First India-Mumbai Edition-28th January 2023

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BHARAT BIOTECH’S NASAL COVID VACCINE

iNCOVACC LAUNCHED

Capt Amarinder Singh to replace BS Koshyari as Guv?

and Savitribai Phule by questioning the age at which they married.

New Delhi: Bharat Biotech’s nasal Covid vaccine

iNCOVACC was launched by Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya & Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday.

It is the country’s 1st nasal vaccine against SARSCoV-2.

SCREENING OF DOCU: SECTION 144 IMPOSED AT DU ARTS FACULTY

New Delhi: The Delhi police have imposed Section 144 of CrPC in the Arts Faculty of the Delhi University after the students, and members of Congress-backed NSU) demanded the screening of the controversial BBC docu, several students detained. P5

FALLING METEORITE DAMAGES ROOF, FLOOR OF HOUSE

Pune : Two scientists from Gujarat have confirmed that the 1kg object that created a 2-inch dent in the floor of Kiran Thakre’s house in Ahmednagar district on Tuesday was indeed a meteorite, Kopargaon police station Inspector Daulat Jadhav said on Friday.

LAKHIMPUR CASE: ASHISH MISHRA RELEASED FROM JAIL Lakhimpur Kheri: Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra, was released from jail on Friday after the Supreme Court had granted him 8-week interim bail in Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

INDUS WATER TREATY: INDIA ISSUES FRESH NOTICE TO PAKISTAN

New Delhi: India has issued a fresh notice to Pakistan that it intends to modify the existing Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of September 1960 after Pakistani “intransigence” on its implementation. According to sources, India issued the fresh notice on January 25.

MOHSIN SHAIKH MURDER CASE: ALL ACCUSED ACQUITTED

Pune: Pune court on Friday acquitted all 21 accused, including Hindu Rashtra Sena chief Dhananjay Jayram, in murder case of Mohsin Shaikh. Court of addl Sessions judge SB Salunkhe, acquitted all accused in the case.

Marilyn Gore

Mumbai: Amid rampant curiosity on the issue of Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s successor as Maharashtra Governor, reports are now emerging that former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh could well be the next occupant of Raj Bhavan.

Notably, Sumitra Ma hajan of the Bharatiya Janata Party had also been rumoured to be the next governor be fore her name fell out of discussions on the gubernatorial race.

Captain Singh’s name has come to the fore after Koshyari, who has been in the eye of a storm over several

KASHMIR LEG OF BHARAT JODO YATRA

BJY SCRAPPED OVER ‘SECURITY LAPSES’!

Last year, Koshyari had also got into trouble for allegedly insulting Marathi-speaking people with his comment that Mumbai would not remain the country's financial capital if Gujaratis and Marwaris

On the other hand, Captain Singh, a longtime veteran of the Congress had split from the grand old party to form his own outfit, the Punjab Lok Congress, in November 2021. After

I’M WITNESS, SAYS OMAR ABDULLAH ON SECURITY LAPSE

a failed attempt to contest the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election in alliance with the BJP, the PLC merged with the BJP on September 19, 2022.

Captain Singh had also been tipped to be the BJP’s vice-presidential nominee—a nomination that eventually went to Jagdeep Dhankhar. So, a residency in Maharashtra’s Raj Bhavan could well be an olive branch from the BJP, to a man who once claimed: “If we want to see a future in Punjab, we need to join the BJP.”

Tata to clear on world’s largest airline deal soon!

Had to call off my walk...: Rahul Gandhi alleges major security lapse at his Yatra Gandhi was stuck in middle of a crowd and couldn’t move for about 30 minutes

Rahul was to walk 11 km in the Kashmir Valley but had to stop after a kilometre

Moni Sharma

Srinagar: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra was scrapped on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir with the Congress alleging “very serious security lapses” as the march entered the Kashmir Valley. Rahul Gandhi was to walk 20 km in Kashmir on Fri-

Police personnel supposed to manage the crowd were nowhere to be seen. The police arrangement collapsed after we exited the tunnel. My security got uncomfortable, so we had to cancel. I had to call off my walk because I can’t go against my security people.

—Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader

day but had to stop after about a km. As Rahul Gandhi crossed the Banihal Tunnel on his

way to Srinagar, a large, unexpected crowd was waiting for him, said Congress leaders.

N

ational Conference leader Omar Abdullah Friday alleged that the outer ring of security cordon maintained by Jammu and Kashmir Police “simply vanished” as soon as the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra entered the Kashmir Valley.

WE WERE NOT TOLD ABOUT CROWDS AT BANIHAL: POLICE The J&K Police refuted the allegations of security breach levelled by Rahul Gandhi, as BJY arrived in the Kashmir Valley. Police said only authorised persons as identified by organisers and frisked crowd were allowed towards route.

HM SHOULD ORDER PROBE OVER LAPSE IN SECURITY: GEHLOT

The deal size is likely to be worth billions of dollars, with the airline expected to induct significantly more than a hundred aircraft

First India Bureau New Delhi: The Tata group is likely to close out and announce what is expected to be the largest aviation deal in history within the next few weeks - an announcement which will lead to Air India being equipped with some of the newest and most advanced commercial jetliners.

Jaipur: CM Ashok Gehlot said, “The lapse in security of Rahul Gandhi in J&K is a serious matter. Govt and administration of J&K should make concrete arrangements. We have already lost Indira ji and Rajiv ji. The Home Minister should immediately get an inquiry done as to at what level and why there has been a lapse in the security of Rahul, who has high level security?”

Within a few years, Air India - which now includes Vistara and Air Asia India - will likely have the youngest fleet in the world once the new aircraft arrive in significant numbers.

Tatas are close to completing negotiations with both Boeing and Airbus for a mix of long, medium and shortmedium range aircraft.

LORD DEVNARAYAN BIRTH ANNIVERSARY

GO FIRST FINED `10L FOR LEAVING BEHIND OVER 50 PASSENGERS

Aviation regulator DGCA on Friday slapped a fine of Rs 10 lakh on India’s Go First airlines for incident where 55 passengers were left behind in a coach at Bangalore airport. The incident took place on January 9, 2023.

$400 MILLION TO REFURBISH

Air India committed $400 million to refurbish the interiors of its entire widebody fleet. Air India said these will now incorporate the “latest generation seats and best-in-class inflight entertainment systems.”

AI CLOSE TO SEALING HISTORIC AIRCRAFT ORDER, SAYS CEO Tata group-owned air carrier Air India will seal a ‘historic’ aicraft deal, said CEO Campbell Wilson while highlighting that the company’s progress has been quite remarkable as it completes one year with the conglomerate.

Asind ready to welcome PM Modi today

First India Bureau

Bhilwara: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Malaseri Dungri in Asind region today to attend the 1,111th birth anniversary of Lord Devnarayan. Security has been tightened in and around Dungri. PM Modi will stay at Malaseri for one-and-a-halfhour and have darshan of Lord Devnarayan. People will not be allowed to enter the temple and surrounding areas in Malaseri post

PARIKSHA PE CHARCHA ‘PARIKSHA PE CHARCHA’ BY PM

STUDENTS ARE TAKING MY TEST & I ENJOY IT: PM

PM Narendra Modi while interacting with students, teachers, and parents during the 6th edition of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ 2023 in Delhi on Friday said, ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ is my exam too and crores of students of the country are taking my test...I enjoy giving this test.”

8 am today.

Only pass holders issued by Special Protection Group (SPG) will get entry. Earlier, on Thursday, the Army rehearsed in the Dungri

MODI A MASTERCLASS ON SELFMANAGEMENT: SHAH

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday applauded the sixth edition of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ annual interaction by PM Narendra Modi with students, saying the programme was a “masterclass on self-management”.

complex. A helicopter landed on the helipad here. The SPG also tightened the security cordon in Malaseri.

Every arrangement was closely examined.

Ajmer’s Divisional Commissioner Bhanwarlal Mehra, Range IGP Rupendra Singh, District Collector Ashish Modi and SP Adarsh Sidhu have

camped at Malaseri. A meeting was held with officials, administrative and police officers on Thursday to review preparations. The PM will be in Malaseri for about oneand-a-half-hour. During this, he will participate in the Purnahuti. The Pandit who will do the Yagya has been allowed to sit for eight minutes with the Prime Minister. According to the PMO, Modi will leave New Delhi at 9.20 am on January 28.

www.firstindia.co.in www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia instagram.com/thefirstindia MUMBAI l SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI TITLE NO. MAHENG/2022/14652 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 261 OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & MUMBAI RAJ BHAVAN RESIDENCY
Former Punjab CM had been tipped to be BJP’s choice for VP—a post that eventually went to then-WB Guv Dhankhar
PM Narendra Modi waves to the people at Kartavya Path during the 74th Republic Day celebrations, in New Delhi on Thursday. —PHOTO BY ANI
Cong leader Rahul Gandhi with J&K National Conference VP Omar Abdullah during Bharat Jodo Yatra, at Banihal, in Ramban on Friday.

BETRAYAL, DEFECTIONS DEFAMED MAHA, SENA: UDDHAV THACKERAY

Sena - UBT chief visited CM’s stronghold of Thane for Dighe’s birth anniversary

First India Bureau

Thane: Shiv Sena – Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday inaugurated a medical camp in Thane city on the eve of the birth anniversary of late Anand Dighe. He was a hugely popular politician who is considered the mentor of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Thackeray’s visit as well as the mega medical camp organized to commemorate Dighe’s birth anniversary, which falls on Friday, are being seen as an attempt to rebuild the Shiv Sena - UBT in Thane.

He also paid floral tribute to Dighe at Anand Math, the de facto centre of the Sena movement in Thane for decades now.

Speaking on the occasion, Thackeray said Shiv Sena and Maharashtra have been defamed due to the “betrayal and defections” that took place, a reference to Shinde and 39 MLAs bringing down the Maha Vikas Aghadi

(MVA) government.

Thackeray said Thursday’s visit was a brief one to take care of the “health of citizens here” but promised he would return to address a mass gather-

CRUCIAL READ

THREE HELD FOR HOUSE BREAK-INS IN MAHA; VALUABLES WORTH ` 5 L SEIZED

Palghar: Three persons have been arrested by the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar police in two separate cases of house break-ins. Valuables worth more than Rs5 lakh were also recovered from them, an official said on Friday. Ramchandra Deshmukh, Assistant Police Commissioner (Virar division) said police picked up two persons with valuables collectively worth Rs3,88,000 on suspicion of theft and break-ins. Another man was nabbed with mobiles worth Rs1.55 lakh.

MUMBAI BJP CHIEF GETS DEATH THREAT; COPS BEGIN PROBE

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar on Friday got a death threat through a letter that was received at his office in suburban Bandra. The letter, written in indecent, intemperate language, was posted by an unidentified person. It asked the BJP MLA to keep quiet and not talk much or else he and his kin would have to bear the consequences. Police have filed a case.

In U-turn, Dy CM Fadnavis promises rethink over OPS

These (Rs50 crore) slogans have travelled across the country. But in the process, Maharashtra has been defamed as well as the Shiv Sena. There is no need to mourn for those who have left, because the real Sainiks will light the ‘mashaal’ (party symbol of Thackeray’s faction).

—Uddhav Thackeray, President, Shiv Sena -UBT

First India Bureau Mumbai: A month after he dismissed the possibility of the old pension scheme’s revival, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has now promised a rethink over it. He had told the state Assembly during the Winter Session that bringing back OPS was impossible as it would cripple the state’s economy with a burden of about ₹1.10 lakh crore.

