First India-Ahmedabad Edition-12 October 2020

AHMEDABAD l MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00

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RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 317

MAHARASHTRA GOVT WITHDRAWS CASES REGISTERED AGAINST AAREY PROTESTERS

SHAMEFUL TRUTH: RAGA SLAMS YOGI OVER HATHRAS CASE

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD 24°C - 37°C

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‘NO RELIGION ASKS FOR FLASHY FESTIVALS’ Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan urged people to stay away from large congregations and diligently follow COVID-19 guidelines during upcoming festive season, saying no religion or God asks people to celebrate ostentatiously.

Celebrate the approaching festivals at home with loved ones instead of going out to fairs and pandals as fighting against COVID-19 is everyone’s foremost “dharma”!

BE A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN! India’s Corona tally crossed the 70-lakh mark on Sunday, with a spike of 74,383 new cases and 918 deaths reported in the last 24 hours!

A man walks past a graffiti of a spitting man, in Mumbai on Sunday.

If people congregate in large numbers to to celebrate festivals we may be heading for big trouble Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Health Minister

Winter Corona may bite hard Amid several reports indicating that the number of Covid-19 cases will increase during winter, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday confirmed that the possibility of the same in Indian context can’t be dismissed at all. SARS Cov 2 is a respiratory virus and the transmission of respiratory viruses is known to increase during the colder weather. During winter, there is tendency of overcrowding in residential dwellings which may increase transmission, he added.

FULL REPORT P6

PM: SVAMITVA to end

CBI registers FIR, takes up BJP releases list probe in Hathras incident DISPUTES IN VILLAGES These cards are physical copies of property titles of villagers’ homes & area surrounding their respective houses New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched physical distribution of property cards under ‘Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas’ (SVAMITVA) scheme on Sunday, calling it a ‘historic move’ set to transform rural India.

This will enable nearly 1 lakh property holders to download their property cards through SMS on their mobile phones and pave way for villagers to use property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits.

763 villages across six states are beneficiaries of this scheme, which includes 346 from Uttar Pradesh, 221 from Haryana, 100 from Maharashtra, 50 from Uttarakhand, 44 from Madhya

Pradesh, and two from Karnataka. The states had signed a MoU with Survey of India for drone survey of rural areas and implementation of scheme.

Full report P5

BIHAR ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

of 46 candidates

Victim’s family to appear before Allahabad HC today

New Delhi: BJP on Sunday released a list of 46 candidates, all for second phase of the Bihar assembly polls, taking to 75 the number of constituencies for which the party has announced its nominees so far.

While the Congress on Sunday formed various panels for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls with party general secretary Randeep Surjewala named chairman of the election management and coordination committee.

BJP list includes state minister Nand Kishore Yadav (from Patna Sahib) and Nitish Mishra, son of former CM Jag-

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against an accused and took up the investigation of the Hathras incident on Sunday.

The CBI registered the case on the request of UP government and “further notification from the Government of India.” As per the agency, “the complainant has alleged that on September 14, 2020 the accused tried to strangulate his sister in the millet field.” The case has been registered at ACB Ghaziabad on Sunday under relevant sections of the IPC and

annath Mishra. The list was released a day after the party’s central election committee, which includes PM Narendra Modi, met in Delhi.

BJP is contesting in alliance with JD(U). 2 others, Vikassheel Insaan Party and Hindustani Awam Morcha have also been included in the alliance. More on P5

Tight security has been provided for victim’s family’s visit to Lucknow on Monday for HC hearing.

the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989).

Suspected offences as per FIR are rape, attempt to murder, and gang rape.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (ACB,

Ghaziabad) Seema Pahuja, has been named the Investigating Officer of the case. CBI has constituted a team and further investigation is underway.

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IN THE DOGHOUSE

AMC spends crores on sterilization, but A’bad still going to the dogs Nine agencies hired for population control, Rs6 cr paid in 3 years, but canine numbers continue to rise First India Bureau Ahmedabad: In the past year, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has almost doubled the number of agencies hired to control the city’s canine population. However, during this time, the number

of stray dogs needing to be sterilized and vaccinated has gone up from about 75,000 to 1.80 lakh, according to data from the AMC, which has paid almost Rs6 crore in the past three years to bring these numbers down.

The decision to hire

The number of dogs needing to be sterilized and vaccinated has gone up from about 75,000 to 1.80 lakh in the past year. —FILE PHOTO

four agencies—in addition to the existing five—came after the media reported in February 2019 that there had been 4.22 lakh cases of dog bites in the preceding nine years.

At the time of these reports, the AMC had said there were around 75,000 stray dogs in the city that needed to be vaccinated and sterilized. Today, the civic body estimates that there are around 1.80 lakh

stray dogs in the city.

This, after the civic body paid private agencies Rs1.99crore in 2017, Rs1.35 crore in 2018 and Rs2.59 crore in 2019 to sterilize the city’s stray dogs.

The high population of street-dwelling canines is not a problem on its own. However, about 95% of the 4.5 lakh animal bite cases reported in the past 10 years have been cases of dogs biting humans. This means

that, on average, 42,750 people have been bitten by dogs in the city every year, for the past decade.

“Following the treatment, the dogs are supposed to be taken back to their territory. The agencies must keep the dog for a week under observation. If they are released too early, they tend to become very aggressive due to the pain and biting cases increase,” said a senior AMC official. Turn to P6

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AHMEDABAD | MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020

02

FIVE CONGRESS TURNCOATS IN THE RUNNING, LIMBDI STILL UNDECIDED First India Bureau Gandhinagar: There were no major surprises in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s list of nominees for seven of the eight vacant seats in the state Assembly, for which byelections are slated to be held next month. The party has nominated Congress turncoats have been nominated for five seats and members of its old guard for two seats.

According to a statement from the BJP central command, Pradyumansinh Jadeja will contest the bypoll from Abdasa, Brijesh Merja will stand in Morbi, JV Kakadia, in Dhari, Atmaram Parmar, in Gadhada (SC reserved), Akshay Patel, in Karjan, Jeetu Chaudhary in Kaprada (ST reserved) and Vijay Patel will contest the bypoll for the Dang (ST reserved) seat.

The only slight surprise is the choice of former MLA Vijay Patel for the Dang seat, since, with this, the BJP has dumped former Congress MLA Mangal Gavit, who re-

BJP ANNOUNCES SEVEN CANDIDATES FOR BYPOLLS

Abdasa candidate: Pradumansinh Jadeja

Dhari candidate: JV Kakadia

signed in the run-up to the Rajya Sabha polls in June.

Insiders say the party’s indecision on the Limbdi seat nominate defector and former

Kaprada candidate: Jitu Chaudhary

MLA Soma Patel, a Koli community leader.

However, if it selects a Rajput candidate, it will face a stiff challenge from Congress, which is expected to field a Koli

Gadhada candidate: Atmaram Parmar

candidate.

Pradyumansinh’s nomination is unsurprising. In 2017, he beat the BJP candidate by 9,746 votes to win the Abdasa seat.

Dang candidate: Vijay Patel

He also belongs to the Rajput community, which has a good number of voters in the constituency, and has a good reputation.

So, bringing him in

TENSION IN CONGRESS OVER DHARI NOMINEE  Three hopefuls have filed their papers for the seat First India Bureau Ahmedabad: The Congress is yet to announce any candidates for the upcoming by-elections for eight vacant seats in the state Assembly.

Yet, the Dhari seat is already causing trouble for the opposition party. Sources within the party say that at least three hopefuls have filed nomination forms for the seat.

The first of these is Kirti Borisagar, a close confidant of Paresh Dhanani, leader of the opposition. The other two are Jenny Thummar and Suresh Kotadia, whose names have

Congress headquarters in Ahmedabad.

—FILE PHOTO

NEW CITY, DISTRICT HEADS ANNOUNCED

been sent to the panel, insiders said.

Of the three, Borisagar and Thummar are being seen as the frontrunners. Kirti Borisagar, who was seen with Dhanani on his tour of Saurashtra, is a veteran leader and has a clean image.

The daughter of former MLA Vijay Thummar, Jenny Thummar is a member of district Panchyat.

Whichever way the party leans in terms of its nominee for the Dhari seat, the Congress is not expected to release its list of candidates until next week. Meanwhile, the rival Bharatiya Janata Party has already announced seven of its eight candidates for the by-elections, which are slated to be held on November 10.

Five of these seven are former members of the Congress party.

Karjan candidate: Akshay Patel

will also help the BJP neutralize Rajput leader and BJP MLA from Mandvi Virendrasinh Jadeja, who has started becoming a liability for the par-

Morbi candidate: Brijesh Merja

ty. Pradyumansinh Jadeja will file his papers on October 13—a fact he had announced to party workers even before the party officially named him as a

candidate.

Similarly, Jeetu Chaudhary from Kaprada had announced that he will file his candidature form on Monday, October 12, and Dhari candidate Kakadia is to file his nomination on October 15.

Party insiders said that Gavit was dropped in the face of on-ground opposition to his candidacy. Another worry was that fielding Gavit would have watered down the efforts of the party cadre, which has managed to sway 200 Christian priests, as Christian converts are disappointed with Gavit. It is to be noted that the BJP lost the Dang seat to the Congress in the last two general elections.

There are also fears that party workers— unhappy with the leadership’s decision to field Congress turncoats in Dhari and Morbi—may play spoilsport, as in the case of Radhanpur and Tharad constituencies in 2019, when OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and his close confidant Dhavalsinh Zala were defeated at the hands of Congress candidates.

Now, Khedut Samaj joins stir against desalination plant First India Bureau Veraval: Ten days after the villagers of Vadodara (Zala) village in Gir Somnath district began their protest against the government’s proposed desalination plants, the Gujarat Khedut Samaj has now entered the fray and raised the issue with Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

The villagers say that the proposed plant is likely to do more harm than good. Their first grievance is that the government has allotted gauchar land, on which they graze their cattle, for the plant. The villagers, through the Gram Sabha, have unanimously opposed the allotment of gauchar land for the project.

Second, the limestone in the area serves as a natural wall in protecting fertile agricultural land from saline ingress. “If the If the underground pipeline

A desalination plant.

for the desalination plant is laid down, the government will be breaking the natural wall and putting the fertile land in danger,” Bhagvan Solanki, the Gir Somnath president of the Gujarat Khedut Samaj told First India.

