300 free electricity units, 24/7 supply in Punjab if AAP wins polls: Kejri

CHANDIGARH: AAP leader and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday

promised free electricity to every Punjab household that consumes up to
300 units of power if his party forms government in the state next year.
The Aam Aadmi Party national convener did not clarify if 300 units of free
electricity will be given per month as Punjab has a 2-month billing cycle.
In Delhi, the AAP government provides 200 units of free power per
month. Kejriwal, however, said if any household gets an electricity bill of
301 units, then the consumer will have to pay for the entire consumption.
NATION
MUMBAI | WEDNESDAY | JUNE 30, 2021

Capt flagged threat of drone attacks to Modi in Nov LoP-SIDED? Suvendu to feature
T
he Indian Express has
reported on June 29
evening that Punjab
chief minister Amarinder
Singh had written to PM
Narendra Modi in November
2020 on the sightings of
drones along the internation-
al border in Punjab, and pos-
sible attacks via low-flying
sub-conventional aerial plat-
forms including UAVs (un-
manned aerial vehicles) and
drones.
Soon after the news
emerged from the Jammu
airbase, senior security offi-
cials in the Punjab govern-
ment recalled that the Union
government had already
been warned of “serious im-
plications” of delivery of
On November 21, 2020, the Punjab Chief Minister had
talked about dropping of rifles and pistols by a
Chinese-made hexagonal drone in August 2019
As per Punjab
security officials,
there have been about
on BJP posters with Dilip Ghosh
Hoshiarnagar, Amritsar, and similar instances ARITRA SINGHA
reported were from Ferozepur and Tarn Taran sectors.
70-80 sightings of Kolkata
drones over the
weapons and contraband Amit Shah in Delhi in No- last 2 years, and The state unit of BJP in West
from Pakistan, using drone- vember last to discuss it, af- Bengal is going in for a major
like equipment. Singh had ter writing to the prime min- some of them were rejig. For the first time in the
called on home minister ister about the issue. even shot down. history of BJP, Leader of Op-

PM meets Shah,
position's photograph will
get prominence in the party's

WARNINGS FROM ARMED

poster along with the state
unit president's picture clear-
ly indicating that the saffron
camp is trying to set up a par-

FORCES, HOME MIN TOO Doval, Rajnath

allel power lobby.
According to party sources,
the Saffron camp is doing so
to bolster the organisation in
the state.
Nadda: BJP eyeing 2026
OUR BUREAU / New Delhi

