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Transcript of Union Minister's son arrested after 11 hours of interrogation
CMYK
M ND-NDE
Delhi
City Edition
24 pages O ₹�15.00
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MAGAZINE A 8 PAGES
CLASSIFIEDS A PAGE 4
PM Modi, Danish
counterpart Mette
Frederiksen hold talks
page 8
Kashmiri Pandits
restrict movement to
designated colonies
page 9
China’s President Xi
vows ‘reunifi�cation’ with
Taiwan, amid tension
page 11
Pant’s Capitals meet
Dhoni’s Super Kings
in Qualifi�er 1
page 16
BJP leader’s kin, 2 otherslet off� in drugs case: NCPMUMBAI
NCP leader Nawab Malik on
Saturday alleged that the
Narcotics Control Bureau had
detained former Mumbai BJP
youth wing president Mohit
Kumbhoj’s relative Rishabh
Sachdeva and two others, but
let them off� later.
STATES A PAGE 6
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Govt. clears ChiefJustices’ appointmentsNEW DELHI
The Central government
cleared 13 transfers and
appointments of Chief
Justices to various High
Courts. They are part of a
major reshuffl�e orchestrated
by the Supreme Court
Collegium led by Chief
Justice N.V. Ramana.
NEWS A PAGE 8
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
IN BRIEF
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)chief Mayawati on Saturdaysaid she would write to theElection Commission seeking ban on all prepoll surveys by agencies and mediasix months before any elections so that the polls arenot impacted and the business of these agencies underthe garb of surveys is shut.
At a public meeting onthe death anniversary ofparty founder Kanshi Ram,Ms. Mayawati said as elections approach the “casteistmedia” or “media sponsored against the BSP”would deliberately show herparty to be in a weak condition.
“The party people shouldnot be misled by this in any
manner,” she said.Ms. Mayawati gave the ex
ample of the recent polls inBengal where the TMC hadreturned to power. She saidwhile the survey agencieshad shown Mamata Banerjee to be trailing, the resultsproved to be opposite.
‘Will not derail work’The BSP chief also promisednot to derail the ongoingwork of the BJP governmentin “Ayodhya, Varanasi,Mathura and other religiousplaces” if voted to power.
Uttar Pradesh goes to thepolls in early 2022.
Will write to EC for banon poll surveys: Mayawati‘Casteist media’deliberatelyportray BSP asweak, she saysspecial correspondent
LUCKNOW
BSP chief Mayawati *
A milestone global deal toensure big companies pay aminimum tax rate of 15% andmake it harder to avoid taxation has been agreed afterIreland, Estonia and Hungary signed up to an accord,which U.S. President Joe Biden said levelled the playingfi�eld.
The deal aims to end afourdecadelong “race tothe bottom” by governmentsthat have sought to attractinvestment and jobs by taxing multinational companiesonly lightly and allowingthem to shop around for lowtax rates.
Negotiations have beengoing on for four years, moving online during the pandemic, with support for adeal from U.S. President Biden and the costs of the COVID19 crisis giving it additional impetus in recentmonths.
Level fi�eld: Biden“Establishing, for the fi�rsttime in history, a strong global minimum tax will fi�nallyeven the playing fi�eld forAmerican workers and taxpayers, along with the rest oftheworld,” Mr. Biden said ina statement.
The deal aims to prevent
large fi�rms from bookingprofi�ts in lowtax countrieslike Ireland regardless ofwhere their clients are, an issue that has become evermore pressing with the riseof “Big Tech” giants that caneasily do business acrossborders.
Out of the 140 countriesinvolved, 136 supported thedeal, with Kenya, Nigeria,Pakistan and Sri Lanka abstaining for now.
The Parisbased Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD), which has beenleading the talks, said thedeal would cover 90% of theglobal economy.
However, with the ink
barely dry on the deal, somecountries were already raising concerns about its implementation. The Swiss Finance Ministry demanded ina statement that the interests of small economies betaken into account, and saidthat the 2023 implementation date was impossible.
Poland, which has concerns over the impact on foreign investors, said it wouldkeep working on the deal.
Central to the agreementis a minimum corporate taxrate of 15% and allowing governments to tax a greatershare of foreign multinationals’ profi�ts.
Global pact on minimumcorporate tax of 15% It will end ‘race to bottom’ among countries wooing MNCs
Reuters
Paris
CONTINUED ON A PAGE 8
With India and China scheduled to hold the 13th roundof Corps Commander talkson Sunday, Army chief General Manoj Naravane, referring to the largescale buildup by China along the Lineof Actual Control (LAC) ineastern Ladakh, on Saturday said that if the People’sLiberation Army (PLA) isthere to stay, the Indian Army is there to stay too.
Gen. Naravane said if theChinese side maintained thedeployment through the second winter it would “defi�nitely mean that we will bein a kind of LoC [Line ofControl] situation thoughnot an active LoC as is thereon the western front”.
Close watch“Yes, it is a matter of concern that the largescalebuildup has occurred and
continues to be in place,and to sustain that kind of abuildup, there has been anequal amount of infrastructure development on theChinese side,” Gen. Naravane said at the India Todayconclave. “So, it means thatthey [China] are there tostay. We are keeping a closewatch on all these developments, but if they are thereto stay, we are there to staytoo,” he said.
China here to stay, saysArmy chief on Ladakh‘PLA build-up is a matter of concern’Dinakar Peri
NEW DELHI
Gen. Manoj Naravane
CONTINUED ON A PAGE 8
The hill State of HimachalPradesh has been graduallywitnessing less snow in thepast decade and the area under snow is also decreasing.
The trend triggered by climate change has alarmed environmentalists, consideringthe importance of seasonalsnow cover as a major inputin controlling the hydrologyof the river basins in the ecologically fragile State.
A recent study, conductedjointly by the State Centre onClimate Change and theSpace Applications Centre,Ahmedabad, using Advanced Wide Field Sensor(AWiFS) satellite data has revealed that all major riverbasins, including the Satluj,Ravi, Chenab and Beas, have
witnessed an overall decrease of 18.5% in area undersnow in 202021 winters incomparison to 201920.
S.S. Randhawa, a coauthor of the study, told The Hin-
du, “Based on the averagesnowfall data available between 20102014, we started
to assess the spatial extent ofseasonal snow cover in 201516. Since then, every year,we have been analysing thesnowfall trend, which showsthat by and large there hasbeen a negative [reducing]trend in the past decade, butfor one odd year. The results
also show that there is a gradual shift in the snowfall occurrence pattern as well.The snowfall in peak winteris reducing slightly and, infact, is shifting towards thelate winter months or eventhe early summer months.”
Soumya Dutta, coconvener of the South Asian People’s Action on Climate Crisis, attributed thephenomenon to the risingtemperatures. “The climatepattern at the global level ischanging. Rapid deforestation, extensive constructionand unregulated activitiesare the contributing factors.These factors may be seen assmall at the local level butare certainly adding up,”said Mr. Dutta.
Himachal getting less snow: studyImpact of climate change could hurt river basins, say environmentalists
Air of worry: A snowy day in Shimla. * FILE PHOTO
VIKAS VASUDEVA
CHANDIGARH
CONTINUED ON A PAGE 8
Ashish Mishra ‘Monu’, son ofUnion Minister of State forHome Ajay Mishra, was arrested late on Saturday afterover 11 hours of questioning,for noncooperation duringinterrogation in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and farmers’ deaths case, a seniorpolice offi�cer said.
DIG incharge of theprobe Upendra Agrawal saidMr. Ashish did not cooperate during interrogation, andwas not willing to share certain things asked of him.“For noncooperation andevasive reply: on thesegrounds we are taking himinto custody and arrestinghim,” Mr. Agarwal said.
Mr. Ashish would be produced before a court, saidthe offi�cer, adding that thepolice would carry out a sustained custodial interrogation of the accused.
The Minister’s son hasbeen named as an accused inthe murder case lodged byfarmers after cars belongingto his father’s convoy ran over protesting farmers in Tikonia on October 3. Eightpersons, including fourfarmers, were killed in theincident. Following the incident, Mr. Ashish was namedin an FIR for murder, crimi
nal conspiracy, rash drivingand death by negligence,among other charges.
On Saturday morning, Mr.Ashish appeared for questioning at the Crime Branchoffi�ce in Lakhimpur after thepolice issued him summonsa second time as he failed toturn up after the fi�rst one onFriday. Mr. Ashish was askedby the police to appear before them at 11 a.m. The Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday arrested two persons inconnection with the case.
On Friday, Mr. Ajay Mishra, told reporters in Lucknow that Ashish did not go tothe police as he was unwell,and that he was staying at
their Shahpur Kothiresidence.
‘Not present at spot’ Mr. Ajay Mishra maintainedthat his son was not at thesite of the incident or in anyof the cars that mowed downthe farmers. Mr. Ashish wasin their ancestral village Banveerpur attending the annual wrestling event organised by the family, he said.
“My son would also havebeen killed had he beenhere,” he said, adding thathundreds of spectators atBanveerpur on the day ofevent were willing to submitaffi�davits about Mr. Ashish’spresence.
Union Minister’s son arrested after 11 hours of interrogationAshish Mishra held for non-cooperation during questioning, says DIG Agrawal
Omar Rashid
LUCKNOW
Ashish Mishra, accused in the Tikonia violence case, arriving atthe Crime Branch offi�ce in Lakhimpur Kheri on Saturday. * PTI
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha(SKM), the umbrella bodyof farmer unions spearheading the ongoing protests against the Centre’sfarm laws, on Saturday accused the BJP of attempting to discredit the currentagitation by resorting toviolent measures, and saidits intent had been exposed in the backdrop ofUttar Pradesh’s LakhimpurKheri incident.
Senior SKM leader Darshan Pal said the Lakhimpur Kheri violence shouldnot be seen in isolation asthe incident was part of alarger conspiracy againstfarmers and their ongoingstruggle.
“It is an attempt tocreate an atmosphere toterrorise people and toshut people’s voice. TheSKM will continue to raisethe voice,” he said at apress meet in New Delhi.
BJP is trying to discreditprotest: SKM
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
CHANDIGARH
SKM PLANS ‘SHAHEED KISAN
DIWAS’ A PAGE 8
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DELHI THE HINDU
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CITY
Perturbed by the recent killing of civilians in the Valley,Kashmiri Pandits residing inthe national capital have demanded that the Central government ensure that members of the community aresafe in Kashmir and calledthe incidents a “failure” of security agencies.
Members of various citybased Kashmiri Panditgroups, including PanunKashmir, All India KashmiriSamaj, Kashmiri Samiti Delhi, Roots in Kashmir JammuKashmir Vichar Manch andYouth 4 Panun Kashmir,gathered at Jantar Mantar onSaturday evening and voicedtheir anger against thekillings.
Dileep Mattoo, president
of Jammu Kashmir VicharManch, said his friends andrelatives in Kashmir arescared to even step out oftheir houses unless it’s veryimportant. “This has beendone to derail the peace process initiated by the Centralgovernment. They are tryingto divide people again andscare the minority … just likein the ’90s,” he said.
Ayushi Koul, a citybasedstudent, said the recent killings have resulted in “rumours of another migrationof minority groups” in Kashmir due to the “fear psychosis that has kicked in”.
‘Hope lost’“There was a certain hopethat we would be able to goback to the Valley and workthere. But now it would takeanother decade for my family
to believe that it is possible toreturn as they have experienced the trauma veryclosely,” Ms. Koul, whose family left Kashmir in the late
1990s, said.Badri Raina, a former Del
hi University professor, saidthese killings are not hatecrimes but political acts de
danger is the incidents leading to communal violence.
Arun Koul, a protester associated with Kashmiri Samiti Delhi, said that people inKashmir were now “facingthe same situation that wefaced in the 1990s”.
“Kashmiri Pandits havesuff�ered since 1947; our houses were attacked with stoneswhenever Pakistan wouldlose a cricket match, not necessarily against India only.No government has come forward to help us as a community. There are other Ministers, apart from PrimeMinister [Narendra] Modi,who can look into this issue.The PM cannot look at everyissue; the BJP has promised alot but apart from the ₹�500crore package for KashmiriPandits, nothing much hasbeen done,” said Mr. Koul.
mand from the governmentis that it should ensure thatthe Kashmiri Pandits are safein the Valley and they are putin a security zone where theyfeel confi�dent,” he said.
M.K. Raina, a Delhibasedtheatre personality who hadmigrated from Kashmir, saidwhile he condemned the killings of minority members,“Muslims were also killed,nobody is talking about that”.
‘Must stand united’“I think politicians only useus for propaganda purposes,and nothing else. A community must stand united; for 31years we have been unable todo that and it has to be apolitical. The Muslims that werekilled in Kashmir were alsoour people, the other dimension has to be shown,” hesaid, adding that the biggest
signed to thwart the consequences that followed theabrogation of provisions ofArticle 370. “Local KashmiriPandit associations had alerted the authorities that suchthings may happen. The security failure seems obvious.It needs to be recorded thatthe majority of civilianskilled this year in the Valleywere Muslims,” he said, adding that the recent killingsmust not be used to putmainstream Kashmiri Muslims in the dock.
Utpal Kaul, Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora’s international coordinator, said whenthe violence erupted in the1990s, the government“wasn’t strong”, which iswhy the exodus took place,but now what has happenedis a reaction to the “proIndianarrative”. “What we de
‘Civilian killings in Valley a failure of security agencies’Citybased Kashmiri Pandits say violence unleashed to ‘derail peace process’, demand enhanced security for community members in Kashmir
Muneef Khan
Hemani Bhandari
NEW DELHI
Kashmiri Pandits protesting against the killing of civilians in theValley, at Jantar Mantar on Saturday. * SANDEEP SAXENA
Four fi�remen sustained injuries after a building collapsed due to an explosionduring a fi�refi�ghting operation in Narela on Saturday,the Delhi Fire Service said.
DFS offi�cials said they received a call at 7.15 a.m.about a fi�re at a factory inOuter North Delhi’s NarelaIndustrial Area and a totalof 33 fi�re tenders werepressed into service.
The fi�re broke out at apaper plates manufacturingunit on the fi�rst fl�oor of thebuilding. “During the fi�refi�ghting operation, therewas an explosion and thebuilding collapsed as a result of which a fi�reman wasinjured and three otherssuff�ered burn injuries,” DFSchief Atul Garg said. The injured fi�remen were taken toGanga Ram Hospital.
4 fi�refi�ghtersinjured duringoperation
Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI
From communal riots to transistorblasts and crimes of passion, Delhi isno stranger to felonies but the greatest criminal off�ence in the nationalcapital was committed on January 30,1948, when Mahatma Gandhi was shotdead at a prayer meeting by NathuramGodse.
In a newly published book — TheMurderer, The Monarch and the Fa-kir: A New Investigation of MahatmaGandhi’s Assassination — WashingtonDCbased senior journalist Appu Esthose Suresh revisited the murderthat shook the nation seven decadesago. Research for the book coincidedwith the urban protests in Americaand India in recent years that wereheavily infl�uenced by Gandhian slogans and ideals. Appu saw that Gandhi’s nonviolence had new challengers— fake news and hate speeches. Theinterconnection between social justice and the need for correct information in the ‘hashtag era’ was established as Appu witnessed the onlineclashes between pro and antigovernment activists and cyberwarriors.
Appu and his coauthor, PriyankaKotamraju, not only researched andwrote the book but also took theGandhian message a step further bystarting a Gandhiinspired social media platform — Pixstory — that fl�ags intolerance and hate speeches.
The Gandhian calling came naturally to Appu, who had been researching on the Mahatma’s life and assassination for many years, beginning withhis stay at North Campus, Delhi University, which was the fi�rst part of theCapital he explored.
North Campus storiesNorth Campus, a group of colleges situated next to each other, has nurtured generations of Indians over thelast century and been a hub of inspiring tales. While pursuing a bachelor’sdegree from St. Stephen’s College,young Appu discovered one suchstory.
In the Rudra North Block where hespent his undergraduate years, Appudiscovered that it was St. Stephen’sCollege Principal S.K. Rudra who hadasked the VicePrincipal, C.F. Andrews, to visit South Africa and persuade Mohandas Karamchand Gandhito return to India. Upon his returnfrom South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi
resided at the residence of PrincipalRudra and gave shape to the Khilafatand the noncooperation movement.
The Gandhian infl�uence stayedwith the author during his years injournalism when he worked with TheIndian Express and several other publications and his academic stint atthe London School of Economics, fi�nally leading him to fi�ght a menacethat has acquired an allpervasiveform — fake news. The book’s coauthor, Priyanka, too has a vast experienceof working with women and Adivasigroups. She has worked in the pastwith the famous Khabar Lahariya, afeminist news organisation that is runentirely by women.
Pixstory is already entering into international tieups with prominentnames and is among the fi�rst such Indiandriven ventures which has received substantial support globally.The platform is also available as anapp, aimed at giving news and also detecting and fi�ltering fake and misleading information.
Driven by Appu’s early political infl�uences, and fl�oated by him and senior journalist Jayanth Jacob, Pixstoryrefl�ects the idea that fake newsamounts to abuse of power. It calls itself a factbased and evidencebasedsocial media platform. During a meeting with The Hindu, Appu pointed outthe way leading social media platforms have been unable to contain thespread of hate as they are based onprofi�tchasing format.
“We have taken a principled standthat our profi�t margins will not behigh but we will not compromise onfi�ltering hate,” said Appu, explainingthe element of risk that he is taking inlaunching a platform that does not intend to empower or reward the hatemongers online.
Like other such ventures, Pixstoryhas a news section and segmentswhere engagements on social issuesof importance will be taken up.
The Pixstory teams are presentlyoperating from Delhi and WashingtonDC. They include experienced journalists and social media professionals,working round the clock to add themuchneeded diversity to the socialmedia world and, hopefully, free it oftoxic hate and intolerance.
Social media gets aGandhian platform:Pixstory
Senior journalist andwriter Appu Esthose
Suresh starts aGandhiinspired
platform to fi�lter fakenews and hate speeches
Gandhian calling: Coauthors Appu Esthose Suresh and Priyanka Kotamraju, whostarted Pixstory, at Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi. Their book on Mahatma Gandhi’sassassination was published recently. * SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
Kallol Bhattacherjee
The redone arterial road ofShahjahanabad has attractedattention towards conservingthe historical architecturalfacades of several buildingsalong the stretch that connects Sri Digambar Lal JainMandir to Fatehpuri Masjid.
Along with the facades ofheritage homes, there is anurgent need to conserve family and lifestyle histories aspart of intangible heritage. Inthis regard, Lala Chunnamal,the largest living mansion onthe iconic street, illustrates afascinating account.
The Chandni Chowk andsurrounding lanes and bylanes represent, along withseveral other layers, the lifestyles of the landed elites,merchant classes and evolving middleclass professionals. Several mansions refl�ectthe Mughal period and theBritish rule in Delhi. Many ofthese families aligned withthe Mughals for practical reasons and changed their allegiance to the new Britishmasters, impacting the nature of lifestyles andarchitecture.
‘Lalacracy’ eraThe period and predominance of merchants and thenew landed class in diff�erentcities have been described as‘Lalacracy’ by eminent historian Narayani Gupta in Del-hi Between Two Empires1803-1931: Society, Govern-ment and Urban Growth.
Built in 1864, the Chunnamal Haveli continues to beused by Lala’s sixthgeneration descendant Anil Pershad and his family. A successful trader, Chunnamalwas primarily a cloth merchant (indicative of the exactlocation of the house in KatraNeel) and had signifi�canttrade links in Kolkata, and asummer home in Shimla.
Soon after 1857, LalaChunnamal bought a largepart of the presentdayChandni Chowk and the Fatehpuri Masjid in an auctionfor a pittance. “Most mosques were closed for a couple of years after the rebellion; many Muslims fl�ed thecity. My grandfather, a practical businessman, watchedout for the shops around themosque. The familyownedshops built Shivalayas, Dharamshalas and drinking water kiosks in Shahjahanabad,Mehrauli, Nangloi, etc. Sowhy could he not manage amosque,” remarks Pershad.
He says the family ownedthe shops from the erstwhileMajestic cinema to the Baptist Church and the area behind the present BhagirathPalace. “After some years,the family returned the Fatehpuri mosque to the Muslim community. The Britishrecognised the gesture andgave us some villages as agift,” adds Pershad.
Unlike many others,knowingly or inadvertently,the Chunnamal family saveda mosque from being demolished or turned into a bakeryshop or a garrison for thearmed forces when the British took over after the FirstWar of Independence.
The grand mansion integrated sturdy castiron balconies and spun spiral staircases, wooden Venetianwindows, and used stainedglass. The interiors charac
terise IndoWestern aesthetics decor like the famed Oslerglassware chandeliers forcandles, Belgian mirrors, European furniture, clocks, telephones, fi�replaces, andeven maintenance tools forthe fi�replace. Sophisticatedcrafts to embellish the interiors include clay tiles fromSindh that provide a carpetlook. The goldplated stuccowork in the ceiling is off�setwith natural indigo.
Ice emerged as a muchwanted product since theBritish required it to cooltheir drinks and water. Chunnamal owned the famous Baraf Khana or the icemakingunit in North Delhi, the OldSubzi Mandi and Pul Bangash. “Twiceelected to theMunicipal Corporation, hewas one of the few Indianswho were granted membership of the Delhi GymkhanaClub during the British days,”remembers Pershad.
High lifeThe Chunnamal family bredhorses, some were housed intheir home stables, whileothers were in the Delhi RaceClub. A special place for thefamily was their RambaghGarden near the RoshanaraClub. Viceroys visited, IndiraGandhi came to dine, andthe family participated inhorse races, including winning the Aminabad horseshow in Lucknow. Some members of the family even cameto be members of the secret
society of the Freemasons,who continued to meet in theQudsia Bagh in Civil Lines.
The courtyard hostedgatherings of courtesans,which women of the familywatched from behind thebamboo curtains. Pershad’sdaughterinlaw Swetcha Pershad described how femaleservice providers like washerwomen and barbers transmitted ‘news’ from one zenana or women quarters toother havelis. The hustlebustle of the home saw thewomen under the guidanceof a Parsi governess acquireskills in cooking western dishes, accessing recipes fromthe Woman & Home magazine launched in the 1920s.
Organisations like the UNESCO and urban governments in diff�erent parts ofthe world attempt to formulate policies to balance development with preserving historic urban landscapes. Theyinvolve stakeholders, incentivise owners of heritagehomes to retain facadeswhile making the inside ofdwellings modern.
The remaking of theChandni Chowk requires holistic policies and their execution before many of morethan 30 privatepublicowned heritage buildings arereplaced by buildings that donot go with the character ofthe historical landscape.
(The author is an expert oncultural heritage)
The merchant who bought a mosqueChunnamal Havelicarries manyfascinating talesabout the changein lifestyle andarchitecture ofDelhi after 1857
Rich history: The interiors of Chunnamal Haveli characterise IndoWestern aesthetics decor likeBelgian mirrors, European furniture, clocks, telephones and fi�replaces. * SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
Navina Jafa
Timings
DELHI
SUNDAY, OCT. 10
RISE 06:19 SET 17:57
RISE 10:23 SET 21:01
MONDAY, OCT. 11
RISE 06:20 SET 17:56
RISE 11:32 SET 21:56
TUESDAY, OCT. 12
RISE 06:20 SET 17:55
RISE 12:36 SET 22:56
Terming it “a historic newlow” for the political spectrum of the country, the AamAadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday alleged that the BJPledCentre had decided to goagainst a High Court order tofuel its “political ambition”.
AAP chief spokespersonand MLA Saurabh Bharadwajalleged that the BJP had usedthe Centre “as its own machinery” and “blocked” theDelhi government’s doorstepdelivery of ration scheme.
The Centre had, Mr. Bharadwaj alleged, written to theDelhi government statingthat it will not allow the doorstep delivery of rationscheme after the Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers’ Sangh
made a representation toLieutenantGovernor AnilBaijal against the scheme.
He said the same grouphad also gone to court againstthe Delhi government andwitnessed the “court’s greenlight” to the ration deliveryscheme. The developmentpoints towards a clear “nexusbetween the BJP and the ration mafi�a”, he alleged.
‘Gamechanger scheme’“It is one thing to go againstthe law and another to goagainst the court. The BJP haslost all sense of morality andgone against a High Court order that permitted the Kejriwal government to implement the doorstep rationdelivery scheme,” he said.
Mr. Bharadwaj said it’s a
gamechanger scheme, whichthousands of families have given their support to. “Thesefamilies are eagerly waitingfor this scheme to be implemented so they can get out ofthe shackles of the ration mafi�a,” he said.
In a letter from the UnionMinistry of Food, ConsumerAff�airs and Public Distribution to the Department ofFood and Civil Supplies, Delhi government, it was statedthat while distributing foodgrains to benefi�ciaries, the city government had to complywith the norms and provisions of NFSA Act 2013.
The letter also stated thatthe proposal under consideration for home delivery of ration does not meet the normsof NFSA and the government
of India does not allow it. Mr.Bhardwaj said it was noteworthy that the High Courthad refused to accept thesesubmissions.
Delhi BJP spokespersonPraveen Shankar Kapoor saidneither the BJP nor theCentre had any problem withthe city government’s doorstep ration distribution if it“arranged its own ration”.The NFSA quota ration is fordistribution through fairprice shops and it is a countrywide policy, he said.
“Saurabh Bharadwajshould know that even theDelhi High Court has said thegovernment can start doorstep ration scheme but itshould never stop ration distribution through Fair PriceShops,” Mr. Kapoor said.
AAP alleges BJP using Centre as its ‘own machinery’ to fuel its political ambition
Special Correspondent
New Delhi
‘BJP going against HC order on ration scheme’
Delhi University released itssecond cutoff� list on Saturday with the required marksseeing a marginal declinefrom the fi�rst list and manycourses being closed foradmissions.
Hindu College, which hadpegged a cutoff� at 100% forBA (Honours) politicalscience, has closed admissions to the course in the second list. Admissions to BA(Honours) philosophy, BA(Honours) English, BA (Honours) Hindi, BA (Honours)history, BA (Honours) Sanskrit and BA (Honours) sociology have also closed atthe college.
Ramjas College, whichhad pegged the cutoff� forpolitical science (Honours)at 100%, has not aff�ectedany change in the marks required in the second cutoff�while the cutoff� for BSc(Honours) physics has comedown to 99.33% from 100%.The cutoff� for the BA Programme combination in thecollege has dropped to99.5% from 100%.
Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), which hadpegged the cutoff�s for BA(Honours) economics andBCom (Honours) at 100%,has reduced the askingmarks to 99.75% and 99.12%,respectively, in the secondlist.
DU second cutoff� listsees marginal declineMany courses closed for admissions
Press Trust of India
New Delhi
A 25yearold civil servicesaspirant was found dead ather rented accommodation in central Delhi’s Rajender Nagar on Fridaynight. No note was recovered, the police said.
A senior offi�cer said thedeceased was from UttarPradesh and had come toDelhi in June to prepare forthe UPSC exams. She hadbeen residing in Old Rajender Nagar since October 2.
The police said they received a PCR call at 11.50p.m. regarding the incident.
Suicide prevention helpline: Sanjivini, Society forMental Health, 01140769002, MondaySaturday(10 a.m.7.30 p.m.)
UPSC aspirantfound dead
Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI
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THE HINDU DELHI
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CITY
Published by N. Ravi at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002 and Printed by S. Ramanujam at HT Media Ltd. Plot No. 8, Udyog Vihar, Greater Noida Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P. 201306, on behalf of THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD., Chennai-600002. Group Editorial Officer: Krishna Prasad. Editor: Suresh Nambath (Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act).
Regd. DL(ND)-11/6110/2006-07-08 ● RNI No. UPENG/1986/49939 ● ISSN 0971 - 751X ● Vol. 11 ● No. 41
In a narrow lane in an EastDelhi locality is VishnuGupta’s makeshift offi�ce
in a small residential property. The Hindu Sena chiefkeeps a Bhagavad Gita on histable, a religious poster behind his chair and a swordon the side next to the kitchen area.
Mr. Gupta claims that hegives a Bhagavad Gita and asword to all new members ofthe outfi�t so that they can“protect their family” and“only scare people, if required, by wielding thesword”
Since the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, phrases like “Hindutva”, “HinduRashtra”, “Jai Shri Ram”,“Bharat Mata Ki Jai” have become commonplace. One reason for this appears to be themushrooming of fringegroups. Emboldened by thepresent regime, these outfi�tsorganise public gatheringsand protests to propagatetheir beliefs.
Recently, fi�ve members ofthe Hindu Sena were arrestedfor vandalising MP AsaduddinOwaisi’s house on AshokaRoad. In a Facebook post, amember, Lalit Kumar, whowas later arrested, said he andhis fellow members wanted toteach Mr. Owaisi “a lesson”because of his “antiHindu”speeches.