PEOPLE PROTEST ON STAGE SET UP FOR R-DAY EVENTS

Yavatmal: Protesting locals occupied a stage and forced authorities to cancel Republic Day programmes to press for their demand for a road in their village in Yavatmal on Thursday. Several residents of Takli village began a hunger strike in front of the sub-divisional office in Umarkhed demanding road connectivity in their area. The locals have alleged work on an 8-km road being built was stopped midway.

RAINS LIKELY IN MARATHWADA, TEMP IN SOME DISTRICTS MAY DIP BY 2-3 DEGREES

Aurangabad: Some districts of Marathwada region might get showers over the next 48 hours and see a dip in winter temperatures by two to three degrees. The change in weather is due to easterlies and westerlies, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada University meteorologist KK Dakhore said. “Rainfall is likely in Aurangabad on Saturday, and in Jalna and Nanded on Sunday. The minimum temperatures in Marathwada region might dip by two to three degrees ,” he said. Aurangabad and nearby districts have seen drizzles in the past two days.

ing to take care of the “political health of Thanekars”. “I am satisfied that despite the present foul situation, the Shiv Sena has not moved away from its goal. I am proud

of it. The Shiv Sena supremo (Bal Thackeray) has taught us that 80% is social work and only 20% is political work. The real Sainiks are with us,” he said. Those who left preferred to sell themselves, Thackeray said, with the crowd shouting “Rs50 crore” when he asked them if they knew what the sale price was.

He added that the slogans centered around Rs50 crore (taunting BSS leaders) were being heard in the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra led

by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Jammu & Kashmir as well.

Thane Lok Sabha MP Rajan Vichare and Nationalist Congress Party MLA Jitendra Awhad accompanied Thackeray during the visit.

Responding to a media query on Thackeray’s visit to Thane, Shinde, who represents the Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly constituency in the district, said: “In a democracy, everyone has the right to carry out the propaganda of one’s party and work for its expansion.”

TDS refund: ED attaches 32 properties worth ` 70 crore

New Delhi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has attached 32 properties, both movable and immovable, in Maharashtra and Karnataka totalling Rs70 crore, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).

The attachment of assets was related to a case of fraudulent issuance of TDS refund of about Rs263 crore from the Income Tax Department by Senior Tax Assistant Tanaji Mandal Adhikari and others, the ED said on Friday.

The attached assets include land, flats, and luxury cars held in the name of Bhushan Anant Patil, Rajesh Shetty, Sarika Shetty, Kriti Verma, and others.

“Earlier freezing orders under PMLA in respect of 33 bank accounts of various entities and seized cash of Rs2.85 lakh was also issued in the matter,” the agency said. The ED launched an investiga-

PARADING NATIONALISTIC FERVOUR

Case pertains to fraudulent issuance of Rs263 crore TDS refund from I-T Dept

tion under the PMLA on an FIR registered by CBI AC-I, Delhi on the basis of a written complaint by the additional director general (Vigilance)-4 CBDT about bogus issuance of refunds for assessment years 2007-08 and 2008-09.

“Tanaji Mandal Adhikari, while working as a

senior tax assistant, had access to RSA Tokens and login credentials of his supervisory authorities. He orchestrated the fraud in connivance with others, fraudulently generating TDS refunds in total exceeding Rs263 crore and transferred it in various bank accounts.” said the ED.

The CBI has filed a charge sheet against Tanaji Mandal Adhikari, Bhushan Anant Patil, Rajesh Shantaram Shetty and others,” added the central probe agency.

On Wednesday, Fadnavis said discussion on OPS will be conducted with the state Finance Department and representatives of the government. This came days after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said his government will consider relaunching the scheme.

Speaking at a rally for the council polls, Fadnavis said he was never against the OPS. “I spoke about the financial burden on the state exchequer in my speech at the assembly last month. I never said I was averse to it. We can think of implementing OPS by taking the burden on the

Ajit Pawar’s son meets Desai, raises eyebrows

First India Bureau Mumbai: Political clouds in the state do not seem to leave any stone unturned when it comes to speculations and rumours. In a fresh development that has raised eyebrows in Maharashtra, Parth Pawar, son of National Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, has met state minister and Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena (BSS) leader Shambhuraj Desai. Although the January 19 meeting in Mumbai was described as a personal visit, has caught the eye due to Parth Pawar’s previous moves, which left his party embarrassed.

BJP MLC Gopichand Padalkar, who is a critic of the Pawar family, claimed Parth Pawar may have met Desai, who holds the Excise portfolio, as he was “upset”. “He must be looking for political stability,” he speculated.

His remarks come a month after he termed its revival ‘impossible’ in the state Assembly

kitty,” he said.

The issue of OPS has been raised ahead of the elections to the teachers’ constituencies of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Associations representing teachers have been seeking the resumption of OPS.

Incidentally, Congress-ruled states of

Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have announced reverting to the old way of providing pensions, decades after it was discontinued during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2004.

Claiming that only their government can do it (re-launch OPS), Fadnavis said, “The Congress-NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) governments were in power after the OPS was discontinued, but they did nothing to restart it. Now they have been demanding it after we took over. They are politicizing the issue.”

Padma Shri winner dedicates award to lovers of ‘zadipatti’

Gadchiroli: Parshuram

Khune, a veteran zadipatti theatre artist from Gadchiroli, who has been bestowed with the Padma Shri, dedicated the honour to the lovers of the folk theatre form he is associated with.

Dedicating his award to zadipatti theatre, Khune said, “I dedicate my award at the feet of zadipatti theatre lovers, who gave me love and encouragement during the last 50 years of my journey in this field.”

He added, “I love zadipatti theatre very much. This Padma Shri award is a recognition of all the artists involved in this art form as well as its audience.”

As per a government website, zadipatti derives its name from the local name zadi for rice. The theatre form is practiced in eastern Maharashtra, especially in Chandrapur, Bhandara, Gadchiroli and Gondia districts.

FELICITATIONS TO AWARDEE’S WORK WITH LEPROSY PATIENTS

Thane: Gajanan Jagannath Mane, who has been honoured with Padma Shri for social work in Maharashtra, was felicitated by the KalyanDombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) in Thane district on Friday. A former Navy personnel, Mane has been working for the rehabilitation of leprosy-affected people across the state for decades. He is among the 91 Padma Shri awardees this year. Mane, who lives in Dombivali, worked hard to set up a colony for those afflicted with leprosy, a bacterial disease, at Hanuman Nagar. He also ensured jobs for many of them.

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CAPITAL
Shiv Sena - UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray (center) flanked by Thane Lok Sabha MP Rajan Vichare (left) and NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad (right) at a Jain temple in Thane on Thursday. —PHOTO BY ANI
POLITICAL
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis —FILE PHOTO Enforcement Directorate office —FILE PHOTO Parshuram Khune People came out in droves to witness police personnel march during the Republic Day parade at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Thursday. The police were joined by cadets from the National Cadet Corps, the Scouts and Guides, and also the Road Safety Patrol. Governor BS Koshyari inspected a guard of honour as well. Floats, including by the MIDC (seen here), were another major draw. —PHOTOS BY BHUSHAN KOYANDE

4 drown in 24 hours in Maharashtra

3 Class IV boys drown in Chandrapur pond during Republic Day outing; man drowns in Badlapur dam while immersing Ganesh idol

First India Bureau

Chandrapur: What was meant to be a fun outing for three 10-yearolds on Republic Day turned into a tragedy, when Paras Deepe, Darshan Shankar Bacha Shankar and Arjun Singh drowned in a pond in Chandrapur district on Thursday.

The bodies of the

Ex-fireman gets life term for setting wife on fire

First India Bureau

Mumbai: A sessions court has sentenced a 33-year-old former fireman to rigorous imprisonment for life for setting his wife on fire after harassing her for dowry in suburban Mulund six years ago.

Additional sessions judge AB Sharma on Wednesday found the accused Lakhan Gaikwad guilty of offences committed under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code for murder and subjecting his wife to cruelty.

The details of the order were made available on Friday.

According to the prosecution, Gaikwad had physically and mentally harassed his wife Manisha. In October 2017, the accused set the victim on fire by pouring thinner on her and killed her, it said.

The victim’s mother had told court that Gaikwad and his family tortured Manisha as she could not pay the Rs1 lakh they had demanded as dowry, she said.

three children--all Class IV students at Aditya Birla Public School, Korpana--were fished out from the pond on Friday, an official from Gadchandur sub-divi-

sion police office said.

The incident took place in Awarpur village of Korpana tehsil on Thursday, when the boys had gone to the pond to play after at-

tending a Republic Day programme in the village, and had ventured into the water for a swim, the official said.

Awarpur is about 54km away from the district headquarters, he said. When the children did not return home in the evening, the parents started looking for them. A search party found the boys’ shoes and clothes next to the pond, he said.

"The boys could not be traced due to poor light on Thursday evening. Following a search operation, three bodies were found in the pond on Friday," sub-divisional police officer Sushilkumar Nayak said, adding that a case has been registered in this regard.

IDOL IMMERSION TURNS FATAL

No deed yet in 1986 sale: Firm ordered to pay compensation

5 held for honour killing of BHMS student

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Police have arrested five men for the “honour killing” of a 22-year-old third year student of Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) in Nanded district, officials said on Friday. Shubhangi Jogdand’s family had arranged her marriage. However, she informed the man chosen by her family that she was in love with another man from her village, the official said. The fiancé called off the wedding, leaving Shubangi’s family “upset”.

Enraged by her defi-

ance and the “shame” she had brought on the family, the young woman’s father, brother, uncle and cousins took her to a farm in Pimpri Ma-

hipal village under Limbgaon police station, around 600 km from Mumbai, on the night of January 22, officials said.

The men used a rope to strangle her to death. Then, they set her on fire. And eventually threw her remains into a nearby stream in a bid

Man throws self in front of train over debt harassment

First India Bureau Thane: A 35-year-old man allegedly committed suicide by jumping in front of a suburban train in Thane district, a police official said on Thursday. The incident took place on Wednesday night between Ambernath and Badlapur stations on Central Railway’s main line, the official added

“The man was identified as Girish Nandlal Chube. A note found from the spot has named some people due to which he had to take this extreme step,” Mukesh Dhage, Senior Inspector, Kaly-

an Railway police station said.

Sources said the deceased has also made a clip in which he narrated that he lost his job after two colleagues complained to the firm’s owner. He said he had to take Rs1 lakh from some people as he was out of a job and these lenders were harassing him, these sources said.

Meanwhile, in another incident, five persons were arrested in Thane for allegedly assaulting on-duty staff at a railway crossing and stalling the passage of a goods train for more than four hours, a police official said on Friday.

The incident took place at 1 am on Thursday between Juchandra and Chandrapada when the level crossing was shut to allow a goods train to pass, the Dombivali railway police station official said.

“Railway staff were also engaged in maintenance work on the stretch at the time,” he said.

22-year-old strangled, set ablaze by father, brother, cousins for telling fiancé she was in love with someone else

to destroy the evidence, an official of the Limbgaon police station said.

The accused have been arrested under section 302 (murder) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, he added.

Thane: Forty-five people who bought flats in a Vasai scheme in 1986 will now receive Rs30,000 in compensation from the construction firm and its partner, after the latter failed to execute sale deeds against the purchase of properties all these years.

President of the Thane District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, VC Premchandani, and its member Poonam V Maharshi ordered Paranjape Construction Company and its partner Jayant Moreshwar Paranjape, to jointly make the payment within 30 days of the order that was passed on January 13. Appearing on behalf of the complainants, advocate Ashwini Sarjine told the forum that in 1986 the complainants had each paid Rs95,000 as the booking amount for their respective flats, each measuring 410 sq. ft. She said that even as the complainants started living in the flats 26 years ago, the company

Even though the complainants started living in the flats 26 years ago, the firm is yet to execute the sale deed

has so far not executed the sale deed. Therefore, the complainants had issued a legal notice to the opponents. But since the opponent did not comply with the notice, the present complaint has been filed.

