RNI Regn. No. CHHENG/2012/42718, Postal Reg. No.

- RYP DN/34/2013-2015
"!!
 # 0DXU4QY\i@Y_^UUb
$%&'()
² ³A403HC>B7DC3>F=
<4G82>1>A34A)CAD<?0
VQSUR__[S_]TQY\i`Y_^UUb 4bcPQ[XbWTS '%#
%*%*+ ,%*-./0 ?dQ[XbWTS5a^\
0=>0C75>A 34;78;D2:=>F 17>?0;17D10=4BF0A
94C3454AB<0A27 A0=278A08?DA 270=3860A7
BF0277 ?>;;B B0;0AH>5 %:BC055 347A03D= 7H34A0103E890HF030
2Xch E^['8bbdT (

m m
0XaBdaRWPaVT4gcaPXU0__[XRPQ[T
A08?DAC7DAB30H0?A8;#! (*?064B !C"

G?<F5C251D
=1>ED4"!
9>@<3<1C8
!!C@?BD
fffSPX[h_X^]TTaR^\
20?BD;4
72BC0HB?ECB27>>;B´
54478:4C8;;0?A8;'
=Tf3T[WX) CWT3T[WX7XVW2^dac
^]FTS]TbSPhbcPhTScX[[0_aX['
X]cTaX\WXZTX]UTTbQh_aXePcT

 



d]PXSTSbRW^^[bX]cWT]PcX^]P[
2P_XcP[^]P_[TP^UcWT00?
6^eTa]\T]cRWP[[T]VX]VXcb
 






bX]V[TYdSVT^aSTaP[[^fX]VcWT
bP\T the seat.
B?>:40B42>=><8BC)
A098EC>42>==H0H
=Tf3T[WX) =XcX0Ph^VeXRT chairperson Sonia Gandhi
RWPXa\P]APYXe:d\PaXb[TPa]c
c^WPeTc^[ScWT4[TRcX^]
2^\\XbbX^]cWPcWTb_^ZT
PVPX]bc2^]VaTbb³b=hPhbRWT\T
PbP]TR^]^\XbcP]S]^cPb_Pac
^UcWT_^[XRhQ^Sh from Azamgarh as the ruling
4G?4;;4317D1>HB7>C
>=20<?DB#1>>:43
EPaP]PbX) 0]Tg_T[[TS1P]PaPb
7X]SdD]XeTabXchbcdST]cfPb
bW^cSTPS^dcbXSTPW^bcT[^]
cWTRP\_db_^[XRTbPXS^]
FTS]TbSPhCWT_^[XRTWPeT
[^SVTSP]58APVPX]bcU^da
_T^_[TX]R[dSX]V17D³b
RWXTU_a^Rc^aA^hP]PBX]VW Congress has fielded leading
1AD=48C>BC>=460HB
03D;C4A4ABC>340C7
1P]SPaBTaX1TVPfP]) 1ad]TX
^]FTS]TbSPhX]ca^SdRTSWPabW
]TfbWPaXP[PfbX]R[dSX]VSTPcW
Qhbc^]X]VU^aPSd[cTahP]SVPh
bTgSTb_XcTPbc^a\^UV[^QP[
RaXcXRXb\Ua^\_^[XcXRXP]b
RT[TQaXcXTbP]SaXVWcbVa^d_b? !
 
344?0::D?A4C8 =4F34;78 Singh Chouhan is fielded from
T he BJP has fielded rebel
Congress MLC Dinesh
Pratap Singh against UPA
from Rae Bareli and well-
known Bhojpuri actor and
singer Dinesh Lal Yadav, alias
Nirahua, against Samajwadi
Party chief Akhilesh Yadav
NDA and the Opposition par-
ties set their eyes on giving
tough challenges to stalwarts of
either sides.
Prem Singh Shakya of the
BJP will take on SP patriarch
Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has
shifted from Azamgarh to
Mainpuri.
In another key contest, the
farmer leader Nana Patole
against Union Minister Nitin
Gadkari from Nagpur.
While Congress heavy-
weight and former Chief
Minister Digvijay Singh has
been nominated from Bhopal,
BJP sources said the contest
may become interesting in case
former Chief Minister Shivraj
also inducted two SP leaders, Dina Patil, who had lost to Lok Sabha seat in 1999 and
former UP Minister Ram Sakal Somaiya in the 2014 elections. 2014.
Another probable close
contest is shaping up at the
Kayastha-dominated Patna
Gurjar and ex-MLA Rajendra
Singh, into the party with
Union Minister Piyush Goyal
BJP-Sena together is pitted
against Congress-NCP alliance
in Maharashtra with 48 Lok
Commenting on denial of
ticket to Somaiya, BJP
spokesperson Madhav
Sahib from where the BJP has claiming that their decision Sabha seats. The BJP is con- Bhandari said all decisions
fielded Union Minister Ravi showed the Narendra Modi testing three out of six seats in related to fielding candidates
Shankar Prasad against whom Government’s all-round Mumbai and sharing rest three are taken by the party’s Central
“Bihari Babu” Shatrughan acceptability. with the Sena. Parliamentary Board.
Sinha, who quit BJP and like- Kotak’s candidature came “A lot of thought process
ly to join Congress this week, as a big shock to Somiaya, who goes into selection of a candi-
is to re-contest. had already started gearing up date. Only our national presi-
Shiv Sena’s dogged oppo- for his poll campaign. In the dent can comment over why
sition to the BJP’s sitting MP run-up to the 2017 BMC elec- Somaiyaji is not fielded this
from Mumbai North-East Kirit tions, which the BJP and the time,” Bhandari said.
Somaiya, a known critic of Sena had contested separately, Senior BJP leader Vinod
Sena Chief Udhav Thackrey, Somaiya had talked about Tawde said the decision to
compelled the BJP to drop “mafia of Bandra” which were deny ticket to Somaiya was
him from the contest. The perceived to be directed at taken considering the “ground
party fielded BMC corporator Sena president Uddhav realities”.
Manoj Kotak in his place. The party ended long- Thackeray whose resident Out of the six Assembly
The BJP, which released its pending suspense and con- “Matoshree” is located in sub- constituencies in Mumbai,
16th list, announced six can- ceded to Sena’s demand when urban Bandra. three segments are currently
didates which included one it dropped its articulate and a Interestingly, Kotak was held by the BJP, while the Sena
from Maharashtra (North-East prominent face from Mumbai the first BJP leader reported to and the Samajwadi Party hold
Mumbai) Kotak and five from North-East Somaiya and chose have raised his voice against an two seats and one seat, respec-
UP including Chandra Sen a lesser face and BMC corpo- alleged multi-crore scam in tively.
Jadun (Firozabad), Prem Singh rator Kotak. the Sena-ruled BMC. The BJP has renominated
Shakya (Mainpuri), VP Saroj Kotak, who is the group Sena workers had threat- its MPs from Mumbai North
(Machhlishahr SC), Dinesh leader of the BJP in the civic ened not to campaign for the and Mumbai North Central
Pratap Singh, and Dinesh Lal body, would take on Nationalist BJP if Somaiya was repeated seats but put delete button on
Yadav. Congress Party (NCP) candi- from the constituency. Somaiya Somaiya’s candidature on Sena’s
During the day, the BJP date and former MP Sanjay had won Mumbai North-East insistence.
 
 
  <P\PcPRP[[b<^SX³Tg_Xah
 
!" QPQd´ SPaTbWX\c^STQPcT
 ! B0D60AB4=6D?C0 :>;:0C0
B0D60AB4=6D?C0 :>;:0C0

?=B?C8 =4F
34;78F0B78=6C>=
proposal was hanging fire for
more than a decade. Given the
A hot Wednesday noon saw
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi firing a broadside at I n a fierce counter-attack,
Bengal Chief Minister
urgent requirement, the Indian Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Mamata Banerjee on Thursday

IhasnNavy’s
a major boost to the Indian
air prowess, the US
approved the sale of 24
multi-role MH-60 ‘Romeo’
Seahawk helicopters worth
over 2.6 billion dollars. The
helicopters will replace the
ageing British manufactured
Sea King helicopters now used
for anti-submarine operations.
Besides detecting and hit-
ting submarines, the new heli-
copters can also attack warships
and carry search and rescue
missions.
India had cleared the deal
last year. The US nod signifies
growing strategic and defence
ties between the two nations.
The Navy was in desperate
need for modern anti-subma-
rine warfare capable multi-
role helicopters as the Sea
Kings procured more than 35
years ago were in the last stages
of their operational life. The
government last year gave the
nod for a government to gov-
ernment deal with the US for
buying 24 helicopters in fly
away condition.
The MH-60 helicopters are
manufactured by US firm
Lockheed Martin.
The Government to
Government deal known as
Foreign Military Sale (FMS)
makes it duty bound for the US
government to stand guarantee
for all the aspects of the con-
tract including timely delivery,
availability of spare parts and
other related issues. The
approval on Tuesday came fol-
lowing India’s request to hasten
the process keeping in mind its
navy’s operational require-
ments especially with China
increasing its maritime foot-
prints in the strategically
important Indian Ocean
region.
Banerjee and the Congress for
trying to “weaken and demean”
the armed forces, trampling
Bengal under dynastic rules,
and perpetrating a corrupt
regimes. Modi called Mamata
“speed breaker” in the path of
development.
Addressing two mammoth
rallies — one at Siliguri in
North Bengal from where he
kick-started his election cam-
paign for the State, and the sec-
ond under a sweltering-hot
sun at the Brigade Parade
Ground in Kolkata — the
Prime Minister said “India” and
more so “Bengal” have been
trampled by dynastic rules.
In an apparent reference to
the Congress high command,
he said, “One dynasty is so
much tainted by corruption
that the entire family has to be
currently out on bail.” He went
on to add, “A dynasty of aunt-
and-nephew (TMC MP
Abhishek Banerjee) has tram-
pled Bengal like never before
which is why the people of this
State have made up their mind
to throw them out once and for
ever.”
Wondering as to why these
grand alliance of “the thugs” are
after him shouting ‘Modi hatao’
(oust Modi), the Prime
Minister asked: “Is that because
I have committed the sins
strengthening the armed forces,
letting the armed forces to
?aX\T<X]XbcTa=PaT]SaP<^SXfPeTbPcWXb_Pachbd__^acTabSdaX]VP]T[TRcX^]
aP[[hPWTPS^UcWT;^ZBPQWPT[TRcX^]bPc1aXVPST?PaPST6a^d]SX]:^[ZPcP^]
FTS]TbSPh
strike at the heartland of terror er has to be removed. I am
in Pakistan, or encouraging the waiting for this speed-breaker
scientists to test the anti-satel- to go so that development can
lite system catapulting India gather speed and poverty is
among the most powerful eliminated. If poverty is elim-
nations of the world which has inated Didi’s policies will be
of late been watching us with scrapped.”
dismay?” On the ponzi scam he said,
He wondered whether they “Didi’s Ministers, officials and
are targeting him because his aides ran away with the money
Government gave homes, of my poor brothers and sisters.
cooking gas, toilets to the poor They have looted
or made the dreams of com- the poor people,” adding every-
mon Indians come true. one will finally be brought to
Attacking Mamata for run- book.
ning a Government of chit Resurrecting the issue of
fund scamsters Modi said, “You Balakot air strike, the Prime
have a Didi in Bengal who acts Minister said the Opposition
as the speed-breaker in the path parties, including the Congress
of the State’s development by and Mamata’s TMC, went about
not allowing the Central insulting our armed forces by
schemes to reach the common demanding the proof
households. Now a time has of air attack in Pakistan terror
come when this speed-break- camps.
called Narendra Modi a liar of
the first order whose term in
his office had already expired
making him fit to be called an
“expiry babu”.
Mamata said, “If Modi and
his fascist party returned to
power, they will permanently
dismantle democracy from
India.”
Throwing an “open chal-
lenge” and inviting the Prime
Minister in a nationally tele-
vised debate, Mamata said,
“You (PM) are a liar who ped-
?C8 dles falsehood to win elec-
tions.”
Wondering why the Prime
Minister was not being acted
upon for breaking the electoral
model code by raising issues
related to the armed forces,
Mamata asked, “Why the India
Army should be called a Modi
Sena. There an Army jawan
sacrifices his life, gives his
blood for the security of this
country and here a politician
uses that sacrifice for political
purposes.”
She said, “Modi is trying to
use air strike and surgical strike
for votes, now he will see ‘vot-
ers’ strike’ that will throw him
out of power.”
Attacking the Prime
Minister for questioning the
patriotism of the Opposition
parties, Mamata said, “You call
yourself a chowkidar, but you
are actually a fascist, who will
ruin the country’s democratic
tradition if allowed to retain
power for the second time.”
Returning fire on patrio-
tism, she said, “Modi questions
our credentials but I ask you
whose friends murdered
Gandhiji adding “we will not
take lessons of nationalism
from you.”
Addressing a massive elec-
tion rally at Dinhata in
Coochbehar bordering Assam,
she said, “If he (Modi) and his
party (BJP) come to then they
will devour democracy in
India. There will be no election,
no right of common man,”
adding, “I am being targeted so
much because I am raising the
right issues and telling you the
truth.”
Attacking the Prime
Minister for blaming Mamata
for promoting chit fund culture
in Bengal, she said he is bliss-
fully forgetting about the
Deputy Chief Minister of
Assam whose name is also
there in the list.”
Attacking the Prime
Minister for leading the party
of looters, she said, “All the chit
fund wallas and criminals have
crossed over to BJP.”
She also pointed out that
according to a CBI chargesheet,
the BJP candidate of
Coochbehar Nishit
Pramanik (a former TMC
leader) was running multiple
cases of human trafficking,”
dacoity etc., against
his name.
Attacking the Prime
Minister for spreading lies the
Bengal Chief Minister said, “I
am ashamed to think of a
Prime Minister who only ped-
dles lies not only about the
Opposition but also his claimed
successes.”

#$$ %  2^]bXSTaPVaXPbRPaTTa^_cX^]

B74:70AB8=67 =4F34;78
2<cT[[bd]T\_[^hTSh^dcW
T he Delhi Police has arrest-
ed two notorious mem-
bers of the Thak Thak gang
who knock on car windows to
distract the attention of
motorists in order to rob them.
They are a big menace in
the national Capital as unsus-
pecting people keep falling
prey to their machinations.
Members of the Thak Thak
gang frequently change their
area of operation and rope in
new members for the job.
The two arrested members
have been identified as P Silva
and P Chandru, both residents
of Madangir in South Delhi.
Both brothers in their mid 20s
were nabbed by the sleuths of
South district police with their
equipment — engine oil bottle,
a catapult and a needle — in
their possession. Police have
also recovered from them three
laptops which were stolen from
Shakurpur Basti and Rama
Krishna Ashram.
According to Vijay Kumar,
the Deputy Commissioner of
Police (DCP), South district,
the gang members were inter-
cepted when a team of Special
Staff saw a scooty and signaled
its driver to stop but they tried
to flee and were nabbed by
police team after a brief chase.
“During interrogation both
the accused revealed they had
committed several such inci-
dents in Delhi and neighbour-
ing areas,” said the DCP, adding
one of the criminals would
knock on the window of the car
and persuade the motorist to
come out, citing a problem with
the vehicle.
According to senior police
official of the Delhi Police, all
police stations and district
crime units have been asked to
keep a close watch on the
activities of these gangs. Also
there should be electronic sur-
veillance on their activities as
they hunt in groups.
“There is a definite pattern
in their modus operandi as
they keep lurking near busy
inter-sections, bridges and even
near less frequented places and
they strike when those in the
vehicles are distracted by their
alibis and by the time
victims realise what is amiss,
they disappear,” said a police
official.
BC055A4?>AC4A A08?DA
C hief Minister Bhupesh
Baghel on Wednesday
urged youth to take up agri-
culture as an employment
avenue, claiming that his
Government by fixing C2,500
as minimum support price
(MSP) for paddy made it a
viable job option.
The Chief Minister for the
first time after assuming the
office interacted live on social
media platforms Facebook and
Twitter with people and
answered their queries about
the performance of his gov-
ernment’s 70-day rule.
During the almost half an
hour- long program, the live
received more than 5,000 com-
ments mostly from
Shikshakarmis, Government
employees and youth of the
State.
A number of questions
were raised by unemployed
youth who wanted to know
CM’s plan about job creation,
to which the CM pointed out
that since 80% of the State pop-
ulation is dependent on agri-
culture, they should consider it
as a career option.
On unfulfilled poll promis-
es, Baghel said that Congress
Government in the State had
fulfilled 18 of the 36 big
promises made in its manifesto
for the recently concluded
Assembly elections.
He said people must have
patience to see the remaining
getting fulfilled in years
to come.
On the Nyuntam Aay
Yojana (NYAY), recently
promised by Congress presi-
dent Rahul Gandhi, the Chief
Minister said the scheme was
meant for poorest of the poor
and around 5 crore people of
the country would benefit from
the scheme.
The Facebook live got
18,000 views. However, he
could not go live on Twitter but
took questions with hashtag
#BhupeshHazirHai
The CM has 2,68,000 fol-
lowers in his official Facebook
page while 66,000 followed
him on Twitter.
A08?DAkC7DAB30H k0?A8; #! ( ]PcX^]!

1 -2  !!  &%C'()

2WP]VTb\PSTX]
bTeTaP[[PfbQh
2T]caP[6^eTa]\T]c
made in several laws by the
Central Government will have
“serious repercussions” on
transparency.
used for the purchase of these
bonds,” it said.
The government said
under the new system, the

 
*+
fX[[WPeT³bTaX^db
aT_TaRdbbX^]b´)
4[TRcX^]2^\\XbbX^]
?C8 =4F34;78
T he Union Government on
Wednesday opposed in the
Supreme Court the concerns
raised by the Election
Commission on issuing elec-
toral bonds and justified the
changes in law saying it was “a
pioneer step” to bring poll
reforms “ensuring transparen-
cy” and “accountability” in
political funding.
The Government in its
fresh affidavit said that the
massive amount of political
donations were earlier made in
cash by individuals or corpo-
rates using “illicit means of
funding” under the old system
and unaccounted black money
was pumped in for financing
elections.
The Centre’s stand is sig-
nificant as the poll panel in its
affidavit said that the changes
4
A bench headed by Chief
Justice Ranjan Gogoi
Wednesday said it will hear the
pleas challenging the validity of
the Centre’s decision on
issuance of electoral bonds for
political funding on April 5.
It told advocate Prashant
Bhushan, appearing for one of
the petitioners, Association for
Democratic Reforms (ADR),
an NGO, that the matter would
be heard by an appropriate
bench on Friday.
In its affidavit, the Centre
has said the electoral bonds
“attempt at bringing greater
transparency, ensuring KYC
compliance and keeping an
audit trail in comparison to the
earlier opaque system of cash
donations.
“Accordingly, the concern
of the Election Commission of
India that electoral bonds will
enable foreign companies to
influence Indian policies is
without any legal or factual
merit,” it said.
The government said there
was unregulated flow of Black
money under the old system
and “the unaccounted-for
monies received by political
parties were also spent without
being accounted for, thus cre-
ating/enabling a parallel econ-
omy, as it were, through the use
of unaccounted for cash”.
“It is submitted that con-
trary to the concerns raised by
the Election Commission of
India, the amendments in the
respective legislatures have
been made and the Electoral
Bond Scheme has been intro-
duced, as a pioneer step in
bringing electoral reforms, to
ensure that the spirit of trans-
parency and accountability in
political funding is main-
tained,” it said.
The affidavit said that con-
sidering the need to impart
greater accountability in fund-
ing of political parties as well
as to maintain the anonymity
of the donor, a mechanism of
political funding by way of elec-
toral bonds was introduced.
“Under the present system,
electoral bonds can be issued
only by an authorised bank,
being the State Bank of India.
All payments made for the
issuance of the electoral bonds
are accepted only by means of
a demand draft, cheque or
through the Electronic
Clearing System or direct debit
to the buyers’ account. No
Black money can, therefore, be
political party must now dis-
close the receipt of money
through electoral bonds and
must account for the same.
“The Electoral Bonds is a
positive step in the right direc-
tion to ensure accountability
and transparency in conduct-
ing elections. The need to
bring about such a change was
felt as the measures that exist-
ed on the book were either not
enough or were proving to be
ineffective/insufficient in deal-
ing with the menace of cor-
ruption in Elections,” it said.
The government said that
it had notified the scheme
after due consultations with
concerned stakeholders and
even the poll panel was also
briefed on Electoral Bonds by
the Secretary, Department of
Economic Affairs in September
of 2017.
The BJP-led NDA govern-
ment had announced electoral
bonds in the earlier budget,
claiming that the scheme would
clean up political funding. The
government’s move was resist-
ed by opposition parties.
?=B =4F34;78
T he CBI has announced a
reward of Cfive lakh to any-
one who can provide any infor-
mation leading to the arrest of
dubious preacher Virender Dev
Dixit who is alleged to have
raped his disciples.
The agency has urged the
citizens to share any information
with the agency on phone 011-
24368657, Fax 01124368662
and email spstfdel@cbi.Gov.In,
which can lead to his arrest, CBI
spokesperson Nitin Wakankar
said.
The identity of the person
providing information will be
kept secret, Wakankar said.
In March, the CBI told the
Delhi High Court that its efforts
to locate 77-year-old Dixit,
who had allegedly confined
several women at his ashram,
Adhyatmik Ishwariya Vishwa
Vidyalaya, in Rohini here, have
not yielded results so far.
“The agency has informed
that Dixit is absconding and has
not joined investigation and
efforts are being made to trace
CWTcf^RPbTbPaT
him in Nepal,” a High Court
bench had said.
The agency had issued two
Look Out Circulars on January
22, 2018 and February 22, 2019
against him but to no avail.
An Interpol Blue notice to
locate him has also been issued
on the request of the CBI on
March 26, 2018.
The Delhi High Court had
on December 20, 2017 directed
the CBI to investigate the alleged
illegal confinement of girls and
women in the ashram where
they were kept in “animal-like”
conditions behind metal doors
in the fortress like building
surrounded by barbed wire.
The CBI has taken over
probe into the three FIRs reg-
istered by Delhi Police at Vijay
PVPX]bcEXaT]STa
3Te3XgXcU^a
P[[TVTSaP_TP]S
RaX\X]P[
X]cX\XSPcX^]
Vihar police station in Rohini
by re-registering them, CBI
officials said.
The two cases are against
Dixit for alleged rape and crim-
inal intimidation, while one
case is against unidentified
people for allegedly obstructing
the work of a high court-
appointed committee which
went to the ashram on
December 19, 2017.
The High Court had asked
the CBI to investigate the FIRs
lodged in Delhi against the
Rohini-based so called ashram
and its founder- head Dixit and
the daily diary entries relating
to complaints of missing girls,
commission of sexual offences
and even a case of suicide
there.
 35 
?8>=44A=4FBB4AE824
?0C=0=4F34;78
F ormer Union Minister and
Rashtriya Lok Samata Party
(RLSP) chief Upendra
Kushwaha on Wednesday
announced that he will be con-
testing from two constituencies
in Bihar — his sitting seat of
Karakat besides Ujiyarpur,
where he would be pitted
against State BJP chief
Nityanand Rai.
The announcement of the
RLSP list of candidate met
with a massive controversy
over candidature of Akash
Singh, son of Congress Rajya
Sabha MP Akhilesh Singh from
East Champaran. Akash is not
even a member of the RLSP,
and that sources said Congress
forced and bargained it hard
with Kushwaha to filed a party
nominee against Union
Minister Radha Mohan Singh.
Making the announcement
at a press conference in Patna,
Kushwaha insisted that he was
not contesting from more than
one place out of fear of defeat
from his sitting seat but to teach
a lesson to both the JD(U) and
the BJP which have been jointly
conspiring to finish me off polit-
ically by destroying my party.
“I will be thrashing a JD(U)
candidate in Karakat and
trouncing the BJP candidate in
Ujiyarpur. That way I would
prove my political point, “ said
Kushwaha whose party is a
part of the opposition
Mahagathbandhan (grand
alliance) and contesting a total
of five seats .
Speculations have been rife
that Kushwaha had been skep-
tical of his victory from his sit-
ting seat which has a sizeable
population of the upper castes
traditionally supporters of the
BJP and its allies. The RLSP
had fought the 2014 Lok Sabha
polls as an NDA ally. Ujiyarpur,
comparatively, has a larger
population of the OBCs espe-
cially his Koeri community.
Kushwaha resigned from
the Union council of ministers
and quit the BJP-led coalition
last year after being offered
only two seats to contest,
though he had three MPs in the
outgoing Lok Sabha.
The RLSP chief also
announced his candidates for
West Champaran and East
Champaran seats Brajesh
Kumar Kushwaha and Akash
Kumar Singh respectively. The
party had earlier announced the
candidature of its state president
Bhudeo Chaudhary from Jamui
(reserved) constituency.
The candidates for both
West Champaran and East
Champaran were introduced as
educationist, well-respected in
the area and the son of senior
Congress leader Akhilesh
Prasad Singh respectively.
The candidature of Singh,
a greenhorn, evoked a barrage
of questions from journalists
who sought to know when did
the Congress leaders son join
the RLSP. They also questioned
whether the candidature of
the partys national general sec-
retary Madhaw Anand was
cancelled in view of a contro-
versy that had arisen in the
wake of some dissident leaders
alleging that the ticket for the
seat had been sold for a huge
amount of funds that Anand
had gathered for the party
through his contacts in the cor-
porate world.
Kushwaha dodged the
queries, claiming Singh has
been a dedicated member of
our party and Madhaw Anand
will soon be rewarded for his
services rendered to the party.
You would not be able to con-
ceive the magnitude of the
honour we are going to bestow
on him, he said.
Anand, notably, was seat-
ed beside Kushwaha while he
made the announcements.
The announcements also draw
the curtains on prospects of
Ram Kumar Sharma, the
Sitamarhi MP, who had
remained with the RLSP dur-
ing the tumult it experienced
recently on leaving the NDA.
Both RLSP MLAs and its sole
MLC have already announced
that they would remain with
the NDA and seek recognition
as an independent group.
The party MP from
Jehanabad Arun Kumar had
severed his ties with the RLSP
long back though his efforts at
getting accommodated in the
Mahagathbandhan bore no fruit.
19?dbX]V\^]Th_^fTaX]0ad]PRWP[)2^]V
?8>=44A=4FBB4AE824
=4F34;78
C ongress on Wednesday
alleged that a “cash for
votes” scam was busted in
Arunachal Pradesh with the
recovery of Rs 1.8 crore in cash
from Chief Minister Pema
Khandu’s convoy and asked the
poll panel to register a case
against Prime Minister
Narendra Modi as well as the
Chief Minister and his deputy.
Accusing the BJP of using
“money power” to woo voters
in the northeast, Congress
chief spokesperson Randeep
Surjewala said Rs 1.8 crore was
allegedly recovered from the
chief minister’s convoy in
Pasighat around midnight,
hours before Modi was to
address a rally there on
Wednesday morning.
Khandu and his deputy
Chowna Mein should be imme-
diately sacked, he said and also
sought the termination of the
candidature of Tapir Gao, the
BJP’s Arunachal Pradesh pres-
ident who has been fielded
from the Arunachal West Lok
Sabha constituency.
Surjewala showed two
videos purportedly showing
the cash being recovered in the
presence of officials of the
Election Commission, the local
administration and the police.
The party did not vouch for the
authenticity of the videos, say-
ing they were available on
social media. It also claimed the
raid was conducted after Youth
Congress workers complained
to authorities in Pasighat.
Alleging a cash for votes
scandal in Arunachal Pradesh,
Surjewala said, “Facing immi-
nent defeat, a desperate BJP is
resorting to ‘money power’ in
the northeast. “A midnight
raid on the convoy of BJP’s
Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema
Khandu, Deputy CM Chowna
Mein and BJP Arunachal
President Tapir Gao has found
Rs 1.8 crore in stacks of hard
cash that exposes the brazen
corruption and poll violation,
as PM Modi holds a rally in
Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh.”
He said the party demands
that a case be registered against
the prime minister, the chief
minister and the deputy chief
minister. “Why is the Election
Commission sleeping and not
taking action in the matter and
not registered a case so far.
Why is the case being hushed
up?” he asked.
According to the Congress
leader, the videos emerged on
social media and showed the
cash being counted by police
officers in the presence of
Election Commission’s
Expenditure Officer Samrita
Kaur Gill. Pasighat Deputy
Commissioner Kinny Singh is
heard talking in the video and
stacks of cash are visible, he said.
“Was C1.8 crore of hard cash
being transferred for the rally of
PM Modi in Pasighat today, per-
sonally in the CM’s convoy and
in the safe hands of BJP presi-
dent. Where did such a large
amount come from?” Surjewala
asked. Surjewala also asked
whether this cash was reportedly
transferred for Modi’s morning
rally in Pasighat.
“Isn’t concealing and
hoarding cash during an elec-
tion a ‘corrupt practice’ and a
serious violation of law under
Section 123(1) of the
Representation of the People
Act 1951 and Section 171B of
the IPC and a solid ground for
termination of candidature?”
he sought to know.
Surjewala alleged the BJP is
trying to hush up the matter
and sought to know whether
the prime minister knew about
the stacks of cash being “trans-
ferred”. “If yes, an FIR should
be immediately filed against
PM Narendra Modi, Arunachal
CM Prema Khandu and BJP’s
Arunachal Pradesh President
Tapir Gao,” he said.

