First India-Jaipur Edition-04 July 2020

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD

CORONA

31°C - 41°C

ALERT JAIPUR l SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00

WORLD

COVID-19 UPDATE

MAHARASHTRA 8,376 DEATHS 1,92,990 CASES

18,661 6,47,507

CONFIRMED CASES

DEATHS

TAMIL NADU 1,385 DEATHS 1,02,721 CASES

RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77764 l Vol 2 l Issue No. 28

INDIA

5,26,407 1,10,85,289

DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

DELHI 2,923 DEATHS 94,695 CASES

—PHOTO BY ANI

‘AGE OF EXPANSIONISM IS OVER’

The bravery and dedication you show is not lesser than anyone else in the world. At the position where you are, no one in the world can compete with that. Your courage is higher than the heights where you are posted today. It is not only me but the whole country has that trusts you.

The bravery of the 14 Corps will be talked about everywhere and the tales of your bravery will echo in each house. The world has seen your bravery.

PM Narendra Modi along with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat & Army Chief Gen MM Naravane arrives in Leh on Friday.

—Narendra Modi, PM

JAPAN EXTENDS SUPPORT TO INDIA

NO NEED TO ESCALATE SITUATION: CHINA

‘WE’LL NEVER BOW DOWN TO ANY WORLD POWER’

In a show of support for India, Tokyo’s envoyi Satoshi Suzuki tweeted: “Had a good talk with FS Shringla.

Appreciated his briefing on situation along LAC, including GOI’s policy to pursue peaceful resolution. Japan also hopes for peaceful resolution.

“India & China are in communication & negotiations on lowering the temperatures through military & diplomatic channels.

No party should engage in any action that may escalate the situation at this point,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.

”I have come here to thank all of you.

India becomes self-reliant. Our country has never bowed down & will never bow down to any world power. I pay my respects to you as well as the mothers who gave birth to braves like you. Hope everyone gets well soon,” PM said.

TRAGEDY STRIKES

Lahore: About 19 Sikh pilgrims were killed & at least 8 were hurt after a passenger bus collided with Shah Hussain Express train near Sheikhpura in Pakistan. The coaster was carrying pilgrims, who were returning from Nankana Sahib in Punjab.

RAJASTHAN

440

DEATHS

GUJARAT 1,905 DEATHS 34,686 CASES

PM visits Ladakh as India-China simmer continues

Leh: Taking an apparent dig at China, PM Narendra Modi on Friday, said the age of expansionism is over and added that the new age of development is here.

“Age of expansionism is over, this is the age of development. History is witness that expansionist forces have either lost or were forced to turn back,” Modi said addressing soldiers in Ladakh’s Nimmoo.

“Bharat Mata’s enemies have seen your fire and fury,” Modi said in an apparent reference to the military clashes between the Indian and Chinese troops.

The PM’s visit to Ladakh is seen as a strong message against China’s aggressive posturing along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the region.He said: “We are the same people who pray to the flute playing Lord Krishna, but we are also the same people who idealise and following the same Lord Krishna who carries the Sudarshan Chakra.”

The two countries -have been involved in talks to ease the ongoing border tensions.

Turn on P6

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19,052

CONFIRMED CASES

UTTAR PRADESH 749 DEATHS 25,797 CASES

Kanpur: 8 cops killed in encounter with criminals Lucknow: Eight Uttar Pradesh cops, including a Dy SP and three subinspectors, were killed after a group of assailants opened fire on a police team which was trying to arrest a criminal in Kanpur late on Thursday night, police said on Friday. Two criminals were killed during combing operations by the cops later.

Four policemen, who suffered bullet injuries, are undergoing treatment at a hospital in the city. One of them is said to be critical.

Expressing his condolences to the families of the deceased, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath sought a report from the cops and directed DGP HC Awasthi to initiate strict action against the culprits.

The incident took place when the police team visited Bikaru village in Chaubeypur police station area to arrest Vikas Dubey after lodging an attempt to murder case against him.

Dubey, a history-sheeter, already has 60 cases registered against him.

At his residence, the assailants gheraoed them and started firing, Turn on P6, More on P5

—PHOTO BY PTI

ADG Law and Order, Prashant Kumar being shown the incident site during the visit to Bikhru village after the encounter.

MAIN ACCUSED VIKAS DUBEY A HISTORY-SHEETER WITH 60 CASES Vikas Dubey, the prime accused in the killing of eight policemen in Kanpur on Friday, is a historysheeter and has at least 60 criminal cases against him, including six cases of murder and 11 cases of attempt to murder, at the Chaubeypur police station. A native of Bikaru village in Kanpur, Dubey had also been booked six times under Goonda Act, seven times under UP Gangsters’ Act, and once under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. He is the head of his village.

In Kanpur encounter, our 8 policemen lost their lives and 2 criminals died. The sacrifice of our policemen will not go in vain. People responsible for this, will not be spared.The government will provide an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore each to kin of deceased, pension and government job.

—Yogi Adityanath, CM, UP

ICMR-Bharat Biotech aim to release BOLLYWOOD’S DANCING COVID-19 vaccine by August 15 QUEEN NO MORE SAROJ KHAN- 1948-2020

New Delhi: ICMR DG Balram Bhargava wrote to Bharat Biotech and principal investigators of medical colleges to complete the trial procedure of COVID-19 vaccine in a fast track method, so that results of a clinical trial can be launched by August 15.

Bharat Biotech had received a nod for a clinical trial of its vaccine - Covaxin. “This is the first indigenous vaccine being developed by India and is one of the top priority projects which is being monitored by Government. Turn on P6

EXPERTS SPEAK

“We don’t think anywhere in the world has anyone ever given a date in advance for release of a new vaccine before a clinical trial has even begun,” experts said.

“By general experience, a month to decide whether to release a vaccine is a very short time. Even if you fast-track it, it will take a minimum of one year.”

BJP MP LOCKET CHATTERJEE TESTS +VE Kolkata: BJP MP Locket Chatterjee on Friday said she has tested positive for COVID-19. In a tweet, the general secretary of the BJP’s West Bengal unit said she has a mild fever. “I have tested positive for Covid19 this morning, having mild fever and was in self-isolation for the past one week. I will keep everyone posted. All is well,” she said.

Chatterjee, who left her acting career to join politics, is the Lok Sabha MP from Hooghly in West Bengal.

—PTI

Mumbai: Choreographer Saroj Khan, the feisty ‘Masterji’ of Bollywood who stormed into a largely male bastion with her dance moves in numbers like Dhak Dhak , Hawa Hawaii and Ek Do Teen , died following a cardiac arrest at a hospital on Friday. She was 71. The three-time National Award winner, Khan choreographed more than 2,000 songs.

—PTI

ADG shifted after graft charge on SOG Jaipur: The Anti Corruption Bureau, on Friday, filed a case against an additional SP and others posted in the Special Operations Group (SOG) for demanding a bribe of whopping Rs two crore in lieu of not registering an FIR. Interestingly, the bribe was being demanded by the cops in the name of Additional Director General (ADG) SOG, Anil Paliwal.

EMERGENCE OF A TOUGH AND RUTHLESS ADMINISTRATOR!

THE CHANGING FACE OF A TOWERING GEHLOT!

Shunts ADG Paliwal out of SOG as corruption mars SOG officials Aditi Nagar Jaipur: In less than 24 hours, the entire bureaucracy in Rajasthan has suddenly become ‘fearful’ of their towering Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who has sent a clear message to the state’s IAS and IPS cadre that he only means business and

therefore, can also be a tough and ruthless administrator, if it comes to that. In a midnight operation on Thursday, Gehlot ordered a sudden and unceremonial exit of his one time favourite Chief Secretary DB Gupta, without giving him any new assignments. The story is that he was offerred the post

of advisor to CM but a ‘pained’ Gupta declined this offer and in such a situation, the major IAS reshuffle list containing 102 names was out without indicating any future role for Gupta.

There was one more surprise in the list, wherein, for the first time in the history of DOP, the new Chief Secretary’s posting was also announced or carried in the same IAS transfer list, which also contained

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot

SDO level postings.

This deliberate or casual DOP approach is being seen as the lowering down of the post and authority of the Chief Secretary’s office in the state.

Similarly, on Friday evening, in a major IPS reshuffle, CM Gehlot again surprised everyone in the police cadre by sidelining his own favourite DG Crime BL Soni to a inconsequential post of DG Prisons. Before IAS lobby

could settle down with Gupta’s sudden exit, this Gehlot googly in police cadre shocked every relevant person at PHQ, as like CS Gupta, till recently, Soni, with his tough and result oriented image of a ‘policia’, was enjoying the total trust and confidence of his mentor Gehlot.

By the time Rajasthan’s media and bureaucratic circles were getting ready to bear with Gupta Turn on P6

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Gehlot’s googly: Why such an unceremonial depaturel?

Kartikey Dev Singh Jaipur: Since Thursday midnight, the entire Rajasthan bureaucracy and political circles are upset and deeply curious to know what actually inspired a soft-spo-

ken and sensitive Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to take a complete Uturn on his ‘loved’ Chief Secretary DB Gupta by suddenly ousting him from his office in a dramatic manner in a midnight operation? Specially when Gupta had only three months left in his office and was due to retire on 30th September 2020. The initial ‘honeymoon’ between the two was very exciting where Gehlot had given almost a 100% free hand to DB in finalising all IAS, IPS

and IFS transfer lists, at least for a year but subsequently a lukewarm response was slowly taking place and the ultimate result was a midnight unceremonial exit of a gentleman and softspoken Chief Secretary.

In some sort of a humiliating manner, Gupta was not given any posting till Friday night, nor he has been placed under APO, as per the prevailing practice of DOP. Knowledgeable sources reveal that Gupta must have knowingly or unknowingly committed some serious ‘lapse or mistake’, which had compelled Gehlot to take such a drastic action,

…Before exit, DB declined offer for the post of advisor and now his future role is still uncertain which is otherwise not the way of working of a seasoned Gehlot. In fact, highly placed sources reveal that during his 45 minute meeting with Gupta, CM gehlot informed him of the reasons for bringing Swarup at helm and again offered the position of advisor in a bid to give Gupta a respectable position in the government, to which, the bureaucrat declined citing there were already two advisors to CM ie Arvind Mayaram and

Govind Sharma.

In all this uncertain scenario, Gupta had called on Gehlot on Friday around 2.15 PM and shared his surprise and disappointment and his pain with his mentor. Apparently, Gupta has been pained that he was shown the door just three months prior to his retirement, a point that he shared with the Chief Minister too. On Thursday, till the eleventh hour, Gehlot kept this ‘secret’ of Gupta’s likely

CS Swarup promises to undo corona effect on economy

ouster, till Kuldeep Ranka met Gupta in his office around 6.30 PM and conveyed CM’s desire to bring Rajeeva Swarup as the new Chief Secretary. At that moment, Gupta kept his cool, smiled and left for his residence. The entire Friday was a day of speculations and gossips in Secretariat and everyone was curious to know why Gupta’s exit was so sudden and unceremonial? The grapevine is that even three days before of his exit, Gupta was hinted about a possible change in his posting and certain alternative proposals were also of-

State election commission stops transfer of 6 officers

In his first meeting, he asked all depts to work hard to get development back on track First India Bureau Jaipur: After the late night announcement DB Gupta handed over the charge to new CS Rajeeva Swarup on Friday. CS Rajeeva Swarup said that to put the state economy back on track would be his priority.

He said he would try to undo the damage done by corona to the economy. He also stressed on strengthening the health & medical infrastructure of the state.

He said he would take everybody along in making the situation normal as soon as possible. He thanked CM Gehlot for reposing faith in him at such a critical juncture and said he would take every step to come true to his expectations.

Former CS DB Gupta came to the secretariat for a very short duration during which he handed over a bouquet to CS Rajeeva Swarup and wished him.

CS Swarup too reciprocated by wishing him best for the future. DB Gupta said that he

Former CS DB Gupta congratulated CS Rajeeva Swarup on the latter’s first day.

would wholeheartedly carry out whatever responsibility CM Gehlot entrusts him with. He said very soon the air about his new charge would be clear.

CS Rajeeva Swarup chaired his first meeting which was attended

by ACS, PS and Secretaries of almost all departments. CS instructed them all to implement the strategy for fighting corona. He asked all the departments to work with

synergy with transparency and coordination with the sole goal of getting the development back on track.

DOP chief Roli Singh and all the ACS, PS and secretaries wished the new CS as the meeting was about to begin.