A drone attack on the Jam-

mu air base could have been
avoided but for the govern-
ment ignoring warnings of
the top officials of the Armed
Forces and the Home Min-
istry in further opening up
the skies under the Un-
manned Aircraft System
Rules that came into force on
March 12.
� The warnings came just
days before Sunday’s drone
attack in a meeting last week,
pointing out that the low-fly-
ing drones are very risky
since they cannot be located
by the radar system.
�
They were objecting to new
rules allowing flying of
drones under certain condi-
tions. The rules allow 34 gr-
een zones the drones can be
permitted after intimation
about the time and location.
�
Yellow zones require per-
mission to operate drones
while the red zones are no go
LeT ‘behind’ IAF station attack: DGP
JAMMU/ NEW DELHI: The banned Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfit
is suspected to have been behind the sensational drone
attack on the Indian Air Force station in Jammu on Sunday
areas. The use of drones for
civilian and commercial use
across the country is under
discussion as part of the pol-
icy to regulate small drones,
their ownership and permis-
sion to operate.
�
An official said its officials
pressed for a buffer of 80 km
Rajnath to get
detailed report on
drone attack today
for the drones to ensure they
do not intrude into the spaces
for the military, strategic or
high-value targets. They
wanted no permission arou-
nd the airports since it may
result in major accidents if
the drones come in the flight
path of any aircraft.
� The Armed Forces main-
tained that the country, or for
that matter even the world,
does not have any technology
to detect and destroy drones
and hence they pose a threat
in areas as vast as India. So-
lutions could be applied only
to close tactical areas, pro-
vided the manned surveil-
lance and quick response
teams were in place.
�
Any relaxations for use of
drones will always pose the
threat since the rules may be
enforced on those registered
in India but they are mean-
ingless for the enemies, the
Armed Forces underlined in
a meeting last week.
The meet was held to dis-
cuss the new Indian Drone
regulations, titled UAS
Rules, 2021 that require the
operators to adhere to a set
of rules, including a student
pilot licence, remote pilot li-
cence and a permit for be-
coming an unmanned air-
craft operator. They have to
follow the “No Permission,
No take-off ”, a software that
enables every remotely pi-
loted aircraft to obtain a
valid permission through
‘DigitalSky’ platform before
operating in India.
India at UN raises
concern
I ndia on Monday expressed
concern at UN over misuse
NEW DELHI: Prime Minis-
ter Narendra Modi held a
high-level meeting with De-
fence Minister Rajnath
Singh, Union Home Minis-
ter Amit Shah and National
Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit
Doval on Tuesday, sources
said.
They said there were dis-
cussions on futuristic chal-
lenges in the defence sector
and equipping the forces
with modern equipment
and aspects relating to the
involvement of more youth,
startups and strategic com-
QUICK RECAP
� Two drones were used to
drop explosives on the Jammu
airbase by the attackers who
then navigated their
quadcopters out of that area,
the sources had said.
� The Indian Air Force (IAF)
said one of the blasts caused
minor damage to the roof of a
building while the other
exploded in an open area.
� The attack, carried out
possibly using the improvised
explosive device (IED), could
not cause much damage and
caused minor injuries to two
“Normally the theme is
kept in the middle of the ban-
ner and the collage of central
leadership photos is placed
on the right and the state
president's photo features on
the left, but for the first time,
along with Dilip Ghosh's pho-
to, Suvendu Adhikari’s snap
will also feature in all posters
across West Bengal,” men-
tioned the sources.
Vijayvargiya removed
West Bengal BJP observer
Kailash Vijayvargiya will be
removed from the post and
BJP National secretary
Tarun Chugh, a close aide of
Union Home Minister, Amit
Shah, is likely to replace him.
“Following the rejoining of
Mukul Roy who was inciden-
tally close to Vijayvargiya,
the central leadership is re-
placing him (Vijaywargiya),”
claimed the sources.
The BJP sources con-
firmed that changing of sev-
eral wing heads was also
discussed in the meetings.
“Dilip Ghosh had visited
almost every part of the
state to see the post-poll sit-
uation. Several district
presidents also connected
Assembly poll in Bengal
OUR CORRESPONDENT
Kolkata
Expressing hope to win the 2026
Assembly election and form the
West Bengal government, BJP
national president JP Nadda on
Tuesday said that no BJP
workers should lose hopet and
instructed them to work
efficiently for further growth of
the party.
“From two MPs in 2014 and
three MLAs in the 2016 election,
BJP increased its vote share and
now have 18 MPs and 77 MLAs.
In 2026, the BJP will surely form
the state government in West
Bengal,” he stated.
Instructing the party workers
and leaders to monitor the ration
sent by the BJP- led Central
Government, Nadda slammed
the West Bengal Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee for allegedly
creating hindrance.
“Mamata Banerjee
government is still running their
cut money scheme for which the
poor are being deprived of the
ration sent by the Central
government. Despite being a
woman, the atrocities against
women are high in West
Bengal,” slammed Nadda.
Notably, state BJP chief Dilip
Ghosh also addressing a press
meet said that the state BJP will
ensure that rations reach the
actual destination.
Taking further potshots against
the Trinamool Congress
government over the fake
vaccination camp scam, Nadda
alleged that Mamata Banerjee is
a complete package of
corruption and failure.
“Mamata Banerjee
government and corruption are
synonymous in Bengal for which
their MP got a fake jab,” added
Nadda challenging Mamata
Banerjee that under Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
everyone will be vaccinated by
December.
Addressing a press conference,
Dilip Ghosh also mentioned that
many heavyweight leaders of
the ruling Trinamool Congress
are involved in the vaccination
scam as alone the kingpin
couldn’t have carried out the
operation.

