22122022_First India_Mumbai.pdf

BE ALERT, COVID-19 IS NOT OVER YET: HM
TEST, TRACK, TREAT!
Moni Sharma
New Delhi: As Covid-19
cases surge in China,
Japan, US, Korea and
Brazil, Indian govern-
ment on Wednesday di-
rected state authorities
to be on high alert and to
strengthensurveillance.
MansukhMandaviya,
Union Health Minister,
while reviewing the
states’ preparedness for
Covid-19, stressed on the
utmost need for surveil-
lance, containment and
management, and cau-
tioned that the pandem-
ic is not yet over. The
minister advised the
states/UTs to send sam-
ples of all Covid-19 posi-
tive cases to Indian
SARS-CoV-2 Genomics
Consortium(INSACOG)
labs to facilitate track-
ing of new variants.
Mansukh Mandaviya chairs a review meeting with Rajesh
Bhushan, S Aparna, Dr VK Paul, Dr NK Arora, Rajesh S Gokhale,
Rajesh Kotecha and Rajiv Bahl in view of rising Covid-19 cases on
Wednesday.
‘Rhea got 44 phone calls from Thackeray father and son?’
Kartikey Dev Singh
New Delhi: Politics
in Maharashtra, Bi-
har and New Delhi
may once again heat
up in the case of actor
Sushant Singh Ra-
jput’s suicide as on
Wednesday, serious al-
legations were made
against former Maha-
rashtra Chief Minister
Uddhav Thackeray and
his son Aditya Thack-
eray in this matter in
the Lok Sabha.
The allegations have
been levelled by Chief
Minister Eknath Shin-
de faction MP Rahul
Shewale against the fa-
ther-son duo. “Calls
came in the name of
‘AU’ on Sushant’s girl-
friend Rhea
Chakraborty’s phone.
The Bihar Police has
said that ‘AU’ means
Aaditya and Uddhav.
The Sushant suicide
case was investigated
by Mumbai Police, Bi-
har Police and CBI. But
people still haven’t got
answers to many ques-
tions”, said Rahul Sh-
ewale.
‘’Where has the CBI
investigation reached
in the case of Sushant’s
death? Has CBI reached
any final conclusion in
this matter? Are there
marks of beating on Su-
shant’s body? Has the
phone conversation be-
tween Sushant and his
ex-manager Disha
Salian been investigat-
ed,” Shewale ques-
tioned and said, “NCB
took action against
Rhea Chakraborty
. This
action was taken in the
case of possession of
drugs. But before Sush-
ant’s death, Rhea re-
ceived a phone call.
This thing has come to
light in the investiga-
tion of Bihar Police.
The call came in the
name of ‘
AU’.”
“Did two persons
come outside Sushant
Singh Rajput’s house on
June 10, 2020? Were his
laptop and other elec-
tronic items confiscat-
ed? Was Rhea
Chakraborty in touch
with a prominent politi-
cal leader of Maharash-
tra? Is it true?” Rahul
Shewale asked in the
Lok Sabha, further add-
ing, “The name of ‘AU’
has come up in this
matter. Rhea
Chakraborty received
44 calls in the name of
‘AU’. Rhea
Chakraborty’s legal
team interpreted ‘
AU’ as
‘Ananya Uddhav’. The
Mumbai Police has not
disclosed anything in
this regard. But as per
Bihar Police’s investi-
gation, ‘AU’ stands for
‘Aditya Uddhav Thack-
eray’. I have received
this information. The
CBI has not yet received
any information in this
regard. So what is the
real information in this
case? I have requested
the Home Minister to
take it up.”
SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT SUICIDE CASE RISES IN LOK SABHA
New Delhi: MP Rahul Shewale has commented
on meeting between Aaditya Thackeray and Bihar
Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav. “After all, why did
Aaditya Thackeray go to Bihar? Why did he meet
Tejashwi Yadav? This should be investigated and
the motive behind this visit should be disclosed,”
Shewale demanded. Notably, Aaditya had met
Tejashwi Yadav few weeks ago and stressed that
since both of them are of the same age, so he met
Tejashwi and discussed various issues with him.
WHY DID AADITYA MEET TEJASHWI,
QUESTIONS SHEWALE
MP Rahul Shewale demands clarification on several aspects of case while claiming that Bihar
police mentions it was Aaditya Uddhav whose number was saved as ‘AU’ in Rhea’s phone
I don't want to get into that filth at all. The one who
doesn't have loyalty in his house. They cheated us.
We cannot expect anything good from them. Such
dirty topics are being brought to sideline the issues of
Maharashtra. I don't want to go into it. I do not respect
Rahul Shewale. I know how our family saved their
marriage. I don't want to go into the personal lives of
some people. Because I don't have that culture.
—Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena leader
Old pension scheme will put burden of Rs 1.10
lakh cr on exchequer, won’t revert to it: Fadnavis
Sandeep Shukla
Nagpur: Maharashtra
Deputy Chief Minister
Devendra Fadnavis on
Wednesday said the gov-
ernment will not revert
to the old pension
scheme as it would put a
burden of Rs 1.10 lakh
crore on the exchequer
and lead to bankruptcy
of the state.
Replying to a ques-
tion in the state Assem-
bly, Fadnavis said the
old pension scheme was
stopped in 2005.
He also lauded the
then Congress-Nation-
alist Congress Party
government for taking
the decision of stopping
the old pension scheme
in the interest of the
state.
Under the old pension
scheme, employees get a
defined pension. Under
this, an employee is en-
titled for a 50 per cent
amount of the last sala-
ry drawn as pension.
However, the pension
amount is contributory
under the National Pen-
sion System, which is in
effect from 2004.
“The government
will not give pensions as
per the old scheme. If
the old pension scheme
is to be implemented,
then it will add a burden
of Rs 1,10,000 crore and
this will lead to bank-
ruptcy of the state. The
old pension scheme will
not be implemented,”
said Fadnavis, who is
also the finance minis-
ter of Maharashtra.
The Congress-ruled
states like Chhattis-
garh, Rajasthan and
Himachal Pradesh have
announced they would
restart the old pension
scheme, a move termed
as financially not viable
by several experts.
Isn’t it true that relatives of MLAs, Ministers are
connected in teacher recruitment scam, asks Ajit
First India Bureau
Nagpur: The winter
session of the state leg-
islature is witnessing a
clash between the rul-
ing party and the oppo-
sition over various po-
litical issues. On
Wednesday, a demand
was made by the oppo-
sition to discuss the
teachers’ recruitment
examination scam case.
However, Education
Minister Deepak Kes-
arkar in his reply said
that the matter is under
consideration. Upon
this, Leader of Opposi-
tion Ajit Pawar gave a
sharp reaction and pre-
sented his strong stand.
The Legislative Sec-
retary sidestepped two
of the star questions
raised by Ajit Pawar on
the Teacher Recruit-
ment Test scam,
prompting the opposi-
tion to adopt an aggres-
sive strategy . Leader
of Opposition Ajit Pa-
war stood and made the
opposition’s stand
clear. “I asked 7 differ-
ent questions. Two
partsof itweredropped
from today’s list by the
Legislative Secretary.
Why were they
dropped? Are the sons-
daughters or relatives
of the present minis-
ters, MLAs involved in
this scam? Is not that
the truth? Is it correct
that the action is being
delayed only because
the children of some
ministers, MLAs and
some officers are in-
volved in the scam ? If
yes, what are the steps
taken to take action
through transparent
hearing without any
political pressure?” Pa-
war asked.
UHM Mansukh
Mandaviya wrote
to Congress MP Rahul
Gandhi and Raj CM
Gehlot regarding Covid
norms in Bharat Jodo
Yatra. He has issued a
diktat amid a surge in
Covid cases in China
and East Asia. In the
letter written to Rahul
and Gehlot, Mandaviya
said that Covid norms
should be strictly fol-
lowed during yatra and
the use of mask, sani-
tiser be implemented.
‘Only vaccinated people
should participate in
yatra. Follow rules or
suspend yatra,’ read
the letter.
RASHMI SHUKLA CASE: CONDUCT FURTHER PROBE,
SUBMIT REPORT: COURT ASKS COPS
Pune: A court here has
directed Pune Police to
investigate further an alleged
phone tapping case against
senior IPS officer Rashmi
Shukla after the police filed
a closure report citing lack
of evidence. Shukla was
accused of illegally tapping
the phones of Cong leader
Nana Patole. The court has
directed the police to further
investigate the case. We will
do the necessary investiga-
tion and resubmit a report,
a senior official said. He did
not divulge any more details
stating that the police were
yet to receive the order
copy. A case was registered
against Shukla at Bundgar-
den police station here in
February 2022 under section
26 of the Indian Telegraph
Act when the Shiv Sena-
NCP-Congress govt was in
power in Maharashtra.
1,89,007
GLOBAL CASES IN
LAST 24 HOURS
Ajit Pawar
Devendra Fadnavis
Late Sushant Singh Rajput
STUDY TOUR
ENDS IN TEARS!
People gather near the wrecked remains of a school bus that overturned while trying to make
a sharp turn on the Old Cachar road, in Noney on Wednesday. —PHOTO BY ANI
First India Bureau
Imphal: At least 20
students were feared
dead and more than 40
were injured after 2
buses carrying stu-
dents lost control in
Noney district on
Wednesday. Accident
took place along Bisn-
upur, Khoupum Road.
5 girls died on the spot,
others succumbed to
their injuries in hosp.
According to the re-
ports, 2 buses carrying
students belonged to
Thambalnu Higher
Secondary School,
Yaripok. The buses
were heading toward
Khoupum for a study
tour. According to po-
lice, a bus carrying
around 36 students
and staff of Thambal-
nu Higher Secondary
School, Yairipok met
with accident over-
turned at Nungsai vil-
lage, around 50 km
south west of Imphal.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh meets injured and enquires
about their health at RIMS hosp, Noney on Wednesday.
PM MODI, CM BIREN GRANT EX-GRATIA;
PRESIDENT, VP, NADDA CONDOLE DEMISE
PM Modi announced an ex-gratia of `2L to the
next kin of deceased and `50,000 to injured
from PMNRF. CM N Biren Singh gave assurance
of `5L each from CMRF to kin of deceased. Prez
Droupadi Murmu, VP Jagdeep Dhankhar, BJP chief
JP Nadda and others expressed condolences.
Amit Shah speaks in
LS on Wednesday.
Also seen here are
Anurag Singh Thakur,
Kiren Rijiju, Nisith
Pramanik and others.
Sonia Gandhi,
Mallikarjun Kharge,
Supriya Sule, Sanjay
Singh others protest
inside Parl premises,
Delhi on Wednesday.
HOUSE NOT FOR RECKLESS POLITICS, SAYS
SHAH OVER CONG MP’S PEGASUS CHARGE
The Parliament is not meant for “reckless politics”, HM
Amit Shah said responding to Congress MP Gaurav Go-
goi’s allegation that Centre snoops on politicians with Israeli
spyware Pegasus. The minister asked the Congress MP to
furnish proof of his claims.
GOVERNMENT IS ADAMANT, SAYS SONIA
ON TAWANG CLASH DEBATE IN SANSAD
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at the
govt for not allowing a discussion on the India-China bor-
der issue in Parliament, saying silence on matters of serious
concern has become its defining feature. She slammed the
ruling BJP for being ‘adamant’ in not permitting a discussion
on the issue. Sonia and other leaders also protested in Parl.
❍ PARLIAMENT WINTER SESSION
Shah says battle against
drugs delicately poised
First India Bureau
New Delhi: Union HM
Amit Shah in Lok Sabha
on Wednesday said the
battle against drugs was
delicately poised and
urged states to fight the
menace together with
thecentralgovt,keeping
aside politics. Respond-
ing to a discussion in
Lok Sabha on the drug-
abuse problem in the
country and steps taken
by the govt to control it,
Shah said the Modi govt
haszerotolerancepolicy
towards drugs and
vowedtoputbehindbars
drug traders, howsoever
big,inthenexttwoyears.
ShahsaidRs97,000crore
worth drugs were de-
stroyed between 2014
and 2022 while Rs 23,000
crore drugs were seized
between 2006 and 2013.
Follow Covid-19
rules or postpone
Yatra: Min writes
to Rahul Gehlot
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MUMBAI lTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2022 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNITITLE NO.MAHENG/2022/14652 lVol 1 l Issue No.225
OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, NEW DELHI MUMBAI BSE SENSEX 61,067.24 635.05 | NSE NIFTY 18,199.10 186.20
MUSK TO QUIT AS
TWITTER CEO
WHEN HE GETS A
REPLACEMENT
London: Elon Musk has said he will resign as Twitter’s chief
executive officer when he finds someone “foolish enough
to take the job”. He had promised to abide by result of a
Twitter poll which saw 57.5% of users vote “yes” to him
quitting the role. He will run software servers team later.
