First India-Mumbai Edition-15th November 2022

Mumbai: The ATS of Maharashtra police arrested a former member of the PFI, a banned outfit, from Malegaon on Sunday. Maulana Irfan Daulat Nadvi, who is also president of Imam council in Maharashtra, was arrested from Malegaon and was later brought to Nashik by ATS officials.

JAIL SUPERINTENDENT SUSPENDED OVER VIP TREATMENT TO JAIN

New Delhi: The Su preme Court on Mon day observed that forced conversion is a “very serious issue”, directed Centre to take a stand on the matter.

A bench of Justices MR Shah and Hima Kohli passed order on a PIL filed by Delhi BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking an offence on forced con versions to be inserted in Indian Penal Code.

WHAT IS THE CASE?

The order was passed on a PIL filed by Delhi BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking an offence on forced conversions to be inserted in the Indian Penal Code. The court will examine the matter again on November 28.

Warm welcome to PM in Bali!

First India Bureau

Bali: As PM Narendra Modi arrived in Bali, Indonesia on Monday to attend the G20 Summit of the world’s major economies, he received a grand welcome from the Indian diaspora.

The Indian community seemed extremely ex cited about PM Modi’s two-day summit that will begin on Tuesday morning.

On

he

New Delhi: Superintendent of New Delhi’s Tihar Jail, Ajit Kumar, was on Monday suspended for alleged VIP treatment to jailed AAP minister Satyendar Jain.The action was taken by inquiry committee constituted by New Delhi LG VK Saxena.

NAGPUR HOSTS RSS

SWAYAMSEVAKS

TRAINING CAMP

Nagpur (PTI): More than 632 trainees are attending a camp for RSS swayamsevaks, which began in Nagpur on Monday, the Sangh said.

Addressing a gathering at Reshimbaug, a RSS Sangh functionary said trained volunteers play a big role in bringing social change.

COURT POSTPONES

GYANVAPI JUDGMENT

XI, BIDEN START SUMMIT WITH VOW TO AVOID CONFLICT; 3-HOUR TALK HELD

Presidents

On

MAJOR HAPPENINGS OF THE DAY

l

Fifteen killed after stone quarry slides in Mizoram

Aizwal: In Mizoram, 15 people were trapped in a landslide, feared to be killed at a stone quarry nearby Maudarh vil lage in Hnahthial dis trict on Monday.

Police sources said the accident occurred when a stone quarry collapsed on the work ers who were working under a brick company undertaking the con struction of the widen ing of NH 54. They said at least 15 workers were feared trapped in the debris. The landslip also buried five excava tors, a big stone crusher and a drilling machine.

Police along with the company workers and volunteers have jointly started rescue opera tions. Also, the district administration has put in place arrangements to evacuate the bodies and injured persons from the debris of a look-alike hill and to the district hospital.

Ex-councillor moves HC against govt ordinance

BMC elections already 6 months overdue; if ordinance is not stayed, then SEC will not be able to conduct the polls, plea says

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Former coun cillor Raju Pednekar on Monday challenged an ordinance issued by the Eknath Shinde-led state government which re duced the number of directly elected council

lors within the limits of the Brihanmumbai Mu nicipal Corporation (BMC) from 236 to 227 in the Bombay High Court.

In November 2021, the Maha Vikas Aghadi gov ernment led by Uddhav Thackeray had decided to the increase the num ber of wards from 227 to 236. However, in August, the Shiv Sena-BJP gov ernment issued an ordi nance bringing the number to 227.

Pednekar, through his lawyer Joel Carlos, on Monday challenged the August 2022 ordinance,

claiming that it sought to turn back the clock. If the order is not stayed, the State Election Com mission will not be able to conduct polls in the BMC, where elections are already overdue by more than six months,

he submitted.

A division bench of Justices RD Dhanuka and Kamal Khata will hear the petition on No vember 16.

The petitioner point ed out that the MVA gov ernment had increased

the number of directly elected councillors by nine (to 236) to ensure the city’s increased pop ulation was properly represented.

This was then chal lenged before the High Court, which proceeded to dismiss the petitions on the grounds that the increase was propor tional to the rise in pop ulation based on the 2011 census. This was upheld by the Supreme Court. Yet, the current government reversed the earlier cabinet deci sion, the plea said.

l

New Delhi: A preda tor who, believe it or balk, was also a lover to a 27-year-old wom an, killed her, chopped in 35 pieces. 28-yearold Aftab Amin Poon awalla and Shraddha Walkar had been in a live-in relationship, they fell in love while working at a call cen tre in Mumbai. But families objected to it as they were from dif ferent faiths, prompt ing couple to move to Mehrauli earlier this year, police said, add ed accused said that woman was pressur ing him for marriage.

Victim’s father had lodged an FIR for kid napping of his daugh ter in Delhi on Nov 8.

AFTERMATH

l Following an argu ment on May, Poona walla strangled his partner 6 month ago

l Her body was dismembered with a sharp weapon

l He bought a 300-litre fridge to store chopped up parts

l Used incense sticks and room freshners to fix the smell

l He would step out at 2 am for 16 days to dump the body parts

l The body pieces were dispose at vari ous locations in Delhi

l Mumbai Police said accused changed state ments during probe

Around mid-May, the couple had an argument over marriage, which escalated and Poonawala killed her. —Ankit Chauhan, ADCP-I, Delhi South

ATS ARRESTS MAHA IMAM COUNCIL CHIEF OVER PFI LINKS

Mumbai: Singer Adnan Sami has writte note sharply attacking Pak administration and criticised establishment of his ex-country. Adnan, who is now an Indian citizen, in latest attack, has promised to ‘expose reality’ of how administration treated him.

First India Bureau

Moni Sharma

holiday.

GRANTED BAIL IN CBI CASE, AAP LEADER NAIR, BIZMAN ABHISHEK IN ED CUSTODY AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair and Hy derabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinpally were granted bail by a Delhi court in a Delhi excise policy case. However, Nair and Boinpally will not be released for now as ED has been granted 5-day custody in the same case. Vijay Nair and Abhishek Boinpally were ar rested by the CBI in connection with Delhi liquor scam.

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday urged kids to dream big & for a modern, developed India. She advised kids gathered at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, to maintain ties to Indian culture, respect parents, and cherish their country.

I AM SORRY: MAMATA ON GIRI’S REMARKS ON PRESIDENT

Kolkata: WB CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday condemned State Minister Akhil Giri’s comment on President Droupadi Murmu. “We condemn what Akhil Giri said. I am personally very fond of Prez Murmu. I am sorry, I do apologise on behalf of TMC,” she said.

arrival,

said

that he is looking for ward to having discus sions with world lead ers on global issues dur

ing his visit. Modi will also focus on the loom ing challenges of post Covid recovery, Russia-

Ukraine war, energy security, food security, health, environment, climate challenges etc.

l PM Narendra Modi to participate in the G-20 Summit which begins from today

l Modi will have over 20 engagements during his 45 hours stay at summit here

PM Modi greets Indian community during his arrival in Bali.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for the G20 Summit in Bali on Monday. PHOTO BY ANI

Joe Biden and Xi Jinping opened their high-stakes summit in Bali with a handshake on Monday, and with both men stressing need to manage differences.

3-hour meet, White House said Biden told Xi that US would “continue to compete vigorously” with China, but that “competition should not veer into conflict.”

Biden warns China on North Korea, clashes with Xi over Taiwan

Indonesia seeks partnerships on global economy at G20 summit

l Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address the G20 today

l Russia Foreign Minis ter dismisses report that he was taken to hospital

NCP’s Awhad to resign over molestation case?

Court to hear anticipatory bail plea today, even as Ajit Pawar says it is ‘wrong’

Mumbai/Thane: For mer minister and Na tionalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ji tendra Awhad, of the Nationalist), on Mon day said he has decid ed to resign as MLA after he was named in a case of molestation.

On Monday, the NCP leader tweeted: “Police lodged two fake com plaints against me in cluding on charges un der IPC 354. I have de cided to resign as MLA.”

Later in the day, he filed an application seeking pre-arrest bail in the molesta tion case before a

court in Thane. Addi tional sessions court judge PM Gupta has kept the matter for hearing on Tuesday morning, an official said. The court has directed the Thane city police not to ar rest Awhad till his pre-arrest bail appli cation is heard and disposed of.

Meanwhile, senior party colleague Ajit Pa war came to Awhad’s defence. “I insist that the way this case (against Awhad) has been regis tered in the wrong man ner, it should be with drawn," he told reporters in Thane.

When the screening of “Har Har Mahadev” was disrupted, the per

‘MLAs abandoned Uddhav, so why can’t projects go?’

Maharashtra unit president Chan drashekhar Bawankule asked why industrial pro jects could not move out of the state if the MLAs of his own party could abandon him.

Bawankule, who was on a tour of San gli district where he met party office-bear ers and local leaders, was speaking to re porters on Sunday.

His remarks come in the wake of the Eknath Shinde-led state government coming under the Opposition’s fire for losing big-ticket pro jects to BJP-ruled Gujarat, including the Rs1.5 lakh crore Foxconn-Vedanta semiconductor man ufacturing project and the Rs22,000 crore Tata-Airbus aircraft manufactur ing project.

The Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, in which the Nation alist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress shared power with the Shiv Sena, col lapsed on June 29, af ter which Eknath Shinde, who had led an intra-party revolt with 39 Sena MLAs

If you want to bring in large-scale in dustrial invest ment into the state, then the CM needs to be available. The previous CM (Thackeray) did not even visit the Mantralaya (state secretari at in Mumbai) for 18 months and senior offi cials had to wait for an appoint ment

— Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Maha BJP chief

took oath as chief minister in alliance with the BJP.

Bawankule said, “If Uddhav Thacker ay's MLAs can aban don him, then why industries cannot move out of Maha rashtra. But the blame of such deci sions is put on the new government headed by Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Dev endra Fadnavis.”

son who was beaten up asserted that Awhad

Awhad was kept in a po lice station overnight, he added.

ONE LEADER, TWO CASES ‘LIKE A THIEF BLAMING THE COPS’

had protected him, but a case was registered and

“In the second in stance, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was there at the programme and Awhad was also pre sent at the event. He is seen in the video asking people to move aside (to make way) and was also seen trying to make the woman step aside. Noth ing else happened. De spite the fact that Shinde was standing just 10m away, this kind of of fence was registered,” Pawar said, adding that the CM should come for ward and explain that nothing of the sort had happened there.

On Saturday, Awhad was granted bail in a case of assault, filed after he and his supporters disrupted a screening of Marathi film ‘Har Har Mahadev’, alleging that it distorted the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. On the intervening night of Sun day and Monday, the NCP leader was booked again, this time under Indian Penal Code Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty).

According to the first information report, Awhad is accused of pushing the woman complainant while making way for himself after an event attended by CM Shinde in Mumbra on Sunday evening.

Responding to NCP’s claims that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had a hand in the complaints against Awhad, Mumbai BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said, “Home Minister (Fadnavis) has demon strated that there will be legal implications if anyone faces oppression, harassment or assault,” adding, “It’s like a thief blaming the cops for foil ing his plan.” He further said that Awhad’s plan to resign has nothing to do with the allegations made against him, and added, “He (Awhad) should use his Constitutional rights (to defend himself) instead of indulging in such gimmicks.”

