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Security personnel stop Bharatiya Kisan Union members at the UP-Delhi border, in New Delhi on Thursday.

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VIGYAN BHAWAN Farmers’ representatives speaking with media after meeting with the Centre on the new farm laws, in New Delhi on Thursday —PHOTOS BY PTI

Eight-hr-long meet yields no result, talks again tomorrow New Delhi: Talks between three union ministers and a representative group of thousands of agitating farmers failed to yield any resolution on Thursday, as the union leaders stuck to their demand for the repeal of new farm laws during almost eighthour-long hectic parleys.

On its part, the government assured the group of nearly 40 farmer leaders that all their valid concerns would be addressed, but the other side flagged several loopholes and deficiencies in the laws, which they said were passed hastily in September.

The Agriculture Ministry tweeted that doubts of farmers were addressed by Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who led the government side at the talks. Tomar later told reporters that the next meeting will take place on Saturday at 2 pm. Turn to P6

The government has no ego. We will consider giving more legal rights to farmers. MSP will continue, we have assured farmers —Narendra Tomar, Agriculture Minister

“WE BROUGHT OUR OWN FOOD” New Delhi: Representatives of the farmers’ organisations refused to break bread with the three participating Union ministers. At the lunch break, farmers said “no” to the food offered by the government and stuck to the langar, which was brought in by a waiting van. Visuals from inside Vigyan Bhawan showed farmers’ representatives assembled at a long table for a hurried lunch.

Some sat on the ground in a quiet corner.

6 DIE IN TEMPO-BUS COLLISION IN BANDA First India Bureau

Banda: Six people died and three others were seriously injured in a head-on collision between a tempo and a roadways bus here on Thursday evening, police said. The accident took place on Chilla road near Jamalpur village under Dehat Kotwali police station area, they said.

Six passengers of the tempo were killed on the spot and three

others were seriously injured as the vehicle collided head-on with a roadways bus around 7 pm, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mahendra Pratap Singh Chauhan said. The deceased were residents of Paprenda village, the ASP said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed profound grief over the loss of lives in the accident.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar along with MoS for Commerce Som Prakash addressing media after the meeting.

“NATION’S SECURITY”: AMARINDER URGES SHAH TO RESOLVE ROW New Delhi: The massive farmer protests on highways near Delhi will not only impact the economy of Punjab but also threaten “national security”, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said after a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, urging “both sides” to resolve the deadlock. “Discussions are on between the farmers and the centre, there’s nothing for me to resolve. I reiterated my opposition in my meeting with the Home Minister and requested him to resolve the issue as it affects the economy of my state and the security of the nation,” said Amarinder Singh. The Punjab Chief Minister called on Amit Shah in Delhi and held discussions on ways to resolve the current stand-off between the government and farmers protesting over new farm laws. Several leaders in the ruling BJP have accused Amarinder Singh of actively supporting the protesters.

Akali’s Parkash Badal returns Padma Vibhushan over ‘betrayal of farmers’

Chandigarh: Former Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal patron Parkash Singh Badal has returned his Padma Vibhushan award in protest against what he termed as the “betrayal of farmers” and indifferent attitude adopted by the BJP-led Central government towards the ongoing farmers protest against agriculture laws.

In a letter addressed to the President, Badal wrote “I write this letter to return the Padma Vibhushan award in protest against the betrayal of the farmers by the government of India and against the shocking indifference and contempt with which the government is treating the ongoing peaceful and democratic agitation against farm acts.”

Farmers representatives, holding talks with the Centre, have their own food (langar) during the lunch break, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday.

Rajinikanth to launch party in Jan, to fight 2021 TN polls Chennai: Superstar Rajinikanth on Thursday asserted that he would launch his political party in January 2021, ending years of suspense and in a big morale booster to his supporters and fans.

The top star, promising his brand of spiritual politics, dramatically asserted that he was even ready to risk his life for the sake of people’s welfare by making a foray into politics.

The 70-year old actor categorically said that

Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth gestures at his fans.

his party would fight Assembly elections in 2021 and “emerge victorious.”

Assembly elections are due in Tamil Nadu during April-May 2021.

Kerala, Tamil Nadu brace for Cyclone

Burevi with winds at 90 kmph

Chennai: The India Meteorological Department on Friday said that Cyclonic storm Burevi is expected to cross the south Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Kanniyakumari during late Thursday night or early Friday morning with a wind speed of 70-80

A NDRF team at a seashore of Valiyathura in Thiruvananthapuram.

Karnataka Minister meets CM Yogi to replicate UP’s anti-cow-slaughter law CM Yogi has expressed happiness over Karnataka’s plans to enact the legislation and said that prohibition of cow slaughter has been strictly implemented in Uttar Pradesh Vishal Srivastav Lucknow: Influenced

by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s initiative to protect cows from getting slaughtered, the state of Karnataka seems to have taken a leaf out

his book as the Southern state’s Animal Husbandry minister Prabhu Chavan reached Lucknow on Thursday.

Minister Prabhu Chavan met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at his residence Turn to P6

He expressed confidence that his to be floated outfit would be able to “win elections with the huge support of people.”

Turn to P6

SAVING HOLY COW

Karnataka’s Minister for Animal Husbandry Prabhu B Chauhan called on CM Yogi Adityanath at the latter’s residence in Lucknow.

The previous BJP government led by BS Yediyurappa in 2010 had got the Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill passed.

It proposed to replace the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964. The bill had widened the definition of ‘’cattle’’ and imposed a blanket ban on cattle slaughter.

gusting to 90 kmph. As per the latest data, Cyclone Burevi lay centered 40km east-southeast of Pamban.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi appealed to the people to remain alert and assured that the administration is well-equipped to deal with the situation.

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UP govt committed to realise the dream of a self reliant India: Yogi

02

COVID 19: CM orders DMs, Commissioners to be alert

ACS Navneet Sehgal has been the spearhead in benefitting the MSME Sector of the state First India Bureau Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the state government is committed to providing all necessary assistance for development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) and traditional craftsmen as they form the base for realising the dream of a selfreliant India, an official release said here.

There should be no scarcity of capital for youths who want to start a new venture, and loans are being provided to entrepreneurs as per their requirements, the Chief Minister said.

In a virtual programme held at his official residence, Adityanath disbursed loans

BACKING MSMEs: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has the responsibility of a state that has highest number of MSME units in the country and generates maximum employment.

worth Rs 10,390 crore for capital requirement of 3,54,825 MSME units.

Loans worth Rs 1,316 crore were also given to 29,914 new units.

The Chief Minister provided loans to eight

CM Yogi calls for a Nasha Mukt Samaj for a better state

entrepreneurs at the programme, while the others were given loans at programmes organised at district level.

“Small scale industries form the basis of a powerful state, and the

state government’s efforts to accelerate industrial development is going to bring prosperity in everyone’s life,” Adityanath said.

During the COVID-19 period, the central and

state government jointly made efforts to encourage migrant labourers, traditional craftsmen and MSMEs, he said.

“When PM Modi released the first economic package in lockdown on May 14, the UP government provided loan of Rs 2,002 crore to 56,754 new MSME units under the Online Self Employment Programme, the very next day. In addition, MSME ‘Saathi’ portal and app were also launched to solve MSME problems.”, the CM added.

More than 4 lakh MSME units were given loans of Rs 10,999 cr after the PM launched ‘Atmanirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgaar Abhiyaan’ on June 26.

TO DEAL WITH CORONA HEAD-ON: CM Yogi addresses a meeting to deal with COVID-19 at his official residence.

First India Bureau Lucknow: Keeping in view the need for precautions in the face of surging corona infections, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked divisional commissioners and district magistrates of all districts in the state to visit medical colleges, take meetings and take stock of the arrangements in the hospitals.

Medical Education Minister Suresh Khanna has also been given the responsibility of

Noida International airport in Jewar may adorn five runways PMIC chaired by Chief Secy Rajendra Tiwari recommends the move First India Bureau

FOR A BETTER STATE: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that said that drugs are a result of devaluation of society.

First India Bureau Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Thursday to run society well our ancestors had devised four ashrams.

They had established certain rules, principles and moral values to run their daily life. All behaviour was managed under these systems and values. As time passed, various influences and social divisions led to the depletion of those values, he said adding the spread of drug addiction in society like a dis-

ease was a result of this devaluation of moral principles.

The CM expressed these views addressing the first pledge programme of ‘Nasha Mukt Samaj Andolan’ here today. He said addiction was destroying the young generation.

The youth drowned in addiction were not only damaging their own lives but were also destroying society and country, he said.

“It is the duty of all citizens to not only join but also contribute in the de-addiction campaign,” he said.

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s one of the dream projects, the Noida International Airport, has reached a step closer to reality on Thursday.

The proposed Noida International Airport in Western Uttar Pradesh’s Jewar can have up to five runways, according to a recommendation by a key committee overseeing the Rs 29,560 crore project.

The recommendation was made at a meeting of the Project Monitoring Implementation Committee (PMIC) for the airport chaired by Chief Secretary Rajendra Kumar Tiwari at the Lok Bhavan in Lucknow on Thursday.

The airport’s consulting body PWC and Chief Executive Officer Arun Veer Singh of the Noida Airport and Yamuna Authority ap-

INITIAL MOVE: Chief Secretry Rajendra Tiwari discussing prospects of Jewar airport with officials.

WHAT NEXT?

prised the chief secretary of the feasibility of extending the number of runways.

The airport is being

developed by Swiss firm Zurich Airport International AG and in the first phase, the airport, which is expected to go operational by 2023, will have two runways, according to officials.

In the first phase of the airport development, 1,365 hectares of land will be acquired for the third runway.

1,334 hectares of land has been acquired for

CRAFT WAFTS

Next Hunar Haats in Lucknow, Rampur Artisans, craftsmen from 27 states and union territories, including, UP, Assam, Kerala, Maharashtra and others First India Bureau Lucknow: The next two editions of the Minority Affairs Ministry’s ‘Hunar Haat’, a platform for products made by traditional artisans and craftsmen, will be held in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur and Lucknow, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Thursday.

The ‘Hunar Haat’ will be organised at Nu-

RELISHING HUNAR: PM Narendra Modi visited the Hunar Haat last time and relished the delicacies there. The Haat is one of its kind initiative to promote local talent.

—FILE PHOTO

maish Ground in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, from December 18 to 27, and Shilp Gram at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh from January 23 to 31

next year with the theme of “Vocal for Local”, the minority affairs Minister said.

The last ‘Hunar Haat’ was held in the national

capital from November 11 to 22.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium En-

terprises Nitin Gadkari and Khadi and Village Industries Commission Chairman Vinay Kumar Saxena will inaugurate the ‘Hunar Haat’ at Rampur, Naqvi said.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate ‘Hunar Haat’ to be organised at Lucknow from January 23, 2021, he said after chairing the governing and general body meeting of Maulana Azad Education Foundation here.

Minority Affairs Minister Naqvi said that the ‘Hunar Haat’ at Rampur and Lucknow will also be available at online platform http:// hunarhaat.org and www.hunarhaat.org

the first phase of two runways.