“The state has already started taking possession of land with police protection, even though it is yet to get the required permissions,” added Jayesh Mori, vice-president, Gujarat Khedut Samaj in Gir Somnath.

The government is yet to acquire Coastal Regu-

—FILE PHOTO

lation Zone clearance, Environmental Impact Assessment clearance and permissions from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board. In addition, it will also require permission from the Forest Department and the wildlife board, as the village is close to the Gir Sanctuary home to a number of Asiatic lions who live outside the confines of the sanctuary.

The villagers have demanded that the state shift the plant to some other area and have threatened to protest aggressively if their demands are not met.

ATMA NIRBHAR

CM Rupani’s govt announces subsidies for nCoV-hit animal shelters  Panjrapoles to get assistance for irrigation, solar power and fodder management systems First India Bureau Gandhinagar: Many animal shelters, or panjrapoles as they are called in Gujarat, are in dire straits financially, with donations having dried up due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To give relief to such shelters,

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has announced a scheme under which panjrapole trusts will get subsidies for various projects.

According to an official statement released on Sunday, registered panjrapoles with 1-10 hectares of

land can get assistance of up to Rs10 lakh for tubewell to aid in grass production. Such panjrapoles can also get assistance of up to Rs8 lakh for solar panels, in order to reduce their electricity bills.

They can also get assistance of up to Rs1.25 lakh for chaff cutters, while those with 4-10 hectares land can get maximum assistance of Rs3.50 lakh

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani

—FILE PHOTO

for g reen fodder balers.

Green fodder balers are used to make bales of grass fodder so as to make storage easier and also allow the fodder to be easily transported from one spot to another for daily use.

In order to achieve its aim of making panjrapoles atmanirbhar (self-reliant), the government has also announced that it will help

these shelters to set up water pipelines for irrigation so that fodder production can be scaled up. To this end, the state has announced assistance of Rs30,000 for one hectare and Rs20,000 for each additional hectare, up to a maximum of Rs2.10 lakh.

Rupani also believes in a judicious use of water for fodder production, to reduce water wastage. As a re-

sult, panjrapoles opting for sprinkler-irrigation systems for grass production will get assistance of Rs50,000 per hectare, up to a maximum of Rs5 lakh, for the same.

Those opting for the rain gun irrigation system can avail benefits ranging from Rs35,000 for one to three hectares, to Rs70,000 for four to seven hectares and Rs1.05 lakh for an area of eight to 10 hectares.

GUJARAT AHMEDABAD | MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020

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Social media hacks: MLA Khedawala is latest victim

Scammers created a fake Facebook account and used it to demand money from his followers WHAT IS CLONING?

First India Bureau Ahmedabad: Congress party MLA and city councillor Imran Khedawala has now joined the ranks of IPS officers Sanjay Kharat and Vipul Agarwal when his social media account prey to hackers. The recent spate of cybercrime perpetrated against public figures has revealed a gaping hole in their cybersecurity.

On Sunday, Imran Khedawala filed a police complaint after discovering that unknown persons had cloned his Facebook account and were using his ID to demand money from his followers.

The MLA reached out to his followers—on Facebook, ironically—to warn them against sending money to the fake account. Sharing, a link to the fake account,

he posted: “Hello, the fake Facebook ID of the link shown below my name has been created by some anti-social element. This anti-social element has been created to swindle money,” on his timeline.

“If anyone has demanded money from you via Paytm, I would

like to inform you that this ID is fake. If you receive demands for money from anyone, do not listen to them and give them money. This ID is fake and I am going to lodge a police complaint in this regard tomorrow,” he stated on his profile on Saturday night. The lawmaker

said he had posted the message to warn people.

Interestingly, the Gujarat government just recently expanded the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act to include cybercriminals under its purview.

While both hacking and cloning are cyber-

crimes, there is a distinct difference between the two. Cloning is a technique where scammers use publicly available data to create a fake copy of one’s profile. They don’t have to hack one’s Facebook profile, but can still cause serious damage with their fake one.

03

Six-year-old child raped in Ahmedabad’s Danilimda First India Bureau Ahmedabad: A sixyear-old girl living in the Danilimda area of Ahmedabad was raped by an unknown assailant, according to a police case filed on Sunday. The police have launched an investigation.

According to the police, an unknown youth lured two sixyear-old girls, who had been playing in the courtyard of their home, with the promise of biscuits. He then raped one of the children while the other escaped.

The youth then returned his victim to her home, where she told her mother about her ordeal.

Her girl’s mother immediately took her to the doctor and then lodged a complaint at the Danilimda police station after the doctor informed her that the child had been raped.

An unknown youth promised to give her biscuits if she went with him This is just the latest case of sexual crimes against women in the state.

According to information shared on the floor of the state’s Legislative Assembly, there have been as many as 540 cases of rape registered in Gujarat in the past two

years.

Even more disturbingly, six of these victims were aged five years or younger, while in 341 cases, the victim was aged between six and 18.

There have also been seven instances of gang rape in the state during this time frame.

As recently as Friday, three juveniles were arrested for raping their 11-year-old cousin and impregnating her.

MONKEY BUSINESS DRIVES CITY UP THE WALL 3.02% of 50L samples tested so far +ve for nCoV Ahmedabad: While there is nothing new about the man-animal conflict, pockets of Ahmedabad are being terrorized by troops of monkeys.

The past two days have brought several complaints of feral monkeys biting women in areas. Local residents say they are now afraid of venturing out on their own.

“Children and even adults are getting

First India Bureau

Gandhinagar: The state has conducted 50,12,705 tests in the past seven months, 1,51,596 of which—3.02%—have come back positive for COVID-19.

In the past 24 hours, the state tested 51,250 samples and detected 1,181 fresh cases. With this, there are now 15,717 active cases in the state, with 86 patients on ventilators.

Of the nine patients who died on Sunday, four were from Ahmedabad district, three from Surat and one each from Rajkot and Vadodara. Though the state health bulletin states only one death in Rajkot, local dailies have reported 10 deaths in a single day.

Surat recorded the highest number of new cases in a single day with 261, of which 176 were from the city and 85 were from rural areas. Ahmedabad district saw 189, of which 168 were from the city and 21 were from rural areas.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

First India Bureau

A langur eats a banana outside a residence in Ahmedabad.

scared to go out. However, neither the civic body nor the forest de-

partment is doing anything about these monkeys,” complained Raje-

shri Gupta.

She says that older monkeys are particularly fearsome as they have “become wild”.

She added, “They are no longer afraid of sticks, so my neighbours have started bursting crackers to frighten them away.”

While areas such as Hatkeshwar, Khokhra and Bhaipura have seen a high number of cases of monkeys attacking humans, the situation is not limited to the eastern part of the city, with

people in Ghatlodia, Memnagar and Jodhpur in the western part complaining that monkeys seem to be taking over vegetable markets, especially in the evenings.

“Women can’t go alone to buy vegetables, we have to go in groups,” said Bharatiben Patel.

Sometimes, teams from the AMC and the forest department do respond to complaints but the monkeys are long gone after their attacks by the time the team arrives, she added.

Gujarat tested 51, 250 samples in the past 24 hours. —FILE PHOTO

1181 new cases, nine deaths take state tally to 1,51,596 cases and death toll to 3,569 Vadodara conducted 4,321 tests, of which 108 came back positive for COVID-19 in the city; 41 new cases have also emerged from rural areas. There are 1,848 active cases in the city, of which 65 patients are on ventilators and BiPAP machines, while 170 are on oxygen support.

In Ahmedabad city two more clusters have

been identified as micro-containment zones, taking the total to 154.

The past 24 hours have also seen cases emerge in Rajkot district (123), Jamnagar (98), Mehsana (42), Gandhinagar (41), Junagadh (29), Patan (24), Panchmahal (23) and Amreli (20).

The health of Rajya Sabha MP Abhay Bhardwaj of the Bharatiya Janata Party is now stable. He has been shifted to Chennai, and sources said that doctors will start his treatment from Monday.

Hit-and-run accident in Surat leaves two dead

SAFETY FIRST

First India Bureau

Workers sanitize a movie theatre at Wide Angle in Ahmedabad, as the state prepares to reopen its cinema halls on Friday.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

Surat: An overspeeding car killed two men as they were crossing the road in the city’s Piplod-Dumas area on Saturday night. A case of hitand-run has been registered and police have launched an investigation.

The two victims were flung into the air by the collision and died on the spot, police sources told First India. The driver

of the car did not stop but fled at a high speed.

The victims worked at a nearby hotel and were on their way home from work when the incident occurred.

A similar accident was also reported in the Vesu Canal Road area, where the driver of a luxury car lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a divider.

Luckily, no injuries were reported. The vehicle had to be lifted off using a crane.

TOP HONOURS

Diu’s Ghoghla beach gets prestigious Blue Tag certification One of only eight beaches in India to receive the tag; local administration hopes to see more tourists Masuma Bharmal Jariwala Diu: In a major achievement, all eight beaches—including Diu’s Ghoghla beach—recommended

by India have received the coveted Blue Flag certification.

With this, the Diu administration hopes to rope in more tourists at Ghoghla, which has

been developed as a family-oriented beach.

Blue Flag beaches are considered the benchmark for clean beaches in the world and are testimony to environment in the coastal area.

Beaches have to meet 33 criteria fixed by the Foundation for Environment Education (FEE), Denmark, to acquire the prestigious eco-label.

Diu Collector Saloni Rai said, “Our efforts of the past two and a half years have finally paid off. Cleanliness and water quality has always been our top priority, so now, tourists can look beyond just Nagoa beach. They have one more clean and green beach with all safety and security precautions.”

“A team of 30 people

The 500m stretch has been developed as a family-friendly beach.

including cleaners and security personnel will ensure a clean and safe

environment at the beach. More importantly it has been developed as

—FILE PHOTO

a family oriented with safe bathing zone area.

One of our major steps

was to sensitize and educate local public and students towards environment-friendly beach practices. This has helped us in making it also a zero discharge beach” Rai added.

Ghoghla is a roughly 500m stretch in Diu, which receives about 11 lakh tourists annually.

Terming as “proud moment for India”, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar tweeted, “The Blue Flag certification accorded to

India’s 8 beaches by an international jury comprising of @IUCN, @ UNWTO, @UNEP etc., is also a global recognition of India’s conservation and sustainable development efforts.”

