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ASTROGUIDE
Shobhakrut: Uttarayana
Tithi: Vaishakha Shuddha Chaviti
till 8.26 am
Star: Mrigasira till 2.08 am
(Tuesday)
Varjyam: 6.28 am to 8.11am
Durmuhurtam: 12.39 pm to 1.29
pm; 3.09 pm to 3.59 pm
Rahukalam: 7.30 am to 9 am
HIJRI CALENDAR
Shawwal 3,1444 AH
PRAYERS
Fajar: 4.51 am
Zohar: 12.24 pm
Asar: 4.39 pm
Maghrib: 6.40 pm
Isha: 7.50 pm
SUNSET TODAY 6.34 PM
SUNRISE TOMORROW 5.54 AM
MOONRISE TODAY 8.56 AM
COUNTER POINT
IN BRIEF
J&K attack: 30
people detained
Jammu: Around 30 people
have been detained for
questioning so far as secu-
rity forces conducted a
massive search operation
to track down the terrorists
who ambushed an Army
truck in J&K’s Poonch
killing five personnel last
week, officials said. Necess-
ary action is being taken
against the terrorists, the
Army’s Northern Comman-
der Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwiv-
edi said. The search opera-
tion was underway amid a
high alert in twin districts
of Poonch and Rajouri.
WATER BODIES
FOR IRRIGATION:
TS IN TOP RANK
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
The first census on water
bodies across the country,
released by the Union jal
shakti ministry, listed
Telangana among the Top
five states with regard to
use of water bodies in irri-
gation.
The state was listed along
with Jharkhand, Andhra
Pradesh, West Bengal and
Gujarat in the report that
Union jal shakti minister
Gajendra
Shekhawat released on
Singh
Sunday.
The census enumerated
24,24,540 water bodies
nationwide, out of which
97.1 per cent (23,55,055)
were in the rural areas and
2.9 per cent (69,485) in the
urban areas.
The census provided a
comprehensive inventory
of water resources, includ-
ing natural and man-made
water bodies, and collected
data on the encroachment
of water bodies. The cen-
sus highlighted disparities
between rural and urban
areas and varying levels of
encroachment and
revealed crucial insights
into water resources.
BJP will scrap 4% Muslim
Hectic publicity drive on in Aurangabad
All set for KCR’s third quota after TS win: Shah
Maha meeting today Says party will save state from being ruined by KCR
L. VENKAT RAM
REDDY | DC
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
Nearly a month after the
BRS public meeting in
Kandhar Loha in Nanded,
which the party said had
received a massive
response, it has made
every effort to ensure the
public meeting in Aura-
ngabad, to be addressed by
party president and Chief
Minister K. Chandra-
shekar Rao on Monday, is
a grand success, with elab-
orate arrangements being
put in place.
Several BRS leaders, led
by Armoor MLA A.
Jeevan Reddy, have been
camping in Aurangabad
for two weeks in order to
ensure the success of the
third BRS public meeting
in Maharashtra.
Party leaders are mak-
ing efforts to mobilise
over a lakh people in
Aurangabad and the sur-
SChearing today
on Avinash arrest
NAGABHUSHANAM
HOSKOTE I DC
ANANTAPUR, APRIL 23
A tense situation gripped
Kadapa and adjoining dis-
tricts in Andhra Pradesh
ahead of Monday’s
Supreme Court decision
on a petition challenging
the Telangana High Court
order which had stopped
the CBI from arresting
YSRC MP Y.S. Avinash
Reddy till April 25 in the
Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy
murder case.
The judgment in the
petition filed by Dr
Suneetha Narreddy,
India on standby
for Sudan rescue
SRIDHAR
KUMARASWAMI
with agency inputs
NEW DELHI, KHARTOUM,
APRIL 23
As the United States and
several other nations,
including the Uniter
Kingdom, France, Turkey
and Saudi Arabia, raced
to evacuate their diplo-
mats, embassy staff and
other nationals from
Sudan’s battle-torn capi-
tal Khartoum, the Indian
VERIFIED | TICKS
Blue tick back, celebs thank Twitter
AARTI KASHYAP I DC
with agency inputs
HYDERABAD, MUMBAI,
APRIL 23
Film personalities, led by
Amitabh Bachchan, on
Sunday welcomed
Twitter’s move to restore
verification badges on
high-profile celebrity
accounts, days after the
microblogging platform
culled the legacy blue
check marks.
Bachchan, Shah Rukh
Khan and Salman Khan,
Akshay Kumar, Ajay
Devgn and Rajinikanth,
among others lost the lega-
cy blue ticks on their
Twitter accounts after
Hoardings welcoming Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar
Rao seen in Aurangabad ahead of the BRS public meet-
ing on Monday.
rounding districts.
BRS leaders have
engaged a dozen vehicles
outfitted with LED
screens and audio-visual
equipment to promote the
“Telangana model” of
development and welfare
schemes. These cars are
Vivekananda
Avinash Reddy
Reddy’s
daughter, is likely to be
pronounced in the first
hour on Monday.
■ Page 4: CBI inspects
Avinash, Viveka houses
government said it has
put “contingency plans in
place” which include
evacuation operations by
air and sea for over 3,000
stranded Indian nationals
there by positioning two
IAF C-130J Super Herc-
ules transport aircraft on
standby in Jeddah, while
its state-of-the-art indige-
nous Naval Offshore Pat-
rol Vessel INS Sumedha
has reached Port Sudan.
■ Full report on Page 10
Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra among first to celebrate move
Amitabh Bachchan
Elon Musk’s microblog-
ging site introduced a
monthly fee of $8.
On Saturday, the social
media platform began rein-
stating the blue tick mark
for some users, including
HYDERABAD I MONDAY I 24 APRIL 2023
— DC
touring Aurangabad and
the surrounding areas,
rallying support for the
BRS while encouraging
people to attend the Chief
Minister’s public meeting.
■ Page 3: KCR focus on
local body polls in Maha.
Sachin Pilot
PILOT: WON’T
WITHDRAW STIR
AGAINST GOVT
ASHHAR KHAN | DC
NEW DELHI, APRIL 23
With senior Congress
leader Sachin Pilot
asserting that he will con-
tinue his agitation for
action against corruption
during the previous BJP
government’s reign, ther-
e seems to be no end in
sight for the issues plagu-
ing Rajasthan Congress.
Pilot said he has no plan
to back down on his stand
against corruption and
has been “politely
requesting” the state gov-
ernment to take action
against instances of cor-
ruption under the previ-
ous Vasundhara Raje-led
government.
“Speaking truth, rais-
ing our voice against cor-
ruption and injustice is
among the values of the
Congress. Following
these values, I observed a
one-day fast on April 11.
As of today, it’s been two
weeks but no action has
been taken so far.”
■ Page 7: Pilot: ‘Politely
requesting’ state to act
Prakash Raj
former US President
Donald Trump and
Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi. It was not immedi-
ately clear whether or not
these accounts had paid for
the verification or Twitter
NARENDER PULLOOR I DC
CHEVELLA, APRIL 23
Asserting that the BJP
would form government in
Telangana in the
December 2023 Assembly
elections, Union home
minister Amit Shah
declared on Sunday that
the BJP government
would abolish the four per
cent quota given to
Muslims in education and
employment, contending
that there is no provision
in the Constitution to pro-
vide reservations on the
basis of religion.
Addressing a massive
gathering at the Vijaya
Sankalpa Sabha in
Chevella, Shah said that
Muslim reservation in
government jobs and edu-
cation was unconstitution-
al and that only the
Scheduled Castes (SCs),
Scheduled Tribes (STs),
and Other Backward
Classes (OBCs) popula-
tions were entitled to
reservations.
“We will form govern-
ment in Telangana and
end Muslim reservation,”
Shah declared, while stat-
ing that the BRS govern-
ment had been implement-
ing reservation for the
minorities even in the two-
bedroom scheme.
Further, claiming that
the BRS had created a map
of India showing Kashmir
as being independent,
Shinde govt will collapse
within 20 days, says Raut
BHAGWAN PARAB | DC
MUMBAI, APRIL 23
With the Supreme Court
likely to announce the ver-
dict on the Maharashtra
power struggle soon, Shiv
Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay
Raut claimed that the
Eknath Shinde govern-
ment in the state will col-
lapse within the next 15-20
days.
“The government of the
existing Chief Minister
and his 40 MLAs will col-
lapse in 15-20 days. The
death warrant of this gov-
ernment has been issued.
It is now to be decided who
will sign it and when,”
Raut said in Jalgaon.
The Shiva Sena (UBT)
leader’s statement has
come in the backdrop of
the possibility that the
Supreme Court’s judge-
ment on the political crisis
in the state is likely to be
announced by mid-May.
The SC is hearing a
was restoring the verified
status for accounts with
high follower count.
Closer home, BJP leaders
like Governor Tamilisai
Soundararajan, BJP lead-
ers Tarun Chugh and
Komatireddy Rajagopal
Reddy, AIMIM leader
Asaduddin Owaisi as well
as celebrities like Allu
Arjun, Samantha Prabhu,
Prakash Raj and Ram
Gopal Verma got the verifi-
cation tickback, as did the
official handles of the BJP
and the AIMIM.
The BRS with 821.8k fol-
lowers and Telangana
Congress with 125.2k as
well as BJP leader Etala
Rajendar did not get the
Vol. 86 No. 113 Established 1938 | 20
Union home minister Amit Shah and former Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy
share a moment during the BJP’s Vijaya Sankalpa Sabha in Chevella on Sunday. Union
minister G. Kishan Reddy, TS BJP chief Bandi Sanjay, BJP’s national general secretary
and state incharge Tarun Chugh and other leaders are seen.
● MUSLIM RESERVATION
in government jobs and
education unconstitutional,
only the SCs, STs, and
OBCs entitled to reserva-
tions.
Shah stated, “You insulted
India by calling it ‘Azad
Kashmir’ to please the
Majlis and people of
Telangana have been seek-
ing an explanation on
this.” The senior BJP
leader predicted
Goddess Maha Lakshmi
that
sitting on a lotus would
bring prosperity to
Telangana, effectively end-
ing the Majlis-driven KCR
batch of pleas, including
one seeking disqualifica-
tion of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs
(of the Shinde faction)
who revolted against the
Thackeray’s leadership.
The five-member bench of
the apex court last month
reserved its verdict after
completing the hearing
last month.
“We are waiting for the
top court’s order and
expecting that justice will
be done,” said Raut.
He said he had earlier
predicted that the Shinde
government would col-
blue badge back.
Bachchan, an active user
of Twitter, thanked Musk
and referred to a song from
the 1990s film ‘Mohra’.
“Hey Musk bro! Thank you
very, very much for rein-
stating the blue tick in
front of my name. I feel like
singing. Will you listen?
So, listen. ‘Tu cheez badi
hai Musk Musk, tu cheez
badi hai, Musk,” Bachchan
tweeted in Hindi.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
expressed surprise over
the verification mark
being restored. “I'm
Priyanka again!” she
wrote.
“Hey #BlueTick. I missed
you ..did u miss me,”said
— DEEPAK DESHPANDE
WHAT SHAH SAID
● GODDESS MAHA
Lakshmi sitting on a lotus
would bring prosperity to
Telangana, effectively end-
ing the Majlis-driven KCR
government.
government. “KCR has
shamelessly carried out
Owaisi’s agenda. He is
scared of the Majlis, but
not the BJP. The
Telangana
Telangana,
government
will work for the people of
not the
Owaisis,” Shah remarked.
Shah mocked the TRS for
changing its name to the
BRS and asserted that the
countdown for the K.
I ALREADY said the
Shinde government
would collapse in February,
but due to the delay in the
Supreme Court judgment,
the lifeline of this
government was increased.
It will collapse in the next 15-
20 days.
— SANJAY RAUT
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader
lapse in February. “I
already said the Shinde
government would col-
lapse in February, but due
to the delay in the
Supreme Court judgment,
the lifeline of this govern-
ment was increased. It
will collapse in the next 15-
20 days,” he added.
In June last year, Shinde
and other MLAs rebelled
against the Sena leader-
ship, resulting in the
party's split and collapse
of the Uddhav Thackeray-
led Maha Vikas Aghadi
government.
Death threat to
Modi: Man held
Kochi, April 23: Kerala
police on Sunday arrested
a man who allegedly sent a
letter threatening a sui-
cide bomb attack on Prime
Minister Narendra Modi,
who is set to visit the state
on April 24 and 25 to take
part in various pro-
grammes.
Kochi resident Xavier,
who runs a business in the
city, was arrested by
police for allegedly writ-
ing the threatening letter
in the name of another
person. “We have arrested
the man after probing the
matter in a scientific man-
ner. This was part of a per-
sonal vendetta. He wanted
cmyk
PAGES | `6.00
● THE COUNTDOWN for
the K. Chandrashekar Rao-
led BRS government in
Telangana has already
begun, and the party will
lose in Telangana.
Chandrashekar Rao-led
BRS government in
Telangana has already
begun, exuding confidence
that the party will lose in
Telangana. “Forget play-
ing a crucial role in
national politics, the party
is going to lose in
Telangana,” he stated.
■ Page 3: TSPSC paper leak:
Order probe, Shah dares CM
AMRITPAL HELD
AFTER 5-WEEK
MANHUNT
DC CORRESPONDENTS
with agency inputs
NEW DELHI, CHANDIGARH,
GUWAHATI, APRIL 23
The Punjab police arrest-
ed 29-year-old separatist
preacher Amritpal Singh
in Moga’s Rode village
early on Sunday, ending a
five-week-long manhunt.
He was taken into cus-
tody at 6.45 am as he exit-
ed a gurudwara in Rode,
the native village of slain
militant Jarnail Singh
Bhindranwale. Amritpal
took over as the chief of
an organisation named
‘Waris Punjab De’ in
Rode last year.
He was detained under
the National Security Act
and flown to Assam, to be
lodged at the Dibrugarh
Central Jail, where nine
associates of his, picked
up over the past several
weeks, have been jailed.
■ Page 7: Cops deny
Singh’s surrender claim
the person mentioned in
the letter to be arrested,”
Kochi police commission-
er said.
The letter in Malayalam,
written in the name of one
N.J. Johny, was received
at the office of BJP state
chief K. Surendran who
handed it over to the
police last week. The news
of the letter came out on
Saturday after a report by
ADGP (Intelligence) was
telecast in the media.
After the news was out,
Surendran met the media
and said he had handed
over the threatening letter
a week ago to the state
police chief. — PTI
 CITY
DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023
CM asks CS to assess
EVENTS
TODAY
TODAY
crop loss due to rains
KCR to announce `10K per acre compensation to farmers
Hyderabad Book Fair L. VENKAT RAM
Time: 9 am
Venue: DSL Virtue Mall
Lil Amigos Summer Camp
Time: 9.30 am
Delegates at the 7th international conference on rice bran oil on Sunday. — DC
REDDY | DC
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
Unseasonal rains and hail-
Venue: Gachibowli Circle
storms for the last three
Jayesh: Rise in edible
days have caused damage
to standing crops, some of
Klay Camp which are ready for har-
Time: 10 am vest, in thousands of acres
Venue: Klay Centre for as well as paddy lying in
Child Development the open in government
SRH vs DC
Time: 2 pm
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi
International Cricket
oil production in TS
DC CORRESPONDENT ference on rice bran oil country-specific chal-
procurement centres.
Undivided Karimnagar,
Warangal, Khammam,
Nizamabad and Nalgonda
districts were the worst-
affected.
Stadium HYDERABAD, APRIL 23 which concluded here on lenges. Chief Minister K.
Bharatanatyam Arangetram Sunday. Over 600 dele- Ranjan said that the gov- Chandrashekar Rao on
Jayesh Ranjan, principal gates representing the ernment had transferred Sunday directed Chief
Time: 6 pm secretary, IT and industry, industry including invi- about 20 lakh hectares of Secretary A. Santhi
Venue: Ravindra Bharati said Telangana state was tees from all the rice bran rice-producing land for Kumari to take up the
Flavours of Punjab witnessing a ‘yellow revo- oil producing countries the cultivation of oil assessment of the latest
lution’ with the growth in like India, China, palm. With this, crop loss. The CM is likely
Time: 7 pm edible oil production. The Thailand, Japan, Vietnam Telangana became the to announce `10,000 per
Venue: Westin government was continu- and Bangladesh attended state with the largest area acre compensation to
Standup Mondays ously focusing on building the conference. under oil production. farmers after the district
agri infrastructure and Exhibitors showcased “We have set up special collectors submit their
Time: 8 pm was spending 60 per cent their products and dis- food processing zones in reports.
Venue: Garage Moto Cafe of the Budget on the pur- seminate information on Telangana, and offer the The CM had in mid-
REACH US AT pose, he said. the latest technologies, best infrastructure and March conducted an aeri-
He was speaking at the research and value-added support systems for al survey in Khammam,
eventsatdc@gmail.com seventh international con- products and discuss growth,” he said. Warangal and
Karimnagar districts to
assess the crop damage
after a spell of unseasonal
rains.
The CM had announced
a compensation of `10,000
Farmers demand compensation
NARENDER
PULLOOR | DC
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
Farmers across the state
are eagerly waiting for
compensation after their
crop was severely dam-
aged by hailstorms.
Paddy, maize, chilli,
mango and other crops
were damaged in around
2.28 lakh across the state.
Although untimely rains
lashed several districts
from March 17 to 21, the
farmers in undivided
Karimnagar, Warangal
and Khammam district
incurred huge losses. To
get first-hand information
on the extent of crop dam-
ages, Chief Minister K.
Lord Basaveshwara remembered
Vakulabharanam Krishna Mohan Rao, Backward Classes Commission chairman, N. Subhapradh Patel, BC
Commission member, B. Shiva Kumar, former chairperson, TS Sangeet Natak Academy, Malkapuram Shiva Kumar
(film producer) and others pay tribute to Lord Basaveshwara on the occasion of his 890th birth anniversary
celebrations programme held at Ravindra Bharati on Sunday.
BALLOT | BATTLE Meetings will prepare party for TS polls: KTR
BRS to discuss 6 resolutions
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
BRS working president
K.T.Rama Rao on Sunday
stated that the party's
Assembly constituency-
level meetings, which will
be held on Tuesday ahead
of the party's plenary on
April 27, will prepare the
party for the state elec-
tions.
Around four lakh lead-
ers from villages to
Assembly constituencies
would attend the gather-
ing, with 3,000 to 3,500
party activists attending
each meeting. The occa-
sion would be used to fur-
ther raise awareness
about the BRS govern-
ment’s welfare schemes.
Rama Rao, who held a
teleconference with the
party leaders on Sunday
to discuss the agenda and
announced a plan to make
the meetings successful,
stated that the party will
Rain, hailstorm in many
TS dists, hit power supply
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
The summer continued to
be different on Sunday,
with reports of hailstorm
and thundershowers com-
ing in from Komaram
Bheem Asifabad and
Warangal districts, where
incidents of uprooting of
trees and power supply
disruption were reported.
Districts like Suryapet,
Khammam, Mahbubabad,
Mulugu, Jayashankar-
Bhupalpally, Bhadradri-
Kothagudem, Khammam,
Jangaon, Hanamkonda,
per acre to all farmers
including tenant farmers.
He announced `228 crore
compensation after offi-
cials initially assessed
that the rains had dam-
aged crops in 2.28 lakh
acres.
However, the officials
excluded 77,000 acres from
Chandrashekar Rao had
visited hailstorm-hit vil-
lages in integrated
Karimnagar, Warangal
and Khammam districts
on March 23 and
announced `10,000 per
acre as compensation. He
assured to pay the com-
pensation amount soon.
However, the same is yet
to be honoured leaving the
farmers in languish.
Agriculture department
officials carried out field
surveys and identified
crops in 1.51 lakh acres
only. In view of changed
norms, the officials con-
sidered a minimum 33 per
cent damage as the only
eligibility criteria to
receive compensation. As
K.T. Rama Rao
discuss six political reso-
lutions on agriculture,
welfare, Palle Pragathi-
Pattana Pragathi, educa-
tion and employment,
BJP's failures and local
issues. The first resolu-
tion should integrate agri-
culture, electricity and
irrigation projects and the
progress achieved
through the government’s
programmes as well as
discuss farmer welfare
Karimnagar, Siddipet and
Jagtial received light
rains accompanied by
thunderstorms.
Warangal received the
highest rainfall of 73 mm,
followed by Hanamkonda
at 41.5 mm and Peddapalli
38.3 mm as per the TS
Development Planning
Society.
As per the Indian
M e t e o r o l o g i c a l
Department (IMD), the
state will continue to
receive rain or thunder-
storms accompanied with
winds gusting up to 40
kmph for the coming week
payment of compensation
after conducting field sur-
veys, stating that the rain
had damaged crops in 1.51
lakh acres belonging to
1,30,998 farmers. The gov-
ernment released `151
crore compensation to
farmers last week which
will be credited into the
a result, instead of 2.28
lakh acres, the officials
considered only 1.51 lakh
acres, implying that only
1,30,988 farmers will stand
eligible.
Reportedly, chilli crop
was damaged consider-
ably in the united
Khammam district but it
was not taken into consid-
eration for the compensa-
tion. The tenant farmers
suffered heavily as they
had paid in advance to the
land owners apart from
investing on cultivation.
As per preliminary
reports, 29,465 acres of
crops in undivided
Karimnagar district,
69,000 acres in Warangal
and 31,000 acres in
schemes.
On the second resolu-
tion, which focuses on wel-
fare, Rama Rao under-
lined the importance of
discussing the schemes
implemented by the gov-
ernment for people of var-
ious ages.
The third resolution
would address education
and employment issues,
providing detailed infor-
mation on the govern-
ment's programmes relat-
ed to primary and higher
education, as well as ini-
tiatives and allocations.
The resolution would also
cover the allocation of
`1.25 lakh per student
through gurukul schools,
upgrading gurukul
schools to junior colleges,
unemployment as well as
the creation of job oppor-
tunities through TS-iPASS
and the private sector. The
Centre's bias against
Telangana which had
hampered the education
pg 2
due to a low pressure area
which was running from
south Chattisgarh to
south Tamil Nadu.
A yellow alert has been
issued statewide for the
same.
The maximum tempera-
ture is likely to dip, and
the heat alert has been
downgraded from orange
to yellow, as most of the
places are likely to record
40ºC or less.
Nagarkurnool was the
warmest in the state at
42.4º Celsius and in the
city it was Begum Bazaar
at 38.4ºC.
bank accounts of farmers
soon. The agriculture
department has stated
that only farmers who suf-
fered crop loss of 33 per
cent and above were eligi-
ble to claim compensation.
This resulted in exclusion
of 77,000 acres from com-
pensation.
Khammam district crops
were damaged. However,
following the revised
norms post-survey, the dis-
trict collectors submitted
crop damages' report for
only 1.51 lakh acres.
According to official
sources, maize in 1,29,446
acres, paddy in 72,709
acres, mango in 8,865
acres and other crops in
17,238 acres were damaged
across the state.
Disaster management
secretary Rahul Bojja
released orders for com-
pensation to the tune of
`151.64 crore to be paid to
1,30,988 farmers. Farmers
are expecting to get the
compensation by the
month-end, at least.
— R. PAVAN
sector will also be
discussed under the reso-
lution.
The fourth resolution
will focus on the transfor-
mation of villages and
towns through 'Palle
Pragathi-Pattana
Pragathi' initiatives, as
well as the accolades they
have received at the
Centre, while the fifth res-
olution will focus on the
failures of the BJP-led
government under Prime
Minister Narendra Modi's
leadership, including
price increases. Rama Rao
stated people blame the
state government even
though the Centre was to
be held responsible for the
price rise. KTR proposed
that the sixth resolution
should focus on local
issues and should address
the Centre’s alleged inac-
tion in granting critical
projects to Telangana and
its failure to respond to
the people's demands.
 CITY
DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023
SHORT
VENKAT REDDY
TAKES
SUPPORTS
MALLU BHATTI
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
Bhongir MP Komatireddy
Venkat Reddy while announc-
ing his complete support to
CLP leader Mallu Bhatti
Vikramarka’s padayatra
informed that the party will be
organising a public meeting in
Alair as the walkathon passes
through Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri
district.
Speaking to locals during
'mata-mucchata' at Gundala in
Alair Assembly constituency,
Venkat Reddy said, “we shall
be organising a huge public
meeting.”
He said that despite the
assurances of minister
Gangula Kamalakar, paddy
procurement remained slow.
“Standing crop is getting dam-
aged owing to the unseasonal
rains. The paddy at Gundala's
procurement centre was com-
pletely damaged due to rains.
Same was the situation at
Patelguda," he emphasised.
The Bhongir MP urged Chief
Minister K. Chandrasekhar
Rao to learn from the success
story of farmers in Congress-
ruled Chhattisgarh, rather
than shifting focus to
Aurangabad in Maharashtra
for his Monday’s meeting.
FIRST STATE-RUN
CHEMO DAY CARE
CENTRE OPENS
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
Health minister T. Harish Rao
inaugurated the state's first
day care chemotherapy centre
in Siddipet. The government
plans to establish similar facil-
ities in eight medical colleges
and all 33 districts. The
Siddipet centre has four beds
and issues 60 types of medi-
cines supplied from MNJ
Cancer Hospital. Patients
referred by MNJ and Nims
hospitals can access the
chemotherapy services.
With 468 cases of various
types of cancer in Siddipet,
the government was working
to take measures to prevent
cancer. Tests worth `4 lakh
like with CBP, RFT, LFT
required for every chemother-
apy patient for each cycle will
be provided free, Harish Rao
said.
Meanwhile, in a review meet-
ing that Harish Rao conducted
with senior health officials,
Rao said that under the gov-
ernment’s Kanti Velugu pro-
gramme, over 1.17 crore peo-
ple had undergone eye exami-
nations in 59 working days
since it began. The pro-
gramme was on its way to
reaching its target of two
crore people. He appreciated
the efforts of officials on the
success of the programme.
The minister directed the
district medical and health
officials to ensure that Kanti
Velugu was accessible to
everyone who needed it, and
that the remaining districts
complete their targets within
41 working days.
CM’S FOCUS ON
LOCAL BODY
POLLS IN MAHA
From Page 1
Since the TRS changed its
name as the BRS to enter
national politics in October of
last year, the CM has focused
on Maharashtra, declaring
that the BRS will be contesting
in the state's local body elec-
tions. The party has registered
with the Maharashtra State
Election Commission. In light
of this, the CM spoke at two
public meetings: the first, on
February 5 in Nanded, and the
second, on March 26 in
Kandhar-Loha.
The CM noted that his first
visit to Nanded resulted in the
Maharashtra government ear-
marking a payment of `6,000
per acre to every farmer in the
Budget, and that they will
receive more such benefits if
they support and strengthen
the BRS.
Further, Rao unleashed a
scathing attack on
Maharashtra deputy CM
Devendra Fadnavis in a public
meeting in Kandhar Loha on
March 26, demanding that the
government adopt the
Telangana development model
and the pro-farmer schemes
that are being implemented in
Telangana.
He threatened to initiate
protests in Maharashtra if the
government there did not
implement pro-farmer initia-
tives similar to Telangana.
The BRS admitted several
local leaders from various
Maharashtra political parties,
and all of these leaders will
formally join the BRS in the
presence of the CM in
Aurangabad on Monday.
Order probe by a judge Revanth can’t match
into paper leak: Shah my stature, says Etala
KCR has no moral basis for remaining in power: BJP
FROM PAGE 1
“KCR has been flying the
dream of becoming Prime
Minister. Forget becom-
ing the PM, first retain
your Chief Ministership.
The Prime Minister's post
is not vacant. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
would return to power
with absolute majority,”
he remarked. Shah ques-
tioned Chief Minister K.
Chandrashekar Rao's
silence on the TS Public
Service Commission
paper leak and challenged
him to order an investiga-
tion by a Supreme Court
judge.
“KCR has no moral basis
for remaining in his chair
even for a minute given
that he has ruined the
futures of lakhs of unem-
ployed young people and
played with their lives.
After failing to fulfil its
election promise of mas-
sive recruitment in the
government sector in the
previous eight years, KCR
and his government tried
to fill vacancies in a hurry
and could not ensure fair
examinations,” he noted.
Regarding the arrest of
state BJP president Bandi
Sanjay, Shah asserted that
Chandrashekar Rao could
not keep the party leader
in jail even for 24 hours as
the court had granted him
bail.
He said that the BJP
administration, when it is
formed, would arrest
every single person
involved for the paper
leak, wherever they may
be hiding.
“BJP activists are not
afraid of jail and would
continue to expose the
injustice meted out to
youth,” he said.
Amit Shah accused the
Chandrashekar Rao fami-
ly of using the govern-
ment to turn the state into
an ATM (automated teller
machine) and robbing the
people. “But, people have
become aware of and will
teach KCR a lesson,” he
said.
MEETINGS, POLL
ANALYSIS ALL IN
DAY’S WORK FOR
AMIT SHAH
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
State BJP leaders accord-
ed Union minister Amit
Shah a grand welcome
upon his arrival at the
Rajiv Gandhi
International Airport on
Sunday evening.
Senior leaders, led by
state BJP chief Bandi
Sanjay Kumar, Union min-
ister G. Kishan Reddy,
MLA Etala Rajendar and
MP Dharmapuri Arvind,
welcomed Shah. Sanjay
introduced A. Maheshwar
Reddy, who recently joined
the party from
Congress, to Shah.
the
As he had a packed
schedule, Shah’s meeting
with the ‘RRR’ movie team
was called off, as also the
meeting with the core BJP
state committee.
From the airport, Shah
proceeded to a hotel where
he interacted with Kishan
Reddy and other BJP lead-
ers, including Maheshwar
Reddy.
Shah inquired about the
party activities in
Telangana and asked the
leaders to highlight the
failures of the BRS gov-
ernment by interacting
with the people. Shah also
discussed the state polls
with Sanjay and Kishan
Reddy.
From the hotel, Shah left
for Chevella for the Vijay
Sankalp Sabha. He began
his speech offering floral
tributes to the statue of
Lord Basaveshwara on his
jayanti celebration. Amit
Shah repeatedly involved
the people by asking them
to raise their hands as sol-
idarity.
There was huge response
from the people when he
took the names of Sanjay
and Rajendar. The first
public meeting was con-
ducted in Chevella, treat-
ing it lucky bastion.
Chevella former MP
Konda Vishveshwer
Reddy recalled that his
political career began
with Chevella.
After addressing the
meeting, Amit Shah left
for Karnataka on a flight
from the Shamshabad air-
port.
Union home minister Amit Shah along with BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar,
Union minister G. Kishan Reddy, senior party leaders Dr K. Laxman, Tarun Chugh dur-
ing the Vijaya Sankalp Sabha at Chevella on Sunday.
A large crowd at the Vijaya Sankalp Sabha organised by the BJP at Chevella on
Sunday.
Tiger Shah begins hunting
in Telangana, says Bandi
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
BJP state president Bandi
Sanjay stated that the
party's leaders and work-
ers were prepared to face
arrest, imprisonment or
police assault, and that
the party would continue
to fight until the “demon,
corrupt, family, dictatori-
al" regime of the BRS gov-
ernment is dethroned and
“Rama Rajyam” is estab-
lished under the leader-
ship of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and Union
home
Shah.
minister
Addressing the BJP's
Amit
'Vijay Sankalp Sabha’ in
Chevella on Sunday,
Sanjay stated that if the
BJP came to power in
Telangana, it would
release a job calendar to
fill vacancies in govern-
ment departments, pro-
vide free education, free
KTR ridicules Shah’s claims
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
BRS working president
K.T. Rama Rao on Sunday
ridiculed Union home
minister Amit Shah’s
claim in Chevella that the
BJP would form govern-
ment in Telangana. He
said Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, whom he
dubbed “failure” would be
heading for “Gujarat Ghar
Wapsi” after the 2024 polls.
“Let alone coming to
power (‘adhikaram’) in
Telangana, BJP will
plunge into darkness
(‘andhakaram’),” Rama
Rao said, in an apparent
dig at Amit Shah’s claims.
BJP has no vision: Owaisi
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
AIMIM chief Asaduddin
Owaisi said that besides
delivering an anti-Muslim
hate speech, Union home
minister Amit Shah’s
speech showed no vision
for Telangana.
Owaisi said that all the
BJP could offer was fake
encounters, surgical
strikes on Hyderabad,
imposing curfew, releas-
ing criminals and using
bulldozers against the
weak.
He asked Shah to focus
on inflation and unem-
ployment and pointed out
that Telangana had the
health care and houses to
the poor, and that farmers
would be saved through
the PM Fasal Bima Yojana
in the event of crop loss
due to natural calamities.
Amit Shah, according to
Sanjay, was a “tiger who
started hunting
Telangana to save the
in
BJP's ‘karyakartas’ from
the dictatorial rule of the
BRS.”
Sanjay detailed
recent detention in the
SSC exam paper leaks
case to Shah, saying, “I
his
was shifted in a police
vehicle from one district
to another at night for
eight hours. I was taken to
Siddipet, Gajwel, Bhongir,
Yadagirigutta, among
other locations. After I
crossed Karimnagar, my
wife called me to inform
me that she received a call
from Delhi. At one point,
the constables who accom-
panied me were worried.
In a media statement,
Rama Rao said that the
BJP will find no takers in
Telangana and, soon, all
over India.
Referring to Shah’s com-
ment that the BRS car was
being steered by AIMIM,
he said, “It's Adani who
took over the BJP’s steer-
ing.”
Targeting Amit Shah
over the latter’s demand
for a High Court judge
probe into the TSPSC
question paper leaks,
Rama Rao asked, “Does
BJP, which did not bother
to set up JPC to probe the
Adani issue, have a right
to demand sitting a judge
inquiry in Telangana?”
CONG. SLAMS PLAN TO CANCEL QUOTA
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
PCC senior vice-president
G. Niranjan said that
Union home minister
Amit Shah's announce-
ment in Chevella that
once the BJP came to
power in the state it would
abolish Muslim reserva-
tions as nothing but a
highest per capita income
in the country.
Owaisi said that if Shah
was serious about deliver-
ing justice for the SC, ST
— DC
— DEEPAK DESHPANDE
They told me that they
didn't know where I was
headed to and expressed
fear. Then I told them not
to be worried. I told them
that a tiger from Delhi
made a phone call. He
started hunting to save
me. The same tiger has
now landed in Chevella.”
Sanjay's comment
evoked a thunderous
applause and massive
response from the people
who raised ‘Jai Bandi
Sanjya anna’ and ‘Jai Sri
Ram’ slogans.
Accusing Chief Minister
K. Chandrashekar Rao of
becoming an “obstructor
of development,” Sanjay
said, “The Prime Minister
Narendra Modi-led gov-
ernment at the Centre is
working with commit-
ment for the development
of Telangana. But KCR is
obstructing the develop-
ment by not cooperating
with the Centre.”
The BRS leader claimed 13
paper leak incidents had
occurred in Gujarat in
eight years
Rama Rao also lashed
out at Shah's comments
that the BRS government
was misusing Central
funds. “They took
‘baraana (75 paise)’ from
Telangana and did not
give even 'charaana' (25
paise) in return,” he said.
He said the BJP govern-
ment at the Centre had not
give details of the PM
Cares funds and had taken
it out of the ambit of the
CAG. BJP talking about
corruption sounds like
demons chanting the
Vedas,” Rama Rao said.
proof of the saffron
party’s narrow politics.
He said that the BJP was
trying to gain advantage
through such assertions.
“If the feeling of insecuri-
ty grows among the
Muslims, it will cause
serious disruption to the
country’s interests. The
Congress will block their
machinations,”he said.
and OBC communities, he
should introduce a consti-
tutional amendment to
remove the 50 ceiling on
reservations.
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
BJP MLA Etala Rajendar
said on Sunday, “TPCC
president A. Revanth
Reddy does not have the
stature to compare him-
self with me,” further
stoking that controversy
that had erupted after he
claimed that the BRS had
paid the Congress `25
crore to lose the
Munugode byelection.
“We fought for
Telangana statehood and
went to jail, whereas
Revanth Reddy was
arrested in the cash-for-
vote case,” he said and
asked where the TPCC
chief was the statehood
movement was at its peak.
Speaking to the media at
the BJP state office,
Rajendar said he was
fighting against the egois-
tic politics of Chief
Minister K.
Chandrashekar Rao. “If
Revanth Reddy is commit-
ted to fight against KCR,
he should join hands with
us,” Rajendar said.
Kaushik claims Etala paid
`25cr for Huzurabad poll
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
Padi Kaushik Reddy, gov-
ernment whip in the
Legislative Council,
alleged that BJP legislator
Etala Rajendar had paid
`25 crore to TPCC chief A.
Revanth Reddy to win the
Huzurabad Assembly
byelection.
Kaushik Reddy dared
Rajendar to swear under
oath at the Sri Rama tem-
ple in Ellanthakunta of
Huzurabad to disprove his
allegation. Addressing
mediapersons at the BRS
office on Sunday, Kaushik
Reddy said that he had
previously stated the
same when Rajendar
joined the BJP in 2021.
“Revanth reacted to
charges levelled by Etala
that he took `25 crore
from the BRS to defeat
BJP in the Munugode
bypoll. Revanth rushed to
the Bhagyalakshmi tem-
ple to condemn Etala’s
Revanth crying because
he can’t be CM: Bandi
NARENDER
PULLOOR | DC
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
A day after TPCC presi-
dent A. Revanth Reddy
broke down in tears while
taking a pledge at the
Bhagyalakshmi temple on
Saturday
Huzurabad BJP MLA
denying
Etala Rajendar’s allega-
tions, BJP state president
Bandi Sanjay Kumar
remarked on Sunday that
the Congress leader was
actually crying because
he realised that he had no
chance of becoming CM.
Denying Rajendar’s alle-
gations under oath at the
Bhagyalakshmi temple on
Saturday, Revanth Reddy
had demanded that the
BJP MLA unconditionally
retract the allegation that
the Congress had received
`25 crore from the BRS
during the November 3
Munugode bypoll. He had
stated that he was the only
person who had opposed
Chief Minister K.
Chandrashekar Rao for
nine years.
After paying homage to
the Lord Basaveshwara
statue at Tank Bund on
Sunday with Rajender,
Sanjay asked, “What is
wrong with Etata’s
remark? I've been saying
this for a while, and the
Congress leaders are
openly talking about it.”
Sanjay remarked mock-
ingly, “Yes, he is sad, but
for what? He wants to be
the CM, but he now realis-
es that his dream will not
be fulfilled because an
alliance between the
Congress and the BRS is
on the horizon.”
Sanjay asked whether it
was not true that the BRS
was funding the Congress
campaign in Karnataka.
“Everyone understands
that any vote for the
Congress is a vote for the
BRS. Komatireddy Venkat
Reddy and Jana Reddy are
openly discussing a possi-
ble coalition with the
BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, MLA Etala
Rajendar and others pay tribute to Sri Basaveshwara
on his 890th birth anniversary celebrations at Tank
Bund in Hyderabad on Sunday. Later, the leaders
addressed the media.
However, he said, the
Congress was working
with the BRS in
Parliament, and its lead-
ers were indicating an
alliance between the two.
To buttress his argument
of a Congress-BRS tie-up,
Rajendar asked: “The
police usually place
Revanth Reddy under
Padi Kaushik Reddy
speaks to the media in
Hyderabad on Sunday.
charges. But Revanth
remained silent on the
revelations made by me
during the Huzurabad
bypoll. I demand Revanth
answer why he chose to
keep mum on my revela-
tion,” Kaushik said.
Terming Rajendar and
Revanth Reddy as “two
sides of the same coin,”
Kaushik Reddy said, “Is it
not a fact that Revanth
A. Revanth Reddy
● REVANTH REDDY had
demanded that the BJP
MLA unconditionally
retract the allegation that
the Congress had
received `25 crore from
the BRS during the
November 3 Munugode
bypoll.
BRS. Mallikarjun Kharge
in an interview said that
the Congress would be
sailing with the BRS.
What does Revanth have
to say about this,” Sanjay
asked.
Concerning the PCC
chief's pledge, Sanjay stat-
ed that the BJP should be
given the credit for
Revanth Reddy visiting to
Bhagyalakshmi temple at
Charminar. “The BJP’s
objective of bringing
every politician to the
Bhagyalakshmi temple
has been achieved,” he
remarked.
Further, the TS BJP
president slammed MIM
president Asaduddin
Owaisi for reportedly
speaking in support of
the slain UP gangster
Atiq Ahmed and his
son.
“Atiq Ahmed and his
son had killed police
officers and looted the
poor people. It is
shameful for MIM lead-
ers to speak out in sup-
port of such gangsters
and pay tributes to
them,” he remarked,
while asking the people
if they supported
politicians who backed
terror elements.
pg 3
— S. SURENDER REDDY
house arrest if he
announces a protest.
What is the secret that
made the police pave the
way for him to reach the
Bhagyalakshmi temple.”
He claimed Revanth
Reddy had objectionable
language against him at
the Bhagyalakshmi
temple.
and Etala entered into a
shady deal for the
Huzurabad bypoll when
they attended the wedding
of Congress leader Vem
Narender Reddy's son at a
hotel in Hyderabad. Is it
not true that a `25-crore
transaction happened
between them in the same
hotel? If my allegations
are false, Etala should
come to Sri Rama temple
to take a vow that he did
not pay Revanth.”
He said that the latest
allegation regarding `25
crore for the Munugode
bypoll was the outcome of
differences
Revanth Reddy
between
and
Rajendar on sharing the
money.
Kaushik Reddy termed
Rajendar and Revanth
Reddy as ‘sales CEOs’ for
the Congress and the BJP.
He said Rajendar was not
the chairman of BJP's
joining committee in
Telangana, but that of the
“brokers’ committee.”
CONG. LEADERS
COME IN SUPPORT
OF REVANTH
MD NIZAMUDDIN I DC
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
Congress leaders backed
TPCC chief A. Revanth
Reddy amidst the contro-
versy over BJP MLA
Etala Rajendar’s remark.
Former government
whip E. Anil Kumar won-
dered if Rajendar was a
BC leader, when his patta
passbook identified him
as ‘Rajendar Reddy.’
“Don’t you have a role in
the irregularities of the
BRS government, as you
were the finance minister
when the projects related
to Mission Bhagiratha
and Mission Kakatiya
were approved? When you
were minister for civil
supplies, irregularities in
the PDS cropped up. What
was your share in the
maize scam,” the leader
asked.
Pradesh Congress gen-
eral secretary Addanki
Dayakar felt that
Rajendar made the allega-
tions when some BJP
leaders were setting the
ground to defect to the
Congress and told the
MLA that he would lose
the election.
 CITY
DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023
pg 4