Agnipath, note ban, GST aimed at instilling fear: RaGa

Cong distributes 600 copies of Nehru’s book on his birth anniversary

Hingoli (PTI): Attack ing the Narendra Modi government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged the Agnipath recruitment process for the armed forces, note ban and Goods and Service Tax policies formulated by the Centre were aimed at instilling fear among the people.

Speaking in Maha rashtra’s Hingoli dis trict as his Bharat Jodo Yatra entered its 68th day, Gandhi said the prime minister wants “Made in China” prod ucts as this will benefit “two-three billionaires” in the country.

“What is Narendra Modi ji doing? They

(the BJP) are trying to spread fear, violence and hatred. Be it note ban, Agniveer, GST...all their policies only scare people. The one who gets scared, there is ha tred in his heart which leads to division in the

society. And then they say they are patriots,” said the Lok Sabha MP from Kerala.

“Not waiving farmers’ loans is patriotism, im plementing the wrong GST is patriotism, spreading hatred in the

country is patriotism, (bringing three) farm laws (later scrapped) is patriotism, unemploy ment is patriotism, and inflation is patriotism. This is not India’s deshb hakti. This is RSS deshb hakti,” he said.

Senior Congress lead er Jairam Ramesh said 600 copies of Jawahar lal Nehru’s book ‘Dis covery of India’ will be distributed to yatra par ticipants on the occa sion of the birth anni versary of India’s first prime minister.

The cross-country foot-march, proceeded from Kalamnuri in Hin goli to Washim district on Monday after a oneday break on Sunday.

First India Bureau

Mumbai: A special court here is likely to pronounce its order on November 24 on the bail plea of former Maha rashtra minister Nawab Malik in a money laun dering case linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibra him and his aides.

Special judge RN Rokade on Monday re served his order on Ma lik's bail after hearing lengthy arguments put forth by both sides.

TESTING PREPAREDNESS

Involved agencies will undertake extensive deployment of their assets to guard against any attacks from the sea

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command will con duct a coastal defence exercise Sea Vigil 2022, on November 15 and 16 multiple

stakeholders, a sen ior Navy official said on Monday.

The Coast Guard, po lice from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Kar nataka, Customs per sonnel, Central Indus trial Security Force,

department of fisher ies, Directorate General (Shipping), port author ities, and Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships will be among the participants, Captain Sunil Menon, Command Coastal Se curity Officer of the In dian Navy said.

“The exercise, part of the Navy’s overall na tionwide drill, aims to validate the efficacy of the coastal defence or

ganization at the nation al level against threats emerging from the sea. The involved agencies will undertake exten sive deployment of their assets to guard against any attacks from sea,” Captain Menon said.

Coordination be tween agencies, seam less flow of informa tion, sharing of intelli gence inputs with rele vant security authori ties and implementa

Dy

CM

upset over laxity in plastic waste management

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister Deven dra Fadnavis on Mon day expressed dis pleasure over the fact that just one work or der has been issued despite 92 plastic waste management plans being prepared for the state.

In a review meeting of various projects along with Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Sin gh Shekhawat and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis asked state of ficials to expedite pro jects, including under the Atal Bhujal Yojana, a groundwater manage ment scheme launched by the Centre in Decem ber 2019, and the Swachh

Bharat Mission.

“The state so far has certified 1,274 villages under the Har Ghar Jal scheme (Centre's plan for piped water for households). Solar schemes are in the im plementation stage in Gadchiroli and Nandur bar districts,” an official who attended the meet ing said.

He said tender work of 92.29% of overall pro jects was complete and work orders would be is sued by December.

Navy to conduct multi-agency coastal defence drills on Nov 15-16

tion of best practices and validation of stand ard operating proce dures (SOPs) for vari ous contingencies will be other issues assessed during the exercise, it was stated.

The first of the twophase drills will see agencies audit and as sess their infrastruc ture. In Phase 2, teams role-playing as subver sive elements will simu late attacks and incur

sions from the sea to test the ability of the coastal security agen cies to thwart such at tempts, he said. This will be followed by a detailed analysis on the completion of the exercise to identify any shortfalls and measures required to overcome these shortfalls to fur ther strengthen the coastal defence appara tus of the country, the official added.

First India Bureau

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari with Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Jaya Bachchan during a meeting with a delegation of women leaders from Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, NCP, Congress and SP, at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on Monday. —PHOTO BY PTI

NCP leader Ajit Pawar and Jitendra Awhad address the press on the issue of the latter’s resignation over his alleged involvement in a molestation case, in Thane on Monday. —PHOTO BY PTI

First India Bureau

Mumbai: In a dig at former chief minis ter Uddhav Thack eray, Bharatiya Ja nata Party’s (BJP)

Nawab Malik's

bail plea order likely on Nov 24

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tries his hand at playing a drum during the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, in Hingoli on Monday.

Rahul Gandhi interacts with a padayatri during the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra, in Hingoli on Monday. —PHOTOS BY ANI

No money: Can’t maintain highways, bridges, says BMC

over the Eastern Ex press highway (EEH) and Western Express Highway (WEH) while MSRDC handed over the 24 bridges and four subways.

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Maha rashtra State Road Development Corpo ration (MSRDC) has claimed it handed over 24 flyovers and four subways to the Brihanmumbai Mu nicipal Corporation (BMC) in Mumbai for maintenance and repairs.

However, the civic

CRUCIAL READ

MONTHLY INITIATIVE TO APPRECIATE POLICE OFFICIALS’ WORK BEGINS

Latur: Police personnel in Latur will get appreciation certificates and prizes as part of a new monthly initiative to honour those who put in outstanding work, a senior official said on Monday. The initiative was launched on Saturday after a meeting of the local crime council and is the brainchild of Superintendent of Police Somay Munde, he said. “The personnel are chosen after an evaluation of their work over a month. Several personnel were awarded for October,” the official said.

MAN ARRESTED FOR EXTORTING `5L FROM STUDENT

Mumbai: A man was arrested in Oshiwara in Mumbai on Monday for allegedly extorting Rs5 lakh from a 24-year-old college student after blackmailing her with an objectionable video clip, a police official said, adding that one more person is wanted in the case. The accused allegedly has links to the underworld, an official of the Mumbai Crime Branch’s Anti Extortion Cell said, adding that a case was registered under relevant Indian Penal Code sections, on the basis of the woman’s complaint.

MAN BLUDGEONS FATHER TO DEATH, GETS ARRESTED

Thane: A man has been arrested for bludgeoning his 60-year-old father to death with a plywood plank over a long-standing dispute, police said on Monday. The incident took place around 11.30 am on Sunday at Dutta Kutir chawl in Ambernath town of Thane district, an official said, adding that a relative of the deceased filed a complaint under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. The body of Devidas Suryavanshi has been sent for a postmortem.

SAVITRIBAI PHULE PUNE UNIVERSITY TO GET NEW VC IN NEXT THREE MONTHS

Pune: The procedure to appoint the new vicechancellor of the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) began on Saturday with the announcement of inviting applications for the post. December 14 is the deadline for the aspirants to apply. After vicechancellor (VC) Nitin Karmalkar retired in May, the university has been functioning with officiating VC, Karbhari Kale. The president of Student Helping Hand, Kuldeep Ambekar, said, “With the publication of the advertisement, it is clear that the selection process of the university’s VC has now started seriously. It usually takes two to two-and-a-half months to complete the screening process of the applications and interviews. Therefore, the university will get a new VC in the coming year.”

body has refused to take possession of the bridg es unless it is given ad vertisement and cellu lar tower rights.

Earlier, Chief Minis ter Eknath Shinde had directed MSRDC and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to handover the possession of roads and bridges to the BMC. According ly, MMRDA handed

According to Addi tional Municipal Com missioner P Velrasu, the civic body has received letters, but it’s not going to take official posses sion of the flyovers and highways.

“We are seeking ad vertisement and cellu lar tower rights to gen erate revenue. We are ready to take on the whole responsibility, but we are being given

only liabilities,” Velrasu said.

The BMC has experi ence of maintaining two-lane internal roads but the EEH and WEH have four/five lanes, apart from a service road running along these highways. Main taining these roads and bridges requires a large number of funds. There fore, it would be difficult for the BMC to manage the expenses of these highways and bridges.

According to Velrasu, both the EEH and WEH are of 90km long, with five lanes on each side, resulting in a total road

BMC may penalize pet parents if they don’t scoop their pet’s poop

According

length of around 500km, which the BMC will have to maintain.

“A huge sum is re quired for the mainte nance and we need to generate revenue from these highways and

bridges,” he said, add ing that advertisement and cellular tower rights will help bear ex penses for the mainte nance. A letter in this regard has been sent to the state government.

City’s air quality deteriorates from ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’

First India Bureau

“Our nuisance de tector team will col

THE MORE, THE MERRIER?

According

Mumbai: The city’s air quality remained in the ‘moderate’ cat egory on Saturday and Sunday but slipped to ‘poor’ on Monday morning with the air quality index (AQI) at 221, as per the data released by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Re search (SAFAR).

On Saturday, the over all AQI was 152 (moder ate) while on Sunday it was at 159 (moderate). However, on Monday the AQI shot up to 221.

According to experts, the fluctuation in the pollution levels is due to the speed of winds blow ing from the sea. Mum bai’s proximity to the sea helps it maintain its air quality and does not let it deteriorate to ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ catego ry like Delhi.

Speaking to the me

dia, Senior Scientist and Founder Director of SAFAR Dr Gufran Beig said that as Mum bai is surrounded by the ocean on three sides, when high-speed winds blow through the city, they sweep away all the city’s pollution and help improve its air quality index.

Vehicular pollution and garbage burning are the major causes of air pollution in Mum bai and adjoining areas. AQI recorded in some of the major areas of the city on Monday are Andheri (215), Malad (262) and Borivali (232).

TRIMBAKESHWAR

Show provision prohibiting VIP entry charges at Nashik temple: HC

The court said if a person asks for some preference, then extra can be charged. Arrangement is made for those persons. You show a provision which says it is not allowed

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Bom bay High Court on Monday sought to know if there was any provision that did not permit levying of extra charges for the entry of VIPs at the famous Trimbakesh war Shiva temple in Nashik district.

A division bench of Justices SV Gangapur wala and SG Dige was hearing a public interest litigation filed by social worker Lalita Shinde, challenging the levy of Rs200 for VIP entry in

the temple by its trust, on the grounds that the charge makes a distinc tion between people.

The petitioner’s law yer Rameshwar Gite claimed the temple was a protected monument and managed by the Ar chaeological Survey of India (ASI), and hence the temple trust cannot levy such charges.

The bench, however, said the distinction is sought to be made for entry into the temple.

“If a person asks for some preference, then extra can be charged.

Arrangement is made

for those persons. You show a provision which says it is not allowed,” the high court said.

“You (petitioner) can do social work in a bet ter manner. We will grant you some time. We are not convinced with your arguments,” the bench said, posting the matter to November 30.

