The City Standard

z VOL : 01 z ISSUE : 07 z Monday, MARCH, 18, 2019

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POLL BALL ON THE ROLL Prayagraj: After an anxious wait and what seemed like a drag, the schedule for elections to the Lok Sabha and four state Assemblies has been announced by the Election Commission of India (EC). This sets the ball rolling for the world's largest democratic exercise involving 90 crore people, up from 84 crore in 2014.

This is about 10 per cent of new voters. Some 1.5 crore of these are the real first timers in the age-bracket of 1819. How the young generation looks at the polls is crucial for win to all the contenders. The process involves 543 Lok Sabha seats apart from Assembly seats in four states. The seven-phase polling from April 11 to May 19 will culminate in the counting and declaration of results in one go, on May 23, leading to the formation of a new 17th Lok Sabha and, thereby, a government. This means a long wait for those who have exercised their franchise in the first few phases, but this is understandable as Indian elections have acquired a global name for fairness in a land where political tug of war often takes chaotic proportions. Several sensitive areas and states need special care and more than the usual security cover such as Bihar and UP and politically volatile West Bengal, for instance. Assembly polls have also been announced for Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Jammu and Kashmir has been edged out of this exercise for the large part and polls are announced only for the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat. The EC is obviously of the view that the conditions in Kashmir Valley do not suit holding of fair polls at this juncture.

To allay concerns about likely tampering of Electronic Voting Machines, the EC has announced GPS monitoring of the vehicles carrying the voting machines.

Another notable feature this time is the introduction of VVPAT system under which voters will be able to independently verify whether their votes were correctly cast.

This would eliminate chances of fraud or machine malfunction. On a wider scale, this could audit the election results, and ensure that the process was done in a fair manner. The code of conduct for the polls comes into immediate effect. Governments can no more hold out new promises or start new initiatives until the results are declared. However, significantly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have been given a long rope by way of a slight delay in the announcement of the election schedule. Normally, this is announced around the beginning of March. One report has it that PM Modi has attended over 150 events in the past one month, by way of launch of new governmental initiatives - this, at the fag end of his term. Hopefully, such attempts by politicians can no more fool the people who know well that these are nothing more than election gimmicks. In reality Indian politicians with some brains ought to desist in such stupid gimmicks at the last moment.

Political parties are more or less ready for the campaign, evident also from the fact that some top names for contest are already out for Uttar Pradesh, as also for several other states. Candidatures of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been announced for two seats, and so did former chief minster Mulayam Singh for the important battleground state of Uttar Pradesh.

More names would be out in the coming few days.

Clearly, the ruling BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi were on the defensive in the run-up to this round of parliamentary polls. They were still licking the wounds inflicted on them by the voters in the five state Assembly polls, three of them in the central Hindi belt. This, over and above the hit the ruling party and the PM took for alleged mis-governance in the past five years, as was evident in the Demonetisation and GST rollout that strained people across the board. The BJP and Modi hoped to turn the tide in their favour by the IAF bombing in Balakot in Pakistan, but its shine seems almost lost due to the hazy nature of the outcome. Add to this the Rafale scam, about which newer and newer aspects putting PM Modi directly in the dock are coming out, further sullying the image of the PM and the ruling NDA as a whole. With this as the backdrop, the coming polls would be more curious to watch, for sure. " RAJEEV RANJAN MISHRA

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Elections 2019 rapidly morphing into showdown between Modi and rest NEW DELHI With the Election Commission of India (EC) announcing the dates for Elections 2019 , the die is now cast. It will be tempting to try and seek parallels from the past to etch the trends for the upcoming electoral showdown, but that would be a mistake as every election, whether national or state, has its unique narrative.

The obvious question then is what will it be for this election. A good hazard will be that this is rapidly morphing into a showdown between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the rest; the closest that a democratic framework like India's can fashion in terms of a presidential contest.

This narrative was, with the benefit of hindsight, seeded in the audacious win for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fashioned by Modi in 2014. It had ended the era of coalitions with the BJP, first time in 30 years, managing a majority on its own. The Modi stamp on the victory was not one off; we would see this pattern playing out again and again in every state election as the BJP expanded its national electoral footprint, at the expense of the

Congress, to unprecedented proportions, with the exception of the defeats in Delhi, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

Effectively, Modi has, over the last five years, emerged as the anchor of the BJP, which in turn has evolved into the

the contours of a presidential contest.

Presume it will recall that whenever the opposition defined the dominant narrative, like in Bihar and Delhi, then it has worked to its advantage; conversely allowing Modi to define the elec-

principal pole of Indian politics. The flip side of this is that if Modi is weakened, so is the BJP, particularly with respect to the Lok Sabha elections.

The opposition for its part has a difficult task. It would ideally have avoided a presidential contest as it is aware that at present it does not have the leadership to challenge Modi.

At the same time, its best bet has been to try and discredit Modi, which only reinforces

toral narrative implies that it will be the opposition that will play catch-up. What should also worry the opposition is that the guiding ideology of unity seems to be that of "enemy's, enemy (read BJP) is my friend", which can never be the glue that holds alliances.

Further, it has been difficult to stitch one national alliance, with some political parties discovering that what is good for

them nationally is not a good idea locally-in other words for short-term gains, they may end up hurting their long-term electoral interests in a state.

This has been most manifest so far in alliance efforts in Uttar Pradesh-central to BJP's success in 2014-and Delhi.

Exactly why the 'Mahagatbandhan', or Grand Alliance, has not acquired the desired potential.

The opposition has also been handicapped by the fact that the Congress, the only national party with the potential heft to take on the BJP, is plumbing its worst lows in electoral politics; to be sure, it has recovered some of its mojo by clawing out wins in BJP's heartland in Central India.

Events over the last few weeks beginning with the Pulwama terror attack, culminating in the daring Balakot air strike, and the capture and release of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman are threatening to reorder the narrative of the campaign.

It has visibly shifted the momentum towards the BJP. While this may be the case, a key part of the contest-selection of candidates-is yet to be decided. In a close contest, this could be the key factor determining the outcome.

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Urgent need for electoral reforms in India NEW DELHI The ball is set rolling for India's 17th Lok Sabha elections.

The Election Commission (EC) has urged voters to vote freely, fearlessly, and make an informed and ethical choice. The numbers are staggering: 900 million eligible voters, a million voting booths, 10 million election officials (not counting security personnel), an expected 10,000 candidates for 545 seats, and more than 500 political parties in the fray.

No wonder it's called a festival.

But as we go into campaign season, the atmosphere is less festive and more feisty, even nasty and fractious. The firstpast-the-post (FPTP) electoral system seems to encourage polarization, since in a multicorner contest, even a low vote share is enough to get you elected and this often involves an extreme ideological focus on a core voter base.

One consequence of FPTP is the trend of constituents being micro-targeted with cus-

tomized messages. Another result is the non-linear relationship between vote share and seat share. Even a 1% vote swing can increase a party's seat share by 10-15%.

The particularly stark case was that of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which in 2014 got 20% of Uttar Pradesh's vote but no single Lok Sabha seat. Electoral reforms are overdue. A comprehensive agenda was laid out by the EC itself in a letter to the prime minister back in July 2004.

Most of it lies unfulfilled, since parliament has not found time in the past 15 years to deliberate on such reforms. The gist of them is to make the process more transparent, disqualify criminal elements, mandate greater disclosure of money power, forge inner-party democracy and raise voter participation.

Elections are now vulnerable to the adverse influence of three 'M's: money, muscle and media (including the social kind). The EC's job is to minimize this influence and

ensure voting free from fear and coercion, plus a level playing field.

As we look at electoral outcomes, we need to introspect: Just how representative of Indians are our Members of Parliament? The trend over past several Lok Sabhas has been of a widening gap between the people and their representatives. This is a matter of grave concern. Of course, it is nobody's case that only a poor candidate can represent the poor. Or only a highly educated person can understand the challenge of education in India. Be it MPs or MLAs, elected representatives are agents of the people.

In economics lingo, this is a problem, principal-agent where people are the "principal". Whoever they appoint (i.e. elect) has to do their bidding, or at least act in their best interest. In the absence of any other signal of "credibility" or "trustworthiness" from candidates, voters often make choices based on caste, muscle power (to "get things done") or charisma.

To assess representativeness, consider the gaps between electors and the elected on such parameters as age, gender, wealth, criminality, education, dynasty and size of constituency. The average age of the 13th Lok Sabha was 55.5 years, which went down to 52.7 in the 14th, but then went up again to 53 in the 15th, and 56 in the outgoing one. It was only 46.5 years in 1952. India's median age, however, is just 26. Twothirds of the population is below 35. Yet our MPs are getting older. In contrast, the so-called ageing countries like the UK, Italy, France and Canada are electing much younger leaders. On gender, women account for only 12% of the Lok Sabha. At least three states have zero female MPs. Less than 10% of candidates are women. Not so long ago, more than two-thirds of constituencies had no single female candidate.

The Women's Reservation Bill, meanwhile, has been pending in Parliament for over four decades.

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PRAYAGRAJ

How battleground states will determine poll results

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Lok Sabha Elections 2019, dates of which were announced Sunday, will be contested in territories that could be called the battleground states.

These are not only states which choose themselves for their size and significance, such as Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, but also smaller ones that will play an outsized role.

The party or alliance that wins Elections 2019 is going to be determined by the states that are not necessarily big but which nevertheless can swing the outcome in terms of the arithmetic of alliances and the competing narratives that have dominated the post-2014 landscape, such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the northeastern states.

West Bengal too assumes a greater significance for Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the main challenger-the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-this year than it did in 2014.

Essentially, the battleground states in Elections 2019 are those that are tra-

ditional powerhouses and also those that have come to hold the levers of power in the post-2014 scenario.

The two heartland states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which send the maximum number of leaders to the Lok Sabha (120 in all), offer different electoral scenarios for the main stakeholders.

In Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 73 seats in 2014, party president Amit Shah has set a target of winning 74 this time, including one of the two Gandhi dynasty seats of Amethi and Raebareli. This is obviously easier desired than done because there are significant variables now.

The Samajwadi Party (SP)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alliance has been sealed and there are efforts underway to bring the Congress on board. Even without the Congress, the SP-BSP alliance is a formidable proposition, given their collective might evidenced in the bypolls to Gorakhpur and Phulpur seats in 2018. The BJP

suffered crushing defeats in those constituencies.

The Congress had a forgettable performance in 2014 but it could only improve now, possibly aided by the formal entry of Priyanka Gandhi as the AICC general secretary and incharge of East Uttar Pradesh. Also, the BJP has not been able to bring on board smaller parties like Apna Dal and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party.

In Bihar though, the BJP was deft and accommodative to formalize its alliance with the Janata Dal (United), or JDU. The BJP settled for a fewer number of seats (17) than it won in 2014 (22) in Bihar. In contrast, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress have not been able to stitch together a pre-poll alliance.

Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, promises to be more competitive in Elections 2019 than it was five years back. The NDA, which won 42 seats in 2014, has so far not made room for Ramdas Athavale's Republican Party of India.

While Athavale has a limited appeal

among Dalits, his exit from NDA, if it happens, could mean bad optics for the BJP and Shiv Sena. This time, the Congress and the NCP, which have announced a pre-poll alliance but haven't finalized seat-sharing, also seem to be a more concerted unit.

In 2014, BJP swept Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. It retained Gujarat in the 2017 assembly elections, despite a spirited Congress performance.

The Congress focus had shifted to the three other states that then were held by the BJP: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, allowing the BJP to regroup in Gujarat.

A resurgent Congress that won these three states in 2018remains a challenge for the BJP in Elections 2019.

This also holds true for other Hindispeaking states, where the BJP made big gains in 2014 but anti-incumbency could play a role in 2019.

The Congress, meanwhile, will look to do better than it did in 2014buoyed by its performance in the 2018 state elections.

As compared to 2014, a few southern states have a greater significance for the BJP and the Congress in Elections 2019. In Tamil Nadu, both the national parties have tied up with the two Dravidian regional powers.

Kerala, the epicentre state of the Left vs Sangh battle, will witness another BJP bid, this time powered by the Sabarimala controversy, to not only retain the lone seat it won in 2014 but also make additional gains.

The Congress and Janata Dal (Secular), or JDS, which formed a post-poll alliance in Karnataka in 2018, will look to make Karnataka a test case for the opposition alliance.

In 2014, the Congress won 10 Lok Sabha seats, the JDS 2 and the BJP 15. For the BJP, the 2018 Karnataka elections-when it emerged as the single-largest party-may not really be the sole determinant of its 2019 show.

Some of the most fierce battles of Elections 2019 will be fought in West Bengal and the northeastern states, regions the BJP has concentrated much of its energies on since 2014.

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MUMBAI

MY CITY

The City Standard

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

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Priyanka reaches out to voters with three-day Ganga yatra

CHIEF REPORTER PRAYAGRAJ Congress general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh (east) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra kicked off her Lok Sabha campaign on Monday with a three-day "Ganga yatra" to connect with voters and party cadres.

Vadra, who began her boat ride from

Allahabad, is scheduled to travel nearly 100km to reach Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and reach there on 20 March.

She offered prayers at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati, before setting off on the yatra.

"I want to urge you, my brothers and sisters, to vote wisely in these elections and form a

Congress government so that your problems could be looked into...this area has specific problems," she told a gathering at the Dumduma Ghat. At her next stop, along the Sirsa Ghat, she said development will take place only when the hands of the Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi are strengthened.

Vadra was part of a roadshow in Lucknow last month. However, this was led by her elder brother. The Congress has pinned its hopes on

Vadra and expects her to help the party regain lost ground and chart a revival in a state where it had won just two out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2014.

The Congress general secretary also wrote an open letter urging the most important sections of the state's population to find their voice, which has been lost over politicking.

However, the positivity around Vadra among party cadres was on Monday dampened.

12th Convocation ceremony celebrated at SHUATS OUR CORRESPONDENT

what future is but we know our future is safe in hand of God. On this occasion I heartily congratulate and bless PRAYAGRAJ for your bright future." He added that The prestigious 12th those passed from this university they Convocation ceremony was celebrated at Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Science (SHUATS). The chief guest on the occasion was Dr. Nicholas, J. Wood, Dean for the Centre for Christianity and Culture, University of Oxford, United Kingdom. The Program begins with national anthem followed by devotional bhajan song performance.

The prominent presents in the occasion were Vice Chairman of the Society Dr. S.A. Brown, Pro VC (AA & QA) Prof. A.K.A. Lawrence, Pro VC (Administration) Prof. S.B. Lal, Pro VC (PMD) Prof. Rev. S. Herbert, Registrar Prof. Robin L. Prasad, not only posses degree but also they Director Campus Ministry Dr. Sudha are value based achiever which will Lal, Dr. (Mrs.) Indira Vasantha, all help in their lives to get success. He Directors, Deans, HoDs, staffs and gave away the ICAR Best Teacher Awards to Prof. Joy Dowson students of the University.

During the Convocation, the Vice (Agronomy), Dr. Varginia Paul Chancellor Dr. J.A. Oliver addressed (Home Science), Dr. Jenetha Imanuel the students, and told them to main- (Food Science Engg.), Dr. Sandeep tain ethics and values in society G.M. Prasad (Dairy Engg.), Dr. throughout their life to become a bet- Neelam Khare (Forestry). The ter person. He said, "We do not know Chancellor also gave away 134

The Vice Chancellor administered oath to all degree recipients that they will devote their lives to serve the nation with full integrity, honesty and dedication, they will impart

knowledge and maintain professional ethics, moral values of highest standard and remain faithful to God, Nation and Alma Mater. The Vice Chancellor gave away the Ph.D. degree to the students. Dean of Oxford University Rev. Dr. Nocholas J. Wood has been bestowed with Ph.D. (Honorius Causa) by the Vice Chancellor Most Rev. Prof. Rajendra B. Lal.

The Director Campus Ministry gave away the various students awards. The Late Rev. Gulzari Lal Memorial Award for best UG Student of the University was given to Miss Mantasha Athar, Late Mr. Mani Jacob Memorial Award for best differently able student was given to Anubhav Verma. Laxmi Rao Memorial Award for best girl student of Masters Programme in Forensic Science was jointly awarded to Khalida Nazir and Ruchika Divedi.

Students cheered to get awarded with 134 Gold, 107 silver medals, around 337 Ph.D. degree awarded .238 foreign students from of Ghana, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Libya, Nepal, Canada also receive degree & medals. During the convocation ceremony Annual report of the University, book on significant research achievements, book on horticultural science and machine learning were also released. Prof. A.K.A. Lawrence gave a brief sketch on the life and contribution of Dr. Nicholas, J. Wood. Registrar Prof. (Dr.) Robin L. Prasad shared his life incidents and said that Dr. R.B. Lal is a man of God. The program was concluded by Dr. Nicholas, J. Wood performs prayer with the students.

Steve Irwin of Prayagraj: This brave boy has a passion of catching snakes Aditya Singh Ankit Jaiswal also is known as "Ankit Tarzan," by the locals, is a hero in the locality and has rescued and released nearly 1,000 different species of snakes till date.

As a part of his hobby, 21-yearsold old has been rescuing venomous, non-venomous or semi-venomous snakes that somehow sneak into houses or offices in Prayagraj because of natural habitat loss. He has been rescuing and releasing endangered snake species into the forest areas of the city for the past eight years.

He said, "People call me to rescue snake, even forest department calls me to rescue snake. I don't have a team I do it alone. My family members have a concern, but this is my passion, and I love it. I cannot leave my passion even if I have to lose my life. I have been doing this

for the last 8 years since I was a child. I can tame and catch any snake."

Ankit, who was fascinated by Discovery Channel shows, as a child he started exploring the world of reptiles and gained expertise in

catching reptiles. He said, "Since I was a child, I was a huge fan of Discovery Channel shows on reptiles and wildlife."

He further said, "I have rescued almost all species of snakes including, Krait, Common Wolf Snake,

Cobra, and common Sand Boa etc, who somehow sneaked into the houses and offices in the city. I receive nearly four panic calls frequently. Irrespective of time, I immediately rush to the spot and rescue the snake and further release it in forest area," Ankit, who works with his father at his shop, also runs a "Bird Foundation" to conserve bird species. He said, "I used to collect money from people and nearby shops, to build nests for birds. So, more birds could survive". When asked about the scary moment, he remembers, "Once I had a scratch bite from Cobra. It was just a scratch, So, I have survived and I am safe." When asked about his future plans, he replied he had not thought much about it but had a desire to catch an alligators and crocodiles, if he gets a chance he will definitely volunteer.

The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party warned the Congress not to spread confusion. This came in the wake of the Congress offering seven seats for the grand alliance in the state.

"Congress is free to contest all 80 seats in UP and contest alone. Our alliance is competent of defeating the BJP alone. Congress should not deliberately spread confusion by leaving seven seats," Mayawati said in a strongly-worded tweet.

Holi's message of equality, unity and devotion OUR CORRESPONDENT PRAYAGRAJ Holi signifies boundless happiness. As we enjoy such sacred festivities, we should remember that, in reality, they are meant to remind us of the inner bliss and oneness that are our inherent nature and are the very

and one-pointed devotion, he remained unscathed. Holika, on the other hand, paid for her heinous deed by burning to death. Thus, today, people re-enact this event with Holika dahanam.

The tale of Hiranyakashipu's rise and fall has an inner meaning: When a leader becomes selfish, self-centred and drunk with ego, he forgets that he is, in fact, only a lim-

Photo By - Saurabh Kumar essence of life. Holi signifies boundless happiness. As we enjoy such sacred festivities, we should remember that, in reality, they are meant to remind us of the inner bliss and oneness that are our inherent nature and are the very essence of life. When everyone's bodies and faces are smeared with colours, all external differences disappear; everyone looks the same. True happiness and love arise only when all the boundaries created by the mind vanish. There are several legends associated with Holi.

Foremost is the story of Prahlada. Even as a little boy, Prahlada was fully devoted and surrendered to the Lord. However, his father, the demon king Hiranyakashipu, in his egomania, openly declared himself to be a God. Hiranyakashipu issued a decree that no one other than himself could be worshiped. He demanded that everyone chant only his name.

Regardless, Prahlada continued his innocent prayers and devotion to Lord Vishnu.

Infuriated, Hiranyakashipu decided to have Prahlada killed. He devised many plans to do so, including boiling him in oil, trapping him in a room of venomous snakes, having him trampled by elephants-even having his own mother poison him. Prahlada miraculously escaped all these plots unharmed, and his devotion only grew. At one point, Hiranyakashipu asked his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlada in her lap.

Holika had received a boon making her fireproof. But owing to Prahlada's innocent faith

ited human being. We should never forget that, in the vastness of the universe, all beings, including humans, are nothing but tiny, little creatures. The story reminds us that when we lose our humility before the allpowerful divinity, the law of karma will eventually come to correct us. This holds true not only for leaders, but for everyone.

Hence, we should always remember that we are all interconnected; the ripples of each of our actions-good or bad, selfless or selfishwill go on to affect our family, our village, our State, our nation, and onto the entire world. Ultimately, they will return to us. On Holi, you can fearlessly and lovingly smear colours on anyone - be it your parents, elders, neighbours, strangers, foreigners, friend or foe. Whoever you are, whatever your status or position may be, this act of "colouring" is accepted in a spirit of celebration and friendship. There are no hurt feelings or attempts to defend one's self. In today's world, where human beings and nature are besieged by problems, threats and conflict, celebrations such as Holi bring the much-needed message of equality, unity, unconditional love, happiness, compassion, universal friendship and enthusiasm. The joyful participation we feel during festivals and celebrations transcends the mind and intellect. It is wholehearted. There is a deep feeling of love in it. We need to put in effort to sustain this spirit in all of our activities throughout our lives.

Congress' Sanjeevani Booti

Priyanka Gandhi is the life-giving magical herb her party needs PRAYAGRAJ: For political junkies, 2019 is the year many have been eagerly waiting for.