In the second phase, a total of 3,418 hectares land will be required for three runways, according to an official statement on Thursday.

The first part of the second phase of construction will cover 1,365 hectares, the second phase will cover 1,318 hectares and the third phase will cover 735 hectares of land.

review of SGPGI, KGMU and Ram Manohar Lohia Institue of Medical Sciences.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the corona situation in the state in a meeting at his official residence on Thursday.

He said the government was committed to providing the best medical facilities to the citizens of Uttar Pradesh.

Apart from raising awareness on covid, the officials must ensure that specialist

doctors regularly take the rounds of the covid wards, the CM said.

He also said no laxity at any level must be admitted in the treatment of the corona affected patients.

The CM paid special attention to Lucknow, Kanpur Nagar, Meerut, Agra and Varanasi, asking officials to make arrangements for adequate number of beds after taking stock of the requirements at covid hospitals.

No positive reaction from SP, says PSPL Chief Shivpal Yadav First India Bureau L u c k n o w : For mer minister and president of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) Shivpal Yadav on Thursday said despite his call for unity among parties following socialist ideology, it was unfortunate that there is no “positive reaction” from Samajwadi Party.

Shivpal also attacked the ruling BJP government in the state, claiming it had completely failed on all fronts and there was a lot of anger among the people as

it had not been able to give security and justice to women.

“I have repeatedly said that all those with samajwadi (socialist) ideology should come at one place and coordinate so that everyone gets respect,” Shivpal Yadav said in a statement issued here.

“As far as the Samajwadi Party is concerned, it has not given a positive reaction... I did not talk to anyone in the SP,” he added.

Shivpal is the estranged uncle of SP president and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

AWAITED: Shivpal, yet to receive the ‘Call of Unity’ from parties.

PAYING HOMAGE

Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav posing with members of the Samajwadi Adhiwakta Sabha on the occasion of India’s 1st President Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s birth anniversary in Lucknow on Thursday.

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in

BRIEF Rap on marriage house owners SSP Joginder Kumar has instructed all station in-charges to paste notice at every marriage house that the marriage house operator would be responsible for any celebratory firing, scuffle, theft or jam. Subsequently, Shahpur police station in-charge Sudhir Singh pasted notice on marriage houses. Singh said marriage house owners had also been told to fit CCTV cameras and ensure that there is no road jam due to crowding during the celebrations.

Dadupur stn name to be changed The Centre has approved the renaming of Dadupur railway station situated between Pratapgarh and Badshahpur on LucknowVaranasi Rail Block as Maa Barahi Devi Dham. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also given the approval for changing the name of Dadupur. Soon the notification would be issued in this regard.

The CM’s Office gave this information by a tweet.

Warrant against Rita Bahuguna

An Uttar Pradesh court issued a non-bailable warrant against BJP MP Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday in connection with an 8-yr-old case of violation of model code of conduct. Special MP/ MLA court judge PK Rai also issued notice regarding the sureties and fixed January 4 as next date of hearing.

03

Raids in Lko, Barabanki over PFI men involved in violence

Massive crackdown by ED across 26 locations in nine states rattles Popular Front First India Bureau Lucknow: Probing the alleged funding being done by the Popular Front of India (PFI) to vitiate the atmosphere in the country, the ED team on Thursday raided two places in Uttar Pradesh.The teams raided multiple locations in Lucknow and adjoining Barabanki region.

Other than the two places in the state, the teams raided at least 24 more places across nine states. According to information received from the director’s office, ED has taken this action on the PFI connection which was exposed in the violence in Delhi.

This action is being taken on the FIR regis-

RUINED HARMONY

controversial figure: PFI Chief Oma Abdul Salam is also a Kerala government employee.

tered against PFI in relation to its involvement in the protest against the ‘Citizenship Amendment Act’ in Delhi.

Raids in states like Kerala, Delhi, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bihar and Maharashtra were also conducted by

the ED team.

It must be noted that Nadeem, who was caught from Lucknow in the CAA-NRC violence, hails from Barabanki’s Kursi area. On Thursday, a sudden raid was carried out by the team of ED at the house of a person associated with the Popular Front of India in Agasad village of Kurse station area of Barabanki.

Mubsir, a resident here,

is accused of being associated with PFI. It is learnt that action has been taken on foreign currency transactions.

The ED is investigating financial links between PFI and Bhim Army on the basis of credible evidence recovered from senior PFI officials,” the agency had said in a tweet. The Bhim Army, led by its chief Chandrashekhar Azad, had told that they were ready for all kinds of investigation.

The agency is investigating the PFI under the PMLA since 2018.

The ED had said at least Rs 1.04 crore was deposited in several accounts linked to PFI between December 4 last year and January 6 this year in various parts of the country.

Mercury dips; severe cold in many parts of state First India Bureau Lucknow: Weather was dry over Uttar Pradesh while cold day to severe cold day conditions occurred at most places over the state on Saturday, the meteorological department said.

Cold wave condition happened at isolated

December 29 (Sunday) while dense to very dense fog is very likely at many places over the state on Sunday, it said.

Weather is most likely to remain dry and shallow to moderate fog is very likely at few places over the state on December 30 and December 31, the department stated.

places over the state, it said.

Moderate to dense fog occurred at many places with very dense fog occurring at isolated places over the state, the department said.

Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely at isolated places over the state on

Farmers sit in protest at the Delhi border

Highways shut as farmers stay put at Delhi borders First India Bureau Lucknow: Two national highways connecting Ghaziabad to Delhi were shut by the police on Thursday to stop the protesting farmers from entering Delhi. The farmers stayed put at the capital’s borders with Haryana and UP. The protesting farmers had on Wednesday threatened to block other roads of Delhi if their demands were not met.

“The local police have closed the routes on NH-9 and NH-24 from Ghaziabad to Delhi. On NH-1, both sides of the route have been closed near Shani Mandir,” the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted. The crowd of farmers continued to swell at Ghazipur, prompting the police to close the Delhi-UP border on NH-24.

“The Ghazipur border on NH-24 is closed for traffic from Ghaziabad towards Delhi due

to farmers’ protests.

People are advised to avoid NH-24 for coming to Delhi and use Apsara/Bhopra/DND instead,” the police said.

It said NH-44 is closed on both sides and asked people to take alternate routes via NH-8, Bhopra, Apsara border, and Peripheral expressway At the Chilla border, one carriageway from Delhi to Noida has been opened for traffic. However, the other carriageway from Noida to Delhi is still closed. People commuting from Noida to Delhi are advised to avoid Noida link road.

The Delhi-Haryana border at Jharoda and Jhatikra remained closed. The Badusarai border is open only for two-wheeler traffic.

However, people can travel to Haryana through Dhansa, Daurala, Kapashera, Rajokri, NH-8, Bijwasan/ Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera border.

Farmers shifted to ‘temporary Covid: ACS Sehgal cautions officials against laxity jail’, alleges BKU Lok Shakti prez First India Bureau

First India Bureau Lucknow: Farmers heading to the national capital from different parts of UP have been shifted to ‘temporary jail’, alleged Swaraj Singh, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) President on Wednesday.

Noida police shifted protesting farmers to Dr Ambedkar Memorial Park from Mahamaya

flyover road earlier today.

“This is not a temporary jail. Since protesters were sitting on the road causing traffic jam, we had to shift them here,” said Noida DCP Rajesh Singh.

However, farmer leaders said they were not sitting on the road and police had blocked their way using barricades and jawans. “We con-

Despite 18-hour

rescue bid, boy stuck

in borewell dies First India Bureau Lucknow: A 4-yearold boy who fell into a borewell in Budhaura village here died on Thursday, officials said. “After an 18-hour rescue operation, the child was taken out from the borewell in the morning and rushed to the hospital on life support system where doctors declared him dead,” District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar said.

Dhanendra alias Babu had fallen into the borewell at around 2.30 pm on Wednesday when he was playing. His parents were irrigating the field at the time of the incident, according to police. Anup Kumar Dubey, SHO, Kulpahad had on Wednesday said the

Dhanendra alias Babu had fallen into the borewell at around 2.30 pm on Wednesday when he was playing boy was suspected to be trapped at about 25-30 feet deep borewell. Additional Superintendent of Police Rajendra Kumar Gautam said the child was rescued at about 8.30 am on Thursday.

“The borewell had water up to 25 feet and it seems the child slipped into it and died,” he said. Dr Gulsher Ahmad of the district hospital said the child may have died about six hours before he was brought to the hospital.

sider this place as temporary jail and our confinement as arrest. We will go to Delhi, the moment we are released,” Swaraj Singh, said.

The DCP said, “They can stage a protest here, but we will not let them go beyond this point.”

Farmers from different parts of the country are marching towards Delhi to join the protest.

Lucknow: In a bid to flatten the growing Covid-19 curve, Additional Chief Secretary, MSME and Information Department Navneet Sehgal has urged people of Uttar Pradesh to strictly follow the guidelines and ensure that they wear mask.

Sehgal during a meeting with health officials at the Lok Bhawan in Lucknow said that there should be now

laxity on the part of the administration as far as reaching out to masses was concerned.

He said that providing quality medical facilities to people is the priority of the administration. Instructing to maintain the effective system of treatment and prevention of Covid-19, he also said that better treatment facilities should be provided to the patients infected with corona.

Recently, in a signifi-

ACS MSME & Information department Navneet Sehgal has urged people of Uttar Pradesh to follow covid protocols.

cant move, Uttar Pradesh had become the state that would get its

people tested by even private labs at the lowest costs. The RT PCR Test

that used to cost around Rs 1500, will now cost only Rs 700 in the state.

Meanwhile, on Thusday, As many as 1987 new cases of COVID-19 infection were reported in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, taking the total in the state to near six lakh cases. The state however has been patted by the world organisation for dealing with the menace effectively given the highly efficient team of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

PERSPECTIVE LUCKNOW | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2020

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SOVIET EFFECT IN POST-COLD WAR ERA

IN-DEPTH

NEW CHALLENGER IN DRAVIDIAN CITADEL

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or three years now Tamil superstar Rajinikanth kept everyone guessing about his foray in politics. Ending the suspense the 69-year-old Thalaiva, a non-Dravidian, announced on Thursday that he will launch his political party in January, 2021 and contest the Tamil Nadu assembly elections with the promise of an honest government. In his tweet Rajinikanth said, “In the upcoming assembly polls, with people’s massive support, in Tamil Nadu, an honest, transparent, corruption less, secular and spiritual politics is sure to happen. Miracle, wonder will happen.” Irrespective of the party in power in different states, politics in India is neither honest, nor transparent or corruption less.

The announcement concealed more than it revealed. Rajinikanth did not say whether his party will contest the elections in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party or separately. His stress on secular and spiritual politics could be interpreted as leaning towards the BJP, which welcomed the announcement. The BJP had been trying hard to persuade Rajinikanth to join the party. Even in 2004 he said he’d vote for the BJP but did not join it.

