3 Oct 22

Ukraine reclaims key city in counter attack

JMM: State lauded for exemplary performance GoI, NPGs to resume talks after Puja

D IMAPUR, OCT 2 (NPN): Nagaland has been lauded for exemplary performance in potability parameter of functionality of tap water connections in rural areas under Jal Je evan Mission (JJM) among States and Union Territo ries (UTs) having less than 60% tap connection cover age, at the Swachh Bharat Diwas 2022.

The Department of Drinking Water and San itation (DDWS) under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti organised the programme in commemo ration of the birth anniver sary of Mahatma Gandhi, observed as Swachh Bharat Diwas.

According to dy. director & PRO Naga land House Delhi, Kuolie Mere, Nagaland was also awarded under various categories- third position in Wall Painting Competition on Open Defecation Free (ODF) plus Biodegrad

KU resolves to abstain from electoral process

DIMAPUR, OCT 2 (NPN): Konyak Union (KU) has unanimously resolved to support the August 26, 2022 Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) reso lution to abstain from par ticipating in any Central or State election until the de mand for Frontier Nagaland was fulfilled by Government of India.

In a press note, KU president Tingthok Konyak and press and media secre tary Nokzei P Konyak said a decision to this effect was taken after a long delib eration that culminated on September 30, 2022 at Mon district headquarters.

The meeting was at tended by Konyak villages, students’ union, Ahng, VCC and GBs, all KU units and branches, all area stu dents’ unions, apex civil society organisations, po litical parties, intending candidates, intellectuals and senior leaders of Konyak Naga tribe.

It may be mentioned that the Eastern Naga Stu dents’ Federation (ENSF) would be holding “mass public walkathon move ment” across all adminis trative headquarters across Eastern Nagaland from Oc tober 7. This was resolved during the emergency Federal Assembly held on September 20 in solidarity with ENPO’s resolution calling on the people to abstain from participating in any election process, in the backdrop of demand for Frontier Nagaland.

able Waste Management in North East Zone and second positions in Wall Painting Competition on ODF plus Plastic Waste Management in North East Zone, Wall Painting Competition on ODF plus Greywater Management in North East Zone and Wall Painting Competition on ODF plus Faecal Sludge Waste Management in North East Zone.

The awards were giv

en away during a daylong a function held at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi on Sun day in connection with Swachh Bharat Diwas.

President of India Droupadi Murmu presided over the function as chief guest in presence of Union Minister of Rural Develop ment & Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh, Union Min ister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of State for Jal

Shakti & Food Processing

Industry Prahlad Singh Patel and Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs Bishweswar Tudu. DDWS implements two flagship programmes of the Central govern ment– Swachh Bharat Mis sion (Grameen) and Jal Jeevan Mission.

During the event, the President was presented with Swachh Survekshan Grameen’s (SSG) 2022 report by the Union Jal Shakti Minister. The re port gives details of the ranking, field survey, as sessment and citizens’ perceptions

Based on the findings of SSG 2022 and JJM Functionality Assessment Report, implementation and progress of the two missions of the depart ment, best performing States, UTs and districts were felicitated on the oc casion.

The event also wit

nessed release of a report on Functionality Assess ment FY 2021-22.

The report is based on third-party survey car ried out by the department to assess the number of working tap connections, regularity and prescribed quality of water supplied.

The event also wit nessed launch of Jal Je evan Survekshan 2023. The survekshan will talk about the functionality of tap water connections in all ‘Har Ghar Jal’ villages. It is a means to ensure that the objective of JJM is achieved, i.e., adequate amount of potable water is regularly reaching every household in the village.

Nagaland was repre sented by Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) principal secre tary E Mhonbemo Patton, PHED Kiphire executive engineer Akokba Sair and State co-ordinator SBM (G) Ichirang Zeliang.

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (NPN): Government of India’s representative for Naga talks, AK Mishra and the Naga Political Groups (NPGs)- NSCN (I-M) and Working Committee(WC) of the NNPGs, are to re sume discussions for draft ing of the agreement for Naga political solution after the Durga Puja/Dusherra festival. Sources said discus sions are expected to resume after October 15.

NSCN (I-M) delega tion led by member collec tive leadership VS Atem, who were camping in Delhi since September 19, re turned to Nagaland Sunday. WC/NNPGs team, led by its convenor N. Kitovi Zhi momi were in Delhi since September 26, will return to Nagaland on Monday.

According to sources, some significant progress was made at the recent ly held discussions. The government of India was

ANATG-2015 batch indefinite strike enters 7th day

Correspondent

KOHIMA, OCT 2 (NPN):

As the nation celebrated Gandhi Jayanti on Sunday, the peaceful protest by the aggrieved teachers of All Nagaland Adhoc Teach ers Group (ANATG) 2015 batch appears to be finding no resolution as the hunger strike continued on its sec ond day while in total, the protest has been ongoing for the seventh day.

ANATG-2015 has been demanding regularisa tion of services and chosen Naga Solidarity Park here as the venue for hunger strike. On Sunday, ANATG

held a prayer service led by some of the members shar ing testimonials and prayer points.

Spokesperson of the group Bendangtemsu Ozuküm said, in strict ad herence to Christian te

collected free will offer ing, which will be used for charity work. Ozukum also disclosed that ANATG may have to make some changes with the mode of agitation, but assured that it will remain democratic and peaceful.

register that was re-cording attendance district wise.

Ozukum also exuded con fidence that all its members who participated in the agitation will continue till fulfilment of their demand.

expected to present a ‘com mon draft’ in the next round of discussions for both the NSCN (I-M) and the WC/ NNPGs. The NPGs are expected to study/deliberate on the draft before giving their nod for a common agreement. As reported, an inclusive common draft was being worked out to club both ‘status paper’ of the Agreed Position (AP) and the ‘competency clauses’ of Framework Agreement(FA) before inking of the final agreement, that was likely to be termed as ‘Yehzabo’.

This aspect was also revealed by NPF legislature party leader and UDA cochairman Kuholuzo (Azo) Nienu in July this year who said: “The common draft will have to be put in the public domain for the Nagas to accept. The final inking of the solution will take place only after it.”

Sources said the proce dure for the final agreement will have to pass through various official require

ments. First, the draft will have to be preceded by for mulation for a final draft and then undergo Constitutional scrutiny before being tabled in the Parliament. Since the procedures may take time, it is most likely that the state assembly polls due in 2023 would have to be held as per constitutional obligations.

It may be recalled that ENPO has decided to en force abstention from par ticipation in the forthcom ing polls within its areas in support of its demand for Frontier Nagaland state. On the other hand, WC/ NNPGs has warned that it will “prevent” the scheduled Assembly polls for early solution. Both decisions of ENPO and WC has liter ally thrown a spanner in the works against holding elections and which has also added to confusion. Not holding elections as sched uled would result in a con stitutional crisis for which the only option would be to impose President’s Rule.

TVCU upholds decision on ‘one govt, one tax’

“Like fast food, these days people want ready to wear garments. We’re selling raw food to be cooked.”

nets members decided not to engage in any official decision-making activity to keep the Sabbath holy. Expressing happiness at the big turnout of the members at the service, he said the members also

He also disclosed that ten of the total of 1,166 members had passed away ever since ANATG started its agitation, while a few of them were terminally ill and could not participate in the current agitation.

According to Ozu kum, around 900 to 1,000 members were attending the protest daily, as per the

Report alleges abuse of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (AGENCIES): The Peo ple’s Union for Civil Liber ties (PUCL) has released a report titled ‘UAPA: Crimi nalising Dissent and State Terror’ on the alleged abuse of the legislation during 2009-22, and demanding the law be repealed, reports The Hindu.

Based on the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) annual reports during 2015-2020, the study said the per case conviction rate under the UAPA was 27.57% compared with 49.67% in Indian Penal Code (IPC) cases. The perarrestee conviction rate was just 2.8% against 22.19%

in IPC cases. During the check period, 5,924 cases were registered and 8,371 persons arrested.

Based on the total cases registered, Manipur (1,965 cases) stood at the top followed by Jammu & Kashmir (1,163), Assam (923), Jharkhand (501), and Uttar Pradesh (385 cases).

The report said at the heart of “abuse” of UAPA was the issue of bail and conviction rates. “The prob lem with considering the NCRB figures of number of persons acquitted or convicted is that they prob ably refer to UAPA cases registered in previous years and not to cases filed in the

respective years alone; this is because acquittals and convictions arise only at the end of the criminal trial before the special court...,” it said.

In 2018, of the 1,421 arrests were made and 232 (16.32%) got bail; while in the next year 1,948 were arrested and 625 (32.08%) were granted bail; and in 2020, a total of 1,321 ar rests were made and 223 (16.88%) got bail.

NIA cases: The Na tional Investigation Agency (NIA), on its website as on August 12 this year, had list ed 456 cases of which 78% involved UAPA charges. The report examined the

NIA prosecutions in the UPA and the NDA period. “69 UAPA cases were reg istered...when Manmohan Singh-led UPA regime was in power (2009 to May 2014), whereas 288 UAPA cases were registered in the Narendra Modi-led era (May 2014 to continuing),” said the report.

The average number of cases per year during the UPA regime was 13, whereas it was 34 during the NDA regime. Overall, the maximum number of cases have been registered so far in Delhi (45), followed by Jammu and Kashmir (42), Punjab (29), Kerala (27), Assam

He also informed that the nomenclature ANATG-2015 was coined by the State government in an official communique and that was how it was adopted and being used since then.

He said ANATG will relocate the venue to an other site for a few days and continue with their protest since one tribe organisation had pre-booked the area for some days.

DIMAPUR, OCT 2 (NPN): Joining several other village and colony authorities, the Ten Villages Council Union (TVCU) of Medziphema sub-division and GBs have resolved to uphold decision of ‘one government, one tax’ till the Naga political groups unite and collectively work for one cause. The village councils include Bungsang, Hekeshe, Khaibung, Mao va, Medziphema ‘A’, Mol vom, Sirhima, Socunoma, Tsuuma and Zhuikhu.

In a statement, TVCU president Medievi Zhu

nyu and general secretary Sutminlal Vaiphei said the villages made this resolu tion during a joint meeting with the GBs on August 16 this year at Tsuuma Vil lage, “to pay tax only to a unified government ‘one government, one tax’ since it is the earnest desire of the peace-loving public to see our nationalist groups com ing together and working collectively for one cause.”

With the nationalist groups cause stretching for long, TVCU said it had become a great burden on common people.

Indonesia football match stampede kills 125

JAKARTA, OCT 2 (AGENCIES): At least 125 people died at an Indo nesia’s Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, when thousands of angry home fans in vaded the pitch and police responded with tear gas that triggered a stampede, authorities said Sunday.

According to reports, the toll had been revised from 174 after the authori ties found some of the vic tims were counted twice.

The tragedy on Sat urday night in the city of Malang, which also left over 150 injured, was one of the world’s deadliest sporting stadium disasters. Police, who described the unrest

Durga Puja festivities begin across Nagaland

Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, OCT 2 (NPN): One of the biggest religious festivals in eastern part of India, the four-day Durga Puja began across the State on Sunday amidst much zeal and enthusiasm among the followers of Hinduism.

In the State’s commer cial hub too, beautifullydecorated puja pandals replete with colourful lights have come up in various colonies.

Speaking to Nagaland Post, Hindu Seva Samiti president and advocate YP Gupta said 53 puja pandals had been set up this year here and five at

Chümoukedima.

He mentioned that traditionally pandals were built for Durga Puja, but these days the structures had become a platform to

represent various themes pertaining to culture, reli gion, ethnicity, community, etc, besides topical events.

Gupta further in formed this reporter that

the budget of puja pan dals varies, adding that this could range anywhere from Rs one lakh to several lakhs of rupees. He said committees were formed

to manage the entire puja celebrations, including the expenses that were met through contributions.

After the completion of the puja festivities, he said a “Vijay Sammelan” was held, which was basi cally a gathering of puja committee members. This year, the sammelan would be held at Durga Mandir in old daily market area here.

During the sammelan, awards would be given out for best idol, best puja pan dal, most disciplined puja pandal, best performing idol immersion and best music played, which would be adjudged by a panel of four judges.

as “riots”, said they tried to force fans to return to the stands and fired tear gas af ter two officers were killed.

Attention immediately focused on the use of tear gas, which is banned at soccer stadiums by FIFA,

which called the incident “a tragedy beyond comprehen sion.” Many of the victims were trampled or choked to death. Survivors described panicking spectators in a packed crowd as tear gas rained down on them.

Gov, others extend Puja greetings

DIMAPUR, OCT 2 (NPN): Nagaland governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, depu ty CM Y. Patton and UDA co-chairman Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu extended Durga puja and Dussehra (Mahashtami) greetings.

Greeting on the oc casion of Dussehra (Ma hashtami), Prof. Mukhi said that the festival marks the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana and triumph of Goddess Durga over demon Mahishasura. He hoped that the auspicious occa sion inspire all to follow the path of virtue and guide us towards oneness, amity, happiness and prosperity.

Patton: In his greet ings, deputy CM, Y. Patton hoped that the celebration

of good, triumphing over evil, inspire all to choose compassion, courage, and forgiveness over enmity and indifference, as well as foster unity, hope, & happi ness among all.

Azo: UDA co-chair man Kuzholuzo (Azo) Ni enu hoped that the Pujas bring peace and prosperity and herald a season of broth erhood and love among all communities. “May goddess Durga shower Her blessings on all, give strength to the poor and wisdom to the rich to uplift others,” Azo said, adding that the “supreme power of Maya will em power us and help defeat the darkness within and show the light of love and compas sion to our fellow beings.”

Miller ton in vain as India clinch T20 series

Spl. Correspondent

People carrying an injured man at Kanjuruhan stadium.

(L) Devotees offer prayers at Durga Mandir, Old daily market and (R) A Durga Puja pandal at Lhomithi colony in Dimapur on Sunday. (NP)

State PHE officials and others at the Swachh Bharat Diwas celebration, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on October 2.

ANATG members after the prayer service on Sunday. (NP)

Exhibition on ‘alternative to SUPs’ held at Tuli town

Health camps in Mkg & Tseminyu

DIMAPUR: A free medi cal camp was organised by office of the chief medical officer (CMO) Mokokc hung in collaboration with Satsukba church leaders on October 1 at Satsukba Village.

DIMAPUR: Tuli Town Council (TTC) in coor dination with Tuli Town Wards’ Union (TTWU) or ganised an exhibition and competition on “alterna tive to Single Use Plastics (SUPs)” on October 1 at Tuli Town Hall.

In a press release, Ad ditional Deputy Commis sioner (ADC) Tuli office stated that the programme was held in commemora

tion of Gandhi Jayanti on the theme, “Clean Tuli starts from you”.

Delivering a speech, ADC and administrator TTC, Shaying Sheu said the event was held with the purpose of creating awareness on harmful use of plastic and to boost local economy. He also request ed the business community and public to support the locally made products.

The programme was chaired by SDO (C) Tuli, Weku Zhiemi while short speeches were delivered by TTWU chairman T Nukshi Yaden and Sanita tion Committee, Tuli Town convenor, Temsunungba.

Altogether, 16 par ticipants participated in the competition with ADC Tuli, GHSS Tuli principal Toshilemla and SDAO Tuli Amongla C as judges.

A press release by the medical department stated that during the camp, the information education communication (IEC) team from CMO Mokok chung office delivered health talks and distrib uted IEC materials to the beneficiaries. The medical team was led by SMO CHC Mangkolemba, Dr. Alemwabang.

Tseminyu: Under the banner of “Seva Pakhwa da”, commemorating the birth anniversary of prime minister, Narandra Modi, 12 A/C Tseminyu man dal with the assistance of medical camp committee BJP Nagaland, conducted a “free health check-up camp” on September 30 at Phenwhenyu Village Pan chayat Hall, Tseminyu.

Training on ‘clinical vignette: TB’ conducted for HCWs

DIMAPUR: A capacity building training on “Clin ical Vignette: Tuberculosis (TB)” was organised for senior medical officers (SMOs), medical officers (MOs) and community health officers (CHOs) of Phek district on September 30 at Dr. Wethselo T. Mero Memorial Hall, District Hospital Phek.

A press release by the department informed that during the training, resource person, SMO DH Phek, Dr. Ngopelo Kevie chu highlighted the various activities of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP).

He also briefed the participants on TB case de tection, case notification,

latest treatment guidelines, and multi-drug resistance TB screening and treat ment protocols.

During the training, trainees were also empha sised on the need to in volve community for early

case detection towards TB elimination programme by 2025. They were also briefed on the importance of timely referral from pri mary health centre (PHC), health and wellness centres to the nearest district TB

treatment centre for neces sary investigation of case confirmation and treat ment initiations.

Chief medical officer (CMO) Phek, Dr. Khriezo tuo Paphino was the mod erator during the training.

Lt. P. Waluniba Ao 22nd July 1967- 27th September 2022

It is difficult to find words to express how thankful we are for the love and concern shown to our family during the demise of our beloved Lt. P. Waluniba Ao

We acknowledge the following groups, churches, institutions and individuals for their help and support throughout his treatment until his death.

