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  • 2021/01/13  · enough votes to impeach the president in the House, which requires a simple majority. But the Senate, where both the Republicans and Democrats have …
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T he Democratic-controlled House of Representatives would vote on the impeach- ment of outgoing President Donald Trump on Wednesday on charges of inciting his sup- porters to carry out a violent attack on the Capitol Hill last week. Co-authored by Congressmen Jamie Raskin, David Cicilline and Ted Lieu, the article of impeachment — co-sponsored by 211 House members — was tabled on Monday. During a conference call with his party colleagues on Monday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the impeachment vote will be held on Wednesday. The article of impeach- ment charges Trump with a count of “incitement of insur- rection” for his actions on January 6, when he delivered a speech inciting his supporters to lay siege to the Capitol, an action that temporarily halted the counting of Electoral College votes and resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including an officer of the US Capitol Police. The Democrats have enough votes to impeach the president in the House, which requires a simple majority. But the Senate, where both the Republicans and Democrats have now 50-50 seats — would require votes of two-third of the members to remove the presi- dent out of the office. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in her capacity as Chairperson of the Senate would add one more to the Democrats when necessary. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the vote on impeachment in the upper chambers of the US Congress can not happen before the Inauguration Day on January 20. Continued on Page 2 A s India gears up for vacci- nating three crore health workers from January 16 mega Covid-jab drive, the Government on Tuesday said there would be two doses of the vaccine which will be given at a 28-day interval. “The effectiveness of the vaccine would begin only after 14 days of receiving the second dose. Hence it is imperative to maintain Covid-19 appropriate behavior even after receiving the coronavirus vaccine,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhsuhan said, explaining the vaccination timeline here at a press conference. “We also hope States, at the highest level, will exercise con- tinuous oversight and person- al involvement in the entire process of the rollout. There is a gap of 28 days between the two doses. Effectiveness begins 14 days after the second dose. Communication must high- light this aspect and Covid- appropriate behaviour,” he said. The Government Medical Store Department (GMSD) in Karnal, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai will be treated as the four main storage centres for the vaccine rollout, Bhushan said, adding that one regional vaccination store will also be designated in each State but some States may have more. Bhushan said that there will be a sequential rollout of Covid-19 vaccination. Continued on Page 2 A s his troops are braving harsh winters in Ladakh, Army Chief General MM Naravane said here on Tuesday that he favoured dialogue to defuse tension, but the forces are ready to hold ground as long as it takes to achieve the national objective. He also said the solution should be based on “equal and mutual security.” Making this point against the backdrop of scores of diplo- matic and military-level talks failing to end the impasse at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Naravane also underlined the “collusive threat” of Pakistan and China and termed it as “potent threat.” Assuring that the armed forces are ready to face any challenge, he said eight rounds of military-level talks have taken so far and “if the process prolongs so be it. We are pre- pared to hold our ground as long it takes to achieve our national goals and objectives.” Addressing the annual Press conference ahead of the Army Day on January 15, he, however, was hopeful that India and China will be able to reach an agreement to resolve the eastern Ladakh standoff. Operational preparedness of the Indian armed forces is of very high level and they will continue to hold onto their ground. Informing that the forces are alert all along the 4,000 km long LAC, the Army Chief said the stand-offs prompted the Army to do rebalancing of troops. The Army Chief also said reports indicated that China had pulled back its troops from the depth areas in the Tibetan plateau due to onset of winter months. He cautioned that not much should be read into it as the force levels at all the friction points at the LAC remain the same. He also said the depth areas or training grounds of China are at least 500 to 1,500 km away from the LAC. The need of the hour is to maintain vigil at the border where force levels were intact in Eastern Ladakh. Continued on Page 2 W ith just five days left before India starts its nationwide inoculation drive on January 16, the Government on Tuesday released a price- wise comparison chart of all the vaccines in the world, claiming the two deployed by India are among the cheapest. The Government has pro- cured 55 lakh doses of Covaxin from the Bharat Biotech at a cost of 206 per dose. This is in addition to 1.1 crore doses of Covishield vaccine it pro- cured from Serum Institute of India at a cost of 200 per dose “Pricewise our vaccines are the cheapest in the world,” said Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday as he sought to refuse allegations that the Government has shelled out higher prices for purchasing the two vaccines. Talking to the press reporters here, he pointed out that US pharma giant Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine will be priced at 2,800 for two doses while Moderna’s will cost any- where between 2,300 to 2,700 per dose. One vaccine developed by China has been priced at 5,600 per dose while another Chinese vaccine will be made available in India at 1,200 per dose. Sputnik-V, the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Russia will cost 734 per dose while the one developed by Johnson & Johnson is also expected to be priced at 734 per dose, he added. Asked about the vaccines approved by Indian regula- tors, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said both Covishield and Covaxin have established safety and immunogenicity. “All preparations are on track for vaccine rollout. It will be a sequential rollout, depending on availability,” he added. NITI Aayog member and chairman of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) Dr VK Paul said, “We should have no doubt that the two vaccines approved are the safest of the vaccines. Side effects are negligible. There is no risk of any signif- icance, let’s be reassured. We are telling you this truthfully and with responsibility.” Bhushan said that the country’s regulators are looking at four more Covid-19 vaccines in the pipeline. Among these are the vaccines developed by Zydus Cadilla, Russia’s Sputnik- V, Biological E and Gennova. Continued on Page 2 I ndia reported the lowest sin- gle-day jump in coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours since mid-June with 12,584 fresh infections, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. The Covid-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.44 per cent with the active caseload remaining below 3 lakh. India’s Covid-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 and 50 lakh on September 16. It crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. Detailed report on P4 New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to file an affidavit on its claim that some banned organ- isations, including “Khalistanis”, have infiltrated the ongoing farmers protest against the new farm laws. Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, said he will file an affi- davit along with the necessary inputs of the IB. Senior advocate PS Narasimha, appearing for inter- venor “Indian Kisan Union” supporting the new farm laws, said some banned organisa- tions have been fuelling the protests of farmers. A look at the credentials of the four members of the committee formed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday to resolve the deadlock over farm- ers’ agitation reveals they have been vocal supporters of the Government’s new farm laws. The committee comprise Bhupinder Singh Mann of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Anil Ghanwat of Shetkari Sangathan, Dr Pramod Kumar Joshi, former director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute; and agri- cultural economist Ashok Gulati. Out of these four, Bhupinder Singh Mann is the only member who has sup- ported the the laws with some “amendments”. Ashok Gulati has been the most vocal supporter of the deregulation of agriculture markets. Gulati is an agricul- tural economist who was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015. He is an Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at the India Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER). Gulati was also the youngest member of the Economic Advisory Council of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and a member of the Economic Advisory Council of the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and mem- ber of the State Planning Board of Karnataka. From 2011 to 2014, he was the head of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The panel recommends minimum support prices of various crops to the Government, and is attached to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Continued on Page 2 T he agitating farmers scored a major victory on Tuesday when the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the three farm laws till further orders despite vehement oppo- sition by the Centre. The court formed a four-member com- mittee to listen to the griev- ances of the farmers and make recommendations to resolve the stand-off. The apex court said the talks between the Government and the farmers’ bodies have not yielded any solution so far and its order may encourage the protesting farmers to come to the negotiating table in good faith. “The stay may assuage the hurt feelings of farmers and encourage them to come to the negotiating table with confi- dence,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde said. However, the farmer unions had already rejected any negotiation with any court- appointed committee and did not even send their advocates to take part in Tuesday’s pro- ceedings. The SC said a few farmers’ unions, which are now protest- ing, have engaged a team of lawyers comprising senior advocates Dushyant Dave, Colin Gonsalves, HS Phoolka and lawyer Prashant Bhushan to represent their cause. It said when Attorney General KK Venugopal had submitted earlier that there are reports that the unions may take out a tractor rally on January 26 disrupting the Republic Day Parade and cel- ebrations, “the same was stout- ly denied” by Dave on the ground that at least one mem- ber of family of each of the farmers from Punjab is in Army and they would not dis- rupt the celebrations. “However, today this team of lawyers is absent,” the Bench noted, adding some unions, who are opposing these laws, have agreed to go before the committee. Rejecting the Government contention that it cannot stay any law passed by Parliament, the judges said the apex court cannot be said to be “com- pletely powerless” to grant a stay of any executive action under a statutory enactment. Noting that negotiations between the farmers’ unions and the Government have “not yielded any result so far”, the court said the constitution of a committee of experts in the field of agriculture to negotiate may create a congenial atmos- phere and improve the trust and confidence of farmers. “As a consequence, the Minimum Support Price sys- tem in existence before the enactment of the farm laws shall be maintained until fur- ther orders. In addition, the farmers’ landholdings shall be protected, i.e., no farmer shall be dispossessed or deprived of his title as a result of any action taken under the farm laws,” the Bench, also com- prising Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, said in its 11-page interim order. “While we may not stifle a peaceful protest, we think that this extraordinary order of stay of implementation of the farm laws will be perceived as an achievement of the purpose of such protest at least for the pre- sent and will encourage the farmer bodies to convince their members to get back to their livelihood, both in order to pro- tect their own lives and health and in order to protect the lives and properties of others,” the Bench said. The committee comprises Bhupinder Singh Mann, national president of Bhartiya Kisan Union, All India Kisan Coordination Committee; Parmod Kumar Joshi, Director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute; Ashok Gulati, agricultural economist and former chair- man of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, and Anil Ghanwat, president of Shetkari Sangathan. Continued on Page 2 D isapproving the Supreme Court-appointed commit- tee to break the deadlock over the farm laws, the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha on Tuesday said that they will not appear before the panel as it is pro- Government and continue their agitation. Addressing a Press confer- ence at Singhu Border here, union leaders said they wel- come apex court’s order to suspend the implementation of the farm laws but this is not a solution and the farmer unions have not been asking for it. “The Government must repeal the laws and it must understand that farmers and people of India are opposed to the laws. The SC has formed a committee in its own wisdom and farmer unions have noth- ing much to say on this. Farmer unions reiterate that they will not participate in any such committee process. Further, one of the apprehensions about such a process got validated in the very constitution of the committee,” said farmer leader Darshan Pal Singh. “It is clear that the court is being misguided by various forces even in its constitution of a committee. These are peo- ple who are known for their support to the three Acts and have actively advocated for the same. It is not out of place to remind that the farmer unions have rejected a committee pro- posal from the Government too. Their dialogue is basical- ly with an elected Government about its policy directions and concomitant laws,” he said. “The members of the SC- appointed committee are not dependable as they have been writing on how agri laws are pro-farmer. We will continue our agitation,” said farmer leader Balbeer Singh Rajewal. “The peaceful Kisan Parade on the Republic Day will be held at Delhi and all over the country in large num- bers. The Government is trying to misguide the court on this too,” said Ravinder Patiala, another farmers’ leader. Continued on Page 2

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    The Democratic-controlledHouse of Representativeswould vote on the impeach-ment of outgoing PresidentDonald Trump on Wednesdayon charges of inciting his sup-porters to carry out a violentattack on the Capitol Hill lastweek. Co-authored byCongressmen Jamie Raskin,David Cicilline and Ted Lieu,the article of impeachment —co-sponsored by 211 Housemembers — was tabled onMonday.

