 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Officials said the recent standoff between Indian and Chinese forces in the Ladakh area and other parts of the LAC is a major reason for the quick initiation of the two commands - western headquartered at Chandigarh and eastern at Guwahati - stipulated to be headed by an Additional Director General (ADG) rank officer, equivalent to a Lt Gen in the Army.

TALKING POINT AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

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TRAGEDY NEED NOT BE THE ONLY LEGACY OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS. ON THE CONTRARY, THE PANDEMIC REPRESENTS A RARE BUT NARROW WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT, REIMAGINE, AND RESET OUR WORLD TO CREATE A HEALTHIER, MORE EQUITABLE, AND MORE PROSPEROUS FUTURE

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OVID-19 lockdowns may be gradually easing, but anxiety about the world’s social and economic prospects is only intensifying. There is good reason to worry: a sharp economic downturn has already begun, and we could be facing the worst depression since the 1930s. But, while this outcome is likely, it is not unavoidable.

To achieve a better outcome, the world must act jointly and swiftly to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies, from education to social contracts and working conditions. Every country, from the United States to China, must participate, and every industry, from oil and gas to tech, must be transformed. In short, we need a “Great Reset” of capitalism.

There are many reasons to pursue a Great Reset, but the most urgent is COVID-19.

Having already led to hundreds of thousands of deaths, the pandemic represents one of the worst public-health crises in recent history. And, with casualties still mounting in many parts of the world, it is far from over.

This will have serious long-ter m consequences for economic growth, public debt, employment, and human wellbeing. According to the Financial Times, global gover nment debt has already reached its highest level in peacetime.

Moreover, unemployment is skyrocketing in many countries: in the US, for example, one in four workers have filed for unemployment since mid-March, with new weekly claims far above historic highs. The International Monetary Fund expects the world economy to shrink by 3 per cent this year – a downgrade of 6.3 percentage points in just four months.

All of this will exacerbate the climate and social crises that were already underway.

Some countries have already used the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse to weaken environmental protections and enforcement.

Left unaddressed, these crises, together with COVID-19, will deepen and leave the world even less sustainable, less equal, and more fragile. Incremental measures and ad hoc fixes will not suffice to prevent this scenario. We must build entirely new foundations for our economic and social systems.

The level of cooperation and ambition this implies is unprecedented. But it is not some impossible dream. In fact, one silver lining of the pandemic is that it has shown how quickly we can make radical changes to our lifestyles. Almost instantly, the crisis forced businesses and individuals to abandon practices long claimed to be essential, from frequent air travel to working in an office.

Likewise, populations have overwhelmingly shown a willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of health-care and other essential workers and vulnerable populations, such as the elderly. And many companies have stepped up to support their workers, customers, and local communities, in a shift toward the kind of stakeholder capitalism to which they had previously paid lip service.

Clearly, the will to build a better society does exist. We must use it to secure the Great Reset that we so badly need. That will require stronger and more effective governments, though this does not imply an ideological push for bigger ones.

HARNESS THE INNOVATIONS OF THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

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he third and final priority of a Great Reset agenda is to harness the innovations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to support the public good, especially by addressing health and social challenges.

During the COVID-19 crisis, companies, universities, and others have joined forces to develop diagnostics, therapeutics, and possible vaccines; establish testing centers; create mechanisms for tracing infections; and deliver telemedicine. Imagine what could be possible if similar concerted efforts were made in every sector.

The COVID-19 crisis is affecting every facet of people’s lives in every corner of the world. But tragedy need not be its only legacy. On the contrary, the pandemic represents a rare but narrow window of opportunity to reflect, reimagine, and reset our world to create a healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous future.

INVESTMENTS ADVANCE SHARED GOALS

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T

he Great Reset agenda would have three main components. The first would steer the market toward fairer outcomes. To this end, governments should improve coordination (for example, in tax, regulatory, and fiscal policy), upgrade trade

STEER THE MARKET TOWARD FAIRER OUTCOMES arrangements, and create the conditions for a “stakeholder economy.” At a time of diminishing tax bases and soaring public debt, govern-

ments have a powerful incentive to pursue such action.

