15012024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf

Jaipur, Monday | January 15, 2024
RNI NUMBER: RAJENG/2019/77764 | VOL 5
ISSUE NO. 220 | PAGES 12 | `3.00
Rajasthan’s Own English Newspaper
firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
CELEBRATING
INDIAN
ARMY DAY!
Indian Army Day is celebrated annually on January 15 to commemorate commissioning of the first Indian contingent of the Indian
Army in 1949. It’s a day to honour velour, sacrifices, and unwavering commitment of Indian Army to safeguarding nation’s security.
The theme for 2024, “In Service of the Nation,” reflects the profound dedication of the army in safeguarding the security of India.
Chief of Defence Staff General
Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army
Staff General Manoj Pande,
Indian Navy Chief Admiral R
Hari Kumar and Chief of Air
Staff Marshal VR Chaudhari.
PARADE
PARADE
OFKITES!
OFKITES!
The Sunday sky over Jaipur was adorned with a mosaic of colourful kites,
skillfully captured by First India Senior Photojournalist Santosh Sharma. The
Walled City rooftops came alive with families and friends sharing festive
vibes and celebrating Makar Sankranti with traditional kite flying.
IN BRIEF
Pran Pratishtha: Jan 22
declared dry day in Raj
Jaipur: January 22 will
be a dry day in the state on
the occasion of the conse-
cration ceremony of the
Ram temple in Ayodhya,
Finance (Excise) Dept
said. Besides, non-veg
shops will also be closed
in Jaipur on January 22.
Withdraw troops by March
15: Maldives asks India
New Delhi: Maldivian
President Mohamed Muiz-
zu has proposed that Indian
govt withdraw its military
presence from archipelago
nation before March 15.
This comes amid strained
diplomatic relations be-
tween the two nations.
HrsafterquittingCong,
DeorajoinsShinde-Sena
Moni Sharma
New Delhi
PM Narendra Modi on
Sunday likened spirit of
Pongal to that of national
unity, one of “Ek Bharat
Shreshta Bharat”. Ad-
dressing a gathering at
Union Minister L Muru-
gan’s residence to mark
tfestival of Pongal cele-
brated in TN, Modi said
that same emotive con-
nection of unity could be
seen in his govt’s pro-
grammes of Kashi-Tamil
Sangamam and Kashi-
Saurashtra Sangamam,
wherelinksbetweenthese
geographically separate
areas could be celebrated.
PM Modi emphasized
importance of unity, stat-
ing that feeling of unity is
key force to build a de-
veloped India by 2047.
Milind Deora ends his family’s 55-year-
old relationship with the Congress party
First India Bureau
Mumbai
Former Union Minister
Milind Deora on Sunday
joined the Shiv Sena led
by Maharashtra Chief
Minister Eknath Shinde,
hours after quitting the
Congress. Deora was in-
ducted into the Shiv Sena
fold by Eknath Shinde,
who presented him with
a saffron flag. At induc-
tion ceremony, Deora
said it was a very emo-
tional day for him. ‘I was
facing Cong’s most chal-
lenging 10 years. If Con-
gress and Uddhav’s Sena
had the good thoughts, I
would not have been pre-
sent here,’ Deora said.
Milind Deora joins Shiv Sena
(Shinde) in presence of Eknath
Shinde in Mumbai on Sunday.
Congress only criticise Modi. Today even if
Modi praises Congress, they will still criticise it.
Party which used to help industrialists are right
now against them. PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah’s vision
for country is very big, and therefore I want to join them.
—MILIND DEORA
PM MODI GIFTS HIS
SHAWL TO A GIRL
In an overwhelming
gesture, Prime Minis-
ter Narendra Modi on
Sunday gifted his shawl to
a young girl who performed
during Pongal celebrations
at residence of L Murugan,
MoS, Fisheries, Animal
Husbandry, Dairying and
Information Broadcasting.
PM Narendra Modi takes part in Pongal celebrations at residence of
L Murugan, in Delhi on Sunday. Actress Meena others also seen.
GAU SEVA PARMO DHARMA!
ModicelebratesPongal,embraces
‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’
Prime Minister
Narendra
Modi feeds
cows on the
occasion
of Makar
Sankranti at
his residence,
in New Delhi
on Sunday.
6,700-KM 2-MONTH LONG, BHARAT JODO NYAY YATRA BEGINS FROM MANIPUR
Promise to bring
peace, harmony,
says Rahul as he
kicks off Yatra 2.0
YATRA WILL COVER 6,700 KM AND
TOUCH 110 DISTRICTS, 100 LS SEATS,
337 ASSEMBLY CONSTITUENCIES IN
THE BIGGEST MASS OUTREACH BY
CONGRESS AHEAD OF LS ELECTIONS
First India Bureau
Imphal
ongress MPRa-
hul Gandhi has
promised unit-
ed fight to bring back
peace harmony and af-
fection that Manipur has
lost in the 8 months since
ethnic violence first start-
ed in the state, and listen
to the people’s ‘mann ki
baat’ as he kick started
Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra
from Thoubal on Sunday.
Gandhi startedYatra in
the presence of Congress
president Mallikarjun
Kharge, and other lead-
ers. He first paid tributes
at the Khongjom War
Memorial in Thoubal and
said that when the Con-
gress party was deliberat-
ing upon where to begin
the second instalment of
the yatra, which has been
rechristened as the Bharat
Jodo Nyay Yatra, the an-
swer was clear to him.
Gandhi said that yatra
will raise issues about
economic, political and
social inequalities as In-
dia is going through pe-
riod of “injustice.” P7, 8
Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Deepender
Singh Hooda and other leaders arrive at the Manipur airport ahead
of the launch of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, in Thoubal on Sunday.
C
CM joins ‘Swachhata Abhiyan’
ahead of Pran Pratishtha event
Pankaj Garg Shubham Jain
Jaipur/Bhilwara
Chief Minister Bhajan
Lal Sharma on Sunday
launched “Swachhata
Abhiyan” at Hans Vihar
Temple in Mansarovar.
Taking forward PM Nar-
endra Modi’s call for
cleanliness in all pilgrim-
age places before the fes-
tival of Makar Sankranti,
CM cleaned temple
premises. While giving
the message of cleanli-
ness to people, Sharma
also appealed to the dev-
otees and local people to
take special care of
cleanliness in the tem-
ples. Sharma also visited
Viksit Bharat Sankalp
Yatra camp in Bhilwara
and said under leadership
of PM Modi, country has
become 5th largest econ-
omy in the world. P8
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma sweeps floor as Dr Somya and others look
on, at the Hans Vihar Temple in Mansarovar, Jaipur on Sunday.
MUNAWWAR RANA DIES
Renowned poet Munawwar
Rana died at the age of 71
after prolonged illness on
late Sunday in Lucknow.

