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18 killed in Himachal Abrogation of Article Memos warn of food, Archer on the prowl
Pradesh rain, landslips; 370 is right, Congress drug shortages if U.K. again, but Australia
hundreds stranded has lost its way: Hooda leaves EU without deal survives in Lord’s Test
page 7 page 10 page 12 page 14

P r i n t e d at . Ch e n n a i . Coi mb ato re . Be n g alu ru . Hyd era bad . M a d u ra i . Noi da . V i sa kha pat n am . T hi ru van a n t h ap ur a m . Ko c h i . Vi j ayawada . M an ga luru . Tiruc h ir apa l li . Ko l kata . Hub b al l i . M o h al i . M a la p p ur a m . M um b ai . T irupati . luck now . c ut tac k . patna

NEARBY
8 killed as goods carrier
plunges into well
TIRUCHI
Eight people, including four
women and three minors,
died when a goods carrier
transporting them plunged
into a well by a village
road at Thirumanur, near
Uppiliapuram, on Sunday.
The accident occurred when
17 persons from Perur, near
Musiri, were going to S.N.
Pudur. The driver lost control
of the vehicle, which hit
a barricade and plunged
into the well.
TAMIL NADU " PAGE 5
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
EDUCATIONPLUS " 4 PAGES
METROPLUS " 8 PAGES
Curbs on movement back
in Kashmir following clashes
Internet, mobile
access suspended
in Jammu
Reuters
Srinagar
Authorities reimposed res-
trictions on movement in
major parts of Srinagar on
Sunday after violent over-
night clashes between resi-
dents and the police left do-
zens injured, two senior
officials and eyewitnesses
said.
The decision to allow In-
ternet and mobile phone use
in parts of the Jammu region
was also reversed, said one
official, amid concerns
about the spread of ru-
mours. In the past 24 hours,
4,000 detained
in Kashmir
At least 4,000 people have
been detained in Kashmir
over fears of unrest since
New Delhi divested the
region of its autonomy,
sources told AFP. They were
held under the Public Safety
Act, under which a person
Stones thrown by protesters can be jailed for two years
lying scattered on a road at without trial. " PAGE 11
Habba Kadal. GETTY IMAGES
* DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
there has been a series of said it has not imposed a cur-
protests against the abroga- few in the past two weeks,
tion of Article 370 following but on Sunday people were
the easing of restrictions on being turned back at multi-
movement and phone use ple roadblocks in the city.
on Saturday morning.
The State government CONTINUED ON " PAGE 10
‘Any talks with Pak. only on PoK’
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says no other issue remains for dialogue
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
CHANDIGARH
Defence Minister Rajnath
Singh on Sunday said any fu-
ture talks with Pakistan
would focus only on the sta-
tus of Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir (PoK).
Mr. Singh, who was ad-
dressing the BJP’s ‘Jan Aash-
irwad Yatra’ in Haryana’s
Kalka, said Pakistan wanted
to destabilise India through
terrorism, and there would
be no talks with the country
unless it acted against terro-
rists and stopped supporting
terror activities.
“...People from Pakistan
say there should be talks bet-
ween India and Pakistan.
About what should we talk?
What’s the issue on which
Unyielding stand: Rajnath Singh flagging off a rally from
Kalka to Rohtak in Haryana on Sunday. PTI
there should be talks? Why
should there be talks? If
there are to be any talks with
Pakistan, they will happen
only when Pakistan stops
supporting terror from its
*
soil. Until then, there’s no
reason for any talks,” he
said.
“Also, in future, if talks are
held with Pakistan, they will
be on the issue of Pakistan-
occupied Kashmir and no
other issue,” Mr. Singh said.
Prime Minister Imran
Khan had recently acknow-
ledged the killing of terro-
rists in the IAF’s Balakot air
strike after denying it earlier,
Mr. Singh said. “Pakistan’s
Prime Minister a few days
ago said in PoK that India is
planning an air strike even
bigger than the Balakot one.
This means that Pakistan’s
Prime Minister has accepted
the fact India conducted an
air strike in Balakot and a
large number of terrorists
were killed in it,” he said.
CONTINUED ON " PAGE 10
DAY BEFORE SCHOOLS REOPEN,
PARENTS WARY " PAGE 11
UNCLEAR DOCTRINE " EDITORIAL

‘India, Bhutan are natural partners’ 63 killed in blast at Kabul wedding; IS claims responsibility
They understand
each other well,
says PM Modi
Press Trust of India
Thimphu
No two countries in the
world understand each oth-
er so well or share so much
as India and Bhutan, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi said
on Sunday, as he empha-
sised that New Delhi and
Thimphu are such “natural
partners” in bringing pros-
perity to their peoples.
Addressing students of
PM Modi with King Jigme
Khesar Wangchuck, left, and
former King Jigme Singye
Wangchuck on Sunday. ANI * flame bright in Bhutan,” the
the prestigious Royal Univer-
sity of Bhutan here, Mr. Mo-
di said it is natural that the
people of Bhutan and India
experience great attachment
to each other.
“India is fortunate to be
the land where Prince Sidd-
hartha became Gautam
Buddha. And from where
the light of his spiritual mes-
sage, the light of Buddhism,
spread all over the world.
Generations of monks, spiri-
tual leaders, scholars and
seekers have burnt that
Prime Minister said in the
Buddhist majority country.
CONTINUED ON " PAGE 10
PM STRIKES A CHORD
WITH STUDENTS " PAGE 10
Many women and children were among victims, 180 injured
Reuters
Kabul
The Islamic State (IS) on Sun-
day claimed responsibility
for the suicide blast at a wed-
ding reception in Afghanis-
tan that killed 63 people late
on Saturday.
The late night attack came
as the Taliban and the U.S.
negotiate an agreement on
the withdrawal of U.S. forces
in exchange for a Taliban
commitment on security and
Grief-stricken: Men mourning at the funeral of their relatives peace talks with Afghanis-
killed in the blast in Kabul on Sunday. REUTERS *
tan’s U.S.-backed govern-
ment. IS fighters, who first
appeared in Afghanistan in
2014, are not involved in the
talks. The group has attacked
Afghan government and
U.S.-led international forces
as well as the Taliban.
In a statement on the mes-
saging website Telegram, the
IS claimed responsibility for
the attack at a west Kabul
wedding hall, in a minority
Shia neighbourhood, saying
its bomber had infiltrated
the reception and detonated
his explosives in the crowd
of “infidels”.
The Taliban had earlier
denied responsibility for the
attack and condemned it.
More than 180 people
were wounded, with many
women and children among
the casualties, Interior Mi-
nistry spokesperson Nasrat
Rahimi said on Sunday, as fa-
milies thronged to Kabul’s
crowded cemeteries.
JOY TURNS INTO MOURNING
FOR GROOM " PAGE 12
FEARS OVER BAD DEAL " PAGE 12

o India Bhutan Friendshiptreaty

0 Role ofBhutan in the
Dothan crisis

0 What was the Botham

crisis

CM A CH-CHE
YK
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2 CHENNAI CHENNAI THE HINDU

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
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35% of Chennai’s stormwater drains are not ready for rains

Desilting has been delayed; there is no comprehensive plan in place to address issues that cause flooding, even as encroachment remains a challenge
Aloysius Xavier Lopez
CHENNAI

Following a spell of rainfall,

caused because of an elevat-
ed portion along the Adyar
river.
Mambalam, Chetpet and Ge-
orge Town, are prone to
inundation.
‘Water stagnation has
residents in the city have be-
gun urging the Greater Chen- ‘80% water lost’
“Most of the 210 waterbo-
dies have not been desilted. reduced in many areas’
nai Corporation (GCC) and The Adyar river is also elevat- There is no scientific desilt-

<
> We
the Public Works Depart- ed near the Chennai Interna- ing. There is a lack of moni- Special Correspondent inspected DGS
ment to initiate measures for tional Airport, which causes toring. There is no engineer- Chennai
Dinakaran Salai.
monsoon preparedness, and flooding in the area. “Chen- ing guidance,” said an expert Work on development of There is no
desilt drains, canals and nai can save 8 to 9 TMC who did not wish to be stormwater drains at 550
waterlogging after
waterways. (thousand million cubic feet) named. “What we need is an flood-prone locations across
the new drains
Usually, the GCC com- of water by diverting all integrated master plan for the city will be completed in
two months, ahead of the have been linked
mences desilting of stormwa- stormwater drains to water- water. In areas such as Hong
ter drains (SWD) and canals a bodies and other reserves Kong, an underground reser- onset of the northeast to Adyar Poonga
few months ahead of the on- such as temple tanks. We get voir has been developed to monsoon. Corporation Official

set of the northeast monsoon 1,350 mm of rainfall every store tens of millions of litres Chennai Corporation
in October. This year, howev- year. But we lose 80% of wa- of water.” Chief Engineer L. Nandaku- Porur Juction.
er, many drains along key ter by surface run-off,” he mar said 85% of the work ta- Teams led by IAS officials
areas have not been desilted, said. Restoration delayed ken up under the Chennai visited various localities to
residents said. Chennai Harbour MLA Most of the projects to eco- Mega City Development study the reasons of stagna-
P.K. Sekar Babu said the de- logically restore lakes have Mission, at an estimate of tion. For example, there
Waste, sewage dumped silting of stormwater drains not taken off. For example, ₹290 crore, has been com- were puddles on Anna Main
T. Nagar Residents’ Welfare had not started in any of the the Velachery lake’s restora- pleted. Over 70% of the Road in K.K. Nagar on Sun-
Association representative stretches in his constituency tion has been delayed, caus- work taken up under the day. It was due to the dam-
V.S. Jayaraman of Motilal this year. ing flooding of the neigh- Smart City Mission, at an es- age caused to the existing
Street said most of the roads bourhood. Last week, timated cost of ₹130 crore, stormwater drain. “We will
in T. Nagar get waterlogged. Call for attention: Many stormwater drains in key areas have not been desilted ahead of the Revenue Department offi- has been completed. develop a drain along the
“Most of the stormwater northeast monsoon, say residents. A scene at Egmore on Sunday. B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM *
cials marked 1,700 houses “Water stagnation has re- Anna Main Road,” said an
drains in T. Nagar are that have encroached upon duced in areas where work official.
clogged because of the sociations or resident-acti- Former Corporation east monsoon, expected la- CITY MATTERS the lake. Even the Adambak- has been completed. For ex-
dumping of waste by shop- vists of [the respective] Councillor S. Mangala Raj ter this year. “Thousands of kam police station has been ample, water stagnation has No waterlogging
keepers. Most streets have streets to monitor the work. said the GCC has desilted on- kilometres of stormwater constructed upon what’s a reduced on the Ritherdon Work on development of
waterlogging [issues]. There A complete overhaul of ly VIP routes such as San- drains are choked. For the ci- K. Murugan, a resident of part of the Velachery lake. Road after the construction rainwater harvesting struc-
is no proper connection of SWDs is a must in the streets thome High Road. “Lazarus ty as a whole, we have not Elango Nagar, South Gandhi Houses and government of the drain,” he said. tures at 1,000 places will be
drains to major waterways. abutting Usman Road and Church Road and Mundakan- learnt any lessons from the Street, in Kottivakkam, said a buildings have to be demol- completed in two months.
Stormwater drains are also other streets in T. Nagar, in niamman Koil Street have past. We do not know how to portion of a drain in the area ished to improve flood pre- Officials visit Of the 1,500 hotspots identi-
dysfunctional. The Corpora- view of the fact that most of not been desilted,” he said. handle a good monsoon or a had become dysfunctional paredness. Stagnation has also reduced fied in 2015 floods, most of
tion should find out who’s the SWDs are being used by Pointing to a delay in the con- bad monsoon. We need because of construction ac- “There are two kilometres in areas such as Journalists the locations have not re-
letting sewage water into the commercial establishments struction of SWDs along ma- structural changes in the tivity in the area. “Inunda- of encroachment along the Colony in Thiruvanmiyur af- ported waterlogging.
stormwater drains. Food and mobile eateries to dump ny roads, Mr. Raj said this drain network, which takes tion has been reported in bund. The Velachery lake ter completion of the drain “We inspected DGS Di-
waste dumped by eateries in garbage and food waste. The was leading to inundation in care of all waterbodies, too,” many houses in our area,” has been reduced [in size] work. On Sunday, 2 cm of in- nakaran Salai. There is no
T. Nagar remains a chal- civic body should also check many localities. he said. said Mr. Murugan. from 250 acres to 55 acres,” tense rainfall was reported waterlogging after the new
lenge,” Mr. Jayaraman said. as to why SWDs, which Pointing to the failure of According to data com- said an official. from 8 a.m. to 9.30 a.m., drains have been linked to
“We beseech the GCC to should remain dry in non- ‘No lessons learnt’ civic agencies in modifying piled by experts who have A GCC official said the civ- leading to reports of water Adyar Poonga. There is no
take up desilting of SWDs in rainy seasons, always con- S. Janakarajan, former pro- certain elevated sections of been studying the flood pre- ic body had desilted 65% of stagnation in areas such as waterlogging on Chamiers
the right earnest and ensure tain sewage water, and take fessor at the Madras Institute rivers such as the Adyar, paredness of the city, over drains so far. “We will com- Kathipara Junction, Vadapa- Road, R.A. Puram First Main
that the contractors do a stringent action against of Development Studies, said even after the 2015 floods, 25% of the total area in Chen- plete desilting work ahead of lani Junction, North Usman Road and Second Main Road
clean job. The GCC should those who let sewage into the the city’s drainage network is Prof. Janakarajan said flood- nai, including Velachery, Ma- the onset of the northeast Road, Koyambedu market, after construction of a new
rope in residents’ welfare as- SWDs,” he added. not prepared for the north- ing in Ekkatuthangal was dipakkam, Alandur, T. Nagar, monsoon,” he said. K.K. Nagar and Arcot Road drain,” said an official.

Innovative app fetches city girls top spot in U.S. contest City to stay cool as showers
‘Baton’ designed to maximise the impact of initiatives started by interns in the field of social work
Staff Reporter
will continue, says Met dept. are not affected by intern- ing of their apps. Over 2,000
CHENNAI ships which last only for a li- teams from 57 countries par-
‘Social Relay’, a team of mited time. It will bring to- ticipated in the competition
Chennai records 2 cm rainfall over 24-hour period
three school girls from Chen- gether social workers, and six teams each were se-
nai, bagged the first place at students, corporates, NGOs lected as finalists in the ju- Staff Reporter sius respectively,” the De-
Technovation Girls organ- and volunteers,” the team nior and senior division. CHENNAI <
> Maximum
minimum
and
partment said.
ised in the United States of said. “Lack of a social worker Sunday’s rainy weather, that temperatures may Several parts of Tamil Na-
America by Technovation, a empowerment tool is a pro- kept the city cool, may conti- du continued to receive hea-
touch 31 and 25
global not-for-profit organi- Dreaming big blem across the world and nue for the next few days, ac- vy rainfall, with a maximum
degrees Celsius
sation that focuses on tech- Speaking from California, the team believes that Baton cording to the Meteorologi- of 15 cm being recorded in
nology education. The team Akshara Vasanth said she is the solution, as it brings to- cal Department. respectively Alangayam in Vellore dis-
Meteorological Department
won a prize money of was thrilled with her team’s gether key stakeholders for Moderate rain that began trict, followed by Tirupattur
$12,000. win. “This is not just a great achieving social impact, Saturday night continued at 10 cm.
The team members — opportunity for me, but for while optimizing social throughout the next morn- Rain in the city has been While Puducherry saw 7
Akshara Vasanth, a Class VI Girl power: Social Relay, the team which won the girls from across the world. work,” said Tanya, speaking ing. Several parts of the city, largely due to convective ac- cm, Sriperumbudur record-
student of PSBB School K.K. Technovation challenge. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT *
We are looking forward to from California. including Anna Salai, Arum- tivity, officials said. ed 6 cm of rainfall.
Nagar, Ishwarya Kanagaraj, a develop our app further and “I hope more girls are in- bakkam, Abhiramapuram, The same pattern may There may be heavy to ve-
Class VII student from the Both Stella and Aishwarya itiatives started by social take it across the country as spired and encouraged to T. Nagar, Thoraipakkam and persist for the next few days, ry heavy rainfall in isolated
Panchayat Union Middle stay at Paadhai, a home in work interns or students’ in- well as the world,” she said. delve into technology and in- Kodambakkam, received Showers are likely during areas in districts including
School Poothapedu and Stel- the city for destitute ternships. “The app works The team from Chennai novation,” she added. good showers. Areas sur- evening and night. “The sky Vellore, Tiruvallur, Kan-
la Arokiasamy, a Class IX stu- children. around the idea of a relay was among six from across The program encourages rounding the airport and the is likely to be generally clou- cheepuram, Tiruvannama-
dent of Our Angel Matricula- At the World Pitch 2019, race, where the baton is the world in the junior divi- girls between the ages of 10 heart of Chennai recorded 3 dy. Light to moderate rain or lai, Krishnagiri, Dharmapu-
tion School — were mentored the finals, Social Relay handed over and aims to sion at the World Pitch, and 18 years from across the and 2 cm rainfall, respective- thundershowers is likely to ri, Villupuram, Cuddalore,
by Tanya Elizabeth Ken, a pitched their app ‘Baton’, hand over incomplete social which was the final event of world to use technology and ly, for a 24-hour period, end- occur. Maximum and mini- Nagapattinam, Ariyalur, Pe-
Class XI student of Kola Peru- which was designed to maxi- work initiatives from one in- Technovation Girls, where apply the skills needed to ing 8.30 a.m. on Sunday, the mum temperatures may rambalur and Thiruvarur,
mal Chetty Vaishnav School. mise the social impact of in- tern to another so that they they exhibited the function- solve real life problems. Department said. touch 31 and 25 degrees Cel- the Department added.

Five held for hacking

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MGR’s Dodge Kingsway, Rajini’s Suzuki man in restaurant

bike steal the limelight at auto show They may be detained under Goondas Act
A total of 140 cars and 40 bikes were on display at the annual exhibition Special Correspondent
CHENNAI
Special Correspondent The Tiruttani police on Satur-
CHENNAI day arrested five persons who
It was a trip down memory allegedly hacked a 30-year-old
lane for 70-year-old K. man to death inside a restau-
Subramanian, as he strolled rant in the town on Friday af-
past gleaming vintage cars ternoon. They will be remand-
and bikes, ranging from the ed in judicial custody.
1920s to the 1970s, that were Investigators are contemplat-
on display at the annual ing of detaining the suspects The five suspects fell from a
Chennai Heritage Auto under the Goondas Act, police building while being chased by
Show, organised by the sources said. the police, an officer said.
Madras Heritage Motoring The accused have been
Club at the Ramachandra identified as Vimal alias Japan, CCTV footage. “We started the
Convention Centre on 25, Gopi Raj, 26, Raj Kumar, investigation from Mahesh’s
Sunday morning. 25, Ajit Kumar, 25, and Satish, hometown and found out
A total of 140 vintage 25. Apart from Raj Kumar, who about the feud he had with Vi-
cars, including the Good old days: The event inaugurated by actor Revathi also featured Ford USA GPW and belongs to Tirunindravur, all mal alias Japan, and his gang
Mercedes Benz, Ford USA Rolls Royce models. M. KARUNAKARAN * others are from Perumalpet from the same village, over a
GPW, Rolls Royce, Dodge village. A police officer volleyball match in 2013,” said
Brothers, Austin and Jaguar, held for the first time in spare parts,” he said. a convention centre,” said claimed that all the accused a police officer.
and 40 bikes, including 2002, and now it had Many keen visitors Mr. Rajesh. fell from a building while they Last February, Vimal’s gang
Triumph, Famous James, increased to 140. clicked pictures alongside Lawrence and Uttaman, were being chased by police. murdered a member of Ma-
Paratrooper, Rajdoot and “People from Kolkata, the 1957 model Dodge who work for a vintage car The victim, Mahesh, 30, of hesh’s gang. Last month, Ma-
Matchless, got the visitors Bangalore and Kerala have Kingsway owned by late owner, said they drove the Perumalpattu village, was hesh and friends attacked Vi-
hooked. brought their vintage cars chief minister M.G. cars from Coimbatore. “It walking near the Block Deve- mal, and he was injured in the
Elders and youngsters here,” he said. Ramachandran and a Suzuki does not travel as fast as the lopment Office in Tiruttani, attack. Meanwhile, one of Ma-
alike took pictures alongside RV 90 bike used by actor new cars, but it is a pleasant around 2.30 p.m., when four hesh’s friends was arrested in
their favourite automobile. A passion Rajinikanth in the movie experience to drive them,” persons came in a car bran- a recent murder case, and the
“I have grown up seeing S. Srivaradhan, who had Payum Puli. said Mr. Uttaman. dishing weapons and waylaid remand extension was sche-
these cars and seeing them brought a few of his cars Santosh A.K and Rajesh The event, that was him. When Mahesh ran for his duled at the Tiruvallur court
took me back to my younger and bikes for the show said Ambal from Kerala, who inaugurated by actor life and got into a restaurant on Friday.
days. The owners have he has been restoring and own vintage cars, have been Revathi, ended around 1 they cornered him and hacked “However, since the Magis-
maintained the vehicles collecting vintage regular visitors at the event. p.m. The vehicles were him to death in the presence trate was not there, the case
well,” said Mr. Subramanian. automobiles since 1990s. “It “Every year we see new judged for authenticity, of customers and fled the spot. was transferred to the Tirutta-
V.S. Kylas, vice-president has been a passion for me. cars. Earlier, the show used restoration, mechanicals A team comprising inspec- ni court. When Mahesh was re-
and the founder secretary of All the vehicles are in to be held in a school and prizes were distributed tor S. Murugan was formed to turning from the court after
the club, said there were 22 running condition despite ground, now it has grown so in different categories to the crack the case and the assai- meeting his friend, he was at-
cars when the event was the difficulty in getting the much that it is being held at owners. lants were identified based on tacked,” added the officer.
CM A CH-CHE
YK
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THE HINDU
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
CHENNAI

CHENNAI 3
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CHENNAI Timings
Monday, Aug. 19
RISE 05:57 SET 18:28
RISE 21:09 SET 08:45
Tuesday, Aug. 20
5-year-old dies in wall
RISE 05:58 SET 18:28
RISE 21:47 SET 09:31
Wednesday, Aug. 21
RISE 05:58 SET 18:27
collapse in Kundrathur
RISE 22:25 SET 10:17 Structure might have become weak in rain, say police
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI

A five-year-old girl, who was

sleeping inside a hut with
her parents on Porur Main
Road in Kundrathur, died af-
ter a five-foot compound
wall collapsed on Sunday.
The victim was identified
as Masani, 5, daughter of
Mohan, 28, and Pushpa, 25,
from the gypsy community.
The police said the wall
might have become weak in
rain and collapsed due to
the vibrations caused by an
excavator digging the road
for pipe laying.
0 The accident happened The site of the wall collapse. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
DISCLAIMER: Readers are requested to
verify and make appropriate enquiries to
around 2 a.m.
satisfy themselves about the veracity of
an advertisement before responding to
The Kundrathur police Neighbours and workers
any published in this newspaper. THG
PUBLISHING PVT LTD., the Publisher &
Debris fell on her sent her body for post-mor- rushed to the rescue of the
Owner of this newspaper, does not vouch
for the authenticity of any advertisement
“The girl was sleeping in the tem to the Chromepet Go- family on hearing the noise.
or advertiser or for any of the advertiser’s
products and/or services. In no event can
corner of the hut and died vernment Hospital. “We have arrested vehicle
the Owner, Publisher, Printer, Editor, Dir-
ector/s, Employees of this newspaper/
after debris fell on her. Her The police said the family, operator Ayyapan. We are
company be held responsible/liable in
any manner whatsoever for any claims
mother sustained injuries,” along with a few others, was searching for the contrac-
and/or damages for advertisements in
this newspaper.
a police officer said. staying on the pavement. tors,” a police officer said.

Serial burglar arrested

Special Correspondent recent case of burglary in
CHENNAI Vadapalani.
The police have arrested a During investigation,
32-year-old man for alleged- they obtained CCTV footage
ly looting houses over the of the suspect and started
past five years. tracking him.
A total of 32 sovereigns They identified him to be
has been seized from him. Karthik from T. Nagar, who
According to police, a has similar cases against
special team was formed by him and was detained un-
Assistant Commissioner der the Goondas Act in 2015
Arokia Prakasam to crack a and 2017.

SI’s house burgled

Special Correspondent parao Colony in Chrome-
CHENNAI pet, works as a sub-ispector
The police are searching for at the Kotturpuram traffic
burglars who broke into a police station.
traffic sub-inspector’s house He had gone to his rela-
and escaped with gold je- tive’s house and when he re-
wellery on Saturday. turned, he found the valua-
Gowrishankar, 37, of Ap- bles missing.

