First India|Gujarat-English News Paper Today-10 November 2019 edition

AHMEDABAD l TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019 l Pages 14 l 3.00 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 16
P6
COURT ALLOWS ROBERT VADRA TO
TRAVEL ABROAD FOR HIS MEDICAL
TREATMENT AND BUSINESS PURPOSES
FORMER AUSTRALIA WICKETKEEPER
JULIA PRICE HAS BECOME THE FIRST-
EVER FEMALE COACH OF THE BIG BASH
P7
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PARL HARBOUR
OVER CAB
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa blesses BY Vijayendra after BJP won in 12 out of 15 assembly constituencies of Karnataka securing the position of Yediyurappaled
BJP government in the state, in Bengaluru on Monday.
-PHOTO BY PTI
BJP BACK IN WINNING BIZ
DIME A DOZEN
SWEEPS K’TAKA BYPOLLS 12:15
Bengaluru: Turncoats
had a field day in the
Karnataka Assembly
by-elections to 15 segments
as 11 of the total
13 of them in the fray
after joining the BJP
emerged victorious.
And now, ministerial
berths also awaits
them.
Only H Vishwanath
(Hunsur) and M T B
Nagaraj (Hoskote)
lost as the BJP’s gamble
to field the defectors
from the Congress
and JDS who
helped them come to
power paid off.
Ten were in the
Congress previously
and three in the JDS
headed by former
Prime Minister H D
Deve Gowda.
After they switched
sides and joined the
BALLOT
SCORECARD
TOTAL SEATS
15
12
02
BJP, the party fielded
them in the constituencies
they had represented
in their previous
party.
The 11 winners are:
Mahesh Kumatalli
(Athani), Srimant Patil
(Kagwad), Ramesh
Jarkiholi (Gokak), A
ShivaramHebbar (Yellapur),
B C Patil
(Hirekerur), Anand Singh
(Vijayanagara), Dr K
Sudhakar (Chikkaballapura),
ByrathiBasavaraj
(KR Pura), K Gopalaiah
(Mahalakshmi
The people of Karnataka have ensured that the
Congress or the JDS will not be able betray them.
It’s a message for all states that the public will
punish those who go against the popular mandate
—Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
We had given assurance to all the disqualified
MLAs that they will be made ministers. So there is
no question of backtracking. We will make them
ministers and give them responsibility
—B S Yediyurappa, Karnataka Chief Minister
Layout), Narayana Gowda
(KR Pet) and S T Somashekhar
(Yashwanthapura).
The BJP’s decision
to field Arun Kumar
Guththur in Ranebennur
in place of disqualified
MLA R
Shankar, who too had
joined the BJP, proved
right as he defeated
the Congress candidate
and former
speaker K B Koliwad.
Upbeat over the victory
of a majority of
turncoats, Turn on P3
New Delhi: Union Home Minister
Amit Shah on Monday asserted that
the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill
has the “endorsement of 130 crore
Indian citizens” and rejected suggestions
that the measure is anti-Muslim,
saying it will give rights to persecuted
minorities from Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Trying to allay apprehensions
of people of the Northeast, Shah
said the Narendra Modi Government
is committed to protect the
customs and culture of people of
the region and informed that Manipur
will be brought under Inner
Line Permit regime, where
the proposed
law will not
be applicable.
The bill,
which has
been opposed
by the Congress,
Trinamool
Congress
and other
opposition
parties, was
introduced after
a division
of votes for
which 293
MPs voted in
favour and 82 against it.
Citizenship
amendment bill
has the endorsement
of 130
crore citizens of
the country as it
was the part of
BJP manifesto
Amit Shah,
Home Minister
“Citizenship amendment bill has
the endorsement of 130 crore citizens
of the country as it was the part
of the BJP manifesto in 2014 as well
as 2019 Lok Sabha elections,” Shah
said, initiating the debate on the contentious
bill.
“We will have to differentiate between
intruders and refugees. Citizenship
amendment bill does not discriminate
against anyone and does
not snatch anyone’s rights,” he said.
The home minister said under the
proposed legislation, Turn on P3
There is no need
to worry about
NRC and CAB.
We will never
ever allow it in
Bengal. They
can’t just throw
out a citizen
Mamata Banerjee,
West Bengal CM
Kharagpur: On a day Union Home
minister Amit Shah placed Citizenship
(Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha,
West Bengal Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee on Monday gave a
clarion call to oppose the “divisive”
bill “at any cost” and said not a single
citizen of the country will be allowed
to turn a refugee.
Giving assurances that NRC
and CAB will be never allowed in
Bengal as long as the TMC is in
power, Banerjee said NRC and
CAB are both two sides of a coin.
Her comments come on a day
when Shah after introducing the
bill in Lok Sabha said it is not
against minorities
but
against infiltrators.
“Its a divisive
bill and
shall be opposed
at any
cost,” she said
on CAB.
Claiming
that at least
30 people
have committed
suicide in
the state due
to panic over
National Register of Citizens
(NRC) being implemented here in
the wake of publication of citizens
register in the neighbouring
state of Assam, Banerjee said in
a secular country like India, citizenship
can never be accorded on
the basis of religion.
“There is no need to worry about
NRC and CAB. We will never ever allow
it in Bengal. They can’t just
throw out a legal citizen of this
country or turn him/her a refugee,”
the TMC supremo said while addressing
a rally at Turn on P3
FULL COVERAGE ON JACKET INSIDE & P5
‘Constitution enshrines J&K and POK as integral part of India’
First India News
Gandhinagar: Chief
Minister Vijay Rupani
on Monday eulogised
the Constitution of India
for addressing everyone
as ‘We, the People of
India’, and asserted that
this itself enshrines
Jammu and Kashmir
and Pakistan Occupied
Kashmir as an integral
part of the country.
