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After a tense build-up, a lightweight, not Priyanka to contest in Varanasi Defense secy
resigns as one

Why Congress chickened out

DNA Correspondent
explosion hits
near Colombo
Colombo: A day after Sri Lan-
ka’s president asked for the
correspondent@dnaindia.net resignations of defense secre-

New Delhi: The Congress flum-

moxed everyone on Thursday by
not declaring Priyanka Gandhi
Vadra as its candidate against
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in
Varanasi and nominating Ajay Rai,
a distant third ranker in the 2014
Lok Sabha election, instead.
The stage seems to be set for
Prime Minister Modi to romp
home with an even bigger margin
than the one in 2014 with the Grand
Alliance fielding Shalini Yadav,
who lost the mayoral elections in
2017 against the BJP candidate.
In 2014, Prime Minister Modi
had defeated Aam Aadmi Party
(AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal by
over 3.8 lakh votes and pushed local
boy Ajay Rai (now the Congress
candidate) to a distant third, with
less than 70,000 votes.
While the move has come as a
demoraliser for the Congress cadre
in Uttar Pradesh, which was
buoyed by the thought of Priyanka
challenging PM Modi, party sourc-
es say the decision was taken after
analysing the internal survey,
which found that the cons weighed
heavier than the pros.
Though UPA chairperson Sonia
Gandhi was not in favour of field-
ing Priyanka from the very begin-
ning for several reasons, Congress
leadership still toyed with the idea
in the hope that the move would
help revive the party in Uttar
Pradesh and galvanise its cadre.
But the risk was too great. In
case Priyanka lost badly, it would
be a big loss of face and morale
would be beaten irrevocably. Thus
the party first chose to send a small
team to assess the prospects in the
constituency. In the meantime, the
party leadership allowed rumours
of the Nehru-Gandhi scion’s candi-
dature circulate and gain traction.
to capture a constituency
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a road show in Varanasi on Thursday —REUTERS
What the candidate switch means for
Bharatiya Janata Party
n Brand Modi gets bigger, helps BJP
take lead in Uttar Pradesh
n The Prime Minister gets more time
to canvass in other places
Sources say the party drew the cur-
tains on the matter when the sur-
vey team gave a frank assessment
of a straight loss.
To recover, the team pitched Pri-
yanka’s 24x7 presence in Varanasi
until polling day on May 19 as Ba-
naras-wallahs do not allow anyone
to take their votes for granted. The
Prime Minister himself has visited
...& analysis
Congress
n The galvanised party cadre gets
demoralised
n Priyanka Gandhi Vadra gets time to
canvas in Amethi, Raebareli
Varanasi several times in the past
five years and kept aside two days
exclusively to file his nomination.
This was a tall order for the par-
ty as Priyanka has an added respon-
sibility of canvassing in the high
stake seats of Amethi and Raebare-
li. The challenge is quite tough in
Amethi too, where Rahul is pitted
against BJP’s Smriti Irani, who lost
tary and the national police
chief for failure of security
forces to stop the Islamic State-
Why Cong claimed suicide bombings on
developed Easter Sunday that killed 359
cold feet people, defense secretary He-
masiri Fernando resigned on
n The party’s Thursday. The statement said
internal survey Fernando would continue to
projected a loss serve until his replacement
by a substantial has been appointed.
margin for the
who is ajay rai? Meanwhile, Sri Lankan au-
Varanasi seat. thorities locked down the cen-
The five-time MLA from Uttar tral bank and shut the road
n Priyanka’s Pradesh began his political leading to the jittery capital’s
candidature would career as a member of BJP’s airport because of a bomb
also serve the student wing. A member of the scare on Thurs-
BJP ammunition Bhumihar community, he has a day, even as
to attack her role considerable following among more people
on the grounds of Brahmins and Bhumihars. He were swept up Lanka
dynastic politics. won Assembly elections from in the search Easter
Kolasala constituency three times blasts
for the master-
n The party’s fate in a row on a BJP ticket between
minds of the at-
in Varanasi would 1996 and 2007. In 2009, he joined
tack. A police spokesman also
impact canvassing the Samajwadi party after BJP
said there was an explosion in
in crucial Am- denied him a Lok Sabha ticket
a town east of the capital, but
ethi and Raebareli and lost against Murli Manohar
there were no casualties. The
seats Joshi. He contested the bypolls
cause was not clear, but it was
from Kolasla constituency as not a controlled detonation
an Independent the same year, like other blasts in recent
and was nominated to the state days and was being investi-
Assembly again. In 2012, he won gated, he said.
Assembly elections from Pindra Additionally, three sus-
Mahagathbandhan constituency in Varanasi district
pects were arrested and 21
n The alliance can rethink replacing its on a Congress ticket. He was hand grenades and six swords
weak candidate in Varanasi fielded by the party in 2014 as were seized by the Colombo
well, but managed to poll only Crime Division and the Spe-
n The contest with BJP in the coveted
75,000 votes. cial Task Force personnel in
and important seat becomes sharper
a raid in Modara area.
The Lankan authorities
by a mere one lakh votes or so in cede that the party should have been have intensified their raids
2014. This decision also leaves Pri- more circumspect and decisive as and arrested 16 more sus-
yanka little time to canvass for sev- the delayed decision after raising pects, taking the total num-
eral crucial seats in eastern UP. The hopes may not augur well for it. BJP ber of suspects under police
Congress also weighed how Pri- has already upped the ante and at- custody to over 70.
yanka’s candidature, third in line tacked Congress for chickening out In another measure, the
after Rahul and Sonia, would hand from the fight against Modi. It has government suspended its
the BJP ammunition to attack on also forced the Mahagathbandhan plans to grant visas on ar-
the lines of dynastic politics. to rethink its candidate, to put up at rival to citizens of 39 coun-
Congress insiders, however, con- least a respectable fight. tries.  Related reports, P5

Army calls for female Justice Indu replaces Ramana on panel

jawans to man borders Abraham Thomas and is known to be close to

inside 
Opinion
It is time to re-examine the
relevance of Election
Commission’s much-vaunted
code of conduct, writes
N Bhaskara Rao  P6
India
Dr Auqfeen Nisar has started
DNA Correspondent
correspondent@dnaindia.net
New Delhi: In a significant
first that will herald a change
in the Indian Army’s struc-
ture, the Army on Thursday
kicked off an online registra-
tion process to recruit female
soldiers. Till now, women
were only recruited as com-
missioned officers.
In the initial approval, the
Army is set to recruit nearly
100 female soliders as the of-
ficial website notification
calls for the post of ‘Soldier
General Duty’. The proposal
for the overhaul was moved
by General Bipin Rawat after
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
policy update
„„The Army will recruit
nearly 100 female soliders
as the official website
notification calls for post
of ‘Soldier, General Duty’
„„Till now, women
abraham.thomas@dnaindia.net
New Delhi: With 24 hours to
go before the three-judge
panel of the Supreme Court
was to hear the alleged sexu-
al misconduct complaint
against the Chief Justice of
India (CJI), one of the judges
— Justice NV Ramana re-
fused to take part in the pro-
ceeding — citing a letter by
the victim, wherein she
claimed that his proximity
with the CJI might hamper
the enquiry.
Later in the day, Justice
Indu Malhotra replaced
him on the panel. The panel
now has a majority presence
of women judges (2:1) and
will meet the complainant in
chambers on Friday.
Justice Ramana conveyed
his decision to quit from the
panel, which also has Justice
Indira Banerjee on it, to pan-
el Chairman Justice SA
SC forms one-man panel to probe ‘fixers’ him. Further, she alleged that
the judge, at a conference in
New Delhi: Confronted with evidence of its own officials Hyderabad on April 20, spoke
being involved with corporate houses and middlemen to that despite allegations being
‘fix’ judicial orders, the top court on Thursday set up a one- levelled against judges, the
man probe panel under Justice (retd) AK Patnaik to clean independence and dignity
up the system. Before passing the order, the top court also of the judiciary must be pro-
observed, “The rich are playing with fire.”  Report, P10 tected.
Justice Ramana, in his let-
ter to the in-house panel
Bobde. Following Jus- plainant to Justice head, denied these charges
tice Ramana’s exit, Bobde on Wednesday and said, “My decision to
Justice Bobde held a disclosed two recuse is only based on an
meeting late Thurs- CJI
grounds to suspect intent to avoid any suspicion
day evening and se- sexual fairness on the part that this institution will not
lected Justice Indu misconduct of Justice Ramana. conduct itself in keeping
Malhotra to replace She said that Justice with the highest standards of
him. Ramana was a frequent judicial propriety and wis-
The letter by the com- visitor to the CJI’s residence dom.”  Turn to P4

Inflation fears back as rupee falls Ankita is left stranded in

a crowd-funding project to were only recruited as
he took over as the Army
provide sanitary napkins to commissioned officers
Chief. The final clearance
impoverished girls in J&K P4
came from the Ministry of

Sports
Manchester City beats ManU
2-0 to regain top position
and close in on another
Premier League title P11
Afterhrs 
“I would prefer having a friend
than an enemy,” says
Katrina Kaif in a no-
holds-barred interview
about her personal
and professional
equations
Defence as the NDA govern-
ment had also promised more
representation of women in
the Indian forces.
EC sources, meanwhile,
clarified that even when the
Model Code of Conduct is in
effect, there is no bar on
routine administrative mat-
ters like recruitment in de-
fence forces.
After the application pro-
cess is thrown open on Friday
till it closes on June 8, the re-
cruitment will be carried out
at five locations — Ambala,
Lucknow, Jabalpur, Bengalu-
ru and Shillong. After the
registration, a cut-off list will
be generated for further
rounds of selection, accord-
ing to the official notification.
To qualify for the post, the
women candidates need to
clear a Common Entrance
Exam, following which, they
will have to appear for the
Physical Endurance Test.
Turn to P4
Mumbai: Rupee slipped 39
paise on Thursday to end at
70.26 against dollar as crude
prices crossed $75 per barrel,
bringing back inflation fears.
The last time rupee went
past the 70-mark was on
March 11. The Brent crude
price rose to a six-month high
following the US govern-
ment’s decision to impose
sanctions on countries
importing from Iran from-
May 2.
This is a departure from
the current position where it
had given exemption to sev-
eral countries, including In-
dia. Experts said doubts
about a normal monsoon and
the rise in oil prices are likely
to force Reserve Bank of In-
dia to revise its projections in
the next monetary policy re-
view in June.
“Rising oil prices and
prospects of geopolitical ten-
sions on account of the US
sanctions on Iran are a cause
of worry for India,” said
Ananth Narayan, professor
at S P Jain Institute of Man-
agement and former head of
global markets at Standard
Chartered Bank in India.
 Full report, P8
China by doubles partner
Mumbai: Ankita Raina was
on Thursday left stranded by
her doubles partner in An-
ning, China, when she
departed without in-
forming India’s high-
est-ranked women’s
singles tennis player
just hours before their
WTA Kunming Open
doubles quarterfinals.
Ankita, who stunned for-
mer Grand Slam champion
Samantha Stosur in her sin-
gles first round of the
same tournament on
Wednesday, had part-
nered with USA’s
Ashley Kratzer for
the doubles competi-
tion. The duo was
scheduled to play on
Friday, but Kratzer checked
out from Anning.  Report, P11

Congress seeks Nirav’s hot wheels fetch `3.29 crore

to disqualify Varun Singh tered in Nirav’s name and

Alpesh as MLA
Ahmedabad: The Congress
approached the Gujarat As-
sembly secretariat on Thurs-
day, seeking expulsion of
disgruntled leader Alpesh
Thakor as a legislator for his
“anti-party activities”. Tha-
kor resigned from all the
posts he held in the Congress
earlier this month. The “ap-
peal” seeking his “expulsion”
as MLA was submitted to the
Assembly secretariat by
chief whip of the Congress
legislative party Ashwin Kot-
wal and senior party MLA
Baldevji Thakor. Kotwal said
that as Thakor is no longer
with the Congress and had
engaged in anti-party activi-
ties, he had no right to be an
MLA of the party. Report, P2
varun.singh@dnaindia.net
Mumbai: Of the 13 cars be-
longing to Nirav Modi and
Mehul Choksi, all but one
found takers at the auction
held in Mumbai on Thursday.
The sale fetched the Enforce-
ment Directorate, entrusted
with selling the cars to re-
cover part of the Rs 14,000
crore owed by the diaman-
taire and his uncle to Punjab
National Bank, Rs 3.29 crore.
A profit over the total reserve
price of Rs 3.01 crore.
The online auction was
conducted by state-run Metal
Scrap Trade Corporation
(MSTC), and comes a month
after 68 artworks belonging to
a shell company owned by
Modi went under the hammer.
Of the 13, two cars — a BMW
and a Toyota Innova – be-
Hot Wheels listed at a reserve price was Rs
3.5 lakh. “It will be put up for
Car Base price Sold for auction again, and the price
Rolls Royce Ghost `1.33 cr `1,33,10,000 may be reduced,” said an ED
officer.
Mercedes Benz `14L `16 L The Mercedes Benz, regis-
Toyota Fortuner `9.10L `9.17L tered under Camelot Enter-
Porsche `54.60L `54.60L prise Pvt Ltd, fetched the high-
BMW `9.80L `11.75L est amount against its base
price: Rs 53.76 lakh, when it
Innova `10.50L `18.06L was listed for Rs 37.80 lakh.
Skoda Superb `5.25L `7.02L The auction was slotted be-
Honda Brio `2.38L `3.39L tween 12 noon to 4 pm, but
Honda Brio `2.66L `2.70L extended to 5.30 pm due to a
continuous response from bid-
ders. Presumably, the names
longed to Choksi. One car, a price of Rs 1.33 crore. Regis- of the new owners will be dis-
Skoda Superb, belonged to tered under Firestone Interna- closed once the formalities are
Nirav’s brother, Neeshal. tional Pvt Ltd, the luxury car complete. The cars were
The most expensive car on originally cost Rs 5 crore. parked at Grosvenor House
the list — a pewter Rolls Royce Other wheels that went un- (Peddar Rd) Spring tower (Da-
Ghost that, rumour has it, fer- der the hammer included Por- dar East) and Samudra Mahal
ried his three lap dogs — sche, BMW and others. The on Dr Annie Besant Road
fetched Rs 1, 33,10,000. That’s only car to not find any takers (Worli), and were open for in-
Rs 10,000 more than the base was the Toyota Corolla regis- spection before the auction.

daily news & analysis I Ahmedabad I Friday, April 26, 2019
Cong petitions Speaker to
disqualify Alpesh as MLA
It says he had resigned from Congress, indulged in anti-party works
DNA Correspondent
correspondent@dnaindia.net
Two days after voting for 26
Lok Sabha seats in the state,
the Congress party on Thurs-
day submitted a petition
seeking disqualification of
dissident MLA Alpesh Tha-
kor from the Assembly for
anti-party activities.
Chief whip of Congress
party in the state assembly
Ashwin Kotwal, and senior
MLA Baldevji Thakor filed
the petition before Speaker
Rajendra Trivedi.
“Alpesh Thakor was elect-
ed as MLA on Congress’s sym-
bol. During the elections, he
supported independent candi-
dates, and worked against the
party’s candidates. Our peti-
tion to the Speaker demands
that Alpesh be disqualified as
MLA for indulging in anti-
party activities during the
elections,” Kotwal, who repre-
sents Khedbrahma ST seat in
the assembly, told DNA.
in brief
4 cops injured as
CM convoy meets
with accident
Four cops were injured
after Chief Minister
Vijay Rupani’s convoy
met with an accident
in Khedbrahma taluka
of Sabarkantha dis-
trict. The incident hap-
pened after one of the
cars in the convoy hit a
private vehicle after an
animal’s suddenly
barged on the road.
The CM’s car was not
involved in the acci-
dent. The injured cops
are reported to be sta-
ble. The CM was on his
way form Ambaji tem-
ple.
Ahmed Patel RS
victory matter
posted for April 30
Following fresh summons
issued by the Gujarat
High Court, Bengaluru-
based Eagleton Resort’s
manager, Mathew, on
Thursday remained pre-
sent before the court in
the ongoing trial of the
election petition filed by
BJP’s Balvantsinh Rajput
against the Rajya Sabha
(RS) poll victory of Con-
gress leader Ahmed Patel.
Patel had kept Congress
MLAs at the resort just
before the RS elections.
However, the manager did
not bring the required
documents and his cross-
examination has been
scheduled for April 30.
Probe tuar purchase,
says farmer body
Gujarat Khedut Ekta
Samiti has sought a
probe into alleged scam
in procurement of tuar
from Keshod Agriculture
Produce Marketing Com-
mittee (APMC). Local go-
down management said
that the crop was sub-
standard. While there
are efforts to pinpoint
that the crop procured
from farmers was sub-
standard, Samiti presi-
dent Sagar Ragari said
that it is not possible and
it was en route to the go-
down that malpractice is
likely to have occurred.
FIR against minister
for slogans in booth
DNA Correspondent
correspondent@dnaindia.net
Bhavnagar police have reg-
istered a complaint against
minister Vibhavari Dave
for allegedly violating the
model code of conduct by
shouting slogans inside a
polling booth during vot-
ing.
The incident took place
on Tuesday when Dave,
who represents the Bhavna-
gar East constituency in the
assembly, went to a polling
booth in Bhavnagar in the
ongoing Lok Sabha elec-
tions.
Dave allegedly chanted
the slogan ‘Modi hai to
mumkin hai’ inside the
booth before casting her
02 
Alpesh Thakor
Alpesh, an influential OBC
leader, and MLA from Rad-
hanpur seat, had stepped
down from all posts in Con-
gress on April 10, less than two
weeks before the Lok Sabha
elections in Gujarat on April
23, alleging disrespectful
treatment and betrayal from
the party. In the run up to the
elections, he also actively cam-
paigned for candidates fielded
by his outfit Thakor Sena in a
couple of seats in north Guja-
rat, while repeatedly lashing
State lags behind No hike in power tariff this year, says GERC
tribal men, women
in avg voter turnout
A file photo of tribals at a voting centre
Smitha R
amitha.rajan@dnaindia.net
The tribal areas it seems vot-
ed with gusto and as usual,
surpassed the voting percent-
age in non-tribal areas of the
state. In fact, men came out in
large numbers, registering an
average male voter turnout
of 85.3% in tribal areas,
against the average of 67%
for the state.
The female voter turnout
was also close to 10% higher
than the average women
voter turnout in the rest of
the state. It was 69.50% for
women in tribal areas while
it was 60.90% for the rest of
Gujarat.
The six constituencies that
are either reserved for tribals
or have substantial popula-
tion of tribals, saw an overall
average voting percentage of
77% against an average turn-
out of 64.11% for the state.
Amarsinh Z Chaudhary,
president of ‘Adivasi Saman-
vay Manch said a lot of fac-
tors are at play when one con-
siders the high turnout in
tribal areas.
“To begin with, the ruling
party has been offering cash
doles to people to go out and
vote and that is a big incen-
tive for them,” said Chaud-
hary. He said earlier, tribals
were not really aware of the
power of voting but now, it is
on the rise. “There has been
considerable awareness
among the tribals and that
could be the second reason.
vote. In a video that soon
went viral, Dave was also
seen making other voters
do the same.
The Congress had sub-
mitted a complaint against
the minister for women and
child development for vio-
lating the model code of
conduct. A police complaint
was registered against her
on the direction of the elec-
tion authorities late on
Wednesday night.
“We have registered an
FIR against Vibhavari Dave
for the incident,” said a sen-
ior officer of the Bhavnagar
police.
As per the code of con-
duct, canvassing is prohib-
ited within a 100-metre ra-
dius of polling booths.
On record
„„Recordings of Alpesh’s
press conference, and
speeches made by
him during the election
campaign, where he
attacked the Congress,
were submitted as
evidence of his anti-party
activities
„„He snapped ties
with the party after
threatening to do so
several times in the past
few months
out at the party.
Recordings of Alpesh’s
press conference, and speech-
es made by him during the
election campaign, where he
attacked the Congress, were
submitted as evidence of his
anti-party activities along
with the petition.
While Alpesh’s April 10
letter to state Congress presi-
on a high note
The six constituencies
that are either reserved
for tribals or have
substantial population
of tribals, saw an
overall average voting
percentage of 77%
against an average
turnout of 64.11% for the
state
But according to me, the most
important reason is the lure
of getting land titles in their
names,” said Chaudhary. He
said the Forest Rights Act
(FRA) is a big issue with the
tribals and a lot of them are
at loggerheads with the gov-
ernment over their claim to
forest land. “This is a sore is-
sue for them and a lot of them
could be exercising their
franchise in the hope that the
government will take their
demands into consideration,”
said Chaudhary.
Nishaant Chokshi, an as-
sistant professor with the
Social Sciences Department
of the Indian Institute of
Technology, Gandhinagar,
too believes that the FRA
could be a rallying point for
the adivasis this elections.
Chokshi, who has studied
Adivasi societies in Gujarat
said, “I am no expert on ana-
lysing voting trends. But in
recent times a number of
movements, particularly
those surrounding the FRAs
have mobilised the tribals in
a big way in Gujarat.”
world ip day today Guj entrepreneurs give importance to tangible assets such as land, factory
Intellectual property the new wealth creator, bizmen say
Keyur Dhandeo
keyur.dhandeo@gmail.com
Even as intellectual property
has become a cornerstone of
companies worldwide, stake-
holders feel that despite be-
ing entrepreneurial by na-
ture, Gujarati businessmen
have ignored this factor, to
their detriment.
Only a handful of local
companies such as Troikaa
and eInfochips have demon-
strated that benefits of intel-
lectual property outweigh fi-
nancial returns from other
assets such as factories, land
and real estate.
Troikaa CMD Ketal Patel
recalls that by introducing its
Dynapar AQ, its turnover in
the market grew to about Rs
dent Amit Chavda clearly
mentioned that he was re-
signing from all party posts,
party leaders said that resig-
nation from all posts meant
that he had also quit from the
party’s primary member-
ship. “When he has resigned
from Congress, and also
worked against the party, he
cannot continue as the par-
ty’s MLA in the assembly. He
should be disqualified,” said
Baldevji Thakor, MLA from
Kalol seat in Mehsana.
Alpesh’s phone was
switched off, and he could not
be reached for a comment.
The two Congress leaders
said that they expect speaker
Rajendra Trivedi to give a de-
cision on their petition soon.
Alpesh, who shot to promi-
nence after conducting janta
raids on liquor dens a few
years ago, was co in charge of
Congress party in Bihar, and
was also appointed on the
party’s key panels before the
elections.
DNA Correspondent
correspondent@dnaindia.net
The state’s power regulator
Gujarat Electricity Regulatory
Commission (GERC) said on
Thursday that there would not
be any hike in power tariff for
this year. This is the third
straight year when tariff has
not been hiked, but officials
clarified that as in the past,
power bills would go up in case
of fuel surcharge going up.
GERC issued the power tar-
iff order on petitions filed by
Torrent Power and four state
owned power distribution
companies on Wednesday, a
day after voting for Lok Sabha
elections.
“There is no change in pow-
taking a flight
A small plane is seen in the background as a flock of flamingos takes flight near the airport
AMC vows to stop spread of malaria
DNA Correspondent
correspondent@dnaindia.net
On World Malaria Day, the
Ahmedabad Municipal Cor-
poration (AMC) vowed to stop
malaria transmission. In a
press conference held by the
health department of the
civic body, the officers said
that now, the department will
intensify their drive to curb
breeding sites and malaria
transmission.
90 crore from about Rs 3 crore
in just six years. Similarly, by
introducing Dynapar QPS
spray in the market, it went
on to control about 25-30 per
cent of the market.
“Focus on intellectual
property has put Troikaa in a
different league. Earlier, we
were just one of the compa-
nies in pharmaceuticals. In-
tellectual property has made
us stand out. It has yielded
financial benefits as well,”
Patel told DNA.
Ahmedabad-based soft-
ware company, eInfochips,
was established in 1995 and
sold to US-based Arrow Elec-
tronics in 2017, fetching Rs
1,800 crore. Intellectual prop-
erty was the backbone on
which the company func-
No relief to state in Gir
eco-sensitive zone case
DNA Correspondent
correspondent@dnaindia.net
The Gujarat High Court has
refused to provide any relief to
the state government in a pub-
lic interest litigation (PIL)
questioning the intention of
the state government in pro-
posing the reduction of the
eco-sensitive zone for Gir
Wildlife Sanctuary from 3.32
lakh hectares to 1.14 lakh hec-
tare. Notably, the High Court
in April last year had re-
strained the government from
issuing any final notification
in this regard.
During the hearing of the
PIL on Thursday, the division
bench of Acting Chief Justice
AS Dave and Justice Biren
Vaishnav clarified that no case
was made out for vacating the
interim relief granted to the
petitioner. While the state gov-
ernment had already submit-
ted its reply in the case attrib-
uting the decision to reduce
the area under eco-sensitive
zone to objections received by
local residents, the counsel for
the Ministry of Environment,
Forest, and Climate Change,
argued that the notifications
issued by it are based on set-
er tariff for this year,” GERC
chairman Anand Kumar, said.
He said that for residential
consumers, number of slabs
have been reduced to four by
merging the slabs of 100-200
units and 200-250 units into
one slab of 100-250 units.
Giving a detailed road map
for malaria-free Ahmedabad
by 2022, Dr Bhavin Solanki,
in-charge medical officer,
spoke about making the city
free from malaria with the
help of citizens. “To achieve
this goal, equal participation
from the citizens is required.
People have to keep vigil in
their homes and surround-
ings. Phase-wise, we are hav-
ing meetings with education-
al, commercial and residen-
Students attend a workshop on patents organised by the GTU
tioned, said its founder,
Pratul Shroff. Hiranmay Ma-
hanta, honorary director of
Gujarat Technology Univer-
sity’s (GTU) Innovation
ah edabad
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The proposal was floated to reduce eco-sensitive zone from 3.32 lakh
hectares to 1.14 lakh hectare—File photo
Vested interest
„„Petitioner Biren population of Asiatic Lions
Pandhya contended in the area and is being
that the reduction of the done due to the pressure
eco-sensitive zone may exerted by the tourism and
prove detrimental to the mining lobby.
tled guidelines and as per the National Park from 3.32 lakh
proposal of the states. hectares to 1.14 lakh hectares.
Following the brief submis- Padhya has also contended
sion, the court adjourned the that if the state’s proposal is
case till June 19, when it will implemented, the area of the
be taken up for final hearing. eco-sensitive zone which is
Through the PIL, the peti- minimum 8 km and maximum
tioner, Biren Padhya, has ques- 17 km will be reduced to just
tioned the state’s intention to 500 meters at several locations,
reduce eco-sensitive zone for extending up to a maximum of
Gir Wildlife Sanctuary and 4 km from the sanctuary.
new rates base fuel and power purchase
price adjustment charge (fuel
„„For residential surcharge) of Rs 1.61 per unit
consumers, 100 to 200-unit
and 200 to 250-unit slabs
merged into a single slab
of 100-250 units
(Rs 1.49 last year).
For Torrent Power, power
purchase cost of Rs 4.80 per
unit (Rs 4.66 last year), and
base fuel surcharge of Rs 1.38
„„For farmers who use
(Rs 1.23 last year) was ap-
power for lift irrigation,
proved.
energy charge reduced
“Since there is no change in
from Rs 1.80/unit to Rs
the methodology for calculat-
1.50/unit
ing fuel surcharge, there will
not be any increase in electric-
The new tariff order would ity bill due to change in base
come into force from May 1, he FPPPA charge,” said a senior
said further. GERC official.
In a release, GERC said that However, the bill would in-
for the four government dis- crease in case of higher fuel
coms, it had approved power prices rise, as it would neces-
purchase cost of Rs 4.32 per sitate upward revision in fuel
unit (Rs 4.22 last year), and surcharge, he added.
Trying to curb artificial
ripening of fruits: State
DNA Correspondent
correspondent@dnaindia.net
The state government, on
Thursday, submitted before
the Gujarat High Court that
it has taken all possible meas-
ures to contain the rampant
use of dangerous chemicals
for artificial ripening of
fruits, which is a major threat
to human health.
Pravin Indrekar/DNA
The government also ta-
bled a detailed report in this
regard before the high court
providing a statement of
raids conducted by authori-
ties on cold storages, whole-
salers and retailers, to curb
the use of these chemicals.
Following the submission
of the report in the public in-
terest litigation (PIL) institut-
ed by the high court, the divi-
sion bench of Acting Chief
Justice AS Dave and Justice
tial units and informing them Biren Vaishnav has asked ami-
regarding the prevention of cus curiae GM Joshi to go
possible breeding sites,” said through the report and ad-
Dr Solanki. journed further hearing in the
“During the awareness ac- matter until Monday. Counsel
tivities, we are advising peo- for the state government Chin-
ple to complete medical treat- tan Dave told DNA that the
ments prescribed by the doc- report contains details of the
tor and to sleep in mosquito raids and inspections carried
nets. To save ourselves from out by the concerned authori-
mosquito bites, we should use ties to check whether the cold
repellents, coils, electric mats storages, wholesalers, and re-
and other available tools,” tailers, were adhering to the
added the health officer. guidelines of Food Safety and
steps by academia
Lack of awareness in
industry and academia
are one of the major
bottlenecks, which GTU is
trying to solve. It has made
the search, drafting and
filing of patents compulsory
for final year students.
Moreover, it is sensitising
faculty and students
towards the importance
of intellectual property,
said Hiranmay Mahanta,
honorary director of GTU
Council (GIC) said that about Globally, about 30 lakh pat-
45,000 patents are filed in In- ents are filed. Experts lament
dia as compared to about five that lack of awareness and
lakh in US and about 13 lakh lack of confidence among In-
in China. dians for low filing of patent
Temperature
to soar to
43°C today,
forecasts IMD
DNA Correspondent
correspondent@dnaindia.net
Following the Heat Action
Plan, the civic body had an-
nounced Orange Alert for the
day, but surprisingly, the mer-
cury stayed at 42 degree Cel-
sius. According to the India
Meteorological Department
(IMD), the temperature on
Friday could reach 43 degree
Celsius.
The Ahmedabad Munici-
pal Corporation had also dis-
tributed ORS packets at sev-
eral public places.
The civic body has kept its
parks and gardens open for
all days and there will be free
distribution of buttermilk
during the hot and severely
hot days.
For Friday, the IMD fore-
cast clear skies with dry
weather. The maximum tem-
perature expected for the day
is 43 degree Celsius while the
minimum temperature could
be around 28 degree Celsius.
On Thursday, the weather
was dry in all the districts of
Gujarat region and Saurash-
tra. Ahmedabad witnessed
another hot day. The maxi-
mum temperature recorded
in the city was 42 degree Cel-
sius which was two degrees
above normal.
The minimum tempera-
ture was recorded at 26.7 de-
gree Celsius. Across the state,
Amreli recorded the highest
maximum temperature
which was 42.8 degree Celsi-
us. The lowest minimum tem-
perature was recorded at 20.8
degree Celsius in Veraval.
The Met department has
forecast heatwave conditions
for the next four days for
some districts across the
state. In a press bulletin, it
mentioned that heat wave
conditions are very likely to
prevail at isolated pockets in
the districts of Gujarat re-
gion namely Banaskantha,
Sabarkantha, Surat and in
the districts of Saurashtra-
Kutch, namely Kutch, Amre-
li, Surendranagar and Diu.
Image for representation
Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI) regarding artificial
ripening of fruits.
The court had earlier se-
verely criticised the state gov-
ernment for its lackadaisical
approach in curbing the use of
dangerous chemicals for arti-
ficial ripening of fruits. It had
remarked that if the authori-
ties had carried out their du-
ties with dedication, the court
would not have had to inter-
vene in the matter.
It had then also ordered the
state government to take all
possible measures to prevent
the use of chemicals such as
ethylene, calcium carbide, and
other chemical substances, for
the purpose of ripening of
mangoes and other fruits. The
bench had ordered civic bodies
as well to prevent the use of
these chemicals by fruit sell-
ers and wholesalers, and di-
rected them to seal the fruit
shops, which defy the court’s
order.
applications. Iftekhar Pa-
than, director of the Pune-
based Lorea Healtcare Pvt
Ltd, which facilities invest-
ment in start-ups from Guja-
rat, said, “Most Indian entre-
preneurs do not have the self-
confidence that they can cre-
ate patents. We have intuitive
minds and knowledge, but we
work for foreign companies,
who then own patents,” said
Pathan.
Troikaa’s Patel agrees with
the view and adds that there
is an attitude of indifference
towards innovative Indian
companies. Moreover, the in-
tellectual property regime in
India is such that piracy con-
tinues and copy-cats are not
punished resulting in loss of
revenue for companies.
 Phase-4 richest Meeting
of minds
`600cr `125cr `124cr BJP candidates Ravi