    During a conference callwith his party colleagues onMonday, House MajorityLeader Steny Hoyer said theimpeachment vote will be heldon Wednesday.

    The article of impeach-

    ment charges Trump with acount of “incitement of insur-rection” for his actions onJanuary 6, when he delivered aspeech inciting his supportersto lay siege to the Capitol, anaction that temporarily haltedthe counting of ElectoralCollege votes and resulted inthe deaths of five individuals,including an officer of the US

    Capitol Police.The Democrats have

    enough votes to impeach thepresident in the House, whichrequires a simple majority. Butthe Senate, where both theRepublicans and Democratshave now 50-50 seats — wouldrequire votes of two-third of themembers to remove the presi-dent out of the office. VicePresident-elect Kamala Harrisin her capacity as Chairpersonof the Senate would add onemore to the Democrats whennecessary.

    Senate Majority LeaderMitch McConnell has said thevote on impeachment in theupper chambers of the USCongress can not happenbefore the Inauguration Day onJanuary 20.

    Continued on Page 2

    ���� '-(�.-/*#

    As India gears up for vacci-nating three crore healthworkers from January 16 megaCovid-jab drive, theGovernment on Tuesday saidthere would be two doses of thevaccine which will be given ata 28-day interval.

    “The effectiveness of thevaccine would begin only after14 days of receiving the seconddose. Hence it is imperative tomaintain Covid-19 appropriatebehavior even after receivingthe coronavirus vaccine,”Union Health Secretary RajeshBhsuhan said, explaining thevaccination timeline here at apress conference.

    “We also hope States, at thehighest level, will exercise con-

    tinuous oversight and person-al involvement in the entireprocess of the rollout. There isa gap of 28 days between thetwo doses. Effectiveness begins14 days after the second dose.Communication must high-light this aspect and Covid-appropriate behaviour,” he said.

    The Government MedicalStore Department (GMSD) inKarnal, Kolkata, Chennai andMumbai will be treated as thefour main storage centres forthe vaccine rollout, Bhushansaid, adding that one regionalvaccination store will also bedesignated in each State butsome States may have more.

    Bhushan said that therewill be a sequential rollout ofCovid-19 vaccination.

    Continued on Page 2

    ���� '-(�.-/*#

    As his troops are bravingharsh winters in Ladakh,Army Chief General MMNaravane said here on Tuesdaythat he favoured dialogue todefuse tension, but the forcesare ready to hold ground aslong as it takes to achieve thenational objective. He also saidthe solution should be based on“equal and mutual security.”

    Making this point againstthe backdrop of scores of diplo-matic and military-level talksfailing to end the impasse at theLine of Actual Control (LAC),Naravane also underlined the“collusive threat” of Pakistan

    and China and termed it as“potent threat.”

    Assuring that the armedforces are ready to face anychallenge, he said eight roundsof military-level talks havetaken so far and “if the processprolongs so be it. We are pre-pared to hold our ground aslong it takes to achieve ournational goals and objectives.”

    Addressing the annualPress conference ahead of theArmy Day on January 15, he,however, was hopeful that Indiaand China will be able to reachan agreement to resolve theeastern Ladakh standoff.

    Operational preparednessof the Indian armed forces is ofvery high level and they willcontinue to hold onto theirground. Informing that theforces are alert all along the4,000 km long LAC, the ArmyChief said the stand-offsprompted the Army to do

    rebalancing of troops.The Army Chief also said

    reports indicated that Chinahad pulled back its troopsfrom the depth areas in theTibetan plateau due to onset ofwinter months. He cautionedthat not much should be readinto it as the force levels at allthe friction points at the LAC

    remain the same. He also said the depth

    areas or training grounds ofChina are at least 500 to 1,500km away from the LAC. Theneed of the hour is to maintainvigil at the border where forcelevels were intact in EasternLadakh.

    Continued on Page 2

    ���� '-(�.-/*#

    With just five days leftbefore India starts itsnationwide inoculation driveon January 16, the Governmenton Tuesday released a price-wise comparison chart of all thevaccines in the world, claimingthe two deployed by India areamong the cheapest.

    The Government has pro-cured 55 lakh doses of Covaxinfrom the Bharat Biotech at acost of �206 per dose. This isin addition to 1.1 crore dosesof Covishield vaccine it pro-cured from Serum Institute ofIndia at a cost of �200 per dose

    “Pricewise our vaccinesare the cheapest in the world,”said Union Health SecretaryRajesh Bhushan on Tuesday ashe sought to refuse allegationsthat the Government hasshelled out higher prices for

    purchasing the two vaccines.Talking to the press

    reporters here, he pointed outthat US pharma giant Pfizer’scoronavirus vaccine will bepriced at �2,800 for two doseswhile Moderna’s will cost any-where between �2,300 to�2,700 per dose. One vaccinedeveloped by China has beenpriced at �5,600 per dose whileanother Chinese vaccine will bemade available in India at�1,200 per dose.

    Sputnik-V, the Covid-19vaccine developed by Russiawill cost �734 per dose whilethe one developed by Johnson& Johnson is also expected tobe priced at �734 per dose, headded.

    Asked about the vaccinesapproved by Indian regula-tors, Health Secretary RajeshBhushan said both Covishieldand Covaxin have established

    safety and immunogenicity.“All preparations are on trackfor vaccine rollout. It will be asequential rollout, dependingon availability,” he added.

    NITI Aayog member andchairman of the NationalExpert Group on VaccineAdministration for Covid-19(NEGVAC) Dr VK Paul said,“We should have no doubtthat the two vaccines approvedare the safest of the vaccines.Side effects are negligible.There is no risk of any signif-icance, let’s be reassured. Weare telling you this truthfullyand with responsibility.”

    Bhushan said that thecountry’s regulators are lookingat four more Covid-19 vaccinesin the pipeline. Among theseare the vaccines developed byZydus Cadilla, Russia’s Sputnik-V, Biological E and Gennova.

    Continued on Page 2

    ���� '-(�.-/*#

    India reported the lowest sin-gle-day jump in coronaviruscases in the last 24 hours sincemid-June with 12,584 freshinfections, the Union Health

    Ministry said on Tuesday.The Covid-19 case fatality

    rate stands at 1.44 per cent withthe active caseload remainingbelow 3 lakh.

    India’s Covid-19 tally hadcrossed the 20-lakh mark on

    August 7 and 50 lakh onSeptember 16. It crossed 80lakh on October 29, 90 lakh onNovember 20 and surpassedthe one-crore mark onDecember 19.

    Detailed report on P4

    New Delhi: The SupremeCourt on Tuesday asked theCentre to file an affidavit on itsclaim that some banned organ-isations, including“Khalistanis”, have infiltratedthe ongoing farmers protestagainst the new farm laws.

    Attorney General KKVenugopal, appearing for theCentre, said he will file an affi-davit along with the necessaryinputs of the IB.

    Senior advocate PSNarasimha, appearing for inter-venor “Indian Kisan Union”supporting the new farm laws,said some banned organisa-tions have been fuelling theprotests of farmers.

    ������������ '-(�.-/*#

    Alook at the credentials ofthe four members of thecommittee formed by theSupreme Court on Tuesday toresolve the deadlock over farm-ers’ agitation reveals they havebeen vocal supporters of theGovernment’s new farm laws.

    The committee compriseBhupinder Singh Mann of theBharatiya Kisan Union, AnilGhanwat of ShetkariSangathan, Dr Pramod KumarJoshi, former director for SouthAsia, International Food PolicyResearch Institute; and agri-cultural economist Ashok

    Gulati.Out of these four,

    Bhupinder Singh Mann is theonly member who has sup-ported the the laws with some“amendments”.

    Ashok Gulati has been themost vocal supporter of thederegulation of agriculturemarkets. Gulati is an agricul-tural economist who wasawarded the Padma Shri in2015. He is an Infosys ChairProfessor for Agriculture atthe India Council for Researchon International EconomicRelations (ICRIER). Gulati wasalso the youngest member ofthe Economic Advisory

    Council of Prime Minister AtalBihari Vajpayee and a memberof the Economic AdvisoryCouncil of the Chief Ministerof Andhra Pradesh and mem-ber of the State Planning Boardof Karnataka.

    From 2011 to 2014, he wasthe head of the Commission forAgricultural Costs and Prices(CACP).

    The panel recommendsminimum support prices ofvarious crops to theGovernment, and is attached tothe Union Ministry ofAgriculture and FarmersWelfare.