The Chief Minister
was speaking after
moving a resolution
on the floor of the
State Assembly to celebrate
the Constitution
Day to mark adaption
of the Constitution
of India on this
day fifty years ago.
He said that Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
had announced in 2015
that November 26 be celebrated
as the Constitution
Day every year as a
tribute to Dr Babasaheb
Ambedkar as the prime
drafter of the Constitution
of India.
“The Constitution
has been written to
ensure the nation remain
united after Independence
to fulfil
the people’s aspirations.
‘We the people
of India’ are at the
heart of this Constitution.
This means
that Jammu and
Kashmir and PoK are
a part of India,” the
CM asserted.
Rupani said the Constitution
accords special
respect and equality to
women. It shuns double
citizenship. He cited Triple
Talaq Bill, Habeas
Corpus, CAG, Supreme
Court, Lokpal, and Election
Commission as independent
characteristics
of the Constitution.
“In absence of
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani speaking at an event.
—FILE PHOTO
these, our system
would have been absolutely
corrupt. Our
Constitution is based
on appeasement to
none and justice to
all, democracy as
against imperialism
and dictatorship. It
clearly defines the independent
roles of
legislature, executive
and judiciary. With
abrogation of Article
370, Kashmir has become
an indivisible
part of India,” CM
Rupani added.
Rupani said our Constitution
is unique as it
is the longest, timely,
flexible and progressive
among that of all democratic
nations of the
world.
It is an important
written document, by
the people for the people
to the people to
uphold the social, cultural
and religious diversity
of the people,
for the religious harmony,
equality and
equanimity for benefit
of the 130-crore
citizens being free to
follow their own religious
faith.
Turn on P3

applicants.
he much-awaited
updated Final
National sam.nic.in
Register of Citizens
(NRC) in
Aditi Nagar
Rajasthan
statement said.
third term.
days.
foreigners.
December 31, 2017.
sons to 41,10,169.
party.
nrcassam.nic.in.
• Around 41 lakh
prove their claims.
said at least 1,000 tribunals
wi l be set up in
phases to hear disputes;
the tribunal, one can exhausted, the govern-
the state witnessed a
100 tribunals are already
approach the high court
six-year-long movement
open and 200 more wi l
and then the Supreme
between 1979 to 1985
be set up in the first
Court. No one will be
seeking detection and
week of September. If
put in detention centres mense significance for deportation of i legal migrants
from
one loses the case in
until a l legal options are the people of Assam as
Bangladesh.
ment has said.
remain PCC Chief.
NOWHERE
Banking details of
in Switzerland wi l
be available to tax
Indians with a counts
authorities from Sunday
as the automatic
exchange of informa-
countries. The move,
Direct Taxes said, is a
significant step in the
tion regime kicks
o f betw en the two
the Central Board of
government’s fight
bank secrecy”.
Fu l report on Page 6
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TALKING POINT
AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
II
BIG
PICTURE
CAB
WHAT DOES IT DO AND WHY
IS IT SEEN AS A PROBLEM
PROTESTS ERUPT IN
NORTHEAST AS REGION
BRACES FOR BANDH
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, that seeks to give Indian nationality to
non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan was introduced
in the Lok Sabha today. The bill seeks to address the historical wrongdoings of
religious persecution on Non-Muslim refugees from the three states by providing
them Indian citizenship. The proposed legislation amends the Citizenship Act,
1955 to make Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis who got into India
from Afghanistan, Bangladdesh and Pakistan eligible for citizenship
Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament on Monday.
Here are the parties in favour and against the Bill.
Who is eligible?
The proposed legislation
applies to those
who were “forced or
compelled to seek shelter
in India due to per-
secution on the ground
of religion”. It aims to
protect such people
from proceedings of il-
legal migration. The
cut-off date for citizenship
is December 31,
2014, which means the
applicant should have
entered India on or before
that date. Indian
citizenship, under present
law, is given either
to those born in India or
if they have resided in
the country for a minimum
of 11 years.
CIRCA 2019...
AUG 31, 10 AM
Assam was released on
Saturday, excluding
names of over 19 lakh
A total of
3,30,27,661 people
had applied to be included
in the NRC. Of
them, 3,11,21,004
have been included in
the document and
19,06,657 excluded, a
statement from the
NRC State Coordinator’s
o fice said here.
1906657
JAIPUR l SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2019 l Pages 14 l 3.00 RNI NO. RAJENG/2019/01082 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 86
NOBODY’S PEOPLE
FINALLY, THE NRC LIST IS OUT. Assam excludes over 19 lakh names. BJP is unhappy
over ‘erroneous’ count. The people excluded from the final list can appeal with the Foreigners’
Tribunal within a span of 120 days with a certified copy of the rejection order
T
The status of both Tribunals within 120 of 2.9 crore people. An
inclusion and exclusion
can be viewed Assam government ple were excluded in
additional 1,02,462 peo-
online in the NRC has earlier said those June this year, taking
website, www.nrcas-
left out of the NRC wi l the total ineligible per-
not be detained under
The final list was any circumstances until
the Foreigners Tri-
NRC updation start-
The process of
published at 10 am and
the hard copies of the bunals declare them as ed in the state fo lowing
an order of the
Supplementary List of
Inclusions are available
for public viewing crore people were pub-
2013. Since then, the
The names of 1.9 Supreme Court in
at the NRC Seva Kendras
(NSK), o fices of NRC on the midnight of closely monitoring
lished as Part Draft Apex Court has been
the deputy commissioner
and o fices of
Assam, which has
the entire process.
the Circle O ficer during
o fice hours, the
ple from Bangladesh
faced an influx of peo-
since the early 20th
Any person who is he Complete century, is the only
not satisfied with the Draft was released
exclud-
which was first pre-
state having an NRC
outcome can file appeal
before the Foreigners ing over 40 lakh pared in 1951. Turn to P4
CIRCA 2018...
