21082022_First India Mumbai.pdf

21082022_First India Mumbai.pdf

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  ONE MAN ARMY PMNARENDRA MODI, THE ULTIMATE PEACEMAKER? Renni Abraham Mumbai: Prime Minis- ter Narendra Modi has notched up a major glob- al victory, through cali- brated diplomacy, en- suring de-escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war while raising the stakes of economic coopera- tion with the European Union (EU) and Russia. Last week, PM Modi spoke with French Pres- ident Emmanuel Ma- cron in the wake of a spate of wildfires across the southwest region of Gironde in France. The PM’s Twitter handle further informed of dis- cussions over bilateral cooperation under the India-France Strategic Partnership (forged since the Rafael fighter jets purchases through a government-to-gov- ernment deal) and other issues of global and re- gional significance. Simultaneously, In- dia’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Dov- al left for Russia and visited Moscow for a meeting with his Rus- sian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev and Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Denis Man- turov. On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Pu- tin and Macron reached a consensus to allow an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team to inspect Zapor- izhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine that is under Russia’s control, with- out having to travel via the country , as Kiev and western nations had de- sired. A person familiar with the developments said, “India’s economic relationship with France will result in a likely civil nuclear en- ergy deal soon following PM Modi’s outreach. However, Doval was ac- companied by Indian Space Research Organi- zation(ISRO)Chairman S Somanath to Russia as India’s involvement in the French Earth obser- vation mission (space station) was being cur- tailed by the latter.” India will most likely join with the Russian Space Centre mission as a counterbalance to en- able its space research and technology pro- gramme to continue unabated, he added. Turn to P8 His outreach has helped de-escalate Russia-Ukraine war, put India on track for civil nuclear energy deal and boosted her space programme www.firstindia.co.in I https://firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia MUMBAI l SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI TITLE NO. MAHENG/2022/14652 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 106 DGCA SUSPENDS LICENCES OF 2 SPICEJET PILOTS New Delhi: The DGCA has suspended the licence of pilots for violation of rules in two separate cases. A senior DGCA official confirmed that the regulator has suspended the licence of the pilot- in-command (PIC) of SpiceJet flight for 6 months after he ignored a co-pilot’s warning to skirt the clouds and flew plane into severe turbulence. JILTED MAN MURDERS GF IN NAGPUR, HELD Nagpur: A 20-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her boyfriend after she broke up with him in Nagpur city, police said on Saturday. The victim, Kajal Umrao Kukde, was found dead with her throat slit in the isolated area on Friday, said an official. Angered by ending their relationship, Randive allegedly attacked Kajal and killed her. P3 SHEENA BORA CASE: BOMBAY HC GRANTS BAIL TO SHYAMVAR Mumbai: Bombay HC has granted bail to Sheena Bora murder accused turned approver Shyamvar Rai. The bail has been given on the grounds of parity as all other accused, including Indrani Mukerjea and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna, had been granted bail. Rai was Indrani’s driver who was allegedly involved in the murder. ANUBRATA’S BAIL REJECTED, IN CBI CUSTODY TILL AUG 24 Asansol: A special CBI court here on Saturday rejected Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal’s bail plea in the alleged cattle smuggling scam and extended his custody with the central agency for four days till August 24. He could “influence witnesses and tamper evidence if granted bail,” CBI official told court. READ Crucial Crucial Police personnel use a sniffer dog to patrol Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Station on Saturday. ❍ ‘26/11-TYPE ATTACK’ THREAT Text came from no. with Pak code: Mumbai CP Mumbai (ANI): The messages received by police threatening a 26/11-like attack in Mumbai came from a phone number which has Pakistan code, city Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar said on Saturday . The messages were received on WhatsApp on a helpline number of traffic police’s Worli control room around 11:45 on Friday night. While one message said that six people will exe- cute the attack, another said preparations were on to blow up Mumbai which will bring back the memories of the 26/11 attack, officials said. “Prima facie, the threat messages to blow up Mumbai like 26/11 came from a number that has Pakistan code,” Phansalkar said. We have taken the messages seriously. Necessary measures are being taken to investigate the threat mes- sages. We are alert on coastal secu- rity and are coordinating with Coast Guard. A man was detained from Virar near Mumbai, crime branch team which is probing the matter. —Vivek Phansalkar, Mumbai Police Commissioner Day after CBI raid, Sisodia says.... 2024 POLLS WILL BE MODI vs KEJRI Manish Sisodia shows a copy of The New York Times covering Delhi’s education model on its front page while addressing media over CBI raid and other issues at his residence, in Delhi on Saturday. Sisodia alleged that the central agencies took away Satyendar Jain, who was Delhi’s health minister, and now are after him so as to pull down Kejriwal Delhi’s Deputy CM reiterated that the Centre was furious over the front-page shout-out to the Delhi education model in the New York Times on Thursday In a bureaucratic reshuffle, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had ordered the transfer of 12 IAS officers following the raids on Sisodia The BJP is not worried about any excise fraud, it is worried about Arvind Kejriwal because they see him as the main challenger to Prime Minister Modi in the upcoming general election. —Manish Sisodia, Deputy CM of Delhi WILL BE ARRESTED IN 2-4 DAYS: SISODIA Aday after CBI con- ducted searches at the residence of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, the AAP leader said that he might be arrested within the next 3-4 days stating that the liquor issue or the excise policy was just an excuse to target him since he was a minister under the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, but that won’t deter his party from doing the good work. TMC, CPM LEADERS SLAM GOVERNMENT The CBI raid at Sisodia’s residence in the excise policy case drew varied reactions from opposition parties with Congress leaders speaking of “mis- use of central agencies” but supporting the action by the probe agency while TMC and CPI-M slam- ming the government. l Besides Sisodia’s home in Delhi, 31 other locations were searched by the CBI across 7 states in the country l Assam CM Him- anta Biswa Sarma asserted that 2024 LS elections will be a walkover for BJP if AAP chief Kejriwal is pitted against PM Modi l The Rouse Avenue Court acquitted Kejriwal, Sisodia and Yogendra Ya- dav in a criminal defamation case QUICK READ Moni Sharma New Delhi: A day after being raided by the CBI over allegations of cor- ruption in the liquor policy, Delhi's Deputy CM Manish Sisodia launched a scathing at- tack on the Centre and PM Minister Narendra Modi for misusing the central agencies. Addressing a press conference, Manish Sisodia, who also han- dles the Excise Dept, al- leged that the CBI offi- cials were instructed by the high command to raid his home. He claimed that to stop AAPchief ArvindKejri- wal because his work in theeducationandhealth sectorisbeingdiscussed globally .Hedefendedthe excise policy 2021-22, which is being probed forallegedirregularities in its formulation and implementation, saying thepolicywas“thebest” of its kind. Sisodia, whose resi- dence and office were searched by the central agency for 14 hours on Friday, said Kejriwal’s policies, especially on health and education, have now been noticed globally . THAKUR’S ‘MONEY SHH’ JIBE AT DELHI DY CM, SAYS SISODIA MAKES MONEY Anurag Thakur flanked by (R) Adesh Gupta and Manoj Tiwari speaks to media at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Saturday. Aday after the CBI carried out searches at the home of Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sisodia over corrup- tion allegations in the liquor policy, Union minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday said that he is just an accused in the liquor ‘scam’, but Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the kingpin. On AAP’s claim of being the main challenger to the BJP in the 2024 general elec- tion, Anurag Thakur said, “AAP made tall claims earlier too but could not stand before PM Narendra Modi.” 22 dead in flash floods, landslides in Himachal Shimla (ANI): At least 22people,includingeight members of a family , were killed and five oth- ers went missing in inci- dents of landslide, flash flood and cloud burst triggered by heavy rain- fallinHimachalPradesh inthepast24hours,State Disaster Management Department Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said on Saturday . The maximum damage has been reported from Mandi, Kangra and Chamba districts, he said, adding that so far 36 weather-related inci- dents have been report- ed from the state. As many as 743 roads, including Manali-Chan- digarh NH at Mandi and Shimla-Chandigathhigh- way at Shoghi have been blocked for traffic. P6 The railway bridge on Chakki river collapses due to a flash flood triggered by heavy rains, in Kangra on Saturday. —PHOTO BY ANI 2 devotees die of suffocation at Bihariji temple Mathura: At least two people died of stampede and suffocation, while several people were tak- en to the hospital at the Bankey Bihari temple in UP’s Mathura during midnight celebrations of Janmashtami. Thou- sands of the devotees thronged the famous Banke Bihari to offer prayers and participate in rituals. Incident hap- pened at around 2 am during Mangla Arti. The maximum rush was witnessed at Bankey Bihari of Vrindavan on Saturday. NEWS IN SHORT DR SOMYA ROW: DHARIWAL ASKS OFFICIALS TO SEEK LEGAL OPINION Jaipur: Rajasthan govt has decided to take legal opinion be- fore taking any further action in the matter of inquiry report against the mayor of JMC Greater Dr Somya. Dr Somya and 3 councillors were found guilty of manhandling the then commissioner Yagyamitra Deo. UDH minister Shanti Dhari- wal has directed officials to take opinion from AAG Manish Singhvi, govt will take no action against mayor. It may be noted that First India had already indicated that govt will take a decision on report against Dr Somya after examining legally. ‘ESTIMATE OF 25L EXTRA VOTERS IN ELECTORAL ROLL IS MISLEADING’ Srinagar: The JK administration on Saturday said that media reports about the estimate of adding 25 lakh vot- ers while revising the electoral roll in the Union Territory are a “misrepresentation of facts”. It clarified that the estimate also includes first-time voters.This comes amid a controversy over the inclusion of a large number of new voters in the region. Regional political leaders have alleged that the electoral roll revision is part of a tactic by the BJP to influence election results. OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, NEW DELHI MUMBAI RAHUL GANDHI’S “NO” LANDS CONG IN FIX ON NEW PARTY CHIEF PAK’S PROBE AGENCY MAY ARREST EX-PM IMRAN KHAN Islamabad: Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan could be arrested by country’s top investigating agency for failing to appear before it and snubbing its notices in the prohibited funding case, according to a report on Saturday. FIA issued a second notice to Khan on Friday. New Delhi: According to insiders, the most recent attempts to persuade Rahul Gandhi to accept position have failed. Sonia too has ruled out returning as Prez due to her health, focus has now shifted to Priyanka as most members are keen on rallying around a Gandhi. PAKISTAN PM SHARIF SEEKS ‘PERMANENT PEACE’ WITH INDIA Islamabad: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan wants to have “permanent peace” with India through dialogue as war is not an option for either of countries to resolve Kashmir issue, according to a media report on Saturday. PM Narendra Modi