Priyanka Gandhi, charming scion of India's first family, has entered active politics as the Congress party's general secretary in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

And ever since she made her much-awaited plunge over a fortnight ago, scores of op-eds have been penned on her. After all, it's been a long time coming. Some op-eds focused on her political acumen. Some praised her demeanour.

Some eulogised her for being a people's person.

But they all had two things in common - all couldn't help but draw parallels between Priyanka and her grandmother, the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. And all had mounting expectations of her.

In fact, a few columnists even described her as the Congress party's 'Brahmastra' (the divine weapon of last resort as per Hindu mythology which cannot be counter-attacked).

Well, there is no denying that Priyanka will make a monumental difference in the grand old party - but it is too early to tell if she indeed is the 'Brahmastra'. In my opinion, she is the 'sanjeevani booti' that the Congress needed. ('Sanjeevani' is a mythological magical herb which has the power to cure any problem. The herb is mentioned in the Ramayana, where, when Lakshman was severely wounded during the battle against Ravana's son, Lord Hanuman was sent to fetch the sanjeevani, a powerful liferestoring herb).

Being the powerhouse that she is, it is certain that she will revive the party's fortunes in Uttar Pradesh, where it has been dead for long.

And the impact of her official entry into Indian politics will definitely extend beyond the borders of the Hindi heartland. To know this, one needs to know a bit more about Priyanka herself.

Pain and courage How difficult is it to muster up the courage to mourn the death of a loved one? Embracing pain, and moving on, is a trait only a few possess - Priyanka Gandhi is believed to be one such being.

Early in her life, she demonstrated that she is not cut out for despondency. They say tragedies make one mature. She, like her brother, saw two of them at a very young age.

First, she lost her grandmother. Then, her father, Rajiv Gandhi.

But one thing that she did not lose was courage. She was just 19 when her father was assassinated. It was the toughest phase of her life and she stayed strong for she had to take care of her grief-stricken mother Sonia. Her brother Rahul was studying in the USA then.

And so, Priyanka took charge of the situation with absolute grit. She travelled to Madras with her mother - and brought the mutilated body of her father back home to Delhi.

It is not easy for a child to receive the body of their parent and still gather themselves for what was about to come. But Priyanka did. And

time and again, she has stood up for not just her family, but also the party that she belongs to.

From extending support to her mother, when she made her political entry, to campaigning and writing speeches for her, Priyanka has worked tirelessly over the years.

The doting sister that she is, Priyanka has campaigned for her brother too. In fact, her decision to join the Congress came a few days after the party's victories in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The timing was apt. For she wouldn't have wanted the Opposition to attribute these victories to her charm, instead of Rahul's hard work.

Some ridicule Priyanka for starting her political career this late. But had she joined politics about 15 years back, she would have been criticised then too, even for leaving her household to enjoy the perks of power.

If truth be told, just like her brother, she isn't power-hungry. In 2004, Rahul could have contested as a prime ministerial candidate - but he chose not to. Similarly, Priyanka could have joined politics over two decades ago but didn't, despite knowing that she had the charisma and the ability to build an instant rapport with people. Instead, she chose to stay in the backroom of Congress politics.

One of the reasons was to ensure a normal childhood for her children. Growing up in a family where she was surrounded by fear due to the violent deaths of her loved ones, Priyanka knew what she wanted for her children.

Now that her children are grown up, she has taken the decision to join politics.

And rightly so. It's never too late to do something you love and she has over 25 years of political life ahead of her to bring a difference to the country.

Perhaps she is just like her grandmother.

Yes, they look similar. But their life paths have been quite similar too.

Even Indira Gandhi supported her father, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, during his tenure as the country's Prime Minister. During her stay at the Teen Murti House, she was the one to manage everything - and Indira too didn't join active politics until her boys attained a certain age. She was a strong and compassionate woman. And so is Priyanka.

Evoking Indira: Over the past several years, Priyanka has been dubbed the 'real' political heir to Indira Gandhi. Apart from the striking resemblance that she shares to her grandmother, it's her strong connect with the masses that evokes Indira every time you look at her.

From what I have heard from those who know her, Priyanka never forgets the name of a person she meets. Besides her sharp intellect, superb oratorical skills, impeccable Hindi and oodles of charm, she also has a splendid gift of repartee. And that's what works in politics.

In one of her very old campaigns in her mother's constituency, Priyanka was seen interacting with the locals in Bhojpuri. It's because of these simple things that Priyanka is believed

to be a vote puller.

I got a chance to see her at an event from distance - I won't be exaggerating when I say that her aura left me wonderstruck. Her electrifying personality not only woos the media and Congress supporters, it also inspires awe in her political rivals.

Her opponents would agree that her choice of a challenging political geography like Uttar Pradesh at such a crucial time shows her unflinching audacity.

Just like her grandmother's.

However, Indira Gandhi's legacy is too big, powerful and complex. She was the strongest and most loved Prime Minister India has ever seen. However, when Priyanka's boldness reminds many of Indira's bold decisions - like splitting Pakistan into two and dealing with America with an iron hand - that's not the only thing that can be recalled. The Congress party's opponents would leave no chance to attack Priyanka for her grandmother's decision to declare the Emergency. oreover, this year will complete 35 years of India without Indira. With two generations passing without seeing Indira at all, it's a sad reality that today's 40-year-old doesn't remember Indira or her achievements. Together with the youth, middle-aged voters constitute a massive voting block, capable of swinging elections. Thus, it will be a challenging task for Priyanka to create nostalgia among young voters who know nothing about Indira or Rajiv.

MY CITY

The City Standard

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

Kumbh success will provide poll boost to BJP CHIEF REPORTER

of birth and death and ushered into the realm of the Gods, where prevails a state of eternal PRAYAGRAJ bliss.

How far removed is the cycle of birth and Even as 2019 was ushered in with cus- death from the process of the election of a tomary joy by people all over the world, the new government for a limited period until it is stage was set in India for two important re-elected or voted out in a democracy like events. Even though both have tremendous appeal for the people of our country, these mega-events could not have been from two more diverse - spiritual and political. Both call for meticulous planning and preparation by the state machinery. More importantly, neither will be feasible without people's participation. While one of these, the Ardh Kumbh or the Kumbh Mela as it is more popularly known, has limited direct appeal to the Sanatanis currently living in the multi-cultural society of modern India and abroad, its overall reach across the globe cannot be overlooked.

Recognised as the biggest human congregation on earth, till February 21 as many as 22 crore devotees and tourists from India and abroad had already visited the Mela. The significance of the occasion did not go unnoticed by the growing number of foreigners known for active interest in the spiritual and cultural riches of India. Meanwhile, 220 delegates from 185 different countries landed in Prayagraj on February 22 and participated in the Kumbh Mela festivities. The other grand event, the upcoming General Elections to the India? Elections are a healthy and positive Parliament, is a subject matter of tremendous exercise that enable people to renew their interest to the whole world for its likely faith in a government or vote it out of power impact on regional and international develop- till the next round of elections. Democracy is ments. How does the Ardh Kumbh impact the the pride and glory of the nation in a milieu of General Elections? military dictatorships and truncated versions All the life forms that take birth on plan- of the system practised in India's neighbouret earth are bound to experience pain and mis- hood. Transfer of power through the mamery, decay and death. Death only heralds the moth nationwide exercise of elections is the beginning of a new life, which means a repe- crowning glory of India's political system. tition of birth, experiences of pain and sufferWhether it is a question of attainment of ing, decay and death. The process of birth and bliss or betterment of the society, the choice death and whatever lie in between are repeat- of the course of action is that of the individed ad nauseam till one's Karmic account is ual. In both cases, one has to reflect, retrosettled. Is there no way out for someone to cut spect and decide before embarking on any the process short and enter a state free of pain, action. Having stated this, one wonders if the misery and decay? Sanatana Dharma, which Kumbh Mela is likely to leave its footprint propounds this theory of the cycle of birth in the minds of the voters on their way to and death, does reveal a way out. Take a holy the polling booth. How has the Ardh Kumbh dip in the confluence of the rivers Ganga, 2019 impacted the electorate? What is the Yamuna and Saraswati during the auspicious main takeaway of the event? event of Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, held at To make the Ardh Kumbh a grand sucperiodic intervals, with pomp, gaiety and reli- cess befitting the grandeur of the occasion, gious fervour. One is then free from the cycle the Central and the State governments put

their best foot forward. The place at the 'Triveni Sangam', formerly known as Allahabad, where the Ardh Kumbh is organised, was renamed Prayagraj in October last year well in time for the event. The initiative of the state government to change the name was overwhelmingly endorsed by the

Central government. The renaming, nay, restoration of the historical name of the city brought in its wake a soothing balm.

The nation looked back with nostalgia and pride as to how its history that had been trampled all over by alien invasions. It had taken all of seventy years of an independent existence as a modern nation for this cultural hub to rid itself of the medieval demeaning of its ancient culture. What better way to kickstart an occasion of spiritual and cultural magnificence than by restoring to the site its lost pride and name?

First and foremost, the excellent administrative arrangements made for the congregation of millions of devotees on the riverfront in Prayagraj need special mention. The event commenced on January 15, and by the time it concluded on March 4, an estimated 28 crore people ranging from sadhus and sants of different groupings to laymen and women, and wide-eyed tourists and pilgrims from abroad had descended on the venue.

Such an epochal occasion calls for arrange-

ments on a monumental scale seldom necessary for a government to make in the normal course of social life.

Access to Prayagraj by road, rail, air and inland waterways was taken up for enhancement and up-gradation. An airport barely 12 km from the city, four railway stations in the city, an airboat service between Varanasi and Prayagraj, four floating terminals, and operation of small boats are the highlights of the special transport arrangements.

Elaborate security arrangements with updated technology and visitor facilities were made. Several thousand CCTV cameras, deployment of 20,000 policemen including 1,100 lifeguards, temporary police stations and fire stations complete the picture. A massive operation for cleanliness, hygiene and safety was put in place. To house the pilgrims and tourists, the authorities erected a new mini-city of more than 4,000 tents with modern amenities, and this temporary mini-city was lit by over 40,000 LED lights.

Cultural programmes, laser shows and other innovations were lined up to pep up a hectic day of spiritual indulgence by the pilgrims. The preparations for this mega-event were carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 4,200 crore. Out of this, nearly Rs 3,000 crore was for permanent projects and upgradation in Prayagraj city and the rest for works inside the Mela area. The permanent projects would be a real boost for the upliftment of the region's economy that is reportedly job and cash-strapped. As such, the Kumbh Mela is undoubtedly an economic blessing for the local economy.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the apex industry body, is expecting Kumbh 2019 to generate a revenue of Rs 1,20,000 crore for Uttar Pradesh government and employment for over 600,000 workers across various sectors.

With the excellent arrangements that were put in place, it may be expected that pilgrims and tourists would carry pleasant memories back. The acclaim that the superb work entails is bound to shore up the image and popularity of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre and the State which, in turn, would most likely translate into votes. Ardh Kumbh 2019 may, therefore, be expected to serve as an unintended curtain raiser for the BJP's 2019 electoral essay; its success promising good governance.

Land mafia eyeing Jal Nigam store Youths high on 'right to recall' STAFF REPORTER PRAYAGRAJ Land mafias in the city have got emboldened over the years as officials failed to check their growth. Police and district administration are flooded with complaints of mafias forcibly trying to acquire land of poor and downtrodden at throw away prices. They are spinning and spreading their web across the district.

Unlawful activities of mafias are on high these days. They are acquiring government land for personal benefit while authorities are silent. Their daredevilry has reached zenith and now mafias are eyeing government land. They are not only looting stores owned by government departments but also trying to claim their possession by affixing own name plates.

A similar instance came to light at Rajapur Officer's colony under Civil Lines police station. Here mafias are ilegally trying to acquire possession of Jal Nigam's store built on State owned land. Executive Engineer second Jal Nigam has made a complaint in this regard with district magistrate and SSP. Increasing clout of land mafia has spread panic among employees of the store who fear for their lives.

According to the information received, Jal Nigam store second is located on State land

near Officer's Colony and Roadways Workshop in Rajapur. The store houses pipes and other construction materials worth several lakhs. Initially, daughter-in-law of a doctor was trying to acquire potions of the store.

However, when her repeated attempts turned futile, she forged the papers and sold it to a land mafia. Officials of Jal Nigam protested over such illegal activities taking place in the premises of the store. Undettered by the protest of officials, land mafia later threatened the security guard of the store and turned him away and affixed their own name plate. However, mafia vacated the premises when officials got acquainted about the development and made a complaint in this regard with the police. Executive Engineer second Jal Nigam, Avnish Singh made a complaint through letter number 1427/M2/41 to district magistrate, SSP and other officials. Jal Nigam official, Avnish Singh claimed that land papers are of somewhere else but the boundary and outline of the store has been shown in the map.

Objections have been raised over it earlier.

Emboldened with the patronage of corrupt officials and apathy of cops, land mafias have turned their vulture eyes towards government land. Meanwhile, Executive Engineer Avnish Singh said that name plate will be thrown away and strict action will be taken against the accused.

AU students work on 21-feet 'hammer' STAFF REPORTER PRAYAGRAJ Over six years after he finished working on the 3,500kg sculpture, the district administration is considering finally putting up the 21-feet hammer, sculpted by a former Allahabad University student, for public display.

The sculpture has been gathering dust at the campus till now. Designed by fine arts student of AU, Udham Singh Patel, he sculpture signifies the power of the youth.

A farmer's son, Patel is a resident of Nagaipur village of Baheria block in Allahabad. He and five of his juniors had sculpted the 3,500-kilogram 'hammer' during a span of around seven months. The hammer is 28 feet in its diameter.

It took 50 students to just turn the sculpture on its side so that it could be painted.

Patel said that sculpture wasn't easy on his pocket either. He took a loan of Rs 3.5 lakh from a nationalized bank under

the Prime Minister Rozgar Yojna to finance it.

His efforts to get the sculpture prominently displayed at a public place did not bear any results.

Patel said that he had approached administrative officials as well as political leaders across the state seeking help so that he could repay the loan over the last four years.

"I showed photographs of the project to several political leaders, hoping that someone would sponsor it, but no one came forward," said Patel. "Now, the authorities have assured me that sculpture could be installed at a prominent place in Allahabad. The Company Garden would among the proposed sites," said Patel. District magistrate, Bhanu Chand Goswami, said, "We admire the efforts of the youth involved in creating the sculpture and are mulling about installing it at a location, provided that the dates of the 2019 parliamentary elections are not announced in the coming days."

STAFF REPORTER PRAYAGRAJ Youth no more want hollow promises. They want development, employment and empowerment. "So, we would select the right candidate who could provide more opportunities and deliver results," is the opinion of the majority of the youth surveyed by a city-based masscommunication institute.

More than 70% of the youths who were surveyed said the "right to recall" a public representative would go a long way in inculcating a sense of responsibility among them. Also, majority of the youths was vocal that politicians neither have any agenda nor any vision for development. They have only one vision -- to win the election, grab power and create wealth at the cost of the public.

Almost 100% voiced opinion against tainted candidates having criminal background. The youths clearly said that "before election, every party con-

demns entry of criminals in politics, but at the time of distribution of tickets, they gleefully declare them as their party candidate".

Rajeev Pathak, a youth from City South, said if politicians had followed the concept of democracy honestly, then the country would have been among the great world economic powers. Om Prakash, a young teacher, opined that every politician knew how to make false promises and how to befool public by juicy pledges.

Dileep Kumar and Arvind Shukla, both postgraduate students, said that there was a need to create awareness among the politicians that time for making hollow promises was over and delivering results was a must. "Now public want work and result," he added.

Mohd Ayub said if a problem persists in any constituency where a particular person was winning in successive elections, then he must be held responsible for neglecting the people who had sent him to the legislature. For

such situation, right to recall would be a perfect tool.

Kailash Agarwal, a resident of City West said: "It is very strange that not a single political party is serious about removing corruption.

Instead of talking about development, they were busy wooing various communities." He suggested rejecting the liars, power hungry and party-hopping candidates.

A group of degree college students commented that politicians had spread casteism and were asking and calculating votes on caste basis. But they would vote for only those candidates, who are young, uncontroversial and honest.

Vandana, who will vote for the first time, raised her voice against political leaders who played divisive politics. She commented that before election, they play with the sentiments of voters, but later shake hands. The ultimate sufferer is the voter as he found himself to be cheated. So young voter would teach them a lesson this time, she claimed.

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Teen addicts remain biggest challenge for de-addiction centres Experts ask parents to keep tab on child's activities STAFF REPORTER PRAYAGRAJ Unsuspecting parents beware! If your child is using excess amount of ink whitener check his habits. The youngster could have knowingly or unknowingly entered the world of addiction without even giving a whiff of their activities. The ink whitener used to erase unnecessary text in a printed or typed format is increasingly becoming a source of easy and cheap addiction for youngsters eager to try their hands on different forms of addiction in the City. The trend is likely to send alarm bells ringing for parents and guardians alike.

Rahul (name changed) said, "I was shocked to find a group of youngsters inhaling stuff prepared from a mixture of ink whitener and diluter in a party. They sprayed the contents on a handkerchief and took turns to inhale it. Soon after inhaling it, their faces turned red and pupils dilated."

Peer pressure, boredom and frustration, academic pressure, parental pressure, genetic factors, lack of emotional support etc are some of the reasons behind youngsters falling for substance abuse, said Sunil Umarao, a professor of Allahabad University. Teenagers with a family history of substance abuse, suffering from depression and inferiority complex are more susceptible to drug abuse," he added.

Doctors suggest a multipronged strategy to control the addiction of patients, and not just counselling or medicinal treatment. According to Dr. Niti Tiwari, counsellor at Moti Lal Nehru Divisional Hospital 'Colvin' said that the craving for liquor is more biological and there are medicines which work effectively against it.

"Of course, it's a psychiatric disorder too which needs to be treated through psychosocial methods by taking support from family and friends. So a more comprehensive approach is needed while treating a patient. We observe de-addiction for two years and then decide on the patient's recovery," she added. Lack of awareness among relatives and friends was a hurdle. "One needs to increase awareness among relatives and friends of the afflicted, as such patients need special rehabilitation. It's high time society develops dedicated rehab homes and centres to treat such patients.

The major impediment to creating such centres is poor financing. Unless we have quality rehab, we can't increase the success of such drives," she said, and called for more social participation in such treatments.

Teenagers as young as 14 years old are falling prey to alcohol, drug and nicotine addiction reveal those treating such 'patients' at Colvin and Beli Hospital, the city's oldest de-addiction centres. Enslavement to modern-day vices like internet, gaming and porn is also worryingly high among people of all ages and income groups, those associated with the centre point out.

In the three decades of its operation, the number of people treated per year has nearly tripled but the challenges faced have become graver, particularly since addiction has gained social acceptance to a certain extent. If a society's evolution is measured by the number of people brought for counseling at de-addiction centres, Prayagraj isn't doing well. Both parents drinking and smoking in the presence of young children in private get-togethers, booze parties and easy access to drugs and nicotine have played their part in creating slaves to prohibited substances from a young age. In fact, those abstaining from drinking and smoking now feel pressurized to take up such activities to be 'included' in popular circles, says Dr. Maya Devi of Colvin Hospital.

Describing her worries about modern day addictions, she says, "Alcohol as an addiction is not being taken seriously in society, although 80% of our `patients' come to us to free them from its control. More worrying is the age at which youngsters are getting addicted to it.

The number of women addicts too has increased over the last decade. While people from the lower income groups don't hesitate to approach us in the early stages, those who belong to the upper and middle class equate treatment with shame and embarrassment."

Therapy includes not only medical treatment to allow addicts to come out of the grip of the source and its withdrawal symptoms, but also individual and family counsel ling, besides exposing the victims to other constructive addictions like art or painting.

Legacy and relevance of Kumbh Mela

Largest religious gathering in world RAJEEV RANJAN MISHRA

The specific place and year is determined by the unique planetary positions and its PRAYAGRAJ astrological interpretations. Kumbh Mela is held on certain dates when the water of the More than thousands of saints and mil- sacred rivers is supposed to turn into nectar. lions of people from India and across the globe gathered at the sandy banks of TriveniSangam in Prayagraj. They came together to seek blessings from spiritual masters, take a dip in the mighty river and enjoy the world's biggest carnival of spirituality - Kumbh Mela.

One might wonder about the significance of this festival but different people come for different reasons. What unites them is the transformation they undergo at Kumbh Mela.

According to Kumbh Mela administration over 20 crore people attended the over month long Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj (the festival that began on January 15, concluded on 4 March 2019). However, what makes it one of the most attended gatherings across the world is matter of interest.

The tale of the Kumbh Mela dates back to the time when the gods resided on earth.