Published by N. Ravi at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002 on behalf of THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD., and Printed by D. Rajkumar at Plot B-6 & B-7, CMDA Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar, Chengleput Taluk, Kancheepuram Dist., Pin: 603209. Editor: Suresh Nambath (Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act).
Regd. TN/ARD/17/2012-2014 RNI No. 1001/1957 ISSN 0971 - 751X Vol. 142 No. 197
● ● ● ●

CM A CH-CHE
YK
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4 TAMIL NADU
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INTERVIEW | K.S. ALAGIRI
‘Nothing can sabotage DMK-led secular alliance in Tamil Nadu’
TNCC president
downplays the
significance of his
row with Vaiko
B. Kolappan
CHENNAI
Notwithstanding the recent
friction between the Con-
gress and the MDMK, Tamil
Nadu Congress Committee
president K.S. Alagiri insists
that nothing can sabotage
the Secular Progressive Al-
liance led by the DMK. He
says the alliance will conti-
nue for the local body polls
as it was shaped by the ideol-
ogy of secularism and not by
narrow considerations.
Excerpts:
You and MDMK leader Vaiko
were involved in a face-off
over his stand on the
Congress’s role in Jammu and
Milk procurement price hiked on dairy
farmers’ demand, says Palaniswami
CM also cites rise
in cost of fodder,
transportation
Staff Reporter
Salem
Chief Minister Edappadi K.
Palaniswami on Sunday said
the milk procurement price
had to be increased, consi-
dering the production cost
and the welfare of dairy
farmers.
“During (the last) As-
sembly session, Opposition
leader [M.K. Stalin] urged
the government to accept
the request of the dairy
farmers and increase the
milk procurement price.
During the same session, I
said that the procurement
price and the selling price
will be increased, consider-
ing the farmers’ request.
The procurement price has
not been revised in almost
five years. The cost of milk
production has increased
due to an increase in the
cost of fodder and transpor-
tation. Hence, the cost of
procurement and the selling
price (of milk) had to be
raised,” he said.
Mr. Palaniswami said the
procurement price of cow
‘India must draft national refugee law’ Take steps to save jobs,
It is needed to ensure fair and equal treatment of refugees: expert
Dennis S. Jesudasan
CHENNAI
India should draft a national
refugee law for fair and equal
treatment of refugees, Mohd
Shahzad, an expert in refugee-
related issues, has said.
Dr. Shahzad, a guest faculty
at the Jamia Millia Islamia, a
central university, holds a doc-
torate in conducting research
on refugees from Sri Lanka
and Afghanistan. He recently
carried out research on the
conditions of Sri Lankan Tamil
refugees living in various
camps across Tamil Nadu.
In an article titled ‘Sri Lan-
kan Tamil Refugees in Tamil
Nadu: A critical assessment of
political parties of Tamil Na-
du’, published in Ajanta, a
UGC-listed journal, he argued
for more rights for the Sri Lan-
kan refugees.
“Those refugees who were
born in India and married In-
dian citizens, and who want to
stay back — they should get In-
dian citizenship. In this re-
gard, the Indian government
should follow its previous poli-
cy, which enabled Chakmas,
Tibetans and Afghans to have
Indian citizenship,” he said.
According to him, if India is
not in favour of having a legis-
lation on refugees, it should
sign the 1951 Geneva Conven-
tion or its 1967 protocol for fair
and equal treatment of
refugees.
Plight of returnees
Though Sri Lankan refugees
enjoyed the support of the lo-
cal political parties and resi-
dents, restrictions had been
placed on them since the as-
sassination of then Prime Mi-
nister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, Mr.
CM
YK
Kashmir. Has the Secular
Progressive Alliance come
under strain in Tamil Nadu?
■ Definitely not. [DMK pre-
sident] Mr. Stalin has built
the alliance in such a way
that nothing can sabotage it.
We swept the polls in Tamil
Nadu. I have 50 years of ex-
perience in politics, and
have never witnessed an al-
liance as cohesive as the one
we have [now]. Mr. Vaiko le-
velled some allegations
[against the Congress in Par-
liament on the J&K issue],
and we responded. The is-
sue is over. Personally, I
hold Mr. Vaiko in high
regard.
Will the friction caused by
suspended Congress leader
Karate Thiagarajan affect
your alliance with the DMK
for the local body polls?
■ I will not allow anything
<
> The procurement
price of milk has not
been revised in
almost five years
milk had been increased by
₹6 and that of buffalo milk
by ₹4, and the selling price
was increased by ₹6.
Regarding the farmers’
<
> The government
should follow its
previous policy, which
enabled Chakmas, Tibetans
and Afghans to have Indian
citizenship
Mohd Shahzad
Guest faculty, Jamia Millia Islamia
Shahzad said, adding that refu-
gees were treated differently in
India. “Many refugees who
have returned have reported
that there are not enough safe-
ty and security measures and
<
> Rahul Gandhi is not
waging a battle
against individuals like
Modi or Shah. He is
striving hard to protect the
idea of secularism
[that goes] against the deci-
sion of the AICC [All India
Congress Committee] to
align with the DMK as long
as I remain the TNCC presi-
dent. Mr. Stalin’s statement
that [Congress leader] Mr.
Rahul Gandhi will be the
Prime Minister was an un-
request for 50% subsidy on
Aavin fodder, Mr. Palaniswa-
mi said, “Currently, most of
the milk producer unions
are running on losses, and
only a few dairies are run-
ning profitably. The cost of
transportation has in-
creased due to the hike in
fuel prices. Hence, the pro-
employment opportunities for
returnees. In this kind of a sit-
uation, India should seriously
consult with the Sri Lankan go-
vernment,” he stated in the ar-
ticle. As of April 1 this year, ov-
er 60,000 refugees were living
in various camps in Tamil Na-
du. According to the Commis-
sionerate of Rehabilitation and
Welfare of Non-Resident Ta-
mils, there are over 24,000
women and over 11,000 chil-
dren among the Sri Lankan re-
fugees living in Tamil Nadu.
forgettable moment in the
history of the Congress par-
ty. It galvanised party cadre
across the country, and
wherever I went, Congress
leaders would ask, “How is
Mr. Stalin?” There is a rare
bonding between the fami-
lies of [late] DMK leader Ka-
laignar (Karunanidhi) and
Congress leader Sonia
Gandhi. Above all, our al-
liance is shaped by the ide-
ology of secularism. Only
the Congress, the Commu-
nist parties and the DMK
uphold secularism in the
country today.
Mr. Rahul Gandhi has
stepped down as Congress
president at a time when the
party is going through a
crisis…
■ The idea behind his deci-
sion has been misunder-
stood. Accountability is ve-
curement price has been re-
vised, considering the wel-
fare of nearly 4.6 lakh
farmers.”
Mr. Palaniswami added
that when compared to
neighbouring States, the
procurement price of milk
was higher in Tamil Nadu.
Regarding the effect the
hike would have on consum-
ers, Mr. Palaniswami said,
“The price is being revised
only after five years. Over
the years, there has been in-
flation. The salaries of pro-
fessionals and labourers
have also increased.”
Mettur water
On the farmers’ request for
increasing the outflow of
water from the Mettur dam,
Mr. Palaniswami said that
presently, only seedlings
were being prepared, and
the delta region was receiv-
ing better rain. The outflow
may be increased after a
week, depending on the
farmers’ demand, he said.
Rejecting the criticism
that there was a lack of tran-
sparency in gathering public
opinion on the Draft Nation-
al Education Policy, Mr. Pa-
laniswami said everything
was done transparently .
T.N. leaders urge Centre
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI
In view of the poor business
climate facing the country’s
automobile industry, political
leaders have urged the Cen-
tral government to act to save
jobs, and have called for cuts
to GST rates.
On Sunday, AIADMK lead-
er and Minister for Tamil Lan-
guage and Culture K. Pandia-
rajan, citing a news report
projecting massive job cuts in
the automobile industry,
tweeted, “Warning signal, es-
pecially for TN which has the
highest concentration of Auto
sector in India - Central govt
to act fast announcing fiscal
and other incentives to save
the jobs!”
More farmers fancy millets
Dennis S. Jesudasan
CHENNAI
Amid the prevailing water
scarcity, Tamil Nadu has
seen more farmers who pri-
marily cultivate paddy going
in for millet cultivation this
year. Since millets are rain-
fed, they require relatively
less water than paddy.
Water woes aside, the de-
mand for millets as a healthy
food option among fitness
enthusiasts is a major reason
being cited by farmers for
opting to cultivate them.
An official said millets had
been cultivated in an addi-
tional 46,000 hectares this
year, when compared to last
year.
Maize, sorghum, ragi,
pearl millet and barnyard
millet are among the varie-
ry important for leadership.
The party faced an electoral
setback when he was the
president. The Congress
continued its journey as if it
were an ordinary debacle. It
was wrong. He expected
that the leaders of various
States would come out with
an explanation for the de-
feat and own responsibility.
But they did not. So, he took
responsibility and stepped
down. Mahatma Gandhi
had adopted a similar ap-
proach during the freedom
struggle. Even now, Mr. Ra-
hul Gandhi is the leader of
the Congress. That we have
not explained the intention
and the objective behind his
resignation to the people is
a failure of the AICC and the
State units. We will soon
launch a campaign to ex-
plain his decision to the pe-
ople. Mr. Rahul Gandhi is
Cardholders to shell out ₹180 more
per month; producers seek subsidy
Decision on tea price hike left to stall owners’ discretion
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI
Following the hike in the
selling price of Aavin milk,
which comes into effect to-
day, cardholders who get
one litre of milk per day will
have to shell out an addi-
tional ₹180 per month,
since the price hike is ₹6
per litre.
While senior citizens say
the price rise is steep, some
families feel it is within
manageable limits.
Radhika Ananthapadma-
nabhan, a resident of Mad-
havaram, said she bought
two litres of milk per day,
and that the salaried class
could manage. “This hike
would hit pensioners, the
lower-middle class and the
poor hard. The government
could consider offering a
subsidy,” she said.
Since the revised price
kicks in on Monday, card-
holders have been asked to
pay the additional amount
along with the next rene-
wal.
The Chennai Metropoli-
tan City Tea Shop Owners’
Association has asked its
PMK founder S. Ramadoss
referred to the global eco-
nomic conditions and their
impact on India, adding that
while many had lost their
jobs, the middle class and
private sector employees
were anxious about their fu-
ture. While the Centre was
aiming to boost the country’s
economy by increasing tar-
gets, the ground reality was
different. All sectors were fac-
ing a slowdown, which was
much more pronounced in
the automobile sector, he
said. Dr. Ramadoss urged the
Centre to cut the GST rates on
consumer goods to boost pur-
chasing power and invest-
ment in infrastructure and
encourage exports.
ties preferred by farmers. P.
Ganapathi of Kalpaganur in
Salem district said that since
water supply had become a
major issue, he chose
millets.
“Millets can survive with
the least amount of water
and we don’t have to worry
much about the crop. We
hear there is a good market
for millets in cities. We
would like to use that oppor-
tunity,” said A.M. Sakthivel
of Amaram village.
When asked whether the
government will announce a
special kuruvai package like
in previous years, the official
said that since the ground-
water table was already low,
a special package would only
exacerbate the problem in
the absence of rain.
CHENNAI
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
THE HINDU
‘Only civic polls
can reveal if
AIADMK’s vote
not waging a battle against of Gandhiji. The RSS and the share is up’
individuals like Prime Minis- BJP converted him into a vil-
ter Narendra Modi or Home lain. The nature of God Staff Reporter
Minister Amit Shah. He is changes depending on who DINDIGUL
striving hard to protect the invokes him. The RSS and Only the outcome of the lo-
idea of secularism. the BJP are invoking the cal body elections can re-
name of Ram to shed blood. veal if the ruling AIADMK’s
Critics argue that the Now, the Prime Minister vote-share has increased,
Congress’s appeasement of has announced a Chief of as was claimed by Chief Mi-
minorities led to the BJP Defence Staff, which will nister Edappadi K. Palanis-
winning the election with a destroy democracy. The ar- wami after the Vellore Lok
brute majority...
■ The RSS [Rashtriya
chitects of the Constitution
and previous rulers have al-
Sabha poll, CPI(M) State se-
cretary K. Balakrishnan
Swayamsevak Sangh] has ways been careful regarding has said.
been running this campaign the powers of the Army. By Addressing the media in
against the Congress for creating three armed forces, Dindigul on Sunday, he
years. Neither the Congress they ensured that the Army said the government had
nor the other secular par- did not interfere with polit- raised the price of Aavin
ties had resisted their pro- ics in the country. A Chief of milk with a commercial in-
paganda. They ran a similar Defence Staff will always be terest. “The State is in bad
campaign even when Ma- the choice of the Prime Mi- shape. Only 10% of the
hatma Gandhi was alive. nister, and could use the Ar- funds earmarked for the
Gandhiji foiled the RSS ide- my according to his whim. It Kudimaramathu scheme
ology and the organisation happened in Pakistan, and has been spent on projects,
assassinated him. [Lord] the country witnessed ma- while the rest has been si-
Ram remained a hero so ny military coups. We can- phoned off by the ruling
long as he was in the hands not afford to forget that. party,” he claimed.
PUBLIC NOTICE
members to decide wheth- milk-producing farmers are
er they would need to in- attached to 12,000-odd
crease the prices of hot bev- cooperative societies in the
erages. Association State. They have been seek-
secretary E. Sundaram said ing a hike of ₹10-₹15 a litre.
consumption of tea was But since we cannot place
more when compared to much burden on the con-
coffee, and nowadays, car- sumers and have to ensure
damom and ginger tea were that our brand remains the
in demand. “The price of people’s favourite in the
cardamom has shot up to market, we have not hiked
₹3,000 a kg. In such a situa- [prices] much,” he said.
tion, an increase in the milk Tamil Nadu Milk Produc-
price would eat further into ers’ Welfare Association
our profits. Some shops general secretary M.G. Ra-
would fold up, while others jendran said that while they
would manage. Currently, were happy that the go-
most tea stalls sell a cup of vernment had considered
tea for ₹10 and coffee for their demand, this was not
₹12. Owners must decide enough to meet the produc-
(on an increase in prices) in tion cost. “We spend ₹49.84
accordance with their cus- to produce a litre of milk.
tomer profile and local Since many of us have
competition,” he said. mixed-breed cows, we are
Aavin Managing Director forced to give at least 12 kg
C. Kamaraj said the price of fodder feed (hay and
hike was effected after four corn stalk), six kg of green
years, and was essential to fodder, and then there is
provide for an increase in the concentrate feed. There
the procurement price paid is no water and hence not
to milk producers. The milk enough green fodder
producers are getting a hike around. We can only re-
of ₹4 per litre of cow milk quest the State government
and ₹6 for a litre of buffalo to provide an additional
milk. “A total of 20 lakh subsidy,” he said.
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THE HINDU
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
CHENNAI
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IN BRIEF
‘Efforts on to make Tamil
official court language’
SALEM
The State was making
sustained efforts to make
Tamil the official court
language, said Chief Minister
Edappadi K. Palaniswami at
the inauguration of the
district munsif-cum-judicial
magistrate court in Edappadi
on Sunday. District Collector
S.A. Raman and Chief Justice
of Madras High Court Vijaya
K. Tahilramani also spoke.
Vaiko hospitalised,
protest postponed
MADURAI
Marumalarchi Dravida
Munnetra Kazhagam general
secretary Vaiko was admitted
to a private hospital here on
Sunday. As a result of this,
the three-day campaign
against the India-based
Neutrino Observatory,
planned in the Theni district
from August 20, which Mr.
Vaiko was to lead, has been
postponed.
High Court disposed of more cases in
2018, thanks to higher judge strength
Around 60 judges were able to clear a total of 1.62 lakh cases
Mohamed Imranullah S.
CHENNAI
For the first time in many
years, the number of cases
disposed of by the Madras
High Court was more than
the number of cases filed in a
year: 1,62,081 cases disposed
of against 1,52,609 instituted
in 2018. The achievement,
although small, appears to
have been the result of the
substantial increase in the
strength of judges over the
years.
A look at the statistics of
the court since 2005 shows
that the number of cases
filed in a year was around 1.5
lakh cases every year. The
court could never match its
disposal figures with that of
new cases, which led to fresh
cases getting added to the
kitty of pending cases.
The principal seat of the
High Court in Chennai and
its Madurai Bench began the
year 2005 with a pendency
of 1,32,260 and 26,730 cases
Country has come a long way in Knee replacement surgeries
healthcare, says Prathap C. Reddy on the rise, say experts
Staff Reporter
CHENNAI
From imposing heavy cus-
toms duty on imported med-
ical equipment to manufac-
turing equipment here, the
country has come quite a
long way in healthcare, said
Prathap C. Reddy, chairman
of Apollo Hospitals Group, in
Chennai on Sunday.
While speaking during a
release of books on medi-
cine, he said a few decades
ago, only a niche rich crowd
had access to excellent med-
ical care, but now, that had
changed completely. “In the
80s, we used to have just
one CT scan machine, and
now, we manufacture the
machine in India. The same
way, MRI equipment too can
be manufactured here,” he
Transman, who made news three years ago, in dire straits
Having lost his shop in the Kerala floods, Sivanandhu and his wife struggle to make a living
Pon Vasanth B.A
CHENNAI
Three years ago, T. Siva-
nandhu, a transman from a
village in Kanniyakumari dis-
trict close to the Kerala bor-
der, was in news for marry-
ing a woman after a 10-year
courtship.
Mr. Sivanandhu, 31, un-
derwent a sex change sur-
gery before marrying R.V.
Sowmya in May 2016. With
the support received from
donors, he set up a roadside
shop to sell ‘sarbath’ in Kat-
takada near Thiruvanan-
thapuram.
“Though my income was
CM
YK
8 die as mini goods carrier
plunges into well in Tiruchi
Police say driver lost control of the speeding vehicle after hitting a barrier
R. Rajaram
TIRUCHI
Eight people, including four
women and three minors,
died and nine were injured
when a mini goods carrier
transporting them plunged
into an open well adjoining a
village road at Thirumanur
near Uppiliapuram in Tiru-
chi on Sunday.
The incident occurred
around 2 p.m. when a group
of 17 from Perur village, near
Musiri, were on their way to
S.N. Pudur village. The driv-
er lost control of the vehicle
and hit a barricade before
plunging into the nearly 60-
foot well abutting the road.
Police and firefighters
rushed to the spot and car-
ried out rescue operations. A
couple of fire tenders — one
each from Thuraiyur and
Uppiliapuram fire station —
were utilised to rescue those
trapped inside.
respectively. During the
course of the year, 1,01,733
cases were filed in Chennai
and 30,733 cases in Madurai,
but the court was able to dis-
pose of only 77,641 and
20,728 cases respectively by
the end of the year.
The accumulation conti-
nued year after year and the
High Court ended up with a
pendency of around 2.9 lakh
cases in the beginning of
2017.
In that year, as many as
1.44 lakh cases were filed in
Chennai and Madurai put to-
Prathap C. Reddy releasing a book in Chennai on Sunday.
Vairamuthu and T.V. Devarajan are seen. B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM*
added. He released three
books — Apollo Hospitals
Textbook of Medicine (2nd
edition), Completion of 300
cases in Apollo Advance Fev-
er Clinic and 5,000 MCQ’s in
Medicine, authored by T.V.
Devarajan, senior consultant
physician, Apollo Hospitals.
Mr. Reddy said such books
not steady, I was able to earn
enough for both of us to
have three meals a day,” he
said. When the Kerala go-
vernment promised to give
him a job, he closed down
the ‘sarbath’ stall.
“Just as I was beginning to
feel that I was settling down
in life after marriage, the
promise of a job in a short-
stay home for transmen to
be set up by Kerala govern-
ment made me sell the shop.
However, the government
project did not materialise
and I was pushed to pover-
ty,” he said. Two months
ago, with the help of some
The mini goods carrier being lifted out of the well at
Thirumanur near Uppiliapuram in Tiruchi. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT *
A senior Fire and Rescue kandi. Nine people were res-
Services official, who was in- cued, he added. However,
volved in the operation, said eight died on the spot and
the well had nearly 5 feet of some of them were crushed
water. The vehicle had top- beneath the vehicle, the fire
pled inside, said another of- fighters said.
ficer, adding that around 25 The police gave the names
firefighters were involved in of the deceased as K. Guna-
the rescue. seelan, 75, G. Kumarathi, 52,
Armed with ropes, fire D. Gomathi, 40, M. Kayalviz-
fighters rescued those who hi, 27, M. Sanjana, 4, I. Sa-
were alive, said the District rankumar, 6, G. Ezhilarasi,
Fire Officer, Tiruchi P. Pulu- 60, and I. Yamuna, 10. The
the sanctioned strength of
the High Court was only 42
judges (33 permanent and 10
additional judges), though
the working strength was
much less and it kept oscil-
lating depending upon re-
tirements and appoint-
ments.
The strength was in-
creased over the years and
towards the end of 2015, the
High Court had a sanctioned
gether and the court dis- strength of 75 judges.
posed of 1.42 lakh cases, the-
reby carrying forward a Full complement
small number of cases to the In 2018, the High Court had a
next year. working strength of close to
Even in 2018, despite the 60 judges throughout the
court having disposed of year.
9,472 cases more than the That was the reason for
number of cases filed that the disposal of 1.62 lakh cas-
year, the court was left with es compared to 1.19 lakh cas-
a whopping 2,93,004 cases es in 2005 by some 40 judg-
in 2019. The key point that es.
emerges from the statistics is The data also reveals that
that the increase in the num- filling up the full comple-
ber of judges led to a corres- ment of 75 judges could lead
ponding increase in the rate to higher disposal of cases in
of disposal of cases. In 2005, the long run.
Surgeons concerned about people who return for revisions
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI
There has been an increase
in the number of knee re-
placement surgeries in the
country, according to a se-
nior consultant orthopaedic
surgeon. However, what
worries surgeons is the
number of people who re-
turn for revision surgeries.
In 1994, only 300 knee
were the need of the hour replacements were done,
and were of great but now, almost one million
importance. are done, and doctors are
T.V. Devarajan said only a seeing more people return-
handful of institutions had ing for a second surgery.
brought out such books. While a revision may be re-
Munirathinam, chairman quired after a fall, what doc-
of RMK Group of Institu- tors are concerned about
tions, and lyricist Vaira- are issues such as osteopo-
muthu also spoke. rosis and bone weakness
Sivanandhu and his wife R.V. Sowmya in happier times.
donors, he set up another help comes my way, I can set
shop, which, he said, was up a small tea shop to earn a
damaged in the heavy rain in living,” he said. Sivanandhu
Kerala recently. “If some prefers to set up a shop clos-
victims were from Perur and
Sirunavalur villages. The in-
jured were rushed to the go-
vernment hospital at Thurai-
yur and to private hospitals.
The vehicle was driven by T.
Ilayaraja, 35, who was in-
jured.
The accident was caused
due to the driver’s negli-
gence, a police officer said.
Superintendent of Police, Ti-
ruchi, Ziaul Haque, who
oversaw the rescue opera-
tions, told The Hindu that it
was illegal to carry passen-
gers in a goods carrier. Preli-
minary enquiries revealed
that the driver was speeding.
District Collector S. Siva-
rasu visited the accident
spot.
The post-mortem was
conducted at the Thuraiyur
Government Hospital and
handed over to the relatives.
The Uppiliapuram police
have registered a case.
Security to be tightened at
Devarajaswamy temple
Height of compound wall around the tank will be increased
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI
Security will be increased at
the Ananthasaras tank at the
Sri Devarajaswamy temple
in Kancheepuram, where
the idol of Athi Varadar was
placed in an underwater
chamber at 12.30 a.m. on
Sunday.
The height of the com-
pound wall around the tank
will be increased and more
CCTV cameras will be in-
stalled in the temple.
“The temple will also
have more security person-
nel around the tank since de-
votees have a lot of interest
to visit the tank. No one will
be allowed to enter the
tank,” said Kancheepuram
District Collector K. Pon-
niah.
At 11.30 p.m. on Saturday
night, the 48th day of the
Athi Varadar festival, the
wooden idol of Sri Athi Vara-
dar was taken out of the Va-
santha Mandapam in a pro-
that people are not aware
of, said A. Navaladi Shankar,
senior consultant ortho-
paedic surgeon and head of
the orthopaedic depart-
ment at Apollo Hospitals.
According to him, there
has been a steady increase
in the number of primary
knee replacement failures.
In some cases, it could be
simple bone weakness. “Al-
most 15 million have arthri-
tis and only 10% undergo
knee replacement. The
answer is revision knee re-
placement, a complex pro-
cedure requiring expe-
rienced surgeons,” Dr.
Shankar added.
An experienced surgeon
will be able to identify the
er to Thiruvananthapuram.
“If I run a shop near my
village, people do not come
because of the stigma asso-
ciated with my gender,” he
said. Now he does not know
where his next meal is going
to come from. “It looks like I
have no other choice but to
beg,” he added.
His life has been a strug-
gle throughout. Ever since
Mr. Sivanandhu, born as a fe-
male, identified himself as a
man more than 10 years ago,
he was ostracised by his fa-
mily and society. The only
solace was the love he
shared with Ms. Sowmya.
Activists, academicians demand
withdrawal of draft NEP
They say it goes against federal structure of the Constitution
Staff Reporter
CHENNAI
Sections of activists and aca-
demicians have urged the
Central government to com-
pletely withdraw the draft
National Education Policy
(NEP) as it goes against the
provisions of the Constitu-
tion and the principles of so-
cial justice.
The State Platform for
Common School System-Ta-
mil Nadu (SPCC-TN), in its
representation to the Union
Minister for Human Re-
source Development, ar-
gued that the draft NEP was
against the federal structure
of the Constitution, which
was unequivocally backed
by B.R. Ambedkar and sub-
sequently upheld by judg-
ments of Supreme Court.
P.B. Prince Gajendra Ba-
bu, general secretary, SPCC-
TN, said the Supreme Court
in the Kesavananda Bharati
versus State of Kerala case
The wooden idol of Athi Varadar was taken out in a procession
to the tank. FILE PHOTO
*
cession to the Ananthasaras
tank.
Jubilant send off
Crackers were burst by local
residents to celebrate the
once in 40-year festival. The
idol was lowered into the un-
derground chamber amidst
chanting of Vedas.
A neivedhya of milk,
ksheeranna and butter and
betel leaves, nuts and fruits
were offered to the idol and
the last aarathi performed
cause for the failure, and
when revision surgery is re-
quired, the patient may
need additional care to pre-
vent infections, he said.
Apollo Hospitals has
started a separate unit,
which includes a multidisci-
plinary team, to attend to
patients with failed primary
knee replacement.
People believe that once
a knee replacement surgery
is done, they are cured, said
Dr. Shankar. Such people
require annual bone densi-
ty test to rule out osteopo-
rosis or bone weakness.
They should be conscious
about diet and exercise reg-
ularly to ensure their bone
health, he added.
TAMIL NADU 5
<
> The sole
foundation of draft
NEP is to transfer
education from
Concurrent list of
the Constitution to
Union list
State Platform for Common
School System-Tamil Nadu
confirmed that federalism is
a feature of the basic struc-
ture of the Constitution that
cannot be altered. He said
the formation of Rashtriya
Shiksha Aayog (RSA) or Na-
tional Education Commis-
sion (NEC), proposed in the
policy, clearly violated this
by centralising all the pow-
ers. “The sole foundation of
draft NEP is to transfer edu-
cation from Concurrent list
of the Constitution to Union
list and the powers to regu-
late universities from State
list to Union list,” the repre-
sentation said.
The Tamil Nadu wing of
by priests. A plaque giving
details of the festival was
kept at the tank. Similar
plaques are found in the
tank marking each festival
year.
On Sunday morning, the
sanctum sanctorum of Sri
Devarajaswamy was opened
for the public after a long
gap.
Access had been restrict-
ed due to huge crowds
thronging the temple for the
Athi Varadar Vaibhavam.
Man with rare condition
of the oesophagus treated
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI
A 45-year-old man, who had
difficulty swallowing for over
three months, was treated
for his condition at the SRM
Medical College Hospital and
Research Centre, Kattanku-
lathur.
Clinical tests revealed that
he suffered from a rare disor-
der of the oesophagus called
achalasia cardia.
the All India Save Education
Committee (AISEC) also ex-
pressed similar concerns
and demanded the withdra-
wal of the draft policy.
Apart from condemning
the centralisation of powers,
AISEC objected to prioritisa-
tion of vocational education
to general education. It ob-
jected to the proposals to
bring anganwadis under the
formal school system, for-
mation of school complexes
and bringing semester sys-
tem of exams in schools.
Both SPCC-TN and AISEC
said the draft NEP, if imple-
mented, would certainly
lead to complete privatisa-
tion of education and clo-
sure of government-run in-
stitutions. Condemning the
attempt to impose Hindi and
Sanskrit, they observed that
the stress on ‘India-centric’
in the policy went against
the idea of ‘Unity in Diversi-
ty’ in the country.
Man threatens
driver with toy
gun, arrested
Special Correspondent
Madurai
R. Muthukrishnan, 40, of
Sevalpatti, a businessman,
who brandished a toy gun
at the driver of a pick-up
van on Madurai-Srivilliput-
tur Highway on Saturday,
was booked for abusive
language and criminal inti-
midation.
The police said the ac-
cused was headed towards
Rajapalayam in his SUV
when he found the pick-up
van ahead of his vehicle.
Muthukrishnan made
repeated attempts to over-
take the vehicle by honking
but failed. An irked Muth-
ukrishnan finally overtook
the van and intercepted it.
He pulled out a gun and
threatened the driver J.
Thangapandi, 23, and left.
When Mr. Thangapandi
was crossing Krishnankoil,
he noticed the parked SUV
and alerted the police
there. Muthukrishnan was
nabbed and handed over
to the Madurai police, who
found the gun was a toy.
“We gave him the option
to correct his problem endo-
sopically. He underwent Per-
Oral Endoscopic Myotomy
procedure,” said N.A. Rajesh,
who performed the proce-
dure under the supervision
of chief surgical gastroente-
rologist A. Rathnaswami.
Apart from specialised
equipment, it requires a
skilled endoscopist, Dr. Ra-
jesh said.
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IN BRIEF
Airfares to Gulf countries
go through the roof
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
Airlines have hiked fares by
300% to 500% from the
four international airports
in Kerala to almost all
destinations in West Asia to
cash in on the demand from
the non-resident Keralites
returning after summer
vacation of educational
institutions in the Gulf. The
fares are usually in the range
of ₹4,500 to ₹13,000 in the
West Asia-Kerala sector. At
present, the lowest fare is
₹19,025 in the Thiruvanan-
thapuram-Sharjah sector.
Don’t split Waltair
railway division: MP
VISAKHAPATNAM
YSRCP Rajya Sabha member
V. Vijaya Sai Reddy, in a letter
to Railway Minister Piyush
Goyal, sought continuation of
the Waltair railway division
with its headquarters in
Visakhapatnam. The Centre’s
proposal is to split the
division and merge one part
with the Rayagada division in
Odisha. The other part will be
with the Vijayawada division
in A.P. “This will cause
administrative problems,”
general secretary of National
Federation of Indian Railway-
men M. Raghavaiah said.
Fire accident victim
shifted to Mumbai
VISAKHAPATNAM
Following instructions from
Visakhapatnam District
Collector V. Vinay Chand,
24-year-old Jivang Joshi, one
of victims of a fire accident on
the offshore supply vessel
Coastal Jaguar on August 12,
was airlifted to Mumbai for
treatment on Saturday. It may
be recalled that 27 crew
members were rescued by
personnel of the Coast Guard
and the Visakhapatnam Port
Trust after they jumped into
the sea from the burning
vessel. One crew member was
killed and one is still missing.
Flood in Krishna river recedes
Inflows fall at dams but several residential areas waterlogged
Glad tidings: The inflow into the Srisailam dam in Kurnool has come down.
Tharun Boda
VIJAYAWADA
The flood in the Krishna River
has been coming down gra-
dually with inflows to Almatti
in Karnataka and other reser-
voirs downstream registering
a downward trend.
As of Sunday evening, Al-
matti was discharging only
two lakh cusecs and Srisailam
in Andhra Pradesh was han-
dling an inflow and outflow of
5.69 lakh cusecs.
As per flood forecast, the in-
flows were gradually falling at
all the reservoirs.
Nagarjuna Sagar
The Nagarjuna Sagar Project
too was handling 4.22 lakh cu-
secs of inflow and outflow.
The inflow at the Pulichin-
tala project was 5.16 lakh cu-
Pack off corrupt
TRS govt.: Nadda
Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD
“The TRS government is mired in
corruption from top to bottom and
it should be packed off lock, stock
and barrel by people. While the
‘aristocrat’ Chief Minister here may
want to demolish the Secretariat
for the sake of ‘Vaastu’, I can pro-
mise you the ‘Vaastu’ of Telangana
will be clear after 2023,” said BJP
national working president J.P.
Nadda on Sunday.
CM
YK
CBI will probe phone-tapping
charges, says Karnataka CM
JD(S)-Congress regime was accused of tapping phones of all rebel MLAs
Staff Reporter
Bengaluru
Karnataka Chief Minister
B.S. Yediyurappa on Sunday
announced that the probe
into allegations of phone-
tapping during the Janata
Dal (S)-Congress government
would be handed over to the
Central Bureau of Investiga-
tion (CBI).
The decision on the probe
by the Central agency, which
is often accused by the Op-
position of being misused by
the BJP, into a politically sen-
sitive case seems to have set
the cat among the pigeons.
This is because the JD (S) and
the Congress have expressed
concerns over “political ven-
detta” though they have wel-
comed such an investigation.
Discussions in Delhi
Sources said the issue fi-
gured during the Chief Mi-
nister’s talks with the party
leadership in New Delhi over
the past two days.
“Congress leader Siddara-
maiah and several other
Radar fails in search attempt at landslip site in Kerala
A team scouring the landslip site at Kavalappara in
Malappuram with a ground penetrating radar. SAKEER HUSSAIN
secs. Over 5.50 lakh cusecs
was being released while
maintaining a flood cushion of
9.31 tmcft.
As a result, the inflows to
Prakasam Barrage also came
down to 5.48 lakh cusecs from
6.43 lakh cusecs on Saturday
evening.
The outflow from the bar-
rage was 6.23 lakh cusecs. Ho-
wever, several residential
areas in Vijayawada and other
mandals, agriculture fields in
Krishna and Guntur districts
were still under a sheet of
water.
Water Resources depart-
ment officials estimate that it
would take a day for the inflow
and outflow to come down by
one lakh cusecs.
Home Minister M. Suchari-
ta, who inspected a relief
B.S. Yediyurappa
leaders have sought a high-
level probe into the scandal.
So, I have ordered a CBI
probe into it,” Mr. Yediyu-
rappa said here on Sunday.
However, the terms of re-
ference that the State go-
vernment will give the CBI
will be critical, according to
sources. While a preliminary
probe by the Bengaluru pol-
ice confined itself to just one
call intercept, widespread al-
legations of tapping phones
of several politicians and
their associates during the
political crisis in June-July
*
*
U. SUBRAMANYAM
camp in Guntur district, said
the government was able to
avoid loss of life with effective
flood relief management. Two
persons died in Guntur and
Krishna districts. She pro-
mised all help to farmers and
people until normalcy
returns.
Crops damaged
She said 34 villages of 18 man-
dals in Krishna and 53 villages
of 14 mandals in Guntur were
affected and thousands of
acres of crops were damaged.
As per the Andhra Pradesh
State Disaster Management
Authority’s preliminary re-
port, 4,235 houses in Krishna
and 537 houses in Guntur
were submerged and over
20,000 people were lodged in
relief camps.
was leaked to the media days
after Mr. Rao took charge
earlier this month.
Sandeep Patil, Joint Com-
missioner (Crime - Bengalu-
ru), submitted an interim re-
port on the issue wherein he
recommended a high-level
probe into the issue. While
the State police chief recom-
mended an inquiry by the
Criminal Investigation De-
partment, the Chief Minister
H.D. Kumaraswamy chose a CBI probe.
The issue soon took a pol-
that eventually triggered the itical turn when former Mi-
collapse of the JD(S)-Con- nister and JD(S) leader A.H.
gress coalition government Vishwanath alleged that the
have surfaced. Alok Kumar, phones of all rebel MLAs, in-
the then Bengaluru Police cluding himself, were
Commissioner, who was said tapped and that Mr. Kuma-
to be close to the then Chief raswamy had “blackmailed”
Minister H.D. Kumaraswa- them with the release of au-
my, is at the centre of these dio tapes if they did not with-
allegations. draw their resignations.
An audio recording of a te- Mr. Kumaraswamy said
lephonic conversation bet- the move for a CBI probe was
ween one Faraz Ahmed and a conspiracy against him.
Bengaluru Police Commis- “How much ever they may
sioner Bhaskar Rao, where try, they cannot point the
the latter was heard lobbying finger at me as I have done
for the Commissioner’s post, no wrong,” he said.
By digging out six more bodies in Kavalappara, firemen make some headway
Abdul Latheef Naha bodies buried under the
MALAPPURAM massive debris.
Human experience and dedi-
cation won where the ma- 13 more missing
chine failed. The men of the Personnel of the State’s Fire
Kerala Fire and Rescue Ser- and Rescue Services, who
vices retrieved six more bo- continued operations with 13
dies from the landslip-rav- heavy-duty excavators, con-
aged Kavalappara, near crete cutters and saws, have
Nilambur in Malappuram, on so far unearthed 46 bodies
Sunday. from Kavalappara, which
The ground penetrating saw one of the most disas-
radar (GPR) equipment trous landslips ever in the
brought by a team from the State on August 8.
National Geophysical Re- According to official fi-
search Institute (NGRI), Hyd- gures, 13 people are still mis-
erabad, failed to detect any sing.
Police bust human trafficking racket
Rajulapudi Srinivas from Chief Minister Y.S. Ja-
KALIDINDI ganmohan Reddy and the
Busting an inter-country police.
human trafficking racket, “We registered four cas-
the Andhra Pradesh Crime es in three districts and lo-
Investigation Department cated a few women trapped
(CID), in association with in Dubai. Police contacted
the district police, has res- the Indian Embassy in UAE
cued women who had been and brought back a few wo-
sent to Dubai with job pro- men and the remaining
mises by agents in West Go- were kept under the safe
davari, Kurnool and Krish- custody of the Embassy,”
na districts but were forced said Director General of
into the flesh trade. Police (DGP) D. Gautam Sa-
The police responded to wang.
video clips posted by some Based on a complaint
of the victims, seeking help lodged by the victims, the
5 electrocuted in
Karnataka hostel
Flagpole touches power line in Koppal
Special Correspondent
Koppal
In a heart-wrenching inci-
dent, five high school stu-
dents of a government-run
hostel here in Karnataka
were electrocuted when
they came into contact with
a power line while removing
a flagpole from the terrace
of their hostel building on
Sunday morning.
The flagpole had been
put up at the government-
run Devaraj Urs Backward
Classes Hostel for the Inde-
pendence Day celebrations.
Two of the students first
came into contact with the
11 kV overhead live wire as
they were removing the flag-
pole and got electrocuted.
The other three died when
they rushed to help their
friends. The victims are Mal-
likarjun Obalabandi, 16, Ba-
savaraj Jelli, 16, Devaraj Ha-
dapad,14, Ganesh Kuri, 14,
and Kumar Lamani, 14.
Warden arrested
Later in the day, a case was
registered against hostel
warden Basavaraj Belawat,
The six-member team
from NGRI led by Anand Ku-
mar Pandey could not make
any headway with the GPR
machine as the signals
proved ineffective in the
mud. A team member said
GPR, which uses radar sig-
nals to image the subsurface
area of the earth, would be
effective in solid earth. Ho-
wever, the situation at Kava-
lappara was different with
mud and slime having co-
vered a vast area measuring
over 20 hectares. Water was
widely present in the lower
police in West Godavari,
Kurnool and Krishna dis-
trict registered cases
against the fake agents. The
kingpin of the racket A.
Jyothi, of Palakol in West
Godavari, is operating from
Dubai, Mr. Sawang said.
West Godavari district SP
Navdeep Singh Grewal said
an agent, B. Venkata Subba-
rao, alias Chinna Babu who
had sent a woman to Dubai
was arrested on Sunday.
The DGP said the police
would issue a Red notice to
get Jyothi deported.
CHENNAI
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
THE HINDU
IAS officer
case: police
shift blame for
delayed tests
Special Correspondent
Thiruvananthapuram
The Kerala police on Satur-
day defended the delay in
putting IAS officer Sriram
Venkitaraman through a
blood alcohol concentra-
tion test after the vehicle
he drove was involved in
an accident that claimed
the life of journalist K.M.
Basheer of Siraj newspap-
Deputy Commissioner er early on August 3.
P. Sunil Kumar inspecting In a court filing, the pol-
the site of the tragedy. ice said the “reluctance” of
* SPECIALARRANGEMENT the de-facto complainant,
Saifudeen Haji, unit chief
building owner Basanagou- of Siraj, to file a first infor-
da Herevenkanagoudra and mation statement had
the Gulbarga Electricity slowed the process.
Supply Company (Gescom) Mr. Saifudeen has
under Section 304 (a) of the slammed the report filed
IPC (causing death by negli- by Dy.SP Sheen Tharayil
gence). Mr. Belawat was sub- and termed it part of a con-
sequently suspended pend- spiracy to protect the local
ing inquiry and arrested by police.
the police. Gescom section His counsel S. Chandra-
officer Nagaratna was also sekharan Nair told The
arrested. Hindu that the police were
Chief Minister B.S. Yediy- obliged to register a case
urappa said the government on their own in the event of
would give a compensation a fatal accident. Ideally, the
of ₹5 lakh each to the fami- police should have ensured
lies of the deceased. that the medical officer
who examined Mr. Venkita-
raman initially at the Gen-
eral Hospital took a sample
to gauge the suspect’s level
of inebriation. Instead, the
police had taken his blood
sample nine hours after
the accident. The High
area of the site through Court has condemned the
which a stream was flowing. “lack of professionalism.”
It also rained heavily at Kava- Mr. Nair said his client
lappara and neighbouring doubted the integrity of
areas on Sunday afternoon. the blood sample sent to
Dr. Pandey’s team will the Chief Chemical Exa-
leave for Wayanad on Mon- miner for analysis.
day. The mudslide site in Mr. Saifudeen had
Wayanad has dried up, and moved the court seeking
the team is hopeful of using the prosecution of the IAS
GPR technology to trace mis- officer on the charges of
sing persons there. having conspired with the
District authorities on police to dodge the test and
Sunday confirmed 58 deaths, destroy evidence that
including 46 at Kavalappara, would have rendered him
in the recent rains in Malap- vulnerable to prosecution
puram. for culpable homicide.
Event to celebrate Guinness
honour for Chrysostum film
Special Correspondent tary on Metropolitan
PATHANAMTHITTA Emeritus of the Malanka-
A function will be held ra Mar Thoma Syrian
here on Monday to cele- Church of Malabar, Phili-
brate the Guinness Book pose Mar Chrysostum.
of World Records entry of The 48-hour documen-
100 Years of Chrysostum, tary was scripted and di-
a biographical documen- rected by Blessy.
OBITUARY & REMEMBRANCE
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THE HINDU
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
CHENNAI

