Delhi tuesday, february 14, 2017

www.thehindu.in Regd. DL(ND)-11/6110/2006-07-08 RNI No. TNENG/2012/49940 ISSN 0971 - 751X Vol. 7 No. 38 CITY EDITION 20 Pages Rs. 8.00 ●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

Printed at Chennai, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Madurai, Noida, Visakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Vijayawada, Mangaluru, Tiruchirapalli, Kolkata, Hubballi, Mohali, Allahabad, Malappuram and Mumbai

BRIEFLY SC to hear challenge on Aadhaar Bill’s passage NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court

on Monday agreed to hear in detail parliamentarian Jairam Ramesh’s challenge to the passage of the Aadhaar Bill as a Money Bill even as the Centre said the judiciary could not encroach on the legislative procedure in Parliament. NEWS | PAGE 12

쐍

Tripartite talks to end Manipur blockade fail NEW DELHI: The economic

blockade in Manipur that has led to the shortage of essential commodities in the State is likely to continue as the talks among the the Centre, the Naga groups and the Manipur government failed last week. A senior official in New Delhi said the talks were “sabotaged.” NEWS | PAGE 12

쐍

Karnataka amends law to allow kambala BENGALURU: Paving the way for

the conduct of kambala, the traditional buffalo race, the Karnataka Assembly on Monday passed a Bill to exempt kambala and bullock-cart racing from the ambit of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. SOUTH | PAGE 8

쐍

Ashwin, Jadeja spin India to win HYDERABAD: Ravichandran

Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja picked up four wickets each to lead India to a comprehensive 208-run win over Bangladesh on the fifth day of the one-off test at Hyderabad. Bangladesh, chasing 459 in their second innings, were dismissed for 250. SPORT | PAGE 17

쐍

SC verdict in Jaya assets case today Ruling will decide V.K. Sasikala’s political future, personal liberty

Sasikala stays back with flock, MLA ‘escapes’

KRISHNADAS RAJAGOPAL

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

LEGAL CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI: Not only AIADMK

CHENNAI: A week into the

interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala’s political future, but her personal liberty, along with the legacy of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, will depend on the verdict the Supreme Court will pronounce in a disproportionate assets case on Tuesday. At 10.30 a.m., a Bench of Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Amitava Roy will deliver separate judgments on appeals filed by the Karnataka government and others against the acquittal of Jayalalithaa, Sasikala, J. Ilavarasi and V.N. Sudhakaran in the case, which has cast a shadow over Ms. Sasikala’s campaign for the chief minister’s chair. The possibility of the twojudge Bench delivering split verdicts — one setting aside the acquittal and the other upholding it — cannot be ruled out.

O. Panneerselvam. Mr. Rohatgi, speaking to The Hindu, said the floor test, combined with the judgment of the Supreme Court in the assets case to be pronounced on Tuesday, would decide who among the two would become Chief Minister. He cited an SC judgment ordering a floor test in Uttar Pradesh.

political turmoil in Tamil Nadu, there was no word from the Raj Bhavan on the steps to form a stable government on Monday, even as some intense action was witnessed in rival camps of the ruling AIADMK headed by V.K. Sasikala and O. Panneerselvam. While Ms. Sasikala went to the Golden Bay Resort in Koovathur near here and stayed back to keep her flock of MLAs together, the Madurai South MLA S.S. Saravanan escaped from the resort “in disguise” and landed in Chennai to join the Chief Minister’s camp. Madurai Lok Sabha member R. Gopalakrishnan too backed Mr. Panneerselvam.

NEW DELHI: After briefly toying with options like issuing a bailable warrant, the Supreme Court on Monday decided to wait another three weeks for sitting Calcutta High Court judge, C.S. Karnan, to explain his defiance of a judicial direction to be present in court. Justice Karnan had been asked to be present in court on Monday. A seven-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar said Justice Karnan had not indicated any reason for his non-appearance in a letter he wrote to the Registrar General of the Supreme Court on February 10, after a contempt notice was issued against him on February 8. The Bench also comprised Justices Misra, J. Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B. Lokur, P. C. Ghose and Kurian Joseph.

쐍 CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

쐍 CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

MAHESH LANGA AHMEDABAD: Anil Ambani group’s Reliance Defence and Engineering has inked a major contract with the U.S. Navy to provide repair and alteration services for ships of the Seventh Fleet. This would be the first instance of an Indian company, either public or private,

‘No events at official level, public places’ MUBASHIR ZAIDI KARACHI: In a first of its

CM YK

If so, the Bench would refer the appeals to the Chief Justice of India for hearing before another three-judge Bench. However, legal experts say that merely because there are separate judgments listed, it does not mean they would be of a conflicting nature. In fact, it may be that both judges have concurring views and would be complementing each other in their separate verdicts.

쐍 CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Conduct floor test, A-G tells Governor LEGAL CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI: Attorney-General

Mukul Rohatgi on Monday advised Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao to hold a composite floor test in the Assembly. This, Mr. Rohatgi pointed out, would prove who had majority in the power tussle between AIADMK interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala and Chief Minister

Anil Ambani firm to service over 100 U.S. Navy ships

Cupid shot down by Islamabad High Court kind verdict, the Islamabad High Court has banned Valentine’s Day events at public places and directed the media regulator to immediately stop advertisements in print and electronic media promoting the day. Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court in his order said: “No event shall be held at oicial level and at any public place.” The ruling came on a petition filed by one Abdul Wahid who pleaded that Valentines Day be declared ‘unIslamic’. The ruling prompted a outcry on social media. #ValentinesDay was trending on Pakistani twitter with people largely mocking the ruling. Former Information Minister and opposition Pakistan Peoples Party leader Sherry Rehman tweeted “Wow. As if #ValentinesDayMorehurt anyone. Am not a fan myself but why deny society a harmless funfest? It’s not like we don't have bigger probz.” A former Law Minister of Sindh province Murtaza Wahab also tweeted against the ruling. Murtaza Wahab @murtazawahab1 tweeted: “Islamabad High Court u have surely made the Nation laugh.”

Justice Karnan fails to show up in SC

providing logistical support to the U.S. military within Indian territory. On Monday, the Anil Ambani group firm announced that Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra)-led Reliance Defence and Engineering (RDEL) had signed a Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the U.S. Navy to maintain the vessels of its

Seventh Fleet involving 100 vessels operating in the Indian Ocean. Follow-up to LEMOA The signing of a MSRA agreement is a follow-up to the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) signed between New Delhi and Washington in August 2016.

“Reliance Shipyard has been selected after a detailed site survey by U.S. Government representatives in end October 2016,” a Rinfra statement said, adding: “This selection by the U.S. Navy is a true recognition of the world-class facility, processes and the high standard of the capability of Reliance Shipyard at Pipavav.”

The statement said that Reliance Shipyard is the first in India to have received MSRA Certification to undertake servicing and repairing work for the vessels of Seventh Fleet. Currently, these vessels visit Singapore or Japan for such works.

쐍 CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

7-judge Bench gives him three weeks to explain his defiance

Frame charge: A-G Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi advised the Bench to formally frame criminal contempt charge against Justice Karnan. Referring to Justice Karnan’s February 10 letter, which stated that the contempt proceedings violated the principles of natural justice and made disparaging remarks about the judiciary, Mr. Rohatgi said show cause notice should now be issued on the specific charge that it was “calculated to lower the dignity of the judicial institution.”

C.S. Karnan

Judge’s wife moves SC against Karnan NEW DELHI: The wife of

Justice S. Manikumar of the Madras High Court approached the Supreme Court on Monday, accusing Calcutta High Court judge C.S. Karnan of “continuously harassing” her and her family and making baseless charges against her husband. She sought protection from the court. She said she and her family were aggrieved by the actions and conduct of Justice Karnan, which included “abusive” phone calls. To this, Justice Misra said there were two options available: “One, give him another opportunity to come and explain himself. Two, issue bailable warrant against him.” But Chief Justice Khehar sought to tread with caution. “For the time being, we will defer the proceedings. Consequences are great. We will ask him some questions and let him respond to these questions. Then we will proceed.”

Cars to become dearer in south Delhi DAMINI NATH NEW DELHI: Buying a car in south Delhi is set to become more expensive, with the local civic body proposing to hike the one-time parking charges as part of its 2017-18 budget.

In the budget presented by Leader of the House Subhash Arya on Monday, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has proposed to increase the parking charges paid by those who buy new four-wheelers. Starting from ₨5,000, the

parking charges go up to ₨1.2 lakh for diesel cars that cost more than ₨40 lakh. Mr. Arya said the Delhi government would have to forward the proposal to the Centre for a decision.

쐍 DETAILS ON | PAGE 4

A vendor carries heartshaped bouquets for sale ahead of Valentine’s Day in Islamabad on Monday. - PHOTO: AFP

Several twitterati spoke of the government allowing religious congregations but giving no space for love. “We #Ban expression of #Love ( in public places ) but all such places are open for expression of #Hate #Violence then V complain,” said Amira.Yunis @ay_yunis. Several special programmes have been planned for the festival of love on private television channels, FM stations and websites. Advertisers have been forced to pull out advertisements following the ruling despite having booked considerable space for the events. Earlier, restrictions have been imposed on celebrations of Valentine’s Day by local administrations in certain areas. However, this is the first time a High Court has banned Valentine’s Day across the country. ND-ND

2|

CITY

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Snag hits Delhi Metro once again

‘Ola, Uber haven’t tried to contact us’

On Monday, for the third time in the last seven days, the Delhi Metro’s services faltered again Page 4

The drivers’ strike against Ola and Uber on Monday left commuters to deal with fewer cabs and surge prices Page 4

DELHI CONNECT

Calling all readers to connect with us for all things Delhi at

twitter - @DelhiConnect www.facebook.com/NewDelhiConnect

Bad air, stomach ailments making urban youth sick A look at trends across India shows that young Delhiites are the worst hit, report maximum doctor visits for air pollution-related diseases BINDU SHAJAN PERAPPADAN NEW DELHI: Delhi’s polluted air seems to be hitting the city where it hurts the most — by sending more and more youth from the working population to the doctors’ oice.

Comprehensive look A comprehensive look at diseases and trends across the country has shown that young Delhiites are the worst hit, reporting maximum doctor visits for air pollution-related diseases. This, as per the results released by healthcare platform Practo as part of the second edition of its ‘Annual Healthcare Map of India,’ which highlights some of the key consumer health concerns. The report is based on healthcare appointments booked across 35 cities, with focus on top seven cities, including Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad across nearly 200 medical specialities. Alarming increase The report is entirely based on actual patient actions (booking appointments) rather than surveys. The report noted that air pollution-related diseases were growing at an alarming rate across India, with visits to pulmonologists seeing a 62

Never ordered lie detector tests on suspects, says HC NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday clarified that it has never ordered lie detector tests for suspects in the case pertaining to the mysterious disappearance of Jawaharlal Nehru University student Najeeb Ahmed.

Plea of suspect The court was hearing the application of suspect Sunil Pratap, a student allegedly involved in brawl with Najeeb. Mr. Pratap’s lawyer said certain media reports had indicated that the court had ordered lie detector tests on the nine suspected students. Right to refuse The court told the lawyer that his client can refuse to undergo the test. It also asked the police to conduct the probe in the

cent rise in cardiologist appointments, 23 per cent rise in diabetologist appointments and 27 per cent rise in gastroenterologist appointments,” noted the survey.

per cent growth. The major spike in appointments was seen across the age group of 25-35 years and the top three cities that saw a growth in appointments for pulmonologists were Delhi (50%) Mumbai (64%) and Bengaluru (80%).

Rapid urbanisation The survey noted that rapid urbanisation and fastpaced socio-economic development was contributing to rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases (such as COPD and asthma), diabetes, hypertension, etc.

Harmful toxins “The air quality in many cities is poor due to pollution. Many people have been seeking medical help for various related problems, like breathing diiculties, chest pain, etc. It is probably due to harmful toxins in the atmosphere resulting in acute respiratory infection (ARI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung diseases (ILD), etc., emerging as major health problems,” said Mahesh P.A., professor, pulmonary medicine, JSS University, Mysuru. He added that respiratory diseases are no longer restricted to the elderly. Besides respiratory ailments, spinal cord, cardiac and diabetes-related problems are also making the Capital sick. “The city reported a 24 per

Additional issues Additionally, poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, smoking and stress are some of the major contributors to the development and progression of preventable chronic diseases. Worryingly, the survey noted, that young India is not young at heart. “There has been a 40 per cent growth in cardiologist appointments, with hypertension as the most common symptom. Most appointments booked by people in the age group of 25-35 years.” Also registering an “on the rise” is abdominal discomfort or pain, indigestion, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting, especially in the age group of 25-34 years. This ailment showed maximum rise in Mumbai (26%), Delhi (27%) and Hyderabad (24).

FIGHT FOR JUSTICE: Missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed's mother Fatima Nafees. — FILE PHOTO: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR manner it feels but in keeping with the law. Meanwhile, the court said: “It is very strange that five to six months have gone by since he [Najeeb] disappeared. Something should have come out. Even if something bad happened, it should have come out by now.” ‘No faith in police’ On Monday, Najeeb’s family said they wanted some other agency to probe the matter as they had no faith in the Delhi Police. They said if the police continue to probe the matter, they will come up with a new story each month. On refusal of the suspects to undergo the

lie detector test, the Delhi Police, represented by senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra, told the court that “they [the students] can frustrate our probe, but we too are not helpless”. Status report In a status report filed before the court, the agency said some WhatsApp messages were received by the police and Najeeb’s family that he has been spotted in Odisha and south-west Delhi’s Bijwasan. Teams were sent to both places. While nothing materialised from Bijwasan, the team sent to Odisha is yet to end its probe, Mr. Mehra said.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court is likely to pronounce on Tuesday its verdict on several pleas challenging the the government’s direction to private unaided schools to accept nursery admission forms based only on the neighbourhood criteria. Justice Manmohan had on February 9 reserved judgment on a batch of petitions filed by parents and two school groups against the Delhi government’s December 19, 2016, and January 7 notifications. As per the notification, 298 private schools built on DDA land had to accept nursery admission forms based only on the distance norm. The court had termed the month-long hearing as “unprecedented” as counter aidavits were not called for from the Delhi government. During the arguments, the school groups had alleged that the government had “discriminated” among schools as the neighbourhood criteria had been applied to only 298 schools and was not mandatory for 1,400 other schools. The government defended itself saying that perusal of the allotment letter “clearly and explicitly shows that lessee school had willingly accepted the terms of allotment and on the same very terms of allotment, the lessee has been enjoying the property since time of allotment”. — PTI

There will be no seat cuts: JNU V-C Students challenge the Vice-Chancellor’s claim, continue to occupy the Administration Block passing all decision-making bodies, and were “threatening” everybody who questioned their style of functioning. “The V-C, in his various tweets, refuses to tell teachers and students exactly how many students will be admitted under various programme in the upcoming academic semester. Instead, he is hiding behind some vague phrase of ‘dynamic’ seats, wherein seats will ostensibly be announced as and when teachers are available. In other words, the V-C is putting an end to the system of annual admissions to M.Phil./PhD programmes,” the JNUSU said in a statement.

STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: Over 250 staf members of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) who work at the Administration Block on Monday had to sit at the JNU Convention Centre as students “occupied the Administration Block” and did not let the staf enter.

STAFF REPORTER

‘Unhappy’ This, even as the court expressed unhappiness over the lack of progress in the probe. A Bench headed by Justice G. S. Sistani clarified that it was neither monitoring the probe nor had it ordered the lie-detector tests, something that falls in the domain of the probe agency.

Survey based on appointments booked across 35 cities, with focus on top seven cities, including NCR

HC verdict on nursery norms likely today

UGC Gazette Notification The students have been sitting on protest both inside and outside the building since four days. They have been demanding that Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar address their demands and ofer an explanation about the new JNU admission policy according to the May 2016 UGC Gazette Notification. The students argue that the new policy will lead to seat cuts. The V-C did not visit the Administration Block. Instead, Prof. Kumar sent senior representatives from the administration to meet the students. However, the students did not budge and continued their protest. V-C talks to journalists Speaking to journalists at the Convention Centre, Prof. Kumar said there will be no seat cuts in M.Phil./PhD programmes. He added that several faculty members have over 25 PhD students, while many others do not have even one PhD student. The new admission policy, he claimed, will encourage

“Massive seat cut” The JNUSU added that as per the V-C rumours regarding seat cuts are being spread by few students. However, they added, the impending “massive seat cut” is not a figment of students’ or teachers’ imaginations.

faculty members to fill up the vacancies. Thus, once these vacancies are filled up, the university will have more students than the UGC Gazette Notification cap. “Rumours” “A small number of students are spreading rumours that there will be massive seat cuts. We have also gone for a special drive to add more faculty members to fill up nearly 90 vacant SC/ST

posts. In the next six to eight months, we will try to fill up close to 300 faculty vacancies,” he said. Coming down heavily on the protesting students, the V-C said the administration will continue to put sense into the small groups of “unruly” students by talking to them. However, he said, if that fails, law will take its course. He added that the UGC had given in writing that it

was mandatory to conduct admissions as per UGC regulations and that the new admission policy had been framed keeping in mind JNU’s socially-inclusive policy within the framework of the UGC regulations. Reacting to the V-C’s statement, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) said the V-C and the administration were behaving in a “completely arbitrary” manner by by-

Negative vacancies JNUSU president Mohit Pandey said the V-C’s team had put up a list of “vacancies” and negative vacancies in various centres on the JNU website. This list, which is still available on the website and has been issued by the JNU administration, makes it clear that there will be no admissions in JNU M.Phil/ Ph.D programmes for some years as several “vacancies” are in the negative.

‘We are here to celebrate the right to love’ AYAN SHARMA

‘Love Without Fear’, an event asserting women’s autonomy inside and outside university campuses, was held at Delhi University’s Faculty of Arts on Monday. Organised by the All India Students’ Association (AISA), the event attempted to challenge various hurdles that a woman faces in society on a regular basis.

NEW DELHI:

‘Anti-Romeo squad’ “We are here to celebrate the right to love and the right to make choices freely. We strongly reject institutionalised surveillance over a woman that manifests itself in diferent forms — be it curfew timings at girls’ hostels or the ridiculous ‘antiRomeo squad’ recently CM YK

called for by BJP national president Amit Shah,” said Kawalpreet Kaur, the president of AISA’s DU unit. The event, which took place amid heavy police presence and barricading, began with a speech by DU Professor Apoorvanand. Addressing the crowd, he said: “These days, one has to speak of love inside barricades. One has to understand that love knows no boundaries and is known to break the boundaries of caste and patriarchy.” Taking a dig at the antiRomeo squads, which Mr. Shah recently declared ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections, Prof. Apoorvanand added: “Our culture has its roots in love. Anyone who has to protect Indian culture should not propose the idea of anti-Romeo

comprising students, activists and academics.

LOVE ALL: ‘Love Without Fear’, an event asserting women’s autonomy inside and outside university campuses, was held at DU’s Faculty of Arts on Monday. — PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

squads. Instead, they should speak about freedom of men and women to love.” His speech was followed by other speeches, street plays, songs and poetry recitals. The event saw participation by nearly 400 people

Moral policing Speaking about the importance of free association between two individuals and rejecting caste, religion and gender barriers, activist Aditya Vaibhav said: “Two kinds of people are seen on the Valentine’s Day these days. The first are the kind who are out to celebrate love, while the second are those who come out to censure it. This programme is a reminder to the second category, which includes groups like the Bajrang Dal and the Vishva Hindu Parishad, that we do not accept their moral policing.” DU student Jatin Verma, who was present at the event, said: “Many groups end up targeting youngsters on

Valentine’s Day in diferent parts of the country in their declared efort to conserve ‘values’ and ‘culture’, but such actions are meaningless. There was a time when sati was considered part of Hindu culture, but got abolished later. So we have to keep fighting against discriminatory practices that live on under the pretext of culture but actually humiliate women.” Some in the crowd were also willing to point out double standards that prevail against women in society. Citing an example, Shreya Mishra, a DU student DU, said: “It is ironic that the society which deems a woman mature enough to elect her representative at the age of 18 considers her incapable of taking care of herself once it gets dark in the evening.” ND-ND

|3

CITY

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

D E L H I

Feb 14, Tue RISE 07 00 SET 18 11 RISE 21 27 SET 09 03

Feb 15, Wed RISE 07 00 SET 18 11 09 RISE 22 20 SET 39

Feb 16, Thu RISE 06 59 SET 18 12 RISE 23 13 SET 10 14

Crime cases cross 2 lakh, but rapes, murders see a dip 2016 annual report released by Delhi Police shows 420 of 574 crimes reported daily go unsolved STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: Of the 574 cases re-

ported in the Capital on a daily basis, nearly 420 remain unsolved, shows a comparison of figures shared by the Delhi Police. The figures state that the percentage of cases solved have gone up but there has been a dip in the total number of heinous cases registered, which include murder, rape and molestation of women. According to figures released by the Delhi Police, the overall number of criminal cases registered in the city have coninued to see a rise, crossing the 2 lakh mark for the first time. In 2016, the city saw 2,09,519 cases registered under the Indian Penal Code which is 9.4 per cent more than the previous year when 1,91,377 were reported under diferent categories. The number of solved cases among these are 55,957 (26 per cent) implying that the remaining 1,53,562 remained unsolved. The number of heinous crimes in the Capital saw a dip, coming down by 26.36 per cent compared to last year. The annual report released on Monday claims that the police also showed a better detection rate as far as these henious crimes are concerned as it improved by 12.82 per cent. This impovement is in comparison with the detec-

Fewer complaints against policemen, shows data

tion rate compared to crimes registered in 2015. The number of heinous crimes – which includes murder, attempted murder, robbery, rape and molestation of women — in 2016 was 8,238, nearly 3,000 less than the corresponding figures in 2015 which was 1,1187. The police said that 71.67 per cent of such cases were solved. The report says that incidents of dacoity reduced by 38.67 per cent, murder by 7.37 per cent, attempt to murder by 16.10 per cent, robbery by 35.72 per cent, riot by 39.23 per cent, kidnapping for ransom by 36.11 per cent and rape by 2 per cent. Joint Commissionner of Police (South Western Range) Dependra Pathak said strategies such as crimemapping and identification of hotspots with the help of PCR prompted the decline in registration and improved the detection rate. This figure when compared to the overall detection rate of 26 per cent appears paltry. The reason of overall numbers remaining low is a huge number of unsolved cases of theft, burglary and motor vehicle thefts. Last year, 85 per cent of vehicle thefts and house thefts remained unsolved. While 40 per cent of kidnapping cases went unsolved, 65 per cent of snatchings and 40 per cent of extortion cases weren't cracked either.

STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: Figures released

by the Delhi police show that there has been a sharp decline in the number of complaints received against those in the Delhi Police's own ranks in 2016 compared to the previous year. That, however, did not prevent 616 policemen from the 80,000-strong force from facing disciplinary and criminal actions. Vigilance inquiries As many as 109 were dismissed from service following Vigilance inquiries. The list of 616 —including 36 inspectors, 87 SIs, 43 Assistant SIs, 138 Head Constables, 347

As many as 616 policemen from the 80,000-strong force faced disciplinary or criminal action while 109 officers were dismissed

Constables — were placed under suspension for various “commissions and omissions” in 2016, said the Delhi Police’s annual report. Major punishments The report added that 437 police personnel were awarded “major” punishments, including 109 dismissals while another 129 police personnel were censured by the Delhi Police, it said. The vigilance wing, which keeps an eye on the conduct of the personnel, was headed by the current Commissioner Amulya Patnaik who, even after becoming the administration Special Commisisoner, had the charge of vigilance as an extra responsibility. Over 2000 complaints A total of 2,335 complaints were received by the Vigilance department of the Delhi Police against its personnel in 2015. There was a dip last year when

this number fell to 1,178 in 2016, the report showed. Delhi Police spokesperson Dependra Pathak said the numbers improved because “swift” punitive action was taken wherever the complaints merited them and “prompt” inquiries were conducted in the first place. Abetting suicide Besides vigilance inquiries, there were several other instances when the blot on Khaki was impossible to ignore. From abetting the suicide of a woman to a mass molestation complaint against one single inspector, several cases were reported. None perhaps was as significant as the one which was reported towards the end of the year when the satf members, including the Station House Oicer of Adarsh Nagar police station, dumped the body of a man who allegedly committed suicide in the police station in a bid to save themselves.

An interaction that wasn’t Number of thefts sees alarming rise in 2017 At a press conference, new Police Commissioner keeps his distance STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: The supposed “media interaction” with Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik was anything but an interactive session as the recently appointed police chief hardly allocated any time for the journalists, save for the occasional exchange of plesantries. In what was a strong indication of him staying away from the media and continuing the policy of his predecessor and current Central Bureau of Investigation Director Alok Verma, Mr. Patnaik, arrived and left soon after the session. He did not indulge in a chat with the media persons who had assembled at the mess where a “lunch and media interaction” session, as the invite read, was being hosted by the Delhi Police.

Speculations put to rest This also put an end to speculations over whether the annual press conference, a trend followed for several years, will be held or not. The annual press conference, which provided journalists across the city a chance to

NEW DELHI: While the annual report of the Delhi Police focuses on crimes that happened in the year that just went by, a new and alarming trend is being seen in the number of thefts reported in the city in the current year.

NO CHIT-CHAT: Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik at the media interaction on Monday. PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY put forward their questions to the numero uno of Delhi Police, would not be held this year, said police oicers. Past commissioners also made presentations on crime statistics while it would merely be the distribution of the annual report this year. Intially it was expected that after the change of guard, the press conference would be rescheduled. In the run up to the media interaction, there were verbal assurances from senior oicers that the excercise meant the same and only the nomenclature had changed.

The seven minutes that the journalists got to spend with the New Commissioner of Police on the day he took over was significantly more than the time allotted to them at Monday's event. Speaking to journalists later, some senior police officers reasoned that since Mr. Patnaik has just taken over and much of what had happened in the previous year was under a diferent leader, he was recluctant to face the media. Few found it convincing and in turn questioned the significance of the programme in that case.

Actor accused of graft asked to surrender to CBI

Kashmere Gate murders: staf held

NEW DELHI: TV actor Anuj Sax-

STAFF REPORTER

ena was on Monday asked by the Delhi High Court to surrender before the CBI on February 17 in connection with a graft case in which coaccused and senior bureaucrat B.K. Bansal, his wife and children committed suicide last year. Bail plea withdrawn Justice Vipin Sanghi issued the direction after the lawyer for Saxena decided to withdraw the anticipatory bail plea moved by him, when the court said it was “not inclined to grant the relief” as the accused appeared to be the “ultimate beneficiary”. However, in view of Saxena’s apprehension that the same fate as that of Bansal might befall him, the court asked CBI to get him examined by an AIIMS doctor before he was taken into custody.

SHUBHOMOY SIKDAR

NEW DELHI: The North District

police on Monday said the businessmen brothers in Mori Gate were stabbed to death by an employee. The employee was allegedly unhappy over the advances made by one of the victims towards his female colleague. Accused Sonu, who liked the woman, told the police that could not prevent deceased Rajkumar Manchanda’s “bad behaviour” as his elder brother Devendra Manchanda did not oppose it. Thus, Sonu decided to kill them. The brothers were found murdered at their Ram Bazaar oice. According to Sonu, Rajkumar allegedly harassed the woman and forced her to eventually quit the job. Sonu was angry with Devendra over his failure to keep his younger brother in

check. A police oicer said Sonu, who worked at the oice, decided to kill them with the help of his accomplice and colleague Rajendra Pal. Sonu and Rajendra have been arrested. Sonu worked with the brothers for over a decade and was one of the most trusted employees. According to the police, Sonu bought a chopper. On the day of the incident, he consumed alcohol and called Rajkumar to the second floor of the godown and murdered him. He then called Devendra to the same floor, claiming he had been sent by Rajkumar to summon him, and murdered him as well. Sonu attacked one brother with an ice pick and the other with a chopper. Sonu allegedly made sure that the other servants were not in oice at the time. He told them to go to the market to buy snacks for “guests”.

15 cases an hour As many as 11,216 cases have been reported so far this year. This translates to 361 cases a day or 15 every hour. That is also the number of “other thefts” reported in the city in January itself. This is

more than twice the number of thefts reported in the corresponding month in 2016 and significantly higher than the monthly average that year. Sample this. In the whole of 2016, as many as 77,563 thefts were reported i.e. loss of property. This translates to a monthly average of 6,463 thefts which is 4,752 less than the figure reported in January 2017. Even in January 2016, the figure was 4,861. The ‘other thefts’ category is excluding the

As many as 11,216 cases have been reported so far this year. This translates to 361 cases a day motor vehicle thefts or house thefts and burglaries reported in the city. The category includes cases for which the police have provided the option of registering online. Year-on-year rise This was reflected in the year-on-year rise in the numbers last year too

Mother blames hospitals for four-year-old boy’s death STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: She went to three diferent hospitals – one private and two governmentrun centres -- with her bleeding four-year-old son, but none agreed to admit the boy who succumbed after four hours of fight for his life. “We went to three hospitals. If only one of them had treated my child, he would have been saved. All of them told us to go to another hospital even as his condition deteriorated," said Basanti, the 27-year-old mother of the boy.

Hopeful of recovery For the first few hours the

boy, who met with the accident on February 9, and the mother were hopeful of getting some help. “I held him tight and assured him that he will be fine. He promised me not to play on the road again," said a sobbing Basanti. The family blames the hospital authorities for its son's death and wants justice for him. The boy’s father said the cab driver, who hit the boy while reversing his car, should have taken him child to a “better hospital”. ‘Didn’t see boy’ The driver, Rahul (32), said the boy came under the vehicle while playing on the

road. “I was reversing my car when someone told me that a boy was under it. He had gone under the car a few seconds ago and that is why I could not see him. I informed his family members and together we took him to hospital for medical help,” said Rahul. A case has been registered at the Mukherjee Nagar Police Station and the police are conducting the investigation. When asked if the driver threatened the mother on way to the hospital, DCP North West Milind Dumbere said, “The lady in her complaint did not mention this to us and if she wants we will add it later in the FIR.”

as the number of other thefts registered was 56,385 in 2015. The Delhi Police oicers also attribute the trend of rising numbers to the option of reporting theft having been made easier through the online procedure. Scrutinised cases What is not available is data on how many of these cases have been solved or even scrutnised. The police explanation that a lot of cases that should otherwise be categorised as those of lost articles get listed as thefts even if they

are not. The counter point, as many users have experienced, is that there is little follow up in these cases from the police and the app is largely redundant. No upadate on progress This further reduces the possibility of these cases ever being solved. Several complainants have told The Hindu that they never even received a call from any Investigation Oicer for gathering details. Those who do are hardly ever updated about the progress of the cases.

