English dc 24 01 2018

cmyk

cmyk

THE LARGEST CIRCULATED ENGLISH DAILY IN SOUTH INDIA HYDERABAD

WEATHER

NATION

Max: 31.4OC Min: 16.1OC RH: 41% Rainfall: Nil Forecast: Clear sky.

Max/Min temp. 31/16ºC

NO BAN ON PADMAAVAT, ORDERS SC DC CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, JAN. 23

Rajasthan and MP governments suffered a setback with the Supreme Court refusing to modify its order staying the ban on release of Padmaavat on January 25. The bench refused to entertain a plea saying the right to creative speech was paramount and could not be interfered with.

■ Report on Page 8

DISQUALIFY 9 MLAS OF TRS, SAYS REVANTH CH.V.M. KRISHNA RAO | DC HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Taking a cue from the disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs, Congress leader A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday petitioned the President and the Election Commission to disqualify nine TRS MLAs who were appointed parliamentary secretaries and chairmen of public sector undertakings, enjoying Cabinet Minister status.

■ Report on Page 6

I WEDNESDAY I 24 JANUARY 2018

No truck with BJP for LS, Maha polls, says Shiv Sena

8 16

GAMES Injured Nadal retires on day of Aussie Open upsets Vol. 81 No. 23 Established 1938 | 40

deccanchronicle.com, facebook.com/deccannews, twitter.com/deccanchronicle, google.com/+deccanchronicle

NIA can’t probe NO NIKAH marital status: SC AFTER 9 PM, J. VENKATESAN | DC NEW DELHI, JAN. 23

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the NIA cannot probe the legitimacy of Hadiya’s marriage with Shafin Jahan as she has the right to decide about her choice.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud said the NIA probe into the terror angle will have no bearing on the marital status of Ms Hadiya. The court made Ms Hadiya a party in this case and sought her response about her marriage. It said it cannot go into the legitimacy of the marriage, as it was either Ms Hadiya or Mr Jahan

■ MARRIAGE HAS to be separated from criminal conspiracy. Whether the person Hadiya married is a good human being or not, it is for her to decide. to take a call on this aspect.

The court said, “We make it clear that we are not concerned about the ongoing probe by the NIA into ‘love jihad’ cases. The only issue before us is legitimacy of the marriage, which cannot be challenged by third parties.”

■ Page 8: Can’t question marriage legitimacy: SC

BMW OWNER PAYS `1 LAKH CHALLANS TO AVOID JAIL ANUSHA PUPPALA | DC HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

A resident of Gachibowli with multiple challans paid `1,00,450.

The payment was done online on January 20 for vehicle AP28 DX 6363. All challans were in Cyberabad limits.

Mr C. Chakradhar had 70 challans on his BMW 3 for speeding.

The courts have begun sentencing those with 10 pending challans, and the payment seems to have been done to avoid the punishment.

Traffic officials said the violator had cleared the challans to avoid jail. Those with pending callans were told to pay up or end up in jail if caught during vehicle checks.

QAZIS TOLD ASIF YAR KHAN | DC HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The TS Wakf Board will initiate action against qazis who solemnise marriages at function halls after 9 pm after February 1. This is being done to end the nuisance being created for the public at large with late-night marriages.

“Any qazi who solemnises marriages after 9 pm will be issued a notice.

Next, the board will not issue him a marriage booklet or marriage certificate,” said board chairman Mohammed Saleem.

The board will be holding awareness programmes, urging imams of mosques to educate the community. “The rest of the activities at function halls can continue till midnight,” he said.

A meeting at Haj House attended by senior police officials, religious scholars and heads of religious schools of thought decided to curb extravaganza and public inconvenience caused by late night weddings. “In the interests of the community and the poor families, we should get rid of such unnecessary practices,” said Mufti Khaleel Ahmed, rector of Jamia Nizamia.

■ Full report on Page 5

PAGES

| `4.00

Modi slams protectionism ■ Tells WEF terrorism, climate change are grave threats Davos (Switzerland), Jan. 23: Sending out a strong message against protectionism and inwardfocused economic policies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said such tendencies can be as dangerous as terrorism and climate change, as he pitched for creating a “heaven of freedom” free from divisions.

Mr Modi, who became the first Indian Prime Minister to address the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual summit here in two decades, talked about grave concerns facing the world, including terrorism and climate change. In a nearlyhour-long speech delivered in Hindi, which caused an initial flurry in the audience as people reached for their translation headsets, Mr Modi sought to hard sell India as an investment destination, saying those wanting wealth with wellness and peace with prosperity should come to the country.

Seen as an apparent reference to America First, especially since US President Donald Trump would be coming to Davos, Mr Modi said, “Many countries are becoming inward focused and globalisation is shrinking and such tendencies can’t be considered lesser risk than terrorism or climate change.”

His opening address was a moment of personal triumph for Mr Modi once

WE HAVE made it so easier to invest in India, manufacture in India and work in India. We have decided to uproot licence and permit Raj. We are replacing red tape with red carpet.

NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister TERRORISM is dangerous but what is equally dangerous is the ‘artificial distinction’ made between ‘good terrorist’ and ‘bad terrorist’.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the at World

THE INDIAN philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) has become more relevant today to address fissures and distances in the world.

Economic Forum plenary in Davos on Tuesday. shunned by the West for failing to prevent communal rioting in his home state. The occasion also recognised India’s growth as an economic and geopolitical power. Protectionism is rearing its head and there is risk of new tariff and non-tariff barriers coming up, he said.

Mr Modi arrived in the ski resort town of Davos on Monday for a one-day trip.

His visit was marred by travel delays with heavy snow making it impossible for Mr Modi to take a helicopter to Davos from Zurich and the roads were clogged with traffic.

■ More reports on Page 8

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

India means biz, Modi tells WEF Davos (Switzerland), Jan. 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi told top CEOs that India means business and presents an exciting opportunity for global businesses.

Addressing a roundtable before a dinner meet on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) gathering on Monday, Mr Modi narrated India’s growth story.

Mr Modi was accompanied by top government officials including secretary (economic relations) at the external affairs ministry, Vijay Gokhale, foreign secretary Jai Shankar and secretary in the department of industrial policy and promotion Ramesh Abhishek.

■ Page 13: Replaced red tape with red carpet

City

Srihari says Centre has not accorded national festival status to Medaram Jatara despite several appeals DECCAN CHRONICLE

Jana Sena workers should be ready for political fight for 25 years — Pawan Kalyan Jana Sena chief

ASTROGUIDE

Hemalamba; Uttarayana Thithi: Magha Shuddha Saptami till 4.11 pm Star: Revathi till 8.30 am Varjyam: 4.20 am to 5.55 am (Thursday) Durmuhurtam: 12.06 pm to 12.50 pm Rahukalam: 12 noon to 1.30 pm HIJRI CALENDAR Jamadi-Ul-Awwal 6,1439 AH PRAYERS Fajar: 5.46 am Zohar: 12.38 pm Asar: 4.30 pm Maghrib: 6.13 pm Isha: 7.23 pm SUNSET TODAY 6.07 PM SUNRISE TOMORROW 6.49 AM MOONRISE TOMORROW 11.39 AM MOONSET TODAY NA

COUNTER

POINT

CLEAN UP

PAGE

2

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

ACT

Efforts to make TS land dispute-free

T-HUB, FACEBOOK TIE-UP TO BOOST START-UPS

■ But revenue officials are worried as most grabbed lands are in possession of the mafia

NAVEENA GHANATE | DC

L. VENKAT RAM REDDY | DC HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

After completing Part-A of the drive to purify undisputed land records across the state, the government has shifted its focus to Part-B which involves disputed parcels of land.

As many as 17.9 lakh acres has been moved to Part-B during the Part-A drive. Of this, 7 lakh acres have been stuck in family and boundary disputes. Another 10 lakh acres are stuck in civil courts.

The government is forming special teams to resolve these disputes amicably by holding negotiations with disputing parties in order to achieve 100 per cent purification of land records so that electronic pattadar (ownership) passbooks can be issued to all land owners in the state from March 11.

The Part-B drive will commence soon and be completed by Februaryend. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has asked collectors of all districts in the recent collectors’ conference to focus on Part-B drive as it involves controversial and disputed lands.

He said the drive to purify land records will not serve the intended purpose if the ownership of such a huge expanse of 17.9 lakh acres of land is left unresolved.

Deputy Chief Minister and revenue minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali said, “The purification of land records has

■ AS MANY AS 17.9 lakh acres has been moved to Part-B during the Part-A drive.

Of this, 7 lakh acres have been stuck in family and boundary disputes. been taken up in TS after seven decades. The main purpose is making Telangana a ‘disputefree land state’. Over 90 per cent of all land records have been purified. The balance 10 per cent disputed lands need to be resolved to achieve 100 per cent results.

Once this is done, TS will be the first state in the country with 100 per cent land records purified, with dispute-free, clear titles. This will attract investors who want to set up industries and other ventures.”

Revenue officials, however, are not so optimistic. They are concerned about the ‘land mafia’ as most of the disputed lands are in their possession. The officials have sought police protection while conducting negotiations over the disputed lands as the land mafia may attack them to block the process.

The Chief Minister has asked the superintendents of police of all districts to provide adequate police protection to revenue staff during the Part-B drive. For cases pending in civil courts with regard to encroachment of government lands, the state government has told its officials to try for out-ofcourt settlements.

PART-A PURIFICATON OF LAND RECORDS DRIVE TOTAL LAND

DISPUTED LAND

DISPUTE-FREE LAND

2.80 CR ACRES

17.89 lakh ACRES

1.42 lakh ACRES

■ 11.95 LAKH ACRES:

1,12,077 sq km

Farmers holding non-agriculture lands

Geographical extent

■ 24 LAKH ACRES: Cities,

towns, villages, habitations and dispute-free forest lands.

■ 84 LAKH

ACRES: Government lands, these include tanks, water bodies, canals, railway lines, power sub-stations, educational institutions, hospitals, forest lands stuck in legal disputes.

Website listing land records soon DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Having verified over 90 per cent of land records in the state, the TS government is taking precautions to ensure that no land disputes arise in future.

The purified land database will be maintained in a secure, online system, which will not allow manipulation at any stage. A separate website, Dharani, showing the purified land records will be opened on March 11.

From March 11, the system of property registration will be drastically changed to achieve the goal of clean and transparent land records.

Property sellers and buyers, after reaching an

agreement, must seek an appointment with the sub-registrar, just as one does when applying for a passport or vehicle registration.

Licenced document writers will be available at the registration offices to prepare the documents.

Sellers and buyers can fill in their own documents for which templates would be available.

Both sellers and buyers should be present at the sub-registrars office with their passbooks on the appointed date. Signatures and fingerprints of seller and buyer will be taken through biometric system. The extent of land sold will be removed by the sub registrar from the seller's passbook on the

spot and the same is entered into the passbook of the buyer. The sub registrar should attest his signature with the stamp.

If the buyer is new, a new passbook with all the details will be given immediately.

The passbooks of both seller and buyer will be sent to the mandal revenue officer (MRO) on the same day. Mutation would be done about the seller and buyer.

These details will be recorded in the land records at the MRO's office. The IT official at the MRO's office will put these details online.

As with a bank's ATM transaction, updates will be sent as SMSs to mobile phones of both seller and

buyer. Passbooks need not be sent to the revenue district officer (RDO) as is done now; the name change and mutation responsibility lies with the MRO. After mutation, the MRO will sign and affix his seal and send it to the sub-registrar.

The sub-registrar will send the passbooks to both the seller and buyer by courier as is being done with passports. An SMS will be sent to both the buyer and seller with dispatch details.

In the e-passbooks issued to land owners, besides the account number, unique code of the passbook, village code, mandal code and owner’s Aadhaar number will be given.

HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Telangana government’s start-up initiative T-hub has partnered with social media giant Facebook to launch an India Innovation Hub Accelerator programme to back up start-ups working in virtual reality and augmented reality (VR/AR) space. The programme will span six months in which 10 start-ups working in the field of AR/VR will be shortlisted and mentored.

Satyajeet Singh, head of platform partnerships of Facebook India and South Asia, told this newspaper, “This is a first of its kind programme in India related to VR/AR and is built grounds-up in partnership with T-hub. We have been in touch with T-hub and have done some other programmes too. At the Facebook platform partnerships team, we develop programs that help startups grow their business faster by speaking to them and other ecosystem players about where we can add most value.

Emerging tools is one space we should be investing in and that is where we started off with this programme. It is small step towards building ecosystem for all emerging technologies.”

START-UP BANYAN NATION WINS AWARD AT DAVOS DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

IN

BRIEF

Day 2: 1 hour protest held in OGH Hyderabad: A one hour protest was held at the Osmania General Hospital on Tuesday demanding that works on the promised new hospital building begin.

OGH’s medical team said, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had promised a new hospital building. “We waited for three years, but the government has not taken any initiative to construct the new building. We are upset at the government’s silence on the issue.”

Doctors have decided to intensify their protests if the government does not respond to them.

OGH to get Level-1 trauma care centre Hyderabad: The Osmania General Hospital will soon have a trauma care centre Level-1 which will be funded by the Central government.

The Centre will provide equipments and emergency doctors. The emergency care unit will be in line with those of accredited hospitals to ensure that the best care is provided.

PHARMACISTS SEEK PHARMA COUNCIL IN TS DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

More than 200 pharmacists from Telangana went to the camp office of health minister Dr Laxma Reddy, demanding jobs for clinical pharmacists in government and private hospitals. They also sought the setting up of a pharmacy council for the state.

As Telangana does not have a pharmacy council, pharmacists from TS have to go to Andhra Pradesh to get their ‘No objection certificate.’

The pharmaceutical industry, colleges and professionals have time and again pressed for the setting up of a council so that their grievances could be solved within the state.

Dr A. Sanjay Reddy, president Telangana Pharma Society, said, “Students passing out from pharmacy colleges require jobs. The policy of employing clinical pharmacists in government and private hospitals must be made compulsory.”

CID closes in on officials in tax scam

PLEA TO FIX SEWAGE OVERFLOW GOES UNHEARD DC CORRESPONDENT

DC CORRESPONDENT

HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

On any weekday, the traffic on the HafeezpetKondapur road moves at a snail’s pace during rush hours. Adding to the volume of the commuters, work on a drainage pipeline is disrupting the traffic for almost one km of the stretch. HMWSSB reportedly took up the pipeline work about a month ago and is doing it at its own pace.

While the work was on, an existing sewerage pipe developed a problem owing to which the manhole had to be opened.

This led to drain water flowing on to the main road. And the mud dug up to lay a new pipeline and dumped right beside has led to a thick streak of stagnant slush in the road, blocking the space for commuters. Traffic officials have requested the HMWSSB to fix the sewerage issue. This has gone unheard as of now.

Madhapur traffic inspector T. Narsing Rao, said, “While the pipeline work already adds to the traffic chaos, the drainage overflow is causing inconvenience to commuters. People do not like to drive because it is dirty water.”

The CID probe has identified about 5,500 fake challans in Bodhan commercial taxes scam that rocked the state in 2016.

The findings were referred to the treasury department to ascertain how much tax amount — that was meant to be paid to the government — was siphoned off by brokers in nexus with the local commercial taxes officials by using fake challans.

The treasury department has been asked to submit a report in this matter within a week. Preliminary investigations have revealed that a tax amount of `230 crore was siphoned off with the help of challans.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had ordered CID probe into the issue in 2016. However, the probe could not be completed owing to the non-cooperation of some officials in commercial taxes department who allegedly tried to save their colleagues involved in swindling tax money.

The CID brought this issue to the notice of chief secretary S.P. Singh, who in turn approached the CM about officials not cooperating with the CID

MISSED BY A WHISKER RTC drivers rash driving brought traffic to a halt on the busy YMCA Secunderabad route on Tuesday. The buses touched each other as they were rushing to pick-up passengers.

— DC

BEER, FOREIGN LIQUOR SET TO GET COSTLIER DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Telangana government is contemplating a hike in beer and foreign liquor prices. Several major beer manufacturers recently approached the government to submit representations asking for an increase in beer prices.

Following this, the government decided to constitute a committee on

AWAITING | FINALISATION ■ LMA

Tuesday to look into the issue. Any hike in prices would be based on the report submitted by the committee. However, according to the sources the cost of a beer mug may increase by `5.

According to excise secretary and commissioner Somesh Kumar, the committee will be headed by retired IAS officer Arvind Reddy.

He said the committee,

which will also have a chartered accountant and a retired judge who will together conduct a comprehensive study, will submit a report to Telangana State Beverages Corporation Ltd (TSBCL) in 30 days. The committee will also examine transparency in liquor tender process.

Mr Somesh Kumar said the prices of liquor were last hiked in 2014.

■ Preliminary investigations revealed that a tax amount of `230 crore was siphoned off. in the probe. The CM took serious view of the issue and asked the Chief Secretary to initiate stringent action against officials who were trying to block the probe. This made the commercial taxes officials fall in line and produce all the challans that were issued since 2004 before the CID. After scrutinising all of them, the CID identified about 5,500 to be counterfeit and referred these to the treasury department to ascertain how much amount was siphoned off.

According to details of the case, traders who did not pay tax or paid only part of it were issued fake challans by brokers in connivance with some commercial tax officials to make it look like they had paid taxes in full.

In return, brokers and officials allegedly collected large sums in bribes from traders. Eight officials of the commercial taxes department were arrested some time ago. The CID has been awaiting the report from the treasury department after which it will file cases against tax department officials.

New-age plastic recycling start-up Banyan Nation from the city has become the first Indian firm to win ‘Dell People’s Choice Award for The Circular Economy’ at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos on Monday. The start-up based in T-hub is founded by Mani Vajipey and Raj Madangopal.

Speaking to DC, Mr Madangopal said, “We just won, and it is an amazing thing for us, for India and for the recycling management industry in general. We will have a series of interactions and will know the impact of this over a period of time.”

Banyan Nation’s pathbreaking work for Tata Motors in the recycling of automotive bumper and its partnership with L’Oréal, the French cosmetics giant, in shampoo bottle recycling, put the company on the global map.

Mr Vajipey earlier said, “The recognition at the WEF is a testament to the strength of innovations such as ours coming out of India. In the next decade, almost all mainstream plastic products, including food-grade packaging, will contain recycled materials.

We see Banyan at the forefront.”

The Circulars, an initiative of the WEF, is the world’s premier circular economy awards programme.

has to part with 33 acres; TS option is to make payment or offer alternative land

Alternative Cantonment roads project in limbo MAHESH AVADHUTHA I DC HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Local officials are scouting for government-owned land parcels to offer the Army in lieu of the nearly 60-acre Bison Polo Ground and about 100 acres for the expressways under the Strategic Road Development Project, but have done nothing as far as alternative roads in the Secunderabad Cantonment are concerned.

The Local Military Authority (LMA) and the GHMC held a series of talks in the last few weeks to come to a mutual understanding on alternative roads to be built for diverting vehicular traffic. Unle-

ss the land exchange is finalised, neither will the Army give up its land nor will the GHMC be in a position to take up civic works.

The alternative roads under discussion are from Safilguda railway gate to Allahabad Gate and from RK Puram to Safilguda.

The LMA has to part with 33 acres for the project.

The options before the state government is to either make a monetary payment or offer alternative land.

For the new Secretariat and SRDP projects, the government has directed collectors to send details of large tracts of vacant lands in the districts to offer the LMA. The government is seeking nearly

SHORTLISTED VACANT LAND PARCELS ■ Somangurthy, Rakamcharla (Vikarabad): 1,500 acres of forest and revenue land, 65 km from Mehdipatnam, `2.42L per acre ■ Perkiweedu, Ankilla (Mahbubnagar): 750 acres of forest and revenue land, 150 km from Mehdipatnam, `4L per acre.

160 acres of prime defence land for these two projects and in return has to offer a large portion of the vacant land of equal value. The value of land in the districts and far-off places would be understandably less compared to `10 crore

■ Peddagudem, Savaigudem

(Wanaparthy) Area: 705 acres of revenue land, 150 km from Mehdipatnam, Cost: `7.5L per acre.

■ Nandigaon (Nizamabad) Area: 430 acres of revenue land, 210 km from Mehdipatnam, Price: `4lakh per acre

per acre in the capital.

Ranga Reddy (Jawaharnagar), Vikarabad, Mahbubnagar, Wanaparthy, Nizamabad and Nalgonda are some of the districts where alternative lands were shown earlier.

The LMA is looking for a

better choice. “It is difficult for the state government to find a large piece of land other than those shown earlier, and it is a few hours’ drive from Hyderabad. Ultimately, one among these has to be finalised,” an official said.

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

CIVIC WORKS NOT POSSIBLE, NEED TS TO PITCH IN: GHMC DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The GHMC is learnt to have expressed its inability to execute the project of building alternative roads in the Secunderabad Cantonment area unless the state government pitches in and settles the land issue.

Assuming the minimum land price at `10 crore per acre, the cost for acquiring 33 acres of Army land would be nearly `330 crore. With road construction works,

the cost of the project is estimated between `450 crore and `500 crore.

Understandably, the civic body would face a fund crunch if it has to pay for the land. It requested the government to intervene and allocate alternative land parcels to Army in lieu of the one given for construction of new roads.

While the government agreed, it is concerned with the condition of equal value for the exchange process to go ahead.

City

Kodandaram says he will not belittle himself by talking about Pawan Kalyan’s tour of TS DECCAN CHRONICLE

People have rejected the Congress permanently, there is no point in taking up yatras — Dr Laxma Reddy TS minister

IN

BRIEF

2-DAY NATURAL FOOD FESTIVAL IN CITY DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

A two-day national natural food festival will be organised on February 17 and 18 by the National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN) to promote natural food preparation — in the form of salads, juices, herbal teas and others. The food festival will have natural and traditional cooking practices on show and the scientific reasons will be explained as to why they are healthy methods of cooking.

PETROL PRICES UP BY `6, DIESEL BY `8

DC CORRESPONDENT

Tainted babus out of crime survey COREENA SUARES I DC Government officials caught by the Anti Corruption Bureau are not being enumerated by the Sakala Nerastula Samagra Survey (survey of people with criminal records) being carried out by the police.

Such public servants are excluded as there is no warrant pending against them in the ACB court, an official said.

Also, all of them are easily traceable as they are still in service. Besides, they are booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act which is different from the Indian Penal Code.

A senior ACB officer said, “Public servants booked by the ACB are re-posted within their respective departments once the suspension orders are revoked. Since they are in service, there is zero chance of them absconding.”

HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Petrol will cost `75.70 per litre and diesel 68.96 from Wednesday. The cost of petrol has gone up by `6 in two months, and that of diesel by `8. Mr Rajiv Amaram, president, Telangana Petroleum Dealers Association, said, “We are losing out on sale every day because people are trying to cut down their fuel budgets.”