A non-Dravidians entry into Tamil Nadu politics is happening at a time when the two main Dravidian parties---AIADMK and the DMK---are on the decline. The AIADMK does not have a leader as charismatic as Jayalalithaa and the DMK under MK Stalin is not a force like it was under M. Karunanidhi. If at the national level the Thalaiva has been pro-BJP, in Tamil Nadu he backed the DMK and opposed the AIADMK. His next move, therefore, would be keenly watched.

PURUSHENDRA SINGH MASTERS DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS CURRENTLY A L.L.B STUDENT

O

UNDER PRESSURE, GOVT SHOWS SOME FLEXIBILITY

T

he Centre and farmers held a prolonged fourth round of talks on Thursday to end the impasse over three farm Acts passed to reform the agriculture sector and improve the agriculturists’ fortunes. The firmness with which the farmers’ unions participated in the dialogue became clear when they refused to partake of the food offered by the government and chose to eat whatever they carried with them.

In their solidarity, representatives of 35 farmer groups saw an opportunity to make the government agree to their demand for the repeal of the new law. They were insistent on the convening of a special session of Parliament for the law’s repeal.

The demand for a special session also got support from the Congress. The government refused a roll back but softened its stand on some issues.

At the end of over seven hours of talks, there was convergence on some of the points. Showing flexibility, the government seemed ready to strengthen the APMC Act, allow trade outside the mandis by registered traders and move courts higher than that of an SDM for resolving a dispute. The government also assured to provide legislative protection to small farmers from their land being usurped. A final picture will emerge when the two sides meet again a day later. This progress could be possible after the government asked the farmers’ representatives to give their reservations in writing. The latter responded with a ten-page document which helped the government to arrive at a possible agreement. Until an agreement is finally reached the farmers will not lift their siege of Delhi.

Armenian Govt had other vision which was to include NagornoKarabakh region as one of their autonomous provinces like Azerbaijan’s Nakchivan province but over the past 3 decades there has been economic, political and sovereignty malfunction in administration.

n 9th November 2020 the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyam and the President of Russia Vladimir Putin signed the Nagorno- Karabakh ceasefire agreement that ends the 6 weeks war which led to annexation of the city of Susha. The armistice agreement is pledged to end all hostilities in the disputed region of Nakorno-Karabakh coming into effect from 10th November 2020 and unlike earlier mediation attempts by counties like Turkey, Iran, France, Russia & Kazakhsthan, the new agreement promises for a long lasting resolution and acts as an harbinger of peace in the ethno-geo conflict region.

REALISM METHODOLOGY Although the contentious issue first emerged in the aftermath of world war 1 where Stalin’s “Divide and Rule” policy divided trans-caucasian region into modern day nations of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Nagorno-Karabakh region is a small area which is home to about 150thousand people and almost all of which are ethnically Armenians, the region has been an area of contention as it lies within the territory of Azerbaijan but remains under the control of Armenian separatist control and the world community did not recognize its independence. Armenian Government had other vision which was to include NagornoKarabakh region as one of their autonomous provinces like Azerbaijan’s Nakchivan province but over the past 3 decades there has been economic, political and sovereignty malfunction in the administration.

Till now over 100thousand people have already fled the disputed region and approximately 30 thousand have lost their lives from both the nations NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR AKA 6 YEAR’S WAR It was fought between the two ideologically and culturally op-

posite nations between 19881994 which led to the N-K resolution to separate from Azerbaijan and also Independence referendum of 1991 leaving the region to be governed by the Armenian separatist control and saw a peaceful stage till 2016 when fresh exchange of arms resurged making old wounds haunt again.

GEO-ETHNIC-CONFLICT Armenia which lies to the west of Azerbaijan and to the east of Turkey has a population of 3.3 million with about 97% of them as catholic Christians and believed to be the first Christian state to have emerged after the end of the Roman empire (300A.D.) is surrounded by Muslim dominated Nationstates like Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is not only 4 times larger in size than Armenia but have many more allies in the region and also distinguished as one of the few nations which is Shia-dominated Islam majority country.

Azerbaijan is also the 1st Muslim majority democratic nation in the world which makes them natural allies with the ideologies of Turkey and Iran who have their interest in the region and have played a shadow role in the recent peace armistice agreement giving turkey a backdoor entry and gaining weight in this region where once loomed large the soviet empire.

PROTESTS HAVE RAVAGED THE MAJOR CITIES OF ARMENIA AGAINST THE RECENT DEAL AND PEOPLE ARE MARCHING ON STREET WITH BANNERS.

MODUS VIVENDI Vladimir Putin having a bilateral security agreement with Armenia and safeguarding Armenia for decades and keeping aloof from the disputed region had to finally step up and come to a compromising agreement after an era of modus operandi by uniting the region with the republic of Azerbaijan, setting up of peacekeeping troop of about 2000 men and de-militarizing the conflict driven region shows a change in its foreign policy in its own backyard which some western school of political thinkers feel is diminishing role of Russia and an ideological victory for the expansionist policy of Turkey and its allies who were watching the agreement from a hawk eye’s perspective and with staunch support to

A better way for billionaires to make donations!

J

eff Bezos, the world’s wealthiest person, announced on Instagram in November 2020 that he was giving 16 organizations a total of about US$800 million for a wide array of climate-protecting work.

This money will help pay to restore and protect ecosystems in Colombia, Fiji, Madagascar and Mexico, launch a satellite to detect methane pollution, build carbon-trading markets, speed up the replacement of the nation’s fossil-fueled commercial trucks with electric vehicles and update the U.S. electrical grid so it can rely more heavily on renewable energy.

It was just the first installment of the $10 billion the Amazon founder and CEO pledged in February 2020 that he would give to fight climate change.

04

For now, that sum would constitute about 5% of his net worth of $203 billion. I teach a course called Business in Democracy: Advocacy, Lobbying and the Public Interest, which examines the ways that businesses and their leaders influence public policy for both good and ill. This kind of a gift is emblematic of the broader issue of money and the ways it clouds our society’s ability to address the fundamental challenges we face.

THE BIGGER ISSUE Rather than gush over Bezos for his generosity in addressing what he and many scientists consider an existential threat, I think it’s more appropriate to ask what kind of a political model his actions support and perpetuate – and how that model allows him to make such a large donation.

As I argue in my latest

thing that Bezos, like many other billionaires, wants to use his surplus wealth to address climate change and other great challenges our society faces.

But what these major donors should do if they truly believe in those goals, ironically, is use their economic and political power to insulate politics and policymaking from the influence of folks like themselves. book, “Management as a Calling,” corporate clout and money from extremely wealthy people have overwhelmed the nation’s political process and we need a corrective. That is, future business leaders need to learn how to approach political influence as a public service and not individual gamesmanship.

The largest oil and gas companies alone spend nearly $200 million on lobbying yearly to delay, con-

trol or block policies aimed at tackling climate change.

This kind of spending puts sand in the gears of our political process, rendering it so weak and fractious that it can no longer function as a serious arbiter of public interest. Because Bezos is pumping some of his fortune into a system that is broken, his donations – while admirable – will not solve this overarching problem.

It’s of course a good

THE ROLE OF BUSINESS IN A DEMOCRACY The business world has been encroaching into U.S. political institutions and public debates for years.

Salesforce, a $17 billion software company, entered the debate over gay marriage debate legislation by pressuring the Indiana legislature to change proposed LGBTQ policies.

Delta Airlines entered

the gun control debate by curtailing flight discounts to National Rifle Association members in the wake of mass shootings.

The financial firms Blackrock and JPMorgan Chase took a stand on the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi by canceling their participation in important meetings in Saudi Arabia, at least for a while.

Hobby Lobby, a craft and decor store chain, entered the reproductive rights debate by challenging the Affordable Care Act on grounds that having to contribute to health insurance for its employees that covered birth control violated the religious beliefs of the company’s leaders.

This corporate presence can turn public debates into battles between dueling piles of money.

Azerbaijan’s claim but the Moscow school of thought feel that Russia as a chief arbitrator came out and brokered a reasonable deal which showcases the mighty Soviet Union is just not yet done and dusted holds supreme power in the region.

Protests have ravaged the major cities of Armenia against the recent deal and people are marching on street with banners “Traitor” used for the current Prime Minister Nikol Pashimyan and The parliament has become unparliament in their conduct where the opposition legislators creating a menace and violating the code of conduct, throwing stones at the speaker of the assembly. But the picture is rosy in the heart of the city of Bakucapital of Azerbaijan, all are praising the Government with dance and festivities in major cities of Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh are in disbelief and tired of fighting further have decided to slowly vacate the region and have started to move to Armenia after burning down their properties and some even carrying the dead bodies of their relatives to be cremated on their nations soil. A memorandum on establishing a joint RussianTurkish monitoring scheme is being signed by the defence ministers of both the countries.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Top

TWEET Prakash Javadekar @PrakashJavdekar #MadeInIndia for the World !!

Bamboo products which many of us use in our home and office spaces will now make a mark across the globe under the #NationalBambooMission. This will help our farmers become selfreliant. #AatmaNirbharBharat Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp Happy to note that the Gujarat model is being used as a case study. We are adapting the Gujarat model across the country to transform India into a gasbased economy. Gujarat has set an example with 25% share of natural gas in primary energy mix vis-à-vis 6.3% at national level.

Spiritual SPEAK

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD! —Psalm 31:24

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FARMERS’ PROTEST

WORLD DISABILITY DAY 2020

HOPING FOR POSITIVE

OUTCOME: NARENDRA TOMAR

—ANI

—PHOTO BY ANI

Meanwhile, two farmers, who were participating in agitation have died

New Delhi: The fourth round of talks commenced between the Centre and representatives of farmers’ on Thursday afternoon at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi, with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister Piyush Goyal representing the Central government.

Before the meeting, the Union Agriculture Minister while talking to the media hoped that the fourth round of dialogue will bring some positive outcome to the farmers’ issues.

“Government is constantly discussing issues with farmers. Today is the fourth round of talks and I’m hoping for a positive outcome,” said Tomar while talking to media on Thursday.

Meanwhile, two farmers, who were participating in the agitation died on Wednesday.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh announced financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh each to the families of the farmers, hailing from districts Mansa and Moga respectively.

RAHUL: NOT SCRAPPING FARM LAWS WILL BE DECEIT

Farmers sitting at Singhu Border during their protest against Farm law, in New Delhi on Thursday.

LEFT ORGS PROTEST IN BENGALURU IN SUPPORT

RS 5L EACH FOR FARMERS WHO DIED DURING STIR: PB CM

Bengaluru: Multiple left-leaning organisations including Students’ Federation of India and All India Democratic Women’s Association, staged a protest in Mysore Bank Circle of Bengaluru to support the protesting farmers. “We are here to ask the government to listen to farmers. We are protesting in solidarity with them,” said a protester. IThey have also planned a prolonged protest when the state legislature meets for the winter session from December 7. Karnataka farmers are opposing the Centre’s farm bills and also the State’s move to amend the Karnataka Land Reforms Act and APMC Act. —Agencies

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday expressed grief over the death of two farmers, Gurjant Singh and Gurbachan Singh, while participating in the ongoing protests against the new agricultural laws. The Chief Minister also announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the farmers. Notably, farmer Gurjant Singh, from Bachhoana village in Mansa district, died in Delhi during agitation against farm laws, while Gurbachan Singh (80), from Bhinder Khurd village in Moga district, died due to massive heart attack during a protest at Moga on Wednesday. —Agencies

New Delhi: The Congress has stepped up the demand of immediately scrapping the farm laws in the wake of the farmers’ protest in the national capital.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet,”Accepting less than scrapping of three black farm laws will be deceit to farmers and the country.”

