06022024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf

Jaipur, Tuesday | February 6, 2024
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 MOTION OF THANKS ON PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS  MODI REPLIES IN SANSAD
Jharkhand CM Champai Soren with Hemant Soren and JMM-led
coalition MLAs at Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha in Ranchi on Monday.
VITAL ADVISORY...
 Don’t use children in any
manner including, holding a
child in their arms, carrying
a child in a vehicle or rally,
pamphlets distribution, slo-
gan shouting, meetings etc
 Using children to simu-
late a political campaign,
through poems, songs, pro-
moting party symbols, party
achievements, speeches by
them, criticizing opponents,
is strictly prohibited.
Withbackingof
47MLAs,Champai
winstrustvote
First India Bureau
Ranchi
Champai Soren led JMM
Congress RJD alliance
government ultimately
sailed through the trust
vote with 47 votes being
castinitssupport.29votes
were polled against the
motion while independent
Saryu Roy abstained from
voting. Two MLAs one
each from the BJP and
JMM Indrajit Mahto and
Ramdas Soren respective-
ly could not attend due to
ill health. Prior to moving
thetrustmotion,Governor
CP Radhakrishnan ad-
dressedthemembersamid
din created by the treasury
bench members who
raised slogans in support
of former chief minister
Hemant Soren and pro-
tested center for using in-
vestigation agencies to
settle political scores.
The Jharkhand
High Court adjourned
the hearing of former
CM Hemant Soren’s
petition challenging
his arrest by the
ED till February 12
INDIA SHINES AT GRAMMY AWARDS 2024
‘This Moment’for India’s ‘Shakti’at Grammys
First India Bureau
Los Angeles
ndian music
struck a chord
at the 2024
Grammy Awards with 5
Indian musicians, includ-
ing tabla maestro Zakir
Hussain and flautist
Rakesh Chaurasia, pick-
ing up the coveted prize
at a glittering ceremony
in Los Angeles.
While Hussain was In-
dia’s big winner with 3
Grammys, Rakesh Chau-
rasia picked up 2. Singer
Shankar Mahadevan, vi-
olinist Ganesh Rajagopa-
lan and percussionist Sel-
vaganesh Vinayakram,
Hussain’s collaborators
in the fusion group
‘Shakti’, won one Gram-
my each at the event held
at the Crypto.com Are
na on Sunday.
The best global music
performancecategoryhad
8 nominees, including
“Abundance In Millets”,
a song by Falu and featur-
ing PM Narendra Modi.
Ustad Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, V Selvaganesh and
Ganesh Rajagopalan of Shakti pose for photos with the award
for best global music album for ‘This Moment’ during the 66th
annual Grammy Awards, in Los Angeles on late Sunday night.
I
Indians bag six
awards; Shankar
Mahadevan, Zakir’s
Band clinch ‘Best
Global Music Album’
Congratulations @ZakirHtabla, @Rakeshflute,
@Shankar_Live, @kanjeeraselva, and @
violinganesh on your phenomenal success at
the #GRAMMYs! Your exceptional talent and dedication to
music have won hearts worldwide. India is proud! These
achievements are a testament to the hardwork you keep
putting in. It will also inspire the new generation of artists
to dream big and excel in music.
Narendra Modi @narendramodi
REMEMBERING
LATA DIDI!
On 2nd death anniversary
of Lata Mangeshkar, today,
February 6, we fondly
remember ‘Lata didi’, the
iconic Indian singer and
composer. Revered as the
‘Nightingale of India’, she
remains an eternal legend
in realm of Indian music.
KING CHARLES HAS
A FORM OF CANCER
Buckingham Palace
said King Charles III was
diagnosed with “a form of
cancer” after he underwent
a procedure for benign
prostate enlargement.
IN BRIEF
NO ‘LITTLE’ POLITICIANS!
Do not use children in poll campaigning: EC to political parties
First India Bureau
New Delhi
Just months ahead of Lok
Sabha polls 2024, the
Election Commission of
India (ECI) on Monday
warned political parties
to refrain from using
children in campaigning
“in any form whatsoev-
er” and that there would
be “zero tolerance” to-
wards this. The advisory
issued by the poll body
read, “In continuation of
its earlier directives to
parties and candidates to
address plummeting lev-
els of campaign dis-
course and to maintain
respectful discourse to-
wards Persons with Dis-
abilities (PwDs), EC of
India has issued strict
directives regarding use
of children in polls.”
Moni Sharma
New Delhi
Replying to the Motion of
Thanks on the President’s
addressonMonday,Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
said that he was confident
that the BJP would win
370 seats, while the NDA
wouldsecureatotalof405
seats in the 2024 Lok Sab-
ha elections. The Prime
Minister also said that he
‘appreciated’the commit-
ment of the Opposition,
saying that they had
“pledged to stay outside
the Parliament”. “Your
dedicated efforts are rec-
ognised, and I assure you
that the people, who are
the embodiment of divine
will, will determine your
position,” he added.
PM Modi said that he
‘appreciates’the Opposi-
tion’s commitment to
their promises. “They
have pledged to stay out-
side the Parliament. Your
dedicated efforts are rec-
ognised, and I assure you
that the people, who are
the embodiment of di-
vine will, will determine
your position,” he added.
CONFIDENTMODI’SBJP
EYES370-SEATVICTORY!
NDA to win 405 seats in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, says PM Narendra Modi
MODI’S TOP QUOTES FROM 2-HOUR-LONG SPEECH
 India will become 3rd largest
economy in his party’s third
term, this is ‘Modi’s guarantee’
 Kashmir people paid a heavy
price for Nehru’s mistakes
 ED seized Rs 5,000 cr dur-
ing UPA tenure, figure reached
Rs 1 lakh crore under our govt
 18 crore new subscribers
registered with EPFO in 10 yrs
 We filled up ‘ditches’ left by
Congress in first term, laid new
India’s foundation in second
 NDA government controlled
inflation despite two world wars
 Lord Ram returned to his
own home and we built temple
on lines of our culture, tradition
PM Narendra Modi’s impactful expressions replying to the ‘Motion of Thanks’ on the President’s
address in LS during Parl Budget session on Monday. Present here are Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh,
Nitin Gadkari, Pralhad Joshi, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal & others.
Congress
attempting
to launch
the same product
again and again, the
party’s shop is on the
verge of closure now.
NARENDRA MODI,
PRIME MINISTER
Total gross receipts in respect of proposed
“Vote on Account” for the year 2024-25 are
estimated at over `75,932 crore, including
provision for ways and means advances of `16,568 cr.
NIRMALA SITHARAMAN, FINANCE MINISTER
Sitha proposes `1.18L cr
Interim Budget for J&K
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Mon-
day proposed an Interim Budget of `1.18 lakh crore for
fiscal 2024-25 for the Union Territory
of Jammu & Kashmir. The budget
envisages a fiscal deficit of `20,760
crore and a 7.5% growth in gross
state domestic product (GSDP). The
capital expenditure for the fiscal has
been proposed at `38,566 crore,
which is 14.64% of the GSDP. The
revenue expenditure is expected to
be `80,162 crore, and the revenue receipts for the next
fiscal stood at `97,861 crore. MORE ON P7
PM Narendra Modi meets the religious leaders representing
various minority sections of the country, at Parl on Monday.
CM Sharma’s soulful
circumambulation
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, who was on a two-day
tour of Bharatpur division starting Monday, visited Poonchari
Ka Lotha, Giriraj Ji Temple, Shrinath Ji Temple and his
Kuldevi Kaila Devi Temple located in Jheel ka Bada of
Bayana. CM Sharma along with his wife Geeta took Prasad
with the devotees in the Shreenathji temple complex and
interacted with them cordially. Interestingly, CM Sharma
circumambulated his birthplace Attari village barefoot. During
this, the villagers showered flowers and covered the roads
with flowers. Everyone was emotional after seeing CM
Sharma while CM took blessings of elders and paid
obeisance and this is how the image of a common man’s CM
was seen again today. Through this, CM refreshed childhood
memories. P8 Ravi Katara and Satyanarayan Sharma
Locals shower flower petals on CM Bhajan Lal Sharma as he walks
barefoot during the visit to his birthplace Attari village on Monday.
FROZEN
DROPS
Water droplets frozen into ice due to freezing
temperature, in Anantnag on Monday. -5°C GOA FULLY CHARGED FOR INDIA
ENERGY WEEK STARTING TODAY
Energy ministers from across the energy
producing world and key decision-makers
in the oil and gas
market will take
part in India Energy
Week 2024, which
begins in Goa today.
Prominent foreign-govt
functionaries who will
address 4-day event, to
be inaugurated by PM
Modi, include petroleum
ministers from Libya, Nigeria, Sudan and energy
ministers from Ghana, Djibouti and Sri Lanka.
 Heavy snowfall
alert issued in J&K,
HP, Uttarakhand;
Avalanche warning
in Kashmir hills
 Many regions
are finally witnessing
bouts of snow
and rain after a
precariously dry
start to the year
 IMD said that a western
disturbance continues to
rest over Northwest Ra-
jasthan for next few days
 Heavy snowfall is impact-
ing normal life and blocking
vehicular traffic on NHs
 Many flights frequenting
Srinagar and Leh were can-
celled due to bad weather
RNI NUMBER: RAJENG/2019/77764 | VOL 5 | ISSUE NO. 241 | PAGES 12 | `3.00 Rajasthan’s Own English Newspaper

RAJASTHAN 02
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EMBRACING CHANGE
Workshop on New Criminal Law
Shivendra Singh Parmar
Jaipur
one-day semi-
nar on ‘Newly
Amended/En-
acted Criminal Acts
(BNS, BNSS and BSA)’
was organized at the po-
lice headquarters under
the joint aegis of Rajast-
han Police Training Di-
rectorate and Central In-
telligence Training Insti-
tute, Jaipur Police Re-
search & Development
Bureau. A video was
screened on the Home
Minister’s documented
speech in Parliament on
the new laws, explaining
the need and significant
key points about the new-
ly inducted Laws.
The conference was
inaugurated and ad-
dressed by Director Gen-
eral of Police UR Sahu.
Advocate Nishith Dixit,
Supreme Court shared
his views on basic chang-
es in the new laws and
essentials of the modern
technology in Law and
Order correctly.
Retired Director Gen-
eral of Police, Meghalaya
Atul Kumar Mathur dis-
cussed the nuances of the
new laws and not to for-
get the philosophy of ju-
risprudence.
IPS officer Amandeep
Singh, Director of Cen-
tral Intelligence Training
Institute, Jaipur, present-
ed the summary of the
workshop in the end.
Younus Gesawat
Nagaur
A priest was allegedly
beaten to death with a
stick at an ashram in Ra-
j a s t h a n ’s
Nagaur dis-
trict, police
said Mon-
day. Paduka-
lan SHO
Manvendra Singh said
that Chhotupuri (53), a
priest at Raghurgiri tem-
ple, was killed by a per-
son from the village on
Sunday night. The ac-
cused, Ramprasad has
been detained and is be-
ing interrogated.
The priest had no dis-
pute with anyone. Hear-
ing him shouting, people
ran to the ashram but the
accused had fled and the
priest lay unconscious.
Ziauddin Khan
Jaipur
Light rain was recorded
in parts of Rajasthan and
Jaipur recorded 22 mm
rain in the last 24 hours
ending Monday morning,
a MeT department
spokesperson said.
According to the
Jaipur Meteorological
Center, light to moderate
rain was recorded in
some parts of the state.
During this period, the
highest rainfall in eastern
Rajasthan was recorded
in Dholpur (35 mm)
while Jodhpur’s Bilara
recorded 18 mm, it said.