At Jantar Mantar on August8, several fringe groups,which had essentially gathered to demand abolition ofBritishera laws, turned theoccasion into an event of “nationalism” where antiMuslim
slogans were raised.
Steady growthThe Hindu Sena, which cameinto existence in 2011, startedwith 50 members. Though itregistered a steady growth till2014 to boast a membershipof 4 lakh, it added onlyanother 1 lakh new membersover the past six years. Theoutfi�t now has presence in 16States, Mr. Gupta said, adding that over 10 lakh peoplehave joined it through socialmedia platforms.
According to Mr. Gupta,the Hindu Sena acceptsmembers “who are alreadytrained in RashtriyaSwayamsewak Sangh shakhas” or those who “want aHindu Rashtra”. “Peoplewho think like us come andjoin us. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitterand WhatsApp play an important role in propagatingour work and belief. That’show we have grown,” hesaid.
Born in U.P.’s Etah village,Mr. Gupta was only six whenhe was drawn towards theidea of a Hindu Rashtra. He
was witness to the eventsleading up to the demolitionof Babri Masjid in 1992. “In1990 and 1991, while attending a school run by the RSS, Iused to see crowds gatheringin the village and shouting“Jai Shri Ram”. There wereslogans like ‘Baccha bacchaRam ka… Janambhumi kekaam ka’ written on thewalls of the village. I felt anadrenaline rush and that’show the feeling of nationalism got instilled in me,” hesaid.
While studying in DyalSingh College, he joined theShiv Sena’s youth wing. Hisseniors and peers told him,“You are aggressive, youshould join the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s youth wing,the Bajrang Dal”. He joinedthe organisation in 2008.
Mr. Gupta founded theHindu Sena in 2011 becausehe wanted to be “more aggressive” and organiseevents on the issues he wanted. “The ruling party has todo vote bank politics, whichis why I can’t speak freely forHindus. I wanted to be free,”he said.
Another fringe outfi�twhich made headlines againafter the Jantar Mantar incident was the Hindu Forcefounded by Deepak Singh.He was arrested in the second week of August for hisalleged involvement in raising infl�ammatory slogans atJantar Mantar.
Speaking after his releasefrom jail on October 1, Mr.Singh said 20odd peoplestarted the organisation ayear ago and its presentstrength was around 6,500.“We work for cows, the Ganga, and Hindus who needhelp,” he said.
Mr. Singh, who used towork for the Bajrang Dal earlier, pursues a straightforward agenda: “Simple objec-tive hai... Samaj maindharmik jagran karna, logonko rashtra ke prati aware kar-na, rashta bhawna jagana(The objective is simple – tomake people aware about religion, about the nation andinstil a feeling ofnationalism)”.
Sudarshan Vahini, another fringe outfi�t, was foundedby Vinod Sharma. He alsospent 52 days in jail recentlyfor his involvement in theJantar Mantar incident.Speaking after his release onSeptember 30, he said hismorale was down after thearrest and he might shutdown the organisation if he“keeps getting into trouble”.
Mr. Sharma founded theorganisation in 2016 withthree people. Thanks to social media, it now has 1.5lakh members across thecountry, he said.
A property dealer by profession, Mr. Sharma said hejoined the Hindu Sena butparted ways with Mr. Guptaafter a few years as their“thought process” didn’tmatch. Distancing himselffrom the Jantar Mantar incident, he called the sloganeering “behudgi (reckless)”. “Preach your ownreligion, don’t demean anyother,” he advocated.
RISE OF THE FRINGEIn recent years, several fringe groups have sprung upespousing the cause of a Hindu Rashtra. While some aregaining traction through social media platforms, others arecourting controversies to remain relevant
Vishnu Gupta, founder and national president of Hindu Sena,at his offi�ce in east Delhi. * SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
Hemani Bhandari
NEW DELHI
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday wrote toPrime Minister NarendraModi over the prevailingcoal shortage, which he alleged was continuing for thethird consecutive month, affecting power generationfrom major plants supplyingelectricitiy to Delhi.
The Central ElectricityRegulatory Commission(CERC) Tariff� Regulations,
the Chief Minister said, mandated that generating stations maintain a coal stock of10 days and 20 days; butthese had dipped to zero tofour days at fi�ve of thestations.
“Under this situation, thedependency on gas stationssupplying power to Delhi increases. However, the gasplants do not have adequateAPM gas [Administered Pricing Mechanism] to run at fullcapacity,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
If the situation continuedunabated, the CM added, itwould severely impact thepower supply to Delhi.
Discourage profi�teering Mr. Kejriwal sought the PM’sintervention for diversion ofcoal and gas to specifi�cplants supplying power tothe Capital and capping ofexchange power rates to discourage profi�teering by traders and generators from thecurrent crisis.
These measures, he said,were essential to maintainuninterrupted power in Delhi, which caters to strategicand important installationsof national importance.
This was in addition tosupplying power to essentialservices such as cold chainsfor vaccination drives, hospitals, healthcare centres andCOVID Care Centres amongothers, Mr. Kejriwal said.
“In the interest of consumers of Delhi and the
“Whenever a crisis hitsDelhi, be it pollution, watershortage, COVID19 or an ensuing power crisis, the Delhigovernment humbly pleadsfor help to the Centre, butthe moment the crisis passes, AAP criticises the Centreto no end,” Mr. Kapoor alleged. “The people of Delhinow well understand thisdirty politics of AAP and itwill face the consequencesin the ensuing civic elections,” he said.
power sector, I request yourkind intervention to resolvethe current crisis at the earliest,” Mr. Kejriwal said, adding that steps needed to betaken to avoid such a situation in future.
Delhi BJP spokespersonPraveen Shankar Kapoorquestioned the eff�orts madeby the Delhi governmentduring the last fortnight toensure proper supply of coaland gas for city’s powerplants.
Kejriwal seeks PM’s intervention on coal crisisHe says if situation continues unabated, it would severely impact the power supply in Delhi; BJP questions govt.’s eff�orts
Special Correspondent
New Delhi
Leader of the Opposition inthe Delhi Assembly RamvirSingh Bidhuri on Saturdayinaugurated a new bridgeover the Agra Canal in theBadarpur Assemblyconstituency.
Seamless travelThe bridge has reduced travel time for commutersfrom half an hour to just fi�veminutes, as they can avoidthe route via Kalindi Kunj.
“This bridge is very useful for the people of Delhi as
well as Uttar Pradesh andHaryana and has been constructed by the Flood and Irrigation Department of theGovernment of Uttar Pradesh,” Mr. Bidhuri said.
U.P. Chief Minister YogiAdityanath had, while campaigning for the BJP duringthe 2020 Delhi Assemblyelections in the Badarpurconstituency, promisedswift construction work ofthe bridge.
He had also met UttarPradesh Water ResourcesMinister Mahendra Singhfor the same.
New bridge opens overAgra Canal in BadarpurSpecial Correspondent
New Delhi
North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari on Saturday began a ‘Chhath Rath Yatra’ from his constituency against the “Delhi government’s decision to ban the observance of the festival” atpublic places.
The BJP leader organised a public consultation at northeast Delhi’s Sonia Vihar to seekopinion on the ban on Chhath Puja in earlyNovember when other festive events in therunup to it had been allowed.
“The unequivocal opinion was that ChhathPuja must be observed no matter what,” hesaid. Mr. Tiwari accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of harbouring disrespect for over 60 lakh Purvanchalis residing in the city.
Manoj Tiwari takes outChhath Rath Yatra toprotest festival ban
Special Correspondent
New Delhi
As many as 32 constructionsites were fi�ned around ₹�15lakh for violation of dustcontrol norms after Delhi government offi�cials visited 103sites on Saturday, accordingto authorities.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai said all guidelines issued by the Delhi government are being followed by
most construction sites. “Today, I conducted a sur
prise inspection at a construction site of a commercial complex. We found noviolations. I am happy thatwhatever guidelines havebeen issued by the Delhi government for constructionagencies are being followedhere. Tin shed has been putup, an antismog gun has alsobeen installed. Water sprin
kling is being done. I am surethat all agencies of Delhi willfollow the government instructions in the same way,”Mr. Rai said.
The Minister appealed toall private and governmentconstruction agencies to follow the norms. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had onOctober 4 announced a ‘winter action plan’ to combat airpollution during winter.
Govt. norms being followed by most construction sites: Rai
Staff Reporter
New Delhi
32 violators fi�ned in dustcontrol drive
A visually challenged streetvendor was killed when astone hit him while he wastrying to intervene in afi�ght between two personsin Outer Delhi’s Sultanpurion October 6, the policesaid on Saturday.
DCP (Outer) ParvinderSingh said the deceasedhas been identifi�ed as Radhey Shyam who used torun a small kiosk.
Inquiry revealed thatanother visually impairedwoman used to sleep onthe footpath close toShyam’s kiosk. “A man wassleeping at a distance fromthe woman. When he wokeup, he found that ₹�20₹�30was missing from his pocket. He suspected the woman had stolen his moneyand started quarrellingwith her,” Mr. Singh said.Hearing the commotion,Shyam came out to intervene. When the accusedthrew a stone at the woman, it hit Shyam instead,the police said.
Visuallyimpaired mankilled in scuffl�e
Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI
CMYK
M ND-NDE
DELHI THE HINDU
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HINDU DEVAR 35 BDS divorcee seeksBride from same/other BC/MBC/ Un-married/Divorced/Widow withoutissues.9003565434
✔ SEEKING HIGHLY educated wellplaced beautiful girl for handsomeSikh boy, 26 , 5ft 9 inch, B.TechIIT Bombay; MBA IIM Ahmedabad,Package 50+ lakh , Caste/Religionno bar. [email protected]
TAMIL BRAHMIN divorcee 40/182 NRIemployed in global company in East-ern Europe looking for North /South Indian brahmin girls withoutissues. No demands simple mar-riage. contact on whatsapp+919246109979.
TAMIL 35/167, BE., MBA., Employed,6 Lakhs PA. Divorcee, Seeks SuitableBride, Caste No Bar. Ct: 98409 56041
HINDU VANNIYA Kula Kshatriya, Doc-tor (MRCS) 42 / 183 Fair, Consul-tant in Leading Hospital in Chen-nai Seeks Bride. Well Settled fami-ly with good Educational Back-ground. Caste no bar Ct : 9443489505.
LINGAYAT WIDOWER 43/5’8" Handsome/Business.24LPA Cast no bar. Pref.Arch. Civil engg .Call 9607939311
1985/175CM. IT. 25 Lakhs PA. Chen-nai. Father Doctor. Seeks well edu-cated bride. WhatsApp: 96290 12248
SUDHAKAR/ 38/ 5ft7inch, KannadaBrahmin/ 8807355640/ BE/ IT co/1lakh p.m/No Expectations
MALAYALI DEEVARA, Hindu 27/MBA workg P.Ltd, Magayiram seeksgirl fr Chn / Kerala CNB. 9789915547
SM4 Bangalore wrkg boy 14.6.87/3:27am / Del / 5'10" / Scientist EngrCls-1 offcr 9810861455(W 'app)
RC 48/164 PG,State,PSU,80K/pm wellsettled Chennai Divorcee seeks suita-ble Bride Caste NoBar.Ct:9789047692
CHRISTIAN 45/179 CM B.Com, Govt,Divorced , 10L. PA , Chennai. CasteNo Bar Ct :88258 97792, 99406 71540
RC CHRISTIAN (BC), Age:38 BE, MBA,183cm, Working in Pvt Co., in Chen-nai seeks suitable Bride.9790950158
Suitable Bride for Tamil, Catholic,Vellalar Boy, 29 Yrs, Employed & Sett-led in USA. Contact: 9849079688.
PROTESTANT INDIAN Christian M.Tech5.9.1992/ 168 decent family Chen-nai, Missionary Teacher TribalSchool @ Gujarat quitting secularjob to obey His call seeks Godlywell educated Mission minded girl.9444956578
29/177, PH.D, 40000pm Well Set-tled, Own House Seeks Fair Bridefrom any Caste/ Religion. SendBHP. 9789847577 / [email protected]
HINDU NADAR, 32, Tall , Handsome,SW Engineer, Dubai Onsite earning 45Lakhs Per annum, well settled Familyseeks suitable Bride. Ct: 94438 60983,94429 84922
SCAD AGE 49 (First Marriage) Govt.Job Salary 40000/− seeks Bride agebelow40. Ct: 9884184869
Hindu Family seeks suitable matchfor their Son 29/5.7/BE/Software Engr/Fair/Sc-Caste No Bar/well settled Fa-mily. Seeks Bride from Educated andwell Settled Family. Cont No9448603539/9845401461.
MUDALIAR 29 BE 170cm Swathi Chen-nai seeks BE working bride.Geetham 9884858014 6383394272
BERI CHETTIAR 29 MD Dr 180cm OwnsHospital Chennai seeks Dr. BrideCNB Geetham 9884858014 6383394272
HINDU NADAR 38, B.Sc, Chennai. Sal−1 lakh, Looking Alliance for Remar-riage. Already Have 2boy kids,Aged 9& 8. Need loving & caringBride.No expectations,religioncaste etc., Brokers please Avoid.9840075677
HINDU YADAVA Tamil 37/168, BE,working as a Manager in Singapore.Looking for good family backgoundand well educated Bride. Ct: 9487377332. email: [email protected]
WANTED BRIDE for Iyer Boy, 35yrs,Athreyam, Magam. IT Professional(DELL, Bangalore).Ct: 9566221968
HINDU, SC, Adidravidar, 33, M.Tech, Civil Engineer, Thiruvonam,Magaram, Working in Dubai. Ph:9600382674
BE (CS) MBA 33, 165cm HandsomeUthiradam Magaram First Marriageclean habits Private, Manager Goodincome, Property living ChennaiFr. Agamudayar Hindu Mr. VellalarChristian both are Rtd Supts TNGovt middle class / inter caste nobar FC, BC only seeks good look-ing, affadable, suitable girl be-low 28yrs well settled or businessfamily preferred Parents in Siva-ganga 90438 20970
TAMIL VISWAKARMA, 39/170,Thiruvonam/ Rich/ CA/ MNC. 70,000seeks same Caste Bride. 9486320982.
HINDU, B.E, MBA, Manager, workingin Central Govt. company, 45, seeksalliance from any graduate girl. Noexpectations. caste no barContact: 9489302145
NAIDU CHENNAI Age 47 68Kgs/174cms(Divorce) seeks bride, Caste NoBar. Contact: 8754478892
NAIDU, MAGHAM, 31/176, Handsome,B.Arch Architect / Business, Chen-nai, Affluent Educated & Well set-tled family, seeks well groomed,Educated & Pleasant looking Bridefrom descent & Broadminded familywith Traditional values − Doctors/ Engineers /Any degree. 9884876246
MUDALIYAR THIRUVONAM, 30yrs/178cm,Fair, M.Tech. PhD (IIT Bombay),MNC Taiwan, 3 lakh per month, Edu-cated family, own house at Chennaiseeks engineering qualifiedbride(ECE,EEE,CSc.) Contact No.9445125966
SENGUNTHA MUDALIAR, 33, 167, Ay-ilyam, Kadagam, No Dosham, DiplomaCSE, Associate in Sutherland, Chen-nai, 30K, seeks educated bride,Ct.9204657704, [email protected]
PATTINAVAR CHETTIAR Anusham/Viruchigam 33 years Marine Engi-neer seeks educated, good lookingbride from decent family in andaround Nagapattinam. Ct: 9965875099
ILLATHU PILLAI, 36/167, B.E.,Sr.Consultant, Abudhabi, 60 Lac/pa,seeks suitable educated Fair Bride.Caste No Bar. No Brokers.9894114549
SAIVAMUDALIAR 65 unmarried GovtPensioner Rs.40000 good health andtaller, Pure Veg. seeks Hindu Vegetari-an unmarried brides & widows welco-me. Cont : 9443615689
HINDU NAICKER 45yrs /179cms BE,USreturn High Networth, CleanHabits, 1st marriage, Veg, seeksBride. CasteNoBar. Divorcee/Widowspls excuse +91−7397267754,[email protected]
HINDU NADAR, KK District, Widower,Age 37 ME,PhD, Asst Professor,Bride Wanted. Ct:8248267494
HINDU NADAR Age 33 BE/ MS 180cm600000Lac Working in Canada GroomKA Raman Nadar.Whatsapp−9380791999
SAIVA VELLALA/ Nanjil − Non veg/35 yrs/ 175 cm/ Hastham/ Tamil &Malayalam/ MBA. Business Export/Im-port − Well settled. Presentyabroad. Ph − 9447145588
NAIDU Pooratadhi 31/164 ME AsstProfessor Chen - Divorcee seeks Brideunmarried/divorcee- no issue,Mudaliar/Naidu pref. 9445689306 /9443052596
PILLAI 35 /166 MBA Own Businesslives in Coimbatore Seeks SuitableBride (CNB).Ct: 7899941263/9600703364
HINDU VISVAGARMA 35yrs B.E,Engineer, 20000 pm, seeks Bride,caste no bar, Contact: 96003 03385.
CIVIL ENGINEER age 42 / 170 cm,M.B.A .caste no bar. Income 45000.any degree girl acceptable. Di-vorced and widow girl with out kidequally preferable. Ph 9865588329
COIMBATORE, MBA 38yrs, legally di-vorced, no kids, 7.5Lakh per annumMNC job. Expects qualified, slim &short girl desires to settle inCoimbatore. Call:8754256679,9443060030.
HINDU NADAR MBBS MD 180cm Inc.1Lseeks Bride KA Raman Nadar−(W)9380791999. Mail: [email protected]
TAMIL MUDALIAR fair boy 35 /5’.11", business at Hyderabad /Sangareddy, seeks good looking Hin-du girl aged 25 to 30, caste nobar. Pl.Contact : 9346357448.
Widower 67 Hotel B'ness needs lifepartner 50-55 with good health tomaintain Home & B'ness. No encum-brance. 97869 85957
MUDALIAR POORADAM 44/ (MBA) unmar-ried well−to−do car dealer rentalsseeks good looking decent graduategirl. Caste no bar. 9841000888
PILLAI, 27/175, Handsome, B.Tech,SWE, Verizone,13Lac.PA, Well Set-tled Fmly, CNB. 7299576644,7299576666
NATHAMA UDAYAR 37 years 167 cmmithunam MS(USA) good looking Di-vorced in a month working in USA9841931108
Hindu DKV Pallan M.E 39/167 Mana-ger Nationalised Bank. Seeks SuitableBride. Ct. No. 80563 71995
SEEKS VEGETARIAN Life Partner fora Bridegroom aged 47,MBA,Asst Man-ager,Own House Chennai.Ct:9789037973.
38, BC, Well Settled Family. Wid-ow, Divorcee accepted. No expecta-tions. CT: 9865072972
MUDALIYR INNOCENT divorcee 38yrs.Govt Sports GM 2Lac/month. Dr par-ents. Hindu simple Bride.Ct:8778934848
KONGU VELLALA Gounder KadaikootamErode based Chennai settled 33/170B.Tech Genetic Engr Business seekseducated good fly bride. 9383301818
ASTASHASRAM, IYER, Ashwini, Apr.1976, MS, well settled Seeks educated1st Marriage Iyer brides only. BHP :[email protected]
RICH MUDALIYAR 26/MBA ownRiceExports Malaysia,Singapore ,Resorts,Malls seeks bride Ct: 7200067015
HINDU BRAHMIN, Remarriage, 42, BE,MBA, IT, Clean Habit, Pure Veg,Seek Suitable Bride. CNB.9003052848
IYER,VADAMA, 40YEARS. Self Em-ployed Chartered Accountant. Rightleg slightly short. He can walkand drive vehicle normally. Needsuitable Bride. Call 9994934568
VADAKALAI BHARATWAJAM UthratadhiSlim very fair MCA 45/180 Software13lac pa, seek suitable bride be-low 35 (Divorcee excuse) Ct:9841568976
BRAHMIN, 40, ASSOCIATE Project Man-ager HCL Technologies Madurai,seeks any brahmin girl, 9487851429
Tamil Brahmin, Iyer, 36, Plus 2,6 lacs p.a, own house. Seeks brideto settle in Thanjavur. Contact :99444 77450
PILLAI 35/ BE Uthirattathi WIPROBangalore 65000pm. CT: 9994059345,9994169345.
MUDALIAR HASTHAM Kanni 28/182BE, TCS, SWE Rich Family ChennaiSeeks Educated Bride. Ct:9629276108
Doctor parents mother Iyengar fatherBengali seek Alliance for only son5ft11' 28 yrs M.Tech at MNC. Doctorsor Engineers. 9300502792.
HINDU VANNIYAKULAKSHTRIYA30yrs Boy M.S., Engr working, FatherEngr, Mother working settled in USAIndiana 1 younger brother M.S., BoyTall and Handsome, Clean Habitsseeks Good Looking Girl B.E/Graduatewilling to settle in USA same Caste.Email: [email protected]
KAMMA 47/175 unmarried younglookMCA Manager IBM Chen 20Lpa seeksEducatd Fc/Bc pref.Bride.9025627013
KAMMA−NAIDU 33YRS/156/B.SC Anurad-ha/Scorpio F&B Mngr,Singapore Sal1.5Ls. Seeks Bride Send BHP7397792931
KAMMA 32YR/156/BE−ECE Makaram/Midunam Sr.Engr L&T 75000 slightlyPolio Seeks Bride 9550557682/7397792931
NAIDU Boy 31 Fair M.Sc., CentralGovt. Employee, Seeks Bride from anyHindu Community Bride (CNB). Ct:9994329563 / 9600489726.
KAMBALATHU NAICKER, Bank EmployeeLocation of work in Warsaw,Poland, Europe. Zloty 16500(IndianMoney Rs. 3,16,000 Per Month) .Age 29 yrs. Ct: 98401 94300 Email:[email protected]
BALIJA NAIDU Fair 29 yrs 173 cmsB.E., Asst Manager (Data Science)Chennai seeks bride Send BHP9884510626
HINDU BOYAR Rajus 28/183 DhanusuMoolam BE 8L/pa seeks suitablebride Caste no bar. 9444523682/7904354855
GoldSmith, 45Years 5'8' Mtech,Working as MD in a Reputed MNC inBangalore (for 2nd Marriage), seeksSuitable Girl. Contact: 9848199744
HINDU BTech Software MNC BLORE23 LPA 28 yrs Bharadwaja GothramStar Chaitra - seeks Telugu/Kannada/Tamil spkng Employed Girl - Late Fa-ther Tamil Iyengar, Mother TeluguKshatriya Raju, Central Govt Em-ployee- [email protected]
Well Settled 44Yrs Telugu Brahmin,6000 Niyogi, Bharadhwajasa with 7YrsSon Alliance required from DecentTraditional Family 1st/2nd Contact:9866252220/ 9849252220 .
SUNNI MUSLIM Tamil boy 30yrs/175cm/BE MS(France) I’less Divorceeseeks professionally qlfd girlfrom respectable family. Chen-nai:9597557582
MUSLIM ALLIANCE only. Married/ Un-married. Best Rib matched.7200176211
FOR ALL Types of Muslim AlliancesCall Faridha: 9840223815
32/175CM, BANGALORE based Mudaliarboy, MS, employed in MNC, from cul-tured family seeks educated bride.Contact 9448084856 or 080−48530820or email:[email protected]
TAMIL MUSLIM, Chennai MBBSHandsome 26/176 Govt Hosp seekspretty, service minded Doctor/ MedicalStudent.Watsapp CV,Pic. 8015931598
RICH HYDERABAD Brahmin + Pillaicaste no bar 36/B.E own Govt.Contractor 500Crs Familyseeks richBride : 9884300680
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OBITUARY &
REMEMBRANCE
DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) leader and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik onSaturday alleged that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB),which claimed to have busteda rave party on board a cruiseship last week, had detainedRishabh Sachdeva, the brotherinlaw of former MumbaiBJP youth wing president Mohit Kumbhoj aka Mohit Bhartiya, and two others, but letthem off� later.
An NCB team raided theGoabound cruise ship last Saturday and claimed to haverecovered banned drugs.
A total of 18 persons havebeen arrested in the case, including Aryan Khan, the sonof actor Shahrukh Khan.
Mr. Malik showed photographs and videos of thethree individuals — Sachdeva,
Pratik Gabha and Amir Furniturewala — walking into andthen leaving the NCB offi�ce.He alleged that they were letoff� after offi�cials receivedphone calls from BJP leadersin Delhi. “Call records ofthese individuals and alsothat of NCB offi�cial SameerWankhede should be checkedby Mumbai police. The truthwill come out,” he said.
The Minister said he wouldwrite to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray demanding ahighlevel probe by the Mumbai police.
Responding to the allegations at a press conference,the NCB said some of thosewho were detained were allowed to leave due to the lackof evidence. “The agencydoes its work as per the law.
We are not biased and do notdiscriminate on any other basis,” said Mr. Wankhede.
“A total of 14 persons werebrought to NCB Zonal Offi�cefor examination. All of themwere served notice u/s 67, examined thoroughly and theirstatements were recorded.Thereafter 8 persons were arrested and remaining 6 persons were let off� since no incriminating evidence wasfound against them. However,in the course of investigationthey can be associated if needarises as per law,” the NCBsaid in a statement.
‘Check CCTV footage’Earlier, Mr. Malik said CCTVfootage of the cruise andareas connected to the caseshould be checked by the police along with the phone callsof the three people and thatof Mr. Wankhede.
.
‘BJP leader’s brotherinlaw, 2others let off� in rave party case’They were freed after NCB received phone calls from Delhi: Maharashtra Minister
Staff Reporter
Mumbai
NCP leader Nawab Malik addressing a press conference inMumbai on Saturday. * PTI
The ruling Congress inChhattisgarh on Saturdayblamed the BJP for the violence in Kawardha town ofthe State early this weekand said the party wants todo the politics of communalism as it has “run out ofissues”. Addressing a pressconference here, three senior Ministers of State, however, admitted a “minorlapse” on part of the localadministration to check theentry of a large number ofpeople in Kawardha fromoutside ahead of the violence despite section 144 ofthe CrPC was imposed.
On Tuesday, violence occurred in Kawardha duringa rally organised by rightwing outfi�ts in protestagainst a clash between thepeople belonging to twocommunities over the removal of religious fl�ags froma thoroughfare in the town.
Kawardha clash:Chhattisgarhgovt. admits‘minor lapse’ press trust of india
Raipur
Frequent squabbles betweenthe Opposition Congress andthe JD(S), which had formed acoalition government threeyears ago, seems to be advantageous for the ruling BJP inthe bypolls to the two State Assembly constituencies of Hangal and Sindgi on October 30.
Leaders of both Oppositionparties not only indulged inverbal duels in the justconcluded legislature session butalso outside. JD(S) leader H.D.Kumaraswamy’s outburst every now and then against Congress leader Siddaramaiah forthe latter’s alleged lack of support during the coalition government has not gone downwell with the loyalists of thelatter.
On the other hand, the JD(S) is miff�ed over KPCC presi
dent D.K. Shivakumar’s strategy of wooing its MLAs andleaders into Congress.
Another bone of contentionhas been the JD(S) decision tofi�eld candidates belonging tothe minority community forboth bypoll seats. The Congress leaders accuse the JD(S)of trying to divide the minorityvotes, thereby helping the BJP,a charge denied by Mr. Kumaraswamy. Split of minorityvotes could harm the electoralprospects of the Congress.
Mr. Kumaraswamy’s outbursts against the RSS is alsoseen by the Congress as aimed
aspirant.The ruling BJP has fi�elded
Shivaraj Sajjanar in Hangal, belying expectations of Udasi’sdaughterinlaw being picked,and Ramesh Bhusanur in Sindgi.
The JD(S) has fi�elded NaziyaShakeel Ahmed Angadi fromSindgi and Niyaz Shaikh fromHangal. In a threecorneredcontest, voters might throwtheir weight behind the rulingparty, particularly in the bypolls, and this was the case inseveral constituencies thatwent to bypolls in the State inthe last two years.
ing the farmers’ protests. Aperception of Opposition unity could contribute to a largeswing of votes away from theruling BJP. Fielding of candidates by all three major partieswould lead to splitting ofvotes, particularly minorities,which could benefi�t ruling BJP.
In Sindgi, the Congress hasfi�elded Ashok Managuli, son oflate MLA M.C. Managuli, whowas with the JD(S). In Hangal,the party has fi�elded SrinivasV. Mane, who lost by 6,500votes to the late C.M. Udasi ofthe BJP in 2018. Manohar Tahsildar, former MLA, too was an
at drawing minority votes. TheBJP is expected to stronglycounter the criticism mountedon the RSS by both the Opposition parties to draw majoritycommunity voters. Polarisation of votes on communitylines will ensure an upperhand to the BJP even beforecommencement of campaign.