The Congress leader’s reaction comes even as the meeting between the farmers and the government is going on to resolve the issue. Talks between Centre and over 34 farmer union representatives has started here, even as farmers protest entered eighth day.

Resilience of persons with disabilities inspire us: PM We must keep working towards ensuring better future for persons with disabilities, PM Modi said New Delhi: On World Disability Day Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and wrote: “The resilience and fortitude of persons with disabilities inspire us. Under the Accessible India initiative, numerous measures have been taken that ensure there is a positive change in the lives of our Divyang sisters and brothers.”

PM Modi also said we must keep working towards ensuring better future for persons with disabilities by taking steps “in line with the year’s UN theme of “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World”.

A day dedicated to persons with disabilities is marked every year on December 3, to promote and spread awareness about the rights and well-being of these special people among us. In a pandemic situation, persons with disabilities are the worst hit as they get even more left out in the “new normal”.

“As the world recovers from the pandemic,

‘We must ensure better future for persons with disabilities.’

NARENDRA MODI@NARENDRAMODI In line with the year’s @UN theme of “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World”, let us collectively keep working towards ensuring opportunity and improving accessibility for our Divyang sisters and brothers. we must ensure that the aspirations and rights of persons with disabilities are included and accounted for in an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world. This vision

will only be achieved through active consultation with persons with disabilities and their representative organizations,” UN chief, Antonio Guterres said on World Disability Day.

IN THE COURTYARD

Malegaon Blast: Spl Court directs all accused to appear on Dec 19 Mumbai: A special NIA court in Mumbai on Thursday directed all accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case to be present before the court on December 19 when the case will be taken up for hearing next.

Out of the seven accused in the matter, three accused including LT Col Purohit, Sameer Kulkarni and Ajay Rahirkar were present before the court today. The court took note of their presence and directed all accused to be present in-person before

the court.

Besides these three, BJP MP Pragya Thakur, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Sudhakar Dwivedi and Sudhakar Chaturvedi are also accused in the case.

They have been charged

under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the Explosive Substances Act and the Indian Penal Code.

The charges include Sections 16 (committing terrorist act) and 18 (conspiring to commit terrorist act) of the UAPA and Sections 120(b) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 153(a) (promoting enmity between two religious groups) of the IPC. —ANI

SC grants SC asks Delhi mechanism to anticipatory bail cross-check COVID-19 data Delhi: Supreme latest figures. to ex-DGP Pb New Delhi govt said it has Court Thursday asked Delhi government taken “earnest steps” to in murder case the as to whether there is deal with COVID-19 sitNew Delhi: The SC granted anticipatory bail to former Punjab police chief Sumedh Singh Saini in a 1991 case related to the disappearance of a junior engineer of Chandigarh Industrial & Tourism Corporation. A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said Saini must cooperate with probe and surrender his passport to authorities. It set aside a trial court & HC order, and said if he is arrested, he must be released on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. The bench also asked him to stay away from witnesses in case. —PTI

any mechanism to cross-check the veracity of COVID-19 data, after it said that positivity rate of the virus in the national capital has come down as per the

uation and issues such as availability of ICU beds, testing, cremation of those who died of the virus and fire safety measures in hospitals are being monitored.

No night curfew in Delhi for now: Govt New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Partyled government in Delhi has informed the High Court that, for now, no night curfew would be imposed in the national capital, or parts of it, in view of the COVID-19 situation.

The Delhi government has taken a considered view, after assessing the situation, to not introduce restrictions on movement at night, read the status report submitted before the court.

“The Delhi Government has been taking all necessary measures, as required and demanded, by the ever-changing circumstances and (remains) committed to making every effort to arrest the spread of COVID-19 in the national capital,” the High Court was informed.

vius ?kj dks ekSle dh ut+j u yxus nsa gj ekSle lqj{kk ds fy, flQZ lqij LVªkWx osnj ‘khYM

—Agencies

SC notice to Delhi panel on FB India MD’s plea New Delhi: The SC issued notice to Delhi Assembly’s Peace and Harmony Committee as it wanted to become a party to the petition filed by Facebook India Vice President and Managing Director Ajit Mohan challenging the panel’s summons against him. A bench of the apex

court, headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, issued notice to the intervener committee and sought its reply returnable in four weeks.

The bench also said that the rejoinder has to be filed within two weeks and fixed the matter for further hearing in the third

week of January 2021.

Ajit Mohan had moved top court challenging two summons issued

by Delhi Legislative Assembly Committee against him -- on Sept 10 & 18 -- on the grounds that the panel violated the fundamental rights of the petitioner under Article 19(1)(a) , Article 21.

05

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Recoveries outnumberChennai newtrialcases finding is ‘Nat’l recovery rate has improved as well to 94.11%’

New Delhi: India has reported more daily COVID-19 recoveries than the daily new infections in the last 24 hours leading to a net decline of 5,701 cases from the total active caseload which fell below the 4.5 per cent mark on Thursday, the Union health ministry said.

There are 4,22,943 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 4.44 per cent of the total caseload, the data showed.

While 35,551 people were found to be infected with COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, during the same period, 40,726 new recoveries were reported, the ministry said.

incidental: AIIMS head

COVID-19 vaccine development underway.

—FILE PHOTO

Pfizer’s commitment to India American multinational pharmaceutical company Pfizer has said that it remains "committed to engaging with the Government of India to explore opportunities" to make the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the novel coronavirus available in country.

Pfizer spokesperson said, "Right now we are in discussions with many governments around the world and

‘INDIA MAY GET VACCINE BY DEC-JAN’

remain committed to engaging with the Government of India and ex-

plore opportunities to make vaccine available for use in the country."

New Delhi: Responding to vaccine impact during Chennai trial, Director of AIIMS Dr Randeep Guleria said the case, is an incidental finding rather than related to vaccine.

"As per the information available in the public domain, the Chennai trial case is an incidental finding rather than related to the vaccine. When we vaccinate a large number of people, some of them may have some other disease, which may not be related to the vaccine," Dr Guleria said.

Talking about the safetyDr Guleria said There is good data available that the vaccines are very safe. Safety and efficacy of vaccine not compromised at all.

About 70,000-80,000 vol-

Sensex ends Bollywood drugs probe: 2 States choose option-1 to Nifty hits meet GST revenue shortfall higher, NCB officials suspended record peak New Delhi: The central government on Thursday said that all states except Jharkhand and three union territories with legislative assemblies have chosen option-1 to meet the revenue shortfall arising out of GST implementation.

The Ministry of Finance said in a release that Chhattisgarh government has communicated its acceptance of Option-1 to meet the revenue shortfall.

"The states and Union Territories which choose Option-1 are

getting the amount of shortfall arising out of GST implementation through a special borrowing window put in place by the Government of India.

The window has been operationalised since October 23, 2020, and the Government of India has already borrowed an amount of Rs 30,000 crore on behalf of the states in five instalments and passed it on to the States and Union Territories, which chose Option-1," said the release.

Mumbai: After scaling an all-time intra-day peak of 44,953.01, the 30-share BSE Sensex pared some gains to end 14.61 points or 0.03 per cent higher at 44,632.65.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty touched a fresh intra-day high of 13,216.60, before settling 20.15 points or 0.15 per cent up at 13,133.90 -- its lifetime closing high.

Maruti was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying around 7 per cent, followed by ONGC, NTPC, SBI, Bajaj Finserv & Tata Steel.

New Delhi: In a big embarrassment, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has suspended two officials of its Mumbai Zonal Unit for their alleged suspicious role which enabled two persons in the ongoing Bollywood-drugs mafia investigation get relief, official sources said.

The role of the two investigating officials whose identities were not disclosed - came under a cloud after accused Harsh Limbachiya and suspect Karishma Prakash got bail and interim bail, respective-

ly, in November, an official requesting anonymity told IANS. Limbachiya is the husband of high-profile television comedian Bharti Singh while Karishma Prakash is the manager of leading Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone.

Some other officials are likely to be under the NCB scanner for their questionable lapses in the matter that has shaken up the organisation which is probing the high-profile cases since the past nearly four months.

tion. “The most important issue was whether the Parliament has the power to amend the fundamental rights enshrined under Part III of the Constitution,” said the plea.

The petitioners contended that the Parliament has no power to amend the fundamental rights, and if this ordinance is implemented, it will harm public at a large and will create a chaotic situation in the society.

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday paid tribute to victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy on the 36th anniversary of the incident.

A two-minute silence was observed to remember the victims.

Speaking at the event, he said that a memorial should be built soon so that the world could learn a lesson from the tragedy.

“We should soon build a memorial for the Bhopal Gas tragedy so the world can learn

government,” said Pratibha Shinde, AIKSCC (All India Kishan Sangharsh Coordination Committee) working group member and president of Lok Sangharsh Morcha, which represents farmers of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

be made on December 31, he tweeted.

Later speaking to reportes at his Poes Garden residence, he recalled that he had announced on December 31, 2017 that he would launch a political party ahead of Assembly elections 2021 and contest from all the 234 constituencies in the state.

Referring to his ‘resurgence’ remark earlier this year, when he had said that an upsurge among people was necessary to kickstart his political journey, he said to create an ambience for such a change, he had planned

MAJOR GEN AUJLA TO BE MGGS NORTHERN COMMAND?

Major General ADS Aujla, General Officer Commanding 28 Infantry Division is likely to be appointed as Major General General Staff (MGGS) Operations of Northern Command.

Outgoing Maharashtra Chief Secretary, Ajoy Mehta is likely to move to Delhi as Chairman of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). He is 1984 batch IAS officer.

MAHARASHTRA DGP TO JOIN GOI EARLY NEXT YEAR?

Maharashtra DGP Subodh Jaiswal is likely to join the GoI either in January or February. He is 1985 batch IPS officer.

SAKET KUMAR SINGH TO JOIN GOI

Saket Kumar Singh is likely to join the Government of India soon. He is 2002 batch IPS officer of Jharkhand cadre. unteers were given the vaccine and no significant serious adverse effects seen. Data shows that in the short term vaccine is safe," the AIIMS Director added.

GOVT OPPOSES LIFE BAN ON CONVICTED POLITICIANS

a lesson from it,” Chauhan said.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister had tweeted, “We still remember the pain aris-

ing from the Bhopal gas tragedy. May God always protect every corner of the country and the world from such tragedy.

to tour the state.

However, it could not be done in view of the coronavirus pandemic, he said.

Gujarat to study and gather information on implementation of the law there.

According to a officials, Adityanath, expressing happiness over Karnataka’s plans to enact the legislation, pointed out that prohibition of cow slaughter has been strictly implemented in Uttar Pradesh and hoped that the state would follow a similar model.