ZELENSKYY IN US:
UKRAINE PREZ TO
MEET JOE BIDEN
AT WHITE HOUSE
Washington: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House on
Wednesday and then deliver an address to a joint session of
Congress at Capitol Hill. His first known wartime trip outside
Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion last February.

Nagpur (PTI): Amruta
Fadnavis, the wife of
Maharashtra Deputy
Chief Minister Deven-
dra Fadnavis, has called
Prime Minister Naren-
dra Modi “The Father
of New India”, adding
that the country has
two “rashtra pitas” (fa-
ther of the nation). “We
have two rashtra pitas.
Narendra Modi is the
father of New India and
Mahatma Gandhi is the
father of the nation of
earlier times,” Amruta,
a banker and singer,
said during a mock
court interview.
Congress leader and
former Maharashtra
minister Yashomati
Thakur slammed the
senior BJP leader’s wife
over the remarks. “Peo-
ple following the BJP
and RSS ideology keep
trying to kill Gandhiji
again and again. They
keep doing such things
as they are obsessed
with changing history
byrepeatingliesandma-
ligning great people like
Gandhiji,” Thakur said.
In the mock court in-
terview (abhirup nyay-
alay), Amruta was
asked about her calling
Modi rashtra pita last
year. The interviewer
asked her if Modi is the
rashtra pita, then who
was Mahatma Gandhi.
Amruta replied that
Mahatma Gandhi is the
country’s rashtra pita
and Modi is the rashtra
pita of New India. “We
have two rashtra pitas;
Narendra Modi is the
rashtra pita of New In-
dia and Mahatma Gan-
dhiisrashtrapitaof that
(earlier) era,”she added.
Amruta's remarks
came days after Maha-
rashtra Governor Bha-
gat Singh Koshyari
faced flak over his re-
marks about Chhatra-
pati Shivaji Maharaj.
NEWS
MUMBAI | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2022
02
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First India Bureau
Nagpur: Congress lead-
er and former state
Chief Minister Prithvi-
raj Chavan on Wednes-
day suggested that Ma-
harashtra Chief Minis-
ter Eknath Shinde and
Karnataka CM
Bavasaraj Bommai be
locked in the same room
until the border dispute
is resolved.
While interacting
with the media in Nag-
pur on Wednesday, the
Congress leader said,
“The issue of Karnata-
ka border is in the Su-
preme Court. And the
Karnataka government
is afraid that the apex
court will give a verdict
in favour of Maharash-
tra. That is why inflam-
matory statements have
been made by Karnata-
ka Chief Minister Basa-
varaj Bommai.”
There are rumours
about the Karnataka As-
semblypossiblydrafting
an important resolution
on the border issue dur-
ing its Winter Session.
When asked about it,
Chavansaid,“If theKar-
nataka government can
take a decision not to
give an inch of land to
Maharashtra, we can
also take the same deci-
sion.”
The former chief
minister said that what-
ever happens, Karnata-
ka will have to accept
the Supreme Court’s
decision.
“The Maharashtra
government should not
play a passive role in
the border issue. If the
union home minister
tells the chief ministers
of both the states to
lock themselves in a
room and not come out
till the border dispute is
resolved, it will stop,”
he asserted.
Nagpur (PTI): Maha-
rashtra Legislative
Council was adjourned
thrice on Wednesday
after uproar over a Nag-
pur land allotment deci-
sion by Chief Minister
Eknath Shinde as the
urban development
minister in the previ-
ous state government.
Leader of Opposition
Ambadas Danve raised
the issue in the House
for the second consecu-
tive day to which mem-
bers of the ruling side
objected.
The Nagpur bench of
the Bombay High Court
last week ordered sta-
tus quo on the decision
taken by Shinde, when
he was the urban devel-
opment minister in the
previous Uddhav
Thackeray-led Maha Vi-
kas Aghadi (MVA) gov-
ernment, over the allot-
ment of land meant for
slum dwellers to private
persons.
Shinde had on Tues-
day denied any wrong-
doing and rejected the
opposition’s demand to
quit.
On Wednesday
, Danve
said, “Manojkumar
Suryavanshi, chairman
of the Nagpur Improve-
ment Trust, had issued
an order stating people
from one family re-
ceived more than one
plot. Thus, the plot dis-
tribution cannot be
regularized.”
He claimed that CM
Shinde, who was earlier
the state’s urban devel-
opment minister, had
given an order for the
regularization of land
allotments.
Before Danve could
proceed further, mem-
bers of the ruling side
started shouting and
interrupted his speech.
The Bharatiya Janata
Party legislators object-
ed that Danve was rais-
ing the issue every day
whenstateDeputyChief
Minister Devendra Fad-
navis had already given
a reply on it in the Coun-
cil on Tuesday
.
As both sides contin-
ued to argue, Shiv Sena
(UBT) member Naren-
dra Darade, who was
presiding over the
House, adjourned pro-
ceedings for 15 minutes.
When the House re-
sumed, Fadnavis said,
“If the discussion was
over on Tuesday, why
are we discussing the
issue again in the
House? Everybody
knows the issue is sub-
judice, then why are we
discussing it in the
House.”
However, Danve and
his party colleague Anil
Parab argued that this
House has all the rights
to discuss any issue.
As both sides refused
to back down, the House
was adjourned for an-
other 15 minutes.
When the proceed-
ings resumed, both
sides continued target-
ing each other, ignoring
the appeal of Darade to
maintain decorum. Da-
rade then adjourned
the House again for 15
minutes.
First India Bureau
Nagpur: Opposition
members on Wednes-
day staged a demonstra-
tion in the Vidhan
Bhavan complex here
and reiterated their de-
mand for Chief Minis-
ter Eknath Shinde’s
resignation over the al-
lotment of government
land in Nagpur issue.
On Wednesday, Lead-
er of Opposition in the
state Assembly Ajit Pa-
war, Danve, Congress
legislator Nana Patole
and other MVA leaders
staged a demonstration.
The MVA leaders raised
slogans like “Kitne
khoke bhukand ok...
bhukand shrikhand, 50
khoke ek dum ok”, al-
leging corruption in the
NIT land case.
Members of the ruling
alliance of Shinde’s
Balasahebanchi Shiv
Sena faction and
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) also staged a dem-
onstration in the Vid-
han Bhavan premises
alleging that Shiv Sena
- Uddhav Balasaheb
Thackeray faction’s
deputy leader Sushma
Andhare had insulted
saints and Hindu gods.
The ruling alliance
members also raised
slogans against former
CM and Sena UBT chief
Uddhav Thackeray
.
MAHARASHTRA-KARNATAKA BORDER ROW
DAY 03 OF MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATURE WINTER SESSION IN NAGPUR
Chaos in Maha Council as Oppn targets CM
Proceedings interrupted thrice as Shinde Nagpur land case under scrutiny
Day of protests at
Vidhan Bhavan
BJP MLAs stage a protest against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)
MLAs outside the state legislature in Nagpur. —PHOTO BY ANI
First India Bureau
Mumbai: Amid the op-
position’s demand for
Chief Minister Eknath
Shinde’s resigna-
tion over the Nagpur
Improvement Project
plot allocations, Bala-
sahebanchi Shiv Sena
Spokesperson Deepak
Kesarkar has slammed
Shiv Sena - Uddhav
Balasaheb Thackeray
chief Uddhav Thack-
eray. Responding to
Thackeray’s demand,
Kesarkar told report-
ers, “Uddhav Thack-
eray has demanded
the resignation of CM
Shinde. He has asked
him to resign and con-
test elections again.”
“When the Maha Vikas
Aghadi (coalition)
came to power, the
people did not vote
for leaders of Maha-
rashtra. So, did he
resign and become the
chief minister again?”
he asked. He further
stated, “Ultimately,
parties run on ideology
and do not depend
on relationships. The
recent Gram Pan-
chayat poll results are
eye-opening. If you
have worked for the
development of the
people, the people will
also be with you.”
Kesarkar
roasts
Uddhav over
resignation
Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray protests against state
govt at Vidhan Bhavan in Nagpur on Wednesday. —ANI PHOTO
‘Wehave2‘rashtrapitas’,ModifatherofNewIndia’
AADITYA ROSE IN POLITICS BECAUSE
OF FAMILY’S REPUTATION: AMRUTA
First India Bureau
Mumbai: Amruta Fad-
navis, wife of Deputy
Chief Minister Dev-
endra Fadnavis on
Wednesday cleared the
air about her criticism
of Shiv Sena – Uddhav
Balasaheb Thackeray
leader Aaditya Thacker-
ay. In an interview, she
said that in response
to the young leader’s
women oppressor
comment about her
husband. Explaining
her remarks, Amruta
said, “When Aaditya
Thackeray called
Devendra Ji a woman
oppressor as well as
a reactionary, I got
goosebumps. That
is why I called him a
silkworm. Devendra Ji
has worked hard and
risen, and Aaditya rose
because of his family’s
reputation.”
Amruta Fadnavis
Deepak Kesarkar
LockShinde-Bommaiinaroom
untilborderrowissolved:Chavan
WHO IS LYING ABOUT BORDER ROW MEETING, ASKS NCP MLA
First India Bureau
Nagpur: Nationalist
Congress Party (NCP)
MLA Rohit Pawar has
questioned Chief Min-
ister Eknath Shinde and
Deputy Chief Minister
Devendra Fadnavis’s
commitment towards
Maharashtra on the bor-
der row with Karnataka.
He called into question
their claims of dispute
resolution after meeting
with Karnataka Chief
Minister Bavasaraj Bom-
mai and Union Home
Minister Amit Shah, amid
conflicting statements
made by Bommai.
“Bommai is saying
that the border issue
was not discussed (at
the meeting). Then the
question is who is lying?
The Karnataka CM has
exposed the lie of the
Maharashtra govern-
ment by saying that the
meeting with the union
home minister was not
related to the border
issue, but only law and
order,” Rohit said.
MLA Pawar tweeted,
“Why did our chief
minister and deputy CM
mislead Maharashtra
by giving out wrong
information? If we look
at the statements of the
Karnataka CM, it’s clear
that they are not afraid
of Central (government)
leaders like Maharashtra
leaders are. Whatever
happens, Maharashtra
will not sit silent like the
government.”
Former Maha CM Prithviraj Chavan. —FILE PHOTO
Rohit Pawar —FILE PHOTO
‘Will enter Karnataka
like China invaded...’
Desai warns of water
supply woes in K’taka
First India Bureau
New Delhi: Amid the
simmering border
dispute between Ma-
harashtra and Karna-
taka, Shiv Sena (UBT)
leader Sanjay Raut on
Wednesday stoked a
controversy, saying
they will enter the
neighbouring south-
ern state the way Chi-
na has “invaded” In-
dian territory
.
“The way China
has invaded (Indian
territory), we will do
the same in Karnata-
ka. We do not need
anyone’s permission
to do so,” Raut told
reporters in Delhi.
“We want to resolve
the issue through dia-
logue but the Karna-
taka chief minister is
setting everything
ablaze (with his state-
ments). Maharashtra
has a weak govern-
ment (in power) and
thus could not take
any stand against
that state,” he said.
The Shiv Sena lead-
er also blasted Chief
Minister Eknath
Shinde for his silence
and inaction on the
border dispute.
“Bommai wakes up
every day and beats
the ears of Maharash-
tra and our chief min-
ister (Shinde) goes to
the Assembly rub-
bing his cheeks. This
is Maharashtra’s mis-
fortune,” he said.
“He (CM Shinde)
should take a stand
and if he is not, then
you are not fit to be
the CM. When there
is a need for answers,
the state government
is taking a passive
stand. Maharashtra
will stand behind
you. Be it the govern-
ment of any party, we
are united on the bor-
der issue. Every po-
litical leader of the
state will stand with
you,” he asserted.
First India Bureau
Nagpur: Maharash-
tra minister Shamb-
huraj Desai on
Wednesday warned if
Karnataka Chief
Minister Basavaraj
Bommai does not stop
making irresponsible
statements, Maha-
rashtra will have to
rethink about water
supply from its dams
to the neighbouring
state.
Addressing the
media in the Vidhan
Bhavan complex
here on Wednesday,
Desai slammed Bom-
mai over Karnataka
government’s stand
that not an inch of
land will be given to
Maharashtra.
Desai said he con-
demns such com-
ments, which do not
suit Bommai as he
holds a constitutional
post.
“If Karnataka does
not stop (making such
statements), then Ma-
harashtra will have to
rethink over the wa-
ter being supplied to
the neighbouring
state,” Desai said.
When the case is
sub-judice, a chief
minister using such a
“threatening lan-
guage” is not good
and he should stop it,
he said.
“Even Maharash-
tra can reply in the
same language and he
should not provoke
us,” Desai said.
