16 VIVACITY - The · PDF filePNS n LUCKNOW Even as chairman of Railway Board Ashwini Lohani was in Lucknow to inspect safety and other aspects of the Railways, three passengers were

PNS n NEW DELHI

Aweek after Moody’supgraded India’s sovereign

ratings, global credit ratingagency Standard & Poor’s(S&P) on Friday maintained itsstatus quo, saying the country’soutlook is stable. The credit rat-ings major, however, kept itssovereign rating for Indiaunchanged at ‘BBB-minus’, cit-ing sizeable fiscal deficit, highgeneral Government debt andlow per capita income.

As rating upgrade willenhance India’s position as aninvestment destination for for-eign investors, S&P’s ratingsindicates India’s risk profile,showing a likely disappoint-ment among investors — bothdomestic as well as global —which pushed the country’sstock markets for the seventhconsecutive trading session onFriday on hopes of another rat-ing upgrade. See Page 10

Unlike Moody’s,S&P keeps India’sratings intact

Jaipur: The body of a 40-year-old man was foundhanging from the boundarywall of the Nahargarh Fortnear the Rajasthan capital onFriday, with messages refer-ring to the Bollywood epicdrama Padmavati scribbledon nearby stones, a policeofficial said.

DCP North SatyendraSingh said the body ofChetan Kumar Saini, a resi-dent of Shastri Nagar hereand a handicraft worker, wasfound hanging from theboundary wall of the fort. Hesaid messages were foundscribbled on stones, but it was premature to connect the incident withPadmavati protests.

One of the messagesread, “Padmavati ka virodhkarne walo, hum kile par sirfputle nahi latkate... Hummein hai dum (Padmavatiprotesters should know wedon’t only hang effigies...We are strong)”.

The body has been sentfor post-mortem and furtherinvestigation into it is on, thepolice said. See Page 7

Padmavati row:

40-yr-old found

hanging from

Rajasthan fort

@TheDailyPioneer facebook.com/dailypioneerFollow us on:

SPORT 14

INDIA BOWL SRILANKA OUT FOR 205

RNI No.2016/1957, REGD NO. SSP/LW/NP-34/2016-18

Published From DELHI LUCKNOW BHOPAL

BHUBANESWAR RANCHI RAIPURCHANDIGARH DEHRADUN

Late City Vol. 153 Issue 318*Air Surcharge Extra if Applicable

Established 1864

LUCKNOW, SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2017; PAGES 16 `3

www.dailypioneer.com

}

I DIDN’T

HAD A SOFT

LANDING: RANI

16 VIVACITY

}

MONEY 10

INDIA CAN ACHIEVE 200 GW RENEWABLEENERGY BY 2022, SAYS RK SINGH

WORLD 12

HAFIZ SAEED FREE, VOWS TOFIGHT FOR KASHMIR CAUSE

Arrest, book Hafiz for

his sins: US to Pak Cairo (PTI): At least 235 peo-ple were killed and 175 othersinjured when suspected mili-tants launched a bomb and gunattack on a mosque duringFriday prayers in Egypt’s restiveNorth Sinai region, state mediareported on Friday. The bomb,which was planted near al-Rowda mosque in Al-Arishcity, went off during the Fridayprayer, security sources said.

The gunmen in in four off-road vehicles opened fire on thepeople who tried to exit themosque after the explosion,MENA state news agencyreported. About 50 ambulancesrushed to the attack site to shiftthe injured to hospitals, it said.No group has claimed respon-sibility for the attack so far. TheEgypt government hasannounced three days ofmourning, even as PresidentAbdel Fattah el-Sisi was set tohold an emergency meetingwith officials to discuss the inci-dent. Egypt’s North Sinai haswitnessed many violent attacksby militants since the January2011 revolution that toppledformer president HosniMubarak. The attacks targetingpolice and military increasedafter the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in2013 by military followingmassive protests against hisrule. Over 700 security per-sonnel have been reportedkilled since then. The militaryhas launched security cam-paigns in the area, arrested sus-pects and demolished housesthat belonged to terrorists,including those facilitating tun-nels leading to the Gaza Strip.

235 killed, 175hurt in Egyptmosque attack

RSS chief: Only Mandir

at Janmabhoomi

PTI n WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI

The US on Friday askedthe Pakistan governmentto make sure that Hafiz

Saeed is arrested and chargedfor his crimes, following therelease of the 26/11 master-mind and JuD chief from housearrest. Pakistan today freedSaeed, the LeT founder, whoimmediately launched his anti-India rhetoric and vowed tomobilise people for the “causeof Kashmir”.

“The United States is deeplyconcerned that Lashkar-e-Taiba(LeT) leader Hafiz Saeed hasbeen released from house arrestin Pakistan. LeT is a designat-ed Foreign TerroristOrganisation responsible forthe death of hundreds of inno-cent civilians in terrorist attacks,including a number ofAmerican citizens,” state depart-ment spokesperson HeatherNauert said. “The Pakistanigovernment should make surethat he is arrested and chargedfor his crimes,” Nauert said in astatement after the release of theJamaat-ud-Dawah chief.

The JuD leader, who has aUSD 10 million Americanbounty on his head for terroractivities, walked free after his10-month detention as thePakistan government decidedagainst detaining him further inany other case, in a setback toIndia’s efforts to bring to justicethe perpetrators of the Mumbaiterror attack. In May 2008, theUS Department of the Treasury

had designated Saeed as aSpecially Designated GlobalTerrorist under Executive Order13224.

Saeed was also individual-ly designated by the UN underthe UN Security CouncilResolution 1267 in December,2008 following the November2008 Mumbai attack in which166 people, including sixAmerican citizens, were killed,Nauert said. LeT and several ofits front organisations, leaders,and operatives remain underboth state department andTreasury department sanctions.Since 2012, the US has offereda USD 10 million reward forinformation that brings Saeed tojustice, she said.

Meanwhile, the HomeMinistry on Friday said that theMumbai attack mastermind ’scomments on Kashmir werenothing but rearticulation of theagenda of terrorists who have“thrived” across the border,after the founder of the bannedJuD terror outfit walked freefrom house arrest in Lahore.

Asserting that Jammu andKashmir “is and will remain anintegral part” of India, it saidthat such repeated utterances byterrorists have been given an appropriateresponse on the ground everytime by the law enforcementagencies and the people of thestate. After his release on Friday,Saeed said he would gatherpeople across Pakistan for the“cause of Kashmir” and try tohelp Kashmiris get their “desti-nation of freedom”.

Asked about it, a seniorHome Ministry official said,“The principled and consistentstand of the government ofIndia on the issue is that Jammuand Kashmir is and will remainan integral part of India. “Therecent statement of Hafiz Saeedis a rearticulation of the terror-ists constituency which hasthrived across the border.”

Such statements are maderepeatedly in the past and eachtime they have received anappropriate and resoundingresponse on the ground fromthe people and law enforcementagencies, the official said.

The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD)head, who carries a USD 10 mil-lion American bounty for hisrole in terror activities, wasfreed after the governmentdecided against detaining himfurther in any case. He wasunder detention since January.“I was detained for 10 monthsonly to stop my voice forKashmir,” Saeed told his sup-porters after his release.

PNS n LUCKNOW

Even as chairman of RailwayBoard Ashwini Lohani was

in Lucknow to inspect safetyand other aspects of theRailways, three passengers werekilled while a dozen otherswere injured when Patna-bound12741 Vasco Da Gama Expressderailed at Manikpur railwaystation of Chitrakoot districtearly Friday morning.

The state governmenthanded over the probe to Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) to con-firm whether the accident waspart of any sabotage by subver-sive forces or merely an acci-dent.

A separate inquiry will alsobe conducted by Commissioner(Railway Safety). The accidentoccurred around 4.14am atplatform number two ofManikpur station on Friday.Railway officials said that eightcoaches from the engine wereintact while two coaches suf-fered major damage. Railwayofficials were quick to reach thespot along with rescue andmedical relief train.

A special train was alsobeen sent to Manikpur to ferrystranded passengers to theirdestination. Railway officialssaid that the derailmentoccurred at an inter-changepoint between North CentralRailway and Western Railway.They further said that whilefractured rail track was themost probable cause, by tech-nical fault in coaches might also

have led to the derailment.The derailment caused the

death of three passengers. Thedeceased were identified asGolu (6) and his father DeepakPatel (30) of Bettiah (Bihar)while the third could not beidentified. Of the injured, sevenwere admitted to CHC,Manikpur, and two to the dis-trict hospital.

The injured were identifiedas Rinki Kumar (24) of Goa,Abhishek (26) and ArvindKumar (24) from Varanasi,Raneshwar (50) from Chhapra(Bihar), Manjit Devi (22) fromSamastipur, Indal Chauhan (24),

Chandrashekhar (18) fromSonebhadra, Rajkumar Das (28)from Vaishali (Bihar) and JaiKumar from Shillong(Meghalaya). Officials said mostof the injured were out of dan-ger.

Meanwhile, train serviceson the route have been sus-pended. The trains were beingdiverted via alternative routes.On Friday evening, AdditionalDG (Law and Order) AnandKumar told the media thatAnti-Terrorism Squad had beenasked to probe the Manikpurtrain accident. ‘’We will not takeany chances and hence the ATS

has been asked to probewhether there was any sabotagein the incident,’’ said Kumar.

Railways have announcedan ex gratia of `5 lakh to thefamilies of the deceased, ̀ 1 lakhto critically injured and ̀ 50,000to those with minor injuries.Expressing grief on the death ofthree passengers, CM YogiAdityanath ordered all medicalfacilities to the injured.

He also announced a com-pensation of `2 lakh each tofamilies of the deceased, ̀ 50,000to those with grievous injuriesand ̀ 25,000 to passengers withminor injuries.

3 dead, 12 injured as trainderails in Chitrakoot

Derailed coaches of Vasco Da Gama-Patna express train near Manikpur railway station in Manikpur Uttar Pradesh on Friday PTI

KESTUR VASUKI n BENGALURU

As the negotiations are on toresolve the contentious

issue of building Ram temple atthe disputed Ayodhya site, theRashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh(RSS) has reiterated that thetemple will be built at thesame spot. “Ram Janmabhoomiper Ram Mandir hi banega aurusi pathher se banega” (OnlyRam Mandir will be built atRam Janmabhoomi using thesame stones), said RSS chiefMohan Bhagwat. He wasaddressing a congregation ofHindu saints in the ‘DharmaSansad’ at temple town ofUdupi in Karnataka on Friday.

‘Dharma Sansad’ is a con-gregation of 2,000 Hindu saints,mutt heads and VHP leadersfrom across the country.

Bhagwat said there shouldbe no ambiguity that Ram tem-ple will be built in Ayodhya. Thecongregation in coastal town ofUdupi is hosted by Pejawarseer Vishvesha Teertha Swamiji.

“We will construct it. It is

not a populist declaration buta matter of our faith. It will notchange,” Bhagwat said.

The RSS chief said thatafter years of efforts and sacri-fice, it (building the Ram tem-ple) seemed possible now,while also noting that the mat-ter was in the court.

“Only Ram Mandir will beconstructed and nothing else.It will be constructed there

only” (at the site that is believedto be the birthplace of LordRam), Bhagwat said.

Construction of Ram tem-ple, prevention of religious con-versions and cow protection areamong the key issues discussedat the VHP’s three-day DharmaSansad. The meet will also dis-cuss issues of discrimination onthe basis of caste and gender andexplore ways to ensure harmo-ny within Hindu society.

RSS chief reiterated that thetemple would be constructed inthe same grandeur as it existedbefore, using the “same stones”under the guidance of thosewho were the flag-bearers of theRam Janmabhoomi movementfor the last 25 years. “We areclose to achieving our goal butat this juncture, we should beextra cautious,” added Bhagwat.

“The strength of the soci-ety lies in its unity. When it isdestroyed, anti-national forcesgain foothold. We need tounderstand the consequencesof religious conversion. We

Continued on Page 6

Muslim outfits decry remarkPTI n LUCKNOW

Muslim organisations onFriday reacted sharply to

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’sstrong pitch for building aRam temple on the disputedsite at Ayodhya, terming it as adirect challenge to the apexcourt before which the matterwass pending, and demandedaction against him.

They also alleged that theRashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh(RSS) chief was trying to helpthe BJP in the upcomingGujarat elections by divertingthe attention of voters from“real” issues with such state-ments.

“The All India MuslimPersonal Law Board has faith inthe judiciary and will try toimplement its order... by issu-ing this statement MohanBhagwat has taken law into hishands,” the spokesman of theAIMPLB, Maulana KhaildSaifullah Rehmani, said.

He demanded that the gov-ernment take action against“such people who are openly

showing disrespect to thecourts and taking law intotheir hands”.

Bhagwat has issued “a one-sided statement that only atemple will be constructed atthe site and this is unacceptableto us”, Rehmani said, addingthis amounts to showing dis-respect to the court.

Convenor of Babri MasjidAction Committee and mem-ber of the Board, ZafaryabJilani, alleged that such remarks“challenging” the apex court area threat to democracy.

Jilani, who is also a seniorcounsel, said that it appears thatBhagwat has tried to help theBJP in the Gujarat Assemblyelections through his state-ment.

“Bhagwat has given anopen challenge to the SupremeCourt .. . . As per theConstitution, the apex court issupreme and its orders have tobe implemented in the country...it has asked for maintainingstatus quo on the site ...throughthis statement Bhagwat hasgiven a direct challenge to the

Supreme Court and this is alsoa threat for democracy,” he said.

The spokesman of AllIndia Shia Personal Law Board,Maulana Yasoob Abbas, said“Sangh chief is not above theSupreme Court, he will alsohave to accept the court ver-dict”.

“Despite the issue pendingin the court, Mohan Bhagwathas given this statement only todivert the attention of voters inGujarat from real issues,” Abbassaid.

Addressing the “DharmaSansad”, a congregation of2,000 Hindu sages, mutt headsand VHP leaders from acrossthe country in Udipi earlier onFriday, Bhagwat said thereshould be no ambiguity thatRam Temple will be built atAyodhya.

“We will construct it. It isnot a populist declaration buta matter of our faith. It will notchange,” Bhagwat said.

The RSS chief said thatafter years of efforts and sacri-fice, building the Ram temple

Continued on Page 6

city 02LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017

Printed and Published by Vijay Prakash Singh for and on behalf of CMYK Printech Ltd., 4th Floor, Sahara Shopping Centre, Faizabad Road, Lucknow-226016 and Printed at Tin Tin Printech Pvt Ltd., C-33 Amausi Industrial Area, Nadarganj, Lucknow. Tel: (0522) 2438656 / 9336266608.

Editor: Chandan Mitra. Resident Editor: Vijay Prakash Singh. RNI No. 2016/57. Lucknow Telephones: EPABX: 4036600 Fax: 2345582. Allahabad Office: (95532) 2420818, 2421018, 3290460. Kanpur Office: (95512) 2304006, 2304416. Varanasi Office: (95542) 2414294, 2414295. Delhi

Office: Link House, II Floor, 3 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110 002. Tel: (011) 23755271-274, 41509074.

PNS n LUCKNOW

Highlighting cultural tiesbetween Uttar Pradesh

and South Korea, ChiefMinister Yogi Adityanath saidthat the relation should betaken to the next level bylooking for investment in thestate which would open jobavenues for youths. A delega-tion led by mayor of Gimhaecity of South Korea Kim WoMan called on the ChiefMinister at his official resi-dence (5, Kali Das Marg) inLucknow on Friday.

“There is immensetourism potential in UP andSouth Korea and we shouldtake our multi-dimensionalrelations to the next level. Itwill also create more job

opportunities and bring invest-ment to the state,” Yogi saidduring his meeting with thedelegation. The CM alsounderlined cultural and histor-ical bonds between UttarPradesh and South Korea andstressed the need of enhancingtechnical relations betweenthe two countries. “It is mydesire to see the relationshipbetween South Korea andUttar Pradesh attain newheights. The two countriesshare old ties and the BJP gov-ernment would like to usethat relation for developmentof the state,” he said. The ChiefMinister also presented amemento to the visiting SouthKorean delegation.

It may be pointed out thata delegation from South Korea

had visited Ayodhya in 2000and after that an agreement of‘Sister Cities’ was signedbetween Gimhae city andAyodhya. Under this agree-ment, the Crock Clan societybuilt a memorial in Ayodhya,which is visited by a large num-ber of tourists from South Koreaevery year. People belonging tothe Kim dynasty in South Koreabelieve that a princess fromAyodhya had gone there around2000 years ago and was marriedto King Kim Suro.

Also present at the meet-ing were Principal Secretary(Tourism) Avneesh KumarAwasthi, Secretary (Culture)Aneeta Meshram, officer onspecial duty (OSD) to theChief Minister Sanjeev Singhand other senior officials.

PNS n LUCKNOW

Bajrang Dal has launched amembership drive and

plans to enrol around 50 lakhmembers across the country,including 12 lakh in UttarPradesh. The drive kicked offon November 19 and will con-tinue till December 6.

Senior Vishwa HinduParishad leader DevendraMishra said that youths agedbetween 15 and 35 years andwith a zeal to protect Hinduismcould become members. “Theywill have to swear by the ide-ology of ‘Seva, Suraksha,Sanskar’ and the enrolmentcharge has been fixed at just`10,” he said.

Bajrang Dal has dividedUP into six parts and it plansto recruit two lakh volunteersfrom each, making it 12 lakh intotal. “We are making a goodprogress and till now, over10,000 volunteers have been

enrolled,” Mishra said.The VHP leader said that

the membership drive hadbeen launched after a gap ofthree years following a decisiontaken at the national confer-ence of Bajrang Dal in Bhopalin October last.

Mishra said that BajrangDal was yet to commence itsmuch-publicised ‘TrishulDiksha’, which was stopped in2006 after the Dara Singh inci-dent of Odisha, thoughfirearms training camps wereheld at various venues everyyear. In 2016, a firearm train-ing camp was held in Ayodhya,which sparked a major contro-versy while in 2017, the campwas held in Hardoi.

“After enrolment, the lead-ers will screen new entrantsand select youths from amongthem for training so that theycan protect the Hindu commu-nity in crisis situations,” Mishrapointed out.

PNS n LUCKNOW

Over a dozen persons werekilled in road mishaps

reported from different placesof the state since Wednesdaynight. In Amethi, five of amarriage party were killedand two others criticallyinjured when a jeep collidedwith a train at an unmannedrailway crossing near Bussadavillage in Musafirkhana policestation of the district onVaranasi-Lucknow rail sec-tion late Thursday night.Those injured included thegroom’s father.

The police said on Fridaythat the accident occurredwhen the jeep was crossing therail track, it and was hit by aLucknow-bound DMU. Fourpeople died on the spot whileone succumbed to injuries atthe hospital. The deceasedwere identified as Ramrajy(35), Ravi (18), Ram Darshan(45) and Dharmendra Kumar(17) while another is yet to beidentified. Those injured wereadmitted to district hospital.

In neighbouringSultanpur, a car carrying amarriage party collided with a

truck on Tanda-Banda high-way in Mehsarganj area lateWednesday night. Fourwomen died and six otherswere injured. The mishapoccurred when the group wasreturning after attending thewedding in Payagipur area ofSultanpur Kotwali.

The deceased were identi-fied as Komal Singh (26) andPriya Singh (32) of Amethi,Rimjhim Singh (18) ofGosainganj and Dolly Singh(19) of Kudebhar area ofSultanpur. The injured wereidentified as Priya’s two daugh-ters Pihu Singh (9) and ReetaSingh (6), Nisha Singh (25) ofRae Bareli, Mamta Singh (30)of Dhammaur, ChanchalSingh (22) of Churawanpurand Supriya Singh (20). Theywere admitted to the districthospital.

In Aligarh, two youthswere killed and others injuredwhen the car in which theywere going to attend a wed-ding overturned on Thursdaynight. Ashutosh, Ravi, Abhi,Devesh and Ashu of Devipuraarea of Bulandshahr weregoing to a farmhouse inBhakhari on Thursday night.

At Gabhana highway, a speed-ing vehicle hit their car afterwhich it overturned. Abhi (23)died on the spot while Devesh(23) succumbed on the way tohospital. The condition ofothers three other was alsostated to be critical.

Elsewhere, inMuzaffarnagar, a 30-year-oldwoman was electrocuted aftershe accidentally came in con-tact with a live wire at herhouse in Bhadoda village ofShamli on Wednesday night.The woman was trying toswitch on a TV when she waselectrocuted.

In another incident atMuzaffarnagar, a 28-year-oldwoman was killed while threeothers injured after theirmotorcycle was hit by a busnear Bhurahedi village inPurkazi police station area onWednesday evening. Thewoman succumbed to injuriesat a hospital while others wereundergoing treatment. Thebus driver managed to flee.

Separate cases were regis-tered at respective police sta-tions and the bodies were sentfor autopsy. Efforts were on tonab the erring drivers.

PNS n LUCKNOW

The Election Commissionof India on Friday said

that the bypolls to SikandaraAssembly seat in UttarPradesh would be held onDecember 21. The seat fellvacant following the demise ofsitting BJP member MathuraPrasad Pal, who died afterprolonged illness on July 22.

Nominations for thebypoll to Sikandra Assemblyseat in Kanpur Dehat willbegin on November 26 andthe last date for filing papaersis December 4. Scrutiny ofpapers wil l be done onDecember 5 and the last datefor withdrawal of nomina-tion will be December 7. Voteswill be cast on December 21and counted on December 24.

The voting will be donethrough electronic votingmachines (EVMs) with thefacility of VVPAT. The modelcode of conduct for the bypollhas been enforced with imme-diate effect, an EC commu-nique said.

PNS n LUCKNOW

Passengers on board Patna-bound Archana Express

coming from Jammu had anarrow escape after a couplingbetween the engine and bogiesbroke twice within 25 kilome-ters near Pilkhani inSaharanpur on Friday morn-ing. The snag was noticed intime which came as a divineintervention for the passengersand even for railway officials.

Later, the railway officialschanged the train engine afterwhich the glitch was rectified.

As per reports, Jammu-Patna Archana Express sud-denly got delinked from theengine near Pilkhani area ofSaharanpur on Friday morn-ing. After repair work, thetrain was allowed to continueits journey. However, barelyhad it covered 25 kilometers

that the coupling snapped onceagain. Officials immediatelyrushed to the spot and changedthe engine after which thetrain left for its destination. Thetrain got delayed by over threehours in the process.

PNS n LUCKNOW

Claiming that the law andorder situation in the state

had improved, Chief MinisterYogi Adityanath said that hisgovernment would create anindustrial hub to make a markin the country and it wouldbecome a cynosure of all eyes.

Addressing poll rallies inFatehpur and Jhansi on Friday,Yogi said that the contours ofan industrial scenario had start-ed taking shape in UttarPradesh as many industrialhouses had started showingtheir interest in investment.

“This has been possibledue to improvement in law andorder. The BJP governmenthas sent across a message thatcriminals have no place in thestate and its impact is visiblenow. Once industries startinvesting, youths will start get-ting employment. This will bea great turnaround story forUttar Pradesh,” the CM said inFatehpur.

Yogi said that the govern-ment had prepared a plan togive employment to youths.“Soon, we will start a recruit-ment drive to fill over four lakhposts. Besides, over 1.5 lakhposts of policemen will befilled in a systematic manner.Your faith in us has boosted ourconfidence to do better,” hesaid.

In Jhansi, the ChiefMinister said that if the BJP gota majority in local body elec-tions, it would make the cityclean and bring it at par withAyodhya. “The opposition par-ties, particularly Congress andSamajwadi Party, have ruinedthe local bodies. We willstrengthen them money-wisewell as infrastructure-wise,”the CM said. As former UnionMinister in Manmohan Singh

government Pradeep Jain‘Aditya’ is Congress’ mayoralcandidate from Jhansi, Yogi’s

barbs were directed moretowards the Congress as hequestioned what did the UPA

governments do forBundelkhand during their suc-cessive regimes. “We have got

an opportunity and will try toimprove the situation here,”Yogi said.

PIONEER NEWS SERVICE n ALLAHABAD

The Allahabad High Court onFriday ordered a Central

Bureau of Investigation (CBI)inquiry into the murder of abusinessman of Allahabad. Atwo-judge bench, comprisingJustices SK Gupta and RajivMishra, passed the order on apetition filed by Vinod Kumar,father of the deceased busi-nessman, Lalit Verma.

It may be pointed out herethat on February 3, 2016, whenthe deceased was going some-where along with his brother,Vikram, he was shot dead. Thelatter had sustained seriousinjuries in the incident. A namedfirst information report (FIR)was lodged against the assailantsat the Civil Lines police stationagainst Puja Pal, former BSPMLA, Mukesh Kesarwani,Rajesh Tripathi, Prithvi Pal andothers. It was alleged in the peti-tion that during investigation,

the local police in collusionwith the named accused gave aclean chit to them and had false-ly implicated the brother of thevictim, Vikram, who was injuredin the incident along with twoothers. In the petition, it wasfurther alleged that the police

were not investigating the caseproperly and so CBI inquiry wasdemanded into it which wasaccepted by the court. The courthad ordered the UP police tohand over the documents of the case to the CBI for investigation.

High Court orders CBI probe

into businessman’s murder

Migratory birds hovering over the Ganga river in search of prey in Allahabad onFriday Pioneer

Yogi highlights cultural ties between UP, South Korea

Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath with a South Korean delegation at his official residence in Lucknow on Friday Pioneer

‘Industries keen on investing in UP’

PNS n LUCKNOW

Campaigning for the secondphase of urban local body

polls in 25 districts going topoll on November 26 endedon Friday evening. There are83 candidates in the fray,including 42 women, for sixmayor posts in the secondphase. There are 638 candi-dates contesting for the chair-person post in 51 nagar pali-ka parishads.

The districts going to pollsin this phase includeMuzaffarnagar, Ghaziabad,

Gautam Buddha Nagar,Amroha, Rampur, Pilibhit,Shahjahanpur, Aligarh,Mathura, Mainpuri,Farrukhabad, Etawah,Lalitpur, Banda, Allahabad,Lucknow, Sultanpur,Ambedkarnagar, Bahraich,Shravasti, Sant Kabirnagar,Deoria, Ballia, Varanasi andBhadohi.

Several prestigious may-oral posts including in PrimeMinister Narendra Modi’s con-stituency Varanasi, UnionHome Minister RajnathSingh’s constituency Lucknow,

Union minister VK Singh’sconstituency Ghaziabad andSangam city (Allahabad) willgo to poll in the second phase.

The polling will be heldfrom 7.30 am to 5 pm amidtight security with more than80,000 security personnel,including 40 companies ofCentral Para-Military Forceshaving been tasked with main-taining law and order.

Polling for the third andlast phase of civic elections willbe held on November 29 whilethe counting of votes for all thethree phases on December 1.

Meanwhile, on Friday,State Election commissioner(SEC) SK Agarwal held avideo-conferencing with thedistrict magistrates and policechiefs of 25 districts going topolls on November 26. Theywere instructed about compli-ance of directives issued by thepanel for free and fair conductof elections and maintenanceof law and order. The SECspecifically enquired aboutdeployment of Central ParaMilitary Forces and distribu-tion of voter slips by booth-level officers to the electorate.

Civic body polls: Campaigning

for second phase concludes

Lucknow (PNS): Former ChiefMinister and Samajwadi Party presidentAkhilesh Yadav accused the BJP govern-ment of abusing state machinery to influ-ence the voters in urban local body elec-tions. “The voters are not only being intim-idated, they are also being terrorised. Itwould have been better for the ChiefMinister to discharge his constitutionalobligations and bring schemes for the wel-fare of common man. In a democraticpolitical system, the government works byengaging and involving people in businessof governance rather than deceit andintimidation of masses,’’ Akhilesh said onFriday. Issuing an appeal to the voters, theSP chief said: “The voters have an oppor-tunity to teach the BJP a lesson for pur-

suing anti-development and divisive agen-da in the state. And, they have decided todo so.” Yadav said that ahead of the sec-ond phase of polling, the anti-BJP moodwas visible among the voters who wereinclined towards Samajwadi Party. He saidthat there was credible reason for the apa-thy of voters towards the BJP since the rul-ing party failed to honour the promises itmade in the run-up to the Assembly pollearlier this year.

The SP chief said that in the last eightmonths of BJP rule in the state, people hadrealised that development was nowherein the agenda of BJP and its sole aim wasto create obstructions and spread canardsagainst the development works bySamajwadi Party government.

‘Govt abusing state machinery to influence voters’

Over a dozen persons

killed in road mishaps

Byelection to

Sikandara

Assembly seat

on Dec 21

Bajrang Dal plans

to enrol 12 lakh

members in UP

A TWO-JUDGE BENCH COMPRISING JUSTICES

SK GUPTA AND RAJIV MISHRA PASSED THE

ORDER ON A PETITION FILED BY VINOD

KUMAR, FATHER OF THE DECEASED

Providential escape forpassengers as train’scoupling breaks twice

The snag was

noticed in time

which came as a

divine intervention

for the passengers

NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA SAMITI(An Autonomous Organisation of Ministry of Human

Resource Development, Department of SchoolEducation & Literacy, Govt. of India)

Lekhraj Panna, Third Floor, Sector-2, Vikas Nagar,Lucknow-226022

ADMISSION NOTIFICATIONLAST DATE OF APPLICATION THROUGH ONLINE AND OFFLINEMODES EXTENDED UPTO 2ND DECEMBER 2017

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti notified for admission processfor admission to Class-VI in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayasthrough JNVST-2018 for the session 2018-19 Registration ofstudents is in progress through online & offline mode. Lastdate to apply for JNVST 2018 is extended upto 2nd December2017 (Saturday).

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER

REQUIREMENT

Panchayat Raj Inter CollegeMokalpur Jaunpur, is required3 Assistant Teacher, SocialScience, Math and Science.Candidate eligibility is trainedgraduate, and minimum age 21year. Candidate can be apply tomanager. For interview visitthe college campus, at 25thDecember 2017. College will notbe pay any fear and convince.

REQUIREMENT


PIONEER NEWS SERVICE n LUCKNOW

The last day of campaigningwitnessed a brisk cam-paign by candidates of the

forthcoming civic polls onFriday. The streets of the cityremained abuzz with the soundsof campaigning.

The mayoral candidates spe-cially were a part of road shows,padyatras and even rallies. ChiefMinister Adityanath Yogi was apart of the jan sabhas of BJPmayoral candidate SanyuktaBhatia at the ScientificConvention Centre andKapoorthala.

Bhatia visited institutes andmet prominent Muslim leadersto win their support and also vis-ited the Lucknow University.

Bhatia, while talking to ThePioneer, said that there was notime to relax and that she wouldbe busy preparing a strategy forthe next day. However, sheadmitted that she would spendsome time with her grandchil-dren and play with them. Shesaid her energy levels were high.“However, rest will come onlyafter the polling is over,” shesaid.

BSP mayoral candidateBulbul Godiyal, who was a partof the roadshow held on the lastday, said that as a professionalshe believed in work and hencethere was no time for her torelax, “I have been accustomedto working long hours. I will beholding discussions for tomor-row. Once the voting is over, I

will return to my work as anadvocate in the High Courtwhich has taken a back seat forthe past so many days,” shesaid.

Mayoral candidate from theSamajwadi Party Meera Vardhansaid that she was feeling that herexamination part was over. “Iwill rest and spend some timewith family members. I willalso eat some good home cookedfood” she said.

Priyanka Maheshwari fromthe AAP said that she would bespending time with her littleones with the campaigning beingover and admitted that it was along time since she had enteredthe kitchen. “There is certainlyno time to rest till the time thepolling is over,” she added.

Civic poll: Hectic day for mayoral candidates

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaigning for BJP mayoral candidate Sanyukta Bhatia in Aliganj on Friday. (Right) Congress candidate Prema Awasthi during his roadshow Pioneer

Lucknow (PNS): DistrictMagistrate Kaushal Raj Sharmagave directions to the DIOS forthe closure of all schools whichwould be used as polling sta-tions on Saturday. DIOSMukesh Singh said that the DMhad also ordered for the closureof the schools whose vehicleswere deployed for election pur-poses. Meanwhile, Taj Sharmaon Friday flagged of a voterawareness rally organised byscouts and guides. He pointedout that a control room was setup at the Nagar Nigam officeszonewise on which complaintsand suggestions could be given.

Schools chosen as polling booths shut today


Battling civic problems everyday, residents are hoping that

the local government which winsafter the polls brings some relieffrom the traffic jams, encroach-ments and stray animals.

Avik Bhattacharya, a residentof the Hewitt road, said that theirarea faced acute encroachmentand the situation had neverimproved. “The illegal parking ofcars takes up so much space onthe road that there is no place towalk also. Issues such as these canbe solved to a large extent if thereis political will behind it and theeffort is made in a concertedmanner,” he added.

A resident from Chowk area,who runs a shop, said that theyhad given up hope that encroach-ments could be removed fromthe old part of the city. “Take thecase of Nakhas and Akbari Gatewhich are perpetually crowdedand make the movement of traf-fic very difficult. The encroach-

ments in these areas have mademovement difficult. Cleanlinessof the area is another aspect thatwe, as residents, have been con-tinuously highlighting in ourarea but to no avail,” he said.

Incidentally, even as theseencroachments have become abane for residents more so in thelight of the construction of theLucknow Metro which leaveslittle space for manoeuvring of

vehicles, the encroachers who arevendors on their part say thatthey themselves want theencroachments to be removed.

Ram Dheeraj, who is sellingplastic sheets under the Nishatganjbridge, admitted that he was sell-ing from a point which he shouldnot be using.

“I had no option. I visited theNagar Nigam headquarters andgot myself registered for allotment

of some space but nothing hap-pened. I understand that the areabecomes dirty because of theencroachment and brings aboutfrequent traffic snarls but there isprecious little that we can do aboutit,” he said. Similar views wereexpressed by Sarvesh Sonkar whosets up a fruit stall thela. Talkingto “The Pioneer”, Sonkar said thathe had visited the LMC officeumpteen time but had not beengiven the space that he had askedfor. “Each time the exercise of tak-ing photographs and the inspec-tion of the area is carried out butnothing happens,” he said.

Anukram Saxena, a residentof Mahanagar, said that monkeyswere a big problem in his areaand stray animals were in generala big issue. “The roads are full ofstray dogs and cattle squat rightin the middle of the road.Monkeys are such a nuisance thatat times we wonder whether thisproblem will be taken up moreseriously by the authorities,” headded.

Residents want relief from traffic

jams and encroachments

A road encraoched by commuters in Qaiserbagh with parking of bikes PioneerLucknow (PNS): LucknowZoological Gardens lost whitetiger Aryan on Friday.Lucknow zoo director RPSingh said that the tiger died inthe morning and the post-mortem revealed that he haddied of old age. A pall ofgloom descended on the zooafter the announcement of hisdeath. “He had started takingless food and arrangementswere made in the end so thathe faced no discomfort,” he

said. The director disclosed thatAryan was born on July 8,2001. “The zoo was successfulin carrying out the mating ofVishakha with Aryan and twowhite cubs were born in 2016,”he added. The official saidthat the average age of a tigerin the wild was 13-14 years.The tiger had started showingsigns of sickness sinceNovember 4 and Aryan waskept under 24 hours’ medicalobservation.


Two incidents of road mishapswere reported from different

places in the state capital in thepast 24 hours. The first incidenttook place at Sikandarbagh cross-ing under Hazratganj police sta-tion. Bahraich resident BrijeshKumar, a native of Bahriach dis-trict, was knocked down by aspeeding vehicle from behind. Hewas rushed to Civil Hospital bytwo constables and a home guarddeployed at the crossing with thehelp of passersby. He succumbedto injuries during the course oftreatment.

The police were trying totrace the whereabout of the dri-ver and the vehicle. It is said thatthe vehicle was occupied by fourpersons apart from driver at thetime of occurrence.

The second incident wasreported from Harauni crossingunder Banthra police station. Thepolice said 40-year old Awadh

Prasad, a resident of Shankarpurin Hassanganj area in Unnao, wasgoing on a motorcycle whichcollided with a dumper at Harauni

crossing. Awadh Prasad died onthe spot. Dumper driver Tariq wasnabbed by passersby and handedover to the police.


Apurse belonging to SavitaVishkarma, a resident of

Rajni Khand under Ashiyanapolice station, was snatchednear her house by three boys,who were in their college uni-form, on Friday at 3.30 pm. Shehad gone to meet her relative inthe morning. The incident tookplace when she was returninghome. Three boys were on ascooter. One of themapproached her and asked someaddress. They had not switchedoff the ignition. He snatched thepurse when she was explaininghim the location of the house.He rushed towards the scooterand escaped. The purse containsRs 500, a mobile phone and ashawl. She raised an alarmdrawing the attention of passers-by but by that time they had dis-

appeared. She lodged a com-plaint at Ashiyana police station.