morning with indication that the unmanned aerial vehicles

had come from across the border, a top police official said on
of information and communi-
cation technology for terrorist
Tuesday. Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh told PTI that propaganda and radicalisa-
the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terror outfit based out of
tion and called on the attenti-
Pakistan, is suspected to be responsible for the attack. Two on of the member states on
drones dropped explosive material on the IAF station located the possibility of weaponised
at Jammu airport on Sunday injuring two personnel. drones for terrorist purposes.
munity were also discussed.
The meeting comes after
two low-intensity explo-
sions were reported in the
technical area of Jammu
Air Force Station on early
Sunday morning.
personnel on duty.
� Home Ministry on Monday
handed over the probe into
the first-of-its-kind terror
attack in India to the National
Investigation Agency (NIA).
the closed door working
committee meeting virtual-
ly and spoke on the present
situation. In keeping to the
discussions it was decided
that few wing heads will be
changed,” added the
sources.
their feedback for the poll
debacle. Instructing the par-
ty workers to start working
for the bypolls, it was heard
that State BJP Chief Dilip
Ghosh had claimed that the
BJP could not do much in
the civic polls as it will be
FPJ VIEW
Ttheheassumes
meeting on Tuesday
significance following
"upgradation" of Suvendu and
the decision to feature him on the
poster. What does this mean for
Dilip Ghosh? Has he got the

UP POLLS: RSS TOP BRASS

Meanwhile, it was learnt
Order reserved that a comment of West
Bengal co-observer Arvind
on Didi affidavit Menon had also been a mat-
conducted under the West
Bengal election Commis-
sion and state police.
“Bypolls will be conducted
indication of his induction into
the council of ministers? The BJP
has to do a lot keeping the 2024
Lok Sabha election in mind. West

TO MEET IN CHITRAKOOT
ter of concern for the state before the civic polls and Bengal has to be represented
KOLKATA: The Calcutta HC on BJP leadership. immediately all the party properly if the party wants to
Tuesday reserved its order on From the party sources it workers should work on maintain its last performance in
the affidavit filed by the West was learnt that during the winning the seats,” added 2019. However, it won’t be an
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. meeting, Arvind said that the BJP sources. easy task for BJP especially after
state Law Minister Malay Ghatak there was a lobby among Rajib Banerjee's absence the massive poll debacle in 2021.

Haar kar jeetne walon ko ...