The petitioner had contended that the temple was declared as an “ancient monu ment”’ under the An cient Monument Pres ervation Act (AMPA), which meant it was a protected structure.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had directed MMRDA and MSRDC to handover the possession of roads and bridges to the civic body

BMC TO ALLOW TRAFFIC ON ONE LANE OF GOKHALE BRIDGE TO EASE CONGESTION

Mumbai: Following complaints of heavy traffic conges tion in Andheri after the closure of the Gokhale Bridge, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is exploring possibilities of opening one lane of the bridge for bikes and autos. The civic body have reportedly conducted a structural analysis of the bridge and the decision on al lowing pedestrians, autorickshaws and two-wheelers after giving additional support to the structure will be made this week. Aiming to decongest the area, the BMC resurfaced the alternative routes on a war footing on Sunday night. Several potholes were also filled and abandoned vehicles were taken away by the authorities.

THE PLEA

Located 28km from Nashik city, the temple is considered to be one of the 12 jyotirlingas.

These newborn babies, seen at the Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children in Mumbai on Monday, are blissfully unaware that their slice of the world just got smaller, with the global population set to reach 8 billion today. —PHOTO BY PTI

Mumbai’s proximity to the sea helps it maintain its air quality and does not let it deteriorate to ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’. —FILE PHOTO

to the experts the fluctuation in the pollution levels is due to the speed of winds blowing from the sea

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Bri hanmumbai Munic ipal Corporation (BMC) is thinking of re-implementing an old rule of fining canine caretakers Rs500 if they don’t clean up their dog’s poop from a public place.

to Depu ty Municipal Com missioner Chanda Jadhav, the civic body is considering about implementing this rule as there are lots of complaints and the final decision will be taken in a few days.

Is Twitter’s ‘blue tick’ a status symbol or ID badge?

IN-DEPTH

CHINA REMAINS AN UNRELIABLE NEIGHBOUR WITH EYES ON LADAKH

While the existing system is flawed, at least it was systematic, somewhat transparent, and with the trappings of accountability. It was also revisable in the face of public criticism. On the other hand, Musk’s policy approach is tyrannical and opaque. Having abolished the board of directors, the “Chief Twit” has all the power and almost no accountability. We are left with a harrowing vision of a fragile and flawed online public square: in a world where everyone is verified, no one is verified

Following Elon Musk’s acqui sition of Twitter on October 27, the world’s richest man proposed a range of contro versial changes to the plat form. With mounting evi dence that he is making it up as he goes along, these pro posals are tweeted out in a stream-of-consciousness manner from Musk’s Twitter account.

Primarily to raise revenue, one of the ideas was to charge US$8 a month to obtain a verified status – that is, the coveted blue tick badge next to the account handle. Within the space of a few days, the paid verification change has already been rolled out in several countries, including Australia, under the Twitter Blue subscription service.

MORE THAN JUST VERIFICATION

According to Twitter, the blue tick lets people know an account of interest is authen tic. Currently, there are seven categories of “public interest accounts”, such as govern ment office accounts, news organisations and journal ists, and influencers. Yet this seemingly innocuous little blue icon is far from a simple verification tool in Twitter’s fight against impersonation and fraud.

In the public view, a veri fied status signifies social

Following Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter on October 27, once world’s richest man proposed a range of controversial changes to the platform. With mounting evidence that he is making it up as he goes along, these proposals are tweeted out in a stream-ofconsciousness manner from Musk’s Twitter account

importance. It is a coveted status symbol to which users aspire, in large part because Twitter’s approval process has made it difficult to ob tain. That’s partly because the blue tick has a controver sial history. After receiving widespread condemnation for verifying white suprema cists in 2017, Twitter halted its verification process for more than three years. But they didn’t resolve it.

When Twitter resumed veri fying accounts systematically in 2021, it wasn’t long until the

process began to fail again, with blue ticks being handed out to bots and fake accounts. Moreover, the public is still confused about what the blue tick signifies, and views it as a status symbol.

There’s a fundamental mismatch between what Twitter wants the blue tick to mean versus how the public perceives it, something the Twitter Safety team itself ac knowledged in 2017.

LORDS AND PEASANTS

Musk’s stream-of-conscious ness policy proposals may re flect his own preference for interacting with verified ac counts. Despite his repeated claims of “power to the peo ple” and breaking the “lords and peasants” system of veri fied versus non-verified ac counts, I ran a data analysis of 1,493 of Musk’s tweets during 2022, and found that more than half (57%) of his interactions were with verified accounts.

FACT FROM FRAUD

Although Twitter’s verifica tion system is by no means perfect and is far from trans parent, it did at least aspire to the kinds of verification practices journalists and re searchers use to distinguish fact from fiction, and authen ticity from fraud. It takes time and effort. You can’t just buy it.

BJP ON MISSION CHOP-CHOP

Bharatiya Janata

Party is going about denial of tickets to its sit ting legislators in Gujarat with an authority which characterises Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Both the leaders know that they can toy with their MLAs aspirations and yet none will question their deci sion. Such is their hold over the party and popularity among the people. And carry ing out the name-chopping exercise just before the As sembly elections requires confidence which both the leaders have aplenty.

Five Ministers, including Brijesh Merja who is an MLA from Morbi where 135 people died in a bridge collapse last

BJP is going about denial of tickets to its sitting legislators in Gujarat with an authority which characterises Modi and Shah. Both leaders know that they can toy with their MLAs aspirations & yet none will question their decision

month, have been dropped from the first list of 160 can didates along with 33 other legislators. Former CM Vijay Rupani and seven legislators who were part of his cabinet from 2017 to 2021 also faced chopping block apparently because of their seniority.

OPENING THE FLOODGATES FOR BOTS

The problem is even worse at larger scales. It is hard enough to detect and prevent bot and troll networks from poisoning the information landscape with disinforma tion and spam.

Now, for the low cost of US$800, foreign adversaries can launch a network of 100 verified bot accounts. The more you can pay, the more legitimacy you can purchase in the public sphere.

A CASCADE OF CONSEQUENCES

Musk’s ideas are already causing a cascading series of unintended consequences on the platform. Accounts with blue ticks began changing their profile handle to “Elon Musk” and profile picture to parody him. In response, Musk tweeted a new policy proposal that Twitter handles engaging in impersonation would be suspended unless they specify being a “parody”.

Users will not even receive a warning, as comedian Kathy Griffin and her 2 mil lion followers discovered when her account was sus pended for parodying Musk. Musk’s vision for user verifi cation does not square up with that of Twitter or the internet research community.

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION

Tremors of this drastic ac tion have reached Karnataka where BJP ministers and MLAs fear a similar exercise to be undertaken before the Assembly elections due early next year. What triggered this fear in Karnataka was an appeal by senior BJP member of RS, Lahar Singh Siroya, who asked senior MLAs to follow Gujarat mod el and retire from politics just as Vijay Rupani and oth ers have done. Their response is still awaited as age does not prompt politicians to gradually retreat into sunset.

The consequences of over haul in Gujarat remain to be seen. There is murmur of rebellion but BJP is capable of handling that as it is fo cused on giving young aspir ants a chance.

hinese President Xi Jinping has told his army to be prepared for war. Xi, who re cently secured a third term as Communist Party leader, said his country was in an “unstable and uncertain” se curity situation. Although Xi said this in the context of Tai wan, India cannot afford not to take notice of the statement.

Army Chief General Manoj Pan de underscored this point. In a statement General Pande said the situation on the Line of Ac tual Control (LAC) was “stable but unpredictable”. Two months after disengagement of troops by both sides at eastern Ladakh’s Patrolling Point 15 in the GograHot Springs area, there was no let-up in infrastructure develop ment by the Chinese on the LAC. There has also been no reduc tion in PLA force level.

The ongoing border talks helped resolve the PP 15 dead lock after two years of confron tation. The 17th round of talks are expected to resolve Chard ing Nala in Demchok and Dep sang plains friction points where China has blocked sever al access points.

MAHENG/2022/14652 Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Dangat Media Pvt Ltd, No.22, Dighe MIDC, Vishnu Nagar, TTC Industrial Area, Dighe, Navi Mumbai-400701. Published at Plot No. 3 Scheme C of Manglorean Garden Home, CHS Limited, Survey No. 5, 6C (Part) Ville Parle East, Mumbai 400057. Phone 022-46031417.

Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra

Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp

Handover of #G20 Presidency to India is a historic moment that all of India is looking forward to. PM @ narendramodi ji travels to #Bali to take part in the G-20 Leaders’ Summit, officially assume the Presidency and highlight India’s unwavering commitment to global prosperity.

Kiren Rijiju @KirenRijiju

A recent article that I wrote on Jawaharlal Nehru’s ‘Panch Bhool’ or ‘Five Blunders’ on Kashmir has invited varied reactions. Among other things, I wrote that Maharaja Hari Singh’s government wanted to accede to India even before August 15, 1947.

SPIRITUAL SPEAK

No one who does good work will ever come to a bad end, either here or in the world come.

Bhagavad Gita

Quick decision-making key to country’s combat readiness”

New Delhi (ANI): De fence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday while underlining the need to expand the defence budget to over Rs 6 lakh crore said that it is nec essary to spend the fund allocated in the present budget “timely” to achieve country’s com bat readiness.

Addressing a Confer ence organised by De fence Accounts Depart ment (DAD) in New Delhi, Singh said stressed on the “rational usage” of resources. “It is very important that there should be a ration al usage of the resourc es. When I say this, I mean two things. First, the resources should be used in the right place.

CONGRESS HITS BACK AT RAJNATH SINGH FOR DEFENDING LOTUS IN LOGO OF G20

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday hit back at Union minister Rajnath Singh for defending the presence of a lotus image on the G20 logo, saying the hand remains a “deep cultural symbol” in rural and tribal India but it would not justify the use of this symbol for government events if it was in power. Hand is the Congress’ party symbol. Defence Minister Singh on Sunday had slammed those creating a row over the presence of flower’s image on the G20 logo and said the lotus is not just a party symbol but connected to India’s cultural identity.

Second, there should not be any wastage in any form. A penny saved is a penny earned. This applies to the resources as well,” Singh said.

The Defence Minis ter said that transpar ent decision-making is necessary for the com bat readiness of the country.

“We’re aware that for the combat readiness of the country, not only the availability of ade quate financial resourc es but also quick & transparent decisionmaking for it is essen tial. It also adversely affects the country’s combat readiness. The Defence Accounts De

Kejriwal claims Cong would get just 4-5 seats

Ahmedabad (PTI):

AAP’s national conven er Arvind Kejriwal on Monday appealed to the people of poll-bound Gu jarat "not to waste their votes" on the Congress and instead vote for the AAP, claiming his party was in a direct contest with the ruling BJP.

Talking to reporters here, Kejriwal claimed the Congress will get just four-five seats in polls to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly to be held on Dec 1 and 5.

The BJP has been in power in Gujarat for 27 years.

This time, the Kejri wal-led AAP has been engaged in a high-deci bel campaign to project itself as the BJP's main challenger by repeatedly stressing that the Con gress is losing ground.

The AAP has already announced the names of its candidates on 178 seats.

“It is my estimate that the vote share of the Congress will fall below 13 per cent and it will get 4-5 seats. This is a direct contest between the AAP and the BJP,” Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal told reporters after land ing in Ahmedabad. He appealed to the Con gress’s “hardcore vot ers”, who still plan to vote for it, to "not waste their votes” by doing so.