The 1985 batch IAS Rajeeva Swarup has shouldered many important responsibilities in his career but his last assignment as ACS (Home) during Corona crisis has been a highlight of

snippets GAURAV GOYAL

A young, dynamic and result oriented Gaurav Goyal, who is equally popular with the former chief minister vasundhara Raje and the present CM Ashok Gehlot, is being considered as one of the best choice among the available lot to take over the challenging task of turning around a cash crunched Jaipur Development Authority. It appears that Pawan Arora’s outstanding revenue performance, where he collected almost 1000 crore in a short span of nine months, must have given an idea to a concerned Chief Minister to bring an equally competent and result oriented officer at JDA also to repeat a housing board success story in this urban development institution. According to observers, this is one of the most popular IAS reshuffle, since Gehlot government came to power in December 2018 where the principal of merit and seniority has been completely implemented, by ignoring the ‘political background’ of a few result oriented officers. Gehlot’s thrust has been to bring a new young leadership at the district level and also to sort out a few ongoing ‘disputes or controversies’ between the secretaries and their respective ministers by changing the administrative leadership of the concerned department.

ROHIT KUMAR SINGH With the elevation of Rajeeva Swarup as CS the chair of ACS Home, will be filled in by Rohit Kumar Singh, who has been rewarded for his hardwork in combating Corona.

ANTAR SINGH NEHRA Yet again Jaipur district’s command will be in the hands of a promotee IAS Antar Singh Nehra. The senior bureaucrat has served in CMO and as Bundi Collector.

AKHIL ARORA With his brilliant performance so far, Arora is expected to show the same workmanship as Principal Secretary Health and family welfare.

his career as he took many important decisions for effective containment of coronavirus in the state.

Interpreting the central guidelines in the context of Rajasthan and flawlessly implementing the agenda given by CM Gehlot were his USPs in the recent past. The lockdown guidelines drafted by him which preceded the guidelines issued by Modi govt were a feather in his cap because even

the bureaucracy copied his draft verbatim when it was their turn to issue the guidelines for country wide lockdown. It was these qualities which made him the obvious choice for the coveted post. There some key points in CM Gehlot’s agenda like online FIR and law to reign in bogus housing societies and Rajeeva Swarup was at the forefront while taking forward these core issues.

His career experience speaks for itself as he has been ACS (Industries), Commissioner Tourism, Special Secretary Primary Education, Secretary Planning, Director ADB, CMD Renewable Energy, PS DIPR, Executive Director RTDC, Chairman RSRTC, Chairman Bus Port Development Authority, Chairman RAJSICO, CMD SPINFED and Collector Sawai Madhopur. The state can look forward to being in safe and experienced hands during this critical time of revival.

Amit Yadav

Artika Shukla

Athir Amir

Tina Dabi

First India Bureau Jaipur: State election commission has stopped transfer of six IAS officers whose names figured in the transfer list released last night.

The state government had transferred 103 IAS officers including six who were involved in revision work of voters’ list.

The state election commission has stayed transfer of six officers till July 20, so that voters’ list work is not affected. They can now join new posting only after July 20.

The six IAS officers were Tina Dabi, Athar Aamir, Amit Yadav, Artika Shukla, Gaurav Saini and Riya Kejriwal.

ferred to him but he did not take it seriously. What is the truth?

Only God knows!

Now, there is a speculation that keeping with the honor of Gupta serving at the highest post in the state, he could be offered the position of Chief Information Commissioner but there is a long wait for the same since the process of appointment is a lengthy one as the committee that would appoint the CIC has LoP Gulab Chand Kataria too. The second appropriate position for DB could be RPSC Chairman but it appears he is in no mood to

leave his family and Jaipur and shift to Ajmer just yet. Word is that it could be some time before Gupta could be provided a befitting position.

Meanwhile, a jubilant Rajeeva Swarup has taken over the charge of his new assignment and ‘acquired’ his new role in no time.

CM puts his trust in young blood First India Bureau Jaipur: The latest bureaucratic reshuffle has a youthful undertone to it. CM Ashok Gehlot has placed great deal of trust in young IAS officers. Some have been given charge of district while others got key departments.

The fact that young officers have been appointed district collectors shows not just his faith in youth but also risk appetite and far sight. Some young bureaucrats like Gaurav Goyal and Dr Jogaram have been given responsibility of key departments like JDA, excise, commercial tax and mining.

However, these young officers have an uphill task because the state’s economy is in a difficult phase. Key challenge would be to deal with a slow economy and bring it back on track. Only time will tell if Gehlot’s bold move will bring rich dividends or not.

KEY POSTS Dr. Jogaram (Excise Commissioner), Gaurav Goyal (JDC), Sandesh Nayak (Director College Education), Shivangi Swarnkar (Director Medical Education), Abhishek Bagotia (Commissioner Commercial Tax), P Ramesh (CMD RVUNL), Abhimanyu Kumar (Director Rajasthan Agriculture Competitveness Project), Om Prakash Kasera (Joint Secretary Mines), Alok Ranjan (Secretary JDA), Suresh Ola (Commissioner Municipal corporation Jodhpur), Qamar Uljaman Choudhary (Commissioner Municipal corporation Udaipur), Lokbandhu (CEO Smart City ,Commissioner Municipal corporation Jaipur Heriage), Khushhal Yadav (Commissioner Municpal Corporation Ajmer), Chinmay Gopal (Joint Secretary industry), Kumar Pal Gautam (Project Director RUIDP)

YOUNG COLLECTORS Indrajeet Singh-Jodhpur, Prakash, RajpurohitAjmer, Jitendra Soni-Nagaur, Ashsh Modi-Jaisalmer, Siddharth Sihag -Karauli, Namit Meha-Bikaner, Avichal Chaurvedi- Sikar, Nikia Gohan-Jhalawar, Gwande Pradeep Keshav Rao-Churu, Gaurav Agarwal-Tonk, Pyush Samariya-Dausa, Ankit Kumar Singh-Banswara, N Shiv Prasad Madan-Bhilwara

One more Gehlot googly in IPS transfers

Like DB, now what wrong has Soni done? DGP Yadav has his own way…

First India Bureau Jaipur: While Thursday brought with it a surprise in the form of former CS DB Gupta being shunted out to an uncertain future, Friday brought with it another set of woes, this time in the face of DG Crime BL Soni. On Friday evening, the Rajasthan government transferred 66 IPS officials, of which Soni was one. The senior cop, who has held almost all the policing assignments in his illustrious career in Rajasthan, was transferred to the post of DG prisons.

This, among the police circles, is considered to be a cold posting with not much to do. Inciden-

ML Lather

tally, Soni’s positioning also raises questions as to how, a cop who is known to be close to power structures, was dropped from a seat of utmost importance. Soni’s place will be filled in by IPS ML Lathar, who had till now been serving as DG Law and order. Now the million dollar question on everyone’s mind is what did Soni do to be given

Ashok Kumar Rathore

this position?

In yet another interesting development, the day ACB registered a case against an ASP in SOG, who demanded a bribe of two crore rupees in the name of SOG ADG Anil paliwal, the state government shifted Paliwal away from the SOG and into the personnel department as its ADG. ADG SHRC Ashok Rathore

BL Soni

will take over as the new ADG of ATS and SOG. Interestingly, Biju George Joseph who was serving as ADG recruitment and promotions, has been transferred to ADG vigilance. Yet another interesting transfer is of IPS Vikas KUmar who was serving as DIG Prisons and will now serve as DIG SOG. Kumar was instrumental in busting the multi

crore Kashmir fake arms racket and also arresting Indra Vishnoi.

Among the ADGP rank officers, , Prashakha Mathur in Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission, Govind Gupta in Recruitment and Promotion Board and Hemant Priyadarshi in Reconstitution and Rules wing of Rajasthan police.

As per the order issued by the department of personnel, 35 superintendent of police (SP) rank officers have also been transferred.

Interestingly, word within the police department is that there has been a complete say of DGP Bhupendra Singh in making the transfer list!

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10 MORE DEATHS, 390 NEW CASES IN STATE First India Bureau

Jaipur: The state reported 10 deaths in preceding 24 hours taking the death toll to 440 so far. Friday saw a maximum of 3 deaths from Dholpur, 2 from Sirohi, and one from Ajmer, Bharatpur, Bikaner & Dungarpur along with one patient from another state. In the last 24 hours, the state raced towards the 20,000 mark crossing 19,000. 390 new cases of corona surfaced taking the state toll to 19052.

Maximum 57 cases were reported from Jodhpur followed by 51 from Jaipur, 34 from Bharatpur, 32 each from Kota & Pratapgarh, 30 from Sikar, 28 from Bikaner, 24 from Sirohi, 21 from Ajmer,20 from Dausa, 17 from Udaipur, 13 from Nagaur, 7 each

CORONA BLAST AT PRATAPGARH

Fire service personnel spray disinfecting liquid near the iconic Hawa Mahal in Jaipur on Friday. —PHOTO BY SUMAN SARKAR

from Hanumangarh & Rajsamand, 4 from Alwar, 3 each from Churu & Jhunjhunu, 2 each from Barmer & Sawai Madhopur and one each from Bhilwara, Karauli, and Tonk.

The cumulative district wise tally of the corona positives on

Thursday is as follows – Ajmer 561, Alwar 602, Banswara 99, Baran 67, Barmer 392, Bharatpur 1705, Bhilwara 264, Bikaner 389, Bundi 15, Chittorgarh 211, Churu 331, Dausa 166, Dholpur 701, Dungarpur 448, Ganganagar 59, Hanumangarh 80,

Khachariyawas demands Abu Road mortuary in withdrawal of cases bad shape against Rajput leaders First India Bureau

First India Bureau Jaipur: Transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas has lamented the CBI charge sheet against Rajput leaders in Anandpal Singh encounter case.

He termed these cases against community leaders as fake and demanded the withdrawal of them. Khachariyawas said that a delegation of all communities met him on Friday. They alleged that cases against them were politically motivated. The erstwhile BJP government framed them to prove that Anandpal’s encounter was justified.

Pratap Singh Khachariyawas

The minister said that from the beginning BJP leaders’ role was doubtful. “When Anandpal’s mother, his family, villagers, were seeking justice, the BJP government had tried to suppress their voice with use of brutal force,” he alleged. “The CBI didn’t even check who was present on the spot and who was not while filing charge sheet,” he said.

Sirohi: Abu Road’s only mortuary has fallen prey to a lack of arrangements.

The walls of the mortuary have collapsed, there is a lot of dirt in the mortuary and it has become the place for stray animals.

In such a situation, the police, doctors are forced to confront the relatives of the deceased.

In the city has a population of 90,000 two benches has been placed in the mortuary for namesake. But, due to dirt lying around the benches, it is even difficult to stand there.

Jaipur 3439, Jaisalmer 115, Jalore 309, Jhalawar 375, Jhunjhunu 375, Jodhpur 2919, Karauli 105, Kota 714, Nagaur 670, Pali 1146, Pratapgarh 74, Rajsamand 274, Sawai Madhopur 108, Sikar 597, Sirohi 546, Tonk 202 and Udaipur 752.

Man arrested with fake currency worth `1.69 L

‘Fixed charges by power companies to be waived-off’

First India Bureau

Vikas Sharma

Jaipur: A smuggler, who came to supply fake currency notes in Jaipur, was caught by the Kardhani police on Thursday. The accused Ramesh Chand Yadav was arrested near Khora Bisal Government School with Rs 1.69 lakh fake currency and an illegal weapon.

DCP Kavendra Singh Sagar informed that Constable Shankar, deployed at Sarna Chowki, got the information that a person is coming to supply fake currency.

Acting on the details, SHO Ramkishan Bishnoi, along with the team, reached the location and arrested the accused.

In the search, 334 Rs 500 notes, 34 Rs 100 notes, and a local pistol was recovered from accused Ramesh Chand Yadav.

Jaipur: Central Minister for Power & Renewable Energy RK Singh held a webinar in which Energy Ministers from all the states participated.

State Minister for Energy BD Kalla joined the webinar from Vidyut Bhawan along with PS (Energy) Ajitabh Sharma, MD Jaipur DISCOM AK Gupta, MD RRECL Anil Gupta and other senior officers of the department. The major issues taken up during the conference were amendment in electricity bill, Chinese products, waiver of fixed charges of the production companies, increasing the targets for the Kusum scheme along with other issues.

Central Minister

BD Kalla

RK Singh requested all state energy ministers to not use any Chinese products in their project which was unanimously seconded by all. All decided to promote Indian companies in forthcoming projects.

Many states including Congress and nonCongress ruled states objected to the proposed changes in the electricity bill. Some termed it as an in-

SOG raids Jpr Dairy, 1 tanker seized Low-grade edible oil had been mixed in the milk Kashiram Choudhary Jaipur: The Jaipur Dairy officials have caught a tanker carrying spurious Saras milk. Later, Special Operation Group (SOG) of state police raided and seized the milk supplying tanker on Friday. It is suspected that some dairy officers and employees could be hand in glove with adulterators.

