First India-Delhi Edition-5th December 2022

Half of Delhi has decided! 50 per cent voting in MCD polls

New Delhi (PTI):

About 50 per cent voting was recorded on Sun day in the election to the 250 municipal wards in Delhi, with main ri vals BJP and AAP claiming victory in the high-stakes contest.

No major glitches in electronic voting ma chines were reported and the voting passed off peacefully with high security deployed at the 3,360 critical booths in 493 locations where more than 25,000 police personnel, nearly 13,000 home guards and 100 companies of paramili tary forces were de ployed, officials said.

Several people in North-East Delhi and some other areas com plained that their names were missing

from the voters’ lists.

Anil Kumar, the Delhi Congress president, was among the people who could not vote. The BJP said it has filed a complaint with the state election commis sion over the missing

93 SEATS UP FOR GRABS!

names.

Election officials said that nearly 50 per cent polling was reported by 5.30 pm when the voting time ended. However, the figure is likely to rise as many people who reported before

5.30 pm and were queued up at the polling booths were casting their votes.

“People should vote for the party that is hon est and works. (Vote) For those who focus on the cleanliness of the

city and not those who keep creating hurdles,” Kejriwal told reporters after he cast his vote along with his parents, wife and children at a polling booth in Civil Lines here.

Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta asserted that the BJP is return ing to power with a clear majority in the MCD for the fourth time in a row.

“People have voted against the scams and false publicity of the Kejriwal government,” Gupta said.

Polling booths in Bawana’s Katewara vil lage were all empty as the residents boycotted elections alleging negli gence from the MCD. The results will be out on December 7.

Ahmedabad: The sec ond phase of Gujarat elections will be held today for the remaining 93 Assembly constituen cies, for which 833 can didates are in the fray.

The 93 assembly seg ments are spread across 14 districts of north and central Gujarat, and in clude prestigious As sembly constituencies – Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Gandhinagar.

In the second phase, 93 assembly segments,

including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Gandhi nagar constituencies, across 14 districts in the north and central Gujarat will go to polls on Monday. A total of 2.54 crore voters are eli gible to exercise their franchise, and polling will be held at 26,409 booths for the second phase of polls.

Election Commis sion will deploy 29,000 presiding officers and over 84,000 polling offic ers in 14 dists to con duct polls. More on P5

Bye-election

Mainpuri

By-polls

DECEMBER 8

THE ‘BIG’ COUNTING

Results

Ahmedabad

MUTUAL ACCUSATIONS

GOVT

Sikar/Jaipur: The ar rest of the accused of shootout in Sikar in which gangster Raju Thehat and one other person was killed with in 24 hours has been an other big success in maintaining law and order and proved the acumen of DGP Umesh Mishra.

Mishra was in con stant touch with con cerned police officers till late Saturday. The

police

First G20 Sherpa meet begins in the Lake City

First India Bureau

Udaipur: The first G20 Sherpa Meeting under India’s Presidency, be gan in the lake city, Udaipur on Sunday. In dia’s G20 Sherpa, Am itabh Kant is presiding over the four-day meet ing. Delivering opening remarks, Kant, said, In dia took over G20 at a time when the world is facing several challeng es. He said, India be lieves every crisis is an opportunity. Represent atives of 19 countries among European Union and 9 special invitee

Iran abolishes ‘morality police’ after protest

Tehran (FIB): Iran has scrapped its morality po lice on Sunday after over 2 months of protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini following her arrest for allegedly violating country’s strict female dress code. Demonstrators burned their mandatory hijab head coverings, shout ed anti-govt slogans.

A poll official prepares to seal EVMs after end of voting for the MCD elections, at a polling station in Old Delhi on Sunday. —PHOTOS BY PTI

Delhi BJP alleged that recorded messages of CM Kejriwal appealing to people to vote for AAP were received by lakhs of people on the day of poll ing. AAP candidate Arun Nawariya alleged BJP workers distributed money.

Voters show their ink-marked fingers at a polling station in East Delhi.

Police check ID cards of voters at a polling station in Khureji Khas.

A voter in Civil Lines area.

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, NEW DELHI & MUMBAI

MACRON: I TRUST ‘MY FRIEND’ PM MODI TO BRING US TOGETHER

New Delhi: Congress leader KC Venugopal said ahead of the winter session of the parliament that it will not be practical for the party’s senior leader Rahul Gandhi to attend it due to yatra. The winter session will start on December 7 and is scheduled to conclude on December 29.

London: French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday expressed confidence in India taking over the presidency of the powerful G20, saying that he has trust that PM Narendra Modi would bring everyone together to build a peaceful and a sustainable world.

MEHIDY HASAN MIRAZ HELPS B’DESH STUN IND BY 1 WICKET

Dhaka: Bangladesh recorded a sensational one-wicket victory over India in 1st ODI of the three-match series on Sunday. Put into bat, India were all-out for 186. Mehidy H Miraz produced a sensational 39-ball 38run cameo to take team home with 4 overs to spare.

‘NOT PRACTICAL FOR RaGa TO ATTEND WINTER SESSION’

Shivendra Parmar and Satyanarayan Sharma

nabbed 5 people including a minor on Sunday. Two of accused identified as Satish Kumhar and Jatin Meghwal were injured in a brief encounter with police on Sunday. DGP congratulated

Jaipur Range IG Umesh Dutta & Sikar SP Kun war Rashtradeep. As per sources, DGP Mishra may make a big announcement for re ward or out of turn pro motion for the team in volved in the operation.

a brief encounter with police in Jhunjhunu on Sunday. Police caught Sikar residents Manish Jat, 25, and Vikram Gurjar, 28, and Haryana’s Satish Kumhar, 40, Jatin Megh wal, 24, and one minor. The police personnel who caught the accused will be rewarded.

—Umesh Mishra, DGP

PM Modi is of the view that the meeting should be decisive, ambitious and action-oriented.

—Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa

l Gujarat has been ruled by BJP since 1995, will see fight between Cong & AAP

l In second phase of voting in Gujarat, there are total 833 candidates in the fray

Moni Sharma

SEATS TO SEE MOST INTENSE COMPETITION

DAY

THE OBVIOUS ‘MODI FACTOR’ IN GUJARAT BY-POLLS IN 5 STATES INCLUDING RAJ & UP

Maninagar, a BJP stronghold and the home district of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Ghatlodia and the state capital of Gandhinagar, are some of the seats that are anticipated to see the most intense competition.

of high-voltage Assembly elections in Guja rat, where phase 1 voting took place on Dec 1 & 2nd phase voting today and Himachal Pradesh, which voted on November 12, along with 5 Assembly by polls voting today will be declared on December 8.

Apart from the obvious ‘Modi factor’, it is the BJP’s election machinery and strong booth manage ment skills that have given the party a clear edge over Congress and AAP. Right from bombarding voters with targeted messaging on social media to mar shalling its booth manag ers, BJP has clearly stolen a march over its rivals so far as campaigning goes.

in 5 assem bly constituencies of UP, Odisha, Rajasthan, Bihar and Chhattisgarh today.

LS seat in UP fell vacant following the death of Mulayam Singh.

on Padampur seat in Odisha, Sardarshahar in Rajasthan, Kurhani in Bihar, Bhanupratappur in Chhat tisgarh and Rampur in UP will be held along with Mainpuri Parl constituency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks blessing from his mother Heeraben Modi, at her residence, in Gandhinagar on Sunday.

For voters, a feeling of empowerment

vote counts," he said.

Saloni Bhatia

New Delhi: Accompa nied by her daughter, 106-yr-old Shanti Bala Vaidya reached a poll ing station in Bara Hin du Rao area to cast her vote in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) poll on Sunday morning.

"She has not missed a single election since she started voting," her 40-year-old daughter Kamla said. Vaidya only understands Ben gali but cannot talk.

"The only word she utters is 'Maa'. She calls me Maa," Kamla, who is a dry fruit vendor, said.

Cops deployed at Dep uty Ganj polling station also helped Vaidya in casting her vote.

DCP (North) SS Kalsi said police also have a responsibility towards voters, especially senior citizens. "Our personnel at polling booths have been briefed and sensi tised to assist anyone who needs help," he said.

Amina Bibi, 105, said she cast her vote in eve

ry election in the morn ing. The polling booth this time was around 300 metres from her home and she preferred walking alone, though many neighbours asked her if they could accom pany her. She cannot speak properly due to old age but made her intent to vote clear.

Gurdas Jeet Singh will be celebrating his 100th birthday next month, but his excite

ment for voting is still the same, his grandson Bimal Jeet said.

"This is our right. Un less we come out of our homes, how will we have people liked by us in power? Mere complain ing sitting at the com fort of our homes is not going to change things," Gurdas Jeet Singh said. He also expressed con cern that the younger generation does not show interest in voting.

Women voters raise issues of garbage, poor condition of parks

New Delhi (PTI): Sani tation, maintenance of parks and lack of park ing facilities were the issues of concern for women who came out to vote on Sunday.

Dr Rehana Parveen, a general physician who arrived at a pink booth on DDU Marg to cast her vote, flagged the is sue of garbage collec tion from colonies as a major concern.

“Garbage should be collected even on a holi day or day of festival. At present, garbage is useen lying in colonies on the day of any festi val. Guests come and it becomes very embar rassing seeing our colo ny so dirty,” she said.

Her daughter, Hadia Fatima, a mechanical engineer, said vehicle parking is also a major issue for them. “I have

to park my vehicle on the road every day. There is always a fear that my vehicle will be stolen. There are daily fights over the parking issue and a gender bias also exists,” she said.

Poonam Tyagi (53), who cast her vote at MBS International School in Dwarka said, “The main issue is that despite clearance from

societies, garbage still piles up at nook and corner of the roads. In almost every common area, you can see gar bage pilled. This should be addressed,” she said.

Women also rued about the poor upkeep of parks in their area and demanded the party that comes to power should address the issue.

DUPERS’ GANG

"I always ensured that I should never miss my right to vote," he said. They voted at a polling station in Shanti Nagar. There are over 1.45 crore voters for the MCD poll, of which 78.93 lakh are men and 66.10 lakh women. Ac cording to State Elec tion Commission fig ures, there are 229 vot ers aged 100 and above, while 2,04,301 voters are above 80 years old. —PTI

New Delhi (PTI): Be ing wheelchair-bound or walking with crutches was not a de terrent for differentlyabled Delhi residents who enthusiastically arrived at the polling booths on Sunday to make their vote count.

Praveen (56), whose family brought him to the booth in a wheel chair, said, "Every vote matters".

"Everyone should come out and exercise their right. Cleanli ness was the main is sue on my mind when I cast my vote," he said.

Hari Om (70) arrived at the polling booth holding crutches.

"There are many is sues in our area and I don't know whether they will be addressed. But I knew I had to en sure that my vote counts," he said.

Ramu Yadav (55), who is visually im paired, said he felt em powered casting his vote.

Kamal Kishore, who has been suffering

Childcare facilities, lounges at pink booths, model stations

New Delhi (PTI): Childcare facilities, selfie kiosks, lounges and candies greeted voters at pink booths and model polling stations decked up to provide a relaxed voting experience on Sunday.