NATION 7
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Weather Watch
Rainfall, temperature & air quality in select metros yesterday
18 die as incessant rain lashes Himachal Pradesh
Many roads were
damaged due
to landslips
special correspondent
CHANDIGARH
The incessant rain lashing
Himachal Pradesh has
caused the death of at least
18 people in the past 24
hours. Landslips left hun-
dreds stranded as several
roads, including national
highways, were damaged hit-
ting vehicular movement.
Three more deaths were
collapsed in the Lower Cem-
etery area following heavy
rainfall early on Sunday.
In another incident, a
man was killed after a
landslp hit his truck on the
national highway near Hat-
koti Kenchi in Shimla’s Roh-
ru subdivision. A 70-year-old
man and a 7-year-old child
were killed in a house col-
lapse at Lona in Mehla subdi-
vision in Chamba district, SP
Monica Bhutunguru said.
In Kullu, a man was Hanging on: A large portion of a road, above, capsized
washed away in Sujwad Nul- following heavy rainfall in Shimla on Sunday while, right,
lah even as the locals were many vehicles were damaged due to a landslip. ANI & PTI *

reported in the State, but of- trying to save him. A tourist

ficial confirmation was yet to died when a landslip hit Ba- vigil on the situation and en- been heavy damage to
Temperature Data: IMD, Pollution Data: CPCB, Map: INSAT/IMD (Taken at 18.00 Hrs)
be made by the authorities. larga between Manikaran sure safety of tourists and lo- crops,” he said.
Forecast for Monday: Heavy to very heavy rain likely at isolated
Landslips hit a spot near and Barsheni, Kullu Deputy cals. “Tourists have been ad- Chief Secretary B.K. Agar-
places over Uttarakhand, East Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal. the RTO office here, leaving Commissioner Richa Verma vised to stay away from river wal said the Chandigarh-Ma-
city rain max min city rain max min three dead. One person suf- said. At Manakpura in Baddi beds as there is always the nali and Shimla-Kinnaur Na-
Agartala................ —....34.4....25.6 Kozhikode................. 1.2....29.8....24.4 fered injuries in the inci- tehsil of Solan district, two possibility of sudden rise in tional Highways had been
Ahmedabad........ 5.2....32.6....25.3 Kurnool ....................... —....34.6....25.3 dent, police said. persons were killed in a water levels due to flash blocked due to landslips.
Aizawl.............. 10.0....28.2....21.3 Lucknow...................... —....33.2....26.6
Allahabad........... 0.9....33.8....26.6 Madurai .................. 25.2....34.0....24.6 In Narkand area of Shimla building collapse. floods,” he said. He said 50-60 people
Bengaluru ........ 24.1....24.8....20.6 Mangaluru ................ 0.5....29.1....23.6 district, two Nepalese died The State had suffered a from Uttarakhand were
Bhopal ............... 2.0....30.0....23.5 Mumbai .................... 3.7....31.6....25.6 and three were injured after CM orders vigil loss of about ₹490 crore in stranded on the border, near
Bhubaneswar.... 28.0....31.8....23.4 Mysuru ..................... 1.8....25.9....20.2
Chandigarh ...... 91.0....29.5....24.0 New Delhi .............. 45.7....29.0....24.8 a tree fell on their house. In Chief Minister Jai Ram Tha- this monsoon season, Mr. Rohru. “We have sent teams
Chennai ................ —....31.2....24.3 Patna ..................... 22.6....30.6....27.6 another incident, a labourer kur said on Sunday that all Thakur said. “Lahaul and to rescue them after a re-
Coimbatore ........ 0.7....30.0....23.2 Port Blair.................. 8.2....26.3....24.1 was killed and six were in- Deputy Commissioners had Spiti witnessed untimely quest was received from the
Dehradun ......... 36.2....31.3....22.9 Puducherry ............. 50.8....27.9....23.1
Gangtok ............. 7.4....22.7....18.7 Pune......................... 0.2....28.4....21.1 jured as the wall of a house been directed to keep a close snow, due to which there has Uttarakhand government.”
Goa.................... 1.2....28.6....25.0 Raipur ......................... —....33.4....26.5
Guwahati .............. —....35.1....26.4 Ranchi .................... 63.2....27.0....24.5
Hubballi ................ —....27.0....21.0 Shillong.................... 4.7....24.2....17.0
Hyderabad ............ —....29.4....25.8
Imphal .................. —....30.3....22.6
Jaipur ................... —....32.6....22.2
Shimla...................... 1.0....19.7....15.7
Srinagar.................... 0.9....21.9....13.7
Thiruvananthapuram...... 1.1....31.2....24.7
Suspended bureaucrat Delhi MP suggests renaming JNU
held for graft in Assam
Kochi .................... —....29.6....25.0 Tiruchi.................... 11.5....31.7....24.6
Kohima .............. 2.2....25.2....18.0 Vijayawada .................. —....34.6....26.0
Kolkata ............ 61.5....29.5....25.4 Visakhapatnam ............. —....32.6....28.4
(Rainfall data in mm; temperature in Celsius) His remark has drawn sharp reaction from students and social media users
Pollutants in the air you are breathing
CITIES SO2 NO2 CO PM2.5 PM10 CODE
Yesterday Govt. had suspended him on July 19 Staff Reporter “prays that there is peace in while, reacted strongly to
Ahmedabad..... 45 .91 .62 ....74 .120 ....*
Bengaluru ....... 02 .58 .85 ....45 ...74 ....*
In observation made at
6.00 p.m., Bhiwadi,
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT dent of graft took place. NEW DELHI the Valley”. Mr. Hans’ suggestion related
Chennai .......... 11 .15 .27 ....32 ...34 ....* Rajasthan recorded an GUWAHATI Speaking at an event organ- The BJP MP said, “We are to the renaming of the un-
Delhi .............. ..— .05 107 ....26 ...17 ....* overall air quality index
(AQI) score of 123 The Assam police on Sun- 20 cases filed ised by the Akhil Bharatiya facing the brunt of mistakes iversity and said that JNU
Hyderabad ...... 03 .74 .28 ....54 .106 ....*
Kolkata ........... 03 .25 .13 ....45 ...37 ....*
indicating an unhealthy
level of pollution. In
day arrested a bureaucrat Mr. Talukdar was facing 20 Vidyarthi Parishad at Jawa- committed by our elders,” was a place where students
Lucknow ......... 06 .22 .63 ....40 .....— ....* contrast, Patiala, Punjab for his alleged involvement cases for allegedly siphon- harlal Nehru University clarifying that it was Jawa- and professors question the
Mumbai .......... ..— .08 103 ....20 ...45 ....* recorded a healthy AQI
score of 16 in a land scam associated ing off the money that was ( JNU), North-West Delhi MP harlal Nehru who committed government on the deterio-
Pune............... 74 .08 .66 ....56 ...56 ....*
Visakhapatnam 12 .17 .50 ....90 .101 ....* with a Central government meant to compensate local Hans Raj Hans said that the “mistakes” in the past and ration of India’s political
project. people whose lands were university should be re- those were now being cor- conditions from time to time
Air Quality Code: * Poor * Moderate * Good (Readings indicate average AQI)
SO2: Sulphur Dioxide. Short-term exposure can harm the respiratory system, Pradip Kumar Talukdar, acquired by the Land Ports named after Prime Minister rected by Mr. Modi and for and that the BJP wanted it to
making breathing difficult. It can affect visibility by reacting with other air an Assam Civil Service of- Authority of India for a bor- Narendra Modi. his contribution, Jawaharlal be closed to get these voices
particles to form haze and stain culturally important objects such as statues
and monuments.
ficer, was taken to southern der trade project at Sutar- Mr. Hans was performing Nehru University should be suppressed forever. “Our
NO2: Nitrogen Dioxide. Aggravates respiratory illness, causes haze to form by Assam's Karimganj district kandi. at the musical event ‘Ek renamed as ‘Modi Nehru country needs 1,500 more
reacting with other air particles, causes acid rain, pollutes coastal waters. after the police arrested The bureaucrat was Shaam Shaheedon Ke University’. Hans Raj Hans universities by 2020. If the
CO: Carbon monoxide. High concentration in air reduces oxygen supply to
critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, it can cause
him from his Guwahati transferred to the Coopera- Naam’, when he spoke Delhi BJP chief Manoj Ti- BJP really wants to get un-
dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and even death. residence. tive Department where he about the abrogation of Arti- wari, speaking at the func- university had grown and iversities named after their
PM2.5 & PM10: Particulate matter pollution can cause irritation of the eyes, He was the Deputy Com- was serving as a secretary. cle 370 and said that Kash- tion, said, although some pe- changed with time. leaders, they can open 1,500
nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, reduced
lung function, irregular heartbeat, asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature
missioner of Karimganj dis- The government had sus- mir would now become a pa- ople had raised anti-India The National Students’ universities and get children
death in people with heart or lung disease trict when the alleged inci- pended him on July 19. radise. The MP said he slogans here in the past, the Union of India (NSUI), mean- enrolled,” the NSUI said.

IN BRIEF
‘We believed the doctors blindly’ Parts of IAF aircraft recovered
11 elderly persons lost vision due to infection after cataract surgery in Indore 51 years after crash in Himachal
Sidharth Yadav
Indore It went missing over the Rohtang Pass, killing all 102 on board
A cloudy vision that Kali Bai
Sovan Chatterjee seeks
developed eight months ago Indo-Asian News Service soldiers, who were on board ment. Personal belongings
police protection
KOLKATA
made it increasingly difficult Chandigarh the AN-12 BL-534 aircraft of the passengers were also
Former Kolkata Mayor and for her to carry out work as a An expedition by the Dogra which went missing over the recovered.
Trinamool MLA Sovan domestic help, washing ves- Scouts has recovered parts Rohtang Pass in Kullu dis- The search area, includ-
Chatterjee, who recently sels and sweeping floors. As of an Indian Air Force AN-12 trict on February 7, 1968. ing the location of recover-
joined the BJP, on Sunday she slowed down due to the transport aircraft that After 13 days of rigorous ies, has been mapped for fu-
sought police protection, vision impairment, three crashed in the icy mountains search and recovery opera- ture reference, the Army
claiming that the security households terminated her of Himachal Pradesh 51 tion in the Dhaka Glacier at said.
provided to him was services. And she lost out on years ago, killing all 102 peo- an altitude of 5,240 m, the The expedition was
“suddenly withdrawn” after ₹3,000 of the meagre ₹5,000 ple on board, the Army said team recovered parts of the joined by a team of the In-
he switched over to the she made every month. on Sunday. aircraft like the aero engine, dian Air Force on August 6 to
saffron fold. The Trinamool It was the promise of cata- The Western Command fuselage, electric circuits, augment the operation.
leadership declined to ract treatment free of cost launched an operation on propeller, fuel tank unit, air The aircraft went missing
comment on the matter. PTI under the Union Health Mi- July 26 to recover the mortal brake assembly and a cock- on its way back to the Chan-
nistry’s National Programme remains of over 90 missing pit door, it said in a state- digarh Air Force base.
128 heads of cattle
for Control of Blindness that
seized in Bengal
brought her and 14 other el-
KOLKATA
Border Security Force (BSF)
derly persons from Dhar and
personnel seized 128 heads of Indore districts to the priv-
cattle, being smuggled across ately-run Indore Eye Hospi-
to Bangladesh, and arrested tal on August 8. But as a re-
13 people in raids in various sult of post-operative Painful phase: Victims of botched eye surgeries waiting for a check up at the Choithram
border areas in West Bengal infection, she has lost all vi- Netralaya in Indore, Madhya Pradesh A.M. FARUQUI
*

early on Sunday, said a BSF sion in the operated eye.

official. Troopers from the “We believed the doctor As doctors at the hospital confirmed a doctor now Hospital, also privately run,
Sovapur outpost in Malda blindly. Vo toh bhagwan ka noticed oozing pus and in- tending to the patients. All to for further treatment.
seized 32 heads of cattle and roop hote hai (They are an fection in the operated pa- no avail. On Saturday, along with 11
arrested six smugglers, incarnation of God),” says tients on August 9, District other affected patients, Ms.
including three Bangladeshi Ms. Kali Bai now, squinting at Blindness Control Society Hospital sealed Kali Bai waited impatiently
nationals. IANS light, as a tear rolls down her coordinator T.S. Vohra was In 2010, the same hospital with her daughter, Chanda,
right eye. informed. “We found pseu- was in the dock as 18 patients at the Choithram Hospital to
Bihar MLA goes missing
Under the Centre’s Blind- domonas of gram negative lost their vision after similar be examined by a specialist
from his Patna house
ness Control Programme, bacteria multiplying in the cataract surgery. While the being flown in from the San-
PATNA
Independent Bihar MLA Anant
the Indore Eye Hospital had eyes,” he said. victims say they have not re- kara Nethralaya in Chennai
Singh, who on Saturday was conducted 400 cataract sur- To arrest the multiplying ceived any compensation, by the Madhya Pradesh go-
charged under the Unlawful geries between April and Au- bacteria, most patients were the hospital was allowed to vernment.
Activities (Prevention) Act gust, says District Chief Med- taken back to the operation resume surgeries after a “We don’t know whether
after an AK-47 rifle, 22 ical and Health Officer theatre — some up to six brief six month suspension. to blame the doctor or the
cartridges and two bombs Pravin Jadia. “For each sur- times — and administered The hospital was sealed medicines,” said Ms. Chanda
were recovered from his gery, the government pays antibiotics. Three of them on Saturday and the patients Bai, who’s been with her
ancestral home, was found ₹2,000,” he said. were operated upon again, referred to the Choitram mother since August 7.
missing from his Patna
residence during a police raid
late on Saturday, though his
mobile phone was recovered
Zomato calls for truce
from the house.

