First India-Ahmedabad Edition-06 September 2020

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

CORONA

26°C - 35°C

ALERT AHMEDABAD l SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00

COVID-19 UPDATE

WORLD

8,81,340 2,69,46,061 DEATHS

MAHARASHTRA 26,276 DEATHS 8,83,862 CASES

CONFIRMED CASES

TAMIL NADU 7,751 DEATHS 4,57,697 CASES

AWAITING STORM BOY?

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

RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 281

INDIA

GUJARAT

70,640 41,06,586 3,094 1,03,006 DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

KARNATAKA 6,298 DEATHS 3,89,232 CASES

DEATHS

DELHI 4,538 DEATHS 1,88,193 CASES

These Dalmatian Pelicans, splashing in Lake Kerkíni in Northern Greece, are a protected species as they are critically endangered. This flock of elegant birds, seems to be waiting for a Storm Boy—the fiction character of Australian kid’s book by the same name—to help their tribe grow!

RAJASTHAN 1,122 DEATHS 89,363 CASES

On-demand COVID-19 testing begins in India New Delhi: For the first time, the Union Health Ministry has allowed on-demand COVID-19 testing without a prescription.

The new advisory has been made on the recommendations of the National Task Force on the novel coronavirus. “For the first time, along with more simplified modalities, the updated guidelines provide for ‘On-demand’ testing in order to ensure higher levels of testing,” read a release by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Individuals who wish to get tested and those undertaking travel to countries/Indian states mandating a negative COVID-19 test at the point of entry can get an “on demand” test.

WILL NOT CEDE AN INCH OF OUR TERRITORY: INDIA TO CHINA

CONFIRMED CASES

A health worker performs a rapid antigen coronavirus test from collected samples, in Srinagar on Saturday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

The ministry said that the new advisory has further simplified the testing process and given more freedom and flexibilities to the State authorities to facilitate enhanced ease of testing for the people.

“A totally new section has been added in the advisory on ‘testing on demand’ which for all

practical purposes does away with prescription by a registered medical practitioner although state governments have the freedom to decide on simplified modalities,” read the release.

There are now 1,647 testing laboratories operational which cover all states/UTs, the ministry said.

—ANI

No ban on hiring for govt jobs: Centre after circular row

Rlys to run 80 new special trains from Sept 12

Respect LAC, don’t fiddle with status quo: Rajnath to Chinese Defence Minister New Delhi: As the situation in eastern Ladakh remains tense, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Gen. Wei Fenghe that China must strictly respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and not make attempts to unilaterally change its status quo.

Singh talked tough with his Chinese counterpart in Moscow and conveyed that India will not “cede an inch of its land” and is determined to protect integrity and sovereignty of the country at all costs, sources told ANI. In the first highest level face-to-face contact between the two sides after border tension erupted in eastern Ladakh in early May, Singh told Wei during their talks in Moscow on Friday that China

Probe on: 5 Arunachal men ‘abducted’ by PLA

Rajnath Singh was in Moscow to attend SCO meet.

must work with the Indian side for complete disengagement of troops at the earliest from all friction points including Pangong Lake. Asserting that India is determined to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Singh also conveyed that China’s actions amassing a large number of troops, its aggressive behaviour and at-

tempts to alter the status quo in Ladakh were in violation of bilateral pacts, according to an official statement released here on Saturday.

Singh conveyed to Wei that the current situation should be handled responsibly and that neither side take any further action that could either complicate or escalate matters, it said.

Turn to P6

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh police has launched a probe following reports that five people, who had gone hunting in a forest in Upper Subansiri district on the Sino-India border, were allegedly kidnapped by the Chinese military, a senior official said on Saturday.

The alleged incident occurred on Friday in Nacho area of the district, their families said.

Two others, who were in the group, managed to escape and informed police.

“I have sent the officer-in-charge of

the Nacho police station to the area to verify the facts and directed him to report immediately.

However, the report will be available only by Sunday morning,” SP Taru Gussar said.

Those allegedly kidnapped were identified as Toch Singkam, Prasat Ringling, Dongtu Ebiya, Tanu Baker and Ngaru Diri, all from Tagin community.

Pasighat West MLA Ninong Ering said that befitting reply must be given China’s PLA. —Agencies

Sushant’s domestic help held by NCB Jharkhand natives had been forced Mumbai: The Narcot-

Ministry of Finance clarified on Saturday that there is no ban on filling up of posts in the Government of India.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Finance on Saturday clarified there is no restriction or ban on filling up of posts in the Government of India, a day after it issued an order banning creation of new posts in central ministries, with a view to ease pressure on government resources due to the current fiscal situation.

In a new circular, the ministry said normal recruitment process through various government agencies will con-

tinue, adding that Friday’s circular only deals with internal procedure for creation of posts.

“There is no restriction or ban on filling up of posts in the Government of India. Normal recruitment through government agencies like Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) etc. will continue as usual without any curbs”, the Finance Ministry said.

Turn to P6

New Delhi: Eighty new special trains will be operational from September 12, reservations for which will begin from September 10, Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav said on Saturday. He said the trains will be notified later in the day.

“Eighty new special trains or 40 pair of trains will start operations from September 12. Reservations will begin from September 10. This will run in addition to the 230 trains already in operation,” he said. “Wherever there is a demand for a particular train, wherever the waiting list is long, we will run a clone train ahead of the actual train, so that passengers can travel,” he said. Yadav said Railways will run trains whenever there is demand from states for exams or other similar purposes.

—ANI

24 women, 6 minor girls rescued from human trafficking ring

ics Control Bureau (NCB) on Saturday arrested Dipesh Sawant, the domestic help of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, in connection with the late actor’s death case, KPS Malhotra, Deputy Director, NCB said.

Sawant was arrested for his role in procuring and handling of drugs. He has been arrested based on statements and digital evidence.

P6

to work in a shrimp processing unit Ruchi Thakar Surat: In a joint operation, the Surat and Navsari police unearthed a human trafficking ring and solved a missing-persons case involving 24 women and six minor girls, who were then rescued during a raid at a shrimp processing unit in Makhinga village in Surat’s Pal-

sana taluka.

The rescued victims have since been sent to the Nari Sanrakshan Gruh in Rander, Surat.

The 30 persons were brought from Jharkhand to work in an apparel park but were later sent to the shrimp farm and processing unit, where the seafood is prepared for export.

The police conducted

Mindhola Foods, where the women were illegally detained.

the raid on Friday after receiving input from the state control department but announced the development to the press only after the women were safely transferred from police custody to the women’s shelter.

Rupal Solanki (DySP Bardoli) said, “The State control unit informed Surat and Navsari police about a case lodged in Ranchi, Jharkhand, about human trafficking and 30 missing girls. A team of 12 po-

lice personnel including five female cops were deployed on the case. The team started the operation and detained Manju Devi, the owner of Mindhola Foods, where the women were illegally detained. Manju Devi is the prime accused in this case.” She will be charged under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. The situation came to light after one of the minor girls forced to work in the factory Turn to P6

NEWS AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

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

02

FINALLY UP AND RUNNING AGAIN

Metro workers sanitized carriages and the station at Amraiwadi on Saturday, in anticipation of train services resuming under Unlock 4.

—PHOTOS BY HANIF SINDHI

BJP STATE CHIEF’S TOUR OF SAURASHTRA POSTPONED

Fresh crops arrive in the market yard, initial prices encouraging

l Groundnut harvests usually DAY 3 OF CR PATIL’S NORTH GUJARAT TOUR SAW MAJOR CHANGES AS WELL enter the market around Navratri dent, as a way of enFirst India Bureau Gandhinagar: CR Patil, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Gujarat unit president, is a man on a mission.

Having ended a threeday tour of north Gujarat on Saturday, Patil was meant to have set off on his next tour, to Amreli, Bhavnagar and Botad, next week.

However, the Saurashtra tour, originally slated for September 09-11 will now have to wait.

The party insists the trip has not been cancelled, or that the change in plan has anything to do with the fracas over Patil’s recent rallies and meetings where he and other have been seen flouting COVID-19 protocols.

Rubbishing any rumours, BJP media incharge Prashant

BJP state unit president CR Patil addressing party leaders and workers at Himmatnagar on Saturday.

Vala pointed out that Patil addressed party leaders at two meetings—at Himmatnagar and at Aravalli— on Saturday.

Vala said that bike rallies and welcome programmes at district entry points had been

postponed so that Patil could meet district leaders for three to four hours. “The decision was taken in an effort to keep the schedule tight and meetings on time,” Vala said.

He also said that Patil’s tour of

Bhavnagar, Amreli and Botad has been rearranged since the dates were clashing with other programmes.

Patil has been focusing on strengthening the roles of page president and booth presi-

suring greater voter turnout at the election booths. A high turnout improves the BJP’s chances of winning more seats. This message has been well-received within the party.

General secretary of the Banaskantha District BJP Committee, Bharatsinh Bhatesariya observed, “Patil’s words are touching the hearts of workers. If he is successful in winning party workers, the party will do remarkably well in the coming elections,” he said, adding that Patil’s decision to make ministers sit at the state unit office and address the issues of party workers is going to be a game changer that could alter the course of the party.

First India Bureau

Rajkot: With the monsoon-season harvest having begun in some pockets of Saurashtra, market yards have started receiving groundnut crops for sale.

Traders at the Rajkot Bedi Market Yard said that some 100 bags, each weighing 50kg, had arrived on Saturday.

Farmers seem to be happy with the initial price offered—Rs975 for 20kg—and are expecting that the same rates will continue throughout the season.

Sources said that, normally, groundnut crops generally start pouring into the market around the start of Navratri. However, sowing began early this time, and that has resulted in an early harvest as well.

“Traditionally, oil

100 bags of groundnut arrived at the Rajkot Yard on Saturday.

millers start crushing groundnut around Diwali, but the way the groundnut crop has started to come in, even milling may start early,” one trader said. The groundnut harvest from Surendranagar is expected to hit the market from next week.

Cotton, too, has been arriving in the market over the past 15 days. Those in the know said the quantities are exceeding that of the harvest in March.

The Cotton Corpora-

tion of India had wound up procurement of cotton early this year, leaving several farmers disheartened.

However, some farmers chose to hold on to their stock rather than sell at low prices. They have now begun to bring their cotton to the yard and are receiving good prices.

Babra market yard secretary Ajay Pandey said, “Some patient cotton farmers employed a wait-andwatch strategy, which is paying off.”