ARRESTEDThe police arrested Mohit

who refused to marry Saumya atthe eleventh hour as his fatherMewa Lal demand a sum of Rs5 lakh from bride’s father Maiku.Mohit was to marry Saumya onThursday. Her father had madeelaborate arrangements for themarriage. It was on Thursdayafternoon Mohit’s fatherdemanded ̀ 5 lakh. Maiku askedMewa why he was demandingsuch a big sum on the day ofmarriage. He also remindedMewa that there was no mentionof the demand at the time ofengagement. Maiku’s son Rajjulodged a complaint at the PGIpolice station. A case was regis-tered under the Dowry Act.Mohit was picked up from his

house and was arrested after hisconfession to the police duringthe interrogation.

Meanwhile, the policearrested three culprits for theirinvolvement in committing aloot at a jewellery shop inRajajipuram market onNovember 10. The arrest wasmade by a joint team ofTalkatora and Crime Branch ofthe Lucknow police on Friday at3.30 pm near the Alamnagarrailway station, They were iden-tified as Raju alias Amin,Yaseenand Arshad. The jewellery andsilver ornaments worth around`80 lakh, two stolen scooters,two country-made pistols andfive cartridges were found fromtheir possession. The gang wasmanaged by Raju alias Amin.Raju is a resident of Hussainabadand used to change members ofthe gang frequently.

White tiger Aryan

to roar no more

Woman’s purse snatched by3 boys in college uniform

Road mishaps claim two lives

Police on a mishap site in Lucknow on Friday Pioneer


The sale of Lucknow Metrosmart cards has crossed the

17,000 mark. Lucknow MetroRail Corporation senior PROAmit Srivsatava said here onFriday that looking at the ageprofile of those boarding thetrains, they were primarilyyoungsters in the age group of15-35 years.

“We are currently runningseven trains out of which five arebeing used on a regular basis andtwo are used when the rush of

passengers is high,” he said. Hesaid that they were getting thebest response at the CharbaghStation where there were 3000-4000 passengers daily and thenthere was the KrishnanagarStation and the Alambagh busstand station. He informednewspersons that currently theirridership was approximately12,000 per day.

Srivastava said that theLucknow Metro had started itsoperation with ‘Token’ and‘GoSmart’ card with a full-fledged state-of-the-art auto-

matic fare collection (AFC) sys-tem from the first day of its oper-ation for the ease and conve-nience of its Metro commuters.“This is an outstanding achieve-ment as the other Metros havenot been able to start their oper-ations with token, smart cardand the AFC system. In fact therecently-started Metro in Indiahas used paper tickets duringtheir initial days of public ser-vices on account of non-com-missioning of the fare collectionsystem.

LMRC has also provided the

facility of automatic token vend-ing machine (TVM) andrecharge card terminal machine(RCTM) for all Metro com-muters from the very first day ofits operation. Passengers operatethese terminals on their own toget their ‘token’ as per theirdesire of travel without waitingin a long queue and thus savingtheir precious time,” he added.

Srivastava said that thisfacility had never been started byany Metro in India during its ini-tial days of operations. It sets the

LMRC apart from other Metrosystems in India in providingworld-class state-of-the-art facil-ities to the Metro commutersfrom the very first day of Metrooperations. “Other facilities likethe provision of free drinkingwater for all, free toilet for all,free Wi-Fi for the Smart Cardusers, FM services for publicannouncement, first aid, medicaland emergency help to the needycommuters and help and sup-port to ladies, elderly and dif-ferently-abled Metro commutersalso set the Lucknow Metro

apart from the other Metro sys-tems in India,” he added.

It may be pointed out herethat the Lucknow Metro Rail hascrossed the ridership figure of 10lakh in just 70 days of its com-mercial operations sinceSeptember 6, 2017.

“The LMRC recorded acumulative footfall of 10,13,121(ten lakh thirteen thousand onehundred and twenty one) at theclose of revenue services onNovember 15, 2017. It hadcrossed the figure of 10 lakh rid-ership on November 14.

Over 17,000 smart cards sold by LMRC so far



Prashant Banerjee fromVishva Bharti University,

Shantiniketan (West Bengal),said here on Friday that impe-rialism was a system to drasti-cally enhance the capitalistexploitation on a world scale.He expressed his views at aninternational seminar whichwas organised by the AnandMemorial Trust at theInternational Buddhist Centreon the topic of ‘ImperialismToday: Understanding Origins,Dynamisms and Mechanisms.’He said that the expansion ofthe means of global market andcommunication-transport hadmade the capitalist system evenmore exploitative.

Many scholars, writers andsocial activists from differentstates of the country as well asresearchers from abroad areparticipating in this seminar foran intense discussion on thevarious aspects of imperialism,globalisation and global eco-nomic crisis.

Meenakshi, chief trustee of‘Arvind Memorial Trust’ andorganiser of the seminar, saidin her welcome statement thattoday the exploitation of impe-rialism had spread throughoutAsia, Africa and Latin Americaand the toiling masses in theseregions had been devastatedand burdened by debt. “Theregions of Middle East andWestern Asia have become thecentre of imperialist aggressionof US and an arena of compe-tition amongst various impe-rialist powers. The people ofthese countries are experienc-ing the horrors of war for the

past several decades.Imperialist interference andpressure in many other coun-tries of the world has ruined theeconomy there. The ongoingglobal economic crisis hasmade this problem even morecomplex. Intense discussionsare going on across the worldto understand the variousaspects of imperialism and tochalk out the strategies of resis-tance.”

The speakers said that inthe blind pursuit of profits theimperialist powers and the rul-ing classes of the ‘third world’countries as their ‘junior part-

ners’, have been increasinglyoppressing the toiling masses ofthe world. The rivalry amongstthe imperialists have made theMiddle East and Western Asiaa theatre of war and havepushed millions into deathand destruction.

They pointed out that dueto the absence of strong resis-tance movements on the worldscale the aggression of imperi-alism had now increased butthe mass dissatisfaction wasincreasing all over the worldand the movements wereemerging everywhere,whichwould be further strengthening

in the coming days. The second paper was pre-

sented by Mohammed NazmulHassan, also from VishvaBharati. While discussing var-ious anti-imperialist populistmovements of Asia, Africa andLatin America, he consideredthe different ongoing move-ments in Asia, Africa, LatinAmerica and the populist prin-ciples of imperialism.

In her paper, Lata Sinha ofthe Jawaharlal NehruUniversity, discussed in detailthe long and sanguinary histo-ry of imperialist exploitation inLatin America. While analysing

the various dominant princi-ples, especially the theories of‘dependency’, in the move-ments of anti-Imperialism inLatin America, she said thatcorrect strategies could bedeveloped only by under-standing the imperialism withthe right Marxist-Leninist view.

The sessions were presidedover by Eric Schmidt, fromNew York, a social worker,Debashish Barat, from Patna,and a poetess and socialactivist, Katyayani, whileSatyam moderated the them.Several important papers willbe presented on differentdimensions of this topic in theseminar. These include a paperon Marxist theories ofImperialism by Abhinav Sinha,Inter-imperialist Rivalry andFuture Prospects bySukhwinder, GlobalisationToday by Anand Singh, Post-Marxist Theories by ShivaniKaul, Critique of PrabhatPatnaik’s theory of imperialismby Prof Bipin Balaram, WorldEconomic Crises by AbhinavSinha, Basic Contradictions ofImperialism Today by TapishMaindola, Main Characteristicsof Imperialism Today by VijayKumar and Akshay, from CPI-ML (Red Star), and three otherpapers by Dr MP TerenceSamuel, Gargi Mukherjee andAnup Kumar Manna.

Eric Schmidt from NewYork will present his paper oncurrent international situationwhile Prof Immanuel Nessfrom City University of NewYork and Prof Sarika Chandrafrom Wayne State University,Michigan, will give presenta-tions via Skype.


Director, Central Instituteof Subtropical

Horticulture, Shailendra Rajansaid on Friday that a one-dayKisan Mela will be organised onNovember 30 with the view tofulfilling the Prime Minister’sdream-cum-vision of doublingfarmers’ income by 2022. Headded that Deputy ChiefMinister Dinesh Sharma andMinister of State for AgricultureImport, Marketing and ForeignTrade Swati Singh were likely to

be the chief guest and guest ofhonour respectively andaddress farmers.

He pointed out that thehorticultural sector contributedto more than 33 per cent of thetotal GDP. “The annual incre-ment of production by 7.5 and9.5 per cent from vegetablesand fruits respectively havebeen a prime factor that hascontributed for increasing GDPby the horticulture sector. Ever-increasing demand of fruitsand vegetables provide oppor-tunities to increase the pro-

duction, which will eventuallyincrease farmers’ income. Inthis context, our institute isworking towards promotionas well as out-reaches of thetechnologies to farmers byextending extension activities.The main emphasis and objec-tive of this programme is toprovide solutions to majorproblems faced by horticulturefarmers and also create aware-ness about improved produc-tion technologies, crop protec-tion and post harvest manage-ment practices,” he said.

He said that about 220lakh farm families were depen-dent on horticulture in UttarPradesh. “Only 30 per cent ofthis group includes big farmerswho are progressive and takebenefits from majority of gov-ernment schemes, pro-grammes. Nearly 70 per centsmall and marginal farmers areour target who needs attention.Our institute has implementedagricultural diversificationthrough inter cropping in exist-ing orchards, poultry, nutri-tional gardens, mushroom pro-

duction, fruit and vegetablenursery production along withenhancing productivity of fruitcrops under Farmers First,Precision FarmingDevelopment Centre (PFDC)and Mera Gaon Mera Gauravprogrammes. Mobile van ser-vices were provided to farmersfor direct sale to consumers,curtailing middlemen as bettermarketing option for fetchingpremium prices of their pro-duce adopting GoodAgricultural Practices (GAP)and GI,” he said.


The Uttar Pradesh govern-ment has plans to set up

mega mandis in collaborationwith Asian Development Bank(ADB) across the state for thewelfare of farmers so that theycan get good remunerativeprice of their produce.

Chief Minister YogiAdityanath has asked the offi-cers to identify four or fiveareas where such mandis couldbe set up. The decision of set-ting up mandis in collaborationwith ADB was taken in a meet-ing between Chief Ministerand a delegation of ADB led byvice-president Diwakar Gupta.

“The proposed mega man-dis should have proper ware

houses as well as cold storageswhere farmers can store theirgoods as per their needs andwithdraw them as and whenrequired,” Yogi told the dele-gation members. “This willalso save farmers from themiddlemen and can sell theirproduce as per market require-ment. He also suggested ifrequired, changes would bemade in the Uttar PradeshState Mandi Act so that afarmer-friendly mandi policycould be implemented.

He said besides these man-dis, modern dairies should bedeveloped across the state.Fourteen such dairies should beinstalled before March 31, 2018in different parts of the state, hesaid, adding the same would

also help in employment gen-eration. He also suggested theADB officials to prepare a planfor holistic development of thestate. “Come with a feasiblepolicy and the government isready to implement any projectwhich will help in buildinginfrastructure of the state,” theChief Minister told ADB del-egates. He also informed thedelegates about the pro-farmerpolicies his government hastaken and how his governmentis committed to doubling theincome of farmers by 2020.

Earlier in the day, the ChiefMinister also had a meetingwith film producer BoneyKapoor who showed his incli-nation to have movie shoots inthe state.


Chief Secretary Rajive Kumargave directions for the digi-

tisation of divisional offices andcorporations under Transportdepartment to be done in thenext 2-3 months to provide pub-lic welfare schemes for the ben-efit of masses. He also alsodirected officials for the mod-ernisation of bus stations ofTransport corporation by devel-oping them under PPP model tobenefit the public.

Kumar was presiding over ameeting related to PPP Rajkotmodel in his office meeting hallat Shastri Bhawan on Friday.

Principal Secretary,Transport, Aradhna Shukla saidthat the arrangements done inRajkot and other bus stations inGujarat could attract investorsand it was important to devel-op such schemes in UttarPradesh.

Govt mulls mega mandis in

collaboration with ADB

SCHOOLSCANCITYBRIEFS

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during a meeting with ADB officials on Friday

‘Imperialism a system to enhance capitalist exploitation’

NCC Directorate achievements highlighted

Deputy CM likely to inaugurate Kisan Mela

Transport offices

to be digitised

Children taking part in the annual function of St Francis’ College on Friday Pioneer

CONFLUENCE-2017INAUGURATED

The 4-day internationalfestival of world unity andworld peace, ‘Confluence-2017’organised by City MontessoriSchool (Indira Nagar) wasinaugurated on Friday. Thepresence of participating stu-dents from India and abroadpresented a unique view of amini-world whereas CMS stu-dents mesmerised the audienceby their presentation of edu-cational-cultural items. Theevent was inauguared byLucknow University Vice-Chancellor SP Singh, who wasthe chief guest on the occasion.Over 500 students from Oman,Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladeshand various states of India areparticipating in the event topropagate the message of worldunity and world peace througha series of competitions.Addressing the gathering,Singh said: “Knowledgeempowers a person but to pre-vent the misuse of knowledge,it is important to impart peaceeducation to children. It is ofutmost importance to inculcategood human values in children

and sow in their tender mindsthe seeds of unity and peace.”Earlier, the participants inter-acted with mediapersons andexpressed their views regardingthe international event.Students of Scholastica School

(Bangladesh) said they wereeager to showcase their talentsat the fest. “We believe that thecompetitions at this event willbe helpful in honing our tal-ents,” a student said. Studentsof Brisbane International

School (Sri Lanka) said thecompetitions were designed tomake the children realise theirfull potential, besides, encour-aging rich exchange of ideasand increase of knowledge inall spheres.

YONO DIGITAL APPUnion Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitely

and SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar launched the first-ever com-prehensive digital banking service platform called YONO (You OnlyNeed One) in Delhi on Friday. SBI conducted a similar launch atHyatt Regency in Lucknow in the presence of senior governmentofficials and customers. YONO will be the first-ever integratedomni-channel digital platform offering everything related to finan-cial services. It will provide an array of banking and financial ser-vices that will allow customers to meet their lifestyle needs across14 categories, including booking & renting cabs, entertainment,dining experience, travel & stay, medical needs etc.

RETAIL LOAN CARNIVALDena Bank on Friday launched ‘Dena Retail Loan Carnival’

with a view to promoting housing and vehicle loans. During thecarnival, the bank will provide home loans up to Rs 75 lakh at8.25% per annum and car loans at 9% per annum. Women bor-rowers will get a car loan at 8.90% per annum. During this peri-od, no processing/documentation fee will be charged by the bank.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath speaking at the golden jubilee anniversary of King George’s Medical University organised bythe 1967 batch on Friday


ADG, NCC Directorate(UP) Major General

RGR Tiwari said here onFriday that among the sever-al achievements that theyhad made there was anincrease in the number of girlcadets in the state. The ADGwas addressing a press con-ference which was organisedat the headquarters on Friday.

Talking to ‘The Pioneer,’he said that in terms of per-centage the increase of thegirl cadets was from 25 to28.12 per cent. “This we havebeen able to achieve becausewe identified the areas wherewe were not getting too manygirl cadets and through inter-action with the parents, high-lighting the achievements ofthe NCC and by motivatingthem we were able toincrease their number.However, this is lesser than

our target of 33 per cent andwhich we will do by increas-ing the number of girl cadetsin the Jhansi Girls Battalionas it with 3,600 girl cadets hasbeen set up under the NCCDirectorate,” he said.

Talking about the otherachievements, he said thatthere was cent per cent enrol-ment of the cadets in the stateof Uttar Pradesh . “We have1,29,311 cadets in UttarPradesh which is a cent per-cent enrolment for it which isyet another achievement ofthe Directorate,” he added.

Regarding the cadets whohad cracked the prestigiousexaminations, he said that thecadet , Saumya Pandey,cracked the Civil ServicesExamination of 2017. “Nearlysix cadets have cracked theMBBS examination and fourhave entered a reputed engi-neering institute.” On theInternational Yoga Day which

was celebrated on June 21 andwitnessed the presence of thePrime Minister, NarendraModi, he said that10,000cadets took part in the cele-brations even though theweather was inclement onthat day. About the futureplans, the Major General saidthat modalities were on forthe acquisition of land at allthe group headquarters forthe training of NCC cadets.

“ It is the state govern-ment which will be providingus the land and talks are in anadvanced stage .This will helpus as we were earlier carryingout the training of the stu-dents in the schools where wecould only carry it out duringholidays and in a limitedspace,” he added He said ason date NCC was affiliated toabout 1,500 institutes of thestate and more than 750 insti-tutes were waitlisted to haveNCC there.

nation 05LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017

PNS n NEW DELHI

With the objective of pro-tecting its strategic inter-

ests in the Indian Ocean regionand Bay of Bengal against thebackdrop of China's growingmaritime prowess, the ArmedForces carried out a five-dayexercise in Andaman andNicobar Islands. It was namedDefence of Andaman andNicobar Islands Exercise(DANX) and ended on Friday.

The two islands are criticalfor India's defence and econo-my as more than 75 per cent oftrade including export andimport is conducted throughthe sea lanes close to Andamanand Nicobar Islands. In fact,Strait of Malacca is also veryclose to the two islands andmost merchant ships use it.India has to maintain vigil therefor its overall strategic goals.

Given the location ofAndaman and Nicobar Islands,the Government formed a tri-Service command 15 yearsback with the Army, Navy and

IAF jointly working there. Toensure synergy in operationsfor the exercise, joint planningand integrated approach wasadopted from the planningstage onwards.

Main objective of the exer-cise was to practice and validateprocedures and drills of all theCommand forces aimed atdefending Andaman andNicobar Islands. Additionalforces from the main landincluding fighter jets, SpecialForces, naval ships and heavylift transport aircraft partici-pated in the exercise, officialssaid here.

The highlights of the exer-cise were fighter jet opera-tions, night para jumps at sea,slithering of troops from heli-copters and amphibious land-ings of troops by ships in per-fect synergy. After the exercisethe Commander-in-ChiefAndaman and NicobarCommand applauded all thefour components for their plan-ning and precise execution ofthe plans.

ABRAHAM THOMAS n

NEW DELHI

Seeking to put a lid on thecontroversy surrounding the

elevation of IPS officer RakeshAsthana as Special Director,CBI, the Centre on Fridayshowed the minutes of themeeting regarding his promo-tion to the Supreme Courtwhich confirmed that the CBIDirector did share an"unsigned" note with theSelection Committee pointingto Asthana's role in a pendingcase being probed by theagency. However, theCommittee unanimouslyrejected it by saying this infor-mation could pertain to someother Asthana and not theofficer in question.

The court has reservedorders on the PIL filed byNGO Common Cause and willpronounce its decision onNovember 28. The petitionerhad claimed that such a personwho is facing probe in a case,and that too by the CBI, wasnot fit to remain at the seniorpost as it affects institutionalintegrity of the country's pre-mier investigating agency.

Besides, the petitioner'scounsel Prashant Bhushan sub-mitted that in a case where CBI

Director gave a note of dissentagainst Asthana's elevation, hisview had a binding effect on theselection as he apprehendedthat the decision will impactfurther probe.

Asthana, a 1984 Gujaratcadre IPS officer who is present-ly serving as Additional Directorwith CBI was elevated as SpecialDirector on October 22 this yearafter a Selection Committeecomprising CVC, the twoVigilance Commissioners,Home Secretary and Secretary,Department of Personnel andTraining (DoPT) unanimouslystamped approval on his nameat a meeting held on October 21.

Attorney General KKVenugopal who presented thecopy of minutes to the Courttermed it as the "single mostimportant" document to dis-count the charges leveled by thepetitioner. He said there was nodocument to show thatDirector CBI dissented as it wasthe CBI which proposed thename of Asthana on July 7,2017 as an "outstanding officer"who is eminently suitable.

The minutes of theOctober 21 meeting disclosedabout a confidential lettershared by the Director enclos-ing an unsigned note givingdetails of FIR against Sterling

Biotech. The note referred toAsthana who was named in adiary seized from the compa-ny showing details of pay-ments made to him. TheCommittee discussed the notewith Director CBI and held,"there is nothing about theveracity of the contents of thedocument."

The minutes concluded,"There is no finding in thesepapers that the person men-tioned therein is the same per-son under consideration forappointment." The Committeeunanimously agreed that com-plaints received "just on theverge of appointments or pro-motions" are not to be consid-ered unless it is proven mis-conduct. Venugopal stated thatthe FIR investigation can stillgo on but till it is proved, hisAsthana's appointment can-not be blocked.

Bhushan wondered howAsthana could be empanelledfor selection to the senior postas he did not submit details ofimmovable property last year.According to DoPT Guidelinesof 2011, an officer who doesnot furnish annual propertyreturns will be denied vigilanceclearance that will disentitlehim from empanelment fortop posts.

Asthana row: Centre sharesminutes of meeting with SC

Armed forces’ five-dayDANX concludes

New Delhi: India has sent 3,000family bags containing foodmaterial and other daily useitems to Myanmar's Rakhinestate that has witness high levelof displacement of people due tolarge scale violence.

The family bag, contains 5kilograms of rice, 2kg MasoorDal, 1 kg sugar, 1 litre cookingoil, 1 kg salt, 500 gm of tea leaves,2 bathing soaps, 2 mosquito nets,1 kg milk power, 12 packets ofbiscuits and 4 packets of instantnoodles.

India had earlier sent reliefmaterial to Bangladesh to help ittide over the crisis created by theinflux of huge number ofRohingya refugees who havefled the Rakhine state to escapeviolence. Meanwhile, India haswelcomed the refugee repatria-tion agreement signed betweenBangladesh and Myanmar onThursday. "It is a welcome andencouraging development,"India's ambassador to MyanmarVikram Misri said on Friday inYangon. PNS

India sends 3kfamily bags toRakhine state

PNS n NEW DELHI

The Election Commissionon Friday announced

December 21 as the date ofbypolls to five Assembly con-stituencies in four States, includ-ing Radhakrishnan Nagar (RKNagar) Assembly constituencyin Tamil Nadu. The other fourconstituencies are Sikandara(Uttar Pradesh), Pakke-Kasangand Likbali (ArunachalPradesh) and Sabang (WestBengal). The counting of voteswill be held on December 24

and the election process will becompleted before 26th of nextmonth.

The RK Nagar Assemblyconstituency fell vacant follow-ing the death of former ChiefMinister Jayalalithaa. The EChad announced by-election toRK Nagar on April 10, thoughit was cancelled after reports ofwidespread cash distribution.Also, the cancellation of bypollcame days after the Income-Taxdepartment held searches inpremises of Tamil Nadu HealthMinister C Vijayabaskar.

The announcement comesdays after the Madras HighCourt said it expected the EC tohold by-election in RK Nagar byDecember 31.

"The Commission hasdecided to use EVMs andVVPATs in the by-elections inall the polling stations. Adequatenumbers of EVMs and VVPATshave been made available and allsteps have been taken to ensurethat the polls are conductedsmoothly with the help of thesemachines," the EC commu-nique' said.

New Delhi: Parliament's WinterSession, which may see intro-duction of key Bills pertainingto Triple Talaq, Motor Vehiclesand Backward ClassCommission, will begin fromDecember 15, a day after the sec-ond phase of the GujaratAssembly elections, and con-clude on January 5.

Putting an end to the uncer-tainty triggered by the Congressthat accused the ModiGovernment of sabotaging theWinter Session, theParliamentary Affairs MinisterAnanth Kumar announced hereon Friday that the session will beheld from December 15 toJanuary 5. The session wouldhave 14 working days.

The Minister spoke tonewspersons after the UnionHome Minister Rajnath Singh-headed Cabinet Committee onParliamentary Affairs (CCPA)met here to decide the dates ofthe Session. Kumar said sum-moning of the winter sessionafter the assembly polls has hap-pened in the past too during theCongress regimes of IndiraGandhi, PV Narsimha Rao andManmohan Singh. "We requestand seek cooperation from allparties, including theOpposition, for smooth func-tioning of both Houses to makethis session fruitful," he said.

Asked whether MPs wouldbe asked to be present on January1, Kumar said Parliamentarians

were supposed to be present onall working days, including onnew year's day.

Some important Bills areexpected to be introduced in thesession, including one on tripletalaq, and the NationalCommission for BackwardClasses, Kumar said. The MotorVehicle Bill which seeks to intro-duce major reforms on trafficmanagement is also expected tobe introduced in the session.

Three Bills that will be takenup in the upcoming session toreplace Ordinances are — TheGoods and Services Tax(Compensation to States), 2017,The Insolvency and BankruptcyCode (Amendment) and TheIndian Forest (Amendment),Kumar said. PNS

PNS n NEW DELHI

The national drug price regulator onFriday fixed the ceiling price of 51

drug formulations that include vaccinesand medicines to treat hepatitis-C, kidneydiseases, hemophilia B, cardiac problemsand cancers making them much cheaperthan the prevailing market prices.

The National Pharmaceutical PricingAuthority (NPPA), which brought 51scheduled formulations of Schedule-Iunder Drugs (Prices Control) Order,2013, asked manufacturers that are sell-ing the branded or generic drugs at a pricehigher than the ceiling price to immedi-ately comply with the notification. Thenew price caps are likely to hit manyIndian drug makers' domestic formulationbusinesses.

The 51 formulations includeVelpatasvir-Sofosbuvir — the latest two-drug combination used to treat chronichepatitis C - a viral infection that damagesthe liver. Velpatasvir-Sofosbuvir sold byNatco Pharma, Hetero Labs, CadilaHealthcare,Dr Reddy's, Mylan and StridesShasun in India at maximum retail priceof `18,500 is now capped at `15,625 fora pack of 28 tablets.

Alteplase Powder for Injection - usedas clot buster to prevent strokes and heartattacks — is now capped at `17,235 for a20 mg pack and `35,985 for a 50 mg pack.

The drug is sold by Zydus Cadilaunder brand name Actilyse for `19,800 fora 20 mg pack and for `39,375 for a 50 mgpack.

Oxaliplatin 100 mg — a chemother-apy drug used to treat cancer — is nowcapped at `4,055, while the popularbrands sold by Glenmark, Sun Pharmaand Dr Reddy's range between `4,500 and`7,500.

Coagulation factor IX Powder forInjection 600 IU used in treatment ofbleeding disorders such as haemophilia Bis now capped at `11,180. The US-basedBaxter sells the drug at `12,000.

New Delhi: A first-of-its-kindmulti-state mega mock exerciseon tsunami preparedness wascarried out on Friday along theentire eastern coastline of India.

The simulation exerciseswere conducted in 35 coastaldistricts of West Bengal, Odisha,Andhra Pradesh and TamilNadu and the Union Territoryof Puducherry to assess andimprove the early warning andresponse mechanism to mitigatethe impact of a high-intensitytsunami, a Home Ministry state-ment said.

Representatives from 11Pacific Island countries observedthe exercise for key lessons andbest practices to be adoptedwhile preparing for andresponding to a disaster situa-tion.

The exercise was conduct-ed by the home ministrythrough National DisasterManagement Authority and theIndian National Centre for

Ocean Information Services.The exercise scenario

depicted a high intensity quakenear the Andaman and NicobarIslands at around 09:30 hoursand within moments, the IndianTsunami Early Warning Centre(ITEWC), INCOIS, issued amassive tsunami threat notifi-cation for the eastern coastthrough e-mails, fax and SMSs.It also put out detailed bulletins

on its website as part of the mockexercise. A two-hour reactiontime was notified within whichthe entire state machinery need-ed to be mobilised so as to effi-ciently respond to the situationin a manner which reduces theimpact of the tsunami.

As part of the exercise, inless than half an hour, the Stateemergency operation centres(SEOCs) were activated. PTI

ARCHANA JYOTI n NEW DELHI

Can herbal medicine improve thequality of life of patients with

genetic bleeding disorders? Seeking ananswer, the Union Ayush Ministry, forthe first time, is set to assess the safe-ty and potential benefits of alternativetraditional medicine interventions inthe context of hemophilia care.

Dr Pradeep Kumar Dua, researchofficer with the Ministry said that adefinitive cure of hemophilia as ofnow till date is Factor only.

"But at the same time, it has beennoticed the patients of the geneticbleeding disorder suffer from manydisabilities and many other compli-cations which can be very well takencare with the help of Ayush interven-tion and certain alternate medicinealong with suitable diet and modifi-cation of lifestyle."

For instance, the patients ofhemophilia have tendency of jointproblems, overweight, osteoporosisand a few other medical problems. Inthis context, amla (gooseberry) can bea herbal remedy as we all know thatit is good for calcium absorption andrich source of Vitamin C that helpsimprove blood, said Dua at an eventto commemorate Founder's Day of theHemophilia Federation, India (HFI)here on Friday.

The Ministry's move to harness thepower of medicinal plants and certainother natural ingredients to manage thebleeding disorder came following rep-resentation from the HFI, a voluntaryorganisation having a large network ofchapters across the country.

Dua said, “We may conductayush-based researches in the medicalhealth facilities where hemophilicpatients are being treated to study theeffectiveness of the herbal medicinetherapies.”

It is to be seen if herbal interven-tion may help the patients manage thedisorder better, HFI President, VikashGoyal said, adding that there morethan one lakh patients but just 19,000are registered. "We need to reach out

to them and adopt holistic approach-es like early intervention and detec-tion to lessen their agony," he added.

SS Roychaudhary, CEO of HFI,spoke about how with the help of theWorld Federation of Hemophilia, thepatients in the country have been pro-vided one million units of Factors inthe last three years, saving the nation-al exchequer of about billions ofrupees while Mukesh Garodia, vice-president (Finance) called for moretreatment centres in every districts tocover beneficiaries whose number isall to increase in view of increasingawareness about the disorder.

Sanjay Kant Prasad, Deputy ChiefCommissioner for Persons with

Disabilities spoke in detail about thePersons with Disabilities Act passedlast December which has expanded itsambit from the seven disabilities to 21disabilities including the bleedingdisorder like hemophilia. He sug-gested that since hemophilia has notbeen given disability benchmark sta-tus, the sector can approach fundsfrom the National Fund for treatment.

Dr GN Singh, Drug ControllerGeneral of India (DCGI) said that itis high time that rare diseases andblood disorders are given adequatefocus. More research work is needed.He also assured the sector of ensur-ing quality drugs so that patient's lifeis not compromised.

Winter Session

to start from

December 15

Bypolls in 4 States on December 21

Multi-State mock drill ontsunami preparedness held

Ayush Minister seeks herbal

remedy to manage hemophilia

NPPA caps

ceiling price

of 51 drug

formulations

Indian Junior Foreign Minister MJ Akbar, centre, hugs Finland's Foreign Minister Timo Soini as Indian his Indian counterpartSushma Swaraj, right, watches, in New Delhi AP

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in a meeting with Congress President SoniaGandhi in New Delhi on Thursday. Former PM Manmohan Singh and party vice-president RahulGandhi are also seen PTI

Members of theNDRF and officialsconducting atsunami mock drillin Chennai onFriday PTI

WHAT IS HEMOPHILIA?*Hemophilia is a life threatening bleeding disorder, for

even with a minor injury or cut, blood ofhemophiliac patients' do not clot normally due to the

absence of clotting proteins called Factors.

*In the absence of adequate care, recurrent andprolonged bleeding into joints and muscles

can lead to permanent disability and bleeding.

*Females are only the carriers

RK Nagar bypoll a litmus test for Palaniswamy GovtKUMAR CHELAPPAN n

CHENNAI

More than a year after theylost their elected repre-

sentative J Jayalalithaa, voters ofRK Nagar constituency, aChennai suburb, will queue upin front of the polling booths onDecember 21 to elect a newmember to the Tamil NaduLegislative Assembly.

Though the ElectionCommission of India hadannounced the by-electionschedule for the RK Nagar con-stituency and had fixed April 12as the date of polling, the entireprocess was cancelled 48 hoursbefore the polling because oflarge scale distribution of cashand gifts by some of the candi-dates. The Income Tax raids inthe residences and businesspremised of health minister

Vijaya Bhaskar, just days beforethe election, reportedly yieldeda big bounty of ̀ 80 crore meantfor distribution in the con-stituency from where TTVDinakaran, nephew of the jailedV K Sasikala was seeking elec-tion. Had the election been heldand Dinakaran emerged winner,Tamil Nadu would have seen thefourth chief minister in as manymonths because that was why hedecided to contest the election.

Since the cancellation of theby-election, political landscape inTamil Nadu underwent majorchanges. Sasikala, the jailed gen-eral secretary of the party and hernephew Dinakaran were easedout of the AIADMK by the fac-tion headed by chief ministerEdappadi Palaniswamy and theymerged with the faction headedby the ousted chief minister OPanneerselvam. Leaders belong-

ing to the DMK, Congress andthe Lefts allege that the ouster ofthe Sasikala clan and mergerwith OPS camp were held as perthe directives of the BJP’s centralleadership. The ECI which hadfrozen the Two Leaves symboland the name AIADMK allottedthe same to the faction led byOPS and EPS on Thursday. TheRK Nagar assembly by electionto be held on December 21 is,thus a litmus test for chief min-ister Palanisamy and his deputyPanneerselvam. It will also showthe kind of acceptability andpopularity enjoyed by theSasikala clan, which is likely tofield Dinakaran himself for thereplay. RK Nagar shot intonational prominence in June2015 when Jayalalithaa who wasacquitted by the Karnataka HighCourt in the DisproportionateAsset case chose this con-

stituency to get elected into theAssembly. She ceased to be amember of the House when theSpecial Court in Bangalore hadconvicted and sentenced herand three associates includingSasikala to four years imprison-ment in September 2014.Following her acquittal, theAIADMK member Vetrivel rep-resenting the constituencyresigned his membership tofacilitate Jayalaithaa to contest theelection. It was a cake walk forAmma as she polled 1,60, 432out of the 1,81,420 votes polledin the by-poll. In the 2016assembly election alsoJayalalithaa won from the sameconstituency but with reducedmajority. She could poll only97,218 out of the 1,90,061voteswhile her nearest DMK rivalpolled 57,673 votes.

Since then Tamil Nadu saw

the untimely demise ofJayalalithaa on December 5 ,2016 and the ouster ofPanneerselvam who succeededher as chief minister and thecoronation of Palaniswamy bydefault. Sasikala had been elect-ed as the legislature party leaderof the AIADMK and was to besworn in as chief minister at theMadras University CentenaryHall on February 15, 2017. Butthe Supreme Court which washearing the appeal filed by theKarnataka Government againstthe Karnataka High Court’sacquittal of Jayalalithaa and oth-ers , upheld the Special Courtverdict. On February 15, Sasikalahad to rush to ParappanaAgrahara Prison in Bangaloreinstead of the UniversityCentenary Auditorium and iscooling her heels in the cell sincethen.

nation 06LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017

PNS n GANDHINAGAR

With ruling BJP released alist of 13 more candidates

for Gujarat Assembly polls,total 148 names out of 182 con-stituencies decided.

In the next couple of days,lists of remaining 34 candidatesare expected to be released. Thethink tank of the saffronbrigade has given importanceto winnability of candidatesafter detailed study of all 182constituency and also consid-ered caste factors too. ThreePatidars have been given tick-ets in the fifth list of BJP can-didates. Veteran MLA fromNorth Gujarat town Unjha,Narayan Patel has been repeat-ed. Besides Patel, Gujaratifilm star Hitu Kanodia foundhis name in the list from Idarassembly constituency in NorthGujarat. The seat is reserved forSC. His father Naresh anduncle Mahesh, both are actorsin Gujarati films had remainedMLA and MP respectivelyfrom BJP. In the 2012 Assemblypolls Hitu contested from Kadiconstituency, but he lost fromthere. Amit Chaudhary wholeft the Congress ahead of theelections of three Rajya Sabhaseats of Gujarat and joined BJPgot ticket from Manasa con-stituency. He is considered asclose aide of former GujaratChief Minister Shankersinh

Vaghela. Minister of State inVijay Rupani GovernmentVallabh Kakadia and BJP’s chiefwhip in Gujarat AssemblyPankaj Desai have been repeat-ed from their respective con-stituencies. Other key candi-dates in the list are SumanbenChauhan from Kalol. She isdaughter-in-law ofParliamentarian fromPanchmahals PrabhatsinhChauhan. Her father-in-lawhad threatened to revolt if noone from his family was givencandidacy. Among others, whohave been made candidatesfrom BJP include, VijayChakraborty from Vadgam,Ranchhod Rabari from PAtan,Ramanlal Patel from Vijapur,Karsan Solanki from Kadi inNorth Gujarat and PiyushDesai from Navsari, DushyantPatel from Bharuch, ArvindChaudhari from Vyara andVivek Patel from Udhna inSouth Gujarat.