 !3!
! APWd[6P]SWXP]SWXb³bfTTcWTPac 6 ! 2T]caT3T[WX
33#1!!
(13 !3
STP[b´fXcWU[hQh]XVWc^_TaPc^ab   !  6^ec[^RZW^a]b
0AD=908C;4H ter of current generation of the investors were insisting that the
3  !  2 ^eTaWXaX]VX]
?=B =4F34;78 family. Periodically tenancies Central Government amalga- New Delhi: Deaths from cae- The study titled “Too much

n its bid to accord the ‘organised service’ status and H

IGroup
related benefits to thousands of Central Paramilitary
ow do parties and politi-
cians fund themselves?
Indian political parties were
are created in favour of persons
many of whom needed help
when UPA was in power. A
mate two companies and thus
out of the amalgamated assets,
the duped investors be paid.
2T]caP[ePabXcXTb
sarean sections are higher in
low and middle-income coun-
tries, suggesting a threat to the
care? Private health care sector
and surgical interventions dur-
ing childbirth in India,” was
A officers of the executive cadre, the Centre traditionally funded with cash capital creation programme Till 2014, the UPA lives of women and babies carried out by IIM-A faculty ?8>=44A=4FBB4AE824 =4F34;78
has directed the chiefs of the Central Forces to send i.e. black money. Many have was launched. Rentals are Government did not take any there, as per a study in the member Ambrish Dongre and
proposals detailing the list of eligible officers.
The move is prompted by a Supreme Court order
for grant of the organised service status to these offi-
now tried to get tax paid money
due to the legislative changes
and have started accepting
paid by obliging tenants in
advance. It is unlikely that the
tenants ever needed to live in
action. The investment of polit-
ical equity have brought
returns. It is only when the
recent issue of The Lancet jour-
nal.
All the deaths following
doctoral student Mitul Surana.
The study found “a woman
opting for private facility is
A tussle has emerged between the
Centre and Delhi Government over
the recruitment process in Central uni-
cers which will lead to grant of Non-Functional donations either by cheque or Delhi because they have had no NDA Government under Shri caesarean section could be 13.5-14 percentage points more versities regarding which the HRD
Financial Upgradation (NFFU) and Non-Functional through electoral bonds. business operation in Delhi. Narendra Modi was formed attributed to postpartum haem- likely to undergo an unplanned Ministry has sought the Election
Selection Grade (NFSG). While NFFU will lead to That, however, still does Not only did they pay large that the Department of orrhage (32 per cent), pre- C-section (compared to public Commission’s nod to start process as the
an enhanced pay after a certain number of years even not fully answer the question. quantum of rentals as advance Company Affairs passed the eclampsia (19 per cent) and facilities)”. model code of conduct is in effect.
if the officers are not actually promoted due to pauci- How many politicians lead a through make believe tenan- amalgamation order which has sepsis (22 per cent), and 14 per The figure is based on the The Delhi government has objected
ty of senior posts, NFSG will ensure an upgrade in comfortable life without having cies, they also apparently paid been upheld by the Mumbai cent to anaesthesia related caus- fourth round of the National to the Centre’s request, saying the EC
the rank of Selection Grade despite lack of vacancy any apparent and declared for a large number of employ- High Court and is now pend- es. Family Health Survey (NFHS), should not grant permission. In a letter to
for higher positions. source of income? The Nehru- ees who managed the estate. ing challenge in appeal before This observation rings carried out in 2015-16, which Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora,
The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday directed Gandhi family has been The amount collected from the Supreme Court. If the alarm bell for India where found that 40.9 per cent births Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish
the chiefs or Directors General (DsG) of the five described by its supporters as these tenants through advance Government succeeds, the number of babies born through in private facilities in India were Sisodia said that the AAP government
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) — CRPF, BSF, India’s first family. It, therefore, rentals and subsequently, the duped investors will get their caesarean section increased through C-section as against does not agree to the proposal of MHRD
ITBP, SSB and CISF — to forward proposals con- should be a role model. Pt. tenancies enabled the creation investment back. You needed from nine per cent in 2005-6 to 11.9 per cent in public facilities. for seeking permission to complete the
taining details of officers eligible for benefits of Non- Motilal Nehru gave up his law of the capital. Several crores of a ‘Chowkidar’ to catch a ‘Chor. 18.5 per cent in 2015-16. Quoting NFHS, the IIMA recruitment process in the colleges of
Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) and Non- practice 98 years ago. Pt. this capital thus created was ‘With regard to Unitech, the This was highlighted in a study says that a natural birth Delhi University in the midst of elections
Functional Selection Grade (NFSG). Jawahar Lal Nehru was a tall invested with the real estate less said the better. series of three papers pub- in private facility costs, on an and when the poll code is in force. “I once
The Ministry has directed that these details are political leader who was never company under cloud and Besides the 2G involve- lished in the same journal last average, Rs 10,814, while a C- again reiterate that Election Commission
required to be submitted to it by Thursday and also a practicing lawyer nor was which, like the tenants, entered ment at the time the favours year, which also found that C- section costs Rs 23,978. should not grant permission to such
asked them to treat the matter “top priority”. A copy Indiraji ever involved in any into a ‘sweetheart deal’ that were shown, many flat buyers section use almost doubled “The supplier-induced requests,” Sisodia said in the letter.
of the order is with The Pioneer. professional or business activ- from the moment the pro- had been duped, their monies worldwide between 2000 and demand driven by financial In a letter to the poll panel, the min-
The apex court had in February upheld a Delhi High ity. The late Shri Rajiv Gandhi posed buyer paid the advance siphoned off and the banks 2015. incentives especially when istry said, “In view of the UGC mandate
Court verdict on the subject and agreed that all the was an Indian Airlines pilot for towards the real estate to be were not paid back. The pro- The study found that patient has limited information to provide teaching and non-teaching fac-
CAPFs be recognised as “organised services”, saying it a brief period and, thereafter, purchased, one was paid back moters, including one with maternal deaths in low and is probably an important expla- ulty before start of new academic year in
will remove stagnation, ensuring the promotion and he was in full time politics. On annually under an ‘assured whom Rahul Gandhi signed middle-income countries are nation” for higher rate of C- June, 2019, the Election Commission of
other service-related benefits to officers in the same post. the basis of the available infor- income programme’. He thus the arrangement, is still in 100 times higher, particularly in section birth in private facilities, India is requested to give its clear-
The Delhi High Court on March 15 had asked mation, neither Smt. Sonia got back a large part of his prison. Under the ‘sweetheart sub-Saharan Africa and the it further says. ance/permission from Model Code of
the Centre to file a compliance affidavit on the sub- Gandhi nor Rahul Gandhi investment and the real estate. deal’ out of the instalments Middle East, than in some “When medically justified, Conduct for starting/continuing the
ject after a retired and a serving officer of these forces have ever worked for a living. Amongst the names of the paid, most have been repaid high-income countries, and C-sections prevent maternal recruitment process for regular teaching
filed a contempt petition before it saying the gov- For generations the family tenants, the critical person is back under the ‘assured income that a third of all babies in some and perinatal mortality and and non-teaching vacant posts in central
ernment has not complied with its directions. did not earn from any com- Jignesh Shah of FTIL and the scheme.’ Capital creation regions do not survive cae- morbidity. But if performed universities”.
The SC had held that Group ‘A’ officers of the mercial ventures. They were in real estate developer is M/s. through ‘sweetheart deals’ is sarean section. when not needed, they impose The appointments for teaching posts
CAPFs should be given all benefits, including NFFU public service. Most people in Unitech builder through Sanjay exactly what Rahul’s brother- Yet another study by Indian huge burden on the mother in central universities were put on hold
from 2006 in terms of the 6th pay commission. The public life sacrifice their com- Chandra. Who else would enter in-law did. Institute of Management- and the child that go beyond in July last year in view of a judgement
SC had also upheld the Delhi HC’s two verdicts by mercial careers and lead a fru- into such a ‘sweetheart deals’ Here is a man who makes Ahmedabad points out that large out-of-pocket expenses,” of the Allahabad High Court in April
which it had granted “organised service” status to these gal life. Most members of the except the ‘fly-by-night’ oper- reckless allegations without there were as many as nine lakh the study states. 2017. The court quashed the provisions
forces and also to the officers of the Railway Protection Nehru-Gandhi family studied ators who needed State patron- any basis. It was no rocket sci- “preventable” unplanned “For the newborn, it means of UGC guidelines which prescribed that
Force (RPF). outside the country for the last age? ence for him to know who were Caesarean section (C-section) delayed breastfeeding, lower the cadre or unit for determining reser-
NFFU is a concept introduced in the 6th pay four generations. Not many of conferring him with largesse. deliveries out of 70 lakh in pri- birth weight, respiratory mor- vation roster points should be ‘universi-
commission and was granted to what the government them excelled in scholarship, Compromise of public He aspires to be a Prime vate hospitals in India in one bidities, increased rate of hos- ty/college’ and not ‘department’, a letter
termed as Group “A” organised services. with Panditji as an exception. interest through such ques- Minister. Such aspirants like year, driven mainly by “finan- pitalisation, lower Apgar scores by ministry to the EC said. The letter was
Under NFFU, if all the officers of a particular batch All have led more than a com- tionable deals Caesar’s wife must be beyond cial incentives.” and its implication in the long sent to the EC on April 1 and a reply is
cannot move up the ladder owing to lack of vacan- fortable life. They enjoyed Besides the reasonable suspicion. They must be Such “medically unjusti- run,” it says. awaited.
cies and only one does, the others will automatical- vacations at multiple domestic apprehensions of the tenancies unsuspectable. With tainted fied” births not just Ministry officials said the EC has
ly get financial upgradation as the one promoted. and international locations. being an investment of ‘politi- hands, he must at least remem- cause “large out-of- already given clearance to Indian
The recognition will also enable CAPF officers cal equity’ by those entering ber that ‘people in glass hous- pocket expenses” but Institutes of Science Education and
to get better deputation opportunities in other gov- The expose into the ‘sweetheart deals’, what es do not throw stones.’ The also “delayed breast- Research (IISERs) and National Institutes
ernment departments that will help them gather An expose by media organ- happened to Jignesh Shah? He ‘Chowkidar’ has finally caught feeding, lower birth- of Technology to start recruitment
knowledge and expertise of different domains besides isations revealed that the fam- had two companies - one with a ‘Chor.’ weight, respiratory mor- process. The HC order was later upheld
also getting more posts at the command level in com- ily owned a farm house in large quantum of assets and the bidities” among other by the Supreme Court in July and a
parison to the IPS officers on deputation to the para- South Delhi which is now other which had ostensibly (The writer is a Union troubles for the new- review petition filed by the government
military forces. owned by the brother and sis- duped lakhs of investors. The Finance Minister) born, it says. was rejected.
RAIPUR | THURSDAY | APRIL 4, 2019 chhattisgarh 03

Congress peddling lies to win election: Shivraj Punia reviews Congress

STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR
T he Congress party is peddling
lies to win this election and its
president Rahul Gandhi is the
biggest liar, alleged former
Madhya Pradesh chief minister
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, quickly
adding the party would not suc-
ceed in its attempt.
Chouhan was addressing a
press conference at BJP state head-
quarters in Raipur on Wednesday.
Launching a scathing attack
on Congress party, he said “Rahul
Gandhi speaks lies with great con-
fidence. They (Congress) had
promised to wave off the loans of
farmers in Madhya Pradesh and
Chhattisgarh within 10 days.
However, it has been over 105
days now and loans are yet to be
waved off.”
Quoting a text message sent
by Madhya Pradesh Chief
Minister Kamal Nath to farmers
wherein he (Kamal Nath) had
cited model code of conduct
Shivraj Singh Chouhan talking to media persons here on Wednesday.
(MCC) as reason for being unable
to wave off the loans, Shivraj said
since loan waver decision was
taken before the MCC came into
effect, its beneficiaries were pre
identified, so the code of conduct
would not have prevented the gov-
ernment, if it so desired, to carry
on with its promise.
He also presented copy of
bank notices served to farmers in
Madhya Pradesh mentioning that
their loans have not been waved
off and they will have to pay the
loan amount.
“Because of them (Congress)
they (farmers) have become
defaulters, and farmers now are
committing suicide,” Shivraj Singh
said.
In Chhattisgarh also the
Congress had promised liquor
prohibition but it never happened.
“During my Bastar visit, I
came to know that bootleggers
have proliferated in Bastar and
liquor is being sold in plastic
pouch way above the MRP”, he
said.
For past 50 years, only one
family had ruled India. Pt
Jawaharlal Nehru used to say
‘Garibi Hatao’, since then Indira
Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi,
Manmohan Singh reiterated the
same slogan, but poverty allevia-
tion never really happened, he
added.
“Now they have come up with
fresh false promise of depositing
Rs 72,000 in the account of poof
family,” Shivraj remarked.
He flayed the Congress party
for promising to dilute AFSPA
(Armed Forces Special Powers
Acts).
“Rahul Gandhi you should
fight Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, but should never do things
that could benefit the enemies of
our nation,” he said.
LS poll preparations
STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR
A fter an impressive win in the
assembly elections, the
Congress is eying to repeat its
performance in the ensuing Lok
Sabha polls in Chhattisgarh.
A crucial meeting of party
organization was held here on
Wednesday at the Congtress’s
state headquarters Rajiv Bhawan
on Wednesday to chalk out strat-
egy for upcoming Lok Sabha
polls.
Chhattisgarh in-charge of
the All India Congress
Committee P.L. Punia who
arrived here on Tuesday evening
chaired the meeting of the state-
level Congress leaders.
Chief Minister Bhupesh
Baghel was also present on the for the ensuing polls and all the
occasion along with senior lead- senior party leaders of the state
ers of the party. and district Congress office
The meeting was convened bearers were present in the
by Punia to chalk out a strategy meeting, said Congress sources.

CEO reviews poll preparations at Sukma Mayawati to address public

STAFF REPORTER n SUKMA

C hhattisgarh chief electoral officer

Subrat Sahoo reviewed preparations
for the Lok Sabha polls at Sukma district
collectorate
Wednesday.
conference hall on
He was accompanied by special direc-
tor general Naxal operation, SIB, Girdhari
Nayak.
Bastar will witness the first phase of
polling on April 11.
He also inspected the strong room
made at local polytechnic college to store
the EVMs and VVPATs.
In the meeting, district electoral offi-
cer and collector Chandan Kumar gave a
brief presentation on the arrangements
made in polling centres, management of
EVMs, VVPATs, polling teams, the mode
of transportation of the polling teams,
security arrangements for smooth con-
duct of polls.
CEO assessed the electors’ awareness
programmes being undertaken in the dis-
trict under Systematic Voters’ Education
and Electoral Participation (SVEEP).
DG Naxal operation Girdhari Nayak
directed the district and police adminis-
tration officials to maintain better coordi-
nation for peaceful conduct of the poll.
IG Bastar Vivekanand Sinha informed
that a massive preparation is being under-
taken for security to ensure peaceful con-
duct of poll. In sensitive areas, police is
conducting patrolling.
DIG Sunderraj briefed on the security
arrangements being made for the polling.
Senior police, district administration
officials were present in the meeting.
meeting in Janjgir on April 14
BSP is pinning all hope on Janjgir SC reserved seat where the
party is locked in a triangular contest with two other main
contenders, the Congress and the BJP.
STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR
B ahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is
pulling out all stops to win Janjgir
Lok Sabha seat as the party is locked
in a close triangular fight with two
other main contenders the Congress
and the BJP.
Janjgir is a Scheduled Caste
reserved seats, with a strong BSP sup-
port base.
To bolster its poll prospect, the
BSP supremo Mayawati will address a
public meeting in the constituency
on the birth anniversary of B R
Ambedkar, a Dalit icon, on April 14.
State BSP president Hemant
Poyam while talking to The Pioneer
confirmed Mayawati’s programme.
He said they were hoping good
results in the upcoming general elec-
tions in the state where the party is
likely to contest all the 11 seats.
“Dauram Ratnakar, the BSP can-
didate from the seat, is certainly
going to wi,” said Poyam.
Being a SC dominated con-
stituency, the party candidate has a
better winning prospect here and
that’s why even the party supremo is
also giving special attention on this
particular seat, he said.
The regional party, Janta
Congress Chhattisgarh-JCC-J is hav-
ing an alliance with the BSP in the
state. The JCC-J is backing BSP can-
didates in all the 11 LS seats in the
state.
Apart from BSP candidate
Ratnakar, the other main contestants
in the fight for the constituency are
Congress candidate Ravi Parasram
Bhardwaj and BJP candidate
Guharam Ajgale.

EC issues manifesto Jogi loyalists Maru, Banjare Excise commissioner

guidelines for political parties quit JCC-J, may join Congress reviews enforcement drive
STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR
T he Election Commission of
India (ECI) has issued a fresh
directive on release of party mani-
festo for Lok Sabha and state assem-
bly polls to ensure free and fair elec-
tions.
In a letter to political parties, it
said the manifesto should not have
any adverse remarks on the estab-
lished models and principles of the
Constitution.
The manifesto should be in
lines with provisions of model code
of conduct so as to provide better
options for the electors by creating a
positive environment, the EC direc-
tive said.
Already, release of manifesto
has been brought under the
purview of the model code.
“Under section 126 of the
Representation of the People Act
1951, manifesto shall not be
released during the prohibitory
period that is 48 hours before the
in Bastar-Surguja division
end of polling,” the EC’s directive
further stated.
It adds, “In case of multi-phase
elections, manifesto shall not be
released during the prohibitory
periods, as prescribed, of all the
phases of those elections.”
Any violation of it will be con-
sidered as infringement of the elec-
tion model code of conduct, says
the letter.
The EC’s circular came after the
Supreme Court directed the poll
panel to issue directives to the polit-
ical parties on election manifesto
after holding discussion with them.
Commission in the letter stated
that there is no objection over the
promises being made for welfare
schemes but the parties should
avoid making any such promises
which affects the transparency of
election process.
It should also not affect the dis-
creet, impartial and free thinking of
electors while they cast their vote.
STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR
D ays after the JCC-J decided
not to contest Lok Sabha elec-
tions in the state, a rebellion broke
out in the party on Wednesday
with two of its senior leaders
resigning leveling serious allega-
tions against party president Amit
Jogi.
CC-J’s Rajnandgaon district unit
J president Mehul Maru and
Baloda Bazar district president
Yogesh Banjare tendered their res-
ignations from the primary mem-
bership of the party.
Both of them were regarded as
loyalists of party supremo and for-
mer chief minister Ajit Jogi. They
termed Amit Jogi, son of Ajit Jogi,
autocratic.
Maru in his resignation letter
also criticized the decision of the
party not to field candidates in the
Lok Sabha polls and said that it
would affect the relevance of the
party in the state.
The JCC-J recently decided to
leave all the 11 Lok Sabha seats in
the state for its alliance partner
BSP, while relegating its focus on
Panchayat and civic body lections.
He said the decision of the
party not to contest elections dent-
ed morale of party workers and
they were disassociating party
activities. He further claimed that
Ajit Jogi had no role in the party
organization now and that his son
was single handedly handling the
party. “Instead of giving priority to
the state, the party is only giving
importance to the interest of
Amit,” he alleged.
In what can be viewed as an
indication of his future course of
action, Maru praised the Congress
government headed by Chief
Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
Maru said he was committed
in his fight against the communal
forces in the state. Banjare also
lauded the functioning of the
Congress government triggering
speculations that the duo might
soon join the ruling party.
STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR
E xcise commissioner Dr
Kamalpreet Singh held a
review meeting with Bastar
and Surguja revenue depart-
ment officials ahead of Lok
Sabha elections and directed
them to keep the district level
control room functioning
continuously.
He also directed the offi-
cials to take action within 24
hours of receiving complaints
on toll free number 14405 on
illegal liquor sale or over pric-
ing. The discussion was also
held on current fiscal year
work plan and revenue collec-
tion.
The commissioner asked
all the district officials of both
divisions to continue exten-
sive surprise raids on illegal
sale. Before raids the specific
Excise Commissioner
also directed the
officials to take action
within 24 hours of
receiving complaints
on toll free number
14405 on illegal liquor
sale or over pricing.
point should be identified so
that action is ensured, he told
officials.
As complaints of over
pricing are being received, the
officials should conduct mon-
itoring of shops on regular
basis, he said, adding officials
should ensure all the country
made and foreign made liquor
shops exhibit the liquor rates.

‘Indradhanush’ scheme launched Rare operation in

to motivate police personnel
STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR explaining what prompted him to
launch the scheme.
T o motivate police officers and
lower cadre, the Chhattisgarh
police launched the ‘Indradhanush’
“To keep up the motivational
level of such good employees, the
scheme for best performers as per scheme has been started,” he
directives of Director General of elaborated. As part of the scheme,
Police D M Awasthi. any policeman from constables to
The DGP stated that during inspector/company commander
his visit to different districts of to secretariat level force unit offi-
the state and interacting with cers/employees will get chance to
police personnel, it has been brief about their achievement
found that there are many officers
directly to the DGP.
and lower staff doing excellent
All personnel of the state
work on the field. police units and non-gazette
Even after doing good works police officers if perform any good
they do not get due recognition work in a week and feel that it
which dampens their morale, the should be brought to the notice of
DGP observed. the DGP, then through a letter rec-
“On several occasions they ommended by the unit
also get dejected,” the DGP said, chief/superintendent of
police/commandant, they can
approach the DGP on every
Monday and brief him about their
achievement. The DGP will then
give a certificate of merit to select-
ed personnel. If any policeman
receives the 10 or more certificates
within a year, his/her name will be
put up on the Chhattisgarh Police
website under ‘Best Policeman of
Chhattisgarh’ category.
The main aim of the scheme is
to create a healthy competitive
environment in the force and
recognise their achievement. A let-
ter specifying about the scheme has
been sent to all units with the direc-
tive that it should be read out in all
the seven days during the roll call to
make police personnel aware of it.
DKS gives new
lease of life to youth
STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR
A 25-year old youth got a new
lease of life after both his
nasal passages, which were totally
closed, were opened for breathing
after plastic surgery conducted at
Dau Kalyan Singh (DKS) Super-
Specialty Hospital and Research
Centre, Raipur.
A resident of a village near
Raipur, Jitendra (name changed)
received burn injuries at his resi-
dence when he was 21-year old.
His hands and face were affected.
The upper lips swelled to close
nostrils due to which he had to
breathe only through his mouth.
He underwent an operation in a
private hospital. But after 15 days
his condition relapsed.
He approached the DKS hos-
pital in January 2019 and HOD
Dr Dakesh Shah finally advised
him to undergo surgery. After
surgery he was advised some
exercises and his treatment was
done free of cost under Ayushman
scheme.
Jitendra said, he had lost all
hope and in the last four years, he
had even forgotten that he had a
nose. Now, he is feeling better.
Doctors pointed out that
breathing through mouth increas-
es possibility of infection and also
increases the risk of food entering
wind-pipe leading to choking.
Even there is possibility of
developing deafness.
A08?DAkC7DAB30H k0?A8; #! ( ]PcX^]#



!3!*=4


 >5  
<>=8:0<0;8:
270=3860A7
T he greater the enemy, the
greater the hero for tack-
ling the foe! Apparently going
by the policy, the Congress
party is believed to be consid-
ering a medico-turned-politi-
cian Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu’s
name for pitting her against
sitting MP and Union Minister
Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
Denied the party ticket
from her choice of seat, Dr
Navjot Kaur has categorically
refused to contest elections
from any other seat than
Chandigarh, where she has
been campaigning since past
two months.
For a former MLA from
Amritsar East constituency,
Amritsar Lok Sabha seat was
another option. But the party
has decided to retain its sitting
MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla from
the holy city.
Now, it has been learnt
that the Congress high com-
mand has thought of giving
the firebrand leader a greater
role in the party, she joined
just ahead the 2017 state
assembly elections.
4g2<7^^SPbPhbWTWPb]^X]cT]cX^]c^R^]cTbc_^[[b
?=B 270=3860A7
34=843C74?0ACHC82:4C5A><74A
27>824>5B40C3A=0E9>C:0DA70B
20C46>A820;;HA45DB43C>2>=C4BC
4;42C8>=B5A><0=H>C74A
B40CC70=270=3860A7F74A4
B7470B144=20<?086=8=6
B8=24?0BCCF><>=C7B
Available information sug-
gests that the party is consid-
ering to field her against
out of 10 seats in the state like
it did in the 2009 election.
Harsimrat Badal, depending
upon from where the SAD
leader would contest — either
“Modi ki Sena”.
The former CM, who was
CYTXee`cUd_fUbTU^YQ\_V3_^WdYS[Ud
Chandigarh: Visibly upset
over denying her the party
ticket from Chandigarh,
Congress leader Dr Navjot
Kaur Sidhu on Wednesday
declared that she would cam-
paign for the party nominee
Pawan Bansal if he asked her
to.
“I would have loved it if
they had respected a lady try-
ing to showcase her individ-
ual work,” said Dr Navjot
Kaur while pointing that she
left her medical profession to
devote herself to politics.
Bathinda or Ferozepur.
Congress, as of now, has
hold back the announcement
of its candidates from seven
seats, including Bathinda and
Ferozepur, waiting for the
Akali Dal to make the first
move.
It has been learnt that
SAD president Sukhbir Badal
would make a re-entry into the
Lok Sabha electoral field after
decades from Ferozepur to
ed seat in the general elec-
tions. Rohtak was the only seat
Not hiding her disap-
pointment, she asserted that
she was not able to secure the
ticket as she did nit
“lobbied” for it. “It is
okay...That is how the party
works,” she said.
Former MLA from
Amritsar East constituency in
Punjab, Dr Navjot Kaur has
been campaigning, holding
public meetings in
Chandigarh in anticipation of
a party nomination. However,
the party had re-nominated
the four-time MP and former
give a much-needed push to
the dispirited party cadre.
Besides, Harsimrat would seek
her re-election from Bathinda
to score a hat-trick.
Congress had proposed
Punjab Finance Minister
Manpreet Badal’s name from
Bathinda, who has already
expressed his reluctance to
contest the elections and con-
veyed the same to the party
high command.
0BB4<1;H;8:4;HC>14
342834305C4A;B
Union Railway Minister
Pawan Kumar Bansal from
Chandigarh.
“I don’t have anyone to
represent me before the party
leadership. I was a loner. I
went and applied myself and
I was fighting my own case,”
she said.
Wife of cricketer-turned-
politician Navjot Singh Sidhu,
Dr Navjot Kaur said that
after applying for
Chandigarh, she never
thought about the possibility
of contesting from anywhere
However, at the same time,
he has made it clear that in
case the party leadership asked
him to contest, he would go by
the decision.
The name of Punjab
Health Minister Brahm
Mohindra’s son, Mohit
Mohindra, has been shortlist-
ed for the seat. But the party
wanted to field a candidate to
match the stature of Harsimrat
who has been winning the seat
91CB20<
.
else.
At the same time, she
welcomed the “party’s choice”
to field Bansal. “There is no
competition because of his
seniority. I welcome the deci-
sion. He is such a senior
leader. It is not that he is a
new leader,” she said.
Sidhu maintained that
she would campaign for the
party nominee “in case he
needs me. I do not think he
needs me. But if he calls me,
I will fully support him”.
PNS
since 2004 known as the
Badals’ bastion.
In 22014 elections,
Bathinda had witnessed a fight
within the Badal family in
2014 elections, in which
Harsimrat defeated her
estranged brother-in-law
Manpreet, by a narrow mar-
gin. And considering the
diminishing winning margins
from 1,20,948 votes in 2009
Lok Sabha elections to 19,395
votes in 2014, SAD was
mulling to shift Harsimrat to
the neighbouring Ferozepur
which is seen as a safer bet this
time.
Now, Congress is waiting
for the SAD to announce its
candidates from Ferozepur
and Bathinda — which has
been the epicentre of anti-sac-
rilege protests against the
Badals.
Moreover, with Bholath
MLA and Punjab Ekta Party
president Sukhpal Khaira too
throwing his hat from the
Badals’ bastion under the ban-
ner of Punjab Democratic
Alliance (PDA), Bathinda has
turned into a hot-seat.
“We need someone to take
on the Badals. The state lead-
ership had proposed
Manpreet’s name but he has
shown his reluctance to con-
test. In that case, Dr Navjot
Kaur could be a suitable
choice,” a senior Congress
leader told The Pioneer.
It has been learnt that her
name was also mentioned dur-
ing the Central Election
Committee meeting on
Tuesday, but it was decided to
discuss it in the next meeting.
*

/
A mid speculations that he
may contest the Lok
Sabha elections from Sonepat
or Faridabad seat, former