ball t
Assets declared by Nakul Nath, Assets declared by Sanjay Sushil BJP’s Anurag Sharma is the third Shankar Prasad from

03
son of Madhya Pradesh CM Bhonsale of Vanchit Bahujan Aa- richest in fray for phase-4 LS Patna Sahib and Ramkri-
Kamal Nath. Nakul is the richest ghadi, the second richest, in fray polls. He is contesting from Uttar pal Yadav from Patliputra
candidate in fray for phase-4 polls from Mumbai South Central. Pradesh’s Jhansi LS seat. during an election cam-

ballet
paign meeting for the
Lok Sabha polls, in Patna
Unlike other parties with women’s wing & youth wing, on Thursday. Yadav,
TMC has only ‘syndicate morcha’ and Didi (Mamata) who filed his nomination
runs a ‘tolabaji’ in West Bengal through this ‘syndicate papers on Thursday, also
morcha’. The reason why Narada-Saradha scams happen. held a roadshow in the
constituency on the day.
Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Defence Minister & BJP leader

lok sabha election 2019 Kejriwal damaged statehood cause; no need of it for providing basic amenities: BJP on aap manifesto

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’14 redux: PM roadshow Priyanka myth stands

Snippets
EC notice to BJP’s

exposed, says Jaitley

Himachal chief

takes Varanasi by storm

The District Electoral Officer
of Mandi on Thursday issued
a notice to Himachal Pradesh
BJP Chief Satpal Singh Satti DNA Correspondent
over his comment “will chop correspondent@dnaindia.net
off hands of those who point

PM performs Ganga aarti, pays tributes at Pandit Malaviya memorial

fingers at Modi Ji.” Satti during
a public rally on April 24 stirred
controversy after he threatened
to chop off the hands of anyone
who raises a finger at BJP lead-
ers, particularly PM Modi. “We
are not nincompoops. We are
not a group of stupid people,”
Satti was heard purportedly say-
ing at an election rally. Earlier,
the EC had barred Satti from
campaigning for 48 hours last
week for his remarks on Con-
gress president Rahul Gandhi.
Manhunt to nab
BJP candidate
A manhunt has been launched
to nab Om Prakash Mishra, the
BJP candidate for Satyabadi
assembly constituency, who
along with his supporters
allegedly destroyed EVMs and
tore poll documents in a booth
during the third phase of polling
in Odisha on April 23. “The BJP
candidate is absconding since
then,” Puri Superintendent of
Police, Umashankar Dash, told
reporters. The police action
came on the basis of a com-
plaint lodged by the Presiding
Officer, Shivaram Mohapatra.
Kushwaha calls
BJP double faced
RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha
has courted controversy, saying
BJP is like the person who plays
Sita in ram leela but smokes
cigarette backstage. Kushwaha
was earlier a minister in the
BJP-led NDA government until
his party pulled out of the coali-
tion in December 2018.
DNA Correspondent
correspondent@dnaindia.net
Varanasi/New Delhi: Prime
Minister Narendra Modi held
a massive power-packed road-
show in his Lok Sabha con-
stituency of Varanasi, a day
before filing nominations, re-
affirming his connection with
Varanasi, which is widely
known as the nerve centre of
Indian civilisation.
The roadshow, which
stretched over seven kilome-
tres, began from the iconic
Lanka Gate of Banaras Hindu
University (BHU) and tra-
versed through Assi, Bha-
daini, Madanpura, Sonarpura
and Godaulia before culmi-
nating at Dashashwamedh
Ghat. A huge boat, dotted with
the slogan ‘Main Bhi Chowk-
idar Hoon’ ( I am also a chowk-
idar) could be seen at Da-
shashwamedh Ghat.
The PM kickstarted the
roadshow after paying floral
tributes at the memorial of
Pandit Madan Mohan Mala-
viya, the founder of BHU. At
the end of the roadshow, PM
Modi performed Ganga Aarti
at Dashashwamedh Ghat.
BJP president Amit Shah, UP
Chief Minister Yogi Adity-
anath, UP BJP president Ma-
hendra Nath Pandey were
among those who were pre-
sent on the occasion.
Dressed in a saffron kurta,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to the crowd during a road show in Varanasi on Thursday —AP
six lakh attended, claims party
The roadshow witnessed
an unprecedented turnout
with an estimated six lakh
people in attendance,
claimed BJP sources.
They said it was much
PM Modi was seen sitting atop
a customised black Range Rov-
er and constantly waving the
cheering supporters. People
were hanging from balconies
and rooftops to have a glimpse
of their favourite leader.
As PM Modi’s cavalcade
passed through the lanes of
Varanasi, people from the roofs
larger than the one PM
Modi conducted in the
constituency in 2014.
Several top BJP leaders
accompanied the PM
during the roadshow.
of houses were seen greeting
him by showering flowers.
All along the roadshow, the
frenzied crowd were chanting
‘Modi Modi’, ‘Bharat Mata Ki
Jai’ and ‘Main Bhi Chowk-
idar’. Even hymns like ‘Har
Har Mahadev’ could be heard.
BJP’s pitch to make nation-
al security a top poll plank
also appeared to have gone
well with the public. “Before
2014 we had a Prime Minister
who only ‘condemned’ (terror
activities). Now, we have a
Prime Minister who bombs
Pakistan,” said a supporter.
Another supporter from the
crowd said, “Look at the sea of
humanity. PM has his fingers
on the pulse of the people.”
“PM Modi has transformed
Varanasi. Only those who live
here can tell how he brought
in development to the constit-
uency,” said a first-time voter.
Observers say the road-
show will have a “massive
impact” in around 80 seats of
Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
New Delhi: On a day the Con-
gress fielded Ajay Rai, a po-
litical lightweight, against
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi in Varanasi Lok Sabha
seat, the BJP on Thursday
took a jibe at the grand old
party for not fielding Priyan-
ka Gandhi after building up
quite a “suspense”.
In a Facebook post titled
‘Refuge in Wayanad and a ref-
uge away from Varanasi’, sen-
ior BJP leader and Union Fi-
nance Minister Arun Jaitley
said he is “deeply disappoint-
ed” with the Congress party’s
decision of not fielding Pri-
yanka Gandhi from Varanasi.
“The build-up of the last
two weeks had been that Pri-
yanka would be fielded
against the Prime Minister.
She rejoiced in giving daily
bytes to the media that she
was ready to take on the
Prime Minister. Her brother
(Congress president Rahul
Gandhi) claimed that the par-
ty was building up the sus-
pense for an eventual thrill-
er,” Jaitley wrote.
“I had only hoped that Var-
anasi will give the new India
an opportunity to decide the
fate of a tried, tested and suc-
cessful leader as against a
new political dynast,” he said.
Jaitley said, “I am sad that
new India has been denied the
opportunity to establish that
it does not accept inexperi-
enced dynasts with no other
credentials.”
“Obviously, she (Priyanka
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at a roadshow in Jhansi on Thursday —PTI
I only hoped
Varanasi will give
new India an
opportunity to decide
fate of a tried, tested and
successful leader as agai-
nst a new political dynast
Arun Jaitley,
Union Finance Minister
Gandhi) quietly chickened
out of the contest. I am deeply
disappointed with the Con-
gress party’s decision of not
fielding Priyanka from Vara-
nasi,” he said.
The Finance Minister said
the “myth” that ‘Priyanka
will make a difference’
“stands eroded”.
Comparing works done in
Amethi and Rae Bareli – the
traditional constituencies of
Gandhis – to that of Varanasi,
PM Modi’s Lok Sabha con-
stituency, Jaitley said, “The
cards are out in the open for
public scrutiny. The Gandhis
must introspect the plight of
Amethi and Rae Bareli in the
last forty years and compare
it to what the Prime Minister
has done in Varanasi in the
past five years,” Jaitley said.
Jaitley said there is “one
additional point” that the
Congress’s episode Varanasi
has established. “It is only ju-
venile politics, where a family
lives under an illusion that
people will accept it irrespec-
tive of credentials, which per-
suades you to build a climax
of Priyanka taking on the
Prime Minister and then suf-
fer the wrath of the anti-cli-
max,” Jaitley said.
Speculation on Priyanka
being fielded from Varanasi
was rife after Rahul Gandhi
said last week, “I will leave you
in suspense. Suspense is not
always a bad thing.” Later, Pri-
yanka said she would be happy
to contest Varanasi if asked by
the Congress president.

Alliance on Twitter?
u n u s u a l c a n d i d at e s
With Ram Rahim in jail, Dera
Rams & Lalus pep Kejri’s dig at Rahul
up polls in Bihar DNA Correspondent
followers clueless on support
correspondent@dnaindia.net Sirsa (Haryana): Since the
self-styled godman Gurmeet The 30-year-old officer, Arnab Roy,
Vithika Salomi vithika.salomi@dnaindia.net New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Ram Rahim was sentenced to was in-charge of EVMs and VVPATs
Party, that launched its mani- life imprisonment in January for the Ranaghat LS constituency
Patna: While this Lok Sabha election is largely two-pronged in festo for Lok Sabha elections for killing a journalist, follow-
Bihar – between the ruling NDA and the Opposition Mahagath-
bandhan – making the polls colourful are some random and odd
candidates with their unusual names, background or raison
here on Thursday, focused on
hitting out on the BJP, the
constant speculation over al-
ers of his Dera Sacha Sauda
have been lying low at the
sprawling 800-acre campus
Missing EC
d'être for contesting polls.
Sample these: Lalu Prasad Yadav is up against real ex-CM’s
liance with Congress and full
statehood of Delhi. Delhi statehood promise
outside Sirsa in Haryana.
The followers say they are
officer found
in-law in Saran; ex-IITians are in fray for BAP (Bahujan Azad
Party); four Rams are in fray in Hajipur, which has only sent
Chief Minister Arvind Kejri-
wal, flanked by his deputy
Promising to put in his best
to get full statehood for Delhi,
also unsure about who to sup-
port in this election. in Howrah
'Rams' to the LS ever since it became a reserved seat in 1977; and Manish Sisodia and Gopal the CM said, “We will fight our The Dera has been an im-
a BSP candidate is becoming popular as 'coin-man' after he paid Rai, released the manifesto at battle on the issue of getting portant vote bank for parties DNA Correspondent
Rs 25,000 in coins to file his nomination in Biharsharif “to high- party office here on Thursday. full statehood for Delhi. for over a decade. In 2007, it had correspondent@dnaindia.net
light the problems faced during coin transactions in recent days.” Lodging an unsparing at- formed a political affairs wing Dera Sacha Sauda has been lying low since the arrest of Ram Rahim —FILE
tack on Congress president “If Delhi gets full statehood, which decided which party or Kolkata: After being miss-
Lalu Prasad Yadav Rahul Gandhi after the AAP the UT’s police would be politician it will support. ing for a week, WBCS officer
accountable to the state govt,
There used to be public meetings and then a
The namesake of RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav and the grand old party failed While during the 2007 Pun- Arnab Roy has been traced
is a 39-year-old independent candidate from Saran LS to form an alliance, Kejriwal and people of the state, espe- jab Assembly election the decision was taken. It used to be not binding by officials of the Criminal
constituency, considered to be a stronghold of RJD’s asked: “What kind of alliance cially women would feel safe.” Dera supported the Congress, but suggestive in nature. But this time, Investigating Department
first family. Yadav had polled around 10,000 votes in is formed on Twitter? I want to in 2014 general election it everyone is clueless about who will the Dera support. (CID), West Bengal.
2014 elections. That year, RJD vice-president and ex- ask this question to Rahul Gan- openly supported the BJP. CID officials said they
Bihar CM Rabri Devi had lost Saran to BJP’s Rajiv dhi. If Modi and Shah come to Amit Shah for his remarks on But after the sentencing of Chinder Kaur, a Dera supporter found him from Howrah Sta-
Pratap Rudy by around 40,000 votes and Yadav was considered to power again, only Rahul Gan- “ousting infiltrators” from their flamboyant but contro- tion on Thursday morning.
be one of the reasons for creating “confusion” among the elector- dhi will be responsible.” the country, the AAP chief versial chief, the Dera and its Khattar has said he was not Sirsa Dera for the election af- CID sources said he was
ate. This time, he is up against RJD MLA Chandrika Rai, also an Targeting the BJP, Kejri- said: “The party considers political affairs wing became averse to Dera support in LS ter sacrilege (incidents) have tracked with the help of his
in-law of the RJD president. Yadav has contested various polls in wal said these elections were anyone other than Hindus, dysfunctional, locals and fol- election, and defended his been traced to it.” That politi- telephone tower location but
the last two decades. He ekes his livelihood through farming. crucial to “save the country”. Sikhs and Buddhists as infil- lowers said. This, however, stance, saying it is a political cal parties have made their he did not appear to be in the
“We will do everything to stop trators. BJP is fulfilling Paki- has not stopped political par- party’s “right to seek votes”. stance clear may not have a right mental state so he has
Ex-IITian from BAP Shah-Modi duo. We will sup- stan’s agenda because even ties, including the BJP and INLD leader Abhay Singh bearing on the Dera followers, been asked to stay at his in-
Formed by ex-IITians to ‘uplift’ port any grand alliance gov- Pakistan wants to divide our the INLD, from saying they Chautala too said his party who say they are clueless. laws’ place at Howrah for the
the 'Bahujan Samaj', the Bahujan ernment. The 2019 election is country.” He said the secular will not refrain from seeking will seek the Dera’s support. A Dera functionary said, time being. “We will give him
Azad Party (BAP) has fielded to save nation, save Constitu- thread and culture of the support of the once-influen- Punjab Congress chief “It was Dera’s political affairs some time to gain composure
Anand Kumar Maurya, a passout tion. We are Indians first, then country were under threat tial Dera Sacha Sauda. Sunil Jakhar has ruled that wing to which political par- before we question him,” an
from IIT-Delhi, from Sheohar LS Hindu or Muslim,” he said. and could be saved only if peo- BJP leader and Haryana option out. Jakhar said, “We ties used to reach out. It’s now official said.
seat. “We also plan to field candi- Hitting out at BJP chief ple did not divide themselves. Chief Minister Manohar Lal shall not compromise with non-functional.” —PTI His phone had been
dates from Patna Sahib, Patalipu- switched off since he went
tra and Karakatsaid Sarkar Akh- missing on April 18. Although
ilesh, one of the founding mem-
bers of BAP, which has 'slate' as poll symbol. The BAP hopes to
advantage didi community members urged to vote for ‘secular’ alternative the last tower location showed
at Shantipur in Nadia dis-
bring in “change” by providing a platform to the “educated” to step trict, sleuths had kept a tab on

Imams in Bengal send 10,000 letters to voters

into politics. Among its promises include “population-based res- it and it was switched on
ervation”, “full implementation of Mandal panel report” and “re- Thursday morning. He had
forms in education, health, agriculture and job creation”. also called up his family mem-
bers from there. After CID
Hajipur’s ‘Ram’ legacy Arshad Ali president of the council’s ‘secular parties’ in West Ben- sleuths were sure of his loca-
Term it a coincidence, but ever since Hajipur LS seat correspondent@dnaindia.net Bengal chapter, Qasmi is the gal should the people choose, tion, a team went to Howrah
was declared a reserved (SC) constituency in 1977, it vice-president. he said, “Whichever is the Station and intercepted him.
has been won by candidates who had 'Ram' in their Kolkata: Leading Muslim Sources said the letters are strongest and has the great- DIG (CID) Nishat Parvez
names – be it incumbent LJP president Ram Vilas leaders and prominent imams in Urdu or Bengali (where est chance of winning. In said, “After he is interrogated
Paswan or his predecessors Ram Sunder Das, Ram of West Bengal have written there is majority Bengali- Bengal, it is the ruling party it will be clear where he was
Ratan Ram and Ramshekhar Prasad Singh. This has letters to community mem- speaking Muslims). which has the maximum pos- in the last seven days.”
prompted at least four 'Rams' to throw their hat into poll arena bers to be aware of their vot- “There is no alternative sibility. Muslim votes should Roy (30), who was in charge
from Hajipur this time. It includes RJD’s Shiv Chandra Ram, ing rights and to ensure that for election in a democracy. also not get split as it will of EVM-VVPAT at Ranaghat
Harendra Ram of Ambedkarite Party of India and independents not only they vote but also We get an opportunity to only help fascist forces.” Lok Sabha constituency in
Jalandhar Ram and Ramesh Das. With Union minister Paswan spread awareness among their elect our government every Qasmi said the idea is to Nadia district, was last seen
not in fray and his brother Pashupati Kumar Paras contesting in friends, relatives and neigh- five years. For every mistake, prevent the minority vote at Bipradas Pal Chowdhury
his place, it will be interesting to see if the seat continues to send bours regarding the need to you will have to wait for five from getting split. “The let- Institute of Technology on
a 'Ram' to the Lower House or the tradition is beaten by Paras.  exercise their franchise. years to rectify. So it is im- ters will be distributed in the April 18. He was an official
As many as 10,000 letters perative that you think care- entire country so that people with the MGNREGA project
Coin-man makes heads turn have been sent by the state fully before you cast your Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stands to gain from imams’ move as the work together wherever in Nadia district. His wife
BSP candidate in Nalanda LS seat, Shashi Ku- chapter of All India Milli vote,” the letter reads. ruling party “has the greatest chance of winning” as per Muslim leaders there is a danger to the law of Anita Jash, too is an official
mar, paid his deposit of Rs 25,000 in coins while Council, signed by Qari Fa- “We’ve appealed to Mus- land or minorities,” he said. of MGNREGA. He went miss-
filing papers “to highlight the hardship faced zlur Rahman, the imam who lims to use the opportunity We’ve appealed to Muslim brethren to use the The letter quotes a Muslim ing since then whereas his car
to transact in coins these days”. The Collector- leads Eid namaz at Red Road, carefully so that no commu- scholar that even if Muslims was still parked within the
ate staff took around two hours to count the the highest conglomeration nal force in the country can election opportunity carefully so that no were made to say their institute campus. A missing
coins that weighed 35 kgs, before issuing him of Muslims for Eid namaz raise its head and a secular communal force can raise its head in the ‘namaz’ on time, five times a complaint was filed at Kot-
the receipt. 'Coin-man' Kumar said the public and Maulana Shafique Qas- force is voted to power,” Rah- country and that a secular force is voted to power. day, it would amount to noth- wali PS and Nadia district
faced much problems as shopkeepers and mi, imam of Nakhoda Mas- man told DNA. ing if there is no political police along with the CID be-
banks have “stopped accepting coins”. jid. While Rahman is the Asked who among the Qari Fazlur Rahman, imam who leads Eid namaz at Red Road consciousness among them. gan a joint hunt for him.
 04 
daily news & analysis I Ahmedabad I Friday, April 26, 2019
indi
www.dnaindia.com I twitter.com/dna I epaper.dnaindia.com I facebook.com/dnaindia

TN on red alert as Two top Hizbul terrorists killed

in brief
NIA arrests two

in Mehbooba’s J&K hometown

Jaish terrorists

cyclone Fani nears

New Delhi: The Nation-
al Investigation Agency
(NIA) arrested two terror-
ists belonging to Paki- DNA Correspondent
stan-based Jaish-e-Mo- correspondent@dnaindia.net FACT FILE
hammed (JeM) on Thurs- „„The encounter occurred
day. The two terrorists -
Tanveer alias Tanveer Pre-monsoon tropical storm is brewing in Bay of Bengal Srinagar: Two days after
polls, security forces dealt a
two days after the polls
were held in the six
Ahmad Ganie (29) and Bi- Nikhil M Ghanekar major blow to Hizbul Mu- segments of Anantnag
lal Mir alias Bilal Ahmad correspondent@dnaindia.net Raging storm jhadeen and killed two top ter- parliamentary constituency
Mir (23) - were detained rorists in the fierce encounter
„„Wind speed would „„Bijbhera witnessed
under the Public Safety A pre-monsoon tropical cy- in PDP president Mehbooba
increase from Friday the lowest turnout of
Act and put in the Kot clone Fani is brewing in the Mufti’s hometown of Bijbhera
onward and wind speeds 2.04 per cent
Bhalwal jail in Jammu, a Bay of Bengal and is likely to in South Kashmir’s Anantnag
reaching up to 45-55 kmph
statement issued by the come closer to the Indian district.
and gusting to 65kmph are
NIA said. They were pro- shore off the north Tamil Police said that after receiv- Police said incriminating
expected in the sea
duced before a special Nadu by Tuesday, April 30. ing a credible input about the materials including arms and
court that remanded The India Meteorological De- „„By April 29 and presence of terrorists, a cor- Burnt window of a house which was damaged during the gun battle —REUTERS ammunition were recovered
them to a seven-day cus- partment (IMD) has issued a April 30, there will be don and search operation was from the site of the encounter.
tody of the NIA. The case red alert, warning of heavy gusting at a speed of launched by police and secu- Burhan Ganaie alias Saifullah bul in May 2017. Burhan Ah- All these materials have been
against the duo pertained to extremely heavy rainfall in 90-115kmph off Sri rity forces at Bagender Mo- of Hizbul Mujhadeen. They mad Ganie 25, was undergoing taken in the case records for
to a criminal conspiracy coastal Tamil Nadu and Pu- Lanka, Tamil Nadu and halla, Bijbehara. Police said were wanted for their complic- Bachelor of Physiotherapy further investigation.
hatched by the top JeM ducherry on April 30 and Puducherry coast when the searches were on, ity in a series of terror crimes before he quit and joined Hiz- “Citizens are requested not
leadership to strengthen May 1. It has also issued a yel- terrorists fired upon the forces including attack on security bul in June last year. to venture inside the encoun-
the banned terror outfit’s low alert warning for rainfall which were immediately re- establishments and civilian “Safdar Amin had a long ter zone due to stray explosive
in India. at isolated heavy rain spells soon intensify into a depres- move more of north-north- taliated “In the ensuing en- atrocities”, said a police history of terror crimes. Simi- materials. People are request-
across coastal Andhra sion on Friday and later, by westwards and re-curve counter, two terrorists were spokesman. larly, Burhan Ganaie was also ed to cooperate with police till
3 tribals killed by Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and Saturday it is expected to thereafter,” it added. killed. They have been identi- School dropout Safder involved in several terror the area is completely
uprooted tree Puducherry. turn into a cyclonic storm. Pre-monsoon tropical fied as Safdar Amin and Amin Bhat, 25, had joined Hiz- crimes”, said the spokesman. cleared,” said the spokesman.
Malappuram: Three However, senior scientist Satellite images showed a storms are not atypical in the
tribals died after a tree and head of services at IMD, big band of clouds south and Bay of Bengal. Their fre-
uprooted by heavy rain M Mohapatra, said that as of southeast of Sri Lanka on quency is lesser compared to
Nirbhaya’s kin
and wind fell on them
near here Thursday, po-
lice said. The three were
Thursday it was not clear if
the cyclone will make land-
fall in Tamil Nadu.
Thursday. Private weather
forecaster Skymet too said
that the weather system is
those that develop in the post-
monsoon season. “Intense
heating over the ocean usu-
Doc starts crowdfunding for might not cast
providing sanitary pads to poor
taking part in an ethnic The India Meteorological expected to strengthen into a ally is one of the biggest fac-
festival when the acci-
dent happened, the po-
lice said adding that two
Department (IMD) said that
currently, a clear, well-
marked low-pressure area
tropical storm by April 28.
Gradually, it will come in
close proximity of North Ta-
tors. On an average, we see
five storms in the Bay of Ben-
gal in a year and most of
vote this time
children sustained mi- has developed over the East mil Nadu coast in the South- them usually develop be- Ishfaq-ul-Hassan were following their mothers New Delhi: As campaign-
nor injuries. They were Equatorial Indian Ocean and west Bay of Bengal. “Weath- tween October and Novem- h_ishfaq@dnaindia.net and using cloth. With the re- ing picks up steam in Delhi
taken to a taluk hospital. adjoining the southeast Bay er models are then showing ber,” said M Mohapatra, head sult, the girls suffered from with leaders motivating peo-
of Bengal. This system will the tendency of the system to of services, IMD. Srinagar: When 31-year-old different reproductive tract ple to exercise their franchise,
doctor Auqfeen Nisar was infections. Asha Devi and Badri Nath
treating patients during her “Most girls complained of Singh, the parents of the wom-