At an all-female staff managed pink booth at Khajuri Khas decked with balloons, voter Momina Rashid said, “This looks pleasing. Also, voting has become easy. We require to exercise our rights. The issues that are in our mind are the pathetic condi tion of roads and drainage. We want our area to be cleaned,” she said.

Security at the pink booths were tight with police and paramilitary personnel ensuring hassle-free voting. Selfie points also attracted voters.

Iranian impersonating police arrested

lll

Technical surveillance was mounted and details of the absconding accused Aslam was collected & circulated through police net to get his whereabouts

New Delhi (ANI): An absconding Iran nation al, impersonating a po liceman and duping peo ple, was arrested here in Greater Kailash, accord ing to Delhi Police.

The accused was iden tified as Aslam Khan.

The police recovered 2 cars with fake license plates, an army cap, a police cap and six fake number plates of vari ous vehicles. “A case was registered at Greater Kailash PS on the com plaint of a lady regard

CHEATING CASE LED TO ACCUSED

ing cheating by four per sons who impersonated police officers and took away 3,000 Euros from her purse,” the police said on Saturday.

According to cops, during the initial probe,

two accused involved in the cheating case, Mohd. Unus and Mohd. Gulam Behrami (both Iran na tionals) were arrested. A team was formed to ar rest the remaining.

“Technical surveil

lance was mounted and details/photo of the ab sconding accused name ly Aslam Khan @ Yusuf was collected and circu lated to get his location and whereabouts.

“Accused already ar rested -- Mohd. Unus and Mohd. Gulam Beh rami were put under sustained interroga tion. Several raids were conducted on suspected hideouts,” police said. Aslam was arrested on December 2, and he con fessed to his crime.

Khulbhushan Gup ta, 84, who came in a wheelchair, said he has not missed voting in the last few years.

"I feel strong and confident when I vote. It empowers me and I feel I have done my duty," he said.

When asked what his priority was, Gup ta said, "Of course, de velopment is the key issue. I want my local ity to be further devel oped and equipped with all the facilities it deserves."

A daily wager, Mo hammad Rashid, who is jobless for over a month due to an acci dent, reached the Kha zoori Khas polling sta tion with the help of a stick only because of his faith - "change starts from us."

At the gate of the booth, he was assisted by polling agents and police personnel, who provided the 48-yearold with a wheelchair and ensured he gets to cast his vote first.

New voters bat for clean Delhi

New Delhi (PTI):

1.45

Coming out of a poll ing station set up at ITI Malviya Nagar, 18-yearold Namita said her vote was for cleanliness, bet ter education, better parking facilities and against encroachment.

"I was excited as well as nervous because I had been reading about vot ing rights and its impor tance. Today was the first time I cast my vote which was for cleanli ness, better education, better parking facilities and against encroach ment," she said.

Kanishka Dagar (19) a political science student at Kirori Mal College, said he was inspired by his parents who diligent

ly cast their votes in every election.

"I was waiting to turn 18 so that I could exer cise my vote. I want a party that works through its 5-yr tenure rather than scrambling to fulfil their promises at the end of term to gain votes," he said.

Maseera Fatima, a 19-year-old BTech stu dent, said garbage is a huge issue in her Mata Sundari Road locality.

"Of course, there is the excitement of cast ing vote for the first time. We want that our

Today was the first time I cast my vote which was for cleanli ness, better education, better parking facili ties and against en croachment.

—Namita, First-time voter

area to remain clean through the year."

Naman Kumar (19) expected political par ties to do more for the youth. "It's been a while since the government has done anything sub stantial for youths, espe cially when it comes to education and employ ment.

"Unless the youth are satisfied, no party will be able to have their sup port. So, they should fo cus on us because we are the future," Kumar said outside a polling booth in Malviya Nagar.

HC sets aside conviction, 6-yr jail considering lost trial court record

New Delhi (PTI): Delhi High Court set aside the conviction and 6-year jail term awarded to a man in 2003, noting the trial court record has been lost and material documents including witness depositions are now not available.

The HC said the pe rusal of the trial court record is an essential el ement of hearing of an appeal and every appel lant has a valuable right to satisfy the appellate court that the material on record did not justify

...to affirm the conviction of the appellant, the perusal of the trial court record is the essential element of hearing of the appeal.

—Justice Jasmeet Singh, Delhi HC

his conviction. The court allowed the appeal and set aside the trial court order sending the person to jail for six years for 'culpable homi cide not amounting to murder'.

"I am of the view that to affirm the conviction of the appellant, the pe rusal of the trial court record is the essential

element of hearing of the appeal. Every appel lant has a right to satisfy the Appellate Court that the material evidence available on record did not justify his convic tion and this is a valua ble right which cannot be denied to an appel lant," said Justice Jas meet Singh in a recent order.

BJP leader Parvesh Verma and his wife Swati Singh Verma after voting.

BJP leader Vijay Goel and his wife after casting their vote for the MCD polls, at Rajpur Road, New Delhi.

BJP’s Gautam Gambhir and his wife at Old Rajendra Nagar, New Delhi.

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler arrives to cast his vote in Old Rajendra Nagar.

CM Kejriwal and his family members show their ink-marked fingers after voting for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls, at Civil lines, New Delhi on Sunday.

106-year-old Shanti Bala Vaidya comes out of a polling station after casting her vote at Deputy Ganj. (R) A wheelchair-bound elderly voter holds up his Voter ID at a polling station. —PHOTOS BY PTI/ANI

from paralysis for 15 years, reached the polling booth in the morning.

"This is a right given to us by the Constitu tion and we should ex ercise it because each

Nabia Kasim shows her ID card as she arrives to cast her vote for the first time for MCD elections, at a booth in old Delhi.

Women after casting vote at Old Rajendra Nagar on Sunday.

Firsttime voters batted for a spick and span Delhi with better civic ameni ties as they queued up for the MCD elections on Sunday. Of the

crore voters in Delhi, 95,0000 are first-time voters.

Voters arrive to cast their votes for the MCD election at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Old JNU Campus, in New Delhi on Sunday.

‘OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAN DELHI’

Violence-hit Jahangirpuri votes for peace, harmony

Aparna Bose

New Delhi (ANI): CM Arvind Kejriwal voted along with his family at a polling booth in Civil Lines for the MCD elections and urged people not to vote for the corrupt. Speaking to report ers after casting his vote, the CM said the election is an oppor tunity to clean Delhi. "I appeal to people to vote in large numbers. We can see there is garbage everywhere. It is an opportunity to clean Delhi. Vote for the party which does development work, not vote for such a party that stops the work of Delhi.”

WAKE-UP CALL FOR DELHI: PURI

New Delhi: Residents of Northwest Delhi’s Ja hangirpuri said they have cast their votes for peace, communal har mony and cleanliness.

Tajman Bibi said he wants the upcoming MCD regime to focus on peace and communal harmony, which are his primary concerns.

“Jahangirpuri should never again wit ness the kind of vio lence it did in April. The authorities should focus on maintaining commu nal harmony in this area. While casting my

New Delhi (ANI):

vote, that was my only concern,” Tajman said.

Another voter Rafiq echoed similar senti

“No matter which party comes to power in the MCD, we expect peace in Jahangirpuri. People should not face divisive politics here anymore. There should be harmony amongst all communities.”

“We do not want any sort of division on the basis of communities. We do not want people to fight amongst each other,” the 56-year-old added.

whose house is located in one of the congested gullies, said the drains in the area mostly re main clogged through out the year.

Several disappointed after names missing from list of voters

ments, saying that peo ple in Jahangirpuri should not “face divi sive politics” anymore.

VOX POPULI

On the civic front, the residents highlighted the lack of cleanliness and garbage menace as other major issues.

Mohammad Junu,48,

“We have been facing the issue of clogged drains since several years now. We spoke to the authorities earlier many times but nobody paid heed to the issue. Due to water stagnation, drains get clogged here. This is one issue that leads to major health problems to the resi dents, including dengue and malaria,” he said.

—PTI

New Delhi (PTI): Flip ping through the list of voters at a polling sta tion in Khajoori Khas for the MCD election, 19-year-old Puneet Ku mar was excited to vote for the first time on Sun day but was left disap pointed when he found his name missing.

"I came here to cast my vote. I found my name not in the list. Of ficials don't have a clue.

I am standing for hours but nobody is helping," a dejected Kumar said.

BJP COMPLAINS WITH SEC

New Delhi (ANI): After casting his vote on Sunday, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that the polls are a wakeup call for Delhi. "These polls are a wake-up call for Del hi. We have to make India a developed country by 2047... Recently a report has predicted that we will become number 3 (economy) in the next four-five years. So people have to choose which brand of politics they want to follow," said Puri.

DyCM Manish Sisodia said BJP had failed mis erably to work for the people of Delhi and ap pealed to people to vote in record numbers and to make the city clean. “... I appeal to people to keep in mind that MCD's priority is to keep Delhi clean, sanitation issues, landfill, corruption, parking mess, stray ani mals and to build schools and hospitals among others. everyone to think before voting and vote for keeping Delhi clean. Vote for a garbagefree Delhi," he said.

CALLING THEMSELVES HONEST WILL GET BEFITTING REPLY: MEENAKASHI LEKHI

New Delhi (ANI): Union Minister Meenakashi Lekhi said people will give a “befitting” reply to the ones who call themselves honest. In a conversa tion after casting her vote in the MCD elections at a polling booth in South Extension Part 2, Lekhi said, “People who call themselves honest will get a befitting reply from Delhi’s voters.”

Attacking jailed AAP minister Satyendar Jain, Lekhi said the activities of AAP ministers are out before everyone.

‘KEJRIWAL TAKING CREDIT FOR MCD'S WORK’

New Delhi (ANI): BJP MP Gautam Gambhir said the party has "genuinely worked" for the people of Delhi in the last 15 years it has been in power at the city's civic body. Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Old Rajender Nagar, Gambhir said, "The MCD has fought against Dengue. MCD is working in all three landfills. I am not an astrologer like the CM, that I can say about the number of seats that we will win. I can tell the reality. The reality is we have genuinely worked for the people

JASH-E-REKHTA LIT FEST

People in North-East Delhi complained their names were not in the voters' lists. Anil Kumar, Delhi Congress presi dent, was among those who could not vote after their name was missing.

"My name is neither on the voters' list nor on the deleted list. My wife has voted," Kumar said at a polling booth in Dal lupura in East Delhi.

Nusra Jahan (62) reached the polling booth in Bhajanpura but was told her name was not on the list.

"I have voted in sever al elections and now this

BJP’s Manoj Tiwari alleged names of several hundred voters were deleted in Mauj Pur and Yamuna Vihar areas in his North East Delhi constituency at the behest of AAP. "I have talked to State Election Commissioner and lodged a complaint with him. We will seek cancellation of the polls here if needed," Tiwari said, adding that he will also ex plore legal options.

is the first time I have been told my name is not here. I don't know why this has been done. I asked them for an expla nation, but they couldn't explain. Now I have to travel back without cast ing my vote," said Jahan.

In Krishna Nagar (East Delhi), Rayan came to cast his vote with his wife. But the 30-year-old was unable to do so as his name was not mentioned.

DELHI CONGRESS CHIEF SAYS NAME MISSING FROM LIST

Chaudhary

"My

nei

the voter list nor in the deleted list. My wife has voted. Officials are checking it," said the Delhi Congress president who arrived at a polling booth in Dallupura to cast his vote.

