12012024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf

Jaipur, Friday | January 12, 2024
RNI NUMBER: RAJENG/2019/77764 | VOL 5 | ISSUE NO. 217 | PAGES 12 | `3.00 Rajasthan’s Own English Newspaper
firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
Shubhash Trivedi
Pali
Two persons were killed
and 20 students injured
after a school bus taking
children on an education-
al tour rammed into a
truck in Pali on Thursday,
police said. The accident
took place on the Sumer-
pur bypass when bus car-
rying 52 passengers, in-
cluding students, teach-
ers and staff, was going
from Gujarat to Jaisalm-
er, they added. Chief
Minister BL Sharma ex-
pressed grief on the ac-
cident of school bus.
First India Bureau
New Delhi
The Union Budget ses-
sion is set to start on
January 31 and will con-
tinue till February 9,
sources said on Thurs-
day. The Interim Budget
for FY25 will be present-
ed by Finance Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman on
February 1. The Parlia-
ment session will start
with an address by Presi-
dent Droupadi Murmu to
both the Houses on Janu-
ary 31, which officially
marks the start of the
Budget session.
2 die, 20 injured
as school bus
rams into truck
Sansad Budget
Session to start
on January 31
www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur
thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
Jaipur, Friday | January 12, 2024 02
10days
to go
RamAayenge
RamAayenge
The people decorated the golden pots and placed them in front
of their doors. They even hoisted flags and put traditional
torans on their doors to mark the auspicious occasion.
Today, when there is
an atmosphere of joy
everywhere regarding
the welcome of Shri
Ram Lala in Ayodhya
Dham, this praise of
Suryagayatri ji is
going to fill everyone
with devotion.
#ShriRamBhajan.
NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER
PM MODI COULD INTERACT
WITH TEMPLE WORKERS
During the Pran
Pratishtha Mahot-
sav, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi will also
boost the enthusiasm of the
workers involved in the con-
struction of the Ram Temple.
On this occasion, a stage will
be set up for the dedicated
workers of L&T (Larsen &
Toubro), near the VVIPs and
other esteemed guests. The
PM is expected to interact
with both the engineers and
labourers and priority may be
given to those workers who
have been actively participat-
ing in the entire construction
journey so far. Approxi-
mately 10 to 20 per cent of
the total workforce may be
invited. Currently, over 3,000
workers are engaged in the
construction of the Ram
Temple and the number of
invited workers could range
from 300 to 500.
GOLD-COATED ‘NAGADA’
REACHES AYODHYA
Ahead of the grand
Ram Mandir conse-
cration ceremony,
a special Nagada (drum),
coated with gold, has
arrived in Ayodhya. The
‘Nagada’ weighing 500 kg
has travelled on a special
chariot from Ahmedabad.
The first layer of Nagada
has been made out of cop-
per, embossed with several
religiously significant designs
in the entire body.
or the first time, in the
Dharma Sansad held in
Vigyan Bhawan, New
Delhi, in April 1984, a
demand to hand over the
three holy places of the
Hindus was made after a
proper agenda was
formed in this regard. These places in-
cluded Ayodhya, Kashi, and Mathura.
In the same Dharma Sansad, the Ram-
janmabhoomi Mukti Yagya Commit-
tee was formed, and Mahant Avaidy-
anath, head of Gorakshpeeth, was
elected as its president, while the gen-
eral secretary of the committee was
former Congress minister Dau Dayal
Khanna, who had also been a minister
in the Congress government.
Dr Karan Singh, son of Kashmir Ma-
haraj Hari Singh, a Congress leader and
minister in the Indira Gandhi govern-
ment, was the main speaker during this
Dharam Sansad. In his speech, Karan
Singh expressed regret that Hindu holy
places are being ignored in the country.
He even said in the Dharma Sansad that
not even a lamp can be lit in the Ram
Temple, and it is a matter of shame.
During this period, relief camps
were set up for riot victims in
Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Con-
gress minister Dau Dayal Khanna was
attacked by Muslim miscreants in the
relief camp. According to media re-
ports, Khanna approached the Con-
gress President, urging him to tell
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi the real-
ity of the Moradabad incident, but In-
dira Gandhi did not listen.At that time,
Khanna was not in such an important
position that Indira Gandhi could have
replied to him. Later, Khanna also
started appearing on the platforms of
major Hindu organisations and started
sharing a stage with two-time acting
Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda.
CONSTANT QUESTIONS RAISED
ON THE ROLE OF RAJIV GANDHI
According to Belgian Hindu thinker
Koenraad Elst, when the Dharma San-
sad was organised in Delhi in 1984,
Rajiv understood that this would be-
come a big issue. He then started the
initiative for diagnosis. Elst is known
for his Hindu ideas, and in one of his
articles, he writes that Rajiv Gandhi’s
move to open the locks of the disputed
structure and then allow the foundation
stone to be laid there was a practical
and balanced decision, but later his
successors could not continue the same
Ayodhya policy.
MANI SHANKAR AIYAR SAID
RAJIV’S DECISION WAS WRONG
Onthecontrary,duringthetimeofRajiv
Gandhi, such ideas also existed in
theCongress,whichwaslooking
at theAyodhya issue from a po-
litical prism. Former Union
Minister and Congress leader
Mani ShankarAiyar, in his au-
tobiography ‘Memoirs of a
Maverick - The First Fifty Years
(1941-1991),’ has written that
the immediate decision of then
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to
open the locks of the Ram Temple
in Ayodhya and allow the foundation
stonelayingceremonywasawrongone.
Aiyar wrote that the main agenda of the
1989 general elections was decided to
be‘PanchayatiRaj,’butitchangedatthe
last moment. Work was done on this for
several months and it was decided that
Rajiv Gandhi’s tour would start from
Nagaur in Rajasthan. Instead, the Lok
Sabha election campaign in 1989 was
started with the issue of laying the foun-
dation stone from Ayodhya. According
to Aiyar, this advice was given to Rajiv
by Sheila Dikshit. Aiyar writes that in
order to come to power for the second
time, Rajiv Gandhi began to seek direct
support from Ayodhya. In 1989, Rajiv
initiated his electoral campaign from
Ayodhya itself. Congress leaders por-
trayed Rajiv’s campaign as the begin-
ning of ‘Ram Rajya.’
ON NOV 9, 1989, THE FIRST
BRICK OF RAM TEMPLE LAID
With the consent of the Central Govern-
ment, the foundation stone for the con-
struction of the grand Ram Temple was
laid on November 9, 1989. A seven
cubic feet pit was dug and the founda-
tion stone was laid. Kameshwar
Choupal from Bihar, who hails from a
Scheduled Caste, laid the first brick of
the foundation of the temple. Regarding
laying the foundation, Choupal said that
the saints of that time had taken this de-
cision by taking inspiration from the life
of Lord Shri Ram. When Ram went to
the forest, he did not go to the door of
any king but went to the doors of either
the saints or the neglected people of the
society. This decision of the saints
proved to be a cause of social harmony
in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
After this, all the differences of caste,
forward-backwards,high-low,etc.were
erased in the Ram Janmabhoomi move-
ment. The Ram Mandir movement was
not of any one society, but of every
Sanatan person, no matter which caste
he or she belonged to.
F
PANKAJ SONI
The writer is
Associate Editor
at First India
In 1989, Rajiv started the election campaign from Ayodhya itself. Congress
leaders described this campaign of Rajiv as the beginning of Ram Rajya
ROLE
FANNING
IN
THEAYODHYAMOVEMENT!
RAJIV GANDHI’S
Former Union Minister
and Congress leader
Mani Shankar Aiyar, in
his autobiography
‘Memoirs of a Maverick
- The First Fifty Years
(1941-1991),’ has
written that the
immediate decision of
then Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi to open
the locks of the Ram
Temple in Ayodhya
and allow the
foundation stone
laying ceremony was a
wrong one. He further
writes, in 1989, Rajiv
initiated his electoral
campaign from
Ayodhya itself.
A special Nagada (drum), coated with gold
and weighing 500 kg arrived in Ayodhya.
RamAayenge
RamAayenge
P2
Tatas’ investment in Guj
fab will be big: Vaishnaw
First India Bureau
Gandhinagar
The Tata Group’s invest-
ment for the fab manu-
facturing in Gujarat will
be “very big” and a Cab-
inet note seeking approv-
als for the project will be
moved “very soon”, Un-
ion Minister for Elec-
tronics and Information
Technology Ashwini
Vaishnaw said on Thurs-
day. Speaking at the bi-
ennial Vibrant Gujarat,
Vaishnaw said Tatas’pro-
posed investment is im-
portant because it will be
serving a wider spectrum
of opportunities, right
from fab to OSAT. P5
Ashwini Vaishnaw addresses at
VGGS in Gandhinagar, Thursday.
VAISHNAW IN VBSY
IN JAIPUR TODAY
Railway Minister Ashwini
Vaishnaw will start his daily
routine with morning walk at
Jawahar Circle today from
where he will reach Govind
Dev Ji at 8:30 am. He will
later inspect Jaipur station.
Thereafter, he will take part
in Viksit Bharat Sankalp
Yatra from 11am to 1pm.
SHAH AT VGGS TODAY
Union Home Minister Amit
Shah is slated to address
the concluding session of
the Vibrant Gujarat Summit
2024 today, emphasizing
the government’s commit-
ment to economic growth.
Aishwary Pradhan and
Yogesh Sharma
Jaipur
An important meeting of
BJP power and organiza-
tion will be held on Fri-
day regarding the strate-
gy of Lok Sabha elec-
tions and the Ram Man-
dir Pran Pratishtha pro-
gramme to be held in
Ayodhya on Jan 22. CM
Bhajan Lal Sharma, Dep-
uty Chief Ministers Diya
Kumari & Prem Chand
Bairwa, Gajendra Singh
Shekhawat, CP Joshi,
Sunil Bansal, Arun Sin-
gh, Vasundhara Raje,
Chandrashekhar, Om
Prakash Mathur, Arjun
Ram Meghwal, Kailash
Chaudhary, Rajendra
Rathore, Satish Poonia,
Rajendra Gehlot and
many other party leaders
will attend the meeting.
BJP to hold meeting to chalk out
LS poll strategy, Pran Pratishtha
CZECH REPUBLIC PM IN PINK CITY
CM-Fiala strategise for Raj’s progress
Aishwary Pradhan
Jaipur
hief Minister
Bhajan Lal
Sharma met
PM of Czech Republic
Petr Fiala on Thursday.
CM discussed with Fiala
on various issues includ-
ing tourism in Rajasthan,
employment through in-
novation in the technical
sector and industrial de-
velopment. During this,
Deputy CM Prem Chand
Bairwa, CS Sudhansh
Pant, ACS Home Anand
Kumar were present. CM Bhajan Lal Sharma calls on Czech Republic PM Petr Fiala at Hotel Leela in Jaipur on Thursday.
Meeting of BJP’s state
working committee
on January 13 at BJP
state headquarters &
about 400 leaders
from across the state
will participate in it
C
Arun Singh Sunil Bansal
President Droupadi Murmu presents ‘All India Clean City — Rank 1’
award to Indore, MP in Delhi on Thursday. Seen here are Hardeep
Singh Puri, MP CM Mohan Yadav, Kailash Vijayvargiya and others.
President Droupadi Murmu presents ‘All India Clean City — Rank 1’
award to Surat, Gujarat during Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023 on
Thursday. Seen here are Hardeep Puri, Shalini Agarwal and others.
SWACHH SURVEKSHAN AWARDS 2023
INDORETOUCHES
THE7TH
SKY!