FILLING VACANCIES

CM Rupani orders expedited appointments of 8,000 aspirants l State is also planning to recruit 20,000 youth over the next five months First India Bureau Gandhinagar: Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has instructed the Gujarat Public Services Commission (GPSC) and other selection boards to accelerate the process of finalizing candidate selections and issuing them appointment orders.

The results for about 8,000 posts are pending. The state is also planning to recruit 20,000 youth over the next five months.

Rupani chaired a high-level meeting of

senior officers of the state government, GPSC, Gujarat State Subordinate Service Selection Board (GSSSB), Gujarat Panchayat Service Selection Board (GPSSB), Police, General Administration Department and the Education Department. He clearly stated that the recruitment process should be started expeditiously so that youth in Gujarat get opportunities to join the service of the state government.

Office bearers of the selection com-

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Governor Acharya Devvrat and Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama released the Gujarati version of National Education Policy 2020 on Saturday.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani distributed awards to 44 of the best teachers in the state in honour of their services.

mission and boards informed the chief minister that the recruitment process had been completed.

Now, only the results were left to be announced—and that the process would be completed in the next three to five months.

Rupani then directed the government to immediately complete the remaining procedures for the 8,000 vacancies previously announced by various recruitment authorities and to issue appointment letters immediately.

A government statement highlighted the fact that more than 20,000 youth in Gujarat would get government jobs in the next five months, due to Rupani’s em-

ployment-oriented decisions.

Meanwhile, Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Rupani marked Teacher’s Day by paying tribute to former president, scholar and philosopher, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

They also honoured 44 of the state’s best teachers with an award at a function later in the day. Addressing the event, Governor Devvrat said that nations are built with civility and humanity taught in school and not with buildings, and lauded the efforts of teachers who take on the tough task of nation-building. He added that, in today’s times, teachers do not just teach from textbooks, but they

also share knowledge of the latest technology and keep students abreast with what is happening around the world.

“Teachers in government-run schools put in their blood and sweat to educate and build the careers of children from the lower spectra of society. This is the hardest task, and they do it successfully,” said Chief Minister Rupani while appreciating the teachers.

Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Minister of State for Education Vibhavari Dave, Higher Education Secretary Anju Sharma, and Primary Education Secretary Vinod Rao were also present at the event.

GUJARAT AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

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

19 kids at observation home in Rajkot test +ve for nCov

03

State transport buses to resume ops in villages soon

—FILE PHOTO

1,311 cases, 16 fatalities take Guj tally to 1,02,997 cases, death toll to 3,094; record 16,366 cases active First India Bureau Gandhinagar: In a worrying development, almost half the children tested for COVID-19 at the Rajkot Observation Home have been infected with the disease. The 19 cases were revealed when 43 children were tested as part of the city’s new testing policy.

These results come on a day when the state saw its highest number of active cases yet, at 16,366.

Rajkot Social Justice Officer MN Goswami told the media that the 19 children infected with Sars-CoV-2 have been shifted to a COVIDcare centre, while the other 24 are being quarantined in the observation home.

On Saturday, Rajkot district reported 145 new cases: 99 from the city and 46 from rural

MISMATCH

A medic takes a swab sample from a woman in Ahmedabad as part of the AMC’s testing drive.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

Woman drowns in S’nagar as floodwaters yet to recede

areas. As there is a spike in cases in the Rajkot city, a special dome has been created in the Civil Hospital campus where doctors will attend to outdoor COVID-19 patients who do not need to be admitted.

According to local reports, the health secretary has asked local authorities to refrain from sharing

data with the media.

As in the case of Surat, Rajkot police is now being deployed at crematoriums and graveyards so that the media cannot gain access to any information about COVID-19 deaths.

In the past 24 hours, the state government has conducted 72,751 tests, 1,311 of which came back positive. Of the 16,366 active cases, 85 patients are on ventilator support.

Four of the 16 patients who died in the past 24 hours were in Ahmedabad city.

Again, Surat reported the highest number of cases, with 277. Of these, 182 were from the city, and 92 were from rural areas. Ahmedabad had 167 cases, Jamnagar, 111, Vadodara, 119, Gandhinagar, 35, Panchamahal, 33, Banaskantha, 32, and Amreli and Morbi had 28 each.

Drivers and conductors of state transport buses sanitize their hands before setting out.

First India Bureau Gandhinagar: In an important announcement, the government on Saturday stated that buses of the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation would soon resume services in villages under Unlock 4.

GSRTC had suspended operations in villages almost five months ago, in an effort to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.

While the buses are

expected to finally run at full capacity, road damage caused by the recent spate of heavy rains means that 22 routes in three districts will remain nonfunctional.

GSRTC secretary KD Desai, who made the announcement, said that conductors will be given infrared thermometers.

“Conductors on all buses travelling to and from the villages will be given a thermal gun. They will screen each passenger before they enter the bus,”

Desai said, adding, “8085% of buses will operate in rural areas.”

At present, there are 23,500 buses operational in the state, under the COVID-19 guidelines issued by the state government. GSRTC had started phasewise operations of buses after Unlock 1 was implemented.

First, the state resumed inter-district operations and then resumed buses to main district headquarters buses were started.

VNSGU’s Chemistry dept asks students for nCov declaration

IN MEMORIAM

Veer Narmad South Gujarat University.

People from across religious and socioeconomic divides came together to pay tribute to Mother Teresa on her 23rd death anniversary, in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Born in Macedonia, Mother Teresa spent most of her adult life in India, where she worked with the poorest of the poor, thus earning the nickname, Saint of the Gutters.

—PHOTOS BY HANIF SINDHI

The gates of the Narmada dam have been closed, official sources said.

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: The rains may have stopped for a while but their effects continue to be felt across the state, with many flooded areas still submerged. An autorickshaw was swept away by floodwater along the HadalaBalola stretch in Surendranag ar’s Limbdi. Three of the four people who had been in the auto at the time of the incident were rescued from the river by villagers.

However, one woman could not be found and is now presumed to be dead.

A video of the incident has surfaced in which the autorickshaw is seen straining in the water. Locals say that official rescue operations were not initiated even 24 hours after the incident occurred.

Meanwhile, all the gates of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river, which had been opened to release excess water, have now been closed. The dam received 70,000 cusecs

of water on Saturday from Indirasagar Dam and Omkareshwar Dam. The riverbed powerhouse is generating 1,200 megawatt electricity with 6 units, an official release said.

On Saturday, 14 talukas of Gujarat received rain. Tarapur in Anand received the highest rainfall with 52mm, followed by Petlad, also in Anand, received 24mm.

Despite nominal rains in the last three days, a total of 93 roads—including 13 highways—continue to remain closed to traffic.

First India Bureau Surat: The Chemistry department at the Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU) allegedly asked postgraduate students appearing for an examination sign a declaration absolving the university of responsibility if they were found to be infected with the novel coronavirus. The issue came to light after students complained to a syndicate member.

Sources said students received a declaration form along with their question paper. “I am giving the Septem-

—FILE PHOTO

ber 2020 theory exam and I don’t have COVID-19 symptoms. If these symptoms are found in checking, the full responsibility will be mine,” it said.

“The university gave no such order. We have asked the Chemistry department for information in this regard, and will then investigate the matter as needed,” said Dr Hemali Desai, In-charge ViceChancellor, VNSGU. Syndicate member Bhavesh Rabari said, “How can the department act arbitrarily when the university has not given any order? It should be investigated properly.”

HIGH SCORERS

GUJCET: 410 GROUP A STUDENTS GET 99 PERCENTILE As many as 2,82,961 students took the common entrance exam for admission into engineering and pharmacy courses 

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: A total of 410 students in Group A have placed in the top 1% with a rank of more than 99 percentile in the Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GUJCET), the results of which were declared on Saturday. In Group B, 655 students got 99 percentile rank. More than 13,000 students received ranks of 80

percentile or higher.

GUJCET is the common entrance exam required for admission into diploma and degree courses in engineering and pharmacy courses in the state.

As many as 2,82,961 students took the exam at 34 centres from August 24 to August 27. Of these, 1,27,230 were Class X students seeking admission into diploma courses.

The results were

announced online due to the ongoing health crisis but the GUJCET

mark sheet will be distributed soon, the authorities said in a

statement. The mark sheets will be posted to students of boards

other than the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, which conducted the examination.

“The examination for admission to Engineering and Pharmacy was earlier postponed three times, and finally held with all vigilance,” a statement from the authorities said. It also highlighted the fact that this was the biggest examination of the Board

to be held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, making it a challenge for both students and the government.

In addition to GUJCET, the Board also conducted supplementary examinations for Classes 10 and 12 (Science Stream) from August 25 to 27, at all district headquarters in keeping with COVID-19 guidelines from the Centre and the state government.

PERSPECTIVE AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

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

IN-DEPTH

DRUG PROCURERS MAY OPEN A CAN OF WORMS

T

he Sushant Singh Rajput case is now focusing on the drug angle, which the Mumbai police left completely untouched, to unravel the mystery. The arrest of Rhea Chakraborty’s brother Showik and Sushant’s house manager Samuel Miranda and the latter’s statement before the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) that he supplied weed to the actor from September last year to March 2020 takes the probe into an unintended direction. In his confession, Samuel is reported to have given the details of the drugs he procured, the name of the supplier who delivered it at Rhea’s, and Sushant’s addresses.

But a more significant statement was that of Showik who told the NCB that he procured drugs at the behest of Rhea. What the NCB would now want to know is who introduced Sushant to drugs and why. The NCB plans to bring the siblings to face the questioning. A senior official of the central agency said, “Normally, this is not part of our mandate but now that we are getting information…This case has given us an inkling of the network and the extent of penetration”. He promised to take the case to its “logical conclusion”. Both Showik and Samuel have been remanded in NCB’s custody till September 9.

Rhea Chakraborty is the next to be summoned next.

In recent years drugs have become widely prevalent in Bollywood. An investigation by the NCB will definitely open a can of worms, exposing some biggies in the racket. At this point, the probe looks innocuous but its possible political fallout could have a huge impact.

PRANAB MUKHERJEE, THE MAN FOR ALL SEASONS K NATWAR SINGH The author is Former Minister of External Affairs of India

B

CHINA REFUSES TO BUDGE ON LADAKH

L

ike previous efforts to resolve the border impasse through talks, the Moscow dialogue between the defence ministers of India and China on the process of disengagement failed to make any headway as the differences between the two countries persist.