Jaipur dairy has been running a special campaign against spurious milk. Four days ago, a vigilance team of Jaipur dairy had caught

03

adulterated milk in the Dausa district. The tanker caught on Friday also came from Dausa.

If sources are to be believed the police suspect a big racket behind this and revelation is likely soon. However, the dairy administration claimed that the tanker was seized by its officials last night. Lowgrade edible oil had been mixed in milk.

They had later informed the health department.

As per information, the tanker had brought 3800-liter milk from two BMC in Dausa. When the SOG raided the tanker, the driver fled from the spot.

After receiving a strong tip-off, the police raided Jaipur dairy premises. The SOG said to have got some other

important evidence.

On the other hand, Jaipur Dairy administration claimed that has been running a campaign against adulteration. Under this campaign, they checked 79 milk cooperatives in which 14 were found to be mixing sugar and salt in milk. All of them were issued warnings for not indulging in adulteration.

According to sources, the officers were trying to hush wup Friday’s matter just like they did with 14 milk cooperatives who were let off with just a warning.

However, the SOG’s raid forced their hands and now they have been shying away from commenting on this issue.

fringement of the rights of the states which is against the federal spirit. BD Kalla, speaking to the media later, said that there are any amendments in the bill including the appointments in the RERC. Another controversial issue that came up during the webinar was of waving off the electricity bills due to the Corona crisis.

BD Kalla raised the issue giving reference to the demand by people in general. He asked the fixed charges by the electricity production companies to be waived off to enable the states to pass the benefit to the consumers. He clearly said if the central government gives us a waiver we will gladly pass it on.

VASUNDHARA RAJE @VasundharaBJP The crimes with women have increased in the state. Many such cases have come to light, like gangrape of wife in front of the husband in Thanagazi of Alwar, abduction, and gangrape of a minor girl going to give food to her laborer mother in Dausa and making a video of gangrape with a minor viral in Phalodi of Jodhpur.

The Congress government in the state needs to answer why the crimes against women are not stopping and why Rajasthan, which was considered to be a peaceful state, has now become the place for crimes?

Raj HC issues notice It’s half-century: Dholpur cops Patwari arrested for taking bribe to Ramdev’s Patanjali arrest one more dacoit on Friday ACB IN ACTION

First India Bureau

Doctor caught taking bribe in Kota

Baran: ACB trapped Patwari of the Pipal Khedi area on the complaint by Kelwada resident Jagmohan. The Patwari Ramniwas Bairwa was arrested accepting Rs 1,000 as bribe from complainant. ACB had set the trap after it verified the complaint

by Kelwadad resident.

Kota: ACB Jhalawar ASP Bhawani Shankar Meena arrested Dr Rajesh Bharatiya accepting Rs 5,000 as a bribe at Ramganjmandi Community Health Centre. Dr Rajesh had demanded Rs 10,000 in lieu of giving a favourable medical report of complainant Kishore’s father.

Gram Panchayat secy held for taking bribe in Banswara

Advocate Singh pleaded that Patanjali had launched Divya Corona Kit claiming cure of Coronavirus without any requisite tests. He said that neither the Uttranchal government hadn’t given its license nor did it have any permission from ICMR. Advocate Singh called Baba Ramdev a habitual liar.

First India Bureau

Rathore hails Modi’s Ladakh visit

Youth injured in firing by miscreant

Jodhpur: Three members of a family found dead at their house

First India Bureau

First India Bureau

Banswara: The team of Banswara ACB arrested the Secretary of Gram Panchayat Kela Mela in Pipalkhunt Panchayat Samiti of Pratapgarh district while taking a bribe of Rs. 2,500 on Friday.

First India Bureau Jaipur: CJ Indrajit Mohanty and Justice Prakash Gupta issued notices to Patanjali, NIMS University Jaipur, Medical & Health Department Rajasthan Government, Ayush Ministry, and ICMR in a petition filed by advocate SK Singh through VC from Ajmer.

A SIGNIFICANT THING

Jaipur: Former Union Minister and MP Jaipur Rural Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said that PM Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Leh-Ladakh and meeting the armed forces, commanders and wounded soldiers is a significant thing. After Modi’s visit in the present circumstances, the soldiers are feeling that the whole country is standing with them.

Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

There is a clear message for China and Pakistan as well that India wants friendship, but if there is any danger in the

country, we will put our full strength for security.

While taunting Rahul Gandhi on his ‘lying’ remark, Colonel Rajya-

vardhan said that China is telling lies, but Rahul is not speaking anything against them.

Instead, he is trusting China over the Indian Army, PM, and the countrymen.

Rahul Gandhi should rather expose China by trusting his own people.

Today, Pakistan and China are uniting, but Congress is speaking a different language. As a nation, we also need to be united in the present circumstances.

Bharatpur: On Friday, a miscreant created a ruckus near Kalsada police station and injured a passer-by firing a shot. Later, the people caught him and handed him over to the police.

After the incident, the villagers protested outside the Kalsada police station and damaged a police car. The locals have accused the Kalsada police officials of many things.

Dholpur: The Dholpur police have opened a front against the dacoits. Nearly 50 dacoits have been sent to jail as part of a campaign against dacoits being run under the leadership of Dholpur SP Mridul Kachhawa. On Friday, police from various police stations,

First India Bureau Jodhpur: In Jodhpur, 3 people of the same family, husband, wife, and their son, died in the Shankar Nagar D Sector located at the Chopasni Housing Board. Prima facie, it seems that the son committed suicide by hanging himself. After that, the woman was strangled to death and her husband committed suicide.

The head of the family Rajendra Suthar (50) used to work as a contrac-

along with the DST team, raided the Morena district of Madhya Pradesh.

While raiding Ghughas village in the Jora police station area of Morena, the police arrested Rs 35,000 prized crook Dharmendra alias Lukka. The police have also recovered 2 rifles and 103 live cartridges from him.

tor in a handicraft factory in Boranada and the family was decent. A family dispute is being considered as the reason for the suicide. ACP Pratap Nagar Neeraj Sharma said that Rajendra, his wife Indira, and their son Nitin (25) used to live in the house on rent.

The people from neighbourhood had seen the family till 11 pm and they seemed happy. But when Nitin’s friends called him on Friday morning and he didn’t pick the phone,

SP Kachhawa informed that the police had received information about Dharmendra Lukka hiding in Madhya Pradesh. Taking action on the information, DST Incharge Suman Kumar and Special Operation Incharge Amit Sharma led a team of various police stations to carry out a raid in the region.

the friends came to his house. When they tried to look inside the house, Nitin was seen lying on the bed. After that, they decided to enter the house by breaking the door and found their friend dead.

After that, they moved to the other room where Nitin’s mother Indira was lying on the bed and his father Rajendra had hanged himself. After the incident, Nitin’s friends reported the matter to the police.

PERSPECTIVE JAIPUR | SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2020

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IN-DEPTH

REVIVING STATE

FROM LEH NAMO SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE TO CHINA

ECONOMY

S

ending a strong message to a recalcitrant foe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a surprise visit to Leh’s Nimo to get first-hand idea of security situation on the ground and to boost the morale of the armed forces. He is the second prime minister after Indira Gandhi to have visited a conflict-hit forward post and the first to visit a high-altitude area.

The prime minister delivered a muscular message to an “expansionist” China when he said that the era of expansionism is over.

This is an era of co-operation and progress.

“History tells us that expansionists either perished or were forced to turn back,” Modi said in a veiled warning to Beijing. The world today is united against expansionism, he said, without mentioning China and its manoeuvres to gain control of South China Sea where it is at loggerheads with Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore Philippines and Taiwan among others.

A stronger message followed when Modi told the security forces that the “enemy” has got a taste of your “fire and fury,” he said in a tribute to the deadly June 15 clash in the Galwan valley. “The world is familiar with your valour,” he said. Speaking in almost hearing range of the People’s Liberation Army, Modi said that the entire Ladakh and the Galwan valley belong to India.

Prime minister’s tough response to an aggressive China, which is refusing to vacate the area it has occupied from finger eight to four in the Galwan Valley despite several rounds of general-level talks and diplomatic efforts, would also work as a deterrent to Pakistan.

Talking of peace, Modi said that everyone wants peace in the world but “Veerta hee shanti kee poorv shart hoti hai, kamzor shanti kee pahal nahee kar sakta (bravery is the precondition for peace, weak cannot initiate peace).” It has to be seen if China, which has so far refused to de-escalate tension in the region, will understand that India is not a pushover like it was in 1962. New Delhi has matched Beijing troop for troop, gun for gun in deployment in Ladakh. The prime minister’s speech was unambiguous and direct and it is for China to start the process of disengagement. In its first reaction China said India should not take any action that may escalate situation.

With this early morning visit to Nimo and then to the hospital where soldiers injured in the Galwan clash are recuperating the prime minister silenced all his critics who asked him not to hide but come forward and talk about the Chinese transgression without fear.

Even if China pulls back from Galwan area and scales down its deployment in the region the strong anti-China sentiment will boost (aatmnirbharata) indigenisation and tapping of other markets to procure goods to keep China out.

Rajasthan has been very proactive right from the beginning –it has declared relief measures for the poor and needy and support for the industry despite its financial constraints. And the heartening feature in this unprecedented battle is that the top leadership is leading from the front with a focused mindset DR GS SANDHU The author is a retired IAS, Rajasthan Need to n Simplify Procedures; fast track

approvals; restructure loans; reschedule large dues; extend relief, incentives and support n Virus loves density- avoid overcrowding in offices and at workplaces

W

hile the overall Covid-19 cases are increasing in the country the positive side is the marked improvement in the recovery rate which is presently about 60 percent for the country.

Some states have done much better with Rajasthan at the top with about 80 percent recovery rate.

The priority now is the revival of the battered economy, while at the same time continuing to fight the health crisis. Each state is struggling with this. Rajasthan has been very proactive right from the beginning – it has declared relief measures for the poor and needy and support for the industry despite its financial constraints. And the heartening feature in this unprecedented battle is that the top leadership is leading from the front with a focused mindset.

Looking at the past the State has a history of fighting one crisis after another and building resilience in the process – be it the recurring droughts, floods, or other disasters. It has adopted forward-

looking policies for industry, mining, and other sectors and developed a good road infrastructurestate highways and rural roads.

The state can today claim many firsts to its credit-simplified urban land conversion rules in 1999; a new Rent Control Act, 2001; Township Policy, 2001(subsequently another Policy in 2009); Affordable Housing Policy with PPP in 2010 (widely lauded), Master Development Plans for all towns to name a few. All these initiatives and sustained efforts vastly helped in the development process.

Indeed, under the present challenging times rebooting of the economy cannot be done in one go, some things with little or no financial implication can be taken up immediately while others can wait. The measures which can be implemented immediately are the low hanging fruits. A time frame of say 30-60 days can be considered to put them in place-sooner the better to avoid the further downside.

URBAN SECTOR Review of Regulations/Policies/ Laws to simplify procedures- Building Regulations, Township/Affordable/Slum Housing Policies all need a relook. The underlying idea should be to make procedures easier and hassle-free for the public while enabling a healthy lifestyle.

There is an urgent need to boost up the construction sector in urban areas through fast track approvals-online or self-certifying methods. Another pain point is the levy of heavy fees/charges/rates- these can be reduced or recovered in easy installments over time. A good beginning has been made by Rajasthan Housing Board where houses are being sold

LOOKING AT THE PAST THE STATE HAS A HISTORY OF FIGHTING ONE CRISIS AFTER ANOTHER AND BUILDING RESILIENCE IN THE PROCESS – BE IT THE RECURRING DROUGHTS, FLOODS, OR OTHER DISASTERS

through hire-purchase with deferred payments over 13-14 years –there is a very encouraging response to this from the public.

A review of the Reserve Price/DLC rates hiked year after year, is also needed to make these realistic in today’s situation.

The urban local bodies should now adopt digital technology for service delivery. This will bring transparency, faster disposal, and also prevent overcrowding in offices. With more and more people using smartphones this is easier now.

INDUSTRY The State Government has recently announced some incentives and support measures for the industry as per the recommendations of the Interim Report of the Taskforce. Also, incentives have been announced for the Agro-Industries. All these are welcome but the real test is how soon and

how well these can be implemented.

Needless to say, the biggest sufferers in this crisis have been the MSMEsthe role of District Industries Centres becomes very crucial here. They should address the genuine needs of MSMEs including assisting in getting the much-needed credit from the banks without much loss of time.