Moreover, governments should implement longoverdue reforms that pro-

mote more equitable outcomes. Depending on the country, these may include changes to wealth taxes, the withdrawal of fossilfuel subsidies, and new rules governing intellectual property, trade, and competition.

he second component of a Great Reset agenda would ensure that investments advance shared goals, such as equality and sustainability.

Here, the large-scale spending programs that many governments are implementing represent a major opportunity for progress. The European Commission, for one, has unveiled plans for a 750 billion ($838 billion) recovery fund. The US, China, and Japan also have ambitious economicstimulus plans.

Rather than using these funds, as well as investments from private entities and pension funds, to fill cracks in the old system, we should use them to create a new one that is more resilient, equitable, and sustainable in the long run. This means, for example, building “green” urban infrastructure and creating incentives for industries to improve their track record on environmental, social, and governance metrics.

SOURCE: PROJECT SYNDICATE CONCEPT: DIVYA HEMNANI DESIGN: ABHISHEK GUPTA

Beauty is enough. The beauty of the flower is as unique in itself as is the beauty of the moon or a newly wed bride.

Each is complete and incomparable.

2ND FRONT Franklin MF examining Did unskilled labour cause HC order staying e-voting —Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

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Dahej chemical factory blast? of scrapped fund scheme Shortage of skilled workers leads to unwelcome beginning to industrial unlock 1.0

First India Bureau

First India Bureau

Ahmedabad: Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund said it is examining the order passed by the High Court of Gujarat, which stayed the electronic voting process for winding up of the fund house schemes.

The e-voting window will open on June 9 and close on June 11 ,the unit holders meeting was to be held through video conferencing on June 12. The fund house had offered two options to investors, monetisation of assets by trustees or hiring a third party to conduct the process. Apart from these offers, investors would also have an option to vote ‘’no’’ for either of the two. The investors filed a petition in the High Court alleging that winding up of the debt schemes by the fund house was illegal.

A Franklin Templeton MF spokesperson

Gandhinagar: With three major industrial accidents in last week alone, the question of neglect of safety norms for the sake of resuming industrial operations has come to the fore. The explosion at Yashashvi Rasayan (P) Ltd killing 8 persons and leaving more than 50 injured seems to be turning out to be the classical case, although no official confirmation of the cause of the fatal explosion has been ascertained yet.

Yashashvi Rasayan manufactured more than 15 chemicals, most of which are toxic and have both environmental and health hazards.

Some of the chemicals include 4-Amino Benzonitrile, 2,4,5-Trichloroaniline, 4-Nitrobenzonitrile and 2,3-Dichloroaniline.

Delhi-based

TO BE NOTED

—FILE PHOTO

non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reached out to government agencies, including the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), Director of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH), Bharuch and the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA).

According to initial reports there were eight to nine chemical storage tanks, out of which

Blood on uniform: Gujarat constable gets 25 years in jail

—FILE PHOTO

First India Bureau RAJKOT: A suspended constable with Rajkot B division police station was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment on Friday in a double murder case.The Rajkot sessions court awarded jail term to Kamlesh Mehta for stabbing Bhupat Teraiya (55) and his wife Gunvanti Teraiya (54) in Punit Nagar on Jamnagar Road, Rajkot Gujarat on the evening of April 7th , 2014.

Mehta’s mother picked up fights with the Teraiya couple, On the evening of the

crime, after she had a fight, Mehta’s mother called up Mehta, who came armed and stabbed the Teraiya couple to death,” said Yuvrajsinh Parmar, special public prosecutor.

Mehta was picked from Jamnagar Road by the police. Parmar sought capital punishment for Mehta, as the accused was a police constable, and committed the crime on duty.