JULY 30
T
PRESENT TENSE, FUTURE UNCERTAIN
• Any person who is
not satisfied with the
outcome of the claims
and objections can file
an appeal before the
foreigners’ tribunals
• Among those who
have been excluded
from the citizens’ list
is Ananta Kumar Malo,
an MLA from A l India
United Democratic Front
(AIUDF) which is Assam’s
second-most
powerful opposition
• The status of both
inclusion and exclusion
can be viewed online on
the NRC website, www.
people were left out
of a draft list that was
published last July. They
were asked to come
up with documents to
NOWHERE
NOWHERE
BETWEEN THE LINES: People checking their names on the fi na list of the National Register of
• The Home Ministry
Citizens (NRC), in Kamrup district in Assam on Saturday. —PTI
• The NRC has im-
leadership may take uty CM, if he doesn’t
place only after upcoming
two assembly Pilot’s a titude may
bypo ls and local self delay the entire reshuffle
process in Rajasthan
Sonia clearly expressed
elections in Octoberher
desire to develop Rajasthan’
Congress gov-
According to sources being because Sonia or
November this year. but only for the time
New Delhi: In her twohour-long
meeting ernment as a model governance
state, where a
ter Scindia incident not at a l in a mood to
close to 10 Janpath, af-
Rahul or Priyanka are
with AICC Rajasthan
general secretary incharge
Avinash Pande loyalist Ashok Gehlot is
mand doesn’t want a Even after Jyotiraditya
hardcore Gandhi family
in Bhopal, High Com-
relent under pressure.
a day before, Congress ca ling the shots as the
similar Pilot threat Scindia’s threat in Madhya
Pradesh, Congress
President Sonia Gandhi
has specifica ly
move slowly on this high command is not
Chief Minister in his
story and wants to
asked him to play the According to sources,
sensitive issue, as Pilot
has reportedly party president and ex-
going to make him the
role of principal of Congress high command
is continuously the party and the gov-
wants to fi l up this However, she has not conveyed his message ploring the options of
monitor to track party
and government af- ge ting negative reports
on the coordina-
between Gehlot and ca l on Pilot in his ca-
of her move. Most like-
that he wi l also quit as the next MP PCC
ernment, especia ly gap by taking a final indicated the “timing” very clearly by saying pu ting a dalit leader
een Pilot. She immediately pacity as PCC Chief. ly, a change in PCC from the post of dep-
Chief. Turn to P8
NOWHERE
You read it first in FI on Sept 1
Sonia asks Pande to closely track party & govt affairs
Non-performing ministers may be
dropped in the next reshuffle
Sonia Gandhi Avinash Pande Ashok Gehlot
NOWHERE
SWISS BANK
DETAILS
FROM TODAY
against black money
and the era of “Swi s
The Bill also proposes
to incorporate a subsection
(d) to Section 7,
providing for cancellation
of Overseas Citizen
of India (OCI) regis-
tration.
The Bill also propos-
es to incorporate a subsection
(d) to Section 7,
providing for cancellation
of OCI registration
where the OCI
card-holder has violated
any provision of
the Citizenship Act or
any other law in force.
WHAT IF AN APPLICANT DOESN’T
AHAVE PROOF OF BIRTH?
In such a case they can apply for citizenship after six
years of staying in the country.
WHY DOES INDIA NEED THIS BILL?
The Bill was an election promise of the BJP in the
2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Defence minister
Rajnath Singh had made it clear at the meeting
of the BJP parliamentary party last week that the
legislation was the top priority of the government,
equating its signifi cance with the decision to
turn Article 370 into a dead letter. “Minorities in
the neighbouring theocratic countries have been
subjected to continuous persecutions, which forced
them to seek asylum in India. Giving citizenship
to six minorities will be yet another push from the
Modi government to the spirit of ‘sarva dharma
sambhav’,” Singh said.
ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THE BILL?
CAB won’t apply to areas under the sixth schedule
of the Constitution – which deals with autonomous
tribal-dominated regions in Assam, Meghalaya,
Tripura and Mizoram. The bill will also not apply
to states that have the inner-line permit regime
(Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram).
ISN’T IT THE SAME LIKE THE NRC?
The National Register of Citizens or NRC that we
saw in Assam targeted illegal immigrants. A person
had to prove that either they, or their ancestors were
in Assam on or before March 24, 1971. NRC, which
may be extended to the rest of the country, is not
based on religion unlike CAB.
WHY IS THERE SUCH A HUE AND CRY?
The opposition says the Bill violates Article 14 of the
Constitution — the Right to Equality. They claim that
citizenship cannot be given on the basis of religion.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said it violates the
basic idea of India that religion can never be a
reason for citizenship.
Protestors burn tyres at a strike during Assam Bandh called by
All Assam Chutia Students Union and All Moran Students Union
against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Guwahati, on Monday.
Guwahati: Forbidding
clouds of anger
and apprehension
gathered over northeastern
states on
Monday, a day ahead
of the shutdown
called by NESO, an
umbrella organisation
of students in the
restive region, despite
Home Minister
Amit Shah’s painstaking
efforts to allay
their fears.
Assam and Tripura,
two of the eight
states that comprise
the region which
shares international
boundaries with China,
Bangladesh, Myanmar
and Bhutan,
smouldered with protests
breaking out despite
Shah’s claim
that the Bill is not
against Muslims but
infiltrators.
The 48-hour Assam
bandh called by the
All Moran Students’
Union (AMSU) to protest
against the Citizenship
(Amendment)
Bill and seek
Scheduled Tribe status
for six communities
affected normal
life in several parts of
the state on Monday.
The strikes started
at 6am. By the evening,
more than
1,000 people had
been detained. Examinations
in Maharaja
Bir Bikram University,
Tripura’s
only state university,
and Tripura Central
University had to be
postponed, while the
Northeast Frontier
Railway (NFR) suspended
movements
of six trains and partially
suspended few
others in Tripura.