BJP releases fifth list

of Gujarat candidates

V SUDHAKAR RAO nAMARAVATI

The tech savy Chief Minister,Chandra Babu Naidu, has

almost achieved his target toconvert Andhra Pradesh asfirst e-State in the Country as100% in governance. With asingle click, every officer in theState including Chief Ministerand Chief Secretary will deliv-er their services and supervisetheir wings through a ControlRoom which will control totalgovernance with support of lat-est technologies.

The Chief Minister, onFriday, reviewed the progress ofthe different services underIT department including Real-time Governance (RTG), E-Pragathi, Land Hub (Bhu Seva),Cloud, Surveillance Cameras,Digital Class Rooms, Bio-Metric, E-Files, Drones andFibernet.

He announced that thecontrol room to be establishedin the Secretariat will consist ofa cohesive system of comput-ers that will track the real-timeprogress of all districts.Officials demonstrated the dif-ferent features of the controlroom that will be in full oper-ations from Monday.

“I will spend an hour everymorning on reviewing RTG”,said Chief MinisterChandrababu Naidu, addingthat Chief Secretary DineshKumar, Special Chief SecretaryB. Rajasekhar and CEO ofRTG Ahmed Babu must coop-erate and give him detailedreports every day.

E-office and BiometricThe Chief Minister

reviewed the number of HoDsthat have registered and comeonboard for the e-office andbiometric system for employ-ees. By the end of December, allHoDs are expected to have fin-

ished implementation.The Chief Minister asked

officials to also find out aboutthe important documents thatneed to be kept archived, andstart working towards makingthe offices paperless.

E-PragathiAll services in e-Pragathi

will be in English and Telugu,including all sectors, depart-ments and schemes of the gov-ernment.

The Chief Minister wasvery impressed with thisupdate, and said that digitizinggovernment procedures is notenough. “The people ofAndhra Pradesh will be able toaccess all websites in either lan-guage. Even Wikipedia and allour handles on social mediashould be available in Telugu”,he said.

He insisted that all key per-formance indicators, importantdeclarations and campaigns bythe government must be acces-sible from the dashboard inboth languages.

The Chief Minister alsoinstructed officials to find away to integrate the APFibergrid Corporation, DroneCorporation and ContentCorporation in order to be able

to coordinate with all depart-ments of the Government.

He said that the CCTV sys-tem, drones, virtual classrooms,bio-metrics and technologybeing used for RTG, must besynchronized with one plat-form, and officials must finaliseon one custodian of all mobileapps, and report on their devel-opment next week.

The AP mobile app storewill be ready for release on 31stDecember.

The Chief Ministerinstructed them to upgradethe research and developmentteam, to investigate the quali-ty of services supplied till thelast mile.

Bhu SevaFollowing the Chief

Minister’s guidance, officialspresented the Bhu seva, an inte-grated platform for land-relat-ed services. The platformincludes the creation of aunique identifier for each par-cel of land or property, whichwill function similar to theAadhar identification system.

Advisor J. Satyanarayanaexplained that the pilot projecthas started in the mandal,Jaggiahpet, in 22 villages andwill be completed by December

31st. The project includes theregistering of 2.84 crore agri-cultural parcels, 0.5 crore urbanproperties and 0.85 crore ruralproperties.

Officials demonstrated the8 out of 20 services that havebeen completely implementedin the pilot project, whichincludes identification, auto-updation, geo-referencing andelimination of frauds amongothers.

The entire Krishna dis-trict will be covered by March31 2018, and the target tocomplete all districts is October31 2018.

Once the implementationin the state crosses 80%,Bhudhaar (a Special Card oflands) will be mandated for alltransactions on land and prop-erty in a phased manner.

Bhu Seva is being devel-oped by Microsoft, and a sur-vey to find the best practices inthe world is being conducted byWipro.

The Chief Minister saidthat farmers should also bemade aware of the technologywe are using for geo-taggingand geo-referencing.

Drones have been used tocomplete the green cover map-ping in Tirumala and Tirupati.

Andhra set to become first e-State

TN RAGHUNATHA n MUMBAI

Ateam of EnforcementDirectorate officials on

Friday questioned incarceratedIndrani Mukerjea, primeaccused in the Sheena Boramurder case, in connection witha money-laundering case.

A day after the BombayHigh Court allowed ED toquestion her inside the Byacullawhere she is lodged, the EDofficials grilled Indrani, whoalong with her husband and co-accused in the Sheena Boramurder Peter Mukerjea had‘allegedly siphoned off 90 mil-lion GBP (Great BritainPounds)’ to foreign accountsusing hawala transactions.

Sheena will be questionedonce again by ED on December6.

In its plea made before thehigh court seeking permissionto question Indrani, the EDhad stated that Peter Mukerjeaand Indrani had “allegedlysiphoned off 90 million GBP(Great Britain Pounds) andthis money is suspected tohave gone to overseas countriesthrough unauthorised route ofhawala etc”.

According to the plea, theForeign Investment PromotionBoard (FIPB) permitted INXMedia to receive FDI for `46.2million, however, it receivedforeign investment totalling to`3,053.6 million during August2007 to May 2008.

“Thus excess foreignexchange equivalent to `3004.4million beyond the disclosed andpermitted foreign investmentwas received by INX media

from three Mauritius-based for-eign investors,” the ED stated.

Rabin, who is Peter’s sonfrom an earlier marriage, wasfound to be handing funds ofPeter and Indrani Mukerjeaheld in the form of bonds inNew Zealand, the ED said.

“Rabin... Peter and Indranihave laundered money and areinvolved in financial transac-tions in UK connected withillicit funds generated in India,”the ED stated in its applica-tion made before the highcourt.

Among other things, theED noted that Sheena Bora’smurder was suspected to havebeen triggered by financialreasons.

It may be recalled thatIndrani and other two arrest-ed accused – Sanjeev and Rai– had allegedly “kidnapped”Sheena between 6.30 pm and7.30 pm on April 24, 2012,from Bandra (west) in theircar.

She was allegedly stran-gulated in the car on the sameevening and that on the fol-lowing morning they carriedthe body of the deceasedpacked in a bag (which hadthey kept in the rear side ofthe car) to the jungles GogadeKhurd vi l lage of f theKhopoli-Pen Road, wherethey doused the bag withpetrol and set it on fire.

Sheena was daughter ofIndrani from her first live inpartner Siddhartha Das.Incidentally, Sheena was in alive-in relationship with RahulMukerjea, the son of PeterMukherjea.

Money Laundering

case: ED sleuths

quiz Indrani in jail

Yoga guru backs Assam Minister’s statement linking cancer to past sins

STAFF REPORTER n NEW DELHI

In an alleged case of mobilesnatching going wrong, a

group of five teenagers inschool uniform stabbed a manto death inside a moving bus onMathura Road in South Delhi on Thursday afternoonafter he tried to frisk them onsuspicion they had stolen hismobile phone.

Police said they have appre-hended four juveniles in thecase and one juvenile isabsconding.

Deputy Commissioner ofPolice (South-East) RomilBaaniya said the deceased has been identified asMohammed Anas (25) and hissnatched mobile phone hasbeen recovered.

“Four of them who havebeen apprehended are pursuingstudies in eighth to 10th stan-dard in Government schools.The interrogation of the juve-niles revealed that they assem-bled in the afternoon and board-ed a bus route number 479 fromnear Ashram Chowk and theysnatched the mobile phone ofvictim and in the due course,one of them stabbed the victimon the neck and deboarded thebus,” said the DCP.

The conductor of the buscarrying about 40 passengers atthe time of incident said the

boys, as well as the victim,boarded the bus from a bus stopin Ashram and soon the manbegan frisking the students.The man alleged that they hadstolen his mobile phone,according to the conductor.

“This led to a scuffle inwhich one boy stabbed the manin his neck with a knife whilethe other boys restrained him,”the conductor said. Police saidthe boys were wearing whiteshirts and navy blue trouserssuggesting they were studentsof a Government school. As thevictim collapsed inside thebus, the boys managed to jumpout of the vehicle unchallengedafter the murder.

“The bus was moving slow-ly because of the traffic, so theymanaged to jump out andescape,” the driver of the bus,Jai Bhagwan, said. Police saiddespite the arrest there has beenno breakthrough in the caseuntil Friday afternoon.

Police are further interro-gating the juveniles in order totrace the fifth one and to ascer-tain if the accused boys are apart of a gang that hires boysin uniform to pickpocket pas-sengers, so that suspicion canbe avoided.


The Delhi Metro RailCorporation (DMRC) was

expected to mop up addition-al revenue after it increasedfares twice in 2017. However,the steep hike resulted in com-muters opting for cheapermodes of transport and in theprocess the Delhi Metro lostover three lakh commuters aday after the second fare hikecame into effect on October 10.

This was revealed in an RTIquery filed by a PTI corre-spondent. The Metro’s dailyaverage ridership came down to24.2 lakh in October from 27.4lakh in September, translatingto a fall of around 11 per cent.

On October 10, the DMRCeffected the fare hike, leadingto a rise of around `10 for everydistance slab. This came bare-ly five months after a hike of upto 100 per cent. The metro cur-rently has a 218-km networkacross Delhi-NCR. The BlueLine, considered the metro’sbusiest, lost over 30 lakh com-muters in October, accordingto data shared by the Delhi Metro RailCorporation (DMRC).

The fall, in terms ofabsolute numbers, was over 19lakh on the Yellow Line inOctober, another busy corridorwhich connects Gurgaon toNorth Delhi’s Samaipur Badli,the DMRC said. Ridership onthe Violet Line, which connectsITO to Faridabad, plunged by

11.9 lakh in October. The num-ber of riders on the Red Line,from Dilshad Garden toRithala, came down by 7.5lakh. Ridership has come downseveral notches from the num-bers observed in recent years, bucking a trend of rise on the back of the launchof newer sections.

In fact, in October 2016,the metro’s daily average rid-ership was 27.2 lakh, despite acomparatively shorter opera-tional route. The revised farestructure is: up to 2 km — `10;2 to 5 km — `20; 5 to 12 km

— `30; 12 to 21 km — `40; 21to 32 km — `50; and for jour-neys beyond 32 km — `60.

Till May, the Metro trans-ported around 28 lakh passen-gers daily. After the first phaseof the hike in May, the metrolost nearly 1.5 lakh passengersper day in June as ridershipdropped to 25.7 lakh. However,ridership picked up fromaround July. In July and Augustthis year, the Delhi Metro wit-nessed daily average ridershipof 26.6 lakh and 27 lakh respec-tively. Last year, in July, Augustand September, the Metro’s

daily average ridership figureswere 26.9 lakh, 28.5 lakh and28.4 lakh, respectively, reflecting a trajectory of sus-tained growth. The ArvindKejriwal-led AAP Governmenthad mounted stiff opposition tothe hike, leading to a con-frontation with the Centre.

“That many passengershave taken to other means oftransport, thus increasing pol-lution and congestion on roads.Metro fare hike has not bene-fited anyone,” Kejriwal tweetedon Friday. Kejriwal, who alongwith his Aam Aadmi Party(AAP), had opposed the farehike and called it anti-people.

“Delhi Metro admits in itsRTI response to PTI that its rid-ership decreased by 11 percent following a steep fare hikein October. Result of misplacedpriorities by an unaccountableBoard!” Kejriwal’s media advis-er Nagendar Sharma added.

It may be noted that theDelhi Assembly had passed aresolution to oppose the fareincrease by the Delhi Metrowith Deputy Chief MinisterManish Sisodia, alleging that itwas a “conspiracy” to benefitprivate cab companies.

Asked to comment on thedrop in number of passengers,Union Minister Vijay Goel saidefforts would be made toincrease the number of pas-sengers. “If need be I will raisethe issue of fare hike with theCentre,” he said. His colleagueUnion Minister of Housing

and Urban Affairs HardeepSingh Puri had said earlierthat the Centre was in no posi-tion to disregard the recom-mendations of a Fare FixationCommittee which had drawnup the revised fare list. DelhiCongress chief Ajay Makenalso weighed in with his view and said both theKejriwal Government and the Centre were responsible for thefall in ridership. “The Delhichief secretary was a part of thefare fixation panel. TheKejriwal Gover-nment gaveDMRC chief Mangu Singh anextension of four years. Thepanel’s report had come onSeptember 2016. Was theKejriwal Government sleep-ing all this while?” Makentweeted.

DMRC lost over 3 lakh commuters a day since Oct 10 steep increase

l RTI query filed by a PTI correspondent reveals Metro’s dailyaverage ridership came down to 24.2 lakh in October from 27.4lakh in September, translating to a fall of around 11 per cent

l In fact, in October 2016, the metro’s daily average ridership was27.2 lakh, despite a comparatively shorter operational route

l That many passengers have taken to other means of transport,thus increasing pollution and congestion on roads. Metro fare hikehas not benefited anyone, Kejriwal tweeted

l DMRC, however, said in a statement that the drop in ridership isnot solely because of increase in fares. Variations in ridership aredue to vacations, holidays and festivals, it added

5 teens in school

uniform knife man

after snatching his

mobile in S Delhi;

four arrested

Fare hike no more gravy train for Metro

ALL PAIN, NO GAIN?

DMRC passes

buck on holidays

for ridership drop

New Delhi: The DMRC, whichhad maintained the fare hikewas essential to maintain finan-cial as well as operationalhealth, said in a statement onFriday that the drop in rider-ship is not solely because ofincrease in fares. Variations inridership are due to vacations,holidays and festivals, it added

Reacting to the report, itsaid the month of Octoberhad holidays owing to festivalssuch as Diwali, Chhath Poojaand Bhai Duj. “In the month ofOctober there were fiveSundays in comparison to fourin September and ridershipremains less on holidays thanon weekdays.

Victim Mohammed Anas

‘Schoolboys’stab youth todeath in bus

In the next

couple of days,

lists of

remaining 34

candidates are

expected to

be released

RSS CHIEF: ONLY...need to reach out to thosewho are prone to conver-sion,” he said touching on reli-gious conversions. “The needfor equality is still elusive in ourdeeds and practices though weall understand its significance.We should rise above the bar-riers of caste, creed and religionin our speech and action whiletreating people and embraceeverybody wholeheartedly.There should not be any dis-crimination on the issues ofsharing water, religious placesand cremation grounds,”Bhagwat said. This he saidabout protecting Dalits andbackward communities andthe duties of the seers gatheredthere. “The society is carelessabout the status of cows. Thosewho have concern for the cowsstand up to protect the cattle.This leads to conflict in thesociety resulting in bad nameto the ‘cow protectors’,” saidBhagwat. Vishvesha TeerthaSwamiji of Pejavar Math ofUdupi, who chairs the recep-

tion committee, said the Ramtemple will be built well before2019. He demanded that theGovernment amend theConstitution to do away withspecial provisions for minori-ties in order for equality in thesociety. Addressing the meetearlier, VHP leader PravinTogadia reiterated the VHP’saffirmation to build Ram tem-ple and a ban on cow slaugh-ter. Togadia also demandedthat the Government should not regulate Hindutemples. Udupi located on thewestern coast known for prop-agation of Madhwa philosophyby 13th century saintMadhwacharya, who foundedthe Dwaitha school of philosophy. This is the secondtime after 1985 that the saintsare meeting at Udupi. It was inUdupi when the DharmaSansad in 1985 made the firstformal announcement of Ramtemple at Rama Janmabhoomi

in Ayodhya. UP CM YogiAdityanath and Art of Livingspiritual leader Sri Sri RaviShankar are also expected toattend this event.

MUSLIM OUTFITS...seemed possible now, whilealso noting that the matter wasin the court. “Ram Mandironly will be constructed andnothing else. It will be con-structed there only,” Bhagwatsaid. He said the temple wouldbe constructed in the samegrandeur as it existed before,using the “same stones” underthe guidance of those who werethe flag-bearers of the RamJanmabhoomi movement forthe last 25 years. The SupremeCourt will on December 5 com-mence the final hearing on thecross-appeals filed against the2010 judgement of theAllahabad High Court in theRam Janmabhoomi-BabriMasjid title dispute.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ANUP SHARMA n GUWAHATI

Although Assam HealthMinister Himanta Biswa

Sarma’s statement linking cancerand sins of past life drew nation-wide outrage, yet the Minister onFriday got a sympathiser inYoga guru Baba Ramdev. “WhatHimanta Biswa Sarmaji has saidon karmic action is correct if yousee it in totality. However, hisstatements have been distorted.People had to bear what they doin life,” said the Yoga guru whileinteracting with a section ofnewsmen at Tezpur in Assam.The Yoga guru said genetics asone of the reasons for diseasesand said that genetics is basicallyrelated to Karmafal of individ-ual. “Whatever a person gets inlife—good or bad depends onKarmafal. Diseases occur basi-cally due to three factors. Firstgenetics, which is again

Karmafal, second habits of theindividual and environment,”said the Yoga guru. “Hamarejiban me job hi hota hai…jaise kigutkha khana…gutkha khanabhi to ek karma hi hai— are allkarmas and due to this karmadiseases takes place,” said BabaRamdev.

It may be mentioned herethat nationwide outrage fol-lowed particularly in the socialnetworking sites after the AssamHealth Minister recently linkedcancer and accidental death ofyoung people to sins committedin past life. The political circleacross the nation went abuzz inthe social media criticising thestatements of the health minis-ter particularly in the presentage of science and technologyand the opposition Congresseven demanded immediate ter-mination of the minister fromhealth portfolio.


In a horrific incident, a two-year-old child was brutally

smashed against floor by awoman until he died, inSouthwest Delhi’s Uttam Nagararea on Thursday evening.

The accused woman lives inthe same building and killed thechild following a heated argu-ment with his mother, in a fit ofrage. She was caught when shehad hidden the boy’s body in asack to dispose it off. Accordingto the senior police officers, anargument took place three daysago between the accusedwoman, who was later identifiedas Madhu Bala, and the child’smother. It was on Thursday thatBala got a chance to revenge herinsult and spotted the childroaming around alone. “As toldby the accused when questioned,since the victim’s family lives onthe first floor, the accusedwoman took the child to her

room on the second floor of thebuilding. There, as the child triedto raise alarm and started crying,the woman in order to silencehim, hit him multiple timesagainst the floor, until the childdied,” said a senior police officer.

Meanwhile, the child’s fam-ily started searching for him andafter about an hour his father

also reached the accusedwoman’s house to check for hischild. “Seeing the child’s fatherthe accused woman resisted thefamily from letting in but theybarged in forcefully with the helpof neighbours and found thechild’s blood drenched bodywrapped in a sack. It was thenthey rushed him to DDUHospital where he was declaredbrought dead,” the officer said.

Hospital staff then reportedthe matter to the police and thevictim’s family gave a writtencomplaint against the accusedwoman and an FIR was regis-tered. Police said that the child’sbody was handed over to thepolice after a post mortem exam-ination. “We are also trying toprobe if some other angle isinvolved in the murder. Primafacie, rage has appeared as themotive behind murder, howev-er all angles are being lookedinto. The woman has beenarrested,” the officer said.

Woman kills toddler in a fit of rage

The accusedkilled the child

following aheated argumentwith his mother

LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017nation 07

Hanging body alludes

to Padmavati amid row

AT JAIPUR'S NAHARGARH FORT

IANS n JAIPUR/NEW DELHI

The body of a man wasfound hanging at Jaipur’s

Nahargarh Fort on Friday withmessages denouncingPadmavati scribbled on rocksnearby even as passions for andagainst the controversial filmcontinued to rage.

While National Awardwinning actor ProsenjitChatterjee and actress RaniMukerji voiced distress over theviolent rant against the film’sproducer-director and actors,some people in New Delhiburnt filmmaker Sanjay LeelaBhansali’s effigy outside ametro station.

However, there was somemuch-needed relief for Bhansaliand Viacom18 Motion Pictures.

The Delhi High Court dis-missed a PIL seeking an expertcommittee of historians andsocial activists to examinePadmavati to ensure there wereno ‘distortions’, saying such‘hopeless and misconceived’pleas were “encouraging” thoseagitating against the film.

Also, West Bengal’sMamata Banerjee became thefirst Chief Minister to say shewas ready to welcome the film

and its crew — at a time whenChief Ministers of at least fourother states have opposed themovie’s release.

Hindu groups backed bythe BJP are up in arms againstthe movie over conjecturesthat it distorts history aboutRajput queen Padmavati andRajput culture.

Police in Jaipur said theywere finding out whether the40-year-old man’s death — hisbody was found on the outerwalls of the Nahargarh Fort —had anything to do with thePadmavati row.

The message, scrawled onrocks nearby, read, “Hum putlenahin jalate... latkate hain”(Wedon’t burn effigies, we hangthem).

“’Padmavati’ ka virodhkarne walon... Hum main haidum.” (Those protestingagainst Padmavati ... We haveguts)

Deputy Commissioner of

Police Satyendra Singh toldthat the dead man had beenidentified as Chetan Saini, aresident of Jaipur’s ShastriNagar who ran a jewellery andhandicrafts business.

Singh said it was not clearif it was murder or suicide andthat it would be too early torelate the messages on therocks to Padmavati.

The Rajput Karni Sena,which is most vocal against themovie, denied any involve-ment in the case.

“We express complete dis-approval of it and deny ourinvolvement in any manner,”Vivek Singh Shekhawat, theRajasthan General Secretary ofthe group said.

The release of the Hindifilm, earlier scheduled forDecember 1, has been deferred.

Bhansali continued to get thesupport of the film fraternity.

Prosenjit Chatterjee said“directors will stop doing his-torical films the way it has beenhandled”. Rani Mukerji said shestood by Bhansali: “He knowsthat I back him, love him. Heis my darling and Sanjay trulybelieves how much I love himand he knows how I stand byhim.”

SAUGAR SENGUPTA n KOLKATA

With no love lost betweenKolkata and Delhi,

Bengal Chief Minister MamataBanerjee on Friday furtherraised the animosity barlaunching her fiercest attackhitherto, on the Narendra ModiGovernment for perpetratingin India a ‘Super Emergency’ ofthe ‘Tughlaq’ brand.

Addressing her audienceat the India Today (East) con-clave, Banerjee went hammerand tong at the saffronGovernment for meeting outstep-motherly treatment tomost States save Gujarat andaccused the Centre for tryingto gag the Opposition parties.

She said, “If I say some-thing against him (read thePrime Minister) then someCentral Minister will definite-ly call me up to ask as to whyI spoke against him. I want toreiterate that I have the right tospeak against any one in ademocratic country so I spokeagainst him. Is it wrong tospeak against someone!”

Attacking the ModiGovernment she wonderedwhether cooperative federalismwas under threat in India andsaid investors were encouragedto go to Gujarat and discour-aged from coming to Bengal. “Ilove Gujarat and its people.

They are nice people but thisdoes not mean that everythinggood is taking place in that Stateand all other States are doingnothing,” Banerjee, who hadbeen vainly flying all over Indiaand the world to draw invest-ment, iterated.

Banerjee literally yelled tounderscore: “Super Emergencyis going on in this country.Democracy is under threat. Ihave also been an MP for 25years but never seen such aGovernment at the Centre,”reminding “in a democracy theCentre is like a parent. But hereit is different. Can they tell theinvestors to go to this State andnot that State.”

Attacking GST anddemonetisation, she said, “askthe industrialists and they willtell you” why they were fleeingIndia.

Vouching for ‘collective

leadership’ she said in thegiven circumstances all par-ties were working togetherand “it is the best policy,”reminding she shared a goodchemistry with the DMK, SP,BSP, BJD and even theCongress with which she wasworking inside Parliament.

Notwithstanding Banerjeewas quick to guard the rearsaying in Bengal though theBJP, Congress and the Leftwere working together to dis-lodge her regime in Delhi allwere one against the saffronregime.

When asked whether thiswas an indication of her effortsto raise a national coalition sheoffered to work with all anti-BJP parties to overthrow thesaffron regime in the next LokSabha elections.

On whether the BJP hademerged as a real threat

against her in Bengal, she saidher State would never acceptthe ‘divide and rule’ policy ofthe BJP and added the saffronoutfit was only in the mediaand social media and nowherein her State.

On whether directorSanjay Leela Bhansali’sPadmavati could smoothly sailin Bengal, Banerjee said, “wewill make special arrangementsfor the movie’s release.” Thefilm was ‘welcome in Bengal’which would be “proud to hostthe premiere,” she said adding“some 4-5 men tried to createsome nuisance but such peoplewill be tackled in a matter offew minutes.”

Meanwhile, the TrinamoolCongress on Friday moved theCalcutta High Court againstthe Centre’s granting of Y+ cat-egory security for formerUnion Minister and BJP leaderMukul Roy.

Debraj Chakrabarty aTMC councilor moved theCourt seeking to quash thedecision to provide 12 CPFjawans for Roy a formerTrinamool leader’s securitywithin two days of his joiningthe saffron outfit at a timewhen the Centre had with-drawn security forces fromDarjeeling which remainedfairly tensed on account ofrecent political turmoil.

Kolkata: There are at leasttwo more Bangladeshi terror-ists of the Ansarullah Bangla-Al Qaida brand roamingfreely in Bengal, Special TaskForce of the Kolkata Policethat on Tuesday arrested threetop ABT terror modules, said.

Based on their statementsthe STF on Friday arrested yetanother terror mole SadaqatHussein for helping the arrest-ed ABT terrorists cross border.He would charge `5,000 foreach person he is known tohave said. He was arrestednear Sealdah Station.

The STF officials who sub-jected the terrorists to sustainedinterrogation on Friday said atleast two more gang membersNayan Gazi and Tamim aliasSwapan Biswas had crossedthe border along with Samsadalias Tanvir alias Tushar andRiyaz alias Suman who werearrested earlier.

ABT a new incarnation ofJamatul MujahideenBangladesh is a dreaded terroroutfit responsible for perpetrat-ing blogger hacking and polit-ical killings in that country hadcurrently left the ISIS bandwag-on and associated itself with theAl Qaida and was trying toorchestrate a big strike to earnpublicity, sources said. PNS

Another ABTterrorist held,2 more atlarge

Didi tears into Modi’s ‘super emergency’TMC MOVES HC AGAINST MUKUL’S Y-GRADE SECURITY COVER

NAYAN DAVE n GANDHINAGAR

Expressing confidence forhis party’s Government in

Gujarat after the results of theState Assembly polls, Congressvice-president Rahul Gandhihit out at BJP claiming that thepresent Government in theState is only working for thehandful of industrialists but ifCongress will be voted topower it would be people’sGovernment.

The Congress vice-presi-dent who started 2-day tour tothe poll bound State on Fridaymorning from MahatmaGandhi’s birthplace Porbandartook a jibe at Prime MinisterNarendra Modi’s ‘Man Ki Bat’radio programme and saidthat Modi Government wasnot listening anybody andonly telling its ‘Maan Ki Baat’,but when Congress wouldform the Government after theresults of Gujarat polls, itwould listen people’s problemand work for them.

Addressing fishermencommunity in the coastal townhe went on to say that unlikeruling BJP, the new CongressChief Minister would be avail-able for all meet everyone.The 47-year-old leader alsopromised the fishermen to setup independent fisheries min-istry if his party would come topower at Centre.

BJP Governments atCentre as well as in Gujaratwould give freebies to indus-

trialists worth lakhs of croresbut they wouldn’t even consid-er to give even `300 crore sub-sidy to poor fishermen, hesaid. The scion of Gandhi-Nehru family also took a digat Modi Government overabrupt implementation of GSTand demonetisation. Aheadof the rally, Gandhi paid visitto Mahatma Gandhi’s birth-place – Kirti Mandir and paidtribute to the Father of Nation.

From Porbandar he flewdown to Sanand on the out-skirts of Ahmedabad where heraised the issue of RohithVemula’s death while address-ing ‘Dalit Swabhiman Sabha’ atDalit Shakti Kendra (DSK), avocational training instituterun for Dalits. He blamedcentral government for thedeath of the HyderabadUniversity’s Dalit student.Vemula didn’t commit sui-cide, he was murdered, said

Gandhi adding that a letter ofMinister spoiled his careerand was forced to commitsuicide. The 28-year-old sec-ond-year research scholar wasfound hanging in his friend’shostel room a year ago. Hissuicide had triggered a hugepolitical furore with the thenHRD Minister Smriti Iranicoming under attack alongwith Labour Minister BandaruDattatreya for having writtena letter related to the matter.

The Congress leader alsoreceived a giant national flagmeasuring 125 feet x 83 feetwoven by Dalit artisans. It isworth mentioning the flagwas to be given to GujaratChief Minister Vijay Rupanibut the State Governmentallegedly turned down therequest of artisans citing a rea-son that it was too huge andthere was no proper space tokeep.

MOHIT KANDHARI n JAMMU

Talented players fromJammu & Kashmir are

making big ininternational/national sport-ing events but it is the sportsadministrators who are takingthese young players for a ‘dirty’ride by depriving them of evenclean toilet facilities.

For last couple of monthsthe players training insideIndoor sports complex MAstadium in Jammu have beendemanding better toilet facil-ities but instead of payingattention to their pleas thesports administrators are busyshoring up their own image inthe eyes of the State ChiefMinister.

For photo-ops theseadministrators have been par-ticipating and organising dif-ferent events to provide cleanstadiums to the players andsports persons but their ownreport cards paint a dirtypicture.

In the absence of muchneeded repair/renovation workthe players who want to relievethemselves are left with noother option but to use ‘unhy-gienic’ toilet facilities after toil-

ing hard during practice ses-

sions.When this correspondent

accompanied some players andinspected the toilet facilities theplayers showed broken toiletseats and running taps. Eventhe main doors were foundmissing in some toilets. Electricbulbs and taps were missingtoo in these toilets used by maleplayers. In some places smallpipes and wooden pieces wereused to block flow of waterfrom main supply line.

To provide better trainingand modern sports infrastruc-ture facilities a special package of`200 crore was sanctioned by theUnion government in favour ofJammu and Kashmir in 2015.

Out of this amount, `88crore were provided for reno-vation/upgradation of BakshiStadium at Srinagar, MAStadium at Jammu and otherworks.

However, the work on theproject is yet to begin onground zero in Jammu.

Senior functionaries of theJ&K State Sports council toldThe Pioneer, "project DPR’s areready and very soon the upgra-dation/renovation work wouldbegin in MA Stadium Jammu".

VR JAYARAJ n KOCHI

Adivision bench of the KeralaHigh Court on Friday said

that the jury could take a deci-sion on whether controversialMalayalam movie ‘S Durga’was worth screening in thePanorama section of the ongo-ing 48th International FilmFestival of India (IFFI) in Goaafter viewing its censored ver-sion. However, the benchrefused to stay an earlier orderto screen the movie at the fes-tival.

In an interim order, thedivision bench said a specialjury could take appropriatedecision in this regard after theCentre told it that a newlyconstituted jury would evaluatethe worthiness of the movie forscreening in the festival that hadbegun in Goa on Monday. Thefestival will conclude onNovember 28.

The division bench com-prising Acting Chief JusticeAntony Dominic and JusticeMuhammad Mustaque, whichadmitted the appeal filed by theCentre against the order of thesingle-judge bench of JusticeVinod Chandran that clearedthe screening of S Durga at theGoa Festival, the Informationand Broadcasting Ministry toexplain the reason for its objec-tion to the screening.

Informing the court thatthe movie contained factorsthat might hurt religious senti-ments, the Centre said that anew committee of jury mem-bers had to be constituted towatch the movie as its worthi-ness to be screened had notbeen evaluated after makingchanges to it including in thetitle – from the original ‘SexyDurga’ to ‘S Durga’. The single-judge bench had cleared SDurga for screening at the Goafilm festival on the basis of apetition filed by its directorSanal Kumar Sasidharan whocontended that the exclusion ofhis movie, which had already

Jury can take call on SDurga, says Kerala HC

BJP Govt is only working

for industrialists: Rahul

Gandhinagar: The BJP criticised All India Congress Committee (AICC)vice-president Rahul Gandhi for not even holding a small statue ofMahatma Gandhi at Porbandar. When a Congress worker presented hima statue of Mahatma it almost fell down from his hands. “You could nothold idol of Sardar or Mahatma. It almost slipped out of your hand. Itreminded me of treatment Congress mete out to Sardar Patel,” UnionDefence Minister Nirmala Seetharaman said at Ahmedabad during apress conference. She made a mockery of Congress party’s plight inGujarat saying that the oldest political party is playing role of oppositionover the past two decades and lost three consecutive elections and beingrejected by people.

“Super Emergencyis going on in this

country.Democracy isunder threat. I

have also been anMP for 25 years butnever seen such aGovernment at the

Centre”

Sports admin playing

dirty with J&K players

ANUP SHARMA n GUWAHATI

Blaming the media and few‘political desperado’ for blow-

ing his statements linking sins ofpast life and cancer out of propor-tion, Assam Health MinisterHimanta Biswa Sarma on Fridayapologised to those who were hurtby these ‘absolutely mindless con-troversy’.

Sarma today said that hisspeech on divine justice andKarmic deficiency was quoted outof context. “In their bid to trivi-alize and sensationalise, no one islooking at content of my wholespeech and intent. It was said inthe context of helping poor stu-dents of government schools andrequest to teachers not to neglectthem. It was also a message toinstruct district education officersnot to harass teachers,” said theMinister in a statement issuedtoday.

ASSAM MIN BLAMESIT ON MEDIA, SAYSSORRY FOR CANCERCONTROVERSY

BJP slams Cong for not holdingMahatama’s statue at Porbandar

PNS n NEW DELHI

The Union IT Minister RaviShankar Prasad on Friday

said the country will ‘assert itsvoice’ for the digital lydeprived and marginalised bybuilding a case for safe inter-net access for all. At the sametime, India will be a ‘voice ofmoderation and reason’ inthe global digital discourse, hesaid while addressing theMinisterial Forum at GlobalConference on Cyberspace2017.

“India firmly stands fordigitally egalitarian orderwhere we will lend our weightto those who are digitally

deprived and marginalisedbut with logic, reason andmoderation,” he said. Thepanel, which discussed chal-lenges faced by countries inensuring citizens have accessto secure and inclusive cyber-space, included policy makersfrom nations like Iran, Japan,Russia and Venezuela.

“Cyberspace must beequal space, free from threat,”Prasad said, adding thatGovernments globally willhave to play a crucial role inmaking internet safe againstradical elements, terroristsand extremists. He stressedthat countries can move for-ward only by building trust,

undertaking reciprocity andhaving certain agreed normsof behaviour in cyberspace.Prasad said India is open tosharing its best practices forgreater collaboration andcooperation in the area ofcyberspace.

“Digital inclusion, digitalaccess and digital securityshould become importantsignposts of cyberspace.Access to internet should notbe negotiable, and should beavailable without discrimina-tion,” he said.

There is a raging debategoing on over net neutralityglobally. Recently, US regula-tor Federal Communications

Commission had said it plansto roll back the ‘net neutrali-ty’ rules adopted in 2015.

In India, sector regulatorTelecom Regulatory Authorityof India (TRAI) is slated toannounce its recommenda-tions on the issue soon as theconsultation process is still on.

Earlier on Friday, TRAIChairman RS Sharma toldnews agencies that the regula-tor’s recommendations on netneutrality will be in the Indiancontext, guided solely bynational interest. “We aregoing to be pragmatic andguided solely by what is in theinterest of the country,”Sharma said.

PTI n NEW DELHI

As many as 500 missingchildren have been traced

over the last few monthsthrough Aadhaar, the CEO ofUnique IdentificationAuthority of India (UIDAI),Ajay Bhushan Pandey, said onFriday.

“Over the last few months,more than 500 missing chil-dren have been identifiedthrough Aadhaar,” he saidaddressing a session at the

Global Conference onCyberspace (GCCS) 2017.

Explaining this, he saidthis happened in instanceswhere a child found in anorphanage underwent Aadhaarenrolment and it was foundthat his/her 12-digit biometricidentifier had already beenmade. “...Through that we areable to trace,” Pandey said. Ona lighter note, he said thescript of classic Bollywoodpotboilers about siblings sep-arating and re-uniting after

decades would now have to bere-worked with Aadhaar inthe picture. India is among thenations with the largest num-ber of children in the world,with about 40 per cent of the1.2 billion population beingbelow the age of 18, accordingto 2011 Census.

According to CRY (ChildRights and You), an NGOworking for child rights, thenumber of children who wentmissing and remain untracedacross the country increased by

about 84 per cent between2013 and 2015. It quoted gov-ernment data to say about 180children go missing on anaverage every day.

Speaking at the session on'Digital Identity for All: GlobalBest Practices', Pandey fur-ther said the total saving so faron account of Aadhaar wasover $10 billion as its linkagesto various Governmentschemes had helped remove‘ghosts and duplicates’ from thesystem.