Sena leader booked for

with restaurant owners
abetting woman’s rape Press Trust of India
AHMEDNAGAR New Delhi
reportedly delisted them-
Shiv Sena leader and former Amid an escalating face-off selves from the dine-in pro-
Mayor of Ahmednagar in
between restaurants and ag- grammes of online plat-
Maharashtra, Bhagvan
gregators, online food or- forms over the
Phulsundar, has been booked
dering platform Zomato has “unsustainable” deep dis-
for allegedly abetting the
rape of a dalit woman by two
said it is open to rectifying counting offered by the ag-
of his brothers over a land its “mistakes” and appealed gregators, saying the table
dispute, police said on to restaurant owners to stop reservation services were
Sunday. No arrest has been their logging out campaign. hurting their business mo-
made so far. An FIR was As many as 1,200 restau- dels. Zomato has lost 65 res-
registered at the Kotwali rants in several major cities taurants, which is 1% of the
police station against all the like Delhi, Mumbai, Benga- restaurant partner base of
accused on a complaint luru, Kolkata, Goa, Pune, its ‘Zomato Gold’
lodged by the woman. PTI Gurgaon and Vadodara have programme.
CM A CH-CHE
YK
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8 EDITORIAL CHENNAI

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

THE HINDU
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‘The Idea of India’ is failing

The middle class that led India’s nation-building project has now embraced a nationalism that has no place for diversity
ly alter the Constitution to further tions, the other used it as a bar- State that was the cause of so
its agenda. Only the courts stand gaining chip to feather its nest. much armed conflict and

n
Unclear doctrine in the way and there the Govern-
ment of India must be feeling that
Though emptied of content, Arti-
cle 370 has retained an important
terrorism.
The same middle class that
No-first-use is integral to India’s nuclear its own actions will pass muster. symbolic value for the people of seeded the freedom movement,
We also have the disappearance J&K as recognition of its unique which gave the ideas for a modern
doctrine and leaves no space for ambiguity C. Rammanohar Reddy of J&K as a State. It is hard to think character. Constitution and then led the na-

D
efence Minister Rajnath Singh has been some- of anything more insulting to a pe- It has been argued that whatev- tion-building project around “The
what careful in speaking of envisioning a change ople than to inform them one er the merits of the Modi govern- Idea of India”, has now embraced

T
in India’s nuclear deterrence posture. In place he “Idea of India” has always
been grander in promise
for 16 years, since January 4, 2003, when the doctrine
than in fulfilment. At Inde-
morning that their State has been ment’s actions, the “Kashmir sit- an aggressive nationalism that dis-
turned into two Union Territories, uation” of the old was no longer misses the pluralism of India. We
effectively ruled from New Delhi. sustainable. But we must remem- now do not seem to care one bit

NISSAR AHMAD
was adopted formally, New Delhi has said consistently pendence, the dream was that the This is real “tukde tukde” work. ber that the iron glove of this go- about what the people of Kashmir
that India’s nuclear weapons were based on staggering people of a country of so much di- Since the early 1950s, States vernment has only made matters feel. We have been the least con-
and punitive retaliation, in case deterrence failed. The versity — in language, religion, and have been periodically divided worse since 2014: every year since cerned the past fortnight about
retaliation to a nuclear strike, any nuclear strike, tradition — would enjoy constitu- and new ones created. Consulta- then has seen an increase in vio- the lockdown they have been
whether by tactical or theatre weapons or something tionally guaranteed rights and tion of some form or the other has for a cohesive society. In fact, the lence — of incidents of terrorism, placed under. We openly talk
bigger, would be crushing enough to deter the possible through democratic means, build always been an integral part of the opposite is the case in a country of security personnel killed and in- about the possibility of buying up
a just society. A cornerstone of this process. Nothing like the sudden vast diversity. Special rights for nocents murdered. When the lock- land in Kashmir. Lawmakers speak
use of nuclear weapons by an adversary. So the theory
dream was respect for diversity disappearance of the State of J&K specific communities and regions down in J&K is finally lifted, New without being reprimanded about
goes. On the first death anniversary of former Prime Mi- that was written into the Constitu- has happened before. In a suppos- enable them to feel a “oneness” in Delhi will find that it will be deal- men from the rest of the country
nister A.B. Vajpayee, and in the nuclear proving ground tion. It has been a mixed record, edly federal system, the Centre a large country that has so many ing with a sullen population that marrying “fair” Kashmiri women.
in Pokhran, the Minister said two things: that the no- with as many failures as achieve- has been able to ram through the kinds of differences. Here, the gua- feels its land has been occupied. And we look forward to effecting a
first-use has served India well so far, and that what hap- ments. The events of the past two necessary legislative changes rantees promised to J&K were es- We must fear a surge in violence demographic transformation in
pens in future depends on circumstances. There ought weeks, however, signal to us that while keeping 8 million people cut pecially important because of the for months and perhaps years, the Valley. How far we have tra-
to be no scope for confusion here. Security is, after all, the “Idea of India” is in danger of off from the rest of the world and circumstances surrounding the with or without a spurt in terro- velled from when India drew up its
collapsing. We may soon have to without allowing them to express State’s accession to India. rism from across the border. Constitution.
a dynamic concept. It was the security environment in
accept the “New India” which their views. In the past five years, The autonomy offered by Arti- There have been three days in
the neighbourhood coupled with the pressure brought places no value on pluralism, fra- we have undoubtedly had the cle 370 has been contentious for Dismissing pluralism the Republic’s history on which
by the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty that ternity and autonomy. most centralised government two reasons. One, it was enjoyed The middle and upper classes in “The Idea of India” has been sha-
forced India out of the nuclear closet and, at the same Everything about why and how since the time of Mrs. Indira Gand- by a State that remained divided the rest of India have welcomed ken to its roots. The first was June
time, to adopt the no-first-use posture. The structures the constitutional arrangements of hi. Should we or shouldn’t we be between India and Pakistan. Two, the decisions of early August. This 25, 1975 when an Emergency was
associated with the doctrine, the command and control Jammu and Kashmir ( J&K) have worried about what more is in the constitutional provision ap- is not surprising. The long-run- declared and many of our Funda-
that can survive a nuclear strike, the redundancies that been so radically changed violates store for us? Was it short-sighted- plied to India’s only Muslim major- ning violence in J&K first made mental Rights were suspended.
the “Idea of India”. ness or fear that made all the re- ity State. These two features them weary, and then indifferent. The people’s vote rescued India at
are in-built, the secure communications, have all been
gional parties — the Dravida Mun- should have made it all the more So they now endorse “firm” ac- the time. The next was December
developed keeping in view the posture perspective. A worrisome move netra Kazhagam being the only important to preserve the guaran- tions that will put Kashmiris in 6, 1992 when the Babri Masjid was
But there is a danger that the minister’s remark could The processes used to modify the major exception — endorse the tees contained in Article 370. Ho- their place. We talk about Kashmir destroyed. We managed to limp
spark off a nuclear arms race, given the strategic para- “Holy Book” that is the Constitu- break up of J&K into two Union wever, for the Rashtriya Swayam- not being integrated with the rest away, though with neither atone-
noias that have been at work in this part of the world for tion are as important as the con- Territories? sevak Sangh and the Jan of India, when, truth be told, the ment nor punishment. Now we
over half a century. In the elections of 2014, the BJP’s tent of the amendments. Yet, as Sangh/Bharatiya Janata Party, for rest of India has never integrated have August 5, 2019, when the
manifesto had references to an intention to update and many lawyers and constitutional Spirit behind special rights whom uniformity has always itself with Kashmir. Before the vio- Constitution was subverted in spi-
revise the nuclear doctrine, but that went nowhere. It is experts have already pointed out, There are legitimate reasons why come first, abolition of Article 370 lence, Kashmir was only a place of rit if not in letter, when federalism
the manner in which the Narendra in our diverse society, the Consti- has been a core demand. natural beauty that was worth a was shoved aside and the rights of
conceivable that nuclear weapons could fall into the
Modi government has withdrawn tution has ordained special rights, Contentious Article 370 always brief holiday or one where film the people of a member of the Un-
hands of non-state actors in Pakistan, but even in such the rights J&K enjoyed under Arti- for instance, for Dalits and Adiva- was, but it was never adhered to in stars pranced on hillsides. We nev- ion were stamped on.
scenarios that warrant pre-emptive action, a nuclear cle 370 can only be described as sis; for Manipur, Mizoram, Naga- any measure. In this, there have er saw Kashmiris as fellow citizens It is difficult to see “The Idea of
strike cannot be a viable option. It would have been abusing the spirit of the Constitu- land and Sikkim (under Article been no saints in either New Delhi with the same dreams as all of us. India” recovering from this latest
much better if Mr. Singh had elaborated on his thoughts tion. Now that the Government 371); and so too for J&K until now or Srinagar. If one systematically We only saw them as residents of a body blow.
so that a debate could have taken place, and not kept has tasted success, it should be under Article 370. A uniformity of emptied the promise of autonomy State that Pakistan coveted, a peo-
his remarks enigmatic. In a nuclear circumstance it is confident about using the same rights across the nation and all right from the 1950s onwards with ple whose allegiance to the nation C. Rammanohar Reddy is Editor of ‘The
kind of skulduggery to aggressive- classes does not necessarily make a series of presidential notifica- we thought was suspect and a India Forum’
much better to convey the overwhelming nature of the
deterrence than to keep the potential adversary guess-
ing. In this respect it is a good idea for the government
to make public any periodic review in its strategic pos-
ture. The no-first-use policy comes with being a confi-
An intervention that leads to more questions n
dent nuclear power. For him to state the future is open Revoking NFU does not necessarily mean giving up restraint, but it leaves India’s nuclear doctrine more ambiguous
is to say nothing and at once imply everything. In mat-
doctrine’, and was making public intruders in Kargil 20 years ago more muscular nuclear policy for
ters of nuclear doctrine, it is important to be clear
the relevant details as appropriate and regain occupied land despite India. Indeed, Bharat Karnad, a
above all else. Nothing must be left to interpretation. (summarised in seven points). The the nuclear shadow created by In- member of the first National Se-
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

first said that India would main- dia and Pakistan’s nuclear tests of curity Advisory Board that drafted

Taking on TB tain ‘a credible minimum deter-

rent’ and the second point avowed
1998. Raising the nuclear thresh-
old gave India the space for con-
the basis of this current nuclear
doctrine, made it known at the

n
Priyanjali Malik ‘[a] posture of “No First Use”: nu- ventional operations and gained it time that he considered NFU ‘a
Keeping the prices of the new drug low is clear weapons will only be used in sympathy in foreign capitals des- fraud’ which would be ‘the first ca-
essential for increased treatment uptake retaliation….’ The remaining five pite the fears of nuclear miscalcu- sualty’ if war were to break out.

P
olicymaking by tweet may points flow mainly from these two lation that were widespread from However, consensus among the re-

T
he anti-tuberculosis drug pretomanid recently
approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administra- have arrived in India, for the
Defence Minister, Rajnath
tion will be a game changer for treating people
Singh, appears to have altered a
with extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) and those key pillar of India’s nuclear doc-
who do not tolerate or respond to now available multi- trine when he tweeted that India’s
drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) drugs. That pretomanid is ‘future’ commitment to a posture
only the third drug in the last 40 years to get FDA appro- of No First Use of nuclear weapons
val highlights the scarcity of new drugs to treat TB bac- ‘depends on the circumstances’.
teria that are rapidly developing resistance against Using the commemoration of the
first death anniversary of Prime
most available drugs. The all-oral, three-drug regimen
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee as
of bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid (BPaL) had a the setting for this declaration, Mr.
90% cure rate in a phase III trial in South Africa involv- Singh’s announcement marks a
ing 109 participants. In contrast, the current treatment significant revision of India’s nu-
success rate for XDR-TB and MDR-TB is about 34% and clear stance, seemingly without
55%, respectively. Importantly, the regimen was found any prior structured deliberation
to be safe and effective in curing TB in people living or consultation. Of course nuclear
doctrine, like any directive guiding
with HIV. The safety and efficacy were tested in 1,168
national security, needs to be a dy-
patients in 19 clinical trials in 14 countries. Unlike 18-24 namic concept that responds to
months needed to treat highly-resistant TB using nearly changing circumstances. Howev-
20 drugs, the BPaL regimen took just six months, was er, this raises the question of what
better tolerated and more potent in clearing the bacte- has changed in India’s strategic
ria. The shorter duration is more likely to increase ad- outlook that requires a revision of
herence to therapy and improve treatment outcomes. one of the two foundational pillars
of its nuclear doctrine.
According to the World Health Organisation, in 2017,
India is one of two countries —
there were an estimated 4.5 lakh people across the China being the other — that ad-
world with MDR-TB, of which India accounted for 24%, heres to a doctrine of No First Use
and about 37,500 with XDR-TB. With only a low percen- (NFU). Our knowledge of India’s
tage of MDR-TB cases being treated, the actual number nuclear doctrine is based largely
of people who do not tolerate or respond to available on a statement circulated on Janu-
MDR-TB drugs and so will be eligible to receive the BPaL ary 4, 2003 by the Cabinet Com-
points mentioned. India has main- Washington DC to London to To- maining members of the board
tained that it will not strike first military and civil servants, had kyo. India’s self-proclaimed res- clearly coalesced around an un-
with nuclear weapons but re- completed their draft some traint has formed the basis for its derstanding of nuclear weapons
serves the right to retaliate to any months earlier; however, their re- claims to belong to the nuclear not as war-fighting armaments but
nuclear first strike against it (or port was only released a couple of mainstream — from the initial ap- as weapons of last resort, meant to
any ‘major’ use of weapons of weeks before polling began on plication for the waiver in 2008 deter the threat and use of nuclear
mass destruction against Indian September 5, 1999. from the Nuclear Suppliers Group weapons. It was this understand-
forces anywhere) with a nuclear It has ever been thus. Following in order to carry out nuclear com- ing that was then used to bring In-
strike ‘that will be massive and de- criticism of the draft doctrine, the merce with the grouping, to its dia into the nuclear mainstream. It
signed to inflict unacceptable government appeared to move membership of the Missile Tech- is also this understanding that has
damage’. This is not a statement away from it. It was never dis- nology Control Regime, the Was- formed the basis of India’s nuclear
by the faint-hearted — with two nu- cussed in Parliament and its status senaar Arrangement and the Aus- posture, from force structure to
clear neighbours, the NFU simply remained unclear for three and a tralia Group and its ongoing numbers to its overall nuclear di-
raises the nuclear threshold in or- half years until it was abruptly attempts to join the Nuclear Sup- plomacy.
der to bring stability into a volatile adopted by the CCS with minor pliers Group. All of these points are up for re-
environment. modifications in 2003. The draft’s While revoking the commit- vision with the announcement at
emphasis on NFU, however, re- ment to NFU does not necessarily Pokhran, which is where the BJP
A rewind mained unchanged. The adoption equate with abandoning restraint, chose to remember Atal Behari
It is almost exactly 20 years to the of the nuclear doctrine came soon it does leave India’s doctrine more Vajpayee on his first death anni-
day since since any of this was first after Operation Parakram (2001- ambiguous. Ambiguity, in turn, versary. At a time when there are
mentioned officially. On August 17, 02), when the threat of a nuclear can lead to miscalculations, as In- multiple queries regarding the
1999, the then caretaker Bharatiya exchange on the subcontinent had dia found out with Kargil (1999), state of India’s economy, the road
Janata Party government released figured prominently in interna- where it would appear that Rawal- map to normalcy in Jammu and
a draft Nuclear Doctrine in order tional capitals, if not in New Delhi pindi misread India’s resolve to Kashmir, the strength of India’s
to generate discussion and debate and Islamabad. The public adop- carve out space for conventional federalism, to name a few, we can
on India’s nuclear posture. There tion of the doctrine was in part an military operations despite the now add questions about what has
was much discussion and criticism attempt by New Delhi to restate its new nuclear overhang. Neither changed in India’s security envi-
of the doctrine, as indeed of the commitment to restraint and to does adhering to the NFU symbol- ronment to warrant a review of its
timing of the release of the draft, being a responsible nuclear pow- ise weakness, for India is commit- nuclear doctrine. India’s neigh-
coming as it did just weeks before er. ted to a devastating response to bours will be as interested in the
a national election. It was known nuclear first use — a stance which answers as this country’s citizens.
that the first National Security Ad- Restraint as a pivotal point underscores India’s understand-
visory Board, a group of 27 indivi- Restraint has served India well. In- ing of nuclear weapons as meant Priyanjali Malik is an independent

regimen is unknown. Though the total number of peo- mittee on Security (CCS), which duals convened by K. Subrahma- dia used the strategic space of- primarily to deter. researcher and the author of ‘India’s
said that it had ‘reviewed progress nyam, and comprising strategic fered by its repeated proclama- Of course, NFU has had its crit- Nuclear Debate: Exceptionalism and the
ple who will require the new drug may not be high,
in operationalising India’s nuclear analysts, academics, and retired tions of restraint to repulse the ics among those who advocate a Bomb’
these are people who have very little alternative treat-
ment options that are safe and efficacious. Also, the
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.

Read about India's Nuclear

number of those who would need a pretomanid-based
regimen is increasing due to rising drug resistance.
While the availability of a potent drug is welcome Kashmir’s special status about the wishes, the against this basic principle. of reservations for Scheduled finance; treating it as a tax is Kavalappara rescued”
news, it remains to be seen if it would be made afforda- The honourable Vice ascertainment of those Democracy has been Castes and Scheduled Tribes to degrade it. The annual (August 17), once again prove

fast 2
President of India begins wishes, or even the need redefined as the rule of the was also meant to be a CSR awards for companies that among the kinds of
ble, particularly in the developing countries where the
his article (Editorial page, for considering the wishes majority, where even direct temporary measure. But should promote inclination friendships in this world,

Tests in be
burden of XDR-TB and MDR-TB is the highest. TB Al- “A considered step that of the people directly and stakeholders have been even after more than 70 and incentive to improving some of the best happen to
liance, a New York-based international NGO, which de- opens up new vistas”, most affected by the action sidelined. The principle that years of Independence, the social milleu. Instead of be those between people and
veloped and tested the drug, has already signed an ex- August 17) with the words, — I mean the people of the ends justify means can be reservations continue with pedantic clauses, riders and animals. We are all creatures
clusive licensing agreement with a generic-drug “The general perception is Kashmir Valley. Am I found in many philosophical evidence of misuse. Will the ham-handed penalties, the of this world and in heart-

about the response from the

manufacturer for high-income markets. Unlike in the that a vast majority of
case of bedaquiline, where its prohibitive cost has se- people in the country feel
that the abrogation is a
verely restricted access especially in the developing
welcome step” and sums it
countries, pretomanid might become affordable. In line with the line, “In
with the TB Alliance’s commitment to affordability and conclusion, it should be
missing something? writings but it finds no place Vice President use his good government ought to wrenching moments,
Sushil Prasad, in the Constitution or offices and see that the facilitate and mould the animals end up showing us
Hyderabad Constitutional values. Any government addresses this groundswell. Contributions that love — especially
community is bound to be issue also? to the Prime Minister’s relief unconditional love — really
■ The Constitution that India hurt by such humiliation and R. Jagadeeswara Rao, fund are the most knows no bounds.
adopted in 1950 was a forced suppression. It seems Visakhapatnam unimaginative route to CSR. Sometimes we even find

sustainable access, the drug will be licensed to multiple noted that the abrogation of
manufacturers in about 140 low- and middle-income Article 370 is a national
countries, including India. Making the drug affordable issue involving our
to those with extreme form of drug resistance will be country’s safety, security,
unity and equitable
highly commendable and a desperately needed model
prosperity. It is a step in the
to be followed. After all, there is a compulsion to keep right direction that the
the prices low and increase treatment uptake to stop Indian Parliament has
the spread of highly drug-resistant TB bacteria. Studies taken with an
have shown an increase in the number of new patients overwhelming majority.”
big powers
statement on how we will do
things in the future. It is,
above all, an ethical
document that defines our
values and guiding
principles. We adopted
democracy, a system where
everyone’s voice is heard and
decisions are made by
consensus. But the recent
the recent decisions have the Originality counts most as more comfort in animals
potential to stoke the flames A note on CSR CSR is but a part of the than we do with fellow
of instability in Jammu and In mandating a corporate tapestry of social humans because animals
Kashmir. social responsibility spend empowerment never seem to disappoint.
Prakash Matthew, under the Companies Act, R. Narayanan, This has been proven in
Thiruvananthapuram
we in India have followed a Navi Mumbai various stories one reads
widely accepted global about all creatures great and
■ The Vice President is right trend. But a prescriptive Special bond small.
in pointing out that Article approach does not gel with a Two reports from Kerala, Sarada Nair,
370 was only a temporary, progressive nation. By its “Pet dogs save goat herd Kochi

who are directly infected with drug-resistant bacteria. Nowhere in the article have chain of events in Jammu transitional arrangement. In very concept, the CSR stands amid Kerala floods” (August more letters online:
I come across a single line and Kashmir have gone the same vein, the provision placed above mundane 18) and “Lone sentinel of www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/