No sign of unityExperts say that unity amongthe Congress and the JD(S)could have projected them asa credible and viable alternative to the BJP, which is facingfl�ak on multiple fronts, includ
Leaders ofOpposition partiescontinue theirverbal duels
Nagesh Prabhu
Bengaluru
BYELECTIONS
Minority votes: will squabbles between JD(S), Cong. help BJP?
All three ruling partiesin Maharashtra on Saturday said that essentialservices won't be hit inthe State bandh calledon Monday, October 11,to protest against thekilling of farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s LakhimpurKheri.
The Shiv Sena, theCongress and the Nationalist Congress Partyheld a joint press conference on Saturday announcing that all threeparties will join thebandh with full force.
Shiv Sena Rajya SabhaMP Sanjay Raut said hisparty will participate inthe October 11 bandh inMaharashtra.
‘Bandh necessary’Addressing a press conference along with NCPspokesperson NawabMalik and State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant, Mr. Rautsaid the bandh was necessary to wake peopleup against the antifarmer policies of the Centralgovernment.
“Farmers are notalone in this fi�ght andthe process of showingsolidarity with themmust begin from Maharashtra,” said Mr. Raut.
The Shiv Sena leadersaid he had discussedthe need for a joint opposition strategy withNCP’s Sharad Pawar andCongress’ Rahul Gandhi,adding that other Statesmust follow Maharashtra’s lead to express solidarity with farmers.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Friday had askedhis party members topeacefully but eff�ectively take part in thebandh. Congress too hasalready extended itssupport.
Services won’t be hitduring Maharashtrabandh: MVA alliesStaff reporter
Mumbai
Shiv Sena leader SanjayRaut. * FILE PHOTO
Cyber Cell of Mumbai Policeon Saturday summoned CBIdirector and former Maharashtra DGP Subodh KumarJaiswl in a phone tappingand data leak case, a senioroffi�cial said here.
Mr. Jaiswal has beenasked to be present to record his statement on October 14, the police offi�cialsaid. The summons was sentby email, he added.
The case relates to the`leak’ of a report prepared
by IPS offi�cer Rashmi Shuklaabout alleged corruption inpolice transfers in Maharashtra when she headedthe State intelligence department (SID). Mr. Jaiswalwas the director general ofpolice during this period.
It was alleged that phonesof senior politicians and offi�cials were tapped illegallyduring the inquiry and thereport was leaked deliberately, but the FIR registeredin this regard by the cybercell does not name Ms.Shukla or any other offi�cial.
Mumbai Police summons CBI chief in data leak casepress trust of india
Mumbai
Continuing with its Dalit outreach, the Rashtriya Lok Dal(RLD) on Saturday promiseda new scheme for urban labour on the lines of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment GuaranteeScheme (MGNREGA) if votedto power.
Promising guaranteed income for urban labour in theunorganised sector, the announcement was made byparty president Jayant Singhon the occasion of the deathanniversary of Kanshi Ram,who founded the BahujanSamaj Party (BSP).
“Those working in the unorganised sector in urbanareas don’t get the benefi�tsof government schemes. Inthe memory of Kanshi Ramji, we are including a specialscheme for the urban labourin our manifesto that will
provide them a protectivecover and help in their economic growth. It will benamed after Kanshi Ramjiand help in providing a dignifi�ed life to the urban poor,”the RLD chief said.
The announcement wasmade as the party concluded its Nyay Yatra with a rallyin Agra. Mr. Chaudhary saidKanshi Ram gave voice to thedeprived sections of society.“The young generationshould be inspired to com
plete his unfi�nished goals. Aspart of the Nyay Yatra, RLDworkers reached out to theunderprivileged,” he said.
Invoking the founder ofthe BSP in Agra, known asthe Dalit capital of Uttar Pradesh, is being seen as an attempt to reach out to bahujan vote bank. WithChandrashekhar Azad of theAzad Samaj Party showinginterest in a seatsharing arrangement with the Samajwadi Party and the RLD, theannouncement’s impact willbe watched in the comingdays.
Prashant Kanojia, incharge of the RLD’s SC/STcell, appealed to public notto forget how farmers weremowed down in Lakhimpurand how Mr. Singh was lathicharged when he went tomeet the family of the Hathras gangrape and murdervictim.
It will be named after Kanshi Ram, says party chief
Anuj Kumar
Ghaziabad
RLD leaders at a rally in Agra.* SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
RLD promises guaranteedincome for urban workers
Water, water everywhere: Heavy rain led to stagnation, and vehicles were forced to wade through sheets of water in Hyderabadon Saturday. The downpour led to severe traffi�c disruptions across all the major thoroughfares. * G. RAMAKRISHNA
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Rain fury
Two women in Manapparainear Tiruchi prayed overtheir mother’s body, for over four days, hoping shewould come back to life.Police attached to the Manapparai station on Saturday recovered the body andburied it in a land belongingto the family inSokkampatti.
The daughters, Jecinthaland Jayanthi, both aged over 40, had been nursingtheir sick mother, Mary, a75yearold retired teacher,at their residence in Sokkampatti.
Last week, they brought
the mother to a private hospital in Tiruchi city, wherethe woman was declareddead.
“From the city, theybrought her body to theirhouse and kept praying. OnFriday, we received information and went to their residence,” a police sourcesaid.
The daughters tried tochase away the policemen,saying that their motherwas alive and would soonwake up. “We told themthat we were there to help,and if she was alive, theywould help get her treated.We called the 108 ambulance service, the staff� who
came to the spot declaredthe woman dead,” an offi�cersaid. The daughters continued to resist the body being taken to the hospital.Hours later, the body wastaken to the ManapparaiGovernment Hospital earlySaturday.
At the hospital, thedaughters continued to argue with doctors and saidtheir mother had just noteaten since the previousnight.
“The doctors said thatthe body had been kept forat least four or fi�ve days,”the police said. Counsellingwill be provided to thedaughters, an offi�cer said.
Daughters pray over mother’sbody hoping for return to lifeThe body was kept in the house for 4 to 5 days
Staff Reporter
TIRUCHI
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THE HINDU DELHI
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2021 7EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Weather WatchRainfall, temperature & air quality in select metros yesterday
Temperature Data: IMD, Pollution Data: CPCB, Map: INSAT/IMD (Taken at 17.00 Hrs)
Forecast for Sunday: Heavy rainfall likely at isolated places overcentral Maharashtra, interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, TamilNadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, Mahe and Andaman & NicobarIslands. Thunderstorm with lightning likely at isolated places oversouth Gujarat, Konkan & Goa, Marathwada, Telangana, Karnataka,coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
city rain max min city rain max min
Agartala................—....34.0....26.6 Kozhikode.................. 61....29.6....23.9
Ahmedabad........ 0.4....33.6....25.9 Kurnool ..................... 57....30.8....22.1
Aizawl...................—....28.4........ — Lucknow......................—....34.1....24.2
Allahabad..............—....34.8....24.4 Madurai ....................... 1....33.2....24.6
Bengaluru ............. 8....24.2....20.8 Mangaluru .............. 27.4....30.3....23.8
Bhopal ..................—....34.1....21.6 Mumbai .................... 0.2....33.5....25.4
Bhubaneswar...... 4.4....33.7....25.8 Mysuru ........................ 5....29.8....22.0
Chandigarh ...........—....37.1....25.0 New Delhi ...................—....36.5....23.0
Chennai ................—....35.9....26.9 Patna ..........................—....33.6....25.0
Coimbatore ........ 0.6....30.9....23.0 Port Blair................... 97....30.2....23.4
Dehradun ..............—....31.6....21.1 Puducherry ............... 0.4....32.6....25.2
Gangtok............. 3.2....20.2....16.6 Pune......................... 8.4....32.7....22.0
Goa.......................—....32.1....24.5 Raipur ......................... 1....34.0....24.0
Guwahati ..............—....34.9....25.0 Ranchi .........................—....32.7....21.0
Hubballi ................—....29.0....22.0 Shillong.......................—....23.7....16.2
Hyderabad .......... 18....32.5....21.8 Shimla.........................—....26.3....16.0
Imphal ..................—....32.4....21.2 Srinagar.......................—....26.9......8.8
Jaipur ...................—....36.6....23.0 Thiruvananthapuram....... 43....28.4....23.1
Kochi ............. 105.2....27.8....23.8 Tiruchi....................... 18....31.3....24.4
Kohima .................—....25.2....16.2 Vijayawada ..................—....34.8....27.0
Kolkata .................—....35.2....27.7 Visakhapatnam .............—....35.6....26.6
(Rainfall data in mm; temperature in Celsius)
Pollutants in the air you are breathing Yesterday
CITIES SO2 NO2 CO PM2.5 PM10 CODE
In observation made at4.00 p.m., Ballabgarh,Haryana recorded an overallair quality index (AQI)score of 330 indicating anunhealthy level ofpollution. In contrast,Shillong, Meghalayarecorded a healthy AQIscore of 20
Ahmedabad..... .45 .78 37 ... 84 .108 ....*
Bengaluru ....... ...5 .27 82 ... 22 ...59 ....*
Chennai .......... .10 ...— 72 ... 37 ...68 ....*
Delhi .............. .27 114 83 . 175 .275 ....*
Hyderabad ...... .26 .29 34 ... 49 ...56 ....*
Kolkata........... .12 .33 38 . 209 .131 ....*
Lucknow ......... .40 .48 39 . 199 .144 ....*
Mumbai .......... .13 105 23 ... 42 ...55 ....*
Pune............... 132 .22 72 ... 56 ...49 ....*
Visakhapatnam ...8 .54 31 ... 67 .112 ....*
Air Quality Code: * Poor * Moderate * Good (Readings indicate average AQI)
SO2: Sulphur Dioxide. Short-term exposure can harm the respiratory system,
making breathing difficult. It can affect visibility by reacting with other air
particles to form haze and stain culturally important objects such as statues
and monuments.
NO2: Nitrogen Dioxide. Aggravates respiratory illness, causes haze to form by
reacting with other air particles, causes acid rain, pollutes coastal waters.
CO: Carbon monoxide. High concentration in air reduces oxygen supply to
critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, it can cause
dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and even death.
PM2.5 & PM10: Particulate matter pollution can cause irritation of the eyes,
nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, reduced
lung function, irregular heartbeat, asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature
death in people with heart or lung disease
Personnel of the Andhra Pradesh Special EnforcementBureau (SEB) on Saturdaynabbed one of the mostwanted red sanders smugglers G. Ramanatha Reddy,who allegedly has links toglobal syndicates.
The SEB also nabbedthree of Reddy’s accomplicesand seized 66 logs, alongwith a container lorry and anSUV worth ₹�60 lakh, at theNadumuru checkpost on theKuppamKrishnagirihighway.
Special teamAddressing a press conference, Joint Director SEB V.Vidyasagar Naidu said actingon information about the
movement of the contraband towards Karnataka, aspecial team was formed,which waited at the checkpost. Around 3 a.m., the police intercepted the two vehicles, and nabbed four occupants, one of whom turnedout to be Reddy. The accusedand the seized goods were
brought to District Police Offi�ce in Chittoor.
Mr. Naidu said Reddy wasinvolved in 60 cases pertaining to red sanders smugglingin Chittoor, Anantapur, Kadapa, Kurnool and Nelloredistricts. As per police records, the accused played avital role in exporting over
500 tonnes of red sanderslogs, worth over ₹�1,000crore, to West Asia afterforming ties with notoriousDubaibased smuggling operative Shahul Bhai.
2013 case He was also a key accused,along with Kollam GangiReddy, in a case pertainingto the seizure of 32 tonnes oflogs in 2013. He also maintained close links with Kolkatabased international smuggling operative Lakshman.
Reddy, a native of Chapadu mandal of Kadapa district, is residing at Vinjamuruin SPSR Nellore district.
His three accomplices,identifi�ed as Eeshwar Reddy,43, Chinna Mallaiah, 33, andS. Bhimaiah, 40, all belonging to Kadapa district, are also wanted in several cases ofred sanders smuggling inRayalaseema districts, policesaid.
A.P. nabs red sanders smugglersRamanatha Reddy,3 others held; 66logs, SUV seizedSTAFF REPORTER
CHITTOOR
In the net: The four smugglers and the seized logs at Chittooron Saturday. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church has reiteratedthat the church would continue its allegiance to the Patriarch of Antioch under allcircumstances and there willbe no compromise on the issue.
A church spokesman saidhere on Saturday the Orthodox faction of the MalankaraChurch had denounced thespiritual leadership of thePatriarch of Antioch.
Any compromise on theissue could be reached onlythrough the recognition ofthe spiritual leadership ofthe Patriarch.
He claimed that the Su
preme Court verdicts in theChurch case in 1958, 1995,and 2017 had said the Patriarch was the head and the
Malankara Church was partof the global Syrian Church,said the communication.
‘Forcefully taken over’A communication from theJacobite Church claimed thatthough 58 churches wereforcefully taken over by theOrthodox faction and members were ousted, there hadnot been any change in allegiance from the JacobiteChurch.
It had also been decidedto elect an auxiliary for Catholicos Baselios Thomas I,considering his age.
The episcopal synodwould decide on the auxiliary, the communicationsaid.
Jacobites reiterate allegianceto Patriarch of Antioch Auxiliary for Catholicos Baselios Thomas I to be elected
Special Correspondent
Kochi
A fi�le photo of CatholicosBaselios Thomas I
Steps have been initiated toattach the property of E.T.Feroze, son of Indian UnionMuslim League (IUML) leader E.T. Mohammed Basheer,MP, following nonrepayment of a bank loan of over₹�200 crore.
The action has been initiated on the basis of a petition fi�led by Canara Bankand Punjab National Bank inthe Kozhikode Chief JudicialMagistrate’s (CJM) Court,saying Mr. Feroze had failedto repay the loan for AnnamSteels Pvt. Ltd. in Chennai.He is the managing directorof the company.
The courtappointed ad
vocate commission P.T.Sreenarayanan Unni issuednotices to Mr. Feroze and theother directors on Fridaystating that further actionwould be taken if the debtwas not repaid by October21.
CJM’s directiveThis follows a directive by A.Fathima Beevi, KozhikodeCJM, on a petition fi�ledagainst 21 respondents. Ifthe loan is not repaid, thecommission has been empowered to take over about 15mortgages, including ashopping complex in the city, and hand them over tothe bank.
However, Mr. Feroze and
the others have sought timeto repay the loans. Theywould approach a highercourt against the recoveryprocedures, they said.
The case related to thecompany borrowing ₹�200crore from two banks in2013.
The loan was to procureiron scrap through auctionfrom governmentownedKudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited.
The agreement was to repay the money within twoyears.
The action was initiatednow based on a petition fi�ledby the banks in 2017 whenthe repayment was defaulted upon.
Revenue recovery if debt is not cleared by that time
Special Correspondent
Kozhikode
IUML leader’s son told torepay bank loan by Oct. 21
Asserting their rights onthe lands acquired for Thotapally reservoir by the Telangana Government,which was discarded later,the farmers of Ogulapur inChigurumamidi mandal inKarimnagar district erected fl�ex boards, asking offi�cials not to enter theirlands. The fl�ex boards appeared in the fi�elds on Saturday, the day some revenue offi�cials planned for asurvey of lands in thevillage.
“Offi�cials of TelanganaState Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC),Irrigation and Revenue offi�cials, please do not enterour lands. We do not allowany coercion of farmers byoffi�cials. Please returnabout 400 acres of landsthat was acquired fromfarmers. Please give backthe land to farmers underGO RT No. 79. Politicalleaders are preventing theCollector from handing over land to the farmers. TheCollector of Siddipet hadalready started the processof returning the lands tofarmers. The farmers hadalready approached thecourt,” read the fl�exboarderected by farmers in thefi�elds of Ogulapur onSaturday.
“We came to know thateff�orts are on to allot these400 acres not returned tofarmers to food processingindustry. We have everyright on these lands thatwere acquired for the construction of Thotapally reservoir which was discarded later. We have alsoapproached the High Courtin this regard. The HighCourt has directed theauthorities on October 3,2020, to dispose of thecase within six weeks,” K.Srinivas Reddy, a farmerfrom Ogupalur told TheHindu.
Do not enterlands, farmerstell offi�cials in Telangana
R. Avadhani
SIDDIPET
Manthalirile 20 CommunistVarshangal, a novel by Benyamin, has won the 45thVayalar Ramavarma Memorial Literary Award.
Instituted by the VayalarRamavarma Memorial Trust,the award commemoratesthe celebrated poet and lyricist. It carries a purse of ₹�1lakh, a bronze statuettecrafted by sculptor KanayiKunhiraman and a citation.The novel has been selectedfor the 2021 edition of the coveted prize by a jury consisting of writers K.R. Meera,George Onakkoor and C.Unnikrishnan.
In Manthalirile 20 Com-munist Varshangal, Benya
min, who is best known forhis awardwinning novelssuch as Aadujeevitham(Goat Days) and Mullappoo-niramulla Pakalukal ( Jasmine Days) and short stories,presents the inhabitants of
Manthalir village, and howthe heady mix of politics andreligion impacts their dailystruggles for existence in thisessentially bucolic setting.
In his preface to the work,the author explains that hehad begun working on histales about Manthalir, a village in Pathanamthitta district, long before the regional novel became a fad inMalayalam. He began writing Akkaporinte IrupathuNasrani Varshangal, whichhe calls the fi�rst part of theManthalir stories, in 2005. Itdeals with the fi�ghting between the Orthodox and Jacobite factions of the Malanakara Church for the St.Thomas church at Manthalir,near Pandalam.
Even back then, writes Benyamin, he had in his mind aquartet of ‘twenties’ novels.‘Twenties’ because he preferred to view human life inphases of 20 years each.Manthalirile 20 CommunistVarshangal forms the “second part” of these stories.
Benyamin, born BennyDaniel, hails from Kulanada,Pathanamthitta. He is a recipient of the Kerala SahithyaAkademi Award, the Crossword Book Award, the JCBPrize for Literature and theMuttathu Varkey Award.
Benyamin will be presented the award on October 27,death anniversary of Ramavarma, at the Nishagandhiauditorium in Thiruvananthapuram.
Vayalar Award for BenyaminNovelist gets literary honour for Manthalirile 20 Communist Varshangal
Benyamin
Special Correspondent
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
Pole-mounted chargingstations launchedKOZHIKODE
Kerala Tourism Minister
P.A. Mohamed Riyas
launched polemounted
electric vehicle charging
stations, set up under the
aegis of the KSEB, in
Kozhikode on Saturday.
IN BRIEF
ONGC begins repair work after gas leakKAKINADA
The Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation (ONGC) has
kickstarted repair work on
the underground pipeline
connecting the well PS43
following gas leakage from
the underground facility in
East Godavari district. Locals
alerted the ONGCThatipaka
facility authorities about the
gas leak on Friday evening,
and it was later plugged.
Sandeep Nair, one of the accused in the politically stormy UAE consulatelinkedgold smuggling case was released from the Central Prison here on Saturday afterhis COFEPOSA detention period ended.
The National InvestigationAgency arrested Nair, alongwith prime accused SwapnaSuresh, from Bengaluru onJuly 11, 2020.
Later, the NIA, the Customs Department, and theEnforcement Directoratenamed him as accused intheir cases. He was produced before an NIA court inKochi on July 12 and remanded in judicial custody.
On March 30, 2021, Nairgot bail from the NIA court ina Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act case. Later, hebecame eligible for bail afterthe Customs Departmentfailed to chargesheet him
within 90 days of arrest. Nair had made news by
complaining in court thatthe ED had allegedly putpressure on him to implicatethe State’s top political executive in the smuggling case.The court had recorded hisstatement in camera.
When mobbed by journalists outside the Central Prison here, Nair pleaded inability to speak about thecase because it was sub-jud-ice.
Detention period of Sandeep Nair ends
Special Correspondent
Thiruvananthapuram
Sandeep Nair
UAE gold smugglingcase accused released
The Bantwal Town policeon Saturday arrested fourpersons on the charge ofraping a minor girl.
While two persons hadallegedly raped the girl in aMangaluru lodge on Friday, one allegedly molested her, besides providing alodge room to commit theoff�ence, and another accused had allegedly engaged in a sexual chat withthe 16yearold.
According to DakshinaKannada Superintendentof Police Rishikesh Sonawane, separate teams wereformed to nab the accusedsoon after the girl reportedthe incident to the policeon Friday.
K.S. Sharath Shetty, a resident of Kaup, MaruthiManjunath, Lodge Sathish,and Hidayatulla have beenarrested.
The victim is currentlyadmitted in a governmenthospital in Mangaluru.
Four arrestedon charge ofraping minor
Special Correspondent
MANGALURU
The Moodbidri police onSaturday arrested two persons on the charge of indulging in moral policingby abusing two women travelling in a car.
City Police Commissioner N. Shashi Kumar, in acommunique, said the incident occurred at Moodbidri, Dakshina Kannada district, on Saturday. Aboutsix to eight people waylaida car, in which a couple,along with two other women, were travelling. Afterenquiring about the religion of the women andfi�nding out they belongedto a diff�erent religion fromthat of the couple, the accused insulted them.
A search was on for theremaining accused, thepolice said.
Two arrestedon charge ofmoral policing
Special Correspondent
Mangaluru
CMYK
M ND-NDE
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DELHI THE HINDU
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 20218EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
NEWS
FROM PAGE ONE
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen hailed it as a victory for American familiesas well as internationalbusiness.
“We’ve turned tirelessnegotiations into decades ofincreased prosperity — forboth America and theworld. Today’s agreementrepresents a onceinageneration accomplishment foreconomic diplomacy,” MsYellen said in a statement.
The OECD said the minimum rate would see countries collect around $150 billion in new revenuesannually while taxing rightson more than $125 billion ofprofi�t would be shifted tocountries where big multinationals earn theirincome.
Ireland, Estonia andHungary, all low tax countries, dropped their objections this week as a compromise emerged on adeduction from the mini
mum rate for multinationalswith real physical businessactivities abroad.
But some developingcountries seeking a higherminimum tax rate say theirinterests have been sidelined to accommodate theinterests of richer countrieslike Ireland, which had refused to sign a deal with aminimum tax rate higherthan 15%.
Argentine Economy Minister Martin Guzman saidon Thursday that proposalson the table forced developing countries to chose between “something bad andsomething worse”.
While Kenya, Nigeria andSri Lanka did not back aprevious version of thedeal, Pakistan’s abstentioncame as a surprise, one offi�cial briefed on the talkssaid. India also had qualmsup to the last minute, but ultimately backed the deal,they added.
Global pact made onminimum corporate tax
The 13th round of CorpsCommander talks will startat 10.30 a.m. on Sunday atMoldo on the Chinese side,opposite Chushul, a defenceoffi�cial said.
The focus of the talks willbe on an agreement for thenext phase of disengagement from Hot Springs andthe overall deescalationalong the LAC in easternLadakh.
Offi�cials said the agreement for disengagement atHot Springs was withinreach as partial disengagement had already been undertaken last year and therewere a few points to be resolved. This leaves the otherfriction areas of Depsangand Demchok which are going be tricky. The two sideshave so far undertaken disengagement from the Pangong Tso and Gogra areas.
Further, there is the issueof overall deescalationalong the LAC which is alsogoing to be tough given thehuge buildup by China thatis matched by India as wellas working out new protocols for patrolling. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA)still has more than 50,000troops deployed along theLAC in eastern Ladakh, according to offi�cials.
Gen. Naravane said it wasdiffi�cult to understand whyChina sort of opened onemore front (in Ladakh)while it has problems on itsother borders. “But whatev
er it might have been, I donot think they have beenable to achieve any of thosebecause of the rapid response by the Indian armedforces,” he added.
Arunachal standoff�Citing Chinese militarysources, Staterun newspaper China Daily described reports of Chinese soldiers being detained by Indiansoldiers after a faceoff� nearYangtse in the Tawang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh as“purely fabricated andhyped by Indian media” anda “smear campaign” by theIndian side.
The incident occurredlast week as the two patrolteams came face to face andclashed following whichsome Chinese soldiers weredetained for a few hoursand released after the issuewas resolved by the localcommanders.
According to a militarysource cited by China Daily,the Chinese border troopsconducted a routine patrolon September 28 in theDongzhang area on the“Chinese side of the SinoIndian border and encountered unreasonable obstruction from the Indianmilitary”. “The Chinese offi�cers and soldiers tookcountermeasures resolutelyand returned after the patrol mission was completed,” the newspaper quotedthe source as having said.
China there to stay, saysArmy chief on Ladakh
The study points out thatthere has been an overalldecrease in the area undersnow in 202021 winter (October to May) in key river basins. The decrease in theChenab basin was 9% and19% in the Beas basin. TheRavi and Satluj basins saw23% less snow area in comparison to 201920. The overall decrease in the areaunder snow has been recorded at about 18.5% in202021 winters against201920, it said.
Notably, about onethirdof the geographical area remains under thick snow cover during the winter season.Most of the major rivers likeChenab, Beas, Parvati, Baspa, Spiti, Ravi, Satluj andtheir perennial tributariesoriginating from the Himalayas depend upon the seasonal snow cover for theirdischarge dependability.
The snow cover alsohelps in controlling the accumulation and ablationspatterns of the glaciated regions. Considering the importance of seasonal snowcover as a major input incontrolling the hydrology ofthe basins, seasonal snowcover assessment in termsof its spatial distribution isbeing carried out in diff�e
rent river basins during thewinter season.
Director of the India Meteorological Department(IMD), Shimla, Surinder Palalso said, “The average precipitation tendency hasbeen decreasing, especiallythe monsoon rains. Rainsand snowfall on an averagehave seen a decreasingtrend in the past 10 years.The gradual rise in temperature could be a reason behind this. Climate change isa worldwide phenomenon,”he told The Hindu.
Rising temperatureEnvironmentalists have expressed concern over the reducing precipitation trend.“The average temperaturerise in the region is fasterthan the peninsular region.The temperature in the highaltitudes areas is rising faster than the plains. It hasbeen observed in the pastfew years that on an averagerelatively more moisture isbeing carried towards theHimalayas. But for snowfallto occur, the temperatureneeds to drop to subzero level, so though there’senough moisture the snowfall is declining as the temperature has been rising,”said Mr. Dutta.
Himachal Pradeshgetting less snow: study
India and Denmark signedtwo agreements on researchin climate change, whileanother MoU on setting up a“green hydrogen” electrolyser plant was signed betweenReliance Industries and Danish company Stiesdal FuelTechnologies as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met withPrime Minister of DenmarkMette Frederiksen onSaturday.
This was the fi�rst summitlevel visit to India since theonset of the pandemic, andthe fi�rst State visit by a Danish leader since a bilateralfreeze on ties a decade ago.
‘New dimensions’“We also took a decision today that we will continue toexpand the scope of ourcooperation, adding new dimensions to it. We have initiated a new partnership inthe fi�eld of health. In orderto increase the agriculturalproductivity and income offarmers in India, we have also decided to cooperate inagriculturerelated technolo
gy,” said Mr. Modi after thebilateral summit, adding thatjoint ventures on food safety,cold chains, food processingand water managementwould be explored as a resultof their discussions.
The government agreements, including one between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Researchand the Geological survey ofDenmark to conduct groundwater mapping and the other
between the Indian Instituteof Science and Danfoss Industries to set up a researchcentre on carbonbased cooling systems are part of the“Green Strategic Partnership” that India and Denmark forged after a virtualsummit between Mr. Modiand Ms. Frederiksen in September 2020.
Meanwhile, the commercial MoU between RelianceIndustries Limited and Sties
dal Fuel Technologies willwork on development of ahydrogen electrolyser for zerocarbon hydrogen to bemanufactured in India.
Stiesdal founder HenrikStiesdal is also on Reliance’sninemember “New EnergyCouncil” announced in August this year, with plans tobuild four factories for theproduction of solar photovoltaic modules, electrolysers, fuel cells, and storage
batteries in Gujarat. “I am proud that Danish
solutions play a key rolewhen it comes to your veryambitious targets and I thinkyou are an inspiration for therest of the world. You haveset some very ambitious targets when it comes to cleanwater for over one millionhouseholds and for renewable energy including off�shore wind,” Ms. Frederiksen said after the meeting.
India has also been engaged with European partners to drop objections to anIndiaSouth Africa proposalat the World Trade Organisation in October 2020 thatseeks to have all patents related to COVID medicinesand vaccines waived duringthe pandemic. When asked,MEA offi�cials didn’t confi�rmwhether Mr. Modi had raisedthe issue, but said Ms. Frederiksen had been “impressed”with India’s vaccinationdrive.
“We know that COVID is amajor concern for the globalcommunity so this issue ofhow both countries are tackling COVID came up for dis
cussion….We remain engaged with our partners onthe WTO [proposal], and it istaking its course,” said Reenat Sandhu, Secretary (West)at the MEA.