Protests against
CAB were also held in
Tripura capital Agartala
and parts of West
Bengal.
In Assam, deeply
divided over National
Register of Citizens
(NRC) exercise that
seeks to weed out illegal
immigrants, the
CAB is facing stiff
resistance as people
feel it will nullify the
provisions of the Assam
accord of 1985,
which fixed March 24,
1971, as the cut-off
date for deportation
of illegal immigrants
irrespective of religion.

AHMEDABAD l TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019 l Pages 14 l 3.00 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 16
In Modi and
Shah’s Gujarat, Rupani
emerges as a new
employment “messiah” for
the youth and young
unemployed by giving a
record 1.17 lakh jobs in
the last five years
AND QUIET FLOWS
RUPANI
REFORMS
ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN? NOW WHAT’S THAT?
Defying the downturn, the Vijay Rupani way
B
DARSHAN
DESAI
e it farmers’ welfare projects
or for that matter, the proper
and successful implementation
and execution of Indradhanush
2.0 scheme for a healthier
Gujarat, the workaholic
CM Vijay Rupani is known to
burn the midnight oil to strive
hard to find ways for the betterment
of the state and its
people.
And that is evident again.
As the old saying goes, If
There’s A Will, There Is A
Way. The economic sluggishness
has hardly dampened
his indomitable spirit. You
simply cannot pull down a
person who wishes to rise
like the Phoenix from the
ashes. And that restlessness
of Rupani to usher in a
string of reforms puts him
in a different league.
In Gujarat and in the CM’s
vocab, type the word CYNI-
CISM, and the search will say
CANNOT FIND! Scratch the
surface to find the quiet initiatives
by low profile Chief Minister
Vijay Rupani virtually
defying the national phenomenon
and keeping the job markets
alive.
“Conventional methods of
deciding economic growth
and employment numbers
may not give you the true scenario.
Look at the larger picture
in the perspective of the
ground level measures this
government has taken,” explains
MK Das, Principal Secretary
to the Chief Minister.
The key initiative among a
maze of new attempts to boost
industrial activity and boost
employment is the Gujarat
Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises
(Facilitation of Establishment
and Operation)
Ordinance, 2019, which is set to
become a law in the three-day
winter session of the State Assembly
beginning Monday.
This is the first such initiative
in ease of doing business
(EODB) for the medium
and small scale industries,
which have been the backbone
of Gujarat enjoying
the pride status of an economic
powerhouse.
MK Das told First India
that this initiative is to cut
out the bureaucratic redtape
and simplify processes
to set up MSME units. Under
this legislation, “MSMEs
are straightaway exempted
for three years from certain
approvals and inspections
for establishing industrial
units and operating them.”
Vijay Rupani is hellbent on
finding ways to properly use
the state machinery to the optimum
results.
“Any person who intends
to start an enterprise in Gujarat
may just have to furnish
to the State-level nodal
agency a declaration of intent
to start in a prescribed
format to obtain a sheer Acknowledgement
Certificate,”
Das goes on.
He says this will drastically
reduce the timeline to
start a non-polluting industrial
unit and will provide
the “additional thrust to the
MSME sector, which will result
in investment and employment
in the State.”
As of now, the 15 major industrial
estates of the Gujarat
Industrial Development Corporation
are already providing
employment to 17 lakh persons
under the MSME sector. “We
are soon going to have 10 more
GIDC estates, which will directly
boost employment,” he said.
The Gujarat Government
has itself generated employment
of over 1.17 lakh during
the last five years in its
key departments of Home,
Education, Panchayats, Revenue,
Labour and Employment,
Finance, Narmada
and Water Resources and
Forests and Environment.
This makes for 86.8 per cent
of total recruitments.
In another initiative by
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani,
the General Administration
Department has been drawn
up a department-wise Recruitment
Calender, with details on
how many persons are retiring
and from which posts, how
many vacancies have been created,
and how many more will
be required. An official
source said earlier, “The
GAD would not even know
properly about vacancies
and so posts would remain
unfilled for long. Now, this
Recruitment Calender
serves a dual purpose of ensuring
work does not suffer
in any department and employment
opportunities are
created.”
The other unprecedented
initiative in ease of doing business,
leading towards industrial
growth and simultaneous
employment opportunities is
the Gujarat Single Window
Clearance Act of 2017. As an
impact of this policy change,
the pendency of industrial applications
have reduced to 11
per cent from 18 per cent.
“The objective of the Single
Window Clearances Act
is to expedite the process
related to clearances and
certificates needed for setting
up businesses in the
State,” he adds.
Then, the government has
set up an investor facilitation
agency (IFA) at the state
Industries Commissionerate
with a toll-free number,
a dedicated email address
and Investor Facilitation
Portal to resolve all investor
queries at a single point.
The agency provides guidance
and assistance to the
entrepreneurs for setting up
units by coordinating with
various departments of the
State Government. Das says,
“The IFA has Turn on P8

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GUJARAT
AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
02
‘DPS (E) got CBSE affiliation on fake NOC during UPA-2’
First India News
Gandhinagar: Education
Minister Bhupendrasinh
Chudasama
made a startling revelation
in the state assembly
on Monday: DPS
(East) received its Central
Board of Secondary
Education (CBSE)
affiliation on a fake
NOC in 2012, during the
UPA-2 regime. This
statement came when
the Congress MLA
Punja Vansh and deputy
Leader of Congress
Shailesh Parmar
raised the question of
how the education department
did not notice
that the school had got
CBSE affiliation on a
fake NOC. They also
asked if the government
would take action
against the officer responsible.