1. Doctors, Nurses, Attendants of Faith Hospital, Dimapur.

2. Doctors of Apollo Hospital, Guwahati.

3. Medziphema Town Ao Baptist Church.

4. Ao Senso Telongjem Medziphema.

5. Department of Agriculture, Government of Nagaland.

6. IETC, Laboratories Officer I/c & Staff, Department of Agriculture.

7. SAMETI, Nagaland.

8. Agriculture Officers’ Association, Nagaland.

9. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema.

10. SASRD: Nagaland University and Alumni Association.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’ 2 Timothy 4:7.

We the family members offer our heartfelt gratitude to each and every person who had mourned with us during the passing of our beloved Late Dokhuvi Chophy. We sincerely appreciate your kind gesture and abundant love showered upon us. May the good Lord bless you all!

Although we humbly acknowledge the love and help accorded by all, we regret not being able to thank everyone individually. Still we would like to make a special mention of the following persons/groups:

1. Dr. Athiko & Team, Eden Hospital, Dimapur

2. Dr. Temjenmongba, MD

3. Mrs. Khetoli Bendang (Nurse), Ms. Ali Konyak (Nurse), Ms. Lemkha Konyak (Nurse) & Ms. Tseio (Nurse)

4. Mapulumi GBs/ Council & All Residents of Mapulumi Village

Mapulumi Baptist Church

Mapulumi NCRC

Mapulumi Prayer Group

Lotisa /Mapulu Union Dimapur

Mapulumi Kuposhukulu Dimapur

Lotisa Mapulumi Union Akuluto

Lokobomi Kuposhukulu Akuluto

Lotisami Old & Lotisami New

Lotisa Old Baptist Church

Mishikito Village Council & All Residents of Mishikito Village

Mishikito Students Union

Mishikito Baptist Church

Mishikito NCRC

Mishikito Pentecostal Church

Laghilasa Welfare, Mishikito Village

Mishikito Prayer Group

Staff & Family, M/S

Area Union,

Tokujo Kuposhukulu

Union,

Farm Panchayat,

Farm Youth Organization,

Women

Life

always

11. Everest Theological Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal.

12. Naga Christian Fellowship, Kathmandu, Nepal.

13. Naga Christian Fellowship, Pune.

14. Naga Students’ Union, Pune.

15. Symbiosis Skills and Professional University, Pune.

16. Medziphema Village Council.

17. Chuchuyimpang Senso Telongjem, Dimapur.

18. Chuchuyimpang Lolentoshi Semchir Telongjem.

19. Dimapur Chuchuyimpang Pongener Telongjem.

20. Ongpangkong Tsükong Telongjem Medziphema.

21. Dimapur Aonokpu Union.

22. Luyim Ao Baptist Church, New Medziphema.

23. Eastern Nagaland Baptist Church, Medziphema.

24. Gorkha Union, Meziphema.

25. Friends, Relatives, In-laws, far and near loved ones. Loving Wife, Meren, Nungshi, Rümen & Viko

LATE DOKHUVI CHOPHY (23/ 06/ 1925 - 21/ 09/ 2022)

Lt. Dokhuvi Chophy was not a man of rank and file but armed with rare gift of 'INSIGHT', he offered selflessly the best of whatever he had for the glory of God and upliftment of the society he was destined to associate.

He lived a life that is God's covenant heritage of all believers and attained longevity and crown of splendor which many would dream of, yet few could earn it. He leaves behind his beloved wife, 8 children, 35 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. His absence has left a void that can never be filled but we are comforted in knowing that he is in a better place now.

and moral values regards true worth of a man.

Loving Wife, Children, Grandchildren, Great-grandchildren

Exhibition organisers, officials, and others at Tuli town hall.

Resource person along with capacity building training attendees at DH Phek.

Churches, village leaders sensitised on conservation

ful creation of God was on the people. He said not all living creatures were meant for consumption and some were meant to be conserved to beautify earth and to maintain the delicate ecological balance.

Citing example of Kaza ringa National Park, Aochuba also urged upon the people to work together with the depart ment towards conserving and protecting INP, which would benefit local communities through eco-tourism activities.

During the programme, a short documentary video on birds and animals of INP and success story of Amur Falcon Conservation at Pangti Village was displayed.

The programme was chaired by Thupuhu, wel come address was delivered by Manglumukh Village Council chairman, Udil Haflongbar and keynote address by R. Aaron Yimchunger.

DCC general session: Dimapur Chakhesang Council (DCC) has convened its general session on October 5, 11 a.m. at Hoho’s Conference Hall near Zaneibou Organic Market, Chakhesang Colony, Dimapur. All Hoho affiliated units, frontal organizations, retd. gazetted officers, senior citizens, public leaders, religious and social leaders have been requested to attend the programme.

DLSU golden jubilee meeting: Dimapur Lotha Students’ Union (DLSU) will be commemorating its golden jubilee on October 14 and 15 at Dimapur Government College, auditorium hall on the theme “Envisioning Radiant Posterity”. In this connection, convenor, organising committee, K Machio has informed all committee and sub-committee members to attend a meeting on October 3, 3 PM at Lotha Hoho Ki. All former presidents and general secretaries have also been requested to attend the meeting.

Puja celebrations: As part of Durga puja celebration and on the occasion of Maja Swasti, Chatteswary Durgabari organised a pro gramme with Dimapur Bengali Samaj president, K K Paul as the chief guest. Paul inaugurated the puja and also exhorted the samaj.

LJP (RV) puja greetings: Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Naga land unit has extended warm greetings to all the Hindu community of Nagaland and neighbouring states of India on the occasion of Durga Puja. The party hope that the auspicious occasion would inspire the people to follow the path of virtue and guide them towards oneness, amity, happiness and prosperity.

FFS, IPM kit distribution at Changlangshu: Department of agriculture, Tobu conducted a Farmers Field School (FFS) and distribution of Integrated pest management (IPM) kits on Sep tember 30 at Changlangshu Changsa Village.

DIMAPUR: Commemorat ing “Wildlife Week 2022”, an awareness programme for church and village leaders of Manglumukh area was organ ised by Intanki National Park (INP) on October 1 at Council Hall, Manglumukh Village.

A press release by INP stated that at the “Wildlife

Week 2022” aims to sensitise the local populace on the im portance of conservation.

In his speech, INP direc tor, T. Aochuba emphasised on the importance of conserving wildlife and urged upon the local church leaders to create awareness in their respective churches.

LMRSU asks teachers, medical staff to be at posting

DIMAPUR: Expressing displeasure over reports of government teachers and medical staffs neglecting their duties and responsibili ties, Lotha Middle Range Students Union (LMRSU) has asked all teaching and non-teaching staffs of gov ernment institutions and medical staffs of health care centres within its jurisdic tion to be at their respective

place of posting. In a press release, LMRSU media cell said the union would not com promise with the future of the students and lives of the general public due to the negligence of the concerned appointed government em ployees. In the event of noncompliance, the union said it would not hesitate to report to higher authorities,

which may further affect the position of the defaulting persons.

Meanwhile, LMRSU said its executive meeting has resolved to keep a check on the irregular and proxy teachers, as well as medical faculties. Hence, the union has reminded the concerned department employees to be more responsible and sincere towards their duty.

He suggested that church leaders dedicate a special Sun day and organise programmes and events to educate people on the significance of wildlife and the environment.

Pointing out that wild life was also God’s creation, Aochuba stated that the onus to protect and save the beauti

Members of Dimasa Baptist Church, Manglu mukh Baptist Church Jalukie Zangdi Village, Baptist Church Jalukiekam Village, Baptist Church Beisumpuikam Village, Presbyterian Church Besium puikam Village, council mem bers of Manglimukh Village and INP staff attended the programme.

IMFL destroyed at Mon Town

DIMAPUR: Following the order of the judicial magistrate Mon, over 3132 bottles of assorted Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) were de stroyed on October 1 at Mon Town.

In a press release, Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Mon, An gel Konyak informed that the liquor were seized under the Nagaland Li quor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act by the law enforcement agencies.

The seized products were de stroyed in the presence of the Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC) M.

Spiritual awakening prog at KLBC: One day spiritual awakening programme on the theme, “Renew us in you” was organised on October 1 at Kohima Liangmai Baptist Church (KLBC) D block with Associate Pastor, Women, Sumi Aphuyemi Baptist Akukuhou Kuqhakulu (SABAK) Kohima, Alito Swu and Pastor Baptist Mis sion Church (BMC) Kohima, Atuo Whourie as resource persons.

RPI (A) Nagaland holds consultative meet: Republican Party of India (A) Nagaland state committee consultative meeting with RPI (A) national committee member cum north east in-charge, Vinod Nikalje was held on September 27 at Hotel Saramati Dimapur, wherein Nikalje emphasised on the working principle of the party and informed that the national party president and union minister, Ram Das Athawale would visit Nagaland on October 28.

Farewell to retirees: In separate events, department of Health & Family Welfare bade farewell to outgoing officers- additional director Dr. Kechongol Sophie and joint director, Dr. Vinotsole Khamo; governor’s secretariat and household staff, Raj Bhavan or ganised retirement celebration for additional secretary to governor, George Abraham; directorate of Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship bade farewell to director Chiden Yaden while Urban Development has bade farewell to its retiring director, S. Takutuba Aier and registrar, Rita Luho.

Dimapur 24x7 organises workshop: Dimapur 24x7 organised a workshop on “Education, Mental Health & Menstrual Hygiene” on October 1 at Khriezephe Village. The workshop was led by chairperson, Dimapur 24x7, Annie Jain and was attended by Khriezephe village chairman, Jonah Kemp, self help groups (SGHs), and women and young girls of the village. During the workshop, items such as sanitary pads and razors sponsored by Madan Sharma & Co., Falguni Enterprise, and Falguni Pharma ceuticals were also distributed.

INP director, T. Aochuba along with INP staff and participants on October 1.

Khenpa, EAC, APP Mon, police personnel and representatives of Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khong (KNSK).

The destroyed IMFL products.

More reports on ‘International Day of Older Persons’

Ao Students Union Kohima celebrates 62nd foundation day

DIMAPUR: Ao Students Union Kohima (AKTK) celebrated its 62nd foun dation day on October 1 at Molu Ki, Kohima, wherein Kohima Munici pal Council (KMC) ad ministrator, T. Lanusenla Longkumer gave a detailed modern-day perspective on the motto of the union, “Learn Labour Achieve”.

According to a DIPR report, Longkumer en couraged the students to

learn with a definite goal and objective in mind and take up studies and courses in which they have inter ests and could excel. She further empha sized the need to work hard and how one’s work culture was directly related to successes and failures. She also highlighted the importance of making one’s interests and skills as a means of livelihood rather than depending on

DIMAPUR: Nagaland joined the rest of the world in celebrating the “Interna tional Day of Older Persons (IDOP)” on the theme, “Re silience of Older Persons in a Changing World” on October 1.

CKS: Chüketshe So ciety (CKS) Khezhakeno celebrated IDOP at Village Council Hall Khezhakeno with DRDA Wokha project director, Pfükrulhou Koza as the guest speaker, who urged upon the gathering to recognize the vital con tributions of older persons

in society and to show love, gratitude and respect to the elderly people.

Wokha: Deputy Commissioner Wokha, Ajit Kumar Ranjan along with District Welfare Of ficer, CDPO, SDO and JE (Wozhuro in-charge) PHED visited Phiro village on IDOP.

SCDF greets: Senior Citizens Dimapur Forum (SCDF) Dimapur in-charge, N Kumsang Imsong has wished all seniors on the occasion of “International Day of Older Persons”.

TOAH: The Tribal Old Age Home celebrated its 8th anniversary and IDOP at Thilixu Village, wherein the director of TOAHDCC, Imlitongzuk Amri highlighted on the concept, goals, mission and activities of the organisa tion. Senior citizens namely Akokla Jamir, Arthur Ed wards and Nisheli Sema, Anenla Phom Teplok, and T. Lotha and Zubeni Odyuo were also felicitated for their selfless service and contri bution towards the welfare of the society.

Corrigendum

government jobs. HSLC and HSSLC toppers of the 2021-22 batch from the Ao commu nity in Kohima were also felicitated at the formal programme.

The programme be gan with welcome address by Ao Students Union Ko hima (AKTK) president, Akumyanger and ended with vote of thanks by AKTK general secretary, Meyipong Kichu.

Educational institutions organise various programmes

DIMAPUR: Educational institu tions across the state have been organising various activities for the students and teaching staff as part of their yearly curriculum/ extracurricular activities.

YMC: The NSS unit of Yemhi Memorial College organ ised an orientation programme for the NSS volunteers on October 1 at the College Auditorium with as sistant professor and programme officer NSS unit YMC, Paunam heing Perang as the resource person.

In a separate event, following the guidelines laid down by the University Grants Commission (UGC), the anti-ragging cell of YMC Dimapur organised an orientation programme on antiragging on October 1 at the college auditorium with assistant profes sor and convenor Anti-Ragging

Cell, YMC, Sino Olive Shohe as the resource person.

As part of the activities to be undertaken under “Punnet Sagar Abhiyan”, the 1 Nagaland Girls Bn. NCC (SW)YMC Dimapur undertook a cleanliness drive on the river banks of Dhansiri River, Dimapur on October 1.

PCC: To observe “No-Al cohol Day”, Art Club Patkai Christian College (Autonomous) organised a seminar cum art workshop on October 1at the college premises with technical expert, program for appropriate technology in health, New Delhi, Yanchen Yanthan as resource person.

LFIC: Department of Political Science, Livingstone Foundation International Col lege commemorated 153rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

CFD AIDA organises workshop on RTE Act 2009

DIMAPUR: A workshop on the topic, “Right to Education Act 2009” was organised by Child Friendly Dimapur (CFD), a Child Friendly City Initiative of UNO, implanted by ANMA Integrated Development Association (AIDA)-Don Bosco on September 29 at AIDA.

A press release by AIDA informed that dur ing the workshop, resource person, TOT, Samagra Sik sha, Urban Block Dimapur, Carne Chishi while enlight ening the participants on the RTE Act 2009 said the Act was adapted in Naga land on March 21, 2010 as Nagaland Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rule 2010.

She elaborated on the key points under RTE Act 2009 entitled for every child between the ages of 6 to 14 years as stated in the 86th Constitution Amendment Act via Article 21A.

During the workshop, the participants were also educated on the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child four Cardinal Rights of the Child and the strategies implemented towards real izing Dimapur and Chu mukedima child friendly cities. The programme was attended by Child Rights Facilitators, Caring Community Groups and members of Civil Society Organization (Can Youth Dimapur).

Organisations create awareness on cleanliness

DIMAPUR: Various or ganisations, government departments and others created awareness on clean liness by organising pro grammes, social work and cleanliness drives.

NYKS Nagaland: Ne hru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) Nagaland “Clean India 2.0” programme was launched by advisor, youth resources and sports, Er. Zale Neikha on October 1 at Kezoma village, wherein Er.

Neikha appealed the people of Nagaland to promote cleanliness and reduce the use of Single Use Plastics (SUPs).

Zbto DEF social work: As a part of com munity policing and to reach out to public for a social cause, Zunheboto DEF under the initiative of SP Zunheboto, Khekali Y. Sema carried one day mass social work by maintaining a road stretch from Ghukiye

to Shena village via Kan diniu on October 1. PHED conducts campaigns: As part of the “Swachhata Hi Seva” (cleanliness is service) campaign, the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Na galand organised various programmes in Dimapur, Kiphire, Tuensang, Noklak and Shamator districts on the theme, “Visual cleanli ness of villages”.

MM BJP Nagaland:

Minority Morcha BJP Nagaland, Dimapur Dis trict and Dimapur Mandal 1-unit members on October 2 celebrated Mahatma Gan dhi’s birthday and as part of “Seva Pakhwada” cleaned a road stretch from Dho binala to PWD junction including the Jesus Memo rial Tower at Midland.

DYON & JVSN: The Dimasa Youth Organiza tion Nagaland (DYON) in collaboration with Jan

tati Vikash Samiti Naga land (JVSN) organised a cleanliness drive at Kachari Rajbari, Dimapur on ac count of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The cleanliness drive was initiated with the motive of adopting healthy sanitation practices and maintaining hygiene. Youths and students of 10 Dimasa Kachari villages along with members from JVSN participated at the cleanliness drive

by organising a talk on “Invoking Gandhian Philosophy in this age of Turbulence” on October 1, with HoD of political science, ICFAI university Nagaland Dr. Shasanka Shekhar Pati as resource person.

IC Dimapur: One day “spiri tual awakening crusade” on the theme, “Power of the Cross (1Cor inthians 1:18)” was organised by Immanuel College on October 1 at the College Auditorium, with director, Jerusalem Global Minis try, Dimapur, Apostle N. Joseph Konghay as the speaker.

MC & KROS: A collaborative faculty seminar was organised by Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of Modern College (MC) and KROS College on October 1 at MC.