The court turned down the appeal for the capital punishment and sentenced Mehta to 25 years imprisonment.

two or three contained solvents used to prepare chemicals. The chemicals stored in the tanks were di-chloro benzene, di-chloro nitro benzene, di-methyl sulphate, nitric acid and caustic. None of the agencies involved in the investigation of the fatal industrial blast have ascertained the exact cause but are revolving around theories surrounding the blast. A

representative of the GPCB said it was not clear which tank exploded and what caused the blast.

But what certainly causes real concern is the fact that one official said that it was possible chemicals in the factory were mishandled (either due to human error or negligence of management) because skilled labour was unavailable as a result of

the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The official said the concentration of volatile organic compound (VOC) in ambient air increased to more than 1,000 parts per million (ppm), several times higher than the limit value (5 microgram per cubic metre = 0.002 ppm), in the downwind direction of the industry.

—FILE PHOTO

said,will take appropriate steps as required.

Earlier the fund house closed six of its debt funds, citing redemption pressures and lack of liquidity in the bond markets.

These schemes were Franklin India Low Duration Fund, Dynamic Accrual Fund, India Credit Risk Fund, India Short Term Income Plan, India Ultra Short Bond Fund, and Franklin India Income Opportunities Fund.

The Madras High Court had issued notices to Franklin Templeton MF and market reg-

ulator Sebi after a petition was filed by Chennai Financial Markets Accountability (CFMA), to safeguard nearly Rs 28,000 crore investors money. The court took cognizance of the matter wherein the money of common public is at risk, and asked Sebi to file their reply, along with reports on the actions taken.

The investors group is separately launching an online petition to bring together all affected investors to be forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office, and the US markets regulator SEC.

14-day quarantine rule keeps workers out of markets First India Bureau Surat: Surat is known globally for its diamond and textile market. Permission has been given to start a textile industry in Surat in Unlock-1 but only 30 percent textile market is open. The traders and the workers who went to their hometowns are now willing to come back as

—FILE PHOTO

the government allows trading.

However, there is a government guide-

line that traders and workers have to remain home quarantined for 14 days after returning to Surat raising concerns among traders.

The traders and workers who went to their homes, cannot return to trade in the market without fulfilling a 14-day-home quarantine guideline.

Due to which the major part of the textile market has been shut.

The matter has been presented to the municipal commissioner from the textile traders for further relaxation in this guideline, the Municipal Commissioner and offered to get some relief in this guideline.

If a trader comes, the textile market will open

and if workers come, the industry will flourish. Currently, traders are not coming to Surat fearing a 14-day home quarantine.

The matter has been presented that if the textile market opens, the industries associated with it will also start, By which workers and traders will be in benefit.

Thackeray scion reunites Guj kid after parents appeal on Twitter

ALL FOR THE LORD

First India Bureau

Lord Jagannath’s ‘Jal Yatra’ was organised on Friday at the Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel also offered prayers at the temple.

Ahmedabad /Mumbai: Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray turned out to be a messiah for a 2.5 year old kid , when he was united with his parents.

Abhishek Porwal appealed on twitter, that his son is stuck in Ahmedabad for more than 2 months at his grandma’s place since March 15, due to the Covid-19 lock down . His son managed with his

grand mother for months, but now has broken down missing his mother.Taking note of the appeal on Twitter, Thackeray this morning tagged the Mumbai

Police and asked them to assist Abhishek Porwal a resident of Andheri, received the e-pass from Mumbai Police this afternoon. The family was thankful.

BLESSING IN DISGUISE

Undertrial’s bail plea reveals eight positives in Sabarmati jail Ahemdabad: Covid testing in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Central Jail finds eight positive, after an undertrial insisted on bail. The Sabarmati Central Jail authorities, decided to conduct tests on inmates after murder accused year 2019 Manubhai Desai files a bail application in Gujarat High Court, before sending him home.

They detected eight inmates Corona Virus positive, with no con-

tact with outside world, they were immediately hospitalized.

Desai had filed the application citing that he needed to be with his children, as he suspected that his wife may have contracted the virus, as and his house was in Ahmedabad containment area.

