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KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR

MR BLAIR’S QUALMS ISRAELI PM MEETS ‘CAPTAIN TO LEAD A KING’S RANSOM

BIDEN AS MIDEAST CONG IN 2022 POLLS’ FOR MBAPPE?
TENSIONS GROW GAME AS USUAL

P6 P9 P5 P12

WEATHER
States to get 2 crore
doses for teachers
Partly cloudy sky. The maximum and
minimum temperatures would be around
36 and 27 degrees Celsius respectively.
RAINFALL: Nil
RELATIVE HUMIDITY Asked to vaccinate all teachers on priority before Teachers’ Day
Max: 89% Min: 51%
TEMPERATURE SNS & PTI
Max: 36.4°C (+3) Min: 27.4°C (+1) NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
U cases, 648 fatalities
SUN RISES SUN SETS
05:57 hrs 18:49 hrs
nion health
MOON RISES MOON SETS
minister Man-
sukh Man-
21:21 hrs 10:13 hrs
daviya on We-
dnesday said more than
two crore additional
Covid-19 vaccine doses
are being made avail-
THUMBNAILS able to states this month,
and they have been asked
to vaccinate all school
teachers on priority
before Teachers’ Day on
5 September.
“In addition to the
plan to provide vaccines
to every state this month,
more than 2 crore vaccine
doses are being made
available. We have
requested all the states
to try to vaccinate all
HC nod must for withdrawal
of ‘malicious’ cases, says SC
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
The Supreme Court on
India logs 37,593 new
Wednesday said state gov-
16 evacuees ernments have the power
under law to withdraw “mali-
from Afghan
cious” criminal cases and it
test positive is not against withdrawal of
such cases but they should be
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST examined by the high courts
concerned.
A total of 16 out of 78 The top court also exp-
evacuees who land- ressed concern over inordi-
ed at the Indira Gand- nate delays in investigation
hi International (IGI) and conclusion of trial in
Airport from Dusha- cases lodged by Enforcement
nbe on Tuesday have Directorate and Central Bureau
tested positive. of Investigation against MPs
However, Union and MLAs/MLCs and asked
Ministers Hardeep the Centre to provide neces-
Singh Puri and V sary manpower and infra-
Muraleedharan com- SNS & PTI structure.
ing into contact with NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST A bench of Chief Justice N
infected people have V Ramana and Justices D Y
not been officially India logged 37,593 new Chandrachud and Surya Kant
confirmed yet since
they had received
infections, while the
active cases increased
3,25,12,366 pointed out that it was not say-
ing anything or expressing any
them at the airport. marginally by 2,776 to opinion on the investigating
We don't want to say anything
about investigating agencies as
we don't want to lower their morale.
Else, their report speaks volume.
There are over 200 cases in these
courts. Sorry to say Mr Tushar
Mehta these reports are incon-
clusive. No reasons have been
given for not filing charge
sheets for 10 to 15 years. Sim-
ply, attaching properties worth
crores of rupees does not
serve any purpose
SUPREME COURT BENCH
cases against lawmakers is “dis- withdrawal of cases. We will
turbing” and “shocking” which examine this point and issue
needs “surgical treatment” necessary directions”.
for expediting the trial. During the hearing, Mehta
CJI Ramana said the court said that the top court may
has gone through the ED and issue directions to the inves-
CBI reports but “it’s easy for tigating agencies to complete
us to say, expedite the trial, etc. the probe within six months
but we are also aware that there and the trial court may be
are several issues involved directed to complete the trial
with this. There is a shortage
of judges, courts and infra-
in a time bound manner.
Hansaria told the bench
structure. I’ve also summarised that in cases where investi-

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh school teachers on pri-
Badal and others, during a Press conference on ority before Teachers'
their party’s victory in DSGMC elections, in the Day, which is celebrated
on 5 September,” he said
Capital on Wednesday. � SNS
in a tweet in Hindi.
Schools across the
India skittled out for 78: India were dismissed country were closed in
for a paltry 78 on the opening day of the
third Test against England on Wednesday. Vet-
March last year ahead of
a nationwide lockdown
eran pacer James Anderson and Craig Overton to contain the spread of
claimed three wickets each, while Ollie Robin- novel coronavirus infec-
son and Sam Curran took two each as the Eng-
land bowlers wreaked havoc on the visitors.
tion.
The Centre had
Indian skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and allowed reopening of
elected to bat first as openers Rohit Sharma schools as per the Covid-
(19) and Ajinkya Rahane (18) were the only 19 situation in October
batsmen to reach double figures. At lunch, last year.
India were struggling at 56 for four. P12 While several states
began partial reopening
of schools, there was a
New BSF, ITBP chiefs: Pankaj Kumar Singh, a complete closure again
1988-batch IPS officer, was on Wednesday in April when an aggres-
appointed as DG BSF. He will take charge on 31 sive second wave of
August after retirement of incumbent ITBP DG Covid-19 hit the country.
SS Deswal, who is holding additional charge of With the improve-
BSF DG after the tenure of Gujarat cadre offi- ment in the Covid-19
cer Rakesh Asthana ended in July. IPS officers situation, several states
of 1988 batch Sanjay Arora (Tamil Nadu cadre) have begun reopening
and Balaji Srivastav (AGMUT cadre) were appoi- schools now even as con-
nted as the new ITBP and BPRD heads. cerns have been expre-
Those who have 3,22,327 cases, according
contracted the dis- to the Union health min-
ease have been admit- istry data .
ted to LNJP Hospital The total caseload
and the rest are quar- increased to 3,25,12,366
antined at an ITBP and the death toll climbed
camp in south-west to 4,35,758 with 648 fresh
Delhi’s Chhawla, ac-
cording to the health
fatalities.
The active cases com-
ministry guidelines. prise 0.99 per cent of the
“As the Covid total infections.
immunization status
of these individuals is
The daily positivity
rate was recorded at less
unknown, and the than 3 per cent at 2.10
exact extent of trans- per cent for the last 30
mission in Afgha- days.
nistan is unclear at The number of peo-
present, it has been ple who have recuperated
decided that the arriv- from the disease surged
ing persons shall to 3,17,54,281.
undergo a mandato- Cumulatively, 59.55
ry minimum 14 days’ crore Covid-19 vaccine
institutional quaran- doses have been admin-
tine,” the health min- istered under the nation-
istry’s office memo- wide vaccination drive till
randum read. IANS Wednesday morning.
The 648 new fatalities
ssed over the staff and include 288 from Maha-
teachers not being com- rashtra and 173 from
pletely vaccinated. Kerala.
3,22,327
37,593
34,169
4,35,758
UNION HEALTH MIN-
ISTRY FIGURES AS OF
8.00 A.M. WEDNESDAY
25 AUGUST 2021
Delhi cases: Delhi today
reported 35 fresh Covid
cases and 1 more fatali-
ty due to the pathogen,
according to the Delhi
government's latest
health bulletin.
The positivity rate
stood at 0.05 per cent,
even as 86 Covid patients
were discharged from
city hospitals in the last
24 hours. (SEE P2)
agencies like ED or CBI as it
will lower their morale but they
should ensure that trials are
completed expeditiously.
“We don’t want to say any-
thing about investigating age-
ncies as we don’t want to lo-
wer their morale. Else, their re-
port speaks volume. There ar-
e over 200 cases in these co-
urts. Sorry to say Mr Tushar Me-
hta these reports are incon-
clusive. No reasons have been
given for not filing charge sh-
eets for 10 to 15 years. Simply,
attaching properties worth cr-
ores of rupees does not serve
any purpose,” the bench said.
The top court is hearing a
PIL filed by advocate Ashwi-
ni Upadhyay seeking life ban
on lawmakers convicted in
heinous criminal cases and
speedy disposal of cases
against them.
At the outset, senior advo-
cate Vijay Hansaria, appoint-
ed as amicus curiae in the mat-
ter, told the bench that the sta-
tus reports of CBI and ED on
and have prepared some
notes. Total 76 cases of ED are
pending since 2012 onwards.
58 cases of CBI are of life
imprisonment and oldest
case is from 2000”.
“You have to do some-
thing on this issue Mr Mehta.
Don’t keep us hanging like
this,” the bench said, adding
that he will have to give some
explanation especially for ED
and CBI.
Hansaria pointed out that
cases are being withdrawn by
many state governments by
simply saying that these are
malicious cases, instituted
by previous political dispen-
sation.
The bench said, “We are not
opposing withdrawal of cases
by the state governments.
They have power to do so, if
they have been maliciously
instituted but what we are say-
ing that they should be exam-
ined by a judicial officer or the
High Court. The governments
must move high courts for
gations are pending before ED
and CBI, a Monitoring Com-
mittee may be constituted
comprising-former Judge of
SC or the former Chief Justice
of a HC, Director, ED (or his
nominee), Director, CBI (or his
nominee), Home Secretary to
the Government of India (or
his nominee) and a judicial
officer not below the rank of
District Judge to be nominated
by this Court.
The bench asked Mehta to
file his response to the sug-
gestion of the committee.
Hansaria said 50-60 per cent
of cases registered by ED and
CBI are pending probe for 10-
12 years which should be
expedited.
“We understand man-
power is the real issue. We have
to take a practical stand. Just
like us, investigating agencies
are also suffering due to short-
age of manpower. You see,
nowadays everyone wants a
CBI investigation,” the CJI
observed.

Rane’s arrest justified: Maha court
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
MUMBAI, 25 AUGUST
A court at Mahad in Maha-
rashtra while granting bail to
Union minister Narayan Rane
said his arrest over his con-
troversial remarks against
chief minister Uddhav Thack-
eray was “justified”, but his cus-
todial interrogation was not
necessary.
“Considering the reason for
arrest and other reasons, I
found that the arrest is justi-
fied,” magistrate S S Patil said
in the order.
The court noted that while
a few sections under which
Rane was booked were non-
bailable, they were not pun-
ishable with life or death.
“Considering these fac-
tors, no prejudice would be
caused to the prosecution if
the accused is released on bail,”
the court said, adding that "the
accused shall not commit a
similar type of offence".
The police sought his cus-
tody for seven days, which the
court refused. He was direct-
ed to appear at the office of
Superintendent of Police in
Alibaug (Raigad) on 30 August
and 13 September.
Rane’s advocate Rajendra
Shirodkar argued that the
police had not followed the
mandate of law laid down
under Section 41A of the
CrPC, which says in cases
where arrest is not warrant-
ed, the police ought to first issue
a notice/summons to the
accused for questioning.
However, the court in its
order noted that in this par-
ticular section there are
grounds given when the police
officer can arrest a person with-
out notice/summons.
The police opposed the
bail plea, arguing that the
accused was a Union cabinet
minister and was making
such irresponsible statements
which would create dishar-
mony in the society.
The court in its order direct-
ed Rane to cooperate with the
probe into the case and if
police want a voice sample of
the minister, then he (Rane)
shall assist. “The only rider is
that the police shall give
seven-day prior notice to the
accused,” it said.
Meanwhile, Rane will
resume his ‘Jan Ashirwad
Yatra’ in Maharashtra in a
couple of days, his close aide
Rajan Teli said today, adding
that the route of tour will be
the same and the date will be
conveyed soon.
Narayan asked
to appear before
police on 2 Sept
MUMBAI, 25 AUGUST
The Nashik police have
issued a notice to Union
minister Narayan Rane,
asking him to appear before
them for questioning on 2
September in connection
with an FIR registered
against him over his rema-
rks against Maharashtra
chief minister Uddhav
Thackeray, an official said
on Wednesday.
As per the notice, Rane
has been directed to remain
present before investigation
officer-police inspector
Ananda Wagh-at 12 pm on
2 September at Cyber police
station in Nashik city, locat-
ed about 160 km from here,
he said. PTI
Nirmala counters Rahul on NMP,
says ‘nothing will be sold off’
INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
Rebutting Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the
National Monetisation
Pipeline, finance minister
Nirmala Sitharaman on
Wednesday said that the gov-
ernment will not give away
ownership of assets under the
asset monetisation plan and
they will be mandatorily
handed back to the govern-
ment.
Addressing the media in
Mumbai on Wednesday,
Sitharaman hit out at the
opposition citing monetisa-
tion processes undertaken
under by the Congress-led
UPA government during their
regime.
Citing the example of the
New Delhi Railway Station, she
took a barb on the Congress
and said: “Who called the
RFP (request for proposal) on
it? Is it owned by ‘Jijaji’ now!”
“We are not selling off,
there will be a strict handing
back,” she said.
A day after the government
unveiled the National Mon-
etisation Pipeline (NMP)
worth Rs 6 lakh crore, former
Congress President Rahul
Gandhi on Tuesday accused
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi of bringing the process
of selling the “crown jewel”
assets built by his party in last
70 years.
He also contended that the
Congress is not opposing the
privatisation process but “the
entire NMP is designed to cre-
ate a monopoly”.
Addressing a press con-
ference at the party head-
quarters along with former
finance minister P Chidam-
abaram, Gandhi had said:
“The Prime Minister and the
BJP said that the Congress had
done nothing in last 70 years.
There is a list here of all the
assets that the Congress has
helped build using the pub-
lic money.”
SC asks HC to
decide on plea
against Asthana’s
appointment in
two weeks
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
The Supreme Court Wednes-
day asked the Delhi High
Court to decide within two
weeks the plea pending
before it challenging the
appointment of senior IPS
officer Rakesh Asthana as the
Delhi Police Commissioner.
A bench comprising Chief
Justice N V Ramana and jus-
tices D Y Chandrachud and
Surya Kant permitted NGO
‘Centre for Public Interest Lit-
igation’ (CPIL) to move to the
Delhi High Court to intervene
in the pending plea against
the appointment of Asthana.
Solicitor General Tushar
Mehta, appearing for the
Centre, said that some more
time be given to the high court
as the government will have
to file its response to the
pending plea there. PTI

All Afghans must
travel to India
on e-Visa: MHA
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
Owing to the prevailing sec-
urity situation in Afghanistan,
the Ministry of Home Affairs
today ordered that all Afghan
nationals must travel to India
only on e-Visa.
MHA had introduced a
new category of electronic visa
called “e-Emergency X-Misc
Visa” to fast-track the Afghans’
visa applications. Keeping in
view some reports that pass-
ports of certain Afghans have
been misplaced, the previ-
ously issued visas for those
outside India, stand invali-
dated with immediate effect,
the order said.
Won’t proceed with Pegasus
probe: Bengal govt tells SC
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
The West Bengal government
on Wednesday submitted
before the Supreme Court that
the two-member commission
of inquiry headed by retired
Supreme Court judge, justice
Madan B Lokur, to probe the
Pegasus snooping allega-
tions, would not proceed till
the top court hears the batch
of petitions connected with
snooping scandal.
Senior advocate Harish
Salve, representing the peti-
tioner NGO Global Village
Foundation Public Charita-
ble Trust seeking disbandment
of the commission, submit-
ted there can’t be two paral-
lel inquiries. “Please see noth-
ing is done in the proceedin-
gs there while the court is he-
aring the matter,” said Salve.
A bench headed Chief Ju-
stice N V Ramana comprising
Justice Surya Kant said: “If we
are hearing other matters, we
expect some restraint”.
The bench told Advocate
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, rep-
resenting Bengal govern-
ment, “at present issue is
connected to other issues, in
all fairness we expect you to
wait,” said the bench. Justice
Kant added the other petitions
against Pegasus snooping
allegations are likely to have
pan-India impact.
31 Aug pullout depends on Taliban cooperation, says Biden
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
WASHINGTON, 25 AUGUST
President Joe Biden has said
the US is on “a pace” to com-
plete its evacuation mission
in Afghanistan by 31 August
and doesn’t plan to have
troops in the country past
that date, but the completion
of the deadline depends on
cooperation from the Tal-
iban.
The US has currently
approximately 5,800 troops at
the Hamid Karzai Interna-
tional Airport in Kabul.
“The sooner we can finish,
the better. Each day of oper-
ations brings added risk to our
troops,” Biden told reporters
at the White House on Tues-
day.
“But the completion by 31
August depends on the Taliban
continuing to cooperate and
allow access to the airport for
those who were transporting
out and no disruptions to our
operations,” he said.
The Taliban has warned that
Biden said he has ask-
ed Pentagon and the
State Dept for contin-
gency plans to adjust
the 31 Aug timetable
the US must end its evacua-
tion mission on 31 August.
Taliban spokesman Zabihu-
llah Mujahid said, “After that
we won’t let Afghans be taken
out” on evacuation flights, ad-
ding that it could lead to a war.
Biden said he has asked
Pentagon and the State Depart-
ment for contingency plans
to adjust the 31 August
timetable of leaving Afgh-
naistan, “should that become
necessary”.
“I'm determined to ensure
that we complete our mis-
sion...I’m also mindful of the
increasing risks that I’ve been
briefed on and the need to fac-
tor those risks in. They’re real
and significant challenges
that we also have to take into
consideration,” he said.
“Every day we’re on the
ground is another day we kn-
ow ISIS-K is seeking to target
the airport and attack both US
and allied forces and innocent
civilians,” Biden said.
Biden said though the Tal-
iban are cooperating “so that
we can get our people out. But
it’s a tenuous situation”.
Earlier, White House Press
Secretary Jen Psaki told
reporters that the US is in direct
contact not just with Ameri-
can citizens, but with SIV
(Special Immigrant Visa) appli-
cants as well as Afghans,
whose departure the US is facil-
itating, about how and when
to come to the airport.
In a statement later in the
evening, Pentagon Press Sec-
retary John Kirby said that the
retrograde of US non-com-
batant operation in Afghan-
istan has not been ordered and
nor would it need to be ordered
at this stage.
“The mission remains the
same, and as you heard from
the President today, it remains
on the same timeline,” he
asserted.
“As we have made consis-
tently clear, commanders on
the ground are empowered to
make any adjustments they see
fit, when they see fit,” he said.
02
We are against the privatisation of the DHR and do not
want it to be monetised
ROSHAN GIRI, LEADER, GORKHA JAN MUKTI MORCHA-I
NEW DELHI, THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021 ON THE CENTRE’S PLANS TO MONETISE STATE-OWNED ASSETS, INCLUDING DARJEELING’S TOY TRAIN

DDMA panel recommends phase-wise Sisodia again goes after

reopening of schools for all classes in Delhi
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST

An expert committee set up by

the Delhi Disaster Manage-
ment Authority (DDMA) has
recommended phase-wise
reopening of schools in the
national capital, according to
but is evaluating all factors to
ensure the safety of students.
“The panel has submitted
its report today. The recom-
mendations include reopening
of schools for all classes but in
a phase-wise manner. The
report will be studied in detail
and a final decision will be taken
classes 10, 11 and 12 can visit
schools with the consent of par-
ents for admission and board-
exam related activities.
Noting that there is no harm
now in reopening schools in the
national capital, Delhi Lieu-
tenant Governor Anil Baijal
had on August 6 asked officials
over a year has led to a major
loss of learning.
The committee was tasked
with finalising a detailed SOP,
Centre over O2 deaths
Citing Mandaviya's letter, deputy CM alleges Centre doesn't want probe into O2 shortage
assessing the preparedness of deaths as 'it will expose its negligence'; 35 fresh Covid cases, 1 more fatality logged
schools, vaccination of teach-
ing and non-teaching staff and STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
addressing the concerns of NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
parents. Schools in the nation-

sources.
In its report submitted on
Wednesday, the panel has rec-
ommended that schools be
reopened for all classes but
senior-wing students be called
in the first phase followed by
middle-class students and ulti-
mately the primary classes,
they said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind
Kejriwal said his government
wants the schools to be
reopened as soon as possible
LEGAL NOTICES
IN THE COURT OF
MS. MANJUSHA WADHWA
LD. Additional District
Judge-02
Court No. 52, B-Block,
Second Floor
Shahdara District,
Karkardooma Courts, Delhi
PC-14/2021
1. Saroj, w/o Lt. Yogendra
Kumar, d/o Bal Kishan, r/o
1/3764, Gali No. 1, Ram Nagar
Extn., Loni Road, Shahdara,
Delhi-110032.
— Petitioner
Versus
1. The State Through Prin-
cipal Secretary, Government
of Delhi, New Delhi.
2. Samistha, w/o Sh. Sub-
hash Chand, r/o H. No. 2-677,
Street No. 1, Near Bada School,
Ganga Sahay Colony, Man-
doli, Delhi-110093.
T
soon in this regard,” a source to set up an expert committee al capital were ordered shut last he conflict between
said. Asked about the DDMA to chalk out a detailed plan. year in March ahead of a nation- the Narendra Modi-led
panel report, Kejriwal told The committee was set up wide lockdown to contain the central government
reporters, “There has been a after Deputy CM Manish Siso- spread of coronavirus. and the Arvind Kejri-
mixed experience of states dia told the DDMA in a meet- While several states started wal-led Delhi government
which have reopened schools. ing chaired by Baijal that at least partial reopening of schools in over deaths cuased due to
We have been monitoring the 90 per cent of the parents, who October last year, the Delhi gov- oxygen shortage during the sec-
situation.” attended the mega parent- ernment allowed physical class- ond Covid wave in the nation-
“We want the schools to be teacher meeting (PTM) at gov- es only for grades 9-12 in Jan- al capital in April-May con-
reopened as soon as possible ernment schools, held between uary this year, which were tinues to rage, with Delhi
but don't want to take any risk July 19 and 31, had voted in again suspended following the deputy chief minister Manish
with the safety of students. We favour of reopening the schools. exponential rise in COVID-19 Sisodia today alleging that
will take a decision soon,” he Sisodia had also noted in the cases during the aggressive the Centre does not want a
said. Currently, students of meeting that school closure for second wave. probe into it because "truth ever, the mandate of the task erence to the Supreme Court- related deaths and accept its
of its negligence" will come out. force is to enquire into issues appointed task force are relat- responsibility in this regard.
Addressing an online press related to the oxygen demand ed to oxygen. He, however, Meanwhile, Delhi today
conference, Sisodia said he and supply. The task force asserted that none of these five reported 35 fresh Covid cases
received a letter from Union has nothing to do with the oxy- points have anything to do with and 1 more fatality due to the
health minister Mansukh gen shortage-related deaths oxygen shortage-related pathogen, according to the
Mandaviya telling the Delhi in Delhi's hospitals. Even the deaths. Delhi government's latest
(iii) In any exigency qua Order XXI, S.C.R. 2013 within ADMISSION Notice — 110590400130, 110590400129 government that there is no sub-group constituted by the "It is a big fraud which has health bulletin.
that, the Advocates/Litigants 30days from the date of Online application is invited of KMC respectively. need to constitute a com- court also has nothing to do never been indulged in by The positivity rate stood at
can contact the concerned receipt of notice or not later from the eligible female If anybody got any claim / mittee to enquire into oxygen with the matter," Sisodia said. any government in the coun- 0.05 per cent, even as 86 Covid
Official at Ph. No. 011-23748473. than 2 weeks before the date candidates for admission in interest upon the same and
Given under my hand and appointed for hearing, the 2 years regular BPED shortage-caused deaths in He said the letter from the try's history. If what the Union patients were discharged from
/ or objection in regards to
Seal of the Tribunal on this whichever be earlier, but shall and MPED Courses for the
the such transfer is request- the city since the Supreme Union health minister was health minister says is the city hospitals in the last 24
09th July of 2021. do so only by setting out the session 2021-23 at State
By Order of this Tribunal grounds in opposition to the Institute of Physical ed to contact with me along Court had constituted a task in response to a letter sent by mandate of the Supreme hours.
For Registrar questions of law or grounds Education for Women, with proper documents force for a probe into the the Delhi government regard- Court-appointed task force, Delhi's cumulative Covid
Respondent may contact set out in the SLPs and may Hastings House, Kolkata. within twenty-one days
undermention Phone Num- produce such pleadings and from the date, otherwise it
matter. ing the formation of a panel then why did the Centre ask caseload climbed to 14,37,550,
The online form fill-up will
ber for further enquiry. documens filed before the be conducted on and from will be taken into granted "The Union health minis- to hold a probe into deaths due the states to give data relat- of which 14,12,081 patients
Mr. Amit K. Dar, Court/Tribunal against whose 01.09.21 to 15.09.21. For eligi- that nobody has any objec- ter has written to the Delhi gov- to the oxygen shortage. ing to oxygen-related deaths? have recovered so far.
Ld. Registrar order the SLP is filed and bility and detail informa- tion towards the said pur-
DRT-I, New Delhi shall also set out the grounds tion, please visit the college
ernment arguing that there is He mentioned the rejection It is a very sad situation that The city's coronavirus toll
chase by my client of what-
Phone No. : 011-23748473 for not granting interim order website: www.sipew.org
soever nature at any point
no need for setting up an by Delhi Lieutenant Governor people should lose their lives rose to 25,080 and the case
Email : drt1delhi- or for vacating interim order Sd/-
dfs@nic.in if already granted. of time and that the subject enquiry committee to go into Anil Baijal of the Delhi gov- because of the oxygen short- fatality rate stood at 1.74 per
Officer-in-Charge
Take Further Notice that if SIPEW, Hastings House property is free from all the matter of oxygen shortage- ernment's demand for a panel age in the country in the 21st cent, the bulletin said.
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF you fail to enter appearance encumbrances and further
INDIA as aforesaid, no further notice
caused deaths in Delhi as a in this regard twice. century," the deputy CM said. Of 12,036 hospital beds
any objection from any
EXTRA-ORDINARY APPEL- shall be given to you ever quarter shall not be enter-
Supreme Court-appointed Sisodia pointed out that He urged the Centre to meant for Covid patients in the
LATE JURISDICTION after the grant of special leave task force is there to hold a Mandaviya's letter stated that allow an investigation into city, only 249 were occupied,
SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION tained.
for hearing of the resultant
(CIVIL) No(s) 9661-9662 of appeal and the matter
Ashok Prasad probe into such deaths. How- 5 of the 12 points given for ref- the matter of oxygen shortage- it added.
2020 Advocate
abovementioned shall be dis-
WITH PRAYER FOR INTERIM D-17B, Tagore Park
posed of in your absence. PUBLIC NOTICE
RELIEF Dated : 16th August, 2021. Kolkata-700039
On instructions from and Mobile: 91-9883069404