■ The ACB books two types of cases, namely traps and disproportionate assets.

■ In trap cases, the officer is caught red-handed accepting a bribe. In disproportionate assets cases, raids are conducted on the accused person’s properties.

The ACB also probes high profile criminal misconduct cases following directions from the government.

The ACB said the accused personnel usually appear in court, and it has their addresses.

“In cases booked under

The education department has disallowed a petition from schools which had cited rising costs to seek a fee hike.

It said that the status quo ordered by the government will continue.

The education

PhD aspirants sore over form rejection DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

PhD aspirants who applied for admissions in Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTUH) held protest after their applications were rejected by the administration. About 50

PhD aspirants gheroed the V-C’s chamber on Tuesday.

Dileep Bejjenki a student leader said, “The administration gave the notification without guidelines like local and non-local category due to which many students could not get admissions into PhD courses this year.’’

■ Those booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act are arrested and presented before the court and sent to judicial custody and the investigation continues till the court takes cognizance of the case. the IPC, criminals are sometimes untraceable, file incorrect addresses and keep away from court,” he said.

department’s memo said that many schools had argued that they had started admissions on January 2, and the government had issued instructions only on January 4.

This contention too was rejected as admissions had to be finalised only on January 12.

Traffic restrictions at Raj Bhavan on Jan. 26 DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

In view of Republic Day celebrations at Raj Bhavan on January 26, the Hyderabad traffic police has imposed traffic restrictions from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm on the day.

Several VIPs will attend the programme and their vehicles will be parked in the vicinity of the Raj Bhavan.

Following is the parking arrangements for people attending function at Raj Bhavan: Pink colour car pass holders will be allowed through Gate No. 1 and their vehicles will be allowed to park in side parking lots at Raj Bhavan.

White colour car pass

holders will be allowed to park vehicles at parking lots at Raj Bhavan. They will also be allowed to park in the following parking places after entry through Gate Number 3.

■ Parking at MMTS Parking lot.

■ Parking at Park Hotel near MMTS. ■ Katriya lane parking.

■ Parking inside Jaya Garden function hall.

■ Single lane parking from Metro Residency to NASR School.

■ Single lane parking from Lake View to VV Statue Junction opposite lane of Lake View Guest House.

All commuters are advised to co-operate with traffic police in parking their vehicles in the designated parking lots.

Padmaavat show in city goes smoothly DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The media preview of the Telugu version of Padmaavat passed off uninterrupted in the city on Tuesday. This was the first time the movie was screened in Hyderabad, though for a selected audience.

It was held at a multiplex in Banjara Hills without police protection and there were no hassles. The premier of the controversial movie is scheduled at a few multiplexes on Thursday night. The state government has maintained silence on the opposition to the release of the film expressed by certain sections in the city.

An official of the Telangana Film Development Corporation, a government regulatory body dealing with distributors and theatre owners, told this newspaper: “The government has not raised any objections nor has it banned the film in the state. Distributors and theatre owners are anticipating trouble for the first two days after which the situation is likely to cool down gradually.”

Hyderabad police commissioner V. V. Srinivas Rao told this newspaper that police per-

■ CITY POLICE COMMISIONER has said that since the government has not banned the movie, the police will protect people who want to watch it.

■ DISTRIBUTORS AND theatre owners are anticipating trouble for the first two days and the situation to cool down gradually. sonnel would be deployed at theatres if there was a request. “Since the government has not banned the movie, the police department would definitely protect people who want to watch the movie,” he said.

3

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

Education board disallows fee hike DC CORRESPONDENT

HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

CASES STILL IN COURT

HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

PAGE

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

ECOLOGY EXAM ON JAN. 27

Hyderabad: The TSBIE will conduct the Ethics & Human Values and Environmental Education examinations for the intermediate first year students on January 27 and 29 from 10am to 1 pm.

City

BJP’s Dr Laxman says party will unite sections opposed to TRS to emerge as political alternative DECCAN CHRONICLE

Stop sand trucks on Medaram route to prevent traffic jams during jatara — Ponnala Laxmaiah TS Congress leader

IN

BRIEF

RELATIVES HACK YOUTH TO DEATH DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

A 21-year-old man, who was allegedly in an illegal relationship with a woman, was hacked to death by his relatives and the body was dumped in the forest at Vikarabad, police said.

The victim, Mudassir, a panshop owner, was taken to an isolated place in Vikarabad by two of his relatives on January 13 and murdered. Family members somehow come to know about the murder, approached Vikarabad police and claimed the body. Police held two persons in connection with the murder.

In another incident, two were killed and six others injured in an accident in Vikarabad district on Tuesday. The mishap occurred when an overspeeding truck rammed into an autorickshaw in which the victims were travelling. The deceased were identified as Pujari Ramana, 50, an RMP doctor and Pujari Narsamm, 60, both hailing from Gulbarga district in Karnataka.

According to police, an autorickshaw carrying more than 10 passengers from Rustampur village was heading towards Vikarabad. When the vehicle reached Allapur gate village limits in Tandur Mandal, an overspeeding truck rammed into the autorickshaw from the opposite direction.

A case of accidental death is booked against the truck driver, who fled from the spot.

CELL PHONE THIEF, AIDE ARRESTED DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The sleuths of Commissioner’s Task Force, West Zone Team, apprehended one pickpocket for committing cell phone thefts at Secunderabad Railway station and nearby places while the victims were asleep and also nabbed one receiver who was purchasing the stolen cell phones from him. Officials recovered 10 cell phones worth `1.5 lakh and `8,000 from their possession.

The accused were identified as Mohd Yousuf, 40, and Mohd Sajid, 23, resident of Amberpet.

“Mohd Yousuf is native of Dawangiri in Karnataka and used to come to Hyderabad regularly to commit cell phone thefts. He visits different railway stations during late night and early morning hours and steals cell phones from innocent persons while they are asleep. He targets Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Mumbai, Bangalore and sells them in Goa,” said the DCP, Commissioner’s Task Force, P. Radha Kishan Rao. About a week back, Yousuf came to Hyderabad and started stealing cell phones from the passengers at Secunderabad Railway station and nearby places and on Tuesday. Based on credible information, police apprehended him and the receiver Sajid and recovered four cell phones from their possession.

The accused persons and the seized property were handed over to the Gopalapuram police.

Octopus commandos injured in mock drill ■ 4 in hospital but out of danger, driver said to be critical DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Five TS police personnel deputed to the elite commando force Octopus (Organisation for Counter-Ter rorist Operations) sustained injuries during a mock drill at Adibatla on Tuesday.

The incident happened when two teams — one playing terrorists and the other cops — were performing the drill. In a chase as part of the exercise, the speeding car of the terrorist team rammed the other vehicle, leaving five personnel injured. Four of them were said to be out of danger, the condition of the fifth was critical and was under observation.

They were all admitted to Kamineni Hospital at LB Nagar.

Adibatla police regis-

The mangled remains of the car. tered a case under charges of causing injuries due to rash driving and started a probe.

Octopus too has ordered a high-level inquiry.

The theme on Tuesday was to nab terror suspects on the run. A team of personnel boarded a

mini bus as police, while the other team of ‘terrorists’ boarded a car.

The mini bus was chasing the car and both vehicles were speeding on the Adibatla-Tukkuguda stretch.

When they reached near Aerocity, the bus overtook the car

and stopped, blocking the car. Though the car driver applied the brake, he lost control and the vehicle hit the bus.

Car driver Ramavath Lakpathi Nayak, 45, sustained severe injuries on both sides of the ribs and also abdomen.

Chennakesavulu, 31, suffered a hip dislocation and underwent surgery.

The others — Suresh D. 32, Tagore Bhavani Singh, 31, and Shekhar, 33, — suffered minor injuries, said hospital sources.

“While Mr Nayak’s condition is critical and he is under observation, the others are out of danger,” said Kamineni Hospital superintendent Dr Prasad Rao. A complaint from Octopus officials was registered at Adibatla police station and a probe was under way.

MINOR FLEES TO ODISHA WITH CO-WORKER

Woman officer, inspector suspended over ‘affair’

DC CORRESPONDENT

DC CORRESPONDENT

HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

A 16-year-old girl from Bowenpally allegedly eloped with her coworker to Odisha from the city. Parents booked a missing case with the police and an investigation was started accordingly.

The girl and her lover, identified as Muzaffar Khan alias Sohail, both natives of Odisha, were working at a textile godown and were residing near Dairy Farm Road near Bowenpally.

“The girl and boy eloped to Odisha in December last year and switched off their phones as well. Following the complaint, our team started an investigation.

Our sub-inspector Raghuveer Reddy even travelled to Odisha to trace them out but in vain,” said the police inspector of Bowenpally, adding that their exact whereabouts in the state are not known yet.

“The couple had three cell phones and all three are switched off. Efforts are on to trace them out,” added the official.

Kalvakurthy police inspector Y. Mallikarjuna Reddy and additional SP, a woman officer in the ACB, were both suspended from duty on Tuesday, a day after the two were caught cosying up at the latter’s residence in the city.

The order suspending the inspector, who was booked in the case on Monday, was issued by Hyderabad IG Stephen Ravindra. The KPHB police investigating the case recorded the statements of family members of the woman additional SP. Police is likely to serve investigation notices to the inspector.

Meanwhile, the GO issued in the matter stated that it was brought to the notice of the government that the woman officer indulged in moral turpitude with improper and indecorous behaviour of having an adulterous rela-

■ Both the cops were found entering the apartment at around 11.30 on Sunday night. tionship with Y. Mallikarjuna Reddy.

And that she had exhibited reprehensible conduct and brought disrepute to the profession, and lowered the image of the police department in the eyes of public. The government also ordered her not to leave the headquarters without prior permission during the period of suspension.

On their part, the woman officer’s husband and the family met DGP M. Mahender Reddy seeking action against Mallikarjuna Reddy. They claimed that he had trapped the woman officer and was troubling them. Her husband claimed that he had received life threats from the inspector, and sought police protection.

Police also verified the visitors’ register at the apartment and collected other pieces of evidence from the spot.

“The CCTV footage has been retrieved from the apartment. The call data records of the additional SP and the inspector are also being analysed,” said N. Bhujanga Rao, ACP Kukatpally. Police said that the additional SP and the inspector were found entering the apartment at around 11.30 on Sunday night.

The officer’s husband, who met the DGP earlier, said he sought stringent action and demanded the termination of Mallikarjuna Reddy’s service.

“Though I came to know of this affair two years ago, I have accepted my wife after she apologised. But the inspector later forced her to continue with the relationship. As a result, she too betrayed me and resumed relations with him.” he said.

FIGHT BETWEEN PARENTS KILLS 4-YEAR-OLD DC CORRESPONDENT A quarrel between a husband and wife led to the death of their four-yearold daughter at Janakipuram in Bonakal Mandal on Tuesday.

According to the police, Krishna and Nagamani, came from Visakhapatnam to work in Subabul plantations and settled in Janakipuram.

They used to often quarrel on family issues.

Krishna came home on Tuesday after consuming toddy and started an argument with his wife.

Both argued on family issues for an hour.

Krishna tried assaulting Nagamani with a subabul stick. But the blow proved fatal to Supriya, their daughter, who was sitting in the lap of Nagamani. Krishna, who was under influence of toddy, failed to notice this. Supriya fell unconscious and Nagamani took her to a private hospital in Wyra where doctors declared her brought dead.

Krishna ran away from the village after the incident. Search is on for Krishna and a case is registered against him.

■ Supriya, who was sitting in her mother’s lap, was struck with the fatal blow by her drunk father.

GOING

HAYWIRE

An SUV veered out of control on the Begumpet PNT flyover, hit a divider and overturned around midnight on Monday. The vehicle, driven in the wrong direction, was travelling from Begumpet to Panjagutta. No one was injured. It is not yet clear whether the duo in the car was drunk.

5 chain-snatchings in 14 days, culprits adopt new methods DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Chain-snatchers struck five times in less than a fortnight in Kukatpally and its surroundings, posing a big challenge to the police.

While the first snatcher struck before Sankranti and targeted three women at three spots in less than 15 minutes, a snatcher duo looted two women in Kukatpally on Sunday. All the snatchings took place between 7.45 pm and 8 pm.

Police sees a new trend in the timing.

While over 100 personnel had been deputed to hunt the snatchers, repeated incidents are posing a threat to

5 KG GANJA SEIZED, THREE ARRESTED

DC CORRESPONDENT The State Human Rights Commission asked the DGP and the chief secretary to submit a report on the arrest of farmers in connection with the protests against the gunman of Mahbubnagar district collector Ronald Ross reportedly assaulting a farmer in December.

They approached the commission on Tuesday which directed the DGP and the chief secretary to submit a report on the incident by March 20.

Three brothers, M. Shivveer Reddy, M. Raghuveer Reddy and M. Dharmaveer Reddy, from Vattugandla in

Damaragidda Mandal said in their petition that on December 30, when Raghuveer was ploughing his field using a tractor, two unidentified persons carrying weapons approached him and asked him about a tractor on the road.

When he said it was not his, they abused him and asked him to get out of the field. Another eight persons came to the scene and ordered him to be tied up and put in their vehicle.

According to the complaint, the people while assaulting him said, “When the collector calls, how dare you don’t come?”

Farmers and labourers gathered and stopped them from tak-

ing Raghuveer Reddy away. The collector’s security staff assaulted him brutally, he claimed.

When his brothers and other villagers went to the police station to lodge a complaint, police framed false charges against all of them and ignored their petition On January 6, top police officials from Narayanpet, Kosgi and Damaragidda picked them up and took them to Damaragidda police station where they were subjected to third degree torture and threatened, they claimed.

They then lodged a complaint before the commission against the collector, deputy collector and the top cops.

■ All the snatchings took place between 7.45 pm and 8 pm. Cops see a new trend evolving. people, especially women.

On January 10, a lone motorcycle rider snatched chains from three women at three different sites — KPHB IX phase, Vasanthnagar at KPHB and Miyapur — in a span of 15 minutes within a distance of 3 km. As much as 12 tolas of gold was looted in these three incidents.

Police after analysing pictures from CCTV cameras identified him as a chain snatcher who was involved in 18 cases during Dasara

and Diwali in KPHB in the city.

They had then announced a prize money of `1 lakh for clues about the snatcher.

Before police could recover from this, two cases were reported in Kukatpally on Sunday night within a distance of 2 km. The crimes were committed in less than 10 minutes. This time, there were two snatchers who targeted one woman returning from shopping and another walking home. The duo took away around 5 tolas of gold.

Police said that this was the time when streets were more secluded as patrolling had been increased during early morning and other hours of the day.

I fought a good fight. I finished my race.

I have kept faith on HIM

DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The sleuths of the Commissioner’s Task Force, West Zone team, apprehended three men at Jali Hanuman in Mangalhat in possession of ganja and seized five kg of ganja, a bike, two cell phones and `2,000 from their possession.

The accused were identified as Mohd Omer Farooq, 26, Syed Omer Pasha, 22, and Mohd Abdul Razak, 20.

“Two years back, Omer Farooq came in contact with Omer Pasha through facebook. Whenever Omer Pasha visited Hyderabad, he used to meet Omer Farooq. The third accused, Abdul Razzak, worked at Pasha’s farm house,” said the DCP, Commissioner’s Task Force, P. Radha Kishan Rao. Earlier this month, as per the instructions of Omer Farooq and Syed Omer Pasha, Abdul Razzak went to the agency area of Araku Valley twice and purchased ganja on low price and handed over the same to Farooq, who later sold the same to men at Mangalhat at a higher price.

On January 17, Abdul Razzak again visited the agency area and procured five kilograms of ganja for `10,000 and handed over the stash to Omer Farooq at Ramoji Film City.

On Tuesday, the trio arrived at Jali Hanuman on a bike and while trying to sell the contraband to needy customers were apprehended and handed over to the Mangalhat police for further investigation.

FOND REMEMBRANCE IN LOVING MEMORY

HRC seeks report on assault on farmers HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

4

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

■ Cops seized five kg of ganja, a bike, two cell phones and `2,000 from their possession while they were trying to sell the stash at Mangalhat.

KHAMMAM, JAN. 23

PAGE

Mr. SUSHIL KUMAR

IPS

Director General of Police (Retd.)

24.01.2014 We miss you Sajeet, Sapna, Sapna, Sanjay, Supriya, Naren, Shaila, Saahil Prateek, Prithvi, Moinak, Nitya, Varun (A/1718/D00072)

7th ANNIVERSARY

SUNKARI YADGIRI RAO D.O.D.: 26-01-2010 (Sapthami) “We keep you in our hearts always.”

Inserted by: Smt. & Sri. S. Pandu Ranga Rao, Brothers, Sisters-in-law, Sisters & Brother-in-law, Grand Children & Great Grand Children.

(S/1718/D01175)

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

Smt. CHITRANJALI DAS (Chhabi)

W/o G.C. Das (IRS-Retd.)

DOB: 08-11-1954 DEMISE: 22-01-2018 Rituals will be held on 24th Jan’18 at Vaikunta Mahaprasthanam Crematorium, Jubilee Hills, Whisper Valley, Ambedkar Nagar, Shaikpet at 11 AM. Inserted by: Son, Daughter, Son-in-law, Grand Children and Well Wishers

FIRST DEATH ANNIVERSARY

The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

Ps 112:6

Mrs. ALLE AMARA REKHA W/o Late Alle. David Shepherd Retd Head Mistress Bharathi Upper Primary School DOB: 10.06.1956 DOD: 24.01.2017 “Our Hearts still ache in sadness and tears still flow no one knows what it means to lose you” Inserted by: Daughters Alle Angel Roseline, Alle Angel Merelyn & Family Members

OBITUARY

Mrs. MADIREDDY RUKMINI

DOB: 25.7.1933 DOD: 23.1.2018 W/o Late Madireddy Satyanaryana Rao Retd., DST Rlys.

Funeral at 10 a.m. on 24.1.2018 Inserted by: Family Members & Grand Children (S/1718/D01186) Praise the Lord

MEMORIAL SERVICE OF

FIFTH DEATH ANNIVERSARY Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.

Rev. 14:13

Sri Late BURGULA PADMA RAO

Rtd. TTI/KZJ S/o Late B. Moses DOB: 17.9.1944 DOD: 16.01.2018 We cordially invited you to attend 10th Day Ceremony & Thanksgiving Prayer Meeting on 25.1.2018 at 10.30 a.m.

Venue Paradise Function Hall, Near Bridge Kazipet.

From The Burgula Families Mrs. Grace Padmini Children and Grand Children Contact No. 9000899779 (S/1718/D01187)

Mrs. K. HEMA LATHA (W/o Mr. K.D. Praveen Kumar) Its been five years that you left us dear, but your memories are still fresh in our hearts.

Inserted by: Husband, Children & Grand Children (S/1718/D01176)

City

Raghuveera meets Rahul in Delhi, says Congress will support delimitation Bill for AP, TS DECCAN CHRONICLE

Government has not recruited teachers for four years, throwing eductation to the wind — Uttam Kumar Reddy TPCC chief

IN

BRIEF

RK Puram to get new bus bay Hyderabad: Residents of many colonies in RK Puram are happy that their longpending demand for a bus bay is under consideration.

According to C.S. Chandrashekar, a resident of RK Puram, GHMC commissioner Mr B.Janardhan Reddy agreed to look into bus bay issue at the foot of the RK Puram flyover. “The present bus stop is located at the end of the flyover leading to traffic blockage. Our request to the GHMC is to acquire some portion of the Defence land and move the bus stop from the current location for free movement of vehicles,” he said.

CBI court convicts 2 for cheating bank Hyderabad: The Special Judge for CBI cases, Hyderabad on Tuesday convicted two person, G. Srinivas and G. Bhaskar Rao to one-month imprisonment in a case pertaining to cheating and criminal conspiracy.

The duo had obtained a loan of `6.40 crore from Vijay Bank by submitting false documents. The CBI sleuths had registered a case in 2014 following a complaint from the bank. The CBI charged them with 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (Cheating) of the IPC. The court imposed a fine of `1.40 lakh on them. The court also ordered that the sentences shall run concurrently.

CITY BOY ENTERS GUINNESS BOOK FOR TYPING FEAT

DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD JAN. 23

An MTech student from Old City has made into the Guinness Book of World Records for ‘fastest typing on keyboard’.

Shaik Ashraf, 23, a resident of Madina Colony in Falaknuma, managed to create a record in two categories after several failed attempts.

The record ‘fastest time to type the alphabets from A to Z with spaces was achieved in 3.37 seconds, while the other ‘fastest time to type the alphabets blindfolded from A to Z with spaces was done in 4.13 seconds’.

“I recorded the feats ona camera and sent videos to the Guinness World Records headquarters. After studying and verifying the videos, I was awarded the recognition,” Shaik Ashraf said. His initial attempt in May last year was rejected as he did not submit videos according to the specifications laid down.

Ashraf now has three Guinness records to his credit.

In 2015, he got it for the fastest time to type 1 to 50 is 14.88 seconds. He still holds the records.

■ THE RECORD ‘fastest time to type the alphabets from A to Z with spaces was achieved in 3.37 seconds, while the other ‘fastest time to type the alphabets blindfolded’ was done in 4.13 seconds.

AXING | SEATS

■ Of

SAND MINING HALTS 2-BHK PROJECT MADDY DEEKSHITH | DC HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The flagship 2BHK project for urban poor has come to a grinding halt in the city as supply of sand from a quarry in Sircilla for the project has stopped since four days. According to a GHMC official, the middlemen who were supplying sand had been diverting it to other parts of the state for a premium.

The state had assured the 2BHK executing agencies that it would supply sand free but asked them to bear the transport costs. A senior official said the corporation required 25 lakh cubic metres of sand.

The GHMC official said that the issue has been brought to the notice of the RajannaSircilla district authorities. He said that the GHMC had been informed that vehicles transporting sand illegally were caught by the district authorities and seized the vehicles.

Rajanna-Sircilla collector Devarakonda Krishna Bhaskar was not available for comment.

Meanwhile, the corporation has decided to construct one lakh 2BHK houses in 109 locations, including 41 slums and 68 vacant lands. The construction work on 88,590 2BHKs is progressing in 90 locations.

Till date, the site has been cleared to lay the foundation for 46,980 houses in 39 locations.

The foundation has been laid for another 27,532 houses in 27 locations, and the framework erected for 13,470 houses.

Brick work has begun for 432 houses at one location and 176 houses in another location are at a finishing level.

In 19 locations, work on 11,410 2BHK houses has not begun yet due to site disputes and court cases.

■ MIDDLEMEN WHO were supplying sand had been diverting it to other parts of the state for a premium.

■ THE CONSTRUCTION work on 88,590 2BHKs is progressing in 90 locations.