Indore clinches
cleanest city tag
for seventh time;
Surat emerges as
the joint winner
for the first time
INDORE
Madhya Pradesh
01
GREATER HYDERABAD
Telangana
09
PUNE
Maharashtra
10
SURAT
Gujarat
01
NAVI MUMBAI
Maharashtra
03
VISAKHAPATNAM
Andhra Pradesh Gvmc
04
BHOPAL
Madhya Pradesh
05
VIJAYAWADA
Andhra Pradesh
06
TIRUPATI
Andhra Pradesh
08
NEW DELHI (NDMC)
Delhi
07
TOP 10CITIES OF INDIA
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
JAYANTI
INDIA’S LONGEST BRIDGE BUILT ON THE SEA
PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate today
FIRST LOOK OF
‘ATAL
SETU’!
A view of the newly constructed longest sea bridge in the country, Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, also known as Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), which
will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai today.
21.8 km
Total length
20 minutes
Mumbai and Navi Mumbai
Six
Total lanes
`250
One-way toll fee
No Entry
Bikes, autos and tractors
`18,000 cr
Cost of bridge
100 kmph
Speed limit for 4-wheelers
SHANKAR HAILS PM
FOR CLEAN DRIVE
SHALINI AGARWAL SHARES AWARD-WINNING STRATEGY
Upon receiving the award, Surat Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal
attributed the city’s top rank to a strategic focus on integrating cleanliness
with improved physical infrastructure, active community participation, effec-
tive IEC activities, technology utilization, and monitoring through the Inte-
grated Command and Control Centre. She said that the city also prioritizes
widespread beautification efforts, including significant clearance of legacy
waste sites and doorstep waste segregation. Hailing from Jaipur, Shalini
Agarwal is an IAS officer from the 2005 batch. Her father, SK Agarwal, is a
retired IAS officer, and her mother, Maya Agarwal, is a homemaker.
MP Shankar Lalwani
credits PM Narendra
Modi for
taking
entire
country
including
Indore
on the
path of cleanliness. He
also hails Municipal
Corporation officers and
employees, praising the
city’s remarkable model
of public participation
and shared culture.
First India Bureau
London
Union Defence Minister
Rajnath Singh met Unit-
ed Kingdom Prime Min-
ister Rishi Sunak in Lon-
don on Wednesday to
discuss a wide range of
issues. “We discussed is-
sues pertaining to de-
fence, economic cooper-
ation and how India and
UK could work together
for strengthening a
peaceful and stable glob-
al rules-based order,” Ra-
jnath Singh wrote on X.
Rajnath & Sunak discuss
defence, other key issues
Rajnath Singh called on Rishi Sunak in London on Thursday.
IN BRIEF
6.1 mag quake strikes
Af, tremors felt in India
New Delhi: Earthquake
tremors were felt in Delhi
and adjoining areas on
Thursday after an earth-
quake of magnitude 6.1
struck Afghanistan. There
were no immediate re-
ports of any loss of life, or
damage to property.
Father and son among 3
found dead in Manipur
Imphal: The bodies of
three people – including a
father and son – were re-
covered in Manipur’s
Bishnupur district on
Thursday, a day after four
people from the Meitei
community went missing
from their village in area.
DUBE DELIGHT!
Shivam Dube starred in
India’s 6-wicket win over
Afghanistan in 1st match of
3-match series, PCA Stadium,
Mohali, Thursday. Dube was
awarded man of the match.
Moni Sharma
New Delhi
Indore bagged cleanest
city of India title for 7th
year in a row while Surat
emerged joint winner for
top rank for the first time
in the latest Swachh Sur-
vekshan results. This
time, there were no sec-
ond rank, only two first
ranks. The Diamond City
has been securing the 2nd
cleanest city rank since
2020. As per the Swachh
Survekshan results for
2023 released by Presi-
dent Droupadi Murmu,
Saswad in Maharashtra
got the cleanest city
award among all cities
with less than one lakh
population. The govern-
ment claims it to be
world’s largest urban
cleanliness survey. P3

www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
02
10days
to go
RamAayenge
RamAayenge
The people decorated the golden pots and placed them in front
of their doors. They even hoisted flags and put traditional
torans on their doors to mark the auspicious occasion.
Today, when there is
an atmosphere of joy
everywhere regarding
the welcome of Shri
Ram Lala in Ayodhya
Dham, this praise of
Suryagayatri ji is
going to fill everyone
with devotion.
#ShriRamBhajan.
NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER
PM MODI COULD INTERACT
WITH TEMPLE WORKERS
During the Pran
Pratishtha Mahot-
sav, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi will also
boost the enthusiasm of the
workers involved in the con-
struction of the Ram Temple.
On this occasion, a stage will
be set up for the dedicated
workers of L&T (Larsen &
Toubro), near the VVIPs and
other esteemed guests. The
PM is expected to interact
with both the engineers and
labourers and priority may be
given to those workers who
have been actively participat-
ing in the entire construction
journey so far. Approxi-
mately 10 to 20 per cent of
the total workforce may be
invited. Currently, over 3,000
workers are engaged in the
construction of the Ram
Temple and the number of
invited workers could range
from 300 to 500.
GOLD-COATED ‘NAGADA’
REACHES AYODHYA
Ahead of the grand
Ram Mandir conse-
cration ceremony,
a special Nagada (drum),
coated with gold, has
arrived in Ayodhya. The
‘Nagada’ weighing 500 kg
has travelled on a special
chariot from Ahmedabad.
The first layer of Nagada
has been made out of cop-
per, embossed with several
religiously significant designs
in the entire body.
or the first time, in the
Dharma Sansad held in
Vigyan Bhawan, New
Delhi, in April 1984, a
demand to hand over the
three holy places of the
Hindus was made after a
proper agenda was
formed in this regard. These places in-
cluded Ayodhya, Kashi, and Mathura.
In the same Dharma Sansad, the Ram-
janmabhoomi Mukti Yagya Commit-
tee was formed, and Mahant Avaidy-
anath, head of Gorakshpeeth, was
elected as its president, while the gen-
eral secretary of the committee was
former Congress minister Dau Dayal
Khanna, who had also been a minister
in the Congress government.
Dr Karan Singh, son of Kashmir Ma-
haraj Hari Singh, a Congress leader and
minister in the Indira Gandhi govern-
ment, was the main speaker during this
Dharam Sansad. In his speech, Karan
Singh expressed regret that Hindu holy
places are being ignored in the country.
He even said in the Dharma Sansad that
not even a lamp can be lit in the Ram
Temple, and it is a matter of shame.
During this period, relief camps
were set up for riot victims in
Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Con-
gress minister Dau Dayal Khanna was
attacked by Muslim miscreants in the
relief camp. According to media re-
ports, Khanna approached the Con-
gress President, urging him to tell
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi the real-
ity of the Moradabad incident, but In-
dira Gandhi did not listen.At that time,
Khanna was not in such an important
position that Indira Gandhi could have
replied to him. Later, Khanna also
started appearing on the platforms of
major Hindu organisations and started
sharing a stage with two-time acting
Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda.
CONSTANT QUESTIONS RAISED
ON THE ROLE OF RAJIV GANDHI
According to Belgian Hindu thinker
Koenraad Elst, when the Dharma San-
sad was organised in Delhi in 1984,
Rajiv understood that this would be-
come a big issue. He then started the
initiative for diagnosis. Elst is known
for his Hindu ideas, and in one of his
articles, he writes that Rajiv Gandhi’s
move to open the locks of the disputed
structure and then allow the foundation
stone to be laid there was a practical
and balanced decision, but later his
successors could not continue the same
Ayodhya policy.
MANI SHANKAR AIYAR SAID
RAJIV’S DECISION WAS WRONG
Onthecontrary,duringthetimeofRajiv
Gandhi, such ideas also existed in
theCongress,whichwaslooking
at theAyodhya issue from a po-
litical prism. Former Union
Minister and Congress leader
Mani ShankarAiyar, in his au-
tobiography ‘Memoirs of a
Maverick - The First Fifty Years
(1941-1991),’ has written that
the immediate decision of then
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to
open the locks of the Ram Temple
in Ayodhya and allow the foundation
stonelayingceremonywasawrongone.
Aiyar wrote that the main agenda of the
1989 general elections was decided to
be‘PanchayatiRaj,’butitchangedatthe
last moment. Work was done on this for
several months and it was decided that
Rajiv Gandhi’s tour would start from
Nagaur in Rajasthan. Instead, the Lok
Sabha election campaign in 1989 was
started with the issue of laying the foun-
dation stone from Ayodhya. According
to Aiyar, this advice was given to Rajiv
by Sheila Dikshit. Aiyar writes that in
order to come to power for the second
time, Rajiv Gandhi began to seek direct
support from Ayodhya. In 1989, Rajiv
initiated his electoral campaign from
Ayodhya itself. Congress leaders por-
trayed Rajiv’s campaign as the begin-
ning of ‘Ram Rajya.’
ON NOV 9, 1989, THE FIRST
BRICK OF RAM TEMPLE LAID
With the consent of the Central Govern-
ment, the foundation stone for the con-
struction of the grand Ram Temple was
laid on November 9, 1989. A seven
cubic feet pit was dug and the founda-
tion stone was laid. Kameshwar
Choupal from Bihar, who hails from a
Scheduled Caste, laid the first brick of
the foundation of the temple. Regarding
laying the foundation, Choupal said that
the saints of that time had taken this de-
cision by taking inspiration from the life
of Lord Shri Ram. When Ram went to
the forest, he did not go to the door of
any king but went to the doors of either
the saints or the neglected people of the
society. This decision of the saints
proved to be a cause of social harmony
in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
After this, all the differences of caste,
forward-backwards,high-low,etc.were
erased in the Ram Janmabhoomi move-
ment. The Ram Mandir movement was
not of any one society, but of every
Sanatan person, no matter which caste
he or she belonged to.
F
PANKAJ SONI
The writer is
Associate Editor
at First India
In 1989, Rajiv started the election campaign from Ayodhya itself. Congress
leaders described this campaign of Rajiv as the beginning of Ram Rajya
ROLE
FANNING
IN
THEAYODHYAMOVEMENT!
RAJIV GANDHI’S
Former Union Minister
and Congress leader
Mani Shankar Aiyar, in
his autobiography
‘Memoirs of a Maverick
- The First Fifty Years
(1941-1991),’ has
written that the
immediate decision of
then Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi to open
the locks of the Ram
Temple in Ayodhya
and allow the
foundation stone
laying ceremony was a
wrong one. He further
writes, in 1989, Rajiv
initiated his electoral
campaign from
Ayodhya itself.
A special Nagada (drum), coated with gold
and weighing 500 kg arrived in Ayodhya.

Attract investments: Rathore,
Nagar attend Vibrant Gujarat
AFTER 20 YEARS
Manju Rajpal becomes 2nd
woman JDC
Abhishek Shrivastava
Jaipur
aipur Develop-
ment Authori-
ty’s newly ap-
pointed Commissioner
Manju Rajpal took charge
today from former Com-
missioner Jogaram. She
said that efforts will be
made to complete 100-
day action plan of gov-
ernment on priority with-
in the stipulated time &
quality work.
After a long gap of
about twenty years, the
command of the devel-
opment has once again
come into hands of a
senior woman IAS of-
ficer. Newly appointed
Commissioner of JDA,
Manju Rajpal took
charge on Thursday.
This is the second time
that the state government
has expressed confidence
in a woman officer for the
post.Earlier,UshaSharma
was made JDC in the year
2003, but her tenure was
only for 5 months. Manju
Rajpal, was holding the
charge of Administrative
Secretary of the Rural De-
velopment Department.
She has served as the Dis-
trict Collector of Ajmer,
Bhilwara, Sikar and Dun-
garpur. Apart from rural
devpt, she has also served
in Finance and Panchayati
Raj departments as Secre-
tary.Manjuwasamember
of Revenue Board, Ajmer
and was also Director in
Cabinet Secretariat during
her deputation.
Manju Rajpal, the top-
per in her batch, is origi-
nally from Churu. She
received the Best District
Collector Award for im-
plementing the National
Rural Employment Guar-
antee Scheme in 2006.