Both senior MLAs
had raised the question
as a matter of urgent
‘IT WASN’T US’
Minister pointed
out that the Rupani
government has assumed
responsibility
of the 835 affected
students for this year
despite not being
liable. He said that
the state took up the
matter with CBSE
chairperson as soon
as it found out about
the fake NOC.
public interest. The
question was allowed
by Speaker Rajendra
Trivedi.
When the issue came
up for discussion on
the floor of the house,
congress MLA Punja
Vansh asked the Education
Minister how DPS
(East) management
had gotten away with
filing fake documents.
He pointed out that the
school’s management
would have have to submit
all its documents
before the Fees Regulatory
Committee to get
its fee structure approved
and asked how
the education department
missed the fact
that the NOC was fake.
Education Minister
Chudasama cleverly
ducked the question regarding
documents before
the FRC and
whether the action will
be taken against officers
or not.
Congress, police clash during
protest march to Assembly
Metered water
24x7 Jodhpur
ward by Dec end
Cops used water cannons to control
crowd; party leaders were detained
First India News
Gandhinagar: The
Congress party’s protest
march to the Assembly
was brought to
a halt by the large number
of police personnel
deployed in the state
capital on Monday. Hundreds
of Congress supporters
and party leaders
were detained by
the police, who also
used water cannons and
pushed the Congress
protesters into buses as
they marched towards
the Assembly from Sector
6. The march was
against the irregularities
in Non-Secretariat
and Office Assistant
exam, atrocities against
women and the economic
slowdown.
The protesters broke
the windshield of a police
vehicle—the water
cannon carrier—with a
stone. Thereafter, they
were escorted to a nearby
police station in police
buses. Amit Chavda,
president, Gujarat
Pradesh Congress Committee
was arrested by
the police and his clothes
were torn during the
protest.
“From day one we are
demanding that the government
cancel the Binsachivalay
exam. Instead
of facing us, the
government has asked
the police to use force
on us,” Chavda said. He
added that many students
and Congress
supporters were detained
before they even
entered Gandhinagar.
He claimed that more
than 1,500 people were
First India News
From day one
we are demanding
that
the government cancel
the Binsachivalay
exam. Instead of facing
us, the government
has asked the police to
use force on us.
—Amit Chavda
This is Gandhi’s
Gujarat
and students
are fighting the second
Nav Nirman fight
against the arrogant
state government.
—Paresh Dhanani
detained.
Leader of opposition
Paresh Dhanani said
that the state police have
failed to arrest rapists
but they are quick in arresting
agitating students.
“This is Gandhi’s
Gujarat and students
are fighting the second
Nav Nirman fight
against the arrogant
state government,” he
said.
Congress MLA Prabha
Taviyad said that
there is fear everywhere
regarding the
manner in which the
government conducts
exam . “The government
must cancel the
exam, we have seen so
many irregularities in
the exam. Even question
papers in Santarampur
came in an unsealed
envelope. This is
really serious issue
about future thousands
of youth,” said Taviyad.
Gandhinagar: The
state government on
Monday informed the
Gujarat Assembly that
it has spent Rs174 crore
on the past two Vibrant
Gujarat summits held
to showcase the state as
a prime space for investment.
This is considerably
higher than
the 2013-2015 period,
when the total expenditure
was to the tune of
Rs130 crore.
In reply Congress
MLA Ragubhai Desai’s
question about expenditure
for the last two
Vibrant summits organized
in Gandhinagar,
Chief Minister Vijay
Rupani said that, in
2017, the summit was
organized at a cost of
Rs83.30 crore, while the
2019 vibrant summit
cost Rs90.72 crore.
Chief Minister Rupani
has further stated
that, of the Rs174 crore,
hotel stays, food and
Divided or does Cong lack strategy?
First India News
Gandhinagar: On the
Day One of the threeday
assembly session,
Congress participation
in the question hour
and even in during the
zero hours leads to
questions on whether
the Congress is a house
divided, or if it simply
lacks strategy to corner
the ruling party on the
floor of the house.
Some 305 questions
transportation costs
amounted to Rs.7.72
crore in 2017 and Rs4.82
crore in 2019. The expenditure
for the said
summit is born by the
industries and mines &
minerals departments.
In 2013, the state government
had spent
Rs1.47 crore on hotels,
food and transportation
were listed for discussion
in the question
hour. Normally, 15-30
questions are discussed
in this time. On Monday,
however, only six
were taken up.
for foreign delegates; in
2015, it invested Rs3.60
crore for same.
To attract foreign investors,
the state government
sent officials
to foreign countries. In
2013, it had invested
Rs53 lakh for Gujarat
officers’ foreign visits;
in 2015, it invested
Rs53.86 lakh; and in
2017, it invested Rs72
lakh on officers’ foreign
travels.
In a reply to a separate
question from Congress
MLA Virji Thummar,
the state government
said that, in 2011’s
Vibrant summit, 8,380
MOU were signed with
Last 2 Vibrants cost state Rs174 crore
INCOMING INVESTMENT
After being water-cannoned, protesters broke the windshield of the police vehicle, and were then detained. GPCC chief Amit Chavda
was arrested and his clothes were torn.
—PHOTOS BY NANDAN DAVE
WASTE OF TIME
interested investors. Of
this, some 4233 MOUs
materialized by November
2018 and commercial
production has
started, whereas 4053
MOUs have not materialized
and have been
dropped from the MOU
list.
In 2011, Vibrant summit
investors had assured
the government
investments to the tune
of Rs20 lakh crore
(Rs20,83,182 crore) in
the state in various sectors;
against that, by
November 2018, entrepreneurs
have invested
Rs2.48 lakh crore
(Rs2,48,968 crore) in
BJP’s Surat (West)
MLA Purnesh Modi had
raised questions about
the how much was allocated
as a grant by the
mines and mineral department
to repair damaged
roads in Surat district.