LABOUR AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT Skilling/ reskilling of the vast labour force which has been rendered jobless is very vital for the economy. Apart from the efforts made by state agencies, it is important to involve the big corporates in this task-this will make the skills meaningful and provide employability. Special efforts are needed to woo private corporates into this area.

OTHER SECTORS Every other department dealing with economic matters should review its policies/programmes to simplify them and make them people-friendly.

There should be a sense of urgency - early steps will help in mitigation and restart of the economy SHELTER NEEDS There is a need to provide shelter to the homeless and poor by encouraging and promoting affordable rental housing schemes. State agencies as well as the private sector should come forward in this regard. An enabling environment needs to be created by the State.

The above are just a few instances of low hanging fruits- there could be many more. All these are needed to minimize the impact of this crisis and avert losses of unimaginable proportions.

THE ROAD TO COVID-19 ENLIGHTENMENT

C

ertainty is like a rainbow: wonderful but relatively rare.

More often than not, we know that we don’t know. We may seek to remedy this by talking to people who may know what we want to know.

But how do we know that they know? If we cannot ascertain whether they actually do know, we must trust them.

Historically, we have bestowed our trust on the basis of science, experience, or divine inspiration. But what if the knowledge we seek does not yet exist, and even science knows that it does not know what is being asked of it?

That is the situation we currently find ourselves in with COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes it. Our knowledge of the new

04

coronavirus is rapidly increasing, but utterly inadequate. We have not yet learned much about how to treat the infected, much less figured out how to make an effective vaccine. We do not even know how to control the pandemic reliably through social-distancing measures.

True, some countries have been remarkably successful in reducing COVID-19 cases and deaths from terrible peaks. The four countries that have so far recorded the highest number of deaths per million inhabitants in a single week are Belgium, Spain, France, and Ireland. New cases in these countries have now declined by over 95.5% from their respective peaks (and by 99.1% in Ireland’s case), suggesting that their lockdowns actually worked.

And yet, while other countries that introduced legally stricter lockdowns (as measured by the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School) and reduced mobility more (as measured by Google) avoided early deadly peaks, cases have continued to grow exponentially. Countries in

this category include India, Chile, Peru, Colombia, El Salvador, Kuwait, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia. And another group, including Israel and Albania, have experienced a resumption of exponential growth after they lifted successful lockdowns.

It doesn’t take long to de-

vise many hypotheses – from the mundane to the speculative – to account for these differences. And, obviously, identifying the best explanations for countries’ varying success in controlling the pandemic is enormously valuable when designing public-health strategies with potentially huge consequences.

Many governments believe that this kind of data-driven strategy for tackling the pandemic is beyond their capacity, and decide to piggyback on what other countries have learned by adopting best practices. This is the wrong approach. The pandemic’s effect on countries differs in ways that we currently do not understand and need to discover. Are people living in Peru in households without refrigerators actually more likely to be

infected, for example?

Moreover, each lockdown and social-distancing regime is different, reflecting the many degrees of freedom in their design.

Finding out what works and what doesn’t on a daily basis is now critical, especially as we try to find ways to open up economies while holding down infection rates.

The fight against COVID-19 is still in its early stages, and it is not too late to start this effort.

After all, Socrates said that knowing you know nothing is a contradiction in terms. Let us therefore make our knowledge of our ignorance about the virus, and of our ability to overcome it, a source of strength. Let’s set ourselves up to learn.

FOR FULL REPORT LOG ON TO WWW.PROJECTSYNDICATE.COM

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp Strengthening India’s march towards self-reliance, loans worth 1.01 lakh crore were sanctioned to 30.11 lakh beneficiaries under 100% emergency credit line guarantee scheme to help restart operations stalled during lockdown.

Adhir Chowdhury @adhirrcinc Sh @narendramodi Ji your surprise visit to Leh will certainly invigorate our army-men in Ladakh, now you will also appreciate the largescale Chinese intrusions in our side of LOAC unlike all party meeting’s statement.

Spiritual SPEAK

In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.

—Buddha

Vol 2 Issue No. 28 RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77764. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Press, D.B. Corp Limited, Shivdaspura, Tonk Road, Jaipur.

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HOW WILL THE PUBLIC REMAIN SAFE, WHEN POLICE ARE NOT, THE LEADER ASKED

KANPUR INCIDENT ANOTHER PROOF OF ‘GUNDARAJ’ IN UP, SAYS RAHUL GANDHI —PHOTO BY ANI

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that Kanpur encounter that resulted in the killing of eight police personnel is another proof of ‘gundaraj’ in the state and added that how will public remain safe when the police themselves are not safe.

“This is another proof of gundaraj in UP. When the police are not safe, how will the public be? My heartfelt condolences are with the families of the slain martyrs and I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he tweeted (translated from Hindi). He also posted a report from a news website on the Kanpur encounter.

Earlier, Congress General Secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid condolences to the families of the police personnel and stated that the law and order situation in the State has deteriorated and demanded strict action from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The eight policemen who lost their lives in the encounter are - CO Devendra Kumar Mishra, SO Mahesh Yadav, Chowki Incharge Anup Kumar, Sub-Inspector Nebulal, Constables Sultan Singh, Rahul, Jitendra and Bablu.

—ANI

Police team investigates the site of encounter, where 8 police personnel lost their lives after being fired upon by criminals, in Kanpur.

Yogi pays tributes to policemen Kanpur: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday paid tributes to the eight policemen who were allegedly killed by criminals during an encounter in Kanpur. “Uttar Pradesh will never forget the martyred policemen who had discharged their duties with unmatched courage. Their sacrifice will not go in vain,” he tweeted.

Any lapse on part of police will be investigated: ADG Kanpur: Additional Director General (ADG) Law and Order Prashant Kumar on Friday visited the encounter spot in Bikaru village where eight police personnel lost their lives after being fired upon by criminals and stated that if there has been any lapse on the part of the police, it will be investigated.

“Seven other persons including a civilian were also injured in the incident. Few police weapons are also miss-

ADG Prashant Kumar

ing. Those responsible for the act will be caught and produced before the law. If there has been any lapse on the part of the police, it will be investigated,” said ADG Law and Order

Prashant Kumar.

Meanwhile, UP DGP, HC Awasthi said “A case under Section 307 was lodged against history-sheeter Vikas Dubey by a man named Rahul Tiwari and the police had gone to arrest him in a village called Bikaru. JCBs were put up there which obstructed our vehicles.

When the force got down, criminals opened fire. We retaliated but since the criminals were at a height, eight of our men died.” —ANI

Drug discovery hackathon can yield COVID-19 solution, says chief of CSIR New Delhi: The drug discovery hackathon, a joint initiative of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), can yield to some novel solution for COVID-19, said Shekhar Mande, DirectorGeneral, CSIR. The hackathon program was launched on Thursday

by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, MHRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, MoS MHRD Dhotre in presence of PSA Vijay Raghavan.

“The combination of two can actually yield some novel solution to COVID-19. So the idea is to pose problems to a

Quake tremors felt in Delhi, nearby areas New Delhi: The national capital on Friday was jolted by tremors of an earthquake.

According to the National Centre for Seismology, the earthquake of magnitude 4.5 had an epicentre 63 km southwest of Gurugram, Haryana. The earthquake struck at 7:00:48 PM IST at a depth of 5 km from the surface. The shocks lasted for a few seconds.Tremors were felt across Delhi and in the nearby regions of Noida and Ghaziabad. —ANI

28 ITBP personnel test corona positive

INDIGO UNVEILS ‘TOUGH COOKIE’ CAMPAIGN New Delhi: IndiGo on Thursday launched the ‘Tough Cookie’ campaign as a tribute to the medical fraternity by providing them with a discount of up to 25% for doctors and nurses serving during COVID-19. The discount will be offered while booking through the airline website, valid from July 1 till December 31. William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “This campaign is our way of expressing profound gratitude for the services of the medical community”

large body of students, train them how the drugs are discovered

BAN ON INT’L FLIGHTS TILL JULY 31

New Delhi: Ban on international commercial passenger flights to and from India has been extended till July 31.

“In partial modification of circular dated 26-06-2020, the competent authority has extended the validity of circular issued on the subject cited above regarding Scheduled international commercial passenger services to/from India till 2359 hrs IST of 31st July, 2020,” read DGCA circular.

and all using in silicon method allow the student to actually work on

finding the novel solution which is the idea,” said Mande.

—ANI

Shimla: 28 personnel of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were tested positive for COVID-19, an official said on Thursday.

Six of these were reported in Shimla. Narendra Chouhan, Sub Divisional Magistrate Rampur (Shimla) said, “6 ITBP jawans have tested positive here, samples were collected yesterday. They’ve been sent to COVID care center in Mashobra.”

India’s COVID-19 count crossed 6 lakh cases on Thursday. —ANI

CM SHOULD TAKE STRICT ACTION, SAYS PRIYANKA New Delhi: Congress General Secretary incharge of UP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted in Hindi “The miscreants fired indiscriminately on the police who went to apprehend the miscreants, in which eight jawans including CO, SO of UP police were killed.

My condolences to the families of these martyrs of UP Police. Law and order in UP have deteriorated, criminals are fearless.”

‘EXTREMELY SAD, SHAMEFUL, UNFORTUNATE’ Kanpur: BSP chief and former UP CM Mayawati, on Kanpur encounter, took to twitter on Friday and said “The incident where 8 policemen including deputy SP were killed and seven others who were injured in an encounter by vicious criminals in Kanpur today is extremely sad, shameful and unfortunate. It is clear that the UP government needs to be more robust, especially in the matter of law and order.”

Sonia writes to PM over denial of OBC quota in NEET New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi has written a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding “denial of reservation” to OBC candidates under all-India quota being filled through National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in the state and union territory medical education institutions.

Urging the Central government to extend the reservation for OBC candidates in the interest of equity and social justice, Gandhi said that denial of reservations to OBCs in state medical institutions in All India Quota, being administered by GOI, “violates the very objective of the 93rd constitutional amendment” and is a barrier to access medical education for deserving OBC candidates.

Under the All India quota, 15 per cent, 7.5 per cent and 10 per cent seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) or the Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) candidates respectively, in both the central and state/UT medical education institutions. However, reservation for OBC candidates under all India quota is restricted to central institutions, the Congress chief said in the letter.

She said according to

‘Which tiger is alive, paper or circus one?’

Sailana: Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Friday took a veiled swipe at Jyotiraditya Scindia, his one-time rival in the party and now a BJP MP, over his statement that `Tiger is still alive’.

Speaking after the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government’s expansion on Thursday, Scindia, said he wanted to tell Congress leaders that “Tiger abhi zinda hai.”

Speaking at a function in Ratlam, Nath referred to the remark, and asked, “Which tiger is alive, paper tiger or a circus one?

Nath also took digs at Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and

Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I am neither a maharaja nor a ‘Mama’,” he said. Scindia, who belongs to a former royal family, is sometimes called ‘Maharaja’ in state politics, while Chouhan’s popular nickname is ‘Mama’ (uncle).

“I have not even sold tea, I am just Kamal Nath,” he said, in a jibe at the PM. —PTI

OPENING SHUT DOORS

Goa reopens for domestic tourists amid corona Panaji: Goa has reopened its doors for domestic tourists amidst the coronavirus pandemic. People from across the country can now visit the coastal state though there are several restrictions still in place.

Over 250 hotels in Goa have been granted permission to resume operations. “Central government has allowed hotels to open, we saw that there are certain SOPs that hotel has to comply with. We have asked hotels to follow it.

TOURISM DIR SAYS

If we feel they have complied with the norms, we will permit them. From today, government has permitted

to reopen hotels,” said Menino D’Souza, Tourism Director, Goa. “Till date, 260 hotels have registered with us, we will look into it and will permit them to start the services. Whatever guidelines are adopted by state will be applicable to tourists also,” he said.

“Booking of hotel will be checked at entry points, we will then see COVID-19 negative certificate issued by ICMR. If the tourist does not have the test report he

will be asked to go for a test and will be kept in isolation centre till then,” he added.

As per the guidelines, upon arrival travellers have been asked to go to the tourism kiosk at the respective entry point.

“All tourists will undergo a basic screening through a thermal gun.”

“Get your mandatory documents checked at the tourism kiosk. Your swab sample will be collected at the state entry point,” the guidelines read.

—ANI

05

‘VIOLATION’

data compiled by All India Federation of Other Backward Classes since 2017, OBC candidates lost over 11,000 seats in all India quota due to non-implementation of OBC reservations in the state/UT medical education institutions.

Gandhi also said that the 93rd constitutional amendment envisages special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the SCs or the STs in admission to educational institutions including private educational institutions whether aided or unaided by the state other than the minority educational institutions.