Manju Rajpal assuming charge in presence of outgoing
Commissioner Jogaram, on Thursday.
J
RAJASTHAN 03
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FI TOON
SHEKHAR
A‘RANK’THATOURPINKCITY
SHOULDBEABASHEDABOUT!
Swachh Survekshan ranking paints a sorry picture as both Jaipur Heritage and
Greater Corps stood at 171 and 173 ranks while Indore and Surat topped the list
Soubhagya Sharma
Jaipur
In the annual Swachh
SurvekshanAwards 2023
announced on Thursday,
Indore and Surat emerged
as the ‘cleanest cities’ in
the country.
The survey painted a
sorry picture of Jaipur,
the Pink City. Both Jaipur
Heritage and Greater
Corporations stood at
171 and 173 ranks re-
spectively as against 11th
and 32nd positions previ-
ously, highlighting the
dismal performance of
the Jaipur Municipal
Corporations, which are
responsible for the clean-
liness of the city.
For the Jaipur Corpora-
tions, this rank should be
a cause of shame more so
because the city happens
to be the state capital, un-
like Indore which is just
another city in Madhya
Pradesh.
Additionally, to add to
the shameful situation,
Rajasthan has even
dropped from 8th to 25th
position in the country
and not a single city of
the state ranks among the
top 170 cities. The reason
for this sorry state of af-
fairs can be attributed to
municipalities, councils,
and corporations remain-
ing entangled in political
conflicts and disputes.
Piles of garbage every-
where, overflowing
drains, choked sewer
lines, broken streetlights,
stray animals wandering
on the roads, unauthor-
ised construction and en-
croachments in every
lane seem to have be-
come a norm and this has
now become the fate of
the people of Rajasthan.
Even private and pub-
lic toilets built under the
Swachh Bharat Mission
are in a dismal state and
even the concept of an
open defecation-free city
seems to be no longer ef-
fective. The need of the
hour is that the govern-
ment must take stringent
measures and determine
the responsibility of the
municipal officials.
Government should
instruct the district col-
lectors and administra-
tion to monitor the clean-
liness system. A clear
agenda for meetings of
secretaries in charge of
districts and ministers
needs to be established to
bring cleanliness back on
track and only then can
there be any hope for im-
provement in this deteri-
orating system.
Awarding Excellence
Arjuna awardee Divyakriti Singh met Governor Kalraj
Mishra at Raj Bhawan on Thursday. Guv Mishra praised
her and said that she has not only brought pride to
Rajasthan but has also elevated the honour of India.
Garbage strewn in the Walled City area of Jaipur is a common sight. FILE
FarmersprotestinDausafor
inclusionofDamsinERCP
BJP state prez CP Joshi
inspects Yatra Camp
First India Bureau
Dausa
Several farmers on
Thursday protested in
front of Dausa Collector-
ate demanding to connect
the dams of BandikuiAs-
sembly constituency
with the East Rajasthan
Canal Project.
They submitted a
memorandum to collec-
tor in the name of the
chief minister demand-
ing to connect Rehadiya,
Gudha Katla, Badiyal,
Basava and Deoti Dam
with the DPR of the pro-
ject. “ERCP is an impor-
tant project of Eastern
Rajasthan but the dams
of Bandikui assembly
constituency were not
included in its DPR. Not
only this, the dams of
the area were not includ-
ed in the revised DPR,
whereas Bandikui is in
the dark zone, due to
which there is a serious
problem of water for
drinking and agricul-
ture,” Muhi Sarpanch
Pankaj Sharma said.
Other farmers includ-
ing Mahipal Meena, In-
draj Meena, Lalaram
Sharma, Shivshankar,
Puranmal, Mangilal,
Samarthlal were present
during the protest.
Pk Agarwal
Chittorgarh
BJP state president CP
Joshi on Thursday in-
spected Viksit Bharat
Yatra camp in Bhupal
Sagar panchayat samiti
in Chittorgarh and inter-
acted with the beneficiar-
ies along with public.
He gave information to
the villagers about the
schemes and pro-
grammes of the Modi
government at the centre
and how can they benifit
from the same.
MLA Arjun Lal Jina-
gar, Zila Pramukh Bhu-
pendra Singh Badoli,
District President Mit-
thulal Jat, Pradhan He-
mendra Singh Ranawat,
SDM Archana Bugalia,
Tehsildar Ankit Samaria,
Development officer
Mangilal and others were
also present in the Viksit
Bharat Yatra camp.
First India Bureau
Gandhinagar/Jaipur
On Thursday, the second
day of the Vibrant Guja-
rat Global Summit-2024
being organized in Gan-
dhi Nagar, Gujarat, In-
dustry and Commerce
Minister Colonel Rajya-
vardhan Rathore and
Minister of State for En-
ergy Hiralal Nagar met
the chairmen, managers
and CEOs of major
companies of various
sectors and discussed
investment possibilities
in the state.
To establish new di-
mensions of investment
in Rajasthan, Industry
Minister Rathore and En-
ergy Minister Nagar held
detailed and meaningful
discussions with the rep-
resentatives of these
companies. They said
that to promote develop-
ment and employment in
the state, it is necessary
to encourage more and
more investors.
“The state govt is
ready to provide invest-
ment friendly environ-
ment and necessary fa-
cilities to the entrepre-
neurs. Our government
has Gujarat as an exem-
plary example of how the
multi-faceted visionary
leadership of PM Modi
has taken the economy of
a state to new heights
and made it a leader in
the total exports of the
country,” they said.
Jaipur on high
alert for Jan 22’s
Pran Pratistha
Satyanarayan Sharma
Jaipur
On the occasion of Ram
Lalla Pran Pratistha in
Ayodhya on January 22,
Jaipur will remain on
high alert.
Besides, search ops
will be conducted at ho-
tels, inns and dharamsha-
las. Special vigilance will
at bus stands and railway
stations. On this day,
Deepotsav will be cele-
brated in Jaipur. Five
lakh earthen lamps will
be lit at major areas
across the city. Mean-
while, Jodhpur Police
Commissionerate issued
order to issue temporary
firecracker licences from
18 to 23 January in wake
of Ramotsav. Applica-
tions for licence can be
made till January 14.
Farmers protesting in front of Dausa Collectorate on Thursday.
Rajyavardhan Rathore and Hiralal Nagar at Vibrant Gujarat
Global Summit-2024, in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat on Thursday.
BJP state president CP Joshi speaking at the Viksit Bharat Yatra
camp in Chittorgarh on Thursday.
Raj SCADA
system hailed in
Delhi meeting
First India Bureau
Jaipur
In a meeting regarding the
National Hydro Project in
the national capital, Ra-
jasthan’s Supervisory
Control and Data Acqui-
sition (SCADA) system
was appreciated.
Rajasthan’s SCADA
system is at number 3 in
the country. . CE Quality
Control DR Meena from
Rajasthan was also pre-
sent. Instructions were
given to collect complete
water data in Rajasthan,
install automatic rain
measuring instruments
on all dams. A SCADA
system will be installed
at Indira Gandhi Nagar in
Rajasthan and a tender
was issued to the World
Bank. Installation will
cost Rs 18 crore.
ED takes 5 in
remand, to
soon present
chargesheet
Vimal Kothari
Jaipur
The Enforcement Di-
rectorate, on Thurs-
day, took five ac-
cused jailed in the
paper leak case on
remand for three
days for questioning.
They were presented
in the Jaipur court. A
chargesheet will
soon be filed.
Masterminds of
paper leak, Suresh
Sahu, Vijay Damor,
Pukhraj, Piraram
and Arun Sharma
are in remand. Sahu
is the brother-in-law
of paper leak king-
pin, Suresh Dhaka,
Vijay Damor is the
nephew of Rajasthan
Public Service Com-
mission member
Babulal Katara.
Suresh Sahu, Vi-
jay Damor and
Pukhraj were arrest-
ed by Enforcement
Directorate team
from Jodhpur jail on
Wednesday. Piraram
was arrested and tak-
en into custody from
Bikaner and Sharma
from Ajmer jail. The
Enforcement Direc-
torate has brought all
the accused to Jaipur
headquarters for in-
terrogation so that
more facts about the
case can be bought
into light.
PAPER LEAK
JAIPUR LOSING THE ‘SWACHHTA BATTLE’
After taking charge,
Manju Rajpal, a 2000
batch IAS officer,
said efforts will be
made to complete
the 100-day action
plan of govt on
priority within
stipulated time
period by engaging
in quality team work
JMCG COMMISSIONER
RUKMINI RIAR CONDUCTS
SURPRISE CHECKING
The commissioner
of Jaipur Greater
Municipal Corpora-
tion Rukmini Riar conduct-
ed a surprise inspection
of the parks on Thursday.
She inspected parks in
Bapu Nagar, Tilak Nagar,
Malviya Nagar and directed
officials to maintain the
parks, repair damaged
equipment in parks. The
commissioner also directed
officials to repair boundary
walls, railings, walkways
and prepare reports on
condition of trees and
plants. Bharat Dixit
JMC HERITAGE, DUNGARPUR MC HONOURED
WITH SWACHH SURVEKSHAN 2023
Jaipur Heritage Municipal Corporation and
Dungarpur Municipal Council were honoured
with the Swachh Survekshan Award- 2023
during a ceremony on Thursday at Bharat Mandapam
Convention Centre,
New Delhi. These
awards were given
to Jaipur Heritage
Municipal Corporation
for cleanliness in the
category of cities with
population more than
one lakh and Dungarpur Municipal Council on the pre-
scribed parameters of cleanliness in the category of
cities with population less than one la kh.The Swachh
Survekshan 2023 was conducted under the Swachh
Bharat Mission, Urban 2.0 by the Ministry of Housing
and Urban Affairs. Bharat Dixit Puneet Chaturvedi

RAJASTHAN 04
AFTER 4-MONTH COURSE AT PHQ...
7 interns give presentation on police functioning
First India Bureau
Jaipur
even interns
from various
educational in-
stitutions of the state stud-
ied the work of various
branches of Police Head-
quarters for four months
and learned about police
functioning and gave a
presentation on this.
Additional Director
General of Police Crime,
Dinesh MN, after the pre-
sentation in the confer-
ence hall of the Crime
Branch, handed over cer-
tificates to the interns and
congratulated them. To
supervise the work of the
interns, Additional Su-
perintendent of Police,
Aditi Kanwat was ap-
pointed as the nodal offi-
cer. Under the Police De-
velopment Course, in
2023-24, Tejaswani
Vashishtha, Shivani
Sahu, Nazmeen, Aksha
Mishra, Rinku Saini,
Shubham Mehta and KK
Siddharth were appointed
at the IT Cell, Legal Cell,
Cyber Crime and SCRB
and Technical Branch of
the Crime Branch from
September 1, 2023 to
January 31, 2024.
First India Bureau
Raipur
AICC general secretary
and Chhattisgarh in
charge Sachin Pilot on
Thursdaysaidthatpolitics
and religion should be
kept separate. “If politics
is being done under the
guise of religion then no
one will accept it,” he
said. “We want to discuss
public issues, develop-
ment, education, employ-
ment but BJP is not ready
to discuss it. It has been
thetraditionofBJPtotake
votes under the guise of
emotional issues,” he said
while addressing a press
conference in Raipur. He
said that one can go to the
temple any time but the
kind of politicization that
is taking place on Ram
temple has been consid-
ered wrong by Congress.
The Cong leader said
that even if Cong has lost
assembly elections, the
party will contest LS elec-
tions with full hard work
and a new resolution
Bharat Dixit
Jaipur
Two candidates of RAS
main examinations sit-
ting on a fast unto death
along with others for the
last48 hours in Rajasthan
university fell sick on
Thursday. The candi-
dates have been demand-
ing from the RPSC to
extend the dates of the
mains examination.