Kim Davy issueMs. Frederiksen is the fi�rstDanish leader to be accordeda State visit since 2008, afterwhich relations between thetwo countries soured overIndia’s demand that Denmark extradite its citizenKim Davy, who was the accused in the massive armsdump case in Purulia of 1995.
To a question on the issueof Denmark’s refusal to deport Mr. Davy thus far, Ms.Sandhu said that “this matterwas raised and we have anunderstanding that the legalprocess must go forward andboth countries are workingon it.”
The two leaders also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and shared common concerns on terrorism,rights of women and minorities and the need for an inclusive government, offi�cialssaid.
Green pacts inked at India, Denmark summitMoU signed between Reliance and Stiesdal Fuel Technologies to set up hydrogen electrolyser plant in India
Deepening ties: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacting with his Denmark counterpart Mette Frederiksen at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday. * PTI
Suhasini Haidar
NEW DELHI
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha(SKM), the umbrella body offarmer unions spearheadingthe protests against theCentre’s agriculture laws,said it would observe October 12 as “Shaheed Kisan Diwas (Martyr Farmers’ Day)”.
“We will observe October12 as ‘Shaheed Kisan Diwas’and we have appealed to thefarmers all over the countryto join the ‘antim ardas’ (fi�nal rites) of the farmers, whodied in Lakhimpur Kheri,”said Joginder Singh, president of the Bharatiya KisanUnion (Ugrahan), one of theSKM constituents.
Mr. Singh said Union Minister of State Ajay Mishrashould be immediately dis
missed from the Cabinet andarrested on charges ofspreading disharmony,hatching conspiracy andmurder.
Mr. Mishra’s son, AshishMishra, who is accused of
driving one of the cars thatmowed down the farmershas been arrested.
Protests plannedSKM’s senior leader Yogendra Yadav said, “If our de
mands are not accepted byOctober 11, then the SKM willlaunch a nationwide protestprogramme. After the antimardas on October 12, a ‘Shaheed Kisan Yatra’ will be taken out from LakhimpurKheri by taking the asthi(ashes) of martyr farmers toeach district of Uttar Pradesh and each State of thecountry. On Dasara on October 15, the effi�gies of PrimeMinister Narendra Modi,Home Minister Amit Shahand that of local BJP leaderswill be burnt. A ‘rail roko’programme will be heldacross the country on October 18. Besides, on October26, a ‘Mahapanchayat’ willbe organised in Lucknow toprotest against the Lakhimpur incident.”
SKM plans ‘Shaheed Kisan Diwas’Farmers’ unions to take ashes of those who were killed to various districts of U.P.
Staying fi�rm: Leaders of the SKM at a press conference in NewDelhi on Saturday. * PTI
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
CHANDIGARH
The government has appointed M. Ravichandran asSecretary, Ministry of EarthSciences. He is currently Director, National Centre forOcean and Polar Research,Goa and has been in chargeof coordinating several ofIndia’s scientifi�c missions toAntarctica and the Arctic.
The Hindu has viewed anote from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet confi�rming this.
A key thrust of the go
vernment is its ‘Deep OceanMission.’ This June, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Aff�airs approved₹�4,077 crore for fi�ve yearsfor the mission to “explore”the deep ocean for resources and develop deep seatechnologies for sustainableuse of ocean resources.
Among the key components of the Deep OceanMission is developing amanned submersible to carry three people to a depth of6,000 metres with scientifi�csensors and tools.
M. Ravichandran to beEarth Sciences SecretaryHe is an expert on polar missions
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI
Demanding the ouster ofUnion Minister Ajay MishraTeni and the arrest of thoseinvolved in the deaths offarmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, the Congress will observe “maun vrat” or vowof silence for three hourson Monday, in front of RajBhavans and Central Government offi�ces in everyState.
The protest is to mirrorthe silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi andHome Minister Amit Shahon the incident, said Congress leaders.
Party general secretaryorganisation K.C. Venugopal directed the State unitsto organise the event in aletter.
He said, “Farmers, whowere eyewitnesses, haveopenly said they were runover by a vehicle being driven by the son of the UnionMinister of State for HomeAff�airs... It is shameful thatthe Prime Minister and theHome Minister, whom theMinister directly reportsto, have not uttered a wordagainst this coldbloodedmurder.”
CWC meet on Oct. 16The Congress WorkingCommittee will meet at theAICC offi�ce in New Delhi onOctober 16 to deliberate onthe current political situation, including the Lakhimpur violence, decide on organisational elections anddiscuss forthcoming Assembly polls.
(With PTI inputs)
Congress to observe Maun Vrat
Special Correspondent
New Delhi
The government cleared thetransfer of Tripura HighCourt judge A.A. Kureshi tothe Rajasthan High Court onSaturday.
The transfer was oneamong the 13 transfers andappointments of Chief Justices to various High Courts.They are part of a majorreshuffl�e orchestrated by theSupreme Court Collegium,led by Chief Justice N.V.Ramana.
September had seen over100 recommendations forappointments, transfers andretransfers in various HighCourts sent from the Collegium to the Government forapproval.
Chief Justice Ramana hasemphasised that his Collegium is on the warpath to fi�llup the longpending vacancies in the High Courts, andurged the Government towork together with the judi
ciary to decide therecommendations.
The Government hasbeen responding with a steady stream of approvals in thepast few days. The clearancein the 13 High Courts wasconsidered crucial as someof them have been makingdo with acting Chief Justices.
Eight High Courts will getnew Chief Justices. JusticeRajesh Bindal, acting ChiefJustice of Calcutta High
Court, was appointed as theChief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. Justice Ranjit V. More has been appointed as the Chief Justice of theMeghalaya High Court.
Justice Satish ChandraSharma, acting Chief Justiceof the Karnataka High Court,has been appointed as theChief Justice of the Telangana High Court.
Justice Prakash Srivastava,a Madhya Pradesh HighCourt judge, has been appointed as the Chief Justiceof the Calcutta High Court.
Justice R.V. Malimath hasbeen appointed as the ChiefJustice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. He is presently the acting Chief Justice of the Himachal PradeshHigh Court. Justice Ritu RajAwasthi has been appointedas the Chief Justice of theKarnataka High Court.
Justice Aravind Kumar hasbeen appointed as the ChiefJustice of the Gujarat High
Court. Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra will take over asthe Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. Heis presently serving as theacting Chief Justice of theChhattisgarh High Court.
Five Chief Justices, including Justice Kureshi, havebeen transferred.
Justice Indrajit Mahanty,Chief Justice of the RajasthanHigh Court, will take over asthe Tripura Chief Justice.Chief Justice Mohammad Rafi�q of Madhya Pradesh hasbeen appointed as the ChiefJustice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder ofthe Meghalaya High Courthas been transferred as theChief Justice of the SikkimHigh Court.
Justice A.K. Goswami hasbeen appointed as the ChiefJustice of the ChhattisgarhHigh Court. He is presentlythe Chief Justice of AndhraPradesh High Court.
Govt. clears appointments of CJsEight High Courts to get new Chief Justices, fi�ve CJs transferred
The SC Collegium hadrecommended the namesto the Law Ministry.
Legal Correspondent
NEW DELHI
The Quadrilateral groupcomprising India, Australia,Japan and the U.S. is scheduled to hold phaseII of theMalabar naval exercise nextweek, according to offi�cialsources.
This is the fi�rst militaryengagement among theQuad partner countriessince Australia, the U.S. andthe U.K. unveiled the AUKUS initiative to deepencooperation on a range of“emerging security and defence capabilities” which includes equipping Australianwith at least eight nuclearpowered submarines (SSN).
The exercise will be heldover three days, beginningOctober 12, in the Bay ofBengal, an offi�cial sourcesaid.
PhaseI of Malabar, alsoits 25th edition, was hostedby the U.S. and held off�
Guam from August 2629. The Japan Maritime Self
Defence Force vessels,which arrived in India forthe bilateral exercise JIMEX,will participate in phaseII.These include Izumo classhelicopter carrier Kaga andguided missile destroyerMurasame, along with theirintegral SH60K helicopters.
The Malabar exercisecommenced in 1992 as anIndiaU.S. exercise. In 2015,Japan joined as a permanentmember, and Australia wasincluded in the 2020edition.
Malabar exercise phaseIIto be held next week Quad members to participate
Dinakar Peri
NEW DELHI
The exercise will be heldover three days in the Bay of Bengal.
A Dalit youth was allegedlybeaten to death by a group ofpersons at Prempura villagein Rajasthan’s Hanumangarhdistrict and the body wasdumped outside his house.
A love aff�air reportedlyled to the crime, after whichthe youth’s relatives and thelocal Dalit community stageddemonstrations for two daysand refused to send the bodyfor postmortem.
The police registered acase against 11 persons inconnection with the incidentafter its video went viral on
social media, and arrestedthree of the accused on Saturday. Eight others werestated to be absconding. Thefamily members acceptedthe body after the police action and agreed to cremateit.
The assailants had forciblytaken the youth, Jagdish, toan agricultural fi�eld onThursday and thrashed himwith sticks. One of the accused allegedly placed hisknee on Jagdish’s neck andothers continued to beat himtill he lost consciousness.The family members, whofound the body outside their
house, came to know of thecrime from the video circulated on social media.
The Opposition BJP hasdemanded an immediate arrest of all the accused, whileclaiming that the crimesagainst Dalits had increasedby 21% in the Congress regime.
BJP State president SatishPoonia said the national leadership of Congress, busywith “political tourism” inother States, should pay attention to Rajasthan whoseimage had taken a beating after the Hanumangarh incident.
Dalit beaten to death in RajasthanCase registered against 11 persons after video goes viralSpecial Correspondent
JAIPUR
Government hospitals inKarnataka are now facingan acute shortage of basicdrugs including paracetamol, antibiotics and antihistamine and are beingforced to write prescriptions for patients to buy thesame from outside.
Sources said there hasbeen an irregular/shortsupply of basic drugs in allhospitals run by the StateHealth Department andhospital authorities are unable to get supplies even after four months of indenting. Hospital authoritiessaid except intravenousfluids, all essential medicalsupplies have been in shortsupply since May.
Drugs shortagein Karnatakagovt. hospitals
Afshan Yasmeen
Bengaluru
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THE HINDU DELHI
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NEWS
A sense of unease is palpablein the gated Sheikhpora Migrant Colony, home toaround 75 migrant Pandits,in central Kashmir’s Budgamon Saturday. However, manyPandits have resolved not tomigrate again, like in the1990s, in the face of fresh targeted killings by the militantsearlier this week.
The gates of the colony,with a concrete boundarywall and concertina wires foradditional security, are bolted from the inside. No outsider is allowed into the premises, not even the milkmenfor the time being. Duringthe night, the fl�ash lights ensure that any movement towards the colony is spotted.
“The Budgam authoritieshave promised that groceryand other essentials are delivered at the colony to avoidour movement outside forthe time being. We havebeen advised against visitingvolatile pockets, especiallythe old city,” said a Pandit,who returned to the Valley in2010 under the Prime Minis
ter’s Return and Rehabilitation Scheme.
A Pandit teacher, whoserves in a governmentschool in the old city, saidher family has decided tostay put here.
“I am hopeful it won’t be arepeat of the 1990s. We arenot shifting for now. We planto stay back. I am in touchwith my Muslim colleaguesconstantly. They have beenhelpful. We are safe but asense of scare is unavoidableafter militants targetedteachers inside a school recently,” the teacher said.
Many Pandits who live inrented accommodations inBudgam’s Humhama areaare also planning to shift todesignated colonies such asthe one in Sheikhpora. “Wefeel insecure living outsidethese colonies now,” anotherPandit, who runs a business,said.
At least 3,800 Pandit migrants returned to the Valleysince 2010, after taking upgovernment jobs. They arestaying in designated colonies in south, north and central Kashmir. Security hasbeen beefed up in all the co
lonies and the administration has reached out to thePandits to address their security concerns, after militants killed a chemist, a Sikhprincipal and a teacherrecently.
‘Well-planned plot’“The recent killings of minority civilians are part of awellplanned terror actionplot to drive out the remaining minorities in the Valley.We had already intimatedthe Centre that the launch ofmigrant distress sales portalwill trigger an antiminorityfeeling in some quarters, especially the land mafi�a,” Satish Mahaldar, chairman ofthe Reconciliation Returnand Rehabilitation of Migrants, said. He said these attacks were a reminder thatthe counterinsurgency strategies had failed. “The premature and triumphalistclaims about normalcy inKashmir got exposed. Itneeds great statesmanship toovercome the challenges,”Mr. Mahaldar said.
The Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee here on Sa
turday decided that employees from the minoritycommunity “won’t attendthe duty unless the government assures theirprotection”.
“Despite inputs and incidents in the past targetingthe minorities, the government didn’t provide any security to the community,”GPC general secretary NavtejSingh said.
He asked the J&K administration to “assure the minority community that they aresafe in the Valley”. “The majority should also come forward and condemn the attacks.”
BJP leader and chairperson of the Waqf Development Committee Darakhshan Andrabi said, “Wecannot allow radicals to repeat 1990 again. These targetkillings are shameful. Moredisgusting and criminal isthe silence of socalled civilsociety and other responsible religious bodies of Kashmir. The government willeliminate each and everykiller and destroy this hatemodule soon,” she said.
A sense of unease grips Pandit coloniesHowever, many resolve to stay back in Kashmir Valley despite the fear of targeted killings by militants
Peerzada Ashiq
Budgam
Present tense: A fi�le photo of the Sheikhpora Migrant Colonyin Budgam in central Kashmir. * NISSAR AHMAD
More than 50 sarpanchesand panches have resigneden masse in two blocks ofRamban district in Jammuand Kashmir over variousissues, offi�cials said onSaturday.
They have resigned alleging lack of promisedempowerment, unnecessary interference and theirsidelining by the administration during the ongoingpublic outreach programme of the Central Ministers, offi�cials said.
The Peoples DemocraticParty took a potshot at theBJP government, saying the“cosmetic normalcy andpomp and show being projected (in the Union Territory) stands punctured”.Offi�cials, however, said thedistrict panchayat offi�cerAshok Singh held a meeting with the representatives of the agitated members and requested themto withdraw resignation,seeking to assure them thattheir grievances would beaddressed at the earliest.
50 rural localbody membersquit in J&K
Press trust of India
banihal/Jammu
AttorneyGeneral of IndiaK.K. Venugopal has refusedconsent to a request madeby Tamil Nadu parliamentarian Thol. Thirumavalavan to permit him to initiatecontempt proceedings inthe Supreme Court againstthe controversial Pegasussoftware creator, NSOGroup, the Israelbasedcompany’s directors, UnionHome Secretary Ajay Bhalla,and his predecessor RajivGauba.
The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader had, in hisletter to Mr. Venugopal, saidthat the company and thetop Indian bureaucratsshould face contempt proceedings in the backgroundof reports that a SupremeCourt judge, now retired,and top court offi�cials wereplaced under surveillancethrough the Pegasussoftware.
But the top law offi�cer refused to agree, saying thatthe Pegasus snooping controversy was already before
the top court. A Bench, ledby Chief Justice of India N.V.Ramana, is hearing a batchof petitions, including oneby senior journalist N. Ram,for an independent andhighlevel probe into reports that the Centremounted “militarygradesurveillance” using Pegasuson citizens, including Ministers, parliamentarians, activists, journalists anddissenters.
“The question whetherthe Government of India hasused Pegasus software andif so against whom is a matter which is being debatedand is currently sub judicebefore the Supreme Court..In the absence of such determination having beenmade, it would be inappropriate for me to grant consent for the initiation of proceedings for criminalcontempt under Section 15of the Contempt of CourtAct of 1971… I accordinglydecline to grant consent under Section 25 of the Act,”Mr. Venugopal replied to theparliamentarian.
A-G rejects plea for notice ofcontempt to Pegasus makerMatter already sub judice, T.N. MP told
Legal Correspondent
NEW DELHI
Independent legislator from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani speaksabout the reasons for aligning with the Congress, the Opposi-tion makeup for the 2024 Lok Sabha election and the politicalsituation in Gujarat:
Why the Congress?
■ As I pointed out in thepress conference with Kanhaiya [Kumar], in this era ofunprecedented crisis, whendestruction of democracy isat work, the fascist forceshave taken over all the organs of the state, when theyhave become desperate to replace the Constitution withManusmriti, when they havedamaged and distorted allour democratic institutions,in this situation, if you arenot able to dislodge the BJPfrom power, then we aregone as a nation. And to save
our nation, Constitution, oursocial fabric, to save our ideaof India, we need a big platform and the Congress beingthe ‘Grand Old Party’ is probably the only biggest platform available.
I don’t want to claim thatother components don’thave a role to play. I believeacademicians, activists, journalists, scholars... all of ushave a role. But there can’tbe a formation of an Opposition without the Congressbeing at the helm of it. Importantly, Rahul Gandhigives us the confi�dence thathe will never compromisewith the RSS and the BJP.
In 2017 too, you were in
talks with the Congress but
didn’t join. What has
changed since then?
■ I just wanted to carry onmy journey as an activistcumpolitician, as an Independent MLA. You may workas a freelance journalist forfi�ve years and then you mayfeel the need to work in amainstream group. Even if Ihad won as an Independentlegislator for the secondtime, I would pretty much repeat what I have alreadyachieved. But if I want to expand, to reach out to morepeople… then the Congressis the best platform.
The Congress is at its lowest
ebb. There has been a mass
exodus of leaders from the
party because of successive
electoral defeats. Why now?
■ I don’t care about what ishappening with the party, Icare about what is happening in the country. I have twooptions in front of me, eitherI can be cynical about thosewho are leaving the Congress
or I can be optimistic and behopeful about those planning to join the party. Iwould rather choose the second option. Hardik Patel,Kanhaiya Kumar, RevanthReddy have joined and moreare coming.
Since you have worked for
long as an Independent
legislator and an activist,
will you be able to work
within the push and pull of a
behemoth party like the
Congress?
■ Only time can answer thisquestion. But one thing I cansay for sure is that I am afi�ghter, there will be struggle,there will be ups and downsbut fi�nally I shall settle down.
How do you counter the
narrative that ultimately
boils down to HinduMuslim
binary?
■ The BJP tries to reduce everything down to HinduMuslim binary, but it doesn’twork always. The 2017 Gujarat Assembly election andthe 2020 Bihar election areexamples. In both thesepolls, unemployment became a big issue. That is whatwe will be focussing on as ateam. Infl�ation, unemployment and mismanagementof COVID19 will be key issues on which we will counter the BJP.
The BJP did an extensive
Cabinet reshuffl�e in Gujarat.
Wouldn’t this help them in
removing the
antiincumbency factor?
■ The reshuffl�e was clearly
At the same time, there hasto be better appreciation ofother components of the Opposition. All the antiBJP forces must come togetherbeyond their personal ambition and interests. This unityshould not just be limited toseatsharing arrangement.They must be seen fi�ghtingtogether on the issues thatmatter to the public. We, asforces of the Opposition, arenot willing to get rid of ourpettiness.
What is your reply to this
regular question: if not
Modi, then who?
■ If not Modi, then me! I ameducated, honest and hardworking. But jokes apart, theanswer to the question ‘if notModi, then who?’ is we, thepeople.
because the RSS or an independent agency that theyroped in conveyed to themthe truth that in the next Assembly poll they will notcross 5565 seats. The reshuffl�e is a reaction to this feedback. But those who losttheir loved ones will not forget what they went through.Those who ran from pillar topost looking for hospitalbeds, Remdesivir injections,oxygen cylinders and so on...can never forgive the BJP.
After the West Bengal
Assembly election, there has
emerged a race for the lead
Opposition role. Doesn’t this
disarray in the Opposition
suit the BJP?
■ In 2024, there can be noOpposition without the Congress being at the centre of it.
INTERVIEW | JIGNESH MEVANI
‘There can be no Opposition formation without Congress at the helm’Anti-BJP forces must come together beyond their personal ambitions and interests and rise above the mundane seat-sharing exercise, says Gujarat MLA
Sobhana K. Nair
<> The answer to the
question ‘if not Modi,
then who?’ is we, the
people
The National InvestigationAgency (NIA) on Saturdayconducted searches atmultiple locations in connection with the 3,000 kgheroin seizure at MundraPort in Gujarat last month.
The searches were carried out on the premises ofthe accused persons andsuspects in Chennai, Coimbatore and Vijayawada,who were involved in thesmuggling of the contraband under the guise of importing semiprocessedtalc stones from Kandaharin Afghanistan via BandarAbbas Port in Iran.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) hadseized the consignmentand arrested 10 persons,including six Afghan nationals and a Uzbek national, during its probe into theinternational drug traffi�cking racket. The Ministry ofHome Aff�airs later transferred the case to the NIA.
NIA conductssearches inheroin case
special correspondent
NEW DELHI
The Supreme Court has questionedthe compulsion to put people in jailfor years on end in drugs cases evenas their trial takes forever to fi�nish.
A Bench, led by Chief Justice N.V.Ramana, granted bail to a mancaught in a room with 35 kg of ganjaby the Narcotics Control Bureau(NCB). The court said the man hasbeen in jail for years and “there is nolikelihood of completion of trial inthe near future”.
“What is the need of trial if youare putting people in jail for years?”Chief Justice Ramana asked duringthe recent hearing.
The Bench had just learnt that theaccused had already spent fouryears in jail as an undertrial. He hasbeen in custody since October 16,
2017. The Bench noted that the manwas a senior citizen of 66 years andhe cannot spend time behind barswaiting for justice to arrive with theend of his trial.
“How many years can he be keptin jail without trial?” the CJI askedthe government side.
When the government lawyersaid fi�ve years, the CJI shot back,“Why fi�ve? Keep him for 10... Thenthere is no need for a trial.”
The Bench said it was even doubtful, at this pace, whether the manwould even survive the trial if hecontinued in jail. “He is already 66years, by the time you completeyour trial, he will not be there,” theCJI said. The accused had appealedto the Supreme Court after the Calcutta High Court refused to granthim bail last year.
‘What is the need of trial if you areputting people in jail for years?’SC grants bail to a 66-year-old man in drugs case
Legal Correspondent
NEW DELHI
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DELHI THE HINDU
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NEWS
SUDOKU
Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
The IncomeTax Department searches on a majorHyderabadbased pharmaceutical group has lead tothe seizure of about ₹�143crore in cash and detectionof unaccounted income tothe tune of ₹�550 crore.
The agency started thesearch and seizure operations on October 6 andabout 50 locations acrosssix States were covered.
“This pharmaceuticalgroup is engaged in the business of manufacturing ofintermediates, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients(APIs) and formulations.Majority of the productsare exported to foreigncountries i.e. U.S., Europe,Dubai and some Africancountries,” the Department said.
During the searches, theagency identifi�ed the hideouts where a second set ofbooksofaccounts andcash had been stored. Evidence in the form of digitalmedia, pen drives and documents were seized.
Bogus purchasesThe agency detected several issues related to discrepancies in the purchasesmade from bogus and nonexistent entities, and artifi�cial infl�ation of certainheads of expenditure.
“Further, evidence ofonmoney payment forpurchase of lands was alsofound,” the agency said,adding that personal expenses were included inthe company’s books.Land was purchased by therelated parties below thegovernment registrationvalue.
According to the IT Department, several banklockers were located during the searches.
₹�143 croreseized frompharma group
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI
There’s a diff�erent sort ofmachine at work in Bhupinder Singh’s 30acre farm off�the DelhiKarnal highway.
The boom sprayer, as it’scalled, looks like a hybridbetween a tractor and an autobot from the Transform-ers; its defi�nitive features aretwo 20 ft booms that spreadout like outstretched wings.On them are equally spacednozzles that spray biodecomposers on the freshlyharvested rice fi�eld.
The decomposers are apowder mixed in watermeant to accelerate the process of turning rice stubbleinto compost. Untreated
rice straw takes 48 weeks todisintegrate, which is toolong for the average farmerto wait to be able to sow thewinter wheat crop. The other option is to employ labour, who will cut the stalkand pile it into bundles, butthat’s expensive and unaffordable for more than 95%of the farmers.
“Which is why the simplest solution is a ₹�1 matchbox and ₹�100 worth of diesel,” Mr. Singh said with asmile but also claimed he’snever burnt his fi�elds in thelast fi�ve years. Setting a harvested fi�eld alight is an age
old practice but in recentyears it has been linked toworsening air pollution inthe Delhi National CapitalRegion.
Open to other solutionsWith pressure from theCentre, States such as Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been cajoling,threatening and fi�ning farmers in recent years. Whilethe success of these eff�ortshas been limited, manyfarmers, while less concerned about the environmental eff�ects of the practice on urban Delhi, areopen to trying othersolutions.
Which is where the less
than two year old, Bengalurubased agritech fi�rm, nurture.farm, comes in with itsboom sprayer. In an ambitious exercise, 700 of thesemachines will be at workacross 5 lakh acres in Punjaband Haryana, spraying a bio
decomposer called ‘PUSAspray’. A bioenzyme developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, Delhi, this was initiallyformulated as a capsule.
But, Pranav Tiwari, chieftechnology offi�cer of nurtu
re.farm, said it emerged thata capsule is not the best wayto deploy the product in thefi�elds.
Hence his company licensed the technology andmade it into a powder thatcan be mixed with water,which is loaded into a tankin the boom sprayer. Afterspraying, the soil needs tobe turned over and irrigated.
When done correctly —spraying, turning the soil over and irrigating it for fourdays — the straw can be disintegrated in eight days, saidMr. Tiwari. With the boomsprayer, he added, an acrecan be be sprayed in 7 minutes whereas manually ittakes half a day.
Mr. Singh has partitionedhis 30 acres into small parcels. A few acres have alrea
dy been harvested andsprayed, with some sprouting caulifl�ower as well asshoots of mustard.
But the bulk of his farm —28 acres — is yet to be harvested. Mr. Singh said he expects to begin sowing wheatwithin 20 days. That meansall the rice must be harvested and the stalks sprayed,decomposed and the soilreadied for wheat withinthat time.
Proof of the practiceMr. Singh said he’s optimistic of keeping the schedulebut says the true test will bethe yield of the wheat nextyear. The promise of the PUSA spray is that because itemploys natural enzymes, itwill improve soil fertilityand because there will be noburning, carbon as well as
essential soilmicronutrientswill be retained.
Nurture.farm is a subsidiary of the Mumbaibasedagrochemicals companyUPL, fomerly known as United Phosphorous Limited.
Its approach towardsfarming is much like Uber’stowards cars — making itconvenient for a farmer tohire a spraying service via anapp. There is also a team of600 ‘Kisanmitra’, many ofthem young, college girls,who liaise with the farmersand convince them to usethe app.
The plan, said Mr. Tiwari,is that over time farmers willsee the value in sprayingbased on the improvedyields.
(The reporter was part ofa media contingent taken ontour by nurture.farm)
Boom! A spraying solution is here to stem stubble burning in Haryana fi�eldsA Bengalurubased fi�rm is providing technology to aidfarmers spray decomposers over 5 lakh acres
Out of the box: A boom sprayer adding a bio-decomposerinto the soil at Karnal in Haryana on Thursday * MOORTHY R.V.
Jacob Koshy
Karnal
SUNDAY SPECIAL
The Government has imposed a threemonth restriction on exports of three categories of syringes to ensurethat there is enough to “improve domestic uptake andavailability”. However complying with demands fromlocal industry, it has allowedexports of classes of syringesnot used for COVID vaccines.
Most syringes used in COVID vaccination have a capacity of 0.3 ml though bigger ones are also used.
Following a meeting onSaturday on the progress ofCOVID19 vaccination, UnionHealth Minister MansukhMandaviya told senior health
offi�cials in States, that the“immediate milestone” inIndia’s COVID19 vaccinationjourney was completing administration of 100 croredoses. India has so far administered 94 crore vaccinedoses.
The three categories ofsyringes that will be subjectto this “quantitative restriction” on exports are 0.5 ml/
1ml AD (autodisable) syringes, 0.5 ml/1 ml/2 ml/3 ml disposable syringes, 1ml/2 ml/3ml RUP (reuse prevention)syringes.
Covaxin supplyAt Saturday's meeting, UttarPradesh had pointed out the“comparatively limited supply of Covaxin” and its shorter span between the doses
as a reason why vaccinationwasn't proceeding as fast asit could, said a statementfrom the Press InformationBureau.
Previous estimates inApril by Bharat Biotech hadclaimed that productionwould scale to over six croredoses a month by Septemberbut actual supply is muchlower. Chairman Bharat Biotech Krishna Ella had said inSeptember that outputwould be scaled to 5.5 croredoses by October.
For India to meet its goalto fully inoculate all adultsby the year end, it needs tovaccinate over a crore everyday but has consistently averaged a little less than 80lakh a day since the 2.5 croredoses on September 17.
Mr Mandaviya said morethan 8 crore doses wereavailable with States.