CM A CH-CHE
YK
 peasortfohind
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THE HINDU
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
CHENNAI
Multiple
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A lose-lose scenario
The Centre’s actions and plans for Jammu and Kashmir suffer from inherent infirmities
V. Sudarshan
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishan-
kar tweeted on August 2 that he had
conveyed “in clear terms” to U.S. Se-
cretary of State Mike Pompeo that
“any discussion on Kashmir, if at all
warranted, will only be with Pakistan
and only bilaterally.” Kashmir has
been bilaterally enshrined as a legiti-
mate topic of discussion between In-
dia and Pakistan and to that extent it
is certainly warranted. There is noth-
ing iffy about it. Pakistan has worked
in many ways to obtain a better grip
on Kashmir, including by getting nu-
clear bombs. Now that India has gi-
ven Pakistan a fait accompli, will Pa-
kistan roll over and play dead? And
how does New Delhi hope to pull it
off?
The road ahead
There is a haphazard shape to the
beast, sensing its hour coming
around, that slouches its way to-
wards Kashmir to be born. The rough
contours: The government will later
rather than sooner have to pull addi-
tional troops out to give the situation
in Jammu and Kashmir a gloss of nor-
malcy. There is no saying how many
troops are out there in Jammu and
Kashmir. It could be surmised that
there are about 80,000 deployed in
the northern part of Kashmir, along
the Line of Control. This is not count-
ing those in counter-insurgency op-
erations in the southern parts of the
erstwhile State. This is not counting
local police, the BSF and the CRPF.
Obviously the additional troops num-
bering some 40,000 have been
brought in to manage the new situa-
tion. There could be more.
The trick is how, with little or no
bloodshed, this massive deploy-
ment, unparalleled in any democra-
cy, will squelch what waits to emerge
out of the Pandora’s Box without a
lose-lose scenario dominating the na-
tional consciousness. It is a tough
call.
Moves are afoot to hold an elec-
tion, probably in March or April. The
new political leadership, carefully
nurtured, will no doubt be from
A law for those who testify
The Centre is yet to act on a Supreme Court
directive to legislate on witness protection
M.P. Nathanael
The recent accident in Rae Bareli in
which a rape survivor’s two aunts
died, and which left her and her la-
wyer in a critical condition, has
drawn much media attention. The
rape accused, Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, was
arrested in April last year after the
survivor attempted to immolate her-
self in front of the Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister’s residence while de-
manding justice. Consequent to the
death of the two individuals, one of
whom was also a witness in the case,
charges pertaining to attempt to mur-
der were added to those already pre-
sent against Sengar.
On June 2 this year, Assistant Sub
Inspector Suresh Pal, assigned to
protect murder witness Rambir, was
accidentally killed when the assai-
lants missed their aim while attempt-
ing to kill the witness. In
2017, in the Asaram Bapu
case concerning the rape
of some women devo-
tees, three witnesses
were killed and as many
as 10 attacked in an at-
tempt to weaken the
case. In fact, it was the
killing of the three, fol-
lowed by a Public Inter-
est Litigation, which prompted the
apex court to issue directions to the
Centre and the States to frame laws
for protection of witnesses.
Maharashtra’s law
Following this, Maharashtra came
out with the Maharashtra Witness
and Protection and Security Act 2017,
which was notified in January 2018.
However, the Centre, and most other
States, are yet to act on the directive.
Meanwhile, the apex court gave its
assent last year to the Witness Protec-
tion Scheme, which was drafted by
the Centre in consultation with the
Bureau of Police Research and Deve-
lopment and the National Legal Ser-
vices Authority. The Centre was to
implement the scheme after circulat-
ing it among all States and Union Ter-
ritories and obtaining their com-
ments. However, the scheme was
meant to be a measure in force only
till the government brought out its
CM
YK
Resistance
Doug
“The trick is how, with little or no bloodshed, this massive deployment of
troops will squelch what waits to emerge out of the Pandora’s Box without a
lose-lose scenario dominating the national consciousness.” Security personnel
stand guard at a check point in Srinagar on August 18. PTI
among the throw-ups in the pan-
chayat elections. It is a good time to
wager if former Chief Ministers Omar
Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Meh-
booba Mufti can ever contest anoth-
er election. It is a foregone conclu-
sion that these leaders of regional
mainstream political parties, which
the government says is a discredited
lot, will have to be suitably dis-incen-
tivised from contesting the polls, and
this means having them under some
form of detention for the foreseeable
future. From the new perspective,
they have identified themselves too
much with separatist impulses. Cer-
tainly, third-rung or fourth-rung
leaders from these parties may alrea-
dy have been identified and may be
being primed to give solidity to the
new deal that awaits the Kashmiris.
Together they are the new quislings
of Kashmir’s perennial uprising.
In order to present that green
shoots of industry and economy are
going to grow out of Kashmir’s hith-
erto separatist soil, the CII has alrea-
dy planned a summit in October, and
big money is being readied to throw
at the region, as has been done be-
fore. Chairman and Managing Direc-
tor of Reliance, Mukesh Ambani,
who has signed on to the govern-
ment’s vision, soon promises to un-
veil plans for Jammu and Kashmir
and Ladakh. The government may
n CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
very Imp
own law on the issue. Though the
Centre is scheduled to bring an Act
on the subject by the end of this year,
it has not made much progress.
Lax implementation
As regards the existing measure,
though its objective is to ensure the
safety of witnesses, so that they are
able to give a true account of the
crime without any fear of violence or
criminal recrimination, its imple-
mentation on the ground leaves
much to be desired. The Unnao mat-
ter would have been hushed up but
for the fact that the survivor attempt-
ed to immolate herself in front of the
Chief Minister’s residence.
Further, though the scheme pro-
vides for police personnel to be de-
ployed to protect the witness on the
basis of threat perception, it is silent
on the punishment to be given to
those policemen who, while being
charged with providing
security, themselves
threaten the witnesses.
Why were the police-
men tasked with pro-
tecting the Unnao survi-
vor not with her when
she travelled to Rae Ba-
reli? Were they aware
that a sinister plan had
probably been hatched
to eliminate her relatives?
Above all, what emboldens the cri-
minals the most is the support they
get from the police. The shadowy
politician-police nexus is so strong
that no policeman, at the mercy of
political leaders for his career pro-
gression, dares take any action
against his ‘master’. As long as this
nexus continues, the delivery of cri-
minal justice in India will remain a
casualty.
The Witness Protection Scheme
calls for more elaborate and stricter
laws to be incorporated so that crimi-
nals find no loopholes that can be ex-
ploited to their advantage. The soon-
er the Centre comes up with a
legislation codifying the protection to
be given to witnesses, the better it is
for India’s criminal justice system.
M.P. Nathanael is a retired Inspector General
of Police, CRPF
OPED 9
FROM THE READERS’ EDITOR
Journalism counters
abuses accusations that are bound to
pile up once the troops cede the
manufactured ignorance
ground to grimmer realities that have
lurked for seven decades. At the end Speaking truth to power is a valuable democratic duty
of it, diplomat Paul Bremer, whom
the Americans sent to Baghdad to essays titled Agnotology: The Making and
clean up after Saddam Hussein, Unmaking of Ignorance, which looked at the
could begin to look like Florence theme of what keeps ignorance alive and
Nightingale. what allows it to be used as a political instru-
Meanwhile, Pakistan is hardly like- ment. Scholars of the essays explained how
ly to launch a charm offensive. Prime A.S. Panneerselvan ignorance is produced or maintained in di-
Minister Imran Khan has already verse settings, through mechanisms such as
predicted the possibility of lone-wolf deliberate or inadvertent neglect; secrecy
disruptions of the dreaded Pulwama The disinformation industry is growing at an and suppression; document destruction; un-
type. The spiral upward that could alarming speed and undermining democra- questioned tradition; and myriad forms of
follow will end more messily than we cy in an incremental manner. As part of this inherent or avoidable culturo-political selec-
have hitherto known. So far, Muslims endeavour, there is a conscious attempt to tivity. Agnotology is “the study of ignorance
in the rest of the country have not remove the lustre from some defining terms. making, the lost and forgotten”.
been drawn into the Kashmir quag- For instance, words such as pluralism, inclu- In his introductory chapter, ‘A missing
mire. There have been some instanc- siveness, fraternity, equality, and affirmative term to describe the cultural production of
es but not enough to cause serious action are seen as terms defining the politics ignorance and its study’, Mr. Proctor argued:
alarm. Seeds are perhaps being sown of a bygone era. The echo chamber of social “Ignorance has many interesting surrogates
for that to change now. Kashmir’s media further distorts the truth. and overlaps in myriad ways with — as it is
theatre of war is readying to spill out- Sometimes, readers send me WhatsApp generated by — secrecy, stupidity, apathy,
wards. As pressures pile up, commu- forwards asking why the newspaper did not censorship, disinformation, faith, and for-
nalisation could result. Jammu, after carry a particular story. They use social me- getfulness, all of which are science-twitched.
*
all, is one-third Muslim. Will the pres- dia trivia to prove a point that journalism is Ignorance hides in the shadows of philoso-
umed positives of abrogation of Arti- inherently against the ruling elites. In the phy and is frowned upon in sociology, but it
not risk a repeat of bringing heavy in- cle 370 and an old development card present climate where conspiracy theories also pops up in a great deal of popular rhe-
dustries to Kashmir now but it will that has been repeatedly and tiredly abound and forced false equivalences reign, toric: it’s no excuse, it’s what can’t hurt you,
certainly press ahead with the small- played with less than encouraging re- readers must know that a news ombudsman it’s bliss.” In a forceful manner, he explained
er initiatives pertaining to local han- sults far outweigh the inherent infir- has a framework to evaluate complaints and how technologies cause the proliferation of
dicrafts and the like. It will try to set mities of the move? compliments. As the Readers’ Editor, I am ignorance: “The public seems to be awaken-
an example by proving that removal committed to rectify any journalistic flaws ing to the fact that in the midst of the ‘infor-
of Article 35A, which has prevented Statecraft then and now through a process called ‘visible mending’. I mation’ explosion, there has been an ‘igno-
people from the rest of the country The question finally arises: could sta- evaluate news and investigative reports I
rance’ explosion as well.”
from buying property in Jammu and tecraft have been handled different- based on facts but rarely entertain com- In 1984, Thomas Pynchon, in his introduc-
Kashmir, will have a real impact. Just ly? Painstaking back-channel work plaints based on perceptions. tion to his collection of novellas Slow Lear-
like the elections, this will be a man- had narrowed the outstanding diffe- ner, wrote: “Ignorance is not just a blank
aged outcome. It is a challenge: Even rences between India and Pakistan Commitment to inform space on a person’s mental map. It has con-
though people from Jammu could al- during the time of Prime Ministers Readers must realise that the cyberspace tours and coherence, and for all I know,
ways have bought land in Kashmir, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan consists of both knowledge and ignorance. rules of operation as well.” We need to know
they never dared. In May 2008, land Singh, and the congruence on criti- However, today its commitment to inform is the contours of the ignorance that flows from
was allocated to the Amarnath shrine cal issues had survived changes in nearly outweighed by the voices of the apol- prime-time noise. The ignorance-generating
to set up temporary shelters for the Pakistan involving President Pervez ogists for the regime. Credible and trustwor- mechanism has a sense of coherence,
pilgrims leading to sustained and Musharraf and Prime Minister Nawaz thy journalism is often pitted against blatant creates its own set of tortured data, political-
massive protests and a reversal of the Sharif and the Mumbai attacks. propagandist drivel. What is happening now ly vacuous vocabulary, and eliminates the
government stance months later. There had been agreement on, is a clash of ideas between one set of profes- distinction between justice and revenge. It
Yet this could be an extremely op- among other things, a freeze on the sionals committed to knowledge production stands testimony to George Orwell’s observa-
timistic picture. Having removed the Line of Control as the border in ex- for public good and another set of partisan tion: “The nationalist not only does not dis-
separatists of various hues from the change of end to violence and terro- groups involved in ignorance production for approve of atrocities committed by his own
equation on the ground and sup- rism, leading to thinning of troops on political longevity. And this is the difference side, but he has a remarkable capacity for
planted them with Delhi-controlled either side and blossoming of local between sensitive journalism and the puf- not even hearing about them”.
ventriloquism, the Centre cannot bilateral trade as critical steps to- fery of propaganda. A cursory reading of the responses to crit-
hold. It will be laying itself directly wards normalisation. The presump- Philosophically, the idea of knowledge ical voices in the comment section of this
open to blame on a variety of counts. tion was that once the momentum production has been explored in a systemat- newspaper proves that there is an explosion
With the police, paramilitary and ad- was there the rest would follow. It ic manner and the discipline is called episte- of ignorance. In the short-term, journalists
ministrative machinery totally under could have been taken forward. Time mology. It would be helpful for the readers to who retain their analytical and interrogative
New Delhi’s control, the Centre can- alone will tell if that was the less ris- know about a nascent discipline that is gain- spirit may pay a price for speaking truth to
not possibly have either the same le- ky, more gentle, more inclusive way ing ground among academia. It is called ‘ag- power. But they are performing an irreduci-
vel of engagement or the same level forward, or this, which right now ap- notology’, which means the study of igno- ble and inalienable democratic duty: con-
of deniability of the mess that mis- pears to be a comedy of terrors. rance. Two professors of history of science at fronting a system that produces ignorance.
handling of the situation could Stanford University, Robert N. Proctor and
create, not least the human rights sudarshan.v@thehindu.co.in Londa Schiebinger, edited an anthology of readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
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part of the
FROM THE ARCHIVES
FIFTY YEARS AGO AUGUST 19, 1969
criminal justice system
‘Congress has split beyond repair’
Mr. S.K. Patil, Member of Parliament and
Treasurer of the All India Congress Commit-
tee, said in a statement here [Bombay] to-
day [August 18] that whatever might be the
result of the Presidential election, there was
no denying the fact that the Indian National
Congress had split, perhaps “beyond re-
pair.” “Nobody likes to say these things, but
the logic of events is inexorable,” he said and
added, “for the last few days, many Con-
gressmen were literally praying that someth-
ing would happen even on the eve of the
election to avert the dreadful consequences
of an open split. That did not happen.” As re-
gards the demand for a free vote, Mr. Patil
said the free vote was nothing but a vote for
Mr. Giri who was basically a Communist can-
didate and perhaps for that reason a favou-
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC rite candidate of the Prime Minister. “It
would be less than honest for the Prime Mi-
DATA POINT
nister to deny that she had in ever so many
ways encouraged the candidature of Mr. Gi-
ri. On a closer examination a free vote be-
comes a ludicrous farce when every other
political party had issued a whip for its can-
didate.”
A HUNDRED YEARS AGO AUGUST 19, 1919.
Indian Labour in Ceylon.
(From an Editorial)
The part played by the Government of Ma-
dras in the negotiations that took place early
last month in respect of the question of In-
dian labour in Ceylon has not yet transpired
despite the public protest made against the
secrecy of the transaction. The report of the
Committee appointed by the Ceylon Govern-
ment has now been issued and the text of
the draft ordinance which it has recom-
mended should be published elsewhere. We
are absolutely in the dark as to the extent to
which the local Government have approved
of the proposals made in the report and it is
very regrettable that, at a time when His Ex-
cellency was publicly expressing his desire
to establish an agency for interpreting the
actions of Government to the people, the de-
tails of the important question should have
been debated upon, and perhaps decided in
secret conclave. The Ceylon Committee
have proposed a few remedial measures of
first rate importance; but all of them have
proceeded from the point of the view of one
who is anxious to be no more bothered by
the difficulty of labour scarcity which would
spell ruin to Ceylon agriculture.
A CH-CHE
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10 NEWS
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FROM PAGE ONE
‘Any talks with Pak.
only on PoK’
Mr. Singh said Articles 370
and 35A have been revoked
from Jammu and Kashmir,
which would remove all ob-
stacles in the path of holistic
development of Jammu and
Kashmir and Ladakh.
“On the Kashmir issue,
Pakistan has been knocking
on the doors of various
countries but it has been
asked to convene talks with
India,” he said.
Assembly elections
With an eye on the upcom-
ing Assembly polls in Harya-
Curbs on movement
back in Kashmir
Security forces at some
roadblocks have told resi-
dents there is a curfew.
Two senior government
officials told Reuters that at
least two dozen people were
admitted to hospitals with
pellet injuries after violent
clashes broke out in the old
city on Saturday night.
Representatives in the
Jammu and Kashmir govern-
ment in Srinagar and New
Delhi did not immediately
return calls asking about the
latest clampdown or seek-
ing an assessment of the
number of injuries and
clashes.
One of the official sources
said people threw stones at
security forces in around
two dozen places across Sri-
nagar. He said the intensity
‘India, Bhutan are
natural partners’
“As a result, our shared va-
lues have shaped a common
world-view,” Mr. Modi said,
in the presence of Bhutan
Prime Minister Lotay
Tshering.
“And as people, we are
fortunate to be the living
vehicle of this great legacy,”
he said.
Anyone visiting Bhutan is
struck as much by its natural
beauty as by the warmth,
compassion and simplicity
of its people, the Prime Mi-
nister said.
‘No change
in Jaitley’s
condition’
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI
“The team of doctors look-
ing after Arun Jaitley is do-
ing the best they can. He is
under round-the-clock ob-
servation, and as of now,
there is no major change in
his health condition,” a se-
nior official of the Health
Ministry said on Sunday.
Mr. Jaitley, 66, was ad-
mitted to the All India Insti-
tute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS) on August 9 after
he complained of breath-
lessness and uneasiness.
Doctors said the condi-
tion of Mr. Jaitley, who has
been on life support sys-
tem, had neither improved
significantly nor deterio-
rated.
Leaders visit hospital
On Sunday, Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh chief
Mohan Bhagwat, Delhi
Chief Minister Arvind Kejri-
wal and Union Ministers
Smriti Irani and Ram Vilas
Paswan and former Samaj-
wadi Party leader Amar
Singh visited the AIIMS to
inquire about the health of
the BJP leader.
Speaking to reporters la-
ter, Mr. Kejriwal said: “I
met Mr. Jaitley’s family
members and I pray to God
for his good health and fast
recovery.”
Mr. Jaitley underwent a
renal transplant on May 14
last year at the AIIMS. In Ja-
nuary 2019, he was diag-
nosed with a rare form of
soft-tissue sarcoma and un-
derwent treatment in New
York.
CM
YK
na, due later this year, the
ruling BJP has raised the
pitch of its campaign as it
flagged off the ‘Jan Aashir-
wad Yatra’, which will be
carried out in all the 90 As-
sembly constituencies of the
State.
The ‘yatra’ will conclude
in Rohtak on September 8.
Mr. Singh urged people to
re-elect the BJP as the party
under the leadership of
Chief Minister Manohar Lal
Khattar had successfully gi-
ven a transparent govern-
ment in the past five years.
of the stone throwing prot-
ests has increased over past
few days.
The heavy overnight
clashes took place mostly in
Rainawari, Nowhetta and
Gojwara areas of the old city
where security forces fired
tear gas, chilly grenades and
pellets to disperse protes-
ters, eyewitnesses and offi-
cials said.
Chilly grenades contain
very spicy chili pepper, and
produce a major eye and
skin irritant, as well as a
pungent smell, when they
are unleashed.
The officials, who de-
clined to be identified, said
clashes also took place in
other parts of the city.
Internet and cell phones
remain blocked in Kashmir.
“During this visit, I have
had the opportunity to inte-
ract closely with the present
leadership of Bhutan. I once
again received their gui-
dance for the India-Bhutan
relationship, which has al-
ways benefited from their
close and personal atten-
tion,” said Mr. Modi.
The two countries inked
10 MoUs in the fields of
space research, aviation, IT,
power and education to in-
fuse new energy in their
ties.
PSBs told to align with Controversy in West Bengal
national priorities over PIB report on Netaji
Centre asks them to prepare roadmap
MANOJIT SAHA
Mumbai
A recent communication
from the Finance Ministry
will make public sector
banks (PSB) burn the mid-
night oil over this weekend
and the next as well.
The Finance Ministry’s
note has asked banks to
align themselves with the
national priorities, seek
feedback on several issues
such as the rise in bad loans
and slow credit growth in
the past five years, and pre-
pare a roadmap for the com-
ing years. They have been
asked to involve all their ap-
proximately one lakh
branches in the exercise.
“This is part of an initia-
tive taken by the govern-
ment to find out ways in
which we can align our-
selves with its national ob-
jectives,” Arijit Basu, Manag-
ing Director, State Bank of
India, said in an interaction
with the media.
“It’s even more relevant
today in the context of the
relative slowdown in the
economy that we have seen
in the past few months,” he
said.
Various sectors
Some of the national priori-
ties to which banks need to
align include doubling farm
income, Jal Shakti Mission,
housing for all, education
loans, ease of living, corpo-
rate social responsibility
and financial inclusion.
While feedback has been
sought this weekend from
PM strikes a chord with Bhutan students
Modi tells them that India was keen on cooperating on new frontiers from schools to space
Press Trust of India
Thimphu
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on Sunday gave a pep
talk to students in Bhutan,
saying they had the power
and potential to do extraor-
dinary things, which will in-
fluence future generations.
Addressing the students of
the Royal University of Bhu-
tan here, Mr. Modi encour-
aged the “brightest” Bhuta-
nese youth to work hard and
take the Himalayan nation to
great heights.
Noting that there are sev-
eral challenges ahead, the
Prime Minister said, “For ev-
ery challenge, we have
young minds to find innova-
tive solutions to overcome
them. Let no limitation con-
strain you.”
“I want to tell you all —
there is no better time to be
young than now. The world
today offers more opportuni-
ties than ever before. You
have the power and poten-
tial to do extra-ordinary
things, which will impact
generations to come. Find
your real calling and pursue
Congress remains silent
on Hooda’s statement
Rift over stand on Article 370
Special correspondent
NEW DELHI
The Congress, at an official
press conference on Sun-
day, refused to directly res-
pond to former Haryana
Chief Minister and party
strongman Bhupinder Singh
Hooda’s statement that he
will soon decide his future
course of action and his
backing of the Centre’s deci-
sion on Article 370.
“I am not commenting on
his [Mr. Hooda’s] comment
but I can speak in terms of
our general approach and
principle. I don’t think a
true Congress soldier will
step out of line on this [on
Congress position on Article
370] but there can be a diffe-
rence on an individual level
in terms of emphasis,” said
party spokesperson Abhish-
ek Manu Singhvi.
Other senior leaders told
The Hindu that interim Con-
gress president Sonia Gand-
hi should immediately inter-
vene and make Mr. Hooda
Arijit Basu
all the branches, the issues
will be discussed at the
State-level Bankers’ Com-
mittee next weekend.
This will be followed by a
national-level interaction in
September, with Finance
Ministry officials also ex-
pected to be present.
“The SBI collectively
identified many implemen-
table and innovative sugges-
tions that can help improve
the bank’s performance and
establish a future roadmap,”
a statement from the SBI
said.
The Union Bank of India
said specific areas of discus-
sion during the meeting in-
cluded doubling farmers’ in-
come, enhancing credit to
small businesses and empo-
wering women and Sche-
dule Caste/Scheduled Tribe
entrepreneurs.
The exercise, termed a
“bottom-up consultative
process” for PSBs, is the first
comprehensive review of
the PSBs after Nirmala Sitha-
raman took charge of the Fi-
nance Ministry in May.
Warm welcome: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being received at the Royal University of
Bhutan in Thimphu on Sunday. PTI
it with full passion,” Mr. Mo-
di told the students in the
presence of Bhutan Prime
Minister Lotay Tshering.
“As Bhutan soars high in
its endeavours, your 1.3 bil-
lion Indian friends will not
the Haryana Pradesh Con-
gress Committee (HPCC)
president to prevent him
from leaving the party.
Serious differences
The former two-term Harya-
na Chief Minister has had se-
rious differences with in-
cumbent Haryana Congress
chief Ashok Tanwar, a Dalit
leader, who was earlier ap-
pointed by Rahul Gandhi,
and wanted him replaced.
Senior leader Ghulam Nabi
Azad, who is the party in-
charge for Haryana, has
been in touch with Mr. Hoo-
da but there is no word yet
on Mr. Tanwar’s replace-
ment.
With the BJP focussing on
non-Jat voters, the Congress
seems to be hesitant about
asking Mr. Hooda, a power-
ful Jat leader, to head the
party. “If Mr. Hooda leaves
then it could set off a chain
reaction among other re-
gional leaders,” said a senior
leader.
Political parties refuse to accept his ‘death’ in a plane crash
Special Correspondent
Kolkata
A controversy broke out on
Sunday in connection with
statements related to the
“disappearance” of Netaji
Subhas Chandra Bose as on
August 18, 1945, when a
plane, with Bose allegedly
on board, crashed near Tai-
hoku (now in Taiwan).
West Bengal’s political
parties, unanimously, refuse
to accept Bose’s death on
this day, and condemned a
social media statement by
the Press Information Bu-
reau (PIB) indicating that he
died on this day.
Many BJP and Congress
In open letter, NCP MLA tells
Rahul Gandhi to ‘hold the fort’
Humility is appreciated but so is a fighting spirit, he says
Alok Deshpande
Mumbai
Nationalist Congress Party
(NCP) president Sharad Pa-
war’s trusted aide and party
MLA Jitendra Awhad on Sun-
day created flutter with an
open letter addressing form-
er Congress President Rahul
Gandhi requesting him to
not call it quits and lead the
party from the front.
The letter comes at a time
when the NCP itself is facing
a serious crisis with many
*
just look on and cheer you
with pride and happiness.
They will partner you, share
with you and learn from
you,” Mr. Modi said.
Mr. Modi said India was
keen on cooperating exten-
Hooda keeps everyone guessing
The former Chief Minister announces panel to decide future course
special correspondent
ROHTAK
Amid speculation that form-
er Chief Minister Bhupinder
Singh Hooda could part ways
with the Congress over the
State leadership issue at a
rally in Rohtak on Sunday,
he announced the formation
of a 25-member committee
to decide on the issue ahead
of the Assembly election in
Haryana due later this year.
Keeping his fellow party
leaders and supporters
guessing, Mr. Hooda, ad-
dressing the Parivartan Mah-
arally at the Mela Ground
here, said it was an impor-
tant decision and he did not
want to decide in haste.
“It’s not just me, but the
future of my supporters is al-
so linked with it. I, therefore,
will form a committee of 25
members, including the 13
MLAs supporting me, to de-
liberate on it. I would go by
their advice,” Mr. Hooda an-
nounced amid loud cheers.
He, however, said the
Congress was not the same
leaders at the national level
also indicated that Bose died
on this day fuelling the con-
troversy.
First to react was Chief
Minister and Trinamool
chief Mamata Banerjee. “On
this day, in 1945, Netaji went
on a flight from Taihoku Air-
port in Taiwan, only to dis-
appear forever. We still do
not know what happened to
him. People have a right to
know about the great son of
the soil,” tweeted Ms. Baner-
jee.
Bengal BJP leader and one
of the grand nephews of Ne-
taji, Chandra Kumar Bose,
tweeted in line with what
leaders quitting the party to
join the saffron parties in
Maharashtra. A month ago,
the political circles were
abuzz with the possibility of
the merger of the Congress
and the NCP before the up-
coming Assembly polls.
“You need to hold the fort
in such a difficult time and
pass the real test of leader-
ship. Yes, morality, modesty
and humility are appreciat-
ed, but so does the fighting
spirit! In fact, it is revered,”
sively on new frontiers, from
schools to space, digital pay-
ments to disaster manage-
ment. “Our cooperation in
all these sectors will have a
direct impact on young
friends like you,” he said, cit-
Game of thrones: Bhupinder Singh Hooda addressing his
supporters at Rohtak in Haryana on Sunday. AKHILESH KUMAR
party as it was earlier and
had lost its way.
Last opportunity
Earlier, Palwal MLA Karan
Dalal had suggested that Mr.
Hooda give one last oppor-
tunity to the high command
to decide on his long-pend-
ing demand for a change in
State leadership before quit-
ting the party.
Both Mr. Hooda and his
son Deepender Singh, form-
er Rohtak Lok Sabha mem-
ber, reiterated their stand
the Trinamool chief said.
“18 August-on this day in
1945 #Netaji disappeared
from Taihoku. Official ver-
sion of the Govt [Govern-
ment]-Netaji perished in an
aircrash. However many in-
consistencies were found. It
[is] imperative for the Govt.
to disclose the truth to stop
spreading untruth,” noted
Mr. Bose. The All India For-
ward Bloc (AIFB), founded
by Bose, issued a statement
seeking an apology from
PIB. AIFB general secretary
Debabarata Biswas called it
“a covert” attempt to esta-
blish Netaji’s death on this
day.
said the letter.
Dr. Awhad’s emphasis on
the ideological battle against
the ruling party have also in-
dicated that the letter is
aimed at several bigwigs
within his own party who
have quit the NCP to join
hands with the BJP.
“Please lead the party
from the front because Ma-
hatma Gandhi’s India has
never forgotten the people
who fought out adversity,”
he said.
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
ing cooperation between In-
dia’s National Knowledge
Network and Bhutan’s Druk-
REN as an some example.
“It will provide secure and
fast connectivity between
our universities, research in-
stitutions, libraries, health-
care and agricultural institu-
tions. I urge you all to make
full use of this facility,” he
said.
Referring to India’s space
programmes and the Chan-
drayaan-2 mission, Mr. Modi
said Bhutan is also on its way
to having its own satellite.
“It is even a matter of
great happiness that young
Bhutanese scientists will tra-
vel to India to work on de-
signing and launching Bhu-
tan’s own small satellite. I
hope that someday soon,
many of you will be scien-
tists, engineers and innova-
tors,” he told the students.
He said India-Bhutan
cooperation in hydro-power
and energy is exemplary.
“But the real source of power
and energy of this relation-
ship are our people,” the
Prime Minister said.
*
supporting the abrogation of
Article 370 on the special sta-
tus of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our soldiers from Harya-
na lay their lives in Jammu
and Kashmir, so I supported
the scrapping of Article 370,
though many friends in Con-
gress opposed it. There can
be no compromise on na-
tional interest and self-res-
pect,” said Mr. Hooda. He ad-
ded that BJP could not hide
behind Article 370 and the
party would have to give its
report card for the past five
‘Financial crisis-like
situation in country’
Govt. diverting attention: Congress
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI
The Congress on Sunday ac-
cused the Prime Minister
Narendra Modi-led govern-
ment of using “virtual is-
sues” to divert attention
from real issues and com-
pared the economic situa-
tion in the country to a “fi-
nancial emergency”.
Congress spokesperson
Abhishek Singhvi listed out
10 broad areas — from the
serious crisis in the automo-
bile industry to the Indian
rupee being considered the
weakest currency — where
the economy was facing
turbulence.
“You can call it financial
emergency and, as somebo-
dy said, an inefficient go-
vernment will replace issues
with virtual ones. To divert
attention from its failures,
the BJP has created a bar-
rage of virtual issues,” Mr.
Singhvi said.
Other issues raised by the
Congress include the re-
vised higher fiscal deficit as
examined by the Comptroll-
CHENNAI
THE HINDU
Modi heads
home after
Bhutan trip
Press Trust of India
Thimphu
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on Sunday left for
home after concluding his
two-day State visit to Bhu-
tan, during which he held
talks with the country’s
leaders to further deepen
bilateral ties.
“Thank you Bhutan! It
was a memorable visit. The
affection I have received
from the people of this
wonderful nation can nev-
er be forgotten. There were
many programmes which I
had the honour of taking
part in. The outcomes of
the visit will enhance bilat-
eral ties,” Mr. Modi said just
before his departure from
Bhutan.
Mr. Modi arrived in Bhu-
tan on Saturday. This was
his second visit to the
country and the first since
his re-election in May this
year.
During his stay in Thim-
phu, Mr. Modi held wide-
ranging talks with his Bhu-
tanese counterpart Lotay
Tshering on Saturday.
years.
In the run-up to the rally,
Congress leaders belonging
to the Hooda camp had been
speaking to the media hint-
ing that the former Chief Mi-
nister could quit the party to
float his own outfit or join
other political parties in the
State.
Following the rally, sourc-
es in the party said Mr. Hoo-
da felt that he was best
placed to fight the BJP while
being in the Congress and
was unlikely to quit. He, ho-
wever, has kept his options
open by announcing to form
a committee on the issue.
If voted to power, Mr.
Hooda promised to increase
the old-age pension to
₹5,000 per month, imple-
ment the Seventh Pay Com-
mission recommendations,
allow free rides for women
on Haryana roadways, give
free power to farmers with
up to two-acre land holdings
and pay government em-
ployees at par with their
Punjab counterparts.
Abhishek Singhvi
er and Auditor General
(CAG), lower GDP estimates,
the shrinking labour force,
recession in the real estate
sector, the continuous de-
preciation of the rupee and
falling foreign direct invest-
ments.
He also raised the issue of
the stock markets crashing
and alleged that over ₹13
lakh crore of the investors’
wealth had been wiped out.
“By suppressing data,
taking resignations of offi-
cials or hiding growth and
unemployment figures, can
you erase the reality?” Mr.
Singhvi asked.
A CH-CHE
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THE HINDU
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
CHENNAI
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UAE to give
Modi highest
civilian award
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi will visit the UAE on
August 23 and 24 where he
will receive the Order of
Zayed, the highest civilian
award of the country. An
External Affairs Ministry
statement on Sunday said
Mr. Modi would pay a state
visit to Bahrain on August
24 and 25 where he would
launch the renovation of a
temple of Shreenathji.
“The order in the name
of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan
Al Nahyan, founding father
of the UAE, acquires spe-
cial significance as it is
awarded to Prime Minister
Modi in the year of the
birth centenary of Sheikh
Zayed,” the statement said.
The visit acquires im-
portance as it would be the
first by Mr. Modi to a lead-
ing member of the Organi-
sation of Islamic Countries
after India had changed the
status of Kashmir.
‘4,000 held in
Kashmir over
fear of unrest’
Agence France-Presse
Srinagar
Thousands of people have
been detained in Kashmir
over fears of unrest since
New Delhi stripped the re-
gion of its autonomy two
weeks ago, government
sources told AFP.
A magistrate said on
condition of anonymity
that at least 4,000 people
were arrested and held un-
der the Public Safety Act
(PSA), a law that allows
authorities to imprison so-
meone for up to two years
without charge or trial.
“Most of them were
flown out of Kashmir be-
cause prisons here have
run out of capacity,” the
magistrate said, adding
that he had used a satellite
phone allocated to him to
collate the figures from col-
leagues across the territory
amid a communications
blackout imposed by auth-
orities.
Pandits meet
on Article 370
in Houston
Indo-Asian News Service
Houston
Celebrating the abrogation
of Article 370 that gave spe-
cial status to Jammu and
Kashmir, the Global Kash-
miri Pandit Diaspora or-
ganised a meeting of the
community members in
Houston with the head of
the BJP’s foreign affairs de-
partment, Vijay
Chauthaiwale.
Addressing the gather-
ing, Mr. Chauthaiwale said
he could feel the joy, posi-
tive vibrations and excite-
ment in the community fol-
lowing the recent
transformational changes.
IL&FS arm routed loans
through third parties: ED
₹2,270 cr. given to 14 entities unpaid
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI
The Enforcement Directo-
rate has identified 14 entities
to which the IL&FS Finan-
cial Services (IFIN) had ex-
tended loans of ₹2,270 crore
that remained unpaid.
The funds were allegedly
routed to the IL&FS Tran-
sportation Networks Ltd.
(ITNL) and its subsidiaries
as loans at higher interest
rates.
Based on the documents
seized, the agency believes
these entities, called third
parties, were told to transfer
the loans either to the ITNL
or its Special Purpose
Vehicles.
“By this modus operandi,
ITNL and its SPVs received
huge loans and ₹2,270 crore
(as per Grand and Thorton
CM
YK
NEWS 11
Shah flays appeasement politics Army looking to tweak
Minister says Congress allowed triple talaq because of its hunger for power
Special Correspondent case, if just a demand is
disability pension criteria
NEW DELHI made, there is a provision for
Union Home Minister Amit two years’ imprisonment,” Services putting together suggestions for Defence Ministry
Shah on Sunday blamed the he said.
“politics of appeasement” Triple talaq has been cri- Dinakar Peri sioners and also that there
for the “evil practice” of tri- minalised, he said, to create NEW DELHI should be no rounding off or
ple talaq till this year. fear among some people that The three services are put- broad banding of the disabil-
He was speaking at a pu- “if you do this, you will be ting together recommenda- ity element.
blic lecture on “Abolition of punished”. tions on the issue of taxing However, it has been
triple talaq: correcting a his- “Earlier, the triple talaq disability pension to be sub- learnt that the Navy and Air
toric wrong” at an event or- law had no provision for mitted to the Defence Minis- Force Chiefs were not in full
ganised by the Syama Prasad maintenance for women. try very soon. agreement with the Army.
Mookerjee Research Foun- Now, we have made provi- The Army is mulling over Last week, Army Chief
<
> We
dation in New Delhi. sion for maintenance,” he several options to streamline will make sure Gen. Bipin Rawat said that
Mr. Shah defended the law Making a point: Home Minister Amit Shah speaking on the said. the existing system for grant this facility is not Services were looking into
criminalising triple talaq, triple talaq Bill in New Delhi on Sunday. SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR *
The Home Minister said of disability pension and the misused the whole issue and would
saying it was going to benefit he wanted forgiveness from manner of calculation, de- Bipin Rawat
give their recommendations
Muslims, and not other com- “When some people are “This evil practice of tri- Muslim women as they had fence sources said. Army Chief to the Defence Ministry very
munities. hungry for power, they re- ple talaq was going on for to suffer for long. “I wish you The Army has written to soon on how it should go.
The Home Minister said it sort to the politics of ap- long and the Modi govern- a bright future ahead and the other two Services and pay drawn which will reduce In a notification dated
took several decades to end peasement. They are not ment has abolished it forever want to assure you that I put forward some sugges- the disability pension by June 24, the Central Board of
this practice because of the concerned about Muslim wo- and given the Muslim wo- would leave no stone un- tions which were discussed 50% and percentage of dis- Direct Taxes said “such tax
Congress. men but concerned only men the right to live in digni- turned to ensure your social by the Chiefs of Staff Com- ability to be increased from exemption will be available
Referring to the Rajiv about vote-bank,” he said. ty and equality,” he said. security,” he said. mittee comprising the three 20% to 30% to be eligible for only to armed forces person-
Gandhi government’s deci- “The election of Narendra Mr. Shah also addressed The triple talaq Act makes Chiefs on July 31. disability pension,” a de- nel who have been invalidat-
sion to bring a law to over- Modi as Prime Minister in the issue of penal provisions declaration of talaq-e-biddat “The Army has put for- fence source told The Hindu ed from service on account
turn the Supreme Court 2014 was the beginning of in a civil matter. or pronouncing talaq three ward several points for dis- on condition of anonymity. of bodily disability attributa-
judgment in the Shah Bano the end of the politics of ap- “In case of child marriage, times in spoken, written or cussion. These include dis- Further the Army has sug- ble to or aggravated by such
case, he said it would be con- peasement and the 2019 there is a provision for two through SMS or WhatsApp ability pension to be gested that no income tax service and not to personnel
sidered a “black day” in the mandate is to end it forever,” years’ jail. Similarly, dowry is or any other electronic chat calculated on the pension benefit be given on service retired on superannuation
history of Parliament. Mr. Shah said. a civil matter. In a dowry in one sitting illegal. element and not on the last pension to disability pen- or otherwise.”
Day before schools reopen, parents wary Jaishankar to
J&K Governor’s adviser, however, says the demand was made by the people themselves visit Dhaka today
Peerzada Ashiq Many government schools these schools in the absence He will firm up Hasina’s visit to Delhi
Srinagar fall in peripheries like Theed of any public transport in the
Parents of Musaika Qadri, 10, and Dhara near Srinagar’s State. special correspondent 7-8 visit, Asaduzzaman
a Class 5 student of Srina- Harwan area, where very K. Vijay Kumar, adviser to NEW DELHI Khan, Dhaka’s Minister of
gar’s Presentation Convent, few incidents of street prot- the Governor, said the admi- The entire gamut of bilateral Interior, met Home Minister
are worried about sending ests were reported in the nistrators were concerned ties between India and Ban- Amit Shah in Delhi. The
her to school, like many oth- past two weeks, besides it about the safety of students. gladesh will be discussed meeting, however, did not
ers, on Monday, as the Jam- hosts a mixed population of “It was not that we wanted to when External Affairs Minis- yield a joint statement, trig-
mu and Kashmir administra- Kashmiri and open the schools. The de- ter S. Jaishankar visits Dha- gering speculation of diffe-
tion plans a phased Gojri-speaking. mand came from the ka between August 19 and rences.
reopening of schools after a “We look forward with op- ground, spontaneously from 21, a diplomatic source said
14-day lockdown. Charting the course: Government spokesperson Rohit Kansal timism and hope towards the parents,” he told a televi- on Sunday. NRC in Assam
A resident of Khanyar in at a press conference in Srinagar on Sunday. PTI *
the coming week, as schools sion channel. “This is the first visit by The meetings between the
the old city, Ms. Qadri’s fath- start functioning again,” said “Two persons were in- the senior Minister, so the senior Ministers are being
er S.M. Qadri, a government six volatile police stations in taking any risk to send my Jammu and Kashmir govern- jured [in street protests] and expectation on both sides is viewed as important due to
employee, said he was “un- the old city where restric- daughter immediately,” Mr. ment spokesman Rohit both are stable. Against 35 that he will review the status the upcoming publication of
willing to send her anytime tions on the movement of Qadri said. At least 190 Kansal. police stations where restric- of all the issues and projects the National Register of Citi-
soon”. vehicles and its residents re- schools, out of around 900, However, several govern- tions were eased on Satur- between two sides,” said a zens in Assam. Diplomatic
The Khanyar area falls in main since August 5. in Srinagar are to be opened ment teachers said they day, it was expanded to 50 source familiar with the sources, however, said Ban-
the jurisdiction of one of the “I have decided against in the first phase. were clueless how to reach on Sunday,” Mr. Kansal said. plans. The visit was an- gladesh considers NRC to be
nounced by Bangladesh Fo- an internal issue of India
reign Minister A.K. Abdul and therefore it is unlikely
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
NPP seeks Momen in July.
It was learnt that the Ex-
to raise the issue with Dr.
Jaishankar.
Life goes on domicile law ternal Affairs Minister is ex- Ms. Hasina is expected to
pected to firm up the sche- take up the Rohingya issue
for J&K dule of the October visit of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasi-
that she discussed with Beij-
ing during her July visit to
na to Delhi. China. Dhaka wants India to
Press Trust of India Dr. Jaishankar’s visit will exert more pressure on the
Jammu be the second high ministe- Government of Myanmar
The National Panthers Par- rial interaction between the which is an emerging stra-
ty (NPP) on Sunday sought
the intervention of Prime
two sides in less than a
month. During his August
tegic partner of India in the
Southeast Asian region.
Minister Narendra Modi in
the enactment of a domi-
cile law for Jammu and
Kashmir to protect the in-
terests of poor farmers and
landowners, besides the
educated unemployed
youth. The demand was
made in a memorandum
addressed to the Prime Mi-
nister and submitted by
NPP chairman and former
Minister Harsh Dev Singh
at his Lok Kalyan Marg resi-
dence in Delhi, a party re-
lease said here.
“A domicile law needs to
be enacted so that outsid-
ers could be barred from
participating in selections
for government jobs and
from buying land and oth-
er properties of poor
Fresh picks: People buying vegetables on the banks of the Dal Lake as curbs were eased in Srinagar on Sunday. *
NISSAR AHMAD through distress sales,” the
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC NPP said.
CBI searches premises of RSS chief calls
for dialogue
MBIL directors in fraud case on quota
Press Trust of India
Report) remained outstand- FIR registered for allegedly cheating banks of ₹354.51 cr. New Delhi
ing against those parties to There should be conversa-
IFIN who in turn funded to Special Correspondent ₹49 crore was granted. tion in a harmonious at-
ITNL or its SPVs,” says the NEW DELHI On the company’s re- mosphere between those
chargesheet filed by the ED. The CBI on Sunday searched quest, in September 2010, in favour of reservation
The ED also alleged that the premises of Moser Baer the bank cleared working and those against it, Rash-
the IFIN had sanctioned India Ltd. (MBIL) and its capital limit of ₹50 crore and triya Swayamsevak Sangh
loans to these third parties former and present direc- non-fund based limit of ₹50 (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat
or contractors without tors in connection with an crore. Then, a short-term said on Sunday.
proper collateral securities, alleged bank loan fraud case loan of ₹100 crore was also He was speaking at the
following which they had involving ₹354.51 crore. given. concluding session of Gyan
entered into agreements The searches were car- In March 2012, the bank Utsav, a programme on
with the ITNL or its SPVs. ried out after registering an sanctioned letter of credit competitive exams.
“The rate of lending was FIR against MBIL, its manag- Ratul Puri for ₹50 crore on the under- He said those who fa-
1.5% to 2% higher than the ing director Deepak Puri, taking that MBIL would re- voured reservation should
rate of borrowing and thus, whole-time director Nita Pu- As alleged by the CBI, pay the earlier short-term speak keeping in mind the
there was a profit to those ri, the then executive direc- those named in the case loan of ₹40 crore and also interests of those who were
third parties/contractors tor and their son Ratul Puri, cheated the Central Bank of pay off overdue interests on against it, and similarly
and being non-NBFC, they other two directors Sanjay India of ₹354.51 crore. other loans. those who opposed it
were not entitled for the Jain and Vineet Sharma, be- MBIL had approached the The bank, in its com- should do the vice versa.
same. Investigations also in- sides unknown public ser- bank in June 2009 seeking plaint, said the company Earlier, he had advocat-
dicate that the illegal profit vants. credit facilities. had availed itself of credit fa- ed a review of the reserva-
thus earned probably was The Puris are relatives of Accordingly, a medium- cilities under multiple-insti- tion policy, drawing sharp
shared with the ITNL offi- Madhya Pradesh Chief Mi- term loan of ₹100 crore and tution arrangement from 14 reactions from many
cials and arrangers.” nister Kamal Nath. a letter of comfort for about public sector banks. parties.
A CH-CHE