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  NEWS MUMBAI | SUNDAY,AUGUST 21, 2022 02 www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia Probeinto26/11-liketerrorattackthreatordered First India Bureau Mumbai: An investi- gation, ordered by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Dev- endra Fadnavis, was launched into the threat of a 26/11-like terrorist attack re- ceived by the Mum- bai police, on Satur- day. The government has taken the message “very seriously”, said Fadnavis, who also holds the state’s Home Affairs portfolio, add- ing that agencies were looking into the matter on war-footing. A message, warning of a 26/11-like terrorist attack on the city, was sent to the Mumbai po- lice Traffic Control’s WhatsApp number, from a Pakistan-based phone number. The threat stated that six people would execute the plan in India. The police have reg- istered a case against unidentified persons under Section 506 (2) of the Indian Penal Code at Worli police station. “We have taken the case of the threat mes- sage very seriously. Agencies have been in- formed of all measures to investigate the threat matter. Mumbai police commissioner will give further de- tails of the case,” said Fadnavis. The message’s tim- ing was also worri- some as it came just days after a boat, adrift in the sea, with three AK-47 guns and ammu- nition was captured near Harihareshwar Beach. According to Fad- navis, the boat be- longed to an Australi- an citizen. “The boat’s engine broke down in the middle of the sea, and people on board were rescued by a Ko- rean boat. It then reached Hariharesh- war beach. Keeping in mind the upcoming fes- tive season, police and the administration have been instructed to be prepared,” said the deputy chief minister. On November 26, 2008, more than 150 people were killed and several others injured when 10 members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba stormed several places in Mumbai in a coordi- nated terrorist attack. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. —PHOTO BY ANI Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assures government taking serious cognizance of the warning sent to Mumbai police via WhatsApp Central agencies should look into terror threat: Pawar First India Bureau Nagpur: Senior Na- tionalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Satur- day said the messages received by the Mum- bai police threaten- ing a “26/11-like at- tack” should be taken seriously. He added that Central agencies need to look into the matter. Speaking to report- ers at the airport in Nagpur, the leader of opposition (LOP) in the Maharashtra Legisla- tive Assembly said the statepolicedepartment is a very able force in such situations. The Mumbai police’s traffic wing received several text messages on its helpline number, whichthreatenedthata “26/11-like” attack will be carried out in the city by six persons and “preparations are on to blow up” the metropo- lis. “The state govern- ment should take this threat seriously and our police are very able in such situations. But centralagenciesshould also look into the mat- ter,” said Pawar. Whenever such threats are received by any state, central and all other agencies should look into them, he said. Meanwhile, criticiz- ing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for his announcement to give 5% reservation to ‘go- vindas’ (‘Dahi Handi’ participants)ingovern- ment jobs, Pawar said that it was not a thoughtful decision as ‘Dahi Handi’ is not linked to any sports as- sociations. “How will one keep a record of ‘govindas’, theirqualificationsand other aspects?” he said and questioned the de- lay in recruitment of staff in police, educa- tion and health depart- ments. “Without delibera- tions and consultations with the sports depart- ment, the CM took the decision about job res- ervation. The decision to provide insurance cover to ‘govindas’ can beunderstood,”hesaid. We have taken the case of the threat message very seriously. Agencies have been informed of all measures to investigate the threat matter. Mumbai police com- missioner will give further details of the case. —Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM, Maharashtra SWIFT ACTION TAKEN The leader is visiting Melghat in Amravati district to take stock of various problems in the region Maha Assembly LOP Ajit Pawar. —FILE PHOTO ‘Courts in India are extremely burdened, mediation imp tool for case pendency’ First India Bureau Pune: Supreme Court Justice DY Chandrachud has said that courts in India are “extreme- ly burdened” and “desperately con- gested”. “In view of the alarming rate of high pendency of cases, dispute reso- lution mechanisms like mediation are an important tool,” he said. He was delivering Justice YV Chandra- chud Memorial Lec- ture in Pune on Fri- day after inaugurat- ing the Indian Law Society’s ILS Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (ILSCA). The Indian Law Soci- ety has entered its centenary year. “We are aware that the courts in India are extremely burdened, desperately congest- ed. Both literally and metaphorically . Ac- cording to the study done by PRS Legisla- tiveResearch,thepen- dency across all the courts grew by 2.8% annually between 2010 and 2020,” said Justice Chandrachud. He added that dur- ing the past two years, the COVID-19 pan- demic and the tribula- tions that it brought to humankind, wors- ened the already alarming rate of pen- dency of cases. The data available indicates that there are more than 4.1 crore cases pending in district and taluka courts and approxi- mately 59 lakh cases are pending in differ- ent high courts, said JusticeChandrachud. “As of today, 71,000 cases are pending be- fore the Supreme Court. In view of these numbers, dis- pute resolution mech- anisms like media- tion are an important tool in increasing ac- cess to justice. It pro- vides redress and set- tlement of disputes in a non-adversarial manner, free from the formalistic procedur- al practices of the law,” he said. He said there is no doubt that mediation has risen in promi- nence all over the world and certainly in India. 222 ‘govindas’ treated for injuries in Mumbai, 64 in Thane First India Bureau Mumbai: As many as 222 ‘govindas’ or ‘Dahi Handi’ participants were injured while forming human pyra- mids during Jan- mashtami celebra- tions in Mumbai on August 19, said civic officials on Saturday. The number of inju- ries reported in Thane city stood at 64. In Thane, the home turf of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, 12 out of the 64 injuredarebeingtreated at hospitals, said offi- cials, adding that all of them are out of danger. In Mumbai, 197 in- jured ‘govindas’ were discharged after treat- ment. The condition of 25 others admitted to hospitals is stable, they said. Of the 222 injured participants, the high- est 58 ‘govindas’ were treated at the civic-run KEM Hospital, followed by 20 each at Rajawadi Hospital and Trauma Care Hospital, 19 at Sion Hospital and 17 at Cooper Hospital. Civic-run Nair Hospi- tal treated 12 ‘govindas’, Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital (10), Poddar Hospital (9), Bhabha Hospital (8), and Shatabdi Hospital treat- ed four participants. A civic official said many ‘govindas’ were also treated at various state-run hospitals in Mumbai, including 15 at GT Hospital, and five each at Saint George Hospital and the JJ Hospital. Several ‘govindas’ also received treatment at private hospitals like Bombay Hospital, Hin- duja Hospital and Nana- vati Hospital, among others,fortheirinjuries. The state had direct- ed government-run hos- pitals to treat the in- jured members of ‘go- vinda’ teams for free. SC Justice DY Chandrachud emphasizes on efficacy of dispute resolution mechanisms for cases Justice DY Chandrachud. In Mumbai, 197 injured ‘govindas’ were discharged after treatment. –FILE PHOTO ‘What did‘gaddar’ MLAs get by breaking rank?’ First India Bureau Mumbai: A day after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde boasted about creat- ing a “50-layer” hu- man pyramid (refer- ring to MLAs in his rebel faction) and successfully break- ing the ‘dahi handi’ of power, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray called him out for breaking rank with the party . “Those who broke the ‘dahi handi’ swal- lowed the cream. And what did the ‘gaddar’ (traitor)MLAswholeft Shiv Sena got?” asked the Thackeray scion on Saturday . Addressingagather- ing in Jalgaon district onthesecondlegof his ‘Shiv Samvad Yatra’, Thackeray said, “The temporary chief min- ister yesterday said he built a 50-layer human pyramid and broke the ‘dahi handi’. Those who broke the ‘handi’ got all the cream. What did the ‘gaddar’ MLAs who left Shiv Sena got? Babaji ka thullu? as the Kapil Sharma com- edy show puts it.” He said that the re- bel MLAs did not even receive portfolios of their choice. Slamming the rebel MLAs for defecting from the Shiv Sena, the Thackeray scion said, “This government is il- legalandIassureyouit will collapse. These 40 MLAs have left the par- ty due to the demonic aspirations of one or twopeople,buttheydid not go for Hindutva. When Uddhavji gave his resignation, they danced on the table as if they were in a bar.” Thackeray, who was the environment and tourism minister in the Uddhav-led MVA government, accused rebel MLAs of betray- ing him when he was being wheeled in for surgeries. “During Diwali last year, the Sena MLAs came to ‘Varsha’ bun- galow, and a festive lunch was served to them... He underwent two surgeries then and instead of helping saheb, these traitors were conspiring to col- lapse the govern- ment,” he stated. AadityaThackeray slams legislators for joining CM Ekanth Shinde’s faction, betraying Uddhav‘saheb’ NOT PERMANENT IAS Praveen Pardeshi back in Maha, albeit temporarily Renni Abraham Mumbai: Former Bri- hanmumbai Munici- pal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi was recently appointed to head a committee that will recommend safe- ty measures for build- ings against natural disasters such as earthquakes, terror attacks along coastal belts in Mumbai and Maharashtra. Pardeshi is currently serving as member of theadministrationatthe Capacity Building Com- mission for the Central government in New Del- hi and will additionally handle this Maharash- tra assignment. According to a person familiar with the devel- opment,“Thiswasareq- uisition made by the Ur- ban Development De- partment (UDD) in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) govern- ment of Maharashtra. It is a temporary posting. Thecommitteeisexpect- ed to be formed within a couple of weeks and its firstmeetingwillbeheld in Mumbai thereafter.” An Indian Adminis- trative Service (IAS) of- ficer with over 29 years of serviceunderhisbelt, Pardeshi has held vari- ous senior leadership positions within the United Nations as the chief of transition re- covery unit, United Na- tions Development Pro- gramme, Geneva and senior coordinator of United Nations Interna- tionalStrategyforDisas- ter Reduction. He is also credited with efficient handling of civic health service in Mumbai city astheBMCchief,during COVID-19 pandemic. IAS Praveen Pardeshi. —FILE PHOTO Ex-BMC chief will head a committee tasked with putting together recommendations for building safety
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  First India Bureau Mumbai:The Maha- rashtra Anti-Terror- ism Squad (ATS) ar- rested a man from Shirdi on Saturday in connection with an improvised explosive device (IED) planted under the vehicle of an officer of the Punjab police, an of- ficial said. In a joint operation with the Punjab police, the ATS conducted a search in Shirdi town of Ahmednagar district and apprehended the accused, identified as Rajendra, in the early hours of the day, he said. The arrested accused has been handed over to the team from the Punjab police, the offi- cial said. Earlier this week, the Punjab police had ar- rested two people from Delhi in connection with the IED found hid- den under the SUV of sub-inspector Dilbagh Singh at Ranjit Avenue locality of Amritsar. The Punjab police had sent teams to differ- ent states to nab the suspects involved in the crime. MAHARASHTRA MUMBAI | SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 03 www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia First India Bureau Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Satur- day asked the Maha- rashtra Anti-Terror- ism Squad (ATS) to submit a report on the progress it has made in the probe into the murder of activist Go- vind Pansare. Earlier this month, the high court trans- ferred the investigation to the ATS. The case was earlier being probed by a special in- vestigation team (SIT) of the Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Senior advocate Ashok Mundargi, ap- pearing for SIT, on Sat- urday informed the court that a team of 10 ATS officers and three officers from the CID SIT has been formed for the probe. Thebenchcomprising Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Sharmila Deshmukh thencalledforaprogress report from the ATS. The court had on Au- gust03allowedtheappli- cation filed by Pansare’s family members and transferred the probe to the ATS. The SIT was consti- tuted in 2015 following a high court order passed on a plea filed by the ac- tivist’s family members seeking such a special team. Pansare’s family had lastmonthfiledanappli- cation in the high court seeking for the probe to be transferred to the ATS, claiming that the SIT has not been able to make a breakthrough in the case yet. Pansare family’s counsel Abhay Nevagi had told the judges that itwastheATSthatmade headway in the probe into the killings of Pan- sare, rationalist Naren- draDabholkar,Kannada scholar MM Kalburgi, and journalist Gauri Lankesh, by arresting some men in 2020 in the Aurangabad arms haul case. In the 2020 case, the Maharashtra ATS ar- rested Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalsakar and SudhanwaGondhalekar. Kalsakar revealed during interrogation that the absconding ac- cused Sachin Andure and Vinay Pawar were the alleged shooters in the Pansare case. Pansare was shot on February 16, 2015 in Kol- hapurandsuccumbedto his injuries a few days later on February 20. First India Bureau Mumbai: The Mum- bai police arrested a 65-year-old man ac- cused of duping jew- ellers to the tune of Rs4.22 crore by start- ing a chain of bogus stores, an official said on Friday. Acting on a tip-off, a team of Lokmanya Ti- lak Marg Police Station in south Mumbai ar- rested Srikumar Shankara Pillai from Dombivli, near Mum- bai, where he was liv- ing under a different identity . A court remanded him in police custody till August 23. Cops found the key of a BMW at his house, and then located the car which had been parked in the same neighbour- hood. They found a stash of Rs2.09 crore in the car, the official added. Pillai had allegedly set up 12 jewellery stores under the name ‘S Kumar Jewellers’ in various parts of the country . He allegedly pur- chased gold from sev- eral jewellers in south Mumbai and disap- peared without paying after shutting down the stores, the official said. MAN BOOKED FOR STORING EXPIRED MEDICINES COCAINE WORTH `5 CRORE SEIZED FROM WOMAN AT AIRPORT Pune: Two minor girls were crushed to death after a speeding container truck hit the motorcycle they were riding on Pune district on Saturday. The girls, Chhakuli Kumar Shi- tole (17) and her sister Rajashri (10), were on their way to school with their uncle, when a speeding truck hit the two-wheeler in Loni Kalbhor area around 07 am, senior inspec- tor Rajendra Mokashi said. The driver aban- doned the vehicle and fled from the spot after the accident. Probe is underway. Nagpur: Five women were rescued and two persons were arrested after a raid on an alleged prostitu- tion den in Washim in Maharashtra, a police official said on Friday. A tip off about a sex racket being operated from a home in Zakalwadi was con- firmed with the help of a decoy customer, after which a raid was held, Washim Super- intendent of Police Bachchan Singh said. “We have seized Rs 2.9 lakh cash as well as three phones from the spot,” he said. Thane: A man has been booked for alleg- edly storing expired medicines worth Rs60 lakh in five godowns in Bhiwandi area of Thane district, a police official said on Satur- day. Acting on a tip- off, the godowns were raided in Kopar village by a team comprising police and Food and Drug Administration personnel on August 17, the Narpoli police station official said. A case under Indian Penal Code as well as Drugs and Cosmetics Act