In its order, the forum pulled up the opponents, saying they indulged in “unfair trade practice”,

The opponents failed to appear for the proceedings and did not file their defence. Hence, the contentions made by the complainants against opponents are proved against them, it said.

The forum asked the opponents to pay Rs30,000 to each complainant towards their litigation charges. They were also directed to execute the sale deed.

1 dead, another saved as two-storey commercial bldg collapses in Thane

Thane (PTI): A 37-yearold man died, while another one was rescued after a two-storey commercial building collapsed in Bhiwandi town of Thane district in the wee hours of Friday, officials said. The incident occurred around 3.30 am in Khadipar locality of the town, they said.

“There were seven shops on the ground floor of the building, while the upper ones were occupied by commercial establishments.

Soon after the structure collapsed, two fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation,” an

official of Nizampura police station said.

The deceased, identified as Maji Vansari, was asleep inside the building when it collapsed. The victim died

after getting trapped under the debris, he said.

Another person, who also got trapped under the debris, was rescued. He did not suffer any injuries, fire brigade

sources said. The age of the building and its condition could not be known immediately as civic officials were not available for comment.

In Phase III, Byculla zoo being revamped for special ‘exotic zone’

lll

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to soon issue tenders to add 10 acres under the zoo revamp project that was initiated back in 2015

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to expand the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Vanaspati Udyan and Zoo, popularly known as the Byculla zoo.

Spread across around 53 acres, the civic body will add another 10 acres. It will include seven acres of the newly acquired pocket of the Mafatlal Compound and the rest in the Poddar area.

As per Indian Ex-

press, the expansion plan proposes to create a special “exotic zone” to serve as a safe haven for exotic animals such as giraffes, zebras, jaguars, white lions, wallabies and chimpanzees.

The expansion is part of Phase III of the zoo revamp project initiated in 2015. As part of the first phase, Humboldt penguins were added to the zoo in 2017.

During Phase II in 2017, construction of 17 animal exhibits as well as an aviary, which today houses over 100 bird

species, was launched. Around 90% of the work on Phase II is com-

plete, according to a senior zoo official. The zoo has penguins,

spotted deer, nilgai, hyenas, elephants, monkeys, lions, hippos, sam-

bar deer and jackals.

Dr Sanjay Kumar A Tripathi, Director, Byculla Zoo, said, “Phase III of the BMC’s master plan is essentially about developing an exotic zone which will house animals and birds from across the world. Furthermore, we are planning to design beautiful thematic landscapes wherein we will try to emulate the culture as well the natural habitats of the home continent of our exotic species.”

Our master plan was

designed on the basis of the Central Zoo Authority’s clear-cut norms, which permit a zoo to have about 25% exhibits housing exotic animals, so as long as 75% house Indian species, he added.

The zoo saw four lakh visitors in May last year, when the zoo’s revenue crossed Rs1.5 crore—a historic high. Data showed that the visitor count, 1.8 lakh in March, dipped to 1.7 lakh in April, before doubling to 3.9 lakh in May.

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—FILE PHOTO
EXPANSION PLAN The
zoo’s 12 penguins are its biggest crowd-pullers. The bodies were fished out from the pond on Friday. The incident came to light when the children did not return home First India Bureau People gather after a part of the building collapsed, in Thane on Friday. —PHOTO BY ANI

TEAM INDIA STARTS 2023 WITH A BANG ...

...Thrashes Lankans and Kiwis in build

up

to ODI WC

IN-DEPTH

DOCU ON PM MODI RAISES DOUBTS OVER THE BRITISH BROADCASTER

The release of a BBC documentary 21 years after Gujarat carnage is completely incomprehensible. It has caused some unrest among students in Delhi and Telangana which will subside after some time. Politically, no opposition party stands to gain from this documentary. If the BBC’s intention was to damage Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image it is a big miscalculation. The British government as well as that of the United States had denied entry to Modi in their respective countries when the massacre happened. Modi has now brought India to a position of such strength that the western powers dare not get influenced by a documentary’s contents which they must have been aware of all along.

SIDDHAARTH MAHAN

ODI games in 2023 and was chosen the Player of the Series against New Zealand.

It’s not gloom and doom story for the bowling line up, however, as there have been several ticks in the right direction too. One bright spot has been the rise of Mohammad Siraj who was penetrative in most spells. His form has taken him to the number 1 position in ODI world rankings. Also, the revival of Kuldeep Yadav in the white ball format has been a talking point. He has taken wickets in the crucial middle overs, a huge shortcoming in the last two T20 World Cups where India lost vital games without picking up a single wicket

There’s an old saying that well begun is half done! Team India has done just that by kicking off 2023 in grand style by clean sweeps in the two ODI series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand respectively. The wins have catapulted India to the top of the ODI rankings surpassing England – and as they are already World No 1 in T20s. The Men in Blue have become the best white-ball team in the world though they haven’t won any ICC trophy for nearly a decade. Later this year, India hosts the 50-over World Cup and any series before that is preparation for the grand event where the entire nation will pray overtime for Rohit & Co to repeat the success of the Dhoni brigade in 2011.

While 2022 ended with a bang as Ishan Kishan brought up his maiden double century in the ODI series against Bangladesh, the new year has seen another young IndianShubman Gill- becoming a part of the coveted list of batsmen to score double hundreds in ODI games. Gill has been in sparkling form and hit three centuries in the six

PAKISTAN IS IN A DEEP CRISIS

Besides individual brilliance, the series wins over the Lankans and the Kiwis have showcased the might of Indian batting. The team has repeatedly knocked up 300 plus scores batting first and fans were thrilled to see the two established superstars Rohit and Virat regain their midas touch too. But the discovery of young superstarsShubhman Gill and Ishan Kishan - is the cherry on Indian winnings. The team’s attacking template has been set by the team management and both the batsmen fit into that mindset comfortably. Shubman’s phenomenal successes in recent matches has only confirmed his class and pedigree as a very special batsman. With Rishabh Pant ousted for a few months due to his road accident, Ishan Kishan is now a vital cog in his absence as a keeper-batsman for the team though many would like to see Sanju Samson also being given a fair run in the team to prove his credentials. So stunning has been the Indian batting display that there is now a strong competition for the number 4 slot between Shreyas Iyer and Suryamkumar Yadav. KL Rahul recovered some touch which nudged him ahead of Kishan in the middle order as he can be an alternative wicket keep-

Team India has done just that by kicking off 2023 in grand style by clean sweeps in the two ODI series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand respectively. The wins have catapulted India to the top of the ODI rankings surpassing England – and as they are already World No 1 in T20s

er too. While Shreyas Iyer was out from the New Zealand series due to injury, Suryakumar wasted his chances. With his recent success, he is a huge crowd favourite and to reaffirm the faith that the fans have in him, Surya needs to discover a special gear for the ODIs as he seems stuck in playing T20 style even in the longer 50-over format.

Though India’s wins look mighty impressive, the bowling remains a bit of a concern. Lanka nearly chased down a 350 plus score in one game after having lost the top order cheaply and more recently, New Zealand almost came up trumps in the first match of the series and lost by barely 12 runs despite India’s mammoth 350 plus target. At one point, they were 6 wickets down needing 200

plus runs but the fact that they managed to reach so close reflects the weakness of the Indian bowling pack to close out games.

It’s not gloom and doom story for the bowling line up, however, as there have been several ticks in the right direction too. One bright spot has been the rise of Mohammad Siraj who was penetrative in most spells. His form has taken him to the number 1 position in ODI world rankings. Also, the revival of Kuldeep Yadav in the white ball format has been a talking point. He has taken wickets in the crucial middle overs, a huge shortcoming in the last two T20 World Cups where India lost vital games without picking up a single wicket.

Kuldeep’s success also points out the importance of wrist spinners in the game. They provide an attacking option for the captain during middle overs to pick up wickets. As such, not only Yuzvendra Chahal, even Ravi Bishnoi needs to be given more chances to prove their mettle.

In July 2023, it will be a decade since Team India won any ICC trophy. If excelling in bilateral series and rising to number 1 in the ODI format is any indication, the Men in Blue now look ready to grab ICC glory that has eluded them for many years!

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

The BJP is poised to win a third general election under the leadership of Modi. This crude attempt at tarnishing Modi’s image has in fact damaged BBC’s reputation instead. The once famous broadcaster should ask if the documentary has served its intended purpose other than causing a brief strife.

SPIRITUAL SPEAK

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Bible

TOP TWEETS

Better time management skills, ability to deal with criticism & comparison, judicious use of social media, ways to work hard smartly, #ExamWarriors share the many takeaways from PM @ narendramodi ji’s paath-shala today. #ParikshaPeCharcha2023

P

akistan finds itself in a financial mess primarily due to the government’s reluctance to carry out structural economic reforms and curb wasteful expenditure. It is now out with a begging bowl beseeching the US and International Monetary Fund for a bailout package as it is unable to pay its international debts.

Pakistan is seeking US intervention for IMF lending terms to be made easier. With inflation at 25 percent and one dollar being equal to 225 Pakistani rupees and tough IMF conditions could make it worse for people across the border. Pakistan’s instalment of funding is held up since September 2022 as the IMF is reviewing if the terms of loan

Pakistan finds itself in a financial mess primarily due to the govt’s reluctance to carry out structural economic reforms and curb wasteful expenditure. It is now out with a begging bowl beseeching the US and IMF for a bailout package as it is unable to pay its international debts

agreement had been met. The severity of the problem gets accentuated by the looming general elections later this year. Shehbaz Sharif has promised harsh measures to revive the economy which may backfire for him and his government in the elections. Some of the measures are up-

ward revision of the price of electricity and natural gas, paying 15 percent less salary to MPs, doing away with discretionary spending by MPs and intelligence agencies, ban on purchase of luxury vehicles and foreign travel. These measures, if implemented, could mean a vote against the government. Cutting discretionary funds of intelligence agencies will have a different repercussion for which the Sharif government may not be prepared. The medicine is bitter and the dosage large, but to get out of the morass Pakistan has no alternative as given its precarious situation it can’t even dream of a misadventure against India. If it reins in the fundamentalists India too can help.

Industrial development of Phaltan and Satara district as a whole will be emphasized and the pace of sustainable development will increase, western Maharashtra will be connected with Konkan region and transportation will be convenient for fishing and sugar industries.#PragatiKaHighway #GatiShakti

PERSPECTIVE MUMBAI | SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 04 www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia l Vol 1 l Issue No.261 l RNI TITLE NO. MAHENG/2022/14652 Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Dangat Media Pvt Ltd, No.22, Dighe MIDC, Vishnu Nagar, TTC Industrial Area, Dighe, Navi Mumbai-400701. Published at Plot No. 3 Scheme C of Manglorean Garden Home, CHS Limited, Survey No. 5, 6C (Part) Ville Parle East, Mumbai 400057. Phone 022-46031417. Editor-In-Chief: Dr Jagdeesh Chandra Editor: Kartikey Dev Singh responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act
The writer is a specialist on Sports and Cinema who works as an actor in the Hindi film industry
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‘PARIKSHA PE CHARCHA’

ITS MY EXAMINATION TOO: PM MODI

‘A MASTERCLASS ON SELFMANAGEMENT’

Delhi cops detain 24 students from DU Arts Faculty

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today interacted with students during the 6th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha program at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister said that Pariksha Pe Charcha was also his exam as the students take his exam by putting forth various questions before him. Modi said, he always feels delighted by the questions of students. On a question by the students for giving the stress-free exam and expectations of parents, the Prime Minister said, it is not bad on the part of parents to have expectations from children but if they do so due to social status

GADGETS NOT SMARTER THAN YOU, USE WISELY: PM MODI

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday encouraged the students to believe in their strengths and use electronic gadgets wisely and smartly."People in India spend an average of six hours on screen. This is a matter of concern. Why to be a slave of gadgets when God has given us an independent existence and individuality with immense potential?" PM Modi said during the sixth edition of the ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ programme in the national capital.

then it is not good.