The state capital Jaipur
recorded 22.4 mm of
rainfall, which is the
highest single-day rain-
fall recorded in the month
of February in the last 10
years, it said. According
to the MeT office, there
will be a reduction in
thunderstorm and rain
activities in the state
from Monday.
However, there is a
possibility of cloudy sky
and drizzle in the Kota
division on Monday.
Bharat Dixit
Jaipur
Directorate of Local Bod-
ies Director Suresh Ola
held a meeting at Munic-
ipal Corporation Greater
headquarters on Monday
where Commissioner
Rukmani Riar was also
present. During the meet-
ing, Ola told engineers to
be in the fields and ex-
pressed his displeasure
over them sitting in the
offices most of the time.
Now, the corporation’s
engineers will also moni-
tor the cleanliness work
while being in the field.
Stepping up the cleanli-
ness drive, door-to-door
garbage collection,
cleaning of dividers and
other issues were dis-
cussed in the meeting.
Zone Deputy Commis-
sioner along with Deputy
Commissioner Health
Naveen Bhardwaj were
present in the meeting.
UR Sahoo and others attending seminar on newly amended
criminal act, organized at the PHQ in Jaipur on Monday.
A
Jaipur soaks up 22.4 mm rain,
sets new February benchmark
Highest February rainfall in a decade
Overcast skies at the Statue Circle in Jaipur. Due to the changed weather, the minimum temperature is likely to drop by two-four degrees in the next two-three days.
Jaipur recorded 22mm of rain on Sunday bringing the temprature
down in the Pink City once again. SANTOSH SHARMA
ABVP workers protesting outside Rajasthan university in Jaipur on Monday. NAIM KHAN
DLB Ola tells JMCG engineers to be on
the field, monitor cleanliness work
The Local Bodies
Director emphasized
fieldwork vigilance
JMCG COMMISSIONER RIAR CONDUCTS
SURPRISE INSPECTION OF HQ, FACILITIES
Municipal Corporation Greater Commis-
sioner Rukmani Riar is conducting surprise
inspections regarding the arrangements in the
corporation. On Monday, the JMCG Commissioner
reached the corporation headquarters in the morning
and inspected all the branches. During this, a large
number of employees and officers had not reached
office, seeing which,the commissioner instructed
that everyone should reach office by the alloted time
of 9.30 am. Rukmani Riar also gave instructions to
deposit records older than two years in the records
branch and remove the unused items. Apart from
this, posters, banners, lists, etc. displayed at various
places were asked to be removed and instructions
were given to fix and paint damp walls. Riar was on
the inspection for over an hour.
2 units of Kota
thermal shut, 5
of 7 working now
BJP spokesperson
gives fitting reply to
Dotasra’s remarks
Bhanwar S Charan
Kota
Thermal Unit 3 of Kota
Thermal has been shut
due to leakage related
problems. Now, there is a
technical problem in the
turbine of Unit 6. Only
five out of seven units are
producing about 800
MW of electricity.
The total capacity of
Kota Thermal is to pro-
duce electricity up to
1210 MW. It costs Rs 25
lakh to restart a closed
thermal unit. But in Kota
Thermal, power generat-
ing units keep shutting
every now and then.
Two thermal units
were closed citing leak-
age and turbine prob-
lems. Shutdown of the
unit has affected power
production capacity of
the plant.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Akhil Bharatiya Vidy-
arthi Parishad workers
demonstrated at the
main gate of Rajasthan
University on Monday
regarding various de-
mands and reached the
Vice-Chancellor’s Sec-
retariat, where the stu-
dents demanded to meet
the Vice-Chancellor.
Later, a five-member
delegation of students
met the VC after which
the students ended the
protest. The protesters
were Grade 3, Level 1
candidates.
A few days ago also,
RAS candidates had
staged a protest on the
campus despite having
no connection with the
Rajasthan University.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Countering Congress
state prez Govind Dot-
asara’s statement on CM
Bhajanlal Sharma in
Jodhpur, BJP state
spokesperson Laxmikant
Bhardwaj said that Con-
gress is not able to digest
its defeat that is why the
party leaders are venting
their anger by making
frivolous statements.
“No one is small or big
here, every worker is
given equal attention,” he
said. Bhardwaj said that
Congress is not able to
tolerate Bhajanlal Shar-
ma as the CM.
ABVP workers protest at RU, meet VC
65-year-oldMahantbeatento
deathinNagaur;accusedheld
CRIME
ROUNDUP 3-YR-OLD RAPED BY
DRUNK NEIGHBOUR
MAN ABUSES WIFE,
GIVES TRIPLE TALAQ
AUTHORITIES BULLDOZE HOUSE OF ACCUSED IN
MURDER CASE OF MINOR STUDENT IN NAGAUR
5 KG HEROIN SEIZED FROM
BORDER AREA IN ANUPGARH
COURT EMPLOYEE CAUGHT IN
ACB NET ACCEPTING BRIBE
SAMPAT NEHRA DETAINED ON PRODUCTION
WARRANT; TO BE KEPT IN CHURU JAIL
Pokran: On Sunday,
a case of rape
against a 3-year-old
innocent child was reported
in the Nachana police sta-
tion area of Pokaran. After
that, the girl was admitted to
Pokaran District Hospi-
tal. Sangram Singh, the
culprit, was detained by the
Nachna police.
Jaipur: A case of
triple talaq has been
reported in Jaipur.
The alleged husband bru-
tally abused his wife in front
of her family before attempt-
ing to strangle her. The ac-
cused gave her triple talaq
by stating it three times in
front of everyone.The victim
has filed a report.
According to Anti Gangster Task
Force, Khedapa police station and
DST in Jodhpur’s rural district caught
Bhairu Singh, an active member of the Law-
rence and Rohit Godara gang, and seized
100 grams of opium milk, one pistol, and two
rounds. The accused is illegally extorting
money for Lawrence Rohit Godara gang.
Nagaur: The administration razed the house of
accused in the recent murder of a student in
Nagaur. During this, the municipal council’s anti-
encroachment unit was deployed on-site. Yashraj, who
was missing for 14 days, was murdered in Nagaur. In this
instance, the police captured Rasool Mohammad alias
Bablu Ghosi, who murdered school student Yashraj and
placed his body in a sack under a pile of dung.
Anupgarh: Five kilograms of
heroin worth crores of rupees
was found abandoned adjacent
to the India-Pakistan border in village
44PS of Rohi of Anupgarh. On the infor-
mation of CID officer Balwinder Singh,
police reached the spot and seized the
contraband. Anupgarh SP Rajendra
Prasad and CID Deputy SP Rahul
Yadav reached the spot for inspection.
Search operations are being conducted
in the area to look for further consign-
ments of drugs. Prasad along with
Sameja Kothi SHO Harbans Singh was
also present on the spot. The smug-
glers could not succeed in their plan
due to alertness of the CID and dense
fog in the border area.
In its first crackdown after
Rajeev Sharma joined as DG
Anti-Corruption Bureau, the
bureau on Monday arrested a staffer of
district and session court of Jaipur for
allegedly taking a bribe
of Rs 4500. The accused
Rajendra Kumar Meena
had demanded the bribe
from the complainant for
serving a notice issued by
the court. After verifica-
tion of the complaint, a trap by was laid
by the ACB and Meena was caught red
handed while taking the bribe amount.
Meena was arrested under the preven-
tion of corruption act and a case was
registered against him. Navin Sharma
Churu : Kotwali police have detained mobster
Sampat Nehra on a production warrant in con-
nection with a pistol-point robbery and extortion
at a tile and sanitary business on Pankha Road in the
city. The apprehended accused will now be kept in
Churu’s temporary jail for questioning. According to
Churu DSP Jaiprakash Atal, a Rs 10,000 robbery took
place at gunpoint on January 19, 2022.
GIRL RAPED UNDER THE
GUISE OF MARRIAGE
A girl was raped
under the guise of
marriage in Jaipur.
The accused took her
home, held her captive, and
sexually assaulted her. The
victim filed a case against
Lautaram and Nitin. Ac-
cused Nitin held her captive
raped her. He threatened
to kill if he tried to flee.
4 HELD ATTEMPTING
TO LOOT ATM IN JPR
Four thieves arrived
in a pickup truck to
loot an HDFC Bank
ATM in the Sanganer Sadar
area. The miscreants tied
the machine with a rope
before removing it with a
pickup truck. Sanganer
Sadar police arrived at the
scene before the miscre-
ants could flee.
ON INFO OF AGTF, HENCHMAN OF LAWRENCE AND
ROHIT GODARA GANG HELD IN JODHPUR DISTRICT
Offering Condolences
Pawan Arora attended the
condolence meet of Pandit
Kailash Chandra Sharma,
grandfather of senior journalist
Yogesh Sharma, in Dausa on
Monday. Laxmikant Sharma,
Ambikeswar Sharma and
Yogendra Sharma are also seen.
The condolence meet of Savita
Sharma, mother of senior
journalist Manish Sharma, was
held at Ram Mandir, Raja Park in
Jaipur on Monday. Pawan Arora
and others attended the meet.
Ajay Sharma, Pt Suresh Mishra
and others are also seen here.
SANTOSH SHARMA
NAIM KHAN

Nirmal Tiwari
Jaipur
Forest and Environment
Minister Sanjay Sharma
inaugurated the Jaipur
Bird Festival at Muhana
Wetland on Monday.
The wetland is being
developed in a 1,000 hec-
tares of land, which has
woodland and grassland
too. Until now, 133 spe-
cies of birds, including
painted stork and spoon
bill have been spotted
here.
DCF Sangram Singh,
ACF Raghuveer Meena,
Range Officer Janeshwar
Chaudhary were present
during the inauguration.
Bagru MLAKailash Ver-
ma was also present.
The wetland is being
developed in the estuary
on the lines of Ghana.
Beed Muhana estuary is
being developed in about
244 hectares of land. The
JDAhas given Rs 8 crore
for Muhana Forest.
There are six-feet-high
walls to protect the birds,
sluice gates will store the
water overflowing from
the Nevata Dam and a
five-km-long wall will
act as the ‘walking path’
for the enthused bird
watchers in the region.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Governor Kalraj Mishra
will administer oath to
Chief Justice of Ra-
jasthan HC-
Manindra
M o h a n
Shrivastava
at Raj
Bhavan to-
day. The ceremony will
be held at 4 pm. He was
the Acting CJ of Ra-
jasthan High Court in
2022. He is also a former
Judge of Chhattisgarh
HC was transferred to
Rajasthan HC in 2021.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
The Additional Chief
Secretary of PWD, Sand-
eep Verma reviewed the
progress of the projects
and schemes of the de-
partment on Monday.
The ACS directed the of-
ficers to identify and re-
solve inter-departmental
and GoI Pending Cases
Promptly. He further em-
phasised upon timely ful-
fillment of responsibili-
ties to ensure there are no
backlogs.
In the meeting, the
ACS also reviewed the
progress of the works be-
ing done under the Prad-
han Mantri Gram Sadak
Yojana and by NHAI,
Rajasthan State Highway
Authority, Rajasthan
State Road Development
Corporation Limited and
Department.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
US Ambassador to India
Eric Garcetti on Mon-
day, visited Hawa Mahal
and Jantar Mantar in
Jaipur. Garcetti was over-
whelmed to
see the ar-
chitecture of
these histor-
ic monu-
ments. He
left for the
Neemrana Fort from Jan-
tar Mantar.
The Ambassador is
scheduled to visit Delhi
from Neemrana today.
Bhanwar S Charan
Kota
The Congress has com-
menced preparations for
the LS polls, with Party
observer Pratap Singh
Khachariyawas conven-
ing a meeting at the Con-
gress office in Kota on
Monday. City Congress
President Ravindra Tyagi
and Congress Rural Pres-
ident Bhanu Pratap Singh
attended the meeting.