provisions was registered. Mumbai: The Cus- toms department has recovered 500gm of cocaine worth Rs5 crore from a woman passenger, who arrived at the Mumbai international airport from Ethiopia, following which she was arrested. The woman arrived in Mumbai on Friday from Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Airlines flight, the customs department said in a tweet. “The woman, identified as Sierra Leonean, was arrest- ed after the recovery of the drug,” it said. CRUCIAL READ Thane: Five people were arrested for allegedly attacking a 39-year-old man after he refused to contribute money for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturti celebrations in Bhi- wandi, police said on Saturday. The incident took place in Gopal Nagar area of the town on Friday afternoon, inspector Kiran Kabadi of Shanti Nagar police said. The police have arrested Vishwanath Patil (36), Pratik Borse (26), Sunil Rahulwar (33), Jatishar Motfulore (27) and Sagar Patil (25) under section 307 (attempt to murder) and other relevant provisions of the IPC. FIVE HELD FOR ATTACKING MAN AFTER HE REFUSES TO GIVE MONEY FOR FESTIVITIES 2 MINOR GIRLS CRUSHED TO DEATH BY SPEEDING TRUCK SEX RACKET BUSTED IN WASHIM, FIVE RESCUED, 2 HELD HC to ATS: Submit Pansare murder probe status report Case was transferred to agency from CID after activist’s family petitioned the court A Special Investiga- tion Team (SIT) of the CID was constituted in 2015 following the order passed by the high court on a plea filed by Pansare’s family members seek- ing the investigation by a special team. Pansare was shot dead in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur in February 2015. After the activ- ist’s kin told the court that the SIT had not made any headway in the case in the last seven years, the court transferred the case to the ATS. COURSE OF ACTION PHC medical staff absent, woman gives birth in verandah; newborn dies First India Bureau Yavatmal: An inquiry has been launched af- ter a woman allegedly gave birth outside a Primary Health Cen- tre (PHC) in Yavatmal district in the absence of medical staff, and the baby died soon af- ter. The incident took place at Vidul under Umarkhed tehsil in Yavatmal district on Friday . The father of the woman told that he took his daughter to the PHC in an auto rickshaw as he could not arrange an ambulance when she complained of labour pain. But when they reached the PHC, there was no doctor or other medical staff to help them there, he alleged. In the meantime, the health condition of the woman deteriorated and she gave birth in the verandah outside the PHC. However, the infant died sometime later, the woman’s fa- ther further alleged. However, district health officer Prahlad Chavan stated that a medicalofficerandnurs- es were present at the PHC,butthewomanwas reportedly brought late. On Saturday, Chavan visited the PHC and re- corded the statements of the medical officer and other staff. He learnt that the woman’s family members called the regular 108 ambu- lance service but no am- bulance was available. They, however, did not call the 102 ambulance service which is meant for pregnant women, sources said. Chavan will be sub- mitting his report to the Yavatmal zilla pari- shad’s chief executive officer. A few days ago, a 26-year-old tribal wom- an from Mokhada in Palghar district, had to be carried in a make- shift ‘Palki’ (stretcher) to a medical centre. The woman, who was seven months pregnant, went into labour prematurely . She gave birth to twins, and by the time she reached the hospital the babies were dead. An inquiry has been launched; DHO says staff was present but woman was brought in late Jilted man murders girlfriend in Nagpur, held First India Bureau Nagpur: A 20-year- old woman was al- legedly killed by her boyfriend af- ter she broke up with him in Nag- pur city, police said on Saturday. The victim, Kajal Umrao Kukde, was found dead with her throat slit in the iso- lated area of Suradevi near the city on Friday, said an official. Kajal, who was employed at a hos- pital in Sitabuldi, had met her boy- friend Ankit Rand- ive (25) in Suradevi and spoke to him about ending their relationship, said Deputy Commis- sioner of Police (Detection) Chin- may Pandit. Angered by this, Randive allegedly attacked Kajal and killed her by slit- ting her throat. The accused then fled the scene with the victim’s two-wheel- er, he said. Locals in the area spotted the body and alerted the Ko- radi police, who rushed to the spot and sent the body for post-mortem, said the official. A case of murder was registered and the accused was subsequently ap- prehended from Khaperkheda area of the city, he said. Conman arrested for duping `4.2 crore off jewellers in Mumbai MannabbedforplantingIED under Punjab cop’s vehicle Special bench to hear issue of potholes on Maharashtra roads: Bombay HC First India Bureau Mumbai: The Bom- bay High Court (HC) has said that it will assign a bench for hearing a case raising grievances about pot- holes on roads in Ma- harashtra. Advocate Manoj Shirsat approached the court on Saturday in the capacity of the officer of court, seek- ing urgent hearing on the issue. In a letter to the court, the lawyer point- ed out that loss of lives and property have been reported due to pot- holes, and by not com- plying with the court’s orders, and that the authorities were violat- ing citizens’ fundamen- tal rights by failing to comply with the court’s orders. “I wish to bring to the notice of this court the severe violation of fun- damental rights of citi- zens on account of non- compliance of orders and directions of this court, resulting in pot- hole problems all over Maharashtra and caus- ing loss of life and prop- erty of citizens,” the mentioned in the letter. The letter further stated that several acci- dents were taking place due to the poor condi- tions of roads in Mumbai and neigh- bouring districts. The HC then asked the lawyer to submit in- formation he wants the court to consider and said that a bench will be assigned to consider the issue. The matter was first raised in 2013, when the then Chief Justice Mo- hit Shah had taken cog- nizance of a letter by Justice Gautam Patel and instituted suo motu proceedings on the is- sue of potholes. Patel’s letter was con- verted into public inter- est litigation (PIL) by a bench of Justices AS Oka and PN Deshmukh in 2018. MUMBAI COP BOOKED IN RAPE CASE NOT SO SMOOTH ROAD Advocate Manoj Shirsat tells HC that loss of lives, property have been reported due to potholes ORDER IGNORED
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  PERSPECTIVE MUMBAI | SUNDAY,AUGUST 21, 2022 04 www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia ot even a couple of dozen Congress persons would know the names of four Britishers, each of whom became President of the In- dian National Congress. The man who took the initiative to founding the Congress was a retired ICS officer. He was Allan Octa- vian Hume, 1829-1912. He did not became President but was apparently General Secretary of the Congress for twenty two years- 1885- 1908- See, “A Dictionary of Indian History” by Sach- chidananda Bhattacharya. The book was published in 1967 at the University of Calcutta. The first session of the Congress was held in De- cember 1885 in Bombay un- der the Presidentship of Women Chandra Bannerjee. The 1888 session was con- vened at Allahabad under the presidentship of George Yule (1829-1892). He was a business man. He was head of Andrew Yule and Co in Calcutta, besides its Sheriff. He was also President of the Indian Chamber of Com- merce. Yule was widely known in Indian circles for his en- lightened outlook, liberal views and genuine sympa- thy for Indian aspirations. He was an influential and forceful figure in the public life of Bengal. He helped to enlarge India’s national per- spective. The Congress deputation that went to London in 1889, to press upon the British government to grant India political reforms. The Con- gress delegation met Yule who was helpful and sympa- thetic. Sir William Wedderburn (1838-1918) presided at the annual session of the Con- gress in 1889 in Bombay and at Allahabad in 1910. He passed the ICS examination in 1859 and left for India in 1860. At the time of his re- tirement in 1887, he was Chief Secretary to the Gov- ernment of Bombay. During his service he de- voted much time to famine relief and problems of agri- cultural indebtedness. His concern with these prob- lems brought him in touch with the Congress. After retirement he en- tered Parliament in 1893. He formed the Indian Parlia- mentary Committee of which he was Chairman till 1900. He came to India in 1901, for investigating into famines and proposing pre- ventive measures. In 1904 he came again to attend the 20th Session of Congress in Bombay, which was presided by Sir Henery Cotten. As a Liberal, William Wedderburn believed in the principle of self-govern- ment. He welcomed the for- mal proclamation made by Secretary of State for In- dia, Edwin Montagu and Viceroy Lord Chelmsford in 1917, assuring establish- ment of self-government (In reality this did not hap- pen). Wedderburn’s main con- tribution to the promotion of national consciousness was his lifelong labour on behalf of the India Reform Movement (By this time Gandhi was non-violently revolutionising Indian Freedom Movement). Alfred Webb presided over the Madras Session in 1894. He was an Irishman. Nothing specular happened during his tenure. Histori- cally the 1890’s, to quote S. Gopal was “a period of marking time.” I quote a paragraph from his Presi- dential Address. It may not be inspiring, it is worth re- calling: “Politics are among the most ennobling most com- prehensive spheres of hu- man activity, and none should eventually be ex- cluded from their exercise. There is much that is said, much that is deplorable about them. Yet they re- main, and ever will remain, the most effective field upon which to work for the good of our fellows. The political atmosphere, that which we here hope to breathe, is one into which no thought of ‘greed or lust or low ambi- tion’ should enter. We de- sire the good of all. We work for all.’ Sir Henery Cotton (1845- 1915) belonged to a family that worked in India for five generations. Henery Cotton served in India from 1867 to 1902. He became Congress President in 1904 at the Bombay Session. He, after retiring became a member of the House of Commons, joining the India Group. His two books, “New India or India in Transition” and “India and Home Memoirs” were well received in Eng- land and India. In his address, he said, “…. The Indian National Con- gress has thus its own func- tions, which I take it upon myself to say, as a watchful eye-witness from its birth, it has discharged with exem- plary fidelity, judgement and moderation. Yours is a dis- tinguished past. If you have not in any considerable measure succeeded in moulding the policy of Gov- ernment, you have exercised an immense influence in de- veloping the history of your country and the character of your country men. You have become a power in the land, and your voice peals like a trumpet note from one end of India to the other. Your il- lustrious leaders have earned a niche in the Temple of Fame, and their memory will be cherished by a grate- ful posterity .” THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL l Vol 1 l Issue No. 106 l RNI TITLE NO. MAHENG/2022/14652 Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Dangat Media Pvt Ltd, No.22, Dighe MIDC, Vishnu Nagar,  TTC Industrial Area, Dighe, Navi Mumbai-400701. Published at Plot No. 3 Scheme C of Manglorean Garden Home, CHS Limited, Survey No. 5, 6C (Part) Ville Parle East, Mumbai 400057. Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act Jagat Prakash Nadda @JPNadda The news of loss of lives due to natural calamity at many places in Himachal Pradesh is very painful. My sympathies are with the families of the victims. Government administration is engaged on relief and rescue work on war footing. May God place the departed souls at his feet. Rajnath Singh @rajnathsingh Participated in the opening ceremony of the new office at Panchkula, Haryana today. BJP has become the largest party not only in the country but in the world. The BJP governments under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri@ narendramodi have worked with great transparency and authenticity at the Center and in the states. SPIRITUAL SPEAK Radiate boundless love towards the entire world. —Buddha IN-DEPTH MPs’ PLEA TO CONFER BHARAT RATNA ON THE DALAI LAMA IS A WELCOME IDEA hen the Tibetan spir- itual leader, the Dalai Lama, turned 85 in 2020, the world cele- brated his birthday. The United States thanked India for hosting the Dalai Lama since 1959. When he turned 87 this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the Dalai Lama, whom China views as “split- tist”, the gesture riled China. The spiritual guru is China’s peeve and invites a strong reac- tion from the northern neigh- bour whenever New Delhi reaches out to its honoured guest. China raised strong objec- tions when India allowed him to visit Ladakh. China has not cared for In- dia’s sensitivities but expects New Delhi to be sensitive about its concerns. It is in this back- ground that a group of all-party MPs is demanding Bharat Ratna for the famous spiritual guru who truly deserves the honour. The government won’t be set- ting any precedent as the hon- our was conferred on foreigners like Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987) and Nelson Mandela (1990). But will India bait China when ties are at a low? TOP TWEETS W espite the Supreme Court’s strong judg- ment in the Nirbhaya gang rape case, gang rapes continue to happen in India. That’s because of thepatriarchalmindsetwhich looks at women only as sex ob- jects. The groundswell of criti- cismof Gujaratgovernmentover the release of convicts who gang- raped a pregnant Bilkis Bano does not mean that such heinous crime won’t recur. It is equally possible for future rapists to get away with state pardon. Politics was at play in the Bilkis Bano case. Not so in Kera- la where a sessions judge has been roundly criticised for his misogynist remark in a sexual harassment case. The Kozhikode sessions court in a shocking re- mark said that sexual harass- ment charge won’t hold if a woman is provocatively dressed. This is almost like a khap pan- chayat in western Uttar Pradesh barring women from wearing provocative dresses or using mo- bile phones. It also ignores the argumentthateventhosewomen whoaresimplyanddecentlyclad have not been spared by rapists. An equally shocking revela- tion was made by the gold-win- ning Indian women’s lawn bowl team who were told that they were being selected for their looks. Imagine a women’s team being selected not for their med- al winning capability but how charming they looked. The quar- tet of Rupa Rani Tirkey, Pinki, Nayanmoni Saikia and Lovely Choubey outplayed South Africa in the final to grab the gold. In a talk show the women play- ers broke down while narrating the misogyny they had to go through and how depressed they were before they left for the Commonwealth Games. RAPES, MISOGYNY STALK WOMEN An equally shocking revelation was made by the gold- winning Indian women’s lawn bowl team who were told that they were being selected for their looks. Imagine a women’s team being selected not for their medal winning capability but how charming they looked. The quartet of Rupa Rani Tirkey, Pinki, Nayanmoni Saikia and Lovely Choubey outplayed South Africa in the final to grab the gold D AO HUME, ‘FATHER’ OF INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS N Sir Henery Cotton (1845- 1915) belonged to a family that worked in India for five generations. Henery Cotton served in India from 1867 to 1902. He became Congress President in 1904 at the Bombay Session. He, after retiring became a member of the House of Commons, joining the India Group. His two books, “New India or India in Transition” and “India and Home Memoirs” were well received in England and India The man who took the initiative to founding the Congress was a retired ICS officer. He was Allan Octavian Hume, 1829-1912. He did not became President but was apparently General Secretary of the Congress for 22 years from 1885 to 1908 K NATWAR SINGH The author is Former Minister of External Affairs of India THE FIRST INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, 1885