—ANI

CBDT: I-T dept refunds over `62cr during lockdown New Delhi: The Central Board of Direct Taxes on Friday announced that the Income Tax Department has issued refunds for over 20.44 lakh cases amounting to more than Rs 62,361 crore.

“The Income Tax department has issued tax refunds at a speed of 76 cases per minute from April 8 to June 30, 2020.

During this period of just 56 weekdays, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) today said that it has issued refunds in more than 20.44 lakh cases amounting to more than Rs 62,361 crore,” an official statement from CBDT stated. “Income tax refunds amounting to Rs 23,453.57 crore have been issued in 1,907,853 cases to taxpayers and corporate tax refunds amounting to Rs 38,908.37 crore have been issued in 136,744 cases to taxpayers during this period. Refunds of this magnitude and numbers have been issued completely electronically and have been directly deposited into the bank accounts of the taxpayers,” the CBDT further said.

The CBDT said in these refund cases, “no taxpayer had to approach an officer of the department to request for release of refund.

They now got refund directly into their bank accounts”.

—ANI

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Rajnath praises PM’s Leh visit, says it boosted army’s morale New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making a surprise visit to Ladakh amid border tensions with China and meeting the soldiers, saying that it has boosted the morale of the Indian Army.

Modi made a surprise visit to Ladakh and was briefed by senior officers in Nimmoo. Talking to Twitter, Singh said that the borders of the country have always been secure under the Indian Army.

“The borders of the country have always been secure under the Indian Army. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Ladakh to meet and encourage the soldiers has certainly boosted the morale of the Army. I commend the Prime Minister's move and thank him for it,” Singh tweeted.

The Defence Minister was scheduled to visit Ladakh today to review the preparedness of the

Leading from the front: Shah hails Modi’s move

Rajnath Singh

‘PM'S VISIT SENDS GOOD MESSAGE’

Army amid the ongoing standoff with China.

The situation at the India-China border in Ladakh remains tense after 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent face-off in the Galwan Valley on June 15-

16 when Chinese troops attempted to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation. The two countries have been involved in talks to ease the ongoing border tensions since last month. —ANI

New Delhi: BJP leaders hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ladakh on Friday amid a military standoff between India and China. Lauding the prime minister’s visit, Home Minister Amit Shah said it will boost the morale of our valorous soldiers.

“Leading from the front. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji with our brave and courageous personnel of Army, Air Force & ITBP at a forward location in Ladakh. “This visit of honourable PM will surely boost the morale of our valorous soldiers,” Shah tweeted along with multiple pictures of Modi with the soldiers.

Party president JP Nadda saying his “words give words to the emotion of 130 crore Indians and act as a

Amit Shah

great morale booster for our armed forces”.

“Veer bhogya vasundhara. PM Narendra Modi's words give words to the emotion of 130 crore Indians and act as a great morale booster for our armed forces! True leadership in action!” Nadda said in a tweet after Modi addressed soldiers in Ladakh's Nimu.

“Veer bhogya vasundhara” is a Hindi idiom that means that the brave will inherit the earth. —ANI

NE Delhi riots: Chargesheets against rioters New Delhi: A WhatsApp group with at least 125 members was used to mobilise and coordinate between rioters, with members bragging about killing Muslims and dumping their bodies in the sewer, and offering manpower and guns when necessary, three chargesheets filed in connection with murders of three men during the Northeast Delhi riots show. —Agencies

Permit changed to let tourists move freely New Delhi: Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a notification for amendment to National Permit regime under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 for promoting tourism. Scheme will render consolidation of a central database and fees of all such permits, which might give sense of tourist movements, promotion of tourism and help increase revenues generated through such registrations. —ANI

MP min seeks CBI Advani-Joshi allotted bungalows probe against Sonia, on security grounds, clarifies Govt Rahul, Kamal Nath Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Minister Kamal Patel wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding a CBI probe against Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party leader Rahul Gandhi and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath for their relationship with China and about the financial transactions as well.

In his letter, Patel has demanded CBI inquiry against Congress leader Kamal Nath alleging that Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received donations from Chinese Embassy, due to which he gave rebate on Chinese imports.

“Not only the relationship of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Kamal Nath with China but also CBI investigation should be conducted regarding the economic transactions and their assets so that the truth of Congress Party can be revealed to the public.”

Patel further added that for the past several

Kamal Patel

days, regarding our border dispute with China, the Congress party has been giving unrestrained statement.

“Keeping in mind information received from media, deep relations between China and then UPA government cannot be denied,” Patel wrote.

“And Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, headed by Sonia Gandhi, received financial support of crores of rupees from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the name of donation and is the soft attitude of the Congress at the time of border dispute with China due to this financial support?” he added. —ANI

New Delhi: The ruling party and the opposition have been at loggerheads ever since the central government ordered Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to vacate the government bungalow allotted to her in New Delhi. The Congress is accusing the government of adopting double standards with regard to the Gandhi family. In such a situation, the government has issued a clarification.

The government said

MM Joshi and LK Advani

that on the basis of the Public Premises Amendment Bill 2019, Priyanka has been ordered to vacate the government bungalow. This amended law came into force in

September 2019.

On giving government accommodation to senior BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, Centre has said that Cab-

inet Committee on Accommodation has decided to give Advani and Joshi government accommodation as an exception based on security threat perception. As per this rule, Advani can live in a bungalow for his lifetime, while Joshi is entitled to a government bungalow till June 25, 2022. Advani and Joshi have got government accommodation on the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs on the basis of threat perception. —Agencies

Monsoon session of Parl will be hybrid!

New Delhi: The monsoon session of Parliament may be convened in the last week of August or by early September after a consensus emerged on Friday over conducting a hybrid session.

As part of the arrangements, while some members will sit inside the Parliament

chambers and galleries, others will join the proceedings virtually, albeit from within the Parliament premises, either from the Central Hall or the Balayogi auditorium.

Amid the growing clamour for convening Parliament both in light of the coronavirus pandemic and the

Chinese ingression in Ladakh, Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting to discuss the fine print of how the upcoming session will be held.

The broad consensus that emerged following the hour-long discussion was to enable seating of 127 mem-

bers of Rajya Sabha in the chamber and galleries of the House, and to simultaneously create systems to enable virtual participation of the remaining members from either the Central Hall or Balayogi Auditorium inside the Parliament House premises.

—Agencies

06

POWER Gallery TWO KEY BANK ORDERS STILL AWAITED

Two Key Bank appointment orders of PP Sengupta and Ashwini Bhatia are stilll awaited. May be in a week or two.

WHO WILL BE NEW MEMBER (TECHNICAL) APPELLATE TRIBUNAL OF ELECTRICITY?

Search cum Selection Committee is believed to have short-listed 3 persons for the post of Member (Technical) Appellate Tribunal of Electricity .They are Rajiv Sharma - former Chairman PFC, P S Mhaske - Chairman of CEA and Sandesh Kumar Sharma - Member (Planning) CEA. Incidentally two are from CEA. UDDHAV THACKERAY DID NOT RECOMMEND MEHTA’S EXTENSION?

It is said that Maha CM Uddhav didn’t recommend Ajoy Mehta’s extension as CS. Any specific reason?

S S SANDHU CONTINUES AS CHAIRMAN, NHAI TILL JANUARY 2021

Central deputation tenure of Sukhbir Singh Sandhu working as Chairman, NHAI, has been extended for six months upto January 21, 2021.

CENTRAL DEPUTATION TENURE OF SHAILENDRA SINGH EXTENDED

The Central deputation tenure of Shailendra Singh, working as Additional Secretary, Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, has been extended for a period of six months beyond July 21.

RAKESH CHANDRA TIWARI SELECTED FOR DIRECTOR (MKTG), ITI LTD.

Rakesh Chandra Tiwari, Principal GM in Indian Telecommunications Service, has been selected for post of Director (Marketing), ITI Limited at a Public Enterprises Selection Board meeting held on July 2.

AKASH SHARMA DECLINES OFFER FOR FINANCE DIRECTOR, BVFCL

Akash Sharma, VP Finance, Bajaj Hindustan Sugar Ltd, is whispered to have declined offer for Director (Finance), Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corp Ltd. As per sources, he isn’t interested in joining PSU. VERMA’S TERM ENDED IN MHA

Short term loan arrangement of VK Verma ended in June and he has been sent back to his parent Dept of Commerce. He is an officer of Indian Supply Service.

SEARCH FOR SUCCESSOR TO SREENIVASULU, CMD, SIL BEGINS

GOI has started searching for successor to R Sreenivasulu, Chairman-cum-MD, Scooters India Limited (SIL), post falling vacant on May 1, 2021.

SIX IPS OFFICERS OF 2009 & 2010 BATCH TO BE DIGS IN J&K

As many as 6 IPS officers are proposed to be promoted to grade of Dy IG in J&K. They include: Raees Bhat, Sridhar Patil and Rajiv Pandey of 2010 batch while Rahul Malik, Shailendra Mishra and Imtiyaz Ismayil Parray of 2009 batch.

PRASAR BHARTI RECRUITMENT BOARD GETS ITS FIRST CHAIRPERSON IN JAGDISH UPASANE

Jagdish Upasane has been appointed as first Chairperson of Prasar Bharati Recruitment Board.

He is former V-C of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism. Deepa Chandra, ADG, retd; P N Bhakla, ADG, Eng retd; Ms Kimbyong Kipgain, Secretary, PESB and CP Jain, GM, HR, RVNL, would be Members. The Board will recruit the officers and employees below the Joint Secretary level.

P RAMESH KUMAR IS NEW CIC ANDHRA PRADESH

P Ramesh Kumar former 1986 batch IAS officer of WB cadre has been chosen as Andhra Pradesh CIC. ALLAHABAD HC STILL SHORT OF 12 PERMANENT JUDGES

The Allahabad High Court was still short of 12 permanent Judges as on July 1, 2020.

FROM PG 1 The changing... and Soni’s departures, Gehlot carried one more ‘surgical strike’ by ‘indirectly’ endorsing or approving a major ACB action by registering a FIR against SOG ADG Anil Paliwal, ASP Satyapal Middha and inspector Vishnu Khatri in Age of...

Lauding the bravery displayed by the soldiers, the Prime Minister said: “The bravery that you and your compatriots showed, a message has

rupee 2 crore bribery scandal. A fairly competent and efficient Paliwal was being considered as ‘close’ to power corridors in Jaipur and therefore, DG ACB Dr Alok Tripahti’s action surprised everyone. Subsequently, in a late night development, by demonstratgone to the world about India’s strength.”

“Your courage is higher than the heights where you are posted today,” he added.

“Atmanirbhar Bharat

ing the administrative sense of properiety, the state government swiftly shifted Paliwal from the powerful post of ADG SOG to ADG Personnel.

It is well known that Gehlot being the minister incharge of ACB, no such major action (FIR) against a SOG chief could be ka sankalp aapke tyag, balidan, pursharth ke karan aur bhi mazbut hai,”(The determination of self-reliant India gets strengthened from your sacrifice and cour-

registered without the prior knowledge of the Chief Minister. At the end of the day, all these three ‘unfortunate’ incidents clearly indicate the changing face of Gehlot from a sensitive and humane faced Chief Minister to a ruthless administrator. age),” the Prime Minister said.

The soldiers were observed maintaining social distancing while PM Modi’s address here.

PM Modi on Friday

made a surprise visit to Ladakh and was briefed by senior officers at Nimmoo amid ongoing tension with China. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. —ANI

Kanpur: 8 cops...

Additional Superintendent of Police, Rural, Brijesh Srivastava, said.

On getting information, an additional police team was rushed to the spot to rescue the cops. The injured police-

men were taken to the hospital where doctors declared eight of them dead. The assailants managed to escape from the spot.

Senior police officials, including ADG Kanpur Zone Jai Narayan Singh and IG Kanpur Range Mohit Agarwal, also rushed to the spot. A forensic team also arrived to examine the area.

Hours later, Kanpur police claimed to have gunned down two criminals after a team reached Bikaru village for combing operation.

A gun battle broke out between the assailants

and the cops during which two criminals were injured. They were taken to the hospital where they were declared brought dead by the doctors.

Dubey’s maternal uncle Prem Prakash Pandey and his associate Atul Dubey were arrested, Jai Narain Singh, Additional Director General, Kanpur zone, said. Mishra was murdered inside Pandey’s residence inside the village, he added.

The police also claimed to have recovered a service pistol of a cop and a country-made pistol from their posses-

sion. Among the deceased were Circle Officer, Bilhor, Devendra Kumar Mishra and Shivrajpur police station officer Mahesh Yadav. The remaining deceased were two sub-inspectors and four constables.

ICMR-Bharat...