Maharashtra is
maintaining patience
andtheKarnatakaCM
should keep in mind
thatthesouthernstate
is very much depend-
ent on water supply
from the Koyna and
Krishna dams (in Ma-
harashtra) during the
dry season of March
and April, he said.
Maharashtrastands
firmwiththeMarathi-
speaking people resid-
ingintheborderareas,
he added.
Sanjay Raut —FILE PHOTO
Shambhuraj Desai

MAHARASHTRA
03
MAN GETS 1
YEAR JAIL FOR
MOLESTING MINOR
JOB RACKET IN
MANTRALAYA: 3
NABBED BY COPS
Thane: A court in Thane
district has sentenced a
man to one-year rigorous
imprisonment for molest-
ing a seven-year-old girl in
2016 on Tuesday. A fine of
Rs1,000 was also imposed
on him. On September 30,
2016, The accused mo-
lested victim by taking her
to an isolated place on pre-
text of giving chocolates.
Special public prosecutor
Rekha Hiwrale said the
victim and her mother were
not traceable and were not
examined but the judge
accepted the deposition of
other witnesses, she said.
Mumbai: Police have cap-
tured three persons for al-
legedly cheating 11 young-
sters to the tune of Rs63.60
lakh. Sagar Jadhav, 26, a
Malad resident, had first
written a complaint to the
joint commissioner about
the scam in May 2022. He
alleged that he came in
contact with one Mahendra
Sakpal in January 2020,
who promised him a job
at Mantralaya. Jadhav
and other aspirants had
even undergone medical
check-ups and participated
in interviews at Mantralaya,
officials said.
‘MahawillformtaskforcetostudynCoVsituation’
Nagpur (PTI): Amid a
sudden spike in COV-
ID-19 cases in some
parts of the world, Dep-
uty Chief Minister De-
vendra Fadnavis on
Wednesday said the
state government will
form a task force or a
committee to study the
evolving situation.
Raising the issue in
the state Assembly,
Leader of Opposition
Ajit Pawar said be it
China, Japan, Korea
or Brazil, new vari-
ants of COVID-19 are
being reported.
In China, the situa-
tion is serious and
there are no beds avail-
able for hospitaliza-
tion, claimed the Na-
tionalist Congress
Party (NCP) leader.
Will there be a high
powered committee,
task force to study the
evolving situation and
what is happening in
other parts of the
world, he asked.
In response, Fadnavis
said, “We will coordi-
nate with the Centre on
this. As suggested by
the leader of opposi-
tion, we will form a task
force or a committee to
keepaneyeontheevolv-
ing situation and make
suggestions.
We will definitely
implement these sug-
gestions.” Pawar said
the state should rise
above party lines to
tackle this challenge.
Union Health Minister
Mansukh Mandaviya
on Wednesday
reviewed the
COVID-19 situation in
the country and direct-
ed officials to be
alert and strengthen
surveillance.
In view of the rise in
cases in Japan, the
United States of Amer-
ica, Republic of Korea,
Brazil and China, the
Union Health Ministry
on Tuesday urged all
states and Union terri-
tories to ramp up the
whole genome se-
quencing of positive
samples of COVID-19
to keep track of the
emerging variants.
In a letter to states
and Union Territories,
Union Health Secre-
tary Rajesh Bhushan
had said such an exer-
cise will enable timely
detection of newer
variants, if any, circu-
lating in the country
and will facilitate
undertaking of requi-
site public health
measures.
‘STAY SAFE’
DEPUTY CM FADNAVIS SAYS STATE TO COORDINATE WITH CENTRE AND MONITOR EVOLVING CIRCUMSTANCES
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis addresses Maha Assembly in Nagpur on Wednesday.
Need not panic, given
excellent vaccination
coverage: SII CEO
First India Bureau
Pune: Serum Institute
of India (SII) CEO Adar
Poonawalla expressed
concern over reports of
arisingCOVID-19graph
in China but said there
is no need to panic as
the vaccination cover-
age in India is excellent.
Poonawalla’s tweet
came a day after the Un-
ion Health Ministry
urged all states and UTs
to ramp up the whole
genome sequencing of
positive samples to keep
track of newer vari-
ants, if any, amid a
spurt in cases in the US
and China.
“The news of rising
COVIDcasescomingout
of China is concerning,
we need not panic given
our excellent vaccina-
tion coverage and track
record. We must contin-
uetotrustandfollowthe
guidelines set by the
Government of India
and @MoHFW_INDIA,”
Poonawalla tweeted. In
October, Pooanwalla
said the SII stopped pro-
ducing the vaccine in
December 2021. Of the
total stock available at
that time, about 100 mil-
lion doses had already
expired, he had said.
Will wait for results of genome sequencing: Health Secy
First India Bureau
New Delhi: Maharash-
tra Health Secretary
Sanjay Khandare on
Wednesday said that
the state would be send-
ing all COVID-19 posi-
tive samples to labora-
tories in Mumbai and
Pune and based on their
results the state govern-
ment will decide on
COVID norms. He also
mentioned that there
were no plans to con-
duct mass testing now.
Khandare’s statement
came a day after the Un-
ion Health Ministry is-
sued an advisory for
statesandUnionTerrito-
ries to track COVID-19
variants through Indian
SARS-CoV-2 Genomics
Consortium (INSACOG)
network.There has been
an increase in COVID-19
cases in China, Japan,
Brazil and the US
among other countries.
Speaking to the me-
dia, Khandare said, “As
per Union Health De-
partment’s advisory
, we
will send all the samples
to Pune and Mumbai
labs for genome se-
quencing.” “Based on
the result of genome se-
quencing and the Union
government’s instruc-
tions, we will decide Ma-
harashtra’s COVID-19
norms,” he added.
Currently, Maha-
rashtra is having
around 100 positive
cases daily in the state
so we will go for ge-
nome sequencing of all
the positive samples.
The official also said
as of now there’s no plan
onstartingrandomCOV-
ID-19 testing at railway
stations, airports, etc.
“We are waiting for in-
structions from the Un-
ion government on the
issue.” he said.
Meanwhile, State
Health Minister Tanaji
Sawant said, “The
Center has advised us
to be aware of the new
variant (BF.7). The
Center has also in-
structed us to be alert
according to the man-
ner in which the pic-
ture is seen in the me-
dia from China. The
new variant has not
found in Maharashtra
as of now.”
Police take steps to
secure abandoned
bungalows in Palghar
First India Bureau
Mumbai: Police have
taken measures to step
up security at aban-
doned bungalows in
Mahim village of Pal-
ghar where a 16-year-
old girl was allegedly
gang raped last week.
According to the Pal-
ghar police, the spot
where the offence was
committed is a scheme
of 20 bungalows which
was abandoned after
construction as the de-
veloper fell into a dis-
pute with a bank. The
bungalows were at-
tached by the bank sub-
sequently and since
then the bank is the cus-
todian of the entire
property
.
“We have obtained
details about the issue
surrounding the bunga-
lows and are writing to
the bank, asking them
to deploy security
guards to ensure that
no untoward incidents
occur on the property.
We have also started
surprise checks at the
bungalows,” said Bala-
saheb Patil, Superinten-
dent of Police, Palghar.
Over the years, the
bungalowshavebecome
a hangout spot for local
youth and soon, they
became a hub of anti-
social activities.
The survivor, a resi-
dent of Satpati village
in Palghar district, was
allegedly taken to one
of the vacant bunga-
lows, where the nine ac-
cused forcefully re-
strained and sexually
assaulted her.
The police, over the
last two days, have ar-
rested all the nine ac-
cused, charging them
under relevant sections
of the Indian Penal
Code and that of the
Protection of Children
from Sexual Offences
(POCSO) Act, 2012.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pune-based SII
had collaborated with Oxford University and
pharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca for making the
Covishield vaccine
MLC claims Social Justice Dept got books at inflated cost
Nagpur (PTI): An MLC
on Wednesday alleged
the Maharashtra Social
Justice Department
purchased books at an
inflated price of Rs36
crore to set up libraries
in Dalit residential ar-
eas, prompting State
Minister Chandrakant
Patil to assure a probe.
The allegations were
raised in the Legisla-
tive Council by MLC
Kapil Patil who said the
state social justice de-
partment procured
books worth Rs36 crore
some months ago to
open libraries in Dalit
residential areas
whereas the original
cost of the books is not
even Rs two crore.
“The State govern-
ment will probe the
claims made by the
member Kapil Patil that
the state social justice
department purchased
books at an inflated
price. We will present
details before the
House,” said Chandra-
kant Patil, who handles
the Higher and Techni-
cal Education Ministry
.
Kapil Patil had said,
“the appointed agency
charged Rs36 crore
from the state which is
a very serious matter
and needed to be in-
quired.” The minister
clarified not a single
book purchased for
these libraries is about
the life of Babasaheb
Ambedkar, Mahatma
Gandhi, Savitri Phule,
Jyotiba Phule, and Kar-
maveer Bhaurao Patil.
“Not a single purchased
book is about their
work, their thoughts
etc,” he said.
MLC Kapil Patil said
state social justice
dept procured books
worth `36 crore
The spot is a scheme
of 20 bungalows
which were abandoned
after construction
AIR PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE EXPLODES
WHILE TESTING AT FACTORY; 1 DEAD, 2 HURT
Thane: An air pressure valve exploded at a factory late on Tues-
day night claiming the life of a worker and injuring two others,
police said on Wednesday. The victim, Shrikant Kadam (28) was
testing a pressure control valve when it exploded and its lid fell
on him and crushed him while injuring two others, an official
from Shivaji Nagar police station said. An offence was regis-
tered against the factory manager, its safety manager, supervi-
sor and others under Indian Penal Code Section 304A, he said.
34-YEAR-OLD MAN FOUND DEAD IN PALGHAR,
POLICE SAY STRANGULATION LIKELY CAUSE
Palghar: A 34-year-old man has been found dead in Palghar
district and police suspect it to be a case of murder, an official
said on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Sunil Tiwari.
A passer-by spotted the body on Tuesday evening and alerted the
police. The victim seemed to have been strangulated to death and
the body dumped at the isolated place, an official from Valiv police
station said. A case was registered against unidentified persons
under Indian Penal Code Sections 302 and 201, he added.
TWO INJURED AS PART OF FIVE-STOREY
BUILDING COLLAPSES IN MALAD
Mumbai: Two people were injured after a portion of a
30-year-old five-storey residential building collapsed in
Malad early Wednesday morning, civic officials said. The
incident happened at around 6 am at ground-plus-five Anu-
rag CHS located in Mehta Industrial Estate. Four fire engines
and a rescue van were rushed to the spot and the building
was vacated after the incident. Injured were taken to a hos-
pital and their condition was said to be stable, they said.
26 WOMEN RESCUED FROM SPECIALLY-BUILT
CAVITY IN MUMBAI HOUSE; FOUR HELD
Mumbai: The Social Service Branch (SSB) of the Mumbai
police conducted a raid at a south Mumbai house where
allegedly a flesh trade racket was being operated, saving
26 women kept in a specially-built cavity and arrested four
persons, an official said on Wednesday. During the raid, four
persons, including three women, all allegedly involved in
running the racket were nabbed, but ten of their accomplices
managed to escape from the spot, said the official.
Non-cognizable offence
against Adsule, 3 others
First India Bureau
Mumbai: A non-cogni-
zable offence has been
registered against for-
merShivSenaMPAnan-
drao Adsule and his
threeassociatesforalleg-
edlyassaultingagovern-
ment officer, police said.
NoFIRhasbeenregis-
tered yet and an investi-
gationisonintothemat-
ter, he said. Notably, in
the case of a non-cogni-
zable offence, the police
cannot arrest the ac-
cusedwithoutawarrant
as well as cannot start
aninvestigationwithout
the permission of court.
The complainant, Me-
hboob Khan Pathan (58),
Vice Chairman of the
Maharashtra Mantra-
laya Co-operative Credit
Society
, alleged that Ad-
sule along with three as-
sociates reached his of-
fice and sought the ap-
pointment of two per-
sons as directors on
board of society to
whichPathanaskedhim
to wait for six months.
Adsule then allegedly
asked Pathan to collect
Rs45 from each of the
credit society employ-
ees and give a cheque in
the name of a union of
the former MP, the com-
plainant said.
z
z
z
z
z
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z
NCOV TALLY
As per Union Health Department’s advisory, we will send all the samples to
Pune and Mumbai labs for genome sequencing. Based on the result of ge-
nome sequencing and the Union government’s instructions, we will decide
Maharashtra’s COVID-19 norms. —Sanjay Khandare
Maharashtra Health Secretary
Adar Poonawalla
@adarpoonawalla
The news of rising
COVID cases coming out
of China is concerning,
we need not panic
given our excellent
vaccination coverage
and track record. We
must continue to trust
and follow the guidelines
set by the Government
of India and @MoHFW_
INDIA
Did anyone
notice that BJP
supporters
across the country were
wearing masks after the
Gujarat victory? Apart
from this, if corona is
seen increasing in coun-
tries like China, then first
stop international air
services. The notice has
been given only because
Rahul Gandhi's leader-
ship is growing, keeping
the core issue aside, the
BJP has started worry-
ing about the impact of
Bharat Jodo Yatra.