After the talks Beijing held India “entirely” responsible for the stand-off in Ladakh and asserted that it won’t give up even “an inch of its territory”. Forgetting its act of aggression in the Pangong Tso area in June when 20 Indian soldiers were martyred, China also blamed India for escalating tension in the region. In an equally strong response the Defence Ministry said that India was also “determined to protect (its) sovereignty and territorial integrity” and urged continued discussion for disengagement and de-escalation along the LAC. Rajnath Singh met his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Moscow at the latter’s request.

Given China’s intransigence, the first defence minister level talks were not expected to make any significant progress but both the sides did agree to resolve the border issue peacefully. The problem lies with China preferring aggression and treachery over peaceful ways. Now that Indian troops hold key vantage positions, China can be even more untrustworthy than it has hitherto been.

The border situation in Ladakh has been described by US President Donald Trump as “nasty”.

“We would like to get involved and help. And we are talking to both countries about that,” Trump said. An expansionist China is unlikely to heed any advice which Trump might offer. India, therefore, has to be prepared for any eventuality.

In cabinet meetings, in the Cabinet Committee of Security, he was most impressive, excelling in reconciling disparate views.

In the allimportant Cabinet Committee on Security, presided over by Prime Minister, the other three members, Shivraj Patil. P. Chidambaram and I was no pushovers, but Pranab Mukherjee was in a higher league

roadly speaking Indian politicians avoid intimacy. The late Pranab Mukherjee was no exception. I knew him well for over forty years. I claim no intimacy.

In 2004 the foreign minister of Sri Lanka, Lakshman Kadirgamar, was shot dead by a marksman of the LTTE as he was drying himself after a swim. The swimming bath was located in the compound of his house in Colombo. I had known him well for several years.

As External Affairs Minister I represented India at his state funeral. The late Pranab Mukherjee, then Defence Minister was also asked to do so. I was a bit surprised but gave him all the respect I could.

Many years later he told me that he was asked at the last minute to join me. “The consideration with which you treated me I cannot forget. It showed character. After all, I was an intruder.”

He was the only politician to become, Finance Minister, Defence Minister and External Affairs Minister. He was an efficient, exceptionally competent, and forceful minister. He was the best Parliamentarian of his time. Although he had a short fuse, he learned to suffer fools because they are always in a majority. His fertility of political strategy and tactics was inexhaustible.

In cabinet meetings, in the Cabinet Committee of Security he was most impressive, excelling in reconciling disparate views. In the all-important Cabinet Committee on Security, presided over by Prime Minister, the other three members, Shivraj Patil. P. Chidambaram and I was no pushovers, but Pranab Mukherjee was in a higher league.

He relished power, keeping it under wraps with expert astuteness. To cross his path was folly. He never

came to a meeting unprepared. His memory was elephantine. He was seldom without a book.

In spite of his rare political abilities, he got scorched at the Centenary meeting of the AICC in Bombay in 1985. Rajiv Gandhi was constantly being reminded by his inexperienced, youthful advisers that after Indiraji’s assassination Pranabji as the senior-most minister had it, not so discreetly known that he should succeed Indiraji. Whether this was true or not, it stuck. He was expelled from the Congress.

Then he erred even more. He floated his own party. It got nowhere. By 1989 Rajiv Gandhi realised that Pranabji was so great an asset to the party that he called him back. Thereafter Pranab Mukherjee did not look back. In 1991 he joined PV Narasimha Rao’s Cabinet.

In 2004 Pranab Mukherjee should have, purely on merit and seniority become Prime Minister. Instead, the Congress President appointed Manmohan Singh. One would have expected Pranabji to resign. Manmohan Singh had been his subordinate for a number of years.

The remarkable manner the

HE WAS THE ONLY POLITICIAN TO BECOME, FINANCE MINISTER, DEFENCE MINISTER AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER. HE WAS AN EFFICIENT, EXCEPTIONALLY COMPETENT, AND FORCEFUL MINISTER

two adjusted to this most unusual situation does immense credit to both. Manmohan is by temperament a non-ego individual. Pranabji was a non-pretentious person. He conducted himself with supreme maturity and not once did he rock the boat between 2004-2014. Collusions were avoided. He never attempted to upstage the Prime Minister. The two had a commitment to truthfulness and decency. Man-

How hip hop moved online under COVID-19

I

n the South Bronx of New York City, in the e a rly - t o - m i d 1970s, block parties started to incorporate much of the artistic elements of hip hop as we know it today.

On the streets between their apartment buildings, young African-American, Caribbean and Latino people would gather at parties in which graffiti art, breaking, DJing and rapping were taking place.

CONNECTING ONLINE As hip hop music and dance artists tend to gather in public places, the pandemic and lockdowns have heavily restricted these kinds of events. Many hip hop artists - both in Australia and internationally - have taken to social media to voice their frustration and disap

04

pointment with feeling cut off from this community.

The annual festival takes place at Birmingham’s Hippodrome Theatre, but during the pandemic it moved online for the first time – opening up the competition to international artists like Napalan. He competed from the comfort of his own home in Mount Druitt via Instagram live.

A GLOBAL ARTFORM Hip hop is ever-changing, dynamic and globally diverse.

While graffiti art, breaking, DJing and rapping are often recognised as being the forms core artistic elements, the label is much more expansive than that. It encompasses a wide range of different musical and artistic practices, all of which are able to be expressed and transformed in ways that are local and unique.

In late July, for instance, Soundz of the South, a hip hop music collective based in Khayelitsha, South Africa, organised an openmic event called Rebel Sistah Cypher. Eight South African hip hop music artists and poets each performed on a Zoom call livestreamed on the group’s Facebook page to raise money for Wave of Hope, a charity that supports refugees and asylum seekers living in overcrowded camps in Lesbos, Greece.

Hip hop is the representative voice of many young people, since the culture was created by and for them. It is a uniquely malleable, dynamic and empowering artform – and its adaptation to the pandemic is especially vital given creative outlets are so important for well-being.

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION

mohan Singh always treated his former boss with respect, even reverence.

Pranab Mukherjee’s threevolume autobiography is disappointing. He was not a natural write. I drew his attention to what Arthur Koestler wrote in his autobiography, “The virtue of understatement and selfrestraint make social intercourse civilized and agreeable, but they have a paralysing effect on autobiography.”

I frankly told him that he revealed almost nothing and concealed the ups and downs of his career and life. “You have, for decades been in the midst of momentous events in the political arena. It is your duty to share your unrivaled experiences. You made a policy. You made sure that it was implemented without prevarication.

Your interventions in the meetings of the Congress Working made all of us sit up. Of now many others can this be said.”

The disarming and uncharismatic former Rashtrapati pronounced, “Many truths I cannot tell. These will be cremated with me.”

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Piyush Goyal @PiyushGoyal India is amongst the top 10 performers in the Ease of Doing Business rankings in terms of improvement over the last 2 years. We recognize the contribution of all states & UTs for the effort they have put in to ensure India moves progressively towards Ease of Doing Business.

Subramanian Swamy @Swamy39 Is Indian territory-according mutual agreed LAC- also subject to “peaceful resolution” ? The Chinese are sitting on our head in Ladakh, and we have to negotiate ? To convince the Chinese of what? That they should be good boys and go back home?

Spiritual SPEAK

Calmness, gentleness, silence, self-restraint, and purity: these are the disciplines of the mind.

—Bhagavad Gita

Vol 1 Issue No. 281 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

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

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

INDIA AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

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

MAX PRIVATISATION: RAGA ON GOVT’s JOB FREEZE TO CUT COSTS

05

‘Digital technology has key role in imparting edu’

As Centre announced it would not create or fill govt job posts as a way to cut costs, Rahul Gandhi said Modi’s govt wanted to use Covid as an excuse to push for privatisation New Delhi: A day after sharing a list of “Modimade disasters”, including the highest unemployment rate in 45 years, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi continued his attack on the BJP-led central government , raking up the issue of freeze on recruitment to government posts.

“The Modi government’s thinking is minimum government, maximum privatisation.

Covid is just an excuse, the government’s plan is to free government offices of all permanent staff, steal the youth’s future and propel his own friends forward,” Gandhi said in a Hindi tweet.

For reference he tagged a newspaper article on the list of austerity measures adopted by the central government, including a freeze on creation of new posts and hiring against posts created after July 1

‘Submit proposal to develop Mahendragiri’ New Delhi: Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan requests CM Naveen Patnaik to direct dept concerned to submit a formal proposal for development of Mahendragiri, which the Centre has planned to develop under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme.

Pradhan has written to Odisha CM, seeking his personal intervention in extending support to Union Ministry of Tourism&Culture & directing the concerned dept. to submit a proposal for development of Mahendragiri under Ramayan Circuit of Swadesh Darshan Scheme.

DHARMENDRA PRADHAN @DPRADHANBJP Along with colleagues from @BJP4Odisha, took part in the BJP Odisha State Executive Meeting chaired by @BJP4India President Shri @JPNadda. We are committed to take PM @ narendramodi ji’s pro-poor initiatives to the people of the state and work for their welfare and well-being.

CONG DEMANDS CLARITY OVER LADAKH, REMINDS OF ‘RAJDHARMA’

across ministries and departments. The article states that if it is absolutely essential to fill any vacant post, a proposal must be sent for approval to the Department of Expenditure.

Gandhi has often led the Opposition in criticising the policies adopted by PM Modi’s government. He has sharpened his attacks on the central government, especially its handling of the Indian economy, since the coronavirus pan-

RANDEEP SINGH SURJEWALA @RSSURJEWALA We hope Prime Minister Modi and the Defence Minister will come forward and take the nation into confidence. That is the true Rajdharma. We will await an answer.

‘PM Modi took care of economy through Atmanirbhar Bharat while saving lives’ Bhubaneswar: BJP president JP Nadda lauded PM Narendra Modi for implementing a lockdown well in time which acted as a weapon to fight against coronavirus pandemic thus saving millions of lives while simultaneously taking care of the economy through Atmanirbhar Bharat mission.