RUCKUS AT GUJARAT CONGRESS HQ

Ahmedabad: Several Congress workers stormed into the Gujarat party head quarters here on Monday and burnt posters of senior leader Bharatsinh Solanki to protest against the party’s decision to give ticket to sit ting MLA Imran Khedawala from his Jamalpur-Khadia seat in the city.

BTP FOUNDER & SON IN DIRECT CONTEST

Bharuch: Jhagadia constitu ency here is all set to witness a straight fight between BTP founder and his son Mahesh Vasava in next month’s Assembly polls. While son Mahesh filed his nomination as BTP candidate from here, his father and BTP founder Chhotu Vasava will be con testing as an independent.

CRICKETER RAVINDRA JADEJA BATS FOR WIFE RIVABA AHEAD OF JAMNAGAR NOMINATION

Jamnagar: Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja on Monday said that his wife Rivaba Jadeja who has been fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Jamnagar (North) seat in the state assembly elections wanted to follow the path of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to work for the people. Ravindra Jadeja attended an event on Monday where he said that Rivaba would learn a lot from her first-time candidature in the assembly elections.

IN THE COURTYARD

HC IMPOSES PENALTY ON ADVOCATE FOR FILING GROUNDLESS PIL ON GANGULY

Kolkata: A division bench of Calcutta High Court on Monday imposed a penalty on an advocate for filing a groundless PIL challenging the removal of former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly from the chair of the BCCI president. Advocate Ramaprasad Sarkar, who filed the PIL, was initially slapped by a penalty of Rs 1,00,000 but later penalty was reduced to Rs 25,000.

SC ASKS STRIKING

ODISHA LAWYERS TO RESUME WORK

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the striking members of the bar associations in several districts of Odisha to resume work by November 16, saying their failure to do so may result in contempt proceedings or suspension of licences.

COURT ACQUITS RAPE ACCUSED, GIVES HIM BENEFIT OF DOUBT

Fatehabad: A local court has acquitted a rape ac cused while extending the benefit of doubt to him, and ruled that there was a delay of around two-and-half months in lodging FIR. The court held that the prosecu tion has failed to prove the case against the accused.

partment plays a very important role towards ensuring this. Rs 5.25 lakh crore has been al lotted in the Defence budget this time,” he said adding that it is the responsibility of the Defence Accounts De partment to ensure its “apt expenditure”.

The Defence Minister

suggested the officials of the Defence Accounts Department to suggest more expenditure to the Ministry in case of less expenditure.

“I want to suggest to the Defence Accounts Department that if the Ministry has spent less anywhere, then suggest us to spend more. Or else there would be a prob lem in the next budget.

The Defence budget is Rs 5.25 lakh crore, it should go more than Rs 6 lakh crore. For this, it is necessary to spend the fund that we have timely. Our accountants have this responsibility too. This suggestion should also be given to the offi cials who visit you from time to time,” he said.

Congress Task Force for 2024 meet takes place first time under Kharge

New Delhi (Agencies):

The Congress Task Force meeting for the 2024 General election took place for the first time under newly ap pointed Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge. The meeting happened at 15 GRG Congress War Room in New Delhi. This is the first Con gress Task Force meet ing that has taken place ever since Mallikarjun Kharge took charge as the Congress president.

The “Task Force 2024” was constituted for the general election sched uled for next year. Mem bers of the task force that include P Chidam

baram, Mukul Wasnik, Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, Ajay Maken, Randeep Surjewala, Pri yanka Gandhi Vadra, and Sunil Kanugolu ar rived at 15 GRG Con gress War Room for the meeting chaired by Mal

BHARAT JODO YATRA!

likarjun Kharge. Each member of the task force shall be as signed specific tasks related to organisation, communications and media, outreach, fi nance, and election management. They

shall have designated teams that will be noti fied subsequently.

Prime Minister Nar endra Modi and his rul ing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept back to power in the 2019 gen eral elections. The par ty won 303 seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s parlia ment, bettering the 282 seats they won in 2014.

In 2014, Congress and its allies, that only won 44 seats, had put up a stronger fight in 2019 with 53 seats. Several leaders had also attempt ed to unite the Opposi tion against the BJP but it didn’t bear any fruits.

Odisha by-poll: BJD fields BJP leader’s bahu

Bhubaneswar (PTI):

The ruling BJD on Mon day named late MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bar iha’s elder daughter Barsha Singh Bariha, who is also daughter-inlaw of a senior BJP leader, as the party’s candidate for December 5 by-poll to Padmapur assembly segment in Odisha’s Bargarh dis trict. A release the BJD and signed by party president and CM Naveen Patnaik said: “Smt. Barsha Singh Bariha, W/O Shri Sm ruti Sourav Baliarsingh is Biju Janata Dal candi date for by-elections to 01-Padmapur Assembly Constituency.”

Raja Singh gets angry as bulletproof car breaks

Hyderabad: Suspended BJP MLA Raja Singh has voiced his anger af ter his bul letproof ve hicle broke down here on Monday.

He slammed the Telangana govt for providing a ve hicle which is in poor condition despite the fact that he faces threat from terrorists.

Raja Singh, who was released from jail last week, had to call his personal vehicle after the one provided by the state police broke down in Afzal Gunj area.

Will Rothney Castle be witness to revival of Cong?

home of AO Hume where he spent many years and the process of birth of Congress also started from here.

Shashikant Sharma

Shimla: The Rothney Castle in Shimla, which is now known as “Sheeshe Wali Kothi”, is the place where the foundation of the Con gress Party was laid.

AO Hume founded the Congress on 28 Decem ber 1885. The Rothney Castle, built in the 19th century, used to be the

Coincidentally, Con gress leader Sonia Gan dhi’s new house is also built near this Rothney Castle.

Hume was an ICS of ficer and he was trans ferred to Shimla from Etawah. He formed the Congress with an aim of raising the voice of poor in the country. After Inde pendence, the existence of Congress remained but Mahatma Gandhi wanted to close the Con

Hume

no

mukt Bharat and if this is realised, the histori cal value of the Rothney Castle will also be lost.

Sonia Gandhi had once wanted to buy the Rothney Castle, which is now in private hands, and develop it as a me morial of national im portance but the deal could not materialise due to certain reasons.

If the Congress govern ment is formed in Himachal, this building may regain the focus and it would be seen whether Congress may gain much needed re vival from Shimla.

NATIONAL HERALD CASE

K’taka Cong chief appears before ED again

New Delhi: Karnataka Congress chief DK Shi vakumar on Monday appeared before the ED in Delhi for a fresh round of questioning in the National Herald money laundering case. This is the second time that the federal agency is recording his state ment in the case that has been registered un der the criminal sec tions of the PMLA.

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. —FILE PHOTO

❍ GUJARAT ASSEMBLY POLLS

OWAISI GREETED WITH ‘MODI MODI’ CHANTS, SHOWN BLACK FLAGS DURING SURAT RALLY

Surat: With Gujarat set to go to the polls in two phases on December 1 and 5, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi is currently campaigning in the state. On Sunday, when he was addressing an election rally in Surat, some youngsters present there opposed him and showed black flags. Apart from this, slogans of ‘Modi, Modi’ were also raised, in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader KC Venugopal during the Nehru Memorial Lecture, in New Delhi on Monday.

WILL PROTEST IF LAW STUDENT NOT GIVEN JUSTICE: VHP

Hyderabad: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Mon day warned of statewide protests if

action was taken against the boys who assaulted a Hyderabad Law student in the college. Speaking to media, VHP National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal said, ‘Sir tan se juda’ gang is active in the country in the name of Islam or Mohammad Pegambar. The gang has become very active in Hyderabad. The deadly attack on law student Himank Bansal is a seri ous matter.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with supporters during the party’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, in Hingoli district of Maharashtra, on Monday. —PHOTO BY PTI

gress so that a new party could take shape. But other leaders took a stand to continue the party as Congress only.

was helped by a Bengali WC Banerjee

in formation of Con gress. The party that was formed in the Roth ney Castle is now pass ing through struggling times. The BJP has giv en slogan of Congress

The Rothney Castle aka Sheeshe Wali Kothi. —FILE PHOTO

AO Hume had formed Congress here with an aim of raising the voice of poor in the country

“

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addresses the inaugural session of the two-day Controllers Conference of Defence Accounts Department, in New Delhi on Monday. —PHOTO BY ANI

We’re aware that for the combat readi ness of the country, not only the availability of adequate financial re sources but also quick & transparent deci sion-making for it is essential.

Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister

Cong pays tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru on birth anniversary

New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Monday paid rich tributes to the country’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary, saying 21st century In dia cannot be imagined without his tremendous contribution and that his relevance has in creased after 2014.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief So nia Gandhi and AICC general secretary incharge organisation K C Venugopal, among others, offered floral tributes at Nehru’s me morial Shanti Van here.

Rahul Gandhi tweet ed quoting Nehru’s lines — “Who is Bharat Mata? The people of In dia spread across its

vast land matter the most. Mother India is this crores and crores of people.” “With these democratic, progres

Students from various schools meet President Murmu on Children’s Day

First India Bureau

New Delhi: Students from various schools met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre (RBCC) on Monday.

sive and secular values of Pandit Nehru in my heart, I am walking to protect ‘Mother India’ of ‘Hind Ke Jawahar.”

BSF-BGB meet to curb cross-border crimes

Two sides thrash out border management issues at Kolkata conference

Kolkata (Agencies): Si multaneous Coordinat ed Patrols both during the day and night will help curb cross-border crime, senior Border Se curity Force (BSF) offi cials told their counter parts from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) dur ing the ongoing Inspec tors General BSF-Region Commanders BGB Level Border Co-ordination Conference in Kolkata.

The BSF has also tak en up issues such as at tacks on its personnel by Bangladeshi smug glers, particularly those involved in the smug gling of cattle.

“We had suggested coordinated patrolling by

the two forces during our past meetings. Now, we are looking forward to simultaneous patrolling. Such patrolling will not allow border criminals to flee back into their own country once chal lenged by border guard ing troops of the neigh bouring one. This is a

regular occurrence now adays. Whenever crimi nals from Bangladesh are challenged at the In ternational Boundary (IB), they flee back to their own side. They could be nabbed if there is a BGB patrol across the IB at that time,” a BSF official said.

Guwahati (Agencies):

Unidentified militants at tacked an army convoy in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Monday, officials said. The defence PRO in Guwahati, Lt Col Mahen dra Rawat informed that an army area domination party was moving in the Digboi-Pengri area and at around 9.20 a.m., shots were fired at their vehicle from a nearby forest.

“After firing a single burst and swift retaliation from our troops, terrorists ran away from the adjoining areas,” he added. There was no casualty.

Speaking on the occa sion, the President said that childhood is the most beautiful phase of life. Children are ac cepted as they are. This is what makes them so alive. Today we are cel ebrating this innocence

Goa Congress turncoats face disqualification

Panaji (Agencies): Congress leaders in Goa on Monday said that disqualification pe tition against the par ty’s 8 rebel leaders who have switched to the BJP is being prepared, and will be filed this week.