Anti-Muslim slogans at Jantar

3. Sushma, w/o Sh. Jai
Prakash, r/o H. No. 987/21,
Chandpur Fatak, Shiv
Mandirke Saamne Wali Gali,
Preet Vihar, Bulandshahr,
Uttar Pradesh-203001.
4. Geeta Rani, w/o sh.
Udaibir Singh, r/o H. No. 379,
Street No. 13, Near GBSS
School, Budh Vihar, Mandoli,
Delhi-110093.
5. Sangeeta, w/o Sh. Viren-
der Kumar, r/o F-441, Ghitorni
Village, Delhi-110030.
6. Anuradha, w/o Sh. Omkar,
r/o 60, Saddiq Nagar, Ghazi-
abad, Uttar Pradesh-201101.
7. Sarita, w/o Sh. Yadveer
Singh, r/o H. No. 543, Big Water
Tank Mandoli, Village Man-
doli, Saboli, Delhi-110093.
8. Lajwanti, w/o Sh.
Panchsheel, r/o F-Block, J.J.
Colony, Wazirpur, Ashok Vihar
Delhi-110052.
9. Urmila, w/o Sh. Om
Prakash, r/o 171, Pocket-22,
Rohini Sector-24, Delhi-110081.
— Respondents
CITATION FOR PUBLICATION
OF PETITION UNDER
SECTION 276 OF THE INDIAN
SUCCESSION ACT, FOR
GRANT OF PROBATE OF THE
WILL dated 30-11-2017
executed by deceased Bal
Kishan, s/o Devi Shah.
Whereas the 23-11-2021 has
been fixed for hearing of the
case, notice is hereby given
that person having any inter-
est in the said petition con-
cerned may if he/she desire
appear in this court of the
said 23-11-2021 and see the
proceedings.
Given under my hand and
the Seal of this Court on this
10-08-2021.
Additional District
Judge-02
Shahdara District,
Karkardooma Courts,
Delhi.
Seal of the Court FMG
DEBTS RECOVERY
TRIBUNAL-I
4th Floor, Jeevan Tara Build-
ing, Parliament Street,
New Delhi-110001
OA No. 807/2019
Central Bank of India
— Applicant
Versus
Mr. Ravi Kumar & Anr.
— Defendant
To,
1. Mr. Ravi Kumar, s/o Sh.
Kedar Prasad, r/o A-137, Sec-
tor-37, Greater Noida, District
Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar
Pradesh-201308
Also at : H.No. 214, Ward
No. 4, Amawamajhar Choura-
ha Bettaiah, West Champaran,
Bihar-845438.
Also at : EMP Code-P0703,
Senior Project Engineer, ATS
Tower, Plot No. 10, Sector-
135, Noida, U.P.-201305.
2. M/s Unnati Fortune Hold-
ings Ltd., Having Its Regis-
tered Office At : T-07, LL-02,
Commonwealth Games Vil-
lage, New Delhi-110092.
Corporate Office At : Unnati
Fortune House, B-117, Sec-
tor-67, Noida-201301, U.P.
Whereas the abovenamed
Usha Dhraik and Others
— Petitioner(s)/
Appellant(s)
Versus
Reliance General Insurance
Company Limited and Oth-
ers.
— Respondent(s)
To,
Charan Jeet Singh, s/o Sh.
Gurdev Singh, r/o Village
Lunawala, PO Bhaniawalal,
Tehsil Rishikesh, District -
Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
PID:
90804/2021 for R(3) in SLP(C)
No. 9661/2020, R(2) in SLP(C)
No. 9662/2020 (Sec XIV)
Whereas the Petition for
Special Leave to Appeal with
prayer for interim relief along
with application for Exemption
From Filing O.T. above men-
tioned (copy enclosed) filed in
the Registry by Mr. Chander
Shekhar Ashri, Advocate on
behalf of the Petitioner(s)
above named was listed for
hearing before this Court on
13th October, 2020, when the
Court was pleased to pass
the following order:
"ISSUE NOTICE."
And whereas, the matter
abovementioned was listed
before Ld. Registrar's Court on
09th August, 2021, When the
following order was passed:
"Respondent Nos. 1 and 2
have already filed counter
affidavit.
Application filed for sub-
stituted service in respect of
respondent No. 3 is allowed.
Ld. Counsel for the petitioner
to file proof of publication in
this regard within four weeks.
List again on 21-09-2021."
Now, therefore, take notice
that the above petition with
prayer for interim relief will be
posted for hearing before this
Court in due course and you
may enter peearance before
this Court either in person
or through an advocate on
record of this Court duly
appointed by you in that
behalf within 30 days from
the date of service of notice.
You may thereafter show
cause to the Court on the day
that may subsequently be
specified as to why Special
Leave Petition and interim
relief as prayed be not grant-
ed and the resultant appeal be
not allowed.
Take Further Notice that
the prayer for interim relief
after notice will also be listed
before the Court in due
course.
You may file your affidavit in
opposition to the petition as
provided under Rule 14(1) of
KOLKATA
Statesman House,
4, Chowringhee Square
Kolkata-700 001
Tel: (033) 22127070-76,
(033) 41071700
ASSISTANT REGISTRAR
Copy to :
1 Mr. Chander Shekhar Ashri
(adv.) 89 A. K. Sen Lawyers
Chamber Block Supreme Court
of India, New Delhi, Delhi.
ASSISTANT REGISTRAR
Important Notice
LEGAL AID
(1) Legal Services of an
advocate is provided by the
Supreme Court Legal Services
Committee and the Supreme
Court Middle Income Group
Legal Aid Society to eligible lit-
igants.
For further information,
please contact the Secretary,
Supreme Court Legal Services
Committee or the Member
Secretary, Supreme Court
Middle Income Group Legal
Aid Society, 107-108, Lawyers'
Chambers, R. K. Jain Block -
Near Post Office, Supreme
Court Compound, Tilak Marg,
New Delhi-110001 (Tel. Nos.
011-23388316, 23388597)
MEDIATION
(2) The facility of amicable
settlement of disputes by
trained mediators in cases
pending in the Supreme Court
is now available in the
Supreme Court.
For further information,
please contact the Coordi-
nator, Supreme Court Medi-
ation Centre, 109, Lawyers'
Chambers, R. K. Jain Block -
Near Post Office, Supreme
Court Compound, Tilak Marg,
New Delhi-110001 (Tel. No.
011-23071432).
SADHU RAM
CHAND MURMU
UNIVERSITY OF
JHARGRAM
Jhargram
West Bengal-721507
Ref. No.
SRCMUJ/CE/Noti./Admn/
01/2021
Date: 19.08.2021
ADMISSION NOTIFICATION
Applications are invited
for admission to PG
Courses in English,
Journalism and Mass
Communication, Santali,
Mathematics for the aca-
demic session 2021-22.
Please visit University
website: www.srcmuj.org
for further details.
Sd/-
Controller of
Examinations (Actg.)
SILIGURI
Spencer Plaza, 18/19, 1st Floor
Burdwan Road
Above Vishal Mega Mart
Siliguri-734005, West Bengal
on behalf of Sh. Jiwat Ram
and Smt. Kamlesh, both r/o
New Delhi (Hereinafter
referred to as my clients), I
hereby notify to General Pub-
lic that my aforesaid Clients,
due to constant harassment
and threats being extended to
them by their son, Shri Dinesh
and his Wife Ranjana have
severed all relations with
them. My clients hereby dis-
own and disinherit aforesaid
Shri Dinesh and his Wife Ran-
jana from all their properties
both moveable and immove-
able and they will not have
any share, right or claim over
any property, bank accounts
and any other assets of my
Clients whatever and wher-
ever they may be. My clients
shall not be responsible in
any manner whatsoever for
the acts of said Shri Dinesh
and his Wife Ranjana. Any-
body dealing with them shall
be doing so at his/her own
risk and consequences.
Kanwal Chaudhary
Advocate
Delhi High Court
I, PARAMJEET Kaur, w/o Late
Sh. Daljeet Singh R/o 2A/65,
Ramesh Nagar, New Delhi
disown my daughter
Kamaldeep Kaur, her hus-
band Amandeep Singh & my
Daughter-in-law Amrit Kaur
from my all movable & immov-
able properties due to their
misdeeds and quarreling
behaviour. I shall not be
responsible for their any acts
or deeds.
MY CLIENT intend to pur-
chase land with structure
measuring (1) 1 cottah, 4 chit-
tacks, 28 sq.ft. along with
construction thereon a little
more or less 2760 sq.ft. from
Kalyan Pal, son of late Balai
Pal alias Hiren Pal and (2) 1
cottah, 11 chittacks, 6 sq.ft.
along with construction there-
on a little more or less 700
sq.ft. from Seema Pal, wife
of Kalyan Pal both lying and
situated at and being Premis-
es No. 1/1L & 1/1K, CIT
Scheme XXXVR, formerly
known as 35/1A, Dihi Seram-
pore Road, P.S.: Beniapukur,
Kolkata-700014 under KMC
Ward No. 59, Sub-Registry
Sealdah, Assessee No.
MUMBAI
5, Kasturi Buildings, Jamshedji
Tata Road, Mumbai-400 020
Tel: (022) 2202 1045,
Email:
M.N.-WB/303/2003
NOTICE
My client Anjan Kumar
Banerjee is unable to trace
the Original Document No.
050204077/2021 registered
at ADSR, Howrah. As such
after completing all the for-
malities, my client declare
that the Certified Copy of
the said document will be
treated as original. No claim
other than Anjan Kumar
Banerjee will be entertained
in any manner.
Tapas Kumar Banerjee
Mobile No. 9830424663
92, Santiram Rasta
Bally, Howrah-711201
E-TENDER — Tender invit-
ing by the Prodhan
Jorepatki G.P. from bona
fide contractor, NIT No.-
01/T-Jrptk/2021-22, Dated:
20.08.2021 & NIT No.-02/T-
Jrptk/2021-22, Dated:
24.08.2021. For other infor-
mation login to
www.wbtendersgov.in or
office notice board.
Sd/-
Pradhan Jorepatki G.P.
Mathabhanga-I,
Coochbehar
LNJP Hospital
ramps up bed
capacity for third
wave challenges
PTI
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
Anticipating a third wave of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the Delhi
government-run LNJP Hos-
pital has ramped up its bed
capacity and trained doctors
and staff not deputed in ICUs
to meet any challenge, officials
said on Wednesday. The LNJP
Hospital with 1,500 beds and
a 500-bed ICU facility at Ramlila
Maidan attached to it during
the second wave of the pan-
demic, has a total of 2,000
beds. “The total bed capacity
has been ramped up from
existing 2,000 to 2,200. And, 100
of the 500 ICU beds at Ramlila
Ground facility has been
reserved for paediatric Covid
patients as the third wave is
expected to hit children more,”
a senior official of the hospi-
tal said.
The LNJP Hospital has
played a critical role in both the
first and second waves of the
pandemic.
“Our ICU staff are already
trained, but from June we
started training our doctors,
nurses and paramedic staff
who are not in the ICUs in case
there is a third wave,” the offi-
cial said.
The national capital had
reeled under a brutal second
wave of the pandemic which
claimed a massive number of
lives daily with the issue of short-
age in oxygen supply at vari-
ous hospitals adding to the
woes.
Delhi has reported over
14.3 lakh cases of COVID-19
since the start of the pan-
demic last year while more than
25,000 people have died due
to the disease.
SAD wins crucial election to Delhi Sikh Gurdwara
Mantar: One more held
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
Delhi Police has arrested one
more person for allegedly
raising anti-Muslim hate slo-
gans during a protest at Jan-
tar Mantar in the heart of the
national capital on 8 August,
police officials said today.
The police arrested Hindu
Raksha Dal member Uttam
Malik over the Jantar Mantar
communal slogeering. They
have till now arrested altogether
8 persons in connection with
this case. The arrested accused
included former BJP
spokesperson Ashwini Upad-
hyay, who later secured bail
a day after his arrest on 12
August.
Covid rapid response centre inaugurated
at Delhi's Rajiv Gandhi Hospital
PTI
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
A COVID-19 rapid response
centre was inaugurated on
Wednesday at a leading Delhi
government-run coronavirus
facility, bolstering the city's
healthcare infrastructure ahead
of a possible third wave of the
viral disease.
The centre, which includes
an ICU unit, will act as a buffer
zone between the patient arrival
area and the medical wards. It
was opened by Delhi Health Min-
ister Satyendar Jain at the Rajiv
Gandhi Super Speciality Hos-
pital. Authorities at the 650-
bed hospital, which played a crit-
ical role in providing Covid care
The police also conducted
raids at multiple places today
to arrest another accused
Pinky Choudhary, who also
raised inflammatory slogans
at the Jantar Mantar rally.
Choudhary's bail plea was
rejected by the Delhi High
Court on 23 August.
Uttam Malik, who also
goes by the name Uttam Upad-
hyay, was picked by Delhi
Police when he was visiting one
of his aides in Delhi. “Uttam
runs a stationary shop in
Ghaziabad. Police are inter-
rogating him and trying to find
out his connection with the
other accused,” a senior police
officer said.
Uttam was seen allegedly
raising inflammatory slogans
during the first two waves of the
pandemic, said, “We need to be
prepared for a similar surge (in
the future).” For better man-
agement of patients and for
matching of bed turnover to the
number of patients arriving in
real-time, rapid response cen-
tre is the need of the hour, a senior
official of the hospital said.
The rapid response centre has
been divided into two areas --
a seven-bed triage area and a
23-bed ICU. All beds have mul-
tipara monitors with critical
care equipment like ventila-
tors, BIPAP machines, HFNC and
crash carts, the official said. It
is fully equipped with a cen-
tralised oxygen supply and suc-
tion is available for each bed. A
on 8 August at a Jantar Man-
tar rally which could have
jeopardised social harmony.
A video of the rally which
went viral on social media, trig-
gered a backlash, police said.
He had been absconding ever
since and had last visited his
Ghaziabad residence on 9
August.
According to sources, there
is a strong case against Uttam
Malik, who was seen alleged-
ly raising communal slogans
in the videos of the Jantar
Mantar event. Multiple other
videos have also surfaced and
in one of them, he could be
allegedly heard identifying
himself as a follower of Dasna
Devi temple priest Swami Yati
Narsinghanand Saraswati.
rapid response team, com-
prising critical care consultants,
resident doctors, nursing staff
and orderlies, and technicians
will man the centre.
Patients will be provided
complete critical care at the
centre till bed availability is
ensured in a COVID-19 ward or
a Covid ICU ward, the official
said.“Under the guidance of CM
Arvind Kejriwal, to combat the
next Covid wave Delhi govern-
menthasmadeaRapidResponse
Centre at Rajiv Gandhi Super Spe-
ciality Hospital. This will be
manned with a Rapid Response
Team which will work 247 and
will help in better management
of Covid patients,” Jain later
tweeted.

Management Committee; clinches 27 of 46 seats

applicant has instituted a
case for recovery of Rs.
73,69,061.02/- (Rupees Sev-
enty Three Lacs Sixty Nine
Thousand Sixty One and Two
Paise only) against you and
whereas it has been shown to
the satisfaction of the Tri-
bunal that it is not possible to
serve you in ordinary way.
Therefore, this notice is given
by advertisement directing
you to make appearance
before Ld. Registrar on 04-
09-2021 at 10-30 a.m. (for fur-
ther details kindly visit DRT
website www.etribunal.gov.in
Phone Number : 011-23748473).
Take notice that in case of
your failure to appear on the
abovementioned day before
this Tribunal, the case will
be heard and decided in your
absence.
Due to ongoing Pandemic
Situation, all the matters will
be taken up through Video
Conferencing and for that
purpose:
(i) All the Advocate/Liti-
gants shall download the
"Cisco Webex" applica-
tion/Software.
(ii) Meeting ID and Pass-
word for the next date of
hearing qua cases to be taken
by Registrar/Recovery Offi-
cer-I/ and Recovery Officer-II
shall be available one day
prior to the next date of DRT
Officeial Portal i.e. Drt.gov.in
under the Public Notice Head.
Fax: (033) 2212-6181 / 7107-1780 Ph.: 9832082429
delhistatesman@gmail.com
Email: thestatesman@vsnl.com Email:
mumbai@thestatesmangroup.com
statesmandisplay@gmail.com sil_statesman@yahoo.co.in
thestatesmanclassified@gmail.com manuelfrancis@thestatesman.com
SHIMLA PTI him as a member of the including Covid victims, farm- was supported by the BJP
DELHI Cabin No. 305, P. C. Chambers CHENNAI NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST DSGMC on Wednesday ers and Sikh refugees from which even held meetings of
Statesman House, Near Jodha Niwas Fagun Mansion (4th floor), 26, evening. Manjit Singh GK- Afghanistan, and has won its councillors and booth level
148, Barakhamba Road, The Mall Shimla-171001, H.P. Ethiraj Road, Chennai-600 008, Tel: Ahead of the Punjab assem- led Jago party won in three the hearts of devout Sikh leaders to help the Sukhdev
New Delhi-110 001 Tel: 0177-2815000 (044) 28278037, 28224800 bly polls, the Shiromani Akali wards, while Akali Dali (Delhi) masses, he said. Singh Dhindsa Manjit
Tel: (011) 2331 5911 Email: Dal on Wednesday won the headed by Paramjit Singh Sirsa posted on Twitter: GK led front, Badal said.
Email:
Hiten Rathore delhistatesman@gmail.com crucial elections to the Delhi Sarna got 14 seats, the Direc- “We feel humbled and blessed The DSGMC which controls
delhistatesman@gmail.com
hiten.statesman@gmail.com shimla@thestatesmangroup.com
Mob: 9212192123 chennai@thestatesmangroup.com Sikh Gurdwara Management torate of Gurdwara Elections to win 27 seats out of 46 in historic shrines in the city
Tel: 011-43043793 HYDERABAD Committee (DSGMC), clinch- said. Independent candidate DSGMC elections. This win is including Rakabganj and
LUCKNOW
Ishan House (2nd floor) The Statesman Limited, 2nd ing 27 out of the total 46 seats. Tarvinder Singh Marwah won the victory of Delhi's Sangat. Bangla Sahib Gurudwaras as
2/2, Butler Palace (Near Jopling
A-90, Sector II, NOIDA, Floor, UNI Building, Buoyed by the win, the the Jangpura ward. We bow our heads to the hon- well as various academic insti-
UP 201 301 A.C. Guards, Hyderabad-500004, Road), Lucknow-226 001, third on the trot in the DSGMC SAD got 40.27 per cent of our bestowed upon Shiro- tutions and hospitals, goes to
Tel: (0120) 4171421 Ph.: (0522) 2206705 elections, Shiromani Akali the total votes polled, Akali Dali mani Akali Dal by the Sangat polls every four years.
Mob: 9866323009
Email: Email: Email: Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir (Delhi) 27.79 per cent and of Delhi.” The SAD president A total of 312 candidates
delhistatesman@gmail.com delhistatesman@gmail.com delhistatesman@gmail.com Singh Badal said it is the JAGO Party 15.72 per cent claimed that the Congress including 132 independents
delhi@thestatesmangroup.com hyderabad@thestatesmangroup.com
lucknow@thestatesmangroup.com beginning of a “storm which votes, according to data issued deputed police officers from fought the elections con-
BHUBANESWAR BANGALORE will sweep the Congress and by the directorate. Punjab to help Chief Minis- ducted on Sunday. The voting
RANCHI
Plot 3A, Zone B, Sector A, No. 68, First Floor, Gold Tower, the AAP aside” in the Punjab Addressing the media in ter Amarinder Singh's reli- had witnessed a low turnout
Mancheswar Industrial Estate, 11/C, Road#1, Ashoknagar, Ranchi
Bhubaneswar-751 010.
50 Residency Road, Bangalore- assembly polls next year. Delhi, SAD president Badal gious advisor Paramjit Sarna. of 37.27 percent, officials said.
- 834 002
Tel: (0674) 2588060/61/62/ 2586371, 560025. DSGMC president and said, This is just the beginning Our booth managers were The Punjab Bagh ward had
Fax: (0651) 2247054
Telefax: 0674-2588061 Tel.; 080-22229129, 080-22234813 SAD leader Manjinder Singh of the storm which will sweep intimidated and raids were recorded the highest per-
Email: Email: Sirsa lost to Harvinder Singh the Congress and the AAP conducted against them. A centage of voting of 54.10
Email:
bhubaneswar@thestatesmangroup.com delhistatesman@gmail.com delhistatesman@gmail.com Sarna of the Akali Dal (Delhi) aside in the 2022 Punjab large number of votes polled percent, while it was lowest
statesmanbbsr@gmail.com bangalore@thestatesmangroup.com ranchi@thestatesmangroup.com in Punjabi Bagh by 469 votes. assembly elections. in favour of SAD were reject- (25.18 percent) in Sham Nagar,
However, he is likely to Sirsa will be nominated ed resulting in the loss of as per the directorate figures.
AIR-SURCHARGE; Kathmandu - Re. 2, Eastern Region - Re. 1
All other stations in India - Re. 1 become the Sikh body's pres- as a member of the DSGMC nearly eight seats, he claimed. In the previous elections
ident again as the Shiromani on behalf of the SGPC, a state- While the Akali Dal (Delhi) held in 2017, SAD came to con-
Gurdwara Parbandhak Com- ment quoted Badal as saying. received help from the Pun- trol the DSGMC by winning
mittee (SGPC) nominated Sirsa stood by the Sangat, jab government, the Jago party 35 wards.
 03
CM Mamata Banerjee is in a hurry for holding
assembly by-polls as she wants to cling on to the chair.
WEST BENGAL BJP PRESIDENT DILIP GHOSH
DURING A MEET NEW DELHI, THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021

Sidhu responsible for Pb HC seeks Delhi govt reply

on plea to ban sex-selective
Cong unrest: Preneet
Senior MP slams rebel Cong leaders & Sidhu's advisors for damaging party ahead of polls
surgeries on intersex kids
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE ments whereas the CM ally highly condemn their PTI a ban on medically unnec- specifying the conditions
CHANDIGARH, 25 AUG showed maturity and big irresponsible remarks." NEW DELHI, 25 AUG essary, sex-selective surg- when medical surgery on
heartedness. Once high com- Coming down heavily on eries on intersex infants and intersex infants and chil-

S
enior Punjab Congress
MP Preneet Kaur today
slammed rebel party
leaders, who are seek-
ing a replacement of chief min-
ister Capt Amarinder Singh,
and held state party president
Navjot Singh Sidhu respon-
sible for the current fraught
situation in the party in the
state.
The Member of Parlia-
ment (MP) from Patiala, Kaur,
who is Capt Amarinder's wife,
asked those who have raised
a banner of revolt against the
CM to refrain from raking up
such issues as it was damag-
ing the Punjab Congress in the
run-up to the early 2022
Assembly elections.
She took on Sidhu's advi-
sors for their controversial
statements, accusing them of
"destabilising" the Congress,
and urged the party high
command to take strong
action against them.
To a question, she charged
that the Punjab Congress
chief was responsible for the
unrest in the state party unit.
"Of course Sidhu is respon-
sible, he started all this and
it is his advisors that are giv-
ing such irresponsible state-
mand decided that Sidhu
was coming, Captain
Amarinder Singh said that it
is Congress chief's decision
and I abide by it. But now Sidhu
and his gang of detractors
should also fall into line."
The former Union minis-
ter said this is not the time to
play personal politics. "If they
have any issues, they should
rake them up at the party plat-
form, but not like this. We want
a united Congress to fight
the upcoming elections," she
added.
While condemning the
remarks made by Sidhu's
advisors on Kashmir and
Indira Gandhi, Kaur said, "I
don't know from where these
people have come, the party
president should have cho-
sen responsible advisors from
within the party. It is up to the
high command now to decide
what action has to be taken
against them, but I person-
those trying to "defame" the
party for their "self-serving
goals", Kaur said the very
point that they were raising
a banner of revolt now after
enjoying power for four-and-
half-years indicated "enough
about their actions". It is not
time to indulge in blame-
game as it will damage the
party's prospects, she said, urg-
ing everyone to work togeth-
er to again ensure the Con-
gress's victory in Punjab.
On the question of some
MLAs asking for change of the
CM, Kaur said, "It is the high
command's role and they
will take a decision on that.
But I will say that the CM has
done his best, he has led the
party to many victories and
has done whatever the high
command had asked of him.
He has done good work for the
development of Punjab,
despite the pandemic and
all the monetary constraints."
The Delhi High Court
Wednesday sought response
of the Delhi government and
the Delhi Commission for Pro-
tection of Child Rights
(DCPCR) on a plea seeking
to declare a ban on medically
unnecessary sex-selective
surgeries on intersex infants
and children except in cases
of life threatening situations
here.
A bench of Chief Justice
D N Patel and Justice Jyoti
Singh issued notice to the
Delhi government and
DCPCR and asked them to
respond to the petition.
The bench listed the mat-
ter for further hearing in
October.
The petition filed by NGO,
Srishti Madurai Education-
al Research Foundation, said
the DCPCR gave a considered
opinion that the Delhi gov-
ernment and its Health
Department should declare
children except in cases of life
threatening situations but
no decision has been taken
on the opinion till date.
“The issue of sex-selective
surgeries or medically unnec-
essary normalising surgeries
has a long-lasting drastic
psychological impact on the
minds of intersex people
and deters them from even
seeking medical attention
in future. This aspect is proved
by recent news reports that
examine the reasons behind
the reluctance to seek med-
ical help despite having
symptoms of COVID-19
among a significant number
of intersex people,” the plea,
filed through advocates Robin
Raju, Yash Prakash and Deepa
Joseph, said.
The petitioner sought
direction to the government
to implement the DCPCR's
opinion and also frame a
detailed policy or guidelines
dren can be performed.
The plea said the issue of
such surgeries may not be
trending news or an issue that
gains prominence in front
pages of newspapers but it
is indeed an issue that exists
and is prevalent in the soci-
ety.
It said the cases of inter-
sex human rights violations
in India used to go unnoticed
in the past, but nowadays due
to the strong influence of
social media, such news are
being highlighted in the pub-
lic domain.
It also referred to a judge-
ment of the Supreme Court
which had stated that no
one shall be forced to under-
go medical procedures,
including sex reassignment
surgeries, sterilisation or
hormonal therapy, as a
requirement for legal recog-
nition of their gender iden-
tity.

HP Cong accuses govt of conniving
with traders to 'loot' apple growers
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
SHIMLA, 25 AUGUST
Himachal Congress chief
Kuldeep Singh Rathore on
Wednesday accused the state
government of conniving
with traders to loot apple
growers and said it is the rea-
son that prices of the cash crop
have fallen in the state.
He urged the BJP-led HP
government to save state
farmers from the "loot of
Adani group", charging that
"this year the group had
reduced the purchase price
of apples by Rs 16 which had
adversely impacted Rs 5,000
crore apple market of the
state".
“Covid and unexpected
snowfall in the month of May
has already broken the back-
bone of small farmers of the
state.
The farmers are completely
disappointed as they did not
get any relief from the state
government and they were
expecting to get a better price
this year but this will not
happen now,” he said.
Rathore stated that Con-
gress will not tolerate exploita-
tion of farmers and will stage
protests if the grievances of
the apple growers were not
resolved.
He alleged that "Ambani
and Adani have full protec-
tion of the government" and
said today the farmers were
facing the brunt of three new
agricultural laws.
He asked whether the gov-
ernment now wants that the
orchardists also commit sui-
cide like the farmers in other
states of the country and said
the cost of one apple box
comes to around Rs 450 to 500
rupees while the same was
fetching around Rs 600 in
the market.
“Since 1984, the govern-
ment used to give subsidies
on insecticides, fungicides
and other pesticides along with
agricultural equipment in
the state, but now the BJP gov-
ernment has stopped these,”
he added.
He further stated that he
had met chief minister Jai Ram
Thakur to seek relief for apple
growers on losses incurred in
weather related incidents but
neither Thakur nor the hor-
ticulture minister visited the
affected areas or provided
any relief to them.
He added that the people
of the state will take "revenge"
from the government on
injustices meted out to them
in the upcoming elections
in Himachal Pradesh.
Shimla to get 24x7 water supply soon: Minister
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
SHIMLA, 25 AUGUST
Himachal Pradesh urban
development minister Suresh
Bhardwaj on Wednesday said
the state government will
soon fulfil its promise of pro-
viding 24x7 water supply to
capital city Shimla and five
wards of the
Municipal Corporation
area will get the facility by
December 2021.
Bhardwaj stated that the
pilot project in this regard was
at the final stage which will
be completed soon.
“The Shimla water supply
and sewerage project aims to
meet the water demand of
Shimla and adjoining areas.
The proposed project will
provide 67 MLD additional
water to the town and it has
been prepared to ensure bulk
water supply to Shimla for next
30 years from a sustainable
source of Sutlej river,” he
added.
He further stated that in
a recent cabinet meeting, it
was decided that the Shimla
Water Supply and Sewerage
Services Delivery Programme
for improvement of water
supply services in the Greater
Shimla Area will be funded by
the World Bank with a total
outlay of Rs 1813 crore.
The total requirement of
the Shimla Planning area
including tourist and future
satellite towns in the year
2050 is estimated at 107 MLD.
Currently Shimla city gets
40 MLD of water from LWSS
Giri and LWSS Gumma.
Based on the studies and
need assessment carried out
under the programme, it was
decided to build a new bulk
water scheme of 67 MLD
from river Sutlej and the work
for the same had already
been awarded, the minister
said.
He added the project will
provide bulk water supply
to Shimla city thus facilitat-
ing continuous pressurized
water supply 24x7 to the peo-
ple of the area.