The Court ordered his wife to undergo RTPCR test,as the Court had apprehensions that if his wife has contracted the virus, she could

—FILE PHOTO

infect Desai, and in turn he would have infected his inmates in the centre,to which she

tested negative Later Manubhai Desai once again filed a bail application to be

with his kids, as his wife came in contact with a positive patient, the wife was quarantined and Desai was granted bail by the Court but asked him to test once again.

After RT-PCR tests were carried out,It was alarming for Manubhai Desai to test positive.

The authorities tested the entire barrack of 23 inmates where Manubhai was kept, also testing inmates of other bar-

racks too. The test revealed that apart from Manubhai , 4 other inmates from his barrack, and four more from other barracks tested positive.

This is the first time that this situation has come up said DV Rana the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Sabarmati Central Jail to IANS. He further said all 8 positive inmates are asymptomatic. In total 41 RT-PCR tests were

carried out on all inmates, and as a precautionary measure quarantined around 100 inmates who could have contracted the disease through these 8.

It was observed that whenever inmates went out on parole or bail, they sometimes came back positive , but this was the first instance where inmates were found positive without exposure with outside world which is a worrying issue.

IN ACTION MODE

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FIT FEET

FOREVER Fit Feet are a necessity. City First brings you the ways to combine style and comfort with good feet health!

NEHAL NAYAR

nehal.nayar@firstindia.co.in

C

omfort is not always the first thing that comes into the mind while buying that perfect matching footwear and many a times, comfort takes a backseat but a good fit is critical to footwear, otherwise the damage can be considerable.

The types of available footwear is considerable with stilettos, boots, wedges, gladiators, canvas, strappy flats & heels, flip flops, and so much more flooding the market. The trick is to find the perfect balance between the style and comfort! the first step to choosing the right foot-

wear is not to rush it!

Take a few steps to see if you can move your toes, walk a few steps before finalizing it, check if it can grip your heel, and make sure the sole comforts you.

Choosing the right shoe can make every step extremely comfortable, and this is what the right footwear can dosupport and cushion the feet and doesn’t give you shoe bite and not just that, poor shoe fit can give you back and knee pain too.

City First got in touch with a few of its readers from Rajasthan and Gujarat, asking about what according to them is the most comfortable footwear. “Sneakers are the most comfortable footwear around. They are no longer reserved for the treadmill and is an everyday stylish footwear choice for

many. While choosing them, I make sure to look for those which have adequate arch support and lots of cushioning, because who doesn’t want to experience cloud-like comfort?” said Ashlesha Ahluwalia from Jaipur.

Pooja Vasava from Ahmedabad stated, “As much I adore stilettos, my feet will always vote for espadrilles. They are just so comfortable and lightweight. Being slip-on shoes, there is no hassle of tying shoelaces.”

“I’ll go for sketchers, as these are the most comfortable footwear.

We feel free and fresh when we are wearing comfortable shoes and clothes for the whole day,” stated Himanshi Rawal from Jodhpur.

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‘I CAN’T BREATHE’ RAINU SINGH

cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

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his desperate cry had nothing to do with a Corona patient. It was a centuries-old cry of people oppressed & ostracised by racists.

George Floyd was a young, law-abiding black man walking on a Minneapolis street. Without due reason, he was picked up by 4 white policemen and killed by their inherited prejudice and hate, then the knee on his neck, till he cried out “I CAN’T BREATHE!” The fact that this prejudice and hate flourishes in the ‘Land of Liberty’ is a shame. The fact that this prejudice and hate raises its ugly head with gut-wrenching regularity in the ‘Land of the Bible’ is a shame!

A country that swears by this Holy Book and fights frequent wars, supposedly to protect those values, blatantly belies this Gospel Truth: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, There is neither Slave nor Free, There is no male or female, For you are all one in Christ Jesus, For God shows no partiality.”