Khachariyawas empha-
sized importance of unity
among party members.
Reflecting on past
campaigns, he highlight-
ed Rajiv Gandhi’s initia-
tive in Ayodhya in 1989,
where he facilitated the
opening of locks and al-
lowed puja. Gandhi had
expressed the intention to
build a temple, and the
eventual construction in
Ayodhya occurred
through court orders, not
solely by BJP. Khachari-
yawas stressed that Lord
Ram’s significance ex-
tendsbeyondanypolitical
party, emphasising his
universal appeal.
First India Bureau
Sawai Madhopur
Agriculture Minister Dr
Kirodi Lal Meena held a
public hearing in the
presence of district offi-
cials at Ajnoti in Sawai
Madhopur and got the
problems solved on the
spot. He said that through
the Mantri Aapke Dwar
programme, the general
public will be able to
reach the government
and administration easily
and their problems will
be resolved quickly.
People present during
the public hearing, were
provided information
about important schemes
related to the department
by the officials of theAg-
riculture Department.
The State government
is making efforts for the
all-round development of
the farmers.
Laxman Raghav
Bikaner
Siddhi Kumari, the
four-time MLA from Bi-
kaner East, is countering
criticism with her recent
activism. Despite allega-
tions of a lackadaisical
approach and minimal
involvement during elec-
tions, Siddhi Kumari se-
cured victory with sub-
stantial public support.
Now, she is actively en-
gaging with constituents,
emphasising the prioriti-
sation of Bikaner’s fun-
damental infrastructure
development.
Addressing concerns,
Siddhi Kumari under-
scored plans for enhanc-
ing the iconic Sursagar
area, expressing confi-
dence in achieving pro-
gress. She reiterated her
commitment to commu-
nity development, em-
phasizing initiatives for
women’s welfare over-
all societal happiness.”
Mahesh Sharma
Jaipur
Discussing ‘Police files’
on the last day of the
Jaipur Literature Festival
on Monday, the former
Delhi Police Commis-
sioner Neeraj Kumar
shared his experiences in
a discussion with former
Foreign Secretary of In-
dia, Vikas Swarup and
revealed that betting in
Cricket started with the
Rajwada Premier League
held in Kota, which was
a part of RCA.
He said, “In other
words, the Rajasthan
Cricket Association was
behind all this.After this,
the Rajputana Premier
League was organised in
Jaipur.”
“At that time I was
leading the ACB unit of
the BCCI. With assis-
tance of local police, we
not only halted private
league but also appre-
hended all prime indi-
viduals involved.”
“We had arrested 21
people,” Neeraj Kumar
said. He further added
that as a result of the op-
eration, many people had
left the country.
Forest Minister San-
jay Sharma embarks
on first visit to the
Ranthambore National Park
after assuming office as the
Minister. He also enjoyed
Tiger Safari with Chief Wild-
life Warden Arvind Tomar
and other Forest officials.
Sharma also took feedback
regarding the Park.
MACRON’S THROWBACK VIDEO FEATURES
Jaipur’s grandeur chai with dear friend Modi
Rashpal Singh
Jaipur
rench President
Emmanuel Ma-
cron shared a
video of his recent visit to
New Delhi and Jaipur on
hissocialmediaplatforms.
ApartfromhistriptoNew
Delhi for the Republic
Day celebrations, Ma-
cron’svideofeaturesgran-
deurandotherglimpsesof
his trip to Jaipur. The
glimpses include PM
Modi and Macron having
tea at Sahu Tea stall.
PM Modi on Sunday
responded to the video ex-
pressingdeepgratitudefor
the visit. “For us, having
chai is a habit,” he is heard
sayinginthevideo.“Itwas
an honour to have you in
India, President @Emma-
nuelMacron. Your visit
and participation in the
RepublicDaycelebrations
will surely boost India-
France friendship,” PM
Modi commented to X to
convey his appreciation.
“A look back at an ex-
ceptional trip in India,”
Macron captioned the
video. In the video, Ma-
cron stressed France’s de-
sire for ‘more more in-
vestments’ in India and
praised India, stating that
the country is at forefront
of world’s transformation.
PM Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron enjoy a cup of tea at Sahu Tea Stall in Jaipur. Emmanuel Macron visits
the Amber Fort with EAM S Jaishankar and Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari during his visit to Jaipur. FILE
F
RAJASTHAN 03
Jpr:ForestMininaugurates
BirdFestatMuhanaWetland
FOREST MIN ENJOYS
SAFARI AT R’BORE
133 species of birds, including painted stork spoon bill have
been spotted here; JDA has given ` 8 crore for Muhana Forest
Sanjay Sharma enjoys birdwatching during the Jaipur Bird
Festival-2024 at Beed Wetland on Monday.
Special ‘Dua’ for World Peace
The concluding session of the three-day-long religious congregation, Tablighi Ijtema,
wrapped up with a collective prayer at 11 AM held at Karbala Maidan, Ramgarh Mod,
in Jaipur on Monday. Lakhs of Muslim devotees prayed for peace, harmony, and
brotherhood. Devotees from Jaipur assisted in organizing the mega event. Islamic scholars
from across the nation also graced the occasion.
NAIM KHAN
Meena:‘MantriAapkeDwar’drive
willhelpresolvepeople’sconcerns
Dr Kirodi Lal Meena addresses people’s concerns during the
‘Mantri Aapke Dwar’ and a ‘Jansunwai’ held at Ajnoti in Sawai
Madhopur district on Monday. Other local leaders and public
representatives were also present.
(L-R) Vikas Swarup, Amod K Kanth, Neeraj Kumar Meeran
Chadha Borwankar during the session, ‘Police Files’ on the
concluding day of JLF at Hotel Clarks Amer on Monday.
Pratap Singh Khachariyawas
holds a meeting over selection
of Congress candidates for LS
polls in Kota on Monday.
Guv Mishra to
administer oath
to Chief Justice
of Raj HC today
PWD ACS reviews
schemes ahead
of CS meeting
US Ambassador
Eric Garcetti tours
Hawa Mahal and
Jantar Mantar
PSK urges unity;
Ram belongs to
all, tells workers
Ex-topcopatJLF:RajwadaPremier
LeaguesparkedCricketbettingtrend
Paying Tributes
Deputy CM Diya Kumari pays tributes to late Chitra
Singh, wife of former MP Manvendra Singh Jasol during
a condolence meeting held at the latter’s residence in
Jodhpur on Monday. Diya also met and consoled the
bereaved family. Joraram Kumawat, Devendra Joshi,
Atul Bhansali, Mahendra Singh Rathore and others
were present.
Vasundhara Raje offers floral tributes to late Thakur
Randhir Vikram Singh at latter’s residence ‘Mandawa
Garh’ at Mandawa town in Jhunjhunu district on
Monday. Raje remembered his contribution towards
promotion development of tourism in the
Shekhawati region consoled the bereaved family.
MLA Siddhi focuses
on Bikaner’s devp
Jpr: Muslim girl on hunger strike
to ban hijab, execute CAA UCC
During the investigation, we came to know that
private leagues were doing all the fixings.
Thousands and crores of rupees were batted in T20
matches. All this was done in a very organised
manner.
NEERAJ KUMAR, FORMER POLICE COMMISSIONER OF DELHI
It was an honour to
have you, PM Modi
responds to French
Prez Macron’s video
Sanjay Sharma plants a sapling
during the festival. Also seen
are Kailash Verma and others.
ANI
Jaipur
Tanzeem Merani, a col-
lege student from Guja-
rat, is on a hunger strike
in Jaipur, demanding a
ban on hijab in educa-
tional institutions and
execution of the Citizen-
shipAmendmentAct and
the Uniform Civil Code.
In support of the de-
mand, Tanzeem Merani
has been on a continuous
hunger strike at VT Road
Ground in Mansarovar,
Jaipur, since February 1.
While speaking to
ANI, Merani said, “I
have three demands from
the Rajasthan govt. First,
there should be a ban on
hijab in educational insti-
tutions. Second, CAA
UCC should be imple-
mented at earliest.”
Merani said that she
chose to kick-start her
campaign from Jaipur as
recently there was a con-
troversy over wearing
hijab in school here.
“There was a contro-
versy in Jaipur a few
days ago over wearing
hijab in school, due to
which I started this cam-
paign in Jaipur. I will
visit every state of India
and launch this drive un-
til these three things are
implemented,” Tanzeem
said. Educational institu-
tions should be kept
away from religion as
they are a place for edu-
cation and not religious
propaganda, she said
adding that uneducated
Muslims protest against
her drive for hijab ban as
they lack knowledge.

ender-based
violence is
v i o l e n c e
against a per-
son just be-
cause of the difference in
gender.Although both men
and women experience
gender-based violence, the
majority of victims are
women and girls. Gender-
based violence is a phe-
nomenon deeply linked to
gender inequality and is
one of the most prominent
human rights violations in
all societies. It is manifest-
ed throughout the life of
women from mother’s
womb to death. Gender-
based violence has no so-
cial or economic back-
ground but affects women
and girls from all social and
economic backgrounds.
Every girl and boy
should have equal oppor-
tunity to survive and grow.
Childhood experts are ad-
vocating equal rights for
every child. Yet gender
discrimination starting in
childhood is crushing their
childhood and limiting
their potential, which is
having an adverse impact
on girls around the world.
There is a high possibility
of a girl being deprived of
her rights, prevented from
school, forced into mar-
riage, and subjected to vio-
lence. Even if it is noticed,
the girl is given less impor-
tance. This discrimination
against children hinders
the development of the na-
tion because future pro-
gress depends on the en-
ergy and determination of
today’s children.
According to one esti-
mate, it will take more than
200 years to achieve gen-
der equality at the current
rate of change. Gender
equality is currently unac-
ceptable only in America.
Together we can create a
more equal world from the
ground up. According to a
recently released report,
women have traditionally
been seen as a weaker sec-
tion in society. They suffer
exploitation, humiliation
and discrimination both at
home and in society. Dis-
crimination against women
is prevalent everywhere in
the world. India ranks
127th among 146 countries
in the Global Gender Gap
Index 2023. A report says
that one in three women in
India is abused by her part-
ner once in her lifetime.
Gender-based violence
is a global issue, with ap-
proximately 27 percent of
women experiencing phys-
ical or sexual abuse at
some point in their life-
time. Particularly in South
Asia, the incidence of ex-
periencing intimate partner
violence is 35 percent high-
er than the global average.
The patriarchal socio-eco-
nomic system and tradi-
tional traditions, which
define gender roles, are
responsible for this. The
impact of violence against
women and girls is deep at
the emotional level and
causes bigger social, eco-
nomic, physical and mental
problems for them. The
disappointing aspect is that
as an individual she is un-
able to use her full poten-
tial. Girls and women who
are victims of violence of-
ten lag behind in education,
health and employment.
Their participation in soci-
ety is also affected. Vio-
lence against women also
damages the economy. It
causes a loss of 15 trillion
US dollars (2 percent GDP)
at the global level.
Among the various
causes of gender-based
violence, the most impor-
tant are social, political
and cultural reasons. For
example, discriminatory
social, cultural and reli-
gious beliefs, norms and
practices marginalise
women and girls and do
not give their rights. Gen-
der stereotypes are often
used to justify violence
against women. Cultural
norms indicate that men
are aggressive, controlling,
and dominant, while wom-
en are submissive and de-
pendent on men as provid-
ers. These norms motivate
to abuse her. The break-
down of family, social and
community structures and
the limited role and rights
of women within the fam-
ily often put women and
girls at risk.
Therearemanyobstacles
in the way to create gender
equality. Lack of access to
judiciary institutions makes
men fearless to abuse her.