0


Har yana Chief Minister
Bhupinder Singh Hooda on
Wednesday said that he has no
intention to contest the par-
liamentary polls but if the
party asks him to contest, he
will do so.
“My priority is my party
and if the Congress high com-
mand asks me to contest from
any seat, I will…” Hooda said
when asked which seat he
prefers to contest from.
Recently, it was reported
that Hooda has expressed his
desire to the party high com-
mand to contest from Sonepat
parliamentary constituency,
which is Jat dominated seat
and considered the bastion of
the former CM. There were
also reports that the party
high command is considering
him for Faridabad con-
stituency.
On party’s prospects in
the elections, the two-time
former Chief Minister, while
talking to the mediapersons
here said that the Congress is
confident of winning atleast 9
“Party’s six-day
‘Parivartan Yatra’ received
huge response from the peo-
ple of the state. People are
waiting to vote out the BJP
Government,” he claimed.
Commenting on contest-
ing against Chief Minister
Manohar Lal, Hooda said that
he always welcomes such chal-
lenges and he will be ready to
contest from wherever the
party high command decides.
When asked about
announcements of party can-
didate for Haryana, he said
that the candidates are likely
to be announced in a week or
so.
On C ongress’ poll
promise to review Armed
Forces' Special Powers Act
turning into a major contro-
versy, he said that it was mis-
used during the current
regime and fake cases of sedi-
tion was filed against many
people.
Accusing the BJP of doing
politics on the issue of
“nationalism” and “national
security”, Hooda also lashed
out at Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister Yogi Adityanath for
describing Indian Army as
a member of Congress’ man-
ifesto committee for 2019 Lok
Sabha polls, said party’s man-
ifesto titled as 'Hum
Nibhayenge' focuses on agrar-
ian crisis, unemployment, and
the C ongress’ minimum
income scheme NYAY that
guarantees Rs 72,000 a year to
the bottom most or poorest 20
per cent of households is a
major initiative.
Reacting to the statements
of BJP leaders that his son
Rohtak MP Deepender Singh
Hooda will not be able to
retain his seat in elections
because Bhupinder Singh
Hooda is not Chief Minister of
Haryana now, the former CM
said, “I was four-time MP
from Rohtak and my father
was not the Chief Minister of
the state at that time. My
father was two-time MP from
Rohtak and he was also not
CM of Haryana at that time.
These are irrelevant state-
ments.”
His son three-time Rohtak
MP Deepender Singh Hooda
is seeking mandate for the
fourth time from the con-
stituency and the BJP is focus-
ing to wrest this Jat-dominat-
won by the Congress in 2014
Lok Sabha polls.
When asked to comment
on senior Congress Kuldeep
Bishnoi who had joined the
party’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ only
on the day of party president
Rahul Gandhi’s one day visit
to the state, Hooda said he
(Bishnoi) has time and again
stated that he is a
Congressman and there is no
factionalism in Har yana
Congress.
On whether the party will
go for polls under the current
state leadership, Hooda said
that it is Rahul Gandhi’s deci-
sion… At present, our focus is
Lok Sabha polls and to defeat
BJP. The party is united and all
Congressmen will fight unit-
edly against the BJP, he added.
In a reply to a question
related to state party unit not
appointing district and block
presidents ahead of Lok Sabha
polls, Hooda said, “It is correct
that we have not appointed
district or block presidents but
our party workers will work in
the elections to make the
Congress victorious.”
;>?8=70AH0=0
2^]V[Pd]RWTb7d\7PX]3TbW:TFPUPSPPaRP\_PXV]
<>=8:0<0;8:
270=3860A7
T he Congress party has
decided to go back in the
past for a brighter future. As
a part of the process, it has
logged on to
#HumHainDeshKeWafadaar
campaign on the social media
for highlighting its achieve-
ments and contributions in
the years gone by to project it
as a progressive and pro-peo-
ple party.
Launching a day after the
?>;;B
Senior Congress leader
Bhupinder Singh Hooda on
Wednesday said that the party
is yet to decide on submitting
the name for Leader of
Opposition in Har yana
Assembly to the Speaker.
In reply to a question, he
said that the CLP meeting will
be held to discuss the issue
and a name will be nominat-
ed after this.
The name will be then
submitted to the Haryana
Speaker. The name for LoP
can be submitted by state
party president and other offi-
cer bearers, he added.
At present, the party is
busy in view of Lok Sabha
polls and the appointment
might be made before or after
the polls, he said in response
to another question.
Recently, Indian National
Lok Dal secretary general
Abhay Chautala was removed
from the post of the Leader of
Opposition (LoP) post in the
Haryana Assembly. After res-
ignation of two INLD MLAs,
Congress became the second
largest party in the State
Assembly with 17 MLAs.
Congress released its mani-
festo for the general elections,
the campaign would make
the people aware about the
party’s contribution towards
the country’s progress, uplift-
ment of various sections and
sectors including agriculture,
education, science and tech-
nolog y, defence, women
empowerment, economy,
among others.
As a part of the cam-
paign, launched on the social
micro-blogging website —
Twitter, the Congress leaders

?C8 =4F34;78
T he Delhi High Court on
Wednesday sought
response of the AAP govern-
ment on a plea by INLD Chief
O P Chautala, serving 10-year
jail term in teachers’ recruit-
ment scam, seeking three
months parole to take care of
his ailing wife.
Justice Sangita Dhingra
Sehgal asked the Delhi
Government to file a
status report and listed the mat-
ter for further hearing on April
12.
85-year-old Chautala
sought parole for three months
to spend time with his wife in
her “last days” claiming that she
is critically ill and admitted in
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a
hospital.
The INLD leader, through
senior advocate N Hariharan
and advocate Amit Sahni, said
he had filed an application
with the jail authorities in
November 2018, for parole on
the ground that being the head
are sharing the party’s accom-
plishments and contributions
in India’s progress like bring-
ing in Right to Information
Act to check corruption,
MNREGA scheme to empow-
ering poor, launching
Mangalyaan, among other
things.
The tweets also accompa-
ny a two-minute video with
‘Hum hai desh ke wafadaar’
song having clips of various
Congress leaders — right from
Mahatma Gandhi to Congress
national president Rahul
Gandhi.
“Buland honslon se
humne desh ko banaya hai.
Zameen pe kiya hai kaam, iss
desh ka karz chukaya
hai...Bharat ki pragati mein
hissedaar, hum hain desh ke
wafadaar,” goes the song.
“The campaign shows the
C ongress party’s loyalty
towards the nation, its people
and their causes which will be
showcased on daily basis
through videos and graphics
for the people to understand,”
said a party leader adding that
from Wednesday, there will be
talks about the party's contri-
<P]TbPa[P]SbRP\)ATP[c^a
c^QTSTR[PaTSPQbR^]STa
80=B ?0=27:D;0
A special CBI court on
Wednesday started pro-
ceedings to declare realtor Atul
Bansal absconding in a multi-
crore rupee Manesar land scam
involving Haryana's former
Chief Minister Bhupinder
Singh Hooda.
Defence counsel S.P.S.
Parmar informed the court
that Bansal remained absent
from the court despite notices
B2X]0dVdbc! $WPS
SXb\XbbTS2WPdcP[Pb´
P__TP[bPVPX]bccWT
7XVW2^dac´beTaSXRc
d_W^[SX]VcWTXa
R^]eXRcX^]P]ScWTYPX[
cTa\PfPaSTSQhPcaXP[
R^dacX]cWT91C
cTPRWTab´aTRadXc\T]c
bRP\RPbT
of the family he has to amica-
bly settle the dispute between
his two sons.
Another ground for parole
was to look after his 83-year-
old and ailing wife, who is suf-
fering from various age related
chronic ailments, and to pro-
vide her medical treatment.
His parole plea was reject-
ed by the Minister of Home,
Delhi government, in January
this year on the ground that he
had already availed two weeks
parole and seven weeks fur-
lough in 2018.
The ministry said the
grounds taken by Chautala
bution in a detailed manner,
in every sector, everyday.
The Congress leader said
that through this campaign,
“the party would strengthen
public faith in the current
manifesto, launched a day
before, expressing the idea
that the Congress has deliv-
ered in the past and will deliv-
er in the future”.
“Loyalty towards the
nation, towards the people,
towards the issues that con-
cern people- @INCIndia’s ide-
ology has always put the
nation and people, first!” read
the first tweet under the cam-
paign.
Congress Punjab party
affairs in-charge Asha Kumari
also tweets with the
#HumHainDeshKeWafadaar.
“Brick by brick, we laid the
foundation in building a con-
temporary India. The time has
come again to join hands and
give India its righteous
progress!” she tweeted.
In another tweet, she said,
“India's space prowess
touched new heights with
Mangalyaan in 2013, estab-
lishing country's credentials as
and he demanded to start pro-
ceedings to declare him a pro-
claimed offender.
The court fixed May 31 as
the next date of hearing.
Hooda, along with other
accused, was present in the
court in Panchkula, adjoining
Chandigarh.
Alleging a multi-crore
scam of prime land in Manesar
in Haryana's realty goldmine
district of Gurugram, the
Central Bureau of Investigation
were found to be general in
nature and no emergent cause
was shown by him for seeking
parole.
Chautala, his son Ajay and
three others are serving 10-year
jail term each in the case.
The Supreme Court in
August 2015 had dismissed
Chautalas’ appeals against the
High Court’s verdict upholding
their conviction and the jail
term awarded by a trial court
in the Junior Basic Trained
(JBT) teachers’ recruitment
scam case.
The High Court had on
March 5, 2015 upheld the 10-
year jail terms awarded to the
two Chautalas and three others,
saying, “The overwhelming
evidence showed
spine-chilling state of affairs in
the country.”
The father-son duo and 53
others, including two IAS offi-
cers, were among 55 persons
convicted on January 16, 2013
by the trial court for illegally
recruiting 3,206 JBT teachers in
Haryana in 2000.
a space force to reckon with!”
Party’s state secretary in-
charge Harish Chaudhary also
tweeted, “Solidifying job
opportunities in rural India,
C ongress Party's
MNREGA scheme ensured
empowerment at the grassroot
level.”
Punjab Cabinet Minister
Vijay Inder Singla tweeted,
“We have done it before, we'll
do it again. Come, help us get
the nation back on the devel-
opment track!
#HumHainDeshKeWafadaar”.
Haryana Congress MLA
Kiran Chaudhary hailed the
party’s contribution in agri-
culture sector by
bringing green revolution way
back in 1965. “Green revolu-
tion, a historical initiative by
the @INCIndia which helped
farmers become
financially independent,” she
tweeted.
Chattisgarh Cabinet
Minister TS Deo also tweeted,
“Congress made sure the
future of the country stays
bright and secure by making
education a fundamental right
in 2010.”
(CBI) had in February last
year filed a chargesheet in the
land deal against Hooda, senior
bureaucrats and others.
The chargesheet named 34
accused including senior
bureaucrats Chhattar Singh,
S.S. Dhillon and M.L. Tayal and
the promoter of Gurgaon-
based real estate company
ABW Builders, Atul Bansal.
All the three officers were
principal secretaries to the
Chief Minister.
A08?DAkC7DAB30H k0?A8; #! ( f^a[S$

6/00?2  ,@#D 5

05? F0B78=6C>= Trump said Democrats Secretar y of State Mike over the past two days,” he said, from official ports, leading to
were blocking reforms for Pompeo on the crisis. adding that they would have to slowdowns in processing arriv-
>


P resident Donald Trump
said on Tuesday he is “100
per cent” prepared to close
political reasons but could fix
the problem “in 45 minutes.”
He was not specific, but
Officials said facilities for
handling the migrants -- who
for the moment cannot be sent
continue if they don’t want the
border closed.
He also defended his deci-
ing visitors and commercial
vehicles.
down the US-Mexico border,
warning Congress and Central
American governments to take
Delays for incoming traffic  ! 
Homeland Security Secretary back after they cross the bor- sion to cut off “hundreds of were three hours at
Kirstjen Nielsen has asked
Congress to give border offi-
der and request asylum -- are
overtaxed and understaffed,
millions of dollars” in US aid to
the three countries, accusing
Brownsville, Texas, for the sec-
ond straight day, and more

  3
action to stem the flow of
migrants into the country.
!! 
Delays were already rising
at several key border crossings
as Trump ratcheted up pressure
on Democrats in Congress to
toughen US laws against illegal
immigrants, threatening to
hurt the US economy in the
name of border security.
“It is a national emergency
on the border,” Trump said.
If Mexico does not stop
migrants from transiting across
its territory, and if Congress
does not act, he said, “the bor-
der’s going to be closed, 100 per
cent.”
“Sure it’s going to have a
negative impact on the econo-
my,” he said. “Security is more
important to me than trade.”
cials the power to forcibly
repatriate Central American
illegal immigrants, including
children who arrived alone,
back to their countries.
The threat to close the
border, which handled some
USD612 billion worth of trade
in 2018, sent shivers through
the economy, and drew warn-
ings from allies of the president.
“Closing down the border
would have potentially cata-
strophic economic impact on
our country, and I would hope
we would not be doing that sort
of thing,” Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell said.
His call was backed by the
Chamber of Commerce, which
said in a statement that while
it backed immigration reform,
?aTbXST]c3^]P[SCad\_PaaXeTbc^b_TPZPccWT=PcX^]P[AT_dQ[XRP]2^]VaTbbX^]P[
2^\\XccTT´bP]]dP[b_aX]VSX]]TaX]FPbWX]Vc^]
closing the border “would
inflict severe economic harm
on American families, workers,
farmers and manufacturers
across the United States.”
Homeland Security offi-
cials said they were preparing
for the possibility of a shut-
down of at least some border
entry points as they divert
staff to deal with the flood of
0?
migrants from Guatemala,
Honduras and El Salvador,
expected to hit nearly 1,00,000
a month.
Nielsen cut short an official
trip to Europe to return for
meetings early Tuesday on the
border crisis, and on Monday
Acting Defense Secretary
Patrick Shanahan said he
would be meeting Nielsen and
creating hazardous conditions.
“We are in a full blown
emergency. The bottom line is
all options are on the table right
now,” a senior Homeland
Security official, who declined
to be named, told journalists
Tuesday.
“The volume of vulnerable
populations that’s arriving is
unsustainable... The humani-
tarian situation cannot be
ignored and the security situ-
ation cannot be ignored.”
Trump said Mexican officials
had reacted to his threat to
close the border last week by
clamping down on the caravans
of migrants fleeing poverty
and violence in the three
Central American countries.
Mexico “made a big step
them of arranging the caravans
of migrants.
The three “don’t do any-
thing for us,” he said.
On Monday, Nielsen
ordered an “emergency surge”
of personnel to deal with the
situation, including moving
750 staff to areas of the border
where the migrants arrive.
Many were being diverted
BeccYQ_``_cUcEC
`\Q^V_b]_bU>1D?
cXY`cY^2\QS[CUQ
05? <>B2>F
than two hours in other areas.
On the Mexican side,
Andres Morales Arreola, head
of operations for border cross-
ings in Chihuahua state, said
the border between Ciudad
Juarez and El Paso had “col-
lapsed” because so many US
border officials have been reas-
signed to deal with the migrant
influx.
them,” Interfax news agency
quoted Grushko as saying.
,
0? F0B78=6C>=
T he House Judiciar y
Committee approved sub-
poenas on Wednesday for spe-
cial counsel Robert Mueller’s
full Russia report as
Democrats pressure the Justice
Department to release the
document without redactions.
The committee voted 24-
17 to give Judiciary Chairman
Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., per-
mission to issue subpoenas to
the Justice Department for
the final report, its exhibits and
any underlying evidence or
materials prepared for
Mueller’s investigation. Nadler
has not yet said if he’ll send the
subpoenas.
House Democrats had


/1)

 A
05? 10=30AB4A81460F0=
B runei on Wednesday intro-
duced harsh new sharia
laws, including death by ston-
ing for adultery and gay sex,
despite a storm of global criti-
cism from politicians, celebri-
ties and rights groups.
The tough penal code in
the tiny country on tropical
Borneo island — ruled by the
all-powerful Sultan Hassanal
Bolkiah — fully came into
force following years of delays.
The laws, which also
include amputation of hands
sparked alarm around the
code as “barbaric to the core,
imposing archaic punishments
for acts that shouldn’t even be
crimes”.
The European Union said
in a statement that some of the
new punishments “amount to
torture, acts of cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment”.
They are particularly
upsetting for the country’s
small lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) commu-
nity. Before the new laws, sex
between men was already ille-
ally televised speech at a con-
gal in Brunei and punishable
with up to 10 years in jail.
US proposal to send more
me so much,” he told AFP.
Zulhelmi bin Mohamad, a
transgender woman who fled
Brunei last year and is seeking
asylum in Canada, told AFP
that the environment will be
more terrifying for the coun-
try’s LGBT community, who
were already leading “very
secretive” lives.
“Some worry a lot and
would like to escape the coun-
try before they are found out
not to be... Heterosexual,” the
19-year-old said.
Confirming the new penal
code was now in force, a reli-
Most alliance members
NATO ships to the Black
Sea to ensure safe passage for
Ukrainian vessels and deter
Russia is viewed “negatively” in
Moscow, the Kremlin said
Wednesday.
Washington has been
working on a package to boost
surveillance and deploy more
NATO vessels to the Black Sea
after a naval confrontation
between Moscow and Kiev last
year, the US ambassador to
NATO said.
The measure was expected
to be discussed during talks by
NATO foreign ministers in
Washington on Wednesday
and Thursday.
Russian President Vladimir
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry
given Attorney General
share concerns about Russia
which backs separatists in a
smouldering conflict in eastern
Ukraine that has so far claimed
some 13,000 lives.
In November, Russia fired
on and seized three Ukrainian
navy vessels, capturing two
dozen sailors near the Kerch
Strait, as they tried to pass from
the Black Sea to the Azov Sea.
It was the first open mili-
tary clash between Kiev and
Moscow since 2014, when
Russia annexed Crimea and a
pro-Russian insurgency erupt-
ed in eastern Ukraine.
D
William Barr until Tuesday to
produce the full report to
Congress. The Justice
Department ignored that
deadline, with Barr telling
committee chairmen in a let-
ter last week that a redacted
version of the full 300-page
report would be released by
mid-April, “if not sooner.”
The vote further escalates
the Democrats’ battle with
the Justice Department over
how much of the report they
will be able to see, a fight that
could eventually end up in
court if the two sides can’t set-
tle their differences through
negotiation.
5   Democrats have said they
will not accept redactions and
and feet for thieves, make world, with the United Nations vention centre near the capital But the new code stipulates gious affairs ministry official Peskov said the Kremlin viewed *GD%55 want to see the evidence unfil-
Brunei the first place in East or labelling them “cruel and inhu- Bandar Seri Begawan. death by stoning as a punish- told AFP: “The statement from such a proposal “negatively”. tered by Barr.
Southeast Asia to have a sharia mane” and celebrities, led by The sultan, who has been ment for sex between men, the prime minister’s office last “We do not understand  
In the letter last week,
penal code at the national actor George Clooney and pop on the throne for over five while women convicted of hav- weekend on (the code’s) imple- what they mean by this. The Barr said he is scrubbing the
level, joining several mostly
report to avoid disclosing any
Middle Eastern countries such
as Saudi Arabia.
Rape and robbery are also
punishable by death under the
code and many of the new laws,
such as capital punishment for
insulting the Prophet
Mohammed, apply to non-
Muslims as well as Muslims.
The decision to push ahead
with the punishments has
6;>14
CA>CC8=6
<0;0HB804G?<=0981
6>4B>=CA80;
star Elton John, calling for
Brunei-owned hotels to be
boycotted.
In a public address to mark
a special date in the Muslim
calendar, the sultan called for
stronger Islamic teachings but
did not mention the new penal
code.
“I want to see Islamic
teachings in this country grow
stronger,” he said in the nation-

decades, also insisted that
Brunei was a “fair” country and
the environment for visitors
was “safe and harmonious”.
Government officials later
confirmed the laws had entered
into force.
The sharia laws have trig-
gered worldwide condemna-
tion, and Phil Robertson,
deputy Asia director at Human
Rights Watch, described the
ing sexual relations with other
women face up to 40 strokes of
the cane or a maximum 10-
year jail term.
A 33-year-old gay
Bruneian man, who spoke
anonymously, said the new
laws were “unfair, cruel and
should not happen”.
“It really takes away my
happiness and freedom to
express myself, and depresses
mentation prevails, hence
(April 3) marks the date of its
implementation.”
A second government offi-
cial, speaking anonymously,
confirmed it had entered into
force.
The sultan — who is one of
the world’s wealthiest men and
lives in a vast, golden-domed
palace — announced plans for
the code in 2013.
situation with the Kerch
Straight and navigation there is
well known,” he told reporters.
Russian deputy foreign
minister Alexander Grushko
told Russian news agencies the
plan would only lead to
“increased military risks” in the
region.
“If additional military and
technical measures are needed
from our side, we will adopt
3   
Washington: President Donald
Trump wants NATO mem-
bers to continue increasing
their financial contributions,
offering allies his praise for
stepping up those contributions
in recent years but still com-
plaining the US continues to
carry more than its share of
costs. AP
grand jury information or
classified material, in addition
to portions of the report that
pertain to ongoing investiga-
tions or that “would unduly
infringe on the personal pri-
vacy and reputational interests
of peripheral third parties.”
Democrats say they want
access to all of that informa-
tion, even if some of it can’t be
-6
!55 23@!
<Ph\TTcb;PQ^da[TPSTaU^a1aTgXcR^\_a^\XbTcP[Zb
0? ;>=3>= ers of the EU’s 27 remaining
:dP[P;d\_da) <P[PhbXP³b
SXbVaPRTSTg[TPSTa=PYXQ
APiPZ_[TPSTS]^cVdX[chc^P[[
05? 1ADBB4;B plan that could be ratified by
the House of Commons, and
P rime Minister Theresa May
countries postponed the orig-
inal March 29 Brexit date and ,!3
6!!!
RWPaVTbPVPX]bcWX\PbWTfT]c
^]caXP[^]FTS]TbSPh^eTaP
2 !@
\d[cXQX[[X^]S^[[PaUaPdSP[\^bc
PhTPaPUcTaWXbbW^RZT[TRcX^]
[^bbCWT%$hTPa^[SUPRTScWT
@, Wednesday to work “until the
UXabc^UbTeTaP[caXP[b^eTaWXb
P[[TVTSX]e^[eT\T]cX]cWT
E U leader Jean-Claude
Juncker vowed
Wednesday to work until the
on
last moment to prevent a “no
deal” Brexit, but admitted
Britain crashing out now
appears to be a likely result.
Addressing the European
asked Brussels for more time.
Juncker responded that EU
leaders would be flexible, but
time is limited and a disorder-
ly no-deal Brexit would only be
welcomed by populist and
nationalist forces.
“In light of Prime Minister
and the leader of Britain’s
main Opposition party were
meeting Wednesday for talks
gave the U.K. until April 12
approve the divorce deal or
come up with a new plan.

on ending the impasse over the Berlin: German Chancellor
country’s departure from the Angela Merkel pledged
European Union — a surprise 4=
about-face that left pro-Brexit last hour” to prevent a no-deal
members of May’s H
3
 Brexit and warned of the secu-
[^^cX]V^Ub^eTaTXV]fTP[cWUd]S
<31PBcPcTX]eTbc\T]c
 rity impact on Ireland and
eTWXR[TTbcPQ[XbWTSc^STeT[^_
cWTTR^]^\h^UcWTB^dcWTPbc
0bXP]]PcX^]
'3403"8=9DA438=
<>A>22>A>032A0B7
APQPc) 4XVWc_T^_[TfTaTZX[[TS
P]S"^cWTabX]YdaTSX]Pa^PS
RaPbW^]FTS]TbSPhX]
]^acWfTbcTa]<^a^RR^
PdcW^aXcXTbX]cWT=^acW0UaXRP]
R^d]cahbPXSCWTPRRXST]c
WP__T]TSfWT]PcadRZR^[[XSTS
fXcWPRPaRPaahX]VUPa\f^aZTab
]TPacWTR^PbcP[c^f]^U<^d[Ph
1^dbbT[WP\^UUXRXP[bUa^\cWT
PaTPbPXSX]bcPcT\T]cbRPaaXTS
QhcWTZX]VS^\³b<0? ]Tfb

Parliament after Prime
Minister Theresa May asked for
a short postponement, Juncker
said London remains on course
for Brexit next week.
But he added: “The
European Union will not kick
any member state out.
“I will personally do every-
thing I can to prevent a disor-
derly Brexit and I expect polit-
ical leaders across the EU27
and in the United Kingdom to
do the same.”
On Tuesday, May asked
opposition leader Jeremy
Corbyn to help develop a Brexit
D
May’s statement last night, I
believe we now have a few
more days,” he said.
“If the United Kingdom is
in a position to approve the
withdrawal agreement with a
sustainable majority by 12
April, the European Union
should be prepared to accept a
delay until 22 May.
“Yet I believe that a ‘no
deal’ at midnight on the 12
April is now a very likely sce-
nario. It is not the outcome I
want, but it is an outcome for
which I have made sure the
European Union is ready.”
Conservative Party howling
with outrage.
After failing three times to
win Parliament’s backing for
her Brexit blueprint, May dra-
matically changed gear
Tuesday, saying she would seek
to delay Brexit — again — and
hold talks with Labour Party
leader Jeremy Corbyn to seek
a compromise.
“The country needs a solu-
tion, the country deserves a
solution, and that’s what I’m
working to find,” May told
lawmakers on Wednesday.
Corbyn said he welcomed
May’s “willingness to compro-
mise to resolve the Brexit dead-
lock” and looked forward to
talks with her.
May’s bid for cross-party
talks — after almost three
years of seeking to push
through her own version of
Brexit — came amid EU warn-
ings that a damaging no-deal
Brexit is growing more likely by
the day.
After British lawmakers
three times rejected an agree-
ment struck between the bloc
and May late last year, the lead-
! 
London: Junior Brexit minis-
ter Chris Heaton-Harris
became the second govern-
ment member to resign on
Wednesday after Prime
Minister Theresa May said she
would ask to delay Brexit again.
Heaton-Harris said in a let-
ter to May that he would have
wanted Britain to leave the
European Union on the sched-
uled departure date of March
29, adding: “I simply cannot
support any further extension.”
AFP
Northern Ireland.
“I’ve always said I’m going
to fight until the last hour... So
we can see an orderly exit,” she
said on the eve of an Ireland
visit, warning that avoiding a
hard border was a matter of
preserving the peace.
Speaking at a Berlin press
conference, Merkel said that an
orderly Brexit would be “in
interest of Britain but also in
our interest”.
She said that — because of
the related issue of avoiding a
new “hard border” between
British Northern Ireland and
the Republic of Ireland — it
would also affect “peace in
Ireland”.
Therefore it was “a ques-
tion of violence or no violence
and here we naturally want to
make a contribution,” Merkel
said. She stressed that ulti-
mately “the solution has to be
found by Great Britain itself ”
and expressed hope that Prime
Minister Theresa May “will be
successful”. AFP
 CdaZXbW5<bPhb]^
PVT]Rh

0<4A820=C>DA8BC
 
! cda]X]VQPRZUa^\ 
! 