Centre restricts syringe exportsfor 3 months to aid COVID fi�ghtBut those meantfor other uses canbe sent abroad
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI
Mega drive: India has administered 94 crore doses of vaccinesso far. * SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
After a delay of nearly amonth, ParliamentaryStanding Committees werenotifi�ed on Saturday.
Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Modi,who was widely expected tojoin Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet, is nowthe Chairman of the Standing Committee on Law andJustice. The post fell vacantafter Bhupender Yadav’s elevation to the Modi Cabinet.
Notwithstanding a raft ofcomplaints against him fromBJP leaders, Congress MPShashi Tharoor survived asthe Chairperson Of TheStanding Committee of Information and Technology.
At a meeting held on July27, on a day that the panelwas to discuss the Pegasus
cyberattack, the BJP members staged a walkout. BJPMP Nishikant Dubey, who isa member, shot off� multipleletters to Speaker Om Birlaaccusing Mr. Tharoor of using the committee to takeforward the Congress party’s agenda.
The government thoughhas little say. It is up to the
parties who they want tonominate for the Chairperson’s post. The Governmentcould, however, allot diff�erent committees to the Opposition parties.
As per sources, at least 50Rajya Sabha MPs have beenreassigned to diff�erent committees, 28 of these for theirpoor attendance in themeetings of committeesheld over the last year.
In a response to The Hin-du’s report on the delay inthe committee formation,the Ministry of Parliamentary Aff�airs had said the process took time because of deliberations on “whether tonominate MPs who have notattended even one meetingof the committees, and alsowhether they should be renominated to the samecommittees”.
Sushil Modi will head group on Law and Justice
Special Correspondent
New Delhi
Congress MP Shashi Tharoorretained his post as head ofthe IT Committee.
New parliamentary panelsnamed after a month’s delay
sponsorship, advertisementand food and beverages. Theproject was done betweenSeptember 2019 and January2020, with fi�eldwork completed in an intense threeweek period around the timeof the festival, and the reportrecently released.
The report ‘Mapping theCreative Economy aroundDurga Puja 2019’ points outthat the economic value ofthe art and decoration segment was ₹�860 crore, andKolkata accounted for 15%share of the pandalmakingindustry in West Bengal.
With regard to idol making, the creative economy
The total economic worth ofthe creative activities involved in Durga Puja festivalis about ₹�32,377 crore andthe festival contributes2.58% of West Bengal’s GDP,reveals a study carried out bythe British Council.
The fi�rst of its kind detailed study of diff�erent aspects of the Durga Puja festival commissioned by theWest Bengal Government’stourism department looks atten creative industries related to the pujas such as installation, idol making, lightingand illumination, retail,
was estimated to be about₹�260 to ₹�280 crore, whereKolkata alone accounted forabout ₹�120 crore. Around40% of idolmaking studiosin Kumartuli, the traditionalpotters’ locality in northernKolkata, are older than 60years, the report pointedout.
Retail sectorThe highest contribution tothe creative economy wasthe retail sector, which contributed to ₹�27,364 crore, registering a 100% spike in saleduring the festive seasonwhen discounts and off�ersare given. Other sectors,
such as literature and publishing, contributed about₹�260270 crore while the fi�lmand entertainment sectorcontributed ₹�53.2 crore.
Another sector that made
a signifi�cant contribution isthe food and beverage sector, which contributed awhopping ₹�2,854 crore. Consumer spends in this sectorduring the festive month is
believed to be 30% higherthan that of the previousmonth.
“This complex researchis, as far as we know, the fi�rstof its kind in India done onthis scale and combines bothquantitative and qualitativeanalyses of the open accessecosystem that feeds the festival economy,” BarbaraWickham, director of theBritish Council in India, saidin the report.
Debanjan Chakrabarti, director, East and NortheastIndia, British Council, toldThe Hindu said the methodology used is not only transparent but also replicable inother parts of India.
The report also pointedout a 120% spike in the number of bus passengers during
the festival, and a 11% spikein air and rail traffi�c.
Livelihood generatorNandini Chakravorty, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Government of West Bengal,said that the livelihood generation based on just one festival in a year is noteworthy.“The festival is the solesource of earnings across theyear for many families,” Ms.Chakravorty added.
While the report refl�ectspreCOVID fi�gures, expertssaid it gives a baseline of thecreative economy in the prepandemic situation and ifstudies are done using thesame methodology, the impact of the pandemic and thepostpandemic situationcould be understood better.
Creative economy of Durga Puja in West Bengal pegged at ₹�32,000 croreA British Council study, which looked into 10 allied sectors,says the annual festival contributes 2.58% of the State’s GDP
Shiv Sahay Singh
Kolkata
Stating that unhinderedmaritime activity is a necessity to move ahead onthe path of rapid development, Defence MinisterRajnath Singh said on Saturday that India is a risingmaritime power and itsprosperity is largely dependent on the sea.
“India's maritime zonesmust be safe, secure andpollution free. This will fulfi�l our security needs andensure environmentalhealth and economic development,” Mr. Singh saidafter conferring gallantryand meritorious servicemedals on Coast Guardpersonnel at an investitureceremony.
A total of 21 awardswerepresented.
In the last one year, CostGuard carried out 70 medical evacuations, conducted555 search and rescue operations and saved the livesof more than 1,090 people.
Maritimeactivity is vital,says Rajnath
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI
The Gujarat government hasembarked upon an ambitious project to redevelopMahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram and expand itfrom its present fi�ve acres toapproximately 55 acres. Theredevelopment will involverestoring all heritage buildings that were built duringthe Mahatma’s time in 1917,relocating families that livethere and bringing to lifeGandhiji’s philosophy andmessage for those visitingthe Ashram.
The project, being monitored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, includes plans to spend ₹�1,200crore to turn the SabarmatiAshram into a worldclassmemorial with facilities andamenities to allow all Ashram visitors to have a “trulyeducational and immersiveexperience with full measure of the meaning and signifi�cance of Mahatma Gand
hi’s life, work, philosophy,and message to the world.”
The State government hasemphatically held that theredevelopment project, alsoknown as the Gandhi Ashram Memorial and PrecinctDevelopment Project, will bedone in a manner that is respectful of the original ashram’s ethos as it will retainthe values that Gandhijipreached — austerity, simplicity, and authenticity.
“It is Prime Minister Sir’scommitment to undertakethe redevelopment of Mahatma Gandhi’s Ashram. In thepast, many attempts weremade but somehow, no progress was made earlier,” saidK. Kailashnathan, Prime Minister Modi’s most trustedbureaucrat in Gujarat, whois personally handling theAshram redevelopment project.
“Since most of the originalbuildings lie outside today’sashram, visitors get an incomplete sense of how the
original Ashram functionedand how it embodied Gandhiji’s philosophy. Many ofthe original buildings are also in disrepair. To add tothis, the atmosphere of theashram is also rudely disrupted by noise of traffi�c,and it is often crowded onaccount of the continuallyincreasing number of visitors,” stated a presentationprepared by the authorities.
The revamp project hasbeen conceptualised byleading architect Bimal Patel, who is also involved inthe revamping of the CentralVista project in the national
capital. As per the details,the original Ashram was approximately 120 acres whenit was fi�rst established in1917. During Mahatma’s lifetime in the Ashram from 1917to 1930, there were 63 buildings built within the Ashram’s area. Today, only 43 ofthe original buildingsremain.
Of the around 250 familieswho currently reside in theAshram area for historicalreasons, 54 have acceptedfi�rst instalment and 36 families have accepted the second instalment of compensation off�ered by the
government to move. Therest are still consideringtheir options.
The revamp has, however,triggered controversy andoutrage among a section ofGandhians, activists andscholars. At least 130 personalities from various walksof life have opposed theplan.
In a joint statement, theycriticised the Centre and theState governments for embarking upon the redevelopment plans, and said theproposed project will severely compromise the simplicity and sanctity of the presentday Ashram. Theproposed memorial is morelikely to be called at best a‘Gandhi Theme Park’ and atworst, the Mahatma’s ‘second assassination’, theysaid.
In August of this year, thetrustees of Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (SAPMT) in astatement said they sharedmany of the concerns expressed by several citizensregarding the future of Sabarmati Ashram.
Sabarmati Ashram to get a ₹�1,200 cr. revampThe project, spread across 55 acres, hascome under criticism from activists
Awaiting a facelift: The Government says the redevelopmentplan will retain the values preached by Gandhiji. * FILE PHOTO
Mahesh Langa
AHMEDABAD
CMYK
M ND-NDE
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THE HINDU DELHI
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WORLD
This is supposed to be an off�season. Winter is yet to setin. But natural gas pricessoared over the past fewmonths, especially in Europe. The price of naturalgas in Europe is now sixtimes higher than what it waslast year. Across the continent, natural gas inventoriesare falling. On Wednesday,the benchmark Dutch gas futures price jumped 40% inthe morning trade to touch€162.13 a megawatthour, aneightyear high, but reversedcourse after Russian President Vladimir Putin assuredEurope of supplies. But evenafter the day’s fall, gas pricesin Europe remained twice ashigh as they were a monthearlier. And on Friday, pricesstarted rising again. What’sdriving up the prices?
Supply constraintsA host of reasons, from economic recovery to geopolitics, are attributed to theprice rise. Global energy demand fell last year when eco
nomies slipped into COVIDinduced lockdowns. Whengrowth returned this year,especially to Asian economies, demand shot up andenergy producers struggledto meet the growing demand, pushing up prices.Even in the U.S., the world’slargest natural gas producer,prices rose from $1.7 per million British thermal units onMarch 31 to $6.3 per mBtu onOct. 5. Europe, which is heavily dependent on imports tomeet its energy demand, wasparticularly hit hard.
As part of Europe’s shifttowards cleaner energy, many countries had movedaway from coal to gas to produce electricity. This increased Europe’s reliance ongas. On the other side, thecontinent’s natural gas production has shrunk over theyears, as many countriesshut down production fi�eldsover environmental concerns. If Europe’s natural gasproduction (excluding Russia) was about 300 billioncubic metres in 2005, it fellto less than 200 bcm in 2021,
according to Rystad Energy.Norway, Europe’s main producer of natural gas, hasseen its production shrinkfrom 117.6 bcm in 2015 to105.3 bcm in 2021. This hasleft Europe largely dependent on Russia.
Energy geopoliticsAs prices shot up amid growing worldwide demand andfalling production in Europe,supplies from Russia via a pipeline that passes throughUkraine and Poland alsoshrank, which made the situation worse. Russia hasbuilt another gas pipeline,
Nord Stream 2, which willtake Russian gas directly toGermany bypassing Ukraineand Poland, whose governments are critical of theKremlin. But supplies to Europe through Nord Stream 2are yet to start as the pipeline is awaiting approvalfrom European authorities.
In the past when Europe’senergy demand shot up, Russia had stepped up supplies.But this year, Gazprom, Russia’s statecontrolled energygiant that supplies about 35%of Europe’s gas requirements, has booked less additional exports than the trad
fl�owing through the operational pipeline is set to exceed volumes agreed underGazprom’s contract with Ukraine. He also said Russiacould “reach another recordof deliveries of our energyresources to Europe, including gas”. This temporarilycalmed the markets.
But Mr. Putin didn’t sayhow Russia was going to stepup supplies — through the existing pipeline or NordStream 2? Russian offi�cialshave already said Gazpromcan send more gas to Europeif Nord Stream 2 comes online quickly. It is to be seen ifadditional supplies would betied to a quick approval forthe pipeline. Furthermore,the Russian domestic gasmarket also remains tight. Inventories are running low,and winter is coming, whichwould shoot up demand constraining Russia’s export capacity. And demand is risingnot only in Europe and theAmericas, but also in Asia.Coal shortages in India andChina could drive up pricesof natural gas further.
ers wanted, adding pressureon supplies. The International Energy Agency said thisweek Russian exports to Europe this year were lowerthan they were in 2019. Thishas fuelled speculation thatMr. Putin is using the energycrunch in Europe to get approval from the EU for theNord Stream 2 pipeline. Several countries in Europe aswell as the U.S. remain critical of the pipeline, whichthey say would help Russiaenhance its leverage over the
continent and would also allow Russia to economicallypunish Ukraine and Poland.U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told the BBCon Thursday any attempts byRussia to exploit the crisiswould backfi�re.
Putin’s assurance The Kremlin has dismissedsuch criticism, saying Russiahas no role in the energycrunch. On Wednesday, Mr.Putin said the amount of gas
Why natural gas prices are soaring around the worldHost of reasons, including growing demand led by economic recovery, shift to cleaner energy and geopolitics, behind trend
Global impact: Workers at the �construction site �of the Nord �Stream �2 gas pipeline in the Leningrad region. * REUTERS
Stanly Johny
EXPLAINER
China’s President Xi Jinpingon Saturday said “nationalreunifi�cation by peacefulmeans” with Taiwan “willand can be realised”, speaking amid what Taiwan offi�cials have called the worsttensions in four decades.
Mr. Xi was speaking a daybefore October 10, which iscelebrated in China as the110th anniversary of the 1911Xinhai Revolution, andmarked in Taiwan as its National Day. The 1911 revolution began at Wuchang onOctober 10 of that year, ultimately leading to the end ofthe Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republicof China (ROC).
After the end of the Chinese Civil War between theCommunists and Nationalists, Mao Zedong’s Communist Party established the People’s Republic of China in1949 while Chiang Kaishek’sKuomintang fl�ed to Taiwan,declaring Taipei as the capital of the ROC.
Mr. Xi on Saturday said“the Taiwan question arose
out of the weakness andchaos of the Chinese nation,and it will be resolved as national rejuvenation becomesa reality.”
“This is determined by thegeneral trend of Chinese history, but more importantly,it is the common will of allChinese people,” he was quoted as saying by the offi�cialXinhua news agency, addingthat “national reunifi�cationby peaceful means bestserves the interests of theChinese nation as a whole,including compatriots inTaiwan.”
“Compatriots on both
sides of the Taiwan Straitshould stand on the rightside of history and joinhands to achieve China’scomplete reunifi�cation andthe rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” he said. “Thosewho forget their heritage, betray their motherland, andseek to split the country willcome to no good end.
“The complete reunifi�cation of our country will beand can be realised,” headded.
His comments on the anniversary followed a series ofaerial intrusions into Taiwan’s Air Defence Identifi�ca
tion Zone by the PLA AirForce, with a record 38 aircraft on October 1, when China marked its National Day,followed by 39 on October 2and 56 on October 4. Taiwan’s Defence Minister described the current tensionsas the worst in 40 years.
The legacy of the 1911 revolution is contested by bothChina and Taiwan. Mr. Xi onSaturday said “the past 110years have shown us that torealise national rejuvenation, the Chinese peoplemust have a strong force tolead us forward, and thatforce is the Communist Partyof China.”
Tsai’s national addressOn Sunday, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ingwen is expected to deliver a National Dayaddress. In last year’s address, Ms. Tsai said “maintaining stability in crossstrait relations is in the bestinterests of both sides”. Shesaid Taiwan was “committedto upholding crossstrait stability, but this is not something Taiwan can shoulderalone; it is the joint responsi
bility of both sides.” The current status quo
has, however, come underincreasing stress, with Beijing stepping up pressure onTaiwan since Ms. Tsai’s election in 2016 and reelectionlast year, accusing her Democratic Progressive Party(DPP) of pursuing “independence”.
The Communist Party’soffi�cial view is, as Mr. Xi saidon Saturday, pushing for reunifi�cation by peacefulmeans, although it has notruled out the use of force.
Beijing has also increasingly sought to push backagainst Taiwan’s presence ininternational bodies and towean away the 15 remainingcountries that continue tomaintain diplomatic tieswith Taiwan. The Taiwan issue is also among the keytensions in ChinaU.S. relations, with Beijing recentlycriticising U.S. comments onthe aerial intrusions. On Saturday, Mr. Xi said “the Taiwan question is purely an internal matter for China, onewhich brooks no external interference.”
Xi vows full ‘reunifi�cation’ with Taiwan He says China intends to achieve this by peaceful means as it best serves the interests of both sides
Ananth Krishnan
Testing times: Xi Jinping at the commemoration of the 110thanniversary of the Xinhai Revolution in Beijing. * AFP
Sri Lanka will hold electionsto its Provincial Councils early in 2022 after passing a constitutional amendment required to revert to theProportional Representationelectoral system, the government has indicated.
The government’s intentto conduct the longdelayedpolls became apparent in ameeting of a parliamentarycommittee on electoral reforms held on Friday. Following the meeting, Opposition legislator and TamilProgressive Alliance (TPA)Leader Mano Ganesan saidFinance Minister Basil Rajapaksa had agreed to the conduct of polls in the “fi�rstquarter of 2022”.
The announcementcomes days after Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla raised the earlyconduct of provincial polls inhis meetings with the Sri
Lankan leadership, duringan offi�cial visit.
Constitutional changesHowever, the prospect of SriLanka’s provincial electionshinges on a constitutionalamendment needed to revert to the proportionate representation system that wasfollowed until the formerMaithripala SirisenaRanilWickremesinghe government in 2017 amended election laws to shift to a MixedMember Proportional Representation electoral system,based on a delimitation exercise. With a report on newelectoral boundaries failingto get parliamentary approval, authorities hit a roadblock to holding the polls tothe nine Provincial Councilswhose terms lapsed in 2018and 2019. They have beenunder the respective Governors’ rule since.
Addressing the media, Mr.Mano Ganesan said: “The go
vernment appears confi�dentof being able to pass theamendment and has instructed the subject ministerto take necessary steps. Although we are in Opposition,we would support such anamendment in Parliament inthe interest of holding theprovincial polls withoutfurther delay.”
In 2019, Opposition MPand Jaff�na legislator of theTamil National Alliance(TNA) M.A. Sumanthiranpresented a private member’s Bill seeking early pollsto Councils under the oldsystem, by repealing the2017 law. This was a shiftfrom TNA’s earlier positionbacking the 2017 amendment for electoral reformsthat critics cite as the mainreason for delayed polls.
The Rajapaksa administration — including PresidentGotabaya Rajapaksa himself— has in the past underscored the need to hold pro
vincial elections withoutfurther delay, but there hasbeen no follow up action.
In addition to the constitutional amendment that is required to proceed, there is acost factor that the government would consider, especially when Sri Lanka’s economy is reeling under theimpact of the pandemic.
UN resolutionNot just India, but several international actors have endorsed early polls in Sri Lanka. It also found mention inthe resolution passed by theUN Human Rights Council inMarch this year. The resolution, backed by 22 membercountries, called upon theGovernment of Sri Lanka to“fulfi�l its commitments onthe devolution of politicalauthority, which is integralto reconciliation and the fullenjoyment of human rightsby all members of its population, and encouraging the
Government to respect localgovernance, includingthrough the holding of elections for Provincial Councils,and to ensure that all Provincial Councils, including thenorthern and eastern Provincial Councils, are able tooperate eff�ectively, in accordance with the thirteenthamendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka.”
Although the provincialsystem came as a response toTamils’ demand for greaterpolitical power, the Councilshave proved important forall political parties, includingin the Sinhala majoritysouth, to keep their machinery welloiled at the grassroot level. This, despite theCentre remaining reluctantto part with land and policepowers. The Councils havesome legislative powers — bypassing statutes — in areassuch as agriculture, education, health, housing, androad transport.
Sri Lanka may hold provincial polls in early 2022 Announcement comes days after Shringla, during his Colombo visit, pushed for early conduct of elections
Meera Srinivasan
COLOMBO
The Taliban on Saturdayruled out cooperation withthe U.S. to contain extremistgroups in Afghanistan, staking out an uncompromisingposition on a key issueahead of the fi�rst direct talksbetween the former foessince America withdrewfrom the country in August.
Senior Taliban offi�cialsand U.S. representatives aremeeting on Saturday andSunday in Doha. Offi�cialsfrom both sides have said issues include reining in extremist groups and the evacuation of foreign citizens andAfghans from the country.The Taliban have signaledfl�exibility on evacuations.
Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen saidthere would be no cooperation with Washington on going after the increasingly active Islamic State groupaffi�liate in Afghanistan. IShas taken responsibility for anumber of attacks, including
Friday’s suicide bombing ata mosque in Kunduz.
“We are able to tackleDaesh independently,” Shaheen said, when askedwhether the Taliban wouldwork with the U.S. to containthe Islamic State affi�liate. Heused an Arabic acronym forIS.
The weekend meetings inDoha are the fi�rst since U.S.forces withdrew from Afghanistan in late August,ending a 20year militarypresence, and the Taliban
rose to power in the nation.The U.S. has made it clearthe talks are not a preambleto recognition.
The talks also come onthe heels of two days of diffi�cult discussions between Pakistani offi�cials and U.S. Deputy Secretary of StateWendy Sherman in Islamabad. The focus of those talkswas also Afghanistan. Pakistani offi�cials urged the U.S.to engage with the Talibanand release billions of dollars in international funds.
Taliban: won’t cooperate withU.S. to contain Islamic StateOffi�cials from both sides meet in Doha to discuss evacuations
Associated Press
Islamabad
Suhail Shaheen
Mourners fromAfghanistan’s Shiacommunity buried theirdead on Saturday after asuicide attack on a mosquekilled over 60 people, in thebloodiest assault since U.S.forces’ withdrawal.
Afghan blast
toll crosses 60Agence France-Presse
Kunduz
Iran's fi�rst PresidentBanisadr passes awayTEHRAN
Iran’s first President after the
1979 Islamic revolution,
Abolhassan Banisadr, died in
a Paris hospital on Saturday
aged 88, after decades of
exile in France following his
dismissal by Parliament.
Banisadr won Iran's first free
election in 1980 to become
president hot on the heels of
the previous year's Islamic
revolution.AFP
ELSEWHERE
10 injured in drone attack on Saudi airport RIYADH
Ten people were wounded in
a drone attack on a civilian
airport in the Saudi city of
Jeddah that was blamed on
Yemen’s Iranbacked Houthi
rebels, official media said on
Saturday. The Saudiled
coalition fighting alongside
the Yemeni government,
quoted by the Saudi news
agency SPA, said travellers
and airport employees were
among those injured. AFP
Czech PM wins vote butmajority proves elusivePRAGUE
Czech Prime Minister Andrej
Babis won the general
election on Saturday but will
struggle to put together a
parliamentary majority.
Preliminary results showed
the billionaire’s ANO party
came first with 28% of the
vote, a week after he was
named in the Pandora Papers
investigation. AFP
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
A U.S. federal appeals courtruled on Friday that Texascould resume its ban onmost abortions, two days after another court suspendedthe ban.
The decision by the FifthCircuit Court of Appeals temporarily set aside Wednes
day’s ruling, eff�ectively reinstating a ban on mostabortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
On Wednesday, U.S. district judge Robert Pitman issued a preliminary injunction halting enforcement ofthe Texas law, saying it violated the 1973 SupremeCourt ruling in Roe vs Wade,
which enshrined a woman’slegal right to an abortion.
Texas AttorneyGeneralKen Paxton, a Republican,appealed that decision, andthe appeal was granted onFriday. “Great news tonight,”Mr. Paxton tweeted after theruling. “I will fi�ght federaloverreach at every turn.”
Appointments for patients
seeking abortions after sixweeks of pregnancy wouldbe cancelled until furthernotice, the familyplanninghealthcare provider said.
Laws restricting abortionhave been passed in otherRepublicanled States butwere struck down by thecourts.
“The Supreme Court
needs to step in and stop thismadness,” Nancy Northup,CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said.
The “Texas HeartbeatAct” allows people to suedoctors who perform abortions, or anyone who helpsfacilitate them, once a fetalheartbeat is detected —usually around six weeks.
U.S. court allows Texas to resume ban on abortionsAgence France-Presse
Washington
Lebanon was plunged intoa total blackout on Saturday after two main powerstations went offl�ine because they ran out of fuel,the state electricity corporation said.
The Mediterraneancountry is battling one ofthe planet’s worst economic crises since the 1850s,and has in recent monthsstruggled to importenough fuel oil for its power plants.
State electricity in mostplaces is barely availablefor an hour a day amid rolling power cuts, while thefuel needed to power private backup generators isalso in short supply.
“After the Deir Ammarpower station was forcedto stop producing poweryesterday morning (Friday)due its gasoil reserves running out, the Zahrani plantalso stopped this afternoonfor the same reason,” Electricite du Liban said in astatement.
Blackout inLebanon afterfuel shortage
Agence France-Presse
Beirut
Ethiopian troops and theirallies are launching air andground strikes against Tigray rebels in the northernregion of Amhara, humanitarian and rebel sourcessiad, amid growing speculation of a major off�ensive.
A spokesman for the Tigray People’s LiberationFront (TPLF), which hasbeen locked in a brutalconfl�ict with progovernment forces in northernEthiopia for 11 months, saidSaturday there was a “massive move” against the rebels.
The reports come justdays after PM Abiy Ahmedwas sworn in for a newterm, vowing to defend“Ethiopia’s honour”.
TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda said there hadbeen “mostly air, droneand artillery bombardment” of rebels, and reported a major troop buildup, saying “tens of thousands are amassed” innorthern Amhara.
Ethiopianforces strike Tigray rebels
Agence France-Presse
Addis Ababa
Austria’s Sebastian Kurz onSaturday announced he wasstepping down as Chancellor following pressure onhim to resign after he wasimplicated in a corruptionscandal.
In a televised media statement, Mr. Kurz said hewanted to “make space toprevent chaos”.
“We need stability,” the35yearold conservativesaid, adding it would be “irresponsible” to allow Austria to “slide into months ofchaos or gridlock” while theEU member fi�ghts thepandemic.
Mr. Kurz said he wouldnominate Foreign MinisterAlexander Schallenberg asnew Chancellor, while hewould stay on as the leaderof his People’s Party (OeVP)and a lawmaker inParliament.
ViceChancellor andGreens leader Werner Kogler on Friday asked theOeVP to name anotherChancellor, saying Mr. Kurzwas “no longer fi�t for offi�ce”.
Several raidsOn Wednesday, prosecutorsraided several locationslinked to the OeVP and announced that Mr. Kurz andnine other individuals wereunder investigation overclaims that government mo
ney was used in a corruptdeal to ensure positive media coverage.
Mr. Kurz has denied anywrongdoing, reiterating onSaturday that the allegationsagainst him were “false.”
“I will be able to clarify it;I’m sure about that,” he saidcalmly.
He said some of the textmessages he wrote that gothim into hot water werecomposed in “the heat ofthe moment”.
By stepping down, Mr.Kurz avoids having to face anoconfi�dence motion,which he was expected tolose after his junior coalitionpartner, the Greens, turnedagainst him.
In the latest scandal, according to prosecutors, thecore allegation is that between 2016 and 2018, Finance Ministry resourceswere used to fi�nance “partially manipulated opinionpolls that served an exclusively party politicalinterest”.
He was implicated on graft charges
Agence France-Presse
Vienna
Sebastian Kurz
Austria’s Kurz steps
down as Chancellor
CMYK
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DELHI THE HINDU
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Coded in the dunesSand dunes form in the
deserts, but these are found
not only on Earth but in other
planets and comets, too.
Scientists have found a way to
predict the way winds blow on
planets by observing shapes of
dunes formed on these
surfaces, for example, on Mars
or Venus. The work, published
in the journal Geology, found
that when dunes collide,
patterns called megaripples,
which are observed on Mars
now, form, which can be used
to understand wind patterns
on Mars.
On October 6, Sweden andDenmark suspended the useof Moderna’s mRNA vaccinefor younger age groups afterreports pointed to an increase in the number of myocarditis and pericarditis cases. Myocarditis causesinfl�ammation of heart muscle which can limit the organ’s ability to pump bloodand can cause changes inheartbeat rhythms, whilepericarditis causes infl�ammation of the outer lining ofthe heart.
A day later, Finland followed suit and paused theuse of the Moderna vaccinein people younger than 30years. Both Finland Healthinstitute and the Swedish Public Health Agency now recommend Pfi�zer’s mRNAvaccine for people youngerthan 30 years as there isgreater experience with thevaccine in this age group.The Swedish Agency said itsdecision is valid till December 1 this year.
Slightly higher risk“A Nordic study involvingFinland, Sweden, Norwayand Denmark found thatmen under the age of 30 whoreceived Moderna Spikevaxhad a slightly higher riskthan others of developingmyocarditis,” Mika Salminen, director of the FinnishInstitute for Health and Welfare told Reuters.
The Swedish Public HealthAgency said that the connec
tion [of myocarditis and pericarditis] is “especially clearwhen it comes to Modernavaccine Spikevax, especiallyafter the second dose”. Foran individual, the risk of being aff�ected by myocarditisand pericarditis is small.
Questions on riskMeanwhile, the U.K., HongKong and Norway, have recommended administeringonly a single dose of the Pfi�zer vaccine for children aged12 years and older.