SJU: The department of political science, St. Joseph Uni versity (SJU) Chümoukedima

organised its fifth annual “Veritas Lecture” on the topic, “Construc tive Naga Nationalism” with convenor, Forum for Naga Recon ciliation (FNR) Rev. Dr. A. Wati Aier as the speaker, on September 30 at the University Auditorium.

DIET: District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) Chiechama, Kohima held its freshers’ day on September 30 at the Conference Hall.

MCC: A peer team of Na tional Assessment and Accredi tation Council (NAAC) visited Model Christian College (MCC) Kohima on September 29-30 for the 2nd cycle of national assess ment and accreditation.

MTC: Mt. Tiyi College (MTC) Wokha organised its Alum ni meet on October 1 with minister of Technical Education and Tribal Affairs, Temjen Imna Along.

STH celebrates 30th general conference

DIMAPUR: Sümi Totimi Hoho (STH) celebrated its 30th general conference on September 30 at Su ruhuto Town on the theme, “Akikili kivi Müzüsükütsüü Totimi”.

In a press release, STH media cell stated that the conference was graced by advisor H Khehovi, West ern Sümi Baptist Akuku hou Küqhakülu (WSBAK) women secretary, Kakheli I. Zhimomi and Zunhe boto Government College, associate professor and HoD, Dr. Kalito Hokishe Kiho as special guest, guest speaker and guest of honour

respectively.

In his speech, Khehovi urged the Sümi mothers to play a vital role in unit ing the “divided Sümis” because God has created woman with the power of love, care and peace.

He also encouraged Sümi women to erase the “traditional thinking” of confining self between the four walls and to venture out, compete and live at par with the rest of the world. Khehovi also sug gested that STH conduct seminars in rural area so as to create awareness on gender equality.

In her message, Kakheli encouraged wom en to come forward and support the clean election campaign.

In her speech, Dr. Kalito while speaking on empowering women un derscored the importance of women in politics. She also called upon women to involve in clean election movement.

At the programme, Sümi Hoho president, Nikheto Jimomi delivered words of encouragement while Miss Sümi, Hikali Achumi delivered the greet ings.

A&C department organises ‘tribal festivals’ in several districts

KOHIMA: The festivals are being organised with an aim to disseminate the importance of various cultures and traditions in Nagaland and to encour age people to preserve their cultures.

In Kohima district, District Cultural Office Kohima organised “tribal fiesta” on September 30 at State Academy Hall, Ko hima with Deputy Com missioner (DC) Kohima, Shanavas C as special

guest invitee.

According to a DIPR report, Shanavas shared his experiences in various parts of the Nagaland and emphasised on the Mo rung concept of education as a welcoming initiative where traditional art and crafts were taught. He suggested Art & Culture department to col laborate with department of school education and organise “youth festivals” in the future.

This, he said, could become a yearly event to encourage the youth to embrace and value their cultures and traditions.

Highlights of the cul tural programme includ ed folklore presentation by Vikeyinuo Solo and Tongchet Amer while folk song and dance were per formed by Minister’s Hill Baptist Higher Secondary School, Angami, Pochury, Rengma, and Sümi cul tural troupes (Surumi).

CHÜMOUKEDIMA: In Chümoukedima district, the tribal festival was or ganised at registering of fice, department of Art & Culture with SDO (C) Chümoukedima, Tem suchuba Jamir as special guest invitee.

According to a DIPR report, Jamir emphasised on how people were born in a culture and were characterised not only by dances or attire, but through language, cuisine,

art, and music.

Terming ‘culture’ as the driving force of the society which has been passed on by forefathers as their identity, he urged upon the gathering to con tinue their passing on their cultures into the future without changing their values.

Highlights of the pro gramme included cultural presentations by various cultural troupes, and folk lore recitation.

TUENSANG: In Tuensang district, the festival was held at Town Hall with Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC) Tuensang, Toking Yimkhiung as special guest.

According to a DIPR report, Toking Yimkhiung

said Nagas were recognised for their honesty and hard work and that the event would help preserve such rich values.

He advised the people to preserve the good values and culture and cautioned

MON: District Cultural Office, Mon or ganised the tribal festival on September 30 at Town Council Hall, Mon, wherein DC Mon, Ajit Kumar Verma emphasised the importance of culture in way of life and for sustainable development. District cultural officer, Mon, Peter Thanghoi Thai

against cultural values being diluted with modernisa tion. Highlights of the pro gramme included folklore recitation and other cultural song and dance presenta tions by students and vari ous cultural troupes.

encouraged participants to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage. He urged the young artists to keep up the tradition of their forefathers. Highlights of the pro gramme included performances by artists from various educational institutions, log drum dragging ceremonies, war dance, etc.

Apropos to the news item under the headline “’Dendrite’ use not openly discussed:

ADC Dmu” published on October 2, it should be read as “psychiatrist for Dimapur district” and not as mentioned. Inadvertent error is regretted.

Administratot, KMC, T. Lanusenla Longkumer speaking at the 62nd foundation day of AKTK

District Hospital Blood Bank, Dimapur in-charge and Sr. specialist, Dr. Temsu informed that Salesian College of Higher Education and Muslim Council Dimapur on October 1 marked “National Voluntary Blood Donation” by donating 68 and 21 units of blood respectively.

DIMAPUR: District cultural offices under the department of Art & Culture (A&C) have been organising “tribal festivals” on the theme, “igniting cultural traditions” in their respective districts.

Chüketshe Society (CKS) celebrating ‘IDOP‘ at Khezhakeno.

30th General Conference of Sumi Totimi Hoho at Suruhuto Town.

KOHIMA

CHÜMOUKEDIMA

TUENSANG

Tribal Fiesta celebrated at State Academy Hall, Kohima. (DIPR) Cultural troupe presenting cultural dance. (DIPR) EAC Tuensang Toking Yimkhiung (Inset) addressing the gathering. (DIPR)

Gehlot targets Pilot, says Raj MLAs got agitated

JAIPUR, OCT 2 (PTI):

In a veiled attack on party leader Sachin Pilot, Rajas than Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said it was important to know why there was resentment among MLAs over the name of a new chief minis ter in the state.

Several MLAs loyal to Gehlot, who was seen as the frontrunner for the post of the Congress national president, had last week submitted resignation let ters over a possible move to appoint Pilot as the next chief minister.

Gehlot later an nounced that he will not contest the Congress presi dential polls as he took moral responsibility for the political crisis in his state.

Referring to the cri sis, he said 80 90 per cent MLAs switch sides when a new chief minister is going to be appointed but this did not happen in Rajasthan.

“When a chief min ister is changed, 80 90 per cent (MLAs) leave him and switch sides. They turn to the new candidate. I too don’t consider it wrong. But it was a new case in Rajasthan where the MLAs got agitated just in the name of the new chief minister,” Gehlot said without naming

Pilot. “I was in Jaisalmer. I could not guess but the MLAs sensed who was going to be the new chief minister,” he told report ers after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the secretariat here.

When asked about the chances of the chief min ister being changed now, Gehlot reiterated that it is for the party high command to decide. “I am doing my work and it is for the party high command to take a decision,” he said.

The veteran Congress man on Saturday asked the people to send suggestions about the next budget di rectly to him, hinting that he was there to stay.

He also declared that he cannot remain away

from the people of Rajast han “till his last breath” and that the Congress govern ment will complete its five years.

The chief minister said his objective is to bring the Congress government back to power in Rajasthan after the next polls, which is im portant for the revival of the party at the national level.

“I had already con veyed to madam (Sonia Gandhi) and Ajay Maken in August that it is not nec essary that I should be the chief minister. I told them that I am ready to withdraw. I said I will support and campaign because it should be our aim to revive the Congress party,” he said.

On Sunday, advertise ments of Invest Rajasthan,

Told Tharoor better to have consensus candidate, but he wanted contest: Kharge

the Gandhi family So nia Gandhi, Rahul Gan dhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wanted to become the party chief.

“All my colleagues told me to fight the party president poll and on their calling and encourage ment, I got inspiration as they extended their coop eration...because Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi do not want to become presi dent,” he said.

going to be held in Jaipur on October 7 and 8, with the chief minister’s message appeared on front pages on newspapers, indicating Gehlot’s confidence that he was going to continue as the chief minister.

Meanwhile, Gehlot’s advisor and independent MLA Sanyam Lodha indi rectly expressed apprehen sion about the possibility of the government completing the tenure. A video clip of Lodha speaking at a Gan dhi Jayanti programme in Sirohi surfaced on social media in which he is seen talking about completing a local project if the govern ment continued. “I hope that if the government con tinues, we will start that work in January,” he said.

Gehlot also said that the observer is a big post, and anyone acting as an ob server should act on behalf of the party high command and should reflect their aura. Observers come on behalf of the party high command. Why such cir cumstances were developed here, a research should be done, he said referring to the rebellion by the MLAs.

Gehlot said no one is perfect and he, too, learns everyday and corrects him self whenever needed.

He asserted that he cannot ditch the 102 MLAs who had saved his govern ment during the political crisis in 2020 and, therefore, he apologised to Sonia Gan dhi. Targeting the MLAs who had revolted against him in 2020, he said they were hand in glove with the BJP.

“Some of our MLAs met Amit Shah, Dharmen dra Pradhan and other BJP leaders. Amit Shah was of fering sweets to our MLAs. So, how can I forget those 102 MLAs who saved the Congress government,” he said without naming anyone.

“I have got public sup port whenever needed, be it during the political crisis or during corona. How can I stay away from them,” he asked. Hours before the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting that was to be convened at the chief minister’s residence last Sunday, MLAs loyal to Gehlot had held a parallel meeting at the residence of parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal against any move of the party to make Pilot the new chief minister after Gehlot resigned in order to contest the Congress president elec tions.

Don’t ignore any communication shared by NSCS and NSA: PM Modi to ministers

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (PTI): Prime Minister Na rendra Modi has told all ministers and secretaries not to ignore background notes or other communica tion shared by National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and National Secu rity Advisor (NSA), and to take them seriously, sources said on Sunday.

Stressing that while framing any policy, there is a need to look at it from India’s strategic point of view, Modi said there were instances when notes from the national security council were not given due impor tance.

During a five hour long meeting of the council of ministers held on Friday that was also attended by all secretaries in the Union government, Modi cited the case of the dependence on imported Active Pharma ceutical Ingredients (APIs) used for manufacturing drugs, which was high lighted by the NSCS several years back, the sources said.

Thereafter, on the in struction of Prime Minister Modi, Deputy NSA Vikram Misri gave a presentation on NSCS to apprise ministers about the secretariat, they

said.

In the presentation, Misri shared the details about changes taking place across the world, especially in Europe, Russia and the US, and their impact on India, the sources added.

According to sources, Misri’s presentation was not originally scheduled and was added on the interven tion of the prime minister, sources said.

Before Misri, Finance Secretary TV Somanathan and Commerce Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam also gave their presentations.

During the meeting, Modi also underlined that the policy making process is dynamic and it needs to

be modified with changing times.

Citing an example from his tenure as Gujarat chief minister, the prime minister said there were some rules related to a min istry that were named after some other state and this was changed only after he pointed it out to officials, the sources said.

He told the meeting that there is a tendency of being complacent in framing and implementing policies and this should be avoided.

Policies should be customised with changing times, the sources quoted the prime minister as say ing.

Accused in Moosewala murder case, escapes from custody

CHANDIGARH, OCT 2 (PTI): Gangster Deepak Tinu, one of the accused in singer Sidhu Moosewa la’s murder, escaped from police custody in Mansa district, in a major embar rassment for Punjab Police which sacked the officer incharge and arrested him.

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (PTI): Nominee for the Congress president post Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said he told fellow contender Shashi Tharoor that it would be better to have a consensus candi date, but the Lok Sabha MP insisted on a contest for the “sake of democracy”.

Kharge said if he be comes the party chief, he will consult the Gandhi family and other senior leaders and implement the good things suggested by them, even as he rejected claims that he was the “of ficial candidate” backed by the Gandhis.

Launching his Con gress presidential poll cam paign with a press confer ence at his residence here,

80 year old Kharge said there is no G 23 camp now and all those leaders want to fight unitedly against the RSS BJP and therefore are supporting him.

Several dissident leaders such as Bhupinder Hooda, Anand Sharma, Manish Tewari and Prith viraj Chavan of the group of 23, which had written to party chief Sonia Gandhi in 2020 for large scale or ganisational reform, have put their weight behind Kharge by becoming his proposers instead of back ing Tharoor who was a prominent member of the grouping.

Kharge said all senior leaders and youth leaders urged him to contest the polls as no member of

Kharge asserted that he had not entered the poll fray to oppose anyone but to strengthen the Congress through his views and to take forward the party ide ology. He said that in line with ‘one person, one post’ principle of the party, he resigned as Leader of Op position in Rajya Sabha on the day he filed the nomi nation.

Kharge elaborated on his political journey of struggles and successes, and asserted that working for a party is not a part time job but a full time work.

“I have been working full time. If I sat in Parlia ment then I would get up only in the evening at the time of shut down. It is my habit that whatever I take up, I work sincerely,” he said.

Tinu escaped from the custody of the Crime In vestigation Agency (CIA) unit of the Mansa Police on Saturday night when he was brought on a produc tion warrant from Goind wal Sahib jail in Tarn Taran district in another case. The Incharge CIA has been dis missed from service under Article 311 of the constitu tion, Punjab police said.

An FIR under IPC sections 222 (Intentional omission to apprehend on the part of public servant bound to apprehend person under sentence or lawfully committed), 224 (Resis tance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension) 225 A (Omission to apprehend, or sufferance of escape, on part of pub lic servant...) and 120 B (Punishment of criminal conspiracy) has been regis tered against errant police officials.

Punjab Director Gen eral of Police Gaurav Yadav said the CIA incharge has been arrested while assert ing that no laxity will be tolerated.

He said police teams have fanned out to nab Tinu.

Earlier in 2017, Tinu, who faces several cases including murder and ex tortion in various states, had escaped with the help of another gangster and his aide from Haryana after throwing pepper spray in the eyes of a police official. Later in December that year, he was arrested by the Bhiwani police from Bengaluru.

“FIR regd. against er rant police official on the es cape of Deepak Tinu from custody in Mansa Incharge CIA apprehended... No lax ity will be tolerated. Police teams have fanned out & operation for re arresting accused launched,” DGP Yadav in a tweet. The in cident prompted the op position parties to attack the AAP government in Punjab.

“Gangster Deepak Tinu, a key suspect who was hauled in for interroga

‘India, Taiwan need to join hands to fend off expansion of autocracy’

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (PTI): India and Taiwan are threatened by “authori tarianism” and it is high time for both sides to en gage in “strategic collabo ration”, Taipei’s de facto

Ambassador Baushuan Ger said on Sunday while referring to China’s ag gressive behaviour in the region.

In an interview to PTI, Ger said Taiwan and India need to join hands to “fend off” the “expansion of autocracy” as he cited actions in the East and the South China Sea, Hong Kong and Galwan Valley to highlight reasons for ten sions in the region.

Following a high profile visit to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August, China has been ramping up its mili tary offensive against the self ruled island of more than 23 million people, triggering global concerns.

China considers Tai wan as its breakaway prov ince and reacted angrily to Pelosi’s tour of Taiwan.

Baushuan Ger (PTI)

Ger said Taiwan ap preciated India for stand ing up for justice, peace and stability in the Tai wan Strait in the wake of China’s military offensive in response to Pelosi’s trip.

“Both India and Tai wan are threatened by authoritarianism; hence, closer collaboration be tween the two is not only desirable but necessary,” Ger said. “I believe now is high time for us to engage in strategic collaboration, with enhancing trade and technology cooperation being one of the most fea sible areas to begin with,” he added.

The envoy said the

Chinese military has been escalating its aggression around the waters and air space of Taiwan and Ja pan, severely “devastating” peace and security in the Indo Pacific region.

He said the actions in creased the possibilities of “miscalculation” but they may well be a “prelude” to changes in the status quo.

“We appreciate that India has stood up for jus tice, peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Now some were misguided in thinking that by inviting Speaker Pelosi, Taiwan and the US were the ‘provoca teurs’, intending to change the status quo,” Ger said.

“However, if we take a look at the facts on the ground over the years

Galwan Valley, East and the South China Sea and Hong Kong it is clear who the real provocateur is.

Taiwan is merely defending itself in reaction to what is happening,” he added.

While China has been cracking down on pro de mocracy activists in Hong

Kong and continued to ramp up its military activi ties in the East and South China Sea, its aggressive behaviour triggered the clashes in Galwan Valley in June 2020.

India does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but both sides have trade and people to people relations. In 1995, New Delhi set up India Taipei Association (ITA) in Taipei to promote interactions between the two sides.

“It is encouraging to see that in recent years there have been funda mental changes in terms of how democracies, India included, are no longer just reacting to but taking active measures in preventing and countering anti democratic tactics and grey zone op erations,” Ger said.

“India in this regard is just like Taiwan, standing at the forefront in the face of aggressive and belliger ent authoritarian regimes. We need to join hands to fend off the expansion of autocracy,” he added.

The de facto ambas sador said there is a “gar gantuan untapped well of potential” for cooperation between Taiwan and India.