Army calls for female weekly Out Patient Depart-

ment (OPD) in the poor Srina-
gar neighbourhood, she was
irritation and allergy. Some
said they spend a lot of time
in the washroom. When I
an who was gang-raped and
killed and came to be known
as Nirbhaya, say they might

jawans to man borders

From p1
Prior to this, in yet another
advance, the Indian govern-
ment had announced that
women officers can get perma-
nent commissions in the
armed forces.
On the question of whether
the recruitment call during
election season was a viola-
tion of the MCC, sources in
the EC cited the letter dated
March 27, 2014 to the Govern-
ment of India which clearly
states that “MCC is not appli-
cable to any matter pertaining
tenders & Notices
code of conduct
MCC is not applicable
to any matter pertaining
directly to the defence
forces
directly to the defence forces,
be it the recruitments/ promo-
tions for defence forces, all
service matters pertaining to
them, defence purchases of all
kinds... and consequently no
reference need to be sent to the
Commission pertaining to
model code in these matters.”
shocked to find out that ado-
lescent girls were using cloth
during their periods because
they were fed with the notion
that sanitary pads lead to in-
fertility.
Pained by the poor hy-
giene, social taboos and lack
of affordability, Dr Auqfeen
decided to start the crowd-
funding to provide sanitary
pads to the impoverished
girls and combat the related
infections.
“On Wednesdays we visit
the sub-centre to monitor im-
munization session and at
the same time, we conduct
OPDs. During these sessions,
I observed that menstrual hy-
Dr Auqfeen Nisar
giene among adolescent girls
was very poor. I thought of
starting the project on an in-
dividual level which I named
‘Panen Fiker’ (let’s take care
of ourselves). It is a project in
social marketing to enhance
the use of sanitary pads
among the adolescent girls”,
said Dr Auqfeen, who is pur-
suing MD in Community
Medicine at Government
Medical College, Srinagar.
There were more than 200
adolescent girls in the neigh-
bourhood and most of them
asked why they were not us-
ing the pads, they said their
mothers have told them that
the materials used in napkins
leads to infertility”, she said.
Sensing the gravity of the
situation, Dr Auqfeen started
the project to help these poor
girls. “I started a post on the
social media for donations. I
also conducted an awareness
session in the neighbourhood
and sought their support.
People are not well off but
they can contribute Rs 10 or
20 or maximum 50. The maxi-
mum contribution has been
from my department”, she
said.
Full report on dnaindia.com
not vote this time at all.
The couple, the face of
courage in the face of impos-
sible odds, said they are tired
of parties promising them jus-
tice and doing nothing about
it. The sympathy expressed by
the parties and their promises
have been just a “political gim-
mick” as the culprits are still
alive, said the parents of the
paramedic student who was
gang-raped on the night of De-
cember 16, 2012, and died of
her grievous injuries 11 days
later in a Singapore hospital.
The streets, the couple add-
ed, continue to be unsafe for
the city’s women and children.
Successive governments have
not done enough to implement
measures for the safety of
women and children who con-

Alternatives launched to replace animal testing tinue to be “victims of bestial-

Hyderabad: A centre for
promoting alternatives to ani-
mal experiments in drug de-
velopment would be estab-
lished here under a collabora-
tion between the Centre for
Cellular and Molecular Biolo-
gy and the Humane Society
International (HSI) India.
A memorandum of under-
standing (MoU) was ex-
changed Thursday by the Atal
Incubation Centre of the
CCMB and HSI India, a non-
governmental organisation, to
launch the Centre for Predic-
tive Human Model Systems.
This MoU is about working
with industry, working with
Picture for representation only
the Humane Society to find an
alternative model system for
“drug discovery”, CCMB Di-
rector Rakesh Mishra told re-
porters.
“Right now, we use animals.
Now, we are developing tech-
nologies where we can use al-
ternative human models, tak-
ing cells from human, making
organoids and testing them
directly,” he said.
This would not only im-
prove the drug discovery pro-
ity”, they alleged.
“CCTV cameras are yet to
be installed... the country is
cess in terms of speed and fi- still unsafe, mothers still wor-
nances but also provide better ry till their daughters return
drugs “which we may be losing home.“People have no faith in
during testing at the animal the system. All the govern-
level... So, this is a very futur- ments have failed us. I don’t
istic, expected big activity in feel like voting for any party
the future,” Mishra said. this time,” Asha Devi told PTI.
“What we have signed to- “Nothing has changed.
day, is to look at alternatives to This time I don’t even feel like
animals that can be used for going to cast my ballot. My
testing medicines and various faith in the system has been
things for human purposes,” shaken,” said her husband.
Madhusudana Rao, CEO of
AIC, said. The motto of the
Centre is to break silos and
forge partnerships among the
scientific community, regula-
tory stakeholders and mem-
bers of the industry. “This will
enable a better transfer and
sharing of knowledge, higher
support for advanced research
and open access publication of
literature,” a media release on
the event said. File picture of Nirbhaya’s parents

Justice Indu replaces

Ramana on panel
From p1
He added, “It is the extraordi-
nary nature of the complaint,
and the evolving circum-
stances and discourse that
underlies my decision to
recuse and not the grounds
cited by the complainant per
se.”
He even defended charges
against him by calling the ap-
prehensions of the complain-
ant “misplaced”. His speech
dealt with allegations of in-
capacity raised against judg-
es which should not let down
judges who must act to up-
hold the dignity of the insti-
tution. Selective extracts of
the speech were used to al-
lege bias, which the judge
termed sad and unfortunate.
Even on his closeness with
CJI, the judge said that all
judges are required to visit
CJI in connection with sev-
eral administrative duties
assigned to them. Besides,
judges also meet as family
that promotes frank and free
dialogue between them. The
judge clarified in the end that
his recusal should not be
seen that the decision to ap-
point him was wrong in the
first place.

Judge’s defence
Justice Ramana said
that all judges are
required to visit CJI in
connection with several
administrative duties
assigned to them
 w rld 05
www.dnaindia.com I twitter.com/dna I epaper.dnaindia.com I facebook.com/dnaindia Ahmedabad I Friday, April 26, 2019 I daily news & analysis

Scared Muslim refugees flee homes ‘Tripoli’s residential areas

Several hundreds of Ahmadi Muslims have taken shelter in mosques and a police station
Colombo: Hundreds of Mus-
lim refugees in western Sri
Lanka have taken refuge in
mosques and a police station
after facing intimidation fol-
lowing the deadly Easter
bombings, activists said
Thursday.
The attacks have been con-
demned by leaders of the
country’s Muslim minority
who have said mosques will
not bury the bombers, and
the community has been left
in fear of a backlash.
Scores of Ahmadi Mus-
lims who settled in Negombo
after fleeing persecution in
their home countries have
been thrown out of their ac-
commodation by landlords,
according to officials. “Today
these refugees have become
refugees again in Sri Lanka.
They have been displaced for
a second time,” Ruki Fernan-
do of Inform, a Sri Lankan
human rights group, said.
The refugees are from Pa-
kistan, Afghanistan, Yemen
and Iran. Relations between
Ahmadis and native Sri Lan-
kans have long been tense
with many locals in Negombo
accusing the refugees of driv-
ing up rent prices. Ahmadis
complain of harassment
while rights groups accuse
Sri Lanka’s government of
not doing enough to protect
the community.
Fernando said homeown-
ers had evicted the refugees
because they feared their
properties would be targeted
by groups seeking revenge
for the bomb blasts which
were carried out by Islamist
extremists.
Many others have fled of
their own accord, fearing for
their safety. “Some unknown
people broke into their hous-
es in Negombo and beat
them,” Fernando said.
He said numbers had yet
to be verified but around 700
refugees were believed to
have sought shelter in one
Negombo mosque. Around
120 were at a police station
while several hundred more
were at another mosque in
Pasyala, in Gampaha, 25 km
from Negombo. —AFP
turning into battlefields’
Mosques refuse Tripoli: Intensified fighting
for control of the Libyan
to bury bombers capital is turning residential
areas of Tripoli into “battle-
Sidhant Sibal fields”, the International
correspondent@dnaindia.net Committee of the Red Cross
said Thursday.
Colombo: The All Ceylon “The humanitarian situa-
Jamiyyathul Ulama tion in and around Tripoli
(ACJU), the apex body of has deteriorated sharply over
Sri Lankan Muslims, said the past three weeks,” since
on Thursday that mosques military strongman Khalifa
will not bury the bombers. Haftar launched an offensive
Additionally, Muslims on April 4 against forces loyal
have also been asked to to the internationally-recog-
avoid Friday prayers, while nised Government of Nation-
the women have been asked al Accord (GNA), the ICRC
to avoid said in a statement.
wearing a “More than 30,000 people
burqa. In a are said to have fled their Sudanese refugees, who fled from the clashes took shelter at a school in
statement, homes and are sheltering Libya’s capital, Tripoli —AFP
the ACJU with relatives or in public
said, “We ad- buildings,” it said, a figure
Ahmadi Muslim refugees rest in Ahmadiyya Muslim mosque in Negombo, Sri Lanka on Thursday —AP
vise that in
the prevailing situation,
our sisters should not hin-
which Libyan authorities
and the United Nations say
has risen to almost 35,000.
France urged to stop
Catholic churches halt public services over security fears
der the security forces in
their efforts to maintain
national security by wear-
“Tripoli’s basic services
and infrastructure, such as
hospitals and water pumping
boat delivery to Libya
ing the face cover (niqab).” stations, which have already Paris: Eight international
Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Cath- be carried out. figures to discuss the crisis, Whereas, Minister for suffered from violence over NGOs including Amnesty In-
olic church suspended all President Maithripala amid concerns about a po- Muslim Religious Affairs the past eight years, are being ternational and Doctors
public services over securi- Sirisena, who is also de- tential backlash against Sri Abdul Haleem Mohammed weakened further,” it said, Without Borders demanded
ty fears on Thursday. A sen- fence and law and order Lanka’s Muslim minority. Hashim called on Muslims referring to the insecurity in Thursday that France sus-
ior Catholic priest said that minister, has pledged to Experts say the bomb- to not attend Friday Libya since the 2011 uprising pend the delivery of boats to
all public services were be- make “major changes in the ings had many of the hall- prayers. In a letter, he said, that ousted Moamer Kadhafi. Libya’s coastguard on con-
ing suspended and all leadership of the security marks of the Islamic State “...I appeal my Muslim Youness Rahoui, the head cerns they would be used to
churches closed “on the ad- forces. group, which has claimed brothers to avoid gather- of office in Tripoli for the intercept migrants.
vice of security forces”. On Thursday, Sirisena responsibility for the at- ing for congregational ICRC, singled out the impact French Armed Forces Libyan youths seen at the coast of
Private burials will still met political and religious tacks. —AFP prayers (on Friday).” of the violence, which has fo- Minister Florence Parly had the Mediterranean Sea in Tripoli
cused on Tripoli’s southern in February agreed to donate —Reuters
suburbs, on residents of the six boats to the Libyan navy,
capital. “One of our greatest under which the coastguard The court has 48 hours to
Leadership crisis opens space for Rajapaksas concerns is for civilians living
near the frontlines. Densely-
populated residential areas
are gradually turning into
operates, in a move she said
was aimed at helping them
“in the fight against illegal
immigration”.
make a decision.
The NGOs believe forcing
people to return to Libya
would expose them to “seri-
Colombo: Sri Lanka’s for- tant attack - claimed by Is- easy benefit and be able to battlefields,” Rahoui said. But the offer angered ous human rights viola-
mer president Mahinda Raja- lamic State - and may well claim with some credibility He also said it was becom- rights groups who said they tions”.
paksa and his brother, then again turn to the Rajapaksas that if they come back to ing “increasingly dangerous would be used to block mi- Massimo Moratti, region-
the defence secretary, for a strong-willed response power, they will adopt the for medical workers to re- grant boats seeking to reach al director for research at
crushed Tamil Tiger to the new threat, politi- same strong security policy trieve the wounded, with Europe, forcing those on Amnesty International, said
separatists with such cians and diplomats that allowed them to free the mounting reports of indis- board to return to war-torn the pledge to deliver boats to
ferocity ten years say. country from terrorism,” criminate shelling”. Libya. the Libyan coastguard was
ago that Western Lanka Elections to pick a said a Western diplomat. At least 278 people have The demand was laid out “an unlawful and reckless
powers sought war Easter new president are Sri Lanka, a country of 21 been killed and more than in a legal challenge that was decision”.
crime trials against blasts due between October million, has been a tinder box 1,300 wounded in the clashes, filed at the administrative He said it was all the more
them and greeted and December and Mahinda Rajapaksa of sectarian and ethnic ten- according to the latest casu- court in Paris on Thursday dangerous at a time when
their defeat in elections Mahinda Rajapaksa is sions, first between the Sin- alty toll from the World morning. fighting has intensified after
later with barely concealed already targeting President Rajapaksa cannot contest halese Buddhist majority and Health Organization. In it, the groups demand military strongman Khalifa
glee. Maithripala Sirisena and his for president again, but his minority Tamil groups and Forces loyal to the GNA, “the suspension of the deci- Haftar launched an offensive
But now the tiny Indian Prime Minister Ranil Wick- brother Gotabaya is ready to in recent years between the which is based in Tripoli, sion” until the court decides on the capital Tripoli earlier
Ocean island is faced with remesinghe for failing to pre- make a bid, his aide has said. Sinhalese and the Muslims. launched a counter-attack whether or not the donation this month.
South Asia’s deadliest mili- serve the hard fought peace. “Rajapaksas’ will take the —Reuters last weekend. —AFP is legal. —AFP

in brief
Ghosn wins bail
mysterious art
Former US vice prez Biden launches 2020 bid
but banned from Washington: Former Vice
President Joe Biden formally
there were some “very fine
people” on both sides of the challenges ahead that is unmatched in the
Democratic field, and he is
seeing wife joined the crowded Demo-
cratic presidential contest on
violent encounter, which left
one woman dead.
As an older white man among the best-known faces
in US politics.
with occasionally centrist
Tokyo: Former Nissan Thursday, declaring the “soul “We are in the battle for views, Joe Biden has to He quickly racked up en-
chief Carlos Ghosn of this nation” at stake if the soul of this nation,” prove he’s not out of step dorsements on Thursday
emerged from his Tokyo President Donald Trump Biden said. “If we give Don- with his party. He’s yet to morning, becoming the first
detention centre in the wins re-election. ald Trump eight years in the outline his positions on Democrat running for presi-
late hours of Thursday In a video posted on Twit- White House, he will forever the issues defining the dent with the backing of
after accepting bail of ter , Biden focused on the 2017 and fundamentally alter the 2020 Democratic primary more than one US senator.
$4.5 million under strict deadly clash between white character of this nation — Joe Biden Still, Biden must compete
conditions including re- supremacists and counter who we are. And I cannot in a field that now spans at
strictions on seeing his protesters in Charlottesville, stand by and watch that hap- runner alongside Vermont proved to be a successful fun- least 20 Democrats and has
wife. The 65-year-old ty- Virginia. Biden noted pen.” The 76-year-old Biden Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is draiser . Biden has legislative been celebrated for its racial
coon faces four charges Trump’s comments that becomes an instant front- leading many polls and has and international experience and gender diversity. —AP
of financial misconduct
ranging from concealing
part of his salary from
shareholders to syphon-
ing off Nissan funds for
US guarantees unlikely to make UK Min hints at criminal
N Korea to de-nuclearise: Putin probe into Huawei leaks
his personal use. Ghosn
exited the Kosuge Deten-
tion Centre in northern
Tokyo around 10:30 pm London: British culture min- vehicle for Chinese spying.
after spending 21 days Vladivostok: Russian Presi- any US guarantees might ister Jeremy Wright said on Huawei has categorically de-
answering questions dent Vladimir Putin said af- need to be supported by the Thursday he could not rule out nied this. Sources said on
from authorities over al- ter holding his first face-to- other nations involved in pre- a criminal investigation over Wednesday Britain’s National
legations he creamed off face talks with North Korean vious six-way talks on the the “unacceptable” disclosure Security Council (NSC) had
$5 million in Nissan leader Kim Jong Un on nuclear issue. of confidential discussions on decided to bar Huawei from all
funds for personal ends. Thursday that US security That would mean includ- the role of China’s Huawei core parts of the country’s 5G
guarantees would probably ing Russia, China, Japan and Technologies in 5G network network and restrict its access
Reuters

Ukraine Parl okays
controversial
language bill
Moscow: Ukrainian law-
makers have approved a
language law that seeks
to increase the use of
Ukrainian in a country
where Russian is also
widely used. The Su-
preme Rada on Thursday
voted overwhelmingly to
support the bill which
will force increased use
of Ukrainian in the me-
dia and in public admin-
istration. The office of
not be enough to persuade
Pyongyang to shut its nucle-
ar programme.
Putin and Kim held a day
of talks on an island off the
Russian Pacific city of Vladi-
vostok two months after
Kim’s summit with US Presi-
A piece of graffiti believed to be the work of British street artist Banksy dent Donald Trump ended in
was displayed at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building in Tokyo on disagreement, cooling hopes
Thursday, as the city’s mayor urged the famous and mysterious street artist of a breakthrough in the
to get in touch —AFP decades-old nuclear row.
The talks between Putin
changing times a scion of the former colonies could extend monarchy’s reach
Kim Jong Un (L) presents a sword
Vladimir Putin on Thursday
and Kim did not appear to
have yielded any major
breakthrough.
But Putin, keen to use the
summit to burnish Russia’s
diplomatic credentials as a
global player, said he believed
South Korea as well as the supply chains. to non-core parts. The leak of
United States and North Ko- Huawei, the world’s biggest information from a meeting of
rea, a long-standing format producer of telecoms equip- the NSC, first reported in na-
that has been sidelined by ment, is under intense scruti- tional newspapers, has sparked
unilateral US efforts to bro- ny after the United States told anger in parliament because
ker a deal. allies not to use its technology the committee’s discussion are
“They (the North Koreans) because of fears it could be a supposed to be secret. —Reuters
only need guarantees about
their security. That’s it. All of
us together need to think
about this,” Putin told report-
ers after talks with Kim.
—Reuters

Harry & Meghan: New royal baby could be American

the UN Human Rights
Commissioner as well as
the Council of Europe
has expressed its concern
over the previous draft of
the bill, saying that it
could infringe the rights
of language minorities.
China says French
ship entered its
waters illegally
Beijing: China on Thurs-
day said it has com-
plained to France after a
French warship entered
Chinese territorial waters
while passing through the
Taiwan Strait this month.
The April 7 incident in
the Taiwan Strait marks a
rare case of military fric-
tion between the two
countries, which have
held joint search and res-
cue exercises before.
London: What would the
founding fathers think? Al-
most 250 years after the Unit-
ed States launched a revolu-
tion to rid itself of the British
royal family, the next royal
baby could be an American.
The idea that a scion of the
former colonies would be sev-
enth in line to succeed Queen
Elizabeth II to the throne
could change the royal family
from within — and help ex-
tend a surge in popularity for
the monarchy.
The child of the Duke and
Duchess of Sussex — Meghan
Markle became a duchess
when she wed Prince Harry a
year ago — is due very soon.
Baby Sussex, as the child
is known ahead of its birth,
will be a product of two cul-
tures: its father a prince who
is a symbol of Britain; its
mother quintessentially
American — a self-made TV
star with a white father and
an African American mother.
The child is unlikely to ever
become king or queen, but the
presence of a half-American
child who may choose to hold
dual nationality could shake
up the royal family, just as the
arrival of Meghan has had a
modernizing effect on the
stately but sometimes stodgy
House of Windsor.
“It’s quite possible the
child will have a lot of Amer-
ican influence,” royal com-
mentator Hugo Vickers said.
“The royal family is not to-
Britains Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex —AP
tally unused to that kind of
thing. Children have been
born with Greek mothers or
German mothers in the past,
obviously, but Meghan is the
first American mother so
close in the royal family.”
Certainly, Meghan isn’t
following any of the royal
scripts when it comes to
childbirth preparations.
Unlike Harry’s brother
Prince William and his wife
Kate, Harry and Meghan
have chosen to keep the de-
tails about their baby plan-
ning private , despite — or
perhaps because of — in-
tense media interest in the
baby’s arrival, expected in
the next few weeks. The cou-
ple haven’t revealed where
Meghan intends to give birth,
so there isn’t likely to be a
24/7 media stakeout outside
the hospital as was the case
for the births of William and
Kate’s three children, Prince
George, Princess Charlotte
and Prince Louis. —AP
 06
Ahmedabad I Friday, April 26, 2019
 opini n
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Nothing really model about it

It is time to re-examine the relevance of Election Commission’s much-vaunted code of conduct
daily news & analysis

VVPAT error
As we approach
the halfway mark
of the seven-phase
2019 elections, it is
Penalising complainants is hardly the best way to go clear that this is
the ugliest cam-

A
former director general of police (DGP), Assam has man- paign in India’s
aged to bring the focus on VVPAT slips as no opposition 70-year-old elector-
rumble has been able to do so far. Ex-DGP Assam, al history. As a wit-
Harekrishna Deka, complained of a mismatch this week when N Bhaskara Rao ness to three gen-
eral elections and
he went to cast his vote in Guwahati; his VVPAT slip showed an activist observer or researcher in 12
a candidate different from the one he had voted for, a charge others, one has never witnessed so much
levelled constantly on the working of EVM machines by lead- bad blood as this seventeenth general
ing opposition lights. Deka, taken aback by the malfunctioning election.
VVPAT, was shocked further when he was told that if he This, of course, has not happened
lodged a complaint and if it turned out to be false, he could overnight. It has reached this stage be-
cause critical issues confronting the elec-
face six months imprisonment! For the Election Commission toral system have not been addressed
(EC), which has been at pains to emphasise that EVM ma- over the years. To ensure fair and free
chines are fool proof, this is hardly good publicity. Systems to polls, the Election Commission of India
take a call on the veracity of VVPATs have to be less complex (ECI) was given statutory status. In 1962,
and time consuming and certainly less threatening than they the idea of a ‘model code’, experimented
are at the moment. After all, no voter would like to challenge for the first time in Kerala in 1960, was
adopted. In 1979, certain restraints were
the VVPAT machine if there is criminal liability coming his introduced for the party in power. In 1991,
way. Unbeknownst to Deka, several hundred km to the South, Election Commissioner T N Seshan dem-
Ebin Babu, a 21-year-old, was arrested on similar charges in onstrated what a proactive and independ-
Kerala. He had complained of the VVPAT slip showing a dif- ent ECI could do to ensure independence.
ferent candidate from the one he had voted for. In a test voting, There were more than a couple of parlia-
Babu’s claim turned out to be untrue and he was held under mentary committees set up to propose
electoral reforms. But with political par-
Section 177 (furnishing false information), to be later released ties becoming all-powerful, despite losing
on bail. The point is, why should the EC go to such lengths to much of their sheen, electoral practices
provide a deterrent that always has a chance of boomeranging have continued to decline.
on itself. In response to what Deka told the media after his Take Indonesia. With a history of two India needs an electoral shake-up as the republic enters the 75th year —REUTERS
VVPAT trouble, officials at the local EC were of the view that decades of elections and 187 million vot-
he should have brought it to the notice of senior Commission ers, the country had a one-day national including ribbon cutting ceremonies”, tive aspects of their rivals. Increasingly,
poll recently. Whereas in India, a voter said the code. many of them spend more time on their
officials. In doing so, they threw the rule book at Deka: the has to wait for 43 days to know the win- However, what is happening is exactly opponents, than on what they propose to
EC’s manual on the use of EVMs and VVPATs issued in Febru- ner, despite the EVMs. Never before has the opposite and the Supreme Court had do. Big changes are needed. Candidates
ary this year says a complaint of wrong printing has to be the ECI been seen to be as partisan as to remind the ECI that it is not toothless. can campaign together so that voters can
reported to the presiding officer, who will take a declaration, today and no efforts have been made to An analysis of nominations filed for as- make a better choice more transparently.
explaining that if found false, the complainant can be penal- ensure that the electoral process regains semblies and Parliament in the last few There must be minimum joint public
ised. Surely, the EC has better ways to deal with complaints. credibility. elections, according to the Association of meetings in every constituency.
Instruments like the Model Code of Democratic Reforms (ADR), reveals that It will help bring down poll expendi-
It can be no one’s case that even if the petition is wrong, a man Conduct (MCC) have outlived their util- the percentage of rich, privileged and ture substantially. When competing can-
should be penalised. If this is meant to deter potential com- ity. The irrelevance of ECI’s instruments those with a criminal background, total didates address voters together, they are
plainants, then it makes little sense; if anything it strengthens is evident from a cursory reading of the to nearly one-third of the elected mem- likely to be more positive and cordial.
the case against faulty EVMs, which is not the case, as all chief code. Neither of the eight provisions bers. CMS studies on poll expenditure After all, if two bitter rivals can come to-
election commissioners without exception, have testified. The dealing with the conduct of poll is being over the last three general elections, gether in a poll alliance, why can’t oppos-
EC manual — no doubt drafted in a pique after repeated ques- observed either by the candidates or the bring out three critical points. First, a for not submitting accounts, as required. ing candidates campaign together? Un-
political parties in the fray. The first of significant per cent of voters is being There have been several parliamentary less political leaders and parties come
tions were raised, in particular by political parties who have the eight is on “general conduct” of polls. paid money across the states, both in ru- panels on poll funding in the last four forward to restore the sanctity of elec-
lost elections — makes it a point to state that “since the intro- This includes a ban on “caste and com- ral and urban India. Second, the expend- decades, but their recommendations toral practices, nothing is going to
duction of VVPATs, more than 18 crore voters have cast their munal feelings”, “criticism of candidates iture being incurred by parties and can- have remained only on paper. If any- change. And unless that happens, it is
vote... and only one complaint received... which was also found on the basis of unverified reports”, and didates has been going up in such a way thing, recent government measures are difficult to expect good governance, deep-
to be false...” The EC’s irritation is understandable, but it does “bribing of voters”. “No political party that only millionaires can now contest. aimed at facilitating funding, including en democracy and inclusive development.
need to relax its rules, if the good word about VVPAT slips is can use pictures of defence and military Third, the campaigns are focused on lure from foreign corporates, with no trans- It is time to relook the relevance of
personnel”, in a poll campaign, is anoth- rather than on issues and concerns. Nei- parency. It is tempting to ask why we ECI’s code of conduct. This is not pos-
to go out to all and sundry. er MCC guideline, which has been ther is there evidence that political par- have not pursued a different kind of elec- sible without the support, cooperation
thrown out of the window. ties have become accountable or are tak- toral campaign or evaluated the actual and participation of the news media.

