First India-Jaipur Edition-2nd April 2023

JD(S) LEADER, FOUR-TERM MLA FROM KARNATAKA A.T. JOINS BJP

New Delhi: Saying that he was much impressed by ruling party and its leadership, four-term Karnataka Assembly member and JD(S) leader AT Ramaswamy joined the BJP in presence of Anurag Thakur and also met JP Nadda on Saturday.

INDIA, MALAYSIA CAN NOW TRADE IN INDIAN RUPEE

New Delhi: Trade between India and Malaysia can now be settled in Indian Rupee (INR) in addition to the current modes of settlement in other currencies. This follows the decision by the Reserve Bank of India in July 2022 to allow the settlement of international trade in INR.

Macaws, among the most intelligent of avian species, can have a lifespan of more than 50 years in captivity. They are native to North and South America and a popular pet in India.

PM NARENDRA MODI’S ‘APRIL FOOL’ TAUNT AT CONGRESS

l PM Modi flags off Bhopal-New Delhi Vande Bharat train from Bhopal

l 11th Vande

Bharat will cover a distance of 708 km in 7 hrs 45 minutes

Dimple Sharma and Moni Sharma

Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took an 'April Fool' dig at Congress after flagging off the new Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express from the Rani Kamalapati station in MP's Bhopal.

Addressing an event,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Previous govts focused on only one family as the country’s first family and left the poor and middle-class on their own. Indian Railways is an example of this. It was not upgraded. Was it right? They could have made railways modern but they sacrificed the development of railways for self-interest," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said that there are many people inside and outside the country who have made it their mission to malign him. P5

ANOTHER CASE AGAINST RAHUL FOR REMARKS ON ‘RSS-KAURAVA’

Haridwar: A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker has filed a defamation complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a Haridwar court for describing the organisation as “Kauravas of 21st century” during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in January.

Swedish flyer molests IndiGo crew, arrested

First India Bureau Mumbai: A Swedish national was arrested on Thursday for allegedly molesting a cabin crew member in an inebriated state, the latest case of unruly behaviour on an aircraft. The incident took place on board a four-hour-long Indigo flight (6E-1052) from Bangkok to Mumbai. He was arrested & released on payment of ` 20,000 bail surety by the Andheri MM Court.

Dubai-bound plane suffers birdhit: Dubaibound cargo plane suffered a bird hit soon after take off on Saturday and returned to the Delhi airport. A full emergency was declared at the airport for landing of aircraft and there was apparently a crack in the windshield.

When I was informed that the flagging-off ceremony has been scheduled for April 1, I replied, “Bhai, ek tarik ko kyun rakhe ho? When the news will break that Modi is going to flag off the Vande Bharat Train on April 1, then our Congress friends will surely say that "Modi toh April fool karega”.

—NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER

NAVY CHIEF TESTS COVID POSITIVE AHEAD OF PM’S ADDRESS IN BHOPAL

Ahead of PM Modi’s address to the combined commanders’ conferencein Bhopal, Navy Chief Admiral Hari Kumar tested Covid positive on Friday. The Navy chief left for Delhi late at night by a special plane. ”Covid tests of all those attending the conference were conducted in view of the PM’s visit and the Naval chief’s test report came positive,” sources said.

‘SHAHI’ BIHAR!

Macaw pair seen at Telengabagan, in West Bengal’s capital city Kolkata on Saturday.

SERIAL OFFENDER RAJA AGAIN BOOKED FOR HATE SPEECH

Hyderabad: A case was booked against suspended BJP MLA T Raja Singh by Hyderabad Police for promoting enmity between groups, criminal intimidation through his inflammatory speech against Muslims.

WHO WANTS COVID-19

BOOSTER SHOTS AGAIN FOR AT-RISK GROUPS

Navjot Sidhu walks out of jail after 10 mts

Patiala (ANI): Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu walked out of Patiala Jail on Saturday, 10 months after he was convicted in a road rage case. He launched attack against BJP over disqualification of Rahul from LS, adding, if you try to weaken Punjab, you will become weak. Navjot Singh Sidhu comes out of the Patiala Jail on Saturday.

MODI CONDOLES TEMPLE TRAGEDY

At the flagging off ceremony of the Bhopal-New Delhi Vande Bharat train at Rani Kamlapati station, PM Modi condoled the loss of lives in Indore temple stepwell collapse. Earlier, a road show was also planned for PM but was cancelled due to the incident.

New Delhi: The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) has recommended an addl booster of Covid either 6 or 12 months after the last dose for the high priority group.

KOL MAN IS WORLD’S

1ST HUMAN INFECTED BY ‘PLANT FUNGUS’

Kolkata: A man based in Kolkata became 1st case of a potentially deadly fungal infection caused by plants. This says a crossover of plant pathogen into humans when working in close contact with plant fungi.

Entire Oppn is united on issue of Rahul’s disqualification: Gehlot

Naresh Sharma

Jaipur: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and other Congress leaders attacked the BJP led Central government over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha in Jaipur Division Congress Workers meeting held at Sanganer stadium here on Saturday.

Gehlot said.

sign.

Home Minister Amit Shah being welcomed by Mayor Sita Sahu & BJP State President Samrat Choudhary in Patna on Saturday. Shah’s Sasaram tour was cancelled after communal tension. P5,6

I instagram.com/thefirstindia

JAIPUR BOMB BLAST CULPRITS ACQUITTED

DUE TO NEGLIGENCE OF GOVT: CP JOSHI

The dharna tried to convey the message that there is no factionalism in BJP

Aishwary Pradhan

Jaipur: After the removal of Satish Poonia from the post of BJP state president, the scene of the party’s protests has changed.Those leaders have also started appearing who were rarely seen in the last three years

After Chittorgarh MP CP Joshi took charge of the party in the Congress-ruled state, the first sit-in protest was held in Jaipur on Saturday. Leaders of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s faction dominated the demonstration.The dharna once again tried to convey the message that there is no factionalism in the party and the party is united.

Holding the Ashok Gehlot led Congress government i responsible

CP Joshi & other senior leaders staged a dharna at Badi chaupad in Jaipur on Saturday.

CP JOSHI’S TYPING ERROR SPIKES CONTROVERSY

Jaipur: A typing mistake by State BJP President CP Joshi in his tweet led to a controversy on Friday. The State BJP President wrote Leader of Opposition instead of Deputy Leader of Opposition on Twitter. Immediately, he rectified his mistake as Leader of Opposition cannot be appointed without the meeting of legislative members. It is believed that BJP leader Rajendra Rathore will be appointed leader of opposition in the meeting on Sunday as the BJP high-command

for the acquittal of four accused in Jaipur bomb blast case of 2008, the party staged a dharna at Badi chaupad and accused the government

Raje accuses Congress for not taking right decision in blast case

First India Bureau

Jaipur: Former CM and National Vice President of BJP Vasundhara Raje on Saturday accused the Rajasthan government of not acting properly in the serial blast case of Jaipur and the high court decision is the result of that.

Raje said that after the incident, the terrorist organization Indian

BJP legislators to decide Leader of Opposition today

Mujahideen took responsibility for it.

“The government deliberately took such a serious matter lightly, otherwise the decision of the lower court would have been upheld, “ she said.

“Are their screams not reaching the ears of this government? Did the government do this because of appeasement?” she asked.

First India Bureau

of doing appeasement

The opposition party members alleged that due to weak prosecution of the state government, the four accused

who were awarded capital punishment by a lower court in 2019 were acquitted by the Rajasthan high court.

“Such terrorists were involved in Batla House and Surat bomb blasts. Two were killed in an encounter. Salman Khurshid’s statement was that Sonia’s tears are not stopping. These are the same terrorists, for whom tears were not stopping from Sonia’s eyes,” he said.

Government was sleeping when justice was delivered: Shekhawat

First India Bureau Jaipur: Commenting on the Rajasthan government’s decision to terminate the services of the additional advocate general following the acquittal of four accused in the Jaipur bomb blast case by the high court, union min-

ister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat asked what will happen by terminating his service. He said that the government was sleeping when justice was to be delivered and now it is doing face-saving by taking the name of the Supreme Court.

Radharaman Sharma elected as President of Pink City Press Club

First India Bureau

Jaipur: Radharaman

Sharma was elected as the president of the Pink City press club on Saturday.

Ramendra Solanki won the post of general secretary. Polling was done on Friday and the counting of votes began on Saturday.

Vijender Jaiswal has been declared elected for the post of Vice President with 278

Ashish Choudhary

Rajsamand: Speaker of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, Dr CP Joshi, during his fourday tour of the district, attended the closing ceremony of the threeday Navratri fair of Jal Devi Mata at Sansera village of Bamnia Kala Panchayat. Speaker Dr CP Joshi gave various offerings to the Railmagara region at the function. Dr Joshi inaugurated the GSS warehouse in Bamnia Kala Panchayat and also inaugurated the newly constructed building in the temple. On this occasion, the villagers welcomed the assembly speaker on declaring Jal Devi Mata Temple, a tourist destination.

In his address, Dr Joshi said that the state government has sanctioned about Rs 12 crore for the development of Jal Devi Mata Mandir in the budget, through which panorama and other construction works will be done here. For the convenience of the farmers of Railmagara, the state government has announced the opening of cattle feeders for Rs 40 crore, intending to increase the income of livestock and livestock farmers. Along with this, Dr Joshi said that the state government has also announced to open a Food Park on about 25 bigha of land in the area, which will benefit the farmers extensively.

First India Bureau

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has extended the period of Prashasan Shahron ke Sang campaign till September 30. UDH Principal Secretary issued the orders to extend the period. The decision was taken in view of the upcoming assembly elections.At the same time, the finance department issued notifications regarding various relaxations to be given under the campaign till September 30.

votes and Rahul Bhardwaj with 245 votes.

Rahul Gautam won

First India Bureau

Jaipur: The state govt on Saturday announced to provide relief to the devotees visiting the famous Lakhi fairs of the state. The devotees travelling from the buses of RSRTC to these fairs will be given a concession of 50 percent. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved the proposal of giving discount to devotees on bus fares. There will be concession in fare in ordinary and express buses of Rajasthan Roadways during the

the post of Treasurer by taking 384 votes. Mangilal Pareek,

who lost the election for the post of Vice President by one vote, demanded a recounting of votes. However, returning officer Satya Pareek turned down his demand. Monika Sharma, Anita Sharma, Dinesh Saini, Pushpendra Rajawat, Sunny Atre, Namo Awasti, Vikas Arya, Umang Mathur, Omveer, and Dinesh Adhikari were declared elected as executive members.