FA CE OF TH ED AY

The Black votes are solicited each time with the promise of the right to life,

ity. This spark of statesmanship will surely set off a chain reaction of Reparation.

It will go a long way in removing the stains of that “original sin” and lead to brotherhood and unity among all people across the USA and the World, muzzled by oppression and gasping for air of freedom?

In these long Months of the greatest ever crisis for the USA and the World, we are witnessing the arrival of that Man of the Hour.

Joe Biden’s personal liberty and pursuit of happiness. But each time the elected ones breach this promise. Donald Trump took this back-stabbing to a new level by calling the protestors “thugs” in his incendiary tweets.

Fortunately, this time there has been a massive push back from society at large. One black protestor yelled, “We are sick and tired of being sick and tired “ in front of TV cameras, amplifying Martin Luther King’s disappointment at “the appalling silence of good people.”

The brightest beam of

YOUR DAY Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

hope was flashed by Joe Biden, Democratic Party’s presumptive Presidential Candidate for the November 2020 election.

His stirring speech had two important parts. Firstly, he admitted with unprecedented candour and political courage that the original sin of America, the 400-year-old wound of slavery, still stained the nation.

It was the first word of Redemption by the White Man, awaited for ages. Secondly, he called George’s murder an act of brutality that denied him his civil rights and his very human-

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

Complicated feelings can easily bubble up to the surface today, dear Aries, with a Sun-Mars-Saturn configuration. Up and down energy levels can plague you now. Drawing upon your creative power and using it to make important changes may come more easily later today.

Today’s Sun-Mars square can highlight tensions and unfulfilled desires. You might feel that others are meddling too much in your affairs. It may be best to avoid pushing something that you can’t change and open up to the possibility of last-minute changes.

Today’s Sun-Mars square combination tends to produce a feeling of urgency to fill your desires, but the more you push, the more you meet with resistance. Petty disagreements can very easily escalate into full-blown arguments.

You might easily become offended.

Tension can arise today if you have too much on your plate or if you give in to the temptation to rush things.

A Sun-Mars aspect creates an atmosphere of urgency, but blocks are likely. You might be overconfident and take on more challenges than you can reasonably meet.

MAR 21 - APR 20

APR 21 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Today’s energies tend to rile you up as the Sun and Mars form a square. It’s best to try to direct this into positive channels. Disagreements tend to be due to underlying competitiveness. Boundaries and commitments can be issues. You’ll be reminded of time constraints.

Today’s energies tend to pull up tensions. Mars in your partnership sector forms tense aspects with Saturn and the Sun today, pointing to possible blocks. Finding a balance between responsibilities and desires can help smooth things over, but it can be challenging to get there.

Energy for work or daily routines can be especially dynamic today,you might use it constructively by directing your attention to your special projects or health endeavors.

You seem to have energy to spare.

You might find that you are impatient with others. Try not to rush things.

Tensions can be highly stimulating, but they can ramp up quickly today with a Sun-Mars square in play.

Assertive and direct is one thing, but impatience can lead to abruptness.

Your judgment could be temporarily impaired, especially regarding financial and love matters.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Passions run high today, but there can be blocks to navigate. You may be dealing with some frustration, particularly involving close relationships with a Sun-Mars square ramping up tensions. A partner or family member may be seeing things entirely differently than you are.

Watch for impatient communications and moves, Before voicing your unsatisfied desires, see if the feeling passes and avoid rash decisions. If people are not catching on to your point of view, try waiting it out and resolve to present the same ideas at a later date.

Foresight may be a little lacking. Your attention draws to limitations,ambitions regarding resources and these seem to clash with personal enjoyment, romantic ventures etc. You’re certainly more sensitive than usual to how others seem to be valuing you.

With a Sun-Mars square today, it’s all too easy to want too much too soon.

Impatience can trip you up.

Your desire to settle in clashes with a need for more independence.

Potential pitfalls of the day lie in impatience, rushing or pushing things, and ego issues.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

ASHI KHANNA, Content Creator

tragedies and long experience in Government have given him the compassion and skill to guide the USA out of this quagmire of a pandemic and economic meltdown. On top of that, a huge Moral vacuum begs to be filled.