Turn ideas into real schemes

for poor: Jai Ram to officials
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
SHIMLA, 25 AUGUST

Himachal Pradesh chief min-

ister Jai Ram Thakur on
Wednesday urged officials to
convert concepts suggested
by political heads into schemes
for the benefit of the people,
especially the poor, and said
works that can be done as per
rules should not be delayed.
Addressing HP Adminis-
trative Service trainee officials
at Himachal Institute for Pub-
lic Administration at Mashobra
in Shimla, Thakur said the
politicians, many a time, sug-
gest or ask to do many things
but it’s true that all these
things can't be done as per being rooted to ground, he had was launched to provide plished with commitment
rules. noticed that people in rural financial assistance of Rs and conviction,” he stated.
The officer can explain areas face problems in getting 3000 per month to the fam- He further stated the mass-
the rules or difficulties in their small grievances resolved ily of a chronically ill patient, es had built a perception
doing it to the political head and they had to waste their the CM said. regarding politicians as well
but the works that can be done precious time to meet gov- He also urged the officials as government servants, thus,
as per rules should be com- ernment officials. to come up with innovative it was vital that the officers
pleted on time as these ben- It was with this objective ideas and think out of the box work with greater zeal to
efit many people or com- that the state government so that innovative programmes meet the expectations of the
munities. launched ‘Jan Manch’ pro- and result oriented policies general public.
“And sometimes it has gramme to ensure that the could be framed to ensure The officers must think out
been seen that some offi- public grievances were socio-economic upliftment of the box and ensure that they
cials pursue or work as per redressed nearer to the homes and welfare of every section leave an indelible mark on the
agenda and they delay a work and footfall in government of the society. “The govern- lives of people of the area they
for months while in reality it offices could be reduced. ment Administrative Services have served and they must also
can be completed in a week. In addition, HIMCARE officers must work with ded- ensure that the benefits of gov-
The officials, being in pub- scheme was launched to cover ication and commitment so ernment’s policies reach the
lic domain, shouldn’t follow the left-out population of the that they can meet the expec- person living at the lowest ebb.
such behaviour -- we are the state that was not covered tations of the common man He exhorted them to reach
ones who will issue orders and under the Ayushman Bharat and contribute towards the out to the beneficiaries so that
won’t do it -- as it creates a bad Yojana launched by the Union development of the state. maximum people could be
perception towards them,” he government. Whatever assignment was covered to avail the benefits
added.Thakur stated that Likewise, the Sahara Yojna provided must be accom- of development projects.

After H'yana, BJP seeks ban on use of word ‘gorakh dhanda’ in HP

STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
SHIMLA, 25 AUGUST
Days after the Haryana government
banned the use of word ‘gorakh dhan-
da’, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Chandi-
garh unit’s general secretary Rambir Bhat-
ti on Wednesday met HP chief minis-
ter Jai Ram Thakur to seek ban on use
of the word in the state.
Bhatti who was accompanied by
Akhil Bharatiya Yoginath Samaj chief Tej-
pal Singh, said the word ‘gorakh dhan-
da’ was derogatory to Guru Gorakhnath
and it hurt the sentiments of followers
of the saint.
He stated that CM Thakur had assured
him to look into the issue and had
given directions to the chief secretary
to ban the use of the word in the state.
Earlier on 18 August, Haryana chief
minister Manohar Lal Khattar had
banned the use of the word after a del-
egation of the Gorakhnath communi-
ty met him and apprised him about the
sentiments of the followers.
04
NEW DELHI, THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021
Siddaramaiah pushes Bommai govt to
accept, release caste census report soon
Lingayats, Vokkaligas feared new figures would deny them the share of political power they have been enjoying till now
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
BENGALURU, 25 AUGUST
E
ven as a section of the
Opposition leaders
from Bihar has been
pushing the Centre to
undertake a caste census, the
one initiated by Congress
chief minister Siddaramaiah,
around 2015 in Karnataka, is
gathering dust.
In fact, the sensitive nature
of the census had even forced
leaders of the dominant com-
munities like the Vokkaligas
and Lingayats in the Con-
gress, in particular, to ensure
that it was not accepted or pub-
lished. Leaders from these
communities in other par-
ties, too, were uncomfortable
with the census.
All these leaders had first
expressed their unhappiness
with Siddaramiah when he
announced the decision to go
for the census, arguing it cou-
ld lead to greater disparity am-
ong the castes besides lead-
ing to a social upheaval.
What also added to their
concern, subsequently, were
the leaked portions of the re-
port that indicated the two co-
mmunities had slipped sharply
in terms of numbers and
could not be considered dom-
inant anymore.
According to the leaked seg-
ments, the Lingayat commu-
nity accounted for about 9.8
per cent of the population
against the generally accept-
ed figure of 17 to 18, all along.
VHP demands deportation of Afghan non-Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Christians
DIPANKAR CHAKARABORTY
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
Ultra Hindu outfit and a RSS affil-
iate VHP ( Vishwa Hindu
Parishad) onWednesday urged
the Central government to
reconsider its decision to grant
non-Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist
Afghan national permission to
enter India in the wake of the
occupation of Afghanistan by
Taliban extremist forces, amid
fears of persecution by them.
“Our law is very clear on this
issue. As per Citizenship (Amend-
ment) Act, 2019 passed by the
Parliament on 11 December 2019
Indian citizenship will be grant-
ed only to persecuted religious
minorities (non-Muslims” such
as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists,
Jains, Parsis or Christians from
Afghanistan, Pakistan and
Bangladesh,’ the VHP nation-
al spokesperson Vinod Bansal
speaking to The Statesman said
here. Both the BJP, also an affil-
Kolkata’s RRRLF to jointly
launch library on wheels in J&K
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
JAMMU, 25 AUGUST
The Department of Libraries and
Research and Raja Rammo-
hun Roy Library Foundation
(RRRLF), Kolkata have decided
to jointly launch a novel initia-
tive~‘Library-on-Wheels’~ in J&K
to reach out to readers in the
remotest corners of the Union
Territory (UT) by offering free
library services at their doorstep.
Making the announcement
at the concluding session of the
two-day meeting of the UT-
Level Library Advisory-cum-
Purchase Committee (UTL-
LACPC) in Srinagar onWednes-
day, Director General, Nation-
al Library of India (NLI) and
RRRLF Kolkatta, Prof Ajay Prat-
ap Singh said the initiative
would be launched in all the dis-
tricts of J&K to make quality read-
ing material available in places
or areas where it is hard to find
a public library.
Prof Singh said the resources
for the purchase of vehicles for
Mobile Libraries would be
arranged from corporate hous-
es and philanthropic organi-
sations under CSR while the
recurring cost for these vehicles
including fuel, maintenance
and other charges would be
borne by RRRLF.
The books and other read-
NDA in Bihar split over Nitish’s
demand for caste census
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
PATNA, 25 AUGUST
The ruling NDA in Bihar ap-
pears vertically split over
the caste census issue. Even
as an all-party delegation
headed by chief minister
Nitish Kumar met Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on
Monday to seek for holding
a caste census, the BJP has
failed to lend its whole-
hearted support. Interestingly,
the BJP was a part of the del-
egation which called on the
Prime Minister.
In a twist to the story,
senior BJP leader and former
Union minister CP Thakur
opposed the demand for
holding caste census saying
there was no meaning of
conducting headcounts on
the basis of caste in the
country. He said the focus
should be on carrying out
development works, instead.
“Caste census has lost
its relevance today. It’s like
dividing the country. The
basis of the census should be
the economic status of the
Likewise, the Vokkaligas were
shocked to learn their num-
bers had slipped to 8.2 per cent
against 12 per cent to 14 per
cent earlier. Predictably, this
raised the hackles of the two
communities, which feared
the new figures would deny
them the share of political
power they have enjoyed till
now.
Not surprisingly, there-
fore, to see that the report con-
tinues to gather dust, to this
day with the Siddaramaiah
Afghan citizens protest for
the third day outside United
Nations High Commission for
refugee card, in the Capital
on Wednesday.� SNS
iate of RSS, and VHP however
don’t consider persecuted minor-
ity Muslim communities such
as Ahmadis (a sect originally from
Punjab under British rule) and
Hazaras (Persian speaking eth-
nic group from Afghanistan) and
Rohingiyyas (from Bangladesh
ing material, he said, would be
provided by J&K’s Libraries
Department with the District
Libraries serving as the base
libraries for the initiative.
He announced that on the
recommendation of UTLLACPC,
two public libraries from J&K
including Gani Memorial Cen-
tral Library, Rajouri Kadal, Sri-
nagar and District Library Samba
would be upgraded under the
centrally sponsored scheme-
National Mission on Libraries
(NML).
The Committee approved set-
ting up of IT Hubs at SRS Library
Jammu and SPS Library Srina-
gar in convergence with Smart
City Mission Jammu and Sri-
nagar.
The Committee was
informed that the Jammu Smart
City Ltd has already formulat-
ed Rs 4.30 crore DPR for upgra-
dation of SRS Library Jammu
including setting up of IT hub
while a similar proposal is under
consideration of Srinagar Smart
City.
The Committee recom-
mended that given its historic
importance and rich reposito-
ry of manuscripts and rare
books, the Oriental Research
Library, Srinagar be relocated to
the upcoming Heritage Com-
plex at Sherghari (Old Assem-
bly Complex) where it can dis-
persons, and not their caste,”
Thakur told the media today.
Stating that it was not
fair to put pressure on the
Prime Minister over the
issue, Thakur said the state
government should rather
focus on health, education
and employment for better
growth.
He said the caste census
would only create animos-
ity in the society. The poor
have no caste and they are
present across all castes.
“Caste census is not going to
help the country in any way.
The world has moved away
but we are still stuck in the
issue. This will prove suici-
dal for the country,” he said.
Opposing the idea, anoth-
er BJP leader and coopera-
tive minister Subhash Singh
government itself and the
subsequent administrations,
including the JD(S)-Congress
coalition under H D Kuma-
raswamy and the BJP, led by
B S Yediyurappa, refraining
from even accepting it. Or,
publishing it.
Now, with the Opposition
leaders mounting pressure on
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi to conduct a caste cen-
sus, Siddaramaiah has been
seeking to use the opportu-
nity to push the BJP govern-
and Burma) residing in Muslim
majority Pakistan, Bangladesh
and Afghanistan as being eligible
for Indian citizenship.
“We strongly opposed the
entry of non-Hindus (those not
covered by the CAA into India.
Accordingly, we urge both the
Central government as well as
UNHRC to take appropriate
steps to ensure that such Afghan
nationals who have already
entered India be identified and
deported back to Afghanistan,”
the VHP leader said here.
According to the VHP
Afghanistan’s non-Hindu, Sikhs,
Buddhists, Jains, Parsis or Chris-
tians were a‘threat to the nation-
al security’ as they form part of
a ‘Jehadi infiltrators’ group hell
bent on creating trouble with-
in the country hand in glove with
their other like-minded coun-
terparts. “We are in the process
of verifying reports on the entry
of some of these infiltrators
into the country and take up the
play the treasured collection of
rare manuscripts and books. It
was also recommended that the
Libraries Department should
approach the National Mission
on Manuscripts (NMM) to get
the Oriental Research Library
enlistedasaManuscriptResource
Centre.
In other decisions,
the Committee called for putting
in place a regulatory mechanism
through the Department of
Libraries & Research to regulate
the functioning of Private
Libraries & Reading Rooms
coming up in J&K.
Work is my passion and I do not want any
work to stop because of my illness
HARYANA MINSTER ANIL VIJ
SAYING HE WILL CLEAR ALL FILES PERTAINING TO HIS DEPARTMENT
Cong dilemma lingers
Chh’garh standoff
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
RAIPUR, 25 AUGUST
in the national capital with
interim Congress president
Sonia Gandhi andWayanad MP
Congress top brass and Chhat-
tisgarh chief minister Bhupesh
Rahul Gandhi. Addressing the
media at the airport, Bhupesh
tableson his rival, charging him why is the government not Baghel has been trying to draw said: “I had said earlier also that
with “having got the report writ- ready to accept it.” a veil over the change of guard I will hold this office as long as
ten.” With the state set for
Assembly polls in 2023, Sid-
Now, with the Assembly ses-
sion set to start from 13 Sep-
controversy in the state notwith-
standing, the contentious 50-50
I have their (Sonia Gandhi and
Rahul Gandhi) order to do so.
daramiah has now trained
his guns on the BJP, arguing
the backward classes commis-
tember, the first for Bommai
as chief minister, Siddara-
maiah is getting ready to put
formula appears to have been
grabbing the political perception
faster even as Baghel derided the
I’ll give up this post when I’ll be
asked to do so by them. Those
who have been chanting the
sion “did not conduct its socio- pressure on the government alleged formula and its protag- alleged formula of two-and-a-
said the move would lead to economic educational sur- to publish the report imme- onists.Visibly upset though,the half year formula are trying to
social tension and serve no vey only for one caste. So, diately. CM landed at the Raipur airport bring political instability. But they
purpose. Former Union min- after two days of hectic parleys will never succeed”
ister and parliamentarian
Ram Kripal Yadav also spoke
against the caste census.
“The BJP has been ahead of
TENDER
others when it comes to Himachal Pradesh
safeguarding the rights of the
backwards and Dalits”, he Public works Department
said. Notice Inviting Tender
Even the JD-U is divided
over the issue. Party MP RCP Sealed item rate tender on from No. 6 & 8 are hereby invited by the Executive Engineer Banjar Division, HP,PWD, Banjar on behalf of Governor of H.P. from
the eligible contractors enlisted in HP,PWD for the following works, so as to reach in this office on or before 07.09.2021 up to 3.00 PM and the tender will be opened on
Singh, recently inducted the same day at 3.30 P.M in the presence of intending contractors or their authorized representatives. The tender forms can be had from this office against cash pay-
into the Modi Cabinet, too ment (non-refundable) up to 06.09.2021 at 4.00 PM.
disapproved of the demand- The Earnest money in the shape of National Certificate/Time deposit/Saving Account in any of the post office/Saving Bank Account of Nationalized Bank in H.P.
saying: “Caste census has duly pledged in favour of Executive Engineer Banjar Division HP, PWD, Banjar must be accompany each tender. Conditional tender and the tender received without
become irrelevant today earnest money will summarily be rejected. The offer of tender shall remain open for 90 days from the date of opening. The undersigned reserves the right to reject any
or all the tenders without assigning any reasons.
when everyone is enjoying
All the contractors will have to bring with them attested copy of enlistment/ renewal/ exemption in earnest money. Contractor will be issued the tender forms
the same facilities today,” only when they fulfill the terms and condition of form No. 6 & 8 . Contractors should be registered under HP, Sales Tax Act. 1968/GST.
Singh said.
Sr. Description of item Estimated Earnest Time Cost of
However, the chief min-
No cost Money form
ister is getting full support
from Opposition parties, 1. Construction of Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O P.C.C. Toe wall& RR masonry R/wall at RD- 288099 6000 Two months 350/-
especially the RJD which 0/397.50 to 0/405)
has 75 legislators, the Con- 2. C/O Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O P.C.C. Toe wall & RR masonry R/wall at RD-0/390 to 288099 6000 Two months 350/-
gress and the Left. The kind 0/397.50)
of bonhomie seen between 3. A/R & M/O Ram Nagar Dharnadhar Km.0/0 to 1/500. .(SH:- C/O Breast wall at RD-0/100 to 0/112). 182367 3650 One month 350/-
the chief minister and Oppo- 4. RRD on Prohdhar Masu road Km.0/0 to 4/110. (SH:- Construction of Breast wall at RD-0/100 to 0/120). 322467 6450 One month 350/-
sition leader Tejashiw Yadav
5. A/R &M/O to Foot Bridge at Rahtar near Nagwain.(SH:- Repair of damaged/missing wooden ducking planks, Wheel 108475 2200 15 Days 350/-
during their visit to PM Office guard and pipe railing etc.)
is also being hotly debated
6. ROFD on Garsa Khora-age road Km.0/0 to 6/0. (SH:- C/O Retaining wall at RD-0/225 to 0/240) 482266 9650 One month 350/-
in the political circles.
7. Construction of Missing Culvert on Garsa Khora age road Km.0/0 to 6/0. (SH:- C/O 900mm dia Hume pipe culvert at 265880 5350 One month 350/-
Km.0/237.50)
ment under Basavaraj Bom- 8. Construction of Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O P.C.C. Toe wall & RR masonry R/wall at RD- 303693 6200 Two months 350/-
mai to accept and release 0/865 to 0/872.50)
the state report immediate- 9. Construction of Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O P.C.C. Toe wall & RR masonry R/wall at RD- 303693 6200 Two months 350/-
ly. 0/872.50 to 0/880)
Surprisingly, Siddaramiah 10. Construction of Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O P.C.C. Toe wall & RR masonry R/wall at RD- 253315 5100 Two months 350/-
who sees himself as the Ahin- 0/925 to 0/935)
da leader (representing the 11. Construction of Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O R/wall at RD- 1/630 to 1/640) 195309 4000 Two months 350/-
Dalits, minorities and the 12. C/O Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O P.C.C. Toe wall & RR masonry R/wall at RD-1/920 to 1/925) 335950 6800 Two months 350/-
13. C/O Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O P.C.C. Toe wall & RR masonry R/wall at RD-1/925 to 1/930) 335950 6800 Two months 350/-
OBCs), has been accusing
14. C/O Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O P.C.C. Toe wall & RR masonry R/wall at RD-1/937 to 1/942) 335487 6800 Two months 350/-
Kumaraswamy of deliber-
15. Construction of Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O P.C.C. Toe wall & RR masonry R/wall at RD- 335487 6800 Two months 350/-
ately suppressing the report
1/932 to 1/937)
during his tenure as chief
16. Construction of Khundan to Satiyaugi road Km 0/0 to 7/600. (SH:- C/O Super structure of 2 metre span slab culvert at 110011 2200 Two months 350/-
minister of the JDS-Congress RD-4/015) under SCSP).
coalition in 2019. The latter,
17. C/O Spangni Kandha roadKm 0/0 to 9/240 (Juhi to Kandha Km.0/0 to 1/300. SH:- C/O Wire Crated Retaining wall for 386782 8000 Two months 350/-
in turn, has sought to turn the dumping site in Km. 9/600 to 9/660).
18. Improvement of black on Larji Sainj road Km.0/0 to 14/0. (SH:-C/O Retaining wall at RD-13/040 to 13/055 with Crash 242234 5000 Two months 350/-
barrier)
19. C/O Spangni Kandha road 9/240 (Juhi) to vill. Kanda Km.0/0 to 1/300. SH:- C/O Retaining wall at RD-0/080 to 0/105)
20. C/O Spangni Kandha road 9/240 (Juhi) to vill. Kanda Km.0/0 to 1/300. SH:- C/O Retaining wall at RD-0/105 to 0/130)
272526
272526
5500
5500
Two months 350/-
Two months 350/-
21. C/O Spangni Kandha road Km.0/0 to 9/900. SH:- C/O Retaining wall at RD- 9/230 to 9/235) 157162 3300 Two months 350/-
matter with the authorities at 22. Resoration of rain damages on Sainj Ghat Parganoo road Km.0/0 to 9/00. (SH:-Construction of PCCRetaining wall at 207993 4200 Two months 350/-
an appropriate time,” Bansal fur- RD- 4/035 to 4/055)
ther added.“We also request the 23. Resoration of rain damages on Sainj Ghat Parganoo road Km.0/0 to 9/0. (SH:- Hiring of Excavator cum Loader for 214064 4500 Two months 350/-
UNHRC not to consider some removal of slips at various RDs).
Afghan nationals protesting 24. Resoration of rain damages on Sainj Ghat Parganoo road Km.0/0 to 9/0. (SH:- C/O PCC Retaining wall at various RDs- 339241 6800 Two months 350/-
outside their office for refugee 06/070 to 06/076, 06/085 to 06/092, 05/530 to 05/540, 05/550 to 05/562).
cards. A similar protest was 25. Resoration of rain damages on Naglari Sarchi road Km.0/0 to 16/400. (SH:- C/O R/wall at RD- 8/900 to 8/912.50). 459522 9200 Two months 350/-
also held by Rohingiyas outside 26. Resoration of rain damages on Naglari Sarchi road Km.0/0 to 16/400. (SH:- C/O R/wall at RD- 8/912.50 to 8/925). 459522 9200 Two months 350/-
the UNHCR office in 2008 27. RRD on Naglari Sarchi road Km.0/0 to 16/400. (SH:- C/O B/wall at RD- 2/0 to 2/015 & 2/990 to 3/0). 361993 7300 Two months 350/-
demanding legal permission to 28. C/O Grahon Dalwar road Km 0/00 to 2/700. (SH:-C/O Wire Crated B/Wall atRD-0/020 to 0/060). 207787 4200 Two months 350/-
stay in India.We are keeping an 29. C/O Girl Hostel in Govt. Degre College Banjar Distt.Kulu HP. (SH:-C/O Boundary wall) under RUSA) job No.1. 306916 6300 Two months 350/-
eye on the situation. Only per- 30. C/O Girl Hostel in Govt. Degre College Banjar Distt.Kulu HP. (SH:-C/O Boundary wall) under RUSA) job No.2. 306916 6300 Two months 350/-
secuted minorities non-Hindu, 31. C/O missing culvert on Ghiyagi Sajwar road Km.0/0 to 9/025. (SH:- C/O 2 mtr. Span RCC slab culvert at RD-9/025) 470326 9600 Two months 350/-
Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis or 32. C/O Ghiyagi Sajwar road Km.0/0 to 9/025. (SH:- C/O Retaining wall at RD-8/720 to 8/740) under MMSY 392985 8000 Two months 350/-
Christians from Afghanistan 33. Restoration of rain damages on Bheyot Mour to Rohlo road Km. 0/0 to 1/800. (SH:- C/O R/wall at RD- 0/900 to 0/915). 117696 2500 Two months 350/-
be allowed to enter India and 34. RRD on Banjar Khabal Dimmerchahri road Km.0/0 to 13/670. (SH:- C/O R/wall at RD- 1/230 to 1/239). 70106 1450 One month 350/-
granted visa,’ VHP national 35. A/R & M/O to Kakru Nallah to Shoghi road Km.0/0 to 14/0. (SH:- C/O R/wall at RD- 0/930 to /0945). 95129 2000 One month 350/-
spokesperson added. 36. C/O Deotha Jawali road Km.0/0 to 5/0. (SH:- C/O Breast wall at RD-4/630 to 4/645) 102034 2200 Two months 350/-
The VHP has demanded 37. A/R & M/O to Garsa to Khora-age road Km.0/0 to 6/0. (SH:- Repair of pot holes at various RDs in Km.0/0 to 3/0). 356899 7200 One month 350/-
thatthegovernmentidentifysuch 38. A/R & M/O to Rest House at Bahu Tehsil Banjar Dist.Kullu HP. (SH:- Providing and laying inter locking paver vibro 179892 3700 Two months 350/-
‘infiltrators’ and find out how, flooring on approach to Rest House Bahu).
wherefrom and why they have 39. RRD on various roads in Banjar section-I under Banjar sub division. (SH:- Hiring of Excavator-cum-Loader for removal 486780 10000 Three 350/-
entered India. Send them back. of slips in various reaches). Months
India is not a‘Dharmashala’.“We 40. RRD on Hurla Tharas Sachani road Km. 0/0 to 10/500. (SH:- C/O Retaining wall at RD-08/430 to 08/443). 186111 3750 One Month 350/-
request the government to take 41. C/O Surgeshaft to Banahu road Km.0/0 to 1/360. (SH:- C/O PCC 1:5:10 with 15% plum R/wall at RD-0/955 to 0/965) 158218 3200 Two months 350/-
a serious note of the matter. It 42. RRD on Spangni Kandha road Km.0/0 to 9/0. (SH:- C/O Breast wall at RD-6/710 to 6/720) 106040 2300 Two months 350/-
is a question of national secu- 43. C/O Hurla Tharas Suchani road Km.0/0 to 10/500. (SH:- C/O 900 mm dia Hume pipe culvert at Km.8/680) 123827 2500 Two months 350/-
rity,” Bansal further maintained. 44. C/O Pnaunala to Dhara road Km.0/0 to 2/0. (SH:- C/O Retaining wall at RD-0/570 to 0/593)under MMSY 253788 5200 Two months 350/-
45. RRD on Naglari to Sarchi road Km.0/0 to 16/500. (SH:-Removal of slips at various RDs) 458166 9200 Two months 350/-
46. Maintenance of Aut Banjar abandoned road from Aut to Larji Km.0/0 to 2/700. (SH:- Removal of slips/Debries in vari- 307201 6300 Two months 350/-
ous reaches)
47. Construction of link road from Talara to Panvi Km.0/0 to 8/240. (SH:- Formation Cutting from Km.3/780 to 3/930) 499538 10000 Two months 350/-
48. Construction of link road from Talara to Panvi Km.0/0 to 8/240. (SH:- Formation Cutting from Km.3/930 to 4/075) 499407 10000 Two months 350/-
49. Construction of link road from Talara to Panvi Km.0/0 to 8/240. (SH:- Formation Cutting from Km.4/075 to 4/225) 499808 10000 Two months 350/-
50. C/O link road from Kaliuni to Shoja Thach via Kot Pokhari, Saradhar, Jauri yuna & Machhroli (under SCCP). (SH:- 494201 10000 Two months 350/-
Formation Cutting from Km. 0/555 to 0/780)
51. RRD on Ghiagi Sajwari road Km.0/0 to 08/500. (SH:-Removal of slips at various RDs) 441566 8900 Two months 350/-
52. A/R&M/O to Rest House Banjar. (SH:- Providing, supplying and fixing of furniture) 219452 4400 One Month 350/-
53. A/R &M/O Steel Truss bridge over Sainj Khad at RD-0/0 on Sainj Fagla road. (SH:- Painting work etc.) 53413 1200 Two months 350/-
54. Metalling and Tarring on Jibhi Bahu Gadagushaini road Km.0/0 to 20/0. (SH:- Providing and Laying GSB and G-II in 496734 10000 Two months 350/-
various reaches at Km. 7/0 to 8/500).
55. Metalling and Tarring on Jibhi Bahu Gadagushaini road Km.0/0 to 20/0. (SH:- Providing and Laying GSB and G-II in 450197 9200 Two months 350/-
various reaches at Km.8/500 to 10/0).
56. C/O Lambidhar to Dheyon (Bhalidhar) road Km.0/0 to 4/660. (SH:- C/O Wire Crated R/wall at RD-1/640 to 493455 9900 Two months 350/-
1/700).(under SCCP)
57. C/O Lambidhar to Dheyon (Bhalidhar) road Km.0/0 to 4/660 under SCCP. (SH:- Formation Cutting from Km.4/315 to 499333 10000 Two months 350/-
4/465)
58. C/O Lambidhar to Dheyon (Bhalidhar) road Km.0/0 to 4/660 under SCCP. (SH:- Formation Cutting from Km. 4/465 to 499726 10000 Two months 350/-
4/570)
59. C/O Lambidhar to Dheyon (Bhalidhar) road Km.0/0 to 4/660 under SCSP. (SH:- Formation Cutting from Km. 4/570 to 444672 9000 Two months 350/-
4/660)
60. Construction of Link road from Nagothi to Dharthuari via Dandhar Km.0/0 to 7/250. (SH:- Formation Cutting at 496611 10000 Two months 350/-
Km.4/300 to 4/420) (Under SCSP)
61. Construction of Link road from Nagothi to Dharthuari via Dandhar Km.0/0 to 7/250. (SH:- Formation Cutting at 467230 9600 Two months 350/-
Km.4/420 to 4/510) (Under SCSP)
62. Construction of Link road from Nagothi to Dharthuari via Dandhar Km. 0/0 to 7/250. (SH:- Formation Cutting at 473886 9700 Two months 350/-
Km.4/510 to 04/615) (Under SCSP)
63. C/O Link road from Nagothi to Dharthuari via Dandhar Km. 0/0 to 7/250. (SH:- Formation Cutting at Km.4/615 to 491502 10000 Two months 350/-
04/720) (Under SCSP)
64. C/O Deotha to Jawali road Km. 0/00 to 4/650. (SH:- Construction of Retaining wall at RD-3/940 to 3/955) 202837 4200 Two months 350/-
65. C/O Spangani Kandha road Km.0/0 to 9/900. (SH:- C/O Retaining wall at RD- 9/235 to 9/241) 105489 2300 Two months 350/-
66. C/O Spangani Kandha road Km.0/0 to 9/900. (SH:- C/O Retaining wall at RD-9/256) 145478 3100 Two months 350/-
67. C/O Spangani Kandha road Km.0/0 to 9/900. (SH:- Removal of Formation deficiency at various reaches) 222227 2200 Two months 350/-
68. C/O Chanon to Kadahil road Km.0/00 to 2/700. (SH:- C/O Hume Pipe Culvert 900mm dia at RD- 2/050) 155303 3300 Two months 350/-
TERMS AND CONDITIONS :-
The contractors /Bidders must quote their PAN/Income Tax Number/Sale Tax number(TIN number)/GST No. on the tender along with the copy of the same be attached
with the application. The contractor/Firms should attach copy of registration/Renewal with the application, Contractor/Bidder are advised to visit and examine the site
where the work are to be carrying out and its surrounding. The contractors/Bidders should quote his rates Both in figure and words. Where there is any discrepancy
between the rates in figure and in words. The rates in words will be governed. Contractors/Bidders must inspect the site to ascertain/familiar the site condition accessi-
bility etc. Before quoting the bid/tender. Conditional and telegraphic tenders shall not be accepted and rejected straightway. Tenders received after due date and time will
be rejected. Executive Engineer reserves the right to reject or all tenders without assigning any reason.
Executive Engineer
Banjar Division,
3600/2021-2022 HIM SUCHNA AVAM JAN SAMPARK HP,PWD, Banjar