“PM Modi placed human lives over the economy and implemented a strict lockdown. PM Modi said that India is the first country that completed the responsive system by imple-

BJP National President JP Nadda during an Odisha BJP State Executive Meeting via VC in New Delhi on Saturday.

menting a lockdown. He took decisive action of imposing the lockdown in order to save the lives of the people,” Nadda

said while addressing a meeting of the party’s Odisha executive committee viaVC. “Apart from taking

‘India will double gross enrolment ratio in 10 Years’ New Delhi: Terming NEP 2020 as a revolutionary reform of 21st century, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar expressed confidence that India would double Gross Enrolment Ratio within the next 10 years from about 25% at present. Wider geographical spread of higher education institutions, especially covering rural areas, and increased

‘BUNDELKHAND TO BE DEVELOPED AS HUB OF ORGANIC FARMING’ Lucknow: Observing that Bundelkhand has a lot of potentials, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said his government was looking to make the region a hub of organic farming. He added that the step will not only help farmers get rid of harmful chemical fertilisers but will also help them get higher prices for

demic necessitated a countrywide lockdown in March this year.

Most recently on August 30, a day before the release of the official economic data which showed that the country’s GDP shrunk by 23.9 per cent in the AprilJune period - highest for independent India - Mr Gandhi announced the start of a video explainer series on “how the Modi government has destroyed the Indian economy”.—Agencies

New Delhi: The Congress urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to take the nation into confidence on talks with China on the border row in Ladakh, saying people want to know about the outcomes of the repeated conversations with the Chinese side.

The Opposition party’s demand comes a day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe held an over twohour-long meeting in Moscow with a focus on easing escalating border tension in eastern Ladakh.

Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it was ‘Rajdharma’ of the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister to take the nation into confidence on the important issue. Listing the various levels of talks held with the Chinese from the Foreign Ministers’ level and Corps Commanders’ level to the Defence Ministers’ discussions, Surjewala asked what is the outcome of these talks.

their products. “Bundelkhand has immense potential for development. The Uttar Pradesh government wants to establish the region as an innovative standard of development. We want to make Bundelkhand a hub of organic farming,” the CM said in a VC while reviewing district-wise development work.

Prakash Javadekar

demand would be the critical factors that will help improve Gross Enrolment Ratio in India,

Javadekar said while delivering key-note address at Centenary Year Teachers’ Day celebrations by Parle Tilak Vidyalay Association of Mumbai through a video link. The I&B Minister said that students have become aspirational & economic growth had pushed parental earnestness to provide good education to their children.—ANI

‘22 CREW MEMBERS OF MT NEW DIAMOND RESCUED, 1 MISSING’ New Delhi: Twenty-two crew members of the oil MT New Diamond, which caught fire after a major explosion in its engine room, have been rescued while one is still missing, Indian Coast Guard officials said. The rescue operation is on and tanker has been tugged 40 miles away from Sri Lanka to safe waters successfully. MT New Diamond, a greek owned vessel, under charter by Indian Oil Corporation had a major explosion in the engine room on Sept 3 when it was transiting in Sri Lankan exclusive economic zone.

care of the health issue, the Centre also addressed the economic issues through several programmes such as the Garib Kalyan Yojna and Atmanirbhar Bharat. The UN Secretary-General said - India has not only addressed health issues, but also economic issues. Director-General of WHO also echoed the same opinion,” he said.

The tragedy and challenges posed by coronavirus were effectively turned into an opportunity by the Centre, Nadda added. —ANI

President Ram Nath Kovind confers National Teachers’ Awards 2020 in a virtual ceremony, in New Delhi on Saturday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

New Delhi: As schools and colleges remain shut or are affected due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, digital technology has a key role in imparting education, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Saturday.

Kovind, who was conferring National Teachers’ Awards 2020 in a virtual ceremony in Delhi on the occasion of Teachers’ Day, congratulated all the awardwinning educators and highlighted that 18 out of the 47 awardees are women. “Schools and colleges are either shut or affected due to COVID-19. In such a situation, digital technology has key role in imparting education. It’s important that you upgrade your skills to use digital technologies so that your teachings become more effective,” Kovind said.

He also expressed gratitude towards all his teachers and for their affection and guidance for enabling him in his journey in reaching where he is today.

“Good buildings, expensive equipment or facilities do not make a school. It is the teachers’ dedication and will towards their students that makes a school.

Teachers are the true nation builders.” —ANI

PREZ RAM NATH KOVIND CONFERS NATIONAL TEACHERS’ AWARDS New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday, conferred the National Teachers’’ Awards to 47 teachers from across the country for their contribution in developing innovative methods of teaching. The national level awards are given on Teachers’’ Day to celebrate the unique contribution of some of the finest teachers in the country and to honour those who, through their commitment, have not only improved the quality of school education but also enriched the lives of their students.

“Good buildings, expensive equipment or facilities do not make a good school but teachers have a crucial role in building a good school. They are the ones who develop foundation of knowledge and character building in our students,” Kovind said at the virtual award ceremony.

NARENDRA MODI @NARENDRAMODI Who better than our knowledgeable teachers to deepen our connect with our nation’s glorious history. During the recent #MannKiBaat, I had shared an idea of teachers teaching students about lesser known aspects of our great freedom struggle. #OurTeachersOurHeroes AMIT SHAH @AMITSHAH Tributes to an iconic thinker and erudite scholar, former President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on his Jayanti. On #TeachersDay, Greetings to the entire teaching fraternity who has been playing an unparalleled role in shaping the nation by selflessly guiding millions of souls.

DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK @DRRPNISHANK I wish all the countrymen on Teacher’s Day and salute all the gurus.Let us thank our teachers, counselors and parents on the occasion of Teacher’s Day, with whose blessings we have learned a lot.

MJ AKBAR’S DEFAMATION CASE

Court to resume on Sept 8 final arguments New Delhi: A Rouse Avenue court in Delhi adjourned to September 8 the final arguments on former union minister MJ Akbar’s defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani in connection with sexual harassment allegations made against him.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate

MJ Akbar

Vishal Pahuja adjourned matter as arguments remained incon-

AYODHYA MOSQUE TO BE OF SAME SIZE AS BABRI: TRUST STAFF Lucknow: A mosque that will come up in Ayodhya pursuant to SC verdict in Ram Janmabhoomi case will be of the same size as Babri Masjid, said an office-brearer of the trust formed for its construction. The five-acre complex in Ayodhya’s Dhannipur village will also house a hospital, a library and a museum among

others, the office-bearer said, adding that retired professor and noted food critic Pushpesh Pant will be consultant curator of the museum. The complex of the mosque, which will be built in Dhannipur, will also have facilities like a hospital, a museum at the Indo-Islamic Research Centre. Mosque will be on 15,000 square feet land.

clusive during hearing.

Senior advocate Rebecca John, who is representing Ramani, told the court that a true imputation made in public good is not defamation and said that Ramani’s alleged defamatory tweets and the Vouge article written by her were her truth and her case is an affirmative defence.

John also read the

complaint filed by Akbar, who had called Ramani’s allegations as a figment of her imagination and fabricated nonevents. Ramani was summoned in defamation case filed by Akbar.

The defamation charge was framed against her on April 10, 2019, which Ramani pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

—ANI

2 ARRESTED WITH 1,727 KG DRUGS WORTH `8 CR IN MP Noida: Two men were arrested while allegedly transporting 1,727 kg cannabis in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa district on Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) said. The action was carried out around 12.30 pm by a team of the local Madhya Pradesh Police and the Noida unit of the STF, the agency said. “Two men were arrested and a container truck impounded which had a secret cavity in which the contraband was stored,” Additional Superintendent of Police (STF) Raj Kumar Mishra said.

INDIA AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

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

Only country that didn’t reap the benefit of lockdown: PC

Punjab Chief Minister tests negative for COVID-19

PM must explain why India failed when other countries seem to have succeeded New Delhi: Former union minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday predicted that the coronavirus cases in India may touch the 65lakh mark by the end of September and hit out at the BJP-led central government alleging that the country has not been able to reap the benefit of the lockdown strategy.

“I had predicted that total number of infections will reach 55 lakh by September 30.

I am wrong. India will reach that number by September 20 By end September, the number may touch 65 lakh,” Chidambaram tweeted.

“The only country that is not reaping the benefit of the lockdown strategy appears to be India. PM Modi who promised that we will defeat coronavirus in 21 days must explain why India failed when other countries seem to have succeeded,” he said in another tweet.

I had predicted that total number of infections will reach 55 lakh

by September 30. I am wrong. By end September, the number may touch 65 lakh, —P Chidambaram, Congress leader

Parliament’s Monsoon Session: 4-day Covid testing camp begins New Delhi: Ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament commencing on September 14, an in-house four-day Covid-19 testing camp was started on Saturday for officials and other staff deployed at the complex to ensure minimum health risks during the period. On the first day of testing, all officials working in Parliament were asked to go for coronavirus or Covid-19 tests. The testing will

continue till Tuesday to cover other staff and security personnel.

Parliament officials told that Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests and Rapid Tests will be done. RT-PCR tests have been prescribed for those having any Covidlike symptoms while the rest will undergo Rapid Testing. The Lok Sabha Secretariat has arranged for seven

Army rescues 3 Chinese citizens lost in Sikkim

A soldier is seen offering food to one of the men at the India-China Border of North Sikkim.

New Delhi: Three people from China - two men and a woman were rescued by the Indian Army in North Sikkim on Friday after they lost their way. In a heartening gesture, the soldiers, who “extended a helping hand”, also offered them food and warm clothes to protect them from the harsh climate in the area. The three Chinese citizens had lost their way “in Plateau area of North Sikkim at an altitude of

BORDER TENSION

17,500 feet,” an official statement said.

“Realising danger to the lives of the Chinese citizens which included

two men and one woman in sub-zero temperatures, the soldiers of Indian Army immediately reached out and provided medical assistance,” the Army said in a statement.

“The Indian troops also gave them appropriate guidance to reach their destination.

The Chinese citizens expressed their gratitude to India and the Indian Army for their prompt assistance,” the Army said. —PTI

counters during the Covid-19 testing camp.

No symptomatic person will be allowed into the House during the session. The members have been requested to get their RT-PCR tests done 72 hours prior to arrival at Parliament after September 11.

If the tests are not done, then it will be done at the reception and the members will have to wait till the results are out. —PTI

IPL schedule will be released on today: Brijesh Patel New Delhi: The muchawaited Indian Premier League (IPL) schedule will be released on S u n d a y, chair man Brijesh Patel said on Saturday. All eight teams are currently awaiting the release of fixtures but due to different quarantine rules in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, IPL’s operations team took time to finalise the schedule.

It is expected that defending champions Mumbai Indians and runners-up Chennai Super Kings will be pitted against each other in the first game of this edition of the tournament on September 19.