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12 WORLD
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Joy turns into mourning for groom who lost kin, friends
Sunni extremist bomber targeted Shia wedding when the bride and groom were exchanging vows
Agence France-Presse
Kabul
Joy and celebration turned
into horror and carnage
when an Islamic State sui-
cide bomber targeted a
packed Afghan wedding hall,
killing at least 63 people in
the deadliest attack to rock
Kabul in months.
The massive blast, which
took place late Saturday in
west Kabul, came as Wash-
ington and the Taliban try to
negotiate a deal to reduce
the U.S. military presence in
Afghanistan and hopefully
build a roadmap to a
ceasefire.
The groom recalled greet-
ing smiling guests in the af-
ternoon, before seeing their
ELSEWHERE
10,000 homeless after
fire razes Dhaka slum
DHAKA
At least 10,000 people were
left homeless after a massive
fire swept through a crowded
slum in Bangladesh’s capital
and destroyed thousands of
shanties. The fire broke out
at Dhaka’s Mirpur
neighbourhood late on Friday
and razed around 2,000
houses. AFP
U.K. strips ‘Jihadi Jack’ of
British citizenship: report
LONDON
A former Islamic State recruit,
referred to as Jihadi Jack, has
been stripped of his U.K.
nationality, U.K. media
reported. Jack Letts, 24,
travelled to Syria in 2014 and
fought with the IS before
leaving the group later. PTI
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
THE HINDU CROSSWORD 12708
CM
YK
is
Why
Scene of carnage: Workers looking at the damage caused by
the explosion at a wedding hall in Kabul on Sunday. REUTERS
bodies being carried out
hours later.
The attack “changed my
happiness to sorrow”, the
Gibraltar rejects request
to seize Iranian tanker
Iran renames ship, raises its flag
Reuters
GIBRALTAR
Gibraltar refused on Sunday
a U.S. request to seize the
Iranian tanker caught in a
stand-off between Tehran
and the West, as the station-
ary vessel raised an Iranian
flag ahead of its expected
departure from the British
territory.
British Royal Marines
seized the tanker in Gibral-
tar in July on suspicion that
it was carrying oil to Syria, a
close ally of Iran, in viola-
tion of European Union
sanctions. That triggered a
series of events that have
heightened tensions on
shipping routes via the Gulf.
“The vessel is expected to
leave tonight,” Iran’s Am-
bassador to the U.K. Hamid
Baeidinejad said on Twitter,
■ ACROSS
7 Feel absence of young lady (4)
8 Crossed old port (6,4)
10 Composing, O great poet? (6)
11 Grow where batsmen stand?
(8)
12 Succeed endlessly at court,
giving hope (8)
14 Snake curled around general is
dozing (6)
Afghanistan
important
* party when the blast hap-
young man, who gave his
name as Mirwais, told local
TV station Tolo News.
“My family, my bride are
adding that two engineering
teams had been flown to
Gibraltar.
The Grace 1’s detention
ended last week, but on Fri-
day a federal court in Wash-
ington issued a warrant for
the seizure of the tanker, the
oil it carries and nearly $1
million.
Gibraltar said on Sunday
it could not comply with
that request because it was
bound by EU law. “The EU
sanctions regime against
Iran which is applicable in
Gibraltar - is much narrower
than that applicable in the
US,” the government said in
a statement.
Tehran said it was ready
to dispatch its naval fleet to
escort the tanker — now re-
named the ‘Adrian Darya-1’
— if required.
16 Engineers' cryptic clues for
hermit (7)
18 Stains flower parts (7)
21 Young lady's assorted medals
(6)
23 Cynthia's at sea with girl,
doing this (8)
25 Tell fib, "German loses right to
vassal" (8)
27 Admits: "Snowstorm's
increasing" (4,2)
29 Naval officer's additional
spouse (6,4)
30 Oregon's tailless feline is a
large animal (4)
■ DOWN
1 Composed sea dirge? Don't
think so (8)
2 Capital invested in Waldo's
lodge (4)
3 Ball's special at this place (6)
4 Helps Charlie sit awkwardly at
beginning of show (7)
to India
in shock, they cannot even
speak. My bride keeps faint-
ing... I lost my brother,
friends, relatives. I will never
see happiness in my life
again,” he said.
Interior Ministry spokes-
man Nasrat Rahimi said a sui-
cide bomber carried out the
attack, with at least 63 peo-
ple killed and 182 injured.
“Among the wounded are
women and children,” Mr.
Rahimi said.
“The wedding guests were
dancing and celebrating the
pened,” recounted Munir
Ahmad, 23, who was serious-
ly injured and whose cousin
was among the dead.
“Following the explosion,
JVP announces Dissanayake
as presidential candidate
The leftist party offers a third alternative to Sri Lankan voters
Meera Srinivasan
COLOMBO
Sri Lanka’s leftist Janatha Vi-
mukthi Peramuna ( JVP) or
the People’s Liberation
Front on Sunday said it
would field party leader An-
ura Kumara Dissanayake as
presidential candidate, ef-
fectively offering a third op-
tion to Sri Lankan voters in
the polls scheduled later this
year.
The announcement
comes a week after the Raja-
paksa camp named former
defence secretary Gotabaya
Rajapaksa its candidate con-
testing from the Sri Lanka
Podujana Peramuna (SLPP
or People’s Front). Amid
much tension among diffe-
rent factions within, the in-
(set by Incognito)
5 Trader's sea song (8)
6 Northern European's stick (4)
9 Follow nurse and take to court
(5)
13 Disposes of small lengths (5)
15 Sunny is not heavy (5)
17 Fed meals prepared and
achieved success by own
efforts (4-4)
19 State publicly: "A wild cat's
going around centre of
Munnar" (8)
20 Many violently spoil Burma
(7)
22 Starting to ail by 54,
European's not yet dead (5)
24 Near model storage facility
(6)
26 Where returning convict may
consume egg (4)
28 It's middle of the day, anyway
(4)
there was total chaos. Eve-
ryone was screaming and
crying for their loved ones,”
he said from his bed in a hos-
pital, where he was being
treated for shrapnel wounds.
The wedding was largely a
gathering of Shia Muslims,
who are frequently targeted
in Sunni-majority Afghanis-
tan, particularly by IS.
The Sunni extremist
group’s Afghan affiliate
claimed responsibility for
the blast, saying the bomber
targeted the wedding be-
cause it was Shia.
Wedding guest Hameed
Quresh said the young bride
and groom were exchanging
vows when the bomb went
off.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake
cumbent United National
Party (UNP)-led alliance is
yet to name its candidate.
Mr. Dissanayake enters
the fray through the JVP-led
‘National People’s Power’ al-
liance, challenging two
mainstream political camps,
and promising an alterna-
SUDOKU
Solution to puzzle 12707
Fears in U.S. of bad peace
deal with the Taliban
Agence France-Presse
Washington
An Afghanistan peace agree-
ment that the U.S. seems
close to reaching with the
Taliban has prompted wor-
ries that President Donald
Trump’s desire to quickly
withdraw U.S. troops could
further plunge the country
into civil war.
Mr. Trump said on Friday
he was pleased with talks on
ending the 18-year-long war.
The U.S. negotiator, Zal-
may Khalilzad, will return to
the region soon to further
talks with the rebel force.
tive. While the JVP has not
electorally threatened main-
stream parties — the UNP, Sri
Lanka Freedom Party
(SLFP) and SLPP — in recent
national or local elections, it
has remained a significant
voice of dissent in the legis-
lature, frequently taking on
the big parties on allegations
of corruption and nepotism.
During the nearly two-
month political crisis last
year, the six JVP MPs proved
a crucial block in the Parlia-
ment. Along with the Tamil
National Alliance legislators,
they resisted the illegal pow-
er grab by the Rajapaksas.
Mr. Dissanayake’s speeches,
hailed by many as powerful
and persuasive, drew wide
attention at that time.
Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku
CHENNAI
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
THE HINDU
Thousands
march in
Hong Kong
Agence France-Presse
Hong Kong
A sea of democracy acti-
vists flooded the streets of
Hong Kong on Sunday in a
show of defiance to the ci-
ty’s leaders that their
movement still pulls wide
public support, despite
mounting violence and in-
creasingly stark warnings
from Beijing.
Hundreds of thousands
of protesters carrying um-
brellas poured across the
heart of Hong Kong island,
defying torrential rain and
a police order not to march
from a park where they
had gathered earlier for a
rally.
The political crisis was
triggered by an Extradition
Bill that allowed extradi-
tions of criminal suspects
in Hong Kong to the Chi-
nese mainland.
Weeks of demonstra-
tions have plunged the fi-
nancial hub into crisis,
with images of masked
black-clad protesters en-
gulfed by tear gas during
street battles against riot
police stunning a city once
renowned for its stability.
Sunday’s action, which
organisers the Civil Human
Rights Front said drew
more than 1.7 million in the
“Under no circumstances largest rally in weeks, was
should the Trump adminis- billed as a return to the
tration repeat the mistake “peaceful” origins of the
its predecessor [under Ba- leaderless protest
rack Obama] made in Iraq movement.
and agree to a total withdra- “It’s been a long day and
wal of forces from Afghanis- we’re very tired, but to see
tan,” retired general David so many people out in the
Petraeus warned in a piece rain marching for Hong
for The Wall Street Journal. Kong gives strength to eve-
A lot “will depend on the ryone,” said Danny Tam,
details,” said Laurel Miller, 28, a graphic designer.
former senior U.S. State De- Late in the evening, hun-
partment official. For in- dreds of masked protesters
stance, it seems the Taliban milled outside the govern-
are prepared to call a cease- ment headquarters shout-
fire with U.S. troops but not ing “Reclaim Hong Kong,
with the Afghan army. revolution of our times.”
Memos warn of food
shortages in Brexit chaos
Grim outlook if U.K. leaves EU sans deal
Associated Press
LONDON
Secret British government
documents have warned of
serious disruptions across
the country in the event that
the U.K. leaves the Euro-
pean Union without a trade
deal on October 31, accord-
ing to a report.
The Sunday Times new- Boris Johnson
spaper published what it
said was what the British go- have long been floated by
vernment expects in the academics and economists,
case of a sudden, “no-deal” they’ve been repeatedly dis-
Brexit. Among the most se- missed as scaremongering
rious are disruptions to the by Brexit proponents.
supply of drugs and medi- British Prime Minister
cine, fresh food. Water shor- Boris Johnson has said he is
tages can be expected due ready to leave the EU re-
to interruptions of imported gardless of whether he is
water treatment chemicals. able to renegotiate the Brex-
Although the grim scena- it deal struck with Brussels
rios reportedly outlined in by his predecessor, Theresa
the government documents May.
FAITH
Association with the pious
Most people’s lives are governed by worldly parameters,
that is, they are preoccupied with matters such as one’s per-
sonal and professional life, physical well being, etc, though
they are aware that sastras talk of the atma. But is this so-
mething that gives contentment or peace? How long can one
these sustain people? Is it possible to escape disease or old
age? Can one’s possessions give happiness? The jnana that
all these are temporary factors and that whatever is material
and physical does not belong to us and that only the atma is
enduring is what has to be aspired for. All what we think we
gain in life will have to be renounced at some point of time.
The only way to rethink and internalise these truths is by
seeking the association with realised souls who are oriented
towards the spiritual rather than the laukika way of life,
pointed out Sri B. Damodhara Dikshitar in a discourse. This
is the greatest challenge for an individual and as stated in yo-
ga sastras and in the Gita it demands patient practice and
vairagya towards worldly pulls. Since the deeper transcen-
dental awareness of the atma is present at all times in the
pious, their company can influence the spiritual aspirant.
Krishna calls those who always perceive the truth with per-
fect clarity and remain in that state as ‘Tatva darsinaha,’ the
‘seers’ of Tatva. Ramana Maharishi has inspired many to-
wards atma tatva vichara by his very presence. His way of
life reflects the truth that spiritual journey is an inward pro-
cess in each being and that atma jnana is the goal. In fact, his
silence itself has proved to be more eloquent and effective
than rhetoric and argument to instill this enquiry. The Gita
reiterates the Upanishads’ views in this regard and states
that atma jnana is to be gained through modest seeking, de-
termined effort, and through serving realised souls.
A CH-CHE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
CHENNAI

MONEYWISE 13
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

ASK US you end up repaying the

bank a total of ₹91.28 lakh
(including principal and
N. Sree Kanth
interest) at the end of 15

Borrow wisely,
Q. I sold a flat for ₹40 lakh in February 2019. years. Stretch the tenure
I had bought the property in my name in to 20 years, and while
September 2001 for ₹12 lakh. Now, I want to your EMI falls to ₹44,986
use this entire money to rebuild an old house
the total amount you end
which is in the name of my wife .

IF YOU MUST
My wife, a homemaker, is not paying I-T/ up repaying the lender is
filing income tax returns. ₹1.07 crore. With a 20-year
However, I am paying I-T on rental value loan, you’ve ended up pay-
received. The entire sale value is deposited ing the lender an interest
in a bank FD. of ₹57.9 lakh, compared
Please guide me as to whether I can use this with ₹41.2 lakh in the 15-
money over two financial years (FYs) for the Striking a balance between spending year loan.
said purpose and still claim tax exemption on
long term capital gains (LTCG). If yes, how sleepless nights over debt and being This is also a good argu-
ment to always negotiate
can I establish it in I-T returns? niggardly involves many intricacies with your lender to in-
RAO V.B.
crease your EMIs (and not
A. To utilise the proceeds to rebuild tenure) when interest
(construct) another house property, the rates rise, and to prepay
house should be in your name. Joint Aarati Krishnan dy pays EMIs of ₹10,000 a bility instead of maxing er than depreciating enough towards the goal. pink slips becoming more your loan as soon as you
ownership of the house property can also be
considered.
Financial experts often ad- month on a car loan, the out your eligibility. Deduct assets. Don’t bet on big in- prevalent in India, there’s can.
In order to avail LTCG exemption by vise us to live within our lender will allow her to your living expenses, cur- Property, pieces of land crements: We Indians are all the more reason to take Shop for better rates:
utilising the proceeds from the sale of house means. Yet, given our urge take on an additional EMI rent EMIs and compulsory or added educational used to high income in- on loans that you can com- Once we’ve taken on EMIs,
property over a period of more than one to improve lifestyles, stay- of slightly less than savings of 15-20% from qualifications, for in- creases from year to year. fortably afford with your we often put the loan on
financial year, the capital gain is to be ing off borrowings is diffi- ₹40,000 a month. If she’s your income, to arrive at stance, are appreciating When taking on loans, this current earnings. autopilot, paying up the
deposited in a Capital Gains Deposits Scheme cult. Borrowings also seeking a 15-year home an EMI that you can com- assets that are likely to makes it tempting to Opt for higher EMIs: monthly EMI without ever
(CGDS), which is available in all nationalised make sense in an inflation- loan at 9%, this translates fortably manage. earn you capital apprecia- stretch ourselves to sign When evaluating loans, we re-evaluating if there are
banks, before filing of returns for assessment ary economy where mo- into an eligibility of about Borrow to invest in tion or higher income over up for higher EMIs than often over-focus on the better deals available in
year 2019-20 or before the due date for
filing of the return.
ney rapidly loses value ov- ₹40 lakh. appreciating assets: For time. Vehicles, double- we can afford, as we be- size of the EMI we’re tak- the market. But Indian
Also, for construction of the house, utilise er time. But how can you But remember, lenders leverage to make financial door fridges, smartphones lieve income growth will ing on. But this can blind- banks today offer a range
the amount lying in CGDS from time to time strike that balance bet- have a business interest in sense, the return you earn or home theatre systems reduce the burden over side you to the size of the of floating rate options to
within three years of the sale of the original ween spending sleepless stretching your loan eligi- on the leveraged asset are depreciating assets time. total liability. One way in borrowers linked to diffe-
property. nights over debt and being bility. When you take on should be higher than that lose value the mo- The calculation made which lenders often make rent benchmarks — be it
Further, you are eligible for indexation a Scrooge who lives in EMIs that eat up 50% of in- your borrowing costs. Gi- ment you buy them. sense when inflation was EMIs more ‘affordable’ for the base rate, MCLR or the
while calculating the capital gains for the squalor? come, it severely impairs ven the high interest rates Borrowing to fund con- running at 7-8% and an- you is by tempting you RBI’s repo rate.
sale of the old property. Borrow less than you your ability to save to- for retail borrowers in In- sumption or experiences nual increments at 10-12% ; with a longer tenure. But Often, lenders woo new
can afford: In India, len- wards other future goals dia, it is often very hard to like holidays is even worse both are no longer true. longer tenures benefit len- borrowers with their best
ders typically allow you to (such as retirement), forc- find assets that can earn because there’s no asset to With salary increases ders rather than borrow- rates while older loan-tak-
take on EMIs (equated es you to defer other pur- you a higher return than show for the liability across many sectors mod- ers, because the interest ers continue to pay
monthly instalments) of chases and robs you of the the interest rate you’re you’ve taken on. There- erating to the 5-6% range, payments compound over through their nose. This
up to 50% of your disposa- flexibility to sail through paying on the loan. fore, if you’re keen to don’t expect the burden of a longer period. makes it important for you
ble monthly income after the ups and downs in your However, you can con- spend on big-ticket con- a large EMI to reduce ma- Take the case of a ₹50 to closely track the rates
deducting your fixed out- income or career. trol the damage that bor- sumption or experiences, terially over time. With va- lakh home loan at 9% in- across different bench-
go. For example, if Madhu Therefore, it is better rowings inflict on your net you should postpone the riable compensation lead- terest. For a 15-year te- marks and lenders, and
earns ₹1 lakh a month in for you to do your own cal- worth by using them to in- spending until you’ve ing to fewer guarantees nure, the monthly EMI jump ship promptly when
take-home pay and alrea- culation on loan afforda- vest in appreciating, rath- saved and invested about your future pay and works out to ₹50,713 and you see a big saving.