The word 'Kumbh' means 'a vessel of Amrit' (nectar of immortality). It is believed that during Samudra Manthan, a Kumbh with amrit was discovered by the Gods and the demons. Hence, it is considered auspicious to take a They both wanted to churn it and own it to dip in the holy river during Kumbh Mela as it achieve immortality leading to a fierce battle. is believed to cleanse the sins and revitalize Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of a beau- one for life's challenges. So, before deciding tiful dancer, Mohini and offered to mediate. the dates of Kumbh Mela, the positions of By the time the demons realized that most of Sun, Moon and Jupiter are taken into account the nectar is given to the Devas, Mohini disKumbh Mela also witnesses coming appeared from the scene of the battle. She is together of many saints (sadhus) and it is said to have kept the pot containing nectar in believed that these holy saints with their spirfour different places in India and these are the itual powers cleanse the waters of the sins and four places where Kumbh Mela - the biggest energize the Ganges to its natural purity. religious and spiritual gathering - is held Hence, it is believed that the Ganges absorbs

the sins of the people taking a dip in its waters A common sight at the Kumbh Mela are 'Naga babas'. They are free of worldly pleasures, are completely selfless and totally fearless. They belong to various akhadas or con-

gregation of saints and descent to Haridwar from as far as the Himalayas and other remote corners of the country. Theerth Purohits too are a prominent part of Kumbh Melas. These are priests who perform the rites and rituals for Hindu families as they are believed to release the departed souls from the cycle of life and death. Many believe that doing last rites in the Ganges helps one achieve salvation as one gets freedom from the cycle of rebirth For many, Kumbh Mela is an opportunity to do soul searching, introspection and experi-

ence the collective consciousness of humanity as the holy men mirror the modern times by addressing the issues and concerns of the 21st century - issues such as climate change, deforestation, protection of endangered species, etc. There are many interesting instances of saints taking up these issues: A Neurosurgeon by profession, Soham Baba has been actively propagating causes of climate change, issues of deforestation and cleaning of polluted rivers. He has started a movement for global warming by propagating planting of trees and saving the forest Akiko mata and Pilot baba spread the message of world peace and attract many followers from across the world to visit kumbh mela to seek their blessings These saints beleive that the kumbh mela is a good way to connect with people from other parts of the world and learn about what solutions they have for different problems because global warming is not one's problem or one country's problem but a serious problem all over the world and we collectively need to take corrective measures Kumbh Mela has a cosmic effect because of major influence of three main planets which are the sun, moon and Jupiter. The planetary positions give an electromagnetic effect on the living being and the universal gravity effect on the minerals too are very evident. The electric potential on the higher altitudes are proved to be at its peak and therefore, the water which flows from the mountain have got a different molecular structure. Just like the herbs, this water too gives a medicinal effect, making Kumbh Mela during the specific season, a major attraction for people across the world.

CITIFIED

The City Standard

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

Anchor-based news bulletins by UP police To alert people & avoid chaos Top cop gives assurance of replicating initiative across State STAFF REPORTER PRAYAGRAJ "This is the first attempt of its kind by any government organisation anywhere in the world to produce anchorbased news bulletins. For this, the police department has prepared capsules, providing information on everyday's development in the Kumbh Nagri," said DGP O P Singh, while commenting on the successful initiative by Uttar Pradesh Police to come up with news bulletins prepared on the daily activities at the Kumbh Mela, won accolades and a big hit, with Bollywood celebrities such as Sanjay Mishra and Prakash Jha hosting shows.

Available on YouTube,

Instagram, Facebook and eign nationals, dignitaries were interviewed in the newsroom and the bulletins Kumbh Mela police was creTwitter, the bilingual were uploaded on the social ated with details of police 'Suraksha Bulletin' was shot media and also shared with and traffic arrangements, relby media students and promedia centre of the Mela evant maps, necessary inforfessionals. The capsules have administration. Srivastava mation and even geo locabeen very successful in prosaid the bulletins helped the tions of police stations to viding information to visitors department in "alerting peo- assist the pilgrims. at the Mela, the DGP said, ple and avoiding chaos".

Srivastava said a Kumbh adding, "We are also contemThe DGP said the UP Mela police cell started in plating to replicate this police has won laurels in the December and the team was arrangement in the entire past for effective police-citi- trained in the basics of social state." A studio has been set zen communication and media. up in the SSP office with grievance redressal through "Twitter, Facebook, standard background and social media.

"The YouTube and Instagram, lighting.

TwitterSeva of UP police is a WhatsApp accounts of The newsroom has severcase study of sorts when it Kumbh Mela police were al celebrity anchors such as comes to changing the para- created and verified, where filmmaker Prakash Jha, actor digm of interaction between people gave their suggestions Sanjay Mishra, an Italian police and citizens," he said. and complaints," he said.

National Geographic producFor Kumbh Mela, police The police officer said er Raz,.Superintendent of devised an effective commu- animated characters, perPolice (Media) Rahul nication strategy which was formed by Bollywood actors Srivastava, who was oversee"unique" and a robust social were used to convey safety ing this arrangement, said media cell was set up, the messages. The videos have several senior officers, forDGP said. A website of the gone viral on social media.

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EC launches Suvidha App for LS elections STAFF REPORTER PRAYAGRAJ The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched a set of mobile apps, and other online initiatives related to electoral processes which can be used by candidates and political parties to submit mandatory filings/statements or request certain permissions.

One of the App launched by ECI is Suvidha App, it's single window system for both candidates and political parties to apply for permissions before conducting meetings, rallies, etc, this can also be done through the Android app. The ECI has also issued directions to give permissions within 24 hours once candidates/parties makes request.

Additionally, ECI have also launched another Android-based app, using which a person can secretly send to it geo-tagged videos and photos of illegal money being distributed or a hate speech being made during polls.

The unique Internet-based beta version of the application is called 'cVIGIL', which stands for "citizens' vigil". The election commission has now decided to extend the service during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. By using this app, citizens can immediately report on incidents of misconduct within minutes of having witnessed them and without having to rush to the office of the returning officer to lodge a complaint.

The national election will be held in seven rounds from 11 April and the results will be announced on May 23, the Election Commission said on Sunday.

Voting will be held across India on April 11, April 19, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19.

Vidya Vahini School:Temple of Outlaws prefer desi 'kattas' for executing crimes learning in heart of Prayagraj 85% crimes like murder, snatching or robbery are committed with country-made weapons OUR CORRESPONDENT OUR CORRESPONDENT PRAYAGRAJ "Vidya Vahini," a school with international standards in education, sports, infrastructure and facilities that embrace the demands of a modern curriculum. "Vidya Vahini," from the Yajur Veda, means Development of knowledge is the base of eternal happiness.

It kindles the quest for knowledge and serves as an inspirational ideology to achieve the core values of VIDYA VAHINI. It is an English Medium, Co-Educational CBSE Curriculum Based School, set in the heart of Prayagraj city with a big lush green campus at MG Marg, Prayagraj. With the serene location and secure environment, aesthetic infrastructure, and complementing ambiance, makes an ideal setting for acquiring the knowledge. The School follows all the safety Measures and the Building Is Designed to Harvest Rain Water as well.

"Development of knowledge is the base of eternal happiness" is the motto of the Vidya Vahini, which aims to provide a comprehensive and a global approach to the children so as to make them wellequipped to face the cut-throat competition in every walk of life mentally, physically and emotionally.

This sprawling school campus is headed by Ms. Nandini Verma, who is a Principal of the school, said, "The aim of education should be to teach us, rather how to think, than what to think rather improve our minds so as to enable us to think for ourselves than to load the memory with thoughts of other men.''

She further said, "Our educational program has been designed keeping in view the demands of the children, par-

ents, and teachers. We strive to acquaint the children with the rich cultural heritage of our nation and the concept of ''Vasudhaiv Kutumbkum'' and help them to grow as good and responsible citizens".

The State Of The Art Laboratories for Earth and Life Science, Physics, Chemistry, and well-furnished language Lab have designed to support experiential learning. The Analytical & Numerical Abilities, Language & Problem solving skills are enhanced through these workhouses of experimentation.

The IT Labs adequately equipped for junior students, and the latest facilities to familiarize students in using computers. Other than this, the Wi-Fi System integrates the entire Campus with Network for multimedia, internet, and e-mailing learning resource centre. The school campus is safe and secure for the students, with proper boundary walls. In addition, well armed and trained security guards, shortrange communication system, fire alarm, fire fighting system and adequate lighting around the campus shall ensure impregnable security 24X7.

The In-house counsellor and trained teachers help the children to cope up with psychological stress due to peer, academic pressure etc. The students are individually well looked after in its friendly environment. "We also strive to make our students morally and ethically strong and instil in them good habits and develop in them values as truthfulness, team spirit, self respect, dignity of labour, punctuality, freedom of mind and scientific temperament and make them ready to face the challenges the world has to offer and live in a world," said

Ms. Nandini Verma.

She further said, "Support and encouragement are given to students and their physical, moral, personal and the social well being is taken care of."

With this, the school aims to compliment parents in the task of boosting in children the growth of sound values and self-discipline and achieving socially acceptable norms of behaviour.

Developmental activities like music, dance, hobbies, yoga, pranayama, games, sports, and various competitions form a part of curricular activities. The hobby centre provides engaging activities like pottery, gardening electronics, first aid, woodcraft, robotics etc. in which children collectively learn and develop their individual interests.

Acoustically treated music room and dance for training students in Vocal, instrumental music, Indian Classical, Western Dance and Theatre are also included. "Apart from academic excellence, intellectual development we endeavour to groom the overall personality of the child and help him discover his hidden talent, potential capability and sharpen his or her skills," Ms. Verma said.

The students are divided into four Houses that focus on most of the activities outside the classroom and serve to promote a spirit of friendly and healthy competition in sporting, literary and cultural activities. They also help to promote a feeling of belongingness amongst the members of the school who are from different backgrounds.

According to Nandani Verma, "Education we believe is an epitome resting on the pillars Parents, Teachers and Students and the strong bonding among themselves. Thus, an interaction between teachers and parents is important."

PRAYAGRAJ

Law breakers have devised stylish models of country-made pistols, which are better in designs and similar fire power as compared to the factory made ones. The latest entrant to the illegal arms market is the Bihari katta (country made pistols of 0.315 bore and 0.12 bore being manufactured in Bihar and smuggled to eastern parts of UP) are in great demand among law breakers.

In fact, these startling revelations came to fore when men-in-khaki had ensured the arrest of a key arms supplier in Kydganj area and seized a huge cache of cartridges and few pistols from his hideouts. The arrested key operator claimed to have smuggled Bihar-made pistol and cartridges in the region including Allahabad and neighbouring districts on a profit sharing basis and had accumulated wealth.

Surprisingly, when police seized a huge cache of cartridges and few country made pistols, they could not believe it that these pistols are so fine-shaped and well designed, which PRAYAGRAJ: When it comes to Allahabad or Prayagraj, the first thing that comes to mind is the confluence of the three holy rivers of India namely, Ganga, Yamuna, and the erstwhile Saraswati. Recently, the city celebrated the biggest extravaganza called Kumbh Mela and even made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest sanitation drive, largest hand painting theme and the largest parade of buses.

Chhola Samosa at Sainik Sainik's Samosa in Ashok Nagar is one dish that no foodie should miss when in Allahabad. The potato-filled samosa is crushed and served with spicy chhole along with curd, tamarind chutney, onion, coriander and sev to make this street food of Allahabad a hit.

Where: Muir Rd, Rajapur, Allahabad Lassi at Raja Ram Lassi Waalaa Summer afternoons in Allahabad are meant for chilled lassi made with yoghurt that is churned to rich buttery

in fact have a better look as compared to the factory made ones.

A senior cop said, "You cannot differentiate between an original (factory made) and these seized countrymade pistols at the first go, as manufacturers are expert in designing these country-made pistols similar to factory made ones."

I n c i d e n t a l l y, specially designed pistols having good capacity are in demand and law breakers are ready to shell out some extra bucks. If the recent crime trends are anything to go by, for an escalating number of murders, chain/purse snatching, and even robberies being executed in the region in last three years, country-made pistols, popularly known as 'kattas' has always been a favourite with the law breakers.

The range police claimed to have recovered over 800 country-made pistols in the region comprising Allahabad, Kaushambi, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh, which shows that an illegally thriving arms bazaar has sur-

faced, exposing the claims of the law enforcement agencies that fresh strategy was needed to bust the modules.

Gone are the days when a simple desi 'katta' of Madhya Pradesh or Kolkata-made sophisticated desi pistol was in demand. Today, Bihari kattas are available for a price, sometimes on rent as well. Most outlaws more or less are preferring a stylish or designed katta, as it is easy to operate as well as easy to dispose off.

Police records state that about 76 per cent crime are being executed by the country-made weapons or its refined version.

An Additional Superintendent of Police requesting anonymity said, "Probes into recent unearthing of arms manufacturing units busted by the police candidly pointed out that 'country-made stylish and fine shaped kattas' manufacturing was a wide-scale and flourishing business and those involved in the trade earned hefty profits for the same."

Foodie's paradise goodness until the cream froths up on top. This shop offers various sweet and fragrant flavourings that make it a must-visit place. If we go by the media reports, this place is serving flavour for over 120 years!

Where: 18/36, Loknath Lane, Chowk, Malviyanagar, Allahabad Kachori at Netram Mulchand and Sons If you think that Delhi serves the best kachori and sabzi as a breakfast option, then you need to visit this place in Allahabad and the crowd will give you the answer. Here, the kachoris are deep fried in desi ghee and are filled with urad dal that has a spicy and tangy after taste. The sabzi that they serve is spicy and tangy as well.

Where: 259, Katra Chouraha, Katra, Allahabad

Masala Churmura at Civil Lines Pick any street stall of the city and you will get to taste amazing Masala Churmura. This is somewhat similar to Jhaal-Muri of Kolkata but has a unique taste that has the goodness of roasted chickpeas, peanuts, and of course, chat masala.

Where: Civil Lines, Allahabad Gulab Jamuns at Hira Halwai This shop sells soft and spongy Gulab Jamuns that are made from fresh milk and recipe that has been developed over the years. Every time you visit this shop you will get to taste fresh, grainy, dense, and soft gulab jamuns that are garnished with almonds. Where: Gulti No.4, Maharshi Dayanand Marg, Civil Lines, Allahabad

Spate of illegal arms factories either sprouting in remote corners of Bundelkhand or its neighbouring states have been compounding the woes of the police. In eastern and central UP districts, producing a 'katta' is termed a trade and this has also taken a shape of an organised industry. Manufacturers are experts in producing good shaped butts, barrels and triggers and they even smuggle these to other states.

"Hardcore criminals eventually want to procure a factory-made sophisticated weapon," said a DSPrank official adding that as these smuggled weapons were expensive and had a select category of customers, more and more outlaws still preferred desi 'kattas' in executing crimes. Senior cops admit that illegal weapons outnumber the legal ones by more than 15 times in the region and more than 85% crimes like murder, snatching or robbery are committed with the help of desi or country-made weapons.

However, SSP has issued specific guidelines to his subordinates to tighten the noose around manufacturers and suppliers and also to ensure their arrest at the earliest.

Chaat at Nirala Chaat is one dish that every city celebrates and Allahabad is no exception. Here, the must-try chaat stall is Nirala ki Chaat. The shop has been making their chaat delicacies for years together and has become an identifying feature of the Loknath Lane. In case you are planning to visit this place, don't forget to try 'Dahi-Sonth ke Batashe', Papdi Chaat, and Phulkis that are made from desi ghee.

Where: Loknath Lane(Near Ghantaghar), Malviyanagar, Allahabad Biryani at Eat on If you are a rice lover, then this place near Civil Lines is meant for you. If you think biryani is an expensive dish then the prices at this place will make you ask for two servings.

Here, weekend evenings are jampacked with locals relishing the flavours.

Where: Palace Compound, Near Palace Cinema, MG Marg, Civil Lines, Allahabad.

IN FIRST PERSON

How, in course of discovering Kumbh, I discovered humanity PRAYAGRAJ When you wake up to the voices of millions of people chanting as one. When the first panoramic view you see is the blushing sky blanketing pristine waters with its splendour. When your entire body, mind and soul soak in a celestial experience the moment you take the holy dip. Then, my dear, you are living in a life nestled in the magnanimity of the Hindu spiritual heritage.

It is this very site where millions of people gather by faith, fostering their belief in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). For those who have never visited a Kumbh Mela, it is merely a religious congregation. But for those who have 'lived' there, it is a platform that lets you find the goodness in all the lives around you. This piece is about my transition from the former to the latter. Samudra Manthan led to the spiritual treasure called Kumbh.

The biggest peaceful confluence of humanity, the Kumbh Mela, is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith.

It is inscribed in the UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is said to be the 'largest congregation of religious pilgrims in the world'.

Kumbh is a Sanskrit word that

means 'pitcher' and Mela means 'fair'. This centuries-old tradition is highly revered in Hinduism. It is believed that when Devas (demigods) and Asuras (demons) were performing the Samudra Manthan, the nectar of immortality emerged from the churning of the ocean. To keep the nectar away from the demons, the gods fought them in the sky for 12 days and 12 nights - a duration that equalled 12 human years.

During this fight, drops of the nectar fell on the Triveni Sangam (Prayagraj), Ujjain, Nasik, and Haridwar - all these sacred sites are the places where the grand event of the Kumbh Mela is celebrated rotationally, based on the alignment of the planets. While the Kumbh Mela occurs every 12 years, Ardh Kumbh is celebrated after every six years.

It is believed that taking the holy dip in the water of the sacred rivers during this auspicious time can cleanse one of all sins and lead to salvation. Although I don't accept or reject this belief, I truly believe that the holy bath in the sacred rivers during the Kumbh helps the soul ascend closer to the divine. It is so powerful that you get to see life from a whole new perspective. You get a deeper meaning of life and understand the infinite cycle of living better.

While it is an exemplary display of the religious faith and sentiments of the Hindus, this gathering is open to all. As per reports, people from 192 countries attended the festival and over 22 crore devotees took a holy bath at the Kumbh Mela this year.

For some, it is their religion that brings them to the Kumbh Mela; for some, it is the spiritual energy of the place that invites them to witness it all. Which is why those who visit the Kumbh do so irrespective of their religions, cultures and ethnicities. They all have just one aim - to experience the stream of spirituality and knowledge that this fair is.

From chiming bells to drum beats. From the holy smoke emanating from the havan kunds to the sweet smell of incense and flowers.

From millions taking the holy dip in the waters to chanting Vedic hymns in unison. The Kumbh Mela is all this and much more.

Stealing the spotlight, there are Akharas at the Kumbh that form an integral part of this mega-religious affair. While they were formed in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya, they hold a special place in Hinduism for they aim to protect and strengthen the Hindu religion. In every Kumbh Mela, special focus is on accommodating the members of all the 13 Akharas. This

year was no exception. However, the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad, the apex body that governs the 13 Akharas, brought a welcoming change to Kumbh this year - the transgender community set up a pandal for the first time at this ancient festival. The Kinnar Akhara was the first transgender group to bathe in the Kumbh Mela.

A sheer delight, thousands of pilgrims sought blessings at the Kinnar Akhara - breaking stereotypes and merging transgenders with mainstream society after years of social exclusion.

So, while this Kumbh festival lasted for 48 days, it has certainly brought a change that will be celebrated for centuries to come.

Before I experienced the 'real' Kumbh, the faint memory that I had of this Mela was that it is a huge fair, huge enough where brothers get separated, for it was one of the most-used clichĂŠs in old Bollywood movies. Little did I know that soon I was going to witness the Kumbh in a way that I could never even imagine.

My journey to the Kumbh Mela was full of curiosity. Direct flights from Delhi to Allahabad were expensive, so I took a flight from Delhi to Lucknow and decided to travel by road from there. On an average, this journey from

Lucknow to Prayagraj can be covered in four hours, but as roads were jammed, it took me over eight hours to reach Prayagraj.

On my way to the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati, I found myself getting encircled by a stream of humanity. Filled with devotion and being pulled by a certain unflinching magnetism, there were humans all around me. Some were joining the multitudes in their luxurious vehicles - some were walking with gathris on their heads.

The closer I was getting to the destination, the stronger I felt some divine force was calling me to the confluence of sacred rivers. The moment I reached there, I was spellbound to witness our rich Indian tradition at such a grand level. Feeling the energy that was flowing in the air, I instantly realised why Kumbh's legacy is so gripping. To give credit where credit is due, the Uttar Pradesh administration managed the event well.

During my stay in one of the Saraswati tents at the Vedic Tent City, I ran into an NRI staying nearby. While interacting with this 42year-old guy, originally from Odisha, who had left India 20 years ago, I found that he had come from Singapore for three days - especially to attend the Kumbh.

Being a deeply religious person, I believed that it was religion that had brought him to his homeland. But to my surprise, he told me that he wasn't religious at all and doesn't even believe in God. So, when I asked him about his reason to visit the great Kumbh, he said, "To witness this sea of humanity and the spirituality that dwells here."

This is when I realised that Kumbh fascinates many - regardless of their religious beliefs.

Perhaps it's this intangible cultural heritage of India that this one-of-akind congregation attracts people from across regions and race.

Brought together by faith and spirituality, an estimated five crore devotees took their holy dips in the Sangam on the second day of 'Shahi Snan' on Mauni Amavasya. Shahi Snan or the royal bath is the holy bath that saints of different Akharas take in the sacred water. It is only after the Shahi Snan that pilgrims can take a bath in the holy rivers.

Blessed and truly grateful I am, for I got to take the holy dip on this fortunate day. Although 'mauni' means 'silence', the ghats were echoing with the chants of 'Har Har Mahadev', 'Har Har Ganga' and 'Ganga Maiya ki Jai' as Naga Sadhus enlivened the ghats.

Now, even though a growing

number of youth and professionals are joining the Naga sect, remember that these staunch followers of Lord Shiva renounce the world to follow one of the hardest streams of asceticism. With ash smeared on their naked bodies, these sadhus live an isolated life in the mountains and jungles and perform intense penances to attain spiritual growth.

The memories of Kumbh have been etched in my heart forever. I can clearly recall every single moment I spent at the ghat. The ambience was beatific and making it all the more blissful were flowers that were being showered from a helicopter in the sky.

Although it was freezing cold, when the sacred water touched my head, my entire body felt a certain calm. Perhaps it was my faith that resulted in the calmness that I felt.

Or perhaps, it was the faith of thousands of others who were taking the holy dip at that very moment.

That moment, there, changed my perception of life forever - it filled me with a gratitude that's inexplicable. It dawned on me that no matter what we have achieved in this life or what we are trying to achieve, we are all going to perish.

We are all but a small part of this world which encompasses so many souls and bodies - all creations of the almighty.