“We can and should collaborate more on cyber, space, maritime, green en ergy, food security and even tourism and gastronomy,” he said. Ger said yoga is hugely popular in Taiwan and Bollywood films are also catching up quickly.

“There is so much we can offer to each other. It is my sincere hope that India sees Taiwan in its own right,” he said.

Referring to Chinese military actions, Ger said Taiwan has been at the forefront in the fight against creeping authoritarianism for decades.

“Every single day, we repel numerous attempts of malicious hacking and disinformation attacks; our fighter jets and warships thwart attempts of intru sion, and our coastguards drive away illegal camou flaged fishing boats,” he said.

tion in the case of Sidhu Moosewala, managed to escape from Mansa Police’s custody in a cinematic man ner while the CM of Punjab is busy performing ‘Garba’ in Gujarat,” Leader of Op position and Congress lead er Partap Singh Bajwa said in a tweet.

Charan Kaur, the mother of Sidhu Moosewa la, questioned how Deepak Tinu escaped from police custody and also alleged that the arrested gangsters were getting “facilities” in jails. “Yesterday night, one escaped from the custody of CIA staff. How did he es cape,” she asked in Mansa.

Tinu is a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bish noi, also an accused in the murder case of the Punjabi singer.

Earlier in the day when asked about the incident, Patiala Range Inspector General Mukhwinder Singh Chhina, who is currently holding additional charge as Bathinda Range IG, told

PTI over phone, “Police parties are on the job and we will catch him soon.”

Sources said that after the escape of the gangster, po lice of neighbouring states including Rajasthan and Haryana had been alerted.

Shubhdeep Singh Sid hu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district on May 29.

He was killed when he was on his way to Jawa har Ke village in Mansa in a jeep with his friend and cousin. His vehicle was waylaid and bullets were sprayed on him by six shooters. After the killing, Goldy Brar, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the murder.

Tinu is among 24 accused who have been charge sheeted in the mur der case. He is a close aide of gangsters Lawrence Bish noi and Jaggu Bhagwan puria and had remained lodged with them in differ ent jails.

Tinu was allegedly in volved in the planning of Moosewala’s murder.

Congress leader Par tap Singh Bajwa hit out at police for its “negligence”.

“This is the height of Punjab Police and Admin istration’s carelessness and negligence. Such errors and security breaches are inexcusable. If they are

incapable of handling hard core detained criminals then God save the common man,” said Bajwa.

Akali leader and for mer union minister Har simrat Kaur Badal said in her tweet, “While Pb CM @BhagwantMann is busy dancing Garba in Gujarat, Sidhu Moosewala killer Deepak Tinu escapes from police custody after being allowed use of phones & taken out without hand cuffs in a private car late at night. No wonder there is Gangster Raj under @ AAPPunjab.”

Congress MLA from Jalandhar Cantt Pargat Singh said, “This reflects poorly on @PunjabPoli ceInd and AAP Govt. Meanwhile an unconcerned CM @BhagwantMann is busy playing Garba in Gu jarat.”

Punjab BJP General Secretary Subhash Sharma, in a tweet in Hindi, said, “Deepak Tinu, accused in the Sidhu Moosewala mur der case and associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, escaping from the custody of CIA staff in Mansa is extremely worrying. Chief Minister and Home Minis ter are busy in political tours (for Gujarat elections), Pun jab is suffering.”

Notably, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was on Sunday touring poll bound Gujarat.

CBI makes social media debut ahead of Interpol General Assembly

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (PTI): Social media shy CBI has made a maiden appearance on Twitter and Instagram ahead of the upcoming Interpol Gen eral Assembly in which 195 countries are likely to participate, officials said on Sunday.

The agency created its accounts on both platforms with user ID CBI_CIO for the three day long 90th General Assembly starting October 18, they said.

Unlike its peers, the Enforcement Directorate and the National Investiga tion Agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had kept social media at an arm’s length, sticking to the age old practice of issuing press releases.

The General Assembly will focus on cyber crime, financial crimes and Child Sexual Abuse Material ped dled on the internet among other issues, officials said. Having already organ

ised a General Assembly in 1997, India was given an out of turn chance to organ ise the event through a vote on the eve of the 75th anni versary of its independence.

Home Minister Amit Shah had made a proposal in this regard to Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock, who called on the minister during his visit to India.

The General Assem bly is Interpol’s supreme governing body, comprising representatives from each of the 195 member coun tries which meet annually. Each member country may be represented by one

or several delegates who are typically ministers, chiefs of police, heads of their Interpol National Central Bureaus and senior ministry officials, they said.

India, which joined the organisation in 1949, is one of the oldest members of The International Crimi nal Police Organization, known as Interpol.

Headquartered in Lyon, France, Interpol was founded in 1923 as the In ternational Criminal Police Commission (ICPC). The name Interpol served as the agency’s telegraphic address in 1946, and was chosen as its common name in 1956.

The CBI is designated as the National Central Bu reau of India for Interpol. The agency has ac tively participated in two recent operations based on Interpol inputs Opera tion Megha Chakra against online Child Sexual Abuse Material and Operation Garud against narcotics.

Ashok Gehlot meets people after paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Circle, in Jaipur, Sunday. (PTI)

Narendra Modi

Mallikarjun Kharge with party leader Deepender Singh Hooda addresses a press conference in New Delhi. (PTI)

Gangster Deepak Tinu held by security personnel. (File)

Choosing past continuity

For the Congress, its much hyped Bharat Jodo Yatra is supposed to be a brilliant strategy of going to the people and being on the road to highlight failures of the ruling BJP government and get positive vibes in the run up to the 2024 parliamentary elections. Rahul Gandhi, who has turned his back on the party organisation, hopes to propel himself as the leader to challenge Modi will lead the yatra which will pass through 12 states and culminate in Jammu and Kashmir. The Bharat Jodo Yatra which kicked off on September 7 will cover some 3500 kms in around 150 days and expected end sometime during the first week of February 2023. However, even as the Yatra be gan, the defection of eight Goa Congress MLAs to BJP on September 15, instead attracted negative attention for the party. The defection only exposed the inherent Achilles heel of the party at a time when it sought to project itself as the only viable alternative to the BJP. To add to the party’s em barrassment, the election turned out to be just the opposite of what the yatra sought to achieve. The Gandhis wanted to handpick a loyalist to counter Sashi Tharoor,Lok Sabha MP,a skilled orator but with little organisational experience. Eventually the Gandhis and their close confidants convinced Ashok Gehlot to contest. However, Gehlot wanted the best of both- party president as well as con tinue as chief minister of Rajasthan- to which the Gandhis refused. Gehlot realised he would have to give up the post of chief minister and that the Gandhis would then pick his arch foe, Sachin Pilot to replace him. Gehlot was determined not to allow Pilot to replace him and so his camp defied the high command on September 26 over change in leadership in Rajasthan.Gehlot then decided to quit from the race as being chief minister was any day better than a rubber stamp party president. Sachin has been denied for the second time. He was sup posed to be the chief minister after engineering the organisation to a brilliant poll win in 2018 but the Gandhis pulled veteran family adviser Gehlot from semi-retirement as chief minister. Sachin continues to wait but there is hardly much time left before Rajasthan goes to the polls in 2023 and he can ill afford to wait till Gehlot finishes him politically. This should be the biggest worry for the Congress. Meanwhile, Digvijaya Singh, old warhorse from Madhya Pradesh, was to challenge Sashi Thoroor. However, the Gandhi loyalists picked Mallikarjun Kharge( RS member and party leader) at the elev enth hour to contest. Kharge has the full backing of the entire Gandhi family loyalist and certain of win ning the contest. To strike a chord, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that Mallikarjun Kharge has the experience to strengthen the Congress and would emerge as a clear winner, while his rival Shashi Tharoor belongs to the “elite class”. It may be recalled that Tharoor said if elected, he would do away with the high command culture; while Kharge reaffirmed he will remain loyal to the Nehru-Gandhi family and always abide by their directions. Assum ing that Kharge will be the next Congress president, it will mean that the party has chosen the past and is unwilling for change in Tharoor, a man of the future. Unfortunately for the Congress, this is the message that will overshadow the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

DailyDevotion

The Place of Humiliation

If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. —Mark 9:22

After every time of exaltation, we are brought down with a sudden rush into things as they really are, where it is neither beautiful, poetic, nor thrilling. The height of the mountaintop is measured by the dismal drudgery of the valley, but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God. We see His glory on the mountain, but we never live for His glory there. It is in the place of humiliation that we find our true worth to God— that is where our faithfulness is revealed. Most of us can do things if we are always at some heroic level of intensity, simply because of the natural selfishness of our own hearts. But God wants us to be at the drab everyday level, where we live in the valley according to our personal relationship with Him. Peter thought it would be a wonderful thing for them to remain on the mountain, but Jesus Christ took the disciples down from the mountain and into the valley, where the true meaning of the vision was explained (see Mark 9:5-6, Mark 9:14-23).

“If you can do anything….” It takes the valley of humiliation to remove the skepticism from us. Look back at your own experience and you will find that until you learned who Jesus really was, you were a skillful skeptic about His power. When you were on the mountaintop you could believe anything, but what about when you were faced with the facts of the valley? You may be able to give a testimony regarding your sanctification, but what about the thing that is a humiliation to you right now? The last time you were on the mountain with God, you saw that all the power in heaven and on earth belonged to Jesus— will you be skeptical now, simply because you are in the valley of humiliation?

‘Hanuman’ never wakes up, Govt the holy cow, biz milk it

The lament of India –Jawahar Lal Nehru to Nirmala Sithara man has not changed after 70 years. Corporate did not listen to Nehru and are not listening to Sithara man. The RBI routinely manages repo rate, infla tion and loses forex but the private sector rolls in profits. High or low the rupee, industry changes are not commensurate.

Nehru had offered to the private majors to help India become a giant with investment in build ing the power, steel and every conceivable sector as he was preparing for the first five-year-plan. The lack of response led to creation of large industrial state-owned enterprises. It was a compulsion for the government of a newly independent country. As the public sector raised standards, the private in 1960s sent their many sick industries to be nursed by the government and then with good health reclaim it. It was a mistake to do that and nationalise the sick textile mills.

Now for the eight years even after liberal as sistance, loans and other amenities, at a summit, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called upon Indian industrialists to

invest in the country: “Is it like Hanuman? You don’t believe in your own capac ity, in your own strength and there has to be some one standing next to you and say you are Hanuman, do it?”

Will this Hanuman wake up? They do not. The government is the holy cow. Many opportunities were given after 1991 liber alisation, it ended in enor mous stock scams -Har shad Mehta to UTI, LIC, Ketan Parekh and what not. The JPC probe testi fies it. After Lehman 2007 world collapse, which had virtually escaped India, the private 50 top companies denuded the banks with the government incenti visation programmes. But for clever reengineering by the NDA government and then finance minister Arun Jaitley the collapse of the banking sector was inevitable. The private sec tor does not learn. They told Nehru that enterprises like power were risky and was the responsibility of the government. They are still not listening but their old instincts weary of high standards of quality and employee care rattled them. They through mach inations grab the public sector giants. JRD Tata had proposed an offer in

1947 to the Indian govern ment to have 49 percent stakes in Air India, which worked out in 1953. But again thru a long machina tion since 2005, in which a central minister played significant role by deny ing gainful routes from the AI, among the fewest profit making airlines, was driven to losses and handed over for a song. The PSUs are no bad at business, it proved.

And today the coun try is crying hoarse over current ac count deficit, sinking jobs, unexportable products, India is a net importer of oil but private companies sell oil spud in the country abroad for high profits. What have they done all these 70 years to make quality products to be ac ceptable by global consum ers? Madam Sitharaman, the personal kitty-oriented profits for manipulations are more lucrative for them than acting like a Hanu man. If the rupee is falling it is because they do not stand up to challenges and always blamed the government and efficient Navratnas, even many that they acquired. An audit is called for assessing how the companies they took over are functioning.

They raised the bogey that the government should not be in the business and the private do not con tribute to it except taking over efficiently managed government enterprises. The rupee is tumbling for them and the Indians are trying to help the supine Hanuman.

In the process, the government remains in stress and does new ex perimentations. And those in business even at high 7 percent consumer or 12 to 15 percent wholesale infla tion make high profits and cuss, who else but the same government which cares for it. Today rupee depreciates for the failure of the biz class and with it rises external and fiscal deficit as well as domestic inflation.

The finance minister asked the Indian industry why it was hesitant to invest: “We will do every thing to get the industry to invest here. I want to hear from India Inc what’s stopping you?

No, Madam, they would not. Recently, right fully you stopped the sale of Central Electronics Ltd. May be once again it is time to rethink and strengthen the enterprises

Post-mortem

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya: An Indian political philosopher par excellence

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya is one of the greatest ever vision ary political thinkers of India. He has been extensively admired for the decolonisation of Indian political thoughts. His political ideology is coined as Integral Humanism and it is the official political doctrine of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of today. In modern India, many right winged intellectuals often compare him as good a visionary as Mahatma Gandhi. His whole philosophy was for the upliftment of the oppressed class of the society, especially the Dalits and the downtroddens. He also opined for the Muslim upliftment. As per the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Upadhyaya expressed that Muslims should not be treated as different people. Neither to reward them, nor to rebuke them, but simply empower them by considering them as our own. This essay is an introduc tion to Pandit Upadhyaya and his thoughts to the enthusiasts.

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was born on 25th September 1916, in a village of Mathura district of United Providence, British India. He was called ‘Deena’ by his family and friends. He became an orphan at a very young age and so, was brought up at his maternal grandfather’s place. Young Deendayal was a very brilliant student during the school days. He had his schooling at differ ent places and he stood first in the board examination as well as in the intermediate examination (1937) of Rajasthan. He got a BA degree in first division from Sanatan Dharma College, Kanpur in 1939 and pur sued his master’s degree in English literature from St. John’s College, Agra which he didn’t complete. He obtained his B.T. degree also from Prayag thereafter. He also qualified the civil services examination, where he got his nickname as ‘Panditji’ for appearing in the examination hall wearing traditional dhoti-kurta and cap. However, he did not join the service.

Pandit Upadhyaya came in contact with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) in 1937 at Kanpur and gradually became a lifelong pracharak of the Sangh after coming in close contact with Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the founder of RSS. In 1951, Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee founded Bharatiya Jana Sangh(BJS) as the right winged Indian political party.

Upadhyaya entered into active politics by becoming the first General Secretary of Uttar Pradesh branch and later, became the all-India gen eral secretary. For 15 long years, he was serving as the general secretary of BJS. In 1965, his thoughts were adapted as the official doctrine of the BJS and later BJP. He became

the president of BJS in 1967. His tenure was very short as President as he was found dead by a railway track in Mughal Sarai Station on February 11, 1968 under mysterious circum stances. He was only 52 at that time.

Upadhyaya was a prolific writer. He started his career as a free-launch journalist in Rashtra Dharma, a Hindy daily. Then, he became the edi tor of Panchjanya, a weekly chronicle and Swadesh, a daily newspaper in Hindi. Both were published from Lucknow. His editorials in both of them were extremely thought pro voking. He wrote a Hindi drama on Chandragupta Maurya. He also wrote a biography of Adi Shankarcharya in Hindi. He translated a Marathi biography of Dr. Hedgewar also.

Upadhyaya is best known for his “deshi political philosophy” of Integral Humanism as an alternative to the western capitalist individual ism and the Marxist socialism. He analysed both capitalism as well as socialism from western perspectives but made a mixed approach of both of them with Bharatiya values. Inte gral Humanism basically states that there are four major existential traits of every human being. They are body, mind, intellect and soul. These four attributes correspond to four universal objectives. They are : I) dharma, the moral duties ii) artha, the wealth iii) kama, the desire for enjoyment and iv) moksha, the total liberation or salvation. The western thought presumes the mind, the intellect and the soul collectively as a single entity. So, both, the western capitalism and socialism consider only two aspects of human life namely, body and mind. Hence, both these schools of western thoughts are confined to the materialist objectives of desire and wealth only for human life. Integral Humanism utterly rejects the social systems in which individualism is of supreme importance. However, it also rejects communism as in commu nism, the rights of the individuals are totally subdued by a small supreme powerful entity in the name of the society. This supreme entity acts as a “heart less machine” to crash the individual’s aspiration.

Integral Humanism accepts the society as a “natural living organ ism” with a definitive “social soul” into it. It doesn’t endorse the theory that the society is formed by the social contracts between individu als. Society is actually metaphoric to the individual in the sense that it also has four collective objectives and four corresponding features. Like the individuals, society is a living being and it also has an inner soul.

The inherent source of integral humanism is taken from advaita vedanta (non-dualism) of Upanisad. Advaita Vedanta sees everything

as the equal or same. It states that the body and the mind may remain distinct while not actually being separate. This is the essence of Indian philosophy and culture and it is the unifying principle of everything in the Universe. The integral humanism is best known for “a classless, casteless and conflict-free social order”. It talks about the integration of indigenous “Bharatiya” culture with the social, political and economic fabric of the nation. It has many traits common to Gandhian principles such as sarvodya & antyodaya (maximum progress for everyone), swadeshi (domestic), Gram Swaraj (village self rule) and samanvaya (synthesis of conflict free values) and dharmarajya (justice for all) as the basis of the citizen’s life in the society.