No weddings after 9 pm: Wakf to qazis

■ Qazis to face action for late events at function halls ASIF YAR KHAN | DC HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The TS Wakf Board will initiate action against qazis who solemnise marriages at function halls after 9 pm after February 1. This is being done to end the nuisance being created for the public at large with late night marriages.

“Any qazi who solemnises marriages after 9 pm will be issued a notice. Next, the board will not issue him a marriage booklet or marriage certificate,” said board chairman Mohammed Saleem.

The board will be holding awareness programmes, urging imams of mosques to educate the community. “The rest of the activities at function halls can continue till midnight,” he said.

A meeting at Haj House attended by senior police officials, religious scholars and heads of religious schools of thought decided to curb extravaganza and public inconvenience caused by late night weddings.

“In the interests of the community and the poor families, we should get rid of such unnecessary practices,” said Mufti Khaleel Ahmed, rector of Jamia Nizamia.

The scholars felt it wasn’t right that marriage ceremonies drag on till 3 am. “Guests are made to wait for dinner. It is no less than an insult to them. Loud music and fireworks cause a lot of inconvenience to persons staying in the vicinity of the function halls,” said Mr Hamed Mohammed Khan, president, Jamaat-e-Islami, Telangana and Odisha.

The scholars were against pomp and gaiety in marriages. “The money can be used for the welfare of the community,” said Mr Saleem.

Qazi Mir Mohammed Khader Ali, who heads the Anjuman-e-Qazat, said the Wakf Board do not have the powers to initiate action against qazis.

“Nevertheless, we will support the decision to end the extravagance,” he said.

Wakf Board rule gets mixed vibes DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The proposal of the TS Wakf Board setting a 9 pm deadline to solemnise marriages at function halls drew mixed responses.

A section of the community sees it as an intrusion on their rights while another feels it will bring in some discipline.

Mr Mohd Ilyas Shamshi, a prominent figure in the community, said, “Social practices are prevalent in all communities. The Wakf Board has no power to intrude on Muslim marriages or receptions or other functions. It should prioritise protection of Wakf properties,” he said.

Welcoming the intiative, Mr S.M. Abdul

Khadeer, a social activist, said the government must bring in a ‘guest control order’ in order to curb extravagant and lavish weddings.

“If applied to all communities it will bring down wastage of food at functions and people will be held accountable,” he said.

Mr S.Q. Masood, a social activist from the Old City, said the reason for marriages being solemnised late was that it takes a long time for guests to arrive from distant parts of the growing city, especially if they are working.

Private offices close after 7 pm and by the time the person goes home, it could be 9 pm.

The family then has to travel another hour to the function,” he said.

Police at a loss on marriage regulation DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The police is treading cautiously when it comes to cracking down on late night marriages.

Hyderabad police commissioner V.V. Srinivasa Rao, who attended the first-of-its-kind meeting at the Haj House to discuss the issue, categorically said that the Wakf Board should first write to the government.

“A set of guidelines should be framed by the government to act upon the problem. It will help us regulate the problem.

Otherwise it will be difficult,” he said.

He pointed out that in some religions, certain times of the day or night are considered auspicious for performing the marriage.

The police get com-

■ COPS SAY entering the hall and regulating the marriage is a difficult task. plaints about the nuisance and noise of weddings held late at night.

“When such complaints are received our personnel go and warn them.

Cases are also registered if the disturbance persists. But entering the hall and regulating the marriage is a difficult task,” a police official said.

The police believe the situation could turn ugly and they will be faced with a law and order problem. “If something untoward happens, from where can we get the personnel to control the unruly mobs?” asked another police official.

DC CORRESPONDENT Fresh pug marks of tigers were spotted in Bejjur and Penchikalpet ranges on the second day of the tiger census in Telangana state. Forest officials were very pleased with the progress as more predators were seen. A leopard pugmark was also found at Sirpur range.

The second day also witnessed direct sightings of a leopard in Sirupur ranges and a sloth bear in Kaghaznagar range.

Forest officers had been requested to meet the collector daily by afternoon to give him regular updates.

Kaghaznagar additional principal conservator of forests M. Munindra said, “There were direct sightings of a leopard, sloth bear, wild dog, wolf

POWER DEPT. NEGLIGENCE KILLS 48-YR-OLD

and jackal.”

“The pug marks of two tigers which were noted today were three days old and a week old from Bejjur and Penchikalpet, respectively. The second day of the census went

smoothly as volunteers have learnt how to identify marks better,” he added.

He said a booklet was given to volunteers and photographs of pug marks, droppings, claw

DC CORRESPONDENT Negligence of the electricity department claimed the life of a 48year-old woman in Shamshabad on Tuesday morning.

Patlavath Lakshmi came into contact with a live wire from an electric pole and suffered an electric shock. A case of death due to negligence has been registered against the electricity department, said Shamsshabad SI Mohammed Ahmed Pasha, who is investigating the case.

Lakshmi from Enugulamadugu tanda in Siddapur village in Rangareddy district was visiting her younger daughter Sunitha in Madanpally with her husband and older daughter Neela.

On Tuesday morning, she was cleaning vessels in an open area near an electric pole. She did not notice the loose wire hanging from the pole and accidentally touched it. She died on the spot.

Her family has rightly alleged negligence on the part of the electricity department.

“A case has been registered against the officials of the electricity department for letting the stay wire hang loose.

We will serve notices to them and proceed as per the evidence,” said SI Pasha.

■ A LIVE wire was hanging from an electric pole which she accidentally touched and died on the spot.

■ Direct sighting of wild animals in five beats.

■ Samples of animal marks collected from 35 beats.

■ Fresh tiger pugmarks found in Kaghaznagar division.

marks and others were also clicked to verify with senior officials before it was recorded and noted down.

The samples collected were sent to CCMB for verification.

1K colleges in TS, 51 witnessed zero admissions in 2017-18

Now, TSCHE bars more classes in colleges DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

After shutting down around 400 degree colleges, the TS Council for Higher Education (TSCHE) instructed other colleges not to add new sections to existing classes. Besides, the council will not permit new colleges.

There were no takers for 1.7 lakh seats in degree colleges this academic year, leading to the TSCHE curbs

for 2018-19. The state has about 1,000 degree colleges of which 51 witnessed zero admissions.

College managements have opposed the measure, and want popular colleges to be allowed to add sections where they are needed.

A senior official from a private degree college said, “They propose to close a section if admissions are below 25 per cent of sanctioned intake. For a section

of 60 seats in BCom, minimum admissions should be 15. If the college does not get 15 students, that section will be withdrawn.

Similarly, in a college, if a 60-seat section is filled, and there are more students seeking seats, that college should be allowed to take more students.’’

He said the TSCHE contends that if a college took more students, the other colleges would be affected.

But what the council was

not factoring in was that students would not join college they do not like.

Telangana Private Degree College Association general-secretary Vijay Bhaskar Reddy said: “We have also requested the TSCHE to close colleges which have zero admissions.”

He said if the colleges are shut down, more than 15,000 staff will be jobless and students from rural background will suffer. He said the government has to

pay `600 crore to private colleges in the form of fee reimbursement.

Prof R. Limbadri, convener of DOST, said, “As per norms, there should be around two sections per group and the colleges should not go beyond the fixed limit.”

As most seats were lying vacant, Why do they need more sections? If colleges have any demand, they should approach us or the university,” he said.

ROSE GARDEN

HYDERABAD JAN. 23

RIGHT TRAIL

Top: Fresh pug mark which was spotted in Sirpur range.

Left: Forest officials collecting information on Day-2 of Tiger census in TS.

5

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

Census Day-2 ends on positive note, more pug marks, leopards spotted HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

PAGE

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has decided to construct a rose garden at Lakdi-ka-pool. A rose shaped fountain was built in order to enhance the beauty of the garden. The garden will have hundreds of varieties of roses and will also have trees which bear seasonal fruits and flowers.

Politics

L. Ramana launches ‘Intintiki TD’ programme, says people are ready to punish the TRS DECCAN CHRONICLE

How can BJP strike alliance with Jagan who is a corrupt politician?

— Dr K. Srinivas AP BJP minister

IN

BRIEF

New TS minorities commission meets Hyderabad: The first meeting of the newly-constituted Telangana State Minorities Commission was held on Tuesday. Chairman Mohammed Qamaruddin, vicechairman B. Shankar Luke, members S/ Gusti Noria, Mohammed Arshad Ali Khan, Dr Vidya Sravanthi, Bommala Kattaiah and Surender Singh discussed the responsibilities of the commission. The members felt it should be proactive in redressing issues pertaining to the minority communities.

Dissension grips Congress ■

Aruna, Komatireddy groups to fly to Delhi, threaten Rahul with quitting

CH.V.M. KRISHNA RAO | DC HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Group politics is again on the rise in the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC). Though the incumbent party chief in the state, Mr N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, has been asked by the party high command to continue in his post until the next elections, some Congress leaders have rushed to Delhi to complain about his functioning, his selection of candidates for the Assembly polls and his attempts to attract leaders from other parties.

D.K. Aruna, a former minister, who aspires for the post of PCC president, left for Delhi on Tuesday with her supporters from the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district.

This group wants to scuttle the entry of BJP leader and former minister Nagam Janardhan Reddy into the Congress, where he has the chance of getting party ticket to contest from the Nagarkurnool Assembly seat.

Congress MLC K. Damodar Reddy, who failed to win from Nagarkurnool, is also supporting Ms Aruna’s campaign against Mr Janardhan Reddy.

They don’t want Mr Janardhan Reddy to join the Congress and be given a ticket to contest as an MLA. If that happens, they threaten to leave the party en mass and join the TRS. The same group is opposing the selection of Mallu Ravi for the Jedcherla segment by the PCC president.

Ms Aruna’s group in Mahabubnagar district is

CONGRESS MAY SKIP GOVERNOR’S ‘AT HOME’ DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Congress leaders are likely to boycott the ‘At Home’ on the Republic Day at Raj Bhavan that is hosted by Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan. CPI leader K. Narayana had announced on Monday that he would keep off the event as he did not like the Governor praising Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, when contacted, said a final also trying to scuttle the chances of former Union minister S. Jaipal Reddy

DC CORRESPONDENT

HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

DC CORRESPONDENT

Merge Jana Sena with TRS: Congress to Pawan DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Senior Congress leaders V. Hanumantha Rao and T. Jeevan Reddy on Tuesday criticised Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan’s comments in Karimnagar that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was “hard working and smart”.

They said that according to Mr Pawan Kalyan, there were no problems or issues in Telangana state and both the Chief Minister and the government were working very well. “Then what was the need for him to tour Telangana state,” they asked.

The Congress leaders said the Jana Sena chief was acting like a brand ambassador for the Chief Ministers of Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh.

Objecting to the government allowing his tour, even ignoring his earlier caustic remarks made by the Jana Sena chief against Mr Chandrasekhar Rao during the last elections, the Congress leaders said that it was “equally shameful” on the part of state government not to allow Telangana JAC chairman Prof.

Kodandaram and MRPS leader Manda Krishna Madiga tour the state

citing law and order problems.

“Law and order problem is only for Kodandaram and Manda Krishna Madiga, who are locals of Telangana state, but not for Pawan Kalyan who is a nonlocal,” they said.

Mr Jeevan Reddy said Mr Pawan Kalyan was praising the Chief Minister just because he got permission for five screenings a day for his recent movie. He said it would be better for the Jana Sena to merge with the TRS. “Pawan Kalyan is not leading Jana Sena.

In fact, he is leading KCR Bhajana Sena,” Mr Jeevan Reddy added.

Telangana is being represented for the first time at the World Economic Forum conference in Davos by a delegation led

by IT minister K.T. Rama Rao who will attempt to introduce the ‘youngest state of India’ to the world at the five-day convention.

Mr Rama Rao interacted with several world business leaders at the session. He also met with AP CM Chandrababu Naidu, AP IT minister Nara

Lokesh and RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani.

He said, “Even though Telangana has received invitations over the past three years, this is the first time we are promoting the state here. Through this convention, we will introduce the business environment in the state and the policies of the TS government. We will meet several companies in the course of this convention.” He met with Indorama Ventures CEO Aloke Lohia and discussed the prospects of textile plant in Telangana.

RULING SONS Telangana IT minister K.T. Rama Rao (left) and Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh — the sons of Telangana and AP Chief Ministers respectively, during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos on Tuesday.

— DC

FROM | COURTS ■ Petitioner seeks HC’s direction to file cases against colleges

TS, AP get notice on student suicides DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

HYDERABAD, JAN 23

The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday cautioned TS and AP governments that it would stall the ongoing land acquisition process if they continued to be negligent in paying compensation to land owners.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice M. Ganga Rao held out the caution while dealing with a taken-up case based on a letter

by Mahbubnagar district judge G. Venkata Krishnaiah to the Chief Justice.

The bench expressed displeasure at the AP government for not furnishing details of cases and at the TS government for furnishing incomplete details. The bench told the chief secretaries of both states that they would have to appear in court if they failed to furnish the information.

When the case came up for hearing, AP government counsel sought more time to file the report.

The bench on December 26 had directed the chief secretaries of both states to file reports stating the number of cases pending for compensation, the money involved and the time required to clear payments. The district judge in his letter wrote that scores of executive petitions moved by land owners were pending before the trial courts for years together as the collectors were not implementing compensation awards passed by the trial courts.

becoming a member of the Congress Working Committee and is report-

HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

DC CORRESPONDENT

HC WARNS TS, AP ON ACQUISITION

decision would be taken on Wednesday after consulting leaders.

On Tuesday, Congress leaders discussed over the decision to boycott the ‘At Home’ for two reasons. One was the recent meeting with the Governor where he prevented Congress leaders from mentioning the names of the Chief Minister and K.T. Rama Rao in the sand mafia issue. The other was the Governor’s praise for the CM for the Kaleswaram project.

edly supporting senior party MP Nandi Yellaiah, who hails from the Madiga community, the dominant caste group in the state. They also argue that CWC member from the state cannot be from the community, which PCC president and CLP leader already represent.

Congress MLC Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, a staunch opponent of PCC president, meanwhile, told his supporters that he will be meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi in February to complain about the dictatorial attitude of the PCC chief in finalising candidates for Assembly seats.

He also reportedly conveyed to his followers that he will float a new party, if Mr Gandhi doesn’t consider his plea and will put up his candidates in all constituencies.

KTR showcases TS at WEF meet

‘DISQUALIFY TRS MLAS WITH POSTS’ Congress leader A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday petitioned the President and the Election Commission to disqualify nine TRS MLAs who were appointed parliamentary secretaries and chairmen of public sector undertakings, enjoying Cabinet Minister status.

In a petition, Mr Revanth Reddy stated that six TRS MLAs — Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar (Warangal West), Jalagam Venkata Rao (Kothagudem), V. Srinivas Gowd (Mahbubnagar), Gadiri Kishore Kumar (Thungaturthy), V. Satish Kumar (Husnabad) and Kova Laxmi (Asifabad) were appointed parliamentary secretaries in 2014.

He said he had moved the Hyderabad High Court which had quashed the appointments. Despite this, he said, the government went ahead and appointed another three MLAs — Somarapu Satyanarayana, Rasamai Balakishen and Vemula Prashanth Reddy — as chairmen of councils and corporations, giving them Cabinet Minister status, salary and perks. These positions are considered office of profit.

Mr Revanth Reddy pointed to the disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs for holding office of profit and sought similar action against the nine TRS legislators. He enclosed copies of the High Court judgement and government orders appointing the MLAs.

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday said parents were mounting pressure on their children to study hard and fulfill their aspiration, and children were unable to bear the pressure.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice M. Ganga Rao while dealing with a taken-up PIL expressed concern at student suicides in corporate colleges of TS and AP. The bench issued notices to the two state governments and the managements of Narayana and Sri Chaitanya groups.

The bench had taken up the case based on a letter

by Mr Dasari Emmanuel from Prakasam to the Chief Justice. He had urged the court to intervene as several students had committed suicides in private colleges.

He said most private colleges belonged to a cabinet minister of AP. He said the AP government had stated that it had formed a committee to look into the issue of student suicides, but there was no evidence to show that it had submitted its report.

He sought the court’s direction for registering cases against the managements of the colleges where students had committed suicide.

Notices against Prasad IMAX The Hyderabad High Court issued notices to the TS government, Hyderabad police commissioner, fire services officials and management of Prasad Multiplex on a PIL that alleged that the multiplex was not following fire safety norms.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice M. Ganga Rao was dealing with a taken-up case based on a letter by city resident Vijay Gopal.

He told the court that the IMAX theatre had 635 seats spread across 14 columns and 47 seats in a single row. It did not have a passage or gangway for patrons to exit in an emergency, and this was not in accordance with the Cinema Regulations Act, 1955.

He said he had complained to the police and fire service authorities but they had not taken action.

TS gets time in irrigation case The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday granted the Telangana State government and BHEL three to file counter affidavits on a PIL seeking a

MASS COPYING TO LAND INVIGILATORS IN JAIL: TS DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Expressing concern over mass copying in SSC and Intermediate examinations, the Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday said the mass copying would lower educational standards.

The TS government told the court that it would be issuing circulars to invigilators that criminal cases would be booked against them if mass copying was found in their centres during the SSC exams.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice M. Ganga Rao was dealing CBI probe into alleged irregularities in revising the cost estimates to purchase electro-mechanical equipment for the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice M. Ganga Rao was dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) by BJP leader Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy as party in person.

with a PIL by Dr Srinivas Guntupalli of Eluru, AP, stating that both governments were not taking effective steps to control copying in public examinations.

The bench said parents pressuring the children to secure high marks without being concerned about improving their knowledge had resulting in mass copying. Maintaining that stringent action against the invigilators would improve the situation, the bench said things would improve if district education officers and principals were made responsible for their failure to prevent mass copying.

Dr Reddy said the revision of estimates of Packages 1, 5, 8 and 16 would cause a loss of `2,428 crore to the public exchequer and give scope for corruption.

He told the court that the authorities have fixed price to purchase the equipment based on the advice of the adviser to irrigation department and ignoring the prices quoted by the Engineering Staff College of India.

COURT OFFICER TO CHECK FOOTPATH ENCROACHMENTS DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The Hyderabad HC on Tuesday directed the Hyderabad Metropolitan Sessions Judge to depute a judicial officer to inspect the alleged encroachments of pavements at Siddiamber Bazaar and Mahabubgunj in the city and submit the report.

The court sought the names of those who were taking over the footpaths.

The bench directed the GHMC and the police commissioner to extend necessary assistance to the officer.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice M. Ganga Rao was dealing with a PIL by one Lakshmi Nivas Agarwal stating that civic authorities were not removing the encroachments.

Advocate-General D. Prakash Reddy said that GHMC had constituted a committee after court orders, which had cleared the encroachments and was monitoring the area to ensure that shopkeeper do not occupy the pavements again.

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

PAGE

6

City

Secunderabad court grants bail to Manda Krishna Madiga, who was in Chanchalguda jail for 10 days DECCAN CHRONICLE

Poor becoming rich, says Venkaiah DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu stated that implementation of GST had contributed to strengthening of economy. He termed the Goods and Services Tax has the biggest reform introduced since Independence.

“The poor are becoming

rich. Those who used bicycles are riding motorcycles now.

Those who owned two-wheelers have bought cars,” Mr Naidu said while speaking at a seminar organised by Keshav Memorial Education Institutes here on Tuesday.

The Vice-President said that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund had predicted 7.3 per cent

growth rate in 2018.

Mr Naidu said that with GST in place, taxes imposed by the Centre and state governments had gone, bringing relief to crores of citizens.

The Vice-President called upon people to pay taxes “so that government’s coffers are filled and the money could be utilised for welfare and development activities.”

PAGE

7

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

State steps in to provide Metro feeder buses DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Chief Secretary S.P. Singh has advised Hyderabad Metro Rail and L&T officials to complete Phase-I of the project by the end of the year. He wanted the commissioning of the balance portions of Phase-I

— the 16-km Ameerpet-LB Nagar stretch of CorridorI; 19-km Ameerpet-HiTec City section of CorridorIII; and the nine-km JBSMGBS portion of Corridor-II in phases from June.

He was speaking at a meeting on Tuesday on improvement of feeder services and last mile con-

nectivity for Metro Rail trains on the 30-km Miyapur-Ameerpet-Nagole section.

He emphasised the need to introduce electric vehicles for the purpose, and augmentation of TSRTC feeder services.

He instructed HMRL managing director N.V.S. Reddy,

principal secretary, roads and buildings, Sunil Sharma and RTC senior officers to initiate proposals.

He also instructed them to conduct a quick study to get feedback from Metro Rail commuters, do station wise mapping with frequency details and match the frequency of

RTC feeder services and Metro Rail trains, so as to provide end to end connectivity for commuters.

A detailed project report has to be prepared for Metro Rail phase II so that the work of evaluating the project can be carried out and a proper proposal prepared.

FURNITURES

ELECTRONICS

EDUCATION

FURNITURES & FURNISHINGS

JEWELLERS

Shop at our most preferred shopping outlets and get lucky coupons to win exciting prizes every week, plus a bumper prize of *

*Conditions apply

OTHERS

A golden opportunity for retailers, showrooms & business establishments to increase foot falls in your stores and get lucky draw coupons for your customers.

To participate in this Gold Hungama please contact:

9000004713 / 9908662244 / 9704400500 ELECTRICALS

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

Nation

HRD minister Prakash Javadekar asks MoS Satyapal Singh to not comment on issues such as Darwin’s evolution theory DECCAN CHRONICLE

Dear PM, Welcome to Switzerland!

Please tell Davos why 1% of India’s population gets 73% of its wealth?

— Rahul Gandhi Congress president

IN

BRIEF

11-yr-old mauled to death by dogs Lucknow: An eleven-yearold-boy was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in Khairabad in Sitapur district.

According to reports, Rahim, 11, had gone near a pond on the outskirts of his village to collect firewood when he was attacked by a pack of stray dogs. The dogs tore up his stomach and on hearing Rahim’s cries, some villagers ran towards the pond but were attacked and chased away by the dogs. By the time, the villagers returned, armed with sticks and rods, the dogs had killed the boy.

AAP MLAs move HC over Prez’s axe

New Delhi: Twenty AAP MLAs, who were disqualified in the office-of-profit case after the President’s order, moved the Delhi High Court on Tuesday against their removal from the Delhi Assembly. The plea for urgent hearing was listed for Wednesday. Advocate Manish Vashisht, appearing for one of the MLAs, told the bench that the matter requires urgent listing in view of the notification disqualifying 20 members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

CPM WANTS CJI IMPEACHED, MULLS MOTION New Delhi, Jan. 23: The CPM on Tuesday kick started its efforts to rally opposition parties for bringing an impeachment motion against Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra in Parliament.