The upcoming 53-day edition is by far the longest in the history of the league and the number of double headers is expected to be reduced this year. —PTI

India takes 13 days to cross 40 lakh COVID cases New Delhi: India’s COVID-19 infection tally sprinted past 40 lakh, just 13 days after it crossed 30 lakh, with a record 86,432 cases being reported in a day, while recoveries have surged to 31,07,223 on Saturday pushing the recovery rate to 77.23 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry. The total coronavirus cases mounted to 40,23,179, while the death toll climbed to 69,561. The cases jumped from 10 lakh to 20 lakh in 21 days.

It took 16 more days to race past 30 lakh and 13 days more to cross the 40-lakh mark. —PTI

including through diplomatic and military channels, to ensure complete disengagement and deescalation and full restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC at the earliest, it said. The statement said the Chinese Defence Minister also conveyed that China too desired to resolve the issues peacefully.

The talks in the Russian capital, lasting two hours and 20 minutes, took place days after tensions flared up again in eastern Ladakh after China unsuccessfully attempted to occupy Indian territory in the southern bank of Pangong lake

when the two sides were engaged in diplomatic and military talks to resolve the four-month-old border row.

In Beijing, a statement released by the Chinese Defence ministry said Wei told Singh that recently the relations between the two countries and the two militaries have been seriously affected by the border issue, and it is very important for the two defence ministers to have a faceto-face and candid exchange of views on relevant issues. —ANI

No ban...

“Department of Expend-

iture (DoE) circular dated 04 September 2020 deals with internal procedure for creation of posts and does not in any way affect or curtail recruitment”, it further said. The circular issued by the DoE listed out administrative expenditure measures and ban on creation of posts, in a bid to protect & preserve priority expenditure.

24 women... called her parents and informed them of the conditions in which she was working. Her parents then lodged a police complaint in Ranchi.

Jharkhand police then

EIGHT YEAR DEPUTATION TENURE OF AJAY KUMAR NEMA ENDS IN SEPT

An eight-year central deputation of Ajay Kumar Nema, outside the cadre, is ending on September 11, 2020. Nema, who is presently serving as Director, NITI Aayog, is a 1994 batch ITS officer.

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday ended his week-long self-isolation after testing negative for coronavirus, informed the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

The Chief Minister had earlier come in contact with two MLAs who had later tested positive for the virus.

He came in contact with the legislators in the Vidhan Sabha on August 28 during a one-day session of the House.

“Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh ends his weeklong self-isolation after testing negative for COVID-19. Chief Minister had self-isolated himself on August 28 after coming in contact with 2 MLAs who had later tested positive for coronavirus,” said the CMO. —PTI

Pradesh stands at the second position, replacing Telangana, which slipped to third place from the second in 2018. “The Uttar Pradesh gover nment is continuously striving forward to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat to reality.

Uttar Pradesh retained 2nd spot in ‘Ease of Doing Business’, while last year the state was at 12th position. Congratulations to all the people of the state,” Adityanath’s tweet read.

—ANI

Questions are being raised whether RBI has jurisdiction over transfer of senior executives of private banks and financial institutions during the COVID-19 situation? Does it have any guidelines?

FOUR ICS POSTS VACANT

In the Central Information Commission, four posts of ICs are already vacant. Two more shall be vacant by September end . The Commission has the strength of 10 ICs but they were never filled. This time the govt has decided to invite applications for six ICs posts.

PM SHOWERS PRAISE ON KARWAL

While interacting with IPS probationers through a video conference on Friday during the ‘Dikshant Parade Event’, PM Narendra Modi showered praises on the Director of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Atul Karwal.131 IPS probationers, including 28 women, of the (2018 batch) graduated from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

TWO POSTS OF MEMBERS IN TRAI VACANT

Two posts of Members in TRAI are vacant . Interested can apply till October 9, 2020. Details are available at DoT website.

DEEPAK MHAISEKAR IS NOW ADVISOR TO MAHARASHTRA CM

Deepak Mhaisekar has been appointed as Advisor to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thakre. He is former 2003 batch IAS officer.

31 IES OFFICERS PROMOTED TO SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE GRADE

As many as 31 officers of 1998 batch of IES have been promoted to the SAG. IDES OFFICER JOINS LBSNAA

Dr. Anupam Talwar has joined the LBSNAA, Mussoorie, for a period of one year on ad-hoc deputation as Asst Director.. He is a 2012 batch IDES officer and was posted as CEO, Cantonment Board, Bareilly.

39 IRS-CUSTOMS OFFICERS PROMOTED TO PRINCIPAL COMMISSIONER GRADE

As many as 39 IRS-Customs officers have been promoted to the grade of Principal Commissioner of Customs and Central Excise grade. They are: Pradeep Kumar, K M Bandhana Deori, Valte Vungzamuan, B V V T Prasad Naik, Amand Shah, chandra prakash Goyal, Prachi Saroop, A R S Kumar, Rimhim Prasad, K C Johny, Rajesh Jindal Rajeev Gupta, Simmi Jain, U Niranjan, Prem Nath Tiwari, Sunil Tated, Manoj Kumar Srivastava, Atul Gupta-II, Manoj Kumar Srivastava, Atul Gupta-II, Mayank Kumar, Alok Chopra, Yogpal Singh, Madan Mohan Singh, Shrawan Kumar, L Satya Srinivas, Arti A Srinivas, Charu Baranwal, K V S Singh, M Subramaniam, Madur Sreedhar Reddy Capt.

Sanjay Gahlot, Sanjay Rathi, Nitish Kumar Sinha, Balbir Singh Khattra, Milind Gawai, Ganta Gawai, Ganta Ravindra nath, Gopinath, Prakash Kumar, Behera, Ganesh Havanur and M Shrihari Rao. ITS OFFICER GETS SHORT EXTENSION

Vivek Narain’s loan tenure has been extended till November 13 this year. He is an ITS officer, and posted in National Financial Regulatory Authority(NFRA) in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

By arrangement with: http:// whispersinthecorridors.com

FROM PG 1 Will not...

The statement said Singh advised it was important that the Chinese side strictly respect the LAC and should not make attempts to unilaterally change the status quo.

“The two ministers had frank and in-depth discussions about the developments in the India-China border areas as well as on India-China relations,” said the statement released by both the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defence.

Singh conveyed that the two sides should continue their discussions,

POWER Gallery CAN RBI HAVE JURISDICTION OVER TRANSFER OF SR EXECS OF PVT BANKS

UP retains 2nd spot in ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh retaining the second spot in ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking is proof of the state’s push for fulfiling of Atmanirbhar Bharat, said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday.

The State Business Reform Action Plan 2019 Ranking was released by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman via video conference today. According to the report, Andhra Pradesh retains the number one position while Uttar

06

informed their counterparts in Gujarat and sought their help.

The Gujarat police have not lodged a complaint as an FIR had already been lodged in Jharkhand. “Arrangements are being made to send the women and girls to their home state.

The accused will be handed over to the Jharkhand police through regular channels,” DySP Solanki added. Police are also investigating the other angles of the case and are looking into the possibility that there might be more women in a similar situation in other industries.

4 IN NCB CUSTODY IN SUSHANT CASE: JAIN Mumbai: With Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) obtaining the custody of two more persons, the total number of persons in the custody of the central agency is now four, said Mutha Ashok Jain, Dy DG, South-Western Region, NCB on Saturday.

“Today we have obtained the police remand of two more persons so that makes four people in our custody remand,” Jain said.

“We will be asking her (Rhea) to join the inves-

Sushant Singh Rajput

tigation, and maybe to some other people as well,” he added. Earlier, the Esplanade Court sent actor Rhea Chakraborty’s brother Showik and her associ-

ate Samuel Miranda, who were arrested yesterday under NDPS Act in a case related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, to the NCB custody till September 9.

The court also sent Kaizen Ibrahim, who was arrested in the same case to 14-day judicial custody. NCB deputy director KPS Malhotra on Friday said that Showik and Miranda have been arrested under sections 20 B, 27 A, 28, and 29 of the NDPS Act. —ANI

TALKING POINT AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

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

O

ver the weekend, the World Health Organisation made an announcement you might have missed.

It recommended children aged 12-year-old and beyond should wear masks, and that masks should be considered for those aged between 6-yearold and 11-year-old.

The German Society for Virology went further, recommending masks be worn by all children attending school.

This seems at odds with what we assumed about kids and Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic. Indeed, one positive in this pandemic so far has been that children who contract the virus typically experience mild illness. Most children don’t require hospitalisation and very few die from the disease.

However, some children can develop a severe inflammatory syndrome similar to Kawasaki disease, although this is thankfully rare.

This generally mild picture has contributed to cases in children being overlooked.

But emerging evidence suggests children might play a bigger role in transmission than originally thought. They may be equally as infectious as adults based on the amount of viral genetic material found in swabs, and we have seen large school clusters emerge in Australia and around the world.

HOW OFTEN DO CHILDREN TRANSMIT THE VIRUS?

S

everal studies show children and adults have similar amounts of viral RNA in their nose and throat. This suggests children and adults are equally infectious, although it’s possible children transmit the virus slightly less often than adults in practice. Because children are physically smaller and generally have more mild symptoms, they might release less of the virus.

In Italy, researchers looked at what happened to people who’d been in contact with infected children and found the contacts of children were more likely to be infected than the contacts of adults with the virus.

Teenagers are of course closer to adults, and it’s possible younger children might be less likely to transmit the virus than older children. However, reports of outbreaks in childcare centres and primary schools suggest there’s still some risk.

07

CHILDREN MAY PLAY BIGGER ROLE IN

COVID TRANSMISSION THEY ARE THANKFULLY MUCH LESS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE SEVERE ILLNESS THAN ADULTS BUT COULD PASS ON THE VIRUS TO PARENTS AND TEACHERS

HOW LIKELY ARE CHILDREN TO BE INFECTED?

W

orking out how susceptible children are has been difficult. Pre-emptive school closures occurred in many countries, removing opportunities for the virus to circulate in younger age groups.

Children have also missed out on testing because they typically have mild symptoms. In Australia, testing criteria were initially very restrictive. People had to have a fever or a cough to be tested, which children don’t always have.

This hindered our ability to detect cases in children, and created a perception that children weren’t commonly infected. One way to address this issue is

through antibody testing, which can detect evidence of past infection. A study of over 60,000 people in Spain found 3.4% of children and teenagers had antibodies to the virus, compared with 4.4% to 6.0% of adults. But Spain’s schools were also closed, which likely reduced children’s exposure.