www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
02
7days
to go
RamAayenge
RamAayenge
Lord Ram
belongs to
everyone. When
Lord Ram is
coming, not a
single temple or
pilgrimage site
should remain
untidy
NARENDRA MODI,
PRIME MINISTER
45 TONNES OF LADDOOS
TO BE DISTRIBUTED AT
RAM TEMPLE CEREMONY
STORY BEHIND CARVING
AND INSTALLATION OF
STONE AT RAM TEMPLE
As the eagerly
awaited ‘pran pra-
thishtha’ ceremony
for the Ram Temple in Uttar
Pradesh’s Ayodhya ap-
proaches on January 22,
about 45 tonnes of delec-
table laddoos are being
prepared to be distributed
to devotees and VIPs in at-
tendance. Trays laden with
laddoos have been arranged
in a manner that spells name
‘Ram’ in both Hindi and
English, adding a thoughtful
touch to the sacred endeav-
our. A dedicated team of
confectioners from Varanasi
has been working round the
clock to ensure the timely
production of these laddoos.
As Ayodhya is buzz-
ing with anticipation
for the Pran Prathi-
stha ceremony of the Ram
Temple on January 22, the
beautifully carved stones in-
stalled in the temple of Lord
Shri Ram have been carved
in Ayodhya for years and this
work is being looked after by
an 84-year-old Annu Soma-
pura of Ahmedabad who is
a master stone-carver and
supervisor of the Shri Ram
Mandi Nirman Workshop.
Annu Sompura who came to
Ayodhya in 1990 is a master
stone-carver and supervi-
sor of the Shri Ram Mandi
Nirman Workshop and has
always hoped that the temple
of Shri Ram would be built.
With this hope, he has been
monitoring the work of stone
carving for years. The stone
also came from Bansipalpur
village in Rajasthan. The age
of these stones which are in-
stalled in the temple of Lord
Shri Ram is 1000 years.
RSS and VHP made secret plans with the help of former military and police officers
to discreetly guide the Kar Sevaks to Ayodhya via new secret routes
ow lakhs of Kar Sevaks
reachedAyodhya for Kar
Seva in 1990, even
though tight security ar-
rangements were made,
is the biggest question
that has baffled everyone
for a long time. Actually,
secret plans were made by VHP and
RSS to send the Kar Sevaks toAyodhya
through new secret routes. In this mis-
sion, the responsibility of preparing the
plan was entrusted to former military
and former police officers. After arrest
of BJPleader Lal KrishnaAdvani, VHP
placed the entire responsibility of this
movementonAshokSinghal,retiredUP
DGP Shrish Chandra Dixit, and Vinay
Katiyar. Ashok Singhal was put in
charge of spearheading the movement.
The police were also aware of this but
all these leaders had gone underground
ten days prior and suddenly reached
Ayodhya, hoodwinking the entire police
administration. Singhal and Dixit
reached Akbarpur on a scooter wearing
shirts and pants. From there, on the af-
ternoon of October 29, they reached
Ayodhya by different routes. Pranven-
dra Sharma, son of late Acharya Dhar-
mendra, who reached Ayodhya from
Jaipur and then to the disputed structure
to participate in the Kar Seva, says that
hereachedAyodhyabutfaceddeath-like
situations everywhere. Sharma said that
the prominent leaders had reachedAyo-
dhya in disguise.Acharya Dharmendra
also arrived in the ambulance wearing
an apron and stethoscope like a doctor
whereas Uma Bharti had shaved her
head and was also in disguise.
Sharma had become the president
of Rajasthan University in those
days onABVPticket.Agroup of 20
youths from Jaipur had gone there
with him. Sharma says that even
before the train reached Lucknow,
the police had started arresting
them. “We lied to the police that
we were officials of the youth
wing of Mulayam Singh’s party Ja-
nata Dal only then did the police let us
go. We reached Ayodhya after walking
for six days from Lucknow. When the
police did not allow us to cross the Sar-
yu River, we crossed the river with the
help of boatmen. Trapped in various
groups, many times it felt as if death was
now standing in front of us, but due to
glory of Lord Ram, we went ahead un-
scathed.The police bullet passed us near
the ear and sometimes near the hand. It
hit a worker coming from Ganganagar
in the thigh,” reminisces Sharma.
A COP MOVED TOWARDS THE
MAGISTRATE WITH A GUN
POINTED AT HIM
In those days Ayodhya was considered
a part of Faizabad district and Ram-
sharan Srivastava was the District
Magistrate there. Later he was made the
National Vice President of VHP. After
retiring, he even published a book titled
‘A Perspective on the Ram Janmabhoo-
mi Dispute’. In an interview, he shared
his experiences regarding the firing in
Ayodhya, saying on November 2, 1990,
during stone pelting, a stone hit a CRPF
jawan. The enraged Company Com-
mandant ordered firing without
the permission of the magistrate. After
the firing, magistrate was forced to sign
the order. There was pressure from po-
lice that magistrate should present the
case in such a way
that the firing took
place only after tak-
ing orders from him.
This incident has
also been mentioned
by Hemat Sharma in
his book ‘Ram Phir
Laute’. Srivastava
had said, “During the firing, some po-
licemen got so agitated that a jawan
came into the crowd with a gun to shoot
me. I was wearing a helmet and shouted
will you actually kill the DM? Hearing
this he stepped back. This incident dis-
tressed me, I even thought about tender-
ing my resignation, but my family en-
couraged me.”
Srivastava died on September 2,
2020, and earlier, he had revealed many
secrets regarding the firing on Kar Se-
vaks. Srivastava had said that later a
detailed and actual report of the entire
matter was also sent to government.Af-
ter this, it was not known whether any
action was taken against the CRPF
Commandant or not. Srivastava also
said in his interview, “I think it was a
historical mistake to reverse the deci-
sion three days after acquisition of the
disputed land. Hindus and Muslims of
Ayodhya also wanted a settlement of
the matter. People were ready to build
a temple at the existing site and a
mosque at another site, but political in-
terference in the movement and subse-
quent lack of political will did not allow
the case to be resolved.”
THE FIRING STOPPED AFTER
SEEING THE RETIRED DGP
Retired UP DGP Shrish Chandra Dixit
had played the role of a hero for the Kar
Sevaks during the Ram Mandir move-
ment. Dixit was the DGP of UP from
1982 to 1984 and after retirement, he
joined the VHP and became its Vice
President. Senior journalist Hemant
Sharma has written in his book that
whether one has to send the Kar Sevaks
toAyodhya by avoiding the prying eyes
of police administration or to get Kar
Seva done by defying the law, Shrish
ChandraDixit’ssharpmindwasrespon-
sible for it. In 1990, sages and saints
were marching towards Ayodhya for
Kar Seva even as the administration had
imposed a curfew in Ayodhya. The po-
lice had barricaded a radius of 1.5 kilo-
metres of the disputed site. On October
30, the crowd of Kar Sevaks went ber-
serk, after which the police opened fire
on the Kar Sevaks and Dixit came for-
wardasashieldfortheKarSevaks.See-
ing the former DGPin front, the police-
men stopped firing. In this way, Dixit
played an important role in saving the
lives of the Kar Sevaks. A year later, in
the 1991 Lok Sabha elections, Shrish
Chandra Dixit became MP from Kashi.
H
PANKAJ SONI
The writer is
Associate Editor
at First India
THOUSANDSOFKARSEVAKSREACHED
AYODHYAGIVINGCOPSASLIP
ONRAM’SMISSION
ten days prior and suddenly reached
Ayodhya, hoodwinking the entire police
administration. Singhal and Dixit
reached Akbarpur on a scooter wearing
shirts and pants. From there, on the af-
ternoon of October 29, they reached
Ayodhya by different routes. Pranven-
dra Sharma, son of late Acharya Dhar-
mendra, who reached Ayodhya from
Jaipur and then to the disputed structure
to participate in the Kar Seva, says that
hereachedAyodhyabutfaceddeath-like
situations everywhere. Sharma said that
the prominent leaders had reachedAyo-
dhya in disguise.Acharya Dharmendra
also arrived in the ambulance wearing
an apron and stethoscope like a doctor
whereas Uma Bharti had shaved her
Sharma had become the president
of Rajasthan University in those
days onABVPticket.Agroup of 20
nata Dal only then did the police let us
go. We reached Ayodhya after walking
for six days from Lucknow. When the
mandant ordered firing without
the permission of the magistrate. After
Ayodhya also wanted a settlement of
the matter. People were ready to build
a temple at the existing site and a
mosque at another site, but political in-
terference in the movement and subse-
quent lack of political will did not allow
the case to be resolved.”
THE FIRING STOPPED AFTER
SEEING THE RETIRED DGP
Retired UP DGP Shrish Chandra Dixit
had played the role of a hero for the Kar
Sevaks during the Ram Mandir move-
ment. Dixit was the DGP of UP from
1982 to 1984 and after retirement, he
joined the VHP and became its Vice
President. Senior journalist Hemant
Sharma has written in his book that
whether one has to send the Kar Sevaks
toAyodhya by avoiding the prying eyes
of police administration or to get Kar
Seva done by defying the law, Shrish
A replica of the Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir
made by Prafulla Mategaonkar,
in Nagpur, on Sunday. PTI
After arrest of BJP
leader Lal Krishna
Advani, VHP placed
entire responsibility
of this movement on
Ashok Singhal, retired
UP DGP Shrish
Chandra Dixit, and
Vinay Katiyar.
InanticipationofLordRama’sarrival,joyousandfortunatewomen,arecarryinggolden
platesladenwithofferingssuchascurd,grass,vermilion,fruits,flowers,andnewlysprouted
Tulsileaves.Walkinggracefullytheysinghymns,celebratingtheauspiciousoccasion.

MINING MAFIA IN TROUBLE
Crackdown to start in 33 districts
Nirmal Tiwari
Jaipur
ollowing in-
structions of
Chief Minister
Bhajan Lal Sharma to de-
stroy the mining mafia in
the state, the government
team will crack down on
the mafia starting today.
Teams of mines, forest,
revenue, police, transport
and district administra-
tion have made prepara-
tions for this.
A total of 705 mining
mafia territories have
been identified in 33 dis-
tricts where action will
be carried out. A maxi-
mum of 53 mafia spots
has been identified in
Ajmer, 51 in Bhilwara,
Baran 40, 39 each in Ja-
lore and Udaipur, Bundi
37, Jodhpur 36, Jhalawar
30, 28 each in Rajsamand
and Nagaur and Ban-
swara 27. Illegal mining
of gravel and stone is
done in these mafia dens.
There is illegal mining of
sand stone, gypsum, kota
stone, feldspar, etc.
Chief Secretary Sud-
hansh Pant will monitor
the campaign. Mines
Secretary Anandi will
take daily feedback on
the campaign.
705 mining mafia territories have been identified in 33 districts.
F
RAJASTHAN 03
www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
City skies light up with shimmering fire crackers and lanterns as residents celebrate Makar Sankranti on Sunday. SUNIL SHARMA
Tripti Gautam
Jaipur
The Kite Festival was or-
ganised at Jal Mahal here
by the Tourism Depart-
ment. Deputy Chief Min-
ister Diya Kumari inau-
gurated the Kite Festival
here. A large number of
domestic as well as for-
eign tourists participated
in festival.
On this occasion, Dep-
uty CM Diya Kumari
talked about promoting
tourism in the state. Folk
songs and dances were
presented at the festival.
Deputy CM Diya Ku-
mari inaugurated the Kite
Festival by flying a bal-
loon. Diya Kumari also
advised to fly kites with-
out hurting the birds.
Tourists participated in
kite-string and traditional
kite-flying activities.
To entertain the tour-
ists, the tourism depart-
ment enthralled them
by presenting folk
songs like Kalbeliya
dance, puppetry,
Kachchi Ghodi, Bhopa,
tribal dance and other
folk songs.
Tourism Principal Sec-
retary to Government
Gayatri Rathod, Tourism
Director Rashmi Sharma,
RTDC MD VP Singh,
Tourism Deputy Director
Upendra Singh Shekha-
wat and other senior of-
ficials were also present
during the programme.
SoaringSpiritsonMakarSankranti
Jaipur skies come alive with
vibrant kites flying during
the day while in the evening
the festivities peaked with
the display of fireworks
SwachhTeerthAbhiyanby
BJPcommencesinRaj
CP Joshi, Joraram Kumawat, Balmukund Acharya and other
BJP leaders taking part in cleanliness drive in Jaipur.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
BJP’s Rajasthan unit on
Sunday started the
Swachh Teerth Abhi-
yan on the call of PM
Modi. Under the cam-
paign, which is being
run from January 14 to
22, state president CP
Joshi visited Shree Ram
templeatBadiChaupad
and offered prayers. He
then visited Khole ke
Hanumanji temple and
distributed blankets to
the needy and also par-
ticipated in kite flying.
He said that the cam-
paign started from the
oldest temple of Jaipur.
He appealed to the
common people to join
the Swachh Teerth Ab-
hiyan. Joshi said that
the PM started the
cleanliness campaign
which became a mass
movement.
Houses allocated to
Cabinet Ministers
in Bhajan Lal Govt
Dr Rituraj Sharma
Jaipur
The cabinet ministers of
the newly formed govern-
ment of Rajasthan have
been allocated their re-
spective residences.
Here is a list of the minis-
ters with their bungalows.
Scolded for playing mobile
games, minor girl kills self
Someofficesopentoday,
floutingCollector’sorders
Raj Police set to
bedazzle with 300
drones on Jan 16
Gul Mohammad
Kota
A 15-yr-old girl commit-
ted suicide by hanging
herself after being scold-
ed by her father over
playing games on mobile
phone. On Sunday, the
police conducted a post-
mortem and handed the
body over to family.
Police said that the
matter is of Borkheda po-
lice station. Kripanshi
(15) was playing games
on mobile on Saturday
when her father scolded
her, asking her to concen-
trate on studies.An angry
Kripanshi gave the mo-
bile phone and went into
her room. When she did
not come out, the door
was broken and she was
found hanging inside.
Vinod Singh Chouhan
Jaipur
The local holiday of
Makar Sankranti was
declared for January 15
by the District Collector
in Jaipur district.
However, some pri-
vate institutions are
disobeying the orders
of the District Collector
Prakash Rajpurohit by
not announcing them
despite local holiday
declaration.
As a result, many
people will have to go
to the office even on
the local holiday on the
ocassion of Makar
Sankranti. In a similar
incident, earlier, the
District Collector had
declared a local holi-
day on December 7.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
To create awareness
against cyber crime, the
Rajasthan Police will fly
300 drones over Ra-
jasthan Police Academy
at 5pm on January 16.
The drone show aims to
engage the public and
Police and create aware-
ness among the masses.
Kites on Makar
Sankranti leave
scores injured
First India Bureau
Jaipur
The joy of Makar
Sankranti was disrupt-
ed as more than 100
people got injured in
various accidents. 29
patients were regis-
tered in SMS trauma
centre alone.
Out of these, more
than 15 patients were
cut by the manjha.
While 13 people got
injured due to falling
from height during
kite flying, the condi-
tion of two innocent
children among the
injured is critical.
Chief Secretary
Sudhansh Pant will
oversee the entire
campaign personally,
while the Mines
Secretary, Anandi
will be receiving daily
feedbacks to
facilitate effective
interventions
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma took part in kite flying as part of Makar
Sankranti celebrations at Raju Mangodiwala in Kishanpole Bazar
on Sunday. Also seen are Dr Somya Jyoti Khandelwal.
In order to create awareness, ACS Health Shubhra Singh
launches kites with ‘QR-codes’ for organ donation on Sunday.
Biju George Joseph along with his team reached Jaisinghpura
Khor and enjoyed kite flying with kids. The Jaipur Police
Commissioner distributed kites and sweets to the children and
wished them a Happy Makar Sankranti.
 Gajendra Singh Khinvsar Bungalow: 18D, Civil Lines
 Babulal Kharadi Bungalow: 383A, Civil Lines
 Madan Dilawar Bungalow: 380, Civil Lines
 Jogaram Patel Bungalow: 382, Civil Lines
 Suresh Singh Rawat Bungalow: 385A, Civil Lines
 Avinash Gehlot Bungalow: 383, Civil Lines
 Joraram Kumawat Bungalow: 385B, Civil Lines
 Kanhaiyalal Chaudhary Bungalow: 18A, Civil Lines
 Sumit Godara Bungalow: 1/51, Gandhinagar
 Sanjay Sharma Bungalow: B5, Gandhinagar
 Gautam Kumar Dak Bungalow: 381, Civil Lines
 Jhabar Singh Kharra Bungalow: 18C, Civil Lines
 Manju Baghmar Bungalow: 1/55, Gandhinagar
 Hiralal Nagar Bungalow: 2, Hospital Road
 Vijay Singh Chaudhary Bungalow: 3, Hospital Road
 KK Bishnoi Bungalow: 1/37, Gandhinagar
 Jawahar Singh Bedham Bungalow: 1/18, Gandhinagar
Diya Kumari inaugurates the Kite Festival organised by the
Tourism Department at Jal Mahal in Jaipur.
AROUND 450 BIRDS
INJURED DUE TO KITE
FLYING ON MAKAR
SANKRANTI IN JAIPUR
Nearly 450 birds got
injured on Sunday
after getting entan-
gled in the kite manjha,
while 50 birds died. For the
treatment, the Forest Dept,
has set up bird treatment
centres at many places.
On Sunday, 80 pigeons, 3
eagles, an owl, 1 titmouse,
1 green bee-eater and 1 bat
were brought in injured con-
dition camps organised un-
der the joint aegis of Hope
Beyond organisation and
Angel Eyes Foundation
These birds were treated
by doctors, similarly, till late
evening, 173 injured birds
were brought to camps at
Malviya Nagar and Ram-
niwas Bagh, in which the
number of pigeons was the
highest. Nirmal Tiwari