In the sixth edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha Programme, Prime

NEWS DIGEST

KERALA HC SUSPENDS FAIZAL’S VERDICT, SAYS NO BY-ELECTIONS IN LD: EC TO SC

New Delhi (ANI): The Election Commission of India on Friday apprised the Supreme Court that the poll panel would take cognisance of the Kerala High Court order suspending the sentence of the Mohammed Faizal and said that there would be no bye-election in Lakshadweep (LD). After hearing the submission made by EC, a bench of justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna disposed of the petition filed by Mohammed Faizal challenging the ECI’s press release announcing bye-elections for the Lakshadweep constituency.

DELHI MAYOR

POLL: SC SETS

HEARING DATE

New Delhi: The SC agreed to list for hearing on Feb 3 a plea of AAP mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi seeking directions to ensure mayoral election in Delhi in a time-bound manner. A bench took note of the submissions of senior lawyer Singhvi, appearing for Oberoi, on early holding of the mayoral poll for MCD.

2,967 TIGERS IN INDIA: CENTRE TO SUPREME COURT

New Delhi: The Centre told the Supreme Court that there are 2,967 tigers in the country spread across 53 tiger reserves, as per a 2018 report. The Supreme Court was hearing a petition filed by Advocate Anupam Tripathi in 2017 seeking to save endangered tigers whose numbers are dwindling across the country.

JUSTICE SINGH’S NAME SENT FOR ELEVATION AS TRIPURA HC CJ

New Delhi: The SC Collegium recommended elevation of Justice Jaswant Singh of Orissa HC as Chief Justice of the Tripura HC. An official statement said “the Supreme Court Collegium in its meeting held on January 25, 2023, on reconsideration and in supersession of its earlier recommendation dated September 28, 2022, has recommended elevation of Justice Jaswant Singh, judge, Orissa HC… as Chief Justice of the Tripura HC”. By its September 28, 2022, decision, the Collegium had recommended elevation of Justice Jaswant as Chief Justice of Orissa HC itself.

‘SOCIETAL PRESSURE A PROBLEM’

ONE WHO CHEATS CAN NEVER PASS LIFE, SAYS PM MODI TO STUDENTS

New Delhi (ANI): Addressing the issue of cheating during examinations, PM Modi said that time has changed, and one has to face exams at every stage and those who cheat can never pass life. “Students must understand that time has changed, and they will have to face exams at every phase of life…That is why the one who cheats can clear one or two exams but will never be able to pass life,” said PM Modi while addressing Pariksha Pe Charcha.

PM MODI URGES PARENTS NOT TO PUT PRESSURE ON CHILDREN

New Delhi: Prime Minister Modi during his interaction with students advised parents against putting undue pressure on children over marks and also gave tips to students on keeping a balance between hard work and smart work. “I urge the parents not to pressurise your children. Also, students should not underestimate their capabilities. If a family’s expectations from its children are due to societal pressure then it’s a problem, he said.

Minister Narendra Modi not only gave tips to students for stress management related to

upcoming exams but also gave special tips to teachers. This year, over 38 lakh students,

Await meeting of likeminded parties for LS polls: Bihar CM Nitish

New Delhi: Bihar

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said he was "waiting" for a meeting of like-minded parties for the Lok Sabha polls next year once Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is complete. The JD(U) leader, who has the Congress as a junior ally in Bihar, maintained that he viewed the ‘yatra’ as a ‘niji’ (internal) program of that party, but looked forward to a collaboration in Lok Sabha of all seven constituents of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance).

The CM also said the JD(U) would not like to crackdown on its sulk-

ing parliamentary board chief Upendra Kushwaha, whose claim of the party becoming "weak" he rejected.

"I am waiting for the yatra to be over and for a meeting of parties (opposed to the BJP) to be convened. There, we shall chalk out the strategy for the Lok Sabha polls which is, now, not far away,” Kumar told reporters here.

‘OUT OF SYLLABUS’: PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today had a witty response when asked about the criticism he faces by the members of various opposition parties. Responding to a student at the ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ event, the Prime Minister said “criticism is like purification in a democracy”. “The question is out of the syllabus. I have a conviction that criticism is an absolute condition and a Shuddhi Yagna for a prosperous democracy,” PM Modi said.

teachers and parents registered for Pariksha Pe Charcha, double of what it was in 2022.

New Delhi (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday applauded the sixth edition of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ annual interaction by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with students, saying the programme was a “masterclass on self-management”. Shah said the interaction will enrich India’s young minds and motivate them to achieve their goals, and that solutions to time and stress management and cutting gadget dependency are the new mantras to enhance efficiency.

PM TO ADDRESS NCC RALLY IN DELHI ON JAN 28

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the annual NCC PM rally at the Cariappa Parade Ground in Delhi on Saturday. Modi will release a special Day Cover and a commemorative specially minted coin of Rs 75/- denomination, commemorating 75 successful years of NCC.

PM MODI’S ‘MANN KI BAAT’ ON JAN 29

New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi will share his thoughts with the people of the country and abroad in the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on All India Radio at 11 AM on January 29. It will be the 97th episode of the monthly radio programme.

Police personnel detain members of Bhim Army Student Federation for planning to screen the BBC documentary film ‘India: The Modi Question’, at Delhi University Arts Faculty, in New Delhi, Friday.

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Friday detained 24 students from the Delhi University’s Arts Faculty for planning to screen the controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots, a senior police official said. The action comes days after a similar ruckus at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia over the documentary’s screening.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said, "Around 4pm, some 20 people came outside the Arts Faculty gate to screen the banned BBC documentary. As it can cause disturbance of peace and tranquillity in the area, they were asked to disperse from there.” "When they did not, they were peacefully detained. A total of 24 people were detained," Kalsi said.

TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES WARNS STUDENTS

Mumbai (ANI): Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) on Friday issued an advisory to students over the screening of the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that the institute has not permitted any such screening and gatherings which may disturb the academic environment and jeopardize the peace and harmony in the campuses.

PROTESTING AGAINST BAN, STUDENTS SCREENS

New Delhi: Several student in colleges have vowed to screen the movie despite the ban that has been in place. A fresh row erupted down south after students at Madras University (MU) screened the film on their laptops defying the ban that has been in place by the government. They also demanded that the ban should be removed. Meanwhile, the BJP has called the movie propaganda and has slammed the makers.

Omar Abdullah joins Bharat Jodo

Yatra, twinning with Rahul Gandhi in white T-shirt

Banihal: National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Friday joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Banihal, Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the Rahul Gandhi-led march is not being carried out for the image makeover of the Congress leader, but rather to change the situation and atmosphere of the country.

The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said he does not want to delve into Congress’ stand on the revocation of the special status of J&K.

"The Yatra is not aimed at improving the image of Rahul Gandhi but for improving the situation in the country," the NC leader told reporters.

‘Release surgical strike video’: Cong leader backs Digvijaya Singh

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah during party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, at Banihal, in Ramban on Friday. —PHOTO BY ANI

CONG’S ‘HAATH SE HAATH JODO’ CAMPAIGN

New Delhi: Congress launched ‘Hath se Hath Jodo’ campaign, under which it plans to reach out to people and make them aware about the “failures” of the Modi government.

Taking to Twitter, the Congress posted: “As we celebrate the biggest festival of democracy today, we announce the launch of the #HaathSeHaathJodo campaign. After the immense love received for #BharatJodoYatra, we are sure that the Haath Se Haath Jodo campaign will also win everybody’s hearts.”

New Delhi: Amid ongoing controversy over Congress leader Digvijaya Singh questioning the authenticity of the ‘2019 Surgical Strike’, Cong’s Rashid Alvi came in support of his party colleague & asked the Centre to release the surgical strike video.

"Government says it has a video (of a surgical strike) so what is wrong with Digvijaya asking the government to show it? We’re not asking for proof but the government should show the video it claims it has," said Rashid Alvi.

Govt vehicles older than 15 years to be scrapped: Centre

New Delhi: From April, all government vehicles that have completed 15 years will automatically lose their right to ply on roads as their certificate of registration will expire, according to a new rule of the central government.

In an effort to weed out old, polluting and potentially less-safe vehicles from Indian roads, Nitin Gadkariled Ministry of Road

Transport and Highways has already rolled out the vehicle scrapping policy. The draft notification of the policy was issued in November.

Any vehicle which is 15 or more years old, owned by governments, in the centre or state, Union Territories, public sector undertakings, municipal bodies or any organisation owned or controlled by the gov-

ernment, will have to retire, the new rule states. If the registration of such old vehi-

cles was renewed before they attained the age of 15, such registration certificates will also au-

tomatically be deemed cancelled and they will have to retire after a lapse of 15 years from initial registration.

As part of implementing the policy, the Central government felt that the government should show the way by scrapping its own old vehicles.

Such vehicles, numbering in the thousands across India, are to be scrapped only through

registered vehicle scrapping facilities as mandated in the policy. However, special purpose vehicles owned by governments, like armoured and other specialised vehicles used for operational purposes for defence of the country and for the maintenance of law and order and internal security, have been kept out of the ambit of the new rules.

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TO LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT
PM GAVE TIPS ON STUDENT-TEACHER
BOND, SOCIAL MEDIA DISTRACTIONS & MORE
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the students, teachers and parents, during the 6th edition of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha 2023’, at Talkatora Stadium, in New Delhi on Friday.
BBC ROW
—REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE
—PHOTO
IT AT UNIV
ON OPPOSITION CRITICISM

INDIA’S 74TH REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATIONS

Colourful parade showcases women power

Aatmarnirbharta and ‘Nari Shakti’ were the two themes on display at the 74th Republic Day

New Delhi (Agencies):

The 74th Republic Day parade Thursday at the newly developed Kartavya Path, the revamped Rajpath, in New Delhi witnessed the participation of several women contingents, including those of Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Delhi Police and Indian Navy.

The Indian military showcased only indigenous equipment and weapon systems to drive home the message of self-reliance in defence.

The Army’s Britishera 25-pounder guns — which traditionally offered the symbolic 21gun salute — were replaced by the indigenous 105-mm Indian Field Guns (IFG) this year.

The drive for atmanirbharta or self-suf-

‘HELP ME GET MY WAGES’: SPECIAL INVITEE REQUESTS PM

New Delhi: A gardener by profession, Sukh Nandan, was among the special invitees to watch this year’s Republic Day parade. However, when asked what would he have asked the prime minister if given chance, he said, “My last contractor refused to pay wages for 44-day work. I will request PM Modi ji to help me get my wages.” Nandan has been working in the horticulture department at the India Gate for the past two months.

ficiency in India’s military might, as well as the key role of women in the armed forces were both in the spotlight at India’s 74th Republic Day celebrations held at the newly-renovated and renamed Kartavya Path in the capital.

Despite the fog and reduced visibility, a 50-aircraft grand air show was put up by the Indian Air Force for President Droupadi Murmu, PM Narendra Modi and others at the parade. It included 23 fighter aircraft, 18 helicopters, and eight transport aircraft alongside a Dakota aircraft.

The celebrations commenced with the homage ceremony at the National War Memorial where PM Modi led the nation in paying tribute to fallen soldiers.