Partition a living calamity, survives through fiction, say writers

lll

‘Those who didn’t witness it are still writing about it. And I believe even a 100 years later people will still be writing about Partition,’ said Shazi Zaman

New Delhi (PTI): Rec ollecting novels and sto ries written in the back drop of Partition till as late as 2018, journalistwriter Shazi Zaman and Urdu author Khalid Jawed on Sunday sent across the point that memories of the “unfor tunate event” will live on through literature.

Speaking at a session during the seventh edi tion of Jashn-e-Rekhta here, they cited writer Yashpal’s “Jhutha Sach” (1960), Bhishm Sahni’s

“Tamas” (1973), Kam leshwar’s “Kitne Paki stan” (2000), and Geetan jali Shree’s “Ret Sama dhi” (2018) -- books on Partition -- to say that a “terrible moment in his tory lives on in one way or another”.

Jawed gave examples of Jhumpa Lahiri’s “In terpreter of Maladies” and Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children”.

“That terrible mo ment may find an end in our lives but it survives through fiction. It depos

After becoming part of a story, his tory becomes dy namic and we can feel it living and breathing ... but only those stories and fic tion survive that go beyond that theme despite having absorbed it —Khalid Jawed, Author

its itself as a drop of blood and doesn’t let go. If you look at Manto’s stories, even if they

weren’t written in the context of Partition, would still be relevant through the existential

dimensions they de pict,” the 2022 JCB Prize winner said. He added in Manto’s

stories like “Khol Do” and “Thanda Gosht” the Partition is just a con text. “After becoming part of a story, history becomes dynamic and we can feel it living and breathing,” the author of “The Paradise of Food” said.

Zaman called Parti tion a “living calamity”.

“Jhutha Sach’ was the first big novel on Parti tion. 15 years later Shaani’s ‘Kala Jal’, then Rahi Masoom Raza’s ‘Adha Gaon’ and 50 years

later Kamleshwar’s ‘Kitne Pakistan’. At that point I thought this se ries had ended. But it is not something that hap pened and ended. It was a calamity that hap pened and continued happening. 70 years af ter Partition, Geetanjali Shree wrote ‘Ret Sama dhi’ and she hasn’t even seen Partition,” Zaman said. He said Kamlesh war in “Kitne Pakistan” had said Partition is a “symbol” far bigger than the change in map.

BJP leader Satish Upadhyay shows his marked finger after casting his vote.

BJP leader and former North Delhi mayor Avtar Singh after casting his vote.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai shows his ink-marked finger.

BJP Delhi President Adesh Gupta and his wife show their ink-marked fingers after casting their vote.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, party MLA Ajay Mahawar and others after casting their vote for the MCD elections at a polling station in New Delhi on Sunday.

A voter brings his son along on a toy cart at Jahangirpuri.

Voters stand in a queue to cast their vote for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections, at a polling station in Rajpur Road, New Delhi, on Sunday.

—PHOTOS BY PTI/ANI

Voters at a polling station in Jaffrabad, New Delhi om Sunday.

New Delhi (ANI): Delhi Congress president Anil Chaudhary claimed that he found his name missing from the voters' list when he arrived at the polling booth to cast his vote for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections on Sunday.

claimed that his name is neither in the voters list nor in the deleted list.

name is

ther in

of Delhi in the last 15 years. We have not made false advertise ments. MCD fought against Den gue and the Delhi Chief Minister takes credit for it."

THOSE

BJP failed miserably, says Sisodia

EMPLOYEES

MAKING EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS PARTNERS IS TO EMPOWER THEM TO TAKE DECISIONS

It makes a lot of sense, from both an economic stand point and market reputa tion perspective, to make employees business partners.

This translates to using their knowledge, skills and experi ence to enhance the product quality, customer service and innovations in the company.

Making employees business partners is about empowering them to take decisions on a daily basis – decisions that will enhance their work output and quality and enhance the overall performance of their team and the company

mployees first, custom ers second” was probably one of the early concepts that were aimed at em powering the work force. It emphasises on the fact that customers can be delighted only if employ ees are delighted and hence, committed to your cause. One cannot take away the fact that the suc cess or failure of any busi ness, to a large extent, depends on its employ ees. With this renewed emphasis on a company’s workforce, a relatively new concept in India, em ployee as partners has slowly started to seep into the business culture of companies. However, the concept is still nascent in India. While some compa nies have talked about it, very few have actually fol lowed through.

In the endeavour of making employees business partners, companies must remember to share information about the company with employees. Many companies send out mailers or hold all-employee meets to make specific company announcements. This ensures that employees hear all that they need to from the right people and refrain from making assumptions. Dissemination of company news from the highest rungs displays the company’s trust in its employees, who then return this trust by working hard and doing more than what the company expects of them

The tendency of compa nies is to view their em ployees as order-takers rather than partners. There are times when em ployee contributions fall into the trap of the expect ed and routine and their potential as a valuable business partner is not ex plored to the extent it is possible. Undoubtedly, if the companies can view their employees as busi ness partners, it will surely enable them to become more competitive and in novative in today’s market.

The reason for this is simple: treating employ ees as partners leads to an understanding among the workforce that they have a shared purpose and a common goal that everybody is working to wards. All employees ir respective of the role they play have valuable inputs for the business.

“The way your employ ees feel is the way your cus

tomers will feel. And if your employees don’t feel valued, neither will your custom ers.” – Sybil F. Stershic

It makes a lot of sense, from both an economic standpoint and market reputation perspective, to make employees business partners. This translates to using their knowledge, skills and experience to en hance the product quality, customer service and inno vations in the company. Making employees busi ness partners is about em powering them to take deci sions on a daily basis – deci sions that will enhance their work output and qual ity and enhance the overall

The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.

performance of their team and the company.

This concept reflects the company’s commit ment to being a good em ployer that believes in col laboration rather than control. It would involve a deep commitment and loyalty of employees to wards towards the organ ization, its success, repu tation and its customer base. It is a management truism, that customer ser vice and a company’s suc cess is not the job of a few but of each person that works in the company and what better way to get everyone ‘on board’ than making employees busi

ness partners.

Making employees business partners trans lates to them going the extra mile, doing much more than the basic re quirements of their job and demonstrating their indefatigable loyalty to wards serving their cus tomers. Employment se curity displays the com pany’s commitment to the welfare and growth of their staff, such compa nies also invest hugely in employee training and coaching programs aimed at self and professional development.

The clear career paths also contribute towards

The way your employees feel is the way your customers will feel. And if your employees don’t feel valued, neither will your customers.

“Employees first, custom ers second” was probably one of the early concepts that were aimed at empow ering the workforce. It emphasises on the fact that customers can be delighted only if em ployees are delighted and hence, commit ted to your cause

they need to from the right people and refrain from making assumptions. Dis semination of company news from the highest rungs displays the com pany’s trust in its employ ees, who then return this trust by working hard and doing more than what the company expects of them. ‘The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.’ – Theodore Roosevelt.

f you’ve been watching the World Cup, you might have marvelled at the physical fitness and skill of these elite players. How can they run and run and run for so long? What makes them so good at speedy changes of direc tion? Biomechanically, is there a certain body type that is perfect for football?

Of course, much of the brilliant play is down to nat ural talent combined with years of very hard training and practise. But there are certainly some physical fea tures that help a lot when it

comes to being able to play football at this level.

Different features for different positions

There’s no one single per fect body type for this sport; much depends on what position you play. A central defender, for exam ple, might benefit from a bit of extra height so they can defend against aerial balls in the box.

Lighter upper body, strong lower body

Football players in general are not stocky like, say, rugby players. But while the upper body tends to be

fairly light (which saves on mass and helps with speed), they do generally have quite big, strong legs. All in all, these players are well built to produce elite per formances at the highest levels of the game. While years of hard training has

surely contributed to their success, they might also thank their parents for the genes they received too.

What about the goalkeeper?

One position that does ben efit greatly from height is

the goalkeeper.

The Australian goal keeper, Mark Schwarzer, used his 1.95 metres frame to great advantage. And most elite goalkeepers stand taller than 1.85 metres.

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION

making employees busi ness partners. The ulti mate aim is to achieve and over achieve all the goals set out by each person and the company. Binding em ployees with rules and ‘red tape’ will only make them lazy, dull and unpro ductive.

In the endeavour of making employees busi ness partners, companies must remember to share information about the company with employees.

Many companies send out mailers or hold all-em ployee meets to make spe cific company announce ments. This ensures that employees hear all that

This quote is so apt for companies who believe in making employees busi ness partners – if you do not believe in your employ ees, it means that you have made the wrong choice while hiring. Research has conclusively proved that decentralization of deci sion-making leads to em powered employees with a leadership and customer service mind-set, which translates to higher cus tomer satisfaction levels and therefore more busi ness and profits.

Such companies will outrun their competitors and even put them out of business and reach new pinnacles of success. Making employees busi ness partners is highly intelligent and strategic move that will bear rich rewards for any company.

VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

SPIRITUAL SPEAK

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good: His love endures forever. Bible

Nitin Gadkari @nitin_gadkari

The project has already bagged records from Asia Book and India Book. Now receiving this eminent award is indeed a proud moment for us. I heartily thank & salute the incredible Engineers, Officers & Workers who persevered round the clock to make this happen. #GatiShakti

TOP TWEETS

Smriti Z Irani @smritiirani

Hearty greetings to all the marines deployed to protect the country’s water borders with indomitable courage and commitment on ‘Indian Navy Day’. The countrymen are proud of all the loyal and service-oriented sailors towards the motherland.

THE

Dr Jagdeesh Chandra Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the

—Theodore Roosevelt

—Sybil F Stershic

BATTLEGROUND GUJARAT 16 seats in Ahmedabad crucial for ruling BJP

Apart from Opposition Congress, the new entrant AAP and AIMIM have also jumped into fray; ruling BJP has always enjoyed an upper hand here

Ahmedabad (PTI): Six teen Assembly seats in Ahmedabad city, which go to polls in the second phase of the Gujarat polls on Monday, are crucial for the Bharati ya Janata Party which has always enjoyed an upper hand here in the elections since 1990.

While Congress im proved its tally to four seats in 2017 from two in 2012, the fight has be come more interesting this time with the entry of AAP, which has field ed candidates in all 16 seats, and AIMIM which is contesting four seats.

Analysts claim the BJP, which currently holds 12 out of these 16 seats, will win most of them and the AAP may fail to make any impact. The AIMIM is likely eat into the Congress’s votes in some of seats.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding two roadshows in the city ahead of the second phase of polling, the 16 Assembly seats in Ahmedabad city, con sidered a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), are once again in the spotlight.

POLLING PARTIES GATHER AT EVM DISTRIBUTION CENTRE

Gandhinagar (ANI): The polling par ties gathered at the EVM distribution centre in Gandhinagar ahead of the second phase of polling in the state on Monday. The Election Commission had announced the conduct of Gujarat polls in two phases on December 1 and 5. After the first phase of polling, the Election Commission urged vot ers to reach their designated polling booths early and cast their votes be fore 5 pm on Monday. “Voters should not carry their mobile phones to the polling booths,” an official said. The second and final phase of Assembly elections will go for polling for 93 Assembly seats, with 833 candidates across parties in the fray.

