New Delhi, Feb. 6: PrimeMinister Narendra Modion Thursday took repeat-ed digs at Opposition lead-ers, including RahulGandhi.

Without naming RahulGandhi, Mr Modi in hisreply to the discussion onthe presidential addresssaid, “In 70 years, noCongress leader has everbecome self- sufficient. Iheard one leader’s mani-festo yesterday. He said,‘we will beat Modi with astick in six months’. I canimagine that it is a diffi-cult prospect, so it willtake six months to pre-pare.”

“In these six months, Iwill do more suryanamaskars so that myback is ready for the beat-ing...I have been subjectedto abuses in the past 20years, I will make myselfgaali-proof (abuse-proof)and also danda-proof(stick-proof),” Modi said.

When Rahul Gandhi gotup from his seat and ques-tioned Mr Modi on theissue of unemployment,the PM said he was wait-ing for the Congressleader's reaction but ittook him 30-40 minutes.

“I have been speaking for30-40 minutes but it tookthis long for the current toreach. Many tubelightsare like this,” Mr Modisaid.

Mr Modi took several

digs at Congress leaderAdhir Ranjan Chowdhuryfor frequently rising fromhis seat and interruptinghim. Responding to MrChowdhury on the issueunemployment, Mr Modisaid he will resolve unem-ployment in the country

but not his (MrChowdhury’s) and of hisparty’s.

As soon as Mr Modientered the Lok Sabha, hewas welcomed by the BJPmembers with ‘Jai ShriRam’ slogans to whichCongress responded by

‘Mahatma Gandhi Zinda-bad’. The Congress sloga-neering soon tapered off.When Mr Modi referred tothis, Mr Chowdhury saidthis was a trailer. Mr Modishot back: “For youGandhi is a trailer, for us,he is our guide.”

Responding to Congressleader Shashi Tharoor, MrModi suggested thatTharoor should have somesoft corner for Kashmir ashe was “son-in-law” of theregion, referring to hislate wife SunandaPushkar.

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8NationFRIDAY | 7 FEBRUARY 2020 | HYDERABADDECCAN CHRONICLE

Convoy attackedKanhaiya Kumar’s convoy was attackedwhile he was on his way to address arally against the CAA in Bihar

SHORT TAKES

Members of a tribal community stage a demonstration during a dharna staged by the Trinamul against the NRCand the CAA in Kolkata, on Thursday. — PTI

Modi makes Congress hispunching bag in Lok Sabha

From Page 1

Mr Modi said that it wasdue to these misdeeds ofthe Congress that the peo-ple had shown it the doorand it has failed to per-form its duty as a respon-sible opposition.

Without naming RahulGandhi, Mr Modi in hisreply referred to theCongress leader’s com-ments he had reportedlymade about “youth beat-ing Modi with sticks overthe lack of jobs,” and saidhe would increase thenumber of SuryaNamaskars (a yoga exer-cise) so that his back canbear the sticks.

“In 70 years, no Congressleader has ever becomeself- sufficient. I heard oneleader’s manifesto yester-day. He said ‘We will beatModi with a stick in sixmonths.’ I can imaginethat it is a difficult

prospect, so it will take sixmonths to prepare. Inthese six months, I will domore surya namaskar sothat my back is ready forthe beating. I have beensubjected to abuses in thepast 20 years, I will makemyself gaali-proof (abuse-proof) and also danda-proof (stick- proof),” MrModi said.

Mr Modi, repeatedlytook on Mr Choudhury,who was constantly inter-jecting his speech withprotestations.

The Prime Minister saidthat the Congress leaderwas openly publicising thegovernment’s ‘Fit India’campaign in Parliament.

Responding to MrChowdhury on the issueunemployment, Mr Modisaid he will resolve unem-ployment in the countrybut not his and of hisparty’s.

“Aapki berozgari nahin

hatne denge,” he quipped.When the opposition

sought to question him onthe government’s achieve-ments in the agriculturesector, he said that he hadlearnt from farmers.

Farmers, he said, toilhard in the fields underscorching heat but sow theseeds when the time isright. Similarly, he added,I have created the space inyour (opposition’s) mindsand gradually I will startsowing the seeds in them.

Responding to Congressleader Shashi Tharoor’scriticism of the govern-ment’s measures regard-ing Jammu and Kashmir,Mr Modi suggested thatMr Tharoor should havesome soft corner forKashmir, after all he was“son-in-law” of the region,referring to his late wifeSunanda Pushkar, whowas a Kashmiri.

Mr Modi warned that

street protests and arsonagainst decisions ofParliament and stateassemblies and people’srefusal to accept laws willlead to anarchy, as heaccused the Congress andother opposition parties ofinciting protests againstthe CAA and the NPR.

Stoutly defending theCAA and the updation ofthe NPR, Mr Modi toldParliament there is anattempt to cover undemoc-ratic activity under thegarb of protests and thatno one is going to get polit-ical benefit.

As soon as Mr Modiarrived in Lok Sabha, theCongress MPs counteredthe BJP lawmakers’ ‘JaiShri Ram’ chants with‘Gandhiji Amar Rahein,’in an apparent referenceto the controversialremarks made by BJP MPAnanthkumar Hegdeagainst Mahatma Gandhi.

Rahul grills Modion unemploymentDC CCORRESPONDENTNEW DELHI, FEB. 6

Congress leader RahulGandhi hit out at PrimeMinister Narendra Modion Thursday for not talk-ing about the main issueof unemployment and“distracting” people byraising other things fromJawaharlal Nehru toPakistan.

Responding to Modiafter the Prime Ministerreplied to the debate onthe Motion of Thanks tothe President’s Addressin Lok Sabha, Gandhisaid both the PrimeMinister and financeminister NirmalaSitharaman have givenlong speeches inParliament but havefailed to reply on provid-ing employment to youth.

He said, “All youngstersof this country want thatafter studies school, col-lege, university they getemployment. We askedthe Prime Ministerrepeatedly that you havegiven a one and a halfhour speech and if fortwo minutes you can tellthe youth about employ-ment and what your gov-ernment has done aboutit.”

He further added thatearlier, the governmentused to talk about econo-my, Make in India, $5 tril-lion, but the PrimeMinister now does not

talk about the biggestissue facing the countryand is distracting the peo-ple by talking about otherthings, ranging from theCongress and Nehru toPakistan and Bangladesh.Both the Prime Ministerand finance ministerNirmala Sitharamanhave failed to reply onissues like providingemployment to youth andputting the economy onthe right track.

Congress says country’s economyis infected with coronavirusNew Delhi, Feb. 6: TheCongress on Thursdaydescribed Prime MinisterNarendra Modi’s addressin Parliament as one thatoscillated between “stand-up comedy” and “rankcommunalism”, and saidhe should apologise for“misleading” the countryby quoting JawaharlalNehru “out of context”.

Congress spokespersonManish Tewari said it wasunfortunate that thePrime Minister made areference to Pakistanseven times during hisaddress and accused himof hyphenating India with

Pakistan during the lastfive years.

Tewari was referring toModi's reply to the Motionof Thanks to thePresident’s address.

He also accused Modi ofdestroying the Indianeconomy and said thePrime Minister is cover-ing this up by dividingsociety through polarisa-tion. While the country’seconomy is inflicted by“coronavirus,” the NDA-BJP government is givingmedicines for commoncold, the Congress leadersaid.

“It is extremely unfortu-

nate and deeply regret-table that the prime minis-ter's comments oscillatedbetween stand-up comedy,half truths and rank com-munalism. It is regret-table that the PrimeMinister of India shouldquote one of his illustri-ous predecessorsJawaharlal Nehru com-pletely out of context,” hesaid.

“The Prime Ministershould apologise to thecountry for quoting anagreement signed withanother country complete-ly out of context. ThePrime Minister deliber-

ately chose to mislead theHouse,” Tewari said.

Tewari said BJP’sHindu-Muslim and India-Pakistan rhetoric is theonly way for the rulingparty to cover up for itsfailure in improving theeconomy of the countrywhich is in a shamblesright now due to its poli-cies.

“That is why I told thefinance minister (NirmalaSitharaman) that theIndian economy is afflict-ed with the coronavirusand you are trying to giveit medicine for a commoncold,” he said. — PTI

KERALA OPPNWANTS CENSUSWORK STALLEDDC CCORRESPONDENTTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM,FEB. 6

The Congress-led UDFin Kerala has stepped uppressure on the CPM-ledLDF government to putCensus operations onhold at least temporarilytill the air is cleared onthe NRC and the NPR.

The Opposition raisedthe demand in theAssembly and staged awalk out after failing toget any assurance fromthe government.

Chief MinisterPinarayi Vijayan saiddirections have alreadybeen issued to collectorsand principal censusofficers to stop all activities related to theNPR.

The Chief Ministersaid that census workwas important and can-not be put on hold.

Muslim League MLAK.M. Shaji moved theadjournment motion onthe census issue. Hepointed out that afterappointing enumeratorsfor the census opera-tions, the state govern-ment had ceased to haveany say on these offi-cials.

Now, these enumera-tors are under the con-trol of central censuscommissioner and theyhave to comply with theinstructions of theCentre.

MAN HELD FORHURLINGGRENADE AT COPSSrinagar, Feb. 6: A manwho allegedly hurled agrenade on CRPF per-sonnel at Lal Chowkhere was arrested onThursday, officialsources said.

A grenade was hurledon CRPF personnel post-ed on duty near PratapPark in busy Lal Chowkarea of the city onSunday, injuring twojawans and seven civil-ians.

Naveed Lateef, a resi-dent of Pulwama dis-trict, was arrested fromthe city in the earlyhours and he is beingquestioned, the officialsources said.

They said Naveed waspreparing for the NEETat a coaching centrehere. DGP DilbaghSingh on Wednesday hadtold reporters that policehad got clues in the LalChowk grenade attackcase and a breakthroughwas expected soon.

— PTI

MANOJ AANANDGUWAHATI, FEB. 6

In what is said to be a des-perate attempt of out-lawed Ulfa (I) to maketheir presence felt, Assampolice on Thursday recov-ered two low intensityImprovised ExplosiveDevice (IED) from one ofthe most crowded localityof the capital city areas ofAssam.

The recovery of IEDs aday before PrimeMinister’s scheduled visitto Kokrajhar on Fridayhas created sensation inthe security circle.However, security agen-cies ruled out any connec-tion of IED to PrimeMinister’s visit.

Informing that IEDswere recovered from PanBazaar and Paltan Bazaarin Guwahati on the basisof confessional statementof an Ulfa (I) cadre whowas arrested by police inUpper Assam’s Tinsukiadistrict, security sourcessaid that Ulfa (I) cadreclaimed to have beenassigned the task ofplanting six IEDs.

Pointing out that fourIEDs were planted inUpper Assam which wentoff on January 26, securi-ty sources said that twoIEDs were planted inGuwahati on February 1but it failed to blast.

Pointing out that theIEDs were kept in plasticcontainers, securitysources said that thebomb disposal squad hastaken the IEDs Panikhaitiarea where it will be dis-posed off.

Confirming the report,Guwahati PoliceCommissioner MunnaPrasad Gupta said that

two IEDs were recoveredand a bomb disposal teamwas called to defuse theIEDs. An investigation inthe case is on.

The top police officialalso said that the IEDswere packed in bags.“Wehad prior informationregarding the planting ofthe IEDs and based onthat input, we carried outthe search operation andrecovered the IEDs,” saidthe senior police officerwho suspected theinvolvement of Ulfa (I)cadres.

The bombs were plantedin Pan Bazaar and PaltanBazaar areas known as tobe the commercial hub ofGuwahati.

Mr Modi is scheduled tovisit Kokrajhar town inAssam on February 7 totake part in the celebra-tions organized to markthe signing of the BodoPeace Accord.

Earlier on Wednesday,the police had recoveredfive hand-made bombsfrom a place inChhaygaon underKamrup (Rural) district.The bombs were laterdefused at Kukurmara inChhaigaon.

Says he is abuse-proof, will also work to become ‘danda (attack)-proof ’

PM says protests will lead to anarchy

We asked thePrime Minister

repeatedly that if youcan tell the youth intwo minutes aboutemployment andwhat yourgovernment has doneabout it

RAHUL GANDHICongress leader

IEDs foundbefore PM visit

New Delhi, Feb. 6: Themisconception about theright to internet being afundamental right needsto be cleared, Union minis-ter Ravi Shankar Prasadsaid in Rajya Sabha onThursday, emphasisingthat the country’s securitywas equally important.

Communications, infor-mation technology, elec-tronics and law and justiceminister Prasad, duringthe Question Hour, saidcommunication of ideasand views through inter-net are part of fundamen-tal right to speech andexpressions.

“The Supreme Court hasclearly stated that nolawyer argued that right tointernet is a fundamentalright. This kind of miscon-

ception needs to be cor-rected. What the SupremeCourt has stated is that forcommunication of yourideas and views, the use ofinternet will also to beheld a part of your funda-mental right of speech andexpression,” Prasad saidin reply to a query.

Prasad said no one candeny abuse of internet forspreading violence andterrorism, and Pakistanhas been doing it inKashmir and IS prosperedbecause of internet.

“While right of internetis important, security ofthe country is equallyimportant. Can we deny(that) internet is abusedby terrorists for violenceand there have beenattempts to create unrest

in Kashmir from acrossthe border through inter-net,” Prasad stressed.

He emphasised that theConstitution which pro-vides rights lays equalstress on its regulation,

saying, “Use Internet butyou cannot create violenceand weaken unity, integrity and security ofnation.” In reply to a sup-plementary question byleader of the opposition inthe Upper House GhulamNabi Azad, Prasad saidthat having been a formerChief Minister of Jammuand Kashmir he had alsobeen on the hit list of ter-rorists and was well awareof abuse of internet.

Whether it is a BJP gov-ernment or a non-BJP gov-ernment, Internet hasbeen restricted severaltimes on account of itsabuse and “what theSupreme Court has done isthey have said temporarysuspension of rules mustbe periodically reviewed,”

he said.He said a committee at

the Centre comprising thehome secretary, the lawsecretary and the IT secre-tary reviews it periodical-ly while there are commit-tees in states too.

Prasad said law andorder is a state subject anddecisions are taken basedon ground situation whichare reviewed periodically.

“Once the SupremeCourt itself has declaredthat the use of internet topropagate one’s views andideas will be held to be fun-damental rights. I will liketo flag, this will also besubject to reasonablerestrictions for publicorder, for security andintegrity of India,” hesaid.

On Jammu and Kashmir,he said he had recentlyvisited Kashmir and ondemand of apple growersat Sopore, which produces300 varieties and sends out450 trucks daily, had initi-ated the process of makingit an e-mandi.

“People in Kashmir arehappy,” he said and addedvoice, SMS and landlineservices have beenrestored in Ladakh andJammu and Kashmir,while Broadband function-al in Jammu division.

“We have allowed it forwhite listed websites.There are 783 white-listedwebsites of government,banking, tourism, ecom-merce, transportation,education,” he said.

— PTI

Right to internet not fundamental: Law minGovt says communication via internet part of right to speech and expressionsTECH | FREEDOM

■ IEDS WWERErecovered fromPan Bazaar andPaltan Bazaar inGuwahati on thebasis of confes-sions of an Ulfa (I)cadre who wasarrested by policein Upper Assam'sTinsukia district,sources said.

Talks on Trump’sIndia visit on

New Delhi: The discussionson President Donald Trump’svisit to India are on with the

US side, the ministry ofexternal affairs said on

Thursday. “We are in discus-sions with the US side,” MEA

spokesperson RaveeshKumar said when asked

about Trump’s visit to India.At a poll rally last week,

Gujarat Chief Minister VijayRupani said Trump will visitthe Sabarmati Riverfront in

the state during his India tripin February.

Lanka PM’s visitfrom today

Colombo: Sri Lankan PrimeMinister Mahinda Rajapaksa

will undertake a four-daystate visit to India and hold

talks on a number of keyareas including trade,

defence and maritime securi-ty cooperation, his office

announced here onThursday. The visit, begin-

ning today, will be theRajapaksa senior’s first over-

seas visit since his brotherGotabaya was elected

President in November.He will have meetings with

President Ram Nath Kovind,Prime Minister Narendra

Modi and external affairsminister S. Jaishankar.

Thailand nationalraped in Kerala

Kochi: A 46-year-oldThailand national was

allegedly raped by two menhere, following which they

were arrested, police said onThursday. The accused hail-ing from a north Kerala dis-trict have been arrested on

the basis of a complaintlodged by the woman. Police

said the accused —Mohammed Insaf and his

friend Ansaruddin fromKondotty in Malappuram dis-

trict were arrested afterrecording the statement of

the victim. The woman fromThailand had been a

Facebook friend of Insaf forthe last seven months after

she enrolled her child in aschool in Malappuram.

Crew detained inIran released

New Delhi: External affairsminister S. Jaishankar onThursday said six Indian

crew members of the ship‘Abdul Razzak,’ detained in

Iran for 11 months, have beenreleased. Jaishankar thanked

the Iranian authorities fortheir assistance. “Six Indian

crew members of the ship‘Abdul Razzak’ detained in

Iran for 11 months have beenreleased. Thank the Iranian

authorities for their assis-tance. Appreciate the efforts

of our Embassy in Tehranand our Consulate in Bandar

Abbas,” he said in a tweet.

Azamgarh, Feb. 6: Policehave booked 135 peopleprotesting against theCitizenship Amendment Actfor sedition and arrested 20 ofthem in the city’s Bilariaganjarea. In the FIR, only 35 peoplehave been named and the restare unidentified, police said.The FIR lists sedition amongthe charges. The protestersaccused the police of thrash-ing them. Police, however, saidthey used tear gas shells totackle the protesters.

“The FIR has been registeredagainst 35 named and over 100unidentified persons involvedin the anti-CAA protests onTuesday near Jauhar park inBilariaganj area. Of them 20have been arrested,” superin-tendent of police, TriveniSingh, said. He said Tuesday’sprotest against the CAA wasled by Ulema Council nationalgeneral secretary TahirMadni, who was arrested onWednesday.