Jaipur: A state-level meeting will be organised at the state BJP headquarters on Sunday morning. The statelevel meeting will be organised at 10 am while the meeting of the Legislature Party will be held at 3 pm. Later, at 5 pm, the core committee meeting will take place. In the meeting, the name of the new leader of the opposition will be decided as per the directions of the BJP high

command. After taking the opinions of the MLAs, the name of the new leader of the opposition will be announced. Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje will also attend the meetings. She will reach Jaipur from Dholpur and take part in the meeting. State In-Charge Arun Singh, State President CP Joshi, State Organisation Secretary Chandrashekhar and other senior BJP leaders will also be present in the meeting.

fair period.

Devotees travelling to Pushkar fair and Dargah Urs in Ajmer, Kailadevi fair in Karauli, Jheel Ka Bada in Bharatpur, Shriramdevra fair in Jaisalmer, Khatushyam ji in Sikar,

335 million tonnes of limestone found in Nagaur

Nirmal Tiwari

Jaipur: The Department of Mines have found deposits of more than 335 million tonnes of limestone in the Nagaur district. In the presence of DMG Sandesh Nayak, ACS Dr Subodh Agarwal was given the study report of 21 blocks of limestone deposits in Nagaur district by the Chief Executive Officer of RSMET NP Singh.

ACS Dr Subodh

Agarwal informed that as per G2 level exploration in Nagaur and Deh of Nagaur district, limestone deposits have been found at Harima, Khetolav, Sarasni, Somna and Pithasia in Nagaur and Deh tehsils.

“Rough estimates suggest that 335 million tonnes have been estimated in an area of more than 1621 hectares of 21 blocks. The

mineral reserves will help to generate employment and revenue

for the state,” said Dr Subodh Agarwal. Director Sandesh

Nayak said that for healthy competition and maximum participation, 18 blocks of 4.8-hectare area are being prepared, while three blocks of 500-hectare area are being prepared. “The work of revenue record digitization, land classification, demarcation, etc. is being completed soon for eauction by the department,” said Sandesh Nayak.

Salasar Balaji in Churu, Gogamedi in Hanumangarh, Beneshwar Dham in Dungarpur, Ranthambore Ganesh ji in Sawaimadhopur have been included in the list of discounted fare list.

Government amends rules for bar licence

First India Bureau Jaipur: The state govt has amended licence rules for bar license for hotels, restaurants, and clubs in Rajasthan. Now, the licenses can be taken for three months. If such a licence is taken even a few days before the end of three months, then the full licence fee of three months will have to be deposited.

GOVERNMENT OF RAJASTHAN COMMISSIONERATE OF AGRICULTURE, RAJASTHAN, JAIPUR

PM. UBN NO. AGR2223SLRC00376 (Kana Ram) Commissioner, Agriculture Rajasthan DIPR/C/5009/2023

Toll Rate List

OFFICE OF THE PROJECT DIRECTOR (PPP), PWD JODHPUR Collection of User Fee on Bhawi-Pipar-Khinwsar Highway (SH-86C) For M/s Sai Engineering Works, Jodhpur

RSS LOBBY INCITING STATE DOCS AGAINST RTH ACT, SAYS GEHLOT

Those misguiding doctors are ‘gaddar’, says CM Gehlot Doctors’ children to join protest against Act today

Gul Mohammad

Kota: Claiming that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) lobby inciting doctors against the Right to Health Act in the State, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said the Act is in the interest of the public, so doctors should leave their stubbornness and serve the public.

“The recommendations given by the doctors to the finance secretary were all agreed upon but later on some four to five doctors, who are associated with the RSS, raised objections. It is not an allegation but the truth that they are from the RSS,” he said.

He also said the “four to five people, associated with the RSS, who misguided the doctors, are ‘Gaddar’ (traitors)”. BJP and Sangh should not do this kind of politics, he added.

“55 per cent of a family’s earning goes in household expenses and people’s land and property are sold for expensive treatment. That is why we have brought the Act so that even the poorest of the poor can be treated,” he said.

IPS Meharda gets addl charge of DG Tech Services

Jodhpur: A doctor, protesting against the Right to Health (RTH) Act, was arrested by police in Jodhpur for allegedly sharing a post on social media and threatening Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Police informed that Dr Surender Kumar Mittal, a resident of Sector F in Jodhpur, was arrested under CrPc 151 by Shastri Nagar Thana Police. “Dr Surender Kumar Mittal had shared a post on social media on Thursday and threatened CM Ashok Gehlot. He said that doctors can also become Godse.

Torch march held against ‘Act’ in Sikar

First India Bureau

Sikar: Agitating doctors on Saturday took out a torch procession against the Right to Health Act in Sikar. The procession was taken out in Laxmangarh and will stop at many places including Nawalgarh, Mandawa.

RC Dhaka, a member of the Indian Medical Association, said that along with the doctors,

the Right to Health Act will affect the common people. The Procession is being taken out to tell

the disadvantages of this Act. On Sunday, private doctors will involve

2 kids drown in pond in Churu, cops detain mother on dad’s plaint

First India Bureau

First India Bureau Jaipur: DG Civil Rights and Cyber Crime Ravi Prakash Meharda has been given the additional charge of DG Technical Services (Telecommunication and Technical and SCRB).

The Department of Personnel issued the order on Saturday. Meharda is 1990-batch IPS officer.

their children in the protest in Jaipur. Children of the doctors will come with placards in their hands. A foot march will also be taken out from JMA at 11 am. On the other hand, amid massive protest by the doctors, State Health Minister Parsadi Lal Meena has said that the government would not take back the Act at any cost.

Churu: In an upsetting incident, a three-yearold girl and a sevenmonth-old boy died due to drowning in a pond in Sardarshahar. The father has alleged that the children’s mother killed both of them by throwing them in the pool. The police have taken the mother into custody based on the father’s report. The woman is being questioned.

As per the police, at around 9 pm on Friday night, two children were reported to have drowned in a pool in Kanaram ki Dhani of

Khundia village. On this, the police team reached the spot and with the help of the villagers, the bodies of the children were taken out. By then both the children had died. The children’s father Kanaram (45) has accused his wife Mamta of killing both the children by throwing them in the pool.

A day after bail, suspended AdSP Divya arrested again

First India Bureau

Ajmer: Suspended Additional SP Divya Mittal, who got bail from Rajasthan High Court on Friday, was once again arrested by SOG on Saturday.

Jaipur: A delegation of agitating private doctors held a meeting with additional chief secretary (finance) Akhil Arora in the State Secretariat on Saturday. The delegation put up their points and held discussions regarding the Right to Health Act. The round of talks is likely to continue on Sunday. The private doctors have been agitating against the RTH Act for the last few days with the single point demand of its withdrawal. Meanwhile, the health of Dr Neelam Khandelwal, who is sitting on fast unto death at JMA, deteriorated. She has been on the fast for the last four days. Despite advice from fellow doctors. Dr Khandelwal has been continuing the fast unto death.

The ‘Project Tiger’ completes 50 years

Senior citizen honey trapped, duped of `6L

First India Bureau Jaipur: A case of blackmailing a 55-yearold man with nude video calls has come to light in the city. The girl recorded the screen with the nude video on WhatsApp and demanded money with threats to make it viral on social media channels.

First India Bureau

Jaipur: The ‘Project Tiger’ completed its 50th year on Saturday. The project tiger was started on April 1,1973 by Former PM Lt Indira Gandhi to save the tigers and increase their population in the country.

In Rajasthan, activ -

ist Kailash Sankhla made efforts for the project tiger campaign. The union government will also issue a coin on tiger project. Notably, in 1973, the total number of tigers in India were 1827, but today, the number has crossed 3000. In Rajasthan, the number has crossed 100.

When the aged victim did not agree to provide money, the fraudsters made a video call in the uniform of a police officer. Fake police officers and YouTube employees took away Rs 6 lakh by bluffing the old man. The victim has lodged a report at the Cybercrime police station.

Jaipur: Resident doctors in the SMS Medical College are divided in two factions. Out of 1,800 resident doctors, around 400 residents have returned to work and some of them returned to their hostels after giving attendance. The department has given instructions to the HOD to be strict and take action against the absent residents. More than half a dozen HODs tried to comply with these instructions and ensured 100 per cent attendance of the residents in the department whereas in several other departments, the attendance of the residents remained zero. SMS medical college principal Dr. Rajeev Bagrahatta has given strict instructions to all the HoDs to take action against the absent residents.

RERC issues new power tariff orders

Divya Mittal was arrested outside Ajmer jail on charges of shoddy investigations in three cases of the NDPS Act. ADG (SOG) Ashok Rathore informed that so far, no complaint has been registered against Divya Mittal in SOG. However, she investigated three cases of the

NDPS Act and the investigation was found biased.

“Divya Mittal has been arrested today from outside Ajmer Jail. Divya will be questioned regarding the investigation of all three files. She was re-

Ramlal again makes veiled attack on Pilot

Bhilwara: Revenue Minister Ramlal Jat has once again attacked former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot saying that some leaders are active in such a way that they show faith in the high command but raise questions on their decisions.

Vikas Sharma

Jaipur: The Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued orders regarding new tariffs for electricity consumers.

As per the tariff of 2023-24, domestic consumers will get electricity on previous rates, but TOD time for industries has been reduced according to load man-

BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION

agement. Now instead of 12 am to 6 am, rebates will be available from 2 am to 6 am.

A discount of 7.5 per cent will be given on the use of electricity during this period. While the surcharge levied from 6 am to 10 am has been increased from 5 per cent to 7.5 per cent. The fuel surcharge will be included in the electricity bill.

He said that when the high command made Ashok Gehlot Chief Minister of Rajasthan in 2018, they questioned this decision which was indiscipline.

Jat also said, “The Congress party is bearing the brunt of indiscipline. Sharma said that there is no indiscipline in BJP and RSS because there is uni -

VAT on turbine fuel reduced, new flights soon

Kashiram Choudhary

Jaipur: As per the budget announcement by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the VAT duty on aviation turbine fuel has been reduced from April 1. The VAT duty on turbine fuel has been brought down from 26 per cent to 2 per cent, which is likely to increase air connectivity from Jaipur.

Sources informed that nearly half-a-dozen

new flights can be started from Jaipur airport to other cities. “Flight

services to Bangkok and Dubai will be increased while a new

z Reduction in VAT can also increase the traffic of charter flights

z Currently, on average, there are 3 charter flights per day

z VAT on charter flights will now be 2% only

z The number of charter flights is expected to be 6 to 8 daily in the tourist season

z Vasundhara Raje government reduced VAT nearly 6 years ago

z There was an attempt to make an aviation hub at Jaipur airport

z Indigo and SpiceJet were getting benefitted

flight to Kuala Lumpur can also be started. Commercial airlines

will benefit from such a low VAT and airlines will be encouraged to

start new flights to different cities from Jaipur,” said a source.