REPO RATE-LINKED HOME LOAN

Q. I am 78 years plus. I am writing this on my

What you need to know about this new kid on the block
behalf and my three colleagues (all of us
worked together in Defence) of almost the
same age. We have between ₹2 lakh to ₹5
Transmission to borrowers of interest rate changes by the RBI will be immediate but note that it can cut both ways
lakh worth shares in paper form, purchased TCA Sharad Raghavan DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
eight to 12 years ago.
effective interest rate on the the loan, and only in very rare
The new repo rate-linked home loans would have been 8.4- Unravelling repo rate cases where this was extended
On enquiries with Kotak Securities Ltd., we
were told that there were no transactions loans being offered by banks 8.55% at a time when home ● Repo rate is the rate of too much, would they adjust
taking place on the BSE and the NSE and such as the State Bank of India loans based on the MCLR were interest the RBI charges banks the instalment amount itself,”
therefore, we cannot sell these shares. could be cheaper for home- anywhere between 8.55% to he added. “In the case of the re-
● The interest that banks
We have other shares purchased last year buyers and more transparent, 9.10%. The RBI has most recent- po rate loan, it’s not the same.
normally charge clients is
and this year, which are dematted. We have but loan advisers warn that ly cut the repo rate by 35 basis There is a higher chance, if the
based on their cost of funds
sold them during this financial year. they also carry the downside points, meaning the RLLR will repo rate is increased signifi-
The sale value we received is between ₹3-3.5 The RBI has, over four
risks of the monthly instal- be further lowered. ● cantly over a short time, that
lakh. The profit we have got now varies from actions, cut the repo rate by
₹2 to ₹2.5 lakh. ments increasing in size in the the instalment amount itself
event of a sustained increase in ‘Pro-investor move’ 110 basis points in 2019 could be increased.”
How can we show this income\profit? Should
we get any statement from Kotak Securities? the repo rate. “With the repo-linked rate, ● Rates based on banks’ cost
K.V. ANANTHANARAYANAN India’s largest lender, the there is a lot more transparency of funds have rarely changed Sample calculation
State Bank of India, launched being brought in,” Ms. Prabhu in tune with repo rates An example will be illustrative
A. Selling of securities falls under the head
repo-rate linked home loans added. “As a home-loan bor- to show how the loan can be af-
‘Income from Capital Gains.’ Equity shares are DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
considered capital assets as per the Income that came into the market on Ju- rower, you know what the rate fected if the repo rate is
Tax Act, 1961 and selling the same within one ly 1. This was swiftly followed is, what the spread is, and if you have the vagaries of the rate go- changed after a certain period
year amounts to short-term capital gains and by several other public sector know what the reset date is, ing down or hardening. But this of time. Say a borrower takes a
beyond a year, it is a long-term gain. In your banks, such as Syndicate Bank, In repo rate-linked loans, changes in interest rate can be frequent you also know what the rate way [with repo rate-linked loan of ₹50 lakh for a period of
case, as the holding period is more than a Bank of India, Union Bank and and could mean changes in instalment amount. GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK *
will be following an RBI action loans], at least you have 10 years at the current repo rate
year, it is a long-term capital asset. Allahabad Bank, who each an- and when it will come into ef- transparency.” of 5.4%. Her effective interest
For computation of long-term capital gain nounced home loan products Roopali Prabhu, head of Invest- have transmitted only a 29 basis fect. It is a very good move and That said, there are some rate will be 8.05% (5.4 + 2.25 +
or loss, the market value of the equity shares that would be directly linked to ment Products, Sanctum point cut to the consumers. A from a transparency point of risks the borrower undertakes 0.4) and the monthly instal-
that were sold by you as on January 31, 2018
(closing) is to be ascertained.
the central bank’s repo rate. Wealth Management, ex- repo rate-linked home loan is view, it is a pro-investor move.” when opting for the repo rate- ment will be ₹60,796. Three
Sale value less the market value as on plained. “Because of that, the one way to speed up this pro- However, some consumers linked home loans, such as the months down the line, the RBI
January 31, 2018 is the gain. This process is MCLR-based loans transmission [to the borrower] cess of transmission so that the have the misapprehension that eventuality of the central bank raises the repo rate by 25 basis
to be repeated for all the equity shares sold. The interest rate for normal was not happening.” end user can benefit from the a repo rate-linked product will raising the repo rate. This could points, which means the effec-
If the total of such long term gains exceeds home loans given by banks are “There was a constant com- RBI action. mean that the effective interest not only increase the interest tive interest rate is now 8.3%.
₹100,000 in a financial year, then the excess calculated based on the margi- plaint from customers that even The interest on the repo rate rate of the loan would change rate of the loan, but could also If the loan tenure is kept un-
is taxed at 10% as capital gains. nal cost of funds-based lending under the MCLR regime and be- linked loans is not the repo rate as constantly as the repo rate it- eventually impact the size of changed, this will mean that the
It is to be noted that this is the only rate (MCLR), which is an inter- fore that the base rate regime, itself, but is simply based on it. self does, thereby making it the instalments themselves. instalment will increase in size
procedure of computation of capital gains as
laid out by the act and only transfer expenses
nal reference rate set by banks. the benefits of the cuts of the For example, the SBI repo- more difficult for the loan taker “The customer must also un- to ₹61,445. Similarly, if the RBI
are allowed to be reduced from the sale This rate is nominally based policy rate were not getting linked lending rate (RLLR) will to systematically make the pay- derstand that in the case of the cuts the repo rate by 25 basis
proceeds. A copy of the statement from on the RBI’s repo rate — which transmitted to the end consum- have a base spread of 2.25 per- ments. This, however, is a risk repo rate linked loans, the points from 5.4% to 5.15%, then
Kotak Mahindra should be obtained. itself is the rate of interest the er,” Gaurav Gupta, CEO of My- centage points over the repo most borrowers already take changes in the interest rate can the instalment will shrink to
(N. Sree Kanth is partner, GSS & Associates, central bank charges banks — loancare said. “But, whenever rate. The repo rate at the time when they opt for floating rate be more frequent and it could ₹60,151.
Chartered Accountants, Chennai) but in practice the calculation there was an increase in inter- of launching the product was loans rather than fixed rate result in changes in the instal- In a scenario where the
of the MCLR by each bank is est rates by the regulator, the 5.75%, which meant the effec- ones. “The decision first is ment amount itself, which was monthly instalment increases
Readers can send in queries on personal finance and opaque and complex. banks were very quick to pass tive RLLR would have been 8%. whether you want a fixed rate not the case in the MCLR re- due to RBI’s actions, borrowers
investing to moneywise@thehindu.co.in. Our “The MCLR could be diffe- that on.” On top of this, the bank will or a floating rate,” Ms. Prabhu gime,” Mr. Gupta explained. will have to make sure that the
experts who write on personal finance will answer rent for different banks, and be The RBI has, over four ac- add a risk-based spread of 40- said. “Most go for a floating rate “What used to happen is that higher amount is available in
these queries. Moneywise will not give specific
influenced by various factors tions, cut the repo rate by 110 55 basis points, depending on anyway. A lot of institutions en- in case there was an increase in their bank accounts since the
recommendations for investment in a particular
mutual fund scheme, share or fixed deposit. such as the risk assigned to the basis points, whereas, accord- the risk assigned to the borrow- courage this. If you are going the interest rate, the banks increase will take place auto-
loan taker and other factors,” ing to some estimates, banks er. Taking this into account, the for a floating rate, you anyway used to increase the tenure of matically on the reset date.

LOOSE CHANGE Bank fixed deposit rates Home loan interest rates
. . . .

Ravikanth
Interest Rates (%) Interest Rates (%) Loan Amount (₹) Loan Amount (₹)
Bank Name Highest 1-year 3-year 5-year Bank Name Highest 1-year 3-year 5-year Name of Lender Name of Lender
Upto 30 lakh Above 30 lakh & Above 75 lakh Upto 30 lakh Above 30 lakh & Above 75 lakh
Slab tenure tenure tenure Slab tenure tenure tenure upto 75 lakh upto 75 lakh
. . . .

(In %) (In %)

Punjab National Bank 6.75 6.75 6.75 6.50 Karur Vysya Bank 8.80-11.55 8.80-11.55 8.80-11.55
SMALL FINANCE BANKS PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS
UCO Bank 6.50 6.50 6.40 6.40 Dhanlaxmi Bank 9.90-12.90 9.90-12.90 9.90-12.90
Suryoday Small Finance Bank 8.75 8.35 8.75 8.25 State Bank of India 8.35-8.75 8.60-9.05 8.70-9.20 HSBC Bank 8.85-9.15 8.85-9.15 8.85-9.15
Equitas Small Finance Bank 8.30 8.00 8.30 7.00 PRIVATE SECTOR BANKS Bank of Maharashtra 8.50-9.00 8.50-9.00 8.50-9.25 IDFC First Bank < =12.30 < =12.30 < =12.30
ESAF Small Finance Bank 8.50 8.50 7.30 7.30 Karnataka Bank 7.10 7.10 7.00 7.00 Canara Bank 8.50-8.60 8.50-8.70 8.50-8.75 Standard Chartered > =9.41 > =9.41 > =9.41
Jana Small Finance Bank 8.60 8.50 8.50 8.00 South Indian Bank 7.30 7.30 7.30 7.25 Bank of Baroda 8.45-9.45 8.45-9.45 8.45-9.70 Lakshmi Vilas Bank 10.05 10.05 10.05
Fincare Small Finance Bank 9.00 8.00 9.00 8.00 Federal Bank 7.25 7.00 7.00 7.00 Punjab National Bank 8.50-8.70 8.50-8.70 8.55-8.75 Citi Bank 9.35-10.35 9.35-10.35 9.35-10.35
Utkarsh Small Finance Bank 9.00 8.50 7.00 8.00 Axis Bank 7.20 7.10 7.00 6.75 UCO Bank 8.50 8.50-8.60 8.65-8.75 DBS Bank < =9.50 < =9.50 < =9.50
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank 8.50 8.10 7.50 7.00 Karur Vysya Bank 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 Indian Overseas Bank 8.50 8.60 8.75 Tamilnad Mercantile 8.95-9.20 8.95-9.20 8.95-9.20
North East Small Finance Bank 8.75 8.00 7.25 6.75 City Union Bank 7.00 7.00 6.85 6.85 Oriental Bank of Comm. 8.55-8.65 8.55-8.65 8.55 Jammu & Kashmir Bank 8.75 8.75 8.75-9.10
AU Small Finance Bank 8.10 7.01 8.10 7.77 Catholic Syrian Bank 6.75 6.75 6.50 6.50 United Bank of India 8.40-8.55 8.40-8.55 8.40-8.55 RBL Bank 10.15-12.00 11.50-12.00 11.50-12.00
Capital Small Finance Bank 7.75 7.50 7.50 7.35 Yes Bank 7.85 7.25 7.25 7.25 Andhra Bank 8.50-8.55 8.50-8.55 8.60-8.65 City Union Bank 10.25-13.25 10.75-13.25 11.25-13.25
ICICI Bank 7.10 6.70 7.10 7.00 Punjab & Sind Bank 8.70 8.70 8.95
PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS
HDFC Bank 7.30 7.00 7.30 7.25 Syndicate Bank 8.35 8.35 8.35
Indian Bank 6.90 6.75 6.75 6.90 Union Bank of India 8.60-8.95 8.60-8.95 8.65-9.25
HOUSING FINANCE COMPANIES (HFCs)
Kotak Mahindra Bank 6.75 6.75 6.50 6.25
Syndicate Bank 6.70 6.50 6.50 6.50 IDFC First Bank 8.50 7.00 7.50 7.50 Bank of India 8.45-9.35 8.45-9.35 8.45-9.35
Bank of Maharashta 6.00 6.00 5.75 5.50 HDFC Ltd. 8.40-8.95 8.75-9.30 8.80-9.35
DCB Bank 8.00 7.00 8.00 7.75 Corporation Bank 8.60-8.80 8.60-8.80 8.60-9.05
State Bank of India 6.80 6.80 6.60 6.50 PNB Housing Finance 9.25-11.50 9.25-11.50 9.25-11.50
RBL Bank 7.75 7.70 7.50 7.50 Indian Bank 8.70-8.80 8.80-8.90 8.95-9.05
Andhra Bank 6.80 6.80 6.75 6.75 Indiabulls Housing Fin. 8.80-12.00 8.80-12.00 8.80-12.00
Bandhan Bank 7.65 7.35 7.65 7.65 Central Bank of India 8.50 8.50 8.50-8.75
Canara Bank 6.50 6.50 6.40 6.40 LIC Housing Finance 8.80-9.05 8.95-9.15 9.05-9.15
Dhanlaxmi Bank 7.00 7.00 6.50 6.50 IDBI Bank 8.60-9.20 8.60-9.20 8.90-9.20
Bank of India 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.50 Hero Housing Finance > =9.75 > =9.75 > =9.75
IndusInd Bank 7.50 7.50 7.35 7.35 Allahabad Bank 8.40-9.40 8.40-9.40 8.45-9.40
Union Bank of India 6.75 6.75 6.40 6.45 Piramal Capital & Housg. > =9.00 > =9.00 > =9.00
Tamilnad Mercantile Bank 7.25 7.25 6.90 6.90
Indian Overseas Bank 6.80 6.60 6.80 6.80 IIFL > =10.25 > =10.25 > =10.25
PRIVATE SECTOR BANKS
Corporation Bank 7.00 6.80 6.50 6.50 FOREIGN BANKS Bajaj Finserv 8.80-11.15 9.05-11.15 9.05-11.15
Allahabad Bank 6.70 6.70 6.45 6.45 ICICI Bank 8.70-9.10 8.70-9.20 9.20-9.30 Reliance Home Finance 9.75-13.00 9.75-13.00 9.75-11.00
CitiBank 6.00 5.50 6.00 6.00
IDBI Bank 7.10 7.10 6.85 6.85 Bandhan Bank 12.41-13.33 12.41-13.33 12.41-13.33 Aditya Birla Capital 9.00-12.50 9.00-12.50 9.00-12.50
Deutsche Bank 8.00 6.50 7.00 8.00
Central Bank of India 6.60 6.60 6.45 6.45 Axis Bank 8.90-10.60 9.05-9.55 9.10-9.55 GIC Housing Finance 9.10-12.50 9.10-12.50 9.10-12.50
“The phone doesn’t work; but I always HSBC Bank 5.00 5.00 6.00 5.00
Karnataka Bank 8.90 8.90 9.00 Repco Home Finance > =9.25 > =9.25 > =9.25
United Bank of India 6.50 6.50 6.25 6.00
carry it. I’m worried I might be taken as DBS Bank 7.25 7.25 6.75 7.00
Yes Bank 9.85-13.00 9.85-13.00 9.85-12.50 Tata Capital > =9.25 > =9.25 > =9.25
Bank of Baroda 6.60 6.45 6.45 6.45 FD rates as on August 14, 2019 N.A. N.A. N.A.
carrying cash otherwise!” Kotak Mahindra Bank 8.75-9.10 8.75-9.10 8.75-9.10 Source:paisabazaar.com
Source:paisabazaar.com

CM A CH-CHE
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Lord’s Test drawn after absorbing final day Pujara comes to India’s rescue
Labuschagne and Head stand firm as Australia wards off an incisive spell from Archer & Co.
THE ASHES
Reuters
LONDON
The second Ashes Test was
drawn as Australia, chasing
267 to beat England, ended
on 154 for six after an absorb-
ing final day at Lord’s on
Sunday.
Ben Stokes made a bril-
liant century and England
declared on 258 for five be-
fore Jofra Archer claimed
two early wickets to give the
host the sniff of an unlikely
victory.
But Marnus Labuschagne,
replacing Steve Smith as Test
cricket’s first substitute,
made 59 and Travis Head an
unbeaten 42 to lead the Aus-
tralians to safety and keep
them 1-0 up in the series.
Smith was ruled out of the
final day suffering from con-
cussion symptoms after be-
ing struck on the neck by an
Archer bouncer on Saturday
and Labuschagne was hit on
Labuschagne is first
‘concussion’ substitute
Agence France-Presse
London
Australia’s Steve Smith
was ruled out of the last
day of the second Ashes
Test with concussion.
Marnus Labuschagne,
on the field as 12th man
when play resumed on
Sunday, hence became
the first ‘concussion
substitute’ in Test history
after Australia’s request
was approved by match
Rain plays
spoilsport
DULEEP TROPHY
Ashwin Achal
Bengaluru
Play was abandoned with-
out a ball being bowled on
the second day of the Du-
leep Trophy match bet-
ween India Green and In-
dia Blue, at Just Cricket
ground here on Sunday.
The first session was lost
due to a wet outfield
caused by overnight rain.
Shortly after Lunch, it
began to drizzle, putting an
end to all hopes of witness-
ing some on-field action.
India Blue remain on 112
for six.
Lampard’s first home
match ends in a draw
Lundstram wins it for Sheffield United
Happy times: Sheffield United’s John Lundstram celebrates
with George Baldock. REUTERS
*
EURO LEAGUES
Reuters
Manchester
Chelsea manager Frank
Lampard had to settle for a
1-1 draw against Leicester Ci-
ty in his first home match in
charge on Sunday as a se-
cond-half header by Wilfred
Ndidi cancelled out Mason
Mount’s early goal on his
home debut.
Chelsea raced into a
quick lead when the 20
year-old Mountstole the ball
from a dallying Ndidi and
left Kasper Schmeichel with
no chance with his shot in
the seventh minute.
But Leicester grew into
the game and equalised in
the 67th minute when Ndidi
atoned for his first-half error
by heading home a James
CM
YK
Knocked over: Marnus Labuschagne, who made history as Test cricket’s first concussion
substitute, goes down after being hit by a Jofra Archer bouncer. AFP
the helmet by the second
ball he faced from the Barba-
dos-born fast bowler.
Courage and composure
The 25-year-old right-hander
was able to continue batting,
referee Ranjan Madugalle.
Smith was felled by a
Jofra Archer bouncer on
Saturday.
“Steve has been closely
monitored by medical
staff overnight and this
morning reported that
after sleeping well, he
woke with ‘a bit of a
headache and a feeling of
grogginess,” said an
Australian team
spokesman. The series is
NADA tests from
next Duleep game
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI
The National Anti-Doping
Agency (NADA) will start
testing the players during
the next Duleep Trophy
game in Bengaluru from
August 23, having agreed to
BCCI’s demands for
qualified medical
practitioners as Lead Dope
Control Officers (LDCO).
“The Duleep Trophy has
already started and they
will probably be coming for
the later matches. They
haven’t specified whether
they are planning target-
Maddison corner.
In another match, John
Lundstram’s second-half
goal gave Sheffield United a
1-0 win over Crystal Palace
on Sunday.
The results: Premier League:
Sheffield United 1 (Lundstram
47) bt Crystal Palace 0; Chel-
sea 1 (Mount 7) drew with Leic-
ester 1 (Ndidi 67).
Bundesliga: Eintracht Frank-
furt 1 (Hinteregger 1) bt Hof-
fenheim 0; Union Berlin 0 RB
Leipzig 4 (Halstenberg 16, Sa-
bitzer 31, Werner 42, Nkunku
69).
Saturday: La Liga: Valencia 1
(Gameiro 58) drew with Real
Sociedad 1 (Oiarzabal 90+11-
pen). Villarreal 4 (Cazorla 35-
pen, Moises 53, Gerard 65,
Chukwueze 73) drew with Gra-
nada 4 (Fede Vico 45+6-pen,
Peũa 62-og, Soldado 75, Puer-
tas 81.
* Test century, adding a quick-
however, showing courage and 11 fours, as the host ad-
and composure under in- ded 162 runs to its overnight
tense pressure to reach his score to give itself a chance
second Test fifty in his sixth of levelling the series.
match.
After resuming on 96 for
Earlier, Stokes scored 115 four following another rain
not out, hitting three sixes delay, Stokes and Jos Buttler
SCOREBOARD
England — 1st innings: 258.
Australia — 1st innings: 250.
England — 2nd innings: R.
Burns c Paine b Siddle 29, J. Roy
c & b Cummins 2, J. Root c Paine
the first being played b Cummins 0, J. Denly c & b
under ICC’s new Siddle 26, B. Stokes (not out)
concussion substitute 115, J. Buttler c Hazlewood b
regulations, which allow Cummins 31, J. Bairstow (not
players who have suffered out) 30; Extras (b-5, lb-19,
head or neck injuries to nb-1): 25; Total (for five wkts.
decl. in 71 overs): 258.
be replaced fully by a
substitute. Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-9, 3-64,
4-71, 5-161.
Labuschagne was
Australia bowling: Cummins 17-
eligible to bat or bowl in 6-35-3, Hazlewood 13-1-43-0,
Smith’s place, unlike Siddle 15-4-54-2, Lyon
traditional substitutes 26-3-102-0
who were restricted to Australia — 2nd innings: C. Ban-
fielding. croft lbw b Leach 16, D. Warner
c Burns b Archer 5, U. Khawaja c
Klaasen for
Second
Press Trust of India
Johannesburg
testing or random-testing.
Wicketkeeper Rudi Second
has been ruled out of South
There will be a few tests on
match days (in-
Africa’s Test tour of India in
October due to an injury
competition),” said Dr. and Heinrich Klaasen will
Abhijit Salvi, head of the take his place in the squad,
anti-doping unit. Cricket South Africa has
The BCCI carried out said.
around 275 tests last season CSA said Second, one of
with the International the new caps in the Proteas
Doping Tests and squad to play three Tests in
Management of Sweden India in October, suffered
(IDTM) for sample an injury while practising
collection, and it remains with the South Africa-A
to be seen how many tests side. He will require sur-
NADA will carry out this gery and has consequently
season, considering that been ruled out. Second’s
only 11 months are left for place with be taken by
the Tokyo Olympics. wicketkeeper-batsman
Klaasen.
Titans put on a towering performance ‘Indian crop strongest in the world ’
Thalaivas bounce back to hold Paltan to a tie
inflicted an all out, holding
PKL the lone raider Naveen.
S. Prasanna Venkatesan
CHENNAI Fine tackle
Siddharth Desai top-scored In the Titans’ defence, Suraj
with 18 points as Telugu Ti- Desai and Arun pulled off a
tans posted an emphatic 40- particularly fine tackle on
29 win over Haryana Steelers Prashanth Kumar Rai in the
in the ProKabaddi League seventh minute.
here on Sunday. On its part, Steelers came
up with good tackle in the
The first half belonged to 10th minute on Suraj, as
Titans as the tall Siddharth Cheralathan and Vikas Kale
secured eight points from pinned the raider after he
nine raids. A bonus point in a had kicked Vikas Kandola
do-or-die attempt in the third seemingly hard and tried to
minute helped him achieve
return home for a point.
50 raid bonus points in the
Steelers had trailed 8-9 then.
league.
This was after Kandola
made a kick touch on Amit
Siddharth put out two of
the three defenders — Dhar- Kumar in the far right corner,
maraj Cheralathan and Vinay for Steelers to reach 7-9 in the
— in the 15th minute to help ninth minute. Kandola was
Titans lead 15-9. Titans then the most enterprising raider
Made it! Thalaivas’ Ajith Kumar pulls off a super raid, in spite of three Paltan players trying to
stall him, in the exciting second match on Sunday. M. VEDHAN *
dug in to take England to 157
for four at lunch.
Buttler fell for 31 but
Stokes went on the attack
and brought up his seventh
fire 97 with Jonny Bairstow
who finished unbeaten on
30.
Australia will head to
Leeds for the third Test start-
ing on Thursday with Smith’s
fitness being a matter of se-
rious concern.
Bairstow b Archer 2, M.
Labuschagne c Root b Leach 59,
T. Head (not out) 42, M. Wade c
Buttler b Leach 1, T. Paine c
Denly b Archer 4, P. Cummins
(not out) 1; Extras (b-4, lb-18,
nb-1, w-1): 24; Total (for six
wkts. in 47.3 overs): 154.
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-19, 3-47,
4-132, 5-138, 6-149.
England bowling: Broad 7-0-
29-0, Archer 15-2-32-3, Woakes
3-0-11-0, Leach 16.3-5-37-3,
Stokes 3-1-16-0, Root 1-0-7-0,
Denly 2-2-0-0.
Man-of-the-Match: Stokes.
Match drawn, Australia leads
five-Test series 1-0.
Third Test: August 22 to 26,
Leeds.
Karunaratne takes
Sri Lanka to victory
Involved in record stand with Thirimanne
KIWIS IN LANKA
Agence France-Presse
Galle
Captain Dimuth Karuna-
ratne scored 122 as Sri Lan-
ka chased down 268 for the
loss of four wickets to win
the first Test against New
Zealand on Sunday and take
a 1-0 lead in the two-match
series.
Karunaratne posted his
ninth Test century and a re-
cord-equalling opening
partnership of 161 with Lahi-
ru Thirimanne, who made
64, as Sri Lanka collected its
for Steelers with nine points.
Steelers, which trailed Titans
13-21 at the break, managed
to score 16 points against Ti-
tans’ 19 in the second half.
In the second match, Ta-
mil Thalaivas pulled off a
thrilling 31-31 tie with Puneri
Paltan. The key moment, a
singular piece of play, was V.
Ajith Kumar’s super raid.
As the lone raider, he put
out three defenders, who
tried to prevent him from
touching the midline, to help
Thalaivas draw level 29-29
from 25-29 with only three
minutes left.
The results: Thalaivas 31 (V.
Ajith Kumar 8, Rahul Chaudhari
8) tied with Paltan 31 (Surjeet
Singh 7, Pankaj Mohite 7); Ti-
tans 40 (Siddharth Desai 18) bt
Steelers 29 (Vikas Kandola 9).
Ishant, Umesh and Kuldeep bundle out West Indies-A
In his element: Pujara was into his stride rightaway, doing what he does best.
INDIA IN WI
Press Trust of India
Coolidge (Antigua)
Cheteshwar Pujara struck
form with a fine century,
while Rohit Sharma hit 68 as
India shrugged off an initial
wobble to declare at 297 for
five against West Indies-A in
the three-day warm-up
game here on Saturday. In
reply, the hosts were skittled
out for 181 at tea on day two.
Ishant Sharma (three for
21 off eight overs), Umesh Ya-
dav (three for 19 in 10 overs)
and Kuldeep Yadav (three
for 35 off 9.1 overs) ran
through the West Indies-A
line-up. Only Kavem Hodge
(51) offered some resistance.
Solid stand
On day one, Pujara and Ro-
hit stitched a 132-run part-
nership for the fourth wicket
to rescue India after it was
Karunaratne. *
GETTY IMAGES
first points of the World Test
Championship. Karuna-
ratne faced 245 balls and hit
six fours and a six.
Six youngsters to train with Vladimir Kramnik
CHESS
RAKESH RAO
NEW DELHI
In the chess world, India’s
teen talent has been making
waves. The current crop, led
by R. Praggnanandhaa, is
clearly the most promising
bunch seen in a long time.
And what more, the endor-
sement of this fact has come
from none other than form-
er World champion Vladimir
Kramnik.
“I think the current In-
dian chess crop is the stron-
gest generation in the world
now, maybe the strongest ev-
er in one country.” This ob-
servation from the now-re-
tired Russian wizard only
reinforces the growing belief
in the global chess fraternity.
Impressed by available In-
dian talent, Kramnik agreed
to hold a training session for
six youngsters. The group in-
cludes Grandmasters, Pragg-
nanandhaa (born in 2005)
D. Gukesh (2006), P. Iniyan
(2002), Prithu Gupta (2004)
and International Masters
Ranuak Sadhwani (2005)
and Leon Mendonca (2006).
They are training at Chens
Sur Leman, France, close to
Geneva, where Kramnik
lives.
Intially, GMs Nihal Sarin
and Arjun Ergaisi were part
of the six-player list. Howev-
er, Nihal pulled out due to
prior commitments and Ar-
jun had to undergo an knee-
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
reduced to 89. Test specialist
Pujara got going in his first
competitive match of the
West Indies tour and retired
after making 100 off 187 balls
A hoax!
Press Trust of India
Coolidge (Antigua)
The BCCI on Sunday
confirmed that the
security threat to the
national team was a
“hoax”, but the Indian
High Commission here
has intimated the
Antigua government
about the
developments.
“We have informed
the security agencies
and it has been found
that it was a hoax mail,”
a BCCI official said.
SCOREBOARD
New Zealand — 1st innings:
249.
Sri Lanka — 1st innings: 267.
New Zealand — 2nd innings:
285.
Sri Lanka — 2nd innings: D.
Karunaratne c Watling b
Southee 122, L. Thirimanne
lbw b Somerville 64, K. Mendis
c Raval b Ajaz 10, A. Mathews
(not out) 28, K. Perera c Sant-
ner b Boult 23, D. de Silva (not
out) 14; Extras (b-6, lb-1): 7.
Total (for four wkts. in 86.1
overs): 268.
Fall of wickets: 1-161, 2-174, 3-
218, 4-250.
New Zealand bowling: Boult
9.1-1-34-1, Southee 12-2-33-1,
Somerville 31-6-73-1, Ajaz 18-
0-74-1, Santner 13-2-38-0,
Williamson 3-0-9-0.
Man-of-the-Match: Karunar-
atne.
Sri Lanka won by six wickets.
The lucky ones: Vladimir Kramnik poses with Leon Mendonca,
Prithu Gupta, R. Praggnanandhaa, D. Gukesh, P. Iniyan and
Raunak Sadhwani. COURTESY: CHESSBASE INDIA
*
surgery following an acci-
dent. Sharing the details of
the Kramnik-Microsense
Chess India Program, sche-
duled from August 14 to 25,
Kramnik said, “The idea of
training the young talented
Indian kids came during my
conversation with Frederic
Friedel, my good friend
from ChessBase. One of the
young Indian talents was at
Frederic’s home and I
shared my high opinion
about Indian youngsters. In-
dia’s got some really very ta-
lented kids with a potential
of being top players, maybe
even World Champions in
the future.”
Talking about the blue-
print for the camp, Kramnik
said, “In the first session I
would like to get to know the
players personally, to talk to
them, to answer the ques-
tions that they have on their
CHENNAI
THE HINDU
* COURTESY BCCI
with eight fours and a six.
Rohit fell after making 68
off 115 balls, hitting eight 4s
and a six.
Pant, Vihari come good
After Pujara retired in the fi-
nal session, Rishabh Pant
and Hanuma Vihari further
pushed the Indian total.
Stumps were drawn just af-
ter Pant was out for a 53-ball
33 which he made with the
help of four 4s and a 6.
For West Indies-A, pacer
Jonathan Carter took three
for 39 from his 13.5 overs,
and Keon Harding and Akim
Frazer took one wicket each.
The scores: India 297 for five
decl. in 88.5 overs (C. Pujara
100 retd., Rohit Sharma 68,
Rishabh Pant 33, Hanuma Viha-
ri 37 n.o., Jonathan Carter three
for 39) vs West Indies 181 in
56.1 overs at tea (Kavem Hodge
51, Ishant Sharma three for 21,
Umesh Yadav three for 19, Kul-
deep Yadav three for 35).
Anand
posts win
Sports Bureau
SAINT LOUIS
Viswanathan Anand
emerged as the lone win-
ner on the opening day of
the prestigious Sinquefield
Cup chess tournament af-
ter conquering Russia’s Ian
Nepomniachtchi in 77
moves here.
Other results (first round):
Magnus Carlsen (Nor) drew
with Anish Giri (Ned); Hikaru
Nakamura (USA) drew with
Fabiano Caruana (USA); Ding
Liren (Chn) drew with Wesley
So (USA); Sergey Karjakin
(Rus) drew with Shakhriyar
Mamedyarov (Aze); Levon
Aronian (Arm) drew with
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
(Fra).
mind. We will be touching
upon all the aspects of the
game including opening,
middle-game and the end-
game. I am going to prepare
very seriously for the camp.
I will give my insights of how
I prepare psychologically
and professionally for chess
tournaments and I would
share with them my views
on many issues of profes-
sional chess.
“I will also be sharing se-
crets which only top players
are aware of because of their
experience of playing chess
at the highest level. I will al-
so prepare some specific lec-
tures for the camp and allow
the kids to play with each
other and then later analyse
these games in detail.
“I am pretty sure that this
camp will be very useful for
the young talents,” said
Kramnik.
A CH-CHE
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THE HINDU
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019
CHENNAI