DELHI TODAY Talk: `The Past of the Outcaste’ - A discussion on the book edited by Sabyasachi Bhattacharya and Yagati Chinna Rao. Panelists: Prof. T.K. Oommen, Professor Emeritus, Centre for the Study of Social Systems, JNU; Prof. Vijaya Ramaswamy, Centre for Historical Studies, School of Social Sciences, JNU; and Prof. Shashi Bhushan Upadhya, School of Social Sciences, IGNOU. Chair: Prof. Sukhdev Thorat at Lecture Room -I, India International Centre (IIC), 6:30 p.m. Music: Concert by the Indian Naval Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Cmdr V.C. D’Cruz at Fountain Lawns, India International Centre (IIC), 6:30 p.m. Music: "Les Songes Voyageurs" by Thierry Gregoire at Alliance Francaise De Delhi, 72, Lodhi Estate, 7 p.m. Art: "Untouched Nature: The Glimpse of Banaras" solo show of

artworks by artist Anand Narain at Triveni Art Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, 205, Tansen Marg, Mandi House, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Exhibition: "Emotions & Expressions" - solo show of paintings, drawings & photography by Gurdeep Dhiman at the Convention Centre Foyer, India Habitat Centre (IHC), from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Exhibition: "World of Watercolors" - solo art show by Paresh Maity at Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Exhibition: ‘Ether is all that is’ by G. R. Iranna at Gallery Espace, 16 Community Centre, New Friends Colony, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Screening: “Romeo and Juliet" English movie screening at Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre (IHC), 7 p.m. (Mail your listings for this column at [email protected])

Published by N. Ram at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002 and Printed by S. Ramanujam at HT Media Ltd. Plot No. 8, Udyog Vihar, Greater Noida Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P. 201306, on behalf of KASTURI & SONS LTD., Chennai-600002. Editor: Mukund Padmanabhan (Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act).

CM YK

ND-ND

CITY

4|

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Cars to become dearer in south Delhi The SDMC has proposed to hike the one-time parking charges as part of its 2017-18 budget DAMINI NATH NEW DELHI: Buying a car in

south Delhi is set to become more expensive, with the local civic body proposing to hike the one-time parking charges as part of its 2017-18 budget. In the budget presented by Leader of the House Subhash Arya on Monday, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has proposed to increase the parking charges paid by those who buy a new four-wheeler. This, however, is not the first time such a proposal has been introduced. Similar hikes were proposed in the past two budgets as well, said Mr. Arya. “The proposal afects those who can aford to buy expensive cars and tries to minimise impact on others. We have been proposing this for the past two years, but the government has not approved it,” said Mr. Arya, adding that the Delhi government would have to forward the proposal to the Centre for a decision. Approval not likely At present, the one-time parking charges are ₨2,000 and ₨4,000 for non-commercial cars that cost up to ₨4 lakh and more than ₨4 lakh, respectively. Mr. Arya has proposed increasing the rates and creating more categories based on the price of cars. Starting from ₨5,000, the parking charges go up to ₨1.2 lakh for diesel cars that cost more than Rs.40 lakh. Charges for buses, tempos and trucks have also been increased. Given that the municipal elections are expected in April, it’s unlikely that this proposal would be approved by the government. Nonetheless, the Opposition said it would not support the move. “The Congress is opposed to any additional burden be-

The budget was full of half-truths and lies. The BJP has failed to deliver on promises made in its manifesto and budget speeches

TAKING CREDIT: Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Water Minister Kapil Mishra during the release of the DJB’s two-year report card on Monday. PHOTO: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

Farhad Suri Leader of Opposition

‘DJB has become more eicient’

had deployed sanitation workers in these colonies.

Deputy CM says water utility is no longer embroiled in politics STAFF REPORTER

NOT THE FIRST TIME: At present, one-time parking charges are ₨2,000 and ₨4,000 for noncommercial cars that cost up to ₨4 lakh and more than ₨4 lakh respectively. Hikes in these rates were proposed in the past two budgets as well, but were not cleared. FILE PHOTO: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

ing put on citizens. The incompetent Central and Delhi governments have increased the burden, and now the municipal corporation is doing the same,” said Leader of Opposition Farhad Suri. Apart from the parking charges, Mr. Arya’s budget

speech focused on improving education and sanitation services. Attack on Cong, AAP With this being the last budget to be presented by the BJP before elections, Mr. Arya hit out against the

erstwhile Congress government and the current AAP government. “We tried to improve services in unauthorised colonies. But, the government did not let us repair or maintain roads and drains,” said Mr. Arya, adding that the SDMC

Boost for education To improve the condition in its schools, Mr. Arya said the SDMC was committed to building permanent structures. At present, 84 per cent of the schools are in permanent buildings, while the rest function out of temporary structures. “We have seen a decline in enrolment in our schools. To boost the quality of education and attract more students, at least one smart classroom would be introduced in each ward. A separate amount of ₨1 crore has been allocated to assess the quality of education,” he said. The SDMC would also give students plates and spoons for their midday meals, which they eat using utensils from home or pieces of paper. Mr. Arya also announced that students would get four laddoos each on Independence Day and Republic Day, as well as dessert and puris as part of midday meals. Opposition not impressed The Congress, however, dismissed these promises, saying that the BJP had failed to live up to earlier promises. “The budget was full of half-truths and lies. The BJP has failed to deliver on promises made in the manifesto and in the budget speeches of the past years,” said Mr. Suri.

NEW DELHI: In the two years

since the Aam Aadmi Party came to power, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has become more eicient and seen the influence of politics reduce, said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday. Speaking at the release of the DJB’s two-year report card, Mr. Sisodia said that the water utility was no longer embroiled in politics. Instead, he said, it was focused on expanding its piped network. “The DJB was being used politically. Both parties [Congress and BJP] were operating tankers and depriving people of piped water supply to benefit the mafia. Even in colonies where pipelines had been laid, these groups were not allowing the DJB to supply water,” said Mr. Sisodia. Tanker mafia targeted According to Mr. Sisodia, the DJB had cracked down on the tanker mafia and added 250 of its own tankers to supply water to unconnected areas. “There may be financial constraints or limits of the engineering staf, but political issues are no longer hindering work,” he said. DJB chairperson Kapil Mishra added that the water utility had fulfilled the AAP’s election promise of free water

to all. “When we were about to give 20,000 litres of water free of charge, other parties accused us of giving freebies and not knowing how to run a government. Two years on, the DJB has increased revenue by ₨178 crore,” he said. In the past two years, the DJB has added 308 unauthorised colonies to its network.

Under the erstwhile Congress government, the DJB had added only 18 colonies in five years, said Mr. Mishra. Reiterating the DJB’s promise of improving quality of water to bring it up to drinking standards by December, he said that a pilot project to this efect would be launched in Malviya Nagar this month.

‘Ola, Uber haven’t tried to contact us’ ‘AAP leaders don’t have time for Delhi’

Gupta added. He complained that no unified transport authority, new buses or bus shelters had come up, despite announcements of inducting 1,380 semi lowfloor buses, 500 minibuses and 1,000 buses under the cluster scheme and 1,000 air-conditioned buses under the Premium Bus Service Scheme.

STAFF REPORTER

SOUMYA PILLAI NEW DELHI: The average

Delhiite is ‘disappointed and disillusioned’ at the AAP government’s ‘utter failure” to fulfil its promises, said Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta.

NEW DELHI: When Uber and

Ola made their way into the Indian market in 2013, drivers had hoped for a better life. Four years later, they are out on the roads, struggling to make ends meet. “I work at least 15 to 17 hours each day so that I can pay the bills and get food on the table. They [Uber and Ola] came in with huge promises, but they have cheated us after establishing themselves in the market,” said Sukhpal Singh, a driver who has 12 cars registered with the mobile-based cab aggregators. Commuters hassled On Monday, the drivers’ strike against Ola and Uber entered its fourth day, leaving commuters to deal with fewer cabs and surge prices. Drivers led by the Sarvodaya Driver Association, meanwhile, gathered at Jantar Mantar to continue the sit-in protest. “No representatives from Ola or Uber have tried to meet us to discuss our demands. This shows how little they value their drivers,” said Ravi Rathore, vice-president of the association. The efect of the strike was visible in DTC buses and on the Delhi Metro, which ran packed on Monday. Autos have a field day “I had a horrible experience. I had to pay twice the fare to reach my oice in Noida. I chose to take the Metro, but it was packed as other people, too, decided to do the same,” said Ashweta Lindoo, a resident of CR Park. Even as commuters complained, auto rickshaws and radio cabs took advantage of the mass protest. According to Sushant Arora, one auto driver charged him ₨250 for a 10-km journey. “After four auto drivers refused to CM YK

‘Questionable integrity’ Mr. Gupta alleged that the AAP, which is about to complete two years, came to power on the plank of a corruption-free and transparent administration, but now found itself surrounded by senior leaders of “questionable integrity” with several criminal cases and inquiries underway against its

No new college has come up, nor has there been an increase in the number of seats in the existing ones Vijender Gupta Leader of Opposition functionaries. The LOP also said that the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister and Ministers did not have “suicient time for Delhi” as they were busy “spreading their political wings outside.” “No new school were

opened, no teachers were recruited on a regular basis. Out of the 500 new schools promised in the AAP manifesto, only one school came up in Khichripur. No new college has come up, nor has there been an increase in the number of seats in the existing ones,” Mr.

DCW suggests changes This time, it’s Yellow Line for Nirmal Chhaya home STAFF REPORTER

MASS PROTEST: Ola and Uber taxi drivers raise slogans during the ongoing strike, which entered its fourth day on Monday, at Jantar Mantar. PHOTO: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR take me, I had no option but to pay a higher price. One of them even said ‘jaana hai toh batao’ (Tell me if you want to go). They are taking advantage of the situation,” said Mr. Arora.

HC notice for taxi driver unions on strike

Over-charging complaints According to the Delhi Traic Police’s helpline, 53 complaints of overcharging and 12 cases of misbehaviour were reported against auto rickshaws on Monday. But not everyone seemed adversely afected by the strike. Dhirendra Kumar, a 33-year-old auto driver, said his earnings had almost doubled in the last four days. “Our earnings from railway stations and airport had almost stopped. Passengers would get out of the stations and book these cabs. These drivers should have understood that if something is so attractive initially, there will be some clauses later. No one gives you more money just like that,” Mr. Kumar said.

STAFF REPORTER

Matter to come up for hearing on February 17

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High

Court on Monday restrained the two taxi drivers’ unions on strike from interfering with the functioning of app-based Uber cabs, whose services have been disrupted due the recent strike. Interim relief Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw granted interim relief to Uber, which had approached the court against the Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi (SDAD) and the Rajdhani Tourist Drivers’ Union, accusing them of blocking cabs driven by men who had not joined the strike. Unions restrained The court also restrained the striking unions from

Cab aggregator Uber had approached the court accusing the striking drivers of blocking its cabs staging a dharna near Uber’s oice, besides issuing notices to them. The matter will now come up for hearing on February 17. ‘Public saftey at risk’ Uber had told the court that not only its business, but public safety, especially that of women, was being afected by its drivers being blocked by those on strike. The cab aggregator claimed that not only were its vehicles being blocked, but the mobile devices installed therein were also being removed.

‘Distant dream’ He added that despite the allocation of ₨60 crore, no Aam Aadmi canteen had been opened. This, even as the AAP’s promise of regularising unauthorised colonies within one year of coming to power remained a “distant dream.”

STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), which had identified several irregularities in the beggar home at Nirmal Chhaya Complex that houses detained foreigners, has made recommendations to the Delhi government’s Social Welfare Department. At present, the beggar home houses two women — one from Kenya and another from Uzbekistan.

Notice to Delhi Police On Friday, the DCW had issued notice to the Delhi Police and the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Oice (FRRO) in connection with the complaints about detention of foreign nationals at the beggar home. ‘Resolve security issues’ “The Social Welfare Department should run the detention home of the FRRO and ensure a life of dignity for the detainees. It should also take up the matter with the L-G to resolve security issues there. The matter of the creation of a separate home for this purpose should be taken up with higher authorities,” said Swati Maliwal,

A DCW team had first inspected the facility last month and found the place to be unhygienic DCW chief. A DCW team had first inspected the facility last month and found the place to be unhygienic, lacking security and basic facilities. “We found that the two women had only one pair of clothes and undergarments for around a month. The department should ensure that clothes are provided to detainees. Also, mattresses should be changed regularly,” Ms. Maliwal said. English-speaking staf The Commission has also suggested that Englishspeaking staf be brought in to ensure that foreign nationals are able to communicate the issues they face.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Metro’s problems do not seem to be nearing an end. On Monday, for the third time in the last seven days, its services faltered again. The Yellow Line was hit by a power fault, leading to trains being delayed. A statement released by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said, “Train services were hit from around 12 p.m. to 12.40 p.m due to failure of power supply from Delhi Transco (DTL) to DMRC’s substations located at Kashmere Gate and Jahangirpuri, leading to tripping of Over Head Electrification (OHE) two to three times.”

Cascading efect Services were afected between Central Secretariat

and Samaypur Badli stations. However, the cascading effect could be felt along the entire line, the statement said. Power trouble Along with the power problem, there was an interlocking issue between Jahangirpuri and Model Town stations, which afected the setting of routes and providing target speed to trains. “Two trains were short looped from Viswavidyalaya to HUDA City Centre in this period to minimise the impact,” a DMRC oicial said. The 48km Yellow Line is among the busiest corridors. It connects north Delhi’s Samaypur Badli to Huda City Centre in Gurgaon. Last week, a series of glitches on the Blue Line had prompted the Centre to seek a report from the DMRC.

SLOW TRACK: Last week, a series of glitches on the Blue Line had prompted the Centre to seek a report from the DMRC. FILE PHOTO: V. SUDERSHAN ND-ND

|5

CITY/STATE

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Study sounds alarm on honking

Birds of diferent feathers

Reveals that roads with loud ambient noises are more prone to accidents SOUMYA PILLAI NEW DELHI: Excessive honking and loud noises on the road can cause accidents, a recent research has found. The study, conducted by Sweden’s Road Safety and Engineering Institute and Delhi-based NGO CitizenforSafety, showed that stretches with loud ambient noises are more prone to accidents. Prof. Claes Tingvall, the head researcher of the study, said that although the trend was seen across the world, it was more prominent in the Capital. Mathura Road, Kashmere Gate, ITO, Dwarka flyover and Dilshad Garden, the study states, have witnessed a spike in traic movement and decibels. Sample this: the highest noise levels that are recorded on Mathura Road reach almost 100 dB, twice the safe levels of 55 dB. Health experts said an exposure to such levels of noise for eight hours could cause hearing loss.

Health problems galore Further, when a driver is exposed to prolonged ambient noises, his muscles clench and breathing becomes 0.02mm/sec faster than normal.

Honking distracts drivers and increases stress among them. It also leads to hearing loss

WINTER WARMTH: A flock of mynas enjoy a sunny afternoon in New Delhi on Monday. PHOTO: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

NDMC to re-evaluate cricket contract bids STAFF REPORTER

“Loud honking also distracts drivers and increases stress among them. This then increases the chances of a crash,” said Mr. Tingvall. Experts said the government should try to implement strict honking rules in high traic zones. ‘Greener spaces needed’ “We are an impatient country. Even if you wait for a second after a traic signal turns green, you will be bombarded with a lot of

honking. Driving has become a stressful business,” said Promod Chaudhury, founder of CitizenforSafety. “It has been proved that greener spaces relax drivers, thereby leading to fewer accidents. The government and enforcing agencies should study such patterns,” Mr. Chaudhury added. The Road Safety and Engineering Institute has been involved with the Swedish government in formulating

strategies to reduce accidents. It was also associated with the ‘Vision Zero’ initiative, which is known to have reduced accidents in Sweden to almost half in the last two years. Control measures “Apart from good driving and strict enforcement of traic rules, driving ambience plays a major role in controlling accidents,” Mr. Tingvall added.

Kin hunt down driver of SUV that killed couple STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: The family mem-

bers of an elderly couple run over by a Renault Kwid managed to hunt down the accused driver after the police hit a roadblock in the case. Maya, the daughter of Giriraj and Vimla Devi, said the accident happened on February 6, when her parents were on their way to a wedding. Unsung hero Near the Paschim Vihar metro station, they were al-

legedly mowed down by a speeding Renault Kwid. A passer-by, Amit Kumar, had given the car a chase. He also managed to note down a part of the registration number. The couple’s son-in-law, Gopal, said the police initially registered a case against unknown persons and claimed that the vehicle could not be traced using the two digits of a temporary registration number. Not willing to give up, Gopal visited the regional transport oices (RTOs) to find

out whether any such number had been issued recently. His search took him to Renault showrooms in Moti Nagar, Janakpuri and east Delhi. Finally, at a Renault showroom in south-east Delhi’s Kailash Colony, he convinced the owners to get the details of the customer. Misleading information Armed with the information, he went to the RTO concerned. There, he found that vehicle had been insured on a address diferent from what

the owner had provided while purchasing the vehicle. “It was registered in the name of one Shakuntala Kaushik, a resident of Shahpur Jat, while the insurance papers stated the address as that of a village near west Delhi. We decided to check the latter address and found the car — a cherry red Kwid —parked outside house,” said a family member. The police then arrested the accused, who turned out to be the owner’s son, Anuj Kaushik.

German national permitted to travel home AKANKSHA JAIN NEW DELHI: A German national booked for alleged illegal possession of antiques has been allowed by the Delhi High Court to return to his fatherland while dismissing apprehensions of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) that he might not return to India to face trial. Justice I. S. Mehta allowed Bernd Augustine to travel back home after holding that “the German Counsellor and Consul is the appropriate guarantor in the present facts of the

case, who can assure the presence of the respondent”. HC hears DRI appeal The high court was hearing an appeal of the DRI against a magisterial court order that allowed the release of Augustine’s passport to enable him to go to Germany. While the DRI contended that the man was found to be in possession of eight antique articles last year, the latter submitted that the same had been purchased from the market. He said he had a

sound knowledge about the history and culture of India and that he had come to the country many times. On December 20, 2016, the magisterial court had while allowing his travel noted that the Consular had certified his address in Germany and that the Embassy had airmed that Augustine could be allowed to travel to his native place. Accused fined The court had observed that there had to be strong circumstances to refuse an undertaking given by sovereign countries. The

DRI had subsequently challenged this order. The high court, however, noted that Augustine was granted permission to go abroad subject to deposit of ₨15 lakh. “What is emerging on record is that the respondent sought permission to go abroad. Frank Thierfelder, German Counsellor and Consul, filed a certificate on December 19, 2016, airming the plea of the respondent that he is a citizen of Germany and his presence can be secured,” the court noted.

NEW DELHI: After being pulled up for “absurd” manner of granting contract for cricket coaching at Talkatora Grounds here, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Monday told the Delhi High Court that it will reevaluate the bids, including that of a Dronacharya Award

STAFF REPORTER

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has slapped fines on the Uttarakhand government and its agencies for not filing responses on a plea highlighting human–wildlife conflict and seeking rehabilitation of villagers living inside Rajaji National Park in the State. The green panel was hearing a plea filed by Uttarakhand resident Madan Singh Bisht seeking setting up of a committee to look into the issue of rehabilitation of the revenue village ‘chaks’ (estates) which lie within the boundaries of the national park, known for tigers, panthers, elephants and other animals.

NEW

HANGING FIRE: A plea has sought rehabilitation of villagers living inside Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand. FILE PHOTO

Party (AAP) will stage a protest across city markets from Friday to question how much black money demonetisation has managed to unveil. AAP’s plan to hit the streets, following a brief hiatus after the polls in Punjab and Goa, is being seen as primarily aimed at the upcoming municipal polls. At a press conference held on Monday, party convenor Dilip Pandey claimed that cash crunch had returned after the polling in western Uttar Pradesh seats.

Forests and SSP of Pauri Garhwal district. The NGT passed the order noting that on the last date of hearing, the State government had sought a week’s time for filing replies but had failed to do so.

‘Cash crunch back’ “The ghost of note ban is back to haunt people. Cash crunch is back and ATMs are empty. Modiji misled Parliament and the nation,” he alleged. “Hundred days have passed since demonetisa-

DELHI:

₨20,000 fine imposed A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice CM YK

Swatanter Kumar slammed the authorities for not filing their replies and slapped a fine of ₨20,000 each on the Uttarakhand government, State Forest Department, Rural Development Ministry, Chief Conservator of

management company called IGMA being promoted by an Indian cricketer with no experience in coaching. On Monday, the NDMC counsel told a Bench headed by Justice B.D. Ahmed that the civic agency had decided to consider the bids afresh. The new committee to evaluate the bids will necessary have an “outstanding sportsper-

son”, the counsel said. Petition disposed of Directing the NDMC to decide the matter in a month, the court disposed of the petition. On Friday, the Bench had pulled up the NDMC for “illogical and irrational” manner in which it had granted the contract.

HC allows eloped couple to live together AKANKSHA JAIN NEW DELHI: A couple who eloped sometime early this month and moved an anticipatory bail application fearing arrest has been allowed to cohabit as man and wife by the Delhi High Court. A Bench headed by Justice G. S. Sistani allowed the 19-year-old girl, Khushi*, to go with her husband Shekhar after they submitted that they were now married and willing to stay together. Khushi*’s mother Rani* had lodged a missing person’s complaint on January 20 alleging that her daughter went to market but never returned.

‘Threats issued’ Rani* told the police that Shekhar had threatened her to marry of Khushi* with him or else he would kill her. While investigation into the case was on, Rani* moved the high court seeking production of her daughter. She accused Shekhar of having illegally detained Khushi*. Meanwhile, based on the missing person’s advertisements issued

Rehabilitation: NGT slaps cost on AAP plans stir to question Uttarakhand for delayed response demonetisation move STAFF REPORTER

recipient’s academy, by forming an evaluation committee. Dronacharya Cricket Foundation, being run by Dronacharya awardee Gurcharan Singh, who has mentored Kapil Dev, Kirti Azad, Murali Karthik and the likes and holds an experience of 40 years, had moved Delhi High Court challenging the award of contract to a sports

tion, which claimed over 100 lives, was implemented. We want to know how much black money has been unearthed,” Mr. Pandey said.

BJP in line of fire He asked as to why the BJP was “not asking” for votes in Uttar Pradesh by projecting demonetisation as one of its achievements. “The people of Uttar Pradesh will hand BJP and Modi a major drubbing,” he said. ‘Corruption still prevalent’ Mr.Pandey claimed that the purpose of demonetisation, which was to put an end to corruption and counterfeit currency notes, had not been addressed. “Reports suggest that fake currency notes are still entering India from Pakistan via Bangladesh. It shows that demonetisation was an illplanned move that reaped no benefits.”

The man was accused of detaining the woman illegally after they eloped by the police, the couple got to know that they were being tracked down. Fearing police action, they moved a Sessions court in Karkardoma seeking anticipatory bail. The court declined them the same while directing them to approach the Kalyanpuri police station. The couple then visited the police oicer in charge of the case, and produced their marriage certificate before him. HC steps in Thereafter, the oicer asked Rani* to come to the station but she did not turn up. The high court was then informed about the developments in the case. The Bench ordered that the couple be produced before it as also the woman’s parents. In February, when the couple appeared before the high court, the latter allowed a meeting between the woman and her family. Names changed*

Student hangs self, police suspect foul play GREATER NOIDA: A student of

Galgotia University was on Monday found dead in her paying guest accommodation here. Darshika Singh lived in Khusbu Apartment in Sector Pie. Her body was found hanging from the ceiling fan by staf members of the PG in the afternoon. The staf informed the police, following which the body was sent for a post-mortem examination, SP (Rural) Sujata Singh said. ‘No suicide note’ No suicide note was recovered from the room, said the police, adding that they would scan the girl’s cellphone which was locked. The police said the phone would prove to be a crucial link in the probe. They added that they were suspecting foul play in the case.—PTI ND-ND

6|

STATE

Another online fraud worth ₨500 crore suspected in Noida NOIDA: An FIR has been registered against a Noida-based company for allegedly duping people of ₨500 crore, the police said on Monday. Amit Kishore Jain, a Ghaziabad resident, filed a complaint alleging that the company’s owners duped

nearly two lakh people who were promised returns by clicking on web links and made ₨500 crore in four months. Webwork Trade Links Private Limited is located at D 57, Sector 2, and has shut operations till April 20. An FIR has been filed based

on Jain’ s complaint and the UPSTF has started a probe. The complainant alleged that actors Shah Rukh Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui are brand ambassadors of the firm and have featured in its advertisements. —PTI

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

3 held for rape, murder of minor 10-year-old girl went missing on Jan 16; trio’s role in two more murders being probed ASHOK KUMAR GURUGRAM: More than a fortnight

after a 10-year-old girl was found murdered in a water tank at Saraswati Kunj here, the police on Monday claimed to have worked out the case with the arrest of all the three accused. According to the police, the trio kept the minor girl hostage in a jhuggi-jhonpri in Sector 43 here and repeatedly gang-raped her for four days before strangulating her to death. The girl stayed with her family in a JJ cluster near Wazirabad village and had gone missing on January 16 under mysterious circumstances. A case of kidnapping was registered at the Sushant Lok Police Station. The police carried out searches in the neighbour-

ing areas, but she could not be traced. Black car clue On January 23, a group of boys playing cricket in a ground in Saraswati Kunj spotted the body and informed the police. The girl’s parents are daily-wage labourers and belong to West Bengal. During the course of investigation, the police found that the victim was last seen getting inside a black car along with three persons. One of the suspects was later identified as Aizad Malik, 26, a native of West Bengal. He was arrested on February 11 and purportedly confessed to having committed the crime along with his accomplices Mukhtar Ali (30) and Jalil (22). The two were arrested on Monday.

The trio kept the minor girl hostage in a jhuggi-jhonpri in Sector 43 here and repeatedly gang-raped her for four days before strangulating her to death Accused an acquaintance Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Deepak Saharan said that Mukhtar was known to the victim who regarded him as her brother. Mukhtar along with the two others lured the girl inside the car on the pretext of giving her Rs. 300 in cash. The three allegedly took her to a JJ cluster in Sector 43, gagged her and tied

her up. The three took turns to rape her for four days and brutalised her, the police said. The trio then strangulated her to death and also tried to set her body on fire to avoid identification. Aizad worked as a chaufeur for a private company and used his car to commit the crime. More cases Mr. Saharan said that the three were being interrogated for their possible involvement in two more cases of abduction and murder of minor girls reported in Gurugram over the past two months. The police have not ruled out sexual assault in the two cases. In another case, a two-year-old girl abducted from Sadar Bazar in November is still missing.

Money conversion: ED attaches Tandon’s assets SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Dir-

ectorate (ED) on Monday provisionally attached movable assets worth ₨41.65 crore of lawyer Rohit Tandon and the then Kotak Mahindra Bank manager Ashish Kumar in connection with the alleged conversion of demonetised notes using demand drafts. The attached properties include demand drafts, issued in favour of fictitious persons, for ₨34.88 crore. These drafts were earlier in the custody of the Income-Tax Department. The proceeds of the demand drafts with various banks for

Gurugram heist: 4 more arrested

Rohit Tandon more than ₨3 crore, besides ₨3.65 crore worth drafts in the custody of the I-T Department, have also been attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED launched money laundering the investigations on

the basis of a case registered by the Delhi Police’s crime branch. The probe was initiated against Mr. Tandon, the bank manager, an entry operator Raj Kumar Goel and others. “We found that huge sums of cash supplied by Mr. Tandon were deposited, between November 15 and 19 last year, in the accounts opened in the name of firms handled or owned by Mr. Goel,” said an ED oicial. The ED alleges that a part of the deposited cash was also routed online to other bank accounts operated at the entry operator’s behest. “Kamal Jain, the chartered accountant of Mr. Tandon, the bank manager and

the entry operator entered into a conspiracy to get the cash deposited in the accounts, using which demand drafts were issued in fictitious names. The plan was to later cancel the demand drafts and get the money back in legal tenders,” said the oicial. 35% commission According to the ED, the bank manager charged 35% commission in advance to help the other accused convert the demonetised notes. The agency has already arrested him along with Mr. Tandon and the entry operator for their alleged involvement. They are currently in judicial custody.

Just posing

STAFF REPORTER GURUGRAM: Four more persons

have been arrested by the Gurugram Police in connection with the Mannapuram Finance Limited dacoity here last week. All eight accused in the case are now in police custody. The four men arrested by the Crime Unit of the Gurugram Police on Monday have been identified as Arshad alias Baby Khan, Danish, Wasik Ahmed and Mohammad Sahi alias Sonu. They were arrested from diferent places at Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Arshad works as a property dealer and Danish runs a garments shop along with his brother. Wasik and Sonu are labourers, said the police. Kanpur resident Ankur, who had been arrested ealier along with his three accomplices, had asked the four to be a part of the dacoity, the police said. “The four had come to Gurugram a day before the dacoity and left soon after committing the crime. They have been previously involved in petty crimes,” said a police oicer. The four accused were produced before a court and taken on police remand for three days. They also took along a portion of booty which is yet to be recovered from them. The eight had looted 33kg of gold and over ₨7 lakh in cash from the finance company’s branch at New Railway Road on February 9. Four of the accused were arrested two days later.

FRESH TAKE: Girls pose at the condom fashion exhibition organised at Connaught Place’s Central Park on the occasion of International Condom Day on Monday. PHOTO SANDEEP SAXENA

NGT orders inspection of sugarcane crushing units in UP NEW DELHI: The National Green

Tribunal (NGT) has directed the inspection of ‘kolhus’ used for crushing sugarcane in Uttar Pradesh after a plea alleged that these “unregulated” units were major contributors to air and water pollution. Sugarcane is processed in bullock-driven ‘kolhus’ for crushing cane for manufacturing sugar. A Bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim noted that there was no scientific study or any report with regard to working of these units and the adverse impacts on the environment. Directions for CPCB The green panel directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the State pollution control board to conduct a joint inspection of these units and inform it whether any pollution is being caused. “Apart from this joint inspection, the CPCB and the UPPCB are required to conduct CM YK

independent study of the functioning of the kolhus in the nature of pollutants these release and adverse impact, if any, caused to the environment and suggest remedial action. We further direct the Environment Ministry to place before the tribunal any rules, regulation or standing orders issued with regard to control of kolhus, if not then to file a submission suggesting such action to prevent pollution being caused by kolhus,” the Bench said. Three months’ time The tribunal has now granted three months’ time to the CPCB and the UPPCB to file their inspection reports. The order came while hearing a plea filed by advocate Anil Kumar seeking closure of kolhu crushers operating in the western and central parts of UP on the ground that they emit toxic gases like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. —PTI ND-ND

|7

NORTHERN REGION

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

71% polling in first phase of rural polls Polling peaceful in Maoist-infested districts of Odisha: police STAFF REPORTER

Maoist threat to come out and vote in the first phase of panchayat polls in the Naxalite-infested districts of south Odisha. According to the police sources, polling was conducted peacefully in Maoist infested districts like Malkangiri, Koraput, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, districts without any untoward incidents. From no place, any incident of Maoist violence was reported. From the start of panchayat election process till Sunday, through posters and banners Maoists had threatened voters to refrain from voting. Maoists had threatened to kill candidates in panchayat polls. They had also declared that they would chop of fingers of people who would vote in the polls. Due to Maoist threat and abduction of some election oicials by them, polls were deferred in two Zilla Parishad (ZP) zones of Chitrakonda block, comprising cut of area of Balimela reservoir in Malkangiri district. Some banners of Maoists had come up in Muniguda area of Rayagada district calling for a bandh on the day of polling. However, these attempts of the Naxalites could not stop citizens from coming out and voting. Security had remained tight in all the Naxalite-infested areas where polling was held. State police oicers, including the Special Operation Group

STAFF REPORTER

EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT: Voters at a polling booth at Lathi village in Digapahandi block of Ganjam on Monday. - PHOTO: LINGARAJ PANDA (SOG), and the District Voluntary Force (DVF) were deployed in three ZP zones of Makangiri district where polling was held in the first phase. Apart from it there was intense intelligence based operations to sanitise these areas from Maoist elements. Border Security Force (BSF) personnel kept a watch on the movement of Maoists at the interState border and Maoist-infested pockets. In Koraput district, apart from troupe deployment in areas of polling, special patrols moved aroundto check ulterior motives of Maoist elements and possibility of hostage situations. In Kandhamal and Rayagada districts also, the Maoist call for poll boycott and threat

to voters had no impact on polling process. The next phase of panchayat polls is on February 15. PTI adds: At least 71 % of the 58,28,446 voters exercised their franchise in the first phase. “So far, we have received information of about 71 % polling in the first of the five-phased panchayat elections. The polling was by and large peaceful barring some stray incidents,” State Election Commissioner (SEC) Rabinarayan Senapati told reporters. There was disruption in polling as some booths witnessed violence, snatching of ballot papers and ballot box and other activities, he said. “The Commission will decide on re-polling after getting

reports from District Collectors,” Mr Senapati said. The pollings were held for 188 Zilla Parishad seats, 1,506 sarpanchs in gram panchayats and 20,369 ward members spread over 29 of the 30 districts of Odisha. There was no polling today in Deogarh district. In Brahmagiri of Puri district, three persons were injured in Rahadamalla village while husband of a woman sarpanch candidate was attacked in Ghatukuli. In Kendrapara district, a woman was injured in a bomb blast. In Bureshwar panchayat of Nuapada district, some unidentified people barged into booth no 12, poured petrol in the ballot box and torched it, Mr Senapati said.