At present, an average of 57 flights are operating daily from Jaipur airport. The number of flights may go up to 70 in the next four months if aviation turbine fuel rates are reduced. There is a possibility that flight services will also be increased from Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Kishangarh airports of the State.

formity in them.”

Appealing to the party workers, the Minister said, “Whether the leader remains disciplined or not, there is an appeal to the workers to remain disciplined and repeat the government once again. Everyone will accept the decision taken by the high command.”

The Revenue Minister was interacting with the media in Bhilwara.

leased from Ajmer jail today itself nearly 100 days after being caught by ACB,” said ADG Ashok Rathore. Mittal was probing a case of banned medicines, worth over Rs 16 crore, seized from Ajmer and Jaipur in 2021.

HC Employees’ Association seeks review of cadre

First India Bureau Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court Employees’ Association has submitted a memorandum to the Registrar General of Rajasthan High Court to restrengthen the cadre of employees in the court.

Association President Rituraj Sharma said that the cadre strength of the Rajasthan High Court staff was last determined in 2012, but the number of cases registered in the past years has increased manifold.

“Given the workload, all the posts from Joint Registrar to Junior Judicial Assistant should be restrengthened,” said Ritu Raj Sharma.

Brahma Kumaris Int’l Panel meeting today

First India Bureau

Abu Road/Sirohi: The meeting of the International Executive Committee of Brahma Kumaris will take place on Sunday. Senior officials of the institute from all over the country will gather in the meeting.

There will be a discussion on the programmes of Amrit Mahotsav of Independence, wherein the outline of Jal Jan Abhiyan will also be prepared. The meeting of

the International Executive will be held from 2 to 8 April. The event will be organised under the chairmanship of Rajyogini Dadi Ratanmohini, the chief administrator of the Brahmakumaris Sansthan.

Naveen Joshi

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot speaks at the division level Congress workers’ conference at Umaid Singh Stadium in Kota on Saturday.

Doctors hold a torch in protest against the RTH Act in Sikar.

Ravi Prakash Meharda

MJ IS A DELIGHTFUL PHRASE MAKER

NAVJOT

SIDHU

AFFIRMS HIS LOYALTY FOR RAHUL GANDHI

Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Congress leader who was in the Patiala jail for the last 10 months in a road rage case, was released on Saturday. He was sentenced in a road rage case. Immediately after his release Sidhu made clear his support for Rahul Gandhi and attacked the “trammelled democracy” in the country. He hailed Rahul for leading a revolution in the country and alleged that the Centre wants to impose President’s rule in the state.

K NATWAR SINGH

Was it only charisma that drew the likes of Motilal Nehru, CR Das, Maulana Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Patel, Sarojini Naidu and the early Subhas Chandra Bose. No, it was his devotion to Truth. Of course his glittering character, his preferences to love in the face of hate. What a team he had300 million to begin with. With the world see another Gandhi? You will probably find part of the answer in the Akbar-Natwar book

,Iwrote in this column sometime back, that MJ Akbar and I were jointly writing a book on Mahatma Gandhi. The title we decided upon was, Gandhi: The Imperishable Indian. MJ has sent me two chapters of his part of the book. These run into 128 pages. The third chapter he is working on. The two chapters are scintillating, immensely absorbing. His style is of a very high order. Clichés have no place in any of his eight or more books. He is a delightful phrase maker. I am, for obvious reasons not revealing what MJ has written. However, I await the next chapter eagerly and with a load of curiosity. Akbar has made good use of the monumental, “Collective Works of Mahatma Gandhi”, which run into over a hundred volumes. There exists a mistaken view that Gandhiji was not a great reader. This is not true. When he was in jail in the early 1920’s he read several hundred books.

Raghvan Iyer in volume one of his, “The Moral and Political Writings of Mahat-

DOCTORS SHOULD END THE STRIKE

ma Gandhi” give a list of the books he read- including novels. The chapter is headed, “Books Read”. It runs into 34 pages. Let me quote Gandhiji: “Let the reader however not imagine that I read these books by choice. Some of them were useless and outside the jail I would not have read them. Some of them were sent by friends known and unknown and I felt I was bound for their sakes at least to go through them. Yeravada Jail has what may be called not a bad collection of English books. Some of them were really good books, such for instance as Farrar’s Seekers after God. Or Jules Verne’s, Dropped from the Clouds, all of them inspiring in their own way. Farrar’s is an inspiring book giving the best side of the lives of Marcus Aurelius’, Seneca and Epictetus. Lucian’s book is a fine and instructive satire. Jules Verne teaches science in the guise of a story. His method is inimitable”. Here we get a fresh view of Gandhiji’s literary side of which few are aware.

Let me give the titles of a few of the books Gandhi read. The Five Nations by Rudyard Kipling, Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Stevenson, The Second Jungle Book- Kipling, Satires and Epistles of Horace. Goethe’s Faust. Lays of ancient Rome, Primer of

Private medical doctors in Rajasthan have been on strike for the last several weeks after the state government passed a Bill proposing free medical treatment to the people. The Bill is meant to protect the rights of patients for availing quality health facilities without having to worry about the cost of treatment which can be exorbitantly high in some private hospitals. Doctors fear that the Bill strikes at their business interests as they will be required to offer emergency care to patients for free.

Their complaint is that the government has not made it clear if the treatment cost they incur will be reimbursed by hospitals or the govern-

I, wrote in this column sometime back, that MJ Akbar and I were jointly writing a book on Mahatma Gandhi. The title we decided upon was, Gandhi: The Imperishable Indian. MJ has sent me two chapters of his part of the book. These run into 128 pages. The third chapter he is working on, the two chapters are scintillating, immensely absorbing. His style is of a very high order

Marathi Language, Natural History of Birds, Historical English Grammar, Scott’s Poetical Works, Life and Voyages of Columbus. I have started work on my chapter of the Gandhi volume. I deliberately decided to read lesser known books on Gandhiji. These includes, Gandhi by George Woodcock, Gandhi Against the Tide by Antony Copley, The Philosophy of Gandhi by Glyn Richard, Gandhi, The Traditional Roots of Charisma by Susan Rudolph and Lloyd I Ru-

Doctors fear that the Bill strikes at their business interests as they will be required to offer emergency care to patients for free. Their complaint is that the government has not made it clear if the treatment cost they incur will be reimbursed by hospitals or the government

ment. Several provisions of the Bill also lack clarity, say doctors. They are also opposing the provision on setting up of a grievance redressal cell to deal with patients’ complaints.

Doctors are refusing to retreat even if it means crippling health facilities in the state. With government hos-

dolph. Except one, none is more than a hundred pages.

How to comprehend or explain the unmatched charisma of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Where lay its root. None of his grandparents, parents or his brother had it. When did the charisma become visible in a man so spectacularly she. No definite date can be fixed. Gandhi’s charisma excelled that of Marx, Lincoln, Lenin, Stalin, Hitler and Mao Tse TungGandhi was not endowed with the good looks of Jawaharlal Nehru, yet his charisma was unmistakable.

In the pre- T.V, Radio, Aeroplanes, Telephones, Gandhi’s meetings at times attracted over a million people. Who invented the word Satyagraha-Gandhi. Non-violent, noncooperation-Gandhi. Was it only charisma that drew the likes of Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, Maulana Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Patel, Sarojini Naidu and the early Subhas Chandra Bose. No, it was his devotion to Truth. Of course his glittering character, his preferences to love in the face of hate. What a team he had- 300 million to begin with. With the world see another Gandhi? You will probably find part of the answer in the Akbar-Natwar book.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

pitals and doctors also joining the strike, medical services have remained paralysed. Instead of challenging the Bill in a court of law, doctors are probably aware that agitation is a more effective tool to make a government accede to their demands.

The State Human Rights Commission and the State Medical Council have now sought details of striking doctors. The SHRC Chairman Justice GK Vyas has appealed to the doctors to call off the strike. The Rajasthan High Court has also issued notices to private doctors associations, the state government and Rajasthan Medical Council. It is hoped that doctors will see reason and end the strike before the crisis precipitates further.

Sidhu’s release comes on the heels of Amritpal Singh, a proKhalistan radical, escaping from the police net and when Punjab is on the tenterhook about his movements. Sidhu’s allegation of President’s rule is probably based on the Amritpal issue.

Punjab Police may have goofed up in handling the Amritpal case but Sidhu’s fear of Central rule in the border state is pure imagination. The Congress leader has just walked out of jail and he should be careful about what he imagines.

SPIRITUAL SPEAK

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you. Buddha

TOP TWEETS

Jagat Prakash Nadda @JPNadda

Heartiest greetings to the wonderful people of Orissa on Utkala Dibasa ! May the rich culture & traditions of this land continue to flourish and it’s people always prosper.

Dharmendra Pradhan @dpradhanbjp

Guided by PM @narendramodi ji’s call for making India’s ongoing Presidency a people’s movement, educational and skill institutions in Odisha soak in the spirit of ‘Jan-Bhagidari’ ahead of the 3rd meeting of the #G20 Education Working Group on ‘Future of Work’.

The author is Former Minister of External Affairs of India

‘Some inside and outside people given ‘supari’ to dent my image‘

In Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi

Sasaram tense, HM Amit Shah’s meeting cancelled

reputation

PM Modi flags off Bhopal-Delhi

Vande Bharat Express train

First India Bureau

Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said some people are hellbent to sully his image and they have given a “supari” (contract) for this purpose colluding with certain people sitting in India and also abroad.