The officer said a reward of`25,000 each has beenannounced on abscondingUlema Council leaders NurulHuda, Mirza Shane Alam andOsama. He alleged that theprotesters used foul languageagainst Hindus and PMNarendra Modi. An NGO inAzamgarh has alleged that 19people were beaten up andarrested from Bilariaganjwhen they were “peacefully”protesting against the citizen-ship law. “The women werepeacefully protesting at MohdAli Park. When the women gotup to offer namaaz, the policestarted hurling abuses atthem,” a representative of theNGO said.

CAA: 20 HELDON SEDITION

CHARGES

■ ■ LAW MMINISTER RaviShankar Prasad said noone can deny abuse ofinternet for spreadingviolence and terrorism,and Pakistan has beendoing it in Kashmir andIS prospered because ofinternet.

■ ■ PRASAD SSAID law andorder is a state subjectand decisions are takenbased on ground situa-tion which are reviewedperiodically.

PAGE

9WorldFRIDAY | 7 FEBRUARY 2020 | HYDERABADDECCAN CHRONICLE

Fund boostUsha Reddi, an Indian-American who is running for Senate, has raised over$100,000 in campaign donations

Syrian troops capture key townAnkara, Feb. 6: Syriangovernment troops cap-tured a key oppositiontown in the northwestWednesday despite thre-ats by Turkey’s presidentto use force if they don’tpull back by the end ofthe month, an observergroup and news networkreported. The town, Sara-qeb, sits at the intersec-tion of two major high-ways, one linking the Syr-ian capital of Damascusto the north and anotherconnecting the country’west and east. The Brit-ain-based Syrian Obser-vatory for Human Rightsand an opposition newsnetwork said Syrian gov-ernment troops enteredSaraqeb in the evening af-ter an intense day of figh-ting with opposition fight-

ers, during which severalTurkish observationposts were surrounded.

Later Wednesday, theObservatory reportedclashes inside the townbetween Syrian troopsand opposition fighters.Turkish troops stationednorth of Saraqeb shelledSyrian troops north andwest of the town in effortsto break their hold on thetown, the Observatorysaid. —AP

London, Feb. 6: Britishmercenary pilots helpedIndian troops in their battleagainst the LiberationTigers for Tamil Eelam(LTTE) rebels in Sri Lankain the 1980s, a new bookreveals for the first time.

The Indian Peace KeepingForce (IPKF) received airsupport from these for-hireBritish pilots despiteIndian diplomats publiclycondemning the presenceof UK mercenaries in SriLanka, according to thebook, Keenie Meenie: TheBritish Mercenaries WhoGot Away With War Crimes,authored by UK-basedinvestigative journalistPhil Miller. “Despite India

publicly opposing the pres-ence of British mercenar-ies in Sri Lanka, myresearch reveals that by1987 the Indian militarywere using white pilots toprovide air cover for theiroperations in Jaffna inwhat appears to have been acase of my enemy’s enemyis my friend,” said Miller.

India’s secret use ofBritish mercenaries lastedfor four months after theIndo-Lanka accord wassigned between former PMRajiv Gandhi and then SriLankan president JuniusJayewardene in 1987. Thebook also traces theinvolvement of Britishmercenaries in atrocities

against Tamil civilians thatoccurred prior to thearrival of the IPKF.

‘Keenie Meenie’, from thetitle of the book, is thoughtto be a Arabic slang forcovert activities and wasrun by a retired colonel,Jim Johnson, a formerSpecial Air Services com-mander who had conductedsecret missions in Yemenand Oman. Johnson’scounter-insurgency experi-ence came to the attentionof Jayewardene at the startof Sri Lanka’s civil war in1983, when the Anglophileleader was looking for Bri-tish aid to defeat the TamilTigers. Britain refused toofficially send troops to

help Jayewardene, fearingit would have jeopardised“substantial commercialand defence” deals withIndia, who initially sup-ported the Tamil sepa-ratists, notes the account.

Former PM Indira Gan-dhi’s personal envoy to SriLanka, Gopalaswami Part-hasarathy, warned Brit-ain’s most senior diplomatSir Antony Acland that“UK training of Sri Lankansecurity forces would notbe helpful”. Instead, declas-sified documents reveal,Britain allowed retired UKsoldiers to work in SriLanka under the control ofKeenie Meenie Services.

—PTI

■ Keenie Meenie is Arabic slang for covert activitiesNEW | REVELATION

Syrian government forces enter the village of Tel-Toukan in Idlib province, northwest Syria, onThursday. —AP

IN BRIEF

Florida trooperdies in shooting

Palm City: A strandedmotorist fatally shot a Florida

Highway Patrol trooper along-side Interstate 95 on

Wednesday before he waskilled by a passing police offi-cer, the agency said. TrooperJoseph Bullock, 42, died in a

shooting about 10:15 a.m.near Palm City, about a 45-minute drive north of WestPalm Beach, said Col. Gene

Spaulding, the agency’s com-mander. He said a passingpolice officer from RivieraBeach fatally shot the sus-pect, whose name has not

been released. Riviera Beachis about 30 miles (48 kilome-ters) from Palm City. Officialsdeclined to say why the offi-cer was in the area. City offi-cials also declined comment.The FHP had issued a state-

ment earlier to the SouthFlorida Sun Sentinel saying

the suspect had died by sui-cide. Spaulding said that

Bullock, a 19-year veteran,had been with the shooter for

several minutes before theshooting. He released no fur-

ther information, saying theshooting is under investiga-

tion by the Florida Depar-tment of Law Enforcement.

Woman spared jailfor dog in mosque

Jakarta: A Christian womancharged with blasphemy has

escaped jail for bringing adog into a mosque, the latestreligious case to draw head-

lines in Indonesia, the world’sbiggest Muslim-majority

nation. The case of SuzetheMargareth, 52, sparked out-

rage last summer when avideo emerged showing herin a mosque in Bogor, near

the capital Jakarta, wearingshoes and letting her dog run

loose. Dogs are consideredimpure in Islam, and wearing

shoes is forbidden in amosque. A Bogor court ruled

Wednesday that Margarethwas guilty, but decided not toimpose a prison term becauseshe has paranoid schizophre-

nia. Prosecutors had demand-ed a nine-month jail term. But

Margareth testified that shewent into the mosque

because she was being chas-ed and heard voices in her

head saying her husband wasgetting married there. Her

lawyer welcomed the deci-sion, saying her condition wasclear from the way she spoke.

But mosque representativeRuslan A Suhady slammedthe mental health defence.

Israeli troops hurt in car-ramming

Jerusalem: A car-rammingtargeting Israeli troops in

Jerusalem wounded 14 peo-ple early Thursday in an

attack that PalestinianIslamist group Hamas hailed

as a response toWashington’s controversialMiddle East peace plan. A

manhunt was underway forthe driver who fled the sceneoutside a popular Jerusalem

entertainment spot. Theattack occurred shortly

before 2 am outside the FirstStation, an historic Ottoman-era railway terminus that has

been turned into a culturaland entertainment centre

with bars and restaurants. Theattacker struck in the street

outside where the soldiershad been marching, the armysaid. A soldier was “severely

injured” and has been evacu-ated to hospital. Public radio

said they were new recruitson their way to an induction

ceremony at Jerusalem’sWestern Wall, the holiest sitewhere Jews can pray. “Duringthe incident, a terrorist spedhis car towards soldiers,” thearmy said. Israeli troops “are

currently pursuing the terror-ist who escaped the scene.”

India used British pilots against LTTE: Book

■ ■ The EuropeanUnion on Thursdaycalled for an end to the bombings innorthwest Syria andthe opening of ahumanitarian corridor

Washington, Feb. 6: TheRepublican-controlledSenate has acquittedDonald Trump in his high-profile impeachment trial,giving the US President amajor political victory inan election year but notbefore bitterly dividingthe country and costingmillions of dollars to thetax payers.

The Senate voted onWednesday 52-48 to acquitTrump of abuse of powerand 53-47 to absolve him ofobstruction of Congress,the two charges he faced.

The vote along partylines foiled the Demo-cratic Party’s determinedbid to overthrow Trumpfrom the White Houseahead of the November 3presidential election.

The Democratic-ledHouse of Representativesapproved the articles ofimpeachment on Dece-mber 18 after chargingTrump with pressuringUkraine to smear formerUS vice president JoeBiden, a potential Demo-cratic rival in the 2020presidential election, usi-ng nearly $400 million inmilitary aid as leverage.

Though Trump, 73, hasbeen acquitted, he willbecome the first impe-ached president to seek re-election.

A two-thirds majorityvote was needed to removeTrump, which was alwaysgoing to be a long shot in a100-member Senate con-trolled by his RepublicanParty with 53 seats.

“For now, the impeach-ment of Mr Trumpappears to have evenlydivided the nation,” TheNew York Times reported.

“The outcome represent-ed a political triumph forthe White House andSenate Majority LeaderMitch McConnell...,” TheWashington Post noted.

“The President is plea-sed to put this latest chap-ter of shameful behaviourby the Democrats in thepast, and looks forward tocontinuing his work onbehalf of the Americanpeople in 2020 andbeyond,” a much-relievedWhite House said soonafter Trump’s acquittal.

Trump announced onTwitter that he will makea public statement onThursday from the WhiteHouse “to discuss ourCountry's VICTORY onthe Impeachment Hoax!”

White House Press Secr-etary Stephanie Grishamslammed the OppositionDemocrats.

“Today, the sham

impeachment attemptconcocted by Democratsended in the full vindica-tion and exoneration ofPresident Donald J.Trump. As we have saidall along, he is not guilty,”she said.

“The Senate voted toreject the baseless articlesof impeachment, and onlythe President’s politicalopponents – all Demo-crats, and one failed Rep-ublican presidential can-didate – voted for the man-ufactured impeachmentarticles,” Grisham said.

Trump 2020 campaign

manager Brad Parscalesaid, “The do-nothingDemocrats know theycan’t beat him, so they hadto impeach him. This ter-rible ordeal was always acampaign tactic to invali-date the 2016 votes of 63million Americans.”

Democratic Party accu-sed the Republican-domi-nated Senate of ignoringthe facts, “the will of theAmerican people andtheir duty to the Consti-tution”.

“Today, the Presidentand Senate Republicanshave normalised lawless-ness and rejected the sys-tem of checks and bal-ances of our Constitut-ion,” said Congresswom-an Nancy Pelosi, Speakerof the US House of Repr-esentatives.

“There can be no acquit-tal without a trial, andthere is no trial withoutwitnesses, documents andevidence,” she said, a dayafter the powerful Demo-crat tore her copy ofTrump’s State of theUnion address toCongress. — PTI

Trump survives historic Senate voteImpeachment trial gives Prez political victory in election year, bitterly divides nation

President Donald Trump welcomes Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to the White House in Washington. — AP

Washington: Mitt Rom-ney, the only Republicansenator to cross the aisleand convict Donald Tru-mp on the first charge ofabuse of power during hisimpeachment trial, hassaid that the AmericanPresident is “guilty of anappalling abuse of publictrust”. In an emotionalspeech on Senate floor, the72-year-old lawmakerfrom Utah, spoke of hisown faith and of the possi-bility for retribution fromthe ruling RepublicanParty he may face over hisdecision to go againstTrump in one of the twocharges against the presi-dent. “I’m aware that the-re are people in my partyand in my own state whowill strenuously disap-prove of my decision andin some quarters I will bevehemently denounced,Romney, the Republicannominee for US prez inthe 2012 election, said. Hethen went on to ask, “Doesanyone seriously believethat I would consent tothese consequences otherthan from an inescapableconviction that my oathbefore God demanded it ofme?”. — PTI

ROMNEY 1ST TOVOTE AGAINSTPARTYMAN

Buttigieg clings to narrowlead as Iowa results trickle in New York, Feb. 6: PeteButtigieg clung to a slightlead over Bernie Sandersin a new batch of votetotals released by the IowaDemocratic Party onWednesday, two days afterthe state hosted its first-in-the-nation presidentialcaucuses. But the raceremained too early to callwith 96% of precinctsreporting. Much of thepolitical world has alreadyshifted its attention tonext-up New Hampshire,which holds the first pri-

mary election in theDemocrats’ 2020 nomina-tion fight on Tuesday. Iowaofficials attributed theirdelay to technical prob-lems. The chaos surround-ing the reporting break-down has undermined theimpact of Iowa’s election,which typically rewardswinners with a surge ofmomentum heading intosubsequent primary con-tests. The two early lead-ers — Buttigieg, the for-mer mayor of South Bend,Indiana, and Vermont

Senator Sanders — areseparated by 40 years inage and conflicting ideolo-gy. Sanders, a 78-year-oldself-described democraticsocialist, has been a pro-gressive powerhouse fordecades.

Buttigieg, a 38-year-oldformer municipal official,represents the more mod-erate wing of the Dem-ocratic Party.

Buttigieg is also the firstopenly gay candidate toearn presidential primarydelegates. — AP

■ ■ When it was over,the impeachment ofTrump produced 135days of partisan ran-cour, 17 witnessaccounts, more than28,000 pages of doc-uments and testimo-ny, and one big loose end.

I will be making a public statement

tomorrow at 12:00 pm fromthe @WhiteHouse to discussour Country’s VICTORY onthe Impeachment Hoax. Ihave been put through a ter-rible ordeal by some verydishonest and corrupt peo-ple. They have done every-thing possible to destroy usand by so doing very badlyhurt our nation.

— DONALD TRUMP US President

Sadly, because of theRepublican Senate’s

betrayal of the Constitution,the President remains anongoing threat to Americandemocracy, with his insis-tence that he is above thelaw and that he can corruptthe elections if he wants to.

— NANCY PELOSIHouse Speaker

Today, the shamimpeachment attempt

concocted by Democratsended in the full vindicationand exoneration of PresidentDonald J. Trump.

— WHITE HOUSE,in a statement

Washington: The USannounced launch of a27-nation InternationalReligious Freedom All-iance, which will adopta collective approach inprotecting and preserv-

ing religious freedom.It is an Alliance of“like-minded partnerswho treasure, and fightfor, religious freedom”,US Secretary of StateMike Pompeo said.

US ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF INTLRELIGIOUS FREEDOM ALLIANCE

Zimbabwe minecollapse traps 20Harare: At least 20 min-ers in Zimbabwe havebeen trapped under-ground after a shaft col-lapsed, state mediareported on Thursday.The incident occurredovernight at the Globeand Phoenix gold mine inthe central town ofKwekwe, around 200kilometres (120 miles)west of Harare. — AFP

The Delhi Assembly election, to be held on Saturday, has drawnunusual national attention. Ordinarily, a Union territory poll haslittle outside interest. The heightened focus on how Delhi mightvote is primarily due to the fact that it is likely to be the first test

of popular endorsement of the controversial CAA, the recently passed cit-izenship law that has raised passions across India.

Interestingly, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by energetic chiefminister Arvind Kejriwal, hoping to win a second term, has done its bestto steer clear of the CAA and is going to the people on the strength of itsgovernmental record alone, in addressing people’s needs in a mega-city —highlighting issues like health, education, electricity, water, the state ofroads and public transport.

Earlier, by backing the NDA government’s move to downgradeKashmir’s constitutional status, the AAP signalled to the BJP’s supportbase that it too could be “nationalist”.

While it’s seldom easy to call an election, the BJP seems to have becomethe principal challenger to the AAP’s perceived hegemony. Not unexpect-edly, the BJP has once again underscored “nationalism” — not in thesense that every Indian may be considered a nationalist and patriot, butin the narrower sense of majority community “nationalism”, which is insearch of “the other” within society — as its main plank. It has done thisby questioning the nationalistic credentials of the Shaheen Bagh protest-ers, who have made waves through their doggedness and for the peacefulroute they have chosen.

The AAP is a relatively new phenomenon in Delhi. Traditionally, in vot-ing behaviour terms the national capital was split between the Congressand the RSS-inspired Jan Sangh (now BJP).

Late CM Sheila Dikshit of the Congress is widely given credit for trans-forming Delhi’s infrastructure. For a several reasons, the Congress wasunable to wrestle away the challenge from the AAP, which walked awaywith Congress’ social base to a large extent, especially among the poor andthe Muslim minority.

The BJP, on the whole, has successfully retained its roughly one-thirdvoteshare. But it does well in winning seats when it can add a section ofthe floating vote to this core support stratum. This hasn’t happened forsome time.

So this time the party is taking no chances. It roped in 200 MPs and 11chief ministers for 10,000 locality-level meetings it planned to “recapture”Delhi. This is a carpet-bombing effort. The stakes seem especially highdue to the CAA factor. If the party has to sit it out again, it will have gone20 years without being in office in Delhi.

That can do all sorts of things to the party’s morale and faith in its lead-ership. In sharp contrast to the BJP, the Congress has made itself scarcein this election, concentrating on just a few seats, where micro-level fac-tors may seem favourable.

Perhaps the party is conscious that in a triangular fight, the votes it getswill eventually help the BJP’s cause.

7 FEBRUARY 2020

It beats one’s wits as to how a slice of the Chennai media turns up out-side the gates of Rajinikanth’s Poes Garden residence, paparazzi style,whenever the actor brims up with his pearls of wisdom. Without turn-

ing them away or calling them in, the politician-in-waiting then spillswhat gems he has in store, hoping that it is the State that will pick themup.

“Students should be wary of raising the banner of protest sans the adviceof elders and professors when it comes to the CAA (CitizenshipAmendment Act) question” is one such gem. Earlier, the actor had dug inhis heels, refusing to apologise for a factual error in his reference to a 1971event concerning Periyar E.V. Ramasamy. That there was widespreadanger across Tamil Nadu did not perturb him in the least since he hadnebulous evidence in the form of a 2017 magazine report to wave as proof.

Rajinikanth is least bothered that six states have sought the repeal of theCAA and protests are raging all over the country. In the state that he livesin, a massive signature campaign is on to mobilise people’s supportagainst the new law. But the man who aspires to be the chief minister ofthe state parrots only clichés in favour of the CAA and offers to “fight” ifsomething detrimental happens to someone. That offer evoked a lot oflaughter for his earlier remark, “protests will only turn the state into acrematorium”, remains fresh on everyone’s mind.

So does Rajinikant believe that to reach Fort St George he must sing adifferent song before the ordinary people of the state? If not, is he dancingto someone else’s tune? Is it that of a master who wants to piggyback onhis popularity?