On why the Moderna vaccine has a relatively increased risk of myocarditisand pericarditis after the second dose compared withPfi�zer, Immunologist Dr. Satyajit Rath, formerly with theDelhibased National Institute of Immunology says inan email that since the serious adverse events are extremely rare it is not even absolutely certain that there isreally an increase in this‘risk’ of myocarditis with theModerna vaccine over thePfi�zer vaccine. “The two vaccines have not been used inthe same populations, andthere may well be diff�erencesin the people who have received one versus the otherwhich could contribute tothis socalled diff�erence inrisk (rather than the vaccine),” says Dr. Rath. “Someminor diff�erence in thechemical composition of thetwo vaccines may have contributed to this socalled risk;even though they are bothmRNA vaccines, they are not
identical.” He also mentionsthe higher dosage of 100 microgram used in the Moderna vaccine compared with30 microgram for Pfi�zermight be another possibility.
Just one dose“One dose provides goodprotection against a severedisease course, and the protection will probably be better among adolescents at thisage than for older agegroups,” says Camilla Stoltenberg, DirectorGeneral ofthe Norwegian Institute ofPublic Health in a release.“We consider that the off�erof one dose provides theclearest benefi�t for the individual adolescent when the benefi�t is weighed against possible disadvantages of thevaccine. The second dose
will be considered whenthere is more knowledgefrom other countries thathave come further in the vaccination of this age group.”
Studies in Israel haveshown that within sixmonths there is a reductionin vaccine eff�ectiveness inpreventing infection aftertwo doses of the Pfi�zer vaccine. Based on this data, Dr.Rath says there is no evidence to indicate how long asingle dose of COVID vaccines will remain eff�ectivefor.
“I do not expect that duration to be dramatically diff�erent from the one in adults.But in the fi�rst place, that issimply a guess, and in the second place, we have no ideaof such a duration with a single dose even in adults,” he
The fi�rst NEJM studyfound that of the nearly 5.1million people vaccinatedwith the Pfi�zer vaccine between December 20, 2020and May 31, 2021 in Israel only 136 cases of myocarditiswere reported. Of the 136cases, 129 people (95%) hadonly mild myocarditis.
The study found that theincidence of myocarditis after two doses of vaccinationwas highest among males.They found that myocarditisoccurred in the population ata “rate of approximately 1per 26,000 males and 1 per2,18,000 females after the second vaccine dose, with thehighest risk again amongyoung male recipients”.
The study also found thatthe “overall risk diff�erencebetween the fi�rst and seconddoses was 1.76 per 100,000persons with the largest difference among male recipients between the ages of 16and 19 years”.
The second study published in NEJM carried outin Israel looked at the incidence of myocarditis afterfull vaccination with the Pfi�zer vaccine in a large healthcare organisation. The studyfound 54 cases of myocarditis from 2.5 million vaccinated healthcare organisationmembers aged 16 years andabove. In all, 76% of cases ofmyocarditis were mild, andthe highest incidence (10.69cases per 1,00,000 persons)was reported in male patients between the ages of 16and 29 years.
says.Young adults, adolescents
and young children rarelysuff�er from severe disease.However, they are likely toget infected and transmit thevirus to others even whilenot suff�ering from COVID19disease. Vaccination of adolescents and young childrencan help in breaking thetransmission chain. Butshould young adults, adolescents and young children,who are not at great risk ofsevere risk, be given two doses of even the Pfi�zer vaccinethat has an extremely smallrisk of causing infl�ammationof the heart for the sake ofbreaking the transmissionchain?
“The greatest transmissionlimiting eff�ect of thevaccines is achieved when
two vaccine doses are given.The NIPH [Norwegian Institute of Public Health] has assessed that for this age group[1215 years], which to a lesser extent than adults and older adolescents has contributed to transmission. Theindividual considerations ofoff�ering vaccination aremore important than the benefi�t to society of limitingtransmission,” the NIPH saidin a release.
Even earlier, evidenceshowed a tiny risk of myocarditis and pericarditis whenyoung adults received the second dose of Pfi�zer and Moderna vaccines. The risk wasoverwhelmingly seen inmales and after the seconddose. “It is hard to get anygrip on why males are moreaff�ected, because we have noidea, even if it turns out to bea real and reliable association (between vaccine andillness), what the mechanisminvolved is,” says Dr. Rath.“We do know that, independent of COVID19 disease orvaccines, myocarditis is somewhat more common inmen than in women. Butagain, we have no clarityabout why this is so.”
Resolves on its ownNow, two studies publishedin The New England Journalof Medicine have reportedbased on fi�eld data that myocarditis is extremely rare andpredominantly seen in malesand is mild. The conditionresolves on its own within amonth.
Why three countries have paused Moderna vaccine After reports showed an increase in myocarditis and pericarditis cases, Denmark, Sweden and later Finland paused use in people under 30 years
R. Prasad
Scientists from ChennaiMathematical Institute, withtheir collaborators, haveanalysed data from the LIGOVIRGO observatories and estimated the fraction of thebinary black hole mergersdetected so far that show potential to form intermediatemass black holes. Thisthrows light on the puzzle ofhow intermediate massblack holes form.
Black holes form when amassive star undergoes a supernova explosion towardsthe end of its lifetime. Theblack hole forms from theremnants of the explosion.However, there are factorsthat place limits on the massof a black hole so formed.According to physicist K.G.Arun of Chennai Mathematical Institute, black holeswith masses between approximately 45135 times the
solar mass are unlikely to beproduced by standard stellarevolution as the pairinstability process either limits themax mass of the black holeor completely disrupts thestar during the supernovaexplosion. What puzzles astronomers and cosmologistsis that gravitational wave detectors have seen severalsuch “intermediate massblack holes”.
The two detectors of theLaser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory(LIGO) made the fi�rst observation of a pair of binaryblack holes on September 19,2014.
Since then with othergravitational wave observatories about 40 mergershave been detected, ofwhich nearly fi�ve have masses above 100 times solarmass.
One of the theories of intermediate mass black hole
formation has to do with‘hierarchical growth’. Thatis, if the black holes existamong a dense cluster ofstars, the remnant (blackhole) of a merger can pair upwith another black holeclose by to form a binary.This can eventually merge toform a second remnantwhich is more massive. Thisprocess, happening in a hierarchical manner, can explain intermediate massblack hole formation.
Kicks in mergersDuring the mergers, gravitational waves take away energy and linear momentum, asa reaction, the remnantblack hole acquires an opposite momentum. This is the“kick” it receives. Thesekicks can be quite large, giving it a velocity of up to 1000kilometres per second. Ifthis kick velocity is above theescape velocity of the starcluster in which the blackhole is formed, it literally es
capes from the environmentand moves out. This prevents it from undergoingfurther hierarchicalmergers.
The extent of the kick received by the remnant canbe calculated from the masses of the merging black holesand their spin. “As GW observations give an estimateof these, we can calculatethe kick imparted to everyremnant black hole in thepopulation of binary blackholes reported by LIGO/Virgo till date,” says Parthapratim Mahapatra, Ph. D. student, Chennai MathematicalInstitute, who is the fi�rstauthor of a paper on thiswork published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
The kick estimates helpunderstand which mergershave the possibility of undergoing further hierarchicalmergers and forming into in
termediate mass black holes. There have been recent
studies using astrophysicalmodels to understandwhether the components ofsome of the binaries areformed hierarchically. “Thisis a complementary approach as we are interestedin the prospects of the remnants participating in further mergers and not whetherthe observed binaries contain one or more of the blackholes which are hierarchically formed,” says Prof. Arun,in whose lab the work wasdone, in an email to The Hindu.
Using the stateoftheartunderstanding of the escapespeeds of star clusters andusing the kick magnitudesthey have inferred for diff�erent observed events, thegroup has calculated whatfraction of the remnants mayremain incluster (providedthey originally merged in thecluster). “We fi�nd that as many as 17 out of 40 remnantsmay be retained by the nuclear star clusters,” says Prof.Arun.
Mergers of black holes and ‘kicks’ that hold a key to puzzles
The fact of black holes having massesover 100 times the solar mass haspuzzled the community
Shubashree Desikan
<>The extent of the
kick received by the
remnant is calculated
from the masses and spins
of the merging black holes.Remnants of solidifi�ed lavabrought back by a Chineselunar mission were 1 billionyears younger than materialacquired by other missionsdecades ago, according to anarticle in Science, suggestingthe moon cooled down laterthan thought.
Samples brought back byU.S. and Soviet missionswere more than 2.9 billionyears old. The samples acquired on China’s Chang'e5mission late last year werearound 1.96 billion years oldsuggesting volcanic activitypersisted longer thanbelieved.
Last December, the uncrewed Chinese probetouched down on a previously unvisited part of amassive lava plain, the Oceanus Procellarum or “Oceansof Storms,” bringing back lunar samples.
One of the main objectives of Chang'e5, was to
fi�nd out how long the moonremained volcanically active. “The Oceanus Procellarum region of the Moon ischaracterised by high concentrations of potassium,thorium, and uranium,elements that generate heatthrough longlived radioactive decay and may have sustained prolonged magmaticactivity on the nearside ofthe Moon,” wrote the article’s authors.
Tidal heating?The article said the heatsource for the magmatic activity might also be the socalled “tidal heating,” orheat generated by the gravitational tug and pull of theEarth.
The Chang'e5 missionmade China the third country to have retrieved lunarsamples, after the UnitedStates and the Soviet Union,which launched the last successful mission to acquirematerial from the moon.
Lunar samples brought byChinese mission studiedSamples dated to later volcanic lava
Reuters
Brain cell atlasA comprehensive atlas of the
motor cortex cells of the
brains of mice, marmosets and
humans was published by a
consortium of researchers
supported by the U.S. National
Institutes of Health’s BRAIN
mission. The 17 studies,
published in Nature, are the
first in a series meant to make
an atlas of the entire brain.
The studies aim to understand
the role of neural networks in
controlling our minds and
bodies. The studies will map
the 160 billion neurons and
glia in the brain.
SNAPSHOTS
Now it is offi�cial. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) decisively upheldthe Linear NoThreshold model to prescribe radiation safety standards, ending theprotracted controversy onthe topic. Radiation protection specialists worldwidewere eagerly awaiting theNRC’s decision.
Over six years ago, duringFebruary 2015, Dr. Carol S.Marcus, Mr. Mark L. Miller,Certifi�ed Health Physicist,and Dr. Mohan Doss, andothers, through three petitions requested the NRC, “toamend its regulations basedon what they assert is newscience and evidence thatcontradicts the linear nothreshold (LNT) doseeff�ectmodel that serves as the basis for the NRC’s radiationprotection regulations."
The modelThe LNT model states that biological eff�ects such as cancer and hereditary eff�ectsdue to exposure to ionising
radiation increase as a linearfunction of dose, withoutthreshold.
The petitioners support“radiation hormesis,” a concept that posits that low doses of ionising radiation protect against the deleteriouseff�ects of high doses of radiation and result in benefi�cialeff�ects to humans.
The NRC denied the threepetitions because they failedto present an adequate basissupporting the request todiscontinue use of the LNTmodel. “The NRC has determined that the LNT modelcontinues to provide a soundregulatory basis for minimizing the risk of unnecessaryradiation exposure to bothmembers of the public andradiation workers. Therefore, the NRC will maintainthe current dose limit requirements,” the NRC declared recently.
Petitioners’ proposed substantial increase in dose limits to workers; raise the public dose limits to be thesame as the worker doses;end diff�erential doses to
pregnant women, embryosand fetuses, and childrenless than 18 years of age; remove the As Low As Is Reasonably Achievable (ALARA)principle entirely from theregulations because theyclaim that ‘‘it makes no senseto decrease radiation dosesthat are not only harmlessbut may be hormetic’’.
No proof of a threshold“Convincing evidence hasnot yet demonstrated the existence of a threshold belowwhich there would be no stochastic eff�ects from exposureto low radiation doses. Assuch, the NRC’s view is thatthe LNT model continues to
provide a sound basis for aconservative radiation protection regulatory framework that protects both thepublic and occupationalworkers. Despite the variousstudies cited by the petitioners, uncertainty and lack ofconsensus persist in thescientifi�c community aboutthe health eff�ects of low doses of radiation.” the NRC, asserted.
The LNT model helps theagencies to regulate radiation exposures to diverse categories of licensees, fromcommercial nuclear powerplants to individual industrial radiographers and nuclear medical practices.
The NRC noted that although there are studies andother scholarly papers thatsupport the petitioners’ assertions, there are also studies and fi�ndings that support the continued use of theLNT model, including thoseby national and internationalauthoritative scientifi�c advisory bodies.
Endorsed by authorityAuthoritative scientifi�c advisory bodies such as the U.S.National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the National Council for Radiation Protectionand Measurements (NCRP),the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA), that have a specialtyin the area of radiation protection support the continued use of the LNT model.The National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institute of Occupational safetyand Health (NIOSH) and theEnvironmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) also endorsethe use of LNT model.
The NRC gave due weightto NCRP Commentary No.27: ‘‘Implications of RecentEpidemiologic Studies for
the LinearNonthresholdModel and Radiation Protection,’’ released in April 2018.The commentary assessescurrently available epidemiological evidence and concludes that the LNT modelshould continue to be utilised for radiation protectionpurposes.
The NRC received over3,200 comment submissions, with 635 of those being unique, including submissions from certifi�edhealth physicists, nuclearmedicine professionals,scientifi�c associations, federal agencies and concerned citizens. There were 100 unique comment submissionsthat agreed with the petitioners. The NRC responded toall questions. Its proceduresto arrive at its decision are amodel for other regulators toemulate. (Details available atThe Federal Register: TheDaily Journal of the UnitedStates Government, proposed rule Linear NoThreshold Model and Standards for Protection AgainstRadiation.)
(The writer is a former Secretary, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.
NRC backs Linear No-Threshold model for radiation safetyThis decision of U.S. Nuclear RegulatoryCommission was awaited by specialists
Ionising radiation: The LNT model states biological eff�ectssuch as cancer and hereditary eff�ects increase as a linearfunction of dose, without threshold. * GETTY IMAGES
K. S. Parthasarathy
How far can globeskimmer dragonfl�iesfl�y?
In 2009, it washypothesised that globeskimmer dragonfl�ies(Pantala fl�avescens) canmigrate thousands ofkilometres across theIndian Ocean, from Indiavia the Maldives toAfrica, and back again.Now, an internationalresearch team led byLund University inSweden used models andsimulations to verify this.
Marine biologistCharles Andersonobserved globe skimmerdragonfl�ies in Maldives,which had fl�own in from,he assumed, India.When they fl�ew off�again, it was towardsEast Africa.
Since the dragonfl�iesare too small to be fi�ttedwith transmitters, the
researchers examinedphysiological aspectsand calculated how longa globe skimmerdragonfl�y could stayairborne using theenergy that can be storedin its body. In addition,the researchers usedmeteorological windmodels to determine ifthere are winds that canfacilitate the migration.
The found that it wasindeed possible for thedragonfl�ies to migratefrom India to East Africaand return to India. Theglobe skimmer dragonfl�ydoes not rely on fatstored in its body to fl�ysuch long distances.Instead, it takesadvantage of favourablewinds present duringcertain periods of theyear.
According to thesimulated migrationexperiments using windmodels, about 15% of thedragonfl�ies couldmanage the migrationfrom India to Africa inthe spring. In theautumn, 40% couldmake the same journeyin the opposite direction.
Question Corner
Daring dragonfl�ies
Readers may send theirquestions / answers [email protected]
CMYK
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THE HINDU DELHI
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FAQ
The story so far: The 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology orMedicine was jointly awarded to David Julius, 66, at theUniversity of California, San Francisco, and ArdemPatapoutian, 54, at Scripps Research, La Jolla, California,“for their discoveries of receptors for temperature andtouch”.
What is the signifi�cance of their work?
■ The two researchers discovered the molecularmechanism by which our body senses temperature andtouch. Being able to do this opens the fi�eld for a lot ofpractical chemistry whereby individual cells andpathways can be tweaked, suppressed or activated toquell pain or sensation. How the body senses external
stimuli is among the oldestexcursions of naturalphilosophy. Entire schoolsof philosophy were basedon speculating how thesenses infl�uenced thenature of the reality weperceive. Only whenphysiology developed asan independent disciplineand anatomy came into itsown did it become widelyaccepted that specifi�csensations were the resultof diff�erent categories ofnerves getting stimulated.Thus, a caress or a punchinduces cells in our bodies
to react diff�erently and convert into specifi�c patterns ofelectrical stimulation that is then conveyed via thenerves to the central nervous system. Since the NobelPrizes came to be, at least three of them were forestablishing key principles for how sensations travelledalong skin and muscle sensory nerve fi�bres. Much likethe length, thickness, material and incident force ontheir strings elicit specifi�c tones out of a guitar or apiano, there are specifi�c nerve fi�bre types that in tandemcreate a response to touch, heat and proprioception, orthe sense of our body’s movement and position in space.However, the prominence of molecular biology meansthat physiology wanted to go a level deeper and fi�nd outwhat specifi�c proteins and which genes are responsiblein this symphony of the nerves.
What is the contribution of David Julius towards this?
■ Capsaicin (8methylNvanillyl6nonenamide), theactive component of chili peppers, generates the burningsensation when eating spicy food. Studies on capsaicinshowed that when it acted on sensory nerves it inducedionic currents, or the gush of charged particles along amembrane. In the late 1990s, Professor Julius pursued aproject to identify a nerve receptor for capsaicin. Hethought that understanding the action of capsaicin couldprovide insights into how the body sensed pain. He andhis team went about this by looking for a gene that couldinduce a response to capsaicin in cells that usuallywouldn’t react to it. They found one in a novel ionchannel protein, later called TRPV1, where TRP standsfor transient receptor potential, and VR1 is vanilloidreceptor1. They were part of a super family of TRP and itwas found that TRPV1 was activated when temperatureswere greater than 40 degrees Celsius, which is close tothe body’s pain threshold. Several other TRP channelswere found, and this ion channel could be activated byvarious chemical substances, as well as by cold and heatin a way that diff�ers between mammalian species.
What did Ardem Patapoutian fi�nd?
■ Growing up in Beirut as an Armenian, during theLebanese Civil War, Patapoutian has related stories ofbeing captured by militants at university, before hemoved to the United States. Patapoutian and hiscolleagues were working on how pressure and forceaff�ected cells. Following an approach similar to that ofProfessor Julius, they identifi�ed 72 potential genes thatcould encode an ion channel receptor and triggersensitivity to mechanical force, and it emerged that oneof them coded for a novel ion channel protein, calledPiezo1. Via Piezo1, a second gene was discovered andnamed Piezo2. Sensory neurons were found to expresshigh levels of Piezo2 and further studies fi�rmlyestablished that Piezo1 and Piezo2 are ion channels thatare directly activated by the exertion of pressure on cellmembranes. The breakthrough by Professor Patapoutianled to a series of papers from his and other groups,demonstrating that the Piezo2 ion channel is essential forthe sense of touch. Moreover, Piezo2 was shown to play akey role in proprioception as well as regulate bloodpressure, respiration and urinary bladder control.Independently of one another, Professor Julius andProfessor Patapoutian used the chemical substancementhol to identify TRPM8, a receptor activated by cold.
What applications do these discoveries have?
■ Along with the discoveries of specifi�c genes, proteinsand pathways, the scientists pioneered experimentalmethods that allow insight into the structure of thesepain and temperature sensors. The challenge for painrelieving drugs is to precisely target regions withoutcausing imbalance in other necessary functions. Thesescientists’ work, the Nobel Prize committee said,signifi�cantly helped towards reaching that goal.
Heat and touch
Does the knowledge of nerve impulses which can perceivetemperature and pressure wheninitiated help to treat pain?
The challenge for painrelieving drugs is toprecisely targetregions withoutcausing imbalance inother necessaryfunctions. The twoscientists’ work, theNobel Prize committeesaid, signifi�cantlyhelped towardsreaching that goal
Jacob Koshy
A challenge overcome: David Julius and ArdemPatapoutian honoured for discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch. * AFP
The story so far: The Nobel Prize for Chemistry hasbeen awarded to German scientist Benjamin List of theMax Planck Institute and Scotlandborn scientist DavidW.C. MacMillan of Princeton University “for thedevelopment of asymmetric organocatalysis”. Developedby the duo in 2000, this novel technique of catalysis is aneffi�cient, “precise, cheap, fast and environmentallyfriendly” way to develop new molecules.
What is catalysis?
■ Catalysis is a term used to describe a process in thepresence of a substance (the catalyst) that controls andinfl�uences the rate and/or the outcome of the reaction.The substance — the catalyst — which helps in achievingthis remains intact and is not consumed during thereaction and neither becomes a part of the fi�nal product.The catalyst is subsequently removed so as not to addimpurity to the fi�nal product. Catalysts are often used toproduce new and functional molecules that are utilised indrugs and other everyday substances. For example,catalysts in cars transform toxic substances in exhaustfumes to harmless molecules. When silver is put in abeaker along with hydrogen peroxide, the latter suddenlybreaks down to form water and oxygen. The silver, whichinitiated the reaction, does not get consumed or aff�ectedby the reaction.
The Nobel release points out that in 1835, therenowned Swedish chemist Jacob Berzelius started to seea pattern. “He listed several examples in which just thepresence of a substance started a chemical reaction,stating how this phenomenon appeared to beconsiderably more common than was previously thought.He believed that the substance had a catalytic force andcalled the phenomenon itself catalysis.”
What were the conventional catalysts used before
the discovery of asymmetric organocatalysis?
■ Two very diff�erent catalysts —metals and enzymes—were routinely used by chemists before Dr. List and Dr.MacMillan developed the asymmetric organocatalysts. Asthe name denotes, metal catalysts often use heavy metals.This makes them not only expensive but alsoenvironmentally unfriendly as suffi�cient care needs to betaken to ensure the fi�nal product does not contain eventraces of the catalyst. There are several other challengeswhen metal catalysts are used. The heavy metals used inthese catalysts are often highly sensitive to the presenceof oxygen and moisture. Hence, industrial application ofthis class of catalysts required equipment that ensured nocontact with either oxygen and moisture, which made the
process expensive. In the case of enzyme catalysts, the problem arises
from their very large sizes. They are often 10,000 timeslarger than the actual target medicine and can take just aslong to make. Enzymes, which are proteins found innature, are wonderful catalysts. Our bodies also containthousands of such enzyme catalysts which help makemolecules necessary for life. Many molecules exist inmirror images — lefthanded and righthanded. But themolecules of interest will be one of the two mirrorimages. Many enzymes engage in asymmetric catalysis,which help in producing only one mirror image. Theyalso work in a continuous fashion — when one enzyme isfi�nished with a reaction, another one takes over. In thisway, they can build complicated molecules with amazingprecision.
What makes asymmetric organocatalysts
superior to metal and enzyme catalysts?
■ Unlike enzyme catalysts which are huge, asymmetricorganocatalysts are made of a single amino acid. They arenot only environmentally friendly but also quicken thereaction and make the process cheaper. Mostimportantly, asymmetric organocatalysts allow only onemirror image of the molecule to form as the catalysts aremade from a single, circular amino acid. Chemists oftenwant only one of these mirror images, particularly whenproducing drugs.
Organic catalysts have a stable framework of carbonatoms, to which more active chemical groups can attach.These often contain common elements such as oxygen,nitrogen, sulphur or phosphorus. This means that thesecatalysts are both environmentally friendly and cheaperto produce.
Organocatalysts can allow several steps in the moleculeproduction process to be performed in an unbroken
sequence. This is achieved by cascade reactions in whichthe product of the fi�rst reaction step is the startingmaterial for the subsequent one, thus avoidingunnecessary purifi�cation operations between eachreaction step. This helps in considerably reducing wastein chemical manufacturing. Before organocatalysts couldbe used, it was often necessary to isolate and purify eachintermediate product to prevent the accumulation of alarge volume of unnecessary byproducts. This led to lossof some of the substance at every single stage of theprocess.
How have asymmetric organocatalysts been
utilised by chemists and other industries?
■ Ever since the two laureates developed the novelconcept of asymmetric organocatalysis, the fi�eld haswitnessed rapid development. Since 2000, theasymmetric organocatalysis research area has fl�ourished.A huge number of cheap and stable organocatalysts,which can be used to drive a huge variety of chemicalreactions and applications, has been developed. Thisperiod is referred to as the ‘organocatalysis gold rush’.Currently, the area is “well established in organicchemistry and has branched into several new andexciting applications”.
Besides helping the generation of novel molecules usedin various industries, pharmaceutical companies haveused asymmetric organocatalysis to “streamline theproduction of existing pharmaceuticals”. Thanks to amultitude of catalysts that can break down molecules orjoin them together, “they can now carve out thethousands of diff�erent substances we use in our everydaylives, such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, perfumes andfood fl�avourings”. The fact is, according to the release, itis estimated that 35% of the world’s total GDP in someway involves chemical catalysis.
Revolutionising the construction of molecules In what way has the discovery of the two Laureates made the process greener, cheaper and more precise?
R. Prasad
Asymmetric approach: Benjamin List and David W.C. MacMillan were chosen for fi�nding an ‘ingenious’ way to buildmolecules that can be used to make everything from medicines to food fl�avourings. * AP
The story so far: The Nobel Prize for Physics for 2021has been awarded to climatologists Syukuro Manabe ofPrinceton University, U.S., and Klaus Hasselmann of MaxPlanck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany,and physicist Giorgio Parisi of Sapienza University ofRome, Italy. The prize has been given for their“groundbreaking contributions to our understanding ofcomplex physical systems”. Professors Manabe andHasselmann will share half the prize and Professor Parisiwill receive onehalf of the prize. Professors Manabe andHasselmann bagged the Prize “for the physical modellingof Earth’s climate, quantifying variability and reliablypredicting global warming”. Professor Parisi won “for thediscovery of the interplay of disorder and fl�uctuations inphysical systems from atomic to planetary scales”.
How is their work linked?
■ Though the prizewinning work done by the laureatesare in diff�erent areas, they are broadly linked, as they fallunder the umbrella of complex systems, climate on theone hand, and spin liquids on the other, the former aphenomenon that spans length scales ranging fromcentimetres to the size of the planet and the latter adescription of what goes on at a microscopic level. TheNobel is being given to climatologists for the fi�rst timesince its inception in 1901, and this sends out a messagethat cannot be repeated too often: there is a solid physicsbasis to climate science, on which the laureates havespent decades, and many other scientists have striven toestablish.
What is the context of Syukuro Manabe’s work?
■ The incoming short wavelength radiation from the Sunis absorbed by the Earth and reemitted outwards as longwavelength radiation. The atmosphere absorbs a part ofthis outgoing radiation and warms up. This is known asthe greenhouse eff�ect. The greenhouse eff�ect has beenknown from the work of French mathematician JosephFourier two hundred years ago, although it was given itsname much later. This warming of the atmosphere andthe ground below it is aff�ected by greenhouse gases —water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and other such.The greenhouse eff�ect also has a positive impact: it keepsthe surface of the earth warm and makes life possible.However, when the percentage of the greenhouse gasesin the atmosphere increases, this warming also increasesand can rise to a degree that is harmful to life itself.Around the close of the 19th century, Swedish scientistSvante Arrhenius estimated that should the carbondioxide in the atmosphere double, this would cause itstemperature to increase by 56 degrees.
What is Manabe’s key contribution to climate science?
■ In the 1950s and 1960s, Professor Manabe andcollaborators made pioneering attempts at modellingatmospheric warming due to the increase in carbondioxide. He estimated that a doubling of carbon dioxidewould lead to a temperature rise of 2 degrees. His modelconfi�rmed that the rise in temperature was, indeed, dueto the increase in carbon dioxide, because it predictedrising temperatures close to the ground and cooling ofouter layers of the atmosphere. If the warming had been
due to the Sun’s radiation, it would have been uniform. Itwas Professor Manabe’s model that pinned thequantitative impact of warming due to carbon dioxide.
What are the important aspects of Hasselmann’s work?
■ The term, weather, refers to daytoday variations intemperature and rainfall, whereas climate describeslongtime eff�ects and also seasonal and average behaviourover a long time. While it is very diffi�cult to predict theformer, the latter appears predictable, as for instance, in
the anticipated regularityof monsoons year afteryear. The striking aspectof ProfessorHasselmann’s work is thathe built a connectionbetween the rapid,randomly varying,“noiselike” weatherpatterns and inferredfrom these the “signal” ofclimate. He built astochastic climate modelthat connects the two. Hedid this around 1980.According to informationreleased by the NobelAcademy, ProfessorHasselmann later
developed methods to identify the human fi�ngerprint onclimate change. The models that he built carriedinformation about warming due to solar radiation, thegreenhouse gases and other causes, each of which couldbe separated. His study, followed by that of others,demonstrated the human impact on climate changethrough several observations.
Parisi was rewarded for his work on
spin liquids. What are these?