SPORT 15
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TV PICKS
KPL: Star Sports 3, 3 p.m.
PKL: Star Sports 1 & 2 (SD &
CCFC ties up with uhlsport Medvedev
stuns Djokovic
HD), 7.30 p.m.
Premier League: SS Select 1 Partnership plans to develop grassroots football Agence France-Presse
(SD & HD), 12.30 a.m. (Tues- Cincinnati
day) Special Correspondent World No. 1 Novak Djokovic
Chennai wilted under pressure
I-League champion Chennai from Daniil Medvedev, fall-
Marcus ’tricks City FC on Sunday an- ing 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to the
nounced a strategic partner- ninth-seeded Russian in
for Gokulam ship with German sports the Cincinnati Masters
goods supplier uhlsport to semifinals here on
Special Correspondent develop grassroots football Saturday.
KOLKATA in Tamil Nadu and across In- Medvedev’s upset win
Gokulam Kerala FC rode dia. sent him into a title show-
on Marcus Joseph’s hat- The German company, es- down with another unex-
trick to record an emphatic tablished in 1948, sells foot- pected finalist, 16th-seeded
4-1 win over TRAU FC to Delighted: The Indian women cannot hide their joy after holding World No. 2 to a draw. ball products under the uhl- Belgian David Goffin, who
finish its Group D engage- * COURTESY TWITTER sport brand and handball defeated France’s Richard
ments with a maximum of products under the Kempa Gasquet 6-3, 6-4.
nine points in the Durand
Cup football tournament at
the Howrah Stadium on
Sunday.
Indian women rally brand, and is the official sup-
plier of the Bundesliga
teams 1. FC Koln and Fortu-
na Dusseldorf.
Kickstarting in India: uhlsport Gmbh’s managing director
Dominik Solleder and head of international sales
In the women’s draw
Svetlana Kuznetsova upset
top-seeded Ashleigh Barty
6-2, 6-4.

to hold Australia
Following a barren first In France, uhlsport is the Bjorn Straub. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
* The results (semifinals):
official supplier and official Men: Daniil Medvedev bt No-
half, Gokulam, which had
ball sponsor of the top divi- club, we are keen to enter “We are delighted to have vak Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-3; Da-
already qualified for the vid Goffin bt 6-3, 6-4.
semifinals, scored all its sion Ligue 1, where teams the Indian market and have such an esteemed brand on
Women: Svetlana Kuznetsova
goals in the action-packed Men lose 2-1 to New Zealand such as Paris Saint Germain, them experience our good board with us. We believe
bt Ashleigh Barty 6-2, 6-4;
second period. Monaco, Marseille and oth- quality sporting goods,” said that this partnership will Madison Keys bt Sofia Kenin
Australia dominated the lead, but with just a couple
Andre Ettienne was the OLYMPIC TEST second quarter completely. of minutes remaining, India
ers play, and the second divi- uhlsport GmbH managing work wonders for the deve- 7-5, 6-4.
sion Ligue 2. director Dominik Solleder. lopment of grassroots foot-
other scorer for the Kerala Press Trust of India But India’s defence held firm won a penalty corner. “We’re delighted to an- “Uhlsport also wants to ball in the state of Tamil Na-
team. M. Roger scored the and goalkeeper Savita made And, prolific drag-flicker
Tokyo nounce the new cooperation associate with other sport- du.
consolation goal for TRAU.
In other inconsequential
The Indian women’s hockey a couple of great saves. Gurjit Kaur stepped up and with Chennai City to support ing organisations and tap in- “We will be focusing on Kotla stand to
team came back twice to India struck on the break struck a sweet blow into the a sustainable growth of foot- to the growing sporting mar- using the equipment exclu-
affairs, Chennaiyin FC held
Indian Air Force to a goal-
hold World No. 2 Australia as Vandana finished off a back of the net to earn India ball education in India. With ket in the country,” he added sively for all the grassroots be named
2-2 in a round-robin league superb move to equalise in a well-deserved draw. our well-developed relation- Chennai City owner and festivals and programs con-
less draw, while Chennai
City FC beat Army Green
match of the Olympic test the 36th minute. But the Meanwhile, the Indian ship with this prospering director Rohit Ramesh said: ducted by us.” after Kohli
event here on Sunday. lead did not last long. men squandered an early
2-1 to post its first victory. Vandana Katariya (36th) It was in the 43rd minute lead to lose 2-1 to New SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
The results: Group C: Chennai Zealand.
City 2 (Mashoor Shereef 42,
S.M. Eugene 66) bt Army
and Gurjit Kaur (59th) can-
celled out strikes by Kaitlin
Nobbs (14th) and Grace Ste-
that Australia found its se-
cond goal through some ex-
quisite team work, which
Skipper Harmanpreet
Singh converted a penalty
Arjun Balu completes a double NEW DELHI

After spin legend Bishan

Singh Bedi and Mohinder
Green 1 (Lallawmkima 10).
wart (43rd). India had bea- saw Stewart registering her corner to put India ahead in Amarnath, Virat Kohli will
Group D: Chennaiyin FC 0
ten host Japan 2-1 on Satur- name on the score-sheet. the second minute, but New MRF F1600 race abandoned after a pile-up become the third cricketer
drew with Indian Air Force 0;
Gokulam Kerala FC 4 (Marcus day. In the 14th minute, With moves breaking Zealand struck back in the to have a stand named af-
Australia was awarded a pe- down, and chances going last quarter through Jacob ter him at the Ferozeshah
Joseph 58, 64-pen, 83, Andre
Ettienne 73) bt TRAU FC 1 (M. nalty stroke and Nobbs waste, it looked like Austra- Smith (47th) and Sam Lane MOTORSPORTS Kotla stadium.
Roger 87). made no mistake. lia would hold onto the 2-1 (60th). Special Correspondent The Delhi and Districts
CHENNAI Cricket Association orga-
On a day that began in heavy nising committee’s deci-
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\ AROUND THE CITY \
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CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
sunshine, Coimbatore vete- the India captain, who
ran Arjun Balu (Race Con- made his international de-
Matches postponed Chanchana 42, T.S. Dharshana cepts) completed a grand but on this very day in
The VAP Trophy cricket 13) bt St. Joseph’s (Cgl) 62 double in the Indian Touring 2008, the youngest active
tournament, scheduled for (Praveena Mary 28, Anne Cars class to head the leader- Good show: Arjun Balu, centre, flanked by Aditya Patel, left cricketer to be bestowed
August 19 (Monday), stands Akshaya 16). board as the fourth round of and Dhruv Shivaji Mohite on the podium of the Indian Touring the honour.
postponed due to inclement Sanjay, Vickram the MRF MMSC FMSCI Na- Cars category. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
*

weather. do it for CFC tional car racing champion-

ship, concluded at the laps): 1. Arjun Balu (Race Con- (14:45.952). Race 2 (10 laps): 1.
The TNCA city schools
under-16 cricket tournament
Chennaiyin FC retained the
title in the Don Bosco-Fr. MMRT, here on Sunday. cepts) (12mins, 49.794secs); 2.
Aditya Patel (Rayo Racing)
RP Rajarajan (Performance Rac-
ing) (22:15.115); 2. Rithvik Tho-
AITA on a
matches, to be held on
August 19 (Monday), have
Mohanraj memorial Trophy
inter-school under-16
The MRF F1600 race was
abandoned after a 10-car
(12:50.491); 3. Dhruv Shivaji
Mohite (Rayo Racing)
mas (Race Concepts)
(22:27.432); 3. Sudanand Daniel
sticky wicket
been postponed owing to football tournament, pile-up barely 300 metres (12:58.907). Race-2 (10 laps): (Race Concepts) (22:28.759).
wet ground conditions. conducted by Don Bosco from the start. Pole-sitter 1. Dhruv Shivaji Mohite (Rayo Race 3 (8 laps): 1. Rithvik Tho- Press Trust of India
SRM men bag title Youth Centre (Broadway), Yash Aradhya lost grip and Racing) (21:19.565); 2. Aditya mas (16:15.162); 2. Sudanand New Delhi

SRM IST won the the N. on Sunday. It beat DBYC spun when he landed in a Patel (Rayo Racing) Daniel (16:15.951); 3. RP Rajara- India’s tennis federation
Muthiah Ambalam (Vyasarpadi) 2-0 in the final Making the right moves: Ethiraj College proved unbeatable in puddle. The cars behind him (21:20.682); 3. Arjun Balu (Race jan (16:40.747). will look to convince world
memorial State-level inter- with N. Sanjay and S. the Madras University B-zone chess tournament. crashed into one another. Concepts) (21:28.378). Race-3 Volkswagen Ameo Class body ITF into changing the
Vickram scoring the goals. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT None of the drivers though (8 laps): 1. Arjun Balu (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. Jeet Jha- venue of its Davis Cup tie
collegiate volleyball men’s *

suffered serious injuries. But (15:11.978); 2. Aditya Patel bakh (Hyderabad) (20:09.577);
tournament at Madurai S. Jaganath, Managing against Pakistan in Islama-
(15:17.508); 3. Ishaan Dodhiwa- 2. Aiman Sadat (Bangladesh)
recently. Partner, Land Mark non-medallist snooker a.m.) due to rain. with 10 cars badly damaged, bad with team captain Ma-
la (Team Rayo Racing) (20:12.811); 3. Siddharth Meh-
DG Vaishnav finished Promoters, was the chief tournament on Sunday. Basketball trials on it was decided to cancel (15:28.324). Super Stock diratta (Lucknow) (20:13.363). hesh Bhupathi likely to
second and STC (Pollachi) guest. The results: Edwin (Cue Zone) Aug. 21 and 22 three races and run them in (Race-1, 6 laps): 1. Sudanand Race-3 (8 laps): 1. Prateek So- play a key role in the tele-
third. Wildcards for YMCA- bt Sudarshan 61-15, 56-21; the next round in Daniel (Race Concepts) nawane (Pune) (16:00.024); 2. consultation on Monday.
Zulvan (Pondy) bt Sudarshan Chennai District Basketball
Ethiraj on a roll TTT junior tennis September. (14:15.475); 2. Rithvik Thomas Sidharth Mehdiratta (Lucknow) The All India Tennis As-
(Snook City) 82-42, 79-50; Association (CDBA) will The results (provisional):
Ethiraj College for women The wildcards for the YMCA- (Race Concepts) (14:15.787); 3. (16:01.383); 3. Shobhomoy Ball sociation (AITA) has a
Saravanan (TNCA) bt P. Arvind conduct trials to select the Indian Touring Cars (Race-1, 6 R Rajashekar (Race Concepts) (Bengaluru) (16:06.481).
bagged the Madras TTT International Tennis tough job at hand to con-
(MUC) 68-59, 65-27; Zakeer Chennai Zone-I boys’ & girls’
University B-zone chess Federation junior tennis (Smart Shooters) bt Britto
vince the ITF to provide a
teams, on Aug. 21 and Aug.
tournament, winning all five tournament to be held from (Snook City) 52-49, 47-40; neutral venue since the
22, both at 4 p.m., at the
rounds. It defeated
Meenakshi 4-0, Ethiraj SSS
August 19 to 24 was
announced by the
Moinsha (Q Ball City) bt Viji (Q
Trickz) 53-23, 47-57, 49-8;
Yetheendaraj (SOS) bt Sadham
Corporation playgrounds,
Nungambakkam.
Harmeet proves too good for Sushmit World Governing body still
feels that current circum-
stances does not demand a
Jain 4-0, WCC 4-0, Stella 4-0, organisers here on Sunday.
For Chennai Zone-II, the
and Meghalakshmi 3.5-0.5. Boys: Bakiwala Parakram, P. (Snook City) 47-55, 55-47,
58-44; Karthick (Cue Zone) bt trials will be held on Aug. 21
Ayhika downs a fighting Selenadeepthi change in venue.
AVM Rajeswari and S.K. Bhat Aayush (USA), Sarakar ITF though has agreed
Ritabrata, Vivekanandan V. Palani (Q Lounge) 51-38, and Aug. 22, both at 4 p.m., knocked out fourth seed of hours prior to the wo- to address AITA’s concern
Rajendran (Erode) clinched
the boys’ and girls’ titles in Saran Anish, Manimaran 48-37; Satish (TNCA) w/o Vijay at St. Peter’s HSS, SOUTH ZONE TT Sanish Shetty in the semifi- men’s final at the expense of and will ensure that its se-
Adhithyan, and V.M. Sandeep. (Cue Zone). Royapuram, Chennai.
the G. Kalyanasundaram A. Vinod nals in the morning had Kaushani Nath 11-5, 17-15, 13- curity consultants speak
memorial State-level inter- Girls: Are Adithi, Ball badminton Players born on or after THIRUVANANTHAPURAM raised hopes of providing a 11, 11-7. with them.
school basketball
Venkatakrishnan Adithi, final today 01.01.2001 are eligible to Harmeet Desai and Ayhika good fight to his Gujarat riv- The results: Men: Final: Har- Bhupathi will also be
Sivaraman Kanika, M.M. The final match between take part. Mukherjee were all smiles as al, who made the grade with meet Desai (PSPB) bt Sushmit part of the tele-conference,
tournament held at Krishnarajan, Marathe Malikaa, Loyola Whites and St. The junior inter-district they took the men’s and wo- a facile win over Soumyajit Sriram (TN) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5, 6- scheduled for Monday.
Chengalpattu. and Bhoyar Sai. 11, 12-10. Semifinals: Harmeet
The results (finals): Joseph's College (Tiruchi) in (under-18) championships men’s singles titles in the Ghosh.
Boys: AVM Rajeswari 52 (Adib
Karthik gets the 87th Bertram memorial will be organised by the UTT-South Zone National bt Soumyajit Ghosh (Har) 11-3,
past Palani However, the Tamil Nadu 11-9, 9-11, 11-2, 10-12, 11-2;
ball badminton tournament,
Akther 16, Gokul 12) bt St.
Mary’s HSS 48 (Ajay 16, Youtha Karthik of Cue Zone scheduled for Aug. 18
Tamil Nadu Basketball
Association in the first week
ranking table tennis cham-
pionships at the Jimmy Ge-
paddler was nowhere in the
picture, but for the third
Sushmit bt Sanish Shetty (PSPB)
8-11, 11-7, 11-13, 4-11, 11-7, 11-6,
Hima, Anas
defeated Palani (Q Lounge)
Aroan 12, Mario Rohith 10).
Girls: S.K. Rajendran 68 (T.S. 51-38, 48-37 in the MUC
(Sunday), has been
postponed to Monday (9
of September. For details,
contact Nissar, Secretary,
orge indoor stadium here on
Sunday.
game, as Harmeet kept up
the pressure with an attack-
11-6.
Women: Final: Ayhika Mukher-
win gold
CDBA, at 98401 11199. Harmeet was all poise and ing display. jee (RBI) bt Selenadeepthi Sel-
grace as he accounted for vakumar (TN) 11-6, 10-12, 11-13, Press Trust of India
ENGAGEMENTS Sushmit Sriram, seeded two “It was easy in the end 11-9, 11-7, 11-7. Semifinals: Ayhi- New Delhi
Kabaddi: PKL, U Mumba vs rungs below his sixth, 11-6, and I was well prepared for ka bt Shruti Amrute (Rlys) 9-11, Top Indian sprinters Hima
Haryana Steelers (7.30 p.m.), 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 12-10 to go Sushmit and the final,” said 11-5, 11-4, 11-3, 11-8; Selena- Das and Mohammad Anas
UP Yoddha vs Jaipur Pink Harmet. deepthi bt Senhora D’Souza won a gold each in wo-
home richer by ₹77,000.
Panthers (8.30 p.m.), Nehru (BoB) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6, 3-11, 11-9.
Ayhika, the lone seed re- Selenadeepthi had her men’s and men’s 300m
Indoor Stadium. Youth girls: Final: Selena-
Snooker: MUC non-medallist maining in the fray, came chance of winning a third tit- races respectively at the
deepthi bt Kaushani Nath (Rlys)
tournament, MUC, Park Town, out blazing against a fighting le in the championships, Athleticky Mitink Reiter
11-5, 17-15, 13-11, 11-7. Semifi-
1 p.m. Selenadeepthi Selvakumar having helped Tamil Nadu to nals: Selenadeepthi bt Prapti event in Czech Republic.
Tennis: YMCA-TTT ITF G4 ITF 11-6, 10-12, 11-13, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 the team title on Wednesday Sen (Ben), 8-11, 11-5, 4-11, 11-4, Anas, on the other hand,
Champion: Chennaiyin FC retained the Don Bosco-Fr. Mohanraj memorial Trophy. junior tournament, TTT, in the women’s summit and the youth girls’ crown 11-7; Kaushani bt Shruti 11-9, 10- won the men’s 300m race
*
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Nandanam, 9 a.m. clash. Sushmit having that she picked up a couple 12, 9-11, 4-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-9. in 32.41 seconds.

Corfe Castle obliges in Governor’s Cup Reunion for Xisca Plate

HYDERABAD: M/s. M. Ramakrishna
Reddy, Tinder Singh Ahluwalia &
M/s. Poonawalla Racing & Breeding
Pvt. Ltd. rep. by Mr. Zavareh S.
Poonawalla & Ms. Simone Zavareh
Poonawalla’s Corfe Castle (Akshay
Kumar astride) won the Governor’s
Cup, the feature event of the races
held here on Sunday (August 18). L.
D’Silva trains the winner. Jockey
Akshay Kumar and trainer Laxman
Singh scored a treble each.
1 DECCAN QUEEN PLATE
(1,200m), maiden fillies 3-y-o
only (Cat. II), (Terms): FLAMINGO
FAME (Akshay Kumar) 1, Alliston
(Umesh) 2, Ayur Shakti (Kuldeep
Singh) 3 and Wah Ms Zara (R.
Ajinkya) 4. 3/4, 1-1/4 and 1-3/4. 1m,
14.32s. ₹8 (w), 5, 16 and 10 (p), SHP:
67, FP: 150, Q: 131, Tla: 836. Favour-
ite: Flamingo Fame. Owner and
trainer: Mr. S. Prasad Raju.
1 C.R. BHOOPAL MEMORIAL PLATE
(DIV. I), (1,200m), 5-y-o & over,
rated 40 to 65 (Cat. II): MOZAMBI-
QUE (Akshay Kumar) 1, Arc Of His-
CM
YK
tory (Gaurav Singh) 2, Warrior Su-
preme (Zervan) 3 and Royal
Dynamite (Rohit Kumar) 4. 4, 2-1/4
and 1-1/2. 1m, 12.57s. ₹8 (w), 6, 9
and 7 (p), SHP: 23, FP: 38, Q: 30,
Tla: 101. Favourite: Mozambique.
Owners: M/s. Five Stars Shipping
Co. Pvt. Ltd. rep. by Mr & Mrs. K.N.
Dhunjibhoy & Mr. Z.K. Dhunjibhoy
and Mr. Berjis Minoo Desai.
Trainer: Laxman Singh.
2 C.R. BHOOPAL MEMORIAL
PLATE (DIV. II), (1,200m), 5-y-o
& over, rated 40 to 65 (Cat. II):
NEWS O’ STAR (Gaurav Singh) 1,
Marina Del Rey (Umesh), Gorgeous
Lady (Kiran Naidu) 3 and Yanga
(B.R. Kumar) 4. Not run: New State.
Hd, 1 and 1-3/4. 1m, 13.61s. ₹43 (w),
11, 6 and 26 (p), SHP: 16, FP: 161, Q:
58, Tla: 2,553. Favourite: Marina
Del Rey. Owner: Mr. Sarasam
Madhusudan Reddy. Trainer:
Ravinder Singh.
3 MANCHIRYALA PLATE
(1,200m), 4-y-o & over, rated
upto 25 (Cat. III): FREEDOM FIRE
HYDERABAD: Reunion runs with a
(Rohit Kumar) 1, Diesis Dream
(Umesh) 2, Rhine (Aneel) 3 and Just
Phenomenal Cruise (Zervan) 2,
Like Wise (Nakhat Singh) 3 and good chance in the Xisca Plate
(1,800m), the main event of the
3 CAPE KNIGHT PLATE
(1,600m), maiden 3-y-o only
(Cat. II), (Terms), 3-00: 1. Dillon
5 BYERLY BRIGADE PLATE (DIV.
II), 4-y-o & over, rated 20 to 45
(Cat. III), 4-00: 1. Max (6) Afroz
52.5 and 10. On My Way (6) G.
Naresh 52.
1. SIYABONGA, 2. WINGS OF
Like That (Ajeeth Kumar) 4. 4, shd That’s My Class (Ashhad Asbar) 4. 1-
and 1-3/4. 1m, 14.65s. ₹12 (w), 7, 7 3/4, 3/4 and 1-3/4. 1m, 42.54s. ₹8 races to be held here on Monday (3) Deepak Singh 56, 2. Explosive Khan 60, 2. Amazing Script (5) EAGLES, 3. DURANGO
and 8 (p), SHP: 19, FP: 53, Q: 32, (w), 6 and 7 (p), SHP: 16, FP: 21, Q: (August 19). (2) R. Ajinkya 56, 3. Red Snaper (1) Ajeeth Kumar 58, 3. Mahira (10)
Tla: 174. Favourite: Freedom Fire.
Owners: M/s. Chitturi Krishna Kan-
15, Tla: 36. Favourite: Corfe Castle.
Owners: M/s. M. Ramakrishna 1 SUBRAMANYA BHARATI PLATE
(2,000m), 4-y-o & over, rated
Kuldeep Singh 56, 4. Ruleth-
eworld (4) Surya Prakash 56, 5.
Miss Marvellous (5) Umesh 54.5,
Aneel 57, 4. Southern Meteor (9)
Ajit Singh 56.5, 5. Holy Healer (3)
Kiran Naidu 56, 6. Snow Castle (2)
7 BYERLY BRIGADE PLATE (DIV.
I), (1,200m), 4-y-o & over,
rated 20 to 45 (Cat. III), 5-05: 1.
naiah & Thimmaraja Yelamarthi. Reddy, Tinder Singh Ahluwalia & upto 25 (Cat. III), 1-55 p.m.: 1. Hud
and 6. Red River (6) Nakhat Singh B.R. Kumar 55.5, 7. City Of Ay- Evon Von Brando (2) Surya
Trainer: Satyanarayana. M/s. Poonawalla Racing & Breeding Hud (ex: Trojan King) (1) Rohit Ku- Prakash 60, 2. Southern State (4)
Pvt. Ltd. rep. by Mr. Zavareh S. 54.5. aansh (7) Rohit Kumar 54.5, 8.
mar 60, 2. Halo’s Princess (2) P. Promiseofhappiness (1) Rafique B. Nikhil 59, 3. Delphina (9) Ak-
4 BASALAT JAH MEMORIAL CUP
(1,200m), 3-y-o & over, rated 60
to 85 (Cat. II): ISABELLA (Suraj
Poonawalla & Ms. Simone Zavareh
Poonawalla. Trainer: L. D’Silva.
Sai Kumar 59.5, 3. Mossad (3)
Afroz Khan 59.5, 4. Dippy Dip (5)
1. MISS MARVELLOUS, 2. RULETH-
EWORLD
Sk. 52.5, 9. Smarty (8) Akshay Ku-
mar 52 and 10. Super Act (4) Gad-
shay Kumar 58, 4. Shiloh (7) Zer-
van 56.5, 5. Khan Sahib (3) Gad-
Narredu) 1, Classic Remark (Gaurav Ajeeth Kumar 59, 5. Lion Heart (4) dam 51. dam 55, 6. Magic Street (5) Rohit
Singh) 2, Trump Girl (Abhay Singh)
3 and Mr. Baahubali (Surya 6 ASTRONOMIC PLATE (1,400m),
3-y-o & over, rated 20 to 45
(Cat. III): MY JOURNEY (Suraj
R.S. Jodha 57.5 and 6. Turf Em-
peror (6) Umesh 53.5.
1. HALO’S PRINCESS, 2. TURF
4 P.M. BOKDAWALA MEMORIAL
PLATE (1,400m), 3-y-o & over,
1. HOLY HEALER, 2. SMARTY, 3.
AMAZING SCRIPT
Kumar 55, 7. Supurinto (10)
Gaurav Singh 53.5, 8. Loch Stella
(1) C.P. Bopanna 52.5, 9. Tam-
Prakash) 4. 1-1/2, 6 and 1. 1m, 11.41s. rated 40 to 65 (Cat. II), 3-30: 1.
₹8 (w), 5, 8 and 8 (p), SHP: 17, FP:
27, Q: 21, Tla: 82. Favourite Isabella.
Narredu)1, Alta Vita (Afroz Khan) 2,
Darshish (S.G. Prasad) 3 and Once
EMPEROR Semper Fidelis (2) Kuldeep Singh
60, 2. Hailstorm (8) Gopal Singh 6 CHARMINAR TROPHY
(1,600m), 4-y-o & over, rated
mana (8) G. Naresh 51.5, 10. Escal-
ating Striker (6) Umesh 50.5 and
Owners: M/s. Poonawalla Rac. & Br.
P. Ltd. rep. by Mr. Z.S. Poonawalla
More (C.P. Bopanna) 4. 9, 2 and
shd. 1m, 25.87s ₹8 (w), 6, 9 and 14 2 XISCA PLATE (1,800m), 3-y-o
& over (Cat. II), (Terms), 2-25:
1. Reunion (1) Akshay Kumar 62,
58, 3. Sea Castle (1) Aneel 57, 4.
Your Grace (5) A.A. Vikrant 55.5,
40 to 65 (Cat. II), 4-30: 1. Durango
(1) Suraj Narredu 60, 2. Treasure
Striker (4) Umesh 59, 3. N R I
11. N R I Fame (11) Kunal Bunde
50.5.
& Ms. S.Z. Poonawalla & M/s. Vijay (p), SHP: 24, FP: 41, Q: 27, Tla: 324. 5. Consigliori (7) Surya Prakash 1. DELPHINA, 2. MAGIC STREET, 3.
Favourite: My Journey. Owner: Mr. 2. Be Sure (3) Nakhat Singh 58.5, Power (2) Kuldeep Singh 58.5, 4.
Rac. & Farms P. Ltd. rep. by M/s. Vi- 54.5, 6. Dunkirk (3) Nakhat Singh SHILOH
S. Pathy. Trainer Laxman Singh. 3. Golden Fortune (6) Ajeeth Ku- King Maker (3) Nakhat Singh 58,
jay Kumar Gupta & Susheel Kumar 53.5, 7. Honest Hunter (6) B.R. Ku- Day’s best: REUNION
mar 58, 4. Magical Skill (5) B.R. 5. Nayadeep (7) Rohit Kumar 56.5,
Gupta. Trainer: Laxman Singh. mar 53.5 and 8. Victory Parade (4)
Jackpot: ₹617 (1,056 tkts.), Runner- Kumar 58, 5. Air Strike (2) Aneel 6. Siyabonga (10) Akshay Kumar Double: VICTORY PARADE —
5 GOVERNOR’S CUP (1,600m), 3-
y-o & over (Cat. I), (Terms):
up: 137 (2,037 tkts.), Mini Jackpot:
58 (3,077 tkts.), Treble (i): 331 (231
55 and 6. Raajneeti (4) Ashhad As-
bar 53.5.
Akshay Kumar 53.
1. VICTORY PARADE, 2. CON-
55.5, 7. Lockhart (9) Ajeeth Kumar
55, 8. Wings Of Eagles (5) B.R. Ku-
SIYABONGA
Jkt: 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7; Mini Jkt: 4, 5, 6 &
CORFE CASTLE (Akshay Kumar) 1, tkts.), (ii): 21 (4,418 tkts.). 1. REUNION, 2. BE SURE SIGLIORI, 3. DUNKIRK mar 54.5, 9. Rutilant (8) Gaddam 7; Tr (i); 2, 3 & 4; (ii): 5, 6 & 7.
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16 CHENNAI

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

THE HINDU
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