VOTE IN LARGE NUMBERS IN PHASE 2 OF GUJ POLLS: CEC

Gandhinagar (Agencies): Taking note of the low voter turnout in the first phase of Gujarat Assembly polls, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has appealed to elector ate to come out in large numbers and vote in the second and final phase. In the first phase of elections, 63.34 voter turnout was recorded on 89 seats. In that too, rural turnout was higher compared to urban.

Hubballi (ANI): Kar nataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai on Sunday expressed con fidence in positive re sults from the Bharati ya Janata Party’s (BJP) ‘Jan Sankalp Yatra’ by saying that the Yatra is getting a tremendous response from the public.

While speaking to re porters at Hubballi air port, while on his way to his constituency of Shiggao, Karnataka CM said, “The ‘Jan Sankalp Yatra, a public outreach programme of the cen tral and state govern ments, is receiving a tremendous response across the state.” “The Sankalp Yatra has been held successfully in Hyderabad-Karnataka, Central Karnataka and Mumbai-Karnataka re gions. It will be intensi fied in the current month. Along with this, the welfare schemes of both the state and the union governments will be spread to the people to win their confi dence,” Bommai added. Earlier during the Jan Sankalp Yatra in Challakere on Tuesday Chief Minister Bom mai hit out at the Con gress Party and said that the grand old party is dreaming of return ing to power in the state.

BHARAT JODO YATRA Yatra to reach Srinagar around January 26, says Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi (ANI): Bharat Jodo Yatra of the Congress party will reach Srinagar around January 26, said senior party leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday.

Speaking at a press conference, Jairam Ramesh said, “On De cember 24, Bharat Jodo Yatra will reach Delhi and around January 26, the Yatra will reach Sringar. Rahul Gandhi will be there and we will hoist the national

President

Rahul Gandhi

undertaking Bharat Jodo Yatra. Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra started its Madhya Pradesh phase on November 23 and it reached to its con clusion on Sunday. “We don’t need to learn about

UP: 6 held for distributing liquor to voters

Muzaffarnagar (PTI): Police on Sunday ar rested six people for al legedly distributing money and liquor to voters to lure them to vote in favour of a par ticular candidate in the Khatauli bypoll. Police have also seized Rs 51,000 from their pos session. Acting on a tipoff that some people were distributing mon ey and liquor in favour of a particular candi date, a checking drive was undertaken.

flag.” While Congress MP KC Venugopal on Sunday said that it is not practical for former party president Rahul Gandhi to attend the winter session of Par

liament as Bharatb Jodo Yatra is underway.

The Winter Session will begin on December 7 and will last until De cember 29. The session also had to be delayed by a month due to the Gujarat Assembly elec tion schedule.

“Bharat Jodo Yatra is underway. It is not prac tical for Rahul Gandhi to attend the winter ses sion of Parliament,” Venugopal said at a press conference here.

attended Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Ujjain. He visited Baba Mahakal and received his blessings,” Kamal Nath said. “Had darshan of God in Omkareshwar also. Lakhs of people welcomed Rahul Gandhi in Indore.

Thiruvananthapuram:

The ruling LDF and the opposition Congress in Kerala were in agree ment on Sunday that there was no need for central forces to main tain law and order at Vizhinjam here which saw incidents of vio lence recently in con nection with the sea port being built there.

Kharge makes strong pitch for accountability

New Delhi (PTI): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday sent out a stern message to lead ers to perform or make way for others, and strongly pitched for accountability of office-bearers “from top to bottom” as he presided over the first meeting of the party’s steering committee.

During the meeting at the AICC headquar ters here, the Con gress also decided to hold its plenary ses sion in Raipur, Chhat tisgarh, in the second half of February, where Kharge’s elec tion as president would be ratified.

As the Congress plans to end the Bharat Jodo Yatra by January 26, the Com

mittee decided to con tinue its mass out reach with the ‘Haath Se Haath Jodo Abhi yan (Joining Hands campaign)’ till March 26, during which foot marches will be taken out from village to block and district lev els and will culminate as public rallies at state headquarters.

The party will also

hand out a letter by Rahul Gandhi talking about the core mes sage of the yatra, along with a “charge sheet’’ against the Modi government.

The party also plans to take out state-level marches by women party workers across the country which will be led by Priyan ka Gandhi Vadra.

GROUPS NOT REQUIRED IN CONGRESS, UNITY NEED OF HOUR, SAYS THIRUVANANTHAPURAM MP SHASHI THAROOR

Thiruvanathapuram: Senior Congress leader and third-time Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor has said that a unified party was the need of the hour and the petty group politics did not have any place in the state unit.

Tharoor was addressing a function at Bodhigram in Pathana mthitta on Sunday. He said the party needed to be united and there was no need for ‘A’ and ‘I’ groups in the Congress of Kerala. He was referring to the two prominent groups in the state Congress which have always been calling the shots in the party hierarchy. While former CM Oomen Chandy was leading the ‘A’ group, former state home minister, Ramesh Chennithala was heading ‘I’ group. He said that he was updating the respective District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents during his visit to the respective districts.

Kejriwal’s ‘bright idea’ is Sheila Dixit’s past wonder!

Hinduism from BJP, we are in front of everyone as we are. Thousands of people

Arranging this trip was a task of great responsibili ty,” he added.

Kerala Ports Minister Ahw wammed Devarko vil was of the view that Adani Group, which is carrying out the port construction, can seek protection from central forces at the work site, but outside it the police was capable of main taining law and order.

New Delhi: The Con gress is contesting the Delhi Municipal Corpo ration elections in the name of former CM late Sheila Dixit and has given the slogan of making Delhi into ‘Sheela ji’s Delhi’. But it is not that only the Con gress is promising to make Delhi theirs by implementing their agenda. The Aam Aad mi Party, which came to prominence on Con gress’ votebank, is also promising to implement some of the schemes im plemented during the Sheila Dixit govt, but in a different way. The most important prom ise in this is the issue of empowering the Resi dent Welfare Society ie RWA. Kejriwal has promised that the RWA of Delhi will be given the status of mini cor

CALL FOR INNOVATION

porator if his party wins in the MCD.

This promise of Aam Aadmi Party is being taken to mean that if it wins, it will involve RWA in the work from policy making to its im plementation and local problems will be solved

more easily. Although the BJP is opposing it. Anyway, before taking any such initiative, the approval of the Center through the Lieutenant Governor will be neces sary, which will be dif ficult for the AAP to achieve.

Youth are growth engine of India, says Thakur

First India Bureau

Hisar: Union I&B Min ister Anurag Thakur has called upon the youth to be proactive and innovative, em brace new technology make strong network, skill, up-skill and reskill themselves as a growth engine of coun try as India is the growth

engine of the world. He stressed upon holistic learning experience through multidiscipli nary approach through New Education Policy(NEP) as educa tion is the backbone for the development of the country and the people and serve their family, country and country men alike as bright

youngsters are the na tional asset. He said that India is the 3rd Start-up country in the world. Thakur was deliver

ing convocation address at Om Sterling Global University, Hisar on Sunday as the chief guest. He called upon

the universities and ed ucational institutions to upgrade the sports in frastructure and the youth to actively partici pate in Fit India Move ment stressing upon ‘Fitness Ka Dose, Aadha Ghanta Roz’ to be fit and healthy. A Youth confer ence will also be there as a part of G-20 Presiden cy of India programmes.

He lauded the efforts of farmers, sports per sons, girls of Haryana for earning good name in their fields.

He congratulated the University and the stu dents who graduated and got degrees today in the first ever convoca tion of the University.

Thakur said that 750 ‘Yuva Samvad’ are being organised in the country.

During the convoca tion ceremony, 815 stu dents were awarded de gree, diploma; 184 stu dents of 15 undergradu ate courses and 426 stu dents of 59 post gradu ate courses awarded degrees respectively.

THREE GET LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR KILLING MAN

HATE SPEECH FIR: “PRIOR SANCTION IS REQUIRED”

the competent authority is required for the court’s direction.

COURT ACQUITS MAN WHO RAN OVER STRAY DOG

New Delhi: A court has discharged a man of the charge of mischief, say ing his car had acciden tally killed a stray dog and there was no deliber ate or intentional action on his part. The court was hearing a review pe tition by Puneet, against whom a magisterial court had framed charges.

New Delhi: The Gujarat govt has told the Supreme Court that freedom of reli gion does not include the right to convert others, and requested the top court to vacate a High Court stay on the provision of a state law that mandates prior permission of the district magistrate for conversion through marriage.

Azamgarh: A local court has awarded life sen tence to three persons for killing a man here 18 years ago. Additional District Judge Ramanand on Saturday awarded life imprisonment to Baliram Tiwari, Ajay Tiwari and Vimal Tiwari for killing Brijpati due to old enmity on March 6, 2004.

New Delhi: A local court here has dismissed a plea for registration of an FIR against a person for allegedly making deroga tory comments against the Buddhist community, saying prior sanction for prosecution from

Union Minister Anurag Thakur at 1st convocation ceremony of Om Sterling Global University, in Hisar on Sunday. —PHOTO BY ANI

Union I&B Minister Anurag Thakur inaugurates Community Radio Station 90.0 ‘Bhavyavani’ in Hisar

Polling officials leave for their polling stations after collecting EVMs and other election equipment from a distribution centre, ahead of the final phase of Gujarat elections, in Ahmedabad, on Sunday.

“No need for deployment of central forces at Vizhinjam Port”

Bommai exudes confidence in party’s Jan Sankalp Yatra

Sonia Gandhi, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Congress leader KC Venugopal, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and other leaders at AICC HQ in New Delhi, on Sunday.

Mahesh Sharma

KEJRIWAL, OWAISI ARE B AND C

TEAM OF BJP: BHUPESH BAGHEL New Delhi (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday took a swipe at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal alleging that he and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi are the “B and C teams” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Asaduddin Owaisi and Arvind Kejriwal are the B and C team of BJP,” Baghel said.

KAMAL NATH LAUDS RAHUL GANDHI FOR UNDERTAKING BJY Agar Malwa (ANI): PCC

Kamal Nath on Sunday praised

for

Prez speaks glowingly of AP’s role in nation’s development

President Droupadi Murmu addresses gathering at a civic reception in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati (PTI): Pres ident Droupadi Murmu on Sunday hailed the contribution of people from Andhra Pradesh towards the country’s development, and ad vised students to tread a fine balance between following traditions and embracing the modern world.

Murmu addressed a gathering after being welcomed at a civic re ception hosted here on her first visit to the state upon becoming President.

“In line with the Na tional Education Poli cy-2020, our students should earn an eminent place in the modern world while continuing our traditions. Eminent scientist Dr Yallapraga da Subba Rao did this a century ago,” she noted.

She recalled the life of Dr Subba Rao who went to the Harvard Medical School in 1922 to pursue pharmacy and biochemistry.

“He made great con

tributions in this field.

His research led to dis covery of many lifesaving medicines. He was also interested in

Ayurveda,” the Presi dent said.

She pointed out that Andhra Pradesh had a leading role in the de

velopment of modern science and technology in independent India.

“People of Andhra Pradesh have enhanced the country’s reputa tion in science and tech nology, especially infor mation technology. The Telugu diaspora has an influencing role across the world, with majori ty of them being tech nology professionals,” she said.