Another method is to look at what happens to

people living in the same household as a known case. The results of these studies are mixed. Some have suggested a lower risk for children, while others have suggested children and adults are at equal risk.

Children might have some protection compared to adults, because they have less of the enzyme which the virus

uses to enter the body.

So, given the same short exposure, a child might be less likely to be infected than an adult.

But prolonged contact probably makes any such advantage moot.

The way in which children and adults interact in the household might explain the differences seen in some studies. This is supported by a new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children and partners of a known case were more likely to be infected than other people living in the same house. This suggests the amount of close, prolonged contact may ultimately be the deciding factor.

SCHOOLS SHOULD SWITCH TO DISTANCE LEARNING

T

his evidence means we need to take a precautionary approach.

When community transmission is low, face-toface teaching is probably low-risk. But schools should switch to distance learning during periods of sustained community transmission. If we fail to address the risk of school outbreaks, they can spread into the wider community.

While most children won’t become severely ill if they contract the virus, the same cannot be said for their adult fami-

WHAT HAVE WE SEEN IN SCHOOLS?

L

arge clusters have been reported in schools around the world, most notably in Israel. There, an outbreak in a high school affected at least 153 students, 25 staff members, and 87 others. Interestingly, that particular outbreak coincided with an extreme heatwave where students were granted an exemption from having to wear face masks, and air conditioning was used continuously.

At first glance, the Australian experience seems to suggest a small role for children in transmission. A study of Covid-19 in educational settings in New South Wales in the first half of the year found limited evidence of transmission, although a large outbreak was noted to have occurred in a childcare centre.

This might seem reassuring, but it’s im-

A ly members or their teachers. In the United States, 40% of teachers have risk factors for severe Covid-19, as do 28.6 million adults living with school-aged chil-

dren.

Recent recommendations on mask-wearing by older and younger children mirror risk-reduction guidelines for schools developed by the

Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. These guidelines stress the importance of face masks, improving ventilation, and the regular disinfection of shared surfaces.

portant to remember the majority of cases in Australia were acquired overseas at the time of the study, and there was limited community transmission.

Also, schools switched to distance learning during the study, after which school attendance dropped to 5%.

This suggests school safety is dependent on the level of community transmission.

Additionally, we shouldn’t be reassured by examples where children have not transmitted the virus to others. Approxi-

mately 80% of secondary Covid-19 cases are generated by only 10% of people. There are also many examples where adults haven’t transmitted the virus.

As community transmission has grown in Victoria, so has the significance of school clusters. The Al-Taqwa College outbreak remains one of Australia’s largest clusters. Importantly, the outbreak there has been linked to other clusters in Melbourne, including a major outbreak in the city’s public housing towers.

THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE

s the virus has spread more widely, the demographic profile of cases has changed. The virus is no longer confined to adult travellers and their contacts, and children are now commonly infected. In Germany, the proportion of children in the number of new infections is now consistent with

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION

their share of the total population.

While children are thankfully much less likely to experience severe illness than adults, we must consider who children have contact with and how they can contribute to community transmission. Unless we do, we won’t succeed in controlling the pandemic.

CONCEPT: DIVYA HEMNANI

DESIGN: CP SHARMA

One of the best way to overcome your sadness if to help others through their pain and grief.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

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

‘ACT OF GOD’ DILEMMA on’ble Finance Minister Nirmala Saitharaman has described the sluggish economy of the country as ‘Act of God’. The Virtuous Finance Minister has given two options of compensation to the states, first after consulting the Reserve Bank of India that a special lending route can be provided to the states, and second, the states can be provided Rs 97 thousand crores at a reasonable interest rate. This means, the center has to take debt, but its outstanding, states will have to pay.

Sources reveal that in an important meeting of the GST Council, Nandan Nilekani, a member of the committee that facilitated the GST return process, unearthed GST fraud worth Rs 84 thousand crore and during the meeting it was also told that banks still have an NPA of Rs 7.92 lakh crore, of which several lakh crores, the central government has already waived. Now,

H

FIRST INDIA SUNDAY SPECIAL

even taxpayers would want some benefit of ‘Act of God’, and they also would want to be exempted from tax.

SPARKS OF SAFFRON REBELLION IN UP ssues related to Uttar Pradesh have started to concern the saffron party leadership. Sources say that in the last two months, BJP has conducted three surveys in UP, and in these three surveys, BJP has got 125 to 150 seats. The main reason for this is considered to be the government’s stubbornness. As happened recently, when a MLA annoyed with CM Yogi wrote on Twitter, “My request to Chief Minister Avnish Awasthi to tell his Chief Secretary Yogi Adityanath ...” It is said that Awasthi (the Chief Secretary) spends more time in Yogi’s hospitality

I

BY TRIDIB RAMAN

and is often seen receiving and seeing off the CM. In the relevant political and bureaucratic circles, it is seen as Awasthi’s desire to get a good post after retirement. But Avneesh Awasthi’s predecessor Anoop Chandra Pandey also looked forward to a

good job after retirement, yet he has not got anything.

AKHILESH’S CYCLE IS READY ormer Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadav has also kept an eye on the

F

Akhilesh will come to know about the situation of his party and also learn as to how much influence SP has on the ground level.

Meanwhile, on the other hand, the BJP is thinking whether in the remaining one and a half years instead of

MODI READY FOR SHUFFLE fter this Diwali, when the Bihar assembly elections would be over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi c a n

A

Nirmala Sitharaman

Narendra Modi

Nirala is new Addl Secy, Sagale is A’bad collector

First India Bureau

Gandhinagar: K K Nirala has been appointed as as Additional Secretary (home) while Banaskantha Collector Sagale will take charge as Ahmedabad Collector as per the orders issued on 5 September.

K K Nirala is a 2005 batch IAS officer and had taken charge as Ahmedabad Collector in December 2019 itself and in just nine months he has been transferred as Additional Secretary (home - Law and order). Nirala was earlier discharging duty as the Member Secretary of the Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage

entire situation in UP. Sources in the SP reveal that Akhilesh is about to start his statewide cycle tour in April or May 2021, which could last for 6-7 months. It is possible that on the pretext of this journey, he will try to create an atmosphere in favor of SP, and would also want to strengthen the party’s organization through this journey. The areas from which this ‘cycling expedition’ will travel,

Sandip Sagale

K K Nirala

Board, where he had been appointed in 2018.

Nirala will be replaced by Sandip Sagale, a 2007 batch IAS officer, who is presently discharging duty as Banaskantha district Collector. Sagale was

appointed as Banaskantha collector in April 2018. He has been District collector of Bharuch and Narmada district earlier.

State has appointed IAS Alok Kumar Pandey as Director Employment & Training.

Pandey has returned from his inter-cadre deputation and has replaced Supreet Singh Gulati, a 2008 IAS officer, who has now been appointed as Patan District Collector.

Gulati is a Punjab cadre IAS officer and his cadre was changed to Gujarat in 2016, on grounds of marriage after his wedding to a Guj Cadre officer.

Patan district collector Anand Patel will be taking charge as Banaskantha district Collector. The state government has also appointed IAS (rtd) A A Ramanuj as Joint Commissioner, Office of the State Election Commission on contractual basis.

Yogi, Rajnath Singh can be sent there as Chief Minister? With this, the removal of the Yogi will not cause resentment among the Thakurs, because instead of one Thakur leader, another is being sent. Rajnath has been the Chief Minister of UP even before, and knows about the ‘wellbeing’ of the party and the organization, and therefore he can take everyone along. He can also ‘cool down’ the recent heartburn in the party cadre. But it will not be easy for the BJP top leadership to take such a decision, because even though Yogi has made critics for himself in the passing period, the number of his followers has also increased exponentially.

Akhilesh Yadav

‘Remove PM Modi’s name from civil suit’ First India Bureau Sabarkantha: A local court in Sabarkantha district in north Gujarat on Saturday ordered the removal of name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from a civil suit seeking damages in the case of killing of four British nationals during the 2002 postGodhra riots.

The order came on an application moved by advocate S S Shah on behalf of Modi praying to drop the name of the Prime Minister from the civil suit as defendant.

“Principal senior civil judge, Prantij Suresh Gadhavi pronounced the order on Saturday ordering to remove Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name, who was the then Chief

08

make a major reshuffle in his cabinet. Several names are discussed to replace Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, one of which is also the name of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who is said to be Modi’s beloved anyway.

Piyush Goyal has dual responsibilities, and it is said that he could hand over his responsibilities of Commerce Ministry to Nirmala Sitharaman again. There is talk of RCP Singh being made a minister from JDU quota.

By the way, there is talk of Sharad Yadav going with Nitish again. While he was hospitalized in recent days, sources reveal that his lungs were flooded, while Nitish spoke to Sharad’s wife, Sharad Yadav would also be present as an option for Nitish for the post of minister. If sources are to be believed, some new faces from UP can also find a place in the cabinet.

The author is a journalist and political commentator and views expressed are his personal

TEACHER HONOURED FOR SPECIAL EFFORTS First India Bureau

PM Narendra Modi

Gujarat court orders removal of PM Modi’s name from suit filed

by British nationals on 2002 riots Minister along with former IPS officers including K Chakravarty and Amitabh Pathak and ex IAS officer Ashok Narayan.

The court noted that allegations were “gen-

eral” and “vague” in nature and no concrete evidence existed to show any “direct or indirect involvement in the alleged act or any specific role from which reasonable ground for malice or intentional acts or omissions can be found, entitling the plaintiff to claim any legal right or relief against defendant No. 1 (Modi) in his personal or official capacity in the suit.

New Delhi: Gujarat’s Sudha Joshi has won this year’s National Teachers Award under the ‘special category’. Joshi was chosen for bringing visuallyimpaired students to the m a i n stream schooling system. President Ramnath Kovind conferred awards to 47 teachers for their special efforts on 5 September, Teachers’ Day. Sudha Joshi is among the two teachers who will be awarded in the special category , the other is Sant Jumar Sahni, who made a once deserted school in Bihar one of the best in the state.

FIRST INDIA IMPACT

Patel to CM: Ensure accountability for ‘ad hoc’ SSP water release  Congress RS MP

writes to CM Rupani over the ‘unplanned’ water releases from Narmada dam resulting in floods in Bharuch Ahmed Patel

Darshan Desai Ahmedabad: Congress’ senior Rajya Sabha member Ahmed Patel has asserted that it was “grave mismanagement” by the Sardar Sarovar dam authorities who released huge quantities of water in the downstream in a short period, leading to floods and “massive damage to life and property” in Bharuch.