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who met NCP leader Tariq Anwar and rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav to discuss the issue, said it was time that the legislature and the executive come together to resolve the crisis as the judiciary has been unable to address the issues raised by the four senior apex court judges.

Sitaram The four senior Yechury judges of the Supreme Court, Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B. Lokur and Kurian Joseph, had virtually revolted against Misra on January 12, raising questions on “selective” case allocation and certain judicial orders.

Yechury said they were discussing bringing an impeachment motion against the CJI in the coming Budget Session.

NEHRU ‘POWER HUNGRY’ IN BJP’S BOOK DC CORRESPONDENT BHOPAL, JAN. 23

A book, circulated among 30 lakh students across Madhya Pradesh by the ruling BJP on Tuesday, to help them prepare for general knowledge quiz competition on the life of the saffron ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya, has called Jawaharlal Nehru “power hungry” and “responsible for partition of India”.

The book, which termed India’s first Prime Minister Nehru along with founder of Pakistan Mohmmad Ali Jinnah as “greedy for power”, holding them responsible for division of the country, was published and circulated by MP unit of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, youth wing of BJP, which sponsored the quiz competition.

A chapter titled Akhand Bharat in the book, read, “Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya had then firmly believed India could have achieved independence without partition. But Nehru and Jinnah walked into the trap of the British because of their greed for power, leaving dream of independence as undivided India shattered”.

PAGE

8

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

Sena dumps BJP, Globalisation losing its lustre: PM to go solo in 2019 ■ Party to contest in all states on Hindutva SHRUTI GANAPATYE | DC MUMBAI, JAN. 23

In a major decision, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday announced that it would go solo in the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

The party passed a resolution at its national convention to this effect and also stated that it would contest in every state on the Hindutva card so as to expand its base.

The Sena’s stand is significant as it leaves the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) without an important alliance partner even before the polls. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray used the opportunity to slam Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, it is not yet clear if the Sena will continue with BJP in power, as the polls have not yet been announced.

After the announcement, finance minister and BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar called up Uddhav Thackeray. The details of the call are not known but sources said the BJP wanted to speak

WHITE

Aaditya Thackeray and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai on Tuesday. — RAJESH JADHAV to the Sena leadership about going solo in the coming polls. Reacting to the issue, BJP Mumbai president Ashish Shelar said that even his party was ready to go alone.

At the convention, party MP Sanjay Raut moved the resolution for the Shiv Sena to fight the Lok Sabha and Assembly Sabha polls on its own in 2019.

This was passed unanimously. He said the party would win at least 25 Lok Sabha seats (of 48 in Maharashtra) and 150 Assembly seats (of 288) in

the state. Supporting the resolution, Mr Thackeray said “What is wrong in contesting polls with one’s own strength. Even Pramod Mahajan used to speak about going alone during Balasaheb’s period. Start preparing for polls. Sena will contest in every state for Hindutva, irrespective of our win or loss.”

The Sena chief slammed Mr Modi for not keeping promises. “If killing of cow is a sin then lying is also a sin and should be banned. Send the people to jail who have lied.”

WITH AN EYE ON CHINESE NAVAL ASSERTIVENESS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, “MARITIME SECURITY AND COOPERATION” WILL TOP THE AGENDA OF THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED INDOASEAN SUMMIT IN NEW DELHI ON THURSDAY

■ Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be meeting leaders of the 10 ASEAN countries.

■ China has maritime disputes with a few ASEAN nations including Vietnam and the Philippines apart from Japan outside the ASEAN region in East Asia.

■ China has however

improved its relations with the Philippines in recent times but the ASEAN countries, as a whole, remain wary of the Chinese military might.

year’s summit is ‘Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World’ and referring to it, Modi said it was relevant for him as Indians have always believed in uniting and not dividing people.

“There are many questions before us that require answer for generations to come. Is the existing international system promoting fractures and rift in this world? Can we remove these rifts and distances to make a good shared future?” the Prime Minister said.

“We always talk about Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (world is one family),” the Prime Minister said, adding that the problem today is lack of consensus to tackle the problems.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister

■ India, Japan, the USA and Australia had held talks as part of a proposed ‘quadrilateral’ which is meant to keep a check on the Chinese military prowess in the Asia-Pacific.

MODI SAYS W.E.F. MEET THOUGHT-PROVOKING Davos, Jan. 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday left this ski-resort town after attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual summit and meeting many world leaders and chief executives.

In his plenary address, Modi talked about serious challenges and grave concerns facing the world, including terrorism. noted that Gandhi had said, “I don’t want doors and windows of my house to be closed and I want winds of cultures of all countries to come inside but I won't accept

DC CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, JAN. 23

People walk on a snow-covered ridge in Shimla on Tuesday. Cold wave conditions have been sweeping across North India with high-altitude areas experiencing snowfall and lower parts receiving rains.

— PTI

COLLEGE BANS GIRLS FROM RIDING PILLION

Rape survivor pens word to PM in blood

DC CORRESPONDENT

LUCKNOW, JAN. 23

Girl students of a selffinancing law college near here can no longer enjoy riding pillion with boys on their two-wheelers.

The Mount Zion Law College at Kadammanitta has frowned on such a practice claiming that it may lead to accidents as the boys go at high speed. A circular put up on the notice board said that girls who insist on riding with boys should get a written consent from their parents.

Principal Paul Gomez claimed that the circular was issued on the basis of an alert sounded by the police authorities over the safety of the pillion-riders.

“Those who still want to travel on these vehicles can get permission from their parents,” the principal told this newspaper.

The college has not restricted the girls from riding their own twowheelers.

The notice said that the police authorities had alerted the head of the educational institutions to discourage the tendency of girl students to travel on motorcycles and scooters with boys. “Accordingly, the girl students are advised to desist from this practice,” it said.

K.K. Jose, college director (administration), said the college management was not aware of the issue. “It is the principal who decides these matters,” he said.

The police also denied issuing such a directive.

“We have not banned girl students from travelling with boys on bikes,” said K.A. Vidhyadharan, Pathanamthitta deputy SP.

CHINA TO BE IN FOCUS AT ASEAN SUMMIT

In a tweet, the prime minister said the WEF has truly distinguished itself a premier forum for deliberations on vital global issues.

“This year's @wef theme, ‘Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World’ is thought provoking. It compels us to discuss ways to create a better future for our coming generations,” Modi said in another tweet. — PTI it if that uproots my own culture.”

The Prime Minister also quoted Sanskrit shlokas to emphasise that “we are children of mother earth”.

— PTI

CJI debates states’ ability to maintain law and order

GLOW

PATHANAMTHITTA (KERALA), JAN. 23

Davos (Switzerland) Jan. 23: Sending out a strong message against protectionism and inward-focused economic policies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said such tendencies can be dangerous.

Noting that in an interconnected world, globalisation is losing its lustre, the prime minister wondered “do global organisations created after the Second World War really reflect the aspirations and dreams of mankind today? With respect to the developing countries there is a very big gap.”

Asserting that India is proud of its democracy and diversity, Modi said the country has always contributed towards global peace as well as believed in values of integration and unity.

Stating that terrorism is dangerous, the Prime Minister remarked that worse is when people say there is a difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ terror, besides noting that it is painful to see some youngsters getting radicalised.

The Prime Minister also emphasised that a predictable, stable, transparent and progressive India is good news in an otherwise uncertain global environment.

“Let us create a ‘heaven of freedom’, where there is cooperation and not division, fractures,” Modi told the gathering even as he stated that issues of peace, security and stability have emerged as serious global challenges.

The theme of this

AMITA VERMA | DC A rape survivor from Rae Bareli district has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in blood, seeking action against those who wronged her.

The girl was allegedly raped last year in Barabanki district and her father had registered a complaint against two accused, Divya Pandey and Ankit Varma.

The survivor, in her letter, said the police had not initiated any action against the two accused because they had powerful links.

The girl further said that if she did not get justice, she would commit suicide.

ASP Shashi Shekhar Singh said that, on the complaint by the girl’s father, an FIR was registered on March 24, 2017 against Divya Pandey and Ankit Varma in Barabanki.

In his complaint, the father had stated that the

DALIT GIRL SET ON FIRE

A Dalit girl was allegedly burnt alive by a father-son duo in Lalganj area in Pratapgarh district in UP late on Monday night.

Police said, Anju, 19, was alone when the accused, Deep, and his father, who had a dispute with the girl, entered her house and, poured kerosene and set her ablaze.

The girl was later taken to a hospital where she died. accused had raped his daughter and were blackmailing her since then.

In a second FIR that was filed later, the girl’s father said a fake Facebook profile of the girl had been created and obscene pictures were being posted on it.

CLIPPED | WINGS ■ Both

Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh government suffered a setback on Tuesday with the Supreme Court refusing to modify its order staying the ban on release of Hindi film Padmaavat on January 25.

The CJI said it was implicit in their arguments that authorities were incapable of ensuring law and order.

The CJI observed, “Our order is to be complied by one and all. A 100 or 200 people cannot take to the streets and demand the ban of a movie. It is unthinkable. These people better abide by it.”

On his part Justice Chandrachud observed, “there is no way the court would back down.

Otherwise, these people will make a virtue of creating trouble. They will first create trouble and then make a virtue of creating trouble. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the States did not want to adopt an “ostrich-like approach” to the violence. “Trouble already exists.”

The states had invoked Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act of 1952 to argue that the law provided the State to finally decide whether exhibition of a movie may trigger public unrest Justice Chandrachud referred to a ‘paragraph’ in the application seeking modification of the order, which said “violence con-

CAN’T QUESTION LEGITIMACY OF HADIYA’S MARRIAGE, SC TELLS NIA DC CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, JAN. 23

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the National Investigation Agency cannot probe the legitimacy of Hadiya’s marriage with Shafin Jahan as she has the right to decide about her choice.

The CJI said, “It needs no emphasis to state that attaining the age of majority in an individual’s life has its own significance. She/he is entitled to make her/his choice. The court cannot as long as the choice remains assume the role of parens patriae.

When Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, appearing for the NIA said the August 16, 2017 order directing the NIA probe cannot be allowed to go waste, the bench replied, “Whether she made an independent choice or not, only she knows. She is 24year-old. We cannot get into her thinking. You tinues before and after the January 18 order of the Supreme Court to allow the screening of the movie. The violence is despite the States’ duty and obligation to ensure public order. What is the meaning of this para-

DC CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, JAN. 23

cannot probe marriage.

Legitimacy of marriage can only be questioned either by the woman or the man.”

Appearing for the girl’s father, counsel Madhavi Divan argued that the marriage is merely a devise to legitimise her illegal confinement.

Justice Chandrachud said, “You may be right that the marriage is solely a devise. But once Hadiya says that she is married, we cannot question the legitimacy of her choice. How can the writ of habeas corpus be issued in respect of an adult girl? Otherwise it will be a bad precedent in law.” graph? How can we entertain this?”

When Mr. Mehta said, “this Paragraph does not exist. Please forget it,” Justice Chandrachud quipped, “If this paragraph does not exist, your application does not exist.”

pilots left cockpit briefly leaving controls unmanned

Jet pilots suspended for mid-air brawl DC CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, JAN. 23

Aviation regulator DGCA has suspended, for five years, the licences of the two pilots, one of them a lady, who had fought in the cockpit during a Jet Airways Mumbai-London flight earlier this month on January 1, top DGCA sources have confirmed.

The incident was serious since the cockpit had been left unmanned by the male co-pilot who came out of the cockpit after the ladypilot had left the cockpit in tears. As per rules, one of

the two pilots have to be in the cockpit at all times.

The action was taken by DGCA due to the safety lapses that resulted in endangering of aircraft operations.

Jet Airways had recently sacked the two senior commanders including the lady-pilot. The serious incident mid-air that could have jeopardised the lives of hundreds of passengers.

The aircraft had 338 people including 324 passengers on board.

Aviation sources had earlier pointed out that

■ THERE WOULD have been a major catastrophe had the cockpit door shut by mistake and not responded to the access codes since the pilots would have then been unable to get in.

■ THE INCIDENT occurred when the lady pilot and her male co-pilot had an argument in the cockpit of the Jet Airways flight to Mumbai. there would have been a major catastrophe had the cockpit door shut by mistake and jammed and not responded to the access codes since the pilots would have then been unable to get in. The inci-

dent occurred when the lady pilot and her male copilot, both of whom are senior pilots in the airline, had an argument in the cockpit of Jet Airways flight 9W 119 from London to Mumbai after take-off.

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

CENTRE: DATA PROTECTION LAW SOON

According to sources in the airline, the male copilot had allegedly slapped the lady-pilot commander who left the cockpit in tears and started sobbing outside. When she did not go inside, the male co-pilot — in a glaring violation of rules — came out of the cockpit and ensured she came back into the cockpit.

But once inside, the two fought again and she went outside the cockpit again.

The cabin crew then begged her to return following which she went back and the flight eventually landed in Mumbai.

The Centre on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that the Justice Srikrishna panel on data protection will submit its report by the end of March and the government would come out with a law thereafter.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal gave this information before a five judge Constitution bench comprising the Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.K. Sikri, A.M. Khanwilkar, D.Y. Chandrachud and Ashok Bhan said the public could give their suggestions to that panel by January 31.

Senior Lawyer Shyam Divan appearing for Anti Aadhaar petitioners told court if there is data breach there is no forum to complain.

The AG responded to the counsel’s submission.

Justice D.Y. Chandrachud asked Mr Divan, “In an extremely networked world what difference does it make in quoting Aadhaar? Would the danger be averted by expressly saying that the Information would be used only for the purpose it was collected?”

Mr Divan said he would make his reply later during the course of his arguments.

Mr Divan said there have been multiple data breaches from several government portals relating to Aadhaar card details thus seriously impinging upon the privacy of millions of citizens in the country.

He said these data breaches are in flagrant violation of Section 29 of the Aadhaar Act read with Regulations 6 and 7 of the Aadhaar (Sharing of Information) Regulations 2016.

He submitted that the act of the authorities in creating and perpetuating Aadhaar as a universal, unique identifier exponentially increases the dangers associated with any data breach.

World

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to attend World Economic Forum from today DECCAN CHRONICLE

If I overstay and try to become a dictator, shoot me, I am not joking — Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine President to the Army and police

IN

BRIEF

More proof against Sharif sought Islamabad: Pakistan’s antigraft court on Tuesday ordered accountability bureau to present more witnesses against ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the corruption cases spiralling from the Panama Papers scandal. This comes a day after the National Accountability Bureau filed a supplementary case against the three-time prime minister and his family over properties in London.

US asks Pak to expel Taliban men

Washington: The US has asked Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel Taliban leaders who are carrying out terror attacks across the border in Afghanistan, days after the militant group attacked a landmark hotel in Kabul that left 22 people dead. The terse White House statement came after the Taliban claimed responsibility for a major terror attack at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul on Sunday.

Prime suspect held in Zainab rape case Lahore: A 23-year-old neighbour of seven-year-old Zainab, who was raped before being murdered in Kasur city in Pakistan's Punjab province, has been arrested in the high-profile rape and murder case.

Police sources confirmed suspect Imran Ali, a neighbour of Zainab, had confessed to his crime before an investigation team.

Imran was familiar with Zainab’s family and would also frequent the minor girl’s house, police sources said.

Swedish bookseller abducted in China Hong Kong: Rights campaigners slammed as “appalling” on Tuesday reports that dissident publisher Gui Minhai has been snatched again in mainland China, the latest person ensnared in Beijing’s crackdown on civil society.

Civil rights have come under increasing pressure since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012, with widespread arrests of lawyers and activists. Gui, a Swedish citizen, was one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers, known for salacious titles about the lives of China’s political elite, who went missing in 2015 and resurfaced in detention on the mainland.

SOUTH JAILS EX-CULTURE MINISTER Seoul, Jan. 23: A South Korean appeals court on Tuesday jailed former culture minister Cho Yoon-Sun for two years for her role in drawing up a blacklist of 10,000 artists seen as critical of ousted President Park Geun-Hye’s government.

Cho had initially been acquitted in July and given only a suspended sentence on a minor related charge, prompting prosecutors to appeal.

The higher court in Seoul also extended the prison term of Park’s ex-chief of staff Kim Ki-choon from three years to four.

Before becoming the culture minister in 2016, Cho was a policy adviser to Park, and the court said it was “reasonable” to believe she had collaborated in “attempts to stop state supports for certain artists”.

Cho, who had been on bail, was immediately arrested in the courtroom.

The blacklist, whose existence emerged in 2016, was aimed at starving artists of state subsidies and private funding and placing them under state surveillance.

Many had voiced support for opposition parties, or had criticised Park and her policies or her late dictator father, Park Chung Hee.

PAGE

9

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

Trump signs funding Unless India, Pak agree, no mediation on Valley: UN Bill, ends shutdown ■ Stop-gap funding passed in both Senate, House by large margins Washington, Jan. 23: Claiming a “big win”, President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a Bill to end a three-day government shutdown after striking a deal with Democrats to hold a debate on the future of over 7,00,000 young undocumented immigrants.

Mr Trump signed a Bill into law after the House of Representatives voted 266 to 150 to extend federal funding for another three weeks.

Senate Democrats dropped their Opposition to the plan after receiving a commitment from the ruling Republicans toward securing the fate of hundreds of thousands of so-called “Dreamers” illegally brought to America as children.

The stop-gap funding, passed both the Senate and House by large margins on Tuesday.

The spending Bill passed the Senate by 81-18.

The measure funds the government till February 8, before which the Democrats and Republicans need to agree to a longterm solution to the government funding and on

EU TAKES PANAMA, 7 OTHERS OFF TAX HAVEN BLACKLIST Brussels, Jan. 23: The EU removed eight countries including Panama from its new tax haven blacklist on Tuesday after they pledged to address its concerns, in a move swiftly condemned by activists.

The United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Mongolia, Macau, Grenada and Barbados were also lifted from the list by finance ministers, in a move that comes just weeks after the bloc unveiled its original list of 17 non-EU nations.

The decision drew criticism from campaigners including Oxfam who say the EU’s commitment to tackle tax avoidance after the “Panama Papers” leak last year has now been watered down.

— PTI

Actor Ali Larter raises her fist while speaking at a rally held by Planned Parenthood, commemorating the 45th anniversary of Roe V. Wade at the Capitol on Tuesday. The 1973 landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court affirmed a woman’s right to have an abortion.

— AP issues related to illegal immigration.

Claiming victory in his standoff with Democrats, Mr Trump signed the measure into law and government operations would return to normal on

London, Jan. 23: Former defence secretary Michael Fallon joined calls on Tuesday for more British military spending, as the head of the Army said the country may struggle to match Russian battlefield capabilities and another security chief warned a major cyber-attack on the UK is likely by 2020.

Fallon, speaking at the Defence and Security Forum in his first speech since resigning from the Cabinet over a sexual harassment scandal in November, argued for a one billion (EUR1.14, $1.4 billion) increase in defence funding this year, and raising annual GDP spending on it to 2.5 per cent.

This would give the military an additional 7.7 bil-

IRANIAN WOMAN SKYDIVER BID TO BREAK STEREOTYPE

■ CHIEF OF the General Staff Nick Carter said in a rare public speech that Russia poses the “most complex and capable” security challenge. lion each year, he said, amid a reported 20 billion black hole in the budget for the next decade.

Noting the deficit was falling and spending is on the rise in other priority areas, Fallon said, “So let’s release an extra one billion to fire up the defence budget this year, and set 2.5 per cent of GDP as our new target for the end of the Parliament.”

The suggestion came

shortly after Chief of the General Staff Nick Carter said in a rare public speech that Russia poses the “most complex and capable” security challenge since the end of the Cold War, and warned against complacency.

Making a high-profile intervention in the growing debate over military spending, he told an audience at the RUSI military think tank in London that “we cannot afford to sit back” in the face of Russian military strength.

The Army chief detailed Moscow’s growing military capabilities, which he illustrated with a Russian-language video he described as “information warfare at its best”.

— AFP

Penang: Police at Bukit Tengah, Penang in Malaysia arrested a 30-year-old man who slapped a woman for not wearing a hijab, reports said. A video of the act had gone viral earlier and created a fury on the Internet. The woman, a worker from Indonesia, was slapped at a bus stop for not wearing a headscarf. The video, which quickly went viral, shows a man asking some women at the bus stop what their religion was.

When the victim replied that she was a Muslim, the man berated her for not wearing a headscarf.

She then told him that wearing a headscarf was her choice, but he slapper her across the face with the back of his hand. — Agencies

■ THE RELATIONS between India and Pakistan are strained following series of attacks by Pakistan-based terror groups and incidents of ceasefire violations.

■ INDIA IS opposed to any third-party intervention in resolving the Kashmir issue while Pakistan has continuously sought mediation to sort out the differences. and Pakistan due to the ongoing skirmishes and firing along the border, Dujarric said, “We’re obviously aware. We’re following this what’s been going on, really for the last 10 days.”

Asked why the

Secretary-General is not so keen to involve himself in this crisis, Dujarric said, “In principle good offices of Guterres are always available for mediation, but everyone needs to agree on involving the UN.” — PTI

7.9 QUAKE HITS ALASKA, NO TSUNAMI ALERT

Mueller team grills Sessions for hours

Anchorage (Alaska), Jan. 23: A 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck off Alaska’s Kodiak Island early on Tuesday, prompting a tsunami warning for a large swath of the state’s coast and sending some residents fleeing to higher ground.

Officials at the National Tsunami Center cancelled the warning after a few tense hours after waves failed to show up in coastal Alaska communities.

Alaska’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said there have been no reports of damage, so far. The strong earthquake hit at 12.30 a.m. (local time) and was recorded about 170 miles southeast of Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska.

Kodiak Island is located about 200 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, which was not under a tsunami threat.

Reports varied about how long the shaking lasted. In the popular cruise ship town of Seward, about 230 miles northeast of Kodiak Island, fire chief Eddie Athey said the quake felt like a gentle rattle and lasted for up to 90 seconds.

“It went on long enough that you start thinking to yourself, ‘Boy, I hope this stops soon because it’s just getting worse,’” Athey said. — PTI

Washington, Jan. 23: Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed for hours last week in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, the Justice Department confirmed on Tuesday.

The interview comes as Mueller is investigating whether President Donald Trump’s actions in office, including the firing of FBI Director James Comey, constituted obstruction of justice. Mueller is also investigating contacts between Mr Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia.

Sessions is thought to be the highestranking Trump administration official to be interviewed by Mueller’s team.

He is seen as a potentially important witness given that Mr Trump initially said he fired Comey last May at the recommendation of the Justice Department.

At the time, the White

VOLCANO ERUPTS IN JAPAN

experience. It gives you the feeling you can do whatever you want. Women should not be excluded from anything,” she said.