DEEG SP’s DRIVER AND DSP’s GUNMAN INDULGE IN
FISTFIGHT DURING HELMET DISTRIBUTION DRIVE
Deeg: Deeg SP’s driver and DSP’s gunman got into
an argument and fistfight while distributing helmets
to drivers near Singh Pol Gate in Deeg. Helmets
were being distributed by the police and Bhamashahs so
that people follow traffic rules. During this noble work, two
policemen clashed with one
another. They also kicked and
punched each other. Mean-
while, Additional SP and CO
had to intervene to calm the furious policemen. While taking
photographs at the event, SP driver Jugal Kishore, who was
standing behind gunman Ved Prakash, got pushed.
RAJASTHAN 04
www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
8TH ARMED FORCES VETERANS’ DAY
Guv calls for honouring soldiers, their families
Vinod Singh Chouhan
Jaipur
overnor Kalraj
Mishra, while
addressing a
function organized at the
Army’s SaptashaktiAudi-
torium on the 8th Armed
Forces Veterans’ Day on
Sunday, called upon ev-
eryone to honour the ser-
vices of the ex-service-
men and their families
who have sacrificed for
nation and provide every
possible support to them.
Remembering the first
Indian Commander-in-
Chief of the IAF, Field
Marshal KM Cariappa,
Mishra said that his retire-
ment day is celebrated as
Armed Forces Ex-Ser-
vicemen Day.
He recited poet
Makhanlal Chaturvedi’s
‘Pushp Ki Abhilasha and
said that soldiers also
wish to sacrifice them-
selves for the nation. He
called for effective imple-
mentation of schemes for
the welfare of soldiers.
Ravi Sharma
Udaipur
Udaipur Bird Festival
concluded on Sunday at
MLSUAuditorium where
winners of various com-
petitions during the three-
day festival were hon-
oured. In the programme,
Assam Governor Gulab
Chand Kataria said that
nature and ancestors have
given a lot to Udaipur.
“If we conserve nature
then Udaipur can be best
destination for biodiver-
sity,” he said.
Kataria said that the
young generation must be
connected with the cam-
paign and made aware of
the relationship between
humans and nature.
PTI
Jodhpur
A doctor and two nurses
of the MDM Hospital in
Jodhpur were removed
from duty on Saturday, a
day after a cancer patient
died due to disruption in
the supply of oxygen
caused by a power shut-
down in the trauma cen-
tre of the state-run facil-
ity. The action was taken
following a preliminary
report of the inquiry
committee constituted by
the hospital administra-
tion to fix responsibility
for the incident. Dr. Kul-
deep Singh and two nurs-
es have been put on APO
(awaiting posting order),
hospital superintendent
Vikas Rajpurohit said,
adding a detailed inquiry
was in progress.
A parallel administra-
tive inquiry has been or-
dered by the divisional
commissioner. Addition-
al District Magistrate
Sanjay Basu will conduct
the inquiry and submit a
report by Monday.
Vimal Kothari
Jaipur
The Directorate General
of GST Intelligence
(DGGI) officials have
been accused of harassing
and manhandling staff of
a jewellery showroom in
Sikar during a raid. The
showroom owner Ram K
Soni has filed a petition
against the accused offi-
cials in the high court. A
team of DGGI had con-
ductedraidsontwoshow-
rooms and residence of
Soni in Sikar onAugust 2
and 3 last year. The peti-
tioner alleged that the of-
ficers harassed and man-
handled his employees
and extorted Rs 20 lakh.
Soni has made the Cen-
tral Board of Indirect
Taxes, GoI, Secy of Rev-
enue Department of the
GoI, Additional Director
General DGGI Jaipur Re-
gional Unit and the Chief
Secy of the Govt of Raj-
asthan parties in matter.
The court has considered
the matter serious and
Acting Chief Justice
Manindra Mohan Srivas-
tava and Justice Shubha
Mehta asked the petition-
er to submit two copies of
the CD containing visuals
of the assault in the court
in a sealed cover.
The court has also In-
structed the concerned
parties to submit their re-
ply within a week. The
next hearing of the case
will be on February 19.
First India Bureau
Dausa
A five-year-old boy in
Ghumna village of Sikrai
subdivision area of Dausa
died after a marble got
stuck in his windpipe on
Sunday. The boy had put
a marble in his mouth
which he accidentally
swallowed while being
engrossed in playing
games on mobile phone.
The family immedi-
ately rushed him to the
hospital, where the doctor
declared him dead. Doc-
tors tried to remove the
marble, but it remained
stuck and the family took
the body away without
conductingapostmortem.
Deceased Khushiram
was the youngest and the
only brother among his
four sisters. A pall of
gloom descended upon
thevillageafterthechild’s
sudden death on a festive
occasion. The child was
later cremated.
Shivendra Singh Parmar
Jaipur/Bharatpur
TheteamofAntiGangster
TaskForceandPoliceSta-
tionAtalbandh took a ma-
jor action in Bharatpur
and arrested gangster/his-
tory-sheeter Kaushalen-
dra alias Kaushal (30),
wanted in famous Kripal
Jaghina murder case with
illegal weapons. He car-
ries a bounty of Rs 5,000.
The team also recov-
ered a country-made pis-
tol with five cartridges,
two empty magazines,
two country-made car-
tridges of 315 bore one
live cartridge from him.
Additional Director
General of Police Crime
and Anti Gangster Task
Force (AGTF) Dinesh
MN said that they had in-
puts about Kaushalendra
going to supply weapons
to other criminals.
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma paid tribute to bravery of all retired soldiers
on the 8th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day celebration at Amar
Jawan Jyoti in Jaipur on Sunday. GoC-in-Chief of South Western
Command, Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth and other officers are also seen.
Assam governor GC Kataria distributing certificate for environment
conservation during the event in Udaipur on Sunday.
Gajendra Singh Khimsar also
reached MDM to take stock of
situation on Saturday night.
Kaushalendra in police custody on Sunday. Team caught him with
the weapons from the Alakh Jhalakh Bagichi area in Bharatpur.
Governor Kalraj Mishra Mishra honouring State Soldier Welfare
Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore for his services to nation
as an ex-serviceman during the event in Jaipur on Sunday.
G
FI TOON
SHEKHAR
NORESPITEAHEAD,CHILLTOPREVAIL
Cold wave continue
to prevail in parts of
Rajasthan with
dense fog, according
to weather officials.
Temperatures in
several places across
state were recorded
under 10°C. Pilani
was the coldest place
with a minimum
temperature of 3°C,
a MeT department
spokesperson said.
MeT dept spox said
that no major
change in sight in
the weather of
different divisions of
the state.
Ziauddin Khan
Raj continues to reel under chill weather as cold wave prevails, Pilani recorded coldest @ 3°C on Sunday
RAJ IN GRIP OF COLD
WantedgangsterinJaghinamurdernabbed
CRIME
ROUNDUP
WOMAN RAPED BY TUITION TEACHER IN JAIPUR
Jaipur: A woman has registered a complaint at the
Malviya Nagar police station of being raped by the
tuition teacher, who came to teach her children.
The victim said that the accused raped her by mixing
some intoxicant in water. After she regained conscious-
ness, the victim reached the police station. She said that
accused teacher raped her while she was unconscious.
Malviya Nagar police station in-charge Poonam Chaud-
hary is investigating the case. Satyanarayan Sharma
GOVT SCHOOL TEACHER
MOLESTS MINOR
Baran: In a shame-
ful incident, a govt
school teacher
molested a minor student
in Baran. The victim
student has accused
teacher of molesting her in
a complaint registered at
Anta police station here.
Police have registered a
case and started investi-
gation in the matter and
is committed to ensuring
appropriate action against
the accused teacher.
KEKRI: WOMAN SELLS
DAUGHTER FOR MONEY
Kekri: In a shocking
case, a teenage girl
from Odisha has
accused her mother and
maternal uncle of get-
ting her married in lieu of
money in Bajta village after
increasing his age. The
Child Helpline freed the
girl with the help of Savar
police station. At present
the girl has been sent to a
women’s shelter and the
entire matter will be known
only after an investigation.
THREE ARRESTED FOR
STEALING FOREIGN
COAL IN JODHPUR
Jodhpur: The PHQ
Crime Branch
team arrested 3
people during a raid in a
godown in Bilara police
station area of Jodhpur
rural district and seized
two truck trailers and
an unnumbered mixing
loader tractor along with
thousands of kilograms of
adulterated coal and seal-
ing machine. ADG Crime
AGTF Dinesh MN said
that arrested have been
identified as Sanjay Chau-
han (23), Vikram Gurjar
and Bihari Lal Gurjar (42).
DGGI officials accused
of assault during raids
Five-year-old swallows
marble in Dausa, dies
Connect youths with nature, says
Kataria at Udaipur Bird Festival
Doctor,2nursestakenoffdutyafter
patientdiesduetolessoxygensupply
Fog engulfs Gadisar lake in Jaisalmer on Sunday morning.
The mercury again dropped to the freezing point in the State’s hill station Mount Abu. Here a layer
of light snow was seen in the valleys on Sunday morning. Sonar fort was ‘invisible’ due to fog in Jaisalmer on Sunday.