As per the house
precedent, any MLA
from the house can
raise a sub-question to
the minister regarding
grants to Surat district
only. Thanks to Congress
MLAs, 15 to 20
minutes were wasted on
this question alone as
senior MLAs from Jamnagar,
Rajkot, Morbi
and Junagadh asked the
same question about
their constituencies.
First India News
Gandhinagar: Minister
of State for Home Pradipsinh
Jadeja on Monday
informed the house
that 1,860 persons have
died in road accidents in
Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar
districts between
November 2017
and November 2019.
Replying to Congress
MLA Baldevji Thakor’s
question on fatal road
accidents
in
Ahmedabad city and rural
and Gandhinagar
district from 2017 to
2019, MoS (Home) said
Water meter being installed.
First India News
from November 2017 to
November 2018, 249 persons
died in Gandhinagar
district, 313 in
Ahmedabad city and
361 in rural areas. From
Ahmedabad: The city’s
Jodhpur ward will receive
metered tap water
all day, every day, by the
end of the year, the government
told the house
on Monday. The muchdelayed
has already
been trialled in some
parts of the ward, the
urban-development
minister said, in response
to Congress MLA
Lakhabhai Bharvad.
He said the main reason
for the delay is that
societies do not cooperate
when it comes to
digging up their internal
roads, often made of
either RCC or paver
blocks, to lay pipes for
the metered tap water,
but added that civic officials
had begun to
make inroads into these
societies.
He stated that the
corporation had decided
to have 05 District
Metered Area, of which
houses in 04 District
Metered Area is already
covered and a
trial conducted. In the
initial stage, water was
supplied for eight
hours. This was later
increased to 12 hours
and eventually to a
maximum of up to 20
hours water.
Independent MLA Jignesh
Mevani suspended
First India News
Gandhinagar: Independent
MLA from
Danta constituency
Jignesh Mevani was
suspended for the entire
session by Speaker
Rajendra Trivedi for
not respecting his
words and rushing into
the well of the house
and interrupting Deputy
Chief Minister Nitin
Patel, while the latter
was addressing the
house on the Constitution
Day resolution, celebrated
on November
26. The Speaker had
asked Mevani not to interrupt,
but Mevani ignored
the instruction,
alleging that BJP had
no right to talk about
the Constitution.
1,860 persons died in road
accidents in two years
GETTING TOUGH
Pilot project first
announced in 2012
has been delayed
multiple times
November 2018 to November
2019, 416 persons
died in Ahmedabad
city, 307 in rural area
and 214 in Gandhinagar
district, bringing the
total to 1,860 persons.
The minister also
said that the state government
has teams of
officials from the Road
Transport Office (RTO),
police, civic body and
road & building department
to who visit these
sites to find the reason
behind the accident
and makes suggestions
to the concerned department

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GUJARAT
AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
03
Vadodara rape accused on 8 days’ police remand
Minor survivor
identifies both
accused before
a court
First India News
Ahmedabad: After
chasing them for 11
days, the Ahmedabad
Crime Branch on Sunday
nabbed two persons
accused of raping
a minor in Vadodara.
On Monday, the girl
identified the men in
court. They have since
been handed over to Vadodara
Police, and are
on eight days’ remand.
A 14-year old girl was
gang-raped on November
28 in Navlakhi locality
in the evening
where she had gone
with her male friend.
BJP councillors demand
road works be accelerated
First India News
Ahmedabad: A routine
review meeting
between AMC councillors
and Municipal
Commissioner Vijay
Nehra over ongoing
city works in the
Southwest and Northwest
Zones of
Ahmedabad on Monday
saw the ruling
party members trying
to exert pressure on
the civic administration
to speed up road
projects.
As the meeting progressed
some councillors
of these two zones,
who all belong to the
ruling BJP, complained
that road repair works
were getting delayed or
moving at a slow pace.
Just as a cooperative
sounding Nehra asked
them to suggest works
THE GIST
that could be taken up
on priority while the
rest could be phased
out, they demanded
that deadlines be set.
Veteran councillor
from Jodhpur ward
Rashmin Shah complained
no action had
been taken on 25 proposed
roads by him
since 2017. Shah said
he made a similar request
to complete the
roads in a meeting
with Mayor Bijal Patel
before Diwali. But to
no avail.
Commissioner Vijay
Nehra immediately responded
and assured
Shah that a team of
engineers will fix one
or two roads on priority
basis and rest
would be completed in
a phased manner.
Just when the meeting
was progressing
towards the next item
on the agenda, another
councillor from Vejalpur
ward Dilip Bagaria
shouted and demanded
that deadlines
may first be fixed before
moving to the next
agenda and kept on
repeating it.
Nehra wanted to
move to the next item,
but members did not
seem ready to relent.
Kishan Mathasuriya
and Jaso Solanki were
nabbed by the cops
from Tarsali pocket of
Vadodara, where they
are said to reside.
As it turns out,
Mathasuriya--one of
the accused--had been
in a verbal spat last
week when the local
civic body people and
police were working on
encroachment removal
in Tarsali area. The police,
who had released
composite sketches of
the two accused in
their investigations,
did not recognize him
then.
Medical tests of both
the accused were conducted
by Vadodara police
at SSG Hospital in
tight security to prevent
the accused from
the wrath of the hundreds
of locals who had
gathered in the hospital
compound.
It is to be noted that
after the incident,
teams of Baroda Crime
Branch, Ahmedabad
Crime Branch and local
police were on toes
to catch the accused.
Meanwhile, the cops
had investigated and
questioned some 80
people in the city.
FROM JACKET
BJP BACK...
Hirekerur winning candidate B C
Patil said, “They (Congress) had declared
us disqualified based on the
Supreme Court verdict but the voters
made us qualified again.”
BJP state chief Nalin Kumar Kateel
too expressed similar views.