‘About 500 missing kids traced via Aadhaar’

‘India will assert its voice for digitally deprived’

been selected by the jury forscreening, from the Goa eventwas illegal.

In the appeal, the CentralGovernment reiterated thatthough the Sasidharan film,which was excluded from thefestival along with Marathimovie ‘Nude’, had been select-ed by the jury, it had notsecured the exemptionrequired by the Panoramaregulations in the absence ofcertification from the CentralBoard of Film Certification(CBFC).

The Union I&B Ministryalso contended that the inclu-sion of the film in thePanorama section after thestart of the festival could dis-turb its conduct by upsettingthe schedule. Supporters ofdirector Sasidharan are of theview that the Centre is tryingto find excuses for not screen-ing the film in the festivalbecause of its prejudices.

“First they (the Centre)took a shocking decision toexclude the film even after thejury selected it to thePanorama section. This creat-ed severe discontent in thejury leading to resignations.When the High Court clearedits screening, they opposed itciting technical problems.They are coming up withnew excuses now,” said anaward-winning Malayalamfilmmaker.

Hardik getsY-categorysecurity after threatPNS n GANDHINAGAR

Pro-quota stir leader andconvener of Patidar Anamat

Andolan Samiti (PAAS) HardikPatel has been given Y catego-ry security following securitythreat on him.

A Central security teamhas also conducted survey athis residence in Ahmedabad’sShilaj area. The securityexperts carried out inspectionaround the 24-year-oldPatidar leader’s house whohas declared support to theOpposition Congress partyjust two days back.

Init ia l ly Hardik haddenied taking security, butlater on he agreed on takingY category security afterinsistence from his familyand friends. Based on reportof Centra l Intel l igenceBureau (CBI), he was givensecurity f rom Centra lGovernment. According tosources, the inspection sur-rounding his house was aroutine process as whoeverwould be given Y categorysecurity, such procedure con-ducted.

According to the report ‘India:Health of the Nation’s States 2017’,recently released by the Union

Home Ministry, suicides accounted formore deaths than illness or any othercause in the 15-39 year age group the lastyear. Prepared by the Ministry’s depart-ment of health research, in associationwith the Indian Council of MedicalResearch (ICMR), Public HealthFoundation of India and the Institute ofHealth Metrics and Evaluation, it foundthat “self-harm”, which includes suicidesand other non-fatal outcomes, was oneof the leading contributors to India’s“injury burden.”

The report ranks States according tothe percentage of total deaths suicideaccounts for in the age group. Tripuratops the list with 25.2 per cent. SuchState-wise ranking, however, is importantonly to the extent to which it points tothe local factors that aggravate theimpact of the fundamental causes affect-ing the whole country. These relate to thesocial, intellectual, cultural and psycho-logical impact of the market capitalism-oriented path of development that Indiahas been following since the launch of theprocess of liberalisaton in 1991.

This will become clear if we view thecauses of suicide alongside the conse-quences of the course of development wehave chosen. An important cause of sui-cide is severe erosion of one’s sense of self-esteem driving one to such an intensehatred of one’s self that one is preparedto destroy the latter, or to severe depres-sion and despair, which makes one feelthat life is not worth living any more. Animportant reason for one getting intoeither state is failure to achieve theobjectives one has set for oneself. Erosionof a sense of self-esteem stemming fromthis can be compounded by the feeling ofbeing looked down upon by one’s peers.

The question is: What kind of failurein terms of achieving one’s goals can leadto such a steep fall in self-esteem that oneis led to kill oneself? Equally, what kindof lack achievement can make one anobject of such ridicule that plays havocwith one’s self-esteem? It is here that theethos of market capitalism comes in. Itobtains its surplus essentially from sales,the volume of which depends on a num-ber of factors ranging from packaging tosales and distribution networks manage-ment. Its cutting edge is advertising,whose main goal is persuading people tobuy specific items. To this end, thegoods and services advertised are not justprojected as being desirable andadmirable by themselves but their pos-session is shown as indicative of a per-son’s worth. Thus, a particular brand ofwatch is not just an outstanding and ele-

gant precision instrument but its posses-sion indicates that the owner is a personof substance. Cars, motor bikes, scootersare special objects of such projection.Their possession, through advertising,makes a man irresistible to women or, atleast, makes him a recipient of adoringlooks. Such looks can also follow from theuse of items like deodorants, toothpastes, after shave lotions, perfumes,cameras — indeed, the entire range ofconsumer goods.

Their projection in advertisements isbacked by display in glittering shops anddistribution outlets. People, particularlyadolescents, who are able to see and readwhat advertisements convey but are notmature enough to realise that one needsto cut one’s coat according to the size ofone’s cloth, get intensely frustrated andangry if they do not get what they covet.Their frustration increases if they findothers driving a car or a motor bike theywant but cannot afford. Many of thesemen and women are not poor in theabsolute sense of having to scroungearound for the essentials of life. It is nota question of deprivation but of relativedeprivation compared to others, and it isfelt mostly in terms of goods.

It is a process that is very difficult toreverse. For, after having come to possesssomething one had been desperatelylonging for, and perhaps a brief intervalof quietude when one primarily enjoys

what one has acquired, one can begin tocrave for something new which, one feels,one must absolutely have. The feeling ofdeprivation intensifies if that remainsindefinitely elusive.

Failure to satisfy one’s consumptionurges over a long period spawns despairas to whether one will ever be able to getwhat one longs for. Despair leads todepression which in turn can trigger thebelief that it is better to be through withit all rather than continue to rot in a hostile world.

An important cause of suicide is inse-curity. In Fear of Freedom (also issued asEscape from Freedom), Erich Frommpoints out that during infancy, a child isvery much a part of its mother’s worldand wrapped in the security it provides,unaware of the many serious dangers thatthreaten an adult as he or she makes hisor her way through the world. The childbecomes increasingly aware of these asit grows up and becomes an individual,a process that Fromm calls individuation.The result is a feeling of insecuritywhich is made acute by the dynamics ofmarket capitalism with its glorification ofsuccess and of fear of failure which islooked down upon, and its many otherfears including that of periodic recessionscausing job losses.

But two questions loom before one.The ideal way of dealing with this feelingof insecurity is to relate to the world

through love and creative work, findingsolace and support in the collective warmthof humanity. Not all, however, are capableof doing that. Those that cannot, frequent-ly sink into what Fromm calls Sadism andMasochism. A person who practices theformer, overcomes his feeling of insecuri-ty by the feeling of power he or she derivesby total domination — it can be both phys-ical or mental or either — over the lives ofothers. In Masochism, people gain a feel-ing of security by totally surrenderingthemselves to an all-powerful entity — acharismatic leader, an inclusive organiza-tion, or a deity — and feeling protected byhim/it. Particularly important is the role oforganizations the people may join. Theygain a sense of security and belonging frombeing a part of a collective whole.

Those who cannot relate to the worldthrough love and creative work or throughsadistic action or masochistic submission,are vulnerable to taking their own lives.Their number is increasing as market cap-italism waxes and society becomesincreasingly impersonal. Of course, somepeople can cope with intense disappoint-ment better than others as a result ofgenetic inheritance, societal surroundingsand family environment and support. Butquestions loom: Is survival through cop-ing with adversity happiness? Do peoplehave a right to the latter?

(The writer is Consultant Editor, ThePioneer, and an author)

Indian cricket captains have acquired a habit of speaking their mind at Pressconferences. They do not beat around the bush or make excuses for them-selves. But Indian captain Virat Kohli's comments ahead of the second test

against Sri Lanka in Nagpur could be construed as criticism of the extreme-ly packed schedule that the Indian cricket team has endured over the pastfew months. Following a pointless away series in Sri Lanka where India wonevery match followed by a quick and competitive limited overs series againstNew Zealand, there's the ongoing series against Sri Lanka at home which, asKohli pointed out, will end on December 24 and the team will leave for SouthAfrica on December 28.

They will have only a week to adjust to the southern African summer beforethe first test in Cape Town. This is a critical series for India, as the Proteasare the world's second-ranked Test team. It will also be the first big seriesTest of Kohli and his team on foreign shores. Sri Lanka does not exactly countas conditions are similar to India and despite the surprisingly exciting Test

in Kolkata, the average Indian crick-et fan a bit fed up of India's string ofmatches with their island neighbour.The most compelling cricket on tele-vision right now is the Ashes seriesbetween Australia and England. Thatsaid, the series against South Africashould be prime-time television view-ing for any cricket fan not least to seehow India's vaunted top order withbatt ing technicians Kohli andCheteshwar Pujara deals with DaleSteyn and Kasigo Rabada in their ownconditions.

Kohli's point that he asked thepitches for the ongoing Test series tobe more lively instead of typicallysubcontinental also makes one won-der why groundsmen do not acqui-esce to such requests. While such

pitches might negate India's prime bowling weapon in Ravichandran Ashwin,the Eden Gardens Test proved that our pacemen led admirably byBhuvneshwar Kumar can shine if the pitches allow them to by claiming allthe Sri Lankan wickets to fall. Gone are the days when India could not pro-duce a steady stream of fast bowlers; in fact the Indian fast and seam bowl-ing production line has never been better. But with such a loaded scheduleIndia runs the risk of burning out her best players. The South Africa serieswraps up end-February and the players will only have a short break beforethe second decade of the Indian Premier League starts. There has never beena better time to be a cricket fan. Cricketers on the other hand might have adifferent opinion.

It is unfair to blame Rahul Gandhi for trying to take advantage of bold deci-sions made by the Narendra Modi regime; after all, Modi has a majority inParliament and all surveys indicate that he is still an extremely popular leader.

Yet, it appears that Rahul Gandhi has cottoned on to some facts. First, washis attack on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) by calling it the 'Gabbar SinghTax', a line that made him so pleased that he overused it; but truth be told,the GST was unduly complex with multiple rates albeit a lot easier than a mul-tiple rates across States. And the GST Council did in the aftermath of criti-cism cut rates on a whole slew of products. Now it appears Rahul Gandhi'spersistent barbs on how the Modi Government is only working for a "few indus-trialists" might have actually pushed the Government to include the latest amend-ment to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. The new amendment will pre-vent the former promoters of the company making a bid for the distressedassets once sold by the bank. Public Sector Banks had seen their non-per-forming assets balloon, and whether Rahul Gandhi likes it or not, it is a polit-ically inconvenient truth that a majority of these loans were disbursed dur-

ing his party's terms in office. So, it is a bit unfair to associate

Narendra Modi with industrialists andfavouritism, but such are the ways ofpolitics. It was also clear with the rad-ical rethink on GST rates (and evenDemonetisat ion) that thisGovernment can think on its feetwhen it comes to responding to polit-ical criticisms that may be gainingtraction, so the decision to bar for-mer promoters is a smart one.Promoters can default for a variety ofreasons — a negative business cli-mate thanks to a global economicslowdown, dumping of subsidisedgoods from across our eastern bor-der as happened with steel, or a tech-nological change and supply con-straints as has happened with the

thermal power sector. Banks might have been a bit too easy with loans to somecompanies more often than not thanks to pressure from the Government. Whensome of these stressed assets are auctioned off, reports estimate that the bankswill only be able to claim 40 per cent of the outstanding loan value. There istherefore an obvious fear in the banking sector, elucidated by the State Bankof India Chairman Rajnish Kumar that if the old promoters don't bid, new buy-ers will bid much less than even that 40 per cent. Instead of a haircut on theloan, as Kumar indicated, the banks would go bald.

However, the politics of a promoter gaining the benefit of a haircut andbuying back their assets at 40 per cent of the value or even less would makeit seem that the Government is hand-in-glove with promoters in looting pub-lic sector banks and thus the Indian taxpayer. And it is almost certain thatRahul Gandhi would use all his lung power to disseminate this impressionahead of the 2019 General Election, combining it with his all-time favourite‘suit-boot sarkar' line. Of course, the Indian taxpayer will pay an even high-er price if the asset value drops further. But when did that ever stop politi-cians from playing around with our money?

Locking promoters out

Amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy

Code reflect the political nous of Government

opinion 08LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017

The sordid truth in theage of the market

Pressed for time

Three series in rapid succession may lead

to fatigue ahead of the South Africa tour

Kudos to MEA

Sir — This refers to the report,“Dalveer wins his spurs at theinternational court” (November22). Union Minister for ExternalAffairs Sushma Swaraj and herteam deserve full appreciationfor getting Indian candidateJustice Dalveer Bhandariselected as a judge in theInternational Court of Justice(ICJ) against the Britishnominee. If there were a prize forbest Unionministry in India, theMinistry of External Affairsunder Sushma Swaraj wouldcertainly be the runaway winner.

Perhaps very few may beaware that even though theIndian Government put in allits efforts for the success of theIndian candidate, it hasabsolutely no say in decidingthe Indian candidate. Rather,the candidate mooted by IndianGovernment was at the lastminute turned down by thePermanent Court ofArbitration (PCA). It is againstthe principle of sovereignty thatIndia has no say in matters ofthe PCA which is the sole bodyauthorized to finalize theIndiancandidate for ICJ.

Nimai Charan SwainBhubaneswar

Respect PM

Sir—This refers to the editorial,"A parity of reasoning?"(November 23). It rightlyquestioned the legitimacy andpropriety of Congress leaders'repeated jibe of 'chaiwala'against Prime Minister

Narendra Modi. It correctly heldthat 'chaiwala Modi' is a modelof meritocracy in Indian politicswho trounced the Congress in2014 General Election. Recently,when the Youth Congress madefun of Modi on its Twitterhandle, sharing a memeimplying he was only fit to selltea, there was a nationwideoutcry forcing Congress leadersto promptly disapprove of thistype of entitled "humour". But,sadly, next day, some Congressleaders tried to justify the anti-Modi jibe, accusing the BJP ITCell head of maligning PanditJawaharlal Nehru for which henever apologized. Be that as itmay, two wrongs don't make aright. Congress leaders shouldlearn to respect their PrimeMinister.health are not on hisside. Thus, he should betreading lightly. But then, it’s hischoice.

M RatanVia email

More power to women

Sir — Women are, perhaps, themore perfectionist species —whatever they do, they involvethemselves truly and aresuccessfull. Once a womandecides to achieve any object or aperson, no one can stop herbecause she is determined. Butunless women are recognized fortheir achievements, no countrycan make progress. They needmore recognition.

Mahesh KumarVia email

www.dailypioneer.com

p a p e r w i t h p a s s i o n

Send your feedback to: [email protected]

SOUNDBITE

PM Modi is just like

Bollywood filmmaker

Manmohan Desai, who

didn't allow the audience

to think while watching his

films. Similarly, Modi rais-

es a new slogan ever day

to engage people.

CPI(M)General sec-

retary

—Sitaram Yechury

HIRANMAYKARLEKAR

The number of people committing suicide is increasing as market capitalism glorifies successand stigmatizes failure. This begs the question: Is surviving adversity also happiness?

The Emergency imposed

by the Congress in 1975

was visible; now, it

(Emergency) is there but

invisible. The rising atroci-

ties on minorities and

backward sec-

tions prove this.

JD(U) leader

—Sharad Yadav

Is Rajini's political hype

for his film's success?

The statement made by Rajinikanth that there is no urgency for himto enter politics has come not only as a great surprise but also agreat disappointment to all his fans who had been very confidently

expecting that their ‘Thalaivar' would float a party and soon adorn thepost of the Chief Minister of the State to give the people the best ofgovernance. The actor had been dropping lots of hints to his gulliblefans that his entry into politics was imminent.

Though it is alleged Rajini creates such hype whenever his films areabout to release, his fans refuse to buy the idea as they have so muchof trust in their matinee idol. Now, with his next film ready, is notpossible his interest would only be on how to exploit the innocence ofhis fans to make his new film a box office hit? Rajini, by ditching his fanson his political foray, has proved beyond doubt that he is an actor parexcellence! Will the gullible masses who waste their time, energy andmoney on their celluloid heroes learn the lesson at least now andchannel their might for the benefit of their families that languish inpoverty due to their hero worship?

Shalini GeraldChennai

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Government has

reaffirmed that there is

no proposal under con-

sideration to withdraw

the bank cheque-book

facility to promote digi-

tal transactions.

Finance Minister

—Arun Jaitely

Anurag Kashyap is one of

the most knowledgeable

filmmakers that I have

ever seen. Professional

critics and festival

programmers really

admire him.

Artistic director, TIFF

—Cameron Bailey

LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017 3rdeye {saturday special} 09

MUGABE: A BYWORD

FOR MISRULE

After Zimbabwe Army ousted Robert Mugabe from power, the moot pointis: will this be a permanent respite for the millions of poor Zimbabweanswho have suffered for almost four decades? Surely not, as the successor,Mnangagwa, is a thug. He was very much part of the grubby system thatMugabe created. Though the army has trusted him for now to simply oustMugabe, he may not be a permanent solution for Zimbabwe. He is a longtime Mugabe loyalist and can play the same old tactics to retain power inthe coming days. What Zimbabwe demands today is a free & fair electionwith a strong presence of the Opposition parties

Chinese views onsovereignty areshaped by Chineseidentity and history.Since, separation ofTaiwan andoccupation of HongKong and Macauunder foreign powersare consideredtragedy, continuedmaintenance ofsovereignty overconcerned regions willbe the highlight ofPLA’s activities

The summit has reflected weaknesses and achievements of ASEAN. Themost apparent weakness is ASEAN’s inability to address issues of severenational and regional cruciality in regard to territorial disputes in the SCS aswell as the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. However, ASEAN has not lostits relevance for an emerging regional power like India byreplacing Asia-Pacific with Indo-Pacific

Zimbabwe has finally seen a“new era” with the resig-

nation of the country’s longestserving ruler this week, RobertMugabe. It was not an easy taskfor both his colleagues and thearmy to peacefully convincehim to make way for the nextruler. Sordidly, it was evendifficult for him to step downas he has never planned for hisretirement. That is why hecontinued to rule this impov-erished African nation for thelast 37 years — setting a recordas the oldest serving head ofthe world. Once he famouslyproclaimed, “Only God whoappointed me will remove me.”

Mugabe laid the founda-tion for poverty, misrule andcronyism in Zimbabwe. In thislong saga of his misrule, hissecond and the current wife,Grace, has risen from nowhere.Indeed she was known for herspendthrift nature as “GucciGrace” among the commonpeople. Her highly ambitiousnature has made many enemiesfor Mugabe within and outsidethe ruling party, called ZANU-PF. In the last few days, whathappened in Harare is all aboutan open power strugglebetween Grace and EmmersonMnangagwa, who is the cur-rent President of Zimbabwe.The crisis began when 93-year-old patriarch Mugabewanted to install Grace as thenext leader of Zimbabwe andsacked his deputy, EmmersonMnangagwa, from the post ofVice-President.

Mugabe was the man wholed the country to freedom.Thus many of the locals hailhim as a revolutionary hero.Therefore, many of his coun-trymen want him to continuefor his strong anti-imperialistrhetoric of the past, by over-looking his competence of astatesman. Also his long andarduous journey to spearheadthe revolution and making thenation’s transition possiblefrom Rhodesia to Zimbabwemay deter the generals and thenew Government to take anystrong action against him. But,the ordinary Zimbabweans cel-ebrated Mugabe’s departurefrom power as the “beginningof new era” in their country.

When Mugabe came topower in 1980, he took part ina legitimate election. Instead offighting out the powerful whiteminority of the country, hereconciled with them. Thismade him very popular figure

and thus he quietly made hisstature to the level of a charis-matic leader. He was alsoblessed by global goodwill anda buoyed economy for a fewyears. The positive develop-ments over years helped himconsolidate power around him.And he got overwhelming sup-port from a huge group of sup-porters who always wantedhim to stay in power.

However, his long rule sawZimbabwe receding furtherwith severe political repression,economic collapse and massiveemigration of nearly 3-5 mil-lion people from the country.

Like so many other revolu-tionary socialist leaders, hecould not tolerate any kind ofopposition or challenge to hisauthority. This was very muchevident when he started a mas-sive insurrection against thecountry’s second largest ethnicgroup, known as the Ndebele,thinking they all are either achallenge or disloyal to him. In1983, he ordered his specialforces, trained by North Korea,to unleash a reign of terror in theNdebele-inhabited areas. Thewhole world was shocked whenhis army asked the survivors ofthe massacre to sing and danceover thousand of graves of theirkin, praising the ruling Zanu-PF,in the language of the Shonamajority people of Zimbabwe.

However, like many otherdictators — including SaddamHussein, Idi Amin, Gaddafi —he was not very fond of usingviolent tactics all the time, butnever hesitated to use force asand when required to maintainhis hold over both the partyand the country. He was notonly a maverick in breakingrules, but he also tried to bendeach and every single law to hisadvantage throughout hisentire course of stay in power.

This is not all. His veryimage of a revolutionary leaderhelped him to exploit the com-

mon people in the name ofsocialism. He used theGovernment treasury to sup-port all his activities, but some-how he was inclined to spenda good amount on the devel-opment of the education sec-tor of Zimbabwe. His madnessover money and muscle powerdrove the country into a com-plete financial mess. That iswhy whenever there was dearthof money, he started seizingwhite-owned huge firms andhanding them over to his loy-alists. This created a reign ofterror and dissuaded manyforeign investors, includingthe multi-national corpora-tions, from staying put in theresource rich Zimbabwe. Attimes, when there was nomoney to pay to his army,policemen and the civil ser-vants, he printed money on hisown which eventually led tohyperinflation in the country.Top of all these, his wife, Grace,who started running a parallelGovernment made life difficultfor all, including the seniorparty leaders.

Now, Mugabe has gone.Will this be a permanentrespite for the millions of poorZimbabweans who have suf-fered for almost four decades?Surely not, as Mnangagwa is noless than a thug. He was verymuch part of the grubby sys-tem that Mugabe created forlong. Though the army hastrusted him for now to simplyoust Mugabe, he may not be apermanent solution forZimbabwe. The 75-year oldformer Intelligence chief maytake full advantage of the cur-rent disillusionment prevalentin Zimbabwe. He may soonface charges. When he wasSecurity Minister, the masskilling of the Ndebele tookright under his nose. He is along time Mugabe loyalist andcan play the same old tactics toretain power in the comingdays. It is very natural that allthe crew plotters may plan fora very stable administration soas to hoodwink the ordinarypeople about the real crisis.This will help them bring backnormalcy to Zimbabwe fornow. But Mnangagwa and hisgang will undoubtedly leadthe nation to a new crisis.

However, Mnangawaseemed to be a pragmaticleader in comparison toMugabe. At least, unlikeMugabe, he should not losetouch with the ordinary citi-

zens of the country. He mustimprove his past image so as toinstill faith in internationalorganisations such as theInternational Monetary Fundto feed millions of his poorcountrymen. He must bringimmediate change to Mugabe’sarchaic and populist policiessuch as the law requiring allcompanies above a certain sizeto be majority owned by blackZimbabweans. This kind ofpolicies may ruin the entireeconomy of the country. Andthis long process has alreadyengulfed Zimbabwe and madethe ruling party supporters,bosses and sympathisers uberrich in the past.

What Zimbabwe demandstoday is a free and fair electionwith a strong presence of theOpposition parties. As thecountry is heading for a generalelection in the middle of thenext year, this must be a freshbeginning for ushering in a realdemocracy in Zimbabwe. Onlywhen the global neutral watch-dogs such as the UN and theEuropean Union supervise thiselection, it may see an end tolong held cronyism. The com-mon people must get a chanceto register their protest.

And they all should get achance to choose their leaders.Will it happen? Or Zimbabwewill once again fall into thesame ditch that Mugabe haslong prepared just to plunderthe nation. Above all, the oust-ed President and his First Ladymust be punished for ruiningthe country. If it happens, therest of Africa and its hated lead-ers will get a lesson for the firsttime. It is time now to send awarning signal to all the dicta-tors in Africa. Simply put,Mugabe like figures must beserved notice without any rea-son as they are the only reasonfor death, disaster and despairin the country. But that is notto happen as he and his wife hasgot immunity under a new deal.

(The writer is an expert oninternational affairs)

ASEAN takeaways

While it is definite thatASEAN has been

evolved to play a central role inthe regional affairs in SoutheastAsia, the other side of thestory implies that SoutheastAsia has always been a hotspotfor the global affairs and thusit is worthwhile to watch howthe regional organisation ismanaging its relations withthe existing greats as well as theemerging powers, especiallywhen the new buzz word isIndo-Pacific and the centre ofthe world politics is graduallyshifting to this part of theworld from the US and Europe.

In fact, US PresidentDonald Trump and WhiteHouse officials have replacedthe term Asia-Pacific withIndo-Pacific and it becameclear in the ASEAN Summitthat they will now use Indo-Pacific to describe the region.

The latest ASEAN Summithas been unique in many ways.In simpler words, the summithas highlighted the weakness-es as well as achievements ofASEAN as a regional organi-sation, especially with regard toits relations with the regionaland extra-regional powers,who are eager to play substan-tial roles in the region so far.

First, China-ASEAN rela-tions need to be factored in anyanalysis on ASEAN’s evolutionas a regional mechanism.Despite China’s assertivenesson the South China Sea (SCS)in the recent past, just like itspredecessors, the Philippines,in its capacity of ASEAN Chair,did not make any effort tomention China in the SCSdisputes in the statement,released after the summit.

In fact, before the summit,President Rodrigo Duterte ofthe Philippines mentioned thatthe SCS should be “leftuntouched”. Clearly this was apolite reminder to the US andother extra-regional powersthat ASEAN has chosen thepath of negotiation with Chinaas far as disputes in the SCS areconcerned. Duterte and mostof his fellow ASEAN leadersseem to be right as they preferto negotiate with China ratherthan confronting it vigorouslyfor various reasons. One of thereasons is ASEAN’s rigorouseconomic partnerships withChina. In 2016, China-ASEANtrade stood at $368 billion,thereby making China thelargest trading partner of theASEAN. China is alsoASEAN’s fourth largest FDIsource. On the other hand,ASEAN is China’s third largesttrading partner as well as thirdlargest source of FDIs.

In Manila, China andASEAN celebrated the 20thASEAN-China Summit and15 years of the signing of theDeclaration of the Code ofConduct in the SCS. At the lat-est ASEAN-China summit

meeting, they signed threedocuments namely ;Declaration for a Decade ofCoastal and MaritimeEnvironmental Protection(2017-2017), ASEAN-ChinaJoint Statement onC o m p r e h e n s i v e l yStrengthening Effective Anti-Corruption Cooperation andJoint Statement betweenASEAN and China on FurtherDeepening the Cooperationon Infrastructure Connectivity.

While these documentsportray the significant devel-opment in ASEAN-China rela-tions, not mentioning China’sstakes in the territorial disputesin the summit statement alsodemonstrates ASEAN’s weak-ness. It actually reiterates thevulnerability of ASEAN as aregional institution and show-cases the internal divisionsprevalent within its members.

Second, apart from China,in any discussion on ASEAN’sexternal relations, the UScomes invariably. PresidentDonald Trump had to leave forthe US without attending theEast Asia Summit, and defi-nitely it has given rise to onequestion: Does this non-atten-dance show Trump’s disinter-est in the East Asian securityarchitecture?

As far as Trump’s Asia pol-icy is concerned, despite hispro-protectionist view in econ-omy, he emphasised on reci-procity and fairness of tradewith the countries in Asia andat the same time, his speechesin the summit invariably showthat the US wants the partnersin the region to depend on theirown resources and capabilities;rather than depending on theUS and this change in the US’spolicy towards the region hashappened following Trump’s“America First” approach.

In addition, Trumpfocused on the concept ofASEAN centrality to upholdcooperation, which he findsnecessary for advancing thesecurity and prosperity of theAmericans and the ASEANcountries. In this Asia trip,which ended in Manila onNovember 14, Trump has cho-sen to nurture bilateral tradewith partner countries.Additionally, US’ withdrawalfrom the Trans PacificPartnership (TPP) had earlierput the reliability of Trump onquestion, especially with regardto his interest in the region.

Interestingly, the elevenmembers of the TPP havedecided to move ahead withthe mega-trade deal withoutthe US. What is, therefore,interesting to note that ASEANas a regional organisation hasgiven platform to both theRCEP and the TPP and it is tobe seen, how the commonmembers of these two group-ings deal with the emergence ofthe mega-trade blocs in the

future.Third, as far as India is

concerned, the latest summitoffered her a chance to demon-strate its positivity towards theLook/Act East Policy(LEP/AEP) and strengthenedrelations with ASEAN coun-tries. For Prime MinisterNarendra Modi, Manila was anexcellent venue to speak abouthis Make in India, DigitalIndia and other initiativesfocusing on start-ups andentrepreneurship.

Connectivity remained animportant focus of PrimeMinister Narendra Modi as headdressed the business com-munity and the IndianDiaspora during his Manilatrip. In his speeches, Modihighlighted the issue of region-al tourism and maritime trans-portation. India and ASEANare, in fact, working towardsthe early conclusion of theAgreement on MaritimeTransport. However, the focusof India-ASEAN relations asreflected through this summitwas India’s bilateral relationswith the Southeast Asian coun-tries as well as the Quad part-ners and ASEAN-IndiaSummit level meeting.

Modi separately met theheads of the States from the US,Japan, Australia, New Zealand,Vietnam, Philippines andBrunei and discussed in greatdetail issues of mutual con-cerns. With the host, Indiasigned five MoUs in the areasof Defence industry and logis-tics cooperation, agriculture,MSMEs, cooperation betweenICWA and FSI and establish-ment of ICAR Chair in theUniversity of Philippines.

In his opening statement atthe 15th ASEAN-IndiaSummit, Modi assured ASEANof India’s “steady supporttowards achieving a rules-based regional security archi-tecture that best attests to theregion’s interests and its peace-ful development”.

Clearly, India, which aspiresto play a significant role in theIndo-Pacific — reflectedthrough its participation in theQuadrilateral dialogue alsoinvolving US, Japan, Australia —has made it a point to express itswillingness to keep ASEAN at itscentre of its Act East Policy.

Fourth, as an institution ofregional cooperation, ASEANhas also failed to address theviolation of human rights inMyanmar’s Rakhine. The prin-ciple of non-interference in thedomestic affairs of other coun-tries have forced ASEAN totake an ambiguous policy onthe issue of illegal immigrationand refugee influx fromMyanmar to Bangladesh.

Within ASEAN, onlyMalaysia and, to an extentIndonesia had previously urgedNay Pyi Taw to stop the vio-lence in Rakhine state. As a col-

lective, the failure of ASEAN toaddress the Rohingya refugeeissue has, however, not been asurprise. So far, the under-standing is that law and secu-rity situation in Rakhine stateis primarily an internal issue ofMyanmar which has takenshape of a humanitarian crisisfacing Bangladesh due to therefugee inflows. Hence, assis-tance to tackle the crisis relat-ed to the large-scale refugeeinflows in Bangladesh has beenoffered by many countries;however, this approach leavesthe root of the problemuntouched in Rakhine, givingcomfort to Myanmar.

In conclusion, it can besaid the summit in Manila hasreflected on a few of the weak-nesses as well as achievementsof ASEAN as a regional organ-isation. The most apparentweaknesses include ASEAN’sinability to address issues ofsevere national as well asregional cruciality in regard toterritorial disputes in the SCSas well as the humanitarian cri-sis in Myanmar. On the otherhand, it can be argued thatASEAN has not lost its rele-vance; in fact, for an emergingregional power like India,ASEAN still plays an importantrole in shaping its own exter-nal policy in the region.

For countries like the US,ASEAN may cease to be a vitalorganisation with the changesin leadership’s outlook; how-ever, bilateral relations withselect Southeast Asian coun-tries are likely to be promotedbased on the national interestsof both the parties. Having saidthat, with a combination ofopportunities and challenges,ASEAN stands as a symbol ofstatus quo in the region and itwill continue to remain so.

(Dr Sampa Kundu is aresearcher at Institute forDefence Studies and Analyses,New Delhi; and Dr Arenla is anindependent analyst based inNew Delhi)

Xi’s ‘new era’ strategy: Eliminating questions on sovereignty

President Xi Jinping’s 19th CPCspeech surprisingly ignored to

mention the single most importantpolicy term in Chinese foreign pol-icy — the “core national interests” —which refers to very specific issuesthat China considers non-negotiablewhen conducting relations withother nations.

The “interests” are contested asthey impinge on other sovereignstates’ interests. The absence of theterm may also indicate a positionpast terminology, which is “wellunderstood” by the internationalcommunity.

Even though the term “coreinterests” was not employed toexplain China’s position, the speechreferred to China’s major concernswith all the more assertion andresolve. Xi viewed Chinese nation-al power as growing and gaininginfluence in the world. Such a per-ception of increased Chinesestrength also flows into its under-standing of the sovereignty and ter-ritorial disputes, obstacles in fur-thering Chinese power and nation-al rejuvenation in the “New Era”.

Xi referred to separation fromTaiwan as a “historical tragedy” to be“met with resolute opposition”. Hegoes further, saying, China has theconfidence, resolve and “ability todefeat… attempts for Taiwan inde-pendence”. And that “China will

never allow anyone, any organisation,or any political party, at any time orin any form, to separate any part ofChinese territory from China!”. Thestatement is a clear indication ofChina’s red line and its tenacitytowards reunification. Xi warnedTaiwan that recognition of the 1992Consensus — both sides belong toone China — is a prerequisite for anydialogue to start.

In case of Hong Kong, Xi upheld“One country, two systems principle”,and at the same time demandedmaintenance of the central authori-ty in Hong Kong, while also guar-anteeing Hong Kong’s autonomy.

In Xi’s China Dream of nation-al rejuvenation, the year 2049 is goalmarked as China entering the phaseof fully developed socialist society,coinciding with the 100th anniver-sary of the People’s Republic.Enshrined in the Basic Law of HongKong, the city is to be formallymerged with China in 2047, ineffect scrapping the autonomy pro-vided under the Basic Law. Thiswould mean the implementation ofthe Chinese economic and politicalmodel in Hong Kong.

Even though, Xi maintainedthat Hong Kong will continue toenjoy certain autonomy, it is specu-lated Xi or CCP would like to reuni-fy Hong Kong with mainland with-out any conditions.

Though the Government did notclarify what degree of autonomy willbe enjoyed by Hong Kong, pastevents suggest it is unlikely that thejudicial and political structure willremain the same.

With the increase in awarenessamong the younger generationtowards political freedom, anddemocracy, protests against ChineseGovernment for its restrictive activ-ities in Hong Kong also increased.The pro-democracy protests in HongKong, following the 20th anniversaryof the return of Hong Kong toBeijing, drew strong reactions fromPresident Xi during his visit to thecity. Referring to the return of thecity, he said, “It is…important for usto firmly uphold China’s sovereign-ty, security and development inter-ests.” Drawing the red line, Xi madeit clear that any attempt to endangerChina’s sovereignty and security,activities against the mainland, chal-lenge to the authority of theGovernment under the Basic Law isabsolutely impermissible. If in thepast Chinese policies towards theseregions were seen as compromising,the paramount leader, Xi, defined hislast five years through assertion ofChinese non-negotiable interests.In April 2017, then Chief Executiveof Hong Kong Leung Chun-ying,while commenting on the debateover autonomy, said Hong Kong

enjoys autonomy as authorised byBeijing, not full autonomy.

Chinese views on sovereignty areshaped by Chinese identity and his-tory. Since, separation of Taiwan andoccupation of Hong Kong andMacau under foreign powers areconsidered tragedy, continued main-tenance of sovereignty over con-cerned regions will be the highlightof PLA’s activities. It is to be notedthat the references made to PLAurged it to prepare to win the nation-al security challenges. Xi said “(wemust) build a powerful and mod-ernised army, navy, air force, rocketforce, and strategic support force” toconfront the changes in nationalsecurity environs. He also said that“a military is built to fight” andshould “focus on how to win whenit is called on”. The speech suggest-ed China’s willingness to employ mil-itary measures in order to solve dis-putes, internal or external, and PLA’srole in putting the issues of sover-eignty and territorial disputes to rest.

Once the core issues are dealtwith, China will automaticallyassume the status of a regionalpower. Though Xi said China is nothegemonic, he celebrated the mod-ernisations achieved by the PLA andthe plans of a fully modernised andcapable military. Xi also mentionedprogress made in the South ChinaSea, the construction of the artificial

islands, exhibiting Chinese power,and reaffirming Chinese claims onthe South China Sea. From publicpoint of view the construction onSpratly Islands is an achievement bythe CCP, ensuring Chinese positionof strength in regional affairs.

Since, China adheres to a singleparty system, the leaders mightchange but the party has to outlivepersonalities. To ensure eternal sur-vival of the party, overcomingnational security concerns will beparamount. The East Asia sawincrease in China’s military assertive-ness, threats of use of force, coercivediplomacy, economic debt trap, andterritorial claims. Given the case ofTaiwan and Hong Kong, ChineseGovernment (with extension theparty) cannot be seen as concedingits rightful claims.