 
:83=0??438=D60=30 3-
 2 AdbbXPPa\bSTP[  2./

0 
:P\_P[P) DVP]SP]bTRdaXch
U^aRTbPaTbTPaRWX]VU^aPDB
2XcXiT]P]SP[^RP[SaXeTafW^
fTaTPQSdRcTSX]PfX[S[XUT
_PaZP]ScWTXaZXS]P__Tab
 !! Washington:
05? 8BC0=1D;
Turkey will not
turn back from a major arms
deal with Russia despite the US
 
!23 0? F0AB0F encouraged parishioners to
bring in things that disturbed
influential Catholic Church is
grappling with revelations
suspension of Ankara from
A priest in northern Poland them so the priests could do about the scale of child sex
ST\P]STSPaP]b^\PdcW^aXcXTb
bPXS^]FTS]TbSPhCWT\XbbX]V
_T^_[TfTaTcPZT]X]P]P\QdbW
QhU^daVd]\T]^]CdTbSPh
T urkish electoral authorities
on Wednesday recounted
votes in more than a dozen
Istanbul districts after President
the F-35 fighter-jet program,
Foreign Minister Mevlut
Cavusoglu said Wednesday.
“The S-400 deal is a done

X]@dTT]4[XiPQTcW=PcX^]P[?PaZ
P_a^cTRcTSPaTP]TPacWT_^a^db
Q^aSTafXcW2^]V^PRR^aSX]Vc^
DVP]SP]_^[XRTP]SP
6^eTa]\T]cb_^ZTb\P]
BA8;0=:08=C4AE84FB
#&?>C4=C80;70=6<4=
2^[^\Q^) BaX;P]ZP^]
FTS]TbSPhQTVP]X]cTaeXTfX]V
#&P__[XRP]cbU^acf^_^bXcX^]b
PbWP]V\T]^UUXRXP[bbPXSPb
0\]Tbch8]cTa]PcX^]P[daVTS
2^[^\Q^]^cc^QaX]VQPRZ
RP_XcP[_d]XbW\T]c?aTbXST]c
<PXcWaX_P[PBXaXbT]PP]]^d]RTS
X]5TQadPahcWPcBaX;P]ZPf^d[S
T]SP#"hTPa\^aPc^aXd\^]
TgTRdcX^]bcWXb\^]cWX]P
?WX[X__X]TbX]b_XaTSfPa^]
SadVb in eight districts after the
who led a public burning
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling
AKP challenged results giving
the Opposition a narrow vic-
tory in a weekend election.
The AKP won most votes
nationwide in Sunday’s munic-
ipal ballot, but tallies also
showed the party lost the cap-
ital Ankara and the country’s
economic hub Istanbul in one
of its worst setbacks in a decade
and a half in power.
AKP officials on Tuesday
filed a challenge with electoral
authorities saying they had
found irregularities in ballots in
both Ankara and Istanbul.
“The district branches of
the electoral board in Istanbul
decided to recount the ballots
appeals yesterday,”
deal and we will not step back
from this,” he told a think-tank
forum in Washington, where
he is taking part in 70th
anniversary celebrations of
NATO.
The US said Monday that
it was halting shipment of F-35
parts of Turkey as well as joint
manufacturing work due to
Ankara’s purchase of the S-400
missile defense system from
Russia.
Cavusoglu said Turkey
turned to Russia as it could not
buy US Patriot missiles and
quoted President Donald
Trump as saying in an unspec-
ified phone call that his prede-
cessor Barack Obama had
made a “mistake” not to sell the
system to Ankara. AFP
 3!
05? F0B78=6C>=
B oeing has delayed from
April to August its test
flight for its Starliner capsule,
intended to carry American
astronauts to the International
Space Station.
The US space agency
NASA blamed the delay on
“limited launch opportunities”
in April and May from Cape
Canaveral, Florida.
It noted that the August
launch target is a “working date
and to be confirmed.” The
Starliner spacecraft, which is in
the final phase of ground tests,
is set to be launched into space
atop a United Launch Alliance
Atlas V rocket.
If the unmanned test goes
well, the capsule’s next flight
will have three astronauts
aboard — NASA’s Nicole Mann
and Mike Fincke, along with
Chris Ferguson of Boeing.
Ultimately, Starliner will be
one of two American vehicles
used to carry NASA astro-
nauts to the ISS — the other is
SpaceX’s Dragon capsule.
In March, SpaceX success-
fully completed a nearly week-
long test mission in space. The
Dragon capsule successfully
docked at the ISS before return-
ing to Earth.
The first manned mission
aboard the Dragon spacecraft
is set to take place by the end
of the year, with the date due to
be confirmed “in the next cou-
ple weeks,” according to NASA.
of books that included titles
from the “Harry Potter” series
and other items parishioners
wanted destroyed has apolo-
gized, saying the ritual was not
intended to condemn specific
authors, religions or social
groups.
The Rev. Rafal Jarosiewicz
called the burning of objects
thought to be connected to
magic and the occult, and
deemed by their owners to be
an evil force, “unfortunate”.
He published the apology
late Tuesday on the Facebook
page of a foundation he found-
ed.
Jarosiewicz and other
priests have drawn criticism for
burning books, Buddhist fig-
urines, an African mask, and
other items Sunday outside a
Catholic church in the city of
Gdansk. They said they
away with bad influences.
Jarosiewicz was fined by
city guards. An anti-smog
group also contacted prosecu-
tors about the illegal burning of
waste in an open fire.
Images from the burning at
the Parish of Our Lady Mother
of the Church and St Catherine
of Sweden were posted on the
SMS z Nieba (SMS from
Heaven) foundation, which
uses unconventional means to
carry out religious work across
Poland.
In the pictures, flames are
consuming an African wood-
en mask, a small Buddhist fig-
ure, figurines of elephants and
books on personality, magic
and from J.K. Rowling’s “Harry
Potter” series. Some Catholic
faithful and priests think the
“Harry Potter” books promote
sorcery. The book-burning
attracted attention as Poland’s
abuse allegedly committed by
pedophile priests.
Last month, the country’s
Catholic bishops’ conference,
the Episcopal Conference of
Poland, said it had recorded
cases of 382 clergymen who
have abused 625 minors since
1990.
Prosecutors in the eastern
town of Zamosc said
Wednesday they plan to send
an indictment to the regional
court charging a priest in his
30s who is accused of record-
ing video of girls and women
while they were in public
changing rooms and toilets.
Prosecutor Artur Szykula
told The Associated Press the
priest admitted wrongdoing.
The priest was caught in August
in Croatia while recording a girl
in a changing room. That case
is to be heard by a court in Split,
Croatia, Szykula said.
 ^_]X^]
A08?DAkC7DAB30H k0?A8; #! (

%
gggTQY\i`Y_^UUbS_]
UPRTQ^^ZR^\SPX[h_X^]TTak /CWT3PX[h?X^]TTak X]bcPVaP\R^\SPX[h_X^]TTa
G-&$D>G%*

>
 Y^bW
$0+  + ++
     
3
  VZDFKK 


´ 4[TRc^aP[aTU^a\bPaT[^f_aX^aXchU^a_^[XcXRP[_PacXTbCWTP[cTa]PcXeTcWT]XbP]
(YHU\SDJHVKRXOGH[SORGHHLWKHUEHFDXVH
RILWVVWDJJHULQJDEVXUGLW\WKHHQWKXVLDVP
RILWVSULQFLSOHVRULWVW\SRJUDSK\µVDLG
7ULVWDQ7]DUDRQHRIWKHNH\ILJXUHVRIWKHDQWL PfPZT]TST[TRc^aPcTR^\_T[[X]VcWT\c^QTWPeTTcWXRP[[h
HVWDEOLVKPHQW PRYHPHQW FDOOHG 'DGDLVP
7KRXJK WKH &RQJUHVV KDV QHYHU EHHQ DQWL
HVWDEOLVKPHQWLQQDWXUHLWVPDQLIHVWRGHILQHV
LWVLQWHQGHGSROLWLFDOVSDFHDQGRZQHUVKLSRI
PLQGV ZLWK D OLEHUDO VSLULW DQG IUHVK EUHDWK
HQWKXVLDVP2QHZRQGHUVZKHWKHUWKHJXVK
RI D SXEOLF SURPLVH PDGH E\ WKH QHZ
&RQJUHVVFKLHI5DKXO*DQGKLKDVPXFKWRGR
ZLWKDPHGLDIHGDFFHSWDQFHRIDUHWXUQRI1DUHQGUD0RGLDOEHLWZLWKUHGXFHG @B9I141BC89 3DCC0
QXPEHUVDQGVDYHVKLPWKHUHVSRQVLELOLW\RIH[HFXWLQJLWDVDGHOLYHUHU2UZKHWKHU

“
I pledge to contest these elections
LWLVDYLVLRQGRFXPHQWLQGHHGIRUDSDUW\XQGRXEWHGO\RQWKHURDGWRUHYLYDO by honest means. I affirm that I
QRZKHOPHGE\D\RXQJOHDGHUVKLS%XWSHUKDSVLWKDVJRWWRGRPRUHZLWKWKH shall seek votes only on the basis of
ideas, plans, programmes and
&RQJUHVV·GLUHQHHGWRHPHUJHDVDSRODURSSRVLWHRIWKHDJJUHVVLYHK\SHUQD promises. I shall refrain from
WLRQDOLVPDQGVWDWXHVTXHJLJDQWLFLVPRIWKH%-3ZLWKPRUHHDUWRWKHJURXQG employing any illegal or unethical means
FRQFHUQVRIZHOIDULVP$QGWRGULYHKRPHWKHSRLQWWKH&RQJUHVVKDVEHHQSXE like allurement, threat, coercion or violence
targetted at the electorate or my fellow con-
OLFLVLQJKRZLWVGRFXPHQWZDVEDVHGRQWKHIHHGEDFNRIFRPPRQSHRSOHDQG testants. I vouch not to allow any illicit
H[SHUWVDOLNHIRUWKHODVW\HDUDWUXHSDUWLFLSDWRU\H[HUFLVHRIGHPRFUDF\DQG usage of money, alcohol or muscle power
QRWDQLPSRVLWLRQ,WLVDQRWKHUVWRU\WKDWVRPHRILWVRZQSURPLVHVUXQFRXQWHU in my campaign. I pledge to keep these
elections clean in letter and spirit.”
WRLWVRZQSROLFLHVLQWKHSDVWEXWWKHUHORDGHGYHUVLRQGRHVQHHGDVDOHVSLWFK The 17th general elections, accompa-
%HVLGHVWKH0RGL\HDUVHPHUJHGDVDUHDFWLRQWRWKH&RQJUHVV\HDUVDQGWKH nied by polls to legislative Assemblies in four
SDUW\XQGHUVWDQGVWKDWLW·VD´SHUIRUPRUSHULVKµFKRLFHQRZ States, are round the corner. Imagine every
candidate taking a pledge similar to the
2IFRXUVHWKHVRFLDOZHOIDUHWKHPHKDVEHHQKLJKOLJKWHGE\5DKXOLQKLVVSHHFK aforementioned one in order to keep the
HVZLWK1<$<VHHNLQJWRHOLPLQDWHSRYHUW\WKURXJKKDQGRXWVFKHPHV$PRUH elections clean and ethical. It can be
VWUHDPOLQHG*67DEXGJHWDU\KLNHLQKHDOWKDQGHGXFDWLRQWUDQVSDUHQWSROOIXQG described as a “swachhata oath” for the elec-
LQJDVHSDUDWHNLVDQ EXGJHWJRLQJEH\RQGWKHSUHVHQW$\XVKPDQ%KDUDWVFKHPH tions. Let every candidate take it publicly at
several places in his/her constituency and
WRLPSOHPHQWWKH5LJKWWR+HDOWKFDUH$FWDQGJXDUDQWHHLQJHYHU\FLWL]HQIUHHPHG subsequently post it on his/her social media
LFLQHVDQGKRVSLWDOLVDWLRQPDNHXSWKHRWKHUIULOOV7KHELJJHVWSURPLVHLVWRDGGUHVV accounts. Let this be an individual enterprise
WKHYDFXXPRIMREOHVVQHVVDQGILOOXSIRXUODNK&HQWUDOJRYHUQPHQWMREVE\ to begin with. If it gains traction with the
masses, then those candidates avoiding it
%HVLGHVSURYLGLQJLQFHQWLYHVIRUVPDOOHUHQWHUSULVHV%XWWKHSUREOHPZLWKVXFK stand the risk of getting ostracised. One can
HDUQHVWVSLULWLVWKHZKHUHZLWKDORUWKHIXQGVWRLPSOHPHQWDJUDQGSODQ7KHUH·V definitely lie under an oath but it’s price can
QRGHYLOVLPSO\EHFDXVHWKHUH·VQRGHWDLO6R1<$< GRHVQ·WFRPHZLWKWKHILQH be heavy if it is an awakened electorate.
Malpractices are commonplace in
SULQWRIZKHWKHUWKLVPHDQVWKHVXVSHQVLRQRIRWKHUVXEVLGLHV1RUGRHVLWDQVZHU elections. No wonder, the British enacted
KRZFDQWKHXQLYHUVDOKHDOWKFRYHUDJHVFKHPHZRUNZLWKDVHYHUHO\FRPSUR the Indian Elections Offences and Inquiries was widely circulated among Members of Parliament The growing nexus qualify convicted
PLVHGKHDOWKLQIUDVWUXFWXUH(YHQWKHSDUW\·VSHDFHQLNPRYHVRQKROGLQJXQFRQ Act, 1920 as direct elections were intro- political parties, elected repre- responded to the consultation between political parties and candidates/legislators for life
duced on a miniscule scale in India as a sentatives of Parliament and paper, four each from the Lok moneybags was anticipated time. The only important pro-
GLWLRQDOWDONVLQ.DVKPLUDQGDPHQGLQJWKH$UPHG)RUFHV6SHFLDO3RZHUV$FW result of the Government of India Act, 1919
VHHPDWDGELWXQUHDOLVWLFFRQVLGHULQJWKDWWKH%-3KDVGHPRQLVHG3DNLVWDQH[SRUW (Montagu-Chelmsford Reform). The rea-
HGWHUURUDVDNH\HOHFWRUDOSODQNDQGPDGHDYLUWXHRIWKHSURWHFWLRQRIQDWLRQ son was not because the British entertained
a low opinion about the Indian character
DOVHFXULW\DQLGHDWKDWDVXEVWDQWLDOSDUWRIWKHHOHFWRUDWHLVDOUHDG\VROGRQ2I but because they were wiser by a long expe-
FRXUVHWKHUH·VDQHHGWRDVWKH&RQJUHVVVD\V´HVFKHZPXVFXODUPLOLWDULVPµ rience of conducting elections in Britain.
DQGWKLQNRIDQLQQRYDWLYHQHJRWLDWLRQPRGHOLQWKH9DOOH\FRQVLGHULQJQRDSSURDFK The onus of keeping the polls clean
majorly lies with the political parties. They
KDVZRUNHGVRIDU%XWSHUKDSVWKHUHLVDQHHGWRJUDGHLWUHDOLVWLFDOO\WKDQOHDSIURJ are the ones who stand to win authority and
LQWRVWDUWXSPRGH$QGE\SOHGJLQJWRVFUDSWKHVHGLWLRQODZDFRORQLDOUHOLF power. They are “the lifeblood of the entire
ZKLFKVKRXOGKDYHEHHQDEROLVKHGDQ\ZD\LWFDQQRWGLVRZQLWVIDLOXUHWRDFWRQ constitutional system” as a Central
Information Commission (CIC) decision in
LWHDUOLHULQIDFWDEXVLQJLWWRLQYRNHWKH(PHUJHQF\DQGFODPSGRZQRQLQGLYLG Subhash Chandra Agarwal v/s Indian
XDOV(YHQLWVJHVWXUHVRQQHWQHXWUDOLW\FHQVRUVKLSZRPHQDQG/*%74,$ULJKWV National Congress and Others described it
PLJKWPDNHWKHULJKWQRLVHVEXWDUHDOVRDPLUURURIZKDWLWKDGQRWGRQHZKHQ in 2013.
But how seriously have the political
LWKDGWKHFKDLU2IFRXUVHRQHPLJKWDUJXHWKDWPDQLIHVWRHVKDYHORVWWKHLUUHO parties taken their responsibility? The
HYDQFHLQWLPHVRIJUDQGDQQRXQFHPHQWVRQSRSXODUPHGLDEXWVRPHZKHUHWKH\ answer is to be found in the pages of the
HPERG\DQDFDGHPLFGHSWKDQGVHWDWHPSODWHIRUSROLWLFDOGLVFRXUVH(YHQLI Law Commission Reports No: 244
QRWLPSOHPHQWHGWKH\UHSUHVHQWDQLGHDEDQNRIJRRGLQWHQWLRQVWKDWGHILQLWHO\ (February 2014) and No: 255 (March
2015). The Law Commission Report No:
PHULWDGLVFXVVLRQUHJDUGOHVVRIZKLFKHYHUSDUW\LVSXWWLQJWKHPIRUWK7KHRQO\ 244 titled, ‘Electoral Disqualification’, was
SUREOHPLVWKDWSROLWLFLDQVKDYHPDGHVHOOLQJGUHDPVVXFKDYLDEOHDUWIRUPWKDW actually an interim statement requested by
DQ\NLQGRIKRQHVWHIIRUWLVFRQVLGHUHGDOLHQRUPDODILGH7KHGLYLVLYHSROLWLFV the Supreme Court, which was hearing the
Public Interest Foundation & Others V/s
RIWRGD\KDVFUHSWLQWRWKH,QGLDQPLQGVSDFHVRLQVLGLRXVO\WKDWWKHUHLVQHYHU Govt of India case. At that time, the 20th
DFFHSWDQFHRIDQ\FRQWUDULDQYLHZSRLQW$OOWKH&RQJUHVVPDQLIHVWRGRHVLVWKHUH Law Commission was already working on
IRUHOD\WKHH[SHFWDWLRQRIDFRXQWHUE\WKH%-3IRUYDOXLQJLWVZRUWK its main report on ‘Electoral Reforms’ in
response to a request made by the Ministry
of Law and Justice, Government of India,
(

in January 2013. That report was ultimate-
ly published as Report No: 255.
In January 2013, the 20th Law
Commission, chaired by Justice (Retd) DK

State legislatures, High Court
Bar Association, the Election
Commission of India, other
national commissions, civil
society organisations, jurists
and eminent spirited people for
their feedback.
The paper listed eight
major issues for considera-
tion like de-criminalisation of
politics and disqualification
of candidates; need to
strengthen provisions related
to disqualification; false affi-
davits; state funding of election
expenses and donations to
political parties; adjudication
of election disputes; enhance-
ment of punishment for elec-
toral offences; issues pertain-
ing to the role of electronic and
print media and so on.
But how was the josh? The
Law Commission received 157
responses, most of them being
from individuals and civil soci-
ety organisations. The Election
Commission of India was the
only body that sent its response.
Of the political parties, the
lesser said the better. One
national political party viz, the
Indian National Congress, and
one registered party viz, the
Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
A national consultation,
widely advertised in the Press
and media, was organised in
New Delhi on February 1,
2014. Invitations were sent by
post and email to various
political parties. There were
only eight parties who cared to
send in their representatives —
All India NR Congress
(Puducherry), All Jharkhand
Students Union (Jharkhand),
Biju Janata Dal, Communist
Party of India (Marxist),
Nationalist Congress Party,
Jammu and Kashmir National
Panthers Party, Rashtriya Lok
Dal and Telangana Rashtra
Samithi. Most national and
regional parties did not attend.
The Election Commission of
India was the only one to
send its delegation. Former
Chief Election Commissioner
SY Quraishi also participated.
This illustrates the commit-
ment of political parties, rather
the absence of it, towards clean
elections. This is least surpris-
ing because election funding
(call it financing) is still an
opaque territory. No political
party would like to demystify it
quite early by C posal by the Government ie,
Rajagopalachari. The use of
illicit money, Rajaji argued, was
undermining the very founda-
tions of India’s hard-won free-
dom and democracy. He called
for a set of electoral reforms in
a series of scathing articles he
wrote for Swarajya, a magazine
founded by him, and the
Illustrated Weekly between 1957
and 1970.
The most radical reform
he suggested for the pre-EVM
era was reversing the voting
process. Instead of voters
queuing up at the polling
booths, the ballot box should
be taken door-to-door by the
administration (candidates
and polling agents would
accompany) with proper secu-
rity on the pattern of decenni-
al census. The step, he felt,
would obviate the need for
expensive campaigns by polit-
ical parties to bring voters to
the ballot boxes while ensur-
ing nearly universal voting.
There seems to be no
action taken by the
Government on the Law
Commission of India’s reports
No: 244 and 255 over the last
exploring the possibility of
simultaneous elections to Lok
Sabha and State legislative
Assemblies, was examined by
the Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Personnel,
Public Grievances, Law and
Justice for its 79th Report
(December , 2015). Its recom-
mendations are now pending
with the Law Commission of
India where it has been referred
to “work out a practicable road
map and framework” (vide
Lok Sabha starred question
No: 219, dated August 1, 2018).
We are going round and round
the mulberry bushes. The last
amendment to the
Representation of the People
Act, 1951, had come in 2004.
The alternative to formulat-
ing new laws by Parliament is
voluntary ethical behaviour by
parties and contestants. There is
still another alternative where a
conscious and conscientious
electorate compels the contes-
tants to behave ethically. The
electorate oath suggested above
is only a step in that direction.
(The writer is an indepen-
dent researcher based in New
+

+


/ )
) Jain, studying the subject of ‘Electoral Welfare Party of India, sent their even while accusing others of five years. It was to the credit Delhi; views expressed herein are


 ) 45#+

  +&

 Reforms’, prepared a consultation paper that feedback. Only eight sitting corrupt practices. of the Supreme Court to dis- his personal)

)
RUDIHZ\HDUVQRZUHVLGHQWVRI'HOKL
DQG RWKHU FLWLHV LQ 1RUWK ,QGLD KDYH B>D=318C4
NQRZQWKDWWKHDLUWKH\EUHDWKHHYHU\ 2PbTb^UbTaX^db]PcdaT <PhQTb^\TfWTaTX]cWT FPbWX]Vc^]b\^eTc^cPZT 9P\\d:PbW\XabaT[PcX^]
ZLQWHULVNLOOLQJWKHP7KLVLVZK\WKHEXVL bdRWPbbTSXcX^]PaT[Te _dabdXc^UfX]]X]VfTU^a 0iWPaXbbdTc^D=B2Xb fXcW8]SXPfX[[T]SXUcWT
QHVVRIVHOOLQJDLUSXULILHUVLVWKHIDVWHVW T[[TS^][hfWT]cWTaTXb VTcW^f\dRWXc\TP]bc^ R^\_[XRPcX]VcWT\PccTaP]S cTa\bP]SR^]SXcX^]b^UcWT
T]^dVWX]U^a\PcX^]c^ QT[^eTS8]^daed[]TaPQX[ Xb]^cR^]SdRXeTc^_TPRT BcPcTbPRRTbbX^]c^cWT
JURZLQJVHJPHQWLQFRQVXPHUGXUDEOHVDQG _a^eTVaPeTfa^]VS^X]V XchfTPaTaT\X]STS P]SbcPQX[XchX]B^dcW0bXP D]X^]PaTRWP]VTS
QRZ PDQ\ RXWGRRU ZRUNHUV VXFK DV
BWXeBT]P[TPSTa 0Rc^a 2WX]TbT^UUXRXP[ ?3?[TPSTa
SROLFHPHQDQGHYHQPXQLFLSDOZRUNHUVDUH ¯BP]YPhAPdc ¯8aaUP]:WP] ¯6T]VBWdP]V ¯<TWQ^^QP<dUcX
LVVXHGZLWKIDFHPDVNV7KHDLULQ'HOKL
1&5 LV GHDGO\ ZLWK WKH $LU 4XDOLW\ ,QGH[
KRYHULQJDERYHWKHKD]DUGRXVOHYHOIRUGD\V
RQHQG:KLOHZHNQHZWKDWEUHDWKDELOLW\ ;4CC4AB C>C74438C>A
LQ'HOKLDQGLQGHHGLQPDQ\,QGLDQFLWLHVLQFOXGLQJWKHRQHVDVIDUIOXQJ
clear shift from the development
FF@1DS_^VecY_^
IURPWKHFDSLWDOVXFKDV.RONDWDDQG+\GHUDEDGZDVOLQNHGWRSROOXWLRQ
LVVXHVZHGLGQRWNQRZKRZLWLPSDFWHGXV1RZDVWXG\FDOOHGWKH¶6WDWH
9^TYQRUS_]Y^WQXQfU^V_bVbQeTcdUbc agenda promised by him. He has
unabashedly accused the Congress
RI*OREDO$LU·62*$FRQGXFWHGE\WKH+HDOWK(IIHFWV,QVWLWXWH+(,KDV
Sir — It is ironic that with the
general elections just a few weeks
PDGHWKHLPSDFWRISRRUDLUYHU\FOHDU7KHDYHUDJHFKLOGERUQLQ6RXWK away, there is still confusion over
$VLDZLOOORVHWZR\HDUVDQGVL[PRQWKVRIKLVOLIHVSDQGXHWRWKHSRRUDLU VVPAT. The recent move by the
WKDWKHZLOOEUHDWKH:RUVHVWLOORYHUPLOOLRQ,QGLDQVGLHGSUHPDWXUHO\ Supreme Court to give time to
potential stakeholders, who have
GXHWRDLUSROOXWLRQLQ7KLVFRPSHOVDVHYHUHUHORRNDWWKHZD\ZH now petitioned to audit at least 50
OLYHFRQVLGHULQJWKDWWKHFDUERQRYHUORDGLVDFRQVHTXHQFHRIRXUPRGHUQ per cent of VVPATs in each
FRQYHQLHQFHVWKHHOHFWULFLW\WKDWGULYHVRXUOLYHVDQGWKHWUDQVSRUWWKDWFRQ Assembly or Parliamentary seg-
ment, has caught the voters off-
QHFWVXV%XWSHRSOHDUHQRWZLOOLQJWRJLYHXSWKHVHPRGHUQFRQYHQLHQFHV guard.
,QIDFWDVWKH\EHFRPHULFKHULQFRXQWULHVOLNH,QGLDWKHGHPDQGVRQWKH With logistical arrangements
HQYLURQPHQWZLOOEHHYHQPRUHSURQRXQFHGDVWKH\EX\DQGFRQVXPHPRUH already in place, the move to delay
SURGXFWV7KDWLVWKHGLFKRWRP\LQHQYLURQPHQWDOSURWHFWLRQ\RXFDQQRW the results by six days in case
VVPAT audit stands at 50 per
DVNSHRSOHFOLPELQJWKHHFRQRPLFODGGHUWRFRQVXPHOHVV\HWSROLF\PDN cent may not be feasible as sug-
HUVNQRZWKHVWDWLVWLFVRIKRZWKLVDPRXQWVWRVORZSRLVRQLQJ gested by the Election
6RZKDWFDQEHGRQH"7KHUHDUHUHDOO\QRVLPSOHVROXWLRQVDQGPXFK Commission (EC). The best
option for it is to devise a strate-
RIWKHJURXQGZRUNKDVDOUHDG\VWDUWHG,QGLDLVPRYLQJDZD\IURPDSUL gy to speed up VVPAT counting
PDULO\FRDOILUHGWKHUPDOSRZHUVHFWRUWRXVLQJPRUHUHQHZDEOHVVXFKDV than depend on the current sys-
ZLQGDQGVRODU:LWKUHJDUGWRYHKLFXODUSROOXWLRQZHVSHGXSWKHLQWUR tem of manual counting.
As the status of contestants is
GXFWLRQRIVWULFWHUHPLVVLRQQRUPVDQGDUHPRYLQJIRUZDUGRQSURPRWLQJ already determined in EVMs,
FOHDQHUK\EULGDQGHOHFWULFYHKLFOHV,Q'HOKLODUJHVFDOHDLUSXULILFDWLRQV\V the EC can implement technolo-
WHPVKDYHEHHQLQVWDOOHGDWPDMRUWUDIILFMXQFWLRQV:KLOHSROLF\PDNHUVDUH gy-based solutions into VVPAT
slips like digital verification, bar
GRLQJWKHLUELWDQGHYHQVRPHPDQXIDFWXUHUVKDYHMRLQHGLQDVFLWL]HQVZH coding of slips and e-mapping
PXVWGRRXUELW:HKDYHWRSROOXWHOHVVXVHPRUHHIILFLHQWGHYLFHVDQG among others to obtain and
YHKLFOHVWKDWUHGXFHHIIOXHQWVDQGNHHSRXUUHVLGHQFHVFOHDQVRWKDWGXVW match the final audit trail and
match it with the outcome.
DQGVPRNHFDQEHFRQWUROOHG:HDUHWKHRQHVZKRKDYHWRUHDOLVHWKDWLI Varun SD
ZHIDLODWWKLVRXUFKLOGUHQDQGKXPDQLW\PLJKWSD\DKXJHSULFH Bengaluru
[TRcX^] cX\T cWTh bPh Xb cWT cadT cTbc U^a P]h
4
of committing a “bahut bada paap”
6^eTa]\T]c?[PRX]VXcb_PbcPRWXTeT\T]cbX]cWT_dQ (grievous sin) by linking Hindus
[XR S^\PX] 6^eTa]\T]cb R[PX\ c^ WPeT \PST with terrorism and mocked
°QaTPZcWa^dVWb±X]\PccTabR^]RTa]X]V°]PcX^]P[X]cTaTbc± Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for
CWXbXbQPUU[X]VCWTX\_^cT]Rh^UcWT6^eTa]\T]cfWT] “taking shelter in a constituency
XcR^\Tbc^P__aTWT]SX]VP]ScahX]VUdVXcXeTbX]R^dacb where the majority (Hindu com-
WPb^UcT]aTbd[cTSX]WXVW_a^UX[TUaPdSbcTabcPZX]VaTUdVT munity) is in the minority”.
X]U^aTXV][P]Sb5PbcVPX]X]V]^c^aXTch^UQTX]VP]PcX^] Accusing the Congress of
cWPcRP]]^cQaX]VRaX\X]P[bc^Q^^Z8]SXPWPbQTT]Rdc tarnishing the country’s “5,000-
cX]VPb^aahUXVdaTP\^]VcWTX]cTa]PcX^]P[R^\\d]Xch year-old” Hindu culture, Modi
8cXbP[[cWT\^aTf^aahX]VcWPc8]b_XcT^UcWT²TeX asked his audience: “Can a Hindu
ST]RT³cWPcbdVVTbcb_^[XcXRP[R^\_[XRXchXcXbdbdP[[hcWT W^\TR^d]cah1dc]^b^^]TaPaTT[TRcX^]bP]]^d]RTS be a terrorist?” But one can ask
X]eTbcXVPcXeT bZX[[b P]S _^[XRX]V \TcW^Sb ^U ^da [Pf XcXb]^cd]dbdP[c^WPeTPaTYdeT]PcTS_^[XRTU^aRTX]cWTbT the Prime Minister, do the terms
T]U^aRT\T]cPVT]RXTbcWPcR^\TX]U^abWPa_RaXcXRXb\ °bPUTWPeT]b±P]]^d]RX]VfXcWVaTPc|[P]cWTPaaTbc^U ‘Islamic terror’ and ‘Hindu terror’
5^acWPc\PccTaTeT]cWT?aTbbP]ScWT\TSXPPaTVdX[ch cWTR^d]ch³b\^bc°fP]cTS±Rd[_aXcP]S\PZX]V]TRTb denote that the followers of these
^Ud]RTaT\^]X^db[hSa^__X]VbdRWXbbdTbUa^\cWTXaTSX bPahPaaP]VT\T]cbc^WPeTcWTPaaPXV]TSST_^acTSCWT faiths are terrorists, en masse? If
cX^]b<TP]fWX[TUaPdSbcTabR^]cX]dTc^\PZTcWTXa_a^ PaaTbc^U=XaPe<^SXX];^]S^]U^[[^fbcWTbP\T_PccTa] calling Al Qaeda, the IS and the
[XUXR_aTbT]RTUT[cP[QTXcX]U^aTXV][P]SbPbbdaTS^UcWTXa ?PRWd<T]^] Pakistan-sponsored radical
X\\d]XchUa^\RaX\X]P[PaaTbcP]S_a^bTRdcX^]X]cWTXa <PaVP^ groups as Islamic terrorists is not
to brand the followers of Islam as
terrorists, then the same logic
6edY\UUhUbSYcU are also unavoidable. a parliamentary seat to prevent applies to some extremist Hindu
Generally, prime ministerial squandering of tax payers’ money. groups, who were prosecuted for
or chief ministerial candidates con- KV Seetharamaiah planning and carrying out bomb-
Sir — The nation has been witness- test from two seats. But cases of can- Hassan ings to kill Muslims, and were
ing a number of unnecessary by- didates contesting from two or branded Hindu terrorists. Identity
elections leading to heavy financial more seats are an exception. Often, politics sows a division that lives
burden on the public exchequer. By- a Lok Sabha member resigns to 5\USdY_^WY]]YS[ on after the polls.
polls due to death of sitting Lok contest an Assembly election or vice J Akshay
Sabha or Assembly members are versa, leading to frequent by-polls. Sir — It’s unfortunate that Prime Bengaluru
unavoidable. Those due to the ele- A stricter law needs to be enacted Minister Narendra Modi is once
vation of a House member to the to bar a sitting member from again playing the “Hindu card” by BT]Shh^daUUTTSQPRZcc^)
post of President or Vice-President resigning to contest in Assembly or raking up “Hindu sentiments”, a [TccTabc^_X^]TTa/V\PX[R^\
 P]P[hbXb
A08?DAkC7DAB30H k0?A8; #! (

gggTQY\i`Y_^UUbS_] &
58ABC2>;D<=
DQS[\Ue^eceQ\ @?9>D2>D=C4A@?9>D

gUQdXUbS_^TYdY_^c C7419?CA84370A3C>74;?270=3A0B74:70A
0I039>8=C741B?0B8CB<>;41DC
508;438=8CB2>=B?8A02H
85<H>F=?4>?;4F4A4=>C8=<HF0H8F>D;3
70E4B7>F=H>D0:78;4B7C70C85F420=E>C4
H>DC>?>F4AF420=?D;;H>D3>F=C>>
CWTRWX[[X]V\TbbPVTcWThR^]eThRP]]^cQTXV]^aTS
°1B?27845 °178<0A<H5>D=34A
FWX[TRWP]RTb^UR^]cPX]X]VR[X\PcTRWP]VTP__TPa
<0H0F0C8 270=3A0B74:70A0I03
SX\fTRP]Pc[TPbcR^_TfXcWcWTR^]bT`dT]RTb