There is also a lack of suit-
able and affordable legal
advice and representation
for her. Apart from this,
victim-survivorandwitness
protection mechanisms are
also missing. Inadequate
judicial frameworks, in-
cluding national, tradition-
al, customary and religious
beliefs,discriminateagainst
women and girls. Fear of
pressure or stigma, isola-
tion, social exclusion, vic-
timization, detention, ill-
treatment and punishment
etc. hinder the efforts of
gender equality. There is a
lack of knowledge about
human rights. Most of the
women do not know how
and where to get justice.
severely impacts all as-
pects of women’s health,
including physical, sexual
and reproductive, mental
and behavioural health.
This hinders them from re-
alising their full potential.
Violence and its threat
weaken women’s ability to
participate actively and
equally in the social and
political sphere.Workplace
harassment and domestic
violence impact women’s
potential and their econom-
ic empowerment. Sexual
harassment also limits
girls’ educational opportu-
nities and achievements.
This is why their develop-
ment is often hindered.
There is a need to in-
crease awareness to prevent
violence against women.
Past experiences tell us that
access to state facilities is
limited in conflict areas;
therefore, it is important
that lifeline facilities for
women victims of gender
violence are also included
intheprogramsbeingrunin
this context. Various organ-
isations will have to work
together to ensure that nec-
essary health facilities and
mental health services are
available in such areas. It is
important to act closely
withwomen’sorganisations
working at the grassroots
level to reach out to female
victims in conflict-affected
areas. Gender-based vio-
lence not only causes hu-
man harm but also destroys
a society’s ability to combat
poverty, inequality and
achieve prosperity. Gender
violence can be ended by
involving all communities
in preventing, identifying
and addressing it.
We must continue to
support legal and policy
reforms to prevent gender-
based violence. Relative
policies have to be devel-
oped towards establishing
gender equality, because
gender-based violence
arises from gender inequal-
ity and plays a role in main-
taining it.There is a need to
run awareness campaigns
about the existing laws
against domestic violence
and sexual violence.
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY
THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL
TOP
TWEETS
SPIRITUAL SPEAK
Thousands of candles can be lighted
from a single candle, and the life of the
candle will not be shortened. Happiness
never decreases by being shared.
BUDDHA
AWAKENING
EQUALITY
In recent years, many
South Asian countries
have changed laws related
to sexual violence and
harassment. However, it
becomes difficult to imple-
ment them because there
is a huge lack of aware-
ness among the people
regarding women’s rights.
We will have to work
closely with governments
to build the capacity of of-
ficials to adopt, implement
and spread awareness
about these laws.
can be eliminated only
through collective efforts
of society, government
and individuals. One of the
most important ways is to
train healthcare providers
to recognize and assist
in such violences. Media
can play a key role in
highlighting gender-based
violence, advertising,
informing policy-makers,
and educating the public
about legal rights.
Regular curriculum, sex
education, counselling
programs, and school
health services can carry
forward the message that
violence is a crime and
must be prevented. If eve-
ryone comes together and
makes a collective effort,
gender-based violence
can be controlled, and
women and girls can be
given their due rights. Only
then will the concept of
equality in society
be established.
GENDER-BASEDVIOLENCE
AGLOBALISSUE
India has been ranked 127th among 146 countries
in the Global Gender Gap Index 2023. Many studies
have shown that gender-based violence can be
ended by involving all communities in preventing,
identifying and addressing it. Gender-based
violence is a global issue, with approximately 27
percent of women experiencing physical or sexual
abuse at some point in their lifetime.
IN-DEPTH
UTTARAKHAND’S UCC TO
TEST WATERS BEFORE
LOK SABHA ELECTION
UNEMPLOYMENT
IS A MAJOR ISSUE
ttarakhand Cabinet having passed the Uni-
form Civil Code Bill, the state is all set to
have a uniform law aimed at removing ine-
quality and inconsistency in different personal laws.
Goa is the only state with a Uniform Civil Code of
its own, the Portuguese Civil Code, which goes back
to over 156 years. It defines equality in marriage and
personal inheritance. The proposed UCC in Uttara-
khand for equal property rights for son and daughter.
Some of the salient features of the Uttarakhand law
is the elimination of distinction between legitimate
and illegitimate children in property rights. The law
also proposes to do away with differentiation be-
tween adopted children and those born out of sur-
rogacy or through assisted technology. The tricky
part would be the laws on marriage, divorce, inherit-
ance and fixing marriageable age for girls.
For the BJP to introduce Uniform Civil Code the
Uttarakhand’s law will test waters as it is likely to
come into force before the Lok Sabha elections.
U
he recent surge in demand for workforce in
Israel has cast a glaring light on the persis-
tent issue of unemployment in India. As
eager individuals lined up, poised to replace Tel
Aviv’s Palestinian workforce, the stark reality of the
desperate need for employment came into focus.
The government is now facing criticism for its in-
ability to generate sufficient job opportunities, even
as the country’s GDP continues to climb.
The root causes of the high unemployment rate in
India are multifaceted, encompassing inadequate
economic growth, a burgeoning population and,
more importantly,
the subpar skill sets
of job seekers. Lack
of employability is
responsible for over
42 percent graduates
under 25 being job-
less.Astudy byAzim
Premji University
questions the nature
of jobs these gradu-
ates end up finding.
Despite a marginal
decline in the unem-
ployment rate from
8.9 percent in No-
vember 2023 to 8.7
percent in Decem-
ber, the figures re-
main disconcertingly
higher than the 7.33
percent recorded in
2022. The lack of
private capital in-
vestment and an es-
calating reliance on
technology are con-
tributing to distortions in the job market, exacerbat-
ing the challenge of finding gainful employment.
Increased loan disbursement for startups and the rise
in the number of self-employed people presents a
brighter picture. As the nation grapples with these
intricate issues, it becomes imperative for policy-
makers to address not only the immediate concerns
of job creation but also the underlying structural
problems within the economy. Balancing economic
growth, technological integration, and skill devel-
opment will be crucial in charting a sustainable
course towards reducing unemployment and foster-
ing a robust workforce for the future.
T
The lack of private
capital investment
and an escalating
reliance on
technology are
contributing to
distortions in
the job market,
exacerbating the
challenge of finding
gainful employment.
Increased loan
disbursement for
startups and the rise
in the number of
self-employed
people presents a
brighter picture
Amit
Baijnath
Garg
The writer is a
Senior Journalist
G
Bharat’s security is of
paramount importance for
the Modi government. Looking
forward to delivering an address on
‘Security Beyond Tomorrow: Forging
India’s Resilient Future organised by
@orfonline. Also, will launch the
‘ORF Foreign Policy Survey’
.
Amit Shah @AmitShah
Heartiest congratulations to @
ZakirHtabla, @Rakeshflute, @
Shankar_Live, @kanjeeraselva,
and @violinganesh on their remarkable
achievement at the #GRAMMYs! Your talent
not only echoes globally but also
shines a spotlight on the cultural
richness of India.
Jagat Prakash Nadda @JPNadda
l Vol 5 l Issue No. 241 l RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77764. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Press, D.B. Corp Limited, Shivdaspura, Tonk Road, Jaipur. Published at 304, 3rd Floor,
City Mall, Bhagwan Das Road, C-Scheme, Jaipur-302001, Rajasthan. Phone 0141-4920504. l Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra l Managing Editor: Pawan Arora l Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act
PERSPECT VE 04
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Jaipur, Tuesday | February 6, 2024 05

MURMU’S MANTRA
Governance should be citizen-centric: Prez
First India Bureau
New Delhi
t is imperative
for government
departments to
make the governance
system citizen-centric,
efficient and transparent,
President Droupadi Mur-
mu said on Monday.
Addressing a group of
officers, she said they
have joined government
service at a time the
country is undergoing a
digital transformation.
“There is a rising expec-
tationamongthepublicfor
greaterefficiencyinservice
delivery while ushering in
transparency and account-
ability. To address these
concerns, it is imperative
for government depart-
ments to make the best use
of technology and make
the governance system
citizen-centric, efficient
and transparent,” she said.
The president was ad-
dressing officer trainees
of the 31st batch of the
Probationers Training
Course at the Arun Jait-
ley National Institute of
Financial Management
in Haryana’s Faridabad.
These officers from
the Indian CivilAccounts
Service, Indian Defence
Accounts Service and the
Indian PT (Finance and
Accounts) Service had
called on Murmu at the
Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Murmu asked the of-
ficers to keep pace with
the world of ever-chang-
ing and advancing tech-
nology to undertake these
tasks.
President Droupadi Murmu meets officer trainees of 31st batch of Probationers Training Course at
the Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.
I
INDIA 06
BUDGET SESSION OF PARLIAMENT
CentreseeksParliamentnodfornet
addlspendingof`78,673crthisfiscal
First India Bureau
New Delhi
The Central government
on Monday sought Par-
liament’s nod for a net
additional spending of Rs
78,673 crore in the cur-
rent financial year, in-
cluding Rs 10,798 crore
expenditure towards
MGNREGA.
The second batch of
supplementary demands
for grants for 2023-24
was tabled in Parliament
by Union Finance Minis-
ter Nirmala Sitharaman
also provides for addi-
tional spending of Rs
9,231 crore and Rs 3,000
crore towards food and
fertiliser subsidy, respec-
tively.
The supplementary de-
mands for grants include
a gross additional spend-
ing of over Rs 2 lakh
crore, which would be
matched by savings of
over Rs 1.21 lakh crore.
The proposal involves
net cash outgo aggregat-
ing to Rs 78,672.92
crore, said the document
tabled in Parliament.
The Interim Budget for
2024-25 has pegged the
government’s total ex-
penditure in the current
financial year at Rs 44.90
lakh crore, up 7.1 per
cent from 2022-23.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi replies to the ‘Motion of Thanks’ on the President’s address in Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Monday.
NOT EVEN A WORD ON SECURITY CONCERNS IN
PREZ’S ADDRESS: ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY
Raising the issues of Ladakh and Mal-
dives, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the
President’s address did not mention “a word on
security concerns”. “...The situation in Ladakh
is deteriorating day by day...What is
happening in Maldives?...” he said. In re-
sponse to the question, Defence Minister
Rajnath Singh said that he disagreed with
Chowdhury, condemning his remarks.
“...I express my disagreement with what-
ever he said in connection with China
and LAC. I condemn this...” Singh said.
GOVTTOOK`600CRPENALTYFORDELAYINPAN-
AADHAARLINKING;11.48CRPANsNOTLINKEDYET
The government has collected Rs 600 crore
as penalty for the delay in linking Permanent
Account Number with Aadhaar, and 11.48 crore
PANs were not linked to Aadhaar biometrics, Parliament
was infomed Monday, as per a PTI report. In a written
reply to a question regarding the details of government
earning through the late penalty in the Lok Sabha, Minis-
ter of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said that “the
total collection of fee from persons who have not linked
their PAN with Aadhaar is Rs 601.97 crore from July 1,
2023 to January 31,2024”.
AAP’S SANJAY SINGH DENIED PERMISSION TO
TAKE OATH AS RAJYA SABHA MEMBER
AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who is in jail al-
leged Delhi liquor policy scam, was not granted
permission to take oath as the Rajya Sabha MP
on Monday. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar
refused to allow Singh to take the oath as RS MP, stating
that his case is currently with the Privileges Committee
of the House, the sources said. Singh, elected for the
second time to the Rajya Sabha from the national capital
last month, had sought permission from the court to par-
ticipate in the Parliament’s budget session, and the court
granted him approval to take the oath on Monday.