President Xi’s speech featuredlessons for other nations with whichChina has territorial disputes asChina clarifies that it will protect itsinterests with whatever means nec-essary. In an earlier speech, onArmy Day, August 2017, Xi made itabundantly clear that China will notrelinquish any piece of Chinese ter-ritory.

India, which has the longestdisputed border with China, mustobserve caution as the same assertivebehaviour, with the new perceptionof Chinese power, will translate into

tough, unilateral actions to consol-idate boundary. Nations such asJapan, Vietnam, Philippines, Indiaand Taiwan are more likely to face abelligerent and powerful China,with increased indications of mili-tarisation in Indo-Pacific region.

In this context, the new thought“Socialism with ChineseCharacteristics in New Era” can beunderstood as a strategy for the nextthree decades. According to Xi, inthese years China will achievenational rejuvenation where it willhave a world’s best military, and a“military is built to fight”. China cer-tainly has made its departure from“keeping low profile to striving forachievement”, but as Deng Xiaopinghad mentioned, “We will onlybecome a big political power if wekeep a low profile (Tao Guan YangHui) and work hard for some years;and we will then have more weightin international affairs”. The “NewEra” symbolises the next phase inChina’s rise, where China has moreweight in international affairs, apower that it ought to use to achieveits core interests. Since these inter-ests clash with other sovereign state,a conflict is due in the region.

(The writer is a researcher atIDSA and PhD scholar at Center for East Asian Studies, JNU,New Delhi).

Makhan Saikia

Swati Arun

Arenla

Sampa Kundu

LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017 money 10

We are way behind intechnology. You will have tothink out of the box. Theministry has also announced acompetition to encourageinnovative ideas —STEEL MINISTER CHAUDHARYBIRENDER SINGH

The Ministry will put up forauctions 3-4 GW wind power

capacities during the third andfourth rounds by March 2018.

Each round will be of 1.5-2 GW each

—MINISTER FOR NEW ANDRENEWABLE ENERGY RK SINGH

GOVERNMENT

FROM

BUZZ

MUMBAI: Promoters of steel com-panies undergoing resolution underthe bankruptcy code were keen to bidfor assets but will not be able to do sonow after the amendments to the law,which will result in larger losses forbanks, says a report.

“Promoters of most large steelcompanies were quite intent to regaincontrol and did appear to offer themost competitive bid during the res-olution process but are barred fromdoing so now,” domestic brokerageKotak Securities said in a report onFriday.

The report comes a day afterGovernment promulgated anOrdinance amending the Insolvencyand Banking Code that bars promot-ers of companies which have default-ed for over a year from bidding for theassets being sold by the banks toreclaim their dues.

“Absence of promoter bids canpotentially increase losses for banks

during the recovery process as com-petition will lessen,” the report saidwithout quantifying it.

It also said the policy is retro-spective in nature and can hit busi-nesses coping with down-cycles orunexpected policy changes, whichwould make the one-year period tooonerous even for honest promoters.

Stating that promoters of steelcompanies were keen to bid, it said theprobability of a higher bid during theresolution process “now needs to betempered”.

It said most of the initial dozenresolutions being carried out underthe IBC provisions involve companieswho have defaulted for over a year andhence, it is “highly unlikely” that pro-moters in any of these companies canbid for their assets.

The day the Ordinance wasissued, Rajnish Kumar, Chairman ofSBI, which tops the list of NPAs hadsaid though he does not mind a hair-

cut (to resolve the bad loan issue), thatdoes not mean he wants to go bald”.But he was quick to defend the newlaw saying valuation of these assetswon't be affected due to the promot-ers not bidding.

The Ordinance aims at putting inplace safeguards to prevent unscrupu-lous persons from misusing or vitiat-ing the provisions of the IBC, theCorporate Affairs Ministry had said,adding the amendments would be

applicable to cases where the resolu-tions are yet to be approved.

The amendments to the insol-vency law need to be approved byParliament in its next session begin-ning December 15. The changesessentially mean that certain pro-moters would not be allowed to bidfor their own assets under the insol-vency proceedings initiated to recov-er overdue loans.

In the first phase, as many as 12companies which collectively owe`2.5 trillion or a quarter of the totalbad loan mess of `10 trillion, areunder bankruptcy resolution. Thesecompanies include Bhushan Steel,Essar Steel, Bhushan Power & Steel,Lanco Infratech, Monnet Ispat andElectrosteel, Amtek Auto among oth-ers were referred by the RBI for res-olution under this law.

In several of these cases, the orig-inal promoters themselves are amongthe bidders. PTI

‘New IBC provisions to deepen losses for banks’p In the first phase, as many as 12

companies which collectively owe

`2.5 trillion or a quarter of the

total bad loan mess of `10 trillion

were referred by the RBI for

resolution under this law.

p Promoters of steel companies

undergoing resolution under the

bankruptcy code were keen to bid

for assets but will not be able to

do so now after the amendments

to the law, which will result in

larger losses for banks

p Absence of promoter bids can

potentially increase losses for banks

during the recovery

process as

competition will

lessen

p The report also

says that the policy

is retrospective in

nature and can hit

businesses coping

with down-cycles or

unexpected policy

changes, which

would make the

one-year period too onerous even for

honest promoters.

PNS n NEW DELHI

Aweek after Moody’s upgradedIndia’s sovereign ratings, globalcredit rating agency Standard &

Poor’s (S&P) on Friday maintained its sta-tus quo, saying the country’s outlook is sta-ble. The credit rating major, however, keptits sovereign ratings for India unchangedat ‘BBB-minus’, citing sizeable fiscal deficit,high general Government debt and low percapita income.

As the ratings upgrade will enhanceIndia’s position as an investment destina-tion for foreign investors, S&P’s ratingsindicates India’s risk profile, showing a like-ly disappointment among investors - bothdomestic as well as global - who pushedthe country’s stock markets for the seventhconsecutive trading session on Friday onhopes of another rating upgrade.

On the other hand, the rating agencyextolled the Prime Minister NarendraModi's key reforms such as insolvencyand bankruptcy code and bad loan res-olution framework for PSU banks as well,saying that the recapitalisation of publicsector lenders will spur new lending with-in the economy. Besides, it also comple-mented the country’s biggest tax reformGoods and Service Tax (GST) for sim-plifying indirect taxes.

With the S&P’s ratings, theGovernment quickly termed the actionas 'unfair.' The rating stance taken by S&PGlobal Ratings comes days after Moody'sInvestors Service raised India's sovereignrating for the first time in over 13 yearson growth prospects boosted by contin-ued economic and institutional reforms.

However, industry giants and eco-nomic experts are bracing themselves forboth positive and negative outcome of theratings. An upgrade for India's ratings willbe highly positive for the bond marketand also reduce interest costs for both theGovernment as well as companies rais-ing funds from abroad.

In a statement, S&P said India's rat-ings reflects its strong gross domesticproduct or GDP growth, sound externalprofile and improving monetary credi-bility. “These are balanced against vul-nerabilities stemming from the country'slow per capita income and relatively highgeneral Government debt stock,” it said.

Sanjeev Sanyal, Principal EconomicAdviser, termed the rating unchanged asa bit 'unfair' saying the low per capitaincome is neither a reflection on our abil-ity or our willingness to pay debt.

Economic Affairs Secretary SubhashChandra Garg said S&P chose to playcautious and hoped that the reforms willreflect in a ratings upgrade next year. “Weare not disappointed but our expectationwould be that S&P also takes intoaccount what the Government has done,”he said adding S&P has said everythingthat Moody's also stated in its ratingupgrade.

S&P has reaffirmed India story, hesaid. He went on to add that theGovernment will stick to the fiscal con-solidation path. On the other hand,Railways and Coal Minister PiyushGoyal said S&P has been historicallymore conservative and follows Moody's.“We are extremely happy that S&P hascontinued to affirm 'BBB-minus' with a

long term sovereign rating with stableoutlook,” Goyal said. He further addedthat the rating agency is known world-wide to be far more conservative whencompared with Moody's or Fitch.

However, Soumya Kanti Ghosh,Group Chief Economic Adviser of SBIdid not agree with the argument on S&P'slow per capita income. “It is fallacious, asIndonesia which was upgraded seventimes between 2002 and 2011 had a lowper-capita GDP of $1,066 in 2003 when

its credit ratings was upgraded andIndia's GDP per-capita is now $1,709.4,”Ghosh said.

Given the fact that the Government,Ghosh added, is on the path of fiscal con-solidation and serious about resolutionof the bank asset quality problem throughthe insolvency code, a positive ratingaction seems most likely in 2018.

In January 2007, S&P had raised sov-ereign credit ratings on India to 'BBB-'with a stable outlook, from 'BB+'. 'BBB'

rating is a notch above junk status.“Upward pressure on the ratings couldbuild if the Government's reformsmarkedly improve its net general gov-ernment fiscal out-turns and so reducethe level of net general governmentdebt,” S&P said.

The upward pressure could alsobuild if India's external accounts strength-en significantly. On the other side, a dis-appointing GDP growth, rise in theGovernment deficit or political will tomaintain reform agenda losing momen-tum will create downward pressure on theratings.

“One-off factors like demonetisationand the imposition of a goods and ser-vices tax (GST) had led to some quarterlycooling in India's high growth figures butthe medium-term outlook for growthremains favourable,” it added.

The growth outlook is supported byrising private consumption, an ambitiouspublic infrastructure investment pro-gramme and a bank restructuring planthat should help revive investment.

When Moody's on November 17upgraded India's sovereign rating toBaa2 -- the highest since 1988, theGovernment was quick to seize themoment to state that the move was “belat-ed recognition” of reforms undertaken.That rating upgrade was the first sinceJanuary 2004, putting India in the leagueof the Philippines and Italy.

In August 2006 Fitch Ratings alsoupgraded India to investment grade at'BBB-', with a stable outlook, from BB+.Moody's had in 2015 changed rating out-look to 'positive' from 'stable'.

S&P maintains status quo on India’s sovereign ratings, says outlook stable

NEW DELHI: India can easily achieve200 GW of renewable energy capacityby 2022 as against the “conservative tar-get” of 175 GW, Power Minister RKSingh said on Friday while unveiling theroadmap for clean energy.

Buoyed by the success of reverseauction of renewables, which resultedin tariffs dropping to all time lowrates, Singh also unveiled the plan toauction up to 21 GW solar and windcapacity by March 2018.

On the RE capacity addition, hesaid: “175 GW of Renewable Energy by2022 is a very conservative target.India can easily achieve 200 GW ofrenewable capacity by 2022.”

There was a long pending demandfrom the industry to declare the renew-able energy roadmap, he said at a pressconference to unveil solar and windenergy capacity addition plan of theministry of new and renewable energy(MNRE).

“Hence, today, with the declarationof this trajectory, the government hasclearly spelt out its plan of speeding upof RE installation in country andstrengthening the RE manufacturingbase in India,” he added.

Singh said that in order to encour-age 'Make in India' in the RE sector, theMNRE is working on a scheme and willissue Expression of Interest (EoI) forestablishing domestic manufacturingfacilities for up to 20 GW.

He further said that MNRE isexploring innovative ways to achieveadditional installed RE capacity throughfloating solar power plants (FSPP) overdams, offshore wind energy systems(OWES) and hybrid solar-wind powersystems (HSWPS), which may provideover 10GW additional capacity.

The MNRE team of experts hasalready surveyed the Bhakra Nangal damfor FSPPs and Gujarat and Tamil Nadu forwind power plants, Singh said.

Talking about the issues in PowerPurchase Agreements, he said the sanc-tity of the PPAs have to be ensured andthey would have to be mandatorily hon-oured.

The ministry is in constant discus-sions with state governments, includingAndhra Pradesh and Karnataka, to

ensure that, he said. Talking about theRenewable Purchase Obligations(RPOs), the minister said that theseobligations are mandatory and need tobe adhered to strictly.

Elaborating the RE Developmentroad map, MNRE Secretary AnandKumar said that for achieving 100 GWsolar power target by 2022, the ministry,along with states, would lay out bids forground mounted solar parks for 20 GWin 2017-18, of which 3.6 GW hasalready been bid out.

He said 3GW of solar energy capac-ities will be bid out next month, 3 GWin January, 5 GW in February and 6 GWin March. As much as 30 GW each willbe bid out in 2018-19 and 2019-20 toadd 60 GW solar capacities.

Kumar said that as against the tar-get of 60 GW for wind power, 32 GWhas already been commissioned. Thecentral government, along with states,intends to issue bids of cumulativecapacity of about 8 GW of wind capac-ities this year.

Of this, 5 GW (including present 2GW) has already been bid out and 1,500to 2,000 MW will be bid out in Januaryand as much in March.

He also informed that 10 GW willbe bid out each fiscal in 2018-19 and10 GW in 2019-20, leaving a margin of2 years for commissioning of projects.Kumar said that the ministry soon issuethe Wind Bidding Guidelines. PTI

The rating for country unchanged at BBB-, indicating a ‘risk profile' on investment front; Govt says action unfair

NEW DELHI: Steel MinisterChaudhary Birender Singh onFriday assured all possible sup-port to secondary steel sector,which uses eco-friendly electricfurnace to produce the com-modity.

Electric arc furnace routeemits less Co2 and cost of pro-duction is also reduced com-pared to the blast furnace route.

The minister was speakingat ‘All India Induction FurnacesAssociation Conference (AIIFA)on Strengthening Green GreenSteel Production’ here.

AIIFA Secretary GeneralKamal Agarwal enumerated theproblems being faced by the sec-tor including lack of financialsupport from banks, varyingpower tariffs in states, and nonacceptance of the products byGovernment bodies such asNHAI, CPWD, Railways.

Besides, there is shortage ofscrap which is required formaking steel through electricfurnace route. Duty on importof scrap is another issue.

Responding to this, Singhsaid his ministry will take stepsto address all issues of the sec-tor which has the potential tocreate employment for 3 crorepeople.

“There are certain pointswhich need attention of ourministry and also we can takesome with other ministries.”

He also urged the industryto work on technology. “We areway behind in technology. Youwill have to think out of the box.The ministry has alsoannounced a competition toencourage innovative ideas.”

The minister said he seespotential in the industry interms of production and job cre-ation and therefore he will pro-vide all support to it.

Steel Secretary Aruna Sharmainformed the members of theindustry that the duty on nickelhas already been removed and theministry has requested theRevenue Department to removethe duty on ferro-nickel andstainless steel scrap. PTI

Given the fact thatthe Government is

on the path of fiscalconsolidation and

serious aboutresolution of the

bank asset quality problemthrough the insolvency code, a

positive rating action seemsmost likely in 2018

SK GHOSH, GROUP CHIEFECONOMIC ADVISER, SBI

Govt assures support to green steel production

SINGH SAID HISMINISTRY WILL TAKESTEPS TO ADDRESSALL ISSUES OF THESECTOR WHICH HASTHE POTENTIAL TO

CREATEEMPLOYMENT FOR 3

CRORE PEOPLE

India can achieve 200 GW renewableenergy by 2022, says Raj Kumar Singh

The rating unchanged is a bit unfair. The lowper capita income is neither a reflection on our

ability or our willingness to pay debt Sanjeev Sanyal, Principal Economic Adviser

We are not disappointedbut our

expectationwould bethat S&P

also takesinto account

what theGovernment has done

ECONOMIC AFFAIRSSECRETARY SC GARG

“HENCE, TODAY, WITH THEDECLARATION OF THIS

TRAJECTORY, THE GOVERNMENTHAS CLEARLY SPELT OUT ITS

PLAN OF SPEEDING UP OFRENEWABLE ENERGY

INSTALLATION IN COUNTRY AND STRENGTHENING THE

RENEWABLE ENERGYMANUFACTURING BASE IN

INDIA,” SAID RK SINGH

W H A T T H E R E P O R T S A Y S

We are extremely happy that S&P has

continued to affirm ‘BBB-minus' with a long

term sovereign rating with stable outlook

Railways and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley onFriday said India is at present passing through astage that will in future be recognised as a phase offast formalisation of the economy.

Speaking at a State Bank of India (SBI) eventhere, he said India is seeing “the replacement of acash dominated economy with a more formal anddigitised economy. One of the great changes will bethe way India spends its money”.

The move towards digitisation was expeditedpost demonetisation of higher denomination cur-rency notes, he said.

“Today we are passing through a changingprocess for the Indian economy. Ten to twenty yearslater when the era is written about, it will be talkedof as a phase with much faster formalisation of theeconomy,” he said.

In the last one year, he said, money flow intoinsurance, mutual fund and IPOs has increased.

“Anonymous cash is becoming a greater part ofthe formal economy. It is important that we nudgepeople into how they spend their money,” he said.

On SBI, he said the lender accounts for 20-25per cent of all banking activity and is one of thelargest banks in world after amalgamation with sub-sidiaries.

“It has managed to retain its performance as ahighly professional institution,” he added. PTI

India passing through fast formalisation of economy,says FM Arun Jaitley

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with Rajnish Kumar,Chairman, SBI at the event in New Delhi

PTI n MUMBAI

Mahindra & Mahindra(M&M) will team up with

Uber to explore deployment ofelectric vehicles (EVs) on the cabaggregator’s platform in severalcities across India, the automak-er said on Friday.

The company, which hasalready tied up with Uber’s rivalOla to build an electric massmobility ecosystem in Nagpur,will deploy ‘hundreds of electricvehicles in Delhi andHyderabad’ under the new part-nership. Mahindra's electricvehicles on the Uber platformwill include the e2oPlus hatchand the eVerito sedan.

“Our collaboration withUber is an important next stepto help accelerate the largescale adoption of electric vehi-cles on shared mobility plat-forms and meet the nation’svision for EVs,” M&MManaging Director PawanGoenka told reporters here.

As part of this collaboration,both the companies will alsoexplore deployment of

Mahindra electric vehicles inother cities. On the tie-up, UberChief Business Officer, India andEmerging Markets, MadhuKannan said the company aimsto build a more sustainablefuture of mobility, moving morepeople requiring on-demandservices with fewer, fuller, andmore efficient vehicle trips.

“We see a key role for highefficiency vehicle technologiesand therefore, believe that thiscollaboration with Mahindra,the pioneers in the electric vehi-cles space, will be truly benefi-cial not just for Uber, but for ourdriver partners, riders and thecities we operate in,” he added.

As part of the arrangement,driver partners on the Uber appcan avail of a package that willinclude Mahindra electric vehi-cles at competitive prices, attrac-tive financing and insurancepremiums as well as compre-hensive maintenance packagesfrom M&M and its associates.

Furthermore, to make thismodel durable, M&M andUber will work closely withpublic and private playerswhich are in the process of set-ting up a common use charg-ing ecosystem across multiplelocations in the cities. M&Mwill also support driver educa-tion and training related to var-ious aspects of electric vehicles.

Mahindra, Uber jointlypush EV in India

OUR COLLABORATIONWITH UBER IS ANIMPORTANT NEXTSTEP TO HELPACCELERATE THELARGE SCALEADOPTION OFELECTRIC VEHICLESON SHARED MOBILITYPLATFORMS ANDMEET THE NATION’SVISION FOR EVS, SAYSM&M MD

PAWAN GOENKA

WE SEE A KEY ROLE FOR HIGHEFFICIENCY VEHICLETECHNOLOGIES AND THEREFORE,BELIEVE THAT THISCOLLABORATION WITHMAHINDRA, THE PIONEERS IN THEELECTRIC VEHICLES SPACE, WILLBE TRULY BENEFICIAL NOT JUSTFOR UBER, BUT FOR OUR DRIVERPARTNERS, RIDERS AND THECITIES WE OPERATE IN, SAYSUBER CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER,INDIA AND EMERGING MARKETS,MADHU KANNAN

money 11LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017

PTI n NEW DELHI

UK businesses remain“largely positive” aboutimprovements in ease of

doing business in India, butthere are concerns about thepace and execution of reforms,says a report. According to theUK India Business Council’s3rd annual Ease of DoingBusiness in India survey, amajority of respondents (51 percent) said the business envi-ronment has improved thoughthe percentage has come downfrom 53 per cent who held sim-ilar views in 2016.

When asked “Is the ease ofdoing business in Indiaimproving?”, 42 per centrespondents replied in the neg-ative, up from 31 per cent in2016. The survey was con-ducted between September 25and October 24 this year andcovered responses from 88companies, compared to 65 in2016. The findings come closeon the heels of a 30-place jumpby India in the World Bank’sEase of Doing Business(EODB) rankings, to 100 from130. Moreover, global ratingagency Moody’s has raisedIndia’s sovereign rating to Baa2with a stable outlook.

The respondents acknowl-edged the Indian government’scommitment, but felt that it

was taking too long for minis-terial direction to translate intoimprovements in day-to-dayinteractions with the bureau-cracy. “Given that the UK is thelargest G20 investor in India,UK businesses are clearlyenthusiastic about the oppor-tunities in India and wouldconsider investing more, andmore quickly if the government– both in States and at theCentre - delivered furtherreforms,” the survey said.

The main barriers to doingbusiness in India are legal andregulatory impediments, ascited by 63 per cent of respon-dents, while corruption wascited by 34 per cent and taxa-tion issues (39 per cent). Thesurvey referred to three areas inwhich reforms are needed toimprove the confidence of UK

businesses and unlock evenhigher investment into India.

“Firstly, greater visibility ofupcoming legislation, espe-cially surrounding tax reformslike GST, would allow forgreater predictability and allowbusinesses to plan accordingly,”the report said. The survey fur-ther said more “consistentbureaucratic processes” appliedsystematically across Indiawould enable UK businesses toembark on ventures in Indiawith confidence.

Finally, more flexibilitywith government procurementinitiatives and contracts, and amore efficient application ofsingle-window clearance sys-tems would go a long way inincreasing confidence in Indiaas an investment destination infuture, it added.

UK firms largely positive

on India, pain points stay

PTI n MUMBAI

The stock market on Fridaysigned out with gains for

the seventh day on the trot,with IT stocks in the driver’sseat. The 30-share BSE Sensexfinished at 33,679 — a three-week high — and the Niftyclosed a little short of 10,400.Consumer durables and ITstocks turned out to be bigmovers.

For the whole of the week,the Sensex jumped 336.44points, or 1 per cent, while theNifty rallied 106.10 points, or1.03 per cent. According toanalysts, part the bullishnesscan also be explained by expec-tations of a rating upgradefrom Standard & Poor’s (S&P).

“Market traded in a posi-tive bias on account of renewedbuying in IT stocks and expec-tations of a sovereign ratingupgrade. Domestic funda-mentals are better while a pos-itive upgrade in rating willprovide more conviction toinvestors on the government’sreforms agenda,” said VinodNair, Head of Research, GeojitFinancial Services Ltd.

The broader Niftyreclaimed the 10,400-mark,but that was short-lived asprofit-taking pulled it down to10,389.70, still a gain of 40.95

points — or 0.40 per cent. TheSensex was in the greenthroughout to touch a high of33,738.53 before settling up91.16 points, or 0.27 per cent,at 33,679.24 — its highest clos-ing level since November 6.

Domestic financial insti-tutions continued to show faithand more bets from retailinvestors are supporting therally, traders said. IT bell-wether Infosys was the leaderof the ring as it surged 1.87 percent, followed by Bajaj Auto,M&M and Kotak Bank. SBIlost most by falling 0.79 percent. The consumer durablesindex added 2.79 per cent, fol-lowed by IT, technology and oiland gas.

Broader markets continuedto show a firm trend. The BSEmid-cap was up by 0.58 percent and small-cap 0.45 percent. Asian shares ruled high.Most European stocks weretrading higher too.

Markets in positivelane for 7th day, IT in the saddle

PTI n NEW DELHI

The Supreme Court’s recentdirection restraining

directors of a firm from alien-ating their personal propertiesmay impinge on the conceptof limited liability, industrybody Ficci said on Friday. Ina statement, the industrychamber asserted that whileall those who transgress thebounds of law should be legit-imately punished under thelaw of the land, violating theprinciple of Limited Liabilitycan have negative conse-quences for entrepreneurshipand business development inIndia.

The Supreme Courtrecently directed 13 directorsof embattled realty firmJaiprakash Associates Limitednot to alienate their person-al properties and asked thecompany to pay up Rs 275crore by December end “likea good kid”. The apex court’sdirection that the directorsshall not alienate their ortheir family members’ per-sonal properties in any man-ner implies freezing of theirassets.

“The latest direction ofthe Supreme Court restrain-ing promoters of an Indiancompany from alienating per-

sonal properties in a matterpertaining to a corporate lit-igation comes as part of aseries of such judicial pro-nouncements that mayimpinge on the concept ofLimited Liability as defined bylaw,” Ficci said.

The chamber observedthat apart from giving dueconsideration to the principleof Limited Liability, judicialpronouncements should alsogive due regard to the difference between securedand unsecured liabilities.

“Ficci hopes that as arespected and hallowed insti-tution the judiciary wouldpay due attention to the eco-nomic consequences of judi-cial pronouncements,” FicciSecretary General SanjayaBaru said. Limited liabilitymay be explained as a type ofliability that does not exceedthe amount invested in apartnership or a limited lia-bility company. This impliesthat while a shareholder canparticipate wholly in thegrowth of a company, his orher liability is restricted to theamount of investment madein the company, even if it sub-sequently goes bankrupt andhas remaining debt obligations.

‘Apex court order may

impinge on limited

liability concept’New Delhi (PTI): RelianceIndustries on Friday said it hascompleted sale of its interest inone of the three shale gasassets in the US to BKVChelsea for USD 126 million.Reliance Marcellus II, LLC, asubsidiary of Reliance HoldingUSA and RIL, closed the sale ofits stake in the Marcellus shalegas asset operated by CarrizoOil and Gas, the company saidin a statement.

The transaction, which wasannounced on October 6, willbe effective April 1, 2017. RILheld stakes in three US shalegas ventures - 45 per cent withPioneer Natural Resources inthe Eagle Ford shale play; 40per cent with Chevron and 60per cent with Carrizo Oil & Gasin the Marcellus Shale play. Theassets, which are operated byCarrizo Oil & Gas, Inc, weresold to BKV Chelsea, LLC, anaffiliate of Kalnin VenturesLLC, for USD 126 million.“Additionally, under the defin-itive documents, a contingentamount of up to USD 11.25million may be paid to Reliancebetween 2018 to 2020 based oncertain gas price thresholdsbeing achieved,” it said. Thedeal closed on November 24and the company received thepurchase consideration sub-ject to usual and customarypurchase price adjustments,the statement added.

RIL sells stake in

Marcellus Shale

to BKV Chelsea

for $ 126 mn

Script Last Abs ChangeTraded Price Change %3MINDIA 15751 -102.85 -0.658KMILES 861.15 -4.6 -0.53AARTIIND 910 -4.15 -0.45ABAN 203.8 0.9 0.44ABB 1410.1 -1.65 -0.12ABBOTINDIA 4968.65 107.5 2.21ABFRL 165.05 4.9 3.06ACC 1698 -14.35 -0.84ADANIENT 153.2 0.8 0.52ADANIPORTS 404.2 -3 -0.74ADANIPOWER 35.4 0.25 0.71ADANITRANS 201 -4.4 -2.14ADVENZYMES 265.4 -0.15 -0.06AEGISLOG 233.4 -0.1 -0.04AIAENG 1436.8 -4.5 -0.31AJANTPHARM 1327.45 3.5 0.26AKZOINDIA 1815 -2.6 -0.14ALBK 78.2 0.05 0.06ALKEM 1978.15 1.35 0.07ALLCARGO 168 -1.3 -0.77AMARAJABAT 790.2 3.5 0.44AMBUJACEM 264.05 -0.85 -0.32ANDHRABANK 65.6 1 1.55APARINDS 787.85 7.8 1APLAPOLLO 1860.15 -12 -0.64APLLTD 513.9 -0.45 -0.09APOLLOHOSP 1141.5 6.35 0.56APOLLOTYRE 253.4 1.2 0.48ARVIND 433.25 -1.65 -0.38ASAHIINDIA 376.6 5.2 1.4ASHOKA 238.95 2.3 0.97ASHOKLEY 118.4 3.8 3.32ASIANPAINT 1160.05 -1.2 -0.1ASTRAL 802 -2.25 -0.28ASTRAMICRO 110.55 2.4 2.22ASTRAZEN 1165 6.6 0.57ATUL 2508 -10 -0.4AUROPHARMA 714.55 18.75 2.69AVANTI 2609.65 -74.5 -2.78AXISBANK 544.8 0.55 0.1

BAJAJ-AUTO 3296.8 34.95 1.07BAJAJCORP 470.65 15.65 3.44BAJAJELEC 474.2 10.45 2.25BAJAJFINSV 5160 29.2 0.57BAJAJHIND 15.43 -0.22 -1.41BAJAJHLDNG 2893 -6 -0.21BAJFINANCE 1785.45 21.6 1.22BALKRISIND 2077 -11.3 -0.54BALMLAWRIE 278 -2.85 -1.01BALRAMCHIN 162.6 -2.1 -1.28BANKBARODA 176.85 -1.15 -0.65BANKINDIA 200.85 -1.55 -0.77BASF 1964 8.65 0.44BATAINDIA 741.5 -6.9 -0.92BAYERCROP 4000 24.45 0.62BBTC 1507.75 32.25 2.19BEL 184.75 -1.85 -0.99BEML 1690 -11.85 -0.7BERGEPAINT 256 -1 -0.39BFUTILITIE 510.05 -12.35 -2.36BHARATFIN 989.15 21.5 2.22BHARATFORG 699.85 0.1 0.01BHARTIARTL 496.3 0.25 0.05BHEL 92.3 -0.55 -0.59BIOCON 414.4 1.35 0.33BIRLACORPN 1090 -6.85 -0.62BLISSGVS 191.35 -0.8 -0.42BLUEDART 4105.95 -48.15 -1.16BLUESTARCO 703.5 25.15 3.71BOMDYEING 199.7 -4.35 -2.13BOSCHLTD 18970.4 -20.45 -0.11BPCL 512.4 5.7 1.12BRITANNIA 4742.2 -31.3 -0.66CADILAHC 446.25 2.75 0.62CANBK 390.1 -3.7 -0.94CANFINHOME 458.3 -2.1 -0.46CAPF 707.15 6.05 0.86CAPPL 638.3 -11.45 -1.76CARBORUNIV 383.1 -1.65 -0.43CARERATING 1362.55 -30.05 -2.16CASTROLIND 393.8 3.9 1CCL 303.9 0.85 0.28CEATLTD 1821 9.85 0.54CENTRALBK 81.1 0.45 0.56CENTURYPLY 295.8 1.35 0.46CENTURYTEX 1332.85 7.75 0.58

CERA 3542 -59.4 -1.65CESC 1011.5 -6.25 -0.61CGPOWER 85.2 -1.45 -1.67CHAMBLFERT 144.95 -1.35 -0.92CHENNPETRO 425 -3.95 -0.92CHOLAFIN 1266 -5.9 -0.46CIPLA 615.95 -1.35 -0.22COALINDIA 271.1 0.2 0.07COFFEEDAY 229.85 -4.1 -1.75COLPAL 1052.5 5 0.48CONCOR 1342.05 0.9 0.07COROMANDEL 503 0 0CORPBANK 43.85 0.4 0.92COX&KINGS 264.4 9.8 3.85CRISIL 1850 -15.35 -0.82CROMPTON 262.6 15 6.06CUB 166.45 2.25 1.37CUMMINSIND 866.95 10.2 1.19CYIENT 568 -11.5 -1.98DABUR 347 7.1 2.09DALMIABHA 3065 46.5 1.54DBCORP 366.2 2.4 0.66DBL 929.4 2.2 0.24DCBBANK 186.75 3.05 1.66DCMSHRIRAM 527.6 -4.45 -0.84DEEPAKFERT 406 -1.35 -0.33DELTACORP 251.55 -1.65 -0.65DEN 90.5 0.85 0.95DENABANK 25.35 -0.7 -2.69DHANUKA 655 -5.3 -0.8DHFL 618.25 -1.4 -0.23DISHTV 81.85 2.85 3.61DIVISLAB 1046.35 10.45 1.01DLF 228.7 5.9 2.65DMART 1148.2 4.3 0.38DRREDDY 2298.7 -12.95 -0.56ECLERX 1325 17 1.3EDELWEISS 292.4 7.2 2.52EICHERMOT 30808.2 172.25 0.56EIDPARRY 371.95 5.6 1.53EIHOTEL 153.15 -0.25 -0.16ELGIEQUIP 263.5 -4.75 -1.77

EMAMILTD 1250 -0.05 0ENDURANCE 1196.9 3.9 0.33ENGINERSIN 184.95 0.7 0.38ENIL 790 -10.5 -1.31EQUITAS 146.1 1.15 0.79ERIS 635.25 10.65 1.71EROSMEDIA 204.55 -0.35 -0.17ESCORTS 684.25 -3.6 -0.52ESSELPRO 294.6 -9.25 -3.04EVEREADY 420.2 6.3 1.52EXIDEIND 206 1.05 0.51FCONSUMER 63.05 1.75 2.85FDC 208.3 -2.1 -1FEDERALBNK 111.95 -1.05 -0.93FINCABLES 628.95 -5.15 -0.81FINOLEXIND 622.3 -3 -0.48FLFL 388.65 15.5 4.15FORCEMOT 3346.75 69.55 2.12FORTIS 138.7 6.65 5.04FRETAIL 643.25 51.55 8.71FSL 42.6 0.15 0.35GAIL 471.45 9.2 1.99GATI 133.7 0.25 0.19GAYAPROJ 206 -1 -0.48GDL 257.8 -5.85 -2.22GEPIL 672.5 -17.8 -2.58GESHIP 388.35 3.25 0.84GET&D 425 -9.75 -2.24GHCL 274 6.85 2.56GICHSGFIN 424 1.1 0.26GILLETTE 6270 -97.35 -1.53GLAXO 2485.05 -19.75 -0.79GLENMARK 592.95 -0.85 -0.14GMDCLTD 165.7 -1.6 -0.96GMRINFRA 18.6 1.6 9.41GNFC 442.3 -1.1 -0.25GODFRYPHLP 1012.85 -6.6 -0.65GODREJCP 969.7 15.45 1.62GODREJIND 561.15 -1.4 -0.25GODREJPROP 711.15 -11.7 -1.62GPPL 152.85 4.35 2.93GRANULES 125 1.65 1.34GRASIM 1206.1 -0.75 -0.06GREAVESCOT 121.65 -2.25 -1.82GREENPLY 322 1.1 0.34GRINDWELL 520 19.15 3.82

GRUH 501.1 -1.3 -0.26GSFC 143.25 -0.6 -0.42GSKCONS 6049 -4.35 -0.07GSPL 207.75 -0.6 -0.29GUJALKALI 789.45 12.8 1.65GUJFLUORO 844.4 -6.35 -0.75GUJGAS 842 -6.25 -0.74GULFOILLUB 979.9 5.15 0.53HATHWAY 34.65 -0.2 -0.57HATSUN 895.85 3.45 0.39HAVELLS 519.7 12.9 2.55HCC 37.25 -0.15 -0.4HCL-INSYS 48.45 1.05 2.22HCLTECH 860 6.7 0.79HDFC 1710.15 6.9 0.41HDFCBANK 1851.05 4.35 0.24HDIL 62.35 0.9 1.46HEIDELBERG 162.9 2.2 1.37HERITGFOOD 735.5 2 0.27HEROMOTOCO 3654.65 -24.45 -0.66HEXAWARE 325.85 -3.6 -1.09HFCL 27.7 0.85 3.17HIMATSEIDE 328 -1.1 -0.33HINDALCO 251.75 -3.45 -1.35HINDCOPPER 97.15 -0.6 -0.61HINDPETRO 430.8 5.75 1.35HINDUNILVR 1268.05 -1.1 -0.09HINDZINC 308.75 -4.4 -1.41HONAUT 16828 -193.8 -1.14HSIL 529.15 33 6.65HUDCO 84.95 0.55 0.65IBREALEST 207.9 -4.55 -2.14IBULHSGFIN 1171.4 9.55 0.82IBVENTURES 259.85 -2.05 -0.78ICICIBANK 317.05 -2.05 -0.64ICICIPRULI 377.8 -1.7 -0.45ICIL 128.3 3.2 2.56ICRA 3905.15 -9.5 -0.24IDBI 61.95 0.05 0.08IDEA 94.65 -1.4 -1.46IDFC 61 0.25 0.41IDFCBANK 54.75 0.1 0.18IFCI 24.55 -0.1 -0.41IGL 313.45 8.7 2.85IL&FSTRANS 77.8 1.8 2.37INDHOTEL 120.35 1.85 1.56INDIACEM 174.5 -1.1 -0.63INDIANB 412.15 0.05 0.01INDIGO 1176.8 9.5 0.81INDOCO 293 -2.35 -0.8INDUSINDBK 1670 27.7 1.69INFIBEAM 175.2 -1.35 -0.76INFRATEL 380.65 6.3 1.68INFY 1009.95 18.55 1.87INGERRAND 805.85 -9.25 -1.13INOXLEISUR 278 0.4 0.14INOXWIND 136 -2.65 -1.91INTELLECT 143.1 0.45 0.32IOB 24.2 -0.25 -1.02IOC 395 0.9 0.23IPCALAB 532 -6.55 -1.22IRB 232.3 2.75 1.2ISGEC 7010 -21.95 -0.31ITC 260.35 2.2 0.85ITDCEM 207.85 2.7 1.32J&KBANK 75.4 0.8 1.07JAGRAN 164.3 -0.95 -0.57JAICORPLTD 189.2 27.85 17.26JBCHEPHARM 289.35 2.1 0.73JBFIND 224.6 6.8 3.12JCHAC 2528.65 10.85 0.43JETAIRWAYS 654.5 -8.2 -1.24JINDALPOLY 398.25 -2.2 -0.55JINDALSAW 128.35 0.85 0.67JINDALSTEL 172.8 1.2 0.7