IN BRIEF
Police recover Woman entrepreneur Medical student ASSETS ROW:
WOMAN, KIDS
50 lost mobiles
Hyderabad: The Malakpet
harassed, two held from Telangana ASSAULTED
DC CORRESPONDENT
police arrested two persons,
one of them a minor, for a
series of two-wheeler thefts
here on Sunday, and recov-
ered five stolen vehicles
dies in Philippines
Incident occurred in front of Panjagutta PS at 9 am
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23

An elderly woman and

from them. Police said that
the minor and the accused,
Orsu Yadaiah, hotwired two-
wheelers that were parked in
isolated locations and made
away with them. Police also
recovered 50 mobile phones
and restored them to their
owners.
MILK UNIT OWNER
PINTO DEEPAK | DC
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
A woman entrepreneur
who runs an NGO was
harassed in broad
dayling on Saturday
morning by two men in
a car outside the
Panjagutta police sta-
tion, who made lewd
comments and asked
her to accompany
her three young daugh-
ters were reportedly
my eyes. The police sug- HYDERABAD, APRIL 23 assaulted by their rela-
CATCALLING EXPERIENCE gested I can still find tives to get them to
She posted her experience the car number if I A Telangana student who was vacate their house in
● Being remember the timing of
on social media to support his MBBS at Davao University Hamalbasti on Saturday
someone the incident, and look in the Philippines was found night, Chilkalguda
other women who went who is scared of for the car in the CCTV dead in a canal on the universi- police said on Sunday.
through a similar experience the police, I am footage. They sent me ty premises early on Sunday. Police said Yadamma,
and as a precautionary tale now starting to to the police station to The victim was identified as the victim, stays on the
for others. respect them for file a complaint. I was Gudur Manikanth Reddy, 21, of first floor of her father’ s
● She said that she was being calm and still trembling as I Bhoodan Pochampally mandal house, and her brother
supportive. I wrote the complaint on in Yadadri district. His par- Krishna along with his
standing in front of the
police station and threatened know it is their
to get them arrested. They job to protect
paper, explaining the
details,” she wrote.
ents, who reside
Ramalingampally village, said
in wife Mamata and sons
Mahesh and Raghuram

ARESTED FOR them. She was waiting

for a friend at that time.
asked her to go ahead and
people, and it is
to be appreciated
An hour later, the
police identified the car
they received a call from the
college management about his Gudur Manikanth Reddy
stay on the ground floor.
Yadamma said her hus-

ADULTERATION started abusing her.

DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
The Yadadri district special
operation team (SOT) said that
they had raided a milk produc-
tion and processing unit in
Bheemanapalli of
Pochampally mandal of
Yadadri district and arrested
the owner, Kandala Buchhi
Reddy, for alleged adulter-
ation.
In the raid carried out early
in the morning, the police
seized 110 litres of adulterated
milk, 100 grams of hydrogen
peroxide and skimmed milk
powder. Buchhi Reddy was
accused of adding harmful
chemicals to the milk and sup-
plying it to locals as well as
eateries in the city
Buchhi Reddy has been
booked under Prevention of
Food Adulteration Act 1954,
and along with the seized
property was handed over to
Yadadri police for further
investigation.
She immediately in CCTV footage and death due to a head injury suf- band Narsing Rao had
raised the alarm and that they caught immediately called the fered in a fall. A second caller his hostel. died a few years back
● She ran into the station
rushed to the the harassers in owner of the car. They informed them that their son's Meanwhile, Manikanth after which Krishna and
Punjagutta police sta- and returned with two no time. I am found out that his body was fished out from a Reddy's friends in the his family, with the help
tion in the vicinity, fol- police personnel, but the duo grateful,” she friends were using the canal near the hostel. Philippines are coordinating of local political leaders,
lowing which the police had fled. wrote vehicle, after which the “I received a call from the col- with the Indian embassy to were forcing her to
traced the duo and woman left the police lege management at 5.30 am. A make arrangements to trans- vacate the house.
arrested them. The two station. Later, the two lady on the other side first con- port his mortal remains to his Yadamma's daughter
were identified as B. for others. “The guy in wrote.She said that she men were arrested. firmed my name and informed home town. Kavya said that at 8.10
Kuldeep Singh, an the driver seat made was standing in front of “Being someone who that my son Manikanth Reddy The student’s parents said pm on Saturday night,
autorickshaw driver, eye contact and said the police station and is scared of the police, I had died in an accident,” the that their son did not have any “Mahesh, Raghuram
and his friend Inder ‘Get into the car, I will threatened to get them am now starting to student’s father Gudur Ram vices and was excellent in his and 15 others were
Singh, a daily wage take you’ in Telugu and arrested. They asked respect them for being Reddy said. studies, due to which they are drunk and entered my
worker. the guy next to him her to go ahead and calm and supportive. I Gudur Radha, the student's suspecting foul play in his house. One of them
Following their kept laughing and both started abusing her. know it is their job to mother, said that he had joined death. While some sources said punched me in the face
arrest, posted with the started making weird She ran into the station protect people, and it is the college during the Covid-19 that Manikanth Reddy skidded while another man
post: “New day new faces. I was furious, but and returned with two to be appreciated that lockdown and was a second- and fell off his bike due to kicked my elder sister
fights! Grateful @hydci- chose to say nothing police personnel, but they caught the year student. heavy rains, there was no Vijayalakshmi in the
typolice.” But she also and started looking the duo had fled. harassers in no time. I After receiving the informa- injury mark on his body. stomach.” She said that
said the experience left into my phone. These “They asked me if I am grateful,” she tion, the victim's parents met “Gudur Radha and Gudur one of the assaulters
her feeling vulnerable guys went ahead but remembered the car wrote.She said that a minister K.T. Rama Rao, who Ram Reddy are farmers. They had lifted a stone to hit
as it took place at 9 am. returned quickly and number. I said no. The poster at the spoke to the Indian embassy in had sent their son for MBBS Yadamma. “When I tried
She posted her experi- repeated the same police asked the people Punjagutta PS with a the Philippines and asked them during the lockdown period. to stop him, he pulled
ence on social media to thing. I screamed and around about the inci- quote ‘Don't worry, it is to look into the incident. The We were told that it may take my chunni and abused
support other women asked what their prob- dent, following which I just a bad incident, not university management three to four days for the inves- us,” Kavya said.
who went through a lem was, to which they directed them towards a bad day, not a bad life’ informed the embassy that tigation to be completed and “Before leaving, they
similar experience and replied by asking my the route they took,” helped her calm down Manikanth Reddy had slipped the victim’s body to arrive,” threatened us with dire
as a precautionary tale phone number,” she she said. “I had tears in after the incident. into an open canal while get- Pochampally sub-inspector A. consequences if we did
ting down the steps adjacent to Badya Naik said. not vacate the house. We
lodged a complaint with
DRIVER BOOKED Disregard for safety RIDER INJURED IN TWO-WHEELER SMASH
Chilkalguda police,”
Yadamma said. "I also
met our MLA but no
FOR TORTURING, action has been taken

TWO TECHIES RAPING WOMAN

Hyderabad: A 35-year-old two-
wheeler rider, Upender Goud,
police. Ghatkesar inspector V.
Ashok Reddy said Upender was
against them. No one
from the basti came to

ARRESTED FOR
IPL BETTING
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD APRIL 23
The Mailardevpally police of
Cyberabad arrested two
techies, Ganni Raviteja and
Kalagarala Manoj, in connec-
tion with a cricket betting
racket. Police seized `13.13
lakh cash and mobile phones
from the duo who had been
evading the police net for a
week.
On April 17, police had raid-
ed a lodge at Mailardevpally
and caught one of the organis-
ers while he was organising
betting on an Indian Premier
League cricket match, and
DC CORRESPONDENT
KAKINADA, APRIL 23
Police booked a 29-year-
old autorickshaw driver
for confining his 23-year-
old girlfriend, an engi-
neering student, at his
parents’ residence and
pouring boiling oil on
her hands for refusing
his sexual advances and
raping her.
The issue came to light
after the victim
informed her parents,
who rescued her and
admitted her to the
Eluru Government
Hospital, and lodged a
complaint with the
Eluru Three Town
sustained critical injuries after
another bike collided with him,
in front of the Ghatkesar man-
dal revenue office on Sunday.
Locals informed the Ghatkesar
MAN KILLS KIN
FOR AN AFFAIR
WITH HIS WIFE
DC CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
On a hot summer day, a man rides a camel in the middle of a busy road in
Hyderabad on Sunday, throwing traffic into disarray. Camel joyrides by A man killed his 31-year-
children are a regular sight in the city. — K. DURGA RAO old relative for allegedly
having an extra-marital
affair with his wife, at
Chukkayipalli village of
Nagarkurnool district.
sent to a private hospital in a support use.”
‘108’ ambulance. Police regis- Chilkalguda inspector
tered a case of rash and negli- G. Naresh assured them
gent driving against the other that no harm would
biker. come to them.
2nd DEATH ANNIVERSARY
Shri. Srire Rajeshwar Rao garu
(Retd Municipal Commissioner)
DoB: 30-12-1937 DoD: 24-04-2021
LOVINGLY MISSED BY
Wife: Lalitha.

CBI at Avinash, Viveka

seized `6.5 lakh cash from
him. Raviteja and Manoj, the
main organisers of this rack-
et, were absconding since
then.
On a tip-off, police nabbed
them on Sunday at Madhapur.
Police said Raviteja was
Sons: S. R. Prem Raj, S. R. Vijay Raj.
police. The husband, Niranjan, Daughters: Rajeshree, Jayashree.
The police said the walked up to the police and Sons-in-law: Chandrashekar, Lokesh.
accused, a native of surrendered. Daughters-in-law: Vijayalakshmi,
Duggirala village, who The deceased was identi- Ambika & Grandchildren.
worked as an autorick-
shaw driver, and the
woman, a third-year
BTech student of
houses, checks MP claim fied as S. Tirupati, a resi-
dent of Pedadagada village
of Chinnambavi mandal of
Wanaparthy district.
The memory of the just is blessed

IN FOND MEMORY OF
Proverbs 10:7

involved in similar cases at Jawaharlal Nehru FROM PAGE 1 MP’s personal assistant Police said that upon
Chandanagar and Bachupally Te c h n o l o g i c a l Ramana Reddy. After coming to know of the
of Cyberabad. University (JNTU) in The Supreme Court the visit, they returned affair, Tirupati had
Kakinada, were in a bench had stated that to Vivekananda’s prem- warned Niranjan to stay

INTEL. COP ON relationship for five

years.
the proceedings would
start an hour in
ises and questioned a
computer operator,
away. The family also
lodged a complaint with

THE RUN AFTER

On April 7, the man advance of court tim- Inayathulla, who had the police, who counselled
promised to marry the ings to make time for taken pictures and Tirupati and asked him

REALTOR’S DEATH
DC CORRESPONDENT
KARIMNAGAR, APRIL 23
A circle inspector of the
Central intelligence depart-
ment, Gopi Krishna, has been
absconding since the death by
suicide of realtor Bodige
Shyam, who named the police
official in a suicide note, at
Bhoopalapatnam village in
Choppadandi mandal of
Karimnagar district.
In the note, the realtor
alleged harassment by Gopi
Krishna over land-related
issues. With the note finding
its way on to social media,
pressure on the police mount-
ed.
It is learnt from sources that
the Central Intelligence police
conducted an inquiry about
why Krishna harassed realtor
Shyam.
girl and took her to a
temple in Chennai, but
then said he was unable
to do so due to some reli-
gious vows he had taken.
Later, he convinced her
to accompany him to his
parents’ house as it was
vacant on April 9, Eluru
Three Town circle
inspector K.S. Prasada
Rao said.
He made sexual
advances but she turned
him down.
The next day, he
dragged her to the
kitchen, dipped her
hands in boiling oil and
later raped her.
When he tried to force
himself on her on
Saturday night, the
woman threatened to
inform her parents, fol-
lowing which he tried to
strangulate her to death
with a phone charging
cable.
constitutional bench videos of the victim's not to disrupt Niranjan’s
hearings, asking coun- body and sent them to family family life.
sels of petitioners and the family. Sources On Saturday night,
respondents to be pre- said that the CBI Tirupati turned up at
pared for the schedule. secured information Niranjan’s residence and Late Mrs Nirmala S Mallappa
(W/o Late Rev Solomon Mallappa )
In the course of the Y.S. Avinash Reddy from Inayathulla on the was talking to his wife. Retd Principal, MAKHS, Vkb
investigation, the case identity and number of Niranjan picked up an Slept in the Lord 24.04.2021
has been transferred and held it till Monday. persons present in the argument with him and Deeply missed and ever loved:
from the police to the The SC order on residence on the day of stabbed him. After con- Children and grandchildren
CBI, with the matter Monday will also pave the murder and its firming that Tirupati was
moving from a Kadapa the way for the CBI to aftermath. CBI also dead, Niranjan went to the
court to the AP High complete the final made a round of the Kolhapur police station 23rd DEATH ANNIVERSARY
Those who walk uprightly enter in to
Court, the Supreme stages of its investiga- Pulivendula Ring Road and surrendered. peace, they find rest as they lie in death.
Court and then on to tion.Meanwhile, the with Avinash’s PA, to Kolhapur inspector Isaiah 57.2
the Telangana HC. newly-constituted CBI recreate the events, as Yaladri visited the spot
The Telangana HC team on Sunday visited the MP’s version stated and shifted the body to a
was overseeing the the residence of that he was on his way government hospital for
case after the Supreme Vivekananda and to Jammalamadugu postmortem. Based on a
Court directed the con- neighbours in when he was informed complaint lodged by
stitution of a new Pulivendula, inspect- about the murder and Niranjan's wife Santoshi,
probe team and direct- ing the scene of the rushed back. CBI men- police have registered a
ed the CBI to close the crime and taking stock tioned in a petition at case of a suspicious death.
investigation by April of the bedroom and the Telangana HC that
30. Concerning the bathroom alignments digital evidence con- ● ON Saturday night,
arrest immunity to of the residence. The firmed that Avinash Tirupati turned up at
Avinash by the probe team later visited was present at his resi- Niranjan’ s residence and
Telangana HC, the Avinash’s residence, dence on the day of the was talking to his wife.
Supreme Court sus- verified the premises murder along with his P. RAMA KRISHNA RAO
aides.
Niranjan picked up an DOB: 05-07-1936 DOD: 24-04-1999
pended the decision and interacted with the
argument with him and Inserted by:
Wife, Sons, Daughters, Grand Children
stabbed him. After con- (S/2324/D00080)

ILLEGAL | AFFAIR Despite paying regn fee, exam centres collect money: Students firming that Tirupati was
dead, Niranjan went to the
Kolhapur police station and

Cloakroom charges pinch students

RACHEL DAMMALA I DC charge as much as `50. Mahinder Reddy, a par- comment on the issue. students were uncon-
surrendered.

HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
Summer is a season of ris-
ing mercury, tasty man-
goes and costly competi-
tive exams, complain stu-
dents, who have been tak-
ing one exam after anoth-
er and paying each exami-
nation centre cloakroom
charges, despite paying an
examination fee at the
time of registration.
They say that while most
colleges collect around
`20 per day on average,
some have been found to
“We were not informed
by our centre that we
ought to pay a certain fee
to place our books and
bags. We carefully read all
instructions before reach-
ing the hall to ensure no
last-minute tension, but
things like these always
come up. My brother
dropped me off and left; I
had nowhere to look for a
`20 note, as they refused
to even return change,”
said Satya Priya T., who
recently took a competi-
tive exam at AV College.
ent, said that paying `20
might not be a big deal,
but for a student to be told
about it just a few minutes
before the exam was
unhelpful. “How can the
management think that
all students would carry a
`20 note? And with so
many students and so
many exams, imagine
how much they are mint-
ing,”he said.
While most colleges con-
tacted by Deccan Chronicle
denied indulging in some
practices, some refused to
An administration mem-
ber at one such college,
however, hit back at stu-
dents and parents, calling
them “freeloaders”.
“We are providing a
service and it costs us
time and manpower,
because hordes of stu-
dents leave valuables
here. Keeping a check on
each of it so nobody steals
anything is a huge respon-
sibility. Collecting a nomi-
nal fee is not illegal or
unethical,” she said.
However, parents and
vinced, questioning the
need for an examination
fee in such a case.
Students also bemoaned
the fact that the UPI mode
of payment was not
accepted. They sought
that the government issue
a Government Order
under the Educational
Institutions Act, 1983, to
curb the practice to
ensure students aren't
fleeced and that they do
not have to put up with
last-minute tension before
giving an exam.
 SPEAK OUT
DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023
Civic issues leave residents drained
Water supply
erratic, locals
raise concern
S ince early February, water
supply has been quite
erratic. It now comes for 45
minutes instead of the sched-
uled two hours. Moreover, the
pressure has been low in
Gulshan colony. Apart from
every flat owner paying more
on maintenance, we now have
to depend on private water
tanker supply, which is adding
to our costs. We hope the
authorities will regress our
grievances soon.
— M.A. Qureshi
Gulshan Colony
Gachibowli
road turns
waste dump
T he EPTRI lane, parallel to
the old Mumbai highway
near Gachibowli, has been
turned into a cesspool of
garbage and construction
waste. Residents dump water
near the GHMC park and
leaves are burnt on a regular
basis. Despite several com-
plaints, no action has been ini-
tiated by GHMC officials.
Roads were swept once recent-
ly after three months and the
waste was dumped near the
park. I request officials of the
GHMC to sweep the roads reg-
ularly, pick up garbage and
penalise people for dumping
garbage and burning waste on
the roads.
— Padma K.
Gachibowli
Secunderabad
Railway Stn
needs a fix
T he Secunderabad Railway
Station — which is ISO cer-
tified for platform manage-
ment and other aspects — lto
be in a bad shape. There are
many strays roaming on the
platforms, particularly plat-
form no. 1. These dogs not only
scare the passengers but also
dirty the premises. I request
the authorities concerned to
look into this issue and work
towards bettering the railway
station’s premises.
— Rajendra Velamakanni
Secunderabad
In summer,
be kind to
birds, animals
S ummer has been here for a
while now. This not only is
bothersome for us but also
equally for birds and animals.
I watch hundreds of birds,
including migratory, trying to
escape the scorching heat and
strong hot winds while even
dogs and squirrels seek shade
under large trees. On the ter-
race, squirrels often dip their
furry tails in the earthen pot
to cool off. I appeal to all peo-
ple to show some concern for
them by not destroying nests
on staircases or window
ledges. Keeping water on ter-
races and balconies to help
these parched birds will be a
noble endeavour. Keep water
out for stray dogs as well. At
times, it takes a community
effort to stop bird deaths and
help stray animals and make it
a better place for them to live.
— Ezekiel Alexander
Secunderabad
WRITE TO US
We at Deccan Chronicle invite
you to kindly send all your
complaints, issues, grievances,
feedback and suggestions to our
government and all its
departments by writing to Speak
Out, the voice of the people, to
our new email ID
dcspeakout@gmail.com
— Editor
pg 5
Public baths Sec’bad road made waste dump
A road connecting
Gandhinagar
Colony in
Secunderabad with
Bholakpur is being
used as a dump yard.
It has become very
difficult to drive or
walk through this
stretch as the stench
is unbearable. The
garbage piles have
also become a breed-
ing ground for mos-
quitoes while
drainage overflow is
a constant occur-
rence. I request the
authorities to look
into the matter and
resolve the problem
so that the locals can
heave a sigh of
relief.
— Y. Surya
Prakash
Gandhinagar
Poor drains trouble ALMASGUDA
People take bath and wash their clothes near the Rail Nilayam underbridge, causing incovenience to motorists and ROADWORKS
passersby. Although pipelines near the underbridge have been repaired multiple times in three months, water leak-
age continues to affect this stretch. — S. SURENDER REDDY residents of Karwan INCOMPLETE
O verflowing drains in negligent attitude of civic
R esidents of Shirdi
Repair bad Dhulapally roads TRAIN TSRTC
DRIVERS ON
Bada
Mustaidpura,
Banda,
under
Karwan constituency, has
made life miserable for
authorities has added to
the problems that are
plaguing the residents.
— Fahad
nagar colony,
Almasguda, are facing
difficulties entering and
exiting the lanes as
T he road from Dhulapally village to
Jeedimetla effluents plant is com-
pletely damaged. Some stretches lack a
response from the authorities. The road
is completely dusty and bumpy. During
rains, the potholes are covered and are
GOOD MANNERS
residents of the area. The Karwan roads have been dug up
for installation
drainage pipelines. This
of
functional road altogether. The area
comes under the Kompally municipality.
While I have complained across plat-
not visible to motorists. I hope the
authorities concerned will attend to the
issue at the earliest.
T SRTC drivers and
conductors need to
change their attitude
is in spite of the comple-
tion of pipe laying
works a long time back.
forms several times, there has been no — Sandeep, Dhulapally and must be trained to As a result, there are
speak positively with huge potholes on the
the passengers. roads and no auto-rick-
Recently, there was an shaw or taxi driver is
incident wherein a con- willing to pick up or
ductor’s rude behaviour drop from the area. We
led to the consumer request the authorities
forum imposing a concerned to complete
penalty of `25,000 on the works at the earliest
the corporation follow- and enable us to move
ing a complaint. In around without hassles.
Srinagar Colony, bus — Dr B. Naga Mohan
routes 19 and 9, which Rao
frequently operate here, Shiridi Nagar
often do not stop for pas-
sengers. Even when the
buses are vacant, the OFFICIALS PASS
drivers do not care for
the passengers waiting
at the bus station. This
THE BUCK OVER
carefree attitude of the POOR DRAINS
Automobile graveyard staff must be changed
and the staff must
realise that passengers
and bus services are
A t the entrance of
Panchavati Colony
in Bobbili Ranga Reddy
dependent on each Nagar, beside the rail-
other. I urge the author- way bridge in Macha
ities to arrange regular Bolarum, one has to
coaching and coun- reckon with heavy
selling sessions for RTC
staff. I also request RTC
authorities to advise
garbage and stagnant
drainage canal which
emanates foul smell. A
drivers to stop buses at
the designated stands
and help commuters
damaged iron barricade
has been left on the right
side of the internal road.
travel to their destina-
tion.
This health haphazard
was brought to the notice
— Katuru Durga
Prasad Rao
Hyderabad
of the authorities con-
cerned but to avail.
Adding to the problem,
officials from Alwal
Remove unscientific speed bumps municipality, SCB and
SCR are throwing
responsibility on each
T he unscientific speed breakers in
Mallareddy colony at Chandrapuram
have become the main cause for many
especially dangerous for motorists. Even
as such thick speed breakers are unnec-
essary, works have been left incomplete.
other while the problem
persists.
— N.S.R. Murthy
people developing back aches. These This shows the careless attitude of the Bolaram
speed breakers are not just thick, but civic authorities.
also have gaps in between, which are — Deepesh Surana, Secunderabad
RID BUTTERFLY
Vehicles seized by traffic police for various violations gather dust at the Kukatpally
traffic station parking lot as they have not been cleared since many years.
— K. DURGA RAO
PARK AT JH OF
STRAY MENACE
Kondapur needs better drains T he otherwise wonder-
ful butterfly park, sit-
uated on Road No 25 in
Jubilee Hills, is getting
L ack of functional drainage systems
in Kondapur and many small
colonies in the vicinity has affected
Stagnation of dirty water is also creat-
ing a breeding ground for mosquitoes. I
hope corrective measures are taken at
adversely impacted.
There are around 10
stray dogs, which virtu-
ground water and lakes in this area. the earliest to fix these issues. ally reside in the park.
Due to the lack of drains, roads in the — Pavan Naidu They are a menace to
area are also being destroyed. Kondapur park users, particularly
children. I request the
officials to take action
and resolve the issue at
the earliest.
— Aashish
Hyderabad
OVERFLOWING
Open manholes a lurking danger SEWAGE HITS
T here are two open manholes, adjacent
to Vivekananda School
Moosarambagh. These uncovered man-
in
likely to fall into the open manholes. I
request the authorities to take note of
this issue and resolve it at the earliest.
LANGAR HOUZ
holes pose a grave danger as school stu-
dents frequent this area and are most
— P.S. Ravi Kumar
Malakpet I t has been a disgusting
sight since long for
people moving around
Langar Houz main road
and for the locals.
S e w a g e
water has
been over-
f l ow i n g
from the
manhole for a long time.
The road is near the post
office building at the
turning point leading to
Babu Nagar. It is shock-
ing that the authorities
have not noticed this
health hazard. Hope
HMWWSB and GHMC
officials will swing into
immediate action.
— Dastagir Nawaaz
Langar Houz
 EDIT
DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023
pg 6