The world is getting increasingly oppressive, racist, autocratic, communal and bigoted.

The USA waits anxiously for its glory days to be restored when everyone will be pulling in the same direction!

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

B’TOWN ON WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

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s the World Environment Day is being observed today, several Bollywood celebrities took to social media to mark the day with their special posts about the environment and the Earth. —ANI

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The tough time that we’re facing today is a message from nature to bring a change in our lifestyle. There’s enough damage that we have done already but small steps from every individual can still save our environment. #WorldEnvironmentDay —SANJAY DUTT

Nurture Nature. Preserve our PLANET. Mother Earth is as sensitive as you & I are. #WorldEnvironmentDay

Amazing how humans complicate everything.

This pre & post lockdown visual is proof that it’s not too late yet. Today on #WorldEnvironmentDay I’m hopeful we can learn and maintain mother Earth through our actions.

—AJAY DEVGAN

You will end up in the environment you create.

Make sure yours is beautiful... Live healthy. Live green. #WorldEnvironmentDay

—MADHURI DIXIT NENE

—KAJOL One of the most important lessons this #Pandemic and the subsequent #Lockdown should teach us is to respect our environment. Human beings are temporary.

The environment is permanent. #worldenvironmentday.

Recycle, reduce, reuse.

Happy World Environment Day. —SHRADDHA KAPOOR

—ANUPAM KHER

NON-ALCOHOLIC

her silence!

DRINK FOR WEEKEND

Y

SANGRIA LEMONADE Ratika & Richa Khetan, two Sisters, started Cauldron Sisters in 2015. It started as an exotic food gift hamper business, but their love for food encouraged them to start culinary workshops, food deliveries, and slowly and gradually it turned huge as restaurants and cafes started approaching them for consultancy. 

1 medium lemon, sliced into thin rounds



1 medium apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks



3 cups carbonated water



Take a jar and put tea bags in it. Pour boiling water over them and add cinnamon sticks. Leave this for 5 minutes.



After this, remove the tea bags and stir in the sugar until dissolved.



Now add pomegranate juice, orange juice, orange slices, lemon slices, and apple.



2 cups boiling water



2 black tea bags



2 cinnamon sticks



1/2 cup sugar



3 cups pomegranate juice



1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice



Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.



1 medium orange, sliced into thin rounds



Right before serving, stir in carbonated water.

RESPONSE

E

ou go out with a bunch of friends for a night out. Everybody places their order, mostly alcoholic drinks.

Turns out, you’re the only one in the group who’s probably not in the mood for it or doesn’t drink alcohol at all.

What do you do? Spend the night with just French fries?

Luckily, we’ve some suggestions to make your night equally fun and magical!

And nope, soft drinks and usual fruit juices don’t even count here.

When it comes to non-alcoholic drinks, the choices can be limited. So, here’s a quick recipe of an interesting mocktail and a summer-favourite beverage that is 100% alcohol-free aka virgin: Sangaria Lemonde, for all the lemon lovers out there.

ABOUT CAULDRON SISTERS

MIXED

BREAKING

Emma Watson

A

mma Watson broke her silence after facing backlash for her ‘tone-deaf ’ Instagram post amid the Blackout Tuesday campaign in support of Black Lives Matter protests. The 30-year-old actress took to social media and joined millions around the world by posting a black square. However, she was slammed by people who accused her of prioritising her Instagram aesthetic over showing support by adding white borders around the black boxes.

The Harry Potter actress later shared a heartfelt post telling her 57.2 million followers that she would use her platform to fight against racism. The actress uploaded an artwork, by her friend Dr. Fahamu, titled “White Lies, Subtleties, Micro-Aggressions, and Other Choking Hazards.” In the caption she wrote, “I was holding off posting until #blackouttuesday ended in the UK.” —Agency

s a tribute to frontline warriors amid the testing times of coronavirus, actor Akshay Kumar on Friday shared a new song ‘Rakh Tu Hausla’ on social media.