Upadhyaya, of course, was critical to Nehruvian economic poli cies. Pandit Nehru emphasized the increase of material wealth through rapid industrialization which in turn, would invoke western consumerism in Indian society. Upadhyaya was critical to this policy because it would borrow the uncertainty and restless ness of the Western world which might thwart the evolving nature of Bharatiya society. So, there should be a striking balance between the tradi tional Indian thoughts versus modern western thoughts while adopting policies for the nation. Then only, the issues of social disparity, poverty and regional hegemonic imbalances could be tackled for the national in terests. Thus, he opposed unbridled consumerism by putting restraints on one’s desires for surplus material advancements and advocated spiritual contentment through Indian ethos

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was not discussed much earlier as an intellectual, especially during the former regimes. However, after BJP assumed the central stage of the politics in India, their ideological Guru, Upadhyaya naturally got limelighted focus. The BJP government has launched several schemes in honour of him. The BJP believes that Deendayal Upadhyaya’s philosophy needs a fresh interpretation. Some of the BJP ruled states have included chapters on him in the academic curriculum.

Of course, some critics point out that he was “biased” against the Muslims. Some also criticised him for not explicitly vocal against the caste system. Whether we agree with his philosophy or not, he was surely one of the greatest political thinkers of all time in India and we all should be aware of his “deshi thoughts”. Let us explore him with great reverence.

Ranjan Das, Assistant Professor, Patkai Christian College (Autonomous)

that are in government command. She has listed corporate tax cut to chang ing the labour laws to suit hire and fire to raise their investment capacity.

She forgot that over $ 82 billion forex was lost to keep the rupee stable in nine months and lost large sums in giving incentives. The private profits soared. Exports did not pick up because their goods cannot compete. Also because of them wages were sup pressed and the demand in the market was lost long before the pandemic, in 2017. Studies say that pan demic caused a 47 percent decline in the average sea sonally adjusted per capita real household income in April 2020 compared to February 2020.

This slowdown in structural growth was caused largely by declining household savings rate and low agricultural growth.

The industry cleverly ca ters to the government’s slogans but they will invest only for their own returns and not for the ‘rashtra’.

The rashtra needs to depend on statistics from the government institu tions. Now the private even with not so high quality of data are being relied on.

The government bodies give the signal for correc

tions, the private sensation alise. The concern of the government for the small firms, traders, agricultural sectors and working class needs to be reflected and not challenged by data that are difficult to confirm. Indian official data are internationally recognized.

There is a balance of payment problem. Also there is need for ease of doing business. The GST needs simplification. But all the same the poor man needs his vehicle to be saved from seizure because of auto lobby manipula tion. The increased money circulation be utilised to let the informal sector grow and target drastically changing the model of exports basket, a difficult but essential effort.

So finance minister would do better not to rely on industry. She has to invigorate the cache of public sector, imple ment the PSU model of wages everywhere to boost consumer demand, and make the private sector professionally compete for a future India. Also she can forget for some time stabilizing the rupee. A competitive industry pro ducing products at proper prices would help the do mestic economy as well as capture the world market.

World Habitat Day 2022

Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind

We have seen mi gration of peo ple from rural areas to urban areas. One of the main reasons for migration is in search of better livelihood options.

Due to limited options in rural areas people are migrating to urban areas which are directly or in directly bringing many challenges for the cities and other urban areas.

We are aware that cities are responsible for 70 per cent of global car bon dioxide emissions, with transport, buildings, energy, and waste manage ment accounting for the bulk of urban emissions.

By 2050, two-thirds of our global population will live in urban areas. Nearly 90% of the growth in urban population will occur in Asia and Africa.

The United Nations (UN) designated the first Monday of October of ev ery year as World Habitat Day (WHD) to reflect on the state of our habitats, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter.

The day is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns. This year the day is being observed on 3rd October. In 1985 the UN designated the day and the idea is to reflect on the state of our towns and cit ies and the basic right of all to adequate shelter. WHD was first celebrated in 1986 with the theme “Shelter is My Right”. Nairobi was the host city for the observance that year.

In 2022, WHD under the theme “Mind the Gap.

Leave No One and Place Behind” looks at the prob lem of growing inequality and challenges in cities and human settlements.

WHD 2022 seeks to draw attention to the growing inequalities and vulner abilities that have been exacerbated by the triple ‘C’ crises — COVID-19, climate and conflict.

The pandemic and recent conflicts have re versed years of progress made in the fight against poverty, resulting in the emergence of newly poor people — those who would

have exited poverty in the absence of the pandemic but remain poor, and those who have fallen into pov erty on account of the pandemic. According to the UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report, the number of people affected was be tween 119 and 124 million in 2020, and between 143 and 163 million in 2021. Tackling urban poverty and inequality have become an urgent global priority. It is known that cities and local governments play a front-line role in responding to crises and emergencies, as well as in planning for an inclusive, resilient, and green future.

To prepare urban areas for future catastrophes, we need to start with cit ies. The Strategic Plan for 2020–2023 re-positions UN-Habitat as a major global entity, a centre of excellence and innovation.

Secretary General of the UN in his message on the occasion of WHD said that “each year, World Habitat Day focuses at tention on the state of human settlements. This year’s theme – ‘Mind the Gap. Leave No One and No Place Behind’ – puts the spotlight on widening inequalities in living con ditions across the world. A cascade of challenges – from climate chaos and conflicts to COVID-19 – is hitting the most vulnerable populations the hardest.”

The day is an oppor tunity for all of us to rethink about the progress that we made in our cities . The question is, are we making our cities sustain able? Proper planning and good policy documents are important to make cities and our habitats more sustainable and it is possible when all of us contribute positively. No one should be left behind in the process of develop ing cities. Every human being whether rich or poor must get dignity and a place to stay and explore habitat positively. Effective habitat management is a must if we want to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

Ranjan K Baruah (With direct inputs from UN publication)

Reader’s note: Articles or letters published in any of the columns do not reflect the view of this newspaper nor that of the Editor in any manner.

“Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated.”

Shivaji Sarkar

Rahul pays tribute to Gandhi on birth anniv

SAYS THOSE IN POWER APPROPRIATE GANDHI BUT FAILED TO WALK HIS FOOTSTEPS

BADANAVALU

(K’TAKA), OCT 2 (PTI):

Congress leader Rahul Gan dhi on Sunday paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary and said while it is convenient for those in power to appropri ate the legacy of the Father of the Nation, it is difficult to walk in his footsteps.

Rahul Gandhi, who visited a Khadi Gramodyog Kendra here that Mahatma Gandhi had visited in 1927 and 1932, said the ideol ogy that killed the freedom fighter has delivered in equality and divisiveness in the last eight years.

He also participated in a prayer meeting and inter acted with women weavers at the Khadi Gramodyog Kendra. Later, he visited Badanavalu village near Mysuru and interacted with the villagers besides doing ‘Shramdaan’ (voluntary work) by laying a pavement.

The former Congress chief also painted the trico lour with village children.

In a statement, Rahul Gandhi said, “We remem ber and pay our respects to that great son of India. Our remembering is made more poignant by the fact that we are on the 25th day of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a padyatra in which we are walking his path of ahimsa,

unity, equality and justice.”

“Just as Gandhiji fought the British Raj, we ... (have) embarked on a battle with the very ideology that killed Gandhi. This ideolo gy has delivered inequality, divisiveness and the erosion of our hard-won freedoms in the past eight years.

“Against this politics of himsa (violence) and ‘asatya’ (lies), the Bharat

Kanpur accident: SHO suspended, driver at large, CM meets families

KANPUR, OCT 2 (PTI):

A day after 26 people died in a tractor-trolley accident here, a station house of ficer was suspended for al leged “dereliction of duty” while the tractor driver was still absconding.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met the injured at the hospital and the bereaved families at Kortha village.

The loss of lives in road accidents is a matter of grave concern and the government would launch more awareness pro grammes on road safety to prevent such tragedies, he said and again appealed to people not to use tractortrolly to ferry passengers.

District Magistrate of Kanpur Vishak G on Sun day told PTI, “The SHO of Saadh police station has been suspended for derelic tion of duty.”

A senior police of ficial said that the accident spot was near Bhadeuna village, barely a kilometre from the Saadh police sta tion, but the SHO reached there after around one hour.

“The death toll stands at 26, while the number of injured is nine. There were 35 passengers on the ill-fated tractor-trolley. The

post-mortem examination was conducted at night. The cremation is being carried out at Deori Ghat in Maharajpur,” the DM said.

According to the eyewitnesses, the tractor was being driven at a high speed despite requests by the passengers to slow down, Additional Director General of Police (Kanpur zone) Bhanu Bhaskar told reporters.

“Subsequently, the driver lost control over the tractor and it overturned. The women and children came under the trolley,” he said. He said that the driver of the tractor is ab sconding.

“Once he is caught, other things will be probed.

Five other people who were with the driver are yet to be traced,” he said.

Asked whether the driver was under the influ ence of alcohol, Bhaskar said that they were looking into it.

The tractor-trolley was on its way to Ghatam pur after the passengers attended a “mundan” (ton suring baby for the first time) ceremony at the Chandrika Devi temple in Fatehpur, the official said.

Wails of grieving families filled the air in Kortha village, to which the victims belonged.

CM Adityanath vis ited the village, which is 4-5 kilometres from the accident site, and consoled the families of the victims.

Say ‘Vande Mataram’ on phone calls instead of ‘Hello’: Maha govt tells people

CONGRESS TO USE ‘JAI BALIRAJA’ AND ‘RAM RAM’ GREETING

MUMBAI, OCT 2 (PTI):

The Maharashtra govern ment on Sunday launched a campaign appealing to people to say “Vande Mata ram” while receiving phone calls instead of the custom ary “Hello”.

A day earlier it had issued a Government Reso lution (GR) appealing to the state employees and officers to greet people with “Vande Mataram” instead of “Hello” during official or personal phone calls, stating the word “hello” depicts the western culture and does not arouse any emotion.

The ‘Vande Mataram’ greeting is not mandatory, but the heads of depart ments should encourage their staff to do so, the GR said. Meanwhile, the Congress on Sunday said the party will greet people with “Jai Baliraja” and “Ram Ram” to express its gratitude to farmers.

State Congress presi dent Nana Patole, however, added that the party was not opposed to the ‘Vande Mataram’ greeting.

“Vande Mataram means we are bowing be fore our mother. Hence, it is our appeal to the people to say Vande Mataram instead of Hello,” state Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir

Mungantiwar said at a rally held in Wardha district on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

He said people can also say ‘Jai Bhim’ or ‘Jai Shri Ram’, or even mention their parents’ names while answering a phone call.

“All forms (of greet ings) are okay with us. Our appeal is to avoid saying Hello while receiving a call,” the minister added.

As per the GR, ‘Hello’ depicts the western culture and the word did not have any specific meaning. “The word is just a formality which does not arouse any emotion”.

Greeting people by saying “Vande Mataram” will create a feeling of affec tion, it said, adding that an awareness campaign should be conducted to promote it.

Mungantiwar said during the Independence movement, a slogan like “Inquilab Zindabad” (long live the revolution) was banned by the British rulers.

“But, it inspired many people to join the (freedom) movement and eventually we won freedom. Even Mahatma Gandhi had sup ported (chanting of) ‘Vande Mataram’ and he had writ ten so in a (newspaper) column pu blished at that

time,” he said. Patole said the Con gress will greet people by saying “Jai Baliraja” (hail the farmer) and “Ram Ram” as a way to express its gratitude to farmers.

Jodo Yatra will spread the message of Ahimsa and ‘swaraj’ from Kanyakumari to Kashmir,” he said, add ing that ‘swaraj’ has differ ent meanings.

“It is the freedom of our states to exercise their constitutional freedoms and of our villages to practice Panchayati Raj,” he said.

It is also the conquest of the self, whether it is the ‘Bharat yatris’ who are travelling 3,600 km on foot or the lakhs of citizens who are walking with us for shorter periods, Rahul Gandhi said.

He said the Congress’ yatra is the quiet and deter mined voice of the Indian people against the politics of fear, hatred and division.

“It might be conve nient for those in power to appropriate Gandhiji’s legacy, but it is much more difficult to walk in his foot steps,” he said.

The Wayanad MP said

a huge number of men, women and children have taken part in the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ so far and many of them believe that their constitutional rights and the values that Gandhi gave his life for are under threat today.

“As we continue on our journey from Mysuru to Kashmir, I request my fellow citizens across India to walk with us in the spirit of Ahimsa and ‘sadbhavna’ (goodwill),” he said.

Rahul Gandhi reached Gundlupet in Karnataka on September 30 from Guda lur in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

He will cover a dis tance of 511 km in Karna taka over the next 21 days.

The ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, will cover a distance of 3,570 km in 150 days and conclude in Jammu and Kashmir.

Modi pays tributes to Gandhi, Shastri

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (PTI): Prime Minister Nar endra Modi on Sunday paid homage to Mahatma Gan dhi on his birth anniversary, and urged everyone to pur chase khadi and handicraft products as a tribute to him.

He also fondly remem bered India’s second prime minister Lal Bahadur Shas tri, whose birth anniversary too falls on October 2, not ing that he is admired across the country for his simplic ity and decisiveness.

The prime minister visited Raj Ghat and Vijay

Ghat, memorials to Gandhi and Shastri, respectively, to pay tributes to them.

He attended a pro gramme in the afternoon at Gandhi Smriti along with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. In tributes to Gandhi, PM Modi tweeted, “Paying homage to Ma hatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti. This Gandhi Jay anti is even more special because India is marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

May we always live up to Bapu’s ideals. I also urge you all to purchase Khadi

No other country ‘practices terrorism’ like Pak: EAM

VADODARA (GUJ), OCT 2 (PTI): External Af fairs Minister S Jaishankar has said no other country “practices terrorism” the way Pakistan does.

The Narendra Modi government’s diplomacy made other countries take the issue of terrorism seri ously, he said on Saturday while speaking here in Gu jarat on “Rising India and the World: Foreign Policy in Modi Era”.

While India is con sidered “expert in IT” (In formation Technology), the neighbouring country is known as an “expert in International Terrorism”, the minister quipped.

“No other country

practices terrorism in the manner in which Pakistan has done. You show me anywhere in the world what Pakistan has done for so many years against India. After the 26/11 Mumbai attack, it is important for us to be clear to ourselves that this kind of behaviour and

action is unacceptable and there will be consequences,”

Jaishankar said during in teraction with the audience after the talk. Under the leadership of Prime Minis ter Modi, India successfully made other countries realise that terrorism can harm them too in the future if not contained now, he said.

“We are fairly suc cessful in taking along the world in this fight against terrorism,” Jaishankar said.

“Earlier, other coun tries used to ignore this issue thinking it would not affect them because it was happening somewhere else. Today, there is a pressure on those who support ter rorism. This is an example

Cop killed, CRPF jawan injured in militant attack in J&K’s Pulwama

SRINAGAR, OCT 2 (PTI): A policeman was killed and a CRPF jawan injured when militants at tacked a security forces team in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, officials said.

The attack took place in Pinglana area of the south Kashmir district.

“Terrorists fired upon a joint Naka party of CRPF & police at Pinglana, Pul wama. In this terror attack, 01 police personnel got mar tyred & 01 CRPF personnel got injured,” Kashmir Zone police said in a tweet.

The police said rein forcements were rushed to the area and a search opera tion was launched.

A police spokesman identified the slain police man as Javid Ahmad Dar. He also said the injured CRPF jawan was evacuated to a hospital for treatment.

Senior police offi cers, along with reinforce

ment, reached the spot, the spokesman added.

“We pay our rich trib utes to the martyr for his supreme sacrifice made in the line of duty. We stand by the family of the martyr at this crucial juncture and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured personnel,” the spokesperson said.

Police have registered a case, the investigation is in progress and officers are working to establish the full circumstances of this terror crime, he said, adding the area has been cordoned off and a search is going on there. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and political parties condemned the attack. “Attack on joint naka party of JKP and CRPF is a cowardice & con demnable act of terrorists. I salute the bravery of JKP’s SPO Javid Ahmad Dar, who attained martyrdom. Prayers for speedy recovery

of the injured. Terrorists will be given unforgettable lesson for their heinous act,” Sinha said in a tweet.

Former CM and NC vice president Omar Abdul lah also condemned the attack. Another former CM and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said, “Condemn this attack. My deepest condolences to the family of the martyred po liceman. May his soul rest in peace.”

of our diplomacy,” the ex ternal affairs minister said.

Terrorist activities in the North East have de clined because of India’s strategic pact with Bangla desh, he said.

“Thanks to that land border agreement with Ban gladesh, militants failed to get any shelter there. This stopped them from carrying out their operations in the North East,” he said.