    Continued on Page 2

    ���� '-(�.-/*#

    The agitating farmers scoreda major victory on Tuesdaywhen the Supreme Courtstayed the implementation ofthe three farm laws till furtherorders despite vehement oppo-sition by the Centre. The courtformed a four-member com-mittee to listen to the griev-ances of the farmers and makerecommendations to resolvethe stand-off.

    The apex court said thetalks between the Governmentand the farmers’ bodies havenot yielded any solution so farand its order may encouragethe protesting farmers to cometo the negotiating table in goodfaith. “The stay may assuage thehurt feelings of farmers andencourage them to come to thenegotiating table with confi-dence,” a Bench headed byChief Justice SA Bobde said.

    However, the farmerunions had already rejected anynegotiation with any court-appointed committee and didnot even send their advocatesto take part in Tuesday’s pro-ceedings.

    The SC said a few farmers’unions, which are now protest-ing, have engaged a team oflawyers comprising senioradvocates Dushyant Dave,Colin Gonsalves, HS Phoolkaand lawyer Prashant Bhushanto represent their cause.

    It said when AttorneyGeneral KK Venugopal hadsubmitted earlier that thereare reports that the unionsmay take out a tractor rally onJanuary 26 disrupting theRepublic Day Parade and cel-ebrations, “the same was stout-ly denied” by Dave on theground that at least one mem-ber of family of each of thefarmers from Punjab is inArmy and they would not dis-rupt the celebrations.

    “However, today this teamof lawyers is absent,” the Benchnoted, adding some unions,who are opposing these laws,have agreed to go before thecommittee.

    Rejecting the Governmentcontention that it cannot stayany law passed by Parliament,the judges said the apex courtcannot be said to be “com-pletely powerless” to grant astay of any executive actionunder a statutory enactment.

    Noting that negotiationsbetween the farmers’ unionsand the Government have “notyielded any result so far”, thecourt said the constitution of acommittee of experts in thefield of agriculture to negotiatemay create a congenial atmos-phere and improve the trustand confidence of farmers.

    “As a consequence, theMinimum Support Price sys-tem in existence before theenactment of the farm lawsshall be maintained until fur-ther orders. In addition, thefarmers’ landholdings shall be

    protected, i.e., no farmer shallbe dispossessed or deprived ofhis title as a result of anyaction taken under the farmlaws,” the Bench, also com-prising Justices AS Bopannaand V Ramasubramanian, saidin its 11-page interim order.

    “While we may not stifle apeaceful protest, we think thatthis extraordinary order of stayof implementation of the farmlaws will be perceived as anachievement of the purpose ofsuch protest at least for the pre-sent and will encourage thefarmer bodies to convince theirmembers to get back to theirlivelihood, both in order to pro-

    tect their own lives and healthand in order to protect the livesand properties of others,” theBench said.

    The committee comprisesBhupinder Singh Mann,national president of BhartiyaKisan Union, All India KisanCoordination Committee;Parmod Kumar Joshi, Directorfor South Asia, InternationalFood Policy Research Institute;Ashok Gulati, agriculturaleconomist and former chair-man of the Commission forAgricultural Costs and Prices,and Anil Ghanwat, president ofShetkari Sangathan.

    Continued on Page 2

    ���

    ��������� '-(�.-/*#

    Disapproving the SupremeCourt-appointed commit-tee to break the deadlock overthe farm laws, the SanyuktKisan Morcha on Tuesday saidthat they will not appear beforethe panel as it is pro-Government and continuetheir agitation.

    Addressing a Press confer-ence at Singhu Border here,union leaders said they wel-come apex court’s order tosuspend the implementation ofthe farm laws but this is not asolution and the farmer unionshave not been asking for it.

    “The Government mustrepeal the laws and it mustunderstand that farmers andpeople of India are opposed tothe laws. The SC has formed acommittee in its own wisdomand farmer unions have noth-

    ing much to say on this. Farmerunions reiterate that they willnot participate in any suchcommittee process. Further,one of the apprehensions aboutsuch a process got validated inthe very constitution of the

    committee,” said farmer leaderDarshan Pal Singh.

    “It is clear that the court isbeing misguided by variousforces even in its constitutionof a committee. These are peo-ple who are known for their

    support to the three Acts andhave actively advocated for thesame. It is not out of place toremind that the farmer unionshave rejected a committee pro-posal from the Governmenttoo. Their dialogue is basical-ly with an elected Governmentabout its policy directions andconcomitant laws,” he said.

    “The members of the SC-appointed committee are notdependable as they have beenwriting on how agri laws arepro-farmer. We will continueour agitation,” said farmerleader Balbeer Singh Rajewal.

    “The peaceful KisanParade on the Republic Daywill be held at Delhi and allover the country in large num-bers. The Government is tryingto misguide the court on thistoo,” said Ravinder Patiala,another farmers’ leader.

    Continued on Page 2

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    The Delhi Cabinet hasapproved the financialtransactions related to somekey initiatives, including finan-cial aid, in the form of DirectBenefit Transfer (DBT) to theGovernment and aided schoolstudents for textbooks andwriting material.

    Besides, funds have beenallocated to Delhi Bureau of

    Textbooks ( DBT) to publishand distribute support materi-als, student diaries, workbooks,material related to HappinessCurriculum, mental Maths,etc.

    The Cabinet headed bythe Chief Minister ArvindKejriwal, also approved thesetting up of ProjectManagement Unit (PMU) toexamine the fee hike proposalby private schools on govern-

    ment land for the year 2018-19and 2019-20. The DelhiCabinet approved the afore-mentioned measures in its lat-est meeting.

    Delhi Deputy ChiefMinister and EducationMinister Manish Sisodia saidthat the Government wants tolimit the disruption caused tothe education of children asmuch as possible.

    “Through financial assis-

    tance, we hope all our childrenwill be able to purchase studymaterial and textbooks and beconnected with their studies.Despite financial constraints,we will do everything we canfrom our side for our childrenso their studies are not affect-ed,” he said.

    Annually, the Directorateof Education of the DelhiGovernment provides text-books and cash through DBT

    to school students of govern-ment and aided schools toclasses 1 to class 8 and cashsubsidy to students of classes 9to 12.

    The Delhi Governmenthas approved Rs 64.37 crore forincurring expenditure towardsdisbursement of cash subsidyfor the students of govern-ment and aided schools thisyear.

    Besides, under the Delhi

    Government’s scheme ‘FreeSupply of Textbook suppliesand Material 2020-2021’, anadditional recurring expendi-ture of Rs.30.05 crore has beenallocated. Under this provision,supply of allied material, work-books, mental maths material,teacher diaries including nurs-ery and KG textbooks to thegovernment and aided schoolswill be made by Delhi Bureauof Text books (DBTB).

    In addition to these finan-cial schemes, the Cabinetapproved two NICSI empan-elled firms to set up PMU withreputed chartered accountantsto examine fee hike proposalsof private recognized unaidedschools on government land inDelhi. This will enable fasterdisposal of the proposal for feehike submitted by the schoolsfor the session 2018-19 and2019-20.

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    As the Congress GeneralSecretary Priyanka GandhiVadra turned a year older onTuesday, scores of Congressleaders, party workers and sup-porters across the countrygreeted her and tweeted warmbirthday wishes. DelhiCongress vice president andsenior dalit leader Jai Kishandistributed blankets, sweetsand fruits among needy andunderprivileged patientsadmitted in Sanjay GandhiHospital in Mangolpuri,Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital inPitampura and Rohini LordMaharishi Valmiki Hospital ofPuth, including Baba SahebAmbedkar Hospital.

    “Due to Corona virusacross the country, the partyworker has done this programwith limited number and verysimplicity. Our leader alwaysworks for the poor and under-privileged and hence We aredistributing blankets to savethem from cold,” Jai Kishansaid. The Congress leaderhailed the Gandhi family con-tribution in Indian Politics.He said that under PriyankaGandhi leadership, theCongress will perform well inUP’s next polls.

    ���

    ��������� '-(�.-/*#

    Delhi Jal Board (DJB) hascurtailed water supplyfrom ‘Water Treatment Plants’situated at Wazirabad,Chandrawal and Okhla due tothe rising level of ammonia inthe River Yamuna.

    The DJB in a statementsaid that water supply shall beaffected on Wednesday in areassuch as Civil lines , Hindu RaoHospital, Kamla Nagar , ShaktiNagar, Karol Bagh , Paharganj,New Delhi Municipal Councilareas ,Old and new RajinderNagar , Patel Nagar (East andWest), Baljeet Nagar, PremNagar, Inderpuri, Kalkaji,Govindpuri, Tugalkabad,Sangam Vihar, AmbedkarNagar. Prahladpur, RamleelaGround, Delhi gate, SubhashPark., Model Town, GulabiBagh, Punjabi Bagh,Jahangirpuri,Moolchand,South Extension, Greaterkailash, Burari, parts of can-tonment areas, South Delhi

    and adjoining areas. The DJB has regretted the

    inconvenience and advised thepublic to make judicious use ofwater.

    ���

    ��������� '-(�.-/*#

    In a major reshuffle, the DelhiLieutenant Governor, AnilBaijal on Tuesday transferredeight Indian Police Service(IPS) officers to new postingsacross the National Capital.

    According to the orderissued by L-G office onTuesday, the IPS 2003 batchPrem Nath, AdditionalCommissioner of Police, CyberCell and Technology Cell hasbeen promoted as Joint CP,Cyber Cell and TechnologyCell.

    “B K Singh, the AdditionalCP, Crime ( IPS 2003 batch) has

    been promoted as Joint CP,Crime. Rajneesh Gupta ( IPS2005 batch) has been appoint-ed as Additional CP, PoliceTechnology Cell while IPS2008 batch, Ajay KrishnaSharma, has been given thecharge of DeputyCommissioner of Police(DCP), Police TechnologyCell,” the order stated.