INDIA EXHIBITS CULTURAL DIVERSITY DURING PARADE

New Delhi: The 74th Republic Day parade displayed the military strength and cultural diversity from the revamped Kartavya Path. The parade highlighted India’s military prowess & cultural diversity, depicting the country’s growing indigenous capabilities, and emergence of a ‘New India’. Another highlight of the show was thrilling motorcycle display by the Corps of Signals’ Dare Devils team. The parade witnessed a contingent of a women-armed

Top BJP brass meet to finalise candidates for Tripura polls

New Delhi: Top leaders of the BJP including party chief J P Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and others have met here to finalise candidates for the upcoming Tripura assembly elections. The Thursday meeting was also attended by Tripura

Chief Minister Manik Saha, BJP’s state incharge Mahesh Sharma and Rajya Sabha MP Biplab Deb. Earlier in the day, BJP’s Tripura unit core group members met at party leader and northeast incharge Sambit

‘IT RULES ARE LIMITED TO ONLINE PLATFORMS ONLY’

Minister

Patra’s residence. The BJP is likely to finalise its candidates for the Tripura assembly elections on Friday in its central election committee meeting. The 60-member Tripura assembly will go to polls on February 16. The last date for filling nominations is January 30.

New Delhi (PTI): Content red-flagged by PIB Fact Check or government authorised agency under the draft IT rules will not be applicable on TV news channels unless the information is posted on an online platform, Minister of state for electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said.

Responding to a PTI question, Chandrasekhar said the IT rules are limited to online platforms only.

"It will not be applicable on TV unless the content is posted on any online platform. The IT rules are limited to online intermediaries only," the minister said.

The government has invited comments on a proposal to remove any online content, which PIB Fact Check agency or any other authorised agency by the government object to the content posted online as fake, false or misleading.

The Ministry of Elec-

tronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will next month hold discussions with stakeholders before the proposal is implemented.

The minister said the Meity will invite the Editors Guild and other stakeholders for the consultation.

CHEETAH RE-INTRODUCTION PROGRAMME

‘BOYCOTT CULTURE

SPOILS ATMOSPHERE:

ANURAG THAKUR AMID

‘PATHAAN’ ROW

Mumbai: Union Minister

Anurag Thakur deplored the “boycott culture” targeting certain films and said such instances vitiate the atmosphere at a time when India is keen to enhance its influence as a soft power. In case someone has a problem with a movie, they should talk to the concerned department which can take up the issue with the filmmakers, he said. The minister’s remarks come at a time when Shah Rukh Khan-starrer “Pathaan” is facing boycott calls over one of its songs.

SA signs deal with India to relocate dozens of cheetahs

A big cat species similar to the cheetah disappeared from India some 70 years ago

Cape Town (Agenciess): South Africa has signed an agreement with India to introduce dozens of African cheetahs to the Asian country over the next decade, its environmental department said on Thursday, after the first were transferred last year from neighbour-

ing Namibia. A big cat species similar to the cheetah disappeared from India some 70 years ago.

In September, eight radio-collared African cheetahs were released at Kuno National Park in central India after a 5,000-mile (8,000 km) journey from Namibia,

the first time wild cheetahs have been moved across continents to be

released. “An initial batch of 12 cheetah are scheduled to be flown

from South Africa to India in February 2023,” South Africa’s environmental department said in a statement. The big cats will join those introduced from Namibia.

“The plan is to translocate a further 12 annually for the next eight to 10 years,” the department added.

The statement said the aim was to “achieve a number of ecological objectives,” including restoring the role of

the cheetah within India, where the endangered cats used to roam, and “enhancing the livelihood options and economies of the local communities.”

Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952 and are the only large carnivore in the country to have suffered that fate. According to a statement from India’s environment ministry, this was a result of overhunting and loss of habitat.

GALLANTRY AWARDS:

2 KIRTI CHAKRA, 7 SHAURYA CHAKRA FOR ARMY

New Delhi: Two of the six Kirti Chakra awards and seven (two posthumously) of the 15 named for Shaurya Chakra went to the Indian Army in the 412 gallantry awards and defence decorations approved by the President on the eve of 74th Republic Day. Major Shubhang and Naik Jitendra Singh from the Army got the Kirti Chakra for their role in counter-terror operations in J&K.

MADE IN INDIA ARMS SHOWCASED AT R-DAY PARADE

New Delhi: The Indian military showcased only indigenous equipment and weapon systems to drive home the message of self-reliance in defence. The Army’s British-era 25-pounder guns — which traditionally offered the symbolic 21-gun salute — were replaced by the indigenous 105-mm Indian Field Guns (IFG). It included 23 fighter aircraft, 18 helicopters, and 8 transport aircraft alongside a Dakota aircraft.

INDIAN-AMERICANS CELEBRATE IN TEXAS

Houston: Indians in the US state of Texas celebrated the 74th Republic Day with great enthusiasm and patriotic fervour at various colourful events organised across Houston. Consul General of India, Aseem Mahajan, at a Facebook live event, hoisted the national flag and addressed the gathering to convey the speech of Indian President Droupadi Murmu, which reaffirmed constitutional values that have guided India’s progress.

India may get dedicated industrial area in Egypt's Special Economic Zone

New Delhi: Exuding confidence in India, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said under New Delhi’s presidency, the G20 will be successful in achieving its goal, the External Affairs Ministry said.

Egyptian President, who was the chief guest at the Republic Day Parade, held discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the two countries decided to work together during India’s Presidency and reiterated that the interests and priorities of the Global South be given due attention and focus in key global forums, including the G20.

During his visit from January 24-27, President El-Sisi attended India’s 74th Republic Day parade as the chief guest. He was the first Egyptian premier to have been invited to the Republic Day parade.

During the Republic Day Parade, a military contingent of the Egyptian Army marched towards the saluting dais on the Kartavya Path for the first time. The Egyptian military contingent, led by Colonel Mahmoud Mohamed Abdel Fattah

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—REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE
El Kharasawy and consisting of 144 soldiers, represented the main regiments of the Egyptian armed forces.
PM Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah and BJP party chief J P Nadda
Union Minister Piyush Goyal with the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the India-Egypt Business meet.
‘AN HONOUR’
Content flagged by fact check body doesn’t apply to TV news:
Minister of state for electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar. police battalion of CRPF. The BSF’s camel band and Delhi Police’s band saw women constables participating for the first time. PM Narendra Modi, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President Draupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar and other dignitaries at Kartavya Path during the 74th Republic Day celebrations, in New Delhi —PHOTO BY ANI

TOYOTA STARTS BOOKINGS FOR NEW INNOVA CRYSTA

SAYS TOP UN ECONOMIST

INDIA A ‘BRIGHT SPOT’ IN WORLD ECONOMY RIGHT NOW

New Delhi: Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Friday said it has commenced bookings for the updated version of its multipurpose vehicle Innova Crysta. The model now comes with a 2.4-litre diesel powertrain mated with a five speed manual transmission across four trims. The opening of bookings for the new Innova Crysta comes on the heels of the launch of the Innova HyCross (available in Gasoline and Strong Hybrid Electric powertrains). —PTI

INDIA’S SUNOIL IMPORTS RISE TO RECORD 473K TONNE

Jio launches 5G services in NE states

New Delhi (FIB): Reliance

United Nations (PTI): India is a “bright spot” in the world economy currently and is on a “strong footing”, projected to grow at 6.7% next year, a very high growth rate relative to other G20 member countries, a top UN economist Hamid Rashid said.

"I think India is a bright spot in the world economy right now,” Rashid said at the launch of the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2023 report.

The flagship report said that India's GDP is projected to moderate to 5.8% in 2023 as higher interest rates and global economic slowdown weigh on investment and exports.

India's economic growth is expected to remain “strong” even as prospects for other South Asian nations "are more challenging.” India is projected to

TOP TALKING POINTS

z India is a “bright spot” in the world economy currently and is on a “strong footing”, projected to grow at 6.7% next year, a very high growth rate relative to other G20 nations

grow at 6.7% in 2024, the fastest-growing major economy in the world.

z India’s economic growth is expected to remain “strong” even as prospects for others “are more challenging.”

z India is projected to grow at 6.7% in 2024, the fastestgrowing major economy in the world

Rashid said, "we believe the Indian economy is on a strong footing given the

strong domestic demand in the near term.” Noting that India's economic growth is expected to pick up in 2024 to 6.7%, he said this is “very high growth relative to other G20 member countries.

“This is a sustainable growth rate for India. India also has a significant number of people living in poverty. So this would be a great boost. If India can sustain this growth rate in the near term, that would be good for the Sustainable Development Goals, good for poverty reduction globally,” Rashid said.

Responding to a question on the Indian economy, Rashid, who is the lead author of the report, attributed three factors to India's current economic strength.

He said India's unemployment rate has come down significantly in the last four years to 6.4%.

Jio on Friday announced the launch of its 5G services across all six states of the northeast circle as its ‘True 5G’ is now available in Shillong, Imphal, Aizawl, Agartala, Itanagar, Kohima, and Dimapur.

The company claimed that by December 2023, Jio True 5G services will be made available in every town and taluka of the northeastern states.

“Starting January 27, Jio users in 7 cities across 6 States of Arunachal Pradesh (Itanagar), Manipur (Imphal), Meghalaya (Shillong), Mizoram (Aizawl), Nagaland (Kohima and Dimapur), and Tripura (Agartala) will be invited to the Jio Welcome Offer, by which they can experience Unlimited Data at up to 1 Gbps+ speeds, at no additional cost,” the company said in a statement.

Jio’s True 5G has now reached 191 cities in less than 4 months of its beta launch, it said.

New Delhi: India’s January sunflower oil imports are set to surge to a record 473,000 tonnes, nearly triple average monthly imports as top exporters Russia and Ukraine seek to reduce stockpiles, industry officials said. Record imports by India come as sunoil’s discount to rival soyoil widened to the highest level in nine months. The import surge will could dampen India’s palm oil imports and weigh on Malaysian palm oil prices. —FIB

TATA MOTORS TO HIKE PV PRICES FROM FEBRUARY 01

Sensex, Nifty tumble over 1% on selling in banking shares & RIL

Mumbai (PTI): Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty plunged over 1% for a second straight session on Friday dragged down by heavy selling in banking, financials, and oil stocks amid foreign fund outflows.

Massive selling in the Adani group stocks also added to the overall bearish trend. The 30-share BSE benchmark tanked 874.16 points or 1.45% to settle at 59,330.90. The broader NSE Nifty fell 287.60 points or 1.61% to end at 17,604.35, marking its worst singleday fall since Dec 23, 2022.

Adani slips from third to seventh on rich list

Adani Group stocks continue to fall

New Delhi: Tata Motors on Friday said it will increase prices of its internal combustion engine-powered passenger vehicle range by 1.2% on a weighted average basis from February 1. The company has been absorbing a significant portion of the increased costs on account of regulatory changes and a rise in overall input costs, and is hence passing on some portion through this hike, the auto major said.

Effective February 1, 2023, the weighted average increase will be 1.2%, depending on the variant and model. —PTI

SMARTPHONE SHIPMENTS FELL BY 9% Y-O-Y IN 2022

From the Sensex pack, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries were among the major laggards.

Bucking the trend, auto stocks Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra closed with gains.

New Delhi (PTI): Adani group stocks took a beating for a second straight session on Friday, falling up to 20% and losing over `4.17 lakh crore from the combined market valuation of listed firms after the US-based investment research firm Hindenburg Research made damaging allegations. Shares of Adani Total Gas plummeted 20%, Adani Transmission tumbled 19.99%, Adani Green Energy plunged 19.99% and Adani Enterprises tanked 18.52% on the BSE. Also, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone fell 16.03%, Adani Wilmar dipped 5% and Adani Power declined 5%.