Pointing out that there were “clear advisories by the Central Water Commission of impending

DENIAL ON UNSIGNED LETTERHEAD

rise in Narmada water levels”, Patel on Saturday stated in a letter to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani that the dam authorities could have staggered the discharges instead of releasing

large quantity of water between August 29 and September 1.

First India was the first to report the entire issue on September 4, 2020, quoting expert studies by the South Asia Network of Dams,

Rivers and People (SANDARP), which in turn based its findings on official data of the Central Water Commission and Narmada Control Authority.

In his letter, Patel demanded compensation for the damage and relief to “all those affected by this artificial flood.” He called upon Rupani to “ensure accountability for this man made crisis and also take adequate steps to bring in transparency and openness on how advance warning and data is handled at the Sardar

Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd.” Patel said in this case the SSD operators “chose to act on an unplanned and adhoc basis”. The MP, who hails from Bharuch, continued that this was “extremely worrying as this extraordinary surge in water releases was entirely avoidable since there was sufficient advance information by 26th August, 2020, of heavy rainfall likely to hit the region.” And added that this was backed by the Central Water Commission’s advisories.

www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia AHMEDABAD, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

KEEP IT MINI-MAL

City First talks about the fabulous ways to wear your mini skirts and to get you on board with the evergreen fashion!

KARISHMA GWALANI karishma.gwalani@firstindia.co.in

O

ver the decades, trends come and go, but the mini skirt is forever.

Since its breakout in the 1960s alongside the women’s liberation movement, the style has found popularity across generations.

It’s fair to say: the mini skirt is a symbol of a woman’s femininity and sex appeal. This staple is extremely popular during the summer season when it’s too hot to wear jeans.

Many designer brands offer us a wide variety of mini skirt styles, offer-

ing A-line, flared, sequined, printed, colourblocking, knife-pleated and many other interesting fits and designs. These pieces come with an amazing combination of cuts and colours. It looks great with modern, casual and retro-inspired tops. You can try these bottoms with long sleeve shirts, classic pullovers, tanks and chambray button-downs. My personal favourites of this model are the ones with Acut and asymmetric cut.

But you have to consider a few combinations if you want to wear your mini skirt in the right way.

1. If you want yourself and edgy look, then try on black leather mini embellished with zips.

Try it on with cool gingham shirt and brown pointy toes.

2. The wrap, the layered white bottom looks safari alike with the cool khaki olive shirt and pale orange pointed toes.

3. You can choose a sequined mini that looks great with V-neck casual tee and suede.

4. Black, ruffled mini looks chic with a printed monochrome shirt that is worn underneath field vest in khaki olive colour. Finish the look by adding cuffed, neon red heel sandals.

5. Keep it girlish and try on flared chambray bottom with silk white blouse and snakeskin mid heels.

6. The flared denim bottom looks awesome paired with star print white shirt and cool black handbag.

Trust me, a mini skirt can stick around all year long, just layer it cleverly! I mean, you definitely should play with proportions, keep things monochrome and choose high-rise clothes to create slimming effects.

09

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

ARIES

MAR 21 - APR 20 You might be frustrated if it feels like creating solid momentum on your personal goals feels more like walking through thick mud than sprinting ahead. When it feels like the roadblocks just keep piling up, see this as an opportunity to reflect, revise, and slow down to perfect your game plan. You might also take heart in the fact that not alone! You might find that any plays for more recognition from higherups might begin to pay off now. Things look up professionally too now.

TAURUS

APR 21 - MAY 20 You might feel a bit lost if your current big ideas and dreams begin to feel unrealistic or as though they aren’t set up to come to fruition in the way you had hoped. You might do best to hit pause on definitive game plans and see where the moment takes you. Taking a more hands-off, organic approach to achieving your deepest-rooted aspirations serves you best right now. Also a time for firing up your confidence, especially around relationships, fun, creativity, and making plans to get out of your comfort zone and broaden your horizons.

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUNE 21 This week it might be difficult to get ahead on group projects. This challenging moment might lead you to believe that your colleagues and friends are at fault for the snail’s pace, but the fact of the matter is that everyone is being urged to take more time and ensure that the actions they’re taking are thoughtful and deliberate as opposed to hair-trigger. Recognizing this can help everyone get on the same page. A good time for emotional bonding, this could serve to magnify your deepest relationships in a more external, visible way.

CANCER

JUNE 22 - JULY 23 You might feel like it’s a downright slog to get ahead on the job, get recognized by higher-ups, or see forward movement related to looking for new opportunities. This could prove frustrating, to be sure, but doing your best to avoid getting extra competitive can help, as can using this slower time to brush up your resume or hone a new skill set that will help you get even more noticed in the long run. Time is also giving you the green light to create real, tangible results on one-on-one goals.

LEO

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23 If you’ve been hoping to travel or sign up for an online course to make progress in some way professionally or personally, it will take a little more time. Your best bet is to use this time to soak up knowledge and potentially revise, or at least perfect, your game plan, so that when you do finally get a clear runway, you’ll have no trouble taking off and knowing exactly where you’re headed. Though this week, you might enjoy more work and wellness opportunities.

VIRGO

WEEKLY

AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

SEPTEMBER 6 – 12 SEPTEMBER

THE YEAR 2020 WILL BE A POSITIVE YEAR RADHIKA APTE WHO CELEBRATES HER BIRTHDAY ON 7 SEPT. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, SHE WILL BE BLESSED BY POSITIVE PLANETS. HER INNER STRENGTH, SELF-CONFIDENCE WILL BE HIGH AND SHE WILL BE FOCUSED TOWARDS HER GOALS. SHE WILL PLAN TO CONSTRUCT A NEW HOUSE, RENOVATE THE CURRENT HOUSE OR WILL PLAN TO BUY A NEW VEHICLE.

10

LIBRA

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22 It might feel as though it’s challenging to get ahead on goals you’ve been working toward with your significant other, close friend, or business. It’s almost like no matter what you do, you’ll struggle to get on the same page in terms of a game plan, and at times, it could feel like you’re stepping on one another’s toes or getting in one another’s way. Do your best to see this as a time to slow down and make sure that the goals you’ve set are exactly what you want to work toward—as a team. A perfect time to enthusiastically express deep-rooted needs to loved ones.

SCORPIO

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22 You might find it challenging to create momentum with your fitness or general health plan. Pushing too hard right now could only serve to set you up for more aggravating, so you might do best to take a beat and recall the pragmatic measures that have worked best for you in the past. Simple moves like drinking enough water and taking daily walks could go far to keeping you firing on all cylinders.

Be alert to confusion causing lines to cross with colleagues and/or your significant other. Breathe deep, and trust that clarity is around the bend.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 23 - DEC 22

You’ll be feeling psyched and self-assured when it comes to pursuing a major professional goal.

Taking your big ideas to higher-ups could not only feel empowering right now but help you lay the groundwork for well-deserved rewards. But also a time of slowing down your efforts related to art, pleasure, and fun-loving relationships. Still, this can be a beneficial time for you to go back to the drawing board on a creative passion project. You might also do well to approach loving relationships with a mellow, go-with-the-flow vibe.

CAPRICORN DEC 23 - JAN 20

Simmering conflicts with loved ones over old emotional wounds and a lack of progress on projects around the house could feel stressful. You’ll do well to reprioritize and, within your intimate relationships, keep hashing it out until you see eye-to-eye—or as close to it as possible. But you might also begin to see real results as a result of those exciting, big picture dreams you’ve had floating around in the back of your head. Don’t hold back from pursuing any passion project that simply feels right. You have what it takes to turn it into a concrete, rewarding reality.

AQUARIUS

JAN 21 - FEB 19

Keeping social plans or seeing a brainstorm through to an actionable plan might prove challenging.

While it might not suit your M.O., finding a way to embrace and adapt to this more unpredictable vibe can help you maintain productivity. Then, finding a way to get on the same page as a loved one, especially when it comes to money, could feel particularly challenging. The issue is that facts are evasive, and confusion is running rampant. For those reasons, you might do well to wait until the dust settles before ploughing forward.

PISCES

AUG 24 - SEP 23

FEB20 - MARCH 20

Watch out for confusion and misunderstandings, especially within your closest one-on-one relationships think with a partner, dear friend, loved one, or close colleague. Feeling like it’s nearly impossible to get a handle on all the facts right now can create insecurity and affect your morale. Just know that this moment will pass, and you’ll soon have the info you need to move forward.

You can look forward to enjoying the organically flowing flirtation and pleasurable moments that you’ve been dreaming of.

Making major strides in moneymaking endeavours might feel challenging. Instead of pushing forward on projects that don’t resonate, try to preserve your energy and narrow your focus on plans that you truly feel passionate about. This could ultimately help you to streamline and get ahead on professional goals. Then, you might feel like it’s tough to get on the same page as your significant other, colleague, or a dear friend, this could cause you to feel nervous about what the future holds, but you’ll do best to stay in the present and stick with what you know.

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

AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

ETC

11

KAREENA’S STATEMENT A

few days back, the Producers Guild of India issued a statement in the light of the instances that took place after Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and claimed that his tragic demise has been used as a ‘tool to defame, slander the film industry.’ Backing the Producers Guild statement, Kareena Kapoor Khan has now stood up in solidarity with her industry. Kareena, who has been spending time at home amid the ongoing pandemic, shared the photo of the

statement on her social media handle.

Along with sharing the statement on her Instagram story, Kareena penned, “With My Industry,” with a heart emoticon. With this, Kareena joined several other stars like Dia Mirza, Bipasha Basu, Nimrat Kaur, Hansal Mehta, Ram Gopal Varma and more in backing the guild for releasing a statement keeping in mind the recent events that took place.

Kareena shared Zoya Akhtar’s post featuring the statement of the guild and backed up Bollywood in standing up against their wrongful portrayal. —Agency

GENEROUS DONOR

Kareena Kapoor Khan

Q

Maanayat and Sanjay Dutt

TOUGH TIMES

A

few days back, Sanjay Dutt took to social media to inform his fans that he is taking a break from work as he will be undergoing medical treatment and soon after, reports started doing the rounds that the actor was suffering from lung cancer. Soon after, Sanjay Dutt was snapped at a hospital in Mumbai and wife Maanayata Dutt released an official statement thanking his fans for their support.