— Kakasaheb Kulkarni,
Spokesperson,
Maharashtra Congress
CONG TAKES DIG
AT BJP OVER MASK
AFTER GUJ WIN
CRUCIAL READ

PERSPECTIVE
04
l Vol 1 l Issue No. 225
l RNI TITLE NO.
MAHENG/2022/14652
Printed and published by
Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of
First Express Publishers. Printed at
Dangat Media Pvt Ltd, No.22, Dighe
MIDC, Vishnu Nagar, TTC Industrial
Area, Dighe, Navi Mumbai-400701.
Published at Plot No. 3 Scheme C
of Manglorean Garden Home, CHS
Limited, Survey No. 5, 6C (Part)
Ville Parle East, Mumbai 400057.
Phone 022-46031417.
Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra
Editor: Kartikey Dev Singh
responsible for selection of news
under the PRB Act
SPIRITUAL SPEAK
Enter through the narrow
gate. For wide is the gate
and broad is the road that
leads to destruction, and
many enter through it.
—Bible
IN-DEPTH
Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
Best wishes to Andhra Pradesh
CM Shri @ysjagan Garu on his
birthday. May he be blessed with a
long and healthy life.
Anurag Thakur
@ianuragthakur
China’s recent U-turn on its zero-
Covid strategy has led to a sharp
increase in Covid infections and
deaths in the communist nation.
TOP TWEETS
BELAGAVI ROW:
K’TAKA AND MAHA
CAN’T WAIT FOR
TOP COURT ORDER
he Karnataka As-
sembly resolution
declaring the bound-
ary row with Maha-
rashtra as settled has
not gone down well with Maha-
rashtra. The dispute is over the
merger of Belagavi and two
other villages with Maharash-
tra as decided by the State Reor-
ganisation Act, 1956, which Kar-
nataka has refused to accept as
it does not want to lose control
of the territory. Then Maha-
rashtra refused to accept the
Mahajan Commission report
rejecting the state’s claim over
Belagavi (then Belgaum). In 2004
Maharashtra filed a petition in
the Supreme Court claiming ter-
ritorial control of Belgaum
which was renamed Belagavi by
Karnataka and made its second
capital.
Both the states have the BJP
in power yet they are unable to
resolve it through dialogue. In
an attempt to defuse the situa-
tion, Union Home Minister
Amit Shah recently advised
both chief ministers of the two
states to wait for the Supreme
Court’s verdict. With Assembly
elections approaching, Karna-
taka can’t let go of regional sen-
timents for political gains.
T
hina’s Covid-19
surge has sent
alarm bells ring-
ing across several
countries, includ-
ing India. Experts have fore-
cast 10 lakh Covid-19 deaths
in China. These numbers
would be multiple times high-
erthaninWuhan,fromwhere
the virus was said to have
spread, which reported 3,869
deaths between December
2019 and April 2020. These
numbers were disputed as the
average number of deaths
over a week in the same peri-
od was said to have been 284.
China, it is widely believed,
under-reported Wuhan
deaths. Although there is no
mechanism available to veri-
fy the actual casualties that
may take place in this fresh
wave, the numbers being esti-
mated are frighteningly high.
With no travel restrictions
in China and no compulsion
onpre-flighttesting,acautious
India has put the Covid-19 pro-
tocol back in place. There are
notgoingtobeanyrestrictions
but people, especially those
withco-morbiditiesandsenior
citizens, have been advised to
adheretoCovid-19appropriate
behaviourlikewearingmasks,
avoiding crowded places and
using sanitiser. The rest of the
guidelinesareforstategovern-
ments to ensure testing and
tracking of cases and vaccina-
tion.
Nothing in India can be
without political ramification.
The Union Health Minister
MansukhMandaviyahaswrit-
ten to Rajasthan Chief Minis-
terAshokGehlotandCongress
leader Rahul Gandhi asking
thelattertosuspendhisBharat
Jodo Yatra or strictly follow
Covid-19 guidelines and allow
only vaccinated people to par-
ticipate. The Congress has hit
back at the BJP
. Gehlot said
that the BJP is scared of BJY’s
popularity
. MP Adhir Ranjan
Chowdhury said the BJY was
not to Mandaviya’s liking.
COVID CURBS FACE
RAHUL’S YATRA
China’s Covid-19 surge has
sent alarm bells ringing across
several countries, including
India. Experts have forecast
10 lakh Covid-19 deaths in
China. These numbers would
be multiple times higher than in
Wuhan, from where the virus
was said to have spread, which
reported 3,869 deaths between
December 2019 and April 2020
C
ndia and China share about
3,500 km long border which is
not fully delineated and has
been a consistent cause of
conflict. Both nations have
fought a war in 1962, had bor-
der skirmishes in Sikkim in
1967, Sumdorong Chu Valley
1987, Daulat Beg Oldie 2013,
Doklam in 2017, and Galwan
in Ladakh in 2020. Now just
two-and-a-half years after
Galwan, the Indian and Chi-
nese troops faced off at the
Yangtse area near Tawang in
the eastern sector of their
disputed border. These con-
flicts have been de-escalated
but the questions still remain
are how long will such skir-
mishes continue and what
may possibly be the end re-
sult? Border dispute remains
a major irritant and a poten-
tial source of conflict be-
tween the two neighbours.
PROBABLE ATTRIBUTES
AND TAWANG CLASH
On differing perceptions on
Line of Actual Control (LAC),
in June 2020, Indian and Chi-
nese troops got engaged in a
brawl in Galwan Valley that
left twenty Indian soldiers
dead while causing an un-
specified number of Chinese
casualties. This border dis-
pute marked an implacable
decline in India-China ties. A
series of meetings between
military leaders and some
diplomatic efforts resulted in
de-escalation in Ladakh re-
gion but the LAC still re-
mained focus of developmen-
tal and defence activities and
uneasiness on both sides of
border continued. India join-
ing the Quad navies for an
advanced Malabar naval exer-
cise in Sea of Japan in Nov
2022, ‘Yudh Abhyas 2022’ In-
dian and US Army’s within
100 km of the LAC has all
been perceived by Chinese as
crossing of diplomatic and
military red line. Some other
issues like ascertaining au-
thority by Xi Jinping on as-
suming third term and need
to divert attention from pro-
tests in China over govern-
mental anti covid policies and
emerging discontentment
may have contributed to this
Chinese provocative action.
All these factors along
with the fact that the Chinese
side attempted to take con-
trol of the 17,000-ft (5,180-me-
ter) peak dominating the
whole region triggered the
clash between Indian and
Chinese soldiers in Tawang,
Arunachal Pradesh on De-
cember 9, 2022. Chinese
troops carried out an incur-
sion across the LAC in Yangt-
se area of Tawang sector in
Arunachal Pradesh, and the
Indian Army countered this
attempt by Chinese to change
the status quo on the LAC in
which both side soldiers had
reportedly suffered some in-
juries in the clash.
The entire border between
India and China is disputed
but the flash point has re-
mained in Ladakh and
ArunachalPradeshwherethe
stakesareclearlyhigher.India
claims some 45,000 square
kilometers of territory in Ak-
sai Chin in the western sector
of the border, which China oc-
cupied in the 1962 war, while
Beijing claims an area of
around 90,000 square kilome-
ters, roughly coinciding with
the Indian state of Arunachal
Pradesh, in the eastern sector.
China’s interest in Arunachal
is primarily to gain leverage
in a future settlement of the
border and use it as a bargain-
ingchipforaneventual‘swap’
and the recognition by India
of the occupation by China of
Aksai Chin.”
India hopes to become a
primary power in its region,
finally de-hyphenating from
Pakistan, and able to compete
with China in South Asia but
this may be true as long as
Indian military is strong
enough to not allow a repeat
of 1962 in the Himalayas. De-
spite ongoing Ukraine war
entering a crucial and dan-
gerous mode Modi’s state-
ment that the ‘Era of War is
Over’ is a belief that China
will not go to war with an In-
dia. India by defining Paki-
stan as visible enemy and
Terrorism as invisible enemy
,
leaving out China from the
firing line may be deemed to
be acceptance of China’s oc-
cupation of Indian Territory
without firing a shot.
THE PATH AHEAD FOR
MILITARY PLATFORMS
Need for more regular, sys-
tematic and progressive mu-
tual talks through military
platforms to help build mu-
tual trust and arrive at com-
mon grounds and mutually
acceptable solutions to nor-
malise bilateral relations.
The diplomatic channels
need to be more vigorous and
arrive at mutually agreeable
formula for lasting peace, a
well defined demarcation
and clarity on the LAC is cru-
cial in this effort.
The United States and Rus-
sia have consistently figured
inSinoIndianrelations.India
will have to formulate a firm
policy where the proximity
with US and Russia will have
to be kept off the Sino India
bilateralrelations.TheUNSC,
G - 20, Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO), BRICS
and Indo Pacific Initiative are
some platforms where rising
Indian clout has to be used to
its maximum advantage.
Despite frequent border
clashes and Aatmnirbhar
Bharat, the Sino Indian trade
is on rise and the latest data
shows 34% rise in mutual
trade and with disadvantage
to India. A balanced trade
and economic relationship
might lay a solid foundation
for future relations, given the
size of both economies..
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY
THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL
WHY DRAGON PROVOKING INDIA:
AFTER GALWAN NOW TAWANG
I
India hopes to become a
primary power in its region,
finally de-hyphenating from
Pakistan, and able to compete
with China in South Asia but
this may be true as long as
Indian military is strong
enough to not allow a repeat of
1962 in the Himalayas.
Despite ongoing Ukraine
war entering a crucial and
dangerous mode Modi’s
statement that the ‘Era of War
is Over’ is a belief that China
will not go to war with an
India. India by defining
Pakistan as visible enemy and
Terrorism as invisible enemy,
leaving out China from the
firing line may be deemed
to be acceptance of
China’s occupation of Indian
Territory without firing a shot
India and China share
about 3,500 km long
border which is not fully
delineated and has been
a consistent cause of
conflict. Both nations
have fought a war in
1962, had border
skirmishes in Sikkim
in 1967, Sumdorong
Chu Valley 1987,
Daulat Beg Oldie
2013, Doklam in
2017, and Galwan in
Ladakh in 2020
COL RAJESH BHUKAR
The author is a Post Graduate in
International Studies, Alumni of Defense
Services Staff College, Wellington
and College of Combat, Mhow

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05
INDIA
New Delhi (ANI): Ac-
cording to reports, pas-
sengers may soon be
able to pass through
airport security checks
without having to lay
out laptops, phones and
chargers in separate
trays, easing the con-
gestion that has made
news this month.
Reportedly, the or-
ganisation which looks
after the aviation secu-
rity, the Bureau of Civil
Aviation Security
(BCAS), is set to launch
a mandate within a
month that will lead to
the adoption of modern
equipment which will
be used to screen bags
without taking out the
electronic devices.
Several airports in
the US and Europe al-
ready use such baggage
scanners, which do not
require passengers to
remove their electronic
devices or jackets.
According to sourc-
es, the Delhi, Mumbai,
Bengaluru and Hy-
derabad will first wit-
ness the installation of
these machines and
they will reach other
airports within a year
This step was taken af-
ter some of the coun-
try’s busiest airports
experienced a chaos
due to a surge in trav-
el, this resulted in the
deployment of more
staff and security
equipment.
Taking out laptops, phones at airports to end soon
BCAS is set to launch new security mandate soon.
EASING UP SECURITY CHECKS
New Delhi (ANI): Amid
the continuing debate
over soaring inflation,
finance minister Nirma-
la Sitharaman said that
the govt is keeping an
eye on it.
Replying to the debate
on the Supplementary
Demands for Grants in
theRajyaSabha,Sithara-
mansaidthatinflationin
India is purely extrane-
ous nowadays because
of fuel and fertiliser
prices.India'sretailinfla-
tion based on consumer
price index remained
abovetheReserveBank's
tolerance level of 6%
since January this year.
It declined to 5.88% in
November, making it the
first time in 2022 to fall
within RBI's band.
On the other hand,
wholesale price based
inflation (WPI) fell to
21-month low last
month. Later, the Rajya
Sabha returned Supple-
mentary Demands for
Grants to Lok Sabha,
thus completing the pro-
cess of authorising the
govt to spend an addi-
tional Rs 3.25 lakh crore
in FY2022-23. Sithara-
man also stressed that
the supplementary de-
mandforgrantsisessen-
tially for food security,
fertiliser requirements
and providing support
to Indian economy
.