The other seven Blue Flag beaches in India are: Shivrajpur (Gujarat), Kasarkod (Karnataka), Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh), Golden Beach (Odisha) and Radhanagar (Andaman).

PERSPECTIVE AHMEDABAD | MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020

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UNDERSTANDING SUICIDALITY

IN-DEPTH

MAYAWATI’S GAMBIT HOLDS NO PROMISE

O

ne formula may not always be successful, especially in politics where the dynamics keep changing. Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati does not share this view as she revives her tried and tested social engineering formula of Dalit-Brahmin formula for the upcoming by-elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Voting for seven assembly seats will take place on November 3 and the results will be declared on November 10. The seats going to poll include Naugawan Sadat, Bulandshahr, Tundla, Bangermau, Ghatampur, Deoria, and Malhani. Polling for the eighth seat - Suar in Rampur - has been deferred as the matter is pending in the Allahabad High Court.

Dalit-Brahmin combination has fetched Mayawati good dividends in the past as Brahmins began to vote for the Dalit party in large numbers.

From 38 percent in the 2012 elections, the Brahmin vote percentage increased to 80 percent in the 2017 assembly election to 72 percent and 82 percent in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, respectively.

But as the results showed these votes did not translate into enough seats for the BSP either in the UP assembly or in the Lok Sabha. The party has only 18 seats in the present House, while the BJP has 306, including five of those going to polls.

As BSP’s Brahmin face and party general-secretary Satish Chandra Mishra set about addressing issues concerning Brahmins “who are discontent” with the present government of Yogi Adityanath which is accused of being pro-Thakur. But Mayawati has been politically active only on social media. In the recent Hathras case too her reaction was subdued.

DR S G MEHTA DR BHAKTI MURKEY SISODIA

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY PACIFIC MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL, UDAIPUR

W

SUSHANT CASE EXPOSES PRIVACY ON SOCIAL MEDIA

E

nd-to-end encryption does not make WhatsApp messages safe as one might think. Nothing proves this better than the three-year-old “maal hai kya” message of Deepika Padukone which the Narcotics Control Bureau cited in its case summoning the celebrated actor in the Sushant Singh Rajput case. This throws all notions of privacy on this social media platform out of the window.

End-to-end encryption means that the conversations cannot be intercepted during transit. Reassuring users on protecting their privacy, a WhatsApp statement said, “WhatsApp protects your messages with end-to-end encryption so that only you and the person you are communicating with can read what is sent, and nobody in between can access it, not even WhatsApp. It’s important to remember that people sign up on WhatsApp using only a phone number, and WhatsApp doesn’t have access to your message content.”

It does not mean that the messages cease to exist on the sender or the recipient’s mobile phones.

Deleting them also does not obliterate them from the phone’s memory and can always be retrieved during configuration when the SIM card is transferred to a new phone. Then there are spyware tools available to hack into WhatsApp messaging systems. Investigating and law-enforcing agencies the world over, like the NCB in India, are using this weak link to their advantage.

Legally, law-enforcing agencies can ask for one’s device in a criminal investigation so use the social media platform but not without caution. Deepika was lucky that her conversation did not prove the charge that the NCB may have wanted to slap on her.

Talking about suicide can simply be a cry for help. Subtle cues of suicidal ideation can be recent suicide by a loved one, the previous attempt at suicide, preoccupation with death themes of isolation from friends. It is a misconception that once a person has the intent of suicide, there is no way of stopping them

ith the advent of science, there has been a growing experience of distress amidst humans. A lot of us struggle to cope with life’s challenges in our own ways and few of us succeed in maintaining survival mode.

However, some of us unfortunately fails to address our psychological concerns and succumb to them. The second week of October is observed as World Mental Health week globally every year. In view of the same, this article intends to spread awareness about suicide as a significant entity depicting mental trauma.

Suicide – a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

When pushed to extremes, the feelings of self-directed anger, frustration, emotional pain, hopelessness, or agitation can compel a person to take his/ her own life. Within the past year in India, about 41,000 individuals died by suicide, 13 lac have attempted suicide, 27 lac have had a plan and 93 lac have had suicidal thoughts. Everyone has the potential for suicide irrespective of age, gender, education, occupation, relationship status, success, wealth, or popularity.

A common notion that ‘talking about suicide encourages suicidal behavior’ is a myth.

Talking about suicide provides an opportunity for meaningful communication and consequent resolution of fears or anxieties. Asking someone if they’re suicidal makes them feel heard. Some of us may incorrectly feel that ‘youngsters who talk repeatedly about suicide never really attempt it’.

Talking about suicide can simply be a cry for help. Subtle cues of suicidal ideation can be recent suicide by a loved one, the previous attempt at suicide, preoccupation with death themes of isolation from friends. It is a misconception that once a person has the intent of suicide, there is no way of stopping them. Suicides can be prevented. Immediate prac-

tical help during the shortlived crises by way of emotional support and encouragement can be valuable.

Suicidal ideation in men is often missed. The social norms and stereotypes which negatively affect women have the same effect on men too. But psychological distress in men is rarely addressed. They are socialized into being ‘strong’ and to not cry or seek help when in distress. While suicide attempts are more common in women, completed suicides are more seen in men. Hence, there is a great need for a ‘gendersensitive’ society responsive to the needs of everyone.

While genetics have an influence on an individual’s mental health, environmental influences can also contribute to suicidality through traumatic encounters in early life such as bullying, violence, abandonment, abuse, or loss of a loved one. The presence of a physical or mental health disorder is a discrete risk factor for potentiating suicide, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, personality disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, or psychoactive substance use. Stressors like academic pressures or exam failure in students, disturbed family dynamics or high ex-

WHILE GENETICS HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON AN INDIVIDUAL’S MENTAL HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO SUICIDALITY THROUGH TRAUMATIC ENCOUNTERS IN EARLY LIFE SUCH AS BULLYING, VIOLENCE, ABANDONMENT, ABUSE, OR LOSS OF A LOVED ONE

pressed emotions in adults, or chronic medical problems and pains or poor planning for retirement period in the old age population can also precipitate suicidal ideation. Other risk factors can be poor job security, family history of suicide, break-ups, access to toxic substances or firearms, and lack of a support system.

If a person talks casually about killing themselves, or feels hopeless or like a burden or feels trapped, it may be a warning sign. Such people may search for methods to end life, isolate self, call people to say goodbye, give away prized

Do romance novels offer an outdated model of feminism?

I

am one among a relatively small number of men who for some time have been fascinated by romance novels. As is well known, romance novels are among the most popular genres in contemporary literature.

The field represents a vast market, likely to have substantially grown over the past several months as a result of COVID-19. Amazon has certainly provided a major boost to romance writers, offering them a popular platform to market themselves and their creations.

Unlike in the past, the large majority of contemporary romance novels promote a very progressive view of women and their role in society. Jessica Peterson, the author of the successful Charleston Heat series, has gone as far as to

04

claim that the romance genre is feminist: “Romance is one of the few genres that explicitly puts a woman’s dreams and desires, sexual and otherwise, front and center. It’s one of the many reasons I love reading it.”

All Too Human The notion that romance novels propagate an image of women largely in tune with current-day feminism is still somewhat controversial. Yet it has found growing support. As early as 2013, an article in The Atlantic endeavored to show “how romance novels came to embrace feminism.” A few years later, the author of an article on the genre in the online women’s magazine Bustle characterized romance novels as some of the perhaps “most rebellious books you can read right

now.” Romance novels, she affirmed, are “practically the only books in which women get exactly what they want, all of the time, and aren’t asked to feel bad about it.”

In some cases, romance novels can be outright subversive. Take, for instance, Aya de León, the Puerto Rican American author of the Justice Hustlers series — “erotic thrillers” with

covers “featuring buxom women in tight, revealing clothes.” Yet once lured, the reader is confronted with a story that, as Side Chick Nation’s review on Goodreads explains, “explores how climate change, colonization and a lack of appropriate response on the part of the US government played a major role in the delayed recovery in Puerto Rico in the after-

math of Hurricane Maria.”

To be sure, de León’s books are particularly aimed at raising readers’ consciousness. After all, the author is a lecturer in the African American program at UC Berkeley. Yet even more mainstream, commercially successful romance writers routinely weave uncomfortable topics into their narratives, such as violence against women, rape, sexual and occupational harassment, cheating, miscarriage — the list goes on. I n fact, on Goodreads, reviewers routinely provide “trigger warnings” to unsuspecting readers who might be offended by cheating, unprotected sex, explicit sex in general (good Christian appropriate novels without sex scenes are referred to as “clean” as if sex was something “dirty”) — again, the list goes on. In

any case, it is a fact that contemporary romance novels are a far cry from what the genre used to be in the past, one that promoted traditional gender roles, the stereotypical world of hospitals with shy, beautiful nurses waiting to be scooped up by a dishy chief surgeon.

Today’s female protagonists of romance novels tend to be strong, determined and, most important of all, refuse to take shit from men. They are strong enough to overcome hardship, excel in their chosen professions and fight hard to get what they want — including a partner for life. Arguably most important of all, today’s rom-com heroines are in charge of their own sexuality and, equally important, deserving to get full sexual satisfaction.

SOURCE: FAIR OBSERVER

possessions, or make a will. On the contrary, some protective factors for diminishing suicidal tendency are effective care for physical and mental health, being connected with loved ones, adaptive coping and life skills, high self-esteem, having a purpose in life, and religious beliefs that discourage suicide.

Treating mental health disorders is vital in preventing suicidal behaviors. Taking the help of medication or counseling has been proven to reduce symptoms of the mind.

Providing an outlet to emotions through heartfelt conversations, daily relaxation and recreational activities such as music, sports, fitness regimes or yoga also helps to maintain emotional well-being. If a suicide-free society is a goal, then the suicide prevention strategy is a must in public health. Reducing social isolation, preventing social disintegration, and treating psychiatric disorders are fundamental to achieving this objective. From here onwards, it is up to the joint efforts of mental health professionals, policy planners, and the Government authorities to have wider implications of this noble idea.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp Elated and proud that all 8 beaches, including the Golden beach in Puri have bagged the coveted Blue Flag Certification.

The distinguished eco-tag will further add to the glory of these pristine beaches and give impetus to sustainable beach tourism in Odisha and the country.

Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank @DrRPNishank #NEP2020 will help restore the nation’s status as a #VishwaGuru.

Work will be done towards inviting cutting-edge research collaboration. Faculty/student exchanges with high-quality foreign institutions will also be facilitated.