5 Bihar villages to be developed into human-carnivore coexistence zone

Patna (PTI): Five vil lages of the Valmiki Ti ger Reserve in West Champaran district of Bihar will be developed into a model humancarnivore coexistence zone, with the state gov ernment joining hands with the Wildlife Trust of India, a Nepalese or ganisation and a UKbased zoo for the pro ject, officials said.

The objective of the project is to end the hu

man-carnivore conflict in the Valmiki-ChitwanParsa transboundary

landscape, they said.

The WTI, National Trust for Nature Conser

MoS Singh to lead Indian delegation to Abu Dhabi Space Debate today

First India Bureau

New Delhi: MoS Dr Ji tendra Singh will lead the official Indian dele gation to United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the “Abu Dhabi Space De bate”, a 2-day interna tional meet beginning on Monday. Dr Singh will address the Open ing Ceremony on India’s behalf along with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

The MoS will also at

tend the Ministerial Plenary on the ‘Role of Foreign Policy in Ena bling Space Diplomacy and International Coop

eration’ along with the MoS Foreign Affairs of the UAE, Foreign Min ister of Bahrain and Minister of Advanced Technologies of Israel.

Dr Singh will also hold talks with Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chair person of UAE Space Agency to discuss ways and means for further strengthening bilateral space cooperation.

vation (NTNC-Nepal), and Chester Zoo (UK) sought a letter of sup port from the Environ ment, Forest and Cli mate Change Depart ment, said PK Gupta, Bihar’s Chief Wildlife Warden. “The depart ment has given its goahead for the initiative,” he told PTI. “The Ches ter Zoo has been active ly working on humanwildlife conflict world wide,” Gupta said.

PREZ MURMU LAUDS TELUGU LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Vijayawada: Presi dent Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said the rich traditions of Telugu language and literature are wellknown to people across the country. She referred to the enriched traditions of the Telugu language during her speech at the civic recep tion organised by the Andhra Pradesh government. The President, who began her speech with a few Telugu words greeting the people and thank ing them for the civic reception, referred to the famous words of Sri Krishnadevaraya “Desa bhashalandu Telugu Lessa” which means among the nation’s languages, Telugu is the best.

Midnapore blast: Deceased was in illegal cracker biz

Kolkata: A new twist emerged on Sunday, two days after the explosion at a local TMC leader’s residence in East Mid napore district near the ancestral residence of Leader of Opposition Su vendu Adhikari killed three persons on Friday. Lata Rani Manna, wife of the deceased TMC leader Rajkumar Manna informed the police that the blast was because of stocked illegal firecrack ers at the house.

Eastern Naval Command pays homage to bravehearts

Visakhapatnam (ANI): As part of Navy Day cel ebrations, Eastern Na val Command (ENC) paid homage to service personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in various actions includ ing the 1971 War.

A wreath was placed by Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta AVSM, YSM, VSM FOC-in-C ENC at the ‘Victory at Sea’ War Memorial at Visakhapat nam. Wreaths were also placed by Dr Mallikara juna, District Collector, Ch Srikanth, Commis sioner of Police and Vice Admiral VK Namballa (Retd), President Navy Foundation.

On this occasion, all the personnel of the ENC rededicate them selves to the service of the country and to pro tect the vast maritime boundaries.

Earlier, PM Narendra Modi extended greet ings on the occasion of Navy Day and said that the force while “stead fastly” protecting the nation has distin guished itself with its humanitarian spirit.

NAVY DISCOVER VINTAGE CANNONS FROM HOOGHLY RIVER BANK IN KOLKATA

Kolkata: The Indian Navy hit upon a jackpot of a different kind while clearing a piece of land on the banks of Hooghly river. Five cannons, probably of World War I vintage, were dis covered by the Navy from the river bank in Kolkata, a senior official said. Two of these British-era cannons were refurbished and mounted at INS Netaji Subhas, Navy’s area base headquarters here.

FATE OF EIGHT EX-INDIAN NAVY PERSONNEL IN QATAR PRISON STILL HANGS IN BALANCE

Kolkata: The fate of eight ex-Indian Navy personnel, who are imprisoned in Qatar for over 90 days, hangs in balance. The Indian Ex Servicemen Movement (IESM) has now written to India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, seeking his intervention. IESM chairman Major Gen Satbir Singh (retd) said the Ex-Indian Navy personnel were working for Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services in Doha, as per an MoU between India and Qatar. Their job was to train Qatar Navy personnel.

2 arrested in Punjab with 10 AK-47 rifles

Chandigarh (ANI):

The Punjab police has arrested two alleged drug smugglers and re covered 10 AK-47 rifles and 30 bore pistols.

The police arrested two drug smugglers— Sukhvir Singh and Bindu Singh— after re covering 13 Kg heroin from them in Amritsar on November 21. This further led to the arrest of their two more aides, identified as Manpreet Singh and Balkar Singh

Ratlam (Agencies): As many as six people were killed and several oth ers injured in a road ac cident in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam dis trict on Sunday. A truck rammed into people in Ratlam, claiming six lives. The accident oc curred at a traffic inter section near Satrunda village on Ratlam-Leb ad Road, about 35 km away from the Ratlam district.

alias Lovepreet Singh, both resident of Guru Harsahai in Ferozepur, from Hanumangarh in Rajasthan, Punjab

DRDO gives to MSQAA holding sealed particulars of Akash missile

First India Bureau

New Delhi: The De fence Research and De velopment Organisa tion (DRDO) has hand ed over all technical specifications and re lated materials of the land-forces version of the Akash weapon sys tem to the Missile Sys tems Quality Assur ance Agency (MSQAA), paving the way for its production.

“The

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF RADIATION ONCOLOGISTS

IMD predicts heavy rains in TN between Dec 8-10

Chennai (Agencies): The Indian Meteoro logical Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rains in the north coastal Tamil Nadu region, including Chennai from Decem ber 8 to 10. The IMD said that heavy rains will be accompanied by strong winds during the period.

The northeast mon soon, which was not ac tive in November with the state having a defi cit rainfall, the weather department forecasts that in December it is likely to make up the shortfall, the IMD said.

The possibilities of back-to-back weather systems coming over the Bay of Bengal will lead to heavy surplus rainfall in the month of December. The Indian Meteorological Depart ment (IMD) also pre dicted that a low pres sure system may bring heavy rains and strong winds to north coastal Tamil Nadu, including Chennai.

Awareness is critical in fight against cancer: LS Speaker Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker addresses 42nd National Conference of Radiation Oncologists of India in New Delhi

First India Bureau

New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, ad dressed at the 42nd Na tional Conference of Radiation Oncologists organized by the Asso ciation of the Radiation Oncologists of India.

Speaking on this oc casion, Birla referred

to several rapid devel opments in the health sector in India and ex pressed the view that such progress would help in achieving the target of a developed India by 2047.

Mentioning about the critical role of aware ness of people in detec tion and treatment of

cancer, Birla said that there is a lack of aware ness about cancer in

India. He observed that the lack of access and affordability of quality

treatment is also anoth er constraint for most of the people. Unless

there is a major prob lem in the body, the gen eral public refrains from medical checkup. He noted that the Asso ciation is already work ing on how after a cer tain age people are mo tivated to get health check up done. He ap pealed them to work ex tensively in this area of awareness.

Speaking on the de velopment of technolo gy in cancer treatment, Birla said that with the passage of time, new

technologies have come, which have made can cer treatment possible.

Radiation technology has made cancer treat ment very successful.

Radiation technology has proved to be very useful for advanced treatment of cancer.

He noted that over time, there has been technological develop ment in radiation thera py as well. He further said that the develop ment of medical science has not only increased

the lifespan of people but has also improved the quality of life. With the development of new technology, surgeries and operations are be coming easier than in the past decades. Opera tions are being done at the micro level. He said that targeted treatment is being done with ro botic surgery and laser operation. Birla said that there is a moral re sponsibility as well as a social responsibility in this fight.

President Droupadi Murmu addresses at the civic reception hosted by Andhra Pradesh govt, as Union Minister G Kishan Reddy and State CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy look on, in Vijayawada on Sunday.

Om Birla at the 42nd National Conference of Radiation Oncologists of India in New Delhi on Sunday.

technical speci fication and quality document and the draw ing of complete weapon system elements were

sealed and handed over by Project Akash to MSQAA as part of AHSP transfer,” de fence ministry said.

—PHOTO FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE

MoS Dr Jitendra Singh

MP: 6 dead, 12 hurt as truck rams into people

DGP Gaurav Yadav said.

Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav

Andhra people have enhanced coun try’s reputation in science & tech nology. The Telugu diaspora has an influencing role across the world, majority of them being technology professionals.

—Droupadi Murmu, President

CDS Gen Chauhan, Chief of Air Staff VR Chaudhari, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar and Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen BS Raju pay homage to fallen heroes at the National War Memorial on Sunday.

—REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE

New Delhi (PTI): Maruti Suzuki India’s challenge to produce 20 lakh units this fiscal may fall slightly short, according to com pany Senior Executive Of ficer, Marketing & Sales Shashank Srivastava. He, however said, the compa ny is still counting on an outside chance to meet the challenge through ex ecution of its pending or ders that stands at around 3.75 lakh units.

“By our current calcula tion, I think it should be slightly short of that number,” Srivastava said in a statement.

PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY DEMANDS HIKE IN FDI LIMIT

RBI likely to moderate interest hike

New Delhi: According to various industry experts, after three back-to-back in terest rate hikes of 50 basis points each, the Reserve Bank may opt for a lower rate increase of 25-35 bps in lending rates at its coming monetary policy review on Wednesday amid retail in flation showing signs of moderation and the need to push growth.

The Reserve Bank of In dia (RBI) will come out with its next bi-monthly policy review on December 7 at the end of the three-day meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) beginning Monday.

In addition to the domes tic factors, the RBI commit tee may also take some cues from the US Federal

Reserve which hinted at a lower rate hike of 50 basis later in the month. In order to combat inflation, the Federal Reserve had earli er hiked the key interest rates 4 times by 75 bps each.

The Reserve Bank since May has increased the repo or benchmark lending rates by 190 basis points, to calm down inflation which has remained above its comfort level of 6 per cent since January.

RBI’s rate decision, state poll results to drive equity market

New Delhi (PTI): An as sociation of private secu rity services providers on Sunday demanded an in crease in the foreign di rect investment (FDI) limit in the sector to 74% from the existing 49%. Raising the demand, the Chairman of the Central Association of Private Security Indus try (CAPSI), said in a statement that raising the FDI limit to 74% will help modernise, digitise and propel the growth of the crucial sector which cur rently employs over one crore personnel.

FPIs INVEST `36,329 CRORE IN EQUITIES IN NOVEMBER 2022

New Delhi (PTI): RBI’s in terest rate decision is a ma jor factor that will drive the trends in the equity market this week, while global cues and foreign fund trad ing activity would also be watched, analysts said.

Market investors would also track the state election results later this week, they added.

“Global cues continue to cause volatility, but this week the market’s focus will shift to domestic cues like RBI policy and state election results. The out

come of the RBI policy is scheduled for 7 December, while the results of Guja rat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections will come on 8 December,” said Santosh Meena.