The City Standard

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

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Elections 2019 dates announced

Focus now shifts to forging alliances NEW DELHI The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is forging new alliances and trying to put its house in order before Lok Sabha elections begin on 11 April, when it faces off against a loosely stitched but resurgent coalition of opposition parties. Even as BJP banks on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to return to power for a second straight term, political alliances could hold the key to the national elections this year.

While opposition parties are talking about the idea of forming a common anti-BJP front to defeat the ruling party in the polls, the plan has faced several setbacks, with no clear decision on how they will battle the BJP-led coalition.

Senior BJP leaders said that while the party is comfortable in the northern part of the country, it has been working to find new alliance partners in the North-East and in southern states, where it has not been able to play a dominant role, except in Karnataka.

"If we look at our alliance with Shiv Sena, BJP has managed to convince them to contest together in Maharashtra. In this election, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) is back with NDA and the party has managed to ally with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu," said a senior BJP leader, who is part of the party's strategy.

The alliances in north-east states are already formed and BJP has an alliance partner in each of the eight states in north-east."

But BJP has lost a crucial ally in

Andhra Pradesh, as the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is no longer in NDA and BJP does not have much political presence in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

Two BJP members said the party has been more than accommodative

with alliance partners to prepare itself for the challenge posed by opposition parties in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra.

The three states together have 168 seats and NDA had won 145 of them in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

However, BJP has suffered setbacks in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where it lost power to arch-rival Congress just before the national polls. BJP had bagged 62 out of 65 Lok Sabha seats in these states in

2014.

The road ahead for BJP will be challenging as the party had won 282 seats in the 2014 polls, but its present strength in the Lok Sabha is 268, after losing 14 bypolls in the last five years.

A key loss was the Gorakhpur Lok

Sabha seat, which was represented by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. In Phulpur, BJP lost the byelection for the seat vacated by deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

It also lost in Kairana.

The common thread in these three bypolls was that BJP was facing the combined might of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

While NDA has managed to put its house in order in most states and Modi

Congress trying hard to wrest Bengaluru from clutches of BJP BENGALURU The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faces antiincumbency in the three parliamentary seats of Bengaluru while problems for the Congress stems from within as the two national parties make an aggressive bid to take control over Karnataka's 'seat of power' in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to be held in April.

The Congress has not won a Lok Sabha seat in Bengaluru since C.K.Jaffar Sharieff won from the north constituency in 1999. And if statements by its own partymen are anything to go by, the Congress could draw another blank this year.

"Our problems come mostly from within our own party," said a senior Congress leader, requesting not to be named.

The Congress is challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP at the centre but has been unable to quell dissent within its own ranks, denting its chances in several seats including Bengaluru.

The Congress, that won 15 out of the 28 assembly seats in Bengaluru, believes it has its best chance in decades. But assembly and parliamentary elections are fought on different issues and differs from region to region.

Though rural battles are

being fought over the deepening agrarian distress, farm loan waivers and populist programmes, issues in urban centres like Bengaluru is likely to include topics like unemployment, corruption and even the controversial Rafale fighter aircraft deal

that appears to have resonated with a section of the large middle class population.

Even caste that otherwise is not considered a very big factor in urban areas could be put to the test this time around, political leader and analysts say.

The BJP has roped in Tejasvini Ananth Kumar, the wife of late Ananth Kumar to take the latter's place in Bengaluru south seat, that has a large Brahmin population. The Congress also fielded tech honcho Nandan Nilekani, from the Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB), community in 2014, that does not upset existing caste equations.

Kerala Congress struggling with denials among senior leaders to contest polls THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is that time of the year when usually ticket hopefuls from Kerala's Congress party would gather around in Delhi and, at times, desperately lobby to be included in the candidate list. But in a reversal of scenes this time, it is the leadership desperately lobbying to make the leaders contest.

The Congress is struggling with denials among its senior most leaders in Kerala to contest in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. As a result, Congress is facing an inordinate delay in its candidate announcement, in sharp contrast to its principal opposition and ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) which announced its candidates last week.

At least four senior Congress leaders have been vocal about not interested to be fielded as candidatesformer chief minister Oommen Chandy, Kerala Congress unit president Mullappally Ramachandran, former MP and strongman from north Kerala K. Sudhakaran and Congress general secretary and former union minister of state for aviation K.C. Venugopal.

Venugopal reiterated on Monday that he wished he could contest but it is impossible because of his organisational duties. Chandy had asked to be not fielded in order to continue his works based out of Kerala.

Chandy is also the leader of one of the two major factions within Congress in Kerala-the other led by current opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala-who are jockeying to position themselves as the next chief minister.

Ramachandran also wanted to concentrate on party building and Sudhakaran cited health-related reason to not contest. But with the LDF announcing a strong panel of popular leaders and local MLAs, a high profile panel has become crucial for Congress too. A crucial meeting between the leaders and the high command in Congress screening committee on Monday ended without taking a decision on this matter in Delhi.

But several leaders belonging to other castes are attempting to break this cycle.

"An intellectual Vokkaliga is considered to be on par with a Brahmin candidate," the person cited above said, indicating how the Congress was contemplating a change in its strategy to approach a seat it last won in 1989. The BJP believes that caste will play a role only if JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda contests.

"If Deve Gowda does decide to contest, Vokkaligas will consolidate in that seat.

But so would Brahmins and Lingayats," a senior BJP leader said, requesting not to be named.

Caste equations, however, is not the biggest of the Congress' worries. Kumar won in all eight assembly constituencies, including four under the Congress, in Bengaluru South in 2014.

D.V. Sadananda Gowda of the BJP won in all three assembly segments under the Congress in Bengaluru North parliamentary constituency while P.C.Mohan won in at least two of the four assembly seats under its main rival.

Rizwan Arshad was the only Congress candidate to win in two seats under his own party in the Bengaluru Central constituency that shows how the party legislators have seldom backed their own in a general election.

has held at least 40 public meetings in the last two months, the opposition is yet to find a common ground to come together against NDA. The tussle between Congress and regional parties is most visible in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, where Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee have shared the dais with Congress president Rahul Gandhi at recent meetings but have not agreed on seat-sharing arrangements.

"In most states, where we aimed to have an alliance, we are hopeful of going ahead with a united face. Either formal alliances have already been announced or seat sharing will be announced soon, which includes states like Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In Bihar too, talks are in final stage and we are confident we will strike a fair equation with RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal)," a senior Congress leader and parliamentarian said, requesting anonymity.

While Karnataka became an example of opposition unity when Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) came together to form the government, there is no clarity on seat sharing yet between the two parties, as the coalition has faced several problems since it came together. "The only problem area we see right now is Uttar Pradesh, where formally we have said we are contesting alone, but some channels are still open. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has said it in public, too, that Congress is part of the alliance in Uttar Pradesh, but Mayawati is still taking a tough stance. We are hopeful there would be some movement there too," the leader added.

Stakes are high for Naveen Patnaik as Odisha votes in 4 phases NEW DELHI About 32 million voters will exercise their franchise simultaneously in the assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Odisha across four phases, beginning 11 April, the Election Commission of India (EC) said on Sunday.

And when Odisha goes to polls next month, there is a lot at stake for the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress play catchup.

In the 147-member state assembly, the BJD has 117 MLAs. The party had won 20 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in 2014. A win in 2019 will give BJD chief and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik his fifth term in office. Any shortfall will be seen as the BJD's dwindling popularity in the state, said experts, but argued that people will still vote Patnaik back despite some anti-incumbency.

"BJD is still the leader though BJP has improved its strength and the Congress is regrouping in the state following their victory in neighbouring Chhattisgarh," said Jayant Mahapatra, a political analyst in Odisha.

BJD leaders said that notwithstanding the BJP's surge, the regional party will do better. "We have more than two-thirds majority in assembly. Our CM is a man of action and you will see people's faith in us. The tally in the assembly will grow further," said BJD leader Anup Sai. The state government has done a lot of work "for farmers, for the poor and for women, and they will support us as has been the case for the last 19 years," Sai said, and added: "BJP is spreading misinformation, which people will not count while voting."

However, the BJP's growth in the state over the last few years is quite visible,

more so after the 2017 panchayat polls, when the party's performance, aided by consistent ground work done by two Odia central ministerspetroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan and tribal affairs minister Jual Oram-got national attention.

Pradhan and Oram though did not enjoy a traditional political base, they have worked consistently over the past five years to improve the party's chances in both the coastal belt and tribal-dominated western Odisha. But for the Congress, it's about staying relevant.

"The 2017 panchayat polls have given BJP some confidence, as it had put up a challenge to the ruling BJD," said Gyan Ranjan Swain, another political analyst, and professor at Ravenshaw University in Cuttack. "But CM Naveen Patnaik's clean image and connect with people is a huge positive for BJD."

In Andhra, only regional parties are in the fray SHYDERABAD

In 2014, both the assembly and the parliamentary elections were held just before the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. The bifurcation of the state to form Telangana was the dominant issue in determining the election results. In the ensuing polls, it was a triangular contest between the Telugu Desam Partry (TDP)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance supported by the actorturned-politician Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena party, the Congress party, and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions (comprising the state of Andhra Pradesh).

By 2019, however, a lot of political changes have taken place. One among them is the breaking of the BJP-TDP alliance. The reason behind it, according to Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, is that the Prime Minister Narendra Modiled government is not implementing the 'special category status' to Andhra Pradesh, which was announced on the floor of Parliament by the then prime minister (Manmohan Singh) in 2014.

The Jana Sena, which decided against supporting TDP and has joined hands with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPM, has also been critical of the TDP government right from the beginning of 2018. Therefore, the TDP is bound to witness a decline of 8% of

its vote bank (after losing support).

This decline has led to the Congress party improving its position in Andhra Pradesh. Due to this, Chandrababu Naidu started looking towards the Grand Old Party right from the time of the 2018 assembly elections of Karnataka (and Telangana, where the TDP and

Telangana assembly elections, he has been focusing on popular schemes to attract various vote banks. Therefore, Naidu introduced a scheme for the economic empowerment of women from self-help groups, which gives the beneficiaries Rs.10,000 per year under the Development of Women and

Congress had an alliance) to form a Congress-centric front at the national level.

However, the TDP recently withdrew the proposal to have an alliance with the Congress party and decided to contest on its own in the state elections.

Since 2014, Naidu has also been concentrating on the construction of a new capital city, Amaravati, for the residual state of Andhra Pradesh by inviting private investments from inside and outside India. But after seeing the negative results of the Congress-TDP alliance in

Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) programme. Under this programme, 9.4 million women associated with self-help groups will get the financial assistance in three months from February to April.

Other state government schemes include a loan waiver of up to Rs.1.5 lakh to the farmers since 2014 and Rs.2,000 for graduate unemployed people up to the age of 35 years. In addition, the pension amount has also been increased from Rs.1,000 to Rs.2,000.

On his part, the opposition party leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of

the YSRCP has completed more than 3,500km of his 'padayatra' (walkathon) a few months ago in Andhra Pradesh, to "expose" the failures of the TDP government. He is also seemingly close to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, and is contesting on his own without any alliance.

The TRS has been inviting Reddy to join the federal front and negotiations are in the process.

Pawan Kalyan, the leader of Jana Sena, was on good terms with the BJP-TDP alliance in 2014. But, he also broke that relationship and changed his strategy. After breaking the alliance with TDP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state a couple of times and said that his government has been extending full-fledged economic cooperation, which is higher than the 'special category status', and has also been critical of Naidu for patronizing his own son (and information technology minister Nara Lokesh) and family members.

The Congress, however, has been putting efforts to build from scratch its 4% vote bank, which it had got in Andhra Pradesh in 2014, for its revival. How far it will succeed is a very big question.

As of now, the emerging scenario in Andhra Pradesh shows a not-so-encouraging situation with regard to national parties. In Andhra Pradesh, it is only regional parties that are in the fray, as both national parties are on a downward spiral.

East, south join ranks of battleground states MUMBAI The 2019 national elections are going to be fought on territories that could be called battleground states. These are not only states that choose themselves for their size and significance, such as Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, but also smaller ones that will play an outsized role.

The party or alliance that wins the 2019 elections is going to be determined by states that are not necessarily big but which nevertheless can swing the outcome in terms of the arithmetic of alliances and the competing narratives that have dominated the post-2014 landscape, such as the north-eastern states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Also, West Bengal assumes a greater significance for the main stakeholders for the ruling Trinamool Congress and the challenger Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) this year than it did in the 2014 elections.

Essentially, the battleground states in 2019 are those that are traditional powerhouses and also those that have come to hold the levers of power in the post-2014 scenario.

The two heartland states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar that account for the largest number

of seats to the Lok Sabha (120), offer different electoral scenarios for the main stakeholders.

In Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance won 73 seats in 2014, party president Amit Shah has set a target of winning 74 this time, including one of the two Gandhi dynasty seats of Amethi and Raebareli. This is obviously easier desired than done because there are significant variables now. The Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance has been sealed and there are efforts under way to bring the Congress on board.

Even without Congress, the SP-BSP alliance is a formidable proposition, given its collective might evidenced in the bypolls to Gorakhpur and Phulpur seats in 2018 where the BJP suffered crushing defeats. The Congress had a forgettable performance in 2014 but it could only improve now, possibly aided by the formal entry of Priyanka Gandhi as the AICC general secretary and incharge of East Uttar Pradesh.

Also, the BJP has not been able to bring on board the smaller parties like Apna Dal and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party.

In Bihar though, the BJP

was deft and accommodative to formalise its alliance with the Janata Dal (United). The BJP settled for a fewer number of seats (17) than it won in 2014 (22) in the state. In contrast, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and

pens, could mean bad optics for the BJP and Shiv Sena.

This time, the Congress and NCP, which have announced a pre-poll alliance but haven't finalised the seat-sharing, also seem to be a more concerted

Congress have not been able to stitch together a pre-poll alliance.

Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, promises to be more competitive in 2019 than it was five years ago. The NDA, which won 42 seats in 2014, has so far not made room for Ramdas Athavale's Republican Party of India. While Athavale has a limited appeal among Dalits, his exit from the NDA, if it hap-

unit. In 2014, the BJP swept the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. It retained Gujarat in the 2017 assembly election despite a spirited Congress performance. The Congress's focus had shifted to three other BJPruled states thereafter, thus allowing the BJP to regroup in Gujarat.

A resurgent Congress in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, the states it won

in 2018, remains a challenge for the BJP in 2019. This holds true for other Hindi-speaking states where the BJP made big gains in 2014 but where the 2019 battle could have an element of antiincumbency. Buoyed by its 2018 electoral performance in some of these states, the Congress will look to do better than it did in 2014.

As compared to 2014, some southern states have a greater significance for the BJP and Congress in 2019. In Tamil Nadu, both the national parties have tied up with the two Dravidian regional powers.

Kerala, the epicentre state of the Left versus the Sangh battle, will witness another BJP bid, this time powered by the Sabarimala controversy, to not only retain the lone seat it won in 2014 but also make additional gains.

The Congress and Janata Dal (S), which formed a postpoll alliance in Karnataka in 2018, will look to make Karnataka a test case for the opposition alliance. In 2014, Congress won 10 and JD (S) 2 and the BJP 15. For the BJP, its 2018 assembly election performance in Karnataka when it emerged as the single largest party may not really be the sole determinant of its 2019 show.

Some of the most fierce bat-

tles of 2019 will be fought in West Bengal and the northeastern states, regions the BJP has concentrated much of its energies on since 2014. In West Bengal particularly, the TMC, increasingly challenged by the BJP and not the Left parties and Congress, will struggle to retain the 34 seats it won in 2014.

Odisha, which goes to assembly polls also with the Lok Sabha elections and where in 2014 the Biju Janata Dal won 20 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats, could be the state where the BJP could only improve. A senior BJP functionary, who has worked in the Northeast states, said that together, "West Bengal, Odisha, and northeastern states could help the BJP somewhat make up for the losses in other states where it may not repeat the 2014 performance."

This BJP leader, who requested anonymity, also stressed the significance of other smaller states and even Union Territories for the BJP. "Like Jammu and Kashmir, where we won three of the six seats in 2014, we should be able to retain at least those three. In Goa and some Union Territories where we picked up one or two seats, even those seats could come in handy if we retain them," he said.

LIFE STYLE

The City Standard

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

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Boy or girl! It's in father's genes NEW CASTLE A study of hundreds of years of family trees suggests a man's genes play a role in him having sons or daughters. Men inherit a tendency to have more sons or more daughters from their parents. This means that a man with many brothers is more likely to have sons, while a man with many sisters is more likely to have daughters.

A Newcastle University study involving thousands of families is helping prospective parents work out whether they are likely to have sons or daughters.

The work by Corry Gellatly, a research scientist at the university, has shown that men inherit a tendency to have more sons or more daughters from their parents. This means that a man with many brothers is more likely to have sons, while a man with many sisters is more likely to have daughters.

The research involved a study of 927 family trees containing information on 556,387 people from North America and Europe going back to 1600.

"The family tree study showed that whether you're likely to have a boy or a girl is inherited.

We now know that men are more likely to have sons if they have more brothers but are more likely to have daughters if they have more sisters.

However, in women, you just can't predict it," Mr Gellatly explains.

Men determine the sex of a baby depending on whether their sperm is carrying an X or Y chromosome. An X chromosome combines with the mother's X chromosome to make a

A simplified diagram in which men either have only sons, only daughters, or equal numbers of each, though in reality it is less clear cut. Credit: Image courtesy of Newcastle University baby girl (XX) and a Y chromosome will combine with the mother's to make a boy (XY).

The Newcastle University study suggests that an as-yet undiscovered gene controls whether a man's sperm contains more X or more Y chromosomes, which affects the sex of his children.

On a larger scale, the number of men with more X sperm compared to the number of men with more Y sperm affects the sex ratio of children born each year.

Sons or daughters?

A gene consists of two parts, known as alleles, one inherited from each parent. In his paper, Mr Gellatly demonstrates that it is likely men carry two different types of allele, which results in three possible combinations in a gene that controls the ratio of X and Y sperm; " Men with the first combination, known as mm, produce more Y sperm and have more sons. " mf, produce a roughly equal number of X and Y sperm and have an approximately equal number of sons and daughters. " The third, known as ff produce more X sperm and have more daughters.

Don't ignore heart attack symptoms while travelling Tokyo You should never ignore heart attack symptoms, especially while travelling, as researchers say cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading causes of death among people on the move.

The study, presented at Acute Cardiovascular Care 2019 in Malaga, Spain, indicates that the long-term outcomes after a heart attack while travelling can be good if one gets prompt treatment.

"If you are travelling and experience heart attack symptoms, such as pain in the chest, throat, neck, back, stomach or shoulders that lasts for more than 15 minutes, call an ambulance without delay," said coauthor Ryota Nishio from the Juntendo University in Japan.

"Long distance travel may lead to conditions like dehydration, leg cramps, electrolyte imbalance, fatigue, motion sickness and fluid shifting due to venous blood pooling that can precipitate a CVD," Deepak Khurana, senior cardiac surgeon at Yatharth Hospital in Noida, told

IANS. For the study, the researchers included 2,564 patients who had a heart attack and received rapid treatment with a stent (percutaneous coronary intervention or PCI) between 1999 and 2015.

A total of 192 patients (7.5 per cent) were found to be travelling at the time of suffering the heart attack.

Patients who were travelling were younger and had a higher prevalence of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a serious type of heart attack in which a major artery supplying blood to the heart gets blocked, the study said.

Heart attacks during a trip were associated with 42 per cent lower risk of long-term all-cause death than those that occurred in residents, after adjusting for many factors such as age, sex, hypertension and diabetes.

"It is important that when you are over the immediate emergency phase and return home, consult your doctor to find out how you can reduce your risk of a second attack by improving your lifestyle and potentially taking preventive medication," Nishio said.

"The gene that is passed on from both parents, which causes some men to have more sons and some to have more daugh-

ters, may explain why we see the number of men and women roughly balanced in a population. If there are too many males in the population, for example, females will more easily find a mate, so men who have more daughters will pass on more of their genes, causing more females to be born in later generations," says Newcastle University researcher Mr Gellatly.

More boys born after the wars In many of the countries that fought in the World Wars, there was a sudden increase in the number of boys born afterwards. The year after World War I ended, an extra two boys were born for every 100 girls in the UK, compared to the year before the war started. The gene, which Mr Gellatly has described in his research, could explain why this happened. As the odds were in favour of men with more sons seeing a son return from the war, those sons were more likely to father boys themselves because they inherited that tendency from their fathers. In contrast, men with more daughters may have lost their only sons in the war and those sons would have been more likely to father girls. This would explain why the men that survived the war were more likely to have male children, which resulted in the boy-baby boom. In most countries, for as long as records have been kept, more boys than girls have been born. In the UK and US, for example,

there are currently about 105 males born for every 100 females. It is well-documented that more males die in childhood and before they are old enough to have children. So in the same way that the gene may cause more boys to be born after wars, it may also cause more boys to be born each year.

How does the gene work?

The trees (above) illustrate how the gene works. It is a simplified example, in which men either have only sons, only daughters, or equal numbers of each, though in reality it is less clear cut. It shows that although the gene has no effect in females, they also carry the gene and pass it to their children.

In the first family tree (A) the grandfather is mm, so all his children are male. He only passes on the m allele, so his children are more likely to have the mm combination of alleles themselves. As a result, those sons may also have only sons (as shown). The grandsons have the mf combination of alleles, because they inherited an m from their father and an f from their mother. As a result, they have an equal number of sons and daughters (the great grandchildren).

In the second tree (B) the grandfather is ff, so all his children are female, they have the ff combination of alleles because their father and mother were both ff. One of the female children has her own children with a male who has the mm combination of alleles.

Chattisgarh, known as Dhan ka Katora (Pot of Rice), is synonymous with natural beauty and cultural richness.