THUMBNAILS
A joint team of district for-
est department and the
Municipal Corporation of
Gurugram razes 48 illegal
farmhouses which were
built in Gwal Pahari area of
Gurugram.� IANS
Cloudburst in U'khand : A
cloudburst occurred near
Satla Devi temple in the
outskirts of Uttarakhand,
flooding rivers and str-
eams.The flood water en-
tered houses, electric po-
les and trees fell down at
places, and two-wheelers
were swept away after
the cloudburst late Tues-
day night.However, no ca-
sualty was reported. PTI
Military exercise: The Indi-
an and Kazakh armies will
conduct a 13-day military
exercise beginning August
30 with a focus on cou-
nter -terror operations in
mountainous terrain, said
the defence ministry. PTI
Subdued rainfall: North,
central and western parts
of India is likely to see sub-
dued rainfall during the
next four days,the IMD
said on Wednesday. During
the same period, the east-
ern part of the country is
likely to see an increase in
rainfall activity, it said. PTI
Rashtrapati Bhavan
invites applications
for Visitor’s Awards
2021
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
Rashtrapati Bhavan today invit-
ed online applications from fac-
ulty members and students of
Central Universities forVisitor’s
Awards 2021 in various cate-
gories. The categories are Vis-
itor’s Award for Innovation;
Visitor’s Award for Research in
(a) Humanities, Arts and Social
Sciences, (b) Physical Sciences
and (c) Biological Sciences;
and the Visitor’s Award for
Technology Development.
Applicants can apply by visit-
ing website www.presi-
dentofindia.nic.in and click
on the link ‘7th Visitor’s Award,
2021’. The last date for sub-
mitting the application is 31
October, 2021. More details
can be seen at https
://rb.nic.in/visitorawards. The
Visitor’s Awards were institut-
ed in 2014 with the aim to
promote healthy competition
among Central Universities
and motivate them to adopt best
practices from around the
world in pursuit of excellence.
‘Capt to lead Cong in 2022 polls’
Says Cong state in-charge Harish Rawat after rebels fail to get party support to remove Punjab CM
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
DEHRADUN/CHANDIGARH,
25 AUGUST
I destabilise Capt: Bhim Singh
n a jolt to rebels demand-
ing removal of Punjab
chief minister, party
general secretary and
state in-charge Harish Rawat
on Wednesday said 2022
Punjab Assembly polls will
be fought under the lead-
ership of Captain Amarinder
Singh.
Along with three Con-
gress legislators, four min-
isters including Tript Rajin-
der Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder
Singh Randhawa, Charanjeet
Si n g h Channi and
Sukhbinder Sarkaria met
Rawat in Dehradun in order
to get the CM replaced at the
earliest.
This was a day after four
ministers, claiming support
of about two dozen legisla-
tors, declared loss of faith in
the CM and decided to take
up Amarinder’s removal
with the Congress high com-
mand.
Sources said much to
their disappointment, Rawat
ruled out removing the CM
and even went further by
making it clear the next
election will be fought under
VICTORY SMILE
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal with party leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa
and others, during a Press conference on the victory of SAD in DSGMC elections, in the Capital on
Wednesday. � SNS
‘Anticipated Taliban takeover of Covid-control
Af, but timelines surprised us’ activities in
Kerala totally
PRESS TRSUT OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
Chief of Defence Staff Gen
Bipin Rawat on Wednesday
asserted that any possible ter-
rorist activity flowing out of Tal-
iban-controlled Afghanistan
and finding its way into India
will be firmly dealt with, and
suggested that the Quad nations
should boost cooperation in
the global war on terrorism.
Gen Rawat said India was
anticipating a Taliban takeover
of Afghanistan but the time-
lines of the latest develop-
ments have surprised it, not-
ing that the outfit has not
changed over the past 20 years.
He along with Commander of
the US Indo-Pacific Com-
mand Admiral John Aquilino
was speaking at an interactive
session organised by the
Observer Research Foundation
(ORF).
In his remarks, Admiral
Aquilino referred to challenges
that India has been facing,
specifically with regard to ‘sov-
ereignty on the Line of Actu-
al Control’ as well as the ‘foun-
It is unfortunate that people who do politics from behind the
scenes also run the government at the Centre and in the states
REFERRING TO NIMBARAM, WHO IS MENTIONED IN A CASE REGISTERED AGAINST RAJARAM GURJAR
Punjab crisis attempt to
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
JAMMU, 25 AUGUST
Prof Bhim Singh,president
of J&K National Panthers
Party, on Wednesday advised
the Punjab Congress chief
Navjot Sidhu not to let his
identity be ‘misused’ by his
advisors for issuing con-
troversial statements on
Kashmir.
In a statement, Bhim
Singh hoped that in future
Sidhu would not allow his
advisors to make such state-
ments that are against
the leadership of Amarinder
Singh.
“Four ministers and three
M L A s m e t m e. T h e y
expressed their concerns
and said that they’re con-
cerned about the chances
of the party’s victory in the
state. They said they’re not
against anyone, they want
to go to the polls with a clear
dational security concerns’ in
the South China Sea region, in
a clear reference to China’s
aggressive behaviour.
The Chief of Defence Staff
said India is committed to
ensuring a terrorist-free envi-
ronment in the region.
Gen Rawat said New Delhi
was concerned about the pos-
sibility of terrorist activities from
Afghanistan impacting India
and contingency plans were
put into place to deal with such
a challenge.
Jaishankar discusses Af situ-
ation with Dominic:
External Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar on Wednesday
spoke to his British counter-
part Dominic Raab on the
developments in Afghanistan
in the backdrop of Taliban
seizing control of the country.
RAJASTHAN CONGRESS PRESIDENT GOVIND SINGH DOTASARA
national interest.
“Such statements issued
by his assistants who have
no locus stand in Punjab or
India’s politics will hurt the
country.” It is below Sidhu’s
heroic personality, dignity
and national interest.
Bhim Singh described it
a ‘conspiracy’ to destabilise
Capt Amarinder Singh, chief
minister, for their own vest-
ed interests. Capt Amarinder
Singh has been a great
leader and has sustained all
attacks and propagandas by
BJP, he added.
roadmap so that we win.
They also had some griev-
ances about the function-
ing of the state and district
administrations. If a Con-
gress MLA considers him-
self insecure and thinks
that the administration can
try to make them lose or
work against them, then
it’s a matter of concern,”
failed: Satheesan
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,
25 AUGUST
Opposition leader in the Ker-
ala Assembly V D Satheesan
on Wednesday said Covid-
control activities in the state
have totally failed and blamed
the LDF government for being
a ‘scarecrow’ in combating the
pandemic.
Speaking to media per-
sons here, he urged the gov-
ernment to revive its existing
strategies and methodology
for the management of the
deadly disease.
Satheesan said the state
government has been fudg-
ing the health statistics and
asked the government to re-
veal accurate health data so
that the third wave can be com-
bated.
He said the Opposition
has been observing the Covid
situation in the state which is
not good and the chief min-
ister has turned to be a mute
spectator.
“Just look into the figures
and Covid is raging. Kerala
leads the country in all indi-
cators. We demand the pre-
sent expert committee which
is taking care of the Covid affairs
be reconstituted as it has
failed miserably,” he said.
Stating that the Opposition
has no intention to politicise
this issue, the senior Con-
gress leader said all that they
want is that the suffering of
the people should end.
Rhino horns
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
GUWAHATI, 25 AUGUST
Assam government, which
has started the process to
verify around 2,500 rhino
horns seized from poachers,
smugglers or extracted from
dead animals over the last four
decades, has completed the
verification of 261 horns,
where 241 have been marked
for destruction and 18 for
preservation.
Bhim Singh strongly
condemned the remarks
made by Sidhu’s assistants
and said it is unfortunate
that a person of the status
of Sidhu, a hero of the peo-
ple of India for his cricket
excellence, is allowing his
assistants to make such
statements about J&K
which can be dangerous for
the security and the unity
of the State and harm the
national security and inte-
gration of the people of J&K
with the rest of the coun-
try.
Rawat said after the meet-
ing.
In a warning to Navjot
Singh Sidhu who has recent-
ly courted controversy over
the remarks of his advisors
and closeness to the anti-
Amarinder ministers and
legislators, Rawat said Pun-
jab Congress chief needs to
mend his ways.
Chidambaram arrives in Goa,
to talk strategy for 2022 polls
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
PANAJI, 25 AUGUST
Former Union minister and
newly-appointed AICC elec-
tion observer for Goa, P Chi-
dambaram, on Wednesday
arrived in the coastal state for
a two-day visit during which
he is likely to discuss the
party's strategy with local
leaders for the Assembly
polls, due in February next
year.
A senior Congress leader
didn’t rule out the possibil-
ity of Chidambaram holding
pre-poll alliance talks during
his visit. This is Chi-
dambaram’s maiden visit to
Goa after he was appointed
the AICC election observer
for the coastal state. Earlier
in the day, Chidambaram
was received at the Goa air-
port by state Congress chief
Girish Chodankar, Leader of
Opposition Digambar Kamat
and other leaders.
Chidambaram, however,
refused to answer the ques-
tions of reporters. “Later…
later… I am here…,” he told
media persons.
Chidambaram also didn’t
reply when asked if Con-
gress will retain Girish
Chodankar as the Goa unit
president or replace him
with an eye on polls. Mean-
while, Chodankar didn't rule
out the holding of pre-poll
alliance talks during Chi-
dambaram’s visit.
“Everything related to
upcoming elections would be
discussed,” he told when
asked about the possibility
of Chidambaram holding
pre-poll discussions.
The Congress won the
highest 17 seats in the 40-
member House in the 2017
Goa Assembly elections,
restricting the main opponent
BJP to 13. But the saffron party
moved swiftly to ally with
regional parties and came to
power under the leadership
of senior leader Manohar
Parrikar, now deceased. Over
years, Congress’s strength in
the Legislative Assembly
dwindled to five after many
of its MLAs switched sides and
joined the ruling BJP.
Chodankar had resigned
last year after Congress fared
poorly in Zilla Panchayat
05
NEW DELHI, THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021
Sting video: TN BJP removes
YouTuber Madan, associate
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Raghavan resigned from the
CHENNAI, 25 AUGUST general secretary post, though
“Sidhu has come from a he denied any involvement in
different environment and
we have entrusted him with
the responsibility of the
Tamil Nadu BJP landed in an
emberassing situation after the
resignation of its state general
the sleaze.
A party Press statement on
Wednesday said Ravichan-
post of Congress president secretary K T Raghavan, who dran and Geethaiyan have
in Punjab after seeing many has been accused of having been removed from their
things. It does not mean sex chat with a woman, and party posts for releasing videos
that the entire Congress has subsequent dismissal of its that go against the party ideals.
been handed over to him. member and YouTuber Madan “We ask administrators and
The truth is that we will go Ravichandran and his asso- party cadres not to have any
to the polls in 2022 under the ciate, Venba Geethaiyan, from interaction with them in mat-
leadership of Amarinder party’s primary membership ters related to the party,” the
Singh,” he said. for releasing the video, there- statement said. It also said Ravi-
He said there's no threat by “crossing party lines”. chandran and Geethaiyan
to the party or government Ravichandran and his asso- met TN BJP president K Anna-
in Punjab. ciate Geethaiyan had threat- malai and said they would
Meanwhile, another del- ened the party that they had cooperate with the party’s
egation comprising Punjab conducted sting operations on investigating committee to
Pradesh Congress Com- 15 BJP leaders and would be led by state secretary
mittee general secretary in- release the videos one by one. Malarkodi.
charge Pargat Singh has Ravichandran, a journal- Ravichandran claimed that
already reached Delhi and ist and also a BJP member, they had shown the video
is trying to meet Congress released a sting video of Ragha- evidence to party chief K
general secretary KC Venu- van, where he is seen having Annamalai who said that it
gopal. a sexually explicit chat with would take at least six months
Back in Punjab, two more a woman and subsequently for any action to be initiated.
Members of Legislative
Assembly, who attended the
Tuesday meeting following
which the demand for the
CM's removal was made,
backtracked.
They include Nathu Ram
and Satkar Kaur. Nathu Ram
said he never conveyed to
anyone that he wanted the
CM replaced and that he was
unhappy with his work.
elections in Goa, but the
party is yet to accept his res-
ignation.
As per speculation,
Chodankar is likely to be
replaced with another senior
leader in the run-up to the
Assembly polls. A Goa Con-
gress functionary had said
Chidambaram will meet lead-
ers and discuss a party strat-
egy for the polls during his
visit.
Chidambaram will inter-
act with PCC office-bearers,
frontal bodies of Congress,
district and block presidents
and receive inputs, Goa
Pradesh Congress Commit-
tee vice president (Organi-
sation) M K Sheikh had said.
He will visit the Congress
House in Panaji on August 25
and travel to the South Goa
District Office of the party for
a meeting on 26 August ,
according to Sheikh.
The Aam Aadmi Party
(AAP) has already thrown its
hat in the ring ahead of the
polls, with the party’s nation-
al convener and Delhi chief
minister Arvind Kejriwal
announcing free power up to
300 units per month if his
party is voted to power dur-
ing his visit to Panaji in July.
06 NEW DELHI, THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021 Vol. CXXXXXV 200

Incorporating and directly descended

None Like Her A MEMBER
OF THE

from THE FRIEND OF INDIA - Founded 1818

Filmy tales
I t is a truism that an authoritarian streak runs
through those in power irrespective of the nature
of the governing system. In India and other
democracies, however, that is mitigated to an extent
by the Constitutional scheme of things and the insti-
Today, on her 111th birth anniversary we need to be reminded how and where she ASIAN VOICES
began her life‘s work. She had enlisted as a Loreto nun when she was but 18, because
Solidarity against
she learned that was her only route to India. While she loved her work and the camaraderie
of the nuns, she slowly realised that her true vocation lay not in the security of the Covid-19
C
Loreto convent, but in the meaner streets and slums of her city ovid-19 is still ravaging the
world, with its variants creating

tutions in place peopled by those elected to govern
on the basis of universal adult franchise. Not so in
China. That is the crucial difference, despite some
obvious common and valid concerns around free-
dom of expression, between the recent decision of
the Indian government to abolish the Film Certifica-
tion Appellate Tribunal (FCAT), and the China-con-
trolled Hong Kong government’s announcement a
couple of days ago that it plans to introduce an
amendment Bill on film censorship in the territory’s
Legislative Council (LegCo) next month to ward off
what it terms “national security risks”.
To illustrate the point, the abolition of FCAT ~
the place disgruntled filmmakers walked into as a
penultimate resort to challenge changes to their films
recommended by the Central Board of Film Certifi-
cation (CBFC) ~ was not only met by a wave of criti-
cism with filmmakers questioning the necessity of
such a move but has now forced the government to
consider re-establishing it.
Also, the ordinance which scrapped the FCAT
was, the government was at pains to argue at the
time, part of a larger effort to streamline the func-
tioning of the numerous tribunals in the country that
had “not been functioning well” given their adminis-
tration was dependent on a nodal agency that was a
ministry of the government, vacancies were unfilled,
and recruiting competent presiding officers was an
issue. The Hong Kong Film Censorship (Amendment)
Bill 2021 which will be gazetted on Friday and is
expected to be tabled in the LegCo on 1 September
for first and second readings, on the other hand, has
no such pretentions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Hong Kong
government set out unambiguously that the legisla-
tion aims to enhance film censorship to ensure the
effective safeguarding of national security as required
by the National Security Law for Hong Kong which
was implemented in the Asian financial hub a year
ago. The Bill, which was approved by the Chief Exec-
utive in Council on Tuesday, “aims to prevent and
suppress acts or activities that may endanger nation-
al security”.
According to Chinese media reports, it has been
specifically written into the proposed law that a cen-
sor would need to consider whether the exhibition of
a film would be contrary to the interests of national
security so as to provide clear statutory backing for a
censor to give due consideration to such security
when making a decision. In fact, the Bill gives the
administration the right to direct the Film Censorship
Authority to revoke any approval/ exemption if a film
doesn’t comply with the rules and stipulates a three-
year prison sentence and fine of HK$1 million for
those violating the law. The fruit of freedom of
expression hangs far too high on the tree of democ-
racy for Chinese citizens to pluck.
Mr Blair’s qualms
T
he day was 5 September
1997. Thousands had
gathered in Kolkata to
say farewell to a nun who
had completed her life’s mission.
Her name had become synony-
mous with the conscience of that
city. From the Netaji Indoor sta-
dium where VIPs from all over
the world had gathered to pay
their respects, the funeral cortège
proceeded slowly through streets
crowded with mourners. It took
four hours to reach Mother
House, the headquarters of the
worldwide Missionaries of Chari-
ty, the organisation that Mother
Teresa had founded a half centu-
ry earlier, and where she herself
lived in a tiny room.
Jyoti Basu, the formidable
Chief Minister of West Bengal
and the only person with whose
name Mother used the prefix “my
friend”, had acceded to the her
Order's request that her body be
buried in Mother House itself.
Only about 300 Sisters of her mis-
sion could squeeze into the
place. As her coffin was lowered
into the grave, an unexpected VIP
slipped in quietly. It was Hilary
Clinton who wanted to be pre-
sent at the funeral. Quite by
chance, she came to be standing
near my wife, Rupika and me.
When a young Sister reque-
sted Mrs Clinton to say a few
words, she spoke movingly of
Mother Teresa’s extraordinary life
of compassion and her whole-
hearted service to the poorest of
the poor. As she looked around
the room she also paid tribute to
the Sisters of her Order when she
said that in every face she saw,
she recognised both the face and
spirit of Mother Teresa.
Today, on her 111th birth
anniversary we need to be remi-
nded how and where she began
her life’s work. She had enlisted
as a Loreto nun when she was
but 18, because she learned that
was her only route to India. While
she loved her work and the
camaraderie of the nuns, she
slowly realised that her true voca-
tion lay not in the security of the
Loreto convent, but in the mean-
er streets and slums of her city.
The Vatican gave her the extraor-
dinary permission to step out,
not as a lay teacher but as a nun
with her vows intact.
She was 38. She had no com-
panion, no helper and only a five
them their only hot meal of the
day.
Although a staunch and
devout Catholic, she reached out
to people of all denominations,
irrespective of their faith, or even
their lack of it. She did not beli-
eve that conversion was her
work. That is why people of all
faiths were so accepting of this
dimunitive nun. I once asked
Jyoti Basu what he, an atheist and
a Communist, could possibly
have in common with Mother
Teresa for whom God was every-
thing. He replied simply, “We
both share in love for the poor”.
When she was ill, he visited her in
hospital as often as he could.
When he was ill, she would lead a
band of Sisters to his house to
pray for his recovery.
I feared that when she
passed away the Order would
shrink. But the opposite hap-
pened. Young women continued
to join her Order. Nor did funding
shrink. From India and the world,
people contributed what they
could. The Order expanded into
135 countries. Sister Prema, a
nun of German origin, heads the
Order. She has refused to accept
the title of Mother.
kept a diary of the early months sionary of Charity sisters. Volun- The last two years that have
which I was privileged to read, teers flocked to help in little ways. ravaged the world with Covid
wherein she wrote of her early It was then that Desmond Doig, a have also caused the Sisters to
hardships. When a hospital refu- well known columnist for The comply with local regulations
sed to admit a man who was Statesman began to follow her and slow down their street work.
dying, she begged the munici- work. Nieces of Dr BC Roy, the But as regulations are gradually
pality to loan her a disused hall then chief minister of West Ben- relaxed in different parts of the
near the Kalighat temple. Here gal, volunteered to help. Mother world, they have restarted their
she started a hospice where the Teresa's mission of compassion work, stepping back on the
abject poor, whom became a reality. streets to look after the destitute
no hospital would We know whe- and those who have fallen by the
accept, came. Hos- re she left off. By the wayside.
pitals were few and time she died in The world lavished Mother
far between and 1997, she had cre- Teresa with awards and medals.
did not want to off- ated a worldwide She was invariably received in
er a bed to some- mission of compas- the halls of power. But that is not
one most likely to sion of over 600 where her heart lay.
die. Her inmates institutions in 123 I can do no better to con-
were rickshaw pul- countries. She cre- clude than by quoting John
lers and load carri- ated shelters for the Sannes, then chairman of the
ers, many suffering NAVIN
leprosy affected, Nobel Committee when he con-
from TB and mal- CHAWLA Shishu Bhawans for ferred on her the Nobel Peace
nutrition. Where abandoned infants Prize. “The hallmark of her work
The writer, a retired IAS
was she to find officer and former Chief and children, hom- has been respect for the individ-
them food and me- Election Commissioner of es for the dying, old ual and the individual's worth
India, is the biographer of
dicines? As she had Mother Teresa. His royalties age shelters, hos- and dignity. The loneliest and the
no money, she tau- have been largely ploughed pices for AIDS pati- most wretched,the dying desti-
ght herself to beg.
back into the NGO he
ents when the dis- tute, the abandoned lepers have
founded for children of
She was often rebu- leprosy patients ease was at its dea- all been received by her and her
ffed. She would tell dliest, feeding cen- Sisters with warm compassion
me over the years that for human tres throughout Africa and Asia, devoid of condescension, based
beings the greatest fear is that of and shelters wherever war and on her reverence for Christ in
humiliation. It was difficult but conflict was at its height. Over
she learned to overcome this the years I accompanied her to
man… In her eyes the person
who, in the accepted sense, is the
new waves of infection around
the globe. At this critical juncture, we
should have united as one to fight the
virus. However, attention has been dis-
tracted from time to time, as certain
countries take advantage of Covid-19
origin-tracing to smear others and
serve their political agenda. At the
onset of Covid-19, China reported the
latest developments to the World
Health Organisation (WHO) at the ear-
liest possible time. Since then China
has shared its response experience
with the international community in
a timely manner, assisted over 150
countries and international organisa-
tions with medical supplies to the best
of its capability, and led the largest-
scale global vaccine cooperation, thus
making outstanding contributions to
global public health security. China
has all along taken a scientific appr-
oach to the global cooperation in sci-
ence-based origin-tracing. WHO
experts were invited twice to China for
research. They went to all the places
they wanted to go and met all the peo-
ple they wanted to meet. Then the
report by the WHO-China joint study
team was released in March this year,
presenting the most authoritative, pro-
fessional and science-based conclu-
sions on origin-tracing. According to
the report, experts concluded that “a
laboratory leak is extremely unlikely”
and put forward important recom-
mendations, including “searching for
possible early cases on a global scale”
and “studying the possibility of cold-
chain transmission of virus”. The
report also sets out detailed recom-
mendations for what next steps should
be taken to trace the virus. Chinese
experts also took the initiative to sub-
mit China’s proposal on the second
phase of origin-tracing to the WHO
international experts have fully
affirmed China’s openness and trans-
parency during the research process,
the outcome of which is the scientific
and authoritative report that forms the
basis for the next stage of tracing. Yet
in the meantime, certain countries are
obsessed with politically motivated
origin-tracing. They have turned a
blind eye to those science-based and
authoritative conclusions and spread
false information and lies to distort the
positions of other countries. China’s
position on global origin-tracing is
consistent and clear-cut. First, origin-
tracing is a matter of science. It should
be and can only be left to scientists to
identify, through scientific research,
the possible zoonotic source and ani-

T ony Blair, the former British Prime Minister rupee note. Any large city can be deepest of fears. her Leprosy home in Titagarh recipient is also the giver and the mal-human transmission routes. No
who had deployed troops in Afghanistan 20 a dangerous place. Kolkata had Very soon people began to near Kolkata and saw how deeply one who gives the most. Giving - country has the right to put its own
years ago ~ after the 9/11 catastrophe ~ has been ravaged first by the infa- notice this strange looking wom- society had stigmatised the giving something of oneself - is political interests above people’s lives,
claimed that the US decision to withdraw from the mous famine and more recently an. A nun yes, but not dressed in inmates. Nor was her mission what confers real joy, and the nor should a matter of science be
by the traumatic partition of Ben- the habit of Europeans. Instead confined to India. In London, I person who is allowed to give is politicised for the purpose of slander-
embattled country has had “every jihadist group gal. Her early steps were very dif- she wore a cheap white sari with helped her Sisters distribute hot the one who receives the most ing and attacking others. Second, the
around the world cheering”. In a lengthy essay posted ficult. Between tears of longing blue stripes, similar to those soup to the city's homeless on a precious gift… This is the life of findings and recommendations of the
on his website last Saturday ~ the day before Kabul to go back to the security of her worn by the municipal sweep- freezing night. And she helped Mother Teresa and her Sisters, a WHO-China joint study report are
fell to the Taliban ~ Mr Blair said the sudden and beloved Convent, and heeding resses. But people recognised demystify the Vatican by cajoling life of strict poverty and long widely recognised by the international
chaotic pullout that enabled the Taliban to reclaim God's call that he wanted her to goodness where they saw it. Pope Paul Two to give her a hall, days and nights of toil thar community, especially scientists, and
power risked undermining everything that had been help the poorest of the poor on Some of her Loreto students where Rome’s poor lined up each affords little room for other joys must be respected and implemented
achieved in Afghanistan over the past two decades, the streets, she persevered. She joined her order as the first Mis- evening for her Sisters served but the most precious.” by all parties including the WHO.
notably advances in the standard of living and edu-
cation of girls. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR editor@thestatesman.com
He accused President Biden of obeying what he
called an “imbecilic political slogan about ‘Ending
the forever wars’.” Caustically, he has noted: “It is
almost as if our engagement in 2021 was remotely Consequence of mismanagement MATTER OF CHOICE
comparable to our commitment 20 or even 10 years SIR, Bhopinder Singh is absolutely spot-on in his bril-
ago”. And then the punchline - “It is so obvious that SIR, The two-part article, effect ot total political maintained tacit ties with ilies there, who then get liant article “Chinese flexibility” (22 Aug). In order to
the decision to withdraw the boots on the ground in Kashmir Cauldron by Arun mismanagement? our Union government lured into militancy. Kash- snatch the No. 1 position in military power from Amer-
this way was driven not by grand strategy but by pol- Kumar Banerji (The States- Accession of many flourished in the valley. mir, it appears, always has ica China is emulating the US path.
itics.” The reference quite clearly is to politics in man, August 17-18) is inter- princely states was done in a More or less, all the power been treated as a step-child. The US has in its hand the leadership of Nato and
esting because of its depic- shabby manner, especially hungry leaders there, in the Without any soul-sear- Quad. China has the leadership of SCO and the Dragon
America. The former British Prime Minister, whose
tion of the current situation that of Kashmir, where garb of Pan-Islamism, used ching on our part, is it prop- is now engaged in befriending the Islamic Emirate of
reputation in the United Kingdom had plummetted in the context of major inci- almost no heed was paid to the affinity to their own er to blame only external Afghanistan, pariah North Korea, junta-led Myanmar
from the failure to find the weapons of mass destruc- dents of the past few the will of commonfolk. benefit. forces? Aren't we assisting and terror hub Pakistan to counterbalance the USA.
tion that was cited as the raison d’etre for the Anglo- decades. It appears that a long- It is useless to blame them with our policies? Come what may, the Chinese coalition won’t carry
US coalition’s invasion of Iraq in March 2003, had While agreeing with all lasting bone of contention Pakistan for all such unrest, Yours, etc., Nilanjan much weight if Russia were not with China.
been a prime mover in the actions initiated two the concern and anxiety was planted between two onus also could be placed Mukhopadhyay, It is now going to be a tussle between the coali-
decades ago. regarding the of political newborn countries at the upon our national leaders, Kolkata, 18 August. tion of authoritarian states and that of democratic ones.
Britain, he said, has a moral responsibility to stay vendetta of neighbouring active behest of superpow- always involved in dilly-dal- The world should be acutely aware of who to support.
in Afghanistan “until everyone who needs to be evac- countries, I feel that a few ers of that time, supple- lying tactics there. Yours, etc.; Aranya Sanyal,
points which paved the way mented by the clumsy and While the government BANK ACCESS Siliguri, 22 August.
uated in taken out.” He said: “We must evacuate and
for the uneasy calm we see suspect behaviour of the is concerned about the SIR, This is with reference to
afford sanctuary to those Afghans specicifically those there presently are missing. head of our Government. spread of militancy and anx- the article, ‘Financial litera-
who helped us, stood by us and have the right to Isn’t the birth of this At the cost of the con- ious about its source, it is cy’ (21 August) by Moin financially illiterate. It is also The argument of the
demand that ‘we stand by them’...Like other nations, state of Jammu and Kashmir tinuous sufferings of the least concerned about the Qazi. It is true that most citi- true that they had no access court leads to the question:
Britain is trying to evacuate Afghan allies as well as its within the Indian union an common folk, leaders who children of low income fam- zens of our country are to banks. why is the girl student not
own citizens from Afghanistan.” But there is little Only a few days ago equally “bright” and not
doubt that Britan is engaged in a race against time. Prime Minister Narendra have similar prospectsr? IIT,
Apart from the 4,000 or so citizens of the UK, the Modi had taken the "Janad- Guwahati is a premier insti-
country is believed to have around 5,000 Afghan han prakalpa" and almost all tute where only so-called
allies, such as translators and drivers who have a our citizens opened ac- “bright” students get an
counts in banks. But in the entry. Sex discrimination
reserved seat on the plane.
absence of financial literacy, on the basis of merit is
Mr Blair conceded that mistakes were made over they cannot operate these unlawful.
the past two decades, even as the Ministry of Defence accounts. How can a privileged
let it be be known on Sunday that nearly 4,000 people Yours, etc., Tapomoy Ghosh, position help to come out of
had been evacuated thus far. “Today we are in a Purba Bardhaman, a crime as serious as rape ?
mood which seems to regard the ‘bringing of democ- 23 August. Who will judge the mental
racy’ as a utopian delusion and intervention of any trauma of the girl?
sort as a fool’s errand”. When unconsenting sex
QUESTIONABLE between husband and wife
That said, given its current position in the Group
of Seven, Mr Blair has warned that relegating Britain SIR, Recently, a male stu- is considered as rape, the
dent of IIT Guwahati, court’s order to release a
to the “second division’ of global powers, has certain accused of raping his girl- rapist on the basis of his
inbuilt risks. As Afghanistan teeters on the brink, and friend, was discharged from merit raises more questions
thousands scramble to get out, the former British police custody, as the court than it answers.
Prime Minister, discredited though he may be in his observed that the male stu- Yours, etc., Shovanlal
own country, is a critic the West and its allies cannot dent was "bright" and had Chakraborty,
ignore easily. promising career prospects. Kolkata, 24 August.