` rises 8 paise to end at 81.53 against dollar

Mumbai (PTI): The rupee appreciated 8 paise to close at 81.53 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday amid a firm American currency against major rivals overseas. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened stronger at 81.51 to a dollar. The local unit moved in the range of 81.50 to 81.67 during the day. It finally settled at 81.53, a rise of 8 paise against the previous close of 81.61.

CROP CONDITION GOOD

New Delhi (FIB): Adani Group’s chairperson Gautam Adani’s rank slipped four positions from third to seventh on Friday, as per Forbes Real Time Billionaires. Stocks of the Adani Group continued to go down since Wednesday and crashed over 20% on Friday over a Hindenburg Research report claiming that he was manipulating stocks. He has lost $22.6 billion since the report came out as per Forbes. He now has a net worth of $96.6 billion.

New Delhi (PTI): As the Tata group completes the first year of taking over Air India, the airline on Friday said it is finalising a historic order of new air craft while the airline's chief Campbell Wilson highlighted that the carri er's progress has been quite remarkable.

Wilson, in a message to employees, acknowl edged that there will be challenges along the way and empha that more than successes, "it is

FOREX KITTY RISES BY $1.727 BILLION TO $573.727 BILLION

Mumbai (PTI): India's forex reserves increased by $1.727 billion to $573.727 billion in the week ended January 20, the Reserve Bank of India said on Friday.

This is the second consecutive week of a rise in the kitty after the $10.417 billion jump to $572 billion during the preceding week.

During the reporting week, the foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, increased by $839 million to $506.358 billion, according to the Weekly Statistical Supplement.

The gold reserves continued to rise, jumping by $821 million to $43.712 billion, the RBI said. The Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were up by $68 million to $18.432 billion, the apex bank said.

Wheat sowing up to 341.85 lakh ha so far

New Delhi: Smartphone shipments declined 9% on-year to reach 152 million units in 2022, as demand in the entry-level segment suffered even as the premium segment continued to rise, capturing a double-digit share amidst growth in retail average selling prices, according to a report from Counterpoint Research. This is the second ever annual decline in the Indian smartphone market, the first being in 2020. —FIB

New Delhi (PTI): Area sown to wheat has increased marginally by 0.37% to 341.85 lakh hectare (ha) so far in the ongoing rabi season, with higher areas reported in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bihar, the government data showed.

According to a agri ministry official, about 5–6 lakh ha more wheat area is expected to be reported from north India, especially Uttar Pradesh, where the sowing of wheat has got delayed due to sugarcane harvesting. “The wheat crop condition is good as of

now. Tiller per plan is average at 6-10 due to better weather situations. One spell of rain in a day or two

will further boost the plant growth,” the official said. As per the latest agriculture ministry’s data, wheat

MORE IS EXPECTED

z According to a senior agriculture ministry official, about 5–6 lakh hectare more wheat area is expected to be reported from north India, especially the state of Uttar Pradesh, where the sowing of wheat has got delayed due to sugarcane harvesting

has been sown in 341.85 lakh ha as of January 27 against 340.56 lakh ha in the year-ago period.

JIO, AIRTEL GAIN SUBSCRIBERS IN NOV AT VI's EXPENSE

New Delhi (FIB): Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel gained 1.42 million and 1.05 million mobile users respectively in November, largely at the expense of cashstrapped Vodafone Idea (Vi), which continued to suffer big customer losses, unable to compete effectively with its stronger rivals. Vi lost a whopping 1.82 million mobile users in November, further shrinking its user base to 243.79 million. By contrast, Jio and Airtel user bases expanded to 422.80 million and 366.08 million respectively.

Reliance Jio previous week reported a net profit of ` 4,638 crore in the justconcluded quarter, against `3,615 crore in October-December 2021, according to a company's stock exchange filing.

progress’: CEO

how we respond to our lapses ... that will define us". The airline has put in place a roadmap under Vihaan.AI for transforma

Friday said it is "finalising a historic order of new aircraft to power future growth" and has added more than 1,200 professionals across key functions to "Hundreds of initiatives across 22 broad work streams are underway to form the airline over three phases: Taxi, Take Off and Climb,"

FOR TRANSHIPMENT PORT

New Delhi: The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways will invite expressions of interest (EOI) from interested players for a `41,000 crore international transhipment port project at Great Nicobar Island in the Bay of Bengal. The ministry in a release on Friday said that the project is expected to be complete with an investment of `41,000 crore, including investment from both government and PPP concessionaire. The EOI will be released on Saturday (January 28). The proposed port will have ultimate capacity to handle 16 million containers per year —PTI

INDIA NEEDS TO LEAD & SET GLOBAL AGENDA ON SMUGGLING: REPORT

New Delhi: The government should take up a campaign against smuggling at the global level and a curb on such practices can help the world earn about $31 billion per year, a report said. Eliminating illicit trade would gain governments at least $31.3 billion every year, and from 2030 onwards more than 164,000 premature deaths every year would be avoided, the report by Think Change Forum said. —PTI

COAL INDIA LIMITED TO PRODUCE SAND USING OVERBURDEN ROCKS

New Delhi: State-owned Coal India Limited (CIL) intends to produce sand using overburden rocks lying at its various coal mines and the operation of five such sand plants is likely to commence by next year, the government said on Friday. Under the ‘overburden (OB) rocks-to-manufactured sand’ initiative, Coal India Ltd (CIL) facilitates processing of waste overburden at its open cast mines. —PTI

EGYPT CONSIDERING ALLOCATING LAND TO INDIAN INDUSTRIES IN SUEZ CANAL ECONOMIC ZONE

New Delhi: India and Egypt have reaffirmed their commitment to the founding values of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states. On economic ties, the statement mentioned that the Egyptian side is considering the possibility of allocating a special area of land for the Indian industries in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCEZ), adding that “the Indian side can arrange for the master plan”.

MUMBAI | SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 07 www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia Commodity Price Change % Chg GOLD 56,842.00 70.00 0.12 (Per 10g) SILVER 68,874.00 451.00 0.65 (Per 1kg) COMMODITIES Currency Price Change % Chg USDINR 81.53 0.08 0.09 GBPINR 100.99 0.05 0.05 CURRENCIES
business BRIEFS
*Rates till the edition went to print.
—PTI
Air India has made ‘quite remarkable

PM Modi will break all records and NDA will retain power: CM

BSS President Shinde rubbishes the results of a recent survey that indicate a slight fall in the number of seats for the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections

First India Bureau

Thane: Chief Minister

Eknath Shinde on Friday expressed confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “will break all records” and that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would retain power with a thumping majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Shinde interacted with the press after attending the live screening of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ event addressed by PM Modi.

Replying to a question on the results of a recent political survey on next Lok Sabha polls, he said, “In the next general elections, PM Modi will break all records and the NDA will return to power with a thumping majority.”

According to a survey by leading media house India Today, if the elections are held today, the Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to win 284 seats, Congress 68 and others 191 seats. While still a decent majority, this would be a slight drop in numbers for the BJP, which walked away with 303 seats in the last election.

CM SHINDE PAYS TRIBUTE TO MENTOR

ANAND DIGHE ON BIRTH ANNIVERSARY

Thane (PTI): Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday paid tribute to his mentor late Anand Dighe on the latter’s birth anniversary. Shinde visited Shakti Sthal, Dighe’s memorial here, as well as Anand Math, the office from where the latter ran the party in this region for many years. Thane Lok Sabha MP Rajan Vichare, who is with the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, also visited the memorial and paid tribute. Meanwhile, Shinde’s aide and Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena Spokesperson Naresh Mhaske asked why Thackeray did not visit the memorial when he was in Thane on Thursday. Was it because the memorial was built by Shinde, the BSS leader asked.

However, Shinde did not seem convinced. The survey was conducted on just a handful of people and does not give a true picture, he said.

“They ignored the results of the recentlyconcluded gram panchayat elections, where the Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena (Shinde-led faction) and the

CM attends ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ at alma mater

Mumbai (PTI): Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday visited the Thane civic school where he once studied to virtually join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Pariksha Pe Charcha” programme and exhorted students and parents not to take stress during exams.

He hoped that students are stress-free and said that they should participate in sports and other extracurricular activities.

PM Modi’s tips during the sixth edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha will surely help students, said Shinde.

“Students and parents should not take stress during exams,”

Metro shed: PIL in HC over BMC notice

Shinde said at the Thane Municipal Corporation school no. 23 at Kisan Nagar where he studied.

He remembered his school teacher Raghunath Parab and said the school which is now a building operated from a chawl when he studied there. Shinde said the students would clean the school by themselves.

The CM checked the drinking water facility at the school and also visited its computer laboratory and classrooms.

In a related event, he announced that the Exam Warriors’ book by the prime minister will be made available to TMC and zilla parishad schools in the state for free.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) performed very well,” he said. “In politics, two plus two is not always four. A survey based on just a handful of people does not give the real picture...We are not afraid of elections. Future itself will give replies to the predictions of the survey,” said Shinde.

2nd time in 4 days: No new COVID-19 case in Mumbai

Mumbai (PTI): No new COVID-19 case was reported in Mumbai on Friday, the second such occurrence this week, while the infectionlinked death toll remained unchanged at 19,747, the city civic body said.

With this, the city’s overall COVID-19 case tally remained static at 11,55,242, said a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation bulletin.

This was the second time in the current week that the financial capital of the country has re-

ported zero COVID-19 cases. On January 24, Mumbai had logged zero COVID-19 infections for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.

With no fresh death linked to the infection

registered in the last 24 hours, the toll remained unchanged at 19,747.

The number of recoveries reached 11,35,480 after four more patients recuperated from the respiratory illness, leaving the city with 15 active cases, according to the bulletin.

Mumbai’s recovery rate stood at 98.3%, while the case doubling rate improved to 3,63,932 days.

The city’s growth rate of COVID-19 cases between January 20 and 26 was 0.0002%, it added.

Mumbai (PTI): A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Bombay High Court on Friday against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s notice seeking suggestions and objections for removal of 177 trees at Aarey Colony for the construction of a car shed for Metro Line 3. The civic body had issued a notice on January 12, following an application filed by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) seeking permission to remove 84 trees for the car shed project.

In the PIL, activist Zoru Bathena claimed that the notice was in violation of the Supreme Court order of

November 2022, which only allowed for removal of 84 trees.

“The notice dated January 12, 2023, issued by the tree authority is for removal of 177 trees, having a different set of tree ID numbers in comparison to the MMRCL’s application, which was only for 84 trees,” stated the petition.

The notice was issued without application of mind and hence, deserves to be quashed and set aside, it said.

The Metro car shed project at Aarey Colony in suburban Goregaon has been embroiled in controversy since 2014, with environmentalists holding protests against indiscriminate felling of trees in the area which they claim is a forest area.

After coming to power, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government had in 2019 said the car shed would be constructed at suburban Kanjurmarg and not Aarey Colony.

In June 2022, the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led state government reversed the decision and said the car shed will be constructed in Aarey Colony only.

can’t Sanskrit be official language?’

First India Bureau Nagpur: Former Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde on Friday batted for Sanskrit as the country’s official language, including for use in courts.

Even the architect of the Constitution and eminent jurist BR Ambedkar had proposed it, as per media reports from 1949, he said at an event in Nagpur.

“Hindi and English are used as official languages in governance and courts as per law, while every chief justice receives representa-

tions seeking nod to introduce respective regional languages, which is now a reality in the district level judiciary and some high courts,” said Bobde. He was speaking at the Akhil Bharatiya Chhatra Sammelan organized by Sanskrit Bharti.

At the level of the high court, the official language is English, though many HCs have had to allow applications, petitions and even documents in regional languages, he said. “Newspapers of September 11, 1949 have reported that Dr Ambed-

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

kar initiated the move to have Sanskrit as the official language of the Union of India. Sanskrit vocabulary is common to a lot of our languages.