To a question by a student from Sierra Leone about how the Modi gov ernment will realise Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s dream of “undivided India”, Jais hankar said Partition was a real tragedy and it created problems like terrorism.

and handicrafts products as a tribute to Gandhi Ji.” In homage to Shastri, he said, “Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji is admired all across India for his simplicity and decisive ness. His tough leadership at a very crucial time of our history will always be remembered. Tributes to him on his Jayanti.”

The prime minister also shared some glimps es from his gallery in the ‘Pradhanmantri Sangraha laya’ in Delhi, which show cases Shastri’s life journey and accomplishments.

Hooda, Naseer, Gourav resign to support Kharge

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (PTI): Congress leaders Deepender Hooda, Syed Naseer Hussain and Gourav Vallabh have resigned as party spokespersons to cam paign for AICC presidential poll candidate Mallikarjun Kharge. MPs Hooda and Hussain, along with Val labh, participated in a press conference with Kharge who launched his campaign for the election on Sunday. Vallabh said he along with Hooda and Hussain re signed as Congress spokes persons, and will campaign for Kharge in the AICC president polls.

Rahul Gandhi visits Khadi Gramodyog on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, in Badanavalu. (PTI)

PM Narendra Modi with Rajnath Singh, Om Birla, Sonia Gandhi and others while paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary, at Central Hall of Parliament. (PTI)

Villagers carry body of accident victims for cremation at Kortha village, in Kanpur district, Sunday. (PTI)

S Jaishankar

Fuel sales jump in Sep as economy activity picks up

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (PTI):

Petrol and diesel sales in India jumped in September as economic activity picked up with the nearing festival season and the ending of the monsoon raised the demand, prelimi nary industry data showed.

Petrol sales soared 13.2 per cent to 2.65 million tonnes in September when compared to 2.34 million tonnes of consumption in the same month last year. Sales were 20.7 per cent higher than Covid-marred September 2020 and 23.3 per cent more than prepandemic September 2019.

Demand was, how ever, 1.9 per cent lower than the previous month of August 2022. Diesel, the most used fuel in the country, posted a handsome 22.6 per cent rise in sales in September to 5.99 million tonnes when compared to the same month last year. Consumption was up 23.7 per cent over September 2020 and nearly 15 per cent higher than pre-Covid 2019.

The fuel, which had seen a near 5 per cent drop in sales in August when compared to the previous

month of July, saw demand rise 1.3 per cent month-onmonth. Industry sources said the ending of monsoon rains in most parts of the country and a pick up in agriculture season led to a rise in diesel demand. Rains usually restrict mobility and demand from the farm sec tor, which uses diesel in irri gation pumps and trucking.

Also, the approaching festival season led to a pickup in economic activity and a rise in demand.

Auto fuel sales had dipped in July and August owing to the monsoon and reduced demand. This dip had come after a surge in June that was supported by increased summer travel to colder areas of the country to escape from the heat and vacations during an

nual breaks at educational institutions. As the aviation sector opened up, India’s overall passenger traffic at airports inched closer to pre-Covid-19 levels. Ac cordingly, jet fuel (ATF) de mand jumped 41.7 per cent to 5,44,700 tonnes during September when compared to the same month last year. It was 81.3 per cent higher than September 2020 but nearly 12 per cent lower than pre-Covid Septem ber 2019. The sources said while domestic air travel is back to pre-Covid levels, international traffic is lag ging because of continued restrictions in some coun tries. With strong economic growth of 7 per cent, India’s oil demand has been rising steadily since the country eased pandemic lockdowns.

Reliance Jio to launch 4G enabled low-cost laptop at Rs.15K: report

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (REUTERS): Reliance Jio will launch a budget lap top priced at $184 (15,000 Indian rupees) with an em bedded 4G sim card, aiming to replicate the success of its low-cost JioPhone in In dia’s highly price-sensitive market, two sources told Reuters.

The Mukesh Ambaniled conglomerate has part nered with global giants Qualcomm and Microsoft for the JioBook, with the former powering its com puting chips based on tech nology from Arm Ltd, and the Windows OS maker providing support for some apps. Jio, India’s biggest telecom carrier with more than 420 million custom ers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The laptop will be available to enterprise cus tomers such as schools and government institutes from this month, with a consumer launch antici pated within the next three months, sources said. As with the JioPhone, a 5Genabled version will follow.

“This will be as big as JioPhone,” one of the sources with direct knowl edge of the matter told Re uters. Since its launch late

last year, the handset has been India’s top-selling sub$100 smartphone, account ing for a fifth of the market over the last three quarters, according to Counterpoint.

The JioBook will be produced locally by con tract manufacturer Flex with Jio aiming to sell “hun dreds of thousands” of units by March, one of the sources said. Overall PC shipments in India stood at 14.8 million units last year, led by HP, Dell and Lenovo, according to research firm IDC. The launch of the JioBook will extend the total addressable laptop market segment by at least 15%, Counterpoint analyst Tarun Pathak said.

The laptop will run Jio’s own JioOS operating system and apps can be downloaded from the JioS tore. Jio is also pitching the laptop as an alternative to tablets for out of the office corporate employees. Jio, which raised around $22 billion from global inves tors such as KKR & Co Inc and Silver Lake in 2020, is credited with disrupting the world’s no. 2 mobile market when it launched cheap 4G data plans and free voice services in 2016, and later the 4G smartphone at a cost of just $81.

Inflation may fall to 5.2% next fiscal on normal rains, supply ease: report

NEW DELHI, OCT 2

(PTI): Persistently high in flation remains a key policy concern for the Reserve Bank, which has raised rates aggressively so far this year, but the pressure might ease next fiscal assuming normal rains and further normalisation of global supply chains without any exogenous shocks, accord ing to an RBI report.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expects retail inflation to come under control at 5.2 per cent in the next financial year begin ning April, down from 6.7 per cent it has forecast for the current year.

“For 2023-24, assum ing a normal monsoon,

a progressive normalisa tion of supply chains, and no further exogenous or policy shocks, structural model estimates indicate that inflation will average 5.2 per cent,” RBI said in its ‘Monetary Policy Report September 2022’.

The central bank is mandated to keep retail inflation in a range of 2-6 per cent.

However, inflation has been above the RBI’s up per tolerance level since January 2022 mainly due to adverse supply shocks amid geopolitical tensions arising out of the Russia-Ukraine war since late February.

Both the countries are key suppliers of foodgrains,

edible oil, fertilisers and en ergy resources such as crude oil and natural gas.

Even as inflation has eased from its April peak of 7.8 per cent, it remains at unacceptably high levels, the central bank said in the report. On Friday, the Reserve Bank hiked the key repo rate by 0.50 per cent to 5.90 per cent to bring infla tion under control. During the May-August period of this fiscal, it raised the policy repo rate by 140 basis points or 1.4 per cent.

The six-member Mon etary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI met four times during April-Sep tember 2022, including an off-cycle meeting in May,

in the backdrop of a sharp jump in global commodity prices and uncertainties around the pace of mon etary policy normalisation globally.

RBI Governor Shakti kanta Das, while announc ing the policy, said the world already witnessed two major shocks of the pandemic and the Ukrai nian situation over the last two-and-a-half years and a third shock com es in the form of aggressive monetary policy actions by central banks globally.

The RBI projects the inflation to remain above the upper tolerance level of 6 per cent through the first three quarters of 2022-

23 (till December) and expects it to come under control from January 2023 onwards. For the JanuaryMarch quarter of 2022-23, it has projected the retail inflation to average 5.8 per cent and further down to 5 per cent in the April-June 2023-24 period.

Even as the forecast for the next fiscal looks soothing, upside risks re main on a host of factors such as further ratchet ing up of geopolitical ten sions, higher crude and commodity prices, longer than expected supply chain disruptions and escalation in global financial market volatility due to aggressive monetary policy actions.

Suzlon Energy founder Tulsi Tanti dies of cardiac arrest

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (PTI): Suzlon Energy founder Tulsi Tanti, popu larly known as India’s ‘wind man’, died of cardiac arrest at 64 on Saturday evening, the company said.

One of the pioneers of the wind energy busi ness in India and a globally renowned expert on clean energy, Tanti envisioned the opportunity in the renew able energy industry back in 1995 when the global wind energy market was dominated by international players.

Under his leadership, Suzlon Energy grew to be come the country’s largest wind energy player with 19.4 gigawatt (GW) of cu mulative installed capacity, 33 per cent market share in India and a presence in 17 countries. It has over 2 GW installed capacity in its sec ond largest market, the US.

“With profound sad ness, we inform you of the untimely demise of Shri Tulsi R Tanti, the Founder, the Chairman and Manag ing Director, and one of the promoters of Suzlon Ener gy Ltd on October 1, 2022.

Shri Tanti suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away the same day,” the company said in a stock exchange

filing. Before foraying into wind energy, Tanti owned a textile business which he sold in 2001. Suzlon got its first order in the US in 2003 from DanMar & Associates for supply of 24 turbines in southwestern Minnesota.

“In this difficult time, the company continues to be supported by its highly experienced board of di rectors and senior manage ment who are both able and committed to taking Shri Tanti’s legacy forward and realise his vision for the company,” the firm said.

Prime Minister Nar endra Modi too condoled his death.

“Shri Tulsi Tanti was a pioneering business leader who contributed to India’s economic progress and strengthened our nation’s efforts to further sustain able development. Pained by his untimely demise.

Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti,” he tweeted.

Tanti complained of chest pain in his car in Pune after returning from a press conference in Ahmedabad. He asked the driver to take him to a hospital but died before getting any medical help. He is survived by his wife Gita, son Pranav, and daughter Nidhi.

Born in 1958 in Ra jkot, Tanti graduated from Gujarat University with a bachelor’s degree in com merce. He founded Suzlon Energy, now valued at Rs 8,535.9 crore, in 1995.

He was also the chair man of Belgium-based tur bine parts maker ZF Wind Power Antwerpen since May 10, 2006 and the presi dent of the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers As sociation.

Commerce and Indus try Minister Piyush Goyal said: “Saddened by the untimely demise of busi ness leader & Founder of Suzlon Energy, Tulsi Tanti. Having spearheaded the wind revolution in India, he contributed immensely to the renewable energy sector & to India’s economic prog ress. Deepest condolences to his family & friends.”

Report alleges abuse of Unlawful Activities...

(From p-1) (26), Jharkhand (22), Bihar (18), Manipur (18), Maharashtra (16), West Bengal (15), Uttar Pradesh (14), Karnataka (13), Tamil Nadu (13), Andhra Pradesh (12), and Nagaland (7).

The report said that of the 238 cases involving Section 18 (punishment for conspiracy, etc.) charge, no incident has been reported in 64% of the cases (152 cases). It said the NIA’s “suo motu power” (through the Central government/ Ministry of Home Affairs) to transfer investigation from the State police was a “serious threat to federal ism”.

Durga Puja festivities begin across Nagaland

(From p-1)

The judges would be visiting the pandals over the next three days.

To create awareness on waste management, all puja committee had been advised to put up posters on the theme “Keep clean, keep green” outside their respective pandals.

As part of the puja festivities, cultural pro grammes were also be ing organised in some of the pandals, with vari ous competitions being held for Aart, Uludhoni, Shankodhoni and paint ing.

Unlike the past two years when puja celebra tions were a low-key af fair due to Covid-induced restrictions, Gupta said people this would be able to do pandal-hopping to witness the beautifullydecorated idols of Lord Durga and other deities like Lord Lakshmi, Lord Saraswati, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya.

On the basis of the information available on the NIA website, the report said of all the UAPA cases handled by the agency, 41 (12%) were registered suo motu, whereas 316 cases representing 88% of cases were transferred from the State investigating agencies to the NIA. “It is a moot question as to whether the State governments were consulted or they agreed to these transfers,” it said.

“...A close look at the lives of the victims of State abuse-Muslim minority, Dalit-Bahujan-Adivasis, ac tivists, journalists, academi cians, human rights defend ers and students - reveals the

immensity of the human, emotional, financial suffer ing experienced not just by those falsely implicated but also by their families,” the report said.

The report also sought repeal of the NIA Act and disbanding of the agency; immediate release of all political prisoners, on bail; action against all the police officials “who have wil fully launched false and fabricated cases against the marginalised communities, journalists, academicians, students and others” and action to provide repara tions for those wrongfully accused and released by courts.

Sterlite Ltd. launches optical solution for 5G

CHENNAI, OCT 2

(IANS): Sterlite Technolo gies Ltd on Sunday unveiled 5G Cosmos - an optical so lution for towers and small cells for speedy 5G roll out.

According to Sterlite Technologies, telecom op erators need to look at fiberi sation with a futuristic lens.

The company said tower fiberisation must increase from about 35 per cent to 80 per cent to provide high quality 5G services. Addi tionally, 5G will require upto 4X small cells, backhauled with fibre, Sterlite Tech nologies said. 5G Cosmos is an Atmanirbhar, patented solution that can solve these challenges and connect every tower, small cell and node, the company claimed.

Launching 5G Cos mos at IMC 2022, Pankaj Miglani, Director Supply Chain Management, Bharti Airtel, said: “We are ready ing our infrastructure for 5G and fiberisation is a core need. We are happy to see the use cases that 5G Cosmos can solve for telcos and enable us to deliver a great 5G experience to our customers.” Ankit Agarwal Manaing Director, Sterlite Technologies said: “Indian telecom operators are ready to install fibre-dense net works for 5G. This will need an integrated and futuristic solution. We have built 5G Cosmos to enable fiberisa tion of macro and small cells at scale and achieve the full potential of 5G.”

Tulsi Tanti

Ukraine reclaims key city in counter attack

KYIV, OCT 2 (AP): Rus sia attacked the Ukrainian president’s hometown and other targets with suicide drones on Sunday, and Ukraine took back full con trol of a strategic eastern city in a counteroffensive that has reshaped the war.

Russia’s loss of Ly man, which it had been using as a transport and logistics hub, is a new blow to the Kremlin as it seeks to escalate the war by illegally annexing four regions of Ukraine and heightening its threats to use nuclear force.

Ukraine’s recent gains have embarrassed Russian President Vladimir Putin and prompted rare domestic criticism.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday his forces now control Lyman, after Rus sia’s military announced on Saturday its retreat.

“As of 12.30 pm (0930 GMT) Lyman is cleared fully. Thank you to our militaries, our warriors,” Zelenskyy said in a video address.

In southern Ukraine, Zelenskyy’s hometown Krivyi Rih came under Russian attack by a suicide

drone that struck a school early on Sunday and de stroyed two stories of it, said Valentyn Reznichenko, the governor of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.

Russia in recent weeks has begun using Iranianmade suicide drones to attack targets in Ukraine. In southern Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said on Sunday it shot down five Iranian-made drones overnight, while two oth ers made it through air defenses.

Meanwhile, Russian attacks also targeted the city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian authorities said on Sunday.

Ukraine’s military said

on Sunday it carried out strikes on multiple Russian command posts, ammuni tion depots and two S-300 anti-aircraft batteries.

The reports of military activity couldn’t be immedi ately verified.

Ukrainian forces have retaken swaths of territory, notably in the northeast around Kharkiv, in a coun teroffensive in recent weeks.

In the latest major development, Ukrainian forces encircled Russian troops holding the hub of Lyman in the east, forcing the Russians to withdraw in what the British military de scribed as a “significant po litical setback” for Moscow.

Death toll from Hurricane Ian escalates to 47 in Florida

waiting to see whether her 83-year-old mother-in-law had been evacuated from Sanibel Island. A pontoon boat had just arrived with a load of passengers from the island - with suitcases and animals in tow - but Schnapp’s mother-in-law was not among them.

Taking the city paves the way for Ukrainian troops to potentially push farther into territory Russia has occupied.

Lyman had been an important link in the Rus sian front line for ground communications and lo gistics.

Lyman is in the Do netsk region near the border with Luhansk, two of the four regions that Russia il legally annexed on Friday after forcing the population to vote in referendums at gunpoint. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed to have inflicted damage on Ukrai nian forces in battling to hold Lyman, but said out numbered Russian troops were withdrawn to more favorable positions.

In his nightly address on Saturday, Zelenskyy said: “Over the past week, there have been more Ukrai nian flags in the Donbas. In a week there will be even more.”

In a daily intelligence briefing, the British Defence Ministry called Lyman cru cial because it has “a key road crossing over the Siver sky Donets River, behind which Russia has been at tempting to consolidate its

defenses.”

The British said they believed that the city had been held by “under manned elements” prior to the Russian withdrawal, which prompted immediate criticism from some Rus sian officials.

“Further losses of ter ritory in illegally occupied territories will almost cer tainly lead to an intensifica tion of this public criticism and increase the pressure on senior commanders,” the British military briefing said.

The Russian retreat from northeast Ukraine in recent weeks has revealed evidence of widespread, routine torture of both civil ians and soldiers, notably in the strategic city of Izium, an Associated Press investi gation has found.

AP journalists located 10 torture sites in the Ukrai nian town, including a deep sunless pit in a residential compound, a clammy un derground jail that reeked of urine, a medical clinic and a kindergarten.