FM TRASHES CLAIMS
OF CENTRE NOT
RELEASING FUNDS
Speaking on
allgegations
claiming that
Centre was not releas-
ing funds to some
states, Finance Minis-
ter Nirmala Sitharaman
on Monday said that
these were “politically-
vitiated narrative”. Re-
plying to a question by
Congress leader Adhir
Ranjan Chowdhury on
the Karnataka govt’s
claim, Sitharaman said
that the “system is
well-placed” and that
the government
works on the
recommenda-
tions of the
Finance
Commis-
sion.
NEW BILLS INTRODUCED
IN PARLIAMENT
z The Public Examinations
(Prevention of Unfair
Means) Bill, 2024 intro-
duced in Lok Sabha
z Bill to provide OBC
quota in JK local bodies
introduced in Lok Sabha
MP CM YADAV PAYS
COURTESY VISIT
TO PM MODI AT
PARLIAMENT HOUSE
New Delhi: On
Monday, Mad-
hya Pradesh
CM Mohan Yadav
paid a courtesy visit to
top BJP
leaders at
Parliament
House. He
met PM
Narendra
Modi, Union Home
Minister Amit Shah and
BJP chiefJP Nadda. Ya-
dav also paid a courtesy
visit to Kerala Governor
Arif Mohammad Khan.
On Saturday, MP CM
congratulated BJP
stalwart LK Advani on
the announcement to be
conferred with Bharat
Ratna, the country’s
highest civilian honour.
PM Narendra Modi with Bihar Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and
Vijay Kumar Sinha during a meeting, in New Delhi on Monday.
PM to start LS
campaign in
MP on Feb 11
First India Bureau
Jhabua
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi will visit Jhabua in
Madhya Pradesh on Feb-
ruary 11, to kick-start the
BJP’s campaign for the
forthcoming Lok Sabha
elections.
State BJP President,
VD Sharma said on Mon-
day that Modi will launch
the party’s polls cam-
paign for 29 seats in
Madhya Pradesh and the
state BJPhas begun prep-
arations for the PM’s
visit. BJPleaders Mahen-
dra Singh and Satish
Upadhyay, who were re-
cently appointed as in-
charge and co-incharge
respectively for Madhya
Pradesh, arrived in Bho-
pal last week and started
the process of meeting
state leaders.
BIHAR DEPUTY CMs MEET PM NARENDRA MODI
New Delhi: Newly appointed deputy chief ministers
of Bihar Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha
met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament
complex on Monday. The meeting came days after JD-U su-
premo and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar snapped ties
with the opposition alliance and joined hands with the BJP
again to form the NDA government in the state.
UP govt tables budget of more
than `7.36 lakh crore in assembly
First India Bureau
Lucknow
The UP govt on Monday
presented general budget
for financial year 2024-25
withasixofRs7,36,437.71
croreintheLegislativeAs-
sembly which is 6% high-
er as compared to the cur-
rent fiscal. Last year the
state govt presented the
budget of more than Rs
6.90 lakh crore.
In the budget while no
new tax has been pro-
posed for the eight con-
secutive time, new
schemes of Rs 24,863.57
crore have been proposed
in the budget.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Dy CMs Brajesh Pathak, KP Maurya and
Finance Minister Suresh Khanna address media about state budget.
UP GOVT ALLOCATES `2,600 CRORE TO CULTURE
AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS
The UP govt’s FY25 budget on Monday allocated
Rs 2,600 crore for culture and urban development
departments for organising Mahakumbh-2025,
while providing funds for an international Ramayan and
Vedic research centre in Ayodhya. Finance Minister Suresh
Kumar Khanna said that Rs 100 crore will be given to the
culture department for organising Mahakumbh-2025.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with Kalpana Soren, wife of
former Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren,
during a meeting, in Jharkhand, on Monday. PTI
Jharkhand: Rahul Gandhi meets Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana
ANI
Ranchi
Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi on Monday met
Kalpana Soren, the wife
of former Chief Minister
of Jharkhand Hemant
Sore, soon after newly
formed government, led
by CM Champai Soren,
passedtheconfidencemo-
tion in the state assembly.
Rahul Gandhi met
Kalpana Soren at her
residence in Ranchi.
Congress General Sec-
retary of Communication,
Jairam Ramesh, took to X
to share the photograph of
RahulGandhiwithKalpa-
na Soren and said, “Afew
minutes before the public
rally at the historic
Shaheed Maidan in the
HEC Complex of Ranchi,
and a few minutes after
the JMM-INC-RJD-CPI
(ML) alliance convinc-
inglydefeatedtheBJPand
itsalliesonthefloorofthe
Vidhan Sabha, @Rahul-
Gandhi met with Kalpana
Soren, Hemant Soren’s
wife, at their residence.”
The government of
Jharkhand, led by Chief
Minister Champai Soren,
passed the confidence
motion in the state As-
sembly on Monday.
The coalition govern-
ment won the floor test
with a 47:29 majority.
FI TOON
IAS Jaju takes
charge as Secy
Ministry of IB
First India Bureau
New Delhi
Sanjay Jaju on Monday
assumed charge as Secre-
tary, Ministry
of Informa-
tion and
Broadcasting.
Sanjay Jaju is
a 1992-batch
IAS officer from the Tel-
angana cadre. Upon his
assumption of charge,
Sanjay Jaju was wel-
comed by outgoing Sec-
retary Apurva Chandra
and other officials of the
Ministry and various me-
dia units.

INDIA 07
PLAY TO GET SELECTED
Dravid shoots final warning shot at Kishan
PTI
Visakhapatnam
shan Kishan
needs to decide
when he will
start playing “some form
of cricket” and then only
can he be considered for
national selection, head
coach Rahul Dravid said
on Monday addressing
queries on his prolonged
break from both interna-
tional and domestic crick-
et. A regular member of
the Indian team across
formats not so long ago,
Kishan has been missing
from action since he
asked for a break in the
middle of the South Afri-
ca tour in December cit-
ing personal reasons. He
last turned up for India in
November and has not
featured for Jharkhand in
ongoing Ranji Trophy.
After the series level-
ling win over England,
Dravid tried to clear the
air over Kishan’s absence
once again.
“There is way back for
anyone and everyone. I
don’t want to go on la-
bouring about the Ishan
Kishan point. Have tried
to explain this as best as I
can, the point was he had
requested a break, we
were happy to give him
the break,” said Dravid in
the media interaction.
“Whenever he is ready,
I didn’t say he has to play
domestic cricket, I said
whenever he is ready, he
needs to play some crick-
et and come back. The
choice is his. We are not
forcing him to do any-
thing,” Dravid didn’t
seem to amused with the
queries.
Ishan Kishan and Rahul Dravid FILE
A regular member of
the Indian team
across formats not so
long ago, Kishan has
been missing from
action since he asked
for a break in the
middle of the South
Africa tour in
December citing
personal reasons
I
Agencies
Kyiv
Ukrainian President Vo-
lodymyr Zelenskyy said
he is thinking about dis-
missing the country's top
military officer as part of
a broader leadership
shakeup, a possibility
that has shocked the na-
tion fighting a war to end
Russia's invasion and
also worried Ukraine's
Western allies.
Meanwhile, four peo-
ple were killed and at
least one was injured in a
Monday afternoon strike
over the city of Kherson
in southern Ukraine, the
head of the local military
administration said.
Zelenskyy confirmed
in an interview with Ital-
ian broadcaster RAI TV
released late Sunday that
he was thinking about re-
moving Gen. Valerii
Zaluzhnyi, the popular
commander-in-chief of
Ukraine's armed forces.
He said he was contem-
plating the move to en-
sure the country remains
led by individuals who
are convinced of victo-
ry against Russia.
A reset, a new begin-
ning is necessary,
Zelenskyy said. The re-
view is not about a sin-
gle person but about the
direction of the country's
leadership.
I'm thinking about
this replacement, but you
can't say here we re-
placed a single person,
Zelenskyy said. When
we talk about this, I
mean a replacement of a
series of state leaders,
not just in a single sector
like the military. If we
want to win, we must all
push in the same direc-
tion, convinced of vic-
tory. We cannot be dis-
couraged, let our arms
fall. We must have the
right positive energy.
Zelenskyy's comments
were his first acknowl-
edgement of Zaluzhnyi,'s
possible firing. The po-
tential ouster of the gen-
eral already has caused
an uproar in Ukraine and
delighted the Kremlin as
the war approaches its
second anniversary.
Zaluzhnyi is widely
respected among Ukrain-
ian service members and
considered a national
hero. He is credited with
stalling Russia's full-
scale invasion in the ear-
ly days of the war and
expertly pushing back
Moscow's troops.
ANI
New Delhi
ExternalAffairs Minister
S Jaishankar on Monday
met his visiting Swiss
counterpart Ignazio Cas-
sis and held discussions
for further strengthening
bilateral ties between the
two nations.
Both the leaders also
exchanged perspectives
on regional and interna-
tional issues, including
the conflict in Ukraine.
The meeting, follow-
ing the 75th-year cele-
brations of the India-
Switzerland friendship
treaty last year, delved
into various aspects of
cooperation and collab-
oration, EAM Jais-
hankar said in a post on
X, following his meet-
ing with Cassis.
Pleased to welcome
Foreign Minister @igna-
ziocassis of Switzerland
this afternoon. Discussed
further strengthening of
our bilateral ties after cel-
ebrations of the 75th year
of the India-Switzerland
friendship treaty last
year, said EAM Jais-
hankar in a post on X,
following his meeting
with Cassis.
Apart from bilateral
matters, the leaders ex-
changed perspectives on
key regional and interna-
tional issues, including
the conflict in Ukraine,
the EAM posted.
EAM Jaishankar ex-
pressed gratitude for a
gift from the Swiss For-
eign Minister - a 'Mission
to the Sun' Swatch. He
seized the opportunity to
highlight India's commit-
ment to space explora-
tion, particularly through
the Aditya L1 Mission,
underscoring the nation's
dedication to scientific
endeavours.
Agencies
Washington
US President Joe Biden is
“deeply suspicious of
Israeli PM Netanyahu
and has referred to him as
a “bad fucking guy in
private according to
sources, reported Politi-
co. However, the White
House firmly denied
these claims. Joe Biden
spokesperson, Andrew
Bates safeguarding the
President said, “The pres-
ident did not say that, nor
would he, reported Po-
litico. He further added,
that the two leaders have
“a decades-long relation-
ship that is respectful in
public and in private.
Moreover, US support
for Israel in the Israel-Ha-
mas War has cost Joe
Biden millions of votes
with young liberals in the
upcoming 2024 general
election, stated Politico's
report. The report further
claimed that Joe Biden is
fearful that Israeli PM Ne-
tanyahuislookingforward
to pushing the US into a
wider war in the Middle
East. The motives behind
this would be to ensure the
supply ofAmerican weap-
onry and consistent finan-
cial to Israel.
Earlier this week, the
US President talked
about hate crimes and
discrimination against
Arab Americans while
speaking at the National
Prayer Breakfast.
PTI
Peshawar
At least 10 policemen
were killed and six others
injured as heavily armed
terrorists attacked a police
station in northwest Paki-
stan on Monday, ahead of
the February 8 general
elections in the country.
The incident took place
at Chodwan police station
in Daraban tehsil in Dera
Ismail Khan district of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
province, a senior police
official in Dera Ismail
Khan division said.
We lost 10 of our
jawans, while six others
were injured in the am-
bush carried out by heav-
ily armed terrorists, Dis-
trict Police Officer Nasir
Mehmood said.
The terrorists attacked
the police station from all
sides with grenades.
First India Bureau
Ahmedabad
RRU and Assam Rifles
inked a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) at
the RRU campus in
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, so-
lidifyingapartnershipthat
seeks to merge academic
excellence with practical
military experience.