The health of two pro-
testers (a young man and
a girl) deteriorated on
Thursday who were ad-
mitted to Sawai Man
Singh Hospital for treat-
ment. The agitating stu-
dents alleged that the
government was acting
dictatorially and playing
with the future of the
youth. They said that the
movement will continue
until the govt does not
extend the date of recruit-
ment examination.
First India Bureau
Jaipur/Sikar
Parts of Rajasthan con-
tinued to reel under cold
wave as the mercury
dropped by 2-4 degrees
Celsius at several plac-
es in the last 24 hours,
the meteorological de-
partment offical said on
Thursday.
According to a MeT
spokesperson, the cold
wave will continue in
the state for a few days.
In the last 24 hours,
Sikar was the coldest in
the state with a mini-
mum temperature of
minus 0.5 degrees Cel-
sius, followed by 1 de-
gree Celsius in Churu
and 2.2 degrees Celsius
in both Alwar and Pi-
lani, the MeT said.
According to the in-
formation received
from Fatehpur Agricul-
tural Research Centre,
the minimum tempera-
ture was recorded at
minus 1.7 degrees on
Thursday. The bone-
chilling cold affected
Fatehpur and the sur-
rounding region.
The temperature has
been recorded at -1.7°C
Minimum for first time
in this season.Alayer of
Ice was spotted on the
crops and grass in the
outer areas of Sikar.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Under the banner of Mai-
treya Sansthan and Hindu
Temple Development and
Restoration Trust, half-a-
dozen religious and social
organizations and temples
have come together in Jai-
pur to restore the old glo-
ry of the ancient and ex-
tinct temples of India.
They took a resolution
under Sankalp Yatra for
reconstruction of ancient
temples at JKK.
The yatra was inaugu-
rated in the presence of
Awadheshcharya Maha-
raj, head of Shri Galtaji,
the main Vaishnav Peeth
of North India. Hawa Ma-
hal MLA Balmukun-
dacharya said that the
time has come to make
the country a world lead-
er. “Under the leadership
of PM Narendra Modi,
India will achieve glory,”
he said.
Acharya Himani Shas-
tri said that the yatra will
go across the country.
Seven interns with police officials including Dinesh MN and others at PHQ in Jaipur on Thursday.
People, confined to their homes for past few days due to intense
cold, came out for a morning walk in Jaipur on Thursday. The city
remained sunny for 2nd consecutive day. SANTOSH SHARMA
Sachin Pilot at the Raipur airport on Thursday. He was welcomed
by the local Congress leaders and party members.
Police team with sniffer dog in Bhilwara on Thursday. Additional
police forces were deployed in area to maintain law and order.
A layer of ice was spotted on the crops and grass in the outer areas of Sikar on Thursday morning.
Aspirants sitting on protest at RU in Jaipur on Thursday.
Religious and spritual leaders from various fronts on stage during
the programme in Jaipur on Thursday.
After the presentation
in the conference hall
of the Crime Branch,
ADF Crime Dinesh
MN awarded the
certificates to interns
and congratulated the
team; the interns were
appointed in various
department for the
learning purpose
S
Politics,religionshouldbe
keptseparate:SachinPilot
RASaspirants’protest:2fall
sick amidfastuntodeath
Sankalp Yatra inaugurated
to renew ancient temples
JMCG councillor’s
election nullified
over more kids
Journo Vijay Bhandari
breathes his last at
93; Guv, CM condole
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Election of councilor of
Ward No. 32 of Jaipur
GreaterMunicipalCorpo-
ration has been cancelled.
Judge Neeraj Gupta de-
clared the election of
councilor Nasreen Bano
illegal and void on the
grounds of having more
than two children after
November 27, 1995.
Bhavani Singh, who
was the BJP candidate,
had filed an election peti-
tion in 2020. Advocate
Manoj Sharma Vyas and
others appeared on behalf
of the petitioner.Voting in
the elections took place
on Nov 1 and counting
was held on Nov 3, 2020.
Information received
through the Right to In-
formationAct proves that
Nasreen has 5 children.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Senior journalist Vijay
Bhandari passed away at
the age of 93 on Thurs-
day. Gover-
nor Kalraj
Mishra ex-
pressed deep
condolence
on the de-
mise of Vi-
jay Bhandari.
The governor in his
condolence message said
that his demise is an ir-
reparable loss to the jour-
nalism field. He prayed
to God to grant peace to
the virtuous soul and give
strength to the family to
bear this loss. Rajasthan
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma
and Speaker Vasudev
Devnani also expressed
grief over the demise of
Vijay Bhandari.
Coldwavetocontinue;
Sikarfreezesat-1.7°C
Jpr remains sunny for 2nd
consecutive day
Raj in grip of cold
CM felicitates CLAT topper
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma met Jai Bohra of Udaipur, who secured first rank in CLAT 2024,
and his family. The Chief Minister congratulated him and wished him a bright future.
Rohit Soni
Bhilwara
An 18-year-old girl was
murdered by slitting her
throat with a sharp-edged
weapon in Bhilwara dis-
trict on Thursday, police
said. Two persons have
been detained in connec-
tion to case and are being
interrogated, police said.
According to police,
the girl was found dead in
a room in Barsani village
when the other members
were asleep. Police said
that the body has been
kept in the hospital mor-
tuary for post-mortem.
The family members and
relatives of the girl held
demonstration and de-
manded a govt job for a
family member and com-
pensation of Rs 30 lakh.
Officials including Sand-
eep Khedad held rounds
of talks to resolve matter.
Girl killed by slitting throat
in Bhilwara, 2 accused held
CRIME
ROUNDUP
PATIENT’S JEWELLERY
STOLEN AT A PRIVATE
HOSPITAL IN CHOMU
JPR POLICE SEARCH
FOR GANG OF FEMALES
INVOLVED IN `5L THEFT
7 INCLUDING, 2 WOMEN
OF GANG INVOLVED IN
KIDNAPPING HELD
ACB NABS TWO WITH `24,000 IN AJMER FOR
SEEKING BRIBE FOR REGISTERY RELATED WORK
Jaipur: A woman
was admitted at
Siddhi Vinayak
Hospital on Samod Road,
Chomu in Jaipur. Now, her
son, Giriraj Kumawat, has
filed a complaint against
the hospital administra-
tion. He said that her
mother’s gold tops and
nose ring were stolen at
the hospital. The hospital
administration, however,
has denied this. Notably,
the patient’s clothes were
changed while referring her
to another hospital. Chomu
police station is investigat-
ing the case.
Jaipur: Police are
searching for a
female gang of
thieves, who stole Rs 5 lakh
from a businessman in an
e-rickshaw. The incident
happened in the Kotwali
police station area. Victim
Vikram Singh had come
to Jaipur from Dausa to
hand over some payment.
He sat in an e-rickshaw
from Ajmeri Gate to Chhoti
Chaupar. Four women
were his co-passengers.
To his surprise, when he
got down and checked his
bag, he found Rs 4 lakh 95
thousand missing.
Jaipur: The Mansar-
ovar police arrested 7
miscreants, including
2 women involved in kidnap-
ping youths. Gang even
blackmailed the youths by
making their obscene videos.
Under the direction of DCP
South, Yogesh Goyal, action
was carried out miscre-
ants were arrested. The car
used in the crime was also
recovered. The accused are
being interrogated.
Jaipur/Ajmer: The Anti Corruption Bureau has
arrested two persons for accepting a bribe of Rs
24,000 in Ajmer. ADG ACB Hemant Priyadarshy
said that a team of the ACB in the supervision of DIG
Ajmer Randhir Singh
trapped the stamp clerk of
Arai tehsil office Rakesh
Sharma and stamp vendor
(private person) Ajeet
Pal Singh. The accused
had demanded the bribe
from the complainant for a
registry related work. After
verification of the complaint,
a trap was laid and the accused were arrested under the
prevention of corruption act. Shubham Jain, Naveen Sharma
IN BRIEF
Couple sleeps with
coal brazier burning,
dies of asphyxiation
Barmer: Three youths
were crushed to death by
a speeding dumper on
Sanawada-Mahalu road in
Sadar police station area
of Barmer on Thursday.
The two siblings and their
maternal uncle died on
the spot. Police said that
siblings Narpat (20) and
Vikram (16) had gone to
Sindhari on a bike. While
returning, they saw their
maternal uncle Ranaram
(24) and stopped their
bike by the roadside to
talk. A speeding dumper
hit them from behind. Af-
ter the accident, the driver
fled leaving the dumper.
Police have seized the
bike and dumper and
have registered a case.
Sri Ganganagar: A cou-
ple died of asphyxiation in
village Arayan of Kesris-
inghpur of Sri Ganga-
nagar after they fell asleep
with a brazier in their
room. In morning, when
their son knocked at door
but no one answered, the
family members broke
open the door and found
the two dead. They in-
formed the police, who
reached the spot and got
the bodies kept in the
mortuary of the govern-
ment hospital. Paramjeet
Singh (50), was a labourer
and his wife Gurmeet
Kaur was 48. To fight the
cold, they had lit a brazier
in the room but it cost
them their lives.
Speeding dumper
crushes three to
death in Barmer
Vijay Bhandari

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DEFINITION OF DEMOCRACY
Anurag Thakur flags-off VBSY vans in Mumbai
PTI
Mumbai
Union IB Minister An-
urag Singh Thakur on
Thursday said true de-
mocracy is only when the
government comes to the
people’s doorsteps.
Thakur, who flagged
off Viksit Bharat Sankalp
Yatra vans here, said the
initiative will reach more
than two lakh panchayats
and more than 4,000 ur-
ban local bodies.
The Union Minister
for Youth Affairs and
Sports said the aim of
this yatra is to reach out
to vulnerable sections
and to those eligible for
government benefits and
make them aware about
welfare schemes.
“The yatra is taking
place in every corner of
the country. More than
12 crore people have
been associated withVik-
sit Bharat Sankalp Yatra.
Through it they have got
to know about schemes
and have benefited from
various welfare schemes
of the Central govern-
ment,” he said.
“True democracy is
only when the govern-
ment comes to the people
and this is what is hap-
pening in Viksit Bharat
Sankalp Yatra,” said
Thakur, adding that en-
rolment for government
schemes has become
very easy through these
vans and stalls.
The work of the gov-
ernment is to inform citi-
zens and create aware-
ness among them, he as-
serted.
Speaking about the ef-
forts of the government
in the recent past, he said
it has brought efficiency
and transparency in its
functioning and benefits
to the people.
INDIA 05
Jaipur, Friday | January 12, 2024 www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
FM Nirmala Sitharaman unveils GIFT city’s financial landscape
First India Bureau
Gandhinagar
On second day of the Vi-
brantGujaratGlobalSum-
mit, Finance Minister Nir-
mala Sitharaman provided
acomprehensiveoverview
of the current financial
ecosystem within the Gu-
jarat International Finance
Tec-City (GIFT City).
Emphasizing the city’s
strategic importance, she
highlightedthesignificant
presence of various finan-
cial entities and the thriv-
ing derivatives market.
She said, “There are
now three exchanges,
twenty-six banks, and
twenty-six aircraft les-
sors in the IFSC. The
GIFT City is required to
host the offices of aircraft
firms. GIFT CITY is
home to 86 fund manag-
ers and 8 ship leasing
companies. GIFT City
has advisors from 50 pro-
fessional firms. GIFT
city has 580 entities. By
October, GIFT City’s de-
rivative contract was
worth 2.02 billion USD”.
In her address, Sithara-
man underscored the im-
portance of aircraft com-
panies establishing their
offices in GIFT City, re-
vealing that 86 fund man-
agers and eight ship leas-
ing companies have al-
ready set up operations
within the financial hub.