Taliban takeover will have
environmental impacts
ABHIROOP CHOWDHURY, ALIYA
NAZ AND ARMIN ROSENCRANZ
A
fghanistan is again under
Taliban’s control. On 8 July
2021, President Biden
defended the US pull-out of
Afghanistan by focusing on the supe-
riority of the 300,000 trained Afghan
soldiers over only 75,000 Taliban
fighters.
Internal and international con-
flicts are not new for this region. 1978-
79 marked the beginning of modern
hostilities in Afghanistan when Soviet
forces sought to control this geopo-
litically strategic central Asian nation.
In that war, the Soviet Union support-
ed the Afghan communist govern-
ment against the Mujahedeen mili-
tias. The North Atlantic Treaty Orga-
nization (NATO) supplied monetary
support and ammunitions to these
Mujahedeen. Soviet troops tried to
assert dominance until 1989.
In 1991-92, the Soviet Union col-
lapsed, along with their efforts to con-
trol Afghanistan. This futile conflict
impacted more than 1.5 million
Afghans. The ‘political vacuum’ that
followed the end of the cold war insti-
gated the transformation of the ini-
tially ‘freedom’ fighting group of
Mujahedeen to the radical Taliban.
Their idea of establishing pan
Islamic nations across the globe and
their role in numerous human right
violations, made international bodies
enforce strict economic-military
sanctions on this regime. This pushed
them closer to terrorist groups such
as Al-Qaeda. Ultimately, these strings
of political events led to the 9/11
attack of 2001, the worst terrorist
attack in the modern era. Again, it
brought conflict back in the biodiver-
sity-rich, climate change impacted
Afghanistan.
Situated in the cross-roads of
Central Asia - China and the
Himalayas - Afghanistan has unique
biodiversity and fragile ecosystems.
This landlocked war-torn nation is
part of the ‘Central Asian Biodiversity
hot spot’ as per ‘Conservation Inter-
national’. This unique landscape is
Shadows of an attempted coup
MAHIR ALI
W
hen the Red Army finally
exited Afghanistan in
February 1989, crossing
the Friendship Bridge
into Uzbekistan with somewhat more
dignity than witnessed in this year’s
American exodus, the last in line was
the commander of the occupying
forces, Boris Gromov.
A little more than two years later,
he was on the periphery of the
attempted putsch that sought to pre-
serve the old Soviet Union. Gromov
was deputy interior minister in 1991,
and his boss, Boris Pugo, was a key
conspirator. Gromov and fellow gen-
eral Pavel Grachev had drawn up
CROSSWORD
home to approximately 5000 species
of flora and fauna.
The 2009 census indicated
around 4,000 native species of vascu-
lar plants, 515 species of birds, 150
species of mammals, 139 species of
fish, 112 species of reptiles, and 6-8
species of amphibian found in this
eco-region. The snow leopard - the
shy, mountain dwelling predator - is
on top of this alpine food chains.
Afghanistan is worst hit by the
vagaries of climate change. The severe
2018 draught has impacted 13.5 mil-
lion Afghans. Temperature rise has
already been impacting the melting
rate of glaciers. July 2018 saw the col-
lapse of a dam due to rapid melting of
glaciers near Herat, the third most
important city.
These long conflicts have
degraded the natural resources and
biodiversity. Deforestation and land
degradation goes unchecked across
the nation. Afghanistan lost about
1.85 thousand hectare of tree cover
between 2001 and 2020. Illegal
wildlife hunting and timber trade also
increased. The Taliban used the
opium trade and mineral exports
through illegal mining to accumulate
funds for their campaigns. This accel-
erates deforestation.
Even during the NATO supported
President Ashraf Ghani regime, the
rural areas and important roadways
were still held by Taliban that facili-
tated their trade and monetary influx.
Political analysts aver that ‘whoever
held the roads rules Afghanistan’.
The groundwater level decreased
through overexploitation in these
years. About 80 per cent of the popula-
tion of Afghanistan is dependent on
the natural resources for its livelihood.
Amidst the conflicts, in 2005, the ruling
Government (Afghan president Hamid
Karzai) established the National Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency (NEPA).
The basic aim of NEPA is to combat
climate change, preserve natural her-
itage and resources, ensure sustain-
able development as per UN SDG
goals and mitigate environmental pol-
lution issues. All of these pro-environ-
mental ventures are now in shadows.
plans to storm the Russian parlia-
ment based in what was known as
Moscow’s White House.
However, both generals changed
their minds on the day after the coup,
earning the gratitude of Boris Yeltsin.
The plot was masterminded by KGB
chief Vladimir Kryu-chkov, and the
idea broadly was to either topple
Mikhail Gorbachev or, preferably,
compel him to capitulate, and to roll
back most of the reforms instituted
since 1985.
By that stage, the USSR was in a
mess. Gorbachev’s reforms had
unleashed unanticipated forces.
Glasnost had been a tremendous
success — and it meant that all those
critical of the government’s direction
YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION
NOTE: Figures in parentheses denote the number of letters in the words required. (By arrangement with The Independent, London)
When the international commu-
nity is alarmed by the recent develop-
ments in Afghanistan, China, its
largest neighbour, seemed not both-
ered by the events in its backyard. The
17 August statement of China made it
clear that they are willing to work with
the new government provided they
revoke their support to the East
Turkestan Islamic Movement. This
movement advocates independence
of Uyghur Muslims under Chinese
dominance and allegedly has close
saw no reason to hold back. Pere-
stroika though had floundered.
As Gorbachev laments in his var-
ious memoirs, local branches of the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
(CPSU) decided they were no longer
under any obligation to religiously
abide by Moscow’s diktat. So, where it
interfered with their vested interests,
they simply flouted the party line,
knowing that the repercussions
would not be drastic.
The Chinese leader Deng Xiaop-
ing, accor-d-ing to his son, described
Gorbachev as “an idiot” for pursuing
this path. In Deng’s view, any mean-
ingful economic reforms were
doo-med to failure without the Com-
munist Par-t-y’s coercive clout; polit-
ACROSS
7 Close-fitting leotard I
flat? (6)
20 Increase scope of criminal
case and others under
modelled (8)
9 American expelled from
review (8)
country for going without
22 Messenger from wedding
cycled round front of
fare (6)
church (6)
10 Player worries when start
23 Ordered cadet that is
of test is delayed (4)
11 Unpalatable cases initially
controlling tank to turn
cause revulsion beyond
off (10)
24 Send out introduction to
belief (10)
elite university (4)
12 Taste is pretty much
25 Reverse management's
wasted on writer (6)
14 Man pledged backing from
reshuffle after married
French Resistance (8)
man is dismissed (6)
26 Support Harry meeting the
15 Improve state of disturbed
Queen in person (8)
heartless children (6)
17 This fish looks and sounds
ties with the Taliban. China has been
criticized extensively for its human
rights violations against Islamic
minorities including Uyghurs across
the globe. This brings a new enviro-
political perspective on Afghan insta-
bility. The ‘Belt and Road’ initiative of
China requires support of the Afghan
government. The international com-
munity is debating the alleged role of
China in promoting the illegal
wildlife trade resulting in poaching
of several endangered species such
ical reform could wait.
We have seen, though, how that
has wor-ked out in the context of
China, where state-sanctioned capi-
talism has thrived whereas political
deviations from the decreed party line
entail various forms of punishment.
Giv-en his reformist predilections,
this is not the kind of arrangement
Gorbachev could have lived with.
In the run-up to 1991, he was
struggling to maintain some kind of
balance between the forces pushing
him to speed up his reforms and the
voices advising restraint, epitomised
in the Soviet parliament by Yeltsin on
the reformist flank and Yegor Lig-
achev on the opposing side.
Gorbachev valiantly strove for a
compromise, but he was out of his
depth by 1990, occasionally tacking
to the right, sometimes shuffling to
the left, broadly overwhelmed by the
forces he had unleashed. Asked in
late 1990 which side he was leaning
towards, he res-ponded that he was
going around in circles.
The sense of humour eluded
him when he was effectively impris-
oned at his holiday home in Crimea
in late August 1991, absorbing the
betrayal by a wide range of his
appointees, ranging from his chief of
staff to deputy president Gennady
Yanayev — whose inebriated visage
and trembling hands betrayed the
nervousness of the coup makers as
they announced their takeover.
It was all over three days later,
after Mus-c-o-vites streamed on to
the capital’s streets, and crucial ele-
ments of the armed forces ref-used
to shoot fellow citizens. In what was
his finest hour, Yeltsin clambered
atop a tank outside the White House
to articulate his resistance to the
coup. His deputy Alexander Rutskoi
DOWN
1 Soldier dies after dropping
ecstasy in Heaven (8)
2 Corporation has invested
large surplus (4)
3 Gangs said to go round
looking for sex (6)
4 Free lunch lacking core
ingredient turned out to
be pleasant (8)
5 What reveals and, in a
manner of speaking,
inspires? (10)
6 Play with retracting pencil
or felt-tip pens (6)
8 Half believed police
department's tapped
judge (6)
NEW DELHI, THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021
as Pangolin and Tigers. With the Chi-
nese shadow looming large over the
environmentally oblivious Taliban,
the fate of the nation’s environment is
uncertain. Only time will tell whether
the new government will support or
ignore the environmental reforms
initiated by its predecessor.
The writers are, respectively, Associate
Professor, Independent researcher and Dean
at Jindal School of Environment and
Sustainability, O.P. Jindal Global University,
Sonipat, Haryana.
was among those dispatched to the
Crimea to rescue Gorbachev, who
returned to Moscow in the early
hours of August 22. The coup was
over. Pugo and his wife committed
suicide, but the rest of the leading
plotters were impriso-n--ed, only to
be amnest-i-ed less than three years
later. In the mea-nwhile, Russia’s
post-Soviet regime went where the
coup conspi-rators had hesitated to
go by bombarding the White House
in 1993 to thwart an attempt to
impeach Yeltsin.
What the Soviet Union’s fate
might have been minus the abortive
coup is hard to say. Its disintegration
had already been set in motion by the
Baltic states — occupied in the wake
of World War II — and may well have
proceeded anyhow, albeit at a slower
pace. Gorbachev had a union treaty,
incorporating far greater autonomy
than the Soviet Union previously per-
mitted, up his sleeve in 1991. It was
due to be signed by the remaining
constituent republics, including Rus-
sia under Yeltsin, on Aug 20.
That was pushed back by the
coup, and pre-empted early in
December by an agreement between
the USSR’s Slav components — Rus-
sia, Ukraine and Belarus — to effec-
ti-v--ely dissolve the Soviet Union.
The CPSU had been disbanded back
in August, and Gor--bachev, the head
of a state that effective-ly no longer
existed, resigned on Christmas Day.
The geopolitical repercussions
continue to resonate 30 years later.
Vladimir Putin’s Russia has sought to
resurrect some of the least desirable
aspects of the Soviet entity, but most
of its redeeming features have been
irrecoverably lost.
Dawn/ANN.
NO 29014
13 Official pitch inexperienced
reporter typed up about
waste (10)
16 What may have part to
play in temperature falling
in cold office? (8)
18 Managed to get reference
suspect lied about (8)
19 Religious teaching is unable
to deny earlier beliefs (6)
21 Comparatively unbalanced
means of presenting items
for consumption (6)
22 Wanted joint passed to the
audience (6)
24 Freelancer has vigour and
style (4)
07
100 YEARS AGO
OCCASIONAL NOTE
A small volume has been published con-
taining the analysis of the records of some
six thousand dreams as narrated by chil-
dren between 8 and 14 years of age in ele-
mentary schools in London. In the case of
younger children the plan adopted was to
get them to narrate their dreams to skilled
observers. One conclusion drawn from the
investigation is that children in normal
health delight in dreaming and talk about
their dreams with evident pleasure. It is
also noted that in recording their dreams
children show a greater power of graphic
description than they do in ordinary essay
writing. The dream records show so much
advance in the general standard of
achievement as to suggest that some new
element has come into play. Hard mental
work promotes them and so does a change
of environment, while sleeping in a stuffy
bedroom diminishes their clearness. Per-
sons of well developed intelligence dream
more frequently than do those of low cul-
ture. Dreams of motion, falling and flying,
are rare under 9 or 10; then they increase
in frequency up to 17 or 18. It is suggested
that a careful study of children’s dreams
may throw light on those elements that
are conspicuously lacking in the life of the
child and the lack of which may seriously
interfere with the child’s natural develop-
ment. It may be possible, for example, to
associate dreams of a certain kind with
underfeeding, and others with excessive
stress and strain.
NEWS ITEMS
POLICE FIRE ON
MADRAS STRIKERS
There were a fresh development yesterday
in Pulianthope in connection with the mill
strike. Ever since the disturbance of last
July the Pulianthope area has been
patrolled by policemen from the moffusal
in addition to the men of the Madras city
reserve who had been told off for special
duty in the locality. As a result of the
Moplah outbreak in Malabar most of the
moffusal reserve police had to be with-
drawn from the mill area and despatched
to Calicut two days ago. Yesterday the
strikers collected in large numbers on the
maidan opposite the Indian Military Hos-
pital on Perambur road, and attacked a
batch of 20 Adi-Dravadas’ workpeople
who were going to their homes. At one
time there was a particularly strong fusil-
lade of stones directed against the police,
who thereupon immediately opened fire,
which dispersed the strikers.
CONVENTION OF
ROTARY CLUBS
The International convention of Rotary
Clubs opened at Edinburgh today. There
are three thousand delegates and half of
them are American. Mr. Snedcort, the
president, said that the movement, which
had seventy thousand members, could
serve the world which was groping for
some associations of nations, for the des-
tinies of the world were largely in the
hands of business men. There were most
enthusiastic scenes at the opening of the
convention. Twenty-five standard-bearers,
each carrying a national flag, followed by
women in national costumes, marched up
to the platform to the strains of their
respective national anthems. The climax
of enthusiasm was reached when the Lion
of Scotland was unfurled, followed by the
Stars and Stripes and the singing of the
Battle Hymn of the Republic.
SWAMI
PARMANAND'S
APPEAL DISMISSED
In the Chief Court today Mr. Justice Duck-
worth passed orders on the appeal of
Swami Parmanand, a Hindustani Buddhist
monk who was sentenced by the District
Magistrate of Rangoon to two years’ rigor-
ous imprisonment on a charge of having
been the leader of an unlawful assembly in
connection with the anti-liquor move-
ment, the common object of which
assembly was to commit mischief and
criminal trespass. His honour held with-
out hesitation that there was an unlawful
assembly and that the accused’s identity
in the crowd was made out by overwhelm-
ing evidence. Several defence witnesses
had given false evidence and the evidence
of the defence of an alibi was false. His
honour also held that a deterrent sentence
was necessary and saw no reason to inter-
fere with the sentence passed. The appeal
was dismissed.
O. AND R. RAILWAY
EMPLOYEES
Lucknow, Aug 25
A largely attended meeting of the Oudh
and Rohilkhand Railway employees was
addressed last evening by Mr. J.B. Miller,
the chief organiser of the North-Western
Railway Union. The speaker appealed to
the men to take advantage of the facilities
accorded them by the railway authorities
and condemned the practice of frequent
strikes. A resolution praying the Govern-
ment for some relief in view of the prevail-
ing high prices of foodstuffs, especially of
wheat, was passed. As the question of a
general increase of wages remains unset-
tled, Mr. C.F. Andrews is expected here
shortly to confer with the railway authori-
ties on the subject.
08
THUMBNAILS
Ujjivan SFB appoints OSD:
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank
held a board meeting on
Wednesday and unani-
mously approved the
appointment of Carol Fur-
tado as the "officer on
special duty (OSD)". She
will be leading the charge
of handling the day-to-day
operations of the bank
from 26 August 2021 and
will be serving the bank as
"OSD" until outgoing MD &
CEO Nitin Chugh is in
office, said a Press release.
Post 30 September 2021,
she will take charge as the
interim CEO, subject to RBI
approval. The board of
Ujjivan SFB, in parallel, will
evaluate suitable candi-
dates for the MD & CEO
position, and submit two
names to RBI for approval,
said the release. SNS
Future Retail CEO: Future
Retail Ltd (FRL) said
Sadashiv Nayak has been
appointed as its chief
executive officer with
effect from Wednesday.
The board of the company
at its meeting held on
Wednesday "considered
and approved" the
appointment of Nayak as
CEO, the Future Group
firm said in a regulatory
filing. PTI
Delhivery purchase: Del-
hivery, a leading end-to-
end logistics and supply
chain services company in
India, on Wednesday
announced the acquisition
of Bangalore-based Spo-
ton Logistics. This move
further strengthens Del-
hivery's existing B2B capa-
bilities, said a Press state-
ment issued by the com-
pany. SNS
Property price: Around 69
per cent of respondents
from Kolkata expect the
value to their residential
property to increase in
the next 12 months,
according to a survey car-
ried out by real estate
consultancy Knight Frank
India. The survey found
that around 22 per cent
of the respondents have
shifted to a new home
since the start of the pan-
demic and around 18 per
cent of the respondents
are expected to relocate
in the next 12 months. SNS
Nucleus Software: Nucleus
Software, provider of
lending and transaction
banking products to the
financial services industry,
announced that it will
empower South Indian
Bank, a Kerala based pri-
vate sector bank, by pro-
viding digital solution
offering to revamp the
bank's current retail lend-
ing landscape, according
to a Press release. SNS
Google programme:
Google on Wednesday
launched its global "Be
Internet Awesome" pro-
gramme for children in
India in partnership with
Indian comic book publish-
er Amar Chitra Katha to
interweave critical Inter-
net safety lessons across
eight Indian languages.
The tech giant has also
launched an enhanced
Google Safety Centre in
eight Indic languages as
part of its efforts to step
up safety of users on the
Internet. PTI
Automobile industry facing many challenges: SIAM
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
The Indian automobile indus-
try is going through a deep
structural slowdown and the
Covid-19 pandemic has fur-
ther impacted the sector push-
ing it back by many years,
SIAM president Kenichi
Ayukawa said today.
Speaking at industry body
SIAM's 61st annual conven-
tion, Ayukawa noted that all
auto segments like passenger
vehicles and two-wheelers
have witnessed a drastic drop
in growth rates over the last
5-10 years.
"Even before Covid start-
ed, the Indian automobile
Industry was facing a deep
structural slowdown,"
Ayukawa, who is also the MD
NEW DELHI, THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021
Centre hikes sugarcane
FRP to `290/quintal
Decision was taken in a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
C
entre today
announced the high-
est-ever FRP (fair and
remunerative price)
for sugarcane from Rs 275 to
Rs 290 per quintal depending
upon the recovery of sugar
from the sugarcane.
The decision was taken in
a meeting of the Cabinet
Committee on Economic
affairs (CCEA) where it decid-
ed that the FRP of sugarcane
for sugar season 2021-22
(October - September) would
be at Rs 290/- per quintal for
a basic recovery rate of 10 per
cent and Rs 275 per quintal
in case the recovery is below
9.5 per cent, said a senior offi-
cer while briefing the CCEA
decisions.
Presently the approximate
cost of production of sugar-
cane for the sugar is Rs 155
per quintal. Going by the
present FRP, the prices are
almost 87 per cent more than
the cost of production, the offi-
cer said.
In the current sugar sea-
Walmart CEO
bullish on
Indian market
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
The Indian retail segment has
its own uniqueness and the
country is one of the most
exciting markets globally
that is poised to grow to over
a trillion dollars by 2025,
according to Walmart Inc
president and CEO Doug
McMillon.
Speaking at the Con-
verge@Walmart event, McMil-
lon noted that given the
diversity of the Indian mar-
ket, the company has to
"think local and execute
locally".
"India is such a diverse
market, it's not one country
in some ways and so we have
to think local and execute
locally, and it has its own rules,
and so, we've got to comply
with those rules," he said.
McMillon added that cur-
rently, Walmart is not allowed
to make a foreign direct
investment in multi-brand
retail (physical brick and
mortar store) and so, the
company operates in a dif-
ferent way.
"I do think we have seen
and will see generation skip-
ping in India, which will be
exciting and some of that
learnings, we will bring back
to other markets that we
have," he said.
The top executive high-
lighted that India is one of the
top three markets, along with
the US and China.
The Converge@Walmart
event is the flagship event of
Walmart Global Tech India.
"We think the future is very
bright, and we are going to
see a market that is north of
trillion US dollars by 2025, I
believe. And the way that it
is evolving is common in
some ways with what we see
in other countries, but has its
own uniqueness, which
makes it exciting," McMillon
said.
and CEO of country's largest
carmaker Maruti Suzuki India,
noted in the online event.
He further said that "in all
four segments of the industry
~ passenger vehicle, two-
wheelers, commercial vehicle,
and three-wheelers ~ the long-
term growth rate has come
down drastically in the past 5
to 10 years even before Covid
started."
The Covid-19 pandemic
has further caused negative
growth for the industry push-
ing volumes back by many
years, he added.
Ayukawa said that the
industry is currently facing
many immediate and medi-
um-term challenges.
"Some of the immediate
short-term concerns for the
industry are: pandemic-relat-
AT A GLANCE
�The FRP of sugarcane
for sugar season 2021-
22 (October - Septem-
ber) would be at Rs
290/- per quintal for a
basic recovery rate of 10
per cent and Rs 275 per
quintal in case the recov-
ery is below 9.5 per
cent.
� About 3,088 lakh tons
of sugarcane is likely to be
purchased by sugar mills
son 2020-21, about 2,976 lakh
tons of sugarcane worth Rs
91,000 crore was purchased
by sugar mills, which is at all-
time high level and is the
second highest next to the pro-
curement of paddy crop at
minimum support price.
Keeping the expected
increase in the production of
sugarcane in the ensuing
sugar season 2021-22, about
3,088 lakh tons of sugarcane
is likely to be purchased by
sugar mills. The total remit-
tance to the sugarcane farm-
ers would be about Rs 1,00,000
We think the
future is very
bright, and we are going
to see a market that is
north of trillion US dollars
by 2025, I believe. And
the way that it is evolving
is common in some ways
with what we see in
other countries, but has
its own uniqueness, which
makes it exciting.
DOUG MCMILLON
WALMART INC PRESIDENT & CEO
He pointed out that Wal-
mart's e-commerce unit Flip-
kart and digital payment
firm PhonePe are both grow-
ing very well and have an
"amazing number" of users.
"We are really excited
about Flipkart and PhonePe
leadership teams and our
associates there and the busi-
nesses that are being built.
The Flipkart business now has
reached over 300,000 mar-
ketplace sellers, and the
PhonePe business has more
than 300 million users, which
is just an amazing number
and both are growing very
well...," McMillon added.
Flipkart competes with
US e-commerce giant Ama-
zon in the Indian market.
The Walmart veteran said
the role of technology in all
of Walmart's markets, includ-
ing India, is more impor-
tant than ever.
Walmart Inc owns a major-
ity share in Flipkart. It had
invested $16 billion in 2018,
in the Bengaluru-based e-
commerce platform. Post
that, it has continued to par-
ticipate in the two rounds of
funding raised by Flipkart.
INDUSTRY CONCERNS
Some of the immediate short-
term concerns for the industry
are: pandemic-related uncertainties and
health of our people, global shortage of
semiconductors, rising commodity
prices, upcoming fuel-efficiency and BSVI
Phase-2 regulations, shortage of shipping
containers, and
import restric-
tions.
KENICHI AYUKAWA
SIAM PRESIDENT
ed uncertainties and health of
our people, global shortage of
semiconductors, rising com-
modity prices, upcoming fuel-
efficiency and BSVI Phase-2
regulations, shortage of ship-
ping containers, and import
restrictions," he added.
The transition of automobiles towards electric
mobility is inevitable.
diversion of sugarcane to
ethanol is ensuring timely
cane price payments to farm-
ers, the officer claimed. In the
previous sugar season, about
Rs 75,845 crore cane dues
were payable, out of which Rs
75,703 crore has been paid and
only Rs 142 crore arrears are
pending. Even in the current
in sugar season 2021-22. sugar season 2020-21, out of
cane dues payable of Rs 90,959
� The total remittance to crore, Rs. 86,238 crore cane
the sugarcane farmers
dues have already been paid
would be about Rs 1,00,000 to farmers
crore.
Meanwhile, the Union
Cabinet today approved sign-
crore, the officer claimed. ing of a pact between the
In past three sugar seasons Institute of Chartered Accoun-
about Rs 22,000 crore revenue tants of India (ICAI) and the
was generated by sugar mills Institute of Professional
and distilleries from sale of Accountants of Russia (IPAR)
ethanol to oil marketing com- to strengthen cooperation in
panies (OMCs). In the current matters of accountancy pro-
sugar season 2020-21, about fession. The pact would help
Rs 15,000 crore revenue was in establishing mutual
generated by sugar mills from co-operation in the areas of
sale of ethanol to OMCs at 8.5 professional accountancy
per cent. This is expected to training, professional ethics,
significantly increase in the technical research, advance-
next three years as India goes ment of accounting knowl-
for 20 per cent ethanol blend- edge, professional and intel-
ing by 2025. lectual development, accord-
Increase in export and ing to a release.
FM urges banks to Govt clears `15K-cr FDI
work with state govts proposal in infra sector
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA another scouting for a bet-
MUMBAI, 25 AUGUST
Union finance minister Nir-
ter offer.
During the day, the
finance minister met heads
mala Sitharaman today said of public sector banks (PSBs)
she has requested banks to to review their financial
work with all state govern- performance.
ments to push the "one dis- She said it is too early to
trict, one product" agenda. say if there is a lack of
Banks have also been demand for credit and
requested to have interac- announced a district-wise
tion with export promotion outreach to be undertaken
agencies, chambers of com- by banks to help credit
merce and industry to under- growth from October.
stand and address the A push to credit growth
requirement of exporters from such outreach efforts
on a timely manner, Sithara- will also help the momen-
man said while addressing tum set by the stimulus
media here on today. packages, which have been
The finance minister, extended by the govern-
who is on a two-day visit to ment since the onset of the
the financial capital, said pandemic.
between public sector banks, It can be noted that in
there should be some kind late 2019, banks had con-
of a simple approach so ducted the "loan melas" in
that exporters are not made 400 districts to push up sag-
to run between one bank to ging credit growth.
IOC to use drones to check
fuel thefts from pipelines
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Haryana on 17 August.
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST IOC recently started drone
monitoring of the 120-km
Indian Oil Corp (IOC) is long Delhi-Panipat section of
deploying drones to monitor the Mathura-Jalandhar
its vast network of pipelines pipeline. The live feed of the
across the country as it dou- drones was monitored to
bles down on the use of tech- detect leakages and attempts
nology to thwart attempts to to pilfer fuel, they said.
steal fuel, helping not just Pipelines are the lifeline of
save the commodity but also an economy and any attempt
avoid accidents. to disrupt flows through the
The country's top oil com- underground energy high-
pany already uses a combi- ways has widespread ramifi-
nation of sophisticated tech- cations.
nology and patrolling to detect Pilferage from these
any leakage from the pipeline pipelines, which carry high-
network spanning over 15,000- ly inflammable petroleum
kilometres. And now, it is products such as petrol and
adding drones to monitor the diesel at high pressure, can
vast network, officials said. cause serious accidents that
Use of technology helped threaten lives and damage
throttle 34 attempts to pilfer property besides interrupting
fuel and arrest 53 persons in energy supplies.
the 2020-21 financial year, "Any pilferage attempt on
they said, adding the latest these pipelines is a grave
incident was in Sonipat, offence under Sections 15
We have been going through a situa-
tion where this industry has been
declining over a long period of time... There
have been a lot of statements made about
the importance of the automobile industry.
But in terms of concrete actions, which
would reverse the
decline in trend, I
haven't seen any
action on the ground.
R C BHARGAVA
MARUTI SUZUKI CHAIRMAN
Besides, the industry is Ayukawa noted.
also facing some medium- To overcome these chal-
term challenges like ensuring lenges and bring back indus-
a sustained demand, afford- try on the track of growth,
ability for customers, locali- focused action is required
sation, preparing for long- through some key enablers, he
term regulations, and new stated.
powertrain technologies, Maruti Suzuki India chair-
AMITABH KANT
NITI AAYOG
Family pension
of PSU bank
employees
increased
MUMBAI, 25 AUGUST
Admitting that family pen-
sion for bank employees is
at a paltry level, the gov-
ernment today announced
to raise the same to 30 per
cent of the last-drawn salary.
Earlier, kin of a deceased
PSB employee used to get a
maximum of Rs 9,284 per
month as a family pension,
said department of financial
services secretary Debasish
Panda.
"The cap has been com-
pletely removed and a uni-
form slab of 30 per cent at
the last-drawn salary will be
entitled as family pension,"
Panda told reporters here,
admitting that the earlier lev-
els were "paltry".
This would result in the
family pensions rise to as high
as Rs 30,000-Rs 35,000 a
month, Panda said.
Similarly, the ministry
has also decided to increase
the employer's contribu-
tion in New Pension Scheme
(NPS) to 14 per cent of the
salary from the current 10
per cent, he said. Earlier,
finance minister Nirmala
Sitharaman expressed her
satisfaction at public sector
banks' performance in the
past few years. PTI
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
The government today cleared
a Rs 15,000-crore foreign direct
investment (FDI) proposal of
Anchorage Infrastructure
Investment Holding Ltd, a
subsidiary of Canada-based
pension fund, for the invest-
ment in the infrastructure sec-
tor. In a Press note, the finance
ministry informed that the
Cabinet Committee of Eco-
nomic Affairs (CCEA), chaired
by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, approved the FDI pro-
posal for the purpose of invest-
ment in infrastructure and the
construction development
sectors.
It will also include transport
and logistics, along with down-
stream investment in the air-
port sector and aviation-relat-
ed businesses and services.
and 16 of The Petroleum and
Mineral Pipelines (Acquisi-
tion of Right of Way) Act 1961.
Such criminal acts are non-
bailable offences, and intrud-
ers are punishable with rig-
orous imprisonment for ten
years or more," an official
explained.
IOC has deployed a SCADA-
based system to closely mon-
itor the flow in the pipeline net-
work and is using a leak detec-
tion system (LDS) to identify
tentative vulnerable points,
officials said.
The firm, which operates
over 15,000-km of cross-coun-
try pipeline network that car-
ries fuel like petrol and diesel
from oil refineries to con-
sumption centres, has
deployed a robust round-the-
clock monitoring system to
track pipeline pilferage or any
other such disruptive attempts
on its pipeline network.
man R C Bhargava said that
while a lot of statements were
made by government offi-
cials supporting the auto-
mobile industry, but when it
comes to taking actual steps
nothing has really happened.
"We have been going
through a situation where
this industry has been declin-
ing over a long period of time.
And despite various very
important people in govern-
ment, we just heard Mr.
Amitabh Kant (NITI Aayog
CEO)... There have been a lot
of statements made about
the importance of the auto-
mobile industry. But in terms
of concrete actions, which
would reverse the decline in
trend, I haven't seen any
action on the ground," Bhar-
gava said.
Govt considering
direct listing of
securities abroad
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
MUMBAI, 25 AUGUST
The government may intro-
duce legislative amendments
in the Budget session of Par-
liament to enable Indian com-
panies to directly list certain
prescribed classes of securi-
ties abroad, revenue secretary
Tarun Bajaj said today.
Direct listing of securities
overseas by Indian entities is
allowed but there are certain
issues which need to be sort-
ed out for this to become a suc-
cess, he said, without elabo-
rating on the hurdles.
"The direct listing is under
consideration of the govern-
ment because to make it suc-
cess there would be require-
ments of some amendments
to legislations to ensure there
is smooth trading of these
securities outside the territo-
ry of India.
"We are in discussions with
the players who are asking for
this. Maybe in the Budget
session we will see what we can
do," Bajaj said.
The two-part Budget ses-
sion of Parliament usually
commences in the last week
of January every year.
"The investment will be a
major boost to the infrastruc-
ture and construction sector
and also to the airport sector,"
said the finance ministry in a
Press release.
The government also
informed that the investment
also includes transfer of share
of Bangalore International Air-
port Limited to Anchorage,
and investment of Rs 950 crore
in Anchorage Infrastructure
Investment Holding Ltd by
Ontariao Inc.
The move, government said,
will considerably substanti-
Scheme to support
300 IT start-ups
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
The government today
launched a programme to
support 300 IT start-ups
under which it will provide
seed funding, mentorship
and market access with a
view to creating 100 uni-
corns out of the selected
start-ups.
Ministry of electronics
and IT special secretary Jyoti
Arora said that the concept
of the Startup Accelerator of
MeitY for Product Innovation,
Development & Growth (Sam-
ridh) has been developed
on the lines of silicon valley
based accelerator YCombi-
nator.
IT and telecom minister
Ashwini Vaishnaw said that
he has mentored over 20
start-ups earlier and under-
stands the need of mentor-
ing them during the most
Committed to modern,
clean mobility: PM
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
today said holistic steps are
being taken for the value
chain associated with auto-
mobile manufacturing so that
the industry becomes more
productive and sustainable.
In a message to the auto
industry body Society of Indi-
an Automobile Manufactur-
ers (SIAM) on its 61st Annu-
al Convention, the Prime Min-
ister also stated that India
remained firmly committed
to move forward with the goal
Bajaj also said there is no
mandatory requirement of
listing of such securities at the
International Financial Services
Centre (IFSC) at this point of
time.
However, he said, it will be
looked at when the regulations
are framed.
Parliament in September
2020 passed the Companies
(Amendment) Bill, 2020 that
permitted direct overseas list-
ing of Indian corporates,
among other things.
Amendments were car-
ried out in Section 23 of the
Companies Act 2013 to include
enabling provisions to allow
direct listing of securities by
Indian public companies in
permissible foreign jurisdic-
tions.
Listing of Indian compa-
nies in foreign stock exchanges
is expected to increase the com-
petitiveness of Indian com-
panies in terms of access to
capital, broader investor base
and better valuations.
Currently, quite a few Indi-
an companies have American
Depository Receipts that are
traded in the US. Some cor-
porates also have Global
Depository Receipts.
ate the Government of India's
plan to develop world-class air-
port and transport related
infrastructure through private
partnership.
"The investment will also be
a significant boost to the recent-
ly announced National Mon-
etisation Pipeline (NMP), as it
will help fund leasing out of
state-owned infrastructure
assets which involves han-
dling assets like roads, railways,
airports, sports stadiums,
power transmission lines and
gas pipelines to private oper-
ators," reads the Press note.
The investment will also
lead to direct employment
generation, as the sector in
which Anchorage Infrastruc-
ture Investment Holding Ltd
is proposing to make down-
stream investments are capi-
tal- and employment-intensive
sectors.
Under the Samridh
programme, the MeitY
will provide seed
funds of up to Rs 40
lakh for the selected
start-ups and mentor-
ship for six months.
important part of their jour-
ney when their idea is getting
converted into products.
He said that lack of funds
for start-ups is not a big
issue. "Lack of getting the idea
into a real product or lack of
collecting the skill sets which
are needed to convert an
idea into an enterprise is a big-
ger challenge for most of the
start-ups," Vaishnaw said.
Under the Samridh pro-
gramme, the MeitY will pro-
vide seed funds of up to Rs
40 lakh for the selected start-
ups and mentorship for six
months.
of clean and modern mobil-
ity, while lauding the role of
the industry in the country's
progress.
"The role of the automo-
bile industry in India's econ-
omy and progress has been
remarkable. From contribut-
ing significantly towards man-
ufacturing to furthering
exports, from creating numer-
ous employment opportuni-
ties to adding to the ease of
living for people, the sector has
been a partner in India's
growth story," Modi wrote in
his message which was read
out by SIAM president.