His master’s voice

Will ‘carpet-bombing’ ofDelhi help BJP win polls?

c m y k c m y k

Don’t gain the world and lose your soul;wisdom is better than silver or gold

If you can fight directly with your mother, youcan save a fortune in psychiatrist’s bills

BOB MARLEYMIND POWER

ZSA ZSA GABOR PAGE

10EditFRIDAY | 7 FEBRUARY 2020 | HYDERABADDECCAN CHRONICLE

While the world has beenbusy absorbing the terri-ble news from China,with individuals, govern-

ments and airlines all weighing therisks of the coronavirus, the Trumpadministration has issued anotherset of travel curbs. The new restric-tions, which apply to an additionalsix countries, will be added to thealready existing ones. Included areNigeria, Sudan, Tanzania,Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan and Eritrea.

The total number of countries fac-ing the US travel ban (which washeld up by the US supreme court)now numbers 13. In addition to thesecountries, the US is also blockingtravel to the country by any foreignnationals who may have visitedChina in recent days. Chinese citi-zens are still permitted to travel tothe US, although it is reported thatseveral of the country’s major air-ports will undertake special screen-ings of passengers arriving on theseflights. They will be looking forincreased body temperature, cough-

ing and shortness of breath. While these health precautions

may prove temporary as China triesto contain the virus, there is a gener-al feeling, especially in light ofAmerica’s tightening of immigra-tion, that borders and bans are gain-ing an increasingly prominent placein the scheme of things. As far as thelatest US travel restriction is con-cerned, the addition of six new coun-tries to the list underscores thepremise that certain kinds of peopleare particularly repugnant to thewhite nationalists that now controlUS immigration policy.

African countries, which PresidentTrump has talked about so very dis-paragingly, are first, followed byMuslim countries and now also someCentral Asian countries. The partic-ularities of the bans ensure visasissued prior to Feb 22, 2020, will bevalid. Student visas and some othernon-immigrant visas may also stillbe given (although one can be surethat these too will face extra scruti-ny). No immigrant visas will be

granted to citizens from these coun-tries, leaving those in line to migrateto the US stuck and suspended.

While it is said that the reason forthe restrictions is inadequate screen-ing measures implemented by thecountries in question, it is not astretch to assume that the real rea-son is to throttle non-white immigra-tion to the US. In addition, all of thesecountries, small and lacking muchinternational clout, have virtually nomeans to protest against the ban. Theconsequence is that thousands ofNigerian Americans and TanzanianAmericans, amongst others, will sud-denly face swift estrangement.

If you add these restrictions,imposed by a global superpower, tothe curbs necessitated by the recenthealth concerns, the immediate pic-ture is of a shrunken world wrappedin barbed wire. The toughest knotsexist over regions such as Africa andSouth Asia, the labour exporterswhose youth inevitably await visasto the western world in order tomake a future and a life for them-

selves. With the UK out of Europe,and the US wrapped up in travelbans, the prospects for those wholeave home to earn their fortunes inforeign lands is particularly bleak.

A throttled world is likely to birtheven greater hatred. For instance, inthe wake of the coronavirus out-break, Asian people living in Europeand the US already report facing dis-crimination. The world where peoplemoved freely, where fortunes couldbe sought far and wide, seemsalready to be a thing of the past. Themore populous half, largely brownand black, faces the ignominy of visaqueues, rejections and the humiliat-ing beggary of western immigrationprocedures that impact relation-ships, lives and more. The other halfsets up bans and borders with just asmuch persistence. The US is likely tocontinue to add to the list of travel-ban countries, since it does not seeany point in permitting individualsfrom poor, black and/ or Muslimcountries to cross its borders.

Whether it is pandemic or discrim-

ination, it is the poor who will suffer.Countries such as Pakistan andIndia that have borders with Chinaand lack the kind of sensitive screen-ing equipment possessed by Westernnations could be impacted.

The world of the last millenniumwas less beset with the scourges ofunforgiving climate change, pan-demic, racially based exclusion, infact, the open persecution of anygroup unlucky to be a minority. Mostof these are large structural prob-lems whose solutions seem too for-bidding to consider at the same time;the failure to take action is pushingus all towards a catastrophe.

Pakistan is not yet subject to a UStravel ban. At the same time,Pakistanis must know that it is a dis-tinct possibility, particularly ifDonald Trump wins his re-electionbid. As in Nigeria today, there will bean outcry. But the world of walls andbarbed wire, of war and plagues, ishere to stay.

By arrangement with Dawn

Virus or travelcurbs, the

borders areclosing fast

Iran’s links in India: Isthere a need to worry?

Atop interna-tional onlinen e w s m a g a -zine recentlyfocused on an

issue rarely addressedearlier by any analyst inIndia or abroad. It notedthat the assassination ofIran’s Maj. Gen. QassemSoleimani led to a protestagainst his killing by theUnited States in a remotecorner of India: Kargil.The local Shia Muslimpopulation unsurprising-ly took Iran’s side, takingto the streets on hearingof Soleimani’s death.Later, anti-US demon-strations by Shias erupt-ed in parts of Kashmir,and a few days later evenin New Delhi.Interestingly, it surmisedthat “if the US-Iran con-flict keeps growing, thepresence of pro-Tehranentities in a part ofLadakh could hypotheti-cally emerge as an irri-tant one day”.

It’s a relevant observa-tion and Shia dynamicsin India would need to beanalysed for correctdeductions. Briefgeostrategic and geopolit-ical observations wouldalso be pertinent. Kargildistrict is a part of thenew Union territory ofLadakh, famously knownfor the high-altitudeinfantry and artillerybattles between India andPakistan in May-July1999 that led to Pakistan’sabject defeat. Passingthrough Kargil is thestrategic highway link-ing Kashmir to Leh,Ladakh’s capital,through Zojila Pass. Thehighway was the objec-tive of Pakistan’s 1999misadventure. Its perma-nent domination byPakistani observationand fire would havethreatened Ladakh’s con-nectivity with the rest ofIndia and indirectly ofthe Siachen Glacier, theother high-altitude,glaciated battlefieldbetween India andPakistan. Adjoining it inthe north is the Gilgit-Baltistan sub-region ofPakistan-occupied Lad-akh, and further eastfrom Leh is Aksai Chin,

part of which is illegallyoccupied by China. Arestive Kargil districtwill always be a concernfor India due to these factors.

Kargil has a populationof 140,000 of which 100,000are Muslim (77 per cent).Of these, 65 per cent areShias. In the rest of India,it is estimated 15-20 percent of the Muslim popu-lation is Shia, around 30-40 million, the secondlargest figure in theIslamic world after Iran,which has 66 million.Most Shias have deep ide-ological links with theShia Islamic learningcentres in Iran. Largenumbers of Indian Shiasflock to Mashad and Qomwith a degree of trust thatthey are involved only inthe pursuit of learning. Ahigh degree ofIslamophobia existsworldwide due to thenumerous acts of terrorinvolving radical Islamicextremists. Except in thecase of the ShiaHezbollah, and that toolimited to the Israel-Syria-Lebanon region,and some violent activityin Iraq by a few Shia non-state militias, there havebeen no transnationalacts of terror involvingShias. It is well knownthat Iran remainsfocused in pursuit of itsinterests related to WestAsia and is in confronta-tion with the US-Saudi-Israel trilateral throughproxies. In no other partof the world do non-stateactors operate with anylinkage to Iran. Iran’sambitions about thespread of Shia ideologyhave also been limited.However, deep ideologi-cal links exist with Shiapopulations. At onestage, think tanks inIsrael were deeply study-ing how India’s Shia com-munity had kept its Iranlinkage without anyeffect on its patriotic ori-entation towards India. Aclassic example is theway Lucknow’s well-known Shia culture haskept its deeply Indian ori-entation along with itslinks with Iran’s centresof learning without a con-

cern being raised; it istestimony to both India’spluralism and Shias’ abil-ity to manage the rightperception about theirsect.

It is with this under-standing that one shouldapproach the demonstra-tions of support for Iranin Kargil and elsewherein India. It would beinteresting to know thatduring the height of theearly manifestation ofthe Islamic State in Iraqand Syria (ISIS) and itsthreats towards Shiashrines at Najaf andKarbala, a very largenumber of passionateIndian Shias volunteeredto proceed to Iraq to actas foot soldiers againstISIS which had declaredShias as its enemy.

Shias’ involvementwith politics in India isminimal, which makesthem a poor vote bank. Inmany ways, however,this is their strength. Theproxy war in J&K hasseen negligible involve-ment of the community,which forms almost 12-15per cent of the Valley’spopulation distributed infew pockets.Discrimination againstthem in Kashmir is oneof the reasons whyKargil, an adjoining dis-trict to Kashmir’sGanderbal, did not wit-ness any support forPakistan’s sponsoredproxy war in J&K. Ofconcern, however,should be the fact that itwas Pakistan’s mainlyShia Northern LightInfantry from the illegal-ly-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan area that wasinvolved in the occupa-tion of the Kargil heightsin 1999. Despite this, itgot no support whateverfrom Kargil’s populationand proxy war remainsincubated in the Valley.There is so far no evi-dence that the Iran-influ-enced organisations inKargil have any traits ofbeing paramilitary prox-

ies that can be used in ahostile way.

This could lead to theconclusion that demon-strations in support ofIran and the assassinatedQasem Soleimani, seenin Kargil and elsewherein India, are only trans-actional in nature for theexpression of solidarity.Yet Iran has admittedlydemonstrated no solidar-ity with India over therecent developments inKashmir. The nature ofIndia-Iran relations hasmostly been transaction-al, unlike the emergingrelationship betweenIndia and the Gulf states,where a huge Indiandiaspora resides with amajor contribution to theIndian economy throughremittances. Can theIranian linkage withIndian Shias thereforeturn against India’sinterests? This seemsunlikely as the history ofthe relationship provesthat Iran has often takensuch a stance withouthurting the relationship.Its relationship withPakistan too has neverbeen too warm. India too,realising the strategicimportance of Iran,maintains a neutralstance on the US-Iranstandoff and continues tofollow an interest-basedrelationship. It’s in thecontingency that India iscalled upon by the UnitedStates to demonstrate thedepth of the mutualemerging strategic rela-tionship that it will beunder pressure. It wouldbe a difficult call, butIndia has so far weath-ered such choices wellthrough its multilateralapproach. The senti-ments of Kargil and otherIndian Shias appear to beyet benign. The KargilShias remain an impor-tant entity for India’ssecurity of Ladakh andits approach towardsGilgit-Baltistan. Thedemonstrated Shia patri-otism must be nurturedfor our strategic interestseven as a careful watch ismaintained on Shia for-eign linkages, an actionwhich is always an ongo-ing exercise for the intel-ligence domain.

The writer, a retired lieutenant-general, is a

former commander of theSrinagar-based 15 Corps.He is also associated with

the VivekanandaInternational Foundationand the Institute of Peace

and Conflict Studies.

It’s in the contingency that

India is calledupon by the

United States to demonstrate the

depth of themutual emerging

strategic relation-ship that it will be

under pressure

Subhani

Rafia Zakaria

Syed Ata Hasnain

LETTERSLAW & ECONOMYIndian economy is facingchallenges on many fronts.While some issues can becorrected at the govern-ment level, there are globalissues that are beyond ourcontrol (Domestic IT firmspaint a bleak picture, DC,Feb. 6). The Union Budget,many feel, has failed toaddress key factors thatboost investments andconsumption. However, noone is talking about law inIndia. If I give money to anindividual, company, ororganisation, how safe is it?In case of default, howearly can I recover themoney if I go to court? IfIndia must progress eco-nomically or otherwise, thelegal system must berobust.

Amit AgrawalHyderabad

POLARISATIONIndia seems to be in a political eraof polarisation (of Hindu majority)under the Bharatiya Janata Partygovernment instead of politics ofappeasement (of Muslim minority)during the Congress regime (RamLalla back in focus before polls, DC,Feb. 6). Both extremities are dan-gerous to a country like Indiawhich was founded on the princi-ple of unity in diversity by our free-dom fighters.

Baratam Raghunadha RaoHyderabad

U.S. ELECTIONSUnited States President DonaldTrump has made a comeback withhis marathon speech in the Senate(Unity in shreds as Trump makescase for re-election, DC, Feb. 6). Heconvinced and influenced theSenate by making America Firstimpact. By giving credit to the mil-itary for executing QasemSoleimani was the final touch toimpress the Senate.

P.R. Ravinder Hyderabad

GST LOTTERYThe government’s proposal tointroduce a lottery system inGoods and Services Tax (GST)offering between `1 crore and `10lakh is welcome (GST lottery toprod buyers to take bills soon, DC,Feb. 5). There were suggestionsfrom several quarters that Insteadof keeping huge prize amounts andlimiting the probability of win-ners, it is better to fix the prizeamounts at `10,000 each. That canattract many more people todemand bills from traders whichwill coming of use later.

N. Bhaskara RamamHyderabad

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editor@deccanmail.com. You canalso send them to Editor, DeccanChronicle, 36, Sarojini Devi Road,

Secunderabad-500 003.

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11OpedFRIDAY | 7 FEBRUARY 2020 | HYDERABADDECCAN CHRONICLE

KILLER LITTER WINTERREGNUMWord SPY

Garbage tossed from a highrise building

A pause or interruption in a continuous activity during winter or caused by winter weather

In a shocking turn ofevents on Thursdaylast week, a man bran-dishing a gun openedfire at the anti-C i t i z e n s h i p(Amendment) Act(CAA) and National

Register of Citizens (NRC) pro-testers near Jamia MilliaIslamia, injuring a student ofthe university. The studentswere marching towardsRajghat to protest against thecontentious CAA and NRC onthe occasion of MahatmaGandhi’s martyrdom day.

It becomes imperative tounderstand the “chronology”that has led up to this turn ofevents. Like several other sec-tions of society, the students ofJamia have put up a consistentprotest against the CAA eversince its passage in Parliamentin December 2019. Taking theirprotest to Parliament, a peace-ful march led by the studentson December 15 turned violentwhen the police tried to pushthem back. Later that evening,the university witnessed anunprovoked retaliation when,apart from protesting students,those who had clearly stayedaway from the protest wereseverely beaten up by Delhipolice personnel. These includ-

ed students, boys as well asgirls, who were praying in themosque as well as those whohad been peacefully studyingin the university’s library.

Outrage against the unrelent-ing repression triggered thewomen of Shaheen Bagh tostart a first-of-its-kind indefi-nite dharna to protest againstpolice brutality and CAA-NRC.The protests in Shaheen Baghhave been going on since then(December 15), despite constantattacks from several quarters.As a matter of fact, the numberof protesters have beenswelling day by day. ShaheenBagh has also presented itselfas a model for people elsewherewanting to protest against theCAA and NRC, and dozens ofShaheen Baghs have been emu-lated in other parts of the coun-try. The Jamia students havenot stopped protesting sincethen either. The restlessnessamong the ruling establish-ment and its allies to breakaway these protests is palpablewhen in a repeat of the firingincident on Thursday, anotherman fired at the protesters inShaheen Bagh on Saturday.Thankfully, this time around,no one was hurt.

Meanwhile, the government,its supporters and all those dis-

contented with these protests,which includes a section of themainstream media, have beenall out spreading not just mis-information but also hatredagainst these protesters. Theprotesters have become theprime target of senior leadersof the ruling dispensation, theBJP. In the past few weeksalone, hardly a day has passedwhen a senior leader of theparty has not spread misinfor-mation about the CAA-NRCprotests, especially thosewhich have a sizeable and visi-ble Muslim presence.

Union home minister AmitShah has repeatedly targetedthe Shaheen Bagh protests on adaily basis, shortly ahead ofthe Delhi Assembly electionsscheduled to be held onFebruary 8. While addressingan election rally on Thursdaylast week, he remarked, “OnFebruary 8, you will be decid-ing who should form the gov-ernment in Delhi… On one sideit is Narendra Modi, who con-ducted airstrikes and surgicalstrikes on Pakistan’s soil tokill terrorists, and on theother, there are these peoplewho back Shaheen Bagh. Youhave to decide.” On an earlieroccasion, Mr Shah had alsosaid, “Press the button withsuch an anger that ShaheenBagh feels the current.”

Only a few days ago, Unionminister and BJP star cam-paigner Anurag Thakur wasseen chanting “desh ke gad-daron ko”, to which the crowdenthusiastically replied “golimaaro saalon ko”, translatedas “shoot down these traitorswho betray the country”.

Similarly, BJP MP from WestDelhi and one of the aspirantsfor the Delhi CM’s post,Parvesh Verma, while callingthe Shaheen Bagh protestersakin to Kashmiri militants,said: “Lakhs of people gatherthere (Shaheen Bagh). Theywill enter your houses, rapeyour sisters and daughters, killthem. There’s time today...Modiji and Amit Shah won’tcome to save you tomorrow”.Similarly, other BJP leaders —not just those at the fringe butalso those who occupy promi-nent positions in the party orhave been given tickets in theongoing elections, have not leftthemselves behind in the vilifi-cation campaign. The constantrumour mongering by BJP ITCell national in-charge AmitMalviya is another case inpoint. On Saturday last week,while addressing an electionrally in Delhi, Uttar Pradeshchief minister Yogi Adityanathhad also said, “If not words,then bullets will make peopleunderstand”.

This despite the fact that theongoing protests in ShaheenBagh and Jamia have peaceful.

Barring the traffic jam androute diversion, there is hardlyany other valid complaint thatcan be used against the protest-ers. As far as the issue of theblockade due to the ShaheenBagh protest is concerned,what has to be kept in mind isthat the spatial dynamics of thearea hardly provide any openspace where the people canorganise in such large num-bers. Moreover, even if theytry to move out of the ShaheenBagh-Jamia Nagar area, it isclear that they won’t beallowed to do so, as has beenapparent from the violentattack on the December 15march and the firing onThursday last week.