BHUBANESWAR: Mallhi Baral claims to have not missed any occasion for casting her vote ever since India became independent. The 102-year-old Mallhi, perhaps the oldest living voter in the State, came in a wheelchair to Kusunpur Primary School under Cuttack district to exercise her franchise on Monday. Voting took place across 29 districts in the first phase of panchayat election. A resident of Kusunpur village under Kurjanga gram panchayat, Mallhi has many great grandsons and great granddaughters, who have become eligible for casting votes.

Wheelchair user She was taken to the nearest polling booth, 300 metres away from her house, on Monday morning. The centenarian citizen in frail voice whispered about her preferred candidates in ears of her grandson who put stamp on ballots on her behalf at the booth. For the first time, Mallhi

Aam Aadmi Party expresses apprehensions over removing of EVMs in Patiala VIKAS VASUDEVA NEW DELHI: After Delhi Chief

Minister, Arvind Kejriwal expressed shock while posting a video of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) on twitter, allegedly being removed from a strong room in Punjab's Patiala district, the district election oicer’s investigation on Monday revealed that the EVMs in question were used in the 2015 municipal council polls. Mr. Kejriwal had tweeted, saying: “This is absolutely

shocking. Punjab oicials trying to remove EVM machines.” Punjab Chief Electoral officer had ordered a probe after apprehensions were raised by AAP candidate Gurdev Singh regarding shifting of EVMs at the strong room in Nabha located at the Gursevak Singh Physical College Gymnasium Hall in Patiala. “To undertake counting on March 11, 2017, in an organised way, the Returning Oicer, Nabha, took an initiative to

create more space in order to position her supporting staf for compiling results...due to shortage of space. ADC(D) Patiala agreed to vacate the room to create extra space for counting purpose and shift the material in the same building. Keeping in view the sensitivity of the matter, due notice was issued to all candidates regarding shifting of material from the above said room,” district election officer wrote in his reply to the CEO. The reply pointed out that

it was after opening the room it came to the notice of those present (including AAP candidate Gurdev Singh) that there were trunks in the room which had EVMs in them. “On seeing EVMs in the trunk, Gurdev Singh got suspicious and objected to shifting of these EVMs. The shifting was immediately put on hold.. Later, after checking the details on carrying cases it was

Agitated locals along with members of a Hindu outfit on Monday protested and blocked the Mohan Nagar-Wazirabad road after a cow carcass was found at a village here. City Superintendent of Police Salman Taj Patil said that some villagers informed the head of a local Hindu outfit Bhupendra Tomar about the incident at Sikanderpur village in Sahibabad who along with his followers reached the spot and started a dharna. The infuriated mob disrupted traic movement for at least two hours, he said. They were demanding the arrest of the slaughterers and establishment of police post on Sikanderpur road where bovine carcasses have been found a number of times in the past, Mr Patil said. GHAZIABAD:

Centenarian casts vote, claims never missed voting since Independence

BERHAMPUR: Voters sidetracked

Protest after cow carcass found in Ghaziabad

102-year-old Mallhi Baral came to the polling booth in a wheelchair. Previously, either car or an auto used to transport Mallhi to a polling booth. “My grandmother has been immobile for past couple of years. She can walk one or two steps. At home she used to hear discussions about candidates in the election in our area and probably she had formed her own opinion,” said Biseswar Baral, her grandson. When Mallihi was brought to the polling booth on Monday morning, she drew attention of all voters who queued up for voting. When a curious voter asked the centenarian citizen if she would come for voting next time, Mallhi said, “No, this might be my last appearance for voting.”

Read

FRONTLINE

Additional police force was called in to control the situation as it went worst. The traic movement was restored after police assured the protesters of action against the guilty, he said. A case has been registered against unknown persons under the Cow Slaughter Act 1955. Simultaneously one more FIR has been lodged against the protestors who kept the highway blocked under section 7 of the criminal law amendment act and for violation of section 144 of CrPC and Model Code of Conduct imposed due to the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Patil said. The SP said that a PCR van will be stationed permanently at Sikanderpur road until the establishment of new police post in the area. - PTI

Body of jawan martyred in J&K arrives in Gujarat AHMEDABAD: The mortal remains of Lance Naik Gopal Singh Bhadoria, who was martyred in a fierce gunbattle with terrorists in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, were brought here on Monday. Bhadoria was given a guard of honour after his body reached the Ahmedabad airport in an Indian Air Force plane. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has announced a compensation of Rs. 4 lakh to the family members of the soldier and also decided to build his memorial to make his supreme sacrifice as an inspiration for the people. Several Army oicials and leaders, including Gujarat

Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja, were present at the airport to ofer their floral respects to Bhadoria’s mortal remains which were kept there for a while. Later, the body was taken to the soldier’s residence in Bapunagar area of eastern part of the city. Bhadoria (33), along with Lance Naik Raghuvir Singh, was killed in a fierce gunfight on Sunday in Kulgam district in South Kashmir. Four militants were also killed in the encounter. On learning about his death, a pal of gloom descended the Hirawadi locality in Bapunagar area here where Bhadoria’s family lives. - PTI

established that EVMs were ECIL make 2001,2006 and 2007, which had been used in municipal council elections held in 2015,” it added. The district election oicer said that “the very fact that a notice was issued to all candidates for undertaking this exercise clearly explains the intent of the Returning Officer, which was beyond ulterior motives.”

Medical student raped by FB friend on pretext of marriage KOTA: An 18-year-old Dalit medical aspirant was raped on the pretext of marriage by a man she befriended on Facebook, the police said on Monday. The victim, in her complaint, said that she came in contact with Krishanveer Singh (25), an engineer in Udaipur, on Facebook and soon he began visiting her in Kota frequently, SHO Vigyannagar police station Jai Prakesh Bainiwal said. She alleged that the accused promised to marry her but raped her in September

last year, once in Kota and twice in Jaipur. Became pregnant She became pregnant as a result and the accused refused to marry her and was even forcing her to abort the child, the oicer said. The accused had eventually stopped replying to the victim’s calls. The student eventually sought help from a local female advocate. She called Singh to Kota on Sunday under the guise of agreeing to terminate her pregnancy.

A medical examination confirmed the pregnancy. A case was lodged when Singh arrived in Kota on Sunday. He has been booked under section 376 of IPC, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and a section of POCSO Act, as the victim was underage at the time of the incident, Deputy Superintendent of Police Chuna Ram Jat said. The accused has been detained but has not been arrested as the investigation is under way, the DSP said. - PTI

Two undertrials escape from M.P. jail MORENA: Two undertrial pris-

oners lodged in the district jail here escaped from the facility apparently in early hours of Monday, an oicial said. Omprakash Jat (36), who is awaiting trial in a murder case, and Anil Rathore (26), an accused in a rape case, dug a hole in a closed cemented entry leading to a staircase to slip out. Alarmingly, the jail authorities came to know about the incident only after a rel-

ative of Rathore came to meet him in morning hours. “We came to know about the jail break when a relative of Rathore came to meet him in the morning. We searched for the prisoner inside but couldn’t find him,” Jailor B.S. Mourya said, adding that they found Rathore and Jat missing after taking a head count. He said in the head count taken last evening the duo were found to be present, which meant they escaped

apparently in early hours of Monday. Citing circumstantial evidence, Mr. Mourya said Jat and Rathore broke their way through the closed cemented entry to reach the staircase which opens into a small terrace located near the boundary wall of the jail and jumped out. A complaint has been lodged with the Kotwali police, following which a search is on to trace the duo. -PTI

Separate board for Class V in Rajasthan AJMER: Class V examinations in Rajasthan will now be conducted by a separate board starting this year, State education minister Vasudev Devnani has said. The examinations will start from March 30. As is the case with the Class X boards exams, the questions papers for all Class V students will be the same, Mr.

CM YK

Devnani told reporters here on Sunday. If a student does not clear the exam, he will got one more chance after a month. Clearing the examination is compulsory for advancing to the next class, Mr. Devnani said. Students are not failed up to Class V at present. - PTI ND-ND

8|

SOUTH

All-party peace meeting in Kannur today SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT KANNUR: Rocked by political

violence with recurrent clashes and murders involving CPI(M) and BJP-RSS workers, the leaders of the rival parties in the Kannur district of Kerala view the first all-party peace meeting in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on February 14 as a way out from this endless violence. A meeting of CPI(M) and BJP-RSS leaders was convened by the Chief Minister in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday as a precursor to the all-party meet. “We will fully co-operate with the government’s eforts to bring peace,” said CPI(M) State committee member M.V. Jayarajan. The BJP also responded in the same vein. “We have hope in the peace meet,” BJP district president P. Sathyaprakash said

Karnataka Cong. counters bribery charge with CD Party says conversation between BJP leaders has exposed the ‘conspiracy’ SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT BENGALURU: The political slugfest between the ruling Congress and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka, over allegations of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah paying ₨ 1000 crore to the party high command, took a dramatic turn on Monday. The Congress released a CD which reportedly shows that the charge made by the BJP is a “conspiracy.” The BJP, in turn, claimed that the CD — of a conversation on the issue between former Chief Minister and party State president B.S. Yeddyurappa and Union Minister Ananth Kumar —

B.S. Yeddyurappa

Ananth Kumar

was “selectively edited” to miscommunicate its import. It has challenged the Congress to release the full recording.

Ananth Kumar saying that “everybody” pays money to the party high command. Mr. Yeddyurappa responds by saying nobody, however, “makes diary entries.” It further shows Mr. Kumar saying “the spark is lit and it will carry on till the elections,” scheduled to be

‘Everybody pays money’ The recorded conversation in the CD, released by Congress leaders, shows Mr.

held in 2018. Mr. Kumar is heard saying the Congress would have to “keep responding till the elections.” Both leaders are heard discussing the diary seized by the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax oicials from Congress legislator K. Govindraj’s residence, which is claimed to have notes about payments made to the Congress high command. The conversation, it appears, was inadvertently picked up by a microphone during the party executive. Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda is delivering a speech while the two leaders are in a private conversation on the dais.

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Kerala college chairman first accused in student suicide case STAFF REPORTER

Nehru College Chairman P. Krishnadas, named first accused in connection with the death of student Jishnu Pranoy, and four others are said to be absconding. The Kerala police charged them with abetment of suicide under Section 306 of the IPC. Other charges against them include criminal conspiracy and harassment. The police on Monday submitted their report at the Wadakkanchery Magistrate Court. Vice-principal Shakthivel, assistant professor Praveen, examiner Vipin and PRO Sajith are the other accused in the case. A police team went to the houses of the accused but couldn’t find them. The team has gone to Tamil Nadu in search of Mr. Sakthivel. Sajith is the son of THRISSUR:

A file photo of SFI activists protesting the death of Jishnu Pranoy. — PHOTO: THULASI KAKKAT former Minister Viswanathan.

K.P.

‘Acted with vengeance’ Although the college authorities had alleged that Jishnu was caught copying in the Physics exam on January 6, they could not produce any evidence, the police re-

HC notice to ex-SC judge Karnataka amends law to allow kambala Governor likely to who banned jallikattu stayed send Bill on buffalo SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

port said. The management treated Jishnu’s case “with a vengeance,” the report said. The role of Jishnu in some college agitations and his protest against some of the management’s decisions were reasons for the college authorities’ ire against Jishnu.

Show proof of caste, Rohith’s mother told

BENGALURU: Paving the way for

KRISHNADAS RAJAGOPAL DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed a Madras High Court notice to former Supreme Court judge, Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan, author of a 2014 judgment banning jallikattu, for accepting the ‘Man of the Year’ award from People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). A Bench of Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar and Justice N.V. Ramana further issued notice to Salai Chakrapani, a jallikattu enthusiast, who filed the petition.

NEW

‘Private citizen’ Justice Radhakrishnan contended that there was no constitutional bar on him receiving such an award after his retirement as Supreme Court judge. He said he was a private

CM YK

Justice Radhakrishnan said there was no bar on him receiving award from PETA after retirement citizen like anyone else. Invoking Section 3 (1) of the Judges (Protection) Act of 1985, Justice Radhakrishnan contended that no court or any forum could initiate civil or criminal proceedings against him for acts done in the course of his judicial functions. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had recently issued notice to Justice Radhakrishnan on a plea by Mr. Chakrapani. Mr. Chakrapani argued that bestowing and receiving of the PETA award were indicative of bias as PETA was a party to the jallikattu litiga-

tion which culminated in the ban on the sport. ‘Frivolous plea’ Justice Radhakrishnan, represented by senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, termed the plea “frivolous.” His post-retirement activities as a private citizen were not in anyway related to his judicial functions when he was judge. The Madurai petition had contended that the receipt of the award was in violation of Article 124 (7) of the Constitution. In response, Justice Radharishnan contended that Article 124 (7) only barred a retired Supreme Court judge from pleading or acting in any court or before any authority within India. The Article was not connected to the acceptance of an award.

the conduct of kambala, traditional bufalo race, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Monday passed the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2017.The Bill seeks to exempt kambala and bullock-cart racing from the ambit of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960. Kambala is currently stayed by the High Court following a petition by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Thousands in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, where kambala is widely held, had protested the ban. They argued that the annual kambala races in paddy fields were part of their tradition. The sport did not torture animals, they said. The movement gathered momentum after

race, passed by the State Assembly, to President for assent Animal Welfare Board of India had resulted in the filing of 65 non-cognisable ofence complaints and an FIR in 2014-15.

’TRADITIONAL SPORT’: A kambala event in progress at Manipal, Karnataka. — PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT the jallikattu agitation in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Governor Vajubhai R. Vala is likely to refer the Bill to the President for his assent. PETA criticises move PETA, in a press release, called the amended Bill “a

setback to the welfare of buffaloes.” The cruelty inherent in events such as bull and buffalo races violated the PCA Act, 1960, it said. Poorva Joshipura, CEO, PETA India, said three kambala events inspected by the

Allegation of cruelty PETA said the inspection reports contained a scientific assessment of the welfare of bufaloes that were forced to participate in such events, including evidence of diferent forms of cruelty inflicted on the animals. “Many of the bufaloes frothed at the mouth, salivated heavily, and displayed increased respiration rates, demonstrating that they struggle, and are anatomically unfit to be forced to take part,” said the statement.

SAMUEL JONATHAN GUNTUR: A show-cause notice

has been served by the Guntur District Collector on Rohith Vemula’s mother, Radhika, to prove within 15 days her claim that she belongs to the Scheduled Caste. Else, her caste certificate would be cancelled. In a dramatic twist in the case, the Collector, who submitted before the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in April 2016 that Rohith belonged to the SC community, ordered a re-enquiry. Student associations said this was under pressure from the BJP-led Union government and the TDP government in the State. Rohith, a research scholar in the University of Hyderabad, committed suicide in a hostel room in January 2016.

ND-ND

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Mass fraud in Vyapam exam: SC Court confirms cancellation of MBBS admission given to 634 students

Search continues for man-eater leopard in Sariska

UP rape victim found dead; SP MLA held

‘Why 10-month detention for suspected theft?’

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SULTANPUR (UP): A woman, who

LEGAL CORRESPONDENT

KRISHNADAS RAJAGOPAL JAIPUR: Forest oicials are NEW DELHI: Terming their con-

duct an “act of deceit,” the Supreme Court on Monday confirmed the cancellation of the admission of 634 students to the MBBS course made through Vyapam test in Madhya Pradesh between 2008 and 2012. A Bench of Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar and Justices Kurian Joseph and Arun Mishra held in an 87-page judgment that the action of the students was “unacceptable behaviour” and did not warrant any interference under Article 142 of the Constitution. Rule of law “The actions of the appellants are founded on unacceptable behaviour and in complete breach of the rule of law. Their actions constitute acts of deceit, invading into a righteous social order. National character, in our considered view, cannot be sacrificed for benefits —individual or societal,” the Supreme Court observed.

24 Maoist cadre lay down arms in Bihar after SSB persuasion

FACING THE HEAT: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan coming out of a Bhopal court after giving his statement in a defamation case in connection with Vyapam scam. — FILE PHOTO: A. M. FARUQUI “If we desire to build a nation on the touchstone of ethics and character and if our determined goal is to build a nation where only the rule of law prevails, then we cannot accept the claim of the appellants for the suggested societal gains... We have no diiculty whatsoever in concluding in favour of the rule of law. Such being the position, it is not possible for us to extend to the appellants, any benefit under Art-

icle 142,” the court observed. In its 87-page judgment, the Bench said the case highlighted “mass fraud,” and any leniency would encourage others to follow suit. ‘Chouhan should resign’ Reacting to the verdict, the Congress demanded the resignation of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. “The ruling has exposed that the corrupt network of

mafia, power-brokers and officials of the Medical Education Department and the State Professional Examination Board was involved in getting these students passed through illegal means. Mr. Chouhan should resign immediately,” said Madhya Pradesh Congress president Arun Yadav. Congress leader Ajay Singh said the order had substantiated the accusations of a scam. (With inputs from PTI)

searching for a man-eater leopard at the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar district of Rajasthan on Monday, a day after it mauled to death two persons and injured another in villages near the national park. Following an agitation by villagers, the Forest Department has issued orders to shoot the leopard. It dispatched four shooters from Jaipur to the wildlife reserve. The shooters, assisted by forest guards and Special Tiger Protection Force jawans, were looking for the feline till late on Monday night. The residents of half-adozen villages in the area have been living in fear following the death of six persons in the leopard attacks during the last six months. State Chief Wildlife Warden G.V. Reddy told The Hindu that there was no progress so far in finding the man-eater leopard. Dog squads and drones have been pressed into service.

had accused Samajwadi Party MLA Arun Verma of raping her in 2013, was found dead near her house here, police said on Monday, adding that Mr. Verma has been booked on charges of murder. Mr Verma is seeking reelection from Sultanpur and is considered close to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. However, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has said the case could be probed by any agency that the victim’s family wants. An FIR has been registered against the MLA under Section 302 IPC (murder) on a complaint by the victim’s family, a senior oicer said. The body of the 22-yearold woman, who has been missing since Saturday, was found on Sunday near a primary school in Jaisinghpur in Sultanpur, police said. Awaiting report Injury marks around her neck suggested prima facie that she was strangled to

death, police said adding that the body has been sent for post mortem to ascertain the cause of death. The woman had alleged that the local MLA, who is seeking re—election on SP ticket from Sultanpur, and others had gangraped her in September 2013. The woman had later withdrawn her allegation even as some local youth were charged for the crime. The trial in the case is continuing. Police is probing the death and going through call records of the woman. Mr Verma meanwhile said he was prepared to face any probe. “It is a conspiracy against me, I am ready to face inquiry by any agency even CBI,” he said. U.P. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, when asked to comment on the incident said it was condemnable. “This is not only unfortunate, but highly condemnable. The family should get justice. Government is ready to recommend a probe by any agency sought by the victim’s family,” he said in Badaun. — PTI

NEW DELHI: “What kind of a State are you running,” Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar asked the Telangana government on Monday. A visibly shocked Justice Khehar asked the question in a case in which a man was detained for over 10 months on the suspicion that he stole some sarees from a shop in Hyderabad. “Have a heart, will you? A person is detained for all this time on the mere suspicion that he stole one or two sarees... and there is not even one credible witness to prove that he committed the theft... What will happen to this country if this is how citizens are treated,” the Chief Justice asked Telangana counsel. The Chief Justice, who was sitting on a Bench with Justice N.V. Ramana, said: “Telangana... such a nice State, but look at how you are running it... We will have to pass strictures against you. We have to see that people in this country are not harassed like this again.”

All eyes on Bengaluru’s skies

Bumper harvest

STAFF REPORTER BENGALURU: For the next five

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT DELHI: Twenty-four Maoists surrendered in Bihar on Monday after the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) persuaded them to do so, an oicial said. The SSB, whose prime duty is to guard the Nepal border, is also deployed in various areas afected by left wing extremism (LWE). On Tuesday, Maoist cadres, including few known names in Bihar — Rambabu Sahni, Bharat Manjhi, Harendra Das, Shyambabu Sahni and Gorakh Sahni — surrendered before the district magistrate at Jhapan in Bihar. In 2016, the SSB apprehended 266 Maoists and 245 sympathisers during various operations in Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand. Around 96 kg of explosives, 162 firearms and ₨48 lakh in cash were recovered from the Maoists in these raids.

|9

NATION

NOIDA/DELHI

NEW

SORTING OUT: A vendor sorts oranges at a market in Bhopal on Monday. - PHOTO: PTI

days, all roads in the city will lead to the Indian Air Force base in Yelahanka which is hosting India’s largest aerospace and defence expo. The 11th edition of the event, which begins on Tuesday, will see the popular Surya Kiran Team of the IAF make a comeback to the skies after nearly six years. Aerobatics teams will take to the skies twice a day to enthral visitors. Visitors can look forward to three of the five teams from the previous edition — Sarang (helicopter acrobatics) of the IAF, the Scandinavian Air Show team from Sweden and the UKbased Team Yakovlevs, which employs tight formations and uses Cold War-era Soviet aircraft. At the ground level, 72 aircraft, some of them representing cutting-edge technology, will be on display. The business-side of the event will see various States vying for investment while defence companies and sup-

GEARING UP: Preparations on for the ‘Aero India 2017’ at the Air Force station at Yelahanka in Bengaluru. — PHOTO: PTI pliers will be hoping to find buyers for their innovative products. Delegates from more than 30 countries are expected to take a close look at the wares and innovations being showcased by companies from 51 countries. For perhaps the first time, a Chinese delegation will participate in the event. The delegation comprises five officers from the People’s Lib-

eration Army Air Force (PLAAF). From traic diversions to banning non-vegetarian food in and around Yelahanka, civic bodies have been on an overdrive in the run-up to the event. With lakhs of people and thousands of vehicles expected to congregate near the IAF base, the traic police have introduced diversions.

Another acid attack in Bengal, victim critical STAFF REPORTER KOLKATA: In yet another case

of acid attack in West Bengal, a woman received severe injuries after a man threw acid at her in a moving train late on Sunday night. The incident took place at Baruipur of South 24 Paraganas district.

According to police, the woman (23) of Baruipur, was attacked at around 10.30 pm on Sunday when the train was pulling out of Baruipur station. “The miscreant jumped of the train and fled before other passengers could catch him. A local real estate promoter has

been detained on the basis of the complaint lodged by the woman’s father ,” a police source told The Hindu. “A case has been lodged under Sections 326 A (acid throwing), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) against unknown persons,” said a

senior GRP oicial. The condition of the woman, currently admitted in the district hospital, had “deteriorated” since Monday morning. In September 2016, three girl students were attacked with acid by miscreants in Bankura district.

Singur stir to figure in Bengal textbooks SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT KOLKATA: The episode of

land acquisition at Singur will be part of the West Bengal Board text books from the current academic session, State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said in the Assembly on Monday. Asked by a Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator in the House whether the Singur movement will be included in the curriculum at the college level, the Minister said there are no such plans. “The class VIII history books printed by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education from this year will contain Singur land movement,” Mr. Chatterjee told journalists later. He said he has spoken to the authorities of Board to ensure that new books printed with references to Singur are distributed across the State. The Class VIII history book is titled Ateet O Oitijyho (Past and Heritage). CM YK

According to sources in the Board, the issue will be dealt in a separate chapter titled ‘Jal Jamin Jangal Jivika’ (Water, Land, Forest & Livelihood). The chapter will talk about land movements in India with references to the Tebhaga movement — a movement led by sharecroppers and guided by by members of undivided Communist party in 1946-47 — will be included in the chapter. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other Trinamool Congress leaders are likely to feature in the section dealing with the Singur agitation. After the Supreme Court order in August 2016 to return land to farmers at the disputed small car site at Singur, the TMC government decided to include the episode in school textbooks. Meanwhile, the legislators of the Left Front and Congress walked out from the Assembly demanding a discussion on “assault on women MLAs” last week. ND-ND

10 |

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Swimming out of a numerical soup In a reasoned and realistic Budget, the Finance Minister missed a couple of tricks while reducing the income tax rate for the first slab and the corporate tax rate for small companies T U E S D AY , F E B R U A RY 1 4 , 2 0 1 7

BHASKAR DUTTA

Rebel factor, minority choices

U

ttarakhand goes to the polls on Wednesday for its fourth Assembly elections since its formation after it was carved out from Uttar Pradesh in 2000. The electoral fight here has always been between the Congress and the BJP, but this time around the bipolar contest has been muddied with rebels from both parties expected to act as spoilers. By virtue of how the two national parties have conducted their campaigns, the election is billed as a contest between Chief Minister Harish Rawat of the Congress and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the BJP. The Congress has sought to make the polls a referendum on the performance and image of Mr. Rawat. The Chief Minister lost his post temporarily last year with the imposition of President’s Rule, before a Supreme Court verdict returned him to power. The BJP has projected Mr. Modi as the face of its campaign, and focussed its attack on Mr. Rawat. This personality-centric strategy has meant that issues such as flood and disaster relief and reconstruction, protection of the environment and declining farm productivity in the hills have been pushed to the margins. Instead, the OROP issue,demonetisation — the efects of which are more pronounced in the plains than in the hills — and abstract promises on employment-centred development and promotion of tourism have found more air, as they were the calling cards of Mr. Modi and Mr. Rawat during the campaign. The two parties have relied on contrasting strategies, with the BJP undertaking a door-to-door, grassroots effort in the hills and the Congress fielding its campaign strategist Prashant Kishor to up its social media pitch. As has all along been the case in Uttarakhand, the contest is expected to be close. The second phase of polling in U.P., in Rohilkhand, on Wednesday covers constituencies that have a relatively higher proportion of Muslim voters. Expectedly, the Samajwadi Party-Congress combine and the Bahujan Samaj Party have sought to consolidate minority support, which is reflected in the selection of candidates. However, reducing the contest in these seats in northwestern U.P. to merely the question of which party is more secular would be a disservice to the voters, who make up 17% of the State’s population and who live in a region with abysmal socio-economic indicators. While many of those engaged in the small-scale and unorganised sector have been severely afected by demonetisation, better agricultural productivity in the last year has helped farmers raise income levels. These developments are expected to have an impact on electoral choices, continuing the trend of unpredictability in the U.P. elections this year.

Several commentators have remarked that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s budget for 2017-18 lacks much fizz. But everything has to be viewed in perspective. This year’s Budget was presented at a time when there are several storm clouds hanging over the economy. We are still reeling from the effects of demonetisation, which must have earned a prominent place in the record books as one of the biggest policy induced disasters of all time. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates the efect of demonetisation to be a 1% reduction in the GDP growth rate. Even the Economic Survey admits some adverse efect on the economy, but naturally claims that it will be much lower. To make matters worse, the introduction of the uniform Goods and Services Tax (GST), as well as advancing the date of the presentation of the Budget by a month meant that the government did not really have firm estimates of either the rate of growth of the economy or the amount of indirect tax revenues that it could hope to collect during the year. Finally, this was also the first time that the Railway Budget was being integrated with the general Budget. The electoral temptation The political atmosphere, with elections in several States, including the crucial one of Uttar Pradesh, being just round the corner, was also not propitious for good Budgetmaking. It must have been tempting for Mr. Jaitley to indulge in some cheap populism in order to counter any negative reaction of voters to the demonetisation. The Election Commission would not have interfered — by agreeing to allow the government to present the Budget just before the elections, it had signalled that it would treat the budget as a routine and necessary piece of government policy. But the overall impression is that Mr. Jaitley has refrained from any overt acts of pop-

The Budget has nothing much to say about the GST. But this is out of necessity since decisions on the GST remain with the GST Council ulism. It is a workmanlike exercise, devoid of any frills or fireworks. There are no sops — the clearest indication being the absence of any announcement about new train lines! His philosophy this time round seems to be to let the economy grow more or less on its own, with minimal additional interference or help from the government. The government has achieved the fiscal deficit target of 3.5% of GDP that was set for 2016-17. The earlier target of bringing this down to 3% during 2017-18 has been relaxed, but only slightly. Mr. Jaitley has increased it to 3.2%. This must actually have come as a disappointment to many who felt that it was imperative for the government to choose a larger deficit so as to provide a big dose of fiscal stimulus in order to ofset the contraction of demand following the demonetisation exercise. However, the Finance Minister has chosen the path of fiscal prudence.

Perhaps, he is hoping that the State budgets will be suiciently expansionary. Also, the Reserve Bank claims that the economy will soon be fully remonetised (but then why was it ever demonetised?) and this will provide another source of demand stimulus. The Budget proposals reveal that both revenue as well as expenditure will record only modest increases during the next financial year. Expenditure is forecast to grow at 6.6% over the year, compared with a rise of over 12% during the current year. Gross tax revenue is forecast to increase by 12.2 % during the next year, significantly below the 17% expansion witnessed during the current year. A major reason for the rather conservative forecasted increase in tax revenue collection is that excise duties will contribute very little to the increase. This is in contrast to the current year when higher duties on petrol and diesel provided something of a windfall gain to the government. Since crude oil process have started climbing up, the government can no longer aford to increase taxes of petroleum products. Tax slabs Perhaps, a small act of populism is the decision to reduce the income tax rate for the first slab from 10% to 5%. This has resulted in a discontinuous rate structure, with the marginal tax rate for the next slab jumping to 20%. While the discontinuity by itself is not bad and not uncommon — the rate for instance in the United Kingdom jumps from 20% to 40% for two contiguous slabs — it is a bad move for a quite diferent reason. Total tax revenue in India is ridiculously low at 11% of GDP. It is essential that the tax to GDP ratio be increased significantly in order to finance increased public expenditure in the social sectors and infrastructure, to mention just a couple of priority areas. This will be possible only if a twin-pronged strategy is carried out. First, there should be no decrease in tax rates. Second, a significantly larger share of national income must be brought under the scope of income tax. Increased computerisation, KYC requirements, penalties on large cash transactions

CARTOONSCAPE

North Korea lobs a missile challenge

O

n the face of it, the launch of a mediumrange ballistic missile by North Korea on Sunday is yet another reckless provocation by its leader Kim Jong-un. Last year, the Kim regime tested at least a dozen missiles and even vowed to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit the U.S. Each time the tests have triggered angry and anxious responses from world leaders, particularly from Japan, South Korea and the U.S. The UN Security Council has already imposed a host of sanctions on the country. But neither sanctions nor warnings issued by other powers have had any impact on North Korea’s bellicose behaviour. There is a method in Pyongyang’s madness; a hidden pattern behind the aggressive posturing and frequent violation of international law. The latest missile test, the first after Donald Trump became the U.S. President, comes at a time when he was hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. This is not the first time North Korea is challenging a new U.S. President with a weapons test. In 2009, a few months after Barack Obama took oice, Pyongyang conducted an underground nuclear blast. Mr. Obama saw it as a provocation and responded with the tightening of international sanctions on the country. Mr. Obama’s hardline approach, however, did little to alter North Korea’s aggressive weapons programme. Mr. Trump is now facing his Obama moment. North Korea was not one of his top priority areas. But it has now stormed into the President’s first set of foreign policy challenges. His immediate reaction was marked by measured restraint, in sharp contrast to his response to the recent missile test by Iran, which has been “put on notice” by his administration. That may be because Mr. Trump knows that the stakes are higher as North Korea is a nuclear power. As in the case of his predecessors, he doesn’t have many options to address the Pyongyang challenge. Sanctions are already in place. The regime is already isolated. War is out of the question as North Korea could directly target America’s allies in East Asia with nuclear weapons. One less explored and apparently feasible idea is to get China, which still has some leverage over Pyongyang, on board and engage the Kim regime diplomatically, without removing the sanctions. However erratic a regime’s actions may seem, the first lesson in international diplomacy is to deal with nation states as rational actors. Sanctions are efective only when they are used in carrot-and-stick mode. Responding to North Korea’s provocative posturing with counter-provocations will yield hardly any diplomatic dividend.