FOLLOW OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL TO 'READ FREE' THE FIRST INDIA
ENGLISH NEWSPAPER EVERYDAY, AND WIN EXCITING PRIZES
CLICK HERE

Jaipur, Monday | January 15, 2024 05

he period post
World War II,
from late 40s till
disintegration of
Soviet Union in
early 90s was characterized by
an ideological and geopolitical
contention often referred to as
the Cold War. The globe was
practically divided into two
spheres of influence, with the
United States steering the West-
ern Bloc and the Soviet Union
heading the Eastern Bloc. This
battle for dominance may not
have seen direct military skir-
mishes, but was visible through
proxy conflicts, space races, nu-
clear brinkmanship, economic
assistance programs, and ideo-
logical warfare. With fall of
Berlin Wall, disintegration of
Soviet Union, democratisation
of Eastern Europe and abolition
of Warsaw Pact in 1991 the geo-
political divide crumbled down.
Post-Cold War, the world practi-
cally remained unipolar under
the US and its allies for a long
time. The prevailing cold peace
is now caught with the emerging
China-Russia alliance threaten-
ing US dominated world and the
reverberations of the Cold War
seem to echo once again.
Wecurrentlyliveinamultipo-
lar world where authority is dis-
tributed among several key
players, including but not lim-
ited to the United States, China,
Russia, and a consortium of Eu-
ropean powers. Yet now, there
is a need for a reality check on
whether we are on the verge of
another cold war, and global se-
curity and stability are at risk or
the factors like global collabora-
tions for economic growth,
challenges of climate change
and the counter terrorism efforts
favours continuity of status quo.
It may appear that the Cold War
has begun, brought upon the
West by the aggressive partner-
ship of Xi Jinping and Vladimir
Putin, but the neutrality of
emerging voices of Global
South like India, Brazil and
SouthAfrica, economic interde-
pendence and cost affordability
with recession looming large on
most nations are proving major
deterrents to any direct conflicts
between the two powers of the
day but how long is the real
question that is a cause of worry
for most world leaders.
A steady decrease in U.S. de-
fence spending might indicate
reduced threats to the Western
Allies but their compulsions of
protecting own geopolitical in-
terests around the world and
fight against global terrorism or
keeping Sea Lines of Communi-
cations (SLOC) safe has present-
ed multiple challenges for the
US.Today, issues like Terrorism,
Sea Piracy and Cyber Crime
needs united efforts by all coun-
triestokeepthesemenacesunder
control. Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine in February 2022 has
transmuted into a significant
geopolitical crisis and incited a
substantial rearrangement of
worldwide alliances. Concur-
rently, Sino- Russian united front
on the Ukraine issue and a joint
statement in Feb 2023 Summit
meeting stating friendship be-
tween the two States has no lim-
its with no forbidden areas of
cooperation has put the US and
allies at lots of discomfort.
The United States, while re-
maining a dominant global ac-
tor, encounters challenges to its
hegemony from China - Russia
alliance. Europe’s stance is par-
ticularly intricate due to its
longstanding ties with the Unit-
ed States, geographical close-
ness to Russia, and growing
economic interdependence with
China and it is possible that the
historical friends on both sides
may seek new alliances. Recent
diplomatic initiatives and strate-
gic advances like, the United
States’ interaction with New
Zealand regarding the military
and security pact between Aus-
tralia, the United Kingdom and
the United States (AUKUS),
improved Indo-US relations
and active role of the Quadrilat-
eral Security Dialogue (QUAD)
between US, Australia, Japan
and India to ensure free, open
and prosperous Indo-Pacific and
counter China’s growing influ-
ence, China’s engagement with
almost 150 countries and global
organisations through Belt Road
Initiative (BRI) and Russian in-
roads into African and Asian
countries are indicative of stra-
tegic rearrangements resonant
of Cold War dynamics.
The present-day global secu-
rity environment has become
brittle due to war mongering be-
haviour of North Korean leader
Kim Jong, Chinese hostile ap-
proach towards Taipei and its
claims over South China Sea
Islands, resurgentTaliban taking
over Afghanistan, Ukraine war
and latest Hamas - Israel con-
flict. Though the Hamas- Israel
conflict witnessed major global
powers taking sides but the
spread of war to other regions
was sensibly averted. The Unit-
ed Nations too has not proved to
be an effective global forum for
convergence of nations to deal
with conflicts and global issues
of common interest in an amica-
ble manner and the world re-
mains divided house. The global
events and environment are con-
ducive to triggering another
cold war, may be of a different
dimension and shape.
The Intricacies of the
Emerging New Cold War and
India’s Perspective
In the realm of global politics,
there are firm indicators that the
world is gradually gravitating to-
wards a new version of the Cold
War and the US and its allies are
being confronted by China aided
by Russia. The new cold war en-
compasses issues of political
governance, economic interde-
pendence,humanrights,technol-
ogy, terrorism, cybercrimes, and
environmental changes. Further-
more,theemergenceofnon-state
actors - from multinational cor-
porations and international or-
ganizations to cybercriminals
and terror groups - adds an ad-
ditional layer of intricacy. Em-
powered by technological ad-
vancements and globalization,
these non-state actors have the
potential to shape global events
beyond control of states.
India is considered one of the
most promising developing na-
tions in the current global order
and has emerged as voice of
Global South. India has the po-
tential to promote greater capi-
tal accumulation, advance sci-
entific and technological devel-
opment, more production and
productivity, conventional and
unconventional military might
with less vulnerability to exter-
nal shocks and pressures.As the
multipolarity nature of world
diminishes and it gets difficult
to maintain status quo, India
will have to take note of its stra-
tegic encirclement by China-
Iran - Pakistan alliance and con-
sider closer alliance with the US
and allies to safeguard its own
interests but may not be at the
cost of reliable partner Russia.
The new cold war may not give
that luxury of remaining Non-
Aligned any more, yet India will
have its national interests as the
mainstay of its foreign policy.
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY
THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL
TOP
TWEETS
SPIRITUAL SPEAK
But they who wait for the Lord shall
renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
BIBLE
RISING
INDIA
India is considered one
of the most promising
developing nations in the
current global order and
has emerged as voice of
Global South. India has
the potential to promote
greater capital accumula-
tion, advance scientific
and technological devel-
opment, more production
and productivity, conven-
tional and unconventional
military might with less
vulnerability to external
shocks and pressures.
As the multipolarity nature
of world diminishes and it
gets difficult to maintain
status quo, India will have
to take note of its strategic
encirclement by China-
Iran-Pakistan alliance and
consider closer alliance
with the US and allies to
safeguard its own inter-
ests but may not be at the
cost of reliable partner
Russia. The new cold war
may not give that luxury
of remaining Non-Aligned
any more, yet India will
have its national interests
as the mainstay of its
foreign policy.
RESURGENCEOFNEWVERSION
OFCOLDWARIN2024
We currently live in a multipolar world where authority is distributed among several key players,
including but not limited to the United States, China, Russia, and a consortium of European powers.
Yet now, there is a need for a reality check on whether we are on the verge of another cold war, and
global security and stability are at risk or the factors like global collaborations for economic growth,
challenges of climate change and the counter terrorism efforts favours continuity of status quo
T
Thankyou@satwiksairaj@Shettychirag04
for a wonderful final! Resilience,
Dominance, Comeback, Speed, Perception,
Confidence - all skills displayed by you
both in this thrilling, nail-biting match against WR
No. 1 in the final of Malaysia Open 2024! Hats off for
rewriting history to become the only Indian(s) to
reach the final of the BWF Super 1000 twice!! Hard
luck, but you definitely gave sports fans across the
globe a worthy and memorable final.
AnuragThakur@ianuragthakur
Today,ontheoccasionofMakarSankranti,Ihadtheprivilege
ofdonatinglaborinthecleanlinesscampaignatMaa
HingulaTemple,Talcher,mybirthplace.Toshowitsjoyand
enthusiasmfortheconstructionofRamtemple,todaythe
entirecountryisactivelyparticipatinginthecampaigntoincreasethe
cleanlinessoftemplesandpilgrimageareasontherequestofthePM@
narendramodi.TomakethearrivalofRamLalagrandand
unprecedented,allofyoushouldalsodoShramdaan
fromtoday#SwachhTeerthandcelebrateDiwaliby
lightingRamJyotion22ndJanuary.
Dharmendra Pradhan@dpradhanbjp
l Vol 5 l Issue No. 220 l RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/77764. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Press, D.B. Corp Limited, Shivdaspura, Tonk Road, Jaipur. Published at 304, 3rd Floor,
City Mall, Bhagwan Das Road, C-Scheme, Jaipur-302001, Rajasthan. Phone 0141-4920504. l Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra l Managing Editor: Pawan Arora l Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act
PERSPECT VE 06
Jaipur, Monday | January 15, 2024 www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
A REALITY CHECK
Col Rajesh
Bhukar
The writer is a Post
Graduate in International
Studies, Alumni of Defence
Services Staff College,
Wellington and College
of Combat, Mhow