A PR coup
In 1979, MCC prohibited government
advertisement of their ‘achievements’
and banned announcement of grants
and schemes, so that the ruling party
PM’s interview with Akshay Kumar is timed to perfection does not get an unfair advantage. The
government or the ruling party “should
ing their manifestos seriously.
Despite ECI’s hundreds of “expendi-
ture observers,” the extent of unaccount-
ed money confiscated is on rise with no
effect on the overall poll expenditure.
Only one Assembly member was ever
requirements of a contesting candidate.
There is no reason why a candidate
should not reach out to voters, present
his or her credentials, address voters’
concerns and propose what he or she will
do if elected.
The judiciary needs to be consulted in
repositioning the ECI. India needs an
electoral shake-up as the republic enters
the 75th year.
The writer is the author of a recent book,
Sustainable Good Governance, Development

G
ive it to Narendra Modi for pulling off the unthinkable not launch any welfare programmes, disqualified in UP, a couple of years ago, Candidates mainly stress on the nega- and Democracy
and being two steps ahead of the pack. The Prime Minis-
ter’s ‘non-political’ interview with movie star Akshay Ku-
mar, has added an altogether different perspective on his QUOTE HANGER slowburn
persona, right in the middle of general elections. While there
is a lot chronicled on Modi the politician and the political
strategist, the former Gujarat chief minister and now Prime
Neil deGrasse Tyson Rajiv Kumar 73K eunuchs held for extorting passengers
@neiltyson @RajivKumar1
M
ore than 73,000 eunuchs were ar- Policing on railways is a state subject.
Minister, there was precious little known about his personal
likes and dislikes. Now thanks to Akshay Kumar, we know a
As the area of our To reverse the climate rested for extorting money from The Indian Railways is the second larg-
railway passengers in the past four est railway system in the world covering
bit. We know Modi’s weakness for aamras-puri, about his knowledge grows, so too does the change, we need to put 20 billion years, on an average 50 such people on a around 65,000 km of track laid across
‘friends’ in the opposition like Mamata Banerjee, his favour- perimeter of our ignorance million tonnes of CO2, each year, into daily basis, the railway ministry has over 8,000 stations and running around
ite half-sleeved kurta pyjama, the fondness for Twitter and the soil in the form of stable soil carbon said in reply to an RTI query. 19,000 trains daily, the officials said.
his tough childhood. By giving an interview during election The data assumes significance as pas-
Taslima Nasreen sengers have complained of harassment
time, till now the exclusive preserve of high-profile journal-
ists, the Prime Minister has broken yet another glass ceiling @taslimanasreen by eunuchs who often board trains and
extort money from them. Some of these
Easter rite: Romanians
— and a shibboleth. He has demonstrated that an actor can
do what a scribe can — no more no less. While the opposition
Prayers do not work. You
got proof in the New Zealand Desired and actionable
passengers also had to face abuses, in
the worst cases physical assault too, in-
light up graveyard fires
O
is grinding its teeth in frustration - calling the PM, among case they refused to give in to such de- rthodox Christians in a southern Ro-
other things, a failed politician — given half a chance, and
mosque, and the Sri Lankan inputs were shared with the mands, officials said. manian village lit fires and candles at
the idea, it would have done the same. The interview, coming churches. Nothing fails like prayer authorities in Sri Lanka prior to The Railway Protection Force (RPF) the gravesites of friends and relatives,
has been regularly conducting special part of a centuries-old Easter ritual. The
just when the future of under 300 Lok Sabha seats are already the blasts. But unfortunately, drives to check such instances, they said. fires burning Thursday before dawn in
sealed in the ballot box, has been timed to perfection. It does Devdutt Pattanaik In the reply to the RTI application, the Copaciu village are believed to guide the
not make the Prime Minister look non-serious enough to @devduttmyth
they (plotters) railway ministry said a total of 73,837 souls of the dead during the night, or
damage his poll prospects with more than half of the polling
When old people say succeeded... It is eunuchs were arrested during 2015 and
till January this year while extorting
keep snakes away from the graves. The
mostly elderly ladies taking part in the
underway, and just human enough to catch the imagination
of the youngsters, waiting to vote for the first time. It helps they do not believe in retirement, it not about blame. money from passengers. rituals, repeated across Romania, also
Of these, a total of 13,546 were ar- burned incense and exchanged small
that the interviewer, in this case, is a heart-throb like Ak- means they don’t believe in making — Rajnath Singh, rested in 2015, 19,800 in 2016, 18,526 in bags of food. Elisabeta Marinescu, 78, re-
shay Kumar — between the two, it is a great combination at way for the next generation... never- Union Home 2017 and 20,566 in 2018, it said. counted the tradition of walking behind
work and undoubtedly, many friends of Modi in Bollywood Minister As many as 1,399 eunuchs were arrest- funeral processions while sprinkling
must be ruing the missed opportunity. By any reckoning, it
dying Bhisma was pinned to the ed in January this year, the ministry said. sand along the trails of the cemetery.
is a PR coup of epic proportions. ground for a reason
send your feedback to editor@dnaindia.net

Piggybacking on exports to accelerate economic growth

India being one of tic demand, then why change the pace? As you can see from the data, there The ministry has sought extra outlay
the biggest con- The fact is that when you have ex- is a wide scope of pushing the cart as of Rs 1,500 crore under the MEIS to ful-
sumers in the port-driven growth, then productivity far as existing trade partners and find- fil the government’s commitment to
world, has tradi- automatically goes up owing to the ing new horizons in various sectors is doubling farmers’ income and promote
tionally ridden competitiveness of international mar- concerned. exports of agricultural products.
high on domestic kets, understanding the demand mech- Inclusion of merchant exporters from It wants the government to introduce
demand. anism of various customers and get- the MSME sector and providing them a 10 per cent incentive on rice exports,
The recent ting a know-how of complexities, with 3 per cent interest subsidy on pre commensurate with rising in minimum
statement by thereby increasing the competence of and post-shipment bank credit aimed at support price (MSP) to make the com-
BK Goenka World Bank chief product or services. making MSME exporters more competi- modity competitive in international
economist, Hans As per latest data, exports from India tive, is a step in the right direction. markets.
Timmer, mirrors the narrative. “India increased 2.4 per cent year-on-year to It will also encourage MSMEs to ex- Apart from this, the government also
is exporting only 10 per cent of its GDP $26.7 billion in February of 2019, mainly port more products manufactured by needs to ease the bottlenecks in bilater-
and needs an export-led growth and be due to engineering goods (1.7 per cent) them. Additional exports by them will al trade agreements with various na-
more competitive in the world mar- and drugs and pharmaceuticals (16.1 increase production by MSMEs, giving tions to serve the purpose. The regional
kets”, he offered by way or advice. per cent). a fillip to employment generation, as trade agreements (RTAs), free trade
istock

Data by the World Bank substanti-
ates the fact. It says that in the last five
years, India has witnessed double-digit
growth of imports and only 5-6 per cent
growth in exports. That means the next
phase of growth should have exports
firmly in the driving seat if India needs
to substantiate, sustain and propel the
economy further.
Many may argue that when we can
sustain growth, piggybacking on domes-
As per commerce and industry min-
ister Suresh Prabhu, exports would
cross the $331-billion mark in the 2018-
19 fiscal year, which no doubt is a posi-
tive sign.
However, we cannot restrict our-
selves to certain countries or a handful
of sectors to drive us forward. Let’s take
a look at the sectors and countries that
have contributed to the current figures.
In recent years, India has exported
mostly pearls, precious and semi-pre-
cious stones and jewellery (16 per cent
of total shipments); mineral fuels, oils
and waxes and bituminous substances
(12 percent), vehicles, parts and acces-
sories (5 percent), nuclear reactors,
boilers, machinery and mechanical ap-
pliances (5 percent), pharmaceutical
products (5 percent) and organic chem-
icals (4 percent).
India’s main export partners are the
United States (15 per cent of the total
exports), United Arab Emirates (11 per
cent), Hong Kong (5 per cent), China (4
per cent), Singapore (4 per cent) and
United Kingdom (3 per cent).
these sectors are generally in employ-
ment-intensive sectors.
The commerce and industry minis-
try is seeking higher export incentives
from the finance ministry to promote
exports of agricultural products under
the Merchandise Exports from India
Scheme (MEIS), as well as the addition-
al outlay for a scheme to boost services
exports whose growth has slowed in the
current fiscal.
agreements (FTA) as well as the Region-
al Comprehensive Economic Partner-
ship (RCEP), consisting of China, India,
Japan, South-East Asian nations, Aus-
tralia and New Zealand, can be an an-
swer to that.
There might be scope for India to in-
crease its trade with the Asia-Pacific re-
gion, given that its level of integration
with the region is relatively low.
Author is president, ASSOCHAM

Vol 12 n Issue No. 171 RNI: GUJENG/2007/22424. Printed and Published by Rajendra Bathula on behalf of Diligent Media Corporation ltd. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Press, Survey No.148 P, Nagdevta Mandir, Changodar, Bavla Highway, Sanand, Ahmedabad (Gujarat) and Published at Diligent Media Corporation
Limited, Venus Atlantis Building, Unit No. 201 to 208, 2nd Floor, 100 Feet Road, Prahladnagar, Satellite, Ahmedabad 380015. Phone: 079 4060 2000. Editor: Deepak Lokhande Responsible for selection of news under PRB Act.
 sciTe h
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07
Ahmedabad I Friday, April 26, 2019 I daily news & analysis

Japan ‘creates’ crater on asteroid

Japanese space agency’s Hayabusa2 probe had fired an explosive device at the Ryugu asteroid earlier this month
Tokyo: Japanese scientists
have succeeded in creating
what they called the first-ever
artificial crater on an aster-
oid, a step towards shedding
light on how the solar system
evolved, the country’s space
agency said Thursday.
The announcement comes
after the Hayabusa2 probe
fired an explosive device at
the Ryugu asteroid early this
month to blast a crater in the
surface and scoop up mate-
rial, aiming to reveal more
about the origins of life on
Earth.
Smartphones can
drive ecologically
Yuichi Tsuda, Hayabusa2
project manager at the Japa-
images showed a crater 10
metres in diameter.
up “fresh” material from un-
der the asteroid’s surface that
sustainable farming
Twitter/HAYABUSA2@JAXA
nese space agency (JAXA), JAXA scientists had previ- could shed light on the early London: Experts from the
told reporters they confirmed ously predicted that the cra- stages of the solar system. UK and India have concluded
the crater from images cap- ter could be as large as 10 The asteroid is thought to that harnessing smartphone
tured by the probe located metres in diameter if the contain relatively large technology which could help
1,700 metres from the aster- surface was sandy, or three amounts of organic matter Indian farmers not only
oid’s surface. “Creating an metres if rocky. “The surface and water from some 4.6 bil- make better business deci-
artificial crater with an im- is filled with boulders but yet lion years ago when the solar sions but also tackle the sus-
pactor and observing it in we created a crater this big. system was born. tainable cooling challenges
detail afterwards is a world- This could mean there’s a sci- In February, Hayabusa2 being faced by the country.
first attempt,” Tsuda said. Urashima Crater, seen on the left, on Ryugu asteroid entific mechanism we don’t touched down briefly on Ryu- The University of Bir-
“This is a big success.” know or something special gu and fired a bullet into the mingham, working with the
NASA’s Deep Impact probe purposes. was “the best day of his life”. about Ryugu’s materials,” surface to puff up dust for Shakti Sustainable Energy Toby Peters, Professor in
succeeded in creating an ar- Masahiko Arakawa, a “We can see such a big hole the professor said. collection, before blasting Foundation and MP Ensys- Clean Cold Economy at the
tificial crater on a comet in Kobe University professor a lot more clearly than ex- The aim of blasting the back to its holding position.  tems to uncover the cooling University of Birmingham,
2005, but only for observation involved in the project, said it pected,” he said, adding the crater on Ryugu is to throw  —AFP needs of farmers in the states said: “We’re proposing a rad-
of Haryana, Punjab, Maha- ical new approach to cooling
rashtra and Karnataka, provision with recommenda-

Virtual vocal tract can create green steps launched a new report on
Thursday to highlight the po-
tential of smart tech. The
‘Promoting Clean and Ener-
tions combined with govern-
ment of India action to ad-
dress needs from the first to
last mile of the cold-chain as

speech using brain signals gy Efficient Cold-Chains in

Los Angeles: Scientists have
created a virtual vocal tract
-- completes with lips, jaw and
tongue -- that can generate
natural-sounding synthetic
speech by using brain sig-
nals.
The brain-machine inter-
face created by neuroscien-
tists at University of Califor-
nia, San Francisco in the US
could one day restore the
voices of people who have
lost the ability to speak due to
paralysis and other forms of
neurological damage.
Stroke, traumatic brain
injury, and neurodegenera-
Image for representation —istock
tive diseases such as Parkin- slow, typically permitting a
son’s disease, multiple sclero- maximum of 10 words per
sis, and amyotrophic lateral minute, compared to the 100-
sclerosis (ALS, or Lou 150 words per minute of natu-
Gehrig’s disease) often result ral speech.
in an irreversible loss of the The system, described in
ability to speak. the journal Nature, demon-
Some people with severe strates that it is possible to
speech disabilities learn to create a synthesised version
spell out their thoughts let- of a person’s voice that can be
ter-by-letter using assistive controlled by the activity of
devices that track very small their brain’s speech centres.
eye or facial muscle move- In the future, this ap-
ments. proach could not only restore
However, producing text fluent communication to in-
or synthesised speech with dividuals with severe speech
such devices is laborious, disability, researchers said,
error-prone, and painfully but could also reproduce
some of the musicality of the
human voice that conveys the
speaker’s emotions and per-
sonality. “For the first time,
this study demonstrates that
we can generate entire spo-
ken sentences based on an
individual’s brain activity,”
said Edward Chang, a profes-
sor at University of Califor-
nia, San Francisco.
“The relationship between
the movements of the vocal
tract and the speech sounds
that are produced is a compli-
cated one,” said Gopala
Anumanchipalli, a speech sci-
entist who led the study. —PTI
Solar panels were installed on the roof of the Hermitage Amsterdam, in Amsterdam on Thursday. The monumental
building is the first museum monument to be equipped with solar panels —AFP
Artificial mother-of-pearl created using bacteria
Washington: Scientists have
used bacteria to create syn-
thetic mother-of-pearl that is
tough but bendable, and could
be used as medical implants or
for constructing buildings on
the Moon in future.
Nacre, also known as moth-
er-of-pearl is an exceptionally
tough, stiff material produced
by some mollusks and serving
as their inner shell layer. It also
comprises the outer layer of
pearls, giving them their lus-
trous shine. However, while
nacre’s unique properties
make it an ideal inspiration in
the creation of synthetic mate-
rials, most methods used to
produce artificial nacre are
complex and energy intensive.
Scientists at the University
of Rochester in the US invent-
ed an inexpensive and environ-
mentally friendly method for
making artificial nacre using
an innovative component: bac-
teria. The artificial nacre is
made of biologically produced
materials and has the tough-
India’ report finds that using
mobile apps and data analy-
sis to manage harvesting and
logistics could help to reduce
the amount of food wasted
between farm gate and super-
market shelf, whilst boosting
farmers’ incomes and reduc-
ing the environmental im-
pact of much-needed food
cooling.
The recommendation is
part of a four-point “road-
map” developed by the ex-
perts, which includes pro-
moting new business models
that involves the communi-
ties taking charge of their
own cooling needs; establish-
ing “Living Labs” in rural
communities where new
technology can be tested
among many other things.
ness of natural nacre, while
also being stiff and bendable.
In a research published in
the journal Small, the team
outlined their method of using
two strains of bacteria to rep-
licate these layers.
When they examined the
samples under an electron mi-
croscope, the structure created
well as those of the broader
rural community.
“We must build capacity
whilst demonstrating the ef-
ficiency of new technology
that people will be able to use
easily and affordably. For ex-
ample, with increased pene-
tration of mobile-based apps
and technologies in rural ar-
eas, there is potential for an
information-based system to
help make informed market-
ing decisions and boost farm-
ers’ incomes.” Effective re-
frigeration is essential to
preserve food and medicine.
It underpins industries and
economic growth, while air
conditioning is key to sus-
tainable urbanisation and hu-
man productivity and makes
much of the world bearable -
or even safe - to live in. —PTI
by the bacteria was layered
similarly to nacre produced
naturally by mollusks. One of
the most beneficial character-
istics of the nacre produced at
the University of Rochester is
that it is biocompatible -- made
of materials the human body
produces or that humans can
eat naturally anyway. —PTI

he lth
Kids under age
of 5 should have Echinda’s milk might Measles cases hit highest level since
maximum of one
hour screen time pave way for antibiotics eradication of virus in United States United Nations: The United
States has confirmed 695 Civil Summons
The mammal is found in Australia and New Guinea; its milk measles cases so far this year,
the highest level since the
„„New York City’s
Health Department took
contains protein that can turn as an alternative in medicines country declared it had elim-
inated the virus in 2000, the
the unusual step earlier
this month of issuing
US Centres for Disease Con- an emergency order
Hyderabad: The milk of to keep their young ones safe trol and Prevention said on
Puncture bacteria requiring unvaccinated
Echidna — an egg laying from possible infections. Wednesday. people in affected
mammal —contains a novel „„Researchers have The research, published The resurgence, which neighbourhoods to get
Pic for representation anti-microbial protein that found protein creates in the journal Biochimica et public health officials the MMR vaccine unless
may be used as alternatives punctures in the cell Biophysica Acta --Biomem- blamed in part on the spread they could otherwise
United Nations: Infants un- to the present antibiotics, sci- membranes of multiple branes, has shown that this of misinformation about show they had immunity.
der the age of one year should entists have found. bacterial species and protein creates punctures in the safety of vaccines, has It has issued civil
not be exposed to electronic The research paves way so in future can be used the cell membranes of multi- been concentrated mainly summonses to 12 people
istock

screens at all and “sedentary”
screen time for children un-
der five must not be more than
an hour a day, according to the
WHO’s new guidelines.
The guidelines were issued
as part of a campaign to tack-
le the global obesity crisis and
ensure that young children
grow up fit and well, particu-
larly since development in the
first five years of life contrib-
utes to children’s motor and
cognitive development and
lifelong health.
In recommendations spe-
cifically aimed at under-fives
for the first time, the UN
health agency said that about
40 million children around
the globe - around six per cent
of the total - are overweight.
Of that number, half are in
Africa and Asia, it noted.
The World Health Organi-
for novel antibiotics that can as alternatives to the ple bacterial species and so in in Washington state and
help fight against infections present antibiotics future can be used as alterna- New York with outbreaks
that are resistant to existing tives to the present antibiot- that began late last year.
drugs Researchers at the Cen- „„In some extreme ics. “The longer these out-
tre for Cellular and Molecu- cases, mastitis causes With antibiotics being breaks continue, the greater
lar Biology (CCMB) here
found ways to produce the
anti-microbial protein (AMP)
permanent damage to
the mammary tissue.
Echidna is potent
used indiscriminately, to
maintain healthy livestock
and as growth promoters,
the chance measles will
again get a sustained foot-
hold in the United States,”
‘Millions of kids miss measles
shots, creating outbreaks’
in large quantities using E against mastitis this has also led to the rise of the CDC warned in a state-
coli bacteria. causing bacteria, multiple antibiotic-resistant ment. It said outbreaks can
The AMP creates punc- researchers said. bacterial strains. spread out of control in com-
tures in the cell membranes According to the research- munities with lower-than-
of multiple bacterial species, ers, mastitis, an infection of normal vaccination rates. London: More than 20 mil-
according to the research However, the mammary mammary gland of lactating Although the disease was lion children a year missed
team led by Satish Kumar at glands of the female Echidna dairy animals, is one such eliminated from the country out on measles vaccines
CCMB. are devoid of nipples. So, in challenge where the number in 2000, meaning the virus across the world in the past
Unlike mammals which contrast to mammals with of effective antibiotics is on a was no longer continually eight years, laying a path of
directly give birth to their placenta where their young decline. The AMP from present year round, out- exposure to a virus that is
young ones, Echidna (also suck milk directly from nip- Echidna is potent against breaks still happen via travel- now causing disease out-
known as spiny anteaters) ples, the young of these egg- mastitis causing bacteria, re- lers coming from countries breaks globally, a United
are unique egg laying mam- laying mammals lick milk searchers said. where measles is still com- Nations report said on
mals found only in Australia from the body surface of “Studies such as these mon, the CDC says. Thursday.
and New Guinea. their mothers, researchers give us novel approaches to As of Wednesday, the num- “The measles virus will
Their young ones hatch said. fighting infectious diseases ber of measles cases so far this always find unvaccinated
out of eggs at a very early CCMB scientists have by taking clues from nature. year exceeds the 667 cases re- children,” said Henrietta
istock