The purpose of recountingand enumerating these speech-es and the vilification cam-paign is to explain the kind ofimpact that it has had on thepublic at large, especially onthe youth like the person whowas involved in the Jamiashooting. According to areport, neighbours of theaccused believe that “it’s theeffect of Shaheen Bagh, JNU[Jawaharlal Nehru University]and AMU [Aligarh MuslimUniversity].” This can be cor-roborated with the fact thatminutes before he opened fireon the protesters, he had postedon his Facebook page,“Shaheen Bagh, Khel Khatam”,intending that his act wasgoing to end the logjam atShaheen Bagh. There areenough reasons to believe thatwhat happened in Jamia onThursday last week was adirect result of the ongoinghate campaign against the anti-

CAA-NRC protesters, especial-ly Muslims. It can be also notedthat on Saturday last week,Kapil Gujjar, the man whoopened fire in Shaheen Bagh,shouted “Jai Shri Ram” and,“Hamare desh me aur kisi kinahi chalegi, sirf Hindu kichalegi (only Hindus shall havea say in our country, nobodyelse),” as he was taken into cus-tody by the Delhi police.

In the last few weeks, the vili-fication campaign againstMuslims (remember PMNarendra Modi’s comment,“those creating violence can beidentified by their clothesitself”?) have created an atmos-phere where every anti-CAAand anti-NRC protester isbeing portrayed and seen as a“gaddar” (traitor) and hencedeserving of being killed orjailed immediately. And this isnot just limited to right-wingpoliticians but lawyers as wellwho have been seen arguing onsimilar lines. All this has madelife as a Muslim even more dif-ficult. They have been selec-tively targeted by the State aswell as vigilante groups.Muslims across the country (inNew Delhi, Uttar Pradesh,Karnataka, etc) have beenspecifically targeted for takingpart in the protests, puttingtheir lives and liberty at stake.

What is worrying is that whilejust after the Jamia incident,Union home minister AmitShah assured that “the culpritwill not be spared”. A few hourslater at an election rally, heonce again indulged in the vili-fication of the anti-CAA andanti-NRC protesters, especiallythose of Shaheen Bagh. What is

also important to note is theway the police acted during theJamia shooting. According toan eyewitness, “The DelhiPolice just stood by andwatched” as the accused bran-dished a gun for a while beforeopening fire. As per eyewitness-es, “We were shouting for help.We told them (the Delhi Police)to stop him, to control him. Butno one did.” This only confirmsthat there is an inbuilt biasagainst Muslims in the policeforce as has been documentedby several studies and fact-find-ing reports already.

Hence, as long as the vilifica-tion and hate campaignagainst the anti-CAA and anti-NRC protesters (especiallyMuslims) continue, incidentslike the Jamia and ShaheenBagh shooting are likely torepeat themselves. If the Unionhome minister and his govern-ment are really interested instopping these incidents andgetting the culprits punishedfor their crime, the first thingthat they should do, apart fromensuring a free and fair inves-tigation, is to stop the misin-formation and vilification cam-paign immediately. Until andunless that happens, there isno guarantee that similar inci-dents will not be repeated inthe near future. And for that,nobody else but the BJP’s lead-ers, including Amit Shah, willbe responsible.

The writer is a multilingualjournalist and writer.

He writes on issues related to politics, law, media,

human rights and tweets@MahtabNama

Rajinikanth regis-tered his views onthe Citizenship(Amendment) Act(CAA) very firmly

and insisted on the need forthe National PopulationRegister (NCR) recently. Healso logically questioned howMuslims who remain an inte-gral part of India even afterPartition could lose their citi-zenship because of the CAA.It has been insisted by all thepolitical parties at one orother point of time that Indiashould send back illegalMuslim immigrants ofBangladesh who managed toenter India in the last 45years and the very purpose ofCAA and NPR is to achievethis objective. On expectedlines, once Rajinikanth regis-tered his views on CAA andNCR, the political leaders ofDMK, Congress and otherfringe parties expressed theirdispleasure and condemnedthe views of Rajinikanth. Themedia in TN would chew onRajinikanth’s observations inthe next two weeks as if hewants to drive out minoritiesin India and especially in TN.

This was the second consec-utive assertion byRajinikanth since January2020. On the eve of Thuglakmagazine’s golden jubilee cel-ebrations, Rajinikanth spokeabout how by his reaction,the then CM of TN M.Karunanidhi gave enormouspublicity to the then fledglingfortnightly Tamil magazineThuglak and ChoRamaswamy, the then editorof the magazine, for publish-ing a news item on the pro-cession of DravidarKazhagam (DK) headed byE.V. Ramasamy (EVR) inJanuary 1971, portrayingobscene images of LordMuruga, Lord Iyappa andLord Ram. Instead of actingagainst the perpetrators ofthis heinous act, the then M.Karunanidhi governmentseized copies of Thuglak inFebruary 1971, which gaveenormous publicity toThuglak and MrRamaswamy. WhatRajinikanth told was the factsto the core and in fact hehighlighted the way MrRamaswamy and Thuglakgained prominence in TN andnothing against EVR orKarunanidhi. The despicableportrayal of Hindu gods inthe Salem procession wasalso covered in the IndianExpress, Dinamani and theHindu. However, the deputy

CM of TN, O. Panneerselvam,DMK chief M.K. Stalin,Puducherry CM V.Narayanasamy, TN ministerD. Jayakumar, Vaiko, TNCongress president K.S.Alagiri and leaders of fringeparties reacted so sharplyagainst Rajinikanth for justuttering the facts. Given this,one would expect that thereaction this time would bemuch more aggressive asRajinikanth made his obser-vations on the CAA and NCR.

What is happening in TN?Why this outcry? Will thecondemnation forRajinikanth by political par-ties stop with these two inci-dents? Certainly not.Rajinikanth alreadyannounced that he will starthis political party in 2020 andwould contest in the TNAssembly elections in May2021. Both AIADMK andDMK have been ruling TN,giving no space for any otherparty in the last 50 years. TheCongress and Communistparties and other marginalplayers have been satisfiedwith the titbits thrown atthem by either AIADMK orDMK, when being part of thealliance. No political party,including the ones foundedrecently, have managed tobecome an alternative toAIADMK and DMK in the last50 years. The Congress hasdecayed with hardly anypresence and BJP has beenunable to expand its limitedpresence. It is this back-ground that gives enormousconfidence to both AIADMKand DMK that they canremain dominant players inTN politics, despite not hav-ing a charismatic and effec-tive leadership at the helm.

If Rajinikanth forms a partyand contests elections, it isnot impossible for eitherAIADMK or DMK to win inthe hustings, although hemay pose a challenge to both.If anti-incumbency againstthe AIADMK government is aboon for DMK, AIADMK hasstrong cadre strength. DMKalready hired PrashantKishor, a brahmin electionexpert from Bihar to devise astrategy for the 2021 TN elec-tions at a monthly payment of`15 crores and therebyachieved its long-cherisheddream of ethnic cleansing ofbrahmins from TN.Moreover, both the partiesand their cadres have mas-tered the art of bribing voterswith a scientific approach inthe previous election to get

sizable votes in their favour.They even bought the Leftparties, which are ideological-ly unassailable. The DMKpaid `10 crores to the CPI(M)and `15 crores to the CPI offi-cially before the 2019 electionsand both parties are gratefulto the DMK, at least till the2021 Assembly elections. Asmall portion of the bootyboth these parties and theircadres accumulated in thelast 50 years is more thanenough to execute a “bribe forvote” scheme. Rajinikanthhas none of these advantages.Even today, the AIADMK andDMK put together have avoteshare of 80 per cent of theTN electorate. Despite beingin such an advantageous posi-tion, why do both the DMKand AIADMK bay for theblood of Rajinikanth on everyoccasion?

A big list of omissions andcommissions of these twoparties in the last 50 yearsconstitute simmering angerfor the sizable electorate ofTN. However, no politicalparty has reached a level tobecome an alternative tothese two parties, so that theelection contest trulybecomes three-cornered. Butif a clear third alternative is

available before the elec-torate, one cannot pre-con-clude that the electorate ofTN will continue to chooseeither AIADMK or DMK giv-ing a simple majority toeither one of them becausethey are dominant today.

The fact of the matter is thatAIADMK and DMK formed apowerful lobby of media own-ers and personnel, owners ofeducational institutions, gov-ernment employees, peoplewho amassed wealth byexploiting natural resourcesillegally, some sections oflawyers and the judiciary andfringe elements who speakagainst the sovereignty ofIndia. This lobby has beengiven liberal concessions bythe powers-that-be and thispowerful lobby has been reci-procating as much as possibleto ensure that there is nothird force emerging andbecoming strong in TN, chal-lenging either DMK orAIADMK. Rajinikanth has nochoice other than to faceunprecedented oppositionnot only from AIADMK andDMK but also from this lobbytill the 2021 TN Assemblyelections.

Rajinikanth’s speech, sil-ence, action and inaction tillthe 2021 TN Assembly elec-tions will be used to tarnishthe image of Rajinikanth andassassinate his character.The DK has already made apolice complaint againstRajinikanth and filed a peti-tion in the Madras HC on thespeech made by Rajinikanthin Thuglak’s function, whichwas withdrawn to give thepolice more time to investi-gate and act againstRajinikanth. The IndianExpress, Dinamani and theHindu published news on the

procession carried out by theDK under EVR in 1971 andthe resolution passed thereinand had to face a court casefrom one Chokkappa of DKwho claimed that these news-papers defamed him and hisparty and hence actionshould be taken against them.Given the influence of DKand DMK in judiciary thenand even now, the Madras HCaccepted the case filed byChokkappa and passedorders to that effect. It wasonly after the appeal in theSupreme Court by the threenewspapers, the SC set asidethe orders of Madras HC.When Annadurai was the CMof TN, a magazine publisheda news item that a lady, whogave birth to a girl child,mentioned in the hospitalrecords that the child’s fatherwas the then public worksdepartment (PWD) minister.But the publisher had to facea defamation case in court bythe then PWD minister andwas sentenced to imprison-ment. Rajinikanth may alsohave to face plenty of legalentanglemant for whateverhe says irrespective ofwhether it stands the scruti-ny of law ultimately. Let theelectorate decide whetherRajinikanth is an alternativeto both AIADMK and DMK.Rajinikanth has been veryfirm first on his speech inThuglak’s function that hewill not apologise and then onhis observations on CAA andNCR. Rajinikanth provedsince January 2020 that hehas enormous mettle andtenacity to be in politics andthat is the bad news for DMKand AIADMK.

The writer is a public policy analyst

To be a leader requiresknowing what to do,and why to do it.Enthusiasm, motiva-

tion, skill and knowing how todo things right is not enough.We have to know whether it isthe right thing to do. For that,moral leadership is required.

Leadership is about “who weare” and “what we do”. Alongwith learning to act as a leader,we must possess the character-istics, behaviour and habits ofmind and heart of true leaders.True leaders have the courageto confront themeaning of exis-tence. They havethe courage to livein a manner thatoffer meaning toothers, By theirexample, theyinspire hope in oth-ers that they too canbecome one of God’snoble works. Such leadershiptranscends organisationalleadership and also moral lead-ership.

Many focus on the routines oflife, such as waking up, gettingdressed, eating, driving, work-ing to earn a living, cominghome and repeating the cyclethe following day. They con-clude that there is a higherpower within that guides us.That inner spiritual power isthe source of morals, virtues,power and life. It does not mat-ter what name we call it —whether God, consciousness,soul — that power is within,enlivening each of us.

Once we contact the eternalspiritual power, we connectwith the source of the qualities

of true leaders. We automati-cally and effortlessly inculcatethe virtues and characteristicsassociated with great leaders.

The second aspect of leader-ship is service.

Great moral leaders of histo-ry have said that service beforeself was the key to a full andrewarding life.

Those who are spirituallyaware see the same powerenlivening all creation. A lifeof service is based on deep spir-itual and moral principles thatare understood and inter-

nalised when we con-tact the truth within.Intellectually under-standing servicedoes not provide theconviction we needwhen we are tested,as we most certainlywill be, by peopleand circumstances.

Becoming a trueleader is about becoming a truehuman being.

Leadership is a product ofdeep, ongoing self-analysis. Weneed dedication and persever-ance to achieve anything. Wedo not need to act or pose. Ourmoral leadership and spiritualstrength will flow from ourwords and actions and willreach the hearts of others asnaturally and inevitably as astream flows towards itssource.

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji,head of Sawan Kirpal Ruhani

Mission, works towards promoting inner and

outer peace. He can be contacted at

www.sos.org

Why does the ‘rise’ of Rajinikanth in TNpolitics make DMK, AIADMK see red?

Leadership lessonsfor youngsters

Firings at Shaheen Bagh must never be repeatedAs long as the vilification and hatecampaign against theanti-CAA and anti-NRCprotesters (especiallyMuslims) continue,incidents like the Jamia and Shaheen Bagh shootingare likely to repeat themselves

Let the electoratedecide whetherRajinikanth is an alternative to bothAIADMK and DMK.Rajinikanth has beenvery firm first on hisspeech in Thuglak’sfunction and then onhis observations onCAA and NCR.

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji

Mahtab Alam

T.S. Ramakrishnan

‘It’s the land of the scot free.’

By a staff reporterHYDERABAD, Feb. 6.

The formation of a new politicalgroup in the Legislature styled as“Telangana United Front”, com-posed mainly of CongressLegislators subscribing to theviews of separate Statehood forTelangana or an opinion poll toassess the views of the people ofthe region, was announced heretoday.

Headed by the former RevenueMinister, Mr. V.B. Raju, theFront has as floor leader in theAssembly, Mr. N. RamachandraReddi and in the Council Mr. K.Ramachandra Reddi. The otheroffice-bearers and executive willbe announced in due course.

Mr. Raju and Mr. N.Ramachandra Reddi, whoannounced the decision to form

the Front at a news conferencethis morning, said that a letterwould be sent to the Speaker “in aday or two” seeking a separatebloc in the Opposition for themembers. Their approach to theproblems would be constructiveand it was their earnest desire towork with all Opposition groupsand parties in the Legislature insecuring the democratic rights ofthe people of Telangana to put anend to all “anti-people’s policiesof the Government.”

Telangana United Front formed

50 YEARS AGO IN

PAGE

12WorldFRIDAY | 7 FEBRUARY 2020 | HYDERABADDECCAN CHRONICLE

Rest in peaceFormer Kenyan president Daniel Arap Moi, who ruledthe country with an iron fist between 1978 and 2002,will be honoured with a state funeral on February 11

Turkey avalanche wipes out rescue team, toll 41Istanbul, Feb. 6: The de-ath toll from two avalanch-es in eastern Turkey roseto 41 on Thursday, the gov-ernment’s disaster man-agement agency said, asrescue teams continued adifficult search for twomissing people.

Five were killed in thefirst avalanche in Vanprovince bordering Iranon Tuesday, only for res-cuers to be hit by a secondavalanche the followingday. Three more bodieswere recovered Thursday,the DHA news agencysaid, with the AFAD disas-ter agency saying a total of84 people had been injuredin the twin avalanches.

Rescue efforts continueddespite adverse weatherconditions that causedtransport problems. Auth-orities have banned civil-ian access to the scene,DHA reported.

Last month, the easternprovince of Elazig was hitby a powerful 6.7-magni-tude earthquake thatkilled 41 people andinjured more than 1,600others. A 2009 avalanchein the northeasternprovince of Gumushanekilled 11 climbers in theZigana mountains. — AFP

Beijing, Feb. 6: The tollin China’s novel coron-avirus outbreak went upto 563 as 73 people died onWednesday, the highestone-day fatalities so far,while total confirmed cas-es rose sharply to 28,018,Chinese health officialssaid on Thursday. Another5,328 new suspected caseswere reported on Wedne-sday of which 2,987 are inHubei. Also on Wednesd-ay, 640 patients becameseriously ill and 3,859remained in severe condi-tion, the commission said.

Money to fight virusThe World Health Organi-sation (WHO) said, “Theplan is to stop further tra-nsmission of 2019-nCoVwithin China and to othercountries, and to mitigateimpact of the outbreak.The total estimated resou-rces required to be mobili-sed by the internationalcommunity to implementpriority public health me-asures for countries to res-pond is $675.5 million. Theresource requirement forWHO is $61.5 million. Theresponse requirement per-iod is three months, fromFebruary 1 to April 30,2020.” — Agencies

565 dead, 28K cases confirmedWHO says $676 million needed in three months to fight deadly coronavirus

Astronaut Christina Koch back on Earth after 328 days in spaceShatters spaceflight record for women with a stay of almost 11 months aboard the International Space StationFEMME | FEAT

A medical worker in a protective suit walks by as patients diagnosed with the coronavirus, at a temporary hospital that was transformed from anexhibition centre in Wuhan of central China’s Hubei province. — AP

IN BRIEFAfrica’s last gianttusker dies at 50

Nairobi: One of Africa’s lastremaining giant “tusker” ele-phants has died in Kenya ag-ed 50, the country’s wildlifeservice (KWS) has said. Big

Tim died in Mada area ofAmboseli National Park fromnatural causes, KWS said in a

statement on wednesday.”The celebrated elephant died

early on Tuesday morningaged 50,” the statement said.

He was “a benevolent, slow-moving preserver of the pea-

ce at Amboseli,” KWS said.“He was well known and love-

d throughout Kenya.” Big Ti-m’s carcass was found at the

foot of the snowcapped peakof Kilimanjaro, the Amboseli

Trust for Elephants said.

Weinstein gropedme: Actress

New York: A woman testifiedat Harvey Weinstein’s rape

trial on Wednesday that thefilm producer trapped her in a

hotel bathroom in 2013 andmasturbated in front of herwhile groping her breasts,

and told her: “This is what allthe actresses do to make it.”Lauren Young, a 30-year-old

model and actress, is the lastof six accusers scheduled totestify in a Manhattan court-

room against Weinstein, a on-ce-powerful Hollywood figure.Young’s claims are not part of

the criminal charges againstWeinstein. She is among threewomen whom prosecutors are

calling to bolster their caseagainst the former movie pro-

ducer. Young is also one oftwo accusers in a sexual

assault case brought againstWeinstein in Los Angeles.

Bumblebees shiftmode with load

Los Angeles: Researchers haveshown for the first time how

bumblebees, which are theheavy-lifters of the insect wo-

rld, are able to alter their flightbehaviour to bring almost

their own bodyweight in nec-tar back to their hives. Acc-

ording to the study, publishedin the journal Science Adv-

ances, bumblebees have twodifferent ways to cope with

increasing loads. In one flightmode, the bees increase flight

amplitude, which is how farthey flap their wings, and they

also flap more frequently, generating greater lift,

but consuming more energy, the study noted.