    “Vijayanta Arya, (IPS 2009batch), the DeputyCommissioner of Police(DCP), Northwest district hasbeen transferred to EconomicOffence Wing while AdditionalDCP of West district, SameerSharma, the IPS 2011 batch has

    been given the charge of DCP,1st Battalion,” the order stated.“Usha Rangnani ( 2011 batchIPS), the DeputyCommissioner of Police(DCP), Police Control Room(PCR) has been given thecharge of DCP, Northwest.Prashant Priya Gautam of the2013 batch IPS and posted asDCP, Traffic has been trans-ferred as Additional DCP, Westdistrict,” the order further stat-ed. Sameer Sharma of 2013batch IPS and posted asAdditional DCP West districthas been sent to the 1st DelhiArmed Police battalion as DCP,the order stated.

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    The crime investigationagency (CIA) of theGurugram police arrested awanted inter-State criminalalong with his aide from theDwarka expressway near GarhiHarsaru village in Gurugramon Monday.

    The police said on Tuesdaythat a bounty of Rs 25,000 hadbeen fixed on one criminal.

    The arrested accused wereidentified as Akash alias Ashuof Bamdoli village inGurugram, the Haryana policehad fixed a bounty of Rs 25,000on him. The other accused wasidentified as Jasveer alias Jassaof Jind district in Haryana.

    The police added that thenabbed culprits were involvedin two dozen cases, includingmurder, attempt to murder,kidnapping and extortion andsnatching.

    “Akash was the kingpin ofthis gang. Including Akash,we have arrested 13 gang mem-bers of his gang in which theHaryana police had fixed abounty of Rs 25 thousand eachon Akash and Ankit and Rs5,000 each on Ajit and Monu.Till now we have recovered 1revolver, 8 live cartridges anda Mahindra Scorpio car fromtheir possession,” said Preet PalSangwan, ACP (Crime).

    According to the police, theaccused were arrested by thecrime branch team of PalamVihar unit led by InspectorJoginder Singh, from the

    Dwarka expressway near GarhiHarsaru village in Gurugramon Sunday after a tip-off.

    During interrogation, thekingpin of the gang Akashdisclosed that on November 15he along with his gang mem-bers had attacked the familymembers of a former sarpanchof Bamdoli village in whicharound four people sustainedcritical injuries during the inci-dent.

    “All the nabbed culpritswere habitual offenders andhave served jail terms in thepast. Akash wanted to establishhis domination in his village sothat he along with his accom-plices had allegedly attacked onthe victims,” Sangwan said.

    It may be recalled that in2007, Akash had killed hisclassmate inside his schoolpremises with his father’slicence pistol. The incidenthad hit the several headlines atthat time.

    ���

    ��������� '-(�.-/*#

    Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodiaterminated the manager of the North-WestDelhi Labour Office with immediate effect afterhe was found to be involved in ‘grave’ ‘irregu-larities’ in a dozen cases.

    Sisodia who is also the Labour Minister con-ducted a surprise inspection after receiving com-plaints of irregularities in the registration ofDelhi’s construction workers and decided to dis-continue the services of the manager after graveirregularities were found in a dozen cases.

    During the inspection, Sisodia also direct-ed the labour officers to carry out all the workrelated to registration and welfare of the labour-ers as per the rules and within the stipulated timeperiod.

    “The complaints ranged from not followingproper procedure to negligence on behalf oflabour office workers who used photographs ofwomen instead of men in the registration doc-uments. In another case, irregularity was foundin the registration of a worker who visited theoffice but used a photo clicked earlier instead

    of a photograph clicked on the spot,” thedeputy chief minister office said in a statement.

    Sisodia directed the labour officers to fin-ish all the work related to registration, renew-al and providing welfare benefits to construc-tion workers on time. “When the Delhi gov-ernment has made comprehensive plans for thewelfare of city’s construction workers, then allthe deserving workers should be able to availtheir benefits. No negligence will be toleratedin this matter,” he said.

    ���

    ��������� '-(�.-/*#

    Adelegation of the DelhiCongress led by its presi-dent Anil Kumar on Tuesdaysubmitted a memorandum tothe Lieutenant Governor ofDelhi Anil Baijal, seeking hisintervention in the recon-struction of a HanumanTemple in Chandni Chowkthat was allegedly demolishedby the BJP-ruled North DelhiMunicipal Corporation towiden a road.

    A copy of the memoran-dum has also been sent toUnion Home Minister Amit

    Shah, seeking his interventionin the reconstruction of theHanuman Temple.

    The Congress memoran-dum has drawn the attention ofthe Lt. Governor that the old-est Hanuman Mandir, wherepeople of all faiths used to wor-ship due to its central locationwas demolished without anyforethought in an overnightoperation, by the North MCD,after getting the approval of theArvind Government in Delhi,as both had termed the templeas an “encroachment”.

    Kumar impressed uponthe Lt. Governor that this

    Hanuman Temple was conse-crated before Independenceby adhering to all the rites foridol worship. The Congressleader said that this temple hadbecome a place of worship forpeople from all faiths, not onlyfor the residents of Old Delhibut also for lakhs of people whovisit Chandni Chowk, RedFort, and the Old Delhi areafrom across the country everyday.

    The memorandum point-ed out that the demolition ofthe Hanuman Temple haswounded the religious senti-ments of the people and shock-

    ingly the Hanuman idol hasbeen consigned to an MCD go-down as a “case property”. TheCongress delegation pleadedwith the Lt. Governor thatconsidering the hurt senti-ments of the people, theMandir should be re-built at itsoriginal place.

    Kumar while talking to

    the media said that Congresswill spare no effort in ensuringthat the Hanuman temple isreconstructed at the same placewhere it had stood, and criti-cized the BJP and the AamAadmi Party Government forshedding crocodile tears, afterconspiring in the demolition ofthe temple.

    ���

    ��������� '-(�.-/*#

    The Delhi DevelopmentAuthority (DDA) in itsmeeting approved a proposal tochange the land use of a plotallotted by it for building a newstructure of the Guru RavidasTemple, which was demol-ished by the urban body on thedirections of the SupremeCourt in 2019.

    The meeting was chairedby Delhi Lieutenant (LG)Governor Anil Baijal who is thechairman of the urban body.

    According to official, the newstructure will come at theJahanpanah City Forest area inthe National Capital.

    The approved land wasallotted by the DelhiDevelopment Authority (DDA)"at the same site" where the oldstructure existed in the forestarea in south Delhi.

    The decision to change theuse of the allotted 400 sqm ofland from "recreational to pub-lic and semi-public for religiouspurpose" was taken during anonline meeting of the

    Authority, the highest deci-sion-making body of the DDA.

    In early October last year,the Delhi DevelopmentAuthority (DDA) had approvedthe proposal to allot the pieceof land, and also recommend-ed the change of land use.

    "After the allotment, a pub-lic notice was issued invitingobjections and suggestionsfrom the public for this pur-pose. After that, it went to theBoard of Enquiry and Hearing,which cleared the proposal.And, today it was approved bythe Authority too," a seniorofficial said.

    It will now be sent to theMinistry of Housing and UrbanAffairs for final notification.

    The Delhi LG Office tweet-ed the decisions made duringthe meeting.

    "Also approved proposalsfor change of land use forexpansion of facilities of ILBSHospital and for religious pur-poses for Sant Guru Ravidas jitemple in Jahapanaha CityForest," it tweeted.

    In August 2019, hugeprotests had broken out inDelhi and Punjab by members

    and leaders of the Dalit com-munity after the structure ofthe old Ravidas temple wasdemolished by the DDA ondirections of the SupremeCourt.

    Among other decisionapproved by the Authority,included modification inMaster Plan of Delhi 2021 per-taining to warehouse or ware-housing schemes and areanorms for sewage treatmentplants (STP), the LG Office saidin the tweet.

    Revision in development

    control norms for setting up offuel stations-CNG in commu-nity centres; and extension ofexisting rates of additional FAR(floor area ratio) and use con-version upto June 30, 2021,were other proposals whichwere approved in the meeting,it said.

    "Advised the officials toclosely monitor and ensuretimebound disposal of appli-cations under #PMUDAY con-ferring property rights to theresidents of UCs," the LG saidin another tweet.

    ���

    ���������'-(�.-/*#

    Adelegation of Goenkars liv-ing in Delhi met with theChief Minister Arvind Kejriwalon Tuesday and thanked himfor notifying the setting-up ofthe Konkani Academy by theDelhi Government.

    Kejriwal said that theKonkani culture should be

    spread and propagated toeveryone. “People should learnfrom other cultures, that is howintegration takes place andthat is the beauty of India,” hesaid.

    The chief minister alsosaid that he looks forward toseeing everyone participateactively in all the programs,including Konkani music,drama, dance.

    "We have people comingfrom across the country fromstates like Tamil Nadu,Karnataka, Kerala, WestBengal, Gujarat, East andNorth-East India etc. Likewise,we have people from Goa whohave come and settled in Delhi.And I am so happy to learn thatall the Goans who have settledin Delhi have formed their ownassociations of Goenkars,” he

    said.Kejriwal further said that

    the Delhi government had setup Marathi academy last year,which has been running sincethen.

    “It was the demand of theKonkani speaking people sincethen that a Konkani academyshould also be set-up. Since thetime we have announced theKonkani Academy, it has been

    received very well and I amglad that everybody is happywith the setting-up of the acad-emy," he added.

    In a Cabinet meeting heldon January 8, the DelhiGovernment had approved thesetting up of Konkani Academyto facilitate the growth and pro-motion of the Konkani lan-guage and culture in thenational capital.

    The academy will be set upunder the Department of Art,Culture, and Languages of theDelhi Government, for thepeople of Delhi to have expo-sure to the rich Konkani cul-ture, language, literature, andfolk arts.

    The newly set-up academywill soon be allocated an officespace with the entire necessaryinfrastructure.

    ���

    ��������� '-(�.-/*#

    Delhi Chief Minister ArvindKejriwal on Tuesday saidthat his Government haslaunched various flagshipschemes in last two years andsome of these schemes waslaunched for the first time inthe world.