zation (WHO) said that chil-
dren under five must spend
less time sitting watching
screens, or restrained in
prams and seats, get better
quality sleep and have more
time for active play if they are
to grow up healthy.
“Achieving health for all
means doing what is best for
health right from the begin-
ning of people’s lives,” WHO
Director-General Tedros Ad-
hanom Ghebreyesus said.
“Early childhood is a peri-
od of rapid development and
a time when family lifestyle
patterns can be adapted to
boost health gains,” Ghe-
breyesus said.
The new guidelines on
physical activity, sedentary
behaviour and sleep for chil-
dren under 5 years of age
were developed by a WHO
panel of experts. —Reuters
stage of development and de- found that the milk of these ,” said Rakesh Mishra, CCMB ported in all of 2014, which
pend completely on their animals contain a novel anti- Director. —PTI had been the highest annual
mothers’ milk. microbial protein, important number recorded since the
elimination in 2000. The virus
has been recorded in 22 states
so far in 2019, the CDC said.
The virus can lead to dead-
ly complications, but no mea-
sles deaths have been report-
ed in the latest outbreaks.
Responding to the new fig-
ures, US Health Secretary
Alex Azar urged greater vac-
cination, saying in a state-
ment that the vaccine’s “safe-
ty has been firmly estab-
lished over many years.”
“The United States is see-
ing a resurgence of measles,
a disease that had once been
effectively eliminated from
our country,” he said.
Measles has been on the
rise globally. More than
110,000 cases were reported
in the first three months of
Fore, executive director of
the United Nations children’s
fund UNICEF, adding: “The
ground for the global measles
outbreaks we are witnessing
today was laid years ago.”
The UNICEF report said
an estimated 169 million
children missed out on the
first dose of the measles vac-
cine between 2010 and 2017
- equating to 21.1 million
children a year on average.
As a result of greater
vulnerability to the disease,
2019, according to the World
Health Organisation, based
on provisional data. That is a
300 percent increase com-
pared with the same period
the previous year.
The largest outbreak has
been in New York City where
officials said at least 390 cases
the measles infections
worldwide nearly quadru-
pled in the first quarter of
2019 against the same peri-
od in 2018 to 112,163 cases,
according to World Health
Organization data.
Measles is a highly con-
tagious disease that can kill
and can cause blindness,
deafness or brain damage. It
is currently spreading in
have been recorded since Oc-
tober, mostly among children
in Orthodox Jewish commu-
nities in Brooklyn, making it
the city’s worst outbreak
since 1991. That total includ-
ed 61 cases recorded in the
last six days, of which two
were pregnant women, the
outbreaks in many parts of
the world, including in the
United States, Europe, the
Philippines, Tunisia and
Thailand.
Two doses of the measles
vaccine are essential to pro-
tect children and the WHO
says 95 percent vaccine cov-
erage is needed for “herd
immunity” against measles.
—Reuters
city’s health department said
on Wednesday.
The CDC echoed city
health officials in saying this
outbreak was fuelled by mis-
information being spread
about the measles, mumps
and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
—Reuters
26
Friday
April
2019
ahmedabad
www.dnaindia.com
Sensex
38730.86 323.82 q
Gold 10 gram 31795.00
US $ 70.26 0.39 p
news in numb
moneyedit Of 11 lakh firms, only 4 lakh comply with KYC norms
BS-VI: End
of the road for
diesel cars?
T
he automobile indus-
try is gearing up for a
major shift. With
stricter emission norms -
BS VI - kicking in from
April next year, it might
be the end of the road for
small diesel cars. Many
automakers are of the
view that upgradation to
new technology will make
diesel cars expensive, es-
pecially the smaller ones,
taking it beyond the af-
fordability level of Indian
consumers. Though, big-
ger diesel SUVs will con-
tinue to play.
Perhaps this is why
Maruti Suzuki on Thurs-
day announced phasing
out of all its diesel vehi-
cles. Diesel cars contrib-
ute 23% to sales of the
country’s biggest carmak-
er, which has decided to
focus on CNG and hybrid
variants along with pet-
rol. Its rivals Mahindra &
Mahindra (M&M) and
Tata Motors are also
working on similar lines,
to remain ready with the
product at the right cost
when the deadline comes.
However, sceptics say
it will be a difficult prop-
osition, at least for com-
ing few years as the in-
frastructure for alterna-
tive fuels and electric
vehicle (EV) charging
stations are still not de-
veloped enough in the
country.
According to rating
and research firm Icra,
under BS-VI, the price of
diesel cars is expected to
go up by about Rs 75,000
compared to an increase
of about Rs 20,000 for pet-
rol vehicles.
ST smart
Tax sops likely
for new ventures
The commerce and in-
dustry ministry has
proposed a host of
measures such as tax
incentives to promote
budding entrepreneurs
as part of the ‘Startup
India Vision 2024’, an of-
ficial said. The vision
document aims at facili-
tating setting up of
50,000 new start-ups in
the country by 2024 and
creating 20 lakh direct
and indirect employ-
ment opportunities. The
Department for Promo-
tion of Industry and In-
ternal Trade (DPIIT)
under the ministry,
which has prepared the
document, has also sug-
gested setting up of 500
new incubators and ac-
celerators by 2024.
RBI mulls easing
resolution norms
Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) is working on re-
vising the framework
for resolution of
stressed assets, includ-
ing providing additional
60 days to borrowers to
repay dues, as part of
efforts to mitigate hard-
ships faced by genuine
businesses, sources
said. Against the back-
drop of the Supreme
Court quashing an RBI
circular, issued on Feb-
ruary 12, 2018, a revised
set of rules is under
works and would be re-
leased soon, they added.
Under the RBI norms,
an account is classified
as a non-performing As-
set (NPA) if it is not ser-
viced for 90 days. The
February 12 circular
had mandated banks to
refer an NPA account
for insolvency proceed-
ings in case a resolution
is not found within 180
days. This was for ac-
counts where the out-
standing dues were at
least Rs 2,000 crore.
Nifty
11641.80 84.35 q
270.00 p
EURO 78.15 0.16 q
40% - Internet user base is expected to rise in India by 2023 while the number of smartphones will double: McKinsey
Anjul Tomar
anjul.tomar@dnaindia.net
New Delhi: About 4 lakh out
of a total of the country’s
over 11 lakh ‘active’ compa-
nies have so far complied
with the new know-your-
company (KYC) norms man-
dated by the Ministry of Cor-
porate Affairs (MCA). Mean-
while, the deadline for com-
plying the new disclosure
norms has been extended till
June 15 from April 25 earlier.
On February 25, the MCA
introduced the KYC norms
to help it track down bogus
or shell companies as well as
to ensure timely compliance
by firms. The companies reg-
RBI may revise inflation projections as there are doubts over monsoon
` below 70/$, oil at $75/bbl
bring inflation fears back
Manju AB
manju.ab@dnaindia.net
Mumbai: Rising oil prices
kept the pressure on the ru-
pee, which slipped 39 paise on
Thursday to end at Rs 70.26 to
the dollar, a level seen nearly
four weeks back. Brent crude
hit six month high of $75 a
barrel, following the US gov-
ernment’s decision to impose
sanctions on countries im-
porting from Iran from May 2.
This is a departure from the
current position where it had
given exemption to countries
including India. The rupee
had opened at Rs 70.02 against
the dollar and touched a low
of Rs 70.26 against the dollar
as the oil prices continued to
play spoilsport.
With rupee on slippery
ground inflation is back in
focus. Doubts about a normal
monsoon and the rise in oil
prices is likely to force Re-
serve Bank of India to revise
its projections in the next
policy review in June. With
benign food prices for close to
a year, the central bank had
cut its retail inflation forecast
to 2.9-3% for the first half of
the current fiscal in April,
when it unveiled the first
monetary policy of the fiscal.
Tata Steel to merge Bhushan Steel
DNA Money Correspondent
correspondent@dnaindia.net
Mumbai: Tata Steel Board
on Thursday decided to
merge Tata Steel BSL (for-
merly Bhushan Steel Limit-
ed) with itself as it reported
a 84.37% year-on-year drop
in consolidated net profit for
the fourth quarter at Rs
2,295.25 crore.
However, total consolidat-
ed income of the company
rose to Rs 42,913.73 crore in
January-March 2019, from
Rs 33,983.74 crore a year ago.
Net profit in Q4 of FY18
was higher was on account
Axis back in black as
NPA provisions drop
Mumbai: Gains on the mon-
ey set aside to fight asset
quality issues helped private
sector lender Axis Bank re-
port a net income of Rs 1,505
crore for the three months to
March against a net loss of
Rs 2,188 crore in the year-ago
quarter, helping it guide to-
wards better days ahead.
For the full fiscal 2019, the
third largest private bank
booked a net income of Rs
4,676 crore, up from Rs 275
crore in the heavy loan loss-
es mired the financial year
2017-18, the lender said on
Thursday.
A write-back of Rs 600
crore of provisions made for
low-grade assets following
the shift to the rules-based
provisioning helped the bot-
Silver kg 37360.00 325.00 p
British pound 90.46 0.03 p
istered till December 2017
have to file the new KYC e-
form ACTIVE (Active Com-
pany Tagging Identities &
Verification), also known as
INC 22. The form requires
firms to upload photographs
of the registered office and
that of a director. As many as
11.35 lakh companies were
active in the country as on
December 31, 2017, according
to the government data.
“There may be companies
which will need more time to
complete all the filings man-
dated under the new disclo-
sure norms. We have given
them more time. If they
don’t do it within the stipu-
lated time, such firms will be
Inflation to Rise,
But Stay Below Target
12-Month Average Rolling CPI Inflation
CPI Inflation
RBI's 4% Medium-Term Target
Mar '14
Source: Bloomberg Economics, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
“Rising oil prices and
prospects of geopolitical ten-
sions on account of the US
sanctions on Iran are a cause
of worry for India,” said
Ananth Narayan, professor
at S P Jain Institute of Man-
agement and former head of
global markets at Standard
Chartered Bank in India.
Last time, the rupee went
past the 70-mark was on
March 11. The 10-year bond
yield was trading at 7.442%,
„„The company reported
84.37% drop in consolidated
net profit at Rs 2,295.25
crore during Q4
„„Total consolidated
income of the company
rose to Rs 42,913.73 crore
in January-March 2019
T V Narendran
of one-time exceptional gain
of Rs 11,376.14 crore in
the March quarter of fiscal
2018. The company had also
received non-cash gain of Rs
14,077 crore on account of
tomline. Another profit-
booster was an improvement
in dud loans, leading to a
dive in provisions at a low Rs
2,711 crore from a high Rs
7,179 crore last year, the man-
agement explained.
The bank also reported
improvements on all key pa-
rameters on the asset quality
front for the reporting quar-
ter, indicating that the worst
days are behind and guided
towards better show ahead.
Over a three-year period,
the bank is targeting to get
down its credit cost to under
1 percentage point from a
high of over 2% in 2018-19.
Advances to the lower
rated corporates now consti-
tute a mere 4% of its corpo-
rate book. —PTI
FTSE 100 ikkei 225
7471.75 51.32 q 22307.58 107.58 p
Brent Crude $/barrel 73.87 0.03 p
UAE dirham 19.15 0.13 p
labelled as non-compliant by
the government,” said a sen- TIGHTENING NOOSE
will not be deactivated, they
will be barred from carrying
loaded with the four-page
form. The picture should
ior government official.
“Compliance has picked
„„The government
expects that about 7-7.5
out regular compliance func-
tions,” the official said.
also show at least one direc-
tor or key management per-
up during the last couple of
days with about 50,000-60,000
lakh companies will
come forward to comply
This includes changing
their authorised capital,
sonnel who has affixed a
digital signature to this
companies coming forward out of a total of around paid-up capital, registered form. The company has to
to comply on the last day. We 11.35 lakh office or their directors. also provide details of its di-
understand the companies Such ‘ACTIVE-non-compli- rectors, chief executive of-
need time because it is not a „„A total of 3.38 lakh ant’ companies will also not ficer, chief financial officer,
question of merely filing one shell firm have been be allowed to undergo amal- auditor, cost auditor, and
form. You have to be 100% deactivated after they gamation and demerger. company secretary.
compliant with all other failed to file returns The action will be taken The form, however, will
mandatory filings such as under sub-section (9) of sec- not be available for the com-
financial statement, annual tion 12 of the Companies panies which haven’t filed
returns as well as informa- nies will come forward to to complete the KYC process Act, 2013. their financial statements or
tion on Board of Directors, comply out of a total of after the expiry of the dead- To be compliant with the annual returns or the ones
auditors and companies sec- around 11.35 lakh. line upon payment of Rs latest rule, the photograph which have been struck off.
retaries. In case a company fails to 10,000 in order to become of the registered office show- The move is aimed at check-
The government expects file the form within the stip- compliant with the new rule. ing external building and the ing the creation of shell or
that about 7-7.5 lakh compa- ulated time, it will be allowed “Though such companies office interior has to be up- bogus companies.
Maruti plans to stop selling
diesel cars from next year
Mansi Taneja
mansi.taneja@dnaindia.net
MARUTI SUZUKI INDIA
Share price on BSE in ` 10050
Q4 net profit
falls 4.6%
New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki
India Ltd, India’s largest car- 9300
Rupee per $ maker, will stop selling die-
sel cars from April 2020, once
9009.05
8550 as sales skid
Intra-day movement Inverted scale Bharat Stage VI emission
7800
norms kick in, as it forecast- DNA Money Correspondent
p0.39 pts p0.56 % chg ed a growth rate of 4-8% for correspondent@dnaindia.net
the current fiscal. 7050
69.8 “From April 1, we will New Delhi: Country’s larg-
6902.95 6300
have no diesel car on sale. est carmaker Maruti Suzuki
Depending on how custom- Apr 2, 18 Apr 25, 19 India Ltd on Thursday, the
69.9
10
ers react... if we find there is company posted a 4.6% year-
Prve close 69.87
% YoY
9
8 70.26 70.0
a market for diesel cars (after
the new emission norms
Emission hit on-year decline in its net
profit at Rs 1,795.6 crore for
BE estimate
7 kick in) we will develop it in the January-March quarter
6
„„The high cost of
70.1 a reasonable amount of upgrading existing diesel owing to fluctuations in for-
5 time,” company’s chairman eign exchange, commodity
engines to the BS VI
4 R C Bhargava said after an- prices, higher depreciation
70.2 norms will not make
3 nouncing the financial re- and discounts.
it a viable option for
2 sults. Net sales declined by
1 70.09 70.3 About 23% of the compa-
consumers
0.7% at Rs 20,737.5 crore for
Mar '20 ny’s sales come from diesel „„About 23% of the the reporting March while
9:00 am Apr 25, 19 17:00 pm cars. It sold 463,000 diesel company’s sales come total vehicle sales for the
units last fiscal. from diesel cars. It sold quarter ended March stood
The high cost of upgrad- 463,000 diesel units at 458,479 units, a decline
from its Wednesday’s close the region of $75 billion. Even ing existing diesel engines to last fiscal of 0.7%.
of 7.425%. With crude oil with FDI inflows of about $35 the BS VI norms will not For the full year, the com-
prices at $75 a barrel and the billion, we are looking at per- make it a viable option for pany posted a net profit of Rs
US government threatening manent outflows of $40 billion consumers, he said. Bharga- mercial vehicle (LCV) Super 7,500.6 crore, a 2.9% decline
to end its existing waiver of to be covered by portfolio flows va said it won’t be possible to Carry from next year. It year on year. Net sales rose
sanctions against countries
like India for importing oil
and borrowings. Sustained
high oil prices will also pres-
make diesel cars below
1,500cc.
would be only available in
petrol/CNG version going
6.3% to Rs 83,026.5 crore in
the last fiscal. Total volume
from Iran, the prospects oil
prices softening look slim.
sure the already stretched fis-
cal position and inflation.
“The only area which
looks in our range of prod-
ahead.
For a BS VI diesel LCV
sales grew 4.7 % to 18,62,449
units. It sold 17,53,700 units
“We import about 1.2 billion While India has buffers of ad- ucts possible is somewhere with a small engine, the cost in the domestic market, a
barrels of oil for our domestic equate currency reserves, sus- around 1,500cc engine. So if of upgrading will be too high growth of 6.1%.
consumption. At current oil tained high oil prices can we come back in diesel it will which is why we will discon- The company has given a
prices, India’s annualised cur- threaten India’s financial sta- be that range and not lower tinue the diesel version from growth forecast of 4-8% pro-
rent account deficit could be in bility,” Narayan said. than that because the price next year. duction and sales in the cur-
difference factor will make But we will have both pet- rent fiscal. Last year, the
that model unaffordable,” rol and CNG versions of company had targeted
Bhargava said. LCV, and we believe these growth of 10%, but actual
Over the last few years, will become more economi- growth stood at 6.1 %.
there is hardly any price dif- cal for users, he said. “This quarter was marked
ference between petrol and “In Europe, ever since the by adverse foreign exchange
corresponding quarter of diesel fuel rates. So, the cost BS VI has come, there has rates and commodity prices,
profit dives 84% the previous fiscal as it does advantage of buying a diesel been a de-growth because the higher depreciation and
not include NATSteel Hold- car has anyways come down. price difference between pet- higher sales promotion ex-
ing and Tata Steel Thailand Maruti’s Vitara Brezza rol and diesel has become penses partially offset by
as it is classified as asset held and S-Cross have only diesel much bigger. I don’t think cost reduction efforts,” the
for sales. “The merger (of option. Others like Swift, the Indian market would be company’s chairman R C
Tata Steel BSL) will drive Baleno, Dzire, Ciaz and Er- any different, here the buy- Bhargava said.
operational synergies and ef- tiga have both petrol and die- ers are even more price con- For the current fiscal, the
ficiencies, reduce the regula- sel variants. It recently scious,” he said. company earmarked a capi-
tory burden and simplify the launched its mid-sized sedan Diesel models are going to tal expenditure of Rs 4,500
group structure,” announced Ciaz with in-house devel- get much costlier. The com- crore for new product devel-
T V Narendran, chief execu- oped BS IV compliant 1,500 pany will upgrade all its 16 opment, research and
tive officer and managing cc diesel engine, which can models and their variants development and land acqui-
restructuring of UK pension director of Tata Steel, after be upgraded to B VI later. All before March 31, 2020. “We sition for sales network, Ajay
scheme. the Board meeting.He said its other cars are powered by have already brought in Alto Seth, chief financial officer,
The company said con- that the recommended merg- 1.3-litre diesel engine 800 with BS VI-compliant en- said.
solidated net profit figure for er ratio is of 15 shares of sourced from Fiat. gine. This process is going to It had a capital expendi-
the fourth quarter of fiscal Tata Steel BSL for every The company will also go on throughout this year,” ture of Rs 4,000 crore for
2019 was not comparable to share of Tata Steel. discontinue its light com- Bhargava said. 2018-19.
Cold cuppa Tea prices may fall 14% this year, before making marginal gains in 2020: WB
Bitter brew for tea cos as prices head South
Sumit Moitra making marginal gains in prices, which influence pric-
m_sumit@dnaindia.net 2020. Prices, especially Kol- Getting tepid es for a similar variety of
kata and Mombasa (Kenya), „„Prices in the first teas in Indian auction cen-
Kolkata: Tea plantation plunged 23% and 7%, respec- quarter of the calendar tres as well.
companies are up for some tively, in the first quarter and year dropped a sharp World Bank’s price fore-
bitter brew with the World stand 7 and 25% lower than a 23% in Kolkata auction cast comes on the back of
Bank predicting a 14% drop year ago. Large tea crops due and 7% in Kenya decision of United States to
in global tea prices in 2019. to favourable weather condi- enforce a restriction on ex-
Prices in the first quarter tions in East Africa, espe- „„With Kenya producing ports of oil to Iran by coun-
of the calendar year cially Kenya, and India have excess 50 million kg tea tries like India, which also
dropped a sharp 23% in Kol- caused the price collapse,” in 2018, tea prices were sends tea to Iran.
kata auction and 7% in Ken- the World Bank report said. on the downhill from the “Higher export volumes
ya, the World Bank Com- Tea prices at the auction middle of 2018 from Kenya and the uncer-
modity Markets Outlook for centre of Kolkata, where tainty on demand from Iran,
2019 noted, adding that teas from Darjeeling as well given the likely impact of the
prices would continue to re- as Assam are traded and sold economic sanctions, ad-
main subdued for the rest of to large marketers like Hin- excess tea of 50 million kg tion in December, the World versely affected Indian bulk
the calendar year 2019 be- dustan Unilever, Tata Tea as in 2018, tea prices were on Bank has noted. tea export performance, par-
fore recovering lost grounds well as many smaller domes- the downhill from the mid- Kenya being one of the ticularly of high-quality or-
in 2020. tic and global brands, fell to dle of 2018, forcing Tea largest global exporters of thodox teas, from North in
“Tea prices are expected an 11-year low. Board of India to order a tea, its auction centre at 2018,” rating agency Icra
to decline 14% in 2019, before With Kenya producing suspension of tea produc- Mombasa usually sets global said in a report.
 c mpanies
www.dnaindia.com I twitter.com/dna I epaper.dnaindia.com I facebook.com/dnaindia
Report
MCX Q4 profit
jumps 78.47% on
card higher income
Leading commodity bourse MCX Thursday
reported a 78.47% jump in consolidated net profit at
Rs 60.95 crore for the fourth quarter of 2018-19 on
higher income. Net profit stood at Rs 34.15 crore in
the year-ago period, the exchange said in a BSE
filing. Total income increased to Rs 110.80 crore
during the January-March quarter of 2018-19 from
Rs 96.58 crore in the same quarter previous
financial year. The company incurred Rs 58.09
crore expenses against Rs 51.25 crore in the said
period. For the full 2018-19 fiscal, the MCX posted
Biocon Q4 net
jumps to `214 cr
BIOCON
Share price on BSE in `
620.10 645
598.15
Apr 2, 18 Apr 25, 19
Biotechnology major
Biocon Thursday
reported a 64% rise in
its consolidated net
profit to Rs 213.7 crore
for the fourth quarter
ended March 2019. The
company had posted a
net profit of Rs 130.4
crore for the
corresponding period
of the previous fiscal,
Biocon said in a filing
to the BSE. The
company’s
consolidated revenue
from operations stood
at Rs 1,528.8 crore for
the quarter ended
March this year. It was
at Rs 1,169.5 crore for
the same period year
ago. For the fiscal year
ended March 2019, the
company’s net profit
rose over two fold to
Rs 905.3 crore as
against Rs 372.4 crore
for 2017-18.
WNS PAT rises
21% to $30 mn
Business process
management firm
WNS (Holdings)
Thursday reported a
21.2 per cent increase
in consolidated profit
after tax to USD 29.7
million in the quarter
ended March 31. The
company had posted a
profit after tax (PAT)
of $24.5 million in the
corresponding period a
year ago. Its revenue
increased by 3.84% to
$210.5 million, against
$202.7 million in the
In brief
Dr Reddy’s to sell
cardiac drug
Dr Reddys Laboratories
said itgot approval for
selling generic
Clopidogrel in China.
According to a
clarification given to
stock exchanges, the
city-based drug maker
said sales of this drug
would not be
materialised in the
current financial year
Coursera secures
$103 mn funding
Online education
platform Coursera
Thursday said it has
raised $103 million
(about Rs 723.7 crore) in
a funding round led by
SEEK Group. The series
E round also saw
participation from
existing investors,
Future Fund and NEA,
a statement said. In
November last year, it
had partnered Mindtree
to upskill the Indian IT
firm’s workforce in
relevant and high-end
technology skills
like machine
learning, Python and
data science.
Hind Copper to
raise `1,400 cr
State-owned Hindustan
Copper said its board
has approved raising up
to Rs 1,400 crore through
an issue of equity
shares to qualified
institutional investors.
The Cabinet last year
had approved a fresh
equity issue of 15% by
Hindustan Copper to
help it raise over Rs 900
crore. The company had
earlier said that it would
spend Rs 5,500 crore over
six years.
year-ago quarter. “We
added 25 new clients
with an average
‘annual contract value’
that was 35% higher
715
than last year. We also
680 expanded 59 existing
relationships, the
largest number in
610
WNS history,” Keshav
575 R Murugesh, group
540 chief executive officer
of WNS, said in a
statement. For the year
ended March 31, the
company’s PAT
increased about 22% to
$105.4 million, from
$86.4 million in 2017-18.
The revenue in the full
financial year 2018-19
increased 6.74% to
$809.1 million from
$758 million at the end
of 2017-18.
Cyient PAT soars
55% to `188 cr
IT firm Cyient posted a
54.7% rise in net profit
to Rs 188.1 crore for the
March 2019 quarter,
helped by exceptional
items like ‘one-off
employee cost’. The
Hyderabad-based
company had posted a
net profit of Rs 121.5
crore in the
corresponding quarter
a year ago, Cyient said
in a statement. The net
profit without the
impact of ‘one-off
employee cost’ and
‘Insights LLC
dissolution’ (a
subsidiary) was Rs
176.8 crore, which
Cyient referred to as
PAT. This was higher by
49.4%. Its revenue
increased 9.5% to Rs
1,162.9 crore in the said
quarter against Rs
1,061.8 crore in the year-
ago period, it added. On
a sequential basis, the
net profit more than
doubled from Rs 92.1
crore, while revenue
declined 2.1% in the
reported quarter.
‘Voda Idea mkt share may dip to 25%’ Apis Partners to invest
New Delhi: Vodafone Idea,
which is in the process of
raising Rs 25,000 crore
through a rights issue, will
again require a funding next
fiscal as it loses market
share, a foreign brokerage
said.
Market repair in the
battered telecom sector
is at least a year away
as the disruptor Reli-
ance Jio continues to fo-
cus on subscriber additions,
Jefferies said.
Operators will raise at
least Rs 1 lakh crore in core
equity in the first half of the
ongoing fiscal, it said, stress-
ing that the largest telco
Vodafone Idea will require
funding again next fiscal to
fund capex and spectrum re-
payments.
comment The potential of India’s floating solar market is also appealing global firms such as Statkraft AS of Norway
Water becomes the new land for solar plants in India
Vandana Gombar
Utilities and companies in
India are planning hundreds
of megawatts of solar pro-
jects floating on water bodies
as it becomes increasingly
difficult to secure large par-
cels of land.
“Land availability is a
challenge already, and it will
become a bigger issue,” said
Ayyub Kunnanolli, execu-
tive engineer at the Kerala
State Electricity Board. The
state utility has constructed
one of India’s largest opera-
tional floating plants – a
0.5-megawatt installation in
the reservoir contained by
the Banasura Sagar dam.
The plant stands on a hol-
low ferro-cement floater that
almost replicates land on
water. Last month, not a rip-
ple was felt as utility execu-
tives – in batches of 20 people
NBCC raises bid for Jaypee Infra
State-owned company has now offered to pay lenders Rs 5,000 crore worth of land parcels `12K cr project
New Delhi: State-owned
NBCC has sweetened its bid
to acquire debt-ridden Jay-
pee Infratech and has now
offered to give lenders Rs
5,000 crore worth land par-
cels, sources said.
The public sector enter-
prise, which is also complet-
ing some projects of Amra-
pali Group on the Supreme
Court’s direction, had of-
fered lenders land worth Rs
3,000 crore in its earlier reso-
lution plan submitted a cou-
ple of months back. It had
also offered the Yamuna Ex-
pressway that connects Noi-
da to Agra in Uttar Pradesh.
NBCC and Suraksha Re-
alty group-led consortium,
which are in the race to ac-
quire Jaypee Infratech, were
asked by the lenders to
sweeten their offers. Both
the potential buyers have
submitted their revised of-
fers under the Insolvency
and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).
According to sources,
NBCC has offered to pay Rs
500 crore upfront to lenders
and would invest about Rs
2,000-2,500 crore as funding
gap to complete delayed
housing projects of Jaypee
Infratech comprising over
20,000 flats in Noida.
PE, VC investments more
than double to $7bn in Mar
Boosted by a spurt in large transactions, private equity
and venture capital investments rise sharply last month,
a report by consultancy firm EY said
$3 bn - venture
capital and private
equity investments
in March 2018
$ 5.4 bn $11.4 bn
investments investments jump
in August 2017 37% in Jan-Mar
2019 quarter
Vodafone Idea will lose
market share to come down
to 25% over the next 18
months and hence will re-
quire funding again, it said,
adding that second biggest
telco Bharti Airtel’s market
share will remain stable at
30%.
It can be noted that it
had a market share of
over 35% as of Decem-
ber 2018, according to
reports.
Price hikes necessary for
improvements in financial
conditions of telcos are un-
likely in FY20 and will happen
only after Jio becomes the
dominant player with 40% mar-
ket share in FY21, it said.
On the fund raising plans,
the brokerage said apart
from Vodafone Idea’s Rs
– stood on the floating solar
platform to take a look at the
solar installation, which sur-
vived the devastating 2018
floods in the state.
NTPC Ltd, India’s largest
power generator, aims to
take the lead in floating solar
plants. The water reservoirs
at its coal-fired plants serve
as ready locations for float-
ing solar panels.
And putting a structure
on top of the water also helps
to prevent evaporation of the
precious resource. The com-
pany has about 650 mega-
watts of floating solar pro-
jects in the pipeline, accord-