PARL HARBOUR...
citizenship will be granted to refugees
coming from the three countries
after facing religious persecution
there even without documents,
including ration cards.
Noting that India has given similar
rights to people in the past, Shah
said Manmohan Singh and L K Advani
could become prime minister
and deputy prime minister respectively
due to this after they came
from present day Pakistan.
“This bill is not even .001 per cent
against Muslims. It is against infiltrators,”
he said earlier while introducing
the bill.
According to the Citizenship
(Amendment) Bill, 2019, members of
Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi
and Christian communities, who
have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh
and Afghanistan, till December
31 2014, facing religious persecution
there, will not be treated as illegal
immigrants but given Indian citizenship.
Shah said as per the bill, it will not
be applicable to the tribal areas of
Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram or Tripura
as included in the Sixth Schedule
to the Constitution and in the
areas covered under The Inner Line,
notified under the Bengal Eastern
Frontier Regulation, 1873.
Currently, the ILP regime is applicable
in in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland
and Mizoram.
The bill says such refugees will be
given Indian citizenship after residing
in India for five years (six years
in CAB 2016), instead of 11 years
earlier. Opposition leaders Adhir
Ranjan Chowdhury, Saugata Roy, N
K Premchandran, Gaurav Gogoi,
Shashi Tharoor and Assaduddin
Owaisi opposed the introduction of
the bill, saying it was violative of
various provisions of the Constitution,
including move to grant citizenship
on the basis on religion.
While defending the introduction
of the bill, the home minister said
the Congress had “divided” the
country on the basis of religion that
is why it was necessary to bring the
bill. Shah said the proposed legislation
is being brought on the basis of
reasonable classifications provided
under the Constitution.
He said Pakistan has failed to protect
its minorities under the Nehru-Liaquat
pact. The bill also says:
“Provided further that the person
who makes the application for citizenship
under this section shall not
be deprived of his rights and privileges
to which he was entitled on
the date of receipt of his application
on the ground of making such
application”.
PARL HARBOUR...
Kharagpur- where her party won
the recent bypolls.
“Not a single citizen of this country
will turn a refugee. Some people
are trying to create panic with their
political rhetoric but let me make
one thing very clear there will no
NRC and CAB. You cannot implement
NRC or CAB on the basis of
caste and religion”, she said.
“The government can very well
put a clause of green citizenship
card holder for those who are now
coming to the country. But how
come the government ask those who
have been living in the country for
the last five-six decades to leave the
nation? Everybody who is living in
this country is a legal citizen,” Banerjee
said.
Members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist,
Jain, Parsi and Christian
communities, who come from Afghanistan,
Bangladesh or Pakistan
facing persecution there, will not
be treated as illegal immigrants
but given Indian citizenship when
the proposed amendments to the
six-decade-old Citizenship Act
come into effect.
‘Constitution enshrines...
“Any person, male or female, educated
or illiterate, religious or atheist,
belonging to any caste or community
or province, can don any
Constitutional post, including that
of President. Every person is free to
pursue any job, profession, business
under Article 19,” Rupani said.

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PERSPECTIVE
AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
04
IN-DEPTH
THE GREATNESS
OF MAHARAJA
SURAJ MAL
Only Shivaji and Maharaja Ranjit Singh
excelled Suraj Mal’s political skill
K NATWAR
SINGH
The author is Former
Minister of External
Affairs of India
I
wrote the English biography of
Maharaja Surajmal in 1981. It
was published in London. The Indian
edition was published by
Rupa and Co in paperback. It is
till selling. The Maratha army led by Sadashiv
Rao Bhau was defeated by Ahmed
Shah Abdali on 14th January 1791 at Panipat.
Bhau was killed.
Had Sadashiv Rao listened to the advice
of Maharaja Suraj Mal, not only would he
have saved his life, the result of the third
battle of Panipat have been different. Maharaja
Suraj Mal advised Bhao not to take the
large number of ladies and excessive baggage
with them to Panipat. These he should
leave in Bharatpur. He would take care of
both. He also pleaded with Bhao not to encounter
Ahmed Shah in a pitched battle-
Jang-i-Sultan but to resort to irregular warfare
with high cavalry –Jang-i-Kazzaquna i.e
guerrilla war.
Maharaha Suraj Mal’s great and unrivalled
achievement was to weld warring Jat
factions into one and to have done so in the
most unstable and unsettled century in Indian
history. Only Shivaji and Maharaja
Ranjit Singh excelled his political skill, organisational
genius and qualities of leadership;
and like them he too was an isolated
phenomenon. All three died in their fifties.
Given another decade of life, each would no
doubt have left more enduring kingdoms.
Lesser men succeeded them. They were not
up to finding answers to the political and
military tempests that engulfed the country,
nor could they unite to defeat the British
who, benefiting from the prevailing confusion
and disunity, established their Raj with
breathtaking ease. Not for the first time in
our history had an outside power restored
order in India. Let us hope and pray that it
was the last such occasion.
One must in conclusion thank Maharaja
Suraj Mal for causing a break in the dark
clouds of eighteenth- century India, on behalf
of the neglected virtues of courage, honour
and loyalty. He was the only prince of his
time to stem the debilitating tides of drift,
feebleness and surrender in an otherwise unworthy
era. That is achievement enough.
The film “Panipat” trivializes and distorts
history. It outrages the feeling and sentiments
of the Jat Community in Rajasthan, Haryana
and Western U.P.
The Rajasthan Government should immediately
ensure the removable of all portions
in the film, which diminish the historical role
of the greatest of Jat leaders.