    Addressing the concludingsession of the Chief Minister'sUrban Leaders Fellowship(CMULF) programme,Kejriwal appreciated the fellowsfor their hard work and wishedthem luck for their futureendeavours.

    The Chief Minister saidthat in these two years, theCMUL fellowship program hassensitized the fellows towardsresolving the problems of thegeneral public by working onsome critical policies of theGovernment.

    Kejriwal also appreciatedthe fellows for working onthese policies with diligence.Minister of AdministrativeReforms Kailash Gehlot wasalso present at the meeting,along with other DelhiGovernment officials includingChief Secretary.

    Assressing the gathering,Gehlot said, "I want to con-gratulate you all for working onvarious levels of executing theflagship schemes of the DelhiGovernment.

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    Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and MLAAtishi on Tuesday said that the citizens of Delhishould vote the AAP to power in Municipal electionsin order to make Delhi cleaner and to remove the cor-ruption. Atishi said that the citizens of Delhi again votedAAP to power because we fulfilled all the promises wemade before the 2015 elections.

    "Today was the sixth day of the Mohalla Sabhasorganised by the AAP to expose the BJP ruled MCD.AAP organised around 205 Mohalla Sabhas in about55 legislative assembly constituencies of Delhi. TheseMohalla Sabhas witnessed a footfall of around 21,000people," she said. The AAP will continue the devel-opment works done by the Delhi government in theMCD too, she added.

    ���

    ��������� '-(�.-/*#

    The Delhi Police has arrested awanted criminal of easternUttar Pradesh, KanhaiyaVishwakarma alias Girdhari, whoallegedly killed a rival gang mem-ber in a shootout in the poshGomti Nagar area of Lucknow lastweek.

    Police said that they havealso recovered One 9 mm pistoland a live cartridge from the pos-session of the accused. Policesaid that a reward of Rs one lakhwas declared on his arrest in a2019 case where he killed oneRitesh in Varanasi. Girdhari wasalso a resident of Varanasi districtof Uttar Pradesh (UP).

    According to a senior police

    official, on Monday, the specialstaff of Outer North district of theDelhi Police got a tip-off regard-ing a suspicious person havingweapon in Rohini’s Sector-11area.

    “Thereafter, a team wasformed and the accused wasapprehended. Interrogation

    revealed that on January 6, hekilled one Ajit Singh of the rivalgang member in Lucknow,” saidthe senior police official.

    Ajit, 39, who was a notoriouscriminal of Mau district having 17cases against him, and his associ-ate Mohar Singh were travelling inan SUV when three motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire atthem.

    After killing Ajit, he wanted tomake Delhi as his hideout. Hereached Delhi on Monday andwhile Vishwakarma was searchinga house for him, he was arrested,police said.

    Over 20 cases have been reg-istered against him. The first casewas registered of a robbery in2001, police added.

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    Prime Minister NarendraModi on Tuesday lambast-ed dynastic politics as the“biggest enemy” of democracyand said it gives rise to a newform of “dictatorship” and bur-dens the country with “incom-petence”. He said “these dynas-ties” are also a very big reasonbehind political and social cor-ruption in the country.

    Addressing the valedictoryfunction of the second NationalYouth Parliament Festival,Modi launched an all out attackon dynastic parties, sayingthose who rise due to theirdynasties have no respect andfear of law as they believe iftheir previous generations werenot accounted for corruption,none can touch them as well.

    “They see such examplesin their own families. So theyhave neither respect nor fear oflaw,” he said, asking youngstersto join politics as this is “nec-essary” to save it. “It is true that(in politics) the fortunes ofthose who have been winningelections on the basis of sur-names are dwindling. But in

    politics, this disease of dynas-tic politics is not completelyfinished,” said Modi withoutany political families. Thoughpeople have now been sup-porting honesty and perfor-mance, and the legacy of “cor-ruption” of those in dynasticpolitics have become a burdenfor them, but the “disease ofdynastic politics” has not beenfully eradicated, the PrimeMinister said.

    “There are still peoplewhose conduct, ideas and goalsare all aimed at saving theirfamily politics and their fam-ilies in politics. Dynastic pol-itics gives rise to a new form ofdictatorship in democracy andburdens the country withincompetence. Dynastic poli-tics only strengthens the sen-timent of ‘me and my family’instead of ‘nation first’,” hesaid.

    Modi, however, added thatthings have changed from atime when people associatedpolitics with “violence, cor-ruption and loot” and thoughtit cannot change. A youngsterjoining politics was seen assomeone who has gone astray,

    he said. People are now soaware that they stand withhonest people in politics andgive them a chance, he said,asserting that honesty and per-formance have become “firstessential requirements oftoday’s politics”.

    This has happened due topressure created by the aware-ness in the country, he said,before noting that somechanges are still required andhighlighting dynastic politicsas the “biggest enemy” ofdemocracy. “The biggestenemy of democracy still existsand that is dynastic politics.Dynastic politics is such achallenge before the countrythat has to be rooted out,” hesaid.

    Exhorting youngsters tojoin politics in his virtualaddress, the Prime Ministersaid the “poison of dynasticpolitics” will continue to weak-en democracy unless theyenter it. The nation’s politicslike any other sector needsthem and their new thoughts,energy, ideas and dreams a lot,he said.

    In his address, he alsopaid rich tributes to SwamiVivekananda, whose birthanniversary fell on Tuesday,and said his ideals haveinspired people, including dur-ing the freedom struggle, ofevery generation and askedyoungster to follow them. LokSabha Speaker Om Birla andUnion Ministers RameshPokhriyal NIshank and KirenRijiju also attended the func-tion at Central Hall ofParliament.

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    India and Bangladesh onTuesday agreed to enhancethe fight against terrorist enti-ties, including global terroristgroups as well as other fugi-tives, wherever they are presentand active. The first delegation-level virtual police chiefs’ dia-logue between India andBangladesh also agreed toestablish designated ‘nodalpoints’ for timely and effectivehandling and response to exist-ing as well as emerging securi-ty and counter-terrorism chal-lenges.

    India and Bangladeshagreed to enhance their workjointly against terrorist entitiesincluding global terroristgroups, as well as other fugi-tives, wherever they are pre-sent and active, an officialstatement said. Both sidesreiterated the need for sharingof real time intelligence andfeedback through the desig-nated ‘nodal points’, whileappreciating each other’songoing action against insur-gent groups operating in theregion.

    The scope of enhancedcoordination to combat trans-border criminal activities,

    including smuggling of drugs,Fake Indian Currency Notes(FICN), arms and ammuni-tion and human traffickingwas also discussed, the state-ment said. While discussingongoing bilateral cooperation,issues of mutual concern andthe way forward, it was decid-ed to further strengthen therelationship of the policeforces of the two countries. Inview of the l imitationsimposed by the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic, themeeting was held virtuallyand in a shorter format.

    Both sides, however,emphasised the importance ofthis new high level mecha-nism as the dialogue con-cluded with assurances ofgreater cooperation on boththe sides to address all secu-rity challenges in future.

    The institution of policechiefs’ dialogue, assisted bymembers of other securityagencies on both sides, willfurther enhance the existingcooperation between thepolice forces of both coun-tries,thereby further consoli-dating a relationship that tran-scends strategic partnership inthis 50th anniversary of theLiberation of Bangladesh, thestatement said.

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    Ahead of the upcomingAssembly polls in fiveStates, the ElectionCommission of India (ECI) onTuesday held discussions withUnion Home Secretary AjayBhalla regarding the require-ment of central security forcesand related matters to conductfree and fair polls. The meet-ing was held at NirvachanSadan. The terms of the assem-blies in Tamil Nadu, Kerala,West Bengal, Puducherry andAssam will end on May 24,2021, June 1, 2021, May 30,2021, June 8, 2021 and May 31,2021 respectively.

    “The meeting was “pri-marily to discuss requirementvis-à-vis availability of centralarmed police forces (CAPFs),and related matters, for theupcoming Assembly Electionsto the States of Assam, Kerala,Tamil Nadu and West Bengal,and the Union Territory ofPuducherry,” a brief EC state-ment said.

    Top sources said that ateam of EC officials had visit-ed poll bound states and discussthe preparations and other mat-

    ters with state government offi-cials.” The issue of law and orderwas prominently discussed inthe meeting,” said officials.

    Keeping in mind socialdistancing norms due to coro-navirus pandemic, theCommission could increasethe number of polling stationsin these states to restrict thenumber of voters per pollingstation.

    In the recently-held Biharpolls, the number of voters perpolling station was reducedfrom 1,200 to 1,000, resultingin creation of additional pollingstations.

    The poll body has recent-ly issued an advisory sayingthat no officer connected

    directly with election dutiesshould be allowed to continuein the respective district ifhe/she is posted in her/hishome district. TheCommission wrote to the chiefsecretaries and chief electoralofficers of these five statesregarding the transfer and post-ing officers associated withconducting the elections.

    According to the EC, thedecision follows the consistentpolicy of the Commission thatofficers directly connected withconduct of elections in poll-bound State/Union Territoryare not posted in their homedistricts or places where theyhave served for considerablylong periods.

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    The NIA on Tuesday filed achargesheet before theSpecial NIA Court here undervarious Sections of the IndianPenal Code and provisions ofUnlawful Activities(Prevention) Act against AbdurRahman alias Dr Brave (28) ofBengaluru, Karnataka in con-nection with an Islamic StateKhorasan Province (ISKP)case. Rahman is a qualifieddoctor and the first such pro-fessional to be charged in a ter-ror case.

    The accused doctor hasbeen chargesheeted forallegedly furthering ideologyand activities of proscribedterrorist organisationISIS/ISKP in connivance withco-accused Jahanzaib Samiand others for committingsubversive/anti national activ-ities in India.

    Abdur Rahman alias DrBrave was arrested on August

    17, 2020 from Bangalore byNIA.