New York, Feb 6: Scientistshave mapped the completegenome of two basmati ricevarieties, including one that isdrought-tolerant and resistantto bacterial disease.

The findings, published in thejournal Genome Biology, alsoshow that basmati rice is ahybrid of two other rice groups.Basmati derived from the Hindiword for “fragrant” is a type ofaromatic long-grain rice grownin southern Asia. Despite theeconomic and cultural impor-tance of basmati and relatedaromatic rice varieties, theirevolutionary history is not fullyunderstood, the researchers sa-id. “Rice is one of the most im-portant staple crops worldwide,and the varieties in the basmatigroup are some of the mosticonic and prized rice varieties.However, until recently, a high-quality reference genome forbasmati rice did not exist,” saidJae Young Choi, a postdoctoralscholar at New York University(NYU) in the US.

BASMATI RICEGENOME

SEQUENCED

Almaty (Kazakhstan),Feb. 6: NASA’s ChristinaKoch returned to Earth saf-ely on Thursday after shatt-ering the spaceflight recordfor female astronauts with astay of almost 11 monthsaboard the InternationalSpace Station.

Koch touched down at 0912GMT on the Kazakh steppeafter 328 days in space, alo-ng with Luca Parmitano ofthe European Space Agencyand Alexander Skvortsov ofthe Russian space agency.Koch was shown seated andsmiling broadly after beingextracted from the Soyuzdescent module in the Rosc-osmos space agency’s videofootage from the landingsite. “I am so overwhelmedand happy right now,” said

Koch, who blasted off onMarch 14 last year. Par-mitano pumped his fists inthe air after being lifted intohis chair while Skvortsovwas shown eating an apple.

Local Kazakhs on horseba-ck were among those to wit-ness the capsule landing inthe snow-covered steppe assupport crews gatheredaround the three astronau-ts, NASA commentator RobNavias said. “I’ve neverseen this,” Navias exclaim-ed, reporting that the menstopped to chat with engine-ering personnel. Koch, a 41-year-old Michigan-born en-gineer, on December 28 lastyear beat the previous reco-rd for a single spaceflight bya woman of 289 days, set byNASA veteran Peggy Whits-

on in 2016-17. Koch called three-time fl-

yer Whitson, now 60, “a her-oine of mine” and a “ment-or” in the space programmeafter she surpassed the rec-ord. She also spoke of herdesire to “inspire the nextgeneration of explorers”.Koch also made history asone half of the first-ever all-woman spacewalk alongwith NASA counterpart Je-

ssica Meir — her classmatefrom NASA training — inOctober last year.

The spacewalk was initial-ly postponed because the sp-ace station did not have twosuits of the right size forwomen, leading to allegatio-ns of sexism. Ahead of thethree-and-a-half hour jour-ney back to Earth, Koch toldNBC on Tuesday that shewould “miss microgravity”.

“It’s really fun to be in a pla-ce where you can just boun-ce around between the ceili-ng and the floor wheneveryou want,” she said, smilingas she twisted her body aro-und the ISS. She will nowhead to NASA headquartersin Houston, via the Kazakhcity of Karaganda and Colo-gne in Germany, where shewill undergo medical tests.

Koch’s medical data willbe especially valuable toNASA scientists as the age-ncy draws up plans for a lo-ng-duration manned missi-on to Mars. Her return co-mes after an advert for a sk-incare brand ran during anintermission in the Americ-an football Super Bowl witha call to “make space forwomen”. — AFP

■ ■ KOCH BEAT the previous record for a singlespaceflight by a woman of 289 days, set byNASA veteran Peggy Whitson in 2016-17.

■ ■ SHE MADE history as one half of the first-ever all-woman spacewalk along with NASAcounterpart Jessica Meir — her classmate fromNASA training — in October last year.

Rescue members and firefighters at the wreckage of a plane after it skidded off therunway at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport. — AP

Istanbul, Feb. 6: Threepeople died and 179 werehurt when a plane skiddedoff the runway at an Ist-anbul airport, caught fireand split into three afterlanding in rough weather.

Live images broadcaston Turkish television sho-wed several people climb-ing through a large crackin the severed aircraft and

escaping onto one of thewings at the rear. TheBoeing 737 operated byTurkish low-cost carrierPegasus Airlines had flo-wn into Istanbul’s SabihaGokcen airport from theAegean port city of Izmiron Wednesday, NTV televi-sion reported.

The plane was apparent-ly buffeted by strong

winds and heavy rainlashing Istanbul. ThreeTurks were killed and 179injured, Turkish HealthMinister Fahrettin Kocasaid. Istanbul governorAli Yerlikaya said theplane “slid some 60metres” after skidding offthe runway, and then “fellabout 30-40 metres” downa bank. — AFP

■ ■ THE KKREMLIN saidThursday it has begunchecking the body tem-perature of officials andreporters attendingevents involving PresidentVladimir Putin due tocoronavirus fears. “This isa precautionary meas-ure,” presidentialspokesman Dmitry Peskovtold state news agencyRIA Novosti after journal-ists underwent checks atthe Kremlin on Thursdayafternoon. “There is anew screening procedurein the Kremlin now —someone holding a ther-mal camera to take yourtemperature,” AntonZhelnov, a journalist withthe independent channelTV Rain, said onFacebook.

DEARTH OF HOSPITALBEDS, EQUIPMENTHangzhou, Feb. 6:Chinese authorities onThursday stated that theyface a acute shortage ofhospital beds and equip-ment needed to treat agrowing number ofpatients hit by the newcoronavirus.

The number of con-firmed infections rose tomore than 28,000 nation-wide in an outbreak thathas spiralled into a globalhealth emergency withcases reported in morethan 20 countries.

Despite authoritiesbuilding a hospital fromscratch and convertingpublic buildings to accom-modate thousands ofextra patients, there wasstill a “severe” lack ofbeds, said Hu Lishan, anofficial in Wuhan.

There was also a short-age of “equipment andmaterials”, he toldreporters, adding that offi-cials were looking to con-vert other hotels andschools in the city intotreatment centres.

— AFP

NASA astronaut Christina Koch is helped out of the Russian Soyuz MS-13 space capsuleabout 150 km south-east of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Thursday. — AP

PLANE SKIDS OFF ISTANBUL RUNWAY, KILLS THREE

Storms pummelNSW, Queensland

Canberra, Feb. 6: Heavyrain is pouring on parts ofAustralia which havebeen ravaged by wildfiresover the last few months,offering a brief respitefrom the fire season.

The Bureau of Meteoro-logy has issued flood aler-ts for more than 20 areasin New South Wales(NSW), with rainfall expe-cted to last several days.The deluge, described bySky News’ weather chiefTom Saunders as “the he-aviest rain in years” hashelped to douse some of

the country’s most dam-aging blazes.

“There’s going to be ahuge amount of rain,” hesaid. “It’s enough to extin-guish some of the largerbushfires but not enoughto fill up the dams, consid-ering how dry the catch-ment has been.” Morethan 11.7 million hectaresof land have been burnedsince September, in fireswhich have killed 33 peo-ple and an estimated 1 bil-lion animals, and destro-yed more than 2,500homes. — Agencies

Wuhan, Feb. 6: Two new-born babies in Wuhan,China, have been infectedwith the novel coronav-irus, according to China’sstate broadcaster CCTV.

The youngest baby wasdiagnosed at just 30 hoursold. The baby’s motherwas also infected with thevirus, and CCTV suggest-ed that “there may bemother-infant transmis-sion,” where the motherpasses the virus on to thebaby in utero.

Without more details,it’s impossible to know ifthe infants were infected

in the womb. There are ot-her ways they could havebeen exposed — throughhandling by healthcareworkers, mothers cough-ing, breastfeeding or evenin the delivery process.

“Was this just contact?Did baby get infected be-cause, you know, mucousmembranes were exposedto some virus that the mo-ther was excreting or wasit blood borne through theplacenta? We have noidea,” said Susan McLell-an, a director at the Unive-rsity of Texas MedicalBranch. Paul Hunter, a

medical professor at Brit-ain’s University of EastAnglia, said that a babyborn vaginally is exposedto the mother’s gut micro-biome — meaning “if ababy does get infectedwith coronavirus a fewdays after birth we curre-ntly cannot tell if the babywas infected in the wombor during birth”.

Nancy Messonnier, adirector at the US Centersfor Disease Control andPrevention, warned that“there is a lot about thenovel coronavirus that wedon’t know.” — Agencies

Dubai, Feb. 6: Saudi Ar-abia on Thursday barredits citizens and residentsof the kingdom from tr-avelling to China amidthe new virus outbreak.The kingdom’s GeneralDirectorate of Passportssaid the measure was inresponse to the new vir-us believed to have stem-med from central China.It warned that any resi-dent of the kingdom whoviolate this order willnot allowed to return toSaudi Arabia. It alsosaid that regulatory pro-visions on travel docum-ents would be applied tocitizens who violate thetravel ban, without fur-ther elaboration. — AP

Beijing, Feb. 6: Chinasaid on Thursday that ithas lodged diplomatic pro-tests with countries whoseairlines have cancelledflights to Chinese citiesalleging that they are spr-eading panic in the wakeof deadly coronavirus. Ithas spread to more than 25countries. Several inter-national airlines have can-celled flights to China overfears of the virus sp-reading across the world,a move which Beijing des-cribed against the WHOguidelines. Several count-ries have also announcedtravel bans.

Foreign Ministry spoke-

sperson Hua Chunyingsaid, “We deplore andoppose those countrieswho went against WHO’sprofessional recommenda-tions and ICAO’s bulletinsand have lodged stern rep-resentations with them.Their actions, whichsowed panic among thepublic, will not help pre-vent and control the epi-demic.” she said.

“We hope all countriescan assess the epidemicsituation and China’sefforts in a calm, objectiveand rational manner anddo not overreact,” thespokesperson added.

— PTI

30-hour-old newbornyoungest to be infected

SAUDI BARSCHINA TRAVEL China protests over

suspension of flights

A powerful cyclone batters the Australian coast.

2 PILOTS FACE PROBEOVER NEGLIGENCEIstanbul, Feb. 6: Turkeywill investigate two pilotsfor possible negligenceafter Boeing 737, operatedby Turkish low-cost carri-er Pegasus Airlines, skid-ded off an Istanbul run-way killing three passen-gers, state media reportedThursday.

Istanbul’s prosecutorwill probe the pilots on su-spicion of causing deathand injury through negli-gence, the TRT broadcast-er reported. The pilots areamong those in hospitaland will give statements topolice after their treat-ment is complete, the cha-nnel added. Pegasus CEOMehmet Tevfik Nane saidthe aircraft’s black boxwas being examined forclues to the cause of thecrash. “Such accidentsoccur not because of onefactor but many factors,”he said.

The airline’s planes wererelatively new, with anaverage age of 5.3 years,and that “their technicalreliability is very high”,Nane added. — AFP

FRIDAY | 7 FEBRUARY 2020 | HYDERABAD

■ Cash reserve ratio cut for home, auto & MSME loans

SANGEETHA GGCHENNAI, FEB. 6

The RBI will publish acomposite DigitalPayments Index to cap-ture the extent of digiti-sation. It also mooted theidea of having a self-reg-ulatory body for the seg-ment.

Considering that digi-tal payments in Indiahave been growing rap-idly, the bank shall con-struct and periodicallypublish a compositeDigital Payments Index(DPI) to capture theextent of digitisation ofpayments effectively, thecentral bank said.

The DPI would bebased on multipleparameters and shallreflect accurately thepenetration and deepen-ing of various digitalpayment modes. Theindex will be made avail-able from July 2020.

The RBI has also sug-gested a self-regulatoryorganisation for the seg-ment. “With substantialgrowth in digital pay-ments and maturitygained by entities in thepayment ecosystem, it isdesirable to have a Self-Regulatory Organisa-tion (SRO) for orderlyoperations of the enti-ties in the payment sys-tem,” it said.

The RBI will put inplace a framework forsetting up an SRO byApril 2020, which willserve as a two-way com-munication channel bet-ween the players and theregulator/supervisor.

Policy measures todrive credit growth

DigitalPayments

Index soonRAVI RRANJAN PPRASADMUMBAI, FEB. 6

Shares of housing financecompanies (HFCs), non-banking finance compa-nies (NBFCs) and publicsector banks (PSBs) weremajor gainers after theReserve Bank of Indiaannounced measures toboost liquidity to cash-starved sectors by provid-ing Rs 1 lakh crore addi-tional liquidity and alsotook additional measuresto ease their financial dis-tress.

The gainers among theHFCs and NBFCs on theBSE included IndiabullsHousing Finance (15 percent), Piramal Enterprises

(7.60 per cent), LICHousing Finance (8.17 percent), Shriram TransportFinance (7.66 per cent),PNB Housing Finance(4.91 per cent), Can FinHomes (2.12 per cent), GICHousing Finance (1.61 percent), Dewan HousingFinance (5 per cent).

The PSBs also gainedwith Nifty PSU BankIndex closing up by 2.83per cent. The top gainerson the NSE included SBI(3.23 per cent), Bank ofBaroda (3.86 per cent),PNB (2.99 per cent),Canara Bank (2.77 percent), UCO Bank (4.64 percent) and Central Bank ofIndia (1.68 per cent).

Sandeep Agarwal, head –

Real Estate Finance,Centrum FinancialServices said, "RBI hasgiven a window to lendersincluding Banks & NBFCsto not classify projects ordevelopers as havingdelayed / defaulted, if thereasons for delay in pro-viding OccupancyCertificate to buyers arebeyond the control of thepromoters.” The RBIwould later announce thequalifying criteria for thispolicy.

S Ranganathan, head ofresearch at LKP Securi-ties, said,"The one-yearextension for loans to com-mercial real estate bene-fits several NBFC andHFCs.”

Financial sector stocks rally

SANGEETHA GGCHENNAI, FEB. 6

The Reserve Bank provid-ed some relief to the real-ty sector by extendingasset downgrade of com-mercial project loans by ayear and allowing sched-uled commercial banks toprovide incremental cred-it to the residential sector.However, the sector findsthat the decision to keeprepo rates unchanged willnot address its biggestissue—low consumerdemand.

“It has been decided topermit extension of dateof commencement ofcommercial operations(DCCO) of project loansfor commercial realestate, delayed for reasonsbeyond the control of pro-moters, by another oneyear without downgrad-ing the asset classifica-tion,” the RBI said. This isin line with treatmentaccorded to other projectloans for non-infrastruc-ture sector and wouldcomplement the initia-tives taken by the govern-ment in the real estate sec-tor, the central bank said.

The industry welcomedthe move. “This is a bigmove and will bring themuch-needed relief to thecash-starved real estatesector - and to both devel-opers and the housingfinance companies fromthe liquidity perspective.It will help ease out thetime for maintaining andmanaging cash flows forcash-strapped developersand help them to complet-ing several stuck proj-ects,” said Anuj Puri,chairman, AnarcokProperty Consultants.

According to JaxayShah, chairman, CredaiNational, RBI’s decision topermit extension of datefor commercial projectsstuck for reasons beyondcontrol of the developersunder institutional debtwill be instrumental inbringing much-neededrelief to developers.

Recognising the realestate sector as a produc-tive sector having multi-plier effects to supportimpulses of growth, theRBI allowed scheduledcommercial banks todeduct the equivalent ofincremental credit dis-bursed by them as retailloans for automobiles, res-idential housing andloans to micro, small andmedium enterprises(MSMEs), over and abovethe outstanding level ofcredit to these segmentsas at the end of the fort-night ended January 31,2020 from their netdemand and time liabili-ties (NDTL) for mainte-nance of cash reserveratio (CRR). This exemp-tion will be available forincremental creditextended up to the fort-night ending July 31, 2020.

“With the lower provi-sioning requirement forretail loans extended tothe housing segment, wehope that the new meas-ure will translate intolower cost of loans forhome buyers as well,” saidShishir Baijal, chairmanand managing director,Knight Frank.

However, the sector hasbeen looking forward forrate reduction and bettertransmission of rates topush demand at the con-sumer level.

“After a no-show Budget,the real estate sector waskeenly looking towardsthe Reserve Bank of India(RBI) for providing somelending rate concessionsto boost demand,” saidRajan Bandelkar, presi-dent, NardecoMaharashtra.

quickBITES

INDICATORS %Sensex 41306.03 0.40Nifty 50 12138.00 0.40S&P 500* 3,345.49 0.32Dollar (`) 71.22 -0.09Pound Sterling (`) 92.49 -0.71Euro (`) 78.54 -0.26Gold (10gm)* (`) 41,019▲150 0.36Brent crude ($/bbl)* 55.04 -0.24IN 10-Yr bond yield 6.446 -0.059US 10-Yr T-bill yield* 1.661 0.012

* As of 9:30 pm IST

Cognizant netdips 39%;D'Souza to exitCognizant posted a 39% fall innet profit at $395 mn for theDecember quarter over factorslike restructuring charges andsaid it expects topline in 2020to grow by 2-4%. It said co-founder and vice-chairmanFrancisco D'Souza will leave theboard from March 31. VinitaBali, ex-CEO of Britannia Indshas been appointed as a newindependent director.

Rice exports hit8-year low overprice increase

India’s rice exports in 2019 fell18.1% from a year ago to theirlowest in eight years, asdemand moderated from keyAsian and African buyers dueto higher prices. Exports stoodat 9.87 million tonnes in 2019,the lowest since 2011, and downfrom 12.05 mt in 2018, accord-ing to data compiled by theMinistry of Commerce andIndustry.

Instant e-PAN onAadhaar prooffrom this monthThe government this month willroll out a facility to issue onlinePAN cards instantly on furnish-ing Aadhaar details, revenuesecretary Ajay Bhushan Pandeyhas said. The budget has pro-posed a new system underwhich PAN shall be instantlyallotted online on the basis ofAadhaar without filling up thedetailed application form as aneasy process of PAN allotment.

Sun Pharma Q3net profit falls27% to `914 cr

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Sun Pharmaceutical Industriesreported a 26.43% decline in itsconsolidated net profit to Rs913.52 crore for the Decemberquarter against Rs 1,241.85crore in the year-ago quarter.Consolidated income fromoperations stood at Rs 8,038.65crore against Rs 7,656.71 crore.The board has declared aninterim dividend of Rs 3 perequity share of Re 1 each, SunPharma said.