The language will have to be taught as a language without any religious connotation.

Like English is taught in professional courses. A vocabulary (will need to be) created and the language added to the Official Languages Act.

I ask myself this question as to why Sanskrit cannot be the official language as Dr Ambedkar had proposed,” said the former CJI.

Bobde said introducing Sanskrit would not amount to introducing any religion, as 95% of the language has nothing to do with any religion. It deals with issues related to philosophy, law, science, literature, phonetics, architecture, astronomy etc.

Citing a research paper by a NASA scientist, Bobde also stated that Sanskrit was found to be most suited for computers.

He further said that Sanskrit is possibly the only language which can co-exist with our regional languages.

HC directs Centre to pay reward to wife of informer

Informers take enormous risk, govt rewards would encourage them to come forward, says division bench

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has directed the Centre to pay a reward to the widow of a man who had tipped Customs officials about smuggled diamonds worth nearly Rs90 lakh in 1991.

Acknowledging informers and their work, a division bench comprising Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Ab-

hay Ahuja, observed, “Informers take enormous risks, and the government’s approach should not discourage them from coming forward with information.”

In its order of January 05, which was made available later, the HC noted that the objective behind offering a reward to informers is to aid the department in taking measures to safeguard the

“The informers take enormous risks in providing information. Unfortunately, in this case, the respondents (Union government) have taken a rigid stand, when the correct approach would have been to go by broad probabilities of the case, the peculiar circumstances of the case and the hardship of the petitioner and should have handled this case with sensitivity.”

—Bombay High Court

reminders.

The Department told the court that it needed to first verify if Chandrakant was the real informer. But, the bench rejected the contention, noting that it had earlier released two advance payments to him. The HC noted that though there is no legal right to demand a reward, as per the policy, the rejection must not be arbitrary.

exchequer.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by one Jayashree Dhavre, widow of Chandrakant

Dhavre, seeking reward given to informers as per government policy. In 1991, the petition had claimed, the Cus-

toms Department seized smuggled diamonds based on information shared by Chandrakant. The informer

was paid an advance of Rs3 lakh over the next few years, but the final amount was never disbursed despite several

“The approach should not be such that it discourages the informers from coming forward. Ultimately, the

objective of offering a reward to the informer is to aid the Department in taking measures to safeguard the public exchequer,” said the court.

The judges noted that the petitioner’s claim was meritorious and non-intervention by the court would “amount to a failure of justice”.

The bench directed the Union government to treat Jayashree Dhavre’s claim as eligible for the grant of final reward and determine the amount to be paid to her within 12 weeks.

MUMBAI | SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 08
2ND FRONT
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Bombay High Court —FILE PHOTO
‘Why
Environmentalists have opposed felling of trees in the Aarey Colony of Mumbai. —FILE PHOTO Cites SC order that allowed removal of 84, not 177 trees in Aarey Colony Former Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde —FILE PHOTO —Sharad Bobde, former Chief Justice of India As many as 1,199 swab samples were examined in 24 hours. —FILE PHOTO CM Shinde exhorted students not to stress over exams. —FILE PHOTO
In the smallest and biggest things of life, be guided by your heart and act with integrity.
—Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor-in-Chief, First India

UNSTOPPABLE SHEENA

THE RAVISHING BEAUTY SHEENA PARASHAR, ONE OF THE FINALISTS OF ELITE MISS RAJASTHAN SHARES HER INSPIRING JOURNEY WITH CITY FIRST

Aperson, in general, should have enough self-confidence that no one can shake, believed by the exquisite beauty Sheena Parashar, who shares her journey in a tête-à-tête with City First.

A model should be bold enough to say NO to situations where she feels she’s not okay. She needs to be fierce but very grounded at the same time and second runnerup of Elite Miss Rajasthan, Sheena Parashar proved this right. The diva was born in Ajmer and pursuing Masters in English Literature and Psychology. While sharing insights about her journey the diva said, “I am a passionate soul and I believe that having leadership quality is important in this field. Since the time I started understanding what a fashion model is, I always knew that this is something I want to do in my life. I’ve always felt a special connection with fashion since my childhood and the day when I finally understood what modelling is, it was then I decided that this is something I have done. Initially, I thought modelling is all about the Rampwalk as a child then gradually I came to know the different types and aspects of modelling.

Yet Ramp modelling remains my top favourite among the rest of the types of modelling. The various aspects of this field like social life, exposure, your own identity, travelling, and the glamorous life all of it directly matched my personality. However, there’s something that made me the model I always wanted to be Or kinda my inspira-

tion is those Victoria’s Secret models and F-TV fashion models that I used to watch on my TV when I was a child who was just figuring out about this field. Those international models made a huge impact on my mind, their style of walking, their height, their body, their attitude, their poses and the way they carry themselves, I made sure to not let any stone unturned in learning about modelling.

I used to observe these models with utter seri-

ousness and passion and I used to practice in my house with music and imitate their walk in front of the mirror. I’ve learned everything by observing and I’ve created my style now.

I’m still growing and learning as a model and I aspire to reach those heights and international plat forms which inspired me to choose this career.

www.firstindia.co.in I https://firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/ thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia 09 MUMBAI, SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
UTTKARSHA SHEKHAR uttkarsha.shekhar@firstindia.co.in
—PHOTOS

The famous novel by Charles Dickens about the French Revolution begins with a striking scene that explains why an insurgency had to occur in 18th-century France. In the crowded Parisian lanes where children are playing, an aristocrat drives his carriage drawn by four horses. A child is murdered. The carriage comes to a sudden stop. Its aristocratic occupant looks out casually and asks why the rabble can’t look after their children, before tossing a coin at the dead child’s father. This scene is re-imagined in 21st-century India, when another aristocrat, this time a popular film star, drives his plush limousine onto a crowded Mumbai sidewalk, killing a homeless resident of the great metropolis. This time, he did not even throw a coin. He was a superstar beyond reproach.

Privilege is more of a mentality than a notion. It has a basic definition—unearned advantage, most frequently due to wealth— but it suggests much more. The concept arose in academics and progressive movements, but it is now increasingly used for cultural criticism and politics.

Indians are no strangers to the exploitation of privilege. Such situations are so prevalent that we accept them as the price for our status quo. When Liberals discuss privilege, they presume it does not apply to them. That it would only apply to the super-rich and the exceptionally rich. Is it only the ministers, celebrities, and factory owners, the corpo rate behemoths who ex ploit their privilege?

Consider the average city dweller. Does he con sider himself fortunate? Men are leaders, while women are bossy. Men are capable; women are lovely. Boys will be boys, and women will have to learn to be women.

Men are never promoted because of their sex; women climb the ladder

FACEOFTHEDAY

as they sleep their way to the top. Men may easily choose between family and career, or both, and be lauded. Women cannot, without having their capabilities questioned. Do ur-

low leftist mocked me and told me that a group of affluent young boys cannot comprehend the struggles of the average Indian person. It is embarrassing. We would oppose it because we believe it undermines our efforts to understand and help the marginalised.

Conservatives would despise it as they would rather maintain their status quo. Yet it stands true; a privileged person can never truly understand the struggles of the marginalised.

ARIES

MAR 21 - APR 20

TAURUS

APR 21 - MAY 20

The Savarnas will never truly comprehend or understand the sufferings of the Dalit. If a privileged urban dweller like me can witness the oppression of caste, a Chamar definitely can. Yet many claim that caste is dead in the cities, or even in the entire country. No matter how awake we want to be, we all have entitlement that we are willing to see and entitlement that we can afford to ignore. I am not affected by homophobic remarks hence I can afford to remain mute. Caste might be dead for some, and a horrific reality for others. For many, it might be religion, gender, sexuality, or disabilities.

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

Peggy McIntosh writes in her essay- White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, “I think whites are carefully taught not to recognise white privilege, as males are taught not to recognise male privilege. So I have begun in an untutored way to ask what it is like to have white privilege. I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was ‘meant’ to remain oblivious.” We can keep patting ourselves on the back for our efforts, whatever it is that we invest. After all, we’re all guilty of fostering our own unique sets of blind spots.

CANCER

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

by Saurabbh

You care about you lover but somehow hesitate in expressing that care. Don’t make friends for money and status rather make friends who will stick with you forever. On social front, you may have to spend some extra money in buying gifts for someone for some specific occasion.

LEO

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

You make sure to make things work your way. Never demotivate someone even if someone is not capable of doing something. You are most wanted by your friends. You can have romantic affair in office and a serious one. You will invest money in clothes and accessories today.

SAGITTARIUS

NOV 23 - DEC 22

Spend time talking with likeminded people as it will make you feel good for now.

Boisterous behaviour is what everyone needs right now, do whatever you can do to cheer everyone up. You will feel financially comfortable and infant you are in position to invest money in some new venture.

You love to live close to your family. Best day to buy gold and silver for investment sake. You are a child at heart and never let this child die. You have a big heart and you always help someone if you can. Video gathering is possible as you miss your social circle.

VIRGO

AUG 24 - SEP 23

Your spouse is someone who can do anything for your happiness. You are opportunist and this will make you successful one day. There may be delays in property possession and it won’t effect you. You are happy spending whole day at home. Help your mothers at home today.

CAPRICORN

DEC 23 - JAN 20

You are very generous by nature and also backbone of your family. Today is a favourable day for business. You may postpone your study plans. You are very fortunate to have a great friend circle. Be careful of the words. Your lover may finally say yes to get married to you.

You are a pro in your field and none can beat you. You give tough competition. Many people get inspired by you. You will get special treatment from your dear ones. Take stand where you need to, don’t run in the same direction where everybody else is going. Health remains perfect.

LIBRA

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

Scrumptious food is what you are craving for today. You always maintain cordial relationship with everyone. You workout daily to keep yourself fit. You may start a side business to earn more. You are not a jealous and you feel happy for others. You are a grounded person.

AQUARIUS

JAN 21 - FEB 19

You need a break from day to tensions and the way to cope up with stress is to meditate. You must create an environment of understanding at home. You will succeed in any sort of examination if you put your heart and soul to it. Promotion can be expected even if other are not.

Visit a doctor if you have any doubts about your health. Don’t attack stress even if you don’t have any. Let go of things that are not in your control. You want to have your own house and you will work hard to make your dream come true. Try to eat heathy.

SCORPIO

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

You will feel amorous towards your wife. This is the best time try something new with life give yourself a new purpose. Work on your limitations, there can be no better time than this. You have more male friends and you may be judged sometimes but don’t care.

PISCES

FEB20 - MARCH 20

Your spouse may make you spend more than you expected. Fantastic day for investing money in stock market as you can make fortune. You need help on academic front and you should not shy away from asking. You miss your parents a lot and somewhere fear to loose them.

10 ETC MUMBAI | SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 www.firstindia.co.in I https://firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia
AASTHA SIDANA, Model
YOUR DAY
ADITYA RAJ MBBS Student at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Director for World Youth Heart Federation
Indians are no strangers to the exploitation of privilege. Such situations are so prevalent that we accept them as the price for our status quo. When Liberals discuss privilege, they presume it does not apply to them

ALIA BHATT FEELS ‘POWERFUL ’

Alia, who welcomed her first child with Ranbir Kapoor in November 2022, is often spotted by

the paparazzi outside celebrity yoga trainer Anshuka Parwani’s studio in Mumbai. The actress has resumed yoga workouts, and Anshuka also often shares pictures and videos of

Fans tease Shubman with Sara's chants

Sctress Sara Ali Khan has been hitting headlines lately due to her link-up rumors with Indian cricketer Shubman Gill. Post her alleged breakup with Kartik Aaryan, the actress' name was linked with Shubman as they were spotted enjoying a dinner date. Since then, they have made a few appearances and that has grabbed everyone's attention. Recently, during India's third ODI against New Zealand in Indore, the audience was seen teasing Shubman by shouting Sara's name. The entire stadium was chanting slogans featuring her name.