Now Maanayata Dutt

has shared a new Instagram post, in which she has spoken about being resilient in the face of difficulties while husband and actor Sanjay Dutt gets treated for cancer.

Alongside a selfie, Maanayata’s caption read, “Sometimes you just have to stay silent because no words can explain what is going on in your mind and heart.” Well, we are sure that these are tough times for the Dutt family, and we wish speedy recovery for the actor.

—Agency

ueen B e yo n c e is not forgetting the Black Lives Matter movement on her birthday! The superstar, who just turned 39 on Friday, 4 September, revealed a generous donation via her official website this week. “Proud to announce USD 1M in additional funds from Beyonce to help Blackowned small businesses. Round two of funding opens this month with our partner, NAACP,” her official website announced on Wednesday.

“NAACP Empowerment Programs is delighted to administer a meaningful program in partnership with BeyGOOD’s Black-Owned Small Business Impact Fund to assist our small business communities that have been directly impacted by recent events across the country. The grants in the amount of USD 10,000 will be offered to Black-owned small businesses in select cities to help sustain businesses during this time.

The NAACP is proud to partner with BeyGOOD to help strengthen small businesses and to ensure economic empowerment for Black businesses,” the NAACP wrote in response to Beyonce’s donation. —Agency Beyonce

Anubhav Sinha and Manoj Bajpayee

‘Bambai Mein Ka Ba’

H

ailing from Bihar, producerdirector Anubhav Sinha had always cherished listening to Bhojpuri music during his growing up years but the producer-director feels the culturallyrich music has lost its charm over a period of time. With the aim of reviving Bhojpuri music and giving back to his roots, Anubhav Sinha has created, directed and produced a Bhojpuri music video

Happy Birthday, PT!

FRUIT CAKE (EGGLESS) WITHOUT OVEN VRTIKA JAIN

cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Ingredients 1 Cup - Grinded Sugar 1 Cup - Curd Baking Powder - 1 & 1/4 TSP Baking Soda - 1/2 TSP Flour - 1 and 1/2 cup Tutti Frutti - 1/2 Half Cup Oil - 1/2 cup.

Pineapple Essence - 1/4 TSP Orange Essence - 1/4 TSP Vanilla Essence - 1/4 tsp Salt - 1/4 TSP Yellow Food Colour 9-inch Mould 1 Cup = 250 ml

Fruit Cake

Procedure Take sugar in a bowl and add curd, Baking Powder, Baking Soda to it.

Mix for 5mins.

Keep it aside for 5 mins.

Take flour in a bowl and add tutti Frutti to it.

Mix well.

Add oil to the resting batter and add all the essence, salt and the food colour.

Add flour into the batter with the help of a sieve.

Add the tutti fruit back to it which had come up the sieve.

‘Bambai Mein Ka Ba’ featuring Manoj Bajpayee under his production banner Benaras Mediaworks, during the current lockdown.

The song ‘Bambai Mein Ka Ba’ was shot at a city studio in a day in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Produced by Benaras Mediaworks in collaboration with T-Series, the song ‘Bambai Mein Ka Ba’ will be launched soon.

—Agency

Mix well.

Brush oil on the mould.

Place a baking paper.

Add the batter to it.

Take a pan and keep a stand on it and heat it for 5 mins on the medium flame place it’s cover on it.

After 5 mins place the mould in it.

Cook it on a medium flame for 40-50 mins or bake in a preheated oven at 108c for 40 - 50 mins.

Take it out, your fruit cake is ready.

Pankaj Tripathi

T

he Hindi film industry is full of actors that often impress a wide section of people. However, few actors are adored and praised for their work the way Pankaj Tripathi is. The actor, who turns 44 on Saturday, 5 September, has time and again floored the audiences with his performance, style and above all acting. Not just the older generation, but he has also largely connected with the millennial movie buffs who have discovered his talent over the years.

Pankaj was most recently seen in ‘Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl’ as Janhvi Kapoor’s doting dad. And yet again, the actor ended up being a mass favourite and one of the bigger takeaways from the film.

Over the years, he has showcased a range of performances. From gritty and intense to comic and lighthearted roles, Pankaj Tripathi has entertained one and all.

—Agency

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

From left: Dr Girija Singh, Jagdeesh Chandra, Rev Fr Dr A Rex Angelo SJ, Ravi Prakash Meharda and Dr SS Ranawat.

Jagdeesh Chandra

J

agdeesh Chandra addressed the staff members of St Xavier’s College, Jaipur on Saturday, it was a

joint programme which combined Teachers’ Day, Mother Teresa’s Memorial Day and also COVID-19 Awareness Programme with the theme, ‘Spreading Facts, not Fear’.

TWITTER POST!

A panel discussion also took place with eminent panelists like Dr SS Ranawat Deputy Supdt SMS; Ravi Prakash Meharda Addl DGP, Civil Rights and Dr. Girija

CONCERNED!

obert Vadra on Friday night took to Twitter to share his concern towards the declining GDP rate among other

ongoing concerns in the country.

He posted a still from TV news channel and wrote, “What’s going on in our country ?! GDP is at a 40 year low; China is invading our borders; unemployment is at worst ever; and, we are watching the news as these ... we are only moving in a negative direction. God help us !! “ —Vaishali

DURING THE DAY!

I

ndian Medical Association Jaipur has launched an online Teleconsultation platform Health Gennie for patients and Doctors. IMA Jaipur President Dr Tarun Patni and IMA Jaipur IT and webinar chairperson Dr Ashok Gupta launched the software during the occasion.

Health Gennie’s Director, Sudhanshu Goyal and Himanshu Goyal were also present during the Launch. IMA Jaipur is supporting the National Digital Health Mission announced by the Govt of India recently.

This software will help the patients to get consultation via video and call and patients can maintain their health records in the Health Gennie mobile app. Govt of India has released the Guidelines for tele-

Teachers of St. Xaviers

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan took place.

The welcome address was

by Rev Fr Varkey Perekatt SJ, Manager and an awareness message prepared by the students was presented. Rev Dr A Rex

Angelo SJ, Principal, initiated the panel discussion and highlighted the significant issues related to Corona Awareness.

The facts related to the Corona virus disease, its impact on the society, the

precautions to be taken along with the psychological and social ramifications of the same were discussed. The event ended with the National Anthem. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Teleconsultation platform:

HEALTH GENNIE

—PHOTO BY SANTOSH SHARMA

Robert Vadra

Singh, Psychologist.

The event began with a prayer song post which the unveiling of the photos of great leaders and teachers like Mother Teresa and Dr

CITY FIRST

...his post

R

12

Spreading Facts Not Fear

—PHOTOS BY SANTOSH SHARMA

KAVITA CHAUHAN

AHMEDABAD | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

From left: Sudhanshu Goyal CEO Health Gennie; Dr Tarun Patni, President IMA, Jaipur; Dr Ashok Gupta, Chairman IT, IMA, Jaipur and Himanshu Goyal, Co Founder Health Gennie.

consultation in March 2020, which has been completely followed by the Health Gennie

Platform. With the help of the Health Gennie teleconsultation platform, patients can

connect with the doctors and get a solution to their problems. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

NEXTGEN STARTUP

CHALLENGE

A GOOD DEED money on their basic needs.

Be it giving school uniforms enior teacher Pratibha or stationery to children, she Sharma, who retired 5 has always supported them.

Pratibha, who is days before originally from Bidher 31 years yari village in Bayaof government serna and currently vice, has spent 10% Bharatpur, has so of her salary far provided around throughout her ser25 sewing machines vice life for the ecoto the mothers of nomic upliftment the poor children of of poor school chilthe school. On 31 dren and their famiAugust, the school lies. Her childhood Pratibha Sharma staff held a farewell aspiration of becoming a teacher was fulfilled ceremony at Fatehpur School. in the year 1989 and her first When the schoolgirls got the posting was at the Govern- news, they rushed to the ment Girls High School. She school and bid farewell to her has always considered school beloved teacher with wet eyechildren as her own and spent lashes. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in CITY FIRST

RAJASTHAN: On the occasion of Teacher’s Day, an NGO Satyamev Jayate Citizen Society, Jodhpur planted 233 saplings at Umaid Hospital. Divisional Commissioner, Samit Sharma and Police Commissioner, Jose Mohan gave the message of conservation of plants on the occasion.

GUJARAT: People from Brahmin Community were seen performing Shradh Puja of Pitru Paksha at Narayan Ghat, Sabarmati river on Saturday.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

HAPPY B’DAY!

CITY FIRST

S

oftware Technology Parks of India (STPI), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India has brought in Next Generation Incubation Scheme (NGIS) for Start-ups and simultaneously.

Minister of Electronics & IT, Communications, Law & Justice, Government of India, launched the ‘CHUNAUTI NextGen Startup Challenge’ contest under this scheme.

In this context, STPI-Jaipur organised a second outreach webinar session on Saturday, to reach-out the potential participants. The session was ad-

THE LEGAL GUIDE CITY FIRST

Minister of State and MLA Banswara Arjun Singh Bamaniya (left) and MLA Devli-Uniara Harish Meena celebrated their birthdays on 5 September, Saturday. We wish them all the best!

O

n the occasion of Teacher’s Day, FICCI Ladies Organisation came up with a strong and empowering

dressed by eminent speakers and mentors like Dr Jyotirmay Mathur, professor MNIT Jaipur and Head & Secretary of MIIC, Mahavir Sharma, Chairman, TiE Global, Avadhesh Srivastava, Additional Director & Officer-In-Charge, STPI-Jaipur, Rakesh Dubey, Additional Director STPI-HQ. The session was moderated by Sanjay Kumar, Additional Director STPI Noida.

NGIS is a pioneering initiative by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India & STPI to build a world-class incubation ecosystem for identifying & nurturing start-ups. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

agenda of spreading awareness by being THE LEGAL GUIDE of its members.

The session was held as a panel discussion with Chairperson Wandana Parnami, the founder

S

chairperson of the FLO Jaipur, Neeta Boochra and guest speaker Flavia Agnes, an Indian women’s rights lawyer with expertise in marital, divorce, and property law. She is also, an Activist, an Au-

thor, and a Lecturer.

The session unfolded some strong issues like women’s ancestral rights, laws for women at work, will declarations and registration, daughter-in-law’s rights after the husband’s death. Members were

also enlightened on the domestic violence act.

It was also proposed that women’s rights should be a part of school textbooks for both the gender to be aware and practice equality. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in