“Disqualification pe tition is getting ready. We will file it this week,” Goa Pradesh Congress president Amit Patkar told media.

Congress MLA Car los Ferreira, also an ad vocate, said “we were looking for certain ele ments and material, which is why filing of petition is delayed”.

“The Congress will fight to make sure that such kind of unprinci pled defections dont take place,” Ferreira said.

and purity of children. The President said that every new genera tion brings new possi

niversary.

bilities and new dreams. This is a new era of technological and infor mation revolution.

Gadkari inaugurates 1.5 km long elevated bridge in Bihar

First India Bureau

Rohtas: Union Minis ter for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated 1.5 km long 2-lane ele vated RCC bridge near Panduka on Son river in Rohtas, Bihar built at a cost of Rs 210 crore.

The foundation stone for the construction of the bridge was laid on Monday in the presence of Deputy Chief Minis ter Tejashwi Yadav, Bi har BJP President San jay Jaiswal, MP Chhedi Paswan, Vishnu Dayal Ram, Ministers of Bihar Government and MPs, MLAs and officers.

Speaking on the occa sion Gadkari said with the construction of this bridge, NH-19 and NH39 will be directly con nected, which will fa

cilitate traffic between Bihar, Jharkhand, Ut tar Pradesh and Chhat tisgarh. He said at pre sent, a distance of 150 km has to be covered to reach Srinagar from Panduka in Rohtas dis trict and Garhwa dis trict of Jharkhand, with the construction of this bridge, four hours will be saved in this journey. The traffic pressure on Dehri

bridge will also reduce and Aurangabad, Sasar am cities will be able to get rid of the problem of jam, he added.

He said with the con struction of this bridge in the Panduka area, it will be easy to reach the market for industrial and agricultural and dairy products of near by areas and states. This will also save time and fuel, he added.

UP STUDENT BLEEDS TO DEATH AFTER BEING RAPED

Unnao: A college student here died due to exces sive bleeding after she was raped repeatedly by a 25-year-old man. The accused, who has now been arrested, had taken a performance enhancing pill before the act. Police said the man, Raj Gautam, raped her when she was alone at home. Despite the victim’s protest, he con tinued to rape her till she fainted and started bleed ing from her private parts. Seeing this, Gautam got scared and fled leaving the victim bleeding profusely.

REWARD LIKELY ON ‘ABSCONDING’ IRS OFFICER, SAYS CBI

New Delhi: The CBI will soon announce a reward of Rs one lakh for providing information on IRS officer Santosh Karnani who is absconding since Oct 4 after his name surfaced in Rs 30 lakh alleged bribery case. The CBI has also moved a special court seeking a warrant against the officer as he has “not joined the investigation” after four no tices from the CBI, they said. The officer posted as Addl Income Tax Commissioner Class-I in Ahmedabad had allegedly demanded Rs 30 lakh from a builder on Oct 3.

FORMER HARYANA GOVERNOR DHANIK LAL MANDAL DIES AT 90 IN CHANDIGARH

Chandigarh: Former Haryana Governor and ex-speaker of Bihar Legislative Assembly Dhanik Lal Mandal died in Chandigarh at the age of 90. Haryana Governor Bandaru Dat tatreya, CM ML Khattar and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar paid tributes to Mandal, who died on Sunday. “Deeply grieved at the passing away of former Haryana Governor Shri Dhanik Lal Mandal ji. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, friends and admirers! May God grant eternal peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti,” Dattatreya tweeted.

Ghaziabad: In a shocking incident, a dog was hanged to death by two youths in Ghaziabad. A video of the incident went viral on social media on Monday. In the vid eo, two men are seen hang ing a dog with the noose. Along with this, they are also holding one end of the rope in their hands, which both are pulling towards them with full force, so that the dog suffocates. After the inci dent came to light, the police called the youths seen in the video to the police station for questioning.

Bhubaneswar: A labourer from Odisha’s Kalahandi sold his wife to a man in Delhi and returned home after conducting their mar riage. Later, police arrested him. Kheera Beruk, of Muskaguda village of Narla block had married Purnami last year. Kheera, with his wife Purnami, left for New Delhi to work as labourer on Oct 30. But, Kheera alone returned home after a few days. On Nov 5, Purnami called her father Kulamani and informed him about the incident.

41 trainee PCS officers call on Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel

Ahtesham Siddiqui

Lucknow: 41 Trainee Officers (PCS Officers) of Provincial Civil Ser vices (Executive Branch) 2020 batch met UP Governor Anandi ben Patel at Raj Bhavan here. Addressing the of ficers on the occasion, the Governor asked them to work for the poor people on priority.

She said in the inter est of public, applica tions and files received should be disposed of in the least time, so that the applicant can get the solution and benefit in the least time.

The Governor also

shared her experiences about the problems and complexities of rural life with the PCS offic ers. She inspired the PCS trainee officers to work responsibly dur ing their tenure to take

the benefits of govern ment schemes to the remote rural areas. She specially encouraged the PCS officers to work with integrity.

Principal Secretary to the Governor Kalpa

HEAVEN ON EARTH

Dhami says his govt fulfilling all promises

Dehradun (PTI): Chief Minister Push kar Singh Dhami on Monday said his gov ernment is fulfilling its commitments, in cluding setting up a committee to draft the Uniform Civil Code and eliminating cor ruption, made to the people of Uttarakhand.

Dhami was speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of a nursing college in Kothgi in Rudraprayag district.

“Uttarakhand was the first to take steps towards setting up a panel to draft a Uni form Civil Code and other states like Guja rat and Himachal

Pradesh have followed suit,” Dhami said at the He said there were irregularities in job re cruitment exams since 2014-15 but when it was brought to his notice, he got the Special Task Force (STF) to investi gate the matter.

Kashmir sees surge in tourism; hoteliers happy

Srinagar (PTI): Srina gar’s Dal Lake has been drawing a large number of tourists in the past few weeks for shikara rides while the lights on ornately carved house boats are shimmering again as the Kashmir Valley has witnessed a huge tourism influx in recent months.

Hotels dotting the historic Boulevard Road skirting Dal Lake, and those situated at other prime locations, are seeing nearly full

occupancy with travel lers coming from across the country.

Uncertainties emerg ing post abrogation of

Article 370 in 2019 that ended the special status of the erstwhile state of J&K, and two most dif ficult years of the coro

navirus pandemic that followed, had broken the back of tourism in J&K, but amid a recov ery in the sector along with the COVID-19 vac cination exercise, Kash mir is welcoming visi tors again with open arms. Flights landing at the Srinagar interna tional airport have been bringing tourists from all parts of country, and hoteliers, houseboat owners, taxi and shika ra operators, and res tauranteurs are pleased.

Srinagar:

BSF personnel keep a vigil on the border.

—FILE PHOTO

Sonia Gandhi pays tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru on his 133rd Birth Anniversary, at Shantivan, in New Delhi on Monday. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also seen. —PHOTO BY ANI

President Droupadi Murmu with the students. —PHOTO BY ANI

PM PAYS TRIBUTE TO NEHRU ON HIS BIRTH ANNIV

New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi on Monday paid tribute to for mer PM Jawahar lal Nehru on his birth an

He took to Twitter to extend his wishes and said, “On his birth anniversary, tributes to our former PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji. We also recall his contribution to our nation.”

MILITANTS ATTACK ARMY CONVOY IN ASSAM, NO CASUALTY

“PM’s dream of development in J&K is becoming reality”

Union Minister Hardeep S Puri on Monday said that the Prime Minis ter’s commitment to the development of J&K is turning into reality and work re garding the same is in full swing. He stat ed that the PM’s de velopment initiatives

in J&K

have created an emotional bond between the people and the country.

A shikara passes by a row of illuminated houseboats in the picturesque Dal Lake in Srinagar. —PHOTO BY PTI

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at the inauguration.

UP: DOG HANGED TO DEATH BY 2 YOUTHS, VIDEO GOES VIRAL

ODISHA LABOURER HELD FOR SELLING WIFE TO DELHI MAN

na Awasthi, Director General of UP Acade my of Administration and Management L Venkateswar Lu, Direc tor Neena Sharma and other officers were also present.

UP Governor Anandiben Patel with 41 Trainee PCS officers at Raj Bhawan in Lucknow.

Pushkar Singh Dhami

New Delhi (PTI): India’s edible oil import bill rose 34.18% to `1.57 lakh crore in the oil year end ing October 2022, while in volume terms it rose 6.85% to 140.3 lakh tonnes, industry body SEA said on Monday. In dia’s import gradually in creased during the first two quarters and it slowed down in the third quarter. However, it again increased in the fourth quarter due to the lifting of a ban on palm oil by Indonesia and a sharp decline in international prices which boosted buying from India, it said on Monday.

Retail inflation slows to 6.77% in Oct from 7.41% in Sept: Govt

New Delhi (FIB): Retail inflation dropped to 6.77% in October from 7.41% in the preceding month, mainly due to easing pric es in the food basket, though it remained above Reserve Bank’s comfort level for the 10th month in a row, according to the gov ernment data released on Monday.

The Consumer Price In dex (CPI) based retail in flation has remained above the 6% target since Janu ary this year.

As per the latest data re leased by the National Sta tistical Office (NSO), the inflation in the food basket was 7.01% in October as against 8.6% in September.

The retail inflation,

which the RBI factors in while deciding its periodic monetary policy, was 4.48% in October 2021.

As the RBI failed to en sure inflation remains at 4% with a margin of 2% on

WPI AT 19-MONTH LOW OF 8.39%

India dodges bullet thanks to govt, RBI

either side for three con secutive quarters, it has sent a report to the govern ment detailing the reasons for the failure and steps it is taking to bring CPI in the target range.

Adani group gets approval for open offer in NDTV takeover bid

New Delhi (Agencies):

New Delhi (PTI): Reserve Bank on Monday imposed a collective fine of nearly `12 lakh on several cooperative and other banks for violating various bank ing norms. Penalties amounting to `11.60 lakh have been imposed on nine entities, including six co-operative banks and three Sahakari banks.

Berhampur Cooperative Urban Bank has been fined `3.10 lakh; Os manabad Janata Sahakari Bank, Osmanabad `2.5 lakh. RBI said its actions are based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the va lidity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with customers.

Billionaire Gautam Ada ni’s conglomerate received the regulatory nod to float an open offer for a further 26% stake in New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV).

The Securities & Ex change Board of India (SEBI) approved Adani Group’s open offer, accord ing to a statement on the regulator’s website.

Adani’s initial plan was to launch its open offer last month, but was delayed as it awaited Sebi’s approval. The billionaire’s ports-to-

power conglomerate trig gered a hostile takeover bid for the broadcaster after it acquired an indirect 29.18% stake in August.

NDTV’s founders Prannoy

OTHER STORIES

400+ COOPERATIVES LOGGED ON GeM PORTAL IN 3 MONTHS

REVIVAL OF MINING & ALLIED MACHINERY CORP LTD IN LIMBO

Roy and Radhika Roy have opposed the bid, amid con cerns that the transaction will erode press freedom, given Adani’s close rela tionship with PM Modi.