89B1>=1I:0A;4:0A
. % %
$%% ) )% 
) % /)5$
+
2
QHZRXOGKDYHWKRXJKWWKDWWKHDFULPRQLRXVDQGKLJKGHFLEHO
FDPSDLJQIRUWKH/RN6DEKDHOHFWLRQVZRXOGSXVKLVVXHVOLNH
FOLPDWHFKDQJHLQWRREOLYLRQ)RUWXQDWHO\LWKDVQRW:KLOHWKH   %  
   *+  %   + % 6
HOHFWLRQVKROGWKHFHQWUHVWDJHRIGLVFRXUVHUHSRUWVRIXQXVXDOWHP
SHUDWXUHFKDQJHVDSSHDULQ79FKDQQHOVDQGSULQWSXEOLFDWLRQV
7KLVLVKDUGO\VXUSULVLQJJLYHQWKDWFOLPDWHFKDQJHKDVEHHQDIIHFW
LQJRXUOLYHVIRUTXLWHVRPHWLPHQRZ7ZRH[DPSOHVFDQEHFLWHG
0RVWRI0DUFKZDVXQXVXDOO\FROGLQ'HOKLWKH1DWLRQDO&DSLWDO7HUULWRU\
DQGVRPHDUHDVDURXQGLW,WEHJDQZDUPLQJXSRQO\WRZDUGVWKHHQG
RIWKHPRQWK+LPDFKDO3UDGHVKH[SHULHQFHGIRXUWLPHVPRUHVQRZ
IDOOWKLV\HDUFRPSDUHGWRWKHODVW,WKDVQRWMXVWEHHQ,QGLD7KH8QLWHG
6WDWHVDQG%ULWDLQKDYHKDGUDWKHUVWUDQJHZHDWKHUSDWWHUQV6HYHUDO
SODFHVLQDUHDVDURXQG/RV$QJHOHVLQ&DOLIRUQLDH[SHULHQFHGWKHUDWKHU
XQXVXDOSKHQRPHQRQRIVQRZIDOOEHVLGHVKHDY\UDLQLQ)HEUXDU\ B1781F >55<128
6HDWWOHDQGWKHDGMRLQLQJDUHDVLQ:DVKLQJWRQ6WDWHLQ1RUWK:HVW86 ?0=34H 18BC
ZLWQHVVHGKHDY\VQRZIDOO³DUDUHVWRIUDUHHYHQW1HZ<RUNDQGWKH
QRUWKHDVWHUQVHDERDUGRIWKH86KDYHEHHQYLVLWHGIRUVRPH\HDUV

P
ost the unfortunate Pulwama
QRZE\KLJKVSHHGVWRUPVDQGKHDY\EOL]]DUGVVSUHDGLQJWKLFNOD\ terror attack, the country has
HUVRIVQRZRQWKHJURXQGDQGSDUDO\VLQJSXEOLFOLIH witnessed a substantial increase
,IWKHVLWXDWLRQLQWKH86ZDUUDQWVFRQFHUQLWLVPXFKPRUHVR in communal unrest. People
ZLWK&DQDGDZKLFKLVZDUPLQJXSIDVWHUWKDQWKHUHVWRIWKHZRUOG have been using the safe space of
DFFRUGLQJWRDUHSRUWFRPPLVVLRQHGE\WKH&DQDGLDQ(QYLURQPHQW social media to post comments that pro-
DQG&OLPDWH&KDQJH'HSDUWPHQW$FFRUGLQJWRWKHODWWHULWVUDWHRI mote hate speech that has spread on the
internet like cancer. It is highly unlikely
LQFUHDVHLVGRXEOHWKDWRIJOREDOZDUPLQJ that such voices will come down anytime
%ULWDLQWRRKDVEHHQIDFLQJSXQLWLYHZHDWKHUIRUVRPHWLPH3ULRUWR soon in the foreseeable future. Whether
WKHVWRUP*DUHWKZKLFKKLWWKHFRXQWU\·VQRUWKZHVWHUQSDUWVRQ0DUFK people’s views are right or wrong is
WKLV\HDULWKDGZLWQHVVHGWZRZLQWHUVWRUPV)UH\DDQG(ULF/DVW\HDU another matter for debate. The discussion
VWDUWLQJ)HEUXDU\%ULWDLQDQG,UHODQGZHUHDIIHFWHGE\DFROGZDYH at hand should be whether the rules as 0B8C20=14
FKULVWHQHGWKH´%HDVWIURPWKH(DVWµE\WKHPHGLDDQGRIILFLDOO\QDPHG prescribed in the Constitution allow
B44=850
$QWLF\FORQH+DUWPXWZKLFKEURXJKWXQXVXDOO\ORZWHPSHUDWXUHVDQGKHDY\ them to do so?
Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian ?4AB>=8B=>C
VQRZIDOOWRODUJHDUHDV7KHFROGZDYHFRPELQHGZLWK(PPD6WRUPZKLFK
Constitution provides every citizen of the 0;;>F43C>
ZDVFDXVHGE\IUHH]LQJZLQGVIURP6LEHULD³UHVXOWLQJIURPDGLVRUGHU
country with the freedom to speech and A42>D=C4E4=
O\SRODUYRUWH[³UHDFKHG&HQWUDO(XURSHYLD WKH%ULWLVK,VODQGV
expression. This is an inalienable right that C74CAD4502CB
7KH UHVXOWV KDYH EHHQ GLVDVWURXV HYHU\ZKHUH ,Q WKH 86 forms the core of the democratic values. >578BC>AH
+XUULFDQH.DWULQDZKLFKGHVWUR\HG1HZ2UOHDQVLQOHIW However, this freedom is not absolute and C74=8C8B0
SHRSOHGHDG.DWULQDDQGWKHWKUHHRWKHUVHYHUHKXUULFDQHVWKDWVWUXFN is qualified by restrictions listed under 38A42C0CC02:
WKH86WKDW\HDU³(PLO\5LWDDQG:LOPD³WRJHWKHUFODLPHGDWRWDO Article 19(2) of the Constitution. Upon a >=C74
RIOLYHVDQGFDXVHGELOOLRQLQGDPDJHV$OORWKHUGHYDV close reading of these limitations, one can B02A>B0=2C
WDWLQJKXUULFDQHVYLVLWLQJWKH86³&KDUOH\6XSHUVWRUP6DQG\ come to the conclusion that despite the Norms of Journalistic Conduct provide interests of public order. These two ture of the book Gandhi-hatya Ani
A867C>5B?4427
+DUYH\,UPDDQG0DULD³FDXVHGVHYHUHGDPDJHDQG fact that hate speech is not listed as a direct
exception, it does fall under other speci-
ORVVRIOLIH6WRUP*DUHWKZURXJKWVHYHUHGDPDJHLQ%ULWDLQ
fied exceptions, including security of the
,QYDU\LQJGHJUHHVWKHSDWWHUQRIXQXVXDOZHDWKHUFDQEHVHHQ
state, public order and incitement to an
ZRUOGZLGH+HQFHWKHLQHYLWDEOHTXHVWLRQ,VDOOWKLVDUHVXOWRIJORE
offence. Therefore, a citizen has the
DOZDUPLQJ"<HVEXWLQVRPHFDVHVQRWGLUHFWO\VR$FFRUGLQJWRH[SHUWV Constitutional right to speech only until
WKHUHFHQWVQRZIDOOLQ&DOLIRUQLDZDVRQO\LQGLUHFWO\VR8QWLOWKHODVW it takes the form of hate propaganda.
WZRGHFDGHVRUVRWKHUHXVHGWREHVQRZIDOOLQWKHUHJLRQHYHU\ILYH The Indian Penal Code (IPC) contains
RU\HDUVZKHQLWXVHGWREHPXFKKHDYLHU,WZDVPXFKOLJKWHUWKLV provisions that deal with the promulga-
A4BCA82C8>=B8=
\HDUEHFDXVHRIWKHZDUPLQJSURFHVV,IDQ\WKLQJVQRZIDOOVZRXOG tion of hate propaganda. Section 153A
DOWRJHWKHUFHDVHRYHUWLPHZLWKFRQWLQXLQJJOREDOZDUPLQJ condemns promoting enmity between dif-
7KHDYHUDJHWHPSHUDWXUHRIWKHZKROHZRUOGKDVEHHQULVLQJRYHU ferent groups on the grounds of religion,
race, place of birth, residence and language
certain guidelines on the reporting of
0=3 communal happenings.
4G?A4BB8>= While these are laws that may not
C74A45>A4 directly deal with the issue of hate
34B?8C4 speech, the Supreme Court has read
4G4A28B8=6 the Constitution in an elaborate man-
=424BB0AH ner so as to encompass such provisions
A40B>=01;4 within the limits of reasonable restric-
tions under Article 19(2). In the case
of Ramji Lal Modi vs State of Uttar
<0CC4AB>5
Pradesh, the apex court was faced with
70C4
the issue of determining the
?A>?060=308C Constitutional validity of Section
Articles in terms contemplate that
restrictions may be imposed on the
rights guaranteed by them in the inter-
ests of public order.” Therefore, the
court came to the conclusion that hate
speech can be carved out as an excep-
tion under Article 19(2) under
domains such as public order or
security of the state.
Another important case concern-
ing hate speech is Bilal Ahmed Kaloo
vs State of Andhra Pradesh. The case
related to a Kashmiri youth being
Mee (Gandhi-assassination And I)
authored by Nathuram Godse, the
issue revolved around Section 153A of
IPC. The court read down the
Section to hold that in case of Section
153A, first, it is not necessary to prove
that because the material under con-
sideration, enmity or hatred, was in
fact caused.
Second, the intention to promote
hatred is not a necessary ingredient of
the offence and if it is shown that the
language of the text is such that it is
WKHSDVW\HDUVZLWKWKHILUVWGHFDGHRIWKLVFHQWXU\EHLQJ
among others, and carrying out acts B7>D;3=>C14 295A of the IPC. The argument was booked under the IPC for allegedly of a nature calculated to promote feel-
WKHKRWWHVWVLQFHWKHODWHWKFHQWXU\ZKHQUHOLDEOHUHFRUGVRIWHPSHU
prejudicial to the maintenance of harmo- BCA4C2743C> that Section 295A comes under inciting the people of Hyderabad to ings of enmity, then the person would
DWXUHVFDPHWREHNHSW7KHFRQVHTXHQFHVRIZDUPLQJDUHZHOONQRZQ
ny. Section 295A provides for penal sanc- BD270=4GC4=C Chapter 15 of the IPC, dealing with provide a violent reply to the acts be booked under the same. Further, a
³ULVLQJVHDOHYHOVGURZQLQJRILVODQGQDWLRQVH[WUHPHDQGYRODWLOHZHDWK tions against acts that are intended C70C8C offences relating to religion and not committed by the Army on Kashmiri truthful account of history is no
HUSDWWHUQVZKLFKZHDUHFXUUHQWO\GLVFXVVLQJGHVHUWLILFDWLRQGLPLQ towards outraging of religious feelings of
LVKLQJIRRGSURGXFWLRQIDPLQHZDWHUVKRUWDJHVWKHIORRGLQJRIFLWLHV any class by insulting its religion or reli-
PDVVPLJUDWLRQVRIKXPDQVDQGRWKHUOLYLQJVSHFLHVFUHDWLRQRIFOLPDWH gious beliefs.
A867CC>B?4427
UHIXJHHVH[WLQFWLRQRISODQWDQGDQLPDOOLIHPDVVGHVWUXFWLRQRIIRUHVWV Section 298 penalises any act, word or
DQGDVLWXDWLRQLQZKLFKSOD\LQJDQGZRUNLQJLQWKHRSHQFRXOGEHGDQ gesture with the deliberate intent to
JHURXVIRUSHRSOHLQWKHKRWWHVWSDUWVRIWKH\HDU7KHZRUVWYLFWLPVZRXOG wound the religious feelings of any person.
EHWKHSRRUZKRZRXOGEHWKHKDUGHVWKLWERWKE\ULVLQJIRRGSULFHVIRO Section 499, explanation 2 provides for
ORZLQJGHFOLQLQJSURGXFWLRQDQGLQWHQVLILHGZHDWKHUGLVDVWHUV group defamation if the imputation of a
6RXWK $VLD ZLOO VXIIHU VHYHUHO\ $FFRUGLQJ WR D VWXG\ E\ WKH word or act is against an identifiable
group or collection of people as distin-
0DVVDFKXVHWWV,QVWLWXWHRI7HFKQRORJ\SXEOLVKHGLQWKHMRXUQDO6FLHQFH guishable from the rest of the class or com-
$GYDQFHVYDVWDUHDVLQ,QGLD3DNLVWDQDQG%DQJODGHVKZRXOGEHFRPH munity. Section 505(1)(c) penalises acts
WRRKRWIRUKXPDQVXUYLYDOE\2ISDUWLFXODUFRQFHUQWRXVLVWKH that incite any class or community against
RPLQRXVPHVVDJHFRQWDLQHGLQWKHODWHVW:RUOG%DQNUHSRUWWLWOHG¶6RXWK each other.
$VLD·V+RWVSRWV7KH,PSDFWRI7HPSHUDWXUHDQG3UHFLSLWDWLRQ&KDQJHV The Cinematograph Act, 1952 under
RQOLYLQJ6WDQGDUGV·XQFKHFNHGFOLPDWHFKDQJHFDXVLQJKLJKWHPSHU Section 5-B provides the film certification
DWXUHVDQGSRRUUDLQIDOOZRXOGGLPLQLVKWKHOLYLQJVWDQGDUGVRIKDOIRI board with the power to deny any film cer-
WKHFRXQW\·VSRSXODWLRQSDUWLFXODUO\IDUPHUVLQ&HQWUDO,QGLDE\ tification if it, wholly or in parts, is
8QIRUWXQDWHO\JLYHQ863UHVLGHQW'RQDOG7UXPS·VWUXFXOHQFHDQG against the interest of sovereignty and
KLV DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ·V WUDVKLQJ RI WKH GDQJHUV RI JOREDO ZDUPLQJ WKH integrity of India, security of the state,
friendly relations with foreign states, pub-
FKDQFHVRIFRQWDLQLQJWKHODWWHUDSSHDUGLPDWWKHPRPHQW:KDWFDQ
lic order, decency or morality, or involves
EHGRQHLVFRSLQJZLWKWKHFRQVHTXHQFHV:KLOHDGHWDLOHGSODQQHHGV defamation or contempt of court or is like-
WREHGUDZQXSE\H[SHUWVWZRDUHDVRIDFWLRQPD\EHPHQWLRQHGKHUH ly to incite the commission of any offence.
³WKHHVWDEOLVKPHQWRIG\NHVWRSUHYHQWWKH IORRGLQJRIDVPXFKRI Rule 6 and 7 of the Cable Television
RXUFRDVWDODUHDVDVSRVVLEOHDQGSURYLGLQJIRUWKH UHKDELOLWDWLRQRIFOL Networks Rules, 1994 prohibit the telecast
PDWHUHIXJHHV7KHHIIRUWPXVWEHJLQZLWKRXWGHOD\ of any programme or advertisement which
D=9DBC;H Chapter 8, which deals with offences
05542CBC74 against public tranquility.
Therefore, offences relating to
religion have no bearing on the main-
>50=
tenance of public order, or tranquil-
8=38E83D0;
lity and, consequently, a law creating
an offence relating to religion and
imposing restrictions on the right to
freedom of speech and expression
cannot claim the protection under
Article 19(2).
However, the court applied a
broad interpretation of the words “in
the interest of ” as given under Article
19(2). It stated, “A law may not have
been designed to directly maintain
public order and yet it may have been
enacted in the interests of public order.
The right to freedom of religion
assured by those Articles is expressly
made subject to public order, moral-
ity and health. Therefore, it cannot be
predicated that freedom of religion
can have no bearing whatever on the
maintenance of public order or that a
law creating an offence relating to reli-
gion cannot under any circumstances
Muslims. In this case, the point of
determination was whether this act of
his constituted hate propaganda,
would come under Section 153A or
505(2) of the IPC?
The Supreme Court in this case
came to the conclusion that for the
application of either Section 153A or
505(2), it is necessary that at least two
such groups or communities should
be involved. The court further stated
that merely inciting feelings of one
community or group without any
reference to any other community or
group cannot attract either of the two
sections. This case also holds impor-
tance as it showcased the difference
between Section 153A and 505. The
apex court held that while Section
505(2) requires publication of the hate
propaganda, Section 153A covers
every case without the necessary
requirement of publication.
It is important to note that the
court has over time broadened the
scope of hate speech under the law. In
the case of Gopal Vinayak Godse vs
defence to the offence.
Therefore, it can be seen that the
conspectus within which the law on
hate speech operates is very wide. The
problem that surrounds hate speech
is that it acts as a tool in the hands of
the Government to curb the freedom
of speech of a person, the effect of
which is that it leads to the failure of
democracy in the country.
As it can be seen, if a person is not
allowed to recount even the true
facts of history, then it is a direct attack
on the sacrosanct right of speech and
expression.
Therefore, despite exercising nec-
essary reasonable restrictions in mat-
ters of hate propaganda, it should not
be stretched to such an extent as a
result of which it
unjustly affects the right to speech of
an individual.
(Raghav Pandey is an Assistant
Professor of Law at Maharashtra
National Law University, Mumbai and
Neelabh Bist is a Fourth Year student
of Law at Maharashtra National Law
7KHZULWHULV&RQVXOWDQW(GLWRU7KH3LRQHHUDQGDQDXWKRU promotes communal attitudes. Further, the be said to have been enacted in the Union of India, concerning the forfei- University, Mumbai)

$   %

+
%
-XU]OTMIUTIKXTYY[XXU[TJOTMZNKKT\OXUTSKTZGTJIROSGZKINGTMKS[YZTUZUTR_HKIUSKGVGXZULKRKIZOUT
SGTOLKYZUKYH[ZGRYUJKIOJKZNK\KXJOIZ:NKOYY[KYNU[RJNG\KGZUVULZNKSOTJXKIGRRLUX/TJOGT\UZKXY
;?D1 BA8A09
T
he great Indian elections are just
round the corner, scheduled to
be held in seven phases from
April 11 to May 19, covering 543 con-
stituencies to constitute the 17th Lok
Sabha. The grand event will have a riv-
etting impact on the country with its
bureaucracy, population and adminis-
trative machinery being stretched to its
full limit.
The phenomenal democratic exer-
cise caters to not only the hopes and
aspirations of millions of Indians but
is a once-in-five-years event where
political parties and their leaders
recommit themselves to the service of
the nation. As sops, subsidies and
promises flow unhindered during this
time, one cannot but wonder how envi-
ronment and climate change get a cur-
sory mention in the campaign speech-
es of political parties. Party manifestoes
— the mainstay of any party’s commit-
ment towards the electorate — have
largely become stereotypical and repet-
itive. Gone are the days of excitement
when one would explore the promis-
es and initiatives assured by the party
and look forward to their implemen-
tation if the party rode to power.
Assurances in today’s manifestoes are
feeble and lack the push even if a party
assumes power or not. Burning issues
pertaining to climate change and envi-
ronment are the main sufferers in these
documents as they are relegated to the
back burner and are instituted into the
document only as a formality.
The Congress’ manifesto released
this week is an apt example. The doc-
ument makes an extremely generalised
reference to climate change and how
the party would attend to it. Further,
there’s a lack of depth in the assurance.
This shows how the drafting commit-
tee probably failed to grasp the gravi-
ty of the problem.
Almost all political parties fight
the elections based on populist mea-
sures and dole-outs. Thanks to this
never-ending competition to woo the
voters, the State and Central trea-
suries are not only getting emptied
but real issues such as climate change
are also being ignored. Owing to the
lack of awareness, people, too, are
playing hand-in-glove with the cam-
paigners, forgetting that for some
short-run benefits and gains, they are
giving up on the security of a climate
change proof future.
Unfortunately, it is in the best inter-
est of political entities to keep the vot-
ers in the lurch about the real issues.
Hence, there is never a change in this
pattern. To make matters worse, even
non-government and not-for-profit
bodies, who pride themselves for the
social service they render, are doing
nothing sizeable when it comes to edu-
cating the voters on climate-related
issues. India prides itself on being an
emerging economic superpower that
has high levels of technically qualified
and educated people. But sadly, this
does not reflect sufficiently when one
observes its polity and processes. The
level of education is directly propor-
tionate to the level of awareness.
Therefore, it is puzzling how a fairly
educated population is allowing essen-
tial issues like that of climate change to
get buried in the last pages of the man-
ifesto. These subjects relating to envi-
ronment must feature in the top five
subjects on which every party and
leader’s contribution and performance
is evaluated and ranked.
Certainly, it is not the same case
with some countries around the
world. Environmental issues form the
“national strategies” of political par-
ties in many countries. These parties
are obliged to discuss and debate at
length their climate change strategies
before experts and provide sustainable
solutions, which are implementable,
once they come to power. The United
States presidential elections slated for
year 2020 is a good example where
candidates and parties are feverishly
putting together their strategies on
how to tackle climate change. This
because an aware population of
America would like to know how the
environment would be cared for and
herein lies the lesson for India.
Political parties and their leaders
only play what the people want to hear.
The more the people focus on mate-
5>A486=4H4
rial benefits and free sops, more will
the focus shift to those subjects.
Instead, if the population becomes
aware of its environmental predica-
ments and demands an action plan
from contestants on a priority basis,
parties will have no other option but
to respect people’s wish and deliver an
18664BC4=4<H8B
actionable plan to pull the country 508;8=642>=><H
back from the brink of climate change-
?aTbXST]c4aS^VP]Q[P\Tb
induced disasters.
But how will this take place? Who <a6d[T]U^acWTPccT\_cTS
will generate the much-needed con- R^d_PVPX]bcWX\X]! %
sciousness among the people? As FWTcWTaWTXbaXVWcPQ^dc
much surprising this may sound, it is cWPc^a]^cWTWPbP\dRW
the Government’s responsibility to
show the correct path. It must educate \^aTU^a\XSPQ[TbTc^U
the people that only a nation that cares T]T\XTbPVPX]bcWX\]^f
for its nature and natural resources is ¯aTRTbbX^]X]U[PcX^]P]S
one that truly prospers and progress- d]T\_[^h\T]c7TfX[[]^c
es. This course-correction needs a mav- QTPQ[Tc^TgTacWXbW^[S^]
erick political party and an equally
charismatic leader who can bravely _^fTafWX[TcWTTR^]^\h
shun populist measures and think for R^[[P_bTbP[[Pa^d]SWX\8c
the long-term well-being of India. WPb_a^eTSP\^aT[TcWP[
Will these elections produce such a cWaTPcc^WXb_Pach³b
leader? The answer lies in the cam- PdcW^aXchcWP]cWTfPaX]
paigning and what is being promised.
(The writer is an environmental BhaXP^acWTcWaTPcUa^\8B
journalist) CWT8]ST_T]ST]c
A08?DAkC7DAB30H k0?A8; #! ( '

7*!8 99)


5 33 !!3!#,
?C8 ?0B8670C crore women in the country, %+ +2%0 +
0AD=0270;?A034B7 besides constructing toilets in
every village and extending ?C8 1>:0:70C;0:78<?DA

P rime Minister Narendra

Modi on Wednesday tore
into the Congress, terming its
manifesto as a “hypocrisy doc-
ument” which was “full of lies”.
Addressing his second rally
in Arunachal Pradesh within a
week, the Prime Minister said
the upcoming Lok Sabha polls
will be about the choice
between “trust and corrup-
tion, and about resolution and
conspiracy”.
Referring to the Congress
manifesto for the 2004 Lok
Sabha elections, Modi said it
had promised that every house
would have electricity by 2009.
“However, till 2014 around
18,000 villages in the country
were still to be electrified... Just
like them (the Congress), their
manifesto is corrupt and full of
lies. Therefore, it should be
called hypocrisy document
(dhakosla patra), not a mani-
festo,” Modi said at the rally
here, around 220 km from
State capital Itanagar.
healthcare facilities under the
‘Ayushman Bharat’ scheme.
“Under the Ayushman
Bharat Yojana, about three lakh
people in Arunachal Pradesh
were covered, who were pro-
vided free treatment to the tune
of Rs 5 lakh per family,” he said.
Every house in the state has
been illuminated with elec-
tricity after 70 years of
Independence, Modi claimed.
Modi said he does not
claim to have completed all the
developmental work since
becoming prime minister, but,
“I can say that I am a man who
can withstand any challenge the
country faces, and plan and
execute all works with dedica-
tion and commitment”.
Accusing the Congress of
neglecting the north east
region, especially Arunachal
Pradesh, he said the state never
found its place in the “dil”
?aX\T<X]XbcTa=PaT]SaP<^SXPSSaTbbTbP_dQ[XRaP[[hPWTPS^UcWT;^ZBPQWP_^[[bPc?PbXVWPcX]4PbcBXP]VSXbcaXRc^] (heart) of the grand old party.
FTS]TbSPh ?C8 The Prime Minister
charged that the Congress was
C ongress president Rahul
Gandhi said on Wednesday
that funds for the ambitious
‘NYAY’ scheme would come
from the pockets of “chor”
businessmen favoured by
‘chowkidar’ Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and its benefit
would be directly transferred to
bank accounts of women mem-
bers of poor families.
Rahul addressed two rallies
in Assam on Wednesday in
support of Kaliabor MP Gaurav
Gogoi and Congress candi-
date from Lakhimpur con-
stituency Anil Buragohain.
Each of the 20 per cent poor
families will get Rs 72,000 annu-
ally and Rs 3.6 lakh in five years,
Gandhi said, adding that funds
for the scheme will coming from
the pockets of ‘chors’ (thieves)
like Anil Ambani in whose
accounts ‘chowkidar’ Narendra
Modi has deposited money dur-
ing the last four years.
“Modi had promised four