JISLJALEQS 113.05 0.5 0.44JKCEMENT 999 0.6 0.06JKIL 298 -0.75 -0.25JKLAKSHMI 392.55 -3 -0.76JKTYRE 144.8 -0.85 -0.58JMFINANCIL 153.75 1.95 1.28JPASSOCIAT 18.9 0.2 1.07JSLHISAR 223.7 7.65 3.54JSWENERGY 84 1 1.2JSWSTEEL 265.2 -1.85 -0.69JUBILANT 636.55 -11.3 -1.74JUBLFOOD 1807.65 90.1 5.25JUSTDIAL 532.45 2.9 0.55JYOTHYLAB 374 -2.25 -0.6KAJARIACER 727.5 0.75 0.1KALPATPOWR 437.35 1.25 0.29KANSAINER 500 0.8 0.16KEC 325.3 17.6 5.72KESORAMIND 127.35 -2.25 -1.74KIRLOSENG 349.95 -1.2 -0.34KITEX 311.4 6.9 2.27KOTAKBANK 1031.1 10.15 0.99KPIT 175.55 -2.9 -1.63KPRMILL 700 -6.75 -0.96KRBL 625 -11.95 -1.88KSCL 559.6 -4.5 -0.8KTKBANK 159.65 -0.4 -0.25KWALITY 109.95 1.45 1.34L&TFH 177.9 -2.3 -1.28LAKSHVILAS 179.95 -4.8 -2.6LALPATHLAB 888.45 -0.4 -0.05LAOPALA 553 9.1 1.67LAURUSLABS 540 7.05 1.32LAXMIMACH 5820 15.65 0.27LICHSGFIN 598.15 -4.3 -0.71LINDEINDIA 521.3 9 1.76LT 1216.3 0 0LTI 990 -13.7 -1.36LTTS 928.95 16.95 1.86LUPIN 830.15 2.5 0.3M&M 1434.7 14.9 1.05M&MFIN 447.25 9.7 2.22MAGMA 167.8 -1.4 -0.83MAHABANK 26.85 0.1 0.37MAHINDCIE 245 1.45 0.6MAHLIFE 448 0.35 0.08MANAPPURAM 106.7 4.45 4.35MANPASAND 399 -5.1 -1.26MARICO 308.2 3.75 1.23MARKSANS 40.65 -0.4 -0.97MARUTI 8489.5 7.65 0.09MAXINDIA 135 2.35 1.77MCLEODRUSS 199.05 4.6 2.37MCX 947.95 -2.4 -0.25MFSL 562.6 -2.8 -0.5MGL 1102 10.7 0.98MHRIL 346.3 8.2 2.43MINDAIND 1147.4 27.95 2.5MINDTREE 513.5 1.65 0.32MMTC 76.8 -1.3 -1.66MOIL 252.1 -1.05 -0.41MONSANTO 2470 -25 -1MOTHERSUMI 346.3 3.4 0.99MOTILALOFS 1318.05 -5.65 -0.43MPHASIS 718.7 -2.35 -0.33MRF 69500 436.95 0.63MRPL 126.3 1.25 1MTNL 21.2 -0.2 -0.93MUTHOOTFIN 452 -1.55 -0.34NATCOPHARM 924.4 15.4 1.69NATIONALUM 81.95 -0.45 -0.55NAUKRI 1215 13.35 1.11NAVINFLUOR 697.2 -14.65 -2.06NAVKARCORP 189.85 -0.3 -0.16NAVNETEDUL 172.95 7.3 4.41

NBCC 264.85 -1.25 -0.47NBVENTURES 141.25 5.7 4.21NCC 110.75 1.85 1.7NESTLEIND 7501.5 -123.2 -1.62NETWORK18 52.05 1.85 3.69NH 295.5 -2.4 -0.81NHPC 27 0.05 0.19NIITLTD 101.4 -1.2 -1.17NIITTECH 659.7 4.6 0.7NILKAMAL 1674.05 -32.05 -1.88NLCINDIA 106.4 -0.15 -0.14NMDC 126.8 -0.15 -0.12NTPC 180.4 0.4 0.22OBEROIRLTY 491.8 -20.4 -3.98OCL 1469 -3.25 -0.22OFSS 3717.7 17.85 0.48OIL 366.8 4 1.1OMAXE 208.5 -0.3 -0.14ONGC 180.9 -0.55 -0.3ORIENTBANK 131.55 2.25 1.74ORIENTCEM 163.35 0 0PAGEIND 22600.1 324.55 1.46PARAGMILK 240.1 -0.65 -0.27PCJEWELLER 383.25 15.05 4.09PEL 2661.1 73.25 2.83PERSISTENT 649.15 -7.1 -1.08PETRONET 253 -0.4 -0.16PFC 127.15 -0.95 -0.74PFIZER 1923.05 -7.65 -0.4PFS 36.95 0.15 0.41PGHH 9176.15 12.5 0.14PHOENIXLTD 514 12.95 2.58PIDILITIND 842.5 -1 -0.12PIIND 872.75 20.8 2.44PNB 186.05 -0.45 -0.24PNBHOUSING 1375 -7.2 -0.52PNCINFRA 188.15 5.05 2.76POLARIS 367.8 2.85 0.78POWERGRID 211.1 1.9 0.91PRAJIND 117 11.25 10.64PRESTIGE 314.9 1.95 0.62PRISMCEM 114.25 -0.3 -0.26

PTC 121.2 0.95 0.79PVR 1305 -42.5 -3.15RADICO 279.3 -2.2 -0.78RAIN 327.55 -6.25 -1.87RAJESHEXPO 767.8 7.8 1.03RALLIS 229.65 -4.45 -1.9RAMCOCEM 708.4 -2.3 -0.32RATNAMANI 960 -17.85 -1.83RAYMOND 976.85 2.75 0.28RBLBANK 512.05 4.25 0.84RCF 93.2 0.05 0.05RCOM 13.5 -0.1 -0.74RECLTD 162.95 -1.4 -0.85REDINGTON 184.8 -3.25 -1.73RELAXO 599.55 -17.3 -2.8RELIANCE 949.5 4.35 0.46RELIGARE 47.85 0.05 0.1RELINFRA 451.05 2.4 0.53RENUKA 17.75 -0.14 -0.78REPCOHOME 629.65 8.85 1.43RNAVAL 44 0.4 0.92ROLTA 58.8 1.5 2.62RPOWER 38.35 0.2 0.52RTNPOWER 8.59 -0.24 -2.72SADBHAV 357.9 -2.15 -0.6SAIL 82.4 0.15 0.18SANOFI 4435.05 -14.35 -0.32SBIN 332.25 -2.65 -0.79SCHAEFFLER 5190.05 51.05 0.99SCHNEIDER 128.5 -0.8 -0.62SCI 95.55 3.25 3.52SEQUENT 99.65 0.05 0.05SFL 1739.9 73.75 4.43SHARDACROP 474.2 1.75 0.37SHILPAMED 656.4 -8.25 -1.24SHK 264 2.75 1.05SHOPERSTOP 546.35 -2.85 -0.52SHREECEM 17056.65 -146.45 -0.85SHRIRAMCIT 2035 42.4 2.13SIEMENS 1188.1 -2.25 -0.19SITINET 25 0.45 1.83SJVN 34.85 0.15 0.43SKFINDIA 1690.55 -5.15 -0.3SMLISUZU 914 11.2 1.24SOBHA 532.6 4 0.76SOLARINDS 1184 9.05 0.77

SOMANYCERA 850.25 9.15 1.09SONATSOFTW 229.4 0.45 0.2SOUTHBANK 31.3 0.1 0.32SPARC 425.8 3.3 0.78SPICEJET 144.85 1.05 0.73SREINFRA 103.3 1.65 1.62SRF 1849.35 -12.1 -0.65SRTRANSFIN 1237.9 4.6 0.37STAR 821.05 -1.45 -0.18STRTECH 270.1 3.8 1.43SUDARSCHEM 366.4 0.1 0.03SUNDRMFAST 497 1.05 0.21SUNPHARMA 548.55 3.8 0.7SUNTECK 395.3 2.3 0.59SUNTV 873.65 -4.9 -0.56SUPREMEIND 1125 -3.35 -0.3SUVEN 201 -1.25 -0.62SUZLON 14.15 0.5 3.66SWANENERGY 184.55 -3.55 -1.89SYMPHONY 1575 -4.4 -0.28SYNDIBANK 94.5 3.45 3.79SYNGENE 524.1 5.5 1.06TAKE 157.45 -0.45 -0.28TATACHEM 739.25 1.5 0.2TATACOFFEE 159.6 0.9 0.57TATACOMM 693.25 -4.75 -0.68TATAELXSI 951.85 2.65 0.28TATAGLOBAL 276.45 1.95 0.71TATAINVEST 870.95 -8 -0.91TATAMOTORS 424.95 -1.15 -0.27TATAMTRDVR 240.7 -2.15 -0.89TATAPOWER 93.8 0.6 0.64TATASPONGE 949.8 0.65 0.07TATASTEEL 707.75 -3.5 -0.49TCS 2688.75 6 0.22TECHM 493.6 4.35 0.89TECHNO 399 1.95 0.49TEXRAIL 111.95 0.85 0.77THERMAX 1050 7.3 0.7THOMASCOOK 232.8 2.25 0.98THYROCARE 668.05 1.25 0.19TIMETECHNO 186.95 -0.15 -0.08

TIMKEN 841.5 11.85 1.43TITAN 828.35 23.1 2.87TNPL 360.55 -0.3 -0.08TORNTPHARM 1280.85 0.1 0.01TORNTPOWER 271.8 1.7 0.63TRENT 343.6 -2.3 -0.66TRIDENT 86.75 0.45 0.52TRITURBINE 140 0 0TTKPRESTIG 6660.2 -105.25 -1.56TV18BRDCST 50.55 4.45 9.65TVSMOTOR 739.3 3.45 0.47TVSSRICHAK 3315 -1.15 -0.03TVTODAY 386.3 13.05 3.5TWL 165.95 4.5 2.79UBL 1085.7 2.45 0.23UCOBANK 32.1 -0.3 -0.93UFLEX 467.6 0.2 0.04UJJIVAN 415.05 12.55 3.12ULTRACEMCO 4207 14.95 0.36UNICHEMLAB 300.55 9.9 3.41UNIONBANK 167.65 1.05 0.63UNITECH 6.29 0.03 0.48UPL 743.25 -6.15 -0.82VAKRANGEE 711.55 6.55 0.93VBL 499 -0.55 -0.11VEDL 305.8 -2.55 -0.83VGUARD 238.3 6.25 2.69VIDEOIND 12.85 0.6 4.9VIJAYABANK 74.3 -0.5 -0.67VINATIORGA 975.55 -7.8 -0.79VIPIND 342.95 -1.15 -0.33VOLTAS 624.95 0.6 0.1VSTIND 3400 4.35 0.13VTL 1280 -5.7 -0.44WABAG 573.75 18.6 3.35WABCOINDIA 6975 216.85 3.21WELCORP 134.9 -3.3 -2.39WELSPUNIND 73.5 -2.45 -3.23WESTLIFE 293.15 0.1 0.03WHIRLPOOL 1513.15 24.1 1.62WIPRO 292.55 -0.85 -0.29WOCKPHARMA 710.5 -5.5 -0.77WONDERLA 367.95 2.05 0.56YESBANK 312.8 0.45 0.14ZEEL 560 -4.15 -0.74ZENSARTECH 880 -0.95 -0.11ZYDUSWELL 914.05 3.85 0.42

NIFTY 50

SCRIP OPEN HIGH LOW LTP CHANGEAUROPHARMA 696.9 717.9 694.85 717 22.6GAIL 464 472.35 463.1 471.5 8.6INFRATEL 378 382 376.4 381 6.4INFY 990.9 1,019.30 990.2 1,008.00 16.75INDUSINDBK 1,646.00 1,682.85 1,644.00 1,670.05 26.7ULTRACEMCO 4,185.15 4,246.00 4,185.15 4,243.60 58.45POWERGRID 208.5 211.85 208 211.8 2.75BAJFINANCE 1,773.00 1,798.30 1,764.00 1,785.10 21.45HINDPETRO 427 434.4 421 430.1 5.15M&M 1,425.00 1,439.90 1,420.05 1,435.35 16.7BPCL 503 511.85 502.95 511.05 5.9TECHM 490 499 490 495 5.4IBULHSGFIN 1,168.00 1,179.70 1,155.05 1,171.00 11.35ITC 258.5 261.45 258.05 260.65 2.5SUNPHARMA 545.75 551 541.7 549.5 4.75HDFCBANK 1,843.00 1,857.80 1,841.00 1,857.50 14.65HCLTECH 855 863.5 855 860 6.3KOTAKBANK 1,025.00 1,036.50 1,020.95 1,029.10 7BAJAJ-AUTO 3,310.00 3,327.90 3,278.95 3,284.00 19.35EICHERMOT 30,620.0031,003.1530,601.0530,801.00 181.05LT 1,216.00 1,224.00 1,213.50 1,222.95 7HDFC 1,707.90 1,715.00 1,697.10 1,713.20 8.6RELIANCE 950 959.5 947.4 951.25 4.25COALINDIA 270.75 272.85 270.4 271.65 1.2AXISBANK 544.95 547.7 541.05 546 1.85TCS 2,682.00 2,702.90 2,673.10 2,688.20 6.95MARUTI 8,463.40 8,540.00 8,463.40 8,485.25 21.85LUPIN 830 835.5 828 829.4 2.05AMBUJACEM 265.95 268.1 264.5 265.5 0.55ASIANPAINT 1,164.00 1,164.00 1,148.15 1,161.00 1.4BOSCHLTD 18,978.2019,058.0018,925.2019,000.00 21.8BHARTIARTL 497 501.25 495 496.75 0.4NTPC 180 181.75 179.1 180.5 0.1IOC 396 397 392.1 394.85 0.1WIPRO 294.4 294.4 291 293.65 0.1CIPLA 619.5 623.9 613.25 617.2 -0.4HINDUNILVR 1,269.40 1,270.00 1,253.00 1,266.00 -1.5TATAMOTORS 427 429.95 424.25 425.5 -0.75ZEEL 561.2 569.7 556.25 563.75 -1.35YESBANK 315 315.95 312.05 312.5 -0.75ONGC 182.5 182.6 180.4 181 -0.7ADANIPORTS 411 411 401.85 404.9 -2.2HEROMOTOCO 3,689.40 3,690.15 3,650.00 3,656.50 -20.85DRREDDY 2,310.00 2,322.90 2,286.85 2,292.00 -14.25TATASTEEL 712.05 712.8 703.25 708.1 -4.6UPL 751.95 755.85 741.2 744 -5.2ICICIBANK 319.9 321.05 315.95 316.85 -2.6SBIN 336 337 331.5 332.1 -2.85VEDL 309.2 309.75 304.6 306 -2.8HINDALCO 255.3 255.75 251 251.4 -3.85

se 500B

VITAL STATS

GOLD SILVERMumbai 31037 42900 Delhi 30481 42900Kolkata 31144 42900

BSE: SENSEX

OpenHighLowCurrent valuePrevious close Change (Pts) Change (%)

64.73

86.03

76.72

0.58

NIFTY NEXT 50

SCRIP OPEN HIGH LOW LTP CHANGEASHOKLEY 114 119.4 114 118.45 3.75TITAN 806.95 831.8 796.75 830.25 24.35HAVELLS 510.3 520.1 508.4 519.95 14.6PEL 2,612.00 2,668.00 2,583.35 2,661.95 70.85DLF 224.7 229.65 221.35 228.8 6.05OIL 365 370 361 369.95 6.3DABUR 342.7 349.2 340.35 345 4.95MARICO 306.45 310.3 305.2 309.5 4.1GODREJCP 962 974.8 952.75 968.15 12.65EMAMILTD 1,246.00 1,273.00 1,246.00 1,262.65 15.95INDIGO 1,175.00 1,188.95 1,164.80 1,182.50 13.45COLPAL 1,050.00 1,057.75 1,045.25 1,056.95 9.55MOTHERSUMI 346.35 347.6 343.25 345.6 2.85CADILAHC 445.1 450.6 441.8 446.9 3.15CUMMINSIND 860.9 867.9 857 863 5.8TATAPOWER 93.1 94.35 92.6 93.75 0.6CONCOR 1,345.00 1,355.25 1,332.55 1,343.45 6.9BAJAJFINSV 5,141.10 5,191.00 5,123.65 5,160.00 26.4MRF 69,499.0069,859.0569,261.0069,455.00 265.4SRTRANSFIN 1,241.90 1,246.95 1,232.45 1,237.60 3.4NHPC 26.95 27.2 26.9 27 0.05TORNTPHARM 1,278.00 1,285.00 1,270.50 1,280.00 2.2GSKCONS 6,052.00 6,052.35 5,979.95 6,050.00 9DMART 1,152.00 1,163.00 1,145.10 1,147.00 0.7SAIL 82.4 83.3 81.55 82.3 0.05NMDC 127 128.1 126.1 126.8 0.05OFSS 3,682.00 3,769.00 3,680.00 3,703.05 0.85PETRONET 253.9 255.25 252.9 253.35 -0.05PGHH 9,153.75 9,235.00 9,116.00 9,180.00 -10.2SIEMENS 1,190.45 1,203.75 1,173.80 1,188.60 -1.85GLENMARK 594.5 595.9 591.4 593.3 -1SUNTV 883 883.55 872.1 877 -2.15PNB 187 189.2 185.05 185.95 -0.55ABB 1,408.00 1,419.80 1,400.55 1,405.00 -4.75MCDOWELL-N 3,275.00 3,295.65 3,242.50 3,255.85 -11.4PIDILITIND 846 849.7 836.1 840.65 -2.95ICICIPRULI 381.9 382.85 376.3 378.35 -1.5JSWSTEEL 267.9 267.9 263.3 265.8 -1.05GLAXO 2,500.10 2,510.00 2,485.05 2,493.00 -10.3SHREECEM 17,210.9517,325.9517,035.1517,100.00 -110.95PFC 127.7 128.4 126.6 127.5 -0.85BANKBARODA 178.7 179.75 176.15 176.8 -1.3RECLTD 165.1 165.1 161.95 163.2 -1.25BRITANNIA 4,786.05 4,794.55 4,708.55 4,745.00 -37.35BHEL 93.55 93.95 92 92.1 -0.75ACC 1,715.00 1,722.95 1,694.00 1,697.00 -15.25BEL 188.25 189.45 184.1 185.4 -1.7LICHSGFIN 603 606.35 596.35 597.65 -5.65IDEA 96.1 97.7 94 94.6 -1.5HINDZINC 311 312 306.7 307.55 -6.05

33670.0033738.5333639.9833679.2433588.0891.160.2

BSE: GAINERS

TV18BRDCST 50.55 (9.65)

GMRINFRA 18.60 (9.41)

FRETAIL 643.25 (8.71)

SINTEX 25.40 (6.28)

CROMPTON 262.60 (6.06)

Current (Chng %)NSE: GAINERS

AUROPHARMA 717.00 (3.25)

GAIL 471.50 (1.86)

INFRATEL 381.00 (1.71)

INFY 1,008.00 (1.69)

INDUSINDBK 1,670.05 (1.62)

Current (Chng %)BSE: LOSERS

OBEROIRLTY 491.80 (3.98)

WELSPUNIND 73.50 (3.23)

PVR 1305.00 (3.15)

RTNPOWER 8.59 (2.72)

DENABANK 25.35 (2.69)

Current (Chng %)NSE: LOSERS

HINDALCO 251.40 (1.51)

VEDL 306.00 (0.91)

SBIN 332.10 (0.85)

ICICIBANK 316.85 (0.81)

UPL 744.00 (0.69)

Current (Chng %)

SENSEX NIFTY

world 12LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017

Social withdrawal may improve your creativity: Study

PTI n NEW YORK

Everyone needs an occa-sional break from the social

ramble and sometimes unso-ciability may help boost yourcreativity, a study has found.

“We have to understandwhy someone is withdrawing tounderstand the associated risksand benefits,” said lead authorof the study Julie Bowker, fromthe University at Buffalo in theUS.

According to the studypublished in the journal

Personality and IndividualDifferences, some people with-draw out of fear or anxiety. Thistype of social withdrawal isassociated with shyness.

Others appear to withdrawbecause they dislike socialinteraction. They are consid-ered socially avoidant.

However, some peoplewithdraw due to non-fearfulpreferences for solitude. Theseindividuals enjoy spendingtime alone, reading or workingon their computers. They areunsociable.

Unlike shyness and avoid-ance, the study consistentlyshows that unsociability isunrelated to negative outcomes.But, Bowker’s study is the firstto link it to a positive outcome,creativity. “Although unsocia-ble youth spend more timealone than with others, weknow that they spend sometime with peers. They are notantisocial,” said Bowker.

“They do not initiate inter-action, but also don’t appear toturn down social invitationsfrom peers. Therefore, they

may get just enough peer inter-action so that when they arealone, they are able to enjoythat solitude,” she said.

“They are able to think cre-atively and develop new ideas- like an artist in a studio or theacademic in his or her office,”she said.In the study, shynessand avoidance were relatednegatively to creativity.

For the study, 295 partici-pants reported their differentmotivations for social with-drawal. Other self-report mea-sures assessed creativity, anxi-

ety sensitivity, depressive symp-toms, aggression, and thebehavioural approach system(BAS), which regulatesapproach behaviours anddesires and the behaviouralinhibition system (BIS), whichregulates avoidant behavioursand desires.

Not only was unsociabili-ty related positively to creativ-ity, but the study findings alsoshowed other unique associa-tions, such as a positive linkbetween shyness and anxietysensitivity.

Trump signals welfare

reform is next

AP n WASHINGTON

Welfare reform was one ofthe defining issues of

President Bill Clinton’s presi-dency, starting with a campaignpromise to “end welfare as weknow it,” continuing with a bit-ter policy fight and producingan overhaul law that remainshotly debated 20 years later.

Now, President DonaldTrump wants to put his stampon the welfare system.

Trump, who has been sig-naling interest in the issue forsome time, said Monday at aCabinet meeting that he wantsto tackle welfare reform afterthe tax overhaul he is seekingby the end of the year. He saidchanges were “desperatelyneeded in our country” andthat his administration wouldsoon offer plans.

For now, the president hasnot offered details.Spokeswoman Sarah HuckabeeSanders said more specificswere likely early next year. Butthe groundwork has alreadybegun at the White House andTrump has made his interestknown to Republican law-makers.

Paul Winfree, director ofbudget policy and deputydirector of the Domestic PolicyCouncil, told a gathering at theconservative HeritageFoundation last week that heand another staffer had beencharged with “working on amajor welfare reform propos-al,” adding that they have draft-ed an executive order on thetopic that would outlineadministration principles anddirect agencies to come upwith recommendations.

“The president really wantsto lead on this. He has deliveredthat message loud and clear tous. We've opened conversationswith leadership in Congress tolet them know that that is the

direction we are heading,”Winfree said.

Trump said in Octoberthat welfare reform was“becoming a very, very bigsubject, and people are takingadvantage of the system.”Welfare reform proved chal-lenging for Clinton, who ran in1992 on a promise to “end wel-fare as we know it,” but strug-gled to get consensus on a bill,with Democrats divided andRepublicans pushing aggressivechanges. Amid that conflict, hesigned a law in 1996 thatreplaced a federal entitlementwith grants to the states, placeda time limit on how long fam-ilies could get aid and requiredrecipients to go to work even-tually. It has drawn criticismfrom some liberal quartersever since. During her presi-dential campaign last year,Democrat Hillary Clintonfaced activists who argued thatthe law punished poor people.

Kathryn Edin, a professorat Johns Hopkins Universitywho has been studying welfaresince the 1990s, said the law’slegacy has been to limit thecash assistance available to thevery poor and has neverbecome a “springboard towork.” She questioned whatkinds of changes could bemade, arguing that welfarebenefits are minimal in manystates and that there is little evi-dence of fraud in other anti-poverty programmes. Still,Edin said that welfare has“never been popular even fromits inception. It doesn't sit wellwith Americans in general”.Robert Rector, a senior researchfellow at Heritage, said hewould like to see more workrequirements for a range ofanti-poverty programs andstronger marriage incentives, aswell as strategies to improveoutcomes for social programsand to limit waste.

Cop killed in

suicide blast

in PeshawarPTI n ISLAMABAD

Asuicide bomber on Fridayrammed his motorcycle

into a vehicle, killing a seniorPakistani police officer andhis gunman in Peshawar city,capital of the restive KhyberPakhtunkhwa province.

Additional InspectorGeneral (AIG) HeadquartersAshraf Noor and his gunmanwere killed and six cops escort-ing the vehicle were injured inthe blast, police said.

Ashraf Noor was on hisway to work when his vehiclecame under the attack. Thevehicle caught fire after theblast and a thick cloud ofsmoke could be seen billowingfrom the area, police said.

The blast was so powerfulthat the windowpanes of thepassing vehicles also broke andthe nearby trees caught fire.

The suicide bomber, on amotorbike, targeted the policeconvoy. The blast appeared tobe a suicide attack, CapitalCity Police Officer (CCPO)Tahir Khan was quoted as say-ing by the Dawn News.

The CCPO confirmed thedeath of the AIG and addedthat at least six policemen wereinjured and shifted to theHayatabad Medical Complex.

Following the blast, secu-rity officials cordoned off thearea and began a search oper-ation in the surroundingarea.

PTI n KATHMANDU

Nepal on Friday closed itsborder with India and

China as it gears up for the his-toric round of provincial andparliamentary polls, elevenyears after the country began itsjourney toward democracy,that many hope will bringmuch-needed political stabili-ty to the Himalayan nation.

Land-locked Nepal is hold-ing provincial and parliamen-tary elections in two phases onNovember 26 and December 7.

The elections are beingseen as the final step in Nepal’stransition to a federal democ-racy following a decade-longcivil war till 2006 that claimedmore than 16,000 lives.

More than 300,000 mem-bers of the security forces willbe deployed for the two-stageelection, with northernprovinces voting on Sundayand southern areas andKathmandu going to the pollson December 7.

Results are expected a fewdays after the second vote.

While many hope Nepal’sfirst state elections will hastenregional development, othersfear they will spark a fresh waveof violence.

In 2015, when Nepaladopted a new Constitutionthat split it into seven states,dozens of people were killed inethnic clashes over territoryand rights. “We created theConstitution after years ofstruggle, but that is notenough,” said Nabindra RajJoshi, a senior leader of the

Nepali Congress, the coun-try’s largest political party.

“The most important partis implementation. This elec-tion will launch the provincialadministration that will turnour achievements into reality.”

Following the adoption ofthe new Constitution in 2015,the ethnic Madhesi group,mostly of Indian-origin,protested for months, sayingthey were not getting enoughterritory in one of the states andwere also facing discrimination.

Violent clashes not only leftmore than 50 people dead,but also left the country withsevere shortages of fuel andmedicine because protestersblocked the borders with India.

The protesters finallyagreed to the elections aftersome amendments were madeto the constitution.

According to officials, thecrossing points with India willbe sealed from today till theevening of Sunday.

Nepal-China border cross-ing at Rasuwagadhi andKimathanka have been closedfor 72 hours from midnight,ahead of the first phase ofelections scheduled forNovember 26.

According to Rasuwa ChiefDistrict Officer ChomendraNeupane, the move is in linewith the mandatory require-ment to seal international bor-ders ahead of the elections. Theborders will remain shut tillSunday midnight.

Navaraj Dhakal, an officialwith the Election Commission,said there have been some

incidents where candidates andtheir supporters have beenattacked during the campaign.He said the federal governmentand security forces have a planto ensure voting remains peace-ful, The Himalayan Timesreported.

The Election Commissionhas said no political party,candidates, party office bearers,independents, civil society, vot-ers and mass media can beinvolved in publicity for thepolls.

The EC has urged themedia not to violate the elec-tion code of conduct during thesilence period as that wouldinfluence voters of the first-phase polls even though cam-paigns for the second phasevote scheduled for December 7continue in the remaining 45districts. In the first phase,3,191,945 voters are eligible tocaste their ballot from 4,465polling centres. As many as 702candidates — including 282(266 male and 16 female) forfederal parliament and 420(400 male and 20 female) forthe provincial assemblies—arecontesting for 37 federal and 74provincial seats, according toelection officials.

With stiff competitionexpected from the UML-Maoist alliance in the polls, theNepali Congress (NC) andMadhes-based parties areunder pressure to forge elec-toral alliances across theMadhes districts neighbouringIndia even at the eleventhhour, according to politicalobservers.

Nepal closes border with China,

India ahead of Nov 26 polls

SA court doubles Pistorius sentence

AFP n JOHANNESBURG

ASouth African appealscourt increased paralympic

champion Oscar Pistorius’ sen-tence for murdering his girl-friend Reeva Steenkamp to 13years and five months onFriday. The Supreme Court ofAppeal in Bloemfontein morethan doubled his original sen-tence of six years after the stateargued that it was undulylenient. Pistorius, 31, was notin court for the hearing.

Prosecutors argued earlierthis month that Oscar Pistoriusfailed to show genuine remorseafter killing his girlfriend.

“One of the essential ingre-dients of a balanced sentence isthat it must reflect the seri-ousness of the offence,” AndreaJohnson, of the National

Prosecution Authority, hadtold the court.

Pistorius’ lawyer BarryRoux mounted a strongdefence of the judge who hand-ed down the six-year sentence,saying she took into account hisclaim that he believed he wasshooting an intruder.

The Paralympic athleteshot dead Steenkamp in theearly hours of Valentine’s Dayin 2013 when he fired fourtimes through the door of hisbedroom toilet.

He pleaded not guilty at histrial in 2014 and has alwaysdenied that he killed

Steenkamp in a rage, saying hemistook her for a burglar.

In 2015, Pistorius wasfound guilty of murder andgiven less than half of the min-imum 15 years in jail for thatcrime. Pistorius was originallyconvicted of culpable homicide— the equivalent ofmanslaughter — but the appealcourt upgraded his conviction.

Nazreen Shaik Peremanov,a constitutional law expert atthe University of South Africa’slaw school, told AFP thatPistorius could now appeal thelatest sentence at the country’shighest court — theConstitutional Court.

But National ProsecutingAuthority spokesman LuvuyoMfaku said he was pleasedwith the Supreme Court’s rul-ing. “We always maintained as

an institution that this appealis not about an individual. Ithas got everything to do withthe proper administration ofjustice,” he said. “We hope thefamily will find closure know-ing that justice has been servedand the proper sentence hasbeen handed out.” Oscar’sbrother Carl Pistorius tweetedthat he was “Shattered.Heartbroken. Gutted” follow-ing the court’s ruling. “Wehave all suffered incompre-hensible loss. The death ofReeva was and still is a greatloss for our family too,” hewrote. Previously an ambas-sador for disabled peopleworldwide, Pistorius wasreleased from jail in 2015 afterserving one year of the initialfive-year term for culpablehomicide.

Pakistan-born man jailedfor terror plot in UK

US to send F-22 jets to S Korea

in show of force for Pyongyang

PTI n SEOUL

The US will send F-22Raptor stealth fighter jets

to South Korea for a joint drill,reports said on Friday, in anew show of force aimed atPyongyang.

Six fighter jets, normallybased in Okinawa, Japan, willbe deployed to the South fora five-day joint military exer-cise, Vigilant Ace, startingDecember 4, local mediareported.

A South Korean Air Forcespokesman said an “unspeci-fied number” of F-22s wouldtake part in the drill.

A US Air Forcespokesman declined to givedetails.

Local media reported thatthe US aircraft will engage inprecision strike drills withSouth Korean Air Force fight-er jets.

The move comes as theUS pushes what PresidentDonald Trump has called a“maximum pressure cam-paign” against the North’snuclear program.

Earlier this month, two B-1B US supersonic bombersoverflew the Korean peninsu-la as part of a joint exercisewith Japanese and SouthKorean warplanes.

This was followed by ajoint naval drill involvingthree US aircraft carriers andseven South Korean warshipsin the first such triple-carrierexercise in the region for adecade.

North Korea in Julylaunched two intercontinentalballistic missiles apparentlycapable of reaching the USmainland — which weredescribed by the country’sleader Kim Jong-Un as a giftto “American bastards”.

It followed up with twomissiles that passed overJapan, and its sixth nucleartest in September — by far itsmost powerful yet.

Trump on Mondaydeclared North Korea a statesponsor of terrorism, addingthe country back onto a USblacklist Pyongyang was takenoff nearly a decade ago.

The US also unveiled

fresh sanctions that targetNorth Korean shipping, rais-ing the pressure on thePyongyang in a bid to make itabandon its nuclear pro-gramme.

Trump said that the terrordesignation and new sanctionsare part of a series of movesover the next two weeks toreinforce his “maximum pres-sure campaign” against KimJong-Un’s regime.

Pyongyang condemnedthe listing as a “serious provo-cation” on Wednesday, warn-ing that sanctions would neverforce it to abandon its nuclearweapons programme.

China, the North’s soleally, also rejected as “wrong”new US sanctions, which tar-get Chinese companies doingbusiness with the pariahstate.

Russia said on Thursdaythat the US decision to addNorth Korea to its terrorblacklist was a “PR move”that could allow the situa-tion on the peninsula toescalate into a global “cata-strophe”.

N Korea replaces guards,fortifies border AFP n SEOUL

North Korea has replaceddozens of guards and for-

tified a section of its borderwith South Korea following thedramatic defection of one of itssoldiers last week, a reportsaid on Friday.

The 24-year-old soldier,identified only by his surname,Oh, is recovering in a SouthKorean hospital after beingshot at least four times by hiscomrades as he dashed acrossthe border.

“We’ve detected signs thatall North Korean guards at theJoint Security Area (JSA) werereplaced immediately after thedefection,” South Korea’s mass-circulated Chosun Ilbo dailysaid, citing governmentsources. The report said around35 to 40 North Koreans nor-mally stand guard at the JSA,which is located at thePanmunjom truce village —the only portion of the borderwhere forces from the twosides stand face-to-face.

“They will likely be heldaccountable for not being able

to prevent the defection,” itadded.

Oh made his dash over theborder at Panmunjom onNovember 13.

Footage showed his formercomrades opening fire on himas he raced on foot over the linethat divides the two countries,after driving a military jeep tothe JSA. He was shot at leastfour times in his daring bid,and was found by SouthKorean troops slumped in apile of leaves just south of theborder. In an apparent attemptto prevent further defections,the North Koreans have begunfortifying the border areawhere Oh crossed. A pictureposted on the Twitter accountof acting US ambassador toSouth Korea, Marc Knapper,showed North Korean workersdigging a deep trench on theNorth Korean side of the lineas soldiers looked on. “Was atJSA today, the North Koreanshave planted two trees and aredigging a trench at the spotwhere their soldier crossed theMDL (military demarcationline),” Knapper tweeted.

US to send F-22jets to S Korea AFP n SEOUL

The US will send F-22Raptor stealth fighter jets

to South Korea for a joint drill,reports said on Friday, in anew show of force aimed atPyongyang.

Six fighter jets, normallybased in Okinawa, Japan, willbe deployed to the South fora five-day joint military exer-cise, Vigilant Ace, startingDecember 4, local mediareported.

A South Korean Air Forcespokesman said an “unspeci-fied number” of F-22s wouldtake part in the drill.

A US Air Forcespokesman declined to givedetails.

Local media reported thatthe US aircraft will engage inprecision strike drills withSouth Korean Air Force fight-er jets.