China set to cut tariffs on$75 bn US imports

Car companies puton a brave face

Overleaf

Long-termrepos for 1-yearand 3-year atthe repo rate,will bring downcost of funds for banksand will facilitate bettertransmission within thecurrent constraints ofdownward rigidity ofdeposit rates

— RRajnish KKumar, chairman, SBI

■ ■ ■

The tone of theMPC's state-ment wasrather dovish,especially giventhe reiteration that pol-icy space is availablefor future action. Theaccommodative stancewill be maintained foras long as necessary torevive growth

— AAditi NNayar, economist, Icra

■ ■ ■

Notwithstandingunchanged poli-cy rates, intro-duction of TermRepo opens upways to trans-mit the signal ratechanges

— AA.K. DDas, MD&CEO, Bank of India

■ ■ ■

Given theexpected infla-tion trajectory,we do believethere is roomfor one residual ratecut, possibly in theAugust policy. Whileinflation is likely toremain elevated untilQ2FY21, the room foreasing will open uponly at the beginningof Q3

— AAnagha DDeodhar, economist, ICICI

Securities

■ ■ ■

The changes indevelopmentand regulatorypolicies were apositive surprise and couldpotentially turn out tobe a big support to thetroubled sectors in theeconomy.

— RRajni TThakur, economist, RBL Bank

■ ■ ■

The RBI’s deci-sion is not sur-prising as theeconomy isshowing classicsigns of stagflation.Sharply higher inflationhas come in the way ofRBI playing the rate-cutcard, even as economicweakness persists.

— KKunal KKundu, India economist,Societe Generale

■ ■ ■

Core CPI infla-tion is still softat the sub-4%zone. Pricingpower for sev-eral industrial com-modities remains mod-est, as reflected in theWPI inflation reading of2.6% YoY in December.Overall, the recovery ineconomic activity willlikely be only gradual,suggests a host of leadindicators

— SSiddhartha SSanyal,chief economist,

Bandhan Bank

■ ■ ■

At this juncture,rate modifica-tion is notrequired as theinterbank mar-ket has a huge surplusof close `3 tn ($42.08bn) to support the liq-uidity requirements ofthe system, and thisalone will ensure thatthe short-term rates donot move up

—Joseph TThomas, head of research,

Emkay WealthManagement

FALAKNAAZ SSYEDMUMBAI, FEB. 6

In a bid to lower interestrates for housing, auto, andmicro small and mediumenterprise (MSME) loansand push bank creditgrowth, the Reserve Bankof India (RBI) Thursdayrelaxed the requirementsfor banks to maintain thecash reserve ratio for theseloans. The special dispen-sation will be for all bankcredit to these sectors for aperiod of six months —between January 31 andJuly 31.

The central bank alsoextended ExternalBenchmark Based Lendingfor better interest ratetransmission to medium-sized enterprises. InSeptember 2019, the RBIhad mandated that bankswould link all new floatingrate personal or retailloans and floating rateloans to micro and smallenterprises (MSEs) to anexternal benchmark effec-tive October 1, 2019.Subsequently, most bankslinked lending rates forhousing, personal and

MSEs to RBI’s repo rate.According to RBI, in theOctober-December 2019quarter, the weighted aver-age lending rate of domes-tic banks on fresh loansdeclined by 18 basis pointsfor housing loans, 87 bpsfor vehicle loans and 23 bpsfor loans to MSMEs.Consequently, RBI hasannounced that beginningApril 1, 2020, pricing ofbank loans to the mediumenterprises would also belinked to an externalbenchmark to furtherstrengthen monetarytransmission and reducethe borrowing costs ofthese enterprises.

Reflecting its concerns onthe financial sector, theRBI announced multiplemeasures to improve mon-etary policy transmissionand boost credit growthsuch as infusion of long-term liquidity. The RBIannounced a new ECB-style long-term repo opera-tions (LTRO) facility togive banks long-term liq-uidity by conducting termrepos of one-year andthree-year tenors of up toRs 1 lakh crore at the policy

rate. This will enablebanks to fund at the reporate at 5.15 per cent, belowthe existing deposit rates.

The central bankrevamped the liquidityframework by dismantlingquantitative ceilings forliquidity operations at theweighted average call rateversus one per cent of netdemand and time liabili-ties; increasing scope toconduct longer-term vari-able rate repo/reverse repooperations exceeding 14

days and improving com-munications and trans-parency on liquidity opera-tions.

The RBI eased guidelineson project loans to the com-mercial real estate sectorby allowing a one-yearextension on the date ofcommencement of projectloans that have beendelayed for reasons beyondthe control of promoters,without attracting a down-grade of asset clarification.This brings them in linewith other project loans innon-infrastructure space.The RBI will also bereviewing the regulationsfor housing finance compa-nies, where it has recentlytaken over their supervi-sion from the NationalHousing Bank.

The RBI extended the cut-off date for the one-timedebt restructuring schemefor MSMEs which is meantfor loans that were indefault but “standard” as ofJanuary 1, 2019. This wouldhelp speed up monetarytransmission, improvecredit flow and helpaddress the NPA problemto an extent.

Realtors happywith relief, butwanted rate cut

Banks can borrow at lower rate FC CCORRESPONDENTMUMBAI, FEB. 6

In an attempt to infuse liq-uidity in the banking sys-tem, the Reserve Bank ofIndia on Thursday said itwould conduct Long-TermRepo Operations (LTRO)under which it would offerfunds to banks at the reporate (at 5.15 per cent) andalso announced a revisedliquidity managementframework.

These measures wouldallow banks to borrow at aconsiderably lower ratefrom the Reserve Bank ofIndia and lend the money

to sectors like auto, hous-ing and MSMEs at a high-er rate.

This measure wouldincrease profitablity ofthe banks, whose financesare in doldrums, and isakin to the supportextended by US FederalReserve to Americanbanks after the 2008 sub-prime crisis

According to State Bankof India chairmanRajnish Kumar, "The RBIpolicy is a statement ofintent carefully using arepository of policy novel-ties to address the currentdelicate balance of growth

and inflation. The deci-sion to allow Long-TermRepo Operations for oneyear and three year fortotal amount of `1 lakhcrore at repo rate willbring down the cost offunds for banks and willfacilitate better transmis-sion within the currentconstraints of downwardrigidity of deposit rates."

"Exemption of CRRmaintenance for all addi-tional loans given forretail loans for automo-biles, residential housing,and loans to MSMEs ispositive for banks, autosector, residential housing

and MSMEs will also helpto lower the cost of funds.Extension of date of com-mencement of commer-cial operations (DCCO) ofproject loans for commer-cial real estate by anotherone year without down-grading the asset classifi-cation will allow the realestate sector to focus onproject completion.Extending the date ofrestructuring of MSMEadvances will also help thesector to navigate the cur-rent business downturnand is a logical corollaryof budget announcement"added Mr Kumar.

Inflation worries RBIFC CCORRESPONDENTMUMBAI, FEB. 6

RBI governor ShaktikantaDas said that the MonetaryPolicy Committee (MPC)will "persevere with theaccommodative stance aslong as necessary to revivegrowth" and that it "recog-nises that there is policyspace available for futureaction".

The central bank hasrevised higher its headlineretail inflation (consumerprice index) projection bynearly two percentagepoints to 6.5 per cent y-o-y inQ1 2020 (versus 4.7 per centpreviously) and 5.4-5 percent in Q2-Q3 2020 (versusfour to 3.8 per cent previous-ly).

However, it sees inflationtrending lower through theyear with inflation set todecline below its four percent target to 3.2 per cent inQ4 2020, with risks broadly

balanced.The Reserve Bank of India

cited the inflation outlookas "highly uncertain".

Even though vegetableprices are likely to decline,it flagged upside pressuresfrom the broader food bas-ket, particularly milk, puls-es and other protein fooditems.

It has also sounded cau-tious on supply-side shockson core inflation from high-er telecom charges, phar-maceutical prices and theimpact of new emissionnorms, and stated that itremains vigilant on thesepressures to become gener-alised.

However, households’ one-year ahead inflation expec-tations eased by 70 basispoints after a sharp rise inthe previous survey.

On growth, the ReserveBank of India believes GDPgrowth has troughed andwill pick up sequentially

from 4.5 per cent y-o-y in Q32019 to 4.9 per cent in Q4, 5.5per cent in Q1 2020, 5.5-6 percent in Q2-Q3 2020 (versus5.9-6.3 per cent previously)and 6.2 per cent by Q4 2020.

For FY21, the RBI expectsGDP growth to pick up tosix per cent y-o-y from fiveper cent in FY20, led by arecovery in private con-sumption (particularly inthe rural economy), easingglobal trade tensions,improved policy transmis-sion and measuresannounced in the budget.

Despite pencilling in arecovery, the RBI soundedworried on growth, statingthat "economic activityremains subdued and thefew indicators that havemoved up recently are yet togain traction in a morebroad-based manner".

Economists now expectthe Monetary PolicyCommittee to cut rates inthe second quarter.

New Delhi, Feb. 6: IndiaInc on Thursday welco-med the measures annou-nced by the RBI to boostgrowth and improve liq-uidity, but called for slash-ing the policy rate, whichwas kept unchanged forthe second time in a row.

The repo rate — atwhich the RBI lends shortterm money to banks —was kept unchanged at5.15 per cent at the centralbank’s last bi-monthlymonetary policy announc-ement for 2019-20 on risinginflationary concerns.

In a major decision foreffective transmission ofmonetary policy, RBI saidit will conduct long-termrepo operations aggregat-ing up to Rs 1 lakh crorefrom February 15 byallowing one- and three-

year repos to banks.Currently, the lenders

can access only shortterm repos, such as forovernight tenor.

“RBI’s decision to holdon to the policy rate comeson the back of inflationmoving beyond the cen-tral bank’s comfort zone.While the outlook forinflation remains uncer-tain, FICCI is of the viewthat this is largely a sup-ply side phenomenon,”the chamber said.

As growth in the indus-trial sector and the econo-my is still not on a firmfooting, greater supportfrom the central bank byway of a cut in the policyrate by 15-25 basis pointswould have been timely,FICCI chief SangitaReddy said. — PTI

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das,flanked by his deputies, arrives for RBIs sixth bi-monthlymonetary policy review meeting of 2019-2020, inMumbai on Thursday — PTI

India Inc welcomesRBI growth booster

FRIDAY | 7 FEBRUARY 2020 | HYDERABAD

FinancialPAGE

14

Tokyo, Feb. 6: Toyotaon Thursday reported asurge in net profit onrecord sales for the ninemonths to December,and upgraded its full-year profit forecasts.

But the maker of theCamry sedan and Priushybrid warned it wasclosely watching theimpact of the new coro-navirus in China, wherethe firm has suspendedoperations at more than10 plants.

Toyota said net profitfor April-December surg-ed 41.4 percent on-year to2.0 trillion yen ($18 bil-lion) with sales up 1.6percent at 22.8 trillionyen, the highest ever forthe period. The profitjump was mainly due tostrong revenue, cost-cut-ting efforts and gains inshares it holds.

By region, sales inNorth America — itscash cow — as well asJapan and Europeincreased for the ninemonths but those in Asiadeclined. The companyrevised upward its full-year profit forecast, nowprojecting a net profit of2.35 trillion yen for thefiscal year to March,compared with its earli-er estimate of 2.15 tril-lion yen, thanks to for-eign exchange gains.

— AFP

Toyota logsnine-monthprofit gain

Stockholm, Feb. 6:Chinese-owned Swedishauto maker Volvo Carssaid Thursday it sold arecord number of carsin 2019 and expectedcontinued growth in2020 despite concernsover the new coron-avirus.

For the sixth consecu-tive year the companybroke its sales record. “Iam very pleased to seethat for the first time inour history we sold morethan 700,000 cars,” CEOHakan Samuelsson said.

Sales increased in allof its three main mar-kets, going up 7.0 per-cent in Europe, 10.1 per-cent in the US and 18.7percent in China.

Revenue for the yearrose 8.5 percent to 274billion Swedish kronor.

The car maker, whichis owned by China'sGeely, reported at netprofit of 7.1 billion kro-nor ($740 million, 673million euros), up from6.8 billion kronor theprevious year.

Volvo Cars did not givean expected sales figurefor 2020, only saying itexpected “continuedgrowth in sales and rev-enue.” — AFP

Volvo Carscreates newsales record

New Delhi, Feb. 6:ArcelorMittal on Thurs-day reported a net loss of$1.9 billion for the quar-ter ended December, withthe company calling 2019a “very tough year”.

The world’s largeststeel maker had posted anet income of $1.2 bil-lion in the year-agoquarter, the companysaid in a statement.

The company reporteda “net loss attributableto equity holders of theparent” of $1.9 billion inthe fourth quarter.

ArcelorMittal followsJanuary to Decemberfiscal year. For thewhole year, it reported anet loss of $2.5 billion asagainst net income of$5.1 billion in 2018.

Revenue in 2019 was at$70.6 billion as comparedwith $76 billion in theprevious year. Its crudesteel production stood at89.8 mmt, while own ironore production was at57.1 mmt. ChairmanLakshmi Mittal said,“2019 was a very toughyear, clearly reflected inour significantly reducedprofitability. However,our cash generationremained strong helpingto reduce net debt to thelowest ever level.”

— PTI

ArcelorMittalposts net loss of $1.9 bn

India warming up to snackification, says global studyRAVI RRANJAN PPRASADMUMBAI, FEB. 6

‘Snackification’ is a trendcatching up in India, says areport presented byEuromonitor Inter-national, a global strategicmarket research firm aspeople in urban centreshave longer commute totheir workplace.

Market intelligence, inno-vation, self-disruption,localisation were the othermajor trends in India’s foodretail sector, according tofood retail industry leadersassembled at India FoodForum 2020.

The Indian food consump-tion market — includingfood retail and foodservicesectors — is valued at $900billion.

Talking about the ‘snacki-fication’ of food, PradeepSrinivasan, senior analyst,Euromonitor said, “The factthat time-pressed lifestylesand on-demand economyhave led to people lookingincreasingly at conven-ience. More and more peo-ple are opting for foods withless preparation time andmore convenience, therebyincreasing the opportunityfor pre-prepared foods.”

Indians have a lot of

snacks in between meals asagainst people in Westerncountries having threemeals — breakfast, lunchand dinner. “Fluid eatinghabits is another opportu-

nity for snack manufactur-ers. While snacking hasincreased, there is a visibledifference in treating andsnacking. This has led tothe demand for healthier

snacks. The pack size ofpre-packed snack is alsoreducing,” Srinivasan said.

“The presence of smallerdisruptive players are mak-ing sure that success is

beyond few food majors.Also the brands whichfocus on regions or clusterswill achieve success andscale. Also companies arenow trying to be present inmultiple product cate-gories. Also gourmet andhealth are new niches thatwill see higher growth,”said Saloni Nangia, presi-dent, Technopak.

“Interest from investorslike private equity(PE) andventure funds and govern-ment would provide thegrowth impetus, given thefact that more than `10,000crore rupees have alreadybeen invested in packed food

and food& grocery e-com-merce since 2015,” Nangiasaid. Kishore Kumar, head-Brand Intelligence, BigBasket, an online food andgrocery store said, “Thekey trends in food retailingincluded concept of“Grandma is Right”, likedesi cow ghee, honey, jag-gery and ayurvedic prod-ucts as consumers weregoing more towards whatwasbetter for them and notjust a value add.

“More and more con-sumers are demandingboth taste and health intheir food item,” Kumarsaid.

MICHAEL GGONSALVESPUNE, FEB 6

The second day of the 15thedition of the Auto Expo,India’s biggest motor showat Greater Noida, contin-ued with its somber moodwith plummeting sales in aslowing economy hittingthe industry hard even asautomakers tried to put upa brave face with launchesand unveils of cars andtwo-wheelers to drum upexcitement and buzz in themarket.

Market leader MarutiSuzuki, which will notintroduce its electric car inthe near future, onThursday unveiled the allnew powerful and stylishVitara Brezza BS6 Petrolcompact SUV. The latestversion offers an enhancedsportiness, bolder looks,stronger stance, and premi-um interiors and comfort.

Launched in 2016, theVitara Brezza became aninstant hit as it took themarket by storm, emergingas the most awarded com-pact SUV. Its dominanceover the segment is evidentfrom the fact that in lessthan four years of its launchthe Vitara Brezza has soldover five lakh units.

The car is powered by the1.5-litre petrol engine,which replaced the 1.3-litrediesel as part of Maruti’slarger plan to withdrawdiesels from its line-up byApril 1, 2020.

The carmaker will launchand announce prices forthe refreshed Vitara Brezzain a couple of weeks.Variants with the 5-speedmanual are rated at 17kmpl while the automatic,with the mild-hybrid tech,has an ARAI rated 18.76kmpl.

Mercedes-Benz, India’sbiggest luxury car maker,launched its V-Class MarcoPolo, the latest luxury MPVrange. The Marco Polo hasbeen priced at `1.38 crore atpan-India showroom, whichmeans it sits at the top ofthe V-Class range, evenabove the V-Class Elite vari-ant priced at `1.10 crore.

The two variants of the V-Class Marco Polo are theMarco Polo Horizon andthe Marco Polo, priced at`1.38 crore and `1.46 crorerespectively. “The V-Classand V-Class Elite pioneeredthe luxury MPV segment inIndia and has witnessedmuch success ever sincetheir launch,” MartinSchwenk, MD and CEO atMercedes-Benz India, said.

He said Mercedes was nowexpanding this segmentwith the launch of theMarco Polo, based on the V-Class. “It create a newbenchmark in the luxuryMPV segment and the com-pact dimensions of theMarco Polo and vehicle tech-nology inherited from the V-Class, the Marco Polo andMarco Polo Horizon aresuitable for long journeysand at the same time for day-to-day and urban usage,”Schwenk boasted.

The Marco Polo combinesfunctionality with utmostluxury, unparalleled com-fort, convenience, anduncompromised safety.