New Delhi (PTI): The whole sale price index (WPI)-based inflation dipped to a 19-month low of 8.39% in October on easing prices of food, fuel and manufactured items. Declining for the fifth consecutive month, the WPI inflation cooled to single digit after a gap of oneand-a-half years, giving some comfort to the RBI which has been struggling to rein in price rise.Releasing the October WPI inflation data on Monday, the commerce and industry ministry said: “The decline in October inflation is primarily contributed by fall in the price of mineral oils, basic metals, fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment; textiles; other non-metallic mineral products; minerals etc.” Since April 2021, WPI inflation remained in double digits for 18 months.

New Delhi (PTI): Crypto currency markets world wide have been battered with billions of dollars be ing wiped out but India managed to stay relatively unscathed thanks to a cau tious approach of the gov ernment and the RBI.

While the RBI has re fused to recognise crypto currencies and repeatedly issued warnings against trading in them, the gov ernment fired the tax bul let to wean off demand.

Net result - Indian inves tors have been largely spared from the crypto meltdown that has taken the total market value of cryptocurrencies below $1 trillion in just a year from $3 trillion in 2021 and sent Bahamas-based crypto ex change FTX into bankrupt

Most states agree to adopt RBI’s fin literacy programme

New Delhi (PTI): The RBI along with other regulators has prepared a financial literacy programme for school education boards and all states except for three have agreed to in clude it in their curricu lums, an official said on Monday.

“If we could inculcate basic financial literacy in school education, then that would be much better to expand financial literacy in the country,” Executive Director RBI said.

All the state school education boards ex

cept for three have agreed to include it in their cur riculums, he said.

“And as and when the curriculum is going for re vision, the school boards will include it. So going for ward, we will have this cur riculum especially for classes 6-10,” Sharma said.

cy after a rush of customer withdrawals. The collapse of FTX empire, which has wiped out the entire $16 bil lion fortune of co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried, has shaken confidence in the already troubled industry that was struggling to gain mainstream credibility.

In India, RBI has been resolutely opposing vir tual currency from day one while the government initially was toying with the idea of regulating such instruments by bringing a law.

Centre ready to bring fuel under GST, says Puri

New Delhi (PTI): Hero MotoCorp on Monday said it has opened its first experience centre in Ben galuru for its electric twowheeler brand VIDA. The country’s largest twowheeler maker said it has also commenced custom er test-rides of the VIDA V1 electric scooter from Monday. VIDA plans to open experience centres next in Jaipur and then Delhi with customer deliv eries of the V1 scooter expected to commence from the second week of December, it added.

GOLD GAINS `255; SILVER RATES ALSO

New Delhi (PTI): More than 400 cooperative societies have regis tered on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal in last three months, Union Minister B L Verma said on Monday. On June 1, the Union Cabinet had given its approval for expanding the mandate of GeM to allow procurement by cooperatives as buyers on GeM. “So far, more than 400 cooperatives have registered on the GeM portal and begun the trade,” the Minister said.

Kolkata (PTI): Revival of closed Mining and Allied Machinery Corporation Ltd (MAMC) by a consor tium of three state-run companies seems to have run into trouble, officials indicated on Monday. “BEML has expressed its desire to opt out of the consortium due to the strategic disinvest ment proposal of the PSU by the government. However, no formal decision has been taken yet,” an official of a consortium partner said.

INDIAN SMARTPHONE MARKET DIPS TO 3-YEAR LOW AT 43 MILLION IN SEP 2022 QUARTER: IDC

New Delhi: Smartphone shipment in India declined by 10% to hit a three-year low of 43 million shipment in the July-Sept 2022 period, market research firm Inter national Data Corporation said on Monday. The 5G smartphone share reached 36% of total smartphones during the reported quarter with 16 million units at a slightly higher average selling price of $393, about `32,000, apiece compared to $377, about Rs 30,600, in the previous quarter. The annual shipment of 2022 is likely to decline by 8-9% to around 150 million units. —PTI

POSOCO’S NAME CHANGED TO GRID CONTROLLER OF INDIA

New Delhi (PTI): Gold price in the national capi tal rose `255 to `52,850 per 10 grams on Monday, according to HDFC Secu rities. In the previous trade, the precious metal had settled at `52,595 per 10 grams. Silver also climbed `561 to `62,440 per kilogram. In the inter national market, gold was trading in red at US Dol lar1,763 per ounce while silver was flat at US Dollar 21.69 per ounce.

New Delhi (FIB): India’s national grid operator ‘Power System Operation Corpora tion Ltd (POSOCO)’ on Monday (November 14) has an nounced that it has changed its name to ‘Grid Controller of India Ltd’. The name has been changed to reflect the critical role of grid operators in ensuring integrity, reliabil ity, economy, resilience and sustainable operation of the Indian electricity grid, a state ment said.

AUTO COMPONENT SUPPLIERS TO LOG 8%-10% GROWTH

Mumbai (PTI): Auto compo nent suppliers are expected to log an 8-10% growth in revenue this fiscal driven by healthy demand from domestic orig inal equipment manufacturers and pent-up demand from the aftermarket, according to a re port. However, rating agency ICRA in the report said head winds persist on the exports front for the auto component suppliers. The export orders have slowed down in the last few months.

Markets settle lower on Monday

Mumbai (PTI): In a vola tile trade, benchmark indi ces ended lower on Monday dragged down by index heavyweights ICICI Bank, ITC and Reliance Indus tries amid largely weak Asian markets.

The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 170.89 points or 0.28% to settle at 61,624.15. During the day, it hit a low of 61,572.03 and a high of 61,916.24.

The broader NSE Nifty dipped 20.55 points or 0.11% to finish at 18,329.15.

From the Sensex pack, Dr Reddy’s, ITC, Hindustan Unilever, State Bank of In dia, ICICI Bank, Nestle, Ti tan, Mahindra & Mahin dra, Larsen & Toubro, and RIL were among the big gest laggards.

` DECLINES BY 50 PAISE TO 81.28 ON US DOLLAR DEMAND, FED RATE HIKE CONCERN

Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated by 50 paise to close at 81.28 against the US currency on Monday due to strong dollar demand from corporates and oil compa nies and a firm dollar in the overseas markets. At the interbank foreign exchange

market, the local unit opened on a strong note at 80.53, but pared gains and finally settled at 81.28 against the American currency, registering a fall of 50 paise over its last close.

On Friday, the rupee appreci ated by 62 paise to close at 80.78 against the dollar.

Srinagar (PTI): The Cen tre is ready for bringing petrol and diesel under the GST regime but it is un likely that the states will agree to such a move, Pe troleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday.

“For bringing the petrol and diesel under the GST, the states have to agree. If the states make the move, we are ready. We have been ready all along. That’s my understanding. It is anoth er issue how to implement it. That question should be addressed to the finance minister,” Puri told report ers here.

The minister, however, pointed out that it is un likely that the states will agree to such a move as liquor and energy are rev enue generating items for them.

“It is not difficult to un derstand, they (states) get revenue out of this. One who is getting revenue, why would he leave it? Liq uor and energy are two things that generate reve nue. It is only the Central government which is wor ried about inflation and other things,” he added.

New Delhi (PTI):

“One year ago, we made our way to the public mar kets. We are aware of the expectations that Paytm carries, and I assure you that we are on the right path to profitability and

free cash flows. Our jour ney to build a scalable and profitable financial servic es business has just start

ed,” Sharma said. He said that the govern ment incentives to UPI pay ments and merchants’

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS IN 2022

z Sharma said that the company is scaling up lending business which has huge demand in India.

z Govt incentives to UPI payments and merchants’ adoption of Paytm devices and subscription products is making payments increasingly monetisable and profitable.

adoption of Paytm devices is making payments in creasingly monetisable and profitable.

ACCORDING TO CEO VIJAY SHEKHAR SHARMA

RBI IMPOSES `12 L FINE ON SIX CO-OPs, 3 SAHAKARI BANKS

HERO MOTOCORP OPENS FIRST VIDA EXPERIENCE CENTRE

GLOBAL CRYPTO MELTDOWN

Mumbai serial blasts: ‘Four held in May actively involved’

Bakar, Mohd Shoeb Qureshi, Saiyad Qureshi and Mohd Yusuf Ismail were nabbed after 29 years

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Four per sons arrested this past May, after being on the run for 29 years, were “actively involved” in the criminal conspira cy behind the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts,

the Central Bureau of Investigation said in its supplementary charge sheet filed in a special court here.

The Gujarat Anti-Ter rorist Squad (ATS) nabbed Abu Bakar, Sai yad Qureshi, Moham mad Shoeb Qureshi and

Mohammad Yusuf Is mail, all residents of Mumbai, in Ahmedabad’s Sardarna gar area on May 12 and handed over to the CBI.

According to the CBI’s supplementary charge sheet, the details of which were made available on Monday, the four were in Dubai during January-Febru ary 1993 and were “ac tively involved” in achieving the objective

WAKING FROM SLUMBER

BMC shuts down Chhabildas’s illegal kitchen, banquet hall

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Following a recent blaze that broke out in the kitch en of Chhabildas Eng lish Medium School building due to an LPG cylinder blast, in which three persons were injured, the Bri hanmumbai Munici pal Corporation (BMC) discovered that the banquet hall on the school premises had been operating il legally for nearly four years. The civic body has now closed the hall and kitchen.

According to the sources, the school’s banquet hall did not have the requisite permissions from the BMC’s health, educa tion and fire depart ments.

Chief Fire Officer Sanjay Manjrekar con firmed that the educa tion department had shut down the unau thorized kitchen. “We have conducted a joint drive with the health de partment and confiscat ed all kitchen equip ment,” he said.

FIRE BREAKS OUT IN BYCULLA SLUM AREA; NO CASUALTY REPORTED

of the criminal conspir acy “to take revenge (for the) Babri Masjid demolition”.

The investigation re vealed that the four ac cused met with thenabsconding Dawood Ibrahim and others at the gangster’s Dubai residence “towards the end of January-Febru ary 1993”, it said.

The four then pro ceeded to Pakistan, where they received

training in arms and ammunition, lobbing hand grenades and bomb-making, the CBI’s supplementary charge sheet added.

Three days after the blasts, Abu Bakr and one more person went to the house of an abscond ing accused in Mehsala in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on the direction of Mohammed Dossa and dumped the remaining weapons in

the sea, it also said. These facts show that the four accused were actively involved in the conspiracy along with others, it added.

The four accused, to hide their identities, had prepared passports using forged documents, while the Interpol had also issued a Red Corner Notice against them on the CBI’s request, Guja rat police had said after they were held in May.

JAIPUR TRIP!

blaze.

First India Bureau Mumbai: A fire broke out in a slum colony located on KK Marg in Mumbai’s Byculla area around 11.30 am on Monday morning, a civ ic official said, adding that no one was injured. There was dense smoke in the area because of the blaze, which was confined to six to seven hutments. At least eight fire engines and a water tanker were dispatched to douse the blaze, the official said. The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, he added.

The banquet hall is famous in the congested Dadar locality and the most sought-after venue by Maharashtrians for parties, weddings, en gagements and even cor porate seminars.

Speaking to the me dia, BMC’s medical of ficer of health Dr Viren dra Mohite said that the banquet hall had no per mission from our de partment.