The farm challenge Readers may recall that the Prime Minister had promised to double farmers’ incomes within a spell of five years. Roughly a year has passed since the promise was made, and it is increasingly clear that the promise is nothing but a pipe dream. However, agriculture and the rural sector does constitute a major thrust area in the Budget, with the budgetary allocation being increased by as much as 24%. Agriculture has also been promised increased credit. Market reforms in agriculture will also be encouraged. A somewhat surprising allocation is the one to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which was the flagship scheme of the previous United Progressive Alliance government. The Prime Minister as well as many economists have on several occasions attacked the scheme because of the leakages and corruption associated with it. Perhaps fears of an adverse political fallout prevented any drastic reduction in budgetary support for the scheme. A most welcome proposal in the Budget speech was the promise to reform the system of political funding. The budget has proposed a ceiling of ₨2,000 on cash donations to political parties, as well as the introduction of electoral bonds for political funding. Of course, these will not clean up the system completely. But, these measures are certainly steps in the right direction. They need to be supplemented by other steps such as subjecting the accounts of all major parties to auditing perhaps by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s oice. The Budget keeps the structure of indirect taxes virtually unchanged. Perhaps, this is because the government hopes to introduce the GST during the next financial year, probably by September 1, and the GST will in any case radically alter the structure of indirect changes. The GST is of course the most important development in tax policy in decades, and successive Central governments have tried to get this approved by State governments. Many commentators have pointed out that there are many flaws with the structure of the GST, with numerous slabs being the most glaring defect. The Budget has nothing much to say about the GST. But this is out of necessity since decisions on the GST remain with the GST Council, in which the Central government representative is just one of many members. Perhaps the biggest plus point of Mr. Jaitley’s budget is that this is not a big-bang budget. The demonetisation exercise has provided enough shocks to the economy — time and relative calm are required for the economy to be nursed back to health. The Budget does provide this. Bhaskar Dutta is a Professor at Ashoka University and the University of Warwick.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.

In Tamil Nadu, time is running out. It seems that the Governor has only two options to settle the dispute over government formation in a democratic way. One is asking Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam to continue while the other is to invite V.K. Sasikala to assume charge afresh. Of course, both factions need to prove their majority on the floor of the House either through a secret ballot or open counting. The AIADMK party has forgotten a third option which is within its reach. The warring sides need to bury the hatchet. Mr. Panneerselvam can remain the Chief Minister while Ms. Sasikala can continue as party General Secretary. They need to remember that this is the MGR centenary year. Victor Frank A.,

install a government which will protect constitutional provisions, safeguard democracy and add to the majesty of the high oice of the Governor. Allowing the drama to go on will only lend credence to the charge that the Governor is playing a partisan role at the behest of the Centre. He must immediately convene the Assembly and direct the MLAs to make clear their preferences. Extraneous issues such as the Supreme Court verdict in the disproportionate assets case may not be a hurdle now as one doesn’t know what the final outcome could be. The crisis in Tamil Nadu reflects the problem most political parties across India face — being personality-centric which creates problems later. The Governor needs to get a government installed without fear or favour. Parthasarathy Sen,

Chennai

New Delhi

The OPS faction appears to be banking heavily on the impending Supreme Court verdict in the wealth case, little realising that it will be a blow against the party as a whole. Even if Mr. Panneerselvam retains power, how long will he be allowed to rule? The political situation in the State is very fluid and there is bound to be horse trading. Development has ground to a halt especially with an agrarian crisis due to the unprecedented drought. S. Srinivasan,

I suspect that most of the MLAs who have been moved to a resort of Chennai are being held against their will. None of them has been able to express his/her opinion. Steps to ensure that they are cut of from the rest of the world are sure to work against the leadership. The credibility of the police is also suspect. Raghothaman S.,

Political crisis

Chennai

The immediate remedy would be to CM YK

will all help in making tax evasion more difficult. Perhaps, the government should have kept the 10% tax slab unchanged, and actually introduced a new 5% tax slab for those with taxable income of ₨2 lakh to ₨2.5 lakh. That would have been an exhibition of real political courage! The only other notable change in direct taxes is the decision to reduce the corporate tax rate to 25% for companies with an annual turnover below ₨50 crore. Those above the threshold will continue to pay the existing rate of 30%. This move may have been taken to compensate small companies that have been adversely afected by demonetisation. Nevertheless, it is a regressive step. This tax reduction provides quite perverse incentives because companies should be induced to expand, to grow big in order to reap economies of scale. This may also encourage bigger units to split up so as to enjoy the lower tax rate.

Governance has taken a back seat and the common man cannot be allowed to be kept in suspense. I feel the elected representatives must be asked to go back to their constituencies to serve the people. Until the Governor comes up with a concrete solution, the legislators should go about their daily work. Raghavan, Chennai

The political turmoil in Tamil Nadu is only causing hardship as the government machinery has come to a grinding halt. Several important issues have been forgotten as groupism is the prime issue in the tussle for high oice and power. The claims and counter claims being made by each rival group that they each have the capability to form the government are only eroding democracy. The uncertain political situation can be tackled only by imposing President’s rule in the State and then going in for a fresh election. Those who are apolitical would appreciate such a step. People are closely watching the situation and will exercise their democratic right and choice appropriately. There has to be quick decision to sort out the unsavoury situation. S. Nadarajan, Puducherry

Chennai

The drama never seems to end and the onus of proving who has the majority rests with Mr. Panneerselvam and Ms. Sasikala.

It seems that no one is concerned about where Tamil Nadu is heading or what its future is. Corruption and irregularities are bound to thrive in such a troubled atmosphere. The

two warring factions are only proceeding on a path of selfdestruction while the Opposition is waiting to fish in troubled waters. The slugfest, with no functional machinery, will cost the State dear. Suresh B. Sekharan, Thiruvananthapuram

Root cause While it is appreciable that preventive action such as greater awareness and vigilance is slowing down the prevalence of child marriages, it is unfortunate that the authorities are still reluctant to get to the root of the problem — unending poverty and hunger (‘Ground Zero’ page — “Reluctant mothers”, Feb.11). Framing laws without action and proper implementation and counselling will not fetch any results. Such families and regions must be identified and provided enough opportunities to earn adequately to fulfil their basic needs such as food, water, shelter and the right to a safe and healthy environment. Rejuvenation of agriculture using scientific methods, implementing water harvesting, sowing of crops which require less water, support to cottage industries and having selfhelp groups will help such communities and also check migration. There need for multiple and consistent eforts to tackle the situation. In this, NGOs can play a major role. Nisha Yadav, Dahina, Rewari, Haryana

Animal rights As any pet lover would attest, animals show deep sensitivity and natural, god-given instincts which we have long forgotten (“Looking beyond our own species”, Feb.11). A recent article in The Guardian says: “You and the elephant both have minds made from the same stuf... The same ancient hormones bring about pleasure, anger and stress.” This is true with other animals, in varying degrees. That they cannot speak our language (or use an interpreter!) does not make them any less sentient. One is poignantly reminded of the death of wildlife explorer and conservationist Lawrence Anthony when two herds of wild elephants he had rescued came to his home in a game park in South Africa after he passed away. He had earlier so tellingly observed in his book that there is more to life than “just yourself, your own family and your own kind”. One also finds the slaughter of animals for meat to be the rear end to the noble concept of animal welfare and actually nixes the latter. The issues need to viewed separately. The present-day gory methods of slaughter — repugnant to many — could be replaced with modern, less painful techniques such as stunning. Any legislation on animal rights will be efective only when the collective thinking that goes into it is sound and sensible. V. Nagarajan, Chennai ND-ND

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

WORLD VIEW

Dark clouds over American academia The highly unexpected victory of Donald J. Trump — not only winning the presidency but also keeping control of both houses of Congress, and soon taking over the Supreme Court as well — is truly a sea change PHILIP G. HANS for U.S. politics and society. The roots of the ALTBACH DE WIT Trump triumph, which are similar to the underlying causes for the Brexit victory in Britain, lie in a nativist reaction to globalisation and the changes imposed by the 21st century economy. While Mr. Trump has been unclear about his policies for higher education, his general orientation is clear enough and has been widely discussed. These include building walls (literal or figurative) to keep out immigrants, banning Muslims from entering the country or at least subjecting them to “extreme vetting”, tearing up trade agreements and other elements of a globalised economy, and in general presenting the U.S. as an unwelcoming environment. With this background, what can be said about the likely consequences for higher education and particularly for the U.S.’s global competitiveness? Impact on universities Top universities will not collapse, and the U.S. will not seriously sufer in the rankings, at least in the short run. Those universities have suicient excellence to survive a period of instability. The public research universities, already battered by budget cuts by the States for more than a decade, will be afected first and most seriously. The top private universities, buttressed by their endowments, are less vulnerable. Further, the federal govThe prospects of key ernment does not play a key role with issues in higher education them — other than expenditures for — public good, diversity scientific research, and here future prospects are dim not only because of and equity, academic Mr. Trump’s likely attitude towards refreedom — are dark search but because of other pressures on the federal budget due to promised tax cuts. The longer-term future is less bright, as challenges in hiring internationally, the impact of research cutbacks, and other issues catch up. The for-profit higher education industry will prosper. Recently, enhanced regulation by the Obama administration and several scandals have greatly weakened the for-profits. Enrolments are down dramatically. Mr. Trump will roll back regulations and likely provide a much more welcoming atmosphere for them. The Obama agenda of college access and completion is likely to be given less emphasis. This will mean that grants and loans for students are likely to be reduced, contributing to debt burdens for students. During the campaign, Mr. Trump did make some ofhand proposals concerning low-cost tuition and dealing with student debt, but experts are unable to figure out if these are coherent proposals, or how they might be paid for. Short- and long-term implications On the international front, the news is all bad for U.S. higher education competitiveness. Mr. Trump’s continuing anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and in general xenophobic stance has already produced negative reactions overseas. That basic orientation, which was central to Mr. Trump’s campaign and important to his core supporters, will have an impact on how international students and faculty view the U.S. as a place to study and work. While it is unclear how “extreme vetting” of Muslims and others will actually work, the issue is already informing international dialogue. While Mr. Trump is already walking back on his blanket commitment to barring all Muslims from entering the U.S., much of the rhetorical damage is already done. It is also possible that the presence of international faculty and leadership, a substantial factor in U.S. higher education’s excellence, will decrease. This may not happen at the top universities, although even there the diiculties of obtaining visas and other bureaucracy, as well as broader national policies and orientations, may deter many. Like international students, they will more likely look for alternative options, such as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, as well as — at least for the moment — continental Europe. The future for H1B visa, as well as for a scholarship programme like Fulbright, does not look bright. On the campuses, it is likely that political activity and tension will rise. Already before the elections, universities have seen an increase in sexist and racist graiti and actions. After the election, those incidents have increased. But one can also see an increase in protest against such developments and against Mr. Trump by students. Given the support for Hillary Clinton in the 18-29 age group and their previous support for Bernie Sanders, one might expect an increase in student activism, similar to movements elsewhere, such as Chile, South Africa, and Hong Kong, and to the reactions to Brexit in universities in the U.K. It is still unclear, but universities and their students might again become centres for protests against the global rise of nationalist populism, as they have been in the past. Although it is still too early to tell what the short-term and long-term implications of this shocking result will be, its implications for both the U.S. and international higher education are troublesome. Without question, U.S. leadership in global higher education, both in terms of its excellence and its place as the leading host country for international students, is in jeopardy. In particular, in combination with Brexit and other nationalist populist trends elsewhere, the prospects of key issues in higher education — the public good, diversity and equity, internationalisation, and academic freedom — are dark. Philip G. Altbach is research professor and founding director and Hans de Wit is professor and director of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, U.S.

FROM THE ARCHIVES (dated February 14, 1967)

Ho Chi Minh’s plea to Pope President Ho Chi Minh of North Viet Nam has requested Pope Paul to help bring an end to the Viet Nam war, Hanoi Radio reported to-day [February 13]. But he linked this plea with a violent attack on America’s role in the war and set out conditions for a settlement previously rejected by Washington. President Ho was replying to a message from the Pope of February 8 which called for peace negotiations. According

to the oicial North Viet Namese news agency he demanded that the Americans: (1) end aggression in Viet Nam; (2) halt bombing and other acts of war against North Viet Nam unconditionally; (3) withdraw all their forces from South Viet Nam; and (4) allow the Viet Namese people to settle their own afairs themselves; and (5) recognise the South Viet Namese National Front for Liberation (The Viet Cong movement). President Ho said that “only in such conditions can real peace be restored in Viet Nam.”

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS >>“1983, the year that turned Indian cricket around” (The Huddle, Feb. 13, 2017) erroneously said the manager of the Indian Team then was Hanumant Singh. Actually, it was P.R. Man Singh. >>The Sports page report headlined “Kohli’s record double, Saha’s century bury Bangladesh” (Feb. 11, 2017) said that Saha scored the 4th century of the innings. His was the 3rd century of the innings. The report also said that Rahane missed the 5th century of the innings. It should have been the 4th century of the innings. The Readers’ Editor’s oice can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday); E-mail:[email protected] The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com CM YK

| 11

PERSPECTIVE

Finance and façade Donald Trump’s victory is the assault of finance capital on not just social capital but also on industrial capital TABISH KHAIR

Imagine a mythical planet not visited by the Little Prince. This is a planet divided up into a thousand and one sections with walls between them. There are doors in the walls, and windows of course. But there is no roof to the planet. Everyone on the planet is afected by storms that cross the skies, sometimes devastating this section, sometimes that. Sometimes the storms alict all the sections, but in diferent ways: flood in one place and hail in another; cyclone on one, landslide in another. A man-made storm The denizens of this planet are peculiar: they are mostly unable to look up. As such, many of them cannot see signs of a gathering storm. The few who can are helpless. What can they do about storms? This is also true of the various presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and dictators who govern the diferent sections of this planet. Many of these leaders even believe that the storms are necessary: some good will trickle down. So all they can do is regulate the doors and windows of their sections, and the citizens inside them. We are living on this planet today. With one diference: most of the storm clouds circling us are man-made. Finance capital is the storm, and our governments can and will do nothing about it. If you are running a national government but cannot really regulate financial speculation and finance capital as the main source of power, what is it that you can do? Regulate people — as citizens and as foreigners. That is the condition, in slightly diferent ways, of almost every country in the world today. When liberal capitalism died Sometime in the 1980s, a strange thing happened to classical liberal capitalism. It was murdered. No one noticed the crime. Today, we are living with the dead body of liberal capitalism, which is why leftist critiques of it also fail. What we have today is said to be neo-liberalism, but neo-liberalism is almost as different from classical capitalism as night is from day. Actually, neo-liberalism is partly a misnomer: it has little to do with liberalism. Liberalism insisted on the separation of the state and the market, and decried government interference in markets. Neo-liberalism believes that governments should intervene in markets — but only on the side of banks, finance capitalists and lending agencies. Every time financial speculation creates a crisis, governments are expected to tax their citizens and use that money to save banks and financial institutions. Even if

REGULATION NEEDED: “Finance capital is the storm, and our governments can and will do nothing about it.” At Wall Street. PHOTO: AFP

Xenophobia is inevitable because national leaders cannot talk of invisible finance capital; they can only regulate the bodies on the ground one argues, as some do, that liberal capitalism was always to some extent state capitalism, this signifies a major shift. We have known since the 19th century that money makes better sense than production or services in capitalist societies. Goods and services fluctuate in demand, but money has to be employed no matter what good or service is on ofer. Hence, it makes sense, finally, to traic only in money. Financial speculation is built into capitalism. But when financial speculation takes over, as it started doing from the 1980s, an entirely diferent situation comes into being. Today, financial speculation far outstrips global trade. Finance capital tyrannises not just social capital but even industrial capital. Most of the capital used for such financial speculation does not need to be invested in production or services; it can just be moved around in, as U.S. President Donald Trump said about his taxes, ‘smart’

ways. Most of this capital is not even in the shape of cash, which is cumbersome to move. It is sheer numbers, including digital money, and many types of debt and credit. Mr. Trump’s victory is the assault of finance capital on not just social capital (welfare, public facilities, etc.), which has long been battered, but this time also on industrial capital. Mr. Trump might actually try to ‘bring jobs home,’ but what this will lead to is greater curbs on industrial capital — not only leaving finance capital free, as his Wall Street appointments have indicated, but probably forcing more industrialists to convert industrial capital into financial speculation. Demonetisation in India might be a sincere attempt to fight corruption, but it will also reinforce the ascendency of finance capital, regardless of what the government wants. Maurizio Lazzarato points out in Governing by Debt that all national governments are basically employed in collecting taxes from their citizens and cutting on social services, in order to keep paying national and other debts to financial organisations. National leaders have come to believe that ‘economics’ is an independent field, far from politics, when actually economics is the new

politics of neo-liberalism. That is why governments are employed to tax citizens in order to repay financiers and banks, and governments are also employed to smoothen the paths of financial speculation. A necessary façade In this context, the nationalist policing of ‘undesirable foreigners’ is a necessary façade — to obscure the lack of governance of global finance. Xenophobia is inevitable in such a situation, because national leaders cannot even talk of the real storm — invisible finance capital; they can only regulate the bodies on the ground. The general scepticism of politicians — on which Mr. Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and so many others have ridden to power — arises from the fact that politicians only govern people today. They cannot govern global finance capital. Instead, finance capital governs politicians. Politicians have abandoned much of actual politics to the economic ideologues of neo-liberalism, and they cannot even confess it to ordinary people. Tabish Khair is an Indian novelist and academic who teaches in Denmark.

In the hands of the rebels In Uttarakhand, the dozens of leaders who have walked into the rival Congress and BJP camps on the eve of elections will hold the key to the outcome 36 months. The Election Commission later directed the State authorities to stop distribution of cards although over 10,000 people had registered within 48 hours of its launch. Mr. Rawat is waging a lonely battle for the Congress. Few of the senior leaders, busy with campaigning in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, have showed up in Uttarakhand. Incidentally, the Samajwadi Party, with which the Congress has entered into an alliance in U.P., is also contesting 20 seats in the hill State against Congress candidates. The Bahujan Samaj Party too is contesting all the seats, but has negligible hold in the area. The Aam Aadmi Party could have found Uttarakhand a ripe ground given the bipolar politics in the State, but it decided not to enter the fray. The party’s State chief and some other leaders are now contesting as independents.

VIPIN PUBBY

Rebels hold the key in no less than 80% of the Assembly constituencies in the hill State of Uttarakhand where old rivals Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are battling it out for 70 seats. For the Congress, it is a battle to retain power in one of the only half dozen States where it is now ruling. The BJP is leaving no stone unturned to wrest power in Uttarakhand which has not returned any party with a clear majority in the last two elections. The two parties have been swapping the seat of power since the first Assembly elections in 2002 when the Congress had formed the government. The BJP had emerged as the single largest party in 2007 and the Congress was the single largest party in 2012. In both instances, the two parties could form government with the help of independent MLAs and smaller parties. Swapping camps This time, both national parties expelled dozens of leaders who walked into the rival camp on the eve of elections. While the BJP has fielded candidates who had been sitting Congress MLAs from 13 seats, the Congress has given seats to seven candidates who had been BJP MLAs. Some of the situations caused by leaders crossing over are ironic. For instance, in Roorkee, candidate Pradeep Batra moved from the Congress to the BJP and now faces Suresh Jain who had moved from the BJP to the Congress. Interestingly, both the State Congress chief and the State BJP chief are facing party rebels from their respective constituencies. Thus Congress chief Kishore Upadhyay is facing party rebel Aryendra Sharma in the Sahaspur constituency, and BJP chief Ajay Bhatt has a rival in party rebel Pramod Nainwal from the Ranikhet constituency. The term baagi (rebel) is not seen as

PLAYING THE RIGHT CARDS: “The BJP, which appears to have an edge this time, is making concerted efforts to attract voters.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Rudrapur. PHOTO. VIRENDER SINGH NEGI something degrading in the State’s polity. There are several senior leaders who have contested from diferent parties or have come back to their original party after testing the waters in other parties although the main adversaries in the State are still the Congress and the BJP. The unprecedented presence of rebels in the field this time has its roots in the attempt of the BJP to topple the Congress government in March last year. Nine Congress MLAs, led by former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, joined hands with the BJP in an attempt to topple the Harish Rawat government. It was only after high drama and the intervention of the courts that Mr. Rawat retained the Chief Minister’s post. Now, in order to accommodate those nine Congress MLAs, the BJP denied tickets to its own leaders from their constituencies. This led to a chain reaction with BJP leaders crossing over to join the Congress and vice versa. Apart from the rebel factor, which

The BJP is playing down the issue of demonetisation, and is highlighting the ‘surgical strikes’ as one of its major achievements would determine the election outcome in the State, the other issues include corruption, unemployment and demonetisation, particularly in the Terai area. Corruption as an issue, however, has got diluted with such a large number of Congress leaders joining the BJP. For unemployment, the Congress has come out with the controversial Berojgari Bhatta cards despite objections from the Election Commission. Youth make up 57% of Uttarakhand’s electorate and the scheme promises one job per household for the unemployed between the ages of 18 and 35 by 2020, and a monthly allowance of ₨2,500 for one jobless member in each family for

The BJP’s prospects The BJP, which appears to have an edge this time, is making concerted efforts to attract voters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself addressed at least four major rallies, with party chief Amit Shah keeping a close tab on the State despite a more stringent test in U.P. The party is playing down the issue of demonetisation, and is highlighting the ‘surgical strikes’ as one of its major achievements. This would certainly ring a bell in the State, which has a huge number of serving personnel and exservicemen (1.75 lakh families). Also, the National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, as well as the new Army chief, General Bipin Rawat, and the Research and Analysis Wing chief, Anil Dhasmana, belong to the State. Compared to U.P. which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, Uttarakhand has only five Lok Sabha constituencies. But a defeat in the State would lead to further demoralisation among the Congress ranks, while for the BJP, a victory would add another State to its kitty in its quest for a ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’. Vipin Pubby is a veteran journalist based in Chandigarh. ND-ND

12 |

NEWS

FROM PAGE ONE

SC verdict in Jaya assets case today Karnataka had appealed against the acquittal of the accused persons by the State High Court for offences under Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. With Jayalalithaa’s death during the pendency of the appeals in the Supreme Court, charges against her would automatically abate. Section 394 of the Criminal Procedure Code mandates that all appeals – even against acquittal, as in this case – “shall finally abate on the death of the accused.” However, the Supreme Court would deliver a verdict on the culpability of the other three accused according to the facts as the court finds them. Legal experts say that references to Jayalalithaa’s alleged role would be inevitable while discussing evidence and facts in the verdict as she was the prime accused in the case. In case of conviction, Ms.

Sasikala and the other two would have to surrender within the stipulated time laid down by the Supreme Court. Further, their prison sentence as awarded by the trial court on September 27, 2014 would revive unless it is modified by the Supreme Court. The trial court had sentenced Ms. Sasikala, Ms. Ilavarasi and Mr. Sudhakaran under Section 109 IPC read with Section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act — abetment of criminal misconduct of a public servant — to simple imprisonment for a period of four years each and pay a fine of ₨10 crore each. In case of default, they would further sufer imprisonment for another year. For the ofence of criminal conspiracy leading to criminal misconduct of a public servant (Section 120 (B) IPC read with Section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, all three were sentenced to simple imprisonment for six months and a fine of ₨10,000 each.

Conduct floor test, A-G tells Governor In 1998 the Supreme Court decided the battle for power in Uttar Pradesh between Kalyan Singh and his rival Jagadambika Pal by ordering a floor test. “If conducted this week, the [T.N.] Governor would also have the benefit of the Supreme Court verdict to guide his decision on

whom to invite to form the government,” Mr. Rohatgi said. He said the fact that Ms. Sasikala is not a member of the legislature would not disable a floor test. “The members would vote and a resolution would be passed accordingly,” Mr. Rohatgi said.

Sasikala stays back with flock at resort Mr. Saravanan claimed that being a civil engineer he plotted his escape from the well-guarded resort by coming out wearing a Tshirt and Bermudas. With his arrival the Panneerselvam camp’s strength has gone up to eight. “I wanted to leave before Ms. Sasikala came there,” he told journalists. During the course of the day, Ms. Sasikala addressing her supporters at Poes Garden announced that it was she who had asked Mr. Panneerselvam to urgently seek an appointment with the Governor and take oath as Chief Minister along with the same Council of Ministers past midnight on December 5, 2016 when Jayalalithaa died. She claimed that immediately after Jayalalithaa’s death she had sensed a conspiracy to divide the ruling party. Ms. Sasikala’s announcement stoked a controversy wondering how she took the decision on who should head the government and what the composition of the Council of Ministers should be when she was neither an oice-bearer of the AIADMK nor held any Constitutional oice at that time. She was appointed interim general secretary only on December 29, 2016. Critics felt her revelation proved their charge that Ms. Sasikala always functioned as an extra-constitutional authority. The AIADMK leader further claimed that five Ministers including Mr. Pan-

neerselvam had then urged her to take over as Chief Minister saying “people would accept only her” but she had declined contending that Jayalalithaa’s funeral was more important. According to her, “many persons” were out to split the party and that was why she insisted that Mr. Panneerselvam’s Cabinet be sworn in without any delay. Meanwhile, for the first time since he rebelled against the party leadership, the Chief Minister went to the Secretariat at Fort St. George and had extensive interactions with various oicials including Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan and some top police oicers, ostensibly to assert his position. He went to the Secretariat shortly after 1 p.m. and remained there till 8 p.m. Besides, issuing orders for compensation to the family of a girl who was raped and murdered, he was involved in discussions with oicials, who appeared to have had a free chat with him. Earlier in the day, Ponraj, former scientific adviser to late President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, met Mr. Panneerselvam at his Greenways Road bungalow and extended support to him. The Opposition DMK held its high-level executive meeting in Chennai under the leadership of its working president M.K. Stalin. It urged the Governor to ensure a floor test immediately for a stable government to be formed.

Anil Ambani firm to service U.S. navy ships The U.S. Seventh Fleet looks after the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. The vessels will be serviced and repaired from the Reliance Defence owned shipyard in Pipavav in Gujarat. The Pipavav shipyard was qualified and approved to perform complex repair and alteration services for the US Navy last month after a detailed site survey conducted by the US government representatives in October last year. In 2015, the Anil Ambaniled Reliance Group took over Pipavav Defence, a private shipyard in Gujarat, CM YK

after getting necessary approvals from various regulators and other government agencies. Set up in 1997 by Nikhil Gandhi-promoted Sea King Infrastructure Ltd, Pipavav Shipyard was in 2010 allowed to build strategic and defence vessels. Its name was changed to Pipavav Defence and Ofshore Engineering Co. Ltd to emphasize its focus on defence shipbuilding and ofshore activities. According to Reliance the deal is likely to generate ₨ 10,000 crore in revenues in the next five years.

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Manipur talks sabotaged, says Centre

Hindu population dwindling: Rijiju

Minister says Congress played a political game to derail dialogue with the Naga Council

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

VIJAITA SINGH

The economic blockade in Manipur, which has led to a shortage of essential commodities in the State, is likely to continue indefinitely as the tripartite talks among the Centre, the Naga groups and the Manipur government failed last week. A senior government oicial in New Delhi said the talks were “sabotaged”. On February 3, the Centre claimed a breakthrough in ending the blockade, which has cut of the State from the rest of India following the indefinite strike called by the United Naga Council (UNC) and the blockade of national highways.

NEW DELHI:

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju blamed the O. Ibobi Singh-led Congress government in the State for the deadlock. “The Congress has played a political game to take political mileage,” Mr. Rijiju told The Hindu. On February 3, the first rounds of the tripartite talks were held in Delhi and the Centre said then that “substantial progress” was made. “Substantial progress has been made on the issues of economic blockade and creation of new districts. Some issues need more discussion at the organisational level and both the Manipur government and the UNC have asked for time. We will meet again on February 7,” Saty-

Kiren Rijiju endra Garg, Joint Secretary, North-east, Union Home Ministry, said. The UNC was represented by its president, Gaidon Kamei, and his publicity secretary, Shankhen Stephen, who were brought from an Imphal jail to Delhi to attend the talks at North Block. Both Mr. Kamei and Mr. Stephen

were arrested in November last year. “The talks which were held on February 7 were not attended by Mr. Kamei and Mr. Stephen as the State government did not permit them to attend the meeting in Senapati district, which has a concentration of Naga groups. In the absence of a leader, the discussions could not reach a conclusion,” an oicial said. Stalemate to continue Another oicial said the Centre would not yield to the demands of the UNC again and would not initiate any dialogue now. The economic blockade imposed by the UNC, a conglomerate of Naga bodies

against the State government’s decision to carve out seven new districts, has been on for over four months now. The UNC operates under the patronage of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), with which the Government of India signed a framework agreement in 2015 to find a solution to the decades-old Naga issue. Manipur goes to the polls on March 4 and 8 and due to the ongoing blockade, it has been kept in the most sensitive category. An oicial said this was the first time elections were being held in two phases there. “Whatever discussion has to take place will be done after the elections now,” said the oicial.