It said, the minister during his visit held discussions with Uttar Pradesh government officials on the implementation of anti-cow slaughter legislation,

and also gathered information regarding the management ‘gaushalas’ (cow shelters) and care given to cows.

Chavan discussed with UP Animal Husbandry department officials regarding development of good local cow breeds, and the officials have consented for sending two Sahiwal breed bulls and ten cows to the state, the release added.

The minister is scheduled to tour Gujarat tomorrow, to gather information from the authorities about the implementation of the law there.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan paid tribute to the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy on December 3.

POWER Gallery WILL AJOY MEHTA MOVE TO DELHI AS CHAIRMAN CERC?

New Delhi: The Centre has opposed the life ban on convicted politicians from contesting MP/ MLA elections, forming a political party or becoming an office bearer of a party, telling the Supreme Court that the life ban on bureaucrats cannot be equated with similar ban on lawmakers, if convicted in a crime, as the latter are not bound by service conditions, but an oath of office instead.

An affidavit filed by the Ministry of Law and Justice said: “It is stated that there are no specific service conditions laid down in respect of elected representative albeit, the fact that the people’s representatives are public servants. The elected representatives are ordinarily bound by the oath that they have taken, to serve the citizens of their constituency in particular & the country in general.” The Centre said the public servants are debarred from their service for lifetime if convicted of offence punishable under provisions of various laws, but a legislator, who is disqualified for an offence, only for a period specified in the Representation of Peoples Act.

CM Chouhan pays tribute to Plea in SC over UP govt’s ‘love jihad’ law victims of Bhopal Gas Tragedy New Delhi: A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court challenging the The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion Of Religion Ordinance, 2020 and the Uttarakhand Freedom Of Religion Act, 2018.

The plea moved by advocates Vishal Thakre and Abhay Singh Yadav and law researcher Pranvesh, states that the UP ordinance disturbs the basic structure of the Constitu-

‘SC ON POSTERS’

06

MRS. RUBY SRIVASTAVA RETURNS TO PARENT CADRE

Mrs. Ruby Srivastava, Director (Finance) at Joint Secretary level in Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), has been given premature repatriation to her parent cadre in order to enable her to avail of the benefits of promotion. She is a 1986 batch IRS-IT officer.

WILL JUSTICE AGRAWAL MOVE TO MADHYA PRADESH?

Justice Vivek Agrawal is likely to be transferred from Allahabad High Court to the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

RAHUL PACHORI APPOINTED DEPUTY SECRETARY, SCHOOL EDUCATION

Rahul Pachori has been appointed Deputy Secretary in the Department of School Education and Literacy. He is a 2010 batch IRSEE officer.

JUSTICE BINDAL TO BE ACTING CJ OF J &K HIGH COURT ?

After the retirement of Justice Geeta Mittal on December 8, Justice Rajesh Bindal is likely to be appointed Acting Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

R GOPINATH RELIEVED TO TAKE UP HIS NEW ASSIGNMENT

Consequent upon his appointment as Deputy Secretary in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, under the Department of Health and Family Welfare, R Gopinath is relieved of his existing duties to take up his new assignment. He is a 2009 batch IFS officer of AGMUT cadre.

7 OFFICERS OF NAGALAND AWARDED IAS CADRE

As many as seven members of the Nagaland State Civil Service have been awarded Indian Administrative Service (IAS) cadre for the Select List of 2019.

The officers are: Neposo Theluo, K Libangthung Lotha, Lhouchalie Viya, K S Anden Konyak, Khrupi Sothu, Athel O Lotha and Wezope Kenye.

By arrangement with: http:// whispersinthecorridors.com

CENTRE INCREASES DOMESTIC FLIGHTS’ CAP New Delhi: The cap on the number of domestic flights that Indian airlines are permitted to operate was increased from 70 per cent to 80 per cent of their pre-COVID levels on Thursday, said Civil

Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The ministry had resumed scheduled domestic passenger services from May 25, after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Chavan had recently said if the law was enacted, along with prohibition on slaughter, sale and use of beef, also illegal transportation of animals for slaughtering will be stopped.

The BJP in its manifesto ahead of the 2018 assembly election had promised prohibition of cow slaughter.

Despite resistance from opposition, the then BJP government led by B S Yediyurappa in 2010 had got the controversial Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill passed. It proposed to replace the Karnataka

Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964.

The bill had widened the definition of ‘’cattle’’ and imposed a blanket ban on cattle slaughter, coupled with stringent penalty clauses for violation.

However, the Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah that came to power in 2013, withdrew the bill that was before the President for his assent. After the BJP came back to power in the state, several party leaders have been making a pitch to re-enact the anti-cow slaughter law.

FROM PG 1 Eight-hr-long...

A government source said the meeting would resume on Saturday as no final outcome could be reached due to paucity of time.

Union leaders, who came out of the meeting venue shouting slogans, said the talks remained deadlocked and some of them threatened to boycott any further meetings if no solution was found at Thursday’s meeting.

“Discussions are over from our side. Our leaders have said they will not attend further meetings if a solution is not given today by the

Rajinikanth to...

“In the upcoming Assembly elections, the emergence of spiritual politics will happen for sure. A wonder will happen,” he said on his twitter handle.

An announcement on matters connected to the party launch would

Karnataka Minister... and held discussions about the implementation of the anti-cow slaughter legislation there and on the proposal to enact a similar law in the state.

The minister, who has already announced that the anti-cow slaughter bill will be introduced during the state legislature session starting from December 7, is currently on a visit to Uttar Pradesh and

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07

Mumbai visit raises investment UP govt’s ‘love jihad’ law Yogi’s hopes in the state in the near future challenged in Apex Court First India Bureau

This comes days after the state government cleared a draft ordinance to deal with religious conversion

Lucknow: The recently-promulgated Uttar Pradesh government’s law against “love jihad”, a term used to describe the forced conversion of nonMuslim women to Islam, has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

Two lawyers and a law researcher have filed a PIL in the top court against the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, seeking an

Two lawyers and a law researcher have filed a PIL in the top court against the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, seeking an order to direct the authorities not to give effect to ordinance order to direct the authorities not to give effect to the ordinance.

This comes days af-

CDS Rawat in Gorakhpur on two-day visit First India Bureau Gorakhpur: CDS General Bipin Rawat reached Gorakhpur on Thursday. Keeping in view the arrival of CDS, the police of the district were on alert since noon. Duty of inspectors, constables and soldiers was imposed from the Air Force Station to the gate of GRD Kudaghat campus. The personnel of the airport police station were also ready.

CDS Rawat reached Gorakhpur Air Force Station on Thursday afternoon at 3.15 pm by a special air force aircraft. At 3:20 pm CDS Bipin Rawat left the airport station to go to GRD campus at Kudaghat where he conducted an inspection. Before that, the movement of vehicles on the GorakhpurKasaya road was stopped. After about an hour of inspection at GRD, the CDS reached the Airforce guest house. After resting at the guest house for about three hours, CDS Rawat left for the Gorakhnath Temple. After having darshan and a meal in the temple, CDS went back to take a

night’s rest at the Airforce guest house. Security arrangements have been made in view of his two-day visit.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also reached Gorakhpur.

He oversaw the arrangement in the Maharana Pratap Inter College campus. After inspection, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath left for Gorakhnath Temple. A dinner with General Bipin was arranged there. The temple management was busy with preparations related to the CM and CDS’s arrival and dinner at Gorakhnath temple.

About 25 dignitaries including the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Chief of Army and three other Army officers were expected to attend the banquet, including senior members of Maharana Pratap Shiksha Parishad. The Founder Week Celebration of Maharana Pratap Shiksha Parishad will be celebrated with full grandeur this time as well.

The seven-day festival begins on Friday.

ter the Yogi Adityanath-led state government cleared the ordinance, making forced

A

knowhow of things inform that before November 2 when the airport was in the hands of the government, pickup charge from the mobile app-based taxis was not taken for 10 minutes therefore the passengers were not burdened with additional Rs 50 charge.

—Ahtesham Siddiqui

‘LOVE JIHAD’ CONFUSION GALORE!

U

P Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has framed

Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has returned from Mumbai with a huge bundle of expectations from the city of dreams. Long discussions with representatives of the country’s top industrial groups have created the possibility that thousands of crores will be invested in Uttar Pradesh in the near future. Industrialists have expressed their desire to invest in various sectors ranging from defense corridors.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who visited Mumbai on a twoday visit, held a meeting with entrepreneurs there on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to the UP government, entrepreneurs have expressed their desire to

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

invest here along with many suggestions.

Tata group chairman N. Chandrasekharan has expressed his desire to invest in electronics manufacturing, religious tourism venues in Ayodhya and Prayagraj, hotels, passenger electric vehicles and solar manufacturing. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told him that the proposed electronic city of the state government near Jewar Airport is a good option.

CDS GEN BIPIN RAWAT OFFERS PRAYERS AT

GORAKHNATH TEMPLE, CM YOGI ACCOMPANIES HIM

Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani, Chairman and MD of Hiranandani Group suggested that setting up a township with mixed land use would be an interesting proposal. A study will be done to understand its potential and practicality.

Sanjay Nair, partner and CEO of KKR India Advisors Private Limited, discussed investment in tourism infrastructure, financing, development of hospi-

PM to lay virtual foundation of Agra Metro on Dec 7 First India Bureau

General Bipin Rawat offered prayers at Gorakhnath temple while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accompanied him for a small tour of the temple premises on Thursday.

High Court rejects anticipatory bail plea of SP Manilal of Mahoba First India Bureau Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail application of suspended Superintendent of Police Manilal Patidar of Mahoba, seeking to avoid arrest on charges of corruption.

Justice Sunit Kumar has given this order to Manilal Patidar’s Advocate and Additional Ad-

ADANI’S BURDEN ON AIR PASSENGERS! fter Lucknow’s Choudhary Charan Singh International Airport has been taken over by Adani group, the taxis coming at Amausi airport are being charged Rs 50 as pickup charges. This charge is being passed on to the passengers who are being told mildly that the airport has now turned private and is no more a government airport and since the private things are costly and it is taken from us we will pass it on to you. People in the

religious conversion for the sake of marriage a non-bailable offence.

The law that aims to counter alleged attempts to convert Hindu women to Islam in the guise of marriage, which Hindu activists refer to as love jihad, could land violators in jail for up to 10 years.

“The way in which religious conversions are done using deceit, lies, force and dishonesty is heart-wrenching, and it was necessary to have a law in this regard,” Cabinet minister and UP government spokesperson Sidharth Nath Singh had said after the state government gave its assent to the ordinance on Tuesday.

—PTI

such a law regarding love jihad that the Lucknow police too got puzzled. In the first case in Para, Lucknow, a marriage ceremony was stopped by police where a Hindu bride was getting married to a Muslim groom without any conversion of religion The marriage ceremony was stopped by Hindu organisations. The family was poor and the bride’s father had taken loan to get the girl married but when the police stopped the marriage and as per

vocate General Manish Goyal and Additional Government Advocate First, Ashutosh Kumar Sand on behalf of the State Government.