The Finance Minister
said, “The best adoption
rate for fintech globally
is 80 per cent. A world-
wide fintech company
based in India should
have a presence in Gift
City. Any international
fintech company looking
to do business in India
needs to have offices in
GIFT City. The PM stat-
ed yesterday that all
global financial centres
were seen as capital, with
money coming in and
money going out”.
She noted that 50 pro-
fessional firms and advi-
sors, along with 580 enti-
ties, contribute to the vi-
brant financial landscape
of GIFT City.
GUJARATCMEXPLORES
PARTNERSHIPWITHUAE
Gandhinagar: Gu-
jarat Chief Minister
Bhupendra Patel
engaged in a high-profile
meeting with Dr Thani bin
Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister
of State for Foreign Trade,
UAE, during the ongoing
Vibrant Gujarat Global
Summit 2024.
INDIA-CANADA TIES
STILL STRONG: MACKAY
Gandhinagar:
Canada’s High
Commissioner to
India Cameron Mackay on
Thursday said notwithstand-
ing the recent tensions, the
strategic interests of India
and Canada are “absolutely
aligned”, and he was encour-
aged by the continuance of
bilateral trade and invest-
ment relationship. He was
speaking at a seminar on
‘India-Canada Business: The
Way Forward’ at the Vibrant
Gujarat Global Summit.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addresses at a
seminar in Gandhinagar on Thursday. ANI
BJPslamsCongoveritsdecision
todeclineRamtempleinvitation
First India Bureau
New Delhi
The BJP on Thursday
slammed the Congress’
decision to decline the
invitation to its three top
leaders to attend the Ram
temple consecration cer-
emony in Ayodhya,
claiming it has exposed
the party’s inherent op-
position to India’s culture
and Hindu religion.
Due to its feelings of
“jealousy, malice and in-
feriority complex” to-
wards Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, the Con-
gress had gone to the ex-
tent of opposing the
country and is now op-
posing God, BJP spokes-
person Sudhanshu
Trivedi told reporters.
The Ram temple in
Ayodhya symbolises the
highest values of Indian
traditions and culture, he
said, but for the Congress
and other opposition par-
ties with a similar mind-
set extremist politics is
more important, he al-
leged.
Trivedi’s remarks came
a day after the Congress
declined the invitation to
the January 22 inaugura-
tion ceremony saying it
was a “political project”
of the BJP and its ideo-
logical mentor Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh.
ADVANI TO ATTEND RAM TEMPLE CONSECRATION
CEREMONY, NOT CERTAIN ABOUT MM JOSHI: VHP
New Delhi: BJP stalwart LK Advani, who was at the
forefront of the Ram temple agitation, will attend the
consecration ceremony of
the temple in Ayodhya on January
22, VHP president Alok Kumar said
on Thursday. However, it remains
unclear whether party veteran
Murli Manohar Joshi will attend the
ceremony or not. “Advani ji has said
that he will come. If required, we
will make special arrangements for
him,” Kumar said. About Joshi, Kumar said, “He has also
said that he will try to come to attend the event”. Advani, 96,
is the founding member of the BJP and along with Joshi was
at the forefront of the Ram temple agitation in early 1990s.
Congress is not attending the ‘pran
pratishtha’ ceremony. This shows Congress
is against Hindu religion and Hindutva...
There is a lot of difference between Gandhi Ji’s
Congress and Nehru’s Congress.
SUDHANSHU TRIVEDI, BJP NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON
100CHARTEREDPLANES
TOLANDINAYODHYA
Lucknow: Uttar
Pradesh Chief
Minister Yogi Ad-
ityanath on Thursday said
that 100 chartered flights
are expected to land at the
Ayodhya airport for the Ram
temple consecration cer-
emony on January 22. The
UP CM said he estimates
that around 100 chartered
flights are expected to land
at the Ayodhya airport on
January 22. He was speak-
ing at the virtual function
for the inauguration of the
Ayodhya to Ahmedabad
flight by IndiGo.
Assam CM Sarma raps Congress’ decision
Agencies
Guwahati
In response to the Con-
gress turning down an
invitation to attend the
inauguration of the Ram
temple in Ayodhya, As-
sam CM Himanta Biswa
Sarma on Thursday said
the grand old party was
given a “golden oppor-
tunity to reduce its sin”.
In a post on X, Sarma
said: “The @VHPDigital
had given the Congress
party a golden opportu-
nity to reduce its sin by
extendingtheirleadership
an invitation to attend the
Shri Ram Mandir Pran
Pratishtha Mahotsava.
“By accepting this in-
vitation, they could have
symbolically offered an
apology to Hindu Samaj.
However, like Pt Nehru
did with Somnath Tem-
ple, the Congress leader-
shipdidthesamewiththe
RamTemple.Historywill
continue to judge them as
an anti-Hindu party.”
C’GARH TO START FREE
AYODHYA PILGRIMAGE
Raipur: The BJP
govt in Chhattisgarh
has given the nod
to an annual free train
travel scheme, enabling
thousands to embark on a
spiritual journey to witness
the divine spectacle of
Lord Ram at the Ayodhya
temple. The decision was
officially announced after a
state cabinet meeting pre-
sided over by CM Vishnu
Deo Sai. This initiative is
seen as fulfilling PM Naren-
dra Modi’s promises made
during the 2023 assembly
elections.
Pillar of India’s energy sector Dr
Sethuratnam passes away at 95
First India Bureau
New Delhi
DrTSSeturatnam,father
of former Chairman of
Bombay Stock Exchange
S Ravi, who has made his
mark in the energy sector,
passed away at 95. On
January10,hebreathedhis
last at his son’s residence
in Saket, Delhi. He was
suffering from age related
problems and was unwell
for some weeks.
He is survived by his
wife, Shakuntala Seturat-
nam, two sons, a daughter-
in-lawandthreegrandsons,
Abhishek Ravi, Akshay
RaviandChinmayVasude-
van. He remained active in
his80sandisknownasthe
creator of national institu-
tions and the pillar of In-
dia’s energy sector.
Dr Seturatnam served
as Chairman of Madhya
Pradesh Electricity Board
andBSES.Hewasamem-
ber of many committees
formed by the Govern-
mentofIndiaandwasalso
a member of the first com-
mittee formed for privati-
zationoftheenergysector.
The entire energy industry
and the country paid trib-
ute to Dr Sethuratnam.
Popularsinger
Padmashree
AnuradhaPaudwalji,
whohasbeenawakeningthe
feelingofdevotionwithher
melodioushymnsformany
years,isextremelyhappyand
elatedwiththeconstruction
ofagrandtempleofLord
ShriRaminAyodhyaDham.
HernewhymnsofShriRam
Vandanaareverymelodious,
paidacourtesyvisittoherat
herresidence.
Arun Singh @ ArunSinghbjp
HC junks OPS’
plea order on
use of AIADMK
symbol, flag
PTI
Chennai
The Madras high court
on Thursday dismissed
the appeals filed by ex-
pelled AIADMK leader
O Paneerselvam, chal-
lenging an order of a sin-
gle judge which re-
strained him from using
the official letterhead,
reserved symbol ‘Two
Leaves’ and the official
flag of the party.
A division bench com-
prisingJusticesRMahade-
vanandMohammedShaf-
fiq dismissed the three ap-
peals filed by Paneersel-
vamagainsttheorderdated
November 7, 2023.
The bench however,
granted liberty to Paneer-
selvam (OPS) to ap-
proach the single judge
by filing necessary appli-
cations seeking to vacate
the order, if any, passed
against him. On filing of
such application, the
judge shall consider and
pass appropriate orders,
on its own merits and in
accordance with law, the
bench added.
Rahul Gandhi Bharat
Jodo Nyay Yatra to
cover 4 Odisha dists
Agencies
Bhubaneswar
Senior Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi will cover
four districts in Odisha
during his Bharat Jodo
Nyay Yatra, party leader
SharatRouttoldthenews-
men here on Thursday.
Rout said the 66 days
yatra which will com-
mence from Manipur on
January 14 and conclude
in Mumbai on March 20
will cover 110 districts
spread over 15 states in
the country.
In Odisha, the senior
Congress leader said the
yatra will pass through
Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar,
Sundargarh and Jharsu-
guda districts.
Rahul Gandhi will stay
four days in Odisha,Rout
said while releasing the
logo of the yatra.
He appealed to the
people of the state to join
the Bharat Jodo Naya
Yatra to make it a success
in the state.
A phone number was
also released by the party
requesting the people to
dial if they are interested
to join the yatra with Ra-
hul Gandhi.
Meanwhile, the Con-
gress party claimed on
Wednesday that the Ma-
nipur government has
“declined” to give per-
mission to Rahul Gandhi
to commence his ‘Bharat
Jodo Nyay Yatra’ from
Imphal East district.
Congress MP KC
Venugopal at a press
conference on
Wednesday said that
the Bharat Jodo Nyay
Yatra will start from
Manipur
Net direct tax collection grows 19%
so far in FY’24, 81% of Budget target
PTI
New Delhi
The net direct tax collec-
tion so far this fiscal rose
19.41 per cent to Rs 14.70
lakh crore, reaching about
81 per cent of the full-year
target, the income tax de-
partmentsaidonThursday.
The govt has budgeted
to collect Rs 18.23 lakh
crore from direct taxes
(personal income tax and
corporate tax), 9.75 per
cent higher than Rs 16.61
lakh crore mopped up last
fiscal. Refunds amount-
ing to Rs 2.48 lakh crore
have been issued during
April 1, 2023 to January
10, 2024. On a gross ba-
sis, direct tax collection
up to January 10, 2024
registered steady growth.
Anurag Thakur at Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra event in Mumbai.
VICE PRESIDENT JAGDEEP DHANKHAR INVITED
FOR RAM TEMPLE CONSECRATION CEREMONY
New Delhi Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar
on Thursday said he will convey a suitable time
to visit the Ram temple
in Ayodhya. The vice president
conveyed this to VHP’s inter-
national working president Alok
Kumar and Ram temple con-
struction committee chairperson
Nripendra Misra, who extended
an invite to him to attend the
consecration ceremony in Ayod-
hya on January 22. “I will definitely come to Ayodhya
Dham with my three generations and will convey the
time (of the visit) to you ...I am overwhelmed at receiving
the invite,” he told Kumar and Misra, who called on him.
Dhankhar said that he was lucky to be in an era where
after centuries this work has been accomplished.

TOP
TWEETS
SPIRITUAL SPEAK
Holding on to anger is like
grasping a hot coal with the intent
of throwing it at someone else; you
are the one who gets burned.
BUDDHA
Celebrating a historic moment!
India, under PM @narendramodi Ji,
achieves a significant leap with the
first oil production in KG-DWN-98/2 Block.
This project not only fuels our economy but
also strengthens our journey towards self-
sufficiency. #AatmanirbharBharat
Hardeep Singh Puri
@HardeepSPuri
On the clarion call of PM
Shri @narendramodi ji, let
us join the movement to
clean our temples and pilgrimage
sites between January 14 and 22,
ahead of the Pran Pratisthan at
Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Bhupender Yadav
@byadavbjp
IN-DEPTH
BOEING 737 NEED
‘MAX’ CHECKS FOR
FLYERS’ SAFETY
ecurity concerns have surged around Boe-
ing’s 737 Max series, particularly the 737
Max 9, following a terrifying incident in-
volving an Alaska Air flight at 16,000 feet. Shortly
after takeoff, the door of the 737 Max 9 unexpect-
edly blew open, prompting an emergency landing
and swift action from aviation authorities. Respond-
ing to the potential risk, the USAordered the ground-
ing of the entire 737 Max 9 fleet until a comprehen-
sive inspection of the aircraft is conducted.
In India where the Directorate General of Civil
Aviation (DGCA) undertook similar inspections on
the 737 Max 8 aircraft. Akasa Air, SpiceJet, and AI
Express which together operate 40 737 Max 8, sub-
jected their fleet to scrutiny to ensure the safety of
air travel. Disconcertingly, a part was found missing
on one of the aircraft.