ing to a presentation NTPC
made to the group visiting
the Banasura Sagar project.
“Dams and other stagnant
water bodies are the low-
hanging fruit for floating
solar plants. It is an ideal
combination of yellow and
Vedanta gets
green nod for
`3K cr
`2.5K cr
upping the worth of land Co had offered Co likely to invest to finish delayed
ante
to pay in its earlier resolution housing projects of Jaypee Infratech
Jaypee Infratech has land ment and kickstart construc-
parcels of 6,000 acres, out of tion.
which around 3,500 acres is Suraksha Group has also
unutilised. made an offer of land worth
NBCC will give 100% eq- Rs 5,000 crore, sources said.
uity of Yamuna Expressway The revised resolution
to lenders. It has proposed plans of NBCC and Surak-
that banks should raise sha Realty would be consid-
about Rs 2,000 crore against ered by the lenders on April
the expressway and provide 26 and April 30.
half of the amount (Rs 1,000 “Revised resolution plans
crore) to the state-owned have been received from
company, which would uti- NBCC and Suraksha Realty-
lise the fund for upfront pay- led consortium and will be
‘We see a very good EV opportunity’
The company is focussing on
auto engineering and sees a
good opportunity in electric
vehicles going forward, says
Vinit Teredesai, chief fi-
nancial officer (CFO), KPIT
34%
Technologies. In an inter-
- drop
view with Swati Khandel-
in PE/VC exits
wal, he also said that slow-
to $465 mn
down in global companies
has not directly impacted the
company and is confident of
$ 2.8 bn $1.9 bn meeting the guidance.
Edited Excerpts:
„„ What are your plans for
the listed automotive engi-
number private investment
neering segment?
of buyout in public equity
deals investments Our company is currently
focusing on auto engineer-
ing, but we term it as Mobil-
ity instead of auto. In fact,
we are concentrating on ar-
eas that can take a person
from one place to another.
We have a focus on passenger
cars at present, which also
includes commercial vehi-
cles, tractors and heavy
equipment as well as shared
mobility like Ola and Uber.
We have a strategy to service
in five areas like electric
power train, autonomous
Rights issue subscribed 1.07 times
New Delhi: The Rs 25,000-crore rights issue of Vodafone
Idea has been subscribed 1.07 times, according to data
accessed by merchant bankers involved in the process.
Through the rights issue, which ran between April 10
and April 24, the country’s largest telecom operator of-
fered 2,000 crore new shares at Rs 12.50 apiece.
As per data published by NSE, the rights issue has
received bids for 1,109 crore shares.
“The Vodafone Idea rights has been subscribed 1.07
times as per data available from registrar to the rights
issue last night. This can go up. Final data is expected to
be published by the registrar today (Thursday),” said one
of the bankers involved in the rights issue process.
25,000 crore rights issue, be done by Jio’s fiber and
there is Bharti’s fund rais- tower infrastructure invest-
ing for a similar amount ment trusts (InVITs) will
through the same route. need equity funding for the
It also hinted that the re- majority of the Rs 1.1 tril-
maining Rs 50,000 crore will lion in liability. —PTI
blue to give green power,” and sees demand picking up
said Vivek Jha, the co-found- pace.
er of Yellow Tropus, a com- The potential of India’s
pany providing engineering floating solar market is also
and construction services appealing to Norway’s big-
for floating solar plants. gest utility, Statkraft AS,
It is building its first meg- which announced the con-
awatt-scale floating plant for struction of its first floating
Renew Power Ltd at Vi- solar plant earlier this year,
sakhapatnam in South India, in Albania.
Ahmedabad I Friday, April 26, 2019 I daily news & analysis
5K cr
Worth of land
offer made by
Suraksha Group
placed for discussion
amongst CoC (committee of
creditors) members on reso-
lution plans received from
resolution applicants in the
meetings to be held on April
26 and April 30, respectively,”
Jaypee Infratech Interim
Resolution Professional
(IRP) Anuj Jain said in a
regulatory filing.
Meanwhile, business con-
glomerate Adani Group had
also expressed interest to bid
for Jaypee Infratech. How-
ever, lenders are unlikely to
seek Adani’s offer until this
round of insolvency pro-
ceedings gets completed.
Last week, crisis-hit Jay-
pee Group’s promoters made
a fresh attempt to retain con-
trol over its arm Jaypee In-
fratech by seeking the sup-
port of homebuyers for its
debt resolution plan under
the IBC.
Jaypee Group Chairman
Manoj Gaur had apologised
driving, infotainment, soft-
ware architecture (we term
it as AUTOSAR) and diag-
nostic and security. Inter-
estingly, 70% of origi-
nal equipment man-
ufacturers (OEMs)
are our customer
and we act as a tier-
I supplier for the
remaining 30% and
work with them in the
vertical.
I think the mobility sector
will see a significant change
in the next 3-5 years. In the
process, more electric vehi-
cles will be joining the
league and you may see au-
tonomous driving fea-
tures. I think this will
act as a good oppor-
tunity for our com-
pany and we are
focusing on the
same.
„„How much mar-
gin do you enjoy
currently in this
segment and do
you see any
incre-
men-
$110 mn in L&T arm
Mumbai: British private
equity fund Apis Partners
Thursday said it is pick-
ing up a 25.1% stake for
$110 million in L&T Infra
Debt Fund (IDF), the infra
refinancing ar m of EPC
major.
L&T IDF has a loan
book of Rs 8,000
crore and the invest-
ment will help grow
the book, an official
statement said.
Apis Growth Fund II
has entered into a binding
agreement to acquire the
stake in L&T IDF, it said,
adding 70% of the invest-
ment will come as growth
capital while 30% is a sec-
seeking power
„„NTPC Ltd, India’s
largest power generator,
aims to take the lead in
floating solar plants
„„NTPC has about 650
megawatts of floating
solar projects in the
pipeline
„„India aims at 100 GW
of solar power installations
by 2022 against the
current 27 GW
“We are seriously explor-
ing floating solar opportuni-
ties in India,” said Krishnan
Rajagopalan, director at
Statkraft Solar Solutions Pvt
Ltd.
The company has decades
of experience in hydro-elec-
tricity, and believes it can
take advantage of that know-
09
to thousands of distressed
homebuyers and promised to
infuse Rs 2,000 crore to com-
plete apartments over the
next four years. The group
had submitted a Rs
10,000-crore plan before lend-
ers in April 2018 as well, but
the same was not accepted.
In 2017, the National Com-
pany Law Tribunal (NCLT)
admitted the application by
an IDBI Bank-led consorti-
um seeking resolution of
Jaypee Infratech.
In the first round of insol-
vency proceedings, the Rs
7,350 crore bid of Lakshdeep,
part of Suraksha group, was
rejected by lenders as it was
found to be substantially
lower than the company’s
net worth and assets.
In October 2018, the IRP
started a fresh initiative to
revive Jaypee Infratech on
the NCLT’s direction. The re-
alty firm has an outstanding
debt of nearly Rs 9,800 crore.
Jaypee Group flagship
firm Jaiprakash Associates
Ltd (JAL) had submitted Rs
750 crore in the registry of
the Supreme Court for the
refund to buyers and the
amount is lying with the
NCLT. Jaypee Infratech is a
subsidiary of JAL. —PTI
tal upside in it?
Blackout period is still on
and that is why I will not be
able to talk more about
it. But if you look at
the auto industry
in terms of infor-
mation that we
provided before
the demerger in
January, then we
have grown by 30% in
this area.
Apart from this, our prof-
its and Ebitda were a bit
low but we are working on
this. Similarly, we also pro-
vided guidance for the
next year in January and
said that we will grow
by at least 20%,
Ebitda will be
around 15% and
EPS will hover
around 6-7%.
So, we stand by
the target for
2019-20 that was
earlier projected.
Besides, we will
be able to provide
clear guidance
and area wise
p e r f o r -
ondary transaction where
existing shareholders are
exiting their holdings, it
said.
The investment will
support growth of L&T
IDFs loan book across sec-
tors such as renewable
energy, roads, power
transmission, air-
ports and ports, it
said.
The funding will
also strengthen the IDF’s
capital structure, technol-
ogy and digitisation strat-
egy, it added. Partnering
with Apis will support the
IDF in accessing low cost
international sources of
funds. —PTI
how for floating solar pro-
jects. These could offer bet-
ter margins than conven-
tional solar projects, which
have seen intense competi-
tion erode margins.
There are over 1.3 giga-
watts of floating solar plants
globally, according to a re-
port from BloombergNEF.
China accounts for 85% of
these installations, followed
by Japan and South Korea.
India is set to be one of the
top four countries for float-
ing solar, according to
BNEF.
“Floating solar plants can
help move India closer to its
ambitious installation target
for 2022,” said Rohit Gadre,
BNEF’s solar analyst for In-
dia. India aims at 100 giga-
watts of solar power installa-
tions by 2022, against the
current level of about 27 gi-
gawatts. —Bloomberg
New Delhi: Mining moghul
Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Ltd
has received environment
clearance for the expansion
of its oil and gas operation in
Rajasthan that would entail
an investment of Rs 12,000
crore, according to an offi-
cial circular.
The proposal is to expand
onshore oil and gas produc-
tion from the existing
3,00,000 BOPD (barrels oil
per day) to 4,00,000 BOPD
and 165 mmscfd (million
standard cubic feed per day)
to 750 mmscfd from the ‘RJ-
ON-90/1’blocklocatedinBarmer
and Jalore districts, Rajasthan.
The Union Environment
Ministry gave the final clear-
ance to the proposed expan-
sion project after taking into
account recommendations
of an in-house expert commit-
tee.
The environment clear-
ance (EC) is, however, sub-
ject to compliance to certain
conditions. The EC certifi-
cate has already been issued
to Vedanta Ltd, the docu-
ment showed.
The estimated project cost
is Rs 12,000 crore. The com-
pany aims to implement the
project in a phased manner
during seven years. —PTI
mance only after the quar-
ter results are declared
next month.
„„ Has the demand slow-
down in the auto sector
impacted your order book
and how are you looking
at it in the near future?
Also, update on the exist-
ing order book?
See, we are not in a business
that is directly linked to ve-
hicles that are on road, and
we always work on a 3-4-year
program. So, the downturn
that is visible on the sales of
global companies is not hav-
ing any direct impact on our
company.
This is a period when
leading global companies in-
vest in R&D to make them-
selves ready with their prod-
ucts during the upturn. So,
that is why we haven’t seen
any direct impact on our
business. Our revenue is not
directly linked with the sales
and we work on an outlook
of 3-4 years. So, we are not in
a situation that can create
problems while meeting our
guidance. —Zee Business
Dish TV forays
into OTT
segment with
Watcho
New Delhi: Dish TV Thurs-
day forayed into online Vid-
eo on Demand segment by
launching OTT (over-the-
top) platform ‘Watcho’, and
expects to have 10 million
user-base within a year, said
a top company official.
Essel Group’s DTH arm is
targeting the young millenial
across the country, and as per
its strategy it will offer short
format contents, which are
economically viable along
with user-generated plat-
forms in languages such as
Hindi, Kannada and Telugu.
Besides, the company has
also plans to add contents on
its platform in other region-
al languages, including Bho-
jpuri and Gujarati, to expand
in the OTT market.
The company will provide
OTT service to its existing
DTH subscribers of Dish TV
and D2H brands, which are
estimated to be around 23
million, free as of now.
The OTT platform will
synergise with the existing
DTH platform as this would
help to control churning
rates and benefit the custom-
ers, which now prefer to con-
sume entertainment con-
tents on the go, Dish TV In-
dia Executive Director &
Group CEO Anil Dua said.
“It would help us to grow
the basic platform with its
active base much more
strongly because it would
block one more exit
route.
“This is meant to strength-
en the existing platform
rater than creating a new
platform,” said Dua. The
move will also help Dish TV
to have presence in both the
mediums - the traditional
DTH and fast growing online
streaming market. —PTI
 26
Friday
April
2019
Ahmedabad
www.dnaindia.com
HOCKEY Star skipper Rani Rampal headlines a 60-player probables list for the women’s hockey national camp beginning in Bengaluru
ball game
‘I would’ve loved
to play WC’
West Indies spinner
Sunil Narine said that
he would have loved to
play in the World Cup
after missing out on the
opportunity to play in
the tournament due to a
finger injury. “I would
have loved to play in the
World Cup. I have
missed international
cricket and I have
missed representing the
West Indies,” ESPN
Cricinfo quoted Narine
as saying on Wednesday.
Billings suffers
shoulder injury
England batsman Sam
Billings suffered a
shoulder injury when he
made a return for Kent
which, however, lasted
only a couple of min-
utes. He was forced to
leave the field after the
injury. Kent’s captain,
Billings, was playing for
his first county fixture
of the season against
Glamorgan at Cardiff,
appeared to dislocate his
shoulder in an attempt
to stop a shot in Harry
Podmore’s first over of
the match, ESPN Cricin-
fo reported.
Resting players is
crucial: Iqbal
Bangladesh is all set to
participate in the tri-se-
ries which will be played
next month, however,
Bangladesh batsman
Tamim Iqbal expressed
that amid tight schedule
for the players, resting
players who need it will
be indispensable. “The
key will be to rest the
people who need it, espe-
cially in Ireland. We can-
not afford to rest them
in the World Cup,” ICC
quoted Iqbal as saying.
on the tube
(All Live)
Badminton
Sony Ten 2 14:30 Badmin-
ton Asian Championships:
Quarterfinals
Cricket
Star Sports Network
20:00 IPL: CSK vs MI
Sony Six 17:30 Royal
London One-Day Cup:
Somerset vs Essex
Motorsport
Star Sports Select 2
18:25 F1, Azerbaijan GP:
Practice sessions
Football
Star Sports 3 00:00 Bun-
desliga: FC Augsburg vs
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Star Sports Select 1 & 2
00:20 (Saturday) EPL:
Liverpool FC vs Hudders-
field Town
Golf
DSport 16:00 European
Tour: Trophee Hassan
Tennis
Sony ESPN 16:00 Barce-
lona Open: Quarterfinals
Fiery Kohli should take it easy at least against Indian teammates
Opinion matters
G Krishnan
V
irat Kohli’s passion for
cricket is, perhaps, sec-
ond to none. No matter
what he does on the
field, it is linked to the
passion with which he
plays. His exuberance often
rubs on to others, especially
youngsters who look up to the
cricketers as role models and
particularly the Indian cap-
tain for his enormous success
both on and off the field.
Whatever Kohli does, young-
sters want to emulate.
Even his display of emo-
tions on the field.
Every time his bowlers
take a wicket, the cameras fo-
CRICKET Hampshire signs
Ajinkya Rahane for the 2019 County
Championships.He will be the first
Indian ever to represent Hampshire.
He will feature in 8 ties, May to July
Indian teen, Archer win it for Royals
Assam’s 17-year-old Parag scores match-winning 47 as Rajasthan down Kolkata by 3 wkts; Karthik’s 97* in vain
Match No. 43
DNA Correspondent
sports@dnaindia.net
Mumbai: Assam’s 17-year-
old batting prodigy Riyan
Parag scored a 31-ball 47 and
Windies-born England quali-
fied Jofra Archer’s 12-ball 27
not out saw Rajasthan Royals
defeat Kolkata Knight Riders
by 3 wickets in Kolkata on
Thursday.
Chasing a challenging tar-
get of 176, Royals sealed the
match in the last over. With
nine needed to win off the
last over after Parag was out
hit wicket in the penultimate
over, Archer sealed the win
with a six off Prasidh Krish-
na over extra cover and end
his participation in the IPL
on a high as he leaves for Eng-
land for their international
assignments.
Parag walked in at 63/3 in
the eighth over when Steve
Smith was out leg before to
Sunil Narine for 2. Royals
faced a grim situation when
Ben Stokes too fell for 11. But
Parag, with adequate support
from the lower-order, kept
Royals in the hunt, which
was sealed in their favour by
Archer.
This was KKR’s sixth
straight defeat and can, more
or less, kiss good bye to their
playoffs qualification.
Earlier, skipper Dinesh
Karthik silenced his critics
with a career-best 97 not out as
Kolkata Knight Riders recov-
ered from an atrocious start to
post a competitive 175/6.
Dhawan learning
from Sourav, Ricky
Mumbai: India opener Shi-
khar Dhawan has said he is
learning a lot from legends
like Ricky Ponting and
Sourav Ganguly and would
appropriately use that knowl-
edge during the 50-over World
Cup, starting May 30 in UK.
Dhawan is currently play-
ing in IPL for Delhi Capitals,
coached by Ponting while for-
mer India captain Ganguly is
associated with the franchise
as advisor.
“Ricky Ponting and
Sourav Ganguly...I am very
fortunate that I am working
with them now. They both
have been great leaders. It is
very good to be close to them
because I can get their in-
sight, know what was their
mindset, what was their ap-
proach when they used to
play or captain their side,”
explained Dhawan, who has
scored 5,355 runs in 128 ODIs.
“I am already learning so
many things from them (and)
it is helping me. I am grateful
(for) that. I am sure those
things are helping me in the
cus on Kohli and his unbri-
dled display of charged-up
emotions. Often so aggressive
that they don’t look good on
him, especially when the
whole cricketing world is
watching and youngsters cop-
ying every movement of his.
On Wednesday, Kohli was
so fired up whenever a Kings
XI Punjab wicket fell that he
did not hesitate in saying a
few words (presuming they
were not compliments) to
each of the dismissed bats-
men. Those at the receiving
end included his Indian team-
mates KL Rahul, Mayank
Agarwal and the rival captain
Ravichandran Ashwin.
While youngsters Rahul
and Agarwal may not have
thought much of Kohli’s out-
bursts, Ashwin hurled his
gloves in the dugout after
crossing the M Chinnaswamy
Stadium boundary line.
Ashwin had smashed his
Test teammate Umesh Yadav
FOOTBALL
Paul Pogba is the only non-Manchester City
or Liverpool player to be named in the Pro-
fessional Footballers’ Association’s Premier
League team of the year
Rajasthan Royals’ Riyan Parag plays a shot en route to his match-winning 47 against Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL tie in Kolkata on Thursday —BCCI
Under pressure to perform
after a string of five straight
defeats, the World Cup-bound
Karthik promoted himself to
No. 4, shrugging off criti-
cism, and smashed nine sixes
and seven fours in his 50-ball
unbeaten knock, as KKR hit
top gear in the back end of
the innings, scoring 126 from
the last 10 overs and 75 off the
last five overs.
On a day their impact play-
er Andre Russell looked lack-
lustre in his run-a-ball 14, in
which he was dropped twice,
it was a one-man show from
Karthik who went berserk
against the likes of Jaydev
Unadkat and Shreyas Gopal.
Karthik seized the mo-
Delhi Capitals’ Shikhar Dhawan (R)
with coach Ricky Ponting —BCCI
IPL and I am going to take it
to the World Cup,” he added.
Dhawan, meanwhile, also
heaped praises on his team-
mate Prithvi Shaw, saying he
is the next big thing in Indian
cricket. “So Prithvi, I would
say it is a very big achieve-
ment to play for India at the
age of 19, especially India is
a dominating country for
batsmen (and there are) lots
of batsmen, so someone com-
ing in at 19 is a big achieve-
ment and he has done very
well for Indian team.
“He is a very talented boy
and I am sure he is going to
do wonders for our country.”
 —PTI
for six over long-on and the
next ball, was caught at the
boundary by Kohli. The Royal
Challengers Bangalore skip-
per, appeared to mock Ash-
win’s six-hitting ability and
even pretended to relay the
ball over the rope. Not one to
be a silent spectator, Ashwin
reacted in his own way.
Post match, Ashwin said:
“I just played with passion, so
does he (Kohli). That’s it, as
simple as that.”
Wednesday’s was not a
one-off involving Kohli’s out-
bursts while celebrating dis-
missals. In their last match
against Kolkata Knight Rid-
ers, which was the first of
RCB’s three back-to-back vic-
tories, Kohli picked up on
seamer Prasidh Krishna.
Having been challenged with
a short ball from the young-
ster, Kohli smashed him for a
six over long-on and gave the
lanky bowler quite a hearing.
In the same match, Kohli
Manchester United’s
mentum in the 11th over
when he hit Shreyas Gopal
for a six followed by three
boundaries in an over that
yielded 25 runs and KKR did
not look back since then.
Karthik completed his fif-
ty from 35 balls and smashed
Jofra Archer for successive
sixes in the penultimate over
before bettering his previous
best of 86 when he went ber-
serk against Unadkat by hit-
ting him for two sixes and
one four in the final over.
Unadkat conceded 50 runs
for his one wicket and was
the most expensive of the lot
as he undid all the good work
done by Varun Aaron (2/20)
who had a fine new ball spell
‘Trying to get
Dhoni have rest
is difficult’
Chennai: Chennai Super
Kings batting coach Mike
Hussey said skipper Mahen-
dra Singh Dhoni was keen to
play all the games for the
team and it was “very diffi-
cult” to get him to have rest.
The question over Dhoni
taking a break from his IPL
duties crept up after he him-
self said that if his niggling
back problem worsens he
won’t hesitate to take some
time off, especially with his
last World Cup around the
corner.
“Well you would have to
ask Dhoni that question. I
think what I know about him
is that he doesn’t want to
miss any matches. He loves
playing for CSK, this place is
very close to his heart and he
wants to play and do well and
wants to see the team have
success.
“So trying to get him to
have rest is very difficult,”
Hussey told reporters ahead
of Friday’s match against
Mumbai Indians. —PTI
RCB captain Virat Kohli has shown unrestrained aggression towards his
fellow Indian players in the ongoing IPL —PTI
kept encouraging his bats-
man Moeen Ali to smash In-
dia’s key weapon Kuldeep
Yadav to the extent that the
left-arm wrist spinner cried
on the field.
HOW THEY STAND
TEAM M W L T P NRR
CSK 11 8 3 0 16 0.091
DC 11 7 4 0 14 0.181
MI 10 6 4 0 12 0.357
SRH 10 5 5 0 10 0.654
KXIP 11 5 6 0 10 -0.117
KKR 11 4 7 0 8 -0.050
RR 11 4 7 0 8 -0.390
RCB 11 4 7 0 8 -0.683
of 3-1-10-2.
Put in to bat, KKR got off
to an atrocious start to be
32/2 in powerplay overs
against an all out pace attack
from Rajasthan Royals.
In battle of champs, MI take on Super Kings
Match No. 44
Chennai: They might have
already reached the cut-off
limit of 16 points needed for
the play-offs, but Chennai Su-
per Kings would like to con-
solidate their position at the
top when they take on an in-
consistent Mumbai Indians in
an IPL match here on Friday.
The MS Dhoni-led side
roared back to form after two
losses, with a six-wicket win
over Sunrisers Hyderabad
here on Tuesday night, riding
on Shane Watson’s big hitting.
Come Friday, the hosts
would be looking to continue
the momentum.
The visitors, currently in
third spot with 12 points from
10 games, are coming off a
defeat against Rajasthan Roy-
als and will be keen to keep
themselves in the hunt for the
playoffs.
While CSK’s must have
welcomed Watson’s return to
form, the team would be hop-
ing for Suresh Raina, Ambati
Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav to
get going ahead of the knock-
out phase.
How demoralising would
Krishna or Yadav feel when
the national captain does this
to them. Or for that matter, he
does it against his own India
teammates Agarwal, who de-
Six meter
15 5 8
n zone
97
No. of runs (unbeaten)
that Dinesh Karthik
scored on Thursday, his
highest ever IPL score
Playing his only second
match this season, Aaron ex-
tracted pace and swing from
the fast-paced Eden track and
removed both the openers
Chris Lynn (0) and Shubman
Gill (14) cheaply.
The bowlers have played a
big role in CSK’s success so
far, especially at home, on
sluggish tracks. The much-
improved Deepak Chahar will
be key in the matches to come
with his intelligent bowling.
Though Imran Tahir went
wicketless in the SRH match,
the South African veteran
will be expected to stymie the
powerful Mumbai Indians
batting line-up along with fel-
low spinners Ravindra Jadeja
and Harbhajan Singh.
Mumbai have had a roller
coaster season so far and they
now need to be at their best in
the last lap of the prelimi-
nary phase.
In Rohit Sharma, they have
a shrewd captain who leads
from the front, and a solid bat-
ting unit that includes Quin-
ton de Kock, Kieron Pollard
and the Pandya brothers —
Hardik & Krunal.
Jasprit Bumrah & Co. will
be wary of CSK’s batting with
Watson having found his
mojo again and the ever-reli-
able Dhoni.
An interesting battle looms
between the two three-time
champions. —PTI
buted brilliantly in Tests on
the historic triumphant tour
of Australia four months ago,
and Rahul, who has been
Kohli’s friend and will be in
the same team for the World
Cup shortly.
It doesn’t present a pretty
picture for the successful cap-
tain Kohli showing unre-
strained aggression towards
his fellow players in the na-
tional team — even if they are
opponents in the IPL. It is fine
to say ‘this is how Kohli plays
and that he is very passionate
about his own team’ but there
has to be a limit.
What if either Krishna or
Agarwal stop in their tracks
and give it back to Kohli?
Something as unpleasant as
the Gautam Gambhir-Kohli
fight in IPL a few years ago.
On the other hand, Kohli
would have won many hearts
and been a perfect example of
the sportsman’s spirit had he
consoled Yadav. After all, Ya-
Aaron set up Lynn bril-
liantly with his first two balls
before bowling a delivery
that sharply came back as the
Australian played it on to his
stumps in a wicket-maiden
first over.
Then the talented Gill had
no answer to negotiate an
inswinger as he was com-
pletely beaten by pace to see
the ball clip his bails.
Archer capped a superb
powerplay for Royals with
another maiden as the dispir-
ited KKR found themselves
going nowhere and seemed to
be losing the plot before skip-
per Karthik revived them at
the back end of the innings.
With PTI inpts
CSK
Match No. 44, Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Live on Star Sports Network, 8pm
super challenge for mumbai
CSK: Having all but
sealed the qualifiers Team
spot, they won’t be News
under any pressure.
However, form of their
middle-order would be a
concern for captain
MS Dhoni
Harbhajan
Singh
Harbhajan Singh will be playing against his old team here. He will be
too keen on taking on his former teammate Rohit Sharma, who has
not really set the IPL on fire with his bat
Head to head: Played: 25, CSK: 11, MI: 14
Pitch report: The wicket
will be as usual slow
and turning
8
Punter point:
CSK: 4/5
MI: Evens
dav is Kohli’s match-winning
bowler for Team India.
As it is, Yadav is short on
confidence with wickets rare-
ly coming his way. His morale
would have been boosted had
Kohli given him encouraging
words or just a pat on the
back. Agreed, there’s so much
at stake in IPL and one has to
give their all and be profes-
sional, however close they
may be off the field.
But, haven’t we seen nu-
merous incidents of sport-
spersons across disciplines in
global events putting aside
their personal motives and
helping fellow competitors?
In the second half of the
IPL after RCB had lost seven
of their first eight matches,
Kohli repeatedly said that he
is not looking at the playoffs
chances and want to play and
enjoy. Is his aggressive ges-
tures and possible abuses di-
rected to his India teammates
and young players in the op-
10
SCOREBOARD
KKR vs RR Match No. 43, Venue: Eden
Gardens, Kolkata Toss: RR, bowl first
KKR R B 4/6 SR
C Lynn b Aaron 0 3 0/0 0.00
S Gill b Aaron 14 14 2/0 100.00
N Rana c Aaron b Gopal 21 26 3/0 80.76
D Karthik not out 97 50 7/9 194.00
S Narine run out (Rahane) 11 8 1/1 137.50
A Russell c Parag b Thomas 14 14 0/1 100.00
Brathwaite c Rahane b Unadkat 5 3 1/0 166.66
R Singh not out 3 3 0/0 100.00
Extras (LB7, NB1, W2) 10
Total (for 6 wkts, 20 Ov) 175 (8.75 runs per over)
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Lynn, 0.3 ov), 2-31 (Gill, 4.6 ov),
3-42 (Rana, 8.2 ov), 4-80 (Narine, 11.3 ov), 5-119 (Russell,
16.5 ov), 6-131 (Brathwaite, 17.2 ov)
Bowling: V Aaron 4-1-20-2, O Thomas 4-0-32-1 (NB1), JC
Archer 4-0-28-0 (W1), S Gopal 3-0-31-1, R Parag 1-0-7-0, J
Unadkat 4-0-50-1 (W1)
RR (tgt: 176) R B 4/6 SR
A Rahane lbw b Narine 34 21 5/1 161.90
S Samson b Chawla 22 15 0/2 146.66
S Smith b Narine 2 6 0/0 33.33
B Stokes c Russell b Chawla 11 10 2/0 110.00
R Parag hit wicket b Russell 47 31 5/2 151.61
S Binny c Singh b Chawla 11 11 0/1 100.00
S Gopal c Gill b Krishna 18 9 4/0 200.00
J Archer not out 27 12 2/2 225.00
J Unadkat not out 0 1 0/0 0.00
Extras (W5) 5
Total (for 7 wkts, 19.2 Ov) 177 (9.15 runs per over)
Fall of wickets: 1-53 (Rahane, 5.2 ov), 2-57 (Samson,
6.3 ov), 3-63 (Smith, 7.2 ov), 4-78 (Stokes, 10.1 ov), 5-98
(Binny, 12.3 ov), 6-123 (Gopal, 15.2 ov), 7-167 (Parag,
18.5 ov)
Bowling: C Brathwaite 2-0-16-0 (W3), MP Krishna 3.2-0-
43-1 (W1), A Russell 3-0-32-1, S Narine 4-0-25-2, YP Raj
2-0-28-0 (W1), P Chawla 4-0-20-3, N Rana 1-0-13-0
Result: RR win by 3 wickets
Man of the match: Varun Aaron
Orange cap
David Warner
(SRH)
574
runs
Jonny Bairstow (SRH)  445
Chris Gayle (KXIP)  444
Purple cap
Kagiso Rabada
(DC)
23 wickets
Imran Tahir (CSK) 16
Deepak Chahar (CSK) 14
VS
MI
MI: Rohit Sharma’s team is
coming from back-to-
back defeats. They have
a huge task to get back to
winning ways. Good news
is they have got a replacement
of Alzarri Joseph in Beuran
Hendricks
Key Rohit
contest Sharma
Weather report: It’s terribly
hot with the humidity cross-
ing 75 per cent
Watchability quotient: (1-3: Forget it;
4-7: If there is nothing else to watch;
8 and above: try not to miss it)
position the joy he derives?
A classic example in front
of him when it comes to
someone who keeps emotions
in check on the field is Ma-
hendra Singh Dhoni. Kohli
even admires his former cap-
tain a lot.
Even in most tense mo-
ments, Dhoni not hurl abuses
at his opponents. This is not
saying that Kohli should not
display his emotions at all.
But his seemingly abusive
words and aggressive ges-
tures are only setting a bad
example.
Players among themselves
may not mind it and take it as
a part and parcel of the game,
and move on. But, what about
the millions watching on tel-
evision who consider cricket-
ers as demigods? Think of
how a primary school-going
fan of Kohli would react dur-
ing an inter-school match
when a wicket falls. Therein
lies the problem.
 sP rt
www.dnaindia.com I twitter.com/dna I epaper.dnaindia.com I facebook.com/dnaindia
11
Ahmedabad I Friday, April 26, 2019 I daily news & analysis