Russian officials re lease limited information about military activity in what the Kremlin still re fuses to call a war.

Liz Truss under fire for economic management; approval ratings drop

In the last seven days, the Tories have surrendered a narrow one-point lead on the question of economic management and now trail Labour by 19 points.

FORT MYERS, FLA.,

OCT 2 (AP): Authorities in Florida confirmed sev eral more deaths late Sat urday that raised the state’s death toll from Hurricane Ian to at least 47 fatalities, hiking the global toll to at least 54 dead.

A list of the dead com piled by medical examin ers in the state and made public reported numerous drowning deaths, victims found submerged or float ing in storm waters.

Ian slammed into the southwest Gulf Coast of Florida as a major Cat egory 4 hurricane earlier in the week before crossing the peninsula out over the Atlantic Ocean and then striking the U.S. Southeast seacoast as a Category 1 hurricane. Four other storm-related deaths were reported in North Carolina and three in Cuba.

The death toll from the storm, one of the stron gest hurricanes by wind speed to ever hit the U.S., grew to nearly three dozen,

with deaths reported from Cuba, Florida and North Carolina. The storm weak ened Saturday as it rolled into the mid-Atlantic, but not before it washed out bridges and piers, hurdled massive boats into build ings onshore and sheared roofs off homes, leaving hundreds of thousands without power.

At least 35 people were confirmed dead, in cluding 28 people in Flor ida mostly from drowning but others from Ian’s tragic aftereffects. An elderly cou ple died after their oxygen machines shut off when they lost power, authorities said. As of Saturday, more than 1,000 people had been rescued from flooded areas along Florida’s southwest ern coast alone, Daniel Ho kanson, a four-star general and head of the National Guard, told The Associ ated Press while airborne to Florida.

Chris Schnapp was at the Port Sanibel Marina in Fort Myers on Saturday,

“She stayed on the island. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law own two businesses over there. They evacuated. She did not want to go,” Schnapp said. Now, she said, she wasn’t sure if her mother-in-law was still on the island or had been taken to a shelter somewhere.

On Pine Island, the largest barrier island off Florida’s Gulf Coast, hous es were reduced to splinters and boats littered road ways as a volunteer rescue group went door-to-door Saturday, asking isolated residents if they wanted to be evacuated. Residents described the horror of be ing trapped in their homes as water kept rising.

“The water just kept pounding the house and we watched, boats, houses - we watched everything just go flying by,” said Joe Conforti, as he fought back tears. He said if it wasn’t for his wife, who suggested they get up on a table to avoid the rising water, he wouldn’t have made it: “I started to lose sensibility, because when the water’s at your door and it’s splash ing on the door and you’re seeing how fast it’s moving, there’s no way you’re going to survive that.”

LONDON, OCT 2 (IANS): Three-quarters of UK voters, including a staggering 71 per cent of those who backed the Con servatives at the last general election, believe the prime minister, Liz Truss, and the chancellor, Kwasi Kwart eng, have “lost control” of the economy, according to a devastating poll for the Observer on the eve of the Tory conference, local me dia reported.

The survey by Opin ium - which also reveals that Labour has extended its lead by a massive 14 percentage points in the last week alone, from five points to 19 points, and that Truss’s ratings are now low er than Boris Johnson’s at the height of the Partygate scandal - comes as some

Tory MPs are beginning to demand the new prime minister’s removal from No 10 after less than a month in office. Other senior party figures are warning that the damage to the party’s reputation for economic management resulting from Kwarteng’s tax-cutting bud get, is so serious that it will take many years to repair, The Guardian reported.

Tory peer Gavin Bar well, a former MP and chief of staff to Theresa May, writing in Sunday’s Observer, says the Truss government “has thrown away the Conservative par ty’s reputation for sound management of the public finances” in its first month in office, adding that “it will take years to undo all the damage”.

On Saturday night, however, a defiant Truss showed no sign of backing down over her tax cuts, which panicked the mar kets, sent the pound spiral ling downwards and raised the prospect of imminent further rises in interest rates. Speaking before the Tory conference, which opens to day in Birmingham, a defi ant Truss said the economy needed a “reset” as she vowed to press on. She said: “We cannot continue on the current trajectory of managed de cline. Instead, we must take a new direction. I will lead us down that path to a better future,” The Guardian re ported. In further dire news for the new prime minister, some Tory MPs are already in talks with Labour over how to block elements of the prime minister’s plans, with parliamentary rebel lions looming over likely real-terms cuts to welfare, planning reforms and a new wave of austerity.

S Korean activists clash with police over anti-Kim balloons

SEOUL, OCT 2 (AP): South Korean activists say they clashed with police while launching balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang propaganda materials across the North Korean border, ignoring their gov ernment’s plea to stop such activities since the North has threatened to respond with “deadly” retaliation.

Park Sang-hak, a North Korean defectorturned-activist, said he his group had launched about eight balloons from an area in the South Korean bor der town of Paju Saturday night when police officers arrived at the scene and pre vented them from sending their 12 remaining balloons.

Park said police confiscated some of their materials and detained him and three other members of his group over mild scuffles with of ficers before releasing them after questioning.

Officials at the Paju

Turkey says 23 Kurdish militants killed in Iraq airstrikes

ISTANBUL, OCT 2 (AP): Turkish warplanes “neutralised” 23 Kurdish militants in a raid 140 ki lometres (90 miles) inside Iraq, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry usually refers to killed militants as “neutralised.” It said the number of casualties in the mission in the Asos region of northern Iraq, which is controlled by the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, was expected to rise.

A video accompany ing the ministry’s tweet showed F-16 fighters tak ing off and a number of explosions in a mountain ous area. The ministry referred to a statement from Defence Minister Hulusi Akar on Thursday

in which he said airstrikes had hit 16 targets in the Asos region.

Turkey has been con ducting a series of opera tions in northern Iraq since 2019, saying the military is targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, to prevent it from launch ing cross-border attacks on Turkey.

In April, Operation Claw-Lock was launched, which involves ground and air forces.

The PKK has waged an on-again, off-again in surgency against the Turk ish state since 1984, a con flict that has killed tens of thousands of people.

The group is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

Pak Cabinet approves action against Imran over leaked tapes

ISLAMABAD, OCT 2 (PTI): Pakistan’s Cabi net on Sunday decided to launch legal action against former prime minister Im ran Khan and his party’s top leaders over audio leaks in which he could allegedly be heard discussing the contro versial US cypher and how to exploit it to portray his ouster as a conspiracy.

At least two audio tapes have been circulat ing on social media since Tuesday where 69-year-old Khan can be heard discuss ing a diplomatic communi cation with leaders and giv ing directions about how to use it for political objectives.

The cable based on a meeting of US Assistant Secretary of State for Cen tral and South Asia Don ald Lu with Pakistan am bassador in Washington

Asad Majeed reportedly involves the US official discussing the political situation in Pakistan.

Taking notice of the leaks, the Cabinet formed a committee on Septem ber 30.

The committee in a meeting on Saturday rec ommended legal action against those featuring in the leaked audio tapes with proposals presented in the form of a summary before the cabinet for approval.

The Cabinet approved the summary through circu lation on Sunday.

The Cabinet tasked the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate the ‘diplomatic cipher’ au dio leaks following the com mittee’s recommendation.

“This is a matter of national security which

could have possible adverse effects on the country’s in terest,” the cabinet commit tee stated in a notification. It said that legal action was “necessary” and the FIA should form a committee comprising senior officials to probe the matter.

“The FIA team should take action against offend ers as per law,” the com mittee recommended in the summary. In the two audio leaks, Khan, ex-minister Asad Umar, and then-prin

cipal secretary Azam Khan could allegedly be heard discussing the US cypher in a meeting and how to use it in their interest.

In the first audio that was leaked on Wednesday, Khan was reportedly talk ing to Azam and directing him to play with the cypher. In the second audio clip, three Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) party lead ers, including Umar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Azam, could be heard talk ing about the American cy pher with Khan, the party’s chairman.

Khan used the cypher to build a powerful narrative that his government was toppled in April due to a foreign conspiracy with the help of local collaborators. However, his stance came under scanner after audio

leaks of a secret meeting held at the PM Office sur faced.

Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf senior leader and for mer foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in his reaction said that the gov ernment action to hold the probe endorsed his party’s stance that the cypher was real and led to the toppling of Khan’s government.

“We never took a step that harmed the interests of Pakistan. We served this country with dignity and will continue doing so,” he tweeted.

Khan has accused Lu of threatening Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US that a failure to remove Khan through a no-confi dence vote would herald “consequences” for Paki stan and vice versa.

police and the northern Gyeonggi provincial police agencies didn’t immediately respond to requests for com ment Sunday.

The balloons flown toward North Korea car ried masks, Tylenol and

Vitamin C tablets along with propaganda materials, including booklets praising South Korea’s economic wealth and democratic so ciety and hundreds of USB sticks containing videos of US Congress members denouncing the North’s human rights record, Park said.

One of the balloons carried a placard that read, “Entire humanity de nounces Kim Jong Un who threatens to preemptively strike (South Korea) with nuclear missiles,” refer ring to the North Korean leader’s escalatory nuclear doctrine that’s raising ten sions with neighbours. Sat urday’s launch came weeks

after South Korea’s govern ment pleaded for activists to stop their balloon launches, citing concerns related to the safety of border area residents. Lee Hyo-jung, spokesperson of Seoul’s Unification Ministry, then said that the South would also “sternly respond” to any North Korean retalia tion over the balloons.

Animosity between the Koreas has worsened this year as North Korea ramped up its missile testing activity to record pace and punctuated those tests with warnings that it would pre emptively use its nukes in a broad range of scenarios where it perceives its leader ship has come under threat.

Torrential rain wreaks havoc in Ghana

ACCRA, OCT 2 (IANS):

Torrential rain hit some parts of Ghana, the capital Accra included, causing flooding in downtown ar eas and disrupting traffic on major roads.

The intermittent rain, which started early Satur day morning, continued through to the afternoon.

Many major drains car rying running water were overflown, while some road potholes were en

larged and deepened. Vehicles and com muters to several places within the cities and ad joining communities had to wade through heavy floods to get to their des tinations. Some drivers, as a result of poor visibility, had to park their vehicles on the shoulders of roads.

Some residents in the affected areas were seen scooping flood wa ters from their homes and

shops. Videos and com ments about the flooding situation and its attendant impact were posted on social media with residents calling on the government to find a permanent solu tion to their age-old poor drainage challenges.

Komla Dodze, a resi dent of Tema, told Xin hua in an interview how the torrential rain had destroyed his property.

Public APology

We, Mr. David Swu, Pukhai Aye and Betoka Aye would like to convey our sincere apology to Mr. Hinoto Chophy of Tsutoho Village, presently residing at Sughuna Village, for our aggressive behavior and physical assault on the night of 24th September 2022.

We assure you that this will not happen in the near future and also hope for your support and understanding on this matter and kindly accept our apology and for which we will be forever grateful.

Thanking you.

Sd/- Sd/- Sd/David Swu

FELICITATION

The Sümi Hoho is very happy to congratulate Inoli V. HEKALI ZHIMOMI (IAS, UP Cadre, 1996) on being promoted to the position of the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The Hoho is happy to learn that she will be soon taking over as the Additional Secretary and Director General (AS & DG) for National AIDS Control Organization (NACO).

May you be blessed with all the good things you deserve and best wishes for the continued success in your career.

Alhou she!

I NIKHETO JIMOMI DR. VIHUTO ASUMI President General Secretary

Pukhai Aye Betoka Aye

Ukrainian servicemen drive a tank on the way to Siversk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022.

Defector-turned-activist Park Sang-hak has floated balloons with anti-Pyongyang material for years. (AP)

An aerial picture taken on October 1, 2022 shows a broken section of the Pine Island Road.

Liz Truss

Imran Khan

Biren cautions student leaders

Correspondent

IMPHAL, OCT 2: No body will be allowed to indulge in anti-national and anti-government activities, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh warned stu dent resorting to violent ac tivities in recent agitations.

It may be mentioned that two violent agitations by students were witnessed in the state in the recent days. The state police de partment had already initi ated investigations into the recent students’ agitations after registering separate FIR cases.

In one of the agita tions inside the Manipur University on September 30, students demanding withdrawal of a show cause notice served to one of its assistant professors in dulged in vandalism

A day earlier, students of government-run colleges ransacked college proper ties and blocked roads in front of their respective college premises to pro

test against the postpone ment of the college student unions election.

In some video foot ages that went viral on social media, agitating students were seen mishan dling passer-by during the agitations.

The ‘excessive” meted out by the students during the agitations were not taken lightly, said chief minister N Biren Singh, who responded to some queries from the reporters on the sideline of National Cleanliness Day obser vance in Imphal today.

Singh also expressed shock at a viral video in which a woman with her

child were mishandled by the protesting students

The chief minister said that the government was observing the activi ties of the student bodies and their leaders. “We are closely observing whether they (student unions and leaders) are working under whose guidance or interest.

Whether they are working in nexus with the outlawed groups,” he said.

The state govern ment was well aware of the importance of students’ unions. However, if they were working for vested interests and against the nation or state, the gov ernment will not take the matter lightly.

Students should work in the interest of the stu dent community and not go beyond the limit.

So far, the state gov ernment was keeping re strained in initiating legal actions like lodging FIR cases against the student activists who were involved in any anti-national or any

Meghalaya HC grants bail to BJP leader accused of running sex racket

SHILLONG, OCT 1 (PTI): The Meghalaya High Court on Saturday granted conditional bail to jailed state BJP leader Bernard N Marak, ac cused of running a sex racket at his farmhouse in the northeastern state.

Marak was granted bail on the condition that he shall not abscond or tamper with evidence or leave the country and should cooperate with the investigation.

He was also asked to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 along with two solvent sureties of the like amount.

“The accused person, Bernard N Marak, is here by directed to be released on bail, if not wanted in some other cases, provided the following conditions are complied with…,” Justice W Diengdoh said in the court order.

Marak’s wife L K Gracy had moved the bail application on Friday.

The high court was content that Marak is the owner of the property, but expressed doubt whether there is enough evidence to point out that the place

was used as a brothel.

“From the statement of the witnesses and the materials on record, there is insufficient evidence to link the accused person to the alleged offence in as much as there is no initial evidence that the place of occurrence has been used as a brothel, nor is there any evidence to prove that prostitution was carried on in the PO,” the court

observed.

Marak, a former mili tant leader, was arrested from Hapur district in Uttar Pradesh, days after police allegedly busted a sex racket at his pri vate farmhouse ‘Rimpu Bagan’.

Police had also said it arrested 73 people from the farmhouse and rescued six minors -- four boys and two girls.

other undesirable activities, considering their careers, he said.

Singh warned that the state government will not remain silent spectator if they don’t put a stop to their activities and that cases under appropriate sections of the laws will be taken up against them.

A person with a crimi nal record or cases against him/her will be barred from government jobs, he warned the students.

The chief minister said that he had already in structed the police depart ment to maintain a record for students involved in criminal cases and anti-na tional and anti-government activities and update it in all police stations across the state.

On the postponement of the elections to the col lege student unions, the chief minister said that it was necessary to pre vent escalation of violent clashes among the groups of students.

Boat mishap: Body of missing official recovered

DHUBRI, OCT 2 (PTI):

The body of a government official was traced by a search team on Sunday, four days after he went missing following a boat capsize in river Brahma putra in Assam’s Dhubri district, an official said.

Circle Officer Sanju Das’s body was found around 700 metres from the site of mishap at Ai ronjongla, close to Ban gladesh border, by the team comprising person nel of SDRF, NDRF and BSF, the district official said.

A mechanised boat, carrying 29 passengers, had capsized in the river on Thursday after hitting a post of an under-con struction bridge, around 3km from Dhubri town.

Local people along with SDRF had rescued 28 people.

Das, an Assam Civil Services (ACS) officer, hailed from Silchar.

Kamakhya temple buzzes with devotees during Durga Puja after 2 years gap

GUWAHATI, OCT 2 (PTI): Assam’s famed Ka makhya temple, nestled atop the Nilachal hills, is buzzing with devotees as full-fledged Durga Puja festivities are underway after a lull of two years.

The hills remained silent during the last two years as the temple doors were closed for visitors even as all rituals associ ated with the fortnight-long worship of the goddess were performed on a rota tional basis by a group of selected priests, Kamakhya Devalaya president Kabin dra Sarma told PTI.

Kamakhya temple, revered as a major seat of Shakti worship, observes the annual Durga Puja rituals, locally known as ‘Pakhuvapuja’, for a fort night or ‘paksa’ unlike the rest of the country where it is celebrated for 9-10 days.

“We are extremely happy that devotees are coming in large numbers to

offer prayers and seek bless ings of the goddess after two very difficult years,” he said.

Sarma said the devo tees are coming not only from across the country but also from neighbouring Nepal. For Aniket Pandey, a final semester engineer ing student, the visit to the temple was a long-awaited one.