PMI data for the services sector is scheduled to be announced on Monday.

“We do believe that the MPC will continue with rate hikes this time though the magnitude will be low er -- probably 25-35 bps. More specifically we do be lieve that the terminal repo

TOP TALKING POINTS

z The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will come out with its next bi-monthly policy review on December 7 at the end of the three-day meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) beginning Monday.

rate for the financial year will be 6.5%, which means there will be one more rate hike in February,” he said. Sabnavis further said there will not be any sur prise for the market just as is the case for global mar kets too, which are now ex pecting more moderate in creases in interest rates by the Fed. The GDP growth in the second quarter of the fiscal slowed to 6.3% as against a growth of 13.5%

z In addition to the domestic factors, MPC may also take some cues from the US Federal Reserve which hinted at a lower rate hike of 50 bps

z The RBI since May has increased the repo or benchmark lending rates by 190 bps, to calm down inflation

in the preceding three months.

D K Pant, Chief Econo mist, India Ratings, said the second quarter infla tion and GDP numbers are in line with RBI’s forecast.

“Inflation is likely to de cline further. However, it is expected to remain higher than 6% in this quarter. We believe RBI may go for a 25 bps hike in repo rate in Dec 2022 monetary policy,” he said.

States’ capital spends inch up 2.2% in H1 despite big spike in revenue

First India Bureau

New Delhi: Capital ex penditure (capex) of 18 states has increased by just 2.2% in the first half of the current fiscal even as their combined revenue deficit has narrowed to more than one-fourth from the yearago period, according to a report.

This means that there has to be a massive 57% in crease in their capital out lays to meet their FY23 budgeted target, Icra Rat

SpiceJet expects improvement in operations, says Ajay Singh

New Delhi (PTI): After pulling out money from Indian equities market in the past two months, FPIs made a strong come back in November with a net in vestment of `36,329 crore on weakening of the US dollar index and posi tivity about overall macro economic trends. This was the third month (July, August and November) in this year when FPIs wit nessed net inflows. More over, they started the month of December on a positive note.

MCAP OF EIGHT TOP FIRMS CLIMBS TO `1.15 LAKH CRORE

New Delhi (PTI): Spice Jet, which is looking to raise $200 million, expects to see improvement in op erations and restructuring benefits in the current quarter of this financial year.

The budget carrier’s chief Ajay Singh has told shareholders that it has also completed a series of settlements with most of the major partners, includ ing manufacturers and les sors.

In his message in the air line’s annual report for 2021-22 fiscal, Singh, who is the Chairman and Manag ing Director, said the air line industry worldwide

continues to undergo a transformation.

The airline has received shareholders’ nod for transfer of its logistics business to SpiceXpress and the process of hiving off the cargo and logistics platform is expected to be completed soon.

“Our logistics business has been valued at `25,557.7

million and the transfer of business under this pro cess will help us signifi cantly strengthen our bal ance sheet and wipe out the negative net worth of our business.

“We expect to see im provement in operations and restructuring benefits will be visible starting Q3 FY2023,” Singh said.

IN BID TO DIVERSIFY BUSINESS ACTIVITY

New Delhi (PTI): Eight of the top-10 most valued firms together added `1,15,837 crore in market valuation last week, with Reliance Industries emerging as the biggest gainer. From the top-10 pack, HDFC twins were the only laggards. The market valuation of Reli ance Industries jumped `71,462.28 crore to `18,41,994.48 crore. It also ruled the chart of the top-10 most valued firms followed by TCS, HDFC Bank, Infosys, ICICI Bank, Hindustan Unilever, State Bank of India, HDFC, Bharti Airtel and Adani Enterprises.

NITI Aayog plans to highlight India’s

key achievements: Bery

New Delhi (PTI): NITI Aayog will use India’s G20 presidency as an opportu nity to highlight signifi cant achievements of the country as the world does not fully appreciate India’s ability to deliver public ser vices at scale, its ViceChairman Suman Bery has said.

Bery further said that people tend to know the China story, but they tend not to know the India story.

“During its G20 presi dency, India will be in the global limelight till the summit next September. It is NITI Aayog’s role and duty to tell the India story.

“So, we will be using the opportunity to make peo ple aware of India’s many significant achievements including UPI, the (COV ID-19) vaccination pro gramme, and the (food) ra tion programme,” he said.

outlay of `6.2 lakh crore.

But these states have col lectively spent only ` 1.59 lakh crore so far this fiscal, which is just about a growth of 2.2% annualised.

ings said in an analysis on the available numbers from 18 of the largest states, which have budget ed for a combined capital

Main challenge is to maintain aviation safety ranking: DCGA

New Delhi (PTI): With the country getting its highestever rank in the ICAO avia tion safety rankings, DGCA chief Arun Kumar on Sun day said the challenge now is to maintain and further improve the air safety eco system. The comments also come against the backdrop of the country’s aviation sector slowly coming back into the growth trajectory after being severely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and the domestic air traffic is also inching towards the pre-pandemic level. In the latest rankings by the In dian Civil Aviation Organi sation, India’s position has jumped to the 48th place from 102nd spot in 2018.

Abu Dhabi invites Indian start-ups to invest

Abu Dhabi (PTI): In its bid to diversify Abu Dha bi’s business activity be yond hydrocarbons, the UAE’s capital city is seek ing more investments from India which will not only benefit the local economy but also allow Indian firms to use it as a platform to grow their footprints around the world.

Abu Dhabi has identi fied priority sectors in cluding agritech, tourism, healthcare, pharma and financial services, where Indian enterprises can in vest.

Abdulla Abdul Aziz

Alshamsi, Acting Director General of Abu Dhabi In vestment Office (ADIO) which is tasked with pull

ing the investments, said that his office will facili tate all investment ave nues for Indian companies

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

Revenue deficits of these 18 states have nar rowed to a low ` 30,000 crore in the first half of the current fiscal. This revenue tailwind comes in spite of these states budg eting for a combined rev enue deficit to ` 1.4 lakh crore in FY23 from ` 1.1 lakh crore in FY22.

India’s G20 presidency began from December 1 and the next G20 Leaders’ Summit at the level of Heads of State/Govern ment is scheduled to be held on September 9 and 10 in New Delhi.

“Because I don’t think the world fully appreciates India’s ability to deliver public services at scale, even LPG connections. I mean, the numbers are by any global standards al most unimaginable,” he asserted.

20% premium recommended for ONGC, OIL gas production

New Delhi (PTI): The Kir it Parikh Committee, which recommended a floor and ceiling price for natural gas produced from legacy fields of state-owned producers to moderate in put price for CNG and fer tilizer, has favoured paying ONGC and OIL a premium of 20% over such price for any new gas production they add from old fields.

The panel, which sub mitted its report to the oil ministry last week, has rec ommended benchmarking price of natural gas pro duced from ONGC and OIL’s legacy or old fields, called APM gas, at 10% of cost of crude oil imported into India. This rate would however be subject to a

OTHER STORIES

ceiling or cap price of $6.5 per million British ther mal unit, until a full dereg ulation of prices is imple mented in 2027. There would also be a floor of $4 with a view to cover for cost of production and at the same time keeping cost for fertilizer, power and CNG, which use gas as in put raw material, at man ageable levels.

called this as a natural extension of the growing relations between India and the UAE.

UAE EMERGES AS SECOND-BIGGEST TEA IMPORTER FROM

INDIA

Kolkata (PTI): The UAE emerged as the second largest importer of tea from India after the Common wealth of Inde pendent States (CIS) as a block, accord ing to the latest data. During the period from Jan to Sept 2022, UAE imported 28.58 million kilograms of tea from India, a rise of 159%from the similar period of 2021.

POWERGRID TO SEPARATE TELECOM BUSINESS

Kolkata (PTI): Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd is in the process of carving out its telecom verti cal to a new fully-owned subsidiary, Powergrid Tel eservices Ltd, in a bid to have a “focused approach” and to move up the value chain, sen ior company officials said. It has also got approval from the CERC to operate data centres.

First India Bureau

Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, Bank of Baro da, said the RBI will be pre senting the monetary poli cy against the backdrop of GDP growth slowing down as well as inflation being high above 6%.

New Delhi (PTI): Leading FMCG companies say they are keeping a close watch on prices of major commodities, which have fallen in case of some items. While prices of palm oil have eased and sugar is stable, FMCG firms pointed out that rates of some other major items including wheat are still firm and hence they would wait and watch before taking any call on reducing the price.

FMCG

Yatra teaching me things that cannot be learnt travelling in an aeroplane: Rahul

Jhalawar: Rahul Gan dhi on Sunday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra is teaching him things that cannot be learnt “while travelling in an aeroplane, a helicopter or any vehicle”. “India is not understood from aeroplane, it is under stood only after shaking hands with a farmer with a torn hand,” he said while addressing the people as the yatra

entered for the first time a Congress-ruled state. The yatra entered Rajasthan at Jhalawar from Madhya Pradesh on Sunday evening. Gandhi said he is pained to leave MP but happy to enter Ra jasthan. The yatra flag was handed over from MP PCC Chief Kamal Nath

ANKITA BHANDARI MURDER CASE

Charge sheet to be filed in 10 days

the police during inter rogation that people staying in the resort’s presidential suite are called VIPs.

First India Bureau

New Delhi: In the lat est development in the murder case of a 19-year-old Uttara khand resort reception ist Ankita Bhandari, police will file the charge sheet in court in 10 days, a senior official said on Sunday. Also, the three main accused

will undergo a narco test to find out about the “VIP” whom Bhandari refused to give “extra service” and got killed, the sen ior official added. An application for this has already been submitted

in court and the Narco test will be done as soon as the court ap proves the application.

The accused in po lice remand and the staff of Vanantara Re sort where Bhandari was working have told

Baraat of UP min Dharamveer Prajapati’s son goes missing!

Avneesh Vidyarthi

Lucknow: Everyone is wondering why didn’t the baraat of Uttar Pradesh Jail Minister Dharamveer Prajapa ti’s son Dilip turn up at the wedding venue. Dil ip was to marry Jyoti in Agra’s Khandauli on December 2. The girl’s family had made all the arrangements for the love marriage. But while the bride was waiting for the groom, the family members re

—TWEET BY THE MINISTER

ceived information that the wedding procession would not be coming!

The girl’s family had

reportedly sold their agricultural farm to meet the expenses.

As news about the ab sence of the minister’s son’s baraat spread, the minister issued a public clarification on social media. Sharing his son’s picture, Prajapati wrote, “Son’s health is bad. Will take out the wedding procession once he is well.”

Now all eyes are on the day when the baraat finally reaches the bride’s home!

The sources also said that the chargesheet will be presented in court after the narco test is conducted as the narco tests is done to strengthen the evidence and get strict punish ment for the accused.

“The narco analysis will clarify this,” Addi tional Director General of Police (Law and Or der, and Crime) V Mu rugesan told reporters.

An application seeking permission for the test

Why not ban caste-based rallies, asks HC

Lucknow, Dec 4 (PTI)

The Allahabad High Court has issued fresh notices to the chief elec tion commissioner and major political parties in Uttar Pradesh, seek ing their response on why there should not be a complete ban on castebased rallies.

The Lucknow bench of the high court also sought to know why the election commission should not take action if such rallies are held, and fixed December 15 as the next date of hearing.

will soon be filed in court, he said.