Spiritual SPEAK

Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes. —Buddha

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SVAMITVA SCHEME: A PATHWAY TO A Shameful truth: slams Yogi SELF-RELIANT RURAL INDIA, SAYS PM RaGa over Hathras case HATHRAS INCIDENT

“The scheme will help villagers in taking loans if they have proper documents,” Narendra Modi said

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA) scheme shows that rural India has taken a huge leap towards selfreliance as “nobody could eye the property of beneficiaries” of the scheme.

Prime Minister Modi on Sunday launched the physical distribution of property cards and he was joined by Union Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs Narendra Singh Tomar, Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar and Deputy CM Dushyant Singh Chautala, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh

PM Narendra Modi addresses after the launch event of the physical distribution of Property Cards under the SVAMITVA scheme, through VC, in New Delhi on Sunday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

Chouhan as he interacted with beneficiaries of SVAMITVA scheme.

“SVAMITVA scheme will bring historic changes in rural areas.

It is a privilege for me that several villagers have joined me today for the launch of this

scheme. When one becomes the owner of their house, their selfrespect is restored. One feels secure and strong,” the Prime Minister said.

He asserted that the SVAMITVA scheme will allow rural India to

BJP CHIEF JP NADDA AT ELECTION RALLY IN GAYA

‘PM Modi, Nitish Kumar changed political course in Bihar’ New Delhi: In his first address during the election campaign in pollbound Bihar, BJP national president JP Nadda said PM Narendra Modi and CM Nitish Kumar have changed the policial course of the state.

Applauding Modi for bringing in progressive change in sectors such as health & welfare, farming and education, Nadda said, “Modi hai toh mumkeen hai, Nitish (Kumar) hai toh pradesh aage badhega.

(Modi makes it possible and Nitish’s leadership will take the state forward).”

“Leadership of India is secured in hands of PM Modi,” he said.

Nadda also hailed Bihar CM for the combat strategy used against coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. “Chief minister Nitish Kumar took care of people during Covid-19 crisis. His government also provided financial assistance to those outside Bihar,” the BJP leader said Nadda also assured people of Bihar that NDA will form the government in state with Nitish Kumar as the CM. —ANI

JP Nadda addresses supporters during a public rally for the Bihar Assembly election, in Gaya on Sunday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

Surjewala to head key panel in Bihar polls New Delhi: The Congress formed various panels for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls with party general secretary Randeep Surjewala named chairman of the election management and coordination committee.

Mohan Prakash was made the convenor of the 14-member election management and coordination committee.

The panel includes senior leaders like Meira Kumar, Tariq Anwar, Shatrughan Sinha, Kirti Azad, Shakeel Ahmed and Sanjay Nirupam.

Congress president

PARTY TICKET BEING GIVEN TO RAPIST: CONG WORKER THRASHED Deoria: A woman Congress worker in UP was thrashed at an internal meeting of the party after she objected to nomination of party candidate from Deoria, saying he is a accused in a rape case.

“On the one hand, our party leaders are fighting for justice for Hathras woman, and on the other hand, party ticket is being

given to a rapist. It is a wrong decision. It will malign the image of our party,” she said. Cellphone videos that were circulated show Tara Devi being punched by a group of men. In her complaint, Tara Devi has named Cong dist president Dharmendra Singh, V-P Ajay Singh and two others for the attack.

contribute to the nation’s drive for self-reliance and “nobody could eye the property of beneficiaries”.

“The scheme will also help villagers in taking loans. If they have proper documents of their land and prop-

erties, no bank can deny them loans. Only one-third of the world’s population has documents of their property... I cannot let the rural population be dependent on others, I have to work towards making them self-reliant,” he said.

As the scheme was launched on Jayaprakash Narayan and Nanaji Deshmukh’s birth anniversaries, the Prime Minister said it shows the Centre’s commitment towards fulfilling their visions of building a self-reliant rural India.

SVAMITVA is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, which was launched by the Prime Minister on National Panchayati Raj Day, April 24, 2020.—ANI

NARENDRA MODI @NARENDRAMODI The great Nanaji Deshmukh was one of Loknayak JP’s most devout followers. He worked tirelessly to popularise JP’s thoughts and ideals. His own work towards rural development motivates us. Remembering Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh on his Jayanti.

I bow to Loknayak JP on his Jayanti. He valiantly fought for India’s freedom and when our democratic ethos was under attack, he led a strong mass movement to protect it. For him, there was nothing above national interest and people’s welfare.

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had visited Hathras in UP last week amid outrage over the alleged gang rape of a 20-year-old woman, this morning attacked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a tweet. The brutal torture of the 20-year-old Dalit woman has triggered nationwide outrage; she died at a hospital in Delhi last month.

“The shameful truth is many Indians don’t consider Dalits, Muslims and Tribals to be human. The CM & his police say no one was raped because for them, and many other Indians, she was NO ONE (sic),” the ex-Congress chief tweeted, along with a news report that said the police had been denying the rape charges.

Pradhan urges Pokhriyal again to repeal University Amendment Bill Bhubaneswar: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged his cabinet colleague Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to repeal the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which was recently passed by Odisha Government in the just concluded Monsoon session of the Assembly.

Writing to Pokhriyal for the second time on the controversial Bill, Pradhan said, “The Bill seeks to strip away the autonomy of higher educational institutions in Odisha by bureaucratising critical

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

aspects of functioning of universities and crippling its autonomy with the intent of exercising the State Government’s complete dominance.”

Dubbing the Bill as

ab initio ultra vires to provisions of the Constitution, Pradhan said the impugned legislation has been passed by the State Legislature under entry 25 of the Concurrent List to the

7th Schedule of the Constitution.

“This entry is subject to entry 66 of the Union List, under which the Parliament has exclusive powers to make laws in relation to coordination in institutions for higher education or research. Therefore, regulations issued under UGC Act, 1956 and universities in Odisha recognised by UGC under section 12 (b) of the Act are bound by the extant UGC provisions,” the letter said.

The Bill is also in complete contradiction to PM’s visionary NEP 2020, he added.

GRAFT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST GRANDSON

Cong demands sacking of K’taka CM Randeep Surjewala

Sonia Gandhi also approved the setting up of the publicity committee, media coordination committee, public meeting and logistics committee, legal committee and office management committee for Bihar polls, a statement said.

Bengaluru: Congress on Sunday demanded the sacking of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in the wake of reports that two companies in which his grandson Shashidhar Mardi became a director after BJP came to power in the state in July 2019 received Rs 5 crore from seven Kolkata shell companies between March and July 2020.

Calling it a case of

WILL MOVE COURT AGAINST BENGAL POLICE : VIJAYVARGIYA New Delhi: BJP national secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, accusing Bengal police of hurling bombs and violating human rights during the party’s march to the state secretariat, said it will move court to seek “justice in the inhuman treatment by the force”. He hit out at the West Bengal government for following “two set of rules” - one for BJP and another for the ruling TMC and said that COVID-19 protocols were violated during TMC’s rallies against the alleged Hathras rape and the Farm bills, but no action was taken against it.

“glaring, patent and shameless case of corruption coupled with brazen inaction and silence”, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, reacting to a report, demanded a probe into the matter by a “sitting SC or sitting CJ of a high court”.

“If you have nothing to fear why are you not appointing. Why not register an FIR under Prevention of Corrup-

BS Yediyurappa

tion Act,” Singhvi said while addressing a press conference. He said if BJP and Yedi-

J’KHAND: JMM LEADER, WIFE FOUND MURDERED AT HOME Dhanbad: Senior JMM leader Shankar Rawani and his wife were found murdered at their residence in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district early on Sunday, police said.

Prima facie it seems that Rawani (50) and Balika Devi were shot and then stabbed to death at their home in Bhowra area, Dhanbad city SP Ram

Kumar said. An empty cartridge of 9mm pistol and a knife were recovered from the room, he said. According to the SP, neighbours found out about the murder and informed the police. Sniffer dogs have been deployed at the scene of crime, and a hunt has been launched to nab the killer, SP RamKumar said.

yurappa had the “minutest” and “slightest” sense of shame, “he must resign or be sacked”.

The RoC documents scrutinised by Rs 5 crore was transferred through seven Kolkata companies to Belgravia Enterprises Pvt Ltd & VSS Estates Pvt Ltd, where Shashidhar Mardi is a director.

Mardi, 30, is the son of Yediyurappa’s daughter Padmavathi V Y.

Rahul Gandhi

The 20-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted by four men of her village on September 14. She died two weeks later after sustaining horrific injuries in a savage assault.

The Uttar Pradesh government has been criticised for the handling on the case and a late-night cremation where her family was allegedly not allowed.

—Agencies

High speed trains to be upgraded with AC coaches New Delhi: The Indian railways is working on a plan to upgrade all its trains capable of running at a maximum speed of 130 kmph and beyond with special airconditioned coaches in a bid to upgrade its high speed network, the railway ministry said.

There will be no sleeper coaches in these identified trains. The ministry clarified that the decision will only impact high speed trains and all existing mail and express trains with a maximum speed of up to 110 kmph will continue to ply with sleeper coaches. “AC coaches become a technical necessity wherever the speed of train is going to be above 130 kmph .

Indian Railways is working on a massive plan to upgrade the rail network to high speed potential. Tracks on golden quadrilateral & diagonals are being upgraded to cater to speed of 130 km - 160 km / hour. Non-AC sleeper coaches would be replaced by AC coaches for trains which will be running at a maximum speed of 130/160 kmph.

Speed potential of some corridors has already been upgraded to 130 kmph,” an official said.

HEAVY RAIN WARNING FOR ANDHRA, K’TAKA, & OTHER COASTAL AREAS New Delhi: The depression over West-Central Bay of Bengal is very likely to intensify further into a deep depression during next 24 hours and it very likely to move west-northwestwards.

“Latest satellite imageries, ships and buoy observations indicate that yesterday’s well-marked low-pressure area over east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal concentrated into a depression over West-central Bay of Bengal and lay centred about 430 km south-southeast of Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), IMD said.

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‘8,68,77,242 SAMPLES TESTED YET’ Centre awards

‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’

COVID-19 count in the country 70,53,807, including 8,67,496 active cases Kamakhya temple in Assam opens doors for devotees after 7 months New Delhi: India’s COVID-19 count crossed the 70-lakh mark on Sunday, as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

According to the MoHFW, the COVID-19 count in the country is at 70,53,807, including 8,67,496 active cases.