First India Bureau
Imphal
Congress MP Rahul Gan-
dhi received a warm wel-
come from party leaders
and workers as he arrived
at Imphal airport on Sun-
dayafternoon,fromwhere
he travelled to Manipur’s
Thoubal to launch the
Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Ahead of their depar-
ture from Delhi, Con-
gress President Mallikar-
jun Kharge said that the
party aims to reach every
house till people get the
right to justice.
“The Yatra will interact
with every section of the
society like farmers, la-
bourers, Dalits, tribals,
backward classes, small
traders, shopkeepers,
women, ex-servicemen,
sportspersons, teachers,
Asha workers, Anganwa-
di groups, NGOs, SHGs
etc,” Kharge added.
The yatra will cover
over 6,700 kilometres
over 67 days, traversing
through 110 districts.
Meanwhile, Lok Sab-
ha MP Danish Ali, who
was recently suspended
by the BSP has also de-
cided to attend the launch
of the Bharat Jodo Nyay
Yatra in Manipur.
RAM MANDIR IN AYODHYA
100 dignitaries from 55 nations to attend grand ‘Pran Pratishtha’on Jan 22
ANI
Ayodhya
round100heads
from 55 coun-
tries, including
ambassadors and MPs,
have been invited to ‘Pran
Pratishtha’ ceremony at
Ram Temple in Ayodhya
on January 22nd, Swami
Vigyananand, founder
and global chairman of
theWorld Hindu Founda-
tion said on Sunday.
The invited countries
include Argentina, Aus-
tralia, Belarus, Botswana,
Canada, Colombia, Den-
mark, Dominica, the
Democratic Republic of
the Congo (DRC), Egypt,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Germany, Ghana,
Guyana, Hong Kong,
Hungary, Indonesia, Ire-
land,Italy,Jamaica,Japan,
Kenya, Korea, Malaysia,
Malawi, Mauritius, Mexi-
co, Myanmar, the Nether-
lands,NewZealand,Nige-
ria and many more.
BJP chief JP Nadda participates in cleanliness drive at Guru Ravidas
Mandir as ‘Swachhta Abhiyaan’, in New Delhi on Sunday. ANI
UP CM Yogi Adityanath participates in cleanliness drive as part
of ‘Swachhta Abhiyaan’ in Ayodhya on Sunday. ANI
A
NEWS 07
OTHERSTATESCULTURE
TOBESHOWCASED
Ayodhya: Under
the guidance of
Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister Yogi Adityanath,
different cultures from across
the country will meet in
Ayodhya, the Chief Minister’s
office said on Sunday. In
this sequence, several new
events will take place, start-
ing with Makar Sankranti
(January 15). On various
locations, including Ram Ki
Paidi, Dharam Path, Tulsi
Udyan, Circuit House, Saket
College, etc., visitors will be
acquainted with the cultural
activities of different states.
First India Bureau
Kanpur
Reiterating the govern-
ment’s commitment to-
wards the welfare of ex-
servicemen,DefenceMin-
ister Rajnath Singh said
that from implementing
the One Rank One Pen-
sion scheme to providing
healthcareandre-employ-
ment,theGovernmenthas
been leaving no stone un-
turned to ensure the well-
being of the veterans.
Addressing a Veterans’
Rally at Air Force Sta-
tion, Kanpur, on the oc-
casion of 8th Armed
Forces Veterans’Day, the
Defence Minister said,
“Our soldiers rise above
family, caste creed
and only think about the
nation. They effectively
carry out their duties as
they know for a fact that
if the nation is secure,
everything is safe. This
gives them the moral
strength to face every
challenge”.
He said that while the
Government is making
more efforts as the nation
is progressing, it is also a
collective responsibility
of the people to treat the
soldiers their depend-
ents as their own family
and ensure that they
stand with them always.
Rajnath appealed to
the people to further
strengthen their will to
honour the retired as well
as the serving soldiers.
The Defence Minister
pointed out that the brav-
ery, integrity, profession-
al humanity of the In-
dian soldiers is respected
and recognised not just
by the whole country, but
by the entire world.
Govtcommittedtowelfare
ofex-servicemen:Rajnath
Well-being of veterans govt’s priority, says Singh
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh meets with the ex-servicemen during the 8th Armed Forces Veterans
Day 2024 celebrations at Air Force Station, in Kanpur on Sunday. ANI
Rahul Gandhi receives a warm welcome ahead of the launch of
the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, in Thoubal on Sunday. ANI
RaGa receives warm welcome
from party leaders in Imphal
Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra
Angul: While react-
ing to Congress
leader Jairam
Ramesh’s statement that
the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra
is an ideological battle
mounted against the politics
of polarisation and social,
economic and political
injustice, Union Minister
Dharmendra Pradhan
on Sunday said that the
‘tukde-tukde’ (breaking into
factions) gang is staging a
drama of uniting the coun-
try. “What is their ideology?
The ‘tukde-tukde’ gang are
staging a drama of uniting
the country,” Pradhan said
in Odisha’s Angul. Refer-
ring to the upcoming Pran
Pratishtha event at the Ram
Janmabhoomi Mandir, he
said, “The country is now
‘Ram-may’, the ideology
of Ram is prevalent today
and the country has a
new awakening. Some
people cannot tolerate this
progress. So they indulge in
this useless politics.”
‘TUKDE-TUKDE GANG’
STAGING DRAMA OF
UNITING COUNTRY:
PRADHAN ON BJNY
Knives out in SP for its
motormouth leader
Swami Prasad Maurya
Agencies
Lucknow
Knives are out in the Sa-
majwadi Party or senior
leader Swami Prasad
Maurya, who has been
making a series of con-
troversial statements on
Hindu religion.
From demanding dele-
tion of verses from Ram-
charitmanas to justifying
the firing on ‘kar sevaks’
in Ayodhya, his state-
ments have been irking
Hindu legislators, par-
ticularly those belonging
to the upper castes, in
Samajwadi Party (SP).
Last week, at a meet-
ing of the Samajwadi
Party, legislators had
raised the issue before
party president Akhile-
sh Yadav and the latter
had assured them that
Swami Prasad Maurya
had been asked to re-
frain from commenting
on religious issues.
However, a day after
this, Maurya made the
comment on ‘kar se-
vaks’, terming them as
“anti-social elements.”
Senior Samajwadi Par-
ty MLAs, Rakesh Pratap
Singh and Samarpal Sin-
gh have now asked the
party leadership to take
action against Maurya.
Rakesh Pratap Singh,
in fact, went to Ayodhya
to offer prayers and met
the Trust office bearer
Champat Rai last week.
Fog reduces visibility, flights
delayed as cold grips Delhi
ANI
New Delhi
A dense layer of fog
gripped the national cap-
ital, impairing the move-
ment of traffic as the city
woke up to a bitterly cold
Sunday.
The minimum tem-
perature in the RK Puram
Area was recorded at 7
degrees Celsius in the
early hours of the day.
Meanwhile, people on
the streets as well as the
homeless took refuge at
government-run night
shelters amid the unfor-
giving cold and foggy
conditions. The night
shelters in Delhi are
aimed at providing ref-
uge to homeless people,
who live on the streets
and have nowhere else to
go in the cold.
KAR SEVAKS WHO DIED DURING RAM TEMPLE
MOVEMENT BROUGHT ALIVE ON CANVAS
Ayodhya : Saffron volunteers, who lost their
lives doing ‘Kar Seva’ during the Ram Mandir
movement in the early 90s are being brought
alive on canvas in Karsevakpuram, Ayodhya. Artists
from Lucknow are involved in the work and are using
oil paint for making paintings. The work is in its final
stages. Vishwa Hindu Parishad spokesperson Sharad
Sharma said that the Ram Temple Trust is considering
installing these paintings in the courtyard of Ram Lalla.
However, a final decision on this is yet to be taken.
Apart from the men, who died waging the fight for the
Ram Temple since 1949, the paintings will also feature
slain Kar Sevaks from 1990 and thereafter. Karsevak-
puram is an area in Ayodhya roughly two kilometres
from the Ram Janmabhoomi site where the volunteers
had taken refuge during the Ram Mandir movement, in
a bid to escape arrest and police firing.
Veterans’ Rally
In the 1971 war, more than 90,000 soldiers of
Pakistan surrendered to India. We could have
treated them in any way we wanted; but such is
our culture and tradition that we adopted a
completely humanitarian attitude and sent
them back to their country with full respect.
RAJNATH SINGH, DEFENCE MINISTER
WFI’s Sanjay Singh claims unidentified caller
threatened to kill him and Brij Bhushan
West Bengal: 2 more persons arrested for attack
on Enforcement Directorate officials’ team
Varanasi: Police have registered a
case after an unidentified person
allegedly issued a death threat to the
president of the suspended Wrestling
Federation of India (WFI), Sanjay Singh,
and his predecessor and BJP MP Brij
Bhushan Sharan Singh over the phone, an
official said on Sunday.
Kolkata: West Bengal Police on Sunday
said that they have arrested two more
persons in connection with the attack on ED
and CAPF personnel which took place at
Sandeshkhali in North 23 Parganas on
January 5. Police have identified the two as
Ali Hossain Gharami and Sanjay Mandal.
Soldier killed as
Chinese Manja slits
throat in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: An
Indian Army soldier
was killed after his throat
was slit by Chinese
Manja in Hyderabad.
Naik Kagithala Koteswar
Reddy, 30, who was
riding a two-wheeler,
died in the incident
occurred on Indira Reddy
Flyover in Langer House
on Saturday evening.
The profusely bleeding
soldier was admitted to a
hospital, where he
succumbed.
NRIwomanrapedby
companyCEOinDelhi
hotel,FIRlodged
New Delhi: An NRI
woman was
allegedly raped by a
private company’s CEO
in a five star hotel in
Delhi’s Chanakyapuri
area, a police official
said on Sunday. The
official said that an FIR
under section 376 of the
Indian Penal Code (IPC)
has been filed at
Chanakyapuri police
station as per a com-
plaint received from an
Indian-origin US citizen.
Crucial Read
BSF seizes
gold worth
`12 lakh in
WB, two held
ANI
North 24 Parganas
The Border Security
Force (BSF) along
with the South Ben-
gal frontier have ar-
rested two Bangla-
deshi smugglers and
seized five gold ban-
gles and three gold
chains worth over
Rs 12 lakh at Inte-
grated Check Post
(ICP) Petrapole in
North 24 Parganas
district of West Ben-
gal, the officials said
on Sunday.
The arrested man
and woman have
been identified as
Samadhar Dhar (56)
and Reena Dhar (44),
both from Chit-
tagong district in
Bangladesh.
As per the offi-
cials, both accused
were trying to
smuggle the gold
bangles and chains
from Bangladesh to
India through ICP
Petrapole without
any valid docu-
ments or customs
declarations.
Swami Prasad Maurya
New Delhi: A special IndiGo flight, through
which Congress leaders, including Rahul Gan-
dhi, were going to travel to Manipur’s Imphal
for the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, was delayed due to
fog and poor visibility conditions at Delhi Airport on
Sunday morning. The Imphal-bound special IndiGo
flight escorting Rahul Gandhi and other Congress
leaders could not take off from Delhi on time due to fog
causing a delay in the inauguration of the Yatra.
RAHUL GANDHI’S FLIGHT TO IMPHAL DELAYED
DUE TO FOG POOR VISIBILITY CONDITIONS
Maurya has not found
any support for his
statements from OBC
leaders in SP and his
former colleagues
from BSP have
distanced from him
A Vistara flight takes off during fog on a cold winter morning, at
Chennai International Airport, in Chennai, on Sunday. PTI
Uttarayan Patang Mahotsav
Union Home Minister Amit Shah flies a kite during the ‘Uttarayan
Patang Mahotsav’, at Vejalpur, in Ahmedabad on Sunday. ANI