Subhani

24 APRIL 2023

Don’t let J&K hit on Army

play spoiler at SCO meet
L
ast week’s terrorist attack close to the Line of Control in the Poonch-
Rajouri region of the Jammu division of J&K is another reminder of the
gap that exists between the reality and the official claims, made on a
frequent basis from the highest levels in New Delhi, about decline in
terrorism since the dilution of Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019.
An Army truck was attacked with armour-piercing bullets and grenades.
Five jawans of the Rashtriya Rifles, a formation of the Army charged with
counter-terrorism, were killed and one injured. If this was an ambush in a
forested and especially vulnerable area, then signs of intelligence failure can-
not be ruled out. The National Investigating Agency has taken charge of the
investigation. There have been eye-catching attacks earlier in this sector. On
January 1 this year, seven civilians were killed and 13 injured in indiscrimi-
nate firing by terrorists. In October, 2021, nine Army jawans were killed by ter-
rorist action in the same forest zone. This part of the UT forms the corridor in
the Pir Panjal range that leads on to the southern part of the Kashmir valley,
which has seen terrorist action on a regular basis in the past ten years,
notwithstanding government claims of a change in atmosphere in the UT after
the reading down of Article 370.
Under its chairmanship of G-20, India is to host a meeting of the grouping’s
Working Group on Tourism in Kashmir next month. Also in May, the meeting
of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai
While it is unlikely Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is to be held in
that New Delhi will Goa. Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto
allow the G-20 Zardari is slated to attend. In fact, the April 20
World’s ‘youngest’ nation LETTERS
FESTIVE FEASTS
Political parties should be
attack on our Army truck occurred shortly after
meeting to be the announcement was officially made by
derailed by the Pakistan. This has caused speculation whether
Poonch strike, it the assault has cast a shadow on Mr Zardari’s
would be a pity if scheduled trip.
While it is unlikely that New Delhi will allow
at an exciting crossroads Labour participation world has developed
encouraged to host public
Iftar, Diwali and Christmas
parties. It is through cultur-
al festivals that Hindu,
the Pakistan the G20 meeting to be derailed by the Poonch through agriculture; it is Muslim, Sikh, and Christian
foreign minister’s strike, it would be a pity if the Pakistan foreign rate for India was a industry, particularly the
pathetic 48.5 per and other communities can
visit is minister’s visit is affected. Since 2016, when
Indranil Banerjie
cutting edge, hi-tech sec-
affected Sartaj Aziz, then Pakistan PM’s adviser on for- cent, compared to tors that are capable of pro- foster unity and harmony.
eign affairs, came to Amritar for the Heart of Bangladesh’s 58.2 pelling an economy into a Mansoor Dashti
Asia Conference to a cold reception, high level trips have been absent. Mr pc, Pakistan’s 52.7 global frontrunner.
Zardari’s is also not a bilateral visit. It doesn’t make sense for Pakistan to can- Industry needs skilled Secunderabad
cel. The question is, will India be in a mood after the terrorist hit to utilise the per cent, China’s workers, effective man-
space provided by the Pakistan foreign minister’s visit to broach matters of
bilateral interest and concern? A mature country would not be thrown off bal-
67.1 pc, the United
States’ 61.2 per
agers and educated
researchers and innova-
SCB ROADS

I
ance by a terrorist attack. In the past such nasty events have been weathered t took a United
in the mostly fragile state of India-Pakistan relationship. Even today, trade and Nations agency to
travel ties stand ruptured and there has been no representation at the level of inform us and the
high commissioner between the two countries. Nevertheless, the ceasefire world at large that
agreement has held since February, 2021 and back channel consultations are India would become
not disrupted. This is positive in an otherwise extremely fraught relationship. the most populous country
A complicating factor cannot escape notice. Former J&K governor Satyapal in the world by the middle
Malik has lately revealed that the Pulwama attack took place because CRPF of this year. The United
jawans were refused five aircraft to ferry them to Kashmir Valley, and when Nations Population Fund
Mr Malik took up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he was (UNFPA), in its 2023 State
asked to lie low as other considerations were in the mix. Shortly after, India’s of World Population
Balakot airstrike took place to avenge Pulwama, and this was made a propa-
ganda point by the government party in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. We may
Report, declared that by the
middle of 2023 India’s popu-
hope that the Poonch attack does not open the doors for such temptations. lation would touch an esti-
mated 1.4286 billion,
against China’s 1.4257 bil-
those numbers don’t just
determine their voting
power in democratic India,
but also the distribution of
welfare and public
services.”
The Indian census not
only counts the number of
every Indian citizen but
also other key demograph-
ics such as literacy,
employment, lifespan, reli-
gious persuasion and much
more. It provides critical
data for analysts and policy
makers; this data is the
cent and Russia’s
62.2 per cent
centage of the population
actually engaged in produc-
tive work. India’s rates
happen to be among the
lowest in the world.
According to World Bank
data (2021), the labour par-
ticipation rate for India
was a pathetic 48.5 per cent,
compared to Bangladesh’s
58.2 per cent, Pakistan’s
tors. Literacy figures are Road users have long awaited the
one indicator of how well opening of five of the six arterial
the population is doing roads in the Secunderabad
knowledge-wise. In India, Cantonment. Motorists are having
literacy has been rising but to take longer routes for short dis-
is still low on the world tances due to the road closures.
scale: 74 per cent in 2018 (SCB roads: Kishan thanks
compared to Bangladesh’s Rajnath, DC April 23).
75 per cent, China’s 97 per N. Ramalakshmi
cent, Iran’s 89 per cent, Secunderabad
Russia’s 100 per cent,
Pakistan’s 58 per cent, and
Sri Lanka’s 92 per cent
E-BIKE MISHAPS
(World Bank data 2019- Though e-bikes are getting popu-
2020). lar, fire mishaps involving them
In other words, we also are of great concern (Fire mishap

Summer may see extreme heat lion — a difference of 2.9

million.
Normally, one would
bedrock on which all eco-
nomic estimates rest. In its
absence, economic analy-
52.7 per cent, China’s 67.1
per cent, the United States’
61.2 per cent and Russia’s
have the largest population
of illiterates in the world —
a staggering 371 million
in E-bike show room at Ootpally,
April 23). Manufacturers should
design and manufacture e-bikes

I
t’s summer and along with the season heatwaves are inevitable, particular- expect such a key statistic
ly in El Nino years. And it is not only India but the whole of Asia that sweat- to come from the Indian
ed through the first half of April with experts saying that it was the conti- government. But in today’s
nent’s worst ever recorded heatwave in April. Studies are also supporting find- India, statistics are deemed
ings that India is particularly vulnerable to heatwaves as they become more
common and more severe thanks to climate change.
to have become damned
lies or simply do not exist.
At least 13 people died from heatstroke at an award function in Mumbai on The great Indian census
April 16 where lakhs of people had gathered. It is also a freakish timing of the conducted every ten years
poll cycles that sees most general elections being held in the peak of summer, since 1881 appears to have
as they would probably be in 2024 as well, thus increasing the risk of exposure been shelved for all practi-
of people to the hazards of heat. In short, the world is getting warmer and India cal purposes. No one in
even more so and earlier in the year. The weather may have eased in terms of India is asking why we
temperature highs just a bit now in India, but the pattern of the last few years have no census, which is
suggests there is just no room for complacency. India’s climate vulnerability is the most basic statistical
very high in summers and people must be made aware of the heat index, a more exercise undertaken by all
precise measure of discomfort to the human body in terms of temperature and nations. Without accurate
humidity. Due consideration must be given by employers to how much outdoor demographics, no reliable
work employees can bear in summer and they must bring in smarter methods economic projections can
of managing people while helping them take on the climate crisis. be made.
India cannot afford to be complacent about extreme weather-related mortali- The UNFPA’s estimates
of India’s population is just
ty, which takes its toll of lives every year, besides denting social development
goals and affecting the GDP too, as about 380 million people are said to experi- that — only an estimate. No
ence heat-related stress even as 90 per cent of India is said to be in the “extreme- one knows for sure how
ly cautious” or “danger” range of heatwave impacts through the heat index. many Indians there actual-
While governments can help educate people about the dangers, the people ly are. The Covid-19 pan-
would have to learn to take far more precautions than they seem to nowadays. demic prevented the cen-
sus operations from start-
ing in 2020, and since then
the government has effec-
DECCAN CHRONICLE tively scuttled the stalled
KAUSHIK MITTER K. SUDHAKAR exercise.
Editor Printer & Publisher Bloomberg columnist
Mihir Sharma writes that
DECCAN CHRONICLE offices are located at: “India’s current govern-
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Hyderabad: 36, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad - 500 003, Ph: 040-27803930-4; Fax : 040-27805256 cult relationship with data.
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Karimnagar: H. No. 1-21-12/1, Cheralabhutkur Road, Mugudhumpur Village, Karimnagar-505186, PH. the past seven years. This
NO. 9121181123. census was set to be even
Nellore: Survey No.527/2, Burranpur Village, Venkatachalam (M), Chemmudugunta Panchayat, Nellore,
more politically explosive.
Ph: 0861-2348581/82; Telefax: 0861-2348580
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Advt Fax: 22254765/22254766/42305325 the census provides the last
Coimbatore: Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited, No. 2/22 Sengalipalayam Road, N.G.G.O Colony Post, word on the relative sizes
Kurudampalayam village - 641 022 of various groups. And
sis and policy making in
India can only flail in the
darkness.
The UNFPA report
underscores the need to
have accurate data on the
state of our population, not
just the raw headcounts
but how our citizens are
actually doing.
Andrea Wojnar,
UNFPA’s India representa-
tive, correctly pointed out
that “population numbers
should not trigger anxiety
or create alarm. Instead,
they should be seen as a
symbol of progress, devel-
opment, and aspirations if
individual rights and
choices are being upheld”.
But there is the inevitable
big “if”. India’s huge popu-
lation, especially its youth,
could constitute a demo-
graphic dividend or a lia-
bility, depending on the
quality of its people.
Chinese foreign ministry
spokesperson Wang
Wenbin, reacting to the
UNFPA report, was not off
the mark in asserting that
population dividends
depended not only on quan-
tity but also on quality.
A population’s capabili-
ties in terms of skills, tal-
ents and innovation are the
key to the future. Does
India’s huge population
possess these abilities?
The indicators are not
very rosy. We might have a
large population but its
quality is highly question-
able. Take one key metric:
labour participation rates,
which measures the per-
62.2 per cent.
India only bettered a few
countries like Iran (41.9 per
cent).
Worse, very few women
in India work: just about
one in four, which is one of
the lowest in the world.
This year’s Economic
Survey claimed that male
labour force participation
rates had increased to 57.5
per cent in 2020-21 while
female participation had
climbed to 25.1 per cent.
But there is no telling
whether these figures are
authentic, and even if they
are, they point to continued
low levels of participation.
No country in the world
can progress if so few of its
people actually work, espe-
cially its women.
Overall employment fig-
ures also remain low
despite the government’s
claims to the contrary. The
2023 Economic Survey
claimed “labour markets
have recovered beyond pre-
Covid levels, in both urban
and rural areas, with
unemployment rates
falling from 5.8 per cent in
2018-19 to 4.2 per cent in
2020-21”, but added that
there has been a decline in
the shares of regular wage
workers, casual labour,
industrial labour, and
labour employed in “trade,
hotel and restaurants”.
If the government is to be
believed, the rise in
employment is due to the
increase in agriculture
employment! The sad fact
is that no country in the
who cannot read or write a
sentence in any language,
leave alone acquire knowl-
edge of any kind.
The other mind-boggling
part of the UNFPA report is
the estimate that nearly
half of India’s population is
below the age of 25 years —
that is 714 million young
people looking for proper
education, jobs, housing
and so on. Who are all these
millions?
Understanding their real-
ities, starting from their
demographics, would be
the first step in shaping
policies and a conducive
environment for their
future.
The UNFPA’s India head
declared that “India is at a
unique historical opportu-
nity, witnessing a great
demographic transition as
youthful nation… As the
country with the largest
youth cohort — its 254 mil-
lion youth (15-24 years) —
can be a source of innova-
tion, new thinking and last-
ing solutions”.
India is indeed at an
exciting crossroads in his-
tory: however, whether it
will reap a demographic
dividend or disaster is an
open question. What is not
is the need for a population
census at the earliest. Not
facing the facts, no matter
how politically inconve-
nient, cannot be an option.
The writer is an
independent commentator
on political and
security issues
aiming at zero fire accidents.
G.V.N. Murthy
Hyderabad
RAHUL GANDHI
Finally Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi reached his mother's home.
It is nice to stay with the mother
and get refreshed and to reorient
the mind to achieve success for the
Congress by promoting people-
friendly discussions and meetings.
It's common that kids are ever-
eager to rush home to enjoy guid-
ance by mother.
G. Murali Mohan Rao
Secunderabad
Email your letters to
info@deccanmail.com,
editor@deccanmail.com.
50 YEARS AGO IN
Ram’s warning
to Pakistan
CHANDIGARH, April 23.
The Union Defence Minister, Mr.
Jagjivan Ram, has warned
Pakistan that if she dared enter
into an armed conflict with India
again, ‘our forces will teach her a
lesson never to be forgotten’.
Speaking during a visit to an
armoured regiment near Ambala
last night, Mr. Ram said that the
victory in the 1971 December war
had made clear to the world that
India is a force to reckon with and
the country’s defence forces could
well feel proud of it.

W
hen my first khaki uniform, web belt,
beret and army shoes were packed in a
black trunk in readiness for my cover-
age of Chhamb in the western sector
my lights, begin with the partnership “without with alacrity the new future with Iran. Just as one department favoured a gamble on democratic
limits” signed in the Kremlin by Xi Jinping and assassination in Sarajevo led to a chain of events openness, but the Pentagon, where Israel is rather
Vladimir Putin, plus the “new era” in ties between that became the First World War, an unexpected more influential, dug its heels in for Mr Morsi’s
the two spelt out by Mr Xi during Mr Putin’s visit breakthrough for peace between apparently ouster. The Saudis, pleased as punch, turned up

Saeed Naqvi during the 1971 Pakistan war, my great aunt, Nani
Ammi, lifted the Quran in her right hand, a sort of
holy gateway under which I was to pass.
Wide Angle She then produced two Imam Zamins, or
amulets. One she tied around my right arm as
guarantor of my protection. The other amulet I
was to carry for my cousin Akbar, a major on the
other side, who she was convinced would meet me
to Beijing on February 4, 2022. While the pretty
anchor is trying to come up with a victor in
Ukraine, may I suggest she cast her eyes across
the globe, even West Asia, where signs of victory
and defeat are already under way.
China, with Russia’s robust backing, is altering
the key dynamics in the region. Take the Saudi-
Iran rapprochement. I remember Henry Kissinger
implacable foes leads to a chain reaction.
A lasting peace is very much on the cards
between Yemen and Saudi Arabia after an elabo-
rate exchange of prisoners. The consolidation of
this peace is because of the Saudi-Iran deal, owing
to Chinese diplomacy. The Houthis of Yemen will
have time to attend to other details of the regional
mosaic. Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and
with $8 billion to stabilise Sisi. That was then.
Radical changes have gripped the region since. In
the midst of so much change, will the Sisi dicta-
torship survive? The possible re-emergence of the
Brotherhood will give them coherence with
Hamas in Gaza, much to Israel’s chagrin.
These are the stories the anchor at the outset of
this column may like to mull over as she looks for

Russia-China and at night when the guns fall silent.

My great aunt’s touching naivete about warfare
came back to me as if it were yesterday. A cock-
sure anchor, updating the Ukraine conflict, rolled
giving the Palestinian issue relatively low salien-
cy because the Arab world was riven by the Shia-
Sunni divide.
The West never juxtaposed the Shah’s Iran as
Hamas in Gaza are now relatively free of their
Saudi and other GCC anxieties and can focus on
Israel and, of course, the US bases in the area.
Some days ago, Turkish, Syrian and Iranian offi-
victors in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to
Beijing would have been a breach in the Western
façade by itself, but the breach is much more pro-

West: Who’s on her eyes and asked knowingly: “Who is winning

the war?” These are the facts: Volodymyr
Zelenskyy hasn’t yet thrown in the towel.
Shia versus a Sunni Arab world. They were both
allies. The “godless” Chinese understood the
divide as a political ploy, which could only be
cials were in Moscow. While a Syria-Turkish rap-
prochement suits Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he
faces elections on May 14, Bashar al-Assad’s advis-
nounced as EU president Ursula von der Leyen, a
Western hawk on Ukraine, also accompanied Mr
Macron’s peace mission. Mr Macron’s persistent

top as new world Vladimir Putin hasn’t faced an anti-war rebellion

in the Kremlin. President Joe Biden can’t be losing
since he’s thinking of a second term. So, which
way has the war gone? Is it at a deadlock? Has
resolved politically.
Yaroslav Trofimov’s brilliant book The Siege of
Mecca details Juhayman al Otaybi and his follow-
ers’ siege of Islam’s holiest mosque in 1979 as the
ers do not wish to shut the option for an opening
with the multi-party alliance in the Opposition. As
part of the frenetic activity, the Syrian foreign
minister was in Riyadh on the day when Iranian
advice to Europe has been to disengage from US
policies, whether in Ukraine or in Taiwan.
I hope this is a wide enough gap in the much-
touted Western unity which the anchor of our nar-

order emerging? nothing happened in over a year since Russian

troops crossed into Ukraine on February 24, 2022?
This war was about a world order that would end
Western hegemonism which I dare say is in its last
throes.
The date of the Russian invasion will be promi-
nent in history books for millennia. But there are
even more important dates which, according to
revolution was toppling the Shah in Tehran. The
book established what the Chinese also knew: the
existential threat to the Saudis was from the
Otaybi variant of the Muslim Brotherhood, which
was at the root of what subsequently bloomed as
Al-Qaeda. It was easy sailing during the “sole su-
perpower” moment. As the Saudis sensed Wash-
ington’s grip on the world order slacken, it clasped
technical teams were negotiating details on the
exchange of ambassadors.
So far, so good. But Riyadh’s real nervousness is
with the Akhwan, or the Brotherhood, who are
simmering under Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s repres-
sion in Egypt. The US was divided over the elec-
tion of Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim
Brotherhood in 2012. The White House and state
rative must begin to realise indicates success or a
setback. She will justifiably complain I have not
balanced the story. True. After all, the US has
opened an embassy in far-off Vanuatu to further
encircle China.
The writer is a senior journalist and
commentator based in New Delhi
 NATION
DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023
pg 7

SHORT

U’KHAND OFFICIAL
TAKES
HIT BY COPTER’S
TAIL ROTOR, DIES
Rudraprayag (U’khand),
April 23: An official of the
Uttarakhand civil aviation
development authority died on
Sunday after being hit by the
tail rotor of a helicopter in
Kedarnath. The incident occu-
rred at the Garhwal Mandal
Vikas Nigam helipad in
Kedarnath, Rudraprayag supe-
rintendent of police Vishakha
Ashok Bhadane said.
Amit Saini (35), who was on
his way to board the helicop-
ter, suffered severe neck
injuries after being hit by the
helicopter’s tail rotor and died
on the spot, Rudraprayag dis-
trict magistrate Mayur
Dikshit told reporters.
Saini worked as a finance
controller in the Uttarakhand
Cops deny claim that
Amritpal surrendered
From page 1
The flight carrying
Amritpal landed in
Dibrugarh on Sunday
afternoon and he was
taken to the prison amidst
tight security.
Shortly after his arrest,
a video surfaced online
which showed the extrem-
ist leader delivering a bri-
ef address, indicating that
he is surrendering. Howe-
ver, Punjab’s inspector ge-
neral of police, Sukhch-
ain Singh Gill, countered
Amritpal’s claim of “sur-
rendering”, stating that
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi being received by party leader Jagadish Shettar upon his arrival in Hubballi on the fugitive was cornered.
Sunday. — PTI “A joint operation was
conducted by Amritsar
ON AMRITPAL’S TRAIL
Sept. 29, 2022: Radical
preacher Amritpal Singh
anointed as the chief of
the Waris Punjab De, an
outfit founded by actor
and activist Deep Sidhu
Feb. 16, 2023: Amritpal
and his supporters,
including Lovepreet
Singh Toofan,
booked for
allegedly kid-
napping and
thrashing a res-
ident of Chamk-
aur Sahib in
Rupnagar district.
Feb 24, 2023: Lovepreet
Singh released from judi-
cial custody.
March 18, 2023: Punjab
Police launches a crack-
down against Amritpal and
his aides.
March 28, 2023: A massive
operation to trace
Amritpal conduct-
ed in Hoshiarpur
after some sus-
pects abandon a
vehicle following
a police chase.
March 29, 2023: A

Parties’ war to woo two

video of Amritpal sur-
civil aviation development police and the intelligence Feb. 17, 2023: Lovepreet faces online in which he
authority and was part of a wing of Punjab police. He Singh arrested. calls for a ‘Sarbat Khalsa’
team that had visited the heli- was located in Rode based
pad to inspect the arrange- on operational inputs Feb. 23, 2023: Amritpal congregation on Baisakhi.
ments for the heli-services to from the Punjab police. He and his supporters April 20, 2023: Amritpal’s

main castes intensifies

the Himalayan temple, sched- was surrounded from all
uled to open on April 25. sides. The village was sur-
rounded by the Punjab
MP GOVT’S MASS police,” he said. Stating
that the police did not
MARRIAGE EVENT enter the gurdwara, he
added, “It was important
break through barrica-
des and barge into
Ajnala police station on
the outskirts of Amritsar
city and clash with
policemen, demanding
wife Kirandeep Kaur
stopped from boarding a
flight to London in
Amritsar.
April 23, 2023: Amritpal

STIRS ROW BJP, Cong., JD(S) try to pacify Lingayats, Vokkaligas to maintain the sanctity of
the gurdwara and police
the release of Lovepreet
Singh.
arrested from Rode village
in Moga district.