Mercedes-Benz alsounveiled the future ofmobility the uniqueVolocopter, which aims tooffer affordable on-demandair taxi services and savepeople time by flying themsafely to their destination.

At present, the companyis striving for commercialcertification through theEuropean Aviation SafetyAuthority and expects toopen the first commercialroutes within two to fouryears.

Korean brand Hyundai,India’s second biggest carmaker, took off the coversof the India-specific, sec-ond-generation Creta SUVon Thursday. Revealed asthe new-generation ix25 inChina last year, the new

Creta not only comes withrevamped exterior andinteriors but will also comewith a new BS6-compliantengine line-up.

Hyundai will reveal theCreta’s interior and moredetails closer to its launchin mid-March 2020. It islikely to be priced in the`10-16 lakh range.

The original Creta notonly defined what a mid-size SUV ought to be butalso dominated the seg-ment for much of its life.This all-new Creta will takethe legacy of Hyundaibrand forward.

Volkswagen is in the

midst of a massive transi-tion towards electrificationglobally. At the Auto Expo2020, the German brandgave a glimpse of what is tocome with the I.D. Crozzelectric SUV concept, theproduction version ofwhich Volkswagen intendsto launch in India by 2021.

The I.D. Crozz employs an83kWh lithium-ion battery,which powers a 102hp/140Nm electric motor at thefront, and a 204hp/310Nmelectric motor at the rear,resulting in a combinedoutput of 306hp and 450Nmof torque. Volkswagen saidthe I.D. Crozz has a range of

over 500km with top speedlimited to 180kph.

First shown at the 2017Shanghai motor show, theI.D. Crozz concept hasevolved and the final prod-uct due for reveal in April2020 could see morechanges. The concept’scoupé-like roofline willlikely make way for a tradi-tional roof, while the rearsliding doors will bereplaced by a conventionalhinged arrangement.

Volkswagen said the I.D.Crozz combines the designof a sportscar with the off-road capability of an SUV.

China’s Great Wall Motor,

which debuted at AutoExpo 2020 has made quite astatement with a slew ofHaval SUVs at its stand.But it is not just the SUVsthat are attracting atten-tion but also the interestingthe ORA R1 EV. TheChinese carmaker has alsomade an investment of $1billion or about `7,123 crorein its India project.

Internationally, the R1 issold as part of Great Wall’s‘ORA’ EV sub-brand (whichstands for Open, Reliableand Alternative). The R1electric car is based on thecompany’s ME pure-electricplatform. What will be amajor draw for the R1 is itsaffordability. In China,prices for the R1 start aslow as CNY 59,800 or `6.15lakh. It remains to be seenhow Great Wall Motor pro-poses to make the R1 asaffordable in the Indianmarket, though the Chinesecarmaker has alreadyannounced it will take overGeneral Motors' plant inTalegaon for its India oper-ations.

Great Wall Motor has con-firmed that it will launchthe Haval brand in ourmarket in 2021, followed bytheir sub-brand for electriccars – GWM EV.

The motor show would bethrow open for publictomorrow for the next sixdays till Feb. 12.

Car cos put on a brave face

Beijing, Feb. 6: China onThursday said it will halvepunitive tariffs on $75 bil-lion in US imports fromFebruary 14, a month afterBeijing and Washingtonsigned a truce in their long-running trade war.

The reduction will applyto levies of five per centand 10 per cent that wereimposed on more than 1,700items in September, accord-ing to the State CouncilTariff Commission.

Products that had been hitby the 10 percent tariffsincluded fresh seafood,poultry and soybeans.Tariffs also applied to itemssuch as tungsten lamps forscientific and medical pur-poses, as well as some typesof aircraft.

The move is aimed at “pro-moting the healthy and sta-ble development of China-US economic and trade rela-tions”, the Commission saidin a statement.

It added that the reduc-tion will kick in at 05.01GMT on February 14 — thesame day Washington isexpected to halve tariffs on$120 billion worth ofChinese products.

The Commission added it“hopes that both partieswill be able to abide bytheir agreement, strive toimplement its relevant con-tent, (and) boost marketconfidence”.

Other retaliatory tariffs,

however, remain in place.The US and China in

January signed a partialdeal that dialled down ten-sions in their bruisingtrade war, with Beijingagreeing to buy an addi-tional $200 billion inAmerican goods over thenext two years.

As part of the phase onedeal, the US would halve itstariffs on $120 billion ofChinese goods to 7.5 percent, and the Trump admin-istration called off addedtariffs that would havetaken effect last December.

At President DonaldTrump’s annual State of theUnion address this week, hesaid US-China relations arethe “best” ever currently.

China’s latest tariff reduc-tions come as it grappleswith a shortage ofresources in a fight againsta new coronavirus, whichhas claimed more than 560lives. On Tuesday, a top UStrade official said the virusoutbreak will delayBeijing’s plans to buy goodsfrom the US under the phaseone deal. But Washingtonexpects “minimal impact”from the virus on the USeconomy. China’s recentvirus outbreak has causedBeijing to impose travelrestrictions across cities,with millions of consumersstaying home during its oth-erwise busy Spring Festivalholiday. — AFP

China set to cut tariffs on $75 bnin US imports

FALAKNAAZ SSYEDMUMBAI, FEB. 6

The government’s move towithdraw dividend distribu-tion tax (DDT) and transferthe tax liability of dividendincome to investors willimpact the margins and thevaluations of life insurancecompanies.

According to analysts, thenet impact of the changewill range from 50 basis to200 basis points on the mar-gins and upto 5 per cent onthe valuations. Anotherblow to life insurers willalso come from withdrawalof Section 80C deduction forassessees that opt for thenew tax regime.

The Union Budget intro-duced a new optional per-sonal tax regime andremoved dividend distribu-tion tax. These changes arelikely to impact bothdemand and margins for lifeinsurance products.

Analysts have cut the indi-vidual new business growthassumptions for FY21 esti-mates and valuations of lifeinsurers.

Insurers till now enjoyedtax benefit on dividendincome received on invest-ments, and thus their effec-tive tax rate was lower thanthe corporate tax rate. TheBudget abolished the DDTand makes dividend taxablein the hands of the recipi-ent. However, this will part-ly be offset by new section 80M which allows insurers totake the benefit of dividendon investments received bythem (up to the extent ofdividend distributed bythem to their shareholders).

Jefferies India in its reportsaid, “As per HDFC Life, thenet impact of the (DDT)change will be around 80basis points on the value ofthe new business marginsand around one per cent onthe embedded value. As perMax Life, they will havearound one to 1.5 per centimpact on embedded value

and around 50-80 basispoints margin impact. Theimpact for ICICI Prudentialcould be slightly more givenits higher mix of ULIPs. SBILife reports numbers inboth methods (withoutusing Section 80M benefitthrough), where margin dif-ference in 200 basis pointsand the embedded valueimpact is 5 per cent betweentwo methods (numbers areprovisional, exact numberswill be reported in 4Q).”

Madhukar Ladha,Analyst, HDFC Securitiessaid, “Our calculations sug-gest that individuals withincome in the range of `7 to15 lakh will have lowerpropensity to invest as thetax savings on incrementalinvestment is in the range ofaround 19-30 per cent.Additionally, individualswithin this lower incomerange may prefer a higherdisposable income asagainst higher tax savings.We expect individuals earn-ing higher than `15 lakh tocontinue to prefer usingdeductions/exemptions astax reduction on incremen-tal savings is 43.2 per cent(for income of Rs 22 lakh).While it is difficult to quan-tify the impact of this ondemand we have cut ourFY21E APE estimatebetween 1.7-5.8 per cent forall companies.”

On abolishing of DDT,Ladha said, “While theBudget abolishes DDT andmakes dividend taxable inthe hands of the recipient, itallows for deduction of divi-dend paid by the companyto its shareholders thus pro-viding some relief to com-panies. Our calculationssuggest that this movereduces FY21 estimatedvalue of new business mar-gins of insurers by upto 70basis points. We expectHDFC LIFE’s margin to bemost impacted by 70 basispoints, while MAX Life’smargins are not likely to getimpacted at all.”

Budget proposalsto impact growthof life insurers

The fact that time-pressed lifestylesand on-demand economy have led

to people looking increasingly at conven-ience. More and more people are optingfor foods with less preparation time andmore convenience, thereby increasing theopportunity for pre-prepared foods

— PPRADEEP SSRINIVASAN, senior analyst, Euromonitor

The motor show is now open for general public till February 12

Aprilia SXR 160 unveiled Greater Noida, Feb. 6:Italian two-wheeler makerPiaggio on Thursdayunveiled its premiumscooter Aprilia SXR 160,which has been designedspecifically for Indian con-ditions.

Aprilia SXR 160 would belaunched in the third quar-ter of 2020 and bookingwould commence inAugust.

Piaggio, which is alsoworking on India-specificfuturistic electric mobilitysolutions, has alsos h o w -

cased the European versionof Vespa Elettrica at theAuto Expo here.

Stating that electricmobility will grow at a fastpace in the country, PiaggioVehicles India ManagingDirector and ChiefExecutive Officer DiegoGraffi said, “India contin-ues to remain a strategicmarket for us”.

“In the past few years, wehave seen the changingpreferences in Indian con-sumers. Aligned to thesechanges, we are proud to

introduce new products,which cut across categoriesand fulfil the needs of thecustomer,” he added.

On being asked aboutelectric mobility in India,he said the company hasstarted with the commer-cials vehicles few monthago and plans to enter themarket with customisedproducts which are madein India. He further added:“It would be fully designedin-house by Piaggio, includ-ing powertrain.”

— PTI

Bollywood actor ShahRukh Khan posesinfront of the all newCreta SUV

A model posesfor photo-graphs withthe newlylaunchedPiaggio SXR

160 two-wheeler and the

Vespa refresh atthe Auto Expo2020, in GreaterNoida onThursday

PAGE

15FRIDAY | 7 FEBRUARY 2020 | HYDERABADDECCAN CHRONICLE

SHORT TAKES

Nikhil shines forConcorde CC

MRF gear up forEuropean rally

Golfer Diksha istied-61 at Oz event

Beach Golf Links, Australia:India’s Diksha Dagar birdied

each of the four Par-5 andcarded one-under 71 on thePar-72 Beach Course to be

placed tied 61st after the firstround of the ISPS Handa Vic

Open gold tournament here onThursday.

The 19-year-old Dagar startedon the 10th and birdied the Par-

5 11th, but she had a doublebogey on Par-3 12th.

She got back a shot on 18thto turn in even par in the event,

which is co-sanctioned byAustralian Ladies PGA and

LPGA of America.— PTI

DC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, FEB. 6

S. Nikhil of Concorde CC put upa brilliant show with the ball torout Nizam College in the HCA

A-2 Division Two Day LeagueChampionship played here on

Thursday.In a lop sided match, riding on

Nikhil’s incredible spell of sixfor 49, Concorde CC restrictedNizam College to a paltry 143

which they easily chased downin mere 17 overs.

In another match, VijayHanuman claimed an easy win

over New Blues CC. Battingfirst, New Blues were skittled

out for a lowly 75 in 23 overs, atotal which Vijay Hanuman

chased down in mere 17 overswith the help of E. Harish’sunbeaten knock of 52 runs.

Brief Scores

■ Nizam College 143 in 33.1overs (Abhinav Kumar 66, Y. S.Varun 3 for 52, S. Nikhil 6/49)

lost to Concorde CC 147/2 in 17overs (Y. S. Varun 39, R. P.

Praneeth 57 n.o).■ New Blues CC 75 in 23 overs

(Nadeem Khan 30, Md Awaiz3/19, S. Vikas 3/23) lost to Vijay

Hanuman 76/0 in 7.1 overs (EHarish 52 n.o).

Venu grabs fiferfor Andhra

DC CCORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, FEB. 6

Andhra’s Venu V. emerged pickof the bowlers as Hyderabadwere restricted to a modest

total in their Under 23 Col CKNayudu Trophy match being

played at Ongole.Venu bowled an exceptional

spell, snaring five wickets for21, which was well complement-ed by Y. Sandeep’s three for 20.

Put to bat first, Hyderabadcould only manage to post 218

runs on the board in the firstinnings. In reply, Andhra made

23 runs for no loss at the end ofday’s play.

Brief scores (Day-1):Hyderabad 218 in 68.2 overs(Ajay Dev Goud 53, Pragnay

Reddy 64, M. Samhith Reddy47, Venu V 5/21, Y. Sandeep

3/20) vs Andhra 23/0 in 9overs.

Lee stays onLeander Paes has retained his place in the six-memberDavis Cup squad for the tie against Croatia nextmonth; will also play Bangalore Challenger this month

Games

Chennai: Team MRF Tyres willbe returning to the internation-

al rally stage this year with afull season in the European

Rally Championship campaign.Ireland’s Craig Breen and co-driver Paul Nagle will spear-head the campaign driving a

Hyundai i20 R5 prepared by theItalian BRC Racing Team, a

press release here said.Breen is an experienced rallydriver, having competed in 61

WRC rallies, twice finishing onthe podium while Nagle has

won five WRC events as a co-driver.

The MRF Tyres Rally team haswon the FIA Asia Pacific Rally

Championship (APRC) ninetimes, and made an entry into

the World Rally Championshopin 2018 in the WRC2 class for

gathering data for productdevelopment. This led to a year

of testing and development in2019 of the next generation of

MRF Tyres with Breen and WRClegend Mikko Hirvonen.

“I am really happy to start thisadventure with MRF Tyres. We

worked together last year plac-ing emphasis on tyre develop-ment. Now I am really lookingforward to embarking on thisjourney in the European Rally

Championship,” Breen said.The first round will take placeon the Portuguese island from

March 26 to 28.The Stages: Azores Rallye

(Portugal) March 26-28; RallyIslas Canarias, May 7-9; Rally

Liepja (Latvia), May 29-31; 77thRally Poland, June 26-28; Rally

di Roma Capitale, July 24-26;Barum Czech Rally Zln, August

28- 30; Cyprus Rally, October9-11 and Rally Hungary,

November 6-8. — PTI

Tottenham edge past Southampton in FA CupLondon, Feb. 6:Tottenham Hotspur rodetheir luck to reach the FACup fifth round as SonHeung-min’s late penaltysealed a 3-2 victory in arip-roaring replay againstSouthampton onWednesday.

As in the 2-0 PremierLeague win againstManchester City at theweekend Jose Mourinho’sside were often outplayedbut showed character toset up a home tie withNorwich City.

South Korean Son hasoften been the go-to playerwhen lead striker HarryKane is injured and againhe stepped up to convertin the 87th minute afterbeing taken down by keep-er Angus Gunn in a fre-netic finale.

Son’s conversion was his11th goal in the FA Cupsince the start of the 2016-17 season — more thanany other player.

It was tough onSouthampton whodeserved more, accordingto Tottenham managerJose Mourinho.

Southampton playednearly all the footballafter unluckily fallingbehind in the 12th minutewhen Jack Stephensattempted to blockTanguy N’dombele’s off-target shot but onlydeflected it past a helplessGunn.

Ralph Hasenhuettl’s sideresponded in dynamicfashion with Danny Ingssmashing a shot againstthe bar after 18 minutes.

They did level after 34minutes when ShaneLong netted from closerange after Hugo Llorisparried the ball into hispath after a smart turnand low shot by NathanRedmond.

Southampton’s JamesWard-Prowse was carriedoff five minutes beforehalftime. — Reuters

Raptors make PBL semis

Two-shot lead for Khalin at Masters

Hyderabad, Feb. 6:World No. 2 Tai Tzu Yingand Brice Leverdez com-bined to take theBengaluru Raptors intothe semifinals and helpthem stay on course for asuccessful defence oftheir title at the StarSports PremierBadminton League at theGMC Balayogi SATSIndoor Stadium here inHyderabad on Thursday.The Raptors faced theAwadhe Warriors in amust-win tie with boththe teams contending forthe last semi-final spot tojoin the North EasternWarriors, ChennaiSuperstarz and Pune 7Aces.

With the Raptors beingon the fourth spot in theleague table and separat-ed from the Awadhe teamby three points, theyneeded to ensure that theWarriors don’t manage toget four points. Eventhough the Lucknow-based franchise beganthe highly-awaited tiewith a win in men’s dou-bles, Brice Leverdez beatthe Awadhe Trump AjayJayaram to turn the tieon its head and then TaiTzu Ying fetched anothervital point to take theRaptors into the last-four.

The face-off betweenthe former World No.1 TaiTzu Ying and World No.14Beiwen Zhang was obvi-ously the cynosure of alleyes. Zhang trails the

Chinese Taipei ace 2-8 intheir head-to-head recordon the BWF World Tourbut she put in a show onthe court that oozed bril-liance and determina-

tion.Tai, of course, ran away

to a 7-4 lead, stamping herauthority in this clash.Zhang took her time butonce she settled into the

match, she gave theBengaluru talisman quitea hard time. By elevatingthe shuttle height and byextending the rallies, shekept testing Tai’s defence.The American’s tacticrattled the Raptors shut-tler and the two weresoon tied at 10-10. Withthe two locked at 12-12, itneeded Tai’s wizardry toeke out the first game 15-12.

The two orchestrated anenthralling second gamewith Zhang even inchingahead to take a 10-9 lead.In the end, the Bengaluruplayer used her deceptionto finish with a 15-12, 15-12 victory.

Former India No.1 AjayJayaram has a 2-0 head-to-head record over WorldNo. 39 Brice Leverdez onthe BWF World Tour withnone of their matchesgoing the distance. Withsuch a phenomenalrecord over theFrenchman, Jayaramwas given the responsibil-ity of the Awadhe Trump.Jayaram was also comingoff a win in his lastmatch against KazumasaSakai when the Warriorstook on Pune 7 Aces.

Earlier, in the men’sdoubles between AwadheWarriors’ Ko Sung Hyunand Shin Baek Cheol andBengaluru’s Arun Georgeand Rian Agung Saputro,the Raports rallied to winwin the tie 14-15, 15-7, 15-11. — Agencies

DC CORRESPONDENTHYDERABAD, FEB. 6

Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshiposted a four-under-67 totake centrestage in roundtwo of the GolcondaMasters GolfChampionship beingplayed at the HyderabadGolf Club. Joshi grabbeda two-shot lead as hishalfway total stood at 11-under-131.