The vaccine is derived from a strain of SARSCoV-2 isolated by ICMR-National Institute of virology. Pune- ICMR and BBIL are jointly working for the preclinical as well as clinical development of this vaccine,” the letter read. —ANI

NEWS JAIPUR | SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2020

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ED FAILED TO ANSWER MY QUERIES ON BENEFITS GIVEN TO SANDESARA GROUP, SAYS AHMED PATEL New Delhi: Facing an Enforcement Directorate probe in a money-laundering case, Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Friday said the investigation agency had failed to answer his question on who in the Gujarat government bestowed benefits, privileges and honours to the Sandesara group, for which he was being quizzed.

Patel said he had answered 128 questions posed to him

by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and thanked the agency for visiting him thrice in connection with the Sandesara

money-laundering case.

“Thank you officials of ED for coming to my house thrice,” Patel tweeted.

“I answered each of their 128 questions but they failed to answer my one fundamental question - Who in the Gujarat state government was responsible for bestowing multiple benefits, privileges and honours on the Sandesara

group,” Patel added.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra came out in Patel’s support and alleged that sending the ED to harass the senior party leader in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic shows the “perversion” of this government’s priorities.

“Thousands are dying, our health workers are desperate for supportive measures, the economy is facing an unprecedented crisis,

I answered each of their 128 questions but they failed to answer my one fundamental question - Who in the Gujarat state government was responsible for bestowing multiple benefits, privileges and honours on the Sandesara group —Ahmed Patel

Veteran Congress leader

Beware of airline shenanigans!

Book flight tickets carefully

Univ rolls back exam schedule of PG Previous

Kashiram Chaudhary

First India Bureau

Jaipur: Check before you click online to buy airline tickets. The airlines have been ripping off customers by booking tickets for even those flights that are not operational yet. On top of that, they are not issuing refunds, but credit shell amount.

Many airlines have been reflecting flights on their websites, which are yet not operational. However, if you inadvertently booked ticket then getting refund is ‘Mushkil hi Nahi Namumkin Hai’.

Go Air has been taking booking for many cities. Spice Jet too has booked tickets for new flights scheduled from July 1, even though it is not going to start these flights soon. Hence, before booking ticket people must check as getting refund is a horrendous task.

How passengers have been taken for a ride can be gauged by the fol-

Jaipur: Clearing the air, Rajasthan University on Friday postponed the examination for PG Previous that were scheduled to be held from July 15.

Rajasthan University had released the UG and PG final time table, along with the time table for PG Previous on Thursday causing confusion among the students. But the university administration clarified that examinations for only the UG and PG final year will take place as per schedule.

FI took up the issues among students, who were of the opinion that they had no objection in giving exams, but the university had first said that they will not hold the examination and now the schedule has come all of a sudden. Later, Vice Chancellor Prof RK Kothari on Friday ordered to postpone the examination of PG Previous.

NOT ACTING

lowing example: A passenger booked ticket of Go Air for direct flight to Ahmedabad on July 2.

Two days before the flight, he received mes-

sage that flight will not operate.

When he reached airport, the Go Air’s counter was closed.

It is not just Go Air, but all other airlines have been fleecing passengers in this way.

The reason airlines have been resorting to unethical practice is to cover losses incurred during lockdown due to corona epidemic, and still people are afraid of flying. So, they book tickets to increase flights.

When not enough people book tickets for those particular flights, they just cancel flights.

Sending the ED to harass the senior party leader in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic shows the perversion of this government’s priorities —Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary

the Chinese are entering our territory, our soldiers are being killed, and this is what the Government is busy spending time on,” she said in a tweet.

“They say crisis unveils the true nature of people, it appears the saying applies to governments as well,” Priyanka added.

The ED investigators questioned Patel at his residence for about 10 hours on Thursday dur-

ing the third round of his grilling in connection with the probe into the Sandesara brothers’ bank fraud and moneylaundering case.

“This is political vendetta and harassment against me and my family and I do not know under whose pressure they (investigators) are working,” Patel had said after his questioning.

The agency had

earlier questioned the 70-year-old Congress leader in two separate sessions, clocking about 17 hours in total, on June 27 and 30.

He was allowed to be quizzed at home by the agency after the Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat refused to visit the ED office, citing the prevailing COVID-19 guidelines that discourage senior citizens from going out.

Officials said Patel’s statement was being recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

He is being questioned on his alleged links with the Sandesara brothers, the promoters of the Vadodara-based Sterling Biotech pharmaceutical company, and dealings of his family members with them.

The agency, last year, had questioned Patel’s son Faisal and son-in-law Irfan Ahmed Siddiqui in connection with the case and recorded their statements.

The Sandesaras are also facing separate probes by the CBI and the Income Tax department for their alleged nexus with some high-profile politicians and charges of corruption and tax evasion respectively.

SIGHT TO BEHOLD: THIRST BRINGS FOES TOGETHER

Jaipur: The full and partial lockdown over the months brought the pollution level down by unprecedented levels and made air, water, flora and fauna

come back to their original forms. This was at demonstration in Jhalana Leopard safari where a Leopard and a Blue Bull were seen drinking

water from water point number 4 without any intimidation from each other. State Wildlife Board member Dhirendra Godha

and Wildlife enthusiast Dhiraj Kapoor captured the rare moment for posterity as they felt that it was nothing short of a miracle.

No admissions under RTE in pre-primary Bharat Dixit Jaipur: There has been a major change in the rules for admission under Right to Education (RTE) rules.

Now, the private schools will only be able to grant admission to class first students un-

der the RTE rules. The RTE category admissions for the pre-primary have been done away with from now on.

This will drastically affect the total number of seats allotted under RTE. These seats may come down by 2 lakh this year. Till the last

educational session, the total number of seats under RTE was 4 lakh.

This year the applications will start from July 9 and continue up to July 24 .

The lottery will be conducted on July 30.

Children aged five to seven will be eligible

for admissions under RTE to class first. The age will be calculated with reference to March 31, 2020.

New limitations will certainly bar many children in getting absorbed in the formal education system at an early age.

BJP building 33 hi-tech ditto offices

ED files prosecution plaint against Agribiotech Industry

Aishwary Pradhan

First India Bureau

ACROSS RAJ

Jaipur: BJP’s all 33 district offices will be hi-tech and all of them will have same design. State BJP President Satish Poonia and general secretary (organisation) Chandrashekhar have been planning to get party’s national leaders to inaugurate them.

These districts offices are in last stage of completion after construction work began during the tenure of Vasundhara Raje as chief minister and Ashok Parnami and Madan Lal Saini as state presidents.

INAUGURATION

Satish Poonia

All districts offices will be ready soon as construction in 18 districts is in full swing.

Work in four district offices are on the verge of completion.

According to party

Chandrashekhar

sources, Rajsamand and Bhilwara district offices are complete.

The state leadership wants national president JP Nadda or any other national leader to inaugurate them.

The party has been planning to complete the construction in half of the districts within a year. State treasurer Ramkumar Bhootra, former housing board chairman Ajaypal Sin-

gh, Satish Sarin and Vivek Gupta have been working round the clock to ensure completion of work.

However, the party is yet to solve land-related issues in some districts.

While it has decided to look for another plot in Karauli, the land in Sirohi and Kota is caught in legal tangle.

There is dispute on land in Pali as well. Whereas the party has still not decided on land in Dungarpur and Pratapgarh.

The party wanted interior and exterior to be same in all offices. Poonia wants district offices to be complete during his tenure.

Jaipur: Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a case against Ajitgarh and Sikar based Agribiotech Industries under Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act. ED has charged the industry of earning Rs 8.38 crore through illegal means.

The case is filed against company directors, Former MD Girdhar Gopal Bajoriya and sitting MD Ashutosh Bajoriya by charging the company of infringing water conservation and environment conservation rules to illegally make a profit of Rs 8.38

crore. ED will now be able to prosecute the company directors and complete the seizure of company assets.

ED had started investigating the case on August 5, 2010 and found that Agribiotech had been granted permission to start a distillery to produce rectified spirit from processing millet, wheat and corn. The company had permission of producing 45,000 litres of extra neutral alcohol and rectified

spirit daily but it produced 65000 litres from December 2007 till July 2012.

The company thus produced 1.38 crore litres above the permitted quantity earning Rs 8.38 crore. Agribiotech also didn’t install a water treatment plant as per rules which would have cost Rs 8.20 crore. ED had confiscated the Ajitgarh plant of the company.

The industry is found to be in violation of against sections 24,25 & 26 of the Rajasthan State Pollution Prevention and Control Act, 1986.

The ED has moved to the special PMLA court to put final nails in the coffin of the offenders.

Remember, not everything is visible to ‘eyesight’, many an important thing is only ‘seen’ by insight.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

POSTAL REG NO. JPC/010/2019-21

JAIPUR | SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2020

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08

Operation lotus now SOG ASP demands `2 cr bribe for enters its second phase KHAKHI VS KHAKHI

ADG Paliwal, ACB verifies, files FIR

Naveen Sharma

Jaipur: The heat generated by alleged extortion in the name of DIG Laxmangarh had not ebbed away when police department was hit by yet another ‘storm’.

ACB, on Friday, filed a case against an additional SP and others posted in Special Operations group (SOG) for demanding bribe of whopping Rs 2 crore in lieu of not registering an FIR. Interestingly, the bribe was being demanded in the name of Additional Director General (ADG) SOG Anil Paliwal.

Anil Paliwal

According to sources, a complainant had approached bureau and informed that he operates a credit cooperative society which takes deposit from members and provides loans.

“However the person said that there was an investigation pending before SOG against society and investigating officers were ASP

Alok Tripathi

Satyapal Middha and Inspector Vishnu Khatri. It is said that the duo approached man and demanded bribe of Rs 2 crore in the name of ADG Paliwal and offered not to register a FIR,” officials said. Interestingly, men were ready to take bribe in instalments and demanded Rs 30 lakh as first instalment.

Vaibhav’s efforts paid off: RCA to get own stadium

Naresh Sharma Jaipur: Good news for cricket lovers from Rajasthan. The Rajasthan Cricket association, in its executive meeting held on Friday, approved the construction of RCA’s own stadium in Jaipur along with starting the domestic cricket tournaments, initiating the process of formation of selection committee and appointment of coaches amongst various other works.

Domestic cricket competition of RCA for domestic cricket tournaments to be organised in the state, RCA will initiate the tournaments only after an approval by the state government’s directions and BCCI’s guidelines. Selection

Vaibhav Gehlot with Amin Pathan and other RCA office bearers on Friday.

Committee- RCA will soon organise Special General Meeting for the formation of its Senior and Junior (Male - Female) Selection Committee, mainly in the criteria set in the constitution for the formation of Rajasthan Cricket Association Selection Committee. Making necessary amendments will make the process of selection committee accessible.

A fresh process will be initiated for appointment of coaches and

support staff of RCA teams. A consultancy firm, GRAS from Delhi and Mehta and Associates LLP from Indore gave detailed presentation about construction of the stadium to RCA Chief Patron and Assembly Speaker CP Joshi and RCA President Vaibhav Gehlot.

During the presentation, ultra modern grand pavilion stands, corporate boxes, international quality sports ground, practice nets and various other facilities were shown.

Satyapal Middha

A release from ACB, late on Friday evening, read, “Bureau conducted verification of complaint during which ASP Satyapal Middha was found demanding bribe in the name of ADG SOG Anil Paliwal following which case (108/2020) has been registered under sections 7 and 7(a) of Prevention of Corruption Act and

120(b) of IPC. Investigation is being conducted.” Interestingly, matter is being investigated

by ASP Pushpendra Singh Rathore, who has served in SOG when bureau was searching for Anand Pal Singh. In ACB and police circles, this is being considered as one of the most prime ‘catch’ by Dr Alok Tripathi and his team. One must salute moral courage and conviction of ACB sleuths these days because their latest SOG catch - Paliwal - is considered close to power circles in state.

In this way, the top central BJP leadership has further strengthened its credibility across the nonBJP ruled state.

Enthusiastic with MP developments, there is a fresh ‘political activity’ in Congress and BJP circles in state capital but everyone involved

in this process is very cautious of not repeating a ‘previous failure’.

According to sources, at the moment, pulldown map and its modalities are not very clear but in politics, nothing is ruled out.

However, a ‘concerned’ Ashok Gehlot and his political advisors are already on a high-alert mode and maintaining a day to day touch with all ‘prime suspects’. So, the next couple of weeks may be very curious and interesting for the news makers and the news listeners!

Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reviewed progress of City Gas Distribution projects being implemented by PSUs of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in Kota. Rajasthan State Gas Limited has committed to supply 10,000 household PNG connections and also complete work on 3 new CNG stations

by December 2020. Pradhan exhorted RSPCL officials to provide natural gas to local industries for a clean fuel led development. Pradhan also expressed his pleasure at the fact that expansion of CGD network and gas infrastructure projects is going on in full swing despite Covid-19 challenges and also affirmed MoPNG’s commitments to providing CNG and PNG for a cleaner and greener Kota and Rajasthan.