The number of cured and discharged or migrated patients has also crossed 60-lakhs and is at 60,77,977 in the country. With 918 deaths, the toll due to the disease now stands at 1,08,334.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-affected State with 2,36,947 active cases.

However, 12,29,339 pa-

—Photo By ANI COVID winner, Dr Lakshmi Kanthamma David, celebrates her 100th birthday in Hyderabad, before discharge.

tients have been cured and discharged in the state, while the disease has claimed 39,732 lives so far.

Karnataka with 1,18,870 active cases and

5,61,610 recoveries is also severely affected by the pandemic. Meanwhile, Delhi has 21,955 active cases, while 2,76,046 patients have been cured and dis-

charged in the union territory.

Further, ICMR said that a total of 8,68,77,242 samples tested for 10,78,544 samples were tested on Saturday.—ANI

date on availability, we should expect this test within next few weeks. Safety, efficiency is required for emergen-

cy use authorization vaccine approval for ensuring patient safety. Further action will depend on data generated.

Dr Harsh Vardhan

Cong demands Karnataka CM’s resignation New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday demanded Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa’s resignation and a probe by a Supreme Court Judge into an alleged bribery scam in the over Rs 662-crore housing project in Bengaluru, while questioning the BJP’s “silence” on the issue.

“There should be time-bound probe within two months by a sitting Judge of SC,” Congress senior spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi claiming that the BJP government in the state was in the “clutches of corruption” as “tainted leaders ruled the roost”, he demanded that Yeddyurappa should resign in view of “stinging allegations of unabashed corruption”.

The Congress leader pointed to alleged audio conversations of CM’s son Vijayendra, WhatsApp conversations between contractor and Maradi, transfer of crores in cash and

CONG CLAIMS

through RTGS, blatant money-laundering through seven Kolkata companies and involvement of functionaries working at CM’s home. —ANI

Dr Harsh Vardhan said, “eSanjeevani has over 12,000 practitioners of various State Government Health Depart-

PM Narendra Modi

Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president JP Nadda, Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi.

Some other prominent leaders are Union

ments and their services have been sought so far by people from 510 districts, across 26 states in the coun-

Mumbai cops question the Republic TV CEO, others

IAF airbase fully equipped for taking challenge in night

Mumbai: The chief executive officer of Republic TV, Vikas Khanchandani arrived at the Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch office earlier today. Khanchandani is being questioned in the alleged TRP scam, in which Republic TV was named as one among the three channels being probed by the Mumbai Police. The owners of the two other channels Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema -- have been arrested. According to reports, Republic TV’s Chief Operating Officers Hersh Bhandari and Priya Mukherjee have also been summoned by the Mumbai Police. Republic TV’s Chief CFO Shiva Subramaniyam also received summons by the Mumbai Police yesterday. Mumbai Police chief Parambir Singh has alleged that Republic TV had falsely manipulated TRPs. Republic TV has denied all allegations and has claimed that the channel is being unfairly targeted.—Agencies

Leh: IAF airbase is fully equipped to handle any kind of challenges if arise in the night.

Sorties of IAF aircraft can be seen in the night where the roar of many IAF aircraft can be heard with a fighter jet.

MIG-29, Apache, Chinook, MI-17, and lightweighted aircraft Dhruv has carried out night sorties at Leh airbase.

“We are ready to op-

Amit Shah

Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and former Maharashtra chief minis-

erate our aircraft in the night in any condition, our trained pilots are not only skilled they are highly professional to do sorties in the night in the region,” IAF official who is handling the entire night sorties at Leh airbase.

Night operation in Leh is not an easy winter months will pose new challenges. However, IAF pilots can fight challenges. —ANI

try. While first 1 Lakh consultations took 3 months, last 1 Lakh have come up under 3 weeks, it’s a great achievement.

New Delhi: A total of 322 projects with a length of 12,413 Km have been awarded under the ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ till August 2020, said the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Sunday.

It informed that 2,921 km has been constructed under the project till the same date.

In an official release, the Ministry said that it has taken up a detailed review and has given overall investment approval for the ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ Phase I Scheme for develop-

ment of about 34,800 km, including 10,000 km residual NHDP stretches, at an estimated outlay of Rs 5,35,000 crores.

‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ is an umbrella programme for highways that focuses on efficiency of freight and passenger by bridging infrastructure like development of economic corridors and feeder routes, National Corridor Efficiency, Border and International connectivity roads, Coastal & Port connectivity roads, greenfield expressways. —ANI

Shukla death: BJP meets WB Guv, seeks CBI probe Kolkata: BJP delegation of Mukul Roy, Jayprakash Majumdar and Sabyasachi Dutta, submitted a memorandum to WB Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday, demanding CBI probe into the murder of party councillor Manish Shukla. Shukla was shot dead in front of Titagarh police station in North 24 Parganas district on October 4. “BJP delegation led

by National Vice Presi-

BJP delegation meets Bengal Governor, seeks CBI probe In councillor murder.

dent Mukul Roy demanded CBI investigation in the politically targeted killing of Manish Shukla,” the West

Bengal Governor later tweeted.

The BJP leaders alleged that the state’s Criminal Investigation Department was trying to falsely implicate his opponents in the party itself, thus making it a case of factional feud.

“The delegation alleged CID @MamataOfficial was misdirecting investigation to falsely implicate political opponents in BJP,” said Dhankar.—ANI

Metro car shed project at Aarey to be relocated Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday announced the relocation of the metro car shed project in Aarey, which has been at the centre of a storm since October last year, and also said that cases against activists who protested against the felling of trees for the project had been withdrawn. Addressing the state through a webcast, Thackeray said

Modi, Shah star campaigners!

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president JP Nadda are among the star campaigners for the BJP for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

BJP has released a list of 30 star campaigners for upcoming Bihar Assembly Elections.

The names of BJP leaders who campaign for candidates for General Election to the Legislative Assembly in Bihar (Phase 1) include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence

changed during Durga Puja. Devotees will undergo the RAT for covid near the entry at Foothill. Maximum time for each devotee will be 15 minutes, nobody will be allowed inside without the face mask. —ANI

Devp on ‘eSanjeevani platform’

‘FELUDA test expected in few weeks’ Dr Harsh Vardhan gave update on the rollout of the FELUDA test in near future. “While I cannot put an exact

Guwahati : Devotees began to visit the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati on Sunday as it reopened after seven months of COVID-19 restrictions. However, the devotees have only been allowed to perform the “parikrama” while the sanctum sanctorum remained out of bounds.

According to temple guidelines, “Devalaya gate will remain open from 8 am till sunset.

However, timing may be

322 projects of 12,413 km till Aug

ter Devendra Fadnavis and BJP MP Manoj Tiwari are also included in the list among other BJP leaders.

Elections to the 243seat Bihar Assembly will be held in three phases -- October 28, November 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on November 10. Ruling Janata Dal (United) will fight for 122 seats, while its alliance partner BJP has got 121 seats. The JD(U) will give seven seats to Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awam Morcha from its quota, while the BJP will allot 11 seats to Vikassheel Insaan Party.—ANI

ment land in Kanjurmarg. “The Aarey car

shed will be moved to Kanjurmarg. We have allotted government land for the car shed for Rs 0. We won’t spend a single rupee for acquiring this land,” he said.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) had begun chopping trees at Aarey colony on October 25 last year to construct a car shed for the Rs 32,000 crore underground Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro corridor. Several ac-

tivists, who had gathered at the spot to protest, were detained by the police. An FIR was registered against 29 people. After he was sworn in as CM, Uddhav Thackeray had put a stay on the work on the car shed. “About Rs 100 crore expenditure was incurred for the purpose and it won’t go waste,” he said. Aaditya, who has vociferously protested against the proposed car shed.—Agencies

sion bench of Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Rajan Roy at 2:15 PM. The high court had directed the district judge to ensure that the victim’s family members appear before it on Monday.

It has also summoned additional chief secretary, home; director general of police; ADG, law and order; and district magistrate and superintendent of police of Hathras to furnish the status report of the investigation in the case.

The state government has asked additional advocate general V K Sahi to represent it before the court.

“The district judge, who has been appointed as the nodal officer for the appearance of the Hathras victim’s family members before the high court, is in touch with it as to when the case is listed.

The family will move accordingly. The family is in Hathras as of now,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Vineet Jaiswal told PTI on Sunday morning.

Police did not divulge the details of their security plan on the movement of the woman’s family members.

Sixty security personnel have been deployed and eight closedcircuit television

(CCTV) cameras installed at the victim’s house to ensure the safety of her family members, according to the police. —PTI

Protests broke out last year over the felling of over 2,000 trees to make way for the Metro car shed in Aarey Colony.

the project would now be shifted to a govern-

FROM PG 1 CBI registers...

Meanwhile, the family members of the woman, will appear before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court amid tight security on Monday.

The court will record the version of the victim’s family members in the case. It had on October 1 asked the woman’s parents to come to apprise it of their version of the incident.

The hearing is likely to be held in-person.

The court had ordered the Hathras district administration to arrange for the family’s travel.

The case is listed for hearing before a divi-

Despite spending...

Congress MLA and AMC councillor, Imran Khedawala has come down heavily on the government for “ignoring the dog menace”.

He said, “The AMC has paid Rs6 crore in three years to these agencies. Yet, as many as 27,000 dog bites were reported during the lockdown period.

The organizations roped in by the AMC for dog sterilization work only on paper.”

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07

WILL COVID LOCKDOWNS

HURT YOUR CHILD’S SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT?

S

We can explore the ways COVID-19 might affect children’s social development by considering three theories in psychology

ocial distancing during COVID-19 has seen a radical upheaval to the way we work and socialise. But what are the implications for young children?

Many children have been uprooted from their places of education and care, and may struggle to understand why their routine has been disrupted.

If you’re a parent, particularly in Victoria, you may be wondering whether this period — a significant amount of time relative to the life of a young child — might affect your child’s social development. The good news is, with less of the day-today rush, many young children have probably benefited from extra socialisation at home with their families.

COVID-19 has curtailed many interactions children would regularly have in early learning and social contexts. But at the same time, it’s created opportunities for other meaningful interactions such as at home with family.

Day-to-day life with family, or socially distanced interactions within the community, still provide great opportunities for social development. We can’t know for sure what toll this pandemic will take on children’s social development. But it’s important to remember children are always learning wherever they may be, and whoever they may be with. So try to focus on the benefits you’ve gained spending time with your child at home.