Gurugram’s VeerAhlawat fired a 68 to moveinto second place at nine-under-133.

Shamim Khan produced

the day’s best score of 63to rise to tied third ateight-under-134. The threeothers in joint third wereKolkata’s Shankar Das,Bengaluru’s TrishulChinnappa andChandigarh’s AngadCheema.

The halfway cut wasdeclared at one-over-143.Fifty-five professionalsmade the cut.

Venkkat Gautham (69-72) was the onlyHyderabad-based profes-sional to make the cut. Hewas in tied 37th at one-under-141. Former Indian

hockey captain DilipTirkey, playing as a pro-fessional for the first time,missed the cut as hetotaled 26-over-168.

Shamim produced a fab-ulous run of five consecu-tive birdies from the 13thto the 17th during his 63.He sank a total of 10birdies against twobogeys.

Prominent namesincluding Delhi’s RashidKhan (69), Pune’s UdayanMane (67) and Patna’sAman Raj (71) were in tiedseventh at seven-under-135.

Round one leaderKarandeep Kochhar ofChandigarh shot a 75 andthus dropped to tied 20that four-under-138.

Khalin (64-67), lyingovernight tied second andone off the lead, got off toa flying start on Thursdaywith a birdie blitz on thefirst three holes where heplayed his wedges to per-fection.

The 27-year-old formerAsian Tour winner landedhis lob wedge approachfrom 44 yards within aninch of the pin on the sec-ond hole.

Khalin then had abumpy stretch as a three-putt and two erratic teeshots brought him threebogeys in exchange fortwo birdies between thefifth and the ninth. Joshi,a four-time winner on thePGTI, made his fourththree-putt of the tourna-ment on the 10th where hemade par after missing atwo-footer for birdie.

However, Khalin sal-vaged the round andemerged leader withbirdies on the 14th and15th making a 17-footer onthe latter.

The American Fed Cup team comprising Coco Gauff(clockwise from left), Alison Riske, Serena Williams,Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia Kenin pose for a photo-graph on Thursday.

Tai Tzu Ying of Bengaluru Raptors in action during herwomen’s singles match against Beiwen Zhang of theAwadhe Warriors in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min scores his side’s third goal from the penalty spot duringtheir English FA Cup fourth round replay match against Southampton at theTottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Wednesday. Tottenham won 3-2. — AP

DUCKWORTHBEATS DANIEL,MAKES LAST-8Pune, Feb. 6: Australianace James Duckworthheld his nerves duringthrilling three-set 6-7 (4-7),7-6 (8-6), 6-3 over TaroDaniel to enter the quar-terfinal of the third edi-tion of Tata OpenMaharashtra atMhalunge BalewadiStadium in Pune onThursday.

Despite losing the firstset, the sixth seededDuckworth made timelycomeback to win thehard-fought second set.However, the Australianhad continued themomentum to win thedecider easily to completevictory.

Meanwhile in doublescategory, pair of RomainArneodo and AndreBegemann caused amajor upset in the tourna-ment as they knocked outtop-seed pair of RobinHaase and RobertLindstedt with a thrash-ing 6-3, 6-3 win to enterthe semifinals. However,third seeded JonathanErlich and AndreiVasilevski also madetheir way into the lastfour. Erlich-Vasilevskihad fought hard beforeregistering 5-7, 6-1, 10-8win against StefanoTravaglia and PaoloLorenzi. — Agencies

BARCA COACHSTAYS CLEAROF MESSY ROWBarcelona, Feb. 6:Barcelona coach QuiqueSetien said he would notget involved in “LionelMessi’s life” after theArgentine superstarbecame entangled in arow with the club’s sport-ing director Eric Abidal.

Messi hit back at Abidalon Tuesday after theFrenchman had earlierblamed slackness in thedressing room for thedeparture of recently-fired boss ErnestoValverde.

In an interview withSpanish newspaper Sport,Abidal said underValverde, who was firedin mid-January, manyplayers had been unhap-py, had not worked hardenough and had not com-municated properly.

“I’m not going to get intoMessi’s life, or anyone’slife,” said Setien, whoreplaced Valverde.

“What interests me isfootball, everything elseare situations that I willnot be able to control,therefore I do not sweaton it,” the 61-year-oldadded.

Messi signed his lastcontract extension in2017. — AFP

Women gear upfor country sidesParis, Feb. 6: SerenaWilliams enters her fourthdecade as a Fed Cup playerwith the United States onFriday and Saturday as the2020 qualifiers get underway.

The 38-year-old iconteams with newly-crownedAustralian Open championSofia Kenin and teenagestar Coco Gauff as the UStackle Latvia in Everett,Washington.

In total, there are eightties with the winners earn-ing places in the new-lookFed Cup finals in Budapestfrom April 15-17 where 2019champions France, run-ners-up Australia, hostsHungary and wildcardCzech Republic will bewaiting. It was back in 1999that Serena Williams madeher Fed Cup debut in asemi-final win over Italy.

Teammate Sofia Keninwas just eight months oldwhile Coco Gauff was stillalmost five years awayfrom being born. Williamshas a 100 percent record insingles in the Fed Cup, win-ning 13 out of 13 rubbers.

However, despite herlongevity, her relationshipwith the tournament hasbeen very much on-off,playing only in 1999, 2003,2007, 2012, 2013, 2015 and2018.

Kenin, now the top-ranked US player at sevenin the world after her stun-ning Grand Slam break-through in Melbourne, hasa Fed Cup singles record of1-3 while 15-year-old Gauffhas yet to make her debut.

Two-time Grand Slamchampion Naomi Osaka ismaking her first Fed Cupappearance since helpingJapan defeat Great Britainin the 2018 World Group IIplay-offs. The world num-ber 10 has won five out ofsix singles ties she has con-tested since her 2017 debut.

— AFP

Lewandowski ontarget for BayernMunich, Feb. 6: RobertLewandowski scored twogoals to take his seasontally to 35 as BayernMunich came from behindto beat Hoffenheim 4-3 onWednesday and reach thequarterfinals of theGerman Cup.

Bayern are back on targetto win the German domes-tic double again this sea-son after retaking the lead

in the Bundesliga onSaturday.

However, the win overHoffenheim was marred bydefensive errors.

Thomas Muller putBayern into the lead in the20th off a cross from DavidAlaba. Lewandowskiscored in the 36th and 80thminutes Hoffenheim wast-ed a string of second-halfchances. — AP

I’m not going to get into(Lionel) Messi’s life, oranyone’s life. Whatinterests me is football,everything else are sit-uations that I will notbe able to control,therefore I do notsweat on it.

— QUIQUESETIEN

Barcelona coach

FIXTURES

■ At Washington: USA vsLatvia.■ At The Hague: TheNetherlands vs Belarus.■ At Cluj-Napoca(Romania): Romania vsRussia.■ At Florianopolis (Brazil):Brazil vs Germany.■ At La Mangga (Spain):Spain vs Japan.■ At Biel (Switzerland):Switzerland vs Canada.■ At Kortrijk (Belgium):Belgium vs Kazakhstan.■ At Bratislava (Slovakia):Slovakia vs Great Britain.

SPEARS FAILSDOPE TEST,GETS BANNEDParis, Feb. 6: FormerAustralian Open mixeddoubles champion AbigailSpears of the United Stateswas banned for 22 monthsafter failing a drugs test,the International TennisFederation announced.

Spears tested positive forbanned substances pras-terone and testosterone atthe 2019 US Open. “The ITFaccepted Ms. Spears’ expla-nation as to how the pras-terone and testosteroneentered her system andthat her use was uncon-nected to sports perform-ance... although her faultwas deemed to be high,”said an ITF statement.

Her ban was backdated toNovember 7, 2019 and willend on September 6, 2021.

Spears has won 21 dou-bles titles in her careerwith the highlight herAustralian Open mixeddoubles title with JuanSebastian. — AFP

Paris, Feb. 6: Dimitri Payet scored a brilliant goal assecond-placed Marseille claimed a 2-0 victory at Saint-Etienne on Wednesday to cut the gap to Ligue 1 leadersParis Saint-Germain back to 12 points although hun-dreds of their diehard fans were stopped from watch-ing the game.

Andre Villas-Boas’ Marseille opened up a six-pointlead over third-placed Rennes, who lost 1-0 at Lille onTuesday, by bouncing back from successive goallessstalemates against Bordeaux and Angers.

The match was delayed by 15 minutes after clashesbetween the two sets of fans outside the StadeGeoffroy-Guichard. According to firefighters and theSaint-Etienne prosecutors’ office, there were noinjuries or arrests. However, the game was playedwithout visiting supporters — believed to numberaround 400 — who left under police escort despite mak-ing a round trip of around 650km.

Payet gave Marseille a seventh-minute lead with amagnificent individual goal, shaping to cross beforecutting onto his left foot and hammering the ball pastStephane Ruffier from what seemed an impossibleangle. Nemanja Radonjic drilled a fine left-footed shotin the 85th minute to seal the match. — AFP

PAYET, RADONJIC SHINEIN MARSEILLE’S 2-0 WIN

London, Feb. 6: Jose Mourinho admit-ted Tottenham got lucky after SonHeung-min’s late penalty secured a dra-matic 3-2 win against Southampton inFA Cup fourth-round replay.

“I have to be honest and say I thinkthe best team lost on the pitch but myteam were the ones with more heartand went to their limit,” Mourinhosaid.

“We suffered but we deserved to winbecause we were in our limits.Southampton were fresher than us butwe played with our souls and heart andgave absolutely everything.”

Tottenham, who last won the FA Cup

in 1991, will host struggling Norwich inthe fifth round in the first week ofMarch. Taking credit for the win inclassic Mourinho self-promoting style,he said: “I think I did very well becauseI had to manage a team with so manydifficulties. The priority is to survive.We have lots of difficulties. I’m notspeaking just about Harry Kane, I’mspeaking about injuries to Giovani loCelso and Erik Lamela. Today was ateam completely unbalanced, reallyhard to organise it.”

Tottenham are without a major tro-phy of any kind since the 2008 LeagueCup. — AFP

BETTER TEAM LOST: MOURINHO

Sonburn for Saints

TATA | OPEN

PAGE

16CricketFRIDAY | 7 FEBRUARY 2020 | HYDERABADDECCAN CHRONICLE

Regd. No. H/SD/509/2018-20Printed and Published by T. Venkateswarlu on behalf ofDeccan Chronicle Holdings Limited. Printed at Deccan

Chronicle Press situated at Plot No. 9 Alwal Village, VallabhNagar Taluk, Medchal Malkajgiri Dist. Telangana and Published

at 36, S.D. Road, Secunderabad-3.RNI Registration No. 3081/1957. Editor: Aditya Sinha

Archer OutTop England fast bowler Jofra Archer has beenruled out of the upcoming Indian Premier Leaguedue to a stress fracture in his right elbow

Anuj ton keepsDelhi in game

Women look toimprove batting

New Delhi, Feb. 6:Wicketkeeper batsmanAnuj Rawat’s stroke-filled hundred gave Delhia slim chance of an out-right win after Gujaratgot the all-importantfirst innings lead in theRanji Trophy Group ‘A’match here on Thursday.

In reply to Delhi’s 293,Gujarat scored 335 afterstarting the day at 269 for4 with Manprit Juneja(124, 190 balls) andDhruv Raval (94)’s 221-run stand for the fifthwicket proving crucial ina 42-run lead.

However, Anuj, a for-mer India U-19 captain,then took the attack backto the opposition campwith a superb 133 off 194balls that had 15 foursand two sixes.

Delhi ended the day at228 for four with a lead of186 runs going into the

final day. While thechances of an outrightwin on a good battingtrack might not be morethan 25 per cent butAnuj’s innings certainlygave Delhi a glimmer ofhope if they can get alead of 275 by lunch andget 60 overs at opposi-tion. The feature ofRawat’s innings was thepunch in his drives as hewas severe on pacer ANagwaswalla (1/62).

He also hooked pacerChintan Gaja for a sixand a pulled one offAxar Patel. He added 106with Jonty Sidhu (48) forthe fourth wicket standbefore being holed outtrying to hit Rujul Bhatt.

With India’s keepingcupboard in red ballcricket bare, Rawatcould soon become aserious India ‘A’ prospectwith his stamina. — PTI

Melbourne, Feb. 6: TheIndian women’s cricketteam will have to addressits batting woes when ittakes on England Womenin a crucial league matchof the T20 tri-series hereon Friday.

A mid innings slumpled to India’s four-wicketdefeat in their previousmatch against hostsAustralia. This was afterbeating England by fivewickets in the tourna-ment-opener last week.

Except for openerSmriti Mandhana (35)and captainHarmanpreet Kaur (28),Indian batters showedcomplete lack of applica-tion on a pitch offeringextra bounce atCanberra. India losttheir last six wickets for21 runs to concede thematch with seven balls tospare.

S i x t e e n - y e a r - o l dShafali Verma, touted as

the next big thing inwomen’s cricket, lastedonly three balls whileJemimah Rodriguescrawled to 1 off 11 balls,leaving their team at 16for two in three overs.

The experiencedMandhana andHarmanpreet stitched a40-run stand before thecaptain’s dismissal trig-gered a collapse.

The Indian bowlingattack did all it could,stretching the game tillthe penultimate over butthere were not enoughruns on the board.

The tournament,which is an importantpreparatory event aheadof the T20 World Cupbeginning in Australiaon February 21, isintriguingly poised withall the three teams on 2points from as manymatches after one winand one defeat each.

— PTI

BRIEF SCORES■ At Delhi: Delhi 293 & 228/4 (Anuj Rawat 133, JontySidhu 48) vs Gujarat 335 (Manprit Juneja 124, DhruvRaval 94).■ At Rajkot: Mumbai 262 and 285/3 (SuryakumarYadav 134, Shams Mulani 67 not out) vs Saurashtra335 (Sheldon Jackson 85, Chirag Jani 84 not out,Royston Dias 4/64).■ At Baroda: Baroda 174 and 259 (Krunal Pandya 74,A. Sheth 70, K. Vignesh 5/62) lost to Tamil Nadu490/7 declared.

ALL CLEAR FORBOOKIE CHAWLAEXTRADITIONLondon, Feb. 6: TheEuropean Court ofHuman Rights (ECHR)on Thursday rejectedalleged bookie SanjeevChawla’s application foran interim measure onhuman rights groundsto block his extraditionfrom the UK to facematch-fixing charges inIndia.

The legal paperworkprocess for his extradi-tion will now go aheadthrough the UK CentralAuthority, for ScotlandYard officers to handChawla over to theircounterparts from DelhiPolice to be flown backto Indian within days.

Chawla had lost a last-ditch High Court appealon human rightsgrounds against formerUK Home SecretarySajid Javid’s extraditionorder at a hearing in theRoyal Courts of Justicein London last month.

The 50-year-old Britishnational, a key accusedin the match-fixing scan-dal involving formerSouth African cricketcaptain Hansie Cronje in2000, must therefore beextradited from the UKby February 19. Chawlais alleged to have playeda central role in conspir-ing with Cronje to fix aSouth African tour toIndia. — PTI

New Delhi, Feb. 6:Yashasvi Jaiswal has takenthe ICC U19 World Cup bystorm. His unbeaten centu-ry in India’s 10-wicket winin the semifinal againstPakistan took his tally inthe tournament to 312runs, making him the topscorer.

Jaiswal was unbeaten on105 off 113 balls in aninnings laced with eightfours and four sixes. It waspart of an unbeaten 176-run opening stand withDivyaansh Saxena (59*) ina woefully one-sided semi-final.

It was an innings thatgarnered praise from allquarters, with Pakistanfast bowling great ShoaibAkhtar saying that Jaiswalis destined for big things.“Remember my words thatJaiswal is going to goplaces. He has the power,passion and interest for thegame. He will represent thesenior team, this is a guar-antee,” Shoaib said on hisYoutube channel.

“Pakistan players need tolearn from Jaiswal’s histo-ry. He is running behind

excellence and money isrunning behind him now,”he said.

It has been a roller coast-er ride for the UP-bornplayer, who had to makeends meet by selling paa-nipuris on the streets ofMumbai in his initial daysafter his father moved tothe big city.

“I love cricket and play-ing the sport gives meimmense joy and pleasure.I used to watch Sachin sirbat and from that timeonwards, I wanted to be inMumbai and representMumbai,” Jaiswal had toldthe ICC in December lastyear.

“When I came here(Mumbai) with my father, Iused to visit the AzadMaidan. I loved playingcricket there. I startedpracticing there but myfather said ‘let’s go backhome (Uttar Pradesh)’. ButI said I will stay here andplay for Mumbai. I took allmy stuff and came to AzadMaidan. At that time, amatch was happening andPappu Sir told me that if Iperformed in that match,

there would be a tentfor me to stay in. Iplayed that match andperformed really well. As aresult, I got to live in thetent. But it wasn’t easy forme as there was no lightand no toilet,” he had said.

Limited monetary meansmeant that Jaiswal had tofind ways to keep his pas-sion alive. “During thosetimes, I didn’t get muchsupport from my family onthe monetary front. So Iused to sell paanipuris inthe evening and earn somemoney. It was an embar-rassing situation for mewhen the players withwhom I used to play wouldcome at the shop I workedin. I used to feel so badbecause I would score acentury in the morningand in the evening I used tosell paanipuris. But it did-n’t matter it was a smalljob, as it was important forme. Yet my only focus wason cricket,” he said.

Just as his determinationwas beginning to falter,Jwala Singh, a coach in themaidan, spotted him anddecided to take young

Jaiswal under hiswings. “I didn’t havethe money to buyfood and didn’t havea place to stayeither. However,sir told me tojust focus oncricket and hewould take careof everythingelse. I got select-ed to play forMumbai in theVijay HazareTrophy in 2019. I wentfor the match and createdthe record of being theyoungest to score a doublehundred in List ‘A’ cricket,”he said.

Jaiswal smashed 203 off154 balls for Mumbaiagainst Jharkhand inthat Vijay Hazare Trophyclash. The rise has beenquick for Jaiswalsince then and hisinclusion in the U-19 squad hardlycame as a surprise.

— Agencies

Fairytale runFrom selling paanipuris to scoring Cup ton,Yashasvi’s rise has been remarkable

YashasviJaiswal