‘GOVT KEEPING AN EYE ON INFLATION’
Inflation in India is purely extraneous due to prices of fuel, fertiliser, says Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha
PARLIAMENT’S WINTER SESSION
NewDelhi(PTI):Around
71 multi-state coopera-
tive societies are under
liquidation this year so
far, with the maximum
number of them located
inRajasthan,Maharash-
tra, Delhi and Odisha,
Parliament was in-
formed on Wednesday
.
According to the data
placed by Cooperation
Minister Amit Shah in
his written reply to the
Rajya Sabha, five multi-
state cooperative banks
were also under liquida-
tion till December 15,
2022. Out of 71 multi-co-
operative societies that
areunderliquidation,15
of them are located in
Rajasthan, followed by
13 in Maharashtra, 11
each in Delhi and Odis-
ha, the data showed.
In a separate reply on
the performance of Pri-
maryAgriculturalCred-
itSocieties(PACS),Shah
said 48,907 PACS were in
profit, while 24,243 of
them were in loss as of
March 2020.
Shah: 71 multi-state
cooperative societies
under liquidation
In a separate reply on the PACS Amit Shah said 48,907 PACS were
in profit, while 24,243 of them were in loss as of March 2020.
Nisith Pramanik and Jyotiraditya Scindia are also seen.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while replying to the discussion on The Appropriation (No.5) Bill, 2022 and The Appropriation (No.4)
Bill, 2022 in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. RS returned these Bills authorising payment of certain sums from and out of the Consolidated
Fund of India for the current financial year. —SCREENGRAB FROM SANSAD TV
As many as 115 daily
wage earner and 63
housewives ended their lives
every day in India in 2021,
which saw a total of 1,64,033
suicides in the country, the
Lok Sabha was informed
Tuesday. Sharing data from
NCRB, Union MoS for Home
Nityanand Rai said a total of
42,004 daily wage earners
and 23,179 housewives com-
mitted suicide last year. Alto-
gether, 20,231 self-employed
people, 15,870 salaried
people, 13,714 unemployed,
13,089 students, and 12,055
involved in business, com-
mitted suicide last year, he
said in a written reply.
‘115 DAILY WAGERS,
63 HOUSEWIVES
DIED BY SUICIDE
EVERY DAY IN 2021’
New Delhi: Amid the Opposition's offensive against the
government over the India-China border tensions, Congress
leader Sonia Gandhi today chaired a meeting of all party MPs
in Parliament to discuss the strategy for the remainder of the
Winter Session. The Congress Parliamentary Party meeting was
held at Parliament's Central Hall with party president Mallikar-
jun Kharge, Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan
Chowdhury and all party MPs in attendance. Earlier Cong
leader, Shashi Tharoor said that the Centre must address the
issues on the LAC with China and provide answers to people.
Stating that the govt is accountable to the people, Tharoor said
that the opposition are asking for a discussion on this issue.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and CPP chairperson Sonia
Gandhi during the meeting on Wednesday.
SONIA GANDHI HOLDS KEY MEET TO
DISCUSS INDIA-CHINA LAC ROW
Catholic Bishops' president Andrews Thazhath met Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday regarding Pope Francis
invitation to India. Giving the detail about the meeting, Andrews
Thazhath said, The discussion was regarding inviting the pope
to India. PM Modi told me that during his visit to Vatican City
last year he has already invited him. —PHOTO BY ANI
CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ PREZ MEETS PM
MODI ON INVITING POPE TO INDIA
New Delhi: An approval ac-
corded by Cabinet Committee
on Security in Feb 2009 to
enhance the security of all
coastal and offshore naval
assets within three years in
the aftermath of the 26/11
Mumbai attacks was diluted
due to delays in creating the
enabling framework, CAG has
said. It said Fast Interception
Crafts (FICs) were inducted
into the Sagar Prahari Bal
(SPB) with a delay of 13 to 61
months, adding the infrastruc-
ture was not available. The
report was tabled in Parlia-
ment on Tuesday.
CENTRAL AUDITOR
FLAGS DELAYS IN
STRENGTHENING
SECURITY OF NAVY
T
T
CREW ARE HUMAN TOO, SAYS JET CEO
PUNJAB POLICE
ASKS CHANNI TO
APPEAR ON JAN 12
DELHI HC NOTICE TO
CENTRE OBJECTING
‘TAM’BYPVTBODIES
Mansa (Punjab): The
Punjab Police on Wednes-
day summoned former
Punjab CM, Charanjit
Singh Channi asking him
to appear before the CJM
court on January 12, in
connection with a case
registered against him
during the Punjab polls.
This came soon after
his visit to assassinat-
ed Punjabi singer and
Congress leader Siddhu
Moose Wala’s parents
on Tuesday evening in
Mansa. “The case was
registered on the com-
plaint of AAP. It’s a false
case,” Channi added.
New Delhi: The Delhi HC
on Wednesday issued
notice to the Centre and
others on a PIL stating TV
Audience Measurement
(TAM) Services are being
carried out by an array
of private bodies, thus
carrying out overriding
activities of Constitutionally
mandated duties of BIS as
prescribed in BIS Act 2016.
The plea stated that due to
the non-implementation
of the BIS Act, 2016 and
alleged illegal creations
of so-called trend-setting
‘TAM services’ bodies/in-
stitutions mushroomed to
siphoning off govt funds.
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednes-
day assured Delhi High Court that it will not execute the pro-
duction warrant issued by the
trial court for Anubrata Mondal
till the matter is pending here.
The trial court on Monday
issued a production warrant for
TMC leader Anubrata Mondal
in Delhi in connection with the
West Bengal cattle smuggling money laundering case. TMC
leader Anubrata Mandal on Tuesday moved Delhi High Court
challenging the issuance of a Production warrant by Rouse
Avenue Court in the ED case related to the West Bengal Cat-
tle Smuggling matter. Mondal is currently lodged in Asansol
jail in connection with a CBI case.
‘WON’T EXECUTE PRODUCTION WARRANT
AGAINST ANUBRATA MONDAL TILL JAN 9’
IN THE COURTYARD
New Delhi (ANI): The
National Investigation
Agency (NIA) on
Wednesday carried out
searches at multiple lo-
cations in gangster-ter-
ror nexus cases and
seized large quantities
of illicit weapons and
ammunition from the
premises of gangsters.
The anti-terror agency
conducted these search-
es at two locations in
Haryana's Sirsa to dis-
mantle and disrupt the
emerging nexus be-
tween terrorists, gang-
sters and weapon sup-
pliers based in India
and abroad.
During the searches,
four illicit weapons
(one Rifle, one Gun, two
Pistols), over a hundred
pieces of ammunition
of different calibres, a
number of blank and
fired cartridges and
sharp-edged weapons
have been seized, the
NIA said.
NIA seizes huge
ammunition during
multiple searches
in Haryana
BHARAT JODO YATRA
Fight today is between 2 ideologies, Cong
has a role to play, says RaGa in Haryana
Rahul Gandhi in Nuh on Wednesday. Randeep Singh Surjewala,
Bhupindra Hooda, Kumari Selja, Uday Bhan are also seen.
First India Bureau
Nuh (Haryana): As the
Congress' 'Bharat Jodo
Yatra' entered Haryana
on Wednesday, party
leader Rahul Gandhi
targeted the BJP, saying
the fight today is be-
tween two ideologies ‑
one which benefits a
select few, while the
other is the voice of
the people, farmers and
labourers.
The Yatra crossed
over to Haryana from
Rajasthan. Addressing
a gathering in Nuh dis-
trict, Rahul Gandhi
said the fight between
the two ideologies in the
country was not a new
one and has been going
on for thousands of
years. On the BJP ques-
tioning his cross-coun-
try foot march, he said,
People of our ideology
go out to spread love
and affection, he said.
RAGA ANGRILY STOPS MAN FROM TAKING
SELFIE WITH HIM, BJP HITS BACK
Avideo has gone viral on social media that shows how Rahul
Gandhi pushed aside the hand of a Congress worker who
was seen attempting to take a selfie
with him. In the video, Gandhi report-
edly shook the worker’s hand angrily.
The video is reportedly from Bharat
Jodo Yatra which entered Haryana on
Wednesday. Meanwhile, BJP IT Cell in-
charge took a dig at RaGa. Sharing the video, he tweeted, “Rahul
Gandhi needs lessons in how to conduct himself in public.”
NITISH KUMAR JABS MODI GOVT FOR
RELEASING COVID CAUTION AMID BJY
WHY JUST CONG, WHY JUST BJY? PAWAN
KHERA ON COVID CONCERNS LETTER
Patna: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar today took a dig at the
Narendra Modi government for raising an alarm over a
fresh COVID-19 spike at a time when Rahul Gandhi's
Bharat Jodo Yatra was gaining momentum. The JD(U)
leader, who dumped the BJP four months ago to join the
'Mahagathbandhan', which includes the Congress, vow-
ing to defeat the NDA by uniting the opposition ahead
of the next Lok Sabha polls, was talking to
journalists on the sidelines of a function
in Patna. It should be known why they
(the ruling BJP at the Centre) had become
laidback over Covid in the first place, and
why they have certainly become vigilant
now when the Congress people are
taking out a yatra, Nitish said.
Nuh (Haryana): Noting that the BJP is taking out yatras
in Karnataka and Rajasthan, Congress leader Pawan
Khera on Wednesday asked if Health Minister Mansukh
Mandaviya had sent letters to them too. The retort came
after the minister wrote to Rahul Gandhi to consider
suspending the Bharat Jodo Yatra if Covid protocols
could not be followed.“Please announce Covid proto-
cols, we will follow them,” Khera told reporters here
“Why just Rahul Gandhi, why just Congress party, why
just Bharat Jodo Yatra?” he asked.
TMC MP SAUGATA
INTERRUPTS
SHAH IN LS
Amit Shah, speaking in
the Lok Sabha on the
issue of drug abuse in
the country, shot down
TMC MP Saugata Roy,
who tried to interrupt
his speech. “Dada,
if you want to give a
speech, I will sit down.
You can speak. Being
such a senior MP,
such interruptions are
unbecoming of your
position and seniority,”
Amit Shah said.
NAINITAL COURT
REJECTS PETITION
FOR CBI PROBE
DELHI HC GRANTS
INTERIM BAIL TO
RIOTS ACCUSED
Dehradun: The Nainital
High Court, on Wednes-
day, rejected the petition
related to the Central
Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) investigation in the
Ankita Bhandari murder
case. A single bench of
senior judge Sanjay Ku-
mar Mishra, Uttarakhand
High Court, dismissed
the petition seeking a CBI
investigation in the Ankita
Bhandari murder case.
The single judge bench
said that the SIT team is
doing satisfactory work
in the Ankita Bhandari
murder case.
New Delhi: The Delhi
High court on December
21 granted interim bail
to a Delhi riot accused to
attend the marriage of his
son and daughter. The
petitioner is an accused in
a case registered at Dayal
Pur police station in 2020.
Justice Jasmeet Singh
granted bail to accused
Ibrahim from December
25, 2022, till January 10,
2023, to attend his son
and daughter’s marriage
ceremonies. The bench
directed him to surrender
before the jail authorities
on January 10 at 5 p.m.

06
INDIA
New Delhi (ANI): The
Board of Control for
Cricket in India (BCCI)
clarified the rules re-
lated to the ‘Impact
Player’ which will be
added from the IPL 2023
season. The clarifica-
tion of rules comes just
a couple of days ahead
of the IPL 2023 auction
which takes place in
Kochi on Friday. The
BCCI clarified to all 10
franchise via a note that
‘Impact Player’ can only
be an Indian player and
not a foreigner, unless
there are less than ‘4
overseas stars’ in the
Playing XI.
“Only an overseas
player who is part of 4
substitutesnamedinthe
team sheet can be used
as an Impact Player. If a
teamintroducesanover-
seas player as an Impact
Player in a match, in no
circumstance can a 5th
overseas player take the
field,” the BCCI note
quoted by Cricbuzz web-
site stated. The note ex-
plained how the ‘Impact
Player’ can be used.
“The Captain will nomi-
nate the Impact Player.
The Impact Player can
be introduced (i) before
the start of the innings;
or (ii) after completion
of anover;or(iii)incase
of a batter, at the fall of
the wicket or the batter
retiring at any time dur-
ing the over.
IPL 2023 mini auction on December 23
‘FROM THE 22-YARDS’
Four cases of BF.7, variant of
concern in China, found in India
Ahmedabad(PTI): Four
cases of BF.7 variant of
Omicron, which is re-
sponsible for the surge
in Covid-19 cases in Chi-
na, have been found in
India, sources in the Un-
ion Health Ministry told
media. While two have
been detected in Guja-
rat, one case has been
traced to Odisha. The
two new cases of BF.7
have been detected in
Gujarat’s Vadodara and
Ahmedabad.