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  MUMBAI | SUNDAY,AUGUST 21, 2022 05 INDIA www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia New Delhi (PTI): Con- gress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra paid homage to Rajiv Gan- dhi their father on his 78th birth anniversary . “Papa, you are with me every moment, in my heart. I will always try that I can fulfill the dream you dreamed for the country,” tweeted Rahul Gandhi today . PMNarendra Modi on Saturday also paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversa- ry. “On his birth anni- versary, tributes to our former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi,” tweeted PM Modi today . Several leaders from the political sphere paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi. The official Twitter handle of the Congress, in a message, wrote, “We fondly remember former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi, on his birth anniversa- ry . Hailed as the “archi- tect of 21st century In- dia”, it was through his farsighted vision that ushered in the IT and telecom revolution in India. Today, we cele- brate his legacy.” Con- gress General Secretary KC Venugopal wrote, “Paid my humble trib- ute to Rajiv Gandhi ji at Vir Bhumi on his 78th birth anniversary. In the hearts of millions of Indians, he lives for- ever. #BharatKeRajiv” PM, Rahul Gandhi pay homage to Rajiv BIRTH ANNIV LYNCHING CASE: COURT REVOKES BAIL OF ACCUSED MEGHALAYA- ASSAM DISPUTE: CMS MEET TODAY Palakkad: A local court here cancelled bail of 12 accused in the case of killing of a tribal man in the district for allegedly stealing food in 2018. The Special Court for trial of offences under the SC/ ST Act ordered the cancellation of the bail, accepting the pros- ecution’s argument that under their influence several witnesses in the case had turned hostile during the ongoing trial. Shilong: The second phase of border talks between Meghalaya and Assam to resolve differences relating to six disputed areas will be held at Guwahati on Sunday, DyCM Prestone Tynsong said. The two states had signed an MoU for ending the 5-decade-old border dispute in six of 12 dis- puted areas in New Delhi on March 29 in presence of HM Amit Shah. COURT FINES MUSLIM PARTY IN GYANVAPI CASE ‘C’GARH AIRPORT TO BE SHAHEED BHAGAT SINGH’ Varanasi: The court of district judge imposed a fine of Rs 500 on An- juman Intezamia Masjid -- the mosque manage- ment committee -- for delaying hearings in the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case. The court has fixed the next date on August 22. Five women have sought the right to worship idols of Shringar Gauri and other deities in the mosque premises. Chandigarhi: The Pun- jab and Haryana gov- ernments have agreed to rename Chandigarh’s international airport after freedom struggle icon Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Saturday after a meeting between the two governments. Dushyant Chautala, Haryana’s Deputy Chief Minister, was present in the meeting. New Delhi: The Supreme Court dismissed a PIL challenging the permission granted to a zoo being built by Reliance Indus- tries in Gujarat’s Jamnagar saying there was no logic or basis in the petition. A bench of justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Krishna Murari junked the plea filed by an advocate seeking to ban acquisition of animals by Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre. SC DISMISSES PIL AGAINST RIL’S ZOO IN GUJARAT’S JAMNAGAR Jammu: Police on Saturday raided multiple locations in Jammu Kashmir’s Poonch in connection with a hawala racket unearthed with the arrest of two people allegedly routing money to terror outfits LeT and Al Badr, officials said. Abdul Hamid Mir of Poonch, and Delhi-based garment trader Mohd Yaseen were arrest- ed from Jammu busstand and the national capital on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. POLICE RAIDS UNDER WAY IN J-K’S POONCH IN TERROR-FINANCING CASE CRUCIAL READ Odisha, Jharkhand along with Himachal U’khand reel under persistent inclement weather that has crippled life Shimla/Dehradun (ANI) : Atleast31people were killed, as heavy monsoonrainstriggered flashfloods, landslides, and house collapses, up- ending normal life across large swathes of the country . Thefatalitiesincluded four each in Uttara- khand and Odisha, and one in Jharkhand, apart from 22 in Himachal. Heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh scaused landslides and flashfloods,withofficials saying 22 people, includ- ing eight members of a family , died. Ten people were injured in the state which has reported 36 weather-related inci- dents. The Manali-Chandi- garh national highway atMandiandtheShimla- Chandigath highway at Shoghi, have been blocked for traffic. In Uttarakhand, a se- riesof cloudburstskilled four people, while 10 went missing as rivers breached banks, washed away bridges, and threw mud and waters inside houses, forcing evacua- tionof multiplevillages. A number of roads were blocked for traffic, while all Anganwadi centres and schools were shut in Pauri district. Odisha -- already reel- ing under floods, with 4 lakhpeoplemaroonedin 500 villages reported four deaths. Water levels in Subarnarekha, Bud- habalang, Baitarani and Salandi are being moni- tored, officials said. In Jharkhand, heavy rainfall and high-speed winds uprooted scores of trees and electricity poles, and submerged low-lying areas in many districts. A woman died in a rain-related inci- dent. No torture of animals, even for illustrative purposes: HC Chennai:  The Madras HighCourthasheldthat even for illustrative pur- pose no animals should be subjected to any kind of torture. Justice N Sathish Ku- mar made an observa- tion to this effect, while rejecting a plea high- lighting that the author- ities are dead slow to act on a plaint against land encroachment disputes. K Murthu had filed the petition to quash an order of an inspector at Thiruvennainallur po- lice station dated Au- gust 11, which refused permission to hold the dharna of symbolically submitting a petition to a buffalo, as there was no action on his repre- sentations on August 6 and 11, this year. Hyd BJP leader detained, security tightened Hyderabad (PTI): Se- curity has been stepped up at a Hyderabad ven- ue where comedian Munawar Faruqui is scheduled to perform on Saturday after a BJP MLA was detained. The Hyderabad Police de- tained Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh after he threatened to set fire to the concert venue. The leader had threat- ened, “See what will happen, If they invite him. Wherever the pro- gramme is, we will go and beat him up. Who- ever offers him a venue, we will burn it down. If something goes wrong, KTR and the govern- ment and police officers will be responsible.” Outside Shilpkala Ve- dika, where Faruqui will perform in Mad- hapur (Hitec City), hun- dreds of police officers have been deployed. Meanwhile, Bengaluru police has once again rejected permission to Faruqui’s show planned on Saturday . Anti-Brahmin remark: BJP leader ousted Bhopal (PTI): The Madhya Pradesh unit of BJPhasexpelledPritam Lodhi, an OBC leader from Shivpuri district and a relative of former CM Uma Bharti, from the party for his “anti- Brahmin and anti-wom- en” remarks. The BJP took the action despite his written apology over his remarks that he had made earlier this week. Lodhi had unsuc- cessfully contested the Assembly polls from Pichhore in Shivpuri twice in the past. “The party took a seri- ous note of Lodhi’s re- mark against Brahmins and women and found hiscrimeunpardonable. So, state BJP chief VD Sharma on Friday took a decision to expel Lo- dhi from the party’s pri- mary membership,” party state general sec- retaryBhagwandasSab- nani said in a statement.     If a judge clears 50 cases, 100 more filed: Kiren Rijiju 75-hr farmers’ stir ends in Lakhimpur Kheri New Delhi: With the number of pending cas- es nearing 5-cr, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said if a judge disposes of 50 cases, 100 new liti- gations are filed as peo- ple are more aware now and approach courts to settle disputes. Addressing a semi- nar on the functioning of the Armed Forces Tribunal in the pres- ence of Defence Minis- ter Rajnath Singh, Riji- ju said the government is tapping technology to reduce pendency in courts. Lakhimpur Kheri:  A farmers’ agitation seek- ing the removal of Un- ion minister Ajay Mishra and a law guar- anteeing MSP among other demands, was called off Saturday after top officials met the pro- testers,SamyuktaKisan Morcha leader Rakesh Tikait said. Tikait said the future strategy of the SKM will be chalked out during a meeting in Delhi on Sep- tember 6. DM Mahendra Baha- dur Singh and others ar- rived at the dharna site around 2.30 pm and re- ceived the a memoran- dum by the farmers. The officials assured that a meeting at the government level for farmers will be ar- ranged in the first week of September, before Ti- kait and other farmer leaders ended the 75-hr stir. Rakesh Tikait and others said the agitation started with the arrival of farmers from various states from Wednesday night itself. No new cars, touching of feet:Tejashwitoministers Patna (ANI) : Bihar Deputy Chief Minis- ter Tejashwi Prasad Ya- dav on Saturday came out with a list of direc- tives for cabinet col- leagues belonging to the RJD, in an obvious at- tempt at image makeo- ver for his party . The RJD heir appar- ent issued the com- mandments on his offi- cial Twitter handle, whereby party minis- ters have been forbid- den from purchasing new cars and also from allowing visitors to touch feet. “Greetings should be exchanged with na- maste or aadab,” said Yadav, whose party is facing heat over crim- inal cases pending against many minis- ters. He further asked ministers to conduct themselves “with dig- nity and humility” and give priority to helping the poor “irrespective of their religion and caste.” The ministers should promote hones- ty, transparency, and promptness in their de- partment, he said. They have also been urged to share their work plans and development work. CONG FOR ACTION IN LAW MIN ROW Bihar DyCM Tejashwi Yadav talking to reporters. Shah meets ITBP men hurt in bus accident New Delhi (ANI) : Home Minister Amit Shah visited the AIIMS Trauma Center here on Saturday and enquired about the health condi- tion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel injured in the tragic road accident that occurred in Jam- mu and Kashmir’s Pa- halgam on 16 August. Shah reached the hospital around 1 pm and personally checked about health conditions of three critically in- jured ITBP personnel who were on Friday ad- mitted to the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi after being shifted from Srinagar through special Air Ambulances. The three ITBP per- sonnel, being treated at the AIIMS Trauma Cen- tre, are identified as Constables Balwant Singh, Tsewang Dorje, and Bablu Kumar. Amit Shah meeting an injured personnel at AIIMS on Saturday. Bhopal: India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert warning of very heavy to ex- tremely heavy rainfall in four districts of Madhya Pradesh, as intermittent showers continued to lash in large parts of the state. The IMD has issued red alert for Narsinghpur, Damoh, Sagar and Chhatar- pur districts and orange alert at isolated places in Bhopal, Narmadapuram, Rewa, Gwalior etc. IMD ISSUES ALERT IN MP DISTS NORMAL LIFE HIT DUE TO HEAVY RAINS Bhubaneswar: The heavy rainfall triggered by the low pressure area over the northwest and adjoin- ing west-central Bay of Bengal has badly affected the normal life across Odisha.  As per the latest forecast, the depression has weakened into a well- marked low-pressure area over Chhattis- garh and adjoining east Madhya Pradesh. VAISHNO DEVI YATRA RESUMES Reasi: Movement of pilgrims to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra resumed on Saturday, after a temporary suspension due to flash floods. “... upward movement of pilgrims to Vaishno Devi temple has been stopped from Katra. Priority is given to pilgrims coming downwards,” Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said. CM PUSHKAR SINGH DHAMI VISITS AFFECTED AREAS Dehradun: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Dhami visit- ed the affected areas near Thano and instructed officials to make alterna- tive arrangements for restoring vehicular move- ment. “The administra- tion is fully alert. Disaster relief teams are at work. The Army’s help may also be taken if needed,” he said. The villages hit are Maldevta, Bhutsi, Tauliyakatal, Thatyud, Lavarkha, Ringalgadh etc. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi pay homage to Rajiv Gandhi on Saturday. Patna: The Congress urged CM Nitish Kumar and DyCM Tejashwi Yadav to take necessary steps over the controversy on appointment of RJD leader Kartikeya Kumar as law minister. The BJP has demanded his removal alleging an arrest warrant is pending against him in a 2014 kidnapping case. Hill collapsed on a house due to torrential rains at Gohar in Mandi on Saturday. —PHOTO BY ANI A farmer at the end of the stir. Munawar Faruqui HEAVYRAINS,FLOODSKILL31