The move comes as theUS pushes what PresidentDonald Trump has called a“maximum pressure cam-paign” against the North’snuclear program.

Earlier this month, two B-1B US supersonic bombersoverflew the Korean peninsu-la as part of a joint exercisewith Japanese and SouthKorean warplanes.

This was followed by ajoint naval drill involving threeUS aircraft carriers and sevenSouth Korean warships in thefirst such triple-carrier exer-cise in the region for a decade.North Korea in July launchedtwo intercontinental ballisticmissiles apparently capable ofreaching the US mainland —which were described by thecountry’s leader Kim Jong-Unas a gift to “American bas-tards”. It followed up with twomissiles that passed overJapan, and its sixth nuclear testin September — by far its mostpowerful yet.

Hafiz Saeed free, vows to

fight for Kashmir cause

PTI n LONDON

Pakistan on Friday freedHafiz Saeed, the chief of the

banned JuD and mastermind ofthe 2008 Mumbai terror attackfrom detention, who immedi-ately launched his anti-Indiarhetoric by saying he wouldmobilise people for the “causeof Kashmir”.

The Jamaat-ud-Dawah(JuD) head, who carries a USD10 million American bountyfor his role in terror activities,was released after the govern-ment decided against detaininghim further in any other case.

He was under detentionsince January this year.

The fire-brand cleric’srelease after midnight cameahead of the 9th anniversary ofthe 26/11 Mumbai attacks inwhich 166 people were killed.

India has repeatedly askedPakistan to re-investigate the

Mumbai terror attack caseand also demanded trial ofSaeed and Lashkar-e-Taibaoperations commander ZakiurRehman Lakhvi in the light ofevidence it had provided toIslamabad.

Saeed, addressing his sup-porters gathered outside hisresidence said: “I was detainedfor 10 months only to stop myvoice for Kashmir. I fight forthe case of Kashmiris. I willgather the people from across

the country for the cause ofKashmir and we will try to helpKashmiris get their destinationof freedom”.

Punjab province’s JudicialReview Board comprisingjudges of the Lahore HighCourt (LHC) on Wednesdayunanimously ordered Saeed’srelease on the completion of his30-day house arrest whichexpired on Thursday night.

India had expressed out-rage over the decision of the

judicial board to release Saeed,calling it an attempt by Pakistanto mainstream proscribed ter-rorists and a reflection of itscontinuing support to non-state actors. The Ministry ofExternal Affairs (MEA) saidSaeed’s release confirmed onceagain the lack of seriousness bythe Pakistan government inbringing to justice perpetratorsof terrorism, including indi-viduals and entities designatedby the UN.

“It also appears to be anattempt by the Pakistani systemto mainstream proscribed ter-rorists. Pakistan has notchanged its policy of shieldingand supporting non-stateactors and its true face is visi-ble for all to see,” MEAspokesperson Raveesh Kumarsaid in New Delhi on Thursday.

Saeed said that he wasdetained when he announceda month of solidarity forKashmiris in January.

Using the release order tobuttress his claim of “inno-cence”, Saeed said: “I am veryhappy that none of the allega-tions against me proved asthree judges of the LHCordered my release... India hadlevelled baseless allegationsagainst me. The LHC’s reviewboard decision has proved thatI am innocent”. “I was detainedon the pressure of the US onthe Pakistani government. TheUS did so on the request ofIndia,” he claimed.

Several JuD supporters,gathered outside Saeed’s housein Lahore’s Jauhar town to cel-ebrate his release, shouted anti-India slogans.

“We are happy to see ourleader free,” JuD spokesmanAhmad Nadim said.

“Saeed has been freed asthe Punjab government decid-ed not to detain him further inany other case,” a top govern-ment official told PTI.

I was detained for 10 months onlyto stop my voice for Kashmir. I

fight for the case of Kashmiris. Iwill gather the people from across

the country for the cause ofKashmir and we will try to help

Kashmiris get their destination offreedom

File photo: Oscar Pistorius with girlfriend Reeva Steenkampt

PTI n LONDON

A22-year-old Pakistan-bornman has been jailed for six

years in the UK for preparingacts of terrorism after beingarrested in an undercover policeoperation last year.

Mubashir Jamil, a ware-house worker for the onlineretailer Amazon, had told anundercover police officer hewanted to wear a suicide vestand “press the button”, the OldBailey court in London heardduring his trial.

He was arrested in April, afew days before he planned toleave for Turkey, after messaging

the officer on a mobile app inwhich he also revealed that hewanted to fight for the IslamicState (ISIS) terror group inSyria. “If you or some brotheryou know can put an explosivebelt on me and tell me how topress, as soon as possible forsecurity reasons, I can do some-thing in the UK even tomorrowafter I find a good target,” he toldthe undercover officer usingthe name of Abu Hasan. Jamilhad denied the charge of prepar-ing acts of terror and claimedthat he was hearing voices andwanted to go to Syria to be exor-cised of the “jinns” that wereplaguing him. The court was

told that he had suffered boutsof mental illness and the judgeruled that a part of his six-yearsentence will be served in asecure hospital.

Jamil was a former A-gradestudent from Challney HighSchool for Boys in Luton, nearLondon. He became obsessedwith the idea of martyrdom aftersurfing the internet for executionvideos and ISIS propaganda, histrial was told.

Jamil, who moved to Lutonfrom Pakistan with his familywhen he was two-year-old, hadplanned his trip to Turkey care-fully and “deliberately” changedhis appearance.

world 13LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017

PTI n NEW YORK

Twitter is testing a new feature‘Bookmarks’ that allows its over

300 million active users to privatelysave tweets for reading them later.

It has been one of the most sought-after features by the users of thesocial media giant.

Tina Koyama, a staff productdesigner at the San Francisco-basedcompany, announced the develop-ment in a series of tweets on Thursdaynight.

“News from the #SaveForLaterteam! We’ve decided to call our feature

Bookmarks because that’s a com-monly used term for saving contentand it fits nicely alongside the namesof the other features in the navigation,”she said in a tweet.

Here is a sneak peek into ourworking session with engineering andcontent strategy, she said.

“We went through all the designedflows and picked the ones that are theeasiest to navigate to test out with ourcommunity. “You told us that you wantTweets you’ve bookmarked to be pri-vate, so only you can see it. We keptthis in mind while creating designs forthe feature,” Koyama said.

Last month, vice president ofproduct Keith Coleman hadannounced the news. “Fresh out ofHackWeek and coming soon — a newway to save tweets to read later. Beena top request. The team would loveyour feedback as they dial in thedesign! #SaveForLater,” he had said ina tweet. Earlier this month, Twitterrolled out a 280-character tweet limitfor its users, including those who tweetin Hindi, ending its iconic 140-char-acter limit. As of the third quarter of2017, the popular microblogging sitehas 330 million monthly active users,according to media reports.

Attacks on ex-Israeli

soldier get personal

AP n JERUSALEM

Aformer Israeli combat offi-cer-turned-whistleblower

has found himself in the fightof his lifetime, leading a cam-paign against Israel’s occupa-tion of the West Bank anddrawing relentless criticismfrom the country’s leaders whohave labelled him a traitor.

For Dean Issacharoff, thebattle is even more personal: hisfather is Israel’s ambassador toGermany, a respected longtimediplomat tasked with defendingthe same policies his son soadamantly opposes.

Issacharoff is thespokesman of Breaking theSilence, a group of formerfighters who served in theWest Bank and now collect tes-timonies about the damagingimpact of the occupation.While the group says it’s actingin Israel’s best interests bysparking a public debate, it hasbecome perhaps the mostreviled anti-occupation protestgroup in the country. Thenationalist government sees itas foreign-funded subversivesseeking to shame Israel by tar-geting its most hallowed insti-tution, the military.

Amid a larger campaign tocrack down on dovish advoca-cy groups that rely on dona-tions from foreign govern-ments, Breaking the Silence hasdrawn the most scorn fortouching on a sensitive nerve.The government has respond-ed by shunning foreign digni-taries who meet with its mem-bers and pushing for legislationto curb its funding.

“We are soldiers who havebeen there and seen what theoccupation does. We haveearned our right to speak,”said Yehuda Shaul, a co-founder of the group. “They aretrying to intimidate people

into not opening their mouthsabout the occupation.”

The current clamor aroundBreaking the Silence wassparked when Issacharoff, seek-ing to highlight the corrosiveeffect of his own service, pub-licly shared how he once kneedan unarmed Palestinian in theface until he was bloodied anddazed because he had resistedarrest. The confession sparkedan inquiry that nationalist crit-ics hoped would either findIssacharoff guilty or prove hewas a liar.

After a swift investigation,the state prosecutor’s officeannounced last week it wasclosing the case because itdeemed Issacharoff ’s testimo-ny to be false — a decision wel-comed by hard-liners longopposed to the group as vin-dication. “Breaking the Silencelies and defames our soldiersaround the world. Today we gotmore proof of that, if anyonehad a doubt,” Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu tweetedafter the announcement.

But since then, questionshave arisen over the state’sinvestigation. The group saysthe probe was politically moti-vated and bungled from thestart, with investigators inter-viewing the wrong Palestinianvictim and refraining fromquestioning fellow soldiers whobacked Issacharoff ’s account.Issacharoff himself says hewants to be tried for his actionsto highlight the moral priceIsrael is paying for its occupa-tion of lands captured in the1967 Mideast war. “The right-wing government is afraid ofthe truth, and with good rea-son. Because if I take respon-sibility for my violence, theywill have to take responsibili-ty for sending us to serve in theterritories,” he said in a videostatement.

PTI n BEIJING

President Xi Jinping willattend an upcoming dia-

logue between the rulingCommunist Party of China(CPC) and over 200 politicalparties from across the world.

Xi, who has been re-elect-ed as general secretary of theCPC Central Committee for asecond time, will deliver akeynote speech at the dia-logue’s opening ceremony, GuoYezhou, deputy head of theInternational Department ofthe CPC Central Committeesaid.

Xi, who has emerged as themost powerful Chinese leader

in recent times, was conferreda second five-year term by theCPC at its Congress last month.

For the second consecutiveterm, Xi heads the party, the

presidency, and the military.Leaders from over 200 par-

ties and political organisationsin more than 120 countrieshave registered for the meeting,which is scheduled to run fromNovember 30 to December 3,state-run Xinhua news agencyreported.

During the event, the CPCwill also hold routine discus-sions with political partiesfrom Africa, Central Asia andthe US, the report said.

CPC, which has been inpower in China since 1947, hasestablished friendly relationswith all leading political partiesin different countries, includ-ing India.

NY stores aim to draw Black Friday crowds

AP n NEW YORK

Retailers are hoping deals and excite-ment bring shoppers to stores and

to their sites for Black Friday, one of thebiggest shopping days of the year.

But Black Friday has morphedfrom a single day when people got upearly to score doorbusters into a wholeseason of deals, so shoppers may feel lessneed to be out. Some love the excite-ment. Others may just check theirphones and go back to sleep. But theThanksgiving weekend, when stores goall-out to attract shoppers, can be anindication of how well they’ll dothrough the season.

Some stores saw long lines andcrowds as they opened Thursday, and.Lam Huynh, who was at Macy’s duringa visit to New York from Grand Rapids,Michigan, was making his firstThanksgiving Day shopping trip in afew years. Like many consumers, he’s

been spending less time at the malls andmore online. For the holiday season, he

plans to do what he’s been doing for thepast few years: Go to deal sites and findthe best prices.

“I buy pretty much what I can onAmazon,” he said.

With the jobless rate at a 17-year-low of 4.1 per cent and consumer con-fidence stronger than a year ago, ana-lysts project healthy sales increases forNovember and December. The NationalRetail Federation trade group expectssales for that period to at least match lastyear’s rise of 3.6 per cent and estimatesonline spending and other non-storesales will rise 11 to 15 percent.

Analysts at Bain say Amazon isexpected to take half of the holiday sea-son’s sales growth. And Amazon is thetop destination for people to begin hol-iday shopping, according to aSeptember study by market researchfirm NPD Group.

Abi Gyawali, a 27-year-old biologygraduate student at the University of

Missouri, normally shops online onAmazon or Best Buy for Cyber Monday,where he said he finds some of the bestdeals. He was out at J.C. Penney inColumbia, Missouri, on Thursday andleft with a discounted air fryer.

About 69 per cent of Americans, or164 million people, intend to shop atsome point during the five-day periodfrom Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday,according to a survey released by theNRF. It expects Black Friday to remainthe busiest day, with about 115 millionpeople planning to shop then.

Linda Adair, 64, was among theshoppers at the same JC Penney. Shesaid she buys both online and in stores,but likes to touch and see items in per-son because “it’s harder to tell whatyou’re actually getting with onlineshopping”. Though she normally shopson Thanksgiving or the day after, sheraised concerns about deals that comeearlier each year.

Ireland govt thrown into crisisahead of key Brexit talks

US Senator apologises for

making women 'feel badly'

AP n WASHINGTON

Democratic Sen. Al Frankenissued a Thanksgiving

explanation and apology inthe wake of four women alleg-ing that he had touched theminappropriately, a message thatended with a promise to regainconstituents’ trust and sug-gested no resignation was beingcontemplated.

Franken, elected to one ofMinnesota’s Senate seats in2008, faces a Senate ethicsinvestigation for improper con-duct. His statement Thursdaydidn’t admit to groping orother inappropriate touchingbut acknowledged that somewomen felt that he had donesomething offensive duringtheir encounters. Still, the sen-ator apologized.

“I’ve met tens of thou-sands of people and takenthousands of photographs,often in crowded and chaoticsituations,” he wrote. “I’m awarm person; I hug people. I'velearned from recent storiesthat in some of those encoun-ters, I crossed a line for some

women — and I know that anynumber is too many. Somewomen have found my greet-ings or embraces for a hug orphoto inappropriate, and Irespect their feelings aboutthat.”

He continued: “I'vethought a lot in recent daysabout how that could happen,and recognise that I need to bemuch more careful and sensi-tive in these situations. I feelterribly that I’ve made somewomen feel badly and for thatI am so sorry, and I want tomake sure that never happensagain. And let me say again toMinnesotans that I’m sorryfor putting them through thisand I’m committed to regain-ing their trust.”

The multiple accusationsagainst Franken came as theissue of sexual harassmentgripped the nation and broughtabout firings and admonish-ments against powerful men inpolitics, entertainment, mediaand other institutions.

Los Angeles radio anchorLeeann Tweeden said last weekthat Franken had put his

tongue in her mouth during a2006 USO tour undertakenwhen the former “SaturdayNight Live” writer and per-former was still working as acomedian. She posted a photoof Franken with his handsabove her chest as she sleptwearing a flak vest aboard amilitary plane. Soon after thepost, he apologised to her.

Another woman, LindsayMenz, said Monday thatFranken had squeezed her but-tocks in 2010 while posing fora photo at the Minnesota StateFair. Franken said he didn’tremember the picture butexpressed remorse that Menzfelt “disrespected.” Two morewomen alleged in a HuffingtonPost story publishedWednesday that Frankentouched their buttocks duringcampaign events in 2007 and2008. Franken has notappeared in public since thefirst allegation, canceling anevent in Atlanta for his book“Al Franken, Master of theSenate” and, according to aides,“spending time with his fami-ly and doing a lot of reflecting.”

Pak to issue UIC to

animals after census

PTI n KARACHI

Animals in Pakistan’s Sindhprovince will soon be reg-

istered and given unique iden-tity codes as lawmakers havepassed a law to maintain acomputerised record of live-stocks, a media report saidtoday.

The identification codehanging around the neck of theanimals will not be removed orreplaced without permission,Livestock Minister MohammadAli Malkani said.

Authorities will maintainbirth and death records of theanimals after their registra-tion, The Express Tribunereported.

The law, passed onThursday, will establish a data-base of animals for their regis-tration, tagging and identifica-tion in the province, the reportsaid. The database would besimilar to the NationalDatabase RegistrationAuthority, an independent andautonomous agency responsi-ble for issuing computerisednational identity cards to the

citizens of Pakistan.“The law aims to improve

existing livestock sector prac-tices in line with internationalstandards for trade and mar-keting,” the objectives of the lawread.

According to the SindhLivestock Registration andTrade Authority Bill, 2017, anauthority will be establishedafter 60 days of the passing ofthe law with the sole purposeof regulating animal registra-tion and identification in theprovince. “A centralised com-puterised database will bedeveloped which will updatethe records of animals, butch-ers, traders and animal trans-porters,” the law said. Withimplementation of the law, allanimals in the province will begiven a unique code, the reportsaid. “The identification codehanging around the neck of theanimals will not be removed orreplaced without permission ofthe authority,” Malkani said,adding that after the databaseis established, the authoritycan maintain a record of allspecies of animals.

Kosovo top Oppleader, 2 other lawmakers heldAP n PRISTINA (KOSOVO)

Kosovo police on Fridayarrested a top opposition

leader and two other lawmak-ers accused of disrupting thework of the previous parlia-ment with tear gas and violentacts.

Albin Kurti, Donika KadajBujupi and Albulena Haxhiu ofthe left-wing Self-Determination Party werearrested while entering theparliament building.

Police used tear gas to dis-perse some opposition sup-porters trying to block theirminivan that was taking Kurti.

Visar Ymeri, leader of theSelf-Determination Party,denounced the “brutal arrest ofthe three lawmakers based onpolitical orders” and consideredit “continuation of the overallpersecution of Self-Determination during recenttimes.”

Since the signing of a bor-der demarcation agreementwith Montenegro in August2015 the opposition has con-tested it, saying Kosovo is ced-ing territory — a claim deniedby the previous governmentand international experts. Theprotesters disrupted parlia-mentary work, using tear gascanisters, blowing whistles andthrowing water bottles.

Approval of the deal is apre-condition for a visa-freeregime for Kosovo citizens inthe European Union’s Schengencountries. Political tension inthe country remains high overwho won mayoral election lastmonth. It is not yet clearwhether Self-Determinationwill keep the mayor’s post inthe capital Pristina or it will goto the other now-oppositionDemocratic League of Kosovo.

Cheering Zimbabweans greet new leader

AP n HARARE

Exuberant Zimbabweansgreeted the swearing-inFriday of new President

Emmerson Mnangagwa, whotakes power after an extraor-dinary series of events thatousted the world’s oldest headof state. Mnangagwa, fired ear-lier this month as vice-presi-dent, will lead after the resig-nation of 93-year-old RobertMugabe, who succumbed topressure to quit from the mil-itary, the ruling party and mas-sive demonstrations amid fearshis unpopular wife would suc-ceed him.

A smiling Mnangagwagreeted a stadium crowd of tensof thousands with a raised fist,and he promised to devotehimself to the well-being of thepeople. The military, freshfrom putting Mugabe underhouse arrest just days ago,quickly swore its loyalty to thenew leader.

Mnangagwa, a former jus-tice and defense minister, wasa key Mugabe confidant fordecades until they fell outbecause of the presidentialambitions of Mugabe’s wife,Grace. Despite his long associ-ation with the government thathas presided over Zimbabwe’sdecline, including economiccollapse and human rightsabuses, Mnangagwa haspromised democracy andreached out to other countriesfor help. Mugabe, one ofAfrica’s last remaining libera-tion leaders, quit Tuesday amidimpeachment proceedings. Inthe end, he was isolated and

showing few of the politicalskills that kept him in power for37 years and made him aprominent but polarizing fig-ure on the world stage. He hadled since Zimbabwe’s indepen-dence from white minorityrule in 1980. Mugabe did notattend Friday’s swearing-in,and ruling party officials havesaid he will remain inZimbabwe with their promisethat he is “safe” and his legacyas a “hero” will stand after hisfight for an independentZimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s state-

run Herald newspaper report-ed that Mnangagwa assuredMugabe and his family of their“maximum security.” Thereport said the two men agreedMugabe would not attendFriday because he “neededtime to rest.”

Some people ahead of theinauguration began to dance inthe stadium stands. Bannerserected in read “Dawn of a newera” and “No to retribution,”even as human rights activistsbegan to report worryingdetails of attacks on close allies

of the former first lady andtheir families. Mnangagwa haswarned against “vengeful ret-ribution.” Tendai Lesayo held asmall Zimbabwean flag as shesold drinks from a cooler out-side the stadium. She said shewould welcome a fresh start,saying “life now is impossible.”

Elsewhere in the capital,long lines formed outsidebanks, a common sight in anation struggling with cashshortages and other severe eco-nomic problems that the newpresident will have to con-

front. “Right now, nothing hasreally changed for me. I stillcannot get my money from thebank,” said Amon Mutora, whohad been in line since 6 am.

“Attending the inaugura-tion will not bring food for myfamily,” said Kelvin Fungai, a19-year-old selling bananasfrom a cart. Many young peo-ple are well-educated but job-less, reduced to street vendingto survive. Others have left thecountry. Elsewhere, there weresigns of hope amid the uncer-tainty. Black market rates forcash have tumbled sinceMugabe left office. Before hestepped down, one had todeposit $170 into a black mar-ket dealer’s bank account to get$100 cash. On Friday, $100cash was selling for between$140 and $150. As the inaugu-ration crowds streamed by,Sharon Samuriwo sat on aledge, watching. She said shehoped Mnangagwa wouldlearn from the errors of his pre-decessor, and she acknowl-edged that the path ahead forZimbabwe is unknown.

Buses brought well-wishersto the 60,000-capacity stadiumfrom the early hours on Friday.

Leader of the main oppo-sition Movement forDemocratic Change MorganTsvangirai received rapturousapplause as he arrived at thepacked stadium for the swear-ing-in.

Opposition stalwart JoiceMujuru was also at the event atwhich military units stood information on a multi-purposegrass sports pitch, under theshadow of a big-screen TV.

AFP n DUBLIN

Ireland’s main opposition partyon Friday submitted a motion

of no-confidence in the deputyPrime Minister over her han-dling of a police whistleblowercontroversy, warning that elec-tions loomed if she did not stepdown.

Irish Prime Minister LeoVaradkar, leader of the Fine Gaelparty that heads the minoritygovernment, has ruled out theresignation of his deputy FrancesFitzgerald. But oppositionFianna Fail leader MichealMartin said there would be anelection if she did not stepdown. Fianna Fail props up the

minority government, and theprospect of a snap electionbefore Christmas looms if itremoves its support.

Fitzgerald “should step asidein our view and that would avoida general election,” Martin toldRTE public radio.

The motion will be voted onnext Tuesday, pushingVaradkar’s minority govern-ment to the brink of collapseahead of a key summit nextmonth with EU leaders wherethe issue of Ireland’s post-Brexitborder with Britain will be onthe agenda. Ireland is pushingEU leaders to ensure its concernsabout the border with British-ruled Northern Ireland are taken

into account before Brexit talkscan continue, adding an unex-pected hurdle to Britain’s plans.

Irish foreign minister SimonCoveney arrived for a meetingin Brussels on Friday, accusingFianna Fail of jeopardising thenational interest.

“Fianna Fail are behavingrecklessly here,” he toldreporters. “We have a precarioussituation with the main opposi-tion party that signed up to aagreement in the country’s inter-est... now effectively breachingthat and risking an election at atime when there are some real-ly, really serious issues for thegovernment to manage,” headded.

Emmerson Mnangagwa inspects the military parade after being sworn in as President at the presidential inaugurationceremony in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Friday AP

People wait in line to purchase electronics duringBlack Friday sale at a Best Buy store onThanksgiving Day in Overland Park, Kan AP

New feature allows Twitterati to save tweets for later reading

Xi to attend world party dialogue

Rajapaksa urges Lanka Prez

to fire national unity govt

PTI n COLOMBO

Former Sri Lankan presi-dent Mahinda Rajapaksa

has urged his successor andparty rival Maithripala Sirisenato end the current govern-ment of national unity withPrime Minister RanilWickremesinghe’s UNP, to pavethe way for reunification oftheir respective SLFP factions.

“As a pre-condition hemust end his government withthe United National Party(UNP),” Rajapaksa said lastnight, referring to reunificationtalks between his faction andthat of Sirisena in the Sri Lanka

Freedom Party (SLFP).Rajapaksa handed Sirisena

the SLFP leadership after hewas defeated by his rival in thepresidential election of January2015.

Sirisena became the UNP-backed common oppositionchallenger to Rajapaksa, havingquit his position as health min-ister in the Rajapaksa Cabinet.

Since Sirisena became pres-ident, the Rajapaksa camp hasformed its own party to chal-lenge Sirisena.

However, Sirisena wantsto unify the SLFP to face theupcoming local council elec-tions.

Sirisena has been post-poning local elections since2015 and the Rajapaksa campalleges that it was his fear of los-ing which drives Sirisena tokeep postponing the polls.

“We have a committee ofthree talking to SLFP. We wantto see if our conditions will bemet,” Rajapaksa stressed.

The SLFP-UNP under-standing on the unity govern-ment is due to end by the endof the year. The UNP howeveris intent on continuing thecurrent government with orwithout the SLFP until theend of its term in 2020, theUNP sources said.

sport 14LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017

PTI n NAGPUR

Skipper Virat Kohli's decision toplay only four specialist bowlerswas vindicated as India bundled

out a defensive Sri Lanka for a pal-try 205 on the opening day of thesecond cricket Test, here on Friday.

At stumps, India were 11 for 1with KL Rahul (7) back in the pavil-ion, being played on to a LahiruGamage delivery.

With no demons on a sportingtrack where stroke-play wasn't toodifficult, the visitors never got goingas spinners Ravichandran Ashwin(4/67) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/56)along with comeback-man IshantSharma (3/37) shared the spoils.

After the completion of firstinnings, Ashwin now has 296 wick-ets in his 54th Test. He will getanother innings in this game plusthe Delhi Test to get the remainingfour scalps and break Dennis Lillee's(56 Test) record fastest to 300 wick-ets.

Sri Lanka were 160 for four atone stage during the final sessionlooking good enough to stage afightback before a batting collapsesaw them lose six wickets for only45 runs. Their batsmen were ultra-defensive in their approach duringthe first session on a Jamtha trackwhich had good bounce and carrybut was far from the menacinggreen-top that was on offer at theEden Gardens during the first Testmatch.

The lack of intent to get goingin the second and third sessionsaffected their performance withonly skipper Dinesh Chandimal (57)looked like in control till he was atthe crease.

The other batsman with notablecontribution was opener DimuthKarunaratne, who was twice luckyin the first session — being droppedonce and stumped off a no-ball

another time, but still he could notfully capitalize on the reprieves get-ting out for 51 in the post-lunch ses-sion. The immensely talentedNiroshan Dickwella (24) committedhara-kiri when things were startingto look up during the post tea-ses-sion. He tried to whip Jadeja throughmid-wicket and the ball balloonedup for Ishant to take a simple catchat mid-off.

The trio of Ishant, Ashwin andJadeja did not bowl anything excep-tional but their unwavering consis-tency saw the Lankans buckle underpressure.

The best delivery undoubtedlywas the one that Ashwin got DasunShanaka (2) with. Ashwin had pre-vious bowled an off- break thatmade him uncomfortable and thenfired an angular delivery that lookedmore like a leg-break clipping theoff- stump. Ishant, who normallybowls back of the length mixed it upwith good full length deliveries

that got him the wickets whileJadeja's armers proved to be veryeffective. He was instrumental indislodging the stodgy Karunaratne,who had by then already played 147deliveries, hitting six boundaries.

His skipper Chandimal wouldhave expected Karunaratne to helphim in conjure a bigger partnershipthan the 62 runs that they added forthe fourth wicket.

Ishant finally sent the doggedKarunaratne back with a deliverythat looked to have straightenedafter pitching. Karunaratne went forDRS but the replays showed that thedelivery would have hit the off-stump. Chandimal showed moreintent than his teammates to get thescoreboard moving, hitting fourboundaries and a down the groundsix off Jadeja.

Courtesy Chandimal, Sri Lankamanaged to score 104 runs in 32overs during the post-lunch session,losing a couple of wickets. All thehardwork was undone in the posttea session after Dickwella's dis-missal. It also affected Chandimal'sconfidence as he was not the sameplayer again.

Opting to bat, opener SadeeraSamarawickrama (13) and onedown Lahiru Thirimanne (9) wereout during the first session, wherethe visiting team went into a shellwith a safety-first ploy in the 27overs bowled during the period.

Ishant, playing his first Testsince the home series againstAustralia, bowled his customaryback of the length stuff with an occa-sional fuller delivery. He set upSamarawickrama with a deliverythat was on fifth stump. The righthanded opener rightly left it but thevery next delivery was fuller, angledin at a drivable length and the bats-man took the bait and the thick out-side edge was pouched byCheteshwar Pujara at first slip.

PTI n NAGPUR

India are most likely to field only one spinner in theTest matches in South Africa but left-arm spinner

Ravindra Jadeja is not worried if he would be ableto get that spot by beating Ravichandran Ashwin.

Jadeja (3/51) along with Ashwin (4/67) played amajor role in bowling out Sri Lanka for just 205 onthe first day of the second Test.

When asked if he was the captain, then who hewould have chosen between him and Ashwin in theplaying XI for South Africa Tests, the jovial Jadejareplied: "Yeh bhi koi puchne ki baat hain (Is this a ques-tion that you even need to ask?)," his reply had every-one laughing. "If I am the captain, I will not evengive the ball to anyone (laughs). I will keep bowlingfrom one end."

Then on a serious note, he said: "It all dependson team's balance and what it wants. At times on over-seas tours, we assess if there are more left-handersor right-handers in the opposition and accordingly,the team's composition is set."

Aware that one among him, Ashwin and KuldeepYadav will feature in the playing XI, Jadeja said that

he can only controlthing which is in hishands - performance.

"I can only controlthe controllable. WhenI get an opportunity, Iwill try to do well.What is not in my con-trol, there is no pointthinking about it.When I get a chance toplay in South Africa, Iwill try to do well.

"When I got achance the last time, Iplayed the second Testafter Ashwin playedthe first. That's why Isaid that team's combi-nation will depend oncomposition of theopposition."

Jadeja was satisfiedthat he could bowl dis-ciplined line on a stripwhere there was notmuch help for thebowlers.

"There was a lot ofhelp from the wicket

there (Kolkata) so you guys must have felt that everyball will yield a wicket but that was not the case herebecause this wicket had grass but not the bounce orswing or the overcast conditions of Kolkata. That'swhy we did not get much help but the two (Ishantand Yadav) bowled well in the first session."

Ashwin was seen bowling round the wicket andthat's how he got Dinesh Chandimal leg before try-ing to reverse sweep and Dasun Shanaka with anangular delivery.

"If there is nothing in the wicket for spinners, thenit's good to try something different. Over the wick-et or round the wicket, just try and create chances.That's what he was doing."

On his own bowling, Jadeja said: "I was veryhappy as to how I bowled today. There was no helpfrom the wicket and I was looking to bowl in right areas."

PTI n NAGPUR

Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas on Friday clarifiedthat there were "no demons" in the VCA sta-

dium track and rued the manner in which six ofhis batsmen got out to straight deliveries on thefirst day of the second Test against India here.

"The wicket has got no demons. It hasn't spun,it hasn't seamed. There were six straight ball dis-missals. At the international level it's no surprisethat Ravindra Jadeja bowls straight balls.Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja got wicketsbowling stump to stump.

"At this level, you can't be missing straightballs," Pothas said at the end of the first day's playwhen his team skittled out for a meagre 205.

Pothas said that at best, the ball was skiddingat the Jamtha strip.

"In the last series, the wickets spun. You aretalking of the two top spinners (Ashwin andJadeja) of the world. It was a different kettle offish. Here the wicket didn't do anything. All whatit has done was to skid on a bit. On a wicket thathasn't done much, we lost seven wickets to spin.

"It is a disappointing change room as the guys

have set themselves high standards. They aregoing to be disappointed. In any process, you aregoing to have those disappointments."

Pothas conceded that the timing of skipperDinesh Chandimal's decision to play a reversesweep to Ashwin was "not the best", even thoughthere was a need to show positive intent.

"The captain made a decision at that point oftime. We empower the batsmen to make decisionsin the middle. He (Chandimal) obviously felt that(reverse sweep) was the way to score runs at thatpoint but it didn't come off. I probably would saythat may be the timing of that shot was perhapsnot at his best."

Ashwin came round the wicket to get wick-ets of Chandimal and Shanaka. Quizzed on theoff-spinner's strategy, the Lanka coach said: "It'sa change of angle. Ashwin is an intelligent bowlerwith some subtle variations. He is going to behandful on any wicket he is going to play. Butthat's not the first time that we have faced right-arm off-spin from round the wicket. At the time,you are asking batsmen to adapt and be flexiblefor conditions."

The coach however shielded Niroshan

Dickwella, whose irresponsible shot selection ledto a batting collapse with Sri Lanka losing sixwickets for 45 runs.

"In hindsight, that's what the numbers tellyou. We let ourselves down from that pointonwards.

“You can't say that because NiroshanDickwella got out, the rest can also get out!Dickwella is a positive batter and that's a shot(whip through mid-wicket) he plays well.

"I don't want to stop him from being himself.I want people to bat the way they bat and he iskind of player who transfers pressure back to thebowlers."

Pothas' defence about scoring only 47 runsin 27 overs during the first session of Day onewas however a bit weak.

"First session of a Test match, you try to seta base and try to bat for a long time.

You try and bat for a day if you win the toss,new ball spells are always tough and you try toblunt that.

I thought India bowled well, I don't thinkthere were too many free balls going that wemissed out on, but we adapted after lunch."

AFP n BRISBANE

Skipper Steve Smith led a rescue mission torevive Australia's fortunes after a top-order bat-

ting collapse in the Ashes Test against Englandin Brisbane on Friday.

Home hopes rested on Smith to mount afighting rearguard after the loss of four wickets.

At the close on the second day, the Australianswere 165 for four and trailing by 137 runs, withSmith unbeaten on 64 and Shaun Marsh not out44. It left the match intriguingly poised once againafter England ended day one in a similar positionbefore collapsing before lunch on Friday.

Smith was then thrust into another high pres-sure situation after Australia suffered a now-famil-iar batting malfunction.

England had done their homework, encirclingSmith with fielders and trying to frustrate the fid-gety Australian captain into playing a rash shot.

But Smith, Test cricket's top-rated batsman, stepped up to the chal-lenge with a defiant knock off 148balls.

Marsh, 34, recalled for an eighthtime to the Test team, provided stout support tohis skipper off 122 balls to share in an unbroken89-run stand.

The tourists had the Australians on the ropeswith three batsmen out in the middle session,including the prized scalp of David Warner.

Warner attempted to pull newcomer Jake Ballthrough the leg-side only to find Dawid Malanat short mid-wicket for 26 off 43 balls.

That left the Australians on a shaky 59 forthree after the dismissals of debutant openerCameron Bancroft and the misfiring UsmanKhawaja.

Bancroft lasted 19 balls in his first Test beforehe edged a Stuart Broad lifter outside off-stumpfor five in the fourth over.

Khawaja was deceived by Moeen Ali's spinplaying forward, and fell leg before wicket for 11.It was the 17th time Khawaja has been dismissedby spin in 42 Test innings.

Peter Handscomb joined them after tea

when he was struck on theback pad and given out legbefore wicket to JamesAnderson for 14 on review.

Earlier, England losttheir last six wickets for 56 to fold for 302 all outin their first innings at lunch. The tourists werelooking solid in an 83-run partnership betweenMalan and Moeen Ali before Malan's dismissaltriggered a clatter of wickets. Root's team tum-bled from 246 for four to be all out with fastbowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins each tak-ing three wickets and spinner Nathan Lyon two.

Ashes debutant Malan top-edged Starc andwas caught by Marsh at deep square leg for 56.

Seven balls later, in the 104th over, Lyonremoved all-rounder Moeen leg before wicket andstruck again with the first ball of his next over,bowling Chris Woakes for a duck.

Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow followed short-ly afterwards for nine, as he dollied Cummins toTim Paine for the gloveman's first catch after sevenyears in the Test wilderness.

Starc finished with bowling figures of threefor 77, Cummins took three for 85 and Lyon twofor 78.

PTI n KOLKATA

Former India captain Sourav Gangulyon Friday backed current skipper

Virat Kohli on the issue of crampedscheduling and said that the team needsmore time to prepare for tough assign-ments like the upcoming South Africatour.

Kohli on Thursday complained thatcramped schedules are getting in the wayof proper preparation for a big series suchas the upcoming tour to South Africa, acriticism that the BCCI promised toaddress with "utmost seriousness".

Echoing Kohli's concerns, Gangulysaid, "He (Kohli) was talking aboutscheduling of cricket which is so correct.You got to give teams time to preparewhen they go to South Africa."

Ganguly was speaking at the IndiaToday Conclave East 2017 here.