The ‘Kesari’ actor posted the motivational song on Twitter in a bid to boost people’s spirit during this hour of crisis. “Patience is a virtue; but in this fight against coronavirus, it has been the most powerful weapon for @MumbaiPolice.

Here’s #RakhTuHausla echoing a similar sentiment, a video tribute to all our frontline warriors,” the actor tweeted alongside the official music video.

‘Rakh Tu Hausla’ is set on the optimistic theme that sets out the message that the country will be back in all its glory from the current situation. Launched on Bhushan Kumar’s music label T-Series, the inspiring song is written and directed by Pravin Talan to support Mumbai Police Foundation.

Crooned by Swarit Nigamis, the soulful song is a gesture of dedication to Mumbai, its police personals, and the undying human spirit.

The video features various shots of police officials and medical professionals doing their duties during the time when the country is grappling with the contagion.

—ANI

S

Sara Ali Khan

ara Ali Khan on Thursday has created a stir on the internet after she reportedly shared an ‘All Lives Matter’ post on Instagram.

Hashtag Sara Ali Khan was trending on Twitter, with netizens giving mixed reviews for the now-deleted post. Khan drew criticism from many Twitter users for the picture which says ‘All Lives Matter’ striking the word ‘black’ on the post. The picture is an illustrational drawing of hands of different colours, with an additional picture of the trunk of an elephant.

“Of course she crossed out Black and then reduced it down to animal rights...that political science degree looking real good Sara Ali Khan,” one of the tweets read.

Another Twitter user wrote, “A reminder that Sara Ali Khan has a degree in history and political science from Columbia.”

—ANI

RAKH TU HAUSLA

Akshay Kumar

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CITY FIRST AHMEDABAD

O

n the occasion of World Environment Day, Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad connected with environment enthusiasts by organizing a webinar on Friday. Dr Hitesh Solanki, Head of Department, Environmental Science at Gujarat University conducted the interactive session.

Every year, World Environment Day is celebrated worldwide to raise awareness about the environmental issues of our planet Earth. The theme this year was ‘Time for Nature’.

In his address, Dr Solanki explained how biodiversity affected every aspect of human life, from health to the provision of clean air and water. If even one element of this ecosystem is removed, the entire life system is affected by negative impacts.

“Human health is linked to the planet’s health. Unfortunately, we have disturbed the ecosystem, and as a result of which, there are all kinds of natural calamities happening such as bush-fires, melting glaciers, increasing intensity and frequency of floods, locust attacks and even the global COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

ONE FOR THE

FACEBOOK POST!

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HAPPY B’DAY!

ENVIRONMENT!

IAS Bhaskar A Sawant celebrated his birthday on 5 June, Friday. We wish him all the best!

Vaibhav Gehlot

WHAT’S HAPPENING!

Science City, Ahmedabad team planting saplings to mark World Environment Day

According to Dr Solanki, on World Environment Day every person should collectively recognize the interdependence of all life on Earth. “It calls upon our conscience to

be guided by the shared misery caused by this global pandemic and to recognize the fragile linkages that human health and existence has with nature,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the team at Science City, Ahmedabad also held a tree plantation drive on the campus and planted more than 50 saplings on Friday. cityfirstgujarat@gmail.com

BUILDING A Kindness is Alive

Gujarat: To mark World Environment Day, police personnel of Vivekanand police station in Ahmedabad, under the leadership of police sub-inspector RB Rana, planted 200 saplings on the premises of the police station on Friday. All precautions such as maintaining social distance were observed during the drive.

GREEN FUTURE

Naveen Mittal

SWATI JANGID CITY FIRST, CHENNAI

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t BMW Group Plant Chennai, sustainability is a top priority. Through a host of initiatives, BMW Group Chennai is taking an active lead towards a green and sustainable future. While significant savings have been already been achieved with dedicated efforts, the plant is committed to convert to 100% green electricity by end of the year and has launched new initiatives for water conservation and tree plantation / biodiversity.