    As a student of MBBS atBangalore Medical College,Abdur Rahman got radi-calised, listening to the onlinelectures of hard line Islamicpreachers including ‘AnwarAwlaki’. Subsequently, he cameinto contact with other radi-calised youth and travelled toSyria in December, 2013 andparticipated in various ter-rorist activities of ISIS. Afterhis return to India he contin-ued to remain associated withthe ideology of ISIS, the NIAsaid in a statement.

    “Utilising his knowledgeof Ophthalmic Lasers andMedical Science, he madeefforts to develop applica-tions for medical and militaryrequirements of ISIS. To thisend, he was in regular com-munication with ISIS terror-ists located abroad as well asin India including JahanzaibSami on Threema, a secure

    messaging platform,” it said.Consequently, he had

    achieved significant progresstowards developing a medicalapplication for treatment ofISIS terrorists and also a LaserGuided Anti-Tank Missileapplication for controlling thetrajectory of the missiles forenhancing their effectivenessfor furthering the cause ofISIS, it said, adding furtherinvestigation in the case iscontinuing.

    Earlier, a charge-sheet wasfiled on September 2 last yearagainst five accused persons--- Jahanzaib Sami and HinaBashir Beigh, resident ofSrinagar, Abdullah Basith ofHyderabad, Sadiya AnwarShaikh and Nabeel SiddickKhatri, both of Pune, underIPC sections UnlawfulActivities (Prevention) Act.

    This case arose out ofDelhi Police Special Cell, FIRnumber 85/2020 dated March8, 2020 pertaining to arrest ofJahanzaib Sami Wani and hiswife Hina Bashir Beigh fromOkhla Vihar, Jamia Nagarhere on March 8, 2020 onreceiving an input that theywere affiliated to the bannedterrorist organization ISKP, apart of ISIS, and were plan-ning subversive/anti-nationalactivities in India. The NIAhad re-registered the case onMarch 20 last year and tookup the investigation of thecase.

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    Seeking to reinvent the age-old Indian tradition ofcoating houses with cowdung, Khadi and VillageIndustr ies Commission(KVIC) has developed KhadiPrakritik Paint, a first-of-its-kind paint in India madefrom cow dung with eightbenefits or Ashta Laabh.

    The unique productwhich is eco-friendly andcost-effective, was launchedby Minister for MSME, NitinGadakri on Tuesday.UnionMinister for Fisheries, AnimalHusbandry and Dairying,Giriraj Singh, Minister ofState for MSME, PratapChandra Sarangi, and KVICChairman Vinai KumarSaxena were present on theoccasion.

    While launching thepaint, Gadkari said the inno-vative Khadi Prakritik Painthas the potential of evolvinginto a �6,000 crore marketand creating 10 lakh newjobs that will revolutionalizethe agro-based economy ofthe country.

    “A policy will be framedfor sharing the technicalknowhow of Khadi PrakritikPaint to maximum people inIndia. KVIC will providetechnical training to newentrepreneurs who couldbenefit by manufacturing cowdung paint. Thousands ofPrakritik paint manufacturing

    units can be set up across thecountry that will give a bigboost to local manufacturingand agro-based economy,”Gadkari said.

    He said bulk utilisation ofcow dung will ensure mone-tary gains to farmers thatwill also desist them fromselling away cows in the mar-ket. “This will put a check oncow slaughtering. We willstop cow slaughteringthrough the economy andnot through the law,” he said.

    KVIC Chairman VKSaxena said Khadi PrakritikPaint was not just a productbut a tool of accelerating thegrowth of rural economy inIndia. “The prime objective ofdeveloping cow-dung paint isemployment generationwhich is the basic premise ofKhadi. This paint is a rein-vention of age-old practicesinto a scientifically-testedmodern product,” Saxenasaid.

    Production of KhadiPrakritik Paint is aligned with

    the Prime Minister’s vision ofincreasing farmers’ income.At the same time, it will cre-ate thousands of new jobs inthe paint manufacturing sec-tor as KVIC will share thetechnology and provide train-ing for manufacturing ofPrakritik Paint, he added.

    At present, Prakritik Paintmanufacturing unit at KVIC’sKumarappa NationalHandmade Paper Institute inJaipur, has the daily capacityof producing 500 liters ofpaint which provides directemployment to 10 people.

    Apart from being water-proof and washable, KhadiPrakritik Paint contains thenatural benefits of cow dunglike anti-bacterial, anti-fungaland natural thermal insula-tion properties.

    This paint is eco-friendly,non-toxic, odorless and cost-effective. Emulsion paintmeets BIS 15489:2013 stan-dards; Distemper paint con-forms to BIS 428:2013 stan-dards.

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    Opposition parties onTuesday welcomed theSupreme Court’s decision tostay the implementation of thethree farm laws, but some ofthem expressed doubts over theneutrality of the committeeformed by the top court to endthe impasse over the con-tentious legislations.

    Congress’ chief spokesper-son Randeep Surjewala said theparty welcomes the SupremeCourt’s concern over the farmlaws, but the party has issueswith the composition of thecommittee formed by it. Hesaid the members of the com-mittee have already expressedtheir views in the past favour-ing the new laws “so the ques-tion arises in our minds thathow justice will be done tofarmers by their hands”.

    While staying the laws, thetop court set up a four-mem-ber committee to resolve theimpasse between the Centralgovernment and the farmers’unions protesting at Delhi’sborders over the legislations.

    NCP supremo and formerAgriculture Minister SharadPawar also welcomed theSupreme court’s decision to put

    on hold the implementation ofthree farm bills and set up thecommittee to resolve the issues.

    “It is a big relief for farm-ers and I hope that a concretedialogue between the Centralgovernment and farmers willbe initiated now, keeping thefarmers interests and wellbeingin mind,” said Pawar.

    Last month, Pawar, whowas the Union agriculture min-ister from 2004 to 2014 in theManmohan Singh government,along with other oppositionleaders including Congress’sRahul Gandhi met PresidentRam Nath Kovind and soughta repeal of the three farm laws.

    Echoing similar views,DMK chief M K Stalin alsowelcomed the decision of theSupreme Court, saying this isa victory for farmers protest-ing across India.

    “I once again urge theUnion government to committo repealing the farm laws inthe next Parliament Session,”he said.

    CPI(M) General SecretarySitaram Yechury Tweeted :Can anyone expect the protest-ing farmers demanding repealof Agri Laws to talk to such acommittee?

    Why should they?

    Farmers are left with noother option than to boycottthis committee?, the left leadermentioned.

    Shiv Sena leader and RajyaSabha member PriyankaChaturvedi asked “Should notfarm laws after SC stay nowmove to Parliament StandingCommittee ofParliamentarians where vari-ous stakeholders from farmsector can be heard. “That’swhat the constitution man-dates. There’s a clear separationof role of judiciary, executiveand legislative,” saidChaturvedi. Congress, ShivSena and NCP are alliancepartners in the UddhavThackeray led Maharashtragovernment.

    Senior Congress leader PChidambram said the con-cern expressed by the SupremeCourt over the farmers’protests is “justified and wel-come in the situation createdby a stubborn Government”.

    “The decision to form aCommittee to help find a solu-tion is well-intentioned.However, the composition ofthe four member committee ispuzzling and sends contradic-tory signals,” he said onTwitter.

    :�����������������%�� ��������������������������������������������

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    India has reported the low-est single-day jump in coro-navirus cases in the last 24hours since mid-June with12,584 fresh infections takingthe tally to 1,04,79,179, theUnion Health Ministry saidon Tuesday

    The death toll increasedto 1,51,327 with 167 daily newfatalities while the number ofpeople who have recuperatedfrom the disease surged to1,01,11,294 pushing thenational COVID-19 recov-ery rate to 96.49 percent.

    The Covid-19 case fatal-ity rate stands at 1.44 percentwith the active caseloadremaining below 3 lakh.

    There are 2,16,558 activecoronavirus infections in thecountry which comprises 2.07percent of the total caseload,as per the Ministry.

    India’s COVID-19 tallyhad crossed the 20-lakh markon August 7, 30 lakh onAugust 23, 40 lakh onSeptember 5 and 50 lakh onSeptember 16. It went past 60lakh on September 28, 70lakh on October 11, crossed80 lakh on October 29, 90lakh on November 20 andsurpassed the one-crore markon December 19.

    “The country is now 14thamong the most affectedcountries by active cases. India added 12,584cases, the lowest daily spikesince June 17, to take its totalcaseload to 10,479,179.

    And, with 167 new fatal-it ies its Covid-19 deathtoll reached 151,327, or 1.44per cent of total confirmedinfections,” said UnionHealth Secretar y RajeshBhushan.

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    With temperatures falling,an orange alert wasissued by the IndiaMeteorological Department(IMD) on Tuesday for thenorthern plains with a forecastof a cold wave for the next fourdays. A similar alert has beensounded for Tamil Nadu andPuducherry with a forecast ofheavy rains. The IMD saidthat the minimum temperatureover the north Indian plains islikely to be below normal dur-ing this period.

    “Due to the prevalence ofdry north/northwesterly winds,the minimum temperature isvery likely to be below normalover most parts of northwestIndia during next 4-5 dayswhich are very likely to causecold day/severe cold day con-ditions at some parts of Punjab,Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi,Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhandduring next three days.

    “Cold wave/severe coldwave conditions at some partsare also very likely over Punjab,Haryana, Chandigarh andDelhi and in isolated partsover Uttar Pradesh, northMadhya Pradesh and Rajasthanduring next three days,” theIMD said.

    Ground frost is also verylikely in isolated pockets oversouth Punjab, Haryana,Chandigarh and northRajasthan during the next twodays.

    The IMD said that dense tovery dense fog conditions atisolated places are very likelyover northwest India duringthe next 4-5 days.

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    Jaipur: A meetingwas held onMonday under thechairmanship ofH o u s i n gC ommissionerPawan Arora alongwith the officials ofAll India Services ResidencySociety. At the meeting, officialsgave suggestions in relation tothe Servent Room, Kitchen,Club House, which theCommissioner, while adoptinga positive attitude, convincedthem to consider their sugges-tions.