Jairam takes Money Bill row to Supreme Court KRISHNADAS RAJAGOPAL NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear in detail a challenge by Jairam Ramesh, MP, to the passing of the Aadhaar Bill as a Money Bill even as the Union government said the judiciary had no jurisdiction to encroach on legislative procedure in Parliament, where the Speaker was the final authority. “If the Speaker says blue is green, we will tell her that blue is blue and not green,” Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar shot back. Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi said the government saved ₨30,000 crore to ₨50,000 crore by linking thousands of subsidies to Aadhaar verification. “Your object may be good but whether it is a Money Bill

or not is the question,” Chief Justice Khehar observed. But the Bench, which included Justice N.V. Ramana, asked why the Rajya Sabha had suggested amendments to the Aadhaar Bill when it was referred to it as a Money Bill. “So by suggesting these amendments, did they agree to it [Aadhaar Bill] being a Money Bill,” Chief Justice Khehar asked P. Chidambaram, counsel for Mr. Ramesh. Substantive grievance Mr. Chidambaram said the amendments were made for “weighty reasons”. “The petitioner said this is not a Money Bill. The Rajya Sabha made the amendments and proposed it to the Lok Sabha, which did not consider them,” he submit-

Jairam Ramesh ted. Mr. Chidambaram argued that the petition highlighted a substantive grievance that “more and more Bills are now being passed as Money Bills”. “There is a danger that every Bill will be passed as a Money Bill,” Mr. Chidambaram submitted. Protesting this submission, Mr. Rohatgi said the Speaker was a high constitu-

Saeed may register JuD as a political party: Report

tional authority and such imputations should not be made. Mr. Chidambaram submitted that Article 110 of the Constitution specified the grounds on which a Bill could be declared a Money Bill. One of these grounds included withdrawal of money from the Consolidated Fund of India. Mr. Rohatgi said the Aadhaar Bill concerned the linkage of Aadhaar facility to various welfare schemes for which money was withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund. At one point, Justice Ramana referred to a 2014 judgment passed by the Supreme Court which had held that courts had no jurisdiction over procedural matters of the legislature. “This petition is not about

Hafiz Saeed organisations, including the IS. They said the defections often occurred after the Pakistani military launches operations against militants in areas such as South Waziristan,” said the news report which first appeared in Professor Dorsey’s blog. The news is significant as it comes days after Pakistan detained Saeed, upping the pressure on his group that is accused of carrying out multiple cross-border raids into

Challenge for State “A major challenge for the state is how to neutralise groups that once served its strategic purpose. The most practised way in a postinsurgency perspective is to reintegrate them into mainstream society,” said the news report quoting Mr. Rana. The Ministry of External Afairs has taken note of the news report, but is yet to comment on the issue.

NEW DELHI: UN-designated

global terrorist Hafiz Saeed is planning to register his group Jamaatud-Dawa (JuD), the known front for the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as a political party in Pakistan, an exclusive news report has revealed. The report, authored by James M. Dorsey of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and Azaz Syed, a prominent Pakistani journalist, has said that the move is aimed at preventing the cadre of the organisation from joining other terror groups such as the Islamic State (IS). Pressure on group “JuD sources said its transition to a political party was in part designed to stop cadres from joining the Islamic State (IS). They said some 500 JuD activists had left the group to join more militant

J&K govt launches e-Prison project PEERZADA ASHIQ

Relook at Article 21 Mr. Rohatgi questioned Mr. Ramesh’s locus standi in filing the writ petition, saying no fundamental right of the petitioner had been violated. “The time has come to relook Article 21 ... every petition is coming straight to the Supreme Court now,” Mr. Rohatgi said. Noting that the Bench may be prima facie in favour of the government side, Chief Justice Khehar said the issue presented in the petition was of ‘vital importance’ and needed to be heard in detail. The court has scheduled the case for final hearing after four weeks.

NEW DELHI: Challenging Beijing’s One-China policy, a senior political leader of Taiwan said on Monday that the country’s freedom is a de facto reality in international afairs. Speaking to the media, Kuan Bi-Ling, member of the Taiwanese Parliament, said here that Taiwan had protected its status as a free country despite the diiculties posed by Beijing’s OneChina policy.

All-women team “Taiwan has been a de facto and fully independent country from the very beginning. Some countries may not recognise Taiwan’s independence, but that has no impact on our sovereignty and freedom,” said Ms. Kuan, who is leading the first allwomen MPs delegation from Taiwan to India. The delegation arrived on Sunday and held a meeting with Indian members of the India-Taiwan Parliamentary Association consisting of MPs from both sides. The In-

‘We are determined to bridge the gap between our goals and realities in Taiwan-India ties’ dian delegation, led by Devi Prasad Tripathi, visited Taipei in August-September 2016 warming up ties. “We are determined to build substantive economic ties with India and bridge the gap between our goals and realities in Taiwan-India ties,” Ms. Kuan said emphasising that Taipei wishes to invest in the flagship Indian programmes such as the “Make in India” and “Smart City” projects. “Taiwanese investment in India is aimed at the manufacturing sector which helps in generating employment. We will increase our investment in the State of Gujarat,” she said. Major investor Ms. Kuan said Taiwan has become one of the major investors in India from the Asia-Pacific region and it

wishes to uplift relations with India to the same level as its ties with Japan and the United States. Taiwan’s new government under President Tsai ingWen has launched the “New Southbound policy” which aims to energise Taiwan’s ties with the ASEAN region, Australia, New Zealand and India. Tourism and culture Apart from increased bilateral trade, the “New Southbound Policy” is also aimed at energising peopleto-people contact in the fields of tourism and culture. “More Taiwanese tourists should be enabled to visit the Buddhist sites in India. Scholars, researchers should be supported so that we can appreciate bilateral issues better,” said Chen Mumin, Director of Center for Studies on South Asia and the Middle East who is also a part of the delegation. The delegation is on a three-day visit and will be hosted at an event on Tuesday by BJP general secretary Ram Madhav.

Shutdown in Kashmir to protest Kulgam deaths

SC hints at end to impasse over judicial selection

PEERZADA ASHIQ

NEW

LEGAL CORRESPONDENT

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and

Kashmir government on Monday launched the ePrison project to enumerate jail inmates in the State, where numbers of detainees keep swelling during unrest. State Minister for Information Technology Molvi Imran Raza Ansari, who inaugurated the project in Jammu, said, “The information about jail inmates is currently being maintained manually. To avoid delays in processing the information and manage all the jails eiciently, the automation of prison department has been started.” The government has already digitised records of 500 inmates. The project will digitise 25 district jails, two Central jails and one sub-jail in the State. The second phase of the project will focus on videoconferencing between jails and prison headquarters, e-court, telemedication in jails.

Constitutional rights Reacting to this, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi said, “What have the minorities in India got to do with minorities of other countries. It is the Constitution which guarantees rights.” Mr. Owaisi further attacked Mr. Rijiju and said, “MoS for Home should remember that he is a Minister of India for all Indians, not for Hindus alone, remember your oath as a Minister.” As per the census data, India now has 966.3 million Hindus who make up 79.8 per cent of its population, and 172.2 million Muslims who make up 14.23% of its population. Christians make up 2.3 per cent of the population and Sikhs 2.16%.

We are fully sovereign, says visiting Taiwanese leader KALLOL BHATTACHERJEE

India, including the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. India has repeatedly asked Pakistan to punish the LeT modules accused of plotting the attacks on its territory. The idea of turning JuD into a political party has been in the policy circle of Pakistan for some years. Most recently, security analyst Muhammad Amir Rana argued in favour of the JuD’s transition into a political party.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

a procedural matter. There has been a substantive infraction,” Mr. Chidambaram responded.

NEW DELHI: Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said on Monday that Hindu population was decreasing as “Hindus never convert people” and “minorities in India are flourishing unlike in some other countries around”. Mr. Rijiju posted this message on Twitter while reacting to a news report, in which the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee alleged that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government was trying to convert Arunachal Pradesh into a “Hindu state”. Mr. Rijiju, who represents Arunachal Pradesh in the Lok Sabha, took to Twitter to rebut the allegation. Mr. Rijiju put out another one saying India is a secular country. “Congress should not make such provocative statements. India is a secular country. All religious groups enjoy freedom and living peacefully,” Mr. Rijiju posted on Twitter.

SRINAGAR: Kashmir witnessed a complete shutdown on Monday, as separatists called for a strike to protest against the killing of two civilians and four local militants in the Kulgam encounter on Sunday. All shops, business centres and private oices remained closed in the Valley. There was thin traic on the roads. Additional security personnel were deployed in volatile pockets of Srinagar and large parts of south Kashmir. Kulgam and adjoining Shopian were sealed. There were reports of sporadic protests in north Kashmir’s Palhalan area. Dukhtaran-e-Milat chief Asiya Andrabi was detained early in the morning. Seven people, including two soldiers, died in an en-

DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday hinted that the frost between the highest judiciary and the Centre over the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) is thawing and diferences would be settled by February-end. “We will finalise the MoP maybe within this month,” Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar said. The Bench

made the remark during the hearing of a petition filed by Haryana-based advocate Satya Veer Sharma, who sought transparency in the appointment of judges for higher courts. A reason for the rift between the government and the judiciary is the clause in the draft MoP that the government would have the authority to reject a candidate recommended by the Supreme Court collegium.

A relative of Kulgam martyr Lance Naik Gopal Singh Bhandoria breaks down on seeing the coffin carrying his body in Ahmedabad on Monday.— PHOTO: VIJAY SONEJI counter on Sunday in Kulgam, 70 km south of Srinagar. A civilian died later when security forces allegedly fired at the crowds to disperse protesters. Army pays tribute The Army on Monday paid homage to the deceased soldiers, Lance Naik Bhan-

doriya Gopal Singh and Sepoy Raghubeer Singh, at the Badami Bagh Cantonment here. Major-General K.K. Pant, chief of Chinar Corps, laid the wreaths. Paying tributes, an Army spokesman said that to approach a house where the terrorists were confirmed to be hiding called for raw courage. ND-ND

ELECTIONWATCH

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

| 13

UTTAR PRADESH, UTTARAKHAND, PUNJAB, MANIPUR, GOA

It’s Rawat vs Modi in Uttarakhand As the State goes to the polls tomorrow, Congress plays victim card against BJP for imposing President’s Rule last year KAVITA UPADHYAY DEHRADUN: A total of 628 can-

didates are contesting the Uttarakhand Assembly elections, where polling in 69 of its 70 seats will be held on Wednesday. Polling in the Karnaprayag constituency has been postponed because of the death of the BSP candidate in a road accident. The BJP, which won all five Lok Sabha seats in the State in the 2014 elections, is again banking on Prime Min-

INFOCUS ister Narendra Modi for a victory in the Assembly elections. But the Congress, under Chief Minister Harish Rawat, is giving it a tough fight. Several leaders in the BJP have made a claim for the Chief Minister’s post. On the contrary, in the Congress, the campaign has been a oneman show centred on Mr. Rawat, the party’s chief ministerial candidate. The Congress, which lost many of its strong leaders from the Garhwal region to

POLL OVERDRIVE: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi (atop the van) during a roadshow at Roorkee in Uttarakhand. — PHOTO: PTI the BJP during the brief spell of President’s Rule, is weak in the Garhwal Hills. However, it has an upper hand in the Kumaon Hills. With no third force against the Congress and the BJP in about 50 seats, the Independents hold the key in 12 to 15 seats.

In the agrarian areas of Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts, the contest is a triangular one as the Bahujan Samaj Party is an important player in 20 seats of the two districts. Throughout the campaign, Mr. Modi, who gave five elec-

tion speeches in the State, targeted Mr. Rawat for alleged corruption. The Prime Minister promised the voters more employment opportunities, improved roads, enhanced tourism potential, and setting up of small-scale industries in the plain areas

of the State. He referred to the surgical strikes and implementation of the one rank, one pension scheme in all his speeches to attack the Congress and woo the voters since a major part of Uttarakhand’s workforce is employed with the armed forces. Also, the State has over two lakh ex-servicemen. While the campaigning saw the BJP in the ofensive mode, the Congress was mostly playing victim. The target of Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi and Mr. Rawat was Mr. Modi and the “rebels” who had ditched the party and crossed over to the BJP. The BJP’s did door-todoor campaigning, especially in the hill villages. The Congress, however, had a strong social media campaign which was being handled by the team of the party’s poll strategist, Prashant Kishor. Uttarakhand’s biggest disaster — the 2013 flashfloods — struck when Vijay

Bahuguna was the Chief Minister. After his failure to handle the disaster, Mr. Bahuguna was replaced by Mr. Rawat. On March 18 last year, Mr. Bahuguna, along with eight other MLAs, who were upset with Mr. Rawat’s leadership, rebelled against the party. The political turmoil resulted in the imposition of President’s Rule and a new chapter began in Uttarakhand politics. At the end of it Mr. Rawat returned to power, more powerful than before and with immense public sympathy for him, but the Congress lost its topmost leaders. This year, most of them are contesting as BJP candidates. In 2012, it was a close contest between the BJP, which won 31 seats, and the Congress, which won 32. However, three BSP MLAs, three Independents and one Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) MLA had supported the Congress to form a government.

Congress, SP face test in U.P. Phase 2 MOHAMMAD ALI MEERUT: The campaign ended

GREAT EXPECTATIONS: Muslim boys in the Deoband area of Uttar Pradesh. — PHOTO: R. V. MOORTHY

Shooting the breeze in Deoband MOHAMMAD ALI DEOBAND: As campaigning ends ahead of the February 15 elections in this town famous for Darul Uloom Deoband, religion seems to be the last thing in the mind of the youth here. In the bylanes around the Islamic seminary, the talk almost alway veers to development, jobs, schools, health facilities and upgrade of infrastructure. Despite being in the vicinity of Muzafarnagar, where Jat-Muslim violence broke out in August 2013, communal violence does not seem to be an issue for the voters of the Deoband constituency. Development and growth of the local economy, which is largely agrarian, dominate conversations. From Kamran Rana, a resident sipping tea at Hotel Alfalh, opposite the narrow lane which divides the Darul Uloom Deoband from the rest of the small town, to Birla Sood, a Balmiki community member who works with the Deoband municipality, residents of this historic town talk about the pointlessness of violence and the need for employment and development as the agenda for the polls. Communal polarisation has been remarkably absent, at least till now, in the campaigning here. Residents of all religions has this refrain: peace of Deoband lies in the simultaneous existence of the Darul Uloom Deoband and the Shri Bala Sundari temple. But in more detailed conversations with people of this town, it is obvious that development is not the only election topic.

Ground reality The ground reality in Deoband, as in any other constituency of the State, is defined by local caste calculations and loyalties forged through favours and traditional ideological ailiations. It is in this context that people see a triangular conCM YK

Residents talk of the need for employment, development, schools and improved health facilities test among the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance candidate and the incumbent MLA, Maviya Ali; Majid Ali of the BSP; and Brijesh Singh of the BJP. Saith, whose family moved to Deoband from Pakistan decades before Partition, is an old Congress loyalist. He said, “Because of the renewed support for the Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance among the over 1.15 lakh Muslim voters, Maviya Ali will get the lion's share of Muslim votes because of a pro-Akhilesh wave among Muslims. The BSP’s Majid Ali may end up eating into the minority votes and take a quarter of the Muslim votes, but that would not afect Mr. Ali’s prospects.” While Saith highlighted the popularity of Mr. Ali among voters belonging to all castes and religions, local BJP leaders like Amresh Rana are hopeful of a split in the Muslim votes and rest their hopes on it for a BJP victory. “A substantial chunk of Muslim votes are divided on caste lines. We have among Muslims Gauds, Ansaris, Quraishis, Shaikhs, Nayees and Dhobis. Muslims are not sure who is in the position to defeat the BJP and that is why there would be a strong split. And there lies the possibility of BJP squeezing through in the neck-to-neck contest,” he added. The BJP is sure of getting the traditional votes of Thakurs, with a population of over 40,000, a section of the 28,000 Gujjar votes, and those of other nonYadav backward castes such as Kashyaps and Sainis. Highlighting the caste arithmetic, Rana said, “We are getting the votes of backward caste and non-Yadav OBCs. All we need is a split in Muslim votes.”

on Monday evening for the 67 constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh, where voting will be held on Wednesday. The districts going to the polls in this phase include Saharanpur, Bijnor, Moradabad, Sambhal, Rampur, Bareilly, Amroha, Pilibhit, Kheri, Shahjahanpur and Badaun. This phase would be a test of the minority outreach of the Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance and the Bahujan Samaj Party as the Muslim population in seven of these districts comes to more than 30%. While Rampur and Moradabad have more than 50%, the Muslim population in Bijnore and Amroha crosses 40%. This phase will be crucial for BSP leader Mayawati who tried to experiment yet again with a Dalit-Muslim combination by fielding the largest number of Muslim candidates, while being assured of getting the consolidated Jatav votes for the party. Mayawati’s gambit A major thrust of Ms. Mayawati’s campaign, besides highlighting the SP’s “failure

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing an election rally at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh on Monday. — PHOTO: PTI to maintain law and order and allow thousands of communal riots in the State”, is that only she can “prevent the BJP from coming to power in the State”. She has repeatedly stressed that division of minority votes between the BSP and the SP could benefit only the BJP. The last day of the campaigning saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacking Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav over the issue of law and order and women’s safety, at a mammoth rally in Lakhimpur Kheri. Throughout his speeches during his rallies in SP strongholds such as Bijnor,

Badaun and Lakhimpur Kheri, Mr. Modi spoke about the “deteriorating law and order” situation in the State, the infamous Badaun gangrape case and the alleged political patronage to criminals. Modi takes on CM In Badaun, for instance, Mr. Modi said that Mr. Yadav had shown only bure din (bad days) to the State. He said that the Chief Minister blew his trumpet with the slogan Kaam bolta hai (work speaks), but actually it was not his actions but the “goonda raj” that spoke louder.

He repeatedly alleged during all the three rallies, which attracted huge crowds, that “Akhilesh allied with the Congress only to hide his failures and incompetence”. In the previous Assembly elections in western Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party had won 34 seats, followed by the BSP (18), BJP (10) and the Congress (3). The SP-Congress alliance has projected the “vikas (development)” aspect of the Akhilesh Yadav government and highlighted the negatives and ill-efects of demonetisation and the troubles it has given to the common public. The alliance has tried to woo Muslim voters by repeatedly projecting itself as the only political formation which can stop the BJP. The alliance saw display of interesting political camaraderie between Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi and SP’s chief Akhilesh Yadav. It would also test Congress trust over Imran Masood, the controversial politician who holds sway in Saharanpur and its vicinity and whom the party gave free hand in ticket distribution. Imran is contesting from Nakur Assembly seat in Saharanpur.

Where BSP’s Dalit-Muslim stratagem fails Communal flare-up two years ago still weighs on the minds of the Jatavs OMAR RASHID MORADABAD: Jatavs are con-

sidered the core supporters of the Bahujan Samaj Party — Mayawati herself belongs to the caste, the largest Dalit group in Uttar Pradesh. But in a village in the Kanth tehsil of Moradabad, known for manufacturing gauze, the Jatavs are standing strongly behind the BJP. A communal dispute two years ago that pushed the village to the edge and threatened to polarise the region, continues to distance them from Muslims, the predominant population in the locality as well as the Assembly seat with a population of 1.75 lakh. “Kanth: the town of love and peace. Let’s strive for harmony of communities, diversities of cultures, rejection of violence, resolution of conflict, reconciliation of diferences and freedom of expression.” This plaque outside the Kanth police chowki greets you as you head towards Nayagaon-Akbarpur. A broken road with drains running over it leads you to the village’s main temple, nestled among Jatav households; Muslims live on the

PAST IS PRESENT: Jatav residents of Nayagaon village in Kanth subdivision of Moradabad on Monday. — PHOTO: RAJEEV BHATT other side of the land in close quarters. Anil Kumar, a Dalit labourer, recalls the incident in 2014 when local people, mostly Dalits, along with BJP leaders, clashed with the police after they removed a loudspeaker from the temple, allegedly after Muslims objected to its installation. The Dalits alleged that the administration was acting on the instructions of the Muslims, especially the MLA Anis-ur-Rehman, who is the SP candidate this time but had won last time on the Peace Party ticket. Many Dalits were arrested, so were BJP leaders, accused of instigating the violence. “The police desecrated the temple. They climbed over it with shoes ... working under

pressure from Muslims,” says Anil Kumar. What troubles the Dalits in this village is that many of their youth still face criminal charges in the loudspeaker case — 18 persons, including four women, were booked then. Allegations of partiality If they blame the SP government for partiality towards Muslims, the Dalits are upset that the BSP did not stand up for them in the crisis. “No BSP leader came here when our women were dragged out by the hair and beaten. The bazaars shut for 13 days. Only the BJP people braved the lathis for us,” says young Kuldeep Kumar, among the many booked in the case. The Dalits, however, insist that they had no rift with their Muslim neighbours. When he was asked for his view on Mayawati’s strategy

to bring together Dalits and Muslims, Kumar, a labourer, says: “There is no chance of that when we are not allowed to put up loudspeakers in out temples. On the other hand, look over there [points to the minaret of a mosque]...a new mosque is coming up. We are treated like filth here,” says Kumar, who is joined by a group of Jatav women, men and children at the village crossing. Many of them say they would not vote for the BSP as the party had again fielded a Muslim, Haji Nasir Qureshi. “It would mean the same old story for us,” said a Dalit man. The Dalit displeasure towards the SP is not restricted to communal issues. They also blame the government for neglecting their colonies. The Muslims in the village claim that everything is peaceful and dismiss allegations of high-handedness. However, when the intricacies of the loudspeaker issue are raked up, the communal diferences pop up. “The use of loudspeaker is not a big problem on its own, but the fact that they are starting a new tradition is what we oppose. There were no loudspeakers at the temple earlier. When we [Muslims] start a new tradition, they go berserk and start objecting. There is a mosque in Kanth where the roof is still not made after objections by them,” says Qasim, another Muslim youth.

POLLDIARY Karnaprayag poll postponed to March 9 DEHRADUN: While the entire Uttarakhand will go to the polls on February 15, the election to the Karnaprayag Assembly seat will be held on March 9. The election was postponed after BSP candidate from Karnaprayag, Kuldeep Singh Kanwasi, died in a road accident on Sunday night. On Monday, the Election Commission announced that the election at Karnaprayag would be held on March 9. “As per the notification, the new candidate from the BSP will file the nomination on February 20,” Nitin Upadhyaya, Deputy Director (Information Department), who is on election duty, said. After the postponing of the poll in one seat, 628 candidates will contest for 69 Assembly seats on February 15. — Staff Reporter

Champion’s somersaults in Haridwar KHANPUR (UTTARAKHAND): In the Khanpur constituency of Haridwar, the contest is between Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion of the BJP and Mufti Riyasat of the BSP. A former Congress MLA, Mr. Champion was among the Congress “rebels” who opposed the Harish Rawat government and revolted against their party in the Assembly last March. The political turmoil ignited by the “rebels” had resulted in the imposition of President’s Rule in the State. An inflammatory speech made by Mr. Champion against Muslims last year had upset the community, and in the elections, they have united against him. Among 1.4 lakh voters in Khanpur, 38,000 are Muslims and 24,000 are Dalits. “Mr. Champion is the face of the Hindu-Muslim divide [in Khanpur]. His being in the BJP has made the divide more obvious,” said Manoj Kumar from Khanpur. In the 2012 Assembly polls, Mr. Champion won the seat defeating the BSP candidate. “In 2012, Mr. Champion was in the Congress, and a part of the Muslim and Dalit votes went to him. This time, Muslims will not vote for him; they will vote for the BSP candidate,” Mangta Hasan from Prahaladpur said. — Staff Reporter

Just one Muslim BJP candidate in Manipur IMPHAL: Anwar Hussain is the only Muslim candidate who got the BJP ticket in the elections to the 60seat Manipur Assembly. And if the outburst of Muslim politicians and voters is any indication, it is clear that the BJP may pay a heavy price in the upcoming elections. Manipur has always had some six Muslim MLAs. The State once had a Muslim Chief Minister: Mohammad Alimuddin. The ruling Congress is fielding three Muslim candidates this time. Salam Khan, ISTOCK/ GETTY the president of the BJP Minorities IMAGES Morcha, said: “There are 18 constituencies with a considerable number of Muslims. There should have been more Muslim candidates.” The Muslim politicians who were denied ticket in these constituencies are spewing venom at the BJP. Muslim voters say they are not happy with the sidelining of Muslims and may vent their anger in the elections. — A Correspondent

Dainik Jagran in the dock for exit polls NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Monday issued orders to poll officers of 15 Uttar Pradesh districts, in which the first phase of Assembly elections were held on February 11, to lodge separate criminal cases against the managing director of Resource Development International and the editorial head of the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran for conducting and publishing an “exit poll”. A separate FIR will also be filed by the District Election Officer in Lucknow for alleged violations. The cases will be registered under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, read with Section 126A and B of the Representation of the People Act, that attract up to two years’ imprisonment. The Chief Electoral Officer of the State filed a compliance report informing the Commission that FIRs were being registered. As Section 188 of the IPC is a cognisable offence, no court order is required to make arrests, said an EC official. — Special Correspondent

POLLSTAT

TONGUE IN CHEEK Surendra

According to his horoscope, he is going to win this election. You better vote for him! ND-ND

14 |

WORLD

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Turmoil in Trump’s National Security Council Allegations against NSA Michael Flynn, under probe over his Russia links, are a sensitive matter, says White House DAVID E. SANGER ERIC SCHMITT WASHINGTON: These are chaotic and anxious days inside the U.S. National Security Council, the traditional centre of management for a President’s dealings with an uncertain world. Three weeks into the Trump administration, council staf members get up in the morning, read President Donald Trump’s Twitter posts and struggle to make policy to fit them. Most are kept in the dark about what Mr. Trump tells foreign leaders in his phone calls. Some staf members have turned to encrypted communications to talk with their colleagues, after hearing that Mr. Trump’s top advisers are considering an “insider threat” programme that could result in monitoring cellphones and emails for leaks. National Security Adviser Michael T. Flynn has hunkered down since investigators began looking into what, exactly, he told the Russian ambassador to the U.S. about the lifting of sanctions imposed in the last

days of the Obama administration, and whether he misled Vice-President Mike Pence about those conversations. His survival in the job may hang in the balance. Although Mr. Trump suggested to reporters on Friday that he was unaware of the latest questions swirling around Mr. Flynn’s dealings with Russia, aides said over the weekend in Florida that Mr. Trump was closely monitoring the reaction to Mr. Flynn’s conversations. There are transcripts of a conversation in at least one phone call, recorded by U.S. agencies that wiretap foreign diplomats, which may determine Mr. Flynn’s future. Sensitive matter Stephen Miller, White House senior policy adviser, was circumspect on Sunday about Mr. Flynn’s future. Mr. Miller said on NBC that possibly misleading the VicePresident on communications with Russia was “a sensitive matter”. This account of life inside the council is based on conversations with more than two dozen current and

CHAOS IN COUNCIL: Donald Trump being greeted by National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and members of the military at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida last week. — PHOTO: NYT former council staf members and others throughout the government. In a telephone conversation Sunday afternoon, K.T. McFarland, deputy national security adviser, said that early meetings of the council were brisker, tighter and

13 killed in Lahore blast claimed by Pak. Taliban LAHORE: An explosion near the

Punjab provincial assembly in the Pakistani city of Lahore killed at least 13 people and wounded 83 others on Monday, a senior police oicial said. Suicide attack Mushtaq Sukhera, inspector general of police in Punjab Province, said five police oicers were among the dead when an explosion rocked a protest organised by Pakistan’s chemists and pharmaceuticals manufacturers. “It was a suicide attack.

The bomber exploded himself when successful negotiations were under way between police oicials and the protesters,” Mr. Sukhera told reporters. A spokesman for Jamaatur-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, called Reuters and claimed responsibility. The militant group also warned the Lahore attack was the start of a new campaign against government departments. “You are on our target across the country,” it added in a statement.

Jamaat-ur-Ahrar had also claimed responsibility for an Easter Day bombing in Lahore last year that killed more than 70 people in a public park. Security in Pakistan has vastly improved in recent years but Islamist groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and Islamic State still pose a threat and have carried out mass attacks. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the attacks will not weaken Pakistan’s resolve in fight against militancy. — Reuters

more decisive than in the past, but she acknowledged that career oicials were on edge. “Not only is this a new administration, but it is a different party, and Donald Trump was elected by people who wanted the status quo thrown out,” said

Ms. McFarland. There is always a shakedown period for any new NSC, whose staf is drawn from the State Department, the Pentagon and other agencies. President Barack Obama replaced his NSA Gen. James Jones, a four-star former supreme allied commander in Europe, after concluding that the general was a bad fit for the administration. The first years of President George W. Bush’s council were defined by clashes among experienced bureaucratic infighters — Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Colin Powell among them. But what is happening under the Trump White House is diferent, and not just because of Mr. Trump’s Twitter foreign policy. Several staf members who did not want to work for Mr. Trump have returned to their regular agencies, leaving a larger-than-usual hole in the experienced bureaucracy. Many of those who remain, who see themselves as apolitical civil servants, have been disturbed by displays of overt partisanship. — New York Times News Service

Hamas chooses hard-liner as new leader in Gaza GAZA CITY: Hamas has named a

top militant commander as its new leader in the Gaza Strip, an oicial media outlet confirmed on Monday, placing one of the Islamic militant group’s most hard-line figures in charge of operations in its core power base. The appointment of Yehiya Sinwar, who was freed by Israel in a 2011 prisoner swap, solidifies the takeover of Gaza operations by the armed wing of the Palestinian group. Mr. Sinwar’s selection was reported by Hamas’s alResala news site. A Hamas

oicial also confirmed the appointment. Mr. Sinwar replaces Ismail Haniyeh, who served as the Prime Minister of Hamas’s government following the 2007 takeover of Gaza. Mr. Haniyeh is now expected to take over as Hamas’ supreme leader, replacing Khaled Mashaal, who lives in exile. Khalil al-Haya, another political hard-liner, was elected as Mr. Sinwar’s deputy. Mr. Sinwar, who is in his mid-50s, comes from the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis and is a founder of Hamas’s military wing. — AP

U.S., Canada to form task force for working women OTTAWA: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump were to participate in a round-table discussion about women in the work force on Monday, an early sign of cooperation as Mr. Trudeau seeks to have good relations so that Canada is not targeted in trade talks. A White House official and a senior Canadian government official said the two countries plan to launch a new task force called the United States Canada Council for the Advancement of Women Business Leaders-Female Entrepreneurs. Ivanka Trump, the President’s daughter who has been an advocate for policies benefiting working women, was involved in recruiting participants and setting the agenda for the roundtable. Mr. Trudeau’s close cooperation with Mr. Trump and Ivanka could ease some worries among Canadians that the U.S. President will enact protectionist measures that could hurt the Canadian economy. — AP

UN calls for urgent meet over North Korea’s ballistic missile test UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday condemned North Korea’s latest ballistic missile test and called for a united international response to the “further troubling violation” of UN resolutions. His statement came ahead of an urgent UN Security Council meeting called to discuss Sunday’s missile test — nuclear-armed North Korea’s first since U.S. President Donald Trump assumed oice. The North’s leader Kim Jong-Un “expressed great satisfaction over the possession of another powerful nuclear attack means which adds to the tremendous might of the country”, state news agency KCNA said on Monday.

Russia, China condemn it Mr. Guterres appealed “to the international community to continue to address this situation in a united manner”, in an apparent reference to the United States and China, Pyongyang’s ally. Permanent UN Security Council members China and

Pukguksong-2 being test fired in an undated photo released on Monday by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency. — PHOTO: REUTERS Russia joined a chorus of international criticism of the launch near the western city of Kusong. The council was to meet around 2200 GMT on Monday following a request by the United States, Japan and South Korea. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said it opposes North Korean missile launches that violate UN resolutions. Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the launch “a demonstration of contempt for UN Security Council resolutions”. — AFP

Sri Lanka arrests 550 ‘military deserters’ as part of clean-up COLOMBO: Sri Lanka arrested

nearly 550 soldiers in a single day as it reins in the mass desertion that’s plagued the armed forces since the end of the civil war, an oicial said on Monday. The military has been pursuing nearly 43,000 deserters who refused to voluntarily turn themselves in under a government amnesty designed to clean up the ranks. Arrests have begun in earnest since the grace period expired in December, ending any hope soldiers had of avoiding a court martial.