Vimal Kothari
Jaipur
Taxation Department has
not been allotted to any
Minister and the responsi-
bility of this department
rests with CM Bhajan Lal
Sharma. Officials of the
Commercial Taxes and
Registration and Stamps
Departments, which
come under the Taxation
Dept, were unnecessarily
confused about the Minis-
ter of these departments.
However,theconfusion
was recently resolved by
the CMO when Principal
Secretary of the CMO, T
Ravikanth issued an order
fixingtheresponsibilityto
Ministers of conducting
parliamentary business in
the State Assembly with
respect to the departments
under the CM.
In the order, Deputy
CM Diya Kumari has
been entrusted with the
responsibility of handling
the parliamentary work,
on CM’s behalf, of Ex-
cise, Planning, Taxation,
Planning (Manpower)
and Statistics Depts. Diya
is, however, the Minister
of Finance (Budget Ex-
penditure).
Similarly, the responsi-
bility of handling parlia-
mentary work regarding
the Mines Petroleum
Department has been giv-
en to Health Minister
Gajendra Singh Khimsar.
ApartfromthesetwoMin-
isters, the names of Kirodi
Lal Meena, Col Rajya-
vardhan Singh Rathore,
Madan Dilawar, Jogaram
Patel Surendra Singh
Rawat are also included in
the order, who were also
given the responsibilities
ofhandlingtheparliamen-
taryworkofvariousdepts.
It has become clear
from this order that the
CM is the head of Taxa-
tion Mines Depts
not any other Minister.
08
Greetings on the festival of Makar Sankranti/
Uttarayana and Pongal. Also, greetings to our
soldiers on the occasion of Indian Army Day.
Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CMD Editor-in-Chief
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Postal Reg No. JPC/004/2022-24
Jaipur, Monday | January 15, 2024 www.firstindia.co.in firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
LOK SABHA ELECTIONS
Vaishnaw to contest from Jaipur City!
First India Bureau
Jaipur
ailwaysMinister
Ashwini
Vaishnaw con-
firmed on Sunday, that he
will not be contesting
the Lok Sabha elections
from the Balasore seat
in Odisha, thereby, put-
ting an end to specula-
tions. Earlier, there
were rumors that the
BJP might field
Vaishnaw, a Rajya Sab-
ha MP and former Dis-
trict Collector of Balas-
ore, in the upcoming LS
elections.
However, recent de-
velopments suggest that
he might opt to contest
from Jaipur City, given
his frequent visits to
Rajasthan.
Reliable sources indi-
cate that the Union Min-
ister Vaishnaw’s deci-
sion to fight from Jaipur
City may result in Bohra
having to seek an alter-
native seat.
The BJP has report-
edly communicated to
senior leaders, including
those in their third term
in the Rajya Sabha, that
they must contest the
upcoming Lok Sabha
elections to secure their
place in Parliament.
This directive applies
even to leaders current-
ly serving as Cabinet
Ministers.
Sources suggest that
the leaders have been
given the autonomy to
choose their preferred
constituencies.
Furthermore, it has
been decided by the
High Command that
Piyush Goyal will be con-
testing from Mumbai.
Ashwini Vaishnaw
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma Diya Kumari
Piyush Goyal
R
Ashwini Vaishnaw clears that he
will not fight from Balasore
BJP directs senior Rajya Sabha
members to join the Lok Sabha race
CM:VBSYaimstoconnectpeople
withpublicwelfareschemes
People are participating in camps with much vigour, he says
A Busy Sunday for CM
Pankaj Garg
Bhilwara
Chief Minister Bhajan
Lal Sharma on Sunday,
visited the ‘Viksit Bharat
Sankalp Yatra’ camp in
Bhilwara’s Kaliyas vil-
lage and highlighted the
achievements of the
Modi government. He
said that India has be-
come the fifth largest
economy under the lead-
ership of Modi.
Sharma added that
people are participating
in the camps with huge
enthusiasm and benefi-
ciaries are getting the
benefits of the schemes.
“Modi has worked for the
development of villages,
the poor, farmers and
women ever since he be-
came the Prime Minister.
PM’s dream is that every
eligible person should
get the benefits of the
public welfare schemes,”
he said. Sharma also talk-
ed about the decisions of
his government includ-
ing forming SIT for pa-
per leak cases.
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma interacts with women seeks info about
local products during the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ at Kaliyas
village in Bhilwara district on Sunday.
CM Bhajan Lal Sharma addresses peoples’ concern during a
‘Jansunwai’ directs the officials to resolve them at the earliest
at OTS in Jaipur on Sunday.
CM SENDS SACRED ‘CHADAR’ TO AJMER SHARIF DARGAH
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Skill, Planning and Entre-
preneurship Minister Ra-
jyavardhan Rathore said
that the youth should be
trained as per the skill de-
mand of the country and
theworld.Hewasreview-
ing the schemes related to
skill development, em-
ployment and ITI with
senior officials in a meet-
ing held in the auditorium
located at Udyog Bhawan
here on Sunday.
Rathore reviewed the
progress while discussing
the departmental schemes
and directed to provide
quality skill training to
the youth. He said,
“Prime Minister Naren-
dra Modi has laid special
emphasis on providing
quality skill training to
the youth. For this, we
will have to implement
'Skill India'. There is a
huge demand for skill-
trained youth in the world
and India has the largest
youth population.”
Various departmental
officers, including Neeraj
Mathur were present in
the meeting.
Youth should be trained as per
country’s skill demand: Rathore
Rajyavardhan Rathore chairs a meeting to review schemes
related to skill development, employment ITI at Udhyog
Bhawan in Jaipur on Sunday. Bhupendra Yadav, Dharmpal
Meena, Neeraj Mathur others were present.
Shubham Jain
Ajmer
Assembly Speaker
Vasudev Devnani, during
his one-day tour ofAjmer
on Sunday, inaugurated
the work of road schemes
to be completed at three
different places in his as-
sembly constituency
Ajmer North for Rs 40
lakh. He fulfilled the
long-standing demand
for road construction in
the village, Boraj in the
presence of a large num-
ber of rural women.
Devnani said that the
previous government ig-
nored work in the pub-
lic's interest but now,
these works will be expe-
dited and new works will
be approved soon. He
said that before the con-
secration ceremony in
Ayodhya on January 22,
many events are being
organized across the
country. “In Ajmer, Ram
Parikrama has started for
the general public from 8
am to 8 pm for the next
nine days,” he said.
First India Bureau
Jaipur
Former CM Ashok Ge-
hlot said that Rahul Gan-
dhi has taken a very his-
toric step of taking out
‘Bharat Jodo Nyay
Yatra.’ This will create
history,” “The Constitu-
tion is being torn to piec-
es, the countrymen are
facing inflation, unem-
ployment, disintegration
in society, tension and
violence which should
end,” he added.
He said that Gandhi is
starting the yatra in these
circumstances its aim
is to make sure that every
citizen of the country
gets social justice.
Devnani inaugurates road devp
works worth `40L in Ajmer dist
BharatJodoNyayYatrabeingtakenoutby
RahulGandhiwillcreatehistory:Gehlot
CM is head of Taxation and
Commercial Taxes Depts
Vasudev Devnani inaugurates the construction work of the road
to be built at a cost of `22 lakh during a programme organised
at Holidara Chowk of village Boraj in Ajmer district on Sunday.
Rahul Gandhi, Salman Khurshid, former CM Ashok Gehlot,
Bhupinder Hooda, Abhishek Singhvi, Rajeev Shukla, Randeep
Singh Surjewala, Anand Sharma, Digvijay Singh, Sachin Pilot,
Pramod Tiwari and others en route to Manipur's Imphal by a
special IndiGo flight for the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,’ on Sunday.
Courtesy Meet
Dr Jagdeesh Chandra met Arun Singh, RS MP, National General
Secretary, BJP and State Incharge, Rajasthan, during a courtesy
meet at Ashok Club in Jaipur on Sunday.
Warm Birthday Greetings...
The Editor-in-Chief of the Rajasthan
Patrika Group, Gulab Kothari with Chief
Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Jagdeep
Dhankhar, Dr Sudesh Dhankhar, GC Kataria,
Anita Kataria, Om Birla, Diya Kumari,
Om Mathur, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and
others during the programme, ‘ Amrit
Yatra Anushthaan’ held to mark his 75th
birthday in Jaipur on Saturday.
Gulab Kothari addresses the esteemed
guests during the programme, ‘ Amrit Yatra
Anushthaan’ held to mark his 75th birthday
in Jaipur on Saturday.
India has become
the 5th largest
economy under
PM’s leadership: CM
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma sends the sacred ‘Chadar’ to be offered at the Ajmer
Sharif Dargah during the ongoing 812th Urs. The ‘Chadar’ was offered at the Dargah
by the State President of BJP Minority Morcha, Hameed Khan. The member of the
BJP State Working Committee, Dr Majeed Malik Commando, former State General
Secretary, Munsif Ali Khan and other leaders were present. Shubham Jain
The Dargah of
Garib Nawaz is a
symbol of peace
and brotherhood in
the entire world.
The country has a
tradition of Ganga-
Jamuni culture and
Sufi saints. I feel
extremely happy
on sending the
‘Chadar’ in the Urs
and pray to Garib
Nawaz that there
should be peace
and prosperity in
the State.
BHAJAN LAL SHARMA,
CHIEF MINISTER
Confusion among
officers cleared after
order from CMO

JAIPUR, MONDAY | JANUARY 15, 2024
Glamour | Fashion | Bollywood | Hollywood | Lifestyle
PONGAL MAKAR SANKRANTI!
he whole nation comes alive
during the festivals of Pongal and
Makar Sankranti. It’s a time of joy and
celebration for everyone, and even
celebrities are not left behind. P11
T
09
firstindia.co.in
firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
n a vibrant
celebration of
Makar Sank-
ranti, the Pink
City trans-
formed into a lively canvas
of kites, laughter and festivi-
ties. Gaurav Gaur, the Direc-
tor of Elite Miss Rajasthan,
joined supermodels in im-
mersing themselves in the
full fervour of the festival.
From sunrise to sunset, the
skies over Jaipur were alive
with colourful kites, creating
a breathtaking sight. As the
day transitioned into even-
ing, the traditional kites gave
way to a sky adorned with
lanterns, offering a view that
was nothing short of mes-
merizing. The jubilation ex-
tended beyond the skies,
with crackers and daz-
zling lights illuminat-
ing the city, marking
the joyous occasion
of Sakranti.
People were
spotted soaking in
the festive atmos-
phere, adding their
enthusiasm to the
already spirited
celebrations. Self-
ies became a
common sight
as they captured memories
against the backdrop of the
vibrant kites and glowing
lanterns. The streets were
filled with the aroma of
homemade delicacies, with
families and friends sharing
sweets like laddoos, feeni,
gajak and other traditional
treats. The festival served as
a powerful commencement
for the New Year, with the
entire Pink City resonating
with the joyous
sounds of cel-
ebrations.
Makar Sankranti in Jaipur was not just
a festival it was a visual spectacle, a
symphony of colours in the sky and a
joyous gathering that brought people
together to welcome the New Year
with exuberance and shared traditions!
Mitali
Dusad
mitalidusad@firstindia.co.in
I
Navya, Harshita, Aakriti, Urvi, Gaurav Gaur, Akanskha, Arzoo, Yashvini, Tanu and Shreya
SANTOSH SHARMA SUNIL SHARMA
Sheena Parashar
Navya, Nandini, Hema, Damini, Megha, Ratika, Mamta, Suvarna, Neha, Pranjal, Pragya, Prashasti, Pranika,
Nehal, Neha, Isha, Sajal, Smriti, Neelu, Shefila, Sushma Arora, Gunjan, Sushila, Anita, Rekha and others
Joyful couple revels in the warmth of festive celebration
Lovely couple under the Makar Sakranti sun
Captured in the festivity