Modi’s veiled attack on Congress comes amid a slugfest between Congress and BJP over Rahul Gandhi’s “democracy under brutal attack in India” remarks in the UK and Germany taking note of Rahul’s disquali-

PM MODI ATTENDS COMBINED COMMANDERS’ CONFERENCE IN MP

Bhopal: PM Narendra Modi on Saturday attended the Combined Commanders’ Conference at the Kushabhau Thakre Convention Centre here and held high-level deliberations on future strategic defence planning and indigenous weapons manufacturing among other issues. During the conference, the PM interacted with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, CDS Lt Gen Anil Chauhan, NSA Ajit Doval, chiefs of staff of Army and Air force and defence commanders. Sources said issues like China’s situation, modernisation of defence forces, review of Agniveer scheme, Make in India arms manufacturing and other matters of strategic interest were discussed.

fication from Lok Sabha. The BJP has accused the Congress of “inviting foreign powers” for interfering in India’s

internal matters. He was addressing a gathering at Rani Kamalapati railway station after flagging off

KARNATAKA ELECTIONS

BJP meet to decide candidates, Congress finalises its 2nd list

Bhopal (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off the Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train. The semi-high speed train was flagged off from Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal city in the afternoon in the presence of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangu Bhai Patel and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Modi, while addressing the gathering after flagging off the premium service, said the aim of his government was to transform the railway sector and make travel convenient for citizens. Onboard the train, the PM interacted with more than 300 schoolchildren who were selected through a drawing and essay competition on the theme ‘Bharatiya Rail’, officials said. Modi also spoke to staff onboard the train, the officials said.

the Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train. “There are some people in our country who have been determined

since 2014, spoken publicly and declared their resolve that they will tarnish Modi’s image,” the PM added.

Patna (Agencies): Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was scheduled to take part in a function commemorating the birth anniversary of Mauryan

Emperor Ashoka in Bihar’s Sasaram on Sunday, cancelled his trip following communal tension in the area after a clash between two groups during a Ram Navami procession. Prohibitory orders are still in force in the town.

Amit Shah, however, will address a public meeting at Nawada on Sunday as per his schedule. This is part of his region-wise tour of Bihar after having addressed public meetings at Purnia and West Champaran.

“Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai assessed the Sasaram situation and even offered deployment of central forces for Amit Shahji’s meeting but the state government did not react to it. As prohibitory orders have been in force in Sasaram, we cannot hold a meeting there,” BJP state president Samrat Choudhary said while speak-

VIOLENCE IN SASARAM, NALANDA

PLANNED CONSPIRACIES: NITISH

Patna (Agencies): A day after violence erupted in Sasaram and Nalanda, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Saturday claimed that these are well-planned conspiracies to disturb the peace. “The authorities are looking into every matter and the truth will come out soon,” he stated. “We have never seen any such incidents in Bihar.

Why is it happening now?

Some people have deliberately conspired wrong things to disturb peace. I have given directions to the authorities to probe the incidents from every angle and find out the culprits. We will not tolerate any such incident in Bihar,” he said.

ing to media persons.

The new BJP president called it a “sabotage” attempt by the Bihar government.

“CM Nitish Kumar has perhaps been finding ways to keep the Union home minister at bay

from Bihar. But one thing has become clear… Nitish Kumar is not able to control Bihar now. He is not even able to prevent law and order situations in his hometown of Biharsharif, Nalanda,” he added.

BJP’s masterstroke to rope in MP’s Sindhi community

Dimple Sharma

Bhopal: Ahead of assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh due later this year, the ruling BJP has played a masterstroke to bring Sindhi voters to its fold by organising a Maha Sindhi Sabha in Bhopal on Friday. As many as 13 assembly

seats are dominated by Sindhi community with a population of around 25 lakh on these seats. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave an impressive address in the Maha Sabha through which the party is eyeing Sindhi votes in the assembly elections.

CM Chouhan made several announcements for the Sindhi community which plays an im-

portant role in the elections. Sindhi community had recently claimed to be with the Congress party. To bring to its fold, the BJP organised the Maha Sabha to unite the community in its favour. Last time, Congress came to power due to displeasure of Sindhis with the BJP.

RSS CHIEF LAUDS

RANI DURGAVATI

Bhopal: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief, Mohan Bhagwat, on Saturday glorified the valour of tribal queen Rani Durgavati saying she put the nation first and fiercely fought the invaders who had thrust upon a master-servant relationship upon India.

Former JD(S) MLA from Arkalgud, AT Ramaswamy joined BJP in the presence of Union Minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur at BJP Headquarter in New Delhi on Saturday. —PHOTO BY ANI

Bengaluru: With a month left for May 10 Assembly polls, all the parties have expedited their process of finalising tickets in Karnataka. Screening committee of the ruling BJP in the state are meeting at a private resort here on Saturday to finalise candidates for the first list.

The party had already collected opinion from the local leaders and officer-bearers of every Assembly constituency regarding the candidates. The

Sanjay Raut receives death threat, 1 detained

Mumbai (ANI): A man has been detained in Pune for death threat to Uddhav Thackeray faction leader and MP Sanjay Raut, Mumbai police said on Saturday. Police said that the detainee used Lawrence Bishnoi’s name and his connection with the gangster will be probed.

“The accused, detained in Pune, related to a threat message to Raut used the name of Lawrence Bishnoi. He will also be interrogated related to the threat message to actor Salman Khan. The accused’s connection with the Bishnoi gang will also be probed,” police said.

Jagat Prakash Nadda @JPNadda

I welcome A.T. Ramaswamy Ji into the BJP. His decision to become a member of our party is a reflection of massive support for our ideology & vision for Karnataka. I’m certain his experience will strengthen the party & help us to serve Karnataka more diligently.

leaders will hold discussions with core committee members of all districts for two days starting Saturday.

Three senior party workers in every district will finalise the list of candidates and send it to the central committee after considering all inputs, ex-

plain insiders. CM Basavaraj Bommai had stated that it would take a week’s time for BJP to announce candidates’ list. Meanwhile sources said, Congress which had announced first list of 124 candidates, has finalised second list of 70 candidates.

Howrah clashes: TMC smells rat in separate monitoring cell

Kolkata: Trinamool

Congress on Saturday questioned the decision of West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose to set up special cell for real time monitoring the situation at Howrah’s ShibpurKazipara area in wake of clashes over a Ram Navami procession that started on Thursday and continued till Friday afternoon.

On Friday afternoon after Governor took a detailed report from state chief secretary and state home secretary about the situation in the tensionprone area, a strongworded statement was issued by the Raj

Bhavan from where the decision to set up this special monitoring cell was announced.

“Governor ordered real time monitoring of the situation and constituted a special cell for the same,” the statement of Raj Bhavan read.

The statement also mentioned about “a confidential discussion to review the situation” between the Governor and CM Mamata Banerjee.

says some people are hellbent to sully his

PM Narendra Modi at the flagging off ceremony of Vande Bharat Express in Bhopal on Saturday.

Mohan Bhagwat

BJP state president Samrat Choudhary speaking to media.

TO BECOME PART OF DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

Mizoram: Amit Shah asks NE militants to join mainstream

Aizawl (Mizoram)

(Agencies): Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a visit to Mizoram's Aizawl, appealed on Saturday to the armed groups in the northeast to join the mainstream, become a part of the democratic process.

"Our government is focussing on exploring every area whether tourism, agriculture, or any other sector where there is the scope of development," he added.

The Minister said that there used to be violence in the state of Mizoram, but today peace has been established.

"At one time there was violence and unrest here. Bullets were fired, and bombs exploded. But today Zoramthanga is the Chief Minister of Mizoram, and there is peace here. This is an example of the success of democracy in India," he said.

He also appealed to the armed groups to leave the path of armed

At one time there was violence and unrest here. Bullets were fired, and bombs exploded. But today, Zoramthanga is the Chief Minister of Mizoram, and there is peace here. This is an example of the success of democracy in India.

struggle and join the democratic process.

"Today, I appeal to whatever armed groups are left in the northeast, to come and join the mainstream, become a part of the democratic process and give their contribution to the development of the region and the country. Mizoram is a great example of the triumph of democracy in front of the whole world," Shah further said.

The Union home minister said that since 2014, incidents of violence in the Northeast have dipped by 67 per cent, while deaths of

CRUCIAL READ

MAN DRIVING MERCEDES BOOKED FOR MANHANDLING ON-DUTY COP IN DELHI

New Delhi: Delhi Police have registered an FIR against a man driving a Mercedes for allegedly manhandling and abusing a head constable who had stopped him for breaking a red light, an official said on Saturday. The driver has claimed that his father is a joint secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The official said that no arrest has been made yet and an investigation into the incident is underway.

MAN FOUND DEAD IN DELHI HOTEL, INVESTIGATION ON

New Delhi: A 54-yearold man was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a hotel in South Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave area, a senior police official said on Saturday, adding that a murder case has been lodged in connection. The deceased was identified as Deepak Sethi, a resident of Indirapuram in Ghaziabad.

Police files 800-page chargesheet in Kanjhawala hit-&-drag case

New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police on Saturday filed an 800-page chargesheet against seven accused in the Kanjhawala hit-and-drag case in which a 20-yearold woman was killed after being dragged under a car in January 1.

A 20-year-old woman was killed after being dragged under a car for several kilometers on January 1, 2023.

DELHI MAN CUTS CAKE WITH ILLEGAL PISTOL, ARRESTED

New Delhi: A 21-year-old man was arrested from Delhi’s Neb Sarai area after he was seen cutting a cake with an illegal pistol in a video which is viral on social media, an official said on Saturday. A person is seen blowing out candles and cutting a cake with the help of a pistol. The accused was identified as Aniket alias Anish.

`2,438 CRORE TAMIL NADU PONZI SCAM: SCANNER ON

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Economic Offences Wing (EOW), probing the Rs 2,438 crore Aarudhra gold trading scam, has got certain inputs that film director-turned producer RK Suresh is linked to the ponzi scheme case. Actor Russo, who was arrested in connection with the case, revealed about the involvement of Suresh. During investigation, police found the actor, producer reaching the Arudhra corporate office in Chennai.

60-YEAR-OLD HELD FOR RAPING MINOR IN ASSAM: POLICE

Tinsukia (Assam): A 60-year-old man was arrested in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Saturday for allegedly raping a minor, police said. The crime took place on Wednesday after the accused lured the 10-year-old girl to a nearby tea garden, a police official said. “Medical examination has confirmed rape of the girl,” official said.

Coimbatore: A 32-year-old man was arrested under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Saturday for allegedly posing nude in front of a girl and calling her inside his house near here, police said. The seven-year-old girl was sent by her mother to purchase some provisions from nearby shop on Friday.

—Amit Shah, Union Home Minister

security forces have reduced by 60 per cent and civilian deaths have gone down by 83%.

“Around 8,000 militants in the region have surrendered since 2014. We have signed a peace agreement with NLFT in Tripura in 2019, rehabilitated 37,000 Brus in Tripura, and brought peace in Assam by signing the Bodo Accord in 2020 and a peace agreement in Karbi Anglong in 2022.

Also, there has been a 70% reduction of areas under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958,” he said.