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  MUMBAI | SUNDAY,AUGUST 21, 2022 06 www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia Commodity Price Change % Chg GOLD 51,505.00 -98.00 -0.19(Per 10g) SILVER 55485.00 -958 -1.7 (Per 1kg) COMMODITIES Currency Price Change % Chg USDINR 79.78 0.089 0.11 GBPINR 94.7 -1.4 -1.4 CURRENCIES Hiring hikes in restaurants,hotels sector amid expansion plans New Delhi (Agencies): Hiring for customer-facing roles in sales and commer- cial operations as well as other divisions is gaining momentum across hospi- tality and retail sectors on the back of rising demand and bullish outlook for the upcoming festive season. Hiring is picking up across restaurants and ho- tels given revenge spend- ing and expansion plans of chains through new outlets and inventories. “Ahead of the festive months, we see a shortage of staff for roles in custom- er service and kitchens. Since the unlocking in March, recovery has ex- ceeded pre-Covid levels in many instances and now that the festive season is around the corner, demand and consumption are ex- pected to increase even fur- ther,” said Kabir Suri, pres- ident of National Restau- rant Association of India (NRAI) that represents more than 500,000 restau- rant operators. “There is a talent crunch as many workers had lost their jobs during Covid-19 and went back home or changed their profession,” Suri added. “Many (restau- rateurs) are now training raw talent which is a lengthier process. We are also simultaneously look- ing at other industries such as retail, or anything that is customer facing.” Retailers are also feeling the pinch of reverse migra- tion that happened during Covid-19. “Many of them never came back. This led to a shortage of staff across segments in the retail in- dustry as it requires a spe- cial skill set where the at- titude is very important,” said Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India (RAI). “Because retailers are witnessing growth in sales, hiring has also picked up at every lev- el and this will continue till the festive season.” EMPLOYMENT GENERATION OFFICIALS’ STATEMENTS z Because retailers are witnessing growth in sales, hiring has also picked up at every level and this will continue till the festive season. z Ahead of festive months, we see a shortage of staff for roles in customer service, kitchens: Kabir Suri, president, NRAI. business BRIEFS Mumbai: India’s foreign exchange (forex) reserves fell by $2.238 billion to $570.74 billion for the week ended August 12, the RBI data showed. In- dia’s forex reserves have declined sharply in recent weeks as the RBI sold dollars to defend the ru- pee. There was a sharp drop in the foreign cur- rency assets during the week under review. In- dia’s foreign currency as- sets, which are the big- gest component of the fo- rex reserves, slumped by $2.652 bn to $506.994 bn during the week ended August 12, according to the RBI’s weekly statisti- cal supplement. —PTI Leh: The Union Territory of Ladakh has announced a new electric vehicle pol- icy with subsidies to en- courage the citizens to procure e-vehicles in or- der to create a carbon- neutral future, an official spokesman said on Satur- day. Ladakh’s EV and Al- lied Infrastructure Policy aims to transform the UT into a torch bearer in terms of the adoption of electric vehicles in the country and envisions to encourage and cultivate an EV ecosystem, the spokesman said. —PTI LADAKH ROLLS OUT EV POLICY WITH SUBSIDIES INDIA’S FOREX RESERVES DIP BY $2.23 BILLION New Delhi: Formal job creation under the Em- ployees’ Provident Fund Organisation jumped by 8.9% in June 2022 and stood at a record high of 1.83 million compared to 1.68 million in May 2022. Net new subscribers add- ed to EPFO in June were 0.55 million more than June 2021, reflecting a steady rise in formal job creation under the retire- ment fund body, shows the provisional payroll data released by the EPFO on Saturday. —PTI FORMAL JOB CREATION JUMPED BY 8.9% IN JUNE New Delhi: Warehousing rents in Mumbai, Bengal- uru and Delhi-NCR rose by an average 7.2 per cent during the last fiscal on higher demand from third party logistics, e- commerce and manufac- turing sectors, as per a report. In its Asia-Pacific Logistics Highlights H1 2022 report, Knight Frank said Mumbai saw an an- nual growth of 9.3 per cent in prime warehous- ing rents to Rs 265 per square feet per year in the last fiscal, from `243 per square feet in the previ- ous year. —PTI WAREHOUSING RENTS IN MUMBAI, BENGALURU UP 7.2% *Rates till the edition went to print. AUTO INC IS FINALLY ON THE HIGHWAY TO GROWTH New Delhi : There is lot of excitement building up in the auto sector as it manoeuvres out of a rough patch and on to a smooth highway to robust sales underpinned by strong consumer interest and easing supply bottlenecks. A host of new launches and those that are in the pipeline have added to the euphoria and auto sector watchers are filled with optimism about the upcoming festive season. The overall dispatches for July picked up considerably show- ing that demand scenario is robust and likely to accelerate. LT COMMISSIONS ITS 1ST GREEN HYDROGEN PLANT AT HAZIRA New Delhi: Engineering major LT commissioned its first green hydrogen plant in Hazira, Gujarat on Saturday. It will produce 45 Kg of green hydro- gen daily, through an alkaline electrolysis process, which will be used for captive consump- tion in Hazira manufacturing complex. LT, which has forged multiple partnerships for development of technology and projects in the green hydrogen space over past years, is in talks with around a dozen com- panies in the steel, cement and refining segment for providing green hydrogen solutions. CURRENT DISCOM DUES DROP 80 PER CENT DAY AFTER EXCHANGE BAN New Delhi: The outstanding current dues of states and Union ter- ritories to developers dropped 80% within a day of the electricity grid operator barring defaulting distribution companies from power exchanges for short- term purchases or sales. They fell to `1,037 crore on Friday from `5,100 crore after some paid up while others disputed their dues.Restrictions on Karnataka and Telengana were removed just before midnight. OTHER STORIES MPC members flag GST hike as upside risk to inflation RESERVE BANK OF INDIA New Delhi (Agencies): India’s retail inflation may be moderating after hitting a peak in April but there are some upside risks that will weigh on the RBI’s mind as it decides the course of future rate hikes. Apart from the geopoliti- cal risks and the volatile nature of commodities and uneven nature of rains, two MPC members pointed towards the recent hike in GST tax as near term risk to retail inflation. External members of the Monetary Policy Commit- tee, Ashima Goyal and Shashanka Bhide, under- lined the recent hike in GST tax on some of the consumer-centric items as a source of upside risk to inflation. “Some rise in GST tax rates, electricity tariffs, en- ergy costs and rupee depre- ciation, although the rupee is showing signs of mean reversion towards real equilibrium values, are short-term risks for infla- tion,” Goyal said. Bhide said that the up- side risks to inflation re- main significant despite easing of energy prices and other raw materials. An uneven southwest mon- soon with deficiency in the eastern region and the crop prospects could determine the trajectory of food infla- tion going forward, Bhide highlighted. “On the domestic front, inflationary pressures ex- erted by the rising input prices are continuing. The impact of recent changes to GST rates, somewhat uneven distribu- tion of the southwest mon- soon rainfall with deficien- cy in the eastern region of thecountry ,couldbesource of upward pressure on prices.” The move to hike GST at a time when the infla- tion is surging came un- der criticism from the op- position during the dis- cussion over price rise in the just concluded Parlia- ment session. MAJOR TAKEAWAYS z Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarified that the levy of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on items such as rice, wheat flour and curd was taken after agreement among all states. z She also pointed towards the fact that some of the items had a higher tax before the GST came into effect. z The GST Council, in its 47th meeting, had withdrawn exemptions on some pre- packaged food items like rice, wheat flour, curd, lassi. New Delhi (PTI): The Adani Group is likely to launch next week an open offer worth Rs 31,000 crore to acquire 26 per cent stake each in Swiss firm Hol- cim's two Indian listed enti- ties Ambuja Cements and ACC, from public share- holders. In May this year, the Adani Group announced that it has clinched a deal to acquire a controlling stake in Holcim Ltd's busi- nesses in India for USD 10.5 billion. Markets regulator Sebi granted approval for the open offer this week. The open offer is estimated at over `31,000 crore if fully subscribed. In two separate regula- tory filings, Ambuja Ce- ments and ACC have sub- mitted their letter of of- fers for the open offer launched by the Adani family group's Mauritius- based firm Endeavour Trade and Investment. As per the revised sched- ule submitted by ICICI Se- curities and Deutsche Eq- uities India - which are the managers of open offer - tendering of the shares in the open will start from August 26 as against the earlier date of July 6. This will end on September 9, 2022. In May, the Adani Group had made an open offer at `385 per share for Ambuja Cements and `2,300 per share for ACC. For Ambuja Cements, the group had made an open offer to its public shareholders to acquire up to 51.63 crore equity shares, representing 26 per cent of the expanded share capital, aggregating to `19,879.57 crore. Adani to launch open offer for ACC and Ambuja Cements MAJOR HIGHLIGHT z For ACC Ltd, the group had offered to acquire up to 4.89 crore shares held by public shareholders, representing 26 per cent of the expanded share capital, aggregating to `11,259.97 crore. z Endeavour Trade and Investment is promoted by Acropolis Trade and Investment Ltd. New Delhi (Agencies): Air India will start addi- tional 24 domestic flights beginning this Saturday in an effort to improve con- nectivity between major metro cities. The majority of these planes will operate on routes that pass via Mum- bai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai, among others. Two new frequencies will be added by AI on the routes from Delhi to Mum- bai, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad as well as from Mumbai to Chennai and Hyderabad. Additionally, one new frequency will be added on the routes from Mumbai to Bengaluru and from Ahmedabad to Pune. “The additional 24 flights include two new frequen- cies from Delhi to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, and from Mumbai to Chennai and Hyderabad, as well as one new frequency on the Mumbai-Bengaluru route and Ahmedabad-Pune route,” Air India said in a statement. “This expansion bol- sters connectivity between key metros, and improves connectivity between Air India's domestic and inter- national networks.Over the past six months, Air India has been working closely with our partners to return aircraft to ser- vice, and we are delighted that this effort is now bear- ing fruit,” said Campbell Wilson, MD and CEO, Air India. As of now, there are 70 aircraft in Air India's nar- rowbody fleet, 54 of which are operational. Air India to start 24 more flights to connect key metro cities MAJOR HIGHLIGHT z As of now, there are 70 aircraft in Air India’s narrowbody fleet, 54 of which are operational. z By the beginning of 2023, the remaining 16 aircraft will gradually enter service again. New Delhi (Agencies): In- dia will follow provisions of free trade agreements (FTAs) over the wider and more stringent domestic framework in case of any dispute over value addition or rules of origin related to imports under FTAs. The decision comes as the country eyes trade deals with large trading partners such as the Euro- pean Union. The CBIC has instructed its officials to follow provisions in FTAs and the associate rules of origin in case of conflict with Customs (Administra- tion of Rules of Origin un- der Trade Agreements) Rules (Carotar), 2020. Currently, the Carotar rules require extensive submission of data and facts where, in certain cas- es, the requirement even goes beyond the stipulated conditions under the bilat- eral/multilateral FTAs. FTA provisions to prevail in origin disputes