The mass apprehension of 546 soldiers during a sweep on Thursday was “the largest ever”, said brigadier Roshan Seneviratne.More than 9,000 oicers and soldiers took advantage of the amnesty, turning themselves in to avoid punishment. Sri Lanka’s Army, Navy and Air Force have a combined strength of just over 275,000 personnel, but desertion has been a serious problem throughout its history. Soldiers routinely walked of the job during the 37-year war against Tamil

separatists but desertion remained an issue even after combat had ceased. Oicials say peace time desertions were due in part to a reduction in risk-related allowances paid to soldiers, and the growth of better paying jobs in the private sector. Many have found work in construction and transport, while police have reported the involvement of deserters in gun-related crimes. More than 25,000 security personnel were among at least 100,000 people killed during Sri Lanka’s civil war. — AFP

Syrian govt. used chlorine gas in Aleppo battle

Photo of the year

UNITED NATIONS: Syrian govern-

DEATH OF AN AMBASSADOR: Associated Press photographer Burhan Ozbilici (left) won the 2017 World Press Photo competition on Monday for his image of a gun-wielding off-duty Turkish policeman who shot and killed Russia’s Ambassador Andrei Karlov on December 19 last year.— PHOTOS: AP

ment forces carried out at least eight chemical attacks during the final weeks of the battle for Aleppo, killing nine people, among them four children, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Monday. The rights group said it interviewed witnesses, collected photos and reviewed video footage indicating that chlorine bombs were dropped from government helicopters during the offensive from November 17 to December 13. Around 200 people were injured by the toxic gases used on opposition-controlled areas of the northern city, according to HRW. The actual number of chemical attacks could be higher, said the group, adding that journalists, medical personnel and other credible sources had reported at least 12 attacks in that period. One of the deadliest bombings hit the neighbourhood of al-Sakhour on November 20, killing six members of the same family. The use of chlorine gas as a weapon is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013 under pressure from Russia. — AFP

Damaged spillway triggers mass evacuation Emergency crews early on Monday prepared loads of rock to be dropped by helicopters to seal a crumbling spillway that threatens to inundate communities along the Feather River in Northern California, local media reported. Almost 2,00,000 people were ordered on Sunday to evacuate from the area below the Lake Oroville Dam, the tallest dam in the United States, after authorities said its emergency spillway could give way. Oicials said the situation seemed less dire overnight but Sacramento television station KCRA reported that helicopters from around the state were sent to drop

OROVILLE (CALIFORNIA):

CM YK

A damaged spillway seen in an aerial photo taken over the Oroville Dam in California on Sunday.— PHOTO: REUTERS chest-high bags of rocks to close the hole in the spillway. The NBC ailiate showed dump trucks dropping of piles of rock, which were

then loaded into the bags with backhoes. The operation to close the gap would begin as soon as it was feasible, the station said. The state Emergency Ser-

vices Oice and Department of Water Resources did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The water department said on Twitter on Sunday afternoon that the spillway next to the dam was “predicted to fail within the next hour” but it remained standing. The department said authorities were releasing water to lower the lake’s level after weeks of heavy rains in drought-plagued California. Overnight, state and local oicials said the immediate danger had passed with water no longer flowing over the eroded spillway but they cautioned that the situation continued to remain unpredictable. — Reuters ND-ND

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

We are preparing a model contract farm law to link farmers with food processing industry Arvind Panagariya, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog

BRIEFLY Britannia’s ‘tough’ third quarter profit rises 5%

| 15

BUSINESS

NOIDA/DELHI

SENSEX

13-02-2017 10-02-2017

GOLD 28,351 28,334

17

points

13-02-2017 11-02-2017

29,725

‘No conflict with founders’ Infosys chairman Seshasayee says board keen to have all stakeholders’ views

KOLKATA: Food company

Britannia Industries Ltd. closed the third quarter with a 6% rise in its consolidated revenue growth at ₨2,338 crore and a 5% increase in its net profit at ₨220 crore. The company’s managing director Varun Berry said: “This quarter has been really tough considering the way things panned out on the economic front”. Mr.Berry said the demonetisation had “impacted” the positive momentum triggered by a good monsoon and seventh pay panel benefits. Sales dropped by more than 10% in November 2016 compared to a year earlier. —Special Correspondent

Hindustan Motors Q3 loss narrows to ₨3.8 cr. KOLKATA: C.K. Birla controlled Hindustan Motors Ltd narrowed its third-quarter loss to ₨3.8 crore from ₨12.3 crore a year ago, saying that its operating results have been affected by the adverse market conditions. The company which shot into news last week over its announcement on sale of the Ambassador brand to Peugeot SA, said that the sale will be effective upon fulfilment of certain terms and conditions. Hindustan Motors reported ₨90 lakh income from exceptional items saying that this represented profit on sale of non-current investments. — Special Correspondent

MUMBAI: Infosys chairman R.

Seshasayee on Monday acknowledged that the handling of the severance package paid to former CFO Rajiv Bansal – an issue that had been raised by some cofounders – had seen a “judgment” error and said the board had agreed to hear suggestions made by the founders as the company faces the challenge of transforming from a promoter driven firm to a professional board driven organisation. The severance pay given to Mr. Bansal was a “judgment” error made by the company board due to a subjective element that guided the drawing up of severance packages, according to Mr. Seshasayee. Judgment error “In determining the severance package of Bansal when he left the company in October 2015, there was a business judgment by the Board and this amount was agreed to be paid,” Mr. Seshasayee told re-

IRONING IT OUT: No conflict of interest between the promoters and the directors, says Seshasayee. — PHOTO: SHASHI ASHIWAL porters at a press conference here. “In retrospect, I have no hesitation in saying that this compensation would have been diferent, had the judgment, made in the circumstances, been diferent. We had some subjectivity in making this judgment,” said the company’s chairman, who went on to defend the high compensation paid to CEO Vishal Sikka and the appointment of Union Minister of State Jayant Sinha’s wife Punita Sinha as an independent director. “There will be no more

BENGALURU: Axilor Ventures, a

business incubator, said it was planning to accelerate its investments in early stage start-ups. Axilor said it was looking to double the intake of young ventures for its 100-day accelerator programme. “We are getting ready for the second wave of start-ups,” said chairman of the firm S. Gopalakrishnan. He said that a fast growing base of online consumers, an enabling public digital infrastructure, growing pool of experienced founders and the increase in early stage seed capital are enabling the second wave.” — Special Correspondent

Exchange Rates Indicative direct rates in rupees a unit except yen at 4 p.m on February 13

Currencies U.S. Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Jap Yen (100 Units) Chinese Yuan Swiss Franc Singapore Dollar Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swedish Kroner Danish Kroner New Zealand Dollar Hongkong Dollar Malaysian Ringgit Kuwaiti Dinar UAE Dirham Bahraini Dinar Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal Omani Riyal

TT TT Buying Selling 66.82 67.14 71.12 71.46 83.70 84.10 58.75 59.03 9.71 9.76 66.64 66.97 47.01 47.24 51.27 51.52 51.05 51.30 7.50 7.53 9.57 9.61 48.04 48.28 8.61 8.65 15.01 15.10 217.78 220.26 18.19 18.28 177.18 178.12 18.40 18.41 17.87 17.87 173.55 174.47

Source:Indian Bank

Bullion Rates February 13 rates in rupees with previous rates in brackets

Chennai Bar Silver (1 kg) 43,245 (42,570) Retail (1 g) 46.30 (45.50) 24 ct gold (10 g) 29,590 (29,640) 22 ct gold (1 g) 2,811 (2,816) Delhi Silver 43,000 (43,050) Standard Gold 29,950 (29,725) Sovereign 24,600 (24,500)

CM YK

67.02 66.88

0.14 ₨/$

Rajiv Bansals. The suspicion of his severance pay being ‘hush money’ is deeply disturbing,” said Mr. Seshasayee, who had been blamed by some of the founders for lapses of corporate governance at the IT major, even as he denied any conflict of interest between the firm’s promoters and the board of directors. Infosys has appointed law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas to advise on the succession planning, to ensure that views of all stakeholders including the pro-

moters are considered by the board. “The law firm is not appointed to mediate between the... two parties as it is projected. It’s to assimilate views of all stakeholders, including the promoters and to ensure that we have common values within a legal framework.” Talking about his relationship with the founders, Mr. Sikka said, “There are no differences with promoters. I meet Murthy four to five times a year. I have a very deeply heartfelt relationship. Earlier today we were talking about Apple watch. His wisdom and experience are deeply valued which is viewed as criticism.” Defending Mr. Sikka’s use of chartered aircraft for corporate travel, Mr. Seshasayee said, “I have been asked why Vishal Sikka is using corporate jets. Roopa Kudva has been at pains to say we don’t have a corporate jet. Sikka was travelling 60-80,000 kilometres per month. 8% of this was on chartered flights. It is important to equate costs and issues.”

NEW DELHI: With labour law re-

forms back on the Centre’s agenda, fresh discussions begin with trade unions today to push through a longpending overhaul of the Factories Act of 1948. However, the Labour Ministry has tweaked its draft amendments to put the ball on contentious issues in the domain of State governments. Instead of increasing the threshold limit set for the number of workers in an industrial unit to be statutorily covered by the factories law, the Centre is now proposing an enabling provision that lets State governments decide the threshold over which a unit will be considered a factory for the purpose of the law. “The definition of factory is proposed to be modified as in the original Bill by giving powers to the State governments to increase the threshold limit of workers up to 20 and 40 for factories working with and without the aid of power respectively,” the Labour Ministry

Bandaru Dattatreya said in a note sent to central trade unions on February 2. Earlier, the Centre had proposed that the Factories Law be applicable to all factories that employ at least 40 workers – a move that was strongly opposed by the central trade unions. The present Factories Act 1948 applies to establishments with 10 or more workers, if the premise is using power and to establishments with 20 or more workers, without electricity connection. According to the previous proposal, Factories with less than 40 workers were to be

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP: The two firms are working together for the last six years, says A.M. Naik. — PHOTO SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR NEW DELHI: Engineering and

construction major L&T on Monday entered into a joint venture with European defence major MBDA Missile Systems for development of missiles in India. L&T will own 51% stake in the JV named L&T MBDA Missile Systems and the rest

49 would be with the European partner. Commenting on the partnership, L&T Group Executive Chairman A.M. Naik said the two companies had been working together for the last six years, specially on the defence ofset programmes in India. — PTI

Piyush Goyal on Monday called for the “immediate” implementation of a policy allowing public sector power generators like NTPC to sell surplus power on exchanges without waiting for permission from the State governments. “Can we have the policy implemented immediately, that if the State does not say ‘no’, then even NTPC should be allowed to sell surplus power on the exchange,” Mr. Goyal asked oicials of his Ministry gathered for the Indian Power Stations Conference 2017 organised by NTPC. “That way, unless the State expressly objects, you have an automatic approval to sell the power.” The Power Minister said that he doesn’t expect States to object to the policy because it would only benefit

‘Online marketplaces ofering discounts after inflating MRP’ YUTHIKA BHARGAVA NEW DELHI: A new survey has revealed instances of online marketplaces windowdressing the discounts they ofer by quoting product prices that are higher than the maximum retail price (MRP). The issue had been repeatedly raised at various communities of online network Local Circles, including the community created by the Department of Consumer Afairs, following which the Ministry sought inputs from citizens for possible solutions. More than 10,000 people from across 200 districts participated in the survey conducted by Local Circles,

which suggested that the department make it mandatory for e-commerce firms to put product pictures on the site in a manner that the printed MRP is visible. “Many citizens have complained in multiple local circles that sellers at e-commerce sites tend to inflate the MRP of the product so that the discounts ofered on them could look attractive to the buyers,” Sachin Taparia, Founder at Local Circles said. “Many shoppers tend to look up products based on discounts and end up falling in the trap only to find that the MRP on the actual product received was lower than what was listed online.” He added that 41% of respondents said that they had

experienced online e-commerce sites listing products at prices higher than MRP and then discounting the inflated price. However, 25% consumers said they had not experienced anything like this, while 34% were not sure about it. In some cases, consumers pointed out that when they tried to write a review to outline the MRP discrepancy issues, some of the leading ecommerce sites rejected those reviews. “Consumers also suggested many solutions to overcome this problem with the leading one being display of a legible image of the actual product packaging with MRP,” Mr. Taparia said.

Piyush Goyal them by reducing the costs and losses to the States. He further asked his Ministry officials to speak to the State government representatives as soon as possible and get the policy in place soon. “And with enough power on the exchange, should the States feel a need, then they can buy power from the exchange, it’s not a big deal,” Mr. Goyal said. “But more often than not, they will save money.” Mr. Goyal said that the de-

55.78 56.67

0.89 $/bbl

Plant renovation Mr. Goyal also said that NTPC should not incur any more expenditure on the renovation of power plants older than 25 years. He said that he had already asked NTPC to replace 11,000 MW worth of plant capacity that is older than 25 years. Mr. Goyal added that companies will incur only a nominal increase in their capital expenditure if they replace old plants with new ones with modern technology. “Power companies will not incur more than ₨4,000 crore per megawatt if they replace old plants,” he said.

covered under a new law for small factories. However, the fate of the proposed Small Factories Bill, 2015 is unclear as the Labour Ministry note has no mention about the proposed law. The Centre has now said that all factories below the threshold limit could be brought under the purview of the Act through notifications issued by state governments. “Flexibility has been given to the States to decide on the threshold limit,” the Labour Ministry added. Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya will meet central trade unions today to discuss the proposed amendments. A central trade union leader, requesting anonymity, said that the unions are likely to oppose the move to give flexibility to state governments on deciding the threshold limit for the Factories Act and instead ask the Centre to cover all manufacturing establishments “since manpower of industrial establishments is reducing as a result of automation and advancements in technology.”

Retail inflation slows to 3.17% in January SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

cision to implement such a policy was made during the monsoon of last year. “And if it has taken five months to go ahead with it, then I am not happy,” he added. “The speed of decision making is the essence of good governance.”

NEW DELHI: Power Minister

13-02-2017 10-02-2017

Centre puts onus on States to set factories’ threshold limit

L&T, European firm ‘Allow PSUs to sell power on tie up to make missiles exchanges without States’ nod’

RBI tells banks to treat banned notes as ‘soiled’

Axilor Ventures to double start-up intake

225

₨/10gms

13-02-2017 10-02-2017

SOMESH JHA SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday asked banks to treat the withdrawn currencies in their currency chests deposited since November 9, as ‘soiled.’ The regulator said the old ₨500 and ₨1,000 notes will not be reckoned for calculating chest balance limit or cash holding limit. “Specified bank notes deposited in the currency chests, since November 10, 2016, will be considered as part of the chest balance in the soiled note category but will not be reckoned for calculating Chest Balance Limit / Cash Holding Limit,” the RBI said. — Special Correspondent

BRENT OIL

RUPEE 29,950

NEW DELHI: Retail inflation

eased in January to 3.17% on the back of a sharp slowdown in food price inflation. Growth in the consumer price index (CPI) slowed from the 3.4% seen in December 2016, extending the streak of easing retail inflation to six months. The food and beverages category registered an inflation rate of 1.3% in January, down from the 2% witnessed in December 2016. Food price gains have also been easing for six consecutive months. Inflation in the fuel and light segment slowed to 3.4% in January from 3.7%, while the housing segment saw inflation quicken marginally to 5.02% from 4.98% over the same period. “The curious part of this inflation rate is that the nonfood components have shown higher price increases such as pan, intoxic-

ants (6.4%), clothing and footwear (4.7%), housing (5.0%), fuel and light (3.4%), and miscellaneous items (5.1%),” Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Care Ratings said. “Clearly the non-food components have registered an increase and going ahead would tend to be upward moving,” Mr. Sabnavis added. “Higher global commodity prices will get ingrained in these components while food items will be unafected.” “Also, as the economy is remonetised, some pent-up demand will have returned,” Crisil Research said. “The stickiness in core inflation despite continued decline in other parts of the index is a worry since wageprice negotiations based on a sticky core can potentially lift overall inflation.” According to Care Ratings, CPI inflation is expected to accelerate 3.5-3.6% in the next couple of months.

5.3 lakh taxpayers explain cash deposits SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI: More than 5.27 lakh

out of a total 18 lakh taxpayers, who had been sent digital queries by the I-T department over large cash deposits made in scrapped high-value currency notes, have filed explanations about the deposits on an online portal within a fortnight of its launch. “The explanation submitted by the taxpayer is being analysed in the context of nature of business and business profile in the earlier returns ,” the Finance Ministry said on Monday, about the everification exercise for large cash deposits made between November 8 and December 30, 2016.

‘Renewables obviate need for new coal capacity’ SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI: The energy that would be available from renewable sources, nuclear and gas plants, both existing and planned, would be enough to meet India's energy demand for the next 7-8 years, which means no new investment in coal is needed at least till then, as per a report by TERI. The Transitions in Indian Electricity Sector report predicts that per capita annual power consumption will increase from the current 1,075 kWh to 1,490 kWh in 2021-22, 2,121 kWh in 2026-27 and 2,634 kWh in 2029-30. Under the report’s ‘high renewables scenario’, the country’s renewable energy capacity is set to increase to

CLEANER MIX: Nuclear, gas and renewables will help meet power demand for the next 7-8 years, says TERI. — FILE PHOTO the targeted 175 GW level by 2021-22 and further grow to 275 GW by 2025-26. “The results indicate that the energy that would be available from RE (renewable energy) sources, storage hydro, nuclear and gas plants

would suice for meeting the remainder of the demand for electricity at the national level during the next 7-8 years,” TERI said. “This would in other words mean that no new coal plants would be needed and the

plant load factor (PLF) of coal based plants would be in the range of 78-80% in 2024– 25 and 2025–26.” With the energy mix set to undergo a radical change in the coming years, TERI said the Centre would do well to take steps to strengthen the grid infrastructure and build storage capacity. “The increasing penetration of solar and wind (which have inherent high intermittency and variability) would no doubt present a number of challenges in respect to planning and operation,” it said. “...ensuring requisite flexibility in ramping up and down, improved forecasting of RE power as well as demand, improved financial health of utilities would be key factors in this context.” ND-ND

16 |

OPEN PAGE

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Relating to that dreaded ‘F’ word If the words ‘feminism’ and ‘feminist’ have a negative connotation, it is precisely because we are operating in a deeply patriarchal society SNEHA PATHAK

B

eing a feminist today is as bad as being a fan of Shah Rukh Khan in the year Ra.One was released. Constant mockery is replaced by exasperated sighs, followed by collective rolling of eyes. And finally people just pretend you’re invisible. But the analogy ends right there. (Un)Funnily enough, Shah Rukh Khan recently said he doesn’t want to be considered “pro-feminist”. God forbid. People steer clear of this label, not because they are Foucauldians but for two reasons. One, that they don’t seem to believe in gender equality, and two, because they are afraid of how people would react. About five years ago, during my college days as a coordinator of the women’s development cell, I had helped organise a ‘Reclaim the Night Walk’, and I am still called ‘Triple M’ (short for Mahila Mukti Morcha) by my cousins. One peep about how my cousinsister should be treated as her brothers are, and I wit-

ness the verbal equivalent of a cloudburst. Ever so sadly, but not surprisingly, not one woman in the family supported my stance, including the cousinsister in question. It is a hard label to carry. Even after several PSAs (Public Service Announcements) that feminism means belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the genders, it hasn’t managed to shake its unfair negative connotation. Why is that? Why do even women bolt at frightening speed from the term feminism? Is it because it doesn’t fall within our inherent need to please people? We think the minute we claim to be feminists, suddenly we would seem to be too intense, someone who hates men with a fiery, self-fuelling passion, or someone who isn’t fun, or someone who is the ‘activist type’. And if you happen to be carrying a jhola, you’re a goner. Usually when a man says he’s a feminist, everyone

Down memory lane ASHA VOMBATKERE

G

oing down memory lane is special. How far can I go in time? Well, as far back as I can remember! A recent journey was special. To paraphrase T.S. Eliot, “In the end was my beginning.” I was born in Dacca, now Dhaka. My parents came to India just before Partition as refugees, with me a toddler. But my parents kept their own, and my memories are alive with photos and spoken references to people, places and events. I always had an urge to visit Dhaka, but never got an opportunity. However, I recently had the good fortune to revisit my birthplace when I accompanied my husband who went to attend a conference. Dhaka is like any large Indian city: beautiful in parts and sadly dying in others. There are people everywhere, the traic is chaotic, and there is a cheerful disregard for rules. There are memorials and monuments that mark the history of the capital of the relatively new country. A good number of Muslim women I saw wore the bindi. They said a Bengali woman always wears one! Burkhas were fewer than in India. We were able to locate the laboratory building in the Jute Research Institute where my father worked. A Muslim girl student took us around the Dhaka University campus, where I hoped to see the house where we once lived. There were mo-

ments when I was emotionally overcome — imagining my father working at his microscope in the lab, and imagining that the hoary trees under which I must have stumbled and played were speaking to me. Nearby we observed preparations for an event. Our guide told us it was for Saraswati pooja. She said all the departments of Dhaka University celebrated the festival, in a spirit of religious amity. Both India and Bangladesh have national anthems written by Rabindranath Tagore. He is “gurudev” in India and “guruji” in Bangladesh. In today’s growing deserts of hate, divisiveness and intolerance, it was a memorable oasis of amity, love and acceptance where, as gurudev famously sang, “the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls”. At least as far as I could see. People went out of their way to help locate the places of my earliest memories. Though I was a foreigner, a Hindu from India, people who we met treated me with afection and acceptance as a daughter of the land. Again and again people remarked on the entry in my passport showing my birthplace as “Dhaka, Undivided India”, bringing out the fact that it is politics that divides peoples and lands. I believe the nostalgia was in more hearts than mine alone, when I reached the end (or is it the beginning?) of my memory lane. [email protected]

ILLUSTRATION: SREEJITH R. KUMAR

clamours up to give him demi-god status. Yet, even these men are hard to find. For many it may just be downright emasculating.

Never should you threaten the masculinity of a man, it can be dark place to be for everyone involved. Warren Bufet once said

that he reached great peaks in his career because he was only competing with half the population. Since we as humans seek short-term grati-

fication instead of longterm satisfaction, why would a man truly, madly, deeply support the cause of gender equality? So that the next generation’s mothers are more equipped to teach her boys? Why would anyone who is busy reaping the benefits of a patriarchal society care? Why wouldn’t they be sexists? It is a ball for them. I don’t know if I am in a position to put the blame of perpetuating patriarchy on to their selfish shoulders. I don’t know if I would have rallied for change if I were in their position. Power can be blinding. But then, we forget that gender stereotypes have also negatively afected men who are afraid to speak up because of embedded notions of patriarchy of masculinity. We are all so taken by the roles bestowed upon us from generations; questioning and challenging them takes time.

Those summers to remember Children should play outdoors, going through the rough and tumble; confining them indoors is sad ASHOK B.B.

P

laying Bryan Adams’ Summer of 69 on my six strings, I slowly slipped into memories of our summers of the 1990s. Summer holidays were the long-awaited funfilled months. Nothing could stop us from being the naughty, dirty and notorious monkeys. Our otherwise busy parents were never worried about us catching a cold or developing some allergy playing in mud and water, or getting sunburnt wandering in the hills and playing in the open. Those were carefree days. The variety of games we played was awesome when I look back now. We would search for matchboxes and cigarette wrappers, which came in a wide variety. Each special picture on them had its own value, based on its demand in our own ‘market’. Each player would invest in a few and these were made into two or three heaps inside a box carved on the ground. After deciding on each one’s number, we had to strike using a flat stone from quite a distance. Under our beds were our prized collections of all the matchbox covers. For sure, sometimes we got scolded for these by our mothers. There were plenty of games to play apart from cricket, football and so on. The colourful marble game (goli aata) was a great joy which always made that lovely gurgling sound in our

pockets. A buguri (wooden carved spinning toy) had those mesmerising painted colours on it. It was a feeling to cherish, that spinning colourful buguri with its nail on the hand. When you became the last one to lift the buguri and let it spin on the hand using the thread, your buguri had to take a hit from everyone — which was a painful part of the game, looking at that beautiful toy getting mauled by everyone. Lagori, or building the stones, was a very skilful game. It involved hitting a small pack of stones from a distance with a ball, and again building the pack before getting hit hard from the opposite group. There was kanna muchale (hide’n seek), chowka bara, kallapolice, and chinni daandu, which never required any investment from our parents’ pockets: Nature provided everything. Apart from providing endless joy, all these games helped each of us to sharpen a lot of aspects. This was a need for a growing child. Chasing fruits Once the game was over, it was time to wander into the hills and plantations in search of mangoes, jamun and a wide variety of fruits that grew in the bushes, beside the streams and in the forests. I don’t even knowtheir names to this day. Monkeys had no business in our surroundings as we had the sole contract. You could find one or the other in every tree

that bore the fruits. It’s not that we had no attraction towards them. The 1990s were the time when our markets opened up to globalisation. Telephone links and modern television sets started arriving and it was a lot of curiosity for us too. On occasion, TVs and video cassette players were hired and played in the open. The whole village would sit and watch a movie. Still, the fun we would get playing in the open, playing together and fighting together, was never forgotten. The summers of the current decade seem a lot diferent. I have my own doubts if children of this generation do have that adrenaline rushing as the summer holidays near. After all, what should they be excited about? It’s the same TV, the same PlayStation, and the same tuitions, all over again.

I feel pity for the children who are being fooled into an era of smart gadgets, spoiling all the fun. They are being subjected to their parents’ expectations in a distant future. Children perform better when they are allowed to breathe fresh air in the open, than being sufocated inside the luxury of expensive spaces. They develop inexhaustible physical agility when allowed to play hard. Their minds absorb better when you let them train themselves in a fun-filled manner. At least I will definitely feel sad if I don’t let my kid have that joyous, memorable childhood I was myself allowed to have, which definitely helped me expand my heart, mind and soul to the colours and imaginations of a beautiful life. [email protected]

This was mixing business with pleasure without feeling guilty about it; a good deal for the child, the mother and the grandparents

M

y four-year-old daughter asked me once it was her winter break in her pre-school class: “Mumma, holidays mein kahan jaa?” A getaway would have been an ideal way to escape the harsh winter of the National Capital Region, I thought, but I hadn’t planned a holiday yet. However, faced with working mom babysitting issues, I decided on a trip to my parents’ in Visakhapatnam. The tricky bit was that it was going to be a long train ride, and once I reassured all of my sanity in accompanying a four-year-old alone on a 36-hour journey, we set of for Vizag, post-New Year. I’m a self-confessed train fan as my father was in the railways and trains were on our daily conversation menu. I was armed with stuf to keep her engaged, fearing the worst. But the tricky tracks weren’t tricky at all. On the contrary, and surprisingly, it was lots of fun.

Darshika loved the sights and sounds, and with her curiosity piqued, her ‘why’ questions progressed from simple to several per minute. And answering the question, “Why is the train not going into the river when we crossed the Godavari?”, did get my creative juices flowing! Also, it’s the longest she has stayed without asking me about Peppa Pig or Baby TV, so I was thrilled with the technology detox. Having successfully completed the journey, we arrived in time to celebrate my mom’s birthday. There she happily blew the candles,

and with that began her holiday with her grandparents. The breather Getting a breather from Gurgaon’s chilly winter was my Christmas present from Santa Claus. We were glad to get rid of all the extra layers we had worn from Delhi, and the pleasant climate was heartening. But it’s also new because she is now discovering it and I get to re-live the beaches, hills, the zoo, etc., in the picturesque city. So from making sand castles to visiting temples, from meeting relatives to gorging on home-

cooked deliciousness, from flying kites to celebrating Sankranthi, Darshika had the best of times; those were the busiest two weekends ever. But the best holidays are so because of a personal touch, and this I owe to her grandparents — amma and thatha, or mom and dad as she decides to copy me. Growing up, I was in a joint family, so having grandparents around was a given. But in a nuclear family set-up, it’s a luxury our kids don’t get enough of. Seeing Darshika run to them, tell her stories and play a dozen silly games with them is sheer unbridled joy. Likewise, seeing our parents being transformed into lovable grandparents is one of the greatest joys in life. Their love is unconditional and they are “made for each other” — she with all the questions and them the answers in their second innings, served with warmth and utter kindness.

mentum? I am not too sure. We are encouraged to keep ideas of ‘gender equality’ to ourselves lest we come across as someone who is too opinionated and causing moms all over India to exclaim, “Isse shaadi kaun karega?” This is exactly why we women need to speak up, and soon enough. We aren’t just supposed to be good wife material; we are supposed to be whoever we want to be. Asking for a safe work environment isn’t asking for too much. Asking for a safe home environment isn’t asking for too much. Asking for a safe colony, safe city isn’t asking for too much. Asking us to adjust in such a world where we feel constantly unsafe is too much. Asking us to keep quiet and not create a ruckus is too much. And asking us to feel shame when we call ourselves feminists is too much indeed. Except, sadly, we have given in. In some form or the other, in varying degrees, we have given them what they asked from us. It may be time we stopped. [email protected]

Cashless all the way SHIRLEY PHILIP

I

Finally, some work-life balance from a secret chamber SHAILAJA RAO

In a country where there is extreme poverty, questioning gender roles becomes the “pastime” of the middle and upper classes of women, something that exists in theory but not in practice. Women perpetuate patriarchy. By shying away from the word ‘feminist’, or worse, not being one, shows the deep reaches of a male-dominated world over women. The fear of the ‘F’ word is real. If the word ‘feminism’ or ‘feminist’ has a negative connotation, it is precisely because we’re operating in a deeply patriarchal society, it is the society (you and me) that makes it an ugly, shameful word to be associated with. I am a feminist. Does that mean I am going to die a spinster surrounded by my many cats? That could be true, but only because being a feminist today is considered being something akin to a plague-bearing rat. Feminism has been challenging societal norms, customs and rules for a long time now. It has gained popularity today, but has it gained any significant mo-

As for me, I was not on holiday. Mom and dad were as a matter of fact bailing me out by being babysitters during the 20-day leave. I was working from home, a concept she doesn’t understand, so we created an unconventional “chamber of secrets”. I worked from a

It was business as usual for the mother and a holiday with grandparents for the little daughter room in dad’s home; the oicial answer to her was that it was being mended and hence always locked. It was like mini-CIA stuf, mom coordinating her sleep and my meal timings so we didn’t run into each other at all. The locked rooms had everything I needed and I’d get more food secretly sent when she was either feeding the pigeons on the roof or just playing outside. To keep up appearances I’d even ring the doorbell post-work to show that I was indeed com-

just completed my research on the rural-urban migration of women. I myself am a migrant, albeit an urban-rural migrant moving from Chennai to a small town in Kerala with marriage. The whole debate on demonetisation and its effects sent my thoughts whirling back 30 years ago to our annual visits to the little village of my parents. Inevitably, every activity in the village hinged on farming. Paper money was never much in demand in those days. In my mother's home, everything necessary for our daily consumption was produced at their farm itself. Mangoes, bananas, coconuts, jackfruit, paddy, tapioca, yam, beans, eggs, chicken, cashew nut, milk, pepper, etc., were available free of cost and in huge quantities. All the processed food like rice powder and Kerala-special snacks that line the shelves of bakeries and supermarkets today, were painstakingly prepared at home. There were only a few things that my grandpa used to purchase from Velu chettan's kada (shop): lentils, potatoes, tomatoes, cola and jaggery. The other main shopping was from one or two shops in the nearest town, which supplied the material for men’s shirts and the chatta (blouse), mundu and shawl for women of our community. Very little paper money was required for these purposes. The economy was literally a cashless economy. I remember my grandpa used to walk miles to visit relatives/friends. There were very few buses or other automobiles in those days. It made me wonder how that little economy was almost throttled due to demonetisation recently. bears testimony When the cash crunch Ittosimply the fact that the set in, we lived with sweeping changes ushered in by what we had. Now, liberalisation, with new cashless privatisation and options, we spend globalisation are here to stay. The crass consumerism, higher incomes and standard of living of the average individual have made him or her a slave to the market. What is truly amazing is that all this has occurred within a relatively short span of 20 years. Undoubtedly, all of us are beneficiaries of a growing economy but we are at a crucial crossroads where the development vs growth paradox is constantly being debated. Discourses on adulterated food and their adverse impact on the health of people in recent years have cornered headlines and prime-time discussions in the media. All these seem to point to a mindset that is a cross between idealism and pragmatism. Che Guevara and Margaret Thatcher are at odds in their hearts. I am now a proud cashless customer who uses debit cards, cheques, e-wallets and other such e-savvy techniques for payments and transfers. There is only one little hitch in this whole exercise. When the cash crunch set in, I, like every other citizen of India learned to live with the little I had. Now, however, with a whole lot of cashless options before me, I just purchase and purchase…. without realising that at that rate it could make me literally cashless. Thanks again to capitalism! [email protected]

ing back from oice. When she grows up and finds Mumma didn’t actually go to oice and was in thatha’s house working but not playing with her, I am going to be in much trouble. Until then, it was business as usual for me and a holiday for her. She would regale me with tales of her day’s adventures with amma-tatha once I was “back home”. As all girls will vouch for, being at your parents’ is letting your hair down, taking it easy, times. This was me working the same deadlines but without a worry about how my child is because she was with family. It was welcome noise and chitter-chatter from her and the most innocent company my parents could ask for, which is a winwin situation. This was me mixing business with pleasure without feeling guilty about it. When I heard her laughter or jibber-jabber with her grandparents as I went about my work, I knew I had found “work-life” balance! [email protected]

Contributions to this page may be e-mailed to [email protected] to a length of up to 700 words. Please provide the postal address and a brief description of the writer. An e-mail id that is provided could be considered for publication. Certify in writing that it is original material; The Hindu views plagiarism as a serious issue. Also confirm that the submission is exclusive to this page. Taking into account the volume of material being received, we regret our inability to acknowledge receipt, or to entertain telephonic or other queries on the status of a submission. If a submission is not published within eight weeks, consider it to be out of the reckoning — in most cases owing to dearth of space. The publication of an article is not to be seen as The Hindu endorsing the viewpoint in any way.