Nitish Kumar, Director of PP Pandey Infrastructure Ltd. has lodged an FIR against the suspended SP Manilal Patidar at the Mahoba Police station saying his company supplies building ballast through trucks. He has

the religion conversion bill asked him about the information to DM office, he said that laws of the government will be followed but was not aware of the law. He said that girl will be married to the guy whom she loves and since the baarat has arrived and the guests have come therefore the dinner prepared will be served to the guests. While the police got the marriage stopped, it could not stop the hosts from serving their guests. In hushed voices police too accepted that love knows no boundary.

—Vishal Srivastav

been asked to give Rs. 2 lakh per month to the SP to continue this work.

When he failed in doing so, dozens of his trucks were seized up, while all the paperwork of the trucks was correct and the vehicles were not even overloaded. SP Manilal Patidar, then Station In-charge of Kharela - Raju Singh and Rakesh Kumar Saroj the then Inspector

of Charkhari are causing trouble for him.

Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal and Additional Government Advocate First AK Sand opposed the application on behalf of the state government. They said that a reward of 25 thousand rupees has been announced on Manilal Patidar.

He has also been declared a fugitive with a non-bailable warrant.

tals, including agricultural supply chain, cold storage, farm mechanization, warehousing.

Suprakash Chaudhary, Vice President and MD, Siemens Industry Software India said that there is interest in developing the Siemens R&D Center at the Center of Excellence in the Defense Corridor. The R&D center should be developed in PPP mode. The company can give 80 percent equity in the form of software.

Kalyani Group Chairman Baba N. Kalyani told the Chief Minister that his group is keen to invest in defense production in Jhansi under the Defense Corridor.

He made some suggestions regarding the policy on import of defense products of the Center.

Agra: The foundation stone of the first station of Agra Metro will be laid on Fatehabad Road, in front of TDI Mall. After laying the foundation stone, work will begin on the first corridor 14 km from Sikandra to Taj Mahal East Gate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the virtual foundation stone of the ‘Agra Metro Project’ on December 7.

On this occasion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will also join the foundation stone program.

Preparations for the foundation stone program have been started by the Housing Department and the Agra Development Authority.

According to the proposed DPR, Prime Minister Modi’s speech will be broadcast live at PAC Ground.

Earlier, as per the schedule released on 23 November, the foundation stone of the Agra Metro project was to be laid on 1 December. In this program, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also supposed to come to Agra, but according to infor-

mation received from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Prime Minister was not getting time for the foundation stone due to excessive busyness.

Due to this, the foundation stone program was put forward.

Before the Agra Metro foundation stone program, the marking work on the barricading being done on Fatehabad Road has been accelerated.

Here, three thousand barricading boards are installed on either side of the divider. On Wednesday, the work of marking and signage was done on these boards. For the Metro project in Agra, UPMRC has given the slogan of ‘Green Metro, Safe Metro’.

The first priority corridor of the metro in Tajnagiri is the Taj Esatern Gate station to Jama Masjid Station will be ready. It has six stations. Sem India Builtwell has started work for Basai, Fatehabad Road and Taj Eastern Gate Station.

After the barricading is over, the pits will be dug to fill the foundation to erect the pillars on the dividers.

Moradabad’s Kanth police station ranks eight among 10 best in India First India Bureau New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday announced India’s top 10 best-performing police stations from across the country for the year 2020. The Kanth police station of Moradabad has been ranked eighth in this ranking of top-10 police stations of the country. This ranking is based on various criteria. At the top of these are the number of crimes related to property disputes, crimes

against women and disposal of crimes against weaker sections in a police station.

The Ministry of Home Affairs also surveyed this year for the best police stations under challenging conditions. This time it has also been kept in a cat-

egory to follow the Corona Protocol. The survey was done as per the government guidelines.

The Government of India selects the bestperforming police stations across the country every year, to incentivise more effective functioning and bring healthy competition.

The top 10 police stations were selected from a total of 16,671 police stations on certain parameters. From these, 75 police stations were selected for the

next stage, out of which 10 were selected as the country’s best police stations.

The government on Thursday released a list of the top 10 police stations in India for the year 2020.

In a press release, the government noted that the list was in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directions while addressing the 2015 Directors General of Police (DGP) Conference in Kutch, Gujarat.

It is a good exercise to search for who you are but it is better to search for who you aspire to be.

2ND FRONT

—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India

LUCKNOW | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2020

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COVID-19 UPDATE

WORLD

INDIA

08

UTTAR PRADESH

15,05,594 6,51,71,793 1,39,102 95,64,565 7,848 5,49,228 DEATHS

MAHARASHTRA 47,472 DEATHS 18,37,358 CASES

CONFIRMED CASES

RAJASTHAN 2,370 DEATHS 2,74,486 CASES

DEATHS

CONFIRMED CASES

KARNATAKA 11,821 DEATHS 8,89,113 CASES

DEATHS

DELHI 9,424 DEATHS 5,82,058 CASES

CONFIRMED CASES

GUJARAT 4,031 DEATHS 2,14,309 CASES

Major parties scramble to woo smaller ones for poll alliance

SP, BSP, Congress try to follow BJP’s strategy to win coming assembly elections Shishir Awasthi Lucknow: Even though there is still more than a year left in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, yet, the political parties have started forming their own political equations and alliances. It is believed that the major opposition parties of the state are seen running on the BJP’s 2017 alliance formula. Instead of tying up with big parties, the opposition is joining hands with caste-based smaller parties.

The BJP had won the the political battle in the last election using this strategy. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has said instead of tying up with parties like BSP and Congress, SP will fight together with smaller parties. He is eyeing an alliance with Chaudhary Ajit Singh and Sanjay Chauhan of Janwadi Party. Akhilesh has hinted that Shivpal can also be accommodated

BJP leaders including State BJP Chief Swatantra Dev Singh, BJP State incharge Radha Mohan Singh, co-incharge Sunil Ojha, Sanjeev Chaurasia and Satya Kumar, discuss roadmap for Panchayat poll.

Panchayat polls: It’s party workers over kin First India Bureau

by saying that he would not field a candidate in 2022 against his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav. In last polls, Akhilesh had decided to fight the election with the Congress and lost. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Akhilesh fought the elections in alliance with Mayawati, but SP did not get much benefit.

Akhilesh is now willing to join hands with smaller parties. Congress is also planning for a new experimen Emerging Dalit leader of western UP, Chandrashekhar Azad, made a political entry through the by-election under the banner of Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram). Chandrasekhar

has good relations with Priyanka Gandhi. Thus, the possibility of Bhima Army joining the fray with the Congress cannot be ruled out. Congress is also keeping an eye on Ayub Ansari’s Peace Party.

Mayawati joined the alliance of Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party in the

Bihar polls, including AIMIM of Asaduddin Owaisi and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party.

This alliance has won 6 seats. Although the picture is not clear if Mayawati will contest on this formula but AIMIM state president Shaukat Ali has expressed desire to contest the election with BSP.

Lucknow: The dream of UP legislators and ministers to promote and facilitate families and kin to contest panchayat elections is now falling apart.

Radha Mohan, new BJP in-charge of UP, has started work on the ‘UP Mission’. Under this, a strategy is being worked out where the party workers will be encouraged to fight the panchayat electios instead of the families of the leaders.

The BJP will take ground feedback regarding the panchayat polls this month through regional meetings and will engage in revision of

voter list along with their delimitation and reservation. The decision was taken in a meeting of BJP state officials, regional presidents and regional-cumgeneral ministers (organisations) held in the presence of newly appointed state in-charge Radha Mohan Singh.

The meeting was chaired by State President Swatantra Dev Singh. Radha Mohan Singh, who came to Lucknow for the first time after becoming state in-charge, started ‘Mission UP’ from four separate meetings of the organisation.

Of these, the main issue of two meetings was the panchayat elections

while the main issue discussed in the remaining two meetings was the proposed assembly elections in 2022.Co-incharge Sunil Ojha, Satya Kumar and Sanjeev Chaurasia were also present in the meetings that deliberated on strengthening the grassroots level grip and reach of the party through panchayat elections.

The state president said the BJP had already started preparations for the panchayat elections long back, which were showing good results.

During the deliberations, it was agreed that more and more activists should be given opportunity in the election.

Eight PCS officers transferred; IFS Sanjay Pathak sent to ED conducts raids Prayagraj official reinstated Varanasi from Lakhimpur in Lko, Barabanki Ahtesham Siddiqui Lucknow: The state government on Wednesday transferred eight senior PCS officers. Seven officers have been given new deployment in place of these PCS officers.

PCS officer Rajneesh Kumar Mishra, who was sent from City

Magistrate Prayagraj to the post of ‘Examination Control UP Subordinate Service Selection Commission Lucknow’, his transfer has been cancelled by the government and he has been retained as Municipal Magistrate Prayagraj.

Vinay Kumar Singh, has been made Munici-

pal Magistrate Bulandshahar. At the same time, no one has been posted at the Examination Control UP Subordinate Services Selection Commission. ADM FR PCS Rameshchandra (second) posted in Basti district has been transferred as Additional Commissioner in Prayagraj Division.

PCS Pappu is the Secretary Uttar Pradesh Municipality Financial Resource Development Board, Lucknow.

Though he has been sidelined with a posting that is not considered to be plump, in a case of boon in disguise, he has got what is actually a lucrative post.

Ahtesham Siddiqui

First India Bureau

Lucknow: The government is very sensitive about transfers in Uttar Pradesh. Every transfer is hidden in such a way that no one gets a clue.

Sudden transfer of a senior officer of the Forest Department on Thursday also surprised everyone.

Indian Forest Service officer Sanjay Pathak has been removed and given a side posting. IFS Sanjay Pathak had charge of Chief Conservator of Forests Field Director ‘Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Lakhimpur’, which is considered quite a VIP posting.

After transferring

Lucknow: The Directorate of Enforcement, which is investigating the funding done by PFI, has conducted raids at several states including UP. The action is being taken on the FIR registered against PFI in relation to its involvement in the protest against the ‘Citizenship Amendment Act’ in Delhi. The ED has conducted raids at 26 places across the country including Lucknow and Barabanki. ED is conducting raids in Kerala, Delhi, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bihar and Maharashtra.

IFS officer Sanjay Pathak is now posted as CCF Varanasi

him from there, now he has been made the Chief Conservator of Forests Varanasi which is infamous as the worst posting of the Forest Department. The IFS rank officer has been suddenly removed in such a way that there is a stir in the forest department. On the other hand, Piyush Mohan Srivastava, Re-

gional Forest Officer, Katarniaghat Range Forest Life Division, has been transferred to Kumarganj Rain Ayodhya Forest Division. In UP, the transfer of IAS and PCS officers was done secretly, but for the first time it is seen that in the forest department also the transfers are being done in covertly.

Nadeem, arrested from Lucknow, was a resident of Kursi area of Barabanki Nadeem, arrested from Lucknow in the violence related to CAA and NRC, was a resident of Kursi area of Barabanki.

On Thursday, a sudden raid was carried at the house of a person associated with the Popular Front of India in Agasad village of Kurse station area of Barabanki. Mubsir, a resident here, is accused of being associated with PFI.