Ganguly also lavished praise onKohli who has notched up 50 interna-tional century at the Eden Test against SriLanka.

He said Kohli can challenge SachinTendulkar's 49 ODI hundreds but thechallenge would be to match the LittleMaster's 51 hundreds in Test.

"Virat will get very close to Sachin'sODI hundreds which is 49. He is already32. He will get close to that. He has gotto stay fit. When I was playing, from1996-2003, I had 22 ODI hundreds in 7years," Ganguly said.

"I see that with Kohli as well. He hasgot 30 odd in about nine years. It getstougher with age. It got tougher forSachin, it got tougher for me, it will gettougher for Virat Kohli," said Ganguly,who has 22 centuries in 311 ODIs and16 Test tons in 113 games.

"He (Kohli) plays a lot of cricket. Ipersonally feel he will get there to 50international hundreds with the amountof ODIs that are played. The challengewill be in Test matches to get that far. It'sa terrific feeling to have seen Sachin and

now you are seeing this boy," Gangulyadded.

Asked to compare Tendulkar andKohli, Ganguly said they are from dif-ferent generations. He said Kohli ismore expressive and proactive as captainthan Tendulkar.

"It's not right to compare becausethese are two cricketers who are from twodifferent generations. I have seenTendulkar very very closely. An unbe-lievable cricketer. Some of the runs he hasgot, match-winning innings he hasplayed is fantastic.

"Kohli, a hundred a couple of daysago at Eden Gardens on that pitch, andyou could see his expression when he fin-ished. He is a lot more expressive thanTendulkar. He is a lot more proactive thanTendulkar as captain. Tendulkar was dif-ferent, maybe the generation was differ-ent," he said.

Ganguly said he's like an averageBengali man at home but he had to

change the attitude of the team when heled because some of the players neededto be pushed to develop an aggressiveIndian side.

"I am a very quiet person off the field,very laidback like a lot of Bengalis. WhenI became captain, I realised we had to dosomething different. As Indians, wewere very laidback. (Virender) Sehwagwas a fantastic talent but off the field, youwould find him asleep and you had topush him. I had to get that atmosphere.It was a strategy to get the team going,"Ganguly said.

Ganguly is best remembered for hisaggressive captaincy, his success againstAustralia and that iconic moment whenhe was seen waiving his shirt at the Lord'sbalcony. There could be mixed reactionsto that episode more than 15 years laterbut one person who is convinced it wasa fine act happens to be Ganguly's wife,Dona. "It was a fantastic gesture," saidDona at the event.

However, Ganguly, now a cricketadministrator, said he would never dosomething similar again. "I would neverdo it now. Every time they would showthat footage (on a sports channel), I calledthe producer and told him I have 20,000international runs and several hun-dreds. But he said that is what he wantto show," the 45-year-old said.

"It (the shirt-waving) was a lot moreout of satisfaction. Do not forget the nameon the honour's board (for his hundredon Test debut at Lord's). That willremain a lot more special."

The world knows Ganguly's class asa batsman and his abilities as a leader buthow is the great man like at home?

There could be nobody better thanDona, his wife, to shed some light on the'bhadrolok' (gentleman).

"He is Sourav at home. He takes con-trol but in a nice, subtle way. He does con-trol the house. He is very busy but whenhe is there, we respect him and do onlywhat he wants," Dona said.

13Dinesh Chandimalbecame Sri Lanka's 13thand 186th batsman

overall to complete 3000 runs inTest cricket

2Dimuth Karunaratne becameonly second batsman afterSouth African Dean Elgar to

complete 1000 runs in Test cricketin 2017

12Ravichandran Ashwinhas dismissed LahiruThirimanne 12 times in

21 international matches. His mostagainst any batsman

Faisel Features

FIGURATIVEL

SPINNERS DERAIL SL’S INNINGS ON DAY 1

Ashwin & Jadeja take 7 wickets to skittle out visitors for 205 in 1st innings; India end day on 11/1

India vs Sri Lanka

Live from 9:30am IST

STAR SPORTS

‘No point thinkingabout SA series’

6 straight ball dismissals surprising: Pothas

AT THIS LEVEL, YOUCAN'T BE MISSINGSTRAIGHT BALLS

— SRI LANKA COACHNIC POTHAS

HE (KOHLI) WASTALKING ABOUTSCHEDULING OF

CRICKET WHICH IS SOCORRECT. YOU GOT

TO GIVE TEAMS TIMETO PREPARE WHENTHEY GO TO SOUTH

AFRICA—FORMER INDIA

CAPTAIN SOURAV GANGULY

Smith defies England

as Australia fight back

Australia vs England

Live from 5:30am IST

SONY SIX

Dada agrees with Kohli on scheduling

Ravindra Jadeja, center, celebrates with teammates the dismissal of Angelo Mathews on Day 1 of 2nd Test in Nagpur AP

Steve Smith plays a shot on 2nd day of 1st Ashes Test AP

LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017 sport 15

AFP ■ MANCHESTER

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is incontention to make his

first Manchester United start inseven months on Saturdayafter completing his come-back from a career-threateningknee injury.

The striker enjoyed animpressive first season at OldTrafford following his freetransfer from Paris Saint-Germain in July 2016, only forit to be cut short by cruciateknee ligament damage sus-tained in a Europa Leaguequarter-final victory overAnderlecht in April.

Both Ibrahimovic anddefender Marcos Rojo, whosuffered a similar injury in thesame match, have now fullyrecovered from their injuriesand could play a key role asUnited host Brighton in thePremier League this weekend.

Former Sweden interna-tional Ibrahimovic, 36, hasappeared as a substitute in eachof United’s past two matches,coming on as Newcastle werebeaten 4-1 at Old Trafford lastSaturday, and again onWednesday in a 1-0Champions League defeat byBasel in Switzerland.

Rojo made his comebackby featuring at centre-backagainst Basel and is likely to beasked to play there again onSaturday as Phil Jones has athigh injury and fellow defend-er Eric Bailly is struggling torecover from a knock.

“I think Marcos could havebeen playing a couple of weeksago,” said United managerMourinho. “We didn’t need torush him, push him into that

situation, but he has beentraining with the team forquite a long time.

“We need him with noJones. We need Marcos back togive us the stability.”

Despite those defensiveconcerns, Mourinho is close tohaving a full-strength squad forthe first time in months, withPaul Pogba feeling his wayback to full fitness following aserious hamstring problem.

The France midfielderscored on his comeback againstNewcastle after two monthsout of action, but faded after agood start against Basel.

With a glut of fixturescoming up, Mourinho madeseven changes to his startingline-up in Switzerland, withonly Pogba, Anthony Martial,Chris Smalling and RomeluLukaku remaining from theteam that started againstNewcastle. More changes arecertain this weekend as themanager attempts to keep hisplayers fresh.

Brighton manager ChrisHughton is expecting theUnited side to be rejigged andis not ruling out Mourinho’smen for the title, even thoughthey are eight points adrift ofManchester City.

“Without being detrimen-tal to the other teams in the topsix, most people see the twoManchester teams as thestrongest,” he said. “Both haverecruited very well and havebig star players.

“Ibrahimovic and certain-ly Pogba are a massive boostfor them to have back at thisstage of the season. They areboth big teams and are show-ing that.”

LUCKNOW: Neha Tripathicompleted a start-to-finish winby a four-shot margin despitea great finishing charge byOrder of Merit leader GaurikaBishnoi (66) in the 15th leg ofthe Hero Women’s Pro GolfTour here on Friday.

This was Neha’s third winof the season, after her victo-ries in the first leg atAhmedabad and the 13th leg inGreater Noida.

Starting the final day at thePalms Golf Club and Resortwith a massive nine-shot lead,Neha had a rough start as shebogeyed the first but got backthat shot with a birdie on par-3 third hole. However, a triplebogey on par-4 fourth was asetback.

But since Gaurika’s playingpartner also double bogeyedthe hole, it did not damageNeha’s chances.

When the lead group play-ers came to the turn, Neha wasstill way ahead, still holding aneight-shot lead.

As Gursimar slipped andfell back, Gaurika made a hugecharge with a birdie on par-312th hole and then she wasfive-under for the last four

holes. She birdied the 15th,16th and then landed an eagleon the 17th and birdied the18th for a brilliant four-under66, by far the best round of theweek.

While Gaurika was movingfast, Neha did drop a shot onpar-5 16th, but there were nomajor mistakes and she alsohad birdies on 14th and 18th tosew up the title.

Neha totalled three-under207, while Gaurika’s aggregatewas one-over 211.

The fast rising youngsterAfshan Fatima also shot a fineone-under 69 to finish third at215, one shot ahead of SmritiMehra (70), who finishedbirdie-birdie.

On the Hero Order ofMerit, Gaurika extended herlead with the second place,while Neha moved up to fourthplace.

With the season fast com-ing to an end, Gaurika looks allset to round off a great yearwith the Hero Order of Merithonours.

Gursimar Badwal is lyingthird, while Saaniya Sharmaand Smriti Mehra are fifth andsixth with Vani Kapoor, whohas four wins in six starts, isseventh.

Amandeep Drall, who hadan eagle on par-5 ninth, alsotriple bogeyed the par-5 16thand she carded 72 to tie fourthwith Afshan at 219.

Mehar Atwal (71) andGursimar (75) were tied-6th at220, while Saaniya Sharma,who opened the week with 79,carded 74-71 in the last tworounds to finish eighth at 224.

Ayesha Kapur (74) andTvesa Malik (75) rounded offthe Top-10 with totals of 226.

The 16th leg of the HeroWPG Tour will be held fromNovember 28 to December 1 atthe Classic Golf & CountryClub, Gurugram.

PTI ■ GUNTUR

The BCCI’s U-19 women’sone-day super league

match between Kerala andNagaland on Saturday endedin farce as the Northeasternstate was shot out for just tworuns with as many nine battersgetting out for duck here.

Electing to bat after win-ning the toss, Nagaland wereall out for just 2 runs from 17overs in an astonishing display.

Nine batters were out forduck while opener Menkascored one run (off 18 balls)from the only scoring shot ofthe innings in the Group Bmatch at JKC college groundhere.

Priyanka remained notout on nought after facingthree deliveries.

The way Kerala notchedup the win — to pocket fourpoints — added to the farcicalnature of the match.

Nagaland’s DeepikaKaintura bowled a wide andfrom the other legitimate ball,Kerala opener Ansu S Rajuscored a boundary to win thematch by 10 wickets.

Kerala reached 5 for noloss in 0.1 overs while chasing3 for a win with Ansu S Rajunot out on 4.

The Nagaland players pro-vided on the BCCI website

had only their first namesexcept for two. Most of theirnames appeared to be of play-ers hailing from outside thestate. As per the LodhaCommittee recommendations,the BCCI will now have toinclude the Northeasternstates in their accredited tour-naments.

Earlier this month, anastounding 136 wide ballswere bowled in a match of thesame tournament betweenNagaland and Manipur in

Dhanbad.The match, a part of the

inaugural NE-Bihar U-19 one-day competition being organ-ised by the cricket board, sawManipur bowling 94 wideballs while Nagaland were ashade better with 42.

Nagaland won the matchby 117 runs to log four points,but it was learnt that the girlsfrom both the Northeasternstates were at times not evenable to land the ball on the 22-yard square.

NOT ‘2’ GOOD

Nagaland all out for 2 runs inBCCI women U-19 match

Neha completes start-to-finish win

Zlatan pushes for Man Utdstarting spot against Brighton

PTI n KOCHI

Kerala Blasters FC playedout their second 0-0draw as Jamshedpur FC

frustrated the home side, leav-ing the Yellow Army still wait-ing to witness a goal in theirHero Indian Super League(ISL) game in Kochi on Friday.The Blasters were playing theirsecond game at home within aweek but that advantage wasfirst nullified by ATK on 17November, with Jamshedpurfollowing suit in a cagey match.

In a way, it was a taste ofKerala Blasters's former system,which was based around sti-fling the opponent; this time,the same manager, SteveCoppell, did the same foranother team in a return thatwill leave him asking for morebut still won't disappoint him.

Former ManchesterUnited star Dimitar Berbatovlasted the full 90 minutes againand had an acrobatic effort gowaste at the near post. But thebest chance for the Blasters fellto CK Vineeth after CanadianIain Hume dug out a cross topick him from the right wing.Vineeth's heading opportuni-ty went begging -- as did somany other half chances whichdidn't materialise due to thelack of a quality final ball in theattacking third.

The Blasters started thematch in typical fashion witha quick tempo and feeding offthe energy of the crowd, butJamshedpur did well to weath-er the initial storm and coun-tered a few times themselves.Their best effort though, waspalmed away not once but

twice in quick succession byPaul Rachubka. It all startedwith Memo's stinging effortfrom a free kick, and once thatwas seen away by a divingRachubka, he had it in him toget back up and keep therebound effort from JerryMawihmingthanga out as well.

Rachubka was alert inadded time as well asJamshedpur finished the gamestronger. Trindad Goncalves'sbrilliant cross found KervensBelfort, but his header wasincredibly saved by the 36-year-old goalkeeper. The firsthalf had its fair share of enter-tainment as ReneMeulensteen's quick attackingstyle is steadily makingprogress for the Blasters, butthey petered out in the secondperiod, allowing Jamshedpurthe chance to hit them on thebreak. That reduced the half toa mish-mash of mistimed tack-les and efforts from a distance.But only one of these wasreally troublesome withCourage Pekuson's shot nar-rowly missing the target. In away, it was a roundup of thematch itself which will beremembered more for the goal-keeping heroics of Rachubkathan the missed efforts from allthe attackers on the pitch.

Heartbroken. Gutted." Aspokesman for the Pistoriusfamily didn't answer calls fromthe AP. Pistorius should havebeen sentenced to the pre-scribed minimum of 15 yearsfor murder, Seriti said, as hedelivered the verdict of a panelof five judges at the SupremeCourt in the central city ofBloemfontein.

AP n LONDON

Andre Silva scored in eachhalf to help AC Milan beat

Austria Vienna 5-1 on Thursdayand book a spot in the knock-out stage of the Europa League.

Arsenal clinched top spot inGroup H with a game to sparedespite a 1-0 loss at Cologne, theLondon club's first defeat oftheir campaign. Arsenal alreadyhad a place in the knockoutstage.

Lyon routed Apollon 4-0and Atalanta hammeredEverton 5-1 in Goodison Park,leaving the Premier League sidewinless, to confirm their dom-inance in Group E. Both win-ners have secured a spot in theknockout stage. Atalanta hostsLyon in their final group stageencounter on Dec 7 to decidewhich team finishes top.

Elsewhere, Villarrealadvanced from Group A with a3-2 at Astana, Sweden'sOstersund beat Zorya Luhansk1-0 in a match between thepacesetters in Group J to qual-ify, while Salzburg made thenext stage from Group I with a3-0 victory over Portugal'sVitoria Guimaraes.

Mario Balotelli's two strikeshelp Nice to qualify from GroupK and Real Sociedad becamethe second team from Group Lafter Russia's Zenit to getthrough after a 1-0 win atRosenborg.

In Group C, Braga isthrough to the next stage aftera 3-1 win over Hoffenheim, andPartizan Belgrade qualified with

a 2-1 win over Young Boys, thesecond team from Group B tomake it after Dynamo Kiev.

BACK TO WINNINGComing off two goalless

draws in Europe's second tiercompetition, and a Serie A lossto Napoli on Saturday, Milan'sstart to the game against AustriaVienna looked like anotherdismal night for Italy's biggestspender in the offseason.

Vienna forward ChristophMonschein beat the offside trapin the 21st minute to shock thehosts with the opening goal ofthe game at San Siro.

But Milan proved its classtime this time, and was quick toturn things around.

Ricardo Rodriguez equal-ized with a low shot just sixminutes later, Silva got his first

nine minutes after that andPatrick Cutrone completedMilan's rally three minutesbefore the break. With his sec-ond in the 70th, Silva made it sixgoals in five Europa Leaguegames. Cutrone finished the vis-itors off with his second goal instoppage time. The victorysecured top spot in Group D forMilan.

FIRST LOSS FOR ARSENALArsenal gave another dom-

inant display in the EuropaLeague despite manager ArseneWenger resting the entire start-ing 11 that beat Tottenham 2-0in the Premier League onSaturday.

Sehrou Guirassy scored apenalty in the 63rd minute inCologne, against the run of play.

With recalled Danny

Welbeck and Olivier Giroud upfront, Arsenal held the upperhand but failed to turn theirpossession into victory.

Francis Coquelin hit thepost in the first half in Arsenal'sbest chance. Before the game,players and fans observed aminute silence that later turnedinto a standing ovation for thelate Hans Schaefer, a formerCologne winger who won 1954World Cup with West Germany.Schaefer died at age 90 earlierin November.

After BATE Borisov playedto a 0-0 draw against Red StarBelgrade, Arsenal tops Group Hwith 10 points. Red Star andCologne trail by four points,Borisov is another point behind.

VILLARREAL HAUNTS ASTANASubstitute forward Cedric

Bakambu struck twice against aKazakh side that had beenundefeated at home in its pre-vious 17 matches in Europeancompetitions. The last team towin there was none other thanVillarrealm in the 2014-15Europa League playoffs.

A constant threat, Bakambunetted his first goal in the 65thminute after a fast counter-attack and added his secondfrom the edge of the area in the83rd.

Junior Kabananga put thehosts ahead in the 22nd beforeDaniel Raba started Villareal'srevival with a 39th minuteequalizer. Patrick Twumasiscored the second for Astanatwo minutes from time.Villareal tops Group A on 11points, with Astana four pointsbehind.

BALOTELLI ON FIREBalotelli scored twice in

the first half to secure a knock-out spot for Nice. In a perfectstart, Balotelli converted fromthe penalty spot, sending goal-keeper Louis Bostyn the wrongway.

The striker made it 2-0from close range in the 31st toput the hosts in control with hisfourth goal in five EuropaLeague games this season.

Adrien Tameze added alate goal for Nice, while BrianHamalainen scored the conso-lation goal for Waregem.

Nice joins Group K winnerLazio in the next round, afterthe Italian club was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Vitesse.

AP n TURIN

Without the BBC, Juventus'defense is falling apart.

Leonardo Bonucci, AndreaBarzagli and Giorgio Chiellinihad been the mainstay at theback for Juventus and Italy forseveral years, helping theBianconeri to six successiveSerie A titles.

However, Bonucci surpris-ingly left for AC Milan in theoffseason, while veteransBarzagli and Chiellini haveeach missed a handful of gamesalready this season.

And the effects have beenclear to see. Juventus has con-ceded 14 times in 13 leaguematches this season — includ-ing three at Sampdoria lastweekend.

None of the other sides inthe top four of the Italianleague have let in as manygoals.

While that may not be somuch of a concern againststruggling Crotone on Sunday,it will pose much more of athreat in the following Serie Amatch at free-scoring leaderNapoli.

Juventus can take someconsolation from keeping aclean sheet in Wednesday's 0-0 draw at home to Barcelona inthe Champions League - hav-ing lost 3-0 to the same oppo-nent in Spain, earlier in thecampaign. However, Barcelonarested star player Lionel Messifor nearly an hour.

"The positive note aboutthe match is that we didn't letin a goal," Barzagli said. "But wecan still do better, in attack aswell as us at the back, in devel-oping the play.

"Certainly we can stillimprove a lot but I want to look

at things positively. I thinkwe're having a good year andthere's not much to be alarmedabout."

Wednesday's match wasonly the second time Juventushad not conceded, in any com-petition, since the end ofSeptember.

And coach MassimilianoAllegri says that is what he isgoing to focus on in the weeksto come, ahead of the Serie Awinter break which starts Jan.6.

Allegri feels he has not hadenough time to work with hisplayers, with matches comingthick and fast and a stop-startseason which has already seenthree international breaks.

"What with playing match-es every three days and inter-national breaks, I've gone threemonths without coaching,"Allegri said. "Now, finally, wehave time until January 6, towork calmly together and thinkabout improving the quality ofour play.

"Perhaps we won't be aseasy on the eye, but the longeryou go without conceding, themore confidence you buildand the better you play."

Allegri will have to sortthings out at the back quicklyas Juventus faces three of itstitle rivals in December — ithosts Inter and Roma as well astravelling to Napoli. It alsohas its final Champions Leaguegroup match at Olympiakos,where a win will ensure itreaches the knockout stages.

Kerala yet againfail to score

Milan advance, Arsenal top group

Juve defence falling apart without BBC

UP GIRLS TAKE BRONZEUttar Pradesh girls defeated Punjab 6-4 to finish

third in the second edition of the Hockey India five-a-side Senior National Championship 2017 atChhatrapati Shivaji Stadium in Pune. Uttar PradeshHockey were quick to get off the blocks with a 2-0 leadvia Shreya Singh (2’) and Vandana Katariya (3’). ThePunjab team were quick to equalise with Pooja Rani(6’) and Reena Rani (7’). The UP girls took the 4-2lead after Preeti Dubey sounded the board twice inthe 7th and 10th minute. For Hockey Punjab,Gurpreet Kaur scored the third goal in the 9th minute.Hockey Punjab levelled the score with the help of PoojaRani’s goal (11’). But Shreya Singh’s 17th and 27thminute goals gave UP amuch deserved bronze medal.

SUHANA, TANU REACH FINALSuhana Narginari of Moradabad edged past

Tanu Gupta of Allahabad 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8 while Radhapriya Goel of Ghaziabad beat KavyaGupta of Allahabad 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9 to moveinto youth girl’s final of the 64th 'Stag' UP State TableTennis Championships at JKG International School,Ghaziabad on Friday.RESULTS: Team Championships: (Men’s) Kanpur-Allahabad zone bt Varanasi-Gorakhpur zone3-1, Kanpur-Allahabad zone bt Moradabad-Bareilly zone 3-0,Lucknow-Faizabad zone beat Varanasi-Gorakhpur zone 3-2,Meerut-Agra zone bt Kanpur-Allahabad zone 3-0,Moradabad-Bareilly zone bt Lucknow-Faizabad zone 3-2,Moradabad-Bareilly zone bt Meerut-Agra zone 3-2,(Women’s) Moradabad-Bareilly zone bt Varanasi-Gorakhpurzone 3-1, Kanpur-Allahabad zone bt Meerut-Agra zone 3-1,Meerut-Agra zone bt Varanasi-Gorakhpur zone 3-0,Lucknow-Faizabad zone bt Varanasi-Gorakhpur zone 3-2

SINGLES: QFs (Youth Boy’s) Sarthak Seth bt AdarshSrivastava 11-7, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5, Gautam Dhruvansh btMohd Meeraj 11-8, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7, Hardik Paliwal btAnkus Kapoor 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5, AkashChoudhary bt Abhinav Belwal 10-12, 11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 3-11, 11-5, 11-5; (Sub-Junior Boy’s) Parth Belwal (Gzb) btShivam Chandra 11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, DivyanshSrivastava bt Daksh Tyagi 11-6, 11-5, 8-11, 9-11, 11-7,Vibhor Garg bt Sarth Mishra 6-11, 12-10, 2-11, 15-13, 11-5,Akshat Tyagi bt Ansh Rajput 11-2, 11-7, 13-11; (Sub-JuniorGirl’s) Radhapriya Goel (Gzb) bt Arnavi Jain 11-4, 11-3, 11-4, Esha Sakya bt Hirdiyanshi Jha 11-9, 11-5, 11-6, MahikaDixit bt Suhani Sinha 11-9, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9, Ambika Guptabt Vartica Bharat 11-9, 12-10, 11-9; (Women’s) SuhanaNarginari bt Ayushi Singh 11-6, 11-6, 11-7, PragatiSrivastava bt Priyanka Belwal 6-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6,Tanu Gupta bt Sakshi Srivastava 11-4, 11-4, 6-11, 11-4.Radhapriya Goel bt Kavya Gupta 11-5, 11-13, 12-14, 11-8,7-11; (Junior Girl’s) Suhana Narginari bt Tarushi Bansal 9-11, 16-14, 11-8, 11-4, Ambika Gupta bt Mahika Dixit 12-14,12-10, 8-11, 7-11, Vartica Bharat bt Kavya Gupta 10-12, 11-2, 11-8, 11-6, Radhapriya Goel bt Tavishi Bansal 11-8, 11-5,11-8.

CMS ENTER SEMISCMS Gomti Nagar defeated GD Goenka School

by 78 runs to enter the semi-finals of SAJS ChampionsTrophy on Friday. Meanwhile, Sacred Hearts Schoolcrushed DPS Gomti Nagar by nine wickets to enterthe quarter-finals.BRIEF SCORES:CMS: 128 (Sarthak Jain 48, Naman Singh 39, Amrit16; Akshat Pranav 26/2)GDGS: 50 (Siddhant Agarwal 8, Shaurya Singh 7;Sarthak Jain 6/3, Arnav Seth 10/3, Shashank 16/2)

DPS: 54 (Arshit Pandey 14; Abhishek Chand 7/3)SHS: 55 (Manish Yadav 16, Rajan Raj 12; Suyash Singh14/1)

POSTAL WEIGHTLIFTINGPostal Circle (UP) is organising an All-India

Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Best PhysiqueChampionship at KD Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium fromSaturday. Around 144 from 17 postal circles areexpected to take part in the championship. ChiefPostmaster General YP Rai will inaugurate thechampionship.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINChampioins League Club beat Kalyanpur Strikers

by 51 runs in a league match of the 1st Phoolmati DeviMemorial Cricket Tournament at Microlit Gymkhanaground on Saturday.BRIEF SCORES:CLC: 206 (Tejasva Singh 65, Robin 24; Atif 16/2, Tarun22/2, Shivam 53/2)KS: 155 (Ashish 23, Neeraj 23; Adarsh 21/2, Tejasva25/2, Abhinav 23/2)

DHRUV ACADEMY IN FINALDhruv Cricket Academy defeated LDACC by six

wickets to enter the final of Paarth Cup Under-19Tournament at Paarth Ground on Friday.BRIEF SCORES:LDACC: 190 (Rohit 43, Arvind 42; Prashant 19/3,Shivam 26/2)

DCA: 144 (Vedansh 64, Aviral 24; Himanshu 32/2,Yuvraj 16/1).

LOCAL EVENTS

ENCOUNTER 20 MINUTES

Yes, I've witnessed the

transition in gender dynam-

ics in the Indian cinema.

I’ve seen it in kind of films

being made, films I am

being offered, roles that are

being written for women.

More women are

behind the camera in

today’s times and are not

just in front of the camera.

S H O R T C I R C U I T S

I wouldn't say I had a soft

landing. In bollywood, you get

where you get due to talent

and merit. We have to sweat it

out and work in all kinds of

environment and wait for the

audience’s acceptance.

One may be son, daughter,

relative of a popular actor or

director and and still not be

accepted.

The stir around Padmavati

is going on and on. I don't

know where things are

going wrong and hope it

ends soon. A film is made

after a lot of hard work, time

and money. Sanjay Leela

Bhansali has explored this

genre on several times. The

controversy over the film is

apalling.

RANI MUKHERJIJAIME CIERO

My song Volar is a hugeinternational successreaching millions of listen-ers and landing on numer-ous charts of the mostpopular, top-performingsongs. I recorded the songin 2008 and it was playedglobally. Let it go from theanimated movie Frozen isripped off from my songVolar.

SHLOK SHARMA UMA THURMANDEEPIKA PADUKONE

LUCKNOW | SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 25, 2017vivacity {48 hours} 16

COLLABORATION 20 MINUTES

If the IIFA awards are held in Russia in 2018, then we would have much to thankHema Malini for. For she has gone on from being dream girl to dream-maker

as head of the Indo-Russian Friendship Committee and is exploring an oppor-tunity to resume the vibrant cultural exchanges between the two countries. Beit organising film festivals, film markets or cultural showcases, Hema has takenon the role of culture czarina rather well. So while she is working on a film exchangeprogramme, she is also promoting different cultures and dance forms from coun-tries of the old Soviet bloc. “We recently had a maiden edition of Synergy wherewe had 40 dancers from Georgia along with Indian artists from our troop per-forming Kathak and Bharatnatyam. I am now planning to bring in Russian dancersfor classical jugalbandi.”

But multi-tasking and managing arts disciplines is not difficult for Hema,who was groomed by her mother Jaya Lakshmi Chakravarti, an ace film produc-er of her time who recognised the artiste in her. “It was my mother who was verykeen to put me in the industry at a time when parents never thought about act-ing as a profession.

She encouraged my skills when I was studying in Delhi at Madrasi HigherSecondary School. Her interest first took me to Chennai to attend a few work-shops and thereafter in the mainstream Hindi film space. Therefore, it’s becauseof her that I have achieved success,” she asserts.

The veteran actress has penned her journey of relationships, stardom andher career in her autobiographies — Hema Malini by Bhawna Somaiya and HemaMalini: Beyond the Dream Girl by Ram Kamal Mukherjee. “My books talk aboutthe numerous rejections I faced before getting my first break in the industry. Thefeeling of being rejected at the age of 14 did not come easy. I was considered amisfit in the industry and that is when I hit rock bottom in my life.” However,she did not give up easily. “More so, my parents were always there to supportme and encouraged me to overlook these failures. But one thing about failures

is when you experience them, everything seems sodark that you feel zapped. That time spiritualityopened its door to me because of which I was ableto stand again with the zeal to pursue my dreamthat made me the dream girl. This is something Iwould have never achieved had I not encouragedmyself to give myself a chance. I strongly believethat opportunity comes to the person who has pas-sion and the urge to become someone,” sharesHema, who debuted with the role of a supportingartiste in Idhu Sathiyam (1963) and portrayed adanseuse in Pandava Vanavasam (1965). In 1968,she debuted in Raj Kapoor’s Sapno Ka Saudagar andthere was no looking back ever since. And for allthe glamorous or classical roles that came her way,she carried them through with an unmatched grace.

She never decided the roles for herself and optedfrom the ones that came along her way. She men-tions, “I was offered roles on the basis of the likesof the audience. Seeta Aur Gita was a huge hit, whichwas followed by numerous producers queuing upto take me on board for similar characters. Thosedays, refusal didn’t come easy as we didn’t have therange that we have today.” She worked in seven filmsbased on double roles like Seeta aur Geeta (1972),including Janeman (1975) alongside other notablemale protagonists.

It was Gulzar who offered her a unique andchallenging role in Khushboo (1975) alongsideJeetendra, based on the Bengali novel Panditmashaiby Sharatchandra Chattopadhyay. “I take pride inworking for projects, especially with Gulzar sahab,

who gave me challenging characters which noteveryone gets to perform. Though the movie was not

a commercial success, it has always been remembered and talked about. Anda role that I will always cherish.”

Second in line was Razia Sultan (1983), “I was shooting for Meera andRazia Sultan simultaneously.

While Meera was a Hindu saint-poet who renounced princely comfortsin pursuit of her love for Lord Krishna, Razia was the empress of India.Shooting the two films were simultaneous and involved immersing myselfin two extreme ends of the spectrum of rasas, Meera with her ethereal calmand stasis and Razia, with her aggressive emotions. Those days one couldnot shift schedules. Producers weren’t very rich unlike today where theyspend `100 crore on a film. It was a time when I took up roles based onthe screenplay and the intensity of a character, unlike calculating my

economics,” she says. Though the current generation might feel that there has been an

overnight transition in the industry in terms of women-orientedroles, the fact is Hema Malini did the groundwork in the main-

stream space, often choosing deglam looks and real characters.Recalls she, “Women-oriented roles existed even then. I could

develop myself as an artiste with Kinaara, Ek Chadar MailiSi, Khushboo and Lal Pathar. None of the leads was docile

or subservient but struck out on their own terms.”Talking about the accessibility and the overnight

stardom in the industry today, she shares, “Duringour time, stardom was about mystery. To catch

a glimpse of any of the artistes like Rekha andothers was a moment to be remembered.

That charisma has gone with stars nowbecoming interactive on social media

and rubbing shoulders in publicspaces. But then there is toomuch competition to stay rele-

vant.” Hema feels that there are very

few producers left in the industry whofocus on the classic style of Hindi mainstream

cinema. “Except Sanjay Leela Bhansali, everyone is trying to makefilms in a modern style.” So she still likes watching soft and light-heart-ed films. She is dearly fond of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone

and Katrina Kaif for the way they have held themselves despite the pullsand pressures of changed times.

A karmayogi, Hema’s hands are full this December as she gets busywith her Durga ballet in Delhi, Kurukshetra and Ambala. “I recent-ly finished two shows in October and then I did not accept any showbecause my daughter was going to deliver a baby. But now that the

baby is born, my roll will start again.”

Zooey Deschanel plays a scullery maidcalled Bridget in the animated musical

Trolls. It revolves around two trolls— Poppy(voiced by Anna Kendrick) and Branch(voiced by Justin Timberlake ) who are ona quest to save their village from destruc-tion by the Bergens, the creatures who eatTrolls.

nWhat is the story of Trolls about?The movie is about a long standing con-

flict between two different species, the Trollsand the Bergens. They are bigger and liketo eat Trolls and they’ve been abusing themfor years. Finally, the Trolls escape and livepeacefully for a long time. Then, theBergens rediscover them and one of themgets captured and the other friends go to res-cue the captured one. My character Bridgetis a servant of Bergen and she ends up help-ing the Trolls to survive.

nTell us about your character?Bridget is a guileless character. She works for the main chief — the king

and he is very mean and cruel. He kicks Bridget around, bosses her and is alittle abusive towards her also. But, she has a big crush on the king.

Bridget is in love with him and that’s her main moti-vation. She has the spark of love and happiness inside

her that none of the other Bergens have and isscholarly.

nHow does Bridget help the Trolls in thestory?

Basically, there is an agreement betweenPoppy who is one of the main Trolls whooffers to help Bridget win the king over bydressing her up and making her into a moresophisticated lady named Lady Glitter

Sparkles and it’s a kind of a Cinderellamicro story within the broad story.

nWhat is the relationship betweenyour character Bridget and KingGristle?

Bridget and King Gristle(voiced by Christopher Mintz-Plasse) meet officially when she’sdressed up as Lady Glitter Sparklesand he believes that she is thesophisticated lady and falls in lovewith her. They go on a roller skat-ing date and eat pizza and connecton a lot of things but then she hasto leave right away because she’spretending to be somebody she’snot.

nHow was the experience ofcreating the voice of Bridget?

I just visualised in my headwhat her voice would soundlike. As in animated movies, youdon’t usually sound like yourself.Well, this was a bit different andI don’t sound like myself so wereally played a lot in the roomand I thought a lot about itbeforehand. We experimenteda lot with how Bridget’s voicesounds and then how later Lady

Glitter Sparkles’ voice sounds.How it changes when she’s trying to

appear more sophisticated and how muchof a change that was and we went far andthen dialled it back and then found a real-ly good, happy medium.

nWhat did you feel about the directors ofthe film?

Mike and Wall are amazing and greatdirectors. It was great to work with them

because even though I wasn’t getting to workwith the other actors when I was recording

my voice parts, they are the kind of directorsthat can create the world for you without me

having to have the other actors there. They’dswitch off reading the other parts there and theyallowed me to explore the character and find thatthe character’s voice because some peoplemight just say that “do your own voice!” they

really let me play with it. So, I’m grateful to them.

nHow important is music to the Trolls?Music makes everyone happy. It is the key to

the Trolls’ happiness and when the Bergen’s join in,that’s where they’re finding their own happiness.

nHow was it to work with Justin Timberlake?It was great working with Justin! He was a supportive producer and is also

a great actor so he was able to have a perfect mix to guide the vocal perfor-mance from both a musical and a dramatic perspective and I really think thatthere are things I did out of my comfort zone, like the rap, and he was defi-nitely able to poke something out of me that was way out of my comfort zoneand by the end it was something really fun and cool, so I really thought he wasan amazing producer and person to work with.

THE NEW

CULTURE CZARINA Timberlake guided me from both musical and dramatic perspective, saysZOEY DESCHENAL

Music is the key to happiness

MY MOTHER'SINTEREST FIRST

TOOK ME TOCHENNAI TO

ATTEND A FEWWORKSHOPS AND

THEREAFTER INTHE MAINSTREAM

HINDI FILMSPACE. IT'S

BECAUSE OF HERTHAT I HAVE

ACHIEVEDSUCCESS.

HEMA MALINI is now helming theIndo-Russian Friendship Committeeand has already got the film exchangeprogramme and dance jugalbandisgoing, says PALAK SHARMA

I said I was angryrecently, and I have afew reasons, #metoo,in case you couldn'ttell by the look on myface.

I feel it's impor-tant to take your time,be fair, be exact andtalk about sexualharassment when youare preapared.

Documents

16 VIVACITY - The · PDF filePNS n LUCKNOW Even as chairman of Railway Board Ashwini Lohani was in Lucknow to inspect safety and other aspects of the Railways, three passengers were