The MoU, signed by
Dr. Bimal N Patel, Vice
Chancellor of RRU, and
Lt Gen PC Nair, Director
General of Assam Rifles,
paves the way for a dy-
namic collaboration
aimed at enriching both
institutions. Speaking at
the event, Lt Gen PC Nair
expressed his optimism
about the synergy be-
tweenAssamRifles’prac-
tical expertise and RRU’s
academic rigor. He em-
phasized the importance
of education in preparing
the force for evolving se-
curitychallenges,praising
the dedication and resil-
ience demonstrated by
Assam Rifles personnel.
PTI
Singapore
The Singapore govern-
ment on Monday said it
will again review the
terms of the annually
held Formula 1 race,
which came under scru-
tiny after the arrest of
former Indian-origin
transport minister Subra-
maniam Iswaran on cor-
ruption charges.
Minister-in-charge for
Trade Relations Grace Fu
informed about the deci-
sion in Parliament on
Monday. Though Fu did
not give more details in
the house, she added.
ANI
New Delhi
A woman in Delhi al-
leged that she was raped
twice by the same ac-
cused on two separate oc-
casions in the Naraina
area.
As per the received in-
formation, the first FIR
was registered on Janu-
ary 28, while the second
FIR was registered in the
first week of February at
Naraina Police Station.
The statement of the
woman under Section
164 of the CrPC was re-
corded on January 31,
2024, said the police.
Singapore govt to
review F1 race
contract terms
Woman allegedly
raped twice by
same person
10 cops killed in attack on
police station in Pakistan
Security personnel stand
guard outside a hosp where
injured cops are being treated
in Dera Ismail Khan.
Rift between Zaluzhnyi Zelenskyy surfaced last autumn
Fate of top general
Zelenskyyconfirmshe’sthinking
aboutdismissingmilitarychief
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit to the Zaporizhzhia region on Sunday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets with Switzerland
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, in New Delhi on Monday.
Dr. Bimal N Patel and Lt Gen
PC Nair sign MoU at the RRU
campus in Ahmedabad on
Monday.
Vehicles covered in snow are parked in rows after the upper
reaches of JK receive fresh snowfall, in Anantnag on Monday.
U.S. President Joe Biden with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu.
EAM Jaishankar, Swiss foreign
minister discuss regional issues
Avalanche warning in
Jammu and Kashmir
amid heavy snowfall
DonaldTrumpnamedrops
TimScott,KristiNoem
California battered by
‘potentially historic’ storm
ANI
Washington
US formerpresidentDon-
ald Trump on Sunday
stoked rumours about his
choice for a running mate
in 2024 by mentioning
Senator Tim Scott and
Governor Kristi Noem of
South Dakota in response
to a question about his
preference for the vice
president contenders.
During an interview with
Fox News’s Maria Barti-
romo for “Sunday Morn-
ing Futures,” Trump said,
“Not for a while,” when
asked when he would an-
nounce his choice for vice
president. After Trump
said, “There are a lot of
good people,” Bartiromo
questioned whether
Trump had still not cho-
sen one of them.
“I haven’t, and there’s
no reason,” Trump re-
sponded by saying.
Agencies
Los Angeles
Swaths of the US state of
California were flooded
on Monday and hundreds
of thousands of people
were without power after
a dangerous storm
brought heavy rains and
prompted a state of emer-
gency.
“This is a serious
storm with dangerous
and potentially life-
threatening impacts,”
said Governor Gavin
Newsom as he declared
the state of emergency
for eight counties in
Southern California.
Affected areas include
Los Angeles, Orange,
Riverside, San Bernardi-
no, San Diego and Santa
Barbara.
Nearly 700,000 cus-
tomers were without
power early Monday
morning, according to
the electricity supply
tracker PowerOutage.us.
ANI
Srinagar
The Jammu and Kashmir
Disaster Management
Authority on Monday is-
sued avalanche warnings
for many districts.
Avalanche with a 'low
danger level' is likely to
occur above 2,400 meters
over Bandipore, Baram-
ulla, and Kupwara, said
JKDMA.
JKDMA also said that
an avalanche with a 'me-
dium danger level' is
likely to occur above
2,200 metres over Doda,
Kishtwar, Poonch, Ram-
ban, and Ganderbal dis-
tricts in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, many
places in Jammu and
Kashmir continued to re-
ceive fresh snowfall, and
the temperature lowered
to 9 degrees Celsius on
Monday.
SDRF RESCUES 25
PEOPLE STRANDED
DUE TO SNOW
Dehradun: The
SDRF on Mon-
day rescued
as many as 25 people
stranded on the Tyuni
Motor Marg under the
Chakrata police station
limits in Uttarakhand's
Dehradun due to heavy
snowfall, said an of-
ficial. According to the
official, it was informed
by the Chakrata police
station that 25 people
are trapped in the
snow in their respective
vehicles on the Tyuni
Motor Marg. Upon
receiving the informa-
tion, a team of SDRF
rushed to the spot. Due
to the excessive snow
on the road, it was not
possible for the SDRF
to carry forward the
vehicle.
JoeBidenfoul-mouthedNetanyahu;White
HousereactsasBlinkenheadstoMiddleEast
Donald Trump
The NWS described it as “the
largest storm of the season”.
RashtriyaRakshaUniversityandAssam
RiflesinkMoUforacademicpartnership

Names of 8.5 lakh eligible people will
be added to Food Security Scheme
Pankaj Soni
Jaipur
Names of eight and a half
lakh eligible persons will
be included in the list of
National Food Security
Act 2013. These names
will be added only under
the ceiling number deter-
mined by the Centre. The
state government will
complete this exercise be-
fore the Lok Sabha elec-
tions. There is also a hope
of increasing the ceiling
by 15 percent under the
Food Security Act 2013.
CM Bhajan Lal Shar-
ma has urged the Central
Govt to increase the num-
ber of food security ben-
eficiaries of State accord-
ing to current population.
This is Sharma’s first let-
ter to the Center as Chief
Minister. In his letter to
Union Food Minister Pi-
yush Goyal dated Decem-
ber 29, 2023, the Chief
Minister has requested to
increase the ceiling by 15
percent under the Nation-
al Food Security Act
2013. At present the ceil-
ing limit of Rs 4 crore 46
lakh has been set in Ra-
jasthan. According to the
rules, this limit cannot be
amended until new popu-
lation figures are pub-
lished. But after the letter
from Chief Minister
Bhajan Lal, the state is
expected to get some re-
laxation in this rule.
08
It is surprising how humans through centuries
will consistently make themselves miserable for
the sake of being happy, we must learn from
history.
Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CMD Editor-in-Chief
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Postal Reg No. JPC/004/2022-24
CMBhajanLal:Farmers’
well-beingismypriority
Devnani watches usage of
NeVA App in Guj assembly
Randhawa, Dotasra, Jully hold LS
polls meetings in Sikar Churu
Diya: Govt to make Raj
an expressways Capital
Ravi Katara
Bharatpur
Chief Minister Bhajan
Lal Sharma reached his
native village Attari for
the first time on Monday,
about one and a half
months after assuming of-
fice. Thousands of resi-
dents of the area wel-
comed the Chief Minister
with open arms.
After the welcome, the
CM, while addressing the
public meeting, said that
“our government is the
government of the com-
mon people.” I myself
come from a farming
family, I have seen the
suffering of farmers
closely. It is the priority of
our government to make
the farmers financially
strong and happy. Work-
ing in this direction after
the formation of the gov-
ernment, we have taken
farmer-friendly decisions
likeincreasingtheamount
of support price on wheat
purchase and increasing
the Kisan Samman Ni-
dhi,” he said.Sharma said
that the integrated ERCP
project will in any case be
completed in five years.
“The incidents of paper
leak in the last years had
played with the future of
the youth of the state. We
have constituted SIT to
investigate these cases
and every person guilty in
these cases will be pun-
ished,” he said.
HukumSingh and
SanjayPrajapat
Sikar/Churu
Attacking the BJP govt,
Govind Dotasra on Mon-
day said that the BJP had
made many allegations
against the former Cong
govt, but if there is sub-
stance in allegations, then
govt should investigate.
Addressing party work-
ers in Churu regarding
Lok Sabha polls, he said
that if there is a mistake
in the Lok Sabha elec-
tions this time, then some-
one with a slip will come
to state again. Taking jibe
at Rajendra Rathore, he
said that Rathore talks
about dissolving the
RPSC, but how can this
happen as per rules.
LoP Tikaram Jully said
condition of the BJP govt
is bad. “BJP govt is mak-
ing a 100-day action plan.
CM says that he will
changethemapofthestate
in 100 days. He still has 37
more days left,” he said.
Cong state in-charge
Sukhjinder S Randhawa
attacked Modi govt at the
Centre. He said that Modi
wants to take votes in
name of religion.
Nirmal Tiwari
Jaipur
A task force has been
formed under the Aapno
AgraniRajasthanSankalp
Patra – 2023 to identify
the routes of new express-
ways in Rajasthan. This
taskforcehasbeenformed
after the approval of Dy
CM and PWD Minister
Diya Kumari.
TheDyCMsaidthatthe
govt’s goal is to make Ra-
jasthan expressways capi-
tal of India and in accord-
ance with that goal, this
taskforcehasbeenformed.
Thetaskforcewillfindout
scope for new express-
ways and submit its report
within 6 months. Expert
officers having specific
knowledge of subject can
beinvitedwithapprovalof
the task force.
Secy of PWD, Sanjeev
Mathur, Chief Engineer
andAddl Secy DR Megh-
wal, Chief Engineer (NH)
Vikas Dixit, Chief Engi-
neer (Quality Control)
Mukesh Bhati, Superin-
tending Engineer Anup
Gaharna, Anupam Gupta
Rajeev Aggarwal have
beenincludedintaskforce.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Rajasthan Assembly
Speaker Vasudev Dev-
nani during his visit to
Gujarat met Gujarat
Chief Minister Bhupen-
dra Rajnikant Patel and
Speaker Shankar Chaud-
hary on Monday.
Devnani discussed
various topics related to
the functioning of theAs-
sembly, infrastructure,
online system and secu-
rity with Chaudhary. He
alsodiscussedthe‘NeVA’
app being used in Gujarat
Assembly under One-
Nation-One Application
and watched the assem-
bly proceedings online.
Devnani saw the Assem-
bly complex.
Devnani also present-
ed a copy of the book
‘Ram Phir Laute’to Patel
and Chaudhary. Devnani
expressed his gratitude to
Chaudhary for giving in-
formation about the as-
sembly complex and op-
eration process.
During the Bharatpur visit,
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal
Sharma along with his family
visited Poonchhari Ka Lotha,
Shrinathji and Giriraj Ji talhati
temples and offered prayers
on Monday.
Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Govind Singh Dotasra, Tikaram Jully,
others in Sikar’s Laxmangarh on Monday.
Gajendra S Khimsar reaches SMS
hospital and meets former CM
Ashok Gehlot on Monday. Sonia
Gehlot is also seen here.
Shankar Chaudhary giving demo of NeVA
App to Vasudev Devnani in Guj Assembly
on Monday. Vasudev Devnani also meets
Guj CM Bhupendra Patel on Monday.
I saw suffering of
farmers closely,
says CM during visit
to his native village
Vikas Sharma
Jaipur
The health condition of
former CM Ashok Ge-
hlot, who was admitted
to SMS hospital on Sat-
urday night following
corona infection, has im-
proved. The hospital su-
perintendent Dr Achal
Sharma said that the
treatment of Gehlot is go-
ing on under the supervi-
sion of a medical board
and his condition has im-
proved. Gehlot is admit-
ted to IDH wing of the
SMS hospital.