CM YK

ND-ND

| 17

SPORT

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Telecast schedule

Leaving it to his fans

Do it your way

Two dozen ducks for Akmal

HIL: STAR Sports 2 & HD 2, 7 p.m. I-League: TEN 2, 7 p.m. NBA: Sony Six & Sony Six HD, 6.30 a.m. (Wednesday)

Manny Pacquiao has asked his fans on Twitter to pick his opponent for his next world title defence, from among Jeff Horn, Terence Crawford, Amir Khan or Kell Brook, for a bout in the UAE.

Two bits of advice I’d give Joe [Root] are, one, do it your way because when it goes wrong it’ll be you 쑺 taking the blame and the second bit is look after your batting — Nasser Hussain,former England skipper

Umar Akmal has earned the dubious distinction of making the most number of ducks in T20 cricket. His 24th duck in a Pakistan Super League match on Sunday saw him overtake Herschelle Gibbs, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Dwayne Smith (23).

BRIEFLY Shaun Marsh should bat at No. 6: Langer

쑺

India sees of spirited Bangladesh CRICKET / Mahmudullah’s fifty and Kamrul’s stubborn resistance delay the inevitable A. JOSEPH ANTONY HYDERABAD: It’s a pity that his-

S

haun Marsh has valuable experience in the subcontinent and should slot into the vacant number six spot in Australia’s batting order for the upcoming tour of India, his State coach Justin Langer has said. Shaun is in a battle with his brother Mitchell and hard-hitting all-rounder Glenn Maxwell for the middle-order position.

Messi must be tied up, jokes Lucas

P

aris Saint-Germain winger Lucas has said the only way to stop Lionel Messi is “to tie him up.” “Legally?” he asks. “For me it’s impossible to stop him. You have to tie him up. The tactic is preventing the ball getting to him,” Lucas says. “You must be very, very organised.”

Guardiola can’t give Aguero guarantees

쑺

tory hails the victor, often excessively, when the vanquished have so much to ofer. Bangladesh deserved a dof of the hat for holding out almost to the very end before succumbing to defeat and India in the Paytm one-of cricket Test match (the first ever in this country) at the Rajiv Gandhi international on Monday. In pursuit of 459 for victory, it’s chase petered to a halt 208 runs short, six minutes after tea was extended on the concluding day. It was a commendable show by Bangladesh, often scofed at as a side incapable of outlasting four days. The visitors proved they could and against the world’s No. 1 team. India notched up its 19th win on the trot, its last defeat coming at the hands of Sri Lanka, back in 2015. Much was expected of Shakib Al Hasan on the final morning but his end would have disappointed him more than his team. Ravindra Jadeja’s ball rose a little raggedly from the rough, even kicking up a small mushroom of dust. The all-rounder’s edge was faint but it bounced of his pad to the waiting hands of Cheteshwar Pujara at forward short-leg. Shakib briefly stood his ground till the forefinger of fate went up. Bangladesh again turned to its Man Friday Mushfiqur. A cordon of close-in fielders baying for his blood hemmed him in but he walked the circle of fire without flinching. The bat in his hand made the diference in his duel with Ishant Sharma, who towers a couple of feet over him. Mushfiqur promptly despatched over the fine-leg fence a headbanger the tearaway unleashed. The Bangladesh skipper’s stay was however short-lived. Attempting an encore of the

boundary he cracked of Ashwin a couple of deliveries earlier, or perhaps an even bigger hit, Mushfiqur’s miscued inside-out drive wasn’t destined to shore up Bangladesh’s sagging scoreline. It didn’t get further than mop-topped Jadeja in the covers, who waited for the descending cherry and clutched it close to his sunglasses. Mahmudullah made up for his captain’s loss by assuming the mantle, shepherding his side to 202 at lunch. If patience is essential for the long haul, the Mymensingh-native ran short of it in the second session. He pulled a snorter from Ishant, didn’t come to terms with the delivery and was held by long-leg Bhuvneshwar. Murali Vijay at first-slip grassed a chance from Mehedi Hasan of Ishant. India champed at the bit but Bangladesh strived to delay the inevitable, refusing to descend into the depths of despair. The eighth wicket pair of Mehedi and Kamrul Islam held its own against the home side’s threepronged pace battery working with the second new ball. Kamrul weathered the barrage for 70 balls to notch up three !

Ashwin’s prize catch HYDERABAD: It was R.

TELLING BLOW: R. Ashwin snared Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim in the first session to ensure India stayed on course for a comfortable finish.— PHOTO: K.R. DEEPAK

Antidote On an increasingly docile pitch, Jadeja proved the antidote even if the shine was still not of from the sphere. With a delivery high on speed, spin and bounce, the southpaw got the ball to kick and squeeze out a catch from Mehedi to Wriddhiman Saha behind the timber. Taijul Islam took a swipe at Jadeja. The mishit went skywards with Vijay and K.L. Rahul converging on the ball. In the melee, mercifully Rahul gripped the ball firmly. Taskin’s bid to work the ball around his feet misfired as he took a rap on the pads. A referral sealed his fate and that of Bangladesh.

ANIMATED: K.L. Rahul shares his happiness with the bowler Ishant Sharma on the fall of Bangladesh’s top scorer Mahmudullah.— PHOTO: K.R. DEEPAK

Bowlers are the real match-winners, says Kohli V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

P

ep Guardiola has refused to rule out the possibility that Sergio Aguero could leave Manchester City at the end of the season, but says he wants to keep the striker. Aguero, who has a contract until 2020, has been restricted to brief substitute appearances in each of City’s last two matches, largely because of the excellent form of new signing Gabriel Jesus. “At the end of the season, I don’t know,” the City manager said.

HYDERABAD: Virat Kohli said it was a “very good win” considering the “nature of the wicket”. “I think we bowled really well. Both the pacers and spinners showed the kind of quality they are made of,” he said. “Ishant, in particular, was really good today. We needed that kind of efort to get the breakthroughs. It is always a great feeling as a captain to have three attacking seamers,” said the Indian skipper. “No matter how many runs you score, unless you pick up 20 wickets you don’t win matches. This is the reason why I say they (bowlers) are

Availability of Shami, Mishra will force selectors’ hand AMOL KARHADKAR MUMBAI: Mohammed Shami

and Amit Mishra’s availability will determine whether the national selectors tinker with the 16-member squad that faced Bangladesh for the forthcoming Test series against Australia. The M.S.K. Prasad-led panel will sit down at the BCCI headquarters here on Tuesday. Shami hasn’t featured in India colours since the third Test against England last November when he sufered a right leg injury, while leg-spinner Mishra, after hurting his knee during the third Twenty20 against England, was replaced with chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav against Bangladesh. It is understood that Shami’s recovery was on track until he had to rush home following the demise of his father a fortnight ago. Since then, he hasn’t reported back at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Mishra, on the other hand, headed back home after getting himself assessed in Hyderabad ahead of the Test against Bangladesh. He is unlikely

CM YK

to be considered for the first two Tests. Under the circumstances and the varying conditions that are likely to be countered during the four-Test series against Australia, the national selectors could well select the squad for the first two Tests, to be played in Pune from February 23 and Bangalore from March 4. Abhinav to be retained? With India having won eight of the nine Tests so far this season, the only talking point is the reserve opener’s slot. With Shikhar Dhawan having been dropped and Gautam Gambhir having been tried out as a stop-gap opener so far this season, the selectors preferred Tamil Nadu captain Abhinav Mukund for the Bangladesh Test. The left-handed batsman is likely to be continued with as a back-up to M. Vijay and K.L. Rahul. It would be interesting to see if the selectors decide to prune the squad size from 16 to 15. If it has to be done, either Kuldeep or all-rounder Hardik Pandya will have to miss out on joining the squad in Pune next week.

Ashwin’s way of remembering the world record he set in becoming the fastest bowler ever in Test history to take 250 wickets in 45 Tests, beating the previous record of Dennis Lille in 48 Tests. Ashwin was seen walking across quietly at the presentation ceremony to the Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahman and get a cricket ball autographed by him. “Yes, Ashwin wanted the ball to be signed by me as I happen to be his 250th victim. I am glad to be part of this cricketing history,” Rahim revealed at an informal chat at the end of the media briefing.. — Special Correspondent

India remaining unbeaten in 19 Tests. “It was important to get into rhythm going into the big series against Australia,” he said. On what he has learnt as captain, Kohli said earlier he used to be relentless when things were not happening. “Now, when wickets are not falling, I am more patient as I realise I just can’t do anything during that phase. But, I am happy to see the energy levels are up always in the team,” he said.

learning experience,” said Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim. “It is important that we do well not just for three days in a Test (for better results). We know that it is not easy to do well in Test given the lack of experience among many players in this squad. Except for a couple of players, not many have played more than 10 Tests,” said Mushfiqur. “Hopefully, the more Tests we play, better will the results be. It was a privilege and honour to play against the World No. 1 Indian side here,” he said. About the pitch, he said: “It was not a typical Indian turner. Glad that we took the match right into the final day.”

the match-winners. They should be given credit for a great show,” said Kohli. “Unfortunately, the contribution of the pacers goes unnoticed (at home). It is always the man-of-the-match and the man-of-the-series awardees who are in focus. It is these guys [bowlers[ who deserve the credit too for chipping in with vital contributions in the context of the game,” he said. “When I was not doing well, there were other guys who stepped up. They held the team through. So, it has always been a team efort for India in recent years, with someone stepping up at some stage or the other,” said Kohli, asked about his impact as a player on

Learning experience “We created the opportunities but missed some key moments in this Test. It is a huge

Root named England Test captain

Almost flew to join Virat in England: Coach

I

t gives me great option as a captain to have three seamers who have the pace and can bowl reverse swing. We all know Ishant and Umesh can do that. Now Bhuvi has been doing that in the last few games — Virat Kohli

VIJAY LOKAPALLY

Joe Root. — PHOTO: AP LONDON: Joe Root has been named Test captain of England, the ECB announced on Monday. Yorkshire batsman Root, previously England’s vicecaptain, had been the overwhelming favourite to replace Alastair Cook. Root, who made his debut under Cook, is now widely regarded as England’s leading batsman. “It is a huge honour to be given the England Test captaincy,” the 26-year-old Root said in an ECB statement. “I feel privileged, humbled and very excited.” The ECB added all-rounder Ben Stokes would succeed Root as vice-captain of the Test side. Cook, England’s alltime leading Test run-scorer, is set to continue his career in the five-day game, with Root also able to call upon the experience of senior fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad, as well as coach Trevor Bayliss and assistant Paul Farbrace. — AFP

NEW DELHI: Not a day passes when they don’t speak to each other, sharing each other’s concerns and looking to improve. For Raj Kumar Sharma, every step that Virat Kohli takes to enhance his stature is a throwback to the day when he realised he had a “gem” who would make great strides in international cricket. “I’ve always wanted him to be a better Test cricketer than a champion of the limited overs brand,” said Sharma, reflecting on the success of his student. “I’m glad he has not disappointed me.” Kohli’s double century against Bangladesh, his fourth in the last 12 Test matches, was a performance befitting the India captain’s form. But Sharma rates the 235 against England at Mumbai last December as his best show. “It came against a good attack. He had walked in at a diicult situation and responded so well” said Sharma. The only time Sharma was concerned about Kohli’s batting was in England in 2014. “I felt he was slightly low. He is a confident man otherwise. I almost flew to join him before the last two Tests. But I’m so happy he kept his focus in place and emerged a strong player thereafter. He is a rare batsman who never worries about what kind of pitch awaits him.” Kohli, adjudged the Man of the Match at Hyderabad, is obsessed with visualising his role.

SPECIAL BOND: Kohli with coach Raj Kumar Sharma. He bowls to himself to understand the situation well. “He visualises where would they bowl, how would he react; all this comes from his involvement with the game. He is always one step ahead. After my warning, he has desisted from playing the cut and pull early in his innings.” Sharma, who insists he is lucky to have such a humble pupil, said, “There are a few areas I want him to improve in. I’ll tell him privately, but one can expect him to adapt to the suggestions in quick time.” Kohli can’t aford not to listen. “My coach is the only person I fear,” Kohli, 28, had admitted recently. Ten days from now, Kohli will walk out for the toss with Australia captain Steve Smith at Pune, and Sharma is excited. “It’s going to be a big series. Virat will need to concentrate hard because the Aussies are good at disturbing you. But I know he is waiting for them.” ND-ND

18 |

SPORT

Irfan sets up West’s win

Dhruv Sunish advances CHANDIGARH: Dhruv Sunish got past fifth seed Markos Kalovelonis of Russia as the latter retired midway through the second set in the first round of the $15,000 ITF men’s Futures tennis tournament at the CLTA Stadium on Monday. Dhruv led 7-5, 3-1 when the Russian retired. He will meet the winner of the match between qualifier Siddharth Vishwakarma and Timur Khabibulin of Kazakhstan. The results: First round: Yuki Bhambri bt Kunal Anand 6-1, 6-2; Jui-Chen Hung (Tpe) bt Suresh Dhakshineswar 6-3, 6-2; Dhruv Sunish bt Markos Kalovelonis (Rus) 7-5, 3-1 (retired); Sriram Balaji bt Ranjeet Singh 7-6(5), 6-2. Doubles: Pre-quarterfinals: Sriram Balaji & Vishnu Vardhan bt Rishab Agarwal & Niki Poonacha 6-4, 3-6, [10-1]; Mateusz Terczynski (Pol) & Josse Fco. Vidal Azorin (Esp) bt Calvin Golmei & Rishabh Sharda 6-3, 6-2. Mohit Mayur & Kaza Vinayak Sharma bt Jui-Chen Hung (Tpe) & Fahad Mohammed 6-3, 6-4; Primin Haenle (Ger) & Shane Vinsant (US) bt Kunal Anand & Anvit Bendre 6-0, 6-2; Adil Kalyanpur & Sasi Kumar Mukund bt Vijayant Malik & Sidharth Rawat 6-2, 6-3. Haadin Bava & Shahbaaz Khan bt Markos Kalovelonis (Rus) & Timur Khabibulin (Kaz) 1-6, 6-2, [11-9]; Ishaque Eqbal & Anurag Nenwani bt Jatin Dahiya & Ranjeet Singh 6-2, 6-3; Vijay Sundar Prashanth & Sanam Singh bt Aryan Goveas & Jayesh Pungliya 6-1, 6-1. — Special Correspondent

CRICKET / His spell of three for 10 breaks North’s back AMOL KARHADKAR MUMBAI: He may have been released by his last year’s IPL franchise, Rising Pune Supergiants. Still, Irfan Pathan had a reason to smile on Monday. The veteran seamer exploded the explosive North Zone batting line-up to set up West Zone’s thumping eight-wicket victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Twenty20 championship. In fact, Pathan’s spell of three for 10, with the prize scalps of Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant and Yuvraj Singh, would have impressed the sizeable IPL team coaches and scouts present in the President’s Box along with all three national selectors. Pathan’s job was made easier by the North batsmen who committed hara-kiri and threw their wickets away. While Shikhar Dhawan poked at one that moved away from him to ofer Kedar Jadhav a sharp chance in the slips, Pant and Yuvraj played extravagant shots against a moving ball to ofer skiers on the of-side in the circle. Barring Gautam Gambhir, who registered a second successive fifty before being dis-

IN GOOD NICK: Parthiv Patel scored a fluent half century in West Zone’s commanding win. — PHOTO: PTI missed of the penultimate ball of the innings, none of the other batsmen tried to apply themselves. As a result, a target of 108 was never going to ask questions of West Zone.

Parthiv Patel and Shreyas Iyer’s quickfire partnership at the top ensured West overhaul the paltry target with more than seven overs to spare and make up for the opening day’s loss against Central Zone.

GENERAL

Poonam floors Zimbabwe

Ministry to launch national physical fitness programme

COLOMBO: Leg-spinner Poonam

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Yadav produced career-best figures as India thrashed a hapless Zimbabwe by nine wickets in a Group A match of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier here on Monday. Asked to bowl first, Poonam spun a web around the opposition batters to demolish Zimbabwe for a meagre 60 in 28.5 overs. The scores : Zimbabwe Women 60 in 28.5 overs (Mary-Anne Musonda 26; Poonam Yadav five for 19) lost to India Women 61 for one in nine overs (Veda Krishnamurthy 29). — PTI

FARIDABAD: Injeti Srinivas, the secretary of the Union Sports Ministry and Director General of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), announced the impending launch of a national physical fitness programme at the inauguration of the Manav Rachna Sports Science Centre here on Monday.

“We will develop norms for physical fitness. There are 23 crore children in the country and every student will get a physical fitness measurement

and it will be included in their report card. We have to understand the importance of sports in our day to day life,” said Srinivas. Congratulating the organisers for the Indo-Japanese Conclave in collaboration with Tsukuba University and the setting up of the sports science centre, Srinivas appreciated the positive contribution of the institution. The newly set up sports centre will have advanced equipment for resistance training, posture and gait ana-

Fashion High claims mains event HYDERABAD: The D.Netto-trained Fashion High (Beuzelin up) won the Godolphin Barb Million, the chief event of the races held here on Monday (Feb. 13). The winner is owned by Dr Peddi Reddy Prabhakar Reddy & Mr P.Prabhakar Reddy. 1. PRINCE KHARTOUM PLATE (1,400m), 4-y-o & over, rated 46 to 70 (Cat. II): Leading Legend (Beuzelin) 1, Miracle King (I. Chisty) 2, Top Contender (Suraj Narredu) 3, Negress Pearl (Akshay Kumar) 4. 1, shd and 1-1/4. 1m 26.53s. Rs 7 (w), 6 and 10 (p), SHP: Rs 14, FP: Rs 20, Q: Rs 17, Tanala: Rs 39. Favourite: Leading Legend. Owners: Dr Peddi Reddy Prabhakar Reddy & Mr P.Prabhakar Reddy. Trainer: D.Netto. 2. MOTHER'S BOY PLATE (1,200m), (Cat. II), 3-y-o only (Terms): Amorous White (P. S. Chouhan) 1, Vancouver (Beuzelin) 2, Southern Crown (Deep Shanker) 3, Vallee Sceptre (Akshay Kumar) 4. 3/4, 1-3/4 and 2. 1m 12.51s. Rs 10 (w), 5, 9 and 49 (p), SHP: Rs 23, FP: Rs 39, Q: Rs 32, Tanala: Rs 646. Favourite: Amorous White. Owner: Mr M.P.Ananta Vatsalya. Trainer: A.Vatsalya. 3. GODOLPHIN BARB MILLION (1,400m), 3-y-o only (Terms): Fashion High (Beuzelin) 1, Palace On Wheels (Suraj Narredu) 2, That's My Class (Akshay Kumar) 3, Hope Is Eternal (P. S. Chouhan) 4. 3/4, nk and 3-1/4. 1m 26.07s. Rs 18 (w), 9 and 7 (p), SHP: Rs 16, FP: Rs 54, Q: Rs 24. Favourite: That’s My Class. Owners: Dr Peddi

Reddy Prabhakar Reddy & Mr P.Prabhakar Reddy. Trainer: D.Netto. 4. NILGIRIS PLATE (Div. II), (1,100m), 4-y-o & over, rated upto 30: Aalishaan (Akshay Kumar) 1, Rohini (Md. Ismail) 2, Dawning Hope (Rohit Kumar) 3, War Lady (G. Naresh) 4. Shd, 1-3/4 and 1/2. 1m 07.94s. Rs 75 (w), 19, 8 and 6 (p), SHP: Rs 26, FP: Rs 333, Q: Rs 141, Tanala: Rs 1041. Favourite: Dawning Hope.Owner: Mr Gulam Hussain Gulabi. Trainer: SSF Hassan. 5. AMARNATH GUPTA MEMORIAL CUP (Div. II), (1,400m), 5-y-o & over, rated 46 to 70 (Cat. II): Kalinda (Deepak Singh) 1, Azarenka (P. Trevor) 2, Green Striker (B. R. Kumar) 3, Dancing Farha (G. Naresh) 4. 2, 3 and 2-3/4. 1m 25.06s. Rs 63 (w), 14, 7 and 15 (p), SHP: Rs 22, FP: Rs 296, Q: Rs 127, Tanala: Rs 1970. Favourite: Azarenka. Owners: M/s Sreeramulu Bommishetty & T.N.Mehta. Trainer: D.Netto. 6. CHARON PLATE (2,000m), 4-y-o & over, rated 46 to 70 (Cat. II): Carolina Moon (A. A. Vikrant) 1, Dahilos (I. Chisty) 2, Ashwa Ashoka (Akshay Kumar) 3, Euro Zone (P. S. Chouhan) 4. 1/4, hd and hd. 2m 09.71s. Rs 238 (w), 27, 10 and 9 (p), SHP: Rs 37, FP: Rs 1480, Q: Rs 599, Tanala: Rs 4618. Favourite: Princess Of Dreams. Owner: Mr M.Ramakrishna Reddy. Trainer: L.D’Silva. 7. NILGIRIS PLATE (Div. I), (1,100m), 4-y-o & over, rated upto 30 (Cat. III): Divine Heights (N. Rawal) 1, Oh Pharaoh (P. Gaddam) 2, Princess (B. R. Kumar) 3, Cannon

Hope (Kunal Bunde) 4. 2-1/4, 3-3/4 and 1/2. 1m 06.89s. Rs 12 (w), 7, 46 and 17 (p), SHP: Rs 158, FP: Rs 516, Q: Rs 472, Tanala: Rs 3183. Favourite: Divine Heights. Owner: Dr G.Lakshmi Prasad. Trainer: KSV Prasad Raju. 8. PAKHAL CUP (1,400m), 4y-o & over, rated 26 to 50 (Cat. III): Secret Art (I. Chisty) 1, Mountain Of Light (P. Gaddam) 2, Gangadhar (G. Naresh) 3, Raja Hindustani (P. Trevor) 4. Ns, 5 and nk. 1m 27.20s. Rs 14 (w), 7, 12 and 39 (p), SHP: Rs 35, FP: Rs 95, Q: Rs 68, Tanala: Rs 2068. Favourite: Secret Art. Owners: M/s Villoo Poonawalla Racing & Breeding Pvt Ltd rep by Dr Cyrus Poonawalla and Mr Adar Poonawalla & M/s Vijay Racing Farms Pvt Ltd rep by Mr Vijay Kumar Gupta & Mr Susheel Kumar Gupta. Trainer: Laxman S. 9. MOSSY BANKS PLATE (Div. II), (1,200m), 4-y-o & over, rated 26 to 50 (Cat. III): Royal Dynamite (P. Trevor) 1, General Salute (I. Chisty) 2, Golden Image (A. A. Vikrant) 3, Vijays Triumph (P.Gaddam) 4. 1, 1-1/4 and shd. 1m 12.79s. Rs 10 (w), 7, 19 and 41 (p), SHP: Rs 79, FP: Rs 110, Q: Rs 97, Tanala: Rs 941. Favourite: Royal Dynamite. Owner: Mr Junaid Ali Khan. Trainer: Ravinder Singh. Jkt (1): 30%: Rs 278 (230 tkts), 70%: Rs 12474 (12 tkts); (ii): 30%: Rs 8011 (41 tkts), 70%: Rs 63873 (12 tkts); Tr (i): Rs 38 (682 tkts); (ii): Rs 50321 (one tkt); (iii): Rs 80 (2229 tkts).

lysis, among others. “We are committed to help talented athletes optimise their performance through science, performance testing and monitoring, applied research and education,” Dr. Amit Bhalla, vice president of Manav Rachna Educational Institutions. Dr. Hisashi Sanada, chairman Tsukuba Institute of Japan, said, “Olympism is more a way of life and by using sports as a vehicle will help bring about a balanced education for the body and mind.”

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Kishan blitzkrieg flattens Central AMOL KARHADKAR

Iyer along with Ankeet Bawne and Priyank Panchal will now join the India A squad for the warm-up game against visiting Australians. The scores : North Zone : Shikhar Dhawan c Jadhav b Irfan 3, Gautam Gambhir c Tambe b Thakur 60, Rishabh Pant c Hooda b Irfan 2, Yuvraj Singh c Hooda b Irfan 0, Amit Pachhara run out 5, Parvez Rasool c Pathan b Nayar 5, Mayank Dagar run out 11, Harbhajan Singh c Pathan b Chaudhary 7, Pradeep Sangwan (not out) 10, Mohit Sharma (not out) 1; Extras (lb-1, w-2): 3; Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs): 107. Fall of wickets : 1-12, 2-24, 3-24, 4-32, 5-39, 6-57, 7-90, 8-106. West Zone bowling : Irfan Pathan 4-0-10-3, Shardul Thakur 4-0-29-1, Ishwar Chaudhary 4-0-23-1, Abhishek Nayar 3-0-18-1, Pravin Tambe 4-0-23-0, Deepak Hooda 1-0-3-0. West Zone : Shreyas Iyer lbw Rasool 30, Parthiv Patel b Sharma 56, Aditya Tare (not out) 14, Ankeet Bawne (not out) 4; Extras (w-4): 4; Total (for two wkts. in 12.4 overs): 108. Fall of wickets : 1-80, 2-92. North Zone bowling : Pradeep Sangwan 2-0-26-0, Umar Nazir 2.40-24-0, Harbhajan Singh 2-0-15-0, Mohit Sharma 2-0-24-1, Mayank Dagar 2-0-12-0, Parvez Rasool 2-07-1.

Festival of untold sports tales NEW DELHI: Virender Sehwag weaving

magic with 140 characters (as he is known to on Twitter), Shane Warne spinning words to author an autobiography and the stories that helped shape Virat Kohli’s successes... All this and more will unfold as the festival of untold sports tales is scheduled to be held in the literary city of India, Pune, on February 21 and 22. InsideSport, India’s first sports business intelligence portal, will organise a two-day sport-themed literary festival — SporTale. The never-before-seen event will feature sports stars, editors, writers and authors. There will be 38 luminaries from the field of sports, media, cinema, books and photography. Sharing the inside stories of their journeys and trade will be 15 sports stars, nine sports journalists, five novelists and four cine stars. — Special Correspondent

MUMBAI: Ishan Kishan showed he is not too far behind fellowteenager and ’keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who recently made the India squad, when it comes to power-hitting. Kishan’s 36-ball 67 against Central Zone on Monday kickstarted East Zone’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Twenty20 championship campaign in style.

The hallmark of the diminutive Jharkhand batsman’s innings was his ability to clear the boundary with élan; he hit seven sixes during a knock which helped East overhaul Central’s 151 for seven. The scores: Central Zone: Naman Ojha c Kishan b Ghosh 51, Mahipal Lomror run out 1, Ambati Rayudu c Kishan b Dinda 0, Harpreet Singh c Samantray b Chatterjee 48,

Sohraab Dhaliwal c S. Tiwary b Das 11, Apoorv Wankhade c Das b Ghosh 13, Karn Sharma b Dinda 5, Mahesh Rawat (not out) 17, Extras (nb-1, w-4) 5; Total (for seven wkts in 20 overs) 151. Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-2, 3-78, 494, 5-118, 6-130, 7-151. East Zone bowling: Ashok Dinda 4-0-24-2, Pritam Das 4-0-28-1, Sayan Ghosh 4-0-38-2, Biplab Samantray 2-0-18-0, Shahbaz Nadeem 4-0-30-0, Writtick Chatterjee 2-0-13-1. East Zone innings: Shreevats Goswami run out 15, Ishan Kishan c Dhaliwal b Lomror 67, Ishank Jaggi (not out) 51, Saurabh Tiwary c Harpreet b Lomror 6, Manoj Tiwary (not out) 10, Extras (lb-3, w-2) 5; Total (for three wkts in 17.1 overs) 154. Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-112, 3-131. Central Zone bowling: Ankit Rajpoot 3.1-0-22-0, Aniket Choudhary 3-0-32-0, Amit Mishra 2-0-21-0, Karn Sharma 4-0-30-0, Mahipal Lomror 40-31-2, Sohraab Dhaliwal 1-0-15-0.

GENERAL

Four athletes suspended KOLKATA: The National Anti-

NEW DELHI: Sharath Kamal Ver-

sion 2.0 is here. Wiser, stronger and more confident of breaking into the world’s top-30 rankings, the country’s most successful table tennis player is optimistic, with a reason, to make 2017 a breakthrough year. Upbeat after winning the seventh National championship this month, Sharath is eager to strike it rich in the upcoming $150,000 Seamaster ITTF World Tour India Open beginning here on Tuesday. Ranked 62nd and seeded 11th, Sharath is confident of doing well in the field that has two top-10 players — Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Belarus’s Vladimir Samsonov, ranked fifth and eighth in the world. This optimism was far from Sharath even less than a year ago. Following a career-threatening injury — his right hamstring gave way from the hip-

NZ GP: Daruvala makes history

Doping Agency’s disciplinary panel has handed four-year suspensions to four athletes for violating anti-doping rules. Gaurav Yadav (javelin thrower), Jagseer Singh (paraathlete), Tejvir Singh (handball player) and Subrata Nandi (swimmer) were handed the punishments following three hearings held over the last month. The disciplinary panel has provisionally suspended Mangesh Bhagat (kabaddi player), Inderjeet Singh (shotputter), Bharat Bhushan Tiwari (power-lifter) and Mahesh Kale (athletics), for doping violations. A gold medallist at the Asian championships and an Asian Games bronze medallist, Inderjeet’s positive test at the National inter-state athletics championship in Hyderabad last June had come as a major embarrassment ahead of the Rio Olympics. The NADA appeal panel has upheld the disciplinary

Gaurav Yadav (javelin), Jagseer Singh (paraathlete), Tejvir Singh (handball) and Subrata Nandi (swimmer) were handed the bans Jehan Daruvala. — FILE PHOTO panel’s decision to hand fouryear suspensions to shotputter Smritikana Manna and wrestler Yogesh. It has also announced two-year suspensions for Jashanpreet Kaur (shot-putter). The appeal panel has reserved its orders in some cases. It has also adjourned the case of former Commonwealth Games weight-lifting gold medallist Geeta Rani for the want of certain information from the National Dope Testing Laboratory. Meanwhile, NADA has stepped up its awareness programme, holding five such events in Bengaluru and Delhi in January.