Sassani — one of just a handful of female skydivers in Iran — refuses to describe herself as a “feminist”. But her motto is firmly “there is no difference between men and women and a woman can do anything she wants and succeed”.

LOUIS C.K. MAN HELD ‘GROSSES’ FOR HITTING ME: ZACH WOMAN Los Angeles: Actor-comedian Zach Galifianakis has said the allegations of sexual misconduct against Louis C.K. “grosses” him out.

The Hangover star, whose FX show Baskets was executive produced by C.K., said the whole scandal was “disruptive”.

“It was so disruptive in a harmful way to so many people. We just kind of put our heads down and worked on the new season,” Galifianakis told Vulture. “This is the poison of celebrity culture: The fact that someone can think that just because they’re loved, they can do whatever they want. It grosses me out,” he added.

FX cut ties with the comedian and his firm Pig Newton. — PTI

Shutdown,” he tweeted.

He said he will make a long-term deal on immigration only if it is good for the country and will work towards solving the problem, once the government is funded.

— AFP

UK Army chief warns of major Russia cyber-attack

AROUND WORLD

Tehran: For Iranian parachuting enthusiast Bahareh Sassani, skydiving is “a way to prove that women are just as capable as men” — a small step from a big height for women’s equality in her country. The 35year-old accountant has been skydiving less than two years, but already has more than 220 jumps under her belt. “I encourage all women to try this

Tuesday.

Thousands of federal employees who had been placed on temporary, unpaid leave since Saturday breathed a sigh of relief.

“Big win for Republicans as Democrats cave on

United Nations, Jan. 23: UN chief Antonio Guterres has ruled out any mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue unless all parties agree to it and asked India and Pakistan to address their outstanding issues through talks amidst heightened tensions along the border.

The UN Secretary-General’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that in principle good offices of the UN chief are always available for mediation, but everyone needs to agree on involving the world body.

Asked about escalating tensions between India

Jeff Sessions House released a memo from Sessions’ deputy, Rod Rosenstein, faulting Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation and appearing to lay the groundwork for his dismissal.

Mr Trump has since said he was thinking of “the Russia thing” when he fired Comey.

Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation in early March after acknowledging that he had had two previously undisclosed encounters with the Russian ambassador during Mr Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. — AFP

Indians’ morning texts fill up internet Silicon Valley, Jan. 23: Researchers at tech giant Google in Silicon Valley were trying to find out why smartphones were freezing up half a world away. One in three smartphone users in India were running out of space on their phones daily, according to Wall Street Journal.

The answer to the problem was “Good Morning!”

The glitch, Google found, was an abundance of cheery messages.

Indians, getting online for the first time, were beginning the day by sending greetings from their phones.

Starting before sunrise

and reaching a crescendo before 8 am, internet newbies posted millions of good-morning.

All that good cheer is driving a 10-fold increase in the number of Google searches for “Good Morning images” over the past five years.

Pinterest added a new section to display images with quotes. It saw a ninefold rise over the past year in Indians downloading such pictures.

Facebook’s WhatsApp messaging service market—added a status message last year so users could say good morning to all of their contacts at once.

— Agencies

CHINA BANS HIP-HOP CULTURE, ACTORS WITH TATTOOS ON TV

Fire trucks and ambulances are parked at a ski resort in Kusatsu, Central Japan, after Mount Kusatsu-Shirane erupted on Tuesday. A Japanese soldier was killed, sparking an avalanche that left several injured and scores stranded up a mountain, officials said.

— AP

BEAUTY | REVEALED ■ Apology

Beijing, Jan. 23: China has taken offence to hiphop culture and actors with tattoos. It has banned them from appearing on television.

State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People’s Republic of China (SAPPRFT), the country’s media regulator, now “specifically requires that programmes should

not feature actors with tattoos [or depict] hip hop culture, sub-culture (non-mainstream culture) and dispirited culture (decadent culture),” a Chinese news outlet reported.

The ban follows the removal of the prominent rapper GAI from Hunan TV’s Singer, a hit competition show. Clips of GAI, were also removed.

— Agencies

issued for hurt caused by her comments online

Hijab model quits campaign over tweet Paris, Jan. 23: British model Amena Khan, who had been chosen by L’Oreal to appear in an advertising campaign in Britain, has pulled out over accusations she made anti-Israeli comments in a series of old tweets.

The French cosmetics giant last week selected her to be the first woman in a hijab for a mainstream shampoo campaign.

Khan’s messages, posted on Twitter in 2014, have since been deleted.

“I deeply regret the content of the tweets I made in 2014, and sincerely apol-

A FALSE START TO AN AD PLAN ■ AMENA KHAN’S comments posted on Twitter in 2014 have since been deleted ■ THE FRENCH cosmetics giant had last week selected her to be the first woman in a hijab for a mainstream shampoo campaign.

■ THE BEAUTY major’s earlier campaign to promote diversity has foundered because of controversial social media comments by a model. ogise for the upset and hurt that they have caused,” she said on Twitter on Monday.

“With deep regret, I’ve

decided to step down from this campaign because the current conversations surrounding it detract from the positive and inclusive

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

sentiment that it set out to deliver.”

L’Oreal group, when contacted, said it “approved” her decision.

“We appreciate the fact that Amena has apologised for the content of her tweets and for the reactions they may have aroused,” it said.

It is not the first time a L’Oreal advertising campaign to promote diversity has foundered because of controversial social media comments by a model.

Last summer the group dropped British black transgender model Munroe Bergdorf over Facebook comments she made accusing all whites of racial violence.

— AFP

cmyk

cmyk

MIND POWER HELEN KELLER BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Edit

Keep your face to the sunshine An investment in knowledge and you cannot see a shadow pays the best interest DECCAN CHRONICLE

PAGE

10

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

24 JANUARY 2018

Will trashing science ensure rise of India?

Gokul Gopalakrishnan

W

ith India’s minister of state for HRD Satyapal Singh questioning Darwin’s theory of evolution without offering a shred of scientific evidence, and asking for it to be taken down from the curriculum in schools and colleges, we may truly be said to be living in “interesting times”, as the ancient Chinese curse goes.

The HRD ministry makes educational policy for all levels and allocates funds for scientific research at universities and advanced institutions of learning and knowledge production. So fascinating is Mr Singh’s antediluvian observation that the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported it in detail, although with a straight face. But the Chinese must be laughing up their sleeve. Here’s the minister of a country that hopes to match China in science, technology and economics and To be fair Darwin compete geopolitically. Good luck to such a country! never said he saw charmed Mr Singh’s point is simple. No oral or written an ape turn into a testimony exists which says that the ancestors man. The RSS-BJP of Indians saw an ape turn into a man, and that, view of science is according to the minister, so obviously makes wrong. The minister is a former no different from Darwin Mumbai police commissioner and is ready to that of Islamists entertain as evidence only what he has seen or and backward-look- heard. ing Christian The RSS’ and BJP’s ranks are packed with scihistorians and other scholars of the califanatics, who too entists, bre of the former policeman. Evidently, this is question the the basis on which the RSS chief wants India to theory of evolution. be “Vishwa Guru” — the world’s sage.

The fundamental premise underlying such an optimistic outlook is that the rudiments of all science and mathematics are embedded in the Vedas, upon which great Indian minds constructed wonderful theories up until the time of the arrival of the Muslims, and later Christians, after which learning in India became imitative and scorn began to be heaped upon the ancient (Hindu) civilisation. It follows that India has nothing new to learn from the world.

It’s in this vein that, speaking at the science congress once, Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed the world that ancient Indians had mastered plastic surgery and Lord Ganesha’s elephant’s trunk was proof.

Thousands of the country’s top scientists have asked the junior HRD minister to withdraw his remarks, which they deem to be an affront to science, and the scientific method. But that’s unlikely to happen, given the supercilious and chauvinist environment which has been constructed of late.

The question to ask the government is whether there is a hidden project to pull down fundamental science and remove it from educational institutions. As for the naturalist Darwin, to be fair he never said he saw an ape turn into a man. His theory of evolution suggests that apes and humans have a common ancestor. The RSS-BJP view of science is no different from that of Islamists and backward-looking Christian fanatics, who too question the theory of evolution.

Stop this brazenness

I

t’s distressing enough to learn that the Uttar Pradesh Governor has paved the way for withdrawing a 22-year-old case against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and 12 others while clearing eight Assembly Bills, including one to quash 22,000 cases registered across the state that are said to be politically motivated. Emboldened by such a step, ostensibly to drop a few possible false and unjustified cases against politicians, mostly from the Opposition, the Yogi government is going a step further by withdrawing the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riot cases. It is said to have sought the magistrate’s opinion on whether scrapping the cases would be in the public interest. These cases aren’t just against the CM, but other leaders like the BJP’s Umesh Malik too.

While the withdrawal of a sensitive case involving hate speeches that may have triggered communal riots in the wake of a total breakdown of law and order may suit the Chief Minister and other accused, such a move undermines the very process of law. Several deaths took place in that fearful incidence of communal riots and many were injured while others lived in the affected areas in fear. If such withdrawal of cases were to become the norm every time there is a change of government, the very foundations of society may be shaken. The brazenness with which poll victors go about clearing themselves on the excuse that they were subjected to political witch hunts while in Opposition is appalling. All serious criminal cases must be pursued until a proper verdict is reached, and UP can’t be allowed to set such a precedent as in the Muzaffarnagar riots case.

DECCAN CHRONICLE A.T. JAYANTI Editor

O. THOMAS Printer & Publisher

DECCAN CHRONICLE offices are located at: Hyderabad: 36, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad - 500 003, Ph: 040-27803930-4; Fax : 04027805256 Vijayawada: No.C-3 & 4 Patamata, Industrial Estate, Auto Nagar, Vijayawada (A.P.), Ph: 08662555284/2555287; Telefax: 0866-2555234 Visakhapatnam: Survey No.1/3A Beach Road, Near Kailasagiri Ropeway, Sector-9 MVP Colony, Visakhapatnam - 530 017 (A.P), Ph: 0891-2552333/2552334; Fax: 0891-2755285 Rajahmundry: Vemagiri, Dhawaleswaram Rd, Rajahmundry, Ph: 0883-2417618/2417208; Telefax: 0883-2417208 Anantapur: Thapovan colony, Bangalore By-Pass Road, Anantapur - 515004, Ph: 08554-276903; Fax: 08554-276904 Karimnagar: Survey No.1341, Vavilalapally Colony, Jagityala Road, Karimnagar - 505 001, Ph: 0878-2228908; Telefax: 0878-2220433 Nellore: Survey No.527/2, Burranpur Village, Venkatachalam (M), Chemmudugunta Panchayat, Nellore, Ph: 0861-2348581/82; Telefax: 0861-2348580 Chennai: SP-3 Developed Plot, Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai - 600 032, Ph: 044-22254747/ 48/50/51; Advt Fax: 22254765/22254766/42305325 Bengaluru: 5th Floor, BMTC Commercial Complex, 80 Feet Road, Koramangala, Bengaluru-560 095 Ph: 080-43460500; Fax: 080-22960552.

Coimbatore: 77, Vivekananda Road, Ramnagar, Coimbatore - 641 009, Ph : 0422 2231255 Kochi: No.3-B, 3rd Floor of DD TRADE TOWER, Kaloor-Kadavanthara Road, Ernakulam, Ph: 0484-4039408 Thiruvananthapuram: St Joseph’s Press, TC 15/1040, Cotton Hill, Thycaud (PO), Thiruvananthapuram 695 014 Kozhikode: Door No 6/1002 E, First Floor of City Mall, Opp. YMCA, Kannur Road, Kozhikode 673 001, Fax : 0495 4019 018 Gram: CHRONICLE Postal registration no: No. H/SD-348/2006-08

RSS is clearly setting BJP agenda for 2019 Bharat Bhushan

A

fter the Pyrrhic victory in the Gujarat Assembly elections, the contradictions between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Narendra Modi government are likely to increase. Tension between the two will circumscribe government policy and set the agenda for the coming 2019 general election.

Without the RSS, Mr Modi is like a groom without a horse and a wedding procession.

That is why his government has tried to keep the RSS happy by appointing its nominees to head national institutions, research-funding bodies and universities.

Yet two recent incidents indicate that the tension with the RSS still persists.

The RSS was not happy when the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo appointed a controversial police officer, Rakesh Asthana, as special director of the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Aware of Mr Asthana’s services in Gujarat, it still favoured another officer who was transferred out to pave the way for him and is chafing at not getting its way.

The RSS was also upset with the empanelment of two senior income-tax officers as chief commissioners by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) early last December. Both had been named in a CBI FIR for receiving bribes from Sterling Biotech of the Sandesara group.

The company allegedly has links with a senior Congressman.

Three weeks later, the ACC decision was reversed to please the critics.

Earlier, after the Gujarat election, the party was pulled up by the RSS for its marginal victory

(“alpvyap vijay”) and criticised for the “abrogation of decency” during the campaign. That there wasn’t even a yelp from the party suggests that the ideological agenda of the RSS is above all else.

Thus, for example, voices critical of the government’s economic policy within the BJP, like Arun Shourie, Yashwant Sinha and Subramanian Swamy, have not been silenced. They have not been shown the door. Perhaps their views are shared by some in the RSS. The RSS thinks that demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) have led to an economic slowdown and increased unemployment. Both moves have hurt its natural base — the trading community and small businessmen who supply it with cadre and finance.

RSS organisations have also opened a front against the government’s economic policies. Aravind Pangarhiya, brought from Columbia University with much fanfare to head the Niti Aayog, was sent packing even before he could complete his tenure, under pressure from the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), an RSS affiliate.

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), an RSS trade union, has accused the government of creating jobless growth, suppressing wages, increasing contractualisation of labour; and destroying the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector. The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), the RSS farmers’ front, has taken the government to task for not tackling the agrarian crisis and has had to be persuaded not to participate in the nationwide farmers’ protests.

The contradictions bet-

ween the Modi government and the RSS family of organisations also spill into areas beyond economic policy.

Thus, Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Pravin Togadia, a known critic of the government, fears that he may be killed in a fake encounter by the police. Surprisingly, he does not fear his ideological enemies but his friends in the government. Similarly, Pramod Muthalik, chief of the lumpen Sri Ram Sene, which specialises in terrorising teenagers in love and Muslims alike, has claimed that his ideological friends might bump him off.

They must be aware of saffron terrorist Sunil Joshi’s fate.

According to reports, to keep tensions with the government manageable, Mr Togadia might be removed as VHP president and the head of BMS general secretary Virjesh Upadhyay is also on the chopping block. Besides Mr Modi, perhaps the RSS is also wary of Mr Togadia in case he runs away with the Ram Mandir issue.

Meanwhile, there is an attempt to bring Dattatreya Hosabale, a senior RSS functionary positively inclined towards Mr Modi, as the next chief executive (sarkaryavah) of the organisation, replacing incumbent Bhaiyyaji Joshi. The first such attempt failed in 2015 but should it now succeed, Mr Modi will be able to influence decision-making in the RSS. This spring cleaning will happen in the next few months to prioritise a clear Hindutva agenda for 2019.

There is also speculation that the RSS leadership would like a greater

Mr Modi is only an instrument for fulfilling the RSS’ ideological agenda. The RSS recognises that Mr Modi’s ‘deviation’ from that agenda is not ideological but a result of the compulsions of governance

say in the selection of candidates for the 2019 general election. For this they may even need a new BJP president more amenable to their suggestions than the present incumbent.

What is important to understand is that the RSS is not opposed to Mr Modi. In the larger scheme of things, he is only an instrument for fulfilling its ideological agenda. The RSS recognises that Mr Modi’s “deviation” from that agenda is not ideological but a result of the compulsions of governance.

However, it wants to keep the contradictions at a level where the Hindutva agenda retains primacy.

Meanwhile, the RSS wants quick progress in cases of corruption against prominent Congressmen and their kin to delegitimise any political challenge. It also wants the temple construction to begin at Ayodhya by the end of this year. For that it needs a favourable judgement from the Supreme Court, and failing that, legislation. The RSS would also like the Supreme Court to abolish the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

This can be done by declaring Article 35A of the Constitution ultra vires, or unconstitutional. It is by no means certain whether the court would limit itself to deciding on the inheritance rights of Kashmiri women or throw out the entire provision of privileges of a “state subject”.

If it does the latter, J&K may well be reduced to the same status as other Indian states.

Despite the fact that there is a broad convergence on major issues between the RSS and Mr Modi, he has not been able to move forward on them at a pace acceptable to the former. Yet both he and the BJP know that with little to show in terms of performance, to get re-elected in 2019 they have to follow the dictates of the RSS. The writer is a senior journalist based in New Delhi

Whose ‘Hindu way’ is really open to all who live in India?

I

f Hindu rashtra becomes inevitable, how should India’s Muslims and Christians go about taking evasive action, and will they be the only ones that need to? We are not talking about the reasons why such an eventuality could descend on us sooner or later.

It’s not about Sitaram Yechury losing the crucial vote on the Communist Party’s antiBJP strategy in the decisionmaking central committee.

It’s not even about Rahul Gandhi being made to believe (falsely) that his templehopping got him the votes in Gujarat, when it was actually three unrelated youngsters who shored up the campaign.

When the hurly-burly’s done, when the battle’s lost and won, what then? What

should Muslims and Christians do? Or, for that matter, what can the Dabholkars, the Kalburgis, the rationalist followers of Gauri Lankesh and Govind Pansare do to take evasive action?

Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar, the ideological guru of the idea of Hindu rashtra, said adopt the Hindu way of life and be saved. That was an offer Hitler didn’t make to the Jews. The question is, what constitutes his Hindu way?

The search is as desperate as the answer is elusive.

One can become a Muslim by reciting the kalima, and a Christian by a similar process. One can go to Buddhism or adopt the Sikh way, more or less with a degree of clarity about the house rules. There is no such clarity with

Jawed Naqvi Hinduism. Our history teachers told us that Hindus could not be fundamentalists as there are no fundamentals to follow. There’s no single book, no overarching ritual either.

You can be an atheist and be a Hindu if I am right. So what is the Hindu way? What are its do’s and don’ts?

Ahsan Jafri wrote paeans to

Meera, Buddha, Nanak all his life as a Nehruvian dreamer.

He was chopped to pieces and his remains burnt by the mob that attacked his house in Ahmedabad.

Before him Rasoolan Bai’s home was burnt down in the same city under Congress rule. She hardly sang a song without reference to Ram or Krishna.

That evidently didn’t help her.

What is the trick they missed out on, something to comply with Golwalkar’s breathtaking generosity that could have saved them from mob?

If I remember right, Khushwant Singh once put the question to Guruji, as Golwalkar is known. He replied that Christians should stop converting Hindus. When asked about Muslims, he said: “What about Muslims?” The answer

left the usually unstoppable writer neither here nor there.

So, again, what is the Hindu life insurance policy for those under threat in a future Hindu nation?

We know from unimpeachable historical accounts that brahmins in ancient India ate beef. We know from newspaper accounts that Nepali Hindus today slaughter bullocks for religious ritual and to eat the meat. Are these people living in ignorance?

Hindu rashtra, we are told, is about nationhood. If religion could be the basis of nationhood, India and Nepal would be one country; Sri Lanka and Myanmar would have one Constitution. Pakistan exemplifies the problem of religion-based nationhood.

The so-called Muslim glue is

not working.

A feature of Hinduism is its Vedic heritage. But Vedic culture was not a proselytising one. If anything, Vedic texts were guarded jealously by the priests. Should Musl-ims and Christians be allowed to learn the Vedas? I ask since Wendy Doniger learnt the Vedas, and she learnt them as good as the best in the Hindu fold. But her book was forcibly pulped by a latter-day Hayagriva.

Hindus use the Gita as a book that law courts admit to take their oath on. The trouble is Gandhiji loved the Gita and so do Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Whose Hindu way should the worried Indians follow to live and prosper in their own country?

By arrangement with Dawn

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

LETTERS PAWAN DISAPPOINTS Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan’s maiden speech was a big disappointment (KCR is a hard working and prompt CM: Pawan, Jan. 23). Many expected that Mr Pawan Kalyan would reveal the broad outline of his party’s ideology but he merely praised the TRS. He said he would take the people’s issues to the government. One wonders what prompted Mr Pawan Kalyan to launch a party just to perform a mediator’s role.

Kshirasagara Balaji Rao Hyderabad

SOP FOR TEACHERS Many government teachers who do not take tuitions will lose nearly half-a-month and more worth of salary in March every year in the form of income tax. A lion’s share of salary is spend on children's education, health and house rents.

Such teachers must be spared income-tax (Raise tax limit to boost consumption: SBI arm, Jan. 23).

Gadeela Sudhakar Reddy Siddipet

SOP FOR TEACHERS Cheating in exams by students should be nipped in the bud (10 foreign, 5 local students caught cheating, Jan. 23). Debarring such students for a year, and repeat offenders for three years should be considered by educational institutions.

Raghu Sutram Hyderabad

DIRTY TRAINS It is a sorry state of affairs that Indian Railways is still lagging to provide clean toilets and water supply in train washrooms (Untidy coaches leave passengers sore, Jan. 23). The railways should priorities cleaning of trains.

Dr Syed Mohiuddin Alvi Hyderabad Railway authorities in Kerala did not provide basic amenities like water in trains to to Ayyappa devotees, despite repeated requests. The special from Nampally was running 10 hours late. Railway authorities in Telangana state and Tamil Nadu heed the request of the devotees, but those in Kerala did not.

B. Sankara Rao Hyderabad

GREAT INEQUALITY It is shocking to note that top one per cent of India’s richest holds 73 per cent of the country’s health.

This is an indication that the government has failed to prevent exploitation, which led to accumulation of funds with some people.

G. Thirupathaiah Hyderabad It is a matter of great concern 99 per cent of the people share just 27 per cent of the wealth. The benefits of the much-publicised GDP growth is not reaching the poor, and the disparity is glaring. Where are the achhe din for the masses?

Suresh Dubay Hyderabad

GREAT INEQUALITY It is right of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to bring in legislation to make Telugu compulsory till Class 12 in all schools. School belonging to the ICSE and CBSE should also implement the government’s decision. Students should learn Telugu to be recognised as belonging to a Telugu state.

V. Bhagirath Kumar Hyderabad

Every Monday the best letter of the week wins `300. Email your letters to info@deccanmail.com, editor@deccanmail.com, or fax them to 27805256. You can also send them to Editor, Deccan Chronicle, 36, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad-500 003.

Oped

Word SPY CONCINNITY COLPORTEUR Elegance or neatness of literary or artistic style

A person who peddles books, newspapers or other writings DECCAN CHRONICLE

PAGE

11

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

CBI: From caged parrot to drain inspector?