■ To understand the work of Giorgio Parisi, it isnecessary to understand four concepts with a dash ofabstraction to them — spins, frustration, spin glasses andreplica symmetry. Spins are like minimalistic linedrawings of magnets. Just as magnets point in thenorthsouth direction, spins are arrows that point alongone direction. Consider a triangular array of spins thatcan either point up or down. Let us say that theneighbouring pairs of spins always like to point inopposite directions. In a triangular array with spins A, B
and C, if A points up, and to satisfy the condition, Bpoints down, what will be the direction in which C mustpoint — up or down? If C points down, it will be parallelto B, thus violating that bond. If it points up, it willbecome parallel to A, thus violating the AC bond. So, thespin C does not know how to align itself. This is theclassic situation called “frustration”. If you extend thedescription of a triangular arrangement of spins to atriangular mesh or net (triangular lattice) and place spinson each intersection, you will see that it is impossible tofi�nd a state where all neighbouring spins are alignedopposite to one another. This is a frustrated system.
The information released by the Nobel Academydescribes how when a gas — which can be pictured as acollection of tiny balls fl�ying around at random — iscooled slowly, it condenses fi�rst into a liquid and then asolid which most of the time is crystalline (with the ballsbeing fi�xed into a periodic array). However, if the gas iscooled rapidly, it just goes into a glass state where someperiodicity is present and some random placements.Similarly, frustration can lead the spin systems to form aspin glass.
What was the breakthrough made by Parisi?
■ In the 1970s, many physicists tried to calculatemeaningful quantities out of spin glasses by using “areplica trick” — this is a mathematical technique in whichmany copies of the system (or replicas) are processed atthe same time. However, they were not quite successful.Parisi, in a breakthrough in 1979, was able to identify astructure to the replicas and describe it mathematically.This led to the method being used eventually to solveproblems in the fi�eld of complex systems. This wentbeyond physics and helped in solving problems inmathematics, biology, neuroscience.
What are the physical examples of Parisi’s work?
■ Parisi has also studied other phenomena in whichsimple behaviours give rise to complex collectivebehaviour like murmurations of starlings. This is aphenomenon that arises when hundreds or thousands ofstarlings fl�y together in coordinated patterns across thesky. Phillip Anderson’s words aptly describe thephilosophy of studying such systems, as quoted in theAcademy’s release: “The history of spin glasses may bethe best example I know of the dictum that a realscientifi�c mystery is worth pursuing to the ends of theEarth for its own sake, independently of any obviouspractical importance or intellectual glamour.”
Explaining the global warming phenomenon How does the work of three Physics Nobel laureates contribute to our understanding of complex physical systems?
Shubashree Desikan
Hidden patterns: Syukuro Manabe and Klaus Hasselmann won the prize for the physical modelling of Earth’s climate.Giorgio Parisi has been honoured for the discovery of the interplay of disorder and fl�uctuations in physical systems. * AFP, AP
In the 1950s and1960s, SyukuroManabe andcollaborators madepioneering attempts atmodelling atmosphericwarming due to theincrease of carbondioxide. It wasManabe’s model thatpinned the quantitativeimpact of warming dueto carbon dioxide
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PROFILES
In awarding the NobelPeace Prize for 2021 totwo embattled journalists,
Maria Ressa from the Philippines and Dmitri A. Muratovof Russia, the Nobel committee has made a clearcutstatement on the state offreedom of expression in anera that has seen the rise andrise of authoritarian “populists” in several countries. Itmade it amply clear in its announcement that while Ms.Ressa and Mr. Muratov werereceiving the prize for theircourageous fi�ght for freedomof expression in their respective countries, “they are representatives of all journalists who stand for this idealin a world in which democracy and freedom of the pressface increasingly adverseconditions.”
Investigative journalism Ms Ressa, aged 58, has had along career in journalismwhich includes stints as thebureau chief of CNN in Manila and Jakarta, having madeher mark as the network’slead investigative reporter inAsia. In 2012, she cofoundedRappler, a digital media company focused on investigative journalism that began asa Facebook page called MovePH before becoming acomplete website. Rapplermade its mark focusing specifi�cally on Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial antidrugcampaign, featuring thedeaths of thousands of suspected drug dealers and addicts in a series of articlescalled the “Impunity series”in 2016. The campaign hasbeen widely discredited for
targeting the poor in extrajudicial deaths and for theimpunity aff�orded to law enforcement agencies in doingso.
Later, it focused on howsocial media and internetwere being “weaponised” tospread fake news, troll andharass political opponentsand to manipulate public discourse, chiefl�y by PresidentDuterte’s campaign, inanother series called the“Propaganda series”. Thisseries of articles shed light
on organised disinformationusing the internet in the Philippines. As the CambridgeAnalyticaFacebook scandal,or the Donald Trump presidency’s use of social mediato weaponise disinformation, or organised disinformation on the internet bycovert agencies from Russia,or the barrage of fake newsusing messenger services inIndia have shown, the era ofthe “infodemic” is well andtruly upon the world. TheNobel Committee’s recognition of Ms. Ressa’s work is anacknowledgement of the severity of this problem.
Beyond work on the drugcampaign and disinformation, Rappler also exposed
government corruption andshed light on the fi�nancialholdings of political leadersand their possible confl�icts ofinterest. Rappler also became a member of the Poynter Institute’s InternationalFactChecking Network(IFCN). Rappler’s investigative work also earned it thegovernment’s ire. In 2017,President Duterte called theoutlet by name and falselystated that it was a “foreignowned” fi�rm in his stateoftheunion address. Thecountry’s Securities and Exchange Commission lookedinto the company’s ownership structure and revokedits licence even as Ms. Ressaherself was charged with taxevasion in December 2018.She denied the charges andthe case was in suspension.
Later, the country’s National Bureau of Investigation fi�led a “cyber libel” caseagainst Ms. Ressa and a writer for the website and foundthem guilty with a prisonsentence up to six years, butwere allowed to post bailpending an appeal. The case,regarded as a blow to pressfreedom in the Philippines,pertained to an article by aresearcher with Rappler,Reynaldo Santos Jr. citing anintelligence report thatspoke of a business executivebeing linked to drug smuggling and traffi�cking. Thatthe case was made againstMs. Ressa, who was not involved in daytoday editorialoperations at Rappler, raisedquestions if the Bureau wasspecifi�cally targeting hereven as the media fraternityclaimed that the case had achilling eff�ect on investigative journalism in the country.
Ms. Ressa welcomed thenews of the award saying,“This is not about us [Rappler]. This is about you. Because freedom of the press isthe foundation of every single right you have as a Filipino citizen”.
Critical towards power Dmitry Muratov, aged 59 andthe cowinner of the Prize, isthe editor of the Novaya Ga-zeta newspaper in Russia.The Committee mentionsthat Mr. Muratov “has for decades defended freedom ofspeech in Russia under increasingly challenging conditions”. Mr. Muratov beganhis career as a correspondent for the Volzhsky Komso-molets newspaper and lateredited news articles at Kom-somolskaya Pravda before heand scores of colleaguesfrom the paper left to starttheir own publication, No-vaya Gazeta, with an aim torun “an honest, independent, and rich” source ofnews for Russian citizens.
In 1993, former Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev donated a portion of hisNobel Peace Prize money tothe newly setup newspaper,
helping it buy computers foroperations. Remarkably,nearly 30 years after beinghelped to set up by the architect of the ‘glasnost’ (openness and transparency) reforms in the erstwhile SovietUnion, the paper’s editor haswon the same prize.
Mr. Muratov has been theeditorinchief for more thantwo decades and the Committee recognises that No-vaya Gazeta is “the most independent newspaper inRussia, today, with a fundamentally critical attitude towards power” and that the“newspaper’s factbasedjournalism and professionalintegrity have made it an important source of information on censurable aspects ofRussian society rarely mentioned by other media.” Thenewspaper also uniquelyelects its editors since 2009who go on to serve twoyearterms.
The newspaper, the Committee records, “has published critical articles onsubjects ranging from corruption, police violence, unlawful arrests, electoral fraudand “troll factories” to theuse of Russian military forces
both within and outside Russia” and is best known for itsinvestigative stories on thewar in Chechnya and thewealthy oligarchs in postSoviet Russia. The publicationhas suff�ered for its boldness;six of its journalists havebeen killed. The most wellknown among them was Anna Politkovskaja, who wroteseveral telling pieces on theconduct of the war in Chechnya. It is still not known whoordered contract killers totake the life of Ms. Politkovskaja, who was shot deadoutside her apartment in2006.
Other hardhitting storiescarried by the newspaper included those on the repression of homosexuals inChechnya in 2017. The newspaper has been creditedwith pioneering investigativereporting against the Russianelite with other online publications taking cue from itdespite threats to the freepress in the country.
Mr. Muratov, in his reaction to the award, claimedthat he expected it to be given to Russian political dissident and opposition leaderAlexei A. Navalny, who sur
vived a poison attack lastyear and is currently in jail.Even as the Russian government praised the Committee’s awarding the Peaceprize to Mr. Muratov, severalleading Russianlanguagenews outlets have been recently subject to a crackdown, being termed “foreignagents” and investigativejournalists have been forcedinto exile.
Russia ranks 150 among180 countries in the latestWorld Press Freedom Index,released annually by the Reporters sans Frontiers (Philippines is ranked a lowly 138and India slipped to 142 inthe rankings too).
The Committee stronglyargued the case for the Prize,by saying that “freedom ofexpression and freedom ofinformation help to ensurean informed public. Theserights are crucial prerequisites for democracy and protect against war and confl�ict.The award of the NobelPeace Prize to Maria Ressaand Dmitry Muratov is intended to underscore the importance of protecting anddefending these fundamental rights.”
MARIA RESSA & DMITRY MURATOV
Torchbearers offreedom of expressionJournalists from the Philippines and Russia, whose works focused on exposing governments’ wrongdoing and corruption, have beenawarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize
Srinivasan Ramani
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Muratov said heexpected the awardto be given to Russianopposition leaderAlexei A. Navalny,who survived apoison attack lastyear and is currentlyin prison
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In Focus
B Maria Ressa’sdigital newsoutlet Rapplermade its markfocusingspecifi�cally onthe PhilippinesPresidentRodrigoDuterte’scontroversialantidrugcampaign
B DmitryMuratovfoundedNovaya Gazeta
in thepostSovietRussia and,according tothe NobelCommittee, it‘is the mostindependentnewspaper inRussia, today’
B They ‘arerepresentativesof alljournalists whostand for thisideal in a worldin whichdemocracy andfreedom of thepress faceincreasinglyadverseconditions’,says the NobelCommittee
Over the past fewyears, there havebeen shocking imag
es of the human tragedy unfolding on European shoreswith scores of refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Africa. Thereare frequent incidents ofdrowning, and Europe, barring Germany and Sweden,has appeared reluctant toopen its doors to peoplefl�eeing their land for a variety of reasons from povertyto war. The Swedish Academy has awarded the 2021Nobel Prize for Literature toan author who has chronicled the refugee experienceand colonialism’s harsh impact in all his books. Abdulrazak Gurnah, one of themost eloquent African writers, won the top prize “forhis uncompromising andcompassionate penetrationof the eff�ects of colonialismand the fate of the refugee inthe gulf between culturesand continents.”
In an interview to AdamSmith of the Nobel PrizeOutreach, the 73yearoldMr. Gurnah called out the“miserliness” of some in Europe to refugees, “as if thereisn’t enough to go around”.Europeans streaming out into the world is nothing new,he pointed out, and stressedthat people who are seekinga life in Europe do not comeemptyhanded. “A lot ofthem are talented, energeticpeople, who have something to give. You’re not justtaking people in as if they’repovertystricken nothings,
but, think of it as you’re fi�rstproviding succour to peoplewho are in need, but alsopeople who can contributesomething,” he said.
Flight from homeland Mr. Gurnah was 18 when hehad to leave the new republic of Tanzania whicherupted in violence aftergaining freedom from British colonial rule in the1960s. The riots, targetedagainst the ethnic community Mr. Gurnah belonged to,disturbed the peace in aland known for its diversityand varied infl�uences, British, African, Portuguese,Arab and Indian.
He began writing whenhe was 21 years old in England, choosing English ashis medium instead of Swahili. The “theme of the refugee’s disruption” runsthrough Mr. Gurnah’s 10 novels and short stories.
His bestknown novel, Pa-radise (1994), was shortlisted for the Booker Prize andtells the story of 12yearold
Yusuf who is uprooted fromhis village and ‘pawned’ to arich uncle to pay off� his father’s debts. Mr. Gurnah’s historical fi�ction talks aboutcommunities at war, troubled trading routes and thediffi�culties of adolescencethrough Yusuf. The ritesofpassage story plays out in anAfrica about to be taken over by colonialism and violence. His latest, Afterlives,longlisted for the OrwellPrize for Political Fiction2021, traces the lives of Ilyasand Hamza in the backdropof the Germans, British,French and the Belgiansdrawing their maps and dividing Africa. It’s the beginning of the 20th century andthe confl�ict in Europe has adevastating impact on colonised east Africa. There’s anoverriding sense of loss inall his books. In his 2017 novel, Gravel Heart, the protagonist recalls his father feeding him candyfl�oss. “Thatwas the doorstep of thehouse I was born in… thehouse I abandoned because
I was left with little choice.In later years, in my banishment, I pictured the houseinch by inch. I don’t know ifit was lying nostalgia orpainful proper longing, but Ipaced its rooms andbreathed its smells for yearsafter I left.”
Being a refugee His works are underpinnedby a restlessness of a migrant, torn away from familiar surroundings, culture,traditions and language,and having to adapt to everything new. Perhaps themost autobiographical of hisnovels is Pilgrims Way (1988)in which the protagonist,Daud, faces the travails ofbeing a refugee in an alienland. The story begins in apub where Daud has boughthimself a halfpint of “watery and sour” beer, as anold man grins at him. “Daudthought of the grin as theone that won an empire. Itwas the pickpocket’s smile,given tongue in cheek andintended to distract andsoothe the innocent preywhile the thief helped himself to the valuables.”
The Nobel Prize for Literature has had its share ofcontroversies, but critics saythe Swedish Academy,which has been accused ofnot looking beyond Europe,has got it right this time. Theprize should help Mr. Gurnah and his poignant writing about Empire and migration acquire new readers,like Svetlana Alexievich’sNobel did in 2015. Hopefully, his novels will also be fi�nally translated into Swahili.
ABDULRAZAK GURNAH
The chronicler of postcolonial lifeThe Tanzaniaborn writer has won this year’s Nobel Prize for literature
Sudipta Datta
ILLUSTRATION: J.A. PREMKUMAR
The killings of seven civilians in six days, including a wellknown
chemist, Makhan Lal Pandita, and a school principal,Supinder Kaur, have shakenthe Kashmir Valley. A littleknown militant outfi�t calledthe Resistance Front (TRF)has claimed responsibilityfor the killings. Securityagencies warn that attackscould intensify it in the coming days.
The outfi�t was born ninemonths after the Union government ended Jammuand Kashmir’s special constitutional status on August5, 2019. The TRF's name fi�rstsurfaced after a fourdaygun battle was reportednear the Line of Control(LoC) in Kupwara's KeranSector, starting April 1,2020.
According to police records, fi�ve infi�ltrators fromthe Pakistanoccupied Kashmir (PoK) surprised the security personnel by holdingon to an inaccessible area ofKeran for more than fi�vedays in wellaccumulatedsnow. The “welltrained”and “motivated” militantswere killed only after the Army’s elite troops launched agun battle that lasted fordays. Five soldiers, including a Junior CommissionedOffi�cer ( JCO), lost their lives.It was the newlyformedTRF's fi�rst attack in Kashmir.All the fi�ve slain militants remain unidentifi�ed till date.
The nomenclature of theoutfi�t was a departure fromthe past when militant
groups’ names would haveobvious Islamic references.
“The name TRF was anattempt to secularise theidea of jihad to present theKashmir insurgency as apolitical cause rather than areligious war as was manifested by the names such asthe LashkareTaiba (LeT)and the JaisheMuhammad( JeM),” a senior police offi�cer said.
New tactics It was not just the nomenclature, the TRF’s operational style and recruiting werealso diff�erent. Unlike HizbulMujahideen’s 'poster boycommander' Burhan Wani,who galvanised youth support for an armed insurgency only to be killed in a gunfi�ght in 2016 in southKashmir, the TRF is againstuploading the pictures of itscadre online or revealingthe command chain.
The faceless and tech savvy organisation took to thesocial media to propagate itsmessages. The TRF used bo
dy cameras like the GoPro toshoot attacks on the CRPFand the Army in Kashmir,which they used to “motivate” their recruits, say offi�cials. On November 26,2020, TRF militants fi�lmedan attack on the Army's 2Rashtriya Rifl�es near Srinagar's Lawaypora area, inwhich two soldiers wereshown being shot dead froma close range and weaponssnatched on the SrinagarBaramulla highway. TheTRF also used Twitter handles to claim attacks and issue a chargesheet againstthose targeted. “To gaintraction and attract youngsters, the TRF uses videosfrom live encounters toshow off� its deadly capability,” another counterinsurgency offi�cer said.
According to a police report, the TRF and the People's AntiFascist Front(PAFF), another militantgroup, are shadow outfi�ts ofthe LeT and the JeM. However, the TRF claims to beworking independently.
The initial cadre of theTRF comprised localstrained in Pakistan. Theytravelled on passports andreturned via Wagah, according to the report. Additionally, welltrained young militants are being sent toKashmir via the LoC.
The police offi�cer said theTRF’s tactics marked a departure from the post2016militancy. “There are no 'fi�dayeen' (suicide) attacks; very little photographs ofcadres are available andthey choose soft targetsthrough a broad base network of ground workers. Anew breed of workers hasbeen created who are not inthe radar of the securityforces, which makes tracking diffi�cult and attackingeasy.”
Security agencies managed to dent the outfi�t’s ability to strike when they killedits ‘commander’ AbbasSheikh, a resident of Kulgam, in an encounter in Srinagar in August. Securitypersonnel wore sportswearsand attacked his hideout,and shot him and his associate from a close range.Sheikh, a veteran fromsouth Kashmir, had been active in militancy for morethan a decade.
Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar describedSheikh’s killing as “a big success”, which was seen ablow to the TRF’s operational capability. However, theshadowy outfi�t seems tohave reorganised itself within weeks, and started carrying out attacks in the Valley,directly targeting civilians.
THE RESISTANCE FRONT
Faceless killers in the Valley The shadowy outfi�t targets both security personnel and civilians in Kashmir
Peerzada Ashiq
ILLUSTRATION: R.RAJESH
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BUSINESS
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India may have to withdrawdigital services tax or theequalisation levy and give acommitment not to introduce such measures in thefuture if the global minimumtax deal comes through.
In a major reform of theinternational tax system, 136countries, including India,have agreed to an overhaulof global tax norms to ensurethat multinationals pay taxeswherever they operate andat a minimum 15% rate.
However, the deal requires countries to removeall digital services tax andother similar measures andto commit not to introducesuch measures in the future,the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said in its implementation plan on Friday.
“No newly enacted digitalservices taxes or other relevant similar measures will beimposed on any companyfrom October 8 and until theearlier of December 31, 2023,or the coming into force of
the MLC (multilateral convention),” the OECD said.
The proposed twopillarsolution of the global taxdeal consists of two components — Pillar One which isabout reallocation of addi
tional share of profi�t to themarket jurisdictions and Pillar Two consisting of minimum tax subject to tax rules.
Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman had earlier thisweek said that India was “very close” to arriving at thespecifi�cs of the twopillartaxation proposition at theG20 and was in the last stageof fi�nalising the details.
The Finance Ministers ofG20 countries are scheduled to meet on October 13in Washington and fi�nalise it.
“As a signifi�cant move, theOECD has sought for an immediate and upfront withdrawal of unilateral digitalservices tax and a commitment not to introduce suchmeasures in the future,”Nangia Andersen PartnerSandeep Jhunjhunwala saidcommenting on the OECD’slatest statement.
The modality for the removal of existing digital services taxes and other similarmeasures needs to be appropriately coordinated, Mr.Jhunjhunwala observed.
Timeline deferred
“Pillar Two which was initially proposed to be brought into eff�ect from 2023 has nowbeen deferred to 2024,” headded.
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. Partner GouriPuri said a consensus waskey to securing a more stabletax regime for multinationalsand governments.
“While the fi�ne print isawaited, India is balancingits interests both as an importer and an exporter ofcapital, goods and services.The deal will prevent a raceto the bottom among countries,” Mr. Puri added.
India may need to rescind digital taxAs part of the global minimum tax accord it has agreed to, country must forswear such levies
Press Trust of IndiaNew Delhi
Fine line: ‘India is balancing its interests as an importer andan exporter of capital, goods and services’. * G. RAMAKRISHNA
Having successfully operated from a small town likeTenkasi in Tamil Nadu,software provider Zoho Corporation plans to replicatethis model in the U.S. Theaim is to locate offi�ces insmaller towns Sridhar
Vembu, cofounder andCEO, said in a telephonic interview. Excerpts:
Recently, Zoho announced
its investment plan in a
Bengalurubased MRI tech
startup Voxelgrids. Why
make an investment when
you can acquire it?
■ It is a completely diff�erentvertical and I do not haveany special knowledge onhow to run it. If I acquire it, Ihave to run it since it will beunder my leadership. But italready has a leadershipteam. Arjun is really good.He is a scientist inventorand he has brought the product this far.
So, it’s best that it is runindependently and theycontinue to run it.
Secondly, this is still workin progress in terms of someR&D. It’s crucial that we allow the team to continue asit is, rather than imposingany revenue requirement.These are reasons why it’sbest not to set a target.
How do you describe this
investment?
■ I would call it more like astrategic knowhow investment. It is not really thatway. Actually, here the company creates infrastructureand we are investing inthem to help. We don’t wantto control or run it. That’sall.
Will it be an independent
company or under the
banner of Zoho?
■ Yeah, it’s an independentcompany. Zoho will have astake. It will be in our advisory capacity, but we won’tbe dictating terms to themthat’s all.
Will you be a longterm
investor in this company?
■ We are planning to stick tothis long haul. In fact, that ismy request to the founders.That’s the basis on whichwe are coming in, becausewe want to fund the longterm committed players inthis.
When do you expect the
fi�rst product?
■ It should be out in thenext 12 months at least,could be next six months.But one reason I don’t specifi�cally pin down timelinesis, as I often talk about thison Twitter, when somethingvery complex such as R&Dis involved, you cannot really predict timelines. So, bestto just be vague about it.
What is the average ticket
size of your investment in
companies such as this?
■ It’s not like we have toomany investments. Thereare like four or fi�ve, but thetotal aggregate was about₹�250 crore investment inthe last eight or 10 years. SoI actually think it’s about₹�2540 crore, in that range.
Do you plan for more
investments, or only as and
when opportunity arises?
■ As the opportunity arises... We are not actually actively scouting for investments like venturecapitalists do. But if something that is suitable, that fi�tswith our vision shows up,we will take a look.
Going forward, how would
you describe Zoho? What
percentage of revenue will
come from new businesses?
■ Zoho itself remains a software company at its core.vTitan, Voxelgrids are allseparate companies, whichare doing their thing in theirmarkets. The Zoho Corpmission itself remains verystrongly focused on oursoftware off�erings. Rightnow it won’t be very signifi�cant. In the near future, sayover 510 years, that willchange.
During the pandemic, Zoho
opened small regional
offi�ces. What’s their status?
■ We have about 20 in operation right now. All areopen. In about three to fouryears, I would like at least3040% of our staff� to workfrom rural areas, that’s thegoal. And eventually longerterm, at least 50% rural and50% urban would be a goodmix.
What about your
geographical expansion?
■ Middle East has been doing very well. We are alsoexpanding aggressively inthe EU, we are opening offi�ces in Germany and soonin France. Even in the U.S.,we are moving away frommajor metros and setting upoffi�ces in smaller towns.
INTERVIEW | SRIDHAR VEMBU
‘Expecting 3040% staff�to work from rural areas’50% rural offi�ces and 50% urban is a good mix: Zoho CEO
N. Anand
Life insurers reported a22.2% increase in fi�rstyearpremium (FYP) to ₹�31,001.17crore in September, helpedby market leader and IPObound LIC returning togrowth after four months.
While LIC posted a yearonyear increase in FYP forthe second time this fi�scal after a robust opening in April,for life insurers collectively itwas the fi�rst two consecutivemonths of growth this year,coming on the back of reports of an impending increase in premium.
For the six months endedSeptember, the FYP of life insurers stood at ₹�1,31,981.89crore, a 5.82% increase from
the ₹�1,24,727.65 crore in theyearearlier period, according to the latest businessstatement released by IRDAI. An 11.55% increase inFYP last month to ₹�18,520.21crore helped LIC reduce thedecline thus far this fi�scal to3.3% at ₹�85,112.59 crore.
Private players continuedto maintain their momentum, reporting a 42.4% in
crease in FYP for Septemberto ₹�12,480.96 crore.
Private fi�rms consolidate
For the fi�rst half, the premium mobilised by privateplayers was 27.7% higher at₹�46,869.30 crore. The market share of private playerswas 35.5%.
Emkay Global FinancialServices said the Septemberperformance pointed to alongterm trend of a gradualshift of the retail life insurance market toward largeprivate players having astrong brand. Overall, thetrend of market share consolidation toward bigger private life insurers continued toplay out last month, it addedin a report.
LIC-led insurers posted 22%rise in new premium in Sept. Firm posts fi�rst fi�rstyear premium increase in 5 months
Special CorrespondentHYDERABAD
Ecommerce platforms, including social commerceand online groceries, garnered $2.7 billion in the fi�rstfour days of festive seasonsales between October 2and 5, according to RedSeerConsulting.
The fi�rm said the sectorwas on its track to achieve$4.8 billion gross merchandise value (GMV) for thewhole of the current festiveseason. The fi�rst four days ofthe festive week in CY20 accounted for 63% of the overall sales of the season, whilefour days this year broughtin 57% of sales. Smartphones contributed some50% of GMV during the fi�rstfour days, according to amidfestive analysis done by
RedSeer. “With the festivesales lasting longer than lastyear [9 days compared with7 days], we see the customerdemand being more spreadout across the period thanbeing concentrated in thefi�rst half of the festiveweek,” said Ujjwal Chaudhry, an associate partner atRedSeer. “To that tune, weobserved sales of $2.7 bnacross ecommerce platforms and we expect another $2.1 bn over the next fi�vedays,” he added.
About 75% of customerswould make purchasesequivalent to or more thanthat of last year, while manysellers would off�er ~1030%discounts on platforms,with the goal of releasinghigher volume sales, thefi�rm added.
‘Ecom fi�rms log $2.7 bn infi�rst 4 days of festive sale’Smartphones 50% of GMV: RedSeer
Special Correspondent
Bengaluru
HYDERABAD: Trainer R.H. Sequeira’s ward King Roger, whoran second in his last start,should make amends in the Artillery Trophy, the main event ofSunday’s (Oct. 10) races.