“There are fees to be given to the education department, permis sions and a license to be procured to conduct events. None of these were taken. They start ed the kitchen opera tions post COVID-19 lockdown and also re cently renovated the hall,” Mohite stated.

He further added that even if permission was granted to the banquet hall in future, catered food would have to be served to guests.

“We will not allow cooking inside the school premises. At the most, it can be allowed on the ground floor and with requisite permis sions,” he mentioned.

Steady decline in nCoV hospitalization: Health dept

Mumbai (PTI): Maha rashtra has observed a steady decline in the number of COVID-19 patients getting hospi talised or requiring Intensive Care Unit care, with the daily ad dition to the caseload

also dipping, state health department of ficials said on Monday.

A review of the data between October 31 and November 06 as well as November 07-13 showed the weekly new cases had reduced from 1,659

to 1,037 (37.49%), an offi cial bulletin said.

“There were seven COVID-19 deaths in the last week. This has been unchanged in the last four weeks. The weekly positivity rate has re duced from 1.57% to

1.15%,” it added. “A steady decrease is seen in the number of patients getting hospital ized and needing ICU care. Out of the total new cases in the week, 1.99% have been admitted in ICUs,” an official said.

STILL NO RESPITE

HC rejects PILs against Sanjay Raut and Uddhav Thackeray

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Calling the public interest litiga tions (PILs) filed against Shiv Sena leaders Uddhav Thackeray and San jay Raut, as well as a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) worker, “politically motivated and publicity seeking litigations”, the Bom bay High Court, on Monday, dismissed the cases.

All three PILs, filed by self-proclaimed so cial worker Hemant Pa til, sought investiga tions against the lead ers after several cases came to the light re garding misrepresenta tion and irregularities in funds management.

A division bench dis missed three PILs—one of them seeking an in quiry against former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray after a case was lodged against NCP leader Anil Deshmukh.

Justice SV Gangar

The petitions are politically motivat ed and without any element of public interest. They are publicity interest litigations. We do not find any details in the allegations…nor any documents. We cannot direct a roving and fishing inquiry.

purwala and SG Dige, who constituted the di vision bench, also dis missed the plea that sought an investigation against Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Raut for his alleged role in the misappropriation of the number of patients in COVID-19 centres in the state.

Another PIL sought

investigation against an NCP worker for making statements that could allegedly have caused disharmo ny in public.

“The petitions are politically motivated and without any ele ment of public interest. They are publicity in terest litigations,” the court ruled.

Post SC order, activist Navlakha yet to be put under house arrest

Sessions court’s registry dept has raised objections on surety papers submitted by Gautam Navlakha’s lawyer as part of SC-set conditions

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Jailed hu man rights activist Gautam Navlakha, who was granted house arrest by the Su preme Court last week due to his deteriorat

ing health condition, is yet to leave Navi Mumbai’s Taloja pris on, where he is being held in connection with the Elgar Pari shad-Maoist links case, as formalities for his release are still un

der process.

The sessions court’s registry department has also raised certain objec tions to surety papers submitted by Navlakha’s lawyer as part of SC-set conditions.

On November 10, the Supreme Court allowed Navlakha to be put un der house arrest for a month with certain con ditions and had said its order should be imple mented within 48 hours.

On November 10, the Supreme Court allowed

Navlakha to be put under house arrest for a month. —FILE

However, till Monday evening he was still in prison as formalities for his release could not be completed.

According to his law yer, formalities for Nav lakha’s release from jail were initiated on Mon day before a special Na tional Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai that is hearing the case against him.

In its response, the NIA told the court the

prosecution doesn’t have any objection to the ac cused submitting details of surety.

However, after receiv ing the application, the office of assistant regis trar, city civil court, raised certain objec tions. It said the surety papers did not include a solvency certificate as per provisions of Crimi nal Manual, though surety of Rs2 lakh is to be furnished.

Gautam

PHOTO

Abu

On March 12, 1993, a total of 257 people were killed and more than 1,400 injured after 12 blasts took place in Mumbai. —FILE PHOTO

THREE PERSONS WERE INJURED AFTER A BLAZE BROKE OUT RECENTLY IN THE KITCHEN OF CHHABILDAS ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL BUILDING DUE TO AN LPG CYLINDER BLAST

A level 1 blaze broke out in the kitchen of a ground-plus-two-floor of the school building. —FILE PHOTO

At least eight fire engines were dispatched to douse the

Ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray, his wife Rashmi, and their son Aaditya, visited Amer Fort, located 11km from Rajasthan’s capital city of Jaipur on Sunday. Aides say they were particularly impressed by the architecture of the palace of Raja Mansingh, especially the Deewan-eAam, and the splendour of Sheesh Mahal.

—Bombay High Court

—Dr Jagdeesh Chandra,

SOUL FULL OF SUNSHINE!

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. And this was prov en by ravishing beauty Rukaiya Kalyan wala, although supermodels and glam our industry artists may have been re vered for their enviable style and pen chant for luxury, they also grappled with trou bled upbringings and challenges throughout their lifetimes. This 24-year-old diva writes her own rule when asked about her early life, the ravishing beauty said, “I have completed my graduation with BMS, specialised in finance by profession and a model by passion.

It is hard work, dedication and discipline, that have always driven me to stay inspired in what I pursue. As I grew up I realised that stepping out of my comfort zone will help me to live the life of my dreams and be fearless. I believe in the power of my dreams, and I am a woman, who is not scared to try anything in my life.” Kalyan wala aspires to earn a huge name and fame and leave her footprints wherever she goes. The diva also paid gratitude to her sister for always uplifting and igniting a spark in her soul. When asked what mes sage she’d like to give to young girls of her age, she said, “I was 13 years old when I saw my sister getting selected in the top 30 contestants and I believe that every girl should follow her dream.” While talking about the biggest rookie mistake, the beau ty said “I made was a lack of knowledge about the career and lack of communica tion skills, but then slowly I looked up to my mentors and learned a lot in my life.”

When asked about the most memorable or rewarding moment in your, the diva said “When I met Lara Dutta in miss diva. As she is one of my inspirations. I was in awe the moment I saw her and her aura.”

Gorgeous beauty Rukaiya Kalyanwala, who hails from Mumbai, opens up to City First about her life as a model and her down-to-earth approach to beauty!

UTTKARSHA SHEKHAR uttkarsha.shekhar@firstindia.co.in

CITY FIRST

Let's Choose Nutritious Foods for Healthy Hair This Festive Season

Let’s Choose Nutritious Foods for Healthy Hair This Festive Season

CHARVI SHARMA Influencer

Want healthy hair?

Then, eat a nutri tious and well-bal anced diet to get stunning hair this festive season. Hur ry up, and fill your plate with healthy foods that will make your hair grow faster.

Aries

MARCH 21 - APRIL 20

People falling under this sign will have refreshing day.

Watching a movie with family is likely to be the highlight of the day for some. You may enjoy travelling to a tourist destination recommended by your friends.

Reignite the flickering romance in your life by spending more time together.

Gemini

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

Something you have implemented at work is likely to profit the company. You are likely to celebrate the achievement of a family youngster. Shifting into your own house may soon become a reality. An exotic island destination beckons, for which you may already be making plans!

Leo

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

You are likely to find the day most auspicious. Your knowledge about your line of work will be roundly appreciated and get you the thumbs up from higher ups. Friends and family may get together to give you a surprise. Business travel may leave little time for romance.

Libra

SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 22

Your financial situation is set to improve, as earning opportunities come to you. Help from co-workers in a time consuming task will be forthcoming on the work front.

Support of family will encourage you to take up a challenge. Socially, your presence will be looked forward to.

Sagittarius

NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22

You will derive great benefit from an exercise routine that you keenly follow. Extra workload is foreseen at work, but nothing that you cannot handle within office hours. Taking the family on a trip seems impossible today due to your professional commitments, so postpone it for some other day.

Aquarius

JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19

Previous investments are likely to give you good returns. Some of you may decide to follow in the footsteps of celebrities and visit the very same exotic destination that they had been to.No amount of excuses will dispel lover’s suspicions about your tendency to stray the path.

Taurus

APRIL 21 - MAY 20

Money put together on previous occasions is likely to come in handy now. A family youngster is keen to learn from you, so don’t disappoint. Settling down in a new house is indi cated for some.You may have to awaken partner’s interest in you once again.

Cancer

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

Money coming from various streams will keep you in an elated state of mind. A new fitness regime that you have adopted promises to keep you in the pink of health. Getting an old furniture upholstered may be at the top of the mind of some homemakers.

Virgo

AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23

A vacation you only dreamed about is likely to become a reality soon. Healthy eating will help prevent digestive ailments. Money will be no constraint in buying what you like. Driving down with lover to a happening place is indicated today.

Scorpio

OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 22

Some clarification will need to be sought on a financial issue, before you take the next step. A project left halfway by someone else may come on your shoulders, but your efforts will be acknowledged. Some of you are all set to enjoy a splendid vacation.

Capricorn

DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20

Your stars favour a bright beautiful day . A setback you have recently experienced can make you come out stronger. Tax advisor will be a big help in saving taxes, so don’t hesitate to contact one.It is difficult for the relationship of friends turned lovers to fall apart, so relax.

Pisces

FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20

Continue doing whatever you are doing to remain healthy. Some of you will have to curb your splurging ways. Family life will cruise along smoothly with much love and bonhomie. Don’t speed up on the road. Chance of moving to a new location on transfer is likely for some.

Hair care is the prior ity of most of us, we spend so much on getting the right hair products, spa visits, and hair care treatments to main tain our mane.

But many times, we do not get the desired results no matter how many treat ments we get done, we might blame it on the salon but the real reason is you can’t have healthy hair until you take the right nourishment.

DIET TIPS FOR HEALTHY HAIR

Although you can’t change some factors like age and genetics, one factor you likely have more control over is your diet. Including Vitamins, minerals, iron, proteins, omega-3 fatty ac ids, and Zinc in our diet can have great results. So let us look at the foods which we should include in our diets to make our locks lustrous and healthy.

PROTEIN FOR HEALTHY HAIR

Eating adequate protein is important for hair growth because hair follicles are mostly made of protein, so it becomes imperative that we increase the intake of protein to make hair strong. If you are not con suming the right amount of protein then you might experience hair fall and dry, and brittle hair.

SOURCES OF IRON lentils, spinach, red meat, chicken, fish, broccoli, and salad greens.

GROW YOUR HAIR FASTER WITH GREEK YOGURT

It’s packed with protein, the building block of your locks. Greek yoghurt also has an ingredient that helps with blood flow to your scalp and hair growth. It’s called Vitamin B5 (known as pan tothenic acid) and may even help against hair thinning and loss. You may recog nize pantothenic acid as an ingredient on your hair and skincare product labels.

SALMON FOR SHINY HAIR

Fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel are packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Your body cannot make these healthy fats, so you have to get them from food or supplements. They help protect you from disease, but your body also needs them to grow hair and keep it shiny and full.

VITAMIN C TO STRENGTHEN HAIR

Vitamin C aids the absorption of iron so foods high in Vitamin C are good to eat in conjunc tion with iron-rich foods. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant so is used read ily by the body.