During his address, Modi
said with the NDA coming
back to power in 2014, it ful-
filled the promise of the
Congress by illuminating the
18,000 villages within 1,000
days. Congress president Rahul
Gandhi on Tuesday had
released his party’s manifesto
for the Lok Sabha polls, mak-
ing job creation, addressing
farm distress, bringing a single
moderate rate of GST and giv-
ing Rs 72,000 per annum to
poor families as key focus, if it
comes to power.
Modi also attacked the
Congress, alleging that it sym-
pathises with those who insult
India, and wondered whether
its party symbol, the hand, is
with the country or with those
conspiring against it.
“Those who burn the
Tricolour and insult it, raise slo-
gans of breaking India into
pieces, play in the hands of for-
eign forces and vandalise stat-
ues of Baba Saheb (Ambedkar),
the Congress sympathises with
them, too,” he alleged.
The PM said unlike the
Congress, the BJP never made
false promises and kept its
commitment of providing free
LPG connection to nearly 60
D>G&*,GD-1K*1'--'-
*1>DD%*'-G(-&# ,%(
C=A067D=0C70 <D<108
T argetting Nationalist
Congress Party (NCP)
chief Sharad Pawar for the sec-
ond time in three days, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi said
on Wednesday night that “big
NCP leaders” were not getting
sleep these days because of the
“fear” that a person lodged
currently in Delhi’s Tihar Jail
might make shocking disclo-
sures about them.
Addressing an election
rally at Gondia in eastern
Maharashtra, Modi sought to
unnerve “big NCP leaders” by
claiming that “some shocking
disclosures” were in store for
them when the man lodged in
Tihar jail spilled beans in the
near future.
“I do not want to go into the
full details....But I would advise
you ( the people in the crowd)
to go and ask big NCP leaders
if they are getting sleep these
days... No they are not getting
sleep. Their sleep is now lying
in Tihar jail. Fear is stalking
them. They are worried what
will happen to them if the man
who has been arrested and
lodged in Tihar jail spills beans.
Today, they are very much
worried....But the not be far off
when the whole thing (relating
to the NCP leaders) will come
into the open,” Modi said.
Modi charged that the
Congress was trying to create
instability in the country by
creating confusion in the
minds of the people. “This is
their habit....Either they con-
trol fully or create confusion...
Earlier the Congress had
problems with chaiwalla and
now with it is with chowkidar.
Terming the Congress’
manifesto as dhakosla patra
(hypocritical document), Modi
said, “The manifesto promises
to repeal sedition law. The con-
gress has promised in its man-
ifesto that it would not launch
proceedings against Maoist
indulging in anti-national activ-
ities. Congress and NCP sym-
pathise with “Bharat tukde
tukde honge” gang... Through
this promise to repeal sedition
law, they are insulting sacrifices
of thousands of our soldiers”
“The Congress’ manifesto
is a plan of Pakistan’s conspir-
acies. It is a conspiracy to
destroy the confidence of the
Indian army and it is a con-
spiracy hatched b Bharat ka
tukde tukde honge gang. You
have tobe cautious about
Mahamilavat opposition oth-
erwise it will give do such
things that will give fillip to the
naxal movement in the area.
At a time when we were try-
ing to prosecute urban
Maoists, the Congress and
NCP leaders stood by these
Urban Maoists,” Modi said.
Modi demanded to know
if Sharad Pawar agreed with
the Congress’ manifesto.
“Sharad Pawar should come
clean on this,” the PM said.
fooling farmers in the name of
votes, whereas the BJP
Government has always been
with them. “We never com-
mitted the sin of betraying
farmers but we introduced the
mechanism from seed to mar-
ket,” the PM said.
Elaborating on the devel-
opment plans of Arunachal
Pradesh, he said the BJP gov-
ernment’s vision for the state is
connectivity, resources and
respect.
The PM said the State is on
the growth path now with
many mega projects like the
Advance Landing Grounds
(ALGs) at Pasighat and Tezu,
train connectivity between
Naharlagun and Guwahati, and
Naharlagun and New Delhi.
Asserting that he is com-
mitted to safeguard the tribal
tradition and culture, Modi
said he had visited the region
“more than 30 times” in com-
parison to his predecessors,
because of the love and affec-
tion he shares with the people
of the north east.
Elections to Arunachal
Pradesh’s 57 assembly seats
and two parliamentary con-
stituencies will be held simul-
taneously on April 11.
years ago that he would deposit
money in the accounts of the
people but he has done it only
in the case of some rich people
like the Ambanis. It is the rich
who keep chowkidars, which
Modi has become for them. We
will deposit money in the
accounts of the poor, particu-
larly women, irrespective of
their caste, class or religion,” the
Congress president said.
He accused Modi of “steal-
ing” Rs 30,000 crore from the
Air Force and putting it into a
“thief ’s (Anil Ambani’s) pock-
et”. “It is poor people’s money
which we will take out from
them,” he said.
The MGNREGA’s annual
budget is Rs 35,000 crore and
almost an amount of this size
was given (by the NDA gov-
ernment) to a single person,
Rahul claimed.
He said that Rs 3.6 lakh to
be given to each beneficiary
over a period of five years
under the NYAY scheme will
be deposited in the accounts
five crore women, which will in
turn will benefit 25 crore peo-
ple and revive the economy.
Mounting an attack on the
prime minister, Rahul said he
claims to be a ‘chowkidar’ and
2^]VaTbbRWXTUAPWd[6P]SWXfPeTbPc_Pachbd__^acTabSdaX]VP_dQ[XRaP[[hPWTPS
^UcWT;^ZBPQWPT[TRcX^]bPc1^ZPZWPcX]6^[PVWPcSXbcaXRc^]FTS]TbSPh
had promised to put Rs 15 lakh
in their bank accounts. “But is
a chowkidar bigger than a
mazdoor (worker) or a farmer.
“Chowkidars are only in
front of the houses of rich peo-
ple like Anil Ambani, Lalit
Modi, Nirav Modi and
Vijay Mallya but not in front of
poor people’s houses,” he
mocked.
He repeatedly referred to
BJP president Amit Shah as
“murder accused” and said it was
he who had exposed Modi’s
‘jumla’ (false promise) of giving
Rs 15 lakh to every Indian.
Referring to demonetisation,
the Congress chief said, “Modi
put people in queues before
banks for their own money. But
Mehul Choksi, Nirav Modi,
Ambanis were not in line. While
you were busy standing in
queues, India’s thieves looted the
?C8
money and fled with the help of
the chowkidar.”
Rahul said the Citizenship
Amendment Bill will not be
passed at any cost and the
Congress will protect the lan-
guage, culture and traditions of
the people of the Northeast.
“The BJP had brought the
Bill in Parliament. It was an
attack on the language, thought
and independence of the peo-
ple of the region. We did not
allow the Bill to be passed then
(in Rajya Sabha) and will
ensure that it is not passed in
future too,” he said.
The Congress president
accused Modi of taking away the
special status and special indus-
trial policy which was given to
the Northeast by the party’s
government for the unique
problems faced by the region.

2[PaXUh>\Pa´bbT_PaPcT?<bcP]S)BWPWc^APWd[
G H

  G5
!!
'>
5
Lucknow: Equating Indian
<>78C:0=370A8 90<<D feel ashamed of what they have
announced in their manifesto
army with Lord Hanuman,
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
said the way Lord Hanuman
burnt Lanka, the Indian army
destroyed terror camps oper-
ating in Pakistan.
“Indian army destroyed
terror camps operating in
Pakistan just as Lord Hanuman
had destroyed the goons in
Ravan’s Lanka. This act of val-
our (of Indian army) was pos-
sible only because of the strong
and decisive government (at
the Centre) and the determi-
nation and will power of Prime
Minister (Narendra) Modi,”
Yogi said while addressing an
election rally in Siwalkhas in
Baghpat Lok Sabha con-
stituency on Wednesday.
He said India had made
remarkable progress in eco-
nomic and military field under
the leadership of Prime
Minister Modi.
Yogi appealed to the peo-
ple to vote for the BJP and help
India become an economic
super power.
In his over 40-minute
speech, Yogi talked about var-
ious issues, including air strike
and achievements of the Modi
and his own governments.
He paid tribute to Kargil
martyr Rajendra Singh and
remembered Dhyan Singh
Gurjar who led the revolution
of 1857 from Baghpat. PNS
R esponding to the provoca-
tive statements of both
Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba
Mufti, enjoying patronage of
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi,
over tinkering with Article
35A and abrogation of Article
370, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP)
Chief Amit Shah on
Wednesday set the record
straight by saying it ‘loud and
clear’ that as long as BJP is in
power these leaders cannot
fulfil their dreams of having a
separate Prime Minister for the
state of Jammu & Kashmir.
Cornering Rahul Gandhi,
BJP Chief also asked him to
clarify his stand on the issue.
“Rahul Baba, do you also
want two PMs in the country?
People of the country want to
know the Congress president’s
response to Omar Abdullah’s
statements. You should tell the
nation whether you support
him or not,” Shah said at an
election rally in Sunderbani
amid thunderous applause
from the crowd.
Addressing two back to
back rallies in support of party
candidates from Udhampur-
Doda and Jammu-Poonch Lok
Sabha seat, Amit Shah assert-
ed that his party, whether in
power or in opposition, would
never let such a demand get
fulfilled.
“I want to make it clear that
19?]PcX^]P[_aTbXST]c0\XcBWPWQTX]VVPa[P]STSP[^]VfXcWcWT_Pach[TPSTabSdaX]VP]T[TRcX^]aP[[hPWTPS^UcWT;^ZBPQWP
_^[[bPcBd]STaQP]XX]ATPbXSXbcaXRc^]FTS]TbSPh
the BJP, no matter whether it is
in power or in the opposition,
would not allow their desire of
having two PMs in the coun-
try being fulfilled,” Shah said.
Describing the BJP as a
party which follows the ideals
of Syama Prasad Mookerjee
who made the supreme sacri-
fice in Kashmir, Shah said it
will not let anything of the sort
happen “till its last breath”.
In Srinagar, PDP Chief
Mehbooba Mufti made yet
another provocative statement
saying that the relation of
Jammu and Kashmir with India
will end if the terms and con-
ditions of the state’s accession
to the Union were changed.
“2020 will also be a dead-
line from Jammu and Kashmir
to the nation. If you remove
those terms and conditions on
which Jammu & Kashmir
acceded to India, our relation
with the country will also end,”
Mehbooba told reporters after
filing her nomination papers
from the Anantnag Lok Sabha
constituency.
The former Chief Minister
was responding to BJP presi-
dent Amit Shah’s assertion that
Article 35A, which guarantees
special status to Jammu &
Kashmir in terms of residency
rights, will be repealed by 2020.
?C8
Posing some tough ques-
tions to the Congress party
Chief in Sunderbani and
Udhampur, Amit Shah said, “a
leader of National Conference
(NC) raised pro-Pakistan slo-
gans but Mauni Baba, as Shah
dubbed him, remained mum.
“Rahul Gandhi, you are in
alliance with the NC, you can-
not escape from the responsi-
bility to clear your stand.
Citizens of the country want to
know if you agree with raising
‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans,”
the BJP chief asked.
Addressing a rally in
Udhampur, Shah said, “The
Congress and its leaders should
— to dilute AFSPA and with-
draw sedition clause.”
“Nobody can dilute AFSPA
as the BJP will be standing like
a rock behind security forces
who are protecting our bor-
ders,” Shah told the rally, organ-
ised in support of BJP leader
Jitendra Singh.
In Sunderbani, BJP presi-
dent alleged that illegal immi-
grants including Rohingyas
want to change the demogra-
phy of Jammu region and
vowed to oust every single
illegal immigrant from the
countr y if voted again
to power.
“Infiltrators are eating our
country like termites. They
want to change the demogra-
phy of Jammu. As long as
there is a BJP government, we
won’t let this happen. If you
choose Narendra Modi gov-
ernment, we will oust every
single infiltrator from the coun-
try in the next five years,” he
said. He also warned Pakistan,
saying if a single bullet comes
from there “we will fire shells
from here”.
In reference to the Balakot
air strike, BJP Chief Amit Shah
said that the BJP government
gave a “befitting reply” to the
terrorists while claiming that
the Congress could not do so
in the last 10 years of their
tenure.
  
8=380=>C3>8=69DBC824C>:0B7<8A)013D;;07
1TTafPW9:) 8]SXPXb]^cS^X]VYdbcXRTc^cWT_T^_[T^U:PbW\Xa
QdcXcRP]]^cbd__aTbbcWT\fXcWXcb\X[XcPah\XVWc=PcX^]P[
2^]UTaT]RT_aTbXST]c5Pa^^`0QSd[[PWbPXSFTS]TbSPhPbbTacX]V
cWPccWT2T]caTfX[[WPeTc^aTcda]cWT_T^_[T³baXVWcVdPaP]cTTSQh
cWT2^]bcXcdcX^]
<0H0F0C8³B0D3060A´>5C82:4CB)<0=4:0
Bd[cP]_da) D]X^]\X]XbcTaP]SbT]X^a19?[TPSTa<P]TZP6P]SWX^]
FTS]TbSPhSTbRaXQTS1B?RWXTU<PhPfPcXPbP°\TaRWP]c^UcXRZTcb±
P]SP[[TVTScWPcbWTS^Tb]^cVXeTWTa_PachcXRZTcbc^P]h^]T
fXcW^dccPZX]V\^]Th
&?>;;>558280;B270A643F8C734A4;82C8>=>53DCH
<PcWdaP) 0dcW^aXcXTbWPeTXbbdTS^aSTabc^Q^^ZbTeT]T\_[^hTTb
U^aSTaT[XRcX^]^UT[TRcX^]SdchWTaT^UUXRXP[bbPXS^]FTS]TbSPh
°58AXbQTX]VaTVXbcTaTSPVPX]bcbTeT]T\_[^hTTbT]VPVTSX]
T[TRcX^]SdchU^abZX__X]VcaPX]X]V±2WXTU3TeT[^_\T]c>UUXRTaAP\
=TfPbbPXS
<471>>10>=9:´BA4;0C8>=F8C78=380
BaX]PVPa)?3?_aTbXST]c<TWQ^^QP<dUcXbPXS^]FTS]TbSPhcWPc
cWTaT[PcX^]^U9P\\d:PbW\XafXcW8]SXPfX[[T]SXUcWTcTa\bP]S
R^]SXcX^]b^UcWTBcPcT³bPRRTbbX^]c^cWTD]X^]fTaTRWP]VTS
°!!fX[[P[b^QTPSTPS[X]TUa^\9P\\d:PbW\Xac^cWT]PcX^]±
<>3820=´CF8=>E4A:0B7<8A8BF8C76D=B)0I03
:d_fPaP)?aX\T<X]XbcTa=PaT]SaP<^SXRP]]^cfX]cWTWTPacb^U
:PbW\XaXbQhdbX]VVd]bU^a\Ta9P\\d:PbW\Xa2WXTU<X]XbcTa
P]S2^]VaTbb[TPSTa6Wd[P\=PQX0iPSbPXS^]FTS]TbSPh
<8=8=62AIC>?>=6>02>=6A4BB<0=854BC>
?P]PYX)ATbd\_cX^]^UXa^]^aT\X]X]VP]SbRaP__X]V^UcWT! (
2^PbcP[ATVd[PcX^]I^]T2AI]^cXUXRPcX^]f^d[SQTcWT\PY^a
_a^\XbTbX]2^]VaTbb³\P]XUTbc^U^a;^ZBPQWP_^[[bX]6^PP
bT]X^a[TPSTabPXS^]FTS]TbSPh
C8<4C>>DBC³5028BC´<>386>EC)BC0;8=
2^X\QPc^aT) 3dQQX]VcWT=PaT]SaP<^SX6^eTa]\T]cPb²UPbRXbc³
[TPSTab^UcWT3<:[TS°BTRd[Pa?a^VaTbbXeT5a^]c±X]CP\X[=PSd^]
FTS]TbSPhbPXScWTcX\TWPbR^\Tc^^dbcXcc^bPeTcWT]PcX^]P]S

APXSbR^]cX]dTX]CP\X[=PSdPb8Cb[TdcWbbTXiTC!RaUa^\E2:
:D<0A274;;0??0=
274==08
O fficials of Income Tax
Department and Election
Commission of India contin-
ued their crack down on illegal
cash and gold in Tamil Nadu
meant for bribing voters in the
election scheduled for April 18.
The sleuths busted on
Tuesday night an innovative
style of money trafficking
deployed by the leaders of
VCK, a Dalit militant outfit
contesting from two parlia-
mentary constituencies in the
State. The VCK is a constituent
of the DMK-led Secular
Progressive Alliance (SPA) .
Cash of Rs 2.1 crore hidden
in secret chambers inside a
Toyota Innova car was seized
by the officials from
Perambalur. The officials said
they suspect the money was
meant for distributing among
the voters because there was no
need for transport the same
hidden in secret chambers built
n the door panel and in the
seats of the swanky car.
The seizure of the cash
comes immediately after the
raid on the residence and busi-
ness premises of Durai
Murugan, the DMK treasurer,
on Monday and Tuesday yield-
ed unaccounted cash of Rs
11.3 crore. Though Murugan
 CWTb[TdcWbQdbcTS^]CdTbSPh]XVWcP]X]]^ePcXeTbch[T^U\^]Th Income Tax officials, no peti-
caPUUXRZX]VST_[^hTSQhcWT[TPSTab^UE2:P3P[Xc\X[XcP]c^dcUXc tion has come for hearing .
R^]cTbcX]VUa^\cf^_Pa[XP\T]cPahR^]bcXcdT]RXTbX]cWTBcPcT Meanwhile, the DMK-led
 2PbW^UAb! Ra^aTWXSST]X]bTRaTcRWP\QTabX]bXSTPC^h^cP8]]^eP
RPafPbbTXiTSQhcWT^UUXRXP[bUa^\?TaP\QP[da
front was in for another shock
on Wednesday as Karthikeyan
nephew of MDMK leader
 CWTbTXidaT^UcWTRPbWR^\TbX\\TSXPcT[hPUcTacWTaPXS^]cWT
aTbXST]RTP]SQdbX]Tbb_aT\XbTb^U3daPX<dadVP]cWT3<: Vaiko , came out in the open
caTPbdaTa^]<^]SPhP]SCdTbSPhhXT[STSd]PRR^d]cTSRPbW^UAb declaring support to the
"Ra^aT AIADMK and chief minister
Edappadi Palaniswamy on
 <TP]fWX[TcWT3<:[TSUa^]cfPbX]U^aP]^cWTabW^RZ^]FTS]TbSPh Wednesday.
Pb:PacWXZThP]]T_WTf^U<3<:[TPSTaEPXZ^RP\T^dcX]cWT^_T] “The DMK is a big threat
STR[PaX]Vbd__^acc^cWT0803<:P]SRWXTU\X]XbcTa4SP__PSX to the country as well as Tamil
?P[P]XbfP\h^]FTS]TbSPh Nadu. We should not allow the
 CWTaPXSb^]cWT[TPSTab^UcWT^__^bXcX^]_PacXTbWPeTaPcc[TSP DMK to come anywhere near
bTRcX^]^U_^[XcXRP[[P]SbRP_TX]CP\X[=PSd the corridors of power,”
Karthikeyan told journalists
and his son Kathir Anand, the approach the Madras High at Kovilpatti where the Chief
DMK candidate from Vellore Court challenging the high- Minister was campaigning for
had said that they would handed behaviour of the the NDA candidate.
cWT_T^_[T0SSaTbbX]VP]T[TRcX^]aP[[hX]cWXbX]SdbcaXP[RXchcWTh
R[PX\TScWT6^^SbBTaeXRTbCPg6BCP]SST\^]TcXbPcX^]WPS
Qa^ZT]cWTQPRZQ^]T^UcWTR^d]cah³bTR^]^\hP]S[TPSX]Vc^
R[^bdaT^Ub\P[[X]SdbcaXTbX]cWTbcPcTaT]STaX]VcW^dbP]Sb^U
Karthikeyan is the son of f^aZTabY^Q[Tbb2P]ePbbX]VU^acWT2?8<RP]SXSPcTX]2^X\QPc^aT
Kanchana, Vaiko’s sister and ;^ZBPQWPbTPcV^X]Vc^_^[[b^]0_aX[ '3<:_aTbXST]c<:
was active in the MDMK pol- BcP[X]aTXcTaPcTSWXb²UPRXbc³RWPaVTPVPX]bccWT<^SXV^eTa]\T]cP]S
STbRaXQTScWTT[TRcX^]bPbPc^^[c^^dbcXc
itics.
The raids on the leaders
of the opposition parties have
rattled a section of political
landscape in Tamil Nadu. N
Gopalaswamy, former Chief
Election Commissioner of
India told The Pioneer that
Tamil Nadu has the worst his-
tor y of bribing voters.
“Corruption has been institu-
tionalised in the State which
could be the only one State in
the country where by-polls
and even general election were 3<:;TPSTa<:BcP[X]SdaX]VP]T[TRcX^]aP[[hPWTPS^UcWT;^ZBPQWP_^[[b
rescinded because of massive X]2^X\QPc^aT^]FTS]TbSPh ?C8
corruption,” said Gopalaswamy.
A08?DAkC7DAB30H k0?A8; #! ( (

( !!5   3 3, !5

?C8 34>10=3

+
+>/

 :;)/%


A s soon as the bells ring at
Darul Uloom — Asia’s
largest madrassa — students
 
)
prepare to head towards
mosque for evening prayers.
After stepping outside the insti-
 
tution, some of them stop at a
tea shop near the campus.

An animated discussion is
underway at the kiosk in
Saharanpur. The students are
discussing the issues that dom-
inate or are being skipped by
political parties in their cam-
paign in the district ahead of
the general election on April
11. They have their own theo-
ries and understanding of the
complex election process.
Jamal, 24, says he fears
Muslim votes might get divid-
ed in the election as two strong
Muslim candidates are con-
testing from the constituency.
The Congress has fielded sea-
soned leader Imran Masood,
while the BSP has named Faizul
Rahman. BSP has formed a
“mahagathbandhan” with SP
&)
<02

and RLD in Uttar ers. Of which, 6 lakh are
Pradesh for the election. 34>10=3 Muslims and 3 lakh
trict. Madrassa students say the
mahagathbandhan wish to woo 1%
The BJP has pitted SCs/STs. Muslim voters as they have a 
incumbent Raghav A three-way contest is tough fight with the Congress,
Lakhan Pal against the expected between the which too has fielded a strong +
Opposition candidates. Congress, the BJP and the Muslim candidate.
“Faizul Rahman might have mahagathbandhan on the seat. “But our agenda is devel- 
an advantage as he would get Ashraf, who is in his final opment, not religion-based
the support of harijans along year of eight-year-long educa- politics. We have to get above
with Muslims,” Jamal tells the tion at the premier institution, the politics of caste and reli- The 152-year-old institution is
students, suggesting caste and says the election would be very gion, (because) that is where we home to nearly 5,000 students
religion will play a role in interesting. But, he adds, the are giving fringe groups an who study Islam there. “Our
deciding the election. BJP might race through due to upper hand. We need to vote course is very intense and it
But his suggestion is imme- division of Muslim votes. “If on development and then only runs for eight years. All our
diately countered. Muslims decide to join forces real development would take graduates are gainfully
Amanatullah, another student with harijans then Faizul place,” Raziul, 30, said. Darul employed. You will not find a
at the madrassa, says the agen- Rahman could get a landslide Uloom spokesperson refused to single unemployed graduate
da of development would be a victory,” he said. comment on the campaigning of the madrassa,” Usmani said.
major factor this time. Saharanpur is an important or party prospects ahead of the He said students from all
“It is high time that we constituency for all the parties. election, saying the institution over the country could be found
decided the capability of can- The Uttar Pradesh BJP started has no political stance. here. Rameez has been associ- 0bcdST]cPccWT[XQaPah^U3Pad[D[^^\Pc3T^QP]SX]BPWPaP]_daSXbcaXRc^]FTS]TbSPh ?C8
didates based on their knowl- its election campaign from the “We are a Islamic academ- ated with the institution since he
edge of issues plaguing the city, constituency and the Bahujan ic institution and we don’t sup- was 12 years old. “It is a com- Along with Islamic educa- here and I came here to become “I hope to become an Imam and
rather than their caste or reli- Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party- port any political party and that mon saying here that you can tion, he says, he has been an Islamic scholar. I am on my be in service of Allah,” he said.
gion,” the 26-year-old said. Rashtriya Lok Dal combine is the reason we don’t accept any get into Oxford and Harvard but receiving computer education way of becoming one. It is a mis- Darul Uloom provides eight
Saharanpur, named after will hold its first joint rally in donation or grant from parties not Darul Uloom. That is how at the madrassa’s Department conception that we do not have years of intensive Islamic edu-
Sufi Saint Shah Harun Chisti, Deoband on April 7, four days and government,” said its difficult the entrance test is,” the of Computer Science. knowledge of subjects other cation. There is no age limit to
is home to about 17 lakh vot- ahead of the election in the dis- spokesperson Ashraf Usmani. 19-year-old said. “I get all kinds of education than Islamic studies,” he added. sit for its entrance test.
0
 D !!H 5 5  $
"%

?C8 <DI0550A=060A
)"
+)+0
)




=

 




Muzaffarnagar/Meerut: The down to her husband.
"?aX\T<X]XbcTa=PaT]SaP<^SXR^]cX]dTbc^SaPfRa^fSbX]cWT
B070A0=?DA fTbcTa]DccPa?aPSTbWQT[cQdccWTbP\TT]cWdbXPb\Xb\XbbX]V issue of triple talaq is trapped in “Triple talaq is an atrocity C
U^acWT19?RP]SXSPcTbX]UaPhUa^\cWXb_Pac^UcWTBcPcT the gender binary that divides which should definitely be <44AD

P rime Minister Narendra

Modi continues to draw
crowds in the western Uttar
Pradesh belt, but the same
enthusiasm is missing for the
BJP candidates in fray from this
part of the State.
“I am a Modi fan and I
voted for BJP in the last elec-
tion, but no work has been
done here. The BJP candidate
who won in the name of Modi
from here is hardly seen. We
cannot even complain,” says a
petrol pump worker Satbir
Yadav from Saharanpur.
Similar sentiments were
echoed by residents of
Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat,
Kairana and Ghaziabad which
go to polls in the first phase of
the seven-phased Lok Sabha
polls. A total of eight Lok Sabha
seats in the State will go to polls
in the first phase on April 11.
"BX\X[PabT]cX\T]cbTRW^TSQhaTbXST]cb^U<diPUUPa]PVPa1PVW_Pc
:PXaP]PP]S6WPiXPQPSfWXRWV^c^_^[[bX]cWTUXabc_WPbT^UcWT
conservative Muslim society
across western Uttar Pradesh,
with many women giving the
criminalised. I like BJP for
thinking about us,” said the
mother of a six-year-old boy. <DI055
0A=060
A
bTeT]_WPbTS;^ZBPQWP_^[[b0c^cP[^UTXVWc;^ZBPQWPbTPcbX]
cWTBcPcTfX[[V^c^_^[[bX]cWTUXabc_WPbT^]0_aX[
Government a thumb’s up for its She quickly added that she will
efforts to criminalise the prac- not vote for the BJP as her hus- wrong practice but
"CWTe^cTabWTaT_aPXbT<^SXQdcPaT]^cbPcXbUXTSfXcWcWT tice but shying away from vot- band does not want it to win. we are not for the BJP. We will
f^aZ^U19?RP]SXSPcTb ing for the BJP because of loy- “I will vote where my hus- vote for anyone fielded by
"<TP]fWX[TcWTB?1B?A;3 alty to their husbands. band wants me to. He does not Akhilesh ji (SP chief Akhilesh
>__^bXcX^]UTT[bcWPccWT The she-says-maybe-he- want BJP, so I will not vote for Yadav) as my husband says.”
P[[XP]RTfX[[QT]TUXcUa^\ says-nay syndrome may hin- it,” Kaisar told PTI while stand- About 35 per cent of the
SXeXbX^]^U9Pce^cTbcWXbcX\T der the BJP from winning ing outside a shop. “Don’t more than 1.5 crore voting in
P]ScWPccWT<db[X\3P[XcbP]S Muslim votes in the western interfere in our religion. Keep round one are Muslims, said JPS
QPRZfPaSbTRcX^]bfX[[e^cTU^a Uttar Pradesh belt that goes politics out of it,” snapped her Rathore, vice president of the Muslim man can legally divorce Muzaffarnagar.
cWT\ to the polls in the first phase on husband Aslam who came and Uttar Pradesh unit of the BJP. his wife by pronouncing ‘talaq’ “My husband divorced me
April 11 as most men in the took her away. Most Muslim women in the three times in one go. within two years of our mar-
to vacate his official bungalow agitated over denying ticket to community say they don’t want The pattern was visible in region hailed Prime Minister “My husband divorced me riage. I was just 18. We do not
in Delhi. Secondly, the BJP former BJP MP Hukum Singh’s the Government to interfere in Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Narendra Modi for bringing and married another woman. I have any rights. I am illiterate
Government in Uttar Pradesh daughter Mriganka Singh from their religion. Meerut and Baghpat, which triple talaq under the spotlight, had no choice but to accept the may be that’s why I could not
did not adequately compensate Kairana. Kaisar Jahan, a homemak- votes in phase one along with saying it was a step towards decision. I live with my four- fight. Luckily I did not have a
cane growers. And, third, the Mriganka is an influential er in Muzaffarnagar, typifies the Saharanpur, Bijnor, Ghaziabad empowering Muslim women. year-old son now. Triple talaq child to look after. Triple talaq
Jat reservation notified by the Gujjar name in the area. She dilemma of a woman caught and Gautam Budh Nagar. Triple talaq, also known as is a heinous practice. Don’t we is a crime and men should not
UPA-led Central Government fought on a BJP ticket in the between self-assertion and tra- Rabia, 35, resident of ‘talaq-e-biddat’, is the practice of Muslim women have rights?” be allowed to do it,” said an
was set aside by the Supreme Kairana bypoll which was dition that dictates she bows Kairana, said, “Triple talaq is a instant divorce in which a asked Farzana, a resident of anguished Saba. PTI
court under the current BJP necessitated by the death of her
regime,” he said. father. She, however, lost to