    The All India ServicesResidency proposed in PratapNagar Sector Sector-17 wasaccepted by the Olympic Boardtill 31 December 2020. 159 offi-cers have applied for the scheme.All India in Pratap Nagar Sector17 of Jaipur by RajasthanHousing Board Officers servingin All India Services of Servicesand Central Civil Services(Group-A Services) in

    Rajasthan, Officers of All IndiaServices and National CivilServices (Group-A Services)serving in Rajasthan's basic res-ident or other states/cadre, basedin Rajasthan Central ArmedServices “AIS Residency”Residential Plan for Officers ofCentral Armed Police Forceand Officers of RajasthanAdministrative Service,Rajasthan Police Service, andRajasthan Accounts Service,Officers of Police Force,Rajasthan resident and otherstates/cadre Has been. Alongwith this the scheme alsoincludes those officers who areresidents of other states butresiding in Rajasthan but arenow retired.

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    As the countdown for theassembly election beganin Tamil Nadu, the rulingAIADMK and the OppositionDMK have adopted a defensiveposture to ward off any possi-ble erosion of votes in thecoming days. The aggressivepostures of both the partieshave given way to sense of cau-tion.

    A possible patch upbetween the AIADMK and thebreakaway Amma MakkalMunnetra Kazhakam(AMMK) launched by TTVDhinakaran have gainedmomentum by Friday follow-ing a derogatory statementmade by Udhayanidhi Stalin,son of DMK president M KStalin.

    While addressing an elec-

    tion rally, Udhayanidhi madevulgar comments about ChiefMinister EdappadiPalaniswamy and V K Sasikala,the jailed aide to late JJayalalithaa. Though main-stream media did not reportthe same, the video ofUdhayanidhi’s speech wentviral in the social media.

    The Chennai Police onMonday registered casesagainst Udhayanidhi undervarious sections of the IPC,Information Technology Actand Tamil Nadu Prohibition of WomenHarassment Act.

    Activists of the DMK, whobelong to the Thevar commu-nity too took strong objectionto the words of Udhayanidhiand a prominent communitymember has posted a socialmedia message against thescion of the Karunanidhi fam-

    ily. Senior AIADMK leaders,who did not want to be named,said that efforts were on topatch up with the Sasikala fac-tion. Sasikala is expected to bereleased from jail on January27, her lawyer S Pandian haddisclosed recently.

    There are reports thatDhinakaran who is heading theAMMK have started talks withAIADMK leaders at theinstance of common friendsand well wishers. “This possi-bility could not be ruled out.There is a feeling among boththe factions that they shouldfight the election together,”said Kolahala Srenivaasan,author and political commen-tator.

    Stalin, who was holdingGram Sabhas across the villagesin Tamil Nadu had to put suchinteractions on hold after awoman created a ruckus in one

    of the meetings held inCoimbatore district. Poongodi,reportedly an activist of theAIADMK, asked questionswhich irritated the DMK chiefwho asked her to go out of themeeting. The woman was beat-en up by the DMK cadre andpolice had to intervene to saveher.

    The possibility of the DMKforging an alliance withAsaduddin Owaisi MP andpresident of the AIMIM looksbleak as the latter felt humili-ated by Stain’s action of invit-ing him for the January 6 pub-lic meeting and later askinghim to stay off.

    Talks are going on betweenKamal Haassan’s MNM andOwaisi to forge a third front inthe State. There is a likelihood ofThirumavalavan of the VCK,who pleads with Dalits to get

    converted to Islam, to join theKamal-Owaisi front if theDMK refuses to allocate thenumber of seats which the for-mer had demanded.

    Mani Shankar Iyer,Congress leader had said onSunday that his party wouldaccept whatever seats are allo-cated to it by the DMK. “Itwould be unrealistic for us toexpect more seats than we gotlast time,” said Iyer at a timewhen other alliance partnerslike the VCK, MDMK and theIslamic outfits are pressurizingthe DMK for more seats.

    The BJP made it known onMonday that EdappadiPalaniswamy would be thechief ministerial candidate ofthe AIADMK and theHindutwa party would extendfull support to him. This wasstated by BJP’s Tamil Naduobserver C T Ravi.

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    As many as 5,507 more persons tested coronavirus posi-tive and another 4,270 patients cured in Kerala on Tuesday,Health Minister KK Shailaja's office said.

    The state's test positivity rate on Tuesday stood at 8.52 percent. A total of 25 fatalities on Tuesday took the COVID-19death toll to 3,347.

    In all, 64,556 persons are under treatment across the state.Ernakulam district had the highest 813 new cases and

    Kasargod lowest 58 cases.Of the positive cases, 53 have come from outside the state.

    In all, 4,952 persons tested positive through contacts whilethe source of infection in 433 others is not known.

    A total of 69 health workers tested positive on Tuesday,including 22 in Pathanamthitta, 10 in Ernakulam, nine inKozhikode, eight in Kannur, seven in Thrissur, four inPalakkad, two each in Thiruvananthapuram, Wayanad andKasargod, and one each in Kollam, Alappuzha and Kottayam.

    Lucknow: The Lucknow policehave detained a doctor fromSultanpur in connection with themurder of history-sheeter AjitSingh.

    One of the accused Rehan,who was arrested on Sunday, hadrevealed the names of Dr. A.K.Singh and another one VishalSingh of Sultanpur.

    The police also tracedWhatsApp chats between Vishaland an eastern Uttar Pradeshdon-turned-politician.

    The shooters were injuredon the night of January 6 whenthey sprayed bullets on anotherhistory-sheeter Ajit Singh, in theGomti Nagar area of LucknowThey were first taken to a flat byRehan and Vishal Singh and aprivate doctor was called in totreat them.

    “On January 7 morning, theduo was taken to the privatefacility of Dr. A.K. Singh in thered-coloured SUV by Vishal,”said a senior police official.

    The official said that Vishalstayed in a flat in Gomti Nagarextension, registered in the nameof the eastern Uttar Pradesh don-turned-politician.

    As per the plan, Vishal wasto take the shooters out of UttarPradesh.However, the plan gotupset after the alleged shooters,Girdhari Sharma and PradeepSingh Kabutra got injured, thepolice said.

    The injured shooters wereadmitted under fake names toconceal their identities till thetreatment on January 10, policesaid.

    Later, they were taken in amaroon-coloured car anddropped in Ujjain in MadhyaPradesh. “We have checked theentire conversation and alsoseized Vishal's mobile phone,”the police officer said.

    The police are now ques-tioning the doctor about his linkswith the shooters and the east-ern Uttar Pradesh don. IANS

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    ArrayGuwahati: As the rulingBJP kicks off its Assembly pollcampaign in Assam, PrimeMinister Narendra Modi,Home Minister Amit Shah andother central leaders wouldhold a series of election ralliesin the northeastern state nextweek, BJP leader and Assamminister Himanta Biswa Sarmasaid on Tuesday.

    BJP national president JPNadda, who left here onTuesday for Delhi, addressed apublic gathering in southernAssam's Silchar on Mondayand claimed that the saffronparty has been winning all theelections in the country fromJammu & Kashmir toTelangana, and it would returnto power in Assam once againwith 100-plus seats in theupcoming state Assembly polls.

    Sarma, who is the conven-er of the BJP-led alliance ofregional parties -- North East

    Democratic Alliance (NEDA)- said that Prime MinisterModi is likely to visit Assam onJanuary 23 and Home MinisterShah is also likely to addresstwo public rallies at Kokrajharand Nalbari on January 24. ThePrime Minister's detailed pro-gramme is yet to be finalised.

    Nadda who was on two-day Assam visit held meetingswith Assam Chief MinisterSarbananda Sonowal, Sarma,state BJP President RanjeetKumar Dass and other seniorleaders in Guwahati onMonday and Tuesday and dis-

    cussed the strategies for theAssembly polls likely to beheld in April-May.

    Accompanied by his wifeMallika Nadda, the BJPPresident on Tuesday visitedthe famous KamakhyaDevalaya in Guwahati onTuesday and prayed at thefamed 'Shakti Peetha' atop thepicturesque Nilachal hills inAssam's main city. The 126-member Assam Assembly willgo to the polls along with WestBengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

    In the last Assembly pollsin 2016, the BJP defeated theCongress and formed the gov-ernment in Assam for the firsttime winning 60 seats afterforging an alliance with theBodoland People's Front (BPF)and the Asom Gana Parishad(AGP), who won 14 and 12seats, respectively. The rulingalliance also has the support ofan independent MLA. IANS

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    #�(����������������)�����* Panaji: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on

    Tuesday met his Defence Ministry colleague MoSShripad Naik, who has been admitted to a Goahospital following a road accident in Karnataka lateon Monday.

    Singh briefly met Naik at the Goa MedicalCollege campus to enquire after his health and tocondole the death of the Union MoS's wifeVijaya, before leaving for the national capital.”Hiscondition is stable according to doctors. They havesaid there is no danger. If proper treatment can beprovided here, then he will be treated here itself.If need be, he will be shifted to Delhi. Everythingwill depend on doctors here,” Singh told reportersat the hospital campus after he met the team of doc-tors treating Naik.

    Singh also said that doctors at the Goa hos-pital were in touch with their counterparts at theAll India Institute of Medical Sciences in thenational capital. Singh is also scheduled to visitNaik's private residence at San Pedro near Panaji.

    Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Minister PramodSawant said that Naik's condition is “stable” andhe's responding well to treatment after twoorthopaedic operations in the early hours ofTuesday.

    “I have met Bhau (Naik). His condition is sta-ble now. The two orthopaedic surgeries conduct-ed on him were successful,” Sawant told reporters

    shortly after meeting Naik at the hospital's coro-nary care unit.

    “The operations started around 2.30 a.m. andlasted till around 7 a.m. He is now under sedation.He is responding well to treatment,” Sawant said.