DC CORRESPONDENT KARNATAKA Sitharaman’s take on H.D. Kumaraswamy hospitalised

BHOPAL, APRIL 23
A mass marriage scheme of
the Madhya Pradesh govern-
ment stirred a row after some
of the would-be brides were
found to be pregnant during
medical tests, with the Oppos-
ition Congress seeking to
know under which guidelines
these tests were conducted and
demanded an inquiry into the
incident which it termed as an
“insult” to the poor.
Former chief minister and
Congress veteran Kamal Nath
on Sunday demanded a probe
into the reports that over 200
girls, beneficiaries of the mass
marriage scheme, were made
to undergo pregnancy tests in
Dindori district. He termed
the incident as unacceptable.
Pregnancy test was conduct-
ed on some women beneficiar-
ies under the “Mukhyamantri
Kanya Vivah Yojana” hours
before the mass marriage pro-
gramme, held on the
auspicious day of Akshay
Tritiya on Saturday, official
sources said.
DECIDES
SANJAY BASAK | DC
NEW DELHI, APRIL 23
With barely weeks to go
for the clash of titans in
Karnataka, the war to woo
the two main castes has
intensified between the
BJP, Congress and Janata
Dal (Secular). While the
BJP has relied mainly on
the Lingayats, the main
cause of concern is still
the Vokkaliga-dominated
Old Mysuru region. The
state unit of the BJP is
now trying to organise a
majority of the coming
rallies and roadshows of
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi in the Vokkaliga-
dominated belts.
Of the 224 Assembly con-
stituencies, the Vokk-
aligas have their sway
over at least 80 constituen-
cies. The community also
dominates at least 15 Lok
Sabha seats in the state.
“The one who wins Old
Amul-Nandini row
In India’s scheme of
things, every state
has its own milk coopera-
tive. Karnataka’s Nandini
— whoever doesn’t recog-
nise it? Even now as I’ve
come, I had Nandini milk,
curd, peda... Of course in
Delhi I’ll buy Amul. I repre-
sent Karnataka (but) in
Delhi, if Nandini isn’t avail-
able, I’m mentally not a sa-
nyasi to say I won’t drink
milk if Nandini isn’t availa-
ble. I still buy Amul. That’s
not being against Karn-
ataka. This, strictly
speaking, is tweaked,
twisted and made an
emotional issue becau-
se it is election time.
— NIRMALA
SITHARAMAN,
Union finance
minister
in uniform could not
enter inside.” against Amritpal and Mann said in a video mes-
● Former chief minister and JD(S) leader H.D.
Kumarswamy, who has been hospitalised with symp-
A message was conveyed these have been executed. sage that those who dis-
to the preacher that he Further, the law will take turb peace and harmony
toms of exhaustion and general weakness, is “med- had no chance of making its course,” he said. in the state will face the
ically stable and is recuperating”, the hospital treat- his escape, Gill said. “NSA Hours after the arrest, law, and innocent people
ing him said on Sunday. The leader’s office said, who warrants were issued Chief Minister Bhagwant will not be disturbed.
had been touring tirelessly, was suffering from fever
and was advised by doctors to rest.
Congress supporters disturb BJP leader
V. Somanna’s campaign
● After BJP Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha came
under attack, Varuna BJP candidate V. Somanna was
Shah to devote 2 days to
allegedly heckled by Congress supporters during his
campaign on Sunday. Upset that Somanna did not
accept their invitation for a discussion some youth
Tagore’s birth anniv fete
present at site raised slogans in favour of Congress RAJIB CHOWDHURI
leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah. AND PRANMOY
BRAHMACHARI | DC
BJP APPOINTS SENIOR LEADER RAJEEV
CPI extends support to Congress in 215 seats
● The CPI has announced its decision to support
KOLKATA/BERHAMPORE,
APRIL 23
BINDAL AS HIMACHAL STATE UNIT CHIEF
the Congress candidates in 215 seats with an aim New Delhi/Shimla, unit earlier as well.
to defeat the BJP. The CPI is supporting Darshan In a bid to woo the people April 23: The BJP on An MLA for several
Puttanaiah of Sarvodaya Karnataka Party in of West Bengal with BJP’s Sunday appointed its sea- terms, Bindal lost the
affection towards the soned leader Rajeev Assembly poll this time
Melukote seat in Mandya and CPM nomi- great poet Rabindranath Bindal as its Himachal with the party failing to
nee Anil Kumar in Bagepalli. “The need of Tagore ahead of the Pradesh state unit presi- open its account in Solan
the hour is to support a party with secu- upcoming panchayat elec- dent, replacing Lok Sabha district.
lar, democratic credentials,” CPI said. tion and the 2024 Lok MP Suresh Kumar The BJP suffered defeat
Sabha polls, Union home Kashyap. in the Assembly polls in
minister Amit Shah will Bindal, who hails from the state in November last
devote two days for the Solan, has been a minister year as the Congress came

HEAT STROKE CASE:

Mysuru will win Karna-
taka this time,” a senior
party leader asserted.
BJP most corrupt: Rahul son-of-the soil’s birth
anniversary celebration
next month in the state.
and Assembly speaker
and is seen as a solid and
dynamic organisational
back to power. The party
is now gearing up for the
Shimla Municipal

LETTER BLAMES The areas the BJP has

intensified its campaign
GURURAJ A. Rahul held a massive platform, Prime Minister
This is the second tour of
the BJP heavyweight here
leader.
He headed the BJP state
Corporation polls slated
for May 2. — PTI

SHINDE GOVT
BHAGWAN PARAB | DC
MUMBAI, APRIL 23
As the controversy over 14
deaths in the Maharashtra
Bhushan award ceremony
rages on, an alleged forged let-
ter issued in the name of
award recipient Appasaheb
Dharmadhikari has gone viral
holding the Shinde-Fadnavis
include the districts of
south Karnataka which
include Mandya, Hassan,
Mysuru, rural Bengaluru,
Tumkur, Kolar and Chik-
magalur. Other Vokkaliga-
dominated belts where the
BJP is holding rallies and
roadshows include
Chitradurga, Shimoga,
Dakshina Kannada and
Udupir districts.
While the BJP has
deployed a huge amount of
PANIYADI | DC
with agency inputs
VIJAYAPURA, APRIL 23
Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi on Sunday called
the BJP government in
Karnataka the “most cor-
rupt in the country”, he
declared that Congress
would win 150 seats in
Karnataka out of the total
224 in the May 10 Asse-
mbly polls, while the “40
road show here, ahead of
the May 10 Karnataka
Assembly polls, waving at
a large, enthusiastic
crowd that had lined up on
both sides of the route.
Standing on top of a spe-
cially designed vehicle,
Gandhi constantly waved
at the people gathered in
the streets and on nearby
buildings, many of whom
were seen chanting
‘Rahul, Rahul’ slogans
Narendra Modi claims
that he is against corrup-
tion. He should see those
sitting to his left and right
on the stage. They had
taken 40 per cent commis-
sion. And with that money
MLAs were purchased to
form the government
here.”
“Remember you had not
elected the BJP govern-
ment. They stole MLAs
and formed the govern-
within a month after he
set a target from a rally in
Birbhum on April 14
before his party to win 35
out of 42 Lok Sabha seats
of Bengal next year.
Shah will arrive in the
state on May 8 and will
address a rally in
Murshidabad, a district
with a vast minority popu-
lation along the India-
Bangladesh border,
according to BJP sources.
The district recently wit-
nessed the first ever elec-
toral defeat of the ruling
TMC in an Assembly
bypoll, Sagardighi, to the
Congress since 2011.
On May 9, the Union
home minister is expected
to visit Jorasanko
Thakurbari, the birth-
place of Rabindranath, in
central Kolkata in the
morning to pay tribute to
Tagore on the occasion of
Rabindra Jayanti, popu-
larly known as Ponchishe
Boishakh in Bengali cal-
endar year.

government responsible for
the tragedy. However, the
police have said that the letter
is fake and registered an FIR.
The letter stated that
Dharmadhikari will return
the Maharashtra Bhushan
Award conferred on him by
the state government, claim-
ing he was saddened after the
death of 14 of at the Kharghar
event on April 16.
It further stated that the mis-
management at the function
by the government had caused
inconvenience to his followers.
“I had told that I don’t need the
award, but I was compelled to
accept it. My followers were
used for political mileage and
the event claimed several lives
due to a heat stroke,” it said.
ANOTHER CHEETAH
its resources to make ma-
jor inroads into this Vokk-
aliga-dominated region,
it’s a do-or-die battle for
JD(S) chief H.D. Kumaras-
wamy. Besides trying to
consolidate its Vokkaliga
vote bank and emerge as
the “kingmaker”, the
JD(S) is also trying to
TERRORISTS USED
STEEL BULLETS IN
POONCH ATTACK
Poonch/Jammu, April
23: The terrorists who
ambushed an Army tru-
ck in Jammu and Kash-
mir’s Poonch used steel
per cent BJP government”
would get only 40 seats.
shore up the minority
votes in the region. One of
the moves to send positive
signals to Muslims was
the JD(S)’ move to appoint
C.M. Ibrahim as its state
BJP leader’s mitti mein mila
denge triggers row in Bihar
NAYYAR AZAD | DC
PATNA, APRIL 23
The political temperature
is high in Bihar after BJP
and shouting loud cheers.
Rahul alleged, “On every
unit president.
Kumaraswamy has also
been meeting a number of
religious leaders.
However, things could be
tricky for the JD(S) as
ts, Nitish Kumar took a
dig at the BJP state chief
and called him “brain-
less”. “Those who are say-
ing these things about me
ment,” Rahul said to loud
cheers.
over a period of time a
number of its legislators
have moved over to the
BJP and the party also
fared poorly in the byelec-
tions.
ing party workers during
an event, BJP state chief
Samrat Chaudhary said:
“Our leader fulfilled his
promise of making Nitish
Politely requesting
state to act: Pilot
From page 1
“I am again politely
requesting the state gov-
ernment to fulfil the
promises we made to the
people,” Pilot said.
Just before his fast, Pilot
was asked not to go ahead
by AICC in-charge Sukhj-
inder Singh Randhawa as
it would be termed as an
‘anti-party’ activity.
When questioned about
Randhawa’s stance, Pilot
said, “If we all raise ques-
tions regarding corrup-
party’s high command in
September 2022, adding,
“It is true that the inci-
dent which took place on
September 25 was an open
violation of the orders of
then Congress president
Sonia Gandhi.
Mallikarjun Kharge and
Ajay Maken were pub-
licly insulted. Why has no
action been taken against
the offenders yet? The
answer to this question
lies within the party.”
After Randhawa warned
of action against Pilot,
INDIA, CHINA
HOLD 18TH
ROUND OF TALKS
PAWAN BALI | DC
NEW DELHI, APRIL 23
India and China Coprs
Commanders on Sunday
held bilateral meeting at
the Chushul-Moldo mee-
ting point in the Eastern
Ladakh sector to resolve
outstanding issues. The
18th round of Corps Co-
mmander Level talks
were held after nearly
after four months as bo-
th sides will start patr-
olling at the LAC after a
tense winter.

TRANSLOCATED TO core bullets, capable of

piercing an armoured
state chief Samrat Chaud-
hary said that his party
should go ahead and redu-
ce me to dust. I have never
Kumar the Chief Minister
in 2020, but he ran away.
tion by the BJP or the pre-
vious government and
the Congress high com-
mand intervened and met
The meeting comes at a
time when new Chinese

MP’S KNP DIES

RABINDRA NATH
CHOUDHURY | DC
BHOPAL, APRIL 23
Another cheetah died in Kuno
National Park (KNP) in
Madhya Pradesh on Sunday.
Uday, one of the 12 cheetahs
brought from South Africa to
shield, and decamped
with the soldiers’ weap-
ons, officials said on
Sunday, amid intensified
efforts to trace and neu-
tralise the perpetrators.
They said a sniper is
believed to have targeted
the truck from the front
before the other terror-
ists sprayed bullets and
lobbed grenades on it.
would reduce Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar
and the ruling JD((U) to
dust (“mitti mein mila
denge”) politically during
the elections.
Reacting to the commen-
ANCIENT | TEACHINGS
used such terms against Now the BJP workers will demand action against Pilot. Former Madhya Defence Minister Li Sha-
anyone. Those who speak take revenge and we will them, then I believe it is Pradesh chief minister ngfu is scheduled to take
like this are brainless. reduce him to dust politi- beneficial to the Kamal Nath was told to part in the Shanghai
You are aware how much I cally. The manner in Congress.” resolve the differences Cooperation Organisa-
praise Atal Behari which criminals, terror- He also questioned inac- between Pilot and tion (SCO) Defence Min-
Vajpayee”, Kumar said. ists, and mafias are being tion against Congress Rajasthan Chief Minister isters’ meeting in India
Earlier, while address- reduced to dust in UP.” leaders who defied the Ashok Gehlot. on April 27 and 28.
RSS chief says Indian culture not orthodox but changed with time

India must nurture knowledge of Vedas: RSS

KNP on February 18 this year
died during treatment in the
park, chief wildlife warden of
MP J.S. Chauhan said.
With Uday’s death, KNP lost
a second cheetah. One of eight
Namibian cheetahs, Sasha,
brought to KNP in September
last year, had succumbed to
kidney failure in March this
year. According to Chauhan,
Uday was found to be ill by a
forest team on Sunday morn-
ing and was rushed to the med-
ical Centre in the park after
being tranquilised.
Uday died during treatment,
the forest officer said. With the
death of the feline, KNP is now
left with 18 adult cheetahs and
four cubs. Siyaya, the female
Namibian cheetah, had given
birth to the four cubs in her
first litter last month.
Five soldiers were kil-
led and one injured after
terrorists attacked the
lone Army truck, which
was carrying eatables
for iftar to a nearby vil-
lage, in the dense forest
area of Bhata Dhurian
late on Thursday aftern-
oon and the vehicle cau-
ght fire. The soldiers we-
re from a Rashtriya Rifl-
es unit deployed for co-
unter-terror operations.
Experts from various
agencies, including the
National Security Guard
and the National Invest-
igation Agency, have vis-
ited the site of the attack
over the past two days to
get a clear picture of the
deadly ambush, the offi-
cials said. — PTI
Sabarkantha, April 23:
India needs to nurture the
knowledge of the Vedas
and the ancient language
of Sanskrit to become a
‘vishwa guru’, Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh chief
Mohan Bhagwat said here
on Sunday. He said Indian
culture was not orthodox
but changed with time and
was not one that told us
“what to eat and what not
to eat”.
India was created on the
values of the Vedas, which
have been followed by gen-
eration after generation,
Bhagwat said at the ‘Ved
Sanskrit Gyan Gaurav
Samarambh’ event organ-
ised by Shree Bhagwan
Yagyavalkya Vedtatv-
agyan Yogashram Trust in
Mudeti village here.
“Therefore, today’s India
has to grow but not to
become a superpower like
America, China and
Russia that wield power.
We have to become a coun-
try which can offer
answers to the problems
plaguing the world today.
We have to become a coun-
try which can show the
world the path of peace,
love and prosperity
TODAY’S INDIA has to grow but not vigyan and culture (san- India on their side, but
to become a superpower. We have to skriti). All this knowledge India maintains that “both
is in Sanskrit. Therefore, of you are friends” and,
become a country which can offer answers it is necessary to have the therefore, we will not take
to the problems plaguing the world today. influence of Sanskrit. If sides now. This is not the
We have to become a country which can we know to speak our era of war, hence, stop it,
show the world the path of peace, love mother tongues well, then India has maintained,
and prosperity through right conduct. we can learn 40 per cent of Bhagwat asserted.
Sanskrit,” he claimed. “The India of today has
— MOHAN BHAGWAT, He also said experts the strength to say this to
Rashtriya Swayamsevak believe many concepts of the world’s superpowers,
Sangh chief science as well as mathe- something it lacked in the
matics are easy to learn if past,” he said. Whenever
through right conduct,” wa guru, he said, adding one has the knowledge of anyone needs what
Bhagwat said. “victory means dharma Sanskrit and music. belongs to us, the country
India is a country that vijay”. Hailing India’s stand in will offer it because this is
believes in propagating “That is why it is neces- the war between Ukraine what our forefathers have
‘dharma’, uniting every- sary to nurture the knowl- and Russia, the RSS chief directed us to do as a duty,
one and becoming a vish- edge of the Vedas or ved said both nations want he added. — PTI
cmyk cmyk

DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023 pg 8

 WORLD
DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023
Azerbaijan blocks
Armenia land route
Step taken after claims of border shootings
Moscow, April 23:
Azerbaijan said on Sunday it
had established a checkpoint
on the only land route to the
contested region of Nagorno-
Karabakh, a step that was
followed by claims of border
shootings by both Azeri and
Armenian forces.
Nagorno-Karabakh is inter-
nationally recognised as part
of Azerbaijan, but its 120,000
inhabitants are predomi-
nantly ethnic Armenians
and it broke away from Baku
in a war in the early 1990s.
Azerbaijan said it had
established a checkpoint on
the road leading to
Karabakh, a step it said was
essential due to what it cast
as Armenia's use of the road
to transport weapons.
Azerbaijan “took appropri-
ate measures to establish
control at the starting point
of the road”, the foreign min-
istry said.
“Providing border security,
as well as ensuring safe traf-
fic on the road, is the prerog-
ative of the government of
Azerbaijan, and an essential
prerequisite for national
security, state sovereignty
and the rule of law.”
Armenia said the check-
point at the Hakari bridge in
the Lachin corridor was a
gross violation of the 2020
ceasefire agreement which
ended a 2020 war.
It called on Russia to imple-
● NAGORNO-KARABAKH
IS internationally recog-
nised as part of
Azerbaijan, but its
1,20,000 inhabitants are
mostly ethnic Armenians
and it broke away from
Baku in the early 1990s.
ment the agreement which
states that the Lachin corri-
dor, the only road across
Azerbaijan that links
Armenia to Nagorno-
Karabakh, must be under
Russian peacekeepers’ con-
trol.
“We call on the Russian
Federation to ultimately
implement the trilateral
statement,” Armenia’s for-
eign ministry said of the
agreement that was brokered
by Russian President
Vladimir Putin.
The US government said it
was “deeply concerned” by
Azerbaijan establishing the
checkpoint on the only land
route to the contested region
of Nagorno-Karabakh, say-
ing it undermines efforts
toward peace in the region.
The US state department
also said there should be free
and open movement of peo-
ple and commerce on the
Lachin corridor, and urged
both sides to resume peace
talks.
Pictures of the bridge post-
ed on social media by Azeri
officials showed one side of
it blocked by vehicles and
soldiers.
Armenia’s defence min-
istry said a soldier named
Artyom Poghosyan was
killed at around 0750 GMT
when Azeri forces opened
fire on an Armenian position
in Sotk, an Armenian village
east of Lake Sevan.
Azerbaijan denied it killed
the soldier.
Azerbaijan then claimed
that Armenian soldiers fired
on Azeri units at around 1110
GMT in the Lachin district, a
claim Armenia denied.
In 2020, Azerbaijan retook
territory in and around the
enclave after a second war
that ended in a Russian-bro-
kered ceasefire upheld by
Russian peacekeepers.
Azeri civilians identifying
themselves as environmental
activists have been facing off
since December 12 with
Russian peacekeepers on the
Lachin corridor.
Armenia says the protest-
ers are government-backed
agitators who are effectively
blockading Karabakh.
Azerbaijan denies blockad-
ing the road, saying that
some convoys and aid are
allowed through. Armenia
has repeatedly called on
Moscow to do more to sup-
port peace. — Reuters
SRI LANKA PM
UNVEILS COVER
FOR SITA TEMPLE
Colombo, April 23: Sri
Lanka Prime Minister
Dinesh Gunawardena
unveiled a special com-
memorative cover for
Sita Temple near the his-
toric town of Nuwara
Eliya on Sunday and laid
the foundation stone for
the meditation centre at
Ramayana fame Ashoka
Vatika site to boost tour-
ism in the cash-strapped
country.
Gunawardena was acc-
ompanied by Indian
High Commissioner Go-
pal Bagalay and other
dignitaries for the gala
event. “H.E Prime Mini-
ster @DCRGunawarde-
na accompanied by the
High Commissioner and
other dignitaries issued
a Special Commemora-
tive Cover for Sita Tem-
ple near Nuwara Eliya
in Sri Lanka today,” the
Indian High Commissi-
on in Sri Lanka tweeted.
They also laid the foun-
dation stone for a medi-
tation centre at the tem-
ple which is believed to
signify the place of Ash-
ok Vatika in the epic
#ramayana. “The Medit-
ation Centre will add to
the facilities at the Tem-
ple and help attract
more tourists from
#India and other plac-
es,” said another tweet.
Ashok Vatika is a gar-
den in Sri Lanka that is
believed to be where
King Ravana had held
Sita captive in the Hindu
epic Ramayana. — PTI
Peru’s Toledo joins
2 ex-heads in jail
Lima, April 23: Former
Peruvian president Alejand-
ro Toledo returned on Sun-
day to Peru from the United
States and will likely become
the third head of state to be
imprisoned as the South
American country seeks to
shake off years of corrupti-
on by its rulers.
Toledo, 77, will likely serve
his sentence inside a police
base on the outskirts of the
capital Lima, where former
presidents Alberto Fujimori
and Pedro Castillo are also
held. Official images shared
by Peruvian authorities sho-
wed Toledo arriving at Lima
airport. Toledo, president be-
tween 2001 and 2006, turned
himself in on Friday for
extradition.
Peruvian authorities have
accused Toledo of receiving
$35 million in bribes from the
Brazilian construction com-
pany Odebrecht in exchange
for winning the construction
of the Interoceanica Sur
highway.
He denies the allegations of
corruption by prosecutors,
whose charges include
money laundering and collu-
sion. They have requested a
20-year prison sentence.
The extradition process be-
gan in 2018. Toledo had been
declared a fugitive in his
country the previous year
when he travelled to the Un-
ited States amid corruption
SECTOR | RECOVERY
Tourism boom in Jamaica
Kingston, April 23: The
number of tourists flocking
to Jamaica’s sun-drenched
beaches soared nearly 100
per cent in the first three
months of the year, causing
long queues and hours-long
waits for arriving passen-
gers at the island’s airport.
Tourism minister Edmund
Bartlett told The Associated
Press that the problem stem-
med from a shortage of air-
port staff to process the une-
xpected volume of people
flying into Sangster
International Airport in
Montego Bay since the end
of the Covid pandemic.
Bartlett told Parliament
later that day that there
were 1.18 million arrivals
from January through
March — 94 per cent more
than the same period of 2022
and a record high for
Jamaica’s tourism.
The recovery has been
stronger than anticipated
and everybody all over the
world is having difficulty
with their airports because
(many) of the workers have
not come back, Bartlett said.
He said authorities plan to
spend more on technology
as they strive to do away
with paperwork at the air-
port, including ending a
requirement for visitors to
fill out a form upon arrival.
Prime Minister Andrew
Security personnel carry a rescued young person from the
forest in Shakahola, outside the coastal town of Malindi,
Kenya on Sunday.
Kenyan cult graves:
47 bodies exhumed
Nairobi, April 23: Kenyan
police have now exhumed the
bodies of 47 people thought
to be followers of a Christian
cult who believed they would
go to heaven if they starved
themselves to death.
Police near the coastal
town of Malindi started
exhuming bodies on Friday
from the Shakahola forest.
“In total, 47 people have
died at the Shakahola for-
est,” detective Charles Kam-
au told Reuters on Sunday.
The exhumations were still
ongoing, Kamau said.
Earlier this month, police
rescued 15 members of the
group — worshippers at the
Good News International
Church — who they said had
been told to starve them-
selves to death. Four of them
died before they reached hos-
pital, police said.
The leader of the church,
Paul Mackenzie, was arrest-
● PERUVIAN AUTHORI-
TIES have accused Toledo
of receiving $35 million in
bribes from the Brazilian
construction company
Odebrecht in exchange
for winning the construc-
tion of the Interoceanica
Sur highway.
investigations against him
and former collaborators.
Toledo, an economist by
profession and with a docto-
rate from Stanford Univers-
ity in the United States, bec-
ame the second former Per-
uvian president to be extrad-
ited. Fujimori was extradited
from Chile and is serving a
25-year prison sentence for
human rights abuses.
Meanwhile, Castillo is in
pre-trial detention while
being investigated over alle-
gations of “rebellion” after
trying to illegally dissolve
Congress in December.
Former president Pedro Pa-
blo Kuczynski is also being
investigated in the Od-
ebrecht case and was under
house arrest while former
president Alan Garcia shot
himself to avoid arrest in
2019 and died in hospital.
“We have this sad record of
three former presidents in
jail,” criminal lawyer Carlos
Caro said. — Reuters
1.18 mn arrivals in Jan-March
● THE NUMBER of tou-
rists flocking to Jamaica’s
sun-drenched beaches
soared nearly 100 per
cent in the first three
months of the year, caus-
ing long queues and
hours-long waits for arriv-
ing passengers at the
island’s main airport.
Holness said the problems at
Sangster underscore the
need to push through the $70
million modernisation and
expansion project that
already was underway.
The work is scheduled to
be completed by 2025, and
Honess said the improve-
ments at the Caribbean's
largest and busiest airport
“will make Jamaica more
attractive and make
Jamaica more competitive
with other countries in the
region, which have also
invested heavily in improv-
ing their infrastructure.”
As part of the project, the
runway is being lengthened
at a cost of $34 million, work
that is expected to be fin-
ished in June.
We are excited about the
prospects of Sangster being
able to accommodate these
mega airlines that will be
flying to Jamaica and the
pg 9
— AFP
● EARLIER THIS month,
police rescued 15 mem-
bers of the group.
ed following a tip-off that su-
ggested the existence of shal-
low graves belonging to at le-
ast 31 of Mackenzie’s follow-
ers. Local media, citing poli-
ce sources, reported that Ma-
ckenzie has refused to eat or
drink while in police custody.
Interior minister Kithure
Kindiki said the entire 800
acre forest had been sealed
off and declared a scene of
crime. “This horrendous bli-
ght on our conscience must
lead not only to the most
severe punishment of the
perpetrator(s) of the atrocity
on so many innocent souls,
but tighter regulation
(including self-regulation) of
every church, mosque, tem-
ple or synagogue going for-
ward,” he said. — Reuters
FORMER PM
OF BURUNDI
ARRESTED
Nairobi, April 23: The
former prime minister
of Burundi, Alain
Guillaume, has been
arrested, the country’s
justice ministry said in a
statement on Sunday.
Alain Guillaume
Bunyoni was prime min-
ister from June 2020 to
September 2022, when
he was sacked after the
president accused unn-
amed people of planning
a coup against him.
“Alain Guillaume
Bunyoni is currently in
the hands of the police,”
said a statement signed
by the general prosecu-
tor Sylvestre Nyandwi
and shared by the justice
ministry.
He was arrested in the
country’s capital Bujum-
bura on Friday, Nyandwi
said. It did not specify
where he was being held
or the charges he would
be facing.
The country’s human
rights commission
tweeted that representa-
tives had visited
Bunyoni in detention
and said he had not
faced any abuse.
Bunyoni was consid-
ered the number two in
the country’s ruling pa-
rty and was a close ally
of ex-president Pierre
Nkurunziza, who died in
office in 2020. — Reuters
Caribbean, Bartlett said
during the AP interview.
He said the Tourism
Ministry’s growth plan aims
to have the island draw 5
million visitors annually by
2025. That would be a 35 per
cent increase from
Jamaica’s peak of 3.7 mil-
lion tourists in 2022.
Bartlett said Asian and
Middle Eastern countries
are among new markets
being targeted and the air-
port must be able to accom-
modate the larger aircraft
that would be used on such
long-haul flights.
In 2019, before the pandem-
ic, the airport processed 4.7
million passengers, includ-
ing citizens and visitors.
The number of tourists to
Jamaica peaked at 3.7 mil-
lion in 2022, 70 per cent of
whom used the Sangster
gateway.
Sangster is managed by
MBJ Airports Ltd., a consor-
tium 74.5 per cent owned by
a subsidiary of the Mexican
airports operator Grupo
Aeroportuario del Pacifico
and the rest by Vantage
Airport Group of Canada.
The consortium, which
has a 30-year concession
that began in 2003, said it
spent $287 million to
improve the airport in the
first 18 years of the deal.
— AP
 WORLD
DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023
SHORT
MEXICAN OFFICIAL
TAKES
CHARGED IN
MIGRANTS’ DEATH
Mexico City: A top Mexican
immigration official was
charged on Saturday over the
deaths of 40 migrants in a fire
at a detention center in March.
Salvador Gonzalez Guerrero,
head of the national institute
of migration in the northern
state of Chihuahua, was
charged with homicide, injury
and unlawful exercise of public
service, according to the feder-
al judiciary council.
SUSPECT HELD IN
GERMAN GYM
STABBING
Berlin: A suspect has been
arrested over last week’s stab-
bing attack at a gym in the
western German city of
Duisburg in which four people
were seriously wounded,
authorities said Sunday.
Prosecutor Jill Mc Culler said
the man, a 26-year-old Syrian
citizen, was arrested shortly
after midnight, German news
agency dpa reported. He was to
be brought before a judge on
Monday to determine whether
he can be kept in custody pend-
ing possible charges.
Further details weren’t
immediately available.
Police on Friday had released
pictures the suspect.
TEN CIVILIANS,
THREE SOLDIERS
KILLED IN MALI
Bamako: Ten civilians and
three soldiers were killed and
88 jihadists “neutralised” in
multiple incidents across Mali
on Saturday, the government
said, in a wave of bloodshed it
described as a resurgence of
“terrorist incidents”.
Early Saturday morning, sus-
pected jihadists attacked the
Sevare airport area in the cen-
tral Mopti region, detonating
car bombs, which killed 10
civilians and injured 61 others,
the government said.
The blasts destroyed some
houses in the airport’s sur-
rounding area.
The UN’s peacekeeping mis-
sion in Mali was also involved
in the fighting.
SERBS IN NORTH
KOSOVO BOYCOTT
LOCAL ELECTIONS
Mitrovica: Kosovo’s ethnic
Serb minority boycotted
Sunday’s local elections in the
north, a move that could exac-
erbate tensions between the
government and the communi-
ty, which is largely loyal to
neighbouring Serbia.
An estimated 1,20,000 Serbs
live in Kosovo, many in the four
northern districts bordering
Serbia where Sunday’s local
polls were being held — an
attempt to restore the local gov-
ernments after their ethnic
Serb councillors resigned in
November. There are frequent
bouts of unrest in the northern
enclaves, where many ethnic
Serbs never accepted Kosovo’s
declaration of independence.
ISRAELIS PROTEST
BEFORE NATION’S
75TH ANNIV.
Tel Aviv: Tens of thousands of
protesters flocked to Tel Aviv
and cities across Israel on
Saturday to vent their opposi-
tion to Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-
right government and its divi-
sive plan to overhaul the coun-
try’s judicial system.
The mass proteststaged week-
ly since the start of the year
comes just ahead of Israel’s
landmark 75th anniversary cel-
ebration. The holiday honoring
Israel’s founding in 1948, meant
to be a display of national
unity, has been marred by one
of Israel’s gravest crises.
Plans by Netanyahu’s govern-
ment to weaken the Supreme
Court have outraged Israelis.
7 BOARDING BUS
HURT AFTER
BEING FIRED UPON
Kingston, April 23: Police
enforced a curfew in a commu-
nity on the southern fringes of
Jamaica’s capital on Saturday
after gunmen fired on people
boarding a public minibus,
wounding seven, including
three children.
The Jamaica Constabulary
Force gave no information on
the conditions of the wounded
from the brazen attack, which
occurred at midafternoon
Friday in Seaview Gardens.
There was speculation the
gunmen were targeting one of
the people trying to get on the
bus, but authorities did not
comment. Conflict among rival
gangs has been blamed for an
uptick in violence.
Evacuation from Sudan
facing lot of problems
Battles between rivals rage; thousands trapped in homes
Khartoum, April 23: The
United States said its spe-
cial forces helped embassy
staff get out of Sudan, but
evacuations by some other
countries appeared to face
problems on Sunday amid
battles between rival fac-
tions that have triggered a
humanitarian crisis.
The eruption of fighting
eight days ago between the
army and Rapid Support
Forces (RSF) paramilitary
group has killed hundreds
of civilians and trapped
thousands in their homes.
Live television feeds on
Sunday showed thick
smoke hanging over the
capital, Khartoum, with
gunfire ringing out in
some areas, a Reuters
reporter said, as Sudanese
civilians tried to flee and
foreign countries attempt-
ed to pull out their people.
The warring sides acc-
used each other of attack-
ing a convoy of French
nationals, both saying one
French person was
wounded.
France’s foreign min-
istry, which had earlier
said it was evacuating
diplomatic staff and citi-
zens, did not comment.
The army also accused
the RSF of attacking and
looting a Qatari convoy
heading to Port Sudan.
Doha released no imme-
diate statement on any
incident. Egypt said a
member of its mission in
Sudan had been wounded
by a gunshot, without giv-
ing details.
President Joe Biden said
the US was temporarily
suspending operations at
its embassy in Khartoum
but remained committed
to the Sudanese people,
reiterating calls for a
ceasefire.
“The belligerent parties
must implement an imme-
diate and unconditional
ceasefire,” Biden said in a
statement. — PTI
Russian own city bombed:
Now explosive at same site
Moscow, April 23:
Seventeen apartment buil-
dings were evacuated on
Saturday in a Russian city
near the Ukrainian bor-
der after an explosive
device was found at the
site where a bomb acci-
dentally dropped by a
Russian warplane caused
a powerful blast this
week, authorities said.
The bomb blast late on
Thursday rocked part of
Belgorod, leaving a large
crater and three people
injured. The Russian
defence ministry quickly
acknowledged that a artillery shells on a front line position near Bakhmut of
weapon accidentally rel-
eased by one of its own
Su-34 bombers caused the
explosion.
The ministry said an
investigation was under-
way but did not elaborate
on the details of the
weapon, which military
experts said likely was a
powerful 500-kilogram
(1,100-pound) bomb.
The governor of
Belgorod province, Vya-
cheslav Gladkov, reported
on Saturday that sappers
examining the site of
Thursday’s blast found
and decided to detonate
what he called an “explo-
sive object” that was “in
the immediate vicinity of
residential buildings.”
The precautionary evac-
uations ended later in the
day. — AP
UK to test alert
system on phone
London, April 23: The
UK will conduct its first
test of a new emergency
alert service on Sunday,
with millions of mobile
phones set to emit a loud
alarm and vibrate at 3:00
pm (1400 GMT).
The national system,
modelled on similar sche-
mes in Canada, Japan,
the Netherlands and the
United States, aims to
warn the public if there
is a danger to life nearby
but has generated criti-
cism over “nanny state”
intrusion. A message will
say: “This is a test of
WILDLIFE RESERVE HIT BY POWER CRISIS
SUDAN RESERVE FOR
LIONS WARNS IT’S
RUNNING LOW ON
FOOD AMID FIGHTING
Heavy fighting in
Sudan, which has
plunged the nation into
chaos and killed hun-
dreds, has also raised
fears about the fate of
25 lions and other ani-
mals in a wildlife
reserve. The facility
said it is without elec-
tricity to power safety
fences around enclo-
sures and running low
on food for the felines.
‘GRAVE’ SUDAN SITUATION: POPE CALLS FOR
VIOLENCE TO STOP, DIALOGUE TO RESUME
Pope Francis on Sunday called for dialogue
between warring military factions in Sudan as a
bloody outbreak of fighting entered a second
week. “Unfortunately the situation remains grave
in Sudan. That is why I am renewing my call for
the violence to stop as quickly as possible and
for dialogue to resume,” the pontiff said.
Air, sea op. plans in place
to bring back 3K Indians
SRIDHAR
KUMARASWAMI | DC
with agency inputs
NEW DELHI/KHARTOUM,
APRIL 23
As the United States and
several other nations,
including Britain, France,
Turkey and Saudi Arabia,
raced to evacuate their
diplomats, embassy staff
and other nationals from
Sudan’s battle-torn capital
Khartoum, the Indian gov-
ernment said it has put
“contingency plans in
place” which include evac-
Ukrainian artillerymen of the Aidar battalion work with
Donetsk region, on Sunday.
CHINESE AMBASSADOR QUESTIONS
POST-SOVIET NATIONS’ SOVEREIGNTY
Paris, April 23: China’s
ambassador to France has
sparked anger in eastern
Europe and “consterna-
tion” in Paris after ques-
tioning the sovereignty of
post-Soviet countries.
Speaking Friday on the
LCI news channel, ambas-
sador Lu Shaye suggested
countries that emerged
after the fall of the Soviet
Union “don’t have effec-
tive status under interna-
tional law because there is
not an international
agreement confirming
their status as sovereign
nations.”
emergency alerts, a new
UK government service
that will warn you if
there’s a life-threatening
emergency nearby.”
Emergency services and
the government hope to
use the system to alert
people to issues such as
severe flooding and fires.
The 10-second alarm,
which will sound even if
phones are on silent, is
expected to disrupt enter-
tainment and sporting
events, including Premier
League football. Drivers
were warned not to pick
up their phones. — AFP
A building damaged during battles between the forces of
two rival Sudanese generals in the southern part of
Khartoum, on Sunday.
‘NEAR-TOTAL’ INTERNET
BLACKOUT: WEB MONITOR
Conflict-riven Sudan has suf-
fered a “near-total” internet
blackout, a web monitor said
on Sunday, as fighting between
forces backing the army and a
paramilitary group entered a
second week.
uation operations by air
and sea for over 3,000
stranded Indian nationals
there by positioning two
Indian Air Force (IAF) C-
130J Super Hercules trans-
port aircraft on standby in
Jeddah, while its state-of-
the-art indigenous Naval
Offshore Patrol Vessel
INS Sumedha has reached
Port Sudan.
On Sunday, the US mili-
tary swooped in on heli-
copters to evacuate US
embassy staff, President
Joe Biden announced, as
other nations sought to
— AFP
The comments cast
doubt not just on Ukraine,
which Russia invaded last
February, but all former
Soviet republics which
emerged as independent
nations after the fall of
the Soviet Union in 1991,
including many members
of the European Union.
The French foreign min-
istry said it had “learned
with consternation about
the statements.”
“It remains up to China
to say whether these state-
ments reflect its position
which we hope not to be,”
it added. — AP
CHARLES | CORONATION
UK palace averted Kohinoor row
London, April 24:
Buckingham Palace would
have been conscious about
the potential for contro-
versy around the colonial
era Kohinoor diamond
claimed by India and
averted it becoming a side
story of King Charles III
and Queen Camilla’s
Coronation ceremony next
month, a royal expert said.
Camilla Tominey is the
Associate Editor of The
Daily Telegraph and has
an inside track to the
British royal family as the
newspaper’s royal expert.
In an interview with
PTI, she reflected upon
— AFP
help their citizens flee
deadly fighting between
rival generals.
Britain, France, Ger-
many and Turkey also
began evacuation opera-
tions from the troubled
African nation, where
ongoing fighting has
entered its second week.
Over 100 US special oper-
ations troops took part in
the rescue to extract fewer
than 100 people, which
saw three Chinook heli-
copters fly from Djibouti,
staying in Khartoum for
less than an hour.
TWITTER BLUE
TICKS BACK FOR
SOME CELEBS
San Francisco, April
23: Twitter’s blue ticks
were reinstated on some
media, celebrity, and
other high profile
accounts Saturday — a
move protested by many
of the recipients.
Once a free sign of
authenticity and fame,
blue ticks must now be
bought by subscribers
for $8 a month.
Non-paying accounts
that had a blue tick lost
it on Thursday, as owner
Elon Musk implemented
a strategy, dubbed
“Twitter Blue”, to gener-
ate new revenue, ann-
ounced last year.
Only a tiny fraction of
blue-ticked users sub-
scribed — less than 5 per
cent of the 407,000 pro-
files affected, according
to Travis Brown, a
Berlin-based software
developer who tracks
social-media platforms.
But on Friday and
Saturday, a number of
celebrities regained
their blue ticks, seem-
ingly without action on
their part, including
author Stephen King,
and ex-US president
Donald Trump.
Musk tweeted on
Friday that he was “pay-
ing for a few (subscrip-
tions) personally”.
Many official media
accounts regained a tick
has not subscribed to
Twitter Blue. — AFP
Diamond to be part of a new Jewel House exhibition
the significance of Cam-
illa choosing to forgo the
traditional crown used for
the monarch’s partner as
the consort crown due to it
being embedded with the
Kohinoor also known as
Koh-i-Noor.
Among the crown jewels
unveiled by the palace for
the Coronation ceremony
on May 6, it was confirmed
that Queen Mary’s Crown
was chosen by Camilla.
“I think the palace were
conscious about the Koh-i-
Noor perhaps being con-
troversial and therefore
have decided that they
don’t want there to be a
Imran Khan
PTI TO LAUNCH
POLL DRIVE IN
PUNJAB TODAY
Islamabad, April 23 :
Imran Khan’s Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