“I am happy to seek the blessings of the goddess in a year when I am prepar ing for job placements,” he said. Another devotee, Priyanka Sonowal from Dibrugarh, was planning a visit to the temple since she got married three years

ago but COVID restrictions proved to be a hurdle.

“I along with my fam ily members are on our way to Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir but first, wanted to pay our obeisance to Maa Ka makhya,” she said. Durga Puja is a major festival of the temple and is believed to date back to antiquity with the exact date of its beginning not clearly estab lished, Sarma pointed out.

The most remarkable aspect of the puja is that there is no image of God dess Durga but rituals are performed in the main ‘pitha’ or the sanctum sanc torum.

Having cleared NPSc MAIN EXAM,

come so close to getting your dream job.

cHANcE.

N Biren Singh

City thrash United 6-3 in Manchester derby

LONDON, OCT 2 (AFP): Erling Haaland and Phil Foden scored hat-tricks as Manchester City thrashed Manchester United 6-3 to move to within a point of Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

Haaland has scored hat-tricks in each of his last three Premier League home games to take his tally as a City player to 17 in 10 competitive games for the English champions.

Antony’s strike and Anthony Martial’s late double ensured United avoided a record defeat in the Manchester derby as they remain in sixth, nine points off the top.

Since also conced ing four times inside the first 45 minutes at Brent ford in August, United had bounced back with four consecutive Premier League wins to offer hope they are heading in the right direction under Erik ten Hag.

But the Red Devils were given a rude awaken ing of the gulf that still exists between the Man chester giants.

City could have scored many more than the four they managed

in a blistering first half performance that swept away any doubts caused by an inconsistent start to the season from Pep Guar diola’s men.

Within four minutes it took two goal-line clear ances and a fine save from David de Gea to deny Haa land, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva the opening goal.

Four minutes later, City did open the flood gates when Foden swept home Silva’s cross for the Manchester native’s first derby goal.

Ilkay Gundogan’s free-kick hit the post and Foden blasted another big chance wide before Haaland inevitably made his mark.

United were left to

Autocross and Sprint Challenge ends

bemoan the absence of Raphael Varane to defend a De Bruyne corner as he received treatment on an ankle injury that forced him off at half-time.

Without the French man, there was no match for Haaland’s presence in the penalty box as his header crossed the line before Tyrell Malacia’s at tempted clearance.

Moments later, City showcased their ability to counter-attack as Jack Grealish fed De Bruyne, who perfectly picked out Haaland to convert on the stretch at the back post.

Haaland then turned provider with a low cross that Foden converted to leave United trailing 4-0 at half-time for the third time in a year.

Unlike, in a 5-0 defeat at Old Trafford to Liver pool last season and at Brentford last month, there was some semblance of a United response after the break. Antony smashed home his second goal in as many Premier League appearances since a £82 million ($92 million) move from Ajax.

But Haaland quickly retook centre stage with a

thumping finish to meet Sergio Gomez’s cross. City were on course to match the record margin of victory in a Manchester derby when Haaland set up Foden to smash home and complete his hat-trick. That was Foden’s fi nal involvement as he was withdrawn in a quadruple change as Guardiola could afford to also hand a rest to De Bruyne, Gundogan and Grealish.

United took advan tage of City taking their foot off the accelerator in the final 10 minutes as substitute Martial scored twice to cut the arrears.

The Frenchman bravely headed in the re bound after Ederson par ried Fred’s shot and then emphatically fired home from the penalty spot.

Haaland breaks Premier League record

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland became the first Premier League player ever to score three succes sive home game hat tricks on Sunday.

Haaland reached the feat during his side’s game against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.

He also became the first Manchester City player to score a hat-trick against Manchester United since Francis Lee in 1970.

Haaland had earlier broke Coventry City forward Mick Quinn’s record of most Premier League goals after seven games after scoring in Manchester City’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Bopanna-Middelkoop duo clinch doubles title in Tel Aviv

DIMAPUR, OCT 2 (NPN): The third edition of Autocross and Sprint Challenge organized by Street King’s Club (SKC) Dimapur and sponsored by KIA culminated on October 1 at Vihokhu village. A total of 67 participants took part in the challenge.

The prize distribution ceremony was held at agriexpo Dimapur. In the open category Obeth Shitio ( P. Vizheto motor sport club, Nagaland), Roman Moze

ley (Meghalaya), Anguzo Sekhose (Nagaland Ad venture Club), Zosangpuia (Mizoram) and Kamalesh Das (MSAM Meghalaya) finished in first, second, third, fourth and fifth posi tions respectively.

On the rookie cate gory, Along Arai (Naga land), Jousha (MIMSA, Mizoram), Tzudiyong Jamir (Team Speakerhead, Nagaland) were adjudged as first, second and third. On SUV category Kamalesh

Das (MSAM, Meghalaya) finished in first position fol lowed by Anguzo Sekhose (Nagaland Adventure club) and Marsub Imsong (Na galand) in second and third positions respectively.

In individual’s cate gory, Zosangpuia (Mimsa, Mizoram) won the best decorated car award, Bijo (Nagaland) was named as the most promising driver and the only female partici pants was Asibeiu Chupuo (Nagaland).

TEL AVIV, OCT 2 (AFP): Novak Djokovic claimed his third title of 2022 and 89th of his career with an impressive straight-sets victory over Marin Cilic in the Tel Aviv final on Sunday. The 35-year-old Djokovic triumphed 6-3, 6-4 to add the Israeli trophy to victories in Rome and Wimbledon this season. It was Djokovic’s 19th win over Cilic in 21 meetings in a rivalry stretching back to 2008.

Djokovic was playing his first singles tournament since wrapping up a seventh Wimbledon crown and 21st Grand Slam title in July. He was banned from the US Open and the entire North American hard court swing over his refusal to be vac cinated before returning for Roger Federer’s farewell in the Laver Cup team event in London last month.

1st Death anniversary

In loving memory of Late Akiu Yimchunger

We tried to hold you but your life flowed right out of our hands, seeping deep within our hearts, now unseen but only felt. Your vessel gave out but your spirit fought till the very end.

Your world cannot bleed into ours but we can only hope to be with you again.

Like water that permeates and life that flows even ever so slowly, it still moves and so do we still breathe and find comfort in your memories. Words are never enough to tell you how much you are missed. The pain immeasurable and loss inexplicable. We love you so very much Till we meet again.

Loving wife, children and family members (22/06/1972 – 03-10-2021)

TEL AVIV, OCT 2 (AGENCIES): The top seeded Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop cruised to a 6-2, 6-4 victory over third seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Andres Mol teni in the doubles final of the $1,019,855 ATP tennis tournament in Tel Aviv on Sunday.

It was a smart finish for the Indo-Dutch pair after it had negotiated the super tie-break in the first three rounds, Sportstar re ported.

It was the third title of the season for the 42-yearold Bopanna, who had won the other two, early in

the season with Ramkumar Ramathan in Adelaide and Pune.

It was the 39th career doubles title for Bopanna, and 22nd on the ATP Tour.

He has also won 11 Chal lenger and six ITF titles with the first coming his way in 2002.

The champion team collected $50,000 and 250 ATP points, and the runnerup, $26,850 and 150 points.

The results: $1,019,855 ATP, Tel Aviv, Israel Doubles (final): Mat we Middelkoop (Ned) & Rohan Bopanna bt Santiago Gonzalez (Mex) & Andres Molteni (Arg) 6-2, 6-4.

ISL announces changes in 22-23 season’s schedule

NEW DELHI, OCT 2 (IANS): The Indian Super League (ISL), which starts on October 7, has made some last-minute changes in the fixtures, rescheduling the three matches involving Jamshedpur FC, the organ isers of the league informed on Sunday.

However, there is no official reason given by the league for the shift in three

fixtures of Jamshedpur for the season 22-23.

The changes have been made in Matchweek 6, 16 and 22. The match be tween Jamshedpur FC and Hyderabad FC has been rescheduled for November 12 at 7.30 pm.

Earlier it was sched uled to be played at 5.30 p.m at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur. In

Matchweek 16, the match between Jamshedpur FC and Bengaluru FC to be played on January 21, 2023, has been rescheduled to January 18, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. at the JRD Tata Sports

Complex, Jamshedpur. The other game Odi sha FC vs Jamshedpur FC has also been preponed by three days. It will be played on February 22 at the Kalin ga Stadium, Bhubaneswar.

1st Death anniversary

On this day you left us for heavenly abode. But your memories in our hearts are always treasured. You are loved beyond measure.

Loving Wife, Sons, Relatives and Loved Ones.

MYK C MYK C NAGALAND POST, DIMAPUR MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2022 SPORTS 11 Djokovic wins Tel Aviv title

03/10/2020

On this day you have left us for your Heavenly abode to be with the eternal father shattering all our hopes and lives. We miss your absence so dearly but we try to get solace in the fact that you have found eternal peace in the warm and loving embrace of Jesus.

we meet again at Jesus feet… Rest in Peace.

Loving Parents, Kaka and Family Members

2nd Death anniversary of Late Ngongo Richard Kithan

Winners and organizers at the end of the Autocross and Sprint Challenge.

Haaland scores his third goal and his side’s fifth against Manchester United. (Reuters)

Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop with the trophy.

Miller ton in vain as India clinch T20 series

put into submission at the score of 1/2 inside two overs and they could never recover from there.

At the other end, Deepak Chahar (4-1-24-0) held up firmly before R Ashwin (4-0-37-0) joined in the act to take the match out of the Proteas reach with some tight bowling.

The highlight of South Africa innings was David Miller’s roaring return to form with his second T20I century with an unbeaten 106 from 47 balls.

GUWAHATI, OCT 2 (PTI): Indian batters were at their ruthless best with Suryakumar Yadav and opener KL Rahul lead ing the charge as they de feated South Africa by 16 runs despite David Miller’s unbeaten century in the second T20I to clinch the thee-match series here on Sunday.

Rahul (57 off 28 balls) and Yadav toyed (61 off 22 balls) the Proteas attack with sensational fifties as the Indian top-four bat ters once again put up a superlative display to post

a massive 237 for 3 -- their highest score against South Africa.

That 178 runs came from boundaries -- 25 fours and 13 sixes -- showed the Indians dominance against the Kagiso Rabada-led South African attack which looked mediocre all through.

Chasing a massive target of 238, the South Africans could score 237 for 3 in their 20 overs with David Miller remaining not out on 106 off 47 balls.

This was the first ever series win for India over

South Africa in the T20I format on home soil.

India had won the first match by eight wick ets on September 28. The third and final match of the series is slated in In dore on October 4.

Arshdeep Singh gave India a perfect start while defending 237, extending the run of ducks of South African skipper Temba Ba vuma and Rilee Rossouw to two matches. Arshdeep, however, leaked runs at the death overs to return with figures of 4-0-62-2.

South Africa were

State table tennis championship

DIMAPUR, OCT 2 (NPN): Nagaland Table Tennis Association (NTTA) will be organizing the 25th Inter District and State table Tennis Championship 2022 at Indoor TT stadium, Kohima, from October 4-7.

According to NTTA general secretary, Lhoulie

vibelho, this year the team championship trophy for Men’s and Women’s will be donated by the family of late Nizheto Awomi and late Thepuroko Sothu, who were former Champions. While, the cash prizes will be sponsored by the for mer/senior players.

Adviser Youth Re sources and Sports, Er. Zale Neikha will grace the open ing ceremony as special guest on October 4 at 10 am.

The last date for sub mission of entry forms will be October 3, 3 pm at In door TT stadium, Kohima.

JTYO organizes penalty shoot out

Quinton de Kock too was back among runs in a 48-ball 69 not out as the duo put together 174 runs from 84 balls but it proved not enough.

Earlier Rohit Sharma (43 off 37 balls), who be came the first Indian to play 400 T20 matches, started it all before Rahul took off.

Replying to his critics, Rahul (57) was back at his aggressive best, slamming a 24-ball fifty, his second in a row, as he and Rohit put on 96 runs for the opening wicket that came off just

59 balls.

Yadav then continued his insane 360-degree as sault with a third succes sive half-century that came off just 18 deliveries and India crossed the 200-mark in the 18th over.

Virat Kohli gave him a perfect support and be came the first Indian to get to 11,000 T20 runs during his 49 not out.

Playing a selfless knock, he gave designated finisher Dinesh Karthik the maximum strike. Karthik slammed 17 not out from seven balls to cap a perfect batting display for India.

The South African pacers looked lacklustre and bowled full and the Indians feasted on to them.

Amlan fastest man of National Games; Yarraji fastest woman

GANDHINAGAR (GU JARAT), OCT 2 (ANI):

Amlan Borgohain has a simple philosophy when it comes to running. Don’t think too much about con ditions or anything. Just run fast. The 23-year-old from Assam did just that to stop the clock at 10.38 seconds at the IIT Gandhi nagar athletics track to clinch the men’s 100 m gold and win the mantle of the fastest man of the 36th Na tional Games on Saturday.

The current National Record holder had regis tered a timing of 10.28s in the semifinals and though he could not improve on that performance he was more than happy.

Incidentally, he had broken the National Re cord in Rae Bareli that time and feels that his perfor mance may inspire many youngsters to take up ath letics in North East. Amlan Borgohain also took this opportunity to highlight his family’s sacrifices to help him make a career in athletics and said he

Amlan Borgohain (200m) and Jyothi Yarraji (100m hurdles). (V.V Krishnan)

was happy he could de liver. A few minutes later, Andhra Pradesh’s Jyothi Yarraji stunned a star-stud ded field, including Dutee Chand and Hima Das, to win the women’s 100 m gold in a thrilling race.

The lanky hurdler, who clocked 11.51 sec onds, to emerge as the Fast est Woman at the Games said that she was very re

laxed ahead of the race and delighted with her victory. She was quick to thank and appreciate the role played by star sprinters Dutee Chand (Odisha) and Hima Das (Assam).

Archana Suseendran (Tamil Nadu) and Diandra Valladares (Maharashtra) won the silver and bronze in the blue riband event of the day.

India men’s team stuns world no. 2 Germany in World TT C’ships

CHENGDU, OCT 2 (PTI): Star paddler G Sathiyan won both his singles, including the one against world number 9 Dang Qiu, to script India’s stunning 3-1 win over sec ond seeds Germany in the group stage of the World Table Tennis Champion ships here on Sunday.

World number 37 Sathiyan won two gruel ling deciders, first against 36th ranked Duda Bene dikt (11-13, 4-11, 11-8, 114, 11-9) before edging out Germany’s highest-ranked

player Qiu (10-12, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9).

In both the matches, Sathiyan staged a strong fightback after losing the first two games.

“The match against Qiu was definitely much tougher. He is a top-10 player. It was a high qual ity match as well,” Sathi yan told PTI.

India number 2 Har meet Desai had lost the second singles to Qui 1-2 (7-11, 9-11, 13-11, 3-11) before Manav Thakkar helped his team go 2-1 up

game on Saturday. They need to finish in the top two to advance to the prequarterfinals.

In the women’s draw, India recorded their first win of the group stage with a 3-0 result over Czech Republic.

The Manika Batraled side had lost to Ger many on Saturday.

Marketa Sevcikova and Katerina Tomanovska, 3-0 and 3-1 respectively.

with a 3-1 (13-11, 6-11, 118, 12-10) win over higherranked Ricardo Walther.

The 17th-ranked In dia had beaten Uzbekistan in their opening group

Manika defeated Hana Matelova 3-1 (11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 12-10 ) in the first singles before Akula Sreeja and Diya Chitale won their singles against

It was a close affair between Diya and Kat erina before the Indian prevailed 11-13, 15-13, 12-10, 14-12. Down two game points in the fourth game, Diya relied on her serve to make it 10-10 be fore winning a spectacular rally.

Katerina made it 1212 before the India got the couple of points she needed to complete a fine win.

MYK C MYK C Printed, Published and Edited by Geoffrey Yaden at G.M. Printers, Circular Rd. Dimapur-797112. Ph: Desk 248489, e-mail-npdesk@gmail.com. Adm.& Advertisement  :248267,8798162009 e-mail-npostadvt@gmail.com, R.N. 40978/90 RN/NE 707 SPORTS12 NAGALAND POST, DIMAPUR MONDAY, OCTOBER 3 , 2022 Brief scores: In dia 237/3 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 61, K.L Rahul 57; Keshav Maharaj 2/23) beat South Africa 221/3 in 20 overs (David Miller 106 not out, Quinton de Kock 69 not out; Arshdeep Sigh 2/62, Axar Patel 1/53) by 16 runs

G Sathiyan

DIMAPUR, OCT 2 (NPN): Jalukie Town Youth Organisation (JTYO) organized the first penalty shoot-out tournament at GHSS ground, Jalukie town on October 1. The tournament was graced by businessman, Kuchi Rangkau Zeliang as special guest. Before the kick off, a brief programme was organized which was chaired by JTYO general secretary, Adi and president of Kingdom Stewards, Heindibe Kulim invoked God’s blessings. Welcome speech was delivered by JTYO president, Akosi.

(L) David Miller celebrates his century. (R) Indian bowler Arshdeep Singh being greeted by his teammates after dismissing Rilee Rossouw. (PTI)