Aizawl (Agencies): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that connectivity projects comprising road, rail and air worth Rs 1.76 lakh crore would be completed by 2025 in the northeastern region. Inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of 11 projects worth Rs 2,500 crore in Mizoram, the Home Minister said that the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project is said to be the most significant project that India has undertaken in Myanmar. The Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project was jointly undertaken by India and Myanmar to create a multi-modal mode of transport for shipment of cargo from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar as well as to the northeastern region of India through Myanmar. Shah said that

Amit Shah inaugurated the Assam Rifles’ new battalion headquarters, which is 15 km from Aizawl

budgetary allocation under PM-DevINE (PM's Development Initiative for North East Region) has been increased by 276%.

"Narendra Modi is the first Prime Minister in India who visited 53 times in the northeastern region in the past nine years while the central ministers visited 432 times in the region to take forward the development of the region," the Home Minister said adding that development of the region is Modi government's one of the priority sectors.

The police had arrested Deepak Khanna, Amit Khanna, Krishan, Mithun and Manoj Mittal in the case. Two other accused Ashutosh Bhardwaj and Ankush -- were given bail by the court.

As per police, 7 men were arrested and upon completion of the investigation, a chargesheet of around 800 pages was prepared with around 117 witnesses.

COURT POSTS MATTER FOR APRIL 13

New Delhi (Agencies): Metropolitan Magistrate Sanya Dalal of the Rohini Court has posted the matter for consideration of the final report on April 13. The police said, “On the basis of the material and evidence collected during the investigation, sufficient material has come on record to prosecute the accused.” Amit Khanna, Krishan, Mithun, and Manoj Mittal have all been booked for murder, according to the charge sheet. It said all the accused were booked for criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence, harbouring offender, common intention and false information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person.

5 IAS shifted in UP, Banda gets new DM

Dr Ahtesham Siddiqui Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has transferred over a dozen PCS officers including 5 IAS officers.

IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, Special Secretary of Medical Education, is among the other officers who have been transferred. Nagpal has been made the new District Magistrate of Banda, in place of Deepa Ranjan, who has gone on maternity leave.

Along with this, IAS officer Divya Prakash

WHO calls for Covid boosters for vulnerable groups, elderly

New Delhi (Agencies):

Giri, Special Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, has been made Staff Officer, Chief Secretary. Former Bareilly Commissioner, Samyukta Samaddar, who was in waiting, has been made the new Commissioner of NCR. She has also been on this post earlier.

GST collection grows 13% to over `1.60 lakh cr

New Delhi (Agencies): India's goods and services tax (GST) mop-up in March rose 13% year-on-year to ` 1.60 lakh crore, its second highest ever, the government said on Saturday.

Goods and services tax (GST) collected in February was ` 1.50 lakh crore.

In 2022/23, total GST collected was ` 18.10 lakh crore, 22% higher than last year, the finance ministry said in a statement.

"The gross GST revenue collected in the month of March 2023 is ` 1,60,122 crore of which CGST is ` 29,546 crore, SGST is ` 37,314 crore, IGST is ` 82,907

crore (including ` 42,503 crore collected on import of goods)

Commercial LPG cylinder prices slashed by `91.50 in Nat’l capital

New Delhi (ANI): Petroleum and oil marketing companies reduced the price of Commercial LPG cylinders by `91.50 per unit with immediate effect from Saturday.

A 19 kg of Commercial LPG cylinder will now cost ` 2,028 in the national capital. However, no changes have been made in the prices

of the domestic LPG cylinders. The Petroleum and oil marketing companies had on March 1 this year hiked the prices of commercial LPG cylinders by ` 350.50 per unit and domestic LPG cylinders by `50 per unit. On January 1, commercial cylinder prices were increased by `25 per unit.

and cess is ` 10,355 crore (including ` 960 crore collected on import of goods)," it said. The ministry said it is for the fourth time in the current financial year that the gross GST collection has crossed the ` 1.5 lakh crore mark, registering the second highest collection since the

implementation of the regime. Moreover, this month also witnessed the highest IGST collection ever. Meanwhile, the total gross collection for 2022-23 stands at ` 18.10 lakh crore and the average gross monthly collection for the full year is ` 1.51 lakh crore.

J&K: BSF troops fire at suspected Pak drone

Jammu (Agencies):

Alert Border Security Force (BSF) troops fired at a suspected Pakistani drone in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district on Saturday.

A BSF spokesman said that a blinking light of a “suspected” drone was observed around 12.15 a.m. on the international border in

Ramnagar area of Samba district.

“Alert troops fired towards the blinking light after which the drone was forced to return,” a BSF spokesman said.

The spokesman added that over two dozen rounds were fired at the drone but it managed to return to the Pakistan side of the border.

2ND TOURISM WORKING GROUP MEETING UNDER G20

In the wake of another rise in Covid-19 cases in several countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended booster vaccination for the elderly & other vulnerable groups. The updated recommendation, issued this week, came after a meeting of WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).

It revised the roadmap for prioritising the use of Covid vaccines, to reflect the impact of Omicron and high population-level immunity due to infection and vaccination.

"Updated to reflect that much of the population is either vaccinated or previously infected with Covid, or both, the revised roadmap re-emphasises the importance of vaccinating those still at-risk of severe disease, mostly older adults and those with underlying conditions, including with additional boosters," said SAGE Chair Dr Hanna Nohynek.

These priority groups are principally based on risk of severe disease and death, and consider vaccine performance, cost-effectiveness, programmatic factors and community acceptance.

Govt determined to develop sustainable tourism: Reddy

India offers many avenues for adventure tourism across the 4 elements of land, water, sky and air: Tourism Minister

Darjeeling (Agencies): India is looking to explore the full potential of adventure tourism keeping in mind sustainability and livelihood opportunities for local communities, Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Saturday.

Addressing a side event of the second G20

Tourism Working Group Meeting on “tourism as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development goals”, the minister hoped the discussions held at the meet will help countries around the world overcome the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector.

The minister said that Adventure tourism in India is gaining im-

mense popularity among both domestic and international tour-

ists. People of different age groups are actively participating in various adventure based tourist activities. The topography is ideal for camping, paragliding, hot air ballooning, river cruising, sailing, snorkelling and wild life safari, he added. “To take full advantage of topography, the country is determined to develop sustainable tourism,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address, Reddy

said that India offers many avenues for adventure tourism across the four elements of land, water, sky and air.

He highlighted that India has in its possession 70% of the mighty Himalayas, over 7,000 Kilometres of coast-line, 70,000 square miles of sand desert apart from white salt desert in Kutch and cold desert in Ladakh, 700 sanctuaries and national parks including tiger reserves.

FILM PRODUCER RK SURESH

Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy addressing a side event of the second G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting on Saturday.

There used to be violence in the state of Mizoram, but today, peace has been made: Home Minister

‘Connectivity projects worth `1.76L cr to be completed by 2025’

All India Progressive Women's Association supporters in a protest demanding a hike in old age pension, fixing ` 500 for LPG cooking gas cylinders in Patna on Friday. —FILE PHOTO

Mirch Masala

FIRST INDIA SUNDAY SPECIAL

BY TRIDIB RAMAN

WILL MUTUAL HEAD-TO-HEAD FIGHTING IN CONGRESS STOP?

T he Congress has to fight with its own people at home more than its rival BJP.

Rahul Gandhi also came to know about this when after losing his membership of the Parliament, he invited some two dozen such Congress leaders to his house, who have the ability to mobilize crowds in Delhi NCR. Rahul told these leaders that 'protests will start after two days, at least in Delhi,and a crowd of lakhs will have to gather.' After giving this direction, Rahul left from the spot.

After Rahul's departure, these leaders started marching around KC Venugopal.

A leader of Delhi shied away from mobilizing the crowd saying that it has been

Ending RaGa’s membership is a big conspiracy, says Gehlot

Constitutional institutions are working under pressure of Central Govt, says CM in Kota

Bhanwar S Charan

ten years since the Congress was out of power in Delhi, its vote share has also come down to just 2 per cent in Delhi, so where will the crowd come from? So it was agreed upon that western UP, Haryana and Rajasthan should be turned to for the crowd. So, the next day when Congress' 'Save Democracy Torch Peace March' passed from Red Fort to Town Hall of Chandni Chowk, the torches were dimmed, the faces of big leaders were also sad. When the next day Rahul held a meeting of his core group, he said while being a little annoyed, "The more energy you give me, the stronger I will be able to stand."

IS NITISH LOOKING FOR A NEW PATH?

As the noose of CBI and ED is tightening on Tejashwi Yadav, the restlessness of Nitish Kumar, the head of the alliance, is increasing. The path he had left behind, his is now secretly following those paths. So, one day on the occasion of Navratri Puja, he went to the house of Sanjay Mayukh, a BJP leader and considered close to the BJP top leadership and held an ‘indepth conversation’. A few days later, Nitish also reportedly met a BJP thinktank. If sources are to be believed, ED had made a complete plan to arrest RJD leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav, but coincidentally, Bihar Assembly session was going on at that time and ED’s interrogation of Tejashwi’s pregnant wife became a big issue in Bihar. Therefore, ED and CBI had to come on the backfoot then, but sources related to the investigating agencies reveal that Tejashwi is most likely to be arrested in the next month i.e. May.

WILL KEJRIWAL ALSO BE QUESTIONED?

R eliable sources claim that the release of AAP leader Manish Sisodia from jail is possible in the month of September. But before that CBI and ED can interrogate AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal

It is said that the CBI has got a phone recording in its hands, in which the conversation is revealed that how the transaction is being discussed in exchange for the Rajya Sabha seat from Punjab. The CBI is engaged in preparations to collect some more concrete evidence.

WHY AKALIS ARE NOT GOING WITH BJP?

A bout two weeks back, Akali leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal went and met the BJP top leadership in Parliament. It is said that in a matter of words, the top leadership said that ‘BJP and Akali Dal should once again contest elections together in Punjab.’ With this proposal, Harsimrat Badal reached Punjab and narrated the entire conversation to her husband Sukhbir Badal and gave details. After this Sukhbir called a meeting of some prominent Akali leaders from core team and mentioned this offer from the BJP. The Akali leaders opposed this proposal, saying that ‘BJP has no name-bearer in Punjab and if we go with them, we too may meet the same fate.’ So perhaps the matter has not made any ‘ripple’.

...AND FINALLY

WAS TEJASHWI ON ALERT MODE IN ADVANCE?