Modi is not the first @PMOIndia to visit a forward Location in LAC. If it is not a Photo Op. Let’s wait and watch what constructive output on China we get from his visit.

Awaiting details on the captured area.

Truth straight from the horse's mouth! The ladhakis raise their voices against the lies and propaganda that the PM Modi and his Government are shamelessly putting out on the India-China Border Standoff Issue.

The country is struggling with the Corona epidemic, the biggest challenge is to restore the country’s economy, curb the rising petrol and diesel prices, take any concrete steps on the India-China dispute. But Modi government is busy in making foolish efforts to tarnish Priyanka Gandhi’s image by not paying attention to these things.

Vishnu Dutt suicide: CBI team reaches Rajgarh, likely to interrogate station staff First India Bureau Churu: CBI team from Delhi, which has been investigating the suicide case of Rajgarh SHO Vishnu Dutt Vishnoi reached Rajgarh on Friday. The CBI team was accompanied by FSL team.

If sources are to be believed, the CBI has discussed all important points in the case with CID CB officials from which they received all the important documents related to the case. CBI SP DM Sharma discussed the case with Churu SP Tejas-

1-6, JEE Advanced exam will be held on Sept 27 and NEET examination will be held on Sept 13,” Nishank tweeted.

In a video message on Thursday, the HRD Minister had said he has been receiving requests from students appearing for JEE and NEET exams and from their parents through social media, e-mails and other means to the ministry to postpone these examinations looking at the present

situation.

On May 7, it was announced that JEE Advanced Exam will be conducted on August 23.

Nishank had earlier announced the NEET exam will be held on 26 July while the IIT-JEE (Main) examination will be held on 18, 20, 21, 22, and 23 July. NEET is the qualifying test for MBBS and BDS programs in Indian medical and dental colleges. It is conducted by NTA while the JEE is for admission into the premier IITs. —ANI

Vishnu Dutt

wini Gautam for nearly one and half hour.

The CBI team is likely to interrogate the staff of Rajgarh police station as well and some other people.

The CBI team has been camping in Churu

circuit house where one after another cars with Delhi number plates have been frequently making forays. SHO Vishnu Dutt Vishnoi’s body was found hanging from ceiling fan in his government quarter. His

family, local leaders and Bishnoi community had demanded CBI inquiry, which the Gehlot government had accepted.

Though, Rajasthan high court had rejected demand for CBI inquiry. Justice Sabina and Justice CK Songara’s division bench gave this ruling on a PIL filed by advocate Sonia Gill. She had claimed that many politically influential people are suspected to be involved in this matter as the deceased police officer had alleged political pressure in his suicide note.

RAIN RELIEF —PHOTO BY SANTOSH SHARMA

we have decided to postpone JEE and NEET examinations.

JEE Main examination will be held between Sept

Jaipur: After a massive Thursday cabinet reshuffle at Bhopal, there is a fresh buzz in Rajasthan political circles that now the next target is Rajasthan’s Congress government in Jaipur.Induction of 14 Scindia camp MLAs into Shivraj cabinet, even without their being MLA at this stage, has sent a clear message to all ‘fence-sitters’ in all Congress ruled state that BJP high command honours its word and commitment, made with Congress defectors.

AVINASH PANDE @avinashpandeinc

JEE, NEET exams postponed to September

amination will be held on September 13. “Keeping in mind the safety of students and to ensure quality education

Aditi Nagar

FOR CLEANER AND GREENER RAJ

SAFEGUARDING STUDENTS FROM COVID

New Delhi: Union Human Resources Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Friday announced that JEE and NEET examinations have been postponed and will now be held in September, keeping in view the safety of students amid COVID-19 pandemic.

The JEE Main examination will be held between September 1 to 6 while JEE advanced exam will take place on September 27. NEET ex-

AFTER MP CABINET RESHUFFLE, OPERATION LOTUS ENTERS IN SECOND PHASE IN RAJ

The Pink City witnessed much needed rainfall on Friday evening. The city was reeling under scorching heat and the sudden spell of shower provided a sigh of relief.

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09

JAIPUR, SATURDAY JULY 4, 2020

THROWBACK

Ek Do Teen from Tezaab

Kaate Nahi Kat Te from Mr India

Radha Kaise Na Jale from Lagaan

Tabaah Ho Gaye from Kalank

Goodbye, Masterji!

FROM BEING A BACKGROUND DANCER TO AN ACE DANCE CHOREOGRAPHER IN BOLLYWOOD, LATE SAROJ KHAN CHOREOGRAPHED VARIOUS HITNUMBERS ALL THESE YEARS!

Maar Dala from Devdas

NEHAL NAYAR

nehal.nayar@firstindia.co.in

L

Dola Re Dola from Devdas

Choli Ke Peeche from Khalnayak

Yeh Ishq Haaye from Jab We Met

ate Saroj Khan, who was one of the most prominent dance choreographers in the Hindi cinema industry passed away at the age of 71 in Mumbai on Friday. Fondly called ‘Masterji’ by her bevy of admirers, she enthralled vast audiences by giving signature steps to a slew of iconic songs. Saroj Khan choreographed over 2000 songs, with most of them being remembered as ‘iconic songs with signature steps’.

The craze for dancing blossomed her at a very young age.

She started her career as a child artist at the age of three for the film ‘Nazarana,’ and then, graced many stages as a background dancer. She then moved up from a background dancer to an assistant choreographer to an independent choreographer. She got her first break in 1974 with the movie ‘Geeta Mera Naam’. And after that, there was no looking back as she choreographed some legendary actors, including Madhuri Dixit Nene, Aishwarya Rai and Sridevi.

She received wide recognition and acclaim for her work with Sridevi. She choreographed the late actor for songs like Hawa Hawai in ‘Mr India’ (1987), and also in ‘Nagina’ (1986) and Chandni (1989). Recognition as a choreographer further came with Madhuri Dixit’s hits like Ek Do Teen in ‘Tezaab’ (1988), Tamma Tamma Loge in ‘Thanedaar’ (1990) and Dhak Dhak Karne Laga in ‘Beta’ (1992).

Saroj Khan also appeared in many television dance reality shows as a judge and inspired many young kids through the show. She was the recipient of three National Film Awards for her stellar choreography in 2003 released ‘Dola Re Dola song (Devdas), in 2006,

for all songs from Tamil period movie ‘Sringaram,’ and in 2008, for the song ‘Yeh Ishq Haaye’ (Jab We Met). She also went on to have a hat-trick at the Filmfare awards winning consistently for three years from 1989 to 1991.

She passed away due to a cardiac arrest in the ICU of Guru Nanak Hospital, where she was admitted on June 20. The last rites of Saroj Khan were performed at Malvani in Malad, Mumbai on Friday.

Many B-town celebrities took to their social media handles to pay tribute to the dance maestro.

—More on pg11

SAROJ KHAN: 1948-2020

Ek Do Teen from Baaghi 2

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JAIPUR | SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2020

MASKS, RESPIRATORY AILMENTS, DEATHS. CHARACTERS GOING STIR-CRAZY IN ISOLATED ROOMS. IT’S LIKE ALL YOUR CORONAVIRUS FEARS HAVE BEEN BUNDLED IN AN 8-EPISODE SHOW ABOUT THE CIRCULARITY OF GOOD AND EVIL. THE PARANOIA IS BASELESS BUT TELLING. EARLIER THIS MONTH, A FANGED EFFIGY OF THE LETHAL VIRUS WAS BURNED IN MUMBAI. IN ASUR — A NEW VOOT SELECT ORIGINAL STREAMING SINCE MARCH 3 — PANIC SPREADS AS A SELF-APPOINTED ‘DEMON’ GOES AROUND STATES KILLING PEOPLE. FEAR AND IRRATIONALITY HAVE A BLOOD BOND.

T

FA CE OF TH ED AY

he show starts with Nikhil (Barun Sobti) quitting a teaching position at the FBI and returning to India. A former forensics expert, he isn’t hunting for minds, just bodies. Dead ones, yes — and those that ‘tell a story’.

Lucky for him, there’s a serial killer at large, a shad-

owy monster piling corpses and texting their coordinates to the cops.

Nikhil settles in but is suspicious of Dhananjay (Arshad Warsi), his past instructor from institute days. Sporting a suit-and-stubble combo, Dhananjay is older, sharper, and a more functional wreck: he’s unfazed about his impending divorce while Nikhil navigates a difficult marriage. One has quit smoking (for a

YOUR DAY Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

stretch at least), while the other can’t.

The buddy cop setup had me hooked.

Arshad’s blandness — untapped since Seher (2005) — creates fascinating friction with Barun’s showy brood. But then the show, riding the wave of mythology-inspired Indian thrillers, goes all out with its twisty excess. Between frequent bong hits of religion, philosophy, and forensic jargon, a chase ensues. The makers try

ised and disorganised.” “You want cigarettes, or do you want proof ?” “The answer was as simple as…. an ulcer.”

The genre enthusiasm is enjoyable: the killer, while filming a battered head, shoots the blood in trickling slow-mo. The presentday chase is intercut with a pulpy origin story. Child actor Vishesh Bansal aces these bits; his cold glare in one scene is reminiscent of the kid in Incen-

dies (2010). Perhaps these heavy influences wear the show down. Every time narrative action halts in favour of character psychology, things become a drag.

The Sacred Games hangover is unsubtle.

Anupriya Goenka, who played a sulky wife in that show, plays a sulky wife here. She even gets an identical dream sequence near the end. Each episode brings a truckload of mythological references. They range from obscure to faintly amusing and are often delivered without any thematic context.

The politics, likewise, is childish: a leftist, a journalist, and a cleric are pitted in a highrisk game of Bigg Boss. (Guess who comes out on top?)

Late into Asur, something meaningful is said. “Conflict, not cooperation, is the nature of man,” a character asserts. It has taken a virulent pandemic for the modern world to be united anew. To set aside differences and facilitate relief. To value science over superstition, survival over selfishness and greed. This darkness, however dense, has its lessons to teach.

Source: https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/hindi/2020/mar/20/asur-web-series-review-arshad-warsileads-an-enthusiastic-thriller-17662.html

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

Scintillating personality is loved by everyone and thats how you are loved everywhere you go. Your senior at work admires and look upto you secretly. Life may seem tough to you right now but these tough times are making you strong. Its easy to drift apart in relationships.

Frolicsome friend is needed by everyone and this quality of yours make people crave for your company. Stocks will give you profits and its good for you to invest in long term stocks as well. Take correct decisions on career front as your every move will impact your future.

Reclusive tendency if becomes permanent than its a problem, seek help if you continue to feel that same way. You are a bright minded person and often people come to you for guidance. You may face challenged from in laws but with persistent efforts you will change.

Fallacious practices on business front shall be avoided. Success is guaranteed but you have to be very patient and keep yourself positive at all times. If someone trust you than make sure to respect that and never take it for granted. Your spouse will give you surprise.

MAR 21 - APR 20

APR 21 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Multifaceted business will give you the opportunity to make big money no matter what the circumstances are. Meeting friends outside is not feasible but getting in touch on phone shouldn’t be a problem. You will be whole day entertained with some or the other thing at home.

Swagger is good if its in a confident manner and negative if there is arrogance involved. Trust your spouse in money related matters and let them take the charge also you derive luck from your spouse. Have faith in something or someone, its very important.

Altercations on professional front must be avoided and try to ease things out. You need to keep a check on your health and make sure to devote some time to exercises. You are in search of your path and the only way you can find is by truly self introspecting.

Bolster someone today and they will be thankful to you in the future. Create a peaceful environment at home. You have financial stability.

Take timely actions in business.

Someone of you get enthusiastic about things at first and loose it later therefore work on being consistent.

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

AUG 24 - SEP 23

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Diligence and confidence will take you far in life. The art of making life beautiful can be learnt from you. You have a big heart for friends and they can anytime reply on you. You love your freedom and you don’t let anyone or anything mess with it. You love your parents but don’t agree with them.

Exacerbating any matter on business front should be avoided. Professional life is really good inspite of the current changes due to pandemic.

You have a lovely life partner and you should thank god for him/her everyday. You love your family and can do anything for them.

Invoking a demon in someone is not a right thing to do and let people be as they want to be. You are a lovely human being. Money is flowing into your life by your kid’s fortune.

Your life is beautiful not because you have everything but because of the way you live it.