Gehlot’s condition
improves; Khimsar
meetsinSMShosp
Randhawa remarks
on giving Bharat
Ratan to Advani
CLASHES IN JAIPUR CITY CONGRESS EXECUTIVE
CM SHARMA REVIEWS ‘VIKSIT BHARAT SANKALP
YATRA’ DURING DIVISIONAL LEVEL MEETING
DIYA KUMARI REACTS TO
RANDHAWA’S REMARK
Congress leaders have expressed displeasure over
the executive of the Jaipur Congress committee.
Party MLA and other leaders are unhappy over not
including them in the executive due to which the executive
meeting could not take place yesterday. The situation has
put Jaipur Congress president RR Tiwari in dilemma. Now
the exercise has started to expand the executive but this will
be finalized after the approval of the PCC. Naresh Sharma
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma reached Bharat-
pur District Collectorate on Monday during his
two-day visit to Bharatpur to chair a Divisional level
officers meeting in the Collectorate auditorium. During this,
ACS Shikhar Agrawal, and other officials welcomed the
CM. In the meeting, Sharma reviewed the Viksit Bharat
Sankalp Yatra. Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh
Bedham, MLA Jagat Singh, Shailesh Singh, Nauksham
Chaudhary, former MLAs, local public representatives and
a large number of general public were present.
Deputy CM Diya
Kumari said that the
Congress in charge
of Rajasthan Sukhjinder
Singh Randhawa’s com-
ment on the announcement
of giving Bharat Ratna to re-
spected Lal Krishna Advani
is indecent. “Lal Krishna
Advani dedicated his life
to the service of the nation
and her life is an example
for all of us,” she said.
Inspecting facilities
Deputy Chief Minister Dr Prem Chand Bairwa inspected the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in
Bhilwara on Monday and took stock of the facilities being provided to the patients there
and the arrangements of the hospital.
The portal was
opened in 2022 to add
names to Scheme.
A total of
19,57,991
applications
were received
in this. In order
to initiate the
process of
opening the portal to process
applications received, names
of selected families were
added to NFSA. Out of the ap-
plications received, 5,32,441
applications were accepted.
“The effect of the double en-
gine govt will be visible, soon
8.5 lakh eligible persons will
be included in food security,”
said Food and Civil Supplies
Minister Sumit Godara.
THESTATEGOVTHAD
OPENEDPORTALIN2022
Exclusive
l 15 percent ceiling limit can be increased l Hope arose
after Chief Minister Bhajan Lal wrote a letter to the Centre
INDIA-SURINAME FRIENDSHIP
Birla meets Parl delegation from Suriname
ANI
New Delhi
Parliamentary
delegation from
Suriname, led
by the Chairman of the
National Assembly of
Suriname, HE Marinus
Bee, called on Lok Sabha
Speaker Om Birla in Par-
liament house complex
on Monday.
Welcoming the delega-
tion, Birla highlighted the
close friendly relations
between India and Suri-
name and the historical
linkages between the two
countries. The strong re-
lationship between the
two nations is based on
cultural, spiritual, and
close people-to-people
ties, noted the Speaker.
Birla also fondly re-
called the hospitality re-
ceived by the Indian Par-
liamentary Delegation
during their visit to Suri-
name in 2022.
Speaking about the
visit of President Drou-
padi Murmu to Suriname,
Birla opined that high-
level exchanges between
the two nations go a long
way in strengthening bi-
lateral relations.
Birla also mentioned
the Pravasi Bharatiya Di-
was Award given to the
President of Suriname
Chan Santokhi and ex-
pressed joy at the close
economic and cultural
ties between the two na-
tions. Mentioning the co-
operation between the
two nations at the multi-
lateral forum, Birla said
that both countries must
continue to find mutually
beneficial solutions to
common challenges.
Speaking about the up-
coming General Elec-
tions, Birla informed that
elections in India are a
festival of Democracy in
which more than 900 mil-
lion voters exercise their
franchise. He added that
India has a robust, free,
fair, and transparent elec-
tion process.
A
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla meets Speaker of the National
Assembly of the Republic of Suriname Marinus Bee, at the
Parliament in New Delhi on Monday.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
A report released by the
ADR shows the amount
MLAs spent in the re-
cently held assembly
elections. Its accounts
were given to Election
Commission. On an av-
erage, each MLA spent
`22.53lakhincampaign.
Report shows that
BJP MLAs spent more
than Congress MLAs.
Hiralal Nagar spent the
most Rs 37 lakh among
ministers while Kirodi
Lal Meena spent the
least of Rs 9.75 lakh.
For the first time, 32
MLAs spent lakhs of ru-
pees in an online cam-
paign. CM Bhajan Lal
spent Rs 32.51 lakh,
Vasundhara Raje Rs
17.52 lakh, Tikaram Ju-
lly Rs 30.96 lakh,Ashok
Gehlot Rs 26 lakh,
Sachin Pilot Rs 13.03
lakh, Hanuman Beniwal
Rs 17.30 lakh. Dy CM
Diya Kumari declared
spending Rs 16.36 lakh,
PremchandBairavaspent
Rs 14.97 lakh. Besides,
144 MLAs spent money
on rallies and proces-
sions. But 55 MLAs did
not spend on rallies and
processions. 41 MLAs
did not take election ex-
penses from the party,
158 MLAs declared to
have received donations
from their party, 100
MLAs took donations
and gifts while another
100 MLAs did not.
BJP MLAs spent more in polls than Cong: ADR

JAIPUR, TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 6, 2024
Glamour | Fashion | Bollywood | Hollywood | Lifestyle
LIT FEST AT ITS BEST!
LF 2024 provided a platform for
literary enthusiasts to connect,
engage and celebrate the profound
impact of words and ideas, fostering a
deeper understanding of literature. P10-11
J
09
firstindia.co.in
firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
he Jaipur Lit-
erature Festi-
val (JLF) con-
cluded its
grand literary
extravaganza
at Hotel Clarks
Amer Jaipur with a remark-
able turnout on Monday.
Enthusiastic guests and visi-
tors from far and wide flocked
to partake in the diverse ses-
sions and activities offered.
February 5 marked the fi-
nal day of the festival, featur-
ing a stellar lineup of speakers
including Sharmistha Mukherjee,
daughter of former President
Pranab Mukherjee and renowned
classical dancer and choreogra-
pher. Academics Arathi Prasad
and Amia Srinivasan, celebrity
chef Asma Khan, acclaimed ath-
lete and author Sohini Chattopad-
hyay, Harvard professor Vincent
Brown, former diplomat and au-
thor John Zubrzycki, art historian
and JNU professor NamanAhuja,
journalist Vir Sanghvi and Katie
Kitamura, author of Intimacies,
were among the illustrious per-
sonalities gracing the event.
On Sunday, the inimitable
Shashi Tharoor offered time-test-
ed aphorisms of our age. His lat-
est book The Less you Preach,
the More you Learn: Apho-
risms for our Age, co-
authored with Joseph
Zacharias, gave short and
pithy life lessons on coping,
surviving and succeeding.
The bestselling author per-
suasively shared ways in
which we can conquer
frustration, insecurity
and improve relation-
ships with our friends
and family while the
wise and witty Sud-
ha Murthy's recent
book, Common Yet
Uncommon, a heart-
warming picture of
everyday life and the
quirks and foibles of
ordinary people was
discussed. In conver-
sation with editorial
and publishing con-
sultant Meru Gokhale,
she spoke of her stellar
and extraordinarily suc-
cessful life and what
keeps her rooted with her
feet firmly on the ground.
A highlight of the clos-
ing day was the much-antic-
ipated debate on the survival
of free speech amidst the pro-
liferation of surveillance tech-
nology and privacy invasions.
The engaging discourse capti-
vated the audience, igniting
thought-provoking discussions
and reflections on the evolving
landscape of freedom of expres-
sion in the digital age. Through-
out the festival, attendees im-
mersed themselves in a rich
tapestry of literary exploration,
cultural exchanges and intellec-
tual discourse. From insightful
panel discussions to captivat-
ing readings and performanc-
es, JLF 2024 offered a platform
for literary enthusiasts to con-
nect, engage and celebrate the
power of words and ideas.
City
First highlights
glimpses of the Jaipur
Literature Festival (JLF) at Hotel
Clarks Amer Jaipur, where diverse
sessions and renowned speakers,
including Sharmistha Mukherjee and
Shashi Tharoor, stirred minds.
Immerse yourself in a rich tapestry
of literary exploration and
cultural exchange!
Unlocking
Wisdom
Mitali
Dusad
mitalidusad@firstindia.co.in
T
MUKESH KIRADOO SUNIL SHARMA
Angel, Mahima, Japesh, Krati, Vanshika, Aman, Jividha and Prachi
Lovely guests caught in a candid moment
Dr Anupama Soni
Shashi Tharoor addressing the audience
during the session Aphorisms for our age’
Sudha Murty addressing the audience
during the session, ‘Common Yet Uncommon’
A moment of joy, as Shubhangi poses
against the butterflies backdrop

JLF’ 24
ﬁrstindia.co.in
10-11
FROM EQUATIONS
TO SIYAASAT
Mitali Dusad
cityfirst@firstindia.co.in
hivani Sibal's
acclaimed de-
but novel
'Equations'
was launched in its Hindi
translation, titled 'Siya-
sat,' at the Jaipur Litera-
ture Festival on Saturday.
The event was attended
by the author Shivani
Sibal, renowned littera-
teurMridula Garg, trans-
lator Prabhat Ranjan,
Satyanand Nirupam,
Editorial Director of Ra-
jkamal Prakashan and
the program moderator
Meeta Kapoor.
Following the launch,
Meeta Kapoorengaged in
a discussion with the au-
thor and translator. Mee-
ta Kapoor, the moderator
of the event, expressed
that upon reading the
book, the translatorPrab-
hat Ranjan felt as though
the book was anticipating
its translation. Mridula
Garg, a distinguished
Hindi author, congratu-
lated Shivani on her
achievement, emphasiz-
ing the significance of
completing one's first
book, the thrill of its pub-
lication, and the auspi-
ciousness of its transla-
tion.
Author and translator
Prabhat Ranjan high-
lighted that the heart of
the story revolves around
the labyrinthine streets of
Delhi. The protagonist
emerges as a student of
Hindi honors at Delhi
University's Evening Col-
lege, representing the
changing dynamics of Lu-
tyens' Delhi. Regarding
the novel, Shivani Sibal
shared that 'Siyasat' nar-
rates the stories of indi-
viduals from different
backgrounds striving to
achieve their goals, de-
picting their unique chal-
lenges and aspirations.
She expressed her desire
to capture the evolving
landscape of Delhi, which
motivated herto write the
book.
Satyanand Nirupam, Ed-
itorial Director of Rajka-
mal Prakashan, described
'Siyasat' as a reflection on
the politics within the
Hindi belt, portraying not
only its past but also of-
fering glimpses of its fu-
ture. He praised Rajka-
mal Prakashan's efforts
to publish a series of nov-
els in English with a Hindi
sensibility, ranging from
Amitava Kumar to Am-
itabh Bagchi and now
Shivani Sibal.
'Siyasat' explores the in-
tricacies of personal am-
bitions, familial bounda-
ries, and social changes
within the professional
and political families of
Delhi, offering a vivid
portrayal of the shifting
dimensions of class, pow-
er, and modern India.
Rachna Singh
n the session, “Pranab,
My Father: A Daugh-
ter Remembers,”
Sharmistha Mukher-
jee in a candid conversation
with Vir Sanghvi spoke
about her father, the 13th
President of India,
Pranab Mukherjee.