IT WON’T BE THE SAME FOR EVERYONE

3 DIFFERENT THEORIES SUGGEST THEY’LL PROBABLY BE OK C SUPPORTING THE INDIVIDUAL CHILD (ATTACHMENT THEORY)

SUPPORTING THE CHILD IN THE FAMILY (FAMILY SYSTEMS THEORY)

OVID-19 has brought tough times for many Australian families. We know added financial pressures can adversely affect family life, and may be compounded during lockdown by a lack of external support.

The Australian Early Development Census consistently identifies lower socioeconomic status as one of the risk factors for poorer “social competence” — a child’s ability to get along with and relate to others. This doesn’t mean all children in families experiencing

socioeconomic hardship during COVID-19 will necessarily face challenges in their social development. It’s more complex that that.

However, some might.

Other risk factors for social competence may have also been heightened during the pandemic. These include family conflict, anxiety or illness (of the child or the parent), and trauma, such as exposure to stressful events, grief, or loss. Children who already live in vulnerable situations may have become even more vulnerable during this time.

GETTING BACK TO ‘NORMAL’

I

t’s important for young children to develop strong and secure “attachments” with parents and caregivers. These emotional and physical bonds support children’s social development.

Psychologists have shown very young children who develop strong and secure attachments become more independent, have more successful

social relationships, perform better at school, and experience less anxiety compared with children who didn’t have strong and secure attachments.

Where the extra time children have spent with parents and caregivers during COVID-19 has been in a supportive environment, this may help the development of these attachments.

SUPPORTING THE CHILD IN THE COMMUNITY (SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY)

S

ociocultural theory considers social interaction to underpin the ways children learn, allowing them to make meaning from the world around them.

While learning can and does take place between children and adults, there’s lots of research showing

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION

all children benefit from socialising with peers of the same age.

Evidence also indicates children learn to respond to social situations in social environments. This could be in early learning settings, on the playground, or with their families.

CONCEPT: MONI SHARMA

DESIGN: CP SHARMA

B

eyond parents and caregivers, it’s important for children to develop secure attachments within the whole family.

For young children, research shows these connections with family members can lead to improved social de-

velopment, while fostering the child’s ability to develop their own identity as part of a family unit.

Young children might have spent more time with siblings and other family members during lockdown, possibly developing deeper connections with them.

A

longside risk factors, a range of protective factors may reduce the impacts of adversity on a child. We should think about providing young children with extra support, helping them regulate their emotions, fostering warm relationships, promoting resilience and encouraging problem solving, and facilitating social contact within the COVID-19 social distancing norms, such as video chats.

As children begin the transition back to early childhood education and care, some “clinginess” is natural. Having a distressed child at drop-off time can be confronting. But trust in their capacity to reg-

ulate their emotions when you leave, and their ability to rediscover relationships with their educators, carers and friends.

They should soon readjust.

To support smooth transitions back into early childhood education and care, talk positively with your child about the people they’re going to see, such as teachers and their friends, and encourage them to ask any questions they may have. If you’re worried about how the lockdown has affected your child, you can always speak to your child’s educator, the centre director, or your GP about connecting with services designed to support you and your child.

Life is a beautiful gift given to us by god. We can make it even more beautiful by choosing to be happy, reaching out to others and believing in the philosophy of brotherhood and humanity.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

AHMEDABAD | MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020

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COVID-19 UPDATE

WORLD

INDIA

08

GUJARAT

10,79,375 3,76,35,247 1,08,605 70,79,426 3,569 1,51,595 DEATHS

MAHARASHTRA 40,040 DEATHS 15,17,434 CASES

CONFIRMED CASES

TAMIL NADU 10,187 DEATHS 6,51,370 CASES

DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

KARNATAKA 9,891 DEATHS 7,00,786 CASES

DEATHS

DELHI 5,769 DEATHS 3,09,339 CASES

TOXIC TRAIL: Ship with 3K tonne hazardous waste on way to Alang

CONFIRMED CASES

RAJASTHAN 1,650 DEATHS 1,59,052 CASES

Guj schools may reopen only after Diwali vacation

Concerned environmental experts have demanded that the vessel be barred from Indian waters Shishir Awasthi Ahmedabad: Leading environmentalists have raised an alarm over a Singapore-origin vessel carrying huge quantities of toxic hazardous waste inching towards the world’s biggest shipbreaking yard in Alang in Gujarat and is expected to anchor on October 14.

Demanding that the ship, J-Nat (IMO No. 8100909), should not be legally allowed to venture into Indian maritime waters, eminent evironmental activist Dr Gopal Krishna, who edits a journal called Toxics Watch, has dashed off an urgent letter to the Union Shipping Ministry for this.

The open letter to the Chairman of the Ship Breaking Scrap Committee states,

DANGEROUS VESSEL!

Alarm has been raised over a ship containing toxic material on the way to the Alang ship-breaking yard.

“India is being turned into a dumping ground of foreign hazardous wastes because of the gullibility of Directorate General of Foreign Trade and Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate

Change.”

The letter, that has also been shared with a portal on alternative voices, ‘Counterview’, warns that the vessels like these are a “Threat to Indian maritime environment and security from viral diseases like Covid-19 from bal-

Teenager held for threats to Dhoni on social media First India Bureau Bhuj: A teenager was arrested on Sunday from Kutch district’s Mundra for issuing threats to Indian cricket star MS Dhoni on social media.

Kutch (West) Superintendent of Police Saurabh Singh confirmed that a class XII student had posted the threatening post and was arrested from Mundra taluka.

Jharkhand police will arrive here on Monday to take the custody of the ac-

Cricket star MS Dhoni.

cused.

It is still not clear why the teenager threatened Dhoni. The

police are finding out if he is a fan of Dhoni and got angry after Chennai Super King, of which MS is the captain, lost a match in the ongoing IPL 2020 tournament.

In his native Jharkhand, security has been beefed up at the former India skipper’s farmhouse in Ranchi following rape threats to his five-year-old daughter Ziva. The threats came after Chennai Super Kings’ narrow 10-run loss to Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2020.

last water and toxic substances.”

This has already taken “A heavy toll on the ecosystem of Alang beach, Bhavnagar, Gujarat”, leading to a situation that further exposes “the inter-state migrant workers who work

there under dirty, degrading and dangerous situations who worked even during the Covid-19 lockdown (to a grave danger).”

The J-Nat ship is carrying about 1,500 tonne of mercury waste, 60 tonne slug oil, 1,000 tonne slop oil

and 500 burnt oiled water tankers. “The movement of the ship in Indian waters will be manifestly in violation of Section 6 of the Recycling of Ships Act, 2019,” the letter says. According to this legal provision, no ship is allowed to install or use “prohibited hazardous materials”.

Copes of the letter have also been marked to several union ministries concerned. Referring to such ships being pushed into the country, the letter alleged, “They have attempted to legalise such dumping through a series of amendments in the Hazardous Waste Management & Handling Rules under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 at the behest of hazardous waste traders.”

EXISTENTIAL CRISIS

Teachers of private tuition classes displayed placards expressing their protest against the State Government for not permitting them to resume their tuition classes, at Subhash Bridge crossroads near the District Collectorate in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

—FILE PHOTO

First India Bureau Gandhinagar: After cancelling the Navratri celebrations, the Gujarat Government is likely to put off reopening schools after Diwali instead of October 15 with Covid-19 cases having surged past 1.5 lakh.

“We will consider reopening schools only after Diwali after assessing the coronavirus situation,” State Education Secretary Vinod Rao said. He said the Education Department was in touch with parents and school associations. Diwali will be celebrated this year on November 14.

“The Centre’s guideline to reopen schools from October 15 cannot be implemented given the Covid-19 situation. It will be too early to open schools, especially for students below Class 10,” said Jatin Bharad, vicepresident of Selffinanced Schools Management Association of Gujarat.

Even if the government and schools agree to resume classes, parents are unwilling, he said.

Besides school

managements, most parents are of the view that there is no point in reopening schools in the current academic year, and the government should consider promoting students to the next class, says Naresh Shah, president of the All Gujarat Parents’ Association.

“Nearly half of the current academic year has already passed as schools remain closed. We have requested the state education minister to consider granting mass promotion to students so that they can begin their next academic calendar without any setback,” Shah said.

“At the same time, the government should ensure that the board exams of Classes 10 and 12 are held on time in March next year,” he said.

The government had earlier decided against reopening schools from September 21. And according to the latest Centre’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the States can decide on reopening schools in a graded manner from October 15. —with PTI inputs

BIRTHDAY BOY 'DON'

This Big B fan has collected 7,000 pictures of the megastar Divyesh Kumar of Surat searches for Amitabh Bachchan’s picture everyday for 20 years First India Bureau Surat: For Divyesh Kumar of Surat, megastar Amitabh Bachchan’s birthday falls everyday, not just October 11. It has been 20 years since his eyes search for Don’s pictures and his hands grab every single frame of the Shahenshah.

By Amitabh Bachchan’s 78th birthday, he boasts of a collection of as many as 7,000 pictures of Vijay, his name in many a superhit.

This superfan’s devotion doesn’t need words.

He has been collecting photos of the megastar, ranging from passport size pictures to one-of-akind movie posters.

“I started to collect

pictures of Amit ji in 1999. I gathered all kinds of pictures from everywhere, from passport size pictures to movie posters. Whenever I find a new picture of him, I cut it out and keep it an album for safekeeping. So far, I have gathered over 7,000 pictures,” Divyesh says. On the occa-

Divyesh Kumar of Surat has collected 7,000 pictures of Amitabh Bachchan.

sion of Bachchan’s 78th birthday, Kumar wished for a long and happy life of the veteran actor.

“Just like his movie ‘102 Not Out’, I hope Amit ji also lives to be 102 years old,” he prayed. Divyesh has had the opportunity to meet the Bollywood superstar on 10 occasions so far.

“The first time I met Amit ji, I gave him a picture which had the names of all the movies he had done till

then. I also gave him a special toy for his granddaughter. When he asked me how it was made, I said to sir, ‘Yeh toh trailer hai sir, picture abhi baaki hai’,” Kumar beamed. Following in Bachchan’s footsteps, Divyesh said he and his family too had signed up to donate organs.

“Amit ji has done a very noble thing by signing up to donate his organs after his death. I was inspired by this,” he said.