Israeli leader meets with Biden
as Mideast tensions grow
Bennett met senior admin officials, including Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin on Wednesday
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON, 25 AUGUST
I will run for vice president...
to continue the crusade.
PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE
AT A PRESS MEET
who thought it was once rel-
Australia says still evacuating despite danger evant."
Friction between Israel
NEW DELHI, THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021 09
Through four wars, toll mounts
on a Gaza neighbourhood
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BEIT HANOUN, 25 AUGUST
broken plastic chairs while
awaiting building inspectors,
the gaping holes in sur-
or other militant groups, more
than half were civilians. Thou-
sands have been injured. On
The electricity is out again rounding homes serving as the Israeli side, the death toll
tonight in what's left of Zaki windows into their neigh- from the four wars stands at
and Jawaher Nassir's neigh- bourhood's upheaval. 106, officials say.
bourhood. But from the shell In the skeleton of one The Islamic militants, who

I
sraeli Prime Minister Naf-
tali Bennett's meeting
with President Joe Biden
comes in the midst of
heightened tensions with its
regional arch-enemy, Iran,
and as Israel grapples with a
gradual resurgence of hostil-
ities on its southern border with
the Gaza Strip.
Bennett, in his first state
visit overseas since taking
office, was scheduled to meet
Wednesday with senior admin-
istration officials, including
Secretary of State Antony
Blinken and Defense Secre-
tary Lloyd Austin, and on
Thursday with Biden.
In a statement released
by the Prime Minister's Office
before his departure, Ben-
nett said the top priority in his
conversation with Biden would
be Iran, “especially the
leapfrogging in the past two
to three years in the Iranian
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CANBERRA, 14 NOVEMBER
Australia says it has helped
evacuate 955 people in five
flights from Kabul's airport
overnight as the danger in
Afghanistan increased.
Defense Minister Peter
Dutton on Wednesday
thanked US, British and
New Zealand defense forces
for their help in evacuating
2,650 people including
Afghan nationals from the
airport since Wednesday
last week.
nuclear program.”
He said other issues would
also be discussed, including
the Israeli military's qualita-
tive edge, the coronavirus
pandemic and economic mat-
ters.
Bennett has spoken out
against the possibility of a new
Tuesday was Australia's
most successful day in evac-
uating people including
Afghans who had worked for
the Australian government.
“There is more work to be
done but, of course, we know
the security threats on the
nuclear accord between Iran
and world powers, and says
that any agreement must also
put the brakes on Iran's region-
al aggression.
Recent months have seen
a string of attacks on Israeli-
connected shipping, believed
to have been carried out by
ground continue to increase,”
Dutton told Parliament.
The government would
take the advice of the Aus-
tralian Defense Force Chief
Gen. Angus Campbell “as to
how long it is possible for us
to stay in country to keep our
own people safe and help
those that have helped us,”
Dutton added.
Australian Prime Minis-
ter Scott Morrison declined
to comment on reports that
up to 1,200 Afghans with Aus-
tralian visas had been turned
away from the airport.
Iran.
Earlier this week, Bennett
told his Cabinet that he would
tell the American president
“that now is the time to halt
the Iranians, to stop this thing”
and not re-enter “a nuclear deal
that has already expired and
is not relevant, even to those
and Gaza's Hamas rulers has
been building in the three
months since an 11-day war
with Islamist militant group
left least 265 dead in Gaza and
13 in Israel.
Indirect negotiations
between the two sides to
reach an arrangement for the
reconstruction of the Gaza Strip
have broken down in the past
week.
Hamas has launched incen-
diary balloons into southern
Israel and staged violent
demonstrations on the bor-
der, raising the specter of
renewed violence.
“There's a new govern-
ment in the US and a new gov-
ernment in Israel, and I bring
with me from Jerusalem a
new spirit of cooperation,
and this rests on the special
and long relationship between
the two countries,” Bennett
said before take-off.
of their sitting room, its wall building, children play video reject Israel's right to exist, have
blown open by Israeli missiles, games atop a slab of fallen con- fired thousands of rockets
twilight and a neighbour's crete. In another, a man stares across the border during the
fire are enough to see by. out from beside a bed covered conflicts, operating from a
Here, down a narrow lane in debris, ignoring the ceiling maze of underground tunnels.
called Al-Baali, just over a fan drooping overhead like a Israel, one of a number of
mile from the heavily fortified dead flower. The smell of pul- countries that label Hamas a
border separating northern verized cement and plaster terrorist organization, has
Gaza and Israel, cinderblock dust hangs in the air. repeatedly hit the Strip with
homes press against each “We have no peace in our overwhelming firepower that,
other before opening to a lives and we expect that war despite its high-tech precision,
modest courtyard below the can happen again at any continues to kill civilians.
Nassirs' perch. time,” says Zaki Nassir, who Prime Minister Naftali
Until this neighbourhood lost a nephew from the house- Bennett has likened Israel's
was hammered by the fourth hold across the yard in the first periodic offensives to mow-
war in 13 years between Israel war, another from next door ing an unruly lawn. But Israel's
and Hamas militants, the in this year's war, and whose policy of degrading Hamas -
Nassirs often sipped coffee by home is still scarred by shelling - and inflicting a toll designed
a window, watching children during the third war. to undermine its public sup-
play volleyball using a rope in The story of the Nassirs, port -- makes little pretense
place of a net. Other days, the their neighbors and the toll of resolving Gaza's deepen-
couple looked out as rela- of four wars is Gaza's story. ing crisis. And international
tives pulled fruit off the yard's Since 2008, more efforts focus only on relief and
fig and olive trees. than 4,000 Palestinians have reconstruction. Meanwhile,
Now they spend day after been killed in the conflicts, each war has boosted approval
day surveying the wreckage according to the UN While of Hamas, often when it was
of the 14 May airstrike from many were fighters for Hamas flagging.

Prez Duterte to run for
Philippines VP next year
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MANILA, 25 AUGUST
The Philippines' tough-talk-
ing President Rodrigo Duterte
has confirmed rumblings that
he will run next year for vice
president, in what critics say
is an attempt at an end-run
around constitutional term
limits.
Duterte, who is notorious
for his vulgar rhetoric and
crackdown on illegal drugs,
which has killed thousands of
mostly petty suspects, said in
comments broadcast early-
on Wednesday that he would
run for vice president to “con-
tinue the crusade.”
“I will run for vice presi-
dent,” he said. "I'm worried
about the drugs, insurgency.
Well, number one is insur-
gency, then criminality, drugs.”
The Philippines has been
struggling through the Covid-
19 pandemic, with rising
infections and death rates
and a slow vaccination roll-
out, but Duterte's populari-
ty ratings have remained high.
Polls suggest that running
Duterte on a ticket with his
daughter, Sara Duterte, cur-
rently the mayor of Davao City,
as the presidential candidate
would be a strong pairing, said
Manila-based political ana-
lyst Richard Heydarian.
The idea of the two running
together has been discussed
since 2019, he said, though
Duterte advisers have report-
edly said that he has suggest-
ed he might not run for vice
president if his daughter decides
to announce a bid for presi-
dent.“The campaign for Sara
Duterte has more or less kicked
off, it seems, almost irrespec-
tive of what Duterte's position
will be,” Heydarian said.
Philippine presidents are
limited by the 1987 constitu-
tion to a single six-year term.
At least two former presi-
dents, Joseph Estrada and
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
have made successful runs for
lower public offices after serv-
ing as president, but not for
vice president.
If Duterte goes ahead
with his run, it will likely face
court challenges from the
opposition, though Heydar-
ian noted the supreme court
has strongly supported the
president's moves in the past.
A new opposition coali-
tion, 1Sambayan, whose name
means One Nation, said
Duterte's decision came as “no
surprise,” and just made the
coalition “more determined
in unifying the democratic
forces in responding to the
challenge.”
In June, the International
Criminal Court's outgoing
chief prosecutor said that a
preliminary examination
found reason to believe crimes
against humanity had been
committed during Duterte's
anti-drug crackdown, and
the “shadow” of that and the
discussion of possible sanc-
tions against him also likely
factor in to Duterte's calcu-
lus, Heydarian said.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry refutes US
accusation of 2013 chemical attack
INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE
DAMASCUS, 25 AUGUST
Syria's Foreign Ministry on
Wednesday slammed the US
State Department's recent
statement accusing the Dam-
ascus government of carrying
out a chemical attack in a
former rebel-held area in 2013,
The Ministry dismissed
the Department's statement
as "baseless allegations...
through which the US tried
to distort facts and spread lies"
about the alleged chemical
attack in the Eastern Ghou-
Cleanup begins of Haiti town’s earthquake-crumbled homes
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MANICHE, 25 AUGUST
At the edge of a pile of rub-
ble, Michael Jules plunged
an iron bar over and over into
the crumbling concrete of
his grandmother's home. A
younger cousin squatted at his
feet, pulling away debris with
a trowel.
It was Jules' third day work-
ing the spot like an archaeol-
ogist, removing layer upon
layer of rock. He had estab-
lished more or less the perime-
ter of his room. On Tuesday
morning he uncovered a cor-
ner of his mattress.
While Jules, 21, toiled with
hand tools, and at times his
bare hands, just down the
street heavy-duty earthmovers
ta countryside of the capital
Damascus
The State Department
made the accusation in a
recent statement alleging
that the forces of Syrian Pres-
ident Bashar al-Assad used
"nerve agent sarin" in the
Ghouta district of Damas-
cus to kill more than 1,400.
The Foreign Ministry, in its
response, said that the state-
ment clearly reflects "the US
continued hostile method
against Syria which comes to
cover its failure in Afghanistan
and its support to terrorism
cleared lots, depositing entire
homes into dump trucks or
scraping collapsed dwellings
into neat piles. For some vic-
tims of Haiti's Aug. 14 earth-
quake, the necessary prelude
to rebuilding has begun.
The machines bore the
logos of nongovernmental
organizations, but who they
helped appeared to be guid-
ed by Maniche's mayor.
Jean Favard watched one
of the large yellow machines
push away the rubble of his
vacation home just up the
street from Jules' grand-
mother's house. No one had
been living at Favard's home
and he said he planned to
rebuild once it was cleared.
Maniche is a teeth-rattling
hour's drive from paved road,
that Syria encounters".
"The government of the
Syrian Arab Republic reaffirms
once again that it stands
against the use of that kind
of weapons in any place, at
any time and under any cir-
cumstance and by any side
as it is an issue that opposes
Syria's principles and moral,"
it said.The attack, during the
Syrian civil war, took place in
the early hours of August 21,
2013, when opposition-con-
trolled areas in Ghouta were
struck by rockets containing
the chemical agent sarin.
over a mountain pass and
settled in a wide, green valley.
The town lost 80% to 90% of
its homes, according to pre-
liminary estimates. Piles of rub-
ble like Jules' grandmother's
house dot every street.
Even most of those hous-
es still standing will have to
be torn down.
Relatively undisturbed
Japan to expand state of emergency
to eight more prefectures
INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE vide karaoke service, and are
TOKYO, 25 AUGUST instructed to close by 8 p.m.
Major commercial facili-
Japan is set to expand the ties like department stores are
Covid-19 state of emergency asked to limit the number of
currently covering Tokyo and customers allowed in at the
12 other areas to eight more same time.
prefectures amid the latest Prime Minister Yoshihide
resurgence of infections. Suga met his cabinet mem-
With the expansion, bers including Health Min-
Hokkaido, Miyagi, Gifu, Aichi, ister Norihisa Tamura and
Mie, Shiga, Okayama and Yasutoshi Nishimura, the
Hiroshima will also be under minister in charge of coro-
the state of emergency, reports navirus response, to discuss
Xinhua news agency. the expansion, with the offi-
Under the tougher mea- cial decision to be deter-
sures, restaurants are asked mined at a task force meet-
not to serve alcohol or pro- ing on Wednesday.
Jules was not. He had to run
out of the house when the mag-
nitude 7.2 quake struck. Now
he was desperate to find his
passport because he is a pro-
fessional soccer player for
the Haitian League club Amer-
ica des Cayes.
Well out of uniform and
standing atop a rubble pile,
the right fullback was still
immediately recognized by a
appeared to be Maniche's fan."You're from here?" the
riverside market. Even on a man, a motorcycle taxi driver
Tuesday — market day is Sat- from Les Cayes, asked in dis-
urday — farmers from sur- belief. "I didn't know you
rounding areas crossed the were from Maniche."
river carrying sacks of beans Help was slowly arriving to
and peanuts atop their heads. in the town of about 20,000
Mules splashed through the people. Philemon Charles, a
water, their woven panniers carpenter, said the top neces-
laden with heavy bunches of sity was shelter. His family had
plantains. been sleeping outside their
Suga has also called on the
public to cut 50 percent of
going out to crowded places,
while asking companies to
have employees work from
home and reduce the num-
ber of commuters by 70 per
cent.
The state of emergency is
currently enforced in Tokyo
as well as in Ibaraki, Tochigi,
Gunma, Chiba, Saitama, Kana-
gawa, Shizuoka, Kyoto, Osaka,
Hyogo, Fukuoka, and Oki-
nawa prefectures.
In addition, the quasi-
state of emergency covers 16
prefectures.
damaged home for more than
a week.
On Tuesday, U.S.-based
relief organization Samari-
tan's Purse handed out big blue
tarps for temporary shelters
and small solar lights that
also allow people to charge
their cell phones. Actor Sean
Penn's Haiti relief outfit, Com-
munity Organized Relief Effort,
had brought in the heavy
machinery. And convoys of var-
ious United Nations agen-
cies rumbled into town.
By the time the punishing
sun chased Jules from the
rock pile Tuesday, he had
managed to remove his twin
mattress. More crumbling
concrete immediately fell into
the temporary void he'd just
created.