    Sawant said that Defence Minister RajnathSingh will arrive here later in the day to ask afterthe health of Naik, who was injured in a roadmishap in Karnataka late on Monday.

    “We will take a call on whether we need expertopinion. Rajnath Singh will also meet with doc-tors later today to review Naik's health,” Sawantsaid.

    Naik's wife Vijaya and his Personal SecretaryDeepak Ghume had succumbed to their injuries,while his driver and a Personal Security Officer arecurrently admitted at the Goa Medical College nearPanaji.

    The Chief Minister said that hours after Naikwas rushed from the accident site in Yellapur inKarnataka to the Goa Medical College on Mondaynight, two surgeries were conducted.

    Apart from loss of blood and dropping bloodpressure, Naik had a broken upper limb and a frac-tured thigh bone. Late on Monday, Prime MinisterNarendra Modi also spoke to Sawant and direct-ed him to ensure the best treatment for Naik, afifth-term MP from North Goa and a former stateBJP President. IANS

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    Gandhinagar: While unveiling thenew Tourism Policy 2021-25, GujaratChief Minister Vijay Rupani onTuesday said the Statue of Unity(SoU) at Kevadiya received morevisitors than the Taj Mahal in Agra.

    The new policy aims to developspecific areas in the state. Similar tothe concept in the West, the govern-ment also wants to develop caravanand beach tourism like in Goa.

    Addressing the media, the GujaratCM said, “We want to boost the ser-vice sector industry by developing thetourism infrastructure in the state. Inthe latest tourism policy we havestressed more on developing specif-ic focused areas like we have devel-oped the SoU site at Kevadiya. TheSoU has received overwhelmingresponse from tourists as it receivesmore visitors than the famous TajMahal.”

    The state government will begiving incentives to tourism devel-opment projects in focused areas.

    In the new policy, a provision hasbeen made for a minimum Rs 1 croreinvestment and 20 per cent incentivefor it, though there is no limit on max-imum investment. In the previoustourism policy, there was a cap of Rs50 crore investment and 15 per centsubsidy on investment in new hotels,resorts, amusement parks, themeparks and water parks. “If the invest-ment is more than Rs 500 crore, wewill give 20 per cent incentive on that,”Rupani added.

    The new policy also wants toincentivise amusement parks, waterparks and theme parks where Rs 50crore would be considered the mini-mum investment and 15 per cent sub-sidy would be given for investment inthe range of Rs 50 crore to Rs 500crore.

    The state government wants topush projects yielding large invest-ments and for that amusement parkprojects with more than Rs 500 croreinvestment would be given land onlease on top of the 15 per cent sub-sidy. The 15 per cent subsidy wouldalso be given to resorts and theNational Accreditation Board forHospitals & Healthcare Providers(NABH) accredited wellness resorts.

    The Gujarat government wants tohave large convention halls in thestate. “We want more convention cen-tres with capacity as much as 5,000 or10,000.””We will be giving incentivesto convention centres with mini-mum 2,500 sitting capacity where 15per cent incentive on investment willbe given,” Rupani added.

    “We want to start caravan tourismin Gujarat where tourists can formcaravans and travel across the state.The government will offer 15 per centsubsidy on Rs 10 lakh investment inthe caravan tourism industry,” saidRupani. According to the policy, intented accommodation in specificfocused areas, investment worth morethan Rs 50 lakh would be given 15 percent incentive. IANS

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    Chennai: At least four pas-sengers, including a woman,were electrocuted while 10others received injuries aftertheir bus came in contactwith a power transmissionline in Tamil Nadu'sThanjavur district, policesaid on Tuesday.

    According to the police,the private bus carryingabout 50 passengers fell intoa pit while overtaking a lorryand came in contact with thelive power cable at Varagurvillage. The injured havebeen admitted to a nearbyhospital. IANS

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    Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K.Palaniswami on Tuesdayannounced reopening of schools for classes 10 and 12from January 19.

    In a statement issued here, Palaniswami said the schoolswill be reopened only for classes 10 and 12 and each class-room will have 25 students.He also said in order to boostthe immunity levels, the students attending the classes willbe given vitamin and zinc tablets.

    The Chief Minister said the government's decision comesafter 95 per cent of the parents had expressed in favour ofreopening of the schools.

    The parent's views were taken on 8 and 9 of this monthby the respective schools and a report was submitted to thegovernment.

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    Varanasi: The district administrationin Varanasi has banned feeding ofmigratory birds in the Ganga river andalong the Ghats.

    Public announcements are beingmade on the Ghats, asking people notto feed the birds in view of the bird fluscare.

    Migratory birds arrive in largenumbers in Varanasi during the win-

    ter season and tourists go on boats andfeed these birds.

    Chief veterinary officer Dr VijayPratap Singh said that these migrato-

    ry birds stay in Varanasi for almostfour months and are a major touristattraction. “In view of the bird fluscare, we are asking humans to stayaway from birds. Public announce-ments to this effect are being madeand the river police is also warningboat riders. The boatmen have alsobeen adequately informed of the dan-ger,” he said. IANS

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  • As a doctor, one of thefundamental things youare taught in the medicalcollege — and, frankly,a lot earlier — is the differencebetween the symptom and thedisease and the importance intackling the disease rather thanjust the symptom. A fever, forinstance, is a good example of thesymptom that is common to anumber of illnesses, such as var-ious types of flu as well as differ-ent types of infections. However,a paracetamol or Crocin cannotcure such illnesses, though suchmedicines may prove effective incontaining the fever briefly. Theill-informed may be led to believethat the disease is cured but, inreality, the disease is alive andkicking and, without proper careand attention, the symptoms(including the fever) would alsoreturn.

    In today’s time and age, weare battling and struggling with adisease that has turned our worldupside down: A virus that has lit-erally brought the world to astandstill and whose inertia we arestill trying to break away from.The COVID-19 crisis has grippedthe entire world but afflictions likefake news, propaganda and con-spiracy theories that endanger ourfundamental understanding ofdemocracy are possibly where thetrue threat to humanity lies. Themost recent example of this harmthat these diseases can cause iswhen violent mobs stormed theCapitol (which is the Americanequivalent of our Parliament) onthe back of calls from outgoingPresident Donald Trump andother politicians and commenta-tors from the Right wing to stopthe transition of power in theUnited States of America. WhileTrump and these leaders didattempt to distance themselvesfrom the violence and said thatthey never intended any violenceto take place, it is hard to arguethat by stirring emotions and byacting contrary to the fundamen-tal principles of a democracy, thePresident and his supporters(both in the media and in politics)do not have blood on their hands.

    Prime Minister NarendraModi distanced himself from hisgood friend, Trump, by tweetingagainst the attack. However, whatshould pain Modi more than theunceremonious exit of his dearfriend from the office is the factthat India too has, unfortunate-ly, not been immune to the dis-ease of unsubstantiated propagan-da, and provoked — or, at the very

    least, inspired — violence. Andafter the Emergency of 1975,the most severe impact of theseillnesses has been seen in histenure as the Prime Minister.Therefore, while the attack onthe Capitol was shocking, wehave seen just as many disturb-ing examples of violencerecently in our very own country.

    In the attack on the stu-dents of the Jawaharlal NehruUniversity, for example, wesaw a mob enter the campus ofa major university and beat upand threaten students andteachers alike. While reportsshow that there are video clipsand reasonable evidence of theprime actors of this violencebeing from the Akhil BharatiyaVidyarthi Parishad (ABVP),the Right-wing student organ-isation affiliated to theRashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS), there has been no sub-stantial action against the insti-gators, including those who areclearly seen on camera.

    We have also seen severalof the Union Ministers raise arallying cry on the election trailin New Delhi, raising slogansof “Desh ke gaddaaron ko…”,with the faceless crowdresponding with chants of“…goli maaron saalon ko”.Similarly, during the protestsagainst the BJP’s CitizenshipAmendment Act, we hadanother shocking incidentwhere a man fired at least twoshots from a distance of 50metres from the stage of theprotest. In a video captured byeyewitnesses, the man can beseen brandishing his gun andshouting: “Hamaare desh meinkisi ki nahi chalegi, sirf Hinduon

    ki chalegi (No one exceptHindus will have their way inour country).” The man wassubsequently identified as KapilGurjar and this same man wasa few months later inductedinto the BJP at a public func-tion. At the ceremony, whichtook place in Ghaziabad, thedistrict convener of the BJPinducted him into the partywith the words: “Kapil Gurjarhas joined with hundreds ofsupporters. He has influenceand support base in the area.He has been impressed by theparty’s policies, the work beingdone by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi ji and UPChief Minister Yogi Adityanathji.” While one does not expectsuch honesty from politicians,the BJP at least removed himfrom the party and cancelledhis membership in the face ofthe serious backlash that fol-lowed.

    Similarly, in a shockingcase of mob violence inBulandshahr, a police inspector,SK Singh, was shot and killedby a violent mob over an allegedincident of cow slaughter.According to reports, thosenamed in the charge sheet forSingh’s murder include BajrangDal’s local convener YogeshRaj and the BJP’s youth wingleader Shikhar Agarwal. Otherthan this, we also saw the hor-rific abuse of power in Hathraswhere the UP Police claimedthat there was no evidence ofrape but the Central Bureau ofInvestigation (CBI) has subse-quently filed a charge sheetagainst four men accused of thegang rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman.

    The above instances are

    horrific examples of violenceand show a clear disregard forthe fundamental principles ofan effective democracy.However, these acts of vio-lence and disorder only catchour attention when they reacha terrifying crescendo. Muchlike how the mob in the UnitedStates (US), after being fedhours and hours of lies and fakenews, was convinced that theywere participating in an act oflegitimate defiance; so have wetoo seen mobs in India that arefed streams of fake news andfalsehoods through socialmedia and through “legitimate”news outlets till the point thatthey are stirred into a violentfrenzy. It is here where the BJPand the Prime Minister havebeen found woefully wanting.While the Prime Minister


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