Sharath Version 2.0 is ready to roll joint in May 2015 during the World championship — Sharath underwent the most agonising phase of his career, ironically, when holding his career-high ranking of 32nd. For six weeks, he was confined to a wheelchair. He spent another six weeks on crutches. He started walking without support in three months. By the time he tried to jog, it was four months. He played his first match in October, standing but not moving. It was only in January 2016 that Sharath returned to active, competitive table tennis in the National championship in Hyderabad. “A lot has changed since then. I’ve changed a lot, especially after the injury. I’ve worked on my physical strengths, hitting the gym for about 14 hours a week, for sure. I work more on the fitness part and skill. “I have reduced the table tennis hours, which has helped me focus better. Now when I

NEW DELHI: Former Asian Games gold-medallist and two-time Olympian boxer Vikas Krishan has revealed that he is planning to turn professional by the end of this year provided the national federation keeps the amateur doors open for him. Speaking from New Jersey (USA), where he has been training for more than two months, the former World Championships bronzemedallist said he has his eyes set on the professional arena. “I have plans to turn professional by the end of this year or the beginning of next year. I want the support of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI). If our BFI President Mr. Ajay Singh is okay with the move, I will seriously consider it. The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has already ended the divide between amateur and professional,” Vikas said. — PTI

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

TABLE TENNIS

RAKESH RAO

Vikas Krishan to turn pro

A. Sharath Kamal. — FILE PHOTO come for practice, I know it is only these 2-3 hours. “Earlier, I practised in the morning but in the afternoon session, I was only half there, complaining of tiredness. Now, that doesn’t happen. “When you see me, I am always positive. I am 90 per cent there, if not 100. Even on a bad day, it is 85 per cent. “So there are not too many bad days happening because I am there for a shorter period of time. This has helped me improve quite a bit. In short, I’m keeping my mind fresh.” Looking ahead to the season, Sharath has set realistic

goals. “First the India Open, in April we have the Asian championship and in late May to early June, the World championship in Dusseldorf. These three events can help me break into the top-30 in the world. If I just have two good weeks, in these three months, I can break the top-30 barrier.” The last time Sharath played an international event at home, the 2015 Asian Cup at Jaipur, he defeated three top-16 players in the world. “That’s very much possible again,” assures Sharath. “I have the feeling that I am back on track. Like Soumyadeep [Roy] told me, ‘What I have seen you play since October (2016), a lot has changed. You are more precise.’ “I feel It is nice to see you play like this. So I am playing more confidently. I think I play well in India in international events. “My track record is pretty good. Thanks to the Indian conditions, I am better of.”

MANFEILD (NEW ZEALAND): Young

Indian racer Jehan Daruvala tasted his first major success of 2017 when he won the Toyota Racing Series’s New Zealand GP here on Sunday. Daruvala’s brilliant lights to flag finish made him the first Indian to win a Grand Prix in motorsports. Keke Rosberg, Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Stirling Moss, John Surtees, and Bruce McLaren are some of the illustrious past winners of this GP. Earlier in the weekend of the Toyota Racing Series, Daruvala bagged pole position for Race 1 and the New Zealand GP as well. Daruvala will now graduate to the FIA F3 European Championship where some of the world’s best Formula 1 stars have graduated from. — PTI

India without Saina, Sindhu HO CHI MINH: India will be without the services of ace women’s singles shuttlers Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu, and the onus will be on the men’s singles and doubles pairs to lead the country’s challenge in the inaugural Asia Mixed Team Championship, starting here on Tuesday. Initially named in the squad, Saina and Sindhu decided to skip the tournament to prepare for the international schedule which includes next month’s All England Championship. In the absence of Saina and Sindhu, Tanvi Lad and newly crowned National champion and Polish open winner Rituparna Das will spearhead the challenge in the women’s singles, while the onus in men’s singles will be on H.S. Prannoy and Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold winner Sameer Verma. — PTI

VARIETY

8 Even Latin is translated for Saint associated with February festivities (9)

11

10 Dines? Starves without energy (6) 12

13

14

16

17

15

18

11 Where VAT is modified for anything (8) 19

20 21

22

25

23

26

29

F

24

27

28

30

1 Half moon reflected in Israeli moonshine (4-4) 2 For starters, Garnet, Emerald, Moonstone, Sapphire, ... (4) 3 Religious book found in Mojave station (6) 4 Moos under feminine blooms (7) 5 Oil giant formulated a printing technique (8) CM YK

SU | DO | KU ACROSS

6 At first, President Eisenhower’s fish spear (4) 9 Extreme eremite possesses a ruler (5) 13 Trophy with bits of intricate design for Eros (5) 15 One in vehicle gets dates at first for food (5) 17 Transport portal (8)

G

DOWN

19 Money launderers may ruin you by taking you to them (8) 20 Forgetfulness of men wandering in the largest continent (7) 22 Smell a Roman endlessly (5) 24 Cargo boy has gin cocktail (6) 26 Present soldier with a small measure (4) 28 Mark's insect (4)

23 Airs crushed oilseeds endlessly after starting to mould (8) 25 Fibrous food is unpleasant with time (8) 27 Fixing time for courting (6) 29 Strong liking for activity — hugging couple of females with excitement, to begin with (9) 30 Character's vehicle's displayed initially (4)

Pravahana explains The Chandogya Upanishad tells the story of Silaka, son of Salavatya, Dalbhya son of Chikitayana and Pravahana son of Jaivala. They felt that they were experts in Udgitha, and so decided to discuss Udgitha. Of the three, Pravahana was a Kshatriya and the other two were Brahmins. Pravahana asked the two Brahmins to start the discussion, said M.K. Srinivasan in a discourse. Silaka put many questions to Dalbhya. “What is the goal of Sama?” Silaka asked. Dalbhya said it was swara. The goal of prana was food and the goal of food was water. The world above was the goal of water, said Dalbhya. What is beyond the world above, asked Silaka. Dalbhya said that saman could lead only as far as the other world or swarga, but not beyond that. Silaka told Dalbhya that his knowledge was incomplete and such incomplete knowledge could result in his head falling of. Dalbhya then asked Silaka to explain the same goals that he (Dalbhya) had been asked to explain. Silaka said the opposite of what Dalbhya had said. Dalbhya had said that the goal of this world was the other world. But Silaka said that this world was the goal of the other world. Silaka said that Saman did not praise swarga, but praised this world, for there was nothing beyond this world. Pravahana said that Silaka was also wrong and his head too would fall of for such wrong interpretations. Pravahana said that the goal of this world was Akasa. All sentient and non-sentient beings originate from Akasa and Akasa was the Supreme goal. Akasa here means Brahman. So it was the Kshatriya Pravahana who got it right in the end, by pointing to Brahman as the origin of everything and as the goal to aspire for.

E

10

9

12 Member/worker has a resting place (8) 14 54 in Rome have, in the beginning, excellent regimental yellow uniform (6) 16 Ran, holding Washington Post initially, and exchanged (7) 18 Court Italian capitalist's church (7) 21 Robber, I hear, prohibited sex (6)

N E M V E R E E R Y

8

7 Thoroughly enjoy cloves after loss of skin (4)

S

6

G

5

D

7

4

N C L I E A I N E A R S

3

I P E N T I T K H A T E G L I V I I R OMA N E L O D A D A T I I O N C G K

2

TODAY'S SOLUTIONS F A L O W E I R S D A M N G E S T I A

1

FAITH

(set by Incognito)

H G A L O V E V M M E F E A S T S B T A RM C H A E U SWA P P E I N B A N D I T R R R O U G H A M I N A F F E C T E

THE HINDU CROSSWORD 11930

Sudoku is a mind game and a puzzle that you solve with reasoning and logic. Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3x3 box accommodates the digits 1 to 9, without repeating any.

ND-ND

| 19

SPORT

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Knicks stem the rot with win over Spurs

A golden ticket for Indian paddlers

NEW YORK: The New York

NEW DELHI: By the looks of it,

Knicks’s latest tough week ended on a high note on Sunday as Carmelo Anthony and company shocked the San Antonio Spurs 94-90. A win over the second-best team in the NBA was a welcome change of fortune for the Knicks, who are languishing well out of playof contention in the Eastern Conference. In Toronto, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored five of his 21 points in the final minute as the Detroit Pistons erased a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Raptors 102-101. The results: Pistons 102 bt Raptors 101, Knicks 94 bt Spurs 90, Timberwolves 117 bt Bulls 89, Kings 105 bt Pelicans 99. — Agencies

2017 promises to be a watershed year in Indian table tennis with the ITTF World Tour India Open beginning here on Tuesday and the cash-rich sixteam pro league finally making its debut in July. After June 2010, when India last hosted a ITTF Pro Tour event, the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has managed the right to host a newlychristened World Tour event which ofers $150,000 in prizefund. This is a second-category ITTF event, behind the World Tour Platinum series. This week ofers a good opportunity for home-grown talent to pick up some valuable ranking points. Combined with the favourable conditions, the Indians can be expected to pull of a surprise or two. An indication of the quality on ofer here is the fact that Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra are seeded 11th and 10th. In the men’s qualifying draw, following the league in 10 groups, the group-toppers will advance to the main draw. There will be a one-round knockout match involving the runner-up of the 10 groups. The five winners along with one ‘lucky loser’ will complete the main draw of 32. In the women’s section, where there are only 28 entries, all 12 from the qualifying phase will make it to the main draw. In the youth (under-21) section for men and women, apart from doubles, there is no qualifying phase. Top seedings (plus Indians): Men: 1. Dimitrij Ovtcharov (Ger), 2. Vladimir Samsonov (Blr), 3. Koki Niwa (Jpn), 4. Yuto Muramatsu (Jpn), 5. Yuya Oshima (Jpn), 6. Paul Drinkhall (Eng), 7. Benedikt Duda (Ger), 8. Robert Gardos (Aut); 11. Sharath Kamal (Ind). Women: 1. Doo Hoi Kem (Hkg), 2. Lee Ho Ching (Hkg), 3. Georgina Pota (Hun), 4. Matilda Ekholm (Swe), 5. Huajun Jiang (Hkg), 6. Sakura Mori (Jpn), 7. Jeini Shao (Por), 8. Ng Wing Nam (Hkg); 10. Manika Batra (Ind).

NAGPUR:

Harika struggles to advance

Wizards stay afloat

RAKESH RAO

Under-19 Test: Holden, Bartlett on song England under-19 opener Max Holden and No. 3 batsman George Bartlett scored unbeaten centuries as the visitors piled up 311 for one on the first day of the first ‘Test’ against India at the VCA stadium here on Monday. Electing to bat, the England openers added 57 before medium-pacer Kanishk Seth removed Henry Brook (21). Bartlett, who joined Holden, shared an unbeaten 254-run stand for the second wicket as the visitors dominated the proceedings. Holden stuck 17 fours in his unbeaten knock of 135 of 259 balls, while Bartlett’s 132 not out was laced with 18 fours and two sixes, and came of 203 balls. The scores: England under-19 311 for one in 87 overs (Max Holden 135 batting, George Bartlett 132 batting). vs India under-19. — PTI

HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE

Griezmann seals thrilling win for Atletico MADRID: Antoine Griezmann

sealed a thrilling Atletico Madrid comeback from 2-1 down with four minutes remaining to beat Celta Vigo 3-2 and move to fourth in La Liga. Sevilla remains four points ahead of Atletico in third as it moved within three of leader Real Madrid thanks to substitute Joaquin Correa’s winner 10 minutes from time in a 1-0 win at Las Palmas. An error from Atletico ‘keeper Miguel Angel Moya handed Gustavo Cabral an early opener for Celta.

Fernando Torres responded with a sensational looping effort into the far corner. However, for the third straight game, Atletico failed to convert a spot-kick when Torres smashed the bar midway through the first-half. Celta also hit the post before the break through Jozabed in an entertaining end-to-end encounter played in torrential Madrid rain. However, John Guidetti looked to have delivered the telling blow when he slotted home 12 minutes from time.

Yet, Atletico responded in style as Yannick Carrasco crashed home a volley from 25 yards. Two minutes later Kevin Gameiro’s cushioned header was swept home by Griezmann for his 16th goal of the season. The results : La Liga : Atletico Madrid 3 (Torres 11, Carrasco 86, Griezmann 88) bt Celta Vigo 2 (Cabral 5, Guidetti 78); Las Palmas 0 lost to Sevilla 1 (Correa 80). Serie A : Cagliari 0 lost to Juventus 2 (Higuain 37, 47). Sampdoria 3 (Muriel 82-pen, Schick 83, Mbaye 88-og) bt Bologna 1 (Dzemaili 18). —AFP

Griezmann. — FILE PHOTO

THWARTED: Hardik Singh of Warriors (right) is foiled by Wizards’ Edward Ockenden. — PHOTO: AKHILESH KUMAR UTHRA GANESAN CHANDIGARH: Uttar Pradesh Wizards (UPW) won its second game of the competition to stay in the race for a knockout spot with a comprehensive 6-2 victory over Jaypee Punjab Warriors (JPW) here on Monday. This was the second consecutive loss for the host at home and the result opens up the leaderboard with all the four bottom teams still in the reckoning for a semifinal berth. Playing a far more attacking game than it has in the past couple of games, Warriors earned its first penalty corner in the very first minute, forcing P.R. Sreejesh to come to his team’s rescue. Wizards, on the other hand, was up to the challenge as the teams played an open game while ensuring a tight defence. The visitors went ahead in the fifth minute after P.R. Aiyappa’s shot into the striking circle rebounded of Mink van der Weerden’s stick and Shamsher Singh made no mistake. With the match being crucial for both sides, the teams repeatedly went for field goals instead of trying to hold on and earn penalty corners. There were only three penalty corners in the game — one for Wizards and two for the host. Warriors was the more attacking of the two, earning chances in the first few minutes of every quarter, and

one of them saw S.V. Sunil send the ball in 30 seconds into the third quarter. The ball went past Sreejesh and found Mirco Pruijser, who beat Gonzalo Peillat to level scores. Warriors attacked from both flanks. Armaan Qureshi, returning after missing two games due to a shin injury, troubled the Wizards defence on the left and Sunil on the right, but was unable to get past Raghunath and Co. Akashdeep Singh kept feeding the strikers before Ajay Yadav received one at the top of the circle and slammed the ball past Warriors ’keeper Tristan Clemons, who had been exceptional in the last three games. Akashdeep got his name on the scoresheet with a reverse hit in the 57th minute to extend the lead and seal the win for his team. With a three-day break for Warriors before it plays its remaining two home matches, the defending champion will be hoping to use the rest to recoup and plan ahead. Wizards, already forced to play two of its home games in Delhi due to the State elections, will be hoping to make full use of home advantage when it travels back to Lucknow for the next game. The result: Uttar Pradesh Wizards 6 (Shamsher Singh-FG, Ajay Yadav-FG, Akashdeep Singh-FG) bt Jaypee Punjab Warriors 2 (Mirco Pruijser-FG).

TEHRAN: Fourth seed D. Harika

battled past a determined Bangladeshi rival Akter Liza Shamima 2.5-1.5 by virtue of winning the first of the two 25minute rapid tie-break games for a place in the second round of the Women’s World chess championship here on Monday. On Tuesday, Harika will take on Kazakhstan’s Dinara Saduakassova. Padmini Rout, who upstaged Armenia’s Elina Danielian 1.5-0.5 on Monday, faces eighth seeded Chinese Zhao Xue, the 2002 World junior girls’ champion. Locked 1-1 following the classical games, Harika drew first blood by proving stronger with white pieces in the first rapid game. On a day when the live telecast of the games was seriously hampered after a technical glitch, Shamima enjoyed a better position from the early stages of the second game but failed to capitalise. In this error-filled encounter, Harika too had her moments but did not find the precise continuation. Eventually, Harika forced the exchange of queens and drew in 75 moves. — Sports Bureau

Gujarat in semifinals VALSAD: Gujarat defeated Kerala by four wickets and entered the semifinals of the Col C.K. Nayudu Trophy under-23 cricket tournament here on Monday. Needing 82 for a win on the final day, Gujarat, resuming at 36 for one, survived a testing spell from medium pacer Athif Bin Ashraf. However, Kathan D. Patel (43 n.o.) dropped anchor to guide his team home. The scores: Kerala 161 & 254 lost to Gujarat 298 & 118 for six in 42.4 overs (Kathan D. Patel 43 n.o., Athif Bin Ashraf three for 52).

Narain to compete for Nakajima Racing CHENNAI: India’s first Formula One driver, Narain Karthikeyan will continue to compete in the Japanese Super Formula championship with the Honda-powered team, Nakajima Racing. The 40-year old Narain has been competing in Japan since 2014 and it will be the fourth team in as many years for the former Jordan and HRT F1 driver. Narain finished 14th in the championship last year driving for the Toyotapowered Sunoco Team LeMans and had one podium finish. — Sports Reporter

CM YK

ND-ND

20

LIFE

|

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017

NASA selects 3 landing sites for Mars mission

Sachin movie to release on May 26

New timeline for our solar system estimated

NASA scientists have shortlisted three potential landing sites for the upcoming Mars rover mission that is set to launch in 2020.

A docu-feature on master blaster Sachin Tendulkar titled Sachin: A Billion Dreams, is set to release on May 26. Tendulkar himself tweeted the news.

Astronomers, who estimated the new lifetime of the solar nebula, suggest that Jupiter and Saturn formed within the first four million years of our solar system’s formation.

Adele creates history at Grammys Becomes first artist to sweep the top three categories twice; David Bowie wins four awards

La La Land fails to win Baftas landslide in night of diversity MARK BROWN

LOS ANGELES: Even though Ad-

ele flubbed one of her live performances at the Grammys, she walked away the belle of the ball. She took home all five awards she was nominated for Sunday night, including album, record and song of the year. She beat Beyonce in the top three categories with her comeback album 25, and repeated her accomplishments from 2012, when the British star also won album, song and record of the year at the Grammys. She’s the first artist in Grammy history to sweep the top three categories twice, and now has a total of 15 Grammys. Adele used her speech to honour Beyonce and her groundbreaking Lemonade album, which was also nominated. And backstage, she said she voted for Beyonce when putting in her ballot for album of the year. Praises Beyonce “But I can’t really accept this award. And I’m very humble and I’m very grateful and gracious, but my artist of my life is Beyonce. This album you made, the Lemonade album, is so monumental,” Adele said to her fellow singer. “The way you make me and my friends feel, the way you make my black friends feel is empowering. And they stand up for themselves. And I love you. I always have.” The night for Adele wasn’t all good though. The singer, who had trouble with her live performance at the last year’s Grammys, asked to restart her tribute to George Michael, telling the audience, “I can’t mess this up for him.” She stopped and used an expletive after singing some of a new arrangement of Michael’s Fastlove, as videos and photos of Michael played

in the background. She resang the song and earned applause and support from the crowd, though Adele was teary-eyed. A number of other icons were honoured on Sunday, including Prince, whose tribute was sung by Bruno Mars. Mars was also a winner on Sunday. He won for producing Adele’s album. Adele’s other wins included best pop vocal album and pop solo performance. Until Adele’s abrupt restart, Beyonce was the talk of the show. In glittery gown, gilded crown and gold choker, a pregnant Beyonce took the Grammy stage in a lengthy performance of two songs from her critically acclaimed album Lemonade. Beyonce, who walked into the show with nine nominations, only won two-best music video (Formation) and urban contemporary album (Lemonade). “My intention for the film and album is to create a body of work that would give voice to our pain, our struggles, our doubts, and our history, to confront issues that make us uncomfortable,” said Beyonce. “This is something that I want for every child of every race, and I feel that it’s vital that we learn from the past,” she said. David Bowie, who died last year from cancer, won all four awards he was nominated for. Blackstar, his final album released days before he died, won best alternative music album and engineered album, non-classical. The title track won best rock song and rock performance. The Color Purple won best musical theatre album, giving Jennifer Hudson her second Grammy, and earning Tony winner Cynthia Erivo and Danielle Brooks their first Grammy. — AP

STAR TREK

Adele had a topsy-turvy evening at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday. First, she asked that her tribute to George Michael be restarted after she began singing out of tune. Later, she broke the trophy she received for Record of the Year. — PHOTO: REUTERS

‘Proud to represent India on world stage’ NEW DELHI: Indian tabla

player Sandeep Das, whose collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble Sing Me Home won the Grammy in the World Music category, says it was a proud moment to represent India on the international stage. Sing Me Home features tunes composed or arranged by diferent global artists as it examines the everchanging idea of home. Das rues the fact that classical music is not accorded the respect that it deserves in the country despite its growing popularity in the West. “It

Sandeep Das is third time lucky for us. I am very proud of who I am and where I come from be it culturally or musically. I wish there were more acknowledgement from

my own country for the music that is deep-rooted and in our blood over glitz and glamour,” Das told PTI over phone from LA just after his win. “It is not a complaint but merely a wish. I hope there is more awareness about traditional music. I was invited to Harvard University but my alma mater Banaras Hindu University is yet to see something of worth in me.” Das has been performing with Yo-Yo Ma, a respected and multiple Grammywinning cellist, since the inception of Silk Road Ensemble. — PTI

LONDON: The script predicted that La La Land would clean up at the Baftas. Instead the unashamedly old-fashioned feelgood musical — an antidote to the age — came away from the 2017 ceremony with five awards, including the top prize of best film. It was a good night but far from the juggernaut which had been widely anticipated. The prizes were spread strikingly widely with more than 15 winners including Manchester By the Sea, Fences, Lion, Arrival, Hacksaw Ridge, Jackie, and Florence Foster Jenkins. Some had tipped La La Land to finally break the Bafta record set by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which won nine prizes in 1971. It did not come close, although those involved can hold their heads high with awards for best film, best director for Damien Chazelle, best actress for Emma Stone, best cinematography and original music. Ryan Gosling missed out on best actor to Casey Affleck for his unforgettable performance in Manchester By the Sea, and Chazelle was pipped to best original screenplay prize by Kenneth Lonergan for the same film. Lonergan told the audience how his 15-year-old daughter had woken in tears after Donald Trump was elected U.S. President, but had since been on five protest marches since. “I’m very, very proud of her.” La La Land — a romance between an aspiring actor (Stone) and a jazz pianist (Gosling) — has proved popular with many because it is about as far from politics and worrying about Trump and Brexit and the refugee crisis, North Korea and beached whales in New Zealand, as it

Dev Patel charms with funny speech LONDON: Dev Patel’s surprised reaction after he won the Bafta award in the best supporting actor category for Lion was one of the most adorable moments at the ceremony. Patel, 26, also earned a round of applause for warmly crediting his little co-star Sunny Pawar from India as he took the podium to accept the trophy for his performance of a man, Saroo Brierley, in search of his roots in the Garth Davis-directed movie. “Wow! that just happened. It’s just so overwhelming,” Patel said after accepting the trophy from Felicity Jones. He thanked his parents and his team, saying: “This is a film about family about love that transcends borders, race, color and anything. You guys are my driving force.” He got a resounding applaud as he mentioned Pawar, who plays the

is possible to get. But controversy was never far away from the glitzy, starry ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Ken Loach, whose gritty, angry I, Daniel Blake won the outstanding British film award, was most passionate. The 80year-old thanked Bafta for endorsing a truth “that the most vulnerable and poorest people are treated by this government with a contempt and a callous brutality that is

G

Big B, Ranbir Kapoor to star in Dragon

M

egastar Amitabh Bachchan will be seen in Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt-starrer Dragon. In the film, to be directed by Ayan Mukerji, Bachchan will be playing a pivotal role. “He has given his nod for the film. It’s a full fledged role and not a guest appearance. It’s an important role. He will begin shoot this year itself,” sources said without giving details of Bachchan’s role. This is the first time that the megastar and Ranbir will be teaming up for a film. The Piku star has worked with Ranbir’s father and actor Rishi Kapoor in films like Amar Akbar Anthony, Coolie, Naseeb and Ajooba, among others. Dragon is said to be superhero film which has a mythological backdrop and Ranbir’s character has powers to emit fire. The Wake Up Sid helmer is reportedly planning a three-film franchise if the first one succeeds. Bachchan will be next seen in Ram Gopal Varma’s Sarkar 3 that releases on April 7. After that, he has Vijay Krishna Acharya’s Thugs of Hindostan in which he will for the first time share screen space with Aamir Khan. Ranbir, meanwhile, has Jagga Jassos and the biopic on Sanjay Dutt, which will be helmed by Rajkumar Hirani. — PTI CM YK

younger Saroo in the movie. “I’d like to thank little Sunny Pawar, who did this film with such confidence. He truly is a star. Garth Davis, an incredible director who is going to be a friend of mine for life and to my amazing team who had the insane task of trying to get this Indian dude with this noodle with wanky teeth and flufy hair work in this really hard industry. To you guys, you are my heroes. I’m so grateful.” — PTI disgraceful ... it is a brutality that extends to keeping out refugee children we promised to help.” Loach said the world was getting darker and there was a struggle coming between the rich, the powerful and the rest of us. “The filmmakers know which side they’re on.” Later he went further, saying that the “government had to be removed.” — (c) Guardian News & Media Ltd, 2017

Hawking-style tech helps convict child abuser

Rio splash

Grammy winning-singer Al Jarreau dead rammy-winning vocalist Al Jarreau, known for his work in pop, R&B and jazz, died here. He was 76. He passed away on February 12. His death was announced by his manager Joe Gordon, who said that Jarreau had been hospitalised for exhaustion two weeks ago. On the advice of his doctors, he had cancelled his tour dates and retired from touring, reports nytimes.com. Jarreau did not begin a full-time musical career until he was nearly 30. Although he made his initial mark in the jazz world, Jarreau’s style and his audiences crossed stylistic barriers. His music incorporated elements of pop, soul, gospel, Latin and other genres. He won six Grammys across three different categories: jazz, pop and R&B. He was also among the performers on a Grammy-winning children’s album In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record. In 1981, he had his biggest hit with the song We’re in this love together, which reached No.15 on the Billboard pop singles chart. He won his first Grammy in 1978, for best jazz vocal performance, for his album Look to the Rainbow. He won his last in 2007, for best traditional R&B vocal performance. The award was shared by Jarreau, George Benson and Jill Scott for their collaborative performance God bless the child. Among Jarreau’s best-known recordings was the theme song for the long-running television series Moonlighting, for which he wrote the lyrics to Lee Holdridge’s music. He appeared on Broadway as a replacement in the role of the Teen Angel in the 1994 revival of Grease. Jarreau’s first marriage to Phyllis Hall ended in divorce. He is survived by his wife, son Ryan, two brothers — Marshall and Appie, and sister Rose Marie Freeman. Jarreau cancelled a number of concert dates in 2010 after experiencing heart and breathing problems during a European tour. He was hospitalised for 11 days, but resumed his touring schedule after his release, and had continued to perform until recently, reports The New York Times. — IANS

Dev Patel

OWEN BOWCOTT

A

THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES: Children play with water at the Madureira Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday. — PHOTO: REUTERS

John Oliver hatches a plan to educate Trump NEIL GENZLINGER

J

ohn Oliver kicked of his fourth season on HBO on Sunday night with 25 minutes of predictable outrage that built to five spectacular minutes of brashly original guerilla warfare. In the first ‘Last Week Tonight’ episode since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Mr. Oliver devoted his main segment — which is to say, most of the half-hour show — to dissecting what had transpired since he ended his previous season just days after the election. “Normally we like to focus this portion of the show on complex, depressing policy issues,” he said. But for the first episode back from hi-

atus, he wanted to zero in on something bigger: reality itself. By that he meant he wanted to address the inability or refusal of Mr. Trump, his followers and his administration to separate the real from the fake. And so Mr. Oliver took up four Trumprelated questions: How did a man with such a contempt for or poor grasp of the truth end up as president? Where are his lies coming from? Why do so many people believe them? And what can be done about it? The first three have been thoroughly picked over by all sorts of journalistic outlets, including some conservative ones, and two-thirds of the way into Sunday night’s show it seemed as if Mr.

John Oliver Oliver had nothing new to add. He and his former ‘Daily Show’ colleague Samantha Bee, on her TBS show ‘Full Frontal’, have taken some of the deepest dives into the surreality of the Trump ascendance, so it would have been disappointing if Sunday’s episode had simply

revisited problems that have been exhaustively documented elsewhere. But of course Mr. Oliver had something else up his sleeve. ‘Last Week Tonight’ has in its first three seasons build a reputation for quirky advocacy, whether calling for letter-writing campaigns or — as in his last show of 2016, after the election — urging viewers to give money to threatened social causes and to support news organisations financially. Mr. Oliver kept that tradition rolling at the end of Sunday’s segment when, after establishing that Mr. Trump seems to get much of his dubious information by watching morning cable news shows, he announced that ‘Last Week Tonight’

would be buying advertising on those shows in the Washington area. The ads, he said, would seek to impart facts that Mr. Trump has shown he does not grasp or believe. Samples included spots featuring a folksy cowboy, which were designed to resemble catheter ads but instead related facts about the nuclear triad, the demographics of urban areas and more. The first such ad will run Monday on several outlets, Mr. Oliver said. It was one small, hilarious counterattack in a landscape that, for liberal-leaning comedians and their fans, has seemed pretty bleak lately as Mr. Trump and the Republican Congress steamroll towards a new order. — The New York Times News Service

former church chorister rendered immobile by motor neurone disease has been helped to fulfil his dying wish — to give courtroom evidence against his abuser using eye-tracking technology. In what is believed to be the first time Eyegaze equipment has been used for cross-examination in a British crown court, a retired Anglican vicar has been convicted of three counts of indecent assault dating back to the 1970s. The victim, who was a young boy when the ofences occurred, recorded his evidence and was then questioned by lawyers at Bournemouth crown court via video link as he lay in a hospice bed in Streatham, south London. He was helped by members of an organisation called Intermediaries for Justice. The eye-tracking technology is similar to the screen used by Cambridge physicist Stephen Hawking to communicate. The 47-year-old former chorister, who has not been identified, used the technology to recall the attacks during his childhood. Although he achieved his aim of getting justice, the man did not live to hear the outcome of the case. A Metropolitan police oicer was sent to Streatham to deliver news of the guilty verdict, but his errand was cancelled before he could reach the hospice after the force was informed that the victim had just died. Cyril Rowe, now 78, was a vicar at St Matthias Anglican church in Stoke Newington, London, where the boy was in the choir. Rowe, now living in Bournemouth, was found guilty last Wednesday and is due to be sentenced on 10 March.The ofences were reported to police in August 2015 and Rowe was charged in September 2016. All the indecent assaults were committed against one victim between 1979 and 1981. — (c) Guardian News & Media Ltd, 2017 ND-ND