The voters here praise Modi,
but are not satisfied with the
work of BJP candidates. A BJP
office-bearer from Muzaffar-
The apex court had in 2015
set aside a 2014 notification of
the then UPA Government to
include Jats in the Central List
6&$G2K6%D(-&2
Opposition alliance candidate
Tabassum Hasan.
The BJP has fielded anoth-
er Gujjar leader and MLA


nagar, who wished to remain
anonymous, lamented that the
party under pressure from RSS
re-nominated Muzaffarnagar
MP Sanjeev Balyan this election.
He said because of this, other sit-
ting MPs in western UP also got
re-nominated.
He said the decision to
repeat the sitting MPs may cost
the party dearly.
Balyan is one of the
accused in the 2013
Muzaffarnagar riots. He had
won by more than 4 lakh votes
riding on Modi wave in 2014.
Another cause of worry for the
saffron party is Jat communi-
ty’s affinity to RLD chief
Chaudhary Ajit Singh as well as
the anger of sugarcane growers
against the BJP-led State
Government.
Meanwhile, the SP-BSP-
RLD Opposition feels that the
alliance will benefit from divi-
sion of Jat votes this time, and
that the Muslim, Dalits and
backward sections will vote
for them.
Supporting the RLD chief,
Ravindra Ahlawat, who runs an
eater y on the Delhi-
Muzaffarnagar National
Highway, said Jats have three
main issues.
“Firstly, the Centre did not
treat our leader (Chaudhary
Ajit Singh) well. He was forced
<070A0960=9



%
of Other Backward Classes
(OBC) in nine States for quota
benefits. “I want to see Modi as
PM again, but Ajit Singh will win
from here,” Ahlawat said.
In Baghpat, the BJP has
fielded Union Minister Satyapal
Singh against the RLD chief ’s
son Jayant Choudhar y.
Congress has not fielded any
candidate from the seat.
Here also ‘Modi wave’ is
facing tough competition from
anti-incumbency against sitting
MP and the joint front put up
by the Opposition, just like in
Muzaffarnagar, Ghaziabad and
Saharanpur. Interestingly, peo-
ple from diverse sections of the
society are in awe of Modi’s
work. “My vote will go to
Modi,” says Haider Ali. He
runs a small tea shop in
Muzaffarnagar.
But, when one inquires deep
about Modi’s popularity among
minorities, people said the 2013
violence between Jats and
Muslims still haunted the region.
They added that the weaker sec-
tions among the minorities are
afraid to express their views
against the ruling dispensation.
Kumar said the law and
order situation of the state has
improved after the BJP came to
power. If BJP workers are angry
over repeating candidates in
many seats, they are equally

Pradeep Chaudhary from the
seat. Local BJP leaders, how-
ever, feel that a section is dis-
enchanted over denial of tick-
et to Mriganka. In a bid to pla-
cate its support base among the
Gujjars, the BJP welcomed
community leader and SP MLC
Chowdhary Virendra Singh
into the party fold.
BJP analysts, however,
maintain that reported discon-
tent towards party candidates
among the voters won’t be an
issue. They say in the last polls,
except Saharanpur, BJP candi-
dates in all seven constituencies
in this region defeated their
rivals by more than 2 lakh
votes. In Saharanpur, the BJP
candidate won by 65,000 votes.
Congress stood second here.
BJP strategists feel there
may be a dip in BJP’s vote mar-
gin this time, but the party can
still reap benefits of ‘Modi
wave’. Johny from Bhim Army
chief Chandrashekhar Azad
‘Ravan’ village Chutmalpur
said, “BJP can win this time
only when Muslim votes get
split. It is not possible in
Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat,
Kairana and Ghaziabad. And,
it is very likely in Saharanpur
and Bijnore. Though a section
of Dalits support Modi, but a
majority of the community
will vote for Mayawati.”
   ,
?C8 <0C7DA0 ed her constituency and
wasn’t approachable
B ollywood’s ‘dream
girl’ Hema Malini had <0C7D
a dream run in the last
A0
during her term and
Brijwasis would reject
her this time.
Lok Sabha polls but her elec- But Hema Malini
toral rivals claim she neglect- is pinning her hopes on
the work the Narendra Modi
Government has done in the
past five years.
She is up against Narendra
Singh of the RLD, which is part
of the alliance with the
Samajwadi Party and Bahujan
Samaj Party, and Congress’s
Mahesh Pathak. The
Opposition is also billing it a
‘Brijwasi vs outsider contest’
claiming that Hema Malini
was never approachable during
her entire term.
The opinion of voters was
somewhat divided. Some fell
that the Balakot air strike and
Mission Shakti could be elec-
toral issues while for others,
problems of farmers, unem-
ployment and lack of develop-
ment are major issues here.
“We don’t know Hema
Malini but we have full faith in
Modi. Sometimes you have to
forget own problems for the
sake of the country,” said a
shopkeeper near the Krishna
Janambhoomi temple.
“Hema Malini never came
to our village. We did not see
her after 2014. We prefer a local
who is approachable,” said a
resident of Chhata. Narendra
Singh, who lost previous three
assembly elections, accused
her of neglecting the con-
stituency, saying one cannot
work for Mathura while sitting
in Mumbai.
“I am a Brijwasi and know
about the problems of locals.
Last time, she won because of
the Modi wave but after that
she was not involved with her
constituency. Forget about the
people, her own party cadres
are against her. Vikas (devel-
opment) is missing in
Mathura,” he said. “She did
nothing for cleaning of the
Yamuna, Chhata sugar mill
and unemployment issues,
monkey menace in Vrindavan
etc.,” he said. He claimed this
contest is a secular vs commu-
nal one in which secular forces
will win.
In 2014, Hema Malini
defeated Rashtriya Lok Dal
candidate Jayant Chaudhary by
a massive margin of 3,30,743
votes. PTI
+ 
0
%/?
80=B  ;D2:=>F
T wo daughters from vastly
different backgrounds have
returned to the badlands of
eastern Uttar Pradesh to
reclaim the political legacy of
their fathers.
Tanushree Tripathi has
returned after completing her
Masters’ degree in interna-
tional relations from London.
She is all set to get married later
this month but is nevertheless
contesting elections from the
Maharajganj Lok Sabha seat.
Tanushree, 29, is the daugh-
ter of former Uttar Pradesh
Minister Amar Mani Tripathi,
who is serving a life term along
8P\V[PSc^WPeTQTT] worked for four decades.”
8P\]^cP_PaPRWdcTRP]SXSPcTWTaT8Z]^f\heX[[PVT\h_T^_[T\h UXT[STSUa^\<PWPaPYVP]YfWTaT\h Her husband will also cam-
R^]bcXcdT]RhCWT_T^_[TZ]^f\TP]S\hUP\X[hP]SfTbWPaTPbca^]V UPcWTaf^aZTSU^aU^daSTRPSTb8P\ paign for her.
Q^]SCWTUPa\TabWPeTQTT]bdUUTaX]VX]cWXbSXbcaXRccWPc[XTb^]cWTD? V[PSc^WPeTQTT]UXT[STSUa^\ Supriya refused to com-
=T_P[Q^aSTaBdVPa\X[[bX]cWTaTVX^]PaT[hX]VR[^bTSCWT19?³b <PWPaPYVP]YfWTaT\hUPcWTaf^aZTS ment on her rival Tanushree or
?P]ZPY2WPdSWPahWPbQTT]<?U^aUXeTcTa\bQdcWPbS^]T]^ U^aU^daSTRPSTb her tainted background. “I am
STeT[^_\T]cWTaTP]S_T^_[TfP]cPRWP]VT BD?A8H0BA8=4CA0 here to campaign for myself
C0=DB7A44CA8?0C78
with his wife Madhu Mani with her sister Alankrita.
The other daughter who is
making a bid to reclaim her
and do not want to comment
on anyone,” she said.
This, incidentally, is the
Tripathi in Gorakhpur jail for Tanushree is contesting on father’s legacy in Maharajganj first time that women candi-
the murder of a poetess in the Pragatisheel Samajwadi is Supriya Srinetra, daughter dates have taken centre stage in
Lucknow in 2003. Party (PSP) ticket and is bank- of the late Harshvardhan Singh, Maharajganj which remains
Tanushree’s brother Aman ing on the sympathy of the peo- a former MP. steeped in backwardness.
Mani Tripathi is an indepen- ple since, as she said, Supriya quit her job as “It is a welcome change and
dent MLA from Nautanwa her parents and brother have Executive Editor of an English these elections will hopefully
Assembly segment in been “wrongly framed in crim- Bd_aXhPBaX]TcaP news channel and has arrived pave the way for more women
Maharajganj district. He is also inal cases”. in Maharajganj to contest the to step out of their homes and
an accused in the murder of his “I am not a parachute can- on the UP-Nepal border. Sugar elections on a Congress ticket. take to politics. Women are
wife Sara Singh and the CBI is didate here. I know my village, mills in the region are lying Supriya told reporters that supporting the two candidates
investigating the matter. my people, my constituency. closed. The BJP’s Pankaj the prevailing conditions in in a big way. Till now,
In 2017, when Aman Mani The people know me and my Chaudhary has been MP for eastern Uttar Pradesh had Maharajganj has been known
contested the Assembly elec- family and we share a strong five terms but has done no made her take to politics. “I am for mafia candidates,” said
tions from jail, it was Tanushree bond. The farmers have been development here and people glad to have been fielded from Rekha Singh, a first time voter
who campaigned for him along suffering in this district that lies want a change,” she said. Maharajganj where my father and a young graduate.
A08?DAkC7DAB30H k0?A8; #! ( \^]Th 

!,!3/+433  A%&


2^[[PQ^aPcX^]
?C8  <D<108

)/

C ash-starved Jet Airways on
Wednesday deferred the
March salary payment to its
employees, citing “complexi-
ties” involved in the finalisation
/
 eTWXR[T
of the debt-recast plan, under
which the SBI-led consortium
of lenders has taken over the
management control of the
airline.
Earlier, the airline had been
delaying the salaries of its
pilots, engineers and senior
staff since August who have not
been paid since January.
The company has over
16,000 employees on its payroll.
“Given the complexities of
such (finalisation of the reso-
lution plan) processes, it has
taken us longer than expected.
However, we continue to strive
and are in continuous deliber-
ations with the lenders and
institutions to find a solution.
“In light of the current sit-
uation, please note that salaries
for March 2019 will be
deferred,” Jet Airways chief
people officer Rahul Taneja
said in a communication to
staff on Wednesday.
#@
?C8  =4F34;78
C ash-strapped Jet Airways is
operating 28 planes,
including 15 aircraft in the
domestic routes, Civil Aviation
Secretar y Pradeep Singh
Kharola said on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Kharola
said that less than 15 planes of
the airline were flying.
Jet Airways, where the
lenders are set to take control
as part of a debt resolution
plan, on Tuesday disclosed
that it has grounded 15 more
aircraft due to non-payment
of lease rentals.
Asked about the active
fleet of Jet Airways, Kharola, on
the sidelines of an aviation
conference in the morning,
9Tc0XafPhbbWPaTbSX_^eTa$
fXcW2:1Xa[P
said, “yesterday, it was 28”.
When told that the airline
has announced grounding 15
more aircraft, he said that then
the current fleet would be “less
than about 15”.
In the evening, Kharola
clarified to PTI that Jet
Airways is operating around 28
planes and out of them, about
15 are operating in the domes-
tic routes.
On the sidelines of the
conference here, the civil avi-
ation secretary also said that Jet
Airways’ ability to fly interna-
tional operations needs to be
“examined”.
In the afternoon, a DGCA
spokesperson said Jet Airways
continues to fly 28 aircraft as on
date.
“The 15 aircraft reported is
already accounted for and was
only informed to the stock
exchanges by Jet Airways yes-
terday,” the spokesperson said.
On Tuesday evening, the
airline informed the stock
exchanges that it has grounded
15 more aircraft due to non-pay-
ment of lease rentals. Now, the
total number of planes ground-
ed on account of default in lease
rental payments, as disclosed by
the airline, stands at 69.
In a statement issued in the
afternoon, Jet Airways said, “as
informed to the regulator
(DGCA), the airline is operat-
ing a curtailed schedule with
sufficient number of aircraft,
and is compliant with applica-
ble guidelines”.
Va^d_Ua^\
PbbT\Q[hP]S
_^fTa_[P]cb
5XabceTWXR[T
QhT]S!!
:DB70=<8CA0  274==08
F rench carmaking conglom-
erate Groupe PSA on
Wednesday announced that
they will launch their Citroën
brand in India with their first
product, the C5 Aircross to be
launched around the end of
2020. The French company has
established a joint-venture with
the CK Birla Group which will
help them manufacture vehicles
at Thiruvallur and power plants 6a^d_T?B02WPXa\P]2Pa[^bCPePaTbP]S2Xca^]24>;X]SP9PRZb^]bcP]SfXcWcWT2$0XaRa^bbcWPccWT5aT]RWR^\_P]h
in Hosur in Tamil Nadu from fX[[QaX]Vc^8]SXPX]!!
2021 onwards. The vehicles
will be ‘inspired’ by India
according to the carmaker and
new C5 Aircross which will be
launched around the end of
vehicles could also be export-
ed from here. The C5 Aircross
for new drivetrain technologies,
Tavares highlighted that all

Though the management
did not give a specific date for
payment, it said the company
will provide an update on the
issue on April 9.
On March 25, Jet Airways
board had approved a resolu-
tion plan formulated by SBI-
led domestic lenders, under
which had agreed to infuse an
emergency funding of C1,500
crore into the airline, and
convert the same into equity
worth 50.1 percent for a
notional value of just Re 1
each share.
However, the funds are yet
to be disbursed due to “tech-
nical” reasons.
PUcTaVa^d]SX]V^U $\^aT_[P]Tb
?C8 =4F34;78
Sof over
hares of Jet Airways on
Wednesday closed with a loss
5 per cent after the carri-
er grounded as many as 15 more
planes due to lease rental defaults.
With the latest move on
Tuesday, the fleet of the cash
strapped airline has come down
to just 20 from its peak of 123,
through which it used to oper-
ate over 650 flights across the
country and continents.
On the BSE, the stock
closed at C251.10, shedding
5.21 per cent from the previous
close. Intra-day, it had slumped
6.37 per cent to C248.
Following the downtrend
on the NSE, the scrip settled at
C251, down 5.28 per cent. It was
trading at an intra-day low of
C248.20. In terms of equity vol-
ume, over 1.33 crore scrips were
traded on the stock exchanges
during the trading session.
“An additional 15 aircraft
have been grounded due to non-
payment of amounts outstanding
to lessors under their respective
lease agreements,” Jet Airways said
in a regulatory filing on Tuesday.
With this, the number of
planes grounded on account of
lease rental defaults alone
touched 69.
Besides, the domestic pilots
union of Jet Airways, National
Aviator Guild, has written to the
aviation regulator DGCA and
airline chief executive Vinay
Dube, pressing for payment of
three months of salary dues
along with applicable interest.
expansion into India is a criti-
cal part of the carmakers ‘Push
to Pass’ strategy as they try to
diversify from Western Europe.
Carlos Tavares, Chairman,
Groupe PSA said that the core
of the company’s philosophy
was ‘Inspired by You’ and that
India with its high growth
potential was a key market for
the group as it expanded out-
side Europe. He added that the
‘Push to Pass’ strategy had
made Groupe PSA one of the
most profitable large automo-
bile companies in the world,
but having learnt from prior
experiences their plans in India
will be steady starting with the
2020.
Linda Jackson, Chief
Executive Officer, Citroën
brand explained the logic
behind launching the large C5
instead of one of Groupe PSA’s
myriad small car platforms,
“this is the latest product
launched by Citroën and was
unveiled at the Geneva Motor
Show recently. We want to
launch our flagship model first
because it highlights our design
and innovations.” Starting from
the second-half of 2021,
Citroën will launch vehicles
‘inspired’ by India which will be
heavily localised from Day 1,
and Tavares said that these
will compete against the likes
of the Jeep Compass but
Jackson made it clear that
Citroën did not see themselves
as a luxury brand and was aim-
ing for the ‘heart’ of the mar-
ket, and their prices would
reflect that but that did not
mean that the C5 Aircross
would lack for advanced fea-
tures such as the company’s
suspension technologies.
The company is starting a
nationwide roadshow to attract
dealer partners from July
onwards and believes that their
late entry into the market will
allow them to study the suc-
cesses and failures of others. As
new Citroën vehicles have been
designed with multi-energy
options in mind but when it
came to India they would have
to find the appropriate moment
to launch such a platform since
pricing is an issue.
Groupe PSA also owns the
Peugeot and Opel brands, hav-
ing acquired the latter from
General Motors in 2018. Both
those brands have had prior
experiences in India but saw
sales stall and withdrew from
the market. However, Tavares
is confident that this time will
be different and a step-by-step
approach will see them
succeed.

*

)
%
7& 6W^b]c^UPRT#cW B2ad[X]V^]A18 9^TYQ]QTUQ^_VVUb
]^a\b\PhTgcT]S d_ECd_bUc_\fU
  

($ RWPaVTUa^\C^Zh^
?C8  =4F34;78
T he Supreme Court’s order
quashing the RBI’s
February 12 circular will give
the Government discretionary
power to issue direction to the
apex bank for referring a
defaulting company to the
NCLT on case by case basis in
public interest, official sources
said.
The Supreme Court
Tuesday quashed the RBI cir-
cular of last year that pertains
to the provisions for referring
the defaulter to the National
Company Law Tribunal
(NCLT) even on a one-day
overdue.
However, the SC had
upheld the constitutional
validity of Section 35AA of the
Banking Regulation Act,
which empowers the Centre to
act, either directly or by direct-
ing RBI to take action against
defaulters.
Section 35AA empowers
the central government to
authorise the RBI to issue
directions to any banking
company or banking compa-
nies to initiate insolvency res-
olution process in respect of a
default under the provisions of
the IBC.
Sections 35AA and 35AB
were introduced by an amend-
ment to the Banking
Regulation Act in May 2017.
The Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) had on February 12,
2018 issued the circular saying
that lenders have to provide
for resolution plan within 180
days in case of large account of
C2,000 crore and above.
According to sources, the
Supreme Court order on the
RBI’s circular does not limit
government powers to give
directions to PSU banks in
resolving non-performing
assets.
Prior to February 12 cir-
cular, the resolution mecha-
nism available to banks were
Corporate Debt Restructuring
Scheme (CDR), Scheme for
Sustainable Structuring of
Stressed Assets (S4A), and
Joint Lenders’ Forum (JLF).
Following yesterday’s SC
order restructuring schemes
like S4A may come back, the
sources said.
Revised framework for
resolution of stressed assets
issued on February 12, 2018
invited criticism from various
quarters, including a parlia-
mentary panel.
The RBI substituted the
previous guidelines with a
harmonised and simplified
generic framework for resolu-
tion of stressed assets in view
of the enactment of the
Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code.
“Although the new guide-
lines have been termed as
harmonized and simplified
generic framework, yet they
are far from being so,”
Standing Committee on
Energy in its report tabled in
Parliament last year said.
“The Committee are of
the opinion that the coinage of
restructuring in resolution
plan is hollow without having
any serious meaning or busi-
ness which only reflects the
blurred vision of RBI in
understanding and appreciat-
ing the problems. The
Committee expect that clari-
ty of thought and transparen-
cy in approach should be the
guiding factor to streamline
and strengthen the sector
squirming under ineluctable
hardships,” it said.
_a^bTRdc^ab)<TSXP
05? C>:H>
T okyo prosecutors are con-
sidering pressing a fresh
charge on former Nissan chief
Carlos Ghosn, local media said
on Wednesday, which would be
the latest twist in the auto
tycoon’s dramatic downfall.
Investigators are eyeing a
possible aggravated breach of
trust charge related to at least
$32 million in Nissan funds
transferred to a distributor in
Oman, according to local news
agency Jiji Press.
Some of the money is
believed to have been used to buy
a luxury boat allegedly used by
Ghosn and his family, according
to a source familiar with the mat-
ter. If Tokyo prosecutors were to
move forward with the case, it
would be the fourth criminal
charge against the 65-year-old
former high-flying auto execu-
tive, who denies all allegations.
Ghosn already faces three
charges of financial misconduct
over allegations he under-
reported his compensation and
sought to transfer personal
aTb^[dcX^]
losses to Nissan’s books.
Tokyo district prosecutors
are discussing the case with
more senior colleagues before
deciding whether to proceed,
Japanese media said.
If prosecutors were to file
new charges, it would not nec-
essarily mean Ghosn returns to
the detention centre where he
spent more than three months
before winning bail on March
6, according to a local lawyer.
“The prosecutor can hit
Ghosn with new charges with-
out sending him back to prison.
Prosecutors would need to
again justify a detention by say-
ing he was a flight risk and
could destroy evidence and
the chances seem fairly slim,”
said the lawyer, who asked to
remain anonymous.
The news came after it
emerged that lawyers for
Renault — Nissan’s parent
company that Ghosn also led
— have handed over docu-
ments to prosecutors showing
“millions of euros” in pay-
ments to the firm’s distributors
in Oman.
cX\T[X]Tb^]=?0b
?C8 <D<108
he Supreme Court order Tafter consulting various
T quashing a crucial RBI cir- departments like IT and agri-
cular on dud assets resolution will culture, has made an offer to
push resolution timelines and
also clouds the gains achieved on
credit discipline over last year, a
report said on Wednesday.
The order will not materi-
ally impact the banks’ asset
quality as a bulk of stress has
already been recognised, the
report by domestic rating
agency Crisil said.
“Supreme Court ruling on
RBIs norms to extend resolu-
tion timelines on NPAs...The
improvement in credit disci-
pline in the past year and the
expectation of quick turn-
around in stressed assets reso-
lution could come under some
cloud,” it said.
Companies in the power
sector, which were among
those who had petitioned the
apex court, will get a respite, the
agency said, adding most of
them were on the verge of
being referred to NCLT
(National Company Law
Tribunal).
dbQTUYcceUc*@bQRXe
?C8 =4F34;78
he commerce ministry,
the US to resolve trade issues
between the two countries,
Union Minister Suresh Prabhu
said on Wednesday.
The US is demanding
greater market access for its
agricultural, dairy products
and medical devices. Besides,
they are seeking reduction in
import duties on certain IT
products and increasing their
exports to bridge trade deficit
with India.
Prabhu said that whatever
the US is asking from India is
concerned with different min-
istries, including IT and agri-
culture.
“We have consulted all
the ministries and we have
given them an offer,” the
commerce and industr y
minister told PTI when
asked about the steps being
taken to resolve trade issues
with America.
However, he did not dis-
close the details of the offer.
Although officials of India
and the US have been negoti-
ating a trade package, America
last month announced to with-
draw benefits being provided
by them to Indian exports
under their Generalised System
of Preferences (GSP) pro-
gramme.
The US has decided to go
ahead with its decision to
scrap the preferential trade
benefit under GSP scheme
after 60 days, w hich is
expected to impact India’s
exports to the US worth $5.6
bi l l i on u n d e r t h i s pro -
gramme.
Prabhu said that in the last
one year, the US exports to
India have increased by about
48 per cent and it does not
include defence purchases
made.
He also said that India
would like to buy about 1,000
aircrafts from the world and the
US could be one of the poten-
tial suppliers.
Defence purchases and this
kind of procurement is going to
change the things dramatical-
ly with regard to trade balance,
he added.

(%

/ CPgcPZTUa^\ 1dbX]Tbb2^a]Ta

% ³?P]P\P?P_Tab´
+
 _a^QTbTgRTTSb
 !Q])AT_^ac
?=B =4F34;78
L ogically, a tech start-up on
Wednesday launched its
intuitive, human-centric plat-
form powered by Extended
Intelligence (EI) machine learn-
ing, Natural Language
Processing (NLP) and human
oversight to empower citizens to
combat fake news and misin-
formation on any topic, avail-
able to everyone on Android,
and the web.
?[PRX^_Pac]Tab
fXcW0aPQXP][X]Z
?=B =4F34;78
P lacio, a Student Housing
company announced its part-
nership with Kuwait based
Managed Housing Company,
Arabian Link for its first overseas
venture.
Arabian Link has chosen Placio
from many other Professional
Co-Living O&M companies in
India and GCC region to expand
its operational bandwidth across
the GCC.
05? 5A0=:5DAC0<<08=
T axmen in 22 countries
worldwide have raked in
more than $1.2 billion in fines
and back taxes thanks to the
2016 “Panama Papers” leak of
information about offshore
dealings, media reported
Wednesday. =0;2>´b?P]RW_Pc\P[X1PdgXcT<X]TbPRWXTeTb 2P_PRXchDcX[XbPcX^]R^]bTRdcXeT[h
Britain has recouped some U^a"hTPabX]bdRRTbbX^]=0;2>PRWXTeTbcWTV[^QP[QT]RW\PaZ^U bc_^bXcX^]PbcWT
$253 million, France $136 mil- [^fTbcR^bc_a^SdRTa^U1PdgXcTP\_*0[d\X]PX]cWTF^a[SX]! ' (
lion and Australia $93 million,
the International Consortium
of Investigative Journalists
(ICIJ) posted on its website.
German newspaper
Sueddeutsche Zeitung —
which received the massive
leak of documents from
Panamanian law firm Mossack
Fonseca on which the investi-
gation was based — reported
Berlin has reaped $183 million
from related tax probes.
“While recouping the pro-
ceeds of hidden assets helps to
fund vital Government ser-
vices, there is a growing senti-
ment that the enduring legacy
of the Panama Papers will be its
=<32Xb\^eX]VU^afPaSfXcWPSXVXcP[caP]bU^a\PcX^]Y^da]ThPbXcZXRZb^UU
effect on behaviour and public \TTcX]VU^a4A?X\_[T\T]cPcX^]WT[SPc7>7hSTaPQPS
attitudes,” the ICIJ said.
A08?DAkC7DAB30H k0?A8; #! ( b_^ac

FG+
H /
<TbbXP]SBdPaTibR^aTPUcTaT]S^UaTVd[PcX^]cX\Tc^
WT[_1PaRP_[Ph##SaPfPVPX]bcEX[[PaaTP[
05? <03A83
L
ionel Messi and Luis Suarez led
Barcelona to a stunning come-
back against Villarreal on
Tuesday and may have ensured
there will be no return for Atletico
Madrid in La Liga's title race.
Atletico play Barca at the Camp
Nou on Saturday and were given
fresh hope of a resurgence when
struggling Villarreal, inspired by the
brilliant Santi Cazorla, led the
Catalans 4-2 going into the final
minute.
But Messi, who had started on
the bench, drove in a free-kick in the
90th and in the 93rd, Suarez fired in
a devastating half-volley to earn
Barca a 4-4 draw and an unlikely
point.
Combined with Atletico's earli-
er 2-0 victory over Girona, the
result means the gap at the top is
reduced to eight points ahead of this
weekend's top of the table meeting
but Ernesto Valverde's side celebrat-
ed Suarez's goal like it was a winner.
Cazorla, meanwhile, sank to his
knees, a chance spurned for
Villarreal to pull four points clear of
the relegation zone, with Celta Vigo,
now only two behind, still to play
Huesca on Wednesday.
They had come from two
down, as Samuel Chukwueze
and Karl Toko Ekambi can-
celled out early goals from
Philippe Coutinho and
Malcom. Vicente Iborra and
Carlos Bacca looked to have
sealed an incredible win, only for
Messi and Suarez to intervene.
The pair have now scored 51
goals between them in the league
this season, just one shy of the total
managed by Real Madrid.
Rested along with Gerard Pique
and Ivan Rakitic, it seemed
Barcelona would not need Messi as
Coutinho tapped in a pass by
Malcom, who then headed in Arturo
Vidal's cross for a 2-0 lead after 16
minutes.
But Villarreal sprung into life,
revived by Chukwueze, who pulled
one back seven minutes later. A
sumptuous flick by Iborra launched
the counter-attack and Cazorla sent
8]cWTT]SXcXb^][hP
_^X]cQdccWTaTXbP
RTacPX]UTT[X]VPUcTa
R^\X]VQPRZUa^\cf^
V^P[bS^f]X]cWT[Pbc
\X]dcT
°4A=4BC>E0;E4A34
CWTb_XaXcfTbW^fTS
PccWTT]Sc^aTUdbTc^
VXeTX]c^R^\TQPRZ
X]cWT[Pbc\X]dcTfT
bW^fTScWPcfTfP]c
c^fX]cWXb[TPVdT
°;D8BBD0A4I
CWT_PXa^U<TbbX
P]SBdPaTiWPeT
]^fbR^aTS$
V^P[bQTcfTT]
cWT\X]cWT
[TPVdTcWXb
bTPb^]Ydbc^]T
bWh^UcWTc^cP[
\P]PVTSQh
ATP[<PSaXS
the striker clear. Chukwueze's
shot struck the post but can-
noned back to him and this
time, he guided it into the far
corner.
Any control Barcelona had
increasingly gave way to chaos,
particularly on the break, where
Villarreal broke through almost at
will. Toko Ekambi's equaliser short-
ly after half-time looked like a fluke
but perhaps he meant it.
<4BB88=CA>3D243
He tore down the right wing and
cut inside, with Marc-Andre ter
Stegen stepping out to block what he
expected to be a cutback. Instead,
Toko Ekambi stabbed the ball inside
the goalkeeper and into the far cor-
ner.
Messi warmed up and then
came on in the 61st minute but it
was Villarreal that pulled away. A
minute later, Iborra nipped onto
Instead, Alvaro Gonzalez was
sent off for a second yellow card in
the 86th minute and Messi lashed a
free-kick in off the post to give Barca
hope.
When Suarez drove in his thun-
dering half-volley from the edge of
the box, there were four seconds of
the three added minutes remaining.
Cazorla dropped down as Barca's
players ran to the corner.
Atletico Madrid were putting
the finishing touches to their victo-
ry at the Wanda Metropolitano
when Barcelona kicked off but they
had to wait until the 76th minute for
Diego Godin's opener against
Girona.
0]c^X]T6aXTi\P]]RT[TQaPcTbfXcWWXb0c[TcXR^<PSaXScTP\\PcTbPUcTabR^aX]VV^P[ 0C< They had VAR to thank too as
the Argentinian's header was only
Manu Morlanes' pass and prodded his curled pass creating the chance, allowed to stand after Antoine
it home before Bacca made it four as Bacca skipped round Ter Stegen Griezmann had initially been ruled
with 10 minutes left. and slid in for what seemed like the offside. Griezmann's lob added a
Cazorla was again the instigator, win. second in injury-time.
0]^cWTacfXbcX]?; cP[T
05? F>;E4A70<?C>=
A shley Young's needless dis-
missal and Chris Smalling's
farcical own goal sent Manchester
United crashing to a damaging 2-1
defeat against Wolves on Tuesday.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side
blew a chance to move into third
place in the Premier League as they
squandered the lead in a disap-
pointing display at Molineux.
United remain fifth, but
their hopes of qualifying for
the Champions League via a
top-four finish will be further
dented if Tottenham and
Chelsea win on Wednesday.
It was a frustrating night
for Solskjaer, who saw United
suffer a third defeat in their
last four games — underlin-
ing how much work the Norwegian
still has in front of him following his
appointment as permanent manag-
er last week.
Scott McTominay's first goal for
United was negated by Diogo Jota
before the interval, but the game's
turning point proved to be a second
yellow card collected by Young
with just 57 minutes gone.
United finally caved to Wolves'
pressure 20 minutes later, when
Raul Jimenez rose above Phil Jones
and headed a Joao Moutinho cross
goalwards.
The awkward attempt saw
Smalling and goalkeeper David de
Gea become entangled, with the
former making the final touch as
the ball rolled over the line.
³=><0A68=5>A4AA>A´
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted
Manchester United have no further
margin for error in their bid to
5A0=24F>A;32D?
secure a top-four finish after a dam-
aging 2-1 defeat against Wolves.
United had been set a target of
15 points from their remaining
seven games by the manager before
their visit to Molineux.
That total is now 15 points from
six matches, with games to come
against both Manchester City and
Chelsea at Old Trafford, a target
which Solskjaer admits leaves no
room for mistakes.
"I'm as confident as I
was three hours ago," joked
Solskjaer after the defeat.
"I said we need 15 points
from our last seven games
and now we need 15 from
our last six.
"It's difficult but then
again, we're a very good
team and it's going to be dif-
ficult for anybody who plays against
us.
"This was a tough game but a
performance that deserved a win."
The game's turning point
proved to be a second yellow card
collected by Young with just 57
minutes gone.
Young was booked twice in the
space of five minutes for fouls on
Jota, the second a particularly
unpleasant high challenge.
"When you're on a yellow you're
always in danger of it being a yel-
low card again," said Solskjaer.
"Probably it was a bad decision
by Ashley but in the heat of the
moment he reached for the ball and
was a little bit too high, it made it
more difficult.
"We didn't get the pressure
built that we expected, so we kept
possession well but then they scored
with the first chance they put the
ball in the box."
4  2 
 