Sandeep Bamzai Retrofit ◗ The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested an income-tax officer posted in Sirhind (Punjab) and two income-tax inspectors (one serving, one retired) in a bribery case of `70,000. The case pertained to a complaint made by a businessman of Mandi Gobindgarh, Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab). ◗ The CBI arrested an inspector of works of South Eastern Railway, Bhubaneswar, from DRM Chowpathy, Alipurduar (West Bengal). The accused, who was absconding since July 2008, was wanted in a case related to the misappropriation of equipment, causing a loss of over `27 lakhs to South Eastern Railway. ◗ The CBI arrested a medical officer from Haidergarh, Barabanki (Uttar Pradesh), who was wanted in a case relat-

ed to the Vyapam scam. He had provided illegal copying assistance to a candidate aspiring for an MBBS seat.

All the accused in these three cases will be produced before the appropriate courts. ◗ In a yet another case, an income-tax inspector was awarded three years’ simple imprisonment with a fine of `5 lakhs in a disproportionate assets case.

A

ll these cases show the flavour of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s recent conquests.

Which would lead one to presume that the nation’s premier probe agency has become a drain inspector, at best. After recent setbacks, most notably in the Aircel-Maxis case involving the Maran brothers, the sensational rejection of the

four persons inside the house, no breakage, no forced entry assumption in the Aarushi murder case and of course a kick in the butt received from CBI trial court judge O.P. Saini in the 2G scam case, who raised Cain by saying that he had waited seven long years — day in and day out — for the CBI to come to him with the proper evidence, one wonders what ails the investigative agency? Why has it fallen off the cliff? Why have the wheels come off the bus so suddenly?

Legal and oversight challenges to the tenure of two successive CBI directors — A.P. Singh and Ranjit Sinha — dogged by clouds of jiggery-pokery have not helped matters either. The “caged parrot” be damned, basic questions about probity, propriety and integrity have been raised without any answers forthcoming; the sheer intensity of the catechism remaining gruelling and enduring.

The final denouement came last week when the Supreme Court, which has so often given the impetus to lacklustre and lackadaisical probes by the CBI, began fulminating and questioning the agency — over the bank details of those who had visited the official resi-

The ‘caged parrot’ be damned, basic questions about probity, propriety and integrity have been raised without any answers forthcoming; the sheer intensity of the catechism remaining gruelling and enduring. dence of former CBI chief Ranjit Sinha who, according to the court, had prima facie scuttled the probe in the coal scam cases.

The CBI’s Special Investigation Team stated to the Supreme Court that these would be examined.

“Substantial progress has been made in the investigation and its scope has been widened,” R.S. Cheema, special public prosecutor, told the bench of Justices A.K. Sikri, Madan B. Lokur and Kurian Joseph. But the bench was not happy about the tardy pace of the probe. “You have given us 11 reports of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and 18 reports of the CBI. We must say the progress in the investigation

has been slow. Even today, when we see the 18th report of the CBI, it says one case is pending,” the bench said. The court had, in January last year, constituted the SIT headed by the CBI director to look into the prima facie allegations against Ranjit Sinha of trying to influence the probe in the coal scam cases.

Complicating matters, during the hearing, Mr Cheema told the bench that visitors at the former CBI chief’s house were more than the number mentioned in the visitors’ diary maintained at his official residence, and that its probe was going on. All this obviously doesn’t augur too well with the coal scam probe, and its closure.

The pace at which the agency works, or rather drags the cases, raises suspicion. Is the agency then good enough to do the work outlined at the outset, which is to nail bribery cases involving junior flunkeys, or does it have the wherewithal and expertise to conduct fullthrottle investigations into high-profile white collar crimes? That is the moot point. That it is skewed towards the drain inspectortype of investigations seems to be the order of the day.

Repeatedly, it has been found to fall short of going for the kill, and unable to get convictions in big-bang cases. Does that come from the mindset of the personnel who man the agency? When it does, like in the Aarushi murder case, then a higher court trashes the order, as did the Allahabad high court. A gruesome double murder, a botched-up investigation, a protracted trial by media and a nine-year-long unanswered whodunit. The riveting case turned out to be a washout with the film Talvar asking searching questions and maybe even influencing the judgment too. In October last year, while overruling an earlier verdict in Aarushi’s murder (in 2008), the Allahabad high court scathingly likened the lower court judge to a “maths teacher” and a “film director trying to thrust coherence into scattered facts”. The judge who had declared the Talwar couple guilty in 2015 had “aberrated”, declared the high court ruling.

“The learned trial judge cannot act like a maths teacher who is solving a mathematical question by analogy after taking a certain figure for granted... Like a film director, the trial judge has tried to

Three crises in a search of a narrative A Shiv Visvanathan

Three crises haunted 2017 and we lack even a discourse, a language for dialogue. All three are a crisis of categories, a crisis of violence, a crisis of perception and a crisis of democracy.

writer looking back on reflections of the year is stunned by the triteness of storytelling.

There is almost a standard ritual to annual surveys.

One cites an economic index, another makes a bow to governmentality and a third cites charismatic figures, from Chinese President Xi Jinping to US President Donald Trump. If it’s an Indian report, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets a huge slice of the cake.

Looking back, one sees the token indicators but there is no sense of event, of debate, of the dynamic and disturbing events. If there is doubt and distress, it is consigned to the footnotes. A report becomes a sanitised act and one proceeds eventlessly as before. It’s as if we have created linearity, a grid which we want to stick to. Events outside don’t fit the official song line. Even civil society sticks to the officialdom of these narratives. It’s almost as if anything disturbing is sanitised into a debate on bad table manners, raising a stink or a smell.

Yet as one talks to more reflective social scientists and some of the younger journalists, one senses that annual surveys cover the non-events of the year and one pays lip service to the entrepreneur and leader of the year. Even the enthusiasm of editors can’t quite inflate these empty events into anything memorable.

Talking around, the scholars I consulted told me that 2017 was a disturbing year as a result of three events.

The first was a farm crisis; the second was the sheer epidemic of sexual assault on minors and the third was what one might call the crisis of looking at religion creatively and authentically.

The year saw three major crises, but Indian democracy produced little response or understanding.

Let’s talk about the agricultural crisis. The demonstration by farmers became

an empty spectacle as neither drought nor starvation touches middle class India.

We read the demonstration as theatrical exercises with a bit of sentimentality and even bad taste because it is clear that agriculture as a way of life is doomed. The irony of the Green Revolution was to prove that farmers do not want to farm. Our experts feel farming, like weaving, is a sunset industry, and that India has started applying lifeboat ethics to farming.

A lifeboat ethics model argues in a Darwinian sense that people who are drowning should not be helped if they are too helpless to help themselves. The cost benefit of sheer economics argues that traditional farming is not worth it, and what we have tacitly done, as Devinder Sharma and others have pointed out, is to create an enclosure movement around agriculture. We are creating through government policy the parochialism of economics and sheer indifference, a long-run evacuation of agriculture.

The farmers’ demonstration is not merely about drought or suicides or fair prices. These are symptoms of a deeper cultural violence the government is perpetrating on agriculture as a way of life. The insidiousness of this violence is hidden in texts of policy and by a petty bourgeois government which will save Jallikattu, but ignore the fate of the farm. In a futuristic sense, the Narendra Modi government has inaugurated the death of agriculture.

The second crisis is not even recognised as a crisis.

It is the crisis of sexuality and violence perpetrated on minors where rape and murder and the ritual erasure of the event become standard accompaniments.

This is not just an event for psychologists to flutter over and sanitise with some technical terms. This concerns

society. The newspapers paradoxically, spiritually report it every day, but the becomes an extension of reporting is so banal that modern management. The one flips the page without deaths of Akhlaq and understanding the social Afrazul are written off as tragedy hidden there. The causalities in a just war reader senses a statistical based on a piece of idiot hisnormality to the event and tory. The power, the creshrugs it off. The scale of ativity, the meaning that a pathology frightens no one. religion provides is lost.

Feminist radicals are busy Even when one looks at the with khap panchayats and Dera incidents, one reads with the rights of trans-gen- Ram Rahim as a sexual ders, but a minor child problem. No one asks about being raped at an orphan- the faith of his followers, age in a city is dismissed their search for utopia in with bad or pop sociology, small towns. Modern India which rounds it off as a cri- needs to relook at its relisis of migration, a decline of gious imagination and rethe Indian family system; dream the power of synsometimes, it is even dis- cretism.

Three crises haunted 2017 missed as an exaggeration.

The victim disappears into and we lack even a disanonymity. The scandal course, a language for diadoes not end with the crime; logue.

All three are a crisis of catit lies in society’s indifference to it. Years ago, chain- egories, a crisis of violence, snatching would be report- a crisis of perception and a ed every day and we would crisis of democracy. If 2018 shrug it off as a part of gets under way without an urban process. To do the acknowledgement of the same for rape and murder of depths of these crises, it is minors makes little sense. doomed from the start. Our desperately The silence of civil society democracy and the State is almost needs to rethink about itself as an imagination.

Kafkaesque.

The final crisis is the one The writer is a member of of events and categories. It the Compost Heap, a group is a crisis of perception. It is of academics and activists the way our society conworking on alternative structs religion. We are imaginations caught between the arid dualisms of communalism/fundamentalism and the secularist perspective.

The first condones murder; the second seems impot e n t before it.

One is talking not just of a physical helplessness, but a philosophical one. We are caught in the irony that while religion is important to us, we seem to wallow in its ‘I’m afraid we missed our target to pathologies, and see you within four hours.’

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

Blissfulness beyond bounds

T

he word “spirituality” is one of the most corrupted words on the planet. It has been used and misused in a million different ways, largely because of ignorance, but many times out of unscrupulousness. This has generated a lot of confusion and doubt in people’s minds as to whether spirituality is really worthwhile.

Spirituality does not belong to the physical realm. When we say spirituality, we are talking about a dimension that is beyond this integrated mechanism of body, mind, emotion and physical energy.

The essence of the spiritual process needs to be understood as a means to generate the necessary intensity to break the limitations of the body and mind so that you are out of your individual nature. Yoga is a technology to do this. It is a technology for inner transformation on all levels.

Once this is achieved, there is a tremendous freedom to create anything that you want around you or within you or anywhere in the world because the very fundamentals of life are in your hands.

Suddenly, there is no limitation of time and space anymore. If this capability has to come, the first and foremost thing is to get into ecstatic states — absolutely mindless ecstasy.

It is in search of this that people who are not willing to work for it choose alcohol or drugs. If people create some sense of freedom chemically or by other external means,

THE NYT CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Dish whose name means “pierce flesh” 8 Squids' squirters

15 What can get two feet higher 16 Chocolate truffle filling 17 Snapping … as suggested by

some black squares in this puzzle 19 Summer shade 20 High-and-mighty sort 21 Asian capital that’s home to Jokhang Temple 22 Sci-fi TV series before “DS9” 23 Attack, as a gnat 25 No longer flexible 26 Got things down 27 It has the world's highest per capita income 28 One surrounded at sea 29 Ferris wheel part 30 Fall ___ 31 Thanks for waiting 33 Not remote 35 Person picking a ticket 39 Goes through the motions of?

44 Sack 45 Oscar follower, in communications 48 Fictional hero

who wore a sombrero cordobés 49 Beam that might hit someone hard?

50 Heretofore 51 Football lineman 52 Staten Island Railway inits.

53 Childproofing option 55 Meter masters 57 Singer Green and others 58 With only slight provocation … as suggested by some black squares in this puzzle 61 "Toodle-oo!"

62 Board near a gate 63 Pincered bugs 64 Villain whose alter ego is Edward Nigma DOWN 1 Its shell isn't hard 2 Brave person, typically?

3 Brandy cocktails 4 Quick flight 5 Parenting

challenges 6 Steady 7 Not even slightly 8 “You can’t stop me!”

9 Bread also called khamiri 10 Assumed the hero pose, in yoga 11 Something the narrator of “A Visit From St. Nicholas” threw up 12 Compact Mercedes-Benz 13 Chip maker 14 Tranquil 18 One forced to take the blame 24 What we have “in order not to die of the truth,” per Nietzsche 28 Fitbit had one in 2015, for short 30 Former telco giant 32 E.R. staples 34 Plan for later yrs.

36 Attraction on the bank of the

Yamuna River 37 Branch from an artery 38 Enhance, as a recording 40 Amateurs 41 Sci-fi beeper 42 Trumpet vine, e.g.

43 Trattoria treat 45 State quarters?

thrust coherence amongst facts inalienably scattered here and there, but not giving any coherence to the idea as to what in fact happened,” the judgement observed sarcastically.

From the “Congress Bureau of Investigation” to a handmaiden of the current government — is that the remit of the premier probe agency? Will it remain an instrumentality to rein in political opponents? To its credit, the CBI seems to be doing a terrific job with bank fraud cases, going after the collusive cartels who looted Indian banks. But this too seems to have ended quietly.

This writer has in the past highlighted the exemplary work being done by the bank frauds and securities cell of the agency.

Last week, there was some renewed hope in this regard when the CBI registered 22 cases against Punjab National Bank officials relating to fraud in bank loans processed by them on the basis of forged documents, causing a loss of `80 crores to the bank.

While that was heartening, the journey from caged parrot to pusillanimous drain inspector has been a shocking tale of woe.

46 Name on an annual literary award 47 Literary orphan who lived for a while in a cupboard 51 Dearest, in Dijon 54 Cogitate (on) 56 Cal tecs?

59 Go for 60 City govt. official

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

you will notice when they don’t have that support, they will become utterly miserable.

If people just escape by chance, if they have not built their own ladder to climb out at will, they generally get psychologically broken.

But if you do not take anything from outside and just allow this system to function in its full scope and scale, you will see, you can be intoxicated in a much bigger way.

You can remain intoxicated twenty-four hours of the day; no hangover at the end and you are fully aware and with greatly enhanced capabilities. All the stuff that you want is there in your body.

There was a time when we believed that whether the tree in your house bears fruit or not depended on God’s will. But we took charge of these things. Now we know what the problem is if this tree is not bearing fruit. We know what to do with it.

Slowly, we figured out all these things. Similarly, if your Self has not blossomed, it is because you are not doing the right thing with yourself – it is as simple as that. When we understand this, a spiritual process actually begins.

The writer, an internationally renowned spiritual leader, is a visionary, humanitarian, author, poet and speaker. He can be contacted at www.ishafoundation.org.

Madras Adopts 2-Language Formula: Tamil And English MADRAS, JAN. 23.

The Madras Assembly today passed an official resolution replacing the threelanguage formula in schools with the two-language formula comprising Tamil and English and adjourned sine die.

The resolution also demanded that the Hindi commands in N.C.C. and other units should be changed. If this was not done, these units would be disbanded, the resolution said.

The resolution also envisaged Tamil as the medium of instruction at all levels of education within the next five years.

DMK members thumped tables and cheered as the official resolution with Government amendments

50

YEARS AGO IN

was adopted by the House.

After the Speaker adjourned the House, visitors in the galleries clapped hands and shouted “Anna Vazhga”, “Tamil Vazhga” and “Hindi Ozhiga”.

The Assembly met amidst reports from districts of continuing anti-Hindi agitation by students. The official resolution was moved by the Chief Minister, Mr Annadurai, spelling out the language policy of the Government was adopted by the House. The 50-member Congress did not participate in the voting.

D DeCaf C

POINT TO PONDER |

Where there is no temple there shall be no homes.

— T.S. ELIOT

DECCAN CHRONICLE

N ET NIGHTMARE

INDRANI BOSE

W

e have all been through the helplessness and cruelty of getting the silent treatment from loved ones in real space. With the advent of dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, OKCupid, among others, ghosting (where you date someone online and suddenly cut ties or go silent) has become rampant in virtual space. When things go haywire for people dating online, the easiest way is to cut all virtual contacts in a jiffy. The person who is thus “ghosted” is often left wondering where he/she went wrong and there can be significant emotional trauma if one is highly sensitive.

Unfortunately, most people these days take the highway (without any warning) as soon as they lose interest in their online date. Kipling Williams, a professor of psychology at Purdue University, throws light on the silent treatment and today’s trend of ghosting.

“Excluding and ignoring people, such as giving them the cold shoulder or silent treatment, are used to punish or manipulate, and people may not realise the emotional or physical harm that is being done,” Williams says.

According to Irina Banerjee, an English teacher, ghosting is an act of cowardice, immaturity, and lack of empathy and compassion.

“Cowardice, because it is easier to run away and not have to deal with your sudden problems. Immaturity, since it is the lack of will to actually sit down and work through things either on your own or with the person in question. Lack of empathy and compassion because how would you feel if you were abandoned like that suddenly? How can you do that to someone and offer no explanation whatsoever?”

Some ghosters convince themselves that ghosting is right because it is online and not “real”. Banerjee says that “some people might think that but I absolutely refuse to degrade online relationships”.

It is no secret that relationships built over the Internet (for lack of an actual possibility to meet for the time being) are based mainly on actual talking and getting to know each other. With the increasing develop-

ment of technology, the gaps between people have grown smaller — we can now watch things together, play video games together, read, even see each other on video on a regular basis if we want to (or if we have the proper means to).

“Some people might argue that the Internet and whatnot have caused there to be a bigger distance between people, and while that might be true in some cases, I’ve mostly found that it’s even easier to keep in touch with people nowadays if you really want to. I have met plenty of people in person that I’ve first met online. We do miss each other, but considering we can still be around each other in some way makes it easier to cope,” says Banerjee.

Rajiv Menon, a freelance writer, who has ghosted — and been at the receiving end of it as well — says that these days most interactions are online. “That makes it easy. I was ghosted for the first time in 1998. She didn’t even have access to email at the time, so she wrote me a letter. It felt terrible. Especially since we had been together for over a year and had talked about marriage and all. Since then I have become much less emotional and far more philosophical,” he says.

In these online times, it’s easy to send the message across by avoiding contact. That was how most people went about in the pre-Internet days.

Now it’s a lot simpler. “One time I ghosted was when I got annoyed by double standards. As in, she could go out with male friends (in whatever capacity — I didn’t inquire) but I was supposed to avoid all other female company. In this case, my ghosting was a way to show her the middle finger,” explains Menon.

Sreya, a media professional, says ghosting is something that can be anticipated.

“Like from the beginning of online dating, there are indications of pos-

RAKESH NAIR

Efforts are on to make Thiruvananthapuram rock-cut Siva temple on the country’s tourism calendar

W

hen you walk up to Madavoorpara on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, you find history engraved on rocks and in the panoramic scene that surrounds you. It’s no wonder that this unique temple and its panoramic setting are favourites with researchers, pilgrims and tourists.

The researchers are enamoured of the eighth century rock-cut Siva temple; for the pilgrims it’s a meeting with their favourite deity, and for tourists, the great attraction is the scenic beauty of the surroundings of the temple, 1,800 feet above sea level.

Climbing up the hill there is the unique attraction of a bamboo bridge, 100 metres long that helps the visitor scale the hill. Once one reaches the top, there are 33 steps cut in the stone leading up to the temple. The temple contains an idol of Siva, also carved in stone, and one of Ganapati. “It is one of the several rock-temples under the care of the Archaeological

THE TEMPLE AND ITS PREMISES WERE A WELL-KEPT SECRET OF THE CAPITAL CITY

12

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

Love in the time of ghosting blues Thought you met the ideal guy/girl online and then suddenly he/she drops you like a hot potato in virtual space. Well, you’re ghosted!

SOME GHOSTERS CONVINCE THEMSELVES THAT GHOSTING IS RIGHT BECAUSE IT IS ONLINE AND NOT ‘REAL’.

sibilities of ghosting. It depends on whether one decides to indulge despite such hints and make oneself vulnerable. That way it is not much different than dating in-person where most of the times there is a power equation in the relationship,” she says. While it is not easy for the person who is at the receiving end of ghosting, maybe it is also difficult for the one who is ghosting. Every narrative should have more than one perspective, especially in the case of Internet identity, which is an intrinsically complex domain.

Interestingly, Sreya’s comment about multiple perspectives tells us that the person who is ghosting might not be always emotionally cruel. They might have their own reason just like Cinderella had when she left the ball (and the prince) without any explanation. Ghosted!

What is ghosting?

IT IS THE ACT OF PUTTING AN END TO ALL COMMUNICATION OUT OF THE BLUE WITH THE PERSON THE SUBJECT IS DATING. THIS IS DONE TO SHOW THAT THE SUBJECT IS NO LONGER INTERESTED IN YOU. USUALLY, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO AVOID CONFRONTATION AT ALL COSTS DO THIS.

ROCK-CUT TEMPLE BECKONS H E R I TA G E

PAGE

Survey of India in Kerala,” said J. Rejikumar, director, department of archaeology, government of Kerala. More studies are required to unveil the history of the temple, he said. A pillar of the temple has an inscription in Vattezhuthu, an ancient Malayalam script.

The temple and its premises were a well-kept secret of the capital city of Kerala until 10 years ago when the government made some effort to make it attractive for visitors. The bamboo bridge, the waiting huts and a small park were part of such attempts.

Now, the government of Kerala and the ASI are planning to make it a major tourism destination.

“We shall ensure that its historic and archaeological values will be preserved fully while attracting tourists to the place,” said Mr Rejikumar.

The government is planning to have adventure zones, an amphitheatre, floating cottages, a water fountain, cafeteria, open stage, stone pavements and benches, cottages and green-huts at a cost of `7 crore.

“The aim is to place Madavoorpara on the tourism calendar of the country,” said Kerala tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran.

GRAVITATIONAL WAVES GET AN INDIAN PUSH SCIENCE & YOU

PROF. TARUN SOURADEEP

G

ravitational waves (GW) provide the most compelling endorsement of our fundamental understanding of the laws of gravity making direct detection a scientific milestone.

The Nobel Prize for Physics 2017 celebrates direct detection of gravitational waves arriving from the merger of two large black holes in a distant galaxy a billion light years away. The waves were observed for the very first time on September 14, 2015.

There was significant contribution to this Nobel Prize-winning discovery from India. The discovery paper has 37 authors from nine Indian institutions.

The detection opens an entirely new window to observe the most violent events in space and holds the promise to transform astronomy and astrophysics, where Indian science could potentially take the lead role owing to the proposed LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitationalwave Observatory in the US)India project. It will be the third such laboratory in the world, and the first outside the United States.

The LIGO-India mega-science project was granted an “in principle” approval by the Union Cabinet in 2016. LIGO-India brings forth a real possibility of Indian scientists and technologists stepping forward, with strong international cooperation, into the frontier of an emergent area of high visibility and promise presented by the recent gravitational wave detections and the high promise of a new window of gravitational-wave astronomy to probe the universe.

LIGO-India brings forth a real possibility of Indian scientists stepping into the new window of gravitational-wave astronomy to probe the universe.