With passengers’trust at stake, the Boeing faces a
critical juncture in reassuring the public of its com-
mitment to safety. The measures taken by the DGCA
underline the global nature of 737 Max’s safety.
S
CLIMATERECORDS
WHICH CANNOT
BE CELEBRATED
n a stark confirmation of the climate con-
cerns echoed throughout 2023, the European
climate change service Copernicus has of-
ficially declared 2023 as the hottest year on record.
The global average temperature soared to 14.98 de-
grees Celsius, surpassing the previous record of
14.81 degrees Celsius in 2016. Samantha Burgess,
Deputy Director of Copernicus, underscored the se-
verity by noting that the temperature was 1 degree
Celsius higher than the pre-industrial level.
Burgess aptly described this alarming trend as a cas-
cade of “tumbling dominoes,” emphasizing the inter-
connected nature of
environmental chal-
lenges.As we grapple
with the aftermath of
2023’s temperature
surge,thereisapalpa-
ble fear that 2024
might witness even
more extreme condi-
tions. The dual threat
of continued reliance
on fossil fuels and the
El Nino effect looms
large, pointing to-
wards a potential es-
calation of droughts,
heat waves, floods,
and wildfires.
The implications
extend beyond terres-
trial realms; acceler-
ated glacier melting
and rising ocean lev-
els intensify concerns
about long-term eco-
logical sustainability.
The Copernicus find-
ings serve as an ur-
gent call to action,
urging global coop-
eration to address the
root causes of climate
change. As we con-
front these challeng-
es, the need for inno-
vativeandsustainable
solutions becomes more evident than ever.The record-
breaking temperatures of 2023 demand a concerted
effort to mitigate further environmental degradation
andsecureasustainablefutureforgenerationstocome.
One must keep in mind the words of Carlo
Buantempo, the Director of Copernicus. “If we want
to successfully manage our climate risk portfolio, we
need to urgently decarbonise our economy…”To save
the climate, the accelerator has to be pressed now.
I
As we grapple with
the aftermath of
2023’s temperature
surge, there is a
palpable fear that
2024 might witness
even more extreme
conditions. The dual
threat of continued
reliance on fossil
fuels and the El Nino
effect looms large,
pointing towards a
potential escalation
of droughts, heat
waves, floods, and
wildfires
 Vol 5  Issue No. 217  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.  Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra  Managing Editor: Pawan Arora  Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act
PERSPECT VE 06
Jaipur, Friday | January 12, 2024 www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
he term
“worldview”
might sound
abstract and
rather high-
flown, but in reality, it
strikes close to home in
everyone’s life. None of us
perceive the same reality.
We make it personal, mir-
roring our deeply held be-
liefs and assumptions. We
all accept our personal real-
ity as valid, even though it
is an interpretation that is
transient, erratic, unpredict-
able, and constantly shift-
ing. What keeps the picture
stable is that the constant
bombardment of sights and
sounds is anchored in
something more perma-
nent, your worldview.
In my latest book, Quan-
tum Body, I contend that
the time is ripe for a new
worldview because the
ones that most people take
for granted have serious if
not fatal flaws. This is a
critical issue, so let me ex-
pand a bit on what is at
stake. Your deepest beliefs
act like a filter. They color,
censor, select, and distort
reality “out there.”
If you carry this insight
far enough, you wind up
with the Vedic position
from ancient India that
there is no independent re-
ality “out there.” There is
only a mirror of the self. In
everyday life, East and
West, this sounds prepos-
terous. What if two people
step off a curb at the same
time and both are hit by the
same bus? Person A be-
lieves that there is no inde-
pendent reality “out there,”
while person B accepts the
physical world as it is.
Does it matter when the
bus hits them?
Here we arrive at the
core belief that sustains re-
ality or illusion. It is also
what separates bondage
from freedom. Set aside
your immediate reaction,
which almost certainly says
that the bus doesn’t care
who it hits—the experience
will be the same. Instead,
look at the situation as a
clash of worldviews.
The materialist world-
view accepts the physical
world as it is (in recent
decades, the word “physi-
calism” has come to re-
place “materialism” in
this kind of discussion).
The bus, the victim’s
body, and everything else
in the picture exists from
the build-up of subatomic
particles into atoms and
molecules. No matter how
complex any problem
might be, these building
blocks don’t change. They
apply universally.
By contrast, there is an-
other worldview based on
consciousness. It holds
that creation is based on a
primal creative impulse
that precedes anything ma-
terial. In a religious socie-
ty, this primal conscious-
ness is God or the gods, but
it doesn’t have to be. You
can use any other favored
term, such as pure aware-
ness, cosmic conscious-
ness, Brahman, and so on.
What matters is the es-
sence of reality residing in
consciousness. In its crea-
tive unfolding, pure aware-
ness transforms itself into
an infinite array of appear-
ances. The entire physical
world down to the smallest
subatomic particle is one
appearance, but so is the
human mind.
It is hard to deny that
awareness is non-physical,
as are its products, such as
love, knowledge, insight,
and understanding. It is
equally hard to deny that
consciousness is needed to
create all experiences (in-
cluding the experience of
being a physicalist). If con-
sciousness is inseparable
from everything we call
real, the worldview that
places consciousness as
our source and origin be-
comes very compelling.
Does a better, more con-
vincing worldview change
what happens if you are hit
by a bus? If you have
evolved to experience life
as eternal bliss-conscious-
ness, the harm done to
your body is insignificant.
You see yourself as a
knower of consciousness.
No matter how different a
heart cell is from a cloud,
a happy thought from a
forest fire, or a distant gal-
axy from a bus, you see a
common thread in each—
consciousness has trans-
formed itself into different
modes that each require a
unique mode of knowing.
If you hold, on the other
hand, that harming your
body is a source of pro-
found pain and suffering,
with the terrifying pros-
pect of death hovering in
the shadows, then being hit
by a bus is catastrophic
proof of your worldview.
The example of being
hit by a bus doesn’t decide
which worldview you
should adopt. But it fits
into the notion that the
world is a mirror. You are
constantly testing your
core beliefs, and ultimately
your worldview, in every
experience you have. The
benefit of a worldview
based on consciousness is
that you are testing some
fundamental, even life-
changing, propositions.
THEY INCLUDE
THE FOLLOWING
l Reality is on your side.
l Invisible forces support
your evolution.
l The light of awareness can
heal.
l Infinite possibilities exist in
consciousness.
l Bliss consciousness lies at
the core of existence.
l There is inherent meaning
in your life.
l You are woven into a grand
plan overseen by higher
consciousness.
l Your worth is infinite.
l The ideal life is to live in
the light, which means liv-
ing your true self.
On the spiritual path,
you test these propositions
to see if they are true. They
can only be true if they ap-
ply to you personally. Oth-
erwise, they remain at the
level of rosy wishes and
distant spiritual promises.
Unfortunately, the vast
majority of people don’t
test these propositions, and
most have only heard of
them vaguely, if at all. The
practical result is that we
go around testing another
set of propositions.
l Life is random.
l The forces of nature are
arrayed against us.
l Human beings are a speck
in the vast emptiness of
space.
l Death is final and arrives
when the physical body
perishes.
l Survival is a constant
struggle.
l Luck is fickle and deter-
mines who wins or loses.
l Pain and suffering are
inevitable.
l The best you can hope for
is to minimize pain and
maximize pleasure.
In reality, most people
don’t test these proposi-
tions at all but accept them
at face value. This is a
form of unconscious bond-
age. Once someone de-
cides that a conscious life
is better than an uncon-
scious one, I think there is
no competition between
which set of propositions
I’d want to test.
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY
THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL
T
In my latest book,
Quantum Body, I
contend that the
time is ripe for a
new worldview
because the ones
that most people
take for granted
have serious if not
fatal flaws. This is a
critical issue, so let
me expand a bit on
what is at stake.
Your deepest beliefs
act like a filter. They
color, censor, select,
and distort reality
“out there”
CONSCIOUS
CONNECT
You see yourself as a
knower of consciousness.
No matter how different a
heart cell is from a cloud, a
happy thought from a forest
fire, or a distant galaxy from
a bus, you see a common
thread in each—conscious-
ness has transformed
itself into different modes
that each require a unique
mode of knowing.
If you hold, on the other
hand, that harming your
body is a source of pro-
found pain and suffering,
with the terrifying prospect
of death hovering in the
shadows, then being hit by
a bus is catastrophic proof
of your worldview.
The example of being hit
by a bus doesn’t decide
which worldview you
should adopt. But it fits
into the notion that the
world is a mirror. You are
constantly testing your
core beliefs, and ultimately
your worldview, in every
experience you have. The
benefit of a worldview
based on consciousness is
that you are testing some
fundamental, even life-
changing, propositions.
FINDING A BETTER
WORLDVIEW
DEEPAK
CHOPRA
The writer is MD,
FACP, FRCP founder of the
Chopra Foundation,
a non-profit entity for
research on well-being
and humanitarianism,
and Chopra Global

Mahesh Sharma
Jorhat
t is popular
among people
today that con-
suming a lot of tea is
harmful to
health, but
r e s e a r c h
shows that
having 5-6
cups of tea is
not harmful but benefi-
cial for one’s health.
Recently, Assam tea
completed its 200 years
and is a favourite with tea
connoisseurs. It is known
for its strong flavour and
people can comfortably
drink 5-6 cups of tea daily.
Dr Pradeep Barua, Di-
rector of Toklai Tea Re-
search Center, Assam,
claims that drinking 5-6
cups of tea is not harmful
to health but beneficial as
it works like medicine for
diabeticcancerpatients.
As per scientists, to get
the full benefit, it should
be boiled less and should
be taken without milk.
Theysayblackteaismore
beneficial than green
tea. Until now 35 varieties
of tea have been discov-
ered depending on their
taste length of leaves.
NEWS 07
200 YEARS COUNTING, ASSAM’S TEA INDUSTRY CONTINUES GLORY RUN
Drink 5-6 cups of tea to keep disease at bay, says research
I
JOURNALISTS FROM RAJASTHAN VISIT TOCKLAI TEA RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND ATTENDS VBSY AT DERGAON, GOLAGHAT
Guwahati: A group of
seven journalists from
Rajasthan embarked
on a six-day visit to Assam,
focusing on understanding the
state’s infrastructure develop-
ment. During their visit today,
they explored the Tocklai Tea
Research Institute, renowned
as TRA Tocklai, the oldest tea
research institute dedicated
to tea-related research. Dr.
Pradip Baruah, the Director-
in-charge at TRA, provided
insights into the potential of
Assam Tea in both domestic
and international markets. Dr.
Barua elaborated on the histo-
ry, plantation, processing, and
marketing of tea, emphasizing
TRA’s role in training small
tea growers and its research
and development facilities.
Addressing challenges in the
tea industry, he highlighted
climate change, market
competition, and labour as
significant issues. Dr. Baruah
mentioned TRA’s ongoing re-
search in robotics and artificial
intelligence to enhance tea
affordability and competitive-
ness. The journalists also
toured the RD department,
tea tasting center, and physi-
ology department of TRA. In
the latter part of the day, the
team visited the Viksit Bharat
Sankalp Yatra rural camp at
Dergaon, North Golaghat.
ECIorganises2-daymeet
withCEOsofStatesUTs
First India Bureau
New Delhi
With the Lok Sabha elec-
tions only a few months
away, the Election Com-
mission of India began a
two-day Conference on
Thursday with the Chief
Electoral Officers of all
States and Union Territo-
ries to review prepared-
ness for the polls.
The conference which
began in New Delhi at
India International Insti-
tute of Democracy and
Election Management
(IIIDEM) on Thursday
will deliberate on the
preparedness for the
next general elections,
scheduled to take place
this year.