The coming time can be difficult for Tejashwi Yadav. The BJP is trying his best to ensure that investigating agencies make up the cases against Tejashwi in any way so that it gets stamped in the court as well and he is disqualified from contesting the elections. It is said that some officers of Bihar associated with the investigating agency had already warned Tejashwi that ‘he should get his papers in order as soon his family will be attacked’, but Tejashwi took his words as a joke. After this, RJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha organized a tea party in honor of Tejashwi at his home in Delhi, in which, apart from leaders of various parties, a former director of IB also attended. This former director is also from Bihar. That former director had cautioned Tejashwi only then, saying, “The entire team of CBI and ED is going to come to your house for investigation.”

Tejashwi then made fun of his words by saying that ‘Pandit ji, keep in mind that we are not pandits. If they come, we will beat with sticks.”

The BJP leadership plans to hold the general elections of 2024 on schedule, but with that election, the assembly elections of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan could also be held, so that in these state assembly elections, on the lines of the Lok Sabha elections, vote can garnered on Modi's face.

Kota : Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot made a scathing attack on the central government on the issue of ending Rahul Gandhi’s parliamentary membership. He said that the constitutional institutions are working under the pressure of the Central Government. “In such a situation, democracy is in danger. It is a big conspiracy to end the membership of Rahul Gandhi,” he said.

Along with this, talking about the public welfare schemes of the state government, he called upon the people to form the Congress government again in Rajasthan. Gehlot said, “I am not worried about my post, but I am afraid that if our government is not repeated, they will stop all public welfare schemes.” The CM addressed the divisional level workers conference of Congress held in Kota on Saturday.

Senior Congress leaders from Kota, Bundi, Baran and Jhalawar along with UDH Minister Shanti Dhariwal and Sports Minister Ashok Chandna were present.

“The situation in the country is worrisome. Our government kept democracy alive. Today no one knows in which direction the country is going. Government puts ED, CBI behind the opponents. We are wor-

ried about the condition of the country. We kept control on inflation, unemployment in the state. In fact Rahul Gandhi’s statements were all on inflation and unemployment. Central government is worried about Bharat Jodo Yatra. Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to speak at all. Look what is happening in Punjab today? Central government should pay more attention to this. All opposition parties should unite in the interest of the country,” he said. Gehlot stressed that raids are being conducted on opposition leaders by misusing agencies. “If there is no opposition, then what will be the respect of the govt? Congress-free India, is a dangerous game,” he said.

DHARIWAL IS ARCHITECT OF KOTA: CM

CM Gehlot praised UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal for the development of Kota and said that he is the architect of Kota. “He has made Kota into what it is today. I have been coming to Kota since I was the president of NSUI. A big change is being seen in today’s Kota from those days. He has made Chambal river front more beautiful than the river front of Gujarat, which is being discussed not only in Rajasthan but in the whole country,” he said and remembered the late former minister Ramkishan Verma. Gehlot further said, “I have never seen a traffic light free city like Kota.”

CM PRAISES STUDENT

YASH FOR PROMOTING

BAL GOPAL YOJANA

CM Gehlot has praised a kid on his official Twitter account. CM Gehlot has retweeted the tweet of the child, Yash Sharma, who is studying at Mahatma Gandhi English Medium School. The student has informed the public about the Bal Gopal Yojana in his post. The tweet has been retweeted more than one thousand times and is getting comments and likes from users.

FROM PG 1

Entire Oppn...

Gehlot said that the Modi government was scared of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi was constantly asking questions about the central government and Adani and was not being allowed to speak in the Parliament.

He said that Gandhi was sentenced by a court in Surat and soon after that, his membership from Lok Sabha was terminated. “Now the notice to vacate the house has been served, which clearly shows that BJP and Modi government are afraid of Rahul Gandhi,” he said.

CM MEETS BABY FAN GIRL, FULFILS HER WISH IN KOTA

A little girl from Kota became a big fan of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The girl had a string desire to meet “Gehlot uncle” and she expresses her wish by issuing a video. The wish of the girl was fulfilled during the Chief Minister’s tour to Kota on Saturday. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met this little girl in Kota. The girl was overwhelming after meeting Ashok Gehlot while Chief Minister also got very happy meeting his little fan.

Gehlot said that Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother Indira Gandhi was also treated in a similar way, which is happening now with Rahul Gandhi. “Indira Gandhi had returned to power with a thumping majority. The people of the country are watching what is happening with Rahul Gandhi and in the coming time they will give an answer to the Modi government and the BJP,” he said. State in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that there is no factionalism in the Congress, all are united, but Congress people sometimes defeat the Congress.

“But this time it will not happen, I will not let it happen,” he said.

No. of trainees in Jodhpur Police Centre increased CM okays cylinder of `500 for

First India Bureau Jaipur: With a view to increase the efficiency of policemen, the capacity of the Police Training School at Jodhpur has been increased. Now 1000 policemen will be able to get training here. CM Gehlot has approved the proposal to increase capacity. Gehlot has also given financial approval for creation of posts, purchase of necessary resources and construction works in the training school. The school currently has the capac-

UNSEASONAL RAIN AFFECTS FARMERS

CM GEHLOT APPROVES FUNDS TO DISTRIBUTE MINI KITS OF SEEDS

Hybrid millet seed minikits will be distributed to 8 lakh small and marginal farmers of the state which will cost Rs 16 crore. CM Gehlot has approved a financial proposal of Rs 16 crore for seed kits in the year 2023-24. In this, Rs 10 crore will be spent from the Farmers Welfare Fund and Rs 6 crore from the NFSM Nutricereals. Minikits will be distributed in 15 districts with low productivity under the Rajasthan Millets Promotion Mission. These include Ajmer, Barmer, Bikaner, Churu, H’garh, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Pali, Sikar and Tonk.

ity to train 500 trainees.

In another approval, Gehlot has also okayed the creation of 470 new posts in the separate cadre for hostel superintendents. For the newly

Birla expresses concern over damaged crop

First India Bureau

Kota: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has expressed deep concern over the damage caused to the farmers due to the damage of the commodity at the Bhamashah Agricultural Produce Market due to unseasonal rains.

Birla said that district administration and Bhamashah Mandi

administration should take this seriously and make immediate and adequate arrangements to save the produce from getting wet. He also has spoken at a high level in Jaipur in this regard.

Birla said that due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms, the standing crops in the fields have been badly damaged, which has badly

affected the farmers.

“Farmers somehow brought the agricultural produce that was left from being damaged to

the market to sell but even there the produce lying in the open is getting wet due to rain. This is causing double loss to the farmers,” he said.

Birla said that the district and mandi administration should make elaborate arrangements for the safety of the crops that have reached the agricultural produce market.

He said that with improved technology, the Meteorological depart-

formed cadre, 254 posts of Hostel Superintendent Women Grade-2 and 216 posts of Hostel Superintendent Grade-2 have been created in Grade Pay-2400.

beneficiaries

First India Bureau Jaipur : Now families in the BPL and Ujjwala scheme of the state will get gas cylinders for Rs 500. Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot has approved the financial proposal of Rs 750 crore under the ‘Mukhyamantri Gas Cylinder’ scheme in this regard. More than 73 lakh families in the state will benefit from this decision of Gehlot. The beneficiaries eligible in this scheme will get one cylinder per month at a concessionary rate from April 1, 2023.

The state govt under this scheme will give a subsidy of Rs 410 per gas cylinder to the families having gas connections in the Ujjwala scheme. The BPL gas connection holders will get a subsidy of Rs 610 per gas cylinder. The subsidy amount will be transferred to account of the beneficiary.

CS AT SALASAR DARBAR

ment is now issuing rain forecasts and taking that seriously, adequate arrangements should be made.

“This is a difficult time for the farmers. If the crop is damaged, it has a deep impact on their lives as well. Therefore, such efforts should be made with sensitivity so that the produce that has reached the market does not get damaged due to getting wet,” he added.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot addressing the gathering in Ummed Stadium in Kota on Saturday, while Ramnarayan Meena, Harimohan Sharma, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Shanti Dhariwal listen keenly.

Om Birla, Lok Sabha speaker

‘Efforts should be made so that produce that has reached market does not get damaged’

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

Chief Secretary Usha Sharma visited Salasar Balaji temple on Saturday and offered prayers. During this, Divisional Commissioner Neeraj K Pawan, District Collector Siddharth Sihag and other officers were also present.

Learning is a part of life. The wise learn from the errors of others, while the foolish endure needless distress by their stubbornness to learn only from personal experience.

If Modi-Shah choose to bring a Brahmin CM in Rajasthan, CP may be the first choice: Dr Chandra

z What is the meaning of ‘crowning’ of CP Joshi as BJP state chief in Rajasthan?

Dr Jagdeesh Chandra:

The first meaning of this move is that now Rajasthan will directly be under control of Delhi and all major decisions of Rajasthan BJP will be done from Delhi. This was started from the day when the meeting of Rajasthan core committee happened in Delhi and not in Jaipur. The second message of this move is that for a long time, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah were in search for a renowned Brahmin face, a second generation young face who can lead the politics for the next 25-30 years and stay in active politics. Now their search has ended at CP Joshi and whenever a Brahmin Chief Minister is to be made, Joshi will be the first priority.

z Did it really take three months to find a new face because three months back Satish Poonia’s tenure ended and he was given an extension of sorts?

The time was spent because it was a major decision. 2023 is election year and there is immense groupism. All the groups have to be taken in confidence. Then the BJP was engaged in North-East and then in Gujarat and other issues. So it was due to the general busy schedule of the party high command which caused a minor delay and coupled with the time taken to create a general consensus and now a person who has consensus has been positioned.

z What does Satish Poonia’s farewell mean for BJP?

See it is not Satish Poonia’s farewell. It is not removal. He had a three year tenure, he completed it and stayed three months extra as party president in Rajasthan. In a way, he lived more than his allotted life as BJP chief. So this is not farewell, rather it is shifting of responsibility which happens in every party. But still, there are questions being raised as to why was he shifted and why wasnt he given an extension. For that I say the first issue is Vasundhara Raje’s stubborness.

Satish Poonia always checked Raje from coming to main stream and a few incidents happened where she had to face insult. Due to these incidents, Madam was adamant that Poonia should first be removed.

What were these incidents? Once it so happened that senior BJP leader V. Satish was in Jaipur and to meet him, Raje reached BJP office.