A video went viral on so cial media in which the au dience is seen shouting Sara's name. They are teas ing Shubman by shout ing, 'Humaari bhabhi kaisi ho? Sara bhabhi jaisi ho..' In the video, Shubman is seen field ing against New Zea land. However, the audience didn't mention if it was Sara Ali Khan or Sara Tendulkar. Gill was rumored to be dating Sachin Tendulkar's daughter too.

INSTA-OFFICIAL?

Shakira’s ex-lover

Gerard Piqué just made his relationship with his new girlfriend, Clara Chia Marti official on Instagram. This comes seven months after Piqué and Shakira announced their separation in June last year, and a few weeks after Shakira released a diss track, allegedly about the former soccer player.

In the picture shared by Gerard on his Instagram space, one can see him and

Clara sitting close togeth er on a patio of a restau rant. He did not add any caption to the picture. However, it looks like fans and follow ers were not too hap py about his post with Clara, 23. One user wrote, “I would have been ashamed”. A second user commented, “She doesn’t compare to the mother of your chil dren.”

her yoga sessions.

Anshuka recently took to her Instagram account to share two selfies clicked by Alia Bhatt. The first one shows Alia flaunting the glow on her face af-

ter acing 108 Surya Namaskaras, while Anshuka and Shaheen Bhatt pose behind her with smiles on their faces. The second picture shows all three of them grinning widely

mma Roberts recently opened up about her twoyear-old son Rhodes. The 31-year-old actress appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show where she revealed being nervous about a trait that she hopes her son does not pick up from her.

Emma shared that she hopes her son Rhodes does not inherit the habit of sleepwalking from her. “I had a little bit of sleepwalking. I hope it’s not hereditary because my mom also sleepwalked,” Emma said. “One time I was sleepwalking and she was sleepwalking and we actually ran into each other. We were both so freaked out.” Continuing further, she added that despite being totally capable, her twoyear-old son has still not attempted to climb out of the crib yet, which accord-

post their workout.

“Today's happy faces brought to you by 108 Surya Namaskaras,” read the caption. Anshuka also took to her Instagram story to post a short video

clip of Alia Bhatt finishing the sun salutations. Anshuka is seen asking her how she feels after her first 108 surya namaskaras, to which Alia replies, “Powerful.”

SUHANA POSES WITH ANANYA

Pathaan fever has gripped the nation, and while the Shah Rukh Khan starrer released on January 25, it has already taken the box of fice by storm. Recently, a spe cial screening of Pathaan was held at Yash Raj Films Studio in Mumbai, and it was attended by the Alisters of Bollywood. Now, we came across a few inside pictures from the screening, and looks like they all had a gala time!

In a picture that has surfaced online, Su hana Khan can be seen posing with Ananya Panday and another friend. While Suhana is seen hugging her friend, Ananya strikes a pose next to her. Suhana looked uber-chic in a light blue ribbed body-hugging dress and kept her hair open. She accessorized mini mally with a pair of small diamond earrings. Mean while, Ananya Panday made a statement in a neon-colored sleeveless dress, which had a slit at the back. Going by the picture, they had a great time together. Take a look!

The biggest red flag in a man

"I hope it’s not HEREDITARY"
ETC MUMBAI | SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 11
Alia Bhatt Anshuka’s post... Ananya Panday and Suhana Khan Ananya and Suhana strike a pose with a friend Nora Fatehi Sara Ali Khan Shakira, Clara Chia Marti and Gerard Pique Sara and Shubman
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Emma Roberts

WEDDING CELEBRATIONS!

I HAVE NEVER WORKED FOR AWARDS: RAVEENA

Abonafide star for three decades now, the actor has al ways main tained a fine balance be tween commercial films such as Mohra, and off beat films like Daman, which fetched her the National Award for Best Actress.

Raveena Tandon, who made her Bollywood debut in 1991 with Patthar Ke Phool, has starred in a di verse range of films and has also ex perimented with art

house cinema. Raveena has starred in films like Andaz Apna Apna, Mohra, Diwali (1994), Khiladiyon Ke Khiladi, Daman and Aks, among others. The 50-year-old was also recently selected by the Ministry to attend the esteemed W20 as a delegate. W20 is the Women’s Empower-

ment engagement wing at the G20.

Speaking to a leading portal she said,“I have never worked for awards, that’s true. God has been kind it’s been recognised. I am a pretty neutral person with everything. I lock horns with everyone. Sometimes I think nobody likes me, but somewhere in the universe, someone is watching over me.”

Raveena also said that she wasn’t expecting this and said it has been a ‘year of awards’ for her, “I am so honoured and grateful and would like to thank all the people. It’s because of their love that I have sustained and been in the industry for so many years.

They have given me a chance, an opportuni-

ty. This has been a year of awards for me, but I was not expecting this. I don’t know how to react.”

She is also glad that she has been credited as ‘Raveena Ravi Tandon’; her late father, filmmaker Ravi’s name was added to hers. “It is unbelievable. I don’t know if you noticed, but every time I went on stage recently to pick up any award, I would look up and say ‘thank you papa’ in February, it’s going to be a year (since he passed away). It’s on his birth anniversary as well I have been conferred this. It’s truly special. Raveena Ravi Tandon wrote,” she expressed. She will next be seen in Arbaaz Khan-backed social drama “Patna Shukla”, a romanticcomedy 'Gudchadhi' with Sanjay Dutt and a show with Disney+ Hotstar.

Shehnaaz Gill's Bollywood Debut

The teaser of Salman Khan's upcoming film helmed by Farhad Samji has been unveiled by the makers.

The film stars Salman Khan, Pooja Hegde and many others. It also marks the debut of Bigg Boss 13 star Shehnaaz Gill. Even though she had a blinkand-miss appearance in

the teaser, Shehnaaz Gill's fans are over the moon to spot her right next to Salman Khan in a scene She was seen walking behind Salman Khan donning a traditional South Indian look. While Salman looked handsome as always in a veshti and shirt, Shehnaaz wore a sky

blue-hued silk saree paired with a peach pink blouse and temple jewellery. She complet ed her look with middle-parted back brushed hair and sported a beautiful smile. As soon as Shehnaaz's glimpse from the teaser was spotted by her fans, she started trending on Twitter and

REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATIONS!

The wedding of Shubh Agarwal, daughter of Sudhir Agarwal, Managing Director Dainik Bhaskar Group to Shaurya, son of renowned industrialist Jyotivardhan Saunthaliya was traditionally solemnised in a beautiful traditional wedding with two wedding receptions, one on January 24 and the next one on January 26. The wedding festivities started with the Agarwal family reaching out to the underprivileged and organising a ‘bhoj’ for more than 300 poor and needy senior citizens and orphaned children at the Bhojpur club. The Agarwal family also made it a point to invite all the staff of their residence and their families to the ‘bhoj’.Celebrities and renowned people from all walks of life attended the reception(s) to bless the newly weds. Jagdeesh Chandra also reached Bhopal on January 26 to bless the couple.

ABDU’S MANNAT OUTING!

On Thursday, Abdu Rozik stood outside Shah Rukh Khan’s residence Mannat for a chance to meet with his idol. A day after the release of Shah Rukh’s latest film Pathaan, the former Bigg Boss 16 contestant Abdu stood through the sunroof of a car, hoping for a chance to meet the actor. He wore a placard around his neck that stated, “I still haven’t made it until I meet you. I love you, Shah Rukh Khan. So happy to sit here with all of your fans and wait for my turn. Only one dream left. Pathaan.” Shah Rukh fans seem delighted to find the singer in their ranks and can be seen cheering him on.

12 MUMBAI | SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/thefirstindia facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia CITY BUZZ GET VACCINATED STAY MASKED
Jagdeesh Chandra with Jagdish Sharma, Prem Bhandari and Swami Avdheshanand Giri Jagdeesh Chandra with Parimal Nathwani, Rajya Sabha MP and Director-Corporate Affairs at Reliance Industries Limited Jagdeesh Chandra with Girish Agarwal, Director DB Corp. Jagdeesh Chandra with (R-L) Pawan Agarwal (Deputy Managing Director, DB Corp.), T Sankar, (Commissioner Appeal, Income Tax Mumbai) and Jagdish Sharma (Managing Editor, Dainik Bhaskar) Jagdeesh Chandra with T Sankar, (Commissioner Appeal, Income Tax Mumbai), Prem Bhandari (Chairman, Jaipur Foot, USA) and Dr Rekha Bhandari
ASHISH TIWARI cityfirst.mumbai@firstindia.co.in
MEET & GREET! Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Chouhan, Governor of Chhatisgarh Anusuiya Uikey, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and Governor of Rajasthan Kalraj Mishra were greeted by Upendra Rai, Chairman, MD and Editor-in-Chief, Bharat Express News Network, as the latter reached their residence recently to invite them at the launching ceremony of the news channel on Feb 1. Upendra Rai with Governor of Rajasthan Kalraj Mishra Upendra Rai with Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha Upendra Rai with Governor of Chhatisgarh Anusuiya Uikey Upendra Rai with Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Chouhan Raveena Tandon Shehnaaz Gill Abdu Rozik First India family with Editor Jinendra Singh Shekhawat at the Republic Day Celebrations. —PHOTO BY MUKESH KIRADOO Jagdeesh Chandra with the First India family at the newspaper office for Republic Day celebrations. —PHOTO BY SUNIL SHARMA

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SUHANA POSES WITH ANANYA

0
page 12

INSTA-OFFICIAL?

1min
page 12

Fans tease Shubman with Sara's chants

0
page 12

FACEOFTHEDAY

4min
page 11

UNSTOPPABLE SHEENA

2min
pages 10-11

HC directs Centre to pay reward to wife of informer

1min
page 9

can’t Sanskrit be official language?’

1min
page 9

Metro shed: PIL in HC over BMC notice

2min
page 9

PM Modi will break all records and NDA will retain power: CM

1min
page 9

progress’: CEO

1min
page 8

Sensex, Nifty tumble over 1% on selling in banking shares & RIL

4min
page 8

INDIA A ‘BRIGHT SPOT’ IN WORLD ECONOMY RIGHT NOW

2min
page 8

SA signs deal with India to relocate dozens of cheetahs

2min
pages 7-8

Colourful parade showcases women power

3min
page 7

Govt vehicles older than 15 years to be scrapped: Centre

1min
pages 6-7

Yatra, twinning with Rahul Gandhi in white T-shirt

1min
page 6

Await meeting of likeminded parties for LS polls: Bihar CM Nitish

3min
page 6

Delhi cops detain 24 students from DU Arts Faculty

3min
page 6

P

1min
pages 4-6

PAKISTAN IS IN A DEEP CRISIS

3min
page 4

up

1min
page 4

In Phase III, Byculla zoo being revamped for special ‘exotic zone’

1min
page 3

1 dead, another saved as two-storey commercial bldg collapses in Thane

0
page 3

Man throws self in front of train over debt harassment

2min
page 3

5 held for honour killing of BHMS student

0
page 3

4 drown in 24 hours in Maharashtra

1min
page 3

Padma Shri winner dedicates award to lovers of ‘zadipatti’

0
page 2

In U-turn, Dy CM Fadnavis promises rethink over OPS

4min
page 2

BETRAYAL, DEFECTIONS DEFAMED MAHA, SENA: UDDHAV THACKERAY

1min
page 2

Asind ready to welcome PM Modi today

1min
page 1

BJY SCRAPPED OVER ‘SECURITY LAPSES’!

3min
page 1

Capt Amarinder Singh to replace BS Koshyari as Guv?

1min
page 1
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