LEISURE
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RED EYE/Bill Yates & Mel Casson SUDOKU

ACROSS DOWN
1 Go away! (Informal) (4,2)
1 Ales (5) 2 Sign up (5)
4 Purchased (6) 3 Star (3)
9 Word made from initials 5 Travelling (2,3,4)
(7) 6 Clothing item (7)
10 Trunk (5) 7 Despite the fact that (6)
11 Muslim religion (5) 8 Mixed feelings (11)
13 Hazard to shipping (7) 12 Preserve (9)
14 Near that place (11) 15 Trendy person (7)
18 Pacify (7)
19 Male duck (5)
21 Additional (5)
16 Long waterproof boots
(6)
17 Warming device (6)
DADDY DAZE/John Kovaleski
22 Bike rider (7) 20 Relating to birds (5)
24 Fruit dessert (6) 23 Gash (3)
25 Male singer (5)
irections Make a 2 to
SOLUTIONS TO YESTERDAY’S CROSSWORD 7 letter word from the
letters in each row.
ACROSS 11 See you, DOWN 12 Elated, Add points of each
13 Airing, 1 Sauna, 14 Root out, word, using scoring
1 Stuck, directions at right, 7-
4 Owe (Stucco), 15 Raise the 2 Usually, 16 Split, letter words get 50-
point bonus. "Blanks"
Sudoku is a number-placing
7 Tutu, roof, 3 Kiwi fruit, 17 Flare, used as any letter puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with
8 Workaday, 18 Well-to-do, 4 Oar, 19 Orb. have no point value. several given numbers. The
20 Oval, 5 Eland, All Judd’s words are
9 All of a sud- in The Official object is to place the numbers 1
den, 21 Tub, 6 Tavern, Scrabble Players to 9 in the empty squares so
22 Title. 10 Scapegoat, Dictionary(Merriam-
Webster) and OSW that no row, no column and no
Official Scrabble answer to 3x3 box contains the same
By arrangement with The Independent rabble and Scrabble Tiles are registered trademarks. All Words(Chambers).
number. The difficulty level
Figures in parentheses denote
rights in the game are owned in the U.S.A by Hasbro Inc., Judd’s solution previous
in Canada by Hasbro Canada Inc., and elsewhere by J.W. increases through the week.
the number of letters in the words required Spear & Sons Limited, a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc.
tomorrow.
10-25-12
puzzle
10
NEW DELHI, THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021
WEATHER
CITY
SINGAPORE
HONG KONG
MAX(°C)
29
31
MIN(°C)
26 H
27 H
TOKYO 35 26 CL
LONDON 22 14 H
DUBAI 39 31 S
SAN FRANCISCO 18 12 H
NEW YORK 33 24 S
MOSCOW 20 13 S
S= sunny, CL= clear,
H=hazy, R= rainy...
THUMBNAILS
Colombia's President Ivan
Duque burns incense as
his wife Maria Juliana Ruiz,
right, stands at the
National Cemetery in
Seoul, South Korea.
AGENCIES
German floods: Devastat-
ing floods in western Ger-
many last month likely
caused insured damage to
the tune of about 7 billion
euros ($8.2 billion), an
insurance industry group
said Wednesday, signifi-
cantly increasing its previ-
ous estimate. More than
180 people died in Ger-
many and hundreds more
were injured in the July
14-15 floods. AP
Spain wrangles with
migrant laws: A group of
at least 40 migrants
attempted to swim from
Morocco into Spain's North
African enclave of Ceuta
and threw stones at Span-
ish police, as top officials
wrestled Wednesday with
legal issues over what to
do with hundreds of unac-
companied minors who
got into Ceuta from
Morocco three months
ago. Migrants trying to
reach Europe swam
around a fenced breakwa-
ter after nightfall and con-
fronted Spanish police. AP
House passes Bill bolstering
landmark voting law
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON, 25 AUGUST
House Democrats passed leg-
islation Tuesday that would
strengthen a landmark civil
rights-era voting law weakened
by the Supreme Court over the
past decade, a step party lead-
ers tout as progress in their
quest to fight back against vot-
ing restrictions advanced in
Republican-led states.
The bill, which is part of a
broader Democratic effort to
enact a sweeping overhaul of
elections, was approved on a
219-212 vote, with no Repub-
lican support. Its passage was
praised by President Joe Biden,
who said it would protect a
"sacred right" and called on
the Senate to "send this impor-
tant bill to my desk."
But the measure faces dim
prospects in that chamber,
where Democrats do not have
enough votes to overcome
opposition from Senate
US: Pristine Lake Tahoe shrouded in smoke from threatening fire
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, 25 AUGUST
Ash rained down on Lake
Tahoe and thick yellow smoke
blotted out views of the moun-
tains rimming its pristine blue
waters as a massive wildfire
threatened the alpine vacation
spot on the California-Neva-
da state line.
Tourists on Tuesday ducked
into cafes, outdoor gear shops
and casinos on Lake Tahoe
Boulevard for a respite from
hazardous air coming from an
erratic blaze less than 20 miles
(32 km) away.
The Caldor Fire erupted
over the course of a week into
the nation's No. 1 firefighting
priority and was “knocking on
the door” of Tahoe, said Thom
Porter, California's state fire
chief. A major wildfire has
not penetrated the Lake Tahoe
Basin since 2007.
Tourists typically come to
Trump slams Biden’s Afghan policy
Republican Congressman Mike Waltz, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
WASHINGTON, 25 AUGUST
F
ormer US President
Donald Trump has
slammed his successor
Joe Biden on his Afghan
policy and expressed con-
cerns that thousands of ter-
rorists might have been flown
out of Afghanistan as part of
the evacuation process.
“Biden surrendered
Afghanistan to terrorists and
left thousands of Americans
for dead by pulling out the mil-
itary before our citizens,”
Trump said in a statement on
Tuesday.
“Now we are learning that
out of the 26,000 people who
have been evacuated, only
4,000 are Americans. You can
be sure, the Taliban, who are
now in complete control, did-
n't allow the best and bright-
est to board these evacuation
flights.
“Instead, we can only imag-
ine how many thousands of
terrorists have been airlifted
out of Afghanistan and into
neighbourhoods around the
world. What a terrible failure.
NO VETTING. How many ter-
rorists will Joe Biden bring to
America? We don't know!” he
said.
Meanwhile, Republican
Congressman Mike Waltz, a
veteran of the war in
G-7 leaders can’t sway Biden to
delay Afghanistan withdrawal
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON, 25 AUGUST
The US clashed with some of
its closest allies over President
Joe Biden's insistence on
sticking to an 31 August
Afghanistan withdrawal date
that will shut down a frantic
international evacuation
effort from Taliban rule.
Biden insisted after virtual
talks on Tuesday with lead-
ers of the Group of Seven
industrialised democracies
that the US and its closest allies
would “stand shoulder to
shoulder” in future action over
Afghanistan and the Taliban,
despite disappointing them
in their urgent pleas now to
allow time for more airlifts.
Republicans, who have reject-
ed the bill as "unnecessary"
and a Democratic "power
grab." That bottleneck puts
Democrats right back where
they started with a slim chance
of enacting any voting legis-
lation before the 2022 midterm
elections, when some in the
party fear new GOP laws will
make it harder for many Amer-
icans to vote. But they still
intend to try. Speaking from
the House floor, Speaker
Nancy Pelosi said it was imper-
ative for Congress to counteract
the Republican efforts, which
she characterized as "dan-
gerous" and "anti-democra-
tic."
"Democracy is under attack
from what is the worst voter
suppression campaign in
America since Jim Crow,"
Pelosi said. The John Lewis
Voting Rights Advancement
Act, named for the late Geor-
gia congressman who made
the issue a defining one of his
swim and hike, relax along the
lake's calm shores or take
their chances gambling, not
risk their lives in the face of a
potential disaster.
Although there were no
evacuations ordered and Porter
said he didn't think the fire
would reach the lake, it was
impossible to ignore the blan-
ket of haze so thick and vast
that it closed schools for a sec-
ond day in Reno, Nevada,
which is about 60 miles (100
km) from the fire.
Visitors wore masks out-
doors not because the coro-
navirus pandemic, but because
of the toxic air and inescapable
stench of fire. The gondola that
ferries summer passengers
to the summit of the Heavenly
Mountain ski area was closed
until winter due to the wild-
fire risk.
Cindy Osterloh, whose
husband pushed a relative in
a wheelchair beneath the
Afghanistan, introduced a
resolution in the House of
Representatives, condemn-
ing Biden's failure to heed the
advice of military and intel-
ligence advisors about the
speed and nature of the Tal-
iban offensive, failure to pre-
sent a coherent counter-ter-
rorism or evacuation plan to
the American people, and the
damage done to the US cred-
ibility as a result of the pres-
ident's abandonment of Amer-
ica's Afghan allies.
The resolution was co-
sponsored by Minority Leader
Kevin McCarthy, Minority
Whip Steve Scalise and Con-
ference Chairwoman Elise
Stefanik. “President Biden
has embarrassed the United
States on the world stage and
created the worst foreign pol-
icy blunder in our modern his-
The US president was
adamant that the risk of ter-
ror attacks was too great to
accede to appeals from G-7
leaders to keep what are now
5,800 American troops at
Kabul's airport beyond the
end of the month, anchoring
the airlifts. Britain and other
allies, many of whose troops
followed American forces
into Afghanistan nearly 20
years ago to deal with the plot-
ters of the September 11
attacks on the United States,
had urged Biden to keep
American forces at the Kabul
airport longer. No country
would be able to evacuate all
their citizens and at-risk
Afghan allies by the August
31 deadline, allied officials had
career, would restore voting
rights protections that have
been dismantled by the
Supreme Court. Under the
proposal, the Justice Depart-
ment would again police new
changes to voting laws in
states that have racked up a
series of "violations," draw-
ing them into a mandatory
review process known as "pre-
clearance." The practice was
first put in place under the Vot-
ing Rights Act of 1965. But it
was struck down by a con-
servative majority on the
Supreme Court in 2013, which
ruled the formula for deter-
mining which states needed
their laws reviewed was out-
dated and unfairly punitive.
The court did say that
Congress could come up with
a new formula. A second rul-
ing from the court in July
made it more difficult to chal-
lenge voting restrictions in
court under another section
of the law.
idled cables, said she and
family members visiting from
San Diego were all on allergy
medications to take the sting
out of their eyes and keep their
noses from running so they can
ride out the smoke for the rest
of their vacation.
“We got up and it was a lot
They’re not going to be able to do that by coercively
blocking the border
WARNING THE TALIBAN AGAINST SEALING AFGHANISTAN OFF FROM THE WORLD
tory,” Waltz said.
Rather than heeding the
advice of military leaders and
lawmakers, Biden created a
humanitarian crisis in
Afghanistan that he alone
owns all for the sake of seek-
ing a headline that he would
withdraw US troops prior to
the 20th anniversary of Sep-
tember 11, he said.
“Now, we will have shame-
fully given away the freedoms
of Afghans, our military equip-
ment and infrastructure, and
countless other resources to
the hands of Taliban terrorists
because of the President's
cluelessness and stubborn-
ness,” Waltz alleged.
“Additionally, it is growing
more likely by the day we will
have broken our promise to
thousands of Afghan allies
who stood should-to-shoul-
der with our troops on the bat-
tlefield that have now been
handed a death sentence for
our failure to safely evacuate
them in a timely fashion," he
said.
The intelligence commu-
nity has made it clear that Al
Qaeda 3.0 will come roaring
back as the Taliban have made
no indication they have cut ties
with the perpetrators of Sep-
tember 11, Waltz said.
said. "We will go on right up
until the last moment that we
can,” said British Prime Min-
ister Boris Johnson, who had
openly lobbied to keep the air-
port presence after August 31.
Johnson acknowledged he
was unable to sway Biden to
extend the US military pres-
ence in Tuesday's talks.
“But you've heard what the
president of the United States
has had to say, you've heard
what the Taliban have said,”
he said.
A senior French official,
speaking anonymously in
accordance with the French
presidency's customary prac-
tices, said President Macron
had pushed for extending
the 31 August deadline.
Video shows
trooper
pummeling
black man
MONROE (US), 25 AUGUST
Graphic body camera video
kept secret for more than two
years shows a Louisiana
State Police trooper pum-
meling a Black motorist 18
times with a flashlight an
attack the trooper defend-
ed as “pain compliance.”
“I'm not resisting! I'm not
resisting!” Aaron Larry Bow-
man can be heard scream-
ing between blows on the
footage.
The May 2019 beating fol-
lowing a traffic stop left
him with a broken jaw, three
broken ribs, a broken wrist
and a gash to his head that
required six staples to close.
Bowman's encounter
near his Monroe home came
less than three weeks after
troopers from the same
embattled agency punched,
stunned and dragged anoth-
er Black motorist. AP
clearer this morning. We went
for a walk and then we came
back and now it's coming in
again,” she said of the smoke.
“We're going to go and see a
movie and hopefully it clears
up enough that we can go do
our boat rides.”
An army of firefighters
UK FOREIGN SECRETARY DOMINIC RAAB
A Marine with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command
greets children during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. AGENCIES
China, Taliban hold their
first dialogue in Kabul
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
BEIJING, 25 AUGUST
China has established its first
diplomatic contact with the
Taliban in Kabul after the mil-
itant group took control of
Afghanistan and the two
sides now have "unimped-
ed and effective commu-
nication", a Chinese official
said on Wednesday.
"China and the Afghan
Taliban have unimpeded
and effective communica-
tion and consultation," Chi-
nese Foreign Ministry
spokesman Wang Wenbin
told a media briefing here
when asked about the talks
between the deputy head of
the Taliban's political office
Abdul Salam Hanafi and
Chinese Ambassador to
Afghanistan Wang Yu in
Kabul.
"Kabul is naturally an
important platform and
channel for us to discuss key
issues," Wang said, without
disclosing the details.
"China respects the
Afghan people's indepen-
dent decision on their own
future and destiny, sup-
ports the implementation
of the Afghan-led and
Afghan-owned principle,
and stands ready to continue
Harris urges Vietnam to join US
in opposing China 'bullying'
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HANOI, 25 AUGUST
Vice President Kamala Harris
called on Vietnam to join the
U.S. in challenging China's
“bullying” in the South China
Sea, continuing her sharp
rhetoric against Beijing as
she met with Vietnamese
leaders on Wednesday.
“We need to find ways to
pressure and raise the pres-
sure, frankly, on Beijing to
abide by the United Nations
Convention on the Law of
the Sea, and to challenge its
bullying and excessive mar-
itime claims,” she said in
remarks at the opening of a
meeting with Vietnamese
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
Harris also expressed sup-
port for sending an addi-
tional U.S. Coast Guard cut-
ter to Vietnam to help defend
its security interests in the dis-
puted waterway, and pledged
worked to contain the blaze,
which has spread explosive-
ly in a manner witnessed in
the past two years during
extreme drought. Climate
change has made the West
warmer and drier in the past
30 years and will continue to
make the weather more
to develop good-neigh-
bourly relations of friend-
ship and cooperation with
Afghanistan and play a con-
structive role in the peace
and reconstruction of the
country," he said. China
along with Pakistan and
Russia kept its embassy
open in Kabul while India,
the US and other countries
closed down their diplo-
matic missions after the
Taliban took control of Kabul
on 15 August . Since the Tal-
iban entry into Kabul which
had caught the world by sur-
prise resulting in large scale
evacuations by the US and
its allies, China which had
hosted a Taliban delega-
tion headed by Mullah Abdul
Ghani Baradar last month
remained calm and called
for an inclusive govern-
ment in Kabul.
In his talks with Baradar,
Chinese Foreign Minister
Wang Yi had asked the mil-
itant group to sever its links
with terror groups espe-
cially the Uygur Muslim
militant group from Xinjiang,
the East Turkistan Islamic
Movement (ETIM). Baradar
reportedly assured Wang
that the Taliban will not
permit the ETIM from oper-
ating from Afghanistan.
that the U.S. would “maintain
a strong presence in the South
China Sea” to challenge China.
During remarks in Singa-
pore on Tuesday, Harris said
Beijing's actions to press its
territorial claims in the South
China Sea amount to “coer-
cion” and “intimidation.”
The vice president's rebuke
of China comes in the mid-
dle of her weeklong tour of
Southeast Asia, a trip that
extreme and wildfires more
destructive, according to sci-
entists.
Massive plumes have erupt-
ed in flames, burning embers
carried by gusts have skipped
miles ahead of fire lines, and
fires that typically die down
at night have made long runs
in the dark.
The fire had scorched about
184 square miles (476 sq km)
and destroyed at least 455
homes since August 14 in the
Sierra Nevada southwest of
Lake Tahoe. It was 9% con-
tained and threatened more
than 17,000 structures.
Nationally, 92 large fires
were burning in a dozen states,
according to the National
Interagency Fire Center in
Boise, Idaho. Although many
fires are larger, the Caldor
Fire has become the top pri-
ority to keep it from sweep-
ing into the Tahoe.
As the fire grew last week,
Two US
lawmakers
visit Kabul
WASHINGTON, 25 AUGUST
Two members of Congress
flew unannounced into
Kabul airport in the middle
of the chaotic evacuation
stunning State Department
and U.S. military personnel
who had to divert resources
to provide security and
information to the law-
makers, U.S. officials said.
Rep. Seth Moulton, D-
Mass., and Rep. Peter Mei-
jer, R-Mich, flew in and out
on charter aircraft and were
on the ground at the Kabul
airport for several hours
Tuesday. That led officials
to complain that they could
be taking seats that would
have otherwise gone to
other Americans or Afghans
fleeing the country, but the
congressmen said in a joint
statement that they made
sure to leave on a flight
with empty seats. “As Mem-
bers of Congress, we have
a duty to provide oversight
on the executive branch,”
the two said. “We con-
ducted this visit in secret,
speaking about it only after
our departure, to minimise
the risk and disruption to
the people on the ground,
and because we were there
to gather information, not
to grandstand.” AP
brought her to Singapore and
Vietnam in a bid to strength-
en U.S. ties to the Indo-Pacif-
ic region to counter China's
growing military and eco-
nomic influence there. In
addition to her commitment
to defend the South China Sea
against Beijing advances, Har-
ris unveiled an array of new
partnerships and support for
Vietnam in areas including cli-
mate change, trade and the
politicians, environmental-
ists, and policy makers gath-
ered on the shore for the 25th
annual Lake Tahoe Summit
dedicated to protecting the lake
and the pine-covered moun-
tains that surround it.
With the Caldor Fire burn-
ing to the southwest and the
Dixie Fire, the second-largest
in state history with a 500-mile
(804 km) perimeter, burning
about 65 miles (104 km) to the
north, the risk to the lake was
top of mind.
"The fires that are raging
all around us nearby are
screaming this warning: Tahoe
could be next,” said Rep. Tom
McClintock.
The last major blaze in the
area took South Lake Tahoe by
surprise after blowing up from
an illegal campfire in the sum-
mer of 2007. The Angora Fire
burned less than 5 square
miles (13 sq km) but destroyed
254 homes, injured three peo-
Poland halts Afghan airlift
over safety as US deadline
looms: Poland said Wednes-
day it halted its airlift evac-
uations from Kabul's inter-
national airport over safety
concerns, as Western nations
prepare to end operations
helping those fleeing the
Taliban takeover of
Afghanistan ahead of Amer-
ica's looming withdrawal.
The decision comes as U.S.
President Joe Biden declared
the day before that he is
sticking to his August 31
deadline for completing the
risky airlift from Kabul.
Afghan citizens evacuated to
Italy will be vaccinated: Italy
will offer Afghan citizens
evacuated to Italy from their
homeland the opportunity
to be vaccinated against
Covid-19. Premier Mario
Draghi's office said Tuesday
he has asked the Italian
army general in charge of the
national vaccination pro-
gram to work out a plan so
evacuees of recent days can
receive the vaccine.
Russia preparing evacua-
tion of 500 from Kabul: Rus-
sia is preparing to evacuate
more than 500 people on four
military planes from
Afghanistan its first airlift
operation since evacuations
from Kabul began. The
Defense Ministry said
Wednesday that it will air-
lift the nationals of Russia,
Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajik-
istan, Uzbekistan and
Ukraine from Kabul. Teams
of medical workers will be
present on each plane, the
ministry said, should any of
the evacuees require med-
ical attention.
Guterres to UN personnel:
UN Secretary General Anto-
nio Guterres has said he
shares the concern, anxiety
and pain of the UNperson-
nel in Afghanistan, assert-
ing that the world organi-
sation is doing everything in
it’s power to ensure their safe-
ty & well-being. In a video
message to UN personnel in
war-torn Afghanistan, he
said that they have “our full
support & solidarity”.
coronavirus pandemic.
She announced that the
U.S. will send 1 million addi-
tional doses of the Pfizer vac-
cine to Vietnam, bringing the
total U.S. vaccine donation to
Vietnam to 6 million doses.
The U.S. will also provide
$23 million to help Vietnam
expand distribution and access
to vaccines, combat the pan-
demic and prepare for future
disease threats. The Defense
Department is also delivering
77 freezers to store vaccines
throughout the country.
Vietnam is grappling with
a new coronavirus surge dri-
ven by the delta variant and
low vaccination rates. Only
about 2% of the country's 98
million people are fully vac-
cinated, and the surge in
cases prompted a recent lock-
down in Ho Chi Minh City, the
nation's business hub and
the center of the latest out-
break.
ple and forced 2,000 people
to flee.
Scars from the fire can still
be seen not far from the com-
mercial strip where South
Lake Tahoe meets the Neva-
da border in Stateline, where
tourists go to gamble.
Inside the Hard Rock Hotel
& Casino, cocktail waitresses
in fishnet stockings and leop-
ard-print corsets served cus-
tomers playing slots and black-
jack who said they weren't over-
ly concerned about the fire.
Sitting at a slot machine
near a window looking out at
cars driving through the haze
on Lake Tahoe Boulevard,
Ramona Trejo said she and her
husband would stay for their
50th wedding anniversary, as
planned. Trejo, who uses sup-
plemental oxygen due to res-
piratory problems, said her
husband wanted to keep gam-
bling. “I would want to go
now,” she said.
 NEW DELHI, THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021 11
Diversity of lived Light
Spot
BOOKS RECEIVED

Inside stories

experiences
Well researched and superbly presented, this book upends
BEYOND THE
METROS:
ANGLO-INDIANS
IN INDIA’S
SMALLER
long-standing stereotypes about the Anglo-Indian community in TOWNS AND
CITIES
smaller towns and cities… A review
EDITED BY ROBYN
SOMDATTA MANDAL repealed the policy of preferential ANDREWS AND ANJALI
recruitment in jobs. It was thereafter

T
he Anglo-Indians, a minority
community in India, are
racial hybrids of Europeans
and Indians, who came into
being through four centuries of Euro-
pean colonial contact with India. To
put it simply, Anglo-Indians were
born of mixed marriages between
Indians and the British in colonial
India and were trained in the culture
of both the ruler and ruled.
Though their ways of life resem-
bled the British more, they were
somehow less accepted by the colo-
nial rulers. As a result, they belonged
nowhere, fostering a long history of
loneliness and pathos as well as a des-
perate struggle to keep their cultural
identity alive in an adverse world.
Therefore, from the very beginning,
their hybridity made people consider
Anglo-Indians as the “other” — the
aloofness between themselves and
their Indian subjects was of little con-
cern to the British, and even less so
when most of them had left for
“home”.
Also, as depicted in popular cul-
ture, Anglo-Indians represent a cer-
tain set of stereotypical characters —
the women are either schoolteachers,
office secretaries and bar singers while
the men are usually railway engine
drivers and musicians. This stereotyp-
ing reduces complex identities, cul-
tures and lives to a few, usually dis-
paraging, characteristics that come to
pass as definitive truths.
Further, media coverage of
Anglo-Indians have contributed to
their misrepresentation as an exotic
“community in decline” living in an
anachronistic British past. Clearly, it
is about time that literary and cine-
matic representations show Anglo-
Indians as multi-faceted, significant
and active social agents, who are as
interested in the present and future as
they are in the past.
Beyond the Metros: Anglo-Indians
in India’s Smaller Towns and Cities is a
socio-historical study of what it
means to be an Anglo-Indian in cul-
turally and materially varied environ-
ments. Focusing on different cate-
gories of people living in railway
colonies, hill stations or the erstwhile
French, Portuguese and Dutch settle-
ments, this book dispels the false
notions of there being a uniformity of
experiences for Anglo-Indians living
in minority communities in any part
of India. The towns and cities have
been grouped into three categories --
railway towns such as Kharagpur,
Asansol, Jhansi, Jabalpur and Secun-
derabad; the hill stations of Ranchi
and Dehradun that have long served
as educational hubs, and the port
cities of Cochin, Pondicherry and Goa.
All the towns were closely associ-
ated with traditional occupations for
Anglo-Indians, and their memories
and experiences display a wide variety
in terms of age, gender and profes-
sion. Undertaken in 10 separate chap-
ters, this book provides details about
the nature of employment, such as
service in the railways, schools, Armed
Forces, the business process out-
sourcing sector, or those living over-
seas, that alters the definition of
Anglo-Indian identity and lifestyle.
Historically speaking, the Anglo-
Indians were quite successful and
vibrant as a community till the 1960s
when the Government of India
that a mass exodus from the commu-
nity began to countries like England,
Canada and Australia. Those left
behind were not as successful as
before and their dwindling numbers,
along with a sense of nostalgia for bet-
ter times in the past, destabilised
them further.
The researchers in this book have
taken up case studies of the commu-
nity residing in different towns and
spoken about their much-lauded hos-
pitality and sociability. The ideas of
poverty, joblessness, loneliness and
isolation is only part of the story, and
not always the most interesting aspect
of Anglo-Indian experiences.
The critic Laura Bear describes
Anglo-Indians as a “railway caste” and
introduces a particular conceptuali-
sation of the community and the rail-
way colony. The first five chapters of
this book are all studies of Anglo-Indi-
ans in the different railway towns and
they demonstrate that one lived expe-
rience in a railway town may not, and
in fact, does not, apply to another.
They have also not followed the same
trajectory historically.
Using in-depth interviews and
pictorial portrayals, the first two chap-
ters compare the historical Kharagpur
with the town it is today. The authors
argue that a drastic reduction in the
Anglo-Indian population has led to
major alterations in their daily lifestyle
and job opportunities. On the other
hand, Jhansi and Jabalpur are linked
by a railway line that allowed long-
term friendships and connections to
develop. Interestingly, again in Asan-
sol, there was a trend of home owner-
ship in a community that has histori-
cally tended not to put down roots in
India. In Secunderabad, the BPO sec-
tor has created a great impact on the
Anglo-Indian community.
The wider significance for Anglo-
Indians in English-medium schools in
the hill stations have become an
anchor for the community, providing
a space for the ongoing cultural con-
struction of “Anglo-Indianness”. Thus,
while many Anglo-Indians left
Dehradun and India in general after
Independence, there was also a small
counter-flow of Anglo-Indians to
Dehradun. Again, after the creation of
Jharkhand, along with a rapid popula-
GERA ROY
PRIMUS BOOKS, NEW
DELHI
288 PAGES, RS 1,050
MISSION DOMINATION: AN UNFINISHED
QUEST
tion growth, urbanisation and indus-
BY BORIA MAJUMDAR AND KUSHAN
trialisation contributed to a percepti- SARKAR
ble change in the position and status
SIMON & SCHUSTER INDIA
of the Anglo-Indian community in
Ranchi, in particular. SPORTS, 240 PAGES, RS 499
The next set of chapters on the 19 December wasn’t a good day for Indi-
port cities like Pondicherry and an cricket. No one could fathom what
Cochin demonstrate a legacy of com- hit them after 36 all out in Adelaide.
plexity for Anglo-Indians with French, Summer of 42 seemed like ancient histo-
Tamil and English influences playing ry! But then something changed and 19
out in a range of ways. Unlike Anglo- January happened. Adelaide was a night-
Indians in the north, those in the mare but Brisbane was surreal. A lot
south — particularly in Kerala — changed between 36 all out and 329/7.
tended to own property, and many Everyone saw the performances, but
were engaged in agriculture and what went into putting in that kind of
skilled trades. Though Christians, pri- an effort isn’t something people are
marily Roman Catholics, they were aware of.
not a strictly urban community. What was going through Ravi Shas-
The recent return migration of tri’s mind and what exactly was that
Anglo-Indians to Goa introduces new phone call with his best buddy Bharat
factors to the study as well. Goa is an Arun? What did R Sridhar tell Hanuma
attractive option for those that come Vihari when he hobbled back during the
back to India with money (either cap- tea break in Sydney? Every moment has
ital or a pension) from “abroad”, espe- a story as well as a back-story where it all
cially from the United Kingdom or started for this team.
Australia. Most of the returnee Anglo- Boria Majumdar is a sports histori-
Indians had registered as overseas cit- an and author, and holds a doctorate on
izens of India and hence, can cash in the social history of Indian cricket from
on the ethnic capital they had by the University of Oxford. Kushan Sarkar
virtue of being born in India. Both is currently working as a special corre-
Christianity and the Goan way of life, spondent with the Press Trust of India.
which is more Western than “Indian”,
draw in various ways on their mixed
European-Indian identities.
Thrilling twist
In conclusion, this book is an eye-
opener and a must read for the out-
standing ethnographic fieldwork
which the researchers have conducted
to make readers aware of different his-
torical and sociological contexts. In
the process, they break stereotypes of
the often-misunderstood community
and focus on the concept of diversity
in their lived experiences and the way
they are in present-day India. The
plethora of black and white pho-
tographs accompanying the essays
and the excellent cover design by
Pinaki De add to the visual appeal.
THE ETERNAL SHADOW
The reviewer is a critic and translator, and BY LOPAMUDRA BAIDYA
former professor of English, Visva Bharati,
Santiniketan SRINIVAS PRESS, KOLKATA
FICTION, 104 PAGES, RS 325

Sense of the sublime

Initially written as a short story, the plot
Mukherjee compares Ramakrishna to Jesus was later altered and eventually devel-
Christ, and writes, “He was a born musician and a
born storyteller. His parables, like Jesus’, contain
Spot oped into a suspense thriller. A simple
yet gripping tale of fatherly love and