Day after biggest singles win, doubles trouble for Ankita

HOT ON HEELS

India to play
Russia in opener
India will open their
campaign against lowly
Russia in the FIH Series
Finals, an Olympic qual-
ifier event, to be held in
Bhubaneswar from June
6 to 15. World No. 5 India
will take on world No. 22
Russia in the final
match of the opening
day, which also features
games between South
Africa and USA and Po-
land and Uzbekistan. In-
dia are placed in Pool A
alongside Poland
(ranked 21), Russia and
Uzbekistan (43rd).
Advani wins Asian
Snooker Tour title
Indian’s partner
leaves before QF
without telling her
Rutvick Mehta
rutvick.mehta@dnaindia.net
Mumbai: A day after regis-
tering the most memorable
victory of her career, two
strokes of misfortune hit An-
kita Raina on Thursday.
Not only did Ankita squan-
der three match points to go
down to China’s Zhang Kailin
6-1 6-7(2) 6-7(7) in the singles
second round of the WTA
Kunming Open in Anning,
China, but her doubles part-
ner also left without inform-
ing her a day before their
quarterfinals.
India’s No. 1 women’s sin-
gles tennis player, who
stunned former Grand Slam
champion Samantha Stosur
in her singles first round on
Wednesday, had partnered
with USA’s Ashley Kratzer
for the doubles competition.
The Indian-American duo
won its opening round on
Monday, and was scheduled
to play its last-eight tie on
Friday. However, the 20-year-
old Kratzer departed from
Anning a day after losing her
Ankita Raina
singles match on Wednesday.
Funnily enough, she didn’t
even have the courtesy to con-
vey her decision to Ankita.
“She lost her singles
match on Wednesday, and she
didn’t inform anything the
entire day. Later at night, she
told the tournament supervi-
sor that she was leaving. The
supervisor informed me this
(Thursday) morning, while
she didn’t even tell me about
her decision,” Ankita told
DNA from Anning.
The 26-year-old Ankita
had never met Kratzer before
this tournament, and the two
decided to team up only at the
last-minute, after the for-
mer’s original partner with-
drew a day before the doubles
draw due to an injury.
The first-time combo start-
The tournament supervisor informed me this
(Thursday) morning, while she (partner
she beat 2011 US Open cham-
pion and current world No. 77
Ashley Kratzer) didn’t even tell me about her
Stosur in the opening round
of the Kunming Open.
decision ... It’s unprofessional on her part It was her first victory
against a top-100 player after
Ankita Raina, India’s No. 1 women’s singles tennis player 10 attempts, and it was a war-
rior-like one, twice rallying
from a break down in the first
ed its journey with an upset me. How much time does it set and sealing the deal 7-5 2-6
win over the fourth seed Chi- take to send a message 7-5 after losing the second.
nese pair of Xinyu Jiang and across?” Ankita said. “Just before coming into
Qianhui Tang on Monday. It was an unsavoury end to the tournament, my coach
Little did Ankita know what has been an otherwise (Hemant Bendre) told me,
what was in store for her fruitful event for Ankita. ‘you’ll have a big perfor-
from the American a couple Coming off a run to the mance soon’. And it proved to
of days later. final at the ITF 60K Istanbul be the case. It just makes me
“I feel it’s unprofessional Lale Cup, the world No. 178 in believe in myself even more,
on her part. The least she singles tasted the sweetest and it’s a big confidence
could have done was inform victory of her career when booster for me,” Ankita said.

Indian pairs win

India’s ace cueist Pankaj
Advani defeated Ehsan
Heydari Nezhad of Iran
6-4 to claim the inaugu-

ral Asian Snooker Tour
title in Bengaluru. Adva-
ni, a 21-time world
snooker and billiards
champion, beat Nezhad
52-40, 66(58)-0, 1-63(62),
78-4, 35-47, 0-51, 47-35, 38-
39, 53(49)-35, 51(50)-20 in
the final. The Indian had
earlier defeated Aung
Phyo of Myanmar (5-2)
50-27, 92(92)-0, 86(86)-15,
12-62, 54-30, 24-70, 79-5 in
the semifinal.
Clippers keep
Warriors waiting
Lou Williams exploded
off the bench for 33
points as the Los Ange-
les Clippers upset the
top-seeded Golden State
Warriors 129-121 to keep
their NBA playoff series
alive. Williams finished
with four rebounds and
10 assists on a night
when the Clippers’
strength in depth
thwarted a 45-point dis-
play from Kevin Durant
2 gold medals
Manu-Saurabh, Divyansh-Anjum triumph
Beijing: Young Indian shoot-
ers dominated the mixed team
competitions by winning two
gold medals on day three of
the ISSF World Cup to take the
country on the top of medals
tally here on Thursday.
The teenage pairing of
Manu Bhaker and Saurabh
Chaudhary won their second
gold in 10m air pistol mixed
team event in as many World
Cup stages this year while
another teenager Divyansh
Panwar struck gold in air ri-
fle mixed team event partner-
ing the more accomplished
Anjum Moudgil to help cap a
memorable day for India.
The start of the day was all
about a new pair, a new for-
mat and a new result.
Anjum partnered Divy-
Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva (L) scores his team’s first goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday —Reuters ansh, who was in only his
Federation (ISSF) for the
mixed events in Beijing.
At one stage, it looked like
the Chinese pair would pull
through but the Indians
came back admirably well to
tie at 15 each, before winning
the shoot-off tiebreaker un-
der pressure to win a stun-
ning gold.
The second Indian team in
the event, Apurvi Chandela
and Deepak Kumar also
reached the finals but fin-
ished sixth eventually.
Then came the icing on the
cake with Manu and Sau-
rabh’s victory in the 10m air
pistol mixed team event. The
teenage stars comprehensive-
ly defeated yet another Chi-
nese pair of former Olympic
champion Pang Wei and 2019
New Delhi World Cup finalist

City raise the bar, United slide

to frustrate the Warriors
hopes of wrapping up a
series victory. Williams
made 12 of 19 attempts
from the field.
Eqbal topples top
seed Dahiya
Unheralded Ishaque
Eqbal caused a major up-
set by toppling top seed
Jatin Dahiya to enter the
quarterfinals of the USD
3,000 RBL BankATT
Asian Ranking men’s
tennis championships in
Mumbai on Thursday. In
the pre-quarterfinal
round match, unseeded
Eqbal downed Dahiya
second senior competition, Jiang Ranxin 16-6 in the gold
for the first time to beat the medal match.
formidable Chinese pair of Manu and Saurabh began
Liu Ruxuan and Yang Haoran from where they had left at
17-15 in a pulsating gold med- the home World Cup in Delhi
al match. a couple of months ago, beat-
The win was even more ing top class opponents en
Solskjaer concedes Cityzens have set standard as holders beat Red Devils to close in on title creditable given that a new
format was being tried by the
route to the gold. They did
enough to make it to the final
International Shooting Sport eight. —PTI
STOPWATCH “There is a difference in
quality — that is why they
n zone Gunners misfire once
157 12
Manchester United 0 lost to are top and we are where we
Manchester City 2 (Bernardo
Silva 54, Sane 66)
are,” said Solskjaer, whose
team hasn’t scored a goal in
No. of
goals
No. of consecu-
tive matches in again, top-4 in doubt
City have which United
Wolves 3 (Neves 28, Doherty open play in 572 minutes. scored in all competitions have failed to keep a London: Arsenal’s fragility on the road
37, Jota 45+2) bt Arsenal 1 “They have set the standard. this season, the most by clean sheet in all com- returned as a 3-1 defeat at Wolverhamp-
(Sokratis 80) Living in Manchester, we any side in English top- petitions, the first time ton Wanderers on Wednesday put a huge
cannot be happy with that. It flight, overtaking their since August 1971 dent in their hopes of a top-four finish in
Manchester: Manchester is up to us to close that gap own record in 2013-14 the Premier League.

7
6-2, 6-1 to advance to the City are closing in on anoth- and overtake them.” No. of games United Unai Emery’s side needed only a point

quarters. er Premier League title. Man-
chester United are increas-
ingly unlikely to even make
the top four.
In a derby match that
highlighted the chasm that
1 has formed between the two
fierce rivals, City kept the
destination of the title in
their own hands by winning
2-0 thanks to goals by
Bernardo Silva and
substitute Leroy Sane
2 at Old Trafford on
Wednesday.
An 11th straight
3 victory in the league
moved City one point
above Liverpool with three
games left this season in
their bid to become the first
That is unlikely to happen
any time soon.
City will win the league
with victories in their last
three games — against Burn-
ley, Leicester and Brighton.
Liverpool’s last three games
are against Huddersfield,
Newcastle and Wolverhamp-
ton Wanderers.
“It’s in our hands,”
Guardiola said, “but
Liverpool is not going
to lose points.”
A week after letting
a shot from Lionel
Messi slip through his
fingers in a heavy Cham-
pions League loss to Barcelo-
na, United goalkeeper David
De Gea was partially at fault
7
No. of Premier have lost of to reclaim fourth spot from Chelsea but
League matches City their last conceded three times before the break
have won against 9 games in all against a clinical Wolves side who
Manchester United at competitions (W2 moved up to seventh.
Old Trafford, more than D0 L7) after losing Ruben Neves opened the scoring
any other team in the only 1 of their first with a superb 28th minute free kick Shooters Divyansh Panwar (L) and Anjum Moudgil with their gold medals —ISSF
competition 17 under Solskjaer before Matt Doherty’s glancing
header made it 2-0 nine min-
Did you know?
n Pep Guardiola is the first manager to win
utes later.
Dreadful Arsenal de-
fending allowed Diogo
Grapplers Divya,
Manju clinch bronze
three consecutive away Premier League Jota to surge through
matches at Old Trafford against United and fire a shot past
n United have not managed to score a
Bernd Leno on the
stroke of halftime.
single goal in open play in 572 minutes
A late Sokratis New Delhi: Asian Games on the mat as she prevailed
Papastathopoulos bronze medallist Divya over Hong Thuy Nguyen of
‘Start playing like header from Gran-
it Xhaka’s cross
Kakran and Manju Kumari
grabbed a bronze medal each
Vietnam 10-0.
This is Kakran’s first com-
Manchester United’ was scant consola-
tion for the Gunners
as India’s woman wrestlers
began in style at the Asian
petition since coming back
from an ankle injury.

Send in your answers to
sportsdna@gmail.com. Names
of the first 10 winners will be
published tomorrow
team to retain the trophy
since United in 2009.
United slumped to a sev-
enth loss in their last nine
matches under Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer. After losing 4-0 at
Everton on Sunday, ques-
tions had been asked about
the attitude and desire of
United’s players and Solsk-
jaer got a reaction in that
respect.
This time, United simply
weren’t good enough.
for both goals against City.
Bernardo Silva received a
short pass, cut inside from
the right and shot just inside
De Gea’s near post in the 54th
minute, with the goalkeeper
slow to get down to his left.
De Gea then failed to keep
out with his legs a low shot
from Sane at the end of
sweeping counterattack led
by Raheem Sterling.
“He has high standards,”
Solskjaer said. —AP
M
arcus Rashford has called on fans who watched Wrestling Championships in “This was my first inter-
Manchester United players to “be their side lose a seventh Xi’an, China on Thursday. national outing since the an-
real with each other”. “Today we away league game this Kakran (68kg), also a kle injury. Though I would
didn’t play like Manchester United,” season. —Reuters bronze medallist at the Com- have liked to win the gold
Rashford told Sky Sports. “It’s not monwealth Games last year, medal, I will take lessons
right. The bare minimum is to work Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil is dejected lived up to the expectations by from here and will keep on
hard and give all for the badge, the sup- after Wolves’ 3rd goal —Reuters pinning Battsetseg Soronzon- working hard for the upcom-
porters, the club and yourself. We know bold of Mongolia to add to the ing tournaments,” said the
what’s been going wrong — it’s mental- silver she won at home in 2017. 21-year-old grappler.
ity and willingness to run for your Did you know? Kakran failed to make it to In 59kg, Manju was too
team. Forget the league and top four, This was Arsenal’s heaviest loss the final after going down to powerful for Vietnam’s Thi
you don’t lose this game. It’s that simple against newly-promoted opponents Feng Zhou of China 4-14 in Huong Dao, whom she con-
as a Manchester United fan.” since May 1994 against Newcastle the last-four clash. In the vincingly beat 11-2 in the
United (0-2) quarterfinals, she was on fire bronze medal play-off. —PTI

Saina, Sindhu storm into QF; Panghal eyes gold as 6 Indians make final
Sameer continues good form
Wuhan (China): Ace Indian
women shuttlers Saina Ne-
hwal and PV Sindhu regis-
tered straight-game wins to
sail into the quarterfinals of
the Asia Badminton Champi-
onship here on Thursday.
London Olympic bronze
medallist Saina, who was the
last Indian to take the court
on Thursday, needed just 38
minutes to get the better of
Kim Ga Eun of Korea and en-
ter the last eight round of the
women’s singles event.
Saina, seeded seventh, has
a tough next encounter as she
will be up against third seed
Akane Yamaguchi of Japan.
The other Indian in fray,
Sindhu, seeded fourth, took
just 33 minutes to beat Indo-
nesia’s Choirunnisa 21-15 21-
19 in another second round
women’s singles match.
The world No. 6 will next
play the unseeded Cai Yan-
Saina Nehwal hits a return to Kim Ga Eun in Wuhan on Thursday —AFP
yan of China in the quarter-
finals on Friday.
Besides the female duo,
Sameer Verma too contin-
ued his impressive run by
progressing to the men’s sin-
gles quarterfinals. Sameer
brushed aside Hong Kong’s
Ng Ka Long Angus 21-12 21-
19 in his second round en-
counter.
But a Herculean task
awaits Sameer in the last
eight round as he will clash
with second seed Shi Yuqi of
China.
Among other Indians,
mixed doubles pair of Ut-
karsh Arora and Karishma
Wadkar crashed out in the
second round after losing 21-
10 21-15 to Hafiz Faizal and
Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja of
Indonesia. —PTI
New Delhi: Asian Games
champion Amit Panghal
(52kg) took a giant stride to-
wards yet another gold medal
as he led six Indians – four
men and two women – into
the finals of the Asian Box-
ing Championships 2019 in
Bangkok on Thursday.
In an electrifying perfor-
mance, Amit, also a 2017
Asian Championships silver
medallist, decimated China’s
Jianguan Hu 4-1 to march
into the summit clash.
In her first bout of the en-
tire tournament, Pooja Rani
(81kg) put up an immaculate
display of power and preci-
sion to knock out Fariza Shol-
tay of Kazakhstan 5-0. This is
her third medal from this
prestigious tournament after
a silver in 2012 and a bronze
in 2015.
“I was playing in 81kg for
the first time and I was scared
as my opponent was taller
than me but once I stepped
inside the ring, I got the con-
India’s Ashish Kumar (L) exults after defeating Mousavi Seyedshahin of Iran
in a split 3-2 verdict to advance to his maiden Asian Championships final
fidence and played my attack-
ing game. Tomorrow (Fri-
day), I am up against the cur-
rent World Champion and it
will be my first time against
her,” said Rani after her sem-
ifinal victory.
Kavinder Singh Bisht was
sharp and agile as ever in the
56kg semifinal bout with
Enkh-Amar Kharkhuu of
Mongolia. Kavinder, the Gee-
Bee Boxing Cup gold medal-
list, held his nerves to secure
a 4-1 win in a nerve-wracking
encounter. Bisht suffered a
cut during the high-intensity
contest and hopes to be fully
ready for the final.
“My opponent was an ag-
gressive boxer like me. The
focus was on dodging his
punches and giving it back to
him and I am glad my plan
worked. I am very confident
for tomorrow and hopefully,
will win gold for my country,”
said an elated Kavinder after
the bout.
Ashish Kumar (75kg) put
up an audacious display to
eke out Mousavi Seyedsha-
hin of Iran in a split 3-2 win
and advance to his first ever
Asian Championships final.
The 2018 World Champion-
ships bronze medallist Sim-
ranjit Kaur (64kg) was too
strong for Maftunakhon Me-
lieva of Uzbekistan, whom
she got the better of in a
unanimous decision.
Deepak (49kg) entered the
final without having to enter
the ring as his opponent had
a cut and gave a walkover.
Sarita Devi (60kg) had to
be content with the bronze
medal after going down to
2016 world champion Wenlu
Yang of China. This was the
veteran Manipur pugilist’s
eighth Asian Championships
medal of a glorious career.
Nadal serves
better show,
beats Ferrer
Barcelona: Rafael Nadal
gave a much improved per-
formance to advance into the
quarterfinals of the Barcelo-
na Open on Thursday, dis-
patching Spanish compatriot
and crowd favourite David
Ferrer 6-3 6-3.
The world No. 2 had pro-
duced a scrappy display
against Leonardo Mayer on
Wednesday, losing a set for
the first time in four years at
the tournament but he
showed more spark and com-
posure against Ferrer.
Nadal broke the 37-year-
old Ferrer, who will retire
from the game next month
after the Madrid Open, in the
sixth game to take a 4-2 lead
in the opener but play was
halted due to rain with the
score at 5-3. Nadal saw out the
set when play resumed and
broke Ferrer in the first game
of the second. —Reuters
 26
Friday
April
2019
Ahmedabad
www.dnaindia.com
Ariana defends
Justin Bieber
Katrina Kaif
Kumud (in Bharat) is a strong, well-written character.
I saw this as an opportunity to play a part that actually spoke
to me, to portray a desi Hindustani woman. The closest that I had
done to something like this was my role in Prakash Jha’s Raajneeti
(2010). But even that wasn’t as desi as this. So, it was a challenge
for me
DareD to be different!
With Karan Kapadia playing a suicide bomber in his debut film, we look at some actors who started their careers with unconventional roles
Deepali Singh
O
ne might believe that Aamir Khan
began his career with Qayamat Se
Qayamat Tak (1988) and broke
every teenage girl’s heart when he
tragically died at the end in the romantic
drama. However, few people remember
that he actually kicked off his acting
career as an adult with the experimental
Holi (1984). The Ketan Mehta directorial
about student rebellion may not have been
the ideal launch vehicle for a newcomer,
but it showed that the actor was willing
to take the path less trodden with a
project that was neither a love story nor
a family drama.
Now, going by the trailer of Dimple
Kapadia’s nephew Karan Kapadia’s Blank,
which releases on May 3, in which the
latter plays a suicide bomber who claims
to have no memories post an accident,
it’s evident that this newcomer, too, isn’t
averse to taking risks.
Over the years, while many heroes have
played it safe, there are some fearless ones
who have experimented with genres or
roles and come out as winners. Here’s a
look at a few who dared...
Karan Kapadia
Disclaimer: Note to reader: Some of the content/coverage that appear in our special ‘feature’ page/s may be paid for by the concerned brands. Such page/s will be appropriately declared as ‘features pages’ (e.g. reader engagement feature, etc.)
Ariana Grande thrilled fans when she brought Justin Bieber on stage for her recent set at
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival but has now defended him after he was criticised
for using a backing track. She shared, “We also decided to do this 10 minutes before my set
started. We had zero soundcheck, zero rehearsal. You were singing with the back tracking like
most cameos do. People are bored. People don’t know how it feels to be under such scrutiny.
Ayushmann Khurrana
Seven years ago,
Ayushmann Dum Laga
Khurrana made his Ke Haisha
debut in a movie and
with a role that the
audience couldn’t
ignore. In and as
Shubh
Vicky Donor, the first- Mangal
time actor played a Saavdhan
guy who becomes a
sperm donor. The
Shoojit Sircar film Badhaai Ho
tackled this hitherto-
unheard of subject for
the first time on the
big screen. The for- AndhaDhun
mer VJ, who is also a
singer, played Vicky
with such a guy-next-
door charm that people in the audience
easily warmed up to him. Since then, the
multi-faceted artiste has followed it up
with many quirky subjects.
After
THE BLOCKBUSTER INTERVIEW
‘I would prefer having
a friend than an enemy’ in a no-holds-barred interview, katrina kaif talks about
her personal and professional equations
Meena Iyer l Salman Khan and you
are an evergreen jodi. TZH
I
t’s rare for a pushed the bar.
Bollywood I feel the audience
star to regain expects a lot from Salman
lost ground. and me as an onscreen jodi.
But Katrina We have received so much
Kaif has love and support from fans
managed to do so. She was that we have that much
the ruling diva of Hindi more responsibility to
cinema when she stepped deliver a good film.
back three years ago (for Nowadays, the tolerance for
just a wee bit) to pursue her anything less than perfect
personal dream with is so little. Cinema has
Ranbir Kapoor. That evolved; entertainment is
chapter ended; perhaps, available across so many
not in the way she wanted platforms and there is an
it to. However, to borrow influx of digital shows. So,
a cliché, she rose like a people are no longer in a With Salman Khan in Bharat
phoenix from the ashes. mood to tolerate anything
What’s commendable is other than the best. They
that Kat didn’t waste any want quality, they want
time in doing so. She just soul. No fancy, flowery audience will not spare you. basis of our friendship. It
aced her game with words and image-building I feel the took me three hours and 15
convincing performances exercises will help make l In your opinion, have audience minutes to read the script
in big-ticket ventures like the cut. If your product Salman and you evolved as and I was blown away by it.
Tiger Zinda Hai (TZH, doesn’t have quality, be sure a screen pair? expects a lot from I was sitting with my script
2017), Thugs Of Hindostan it will be rejected. Your Yes. Salman and me as coach. And, I told him,
(TOH, 2018) and Zero (2018). story and your film have to ‘Isn’t this really good?’
TZH netted `339 crore at the have soul. And Bharat has l You stepped into the film an onscreen jodi. I called Ali and said I
domestic box office, but that, it has substance. post Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ We have received so loved it.
TOH and Zero were epic exit?
disasters. The fate of the l How do you think it will Yes, I was not meant
much love and l Tell us more about your
films aside, Katrina has compare with the best? to do Bharat initially, support from fans character Kumud.
been the sole beneficiary
in all of this.
I don’t mean to say that
all our films need to
Priyanka was. Just two
months before the shoot,
that we have that It’s a strong, well-written
character. I saw this as an
Her journey as an compare with those of (director) Ali Abbas Zafar much more opportunity to play a part
actress has been noticeably Steven Spielberg. There called me and told me there responsibility to that actually spoke to me, to
good. As she readies herself are all types of films. But, was a change of heroine. portray a desi Hindustani
for yet another magnum there has to be a super- Initially, I thought he was deliver a good film woman. The closest that I
opus, Bharat, the leggy lass honest quality about your pulling my leg because I had done to something like
talks about the change in work. As an actor, you was genuinely unaware of this was my role in Prakash
her craft and also about her have to make sure that everything that had straight-forward person. He Jha’s Raajneeti (2010). But
personal transformation.
Over to Katrina, the girl
when you are standing
on that set, in whatever
transpired on the PC front.
Anyway, he asked me to
was clear that I should do
the film only if I liked my
even that wasn’t as desi as
this. So, it was a challenge
with the maximum stardom capacity, you are giving it read the script. What I like part. He didn’t want me to for me.
in B-Town. your all. If you don’t, the about Ali is that he is a base my decision on the Contd on P13
Vicky Kaushal
Action director Sham Kaushal’s
son could have made his debut
with a mainstream movie with
all the song and dance, but
Vicky chose the independent
drama Masaan (2015). He played
a man belong-
ing to the
Dom commu- Zubaan
nity, carrying
out cremation
2015
duties on the Raman
ghats of Raghav 2.0
Varanasi —
nothing could 2016
be farther
from a big- Uri: The
ticket block- Surgical Sushant Singh Rajput
buster. Vicky Strike Sushant Singh Rajput was already a household Shuddh
captured the
innocence of
2019 name having played the role of Manav in the
popular soap Pavitra Rishta (2009-2014). The
Desi
romance
first love and
the grief of losing a loved one
actor could have easily carried forward his
romantic image with him to the big screen as 2013
with such vulnerability that well, but it turned out, that he didn’t have any
almost seven-eight films later, it love interest opposite him in his first film at all! Detective
still remains one of his most Directed by Abhishek Kapoor, Kai Po Che! Byomkesh
brilliant acts. See the box above (2013) was a buddy film set against the back- Bakshy!
to know more about his other
unconventional movies.
drop of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and
Godhra train burning. The film was a critical
2015
as well as commercial success and established
Sushant as someone to watch out for. The actor
Sonchiriya
Rajkummar Rao
followed it up with several out-of-the-box 2019
movies (see box right).
The National Award winner is a much-in-
demand actor now but a couple of years
ago, Rajkummar Rao was just another
struggling artiste giving auditions and Ishaan Khatter
hoping for a break. And although he had His elder brother Shahid
2015 a brief appearance in the Amitabh
Bachchan-starrer Rann (2010), it was
Kapoor made his debut with
the love triangle Ishq Vishq
Dibakar Banerjee’s Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2003), but Ishaan Khatter chose
(2010 that was the break he was hoping to foray into the world of
for. Playing a man who cinema with award-winning
makes a sex tape in Iranian filmmaker Majid
Shahid
2017 2013
order to pay off his
debts, Rajkummar was
Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds
(2017). Playing a street hustler
not exactly a ‘hero’ in and a drug dealer in his first
Trapped
2018 2016
his first film. But it
made no difference to
film certainly was a brave
choice, but one that got the crit-
the audience or critics ics to sit up and take notice of
who saw the makings the curly-haired lad. The
Newton
2018 2017
of a fine actor in him.
He continued with a
23-year-old then decided to
make a splash in Bollywood
series of films that with Dhadak (2018), which was
Omerta tackled lesser-known a conventional poor boy-meets-
2018 subjects and also gave
him scope to showcase
rich girl-love story. Now, the
audience is curious to know
his acting chops. what his next film will be.