“The chargesheet will be filed in the case well before the due date (within 90 days from the date of the ac cused’s arrest),” Muru gesan said.

The accused are booked under sections 302 (murder), 201 (caus ing disappearance of evidence), 120B (crimi nal conspiracy) and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code and Immor al Traffic (Prevention) Act, he said.

BHARAT JODO YATRA WILL BE HISTORIC IN RAJASTHAN: GEHLOT

Jhalawar: CM Ashok Gehlot said that they would hold bet ter yatra in Rajasthan than MP and this would be historic.

“Rahul Gandhi is taking out this yatra to end the atmos phere of hatred in the country and he has started the biggest journey after independence.

This journey is being taken out regarding the current situ ation of the country. “Rahul Gandhi has made the most difficult journey. There is a message of Rahul Gandhi’s visit to every village and every house. Inflation is killing everyone and unemployment is rising,” he said.

GEHLOT INVITES SONIA TO JOIN YATRA ON DEC 9 IN RAJASTHAN

Mumbai woman gang-raped, tortured with sharp weapons

Bureau

First India

New Delhi: In a hor rifying case, three men barged into a woman’s home and allegedly gang-raped her. Woman in her complaint on Sunday against 3 men, said that the accused entered her residence in Mumbai attacked her with a sharp weapon, raped her and also burnt her private parts with cigarette.

The incident took place in Kurla in the early hours of Wednes day, the official said, adding the accused and victim stay in the same

HORNBILL FESTIVAL

locality, who also filmed the whole torturous in cident and threatened the woman that they would circulate it if she approached the police.

The woman narrated her ordeal to neigh bours, who got in touch with an NGO and an FIR was registered.

The trio has been charged under Indian Penal Code sections 376 (rape), 376D (gang rape), 377 (unnatural sex), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dan gerous weapon), and other offences, and ef forts were on to nab them, he said.

UP BUREAUCRACY

Will Durga Shankar Mishra continue to be Chief Secretary?

Avneesh Vidyarthi

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh may get a new Chief Secretary on the first day of the new year as the tenure of the current Chief Sec retary, Durga Shankar Mishra, is ending on 30 December. Last year, a day before his retire ment, he was given a one-year extension and appointed as the Chief Secretary of UP.

Among the strongest contenders for the new CS is Manoj Singh, at

present the Agriculture Production Commis sioner of Uttar Pradesh.

Singh has held impor tant posts like Addition al Chief Secretary, Pan chayati Raj and Rural Development, in the Yogi government and is currently APC, which is the second-highest position in the bureau cracy.

The name of Sanjeev Mittal, chairman of the Revenue Council, who has earlier held many important posts, is also in discussion.

On the other hand, a lobby of UP bureaucra cy wants Additional

Chief Secretary Ma hesh Gupta to be elevat ed to the post of Chief

Secretary. But there is heat of CBI investiga tion against Gupta, who

is the Energy Depart ment’s Additional Chief Secretary.

Sources in the bu reaucracy say that as the Lok Sabha elections are to be held in 2024, the Center would want a Chief Secretary of its own choice in Uttar Pradesh. In such a situ ation, Durga Shankar Mishra can be given an other service extension as he is one of the offic ers in the Prime Minis ter’s ‘Good Books’ and keeps a special eye on central schemes.

‘TREASURE’ FOUND IN ARRESTED

Lucknow (FIB): The CBI had caught IRES officer Arun Kumar Mittal, Depu ty Chief Engineer (Construction), Northern Railway, red-handed taking a bribe of 50 thousand rupees on Friday.

On Sunday, a “treasure” was found at the residential premises of the In

dian Railway Engi neering Services of ficer. Mittal’s bank accounts and lockers had been searched earlier but the CBI of ficers were stunned to find about one crore rupees in cash and a large amount of gold and diamond jewelery in his house. CBI has Mittal in cus tody for three days.

Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra is considered as one of the officers in the Prime Minister’s ‘Good Books’.

Members of the Zeliang community perform during the fourth day of Hornbill Festival, at Kisama near Kohima, Nagaland, on Sunday.

—PHOTO BY PTI

As per sources, all 3 accused in murder case will undergo narco tests

A lobby of UP bureaucracy wants Additional Chief Secretary , Energy Dept, Mahesh Gupta to be elevated to the post of Chief Secretary

OFFICER’S HOUSE

—Dr Jagdeesh Chandra,

Ashvini Yadav New Delhi: CM Ashok Gehlot on Sunday met the former president of the party Sonia Gandhi and extended an invita tion to her to come to Rajasthan to join Bharat Jodo Yatra on her birth day on December 9. She is likely to visit the state. The CM also invited the national media for the coverage of Bharat Jodo Yatra. He said that the national media is boycotting the biggest yatra after independ ence. During the Delhi visit, Gehlot attended the steering committee meeting in AICC.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Jhalawar in Rajasthan from MP on Sunday

Rahul, Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Kamal Nath, GS Dotasra dance together

Yatra to cover a distance of 500 km in Raj in 17 days before entering Haryana on December 21

to Rajasthan PCC Chief Govind S Dotasra.

Event was covered by First India reporting team, Yogesh Sharma, Bhanwar S Charan, Dimple Sharma, Tripti Gautam and Arif Mansoori and Photojournalist Santosh Sharma

CM Ashok Gehlot, KC Venugopal, Kamal Nath, Govind Singh Dotasra, Sachin Pilot during the yatra at Jhalawar on Sunday.

Rahul Gandhi dances with folk artistes as the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Jhalawar in Rajasthan from MP on Sunday.

MRIDULA SHARMA cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions.

Small people always do that, but the great ones make you be lieve that you too can become great. The quote ap plies to this dynamic beauty who is made for a stunning finalist at the First India Queen 2022. While speaking about herself Kajol said “I hail from the city of love Agra.

I am a 23-year-old young girl with big dreams and big goals.” On a professional note, the beauty shared “I believe we need both profession and passion in our lives to be suc cessful and I am a person who always carries both. If you feel like there’s something out there that you’re supposed to be doing, if you have a passion for it, then stop wishing and just do it. My passion and hard work paid off when Jagdeesh Chandra Sir provided me with an opportunity to be a part of the First India Queen and I can’t thank him enough for this opportunity. “Talking about her professional life she further mentioned, “I have done a Master’s in Market ing.” While praising her par ents’ efforts diva stated, “My parents are the ones who stood with me in every path. Wheth er modelling, educating me, roaming with friends enjoy ing and many more.”

“I always want to be a person who can be inde pendent and handles so many things at a single time. So here I am trying to manage my job, stud ies and modelling all at once.”

“Thus, I am here to ex press myself, whatever I see, experience and plan for my life. I try my best to be mod est passionate, devoted, hard working and honest about it. I want to be the best version of daughter, mother, and sister,” Kajol claimed.

“IF

Balancing Act of Parenting

We all want to be the best parents in the world for our chil dren. The word ‘Parenting’ has a different meaning for every couple or parent. For me, as a parent, it’s the cut est yet toughest task in the world. Nurturing a child with fondness, and affection but at the same time making your child understand life’s practicalities, what’s right or wrong for them, and know the set peripheries of Indian society and our own culture is indeed required.

With a liberal mindset, I believe we should raise our children knowing our traditional moral values and, in the chorus, give them the wings of freedom to fly where they can excel with their aptitude rather than per form anything just for their par ent’s choice or wish. Throughout the circus of par enting, it’s essen tial to focus on bal ancing primacies, juggling responsi bilities, and flip ping between your kid’s desires.

Believe me, friends, if we show hope, trust in our kids, and give them responsibilities with an environ ment of love and

FACE OF THE DAY!

them for a wrong curvy path in life. So here parents’ role becomes so important. If we parents restrict them more, they can be resistant so as a pal we need to tune in with them and keep an eye on them without their cognizance. And for a single parent, it becomes more difficult to handle a young teen ager. If you want your child to lis ten, and respect you rather than fear you then for this, you need to be supportive, not an authoritative or a helicopter parent and need not be mon itored excessively by you.

Without pressurizing let them do whatever career path they want to pursue in life. I think this way they will come up with flying colours.

If you don’t agree with their point of view then rather shouting at them, very po litely make them understand. Parents should never hit their children, under any cir

cumstances. There are many other ways to discipline a child. A bal anced, firm, and consistent ap proach needs to follow. As we are adults, so this needs more compas sion, kindness, and understanding from our side. We need to under stand from a kid’s perspective. Re spect their opinion. Pay attention when your child speaks to you. Treat them kindly. Praise your child and be generous with re wards — your love, hugs, and com pliments. Whatever you do your child follows, so be a good role model for your child.

Your relationship with your child is the foundation for their relationship with you and with others as well. Allow these cute lit tle monsters’ own space to develop their concerns, explore their inde pendence, and experience failures.

At least, for me, I and my kiddo are like buddies…who share eve rything…you should also try, then life would be fun!

Aries

MARCH 21 - APRIL 20

Health tips from an expert will enable you to get closer to your fitness goals. Using your initiative at work will be much appreciated. You may get a chance to pursue old hobby. Your generous behavior would enable to enjoy some lovely moments with family.

Gemini

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

Following a health diet will be a good idea. Luck favours you today on the profes sional front. Focus sing on health now will help you in keeping physically fit. Clarity of mind will help you forge ahead on the academic front. Frustration on the romantic front is possible.

Leo

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

Family will be most supportive, when it really matters for you. Some of you may add to your list of properties by booking a new one. It is good day to confess your love as stars appear favourable for positive reply. A long drive is likely to help you get over mental tiredness.

Libra

SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 22

Distant relatives may drop in for a surprise visit. On professional front, recognition for good work would motivate you to work harder. Those awaiting an affirmation on romantic front are likely to get lucky today, as partner responds positively. Your day will be full of surprises.

Sagittarius

NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22

It’s a very good day to take calculated risks in financial matters. Your efforts on the professional front will be recognised. Opting for some healthy choices will ensure you remain in perfect health. You will feel much happy and contented on the family front.

Aquarius

JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19

A friend may motivate you to take up a healthy activity.

Parents may appear more than happy with what you deliver. Plans for overseas travel are likely to materialise. You are likely to get clearance for your construction plans. You find things moving in the way you want them.

Taurus

APRIL 21 - MAY 20

A major purchase may make a dent in your savings, but will help in keeping up with the jonesses. Speculation may not be profitable and you can very well burn your fingers. Some of you may get hard pressed to find a good match for someone eligible in the family down, Saturn will save you.

Cancer

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

Your intuition will save you from a tricky spot today. Yoga would help in raising energy levels and improve your metabolism. You will manage to achieve your aim through travel. This is a great time on the academic front, when you mange to render your best.

Virgo

AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23

Avoid raising controversial issues at home to maintain harmony. Successful implementation of new ideas and projects would add to your prestige on the professional front. It is a wonderful day to build new connections. Your relationship requires you to be tactful.

Scorpio

OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 22

Happiness in the domestic sphere will only come with a changed mind set. Some of you are likely to become a part of an overseas official trip. Better to consult an expert in financial matters before making an investment.

Capricorn

DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20

You will succeed in resolving misunder standing with family members, normalizing ties. Despite your misgivings, you retain good health. You will do much to bring peace at home. You will remain much in demand on social front. Some of you can get romantically involved.