Chattisgarh wedding fashion includes sarees for the women and dhoti for the men. Chattisgarh is the cultural potpourri of central India. In fact, one-third of the Chattisgarh population comprises of tribal communities, the major ones being the Gond, Brinjhwar, Kanwar, Bhaina, Oraon, Bhatra, Halba, Kamar, Baiga, Kowa, Bharia, Sanwra, Kharia, Manghar, and Dhanwar.

Weddings in Chattisgarh generally take place in the months of March, April, and June, and are conducted amid elaborate rituals, customs and community celebrations. Men and women dress up in a variety of tribal costumes that lend a

was outlined by thick red lips. The label had to issue an apology.

Time and again, international fashion labels and designers " Thong or naked jeans: Japenese designer Meiko have looked beyond practicality and explored the bizzare cased the 'thong jeans' at a fashion week in Tokyo. The jeans side of style statements to make an impact on fashion - or the lack of them - only had the seams on display, lovers. But sometimes, it ends up turning against baring the legs. According to people.com, in 2017, them - just like the noose hoodie did for Burberry. the jeans were priced at $168. " Burberry noose hoodie: At the recently conclud" Reverse denims: UK-based online fashion ed London Fashion Week, British luxury fashion retailer boohoo.com has come out with house Burberry showcased a hoodie that feareverse denims priced at 20 pounds (over Rs tured a noose around the neck. It has come to be 1,800). The jeans are in reverse, where the called the 'suicide' hoodie after model Liz stitching lines are clear and the pockets are Kennedy criticised it, saying: "Suicide is not large. " Bare butt denims: French clothing fashion." "There are hundreds of ways to tie a and footwear company Vetements, along rope and they chose to tie it like a noose comwith denim brand Levis, introduced the pletely ignoring the fact that it was hanging 'Bare Butt Jeans' to the world in 2017. The around a neck," Kennedy said, unleashing a jeans have zippers down the backs of the widespread online backlash for the brand. legs, as well as one on the back-centre " Gucci blackface hoodie: The Italian luxseam, which leaves the wearer with a bare ury fashion brand came out with a bottom when unzipped. hoodie, which social media users " Meat dress: Singer-actress found to resemble blackface, a Lady Gaga's 2010 meat form of theatrical make-up dress is an unforgettable used predominantly by fashion statement. At non-black performers to the 2010 MTV Video represent a caricature Music Awards, of a black person.

Gaga wore a dress Soon after receiving made of raw beef, flak, the brand designed by removed the black Franc polo-neck Fernandez. sweater from its The dress was stores. Referred condemned to as the 'balaby animal clava' jumper, rights the polo neck groups but stretched up was named to the eyes

by Time as and had an the top opening fashion for the statement mouth of 2010. which

vibrant atmosphere to festivities. The typical costume for men from tribal communities like the Ghotuls, Marias, Halbas, Abhuj, and Murias is a dhoti and headgear in the form of a turban.

Women wear knee-length or full-length saris in bright colors. It is not uncommon to find people sporting bright headgear's, peacock feathers, and chunky ornaments made from wood or metal.

As one moves outwards into the more urban areas of the state, wedding attires imbibe cultural influences from neighboring states. Women wear a wide range of sari materials, ranging from the ethnic Batik sari to Chanderi silk, Orissa silk and Maheshwari silk.

Tribal men and women adorn a wide set of ornaments for weddings and festivals. Decorative items used by women include the

Baanda (necklace made of coins), a silver necklace called the Suta, a Phuli for nose, Bali and Khunti for ears, Ainthi (silver worn on forearm), Kardhini (a siver belt for the waist), a ring for the upper arm or the Pounchhi, Bicchiya for toes, and Patta or Choora bangles.

Men generally wear Koundhi, which is a necklace made out of beads, and a bangle known as Kadhah during dances.

Cowries, beads, shells, feathers, and bones, are other materials that the tribal communities like to ornament themselves with.

In earlier times, women decorated themselves with garlands made from 'one rupee' coins. This trend is, however, now on the decline.

A unique custom of Gond tribes is that the groom pays a suitable 'bridal price' to the father of the bride, showing his respect to the family.

Get married in this temple to get your life partner for 7 births

NEW DELHI

risk of early menopause

Women who work in night shifts, even occasionally, are at an increased risk of early menopause, which can heighten the possibility of developing cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and memory problems, finds a new study. The study showed women who had done continued night shifts for 20 months or more in the preceding two years had a nine per cent increased risk of early menopause, the Daily Mail reported. If they had done rotating night shifts for more than 20 years, the risk rose to 73 per cent. "For women who went through menopause before the age of 45, shift work seemed to be particularly important. This could be due to disruption of their circadian rhythms,

RAIPIR

From noose, blackface to naked jeans: When fashion went bizarre

stress or fatigue, although more research is needed," lead author David Stock, from the University of Dalhousie in Canada, was quoted as saying. An early menopause could also come from the stress of working late at night, as stress hormones are believed to disrupt sex hormones like oestrogen. This could also increase the chance that a woman stops ovulating, according to the study published in the journal Human Reproduction.

Previous evidence suggests working in 'highstrain' jobs and those with 'difficult schedules' is linked to earlier menopause.

For the study, the team studied more than 80,000 nurses who worked at least in the night shifts in a month for over 22 years in addition to day and evening shifts.

MUMBAI India is indeed a country of mysterious temples and centuries-old tradition. There are thousands of temples spread across the country.

Each temple has its own unique story and importance. A case in point is the Bhatla Devi Temple in Maharashtra.

Residents here believe that whoever gets married in this temple get their life partners for seven births.

So, to get the person you love and want to be your life partner for all the seven births, this temple in Maharashtra must be the place where you should get married.

There are many of us who not only want the same partner for one life span but for the next seven births. Many lovers want to spend their whole live and take next birth with their lovers or partners. According to

many love grows and the best way to maintain it is to have your partner for all seven births.

Here residents have the belief that your wishes will be fulfilled if you visit and get married at the Bhatla Devi temple at Dahisar in Maharashtra. Yes, according to age old beliefs, if a marriage is solemnised at Bhatla Devi temple, one is sure to get one's life companion for seven births.

This belief is the reason for which increasing number of couples are opting to visit the temple and tie the nuptial knot there.

Idols of Bajrangbali, Shree Krishna and Lord Ganesh are being worshipped in the temple. According to the devotees visiting this temple, if anything is asked for with a pure heart, they get fulfilled.

This temple's popularity is spreading across the nation day by day.

A strange land

Night shifts can raise

Toronto

Unique marriage tradition of Chhattisgarh

NEW DELHI There is an interesting book titled 'Which of us are Aryans?'. It has a series of essays by experts who analyse recent material from the fields of genetics, linguistics and archaeology to determine our origins.

Till the 1920s, Indians did not know about the existence of the Indus Valley Civilisation, which was discovered in places like Harappa (Pakistani Punjab), Mohenjo Daro in Sindhi and then elsewhere in India. In fact even the British officers who first examined the remains at Harappa did not fully understand what they were and many of the first-rate bricks that were found there were used to build the railways.

This disinterest is also there today.

The first time I went to Harappa, at the counter I was immediately issued the ticket that was meant for foreigners (meaning it was more expensive than for locals). I asked the man behind the counter how he knew I was a foreigner. He replied: "Yahan koi Pakistani nahin aate."

That has been true of both times that I have visited. The place has been beautiful, but deserted. A village right next to it is populated by Punjabis who would have lived there for generations without any interest in the ancient ruins. Just like Ajanta and Ellora, which were 'discovered' by a British officer in 1819 but which had villagers living next to them without wonderment or curiosity for 2,000 years.

The discovery of how old the Indus

Valley Civilisation was changed the way people thought about the first Indians. It had been assumed that the beginning of our civilisation came with the Rig Veda, which was written about 3,500 years ago. However, now it has been conclusively proven that the Indus Valley Civilisation was not

Arya', in a reference to a large herd being moved around). Whereas the Indus Valley Civilisation, including Lothal and Babar Kot in Gujarat, Rakhigarhi and the places today in Pakistan, was urban and built around planned cities, which also had drainage and sanitation.

Vedic, and came before the Rig Veda.

A sample recovered in 2015 from a Haryana village named Rakhigarhi which is from a male human who lived 4,500 years ago shows that he had no part of the same gene as the Aryans (which is known as R1A, and is common to people in northern and eastern Europe, Central Asia and South Asia). It has taken this long to determine this because DNA is not preserved well in our hot and wet climate.

The Rakhigarhi finding shows that the Harappan culture and the Indus Valley Civilisation were not the source of the Sanskrit language. The Vedic people were pastoralists, moving around with their cattle (the word Aryavarta means the 'turning of the

The theory of the Aryan 'invasion' has also been discredited. The Vedic pastoralists, whom we refer to as Aryans, were present in places as far west as Syria. They did not recognise the borders as we do today. They had engagement with the Harappan and Indus Valley people and interbred with them. As the name suggests, the Indus Valley Civilisation was primarily along the plains of the Indus river.

The Vedic pastoralists coming from the West moved onwards and populated the Gangetic plains.

The Indus Valley Civilisation is still a mystery to us, because their language remains undeciphered and we only have their artefacts to understand them. It is thought that climate change and perhaps a change in the

way rivers flowed brought an end to their civilisation rather than a violent overthrow by an invasion.

The caste system, as we today know and practise, is an invention and tradition of the Vedic pastoralists, not the Indus Valley. The genetic findings from Rakhigarhi and elsewhere show that all South Asians - Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis - have common ancestry that goes back to the Harappan and Indus Valley period (before the arrival of R1A). We also carry the genetic markers of the first humans who came out of Africa, and many of us also have R1A, particularly north Indians.

The gods of our first ancestors who lived along the Sindhu river were different from the gods of those who came and mixed with them. Even the Vedic pastoralists, whom we call Aryans, worshipped different gods than the ones popular in India today.

There are not many Indians who pray to Indra or Varuna. Today we worship newer gods from the Puranas (written after the Vedic period), like Ram and Krishna and Ganesh and Lakshmi.

The American journalist HL Mencken once observed that no god survives and made a list of all the great ancient gods of Greece and Rome and Egypt, who are today no more. India is a strange place. On the one hand, we have the most advanced science working on our origins and our ancestry. On the other, we are at war with ourselves over a temple to a god whom our first ancestors knew nothing of.

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

7

I have an opinion, but I'll keep Akshay Kumar says he has no plans of joining politics it to myself : Alia on Kangana MUMBAI

ney. It is an honour director, Abhishek Varman is a dear to be a part of such a friend. We all have really put in a lot great cast. The film's of hard work for this one.

In the last few years, Akshay Kumar has become the poster boy of socially-relevant films in Bollywood. From Toilet Ek Prem Katha to Pad Man, the 51year-old actor is trying to bring forth

Salman wraps up shoot of 'Bharat' New Delhi, Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan has wrapped up the shooting of his much awaited film 'Bharat'.

Taking to twitter, Salman said, "And its a wrap for Bharat, aliabbaszafar, katrinakaif, atulreellife, MUMBAI Mumbai: After Kangana Ranaut slammed Alia Bhatt for not speaking over contemporary issues, the actor said while she respects the "Queen" star for voicing her opinions, she would like to keep hers private.

Kangana had called Alia and her "Gully Boy" co-star Ranveer Singh's comments of being apolitical "irresponsible" and lashed out at the duo for refusing to speak on politics.

Asked about Kangana's comments, Alia told reporters, "I definitely don't have the ability to speak as candidly as Kangana does, and I really do respect her for that and maybe in a way she is right, sometimes we do hold back."

"My dad also says that there are already so many opinions in the world that it can do with one less

Deepika Padukone to make singing debut in 'Tamasha'

opinion. So, I have an opinion but I'll keep it to myself. But, kudos to her as she genuinely speaks really well," she added.

Alia was speaking at the fourth edition of 'Outlook Business Women of Worth' on Wednesday night.

The actor recently turned producer and launched the banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions.

"I am somebody who loves being an actor, I love acting. But in life I want to do so much more. I want to produce films, I won't ever direct though. I want to work on social causes. I can do so much more with my life, this is just a beginning."

Alia will next be seen in "Brahmastra" and "Kalank", both the films' journey she described as "beautiful." "'Kalank' is an unbelievable jour-

AlviraAgnihotri, SunilGrover, DishPatani,Tabu, Bharat_TheFilm."

He also posted on his twitter account a photograph of himself with the film's leading lady Katrina Kaif.

Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, 'Bharat' features Salman in a title role. The film also features tabu, Disha Patani and Sunil Grover in key roles.

In a post on her Instagram account, Katrina said, "and that's a picture wrap on Bharat.

It's been the most incredible and exciting character for me, the whole process of making this film has been so inspiring‌ Thank u aliabbaszafar and beingsalmankhan, atul-

MUMBAI Many actors in the recent past have been featured on the soundtracks of their movies such as Alia Bhatt, Salman Khan and Shraddha Kapoor. Next in line is Deepika Padukone, who will be lending her voice to one of the songs from her upcoming movie Tamasha, Indian Express reported. Tamasha will be directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who has made blockbusters like Highway, Rockstar and Jab We Met, to name a few. Pictures of Deepika with music maestro A.R. Rahman also popped up on the internet, hinting a collaboration and making fans more curious. It is said that the music producer has given his approval for her to enter the singing arena.

Currently being shot in Delhi, the movie stars Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor in lead roles. This is the fourth movie the duo will be appearing in together, after Bachna Ae Haseeno, Bombay Talkies and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. According to DNA, the plot for the movie revolves around a nomad, played by Kapoor, who meets Deepika while she is in Corsica and following the trail of her beloved cartoon characters, Asterix and Obelix. The two bond over their love for the comic series and end up becoming troupe artists, performing all over the island in France.

Tamasha is slated for a 2016 release.

reellife‌ the bestest boys and Alvira khan (the bestest girl)."

An official adaptation of the 2014 South Korean film, 'Ode to My Father',

'Bharat' narrates Korean history from the 1950s to the modern day through the life of an ordinary man and events such as the Hungnam Evacuation during the 1950 Korean War.

a message with each of his film. And in the time that he is not working on such films, the actor is busy carrying the baton of patriotism. Be it Airlift or Gold or Kesari, his films are patriotic.

So is this culminating into a career in politics in the near future? Akshay Kumar says no.

In a recent interview, Akshay was asked if he has any plans of joining politics. To which he replied, "Politics is not on my agenda. I feel what I am doing through my films, I will never be able to do that through politics."

He added, "I did Toilet Ek Prem Katha and since there has been so many changes. After Pad Man, many people are talking about sanitary pads and menstruation openly. It is not a taboo, especially in bigger cities. I hope there should be no taboo in this country. The power of cinema and theatre is unbelievable. You can do so many things. When I did Airlift, nobody knew that story despite the fact that it is there is Guinness Book of World Records. The same goes for Kesari. No one knows about the story. People know more about 300 (2006). We don't know our history. It's a beautiful story."

On the work front, Akshay is awaiting the release of Anurag Singh's Kesari. The film tells the epic story of the bravest battle ever fought. The battle of Saragarhi saw 21 Sikhs pitted against 10,000 Afghan invaders. The film is set to hit the screens on March 21.

Sunny Leone and Daniel Weber are Leone on her parents to baby girl Nisha Sunny struggling days in Bollywood: There is a lot of 'yes ma'am' in the industry

MUMBAI Remember how a few days ago Sunny Leone said that she might just 'walk in with a baby in hand. And everyone will be shocked, where did the baby come from?'? Turns out Leone was not joking about 'having a baby'. She hinted at adoption as an option, given that she was not physically ready to have a baby at this point of time.

Sunny and husband Daniel Weber decided to go the adoption way. The couple has adopted a 21-month-old baby girl from Latur.

The girl, who Sunny and Daniel have named Nisha Kaur Weber, made the couple fall in 'love at first sight'.

Sunny and Daniel spoke about the feeling of parenthood. Leone said, "Right now, it's all so brand new because it has just been a few days.

The moment we got the picture (of Nisha); I was so excited, happy, emotional and [experienced] so many different feelings. We literally had three weeks to finalise everything. Usually, people get nine months to prepare!"

Daniel added, "Our life is always so crazy. There are no nine months for us. For me, it has just been lots of paperwork for two years and then one day, that's it. You get an email that you have been matched with a child.

It's so crazy."

Earlier this week, Sunny said how she might just surprise everyone with a baby sometime soon. She said, "Physically having a baby at this moment will be difficult as a lot of things are happening in my life. But who knows, some day I will just walk in with a baby in hand. And everyone will be shocked, where did the baby come from?"

Sunny also said how she wasn't 'sure about surrogacy', an option that sev-

Sunny Leone started in Bollywood with item numbers and then went on to feature in films like Jism 2.

Since her arrival in the industry, Sunny is trying hard to break stereotypes that plague the industry till date. In a recent interview, the actress talked about her experience of working in the Hindi film industry and her earlier days in the industry. She said, "I don't have a lot of people guiding me. What I found in the industry is that there is a lot of yes ma'am'. People tell you that this will be a great opportunity, but then, if it does not happen, then everybody goes like I told you not to do it and it was wrong.' People do a lot of that here," said the actor. She added that it is hard to survive in the industry if you don't have a known surname to back you. "I have learnt from everything I have done and the choices that I have made, and holy moly, I am really happy with the pace of my career. I am working non-stop, and I am booked for the entire year, just like I was in the previous years," said Sunny. On the work front, Sunny will next be seen in Malayalam movie Rangeela and Tamil period war film did Veeramadevi.

eral Bollywood stars have chosen in the recent past. "I am not sure about surrogacy. Actually, I don't know. I believe God gives you different

not have the time to have a baby and hence chose to adopt a child. "I don't know about everybody else, but for us, it didn't matter even for a second whether it was our child or she not being our biological child.

For us, it was about starting a family and I might not [have a biological child] because of our schedules and so many other things but we both thought, 'why don't we just adopt?'" said Sunny. moments in life and you have to grab The couple said that they decided to one. Let's see," said the Ek Paheli adopt Nisha after a visit to an orphanage in Latur, Maharashtra, two years Leela actor.

The couple also said how they just ago.

Gauri Khan: Shahrukh is more romantic than I am Sacrificial icon-Mother Teresa come soon scolded or stopped SRK from doing deadly stunts, she said, "It's a part of here's no denying that Shahrukh his job. There is nothing you can do Khan and Gauri Khan are one of the about it. We can only pray and hope most admired couples of the Btown. The way they have made their marriage work throughout these years is commendable! It's a known fact that every couple goes through ups and downs but SRK & Gauri made sure to come back to each other even stronger! We got our hands on this throwback interview of Gauri Khan, in which she had revealed that Shahrukh is very romantic in real life too!

How Sweet Is That: In a tete-a-tete with Rediff, Gaurihad talked about the romantic side of her superstar hubby and she was quoted as saying, "Shahrukh is very romantic in real life too. On Valentine's Day, he gave me a fancy greeting card and a bouquet of flowers."

And he keeps making these cute little gestures. I believe he is more romantic than I am."

Gauri Never Liked SRK's Deadly Stunts: When asked if she has ever MUMBAI

that nothing wrong happens." stunts. He is very enthusiastic about She Had Further Added: "I don't his work and sometimes he lands up advise him against anything. injuring himself."

Although I would love him to do less What's The Secret Of SRK-Gauri's Successful Marriage: Speaking about the same, Gauri said, "Although we are busy with our own work we still try and spend time together. At the same time, we give each other space. I think that is the key to a successful marriage."

Gauri: SRK Is Very Supportive: In the same interview, when Gauri was asked what was Shahrukh's reaction, when he heard that Gauri wants to open her own store, she said that he was very supportive of her decision and also encouraged her to do well!

Cut to present - The duo was recently spotted together at Ambani's wedding and their colour co-ordinated appearance sent their fans in tizzy!

and charity. "She is a global icon and we will ensure to An official biopic on Nobel leave no stone unturned to laureate Mother Teresa was meet her international stature announced on Monday. and pay our tribute to the Written and directed by Seema Upadhyay, the film will have a cast of Indian and international actors. It will be produced by Pradeep Sharma, Nitin Manmohan, Girish Johar and Prachi Manmohan. The makers met Sister Prema Mary Pierick, the current Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, and Sister Lynne in Kolkata recently to seek their blessings for the project on the life of the iconic nun who came from Albania to India in 1929 and set up the Missionaries of Charity in 1948.

Upadhyay said in a statement: "We visited the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata and the experience was surreal." The producers are delighted about bringing together a film on Mother Teresa, who is known to the noble soul. We hope we will entire world for her nobility do justice and will be able to KOLKATA

spread the message for peace, love and humanity that Mother Teresa stood for," the producers said in a joint statement.

The script for the project has been locked. The technicians and teams are in the process of being finalised, after which the casting will begin for the film to go on floors by the end of this year. The makers are looking at releasing the film in 2020. There have been movies on Mother Teresa in the past - in 2003, there was a documentary, "Mother Teresa of Calcutta" made by Fabrizio Costa of Italy; in 1987, Richard Attenborough turned narrator for a documentary on Mother Teresa; and in 1997, the "Mother Teresa: In The Name of God's Poor" docudrama was released. In recent times, the 2014 movie "The Letters" explored her life through letters she wrote to her long-time friend and spiritual advisor Father Celeste van Exem over a 50year period.

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A temple in Rajasthan that protects Jawans in border JAISALMER Jaisalmer: Shri Tanot mata temple is situated 130 kilometres far from Jaisalmer District of Rajasthan, in the Thar Desert near the India-Pakistan border. This temple is famous for its miracles during the India-Pakistan war.

Hence, for the Indian soldiers too, this temple is a seat of deep faith. Shri Tanot mata is believed to be a form of Hinglaj mata. The Hinglaj mata temple is located in the present Baluchistan province of Pakistan.

In AD 828, the Bhati Rajput King Tanu Rao constructed the Tanot mata temple and installed the Deity's idol. (Bhati is a community of people.