The full Commission,
led by the Chief Election
Commissioner (CEC),
senior EC HQ officials
and CEOs are participat-
ing in the meeting.
“A two-day Confer-
ence of Chief Electoral
Officers of all States/UTs
began in New Delhi this
morning. The meeting,
being held at IIIDEM, is
reviewing preparedness
for General Elections
2024. The full Commis-
sion, led by the CEC,
senior EC HQ officials
and CEOs are participat-
ing,” the poll body said.
In the 2019 general
elections, the BJP script-
ed history by winning a
record 303 seats out of
542 whereas the Con-
gress could manage only
52 seats. Narendra
Modi, the first non-Con-
gress full majority Prime
Minister to be re-elect-
ed, has done so with a
stronger majority.
To review preparedness for the elections
DELIVER 'SPOTLESS' LOK SABHA POLLS: CEC
RAJIV KUMAR TELLS STATE POLL MACHINERY
New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Ku-
mar on Thursday asked the state chief electoral of-
ficers to deliver a “spotless” Lok Sabha polls due in
March-April. Addressing a conference, he also said “a solid
set of preparations” is in place for the democratic exercise.
Kumar stressed that the road to the elections is a journey
of duty and resolve and expressed confidence in the readi-
ness with all necessary interventions to provide the best
possible electoral experience to all stakeholders, befitting
the largest democracy of the world. The two-day confer-
ence is being held to share experiences and learnings
from recently-held assembly elections, along with thematic
discussions on election planning, expenditure monitoring,
electoral roll, IT applications, data management and EVMs.
Kumar said the thrust of the upcoming elections would be
to ensure the best possible experience for the voters.
LOK SABHA POLLS
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar with Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and
Arun Goel and others at the two-day Conference of Chief Electoral Officers of all States/UTs reviewing
preparedness for General Elections 2024, at IIIDEM in New Delhi on Thursday. ANI
Situationonborders‘stable
yetsensitive’:GeneralPande
PTI
New Delhi
Army Chief Gen Manoj
Pande on Thursday said
the situation along the
Line of Actual Control in
eastern Ladakh is “stable”
but “sensitive”, and as-
serted that Indian troops
are maintaining a “high
state” of preparedness to
deal with any challenge.
Addressing a press
conference, Gen Pande
also said that both India
and China continue to
hold talks at military
and diplomatic levels to
find a resolution to the
remaining issues. Our
operational prepared-
ness continues to be at
a high level, he said,
noting that the Indian
Army is maintaining
adequate reserves to
confront any security
challenge in the region.
World's most
powerful passports:
France, Japan
share top spot
Agencies
New Delhi
France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Singapore, and
Spain start 2024 with the
world’s most powerful
passport, allowing visa-
free entry to 194 global
destinations, according
to the latest Henley Pass-
port Index. The ranking
is based on data from the
International Air Trans-
port Association (IATA).
For the past five years,
Japan and Singapore have
consistently dominated
the No. 1 spot. However,
this quarter’s ranking
showcases European na-
tions jumping up the
tanks. Finland and Swe-
den tied with South Korea
in second place, offering
visa-free access to 193
destinations. Austria,
Denmark, Ireland, and the
Netherlands secure the
third position, providing
passport holders access to
192 destinations.
India’s passport ranked
80th spot, with citizens
allowed to travel to 62
countries without a visa.
Case against actor
for ‘Disrespecting
Lord Ram’ in movie
Menbargeintohotel
roomtoassaultcouple Agencies
Bhopal
Amid outrage over the
movie ‘Annapoorani’, a
case has been registered
against actor Nayanthara,
the film’s director and
producers, Netflix In-
dia’s content head. An
FIR, filed by a right-wing
outfit, alleges that the ac-
cused hurt religious sen-
timents of Hindus, disre-
spected Lord Ram
promoted ‘love jihad’.
Agencies
New Delhi
A group of six to seven
Muslim men verbally
abused and thrashed an
interfaith couple who
were staying at a hotel in
Karnataka’s Haveri dis-
trict, police said.
The incident took place
on January 7. The matter
came to light after the vic-
tims narrated their ordeal
to the police, and regis-
tered a case against the
accused. Police have ar-
rested two accused so far.
On receiving informa-
tion about an interfaith
couple booking a hotel
room, the group of men
barged into the hotel,
opened the door of the
couple’s room and as-
saulted the couple.
The gang of Muslim
men verbally abused the
couple and filmed the
womanwhileabusingher.
Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande visits an exhibition
after addressing the annual press conference, ahead of Army
Day, in New Delhi, Thursday. PTI
India’s Shivam Dube celebrates with teammates during the first
T20I match against Afghanistan, in Mohali, Thursday. PTI
A soldier ties a rainbow flag with a Star of David on an Israeli
armoured personnel carrier, as they re-enter in Gaza on Thursday.
UN top court hears
genocide allegation as
Israel focuses fighting
In Central Gaza
Agencies
Jerusalem
The United Nations’ top
court began hearings
Thursday for South Af-
rica’s allegation that Is-
rael’s war with Hamas
amounts to genocide
against Palestinians. Is-
rael strongly denies the
claim. Although the case
is likely to take years to
resolve, South Africa is
asking the International
Court of Justice to order
an immediate suspension
of Israel’s military offen-
sive in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli military opera-
tions in Gaza have lately
focused on the southern
city of Khan Younis and
urban refugee camps in
the territory’s center.
Hundreds of people have
been killed in recent days
in strikes across the terri-
tory, including in areas of
the far south where Israel
told people to seek refuge.
Meanwhile, US Secre-
tary of State Antony
Blinken has been meet-
ing with leaders across
the Mideast, seeking to
rally the region behind
postwar plans for Gaza.
‘IranseizesoiltankerinvolvedinUSdispute’
Agencies
Dubai
Iran seized a tanker with
Iraqi crude destined for
Turkey on Thursday in
what appeared to be a re-
taliation for the seizure
last year of the same ves-
sel by Tehran’s arch foe
the United States, Iranian
media reported.
The Marshall Islands-
flagged tanker St Niko-
las, which last year was
confiscated by the Unit-
ed States for carrying
Iranian oil, was boarded
by armed intruders as it
sailed close to the Oma-
ni city of Sohar, accord-
ing to British maritime
security firm Ambrey,
and its AIS tracking sys-
tem was turned off as it
headed in the direction
of the Iranian port of
Bandar-e-Jask.
Following the seizure
of the vessel last year, Iran
warned the U.S. that “it
will not go unanswered”.
Google lay offs: Company cuts
jobs in hardware, voice-assist
Agencies
San Francisco
Google has laid off hun-
dreds of employees
working on its hardware,
voice assistance and en-
gineering teams as part of
cost-cutting measures.
The cuts come as
Google looks towards
“responsibly investing in
our company’s biggest
priorities and the signifi-
cantopportunitiesahead,”
the company said. The
cuts follow pledges by
executives of Google and
its parent company Al-
phabet to reduce costs.
Sheikh Hasina
takes oath as
Bangladesh PM
PTI
Dhaka
Sheikh Hasina was on
Thursday sworn in as the
Prime Minister of Bang-
ladesh for the fifth term,
days after her Awami
League won an over-
whelming majority in the
general elections boy-
cotted by the main oppo-
sition BNP and its allies.
President Shahabud-
din administered the oath
of office to Hasina at a
ceremony joined by pol-
iticians, and senior civil
and military officials at
Presidential Palace.
T20: India beat Afghanistan
Shivam Dube shines
on comeback to script
comfortable triumph
PTI
Mohali
India’s fringe players, led
by Shivam Dube, made
the opportunity count to
set up a six-wicket win
over Afghanistan in the
first T20 of the three-
match series onThursday.
A lively 68-run part-
nership off 43 balls be-
tween the seasoned Mo-
hammad Nabi and youth-
ful Azmatullah lifted
Afghanistan to 158 for
five after India dominat-
ed the powerplay. The
total posted was not
enough in good batting
conditions as India got
home comfortably.
Agencies
New Delhi
India’s Aman Sehrawat
defeated China’s Zou
Wanhao in the men’s
57kg category to win
gold at the Zagreb Open
late on Wednesday.
The Indian entered the
finals after defeating all
his opponents via by
technical superiority.
Wrestling: Aman
Sehrawat clinches
men’s 57kg gold
OTHER TECH LAYOFFS 2024 MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS
z Amazon.com’s lives-
treaming platform Twitch is
planning to lay off approxi-
mately 500 employees, as
per Bloomberg report.
z Flipkart is contemplat-
ing laying off 5-7% of its
workforce, which translates
to 1100-1500 jobs.
z Videogame software
provider Unity Software to
lay off about 25% of its em-
ployees globally, amounting
to 1,800 jobs.
z AI startup Humane
which is preparing to launch
its first product, laid off 10
employees this week.
AFGHANISTAN RECORD
HIGHEST T20I TOTAL
Afghanistan have re-
corded their highest
total against India in
T20I cricket. Their previous
highest total in this regard
was 144/7 in the 2021 ICC
T20 World Cup in Abu
Dhabi. Afghanistan touched
the 100-run mark in the 15th
over (105/3). Nabi smashed
two back-to-back sixes.
A group of seven journalists from Rajasthan embarks on a six-day visit to Assam at Tocklai Tea
Research Institute on Thursday.

08
Greetings on the occasion of Rashtriya Yuva
Diwas. We pay tribute to Swami Vivekananda,
whose philosophy and ideals continue to inspire
us even today and show the path ahead.
Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CMD Editor-in-Chief
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Postal Reg No. JPC/004/2022-24
Jaipur, Friday | January 12, 2024 www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
ANOTHER IAS REJIG
CM gives Modi’s ‘no vendetta’ ‘women empowerment’mandate a major push!
Rajendra Chhabra
Jaipur
ollowing Prime
Minister Naren-
dra Modi’s ‘No
political vendetta’ man-
date with utmost honesty
in the latest IAS transfers,
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal
Sharma has also given the
message of ‘Women em-
powerment’ through the
change as 5 female IAS
have been appointed as
Secretary of Departments,
one has been made JDC,
while one young IAS has
been appointed on the
chair of Joint Secretary of
Home Department. It
should be noted that in
the IAS transfer list is-
sued last week, seven fe-
male officers were ap-
pointed as Collectors of
various districts. In the
reshuffle that occurred on
Wednesday, two female
IAS were accorded the
additional charge of the
Secretary of two depart-
ments, which is also
worth mentioning here.
Along with Akhil Aro-
ra, the entire team of the
Finance Department has
been kept as it is as both
Secretaries, Excise Com-
missioner, IG - Stamps,
and Registration and CCT
have not been shuffled.
While Anand Kumar has
been given a continuance
in Home, two Secretaries
underhim-BhanuPrakash
Yeturu andArchanaSingh
have been shuffled and
their replacements have
not been appointed.
After a long ‘Vanvaas’
Ajitabh Sharma has re-
turned to the mainstream
and the new government
has elevated him and
handed him the reins of
the entire Industries Sec-
tor. Along with MSME,
the important responsibil-
ity of the Chairman, RII-
CO has also been handed
to him. It is after a long
time that the Principal
Secretary has been ap-
pointed as RIICO Chair-
man. In the previous gov-
ernment, the Principal
Secretary to the CM held
this responsibility.
The responsibilities to
Sreya Guha, Anand Ku-
mar, Bhaskar A Sawant,
Vaibhav Galriya, Prithvi
Raj, and Ashutosh AT
Pednekar have been less-
ened wherein,Abhay Ku-
mar’s position has been
kept intact by giving him
additional charge of Pan-
chayati Raj and Rural De-
velopment in addition to
Water Resources. Al-
though it was believed
that he would be given a
major responsibility.
It is the second time
that a female IAS has
been given the reins of
JDA. Before this, in
2003, Usha Sharma was
appointed as JDC in
2003. Among the 29
Commissioners of JDA,
only 2 have been women.