Vitamin C helps in the production of collagen which strengthens the capillaries that sup ply the hair shafts.

SOURCES OF PROTEIN

eggs,

IRON TO PREVENT HAIR LOSS

Getting too little iron can lead to hair loss, it is the most important mineral for hair. When iron levels (serum ferritin) fall below a certain point, you may experience anaemia. This disrupts the nutri ent supply to the follicle, affecting the hair growth cycle and may result in shedding. So, you must include iron or iron supplements in your diet.

SOURCES OF VITAMIN C

blackcurrants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi fruits, oranges, papaya, strawberries, and sweet potatoes.

AVOCADOS TO AVOID HAIR LOSS

Avocados are delicious, nutritious, and a great source of healthy fats. They are also an excel lent source of Vitamin E, which may support hair growth. One medium avocado (about 200 grams) provides 28 per cent of your daily Vitamin E needs.

Like Vitamin C, Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps prevent oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals. Vitamin E also protects areas of the skin, like the scalp, from oxidative stress and damage. Damaged skin on the scalp can re sult in poor hair quality and fewer hair follicles

SOYBEANS AND BEANS FOR HAIR GROWTH

Beans including soybeans are great plant-based sources of protein, which is es sential to hair growth. Beans are a good source of Zinc, which aids the hair growth and repair cycle, whereas soy beans have spermidine which also promotes hair growth.

Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

chicken, fish, turkey, and dairy products.

RAKUL NAILS power dressing

Time and again Rakul Preet Sin gh has proved her fashion sen sibilities are only getting better and better. This time she turned enough heads wearing an over sized striped pantsuit which may not be everyone’s cup of tea. She has clearly aced the art of power dressing and how!

One can see in the photos, Rakul wore an oversized wool coat with embellished cascading crystals by Kanika Goal label. She teamed her denim, hand-embel lished crystals coat with low-waist straight wool trousers. The mega cuff, the detailing at the back of the coat and Jimmy Choo formal shoes added inter esting elements to the suit. All meant to be uplifting a sexy work-wear vibe.

She accessorised her look with a pair of statement-making earrings and cuffed rings by Misho Designs that add ed the right glam to her ultra-stylish look. Styled by Ami Patel, this stunning look of Rakul is worth your attention! Hair and makeup are by Aliya Shaikh and Salim Sayyed.

SONAM KAPOOR'S pregnancy journey

Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor and her husband Anand Ahu ja welcomed their baby boy Vayu in August this year. The new parents have been over the moon since then. Recently, Sonam Kapoor gave fans a sneak peek inside baby Vayu’s jungle-themed nursery. Now, the new mom has also opened up about her pre-natal journey and much more in a series of Instagram stories.

In her stories, she shared, “My pre-natal journey was quite different. I was sure I wanted to have a natural journey that would lead to a natural delivery with as little intervention as possible. For that, I de cided to take the help of the ‘gentle birth meth od’ with Dr Gowra Motha. She had written a lovely book called Gentle Birth Method that ex plains how to deal with the prenatal journey."

She further added “I’ve followed her blind ly. I’ve had a natural quick birth thanks to all her teachings and I’m breastfeeding pretty easily."

SAMANTHA CELEBRATES YASHODA'S SUCCESS

Samantha

Samantha took to her Instagram han dle and shared a pic with Junaid Shaikh and also gave a glimpse of her BTS prep. She is happiest as her trainer is im pressed with her ac tion avatar in the film. The actress also penned a note for her trainer and friend, which reads, "@ju naid.shaikh88 has never thought I did enough to deserve my favourite Jalebi But today he did, to cele brate Yashoda’s suc cess and especially the action scenes. You didn’t let me give up.. and I know you won’t let me ever give up. Thank you."

Silver Slay!

Kriti Sanon is em bracing shine lately and the aesthetic of her latest look was too disco ball-like. Her looks for Bhediya promotions are punctuated with steamy energy needed a

ones that looked like a fashion paradise. Al though certain looks are pretty debatable, her latest look is the real winner. She donned a trendy set with a sil ver-hued and studded chain-link necklace which she stacked up to other chain that came with a pendant, mini hoop earrings, and rings. Her Sophia strapped stilettos were in their glitzy element and her nails were bright and blue with the

Rashmika recalls her childhood days

day celebration was such a big thing in our school while growing up and be fore we know it we’ve all grown up so much so fast.. and all these years what I’ve learned is life is too short so LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST...So firstly… Happy Children’s Day to you Aura, Snow, and @sitara_ayanna... Shimmu I am missing you in this picture.. but to you too my lil love...And hap py children’s day every one.. let there be kind ness, happiness, hope,

Ruth Prabhu's thriller film Yashoda is receiving raving reviews at the box office. The actress yet again man aged to impress the audience with her fine performance. And it's not just movie buffs, who loved the actress in the film, her fitness trainer Junaid Shaikh is too. He also got her favourite dessert Jalebi to celebrate Yashoda's success.

Kriti in Kanika Goyal Label’s mini dress

Kriti Sanon

Sonam Kapoor

Her

post...

Her story...

Rakul Preet Singh

Rakul in hand-embellished crystals coat

Varun Dhawan wins hearts

Currently, both

Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon are busy pro moting their film across India and holding sev eral fan events. The two recently graced the city of Jaipur where they had a chat with news publications and went on to hold a massive fan event. But due to a con cerning incident, the event was paused in be tween. But what caught the attention of onlookers is Varun's

reaction to take care of the incident.

During the event, Varun and Kriti could be seen interacting from a stage with a swarm of fans gathered to cheer them. While the event was going on, a fan suddenly fainted and fell to the ground. A video of a concerned Varun holding the fan while she sat down went viral. He could be seen offering her water and shouting some in structions to the

“UUNCHAI GOT ME OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE”

Tanisha’s message on Children’s Day

ASHISH TIWARI cityfirst.mumbai@firstindia.co.in

Barjatya is known for helming dra mas like Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Hum Saath Saath Hain and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo and now After delivering family-friendly block busters, filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya says he gravitated towards the quieter world of Uunchai–a film about three friends in their 60s on a mission to scale Mount Everest–as he wanted to break free of the box office trap. In an exclusive conversation with Ashish Tiwari of First India, he shared what went behind making the film and more.

Sharing about the content of the film be ing so different from his earlier dramas he shared, “Actually if you look at it it’s a typical family drama but the way you look at it is different. I liked the story but I was never an outdoor di rector during the pan demic I felt I needed to do the BreakThrough. And then I thought this story of 65-yearold heroes needed to be shown on screen. I have made this film without any expecta

tion but I have made it from all my heart for en tertainment.”

A journey that started from the blockbuster Maine Pyar kia to Uun chai now has been splendid sharing about that he said, “I have learnt a lot from the times of Maine Pyaar Kia but at that time my family took chances and now we know how much ef fort one needs to put to be successful and we need to respect that and always keep your voice out there. A film needs to be made not to be a hit or a flop but in a way that the story you want to share it’s put forth to the audi ence in the best way possible. Similarly in Uunchai as well we haven’t included any love angle or young start cast the crux of the story needs to re

main intact.”

Sharing on casting 65 year old for such a different and difficult movie he shared,” When I thought of do ing the film I knew I had these beautiful characters and we needed to speak about them. I am sure the people will identify with the characters of Uunchai. All the art ists wanted to do the film because they could relate to the characters. Had Am itabh Bachchan, Anu pam Kher, Boman Ira ni and Danny not agreed to do this film,

then probably I wouldn’t have been able to do this movie so peacefully. For any director, the cast is like a dream and I would say having all these brilliant artists together was my dream.”

“We shot during the pandemic. There were locations that we fixed but had to be cancelled because of the lock down. We took all kinds of precautions, and I sent a team of experts just to analyse what kind of risk factors were pre sent. It helped the actors with their performance. Then I went with my team of tech nicians for a rec ce, and finally, we took a crew of 300 persons and the cast, with doc tors and oxygen cylinders. We took small steps and stopped to acclimatise at every location. I give credit to the actors that they trusted me. It also shows their love for the medium and the characters” shared Sooraj on the chal lenges he faced during the shoot. He added, “The major challenge was to do this film but the story kept calling me and in every step, there was a different challenge but every thing just fell in place eventually."

The director is grateful for his cast and crew, who trusted his vision and fol lowed him to the rough Himalayan terrain.

Fatima reveals being diagnosed with epilepsy

atima Sana Shaikh, who gained fame with Aamir Khan's Dangal, has now opened up about her strug gle with epilepsy and how she has been coping with it.

"Was diagnosed when I was training for Dangal. I got an episode and woke up straight at the hospi tal… Tab pata chala ke epilepsy naam ki koi cheez hoti hai (Then I learned about a disease called epi lepsy). Was in denial first (for five

years). And now, I have learnt to em brace it and work and live around it," she said. Further, a fan also told her how an epilepsy patient is made to smell a stinking shoe, to this, she re sponded: "This is a myth. Please aisa mat karna (please don't do this). Already it's traumatic to come out of a seizure. The last thing you want is to wake up to a stinking shoe! Hahaha! Peo ple have done this to me! Hor rible!" Fatima shared.

rince of pop Armaan Malik has made history again by winning the 2022 MTV Europe Music Award for 'Best India Act' for his English single 'You'. This is the second time that Armaan has won the prestig ious MTV Europe Music Awards. His debut single, Delighted with the win, Armaan says, "I'm humbled and overjoyed to win my second EMA! 'You' is a very special record for me and for it to receive a nod at such a prestig ious global platform is extremely heart warming. The amount of love and support I have received from Armaanians all over the world is truly unprecedented and fills me with gratitude. This one's for them, my fam ily and my country!"

Tanishaa Mukerji is a vocal envi ronmentalist who often advo cates for climate change and better liv ing. She has time and again brought a change in mentalities regard ing treating the envi ronment and sets a great example of being carbon neutral. The ac tress who is associated with 'The stamp' Foun dation, takes the oppor tunity to send out a message to the youth of the nation on this Chil dren’s Day. She says, "Nature

nature, it's important to make the time to serve nature, too. The mes sage we need to give the children of today is that India needs to be come carbon-neutral. That is the goal we need to take on. The next generation will have it tougher than any of us and it is now a necessi ty for us to start caring about how we conduct ourselves, and what kind of footprints we leave behind. Since Children are the real strength of a nation and foundation of soci ety, they need to be taught to care as

Bhediya Look

riti Sanon will be seen next in 'Bhediya' along with Varun Dha wan. The trailer of the film depicts that Varun is bitten by a wolf and develops wolf instincts. Kriti plays his doctor, Anika, in the film. The actress is sporting a never-seen-before ava tar in the film with short hair and fringes. Her look had become quite a talking point when the poster was unveiled.

Now, Kriti has disclosed where the inspiration for his look came from. She shared a reel with a montage of pictures from her childhood and said, "That’s where Anika’s look came from.. My Bachpan! Always keep the “chhoti bachchi” alive!! Here’s to Never Growing Up! Happy Chil dren’s Day! For now, she’s on a pro motional tour for ‘Bhediya’ with Varun.

Tanishaa Mukerji

Varun Dhawan

Sooraj Barjatya

Armaan Malik