A 61-year-old NRI
woman living in Sab-
hanpura area of Va-
dodara has tested posi-
tive for the BF.7 variant
of Covid-19. According
to Vadodara Municipal
Commissioner Banch-
hanidhi Pani, the NRI
woman came from the
United States to Va-
dodara in November
and after a week, she
tested positive for Cov-
id-19. The woman’s sam-
ple was sent for genome
sequencing, the results
of which confirmed
that she has tested posi-
tive for the BF.7 variant.
The civic chief said
the woman was inocu-
lated with three doses
of the Pfizer vaccine.
The woman was kept in
home isolation and did
not report any major
symptoms. The condi-
tion of the woman is
normal.Besides the NRI
woman, a man living in
the Gota area of
Ahmedabad has also
tested positive for BF.7.
SURGE IN CHINA, ALERT IN INDIA
BF.7 is the sub-variant of deadly Omicron variant of Corona Virus. —FILE PHOTO
BENGALURU AIRPORT TO
SCREEN AIR PASSENGERS
Bengaluru: Karna-
taka is preparing to
send COVID-19 test
samples for genome
sequencing, step up
the booster dose pro-
gramme and will
soon start screening
passengers at the
Bengaluru airport
following an alert by
the union govern-
ment over a spike in
coronavirus cases in
other countries, the
government said on
Wednesday
.
“In the wake of
new variants being
found in other coun-
tries, the Union
Health Ministry has
directed states to
send samples of all
new Covid cases for
genomic sequencing,
and we have already
taken measures to
implement the
same,” said Health
and Medical Educa-
tion Minister Dr K
Sudhakar. Speaking
to the media in Bela-
gavi, Dr Sudhakar
said that some coun-
tries including China
and Japan are wit-
nessing a sudden
spurt in cases. Chi-
na’s rate of hospitali-
sation has been par-
ticularly alarming.
2 FROM GUJARAT
+VE WITH NEW
COVID VARIANT,
CURED AT HOME
Ahmedabad: Two
people who had
contracted the strain
of the coronavirus
causing a surge in
COVID-19 cases
in China had been
detected in Gujarat
over two months
ago and recovered
at home, without
needing hospitalisa-
tion, officials said on
Wednesday. “The pa-
tients were infected
with BF 7 and BF
12 form of Omicron
variant were report-
ed in Oct-Nov 2022.
These two patients
were treated in home
isolation. They have
fully recovered now,”
a health dept official
said, requesting not
to be named. One
of the patients, a
61-year-old woman
in Vadodara, had
arrived from the US
on September 11,
and tested positive
for COVID-19 on
September 18, the
official said, adding
she had taken three
doses of the Pfizer
vaccination and was
in home isolation.
The close contacts
had tested nega-
tive for COVID-19,
the official said on
Wednesday while
talking to media.
No rise in cases but
we must be vigilant:
Ex-AIIMS chief Dr
Randeep Guleria
New Delhi: Cases are
not rising anywhere but
we must be vigilant,
said the former chief of
AIIMS, Dr Randeep Gu-
leria, amid an alarming
surge in cases being re-
ported in China. Dr Gu-
leria, however, assured
that the Covid situation
in India is much better
compared to China be-
cause of a hugely suc-
cessful vaccine drive.
“India’s situation is
much better compared
to that of China be-
cause our vaccination
strategy has been very
successful. Most of the
people in the high-risk
group have taken boost-
er doses and natural
infection has hap-
pened,” he said.
BSF soldiers stand
tall amid dense fog
Amritsar (ANI):
Border Security
Force (BSF) troops
stationed at the Atta-
ri-Wagah border in
Amritsar, Punjab,
were standing tall
andpatrollingregard-
less of the dense fog,
zero visibility, and
frigid winter days. As
visibility dropped be-
low 10 metres due to
fog, ANI learned that
troops at the Attari-
Wagah border in Am-
ritsar, became more
vigilant.
Troops of the Bor-
der Security Force
were observed patrol-
ling the India-Paki-
stanborderthrougha
dense fog. However,
the increasing fog did
not appear to dampen
the soldiers’ spirits.
According to Nitika,
Sub-Inspector of BSF,
they are constantly
vigilant in perilous
circumstancessothat
millions of Indians
can sleep soundly
.
BSF personnel patrolling on the International Border fence as visibility continues to reduce due
to increasing fog at the Attari Wagah border, on Wednesday. —PHOTO BY ANI
25 KG HEROIN SEIZED AT PUNJAB
BORDER FROM PAK SMUGGLERS
New Delhi: Border
Security Force (BSF)
troops recovered 25
kilograms of heroin
after a brief encoun-
ter with Pakistani
smugglers at the
international border in
the Fazilka district of
Punjab on Wednes-
day. A senior BSF
officer informed that
at about 1.50 am, BSF
troops deployed at the
border observed some
suspicious movement
of smugglers on both
sides of border fenc-
ing in the area falling
near Village Gatti
Ajaib Singh in Fazilka
district. In prompt
action, BSF troops im-
mediately fired at the
Pakistani smugglers
ahead of the border
fence. The smugglers
managed to escape.
SRINAGAR RECORDS -4.2 DEGREES,
40-DAY INTENSE COLD SPELL BEGINS
Srinagar: The weather
office has predicted
mostly cloudy weather
with chances of light
snow at isolated places
from December 26 over
north and northwestern
parts of the Kashmir
valley.Interior parts of
Dal Lake in Srinagar
were frozen on the night
of Tuesday with the
weather office predicting
continued dry and cold
weather as Kashmir’s
harshest 40-day winter
period ‘Chillai Kalan’ be-
gins on Wednesday.The
meteorological (MeT)
department said the
Chillai Kalan will start on
a dry note. “Dry weather
is expected till Dec 25
evening,” MeT said.
IPL Auctioneer Hugh Edmeades fainted during the last session of
auction in February, 2022. —FILE PHOTO
KL RAHUL SUFFERS HAND INJURY AHEAD
OF 2ND TEST AGAINST BANGLADESH
NAZAM SETHI TO TAKE CHARGE OF PCB AS
RAMIZ SACKED OVER TEAM PERFORMANCE
Lahore: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja
was sacked from the role on Wednesday. The move
from the PCB comes a day after Pakistan suffered a hu-
miliating 3-0 loss in a Test series at home. Ramiz Raja,
the proceedings of the PCB during 2 T20 World Cups
and a 50-over Women’s World Cup. Pak PM Shehbaz
Sherif, who is also the patron of the board, cleared the
appointment of Sethi as the new chairman of the PCB.
Dhaka: KL Rahul, India’s
stand-in captain for the
Test series in Bangladesh,
suffered an injury on
his hand while batting
in the nets on the eve of
the second Test match
in Mirpur, Dhaka. India
lead the series 1-0 and
Rahul is expected to
lead the visitors as Rohit
Sharma was earlier ruled
out of second Test as well
as he is recuperating from
a thumb injury.
Union Min Bharati Pravin Pawar
speaks on Tribal Empowerment
First India Bureau
New Delhi: The Union
Minister of Sate for
Health and Family Wel-
fare Bharati Pravin
Pawar addressed the
mediaonTribalEmpow-
erment in New Delhi.
She spoke about various
initiatives of the Gov-
ernment taken for the
upliftment of tribal pop-
ulation and the progress
made in empowering
tribal population.
Addressing the me-
dia, she said, “The allo-
cation for STC funds has
been increased from Rs.
19,437 cr in 2014-15 to Rs.
87,585 cr. in 2022-23 and
the allocation for Minis-
try of Tribal affairs has
alsobeenincreasedfrom
Rs. 3832 cr. in 2014-15 to
Rs.8407cr.in2022-23.She
said that this is a very
commendable step for
the development of trib-
al area in all directions”.
Bharati Pravin Pawar
also said that on the
CBSEpatterninEklavya
Model Residential
schoolsmorethan1lakh
students are enrolled
and are getting educa-
tion along with sports
facilities.
She further said that
various scholarship
schemes such as for pre
and post Matric scholar-
ship schemes, National
Overseas scholarship
scheme are ensuring
that tribal students are
getting regular quality
education.
Truth will prevail:
KCR’s daughter
on liquor policy
H yd e r a b a d ( P T I ) :
Bharat Rashtra Samithi
(BRS) MLC and Telan-
gana CM K Chan-
drashekar Rao’s daugh-
ter K Kavitha, who the
ED mentioned in the
Delhi Excise Policy
charge sheet accusing
her of holding 65 per
cent stake in a liquor
company, hit out at the
BJP on Wednesday say-
ing “truth with prevail”.
Kalvakuntla Kavitha
tweeted, “Rajagopal
Anna..Don’trush!!Even
if mynameismentioned
28 times or 28000 times a
lie is not true. #Truth-
WillPrevail.” This came
after BJP leader Komat-
ireddy Raj Gopal Reddy
tweeted tagging a news
article with the caption.
X-MAS VIBES IN CITY OF JOY
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the inauguration of the Christmas festival, at Allen park,
in Kolkata on Wednesday. —PHOTO BY ANI
Ranchi: The Jain community, which has been agitating for
the last several days to save its holy site Sammed Shikhar,
has achieved great success. The Jharkhand government
has announced that now the
Sammed Shikhar at Girdih dis-
trict will not be made a tourist
destination. This good news has
been announced by Vidyasagar,
the biggest spiritual guru of
the Digambar Jain community.
Media also reported about
the Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s decision on
keeping Sammed Shikhar’s identity intact as a pilgrimage
site. Acharya Vidyasagar announced on Paras TV that the
Jharkhand government will not develop Sammed Shikhar as
a tourism site, It will remain a holy site for Jains.
JHARKHAND GOVT WITHDRAWS ORDER TO
DECLARE SHIKHAR JI A TOURIST PLACE
NEWS DIGEST
PM MODI TO
VISIT KOLKATA
ON DEC 30
NCPCR: BYJU’S
THREATENING
KIDS, PARENTS
New Delhi: Prime Minis-
ter Narendra Modi to visit
Kolkata on December
30 for Namami Ganga
ProgramPrime Minister
Narendra Modi is ex-
pected to visit Kolkata for
Namami Ganga Program
on December 30. West
Bengal Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee has
also been invited to the
event. This is yet another
time, the two political
antagonists are expected
to share the stage at an
event.
New Delhi: The National
Commission for the
Protection of Child Rights
(NCPCR) has claimed that
the edtech company By-
ju’s is allegedly purchas-
ing the phone numbers
of kids and their parents
and threatening them that
their future will be ruined
if they do not buy courses
from it. “We’ll initiate
action and if need be will
make report and write
to government,” NCPCR
Chairperson Priyank
Kanoongo told to media.
GUJARAT CM IN DELHI, MEETS PM MODI
PM Narendra Modi with Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel during a
meeting, in New Delhi on Wednesday. —PHOTO BY PTI

07
Commodity Price Change % Chg
GOLD 55,261.00 192.00 0.02 (Per 10g)
SILVER 69,962.00 433.00 0.05 (Per 1kg)
COMMODITIES
Currency Price Change % Chg
USDINR 82.80 0.10 0.04
GBPINR 100.65 0.11 0.11
CURRENCIES
business
BRIEFS
New Delhi: Out of 99 coal
mines that were put on
the block in the fourth
round of the auction, just
eight blocks have been
auctioned successfully,
Parliament was informed
on Wednesday. Develop-
ment of new mines are
required towards At-
manirbhar Bharat to re-
duce import dependence.
Coal demand of 1500 mil-
lion tonne per annum
(MTPA) is projected by
the year 2030, Union Min-
ister of Parliamentary Af-
fairs, Coal and Mines
Pralhad Joshi said. —PTI
ONLY 8 COAL MINES
AUCTIONED IN 4TH
ROUND: JOSHI
New Delhi: The IPO of
electronics manufacturing
services company Elin
Electronics was sub-
scribed 95% on the sec-
ond day of subscription
on Wednesday. The IPO
received bids for
1,34,54,580 shares
against 1,42,09,386
shares on offer, as per
NSE data. The category
meant for non-institution-
al investors was sub-
scribed 1.29 times, RIIs
received 1.33 times sub-
scription and Qualified In-
stitutional Buyers (QIBs)
portion 1%. The IPO has
a fresh issue of up to
`175 crore and an offer
for sale of up to `300
crore, aggregating up to
`475 crore. —PTI
ELIN ELECTRONICS
IPO SUBSCRIBED
95% ON DAY 2
New Delhi: The demand
for finished steel in India
is expected to grow 8%
this year compared to
2021. Supported by the
government’s infrastruc-
ture-led growth model,
domestic finished steel
demand has registered a
double-digit growth of
11.9% in the first eight
months of the current fis-
cal, ICRA said in a report
on Wed. The demand is
“poised to close the year
with a growth of 8%...7-
8% growth for FY 2022-
23,” Icra said. —PTI
DOMESTIC DEMAND
FOR FINISHED STEEL
TO GROW 8 PERCENT
New Delhi: Gold price
rose `192 to `55,261 per
10 grams in the national
capital on Wednesday
amid gains in precious
metal prices international-
ly, according to HDFC Se-
curities. In the previous
trade, the yellow metal
had closed at `55,069 per
10 grams. Silver also
jumped `433 to `69,962
per kilogram. In the inter-
national market, gold was
trading higher at $1,815
per ounce while silver
was up at $23.94 per
ounce. —PTI
GOLD CLIMBS `192;
SILVER PRICES SEE
JUMP OF `433
*Rates till the edition went to print.