Viability in business is very important. Life teaches you many lesson but it makes sense only if we learn those lessons. Your spouse will help you in your business or may open her new business of her own. All travelling plans are cancelled so work things around as per situation.

NOV 23 - DEC 22

KRITIKA KHURANA, Blogger

for Sacred Games by way of Dexter, Se7en, and Oldboy.

They land at Crime Patrol for Ashwin Sanghi fans.

Not all is lost, though. The screenplay (by Gaurav Shukla, Niren Bhatt, and Vijay Chhawal) has its moments. The opening cliffhanger is ambitious but fits snugly into the plot.

The dialogues are deliciously stiff. Some gems: “There are two kinds of serial killers in the world — organ-

10

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

FEB20 - MARCH 20

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

JAIPUR | SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2020

11

HAPPY B’DAY TOM

Shakuntala Devi

H

ollywood heartthrob Tom Cruise is celebrated his 58th birthday yesterday and his fans made sure to make it memorable for the icon by pouring in tons of lovely birthday wishes on Twitter.

From recalling his stellar action performance in ‘Top Gun’ to crediting him as a person with a ‘golden heart,’ Cruise’s fans left no stone unturned to make his birthday special. ‘Happy Birthday to the legendary actor @ TomCruise “The Man Of Stunts,”’ wrote a Twitter user.

Addressing him as the ‘superstar, legend, icon, and achiever’, another fan of the actor wrote: ‘We idolized you since adolescence & your worldwide fan following is unparalleled. Wish you a long, happier, healthier & more joyful life........ #HappyBirth-

releases on July 31

O

nline video streaming service Amazon Prime Video on Thursday announced that Vidya Balan’s much-awaited film ‘Shakuntala Devi’ - will get its global premiere on July 31.

The announcement of the global premiere of the film was made through a video of Balan where she is seen asking viewers to solve several challenging mathematics problems. The video ended with Balan giving the answer of the questions as “31072020” and announcing that film will release on July 31 (31/07/2020) on Amazon Prime Video.

Directed by Anu Menon and produced by Sony Pictures Networks Productions and Vikram Malhotra, the biographical drama stars Balan in the lead, essaying the role of the globally renowned Indian mathematics genius, who was popularly known as the ‘huVidya Balan man computer’.

— ANI

Tom Cruise

dayTomCruise’. ‘#HappyBirthdayTomCruise The Greatest Action Hero of all time and The Greatest Movie star of all time and One More thing The Dude Still Doesn’t Age......,’ tweeted a fan while posting a video of Cruise doing a stunt scene. Many of his fans called them their favourite ‘stuntman’ while extending their birthday wishes.

—ANI

Success of Bulbbul

A

ctor turned producer Anushka Sharma who co-owns production house - Clean Slate Filmz - with her brother Karnesh Sharma on Tuesday said that she always believed in creating a “visual trigger” for the audiences. “I have always felt that a visual trigger to storytelling is key to hold the attention of audiences today and it also allows us an unexpectedly new route to present an idea that has never been seen before by audiences,” the ‘Paatal Lok’ producer said. “Karnesh and I have always wanted to break-away from traditional ways of telling a story because we feel people have seen enough of the formula and are done with them. They are always looking to immerse themselves into something new. That’s been our biggest strength,” she added.

The sister-brother duo is delighted that Bulbbul’s VFX has been hailed unanimously. The use of symbolism like the red moon to evoke elements of rebellion and passion.

—ANI

THROWBACK S onali goes on a throwback spree as she shares a few throwback pictures on her Instagram handle. She looks absolutely stunning in these pictures while being clad in a bikini. While in the first picture, the actress is seen striking a candid pose, in the second picture, she can be seen running by the side of the beach. Sonali gets talking about these priceless memories as she writes, ‘If only this wasn’t a throwback... miss the sun, sea, sand.... and of course those abs and the flowing hair!’

As soon as she posted these pictures on social media, comments started pouring in from all her fans and wellwishers. Sonali often keeps on sharing throwback pictures on her Instagram handle thereby recalling the good old times. The actress was diagnosed with cancer and had undergone treatment in New York back in 2018. She recovered soon and was able to return back to India all hale and hearty much to the rejoice of her fans and loved ones.

—Agency

Sonali Bendre

Anushka Sharma

FROM PG 1

Goodbye, Masterji!

I’m devastated by the loss of my friend and guru, Saroj Khan. Will always be grateful for her work in helping me reach my full potential in dance.

The world has lost an amazingly talented person. I will miss youMy sincere condolences to the family. #RIPSarojji —MADHURI DIXIT NENE

Master ji always told me... perrr nahin chala saktiii toh kam se kam face toh chalaaaaa.

That’s what she taught me... to enjoy dancing, smile and smile through the eyes.

There can never be another... Dance and expression can never be the same for us actors and for everyone who loved her... Love you master ji. Till we dance again... RIP. —KAREENA KAPOOR KHAN

She was a sprightly young enthusiastic dance assistant to one of the major dance directors of the time .. of the time when I was just beginning .. of the film ‘Bandhe Haath’ with the heart throb of millions Mumtaz .. with the director OP Ralhan .. Mumtaz’s grace and acceptance to agree to work with this newbe .. she a stratospheric Star , me a nobody ... and Saroj ji in the crowd of dancers in a song .. her subtle grace when she moved .. the expressions , the delicate little intricacies of each word and movement ... on a chance meeting many many years ago she paid me my best compliment ..she was living in Dubai then from marriage and when DON was released she said..coming from her was the ultimate .... a legacy has passed away ..

—AMITABH BACHCHAN

This news has left me heartbroken.

Saroj ji was not just a legend but also a humble person.. We shared a beautiful relationship & worked in many films together. Her contribution to the industry is irreplaceable as there was no one who could dance like her. Om Shanti.

—SANJAY DUTT

A LEGEND has left us. Can’t forget the moment I first met you when you came to choreograph ‘Kitaabe’ ( Baazigar) and I burst out crying (I was a huge fan of your work) I couldn’t believe you were actually standing in front of me. Then came ‘Churake dil’, which was a milestone in my career... and many more. You set the benchmark so high, taught me ‘how’ to express... a technician par excellence... No one shot women like you, you were the best! Will miss you. Churake dil mera #Saroj ji chale. May you rest in peace, Masterji.

Strength and love to the family to cope with this irreparable loss.

—SHILPA SHETTY KUNDRA My first genuine teacher in the film industry. She taught me for hours how to do the ‘dip’ for film dancing. One of the most caring, loving & inspiring persona i have ever met. Will miss you Sarojji. May Allah bless her soul.

Thank u for looking after me.

—SHAH RUKH KHAN —Inputs from ANI

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

JAIPUR | SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2020

12

WHAT’S HAPPENING!

RAJASTHAN: A blood donation camp was organised

by Help India Online Institute and Radhavishan Gaushala at Anand Mahal in Mansarovar on Friday.

116 people donated blood.

RAJASTHAN: Jagdeesh Chandra greeted Mona Gautam on her birthday, on Friday. Also seen here with them are Gaurav Gaur and Akanksha Bhalla.

The Robin Hood Army (RHA) is a volunteer-based organisation with thousands of professionals and citizens who have taken to the streets in their free time to fight global hunger. In 5 years, RHA has served food to 33.1 million people across 181 cities globally. Taking this further, RHA is all set to serve 30 Million people across 10 countries to fight the battle against hunger.

RAJASTHAN: Rotary Club Jaipur Bapu Nagar of Rotary District 3054 in the year 2019-20 was conferred with 12 prestigious awards in various dimensions. Club Secretary Rtn. RS Gupta stated that under the able guidance and leadership of Club President Rtn. Vipan Bahl, the club members made a donation of more than Rs 10 Lakh for best-quality classroom furniture for 10 Rural Government Schools. District Governor Rtn. Bina Desai declared it the Best Literacy Project. The awards were announced in a virtual meeting conducted on Thursday.

Featured in Forbes India’s web-series

CITY FIRST

S

hashikant Singhi, Chairperson, Poornima University (PU) & Chairman, Poornima Group of Colleges (PGC), has been featured

by Forbes India in the third web series ‘Education Evangelist of India’ by SkillTree. He is exclusively interviewed by the popular Indian author Chetan Bhagat.

In an interactive and engaging discussion, Singhi told that what makes him a breakthrough achiever in education. Architect turned educator Shashikant Singhi said that he aims to nurture knowledge and skills among students and prepare them for a global, competitive future. One of his inspiring quotes from the interview says, “Whatever we reflect the society has to be true from inside. And if you

THODA HATKE! Shashikant Singhi

... with Chetan Bhagat

are true, then nobody can stop you.” This inspiring webisode of Skilltree’s Education Evangelist of India, powered by Great Place to Stud.

It is noted that the Education Evangelist of India Sea-

son 3 is an initiative by Great Place to Study that acknowledges and features some of the stalwarts of education in India. The show highlights the achievements and contributions of the exemplary leaders and showcases them

on a platform they deserve.

Few leading educators of the country share with the world their contributions, their inspiring stories and what makes them an education evangelist. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Baato Baato Mein

Avanika Milan Rajarani from Surat, Gujarat planned a unique concept shoot to promote traditional male garments.

Installation Ceremony

KAVITA CHAUHAN cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

I

n the 72nd edition of ‘Baato Baato Mein’, film Critic, Sunil Mishra was in a conversation with the well-known artist and painter, Mitul Pradeep.

She is an experienced painter and has been training budding artists in painting for nearly three decades at Tulika Arts in Mumbai.

Mitul Pradeep is the daughter of the great lyricist and singer Late Pradeep and has seen the atmosphere of contemporary cinema under the guidance of her father. She has been a constant witness to her father’s efforts, struggles, achievements and fame.

Many important references to her father are preserved in her memoirs.

While talking to her, Sunil Mishra paid reverently to her artistic journey and her father’s personality. During this conversation, Mitul Pradeep stated that the song ‘Chal Chal Re Naujawan’

Members of Rotary Club Bangalore Southwest Rajiv Khanna and Amitabh Chatterjee

Mitul Pradeep

was her father’s first song which was played in a film.

She told in this discussion that at the Kavi Sammelan during her father’s time, poet Pradeep used to read poems with poets like Harivanshrai Bachchan and Nirala among others.

Mitul Pradeep said that she has kept the harmonium of poet Pradeep well preserved on which various big musicians have played their tunes. Mitul Pradeep remembered the times when she along with her father went to

the recording studios where she used to listen to the live recordings of singers like Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.

During this discussion, Mitul Pradeep referred her mother as the backbone of the family and stated that her mother was the ‘Women of Substance’, in the real aspects. During this Live chat, many people joined the digital platform so that they could listen to the conversation of Mitul Pradeep and her journey.

SPORTY GESTURE

CITY FIRST

W

ith the aim of how cricket and other sports could be started in Rajasthan after the unlock down, Rajiv Khanna, vicepresident of Rajasthan Royals and working for the development of state cricket, paid a courtesy call to Amitabh Chatterjee, Chief General Manager, Jaipur, State Bank of India.

On this occasion, Khanna discussed with Amitabh Chatterjee for the development of other sports including cricket in the state. Chief General Manager Amitabh Chatterjee assured Rajiv Khanna that State Bank of India will always be at the forefront in the development of the state’s sports. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

CITY FIRST, KARNATAKA

S

eeing the current pandemic situation and also following the social distancing norms, very uniquely, the Rotary Club Bangalore Southwest (RBSW) organized their Installation function of office bearers for the year 2020-21 through the virtual platform and at District Governor’s office concurrently in Bangalore. The District Governor (2019-20) Dr Sameer Hariani was the Guest of Honor for the occasion. It is pertinent to mention that RBSW is the home club of Dr Hariani. He addressed fellow Rotarians with best wishes and inspiring words.

Rtn. Paresh Master has been elected as the President of the Club for the year 2020-21. Installation of the President Rtn. Paresh Master was conducted by the District Governor (2020-21) Nagendra Prasad and the Assistant Governor Lakshmi Shastry. In this

vein, 22 executive members as the Board of Directors with Chairmen for various committees have been announced by the President Rtn. Paresh Master for the year 2020-21. Two new members have also been inducted in the club namely, PHF Rtn. Anubha Jain and Rtn. Hitesh Jain. Rtn. Anubha Jain, a journalist by profession recently shifted from Rajasthan to Bangalore. Bestowing with additional duties Rtn. Anubha Jain has also been appointed to Chair Women Empowerment and Public Image initiatives in the club. The installation ceremony was attended by senior Rotarians including District Secretary General Rtn. B.R.Sridhar. Rtn. Sridhar warmly welcomed new members into the Rotary family.

The Director Club Services Rtn. Srinivasulu and the Director of Vocational Services Rtn. Raghunanda were also pinned on this momentous occasion. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in