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  MUMBAI | SUNDAY,AUGUST 21, 2022 07 NEWS www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia First India Bureau Mumbai: Forest offi- cials announced on Saturday that a pea- cock and a python were rescued from different parts of the by the department, in collaboration with a city-based NGO. The two animals were injured and dis- placed, and they were rescued by the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) on Friday, in coordination with the forest depart- ment. A distress call, re- ceived about an injured peacock spotted in Grant Road area of south Mumbai, was for- warded by the forest department to the RAWW team. The bird had sus- tained multiple frac- tures and had to under- go surgery . The peacock will be released into its natural habitat after post-surgery recovery, said the official. In a separate incident an Indian rock python, weighing about 16 kg and around 10 feet in length,wasrescuedfrom the city’s Wadala area. Satish Nandgaonkar Mumbai: “Kitne aad- mi the?”(How many men were there?) asked Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while imi- tating the character Gabbar Singh’s icon- ic dialogue from Bol- lywood classic film ‘Sholay’ at a Bharati- ya Janata Party (BJP) conclave held at Shanmukhananda Hall in central Mum- bai on Saturday. The Maharashtra BJP formally launched its ‘Mission Mumbai’ campaign to wrest con- trol in the Brihanmum- bai Municipal Corpora- tion (BMC) from Ud- dhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena in what is likely to be an epic poll battle after the vertical Sena split in June. Before Fadnavis took the dais, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar compared the deputy CM to veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan, by mimicking another iconic dialogue. “Dev- endra Fadnavis jahan khade hotey hain, line wahin se shuru hoti hain,” said Shelar, amid applause from BJP ac- tivists. In response, Fad- navis said, “I was called Amitabh Bachchan though I have Amjad Khan’s physique. But, I can at least ask, “Kitne aadmi they? 65 mein se 50 nikal gaye…do hi bache hain (Out 65 men, 50 are gone and now only two remain).” Sena-BJP will en- sure that the saffron flag will unfurl on the BMC and also fulfill Balasaheb Thackeray’s (Sena founder) dreams about Mumbai. “The BJP will pair with the Eknath Shinde-led real Shiv Sena which fol- lows the ideology of honourable Hindu hri- day samrat Balasaheb Thackeray,” he said amid applause. Taking on Shiv Se- na’s rhetoric that the Shinde government is a Delhi-controlled dis- pensation, Fadnavis said, “They say Mum- bai will never bend be- fore Delhi. Who is try- ing to bend? Mumbai is the financial capital, and Delhi is the politi- cal capital. Then we will have to go to Delhi. How else can our pro- jects be implemented?” Fadnavis alleged that the previous Maha Vi- kas Aghadi (MVA) gov- ernment indulged in massive corruption during the COVID-19 pandemic while keep- ing up the pretence of trying to protect the ‘aam aadmi’ (common people). “Their focus was not on people who were dying of the virus, but on having their share of malai (cream). Hundreds of crores of rupees were looted by them,” he alleged. Reacting to the pot shotstakenbyFadnavis, Shiv Sena President Ud- dhav Thackeray hit back at the BJP . “Deven- dra Fadnavis has made a pitiable attempt to seek votes in the name of Balasaheb (Thacker- ay). His statement also underlines that seeking votes on (Narendra) PM Modi’s name will be of no use. This is the ad- mission that the Modi era has ended.” Satish Nandgaonkar Mumbai: The Maha- rashtra government has granted adminis- trative approval for the reconstruction of an 11-storey high-rise for the Thane Zilla Parishad, and also the overhaul of Thane’s Civil Hospi- tal building as a 900- bed super specialty hospital, which falls under the constitu- ency of Chief Minis- ter Eknath Shinde. Before ascending the CM post, Shinde had held meetings and an- nounced proposed re- construction of these structures. The govern- ment has now sanc- tioned Rs73.25 crore for the reconstruction of the Thane ZP building, and Rs527 crore for demolition of 18 old buildings on Thane Civ- il Hospital premises for reconstruction. The Thane ZP’s exist- ing administrative building was construct- ed in 1965-66 and some portions of the building were declared “too dan- gerous” for habitation. With no alternative space available, the ZP is currently function- ing in the same build- ing after carrying out necessary repairs. De- spite the repair work, seven of the ZP’s 15 de- partments function from the Thane Collec- torate’s compound. While granting ad- ministrative approval, the government also laid down conditions, which include: the building should be con- structed within a peri- od of three years, and quarterly reports of construction progress should be submitted to the government. Other instructions include en- suring the building ad- heres to green building norms under which it uses natural light, con- serves power and water, and also deploys rain- water harvesting dur- ing monsoon. The government has also laid down the con- dition that cost of re- construction should be strictly monitored, and the building should be built within the ascer- tained budget of Rs73.25 crore. If that does not happen, then the ZP will have to bear any es- calation in the cost. Meanwhile, the 19 buildings in the Thane Civil Hospital complex are to be converted into a 900-bed super specialty hospital,whichistohave enhancedcapacity .From its existing capacity of 173 beds, it will be able to house 500 beds at a time upon reconstruction. The capacity of its women and children’s hospital will be in- creased to 200 beds and another 200 beds will be installed in the hospi- tal’s super specialty ward. The buildings that will be demolished and reconstructed include a training centre and hos- tel for nurses, mortuary , Out Patient Department (OPD) and blood bank, laundry building, and medicine storage. Govt gives nod to Thane ZP, civil hosp reconstruction EXTREME MAKEOVER Zilla Parishad offices to be housed in high-rise, 900-bed super specialty hosp to replace 18 bldgs in complex Thane Civil Hospital—FILE PHOTO Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis being felicitated by BJP workers at a party conclave event held in Mumbai’s Shanmukhananda Hall on Saturday. —ANI PHOTO BJP sounds bugle for BMC elections Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis reiterates vow to wrest control of civic body from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Maha ANS activists hold march in Pune First India Bureau Pune: Activists of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (ANS), an organi- zation fighting against supersti- tion and irrational religious beliefs, on Saturday held a march to mark the ninth death anni- versary of its founder, Narendra Dabholkar, who was killed on Au- gust 20 in 2013 in Pune. Several hundred people carrying placards and shout- ing slogans hailing the ideology of leg- endary social re- formers Babasaheb Ambedkar, Jyotirao Phule and Chhatra- pati Shahu Maharaj took part in the march. Various cul- tural programmes were also organized as part of the event. Dabholkar was shot dead during a morning walk near OmkareshwarBridge in Pune. Several peo- ple with alleged links to right-wing outfits have been arrested and the case is being heard in a Pune court. Narendra Dabholkar Injured peacock and python rescued by officials in Mum WHY ARE THE STRINGS OF LIQUOR SCAM CONNECTED WITH TELANGANA? From the time when the politics of Del- hi, which has been splattered on the slow flame of publicity and alleged honesty, it has now been drizzled with liquor, its flames have started touching the headlines. Ever since the CBI raids on Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleg- ing irregularities in ex- cise policies, the clamor within the Aam Aadmi Party has started com- ing out and screaming. It should be noted that the FIR was reg- istered in No- vember last year for al- leged irregu- larities in the for- mulation and imple- mentation of the Excise Policy of Delhi. Delhi Chief Minister Kejri- wal’s best friend Man- ish Sisodia has been made accused ‘number one’ by the CBI. BJP has also hit two targets with one arrow. Telan- gana CM KCR was emerging as the new champion of opposition unity these days and he was attacking PM Modi and his government. So, in this latest CBI raid case, a big Telugu company of Hyderabad has also been made an accused, it is alleged that 13 zones were allot- ted to this company alone, in lieu of which there is an allegation of collecting huge election donations. Sources claim that this Telugu com- pany is linked to a close relative of KCR. Sources a s s o c i a t e d with BJP claim that a hugeamount of Rs 300 crore re- ceived from this deal was spent by AAP in Punjab elections. In fact, the BJP wants that the financial resources of political parties who canchallengeitthrough such raids should be curbed. There have also been allegations of helping the BJP from inside the AAP, but to- day AAP’s leader’s am- bitions have started touching the sky, now he has started raising himself at the national level, and this has not gone down well with the BJP leadership. Inter- estingly , recently a lead- ing linguistic newspa- per of Gujarat has pre- sented an election opin- ion poll in Sau- rashtra, in which it has been told that in 56 seats of S a u r a s h - tra, AAP has thrown out the Congress and in t h e s e seats it is presenting a big chal- lenge to the BJP. IS CONGRESS IN COLLUSION WITH AAP? In the hours-long CBI raids at Manish Siso- dia’s house, it is said that the agency has got an important clue, whose strings are being linked to a loudmouth Congress spokesper- son. This important in- formation has been re- ceived by quoting sources that when the CBI scanned the files of Manish Sisodia’s lap- top, they came to know that accused number 11 Dinesh Arora and ac- cused number 14 Arun Ramchandra Pillai were involved with this prominent Congress leader. It was because of these two accused that raids were also conducted in Telangana. If sources are to be believed, AAP wanted the Congress to support AAP on the is- sue of CBI raids on Sisodia and not to high- light the issue in the media. It is said that AAP also wanted the Congress to declare this raid as an issue of po- litical ill-will. But this could not happen, Con- gress leader Sandeep Dikshit has already jus- tified these raids and said that CBI should have conducted not just one, but ten raids in the matter. SHAH MEETS NAIDU’S SON Keeping in view 2024, the BJP has already entered the election mode. If sourc- es are to be believed, Nara Lokesh, son of Telugu Desam chief C h a n d r a b a b u Naidu, had met Amit Shah in New Delhi along with his brother-in-law. It is said that this meeting lasted for an hour at Shah’s residence. Nara Loke- sh, in the beginning of the conversation, ex- pressed concern that “whenever TDP fights together with the BJP , it benefits Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party’. I am not talking of alliance but talking of fighting to- gether in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Where BJP can also get the benefit of Narendra Modi’s name.” Anyway, BJP’s vote share in Andhra is only 4 per cent now. Nara Lokesh said that ‘there c a n be an alli- ance w i t h BJP in the elections of 2024, and that he will talk to his father also about this.’ Notably, when Chandrababu naidu had recently met PM Modi, the PM had shared his picture from his twitter account, which shows his likes and feelings about Naidu. WHY THIS ANGER ON GADKARI? Nitin Gadkari is per- haps one of the only leaders of the BJP, whose uniformity of words and deeds India believes in. If any min- ister of the Modi gov- ernment has the best track record, it is Gad- kari. When he speaks fearlessly in Parlia- ment, he also collects praises from the opposi- tion parties. In 2014, when the Modi govern- ment first took over the reins, Gadkari had 7 important ministries, which have been re- duced to only one today - Roads and National Highways. If sources are to be believed, apart from Gadkari’s own moral courage, the sup- port he was getting from Nagpur was also important. But as Nagpur also bowed down before Modi’s grand per- sonality, Gadka- ri’s stature in saffron politics went down. Peo- ple will not forget when in 2019 he had openly said - ‘The man who thinks that he knows everything, he is at fault, people should avoid ‘artificial market- ing’. Perhaps Gadkari was also aware of this. It must have been well known that why the top leadership of the party is treating him in a step- motherly manner, that is why when the entire BJP and the Sangh were busy in targeting Nehru, he read hymns in praise of Nehru. Just last month in July, at a program in Nagpur, Gadkari openly ex- pressed his thoughts and said that the poli- tics of the country has become so bad that sometimes he feels that he should retire from politics. He had further said, ‘Today’s politics is being done purely to stay in power.’ FIRST INDIA SUNDAY SPECIAL BY TRIDIB RAMAN The author is a journalist and political commentator and views expressed are his personal K. Chandrashekar Rao Manish Sisodia Nara Lokesh Nitin Gadkari
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  MUMBAI | SUNDAY,AUGUST 21, 2022 08 2NDFRONT www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia z After the removal of Article 370, people consider there are two ‘Yugpurush’ i.e. Nar- endra Modi and Amit Shah. How do you perceive Shah as a Home Minister? Anurag Thakur: I firmly believe that when there is a leader like Narendra Modi in the country, who can take decisions and an individual like Amit Bhai, who everyone ad- dresses as the ‘Modern Chanakya,’ know what strategies are to be made. Let me reveal something here. It was a weekend on August 3 and 4, 2019. About a week before, we were all told that no MP would go to their constituen- cies or homes as there would be a training, since a new Parliament had been formed. And I was made the head of that training to co-ordi- nate the entire event. I was handling the stage management and I raised the team for it as the party had given me the responsibility. PM Modiji and Party Presi- dent Amit Bhai, who was also the Home Min- ister, had to come for the Opening Session. Amit ji was to address the Opening Session how- ever, he called me up in the morning saying that he would not be able to address the gathering so I made the required changes in the pro- gramme. He could not come for the pro- gramme on August 3 although he was in the Parliament, but was busy with other works. I met him in the evening and he said that he will see, if he can come on August 4 before the con- cluding ceremony, where PM was sched- uled to address. During lunch on August 4, I asked him, if I can schedule his address, to which he replied that he won’t be able to address the programme. I was unable to fathom what had happened that he was not coming. But during those 2 days, Amit Bhai was en- grossed in devising ways to remove Article 370 and 35 (a), how to go about it, the strategy, the legal aspect and how to get it passed in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and especially the Rajya Sabha, where we did not have a full majority. Despite all this, they got it done and this was only possible because of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. That is why I say, histo- ry has been written. z So, as Minister of Information and Broadcasting, what do you think has been the highlight or ma- jor step taken by you over the past one year? In such a short span of time, where people fail to start a channel in 9 months, you have launched a channel in 90 days. Bharat24 has been set up and has started to function for which, I extend my con- gratulations. I have complete faith that Bharat24 will provide the right