however fought for the accep-
tance of the affidavits. Following
NARADA the CBI’s claim
Mamata and her
SCAM lawyer and TMC
leader Malay Ghatak had time
and again tried to file affidavit to
HC for not making them a party
to the case as they didn’t agitate
in front of CBI office.
NHRC team
attacked
KOLKATA: National Human
Rights Committee (NHRC) team
was attacked in Kolkata while the
team was investigating "post-poll
violence". According to an NHRC
official they were attacked by
alleged TMC goons at Jadavpur
area in South Kolkata while they
were reviewing post-poll violence
situation. “We have learnt that
over 40 houses have been
damaged here for which we
came to review the area. While
we were reviewing some goons
came and attacked us,” stated
NHRC official Atif Rasheed.
TMC-BJP MP row over
Guv ‘involvement’
KOLKATA: A day after the West
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
alleged Governor Jagdeep
Dhankhar is ‘corrupt’ and his
name was in the charge-sheet of
Hawala Jain scam, Trinamool MP
Sukhendu Sekhar
HAWALA
Roy showing the
JAIN SCAM
charge-sheet
stated there is a mention of
Dhankhar in the charge-sheet
with numeric five written beside
the name. “Only Dhankhar with
numeric five is mentioned in the
charge-sheet and whether it is
the present Governor of West
Bengal or not it has to be ascer-
tained,” stated TMC MP.
OUR BUREAU
New Delhi
The top brass of the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh (RSS), the ideological
fountainhead of
Bharatiya Janata Party
the
(BJP) will be assembling in
Chitrakoot town for a 5-day
conclave of the annual
"Akhil Bharatiya Prant
Pracharak Baithak" from
July 9 to 13, with a focus on
the Uttar Pradesh Assembly
elections early next year.
Though the RSS always de-
nies its role in the political
activities, the thrust of the
annual meeting is to prepare
a roadmap for UP and other
poll-bound states and decide
how it can help in improving
the image of the Yogi
Adityanath government hit
by the charge of Covid mis-
management.
IMPORTANCE OF
CHITRAKOOT
Chitrakoot town is a famous
pilgrimage centre in Satna
district of Madhya Pradesh
on the borders of Uttar
Pradesh, with how of the
town falling in Uttar Pradesh
where it has been declared a
separate district. Lord Ram
had reportedly spent 11 of
his 14 years of exile here
with Sita and Lakshman.
RSS MONITORING
SITUATION
Sources say the RSS is active-
ly monitoring the situation
in the poll-bound UP to set
things right in coordination
with the BJP after the latter's
leadership decided not to
change the chief minister de-
spite his negative vibes and
project him (Yogi
Adityanath) alone as its chief
Relegated to No 3, but BJP Bags many
Zilla Panchayat chief posts ‘Unopposed’
RASHMI SHARMA / Lucknow
Numbers does not matter always.
Despite being relegated to the third spot in
the recently held panchayat election of Ut-
tar Pradesh, the ruling BJP has managed to
get its 21 Zila Panchayat chiefs elected unop-
posed. The opposition parties have blamed
BJP of misusing power. Samajwadi Party
has allleged in several districts its candi-
dates were not allowed to file nominations
while those who managed to make it, are
now being threatened by the administration
and BJP leaders. Rashtriya Lok Dal an ally
of Samajwadi Party in the panchayat polls
alleged its candidate in Bagpat was in Ra-
jasthan but her nomination was withdrawn
by producing a fake person.
The elections for the post of Zila Panchay-
at chairpersons in 75 districts are going on
in UP. Tuesday was the last day for the with-
drawal of nominations. The BJP has already
managed to get its 17 candidates elected un-
opposed. On Tuesday, the opposition candi-
dates in four more districts have withdrawn
nominations paving way for unopposed elec-
tion of BJP nominees.
Notably, nominations for the post of Zila
Panchayat chiefs in UP were filed last week
on Saturday. In Jhansi, Ghaziabad,
Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Gonda, Balrampur,
Shravasti, Moradabad, Bulandshahar, Bi-
jnore, Mau, Lalitpur, Bhadohi and Agra dis-
tricts, the BJP candidates were elected un-
ministerial face, though he is secretary) Dattatreya Hosa-
facing stiff resistance from bale(66) made two trips to
within the state unit. The de- Lucknow to assess the politi-
cision to go with him as the cal situation in Uttar
party's face in the election af- Pradesh. Based on his re-
ter consultations between ports, RSS
the top RSS and BJP leaders. (Sarsanghchalak)
RSS Sarkaryawah (general Bhagwat gave his nod for
Poonam Maurya, who has been elected unopposed
to the post of District Panchayat President of
Varanasi, poses for a photo in Varanasi.
opposed as none other filed nomination.
However, on Tuesday, the last date of nomi-
nation withdrawal, Samajwadi Party candi-
dates in Behraich, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur
and Bagpat decided to opt out. So far only
one Samajwadi Party candidate Anshul Ya-
dav has been elected unopposed in Etawah
district against 21 of BJP.
Maximum number of zila panchayat mem-
bers elected were from either Samajwadi
Party of independent and BJP was placed
third in terms of numbers. However even af-
ter the humiliating defeat, the state BJP
leaders had claimed in maximum districts
its candidates would be elected as chairper-
son of zila panchayat. The Bahujan Samaj
Party had decided not field its candidate for
the post of Zila Panchayat chair accusing
the ruling party of not conducting free and
fair elections.
continuing Yogi in the post.
Hosabale has his own con-
tacts among the RSS
pracharaks in Uttar Pradesh
since he was in-charge of the
chief state as a joint general secre-
Mohan tary before becoming the
general secretary last March.
several leaders ahead of the
polls. Countering this, LoP
Suvendu said that all the ob-
servers should also send
1 of 4 Sikh women had approached HC for ED raids Bagadia
protection against harassment by family Kolkata residence
SRINAGAR: One of the 4 Sikh
women alleged to have been
converted to Islam by force
had approached the Jammu
and Kashmir HC seeking
protection from any coercive
action by her family and the
police, saying she changed
her religion and married a
Muslim man willingly.
Viran Pal Lour, who be-
came Khadeeja after marry-
—PTI ing Manzoor Ahmad Bhat on
January 20 this year as per
Islamic rituals, had moved
the HC in May this year.
In an order on May 20, Jus-
tice Ali Mohammad Magrey
had directed the police to en-
sure the woman’s parents —
Rattan Singh and Popinder
Kour — or anyone else at
Army men stand guard outside a damaged house after a gunbattle
between terrorists and security forces at Maloora on the outskirts of
Srinagar on Tuesday. 2 militants were killed. Photo: Sajad Hameed
despite getting invitation
for the crucial meeting
sparked speculation of his
defection further.
J&K CONVERSION ROW
their behest does not harass,
attack, kidnap or harm the
couple. “and they shall be al-
lowed to live their married
life the way they like and pro-
tect their rights in terms of
the guarantee as enshrined
by the Constitution,” the or-
der said.
Meanwhile, the Sikh
woman, restored to her fami-
ly amid allegations of forced
conversion, was on Tuesday
married off to a man from
the Sikh community. “The
girl was married to Sukhbir
Singh today. They knew each
other and there was no coer-
cion or force used (against
the girl),” said SAD Delhi
president Paramjit Singh.
But the party, it seems from these
moves, is seriously chalking out
its strategy to remodel the party
and plug the loopholes.
NORTH PARGANAS 24: The En-
forcement Directorate (ED)
on Tuesday conducted a raid
at the residence of business-
man Ganesh Bagadia in
North 24 Parganas, in the il-
legal coal mining case in
West Bengal.
As per the ED, the CBI had
on November 27, 2020 lodged
a case against the alleged
kingpin of the coal pilferage
racket, Anup Majhi alias
Lala, the then general man-
ager of ECL, Amit Kumar
Dhar, general manager ECL,
Jayesh Chandra Rai, chief
security ECL, Tanmay Das,
Security in charge, Kajora
area ECL,Debashish Muker-
jee and an unknown private
person for alleged commis-
sion of cognizable offence
various sections of Indian
Penal Code and Prevention of
Corruption Act.
COAL SCAM
Earlier, Vikas Mishra,
brother of TMC who was ar-
rested by ED in the coal min-
ing scam was granted inter-
im bail on basis of medical
grounds for a month in May.
ED explained in detail in
the remand application that
the investigation was taken
up to trace the "large pro-
ceeds of crime" that was al-
legedly generated and laun-
dered as a result of illegal
coal mining.