OFFICE LEASING SET TO
GROW 10-15% IN FY23,
NEXT FISCAL: REPORT
Mumbai: In spite of ebbing
growth momentum, commercial
leasing activity is likely to grow
at a healthy 10-
15% this fiscal
and the next, a
report said on
Wednesday. At
this growth rate, commercial
leasing space will touch 28-30
million sq ft (msf) this fiscal
and grow further to 31-33 msf.
It added that even at this rate of
growth, demand will be below
the pre-pandemic high of 42
msf in fiscal 2020, but within
sniffing distance of fiscal 2019
level of 34 msf. —PTI
VIACOM18 GETS PARIS
OLYMPICS BROADCAST
RIGHTS FOR INDIA
New Delhi: Viacom18 Media
has secured exclusive media
rights to broadcast the next
Olympic
Games, which
will be held in
Paris in 2024,
in India and the
subcontinent region. It has also
received non-exclusive rights
to the Winter Youth Olympic
Games Gangwon 2024, said
a joint statement. ”Through
the agreement, Viacom18 will
provide multi-platform coverage
of the Games, and ensure free-
to-air television coverage within
the region,” it said. —PTI
LOW DEMAND, RISE IN RAW MATERIAL PRICES KEY
PROBLEMS OF MSMEs: SURVEY
New Delhi: The decline in demand and rise in raw material prices due
to high transportation costs are the major problems faced by micro,
small and medium enterprises in the last 27
months, according to a survey. The report
by Bhartiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST) also
said that though markets have stabilised,
about 57% of the units that participated in
the survey are struggling to get new orders
for their merchandise. While the impact of
COVID-19 has been slowly receding, the
economic situation is yet to completely stabilise due to multiple fac-
tors, according to the report. —PTI
ENGAGING E-COMMERCE PLAYERS TO PUSH SALES
OF GOODS PRODUCED BY TRIBALS: PRADHAN
New Delhi: The government is taking steps to enhance production
and marketing of forest produce of tribal communities and engaging
with e-commerce players like Amazon and
Flipkart to push their sales, Union Minister
Dharmendra Pradhan said on Wednesday.
He also said that the tribal community will
be the major beneficiary of the emphasis of
the NEP on the use of mother tongue or lo-
cal language as the medium. Briefing about
the steps being taken by the government for
the welfare of tribals, the minister said that financial allocations under
centrally sponsored schemes have been increased significantly. —PTI
OTHER STORIES
Govtseriousabouttaminginflation: RBI Guv
Mumbai (PTI): RBI Gov-
ernor Shaktikanta Das
said there is a “very coor-
dinated approach” be-
tween the Union govt the
central bank to fight infla-
tion. Das said the govern-
ment is “equally serious”
about taming inflation.
Theremarkscameweeks
after the RBI wrote a note
to the government explain-
ing the reasons for missing
the upper end of the toler-
ance band on inflation set
for it for nine consecutive
months, which is a first
since the onset of the flex-
ible inflation targeting
framework in 2016.
“I must say that to check
inflation, there has been a
very coordinated approach
between the central bank
and the central govern-
ment,” Das said, listing out
the measures taken by the
two. He said the RBI actions
included one on the rates,
stance of the monetary
policy and liquidity meas-
ures, while the government
undertook several supply
side measures like cutting
down taxes on petrol or die-
sel, reducing duties on im-
ported food items.
Stating that the “govern-
ment also is equally seri-
ous about controlling infla-
tion”, the bureaucrat-
turned-central bank gover-
nor said, “everyone is in-
terested in bringing down
inflation and I am sure the
government also will be
equally keen that inflation
is brought down”.
CREDIT GROWTH FAR AWAY FROM BEING
CONSIDERED AS ‘EXUBERANT’, SAYS DAS
Mumbai (PTI): The present credit growth is far away from being con-
sidered as “exuberant” and there is no “big gap” between the credit
growth and deposit accretion when looked at the absolute numbers,
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Wednesday. “I think the credit
growth at the current point is certainly far far away from exuberance
or something like that. It is definitely very, very steady. We are moni-
toring it very very carefully,” Das said. When one compares the credit
growth and deposit growth, it seems like a wide gap because of the
base effects, Das said, adding that the credit growth is going up after
two years of being depressed, while deposit growth number has
come off a relatively higher growth during the pandemic years. “Just
as the credit growth looks very high because of the low base effect of
the previous years, the deposit growth is also pretty low because of
the base effects of the previous years,” he said.
Mumbai (PTI): Press-
ing for the prohibition
of instruments like Bit-
coin, Reserve Bank Gov-
ernor Shaktikanta Das
on Wednesday warned
that the next financial
crisis can be trig-
gered by pri-
vate crypto-
currencies,
if such
speculative
instruments
are allowed to
grow.
Das has
been staunch-
ly opposed to
such instruments
and the RBI has gone till
the Supreme Court with
its contention.
“Cryptocurrencies…
have huge inherent
risks from macroeco-
nomic and financial sta-
bility (perspective) and
we have been pointing it
out,” he said.
The RBI governor
added that the develop-
ments over the last one
year, which include the
latest crash of crypto-
currency exchange FTX,
which is termed as one
of the biggest
financial
frauds in
the his-
tory of
the US,
illustrate
the threat
posed by
such instru-
ments. “After all
these, I don’t think we
need to say anything
more about our stand,”
Das said, adding that
private cryptocurren-
cies’ valuation has
shrunk from $190 billion
to $140 billion.
‘Allowing pvt cryptos to grow can
precipitate next financial crisis’
‘India has signed
13 FTAs so far’
New Delhi (PTI): India has
signed 13 free trade agree-
ments (FTAs) and six pref-
erential pacts so far with its
trading partners for ensur-
ing greater market access
for domestic goods and pro-
moting exports, Union min-
isterAnupriyaPatelsaidon
Wednesday
.
The country has recently
signed three such agree-
ments with Mauritius, the
UAE and Australia.
Further, India is also ac-
tively engaged in free trade
agreements(FTAs) negotia-
tions with some of its trad-
ing partners including the
UK, European Union and
Canada.
MARKETS WILT FOR SECOND DAY AS
COVID THREAT SPOOKS INVESTORS
Mumbai (PTI): Equity
benchmarks Sensex and
Nifty gave up early gains
and ended lower by 1% on
Wednesday amid a largely
weak trend in Asian mar-
kets and sell-off in index
majors Reliance Indus-
tries, ICICI Bank and
HDFC twins.
The 30-share BSE bench-
mark Sensex tumbled
635.05 points or 1.03% to
settle at 61,067.24.
The broader NSE Nifty
declined 186.20 points or
1.01% to end at 18,199.10.
From the Sensex pack,
IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Fin-
serv, Maruti, UltraTech
Cement, Tata Motors, Axis
Bank, State Bank of India
(SBI) and Kotak Mahindra
Bank were the major
laggards.
Sun Pharma, HCL Tech-
nologies, Tata Consultancy
Services, Tech Mahindra,
Nestle, Wipro and Infosys
ended in the green.
RUPEE SLIPS 10
PAISE TO 82.80
AGAINST DOLLAR
Mumbai (PTI): The rupee de-
clined 10 paise to settle at 82.80
(provisional) against the US
dollar on Wednesday as a mas-
sive sell-off
in domestic
equities and
risk aversion
in global
markets
dented
investor sentiment. At the inter-
bank forex market, the local unit
opened weak at 82.76 against
the greenback and witnessed
an intra-day high of 82.66 and a
low of 82.83. It finally ended at
82.80, a decline of 10 paise.
Auto components industry grows 34.8%
First India Bureau
New Delhi: India’s auto
components industry wit-
nessed a 34.8% growth to
`2.65 lakh crore in first-
half of 2022-23, riding on
domestic demand, particu-
larly from the passenger
vehicles segment, the Auto-
motive Component Manu-
facturers Association of
India said on Wednesday
.
During the period, ex-
ports of components grew
by 8.6% to $10.1 billion
(`79.03 lakh crore), while
imports climbed 17.2% to
$10.1 billion (`79.8 lakh
crore), ACMA said.
“We’veseengreatgrowth
come out of passenger cars
and commercial vehicles...
The festive season was
very positive for two-wheel-
ers, and we hope that two-
wheelers will be back on
the growth track, like they
have been in the past,”
ACMA President said.
He further said modera-
tion in the supply-side is-
sues, such as availability
of semiconductors, high
input raw-material costs
and non-availability of
containers, also helped in
the growth.
IN 1st HALF OF FINANCIAL YEAR 2022-23
EXPORTS UP 8.6%
TO $10.1 BILLION
z During the period, exports
of components grew by
8.6% to $10.1 billion, while
imports climbed 17.2%
to $10.1 billion (`79.8
lakh crore), Automotive
Component Manufacturers
Association of India
(ACMA) said
Airtel launches 5G services
in Ahd, Gandhinagar, Imphal
First India Bureau
New Delhi: Telecom oper-
ator Bharti Airtel on
Wednesday announced the
launch of high-speed 5G
services in Ahmedabad
and Gandhinagar.
The company also an-
nounced the roll out of 5G
services in Imphal.
In a statement anouncing
that 5G services have gone
live in Ahmedabad and
Gandhinagar, the company
said that the services are
currently operational at SG
Highway
, Memnagar, Satel-
lite, Navrangpura, Sabar-
mati, Motera, Chandkheda,
South Bopal, Gomtipur,
Memco, Bapunagar in
Ahmedabad and Koba, Ray-
san, Sargasan, Pethapur
and other key locations in
Gandhinagar town.
Customers with 5G ena-
bled devices will enjoy the
high speed network at no
extra cost until the roll out
is more widespread.
‘Economylikelytogrowatover7%inFY23’
New Delhi (PTI): The In-
dian economy is likely to
grow at over 7% in the cur-
rent fiscal year, former Niti
Aayog vice chairman
Arvind Panagariya said on
Wednesday, while observ-
ing that the growth rate
should sustain next year
too provided the forthcom-
ing Budget does not have
any negative surprises.
Panagariya further said
recessionary fears have
been around for a while but
so far neither the US nor
the EU has gone into reces-
sion. “From the viewpoint
of India, in terms of head-
winds originating abroad,
the worst is probably be-
hind us,” he said.
The RBI revised down its
growth estimate for FY23
to 6.8% from the earlier 7%.
“Overall, I still expect us
to end the current fiscal
year with a growth rate ex-
ceeding 7%. Next year, the
7% growth rate should sus-
tain assuming the forth-
coming Budget does not
have any negative surpris-
es,” the economist said.
Panagariya said capital
outflows induced by the
hikes in policy rates by the
US Fed Reserve had placed
the rupee under consider-
able pressure.
“Those flows have re-
versed with positive net
portfolio inflows in Novem-
ber,” he said, adding that
inflation in the US is also
coming down.
But in the meantime, Pa-
nagariya said, the rupee
has appreciated against
currencies such as the
Euro and Yen which may
contribute to weakness in
exports in the coming year.
Even prior to this epi-
sode, the rupee had been
overvalued, he added.
REVISED DOWN
EARLIER IN DEC
z The RBI revised down its
growth estimate for FY23
to 6.8% from 7%, while the
World Bank revised upwards
its forecast to 6.9%

Nagpur (PTI): BJP
MLA Manisha Chaud-
hary on Wednesday ob-
jected to Nationalist
Congress Party leader
ChhaganBhujbalcalling
Mumbai the `Kombdi’
(hen)thatlaysthegolden
egg. Bhujbal, a former
minister, said he was
only using the popular
Marathi version of the
phrase ‘to kill the goose
that lays the golden egg’.
Speaking with report-
ers at the legislature
complex, Chaudhary
,
MLA from Dahisar in
Mumbai, said Bhujbal
called Maharashtra’s
capital a “hen” during a
discussion on supple-
mentary demands in the
Assembly
. When she ob-
jected and tried to raise
a point of order, Bhujbal
said “you sit down”, she
alleged, adding that this
was an insult to all wom-
en MLAs.