The global science community is unanimous that the future of gravitational wave astronomy and astrophysics, beyond the first discovery, lies with the planned global array of GW detectors, including the LIGO-India observatory.

Inclusion of LIGO-India greatly improves the angular resolution in the location of the gravitational-wave source by the LIGO global network.

For the three events observed by the two advanced LIGO detectors in the US, with a hypothetical LIGO-India in operation, there would have been 20-60 times improvement in the angular resolution. This is a firm attestation to the promise of LIGO-India.

Hence, LIGO-India brings forth a real possibility of Indian scientists and technologists stepping forward, with strong international cooperation, into the frontier of an emergent area of high visibility.

The LIGO-India proposal is for construction and operation of an advanced LIGO detector on Indian soil in collaboration with LIGO Laboratories, US. The objective is to set up the Indian node of the three-node global advanced LIGO detector network by 2024 and operate it for 10 years.

The tasks for the LIGO-India team include the challenge of constructing the very large vacu-

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

um infrastructure with control systems that can accommodate the entire four-kilometre scale laser interferometer in ultra-high vacuum environment corresponding to a volume of 10 million litres.

The Indian team is also responsible for installation and commissioning of the highly complex instrument with over a million labelled parts, and fine-tuning the immense control systems of the instrument to attain design sensitivity.

The LIGO-India project is being jointly executed by lead institutions: the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) organisations, the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar, the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore, and the Directorate of Construction & Estate Management (DCSEM) of the DAE. LIGO-India is being jointly funded by the DAE and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

A LIGO-India apex committee, together with the LIGO-India Project Management Board (LIPMB) and LIGO-India Scientific Management Board (LI-SMB), were constituted in August 2016 to oversee the project execution, and there has been rapid progress since then.

LIGO-India is on track for commencing operations by 2024. The quest to build LIGO-India has brought together Indian researchers from across the nation with expertise in precision metrology, laser and optics development, ultra-high vacuum techniques and control systems.

Researchers are currently organising themselves into working groups. They come from the IITs in Madras, Delhi, Kanpur and Hyderabad, IISERs Pune and Kolkata, TIFR-Mumbai and Hyderabad, Universities of Pune and Nanded, the Saha Institute for Nuclear Physics, BITS Hyderabad, National Physical Laboratory, and Physical Research Laboratory. The groups are being coordinated by the lead institutions RRCAT, IPR and IUCAA. Setting up of the LIGO-India observatory will require the involvement of top Indian technology and infrastructure industries across large-scale fabrication, precision engineering, intricate electronics and big data science.

Successful construction and operation of LIGO-India could spark off a re-definition of ethics and work culture in science and technology in India, and build strong bridges across disparate disciples of S&T in academia and the industry.

(The writer is IUCAA Spokesperson (Science), LIGO-India)

341.97

Sensex 36,139

117.50

Nifty 11,083

Gold

`50

`30,090

Silver

Dollar

`38,760

`63.78 `125

CURRENCY

1 EURO `78.24 $1.23

1£

`89.10 $1.40

INDICATORS

FII NET BUY:

$206.42mn (Jan. 22) FOREIGN RESERVES:

$413.82bn (Jan. 12)

INFLATION:

5.21% in Dec. 2017

BIZ

BRIEFS

Carlsberg opens new brewery New Delhi: Beer maker Carlsberg India has established a new brewery in Karnataka with an aim to strengthen its foothold in the southern region. While its popular brands Carlsberg and Tuborg are already available in the state, the establishment of this brewery is an aspirational step to further strengthen Carlsberg India’s growth opportunity in the state, the company said in a statement. At present, Carlsberg India owns eight breweries in the country, along with four contract manufacturing associations.

— PTI

Maruti, Hyundai dominate PV sales New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki’s hold on domestic passenger vehicles market continued in December with six of its models appearing in the top 10 selling list and Baleno moving up to the third spot.

Hyundai Motor India also made its presence felt with three of its models featuring in the top ten list. According to the data compiled by the SIAM, Maruti Suzuki's Alto was the best selling model last month. It sold 20,346 units in December 2017 as against 17,351 units a year ago, a growth of 17.26 per cent. — PTI

Achal Bakeri

Symphony posts 21% rise in profit New Delhi: Air cooling firm Symphony on Tuesday reported 20.71 per cent jump in standalone net profit to `66.31 crore for the third quarter. The company had posted a net profit of `54.93 crore in October-December period of last fiscal. Its total revenue during the December quarter of FY18 was up 19.04 per cent to `225.67 crore as against `189.57 crore in the year-ago period, Symphony said. In a separate filing, it said the Board of directors have declared an interim dividend of `1 per equity share having face value of `2 each for the entire FY18. — PTI

CENTRE OKAYS ONGC TO SELL ITS IOC STAKE New Delhi: ONGC has got approval from the government for selling its stake in IOC and GAIL to help fund the `36,915 crore acquisition of HPCL. ONGC holds 13.77 per cent stake in nation’s biggest refiner Indian Oil (IOC), which at Tuesday’s trading price is worth over `26,200 crore. It also holds 4.86 per cent stake in gas utility GAIL India, which is worth over `3,847 crore.

Top sources with direct knowledge of the issue said the government gave ONGC nod to sell its shareholding in IOC and GAIL earlier this month but the company is waiting for the right price to offload the shares. For the moment ONGC is funding the `36,915 crore acquisition of government’s 51.11 per cent stake in oil refining and marketing firm HPCL from the about `12,000 crore cash it has and short- term borrowing.

Sources said ONGC is a zerodebt company and wants to retain that status. — PTI

`0.09

Business DECCAN CHRONICLE

SENSEX 36K, NIFTY 11K

■ IMF’s growth prediction helps markets continue winning momentum DC CORRESPONDENT

 THE UNDERLYING sentiments, experts said, remain upbeat, but the markets are likely to see a short-term correction if the Centre imposes longterm capital gain (LTCG) tax on equity markets in any form.  A NEW LTCG tax on equities would not only hurt market sentiment, but can also hurt domestic equity flows, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts.

Continuing with their winning momentum, the equity markets soared to yet another record high on Tuesday after International Monetary Fund (IMF) said India is set to regain the tag of fastest growing major economy in the world in FY19 with a projected growth rate of 7.4 per cent as against 6.7 per cent estimated for the current fiscal.

The better than expected results from India Inc has also renewed optimism regarding a strong recovery in corporate earning growth.

The Nifty zoomed past 11K-level for the first time without any resistance and closed the day at 11,083.70, up 117.50 points or 1.07 per cent. The 30share Sensex too scaled above the crucial 36K

TRUMP SLAPS STEEP TARIFFS ON SOLAR IMPORTS Wa s h i n g t o n / L o s Angeles, Jan. 23: US President Donald Trump slapped steep tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels on Monday, giving a boost to Whirlpool and dealing a setback to the renewable energy industry in the first of several potential trade restrictions.

The decisions in the two “Section 201” safeguard cases followed findings by the US International Trade Commission that both imported products “are a substantial cause of serious injury to domestic manufacturers,” US trade representative Robert Lighthizer said.

The washing machine tariffs exceeded the harshest recommendations from ITC members, while the solar tariffs were lower than what domestic producers had hoped for.

The restrictions aim to help domestic manufacturers but drew complaints that the consumer costs for new washing machines and solar installations will rise.

Mr Trump will impose a 20 per cent tariff on the first 1.2 million imported large residential washing machines in the first year, and a 50 per cent tariff on machines above that number.

The tariffs decline to 16 per cent and 40 per cent respectively in the third year.

For imported solar cells and modules in the first year, a 30 per cent tariff will be imposed which would declining to 15 per cent by the fourth year. The tariff allows 2.5 GWs of unassembled solar cells to be imported tariff-free in each year. Whirlpool, which sought the washing machines “safeguard” action, saw its shares rise 1.8 per cent.

— Reuters

level to end the trading session at 36,139.98, up 341.97 points or 0.96 per cent.

While the underlying sentiments remain upbeat, experts said that the markets are likely to

see a short-term correction if the government imposes long-term capital gain (LTCG) tax on equity markets in any form.

Instead of reintroducing LTCG tax, reports suggests that the govern-

ment is likely to increase the holding period of stocks from one year to three years to be considered as long term gain.

This means any gain arising out of equity sales within a period of three years would attract shortterm capital gain (STCG) tax of 15 per cent.

In its India equity strategy report, analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch said that a new long-term capital gain tax on equities would not only hurt market sentiment, but can also hurt domestic equity flows.

Maintaining a cautious view on the markets due to stretched valuations, BoAML has kept a yearend target of 32,000 for the Sensex, which is 11 per cent lower from the current levels.

According to the provisional data released by the stock exchanges, for-

eign portfolio investors bought shares worth `1229.35 crore while the domestic institutions picked up stocks worth `169.03 crore.

“Due to last Friday’s strong move by the Nifty from 10,800 levels, the magical figure of 11,000 followed by 11,100 was on cards. But the velocity at which market hastened in couple of days has certainly turned out to be a jaw-dropping move for many traders. This is a sheer euphoric environment that we are experiencing at this moment. It appears as if the traders’ fraternity has kept a lot of expectations from this upcoming Budget and hence, probably the anticipation is adding fuel to this ‘No Negative is as good as positive’ kind of scenario,” said Sameet Chavan, derivative analyst at Angel Broking.

Petrol, diesel hit 4-year high New Delhi, Jan. 23: Petrol prices on Tuesday hit the highest level since the BJP government came to power in 2014, and diesel touched a high of `63.20 a litre, prompting the oil ministry to seek a cut in excise duty.

Petrol price rose to `72.38 per litre in Delhi, highest since March 2014, according to daily fuel price list of state-owned oil firms.

Rates have risen by `3.31 per litre since mid-December. In Mumbai, prices have crossed `80-mark — costliest in the country.

Diesel is being sold at `67.30 in Mumbai, where the local sales tax or VAT rates are higher.

Since mid-December, diesel rates have jumped `4.86 a litre, according to oil companies.

The spurt in rates, caused by the rally in

 PETROL PRICE rose to `72.38 per litre in Delhi, highest since March 2014, according to daily fuel price list of state-owned oil firms.  IN MUMBAI, prices have crossed `80-mark — costliest in the country.

international oil prices, has led to the oil ministry asking the finance ministry for a cut in excise duty in the Union Budget 2018-19, to be presented in Parliament next week.

The reduction sought is

 THE SPURT in rates, caused by the rally in international oil prices, has led to the oil ministry asking for a cut in excise duty

part of the pre-Budget memorandum submitted by the ministry for the consideration of finance minister Arun Jaitley, officials said.

Oil secretary K.D. Tripathi had on Monday

stated that the ministry has forwarded a set of recommendation it had received from the industry. He however refused to give details.

The central government levies `19.48 per litre excise duty on petrol and `15.33 on diesel.

VAT on petrol in Delhi is `15.39 per litre while on diesel it is `9.32.

Brent and US West Texas Intermediate crude on Tuesday rose to $69.41 per barrel and $63.99 respectively. Brent is not far off the January 15 three-year high of $70.37 a barrel.

WTI had hit its highest since December 2014, on January 16 at $64.89 a barrel. The rally in oil prices has renewed calls to the government to cut excise duty to cushion the burden on common man, the officials said.

— PTI

Budget to focus on infra not sops: Icra RUN UP TO

BUDGET 2018-19

DC CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, JAN. 23

Union Budget is likely to focus on higher spending on infrastructure and social security to stimulate demand rather than slashing taxes as in the current situation as revenue collections are yet to stabilise after the switch over to GST, Icra said.

“We expect this Budget to utilise fiscal space to enhance spending rather than reduce direct taxes,” said Icra.

Last Budget, the FRBM review committee (N.K. Singh Committee) report had indicated a fiscal deficit target of 3 per cent of GDP for FY19.

“Union Budget may increase the allocations for social infrastructure and social security spending, such as NREGA, food subsidy, insurance schemes and welfare pensions. We also expect

DC CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, JAN. 23

Economic Zones (EZs) promoting start-ups in the health sector, along with an increased allocation for the segment are likely to be announced in the upcoming Budget.

Rural healthcare is also going to be a key focus area with a likelihood that diseases like hypertension could also be brought under the ambit of treatment in primary health centres.

On February 1, Arun Jaitley will present the last full-fledged Budget of the NDA government before the Lok Sabha elections so the government is keen to promote entrepreneurship, jobs and innovation in the

TRACKING | TRENDS

PM HOSTS INDIAN CEOs FOR JOINT INVESTMENT PITCH

Narendra Modi listens to Swiss President Alain Berset at the WEF meeting on Tuesday in Davos.

— AFP facture in India and work in India. We have decided to uproot licence and permit Raj. We are replacing red tape with red carpet,” he added.

The PMO tweeted, “In Davos, PM @narendramodi interacted with top CEOs. He spoke about India’s economic development and the investment opportunities in the

nation”.

Mr Modi also met Swiss President Alain Berset here and discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties. Mr Berset said the discussions marked the meeting of the biggest and the oldest democracies in the world. Thanking the PM, Mr Berset said he would continue to strengthen the “relations”.

— PTI

Davos, Jan 23: Narendra Modi on Tuesday met a group of Indian CEOs at the World Economic Forum annual meeting here, as India presented a collective pitch for showcasing the growth story of the country.

Those present at the meeting included Rahul Bajaj, Chanda Kochhar, Uday Kotak, Naresh Goyal, N. Chandrasekaran, Anand Mahindra, Sunil Mittal, Ravi Ruia and Chandrajit Banerjee.

The government officials present included S. Jaishankar, Amitabh Kant, Ramesh Abhishek and Atul Chaturvedi.

“Together we can!

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Indian CEOs present at the WEF working hand in hand towards a brighter future

■ MR MODI had also held a roundtable dinner meeting on Mpnday with 60 CEOs, including from big global corporates where he narrated India’s growth story and underlined the immense growth opportunities. for the country,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson tweeted with the hashtag IndiaMeansBusiness, the campaign being run by India in Davos this year.

Mr Modi had also held a roundtable dinner meeting last night with 60 CEOs, including from big global corporates. — PTI

■ Shame mentality attached to a cyber breach needs to be shed: Expert

Centre slow to set up strict cyber security norms DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Despite India suffering quite a few cyberattacks, an expert claims the government has been slow to address the problem by framing a strict cyber security policy.

“Compared to the US where there is a greater awareness about cybersecurity, India is lagging behind both in terms of cyber security policies and disclosures,” CompTIA regional director Pradipto Chakrabarty told this newspaper.

Due to the lack of regulations in India, companies other than those in financial services don’t have to disclose the breach and its impact to the consumer.

“Outside India, they

 Due to a lack of regulations in India, companies other than those in financial services don’t have to disclose the breach and its impact on the consumers.

 Mr Chakrabarty, however, felt that the lack of skilled people in cybersecurity is a more immediate concern.

have a threat repository where by law the companies have to declare the threat and its implications on the consumers. In India, we don’t have anything of that sort. There is a long way to go for us,”

Mr Chakrabarty said.

With the government pushing its ‘Digital India’ initiative and top business leaders citing cyberthreats as one of the top five risks to their business in 2018, he said the

Outside India, they have a threat repository where by law, the companies have to declare the threat and its implications on the consumers. In India, don’t have anything of that sort in India. There is a long way to go for us — PRADIPTO CHAKRABARTY Regional director, CompTIA Central government needs to speed up a bit more.

“People are waking up to cyber threats. In the last year’s Budget the government allocated funds to Cert-In to help fight such threats. The government

is working towards it but the speed leaves a lot to be desired,” he said.

CompTIA, of which Mr Chakrabarty is a part of, is a not-for-profit trade association that focuses on certifying people with the latest IT trends.

When asked about the more immediate concern, Mr Chakrabarty said that the lack of skilled people in cybersecurity is a more immediate concern. “We interact at the ground level and we see there is a huge need for skilled professional,” he said.

Mr Chakrabarty added, “Infrastructure and skills are the two things that needs to be addressed urgently. While infrastructure can be upgraded very fast with a bit of investment, skills is something

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

enhanced outlays for rural and urban infrastructure, such as affordable housing, roads, railways and ports. Moreover, budgetary allocations for capital spending are likely to be supplemented by extra-budgetary sources of funds such as institutional finance and market borrowings of the CPSEs, as well as the NIIF,” said Icra.

It said that after the implementation of GST, indirect tax rates on few items like petroleum products remain under the control of the Centre, as the GST Council would decide on changes in GST rates.

It pointed out that average price of the Indian basket of crude oil is likely to rise to $65-70 per barrel in FY19 from $56-59 a barrel in FY18. This would generate pressure on the government to reduce excise duties to temper inflation, while simultaneously pushing up the fuel subsidy by up to `88-93 billion relative to the Budget Estimate for FY18, the agency said.

HEALTH ECONOMIC ZONES LIKELY TO BE PROMOTED

Replaced red tape with red carpet: Modi Davos, Jan. 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi told top CEOs that India means business and presents an exciting opportunity for global businesses.

Under the tagline of ‘India Means Business’, the roundtable was attended by 40 CEOs of global firms and 20 from India.

After the meeting, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted about Mr Modi narrating India’s growth story and presenting exciting opportunities for global businesses in India.

The spokesperson also tweeted that the Prime Minister “hosted a roundtable meeting with CEOs of top global companies”.

Hard selling India as an investment destination, Mr Modi said the government is following the principle of reform, perform and transform and that the country is moving towards becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2025.

“We have made it so easier to invest in India, manu-

13

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

JAW DROPPING

MUMBAI, JAN. 23

PAGE

which has a long term effect as it provides a nominal return on investment,” he said.

He also said that the mentality that a breach in companies bring shame needs to be shed.

Drawing a football analogy, Mr Chakrabarty said, “Attackers are there to attack you for the entire match and may score one or two goals. It’s the job of a defender to stop the attacks. Similarly, cybercriminals will probe for weakness with newer methods. Only skilled people can help defend the attack. Till date, there has been no system across the world that can not be breached.”

He concluded by saying that people need to update their defence regularly.

health sector, said sources.

There is a likelihood that health EZs could be announced in the budget with the aim of promoting start up incubators under them, they said.

The Centre is bullish on innovation in various sectors as indicated by the setting up of the Atal Innovation Mission under the aegis of Niti Aayog to encourage new ideas. The proposed health economic zones could propel innovative ideas in the health sector, said sources.

According to inputs received by the finance ministry from various stakeholders, the spending in the sector should be more than 2 per cent of the GDP.

PROVIDENT TO FOCUS ON HYDERABAD DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

Bengaluru-based affordable housing company Provident Housing (PHL), a group firm of Puravankara Ltd, plans to expand its business in Hyderabad and Pune markets to tap the growing market opportunity.

“We are currently looking at 4 to 5 parcels of land in Hyderabad. The talks are still at the initial stages... Hyderabad has become attractive for real estate developers because of faster decision-making and the government’s focus on attracting more investment to the city,” said Mr Veeraraghavan N., president, operations, Puravankara Ltd. Provident, he said, is focusing on affordable housing in all three IT focused cities — Hyderabad, Pune, and its original hub Bengaluru.

Provident Housing started only for affordable housing 8 years back. First one started in Bengaluru.

Mr Veeraraghavan said the company plans to handover 1,000 apartments in the phase-1 of its Hyderabad project Puravankara Provident Kenworth in Rajendra Nagar by March 2019.

Explaining the company’s plans in the affordable housing, he said, “We plan to invest `3,000 crore in affordable housing in the next few years.

In the next one year, 15 million square feet would be in affordable segment. It is going to be in Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, and Hyderabad.”

He said the company has already signed up large parcels of land in Pune. “We have also taken up one million square feet project in Mumbai for affordable segment, which we will start in 5-6 months,” he said.

Games ALL SET FOR SAFARI

Juventus general manager has dismissed reports that the Serie ‘A’ champions are interested in signing Mario Balotelli (in pic)

DECCAN CHRONICLE

By acting like this, the IOC can be compared to a despot and a tyrant, trampling on laws and deciding people’s fate simply according to its whims.

— Alexei Kravtsov President of the Russian Skating Union on IOC’s decision to ban top athletes

SHORT

TAKES

Poor start for Indian contingent Jakarta: India witnessed a dismal start at the Indonesia Masters as none of the shuttlers could cross the qualifying stage at the $3,50,00 World Tour Super 500 tournament.

While Abhishek Yelegar lost 20-22, 14-21 to Vega Vio Nirwanda of Indonesia, Subhankar Dey suffered a 9-21 21-23 loss against another local player Panji Ahmad Maulana in the men’s singles qualifiers.

In women’s singles qualifiers, Sri Krishna Priya Kudaravalli went down 7-21, 9-21 to Goh Jin Wei of Malaysia.

Men’s doubles pair of Kapil Chaudhary and Brijesh Yadav too lost 12-21, 8-21 to Indonesian combo of Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Frengky Wijaya Putra.

With Kidambi Srikanth and H.S. Prannoy pulling out at the last moment, Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap has been promoted to the main draw. He will face Malaysia’s Wei Feng Chong on Wednesday.

Srikanth suffered a minor injury and will be back at the India Open starting January 30.

“I will not be taking part in the Indonesia Masters this week due to a small injury but will be playing India Open next week,” Srikanth wrote in his twitter handle. — PTI

■ India women gear up for South African tour KABEER KHAN | DC

up will arrive reasonably early for the series. The side will have a time of two weeks in the South African conditions to prepare for the bouncy pitches. The women in blue returned with the trophy the last time they travelled.

“It is a very important tour. It is not going to be easy because we have played South Africa before, we have toured South Africa in a quadrangular series, but having said that, the SA team is also a very good side. In the World Cup, they almost made it to the finals,” she said.

MUMBAI, JAN. 23

When Virat Kohli was hitting out at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for having a cramped schedule before the Sri Lanka series in November, his female counterpart Mithali Raj and her girls were cooling their heels being out of international action ever since the World Cup heroics from July, last year.

Travelling to South Africa on Wednesday morning for three onedayers and five T20s, Mithali feels that the gap was needed to fend off the injuries and get back to the fitness levels. The first ODI is scheduled on February 5.

Geared up for Cup

The long break Most of the players travelling to South Africa featured in the women’s challengers’ trophy with opener Punam Raut finishing as the top-scorer.

Mithali reckons the series was a fine launchpad for preparation.

“Before the World Cup, we were quite busy with the qualifiers, and other series as a preparation for the tournament. It has been a long series for us.

Mithali Raj speaks at a press conference on Tuesday.

After the World Cup, it was important for the girls to recover from injuries,” said Mithali addressing the press on Tuesday at the pre-departure press conference.

“Ideally, players would have preferred a continu-

ation in momentum, but, when you have injuries in your side, it is also important the need to have time to recover and get back,” she further added.