Your Page
10
firstindia.co.in
firstindia.co.in/epapers/jaipur thefirstindia thefirstindia thefirstindia
Balancing the Kite traditionswith
BIRDCONSERVATION
hree years
ago, a tragic
i n c i d e n t
claimed the
lives of three
people, in-
cluding two young children,
due to the lethal use of glass-
coated strings for kite flying.
Saanchi Goyal, just 3 years
old, and 4-year-old Harry
were fatally injured by these
sharp strings while looking
out of the sunroofs of their
cars in separate locations in
Delhi. Annually, there are nu-
merous reports of serious in-
juries and fatalities caused by
these kite strings. This heart-
breaking news has deeply af-
fected us. The awareness of
this issue is crucial. Addition-
ally, it prompts us to reflect on
the often-overlooked impact
on thousands of birds, leading
to injuries and fatalities
caused by the use of these
strings in kite flying.
RISING CRISIS
These strings, besides their
human toll, are responsible
for killing and injuring hun-
dreds of birds each year. In a
conversation with Manan
Tholiya, the president of RAK-
SHA (an NGO dedicated to pro-
tecting animals, birds, and reptiles),
it was revealed that annually, approxi-
mately 10,000 to 12,000 birds are
harmed by kite strings in Rajasthan alone
in 2023. Tragically, about 30 per cent of these
birds do not survive their injuries, and
the majority of the survivors are un-
able to lead normal lives thereafter.
During festivals in India, the sky is
adorned with thousands of manjha.
Unfortunately, any bird ensnared by
these threads faces the risk of severe,
often fatal, injuries. The manjha possess-
es a cutting edge that slices through feathers,
flesh, and bone without breaking, he added.
Most injuries are linked to the wings, encompass-
ing fractures, ligament and muscle separations,
and, most devastatingly, complete wing amputa-
tion. Several NGOs are actively engaged in bird
rescue efforts in Rajasthan, with RAKSHA NGO
receiving 980 complaints of injured birds last year.
Anticipations for this year suggest a considerable
increase compared to the previous year.
Chandra
Prakash
The writer works in the
Editorial Department at
First India in a senior
capacity
T
WHY IS THERE A SURGE IN BIRD INJURIES?
The escalating concern revolves around the continual increase in these
figures each year. Experts attribute this concerning trend to the widespread
and unregulated sale of Chinese manjha, crafted from plastic and nylon,
and Bareilly ka manjha, coated with crushed glass or metal. Despite the
National Green Tribunal's imposition of a ban on these types of kite strings
in 2016, reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in November 2017, and a sepa-
rate ban order issued by the Delhi government in 2017, the issue persists.
“These kite strings pose a lethal threat not just to birds and animals, but
they have also inflicted serious injuries on humans. Following numerous
such incidents in 2017, the Delhi government prohibited the sale of both
Chinese and Bareilly ka manjha. Despite this ban, these strings are still
brazenly sold in local markets. Regrettably, every year as Makar
Sankranti approaches, countless innocent birds fall victim to these strings,”
stated Vinay, a social worker.
Vinay elaborated on the harm these perilous kite strings inflict on birds,
noting that the wings are often the most affected. While the immediate
impact might not be apparent, continued flight exacerbates these wounds,
leading to worsening conditions and infections. “The Chinese manjha and
Bareilly ka manjha are preferred by kite flyers for their ease in slicing
through an opponent's kite. However, it's this very sharpness that inflicts
severe injuries, he added.
MINOR INITIATIVES YIELD MAJOR TRANSFORMATIONS
RAKSHA and HG Foundation have set up a temporary rescue camp at
Ramnivas Bagh's South gate this year. The camp, inaugurated by Deputy May-
or Puneet Karnawat and CFO Rajiv Mishra, has successfully rescued 21 pigeons,
a barn owl and a pheasant as of January 12th, 2024. This camp is one of the 12-16
branches operating across Jaipur, each working towards the same goal. Numerous
other NGOs are also dedicating their efforts to save these birds, actively
participating in rescue operations.
z ADHERE TO KITE-FLYING TIMINGS:
Every year, the Jaipur collector mandates a kite-
flying ban from 6:00-8:00 AM and 5:00-7:00 PM,
yet adherence to this rule is lacking, resulting in
fatal outcomes for birds. Please follow the timings
to protect the birds during their most active hours.
z DISPOSE OF KITE STRINGS PROPERLY:
Always throw away leftover kite strings in garbage
bins to prevent them from ensnaring and harming
birds.
z AVOID HARMFUL KITE STRINGS:
Refrain from buying and using Chinese Manjha,
which is not only dangerous to birds but also
potentially lethal to humans.
z ASSIST INJURED BIRDS:
If you come across
an injured bird in
Jaipur, offer help by
contacting a bird rescue
NGO. Quick online searches can
provide you with the necessary contact informa-
tion. Your prompt action can make a significant
difference.
BIRD-FRIENDLY KITE FLYING:
A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY
HOW TO HELP AN INJURED BIRD?
While kite flying is a cherished
tradition in India, symbolizing
joy and festivity, it unfortunately
brings a tragic toll on birds.
Manan Tholiya, President,
RAKSHA, an organization com-
mitted to the welfare of animals
and birds, highlights a distress-
ing reality in 2023, kite strings
caused injuries to 10,000 to
12,000 birds in Rajasthan alone.
Tragically, about 30% of these
injured birds do not survive, and
those that do often face a bleak
future. The culprit is the
'manjha', a kite string so sharp it
can cut through feathers, flesh,
and even bone. Most common-
ly, these strings cause severe
wing injuries, including
fractures, muscle tears,
and in extreme cases, to-
tal wing loss. Despite legal bans
on these hazardous strings, the
threat to bird life continues. This
situation calls for heightened
awareness and concerted efforts
to ensure our celebrations do not
come at the expense of these
voiceless crea-
tures. By
adhering to
certain guidelines and modi-
fying our festivities, we
can safeguard the
lives of thousands
of birds.
A TRAGIC PRICE FOR TRADITION
Observe the injured bird from a safe
distance to confirm it is genuinely
injured and incapable of flying before
offering assistance.
Whether it's a fledgling or an adult,
carefully examine for any signs of
severe injury, such as blood.
If you find an injured bird, place it in a
cardboard box with a secure lid, and
line the box with paper towels.
Extend help by reaching out to a
bird rescue NGO; online platforms
provide contact details for various or-
ganizations dedicated to bird rescue
efforts. Your prompt action can make
a significant difference in aiding the
injured bird's recovery.

Bolly To Holly
11
ﬁrstindia.co.in
h e
whole
nation
comes
a l i v e
during
the festivals of Pongal
and Makar Sankranti. It’s
a time of joy and celebra-
tion for everyone, and
even celebrities are not
left behind. They take
this opportunity to send
their warm wishes to
their followers. Let’s
take a look at some
of their posts...
The RRR star Jr
NTR recently cre-
ated a buzz on the
internet by sharing
a sneak peek of his
upcoming movie
Devara. Now, he
took to his official
X (previously
known as Twitter)
account to extend
his heartfelt wish-
es to all those who
are celebrating the
festival of Pongal.
He wrote, “Wish-
ing everyone a
very Happy Pon-
gal.”
The Family
Man star Priy-
amani, who was
recently seen in
films like Jawan
and Neru along-
side Shah Rukh
Khan and Mo-
hanlal in the
leading roles,
took to her offi-
cial Instagram sto-
ry to send warm
wishes and celebrate
with her followers who
are observing the festi-
val today.
Venkatesh Daggubati,
who has his l a t e s t
movie Saindhav playing
in theatres right now, is
having a great time cele-
brating Bhogi. He even
shared about it on his of-
ficial Instagram story,
where he posted about
the bonfire festivities.
Tamannaah Bhatia
was also recently seen
celebrating Lohri on her
Instagram story, where
the actress wished all
her followers on the fes-
tive occasion.
SS Rajamouli was
spotted striking a pose
in front of a massive
bonfire, celebrating
the festival of Bho-
gi. The talented
director shared
this delightful
picture on his
official Insta-
gram ac-
count. Ex-
citingly,
Rajamou-
li is gearing up to com-
mence work on his up-
coming film alongside
the renowned actor Ma-
hesh Babu.
The Hi Nanna actor
Nani shared a picture of
himself on his social han-
dles today, celebrating
the festival of Bhogi with
a bonfire lit behind him,
wishing his followers the
joyous festival.
MAKAR SANKRANTI
T
he much-buzzed Sriram Raghavan’s Merry
Christmas was released last Friday, January
12. The film stars Katrina Kaif and Vijay
Sethupathi in the lead roles. The noir mys-
tery thriller has been well-received by the
audiences from members of the industry and audience
alike. Apart from its compelling storyline, the per-
formances of both actors have garnered significant
critical acclaim, following which the film has also
been performing well at the box office. Amongst oth-
ers, Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap shared his
review of the film and heaped praises on the entire
team. Anurag Kashyap hopped onto his Instagram
handle and shared a series of posters of Katrina Kaif
and Vijay Sethupathi starrer Merry Christmas.
Along with the post, expressing his admiration
towards the freshly released film, he penned a
long note and lauded the star cast and director
along with the other team members. He also
urged the audience to watch the film.
Expressing his review on the film and hail-
ing Sriram Raghavan, he wrote, “Love this
film .. @sriram.raghavanofficial has never
known to play safe and this time has gone a
made hitchcockian love story with two actors be-
longing to different cultures and them coming together on
Christmas Eve. He again does new things and creates a
slow burn with a terrific pay off. Both @katrinakaif and @
actorvijaysethupathi bring their best game to it . Also @
sanjaykapoor2500 @pathakvinay and #ashwini. Do give it
a shot . @matchboxshots @rameshtaurani . Great to see
you making this happen . And the cinephile in Sriram is as
omnipresent in this as on his T-shirts and his life .
DROPPED
Long Post
T
e l e n a
Gomez and
E m i l y
Blunt reu-
nited at the
AFIAwards in LosAnge-
les, having both attended
the Golden Globes 2024
the weekend before.
Gomez and Blunt posed
in an iconic pose with
hands on their mouths,
poking fun at the recent
lip-reading controversy.
Here’s what happened!
To humorously address
the gossip, Blunt and
Gomez posed with hands
in front of their mouths at
the Four Seasons Hotel,
sharing the playful photo
on Gomez’s Instagram
with the caption, “We
shall not speak lol.” The
Golden Globes stirred up
online chatter, with a vi-
ral video of Gomez talk-
ing to Taylor Swift,
prompting lip-reading
speculations. In the
Golden Globes video,
Gomez leaned over
Swift, sparking specula-
tion about the content of
their conversation.
Some viewers guessed
it involved Timothée
Chalamet and Kylie Jen-
ner, also present at the
event and subjected to
lip-reading interpreta-
tions. When the duo
were talking, their
video went viral with
a few lip readers
claiming that Selena
was talking about
Timothee Chalamet
saying, “He didn’t
want a picture with
me. He said no,”
with Taylor Swift.
Gomez refuted these
claims, and stating in
the comments that: “I
told Taylor about two of
my friends who hooked
up,” she added, “Not that
that’s anyone’s busi-
ness.” Selena later also
posted rare clicks with
her boyfriend Benny
Blanco enjoying ten-
der moments.
AFI AWARDS
S
HARVEST HARMONY
ohri is a popular
harvest festival
that is celebrated
before Makar
Sankranti. It is
primarily observed by the Sikh
and Hindu communities in the
northern states of India. This
year, Lohri falls on 14th Janu-
ary.Afew television celebrities
are busy soaking up the festive
atmosphere and took to social
media to extend wishes to their
fans. Among them, check out
Shehnaaz Gill, Karan Kundrra,
and Jasmin Bhasin’s heartfelt
wishes.
Shehnaaz Gill uploaded a
picture showcasing her beauty
and wished her fans on Lohri.
The pictures show her wearing
a magenta straight kurti that she
paired with a beige dupatta and
straight pants of the same col-
our. The pastel colour palette of
the outfit looks gorgeous on the
formerBiggBoss13contestant.
She kept her look simple with
minimal makeup and half-open
hair. The actress made a goofy
face in the second picture as she
posed inside the car. The series
of pictures are accompanied by
the caption, “Always maintain
your vibrant smile as bright be-
cause of the mild of the holy
bonfire. Happy Lohri!”
By the morning, Karan
Kundrra, who hails from a
Punjabi family shared his
Lohri wishes on X (former-
ly known as Twitter). He
wrote, “Lohri diyaan lakh
lakh wadhaiyaan #Happy-
Lohri.”
Actress Jasmin Bhasin
shared a picture from her
upcoming film, Warning
and wished her fans on
Lohri. The picture
shows Jasmin standing
in a mustard field,
dressed in a sky blue
salwar suit.
L
Socio-Political Thriller
ikrant Massey is pres-
ently on a high cele-
brating the success of
the Vidhu Vinod
Chopra-directed 12th
Fail, which has proved to be a sleep-
er hit at the box office. The film has
braved all the storm and emerged a
winner with lifetime collections of
Rs 55 crore in India. Ever since then,
Vikrant has been in talks with sev-
eral filmmakers and the first script
that he has chosen after the success
of 12th Fail is a film produced by
Ekta R Kapoor. Vikrant Massey has
come on board Ekta R Kapoor’s yet-
to-be-titled socio-political thriller,
based on a shocking true story from
the early 2000s that shook the nation
and changed the political scenario in
India. The yet-untitled film will be
directed by Ranjan Chandel, who is
known for directing the much-loved
digital series, Grahan. “Ekta R Ka-
poor is excited to bring forth this
story to the big screen. While there
have been several debates on the
episode over the years, none has
braved to make a film on this sub-
ject. Ekta has always been a risk
taker and has decided to back this
story and bring it to the spectacle,”
revealed a source close to the devel-
opment. The script is ready and
Vikrant too was shocked when he
heard the entire script.
V