POLITICS OF COMPASSION

Ahmed followed Gibran’s words, his children walk dad’s path to tribals Faisal and Mumtaz meet tribals for whom Ahmedbhai was like an angel Gargi Raval “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.”

—Kahlil Gibran.

Ahmedabad: If anyone who has not only read but also implemented for sure this moving counsel to parents by the inimitable Kahlil Gi-

bran, it is the affable, the late Ahmed Patel, who seldom even thought of enforcing his political inheritance on his son Faisal and daughter Mumtaz.

This is why it is with clarity that both have been telling the ever inquisitive media ever since the veteran leader’s untimely demise that they aren’t keen on join-

ing politics, leave alone succeeding Ahmed Patel.

But Faisal and Mumtaz seem to know that politics is not just about the musical chairs that politicians play but also about supportive policies and action for the social and economic development of the downtrodden, deprived and marginalised.

So, the first thing the two did after the last rites of their father was to reach out to the tribal

Late Ahmed Patel’s son Faisal and daughter Mumtaz interacted with tribals in the region for whom the departed leader had carried out development works.

population in the Bharuch region for whom Ahmedbhai was nothing less than an angel, given his contribution for them. Among several initiatives was a hospital that he helped set up in the area.

Faisal and Mumtaz went and met the tribals in the area and reassured them that though their father was no longer there, they weren’t alone. “We are with you,” Mumtaz told

the tribals. And Faisal appealed to them to “Pray for my father.

And yes, if you have any work, tell me we are with you.”

An apparently moved Mumtaz went into nostalgia as she recalled, talking to them: “We used to come here to see Garba when we were small,” Mumtaz said. And Faisal chipped in, “We will keep coming to see you”.

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LUCKNOW, FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2020

Jagdeesh Chandra with (from left) Daisy, Yashika, Aditi, Divya, Deepali, Tripti, Charvi, Medhavi, Dr Sandeep Sharma, Akansha, Gaurav Gaur, Yasheel Pandel, Simran, Ankur, Nupur, Varsha and Vishal —PHOTOS BY SANTOSH SHARMA

THE FINAL RACE Auditions for Elite Miss Rajasthan 2020 finally came to an end with the last and final auditions being held in Jaipur on Thursday evening. The finals will now take place later this month!

Radhika Chaudhary, Arpita Singhania, Sudeepta Das, Varsha Jeswani, Nupur Jhankal, Charvi Tanya Dutta, Gaurav Gaur, Akansksha Bhalla, Riya Suldia, Shashi Bhatti, Shristhi Keswani, Ruby Chaudhary

NEHAL NAYAR

nehal.nayar@firstindia.co.in

A

During the auditions of ‘Elite Miss Rajasthan 2020

(Clockwise) Shabnam Istan Zabeen, Shashi Bhatti and Arpita Singhania

Panel during the auditions

fter going from city-to-city in the past few months to search for the best participants, the team of Elite Miss Rajasthan 2020 is finally done and dusted with its auditions. Organised in Hotel Hilton Jaipur, around 150 girls participated in the final audition round held on Thursday.

All the participants strived hard to make a place in the Top 31 finalists of Elite Miss Rajasthan 2020.

Jagdeesh Chandra was the chief guest of the event and judged a few participants based on various parameters like their talent and personality. Various eminent celebrities served as judges like actress Charvi Tanya Dutta who is also the founding member of Elite

Miss Rajasthan, and supermodels Akanksha Bhalla and Divya Kasliwal.

During the event, Director of Elite Miss Rajasthan, Gaurav Gaur said, “Keeping the growing coronavirus infections in mind, we have followed all the guidelines issued by the government strictly. The entire location for the audition was automatically sanitized by robots at small intervals. The bio-secure bubble was also installed to provide complete protection from the virus. Rules like social distancing and ‘No Mask, No Entry’ were also followed.”

Gaurav also further elaborated that auditions were organised in several cities of Rajasthan like Kota, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Jaipur where many girls participated with huge enthusiasm. All the selected finalists will be revealed on 14 December, and the finale will be held on 20 December. The finalists will be groomed with well-known celebrities right before the finals.

ETC

10

LUCKNOW | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2020

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REMEMBERING 1971

LIBERATION OF BANGLADESH The war of liberation of Bangladesh was fought from 4 to 16 December. It was a story of India’s victory, Pakistan’s surrender and Bangladesh’s freedom. The Indian Armed Forces brought Pakistani army to its knees, took 93,000 Pakistani prisoners and gave 75 million people of Bangladesh their independence. The war started when Pakistan launched air strikes on 11 Indian airbases. It was perhaps the first time in which India’s all three forces fought in unison.

Wg. Cdr. Sukhveer Dhankhar, who fought the 1971 war shares his memories today!

SUKHVEER DHANKHAR

cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

“Toto 8000 ft. Target in sight, Bomb doors open, Turn left left right , right, steady steady… steady bombs gone.

Hit the target dead on.

Close Bomb Doors, Dive to 1500 ft and a sharp right turn to 090 degrees to escape.”

Lt. Gen. Niazi signing the Instrument of Surrender under the gaze of Lt. Gen.

T

his was the commentary over 30-35 navigators gave on 4th December, as they lay prone in their Canberra B (I) 58 nose to guide and drop 8 x1000 lbs bomb load each on pre -determined targets in Pakistan.

The Indian Air Force relentlessly bombed Pakistani targets of military value till 15th December. Be it Airbases, Radar stations, Railway yards, bridges etc. This was in retaliation to Pakistan’s pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian Air Force Bases on 3rd December, 1971.

In the first ever free elections on 7 December 1970 in

Human Remains and War Material from 1971 Genocidel- Liberation War

otherwise military ruled Pakistan the Awami League Party led by Sheikh Mujib Ur Rahman won a land slide victory securing 160 seats in a house of 300 against 81 by the PPP led by

FA CE OF TH ED AY

Mukti Vahini

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. This was hard to digest by not only Bhutto but also the then military dictator Gen Yahya Khan. West Pakistan could not ruled by a Bengali. Bengalis were over joyed with the prospect of ruling the west Pakistan.

This was not to be and the Yahya- Bhutto combine arrested Sheikh Mujib for treason and put him in solitary confinement.

East Pakistan loved their charismatic Sheikh. They declared their independence on 25th March, 1971.In response west Pakistan launched Operation “Searchlight” against their own mostly Muslim brethren, leading to the deaths of an estimated 1.3 million citizens, making around 30 million homeless of which 10 million fled to India as refugees.

To fight back, the East

YOUR DAY Horoscope by

Saurabbh Sachdeva

Canberra in action

Pakistanis formed the Mukti Bahini, a brave guerilla resistance force formed to fight for freedom and life.

India’s PM at that time was the Iron lady Indira Gandhi and she pledged complete moral and material support to the future Bangladeshis on behalf of their brothers and sisters in India. India also provided them some basic armaments and military training.

Giving them hope that they might survive and one day be free from the crazy despotic rule of Yahya Khan and Bhutto. That was the match stick that lit the sub-continent afire in 1971.

As war clouds loomed again, the Indian Defence Forces started preparing for a third war. The Air Force particularly the Canberras went in right earnest to select and nominate targets and prepare flight

ARIES

TAURUS

You will get help and resources for undertaking an important event on the social front. A shopping spree is on the cards, as you are in mood to splurge today. Enjoying the company of like-minded people is foretold. You may prove yourself to be a bright spark academically.

Some of you will be able to overcome weaknesses and improve your performance on the academic front. Real estate dealers are likely to have a field day. You will remain most understanding on the family front and will successfully cater to the moods of spouse.

Indira Gandhi

carried out by the Flt Cdr. The squadron launched about 94 bombing and interdiction sorties on both east and west Pakistan sectors during the 13 day conflict dropping over 7 lakh pounds of bombs on our adversary.

The damage caused can be imagined by the fact that complete Air Superiority was achieved in the East Pakistan within four days and our Army with full support of the Airforce started moving swiftly towards Dhaka, the full complement of the 16 Sqn Cobras now bombing west Pakistan targets. I personally flew 11 sorties, including five bombing missions across the border dur-

GEMINI

APR 21 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

Much enjoyment is foreseen on the social front.

Your reputation on the academic front is set to rise amongst peers. A new property acquired by you will start giving good monetary returns. A family member may try to stand on his or her own two feet.

Owning a house can become your aim. Your strength in your field of expertise is likely to be recognised by those who matter.

Some of you are likely to ace a competition or exam on the academic front. You will need to do some quick thinking today at work.

For once you may attempt to take your own stand on the social front and call a spade a spade. An assignment given to you on the academic front will be completed most satisfactorily.Those trying to extend their leave will succeed. You will manage to save enough.

SAGITTARIUS Profitable deals will come your way and can get the cash register ringing.

Keeping fit can become your focus, for which you may join a gym or start an exercise regimen. You are likely to realise the importance of someone in your social circle, whom you used to dismiss out of hand.

MAR 21 - APR 20

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

NOV 23 - DEC 22

SANTOSHI SHETTY, Influencer

plans. No. 16 Sqn, the “Cobras”, intensified High, Medium and low-level flying training carried out practice and live bombing training for all the crews.

Though a late comer to the bombing fraternity, I was lucky to be declared fully ops in the nick of time to be qualified to be detailed for ops sorties. The Squadron led by the legendary ace Wg Cdr P (Pete) Gautam MVC, VM and cool as a cucumber, Flt Cdr Sqn Ldr MM Takle and Nav Ldr Sqn Datta was full of experienced crew.

On the evening of 3rd December, officers received a message to report to the underground Ops room immediately. The OC Wg Cdr Gautam addressed the officers that the much-awaited moment had arrived and announced the crews for the sorties and targets.

Individual briefing was

AUG 24 - SEP 23

Someone may go out of his or her way to help you at work. Tying loose ends both at work and home may be your priority today.

Remaining involved on the academic front may make you cover up whatever had been missed. You will manage to plan your expenses.

ing the 13 day war.

America realising Pakistan’s hapless position started putting pressure on India to stop the war and in the process moved its 7th Fleet to the Bay of Bengal .

But the Indian Prime Minister, instead of bowing down, put pressure on the Armed Forces to finish the job, which they did and on 15thDecember, Gen Niazi with over 93000 troops surrendered to Gen Arora.

Thus came the curtain down on one of the great achievements of the Indian Armed on one hand and the will and grit of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on the other.

CANCER

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

You can expect to spend the day in exciting company on the social front. Those expecting possession of a property paid for may face delay. Those planning a relaxing time at home can end up doing household chores. Keep all your options open academiaclly.

SCORPIO

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Your well-wishers are likely to go out of their way to raise your image on the social front. Those studying are likely to come into the good books of their teachers. Your travel stars seem strong and may take you out of town on a vacation.

The day seems profitable.

Someone with his or her self-interest in mind is likely to appease you. Things are slated to turn for the better for you on the social front. Keeping up with others on the academic front may prove an uphill task for some. Meeting lover secretly is strictly not recommended today.