Contd from P12
‘Salman won’t let his film will clash with Sooryavanshi’
l You are playing a woman
from the ’70s?
Playing this character
didn’t mean just working
on one aspect. It meant a
lot more. From the first
day of the shoot to the last,
I immersed myself into it.
I slowed down myself to fit
into the mould of a woman
from the ’70s. You know
the world today is so fast-
paced. Everything is at the
touch of a button. Whether
it’s social media or some-
thing else, we’re so wired.
However, Kumud is not
from that world. I didn’t
even want my usual
gym-toned body. Instead, I
stuck to yoga and some
stretching exercises to stay
fit. She works in a hot,
sweaty employment ex-
change in Delhi. So, I had
to display the mindset of a
single woman battling it
out in a man’s world back
then. For the 20 days of the
schedule, I behaved like
Kumud. I didn’t run to the
gym after pack up to pump
iron or even begin to get
out of character. Even af-
ter pack-up, I lived in this
bubble; sticking to the way
Kumud talks, keeping her
attitude in mind.
Katrina Kaif
l Of late, you appear to be
pushing yourself too hard.
True?
I don’t think I push
myself in an unhealthy
way. Sometimes, you say to
yourself — okay, this is not
where I expected to be at
this point. This is where I
am. We don’t remain the
same person we were.
Each of us grows. Today, I
have to be honest to the
THE BLOCKBUSTER INTERVIEW
person who I am. I don’t
know what the future
holds. However, I feel the
world has been a more
welcoming place to me in
the last two years. Earlier,
I used to have a lot more
fear. Now, that is gone.
l But you’re still very
work-oriented...
All of us try to be the
best at what we do. I feel I
need to be absolutely true
to my work. I have been
fortunate to have people
who have come into my
professional life and I am
happy for their guidance. I
have learnt that the deeper
you connect to your work,
the more enjoyment you
derive from it. I have found
that place of growth and
connection. So, it is not as
if I have been unkind to
myself. I have just evolved.
l You have become an
expert at maintaining
equations with people —
whether it’s Alia Bhatt,
Deepika Padukone or
Ranbir Kapoor. You
were seen exchanging
pleasantries with them at
a recent awards ceremony.
I will tell you some-
thing important. A certain
thing is already playing
out in a certain manner.
My reaction to it makes no
difference. I can sit here
and feel anger and bitter-
ness. I can make myself
unhappy. Or I can take
into consideration that,
how miserable I am makes
no difference to anyone
else. So, instead, I can
lighten my own burden
Etc
The actress with Salman Khan in Bharat
and say — let me be happy
and at peace. And what is
meant for me, will come
my way.
I’m not trying to be
Ms Goody Two Shoes. I’m
not some extra-terrestrial
being. I do go through my
own share of pain and
angst. But I see no point
in holding a grudge.
Whoever it is (no names
taken), I don’t see the
daily news & analysis
Ahmedabad I Friday, April 26, 2019
point of holding on to
anything unpleasant from
the past. I would rather let
bygones be bygones. I
don’t think anyone is out
there to hurt me. People
are trying to do the best
for you. But, sometimes,
in trying to do the best
for you, you get hurt. Too
bad. However, I would
rather have a friend than
an enemy.
After
13
l Profound… Shetty film. The larger-
Believe me, I would than-life cinema he makes
genuinely prefer having a is admirable. He is a self-
friend than an enemy. I like made man and his
to laugh, I like talking to achievements are
people. I like hanging out commendable.
with people. Under the cir-
cumstances, I see no point l One hears Salman’s
in staying aloof. I believe Inshallah and Sooryavanshi
in making friends. will clash next Eid.
Salman loves Akshay,
l You’ve signed he loves Rohit. He will
yet another biggie, always be supportive of
Sooryavanshi? me in the work place. So,
I am happy to be back I don’t think he will let
on a set with Akshay his film clash with
Kumar and Rohit (Shetty) Sooryavanshi.
sir. On so many levels,
Akshay is so special. Ours
is a long association and I am not
that doesn’t go away with
time. When I was standing trying to be
next to him on the terrace Ms Goody Two
shooting for the photo-
graph that we did to Shoes. I am not
announce the film, I was some extra-
genuinely happy. It was a
terrestrial being.
good feeling.
Rohit sir is someone I do go through
whom I have always
admired. The cinematic
my own share of
world that he puts pain and angst.
together — the mega fran- But I see no point
chises (Golmaal, Singham,
Simmba) which he has in holding a
come to be known for — is grudge
incredible. People go to
theatres to watch a Rohit

pick your brain crossword hidato Baby Blues

Down as one (5)
1 Aromatic oint- 19 Ben ___ : Oscar
ment (6) winning movie ?
2 Adhere closely (3)
(6) 20 Fuel (3)
3 Italy’s capital (4) 21 Highest amount
4 Kind of cable (7) (7)
5 A threadlike ana- 22 Small seed (3)
tomical structure 23 The main person
(5) in charge (6)
6 Eyes amorously 24 Seaweed (4)
(5) 25 Peruse or go
8 SMS (4) through again ?
9 Avinash’s pet (6)
name ? (3) 26 Entertain (5) The Pajama Dairies
12 Chinese dynasty 27 Melt and mould
of the days gone metal (5)
by (3) 28 Express publicity
13 African musical (3)
instrument (5) 30 Novelist Vidal (4)
15 Factory (5)
18 Come together

Across 14 Sixteen for Caesar (3) 26 Attach (5)

1 A stimulating drink (6) 16 Poetic feet of one kind (5)
17 Dumb person (4)
7 Contradicting, disagreeing or
challenging (8) 19 Navajo dwelling (5)
8 A set of players (4) 21 Fresco (5)
10 Bind into a sheaf (6) 22 Gardens open to public (5)
23 A sea-fog - “Ahar” anagram
11 Disinter (6)
? (4)
28 U.S. net giant: abbr. (3)
29 Near-sighted (6) The goal of Hidato is to fill the grid
with consecutive numbers that
30 Hot-tasting root (6)
connect horizontally, vertically, or
31 A killer whale (4)
diagonally from first to the last
32 Extraordinary - there’s only
number in the grid. The first and last
one (8)
33 Called up from memory (6)
numbers of a puzzle and some other Tina’s Grove
numbers are already filled in.

spellathon How good is your vocabulary? Spell out sudoku

as many words of four or more letters
as you can from the letters in today’s To solve a Sudoku
diagram. In making a word, each letter puzzle, every digit
must be used only once and each word must appear once
must contain the letter in the centre. in: Each of the
There should be at least one nine-letter vertical columns;
word! Plurals, foreign words, and Each of the
proper nouns do not qualify. horizontal rows;
Rate yourself Each of the boxes.
15 Average; 17 Good; 19 Wow!

Tinkersons
crossword
solutions

sudoku
hidato

nail, vain, villain

icing, lacing, lain, laving, ling, living,
CAVILLING, clan, clang, cling, gain,
ailing, align, anvil, calling, calving,
spellathon

Marjorie Orr
Your year ahead will be lively and rebellious as you will reckon you’ve had enough of compromises and having to co-operate. You’ll walk your own
IF IT’S YOUR path and speak your mind no matter what anyone says. Try to tone down your sharper comments since gentle persuasion will work better than force.
BIRTHDAY TODAY Money will come your way through joint ventures or the generosity of others. In a busy schedule, you need to be efficient and communicate clearly.

ARIES TAURUS GEMINI CANCER LEO VIRGO

Mar 21 - Apr 20
You need friends around today to
make you feel loved, and also you
want their protection and advice
about the long term. Obviously,
no one makes your mind up for you. But
testing out ideas and picking up more
information will be useful. You can be cavalier
about money now, preferring not to be
bogged down in details. Just try to be
sensible as well as generous. Charity begins
at home and you need to ensure you have a
stable base.
Apr 21 - May 20
Maybe you feel you have to
achieve to be loved, so you will be
more compelled than usual to
succeed. But don’t muddle up
your emotional worth with outer success. You
have no intention of being one of the crowd or
fitting into the common mould now. You want
to make a different impression on people, even
if it means you are seen as slightly eccentric.
If anyone pigeon holes you or tries to control
you, they will be smartly told off.
May 21 - June 21
Maybe you have been sitting on
certain feelings for too long.
Things are beginning to come out
into the open in unexpected ways.
Though it may feel odd, this process will free
you of so much that has been holding you
back for too long. Aim to stretch yourself in at
least one new activity today. Get out the
holiday brochures, read books with an exotic
flavour, do anything that takes your mind off
whatever is expected and the same as
yesterday.
June 22 - July 23
Today, the Moon brings you into
contact with events that make you
think about the deeper mysteries
of life. Just stand steady for a
while to understand what is going on and how
you can make sense of it. At work you won’t
bend to fit in, not even if it relationships part
company. Try to be less extreme. There must
be a middle path where everyone can be free
to express themselves, yet joint activities still
head in the same direction.
July 24 - August 23
Since you may be feeling more
vulnerable than usual, it’s
important you give to help others
settle and then in turn they are
more likely to do the same for you. Though
you do have to watch a tendency to act
erratically. Partly you want excitement, so if
you get into a situation which feels too secure,
you will rock the boat just to feel better.
The trick is to find outlets for your high
energy without putting your position at risk.
Aug 24 - Sep 23
Keeping your stamina high will be
crucial now since you are being
landed with a good many chores.
So, you watch your diet, in the
sense of eating sensibly, and give yourself
things that are going to be of positive benefit
rather than pull your energy down. In spiritual
matters, you will be experimenting and
challenging everyone else’s views. You’ll walk
your own road no matter what, and not care
what anyone says, no matter how influential
they may be.

LIBRA SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS CAPRICORN AQUARIUS PISCES

Write to Sep 24 - October 22 Oct 23 - November 22 Nov 23 - Dec 22 Dec 23 - Jan 20 Jan 21 - Feb 19 Feb 20 - March 20
Marjorie Be a bit theatrical, try cracking a The problem now may be that you You’ll be moving smartly around a You may feel controlling about It’s important that you’re not left Just try to keep yourself to
Orr few jokes. This is the entertaining aren’t clear what emotional busy schedule, with more your possessions today, not on your own or pushed to one yourself at the moment. You
Moon of the month for you, so environment will suit you. You are comings and goings, meetings happy to share. But a little side today. Ask for what you need, probably don’t want to be too
with your
there’s no sense in letting it slide demanding more personal and general chit chat than usual. generosity will be long which is more pampering and open since everyone around you
queries at by without making a definite statement in freedom but in a slightly erratic way. Loved You will be more aware of everyday contacts feeling comforted. Though, you will certainly seems preoccupied. You may feel that they are
remembered. Compromise is not what you
afterhrs@ what you do. You are wondering whether it ones may find you contradictory in your like neighbours, work mates, maybe even have in mind either at work or at play. What dislike being told what to do at home, or be ignoring you or indifferent to your feelings. But
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14 www.dnaindia.com I twitter.com/dna I epaper.dnaindia.com I facebook.com/dnaindia
SC panel will probe ‘Crime’ ads to lighten poll runners’ pockets
‘bigger conspiracy’
Retd judge Patnaik on the panel, says charge against CJI
Gogoi has to be probed to ‘preserve institutional sanctity’
Abraham Thomas
abraham.thomas@dnaindia.net
New Delhi: Confronted with
evidence of its own officials
being involved with corporate
houses and middlemen to ‘fix’
judicial orders, the Supreme
Court on Thursday set up a
one-man probe panel to clean
up the system. To that end, a
former apex court judge has
been appointed, and he will be
assisted by three investiga-
tion and intelligence agencies
— CBI, Delhi Police and Intel-
ligence Bureau.
A bench of Justices
Arun Mishra, RF Na-
riman and Deepak
Gupta assigned re- misconduct
tired justice AK & aftermath
Patnaik, who served as
an SC judge during 2009-
2014, to tackle the probe but
no time frame was fixed.
Justice Patnaik was also
given full freedom to examine
the contents of the sealed en-
velopes submitted to Court by
a young lawyer Utsav Singh
Bains, that gave graphic de-
tails to prove this conspiracy. Bains), whether the affida-
Prior to passing the order,
the bench observed, “A day
has come when we need to
snapshot
India will be
poverty-free
when it is free
of Congress
Rajnath Singh, Home Minister
The Congress has
1 ruled the country
for five decades, but
India still fights poverty.
The garibi hatao call only
remained a slogan as Con-
gress governments failed
to take any concrete step to
eradicate poverty. The fact
is, the country can actually
become poverty-free if it
becomes Congress-free
The BJD government
2 denied justice to the
people of Odisha by
not implementing the
Ayushman Bharat and sev-
eral other welfare schemes
of the central government
3
The poor people of
Odisha are being
deprived of the ben-
efits of the National Health
Protection Mission because
of BJD government’s apathy
Give five years to the
4 BJP and allow it to
make Odisha the
number one state in
the country via speedy and
balanced development
The Modi government
5 has given a fitting
reply to Pakistan and
terrorists. The country is
safe under Modi’s leader-
ship. It has also elevated In-
dia’s status across the globe
by making development in
the economic front
hot list US Trade Representatives report identifies 11 countries including china, Russia
US places India on ‘Priority Watch List’ for IP rights breach
Washington: The US on
Thursday placed India on its
‘Priority Watch List’ alleging
lack of “sufficient measurable
improvements” to its Intellec-
tual Property (IP) framework
on long-standing and new
challenges that have negative-
ly affected American right
holders over the past year.
“Over the past year, India
took steps to address intellec-
tual property challenges and
promote IP protection and
enforcement. However, many
of the actions have not yet
translated into concrete ben-
efits for innovators and crea-
I didn’t know where
to look.
—Akshay Kumar, after PM
Modi told the actor that his wife
Twinkle Khanna vents her anger
at the Prime Minister on Twitter
rise to the occasion and tell
the rich and mighty that they
cannot run the Supreme
Court. They will under-
stand they are playing
with fire.”
CJI
Although Bains
claimed in his affida-
vit the recent sexual
harassment plaint by
a suspended SC employ-
ee was part of a bigger con-
spiracy to unseat the CJI, the
bench clarified, “We make it
clear this inquiry shall not be
about the alleged misbehav-
iour involving CJI. This is
with respect to the contents
of the affidavits (given by
vits are correct or not.”
Justice Patnaik has his
task cut out for him as allega-
Assam chief secy gets
earful from SC over
‘counter-NRC’ idea
Abraham Thomas
abraham.thomas@dnaindia.net
New Delhi: At a time when
Assam’s National Register of
Citizens (NRC) is being up-
dated to identify foreigners,
the state made a blunder in
the Supreme Court by pro-
posing the release of de-
tained foreigners. The state
said it would release foreign-
ers lodged in its detention
centres on a bond and two
sureties of Rs 1 lakh each by
an Indian citizen.
Baffled by this response
filed by chief secretary Alok
Kumar in an affidavit, the Su-
preme Court lashed out at the
state and Centre saying,
“Your government has not
been successful so far in de-
porting foreigners and now
you propose that they stay in
this country on executing a
bond. And you expect the
court to be party to this.”
A bench of Chief Justice
Ranjan Gogoi, Justices Deep-
ak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna
threatened to initiate con-
tempt proceedings against
Kumar, who was present in
the court. “You have no right
to continue as Chief Secre-
tary. We will initiate depart-
ment inquiry against you,”
the court said.
The state admitted its mis-
take and Solicitor General
Tushar Mehta sought per-
mission to drop this portion
from the affidavit. Kumar
told the top court that the
proposal was meant to be an
arrangement to release
detenues lodged in the six
detention homes.
The SC said insisted on
deportation of foreigners and
asked Centre how many
meetings were held by the
Border Management depart-
ment. The Joint Secretary
tors, and long-standing defi-
ciencies persist. India re-
mains one of the world’s most
challenging major economies
with respect to protection and
enforcement of IP,” an official
US report said.
The US Trade Representa-
tives (USTR) in its report
identified 11 countries, in-
cluding India, in its ‘Priority
Watch List’. China, Indone-
sia, Russia, Saudi Arabia and
Venezuela are among others.
It has also placed 25 coun-
tries, including Pakistan and
Turkey, on the Watch List.
In the report, the US said
frame-up?
Justice Patnaik, appointed
by apex court to hold inquiry
into sensational allegations
of a lawyer about ‘larger con-
spiracy’ to frame CJI and fixing
of benches in SC, said he will
apply his mind on controversy
after getting all relevant material
tions levelled by Bains in his
affidavit are “sensational”.
He alleged some corporate
figures and middlemen were
involved with court staff in
influencing listing of cases.
The bench, which had
praised the CJI on Wednesday
for taking on the black sheep
in the Court’s Registry, said on
hursday, “We will be maligned
and our reputation killed if we
take on them. But people of the
country must know the truth...
Is the court being remote-con-
trolled or is there a systematic
attempt against judiciary?”
The word ‘remote-con-
trolled’ was used by a former
judge who had called a press
conference against then CJI
Dipak Misra and used it to de-
scribe how the CJI functioned.
Alok Kumar, Assam CS
overstaying...
„„State proposed to
release foreign detenues
who have crossed five
years if they sign a bond
and furnish surety
„„At time of release,
they would supply a
verifiable address and
report once a week to the
local police station, sign
bond, furnish sureties
„„Police will store
biometrics of released
persons and submit
quarterly report to the
Foreigner Tribunals
(Border Management) was
summoned after lunch but
the relevant minutes of meet-
ing were missing. Upset by
the non-cooperation, the SC
adjourned the matter.
Both Assam and the Cen-
tre came in the line of fire.
The bench said, “Out of the
declared foreigner population
of 1.12 lakh, some 900 are in
detention homes. They have
intermingled with local popu-
lation and you are unable to
detect them and now you say
release those under deten-
tion, only to be lost again...
Does the Chief Secretary un-
derstand what he is saying or
is he signing on dotted lines.
You are in serious trouble.”
In the report, the US said that these countries will be the subject of
increased bilateral engagement with the USTR to address IP concerns
New Delhi: The Election
Commission has made it
clear that candidates will
have to bear the cost of adver-
tising their criminal anteced-
ents on TV and in newspa-
pers as it comes in the catego-
ry of ‘poll expenses’, a senior
functionary said Thursday.
The poll panel has made it
compulsory for candidates
contesting elections to adver-
tise their criminal antecedents
in TV and newspapers at least
thrice during electioneering.
Though directions in this
regard were issued on Octo-
ber 10, 2018, the rule is being
used for the first time in the
ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
The functionary said politi-
cal parties have been informed
that candidates will have to
bear the cost of the advertise-
Engine of AI
craft catches
fire at Delhi
New Delhi: An empty Boe-
ing 777 which was to be Air
India’s Delhi to San Francis-
co flight caught fire in the
auxiliary power unit (APU)
at the time of repair work on
Wednesday night.
The engine of the craft
shut down at the Delhi airport
during a technical inspection
on Wednesday night and
“black fumes” were seen com-
ing out of it, the airline said,
terming it a minor incident.
“Yesterday (Wednesday)
night at Delhi when an engi-
neer was doing a routine
technical examination of the
empty aircraft (777), APU
auto shutdown took place,”
the airline said in a statement
on Thursday.
The APU is the smallest
engine on an aircraft and
situated at the tail of it. It pro-
vides the necessary power to
start the main engines.
Airport personnel ob-
served black fumes from the
APU exhaust and sprayed
foam spray on it and part of
the fuselage, the national car-
rier said.
After opening the cowlings
(cover) of the APU, “there
was no traces of any burn or
external damage noticed ex-
cept for the minor oil leaks
traces, which was normal”, it
said, adding that a detailed
inspection was going on.
The flight was supposed to
depart for San Francisco at
3.30 am on Thursday, an air-
line official said on the condi-
tion of anonymity.
According to sources, Air
India has four Boeing 747s, 18
Boeing 777 aircraft and 27
Boeing 787s in its fleet and
these are primarily used for
medium and long-haul inter-
national operations. —ANI/PTI
not in outer space
Palestinian beekeepers ride to a beehive during a day harvesting honey in east Khan Younis near the border with
Israel on Thursday —AP
The Election Commission has held that candidates will have to foot the bill
for advertising their criminal antecedents
ment from their poll expenses.
Some parties had ap-
proached the poll panel urg-
ing it to allow the advertise-
ment expenditure be borne by
Antarctic penguin babies drowned as
ice broke and a UK-sized forest died
Hope fades south
of Cape Hope as
Happy Feet slip
Paris: The second largest
Emperor penguin colony on
Earth has suffered a “cata-
strophic” breeding failure
after nearly all chicks born
over three years died as
their icy Antarctic habitat
shrinks, researchers said
Thursday.
The British Antarctic Sur-
vey (BAS) used satellite im-
agery to study the behaviour
of the Halley Bay colony in
the Weddell Sea due south of
Cape Hope, which normally
sees up to 25,000 penguin
pairs mate each year.
They found that in 2016,
when abnormally warm and
stormy weather broke up the
sea-ice on which the penguins
normally raise their young,
almost all the chicks died.
This pattern was repeat-
ed in 2017 and 2018.
The BAS said the colony
at Halley Bay has “all but
disappeared”.
“We have been tracking
the population of this, and
other colonies in the region,
for the last decade using
very high resolution satel-
lite imagery,” said BAS re-
mote sensing specialist Pe-
ter Fretwell. “We can esti-
mate the population based
on the known density of the
groups to give reliable esti-
mate of colony size.
“These images have clear-
ly shown the catastrophic
breeding failure at this site
that these countries will be
the subject of increased bilat-
eral engagement with the
USTR to address IP concerns.
Specifically, over the com-
ing weeks, the USTR will re-
view the developments
against the benchmarks estab-
lished in the Special 301 action
plans for countries that have
been on the ‘Priority Watch
List’ for multiple years.
For such countries that fail
to address US’ concerns, the
USTR will take appropriate
actions, such as enforcement
actions under Section 301 of
the Trade Act or pursuant to
second
front
page
Ahmedabad I Friday, April 26, 2019 I daily news & analysis
them and not the candidates.
The parties too will have to
advertise the criminal re-
cords of the candidates they
have fielded. The expenditure
2016-2018: storms of change
Climate change activists from Extinction Rebellion group demonstrate in
London on Thursday; (top) Emperor penguin chicks —AFP
Impossible to know for sure if the break up of
sea-ice at Halley Bay was caused by climate
change... But such a complete failure to
breed successfully is unprecedented at this site
Phil Trathan, BAS penguin expert
over the last three years,”
Fretwell added.
The team noted however
that a nearby penguin colo-
ny at Dawson Lambton had
“markedly increased in
size”, indicating that many
of the Halley Bay birds had
migrated to safer breeding
conditions.
World Trade Organisation or
other trade agreement dis-
pute settlement procedures,
necessary to combat unfair
trade practices and to ensure
that trading partners follow
through with their interna-
tional commitments, it said.
In its India section of the
report, the USTR said that
long-standing IP challenges
facing US businesses in India
include those which make it
difficult for innovators to re-
ceive and maintain patents in
that country, for pharmaceu-
ticals, insufficient enforce-
ment actions, etc. —Reuters
public interest
n Parties which fail to
comply, face the prospects
of getting their recognition
withdrawn or suspended.
n Candidates have to submit
clippings of declaration
published in papers and
parties have to submit details
about the number of such
candidates in a state.
n Candidates in LS polls
can spend up to Rs 70 lakh;
parties have no such limit
of advertisement by the par-
ties will be borne by them.
This means that candidates
and parties contesting the
elections will have to publicise
BAS penguin expert Phil
Trathan said it was impos-
sible to know for sure if the
break up of sea-ice at Halley
Bay was caused by climate
change.
“But such a complete fail-
ure to breed successfully is
unprecedented at this site,”
he said. —AFP
Could’ve inflicted heavy
damage on Pak if we
had tech symmetry: IAF
New Delhi: If the Indian Air
Force possessed high levels of
“technological asymmetry”,
then it would have been able
to inflict heavy damage on Pa-
kistan during its unsuccessful
aerial raid on February 27,
according to an IAF report.
The report analysed vari-
ous aspects of IAF’s air strike
on a Jaish-e-Mohammad
(JeM) terrorist training
camp in Pakistan’s Balakot
on February 26 and the sub-
sequent Pakistani retaliation
the next day.
India carried out the air
strike to avenge the Pulwama
attack in which 40 CRPF per-
sonnel were killed.
In the report, the IAF said
Pakistan Air Force has been
consistently enhancing its
air defence and offensive ca-
pabilities since the Kargil
war in 1999 and there was a
need for India to bolster its
“technological asymmetry”
for aerial combat, official
sources said sharing details
from the report.
At present, Pakistan has
some edge with its fleet of F-16
jets with AMRAAM missile fit-
ted with them, said an official.
The sources said the
planned induction of Rafale
aircraft with deadly Meteor
beyond-visual-range air-to-
air missile (BVRAAM) and
S-400 air defence missile sys-
tem will provide India a sig-
nificant advantage over Paki-
stani Air Force.
“We felt we could not pun-
their criminal records at least
on three different dates in
widely circulated newspapers
and popular TV channels dur-
ing the campaign period.
Candidates who do not
have records have to mention
that. The candidates will now
have to fill up an amended
form (number 26). They will
have to inform parties about
their antecedents such as
cases in which they have
been convicted and cases
pending against them.
The parties, the EC said,
will be “obliged” to put the
information about the candi-
dates on their websites. The
EC direction of October 2018
was silent on whether the
candidates will have to pay
from their pocket for the
publicity. —PTI
Jungle loss:
30 football
fields a min
London: Last year humani-
ty destroyed an expanse of
tropical forest nearly the size
of England, the fourth larg-
est decline since global satel-
lite data become available in
2001, researchers reported
Thursday.
The pace of the loss is
staggering — the equivalent
of 30 football fields disap-
pearing every minute of
every day in 2018, or a total
of 120,000 square kilometres.
Almost a third of that
area, some 36,000 km2, was
pristine primary rainforest,
according to the annual as-
sessment from scientists at
Global Forest Watch, based
at the University of Mary-
land.
“For the first time, we can
distinguish tree cover loss
within undisturbed natural
rainforests, which contain
trees that can be hundreds,
even thousands, of years
old,” team manager Mikaela
Weisse said.
Rainforests are the plan-
et’s richest repository of
wildlife and a critical sponge
for soaking up planet-heat-
ing carbon dioxide.
Despite a slew of counter-
measures at both the nation-
al and international level,
deforestation has continued
largely unabated since the
beginning of the century.
—AP
force wants booster
In its analysis of possible
areas for improvement, the IAF
sought superior technological
asymmetry and air defence
system over Pakistan: Sources
It also talked about the need
for procuring new weapons,
other platforms for enhancing
overall combat capabilities
ish the adversaries appropri-
ately. So we need to bolster
technological asymmetry so
that the enemy does not even
dare to come close to the bor-
der,” said a source.
On the Balakot strikes, the
report said the Israeli Spice
2000 precision guided muni-
tions (PGM) fired from Mi-
rage 2000 jets hit five out of
the six designated targets in
the JeM training facility.
However, one Spice PGM did
not leave the aircraft because
of a drift in the inertial navi-
gation system.
The report said the decep-
tion used was successful as
Pakistan was caught off guard
despite their air force being
put on highest alert. —PTI