news to the people. z How will you regu- late social media? The Press Council of India is there for Print Media. For Electronic Media, there is a three- layered structure, where one has to regu- late themselves. Simi- larly for Digital Media, there is a three- layered structure. Firstly, the platform itself does it, then there is a body that does it and on the third layer is the inter- departmental commit- tee, which does this work. On the third lev- el, not many cases come to the fore, but I have takenaproactivestance on it and such YouTube channels, accounts and web portals that were always on the lookout to divide India, and even used to indulge in propaganda against friendly nations to In- dia, we have brought such mediums down. Not once, but four times, I took a decision and brought down over 95 such channels that were working with a ne- farious agenda, even if they had a viewership of millions. z You pointed out right that in the name of fact-checking, people cannot be allowed to spew venom in society. PIB is a fact-checking authority and any per- son from the nation can go on their social media or their website and put up a piece of news to check if it’s authentic or not. But some people, under the garb of fact- checking, try to incite people, that should not happen. Nation’s secu- rity is paramount. Me- dia is free, in fact, I al- ways stress on Freedom of Speech, BJP does so and the Narendra Modi Government ensures that there is Freedom of Speech. But no one has the right to break the nation through propaganda. If your agenda is to break the nation, then India is su- preme for us, we will not let such things float. Yes, if you have to say something against Anu- rag Thakur, Amit Shah or even Narendra Modi, we do not mind. But to break India, if you work under an agenda, and do not follow the law, then, action will be tak- en against you. z How did this mira- cle of medals occur under your leader- ship in the Common- wealth Games? This time, because there was a challenge due to Covid-19 pan- demic. For example, the Tokyo Olympics took place when Cov- id-19 was at its peak and I know how diffi- cult it was to send the players and to get them trained, there were oth- er issues too. Despite this, our athletes won several medals, Neeraj Chopra won a ‘Gold Medal.’ This has been the first time in 121 years that we have won a ‘Gold Medal’ in Ath- letics. Apart from this, our 19 athletes went for the Paralympics and we won 19 medals. We won 16 medals in Deaf Olympics. Common- wealth Games were also a challenge since Shooting was not a part of it, while last time, we had 16 medals in Shooting. So straight away, we can subtract those medals. But in spite of that, we won so many medals this time around, which is a ma- jor achievement. But what is the reason be- hind this? PM Modi’s schemes like Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme. We pay for all the expenses of elite players like food, ac- commodation etc, then their participation in national and interna- tional events is paid for by the Government of India, and other than that, we give Rs 6 lakh to such players for fi- nancial security. Apart from this, we select 3,000 athletes from across the nation and spend Rs 5 lakh per athlete for their train- ing, etc. We also give them Rs 1.20 lakh per annum for their other uses. We are running 23 National Excellence Centres and these are apart from the State Centres. We are going to open 1,000 Khelo In- dia Centres of which, permission has been given to 590 centres and retired athletes will be appointed as coaches. Additionally, we have appointed 400 coaches in 9 months which is a feat, never been accom- plished before. Through this, we have carried forward PM Modiji’s idea of a ‘New India.’ Also, what Modiji does like speak- ing to players before they head out to some tournament, if needed, he speaks to them dur- ing the tournament also whether it was the hockey team or now during Commonwealth speaking to Puja, moti- vating the athletes when needed is what we need to learn from Modiji. And when they return, hosting them for tea, converse with them and motivate them further, there are perhaps not many Prime Ministers in the world, who like PM Modi, have worked to keep our players moti- vated and upbeat. z So what is the plan- ning for the 2024 Olympics? Our players will per- form their best there as well. We have made budget provisions to provide them training wherever they need it, be it India or abroad. Players will not face any problems and the na- tional federations will play their roles effec- tively . CEO Editor-in-Chief of First India Bharat24, Dr Jagdeesh Chandra during The New JC Show, speaks to Union Information Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur about how he perceives the ‘Modern Chanakya’ of Indian Politics, Amit Shah as the Union Home Minister, how the Narendra Modi Government firmly supports the principle of Freedom of Speech, the laurels our players brought to the nation by winning a slew of Medals in Commonwealth Games, the plans to open 1,000 Khelo India Centres to carry forward PM Narendra Modi’s idea of a ‘New India’; How the appointment of 400 Coaches in 9 months is a rare feat achieved by the Government, planning for the 2024 Olympics much more... (Part—II) August 5, 2019 will go down as a watershed moment in Kashmir’s history: Thakur Dr Jagdeesh Chandra greets Anurag Thakur during The New JC Show. DESPITE MAJOR HURDLES AND CHALLENGES, ONLY NARENDRA MODI - AMIT SHAH COULD HAVE GONE AHEAD AND GOTTEN 370 AND 35 (A) REMOVED, STRESSES THE UNION MINISTER During the show #JCwithAnuragThakur trended top All-India on Twitter Honesty is a hard won privilege. Do not expect it from everyone. —Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO Editor-in-Chief, First India PM Narendra... “Indian diplomacy helpedde-escalatetheon- going conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Cal- ibrated mediation effec- tively brought Russia andtheEUnationstothe negotiation table where the discussion can now proceed to bring an end tothefive-month-oldwar. Russia is convinced about the need to end ag- gression at the earliest andthiswillleadtoreset- tingRussianandEUrela- tions going ahead.” The Modi-Doval effect was not limited to the war front alone as they convinced other Euro- pean nations including the United Kingdom (UK),Germany ,andItaly to sync with the Indian point of view on trade hereon. Similarly , Rus- sia’shighdependenceon China in the semicon- ductor industry was dis- cussed,particularlyafter Putin’s recent visit to China, where he an- nounced a ‘no-limits’ re- lationship with China. “The Indian mission reviewed Indo-Russian synergies and discussed how a Russian indul- gence could similarly ease tensions between India and China over conflicts on the Indian border. India and Russia share a strong defence equipment supply rela- tionshipwithIndiasetto join the joint military exercises in Russia scheduled later this year along with China and othernations,”addedthe source. GANPATI BAPPA MORYA! Devotees carry an idol of Lord Ganesh during a procession in Mumbai city on Saturday. The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on August 31. —PHOTO BY PTI CRUCIAL READ Thane: At least five persons were injured when the floor of their flat crashed and landed on the first-floor house of a two-storey building in Mira Road in Thane district on Saturday, said civic officials. A toddler es- caped unhurt in the incident. All occupants of the 14 flats in the 28-year-old building located in the Chan- dresh Park area have been shifted to safer places. A structural audit of the building was also undertaken, added officials. The building did not figure in the list of dangerous buildings. The injured persons are identified as Manisha Mahadik (59), Mukesh Mahadik (32), Sheetal Bhuvad (42), Anita Bhuvad (22), and Siddhartha Mahadik (11). They were admitted to a local hospital. Mumbai: Two persons were killed and another injured after the speeding car in which they were traveling fell into the gorge along the Tamhini Ghat in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on Saturday afternoon, said police. Two male passengers died on the spot, added officials. The injured passenger was taken to Mangaon government hospital and is currently undergoing treatment. FIVE INJURED AS BUILDING FLAT FLOOR CRASHES IN THANE DISTRICT TWO DEAD, ONE INJURED AS CAR FALLS INTO GORGE IN RAIGAD DISTRICT FROM PG 1
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  O ne of themost pop- ular star kids on the block is Janhvi Ka- poor’s sister Khushi Kapoor, who is all set to debut in Zoya Akhtar’s film, The Ar- chies. Khushi took to her Instagram handle and shared new photos from a shoot where she was seen nailing a cutout dress like a pro. In the photos, Sridevi’s daughter was seen clad in a black cut-out dress with glam makeup on. She struck several poses and looked absolutely stunning. Seeing her photos, Deepika Padukone also could not resist dropping a comment. She wrote, “Uff” with a heart-eyes emoticon. On the other hand, Khushi’s close friend and The Archies co-star Suhana Khan also left a sweet comment. She wrote, “Amazing.” Several actors cheered for Khushi’s bold photoshoot. A fterdroppingtheintriguingteaser, makers of Akshay Kumar and Rakul Preet Singh starrer Cutt- putllitooktosocialmediatodrop the trailer of the gritty thriller. In the trailer, Akshay is seen as a cop chasing after a serial killer who has murdered 3 school girlsandislookingforhisnexttargetinthe small hill station of Kasauli. Akshay and his team of cops have to hunt him down in 2 days and stop the murders from happening. Sharing the trailer on social media, Akshay wrote, “3 Murders, 1 City , A Cop and A Serial- Killer out on the loose! #Cuttputlli drops on 2nd September, only on @ D i s n e y - PlusHS.” D isha Patani is one of the most popular actors in the tinsel town of Bollywood. Apart from films, she also keeps her fans and followers enter- tained on her social media. Speak- ing of which, yesterday, she took to Instagram and posted a couple of new photos looking gorgeous as ever. Taking to the ‘gram, Disha Patani shared a couple of photos where she can be seen dressed up in a beautiful beige body- con dress. The criss-cross cut-out detailing on the sleeves and in the front ele- vated the look of her outfit even more. Disha left her long tresses open, while she sported a glamorous makeup look. She struck a couple of attractive poses, while the beautiful dim yellow lighting added magic to the clicks. R anveer Singh and Deepi- ka Padukone are one of the most loved jodis in Bollywood. Recently, Deepika and Ranveer pur- chased a plush vaca- tion home in Ali- baug, which is a beach town close to Mumbai. Now, the duo performed an inti- mate Griha Pravesh Pooja at their residence in Alibaug, which was attended by their immediate families only . Now, the Jayeshb- hai Jordaar actor shared some beautiful and heart-warming moments from the Griha Pravesh ceremony on his so- cial media handle. Report- edly , Ranveer and Deepika’s bungalow in Alibaug costs Rs 22 crore. The couple was also spotted at the local reg- istrar’s office in Alibaug doing the formalities on September 13. FINALLY TURN KO-ACTORS J anhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan are two of the hottest and most- talented actresses of the current generation in Bollywood. Fans loved to see them together in the chat show and now it looks like very soon we will get to see the two powerhouses of talent sharing the screen space. In the picture, we can see Sara Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor sitting together and looking terrified. Both the girls look flaw- less and can be seen wearing sweater tops. Janhvi stuns in a lavender-coloured sweat- er top while Sara wore a pinkish white sweater top. Sara holds Janhvi in her hand and their expression is what catches our attention. Sharing this picture, Sara wrote, “From brewing coffee that was hot, now finally as ko-actors we shot.” Sight for sore eyes Cuttputlli Trailer KHUSHI RAISES TEMPERATURE Khushi Kapoor Janhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan Disha Patani Deepika Padukone Her post... Still from the trailer Rakul Preet Singh www.firstindia.co.in I https://firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/ thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia 09 MUMBAI, SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 onam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja have been blessed with a baby boy today. The cou- ple has been on cloud 9 ever since they announced their first pregnancy news. Son- am has been having a blast during her preg- nancy and her social media is proof of it. In fact, the actress has even revealed several times that she enjoyed her pregnancy phase. From going on her ba- bymoon with hubby Anand to flaunting her pregnancy fashion she has done it all. But fans have been eagerly wait- ing to hear the news of the arrival of Sonam’s baby and finally, the good news is here. The star couple has become parents to a beautiful baby boy. S