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ONE WINTER FASHION THAT HAS BEEN CONSISTENT OVER THE YEARS, HAS TO BE THE HIGH-KNEE BOOT FASHION; AND THE ONE REASON WHY THEY ARE IN DEMAND EVERY SEASON IS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE VERSATILITY!

NEHAL NAYAR

nehal.nayar@firstindia.co.in

F

ashion trends come and go with every passing year, but there are a few that make it to every year’s toplist, for how amazing and useful they are. One such fashion trend happens to be the trend of high-knee boots. Their versatility is something that is always look up on- they can be worn with dresses, shorts, skirts AND jeans. Different colours and different textures of the same never bore the people, and there is absolutely no fash-

ionista who doesn’t own a pair of high-knee boots.

They add a lot of elegance and grace to the entire outfit, and one does not have to do a lot, except slaying effortlessly. The top 4 high-knee boots that are easily available are the lowheeled boots or the ‘classic boots’, flat boots, the ones with heels, and the platform boots. City First brings you a few high-knee boots styling tips, which you are absolutely going to adore.

Make sure to get the ones that fit well, as that’s something that would bring the entire look of the same; make sure they aren’t too baggy.

Choosing the ones with heels or wedges would give a graceful look to the outfits.

Out of the many types of high-knee boots, stick to the classic ones if you have to wear them with a formal look- they don’t look over-the-top.

If you are opting for a boho or chic look, you can go for the ones with laces or the suede material.

Wearing patterned or coloured boots with your skirt or dress can add some pinch to your stunning personality.

Taking care of these boots is really important, as they are pretty high maintenance. A few of the tips are: keep them in a really safe place and keep conditioning them to prevent any damage; make sure to keep them standing up- the moment they are mishandled, they tend to lose their essence; keep empty water bottles inside to ensure they don’t lose their shape for the longest time.

09

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AHMEDABAD | MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020

10

Divorce the MARIAM ABUHAIDERI

W

I segregated trash but only because it is the right thing to do. I never realized plastic was such a threat to cows. Yes the very animal that is worshipped in India, is dying due to the inconsiderate actions of the people who worship it.

Of the total number of fatalities caused in cows by polythene, in 90% cases, the animal dies due to the failure of multiple organs, a condition caused due to excessive

be associated with the Plastic Cow Campaign, formed by a group of concerned animal activists in Jaipur. We deliberate on how we can save cows and our environment. It is not easy. I am reminded of my visit to an NGO in Udaipur where an issue was brought to my attention.

The volunteer told me that cows are increasingly dying because they are consuming plastic.

Before I visited the NGO,

accumulation of plastic in the stomach. If this doesn’t give you the depth of the problem, I don’t know what would.

One problem that I see is the dumping of plastic in all its forms on roads.

The other is that brands are overusing plastic in packaging. Yet another issue I have identified is the lack of government initiative. Corruption is rampant. I can go on and on. Most of the communication unfortunately is

focused to discourage the use of polythene bags. We seemed to have forgotten that it isn’t just bags that are made of plastic; even tape that is used to seal your food packages can cause the same extent of harm as a plastic bag.

Anything thrown in the trash becomes a health hazard. But it is easy. We are selfish creatures.

What happens to our trash once it leaves our home isn’t our lookout. thepersianladki@gmail.com

What if we begin to care? 



I get worked up when I receive my dinner in plastic containers sealed with so much unnecessary tape. Things wrapped in layers of unnecessary plastic drive me up the wall. Why are we as a people so obsessed with plastic?

Whether the pandemic has zoonotic sources is immaterial. Hygiene and civic ethics should not be followed simply as an antidote to the pandemic. It must be engrained in us. It is a mentality we must adopt. Yet, despite the pandemic, I see trash on the road everywhere.

Educated or uneducated families discard trash on the road. I am appalled.

FA CE OF TH ED AY

e get angry when foreigners criticize India for its garbage clad roads, polluted rivers, and hypocritical treatment of its animals, yet we do nothing to change this image. We would rather stay mad. What’s worse is we contribute to this image. So do we have a right to be upset? I leave you to answer this question.

Millennials are more educated and aware.

There are more animal lovers today than there were ten years ago. There are more environmentally friendly brands today, and increased awareness about veganism, a wide range of crueltyfree products, and brands that are claiming to be sustainable. Everything is so much better, except I wonder if there are so many enlightened souls why are we seeing so much garbage on the roads? Why is our education system still about rote learning?

Why aren’t students taught how to be better citizens and assessed on their performance of civic sense instead? Why do we worship idols and abuse the live incarnations of those very idols? It beats me.

Recently I have come to

And guess what our community animals are feeding off this garbage.

What’s worse is we just drive past it all. 

Now that you know that bovines are dying due to accidental plastic consumption, will you change your ways? A question I want to get answered.



You can begin by writing to brands to switch to more environmentally friendly packaging.

You could also start segregating your trash.

It would be nice to sign your divorce with the toxic plastic. We all know what isn’t good for us. Why do we then dig graves?

YOUR DAY Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

Money is precious and you must not invest it on sheer guesswork rather use logic and reasoning and study the market throughly. Your career graph will soar if you make all the right move on the professional front.

You may find your parents nagging soconvey your point to them politely.

You should concentrate on completing your tasks at work and for that its very important to not hamper its timely completion by going into too much details of everything. On domestic front, your family member may need your help in coming out of their fundamental darkness.

For sometime you have to curb your desire and prevent yourself from doing any wasteful expenses so that you can invest in the business that you want to grow.

You will make something right today, you may decide to become the mediator to solve any issues.

Your friends may come forward and help you by financing your dream project but make sure that these are the right friends. Those in real estate business will considerably make lots of profit today. You spouse may surprise you with a long desired gift. You must feed poor.

MAR 21 - APR 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

To become a leader one has to think about others before oneself, ask yourself if you are ready to become one.

You will add a lot more money to your bank account because of a sudden huge profit. On work front, you will successfully manage your project inspite of all the hindrances.

Those of you who have been playing in stocks, have a chance to become very rich and very quickly.

You seniors may reward you today for all your hard work and dedication because give ultimate performance inspite of the comfort of working at home, isn’t easy.

Value the feelings of those who truly love you. Good savings is a key to face the unforeseen expenses and there is no one wiser than you in this regard. You may find yourself very busy with lots of responsibilities and deadlines. You may expect a baby and this new member will bring joy.

You love to surround yourself with animals and adopting one is easy but being responsible and catering to their needs isn’t. You have a decent financial position but you aren’t satisfied and you crave for growth. A strong business opportunity may knock at your door.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You are in mood to do something unusual today.

You will earn money from various sources as a result wealth will keep your coffers brimming.

Be brave with your expressions when you handling a tough situation where you honestly matters. You may have to delay some business proposals.

When it comes to money, avoid making any promises to anyone today. Some of you may go for a professional course for a better resume. Make sure you give a lot of time to your spouse as he/she may be in desperate need of it. You may spend an exciting time today.

Be wise and don’t make fun of anyone’s situation. You must only take as much bite as much you can chew when it comes to handling your craving to earn more. You hold a sound position and you are always in the limelight for all the good reasons which hasn’t gone down even while working from home.

All one can do is to forge ahead and no matter what the situations are nothing should affect your spirit.

Investing in shares may bring the kind of returns you expect from your investments but it may come with the big risks. Freelancers will have a great earning.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

DHWANI BHATT, Influencer

APR 21 - MAY 20

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

ETC

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AHMEDABAD | MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020

Hailey’s

11

ONE YEAR COMPLETED!

confession

O

ver the past few days, several Hollywood celebrities are urging fans to cast their vote and bring the change that they want in the US. From Taylor Swift to Selena Gomez, Jennifer Aniston and Chris Evans, a number of stars have been pushing followers to vote. Hailey Bieber has also been actively urging fans to do the same. She reinforced the importance of voting on the occasion of World Mental Health day. The model confessed her mental health was affected due to the country’s state.

“It’s world mental health day, and something that has affected my mental health is the state of our country and the future of our country. I have hope, but we need

S

honali Bose directorial The Sky Is Pink completed a year since its release on Sunday. This film marked Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ return to Bollywood after a long break. The actress was MIA from Bollywood for almost three years, with Jai Gangaajal releasing in 2016, with projects in Hollywood keeping her busy. Priyanka returned to home ground with Farhaan Akhtar by her side. The duo was joined Zaira Wasim and Rohit Saraf in The Sky Is Pink. The film is based on the life of Aisha Chaudhary, who was an author and a motivational speaker. She was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis.

—Agency

... her post

to collectively make the change we want for our future and that means getting out there to VOTE!!!” she appealed. The model shared this note while posting a photo of herself sporting wearing a blue tee and showing her support to Joe Biden.

—Agency

HAPPY 54TH ANNIVERSARY!

Hailey Bieber

Impersonating the

REVEALED HER CRUSH!

KARDASHIANS

F

ormer Batwoman star Ruby Rose recently opened up about working with action hero Jason Statham and crushing on his longtime love and partner Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The 34-yearold actress was asked about working with Jason on The Meg and if she ever was distracted by his good looks, despite being gay.

“He’s hot, and maybe it would have been tough if I was given the chance to only work with Jason, but the thing is he brought his wife, Rosie Huntington, and I’m just saying the distraction was elsewhere. Have you seen her?!” Ruby said on SiriusXM’s The Jason Ellis Show. While Ruby did refer to Rosie as Jason‘s wife, it’s never been confirmed that they a r e m a r ried but the couple has been together for 10 years now.

—Agency

Ruby Rose

Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar

J

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner

oe Jonas is no stranger to impersonating the Kardashians. Remember when Nick Jonas and Kevin Jonas joined him to recreate the iconic fight scene originally featuring Kim Kardashian and Khloe. The trio recreated the bag fight scene. This time around, Joe roped in Sophie Turner to recreate a recent moment from the Keeping Up With The Kardashian episode featuring Kylie Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian. Viewers of the show would recall that earlier this week, Kylie gave fans a new “wasted” jingle. For the unversed, the iconic moment took place during the family’s dinner at the Palm Springs trip. Kylie had ordered her favourite Don Julio 1942 tequila, asking for “42 on the rocks and a ginger ale.”

Still from the post —Agency

V

eteran actors Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu completed 54 years of togetherness on Sunday.