Satish Poonia’s car was parked under the porch in the office. When a two time chief minister comes, there are people around their vehicle and a huge crowd reaches to welcome them. While this was happening, Poonia’s driver vanished and even though a search was made for him, he could not be seen anywhere. So madam got down and walked towards the BJP office. This could be a coincidence too. But a few days after this incident, madam again went to the party office and this time the same thing happened with a minor twist. This time the driver was there but he claimed that he has lost the car keys! This is funny as well as foolish. How can it be that the driver would loose the key to the car? Madam again walked to the office. So the cumulative effect of such incidents was that madam, it is obvious, would have got hurt. She is a two time CM and may have been adamant that Poonia be removed. Second aspect is that almost all senior leaders of the party were displeased with Satish Poonia’s style of functioning. Poonia is a young and straightforward person, but everyone’s style of functioning is different, so people were not happy. Thirdly, nine by-elections happened in Poonia’s tenure, and the party lost in seven. There was no response of it. So you will have to take moral responsibility. Fourthly, the Jan Aakrosh yatra was carried out but you could not pick up any major issue against Ashok Gehlot government. When the high command sought report, you said seven and a half lakh people gave their applications. PM said that if so many people are against Gehlot that means the people are

Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Bharat24-Vision of New India and First India; CMD First India News, reflects on the recent appointment of Lok Sabha MP CP Joshi as BJP Rajasthan President. Chandra stresses that CP Joshi is saffron leadership’s ‘war horse’ and that Poonia’s change has occurred due to various factors including ‘tussle’ with some senior leaders. However, although Poonia is out, but his political future is still bright. Excerpts... (Part-1)

troubled and that BJP will win 150 seats. But it was not so as when the claims were checked, Poonia had to face embarassment. But perhaps the biggest issue of all was that, in a display of immaturity and excitement, he projected himself as CM candidate. The meetings in which he would go, workers would take him to the stage on their shoulders and slogans would be raised praising Poonia. But they should understand that there is only one lion in BJP, rather in the country and that is Narendra Modi and you are venturing in that domain unnecessarily. This was uncalled for. In fact, it was more of the immature workers that damaged him and the cumulative effect of all these was that his regular and routine departure got converted into a removal, in public perception.

z You mentioned the incidents between Vasundhara Raje and Satish Poonia. Do you think that the developments of March 4, wherein Raje conducted her birthday celebrations at Salasar while Poonia held a protest in Jaipur, played any role in Poonia’s removal? That was an act of immaturity, nothing more, nothing less. Madam had already sounded off, a month in advance, all senior leaders of BJP including JP Nadda, Amit Shah and BL

Santosh that on her birthday she carried out the devdarshan yatra and requested that it should not be taken otherwise. So everything was well, since all the seniors had been informed. It is not known whether Poonia knew about Raje’s plan or not, but he announced a rally against Gehlot government will be taken out by BJYM till state assembly. But that day the assembly was adjourned that day and some people said that Gehlot has extended a courtesy to Raje. They then protested at CMR, but the same day, when Raje was carry ing out such a major program, you held the rally. It is said there were four or five thousand peo ple in Poonia’s rally but there were at least ten times more people in Raje’s birthday program. So without any reason you gave a message in the party that there is a vertical di vide between Vasundhara Raje and Satish Poonia, which is unfortunate. The situa tion was gauged by state incharge Arun Singh who reached to Ashok Parnami and even danced in the Phag Utsav and doused the stand off. But it was

an uncalled for confrontation which ultimately became a loss for Poonia. So yes you are right that this was the ‘last nail in the coffin’ in this adverse relationship.

z Has Satish Poonia, who has been objecting to madam throughout his tenure, became a scapegoat or did he got ‘hit-wicket’? Perhaps he may have got this mandate to bring down the supremacy of Raje in Rajasthan. It is true that the party was in the hands of one person — Raje.

gets into the decentralisation mood, it stresses that the power should not get concentrated in the hands of one person. So it is possible that the high command may have said to Poonia to run the affairs in such a democratic manner that the power does not remain constricted in the hands of one person. But the manner in which he implemented this mandate was defective. I wouldnt say he was a scapegoat or hit wicket but yes he had to face the consequences of his overt actions. As such he had to go since the three year tenure had been completed.

So now that Poonia is not there as party chief, who will head the Jat leadership in BJP? Secondly, you said that this is not his farewell, so what do you believe his political future will be like?

As far as Jat leadership is concerned, it is established by the high command only, broadly speaking. However, it would not be wrong to say that as of now, the tallest leader is Satish Poonia. Next to him could be Rahul Kaswa or Kailash Choudhary. So in stature, they are not near Poonia. Then there is PP Choudhary, who has claimed that his ancestors were Rajputs, but then again his claim to the Jat leadership in BJP is not that sound. As such in BJP, no one has any leadership

rather the leadership is in hands of two individuals i.e. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. But for self satisfaction one can say that in Jat quota, the leadership will be in Poonia’s hands. As far as his future is concerned, it will not be wrong to say that his future is bright. His rehabilitation will be done soon. It is being said that perhaps he may be made deputy leader of opposition under Rajendra Rathore as LoP. But there are apprehensions among senior Sangh leaders who say that Poonia has seniority as party president. How can he work under Rathore? He may also be given charge of some state or taken in Nadda’s team and if BJP comes to power in Rajasthan, he can be made a minister with an important portfolio.

z Why did Rajendra Gehlot and Arun Chaturvedi fall behind in the race for party presidency in Rajasthan?

Rajendra Gehlot is a favourite of Sangh and was close contestant in the race. But two factors went against him. Firstly, he is a leader from Jodhpur-Marwar and there are already two senior leaders from the region — Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Ashwini Vaishnav. Then there is Om Mathur from Pali and Kailash Choudhary from Barmer. So he does not have a major role there. Secondly, he hails from the Mali com-

munity and that community has securely standing with Ashok Gehlot. Thirdly, when the leadership was mulling on the name of party president, Gehlot must have thought tat he should present his side to Amit Shah and by chance, Shah was in Rajasthan. When he was returning back, Gehlot asked him if he can accompany Shah back to Delhi in the charter flight. Shah did not say anything but Gehlot accompanied in the flight. However, in the flight, several books were placed on the set next to Shah and as soon as he sat, Shah went into a meditation. Rajendra Gehlot waited for Shah’s meditation to end, but it ended only after the plane had landed. So he did not get the opportunity to speak on the issue. So it is about luck also. Regarding Arun Chaturvedi, he too is a Brahmin but in front of CP, he is a weaker candidate in the race. Moreover, he has lost the election also. Although he is close to Dattatreya Hosabole of RSS. However, Chaturvedi has reportedly told some friend of his that madam did not support him at the end moment. May be that happened, you never know. I feel Rajendra Gehlot was a stronger candidature but he could not make it.

Dr Jagdeesh Chandra in interaction with (L) Poornima Mishra, Aditi Nagar, Surbhi, Astha Khandelwal, and Megha Kaushik during The New JC Show. —PHOTOS BY MUKESH KIRADOO

Dr Jagdeesh Chandra during The New JC Show.

CLASSY COLOURS FLAWLESS FLAIR &

City First highlights some glimpses of designers Hina and Shubh Mathur’s collection showcased at the Jaipur Couture Show, held at The Palace from March 13 to March 15!

SHUBHANSHI PATHAK cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

he three-day Jaipur Couture Show, presented by First India and Bharat24Vision of New India was organised at The Palace on Ajmer Highway from March 13 to March 15.

Jagdeesh Chandra graced the occasion as the chief guest and appreciated the designers, Hina and Shubh Mathur for their ravishing collection. The sibling duo

Hina and Shubh Mathur, left the audience mesmerised with their exceptional designs and unique creativity. The anticipation was palpable as fashion industry insiders and viewers eagerly awaited the latest collection from Bannadi. As the lights dimmed and the music began, models strutted down the runway in a stunning display of Bannadi’s latest designs. The showstopper, Mona Gautam graced the runway as the showstop-

From right: Riya Suledia, Ritu, Varunavi, Designer Shubh Mathur, Neelanjana, Mona, Radhika, Designer Heena Mathur, Tanu Choudhary and Disha Nareda

Khushi, Yashvini, Mona, Shweta and Ritu

YOUR DAY

Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

ARIES

MAR 21 - APR 20

Happiness in the domestic sphere will only come with a changed mind set. Some of you are likely to become a part of an overseas official trip. Better to consult an expert in financial matters before making an investment. Harsh words may create a rift in your romantic relationship; be careful.

TAURUS

APR 21 - MAY 20

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

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

You have a good health and there is nothing to worry as such.

To prevent any monetary loss, you should care to read your business proposal twice before taking any decision. In office, you may need to persuade someone to stand in your favour but it will be worth it.

CANCER

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

A friend or colleague may motivate you to take up a healthy activity. Parents may appear more than happy with what you deliver. Plans for overseas travel are likely to materialise. You are likely to get clearance or approval for your construction plans.

LEO

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

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

VIRGO

AUG 24 - SEP 23

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

LIBRA

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

Despite hectic schedule you will manage to find time for family. Seek the opinion of your family before finalizing a property deal. Your bold initiatives on romantic front bring back passion and spark in romantic relationship.Overall health remains fine.

SCORPIO

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

Following a health diet will be a good idea. Luck favours you today on the professional front. Focussing on health now will help you in keeping physically fit. Clarity of mind and retentive power will help you forge ahead on the academic front. Frustration on the romantic front is possible.

Grand weddings are the de rigeur now, even in proper middle-class families. Curated by event managers and fuelled by never-before income levels, each neighbourhood shaadi looks like something out of the pages of a desi Vogue. All of which I love. Except for the wedding photographs, which I have started hating with a vengeance. Let me explain.

Wedding photos are meant to be recorded memories of an occasion which is both personal and social at the same time. Admittedly, the bride and the groom are the stars of the ceremony but a wedding primarily celebrates the social contract into which they have entered - with the

smiles and tears and innuendo and backbiting and love and excitement and ennui - the whole shebang during the byah.

But what do I find when I see the wedding photos today?

I see only a heavily curated & made-up couple straight out of a film set, in colour-coordinated designer lehenga and sherwani, with an equally colour-coordinated ensemble of relatives and friends, merely like props or a set of extras. Each one of them is a clone of the other, who in turn is a poor copy of the latest Instagram influencer or a film star. Photo after photo has everyone wearing the same plastic smile throughout the function, standing in front of an extremely photogenic set, perfect to a T. I have actually been to a wedding where the groom had the exact same smile pasted on his face in ALL the photos.

All! It was almost like the same face had been somehow pasted onto each and every photo of 3 days of the ceremony. The family photos are like a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film poster –regalia dripping out, more at a place in the hallway of a decadent palace, staring down at you.

‘Candid’ photos are another story altogether.

