First India-Delhi Edition-18th December 2022

States share responsibility for border security: Shah

Kolkata (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at a meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council (EZC) on Saturday, indicated to chief ministers that the states too share responsibility along with the BSF for security in India’s border areas, officials said.

Shah, who is the chairman of the council, was accompanied by five home ministry officials including Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, at the meeting that began around 11 am and lasted over two hours.

Illegal infiltration, trans-border smuggling and the vulnerable India-Bangladesh boundary were among sub-

jects deliberated upon at the 25th EZC meeting, chaired by Shah, at the West Bengal secretariat near here, a senior official said. Issues such as water-sharing among states were also discussed at the meeting, which was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren, Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav and Odisha minister Pradeep Amat, an official said.

The role of the Border Security Force (BSF) was discussed, in light of the increase in the operational area of the border force earlier this year. In response, according to sources,

Shah is believed to have indicated that the state governments too have a role to play in border security.

The BSF is not the only one responsible for stopping smuggling across the international border. The state

governments also have the responsibility to prevent crime along the border. Under any circumstance, infiltra-

RAHUL’S ‘CHINA PREPARING FOR WAR’ REMARK CREATES FURORE

“

It is no longer the India of 1962 as its brave soldiers also have a strong political leadership under Modi, BJP said

WHEN WILL NATION HAVE ‘CHINA PE CHARCHA’: KHARGE ASKS PM MODI

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said if Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is not “remote-controlled”, he should expel Gandhi from the party, since his comments “belittle” India and break the morale of its armed forces.

If Congress does not take action against Gandhi, it will mean his statement is reflective of the Congress’ mind-

New Delhi: The GST Council on Saturday agreed to decriminalise certain offences and doubled the threshold for launching prosecution to Rs 2 crore, Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra said.

The Council could decide on only 8 out of the 15 agenda items due to paucity of time, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, adding the items not considered included one pertaining to setting up of appellate tri-

tion will have to be stopped, Shah is believed to have said at the meeting.

Shah instructed the BSF to be “flexible” and cooperate with the states, when the West

SHAH PLANTS SAPLING AT RAJ BHAVAN IN SHILLONG

Whether it is Galwan or Tawang, our defence forces have proved their bravery and valour.

No

intention

of capturing others’ land, says Rajnath Singh

Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister

Rahul Gandhi’s statement works to demoralise our Army; no matter how much it is condemned, it is less. Indian army is a symbol of bravery and valour. We know that the Communist Party of China had signed MoU with the Congress party.

JP

New

Delhi: Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday accused PM Modi of not allowing a discussion in Parliament on the situation along the border with China and asked why he was not taking the nation into confidence in the matter. Claiming that Chinese build-up in Doklam is threatening the strategic “Siliguri Corridor” — he asked when the nation will have “China pe charcha”.

set, Bhatia said. He further alleged that the party has become less of a political party and more of a den of antiIndia activities. Bhatia also said that “it is no longer the India of 1962

as its brave soldiers also have a strong political leadership under Modi”, adding that “not even an inch of Indian territory was captured by anyone” in the last eight years.

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said India had no intention of capturing the land of other nations in its quest to become a superpower. India will be a superpower that works towards the “welfare of the world”, Singh said. Referencing Pm Narendra Modi’s public address at Red Fort this year, Singh said: “We want to be a superpower to work for the welfare of the world. But when I talk about India becoming a superpower, it should not be misconstrued as India wanting to dominate other countries or that we want to take even an inch of someone else’s land,” he said.

Nadda,

BJP President

Gandhi has become a huge embarrassment for the country as well as a problem for the Congress. Gandhi is not only insulting Indian Army but damaging nation’s image.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chairs the 48th meeting of the GST Council via virtual mode, in New Delhi on Saturday.

bunals for GST.

The issue of mechanism to curb tax evasion in pan masala and gutkha businesses also

could not be taken up. No new taxes have been brought, Sitharaman said on the deliberations.

Mumbai: In a show of strength, the opposition MVA constituents in Maharashtra took out a ‘Halla Bol’ protest march in Mumbai on Saturday against the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in the state, and emphatically demanded removal of Governor B S Koshyari for passing “insulting” remarks against iconic personalities, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Senior leaders of the

Rijiju, Union Minister for Law and Justice

Kiren

Rahul Gandhi’s statements on soldiers is condemnable and shameful. It is indecent and childish and going to inspire anti-India elements. It amounts to humiliating India and India’s brave army internationally.

Yogi Adityanath, CM Uttar

MVA during a protest rally against Maha govt, in Mumbai, Saturday. —PHOTO BY PTI

allies

three MVA

New Delhi (PTI): A meeting was held on Saturday by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to chalk out a plan to relocate beggars from the Hanuman Mandir area near the Kashmere Gate ISBT to night shelters, officials said.

In view of the upcoming G20 Summit, the Delhi government issued directions on Thursday to remove and relocate the beggars from the Hanuman Mandir area. The meeting was held with the social welfare department as well as Delhi Police to discuss the rescue drive of the beggars.

DUSIB member Bipin Rai said facilities that are provided at the government shelter homes, will also be provided to the beggars once they are relocated.

“First, we will map the beggars and hold surveys to understand how many of them are there near the Kashmere Gate ISBT. We will also find out the number of family members of

Bengal chief minister complained that the security forces wanted excessive land for fencing and setting up sector offices along the boundaries of different states, the

Shillong: Union Home Minister Amit Shah left for Shillong soon after chairing the Eastern Zonal Council meeting in Kolkata. After arriving in Shillong, he went to the Raj Bhavan and planted a sapling there. He was received by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on his arrival. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was also present. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to visit Meghalaya and Tripura on Sunday to unveil projects worth over ` 6,800 crore.

said.

Officials meet to plan relocation of beggars

the beggars and proceed with the plan accordingly,” he said earlier.

A four-member committee, under the chief engineer of DUSIB, has been constituted to co-

ordinate with government agencies and prepare an action plan by Tuesday to “shift the beggars to night shelters located at Dwarka and other places”.

Guinea woman tries smuggling cocaine in swallowed capsules

New Delhi (PTI): A woman from Guinea has been arrested by the customs officials at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here for smuggling cocaine worth Rs 15.36 crore, an official statement issued on Saturday said.

The accused was intercepted on December 7. Upon questioning, the passenger divulged that she had swallowed capsules of narcotics substance.

“Since it was an impending medical emergency, the passenger was admitted to hospital. Subsequently, during medical examination of the passenger, certain material was found to be secreted inside the

body of the passenger. Under expert medical supervision, ejection process was carried out,” the customs department said.

The entire ejection process lasted over several days during which customs officers maintained round the clock vigil, it said.

“Total 82 capsules were recovered which yielded a total of 1,024 grams white oval shaped/powdery substance,” customs said.

official

Union Home Minister Amit Shah being greeted by Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig BD Mishra (Retd) at Raj Bhavan in Shillong on Saturday. —PHOTO BY ANI

Homeless people, living under a flyover, have their meal, in New Delhi on Saturday. (Below) Homeless people warm themselves near a small fire on Saturday morning. Ahead of the G20 summit, homeless people will reportedly be shifted to government-run shelter homes.

—PHOTOS BY PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and Bihar Dy CM Tejashwi Yadav at the 25th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council in Kolkata on Saturday. —PHOTO BY PTI

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR,

FRANCE VS ARGENTINA WORLD CUP FINAL

Lusail: Sunday would witness culmination of FIFA World Cup as Argentina and France will clash in finals. But, defending champions France have been affected by virus that could cause team’s starting centre-back duo to miss the final. Raphael Varane shows mild signs of the virus, and fellow defender Ibrahima Konate has not left his room since feeling ill. P9

CROATIA DEFEAT MOROCCO

2-1, FINISH THIRD IN FIFA WORLD CUP

New Delhi: A day after Rahul Gandhi said that Chinese soldiers are “beating up jawans in Arunachal Pradesh”, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders condemned his statement and demanded his expulsion from the Congress.

Pradesh

IF NOT REMOTE-CONTROLLED, KHARGE SHOULD EXPEL RaGa”

MVA takes out rally against Maharashtra Governor, State Govt

shared the stage after the protest march.

GST Council doubles limit for starting prosecution

—PHOTO BY PTI

Bail application filed erroneously’

Shraddha Walkar murder accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala on Saturday told the Saket court here that he would decide after talking to his lawyer whether he wants to pursue the bail or not.

Additional Sessions

Judge Vrinda Kumari listed the bail matter for hearing on December 22, while his (Aaftab's) counsel would meet him in the jail on Monday. Aaftab was produced in the court via video conferencing on the court's earlier directions of the day.

The court noted Aaftab's statement that even though he signed the 'vakalatnama', he was unaware that a bail has

been filed on his behalf.

He told the court that he had no communication with his counsel in this regard. He would decide on the issue after talking to the counsel.

Aaftab's counsel Advocate MS Khan submitted before the court that he would meet Aftab at

the earliest.

Although, Khan said there was no need to produce the accused on the next date, the special public prosecutor opposed the submission and said that Aaftab should be produced on the next date.

The Delhi court ear-

LG appeals to people not to throw garbage directly into Najafgarh Drain

New Delhi (ANI): Lt Governor VK Saxena appealed to the people living in colonies/localities along the banks of the Najafgarh Drain not to throw garbage directly into and on the banks of the drain.

LG Saxena underlined that, now that the seemingly undoable task of rejuvenating the Najafgarh Drain and the revival of Sahibi river had started becoming a reality, people should own up to their valuable legacy and keep it clean. The LG who was on an inspection visit of the stretch between Mall Road Bridge and Bharat Nagar, while appreciating the work done so far noticed fresh garbage thrown on the already cleaned and refurbished banks.

According to Raj Niwas statement, works on cleaning and rejuvenation of the 57-km drain using the cost-effective Partial Gravitational De-silting Technology and trapping of 32 feeder drains bringing in unfettered sewage and silt into the drain, in the first phase on the stretch

between Timarpur and Bharat Nagar, were started from towards the mouth of the drain in September and have begun to show concrete results.

While the works of de-silting and restoration of embankments from Wazirabad to Timarpur were completed in November end, further works on the 7.5 km stretch between

LG nod to appointment of several officers in MCD

New Delhi (PTI): Lt Governor VK Saxena has approved appointment of several officers in Municipal Corporation of Delhi, officials said on Saturday.

These appointments have been done after selection through a "duly laid down procedure" through open advertisements, shortlisting by a selection committee on weightage provided to prefixed criteria and interviews, they said.

The LG has "approved the appointment of three additional deputy commissioners/joint assessor and collector, and 19 administrative officers/assistant assessor and collectors in MCD," a Raj Niwas official said.

Ever since taking over as the LG, Saxena has

been pitching for efficiency in MCD and had instructed officials to fill up vacant posts at the earliest, he said.

"Appointed on deputation from other government services and departments like CSS, IRS, NDMC, CAG, CGST & CE and Income Tax Deptt. etc., these officers will help the understaffed Corporation to a large extent, in better discharge of its administrative, revenue generation, valuation and collection functions," the official said.

Mall Road Bridge and Bharat Nagar, scheduled to be completed by the middle of January 2023 is going on in full earnest and is ahead of schedule, the statement said.

The 57-km long drain has as many as 122 drains discharging sewage. This makes Najafgarh Drain the biggest polluter of River Yamuna.

BAIL PLEA SAYS...

The bail application moved through the legal aid counsel has stated that the initial investigation in the matter is completed and a charge sheet is to be filed. It further said: the matter will take longer to be completed, therefore there is no use in keeping the accused behind bars. It would hamper his life progress. The application has stated that in these circumstances the accused may be released on bail. Aaftab Poonawala is in judicial custody till December 23. He was earlier also produced through video conferencing before the court due to safety reasons.

lier in the day directed Tihar jail authorities to produce Aaftab Poonawala after receiving a report from prison authorities that Poonawala did not instruct any lawyer to file his bail.

The Additional Sessions Judge asked the Jail authorities to pro-

duce Aaftab through video conferencing at 11.30 am.

The court said that the prison report was received on Friday containing Aaftab's handwritten letter stating that the bail application has been filed erroneously and he had no

communication in this regard.

A report from jail through the E-Mail stated that Aaftab has not instructed any lawyer to file the bail application.

On the other hand, advocate MS Khan submitted that he has filed the application and has a 'vakalatnama' signed by Aaftab, which has been duly signed by the jail authorities.

Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad has appeared for Delhi Police and the Nirbhaya Gang Rape case's lawyer Advocate Seema Kushwaha has also reached there.

The court said it would talk to Aaftab on whether he has consulted any lawyer.

Man throws 2-yr-old son from 1st floor after fight with wife

New Delhi (PTI): Following a spat with his wife, a 30-year-old man allegedly threw his twoyear-old son from the first-floor terrace of a building in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji area under the influence of alcohol and then jumped off it, police said on Saturday.

Both Man Singh and his son were injured in the incident and are undergoing treatment at a hospital here, they said.

Police said the incident took place around 10:30 pm on Friday.

The man's wife, Pooja, has alleged that they shared a strained relationship and she was living with her grand-

A case under Sec 307 (attempt to murder) IPC was registered, the police said

mother along with her son, police officials said. She said her husband arrived at her residence around 7 pm in an inebriated state and picked a fight with her, they added.

Following the fight, the man took the child to the first-floor terrace and flung him to the ground from a height of around 21 feet. He himself jumped off the terrace after that, a senior police officer said.

997 security personnel in district courts, HC told

New Delhi (PTI): To strengthen the security arrangements of all seven district courts in the capital, 997 security personnel, including those from local police and CAPF, have been deployed there, Delhi High Court was informed.

In a status report filed before the HC, Delhi Police has also said more than 2,700 CCTVs, 85 baggage scanners, 242 hand-held metal detectors and 146 door-frame metal detectors have been installed in the district courts.

The report was filed in relation to the high

court's suo motu case and a petition on the safety and security on the court premises, following the September 24 shootout in a courtroom in the Rohini district court that killed three people.

In its latest status re-

5 of family hurt as man self-immolates at home

First India Bureau

New Delhi: Following an argument with his wife, a 35-year-old man identified as Abhinay Gupta set himself on fire at his residence in South Delhi’s Fatehpur Beri on Friday night, the police said. Five others of the family, including a 6-year-old boy and an infant, who were in the room where Gupta doused himself with kerosene, were injured in the incident.

His wife Neha Gupta (30) and mother Prashila

PET-WERNAL LOVE

Gupta (65) sustained burn injuries trying to put the fire out, they said. The couple’s two sons Rihaan (6) and 8-month-old Shivaan suffered minor burns as they were in the same room, police said.

Abhinay Gupta and his mother Prashila were admitted in the burns ward at the AIIMS with 50 per cent and 20 per cent burn injuries respectively, he said, adding that the wife and the kids were taken to Safdarjung Hospital with minor burns.

port, Delhi Police informed the court that as on November 30, 997 security personnel were deployed in the district courts as opposed to 783 on October 26, 2021.

The figure includes 493 security staff, 243 Central Armed Police

Forces (CAPF) personnel and 261 police personnel, it said.

Total 313 security personnel are also present at HC, besides several door-frame and handheld metal detectors, CCTVs and other facilities, the report added.

It also said additionally, boom barriers and 59 wireless sets and control rooms for prompt communication have been given to these institutions and every person entering the court premises is subjected to searching and frisking.

‘Cops involved’: Family of missing DDA official

The Delhi High Court will hear the family’s petition in January

First India Bureau

New Delhi: Shiv Kumar, 30, a junior secretariat assistant at DDA, went missing over a month ago after he was briefly detained at Model Town police station over a woman’s plaint alleging harassment. His family suspects the role of the local police.

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

The probe has left several questions unanswered, such as the role of Shiv’s friends who informed the family about his room being left open, the lack of Shiv’s statement to the police after the complaint in which he was detained, the three other persons who were detained along with him at the police station that night, and the absence of any action against the police personnel who were seen in CCTV footage with Shiv on November 9.

Police had picked up Shiv, along with three other people, after receiving a call at 1.51 am from Sonia, a local resident who alleged that a “man is misbehaving with a woman at the park”. But they noted that the complainant “doesn’t want to record a statement or follow the case legally”.

BY PTI

While Model Town police had initially denied any information on Shiv, one of his friends allegedly spotted an entry about Shiv's detention in a police register. CCTV footage later shared with the family revealed that Shiv had walked out of the police station around 4 am on November 9 – the last time he was seen in public.

Alleging a delay of 9 days in lodging a missing persons FIR, Shiv’s father Ravendra Kumar, a 61-yr-old retired UP Police official, and his brother Pawan filed several applications to Delhi Police seeking a probe. Unsatisfied with the response, spooked by prank calls asking for huge amounts for information about their son, and fatigued by their daily runs to random railway stations, bus stops and night shelters to look for Shiv, the family has now filed a habe-

According to several local residents in the neighbourhood, Shiv’s behaviour was abrupt on the night of November 9. They said that he created a ruckus in the locality “with a knife” that night while knocking on doors, and the police also say that CCTV footage shows him carrying a sharp weapon. His family, however, denies that he had any mental health issues.

When the family has raised concerns about conduct of police, how could the same set of people carry out probe in this case.

as corpus plea at Delhi HC seeking a CBI probe.

While the court will hear the matter on January 16, the case has now been transferred to the crime branch.

“When the family has raised concerns about conduct of police, how could the same set of people carry out probe in this case…not informing Shiv’s family at any

point of time amounts to a lapse on part of police,” said Heenu Mahajan, the lawyer representing Shiv’s family.

Ravendra and Pawan had come to Delhi from UP on November 10 to file a missing plaint after Shiv’s friends failed to trace him at his tworoom apartment, which they found unlocked in Guru Teg Bahadur area.

On November 12, Ravendra wrote to offices of Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora and North West DCP Usha Rangrani, claiming the family was “misled by police”. An abduction case was subsequently filed on November 18 but mentioned neither any suspect nor any delay in the columns.

New Delhi (ANI):

Aaftab says he is unaware of any such plea; lawyer tells court he had signed ‘vakalatnama’ for the same

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday asked the newly-elected AAP councillors to visit every colony in their ward and get it cleaned in their presence. "We all have to clean Delhi together. I appeal to all councillors -go to each and every street, colony in your ward and get it cleaned in your presence," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

CLEAN EVERY STREET: KEJRIWAL TO AAP COUNCILLORS

People with their pets during Pet Festival at NSIC, Okhla, in New Delhi on Saturday.

—PHOTO

—Heenu Mahajan, Lawyer

Acid attack: Girl wished to be a judge, study in London

NEIGHBOURS IN SHOCK

J asvir Sharma has a toy store in the area where the girl lives. It's within a few steps of where the acid attack took place. Sharma couldn't fathom why such a deadly substance as acid was so easily available. "Why can’t it be put out of circulation completely?” he asked.

Man duped of 2L ordering wine for home delivery

Gurugram (PTI): A man was allegedly duped of around Rs 2 lakh while ordering wine to be delivered to his home, police said on Saturday.

First India Bureau

New Delhi: The family of the 17-year-old girl who was attacked with acid in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka had moved into their three-room apartment here nearly two years ago. The house has been mostly locked since the attack took place Wednesday morning, with family members attending to the teenager at the burns ward of Safdarjung Hospital. The Class 12 student had just stepped out to go to school when two bikeborne men threw acid on her face.

Mahesh Kumar, who lives on the floor below the victim's and whose daughter is friends with her, said he realised what had happened when the girl's parents came running to him and asked him to start his motorcycle. “As soon as she managed to sit on the bike, I noticed

She’s a very bright and intelligent girl who has interest in the legal field. I remember her telling me she would like to become a judge someday.

fumes rising from her face and neck. She was struggling to open her eyes,” he recalled. That's when the girl's father told Mahesh that “somebody had poured acid on her".

They took her to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital and informed the police who filed an FIR. From Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, the girl was referred to Safdarjung Hospital

Vandana, who runs a stationary shop right outside the victim's house said, “This is nothing but a lapse on the part of the government. These men ordered acid online. It's as easy as purchasing clothes.”

Devendra Singh, a retired government employee, shifted to this area in 2012. His house is right opposite the spot where the attack happened. He came to know about it two hours later. “As you can see, despite what happened here there’s hardly any police presence,” he complained. The nearest police picket is the Mohan Garden station a few kilometres away. “We don’t have strict laws and so there is no sense of fear. Is there a way to keep tabs on the sale of acid even online?”

the same day. “She’s a very bright and intelligent girl who has interest in the legal field. I remember her telling me she would like to become a judge someday," Mahesh said. Mahesh’s daughter said her friend had already started preparing for life after school next year. “She had spoken to a career counsellor and had plans to go to London,” she said.

The main accused is Sachin Arora, who alleged stalked the survivor for sometime before attacking her. “Yes,

‘My daughter unable to speak or eat,’ says MCD school student’s father

New Delhi: The father of the Class 5 girl who was assaulted by an MCD school teacher is still struggling to come to terms with the incident and said his daughter is unable to eat or speak due to a broken cheekbone.

The child is still in Safdarjung Hospital.

According to her father, the girl has also suffered injuries on her legs and the side of her head.

"She is unable to eat or drink anything. The doctor told us that she would be discharged today. But they informed us that she will be kept under observation for two more days," the father said.

He has demanded a harsher punishment for the teacher, saying

Ailing man given oxygen support on train to Delhi

Bhopal (PTI): A 40-yrold man being rushed to a hospital in Delhi from Raipur was provided an oxygen cylinder in time at Bhopal station after his oxygen levels dropped precariously enroute.

Kadar Yadav's oxygen saturation was 80-85 per cent, which calls for immediate medical help amid a threat of hypoxia, when the BilaspurRajdhani Express was passing through MP in the intervening night of December 15-16, Dheeraj Kumar, the male nurse accompanying him said.

"how could someone do this to a child".

Recalling the events of the day, the father, who is a daily wager, said he was informed about his daughter's injuries on a call from the school.

"I was at work when we received informa-

tion from the school about the assault. We rushed to the school where we were told that she has been admitted to the Hindu Rao Hospital. I ran there," he said.

The father said the minor cried when he saw him and his wife

lost consciousness.

BY ANI

"Though she was unable to speak when I saw her she started crying. My wife on the other hand fell unconscious," he said.

"We want the teacher to be removed and severely punished. She could harm any child. We send our children for education. She can do same thing to other students," he added.

According to the police, the teacher locked herself inside a classroom with students and "violently" threw water bottles before she picked up the girl, cut her hair and tossed her from the balcony.

According to doctors, the girl, aged around 17, has sustained a fracture in a facial bone.

Man arrested for impersonating judge, threatening police

New Delhi (ANI): A man impersonating a judge of Delhi High Court was arrested after he sent messages to police officers trying to extort money, confirmed Delhi Police.

The accused was identified as Narender Aggarwal of Adarsh Nagar here.

The incident came to light when ACP subdivision Samaypur Badli Outer North District, Anurag Dwivedi, received a WhatsApp message on his phone that said, "Hi, here is Justice (name with-

held) sitting judge Delhi HC, call me urgently." It was said that the person, who sent the message, would visit Police Station Samaypur Badli at 5 pm in connection with a writ petition.

Dwivedi had conveyed the message to SHO Samaypur Badli Inspector Sanjay Kumar. Around 5pm, a person in his 60s

walked into the station and claimed to be the judge. He told them he had come in connection with personal verification of a writ petition filed in connection with organised crime running in the area.

The so-called judge then asked the SHO to Pay Rs 5 lakh for getting the petition be set aside, or else they might be in trouble and lose jobs.

As there was no official communication from the HC regarding the visit of any Judge, the SHO got suspicious.

he would follow her on his scooty and repeatedly try and speak with her,” the friend said.

Arora lived in the same neighborhood as the victim before her family shifted to the new apartment.

Her father runs a business selling rubber stamps and vehicle licence plates, and also deals in real estate. The girl lived with her parents, two younger siblings and their grandmother. “Her grandmother is the most upset of them all," said a neighbour.

According to the complaint, Chandrakant Takkar of Emerald Floor Premier, sector 65 dialled the number of Jagadish wine shop that he found on internet.

"The user of that phone number introduced himself as if he was talking from the wine shop and by the way of impersonation induced me to send him Rs 50 for billing. Later he took my credit card details and duped me of Rs 1,91,362. He could not be contacted again," he said.

"After a long wait he neither delivered liquor nor returned my money, following which I moved to police," Takkar added.

An FIR was registered against the unknown fraudsters under sections 419 (cheating by impersonation) and 420 (cheating) of IPC at a cyber crime police station.

"We have put the mobile number used in fraud on surveillance and are investigating. The accused will be nabbed as earliest possible," ASI Manjeet Dalal, investigating officer, said.

Gurugram (PTI): Police issued a traffic advisory ahead of the proposed protest

“Those travelling from Gurugram or Delhi towards Jaipur may take a diversion route from Rajiv chowk to Sohna and then use the KMP route. Those commuting from Gurugram to Jaipur may also take a diversion from Hero Honda chowk to Pataudi road,” read the advisory.

FIRE BREAKS OUT AT DELHI HOSPITAL, 5 FIRE TENDERS RUSHED

New Delhi (ANI): A fire broke out at at the Pheonix Hospital in South Delhi’s Greater Kailash Part 1 on Saturday morning. No injuries have been reported so far. The blaze was reported in the basement of the hospital. A fire call was received at 0908 this morning. A total of five fire tenders were rushed to the site and the blaze is now under control, fire department officials said. The cause of the blaze has not yet been ascertained.

IGL HIKES CNG PRICE BY 95 PAISE; GURUGRAM PRICE NOW `87.89

New Delhi (ANI): Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has decided to increase the prices of CNG in the region from Saturday, December 17. Now, CNG will be 95 paise costlier. Customers will now have to pay up to Rs 79.56 for a kg of CNG in Delhi, while it will cost around Rs 82.12 per kg in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. It will be the costliest in Gurugram, with a kg of CNG priced at Rs 87.89 from today. Gas distributors have been periodically raising prices since October last year when domestic as well as international gas prices started to climb. Earlier in May, it was hiked by two rupees, while on October 8 it became costlier by three rupees. The CNG prices in Delhi have gone up by more than 20 rupees in the past 9 months.

to demand the formation of Ahir regiment near Kherki Dhaula toll plaza here on Sunday, officials said. The police said a number of diversions have been put in place since the traffic flow may get affected due to the protest on December 18. Those coming from Jaipur may take diversion from Pachgaon and follow KMP for Delhi and other areas, the advisory said. Those commuting from Manesar to Gurugram or Delhi may follow U-turn from Givo cut near Kherki Dhaula toll and take SPR to Golf course extension route, it added.

Neighbours recall the morning when the horrific attack took place just outside the girl’s house

National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) and other organisation members holding placards stage a protest over crimes against women and the recent acid attack on a 17-yearold girl, in New Delhi on Friday. —PHOTO BY ANI

—Mahesh Kumar, ,neighbour

Central Delhi DCP Shweta Chauhan at the school on Friday.

—PHOTO

We want the teacher to be severely punished... We send our kids for education. She can do same to others.

—father of girl who faced acid attack

ARG VS FRA: THE FINAL CLASH OF TITANS TODAY

PRIZE MONEY

The world cup champion team will get an amount of 45 million dollars and the runner-up team to receive 30 million dollars. Meanwhile, the third-placed team will be given $27 million and the fourth-placed team will win $25 MILLION

rgentina and France will face off in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final today at Lusail Stadium.

Their respective journeys have been more similar than distinct because both teams lost one game on the road to the championship game.

After a terrible performance against Saudi Arabia, Argentina has been flawless, scoring goals and playing solid defence, while riding the Messi Magic. They just finished a nearly flawless game against Croatia, where Lionel Messi’s sensational performance helped Argentina reach their second World Cup Final in three years.

Matchup History between France and Argentina

Argentina and France have played three times previously at the FIFA World Cup. Argentina won the first two meetings in 1930 and 1978, while France knocked Argentina out of the 2018 World Cup in the Round of 16.

France ended up on the winning side after a seven-goal thriller. Kylian Mbappe was introduced to the world during the 4-3 victory in 2018 when his double was a major factor in Les Blues’ advancing to the quarterfinals.

Presented India’s National Statement at the UN Biodiversity Conference, COP15.

Highlighted that under PM Shri @narendramodi ji, India’s balance sheet in implementing the Aichi targets is forwardlooking and the country is on track to meeting its commitments.

PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT

never really seemed to be in peak shape. The French have nonetheless advanced to a World Cup final and given themselves a solid chance to retain the title they earned in 2018.

They found it difficult to fully utilise their abundance of attacking talent against England because England outplayed them. They once again prevailed over Morocco without really appearing to be playing at their best. Against Argentina, France will be tested thoroughly. France will look to players like Kylian Mabppe to lead them.

The top four scorers from each team in the FIFA World Cup 2022 are distributed equally. With five goals each, Kylian Mbappe of France and Lionel Messi of Argentina are tied for the most goals scored at the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Although it is a result that the Argentinians will undoubtedly not have forgotten either. Even though they have six of the previous 12 encounters between the two, they would gladly swap all of those memories if they lift the World Cup trophy on Sunday.

Journey of Argentina

Argentina has been able to im-

prove throughout the competition to the point, where they are just inches away from a surprising World Cup victory. After they managed to defeat both Mexico and Poland in their group, their 2-1 setback to Saudi Arabia feels like a distant memory.

Argentina was tested to the limit in challenging encounters against Australia and the Neth-

Comments of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto against PM @ narendramodi who is truly a tall global leader, is comical and shows Mr. Bhutto in very poor light lacking even the basic civility on a prestigious international

like the UN.

erlands, but their best was yet to come as they outplayed Croatia in a superb 3-0 victory in the semifinals.The outcome of this game will probably be influenced by Messi’s antics, and if France permits him to receive the ball in space, he will harm them.

Journey of France

At this World Cup, France has

SPIRITUAL SPEAK

With four goals each, Julian Alvarez (ARG) and Olivier Giroud (FRA) are tied for second. As a result, it is safe to assume that the 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot race will also be decided in the Final, making it an intriguing side story to the main event. It will be France’s fourth World Cup championship game and Argentina’s sixth in the forthcoming ARG vs FRA match. France will only be the third side in history—following Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil to successfully defend a World Cup title if they win the 2022 World Cup final (1958 and 1962).

Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

RAHUL FAUJDAR

The writer is First India staffer & a professional cricketer representing several clubs in Rajasthan

Bhupender Yadav @byadavbjp

Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps, and whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.

The Bhagavad Gita

forum

Ravi Shankar Prasad@rsprasad

LIONEL MESSI, ARGENTINA

The spotlight will be on Messi throughout the Final. The 35-year-old will beat Germany’s Lothar Matthäus for the most World Cup appearances with 26 just by participating in the final. Messi now has 11 goals overall at the World Cup, making him Argentina’s all-time leading scorer with his penalty kick goal against Croatia.

JULIAN ALVAREZ, ARGENTINA

Alvarez has been one of the breakout stars in Argentina. In the round of 16, he scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Australia, and in the semifinals, he gave his team two insurance goals. Alvarez is tied with France’s Olivier Giroud for third in the Golden Boot race with four goals, trailing Messi and Mbappe by only one goal.

KYLIAN MBAPPE, FRANCE Mbappe had a spectacular opening to the World Cup, scoring three goals and providing one assist in France’s opening two games. Then, he contributed two goals and an assist to help Les Bleus defeat Poland 3-1 in the round of 16, surpassing his fourgoal total from the previous tournament.

OLIVIER GIROUD, FRANCE

When France lost Karim Benzema to injury ahead of the World Cup, the defending champs needed Olivier Giroud to step up - and he’s delivered. In the opening match against Australia, Olivier Giroud scored twice and added two more goals in the knockout round.

Strengthen BJP at grassroots level in WB: Amit Shah to party leaders

Union

Home Minister Amit Shah has asked West Bengal BJP leaders to strengthen the grassroot level of the party in the Trinamool Congress-ruled state ahead of the panchayat polls, a senior party leader said on Saturday.

Shah, who held a meeting with senior state party leaders after coming here, said that the BJP should harness “public discontent against the TMC”, BJP’s national Vice-President Dilip Ghosh said.

On Shah’s meeting held at the state BJP headquarters, the TMC’s West Bengal spokesperson Joy Prakash Majumdar claimed that it was a futile attempt to save his party’s state unit from disintegrating.

“Amit-ji is alarmed about the present situation in West Bengal — how TMC leaders have swindled public money and central funds, taken bribes to give jobs to ineligible candidates in schools, the continuing attacks on our men. He wants to see an end to this situation,” Dilip Ghosh told PTI.

BJP WB core meet in Delhi on Monday

Kolkata (ANI): West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday will hold a party core group meeting regarding Lok Sabha election in 2024 and upcoming panchayat polls, said sources.

The state BJP is fully geared up for the Lok Sabha elections and has started pre-

Shah knows that the people want change in West Bengal, but to counter the TMC’s at-

Amaravati farmers oppose AP govt’s move

paring for it. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Amit Shah has also visited West Bengal, taken the ground report there, and continuously motivated the workers.

Subhash Sarkar, Nishith Pramanik, Suvendu Adhikari, Dilip Ghos, Sukanto Ma-

tacks and threats, the BJP will combat them democratically,” Ghosh, a former West Bengal

Jamat-e-Islami properties worth crores sealed in J&K

jumdar, Locket Chatterjee, all MPs and BJP organization general secretary BL Santosh will take part in this meeting.

This meeting will be held in the evening at the residence of Subhash Sarkar, the meeting will be chaired by BL Santosh and Sunil Bansal.

BJP chief, said. The Union home minister held a half-an-hour meeting on Friday

night with leaders like Ghosh, state president Sukanta Majumdar, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and others.

To a question, if Shah also asked leaders to sink their differences, Ghosh said, “Amit-ji knows we stand united. There can be differences of opinion among individuals at times, but that happens in a family. No such issue was discussed.”

Shah came here to chair the Eastern Zonal Council (EZC) meeting at the state secretariat on Saturday.

CM Nitish Kumar, BJP engage in blame game

Patna (Agencies):

The ruling JD(U)-led Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) and the BJP in dry state Bihar are engaged in blame game over hooch tragedy that claimed 73 lives in Saran.

The BJP alleges that due to liquor ban in the state, spurious liquor is being manufactured leading to the death of people.

Over 1,000 people have lost their lives in hooch tragedies and state exchequer is losing Rs 30,000 crore as revenue per year, the BJP claimed.

Though Nitish Kumar always takes credit of liqior ban in the state, whenever a

hooch tragedy occures, he puts the onus of it on every political party which supported the Bill in the Legislative Assembly.

At the same time, Nitish also wants to prove that the “BJP is against the liquor ban” and wants to

send this message to a large section of society, especially women. In his speech in state Assembly, Nitish asked the BJP to clear their stand on liquor ban, saying that: “If you advocate the withdrawal of liquor prohibition law, I will take it back.”

8 MORE DIE IN 2 OTHER BIHAR DISTRICTS

Patna (PTI): Close on the heels of the hooch tragedy in dry Bihar that left many dead in Saran, eight more died allegedly after consuming some spurious liquor in two other districts, officials said on Saturday. Six people died in Siwan district adjoining Saran, while Begusarai witnessed two deaths. Unconfirmed reports claimed that up to 60 people died by drinking

BJP protests Pak FM Bhutto’s remarks against PM Modi

illicitly brewed country liquor in Saran district. Even the official toll of 30 there is the biggest since Bihar went dry six years ago. About the six

NEWS DIGEST

New Delhi (PTI): A big number of farmers from Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh organised a protest here against the state govt’s plan for bringing a law to develop three capitals instead of one, with MPs from various parties joining them to extend their support.

TDP members, including Jayadev Galla and K Rammohan Naidu, BSP’s Danish Ali and YRS Congress’ K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, a dissident leader in the

state’s ruling party, were among the MPs besides several other leaders, including from the Congress and the Left, who expressed their support to the farmers protesting under the banner of the ‘Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi’, according to a statement.

Farmers have demanded that the state govt should stick to the earlier plan of having one capital city in Amaravati as envisaged by former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

Srinagar (PTI):

The Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Saturday sealed several properties worth crores of rupees of the banned Jamat-e-Islami (JeI) across the Union Territory.

The properties at about a dozen locations worth about Rs 100 crore were barred with restrictions on usage and entry in Baramulla, Bandipora, Ganderbal and Kupwara districts. The properties were barred after being notified so by the district magistrates.

New Delhi (PTI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held nationwide protests on Saturday against Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the ruling party sought to rally support from all sections over the issue.

Its members raised slogans and burnt effigies of Pakistan and Bhutto during their protests in state capitals across the country.

Its various state unit presidents, including Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary in Uttar Pradesh and Sanjay Jaiswal in Bihar, led a march of party workers against Bilawal Bhutto’s statement.

“India came together to condemn and protest Bhutto's uncivilized and distasteful comment on PM Modi,” the party said, adding that protests were held in every state.

Islamabad: Pakistan on Saturday rejected India's criticism of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s “uncivilised” outburst against PM Narendra Modi, alleging that it showed New Delhi’s “growing frustration”. Bhutto resorted to a personal attack against PM Modi and slammed the RSS after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar described Pakistan as “epicentre of terrorism” during his recent visit to New York.

ENHANCED BALLISTIC CAPABILITY

HC COMES TO AID OF ENDOSULFAN VICTIM’S FAMILY

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has come to the aid of the family of an endosulfan victim, who died at the age of 11 years, by asking the state govt to write off the loans availed for her treatment, saying neither the State nor the court can be oblivious to plight of such persons and their kin.

PFI: COURT GIVES MAHA ATS 30 MORE DAYS

Mumbai: A special court here on Saturday granted a 30-day extension to the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) to file a charge sheet in connection with the arrest of five members of the Popular Front of India for alleged unlawful activities and waging war against country.

UP: TWO MEN ARRESTED FOR FIRING AT CONSTABLE INSIDE POLICE OUTPOST

“I

Bareilly: Two men were arrested here on Saturday for allegedly firing at a constable inside a police outpost, a police official said. The incident took place at the Nakatiya outpost, which falls under the Cantt police station, on National Highway 24 on Friday night, he said. The accused have been identified as Vikas and Yashpal.

If India wants, Agni missiles can now strike targets beyond 7,000 kms

New Delhi (ANI): Days after the successful trials of the nuclear-capable Agni-5 ballistic missile, India has now developed the capability to strike targets beyond the range of 7,000 kms.

Sources in the defence establishment told ANI that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been able to reduce the weight of the Agni-5 missile by replacing steel content with composite materials. “The

weight reduction that has been achieved in the missile system is beyond 20 per cent and if the government wants, the nuclear-capable strategic missile can go beyond 7,000 kms,” they said.

Sources cited the example of the Agni-3 which weighs around 40 tonnes and can strike targets at 3,000 kms but the Agni-4 weighing slightly more than 20 tonnes can cover a much longer range.

The extended range

of the missile which is part of the Strategic Forces Command will give a variety of options

to the planners during times of conflict.

India’s nuclear weapon programme is main-

INDIA’S ‘NO FIRST USE’ POLICY

on the development of a submarine-launched ballistic missile. The sources said the decision to test the missile for its new maximum possible range will have to be taken by the government.

India had successfully carried out night trials of Agni-5 nuclearcapable ballistic missile on Thursday at its full range of 5400 kms.

which is now lighter than before.

In October last year, India carried out the successful launch of the surface-to-surface ballistic missile, Agni-5 from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.

ly for deterrence against its adversaries including China and Pakistan as it has a no-

first-use policy.

It has been strengthening the second strike capability and is also working

The test was carried out to validate new technologies and equipment on the missile

The missile, which uses a three-stage solidfuelled engine, is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometres with a very high degree of accuracy, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Kolkata (PTI):

Union Minister tells party leaders to harness ‘public discontent against the ruling TMC’

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairs a meeting with the West Bengal BJP core group and other senior leaders, at the Bharatiya Janata Party office, in Kolkata on Saturday. —PHOTO BY ANI

deaths in Bhagwanpur division of Siwan dist since Thursday, SDM Sanjay Kumar said the administration has initiated an investigation.

Raipur: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday condemned Pakistani Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s derogatory remarks on PM Modi and said no one has the right to make such a statement about India’s PM.

condemn the statement made by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister. A befitting reply must be given,” Baghel said.

PAKISTAN REJECTS INDIA’S CRITICISM OF FM BILAWAL’S OUTBURST ON MODI

‘MODI IS OUR PM, NO ONE HAS RIGHT..’ BHUPESH BAGHEL CONDEMNS PAK FM

Amaravati farmers hold a protest over various demands from the Central government, in New Delhi on Saturday. —PHOTO BY ANI

BJP workers protest over Pak Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s remarks against PM Modi, in Jabalpur, on Saturday.

PLAN FOR 3 CAPITALS IN ANDHRA

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. —FILE PHOTO

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea challenging the election of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in 2019 from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala. A bench of justices AS Bopanna and Dipankar Datta rejected the petition filed by Saritha S Nair, who had moved the apex court against an October 31, 2019 decision of the Kerala High Court by which her election petitions challenging the Lok Sabha polls in Wayanad and Ernakulam also were dismissed.

SC DISMISSES PLEA AGAINST RAHUL GANDHI’S ELECTION FROM WAYANAD

BRIEFS

GST Council to allow

for unregistered

New Delhi (Agencies):

Subhrakant

Panda, who was the Senior Vice President of FICCI, succeeded Sanjiv Mehta as President of the apex chamber during the conclusion of the 95th Annual General Meeting.

Panda graduated from the Boston University in 1993 with a dual concentration in Finance and Operations Management. —ANI

The GST Council approved the amendments in the GST Act and GST Rules for allowing unregistered suppliers and composition taxpayers to make intrastate supply of goods through E-Commerce Operators (ECOs), subject to certain conditions.

Appreciating wholeheartedly the major decision of the GST Council to allow small unregistered vendors to sell their goods through e-commerce portals, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Saturday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for this “progressive decision” which was demanded by CAIT since last more than two years.

BY ANI

Montreal: At the ongoing 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal, the Japan Ministry of Environment, the Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation, UNDP, and other partners have announced the launch of the fourth phase of the Community Development and Knowledge Management for the Satoyama Initiative with funding to total an expected one billion Japanese yen in six years. —AGENCIES

MUSK’S TEAM SEEKS NEW FUNDING FOR TWITTER: REPORT

CAIT national president B.C. Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said this decision will empower small traders who are below GST threshold limit to expand their business through e-commerce and will strongly strengthen Digital India vision.

There are more than 8 crore small traders in the country but a large number of traders are conduct-

OTHER STORIES

SINGLE DEFINITION FOR SUV IN ALL STATES

New Delhi: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Saturday decided to have a single definition across all states in the country for sports utility vehicles, attracting a higher tax rate. Currently cars with engine capacity exceeding 1500 cc, length exceeding 4000 mm and having ground clearance of 170 mm attract a GST of 28% and a 22% cess, taking the effective tax rate to 50%. However, states do not have a consistent definition define a vehicle as a SUV, leading to confusion among automakers. The council, composed of state finance ministers and chaired by the Union Finance Minister, decided that all the criteria including engine capacity, length and ground clearance has to met for a vehicle to be classified as a SUV. “If cars do not meet any of these criteria, lower cess rate will be applicable,” said Vivek Johri, Chairman of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

ing business activities without GST registration since their annual sale is below the GST threshold limit. Such traders will now be able to trade on e-

ASSAM SPECIALTY ‘MANOHARI GOLD TEA’ AUCTIONED FOR ` 1.15 LAKH PER KG

Mumbai: A specialty tea from Assam’s Dibrugarh district was sold for Rs 1.15 lakh per kg at a private auction on Friday, the proprietor of the tea estate said. ‘Manohari Gold Tea’ fetched the price at an auction on private portal Tea Inntech, Rajan Lohia of Manohari Tea Estate said. “Due to the cap of Rs 1 lakh per kg set by the Tea Board India at Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC), we had to sell this batch through private auction this year,” Lohia said. This is the highest price fetched for tea at such auctions anywhere, he claimed. One kilogramme of the specialty tea was bought by RK Tea Sales, he said. PTI

INDIA’S FOREX

San Francisco: The managing director of Elon Musk’s family office is seeking new equity investors for Twitter, as per recent reports, citing 2 people familiar with the fundraising effort. Musk’s money manager, Jared Birchall, reached out to potential investors this week, offering shares of Twitter at the same price, $54.20, that Musk paid to take the company private in October, according to the report. Musk sold another $3.6 billion worth of shares in Tesla Inc earlier this week, making it nearly $40 billion worth of shares in the electric-vehicle company sold this year. —PTI

GOLDMAN SACHS TO LAY OFF ALMOST 4,000 EMPLOYEES

New Delhi: Goldman Sachs is preparing to lay off as many as 3,900 employees starting in January as chief executive David Solomon seeks to boost the bank’s profitability amid economic headwinds. The plans are still being drawn up, and it is possible that the current target for a cull of “up to 8%” of its 49,000 global workforce will be slimmed down if the business outlook improves, as per 3 people familiar with the discussions.

Govt working to achieve defence production target of $22 bn by 2025: Singh

New Delhi (Agencies): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said the government is working and committed to increasing the defence production target from current $12 billion to $22 billion by 2025.

BY ANI

commerce.

Earlier, GST Council in its 47th meeting had granted in-principle approval for allowing unregistered suppliers and composition

taxpayers to make intrastate supply of goods through ECOs, subject to certain conditions. CAIT said that India is fast emerging as the e-commerce hub and there is tremendous growth in online business.

E-commerce business in India is now approximately 10 per cent of total retail.

“In view of this it was extremely pertinent that small vendors, those who have small turnovers and do not fall under the purview of the GST, were not able to conduct online business, thus causing huge loss of market and business opportunities,” a statement said.

“You (industry) can imagine, with this kind of growth, how many opportunities will be available for the Indian industry,” the Defence Minister said while addressing FICCI’s 95th Annual Convention & AGM. He further underlined that to increase the participation of domestic industry, the government has reserved a certain portion of defence capital acquisition for domestic procurement.

“Out of the total defence capital budget outlay, 68 per cent of it is reserved for indigenous procurement by domestic industry and 25% for the private sector. The results of these have now started appearing and more measures will be announced soon,” he emphasised.

The government, he said, is also working to provide market access to the domestic industry to make them Aatmanirbhar. Singh said that in the last few years, there has been a continuous increase in de-

Indian roads to match US standards by 2024: Nitin

RECENT REFORMS HELPED ECONOMY EXIT ‘FRAGILE 5’ TO BECOME ‘FABULOUS 5’: RAJNATH

New Delhi (ANI): Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that the Indian economy has now exited the ‘Fragile 5’ category to join the league of the “Fabulous 5” and over the past eight-and-a-half years with a size of USD 3.5 trillion the country has become the fifth largest global economy. Participating at industry body FICCI’s annual general meeting here, he said: “In nine years, the Indian economy has now come out of the Fragile 5 category to become Fabulous 5.” This bullish growth outlook for the Indian economy, Singh, said he believes is due to “procedural and structural” reforms introduced by the government led by PM Narendra Modi.

fence exports. The government has already taken a series of steps including simplifying the FDI norms which have been increased to 74% via automatic route and 100% via government route, he added.

‘WORKING TO INTRODUCE INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE IN ALL HOSPITALS’

RESERVES

UP FOR 5TH CONSECUTIVE WEEK

New Delhi: India’s foreign exchange reserves during the week that ended on December 9 rose by USD 2.91 billion to USD 564.07 billion, the RBI data showed. Notably, this is the fifth consecutive week of India’s rising foreign exchange reserves. During the week that ended December 2, the country’s forex reserves were at USD 561.16 billion, earlier data showed. According to RBI’s latest data, India’s foreign currency assets, which are the biggest component of the forex reserves, rose by USD 3.14 billion to USD 500.12 billion. ANI

TWITTER SUSPENDS MICROBLOGGING SITE KOO’S ACCOUNT

New Delhi: Twitter has suspended the account of Indian microblogging platform Koo. The Twitter handle @kooeminence was suspended, a development that came in the wake of Elon Musk-owned Twitter suspending the accounts of several prominent global journalists, including those from the New York Times and Washington Post. Taking to Twitter, Mayank Bidawatka, co-founder of the homegrown microblogging platform said, “I forgot. There’s more! - Banning Mastodon account. - Not allowing mastodon links saying it’s unsafe. — PTI

New Delhi (ANI): Before the end of 2024, road infrastructure will be equal to the standard of the USA, said Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari Addressing the 95th FICCI Annual convention here, the minister said that “We are making the World Standard Road infrastructure in the country and promising you that before the end of 24, our road infrastructure will be equal to the standard of the USA, American standards.”

Addressing the issue of logistics cost he said that it is an effort to take up to 9 per cent by the end of 2024.

“Our logistics cost is a big problem. Presently, it comes to 16%, but I am promising you that up to the end of 24, we will take it to the single digit, up to 9 per cent”, he added.

Talking about the con-

struction industry which consumes 40% of Global resources, the Minister said that we are trying to minimize the use of steel in construction work by adopting substitutes.

“We know that the construction industry not only contributes significantly to environmental pollution but also conserves 40% of Global materials & resources. We focus on reducing the cost of resources and improving the quality of construction”, said Gadkari.

TO CREATE MORE JOBS IN INDIA

z Talking about Electric mobility, Gadkari said India should be the leader in this sector. Electric mobility will be the most effective transport system by 2030

z Gadkari said, automobile industry is of Rs 7.5 lakh cr & we want to take it up to 15 lakh cr to create new jobs to make India one of the biggest automobile manufacturers in the world

New Delhi (PTI): Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday said the central government is working towards setting up a separate wing for integrative medicine, an approach that combines conventional medicine with complementary treatments, in all the medical colleges and hospitals.

Mandaviya, who delivered a keynote address at International Integrative Health and Wellbeing (IHW) Conference, 2022 organised by Heartfulness, said the government has established 1,50,000 health

First India Bureau

New Delhi: BGR.in (Broad Guidance & Ratings) organised the third edition of its annual Tech Excellence Awards that aims to highlight and honour the efforts of all the stakeholders from the industry and from the government that are helping in realising the dream of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

MoS for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar delivered the keynote address followed by the awards ceremony. This year, BGR Tech Excellence Awards felici-

and wellness centres across platforms that promote meditation, yoga, and all aspects and activities pertaining to integrated health and wellbeing.

“In the coming days, we have started working on having a separate division for integrative medicine in all medical colleges or hospitals, and to have arrangements for research,” he said in a tweet.

Integrative medicine is the need of the hour, he stressed in another tweet. Noting that research should not be restricted to government laboratories alone, the union minister said the Centre wants to open research that recognises the spiritual dimension and encourage public private partnership.

JAPAN COMMITS 1 BILLION YEN

New Delhi: Industrialist

Panda on Saturday formally took over as President of the leading industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

SUBHRAKANT PANDA FORMALLY TAKES OVER AS FICCI PREZ

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chairs the 48th meeting of the GST Council via virtual mode, with the Finance Ministers of State and UTs and Senior officers from the Central government and states in New Delhi on Saturday.

—PHOTO

—PHOTO

Mirch Masala

FIRST INDIA SUNDAY SPECIAL

BY TRIDIB RAMAN

L ast week, BJP MP Kirodi

Lal Meena introduced a private member’s bill in Par liament seeking a Uniform Civil Code. When it was time to vote, Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha stood up, told a fellow MP sitting with him that he had an important phone call, he had to go out and talk (even though jammers are installed in

LEADERS ON STAGE, SANS THE AUDIENCE IN BIHAR

House and thus, there is no phone netowrk within the House). Soon after Chadha left the house, AAP MP Sanjay Singh also got up to leave, and told his fellow MP sitting next to him, ‘Look, our party’s stand on this issue is neither in favour nor against, so I will not be able to vote, so I am also going out.’ So, finally the bill got 63 votes in favour 23 votes against it.

HC denies bail to man accused of mass conversion racket

First India Bureau

New Delhi: The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has refused bail to Mohammad Umar Gautam, a converted Muslim who was arrested last year on allegations of running a mass conversion racket in Uttar Pradesh.

Ever since Akhilesh Prasad Singh, a Bhumihar leader from Bihar, has been made the new President of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee, courtesy of Kharge, his spirits are soaring. On December 11, Akhilesh brought some tall Congress leaders from Bihar in a chartered flight from Delhi to Patna, where they were to perform a ‘mega show’ at the local Bapu Auditorium in Patna. Leaders like Meera Kumar, Tariq Anwar, Congress in-charge of Bihar Bhakta Charan Das had reached Patna by boarding this chartered flight of Singh. When these leaders reached the Bapu Auditorium, they were stunned to see that the stage was packed with a crowd of leaders, but there were only two to four people to listen to the speakers. Now it is no longer a matter of saying that Congress workers are missing in Bihar and only leaders have, somehow, survived.

RANI SAHIBA PRATIBHA SINGH PROPOSES, BJP DISPOSES

When the Congress won in Himachal Pradesh, Rani Sahiba i.e. Congress MP from Mandi, Pratibha Singh bluntly said that ‘this is the tribute of the people of Himachal Pradesh to Raja Virbhadra Singh.’ After this, Priyanka Gandhi, through Rajeev Shukla, conveyed a message to the victorious Congress MLAs that ‘even if any leader of the party calls them for a meeting at their house, they do not have to go.’ But still, 12 Congress MLAs went to Rani Sahiba’s house on her invitation, while Rani Sahiba expected that some 25 MLAs are definitely their own this time. After this, Pratibha, through Harsh Mahajan, who joined BJP, sent a message to the BJP top brass that ‘if BJP is ready to make her the Chief Minister, she can juggle more than 12 MLAs.’ But this proposal was rejected. PM Modi straight-forwardly declined as the PM did not want that ‘Operation Lotus’ should be splashed on such a big victory of Gujarat. Right now, Sahiba has been asked to wait till the right time comes, and it has to be seen whether Rani Sahiba will also prove to be ‘Eknath Shinde’ of Congress in the coming days.

Amit Shah was continuously receiving plaints from party unit in Madhya Pradesh that Jyotiraditya Scindia was running a parallel organization of party in state, alleging that he was repeatedly reaching Bhopal & Gwalior and taking meetings of his loyal ministers, MLAs & party workers and planning his future strategy with them.

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan also had the same complaint that ‘no person in BJP can be bigger than the organisation, since only the state president has the right to call such meetings.’ He reprimanded them by calling them to ‘focus on their ministry instead of MP.’ Only after this there was hue & cry in the media about the chaos at Delhi airport and Jyotiraditya also had to shift his immediate focus towards that.

Few days back, Chandrashekhar Rao was in New Delhi, where he inaugurated the party office of his newly named party ‘Bharat Rashtra Samithi’. The next day, he invited more than 1,500 people for dinner, including MPs, MLAs, Ministers and many office bearers of his party, where Rao expressed his desire that he wishes to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. At the same time, Rao also emphasised that unlike Nitish Kumar, ‘no strong front can be formed against the ruling BJP unless the Congress is included in it’.

DMK

Karnataka are busy preparing the blueprint of their future politics. Sources say that the health of both these leaders is not too good. It is also being heard that they have to go to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore every month for their treatment.

Stalin has fixed his son Udhayanidhi Stalin as his successor, although no formal announcement has been made in this regard, but Udhayanidhi has been made a Cabinet Minister. This preparation is for the 2024 elections. Although Stalin’s father Karunanidhi declared himself an atheist, but Stalin’s views are slightly different from his father’s. He does not support Brahmanism and Manuism, but he has deep faith in God. Before every auspicious work, he goes to Madurai’s Meenakshi Temple to offer prayers. He also follows the advice of a special astrologer, and on the advice of that astrologer, he has decided his successor.

The Division Bench of Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Saroj Yadav passed this order while hearing a Criminal Appeal filed by Md Umar Gautam challenging the order dated 05.05.2022 of refusal of bail by the Special Judge, NIA/ ATS/ Additional District & Sessions Judge, Lucknow.

The FIR in this case was lodged on 20.06.2021 at Police Station ATS

Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, against Umar Gautam, Mufti Qazi Jahangir Qasmi, Chairman of Islamic Dawah Centre (IDC), and unknown persons.

The FIR said that Umar Gautam and his associates were run-

Ankita Murder: Charge sheet filed

Dehradun (ANI): The Uttarkhand Police on Saturday filed a charge sheet against the three persons accused of the murder of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari and submitted it before the Kotdwar court.

“We are going to file a 500-page chargesheet within 90 days in this case. Around 100 people have been examined in the matter,” Additional Director General (ADG) V Murugesan of Uttarakhand Police said in a joint press conference with the probe incharge of the Special Investigation Team P Renuka Devi. He further said that the chargesheet has been

filed under relevant sections of the IPC and Unethical Business Prevention Act (IBPA).

“The Narco test and other points are being discussed in the said incident,” he added.

Ankita worked as a receptionist at a resort run by Pulkit Arya, the son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya.

ning IDC for the purpose of conversion and a huge fund was being provided to it from different sources including foreign countries.

Gautam’s counsel argued that the appellant is an educated and law abiding citizen working

‘CANNOT BE SAID HE IS INNOCENT’

The court observed, “It cannot be said that he is innocent. The evidence collected during course of investigation by ATS and charge sheet submitted reflects that he was carrying on anti-national activities with help of anti-social elements. He has also received a huge sum of money in his personal accounts.”

as Lecturer in Jamia Millia University since 1991. He created a charitable trust in the name of “Fatima Charitable Foundation” in the year 2007 with its Registered Office at New Delhi. Under the aegis of the said trust, IDC was estab-

FIRE OF OUTRAGE

lished at New Delhi with sole objective to help needy and unprivileged people.

The court, however, held that “Prima facie, it transpires from the record that the appellant has admitted that he is running an organization in the name of Islamic Dawah Centre (IDC) which welcomes people who embrace Islam and he has engaged his associates, who are co-accused in the case, by preparing documents for conversion of a person belonging to another religion for embracing Islam and he has categorically stated in his bail application that the said conversion was being carried out by his organization for the last so many years.”

7 journalists jailed in India: CPJ report

New battalions of PAC in Shamli, Bijnor: Yogi

Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said new battalions of the Provincial Armed Constabulary will be set up in Shamli and Bijnor districts.

He said the government has also given its consent for establishment of three more women’s battalions.

Speaking at PAC’s Foundation Day ceremony here, Adityanath said 1,262 posts have

been sanctioned for each of the three women’s battalions to be set up in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Badaun.

Besides, 1,029 posts for SDRF, 433 posts for security of Lucknow Metro and 381 posts for Noida Metro have also been ap proved by the gov ernment, he said.

Adityanath said the UP government is

leaving no stone unturned to strengthen the force and has sanctioned funds from the State Disaster Response Fund for the purchase of motor boats and equipment for PAC’s 17 flood relief compa-

“A total of 1,231 PAC personnel have been posted as pilot drivers in UP 112,” he said.

For smooth functioning of the traffic system, 645 platoon commanders have received training of traffic subinspectors whereas 75 platoon commanders and 301 head constables have been sent for traffic training, he said.

Ninety per cent of the jawans from PAC have been sent on deputation to the SSF constituted for the security of courts and other establishments, he said.

New Delhi: The number of journalists jailed for doing their job has touched a record high this year, seeing a jump of 20 percent as compared to last year with a tally of 323, according to the annual prison census by the Committee to Protect Journalists. India continues to remain at a record high for the second consecutive year, with seven journalists behind bars, including six charged under the stringent UAPA, it said.

According to CPJ, in India the seven journalists imprisoned are Aasif Sultan, Siddique Kappan, Gautam Navlakha, Manan Dar, Sajad Gul, Fahad Shah and Rupesh Kumar Singh. Three of them have been in jail for more than a year. It said that the country continues to draw criticism over its treatment of the media, in particular for using the preventive detention law UAPA.

‘No praise enough for valour of armed forces’

New Delhi (PTI): Bravery and valour displayed by the armed forces during the Galwan valley clashes and the recent face-off in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh is commendable and no amount of praise for them is enough, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday.

In an address at in-

dustry chamber FICCI, Singh also said that India aspires to become a superpower to ensure global prosperity, but it does not have any intention to dominate other nations or capture even one inch of land of any country, in comments seen as a thinly veiled reference to China’s aggressive behaviour along the borders.