9%%
4GGG
!
 aimed at both Kean and his French
" 
05? ?0A8B
F ootball legend Pele told
Kylian Mbappe on Tuesday
that he believes the French
World Cup winner can emulate
his own achievement of scor-
ing 1,000 career goals.
The 78-year-old Brazilian
claims to have netted over
1,000 goals in his career, while
Mbappe has so far managed
103 in total, with 92 of those
coming at the top level.
"It's possible, I scored
exactly 1,025, so 1,000 goals is
possible for him," Pele said in
Paris, where he met Mbappe at
a sponsor event.
Mbappe, who last year
became only the second
teenager to score in a World
Cup final after Pele in France's
4-2 victory over Croatia, played
down Pele's comments.
"I think that even if we
count the goals on inter-city
pitches and goals on the
PlayStation, I won't be able to
reach the 1,000-goal mark,"
said the 20-year-old Paris Saint-
Germain forward.
"We will try to get as close
as we can, but I think I'll be a
long way off it at the end of my
career."
Mbappe has scored 32
goals in all competitions for
PSG this season, including 27
from only 24 Ligue 1 appear-
ances.
fans after scoring.
Pele was only 21 when he
won his second World Cup in
1962, adding a third eight years
later.
"There's only one 'King'
and he's there," said Mbappe.
"I'm just Kylian, I'm trying to
do my best to help my team
and my national side.
"The comparisons are flat-
tering but I know very well that
I will never do what he did."
³F0=CC>74;??B60=3
5A0=24
It was not the first time that
Mbappe has had to temper
comparisons with Pele, after a
rush to crown him a future
footballing great during the
World Cup in Russia, where he
scored four goals in total.
But the former Monaco
striker insists that he is not
focused on becoming the best
player of modern times.
"When Pele was playing, he
didn't think he wanted to be the
best player in history, he want-
ed to have fun, help his coun-
try and his club, which he did,"
he said.
"What I want is to help
PSG, the France team and
afterwards it will be other peo-
ple who tell you that you are the
best.
"Everyone says that he is
the best, but if you are (the
best), there's no need to say it.
It's not a goal for me."
05? <8;0=
R ising Italy star Moise Kean was
targeted by racist abuse after he
continued his goal-scoring spree to
push Juventus closer to an eighth
consecutive Serie A title on Tuesday
with a 2-0 win over Cagliari.
Kean, 19, slotted in his fourth
goal in as many league games for
Juventus in the 85th minute after
defender Leonardo Bonucci nodded
in the opener on 22 minutes in
Sardinia.
The youngster's celebration after
scoring, however, infuriated the
Sardinian crowd who had jeered the
teenager throughout after he was
booked for diving in the first half.
The final minutes of the game
were overshadowed by racist chants
teammate Blaise Matuidi.
Kean celebrated with his hands
outstretched in front of the Cagliari
But Bonucci claimed that Kean
should not have provoked the home
supporters and said his teammate
was partly to blame for the
unsavoury scenes.
"Kean knows that when he
scores a goal, he should celebrate
that with his teammates. He knows
he could have done something dif-
ferently too," Bonucci told Sky Sport
Italia.
"There were racist jeers after the
goal, Blaise heard it and was angered.
I think the blame is 50-50, because
<i_^\_cUY^6bU^SX3e`
Lyon: Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas said
he will wait until the end of the season to decide
the future of coach Bruno Genesio following
Tuesday's 3-2 defeat at home to Rennes in the
French Cup semi-finals. Rennes twice led at the
Groupama Stadium through goals from Mbaye
Niang and Benjamin Andre, but Lyon hit back
with a Bertrand Traore goal and Moussa
Dembele penalty. Algeria defender Ramy
Bensebaini drilled home the winner for Rennes
on 81 minutes to send his side through to the
final and a possible showdown with holders
Paris Saint-Germain. Bensebaini's strike
allowed Rennes to avenge Friday's 1-0 league
defeat by Lyon and denied Genesio's side the
chance to claim their first silverware since lift-
ing the trophy in 2012. "It was agreed that if
we were in the final - which is no longer the
case -and if we were in the top three, there
would be a two-year extension," Aulas said
afterwards. "The deal that was reached with
Bruno is that there will not be a contract renew-
al between now and the end of the season. "It
will stay like that. It's really sad not to be able
to say that Bruno will extend his stay." AFP
4G2>0270??;84B
<^XbT:TP]RT[TQaPcTbX]Ua^]c^U2PV[XPaXUP]bPUcTabR^aX]VWXbbXSTbbTR^]SV^P[SdaX]VP
BTaXT0R[PbWPccWTBPaSTV]P0aT]PBcPSXd\X]2PV[XPaX^]CdTbSPh2PV[XPaXUP]bbW^dcTSaPRXbc
RWP]cbPc:TP]PUcTacWT (hTPa^[SbR^aTSX]cWT'$cW\X]dcTcWTRWP]cbfTaTb^QPScWPc
2PV[XPaXRP_cPX];dRP2T__XcT[[XadbWTSX]c^_a^cTRccWTh^d]VbcTaP]SPbZcWTUP]bc^bc^_ 0?
Moise shouldn't have done
that and the Curva (Cagliari
fans) should not have reacted
that way.
"We are professionals, we
have to set the example and
not provoke anyone."
Cagliari fans appeared to
throw objects at Kean, and the
match was momentarily stopped
with Matuidi reacting furiously to
the jeers at the same stadium where
he was targeted last season.
The abuse came on the same day
that UEFA president Aleksander
Ceferin said that he will ask refer-
<59@J97C>1D385C4B1=1D93G9>
Berlin: Marcel Halstenberg's
last-gasp penalty saw RB Leipzig
snatch a 2-1 victory over
Augsburg in a nerve-shattering
German Cup quarter-final tie on
Tuesday. After Alfred
Finnbogason's equaliser had res-
cued Augsburg in injury time of
normal time, Halstenberg
restored the lead in injury time
of extra time to send Leipzig into
the first German Cup semi-final
of their history. The hosts held
Leipzig at bay for long periods
and looked dangerous them-
selves until a momentary lapse
in concentration allowed Werner
to break away and slot in the
opener on 74 minutes. Leipzig
were left shellshocked, however,
when Finnbogason snatched an
equaliser four minutes into
injury time. Yet it was Leipzig
who had the last laugh in a jaw-
dropping game, as Michael
ees to stop matches in the
future when there is racist
chanting.
The win put Juventus
back 18 points clear of sec-
ond-placed Napoli, who trav-
el to lowly Empoli on
Wednesday, with only eight
matches to play.
The champions' next game is at
home against AC Milan, who were
earlier held 1-1 by Udinese.
Italy defender Bonucci headed
in his third league goal of the sea-
son from a Federico Bernardeschi
corner.
Gregoritsch's late handball in the
box broke Augsburg hearts and
gifted Leipzig victory. "We are so
frustrated because we were at
least on the same level as Leipzig
today," Augsburg coach Manuel
Baum told Sky. Leipzig will be
joined in the last four by
Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio
Cragno denied Kean twice before
the teenager finally broke through,
with Rodrigo Bentancur rolling the
ball across for him to tap in.
D38=4B434=C<8;0=7>?4B
Kevin Lasagna grabbed a point
for Udinese to further dent AC
Milan's Champions League ambi-
tions.
Injury-hit Milan struggled
against their 15th-placed opponents
with goalkeeper Gianluigi
Donnarumma going off on 11 min-
utes with a thigh problem and
Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta
hurting his ankle in the first half.
Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek
managed to break through just
before the interval after connecting
with a Patrick Cutrone cross.
But Italian international Lasagna
pulled Udinese back level after fin-
ishing off a flowing counter-attack on
65 minutes.
The stalemate complicates the
Champions League race for Gennaro
Gattuso's side who are targeting a
return to the competition for the first
time since the 2013-2014 season.
Milan have picked up just one
point from their last three matches
after defeats against Inter Milan
and Sampdoria.
They occupy fourth place, the
final Champions League spot, but
Lazio are four points behind with
two games in hand ahead of their trip
to struggling SPAL.
Hamburg, who beat Paderborn
2-0 earlier in the evening.
Hamburg striker Pierre-Michel
Lasogga continued his fine scor-
ing form in the German Cup as
he grabbed both goals to fire his
side into the semi-finals for the
first time in ten years. AFP
5>A8=3809>1
?C8 =4F34;78
T he Indian football team's spirited show-
ings in recent times seem to be having
a ripple effect with the position of the men's
coach attracting over 250 applications, an
unprecedented number that also includes
some well-known names from Europe.
The post has been left vacant since
Stephen Constantine resigned following the
Indian team's failure to make the knockouts
of the AFC Asian Cup after coming close
to doing so.
Contrary to speculations doing the
rounds, All India Football Federation
(AIFF) sources categorically denied that
they are not exactly looking to recruit a
high-profile name. In the recent past, AIFF
general secretary Kushal Das had also said
that they would appoint a coach based on
the team's requirements and not get carried
away by big names.
The list of applicants also includes
coaches from the Indian Super League and
I-League.
"The big names doing the rounds need
not necessarily fulfil the criteria of the AIFF.
Early next week the concerned committee
will make a short-list and the candidates
would then be interviewed by the techni-
cal committee, and based on its recommen-
dations, the executive committee would
make the appointment from among the
final list," a well-placed AIFF source said.
Established names doing the rounds are
Italian Giovanni De Biasi, Hakan Ericson
of Sweden, France's Raymond Domnech
and England's Sam Allardyce.
While these are undoubtedly big names,
the AIFF has also received applications from
people who do not have the credentials and
licence.
The deadline for applying for the top
job ended on March 29.
Among others, Bengaluru FC's highly
successful former coach Albert Roca has
also emerged as the frontrunner for the job,
with many national team players favouring
his appointment.
Under Roca, Bengaluru FC played
four finals in his two seasons in charge -
making the final of the AFC Cup in 2016,
the Federation Cup in 2017 and the ISL and
Super Cup in 2018.
 4#
A08?DAkC7DAB30H k0?A8; #! (

J I
(MM77
BE>C !$# 4QfYTGQb^Ub CB8
G93;5DC ' I3XQXQ\B32
&C ( 6TccX]VEXaPc:^W[XP]S01EX[[XTabX]
bP\T\PcRWXbXbcWTQTbc\^\T]c
$C #$# ^U\hRaXRZTcX]VRPaTTa
¯ B7A4H0B6>?0;

3TPcW^eTaUaT]ihcPZTb<8 c^ &$ &%   


D_=Tgc

2bQf_gU^dV_b")Y^dXUVY^Q\_fUbQc8QbTY[Q^T@_\\QbTd__[XY]Q`Qbd
?C8 <D<108 start by Yadav, MI ended with
40 on the board at the end of 
; +
R
iding Hardik Pandya's
blitzkrieg, Mumbai
Indians creamed 29 runs
in the final over to reach 170
for five against Chennai Super
Kings in the Indian Premier
League here Wednesday.
Sent into bat, Suryakumar
Yadav compiled a
half century to lay
the foundation for
Mumbai Indians at
the Wankhede
Stadium.
Before Hardik's
eight-ball 25 and
Kieron Pollard's
seven-ball 17, Yadav
stroked his way to
59 in 43 balls
against the CSK
attack that kept the MI batsmen
on a tight least till the last few
overs.
Yadav, who hit eight fours
and a six, also put on a half cen-
tury stand with Krunal Pandya
(42 in 32 balls) to revive MI's
floundering innings.
Towards the end, Hardik
and Pollard struck big to
remain unbeaten and boosted
the total with the former strik-
ing three sixes and one four and
the latter hitting twice over the
  L5 ( #4 !
?C8 6A40C4A=>830
R ishabh Pant is a talented
cricketer but he shouldn't be
compared with Mahendra Singh
Dhoni, feels India's first World
Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev.
Pant, who is now India's
first-choice keeper in Test crick-
et, is still fighting for a spot in
India's World Cup squad that
will be announced later this
month.
"You can never compare
anyone with Mahendra Singh
Dhoni. No one can ever replace
a player of Dhoni's stature. Pant
is a talented cricketer and we
shouldn't put him under pres-
sure by comparing him with
Dhoni. His time will surely
come," the 1983 World Cup-win-
ning captain told mediapersons
on Tuesday.
In his inimitable style, Kapil
played down the workload man-
ropes. The founder of the heli-
copter shot, Mahendra Singh,
watched from behind as Hardik
used it to good effect.
MI had a slow start and
also lost the wicket of Quinton
agement issue of Indian pacers.
"We all have workload," he
laughed, adding, "We are mak-
ing a big issue out of it. What is
workload? "Mehnat Karna hi
naa? Kya aap mehnat bhi naahi
de Kock in the third over with sides off Deepak Chahar, who
only eight runs on the board. he hit for three fours in one
The arrival of Yadav to the over, and Shardul Thakur, who
crease quickened the run rate gave away three boundaries in
as he played handsome drives his second over.
in front of the wicket on both
karoge? (You don't even want to
work hard?)
Kapil had a number of all
rounders, including Mohinder
Amarnath, Madan Lal, Roger
Binny and himself, in that squad.
However, both Hardik
Pandya and Vijay Shankar's
bowling has been an issue, but
Kapil refused to be critical.
"Winning World Cup is not
buying sweets from a shop. It's
a mission and at this juncture, I
don't want to be the critic who
wants to pull the team. I will not
like to harp on weak points and
rather focus on our strengths,"
said the legendary all rounder.
"World Cup is a culmination
of four years of planning. I am
certain our selection committee
has identified the right bunch of
players. Now it's up to the play-
ers to execute and also they
would need a bit of luck in such
a big event," he said.
power play, but then lost skip-
per Rohit Sharma off the first
ball of the eighth over, caught
behind off Ravindra Jadeja for
13.
Yuvraj Singh, too, flopped,
caught just inside the bound-
ary line to leave MI at 50 for
three in the ninth over.
Yadav and Krunal revived
the sagging innings with a
stand of 62 in 49 balls for the
fourth wicket.
The latter struck two suc-
cessive fours off Mohit Sharma
to push up the run rate but was
lucky to be let off at 17 off
Dwayne Bravo in the 13th
over.
Krunal successfully
reviewed a leg before decision
given against him off Shardul
Thakur after adding a run to
his score. Emboldened, the left
hander lofted Tahir over long
on for the first six of the
innings, in the 15th over, at the
end of which MI were 93 for
three.
Krunal was finally caught
at long off, miscuing while try-
ing to hit Mohit Sharma for the
third four in the 17th over. He
struck five fours and a six in his
Thanks to the stroke-filled 32-ball knock.
1b_dXUS\QY]cY^^_SU^SU ing the match to Super Over and it was only due
cQicg_e\T^UfUb
Y^Te\WUY^ceSXQSd
?C8 <D<108E03>30A0
F ormer Indian women's cricket team coach Tushar
Arothe on Wednesday claimed innocence a day after
he was arrested and subsequently released on bail for
allegedly betting on an IPL match.
"This (cricket) is my bread and butter. Whatever I am
today is because of cricket and I will never do such type
of activity. Life mei ek paisa idhar-udhar nahi kiya hai (I
have never cheated)," Arothe said.
The 52-year-old from Baroda was arrested on
Monday before being given bail by the police, Vadodara
Police Commissioner Anup Singh Gehlot said on
Tuesday.
"Forget about doing it, I have never thought about it,"
the former batsman, who represented Baroda in 114 first-
class games.
Arothe and 18 others were arrested by the city Crime
Branch for betting on the IPL match between Delhi
Capitals and Kings XI Punjab played at Mohali, said
Deputy Commissioner of Police Jaydeepsinh Jadeja of
Vadodara Crime Branch.
Live on Star Sports 1& 2 HEAD
TO
HEAD
< !
(vs &> 32 $
=4F34;78
C7DAB30H k ')?< BA7(
?C8 =4F34;78
Soutkipper Shreyas Iyer
would look to sort
his team's lower-
order woes and strive
for consistency when
Delhi Capitals face a
rampaging Sunrisers
Hyderabad in an IPL
match here on
Thursday.
A dramatic lower-
order collapse against Kings XI Punjab exposed
Delhi's batting frailties and Iyer would look to
plug those holes to stand a chance of taming
Sunrisers, who have been on a roll with back-
to-back wins.
Delhi are currently fifth in the eight team
standings with two wins and as many loses after
four games and consistency is something which
they would be looking for.
Delhi had failed to score six runs from the
last over against Kolkata Knight Riders, thus tak-
to Kagiso Rabada's superb yorkers, they had
managed to scrape through in the end.
However, Delhi's lower-order came unstuck
against Kings XI on Monday night when they
inexplicably lost seven wickets for eight runs to
lose the game by 14 runs. Delhi were 144 for
three in the 17th over, chasing 167 before being
bowled out for 152 in 19.2 overs.
Rishabh Pant, who played a superb knock
of 78 to pile up a mammoth 213 against Mumbai
in the first match, has been the highest run-scor-
er for Delhi while the likes of Shikhar Dhawan,
Prithvi Shaw, Iyer and Colin Ingram too have
been among runs.
The bowling department has been led by
Rabada, while they also have Kiwi pacer Trent
Boult and Ishant Sharma in their ranks. Young
Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane too
has performed well so far for Delhi.
But the real contest on Thursday would be
between Delhi pacers Rabada and Chris Morris
against the marauding Sunrisers pair of David
Warner and Jonny Bairstow.
The pair of Warner and Bairstow have been
in scintillating form this year, sharing century-
plus opening stands in all their three matches
so far.
After a 118-run opening stand against KKR
;0BCH40A´B<0C274B
Bd]aXbTab 7hSTaPQPS  STUTPcTS 3T[WX
2P_XcP[bQh(fXRZTcbPc3T[WX
Bd]aXbTab7hSTaPQPSQTPc3T[WX2P_XcP[b
Qh&fXRZTcbPc7hSTaPQPS
5>AC74A42>A3
0\Xc<XbWaPR[PX\TS$ fXRZTcbPc (!&
X] # \PcRWTb Pc 5Ta^i BWPW :^c[P 3T[WX
;PbXcW<P[X]VP$%fXRZTcbX]"'\PcRWTbPc
FP]ZWTSTBcPSXd\XbcWT^cWTaQ^f[Tac^
cPZT^eTa$fXRZTcbX]PbX]V[TVa^d]SX]
8?;
 3PeXSFPa]Ta\PSTUXUch_[dbbR^aTbX]
P[[cWaTTX]]X]Vb_[PhTSX]cWXb8?;7TXbP[b^
cWTWXVWTbcad]VTccTafXcW!$#ad]bPcP]
PeTaPVT ^U !& P]S P bcaXZT aPcT ^U
&$ & 5PXbT[5TPcdaTb
in a losing cause, Warner and Bairstow contin-
ued their dominance up the order with 110-run
and 185-run partnerships against Rajasthan and
Royal Challengers Bangalore.
In fact, both Warner (100 not out) and
Bairstow (114) blasted a century each during
Sunrisers massive 118-run win over RCB in the
last game.
On road to redemption, Warner has looked
ominous as he blasted 69 off 37 balls against
Rajasthan, before a whirlwind 55-ball unbeat-
en 100 blew away RCB. Besides, he started the
season with a 85-run knock against KKR.
After the six-wicket defeat to KKR in their
opener, Sunrisers roared their way back into the
tournament, largely riding on Warner and
Bairstow's exploits and come Thursday, they
would be eyeing a hat-trick of wins.
Among Sunrisers' bowlers, Afghanistan
spin duo of Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan
would look to do the maximum damage, while
pacer Sandeep Sharma too has done well with
four wickets.
But Bhuvneshwar Kumar's performance,
especially at the death, has been a major con-
cern for Sunrisers.

 4! (  CY^TXeCbY[Q^dX

Y^"^Tb_e^T+
=I ]P\T1[d]ST[[X]F2b`dPS
05? F4;;8=6C>=
N ew Zealand opted for experience in a 15-
man squad named on Wednesday for this
year's cricket World Cup, with rookie Tom
Blundell's inclusion as back-up wicketkeeper the
only real surprise.
The Black Caps hope to shed their tag as
valiant losers and claim the title after exiting in
the semi-finals six times and suffering a heavy
defeat to Australia in their only appearance in
the final four years ago.
New Zealand are currently third in the one-
day rankings, behind England and India.
Coach Gar y Stead said the Kane
Williamson-led side had repeatedly excelled at
the top level and he was confident the consis-
tency would shine through at the tournament
in England and Wales.
"We've got a squad here of 15 players that
we think can give us a really, really good chance
of going far into the tournament," he said.
"If we play close to our potential, then hope-
fully we can do New Zealand proud."
Wellington keeper Blundell was selected
after Tim Siefert, the regular back-up to first-
choice gloveman Tom Latham, broke his finger
in a domestic match last month.
While Blundell, who has two Test caps, will
likely make his one-day international debut at
the tournament, his role will be marginal if
Latham stays fit.
Mitchell Santner will be the New Zealanders'
primary spinner, with Ish Sodhi edging Todd
Astle to claim the second slow bowling position.
"(Selecting) the spinners was very tough, and
both had signs at times that they should've been
the one that was selected... But at the end of the
day that's my call to make," Stead said.
The pace attack comprises Tim Southee,
Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry,
while Jimmy Neesham and Colin de
Grandhomme add all-round options.
Henry Nicholls is set to open the batting
with veteran Martin Guptill after displacing
Colin Munro at the top of the order, although
Munro will make the trip as batting cover.
Williamson and Ross Taylor, in his fourth
World Cup campaign, complete a battle-
hardened batting line up.
Williamson, Taylor and Guptill have col-
lectively amassed 526 ODI appearances
between them.
Guptill and Taylor have not confirmed
their post-tournament plans but will most like-
ly be looking to exit cricket's biggest stage on
a high.
The Black Caps will open their campaign
against Sri Lanka in Cardiff on June 1.
New Zealand:
Kane Williamson (capt), Tom Blundell,
Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie
Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom
Latham, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham,
Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi,
Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
 #33!
80=B =4F34;78
W ith Royal Challengers
Bangalore losing their fourth
successive game in this edition of the
Indian Premier League, questions
have been raised on skipper Virat
Kohli and his tactical acumen by
pundits. Interestingly, Kohli has
lost the last seven games that he has
captained in — three ODIs against
Australia and four T20s in the IPL.
What makes matters worse is that he
has not had former skipper MS
Dhoni by his side in six of those
seven.
While Dhoni sat out the last two
ODIs against Australia, he has been
leading Chennai Super Kings in the
IPL.
In stark contrast to Kohli's fate,
Dhoni and team have won all their
games in the championship so far
and are sitting at the top of the points
table. Even more interestingly, Dhoni
showed his tactical superiority when
he went into the opening game of the
IPL with three spinners as Kohli
misread conditions and played just
one regular spinner in Yuzvendra
Chahal. CSK won by 7 wickets.
Speaking about it, sources in the
Indian team management said it is
a simple case of Kohli being able to
express himself better when he has
Dhoni around him.
"Let us not read too much into
T20 games, but the thing is that
when you have someone like Dhoni
around, you can be yourself. Dhoni
helps Kohli make decisions and also
guides the bowlers like you would
have seen time and again.
"Youngsters like Kuldeep Yadav
and Yuzvendra Chahal feel at home
when they have Dhoni guiding
them from behind the wicket. That
is why Dhoni is such an integral
member of the Indian ODI set-up.
"Kohli can also focus on his bat-
ting when Dhoni is around. See his
scores in the last seven games that
you are mentioning. Dhoni was
there is Ranchi and Kohli scored
123. After that, the scores read 7, 20,
6, 46, 3 and 23. It always helps when
you have a senior member in the
team to guide you with his experi-
ence," the source said.
While Kohli's recent run in the
IPL has once again started the
debate on his skills as captain,
CSK all-rounder Dwayne Bravo
after their second game against
Delhi Capitals said he just followed
the instructions of skipper Dhoni
and that helped.
Also when it comes to taking
the game deep and finishing things,
MSD showcased the skills during
the game against Rajasthan Royals.
Commenting on Dhoni's role
not just in the CSK unit, but also the
Indian team, a BCCI official said:
CQY^QUhYdc
?C8 :D0;0;D<?DA
T op Indian shuttlers P V Sindhu and Kidambi
Srikanth advanced to the second round but
Saina Nehwal failed to cross the opening hur-
dle at the Malaysia Open World Tour Super 750
tournament here on Wednesday.
Olympic and world champi-
onship Silver medallist Sindhu
staved off a spirited challenge
from World No 20 Aya Ohori 22-
20, 21-12 to record her sixth win
over the Japanese, while India
Open finalist
Srikanth beat
Indonesia's
Ihsan Maulana
Mustofa 21-18,
21-16 in 38
minutes.
Fifth seed
Sindhu will
now look to
avenge her All
England loss
against Korea's
Sung Ji Hyun,
whom she
faces next,
while Srikanth
will meet
Thailand's
K h o s i t
Phetpradab
"He is the balancing factor in the Thursday.
Indian team. Cricket in India Eighth seed Saina, who came into the tour-
evokes a range of emotions with nament after recovering from a pancreas infec-
every fan having his/her favourite tion, fought hard before going down 22-20, 15-
player. 21, 10-21 to Thailand's Pornpawee
"Kohli is arguably the best bats- Chochuwong.
man in the world, but cricket isn't HS Prannoy, who had reached the quarter-
an individual game and the atmos- finals last week at New Delhi, however, bowed
phere in the dressing room and the out after losing 12-21, 21-16, 21-14 to Sitthikom
team spirit play a huge part in the Thammasin of Thailand following a hard-
success of the team. fought battle.
"Dhoni at this moment is inte- With Sameer Verma too crashing out in the
gral to the success of the team ever opening round, Srikanth is the only Indian in
since he took up the role of the the fray in men's singles.
senior and guiding player in the Men's doubles pair of Manu Attri and B
team. His presence has a calming Sumeeth Reddy, who had entered the semifi-
effect on the entire team. nals in India Open, also failed to cross the open-
"For India to succeed in the ing hurdle, going down 16-21, 6-21 to seventh
World Cup, Dhoni's presence is seeds Han Chengkai and Zhou Haodong of
very important," the official said. China.