One finds all guests always showing their pearlies in that Botoxladen formality. The dinner has exotic dishes laid out while coiffuredhaired baaratis and gharaatis are gingerly holding their neat plates, never breaking the pose. Ritual photos have all HAHK written over them. Less said about the horrors of pre-wedding shoots, the better. Looking at life from my vantage point of a middle-aged “WhatsApp Unkil”, I cast my mind some three decades back, before the advent of digital photography. It was

knew many people amongst the guests as well as the hosts. He kept lurking around on the periphery of all proceedings, lugging a heavy camera with a flashlight. We were still aeons away from the Instagram fever and the photos existed mainly to dutifully record the long & complicated rituals, yes - the carefree, non-choreographed dances toowhile people were almost incidental to the whole show.

In fact, in many cases, even the bride and groom were carelessly relegated to the sidelines of the frame to showcase more important buzurgs of the families. And the candid photos? It was a treasure to savour for years to come. In one, there was an aunt stuffing a rasgulla into her lopsided mouth, barely holding her laughter. In another, the groom was wearing the heaviest kajal courtesy of his bhabhi, looking like he has

to her homemade lehanga. The antics of a truant mare while the groom waited to get on were recorded in another. A sulking foofaji, the star attraction of every Indian wedding, was caught exercising his powers, surrounded by placating relatives. And who can forget those series of photos of the milani ceremony or the pheras, all similar apparently, each one barely registering some infinitesimally small yet seemingly important progression in the rituals?

These were all real pictures, with real people and real emotions, with no pretence of being picturesque for the heck of it. Those are the photos I long for.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 23 - DEC 22

Your intuition will

Kendall Jenner

and Ka SEQUEL?

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Arjun Kapoor won our hearts with their crackling chemistry in Ki and Ka. Well, on Saturday as the film clocks 7 years, both Kareena and Arjun went down memory lane and the actor shared a picture of the duo. In response to this picture, Bebo kind of hinted a sequel. Scroll down to check out the post.

Taking to his Instagram handle, Arjun Kapoor shared a picture of him posing with his Ki and Ka co-star Kareena Kapoor Khan. In the picture, we can see the duo twinning in black outfits. Bebo is wearing a black sleeveless tee paired with a black bottom and a belt to go with it. Arjun on the other hand is wearing a black tee and holds Kareena from the back. Sharing this picture, Arjun wrote, “Jab KI met KA AGAIN! #7YearsOfKiAndKa.” Posting this picture, Bebo wrote,

BEST RESPONSE!

he cultural sensitivity of representation in films has been an ongoing part of social media discourse. Telangana’s Bathukamma festival has been a mainstay in some recent Telugu films and now it is heartening to see the famous cultural festival from Telugu being celebrated in a Hindi film song. The song is one from the upcoming Salman Khan film “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’ and has got the nuances of its reprePooja Hegde has been very vocal about the prop-

er representation of regional ethos in other language films and she feels this is a very welcome sign toward that goal. The ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo’ fame actress posted the official video song with the caption, “It is celebrated with a lot of devotion by women in Telangana. I am honoured to be a part of the ‘Bathukamma’ festival through this song, a tribute to Telangana’s beautiful flower festival, from our team #KisiKaBhaiKisiKiJaan,” on her social media channels.

id Kendall finally find someone who would bow down to her and give her the ring? As love seems to be in the air for Kendall Jenner, her relationship with Bad Bunny has been evolving into a new phase.

In the month of February 2023, speculations started emerging that Bad Bunny and Kendall Jenner were dating, which took over the media and the internet. In only one week, the Grammy-winning rapper and model allegedly had an intimate romantic time at a Los Angeles private club and went on double dates with her best friends Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber, who are claimed to be Jenner’s close friends.

In the fall of 2022, Jenner and NBA player Devin Booker parted ways, and she now appears receptive to dating.

Gabriela Berlingeri, a singer and jewellery designer, and Bad Bunny have been romantically associated since 2017, but the two are said to have broken up this year.

Relationship TIMELINE D Ki

OVER THE moon in love

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's first wedding anniversary is coming up and as per sources they are very much in love and happy with their lives. The 43-year-old reality television personality and the 47-year-old musician tied the knot in Las Vegas in April 2022 and held

Iping into her unapologetic and bold choice of outfits, AJIO has roped in UorfiJaved for a unique, fun, and exclusive AJIO x UorfiJaved DIY collection. This limited collection left everyone in a frenzy! UorfiJaved even expressed her excitement about the latest venture in a post on her Instagram, saying, “I don’t follow trends, I set them! Snazzy, bold, and ultra-unique; an tion is coming

S

Uorfi Javed

Her post...

Kourtney Kardashian

Samantha Ruth Prabhu

Her story...

Pooja Hegde

Kareena Kapoor Khan

THE JC SHOW TEAM!

ENCOURAGING YOUNG TALENTS!

CITY FIRST

The Studio Bigg Boss Star Achievers Award was organised on Saturday at Raas Club, JLN Marg with an aim to encourage young talent in Rajasthan. During the occasion, 18 children who have showcased their skills like modelling and acting in commercial acts, TV serials and music albums through TV and films were honoured for their successful works. Dhaniksh from Bhilwara, Hemang from Jodhpur, Anya Galav from Kota, Mihan Chandwani, Utpal Kataria from Bikaner, Advika Sharma from Dausa, Arjun Sharma, Avni Sharma, Yatharth Jain, Sanvi Dargani, Ved Sharma, Pranay Malpani, Viren Panwar, Kashi Achievements of Kamboj, Saubhagya Singh, Shashwat Singh, Rushali Paul, Bhavya Singh were highlighted. All these children laid the foundation of their

careers at a young age by participating in ramp shows held at Studio Bigg Boss for the past few years and taking training from Act to Action, Screen Acting

School.

Regarding the program, Ashok Raj Singh from Studio Bigg Boss informed that like every year, this year also a kid’s fashion show and

Serving the best looks

CITY FIRST

CHEERS TO THE NEW START!

CITY FIRST

Students studying at JNU’s Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center congratulated their seniors the MBBS interns of the 2017 batch at the farewell ceremony after completing the course and stepping into the workplace.

This Farewell festival was organised on Saturday and JNU Chancellor Dr Sandeep Bakshi said that JNU has contrib uted its best to provide employment-oriented edu cation training to the students. The advan tage of the worldclass infrastructure, excellent learning environment, and experienced fac-

ulty of JNU Medical College provides global identification to the students studying here which helps them in employment. It is worth mentioning that two interns of the MBBS 2017 batch Prasoon Sharma and Hardik Meena, who performed exceptionally, were honoured with the Late Mohini Bakshi Memorial Gold Medal by JNU Chancellor Dr Sandeep Bakshi during the ceremony.

Delivering a congratulatory message at the ceremony, Dr Bakshi said that JNU has started the tradition of awarding the Late Mohini Bakshi Memorial Gold Medal to the students to develop the highest productivity in their lives.

the baby contest are going to be organised. In an effort to encourage the young talent of Rajasthan, we prepare calendars by shooting portfolios of children and also provide ramp walk modelling tips. At the same time, acting tricks will also be taught by Kritesh Agarwal, founder of Act to Action, Screen Acting School. In this training, training is given by special international and national models. The event will initially have two rounds in the middle of April and May, and the grand finale will be grandly organised on May 28 at the Birla Auditorium.

FICCI FLO at its headquarters organised its first meeting & announced Neha Dhadda as the Chairperson of all the chapters Pan India recently. She is the Director of Divine ornaments, Patent -Emvilla corporation & Partner Dhadda exports.

Senior journalist Amit Baijnath Garg has been selected for the Reach Media Fellowship-2023 by Reach, Chennai. Under this, Amit will be given a fellowship of twenty five thousand rupees for working on the topic of heart diseases caused by diabetes.

DURING THE DAY!

talked about his new Short Documentary “The Fading Sapphire”. This documentary revolves around the Blue City Jodhpur and also explains the meaning and importance of why this city is called the Blue City.

WHAT’S HAPPENING!

On the 23rd death anniversary of Late Shashi Khandelwal, a huge blood donation camp will be organised by Shashi Khandelwal Memorial Trust at Shri Mahavir Digamber Jain Higher Secondary School, Jaipur on April 9. To mark the same, former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot released the sticker issued by the Trust to the awareness of blood donation. Sachin Pilot said

Jaipur soon will have the first of its kind, “Salon Cafe” coming in Vaishali Nagar in April. Hashtag Blunt Salon is a renowned name in the beauty & fashion industry and is presently in Queens since 2017. It is soon relocating to bigger and better premises at 41 Prince Road. According to Manisha Pandel, MD Hashtag Blunt, the decision to relocate was taken looking at the feedback from clients. Parking too was a problem at the existing place. She further added, “We look forward to providing something special to our clients, an atmosphere with comfort and interiors which would be soothing to eyes and soul and give a royal experi ence to the custom ers. A unique unisex Salon which comes with a coffee cafe. The Barista would be serving the best cof fee available in the industry while you get the best beauty services alongside.

We are busy with the final finishing touches and are busy shooting to showcase bridal makeup, daily routine makeup and Party makeup with some renowned models, Stated Arpita Singh, Renowned Stylist and Director

“Go Abroad Consultants” She is a consultant trainer and Stylist for Hashtag Blunt Salon Cafe. Arpita Singh who hails from Jhalawar has made herself a place in the industry and is coming up with a few miracle projects soon. They were seen shooting at busy streets of Johari Bazar on Saturday and at different locations in the city. Experienced and renowned

Shaad Akhtar is directing the shoot. Shivangi Singh Roa, Kushi Vijay, Ritu Sharma, Himakshi Choudhary and Elite Miss Rajasthan Shweta Raje were seen flaunting in style wearing beautiful and heavy bridal costumes from ‘Rana’s by Kashitja’ and western dresses by first attire. Photography

Team: Ajay Gupta Nitin Vijayvargiya, Rahul Das, Anil Nirwan and Aniket Shrivas-

Governor Kalraj Mishra was greeted by Eshan Harsh, a 20-year-old young film director from Jaipur at Raj Bhavan on Saturday. Eshan met the governor and

Aadvika Sharma Dhaniksh Dadhich

Dr Sandeep Bakshi

Ritu Sharma and Shivangi Singh Rao

Ashok Raj Singh with Poonam Singh, Kritesh and participants: Arjun, Ved, Rushali, Pranay, Viren, Dhaniksh, Shashwat, Hemang, Utpal, Yatharth, Saanvi, Aadvika, Sobhaya, Aanya, Avni, Mihaan, Kaashvi and Bhavya

—PHOTO BY MUKESH KIRADOO

—PHOTO BY SANTOSH SHARMA

—PHOTOS BY MUKESH KIRADOO

—PHOTO BY MUKESH KIRADOO

—PHOTOS BY MUKESH KIRADOO