Earlier, Bhujbal told
reportersoutsidetheAs-
sembly that he was talk-
ing about the need to
improve the basic amen-
ities in Mumbai and
curb pollution. “While
raising this issue, I said
Mumbai is the hen that
lays the golden egg, do
not kill it. What I intend-
ed to say was please save
thecity
.Butunfortunate-
ly one of our sisters said
why did you call Mum-
bai `Kombdi’. It is a pop-
ular phrase,” he said.
He took his words
back as Chaudhary had
taken offense, but the
ruling benches made
falseallegationsinorder
to create a ruckus, the
NCP leader alleged.
First India Bureau
Solapur: The Congress
party on Wednesday al-
leged that the Bharati-
ya Janata Party (BJP) is
threatening elected rep-
resentatives that if they
do not support the gov-
ernment, funds will be
released to the Gram
Panchayats.
Former Congress
MLAfromAkkalkotcon-
stituency Siddharam
Satlingappa Mhetre has
claimed that the BJP
MLAs are calling Gram
Panchayat representa-
tives and spreading
fear that they will not be
given money if they do
notsupporttherulingal-
liance. Mhatre leveled
this serious charge
againstBJPMLASachin
Kalyanshetty
.
“The people of Ak-
kalkot have votes us in
11 Gram Panchayats
out of 20. But the people
in power are calling
the elected Sarpanchs
of the Gram Panchay-
ats to their office. They
are being threatened
that if they go to
Mhatre, they will not
get the funds. That’s
why there has been a
stir,” Mhetre said.
He further said that
Sarpanches who are
with us are giving a
befitting reply to these
bullies.
According to Mhetre,
the elected Sarpanches
have said that even
if funds are not released
for one-and-a-half year,
they will work they
we will be voted to pow-
er in 2024 elections.
08
2NDFRONT
There is never a truer saying than the
old adage-The person who doesn’t
make time for exercise, must
eventually make time for illness.
— Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO Editor-in-Chief, First India
First India Bureau
Mumbai: The Mumbai
Metro Rail Corporation
Ltd (MMRCL) on
Wednesday informed
that the dynamic and
static testing of the first
prototype rake trial run
of Mumbai city’s only
underground Colaba-
Bandra-SEEPZ Metro
Line 3, Aqua Line, was
successfully completed.
The trial run will
continue after which
mandatory perfor-
mance and safety test-
ing will be carried out
for a few months by
the Research Designs
and Standards Organi-
zation (RDSO). The
commissioner of rail-
way safety (CRS) will
then inspect and certify
the train.
First India Bureau
Mumbai: Members of
the Jain community on
Wednesday called for a
bandh in Maharashtra
over the Jharkhand
government declaring
Sammed Shikhar, a
tourist attraction.
Warning of endan-
germent to the sanctity
of Sammed peak, Jains
in Jharkhand, Maha-
rashtra and Madhya
Pradesh have united
against the decision.
Community mem-
bers took to the streets
in Nashik, Sangli,
Solapur, Jalgaon,
among other places
across Maharashtra to
express their dissent.
Major markets were
closed in various places
in response to the agita-
tion.
In Jalgaon and Dhule,
black ribbons were
sported by people be-
longing to the Jain com-
munity. In Pune, trad-
ers protested the deci-
sion by keeping their
shops closed. In Madha
of Solapur district,
Jains took out a grand
silent march in the city
.
Women and children
chanted ‘Jai Jinendra’
and raised slogans
against the Jharkhand
government.
MP Shrirang Barne,
who is from Balasahe-
banchi Shiv Sena,
raised the issue in the
Parliament on Wednes-
day. He requested the
Jharkhand government
not to declare the pil-
grimage site as a tourist
destination, respecting
the sentiments of the
community
.
Kartikey Dev Singh
Mumbai: Having made
a dent in the political
sphere of the state
through events organ-
ized by his Swarajya
Sangathan as well as
protestsagainst‘insults’
to his ancestor, Chhatra-
pati Sambhajiraje may
be gearing up to form an
independent party in
the next few days.
A descendant of 17th
century warrior king
Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj and member
of the erstwhile royal
family of Kolhapur—
Chhatrapati Sambhaji-
raje—reportedly plans
to formally enter the
Maharashtra political
arena after his stint as
an independent MLA.
Sambhajiraje began
organizingprogrammes
across the state through
his organization ahead
of civic polls. As a result
13 candidates belonging
to the Swarajya Sanga-
than have now secured
wins in the state Gram
Panchayat elections.
Theyhaveallbaggedthe
position of sarpanch.
A felicitation ceremo-
ny of all winning candi-
dates will be held soon.
According to the ru-
mours floating on the
political circuit, Samb-
hajiraje may make a ma-
jor announcement at
this function. A meeting
of the Swarajya Sanga-
than has been organized
in Pune next week.
For the last two dec-
ades, Sambhajiraje has
wielded a lot of influ-
ence in the politics of
Kolhapur. He has played
an important role in the
struggle for Maratha
reservation. The total
number of members at
the organization cur-
rently stands at 89.
After being nominat-
ed to the Rajya Sabha by
the BJP in 2016, Samb-
hajiraje called on the
MVA government (that
collapsed in June this
year) to lend him sup-
port as an independent
candidate in the Rajya
Sabha elections held in
May
. However, the coali-
tion of Shiv Sena, Con-
gress and NCP declined
to support him. This
left Sambhajiraje with
no choice but to with-
draw from the fray
.
Sambhajiraje looking to
be Maha’s ‘Chhatrapati’?
SHOT AT FUTURE
Political observers believe Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje may be aiming to contest state Assembly polls.
—FILE PHOTO
Georgia-returned med student elected as sarpanch in Sangli dist
First India Bureau
Pune: YashodharaShin-
de(21)aspiredtobecome
a doctor and was pursu-
ingthemedicalcoursein
Georgia. However, fate
had something else in
store for her as she re-
turned to her village in
Maharashtra, contested
the Gram Panchayat
election and won it too.
Shinde now plans to
work for the betterment
of her village Vaddi
in Miraj tehsil of Sangli
district and also
complete her education
online.
Shindesaidshewants
to make women self-reli-
ant, introduce e-learn-
ing and other education
tools for students, help
children adopt good
health habits, contrib-
ute towards the better-
ment of youth’s aspira-
tions and welfare of the
farmers’ community in
the village.
“I have been pursuing
the MBBS course at the
New Vision University
in Georgia. Currently
, I
am in the 4th year and
one-and-a-half years of
the course is still left to
be completed,” she said.
“When elections
were announced in my
village, locals wanted
someone from our
family to contest for the
sarpanch’s (village
head) post. A decision
was taken to field me
for the position. I got a
call from my family and
I returned, contested
the election and won,”
said Shinde.
When asked about
her plans as sarpanch
for the development of
the village, Shinde said
her main focus will be
to address the issues of
women and make them
stand on their feet.
“I am of the opinion
that women must get an
equal chance to show
what they are capable
of and I would like to
make them educated
and independent and
not rely on their male
counterparts,” she said.
Her priority list also
includes the welfare
of children and their
education.
“Iwouldliketoexpose
them to e-learning and
the latest pedagogies. I
would also like to work
towards the construc-
tion of toilets in the vil-
lage and facilitate easy
availability of sanitary
napkins for girls and
women. Also, children
need to adopt good
health habits,” she said.
NEW ROLE
Yashodhara Shinde (21) now plans
to work for the betterment of her
village Vaddi in Miraj tehsil and
also complete her education online
When polls
were an-
nounced,
locals wanted some-
one from our fami-
ly to contest for the
sarpanch’s post. A
decision was taken
to field me for the
position. I got a call
from my family
and I returned,
contested the elec-
tion and won.
—Yashodhara Shinde,
medical student
Yashodhara Shinde
Independent leader’s efforts bear fruit as his org now elects 13s sarpanches in GP polls
Mumbai (PTI): The
Bombay High Court
on Wednesday ex-
tendedtillDecember
27, the stay on its or-
der granting bail to
former Maharash-
tra Home Minister
Anil Deshmukh in a
corruption case be-
ing probed by the
Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) .
A single bench of
Justice MS Karnik
on December 12
granted bail to the
73-year-oldNational-
ist Congress Party
(NCP) leader in the
corruption case but
saidtheorderwillbe
effective after 10
days, as the CBI
sought time to chal-
lenge it in the apex
court.Theinvestiga-
tion agency on Fri-
day moved the Su-
preme Court but the
plea would be heard
onlyinJanuary2023
after vacation.
On Tuesday
, the
CBI, through Addi-
tional Solicitor Gen-
eral (ASG) Anil Sin-
gh, urged Justice
Karnik of the high
court to extend the
earlierstaytillJanu-
ary3.Thiscourthad
granted bail but it
was not to be effect-
ed. The Supreme
Court doesn't have a
vacation bench, un-
fortunately
. So the
ordermaybeextend-
ed till January 3,
Singh had said.
When the matter
was called on
Wednesday
, the ASG
urged the bench to
“protect him for a
reasonable time.”
However, Aniket
Nikam, appearing
for Deshmukh, sub-
mitted they (CBI)
have the remedy of
approaching the va-
cation registrar
available in the
apex court but they
don’t want to exer-
cise that.
HC stays
Deshmukh’s
bail order
till Dec 27
Sammed Shikhar is located in Giridh district of Jharkhand.
—FILE PHOTO
Jains call for bandh
overSammedpeakcall
Dynamic, static
testing of rake
trial run done
BJPobjectstoBhujbal
using‘hen’ metaphor
‘BJPunwillingtogive
fundstopanchayats’
Manisha Chaudhary Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre
First India Bureau
Kolhapur: Armed
with shovels, Shiv
Sainiks belonging to
the Shiv Sena – Ud-
dhav Balasaheb
Thackeray faction on
Wednesday began re-
moval of encroach-
mentatVishalgadFort
in Kolhapur district.
Raising slogans, they
left for Vishalgad from
Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj Chowk in
Kolhapur city
.
Thiscomesafterthe
CM Eknath Shinde
-led government di-
rected authorities to
remove all encroach-
ment near 17th centu-
ry military general
Afzal Khan’s grave at
Pratapgad Fort.
Kolhapurroyalfam-
ily scion Chhatrapati
Sambhajiraje had
written to the CM and
asked him to direct re-
moval of encroach-
ment at Vishalgad.
The Thackeray
group,ledbyKolhapur
district President San-
jay Pawar and leader
Vijay Devane, has be-
comeaggressiveabout
the encroachment.
Sainiks reach Vishalgad
to remove encroachment
Vishalgad Fort in Kolhapur district. —FILE PHOTO

09
MUMBAI, THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 22, 2022
YAAR MERI ZINDAGI
urbani- so aptly
named by our desi
Clint Eastwood Feroz
Khan- is a movie
about sacrifice, but
this is not the sacri-
fice of a lovelorn cou-
ple but between two close
friends- Feroz and Vinod
Khanna- a bromance which
steals your heart. The chem-
istry is true and strong be-
tween the two and wonderfully
backed up by great acting,
drama and dialogues. The dia-
logues in a mishmash of Urdu,
Hindi and English were by Ka-
dar Khan, need I say more?
When we watch the songs of
Qurbani and what a collection!
Still remixed, admired,
watched and sung they are,
from the iconic Nazia Hassan’s
‘Aap jaisa koi meri zindagi
mein aaye – where a sultry
sexy shimmering Zeenat
crooned at the males across the
nation to ‘Laila main Laila’ –
these two songs have spawned
generations of songs in Bolly-
wood, remixes and memes. But
they do overshadow some oth-
er melodious numbers like
‘Hum tumhe chahte hain aise’,
‘kya dekhte ho’, ‘baat ban
jaaye’, which are a joy to listen
to even today
. Qurbani Qurba-
ni- a title songs too was hugely
popular.
Qurbani with its bold plot,
great cinematography, tight
direction,sportyactionscenes,
excellent acting by both the
stars- Feroz Khan and Vinod
Khanna, not to mention the
leashed violence and sexual
overtones depicted in the film
and the absolutely memorable
fantastic music – made it a
huge box office hit and saved
Khan from doom.
Amjad Khan in the role of
an inspector – impersonating
asabumblingcharacter-leaves
a mark. Zeenat Aman’s charac-
ter leaves much wanting and
she coasts the movie with her
stunning looks, contemporary
style and allure, never really
plumbing the depths of acting
like her male co-stars did. But
Zeenat has been etched forever
in the memory of India as the
ultimate Laila with Qurbani!
Q
THROWBACK THURSDAY IS BACK AFTER A LONG INTERVAL AND WE BRING YOU ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE
BLOCKBUSTERS YOU CAN WATCH EVEN TODAY- QURBANI. THE MUSIC WILL HAVE YOU SWINGING!
ANITA HADA
anita.hada@firstindianews.com
www.firstindia.co.in I https://firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/
thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia

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