Sreemati Mukherjee gives a wonderful

interpretation to Mahendranath Gupta’s
epoch-making compilation Sri Sri
Ramakrishna Kathamrita... A review
SWAMI
TYAGARUPANANDA
Ramakrishna is known mainly as a worshipper
of the Divine Mother, the number of kirtan
songs in the Kathamrita about Krishna, Radha
great immediacy and simplicity of appeal, have a
wide range of accessibility, because the language
is direct and unpretentious.” The third chapter
of the book, dealing with Sri Chaitanya and his
impact on the Kathamrita is, decidedly, an origi-
nal one. On that, the author observes, “Sri
Ramakrishna, Sri Chaitanya and Radha seem
parallel and continuous ...”
Third, the book sets Sri Ramakrishna
against other stalwarts of the 19th century’s
Bengal Renaissance. His interaction with
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay has been dis-
Light affection with an interesting twist at the
end, the book will hopefully provide
readers an enjoyable experience.
THE MANY DIALOGUES The story is dated to a time when
OF THE SRI SRI Calcutta was not yet renamed, and cell
RAMAKRISHNA phones were a new addition to technol-
KATHAMRITA
ogy. With a Dickensian touch, the narra-
tive is spontaneous and no less than the
script of an action-packed film. The final
BY SREEMATI MUKHERJEE twist leaves one wondering about life’s
HAWAKAL PUBLISHERS, unpredictability.
With post-graduate degrees in both

M
ahendranath Gupta’s Sri Sri
Ramakrishna Kathamrita, a compi-
lation of the sayings of mystic
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, was
originally written in English in 1897. The Bengali
version, which followed in five volumes, went
on to become an epoch-making work.
Deceptively lucid, his conversations
involving the stories of Bengal conveyed
the essence of religious principles and
philosophy, almost imperceptibly. Since
its publication, scholars have increasing-
ly taken to this book and analysed its
social, philosophical and religious under-
pinnings.
The latest among such interpreta-
tions is The Many Dialogues of the Sri Sri
Ramakrishna Kathamrita, written by
Sreemati Mukherjee, professor at Presi-
dency University. Three features about
the book come across as significant.
First, from a broader perspective, it
brings in the role of song and dance in
the messages of Ramakrishna. For that,
the author refers to his conversations
with Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Keshab
Chandra Sen and Narendranath Dutta
among others. She also specifically men-
tions certain Bengali songs along with
their effortless English translations.
That the interactions between
Ramakrishna and Dutta were com-
pounded to a great degree by songs have
been beautifully demonstrated in the
book, “Music was also part of the seva
that he (Narendranath) rendered Sri
Ramakrishna and a powerful affective
between them...This kind of interchange
electrifies the narrative texture of the
Kathamrita bringing into it a profoundly
dramatic quality and undercuts its docu-
mentary realism with a sense of the sub-
lime.”
Second, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s
presence throughout the text of the
Kathamrita has been ably dealt with in
Mukherjee’s book. Interestingly, while
and Chaitanya are probably greater than those
on the Divine Mother. “Some of the most mem-
orable moments of the Kathamrita, are of Sri
Ramakrishna’s ecstatic references to Radha and
Chaitanya, and his singing and dancing on such
occasions.”
cussed in detail, as have his conversations with
Chandra Sen and Mahendralal Sarkar. “In the
context of Sri Ramakrishna’s interaction with
Bankim Chandra, one sees the prolific nature
of his artistic or imagistic imagination,” writes
Mukherjee.
Another chapter deals with his con-
versations with the legendary dramatist
Girish Chandra Ghosh, on which the
author points out, “Ironically, Girish
Ghosh, the man of drama, provides one
of the most dramatic plots in the
Kathamrita...Through the range of
Girish’s interaction with theatre folk,
especially with women actresses who
mostly hailed from disreputable back-
grounds, he is implicated in their lives.
Thus, even if women are not actually
part of the fabric of the Kathamrita, they
are an implied presence and that only
serves to make this text even more
inclusive and far-ranging.”
Sri Ramakrishna’s compassionate
dealings with the theatre actresses of
that time have been compared to Bud-
dha’s visit to the courtesan Amrapali’s
house, and Christ’s acceptance of fallen
women such as Mary Magdalene. Chan-
dra Ghosh’s transformation from a
bohemian iconoclast to a modern Ben-
gali playwright, albeit mostly on reli-
gious themes, owes a lot to the inspira-
tion he derived from Sri Ramakrishna.
Stating the importance of his pres-
ence in the Kathamrita, Mukherjee
writes, “Girish Ghosh’s presence adds
immeasurably to the richness of the text
because theatre was a very powerful cul-
tural medium of the time.” She further
makes a personal statement, “Girish
Ghosh is compelling because he is also
intensely human, and we recognise our-
selves in him. This leads to immediacy
and creates spontaneous reader identi-
fication.
“At the Star Theatre, Ramakrishna
had twice mentioned that Girish Ghosh
KOLKATA/DELHI
260 PAGES, RS 520
English and human resource manage-
ment, Lopamudra Baidya has teaching
experience across top engineering and
management institutes.
was like a bowl of garlic. This implies that just as
the strong odour of garlic does not go away eas-
ily, similarly, Girish is too stained by worldliness
Here, there &
...” When this observation by Ramakrishna
reaches Chandra Ghosh, he is moved, entreating
everywhere
the former to save him from the morass.
Seeing his earnestness Ramakrishna recon-
sidered his statement, observing that just as a
bowl which had contained garlic can be rid of
smell when put to flame, the name of god can
cleanse one of all sins. On that note, Mukherjee
writes, “Sri Ramakrishna enjoyed debates and
often requested that Girish Ghosh debate with
persons who were sceptical about the idea of
the avatar (incarnation of God) ...”
Another modern and rationalistic character,
whose presence is seen towards the end of the
mystic’s life, is Sarkar. A doctor by profession,
he had initially been a sceptic as he watched
learned devotees revering Sri Ramakrishna as a
man with spiritual realisation. “There are AJAY AND HIS TALES FROM FARAWAY
LANDS
debates involving ‘Liberty and Necessity’ which
involve Sri Ramakrishna, the doctor and Girish BY AMITAVA CHAUDHURI
Ghosh.” Great questions about life and action EXCELLER BOOKS, KOLKATA
were thus debated upon, and philosophical and FICTION, 109 PAGES, RS 249
literary texts quoted to substantiate the respec-
tive points of view. This is a book of 10 short stories, which
The author has been extremely reverential are set in different parts of the globe
towards Sri Ramakrishna. In addition to the bib- where resources are usually limited,
liography, she has painstakingly prepared an unlike human values. Theirs is a world in
index of Bengali (Sanskrit) terms frequently which people are happy with less, lead
used, and the names of mythological characters simple lives and try to make the best of
that appear in the narrative of the Kathamrita. things. Encompassing tales as diverse as
The print and layout of the book is beautiful too. that of a telephone operator in Mongolia
It would have been expeditious, however, if the and a fisherman in Zanzibar to a silver-
names of individual chapters were given at the back gorilla in the Virunga Mountains
top of respective pages. In the absence of that, it near the Congo, this book comes from
is difficult to remember the contents of a partic- the author’s experiences while living and
ular chapter while going through the pages of working in those countries and beyond.
this wonderful book. Amitava Chaudhuri has worked for
the United Nations, World Bank, The
The reviewer is secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Commonwealth Secretariat and nation-
Malda al governments for about 40 years.

The legendary Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday rebuked former England cap-
tain Nasser Hussain for his assertion that Indian cricket teams of the bygone
era were easily bullied unlike the current side under Virat Kohli. Gavaskar
told Hussain that he would be "very upset" if his generation of cricketers
were termed as ones who were "bullied". "You said this India will
not be bullied as perhaps the previous generations would be. (I)
For more updates www.thestatesman.com
THUMBNAILS
Serena Williams pulls out of
US Open: Serena Williams
added herself to the list of
big-name withdrawals from
the US Open on Wednesday,
pulling out of the year's last
Grand Slam tournament
because of a torn hamstring.
Williams hasn't competed
since injuring her right leg in
the first set of her first-
round match at Wimbledon
in late June. The American,
who turns 40 next month,
announced her decision to
sit out the U.S. Open via a
social media post. She joins
Roger Federer and Rafael
Nadal in sitting out the com-
petition in Flushing Mead-
ows, where play begins next
Monday.
Ramsey out for Juventus
and Wales: Juventus will like-
ly be without Aaron Ramsey
for several weeks after the
midfielder injured his right
thigh, also ruling him out of
international duty with
Wales. Ramsey was forced
off in the 59th minute of
Juve's 2-2 draw at Udinese in
its Serie A opener on Sun-
day. Due to a muscular prob-
lem reported at the end of
the match played against
Udinese, Aaron Ramsey
underwent diagnostic tests
... this morning, which
revealed a low-grade injury
to the adductor major mus-
cle of the right thigh, Juven-
tus said in a statement on
Tuesday.
Sathiyan cruises into ITTF
Czech Open final: Star Indian
paddler G Sathiyan on
Wednesday advanced to the
men's singles final of the
ITTF Czech International
Open after his Swedish
opponent Truls Moregardh
retired hurt in Olomouc
(Czech Republic). The top
seeded Indian won the first
two games without breaking
a sweat 11-4 11-8 and was
leading the third 8-2 when
Moregardh opted against
continuing the competition,
citing an injury in the semifi-
nal clash.
Shamsi in Rajasthan Royals:
Rajasthan Royals on Wednes-
day roped in South Africa's
left-arm wrist spinner
Tabraiz Shamsi for the
remainder of IPL scheduled
to be held in the UAE from
19 September. Shamsi, the
world no. 1 ranked T20I
bowler in ICC rankings, will
be joining the Royals squad
as their second replacement
player.
India lead WTC table with 14
points: The Indian cricket
team took the top spot in the
latest World Test Champi-
onship standings with 14
points after its massive 151-
run victory over England in
the second game of an ongo-
ing five-match series. The rain-
forced draw in the opening
Test gave India four points
and the outright win at Lord's
12 points. However, the team
has 14 points in total, instead
of 16, as it was docked two
points for slow over rate.
Real Madrid offer 160 million euros to Mbappe
AGENCIES
PARIS, 25 AUGUST
Real Madrid have made a 160
million euro bid for Paris St Ger-
main's France forward Kylian
Mbappe (in photo), Spanish
and French media reported on
Tuesday.
There was no immediate
comment from either club.
France's L'Equipe said
PSG's position remained
unchanged, with the Ligue 1
club determined to keep
Mbappe until at least the end
of his contract in June next year
even if he could then leave for
nothing. Spain's Marca said the
move was a first step by Real,
who have long had their sights
on the 22-year-oldWorld Cup-
winner who scored 42 goals in
all competitions for PSG last
season and has reportedly
said he wants to move to Spain.
The As.com website quoted
Real sources as saying however
that the fact money was not an
issue for wealthy Qatar-owned
PSG was an obstacle for Real.
Britain's Sky Sports said the offer
was made on Sunday. Any
sale of Mbappe would allow
PSG to recoup some of the costs
Printed and published by VINOD KUMAR GUPTA for THE STATESMAN LTD, Statesman House, 148 Barakhamba Road, New Delhi ��Editor: RAVINDRA KUMAR ��Executive Editor: ARYA RUDRA ��Printed at Vibha Publication Pvt Ltd, D-160 B, Sector 7, NOIDA 201301 (UP). ��The Statesman Ltd. RNB REG. No. M-8905,RNI No. 507/57
Belonging to previous generation, could you perhaps enlight-
en which generation? And what is the exact meaning of bully?"
Gavaskar, also a former India captain, asked Hussain on air.
East Bengal in the fray
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
KOLKATA, 25 AUGUST
For good or bad, East Bengal
will play in the Indian Super
League, after all. It was
announced today after a meet-
ing at the West Bengal gov-
ernment headquarters where
the club and their investor had
been invited by chief minis-
ter Mamata Banerjee (in photo)
that the century-old institu-
tion would be back in the
battle, differences over a quasi
-- merger buried at least for now
under the glare of chief min-
isterial eyes. Banerjee had
some time ago suggested flex-
ibility on East Bengal's side for
a months-old impasse to end
but later looked askance at the
investor pulling out, saying the
club had been left in the lurch.
She it was who had last year
taken the initiative to bring the
two entities together so East
Bengal could play in the ISL,
a tournament in which their
performance hit an all - time
low despite a huge expendi-
India bundled out for 78
AGENCIES
LEEDS, 25 AUGUST
J
ames Anderson (in photo)
rocked the top-order in
an early morning spell as
India got a rude jolt from
a disciplined England pace
attack which shot the visitors
out for a paltry 78 on the first
day of the third Test here on
Wednesday.
At tea, England were 21 for
no loss taking complete con-
trol of the proceedings afterVirat
Kohli's decision to bat under
overcast conditions backfired
badly. It is now second time in
nine months that India have
been bowled out for less than
100 after their Adelaide deba-
cle of 36 all out in December
last year. After the Lord's high,
it was an absolute low for Kohli
and his men as this is India's
lowest score on a first day track
in the past 34 years.
The last time India were
all-out for less than 100 on the
first day of a Test was back in
1987 when fiery Jamaican
Patrick Patterson scared the hell
out of DilipVengsarkar's team,
skittling them out for 75 at the
Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi.
On the day, Rohit Sharma
(19 off 105 balls) and Ajinkya
Rahane (18 off 54 balls) were the
only ones to reach double dig-
its and the third highest con-
tribution was 16 extra runs.
Once Anderson (8-5-6-3),
who is back at his best, used his
lethal outswingers to good
effect and got the wickets of KL
Rahul (0), Cheteshwar Pujara
(1) and rival skipperVirat Kohli
(7), all caught by wicketkeep-
er Jos Buttler.There was no resis-
tance as India lost six wickets
for 22 runs in the post lunch ses-
sion.
Craig Overton (3/14 in 10.3
of Lionel Messi's salary pack-
age after they signed the
Argentina forward and six
times Ballon d'Or winner from
Barcelona earlier this month.
PSG ended last season with only
one major trophy, the French
Cup, after losing the league title
by one point to Lille and crash-
ing out in the Champions
League semi-finals.
Real, now managed by Ital-
ian Carlo Ancelotti, were run-
ners-up domestically last sea-
son to city rivals Atletico.
Mbappe joined PSG from AS
Monaco in 2017, on loan ini-
tially and then permanently a
year later in a deal valued at
180 million euros.
WAR OF WORDS
ture by the investor. As words
like a final agreement and a
strict adherence to it found their
way into history's footnotes,
East Bengal official Shanti
Ranjan Das Gupta told The
Statesman that everything
could be "discussed later on."
He said that the club's top
priority would now be to help
the investor build the sea-
sonal football squad.
A term sheet that had been
the organisational compass last
year - which East Bengal agreed
to - would be honoured again,
it was said by a source close
to the club. That the terms had
overs), Ollie Robinson (2/16 in
10 overs) and Sam Curran (2/27
in 10 overs) didn't loosen the
straglehold after Anderson's
first assault as India failed build
on a single significant part-
nership.
The best part about 39-
year-old Anderson's bowling
during that opening session was
his masterful use of strategy.
For someone, who primar-
ily relies on outswing as his stock
ball, he changed his tactic and
used the outgoing delivery as
a “shock” ball after pegging
back the batters with incom-
ing deliveries.
Rahul, the in-form bats-
man, went for an expansive drive
early to a delivery that moved
a shade in the air with a wob-
bly seam and took his outside
edge into Buttler's gloves.
European clubs and Fifa at odds
over World Cup qualifiers
AGENCIES
LONDON, 25 AUGUST
European clubs have accused
world soccer's governing body
Fifa of abusing its regulatory
function in a growing row over
the extended release of play-
ers forWorld Cup qualifiers in
September and October.
The Premier league and
Spain's LaLiga both said they
backed clubs refusing to make
players available for matches
in South America. Premier
League sides will be particu-
larly hard hit by Fifa's decision
to extend a mandatory release
period from nine to 11 days,
to enable triple-headers to
take place in South America.
England's strict quarantine
rules have also added to the
headache, with the Premier
League saying no exemption
had been granted by govern-
ment for soccer players. Liv-
erpool had already refused to
allow forward Mohamed Salah
to travel to Africa forWorld Cup
qualifiers with Egypt next
left East Bengal without a say
either in team- building or play-
er selection did not appear to
matter.
When, in the previous ISL,
East Bengal kept doing amaz-
ingly and abysmally badly in
Goa, their officials in Kolkata
were reduced to citing their
helplessness as questions
came thick and fast about the
spectacular slump. And there
would be queries yet about
whether today's conclusive
move would leave East Ben-
gal with time enough for them
to be at their best for the Cal-
cutta Football League. "That's
a very difficult problem," said
an East Bengal insider, adding:
"There's very little time for play-
ers to be contacted and con-
tracted." Although most of
the back and forth has been
over the ISL, there is hardly any
doubt that the reaction from
fans will be severe if East Ben-
gal do not get ready for it, amid
serious doubts about Mohun
Bagan's willingness to par-
ticipate in the CFL.
Pujara, who is going through
the worst phase of his inter-
national career, got a conven-
tional outswinger after a few
incutters, and Anderson forced
the batsman to have a feel for
the delivery.
Kohli hit an off-drive for
three runs but it was amply clear
that the Indian captain was suf-
fering from both technical and
mindset issues with Anderson
picking him once again like it
has been his day job for sever-
al years.While Kohli had slight-
ly tweaked his front-foot move-
ment but he dangled his bat
away from his body to offer But-
tler his third catch of the innings.
At 21 for three, Rahane came
in and was in a bit of trouble
against Moeen Ali despite the
fact that he got a few bound-
aries to keep the scoreboard tick-
month because he would be
forced to quarantine on his
return to England. The same
measures could affect Liver-
pool's Brazilian trio of Rober-
to Firmino, Alisson Becker
and Fabinho, who have been
called up for next month's
qualifiers against Chile,
Argentina and Peru. Brazil,
Chile, Argentina and Peru are
all on the British government's
'red list' of countries that trig-
ger a 10-day hotel quarantine
to guard against the spread of
Covid-19.
"Premier League clubs have
today reluctantly but unani-
mously decided not to release
players for international match-
es played in red-list countries
next month," the league said
in a statement.
Premier League players
would potentially miss two
matches if they quarantined
on their return. Spain's LaLi-
ga said in a statement it would
support clubs refusing to
release their players for the
South American qualifiers.
Mohammedan SC face Indian
Air Force in Durand Cup opener
KOLKATA, 25 AUGUST
Mohammedan SC will take on
Indian Air Force in the open-
ing match of 130th edition of
Durand Cup, Asia's oldest
football tournament, sched-
uled to be held here from
September 5 to October 3.
A total of 16 teams across
four groups will vie for hon-
ours in the tournament, joint-
ly organised by the Indian
Armed Forces and the Gov-
ernment of West Bengal.
Mohammedan SC -- the first
Indian winners of the Durand
Cup -- have been drawn into
Group A alongside Bengalu-
ru United, the Indian Air Force
and Central Reserve Police
Force (CRPF).
Group B has all the ingre-
dients for a potential 'Group
of Death', featuring Indian
Super League (ISL) sides FC
Goa and Jamshedpur FC,
Anderson and Co skittle India out for 78, Eng-
land 21 for no loss at tea. Once Anderson (8-5-
6-3), who is back at his best, used his lethal
outswingers to good effect and got the wick-
ets of KL Rahul (0), Cheteshwar Pujara (1) and
rival skipper Virat Kohli (7), all caught by wick-
etkeeper Jos Buttler. There was no resistance
as India lost six wickets for 22 runs in the post
lunch session.
ing.That allowed Rohit to main-
tain his composure and there
was only one check drive that
he played for a couple of runs
during that session.
However, Robinson bowled
one on off-stump channel and
it moved a shade to evade
Rahane's defensive jab but did
enough to get that faint outside
edge into Buttler's gloves for his
fourth catch.
‘We don't let anyone take us
lightly'
India captain Virat Kohli has
suggested England "provoked"
a match winning reaction from
his team in their emotion-
charged second Test.
Kohli was happy to keep the
battle lines drawn ahead of
the thirdTest at Headingley from
SCOREBOARD
India 1st Innings:
Rohit c Robinson b Overton 19
Rahul c Buttler b Anderson 0
Pujara c Buttler b Anderson 1
Kohli c Buttler b Anderson 7
Rahane c Buttler b Robinson 18
Pant c Buttler b Robinson 2
Jadeja lbw b Curran 4
Shami c Burns b Overton 0
Ishant Sharma not out 8
Jasprit Bumrah lbw b Curran 0
Siraj c Root b Overton 3
Extras: (LB-11, NB-5) 16
Total: (All out in 40.4 overs) 78
Dahiya to miss
World C’ship
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
Olympic silver medallist Ravi
Dahiya says he has decided
to give the upcoming wrestling
World Championship a miss
since he did not get time to
prepare for the selection tri-
als that WFI is organising
next week to pick the Indian
team for the prestigious tour-
nament.
TheWrestling Federation
of India (WFI) will conduct
trials on Tuesday for the
Worlds, set to be held in Oslo,
Norway from October 2-10.
Dahiya and other Tokyo
Games medal winners have
been hopping from one state
to another for the numerous
felicitation functions being
organised in their honour.
“I don't want to be on the
mat unprepared. What's the
point in competing without
enough practice. So I have to
miss the World Champi-
onship because I don't want
to go to the trials without
enough practice,” the soft-spo-
ken Dahiya told PTI.
alongside I-League side Sude-
va Delhi FC and 2016 Durand
Cup winners Army Green
Football Team.
Bengaluru Football Club
and Kerala Blasters Football
Club are drawn into Group C,
pitting the two ISL sides against
Delhi FC and the Indian Navy
football team. For the Blasters,
this tournament would also
mark their Durand Cup debut.
The fourth and final group
will see Assam Rifles and
Army Red locking horns with
Hyderabad FC from the ISL and
the reigning Durand Cup and
I-League champions, Goku-
lam Kerala Football Club.
The top two teams from
each group would advance to
the quarter-finals. The two
semi-finals are scheduled for
September 27 and 29. The
final will take place on 3 Octo-
ber. SNS
Wednesday. "It just showed
this team is not going to back
down and take a backward
step when provoked," he said.
"What is said on the field and
what's done in the moment,
gives you extra motivation, as
I said after the game, to get
together as a team even more
strongly. "We play together, we
play to win and we don't let any-
one or any opposition just take
us lightly. We know and they
know that we are always going
to compete and find ways to win
games of cricket."
When pressed on how India
had been provoked, Kohli said:
"I cannot give you the details
of the words that were spoken.
I think it's for the cameras and
the stump mics to pick that up
for both teams, equally, and then
be analysed.”
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-4, 3-21, 4-56,
5-58, 6-67, 7-67, 8-67, 9-67, 10-78
Bowling: James Anderson 8-5-6-3,
Ollie Robinson 10-3-16-2, Sam
Curran 10-2-27-2, Moeen Ali 2-0-4-
0, Craig Overton 10.4-5-14-3.
England 1st Innings:
Rory Burns not out 3
Haseeb Hameed not out 15
Extras: (NB-2, W-1) 3
Total: (For no loss in 7 overs) 21
Bowling:Sharma 3-0-14-0, Jasprit
Bumrah 3-1-7-0, Shami 1-1-0-0.
(At Tea)
5 javelin throwers including Devendra
Jhajhariya depart for Tokyo Paralympics
STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, 25 AUGUST
Two-time gold medalist Deven-
dra Jhajhariya and current
World Champion Sandeep
Chaudhary were a part of a 12-
member contingent that left for
Tokyo2020 Para Games early this
morning. This contingent
included 5 javelin throwers all
of whom are high medal win-
ning prospects. Apart from
javelin throwers, high jumpers
Nishad Kumar and Ram Pal
along with discus thrower
Yogesh Kathuniya were also part
of the contingent.
Devendra is already the
biggest star of the Indian con-
tingent having won gold medals
in Athens and Rio Paralympics.
He threw a world record throw
of 65.71m, breaking his older
record of 63.97 in a qualifying
event a couple of months back.
His main competition comes
from nowhere else than India.
India’s Ajit Singh and Sundar
Gurjar are right behind Deven-
dra in the event and have been
pushing the champion throw-
THURSDAY 26 AUGUST 2021
Postal Reg. No. DL (ND)-II/6088/2018/-19-20
Afridi leads Pak to 109-run victory
AGENCIES
KINGSTON, 25 AUGUST
Pakistan's Shaheen Shah
Afridi took 10 wickets in the
match as the tourists bowled
West Indies out on Monday
to win the second test at
Sabina Park and tie the two-
match series. Shaheen
claimed 4-43 to add to career
best figures of 6-51 in the first
innings as West Indies were
dismissed for 219 on the last
day to give Pakistan victory
by 109 runs. The hosts were
always up against it after
resuming on their overnight
tally of 49-1, 280 runs shy of
the imposing target of 329,
but with survival more than
chasing victory in mind.
But they lost four wickets
in the morning session to
slump to 113-5 at lunch with
Hasan Ali ensuring top order
batsmen Nkrumah Bonner
and Royston Chase both
departed cheaply. Home
captain Kraigg Brathwaite, 17
not out overnight, lost his
wicket in the second over after
Uncertainty, distress for Afghan
cricketers after Taliban takeover
AGENCIES
KABUL, 25 AUGUST
The crack of bat on ball echoes
around Kabul's international
stadium as Afghanistan's top
cricketers prepare for their
next tour -- just days after the
country fell to the Taliban.
The calm of the empty sta-
dium is a surreal contrast to
scenes just a few kilometres
north, where tens of thou-
sands of Afghans at Kabul air-
port are desperately trying to
flee on evacuation flights.
Following the stunning vic-
tory of the hardline Islamists,
many of the players in crick-
et-mad Afghanistan's beloved
national team are finding it dif-
ficult to focus on sport. "The
fear is there in their eyes, in their
voices, even in their mes-
sages," pace bowler Naveen-
er for a couple of years. With a
little bit of luck, India could grab
all three medals in the men’s
F-46 category and that itself
would be a dream moment for
the country.
Cairn Oil & Gas has been sup-
porting para athletes from
Rajasthan since February 2017
through the Paralympic Com-
mittee of India (PCI), through
Project Divyang. Prachur Sah,
Deputy CEO, Cairn Oil & Gas,
said, “We are delighted to have
supportedSundarSingh,Deven-
dra Jhajharia and Parul D Par-
mar during their preparation
for theTokyo Paralympics 2020.
Under Project Divyang, we
endeavor to adopt a forward-
looking vision and provide
NEW DELHI
12
tea as he cut Nauman Ali
straight to point to be dis-
missed for 39. A 46-run part-
nership for the seventh wick-
et between Jason Holder and
Kyle Mayers ended at tea
with the Windies only tem-
porarily prolonging the
inevitable.
Mayers made 32 before
departing and Holder top
scored with 47 before Sha-
heen wrapped up the tail to
ensure success for the visi-
tors as he was named man
of the series.
"It was tough because it
was really hot out there but
we delivered together as a
team bowling unit," Sha-
heen said at the end of the
Test.
West Indies battled again
with the bat but Brathwaite
said drawing the series must
still be seen as a positive for
West Indies after losing their
previous series at home to
South Africa in June. They beat
Pakistan by one wicket in a
thrilling first test, also at
Sabina Park, last week.
ul-Haq said of his teammates
in Kabul during a BBC radio
interview broadcast at the
weekend. "The Taliban have
said (they) won't be troubling
any sportsman, but nobody
knows," added Haq, speaking
from theWest Indies where he
plays in the Caribbean Premier
League. The return of the Tal-
iban has sparked widespread
fear in Afghanistan and in the
international community,
reviving memories of their
brutal first stint in power from
1996 to 2001 when they
imposed a harsh version of
Islamic law.They banned most
forms of entertainment --
including many sports -- and
stadiums doubled as public exe-
cution venues. Sports the Tal-
iban did allow were strictly con-
trolled, and were for only for
men to play and watch.
support to para-athletes.”
“Neeraj’s gold medal has put
the spotlight on javelin throw-
ers and being the senior most
of the lost I can say this with
assurance that after Tokyo Par-
alympics, javelin will be the sec-
ond most popular game in
this country after cricket,” said
Devendra. “Sundar and I have
been competing with each
other but at the end of the day
if our performance can make
the country proud and win us
some medals, we both shall be
satisfied,” said Sandeep Chaud-
hary. All eyes are also set on
Sandeep Chaudhary and Sumit
Antil in the men’s F64 catego-
ry where they are no 1 and 2
ranked throwers in the world.