Early arrival The World Cup runners-

RUSSIAN SPEED SKATER BANNED Moscow: Russia’s short track speed skating star Victor An has been banned from the Pyeongchang Winter Games, the Russian Olympic Committee confirmed on Tuesday, in the aftermath of a state-sponsored doping scandal.

An — who was born in South Korea but took Russian citizenship before the 2014 Sochi Games — was “absent from the list of potential participants”, vice president of the ROC Stanislav Pozdnyakov said in a statement, confirming media reports from Monday. Olympic champion biathlete Anton Shipulin and world champion skier Sergei Ustyugov were also absent from the list of athletes invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the statement said.

The absent sportsmen have “never been implicated in any type of doping affair and the numerous tests they have passed in their careers show that they are clean athletes”, Pozdnyakov said adding “Today we will send the IOC, a request for the specific reasons why the captains of Russian teams in various sports have not been included in the list of potential participants.”

— AFP

The year will end for the ladies with the T20 World Cup that will commence from November 9 in the sun-drenched West Indies.

International Cricket Council (ICC) stressing more on the T20s in the series very well implies that the players need to prepare for it.

Mithali is fully aware of the challenge as only a handful of the Indian have had a taste of tiny format in WBBL. “We are playing five T20s in South Africa, the one-dayers are equally

important like the T20s.

We are looking forward to the T20 games as well, because we, as a team, need to work really hard in this format,” she stated.

“I think we have prepared very well for the series. We have done well in the World Cup. But, now we are getting into the New Year, and we have the T20 World Cup to look forward to” she added further.

Sachin’s expertise On Monday, Sachin Tendulkar visited the team to give the players a pep talk before the tour.

Many of the girls were amused to meet the former cricketer as he spoke to each of them separately.

“Meeting Sachin yesterday was really nice and important for the players because of his experience over the years in the game. He dealt with pressure and failure, and when he shares it with the players could be really useful for the players,” she said.

Mithali Raj and Co. will spend a month on the Protean land aiming to continue their form from last year.

Positive atmosphere in team, says coach P.N. VISHNU | DC MUMBAI, JAN. 23

De Minaur in Oz side for German tie Melbourne: Rising teenager Alex De Minaur was named in Australia’s squad on Tuesday for the Davis Cup World Group first round tie against Germany next week.

The 18-year-old will join Australian No.1 Nick Kyrgios, Jordan Thompson, John Millman and doubles specialist John Peers for the clash in Brisbane.

Germany are yet to confirm their team but world No. 4 Alexander Zverev, his brother Mischa, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Jan-Lennard Struff and Peter Gojowczyk are all in contention.

“We have named Alex De Minaur in the five-man team after an impressive couple of weeks on the tour,” Australian Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt said.

“He has worked hard and we are pleased to give him this opportunity.”

“It will be a tough tie against a strong German side but the team will carry some quality wins in Australia into this first round match up,” he added.

— AFP

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

Sami Khedira (left) of Juventus heads the ball during their Italian Serie ‘A’ league match against Genoa at the Allianz stadium in Turin, Italy, on Monday.

Juventus won 1-0.

— AP

Indian women’s cricket team coach Tushar Arothe on Tuesday said that the team is travelling to South Africa with a positive frame of mind, despite having lost to the Proteas in the ICC Women’s World Cup last year.

Tushar Arothe also stressed on the fact that the women’s team were not playing multi-day cricket tournaments like that of the men’s team, and said that they were focused on the upcoming ODIs vs the South Africa in the rainbow nation.

“We’re not playing multiday cricket there. Our focus is on one-dayers. Last year when we went there we came out as champion and on the other hand in the World Cup, we lost to SA which we have to keep in mind. We are going with a positive frame of mind to do well,” he said during the

pre-departure press conference.

The coach also focused on the importance of training that a cricket team needs to have compulsorily.

“Training is very important. What we found in the World Cup were our fitness levels. We had a few fitness camps in the month of September in MCA which helped the girls fitness standard.

“In the Challengers, you must’ve seen the fielding levels had gone up and during this camp, we made some wickets a little bouncier. We gave them some target in the training setting targets for 10 overs and the bowlers are also going under different regimes,” he continued.

The Virat Kohli led side had a forgettable outing so far after losing back to back Tests. The women’s cricket team coach, too, stressed on the fact that the team needs to acclimatise to the conditions.

Juve inch closer to Napoli after beating Genoa 1-0 Turin (Italy), Jan. 23: Brazilian Douglas Costa scored the only goal as champions Juventus kept in hot pursuit of leaders Napoli with a 1-0 win against Genoa on Monday.

Napoli stayed top after the first game following the winter break when Dries Mertens ended a long goal drought in a 10 victory at Atalanta on Sunday.

Maurizio Sarri’s side have 54 points after 21

games to stay one point ahead of Juventus.

“It was important to win to stay in Napoli’s slipstream,” said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri.

“It’s a challenge, winning a seventh Scudetto would be extraordinary, beyond legendary, so we have to do well and wait for the right moment,” he added.

Poland’s Wojciech Szczesny continued in place of the injured Gianluigi Buffon in

goal for the Turin giants, with Costa starting ahead of Federico Bernardeschi up front.

Miralem Panic missed an early chance from a free-kick awarded after six minutes when Gonzalo Higuain was fouled on the edge of the box, but Mattia Perin cleared.

But Costa broke through after 16 minutes and exchanged passes with Mandzukic before slotting the ball past Perin.

— AFP

ROCKETS CONTINUE FINE RUN, EDGE PAST MIAMI Los Angeles, Jan. 23: The Houston Rockets aren’t the type of team to rest on their laurels.

Just two days after beating the reigning league champion Golden State Warriors, Houston quickly refocused on Monday night with a 99-90 victory over the Miami Heat in a battle of first-place NBA teams.

James Harden scored a team-high 28 points while Chris Paul had 16, six rebounds and six assists for the Rockets, who are blasting through one of the toughest stretches of their season.

“We got to win games like that,” Harden said.

“I think they only had seven threes all night.

“We buckled down and took away the paint.

Made them make tough shots over us,” he added.

Eric Gordon came off the bench to score 16 points and Clint Capela delivered 14 for the Rockets, who won for the first time when scoring under 100 points in a game.

Hassan Whiteside led the Southeast Divisionleading Heat with 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Josh Richardson finished with 12 in the loss in front of a crowd of 18,050 at the Toyota Center arena.

— AFP

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

PAGE

14

Cricket

Allrounder Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the Indian women’s team in the T20I series against South Africa beginning from February 13 DECCAN CHRONICLE

It is terribly sad that cricketers from either side of the border are not getting to experience the Indo-Pak rivalry.

— Shoaib Akhtar Former Pakistan fast bowler

SHORT

TAKES

Mohammed Siraj

Siraj’s Facebook account hacked DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD JAN. 23

India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj is the latest victim of Cybercrime. His Facebook account has been hacked.

The Hyderabad player lodged a complaint with the Cybercrime wing of the City Police stating that his Facebook account has been hacked.

The Cops tracked the culprit and found him to be a 14-yearold family friend turned fan of the cricketer.

Officials from the Cybercrime Wing also confirmed that Siraj’s account was hacked and the crime traced to a minor. On coming to know that the boy was involved, Siraj reportedly requested the Cops not to book a case against the kid, keeping in view his future.

Siraj’s Facebook page has a huge following from Hyderabad and other cities as well.

On Tuesday the cricketer realised that his account was hacked and approached the Police. Cops swung into action and within a couple of hours traced the hacker.

Franchisees sent letters for TTL DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, JAN. 23

The Hyderabad Cricket Association issued letters to franchise owners as preparations for the Telangana T20 League went up by a notch on Tuesday.

As many as 10 teams — Adilabad Tigers, HyderabadSrinidhian Thunder Bolts, Mahbubnagar MLR Royals, Medak Mavericks, Nizamabad Knights, Nalgonda Lions, Karimnagar Warriors, Khammam Tiraa, Kakateeya Kings and Ranga Reddy Risers — will slug it out in the Super League that will begin at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on February 3.

ROOT WILL MISS T20 TRI-SERIES Sydney: Joe Root on Tuesday pulled out of England's Twenty20 tri-series against Australia and New Zealand, as Ben Stokes confirmed his return to international cricket would be delayed by a court appearance.

Test captain Root, who has played in all five Ashes matches and the first three ODIs against Australia this month, will return to England before playing in the one-day international series against New Zealand in late February.

Root said he did not like missing games but made Joe Root a decision to “have a little break”. His replacement has not yet been named.

“I came into this tour wanting to play everything. I love playing for England and I don't like missing games of cricket,” the 27-year-old Yorkshire batsman said in a statement.

“I had a long chat with (coach) Trevor Bayliss about things and there's obviously a big summer ahead and a lot of cricket still to be played. It's going to be really important to make sure that I'm available for all of that,” Root added in the statement released. — AFP

PAGE

15

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

INDIA EYE CONSOLATION WIN ■ Visitors will look to avoid a whitewash in the final Test Johannesburg, Jan. 23: Faced with the prospect of a humiliating whitewash, a desperate India would be aiming to make the right selections against an unrelenting South Africa in the third and final Test, starting here on Wednesday.

The hosts have already sealed the series win, after winning the first Test in Cape Town by 72 runs and the second Test in Centurion by 135 runs.

This was the first overseas Test series loss for India under Virat Kohli (discounting the 2014 loss in Australia as MS Dhoni was full-time captain back then). The tour has also also ended India’s streak of nine consecutive series’ wins since 2015.

The side, however, will not lose its no.1 Test ranking despite even if the rubber ends 0-3. As if responding to the severe criticism of selections so far, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is set to return to the side, after mysteriously sitting out the previous Test.

Jasprit Bumrah, a surprise selection in both the previous Tests, is expected to be left out. While all five pacers bowled in the nets on Monday, a more certain hint emanated from the fact that four of them — Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav

LIVE on TV India vs South Africa on Sony Ten 1 & HD

FROM 1.30 PM and Mohammed Shami – batted in pairs and took first-strike on the freshlyrolled practice wickets.

The Indian skipper is expected to make at least one more change though.

Since Sunday, when the team regrouped after a three-day mid-tour break, Ajinkya Rahane has batted the longest in nets.

He has had four long practice stints over the past two days and is assured of a starting spot after Rohit Sharma scored 78 runs in four innings at Cape Town and Centurion.

Despite Rahane’s anticipated comeback, however, it isn’t assured that Rohit will make way. India could yet go in with six batsmen and an all-pace attack at the Wanderers.

They were certainly mulling this strategy 48 hours before the Centurion Test, so it only seems logical that this is again an option on a green pitch with ample pace and bounce.

Overall, the scenery has changed quite drastically for Kohli.

— PTI

India captain Virat Kohli (left) intracts with coach Ravi Shastri during a practice session at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg ahead of the third and final Test match against South Africa.

Smith doubts Kohli’s calibre Johannesburg, Jan. 23: South Africa’s most successful Test captain Graeme Smith is not sure if Virat Kohli can be a long-term leader for India and feels the star batsman’s leadership skills are not challenged enough by the team management.

“I don’t know, when I look at him, if he is a long-term captaincy option for India,” Smith said.

“At the end of this year, he’d have been away from home for a while, the pressure he’ll face, the

scrutiny from the press I know he only gets that in India - but if you’re away from home and you’re struggling for form as a team, I don’t know if I’d want to burden Virat Kohli with that... Or if India have a better leader in that environment,” said the former opening batsman.

Kohli has been in the line of fire for India’s selection choices in the first two Tests in South Africa that the team lost to lose the series.

Smith feels Kohli needs a person around him who

can challenge his decisions in a constructive way.

“When I look at Virat, I think he needs someone in the support staff who can constructively challenge him and help him grow,” said Smith.

“He has all the capabilities tactically, he knows his own game, he sets the standard in the field for everyone else. “I think if he had a really constructive person in his environment, who could talk to him, make him think, maybe even challenge him with some different

ideas, in a constructive way, not an angry or aggressive way, but make him think, open his eyes to other possibilities, that would make him a really good leader.”

Kohli is aggressive and expressive on the field and that can affect his teammates either way, feels Smith.

“We all know he’s an outstanding player, his intensity really benefits his own personal game, he loves that confrontation, that intensity brings the best out of him,” Smith said. — PTI

TWIN BROTHERS HELP INDIANS AT PRACTICE BIPIN DANI DUBAI, JAN. 23

South Africa’s twin brothers, Duan and Marco Jansen, were “more than happy” to bowl to the Indian team at nets in Johannesburg, ahead of the third and final Test beginning on Wednesday.

“Both are students of my school (Potchefstroom) and they are promising allrounders”, school coach Wian Lubber said.

“We had received a request from the local club, NorthWest Cricket, to send net bowlers for the Indian

team and the talented brothers were sent because they are hard-working and talented,” he added.

Marco, younger to Duan Jansen by 15 minutes, said: “It is an amazing feeling to know that I had bowled to the best batsman (Virat Kohli) in the world and I really feel honoured to bowl to him and the rest of the team”.

“I knew I was helping our opponents but it didn’t bother me because for me it was an opportunity to bowl at my idols and to do that was a great privilege to me,” he said.

South Africa’s twin brothers, Duan and Marco Jansen, with India captain Virat Kohli.

— DC

Pope puts Oz colts in semis Queenstown, Jan. 23: Leg-spinner Lloyd Pope produced a dream spell of 8/35 as Australia defeated England by 31 runs in a dramatic fashion at the John Davies Oval here to march into the Super League semifinals of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup on Tuesday.

Lloyd’s bewildering spell of 9.4-2-35-8 turned the game on its head as England were spun out for 96 in 23.4 overs after being 47 for no loss in the eighth over while chasing 128 for victory.

The astonishing effort ensured Australia captain Jason Sangha’s fighting 58 did not go waste for the three-time champions, who now await the winner of Thursday’s quarterfinal between New Zealand and Afghanistan to know who they play in the first semifinal on January 29.

Pope’s spell was the best-ever in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup to date, bettering his teammate Jason Ralston’s 7 for 15

— AP

Lloyd Pope against Papua New Guinea earlier in a league match.

This performance was also second to former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan’s 9 for 16 against Bangladesh at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore in 2003 in all U19 matches to date.

Pope was not the only one to shatter a big record on the 11th day of the tournament.

In a plate quarterfinal, Sri Lanka opener Hasitha Boyagoda slammed 191 to establish a new mark for the highest individual score in U-19s to help his side beat Kenya by 311 runs.

— PTI

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

Skipper hints at an all-pace attack Johannesburg, Jan. 23: India skipper Virat Kohli on Tuesday said performance of the pacers have been a big boost for the team and hinted at employing an all-seam attack against South Africa on a typical green Wanderers track in the third cricket Test here.

“Chances of anything happening are very bright. As I said, there is a lot of grass on the pitch. We would definitely look at that option. I am sure both the teams would be thinking about those options,” Kohli said when asked if India might go with an allpace attack.

“Not many times on overseas tours we have picked 40 wickets in two Test matches. So, I think that's a big boost for us if the bowlers can continue doing their job. As I said, we have taken 40 wickets so far and we need to figure out what's the best way to pick up 20 wickets again in this Test.”

“We are going to have a discussion on that and the other combinations of the whole team. We will have a clear picture by the end of this afternoon,” he added.

Indian batsmen have come a cropper in the Test series and Kohli hoped they would learn from their mistakes. “I said before the series that whichever side bats better wins the series, and that's been the case so far. The batsmen are looking to rectify their mistakes that happened in the first two games

Chances of anything happening are very bright. As I said, there is a lot of grass on the pitch.

We would definitely look at that option. I am sure both the teams would be thinking about those options.

— VIRAT KOHLI

Dinesh Karthik

because it's a chance for everyone to step up in times that have not gone our way and to change things around for us,” he said.

Currently at 124 ranking points, World No. 1 India are leading second-placed South Africa by 13 points and a whitewash would result in both teams being on 118 points with India being marginally ahead on decimal points. — PTI

COA TO REVIEW INDIA’S DISMAL SHOW IN SA New Delhi, Jan. 23: The Committee of Administrators (COA) running the BCCI will review India’s dismal performance in South Africa following the conclusion of the tour.

India suffered big defeats in Cape Town and Centurion to lose the series.

“We will review the performance after getting the full report from the team manager.

Nothing can be done now as the players and officials are in South Africa,” said a BCCI official who was present in the COA meeting that took place here on Tuesday.

COA chief Vinod Rai,

member Diana Edulji and BCCI CEO Rahul Johri were part of the meeting. None of the BCCI office-bearers including acting president CK Khanna and acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary were called for the meeting.

India has received severe flak from all quarters following the series loss. Some former India players felt the team was under-prepared, going into the first Test without a warm-up match.

In fact, coach Ravi Shastri himself admitted that 10 more days of preparation would have made a difference in the team’s preparation.

— PTI

Games

Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne signs contract extension until 2023 DECCAN CHRONICLE

It’s amazing. I mean, it was not expected, especially today.

Really tough match.

But I was in the zone today. If you believe in yourself, then anything can happen. But of course semis is “Wow”.

— Elise Mertens world No. 37 after beating world No. 4 Elina Svitolina in the Oz Open quarterfinal

SHORT

TAKES

Star-studded India side for boxing New Delhi: Five-time world champion M.C. Mary Kom and three-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa will headline the inaugural India Open tournament, where the country’s pugilists for the Commonwealth Games trials would be finalised.

The $100,000 event will begin here on Sunday and is expected to feature boxers from several countries at the Thyagaraj Stadium, the Boxing Federation of India said on Tuesday.

India face Kiwis in second leg opener New Delhi: India will look to put the disappointment of a first-leg final loss behind, when they take on hosts New Zealand in the second leg of the four-nation invitational men’s hockey tournament, in Hamilton on Wednesday.

In the first leg of the tournament at Tauranga, India got off to a good start with a 6-0 win over Japan but lost 0-2 to Belgium.

Regd. No. H/SD/509/2018-20 Printed and Published by O. Thomas on behalf of Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited printed at Deccan Chronicle Press situated at Plot No. 9 Alwal Village, Vallabh Nagar Taluk, Malkajgiri Mandal, Ranga Reddy Dist. Telangana. RNI Registration No. 3081/1957. Editor: A.T. Jayanti

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

■ Unseeded Edmund beats world No. 3 Dimitrov; Mertens enters semis

RESULTS Men’s singles quarterfinals: Marin Cilic (CRO x6) bt Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 2-0 ret; Kyle Edmund (GBR) bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x3) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 64.

Women’s singles quarterfinals: Elise Mertens (BEL) bt Elina Svitolina (UKR x4) 6-4, 6-0; Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x2) bt Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) 6-0, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2.

LIVE on TV Australian Open on Sony Ten 2, Sony Six

5.30 AM ONWARDS

Spain’s Rafael Nadal (left) leaves the court after retiring from his men’s singles quarterfinal against Marin Cilic of Croatia on Tuesday.

— AFP ty lost to be in the semifinals of a Grand Slam and fight for an important title for me.”

Croat Cilic, the sixth seed, said it was “sad” to win in such a way but added that “I played great tennis, very high level”.

“So I am extremely pleased with the performance.”

There were no such troubles for Edmund against Dimitrov, as he became only the fourth British man to reach the Australian Open semi-

finals in the post-1968 Open Era. He is the only British man in the draw after Andy Murray’s injury withdrawal before the tournament, raising the prospect that it will be him, rather than the Scot, who breaks through to win in Australia.

Murray has been a fivetime finalist, but lost them all.

World number 37 Mertens is on a hot streak of form, unbeaten in 10 matches after winning in

16

WEDNESDAY | 24 JANUARY 2018 | HYDERABAD

Spanish Bull retires hurt Melbourne, Jan. 23: xRafael Nadal’s drive towards a 17th Grand Slam title came to a shuddering injury-induced halt Tuesday on a day of Australian Open upsets that saw unseeded Kyle Edmund and Elise Mertens make the semifinals.

The world number one retired against Marin Cilic after a muscle in his upper right leg began troubling him in the fourth set on Rod Laver Arena, with the Spaniard wincing in pain and limping as he struggled to continue.

His 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 2-0 exit set up a last-four clash for the former US Open champion against Britain’s Edmund, who stunned third seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Mertens, who is yet to drop a set, was equally convincing in blasting past world number four Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-0 to become the first Belgian to make the semis since Kim Clijsters in 2012.

She will play secondseeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki, who battled past veteran Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in three sets, for a place in Saturday’s final.

Little separated Nadal and big-hitting Cilic until the injury struck, as they traded ferocious groundstrokes in an intense battle.

But the Spaniard, who was beaten in last year’s final by Roger Federer, called the physio at 1-4 in the fourth set and again at the changeover when two sets apiece and the writing was on the wall.

“Tough moments,” said the top seed, adding that it was too soon to say how bad the injury might be.

“I am a positive person, but today is an opportuni-

PAGE

Hobart this month.

She was too physical for Svitolina as she stormed into the semis, incredibly on her Australian Open debut.

Svitolina blamed a hip injury for her shock ousting as she again failed to get to the last-four of a Grand Slam on her 22nd attempt.

Wozniacki made the semis for the first time since 2011, overcoming familiar foe Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 as she inched closer to a firstever Grand Slam title after a decade of trying.

BOPANNA IN MIXED DOUBLES QUARTERS Rohan Bopanna and his Hungarian partner Timea Babos entered the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles event with a straight-set win.

The pair of Bopanna and Babos beat USA’s Vania King and Franko Skugor of Croatia’s 6-4, 6-4.

— Agencies

Join & Share t.me/towardstomorrow

Britain's Kyle Edmund en route to his 6-4, 3-6, 63, 6-4 win over Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in their Australian Open men's singles quarterfinal in Melbourne on Tuesday. — AFP

Struggling Swansea shock Reds Swansea, Jan. 23: Liverpool’s progress towards securing a Champions League spot was halted by the Premier League’s bottom club and a single goal by Alfie Mawson on Monday as Liverpool’s defensive frailties returned.

Jurgen Klopp’s side, with £75 million centreback Virgil van Dijk making his away debut, were seeking to extend their unbeaten run to 19 matches and draw level on points with thirdplaced Chelsea.

But fresh from dramatically ending Manchester City’s unbeaten run, the Reds ran into a determined Swansea side desperate to close the gap on the strugglers above them.

Despite laying siege to the Swansea goal, Klopp’s side were unable to find the net and Roberto Firmino struck the post with a header in the dying seconds.

The defeat snapped Liverpool’s unbeaten 14match run in the Premier League dating back to October and old, familiar defensive failings were laid bare despite Van Dijk’s arrival.

Swansea took the lead against the run of play just before half-time when Mawson swept the ball in from a corner after Van Dijk failed to head clear.

The ball struck Federico Fernandez and Mawson swivelled to shoot past Liverpool keeper Loris Karius.

— AFP

RESULT Swansea (Mawson 40) Liverpool

1 0