Rajputs are warriors from Rajasthan) History of inception of the temple: As per information, many years ago there was a cowherd named Mamdiya. He undertook seven pilgrimages on foot to the temple of Hinglaj mata with the hope of being blessed with progeny.

This pleased the Goddess who appeared in his dream and asked him whether he wanted a male or female child. He appealed to her, 'O Deity, I would be happy if you took birth in my family'.

Thereafter, he was blessed with seven daughters and a son. One of them, named Awad mata, born in the Vikram Samvat 808, is the now worshipped Tanot mata Devi. No sooner was she born than she began to display her miraculous powers. The other six daughters too were Divine Energies.

All the 7 daughters of the cowherd had protected the Mad region from the Hun invasion. With the grace of Awad mata, that is Tanot mata, the Rajputs established their rule in the Mad region. The Bhati King Tanu Rao made Mad region the state's capital city and installed Tanot mata on a gold throne.

India-Pakistan war and miracles with reference to the temple of Tanot mata: In the India-Pakistan war of 1965, several miraculous events occurred in the

Discovery will air documentary series on India's environment-friendly startups NEW DELHI Discovery Channel is set to air a documentary series called 'Planet Healers' featuring eight of India's environment-friendly startups, who are working towards sustainable development, a statement released by the broadcaster said.

The documentary series, which will be in four parts, will be hosted by Bollywood actor Jim Sarbh and is likely to be premiered March 8 on the channel at 7 pm. The series will show the journey of how these startups are working out innovative technology-led solutions to environmental hazards faced by the country, the statement said.

One of the startups, called Farm2Energy, claims to have found a solution to use stubble burning which creates air pollution in northern India every winter.

Another startup Absolute Water claims that it converts 17 lakh litres of sewage water into drinking water everyday, while Saahas Zero Waste specialises in treat-

ing and recycling waste without disturbing the ecosystem.

The other startups include NaMo E Waste, Rudra, Chakr Innovation and Urban Kisaan.

While Namo E Waste claims to be working towards recycling and ensuring safe disposal of ewaste, Rudra converts plastic into poly fuel and Chakr Innovation has created world's first retro-fit emission control device for diesel generators which can capture over 90 per cent of particulate matter emissions, the statement said.

Urban Kisan empowers people to grow their own safe, fresh and high quality food with the help of Hydroponic farming technique, the statement said.

"Planet Healers is not just a TV show; it is an attempt by Discovery to create mass awareness about environmental hazards faced by our country which will have significant long-term impact," said Zulfia Waris, Vice President, Premium and Digital networks, Discovery Communications India in a statement.

temple. During the war, the role played by Tanot mata temple in defeating the Pakistani soldiers (who had infiltrated the Rajasthan territory) was very significant. The Goddess helped the Indian soldiers due to which the Pakistan army was compelled to retreat.

From 17th to 19th November 1965, the Pakistani army staged a big attack on Tanot by firing canons balls from three directions. At that time, for protection of the Tanot area a platoon consisting of 13 grenadiers and 2 platoons of Border security forces, under the leadership of Major Jaisingh, were fighting the enemy. On 16 November 1965, the enemy had infiltrated India and captured territory upto 150 kilometers. The enemy hurled 3000 bombs onto the Tanot mata temple and 450 bombs in the temple premises; but not even one exploded! Even the Pakistani soldiers stand testimony to this.

As per information given by the Pakistani soldiers, when they were hurling bombs onto the temple from a plane, instead of seeing the temple, they would see a little girl seated next to a lake. For the soldiers hiding in the temple, the Tanot mata temple proved to be protective armour. Some of the live bombs have been preserved in the temple's museum.

After the war, the Border Security Forces took responsibility of the temple. Here, soldiers perform daily puja (ritualistic worship) of the Deity. An army base has been erected close to the temple. After the 1965 war, in 1971 soldiers from the Punjab Regiment and Border Security Forces destroyed the base of the Pakistani soldiers at Longewala.

Consequent to the Longewala victory, a victory pillar was erected in the vicinity of the temple. Every year on December 16th there is a celebration here.

Also zatra (festival of a local Deity) is celebrated during Navratri in the Hindu lunar months of Ashwin and Chaitra.

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

Abhinandan' etymology now moulding into beard trend NEW DELHI His bravado apart, Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman's stylised beard - a mix of a thin mutton chop beard, a classic gunslinger or a Franz Josef - has become the talk of the town. It may not be too long before it becomes a trend among people, say experts.

Reminiscent of a beard sported by megastar Rajinikanth in "Petta" or Suriya in "Singam", Abhinandan's well-groomed facial hair style may well be the next big thing for men who have drawn from shapes sported by cricketers Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan and Bollywood star Ranveer Singh in recent times.

"It won't be wrong to say the beard sported by the IAF pilot will be soon be called India's very own Abhinandan style," Darshan Yewalekar, personal hairstylist to Ranveer Singh and owner of D Shave Barbershop, told IANS. Abhinandan, an IAF Wing Commander, returned to India Friday night, two days after he was captured by Pakistan when his MiG-21 crashed in that country.

After the end of the nail-biting drama over his return, Twitterati have finally got a chance to mull over his unique moustache.

For generations altogether, Army and Air Force personnel have been particular

Where did Earth's water originate from!

NEW YORK Earth's global ocean water may have originated from both asteroidal material and gas left over from the formation of the Sun, according to a new research that gives insights about the development of other planets and their potential to support life.

Researchers noted that since comets contain a lot of ices, it could have supplied some water.

Asteroids, which are not as waterrich yet still plentiful, could be a source as well.

"But there's another way to think about sources of water in the solar system's formative days," said Peter Buseck, Professor at the Arizona State University.

"Because water is hydrogen plus oxygen, and oxygen is abundant, any source of hydrogen could have served as the origin of Earth's water," Buseck added.

The study challenges widely-accepted ideas about hydro-

gen in Earth's water by suggesting the element partially came from clouds of dust and gas remaining after the Sun's formation, called the solar nebula.

If the abundant hydrogen in the nebula could combine with Earth's rocky material as it formed, that could be the ultimate origin of Earth's global ocean, the researchers said.

"The solar nebula has been given the least attention among existing theories, although it was the predominant reservoir of hydrogen in our early solar system," said lead author Jun Wu, an assistant research professor at the varsity.

The new finding fits neatly into current theories of how the Sun and the planets formed. It also has implications for habitable planets beyond the solar system.

Astronomers have discovered more than 3,800 planets orbiting other stars, and many appear to be rocky bodies not greatly different from our own.

Vedas are considered as divine knowledge MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI The term 'Veda' means knowledge. The source of all knowledge is God. The rishis heard -- with a mind made one-pointed by meditation -- the knowledge that issued from God in the form of sound. They imparted that knowledge to their disciples. Thus, the eternal truths that emerged from the Supreme, and which the rishis perceived, are what we mean by the Vedas.

As the rishis had heard these truths and had imparted the knowledge to their disciples through words, the Vedas are known as shruti. The rishis who perceived the mantras are known as mantradrashtas.Vedas are the experience of the rishis, who realised the supreme Truth. If there was

someone who witnessed a murder, the testimony of that witness is accepted as proof in a court of law, not the words of a thousand people who say that they did not witness the murder.

Vedas are not the experience of just one rishi, but that of countless rishis who realised the truth. So, let's not negate the Vedas just because we have not experienced the truth. The intelligent one strives to walk the path the rishis have shown and tries to experience that eternal truth for oneself.Vedas contain all the eternal truths relating to God and the universe.

They are not the work of any individual, but eter-

Indian start-ups which are putting an end to plastic pollution NEW DELHI At present Global warming, greenhouse emission, carbon footprint etc., have become few highlighted issues across the globe, for which plastic waste is the most infamous contributor.

Our cities, homes, offices, beaches and approximately every place we can imagine are the major producers of plastic waste all due to us.

While almost every national and international bodies, like the UN, are working towards curbing the issues of plastic waste management, recycling, sustainable development and much more, Indian Start-ups have also taken a dive into the world of fighting plastic waste generation. According to the All India Plastic Manufacturer's Association, The Indian Plastic industry is worth around 110,000 cr and the nation a has a consumption of 13 mn tonnes per year, this makes our nation stand at 12th position in plastic waste generation. However, the good thing is approximately

60% of it is recycled. There are companies that work with an aim of replacing, recycling, reusing plastic waste, generated from our homes, offices, industries, etc.

Here are some Indian Start-ups that have made these things their work mantra -

Swajal - Incepted in 2014, Swajal taps into an unmatched synergy of environmentalists, social workers, serial entrepreneurs, authors, and scientists, who have been driving the company as co-founding members.

Swajal removes tons of plastic annually through its business model. The company started off deploying water purification systems across government schools, railway stations, industrial plants, and residential areas in urban and rural geographies.

It has since then forged multiple partnerships with various government bodies (including Smart City projects for Delhi and Guwahati) as well as multinational corporations, aggressively expanding the company's reach to over 5 lakh people across 14 states in India.

Bakey's - What can be a better replacement of plastic than edible cutlery. A revolution into replacing plastic spoons with edible spoons brought this company into limelight all over the social media. These spoons are good for human health but are way better for the earth's health.

BAKEY'S FOODS PRIVATE LIMITED was established in 2010 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India as an alternative to disposable plastic/wood cutlery and bamboo chopsticks.

After much research, they designed the product, used it and enhanced it so that the user feels comfortable in all aspects of using cutlery.

nal truths that emerged from the Supreme. Hence, the Vedas are considered apaurusheya, impersonal. These Vedas are the root of all dharmas --laws of righteousness -- and the basis of all scriptures and knowledge.Vedic truths transmit goodness everywhere. The Vedas aim to uplift everyone spiritually and materially. There is no place for sectarianism in the Vedas. They contain principles that promote peace and contentment throughout the world. The message of the rishis is encapsulated by the mantra: 'Lokah samastah sukhina bhavantu' -- 'May all beings everywhere be happy'. The Vedas are not blindly

8

accepted just because they are hailed as apaurusheya. On the contrary, it is because they uphold universal values such as truth, righteousness, austerity, compassion, love, sacrifice and non-violence that Hindus regard the Vedas as being of utmost sanctity and as the most authoritative scripture. It is true that the Vedas are not easy to understand. However, one can understand the essence and importance of the Vedas through the Upanishads. The Bhagwad Gita is a distillation of the quintessence of all the Upanishads. Rishis have illumined the essential principles of the Vedas in the Itihasas and Puranas through the use of stories and historical events so that ordinary people can understand those principles.

about flaunting a wellgroomed moustache or beard, and it is part of their sub-culture.

"It tells a lot of the soldier's and the official's individuali-

ty. It is like an expression of their character and they wear it with pride," Yewalekar said.

Bharti Taneja, Founder and Director, Alps Beauty Group, finds Abhinandan's moustache more of a gunslinger.

"It is shaped somewhat like the handlebars of a bicycle.

But from now onwards the common man of India will remember this as 'Abhinandan moustache' only," Taneja said, adding a

gunslinger is typically considered a cool and classic style that never goes out of vogue.

"It signifies machoism or valour and bravery, something that our hero Abhinandan has shown the world. He has added the 'heroism' quotient to this style.

"His moustache reflects his strong physical and mental health. Just see how groomed and cool his moustache looks - it would make any man want to follow his style.

Women are loving it too! It's a style of a gentleman," Taneja said.

Twitterati are going gaga over the moustache. If there are memes, there are also discussions about how long it's going to be before the style becomes a rage.

"Barbers are going to have a tough task designing this, and may thus benefit from premium pricing," wrote one user, while another mentioned the IAF wings on Abhinandan's uniform, and quipped: "I love how no one is acknowledging #Abhinandan's double wings.

His IAF wings and his moustache wings."

One user commented: "Abhinandan's moustache will be the next styling sensation throughout India. Don't get flabbergasted when your barber asks you 'Abhinandan cut chahiye?'"

Some even recounted actor Suriya's "Singam" moustache and calling Abhinandan the "real Singam" for his bravery.

True love does not seek to possess NEW DELHI True love is not attachment or possessiveness. Attachment of any kind, as the Gita tells us, leads to suffering.

Abhinivesha, clinging and attachment, is an impediment not only on the path of liberation, but also in the attainment of personal happiness. On the other hand, detachment is one of life's greatest lessons for those who seek the true joy of life. As an inspired poet wrote, "If you love someone very dearly, give him wings, let him fly!"

Have you heard of the king who loved his nightingale so dearly that he let it fly to its freedom? He kept the bird in a golden cage in the royal apartment and would have the bird sing for him every day. The song was always captivating; but it was so sad, that the king would cry his heart out.

One day, he said to the nightingale, "Dear, I am weighed down by the cares and troubles of the kingdom.

Can't you, just for once, sing me a happy song, a song of joy and laughter?" "I could indeed," sighed the nightingale. "I could sing you a song of the green woods, the wide open spaces and the cloudless, blue sky.But I cannot, cannot, sing it from this cage! For that, you must set me free, and allow me to taste the joy of liberation. Then indeed, I will come back to sing to you the happiest song you have ever heard." "I will set you free?" said the king, "I am sure you

will take yourself off, and never, ever come back to me."

"If you give me my freedom, how can I treat you in such an ungrateful way? I promise you, I shall come back to you every night, and sing you to sleep with the sweetest and most joyous lullaby you could ever hear.""Alright," said the king.

"I love you far too much to deny you freedom. I shall set you free right away. I do have misgivings that I may never see you again. But I will be happy to know that somewhere, some place, you will be free and singing a happy song."

With a heavy heart, the king opened the door of the cage, stroked the nightingale lovingly, carried it to the window, and allowed it to flutter away into the deep woods behind the palace.There was a great surprise in store for him, the next evening. As he returned to his room after a long and tiring day at the court and sank into bed, exhausted, he heard a beautiful song! It came from the window, and he ran to the window to discover his beloved nightingale singing its heart out for him!

"Dear, dear bird," he cried happily, "You came back; you came back to me as you promised!" "Not just today, but every day I shall come back to sing for you, O, king," said the nightingale. "You gave me the greatest of all gifts, the gift of freedom. How can I not keep up my promise to you!" And so, it came to pass that the little nightingale came to sing for the king every night, filling his heart and his life with sheer joy!

Assessing success of green projects in India tives grow to a global scale, forex trading is also required to facilitate In the world around us, temperatures project financing, such as converting continue to reach problematic levels. pounds to rupees for British businessIn India and Pakistan, heatwave-like es to support projects in India. conditions killed 3,600 people in only three months in 2015, and these deadly heatwaves have become an annual threat. As a direct result, it is clear that the need to reduce carbon emissions is growing.

One sector where we have seen an increase in innovative green projects to tackle these challenges is in the area of green finance. In this post, we will assess how successful these schemes have been. To do this, we will outline what green finance is, the current status of India's green projects, and the future of green finance in India.

What is Green Finance: The term 'green finance' covers investments, instruments, and projects that help to achieve positive environmental benefits as well as What Green Finance inclusive, resilient, and cleaner ecoInitiatives Exist in India: nomic growth.

India is one of the top issuers of green The global nature of the associated bonds, with total issuances in 2017 challenge means that these green standing at $6 billion. However, finance incentives touch all major green finance projects in India remain financial markets, including the bond scattered and shallow. markets and FinTech start-ups who Within India, there remains a very are pioneering the financial models of limited understanding of international tomorrow. As green finance initia- risk instruments, as well as a lack of NEW DELHI

experience in fund-raising. In addition, individual projects remain isolated, as there are no standards for green financial products, and companies who invest in eco-friendly pro-

jects are not rewarded.

Currently, capital has not been sufficiently mobilized, incentives for lowcarbon transition remain absent, and knowledge has not been consolidated as it has been in London and Luxembourg.

The Future of Green Finance in India: The good news for India's green credentials is that there is still time. If a

national green finance strategy can be approved, then incentives can be developed for struggling sectors that require government assistance.

Subsidies can also be devised, as can risk-management related regulatory fixes. In order to meet green targets, a regulatory framework must be established, including the introduction of a taxonomy for green finance. There should also be an establishment of green standards for financial products and mandatory disclosure requirements.Finally, in order to succeed, the government must create an environment that supports the development and formation of innovative solutions to the challenges presented by global warming, such as replacements for aging petrol and diesel cars, as well as innovative financing solutions for these projects to incentivize change.

A growing and persistent need to reduce carbon emissions has led to the creation of a green finance initiative and a number of other green projects.

However, at present, these projects are not doing enough to tackle the issues, and more must be done to achieve the aim of reducing carbon emissions. The good news is that time remains, and if strategies and frameworks can be established alongside innovative finance solutions, the future could be bright.

BUSINESS

The City Standard

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

Govt bans unregulated deposits offered by builders, jewelers pay the capital but they are not paying the interest either. Most investors have been Cracking down on the unregulated lending asked to wait 6-12 months for interest paymarket, the government has banned high-risk ments, forget return of capital," he said. deposit schemes offered by builders and jew- In 2018, DS Kulkarni, a Pune-based real ellers. The companies used the deposits to fund their needs and attracted investors by offering high interest rates. The practice was fairly common in tier II and tier III cities.

The government passed the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Ordinance on 21 February, prohibiting all deposit schemes (with or without interest) except those with regulatory approval. Though some of these deposits may have violated the existing Collective Investment Scheme (CIS) Regulations, 1999, laid out by capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), the new ordinance is more comprehensive in the way it prohibits these companies from soliciting money from depositors.

We tell you the kind of schemes that are banned by the new law and what you can do if you are an existing investor.

The impact: Deposits with builders, jewellers and other types of businesses that do not have specific regulatory approval will be affected by the ban. estate developer was arrested for violating the Most real estate developers were taking loans provisions of the Maharashtra Protection of against promissory notes for repayment after Depositors Act, 1999, and various sections of tenures of 3, 6 or 12 months, said Deepak the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after reportedly Khemani, a Mumbai-based wealth manager. defaulting on deposits worth around ?230 A promissory note is a legal instrument that crore collected from at least 2,000 individurecords a debt and assures repayment to the als. lender. The interest rates on these loans in Out of bounds: Deposits and loans that are Mumbai is in the range of 15-24%, depending not covered under the new law include loans on the builder's reputation, said Khemani. from relatives, credit given to a buyer or sellThese schemes were publicised through word er of real estate in a property transaction, of mouth rather than formal advertisements. periodic payments by members of self-help Builders would appoint brokers on commis- groups, and advances against the supply or sion to popularise the deposits. Often, com- hiring of goods and advances against longmissions were paid in cash. There was no col- term projects for the supply of capital goods. lateral or guarantee against these loans. "I Deposits with banks, non-banking finance know a few big names in Mumbai who are in companies (NBFCs) and other intermediaries deep trouble. Not only are they not able to which have regulatory approval will also not NEW DELHI

India needs to revamp airport processes: IATA NEW DELHI

India, which is forecast to witness a threefold jump in air passenger traffic by 2037, will need to improve procedures at airports to meet the growing passenger demand, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in a study issued on Wednesday.

India is one of the fastestgrowing aviation markets in the world, but the surge in passenger traffic has caused a stress at its major airports.

With domestic airlines adding new planes to their fleet every week, it has also given rise to unprecedented congestion over the skies at airports in major cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai, resulting in flight delays.

India needs to do away with stamping procedures at airports and allow mobile boarding pass (MBP), adopt automation for both departure and arrivals, adhere to global standards for advance passenger information, relocate hand luggage screening (for international arrivals) and adopt a risk-based approach instead of 100% screening transmission, Iata said in its paper titled Aviation Facilitation and Security Priorities for

Enhancing the Passenger Journey at Airports in India.

"In response to this growth in demand (in India), improving processes should be considered a primary solution as infrastructure capacity expansion cannot keep up with the speed of traffic growth.

However, in most of Indian airports, several processes remain manual and are not so efficient, e.g. requiring stamping on boarding pass at multiple touch points," the Iata study said.

IATA is an association representing 290 of the world's airlines, which account for 82% of the total global air traffic.

Its members include domestic airlines such as Air India, Jet Airways, and Vistara.

"When it comes to security, while today's aviation security measures work, it is an archaic one-size-fits-all platform that comes at great cost to airlines, airports, authorities, and passengers. Imposing new and/ or additional measures, or simply replacing screening equipment, are not robust enough to ensure security and facilitation effectiveness and will not be adequate to cater to the increased number of travellers in the coming years," it said.

CMYK

The Narendra Modi government has taken the view that trade tensions with the US shall not influence its regulatory response on use of American aerospace firm Boeing Co.'s 737 Max aircraft after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight on Sunday, said a government official.

New Delhi's decision on whether to disallow use of the aircraft will be based on facts emerging from the investigation into the plane crash as accidents can happen due to a variety of reasons. The move is in sharp contrast to the Chinese government's abrupt move on Monday to ground about 96 of the Boeing Co.'s 737 Max aircraft.

"Grounding nearly 100 aircraft will be a blow to any aircraft maker. China's action comes in the wake of trade tensions with the US and the criminal charges Washington has pressed against a Chinese telecommunications firm," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Both China and India are facing pressure from the US to cut import tariffs. China and the US are at present engaged in talks for a trade deal. Earlier this month, the Trump administration decided to scrap duty bene-

banned under the new law.

"Incentive or assured return schemes of builders will be permitted only if the money is provided against specific immovable property to be transferred to the buyer. If the builder has to return the money with or without interest other than for situations allowed under the ordinance, it may be treated as an unregulated deposit," said Babu Sivaprakasam, partner, Economic Laws Practice, a law firm.

For example, paying ?20 lakh as a deposit or loan to a builder and using it as payment against a flat purchase from the same builder would not be prohibited. However, depositing ?20 lakh with the same builder against payment of interest but no asset to be acquired when the scheme ends will be treated as an

unregulated deposit.