As the daughter re-
members her father,
Pranab Mukherjee was
a scholar par excellence,
a powerful orator, and
one of India’s most tow-
ering statesmen. But to
his daughter, Sharmistha
Mukherjee, he was Baba,
the workaholic; the history
teacher who narrated events
in the spirit of adda at dinner
time; and the devoutly religious
man who never imposed his faith on
his daughter.
To begin with, responding to Vir
Sanghvi’s opening lines on the word
going around in social media that she
has written this book to badmouth the
Congress and join the BJP Sharmistha
said, “It's not about Congress or the
BJP or Sonia Gandhi or Narendra
Modi. My loyalty is towards my father.
I wrote what he felt about certain peo-
ple. He was a hardcore congressperson.
It was only with his immense political
experience that barely a month before
his passing away, he wrote his analysis
of the downfall of the Congress for
which he also held himself responsi-
ble.”
In the remarkable debut book that
celebrates a special father–daughter
relationship, Sharmistha offers a fasci-
nating glimpse into the illustrious life
of Pranab Mukherjee. She invites us
into her family’s private world that was
peopled by the Gandhis, Indira, Rajiv,
Sonia, and Rahul; Prime Ministers PV
Narasimha Rao, Atal Behari Vajpayee,
Dr Manmohan Singh and, more re-
cently, Narendra Modi. The book
also reveals the fact that Pranab
wanted to give the Bharat Ratna
to Dr Manmohan Singh for his con-
tribution to the Indian economy
and hitherto unknown facets of
Pranab’s political life and his un-
fulfilled ambition of becoming
India’s Prime Minister.
Further, the book also talks
about Rahul Gandhi’s lack of charis-
ma and political understanding,
Mamata Banerjee’s opposition to
Pranab’s nomination as the pres-
idential candidate (which sealed
the deal in his favor), and his
advice to PM Modi to acknowl-
edge the contributions of Jawa-
harlal Nehru and Indira Gan-
dhi. But when the audience
asked if the future of Congress
was outside the Gandhi family,
she clearly said “Yes. Congress
leadership needs to look beyond the
Gandhi family.”
TIME FOR CONGRESS TO FIND
LEADERSHIP OUTSIDE THE FAMILY
Rachna Singh
jee in a candid conversation
with Vir Sanghvi spoke
about her father, the 13th
President of India,
ering statesmen. But to
his daughter, Sharmistha
Mukherjee, he was Baba,
the workaholic; the history
teacher who narrated events
in the spirit of adda at dinner
time; and the devoutly religious
man who never imposed his faith on
A Testament to the
Power of
WORDS
As the Jaipur Literature Festival concluded, attendees left with a
newfound appreciation for literature's transformative power, inspired to
continue their literary journey. The festival offered a diverse array of literary
exploration, cultural exchanges, and intellectual discourse, from engaging
panel discussions to captivating readings and performances. JLF 2024
provided a platform for literary enthusiasts to connect, engage, and
celebrate the profound impact of words and ideas, fostering a deeper
understanding of literature's significance beyond the festival's confines.
City First brings to you some stunning glimpses!
Pranab
had immense
respect for Dr Manmohan
Singh and wanted the Bharat Rat-
na conferred on him for his immense
contribution to the Indian economy. In one
of his diary entries on 30 October 2013, he
wrote that he spoke to the principal secretary
to the then PM, Pulok Chatterji to speak with
Sonia Gandhi and ascertain her views about
it. But after that, there was no further refer-
ence to it. I do not know what transpired
then as with instructions coming from
the President, Pulok certainly could
not have ignored talking with
Sonia Gandhi.
Shivani Sibal
Faith Singh
Captured while capturing
Captivated audience during one of the sessions at JLF’24
Vishal Bhardwaj Vikas Swarup
(L-R) Vinod Ajmera, Dr Neeraj Kasliwal,
Mrs Kasliwal, Neha Ajmera, Rachna Singh, Sneha Ajmera Nitin Ajmera
Kuldeep
Caught in a candid moment
Navtej Sarna
(L-R) Mauli Sharma, Ananya Soni
Dr Anupama Soni
Sharmistha Mukherjee addressing the audience
Girls ﬂaunt their boots at the JLF
MUKESH KIRADOO SUNIL SHARMA
I
S
'Siyasat' launched by Shivani Sibal, Mridula Garg, Prabhat Ranjan, S Nirupam and Mita Kapur
Sharmistha Mukherjee in conversation with Vir Sanghvi during the session, ‘Pranab My Father A Daughter Remembers’
Dr Jagdeesh Chandra with Venu Rajamony
(Professor of Diplomatic Practice,
Former Ambassador of India to the
Netherlands Press Secretary to President of India)

City Buzz
12
firstindia.co.in
City First
llen College
of Design re-
cently hosted
the 'Ellen De-
sign Festival'
(EDF) 2024,
a two-day extravaganza at its
campus in Jaipur on Sunday.
The event, aimed at provid-
ing practical experience to
students in the Fashion and
Interior Design departments,
featured a myriad of de-
signed products, garments
and accessories.
Fashion design students
presented their design jour-
ney through visual displays,
including pictures, mood
boards, colour boards and
designed garments. A unique
highlight was the upcycled
fashion trunk show, where
students revamped donated
denim with hand-painted art,
showcasing their creations
on the runway. Meanwhile,
Interior design students dem-
onstrated upcycling by craft-
ing various products such as
tables, chairs, lamps, candle
stands, frames and wall
hangings using waste materi-
als.
Renowned personality
Rishee Miglani, a Youth Icon
Brand Ambassador of The
Fashion Connect, graced the
event as the chief guest and
lit the ceremonial lamp. The
festival featured open mic
activities with talented art-
ists, and an evening filled
with live band performances
that had everyone dancing.
Director Ram Yadav ex-
pressed pride in hosting emi-
nent designer celebrities,
open mic sessions, talk
shows, live music bands and
a fashion show during the
two-day extravaganza.
E
ArtistryinAction
MUKESH KIRADOO
MEET GREET!
StylecapturedatEllenDesignFestival Rishee Miglani and Ram Yadav during the lamp lighting ceremony Rishee Miglani felicitated by Ram Yadav and Manju
Dr Jagdeesh Chandra was greeted by Satish Kumar
Agrawat, Private Secretary, as he reached the former's
residence to seek blessings on the occasion of his
birthday on Saturday.
Dr Jagdeesh Chandra was greeted by Assosiate Professor,
Dr Bhumika Govindani during a courtesy visit at the
former's residence on Saturday. City First
n Jaipur, the
7th National
Conference
on organ
transplantation and im-
munity tests was recent-
ly held at Mahatma Gan-
dhi University of Medi-
cal Sciences and Tech-
nology, Sitapura. Organ-
ised in collaboration
with the Indian Society
of Histocompatibility
and Immunogenetics,
the conference drew
over 300 kidney, liver,
heart, cancer and blood
bank experts and re-
searchers, along with ten
foreign expert speakers.
Dr ML Swaranakar,
Founder Chairman of the
University, highlighted
the significant gap be-
tweentheneedandavail-
ability of organ trans-
plants in India, empha-
sizing the importance of
HLAtypingandantibody
testing labs like the one
established in 2016 at
Mahatma Gandhi Hospi-
tal, the sole NABL-certi-
fied lab in the state.
President of ISHI-
CON, Dr Narender
Mehra, underscored the
conference's role in dis-
seminating the latest in-
formation on matching,
biomarkers, and immu-
nity tests in organ trans-
plantation. University
officials and esteemed
medical professionals,
including Dr Sudhir
Sachdev, Dr GN Saxena
and Dr Priya Marwah,
addressed the gathering,
highlighting advance-
ments in transplantation
services and the critical
role of timely investiga-
tion reports in emergen-
cy transplants.
The event provided a
vital platform for shar-
ing technical knowledge
and fostering collabora-
tion among medical ex-
perts to enhance organ
transplant services in the
state.
Driving Change
I
GREETINGS!
RR Soni, Managing
Trustee of Mahatma
Gandhi University Of
Medical Sciences and
Technology Jaipur
was greeted by Dr
Devendra Pathak,
National Business
Head Bharat24- Vision
of New India, during
a courtesy visit at the
University Campus
recently.
MOU SIGNING!
Jaipur National University (JNU) and IBM Skills Build signed an MoU to enhance student
understanding of the IT market and facilitate internship and placement opportunities. The
agreement, celebrated by JNU Chancellor Dr Sandeep Bakshi, aims to foster collaboration,
innovation, and mutual development. IBM Skills Build conducted skill-building master sessions
across JNU campuses, equipping learners with job-ready skills. The MoU signifies a joint
effort to organise guest lectures, seminars, and workshops, fostering a dynamic exchange of
knowledge and enhancing placement assistance.
The 15th AU Jaipur Marathon,
organised by World Trade Park and
Sanskriti Yuva Sansthan in
collaboration with AU Small
Finance Bank, saw over one lakh
runners brave cold and rain to
promote cleanliness. Winners
included Shravan Kumar and
Chatru in the 42 km race, and
Hemraj and Hilda from Kenya in
the 21 km category. City First
brings to you some more glimpses!
CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENTS!
WHAT’S HAPPENING!
On the occasion of
the 17th Anniversary
of FICCI FLO Jaipur on
Wednesday embarked
on a noble endeavour
by establishing a
small-scale industry
in association with
Rajeevika Jaipur at Kukas
Gram Panchayat. During
this, Neha Dhadda
launched the project
'NEEW' (NEW ENTERPRISE
EMPOWERING WOMEN).
This project has been
established for rural
women to empower
themselves through
skilling, working and
earning.
Celebrity
Singer
actor Guru
Randhawa
along with
actress Saiee
M Manjarekar
visited Fort
Restaurant,
Jaipur on
Monday.
The duo was
in town to
promote their
upcoming film
'Kuchh Khatta
Ho Jaay'.
MUKESH KIRADOO
Jeeto Jaipur Ladies Wing hosted the 'AI for You' workshop, emphasizing the integration of
AI to boost productivity. Malviya Nagar MLA Kalicharan Saraf inaugurated an e-directory
featuring over 450 small entrepreneur women, providing them with employment
opportunities. Nitin Jain, founder of 'Of Business', discussed AI's role in simplifying business
operations. Inspirational stories of these women were shared, highlighting their resilience
and success. The event, attended by numerous dignitaries including Jeeto Ladies Wing
President Khushboo Bakliwal, aimed to empower women entrepreneurs and promote AI
adoption for business growth.
Revving up Jaipur's streets, CarDekho's CEO Amit Jain sparks marathon magic
Girnar Foundation's 500+ spirited volunteers join the run, championing
health well-being under UNSDG goal 5. Amit Jain, a fitness fanatic, shares
the thrill of boosting marathon energy. Pihu Jain, Girnar Foundation Head,
envisions a fit, inclusive community. AU Jaipur Marathon 2024 witnesses
1,00,000+ runners, turning the city into a vibrant fitness carnival. CarDekho,
not just about cars, fuels wellness with a dash of zest.
MUKESH KIRADOO
Ashi Ahlawat Yogesh Mishra with (L-R) Tarushee Rai, Aanchal Bohra and Sanjana Sharma
Vijaya Bharati Bhat
with the tricolor
post marathon
Pt Suresh Mishra, Neelam Mishra and Deepak Sharma
Pihu Jain from Girnar Foundation along with her team
(L-R) Bhawani Singh Tanwar, Meena Tanwar,
Meghna Tanwar and Kunal Singh Tanwar
SANTOSH
SHARMA
(L-R) Dr R M Jaiswal, Dr V K Kapoor, Dr G N Saxena, Dr Sudhir Sachdev,
Dr Achal Gulati, Dr M L Swarankar, Dr N K Mehra, Dr Uma Kanga, Dr Rachna and Dr Shweta

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