party on Sunday
announced that it will
formally launch its elec-
tion campaign in Punjab
on Monday though there
is no clarity on the date
of the polls in the politi-
cally crucial province.
“Tehreek-e-Insaf will
officially launch its elec-
tion campaign tomor-
row. They (Pakistan
Democratic Movement)
may not be ready but we
are ready,” PTI secretary
general Asad Umar
tweeted.
The Pakistan Demo-
cratic Movement (PDM)
is a coalition of political
parties headed by the
Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz (PML-N)
currently ruling the
country.
PTI’s announcement of
launching the election
campaign comes despite
uncertainty surround-
ing the elections in
Punjab, the most popu-
lous province sending
nearly 150 lawmakers to
the National Assembly.
The election commis-
sion is waiting for funds
from the government to
conduct the poll. — PTI
S. Korean prez’s Taiwan
remarks infuriate China
Beijing, April 23: China
on Sunday said it had
lodged a complaint with
Seoul over South Korean
President Yoon Suk Yeol’s
“erroneous” remarks
about Taiwan, as a diplo-
matic spat simmers
between the neighbours.
Beijing and Seoul have
traded barbs over a
Reuters interview with
Yoon this month, in which
he
between
called
China
tensions
Taiwan a “global issue”
and
similar to North Korea
and blamed recent height-
ened tensions on “atte-
mpts to change the status
quo by force”.
China claims self-ruled,
democratic Taiwan as its
territory and has vowed to
bring the island under its
control one day, with
Beijing insisting that its
dealings with Taipei are
purely internal matters.
The Chinese foreign
ministry said vice foreign
minister Sun Weidong
had been ordered on
Thursday to make a
“solemn representation”
German govt, unions sign
public workers’ pay deal
Berlin, April 23:
German government offi-
cials and labour unions
have reached a pay deal
for more than 2.5 million
public-sector workers,
ending a lengthy dispute
and ending the possibility
of disruptive strikes.
The ver.di union had
pressed for hefty raises as
Germany, like many other
countries, grapples with
high inflation.
Interior minister Nancy
The Kohinoor diamond in
the crown of Queen
Elizabeth. — AFP
side story about the prove-
nance of these diamonds,”
said Tominey.
“Basically, [the palace
2 Indian students
drown in US lake
New York, April 23: Two
Indian students who went
missing last week while
swimming at a lake in the
US state of Indiana are
dead, local authorities
have confirmed.
Siddhant Shah, 19, and
Aryan Vaidya, 20, went
swimming at Monroe
Lake, roughly 102 km
southwest of downtown
Indianapolis, with a cold rain and the wind
group of friends on April
15 but did not resurface,
the USA Today newspa-
per reported.
After two days of
intense searching, divers
found their bodies 18 feet
below the surface, investi-
gators said on April 18.
Both students attended
Indiana University’s Kel-
ley School of Business.
Shah and Vaidya were
boating on a pontoon on
April 15 when their group
anchored to swim.
Both men did not resur-
face and friends attempt-
ed to help them but were
unsuccessful, the Indiana
Department of Natural
Resources was quoted as
saying by the newspaper.
One of the men was
struggling in the water
when others jumped in to
help, Lt. Angela Goldman,
a natural resources depa-
rtment official, said .
Divers searched using
sonar and scuba divers,
and all day on April 16
under windy conditions,
Goldman said.
The lake was busy with
boaters on April 15, which
was sunny and warm.
But the next two days,
Guatemalan prez in
Taiwan to boost ties
Guatemala City, April
23: Guatemalan President
Alejandro Giammattei left
on Saturday for a visit to
Taiwan as the island looks
to shore up its diplomatic
links with Latin Ame-
rican nations.
“We are going to Taiwan
to send the world the clear
message that countries
have a right to self-gover-
nance,” the president said
in a video message.
to the South Korean
ambassador over Yoon’s
comments.
Sun told the ambassador
Yoon’s remarks were
“totally unacceptable”
and expressed “strong dis-
satisfaction”.
China’s statement comes
ahead of Yoon’s state visit
to the US, which Beijing
Faeser said as the deal
was announced around
midnight on Sunday that
“we accommodated the
unions as far as we could
responsibly do in a diffi-
cult budget situation”.
The deal entails tax-free
one-time payments total-
ing 3,000 euros ($3,300) per
employee, with the first
1,240 euros coming in
June and monthly pay-
ments of 220 euros follow-
ing until February.
have] decided to do the
safe and sensible thing, to
not have a separate debate
about the jewels in the
crown,” noted Tominey.
Earlier this month, the
palace said that minor
changes and additions to
Queen Mary’s Crown are
being undertaken, such as
the inclusion of the
Cullinan III, IV and V dia-
monds which were part of
Queen Elizabeth II’s per-
sonal jewellery collection
for many years. The
design has been inspired
by Queen Alexandra’s
Crown of 1902 which
was originally encrusted
pg 10
● SIDDHANT SHAH,
19, and Aryan Vaidya,
20, went swimming at
Monroe Lake, roughly
102 km southwest of
downtown Indian-
apolis, on April 15 but
did not resurface
changed the nature of the
lake, which was mostly
deserted.
“With 15-to-20-mph sus-
tained winds, we’re strug-
gling with that,” Gold-
man said.
“A lot of the technology
we use that makes things
more precise needs better
conditions. When dealing
with whitecaps and wind,
our sonar is not as effec-
tive,” she said.
Sycamore Schools con-
firmed that Vaidya is a
2021 graduate of Syca-
more High School.
“The entire Sycamore
community is heartbro-
ken by this sudden loss.
Aryan was very involved
during his time at
Sycamore, including as a
member of the student
council and DECA,”
WLWT television station,
affiliated with NBC,
reported.
“Aryan’s death may
raise different emotions
for our staff and students.
Some of these reactions
may be mild, others may
be more intense. Our
Grief Response Team has
been mobilised,” the
school said. — PTI
During his visit from
Monday to Thursday, Gia-
mmattei is scheduled to
address the Congress of
Taiwan and visit a techn-
ology company in Taich-
ung. He is also due to
attend an event promoting
Guatemalan coffee. Gia-
mmattei announced the
trip just two weeks after
he welcomed Taiwan’s
President Tsai Ing-wen in
Guatemala City. — AFP
has blamed for arming
Taiwan and encouraging
pro-independence leaders.
The Taiwan question is
a matter “belonging to the
Chinese themselves and
no force can be allowed to
interfere,” Sun said, urg-
ing Seoul to “adhere to the
One-China Principle”.
— AFP
In March, regular mon-
thly pay for all will be
increased by 200 euros, fol-
lowed by a salary increase
of 5.5 per cent — with a
minimum raise of 340
euros per month assured.
The deal runs through to
the end of 2024.
Ver.di originally sought
a one-year deal with a
raise of 10.5 per cent. The
deal was reached on the
basis of a proposal by
arbitrators. — AP
with the Kohinoor, which
now sits in the crown of
the Queen Elizabeth the
Queen Mother, the mother
of Queen Elizabeth II,
since 1937.
Last month, Historic
Royal Palaces, the charity
that manages Britain’s
palaces, said the infamous
diamond will instead be
part of a new Jewel House
exhibition at the Tower of
London classed as a sym-
bol of conquest.
According to its assess-
ment, the diamond origi-
nated from the Golconda
mines in India and weighs
105.6 carats. — PTI
 HYDERABAD | MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023
quick
FM cautions people on
BITES social media’s mart tips
INDICATORS % MADHUSUDAN SAHOO
Sensex 59,655.06 0.04
Nifty 50 17,624.00 0.0023
S&P 500* 4,133.52 0.09
Dollar (`) 82.1 0.07
Pound Sterling (`) 102.09 0.03
Euro (`) 90.06 0.01
Gold (10gm)* (`) 59,855▼648 1.07
Brent crude ($/bbl)* 81.50 0.49
IN 10-Yr bond yield 7.187 -0.033
US 10-Yr T-bill yield* 3.534 -0.011
* As of 8:30 PM IST
FPIs pump in
`8,643 cr in
equities in April
Foreign portfolio investors
(FPIs) have infused `8,643
crore in the Indian equity mar-
kets so far this month on the
reasonable valuation of stocks,
according to analysts. FPIs
infused a net sum of `7,936
crore in equities in March main-
ly driven by bulk investment in
the Adani Group companies by
the GQG Partners. FPIs started
the current fiscal on a positive
note and invested `8,643 crore
in Indian equities from April 3.
Printed & Published by
K. Sudhakar on behalf of Deccan
Chronicle Holdings Limited, Printed at
Deccan Chronicle Press at Deccan
Chronicle Holdings Ltd. #563/9/D&9/E,
Behind Andhra Bank Pet Basheerbagh,
Kompally, Ranga Reddy Dist. Editor:
Kaushik Mitter, RNI Reg
No.APENG/2008/24282. © All rights
reserved. Reproduction in whole or in
part without written permission of The
Editor, Financial Chronicle ® is
prohibited.
GAMES
SHORT TAKES
Swiatek defends
her Stuttgart title
Berlin, Germany: World number
one Iga Swiatek defeated
Australian Open champion Aryna
Sabalenka in straight sets to win
her second consecutive Stuttgart
title on Sunday.
Swiatek eased past her second-
ranked Belarusian opponent 6-3,
6-4 on the clay to give her a
great boost ahead of her French
Open title defence in May.
The US Open champion broke
serve late in the first set and in
the opening game of the second
to clinch an impressive victory in
what was a rematch of last year’s
final. The 21-year-old Pole is the
first player to win back-to-back
Stuttgart titles since Angelique
Kerber in 2015 and 2016.
It was the first time a world num-
ber one had faced the world
number two on clay since the
2013 French Open final, when
Serena Williams triumphed over
Maria Sharapova. — AFP
Back-to-back wins
for Alcaraz in Barca
Barcelona, Spain: Carlos Alcaraz
became the first player since
Rafael Nadal to repeat as
Barcelona Open champion on
Sunday with a 6-3, 6-4 win over
Stefanos Tsitsipas.
It was the third title won this
year by the 19-year-old Spaniard,
and the ninth of his career.
Alcaraz closed the final at the
Rafa Nadal center court with a
forehand winner for his fifth con-
secutive straight-set win at the
tournament this year.
The second-ranked Spaniard had
not successfully defended a title
in his career before Sunday.
Nadal was the last player to win
consecutive titles in Barcelona
with three straight from 2016-18.
Alcaraz will also try to defend his
title at the upcoming Madrid
Open. — AP
Live on TV
CRICKET
Sri Lanka vs Ireland: Second
Test, Day 1 from 10 am on
Sony Sports Ten 2
Pakistan vs New Zealand: 5th T20
from 9.30 pm on Sony Sports Ten 5
WWE
Raw: Matches from
5.30 am (Tuesday) on Sony
Sports Ten 1, 3, 4
Fin-influencers may be promoting Ponzi schemes: Sitharaman
NEW DELHI, APRIL 23
Highlighting the risks of
following financial influ-
encers on the social media
platforms, Union finance
minister Nirmala Sithara-
man warned people that
many of them are driven
by ulterior motives or pro-
mote fraudulent schemes.
She also ruled out any
sort of proposal by the
government to regulate
“fin-fluencers” but offered
a word of caution for the
public and their safety.
Her remarks comes at a
time when innumerable
fraud apps appear fre-
quently on the social
media platforms which
were used to run Ponzi
schemes and lure the peo-
ple with a promise of high
returns on investments.
Besides, there is also a
debate over the need for
regulation and consumer
protection in India’s boo-
ming stock market, given
India to push exports this year: Goyal
RAVI RANJAN PRASAD
MUMBAI, APRIL 23
After clocking record $770-
billion exports in finan-
cial year 2022-23, India
will go all out to push
exports in FY24 in next
five months, said Piyush
Goyal, Union minister of
commerce and industry.
Speaking to media per-
sons after the 49th India
Gems and Jewellery Awa-
rds, Goyal said, “It will not
be accurate to give FY24
export target, due to ongo-
WRESTLEMANIA 2.0 Newcastle hit
Wrestlers Vinesh, Bajrang, Sakshi resume protest against WFI chief
New Delhi, April 23: As
top wrestlers resumed
their protest on Sunday
over the issue of sexual
harassment allegations
against WFI chief Brij
Bhushan Sharan Singh,
the Delhi Police said it has
received seven complaints
from them and was con-
ducting an inquiry, even
as it was issued a notice by
the Delhi Commission For
Women for failing to regis-
ter an FIR in the matter.
Bajrang Punia, Vinesh
Phogat and other
wrestlers returned to the
protest site at Jantar
Mantar here demanding
that the government make
public the findings of the
oversight panel that inves-
tigated the allegations
against the Wrestling
Federation of India (WFI)
chief.
The wrestlers, including
Sakshi Malik and Ravi
Dahiya, had in January
raised the issue, but ended
their three-day long sit-in
after marathon talks with
Union Sports Minister
Anurag Thakur.
Thakur had announced
the five-member oversight
committee, headed by leg-
endary boxer M C Mary
Kom, to look into the alle-
gations.
The Delhi Commission
For Women (DCW) on
Sunday said it has
received a complaint from
the women wrestlers
alleging that they had
given a written complaint
to the city police two days
back, but no FIR had not
been registered till now.
The complainant
Philadelphia Sixers advance after Nets sweep
New York, April 23: The
Philadelphia 76ers
shrugged off the absence
of Joel Embiid to com-
plete a 4-0 sweep of the
Brooklyn Nets in the NBA
playoffs on Saturday as
the Phoenix Suns edged
closer to a second round
berth with victory over
the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Sixers advanced to
an Eastern Conference
semifinal showdown
against either Boston or
the rise of financial influ-
encers on social media.
Speaking at an event in
Bengaluru, Sitharaman
said while there are some
genuine experts who offer
sound advice on investing
and saving, there are also
many who mislead people
or lure them into dubious
apps that promise high
returns but are actually
Ponzi schemes.
“There are also apps
which are coming out say-
ing that your money will
fetch you this much. Many
of them are Ponzi. We
should double-check. We
ing war as several coun-
tries economies have
become weak and discre-
tionary spending has
come down. In the next
five months, we will be
Wrestlers Bajrang Punia (from left), Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik during a press conference at Jantar Mantar in
New Delhi on Sunday.
informed the Commission
that several women
wrestlers, including a
minor, had alleged that
Singh sexually harassed
them during his tenure at
the WFI.
She also said that a com-
plaint was filed at the
Connaught Place police
station on April 21.
She claimed that no
action has been taken by
the Station House Officer
Atlanta with a dominant
second-half display to seal
a 96-88 win in Brooklyn.
The Sixers trailed by 11
points early in the third
quarter but transformed
the contest with an 18-4
run to take the lead before
closing out victory with a
fourth-quarter rally.
The Sixers’ win was all
the more impressive given
the absence of star center
Embiid, who suffered a
right knee sprain in
● SITHARAMAN SAID
the government is
working together with
the ministry of
electronics and IT and
the Reserve Bank of
India to clamp down on
such apps and protect
the hard-earned money
of the citizens.
have to be careful. I have
no proposal to regulate
them at this stage, but yes,
a word of caution is
important,” Sitharaman
said.
The finance minister
also said that the govern-
ment is working together
with the ministry of elec-
tronics and information
technology and
Reserve Bank of India
the
(RBI) to clamp down on
such apps and protect the
hard-earned money of the
citizens.
“Hence, while social and
fin-influencers are out
taking export delegations
for separate export sectors
to different countries to
raise our export. We will
be organising buyer-seller
meet, and export exhibi-
tions to push our exports."
“We have a target of a
trillion dollar of merchan-
dise and a trillion dollar of
service export and two
trillion dollar exports tar-
get by 2030,” he said.
Complementing expor-
ters, Goyal said, “We have
achieved all time high `60
lakh crore of exports in
(SHO), Connaught Place
police station on the com-
plaint. She also said that
when she called the SHO
to enquire about the sta-
tus of the complaint on
April 22, she was informed
by him that no FIR had
been filed and that action
shall be taken on the com-
plaint post Monday.
The complainant also
alleged that when she
asked him for assurance
Thursday’s 102-97 victory
in game three. Embiid led
the NBA with 33.1 points a
game and is a finalist for
the NBA Most Valuable
Player (MVP) award.
With Embiid out, Paul
Reed stepped in to fill the
void and finished with 10
points and 15 rebounds.
Tobias Harris led the
scoring for Philadelphia
with 25 points and 12
rebounds, while
De’Anthony Melton came
there, each individual
must have a strong sense
of caution,” the finance
minister alarmed.
It has been observed that
there has seen a surge in
retail participation in the
stock market in India after
the onset of the Covid-19
pandemic, as low-interest
rates and Covid-induced
lockdowns prompted peo-
ple to look for alternative
sources of income.
As many investors lack
financial literacy and
experience, they are prone
to get victimised by the
manipulation and misin-
formation of fraudsters at
large.
Alerting the public in
general, Sitharaman also
shared a tweet in her offi-
cial account, saying that if
there are three or four
people giving us objective
advice on investment,
there are seven others out
of 10, who’re probably
driven by some other con-
siderations.
the fiscal year 2023-24.”
“We have improved our
standing from the 10th
largest economy to the
fifth largest economy in
the last nine years and we
will be becoming third
largest very soon, Goyal
said, adding that India
will be a $35-40 trillion
economy by 2047.
He said it is no mean
achievement that in 2022
we were able to conclude
two FTAs. this year we are
pursuing FTAs with UK,
Canada, EU and Israel.
— PRITAM BANDYOPADHYAY
that the FIR shall be filed
by Monday, he answered
that he could not guaran-
tee it, according to the
DCW. A senior police offi-
cer said they have
received seven complaints
so far. He said some of the
complaints pertain to
Delhi and some from out-
side the city.
“We are conducting an
inquiry. No FIR has been
registered yet,” he said.
off the bench to produce
15 points and lead the
fourth-quarter rally.
Harris said the Sixers
had been determined to
use Embiid’s absence as a
motivator.
SUNS ON THE BRINK
In Los Angeles, Kevin
Durant finished with 31
points, 11 rebounds and
six assists to help Phoenix
take a 3-1 series lead over
the Clippers with a 112-100
pg 11
New retail policy
India jumps
six places on aims to give easy
WB’s index
for logistics loans for traders
New Delhi, April 23:
India has climbed six
MADHUSUDAN SAHOO
NEW DELHI, APRIL 23
places on the World
Bank’s Logistic Perfor-
In an attempt to ensure
mance Index (LPI) smooth sailing of the
2023, now ranking 38th goods and services tax
in the 139 countries (GST) credit to traders,
index, as a result of the Centre is likely to
significant invest- come out with a national
ments in both soft and retail trade policy and an
hard infrastructure as accident insurance sche-
well as technology. me for them.
India was ranked The government is also ● THE PROPOSED
44th on the index in planning to introduce a
2018 and has now single-window clearance
policy will include
climbed to 38th in the mechanism for consulta- measures such as
2023 listing. India’s tion and grievance redres- ensuring convenient
performance has dras- sal to address GST related and prompt access to
tically improved from and other issues, a source reasonably-priced
credit, promoting the
2014, when it was privy to development said
ranked 54th on the LPI. on Sunday. modernisation and
Prime Minister Nare- The aim of the national
digitisation of retail
ndra Modi-led govern- retail trade policy is to
ment had announced
trade, providing
provide support to the
modern infra support.
PM Gati Shakti initia-
tive, a National Master
Plan for multimodal
domestic traders, who are
already registered under
GST. “The proposed policy largest global destination
connectivity, in Octo- will include measures for the retail segment,
ber 2021 to reduce logi- such as ensuring conven- both the commerce and
stics cost and boost the ient and prompt access to industry ministry and the
economy by 2024-25. reasonably-priced credit, department of financial
In 2022, the Prime promoting the modernisa- services are collaborating
Minister had launched tion and digitisation of to create an insurance
the National Logistics retail trade, providing scheme for all retail
Policy to ensure quick modern infrastructure traders registered under
last-mile delivery, end support for distribution the GST system. “The gov-
transport-related chal- chains, encouraging skill ernment is trying to effect
lenges, save time and development and enhanc- policy changes not only in
money of the manufac- ing labour productivity,” e-commerce but is also
turing sector and the source said. bringing a national retail
ensure desired speed In the the proposed poli- trade policy for physical
in the logistics sector. cy, the source further said traders,” the source said.
These policy inter- that the government is Commenting on the
ventions are fructify- planning to frame a mech- development, the
ing, which can be seen anism for consultation Confederation of All India
in India’s jump in LPI and grievance redressal Traders (CAIT) said that
and other parameters. as well. “As part of this the retail trade policy will
The report said policy, a streamlined sin- certainly help the sector
India’s rank moved up gle-window clearance widen its business. “The
five places in infra-
mechanism for traders retail trade is the only ver-
structure score from could be established, tical which does not have
52nd in 2018 to 47th in along with the implemen- a policy so far. Likewise,
2023. It climbed to 22nd tation of a centralised awarding an insurance
spot for international computerised inspection scheme to traders will
shipments in 2023 from management system,” the recognise their contribu-
44th in 2018. — PTI source said. tion to the national
As India is the fifth- exchequer,” it said.
PREMIER | LEAGUE
Spurs for six
London, April 23:
Tottenham’s bid to qualify THE RESULTS
for the Champions League
suffered a hammer blow Bournemouth 0
as they conceded five West Ham 4
times in the first 21 min- (Antonio 5, Paqueta 12,
utes of a humiliating 6-1 Rice 43, Fornals 72)
defeat at top four rivals
Newcastle on Sunday. Newcastle 6
Cristian Stellini’s side (Murphy 2, 9, Joelinton
were buried by an ava- 6, Isak 19, 21, Wilson 67)
lanche of goals from Tottenham 1
Jacob Murphy and (Kane 49)
Alexander Isak, who both
netted twice, and strikes
from Joelinton and son and no director of
Callum Wilson. football after Fabio
Harry Kane’s reply was Paratici’s resignation on
no consolation for woeful Friday.
Tottenham, who look cer- Paratici stepped down
tain to miss out on a place after failing in his appeal
in the Premier League’s against a 30-month world-
top four after a second wide FIFA ban for his
successive loss. involvement in allega-
The north Londoners tions of false accounting
are six points behind at his former club
third placed Newcastle Juventus. Tottenham’s
and fourth placed heaviest defeat of the sea-
son was a new low for a
Manchester United, hav-
ing played two more club already in turmoil
games than United and after Antonio Conte’s
one more than Newcastle. departure by “mutual con-
Fifth placed Tottenham sent” in March after just
host United on Thursday 16 months in charge.
and a defeat against Erik In Sunday’s other game,
ten Hag’s team would West Ham boosted their
The Delhi Commission surely end their faint bid to avoid relegation
For Women (DCW) also hopes of salvaging their with a 4-0 win at
noted that they have been troubled campaign. Bournemouth thanks to
informed that some of the There is a bleak future goals from Michail
complainants and their ahead for Tottenham, who Antonio, Lucas Paqueta,
family members had start- have no permanent man- Declan Rice and Pablo
ed getting phone calls ager lined up for next sea- Fornals. — AFP
from an IPS officer posted
in the Department of
MADRID EASE TO WIN OVER
Sports, Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports (MYAS)
enquiring about the iden-
CELTA, SOCIEDAD WIN TOO
tities of the complainants.
— PTI
Barcelona, April 23: Marco Asensio and Eder
Militao struck for Real Madrid in a comfortable 2-0
win over Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday, bringing
the champions within eight points of leaders
Barcelona.
victory. Devin Booker
plundered 30 points and
Although Madrid’s hopes of overhauling Xavi
Hernandez’s side are slim at best, coach Carlo
veteran Chris Paul added Ancelotti insisted his team needed to keep winning
19 in a late burst of scor- their league games to stay in a good dynamic.
ing as Phoenix bagged Los Blancos face Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final
their second straight win in May, ahead of their Champions League semifinal
in Los Angeles in the best- clashes against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
of-seven series. Meanwhile, Real Sociedad took an important step
It means the Suns need towards securing Champions League football next
just one more win to book season, coming from behind to beat Rayo Vallecano
their place in the Western 2-1. After fifth-placed Real Betis lost 3-2 at Osasuna
Conference semifinals, earlier on, Imanol Alguacil’s side moved six points
with game five set for clear of the Andalucians, tightening their grip on
Phoenix on Tuesday. fourth. — AFP
— AFP