Existing investors: The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Ordinance, 2019, holds the deposit-taker or the company offering an unregulated deposit scheme guilty. The law does not hold the investors or depositors responsible and does not "criminalise" them.

While such schemes are likely to be discontinued by builders, jewellers or any other unregulated deposit-takers, what do you do if you have already lent money to such a company?

The status of money that has already been lent is not clear. According to Shruti Rajan, partner, financial regulatory practice, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, a law firm, "From a plain reading of the ordinance, it would appear that the deposits collected before the ordinance came into effect would not be automatically covered by the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Scheme Ordinance, 2019. Such investors continue to have other legal remedies."

If the jeweller or builder refuses to give back your money, you can invoke other laws like Section 420 of the IPC. The ordinance makes the entire deposit illegal, whether or not interest is paid to you.

In case you were unaware of the ban and made a deposit after the enactment of the ordinance, you can approach the "competent authority", which will be set up in due course, and will take steps to compensate you. The money owed to depositors will take priority over other debts and any taxes owed by a deposit-taker, subject to the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, and the Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFESI) Act, 2002.

The ordinance also allows the central government to create a registry of deposit-takers in India for you to identify the regulated ones. It may, however, take some time for the registry to be created.

From Tata to Ambani, investments by Indian conglomerates are on wane MUMBAI

not take into account outward foreign investments by these India's largest conglomerates groups. Although growth in are investing far less in the fresh investments recovered in country than they used to. The the last three years after hitting a top 20 conglomerates, based on record low in 2013-15, the aggregate turnover, contributed less than a third to overall private sector investments in the three years from fiscal years 2015-16 to 2017-18.

These companies accounted for more than half of all new project announcements at the turn of the century, a Mintanalysis of capital expenditure (capex) data shows.

The data for the analysis is based on figures for new project announcements from the capextracking database of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). The categorization of business groups by CMIE is improvement is largely due to largely based on the 1966 R.K. the low base and the growth rate Hazari Committee report. is still much lower than what it The analysis is based on data was in the early 2000s. from FY98 till FY18 and-given The 2012-15 period actually the lumpy nature of capex saw negative growth for this set spending-considers investments of conglomerates, primarily in each three-year period. Data because several of the large confor business houses that have glomerates were deep in debt split in the period under consid- during that period. eration (including the Ambanis, According to a 2015 report by the Jindals, and the Bajajs) have Credit Suisse titled Still in the been merged to ensure compara- Woods, total debt at 10 of the bility across the time period. biggest business groups climbed The data pertains only to seven times in the eight years domestic investments and does leading up to that year, adding up

Trade tension with US will not cloud decision on Boeing aircraft: India NEW DELHI

be affected. Also, not all deposit schemes offered by builders and jewellers have been banned. Deposit schemes with builders and jewellers that work like advances against purchase of goods at a later date have not been

fits on $5.6 billion worth of exports from India by May after trade talks collapsed.

India is now weighing its options.

For the civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), grounding a specific aircraft has to be based on facts produced by the manufacturer, the investigating agency or its American counterpart, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Late on Monday, the FAA issued a "continued airworthiness notification" to assure operators of the plane that it was safe to fly, news agency Reuters reported. FAA said it was collecting data on the crash and keeping in contact with international civil aviation authorities and would take immediate action if it identified any safety issues, the report said.

DGCA in a late evening statement on Monday issued operational advice to airlines asking them to ensure pilots are trained in using Boeing Co.'s 737 Max aircraft. The air safety watchdog said it will continue to closely monitor the situation and may "impose/ take any other operational/ maintenance measures/ restrictions based on information received from accident investigation agency/ FAA/ Boeing."

to 12% of the loans in the banking system and 27% of corporate loans. The Essar Group, Larsen and Toubro (L&T) and Godrej saw the sharpest declines in new investments during this period.

L&T also witnessed the sharpest improvement in the subsequent three years, from FY2016-2018.

Other groups that led investment recovery in this period were companies under the former KK Birla Group, TVS and the Rajan Raheja group. The Ambanis (aggregate of firms owned by Mukesh and Anil Ambani), Bharti Telecom, and the Tatas witnessed the most sluggish investment activity in the same period.

Interestingly, over the last two decades, the three biggest busi-

ness groups-Ambanis, Tatas and Jindals-have lost significant share in terms of their contribution to new investment projects.

In the financial years 1997-2000, the combined share of these three groups in new private sector investments was 33%. This has fallen to about 10% in recent years.

Even so, among the top 20, Jindals and Ambanis remained the biggest contributors to fresh investments in India. In fact, a comparison of the performance of new conglomerates (founded after 1970), such as Vedanta, Adani and the Ambani group, with older conglomerates (those founded before 1970), including the Tatas, Jindals and Godrej, shows that the contribution of the older conglomerates has fallen more in recent years.

The analysis also shows that manufacturing investments by the top conglomerates have been far more volatile than investments in services, which have been led by groups such as Larsen and Toubro, the Jindals, and the Ambanis. An earlier Plain Facts column had highlighted how investments are now spread more equally among states. This analysis suggests that investments among firms are a bit more equal than they used to be.

9

Macro data, global growth concerns to impact equity indices The build-up to the general elections and global growth concerns along with macro-economic data points are expected to influence the Indian equity market during the upcoming week.

Market observers pointed out that other factors such as stock-specific

like IIP, WPI and CPI inflation.

Consensus expects moderation in inflation, while IIP is expected to decelerate," said Geojit Financial Services Head of Research Vinod Nair.

Besides, other macroeconomic data points such as WPI and India's trade figures will be major themes for the

action, movement of rupee against the US dollar and crude oil prices will also set the market's trajectory.

"General election and geopolitical tension are the two important factors which will give direction to the market," said DK Aggarwal, Chairman and Managing Director, SMC Investments and Advisors.

"Nifty is expected to move in the range of 10,900-11,300 while Bank Nifty is expected to move in the range of 27,500-28,000 levels."

According to Sahil Kapoor, Chief Market St r a t e g i s t - R e s e a r c h , Edelweiss Wealth Management: "The frontline index Nifty continues to remain in a broad range‌ Until the range is broken, the index may find it hard to establish a major trend."

"Global growth slowdown is becoming more pronounced with recently announced economic data. This would weigh on Indian growth as well." Apart from growth concerns, investors will look out for upcoming macroeconomic data points such as the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and Consumer Price Index (CPI).

"Key domestic indicators are due next week

upcoming week.

"The markets would continue to remain in a broader range with global cues (poor US job data and global growth scare) remains an overhang.

The CPI number is critical from the future RBI policy moves perspective," Devendra Nevgi, founder and principal partner, Delta Global Partners, told this agency.

"The FPI (foreign institutional investors) flows remain supportive of the markets in the month of March and will help the positive sentiment towards INR." The provisional figures from the stock exchanges showed that during last week, FIIs bought scrip worth Rs 4,313.99 crore.

Consequently, the Indian rupee gained 85 paise to Rs 70.85.

On technical charts, the short-term trend of the National Stock Exchange's (NSE) Nifty50 remains positive. "Traders will need to watch if the index can now hold above the immediate supports of 11,009-10,998 for further upsides in the coming week. Immediate resistances are at 11,09411,118," said HDFC Securities' Retail Research Head Deepak Jasani said.

MUMBAI

In poll season, brands face backlash over controversial ad campaigns NEW DELHI In a poll-bound and politically charged India, brands are learning to tread with caution, especially in communicating their message. Ahead of general elections scheduled to begin on 11 April, Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL)has found itself snared in a couple of controversies for its tea brand Red Label Kumbh Mela campaign and, more recently, for the detergent brand Surf Excel.

With over 9 million views on YouTube, the Holi spot 'Rang laaye sang' (loosely translated to colours that bring us together) which features an innocent bond between a little Hindu girl and a Muslim boy, has been targeted for Love Jihad vilification on social media platforms.

The campaign message of bringing people together and showing how colours can be an equalizer in society resonated with the netizens but not with the troll army which made #BoycottHindustan Unilever and #BoycottSurfExcel trend.

However, there is an emerging parallel narrative on the microblogging platform with people standing up for the brand tweeting with hashtags #stopdivisiveness.

HUL said it stands by the cam-

paign adding that in the last decade, the brand has advertised on the philosophy of 'Daag Acche Hain' (Dirt is Good). In its various campaigns, the brand has championed 'doing good' by showing

and captures how the colours of Holi can be a force for good, melting differences and bringing people together. In the advertisement, you see two innocent children who demonstrate friendship and bonding

country which is fuelling such backlash and once elections are over I don't think the same ad would generate such a furore. Surf has tapped into this mood with full understanding that by creating such

kids getting dirty while playing, and in the process, demonstrating empathy for the less privileged, respect for elders, loyalty, caring and many other values.

"This is true of our current campaign as well-the Surf excel #RangLaayeSang campaign embodies the brand's 'Daag Acche Hain' philosophy,

in the true spirit of the festival.

This reflects the true ethos of India as a caring, plural and secular society," said an HUL spokesperson in an email to Mint. Advertising experts believe that the backlash is solely driven by political motives and the sheer size of the company involved. "It's a charged atmosphere in the

an ad they would be putting themselves at the centre of the discussions in the country," said Shamsuddin Jasani, group managing director, Isobar South Asia. With a high recall, in the next three to six months the sales of brand Surf Excel is expected to go up as more people come out in support of the brand, noted Jasani.

Jitender Dabas, chief strategy officer, McCann Worldgroup India believes that there's a clear pattern when it comes to trolling which often picks on people or brands that have mass popularity.

"But if the brand is built over time on having a point of view on issues then it is important to not bow down to such trolling.

While it is important for brands to be sensitive to people's emotions and not go wrong in understanding the cultural nuances, that doesn't mean that brands should play safe and not stand for their convictions," he said.

Dabas pointed out that while the Red Label Kumbh ad (more so an accompanying tweet which highlighted how some people abandon their elderly parents at Kumbh) perhaps went wrong in correctly representing what the holy festival stands for; the Surf Excel campaign is a shining example of how brands should take exemplary stances and stick by them."As the Nike-Kaepernick ad episode shows us even in a polarised society if you stick by the brand conviction you are likely to win brand loyalty, respect and stronger support of consumers," he added, in reference to HUL standing up for its Holi ad.

POINT BLANK

The City Standard

Women's empowerment in the 21st century BHARAT JHUNJHUNWALA NEW DELHI The earliest living organism was called gametes. This was unisex. Any two gametes mated and created offsprings. The stronger and larger gametes were slow. They sat back and waited till the weaker and smaller joined them to produce offsprings.

This difference led to the stronger gametes evolving as females and the weaker ones evolving as males. In this way the gametes gradually differentiated into female and male.

Over millions of years these differences evolved into different emotional make-up of the female and male. Thus, Vinoba said, "Women have greater concentration than men‌ Their condition is more suitable for dhyana-yoga and bhaktiyoga. Men's condition is more suitable for karma-yoga and jnana-yoga." This difference is explained by yoga psychology in terms of chakras. There are seven psychic centers or chakras in the spinal cord of human beings. The chakra located in the throat is the center of communication; and the chakra located near the heart is the center of emotions. These chakras are stronger in women. Thus, they are spontaneously able to understand what the child wants and are more emotional.

The charka located behind the eyebrows is the center of logical thinking; and the chakra located behind the navel is the center of self-determination. These chakras are stronger in men. Thus, men are more aggressive and usually do better in mathematics.

The difference between female and male gametes is only of size, the dif-

ference in plants is only in the ovary or pollen in the flowers, the difference in human beings is physical as well as psychic. We may assume that the differences between women and men will only increase in the 21st century if the past trajectory is any indicator. In determining the path-

the energy required in homemaking.

Electric lights, piped water, gas stoves, washing machines and vacuum cleaners have made it possible to make the home with maybe two hours of work a day. It is no longer necessary for the one member of the household to wholly devote her or his time

way of women's empowerment in the 21st century, the first factor we have to deal with is the increasing differences between the female and male.

The second factor is that new technologies have dramatically reduced

to homemaking.

The future course of women's empowerment has to navigate between the above two touchstones - the increasing psychic difference between woman and man and the reduced time required for homemaking. One suggestion is that woman and man

Babus detest from filing immovable property returns NEW DELHI Though the government simplified the process of filing immovable property returns for babus in 2016, there has not been much change in their attitude. Despite the expiry of deadline for filing immovable property returns (IPRs) for 2018, 340 IAS officers are yet to file their details. The last date for submitting IPRs for 2018 was January 31.

Sources say that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has sent several reminders, the latest one coming February 7, 2019. The letter, issued to all states, warns that the failure to submit property details may have serious consequences.

Apparently, failure to file the mandatory IPRs may lead to denial of vigilance clearance to IAS officers for their inclusion in the offer list, empanelment, any deputation for which Central government clearance is necessary including deputation under AIS cadre rules, appointment to sensitive posts, assignment to training programmes (except mandatory training), premature repatriation to the cadre etc.

The recalcitrant babus will of course fall in line in due course, but clearly it is one task that they undertake most reluctantly. And with elections around the corner, the next government will have to bell this cat.

MHA query stumps TN babus: The Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a clarification from the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary as to how TK Rajendran, a 1984-batch IPS officer, remains the Director-General of Police since he should have retired from service two years ago.

Replying to a proposal of the state government to promote four batches of IPS officers in the ranks of Superintendent of Police, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, InspectorGeneral of Police and Additional Director-General of Police, the Home Ministry raised certain queries and called for an explanation.

According to sources, officials in the state are surprised by the MHA queries. It is pointed out that Rajendran was appointed Director-General of Police on the day he was to

retire from service. He got the benefit of fixed two-year tenure as per the Supreme Court ruling in the Prakash Singh case. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) was also part of the process.

The Home Ministry has also asked how IPS officers have been kept in ex-cadre posts for more than two years without the approval of the Centre. The proposal of the state government recommending promotion to IPS officers had referred to two officers - B Balanagadevi and D Abhinav Kumar - as officers on Central deputation. It was pointed out that these officers were on inter-cadre deputation to Telangana and Bihar respectively and could not be brought under the head of Central deputation.

Apparently, many officers are serving in ex-cadre posts for more than two years without the approval of the Centre. But this is not unique to Tamil Nadu, say sources.

Secretaries wanted: Want a government job? Or, after retirement from Central services, do you still miss your working days?

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has temporarily opened a window wherein retired personal assistants (PAs) and private secretaries (PS) who worked in Central services, can now have an opportunity to work as stenographers in the department.

According to sources, the DoPT has issued a circular seeking those interested to apply. The appointments reportedly would initially be for a period of six months with the monthly remuneration paid on the basis of the last pay drawn minus pension. However, no other allowances will be paid. According to the circular the rehiring of such retired personnel will be purely on temporary basis, which can be extended every month depending on the basis of vacancies in respective grades.

While applying, the retired personnel will need to furnish the last pay certificate, bank details among others.

should share the works of homemaking such as cooking and washing clothes. This approach fails on the touchstone of increasing differences between women and men in the evolutionary trajectory. The increasing differences mean that there will be greater separation and specialisation of works between women and men.

Second suggestion is that women should be encouraged to "work" and become financially independent at par with men. Numbers of studies establish that working women having an independent source of income have more say in the decisions taken in the family and they are psychologically healthier.

These are welcome results of this approach. However, studies also show that working women bear a "double burden" of homemaking and earning. A study of the family in Canada found that working women slept 25 minutes less ((John Fredrick Conway, The Canadian Family in Crisis). This approach, therefore, fails on the touchstone of reduced time required for homemaking. The working woman is required to carry the double burden of homemaking and earning.

A solution would be to create respect for homemaking and opportunity for women to work part time. That would pass both the touchstones.

Respect for home-making would enable women to devote more time to take emotional care of the children.

Mothers today have to help children with their school projects and homework. These activities require emotional energy. At the same time, parttime work would economically empower the women and provide the basic economic freedom necessary for their empowerment.

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

10

Finally, India has woken up from slumber PRAYAGRAJ It's time to move on, from Pulwama to UNSC via Balakot. The three points must not be forgotten. For every Pulwama, there should be a Balakot and it should also be topped up with the UNSC. As we look back at this week with the satisfaction of having drawn the red line against terror and having forced paradigm shift in our policy towards our ungrateful and hostile neighbour, we understand that our job remains incomplete.

While our armed forces continue to keep their vigil and responding to any aggression effectively and with deadly consequences to the enemy, it is now time to work the wires at the UNSC further.

The next target should be to get Jaish-eMohammad and its head Masood Azhar, the darling of Pakistan and the pet of China, proscribed.

This is the right time to achieve our goal that would suffocate Masood Azhar and Jaish-eMohammed of all funds.

Pakistan in itself is in no position to fund him. The ISI and the Pakistan Army will be spending more time now in protecting him from the precision attack of India which is looming large on the neighbour's head and which is any day's reality now. India is no longer the whining and complaining country. It has woken up from its slumber and knows that it need not be afraid of its neighbour's nuclear capability and its strike capability. India has suffered far too long for its weak political will and ineffective leadership. Hence, it should now work its foreign

relations further and its diplomacy to new heights. China is the only obstacle in getting Masood Azhar proscribed. But even this could change now due to the unprecedented international pressure on Pakistan. The enemy has been beaten and flattened completely in international domain. Its lies fully exposed and even its all-weather friend China can do little to save it and its snakes. If China continues to blubber like a little child after skinning her knee over Masood Azhar and continues to be in a denial zone of its own, so be it. It shall also be questioned. It is entitled to continue arguing that Pakistan is the only country in the comity of nations that has suffered and is suffering because of terrorism. It can also argue that it is the only nation which fights terror and hence must not be named. Available technology speaks otherwise. Pakistan not only nurtures terror but also harbours it to the detriment of the world. France, the US and the UK are fast moving in to get Masood Azhar proscribed.

Others have always been willing to do so in the UNSC. It is a hard choice ahead of China to make. The proposal was moved jointly by the three permanent members of the Security Council on Wednesday. Now, China, after having blocked such a measure for almost a decade, could change its stance by abstaining on a vote, it is hoped.

Ultimately, the JeM has turned out to be more honest than any of its friends. UNSC should respect its claim of attack on Pulwama and proscribe it.

OIC can no longer disregard India

NEW DELHI What a turnaround it is for the Organisation of Islamic Countries OIC which has disinvited India from its inaugural summit in 1969 at the behest of Pakistan to the justconcluded session now wherein it invited Sushma Swaraj to deliver the inaugural address This goes to prove that the OIC cannot any longer disregard India which has the third largest Muslim population in the world What a turnaround it is for the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) which has disinvited India from its inaugural summit in 1969 at the behest of Pakistan to the just-concluded session now wherein it invited Sushma Swaraj to deliver the inaugural address. This goes to prove that the OIC cannot any longer disregard India which has the third largest Muslim population in the world.

Moreover, the OIC which has consistently toed the Pakistani

line on Kashmir, for the first time, heard in full India's fight against terrorism being sponsored from across the borders.

As Sushma Swaraj rightly put it at the meeting, India is a fountain of knowledge, a beacon of peace and a source of faiths and traditions and home to religions from the world and now one of the major economies of the world. Also Read - Opposition should rise to the occasion Terrorism and extremism bear different names and labels and they keep changing too.

Diverse causes are used by it.

But as everyone is aware that it always distorts religion and tries to strengthen itself on a misguided belief in its power to succeed. It was a diplomatic win for India over Pakistan which pulled out of the inaugural session citing Indian presence after a protest.

It was Pakistan's joint Parliament which passed the resolution to pull out of the summit. The Charter of the OIC

was signed 50 year ago with the intention of boosting Islamic solidarity and supporting the Palestinian struggle in particular. The collective voice of the Muslim world, the OIC, is here to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world.

With 57 members, it is the second largest international organisation outside the United Nations. It was Bangladesh's official call to induct countries with large Muslim populations like India as observers to OIC, which has only Muslim majority countries as its members, that led to the process of inviting India. This was done at the 45th Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC at Dhaka. It is good to see wisdom dawning on the OIC to include countries with large Muslim populations in it. After all, reforms won't take place without an inclusive approach. In all, 185 millions of Muslims live in India while their number is just 10 million more in Pakistan and in

Indonesia, 222 million. Lack of OIC membership has been preventing India from engaging more meaningfully with the organisation even though India has fairly robust relations with most member States. Several non-Muslim States have secured observers status. The most recent of them is Russia, which came on board as an observer in 2005 with Putin declaring, opportunistically, that Russia was a Muslim power that desired to play a role among Muslim countries. However, there is always a problem with the OIC which recognises Kashmir as a disputed territory and seeks self-determination and resolution of Kashmir in accordance with the UN resolution. It is all part of a global strategy for India and it has fairly succeeded now in preventing Pakistan from blocking its attendance. The fact of the matter is that the OIC has chosen to embrace India ignoring Pakistan's reservations.

Vanishing values plague Indian politics Opposition should rise to the occasion NEW DELHI Politics in the country had regressed and has entered a state of very disturbing phenomenon Sometimes it gives an impression that we are going back to the era of kings and Sultanates where people used to wage wars for political supremacy, The contemporary politics of India seem to be backsliding fast and heading towards a very disturbing situation Politics in the country had regressed and has entered a state of very disturbing phenomenon. Sometimes it gives an impression that we are going back to the era of kings and Sultanates where people used to wage wars for political supremacy. The contemporary politics of India seem to be backsliding fast and heading towards a very disturbing situation.

Parties seem to have lost their ideological foundation, as they are only focused on attaining power and not protecting enduring values or their differentiating identity in the political ecosystem.At the national level, the Rafale issue which had taken a backseat following the Pulwama attack has again resurfaced with the government saying that documents linked to Rafale deal have been stolen. What is interesting here is that the government which maintained silence when the story on the Rafale deal appeared in The Hindu newspaper told the court that there had been breach of Officials' Secret Act and they had been stolen either by the former or the present employees. When the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi asked what action the government had taken, all that the government said was that they were investigating how the documents were stolen. It is really shocking

to hear that the government which leaves no stone unturned to keep strict surveillance on political opponents had failed to prevent theft of such important defence documents. How can the government remain silent over such a major issue?