Tamannaah Bhatia
Post
Venkatesh Daggubati
Poster Katrina Kaif
Shehnaaz Gill’s post
Karan Kundra’s post
Jasmine Bhasin
Selena Gomez
Selena Emily Blunt Vikrant Massey Ekta R Kapoor
Post
Post
Post
Post

City Buzz
12
firstindia.co.in
In the heart of the Pink
City, Makar Sankranti
unfolded in a jubilant
tapestry of traditions.
Joyous voices echoed with
calls of “Vo Kaata, Charkhi
Sameto,” resonating
through the air as people
reveled in the festive
spirit. Amidst the laughter
and camaraderie, the
celebration unfolded
with delectable delicacies
shared amongst friends
and family, weaving a
vibrant mosaic of cultural
fervour and communal joy.
Delightful
Celebrations!
MUKESH KIRADOO
SUNIL SHARMA
City First
cityfirst@firstindia.co.in
n a fervent
gathering,
Professor
N a n d a
Shekhawat
orchestrated the ‘Shivo-
hum 2024’event in Jaipur
on Sunday. The Bharat
Tibet Coordination Sangh
(BTSS) marked its foun-
dation day by hosting the
event at Shri Govind Dev
Ji Temple. Swami Bal
Mukund Acharya, MLA
Hawa Mahal Jaipur,
graced the occasion as the
chief guest, extending
Makar Sankranti wishes
and elucidating the ac-
complishments of Modi
government’s develop-
ment schemes.
Professor Nanda Shek-
hawat,RegionalPresident
of the Association for In-
do-TibetRelations,under-
scored the mission to res-
cue Tibet from China’s
oppression, with leaders
like Professor Rajendra
Singh, Rajju Bhaiya and
Dalai Lama at the fore-
front. Emphasizing the
boycott of Chinese goods
as a potent means to con-
vey a message, Dr Seema
Jhalani, Regional Vice-
President, articulated the
sentiment that safeguard-
ing India’s borders hinges
on Tibet’s independence.
AnnuGupta,Provincial
Vice-President, stressed
the imperative nature of
the movement for Kailash
Mansarovar’s liberation.
Theeventwitnessedinflu-
ential figures like Anjan
Kumar Goswami and
Chandra Manohar Bat-
wara, President of Khan-
delwal Vaishya Hitkarini
Sabha, as chief guest and
specialguest,respectively.
The event concluded
with the distribution of
Prasad and Vikas Malik,
Chief Province Conven-
er, expressed gratitude to
all attendees for their par-
ticipation. The collective
aspiration resonated, the
liberation of Kailash
Mansarovar from Chi-
na’s grasp.
Spiritof unity
I
MLA Balmukund Acharya with (L-R) Vandana Sharma, Rekha Raj,
Dr Nanda Shekhawat, Mahant Vijay Kumar, Dr Seema Jhalani and RAS Jalpa Jha
MLA Balmukund Acharya lights the lamp.
Also seen are Dr Nanda Shekhawat Dezi Sharma
GREETINGS!
Dr Jagdeesh Chandra was greeted by fashion designer
Himmat Singh, as he reached the former’s residence to
seek blessings on the occasion of his birthday on Sunday.
Seedling International Academy recently hosted the
Cambridge ‘Master Class’ at the Jawahar Nagar School
premises, exemplifying their dedication to cutting-edge
teaching methods for international curricula. Educators from
top state schools joined the event, featuring distinguished
speakers from Cambridge International. The workshop
delved into the Cambridge Pathway and highlighted the
importance of assessments and alternative curriculums
in India. Delegates shared insights on marketing schools
aligned with Cambridge standards, and the workshop
highlighted the enduring impact of Cambridge education
on fostering a globally relevant educational framework. Dr.
Bakshi praised the transformative power of the ‘Master Class,’
emphasizing a paradigm shift in education.
Renowned
Bollywood
and Rajasthani
singer Madhu
Bhat unveiled a
soulful bhajan,
‘Jai Shri Ram
- Aaye Hain Mere Shri Ram,’ approved by All India Radio.
Released in anticipation of the auspicious Shri Ram Pran
Pratishtha, the devotional song features lyrics by Dhanraj
Dadhich, music by Nizam Khan and direction by Pritesh
Mathur. Presented on Madhu Bhat’s official YouTube
channel, the spiritually enriching composition showcases
Madhu’s velvety voice. The internationally acclaimed
singer has shared her musical prowess worldwide with the
Madhuz Band.
EVENTS!
The annual celebration at the No End Grow Jaipur Center
featured Chief Guest, senior IAS officer Rajendra Bhanawat,
along with members of the community. The event, themed
‘Abhaydayanam,’ took place at the Rambagh Circle
Women’s College Conference Hall, with over 200 attendees.
Vian Jain opened the festivities with a skillful synthesizer
performance. Admin Rajni Borad highlighted No End
Grow’s commitment to Jain principles and value-based
education. A short play emphasizing the wise use of time
left a profound impact, emphasizing the importance of
instilling values in children through such programs.
DURING THE DAY!
Udit Mishra, a standout
student at Jeyshree
Periwal International
School, clinched gold
medals in both individual
and team squash events
at the 67th SGFI Squash
National in Pune. Trained
by coach Surbhi Mishra
since age seven, Udit’s
achievements highlight
his dedication and
the school’s nurturing
environment. This victory
not only establishes him as India’s top school-level squash
player but also underscores the impact of quality coaching.
WHAT’S HAPPENING!
Social activist Dr Ruma
Devi, through the Ramadevi
Foundation, is honouring 30
girls from different villages
as brand ambassadors for
the ‘Save the Girl Child’
campaign. Each year, these
girls will receive Rs. 20,000
deposited into Sukanya
accounts from birth to age
18. Additionally, those
pursuing education receive
scholarships up to Rs 25,000.
Dr Ruma Devi aims to change
societal perceptions and
encourage higher education
for girls through this
initiative, starting
with an event on January
16 in Barmer.
Renownedsarangimaestro,DayamAliKhan,enchanted
JaipurwiththesoulfulstrainsofRaagHemantduring
theNetTheatseries.OrganisedbyRajendraSharma
Raju,DayamAliKhancommencedhisperformancewith
amesmerizingrenditionofRaagHemant,captivating
theaudiencewithalaap,madhyalayaanddrutlaya.
AccompaniedbytablavirtuosoFarukhHusain,the
performancewasamagicalfusionofsarangiandrhythmic
tablabeats,leavingtheaudiencespellbound.The
event,coordinatedbyNavalDangi,alsofeaturedManoj
Swami,PrakashSagarGadwal,TapeshSharma,Poonam
Choudhary,AnkitSharma,NonuandJiveshSharma.
The 24th annual conference of the Indian Society of Vascular
and Interventional Radiology (ISVIR) concluded in Jaipur
after four days of engaging sessions. With 800 delegates and
experts from 23 countries, the event featured lectures on
interventional radiology. Over 100 sessions and workshops
explored cost-effective treatments, emphasizing advanced
technologies. ISVIR aims to provide more doctors in India
and make advanced technology for cost-effective treatment
widely available. Dr. Suyash Kulkarni highlighted the
potential of interventional radiology in eliminating serious
illnesses without major surgery.
Nimit, Rajveer, Apurv Ryma, Gauravi, Zidaan, Rajveer and Sufi
Meheshi

15012024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to 15012024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf

Similar to 15012024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf (20)

More from FIRST INDIA

More from FIRST INDIA (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (13)

15012024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdf