First India-Mumbai Edition-22nd November 2022

Less than 10 days for Assembly polls in Gujarat, top leaders of main parties seen busy

campaigning

ALL-STAR SHOW IN ‘GUJ’ FOR ‘RAJ’!

I have no aukat, let us discuss Gujarat’s... PM Modi challenges Congress for a face-off

Moni Sharma

Surendranagar: As the campaigning in Gujarat gains momentum, PM Narendra Modi chal lenged Congress to “a faceoff” on the issue of devel opment rather than dis cussing “aukat”. “I have no aukat. Let’s discuss is sue of development and develop Gujarat, come to field, let this be a face off,” PM said in a scathing at tack on Cong during a pub lic address in Dudhrej area of Surendranagar.

In a veiled attack on Rahul Gandhi for walk ing with Medha Patkar, PM Modi said that their leader travels by putting his hands on shoulders of the people who made Gujarat “thirsty”. With out naming Rahul, he also sharpened his at tack saying Bharat Jodo Yatra is not a padayatra but a yatra for power.

READ Crucial

‘MAN SHOT DAUGHTER, WIFE HELPED DISPOSE OF BODY IN SUITCASE’

New Delhi: A 22-year-old Delhi woman, whose body was found inside a suitcase near Yamuna Expressway in UP’s Mathura last week, was killed by her father, police said on Monday. Aayushi Chaudhary’s parents have been held for her murder.

MANGALURU BLAST: EXPLOSIVES, FAKE ID, INSPIRED BY ISIS

Mangaluru: The accused in the autorickshaw blast in coastal Karnataka’s Mangaluru was “inspired by ISIS terror group” and used dark web to contact his handlers, police said and added Shareeq worked under multiple handlers, one of them from Al Hind, a terror outfit influenced by ISIS.

NOIDA: SOCIAL MEDIA

INFLUENCER ROHIT

DIES IN CAR CRASH

Noida: A 25-year-old social media celebrity died and his 2 friends were injured after their speeding car crashed into a tree in Greater Noida on Monday, police said. Rohit also known as Rowdy died in the accident while his friends are undergoing treatment at hospitals.

At least 162 killed, 700 injured as earthquake rattles Indonesia

Cianjur: West Java Gov ernor Ridwan Kamil said the death toll from an earthquake on Indo nesia’s main island of Java on Monday had jumped to 162. Over 700 injured in a 5.6-magni tude quake that rattled Indonesia as people rushed into the streets, some covered in blood and white debris. Med ics treated injured out side hosps, terraces etc.

Congress is playing caste politics: Shah

Gir Somnath: The peo ple of Gujarat have to choose between the BJP, who made the state safe, and the Congress, who plunged it into commu nal violence, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Monday while addressing an election rally in Gir Somnath district.

Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday held rallies at Jam Khamb halia in Dwarka, Kodi nar in Gir Somnath, Mangrol in Junagadh and later in evening at Bhuj, Kutch. “Remem ber, you have to choose between Modi and the BJP govt, who made Gujarat safe and Congress who plunged Gujarat into communal violence. Con gress is playing caste politics,” said Shah in his rally.

SHAH MEETS RAVINDRA JADEJA AND HIS WIFE RIVABA

TRIBALS HAVE FIRST RIGHT OVER LAND, SAYS RAHUL IN SURAT

ZERO ELECTRICITY BILLS: ARVIND KEJRIWAL’S MEGA POLL PROMISE

Amreli: AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday promised zero electricity bill for all citizens if his party is voted to power in Gujarat. Addressing a roadshow in Amreli, Kejriwal said, “Both BJP and Congress don’t speak about inflation. I will free you from the clutches of price rise. I will waive off your entire electricity bill from March 1”. During the roadshow in Amreli, Kejriwal invoked the ‘rewadi’ (free bies) culture jibe by PM Modi to take a swipe at the BJP.

Cong to file review petition in Top Court

RAJIV GANDHI ASSASSINATION

New Delhi: Days after Central govt filed a re view petition in the SC against release of con victs in Rajiv Gandhi as sassination case, Con gress, too, has moved top court against freeing as sassination convicts, sources said. Petition challenging grounds in order will be filed this week.

SC ASKS GUJARAT HC TO PERIODICALLY MONITOR PROBE

The SC on Monday called Morbi bridge collapse in Gu jarat an “enormous tragedy”. 141 people were killed in the incident, which turned out to be one of the worst disasters. Top court asks Gujarat HC to take up matter suo motu on a periodical basis to ensure all aspects of a proper probe, fixing accountability, adequate damages for victims are duly addressed.

FIRS AGAINST ARNAB GOSWAMI

CARBON DATING OF ‘SHIVLING’ CANNOT BE CONDUCTED: ASI TO HC

The Archaeological Survey of India on Monday told the Allahabad High Court on a prima facie basis, that car bon dating of the purported “shivling” found inside the Gyanvapi mosque cannot be conducted as the procedure to determine the age of the object could damage it.

The archaeological agency submitted that carbon dating was not possible as the object was a non-living thing that does not contain fossils.

The Delhi HC directed news channels to adhere to norms governing them & to ensure that all broadcasts carried in liquor scam case are based on official releases by the probe agencies.

SC sought a response from Centre, Delhi government on the plea of conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar seeking that he be shifted from Mandoli jail.

Shinde govt withdraws plea from SC challenging HC order

Appeal

First India Bureau

New Delhi: The Su preme Court on Mon day permitted the Ma harashtra government to withdraw an appeal filed during the previ ous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) dispensation against a Bombay High Court’s 2020 order sus pending the investiga tion into two FIRs filed

against Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami.

The appeal against the interim order of the Bombay High Court the high court order was filed in the top court when the MVA government led by Ud dhav Thackeray was in power. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took charge as chief minis

ter on June 30 after a revolt in the Shiv Sena, with senior Bharatiya

“The order of the high court is an interim order. I have the in structions to withdraw (the plea),” the counsel for the state govern ment told the bench at the outset of the brief hearing on Monday.

“Dismissed as with drawn,” the bench com prising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli or dered.

The HC, in 2020, had stayed the investigation into two FIRs filed against Goswami for al legedly making inflam

matory comments dur ing news programmes-one about the Palghar incident where two reli gious leaders and their driver were lynched and another on mi grants gathering in large numbers in Mum bai’s Bandra area dur ing the lockdown.

On October 26, 2020, the top court observed that some people are targeted with “greater intensity” and need more protection.

The MVA govern ment had opposed the high court’s decision to

stay the police investi gation against Goswa mi.

The top court had sought a response from Goswami and others on the appeal filed by the state government.

In its June 30, 2020 order, the high court noted that while Gos wami’s comments tar geted the Congress and its then president Sonia Gandhi, he did not make any statement that would cause public disharmony or incite violence between dif ferent religious groups.

Janata Party leader De vendra Fadnavis as his deputy.

Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami —FILE PHOTO

was filed under MVA govt against a Bombay HC order suspending probe into two FIRs against Republic TV editor-in-chief for allegedly making inflammatory comments

When I was the CM, I decided to provide 24 hours electricity to Gujarat-which was termed ‘impossible’ by the Congress leaders. But the people made me do difficult work and that’s why I could deliver 24-hour electricity to the villages in Gujarat in the last 10 years.

—Narendra Modi,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets public in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other party workers & leaders during a public meeting in Surendranagar on Monday.

AMIT

BJP to hold Sabhas across 93 Assembly constituencies in Gujarat on Tuesday. We will see BJP nat’l chief JP Nadda, HM Amit Shah, Maha Dy CM Deven dra Fadnavis, Assam CM Himanta Biswa, Purushottam Rupala and Mansukh Mandaviya.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah met cricketer Ravindra Jadeja and his wife Rivaba Jadeja at Jamnagar airport on Monday. Rivaba is contesting in the Gujarat Elections as a BJP candidate from Jamnagar North.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the public meeting at Khambhalia Assembly, in Dwarka on Monday.

Surat: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged the tribals of South Gujarat to choose between the Con gress and the BJP, saying if they choose the Congress they would get forest rights, good health and education, and if they choose the BJP they will have their unfulfilled dreams. He was addressing his first public meeting after election dates were announced at Panch Kakda, Surat.

New Delhi: Airlines and regulators are pushing to have just 1 pilot in the cockpit of passenger jets instead of 2. It would lower costs and ease pressure from the crew shortages.

New Delhi: In a major relief to travellers, people flying into India from abroad will no longer need to fill out the air suvidha form from Tuesday. The government on Monday revised int’l travel guidelines.

New Delhi: Zomato is asking employees to leave company. It is said that company is letting go of around 3% of workforce. Zomato co-founder Mohit Gupta stepped down after a 4.5 years stint at the firm.

New Delhi: Former Bureaucrat Arun Goel assumed the office of election commissioner of India on Monday, after being appointed to post on November 19. Post of 1 election commissioner in 3-member commission has been lying vacant since May when Sushil Chandra retired.

Port Blair: Suspended Andaman and Nicobar Labour Commissioner RL Rishi was on Monday arrested in connection with the gangrape of a 21-year-old woman, police said. Rishi arrived here aboard a flight from Chennai around 1 pm, and was taken into custody by the Police.

People injured during the earthquake receive medical treatment in a hospital parking lot in Cianjur on Monday. PHOTO BY ANI

Representatives of GHCAA met CJ DY Chandrachud, were assured that collegium would examine proposed transfer of Justice Nikhil S Kariel

BJP ‘CARPET BOMBING’ 2.0 ACROSS 93 ASSEMBLY SEATS TODAY

Statewide protests for Guv’s ouster over ‘old idol’ remark

NCP’s Supriya Sule slams

Dy CM Fadnavis for ‘defending’ BS Koshyari

First India Bureau

Pune/Nagpur: Amid protests in Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Au rangabad, demanding the ouster of gover nor BS Koshyari over his remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Nationalist Congress Party’s Su priya Sule on Monday wondered how Deputy Chief Minister Deven dra Fadnavis could “defend” the “insult” to the warrior king.

The protesters, be longing to Shiv SenaUddhav Bal Thackeray, Congress and NCP, also slammed BJP na tional spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi for “insulting” Chhatrapati Shivaji during a televi sion debate.

Sule said the Bharati ya Janata Party (BJP) has no moral right to take the name of the Maratha king.

Referring to a video clip of Trivedi, Sule said it seems like these peo ple are committing the sin of insulting Chhatra pati Shivaji Maharaj

constantly. It is unfortu nate and it should stop.

As Koshyari’s re marks that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an icon of “olden days” caused a huge furore, Fadnavis on Sunday ap peared to defend the be leaguered governor.

“One thing is clear that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will remain a hero and idol of Maha rashtra and our country till the Sun and the Moon exist. Even Koshy ari had no doubts about

Uddhav Thackeray hints at possible alliance with Ambedkar’s grandson

this in his mind. Thus, there are various mean ings derived from the remarks made by the governor,” he had said.

BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Udayanraje Bho sale, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji, on Monday demanded the ouster of the governor and BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi over their remarks on the Maratha warrior king.

Bhosale said he will decide his future course of action if no decision

I was expecting more from Fadnavisji. He was the chief minister for five years. You may have a different ideology, but if Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is being insulted and if you are defending it, then it is unfortunate. Going forward, the BJP has no right to take the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.” —Supriya

is taken on his demand.

Shiv Sena MLA San jay Gaikwad of Chief Minister Eknath Shin de-led faction on Mon day demanded Koshy ari be shifted out of the

BJP’s actions to be blamed for distress of farmers, youth and tribals: RaGa

First India Bureau Mumbai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has claimed that the Bharatiya Janta Party’s (BJP’s) ac tions are the root cause of distress among farmers, youth and tribal peo ple in Maharashtra.

According to the statement released on Monday, dated Novem ber 20, Gandhi stated that during the Maha rashtra leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra, voices of farmers were heard. These farmers’ long-standing distress has worsened in re cent years due to ris

Cong leader says BJP govt’s actions have concentrated wealth and power in the hands of a few

ing costs, uncertain prices, and the failure of insurance schemes to support the cultiva tors in bad years.

The Congress lead er further said that voices of the state’s youth, who are wor ried about finding work which meets their dreams, despite hard work and sacri fice, and the adivasis, were heard.

“The root cause of this distress is the BJP government’s actions, which concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few. It is worsened by their agenda of dividing In dians against each other using culture, religion, caste and lan guage,” Gandhi al leged.

Standing against this agenda is Maha rashtra’s rich progres sive tradition. It re mains vibrant, with several dedicated civil society organizations and forward-thinking artists from the liter ary, cultural and film spheres, he said.

Mumbai: Alleging that the country was moving towards dicta torship, former Maha rashtra Chief Minis ter Uddhav Thackeray said he was willing to ally with anyone who protects freedom.

Thackeray made the announcement at the launch of ‘Prabhod hankar.com’—a digital platform to highlight the work of Thacker ay’s grandfather ‘Prab hodhankar’ Keshav Si taram Thackeray. The event on Sunday was also attended by Dr BR Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar.

Addressing the gath ering, Thackeray said, “The country is moving towards dictatorship. There is a need to throw out people who are greedy for power. I am willing to join hands with those who want to protect freedom.”

“At present, the Brit ish policy of divide-andrule is being followed,” he added.

Calling Prakash Ambedkar—chief of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi—a person full of knowledge and infor mation, Thackeray hint ed at an alliance.

Thackeray said he and Ambedkar were ideologically on the same platform and would work together. “If we don’t come to gether, we have no right to take our grandfa thers’ names,” Thack eray said.

“Nowadays, there is lynching for cow meat; yet rapists and murder ers are acquitted and felicitated after re lease…. This is not Hin dutva,” Thackeray said hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and condemning the re lease of the 11 convicted for the 2002 rape of Bilkis Bano.

state. Gaikwad claimed Koshyari had made statements about the founder of the Maratha empire and stoked controversy in the past as well.

2 Maha ministers to coordinate with legal team on K’taka border dispute

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The state government on Mon day appointed Higher and Technical Educa tion Minister Chan drakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai, who holds the excise portfolio, to coordi nate with the legal team regarding the court case on the bor der dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Maharashtra, since its inception in 1960, has been entangled in a dispute with Karna taka over the status of Belgaum (also called Belagavi) district and 80 other Marathi speak ing villages, which are in the administra tive control of the southern state.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde appoint ed Patil and Desai after

has also appointed sen ior advocate Vaidyana than to represent Maha rashtra in the case in the Supreme Court.

CM Shinde further announced that the pen sion scheme for free dom fighters will cover those in the disputed areas. He added his gov ernment was positive about extending bene fits of the Mahatma Phule Jan Aarogya Yo jana to people living in these areas.

Mum court acquits BJP’s Chitra Wagh, two MLAs

First India Bureau

Mumbai: A local court on Monday acquitted Bharatiya Janata Par ty leader Chitra Wagh and MLAs Manisha Chaudhary and Bhar ti Lavekar in a 2021 case for protesting and sloganeering against the then Ma harashtra govern ment led by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.

—Eknath

a meeting regarding the ongoing case. The state government

The CM also asked a delegation of residents of Belagavi and neigh bouring areas to main tain proper communica tion with the Karnataka government regarding providing of necessary facilities as well as the usage of Marathi in day-to-day affairs in the disputed areas.

A case was registered by Marine Drive police in September 2021 against the trio, who were protesting outside Mantralaya, the state secretariat, seeking a special Assembly ses sion to discuss inci dents of atrocities on women.

Magistrate NA Patel

on Monday acquitted Wagh, Chaudhary and Lavekar. A detailed or der giving reasons for the acquittal would be made available later.

At the time of the protest, section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibits assem bly of more than four people in the same area, was in force amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Sanjay Raut lauds Rahul Gandhi amid Shivaji row

tures were becoming rare in times of “po litical bitterness”.

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Shiv SenaUddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader

Sanjay Raut on Mon day said he received a call from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi who enquired about his health, and claimed such ges

Raut said Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative underway from Sep tember 07, is getting a massive response be cause he is “focussing on love and compas sion”.

The Rajya Sabha member’s praise for Gandhi comes at the time when the latter has been facing flak for his remarks on freedom fighter VD

Savarkar. Gandhi recently called Savarkar a sym bol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayam sevak Sangh (RSS).

He had also claimed that Savarkar helped the British rulers and wrote a mercy petition to them out of fear.

Former chief minis ter Uddhav Thackeray last week said his party has immense respect for Savarkar and they do not approve of Gan dh’s remarks about the

late Hindutva ideo logue.

Raut, who was re cently granted bail in a money laundering case, in a tweet on Mon day said, “In spite of strong differences of opinion on some is sues, inquiring on your political colleague is a sign of humanity! Dur ing his busy schedule of Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhiji called yest’day to inquire abt my health. ‘We were worried for you,’ he said (sic).”

First India Bureau

Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Council Ambadas Danve led members of the Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray in a protest against Governor Koshyari at Girgaon, in Mumbai on Monday. —PHOTO BY BHUSHAN KOYANDE

Sule, NCP leader

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi embraces a tribal woman during the ‘Adivasi Distressed Women’s Conference’ during the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. —FILE PHOTO

Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray (right) in conversation with Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar at the launch of ‘prabhodhankar.com’, at Shivaji Mandir auditorium, in Mumbai. —PHOTO BY ANI

Late Balasaheb Thackeray was always a staunch supporter of state’s demand to make Belgaum part of Maharashtra. We have concentrated our focus on solving the issue. If required, the number of lawyers would be increased. We will soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah on the issue.

Shinde, Chief Minister

CM Shinde appointed Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai after a meeting regarding the ongoing case. —FILE PHOTO

Chitra Wagh. —FILE PHOTO

I appreciate his empathy of feeling the pain of a political colleague who spent 110 days in jail. In times of political bitterness, such gestures are becoming rare. Rahulji is focusing on love & compassion in his yatra and hence it is get ting massive response. —Sanjay Raut, Rajya Sabha MP

Appreciates Cong leader for ‘rare gesture’ of calling to check on health

‘

So many cars in Mumbai... WHERE WILL THEY PARK?’

A DIVISION BENCH WAS HEARING PLEAS TO PREVENT UNORGANIZED TRAFFIC CAUSING DIFFICULTIES FOR FIRE ENGINES TO APPROACH AN AFFECTED STRUCTURE OR BUILDING

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Bombay High Court asked the Maharashtra govern ment and the Brihan mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday about the efforts being taken to allot designated park ing spots due to over crowding caused by increasing number of cars in the city.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Abhay Ahuja was hearing two pleas seeking a compre hensive parking policy and its implementation to prevent unorganized traffic causing difficul ties for fire engines to approach an affected structure or building.

“There are so many cars in Mumbai. There is no designated parking space. Where else will they park? Not every body can afford a chauf feur,” CJ Datta said.

The court sought to know from government pleader Purnima Kan taria if there was a park ing policy in place.

HC PULLS UP NHAI OVER NH-66 POTHOLES

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Coming down heavily on the National High way Authority of India (NHAI), the bench of Chief Jus tice Dipankar Dat ta and Justice Ab hay Ahuja said the body had not taken the pothole issue on NH-66, between Mumbai and Goa “seriously”.

BMC removes 1.5K illegal banners in city during and after Diwali

The highway has been under construc tion in various places and undergoing ex pansion.

At the hearing on Monday, petitioner ad vocate Owais Pechkar pointed out that the NHAI had filed an af fidavit on November 07 in which it said that between Panvel and Indapur the highway was “in a motorable condition”, while he

himself had filed a re joinder affidavit on November 11, in which he had geotagged photographs of pothole-ridden bad road between the two destinations.

During the hearing, Pechkar said, “How can they call the road motorable?” Then the bench remarked, “For them, where a motor vehicle can go is a mo torable road.”

There are so many cars in Mumbai. There is no designated parking space in Mumbai. Where else will they park? Not everybody can afford a chauffeur.

—Dipankar Datta, Chief Justice

When Kantaria re plied in the affirmative, the bench stated that the authorities should also identify narrow streets in the city and consider how parking spaces can be developed there.

The court said the state government and the BMC has to come up with a plan.

The bench directed the state government and the civic body to file a comprehensive affida vit within four weeks on steps taken to earmark parking spaces in the city as well as further steps proposed to be tak en. The court will hear the pleas in January.

Truck driver switched off engine on slope, causing bridge pile-up: Inquiry

First India Bureau

Pune: Sunday night’s pile-up on the Mum bai-Bengaluru high way in Pune district apparently occurred because the driver of the truck, which hit several vehicles and left more than 20 per sons injured, had switched off its en gine on the downward slope of Navale bridge to save fuel, officials said on Monday.

Switching off the en gine affects a vehicle’s ability to brake effective ly, an official of the Re gional Transport Office (RTO) said, adding that this may have resulted in the accident that left at least 24 vehicles dam aged. Eight of those in jured had to be hospital ized, he also said.

A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Mo tor Vehicles Act has been registered against Maniram Yadav, the truck’s driver who driv er fled after the accident. Efforts were on to trace him, Assistant Commis sioner of Police Sunil Pawar said.

A man, whose car was

80% work on Science Park’s ground floor done

Navi Mumbai: As much as 80% work on the ground floor of the Science Park in Nerul is ready, said Rajesh Narvekar, Navi Mum bai municipal commis

sioner after inspecting the ongoing work.

Following the visit, he gave Sanjay Desai, chief of the engineering de partment, the order to design the project in a unique way from other science parks that al

ready exist around the globe.

Developed at 19500 sq. mtrs adjoining the Won ders Park, the interna tional standard Science Park will have 3D imag es, projects, audio-visual films in the field of sci

ence and technology.

The civic body is exe cuting an innovative pro ject like Science Park, which adds to the char acteristics of Navi Mum bai city. It is coming up adjoining to Wonders Park in Nerul.

Mumbai: The BMC took down 1,500 ille gal hoardings across the city during and after Diwali, of which 552 were tak en down in the GNorth ward, which includes Mahim, Da dar, and Dharavi.

Ward-wise teams from the licensing de partment regularly in spect the regions with in their control and constantly take down illegal hoardings and banners.

In October, there were several unauthor ized banners and post

ers visible throughout the city's 24 administra tive wards. The most such hoardings were found in the busiest ar eas, including Dadar, Andheri, and Kandiva li. Meanwhile, Byculla and Govandi saw the least illegae banners be ing removed.

“Political activities are more in Dadar and Mahim areas. A large number of hoardings, banners and flags were seen in the Dadar area during the Dusshera rally of the Shiv Sena. The hoardings were re moved within a few days,” a civic official of the G North ward said.

SWACCH SURVEKSHAN 2023

ignated wall at NMMC headquarters under any of the three topics: My City, My Participation; Plastic-free Navi Mum bai; and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).

First India Bureau

Navi Mumbai: Ahead of the Swachh Sur vekshan (Cleanliness Survey) 2023, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has put special em phasis on public par ticipation to create awareness and keep

the city clean. As part of this, under the guidance of Munici pal Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, the NMMC held a wall painting competition at the civic body head quarters in Govard hani Chowk, Belapur.

The contestants were to paint murals on a des

A total of 69 students and artists painted two feet by two feet art on a wall in two and a half hours, reports said.

Swachh Bharat Mis sion’s Nodal Officer Dr Babasaheb Rajle, who is also the deputy com missioner of the solid waste management de partment, was one of

Some reports put the number of vehicles

in the pile-up at 48.

As soon as the information about this accident was known, immedi ate instructions were given to find out the exact cause of the accident.

Instructions have also been given to the local administration to arrange proper treatment for the injured.

damaged in the acci dent, had said the speed ing truck first rammed into some of the vehi cles on the road, which in-turn hit some other vehicles leading to the pile-up.

After a visit to the ac cident site, Nationalist Congress Party leader Supriya Sule, the Lok Sabha member from Baramati in Pune dis trict, said she had spo

ken to officials of the Pune Municipal Corpo ration, police, and the National Highway Au thority of India. “They all will visit the spot to assess it and taking that report, we will meet Un ion Road Transport and Highways Minister Ni tin Gadkari and discuss what measures can be taken to make this road accident free,” she tweeted.

Angry onion farmers stop Lasalgaon auction over decline in prices

Those present said the auction started as usual. But when onions started fetching Rs10-12 per kg and Rs1,000 aver age price per tonne, an gry

“Due to the drop in prices, farmers are suf fering losses each pass ing day. The Union and

state

Kanda Utpadak Sanghatana said, adding that farm ers will throw onions in front of the Mantralaya to register their protest. The auction resumed after some time.

In the last 15- 20 days, the prices of on ions have dropped to Rs500 minimum and Rs1,400 average.

Navi Mumbai civic body holds contest to spur public participation

the judges and was im pressed by the contest ants’ enthusiasm.

Students in large numbers participated from NMMC schools No. 113 and No. 117, Vid ya Bhavan School - Ner ul, New Horizon Public School - Airoli, Don Bosco School - Nerul, ICL School - Turbhe, Gyan Vikas High School - Koparkhairane. Art ists and students from JJ School of Arts, and residents of the NMMC area also participated in this competition.

Last year, Navi Mum bai emerged the third cleanest city in the country in the “Swach hta Survey 2022, under taken by the Swachh Bharat Mission. It was also the cleanest city in Maharashtra.

The city had im proved its position from the previous year’s fourth position. In the 2022 survey, NMMC also received ‘Five Star Rat ing’ under ‘Garbage Free Cities’ and was the only city in Maharash tra to get the rating.

Contestants painted murals on designated walls at the NMMC headquarters as part of the kick-off for the national cleanliness survey

A contestant explains his mural during the competition at the NMMC headquarters.

UNITED IN DISSENT

Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on Monday witnessed a protest by members of the Koli community against the proposed Vadhvan Port. Touted to be the country’s first mega port, the project is expected to impact over 20,000 livelihoods in 16 fishing villages in the eco-sensitive Dahanu taluka in Palghar district.

—PHOTO BY BHUSHAN KOYANDE

First India Bureau

Nashik (PTI): Farm ers halted the auction of onions at the Agri culture Produce Mar ket Committee (APMC) in Lasalgaon, the country’s largest wholesale onion mar ket in Nashik district on Monday.

farmers stopped the proceedings.

governments are not paying attention to the problem. If prices don’t reach Rs30 per kg in the next two days, on ion auctions at all the APMCs in the state will be stopped,” Bharat Dig hole, president of Maha rashtra Rajya

First India Bureau

—CM Eknath Shinde

damaged

—PHOTO BY ANI

Byculla and Govandi had the least such banners. —FILE PHOTO

G-20 INDIAN CHAIRMANSHIP CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

heard in the global financial narrative. India will be as suming chairmanship of the G-20 for one year from 01 De cember 22. This is a matter of pride for every Indian and an opportunity for the country to emerge as a leader to solve some of the most pressing is sues facing humanity today. However, India’s Presidency comes at a watershed mo ment coinciding with a peri od of global flux. The global community is facing multi ple political and economic challenges.

India’s three guiding prin ciples going into the G-20 Presidency are: - First, serv ing as a bridge between the developed and developing world, second, serving as the representative of the eastern bloc of nations and third, in sulating the G-20 from some of the divisive pressures that have paralysed multilateral ism elsewhere.

IN-DEPTH

AMERICA IN NO POSITION TO LECTURE OTHERS ON LAW, ORDER

India will host the G-20 Leaders’ Summit at the level of Heads of State/ Government on 9th and 10th September 2023, in New Delhi. Under its Presidency, India is expected to host over 200 meetings across India, commencing from December 2022. As indicated by Indian PM, it’s going to be Impeccable and Uniquely ‘Indian’ G-20, and this mega event will be conducted closer to the lives of the people of India making it ‘People’s G-20’

The G-20 or Group of Twenty was created in 1999 as an ac ceptable medium between the more “elitist” G-7 and the more unwieldy 38-member Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Develop ment (OECD). The formation of the G-20 is more so linked to the disappointment of the international community over the failure of the G-7 in finding solutions to the prob lems of the global economy.

The middle-income coun tries and those with systemic economic influence in the negotiations to find solutions to global economic problems became imminent. Over the past two decades, the global economic balance has shift ed, and the G-20 has been seen as a more representa tive and egalitarian grouping of global leadership, and was particularly useful in steer ing the global economy after the financing crisis and banking collapse of 2008. Sig nificantly, the “Troika” of G-20 will be made up of emerging economies for the first time with India, Indone sia and Brazil - an indicator of the shift in the global eco nomic agenda towards the Global South. While G-7 is generally engaging more in

UNPRECEDENTED SUPPORT FOR JUDGE

political and security- relat ed issues, the G-20 primarily focuses on global economic and finance governance.

G-20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation representing around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the world wide trade, and about twothirds of the world popula tion. The G-20 is an intergov ernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the Europe an Union. It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as inter national financial stability, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development. The members of the G-20 are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Ger many, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Ara bia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Un ion. The G-20 is divided into two channels, namely the fi nancial track and the Sherpa track. The financial channel, specifically addresses a num ber of agendas related to the financial sector.

Bali Summit 15-16 Nov 2022: The motto of recently concluded Bali Summit in Indonesia was ‘Recover To gether, Recover Stronger’. Recovery from the pandemic was major focus despite geo political tensions overshad owing the summit. The Bali Summit focuses on a durable recovery multilateral action on climate, debt, taxation,

Lawyers often go on strike but rare ly do they do so to question the deci sion of the Su preme collegium over the transfer of a judge with the concurrence of the Union Law Ministry. Gujarat High Court lawyers have been on strike over the transfer of Justice Nikhil S Kariel to the Patna High Court calling the collegium’s decision as “the death of judiciary’s inde pendence” and even observed two minutes’ silence in mourning. Lawyers claim that it is a “penal transfer” and described the judge as independent, balanced and clean. They see no reason for Justice Kariel’s transfer to Patna and conveyed their ob jections to the Chief Justice

The G-20 or Group of Twenty was created in 1999 as an acceptable medium between the more “elitist” G-7 and the more unwieldy 38-member OECD. The formation of the G-20 is more so linked to the disappointment of the int’l community over failure of the G-7 in finding solutions to problems of global economy

and pandemic preparedness. The Bali Declaration ac knowledged differences over Russia-Ukraine war, but most members strongly con demned it and opined that it is essential to uphold inter national law and multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra “to day’s era must not be of war” resonated in the joint decla ration or communiqué is sued after the G-20 Summit.

INDIA’S PRESIDENCY:

DEC 2022 - NOV 2023

India has been a member of the G-20 since its inception in 1999. As an important mem ber of the grouping, India ensured that its perspective on issues of vital national importance did not go un

Gujarat HC lawyers have been on strike over the transfer of Justice Nikhil S Kariel to Patna HC calling the collegium’s decision as “the death of judiciary’s independence” and even observed two minutes’ silence in mourning

of India Justice DY Chandra chud when they met him on Monday.

Neither the Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju nor Justice Chandrachud had sounded encouraging of the move. Law Minister Rijiju deprecated the action by law

INDIA’S MAJOR OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Evolve a clear G-20 policy on Russia- Ukraine war ending the conflict, preventing fur ther isolation of Russia in the forum.

Focus on inclusive, equita ble and sustainable growth; LiFE (Lifestyle for Environ ment); women’s empower ment; digital public infra structure and tech-enabled development. The Indian PM Modi’s vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - “One Earth, One Family, One Future” with focus being “ principle of ‘data for devp’ of all.

The after-effects of the pandemic and economic re covery have been worsened in the wake of Russia –Ukraine war and needs global co-operation to re store normalcy. While the overall focus will have to be on sustainable economic growth but need to chalk out a roadmap to deal with the economic situation in col laboration with the IMF, OECD, WTO, and the Finan cial Stability Board.

Climate financing is an other area that India has to work on with the affluent na tions. The developed coun tries have to be prodded for transfer of clean technolo gies and renewable energies to medium and low-income countries.

The United States of America may be the world’s richest and most developed coun try but its gun cul ture and narrow mindset to wards different social groups like women, Blacks and the LG BTQ. For women the US may not be as safe as it is perceived to be.

According to World Population Review’s latest rape statistics, number of rapes or sexual as sault varies from one state to another but the average worked out to one rape every 1-2 min utes. Women aged 16-19 years are more likely to be victims of rape.

Last Saturday night at least five people were killed in a shooting incident at an LGBTQ club in Colorado taking the number of deaths in mass shoot ings to over 601 this year. Blacks have also been victims of such shootings. With over a month still remaining in 2022, it may catch up with last year’s toll of 692. The US is in no position to lecture any county on rule of law, but it does.

yers and said at a function organised by the Bar Council of India that “if it becomes a recurring instance for every decision by the collegium, which is supported by the government, then where will it lead to”? Justice Chandra chud also did not appreciate lawyers questioning the col legium’s decision and said that decisions are taken keeping in view “the national perspective”.

Justice Chandrachud told the lawyers that the issue would be duly examined. Is that setting a precedent? Right or wrong, lawyers must defer to the collegium’s deci sions on transfer and eleva tion of judges. They should not avoid acting like a trade union to seek reversal of the collegium’s decisions.

all.

MAHENG/2022/14652

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

Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra

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

Jagat Prakash Nadda @JPNadda

The news of many casualties in the road accident in Bihar’s Vaishali district is very sad. My condolences are with the bereaved families. I pray to God for speedy recovery of the injured and pray for the peace of the departed souls.

Bhupender Yadav @byadavbjp

As COP27

draws to

a close, thank

you

to the entire team with me in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt that worked hard to make the summit a success for India. Thank you,

SPIRITUAL SPEAK

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! Bible

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

COL RAJESH BHUKAR

The author is a Post Graduate in International Studies, Alumni of Defense Services Staff College, Wellington and College of Combat, Mhow

GUJARAT

CONG’S YATRA IS TO GET BACK POWER: PM

PM Modi says those dethroned are taking out yatra to get back to power

Surendranagar (PTI):

Prime Minister Naren dra Modi on Monday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, say ing those who have been thrown out of power are taking out foot march to get back to power. Ad dressing a gathering in Surendranagar town of poll-bound Gujarat, Modi also said instead of talking about devel opment during elec tions, the opposition Congress is saying it will show him his “au kat” (status).

“Now, the Congress does not talk about de velopment during elec tions. Instead, Congress leaders are saying they will show Modi his au kat. Just look at their arrogance. They, in deed, belong to a royal family, while I am mere ly a servant having no aukat,” he said. “In the past, the Congress had used words like ‘neech aadmi’, ‘maut ka sauda gar’ and ‘naali ka kee da’ for me. I urge you to talk about development

PM TO GIVE APPOINTMENT LETTERS TO 71,000 AT ‘ROZGAR MELA’ TODAY

New Delhi (PTI): As part of the government's 'Rozgar Mela', PM Narendra Modi will distribute about 71,000 appointment letters to new recruits on Tuesday via video conferencing and also address them, his office said. The Prime Minister's Office said the drive is a step towards fulfilling his commitment to according highest priority to employment generation, and it is expected to be a catalyst in creating more jobs and providing meaningful opportunities to the youth.

instead of playing this game of ‘aukat’,” he said, adding that he swallows such insults because his focus is to

Farooq

make India a developed nation.

Elections to the Guja rat Assembly will be held in two phases on

December 1 and 5. Modi said people who were dethroned long back were taking out yatra to get back the power.

“Some people are doing foot march to get back to power. They are also taking along those who had stalled the Narma da project for 40 years through litigation and kept Gujarat thirsty for 40 years. In this elec tion, the people of Guja rat will punish those who are doing this padyatra,” he said.

BJP stages walkout in WB Assembly over Giri's comment on Prez Murmu

Jammu: National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Monday expressed hope that PM Naren dra Modi would be successful in "end ing the RussiaUkraine war" that has stretched for nearly nine months. He stated that the war has created hav oc on global econom ic situation. “I am happy that India has got the presidency of the G20 Summit. It could be that India has the burden of all these countries. And I hope that the PM will be successful in ending the RussiaUkraine war which has created havoc on the economic condi tion,” he said.

Kolkata (PTI): BJP MLAs Monday staged a walkout from West Ben gal Assembly demand ing immediate resigna tion of Minister of State for Correctional Homes Akhil Giri from the cabinet and disqual ification from the House for his controver sial comments on Presi dent Droupadi Murmu. They staged the walk out after Speaker Bi

Kochi: Back in the state after an eight-day gap, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday yet again slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan government over its functioning. “This government works only for its cadre. If someone sitting in the Chief Minister’s of fice directs vice-chan cellors, and the Chief Minister doesn’t know, then it’s his incapabil ity and if he knows of it, then he is also a par ty to what’s happen ing,” said Khan.

Akhil Giri.

man Bandyopadhyay rejected their demand for an adjournment mo

tion to discuss Giri’s controversial remarks.

Bandopadhyay had said that the matter cannot be discussed in the House as the matter pertained to the presi dent of the country and the reported comment was made outside it.

The BJP MLAs de manded that the motion be taken up. However, this was turned down by the speaker.

MODI SURPRISES BJP

WORKERS

PARTY OFFICE

AT

KAMALAM IN GUJ Gandhinagar (ANI): After powerpacked campaigning and ad dressing four rallies, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday chose to go to ‘Kamalam’, the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in Gandhinagar and spend some time with party workers and colleagues. While his sudden visit was surprising for many, it was a pleasant meeting for quite a few who spent a couple of decades working for the party. Sources told ANI that it was a “light and fun” conversation as the Prime Minister walked into the Kamalam office and instead of going into a room, he chose to sit in the open area and on the benches. Initially, only a few people who were working in the party office late in the night came and welcomed the Prime Minister.

Rahul hits Guj campaign trail after taking break from yatra

Mahuva (PTI): Con gress leader Rahul Gan dhi on Monday said he felt the pain of farmers, youth and tribals after meeting them during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and accused the BJP of draw ing up plans to displace adivasis by handing over forests to industrialists as he hit the campaign trail in Gujarat 10 days ahead of the first phase of Assembly polls.

Addressing his first rally in Gujarat after the announcement of the Assembly poll schedule, Gandhi asserted tribals are the first owners of the country, but the BJP was working to take away their jungles and keep their children away from modern education.

He took a break from his Bharat Jodo Yatra, currently passing through Maharashtra, and travelled to Gujarat, where he addressed a gathering of tribals at Mahuva in Surat dis

New Delhi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will campaign in Gujarat from November 26 to 28, sources close to him said here. Kharge will address a public meeting in Ahmedabad on Novem ber 26 and is likely to address a press conference the next day, they said. He will address a public meeting in Indore after participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra with Rahul Gandhi on November 27. The yatra enters Madhya Pradesh on November 23.

trict in support of his party, which is seeking to end its nearly threedecade stint in the op position in the BJPruled state in the next month’s Assembly polls.

Gandhi said his yatra was for the unity of the country and during the cross-country footmarch he felt the pain of farmers, youth and tribal people.

Bharat Jodo Yatra to enter MP on Wed

New Delhi (ANI): Con gress leader Rahul Gan dhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra will enter Mad hya Pradesh from Ma harashtra on Wednes day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweet ed on Monday. Before entering Mad hya Pradesh after cov ering parts of six states of the country, the par ticipants in the yatra will camp at Nimkhedi in Maharashtra’s Jal

Mainpuri bypoll: Akhilesh-Shivpal bonhomie energises SP workers

Lucknow (PTI): Sama jwadi Party Chief Akh ilesh Yadav sharing a stage with his uncle and Pragatisheel Samajwa di Party (Lohiya) leader Shivpal Singh Yadav in family bastion Saifai to canvass for Dimple Ya dav has made party workers confident about their victory in the Mainpuri Lok Sab ha bypoll.

In a show of bonho mie, the SP chief on Sunday touched the feet of his uncle at the rally and asserted that there

has never been any strain in their relation ship. Shivpal Yadav termed the bypolls, ne cessitated by the death

KERALA AFFAIRS OF GOP

of Mulayam Singh Ya dav, a “high-stake con test” and told the audi ence that the family has become one.

gaon district for two days, he added. Con gress General Secretary in-charge Communica tions Jairam Ramesh tweeted on Monday:

MP: Cong MLA booked for rape, harassment

Dhar (PTI): Police have registered a case against Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Umang Singhar on charges of raping and assaulting a 38-year-old woman, a senior official said on Monday. The case was lodged on Sun day evening at Naugaon police station in Dhar city following a com plaint by the woman, who claimed that she was living with the ac cused as his ‘wife’ and alleged that he sexually assaulted her, SP Adi tya Pratap Singh said.

Congress in tizzy about Sudhakaran’s statements

New Delhi: Former Congress president Ra hul Gandhi made K Sudhakaran the state president of Kerala Congress. The party has not benefited much from his becoming the president, rather his statements are definite ly causing trouble to the party. He has given two such statements recent ly, due to which the Con gress is cornered. Not only have the Left par

ties raised questions on these statements, but the Indian Union Mus lim League, an ally of

the Congress, has also criticized them. Al though some experts of Kerala politics say that

SECTION OF KERALA CONG RATTLED OVER THAROOR’S MALABAR TOUR

Kozhikode (PTI): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's ongoing Malabar tour to attend various programmes and meet public figures seems to have rattled a significant section in Congress in Kerala with a few of them sensing an “agenda” behind the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP)’s move.

while Sudhakaran’s statement looks harm ful for the Congress, but Congress can get bene

fit from it in the elec tions.

He first said that many decades ago,

when people from Com munist parties did not allow RSS people to set up shakhas and used to attack them, he (Sudha karan) used to protect Sangh people by send ing his own people. Af ter that he said that the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was very demo cratic and had made Syama Prasad Mukher jee a minister in his government by compro mising with the fight against fascism.

“Today and tomorrow are rest days for #BharatJodoYatra which is camped at Nimkhedi in Maha rashtra. Early morning on Wednesday, 23rd No vember, the yatra will move into Madhya Pradesh.”

The former Congress president Rahul Gandhi remained absent from Gujarat as he did not campaign in the state till today in this election.

Indore: The man who allegedly sent a letter threatening blasts during Congress leader Rahul Gand hi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Indore has been identified and efforts were on to nab him, police said on Monday.

KARNATAKA GOVT TO HC: DECISION ON APP-BASED AUTO SERVICES BY NOV 25

Bengaluru (PTI): The High Court of Karnataka was informed by the state government on Monday that a decision on the online app-based autorickshaw hailing services will be taken by November 25. The government said the petitions of the service providers have been considered and a decision is pending. The transport department had recently directed stopping of auto-hailing services as it was not covered under the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregator Rules in 2016.

ORDER QUASHING FIR AGAINST SIVA BABA RECALLED

Chennai (PTI): The Madras High Court on Monday recalled its earlier order, which set aside the First Infor mation Report (FIR) registered against controversial Godman Siva Shankar Baba in a sexual harassment case. Justice RN Man jula recalled her order passed on October 17 after being satisfied with the submissions of State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jin nah, on Monday.

SEX WITH CHILD IN MARRIAGE’S GUISE OFFENCE: COURT

Kochi (Agencies): Muslim marriages under personal law are not excluded from the POCSO Act and sexual intercourse with a child, even if it is under the guise of marriage, is an offence, the Kerala High Court said. The court denied bail to a 31-year-old man charged under the act for allegedly abducting and impregnating a 15-year-old minor girl whom he claims he had married.

MAN ARRESTED FOR STOPPING KERALA HIGH COURT CHIEF JUSTICE’S CAR

Kochi (ANI): A man was arrested for stopping the official car of Kerala High Court Chief Justice S Manikumar and allegedly using abusive words against him. The incident happened in Kochi near Goshree bridge. Police have registered a case of attempt to murder against the per son. The incident took place on Sunday around 11 pm when Chief Justice was going to his residence. Tijo, who is the accused is a native of Udumbanchola in the Idukki district. According to the Mulavukad police, where the case was registered, the accused, who is a lorry driver, was in an intoxicated state at the time of the incident.

IN THE COURTYARD

Mahesh Sharma

Kerala Congress chief K Sudhakaran.

—FILE PHOTO

CONGRESS PRESIDENT KHARGE TO CAMPAIGN IN GUJARAT FROM NOV 26

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being garlanded during a public meeting ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections, in Surendranagar, on Monday. —PHOTO BY PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi draws a bow and an arrow during a public rally in Surat, Gujarat. —PHOTO BY PTI

Vijayan’s govt works only for its cadre: Kerala Guv

Hope PM will end Russia’s war with Ukraine:

Akhilesh Yadav campaigns along with Shivpal Yadav and SP General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav in Etawah, on Monday. —PHOTO BY PTI

BJP leaders hold protest against TMC leader

COPS IDENTIFY MAN WHO THREATENED OF BLAST IN YATRA

SHRADDHA WALKAR MURDER

Delhi Police moves plea to seek nod for polygraph on Aaftab

New Delhi (ANI): The Delhi police has moved a lower court seeking permission to conduct a polygraph test on Aaftab Amin Poonawala, the accused in the Shraddha Walker murder case.

Police had earlier said Aaftab, who confessed to killing his live-in part ner and chopping her body into 35 pieces, was giving misleading an swers to questions. Met ropolitan magistrate Aviral Shukla of Saket Court referred the mat ter to Magistrate Vijay shree Rathore, who ear lier granted permission for a narco analysis test on Aftab. The court is likely to hear the plea on Tuesday.

According to sources, Aaftab is to be produced before the court after the expiry of his fiveday police custody.

Delhi police had ear lier submitted in court that Aftab was giving wrong information and misleading the investi gation.

The plea for poly graph test is the second scientific examination that Delhi police sought to conduct on Aaftab.

On Thursday, the court ordered Rohini Forensic Science Labo ratory to conduct a nar

co test on Aaftab within five days.

However, the court directed the investigat ing officer in the case not to use third-degree on the accused as it ex tended its custody by a further five days. Met ropolitan magistrate Vijayshree Rathore had allowed the application seeking permission for a narco analysis test on Aaftab.

DELHI POLICE TEAM RECORDS ONE MORE STATEMENT IN MAHARASHTRA

Mumbai (PTI): A Delhi police team, which is in Va sai in Maharashtra’s Palghar to probe the murder of Shraddha Walkar allegedly by Aaftab Poonawa la, on Monday recorded the statement of a person in connection with the case. However, details of this person or his connection with the case was not immediately known. It has taken the number of people whose statements have been recorded here to 11, including two who helped Walkar when she was allegedly assaulted by Poonawala in 2020.

AAFTAB MOVED HIS STUFF TO DELHI IN 37 BOXES IN JUNE: COPS

Mumbai: Aaftab Poon awala had shifted belongings from his flat in Maharashtra’s Palghar district to Delhi in 37 boxes in June and paid Rs 20,000 for it, police said on Monday.Poonawala had told Delhi Police that before moving to Delhi, he and Walkar fought about who would pay for shifting the items from their house in Vasai area of Palghar, police sources said.

UP govt transfers 11 IAS officers ahead of municipal bodies elections in State

Ahtesham Siddiqui

Lucknow: Ahead of municipal polls, UP govt has transferred 11 IAS officers. Special Secre tary Revenue Mahendra Singh has been made Special Secretary Home while Renu Tiwari, Spe cial Secretary Food Safe ty and Drug Administra tion, is now Addl Com missioner Rural Devel opment & MNREGA.

MD UP Agro Shesh Nath has shifted to sug ar industry and sugar cane development de

partment as Special Secretary. Arun Prakash, special secre tary secretariat admin istration has been post ed as Special Secretary MSME and has been given additional charge

K’taka: Conman robs

ISRO scientist of `18L

Bengaluru (Agencies): An incident of a con man duping an ISRO scientist of Rs 18 lakh after promising him of a medical seat for his daughter came to light in Bengaluru on Mon day. Upparpet police in Bengaluru have regis tered a case in this con nection and launched a hunt for the accused.

According to police, 48-year-old Chidananda Shivappa Mugdum, a scientist working with ISRO and a resident of

CGS Colony in Mumbai is the person who wasd duped. The conman is identified as Arun Das. Police explain that sci entist Chidananda’s daughter prepared for MBBS. Two months ago, the accused contacted the scientist through a phone call and promised him a medical seat in Bengaluru. The accused Arun Das had also vis ited the victim’s resi dence twice and verified educational documents of his daughter.

of CEO Khadi Village Industries Board. Addl Commissioner MGN REGA Yogesh Kumar is now special secretaryagriculture produce commissioner branch. Three officers who

were under waiting list have also got postings.

TK Shibu was made ad ditional commissioner land management, reve nue council, Sunil Ver ma and Anurag Patel were also given postings.

“DAD DIDN’T SHARE DETAILS ABOUT AAFTAB”

Mumbai: Amin Poon awala, father of Aaftab, did not share information about Aaftab while taking a flat on rent in a building in Mira Road area last month, a real estate agent said. The agent who helped Amin find a flat in Delta Garden Com plex said the Poonawala senior initially wanted a 1 BHK flat but later changed his mind and took a 2 BHK flat on rent.

3 new members in Staff Selection Commission in HP Hamirpur (PTI): Three people were on Monday sworn in as members of the Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commis sion. PC Akela, Profes sor PK Vaidya, and Rakesh Bhardwaj were administered the oath of office by HPSSC Chair man Dr Sanjay Thakur. These new members of the commission were ap pointed by BJP-ruled state govt earlier but their swearing-in was put on hold by Election Commission due to the assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh.

India TV owner Rajat Sharma’s brother Salil Sharma dies at 59

New Delhi: India TV owner Rajat Sharma’s brother Salil Sharma re cently passed away. He was 59 year old. Accord ing to family sources, Salil Sharma was fondly called Chachaji by the friends and acquaintes of the family.

A prayer meet for the departed soul was held on Monday in New Del hi. The prayer meet was held at the Chinmaya Mission, Lodhi State in

3 to 4 PM

NATIONWIDE DRIVE

Many workers fall ill as toxic gas leaks in WB factory

Kolkata (PTI): Several workers of a cold drink manufacturing unit lo cated in Kamalgazi area in the southern fringes of Kolkata fell ill follow ing leakage of toxic gas on Monday, police said.

Two firefighters, who went there to rescue the workers also fell ill.

“We evacuated the workers of factory and people of nearby local ity and trying to spot what the problem is. Go ing by pungent smell of the gas it seems to be Ammonia. We have a team of doctors with us,” an officer said.

Ammonia, a basic building block for ammo nium nitrate fertilizer, is irritating and corrosive. Exposure to high concen trations of ammonia in the air causes immediate burning of the nose, throat and respiratory tract. This can cause bronchiolar and alveolar oedema, and airway de struction resulting in respiratory distress.

5 held with drugs worth `50 crore

Guwahati (Agencies):

In two separate inci dents, Assam Police have seized narcotic substances worth sev eral crores from Cachar and Karbi Anglong dis tricts. Five persons, who were allegedly in volved in drug peddling, were apprehended.

In Cachar, three peo ple were arrested with 1.80 lakh tablets used for intoxication on Sun day in the Lakhipur area in the district. Po lice informed that the international market value of seized tablets is around Rs 50 crore.

The accused were identified as Abdul Saeed, Ibazur Rahman

CRUCIAL READ

Chikkamagaluru: 4 cops have been suspended for extorting Rs 5 lakhs from a gold merchant and threatening to frame him in a smuggling case in Chikkamagaluru district. The four were identified as Sub-Inspector Lingaraju, constables Dhanapal Nayak, Omkarmurthy and Sharat Raj, of Ajjampura police station. On May 11, policemen stopped gold merchant Rohit Sankla’s car in Davanagere. He was carrying 2.450 kg of gold. Upon finding the gold, they threatened him that a case of smuggling would be lodged against him if he doesn’t give a Rs 10 lakh bribe. They extorted Rs 5 lakh from him.

3 DIE AS BUS RAMS INTO TRACTOR IN TELANGANA

Hyderabad: 3 persons were killed when a bus rammed into a tractor on Hyderabad-Bangalore highway in Telangana’s Wanaparthy district, early on Monday. Garuda bus of Telangana State Road Transport Corpo ration, which was on its way from Hyderabad to Bangalore, collided with a sugarcane-laden tractor from the rear side near Mummalapalli in Kottakota mandal. Two persons died on the spot while one succumbed to his injuries at the government hospital at Wanaparthy. The bus driver, a cleaner and a pas senger were killed while 15 others were injured.

Govt creates 25L Digital Life Certificates in 20 days

lll

MoS Jitendra Singh lauds role of Department of Pension for creation of 25 lakh Digital Life Certificates (DLCs) for Central Govt pensioners

First India Bureau

New Delhi: Depart ment of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare has created 25 lakh Digital Life Certificates (DLCs) for Central Govern ment pensioners in 20 days of the nationwide campaign.

These certificates were created during a special campaign organ ised between November 1 and November 19 in dif ferent cities all over In dia. Briefing the media

here in the national capi tal, Union Minister Ji tendra Singh informed that the Department of

Pension organized “spe cial awareness camps from 1st to 19th Novem ber 2022 in different cit

ies all over India from Srinagar in the North to Nagercoil (Kanyaku mari District) in the South and from Guwa hati in the East to Ahmedabad in the West”.

He said that out of 25 lakh DLCs, 2.20 lakhs have been created through face authenti cation by the latest Face Recognition Technolo gy, thus providing a huge relief, especially to the aged and infirm elderly population.

“All the registered

Pensioners’ Associa tions, Pension Disburs ing Banks, Ministries of Government of India and CGHS Centers had been directed to pro mote the Digital Life Certificate and Face Au thentication Technique for giving Life Certifi cate by organizing spe cial camps for ‘Ease of Living’ of pensioners, thus setting an example of “whole of govern ment” approach,” said the Minister. —With ANI inputs

and Sameer Alam, resi dents of Cachar district.

Cachar Superinten dent of Police Numal Mahato said, “These three were smuggling tablets in a lorry. The drugs were being smug gled in a secret chamber built in the vehicle’s car rier. Based on a specific information, three peo ple were arrested after searching the vehicle and tablets were seized.”

The police said that Abdul Saeed had brought the tablets from the Churachand pur district of neigh bouring Manipur state. The purpose was to smuggle them to for eign countries.

Jajpur: A goods train derailed at Korai railway station in Odi sha’s Jajpur on Monday, with wagons ploughing into waiting passengers, killing at least three of them, all women, and injuring seven others, including a twoand-half-year-old child, officials said. Railway officials said that the accident took place at 6.44 am when some people were waiting at the platform and the waiting hall for a passenger train.

CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION BEGINS INQUIRY INTO FOOTBALL MATCH FIXING

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a preliminary inquiry into allegations of football match fixing, as well as irregularities in the investments of football clubs, sources said on Monday. According to CBI sources five football clubs have allegedly received huge ill-gotten money and the role of a few international fixers have also cropped up.

UP: SIX BOOKED FOR RELIGIOUS CONVERSION

Bareilly: Six persons have been booked for alleged forced reli gious conversions in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district. Additional Su perintendent of Police (ASP) Rahul Bhati said the action was taken after the police got information that reli gious conversion was going on at the Vanshi Nagar locality in Bareilly where 60-70 people were present. Later, an FIR was lodged against six persons under provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion Act, 2021, said Bhati.

‘JAMTARA’ INSPIRES CYBER THUGS, 7 CASES IN LUCKNOW

Lucknow: Taking inspiration from web series ‘Jamtara’, cyber thugs in Lucknow are now duping innocents by pretending to be defence personnel. Last week, a retired bank manager Krishnanand Gupta, who had given an ad seeking tenants for his house, was duped of Rs 1.24 lakhs by a miscreant posing as an army captain. In another case, a businessman in Lucknow’s PGI locality was duped of Rs 15,000 by a man posing as army officer on Sunday. The businessman had also given an ad for selling his double bed. According to police, at least seven cases have been reported from the city in the last 20 days.

Odisha ‘sextortion’: ED seizes SUV of accused

New Delhi (PTI): The Enforcement Directo rate has seized a sports utility vehicle (SUV) belonging to the prime accused in the money laundering case linked to a recent alleged sex tortion case in Odisha.

“The vehicle, a Ford Endeavour, was found abandoned without a number plate. The seized vehicle is valued around Rs 40 lakh,” the ED said in a statement.

The agency said the vehicle belongs to Arch ana Nag who is the

main accused in the “high-profile sextortion racket run in and around the city of Bhu baneswar.” The En forcement Directorate had earlier said it seized “incriminating” docu ments, digital evidence and mobile phones.

Police had earlier said accused Poonawala was giving misleading answers to questions

Accused Aaftab Poonawala in police custody. —FILE PHOTO

MoS Dr Jitendra Singh with V Srinivas and Saurabh Garg.

First India Bureau

the national capital from

on Monday af ternoon. A number of eminent personalities from political, media

and other sections of the society attended the prayer meet and paid their last respects to the departed soul.

Accused along with seized drugs in police custody.

Prayer meet being held for Salil Sharma in New Delhi.

Sonbhadra TK Shibu Sunil Kumar Verma Anurag Patel

BRIEFS

‘BUDGET SHOULD FOCUS ON JOB CREATION’

New Delhi: The country imported 23.4 lakh tonne of fertilisers, including urea and Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP), in Oc tober this year, according to official data. Out of the total fertiliser imports, DAP was maximum at 14.70 lakh tonne, fol lowed by urea at 4.60 lakh tonne, Muriate of Potash (MoP) at 2.36 lakh tonne and complexes at 1.70 lakh tonne in the said month, the data showed. Meanwhile, the domestic production of fertilisers was 36.19 lakh tonne in October.

370 COS TO TAKE PART IN ‘POULTRY INDIA EXPO’

New Delhi (PTI): The Budget should focus on measures to accelerate job creation and broaden the tax base by rationalising GST and personal income tax slabs to boost consump tion, industry bodies said in their pre-Budget meet ing with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday.

“The external scenario is likely to continue to be unfavourable for some time. Hence, we must broad-base our domestic economy by creating new sectors of growth and driv ing employment genera tion to boost domestic de mand, inclusion, and growth,” CII president San jiv Bajaj said.

The Confederation of In dian Industry (CII), which was part of the virtual preBudget meeting, called for an aggressive focus on pri vatisation of public sector units and increasing allo

cation to capital expendi ture with focus on an in vestment led growth strat egy to pump India’s econo my amidst the global un certainty.

z

SITHARAMAN TO MEET STATE FMs

z Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will hold prebudget consultations with her state counterparts on Friday. The meeting is part of the customary meetings that the minister undertakes

To boost job creation, CII suggested that an employ ment linked incentive scheme be introduced and the government could con sider an urban employ ment guarantee scheme and initiate a pilot in metro cities first in this Budget. “Going forward, to pro

According to an official form the ministry, the pre-budget meeting with state finance ministers will be held in New Delhi on November 25

z

FINANCE MINISTER SITHARAMAN KICKS OFF PRE-BUDGET CONSULTATIONS

rates should be maintained at the current levels.

On November 22 (Tuesday), the minister will meet the agriculture and agroprocessing industry

vide tax certainty to busi nesses, the corporate tax

“Further simplification, rationalisation, ease of paying taxes, and reducing tax litigation should be key priorities,” the CII presi dent said. Industry body PHDCCI also submitted its suggestions for the Budget to the finance minister vir tually on Monday.

It suggested a fivepronged strategy to revital

ise the private investments through measures to en hance consumption, in crease capacity utilisation in factories, boost job crea tion, improve quality of social infrastructure, and accelerate India’s econom ic growth. “The Union Budget 2023-24 is being pre sented at a crucial juncture of geo-political uncertain ties, high inflation and slowing world eco growth.

Hyderabad: Around 370 companies, including 50 foreign firms, will partici pate in ‘Poultry India Expo’, touted as South Asia’s biggest poultry event, to be held here for three days from Novem ber 23. Indian Poultry Equipment Manufacturers Association president Chakradhar Rao Potluri on Monday said the compa nies would showcase their products, including feed, medicine, equipment and their best farming practic es during the event which is being held after a gap of three years. —PTI

TIM HORTONS PLANS TO OPEN 120 STORES IN NEXT 3 YEARS

Markets fall for 3rd day; Sensex, Nifty decline nearly 1%

Mumbai (PTI): Market benchmarks fell for third day running on Monday and ended nearly 1% lower amid weak trend in global equities.

The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 518.64 points or 0.84% to settle at 61,144.84. During the day, it tumbled 604.15 points or 0.97% to 61,059.33.The broader NSE Nifty fell 147.70 points or 0.81% to end at 18,159.95.

New Delhi: Canadian res taurant chain Tim Hortons plans to open around 120 stores in India in the next three years at an invest ment of up to `300 crore, a top company official said on Monday. The chain, which had in Au gust opened its first out lets in India, is initially fo cussing on North India and will later expand to other regions. “The com mitment that I made to the board is in the first 36 months of operation, in the first three years, there’ll be 120 stores (in India),” the company’s India CEO Navin Gurnaney said. —PTI

From the Sensex pack, Reliance Industries, HDFC, Tata Consultancy Services, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Bajaj Finance, Wipro and Tata Steel were the major laggards. Bharti Airtel, Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank,

Hindustan Unilever and Power Grid were among the winners.

Elsewhere in Asia, mar kets in Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong ended low er, while Tokyo settled higher.

INDIAN RUPEE FALLS BY 7 PAISE ON MONDAY

TO CLOSE AT 81.81 AGAINST US DOLLAR

Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated 7 paise to close at 81.81 (provisional) against the US dollar on Monday, tracking the strength of the American currency in the overseas markets and a muted trend in domestic equities. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened at 81.84 and later wit nessed an intraday high of 81.74 and a low of 81.91 during the session. The domestic unit finally settled at 81.81 against the American currency, registering a fall of 7 paise over its last close. Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six cur rencies, rose 0.83 per cent to 107.81.

IN ASIA PACIFIC REGION

New Delhi: Gold price in the national capital de clined `408 to `52,847 per 10 grams on Monday amid a fall in prices of precious metal in over seas markets, according to HDFC Securities. In the previous trade, the yellow metal had settled at `53,255 per 10 grams. Silver also dropped by `594 to `61,075 per kilo gram. In the int’l market, gold was trading in red at $1,745.5 per ounce while silver was down at $20.83 per ounce.

Crisil lowers FY23 growth by 30 bps to 7%

Mumbai (PTI): Rating agencies Crisil and Icra on Monday revised down their India growth projections for the current fiscal and the second quarter mainly due to the ripple effect of slowdown in global growth and mixed crop output.

Crisil downgraded the India growth forecast by 30 bps to 7% while Icra pegged the economic expansion at 6.5% for the second quarter of FY2022-23.

“We have revised down our forecast for real gross domestic product growth

Airtel hikes minimum recharge plan by 57%

New Delhi (PTI): Bharti Airtel has increased the price of its minimum re charge for 28 days mobile phone service plan by about 57% to `155 in Hary ana and Odisha.

The company has stopped its minimum re charge plan of ` 99, under which it offered 200 mega byte of data and calls at the rate of ` 2.5 paise per sec ond. In Haryana and Odis ha, Airtel has now started offering the `155-plan with unlimited calling, 1 GB data & 300 SMSes. The com pany has started trial of the new plan and is likely to roll out the same across India based on the result.

Bengaluru sees highest office rental growth

First India Bureau

New Delhi: Office rent in Bengaluru rose 12.1% yearon-year in July-September this year, the highest in the Asia Pacific region, accord ing to Knight Frank.

In its Asia-Pacific Prime Office Rental Index for Q3 2022, property consultant Knight Frank said that Bengaluru topped the list with 12.10% Y-o-Y growth in office rentals in Q3 (Ju ly-September) 2022.

Mumbai was at the 3rd rank in the index, record ing 7% Y-o-Y growth in of fice rentals, followed by

Delhi-NCR at 14th rank, which remained stable.

Jakarta was in the sec ond position with a 10.90%

growth in office rent.

Taipei stood at fourth rank with a 5.50% increase in rent, followed by Singa

LEADERS IN APAC

z Jakarta was in the second position with a 10.90% growth in office rent.

z Mumbai was at the 3rd rank in the index, recording 7% Y-o-Y growth in office rentals, followed by DelhiNCR at 14th rank

z Taipei stood at 4th rank with a 5.50% increase in rent

pore with a 5.3% rise, Bris bane with a 3.9% apprecia tion and Seoul with a 3.7percent rise.

ECONOMY FORECAST

z Crisil downgraded the India growth forecast by 30 basis points to 7% while Icra pegged the economic expansion at 6.5% for the second quarter of Financial Year 2022-23

to 7% for fiscal 2023 from 7.3%, primarily because of the slowdown in global

OTHER STORIES

INDIA’S FOOD SERVICE MARKET TO REACH $79.65 BN BY 2028

New Delhi: India’s food service market is expected to reach $79.65 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 11.19% from $41.1 billion in 2022, accord ing to a report published on Monday. The restaurants and food service market in the country is divided into two segments with the unorganised segment accounting for the major share, the report said, adding that the organised sec tor also grew at a strong rate between 2014 & 2020. —PTI

growth that has started to impact our exports and in dustrial activity. This will test the resilience of do mestic demand,” Crisil chief economist said. Icra, in its report pen cilled a 6.5% growth in Q2 of the current fiscal, which is still a tad higher than the monetary policy commit tee’s September forecast of 6.3% and at 6.5% in GVA less than half of 13.5% a year ago.

JIO GETS NCLT APPROVAL TO ACQUIRE RELIANCE INFRATEL

Mumbai: The NCLT on Mon day gave its approval to Jio for the acquisition of Reliance Infratel (RITL). The tribunal asked Jio to deposit `3,720 crore in the SBI escrow account to complete the acquisition of RCOM’s tower and fibre as sets. On November 6, Jio had proposed to deposit `3,720 crore in an escrow account to complete the acquisition of Reliance Infratel which is undergoing an insolvency resolution process. —PTI

REMOVAL OF EXPORT DUTY WILL LEAD TO NEW ERA OF GROWTH FOR STEEL INDUSTRY: SCINDIA

New Delhi: Removal of export duty on steel products will lead to a new era of growth for the domestic steel industry which has gained footprint internationally, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said. It has taken years for the domestic steel industry to gain footprint in the international markets, the steel minister said. The govt has cut the export duty on steel products and iron ore to nil with effect from Nov19, 2022 -- six months after imposition of the levy on May 21. The decision was taken very judiciously after taking all stake holders’ concerns into account. —PTI

AVG HOUSING PRICES UP BY 5% IN 8 CITIES BETWEEN JAN-SEPT

New Delhi: Average housing prices appreciated nearly 5% across eight major cities in the first nine months of this year on account of rise in input costs and a strong revival in demand, according to PropTiger.Com. The weighted average prices of residential properties in primary markets across eight cities stood at `6,600-6,800 per square feet at the end of September quarter, PropTiger.Com said in a statement. —PTI

‘EXPORT DUTY ON STEEL WAS IMPOSED TO CONTROL INFLATION’

New Delhi: The government had levied export duty on steel to control inflation which has now come down, JSW Group Chair man Sajjan Jindal said on Monday. He made the remarks reacting to the govt’s action of removing the export duty on steel items. “Duty was brought in because there was huge pressure on inflation and gov ernment wanted to cool down the inflation and the industry supported the government in the efforts,” he said. —PTI

GOLD DECLINES BY RUPEES 408; SILVER DROPS RUPEES 594

New Delhi (PTI): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday kicked off pre-budget consultations, holding meetings with industry chamber heads and infrastructure experts about their expectations from the upcoming Budget. “Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman chairs her 1st #PreBudget2023 consultation with the first group of captains from Industry & experts of #Infrastructure and #ClimateChange, in New Delhi, today,” the Ministry of Finance said in a tweet. “The 2nd #PreB udget2023 meeting is being attended by MoS Finance Shri @ mppchaudhary and Dr @DrBhagwatKarad ; Finance Secretary Dr T.V. Somanathan; Secretaries of DEA, @SecyDIPAM, DoR, @DFS_India, CEA Dr Anantha Nageswaran & Senior Economic Advisor @FinMinIndia.

AIRTEL LAUNCHES 5G SERVICES IN GUWAHATI

Guwahati (PTI): Telecom opera tor Bharti Airtel on Monday said that it has rolled out the latest 5G services in Guwahati. The ‘Airtel 5G Plus’ services will be available to customers in a phased manner as the company continues to construct its net work and complete the rollout.

“Customers with 5G enabled devices will enjoy high-speed Airtel 5G Plus network at no ex tra cost until the rollout is more widespread,” it said.

Only Godrej & Boyce plot left to be acquired: Govt

The state and the firm have been embroiled in a legal dispute since 2019 over the acquisition of a parcel of land in Vikhroli for the bullet train project

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The state government on Mon day informed the Bombay High Court that the land acquisi tion process on the en tire line of the Mum bai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has been completed with the exception of a plot owned by Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co Ltd (G&B) at sub

urban Vikhroli.

Of the total 508.17km of rail track between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, about 21km is to be under ground. One of the en try points to the under ground tunnel falls on the land owned by G&B at Vikhroli.

The state and the firm have been em broiled in a legal dis pute since 2019 over the acquisition of this par

Cocaine worth `20 cr seized at airport; 2 women arrested

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Narcot ics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized 2.8kg of cocaine—worth Rs20 crore—and ar rested two women, one South African and one Nigerian, an offi cial said on Monday.

Acting on specific in formation, the NCB’s Mumbai unit had laid a trap at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Inter national Airport on Sunday, and intercepted the South African wom an, identified as Miran da S, who had travelled to the city from Adis Ababa in Ethiopia. A search revealed the con traband, hidden in eight packets of varying sizes, in cavities in two pairs of shoes and two purses.

When questioned, Mi randa admitted that she was to deliver the con signment to a person at a hotel in the Andheri area, the official said.

Based on this, the team mounted surveil lance at the hotel, and intercepted the Nigeri an, identified as H Musa, who later admit ted that she was to take delivery of the nar cotic for further distri bution in Mumbai, the official added.

The seizure is notable as drug trafficking circuits are keen on supplying party drugs in the upcoming festive season

The NCB team found corroborative evidence with incriminating data on the women that links them to an inter national drug traffick ing syndicate, he said.

The contraband was sourced from South America, which is a hotbed for the illicit production of cocaine, the official said.

The seizure of the consignment is notable, as the local drug traf ficking circuits are keen on supplying par ty drugs in the upcom ing festive season in Mumbai, Goa and near by areas, he added.

cel of land for the bullet train project. Last month, G&B

filed a petition on the grounds that the final compensation amount

QUICK RECAP

of Rs264 crore awarded to the firm in a state government order on

September 15, was a fraction of the initial Rs572 crore offered for the land acquisition.

On Monday, a division bench of Justices RD Dhanuka and SG Dige said it would commence hearing on the petition

from December 05.

Appearing for the state government, Ad vocate General Ashu tosh Kumbhakoni said the matter was urgent as the project is being held up.

He sought that the

court begin hearing on the plea at the earli est, as the state govern ment has completed all formalities for acquisi tion and now only tak ing possession of the land remains.

G&B’s is the only par cel of land not in the state’s possession, and all the other land has already been acquired, Kumbhakoni said.

On Monday, the company also filed an application seeking that the state disclose all documents and re cords based upon which it decided which plot of land was best suited for the project.

Plaster falls from Bibi ka Maqbara in Aurangabad; none injured

First India Bureau

Aurangabad: A por tion of plaster on the exterior of Bibi Ka Maqbara, a 17th century monument in Aurangabad city, has fallen, an official of the Archaeologi cal Survey of India said on Monday. How ever, no one was in jured in the incident which took place on Saturday.

Notably, just last week, an ASI official had said, “The plaster

ing of the inner and outer boundaries of the tomb is already under way,” adding that it was expected to be complet ed by year-end.

The monument, which is a tomb of Mughal Emperor Au ranazeb’s first wife Dil ras Bano alias Rabiaud-Durani, resembles the Taj Mahal and is also known as the Taj of the Deccan.

“A small portion of the lime plaster on a minaret near the main dome of the mau

soleum fell. There was no injury to anyone in the area,” the ASI offi cial said.

Woman injured in 2013 crash to get `19.6L compensation

First India Bureau

Thane: A 48-year-old woman, who was in jured after an earthmoving machine knocked her down nine years ago, has been awarded Rs19.6 lakh compensation for the loss of income and for the other expenses and sufferings.

In an order issued on November 14 and made available on Monday, Thane Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) Chairman Ab hay J Mantri directed the owners of the equip ment to pay the amount to the applicant, along with an interest of 7%

per annum from the date of filing of the claim.

The claimant’s coun sel told the tribunal that on March 07, 2013, the woman was on her way to work in Chinchpada in Valiv, when an earthmoving machine knocked her down. She had to be hospitalized for serious injuries, includ ing to her spine, which have affected her ability

to perform natural and day-to-day functions.

She had been earning Rs34,200 per month as an accountant, at the time of the accident.

Mantri said that it would be proper to con sider permanent func tional disability of the applicant to the extent of 20% and the loss of future earning capacity as 15%.

“Heavy rainfall might have caused water to seep into the plaster, which might have led it

A small por tion of the lime plaster on a minaret near the main dome of the mausoleum fell. There was no injury to anyone in the area.

to fall. We will under take the conservation work soon,” he said. Located near the Kham river, Bibi Ka

Maqbara is made of ba salt rock and plastered with lime. Marble has also been used in some parts of the structure.

On the issue of cracks in the plaster, city-based historian Sanket Kulkarni said, “Vegeta tion needs to be re moved from the walls of the monument from time to time. Cracks and fissures that develop on the surface should also be examined at regular intervals to prevent seepages and loosening of the plaster.”

Man dies as truck hits motorbike on Mumbai-Bengaluru highway

Pune (PTI): A man was killed after a truck knocked down his motorcycle on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune dis trict, while in anoth er accident a trailer hit four vehicles on the same route, police said on Monday.

The accidents took place around 10.30 pm on Sunday, a couple of hours after a vehicle pile-up on Navale bridge on the route in which 24 vehicles were damaged, an official from Bharti Vidyapeeth police station said.

“The motorcycle rid er died after he was hit by the truck outside a tunnel on the Mumbai-

Bengaluru highway,” he said.

Around the same time, a trailer hit three to four vehicles in the area, the official said, adding there was no casualty in the accident.

“After coming out of the tunnel, the trailer driver might have

The accidents took place around 10.30 pm on Sunday, a couple of hrs after a vehicle pileup on Navale bridge

lost control over the ve hicle and as a result, it hit three to four vehi cles,” he said.

Only Congress can provide an option in Gujarat: Gehlot

l

that

Rajasthan Chief Minis

ter and Senior Observer of Congress in Gujarat assembly elec tions, Ashok Gehlot is con fident of the party’s victo ry in the Assembly elec tions. In an interview with the Consulting Editor of Bharat24 Amit Mishra, Gehlot shared the reasons for his confidence and why he feels that Congress has an upper edge over BJP and AAP in Gujarat.

z Congress is con stantly raising issues of unemployment and inflation. Do you

think, after Ra jasthan, people in Gu jarat are able to un derstand that these are big issues?

Gehlot: The aim of Ra hul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is also simi lar (to raise these issues). The inflation has broken the back of the public. Although, Gujarat is con sidered financially well off, but there is a limit to price rise. There is se vere unemployment here and there is unrest among young people. The system of jobs for good governance is miss

ing here. This govt has failed and the entire cab inet had to be re-jigged.

During Corona, the situ ation has not been good and people did not get treatment, and people died of spurious liquor.

z You have started in itiative of door-todoor campaign. How much will Congress benefit from it?

The five yatras of Con gress at the divisional level received warm wel come because there is unrest among the public against the present re gime. In 2017 also, there was anger among the public but this time, there is more anger. Only Congress can give an op

tion, no other party can. So, I think the Congress will benefit from this strategy.

z Last time also, you took the command and Congress got 77 seats. Do you think the Congress will

cross that figure or re main around that fig ure only?

The PCC has done an as sessment and set a target of 125 seats and we are moving towards that daily. Where we will reach, only time will tell.

z PM has accused

PM Modi and Amit Shah are worried as such they are using such ‘Jumlas.’

Activists do their job and keep their view point in every state. It is not nec essary that the govern ment agrees to them all.

Medha Patkar kept op posing it, but the dam was constructed. ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is not of Con gress only. This Yatra is in the interest of the na tion. This is not good and the public is gradually understanding these is sues.

z AAP is also contest ing with full force. Do

you think AAP’s pres ence will lead to tri angular contest?

During the last one month, they cam paigned a lot. It is a mystery and Arvind Ke jriwal should answer as to why they campaigned a lot in Himachal Pradesh and later to tally withdrew from the contest. This is beyond comprehension.

z Your ‘Old Pension Scheme’ has become a role model. Congress is including it in its manifesto in other states also. How will you assure Gujarat people that schemes implemented in Ra jasthan will be repli cated there also?

We have promised people and the Congress govern ment will fulfil it. The health insurance scheme of Rajasthan should be implemented across the country. I publicly ap pealed to PM Modi at Mangarh event to repli cate the health insurance scheme across the coun try for social security. The ‘Ayushman Scheme’ is for limited people only. We have provided Rs 10 lakh insurance and in ad dition Rs 5 lakh acciden tal insurance.

z How assured are you about Congress’ victory in Gujarat? I think there will be startling results. I can say this much only.

With a maximum speed of 350kmph, the country’s first bullet train will cover the distance between Ahmedabad and Mumbai in under three hours. —FILE PHOTO

The contraband was sourced from South America, which is a hotbed for the illicit production of cocaine. —FILE PHOTO

ASI has also decided to illuminate the structure by the end of the year, since it is one of the few monuments that remains open until 10 pm every day. —FILE PHOTO

—ASI OFFICIAL

people opposing Narmada Project have joined ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’?

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot interacts with the Consulting Editor of Bharat24 Amit Mishra in Surat on Monday.

POISE & PASSION

Renowned Bollywood actress Mugdha Godse showed off her glitz and flair at the Nation al Glorious Awards (NGA) 2022 held at the the Hotel Indana Pal ace Jaipur on Sunday. Around 51 people were acknowledged at this ceremony for their out standing contributions to soci ety in their respective fields.

Jagdeesh Chandra graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and inaugurated the program by lighting the lamp along with Pradeep Biswal, Anshul Jain, Hukum Singh Kumpawat, JD Maheshwari, Show organiser Luupa Mudrra Gogoi, pro gram’s brand ambassador Surbhi Gupta, manager Rinku Singh Gurjar and Ambalika Shastri.

The event also featured 3 fashion sequences with super models of Elite Miss Ra jasthan. The show kicked off with talented designer Ruchi Pathak showcasing her resort wear collection with model Himakshi Choudhary as the showstopper. The brand fea

tures lively dresses with bold prints and vibrant styles which grabbed the attention of the audience, follwed by the fash ion label brand Sarte by Palace and Apurva who rose the tem perature with beautiful west ern collection with model Tanu Choudhary as the showstopper. The entire collection was based on care ful fore casting of the fashion weather. The colour palette was based on the upcoming season.

In the final round, designer Arvind Sharma brought a new range of fash ion through his astonishing brand Laksha Priya with Shrishti Khatri as the show stopper. The brand features a unique collection made of Silk fabric in flowy gowns, the col lection was made of Subtle col ours.

Giving an overview of the desinger show, Gaurav Gaur, the director of the show said that he was very thrilled to see the amazing collections shown by talented designers at the National Glorious Awards (NGA) 2022.

National Glorious Awards 2022 featured 3 fashion sequences with supermodels of Elite Miss Rajasthan held at the Hotel Indana Palace Jaipur on Sunday

UTTKARSHA SHEKHAR uttkarsha.shekhar@firstindia.co.in

Jagdeesh Chandra greets Mugdha Godse

(Clockwise)

Rishika Chandani,Sheena Parashar, Shweta, Tanu, Shristi, Sneha and Himakshi

—PHOTOS BY MUKESH KIRADOO

WINTER ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN

arge parts of India are experiencing the onset of the Winter season. Eve ryone is busy bring ing out their warm clothes and wool lens from storage, drying them, dry-cleaning them, and readying them for the decreased temperatures to come.

Generally speaking, there is a lot of fun to be had in the winter. People love to cosy up with family in the warm con fines of a heated room and play games, read, and spend time together. It is also a wonderful time for food and fashion lovers. But what about kids? Are there activi ties that parents and caregiv ers can make kids do, spe cifically in the wintertime, that directly or indirectly develop their minds and brains and stimulate their intellect? Of course, there are. And all of them take their cues from nature itself!

Let us look at some of the in teresting, educational activi ties that we can make our children indulge in through the winter, and the benefits associated with each of them.

SOUP-KITCHEN!

Winter is an absolutely boun tiful time for local fresh pro duce. One gets the most nu tritious and yummy vegeta bles during this season. Why not make a family activity of cooking using this great pro duce? In fact, a trip to the lo cal market will teach kids a

The winter weather affords us infinitely greater possibilities to be out and about. Across several parts of India where the summer is harsh, it is simply impossible to be out and about, with most people preferring to stay indoors.

Winter is a time for the great outdoors. It is not even necessary for it to be some elaborate vacation, holiday,

lot. It will be like a field trip where they will be able to touch, feel, smell, enquire about prices, and help hand pick and buy vegetables. This will teach them infinite ly more hands-on, as com pared to their parents buy ing/ordering the same vege tables at a supermarket or

GET OUT & EXPLORE!

trek or expedition, because chances are that most of us will have enough and more to explore and discover within and around our towns and cities. Taking the kids to the park, for instance, and curating an experience where they and you, together spot and chronicle the flora and fauna, can itself become an experience that is both fun,

using a mobile app!

Second, they will be able to curate the buying experience depending on what recipes they have searched, either by themselves or along with their parents. This also will teach them teamwork, to take a group’s preferences into account, and then buy as

and primes the mind to stay alert, active, learn, and prep to learn more in the future.

Similarly, most cities in India have an older, more historic part of town that one hardly ever goes to. In my case, for example, Jaipur’s old city, the parts where the buildings are actually pink in color; is a veritable playground to explore art, culture, history,

per a list, yet another great habit to imbibe.

The actual cooking pro cess at home will entail many kinesthetic skills be ing used and developed, as brain development from all the knowledge they will gain by discussing nutri tional and other values re

facts, and interesting anec dotal knowledge through the ancient architecture, temples, shops, even the people. All one needs to do is get out early in the morning, and walk through the various lanes for an entire day! An absolutely fantastic family activity that will exercise mind and body, and also make for a super-fun experience.

lated to the produce. All this while indulging in what will be perceived as an extreme ly fun family activity – it will yield the sweetest re ward in terms of a hot, healthy, tasty, home-cooked meal, that would have, in its making, tested and flexed the kids’ intellect!

Winter, particularly for slightly older children, is also a great time to get some volun teer work. A stint of volunteering activity, be it at a local NGO (non- government organization) involved with food distribution, or even volunteer ing at one’s parent’s workplace, is the kind of experience that will keep kids engaged, busy, and constantly learning and exer cising their minds, preventing brain drain. The benefits of this type of activity, once again, are manifold.

First, it teaches children time manage ment, because they have to successfully juggle their school, leisure, non-academic pursuits, and vol unteer work, simul taneously. Second,

exposure to almost any kind of social-vol unteer work will sensi tize children positively and make them more aware and awakened citizens. Third, their minds will be positive ly and constructively occupied with the tasks at hand. And, if chosen correctly, these volunteering stints can also be immersive and fun pursuits. Each season presents chal lenges. At the same time, each season also offers unique chances and ways in which to engage children meaningfully, so that parents may curate a roster of activities that strike the right bal ance between fun and learning. Winter is no different. It is upon us, and we must dive right in. Happy Knowledge Seeking!

KARTIK BAJORIA cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

Alia Bhatt is one of the most loved actors in Bol lywood. She is currently enjoying one of the most precious phases of her life. The actress recently gave birth to her first child with Ranbir Kapoor and she is currently in her house enjoying her maternity break. We know that fans and paparazzi are missing seeing Alia step out of her house. But recently she took to her Instagram handle to share a picture of her and we bet you would not be able to take your eyes off her glow.

VICKY NAILED the hook step of Katrina

Kiara glams up in Versace

Kiara Advani’s glam outfit grabbed all the at tention as she stepped out for the trailer launch of her upcoming movie Govinda Naam Mera with co-stars Vicky Kaushal and Bhumi Ped neker. The actress proved corsets are so much more than just ball gowns and queens with her latest sartorial black outfit with a denim twist. The actress’s daring ensem ble definitely managed to make fashion watchers look twice. She is certain ly serving lessons on ex perimental styling

in Versace. Her sartorial ensemble featured a dualfabric strappy Denim Corset Top by Versace teamed up with a pair of black glossy slim-fit pants. Crafted with den im, the dual-toned design er cropped top features a corset-style silhouette, back zipper closure, and striking golden hardware at the spaghetti straps.

In the picture shared by Alia Bhatt, we can see her sitting cas ually in front of the camera and posing for the picture. She can be seen wearing an off-white and black coloured sweater. actress has left her hair open and is sporting a no-make up look. Sharing this picture, Alia wrote “cosy” with a tea emoji.

JUNGKOOK'S mesmerising performance

BTS’ Jungkook was the star of the night at the opening cer emony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup that kick started on November 20.

Taking place at the special ly created retractable roof

Cup between the teams of Qatar and Ecuador, more than 60k audience mem bers including the teams of the sport as well as the fans welcomed Jungkook for a performance along side Qatari sing

track ‘Dreamers’ and while he focused on his singing at the start, he was soon comfortable on the heavilyviewed stage and shifted to his moves. Halfway through the stage, the Qa tari singer joined him with

MANUSHI IS NO LONGER SINGLE

Model-turned-ac tress Manushi Chhillar is cur rently hitting the headlines, however, this time it's not for her professional career but rather her personal life.

The actress who made her debut in the film in dustry earlier this year with Samrat Prithviraj alongside Akshay Kumar in the lead is no longer single as she is currently in a relationship with a Bengaluru-based businessman named Nikhil Kamath, reported Hindustan Times. The report stated that the two lovebirds have been together since last year.

The report further states that Manushi and Nikhil have kept their affair under

wraps and are also often seen going on trips together. Recently, the lovebirds went to Rishikesh. Not just that, but the two have also moved in together. “The two have been going quite strong. Cur rently, Manushi is focused on her Bolly wood career, thus she doesn’t wish to talk about her love life as it might take away the attention. Their friends and family are well-versed with each other and the two wish to keep it low-key," added the report.

However, the duo is yet to respond to the dating rumours. Meanwhile, Kamath previously married Amanda Puravanka ra in Florence, Italy in 2019. Later, the couple got separated and got divorced in 2021.On the work front, Manushi Chhillar will also appear alongside John Abraham in Dinesh Vijan’s Tehran. The film will be released on 26th January 2023.

ANUSHKA'S SUNKISSED SELFIES

Poster of the song

Anushka Sharma

Manushi Chhillar

Manushi

Nikhil Kamath

Kiara Advani

Kiara flaunting sartorial black outfit

Katrina Kaif

Alia Bhatt

THE DAZZLING START OF THE 53RD IFFI

ASHISH TIWARI cityfirst.mumbai@firstindia.co.in

ringing together once again the world’s finest films and their stellar creators under one umbrella, the 53rd edition of the In ternational Film Festival of India kicked off with a grand opening ceremony at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukher jee Indoor Stadium, in Panaji, Goa, on November 20, 2022. Conducted jointly by the National Film Devel opment Corporation and Entertainment Society of Goa, this edition of the film fiesta is showcasing a col lection of 280 films from seventy-nine countries. Twenty-five features and twenty non-feature films will be showcased in the In dian Panorama section from a broad spectrum of entries.

It was attended by some of the biggest celebrities in Indian cinema with some thrilling performances by Varun Dhawan, Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan.

Mrunal Thakur and Am ruta Khanvilkar too en trapped the audience with their moves. While Apar shakti Khurrana played the perfect host, Ajay Devgn, Suniel Shetty, Manoj Bajpayee, Pankaj Tripathi, Shriya Saran, Prasoon Joshi and Paresh Rawal graced the event.

Kindling the auspicious lamp for the nine-day-long avalanche of film excel lence, Anurag Thakur (Un ion Minister for Informa tion & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports) said that his vision is to make India the most sought-

after destination for film shoots and post-production backed by the talent of our people and innovation of our industry leaders. “My vision for IFFI is not limit ed to one event, but what IFFI should be when India celebrates its 100th year of Independence once we tran sition from Amrit Mahot sav to Amrit Kaal! We aim to make India a powerhouse of content creation, espe

cially regional cinema by scaling up regional festi vals,” he elaborated.

Thakur said that 53rd IFFI is all set to be a melting pot of myriad vibrant cul tures and a spectacle of cin ematic excellence. “IFFI presents unique opportuni ties and incredible possi bilities for young and estab lished filmmakers to net work, pitch, collaborate and experience the best from

the world of cinema. Cine ma captures and chisels the conflux of a country's rich culture, legacy, heritage, hopes and dreams, aspira tions, ambitions and most importantly the collective conscience of its people at any given time in history”,

he added.

Highlighting the Country of Focus session at IFFI, the Minister said this year marks 75 years of IndiaFrance relationship, marked by a meeting be tween the leaders of the two nations- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Presi dent Emmanuel Macron, and India was the Country of Honour at Festival De

To make the festival more inclusive and accessible for everyone, special provi sions have been made for Divyangjan Screenings (for the specially-abled), Thakur said. “Keeping in mind their accessibility needs,

& Television Insti tute of India (FTII) will be taking two special courses for the specially-abled on ‘Smartphone Film Making’ curated for autistic individ uals and a basic course in ‘Screen Acting’ curated for wheelchair users,” he in formed.

ollywood actress Janhvi Ka

is renowned for her exquisite fashion choices. The actress can wear any dress, whether it is western or tradi tional, with ease. Janhvi recently revealed stunning images from her most recent picture ses sion in Dubai, where she was clad in a shimmering gown with a thigh-high slit. While many people praised her gorgeous appearance, other online users merci lessly mocked her.

Janhvi took over her

Instagram account and posted a few of her gorgeous photos, showing off her toned and beautiful legs while looking ravishing in a dress with a thigh-high slit. She looked no less than a Diva, with her makeup flawless and her hair pulled back in a high bun.

The moving biopic of Srikanth Bholla is all geared up as the filming be gan earlier today, and titled SRI, the film was officially launched by T-Series and Chalk N Cheese Films Production LLP. Producer Bhushan Kumar, Producer Nidhi Parmar Hi ranandani, along with the lead pair Rajkummar Rao, Alaya Furniturwala, director Tush ar Hiranandani and the man himself industrialist Sri kanth Bholla were present at the mahurat.

Written by Sumit Puro hit and Jagdeep Sidhu, SRI is a biopic of industrialist Srikant Bholla who didn't let his visual im pairment come in the way of his vision and founded Bollant Indus tries.

Gulshan Kumar and T-Se ries Present a T-Series Films & Chalk N Cheese Films Pro duction LLP, SRI is directed by Tushar Hiranandani, is pro duced by Bhushan Kumar, Kris han Kumar & Nidhi Parmar Hiranandani.

In these lovely photos, Janhvi radiated the aura of a royal prin cess. She captioned the post, "Thank you for such a fun night Dubai". Trolls began harassing her shortly after she posted her images. One netizen com mented, “bs show off Carvalho isse.” Another wrote, “cheap.”

Ratna Pathak Shah & Ma nasi Parekh are all set to come as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the upcoming Gujarati film “Kutch Express." The story is original, as we are unique and this is for the first time that Ratna Pathak Shah will be seen in a Gujarati Film.

Ratna Pathak Shah said “I am so glad Kutch Express is my first Gujarati film. The team was excellent - skilled, hardworking & intelli gent; I'd never worked with my co-stars before & was delighted by their en thusiasm & abilities."

Speaking about the same Actress Manasi Parekh add ed “To get to work with a vet eran like Ratna Pathak Shah was an experience I will hold

onto forever. It's her first Gujarati film but she re hearsed so much that when she spoke the dialogue it flowed naturally. She is super passion ate, a perfectionist and demands nothing but the best from her self and everybody around her.”

poor,

The Minister further con gratulated celebrated Span ish filmmaker Carlos Saura for winning the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award this year.

the films in this section will be audio-visual-equipped, with embedded audio de scriptions and subtitles. The Film

Janhvi Kapoor

Alaya Furniturewala and Bhushan Kumar

(L-R) Nidhi Parmar Hiranandani, Alaya F, Rajkummar Rao, Shrikanth Bholla, Bhushan Kumar and Tushar Hiranandani

Mrunal Thakur during the performance

Anurag Thakur during the lamp lighting

Ajay Devgn honoured at the event

Manoj Bajpayee honoured during the event

Paresh Rawal honoured during the event

Kartik Aaryan and Aparshakti Khurrana (L-R) Suniel Shetty, Anurag Thakur, Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan and Prasoon Joshi

Anurag Thakur and Ajay Devgn in conversvation during the event

Poster of the film