Moreover, this too has
also happened for the
first time that the reins of
the Cooperative depart-
ment have been handed
to two female officers.
Along with Secretary -
Suchi Tyagi, the post of
Registrar Cooperatives
has also been given to
another female officer -
Archana Singh.
It will be a challenge
for Samit Sharma to han-
dle a complex and ‘bur-
dened’ department like
PHED. How he sticks to
the rule book and runs a
disciplined show, keep-
ing that in mind, it may
be difficult to keep the
engineers under control
and manage getting work
out of them. As such
DIPR is perhaps the best
responsibility for him.
Hemant Gera has
again not featured on any
‘hot seat’. He was wait-
ing for several months
for his transfer as his ten-
ure in DoP has become
too extended stretching
for three years and three
months. Gera is the sec-
ond Principal Secretary,
after Mukesh Sharma
(three years and ten
months) who has served
for this long in DoP.
An interesting coinci-
dence has occurred in
Warehousing Corpora-
tion, where the additional
charge of both Chairman
and MD rests respectively
with Vaibhav Galriya and
KL Swami. This too has
happened for the first
time.
Kunji Lal Meena has
been sent on a punish-
ment posting of Chair-
man,IndiraGandhiNahar
Board. Moreover, despite
a major shuffle, the posts
of Director, Mines, Direc-
tor, Civil Aviation, and
Secretary, Home have re-
mained vacant.
Nirmal Tiwari Pankaj Garg
Bhilwara
Deputy CM Diya Kumari
on Thursday, said that
‘Harit Sangam- 2024’, a
five-day fair organised
by Apna Sansthan in
Bhilwara based on envi-
ronment and water con-
servation is a commend-
able effort to create pub-
lic awareness for the up-
liftment of nature and
culture. “This effort to
motivate people to dis-
charge social responsi-
bilities will definitely
yield better results,” she
said.She said that under
the leadership of PM
Modi, special attention is
being paid to environ-
mental protection and
water conservation.
Rakesh Jain, Surbhi,
Gopal and others were
also present at the event.
Yogesh Sharma and
Shubham Jain
Ajmer
Assembly Speaker Va-
sudev Devnani celebrat-
ed his birthday on Thurs-
day in a simple manner
by participating in vari-
ous social works. BJP
Mandal donated 11
stretchers to JLN Hospi-
tal. On behalf of Bajrang
Mandal, bank accounts
for 11 girls were opened
under ‘Sukanya Yojana.’
Devnani distributed
warm clothes to students
of a Blind School. Ajmer
DISCOM organised a
blood donation camp
315 units of blood col-
lected, was donated to
JLN Hosp’s blood bank.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Chief Minister BL Shar-
ma while chairing the
review meeting of the
Mines and Geology De-
partment at the CMO on
Thursday, said that pre-
vention of illegal mining,
especially gravel mining,
is State govt’s priority
and only strict and effec-
tive action will curb ille-
gal mining in the State.
He directed to take strict
action against the mining
mafia by conducting a
5-day joint campaign by
the Police, District Ad-
ministration, Forest,
Transport Mines Depts.
Sharma also directed
to form a task force under
chairmanship of CS and
organise regular meet-
ings to ensure prevention
of illegal mining.
He instructed all DSPs
to take strict action
against mining mafia.
“Only when strict en-
forcement of law is en-
sured, there will be fear
among those doing ille-
gal mining,” he said, add-
ing that officials should
ensure that mining work
across Raj is carried out
as per rules, so that ille-
gal mining is curbed.
F
PM’s ‘Chadar’ to be offered at Ajmer Dargah
Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged with a
delegation from the Muslim community on Thursday
and presented them with a ceremonial ‘Chadar’ intended
to be placed at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah.The meeting was
part of an event commemorating the death anniversary
of the esteemed Sufi saint, Moinuddin Chishti. Sharing
the pictures on X, formerly Twitter, Modi wrote, “Met a
Muslim community delegation. During our interaction, I
presented the sacred Chadar, which will be placed during
the Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at the esteemed
Ajmer Sharif Dargah.”
Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
presents the ‘Chadar’
to a delegation of the
Muslim community
in presence of Union
Minister of Minority
Affairs Smriti Irani
and the President
of the BJP’s Minority
Morcha Jamal
Siddiqui in New Delhi
on Thursday.
CMaskspolice,otherdeptstoact
againstminingmafiain5-daydrive
CM directs to form a task force under chairmanship of CS
Mining Meeting
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma calls upon Governor Kalraj Mishra at the
Raj Bhavan in Jaipur on Thursday.
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma welcomes Union Minister Ashwini
Vaishnaw at his residence at OTS in Jaipur on Thursday.
Alka Lamba addresses media during a press conference at PCC
office in Jaipur on Thursday. GS Dotasra and others were present.
Diya: Motivating masses to
fulfil social duties is laudable
Diya Kumari inaugurates the ‘Harit Sangam2024’ organised
by Apna Sansthan Bhilwara’ in Bhilwara district on Thursday.
Rakesh Jain, Surbhi, Gopal and others were present.
Members of the Rajasthan Assembly Secretariat Officers’ Council
organise a ‘Sunderkand Paath’ at the Shiv Temple to mark the
birthday of Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani on Thursday.
Officers are no longer afraid of
questions, they stall the answers
Stategovtbeingrunonslips
givenbyDelhi:GSDotasra
Pankaj Soni
Jaipur
There was a time when
there used to be panic
among officers as soon as
a question was raised in
the Assembly. But now
the situation isn’t the
same. Getting answers to
questions raised in As-
sembly from govt is also
being considered a diffi-
cult task. 5,028 questions
asked in 8 sessions of the
15th Assembly are still
unanswered. However,
formerAssembly Speaker
Dr CP Joshi had adopted
a strict attitude over time-
ly answers to questions.
Now the first session of
the 16th Assembly will
begin on Jan 19 with the
Governor’s address.
MLAs have started ask-
ing questions for session.
In this session, an MLA
has been given permis-
sion to ask 30 questions.
Naresh Sharma
Jaipur
Describing the Bhajan
Lal government as a gov-
ernment run by Delhi,
Congress State President
GS Dotasra said that this
government is here only
to talk and not to work.
“The government is
running based on slips
given by Delhi. No one is
working in BJP govt,” he
said at a press conference
at PCC office. “It has
been more than a month
since the govt was
formed, but no work is
being done. BJP govt is
only doing the work of
changing names of Cong
govt’s schemes. Instead
of working, the ministers
are making absurd re-
marks.” In upcoming LS
polls, BJP will be elimi-
nated from the Centre
and INDIAcoalition govt
will be formed,” he said.
Devnani participates in various social
works carried out to mark his birthday
SANTOSH
SHARMA
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma chairs a review meeting of Mining Dept via video conferencing at CMO in Jaipur on Thursday. Sudhansh Pant,
Utkal Ranjan Sahoo, Anand Kumar, Akhil Arora others were present. CM Sharma during the meeting, gave a clear message that
Illegal mining and corruption in the department will not be tolerated at any cost.
DEVNANI’S 77 ANSWERS ARE STILL PENDING
If we look at the questions of MLAs in the last ses-
sion, 77 questions of Vasudev Devnani, who was
elected Speaker in the 16th Assembly, are still unan-
swered. Devnani himself was in the category of best MLAs
in the last Assembly and was included in the list of MLAs
who asked more than 500 questions. Now the command to
answer questions is with Devnani himself. In such a situation,
the MLAs also have high hopes that Assembly Speaker will
adopt a strict attitude in answering the questions.
CM SHARMA CALLS UPON GOVERNOR KALRAJ
MISHRA, DISCUSSES ISSUES OF STATE’S DEVP
Jaipur: CM Bhajanlal Sharma reached Raj Bhavan
on Thursday and met Governor Kalraj Mishra. This
was CM Sharma’s courtesy visit to the Governor.
The Chief Minister consulted the Governor on various
issues related to State’s development. The CM also
discussed in detail the issues related to rapid development
of higher education in Raj, filling of vacant posts and tribal
welfare in tribal areas with Guv. Meanwhile, during the day,
Chief Minister held a public hearing at OTS. He listened to
plaints of the people instructed officers to resolve them at
the earliest . Aishwary Pradhan Vinod Singh Chouhan
5,028 questions still
to be answered from
the last Assembly
MLAs started asking
questions for the
16th Assembly
Session from January
19, proceedings will
begin with the
Governor's address

JAIPUR, FRIDAY | JANUARY 12, 2024
Glamour | Fashion | Bollywood | Hollywood | Lifestyle
THE FIRST LADY!
op star Selena Gomez will indeed play
the titular role in the upcoming Linda
Ronstadt biopic. Both Selena and Ronstadt
have confirmed this news as have Rolling
Stone and Variety. P11
P
09
firstindia.co.in
firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
nadazzlingdisplayof
style and cultural fu-
sion, the Jaipur Fash-
ion Expo 2024 un-
folded at JECC, inau-
gurated by Deputy
Chief Minister Dr Premchand Bair-
wa,CivilLinesMLAGopalSharma
andBJPspokesperson
Ashok Saini. The
eventcommencedwitha
mesmerizing Ganesh
Vandanaandlamplight-
ing ceremony, setting
the stage for a sarto-
rial extravaganza.
The highlight of
the evening was the
graceful presence of
MissWorld Manushi
Chillar, who stole
the spotlight as the
showstopper for
the fashion show. Her captivat-
ing presence added an extra
layer of glamour to an already
vibrant event.
The garment exhibition, fea-
turing 65 manufacturers, ele-
vated Jaipur’s manufacturing
market, showcasing a diverse
arrayoffashionconceptsfrom
India and abroad. From suits
to Indo-Western ensembles,
floraldesignsonkurtisto3D
printed summer collections,
the exhibition covered the
entire spectrum of fashion.
Organized by the Jaipur Garment
Club,theexpoattractedwholesalersand
buyers from across the country, includ-
ing places like Nepal, USA, London,
Bangalore, and more. A ramp show
featured Indian and foreign models
flauntingsummerfashionlooks,while
experienced Jaipur garment manufac-
turers presented their collections.
The exhibition proved to be a hub
for business, with an estimated 2000
wholesaler customers attending and
placing orders from the top 65
manufacturers of Sitapura and
Mansarovar. Various regions,
including Goa, Raipur, Kota,
Bhilwara,Indore,Assam,Cal-
cutta, participated, indicating
the widespread appeal of the
showcased col-
lections.
Designers like
Annaya Export, She
Fashion, Adheera
Fashion, and more
dazzled the ramp
with their unique
themes and col-
lections. The
fashion show
itself incorpo-
ratedelements
of Rajasthani
fog, urban
themes, saxophone melo-
dies,andlivemusic,creat-
ingavibrantandengaging
experience for attendees.
As the curtains closed
on the Jaipur Fashion
Expo, it left a lasting im-
pression on the fashion
landscape, with the
promise of good busi-
ness and a memorable
awards ceremony fea-
turing actress Tara Su-
taria and singer Guru
Randhawa.The interna-
tional fashion show,
orchestrated by chore-
ographer Lokesh Shar-
ma and complement-
ed by singer Kutale
Khan’s theme-based
performance, truly
captured the
essence of
style and cul-
tural diversity.
InternationalFlair,
LocalCharm
Jaipur Fashion Expo 2024 dazzled with Miss World
Manushi Chillar as the showstopper, featuring 65
designers, cultural fusion on the ramp, and orders
pouring in from wholesalers across the globe.
City First highlights some magnificent glimpses!
Mitali
Dusad
mitalidusad@firstindia.co.in
I MUKESH
KIRADOO
Strutting the runway with grace and style
Manushi Chillar Mugdha Godse with supermodels showchasing sophistication and beauty

12012024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf

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