“Any amount of praise is not enough for the armed forces for the way they displayed bravery and valour, be it in Galwan or Tawang,” Singh said. “We have never questioned the intention of any leader in the opposition, we have only debated on the basis of policies. Politics should be based on truth.”

Mohammad Umar Gautam, a converted Muslim, worked as Lecturer in Jamia Milia university and founded Islamic Dawah Centre in New Delhi

Counsel argued that Gautam is an educated, law abiding citizen.

BJP supporters burn effigy and pictures of Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto over his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Gurugram on Saturday.

—PHOTO

BY PTI

First India Bureau

Aasif Sultan Siddique Kappan Sultan

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addresses the 95th Annual Convention and AGM of FICCI, in New Delhi on Saturday.

BY PTI

The author is a journalist and political commentator and views expressed are his personal

Two prominent leaders of South India i.e.

Chief MK Stalin and Janata Dal Secular Chief HD Kumaraswamy of

A am Aadmi Party’s concerns about Punjab have increased. The party itself has a tradition of conducting surveys from time to time in the states it rules. A recent opinion poll by a recognized agency of the party has revealed that “if the Lok Sabha elections are held today, AAP will be able to win only 4 out of 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab.” The reason for it is that Akali Dal is doing ‘Panthic Politics’ on ground level in the state, which is a matter of concern. The Congress is still in disarray there.

Captain Amarinder SIngh joining BJP with all his ‘might’ has increased BJP’s support base in the state and Hindu vote is largely going away from Congress and siding with the BJP. This is also one of the biggest concerns for AAP.

SUPREME ADVICE TO

IS THE AAM AADMI PARTY WORRIED ABOUT PUNJAB?

MK STALIN’s HEALTH IS BAD

FIFA WORLD CUP 2022

FIFA FEVER

1978 and 1986 champions. Who will it be today?

Every four years the fans wait eagerly, patiently, and hopefully, while the players slog, work out, play hard, practice, practice, and practice some more….. and here we are waiting for the whistle to blow for the 2022 FIFA World Cup final game between Argentina and the defending champion France.

These two teams with many experienced, dedicated, quick footed professional players have clashed only three times, in 1930 and 1978 Argentina beat France in group matches, and in 2018 were beaten by France in the ‘round of 16’. France has won the coveted FIFA WC trophy in 1998 and 2018, while Argentina were the

As the hours drag by, I am mulling over a few things like- is this game today between two countries or is it Messi vs. Mbappe? Will the gentle football legend Messi achieve the one record he lacks? Is this really his last World cup? Who is going to get the Golden Boot? Who will win the Golden Ball award? We will just have to wait and watch… Lionel Messi, the Argentinian hero, has left an indelible mark and is regarded as one of the greatest football (soccer) players all times. At 35, Messi holds the record of playing in 5 world cups, and scoring in his teens, 20’s and 30’s. In this World Cup, he has scored 5 goals and assisted or created chances for three more.

Kylian Mbappe, the talented French scorer, is just 23 years old. He is the highest paid football player earning 9.09 crores/year. Like Messi he is known for his dribbling, speed, and finishing touch. Both of them are vying for the Golden boot and Golden Ball awards. Both are the

THE FIFA WORLD CUP IS IN FULL SWING. ULTIMATELY, HOLDERS FRANCE AND ARGENTINA ADVANCED TO THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL, WHICH WILL BE HELD TODAY AT LUSAIL STADIUM IN LUSAIL, QATAR, WITH KICKOFF AT 8.30 P.M. IST. WITH ALL EYES ON ARGENTINA MAESTRO LIONEL MESSI AND FRANCE’S MBAPPE, CITY FIRST BRINGS TO YOU AN INSIGHT OF THE MAGNIFICENT MATCH!

Kylian Mbappé

Lionel Messi

teammates and play for the Paris Saint-Germain club. But as we all know, individual players alone can not win games and these two teams share this credit with their managers both talented professional footballers Didier C. Deschamps for France and Lionel Scaloni who coaches Argentina.

MEENA cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

B-TOWN CELEBS IN QATAR Bollywood will make its presence at the FIFA World Cup 2022 with dancer Nora Fatehi taking part in the closing ceremony of FIFA World Cup 2022 and superstar Deepika Padukone is expected to unveil the FIFA World Cup trophy at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar ahead of the final on Sunday. It is a huge honour for Indian celebs. Shah Rukh Khan will be attending the finals of the FIFA World Cup 2022 from the studios of Jio Cinemas. The actor will be present during the broadcast of the game, while he will not be in Qatar.

It is hard to make people understand that the sun will rise tomorrow, whether you win or lose.

—Lionel Scaloni

FACE OF THE DAY!

Aries

MARCH 21 - APRIL 20

You are likely to have fun at work today. A changed lifestyle promises good health. You may not be in the best of financial situations, but things are likely to improve. Much excitement is foreseen on the family front. There is some scope of improving your scores on the academic front.

Gemini

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

You may get motivated to shake a leg just to get on the fitness trail. It will be important to keep a tab of your expenses today. Some shuffling on the work front is likely but will not affect you. Peace and tranquillity prevail on the home front and will help you unwind. Romance seems on the upswing.

Leo

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

Job prospects for those freshly out of professional institutes are set to brighten up soon. A positive outlook will help you throw out the negativity within. You will manage to ignore distractions and interruptions at work to complete a pending task in time. is so miffed.

Libra

SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 22

This is the day to play your winning card on the professional front. A lot of time may be wasted in socialising, but you will love every moment of it! Time is ripe for investing in a scheme you have been considering for long. Your upbeat mood and a happy demeanour will brighten atmosphere.

Sagittarius

NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22

Sticking to workout routine may benefit you on the health front.

Meeting relatives at a marriage or party cannot be ruled out. Accompanying someone you click with is likely to make your business journey entertaining. Support from the family may seem most encouraging.

Aquarius

JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19

Balancing act between home and office will remain most smooth for working women. You succeed in putting an ambitious project on the tracks and cross all hurdles in making it a success. Love beckons and promises to give immense joy and fulfillment. Homemakers can exceed budget.

Taurus

APRIL 21 - MAY 20

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

Cancer

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

Homemakers will get a chance to implement their ideas. You are likely to be recognised for your efforts on the professional front. Some of you can be invited for guidance or consultancy. Chance of a raise is possible for some. Timely and correct decision will help you in saving a lot of money.

Virgo

AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23

Satisfaction is foreseen for the image conscious people trying to achieve perfect figure and physique. You will succeed in surmounting the odds to get a stalled job back on the tracks. Your efforts on the academic front will keep you in contention. You are likely to spend an enjoyable time.

Scorpio

OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 22

You will succeed and move ahead in your professional life, as the year begins. Be careful, though, as your daily routine may be affected adversely. Your boss may be the reason for your annoyance. Pressure tactics can infuriate you. Probably, by 5th or 6th, you may think of taking up a new job.

Capricorn

DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20

Focussing on your career graph at this juncture will be a step that will take you far. A rethink is in order for those going in for a heavy investment. Recovering a loaned amount from someone will not pose much difficulty. You will manage to defuse tensions prevailing at home.

Pisces

FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20

Financial condition of those down in the dumps is set to improve. Your efficiency at work is likely to impress those who matter at work. Your biggest asset is your sense of humor try to use it to cure your not so good health. Spending time with family.

KUMAR rekhakumar@protonmail.com

Love is comparable to a diamond, a priceless gem with many facets. It is beautiful any way we look at it. Like a diamond with numerous reflecting surfaces, love has many aspects, all good and desirable. It has been said, “Youth is for an hour, beauty is a flower but love is the jewel that wins the heart.”

Suspicion and mistrust result in jealousy. It is a very harmful emotion that can ruin the best of relationships. A suspicious husband sees in his wife what is not there and fails to see what she actually has.

A husband said, “I was under a lot of financial stress due to which I didn’t really communicate with my wife. She came under a lot of pressure. My time- consuming job caused us to clash in jealousy.”

A wife once expressed, “my husband would show jealous reactions whenever I received attention from male colleagues or performed better than him.”

Jealousy can be defined as an emotion that causes an individual to suspect another person without cause, or resent the attention others receive, feeling that he/she alone is entitled to it. This harmful emotion can ruin the best of relationships.

Did a person ever get so enraged at his hand that he used a hammer to beat it or so angry at his neck that he choked himself? Rather, one readily accommodates one’s own body’s weaknesses and peculiarities. Such accommodation works well with the marriage partner too.

One partner may be insensitive to feelings of jealousy arising in the other. A wife can be jealous because of the attention the husband gives to someone of the opposite sex. Or a wife may shower so much attention on her child or a relative that the husband feels neglected, even resentful. He may show affection to the child but lessen his

Marital Blues: JEALOUSY

about feelings builds confidence and mutual understanding.

A husband and wife need to trust one another rather than be envious. Being suspicious and making mountains out of mole hills creates friction. Avoiding situations that give rise to jealousy, and giving the other person benefit of doubt, keeps love flourishing and comforts the heart.

attention towards his wife. Embarrassed over such feelings, both may remain quiet and show frustration in other negative ways. A high price is paid when both partners lose their balance.

Jealousy that is induced by insecurity and fed by imagination makes partners overly possessive. They fear that an outsider will win the affections of their loved one by luring him/her. This brings anger, anxiety and hatred that leads to violence and physical abuse. The jealous partner may also resort to financial abuse and verbal bullying to alleviate or hide feelings.

Questions one can ask oneself, do I nurture jealousy? Am I quarrelsome? Do I have an aggressive or fighting attitude? Jealousy is revealed as an inordinate desire to glorify oneself and one’s opinions. Such persons do not acknowledge that others can have intelligence equal or superior to them, and are worthy of due credit.

Generally, a husband expresses, “why aren’t you more like me? Why don’t you see things my way or do them as I would?” But peace can be maintained when one readily accepts the other person with his / her weaknesses.

When one disagrees with someone, naturally, a person controls one’s emotions and uses appropriate language. If a partner resorts to violence, screaming or throwing things, then one is behaving like a child. So, if the other partner is regularly defending oneself against unreasonable or accusatory questions, that signals the need to sort out the relationship.

Rather than letting jealousy build up like a head of steam in a boiler until there is a violent explosion, it is better to discuss one’s feelings quietly and not accusingly. Communicating calmly and being honest

Jealousy turns marriage into an unpleasant prison, but loving attention, consideration and trust brings security.

Jealously of one toward his / her partner is good if it is a zeal for the partner’s benefit and well-being. But improper jealousy ruins the marriage.

Both partners desire to be treated with dignity and respect. Each appreciates when the other is an active listener and cares about each others’ feelings. But still when hurt, one can say, “I’m going to do to him / her what he or she did to me.” For a relationship to continue and thrive, one needs to put into it what one hopes to get out of it!

PAULOMI, Model

Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

REKHA

The writer is a personal development skills facilitator

DEEPIKA PADUKONE HEADS TO QATAR

riyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are one of the most loved couples in town. The duo welcomed their first baby girl earlier this year via sur rogacy. Since her arrival, Priyanka has been teasing fans with cute glimpses of her daughter. The couple is yet to reveal her face. Priyanka took to social media on Friday morning and dropped yet another adorable picture with her baby girl. The picture also featured Nick. The trio was seen having a fun family time in Los Angeles.

In the picture, Nick and Priyanka are seen having a gala time with their little one. They are seen sport ing winter clothes as they are out and about in the city. Priyanka has put a white heart emoji on Malti Marie’s face. In her caption, the new mommy revealed that they visited a zoo recently. She wrote, “Family #zoo #familyday #love.” The trio is seen posing with a jellyfish in the backdrop.

few days ago, Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal celebrated their first wedding anniversary. The couple enjoyed a short getaway amidst the mountains, and also shared a few glimpses from their vacay. Now, days after their anniversary, Vicky and Katrina were spotted at the Mumbai airport once again as they jetted off to an undisclosed location. This morning, Vicky and Katrina were spotted at the airport in casual outfits, and we wonder if they are headed

for yet another vacation.

The paparazzi clicked Vicky and Katrina at the Mumbai airport this morn ing, and the lovebirds were seen in comfy tracksuits. Katrina was all smiles for the paparazzi as she made her way to the en trance gate with Vicky.

Both Vicky and Katrina waved and smiled at the pa parazzi before entering the airport.

Deepika Padukone was spotted by the paparazzi in the wee hours of Saturday. She was clicked at the Mumbai airport as she made her way to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup 2022 finale. The actress will unveil the FIFA World Cup trophy during the finals, and it is a rare honour for any Indian or International actor in the history of FIFA. Ranveer Singh was seen dropping his ladylove at the Mumbai airport and as Deepika Padukone made her way to the entrance gate of the airport, she was seen interacting politely with the paparazzi. Deepika was seen in a comfy yet chic airport outfit. She opted for a beige drawstring hooded windbreaker over a white top, and matching beige pants. The actress she flashed her million-dollar smile and interacted with the paparazzi.

image

he Govinda Naam Mera actress chose a lovely monotone corset dress. The splash of pink is what kicked our interest in us to take notes of its other features. It’s the look of a stretchjersey fabric that brings the ruched effect into the lime light. The sleeves are a single feature that makes it look very winter-ish. You could use a jacket for an extra layer of warmth. It has a sweetheart and a plunging neck line and a fabulous body-hugging fit which gives it a cent per cent-modish look we could all use for a very special date night look as well. Kiara’s dress which cost ap proximately Rs. 1,00,000 was styled with silver hoop ear rings and em bellished anklestrap stilettos. The Bollywood actress sported a sleek and knotted bun hairdo. Her makeup had a strong dose of highlighter, mascara, kohl, and glossy lipstick.

he Jeda Nasha dancer who recently drove the crowd insane with her outstanding performance at Qatar’s FIFA Fanfest 2022 stage is off to the same country as the finale of the football tourna-

also shows the wide shoulder, two pockets, notched lapels, and black chain-link print. If you remember, this pattern is also translated into accessories as showcased by celebrities. Nora rocked this as a top layer over a sheer mostly mesh-like dress.

Ananya Panday headed to Qatar recently to catch the semi-final match of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Ananya's rumoured boyfriend and actor Aditya Roy Kapur had also accompanied them. Just a while back now, Ananya along with Aditya returned from Qatar to Mumbai after watching the FIFA World Cup 2022. The rumoured lovebirds were all smiles as they twinned in beige outfits.

Deepika Padukone

Nora Fatehi

Nora’s airport look

Kiara Advani

Kaushal with wife Katrina Kaif

Her

Deepika in beige drawstring hooded windbreaker

AN EVENING TO REMEMBER!

VICTORIA’S SECRET OPENS ITS FIRST OFFLINE STORE IN DELHI

Victoria’s Secret, the top speciality retailer of lingerie & beauty products with modern, fashion-inspired collections, fine fragrances, body care, loungewear, and Victoria’s Secret’s PINK, will be expanding its presence with the opening of its second full assortment store in Delhi. The brand’s iconic bras, undergarments, and sleepwear will be available in a large variety across a number of collections at the new victoria’s secret store which will be situated at the ambience mall in Vasant Kunj. Whereas Janhvi and Sonam Kapoor graced the launch of the store with their presence.

In a satin black corset long dress, Sonam looked outstanding

As a mark to honour and revive the rich traditions and multifaceted culture of the Jammu region, an impressive three-day festival titled ‘The Tawi festival of Art and Ideas’ will be celebrated with its creative grandeur at the prestigious Amar Mahal Museum Complex, Jammu, from February 23 to February 27, 2023. The festival is being organised in collaboration with Jammu University, Natrang theatre and FICCI FLO, Jammu.

Conceptualized by Dr Jyotsna Singh (Director Amar Mahal Museum) and put together by an entire team of artists, art historians and Heritage experts from the region, this innovative festival shall be a progressive effort to celebrate creativity, inclusiveness, tradition and moder-

as she visited Delhi and made her fans drool.

Sonam flew to Vasant Kunj in Delhi a day back to visit the store. The pictures from her visit were shared on her Instagram profile and they are just too stunning.

For the pictures, Sonam picked a stunning black satin long dress. The dress featured corset details and a sweetheart neckline. Sonam posed with a black backdrop she looked stunning as ever. With the pic tures, she also wrote a token of thanks for the brand that hosted her in Delhi - “Hello Victoria’s Secret crew! Thank you for hav ing me at Delhi’s 1st store pre view at your favourite Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj.” Whereas Jan hvi looked stunning in an Orange body con dress catching every one’s attention.

BY SHAZID CHAUHAN

Book Launch of The World of Liquified Natural Gas

The India Energy Conclave 2022 witnessed the unveiling of a book- ‘The World of Liquified Natural Gas-Market Trends, Pricing Strategies, Contracts & Negotiations and New Market Paradigm’ authored by Ravishankar Sundaresan and coauthored by Rajeev Mathur on December 15-16. Making remarks on the relevance of the book, Dr AK Balyan, Chairman & Director, Carmine Energy Pte. said that the book gives an in-depth analysis of the LNG business and can be used as a handbook by professionals working in this field. The event deliberates on ‘Global Energy Transition Trends: Sustainable Energy Options for India- Tar-

BY SHAZID CHAUHAN

get Carbon Neutral 2070.’

Eminent personalities like TK Sengupta Director FIPI, A.K Tiwari, (Member, PNGRB, GoI) Dr D.K. Sarraf, (Former CMD ONGC Ltd. and Former Chairman PNGRB), BC Tripathi, (Former CMD, GAIL India Ltd.) Dr.

Kartik Aaryan unveiled I’m lovin’ it Live with Sanjeev Agrawal, Chairman, McDonald’s India –North and East, Armaan Malik and Anshul Ailawadi – Business Head, Youth, Music and English Entertainment cluster, Viacom18at the Claridges Tees January Road Area, New Delhi on December 14. I’m lovin’ it Live offers an opportunity for McDonald’s India – North and East to establish a deeper connection with its fans through their passion for music and to become a part of their lives by creating feel-good moments that matter the most to them.  The concept of I’m lovin’ it Live is built on the premise of popular artists coming together and creating unique, neverheard-before compositions, while experimenting with various genres.

The Tawi: Festival Of Art and Ideas

nity by bringing an eclectic amalgamation of art, music, culture, literature and stimulating ideas.

The upcoming festival will be inaugurated with the welcome address by Dr Karan Singh, a renowned elder statesman

and philosopher.

The key highlights of the ongoing exhibition during this festival will be the display of traditional costumes of the Dogra Maharanis, Tara Devi and Yasho Rajya Lakshmi at the Maharani Suite, Amar

Prominent

A live musical concert was organised at Albert Hall, Jaipur to mark 100 days of RaGa’s Bharat Jodo Yatra on Friday. Playback singer Sunidhi Chauhan & winner of India’s Got Talent Season 9 Divyansh Kacholia gave a spectacular performance. —PHOTOS BY SUNIL SHARMA

Actresses Sonam Kapoor and Janhvi Kapoor took a sneak peek into the fullassortment Victoria’s Secret Store in Delhi on Saturday, December 17.

AK. Balyan (Director & Chairman, Carmine Energy Pte.), Amrit Vaidyanath, (VP, Rystad Energy), Monte Dobson, (CEO, EXXON Mobil), Rajeev Mathur, (Former MD, Mahanagar Gas) and Ravi Shankar, (CEO) were present at the conclave.

—PHOTO

Mahal. An exclusive feature of this upcoming festival will be showcasing the rare books from the collection of Raja Amar Singh dating back to the early 19th century.

names attending the festival will be

Vinita Dawra Nangia (Festival Director of the Times of India Fest), Ravi Singh and the well-known designer J.J Valaya and Rakesh Kumar from the Department of Glass and Ceramics at NID Ahmedabad.

—PHOTOS BY SHAZID CHAUHAN

Janhvi during the inauguration ceremony

Janhvi Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor

During the book launch

Dr Jyotsna Singh Suneet Chopra

Manisha Singhvi and Anshu Khanna

Dr Jyotsna Singh & Dr Karan Singh Saurabh Singhvi and Manisha Singhvi

During the event

Sunidhi Chauhan and Divyansh Kacholia during the performance at Albert Hall, Jaipur