1 TWIN CITIES PLATE (DIV. I)(1,200m), (Terms) Maiden, 3
yo only (Cat. II), 1.00 p.m.: 1.Akash (8) A.A. Vikrant 56, 2.Briar Ridge (11) Kiran Naidu 56, 3.Divine Chakram (10) Aneel 56, 4.Indian Glory (4) Akshay Kumar56, 5. Tales Of A Legend (3) Md.Ismail 56, 6. Ashwa Pushkin (2)Ashad Asbar 54.5, 7. Despang (9)P. Trevor 54.5, 8. Inception (6)Kuldeep Singh 54.5, 9. MostLoveable (1) Nakhat Singh 54.5,10. Ostentatious (7) Afroz Khan54.5 and 11. Southern Act (5) B.R.Kumar 54.5.1. DESPANG, 2. INDIAN GLORY, 3. ASHWA PUSHKIN
2 TWIN CITIES PLATE (DIV. II)(1,200m), (Terms) Maiden, 3
yo only (Cat. II), 1.30: 1. Be Crimson (2) Md. Ismail 56, 2. Cash Register (10) P. Trevor 56, 3. City OfBlessing (7) Mukesh Kumar 56, 4.Magic Mark (1) B. Nikhil 56, 5. Unsung Hero (8) Aneel 56, 6. Ahanu
(5) Rafique Sk. 54.5, 7. Cabello (9)G. Naresh 54.5, 8. Exotic Dancer(4) A.A. Vikrant 54.5, 9. Kachnar(3) Abhay Singh 54.5 and 10.Serendip (6) Santosh Raj 54.5.1. CASH REGISTER, 2. CITY OFBLESSING, 3. SERENDIP
3 TWIN CITIES PLATE (DIV. III)(1,200m), (Terms) Maiden, 3
yo only (Cat. II). 2.05: 1. Blue Origin (5) Akshay Kumar 56, 2. FirstIn Line (4) Khurshad Alam 56, 3. IAm Superman (1) Rafique Sk. 56,4. Sea Of Class (9) Mukesh Kumar56, 5. Challenger (7) NakhatSingh 54.5, 6. Flower (8) Md. Ismail 54.5, 7. Precious Gift (6)Kiran Naidu 54.5, 8. PrincessDaniale (2) P. Sai Kumar 54.5, 9.Racing Rani (3) Ajeeth Kumar54.5 and 10. Silk (10) B. Nikhil54.5.1. BLUE ORIGIN, 2. SEA OF CLASS,3. PRECIOUS GIFT
4 RAJA SAHEB OF CHALLAPALLIMEMORIAL CUP (1,200m),
rated 20 to 45 (Cat. III), 2.40: 1.Blink Of An Eye (5) Afroz Khan60, 2. City Of Blossom (6) GauravSingh 60, 3. Burano (3) Ashad Asbar 58.5, 4. Keystone (2) AkshayKumar 58.5, 5. Rising Queen (7)
Singh 60.5, 6. Winning Player (6)Gaurav Singh 59.5, 7. Shelly Anne(7) Santosh Raj 59, 8. Queen Blossom (11) P. Sai Kumar 58.5, 9.Paree (5) Rafique Sk. 58, 10. IceBerry (4) C.P. Bopanna 57, 11.Theo’s Choice (8) Abhay Singh56, 12. Proud Legacy (2) MukeshKumar 54 and 13. Turf Monarch(12) Surya Prakash 52.5.1. WINNING PLAYER,
2. RHINE, 3. ICE BERRY
7 NAWAB SULTAN ALI KHAN ME-MORIAL CUP (1,400m), 5yo &
upward, rated 20 to 45 (Cat. III),4.25: 1. Four One Four (1) DeepakSingh 61, 2. Red Snaper (13) KiranNaidu 61, 3. N R I Heights (12) Akshay Kumar 59.5, 4. Star Racer(4) Mukesh Kumar 59, 5. Nearest(10) B.R. Kumar 57, 6. Curcumin(5) Aneel 56.5, 7. Blazing Jupiter(6) P. Sai Kumar 56, 8. Gazebo (3)C.P. Bopanna 56, 9. Miss Marvellous (11) Afroz Khan 55.5, 10. SoulEmpress (14) R. Ajinkya 55.5, 11.Explosive (2) Kuldeep Singh 55,12. Sacred Lamp (16) GauravSingh 54, 13. Sheldon (9) P. Trevor 53, 14. Dillon (15) B. Nikhil 52,15. Solo Winner (8) Nakhat Singh51.5 and 16. Crackershow (7)
Surya Prakash 50.
1. N R I HEIGHTS, 2. SHELDON,
3. FOUR ONE FOUR
8 P.V.G. RAJU MEMORIAL CUP(DIV. II) (1,400m), rated up to
25 (Cat. III), 5.00: 1. Golden Forza(9) Abhay Singh 62, 2. Sun Dancer (3) Akshay Kumar 62, 3.Gurbaaz (12) N.B. Kuldeep 61.5, 4.Fantastic Show (2) R. Ajinkya60.5, 5. Good Tidings (10) Md. Ismail 59.5, 6. Starwalker (13) G.Naresh 59.5, 7. Royal Girl (5)Gaurav Singh 58.5, 8. TeamPlayer (7) Nakhat Singh 58.5, 9.Fleur (1) B. Nikhil 58, 10. N R I Gift(8) Mukesh Kumar 58, 11. NewHustle (11) Ajit Singh 56, 12. Lightning Pearl (4) Khurshad Alam53.5 and 13. Royal Avenger (6)Afroz Khan 50.
1. SUN DANCER,
2. GOLDEN FORZA, 3. N R I GIFT
Day’s best: KEYSTONE
Jackpot: 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8.
Mini Jackpot: (i) 2, 3, 4 & 5; (ii) 5,6, 7 & 8.
Treble: (i) 1, 2 & 3; (ii) 3, 4 & 5; (iii)6, 7 & 8.
Tanala: All races.
Abhay Singh 54.5, 6. Aibak (11)Aneel 53.5, 7. Stud Poker (10) P.Sai Kumar 53, 8. Furious Fun (8)G. Naresh 52, 9. California Beauty(12) B.R. Kumar 51.5, 10. ClassyDame (9) R.S. Jodha 51.5, 11.Hashtag (1) Khurshad Alam 51.5and 12. Thunder Road (4) B.Nikhil 50.1. KEYSTONE, 2. BLINK OF AN EYE, 3. BURANO
5 ARTILLERY TROPHY(2,000m), rated 20 to 45 (Cat.
III), 3.15: 1. Ashwa Raudee (6) C.S.Jodha 62, 2. King Roger (2) Akshay Kumar 60, 3. NovemberRain (7) S.S. Tanwar 60, 4.Moringa (8) Surya Prakash 58.5,5. Forever Bond (4) P. Trevor54.5, 6. Royal Pal (5) Aneel 54, 7.Prime Gardenia (1) Koushik 53.5,8. Dream Jewel (—) and 9. GardenOf Eden (3) Abhay Singh 51.1. KING ROGER, 2. FOREVERBOND, 3. ASHWA RAUDEE
6 P.V.G. RAJU MEMORIAL CUP(DIV. I) (1,400m), rated up to
25 (Cat. III), 3.50: 1. Berkeley (1)Kuldeep Singh 62, 2. Rhine (10)B.R. Kumar 62, 3. Epsom (13) N.B.Kuldeep 61.5, 4. Air Salute (3)Afroz Khan 61, 5. Sea Wolf (9) Ajit
RACING
King Roger tipped for Artillery Trophy
Rohan Bopanna and DenisShapovalov of Canada beatFelix AugerAliassime andHubert Hurkacz 61, 26,[104] in the doubles fi�rstround of the Indian WellsMasters here.
Bopanna and Shapovalovmay run into sixth seeds Jamie Murray and BrunoSoares in the next round.
In the ITF men’s event inTunisia, Niki Poonacha wonthe doubles title with Grigoriy Lomakin of Kazakhstan.
The results: Indian WellsMasters: First round: DenisShapovalov (Can) & Rohan Bo-panna bt Felix Auger-Aliassime(Can) & Hubert Hurkacz (Pol)6-1, 2-6, [10-4].
$15,000 ITF men, Monastir,
Tunisia: Final: Grigoriy Loma-kin (Kaz) & Niki Poonacha btAnis Ghorbel (Tun) & MirkoMartinez (Sui) 6-1, 7-5.
$15,000 ITF men, Cancun:Quarterfi�nals: Seita Watanabe(Jpn) & Siddhant Banthia btGiles Hussey & Adam Jones(GBr) 7-6(4), 4-6, [10-5].
$15,000 ITF men, Doha: Final: Julian Cash (GBr) & Chris-tian Sigsgaard (Den) bt PatrikNiklas-Salminen (Fin) & SakethMyneni 6-4, 6-4; Semifi�nals:Patrik Niklas-Salminen & Sa-keth Myneni bt Li Hanwen(Chn) & Beibit Zhukayev (Kaz)7-6(0), 6-0.
$25,000 ITF women, Redding, USA: Quarterfi�nals: KatieSwan (GBR) bt Pranjala Yadla-palli 6-4, 7-6(4).
$15,000 ITF women, SharmEl Sheikh: Final: Bai Zhouxuan(Chn) & Punnin Kovapitukted(Tha) bt Rebeka Stolmar (Hun)& Ashmitha Easwaramurthi6-0, 6-4.
Bopanna & Shapovalovin second round
INDIANS ABROAD
Sports BureauIndian Wells
Delhi FC steamrollersCorbett FCBENGALURU
Anwar Ali scored twice as
Delhi FC walloped Corbett FC
5-1 in a Group B match of the
I-League Qualifiers at the
Bangalore Football Stadium
on Saturday. The results: Delhi 5 (WillisDeon Plaza 45+2, Anwar Ali75, 90+5, Samuel Shadap 89,Laiwang Bohham 90) btCorbett 1 (John ChidiUzodinma 13); Kenkre 2(Azfar Noorani 14, YashMhatre 66) bt ARA 1 (DahirBala Alhassan 70).
IN BRIEF
Bengaluru winter seasonfrom October 21BENGALURU
The managing committee of
Bangalore Turf Club has
announced that the
Bengaluru winter season,
comprising of 32 racing days,
will commence on October
21, 2021 and conclude on
Marcg 19, 2022.
Top seed Daksh Prasadcruised to a 63, 62 victoryover second seed RushilKhosla in the under16 boys’fi�nal of the National subjunior tennis championship atthe DLTA Complex here onSaturday.
With both the boys training at the RoundGlass Academy in Chandigarh andcoached by Aditya Sachdeva, there was understandable familiarity about eachother’s game. The lefthanded Rushil was brilliant anderratic in equal measure ashe failed to put up a meaningful challenge.
Daksh on the other handstayed calm and maintaineda steady game to crown him
self the champion.Much in contrast, Suhitha
Maruri had to sweat it out inthree sets and endure a lot ofsuspense in the decider tobeat the freestroking SonalPatil for the girls’ under16title. It was a double crownfor Suhitha as she had wonthe doubles title with Ruma
Gaikaiwari.In under14 Rayan Sajjid
was quite mature and anotch above the rest, buthad to be at his best to getpast Venkat Batlanki, whohad played the semifi�nalsearlier in the morning. Sajjidprevailed 62, 57, 75.
Mahima Khanna subdued
a fi�ghting Harithashree Venkatesh for the loss of sixgames to clinch the girls’ under14 title.
Balram Singh, memberNational selection committee, presented the prizes.
The results (fi�nals): Under16: Boys: Daksh Prasad btRushil Khosla 6-3, 6-2. Doubles: Jaishnav Shinde & TanishqJadhav bt Daksh & Rushil Khos-la 6-4, 2-6, [10-1].
Girls: Suhitha Maruri bt So-nal Patil 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Doubles:Ruma Gaikaiwari & Suhitha btAbhaya Vemuri & Apurva Ve-muri 6-1, 6-0.
Under14: Boys: Rayan Sajjidbt Venkat Batlanki 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.Doubles: Dhruv Sachdeva &Pratyaksh bt Rethin Pranav &Samprit Sharma 6-4, 6-4.
Girls: Mahika Khanna bt Ha-rithashree Venkatesh 6-3, 6-3.Doubles: Aakruti Sonkusare &Shatakshi Chaudhary bt Harith-ashree & Manongnya Madasu2-6, 6-4, [10-7].
Daksh eases to under-16 boys’ titleSuhitha sweats it out against the freestroking Sonal in the girls’ fi�nal
TENNIS
Special CorrespondentNEW DELHI
Young champs: Suhitha Maruri, Daksh Prasad and MahikaKhanna with their rewards. * KAMESH SRINIVASAN
Deepak Punia,
Vishal Panchal shine
anoftheMatch DeepakPunia (48 and 4/20) andVishal Panchal (51 and 3/11)joined hands to guideUnique Sports Club to a70run victory over GushClub in the 2nd All IndiaUnique Sports prizemoneytournament.
The scores: Unique Sports
175/6 in 20 overs (Vision
Panchal 51, Deepak Punia 48,
Jatin 31) bt Gush Club 105 in
20 overs (Deepak Punia 4/20,
Vision Panchal 3/11, Abhishek
Shakuja 3/18).
Arpit Rana’s 119 takesAirliner to fi�nal
Arpit Rana scored 119 totake defending championAirliner Academy to a49run victory over Jai MaaAmbe Club for a place inthe fi�nal of the 15th HariChand memorial (u17)
tournament.
The scores: Airliner Academy
274 in 41.3 overs (Arpit Rana
119, Siddharth Kandpal 34,
Harshit Singh 3/51) bt Jai Maa
Ambe Club 225 in 42 overs
(Tarun Bisht 57, Harsh Bidhuri
52, Rishi 38, Siddharth
Kandpal 3/12).
Jatin, Deepak,
and Rahul excel
Half centuries from JatinYadav and Deepak Gehlotand Rahul’s fourwickethaul helped Baba HaridasAcademy beat AirlinerAcademy by 82 runs in the1st Birma Devi memorial(u13) daynighttournament.
The scores: Baba Haridas
Academy 242/9 in 30 overs
(Jatin Yadav 56, Deepak
Gehlot 50, Vedant 3/35) bt
Airliner Academy 160/6 in 30
overs (Virendra 71 n.o., Rahul
4/4).
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
\ DELHI CRICKET \
Hyderabad’s Rahil Shetty(Gusto Racing) scored a resounding win in the MRFMMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2021 third roundhere on Saturday.
The results (provisional, sixlaps unless mentioned):
National Championship:Prostock 301400cc Open(Race1): 1. Rahil Shetty (Gus-to Racing, Hyderabad) 11mins,18.000secs, 2. Rajini Krishnan(RACR Castrol Power Racing,Chennai) 11:18.246, 3. DeepakRavikumar (TVS Racing)11:18.340.
Prostock 165cc Open(Race1): 1. K.Y. Ahmed (TVSRacing, Chennai) 11:44.563, 2.Deepak Ravikumar 11:44.697,3. Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing,Chennai) 11:45.057.
Novice (Stock 165cc)Race1: 1. Anfal Akdhar (Rock-star Racing, Thrissur)
13:03.524, 2. Allwin Xavier(Sparks Racing, Thrissur)13:03.577, 3. Sarvesh Balappa(Sparks Racing, Hubballi)13:07.658.
OneMake Championship(organised by MMSC): Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup–NSF 250R (Race1): 1. SarthakChavan (Pune) 11:10.598, 2.Kevin Quintal (Chennai)11:10.751, 3. Mohsin Peramban(Malappuram) 11:12.621.
Honda Novice (CBR 150): 1.Ikshan Shanbhag (Satara)13:10.362, 2. Prakash Kamat(Bokaro Steel City) 13:10.401,3. Theopaul Leander (Chennai)13:19.412.
Honda Hornet 2.0 (Race1):1. Kevin Kannan (Chennai)13:24.412, 2. Alwin Sundar(Chennai) 13:25.148, 3. UllasSantrupt Nanda (Chennai)13:25.661.
TVS Rookie (Apache RTR200) Race1: 1. Shreyas Ha-reesh (Bengaluru) 12:50.036,2. Vignesh Goud (Hyderabad)12:50.143, 3. Jinendra KiranSangave (Kolhapur)12:50.220.
Winning return for RahilMOTORSPORTS
Sports ReporterCHENNAI
DC, on the other hand,needs to work on its fi�elding.Glenn Maxwell was droppedtwice in the same over whichdented DC's chances againstRCB in the last match.
CostlyKagiso Rabada's form at thedeath this season is a concern as well. He has gone at10.84 runs per over in thedeath overs and picked upjust four wickets.
CMYK
M ND-NDE
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DELHI THE HINDU
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 202116EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
SPORT
Chennai Super Kings willtake on Delhi Capitals in
Dubai in Qualifi�er 1 of IPL2021 on Sunday. DC got thebetter of CSK in both of theirmeetings during the leaguestage.
The winner of this matchwill directly qualify for the fi�nal. The loser meets the winner of the Eliminator between Royal ChallengersBangalore and KolkataKnight Riders.
Three straight lossesCSK comes into the match onthe back of three successivelosses, the last one a crushing defeat against PunjabKings at the same venue.That loss showed that CSKbowlers struggle in fl�at conditions.
However, they wouldhope to be better informedabout what to do when batters attack them.
The top order has beenone of the big reasons forCSK’s turnaround this year.Faf du Plessis and RuturajGaikwad set the tone fortheir entire innings, and CSKwould want more of thesame.
Ruturaj, in redhot formotherwise, has been dismissed cheaply in the last twogames. He hit a short ball
from Anrich Nortje straightto midwicket the last timethese two sides met.
Ruturaj can expect another severe examination fromthe DC quicks.
Against Punjab, M.S. Dhoni threatened to break freebefore being bamboozled bya Ravi Bishnoi wrong ’un.Dhoni should consider sending the inform Ravindra Jadeja ahead of him, regardlessof the situation.
DC skipper Rishabh Pantalso needs to come up with away of utilising R. Ashwinbetter.
Against RCB, a team with aclutch of righthand batters,Ashwin bowled just one over.
CSK is likely to have a similar makeup should RobinUthappa play ahead of Suresh Raina. But it will stillhave two lefthanders in theplaying XI — Moeen Ali at thetop and Ravindra Jadeja inthe lower middleorder.
DC needs to get more outof its premier off�spinner.How Ashwin is used couldhave a bearing on the outcome of the match.
Balanced Capitals, canny Super Kings eye shortest route to fi�nalPant’s side needs to lift its fi�elding standards and better utilise Ashwin; Dhoni’s unit will want to get its bowling right and hope its inform openers set the tone
Sports Bureau
IPL 2021
Battle within a battle: Ashwin versus Jadeja will be interestingto watch. * SPORTZPICS/IPL
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
B DC got the better of CSK inboth the league games
B Dhoni should considersending the inform Jadejaahead of him
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
In a side that also has ABde Villiers and Glenn Maxwell, there are learning opportunities galore.
“I am a keen observer ofpeople who do good thingsand learn from them. So, Iwouldn’t be going up tothem and asking stuff�. I havewatched all their routines,their intent in doing thingsand learnt.”
At RCB, there is no pressure to play second fi�ddle tothe superstars during amatch, Bharat said.
Mini partnerships“There’s nothing like I haveto create a platform forthem. We, as a team, aim toget those mini partnershipsgoing. It can be AB, or myself, or Virat bhai. We all areprepared to win the game[for our team] and we walkin with that purpose.”
Against DC, Bharat got hisfi�rst halfcentury of the campaign, but the 28yearoldsaid he was not looking forpersonal glory.
“These numbers don’tmatter as long as you are doing well [for the team].
“In fact, numbers can belimiting sometimes. I under
stood that over a period oftime after playing a lot ofdomestic cricket. You haveto be selfl�ess to succeed atthis level.”
After guiding Royal Challengers Bangalore to a
thrilling lastball victory overDelhi Capitals on Friday, K.S.Bharat said he and his teammates were highly motivatedto win the trophy and ensureVirat Kohli ends his tenure asRCB skipper on a high.
Cherry on the cake“Defi�nitely, winning the cup[will be great] and giving Virat bhai that title will be acherry on the cake,” Bharatsaid on Saturday.
“But just playing with himis a very big thing. He lovesyoungsters and rubbingshoulders with him teachesyou a lot of discipline.
A machine“He works like a machine inthe gym, he’s a thoroughprofessional. If he still does itafter achieving so much, weare just walking in [to theteam] and it’s greatmotivation.”
Want to win the trophy for Kohli: BharatN. Sudarshan
Not for personal glory: Bharat feels that a player has to beselfl�ess to succeed at the highest level. * SPORTZPICS/IPL
The Indian bowlers put up avaliant eff�ort with very fewruns to defend before TahliaMcGrath won the battle ofnerves at the death, guidingAustralia to a fourwicket victory in the second T20I andhelping it clinch the multiformat series 95.
Inept battingAsked to bat, India put up aninept performance andcould muster only 118 fornine. Pooja Vastrakar’s 37 off�26 balls was the highlight ofthe innings.
Australia reached the target in 19.1 overs, courtesyMcGrath (42 n.o., 33b, 6x4),who launched into ShikhaPandey’s 18th over, pickingup 14 runs.
After Shikha breachedAlyssa Healy’s defence witha beauty that jagged back along way, Rajeshwari Gayakwad got rid of Meg Lanning(15).
Ashleigh Gardener (1) hit along hop from Harmanpreetstraight to point fi�elderRajeshwari.
Deepti Sharma got thedangerous Ellyse Perry (1) asHarmanpreet timed herjump to perfection at cover,leaving Australia tottering at46 for four. Beth Mooney (34off� 36 balls) was cautious for
the better part of her inningsas McGrath started smashingthe bowlers. Both weredropped by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh in the same over,McGrath’s catch provingcostly. Once Mooney wasstumped off� Rajeshwari andNicola Carey was alsostumped off� a rebound off�Richa Ghosh’s body, Australia slipped to 94 for six before McGrath stepped up tothe plate.
Earlier, Pooja’s fi�ne exhibition of powerhitting (37n.o., 26b, 3x4, 2x6) took India past the hundred markafter it was reeling at 81 fornine.
McGrath takes Australia past the fi�nish lineIndian bowlers put up valiant eff�ort
Press Trust of India
Gold Coast
INDIA IN AUS
Final thrust: Pooja’s assault in the last few overs took India to 118, but it wasn’t enough. * TWITTER/ICC
INDIASmriti Mandhana c Carey bVlaeminck 1 (5b), Shafali Vermac Darlington b Vlaeminck 3 (7b),Jemimah Rodrigues c Darlington b Molineux 7 (13b), Harmanpreet Kaur st. Healy bWareham 28 (20b, 5x4), YastikaBhatia run out 8 (11b, 1x4),Richa Ghosh b Carey 2 (10b),Deepti Sharma run out 16 (19b,1x4), Pooja Vastrakar (not out)37 (26b, 3x4, 2x6), ShikhaPandey b Gardner 1 (3b), Renuka Singh b Molineux 1 (3b),Rajeshwari Gayakwad (not out)0 (4b); Extras (lb2, w11, nb1):14; Total (for nine wkts. in 20overs): 118.
FALL OF WICKETS15 (Smriti, 0.6 ov), 212(Shafali, 2.5), 324 (Jemimah,
5.3), 450 (Harmanpreet, 8.5),552 (Yastika, 9.4), 661 (Richa,11.6), 776 (Deepti, 15.2), 878(Shikha, 15.6), 981 (Renuka,16.6).
AUSTRALIA BOWLINGVlaeminck 30182, Molineux40112, Perry 20170, Gardner 40121, Wareham 20141, Carey 30251, Darlington 20190.
AUSTRALIAAlyssa Healy b Shikha 4 (2b,1x4), Beth Mooney st. Richa bRajeshwari 34 (36b, 4x4), MegLanning c Richa b Rajeshwari 15(20b, 2x4), Ashleigh Gardner cRajeshwari b Harmanpreet 1(5b), Ellyse Perry c Harmanpreet b Deepti 2 (4b), TahliaMcGrath (not out) 42 (33b,6x4), Nicola Carey st. Richa b
Rajeshwari 7 (8b), GeorgiaWareham (not out) 10 (7b, 2x4);Extras (lb3, w1): 4; Total (forsix wkts. in 19.1 overs): 119.
FALL OF WICKETS14 (Healy, 0.2), 235 (Lanning,6.3), 338 (Gardner, 7.5), 446(Perry, 9.1), 571 (Mooney, 13.1),694 (Carey, 16.4).
INDIA BOWLINGShikha 40271, Renuka 41270, Pooja 3.10210, Rajeshwari 40213, Harmanpreet 2091, Deepti 20111.
Toss: Australia; PlayeroftheMatch: Tahlia McGrath.
Australia won by four wicketswith five balls to spare.
Third and final T20I: Oct. 10(Sunday), Metricon Stadium,Carrara, 1.40 p.m. IST.
SCOREBOARD
Thomas & Uber Cup: StarSports 3, 12.30 p.m.Australia Women vs IndiaWomen: 3rd T20I, Sony Ten3 & Sony Six (SD & HD), 1.40p.m.F1: Turkish GP, SS Select 2(SD & HD), 5.30 p.m.UEFA Nations League(third place match): SonyTen 2 & Sony Six (SD & HD),6.30 p.m. & (Final) 12.30 a.m.(Monday).SAFF championship: Nepalvs India, Eurosport (SD &HD), 9.30 p.m.
TV PICKS
The team of Adarsh Singh,Vijayveer Sidhu, and AnishBhanwala won the 25metrerapid fi�re pistol team gold,beating Germany 102, in thejunior World Championships here. With only fourteams in the race, India wasdominant in the two stagesof qualifi�cation.
Losing outAyushi Podder and AishwaryPratap Singh Tomar werestrong in the two stages ofqualifi�cation in the mixedteam 50metre rifl�e 3position event, but lost the gold
to Germany 1731.India swept the medals in
both the double trap eventsas the competition had onlyseven Indians in all. The ISSF
categorised it as a GrandPrix, but put the medals inthe overall table to boost India’s collection to 13 gold, 11silver and six bronze. USA
stayed in the second spotwith six gold, eight silver andsix bronze.
The results: Men: 25m rapidfi�re pistol team: 1. India(Adarsh Singh, Vijayveer Sidhu,Anish Bhanwala) 10 (556) 866,2. Germany 2 (549) 846, 3.Thailand 9 (532) 803.
Double trap: 1. Vinay PratapSingh 120, 2. Sehajpreet Singh114, 3. Mayank Shokeen 111.
Women: Double trap: 1. ManviSoni 105, 2. Yeshaya Hafi�z Contractor 90, 3. Hitasha 76.
Mixed team 50m rifl�e 3position: 1. Germany 31 (586) 875,2. India (Ayushi Podder, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar) 17(590) 880, 3. Czech Republic33 (586) 873.
India clinches three more gold medalsSports Bureau
LIMA
On target: Anish, Vijayveer and Adarsh triumphed in the 25m rapid fi�re pistol event. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The unheralded Dipti Kumari stunned World juniorchampion Komalika Bari toclaim her maiden recurvewomen’s individual title inthe 40th NTPC National archery championships at theTata Archery Academyground here on Saturday.
Dipti, who switched fromIndian bow to recurve twoyears ago, beat JharkhandStatemate Komalika 73 inthe fi�nal.
After losing the fi�rst set,Dipti, who was successful intwo shootoff�s en route thefi�nal, shared honours in thesecond and won the next
three (2928, 2928, 2725).Komalika, also competing inher fi�rst National fi�nal, crumbled under pressure.
A World junior gold medallist in men’s team andmixed team events, Maharashtra archer Parth Salunkhe defeated a more experienced rival, SukhchainSingh of Services, 73 for hisfi�rst National gold medal inthe men’s individual event.The results:
Recurve:
Men: Individual: Final: ParthSalunkhe (Mah) bt SukhchainSingh (SSCB) 73.
Third place: Amit Yadav (MP) btKapil (RSPB) 65 (9*9).
Women: Individual: Final: Dipti
Kumari (Jha) bt Komalika Bari(Jha) 73; Third place: Simranjeet Kaur (Pun) bt Ishita (AIP)73.
Mixed Team: Final: Jharkhandbt Uttar Pradesh 53; Thirdplace: Rajasthan bt Punjab 54(1915).
Y.B. Sarangi
JAMSHEDPUR
Moment to cherish: Dipti and Parth bagged their maidenNational titles. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Dipti shocks Komalika, Parth beats Sukhchain
India vicecaptain andMumbai Indians skipperRohit Sharma expects Hardik Pandya to start bowlingfrom “next week” eventhough he won’t like to puta timeline on the subject.
“In terms of his (Hardik)bowling, the physios, trainers are working. He hasn’tbowled a single ball yet. Wewanted to take one matchat a time and see where hestands,” Rohit said afterMI’s last IPL game.
“He is getting better dayby day. In the next week orso, he might be able tobowl, who knows? Only thedoctors and physios will beable to give an update onthat.
“Personally, he will notbe happy with his battingbut the team has confi�dence in his ability. I, too,have confi�dence in him.”
Hardik willbowl from nextweek: Rohit
Press Trust of India
Abu Dhabi
Lewis Hamilton dominatedqualifying on Saturday forthe Turkish GP but Mercedes teammate ValtteriBottas will start from pole asthe Brit incurred a 10placegrid penalty for changinghis engine.
Hamilton, the championship leader, set a new lap record three times inqualifying.
His closest rival for the title, Max Verstappen of RedBull, will start alongsideBottas on the front row.
Hamilton improved histime in each of the threequalifying phases. Afterbreaking the 16yearoldtrack record in practice onFriday, he broke it again ineach of the three qualifyingsessions.The grid: Row 1: Bottas (Mercedes), Verstappen (Red Bull);
Row 2: Leclerc (Ferrari), Gasly(AlphaTauri); Row 3: Alonso(Alpine), Perez (Red Bull); Row4: Norris (McLaren), Stroll (Aston Martin); Row 5: Tsunoda(AlphaTauri), Vettel (AstonMartin); Row 6: Hamilton(Mercedes), Ocon (Alpine);Row 7: Russell (Williams),Schumacher (Haas); Row 8:Ricciardo (McLaren), Latifi�(Williams); Row 9: Giovinazzi(Alfa Romeo), Raikkonen (AlfaRomeo); Row 10: Mazepin(Haas), Sainz (Ferrari).
Hamilton sizzles butBottas on poleChampionship leader will start 11th
Agence France-Presse
ISTANBUL
Hamilton. * REUTERS
Malik replaces MaqsoodKARACHI
Veteran batsman Shoaib
Malik has been included in
Pakistan's Twenty20 World
Cup squad, replacing
toporder batter Sohaib
Maqsood, who was ruled out
with a back problem, the
selectors said. AFP
IN BRIEF