Pisces

FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20

Gifting something to your beloved is likely to make the day memorable. Matrimo nial match for siblings will bring happiness for entire family. You will get a good price for your property. Those awaiting results are assured of succeeding with flying colours.

YOUR

Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

Whatsapp

SHRIYA SHUKLA, Artist

ANUBHA JAIN Journalist Writer jainanubha1@outlook.com

CLUMSY SIDE OF DISHA!

ni has sustained an injury on her right leg. The actress took to ries yesterday and shared pictures of her injured leg and wrote, “Can I be injury free for a week...why am I so clumsy.” She is seen soaking her feet in cold water to relieve pain.

ever did not stop her from making dinner plans with her friends. The actress was seen all dressed up as she was spotted outside a restau rant, her leg wrapped in a bandage.

And then it was time to go back home to her recovery routine, which she shared in her Instagram story and wrote, “Back to same old recovery.”

THE CHAOTIC DUO

Saif and Kareena was re cently, seen making heads turn at the Red Sea Festi val in Jeddah. Before en tering the venue, Saif was asked about the contributions of wom en in cinema. While speaking about the same, the actor named a few female actresses but he for got to mention his wife’s name. He said, “Cinema is empty with out women for a start. When you think of cinema you think of so many important ladies, from Marlene Dietrich to Audrey Hep burn to Charlize Theron.” Bebo was quick to interrupt, “to your wife!” Saif then added, “and to my beautiful wife” and they lau ghed.

—Agency

hraddha Kapoor’s recent cam eo in the song ‘Thumkesh from the movie, Bhedi broke the internet. The ac tress recently took to her social me dia re-sharing an interesting insight from the hook step of the song. Shrad dha shared an interesting insight about gender reversal in the hook step of the song that was noticed by Humans of Cinema. Throwing light on it, Shraddha also wrote, “The gender reversal in the hook step is a brilliant observation. Had wondered whether audiences will no tice that layer. The magic of @amarkau shik!”

—Agency

be seen as cricketer Jhulan Gos wami in the Prosit Roy direc torial Chakda Xpress.

While fans are eagerly wait ing to see Anushka in Chakda ‘Xpress, now, the actress left

Anushka Sharma is one of the most versatile actresses in Bolly wood. She made her acting debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the 2008 film, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and has carved a niche for herself. Anushka was last seen in the 2018 Aanand L Rai film, Zero, co-starring Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif. Ever since she has been missing from the screens, now, she will be back after a long break and will

Shraddha Kapoor

Anushka Sharma

Kareena Kapoor

Disha Patani

Kareena and Saif at Red Sea Film Festival

FROM JHANSI TO SPLITSVILLA

14 contestant, shares her journey with City First

AISHA GUPTA cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

I’ve always been a Rebel with a reason.

I had always wanted to break free from things that limit me or bound me. I believe in hard work and passion and my belief and confi dence in myself stems from my ability to push my boundaries." says Sakshi.

23 years old Sakshi Shrivas currently lives in Mumbai. Having 3 sisters and Father(R K Vikram) and Mother(Neeta Shrivas)

in her family. Every thing that she is today is because of her Par ents who’ve gone through so much. She is a Software Engineer by profession and a so cial media influencer and dancer specialis ing in Bachata Sensual. How did your jour ney begin?

I never really knew where to go, to be hon est. I just gave my best at what I was doing at that particular moment. And then IIIT Lucknow happened to me. Then this little girl came to Gurgaon, to finally earn for herself, be an adult and feel what it’s like to be independent and free, and since then it’s been a ride of discover ing myself.

‘Apeejay Stya Art Festival’

CITY FIRST

An art exhibi tion titled the 'Apeejay Stya Art Festi val' by Apeejay Educa tion will be organised at Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, from De cember 16 to Decem ber 22 2022. The Ex hibition is a joint venture of three promi nent In stitutions of Apeejay Education namely Ap eejay Stya University, Gurugram; Apeejay Col lege of Fine Arts, Ja landhar and Apee jay Insti tute of De sign, New Delhi. It is an Art Ex hibition cel ebrating a vibrant gal axy of art forms includ ing Paintings, Sculptures, Tapestries, Terracottas, furniture, Digital Art and Pho tography. The creative works of the faculty and students from these institutions are

being put up for dis play. This exhibition is an endeavour to pro mote visual art and the upcoming artists by providing them with such an acclaimed platform as Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.

The exhibition would be inaugu rated by Sushma Paul Berlia, Chairman, Ap eejay Educa tion. Rishi Vashisht, Di rector of, the Centre for Cultural Re sources and Training, shall be the Guest of Honour.

The ex hibition will show case a rich va riety of media used by the artists to un leash their imagina tion. Marked with inno vations and origi nality of expressions, the works on display would provide a peep into the impressions and messages con veyed by the artists subtly and creatively endowed with finesse.

Share your MTV Splitsvilla experience. I’m grateful to have gotten an opportunity to show myself to the world and live the little girl's dream I had of seeing myself on TV. It changed me in ways I didn't imagine. It pushed my boundaries because being in a bubble without your phone and any con tact with the out side world for a month and facing situations and tasks that are not just physically challenging but also emotionally and mentally draining is not something eve ryone gets to experi ence. I met Justin D’ Cruz and he’s one of the most inspiring

CITY FIRST

people I’ve met in my entire life. I’m filled with gratitude and love.

Where do you see yourself after the next 20 years?

I see myself conquer ing my demons, cross ing those little and big milestones, and be coming an enhanced version of myself. Wherever I’ll be, be ing happy, content and fulfilled is the goal. My goal in my life is to have countless experiences and learnings and give a good life to my family.

What were some of the battles you fought and are still fighting in your journey?

After a decade, two of India’s greatest mu sicians Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Ustad Zakir Hussain will come to gether on stage on Decem ber 7. The landmark concert presented by Kotak Private titled ‘IN CONCERT’, is be ing organised at Siri Fort Auditorium, August Kranti Marg, Delhi. The event is conceptualised and cu rated by Pancham Ni shad, well-known in the field of Indian Classical Music events.

The two doyens need no introduction, as they repre sent the “Golden Genera tion” of Indian Classical Music. They have contrib uted immensely to popular ising the genre across the globe over the past 50 years.

Coming from a place like Jhansi, my par ents and I have always heard so much and faced so much for breaking those societal norms. I was asked not to wear certain clothes, not to go to another city, not to talk to men and whatnot. It still happens. But the best and the most impor tant part is that my parents have always been understanding and supportive and that’s the only thing that matters to me. Very often, my achieve ments in life were as sociated with how I look and I was bullied in my college for some thing like this that in cident has left scars on me, I was Suicidal. However, incidents like these have made me so strong from the inside that I feel I’m an even stronger version of myself today.

“AMBARI” A Visual Art show

CITY FIRST

An ongoing solo art exhibition by Aashima Mehrotra ti tled "AMBARI" (A Visual Art show) cu rated by Shrikant Pan dey is being held from November 30 to Decem ber 6. The inauguration of the exhibition was done by Justice K.S. Ahluwalia (Chairman Railway Claims Tribu nal) and Justice Arun Kumar Mishra (Chair man of NHRC). The show was graced by many renowned per sons in the art field like Prayag Shukla Author, Biman Bihari Das Re nowned Sculptor and Chairman of AIFACS, Artist Shobha Broota etc graced the opening ceremony with there presence.

Ambari is a collec tion of paintings by Aashima Mehrotra put together because of the thematic unity which connects three sets of paintings.

The manifestation of cosmic energy in its visible and perceptible form which the artist has put on her canvas as she perceives while sitting with her colour and brush under the open sky. Being with nature has enabled her to recognize the dy namic patterns of the cosmic energy under the sky and that has given rise to the idea of Ambari. Artist has in novatively used an en caustic medium to de pict dynamic patterns.

Ambari also depicts an innovative art form, half on the half where the heritage buildings and townships are painted against the allembracing sky to give rise to a half-on-half style. The colour which she chooses is indeed mystical and creates an enigmatic aura around the old cities with rich architectural

Finally, Ambari also tells us the story of hu man survival as re flected in “tug of life”. Aashima creates magic in her canvas when the sand, water and sky ac quire cosmic qualities in ‘tug of survival’, which captures your imagination against the unfathomable sea. Thus, Ambari is a genre, a style

Legendary Meet

Speaking about an up coming iconic meet, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan expressed, “It’s a great honour to play with Zakir Hussain. All over the world, people love to see us perform together. He is a gifted tabla player and I always look forward to collaborating with him.”

Ustad Zakir Hussain echoes the sarod maes tro’s sentiments. “I have not had the opportunity to play with Khansaab for almost a decade but performing with him has always been spe cial. He is without a doubt one of the greatest practi tioners of Indian classical music and the leading sarod

Engendering Nuclear Disarmament

CITY FIRST

India International Cen tre (IIC) in collaboration with Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace which is a New Delhi-based initiative of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility, organised a Seminar titled 'Engendering Nuclear Disarmament: Challenges and Possibilities' on November 29. The Semi nar was a part of Her Voice: IIC Diamond Jubilee Discus sions on Engendering the Discourse.

At the Seminar, an emi nent panel of Indian foreign policy and security experts

and practitioners shared their perspectives on the many layers in the discourse

Meenakshi Gopinath (Direc tor WISCOMP and Life Trustee IIC). A Special Ad dress on ‘Women in Nuclear Disarmament’ was deliv ered by Ambassador Laksh mi Puri (Former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Dep uty Executive Director of UN Women).

on nuclear disarmament in South Asia. The welcome was addressed by Dr

The Seminar’s first session on the theme of ‘The Current State of Play on Nuclear Disarmament’ was chaired by Ambassador Sujata Mehta, Former Indi an Ambassador and Perma nent Representative of In dia to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

The Seminar’s second ses sion on the theme of ‘Rein vigorating Nuclear Disar mament’ was chaired by Ambassador Sheel Kant Sharma. At the concluding session on the ‘Ways For ward’, remarks were deliv ered by Dipankar Baner jee (Retired Major Gen eral of the Indian Army and Mentor and Found ing Director, of the Insti tute of Peace and Conflict

‘Disarmament’

maestro of our time. He skil fully combines the elements of rhythm and melody and understands

the tabla accompa nist in the concert. So it is always very exciting and chal

Sakshi Shrivas, an actor and MTV Splitsvilla

Studies). The Valedictory on the theme of

was delivered by Commo dore C. Uday Bhaskar (Emi nent Strategic Security Ex pert and Director of the So ciety for Policy Studies).

—PHOTOS BY SHAZID CHAUHAN

Sakshi Shrivas

Artist Shobha Broota with Aashima Mehrotra

Prayag Shukla with Aashima Mehrotra

Artist Aashima Mehrotra with Justice Arun Kumar Mishra Chairperson NHRC (Centre) and Chairman RCT KS Ahluwalia during the show Inauguration

Ashok Vajpayee admires the art work

Mugdha Sinha ( IAS)

Biman Bihari Das with Aashima Mehrotra

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan

Ustad Zakir Hussain

Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath addressing the gathering

Laxmi Puri and Jayant Prasad

Commodore C. Uday Bhaskar making a presentation at the Valedictory