However, the couple did not celebrate their wedding anniversary this year due to the demise of Dilip Kumar’s brothers. For the unversed, 97-yearold Dilip Kumar lost his brothers Ehsan Khan and Aslam Khan recently due to Covid-19. The couple also took to Twitter to announce that there won’t be any grand celebrations lined up. Saira Banu’s tweet read, ”Oct. 11, is always the most beautiful day in my life. Dilip Saheb married me on this day and made my cherished dreams come true. This year, we are not celebrating. You all know we lost two of our brothers, Ahsan Bhai and Aslam Bhai.”

—Agency

PARA-ATHLETE IN SHEROES

Salman Khan loses cool

I

n Sunday’s episode of Bigg Boss 14 Weekend Ka Vaar, Salman Khan unleashed his anger as he taught the contestants a ‘huge lesson.’

Salman Khan took back the stage on Bigg Boss 14 Weekend Ka Vaar. While Saturday’s episode was all about the host pulling freshers’ leg, looks Sunday’s episode was a game-changer. In the very first week itself, Salman unleashed his anger and placed ten TBC contestants outside of the BB 14 house- everyone barring Nikki Tamboli.

According to the last promo shared by the makers, Salman Khan seemed to have lost his cool at the beginning of the season and was all set to throw ten unconfirmed contestants out of the house. This made the viewers sure that something big was definitely coming up.

—Agency

Manasi Joshi

P

Salman Khan

TED COUNTDOWN

P Chris Hemsworth

riyanka Chopra Jonas and Chris Hemsworth hosted the concluding session of the Countdown Global Launch, an initiative hosted by TED Countdown. The duo hosted several activists fighting climate change and emphasise on how individuals and communities can make a better future. Priyanka Chopra and Chris Hemsworth hosted the “Action” session of the five curated sessions. The session saw philosopher Roman Kr-

znaric, Sophie Howe, His Holiness Pope Francis and many more. While each speaker brought a different perspective of action, the actors spoke about their take on climate and social justice.

Priyanka began the session by saying, “I am particularly committed to the plight of refugees around the world. There are almost 70 million displaced people and that number keeps rising. I have visited several camps and

seen it for myself. Refugees are among the people who are hit the hardest by climate change. And that’s why I feel the need to be here today. To help highlight the possible solutions to this climate crisis and connected social crisis. I feel like I need to be here to amplify the voices of those that are already doing the hard work that’s needed.”

—Agency

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

hilosophy or otherwise, life is momentary in the larger scheme of things; not so much for 31-year-old para-athlete Manasi Joshi who took a momentous event that turned her world upside down, and made it her life’s biggest positive. Until one fateful day in December 2011, Manasi met with an accident that left her needing a prosthetic limb to walk. Today, she is the world para-badminton champion in the SL3 category. Manasi is now a part of Barbie Sheroes; a one-ofa-kind Barbie doll in her likeness has been created by Mattel Inc., the American toy company that owns the Barbie brand. For Manasi, the first Indian para-athlete to be included in the list, it is an incredible feeling.

The Paralympics is now scheduled to begin in August 2021. She hopes to qualify for it and win a medal..

—Agency

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AHMEDABAD | MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020

12

ALL HAIL, LORD SHIVA! ANITA HADA

anita.hada@firstindianews.com

N

athdwara: Another feather will be added to the cap of Nathdwara with the completion of the iconic and massive idol of Lord Shiva in the town known for Shrinathji temple.

The Shiva Murti is being constructed by Miraj Group and several activities will be run on the premises where the construction is going on. According to Madan Paliwal, Chairman of Miraj Group, every individual has one’s own belief and no example is bigger than one’s own. “Shiva is accepted by our own thoughts and belief; he is unborn and great so a thought came in mind to make a great statue of Shiva.”

“I am feeling happy to see the dream coming true, this 351 ft. statue will be dedicated to the world; I am inspired to take this initiative because of love and trust I have received from the society, to whom

Madan Paliwal

I am always thankful,” Madan said.

The Congress government led by Ashok Gehlot in its earlier term had allotted 25 bigha land for the project.

Later, Vasundhra Raje government gave the land on 99 years lease to the group.

For the expansion of the project, the group forwarded another proposal to the government seeking additional 25 bigha land. A committee set up to review such proposals has decided to forward

the Miraj group’s proposal to the cabinet empowered committee and this committee will make the final decision about the rate and allotment of the land.

Assembly speaker CP Joshi, who represents Nathdwara constituency, is also serious about the project and following up on the matter.

The foundation stone was laid by Pujya Murari Bapu in presence of the Chief Minister Ashok Ge-

hlot in the Ganesh Tekri area of the Nathdwara, on 18 August 2012.

The statue is coming up to be a staggering 351 feet, almost like a 35-story building. 85 percent of the statue made of cement and concrete is completed. It will use 3000 tons of steel. The weight of the statue will be 30 thousand tonnes. The height of the Pratima with the base will be of 351 feet. At the same time, the length of the trident will be 315 feet.

The idol will have four elevators and three stairs.

Through which tourists would be able to see the idol. Tourists will be able to reach an altitude of 280 feet. This complex is developing in 15 Acres and has Art Gallery, Food Court, Landscape and Theme Park.

Another noteworthy fact highlighting the grandness of the statue is that it can be seen even from the Kankroli flyover which is located about 20 km from the site.

REMINISCENCES WORKSHOP ON MANAGEMENT

AND TRIBUTES

CITY FIRST

A

memorial-tribute program was organised through the Facebook Live program series of Rajasthan Progressive Writers Association on Saturday in the memory of Dr Taraprakash Joshi, the country’s famous poet-songwriter. In this program, poets Krishna Kalpit, Lokesh Kumar Singh ‘Sahil’, critic Rajaram Bhadu, writers Premchand Gandhi and Ishamadhu Talwar paid tribute to Dr Taraprakash Joshi through their memoirs. The pro-

gramme was conducted

by Tasneem Khan.

On this occasion, Progressive Writers Association general secretary Ishamadhu Talwar said that a book on Joshi’s life memoirs will be published. Talwar said that Joshi was a very humble and compassionate personality

and all people continued to receive his affection.

The next episode will have the story recitation of the popular Hindi storyteller Uma on Sunday, 11 October and critic Rajaram Bhadu will talk about Uma’s writings. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

DURING THE DAY! RAJASTHAN: Monika Sewal and Dr Jyoti Bharti Goswami, renowned dance gurus of Jaipur Gharana, revealed the technique of Jaipur Gharana at Net Theatre on Saturday. During the program, Vinay Trivedi, a renowned senior painter of the country, made a portrait of Lord Ganesha dancing on stage.

HAPPY B’DAY!

GUJARAT: Devotees were seen offering 5100 malpua (sweets) and milk inside the Goddess Bahucharaji Temple for Adhik month prayer in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

—PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI

IPS Surendra Kumar Gupta celebrated his birthday on 11 October, Sunday. We wish him all the best!

CITY FIRST

During the session

S

K Chaudhary Educational Trust’s Shankara Institute of Technology, Jaipur organised a TEQIP 3 RTU(ATU) sponsored two days workshop on Management Capacity Building Development under the aegis of Rajasthan Technical University, Kota. This workshop included Chairman, Director, Principal, Deans

Cooperate & Save society

and senior faculty members from AICTE approved institutes as well as for indus-

try persons who are in the leading role.

The workshop was inun-

dated by the Chief Guest, Satya Pal Malik, Governor of Meghalaya. Other dignitaries present as Special Guest of Honor were prof. RA. Gupta, Vice-chancellor, RTU Kota and M.P Poonia, Vice chairmen, AICTE. Speaking on this occasion, H.E. congratulated RTU and SK Chaudhary Educational Trust for organizing such useful event under the pandemic situation of COVID-19. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Tribute: In India & Abroad

JUSTICE GOPAL KRISHAN VYAS

(Former Judge of Rajasthan High court)

A

t present, despite taking precautionary measures, the transmission of coronavirus continued seriously throughout the globe.

Our country too has suffered setbacks and the pandemic engulfed precious lives of a large number of people, further, it’s serious ill effects are alarming, therefore eventually created a global economic, social, and political Justice Gopal crisis. During Krishnan Vyas this crisis, the role of our Doctors, supporting nursing staff of Hospital & media is laudable. Their commitment to the cause of humanity deserves applause from our society.

As the crisis of pandemic is still exist, we are expected to take utmost care to prevent further escalation of this ailment. The safety measures suggested by the centre & state government are to be followed strictly. It is true that the government has lifted the lockdown, but we should not take the liberty of loitering, and violating the prescribed norms. This disciplined attitude of ours will serve a great public cause and a pious cause of humanity. Kindly follow all norms & instructions to prevent ailment. Satyamev Jayte cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Rekha and Prem Bhandari

Hanwant Rajpurohit

KK and Chandra Mehta

Gopal Krishnan Vyas with his wife

RAJEEV GAUR, JODHPUR

T

he citizens of Jodhpur lit diyas outside their houses to honour the doctors and nursing workers treating Corona Infected patients regardless of their lives, during the Corona Crisis.

The citizens started lighting the lamp at nine o’clock in the night and turned off the lights of their homes and business establishments.

This was done in honour of doctors, nursing staff, paramedical staff, assistants and scavengers, technical staff, medical store operators and all employees associated with

Dalpat Singh Rajpurohit

Kanak Golia

OP Choudhary with daughter

Pushpendra Singh Bhati with his family members

the medical field. In the Corona period, former Judges Krishna Vyas and Tanuja Vyas paid respect to the God of the earth i.e. doctors and health workers by lighting a Diya for those who spread light in the lives of thousands day and night.

To make the event a success, the entire city has appealed, from former judges to former media chairman Prem Bhandari sitting in the US. The campaign ran in the honor of medical workers, got the support of the Jodhpuris settled all over the world, as a result of this, a large number of lamps were lit. KK Mehta, President of

Rajasthan Foundation of North America, Prembhandari, Chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, Kanak Golia, President of Bhartiya Jain Maha Mandal USA, Indian Culture Association, Sanjay Jain, President of Nigeria, Rajasthan Presiding Judges and Lawyers Association of North America also supported.

Former Chairman Sanjay Bhandari, Prof. of Canada Rana, Pratap Purohit, OP Chaudhary of Jaipur, Former judges of California and advocates of Maharana Pratap Rajasthan High Court, Patron Hanwant Singh Rajpurohit of Foundation UK also supported.