Thomas Dose, Managing Director, BMW Group Plant Chennai said, “For BMW

BUZZ

Group Plant Chennai, the term ‘sustainable production’ means investing in our future. Since 2007, our plant has consistently reduced its consumption of non-renewable resources through modern technology, stringent processes and efficiency.

This commitment is integrated through clear actions in our business model as well as production processes and has helped us in significantly reducing our footprint. We know the challenges and are rising to meet them by continuously setting higher goals. For BMW Group Plant Chennai, this is the key to a green future.” cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

swati.jangid@firstindia.co.in

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aveen Mittal from Jodhpur, owner of ‘Happy Events and Mittal Amplifiers’ has set a real example for the businessmen present in the market. During these hard times of corona lockdown he has waved his shop rent from his tenant. The shop setup was done a few months back only so, Mittal decided not to take the rent of two months from the person which was Rs 80,000. This made people believe that humanity and kindness are alive.

While interacting with City First, Naveen Mittal stated, “I believe that kindness is one of

the most important virtues because it is an important basis in everyday life. It is a strong moral that we all should have. Kindness can be giving a simple smile or helping someone around. We can use this virtue in every situation. Kindness is important to give, much more than to get, because it not only gives another person the opportunity to feel better about themselves, it also gives me the ability to feel better about myself. So giving kindness and helping others, will always be rewarding. I believe kindness is the greatest gift to humanity and we should respect this.”

If we are stable then we should help people during this pandemic situation where the businessmen is suffering a lot. We all should be inspired by this though and help people who are in troublesome or the other way.

LEADERSHIP Webinar Series

CITY FIRST

M HUM TUM

In the virtual talk session ‘Hum Tum’, Jaipur Citizen Forum Chairman Rajiv Arora will be going live with Dr Shashi Tharoor today at 5 pm. The Zoom Call Meeting ID for the same is 839 9206 8564, with no password.

anipal University J a i p u r (MUJ) is organising a Leadership Webinar Series, where the Youth of India get answers to their questions from the leaders and hone their leadership skills. The Speakers list for the Webinar series starting from today comprises of Prof Anil Sahasrabuddhe, AICTE chairman, Dr Ra-

Manipal University, Jaipur

manan Ramanathan, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission and Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog, Govt of India, eminent writer

Amish Tripathi, Jeet Kumar, Co-founder and CEO of In Time Tec. The series will be hosted by DD news anchor Puneet Sharma.

The first webinar in the series is to be held today at 4 pm.

Participants can Register and join it online. The webinar is titled Education for Gen Z, where Prof Anil Sahasrabuddhe, Chairperson, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Secretary, Science and Research Board (SERB) will deliberate upon the current scenario of future of the education sector. cityfirstgujarat@firstindia.co.in

Rajasthan: To unleash the creativity of the children during the lockdown, a Funkari Art Challenge was conducted by Nerdy Bugs, with more than 60 entries across the country. The coowners of Nerdy Bugs, Vidha Jain and Nikita Batra said that the motive behind this art contest is to bring out the people together and to have them been involved in some kind of activity.

Rajasthan: As a part of Jawahar Kala Kendra’s (JKK) ongoing ‘Online Learning – Children’s Summer Festival, viewers learned about the grace and grandeur of the Ghoomar Dance on the second day of the session ‘Folk Dance’ on Friday. The session was conducted by the dancer, Anita Pradhan.

DONATION IS A JOY!

Usha Uthup

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IVE virtual concert, ‘Singing for Joy’ is going to be held today by Padma Shri Usha Uthup in association with Jaipur Citizen Forum (JCF) Chairman Rajiv Arora and Convenor Bhavna Jagwani, at

8 pm on Usha Uthup’s official Facebook page. The concert is going to be held to spread awareness of Organ Donation and raise funds for the same.

—City First