FPJ INSIGHT

As high command ignores Gujarat, Cong factions lobby for state chief’s post
DARSHAN DESAI of the state leadership has been in a more heartburn with Patel himself Jayant Patel Boski and BTP leader Ma- but none is willing to take it.
Ahmedabad limbo since 2017 and the Congress in complaining he had no work. hesh Vasava to re-establish alliances Another meeting on Tuesday strongly
Gujarat is plunging from one electoral In the meantime, at least two factions with them. favoured former state minister Naresh

C
ongress leader Rahul Gandhi
was in Surat on Thursday for a
defamation case hearing when
all the senior Gujarat leaders
were in attendance, greeting him. He
was in Surat for a good four hours but
except for a wry smile or two, some
bored looks and a few words with a cou-
ple of them, there was little interaction;
no meeting as partymen expected. He
didn’t even wait for lunch, as he gener-
ally does on Gujarat tours.
This, when the crucial reorganisation
debacle to another. The latest was the
local body elections, where in Surat
Municipal Corporation the party did
not get a single seat and new entrant
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) walked into
the Opposition space.
Ironically, the present state chief
Amit Chavda and Leader of Opposition
in the Assembly Paresh Dhanani have
resigned from their posts thrice after
three elections since 2017, and have re-
mained caretaker leaders.
Between this, the Congress high com-
mand suddenly appointed Hardik Patel
last year as working state president,
even as Chavda continued as the presi-
dent! This appointment without any re-
lated organisational changes created
last week started discreetly pushing for
their own candidates for the post of
state president, bringing to the fore the
groupism in Gujarat. In one meeting
last Tuesday, one faction plumped for
former union minister Bharatsinh
Solanki and another for former state
minister Naresh Rawal. One group,
driven by Jagdish Thakore and Ami
Yagnik, has advocated Solanki as the
GPCC president. Solanki himself has
been lobbying hard and has even held
meetings with NCP Gujarat chief
He intends to demonstrate to the lead-
ership he could hold all together and
win back previous partners. Also,
Solanki met a select group of MLAs
last week.
Seeing this, a worried section of sen-
ior state leaders have conveyed to the
high command to name a new president
and organisation with a state-level
reach at the earliest. Sources claim
Sachin Pilot will be the Gujarat affairs
incharge and Rajya Sabha member
Shaktisinh Gohil the state president,
Rawal as the Gujarat president. While
Rawal was present here, the others
were second rung leaders Gaurav
Pandya, Bimal Shah and Sagar Raika.
Leaders like Himmatsinh Patel,
Shailesh Parmar and Raju Parmar
were not present in any meeting, but
they are learnt to be in favour of
Solanki. All this came a little over a
week after Paresh Dhanani hosted a
luncheon meet with all the state lead-
ers to put up a united front and create
a facade of unity.