ORANGE
Faf du
Plessis, RCB 405
Devon
Conway, CSK 314
David
Warner, DC 285
PURPLE
Mohammed
Siraj, RCB 13
Arshdeep
13
Singh, PK
Rashid
Khan, GT 12
Short Takes
Change in run-up
helped Arshdeep
Y oung Punjab Kings pace
bowler Arshdeep Singh has
attributed his success in the
ongoing edition of the Indian
Premier League (IPL) to
remaining calm under pressure
and changing his run-up, which
has helped him avoid no-balls.
The left-arm quick played a big
role in his side’s 13-run win over
Mumbai Indians at the
Wankhede Stadium here on
Saturday, picking up four wick-
ets, including two in consecu-
tive deliveries in the final over,
for 29 runs as Rohit Sharma’s
side fell short by 13 runs while
chasing a target of 215.
“Feels good whenever I take
wickets, the win makes the feel-
ing better. Before IPL, I changed
my run-up and it helped me
with avoiding no-balls. The
rhythm is nice and I’m enjoying
my cricket right now,”
Arshdeep said.
Arshdeep has taken 13 wickets
in seven games in this edition of
the IPL. Asked about his mind-
set during pressure situations,
he said, “Calmness comes natu-
rally, my heart rate doesn’t even
go up to 120.”
Maxwell relishes his
‘freedom to express’
E xplosive batter Glenn
Maxwell said on Sunday
that he enjoyed batting at No. 4
for Royal Challengers
Bangalore as well as for
Australia, after his 44-ball 77
helped his IPL side to a narrow
seven-run win against
Rajasthan Royals. “It’s a posi-
tion (No. 4) I don’t mind batting,
I have done it for Australia
when we lose early wickets.
Royal Challengers have given
me the freedom to go out there
and express myself,” Maxwell
said.
“I came into the season with
good form, and have that trust
from the changeroom, that
makes the difference. (The) new
ball skidded on nicely, so we had
to be busy and proactive. I think
the way we ended the powerplay
set the foundation, although
there was a bit (of) chaos in the
end,” he said.
The Royals fought back to take
seven wickets for 50 runs in the
RCB innings. RCB stand-in cap-
tain Virat Kohli praised
Maxwell and du Plessis as well
as pacer Mohammed Siraj.
Regd. No. HQ/SD/509/2021-23
Printed and Published by
K. Sudhakar on behalf of Deccan
Chronicle Holdings Limited. Printed at
Deccan Chronicle Press situated at Plot
No. 9 Alwal Village, Vallabh Nagar Taluk,
Medchal Malkajgiri Dist. Telangana and
Published at 36, S.D. Road,
Secunderabad-3.
RNI Registration No. 3081/1957.
Editor: Kaushik Mitter
Recurve archers clinch silver
Antayla, April 23: The
Indian men’s recurve team
clinched a silver medal
after losing to China by the
thinnest of margins in a
shoot-off at the Archery
World Cup Stage 1 here on
Sunday.In pursuit of their
first World Cup gold medal
since 2010, the men’s
recurve team, comprising
Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das
and Dhiraj Bommadevara,
bounced back from 0-4
deficit to level the scores
and force a shoot-off.
But the Indian trio went
down 4-5 (54-55, 50-56, 59-58,
56-55, 28-28*) with the
Chinese team of Li
Zhongyuan, Qi Xiangshuo
SEASON-16
SUMMER BALL
AJINKYA BAAT HAI!
Rahane’s 29-ball 71 powers Super Kings past Knights
Kolkata, April 23: A
transformed
Rahane took
Ajinkya
Eden
Gardens by storm with a
sensational 29-ball 71,
while Shivam Dube mus-
cled his way to another
scintillating half-centu-
ry as Chennai Super
Kings defeated Kolkata
Knight Riders by 49 runs
in an Indian Premier
League match here on
Sunday.
CSK made an imposing
235/4 with opener Devon
Conway, Dube and
Rahane slamming
quickfire half-centuries.
KKR could only man-
age 186 for eight in their
chase. Jason Roy made a
quickfire 26-ball 61,
while Rinku Singh
scored an unbeaten 33-
ball 53 but it was not
enough to chase down
the mammoth target.
Maheesh Theekshana
(2/32) and Tushar
Deshpande (2/43) picked
up two wickets each for
CSK.
Long perceived as a
Test batter, the 34-year-
old Rahane dished out
some never-seen scoop
shots, ruthless pulls
laced with his signature
drives, en route to his
second fifty of the sea-
son.
Overall, he smashed
sixes fours and five sixes
in his 29-ball knock that
came with a 244-plus
strike rate. His fifty
came of just 24 balls. His
tournament strike-rate
among specialist bat-
ters, who have faced a
minimum of 100 balls, is
just a shade below 190.
In all, CSK batters hit
18 sixes, exposing the
plight of KKR bowlers
in-front of a crowd,
which for them was like
playing at “home away
from home”.
On a day, the Eden
immersed in a sea of yel-
low, KKR bowlers ran for
covers with Kiwi opener
Devon Conway once
again leading the charge
with a 40-ball-56, his
fourth half-century of
the season.
Conway once again
found a fine ally in
Ruturaj Gaikwad (35;
20b) as the duo put
together 73-run (45b) for
the opening wicket,
before Rahane
unleashed his fury in his
new avatar. There was a
brief solace for KKR
when the spin duo of
Suyash Sharma and
Varun Chakravarthy
dismissed Conway and
Gaikwad respectively in
the space of 37 runs.
With CSK run-rate
going under-nine an
over, Shivam Dube (50;
21b, 2x4, 5x6) and
Rahane seized the
momentum with a 85-
run partnership (32b).
The duo hit four sixes,
and a boundary in a row
to step up the run rate.
It was Dube who broke
free against Varun
Chakravarthy en route
to his 20-ball fifty, his
second too this season.
Rahane then took
Yadav to cleaners with
two sixes, following it up
with an elegant cover
drive. KKR’s baffling
team combination strat-
egy in benching Shardul
Thakur and handing
debut to David Wiese
proved to be an eyesore.
— PTI
and Wei Shahoxu hitting
an X (closer to the centre)
in the shoot-off in a dra-
campaign with two gold,
one silver and one bronze
medal from the event.
matic finish. In hindsight, the team
Dhiraj then went on to would rue its pathetic sec-
grab a second medal in his ond set where it totalled
World Cup debut when the just 50 out of a possible 60,
20-year-old Army man after hitting the red rings
defeated Ilfat Abdullin of thrice (one 7 and two 8s) as
Kazakhstan 7-3 (28-28, 29-26, China won by six points to
28-29, 29-27, 29-27) to bag the take a 4-0 lead.
bronze in individual India had a slow start and
recurve section. China took the first set by a
Dhiraj would regret miss- slender one-point margin.
ing out on a silver as he It was only in the third set
squandered a 4-0 lead the team bucked up to drill
against Dan Olaru of in a series of five 10s,
Moldova to go down 6-4 (27- including three Xs. China
26, 28-27, 28-29, 26-28, 28-30) then cracked under pres-
in the semifinal. sure in the fourth set which
India thus ended their India won by a one-point
MONDAY | 24 APRIL 2023 | HYDERABAD | DECCAN CHRONICLE
CSK batter Ajinkya Rahane en route to his half-century against Kolkata Knight Riders
in an IPL match at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Sun, Capitals in bottom clash
MOSES KONDETY | DC
HYDERABAD, APRIL 23
It’s a perfect match-up as
the bottom two sides of the
Indian Premier League
face each other to make
fresh beginnings
Monday. Sunrisers host
on
Delhi but the Hyderabad
warmth would be out of
the window given the
undercurrent involving
Capitals captain David
Warner.
The Australian opener
will surely be in the focus.
It’s a grudge match for him
— he was benched and
subsequently eased out of
the Sunrisers side in 2021
owing to the team’s poor
show. Warner is in good
form this year though,
having scored 285 runs
from six matches to be the
third on the tournament’s
batting charts.
The Sunrisers desperate-
ly need someone to score
the runs. Barring Harry
Brook’s century, there is
not much to write about.
Brook is the best Sunriser
at No. 28 on the League’s
batting list with 156 runs
from six games. Rahul
Tripathi is next best at 31
with 145 against his name.
Captain Aiden Markram’s
margin.
It was so near yet so far
for the Indians as a gold
medal continued to elude
the
archers for another time.
In 2014, India came close
to winning the World Cup
twice in Stage 2 Medellin
and Stage 4 Wroclaw, but on
both occasions they ended
up losing in the final.
India have so far won five
gold medals in the men’s
recurve team event.
It is at the same Turkish
city of Antalya where the
Indian men’s recurve team
had tasted its first success
in a World Cup way back in
2008.
SCORECARD
Chennai Super Kings:
Ruturaj Gaikwad b
Suyash Sharma 35,
Devon Conway c Wiese
b Varun 56, Ajinkya
Rahane not out 71,
Shivam Dube c Roy b
Khejroliya 50, Ravindra
Jadeja c Singh b
Khejroliya 18, Mahendra
Singh Dhoni not out 2.
Extras (nb-1, w-2) 3.
Total (for 4 wickets in
20 overs) 235.
FoW: 1-73, 2-109, 3-194,
4-232.
Bowling: Umesh Yadav
3-0-35-0, David Wiese
3-0-38-0, Varun
Chakravarthy 4-0-49-1,
Kulwant Khejroliya 3-0-
44-2, Sunil Narine 2-0-
23-0, Suyash Sharma 4-
0-29-1, Andre Russell 1-
0-17-0.
Kolkata Knight Riders:
Narayan Jagadeesan c
Jadeja b Deshpande 1,
Sunil Narine b Akash
Singh 0, Venkatesh Iyer
lbw b Ali 20, Nitish
Rana c Gaikwad b
Jadeja 27, Jason Roy b
Theekshana 61, Rinku
Singh not out 53, Andre
Russell c Dube b
Pathirana 9, David
Wiese lbw b the Royals were lagging
Deshpande 1, Umesh
Yadav c Conway b
Theekshana 4, Varun
Chakravarthy not out 0.
Extras (lb-1, w-9) 10.
Total (for eight wickets
in 20 overs) 186.
FoW: 1-1, 2-1, 3-46, 4-
70, 5-135, 6-162, 7-171,
8-180.
Bowling: Akash Singh
4-0-29-1, Tushar
Deshpande 4-0-43-2,
Maheesh Theekshana
4-0-32-2, Moeen Ali 1-
0-20-1, Ravindra Jadeja
3-0-34-1, Matheesha
Pathirana 4-0-27-1.
— PTI
ACTION TODAY
SRH VS DC
FROM 7.30 PM,
LIVE ON STAR SPORTS
HEAD to HEAD
Matches 21
SRH 11 DC 10
Delhi Capitals coaches Ricky Ponting and Sourav
Ganguly in intense conversation during a training FOR THE RECORD
session in Hyderabad on Sunday. — P. SURENDRA ● Aiden Markram, who has
made 2,978 runs at an average
121 runs from five matches in dire need of runs. of 34.62 and a strike rate of
put him low down at the The bowling too has been 133.96 in 105 innings with one
37th spot. Mayank found wanting, with spin- hundred and 22 fifties, needs
Agarwal too needs to ner Kuldeep Yadav topping 22 runs to become the 17th
score, consistently. He has the Delhi card with six South African and 220th batter
so far accumulated 115 wickets in as many match- overall to score 3,000 runs in
from six games at a sorry es. Ditto with Hyderabad, T20 cricket.
average of 19.17 to be 39th for whom leg-spinner ● Prithvi Shaw has scored only
on the batters’ list. Mayank Markande is the 47 runs at an average of 7.83
Delhi too have been fir- leading wicket-taker with and a strike rate of 117.50 in
ing blanks in the batting eight from four games. six innings in this IPL so far.
department. Apart from Marco Jansen,
Warner and Axar Patel — Bhuvneshwar Kumar, LAST YEAR’S MATCH
who has made decent con- Umran Malik and T.
● Delhi Capitals defeated
tributions — none of them Natarajan must be yearn- Sunrisers Hyderabad by 21
has impressed so far. ing for dismissals, and the runs at Mumbai.
Mitchell Marsh, Prithvi Delhi line-up offers possi- — S. PERVEZ QAISER
Shaw, Manish Pandey are bilities on the night.
MAHREZ TREBLE FIRES
CITY INTO FA CUP FINAL
London, April 23: Riyad Mahrez fired Manchester
Olympic recurve City into the FA Cup final as the Algerian’s hat-trick
sealed a 3-0 win against Sheffield United at Wembley
on Saturday. Mahrez’s superb display dispatched the
Championship underdogs, ensuring City ended their
run of three successive FA Cup semi-final defeats.
The 32-year-old shattered United’s resistence with a
penalty late in the first half and completed his treble
with two clinical finishes after the interval.
City’s opponents in the Wembley final on June 3 will
be the winners of Sunday’s semi-final between
Manchester United and Brighton.
Pep Guardiola’s side are back in the final for the first
time since 2019, when they won the FA Cup for the only
time in the Spaniard’s reign. They are the first team to
reach the final without conceding a single goal since
Everton in 1966. “It is the fourth season in a row we are
— PTI in the semi-finals.”Guardiola said. — AFP
● Chennai Super Kings
● Delhi Capitals
● Gujarat Titans
● Kolkata Knight Riders
● Lucknow Super Giants
● Mumbai Indians
● Punjab Kings
● Rajasthan Royals
● Royal Challengers Bangalore
● Sunrisers Hyderabad PAGE
12
POINTS TABLE
Teams P W L N/R Points Net RR
CSK 7 5 2 0 10 +0.662
RR
LSG
7
7
4
4
3
3
0
0
8
8
+0.844
+0.547
GT 6 4 2 0 8 +0.212
RCB
PBKS
7
7
4
4
3
3
0
0
8
8
-0.008
-0.162
MI
KKR
6
7
3
2
3
5
0
0
6
4
-0.254
-0.186
SRH 6 2 4 0 4 -0.794
DC 6 1 5 0 2 -1.183
Bangalore edge
RR in a thriller
Bengaluru, April 23: A
late charge led by a cameo SCORECARD
from Dhruv Jurel was not
enough for Rajasthan Royal Challengers
Royals as a century stand Bangalore: Virat Kohli lbw
b Boult 0, Faf du Plessis
between captain Faf du
run out (Jaiswal) 62,
Plessis and Glenn
Maxwell set up a thrilling
Shahbaz Ahmed c Jaiswal
b Boult 2, Glenn Maxwell c
seven-run win for Royal
Challengers Bangalore in
Holder b Ashwin 77,
Mahipal Lomror c Padikkal
their Indian Premier
League match here on
Sunday. Invited to bat,
b Chahal 8, Dinesh Karthik
c Buttler b Sandeep
Sharma 16, Suyash
Prabhudessai run out
Maxwell (77 off 44 balls)
(Jaiswal/ Samson) 0,
and du Plessis (62 off 39 Wanindu Hasaranga de
balls) shared 127 runs for Silva run out (Samson/
the third wicket from Sandeep Sharma) 6, David
only 66 deliveries to Willey not out 4,
power RCB to 189 for 9 in Vijaykumar Vyshak c
20 overs. Hetmyer b Sandeep
Devdutt Padikkal (52 off Sharma 0, Mohammed Siraj
34 balls) struck his maid- (not out) 1. Extras (lb-3, w-
10) 13. Total (for 9 wickets
en fifty of the season and in 20 overs) 189.
Yashasvi Jaiswal made 47
for a 98-run partnership FoW: 1-0, 2-12, 3-139, 4-156,
5-163, 6-163, 7-180, 8-184,
for the second wicket but
9-184.
behind in the run chase Bowling: Trent Boult 4-0-
before gaining momen- 41-2, Sandeep Sharma 4-0-
49-2, R. Ashwin 4-0-36-1,
tum in the last five overs.
Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-28-
Jurel played a small 1, Jason Holder 4-0-32-0.
cameo of 34 not out off
just 16 balls (2x4; 2x6) as Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi
the Royals scored 61 runs Jaiswal c Kohli b Patel 47,
Jos Buttler b Mohammed
off the last five overs, los- Siraj 0, Devdutt Padikkal c
ing three wickets in the Kohli b Willey 52, Sanju
process. But they fell Samson c Shahbaz Ahmed
short by seven runs in the b Patel 22, Shimron
end, reaching to 182 for 6 Hetmyer run out
in 20 overs. (Prabhudessai) 3, Dhruv
The Royals needed 20 Jurel not out 34, R. Ashwin
c Prabhudessai b Patel 12,
runs off the final over
Abdul Basith (not out) 1.
bowled by Harshal Patel Extras (b 1, lb 3, w 7) 11.
but could score only 12. Total (for 6 wickets in 20
The Royals thus suf- overs) 182.
fered their third defeat in
seven matches but
FoW: 1-1, 2-99, 3-108, 4-125,
remained at the top of the
5-155, 6-180.
Bowling: Mohammed Siraj
points table due to a supe-
4-0-39-1, David Willey 4-0-
rior net run rate (0.844).
Harshal Patel (4-0-32-3) 26-1, Vijaykumar Vyshak 2-
0-24-0, Glenn Maxwell 2-0-
was the pick of the RCB 25-0, Harshal Patel 4-0-32-
bowlers while David 3, Wanindu Hasaranga de
Willey (4-0-26-1) and Silva 4-0-32-0.
Mohammed Siraj (4-0-39-
1) also played their parts.
RCB dealt a huge blow and seven fours during
to RR when Siraj bowled a his innings. Padikkal was
nip-backer to beat the dismissed by Willey, with
defence of the dangerous Virat Kohli taking his
Jos Buttler, cleaning him 100th catch in the IPL.
up for a two-ball duck in Only two players,
the first over.
Having scored consis-
Suresh Raina (109 catches
in 205 matches) and
tently in the last few Kieron Pollard (103 catch-
matches, Padikkal ended es in 189 matches) have
his drought of a half-cen- taken more catches than
tury as he struck one six Kohli. — PTI
RCB’s Glenn Maxwell plays a reverse sweep against
Rajasthan Royals during an IPL match in Bengaluru on
Sunday. — BCCI