Encouraging news awaits some on the academic front. Those looking for accommodation can expect to find one that meets their requirement. You can count on the total support of family members in domestic matters. You are likely to give your career a boost.

DEC 23 - JAN 20

JAN 21 - FEB 19

Accolades and congratulations may pour in from all sides for something that you have achieved. Honour and prestige is in store for those in the field of education. Luck favours those buying or selling property. The day promises a lot of excitement on the domestic front.

FEB20 - MARCH 20

ETC LUCKNOW | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2020

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DURGAMATI’S TRAILER GOES VIRAL

CRAZZZY KIA RE cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

B

Poster of ‘Durgamati’

A

mazon prime video’s Durgamati has truly taken over the internet post the impressive trailer and the how the story has all the elements of love, fear and defeating the evil. Arshad Warsi who’s playing a pivotal role in the film talks about why the actor signed up for the film. “The reason I took up this role was that its a nice script. It is one of those scripts which is very Indian and will appeal to our audience and their sensibilities.”, says Arshad Warsi. He adds, “I loved the twists and turns in the story.” Arshad Warsi has never failed to entertain the audience with his talent.

—Agency

Overwhelming gratitude

ollywood singer Aastha Gill was in Jaipur on Monday to perform at a private event. Aastha is an Indian singer and songwriter who debuted with the party song ‘Dhup Chik’ from the film ‘Fugly’. She uped the quotient with the dance number ‘Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai’ from ‘Khoobsoorat’ and is also known for her singles ‘DJ Wale Babu’, ‘Buzz’ and ‘Naagin’. In an exclusive interview with City First, she spoke about her journey in the industry.

Q. You have done your bachelor’s in Journalism.

How did you get into the singing profession?

A. Yes, I have done my bachelor’s in journalism and singing was completely an act of God. Singing was always a part of my life, but I never thought I would pursue singing as a career. It was just a random call I got from Raftaar bhai when I was working in advertising and he said, “I have got a Bollywood song

Singer Aastha Gill in an exclusive interview with City First, while she visited the Pink City for a private event

among these three?

A. Yes, I have sung with Badshah bhaiyya, Raftaar bhaiyya and Diljit and I can’t compare them because they are completely different people. Honestly, I haven’t met Diljit Dos-

KAVITA CHAUHAN

Poster of the song ‘Crazy Lady’

and your vocals will really sound good on it so quickly come and dub.” I said to him, “I can’t leave my work.” There was a moment of truth - I had to face the reality. I chose music over my corporate job. I left without completing my work and I got fired that day. It was just a leap of faith that I took and it worked for me.

Then he introduced me to Badshah bhai and things started working in the right direction and that’s how I’m here.

ing the latter completely. Life has otherwise changed because of my career but the Delhi and Mumbai factor hasn’t changed anything as much. Career-wise and music-wise, I think things have changed, people now know my name and it’s a beautiful feeling when you go out and people recognise you. That way I think God has been kind and I think I have achieved something in life.

Q. From Delhi to Mumbai, how has life changed for you?

A. I still live in Delhi and I travel to Mumbai only for work. I love Mumbai but Delhi is like family and I can’t think of leav-

Q. You have sung songs with Badshah, Raftaar and Diljit Dosanjh. Who is your personal favourite

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anjh ever, but I would love to because I love his work and I love his wife. I am not being diplomatic here but l can’t pick one; it’s the most difficult question for anyone.

Q. You have given so many hit songs. Which one is your personal favourite and why?

A. ‘Buzz’ obviously because that’s like the closest baby to my heart because it was my debut.

It introduced me as a singer, as a pop artist so that will always be the closest to my heart. I love all my songs but “Buzz” is the closest to my heart.

Q. our latest song ‘Crazy “Lady’, has been winning hearts. How much do you relate to this song?

A. ‘Crazy Lady’ is a song that I have co-written with Charan and Kanika; it’s totally based on my life experiences. In life, it’s important to be a little crazy to make it big, and I am a crazy person. It runs in my family and I think my mother is the craziest among us all. I think I get that from her.

Aastha Gill

RIRI DATING? Elliot Page

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uno and The Umbrella Academy star Elliot Page recently came out as trans and explaining their pronouns are he/they. The 33-year-old star posted a message on their Twitter account, writing, “Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot.

I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life.” Elliot continued, “I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey. I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self.” — Agency

Next generation

Sonam’s Post

Major missing!

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Rihanna

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ihanna and ASAP Rocky are reportedly dating! The 32-yearold Diamonds singer and the 32-year-old rapper were spotted having dinner over the weekend at the Beatrice Inn in New York City.

However, just a couple of days after the initial rumours surfaced a friend

close to Rihanna told that the pair were just friends, saying, “She’s hanging out with ASAP Rocky, but she is not dating him. They have a long history and she’s just having fun.” Now it looks like the rumour-mill has come full circle, with fresh speculation emerging about Rihanna and

ASAP. The latest update has to do with a dinner date in New York and another bit of source info. Now, a source has confirmed that the two music stars are indeed a couple.

—Agency

Teri Bhabhi Song Reaction

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Prince Harry

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rince Harry is thinking about what the next generation which includes his 1-year-old son, Archie is going to inherit. The Duke of Sussex helped launch WaterBear Network, a new Netflix-style streaming platform focused on conservation, by taking part in a conversation about the important topic. Shot from his California home, Harry shares how welcoming a son last year encouraged him to work against climate change and environmental issues. “The moment you become a father everything really does change because then you start to realize, well, what is the point in bringing a new person into this world when they get to your age and it’s on fire?” — Agency Sara Ali Khan; (Inset) still from ‘Coolie No. 1’

Varun Dhawan

arun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan have been making a whole lot of noise on social media ever since the trailer of their film Coolie No 1 dropped. The onscreen couple were a hit and fans of masala entertainers truly loved to see them together.

The makers dropped new song titled ‘Teri Bhabhi’.

Varun had teased his fans saying that he will be introducing them to their ‘bhabhi’. While many wondered if it was his girlfriend Natasha Dalal, movie buffs were quick to recognise it was related to the song.

—Agency

t is no secret that the fashionista Sonam Kapoor Ahuja is very close to her family and always makes it a point to spend her time with them. For the unversed, the stunning actress is currently in Dubai with her husband Anand Ahuja. She was in London since midJuly this year and owing to this she could not even celebrate Diwali with her family in Mumbai.

As we speak of this, the actress has shared a picture with her father Anil Kapoor and s i s t e r Rhea saying that she is missing her family back in Mumbai. Taking to her Instagram handle, Sonam dropped a stunning photo and wrote, “Majorly missing them.”

—Agency

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja

CITY BUZZ LUCKNOW | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2020

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

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WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Suresh Khanna, Minister of Finance, Parliamentary Affairs, Medical Education, UP inspected the Akanksha Committee set up at Butler Palace on Thursday, along with Dr Archana Tiwari, State President, Akanksha Committee. The Committee is constantly making efforts to make the poor and economically weaker children and women selfreliant. Usha Sharma, Archana Kumar, and Madhu Gupta Ila Mohanty were also present.

A Great Loss

BEHTI HUI ZINDAGI ANITA HADA

anita.hada@firstindianews.com

I come from haunts of coot and hern, I make a sudden sally And sparkle out among the fern, To bicker down a valley.

By thirty hills I hurry down, Or slip between the ridges, By twenty thorpes, a little town, And half a hundred bridges.

Till last by Philip’s farm I flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever …

CITY FIRST, RAJASTHAN

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he Director of Rambagh Palace Jaipur and former Member of Parliament from Dausa, Maharaj Prithviraj (84) passed away on Wednesday evening owning to COVID-19 complications at a private hospital in the city. He was the son of late Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur and Maharani Kishore Kanwar. Maharaj Prithviraj played an iconic role in launching Rajasthan as a tourism destination. It was due to his efforts that the Rambagh Palace became one of the best hotels in the world. He made a mark as a sharp entrepreneur and a dedicated professional.

Humble, he was a wellgrounded individual.

He leaves behind his son, Rajkumar Vijit Singh.

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start this with the famous poem, The Brook by Lord Tennyson as we discuss the rivers of Uttar Pradesh but in India, rivers are far far more.

They are mothers, sisters and family who nurture an entire civilization in their bosom.

They give space to dreams, life, death, love and passion of the people who seek them.

Uttar Pradesh has more than 31 large and small rivers; of them, the Ganga, Yamuna, Alaknanda, Ramganga, Bhagirathi, Sarayu and Ghaghara are larger and of religious importance in Hinduism.

The Ganga, mother to all deserves a special mention and it’s own space – its spiritual and historical significance is immense and even today it stands as a symbol of Bharat Mata. The cleaning of the Ganga is not merely s state

and political issue but a core issue related to the identity of a Hindu.

There is something inherently romantic, lovely and spiritual about rivers, about flowing water, the lessons of life that a river teaches each one of us remain with us even when we leave the banks.

A river calls out to us… it is life.. flowing…

cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

GOING DIGITAL H

BARA IMAMBARA CALLING...

The Bara Imambara in the city of Nawabs is a stunning example of the splendor of Mughal architecture.

Visitors were seen wearing protective face masks as they arrive at Bada Imambara during a sunny day of winter in Lucknow on Thursday.

CITY FIRST

yderabad DutyFree (HDF), a division of GMR Hospitality and Retail Limited, runs duty-free shops at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Hyderabad. Recently, HDF has launched a unique service, ‘WhatsApp Virtual Assistant Chatbot’. This service allows international passengers (both departure and arrival) to reach out to HDF using WhatsApp and get their queries answered with ease, also they can ask

for a call back from HDF customer execu-

tive if further assistance is needed.

CAPTURED!

Leveraging the massive global WhatsApp user base of over 2.7 Billion users, the new Chat-bot service is a very convenient medium for customer engagement, helping build stronger relationships with customers.

—PHOTOS BY SUMIT KUMAR

cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

SPOTTED!

CITY FIRST

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A few glimpses of the people of Lucknow spending some quality time, as everything is slowly getting back to normal. The last few months had trapped everyone in their own places, but now things are starting to become normal once again.

—PHOTOS BY SUMIT KUMAR

Late Maharaj Prithviraj

Bollywood actor John Abraham was spotted shooting at Lucknow University in Lucknow on Thursday. He is currently shooting in the city for his upcoming film ‘Satyamev Jayate 2’.

—PHOTO BY SUMIT KUMAR

iscovery+, India’s first and leading aggregated real-life entertainment and learning streaming app, which was launched earlier this year, is all set to up the ante by foraying into original programming for the Indian market.

Staying true to its promise of catering to the audience demand, discovery+ will launch a slew of exciting Originals starting from 9 December including shows such as Mission Frontline, featuring talented actor Rana Daggubati; Ladakh Warriors: The Sons of the Soil, narrat-

SPECIAL LAUNCH ed in Hindi by eminent celebrity Randeep Hooda and Secrets of Sinauli: Discovery of the Century, which will be presented by acclaimed Indian Film director Neeraj Pandey along with versatile actor Manoj Bajpayee as the host. cityfirst@firstindia.co.in