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  SRIJAN, Model FACE OF THE DAY! Aries MARCH 21 -APRIL 20 A vacation you only dreamed about is likely to become a reality soon. Healthy eating will help prevent digestive ailments. Money will be no constraint in buying what you like. Driving down with lover to a happening place is indicated today. Overall a good day. Gemini MAY 21 - JUNE 21 Help extended to someone will help him or her get ahead on the academic front. People falling under this sign will have very refreshing day. Visiting a mall or watching a movie with family is likely to be the highlight of the day for some. You may enjoy travelling to a tourist destination. Leo JULY 24 - AUGUST 23 You are likely to find the day most auspi- cious. Your knowledge about your line of work will be roundly appreciated and get you the thumbs up from higher ups. Friends and family may get together to give you a surprise and make your day. Business travel may leave little time for romance. Libra SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 22 Something you have implemented at work is likely to profit the company and get you noticed. You are likely to celebrate the achievement of a family youngster in a grand way. Shifting into your very own house may soon become a reality. An exotic island destination beckons. Sagittarius NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22 Problem about finances will be resolved. Those on medication will find a distinct improvement in their condition. Smooth going is indicated for those on a long journey. Stars on the property front appear the brightest. Taking the family on a trip seems impossible today due to your professional commitments. Aquarius JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19 Your stars favour a bright beautiful day .A family reunion is on the cards and you may get invited to a social function. Tax advisor will be a big help in saving taxes, so don’t hesitate to contact one.It is difficult for the relationship of friends turned lovers to fall apart, so relax. Taurus APRIL 21 - MAY 20 Your popularity is set to soar on both personal and professional fronts. Some of you will have to curb your splurging ways. Family life will cruise along smoothly with much love and bonhomie. Don’t speed up on the road. Chance of moving to a new location on transfer is likely for some. Cancer JUNE 22 - JULY 23 Money coming from various streams will keep you in an elated state of mind. A new fitness regime that you have adopted promises to keep you in the pink of health. Getting an old furniture upholstered may be at the top of the mind. Your search for perfect partner may soon be over. Virgo AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23 Money put together on previous occasions is likely to come in handy now. A family youngster is keen to learn from you, so don’t disappoint. Settling down in a new house is indicated for some. You may have to awaken partner’s interest in you once again. Health will be satisfactory. Scorpio OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 22 Your financial situation is set to improve, as earning opportunities come to you. Help from co-workers in a time consuming task will be forthcoming on the work front. Support of family will encourage you to take up a challenge. Socially, your presence will be much looked forward to. Capricorn DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20 Some clarification will need to be sought on a financial issue, before you take the next step. Efforts in the real estate market may bear fruit. A project left halfway by someone else may come on your shoulders, but your efforts will be acknowledged. You are a God fearing person. Pisces FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20 Changes made by you at workplace may not be appreciated by all. Strict dietary control will keep you fit. A family reunion is on the cards and will enable you to meet everyone. You can be tasked to organise an outing for friends and relations. Some of you may plan to add to your property. YOUR DAY Horoscopeby SaurabbhSachdeva Whatsapp Subscription Subscribe “First India” Daily E-News Paper For Free On Whatsapp To Receive the Most Exclusive News from the Power Corridors of Rajasthan Delhi. 10 ETC MUMBAI | SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 www.firstindia.co.in I https://firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia International Institute International Institute Of Of Fashion Designing Fashion Designing CITY FIRST nternational Institute Of Fashion Designing is a first choice of many students across India and abroad too. IIFD is internationally acclaimed top ranked college for design studies with a va- riety of fashion, interior and textile design courses. Fashion designing courses and Inte- rior Design courses at IIFD are curated by in- dustry experts and the curriculum is so vast and of international standards with so less fees as compared to other design colleges in India. z IIFD stands out shining in the ocean of fashion governing the world of fashion education in India. z IIFD has been educating and imparting training in the fields of Fashion Design, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Event management and short term Design courses. z Fashionate is a mega fashion show being organized annually by IIFD Surat since 2014, where the students of IIFD showcase their talent by designing mesmerizing outfits for the runway in front of industry sharks namely Samant Chauhan, Ken Ferns, Neeta Lulla and Anju Modi. z IIFD Surat has been awarded as best education institute of Gujarat by Times Retail and Education Icon for 3 years. z IIFD students got the opportunity in April 2018 to showcase their collection at INTERNATIONAL FASHIONER WEEK (DELHI) along with reputed INDIAN as well as INTERNATIONAL design- ers like Reena Dhaka and Rinku Sobti. z IIFD got a feather in its cap when the students showcased their collection at PARAMPARA-FASHION KALEIDOSCOPE in Mauritius 2018. z IIFD Surat students have also participated in Gurugram International Couture Week 2019. z To break the classroom barrier IIFD also provide the Internation- al Educational trip to fashion capitals throughout the world. The last visit had Paris, Italy, Germany and Switzerland in the tour list. z IIFD also exhibit the acumen of their Interior Design students at their popular Interior event ARASA. ARASA is an annual exhi- bition and platform where you witness the resonance of design and trend as interior students present their creative ideas and proto types and judge by the masters of industry. z IIFD Surat has always provided 100% placement and intern- ship assistance to its students. Mukesh Maheshwari started as an entrepreneur and an educationist with a common vision of contrib- uting knowledge to the upcoming creators and innovators of tomorrow. He is the inspiring director of IIFD Surat since last 2014. It is his sharp vision, ethi- cal efforts and intellectual ideas that has honoured him with many awards like Times Retail and Edu- cation Icon and Global Peace Ex- cellency Award for his contribu- tion in nurturing the students in the field of Fashion, Interior, graphics and event management. He is also effortlessly contributing to the society with a motto to create social awareness where he also organ- ized breast cancer program. FOUNDER DIRECTOR OF IIFD IIFD DESCRIPTION I Mukesh Maheshwari
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  Where do yousee yourself after five years from now? I wish to see myself as a suc- cessful person in both reel life as well as real life. I try to follow the lines of Rob- ert Frost’s poem: “The woods are lovely , dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.” eople are like stained-glass win- dows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. Natural beauty comes out if only one listens and attends to the needs of the body, mind and spirit in a bal- anced manner. Outer beauty turns the head but inner beauty turns the heart. Describe yourself for us. My name is Priyan- ka Munjal and I am both a professional ac- tor as well as a model. My home town is Muzaffar Na- gar in Uttar Pradesh and I have done post-graduation. Why did you choose mod- elling as a profession? I had been active on stage since my school time and participated in many shows while in college. The glitz and glamour associated with actors and mod- els always inspired me to join the fashion industry . Started with corporate print ad shoots for many brands and slowly I became the face of TVC, digital ads along with print ads. Mean- while, I was also given the chance to walk as a show- stopper for many famous designers on the ramp. What challenges did you face in this industry? Every person faces different challenges in this industry. I also faced many problems when I started such as fa- vouritism, discouragement by fellow models, politics WORLD BELONGS TO City First spoke to one such mesmerizing soul Priyanka Munjal from Delhi who believes that there are miles to go before one sleeps. Here are some excerpts of that tete-a-tete HARD WORK DHANUSHREE VYAS cityfirst@firtsindia.co.in P and the biggest problem was me being a small-town girl. People judged me for that but I never lost my confi- dence and worked hard. This made me reach the ze- nith of success. We would like to know about your achievements. I was crowned the Ms Diva 2013 and played a lead in a TV serial for DD National. I also produced a song for T- Series and got a chance to feature in many songs and leading magazines such as Grihshobha, etc. I have also been the brand face for many corporate houses which made my parents proud. Now people recog- nise me for my work which fills me with immense hap- piness. ETC www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia MUMBAI | SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 11
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  N o one makes movieslike Ak- shay Kumar and the fact that the actor has had three film launches in the span of eight months already shows that. During the trailer launch of his third upcoming film, Cuttputli, Akshay shared his views on why films are not working nowadays. He was asked about the failure of all the films at the box office this year to which Kh- iladi Kumar replied, “Films are not working. It is my fault. I have to make the changes. I have to understand what the audience wants. I want to do my changes. I want to dismantle my way . No- body else is to be blamed but it is me.” 12 MUMBAI | SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/ thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia CITY BUZZ GET VACCINATED STAY MASKED Jagdeesh Chandra launched the poster of the Hope Season 2, a charitable musical event by Shree Deepak Foundation, at his residence on Friday, August 19. During the event, Lucky Ali and Shabeer Kumar will perform live at Deep Smriti Auditorium, Mansarovar, Jaipur, on 17 September. CMD Neelanjan Das Gupta and Soniya Dwivedi were present during the launch. POSTER LAUNCH! onsoon is truly a ro- mantic sea- son that makes eve- r y o n e swoon to its pattering beats. So, as soon as the rain hits the ground, it is a necessity for some ro- mantic monsoon tracks to fill the air with love. Now, T-Se- ries has come out with another mon- soon song that oozes romance. Barsaat Ho Jaaye is a melodious anthem sung by Ju- bin Nautiyal and Rashmi Virag. Ri- dhi Dogra and Shivin Narang who brought the music to life on screen with their sizzling chemis- try sat with First India Filmy, and spoke about their song, fac- ing negativity, trolling and more. T a l k i n g about his ex- p e r i e n c e, S h i v i n said, “The e x p e r i - e n c e h a s b e e n amazing, being in a special Baarish song is always exciting. The look and feel of shooting a monsoon song are always dif- ferent. With T-Series, the music can never go wrong. Everything from music to the en- tire cast and crew just fell into place. We are from the same indus- try and have always perceived her as a brilliant actor, all our tuning was organic, we just created our bond and it was fun shooting with her.” Ridhiadded,“When I first heard the song, my first reaction was that there was so much energy and ro- mance oozing out of the song. I always knew Shivin is a very well-cultured man, so I was comfortable do- ing the song with him. It all depends on who you are, and on your journey similarly as an actor your experi- ences are what you are and that’s what you implement. Life will go and one will eventually learn.” Divulging about their undeniable chemistry, Ridhi said, “Whenever you are doing a film or series, you have workshops and spend a lot of time with each other to build the chemistry . But this does not hap- pen with songs. We got one day of re- hearsal and then di- rectly met in Mus- soorie. So, it is impor- tant to have the proper wavelength with them. So, I was glad I did it with Shivin.” Revealing how his mistakes have shaped his journey so far, Shivin revealed, “It is a part of who you are as a person or actor. Whatever journey and incidents happen in your life, you learn from them. Some- times you don’t learn and make the same mistakes again. But there is a point where you get it. They are not mistakes; it is just a part of life.” ROSHNI VISHWAKARMA cityfirst.mumbai @firstindia.co.in RIDHI-SHIVIN’S UNDENIABLE CHEMISTRY IN BARSAATHOJAAYE M A fter a copyrights issue was filed against Yash Raj Film ‘Sham- shera’, the movie was stalled from its OTT release which was initial- ly scheduled on Friday . Now, the court has given a green flag for the OTT release given that YRF submits Rs one crore with its registry . Judge Jyoti Singh ruled in the case filed by Bikramjeet Singh Bhullar alleging that the filmmakers had violated his copyright in ‘Kabu na chhadein Khet’. Bhullar had filed to ban the film’s OTT release but the filmmakers urged the court to allow the release as other- wise, they would be breaching their contractual obligations with third parties. So, in the order dated August 18, the judge said that the film has already been re- leased in the thea- tres but as the OTT release has not been done yet, it is only fair to al- low it only after they deposit the money by August 22. SHAMSHERA’S LEGAL DILEMMA AKSHAY ON FILM FAILURES K angana Ranaut starrer ‘Emer- gency’ has made an impact with its teaser which was re- leased sometime back. The makers have re- vealed that Mahi- ma Chaudhry will be seen playing the role of author Pupul Jayakar. Meanwhile, Mahima Chaudhry who plays Pupul Jayakar adds, “Working with Kanga- na is an experience be- cause she wears so many hats with such great ease. She is play- ing such an important political character, In- dira Gandhi. Pupul Jayakar was Indira Gandhi’s childhood friend so my scenes are the ones where you get to see the non-political side of this great states- man and controversial political leader during the time of Emergen- cy .” V ijay Deverakon- da is one of the few gems of the Indian film in- dustry. But an idol who has taken the country by the storm also has his own idols that he looks up to. And he recently did get to meet them when he visited the sets of The Godfa- ther. Sharing his expe- rience of meeting Chi- ranjeevi and Salman Khan. He said, “Chiran- jeevi sir has been some- one I looked up to... Growing up my dad used to tell his sto- ry of how he came from nothing and became the megastar of Telugu cinema. And, Salman sir, it was time first, I was meeting him. It was brief but I enjoyed see- ing him and saying Hi.” MAHIMA AS Pupul Jayakar Vijaymeetshisidols Shivin Narang Ridhi Dogra Poster of the film Poster of the film Shamshera Vaani Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor Akshay Kumar Deepshikha Deshmukh, Gaurav Banerjee, Akshay Kumar, Rakul Preet Singh, Ranjit M Tewari, Jackky Bhagnani and Chandrachur Singh Vijay Deverkonda, Salman Khan and Chiranjeevi