Missing of secret defence documents can have tremendous impact on the safety and security of the country and it is not a matter of comedy. It's time the ruling party at the Centre stops taking pot shots at others saying that chowkidar had put a check on the corruption of politicians and that is why they are against him and explain to the nation how such misadventures can take place. How can a chowkidar of the people as the Prime Minister claims to be, allow such a theft. Recently we have seen how the terrorists from across the border had created trouble and attacked the CRPF convoy in Pulwama claiming 40 lives. We have also seen what followed thereafter and how the peace in the country got disturbed. Even now the cross-border firing is continuing almost unabated. Initially, the government tried to hide under the CAG report which endorsed the choice of the Rafale

jet on grounds of economy and costs. But the recent media disclosure suggests that there has been 41 percent escalation in the cost of each aircraft. It also alleged that there has been intrusion from the PMO in the deliberations. Taken aback by this new turn of events, the government it appears is focussing its attention more on the supposed violation of the Officials' Secrets Act by media as an easy way out. It should remember that even in case of Bofors deal which was then considered to be mother of all scams, the media could lay its hand on certain documents.

With the election notification just a few days away and with the new developments and revelations, the Opposition is getting galvanised to force Anil Ambani and the government to take responsibility for the irregularities surrounding the deal. On the other hand, spokespersons of the government are making every effort to disentangle it from these irregularities. This appears to have embroiled the government further in the controversy.

Hence now it is trying to bring Officials' Secrets Act to the forefront so that the voices can be quietened. The phenome-

na of blaming media to cover the failure of governments is not just confined to the Centre, even many State governments are following the same route to gag the media. Not that media is free from pollution but even the few who would like to be independent are also pushed to a corner. In most of the States, the government's top criteria for release of advertisements is what is the stand of the particular newspaper towards the government. They have lost their tolerance and do not like any criticism even in analytical articles. The media managers openly state that 'sorry we can't give advertisements though it meets all norms laid down by the government just because it takes an independent stand and calls a spade a spade'. In some States, it has even become a moneyspinning activity for some officials who try to strike a deal with newspapers on the percentage it would give to them unofficially for release of advertisements. This leaves one wonder if these were the ache din and corruption-free society the Prime Minister had promised in 2014.

While this is the over all situation, down south, the electoral scenario has touched a new low. It always used to be a fight between political parties based on their ideologies, promises, manifestos and charges of corruption. But never did any government openly call its bete noire a worst Chief Minister and never did they use the government machinery to create problems for other State and never did the police of one State file cases against another State government. But now the two Telugu States are locked in this kind of a situation.

NEW DELHI The Election Commission of India has blown the bugle for the high-voltage Lok Sabha elections.

So much of heat and dust have already been raised and the election agenda is almost set. This time one could be sure that people's interest would be buried deep in the maze of charges and counter charges and accusations and innuendos will flood the nation.

The language is already at its shrillest and there can be no further stooping by anyone. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has managed to wrest the agenda setting business from the Opposition, more comfortably after Pulwama terror attack, which is not an accident as the Congress leaders would like to put it and has drawn the line between patriots and anti-nationals. Also Read - Fate of aboriginals hangs in balance He has gone ahead and equated the Opposition's' 'hatred' towards him as the 'hatred' for the nation. There is, unfortunately, a highly fragmented Opposition to take on Modi, despite this now or never situation. The Opposition should remember that its strength apart from the failures of the Modi government, which it seems to ignore by and large in the postPulwama period, is the anger of the Dalits, farmers, downtrodden and marginalised groups and liberal societies. Unless all of them sit-together and bring their act together, it will be difficult for them to rise to the occasion. Unemployment, GST and demonetisation should be the focal points. Also Read - Vanishing values plague Indian politics Rafael is not going to help as long

as the apex court does not say something about it.

Nirav, Mallya and Mehul Choksi examples have also failed to cut any ice so far as these are all brought overs from the previous regime. They are, if any, combined failures of the successive governments. The Opposition should have latched on to the people's issues and not to the fancy notions of a couple of Opposition leaders and sing the same tune. It should also be very careful not to allow their leaders to use filthy language against Modi. Remember 'Neech, Chaiwallah' jibes of the past? Sadly, by indirectly blaming Modi for Pulwama not in a politically correct manner and going to the extent of calling him a traitor (Raj Thackeray has gone a step ahead and predicted another Pulwama before elections sounding as if Modi will be staging it once more), it has given an edge to Modi who is spin master. It is not voters' job to find a national alternative to Modi. It is the job of the Opposition to present one. As long as it doesn't, voters will have little faith in it.

Little time is left for it now. Opposition leaders should keep people's aspirations in mind, not their own ambitions and work for the same. The question before the nation is whether one should continue to reel under a divisive government which spreads hatred or whether one should live in harmony. People need a fair and transparent governance, not the one which relies on propaganda, falsehood and tomfoolery. Is the Opposition ready to dismantle the Machiavellian government and bring back a true democratic government.

SPORT

The City Standard

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

Kohli wants boys to enjoy IPL ahead of WC The last ODI series before the World Cup might not have gone as planned for the Indians. They lost to Australia 3-2. However, skipper Virat Kohli is happy with the experimentation the team did ahead of the World Cup in England. He now wants the boys to go into the Indian Premier League (IPL) and enjoy themselves before the showpiece event, starting May 30. "What we spoke in the dressing room was go and enjoy in the IPL these two months. Must enjoy ourselves and play because we enjoy the game. Also Read - 'Best balanced team always wins the IPL', says Shikhar Dhawan "Being on the road for so long does take a toll, but when there is a long season, you can reflect on it. "I think it has been a hectic season, but we are proud of how we have played. Guys have come around and shown character. "All of us deserve to go into the IPL and enjoy ourselves. Everything will be taken over by the World Cup when it comes to the tournament," Kohli said at the post-match presentation on Wednesday. "We have discussed workload and asked the players to be smart and inform the franchises. All the workload will be monitored and the players will take the opportunity to take breaks.

Also Read - Steve Smith arrives in Jaipur to join Rajasthan Royals' pre-tournament camp "We will be committed to play the IPL but the World Cup comes once in four years. Everyone is committed to the World Cup and want to be a part of the bus," he said. Commenting on the loss in the last series before the World Cup, Kohli said: "The fact that Australia came and won here means it was a hard fought series. They played better and won. "We have been playing good cricket and doesn't feel like a loss.

Nobody is panicking because we know the things we were looking to do in the last three games. They just showed more composure in pressure situation." "I think this is exactly how we played in Australia. We were more brave than them in their situation. We just went out and expressed ourselves. "When they saw they had a foot on the door, they showed more heart and deserved to win as

Cannot have 11 Virat Kohlis in team : Muttiah Muralitharan New Delhi: With Australia chasing down India's total of 358 in the fourth ODI in Mohali and squaring the five-match series 2-2, pundits and fans have come down hard on the performance of the Indian players. While some have questioned the bowlers' inability to defend such a mammoth total on a decently big ground like the PCA Stadium, others have called into question Virat Kohli's captaincy skills in the absence of MS Dhoni, who is known to guide the skipper on the field. Former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, however, has defended the Indian team and said that fans need to be more patient.

Speaking to media after the fourth ODI, Muralitharan said it is not possible to have eleven match-winners in the team and also that it is important to try out various combinations going into the World Cup 2019.

"You have to be patient with the team. The Indian team has been doing really well and are trying to experiment with the World Cup round the corner. You will get failures on the road to success as there cannot be 11 Virat Kohlis in the team. Not

they are a young team. Good for their confidence to do well in India. We didn't play as well as they did," he added. While dew did play a major role in this series, Kohli said that

Kane Williamson may miss start of IPL 2019 due to injured shoulder HYDERABAD Sunrisers Hyderabad will be sweating over the fitness of one of their star imports Kane Williamson, who may miss the start of IPL 2019 due to an injured shoulder. The New Zealand skipper had to be taken to the hospital for scans after suffering a shoulder, while fielding in Bangladesh's first innings of the second Test in Wellington, which New Zealand won on Tuesday by an innings and 12 runs. Coach Gary Stead said scans had detected a tear to Williamson's left pectoral minor muscle in his shoulder.

"There's obviously irritation and a wee bit of bleeding, it's not a major injury," Stead said.

Kane Williamson is due to fly to India after the Bangladesh series to join up with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019.

"If things progress as we hope, then still going to the IPL shouldn't be a problem to him," said Stead. "But he's also aware that if he's not quite 100 per cent, then we will potentially hold him back as well and make sure that he is right before he goes on that plane."

In IPL 2018, many thought that without David Warner the Sunrisers Hyderabad would struggle, however, under the leadership of Kane Williamson, the Hyderabad team finished runners-up and were one of the most consistent

Smith, Warner welcomed into Aussie squad with hugs, cuddles MELBOURNE

NEW DELHI

teams of the season. Williamson not only made his mark as a captain but was exceptional with the bat.

Last season in the IPL, Williamson took his batting to a whole new level in the tournament, ending the tournament as the top rungetter. In 17 matches, Williamson scored a mammoth 735 runs at an average of 52.50 and a strike rate of 142.44.

The 28-year-old played some crucial knocks for his team, amassing eight half-centuries in the process.

Meanwhile, Williamson is also a doubt for the New Zealand vs Bangladesh 3rd Test.

"We're hopeful that he will recover quickly, and the thing for us is to make sure he doesn't aggravate it any more. He will come to Christchurch and we will make an assessment there on whether he plays."

With the series already won, Stead said New Zealand would take a "safety first" approach, particularly with this year's World Cup on the horizon. "No player wants to give up their spot in the Test team. But I think it's safe to say that we will probably err on the conservative side, and if there's any chance of risk then we're likely to pull him from that game."

Williamson had suffered considerable discomfort while batting, although he managed to score 74.

He did not take the field for Bangladesh's second innings with Tim Southee taking over the captaincy.

Shane Warne predicts IPL 2019 Player of the Tournament NEW DELHI Spin legend and Rajasthan Royals brand ambassador Shane Warne predicted young Sanju Samson to become the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019 player of the tournament. Warne took to Instagram to reveal his prediction and said Rajasthan Royal are the favourites to win the tournament in 2019. He also added that he is excited for the tournament to get underway and Sanju Samson will be the player of the tournament. The 24-year-old Samson, who has developed himself as a key player for Rajasthan Royals, was retained by the franchise for the upcoming season.

Samson holds an experience of 81 IPL matches under his belt. He has scored 1,867 runs at an average of 26.67 in the lucrative tournament.

He has also notched up a century and 10 half-centuries in the league with the highest score of 102. Warne, on the other hand, led Rajasthan Royals to their only IPL triumph in 2008. Post his appointment as the brand ambassador for the franchise, Warne said, "I'm very happy to be back with the Royals and I'm grateful to the team and the fans for their constant support. It was important for us to retain our established values but at the same time develop a new and modern identity. I am already in love with the new look of the team and hope the fans will love it too." Rajasthan Royals will get their IPL 2019 campaign underway against Kings XI Punjab on March 25.

everyone can be a match-winner," he said.

"You will win some games and you will also lose a few. Otherwise, every team must be filled with 11 Kohlis or Sachin Tendulkars or Don Bradmans, but that cannot happen," Muralitharan added.

Speaking about India's spin bowling options, Muralitharan said Ravichandran Ashwin's exclusion from the limited-overs teams is proof of the calibre of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.

"I think they are doing a good job. Both are quality performers and the fact that they have done well in all conditions bears testimony to their talent. Also, why do you think someone of the calibre of R Ashwin is not being able to squeeze into the limitedovers team? It is because these two have done well.

Just one bad game (in Mohali) can't be enough to criticise them. We are not dealing with robots here," he said.

Speaking about India's chances at World Cup 2019 to be held in England and Wales, starting May, the former Sri Lanka World Cup-winner said fans have a role to play as well if the team is to win the trophy.

"The fans have to be patient. The Indian players have done well and you cannot put too much pressure on them. This is a sport and there will be winners and losers. It is important to keep the pressure off the players as they must be allowed to focus on the game and that will bring the desired results," he signed off.

one cannot complain about one's home conditions.

"We cant be weighed down by our own conditions. They were more positive and brave and so they won those important moments. "It gets difficult to go past those sides.

Here and Ranchi there was constant pressure on us. Credit has to be given where due," he said with a smile. The team did experiment with the playing XI keeping in mind the World Cup and Kohli said he would not use that as an excuse for the loss in the ODI series. "We won't give trying players an excuse. We expect every player who comes to play for India must do well. Conditions based changes will be there in England, but we know the XI

we wish to play. "We have a balanced side as Hardik Pandya will return to the team. We know where we need to go as a team. Must take better decisions in tough conditions," the Indian skipper said. "I can't comment on who will take pressure in the World Cup. We must wait till the side is announced. Cannot speak on the combinations. Whoever gets a chance to play must take responsibility and pressure," he pointed out. While everyone has spoken about India being one of the favourites to win the tournament, Kohli clarified that nobody is a favourite in a World Cup. "Every team in the World Cup is a threat. Any team on a roll can be defeated in the big matches by a team that is brave and expressive on that day. "No team is favourites going into the World Cup. Any team is dangerous. Everyone will look to take positive mindset into the showpiece event," he added.

Fit-again Hardik Pandya joins Mumbai Indians in pre-tournament camp MUMBAI All-rounder Hardik Pandya, who was ruled out of the T20 and the ongoing ODI series against Australia due to "lower back stiffness", resumed training Tuesday at the pre-season camp of three-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians. Hardik was ruled out of the limited overs series against Australia as a precautionary measure and was subsequently replaced by Ravindra Jadeja in the 50-over squad. The seam bowling allrounder along with his T20 specialist elder brother Krunal joined the MI camp at the Reliance Corporate Park cricket ground in Ghansoli, a senior franchise official said.

The official informed that Hardik did "strength endurance training" on Tuesday but refused to divulge any further information. Hardik, who has played 11 Tests, 45 ODIs and 38 T20s, had returned to action during the limited-overs series in New Zealand after being handed a provisional suspension for his sexist remarks a TV chat show. Hardik possibly would have played a few matches of the Mushtaq Ali T20 had Baroda qualified for the Super League.

Apart from Pandya brothers, the others joined the camp are off-spinner Jayant Yadav, leg-spinner Rahul Chahar, pacer Barinder Sran, Rasikh Salam, Mitchell McClenaghan and wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan. It was learnt that the squad will continue its training program at the New Mumbai facility over the weekend and are tentatively scheduled to move to Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from March 17.

Led by Rohit Sharma, Mumbai Indians will open their campaign against Delhi Capitals on March 24 at the Wankhede stadium.

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Steve Smith and David Warner have been welcomed back into the Australian fold with "hugs and cuddles" at a team meet-up in Dubai, and said it was like they'd never left. The disgraced pair, whose year-long bans for ball-tampering expire this month, were invited by coach

ture was partly to blame for players bending the rules.

Australian cricket has since undergone a host of cultural changes under Langer, and Warner and Smith were brought up to speed at the meeting on how it now worked. "Making sure we're in line with team values moving forwards," Warner said of the

Justin Langer as part of their re-integration after the scandal in South Africa that rocked the cricketing world. Australia are in Dubai as they prepare for an upcoming series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates following their upset one-day series win against India. Also Read - Steve Smith arrives in Jaipur to join Rajasthan Royals' pre-tournament camp "It's been awesome.

It's like we didn't really leave, the boys were very accepting of us coming in and with open arms," said Warner in audio comments supplied to AFP Sunday. "A lot of big hugs and cuddles. It's been great. "It's good to see the spirit they're in after a great series win in India and I am obviously looking forward to watching them play against Pakistan here and hopefully they win that series as well," he added. Also Read IPL 2019: Kohli want Indian players to be smart The "sandpapergate" scandal in Cape Town, which also saw opening batsman Cameron Bancroft banned for nine months, had far-reaching consequences for Australian cricket. Then-coach Darren Lehmann quit and there was a clean-out of top executives from Cricket Australia after a scathing review said its "arrogant and controlling" cul-

meet-up, which also discussed the squad's preparations for the upcoming World Cup. "Obviously (we've) been out for 12 months and there has been a big change, which is great, and it's about excepting that and playing what our role should be in the team." Smith, who was stripped of the captaincy and is barred from being considered for any leadership role for a further 12 months after his ban ends, echoed Warner's comments. "It seems like some really good energy among the team at the moment," he said. "It's great to be back around the group, they've been really welcoming and almost like we've never left." While the cheating row initially unleashed a torrent of vitriol against them, that sentiment has eased significantly and they are expected to be slotted straight back into the team. Smith said the Dubai catch-up went through "the values that are instilled in the team at the moment and making sure we are on the right path looking forward to what's coming up; a huge World Cup and an Ashes series in England". Both players, who are returning from elbow injuries, are eligible for the final two games of the Pakistan series.

MS Dhoni critics have no idea what they are talking about : Shane Warne NEW DELHI Shane Warne lashed out at MS Dhoni's critics and said India need their veteran wicketkeeper-batsman for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Dhoni, the only captain to win all three ICC events, was in horror form with the bat in 2018 but bounced back strongly this year, slamming three successive half-centuries in Australia.

MS Dhoni also played a crucial knock against Australia in the first ODI in Hyderabad before scoring a golden duck in the second match. In Ranchi, Dhoni failed to get going as India fell short of chasing a 300 plus total. He was rested for the final two ODIs in Mohali and Delhi as India wanted to test out Rishabh Pant.

However, Dhoni's absence exposed several drawbacks in the Indian team. For starters, Pant was under pressure after a few missed stumping chances and the crowd started chanting Dhoni, Dhoni. A few in the crowd even urged Kohli to bring Dhoni back instead of Pant.

But there are several others who feel Dhoni could be a liability in the World Cup because of his dwindling skills with the bat. Warne said Dhoni's critics had no idea what they are talking about.

"MS Dhoni is a great player. He can bat any-

where whatever the team needs. He is adaptable and anyone criticising him has no idea what they're talking about. India need him in the World Cup. They need his experience and leadership skills on field to help Virat Kohli as well," Warne said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi said Kohli looked rough as a skipper in Dhoni's absence.

Warne said Kohli is a terrific leader but he needed Dhoni's experience around him.

"Virat Kohli is a terrific leader but many a time we can have experience of MS Dhoni to help Virat when pressure is on. It's easy to captain a side when things are going well but when it's tough you need experience like you saw in MS Dhoni," he said.

Australia peaking at the right time: Warne Shane Warne believed India and England would be the pre-tournament favourites but said he was hopeful Australia would defend the world title because they were peaking at the right time in India.

"The World Cup is very close. I think India and England will go in as favourites because of the cricket they played in the last 6-12 months...I believe Australia win the World Cup as they're peaking up at right time but I think India and England are going in as the favourites," he said.

MCC World Cricket Committee recommends clock-timers and free-hits for Tests One of the main reasons for slower over-rates has been the Decision Review System (DRS) The MCC World Committee, which met in which has been standardised across all Tests, Bengaluru on the March 8 and 9, has come up but the MCC committee was of the view that with a wide range of recommendations to make Test cricket spectator-friendly, the standouts among them being the introduction of clock-timers and free-hits in Test cricket.

As reported before, the committee has also recommended the use of a standard red ball for the forthcoming World Test championships, beginning with West Indies hosting India in July, 2019. The recommendations will now be put forward to the International Cricket Committee (ICC) for further considerations.

In addition to giving a thumbs-up to women's cricket in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in England and announcing the results of the MCC Test cricket survey, another aspect of play which was widely discussed was slow over-rates - a common issue in countries where spinners do not have a big role to play.

A recent survey suggested that one of the main reasons for dwindling crowds was with regard to slow over-rates as teams struggled to complete the stipulated 90 overs a day despite using the additional 30 minutes. ICC's own stats from May 2018 showed that the average over-rate for the last year was the players should take more responsibility in slowest in the last eleven years, with an aver- speeding up the game. Some of the recomage of 13.77 overs being bowled per hour. mendations included: BENGALURU

" Introduction of a timer, to be shown on the scoreboard, which will count down from 45 seconds from the call of "over". This would be increased to 60 sec-

zero, they would receive a warning, with further infringements in that innings resulting in five penalty runs being awarded to the opposition. " A similar timer will be used at the fall of wickets, but the allotted time will vary depending on the distance from the dressing rooms to the pitch, and at drinks breaks.

Batsmen and fielders should be in position before the clock reaches zero. " During DRS reviews, the standard protocol is recommended to be cut short as soon as the TV production team is aware that it will be not out. "For example, time is often spent trying to discern an inside edge for LBWs, only to see, for example, that the ball was missing the stumps. As soon as the ball tracking has been loaded, if it will result in a Not out decision, the TV umpire should be informed immediately," the MCC release explained.

Free hits in Tests The MCC has also suggested trialling the possibility of awarding a free-hit for a no-ball even in Tests. Free-Hits have become a popular concept in the limited overs of the game and the committee believed that imposing it in the five-day game will serve as a deterrent for the bowlers from overstepping - which in turn onds for a new batsman on strike and 80 sec- might also help speed up the over-rate. The onds for a change of bowler. If either side is next meeting of the MCC will take place on not ready to play when the clock reaches August 11 and 12 at Lord's, London.

Prayagraj, March 18, Monday, 2019

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Owned, published and printed by Sandeep Mitra. Editor: Sandeep Mitra. Head office : 1A, Hashimpur Road, Tagore Town, Prayagraj-211002 Mobile: 7905230036, Email : thecitystandard1@gmail.com. Printed at Amar Ujala Publications limited, Bamrauli, GT Road, Prayagraj. RNI Title code UPENG04273 Letter No.91. Verification date - 27.03.2017