NATO @70... CHALLENGES
& RELEVANCE
NATO summit held in London marked 70 years of collective security alliance formed in 1949
A
NATOs is going
to stay and that
to effectively
and stronger
which is evident
from recent
unanimity on
declaring space
an operational
domain for
NATO, stepping
up NATO’s role
in human
security,
strengthening
measures to
respond to
cyberattacks,
and strengthen
ability to
prepare for,
deter, and
defend against
hybrid tactics
that seek to
undermine
security and
societies
COL DEVANAND
LOHAMAROD
t 70 NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
Organization) with its headquarters
at Brussels, Belgium is
the strongest & most effective
collective defence alliance in
the history so far formed to deter
Soviet Union threat to Western
European nations.
The NATO summit 2019 held
in London marked 70 years of
collective security alliance
formed in 1949, April 4. From
its birth, It has expanded from
12 members to 29 members
comprising from North America
& Europe. It will soon have
30 members when North Macedonia
joins in 2020. Three of
its present members are from
former Soviet republics. The
Soviet Union has ceased to exist
and balance of Warsaw
Pact, seven have become part
of NATO. 2019 summit expanded
NATO to make outer space
an “operational domain” along
with air, land, sea, and cyberspace.
At the December meeting,
leaders also for the first
time addressed challenges
posed by China.
In spite of rapidly changing
External threats to a nation,
the divergence of national interests
and rise in costs NATO
has been relevant for all
through 70 years. A study in
2010 by a Washington Brookings
Institution, the average
lifespan of collective defence
alliances in past had been 15
years only and in another survey
of 2015 by Pew Research
Centre, people of member
states are in favour of NATO.
Recent Opinion polls also show
great public support in favour
of NATO in its member countries
(with the significant exceptions
of Turkey and Greece).
Article 5 of the treaty, says
that an armed attack against
any member shall be considered
an attack against all.
NATO has invoked Article 5
only once ever in its history
that was in response to the terrorist
attacks of September 11,
2001. On a number of occasions,
NATO has its share of
crisis like Suez in 1956, France
quitting the integrated military
command in 1966 and
splits over the Iraq war in 2003.
For the first four decades,
NATO effectively deterred the
Soviet Union threat. Even after
collapse of Soviet Union, the
alliance continued to remain
relevant in form of bombing
Serb forces during the Bosnia
and Kosovo wars of the 1990s,
enforcing an arms embargo on
Libya in 2011 and to Counter
Russia’s intervention in
Crimea in 2014 the alliance
swiftly reorganised deterrence
against its eastern neighbour
and refocused on the military
threat from Russia by deploying
multinational battle groups
in eastern Europe to reassure
allies and upgrading its command
structure.
In the recent past, the allies
have taken numerous decisions
designed to restore robust
territorial defense. They
created a Very High Readiness
Joint Task Force, ready to move
and deploy combat-ready multinational
battlegroups into
the three Baltic countries as
well as Poland. The “Four 30s”
initiative with 30 mechanised
battalions, 30 air squadrons,
and 30 warships ready to deploy
within 30 days by 2020 and
establishment of two new Commands,
in Norfolk in Virginia,
and Ulm in Germany will have
a far-reaching impact.
It’s the first time that NATO
leaders have considered the
rise of China, which was never
a focus for the organisation.
NATO also confirmed that it
was time to have a military
NATO @70 HAS TO
DEAL ON MULTIPLE
STRATEGIC FRONTS
IN TERMS OF THE
TYPE OF THREATS
AND THE RESPONSE
TO DEAL WITH
presence in space. Alliance decision
to put a plan in place to
deal with the cyber threat, Russia’s
aggressive posture, terrorism
in all its forms and hybrid
threats are clear cut indicators
of the future course of action.
In the East, a resurgent and aggressive
Russia, In the South,
fragile states are vulnerable to
extremism/militias / criminal
gangs, which pose threats like
terrorist attacks to humanitarian
crises and refugees.
The new world order of 2020
where the USA is feeling financial
worries, China’s exponential
economic & military
growth, Turkey closing in with
Russia, rising military spending,
the higher threat of use of
force, rapid far-reaching technological
innovation, higher
chances of disruptive and destructive
capability reaching
into the hands of rogue actors.
More than before, the alliance
is faced with challenges from
within, from multiple directions
at the same time. Case in
point of Turkey, which had refused
to sign off updated plans
to defend the Baltic states
against Russia unless Nato
agreed to designate the Kurdish
Syrian YPG as terrorists.
As also Turkey decision to buy
a Russian missile system
known as S-400.
Most of the time, NATO had
to deal with one challenge /one
place at any given time. But
this time it is different and
NATO @70 has to deal on multiple
strategic fronts in terms
of the type of threats and the
response to deal with. Russia’s
role and influence beyond Europe,
especially in Africa and
the Middle East, China’s rise,
radicalisation and migration
of people. The emerging role of
India, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.
How will the decisions of big
tech companies shape up and
control the future of the Internet
and social media?
NATOs is going to stay and
that to effectively and stronger
which is evident from recent
unanimity on declaring space
an operational domain for
NATO, stepping up NATO’s
role in human security,
strengthening measures to respond
to cyberattacks, and
strengthen ability to prepare
for, deter, and defend against
hybrid tactics that seek to undermine
security and societies.
Gender-neutral doll: How boys perceive femininity
P
arents who
want to raise
their children
in a gendernonconforming
way have a new stocking
stuffer this year: the gender-neutral
doll.
Announced in September,
Mattel’s new line of
gender-neutral humanoid
dolls don’t clearly identify
as either a boy or a girl.
The dolls come with a variety
of wardrobe options
and can be dressed in varying
lengths of hair and
clothing styles.
But can a doll – or the
growing list of other gender-neutral
toys – really
change the way we think
about gender?
Mattel says it’s responding
to research that shows
“kids don’t want their
toys dictated by gender
norms.” Given the results
of a recent study reporting
that 24% of U.S. adolescents
have a nontraditional
sexual orientation
or gender identity, such as
bisexual or nonbinary, the
decision makes business
sense.
As a developmental psychologist
who researches
gender and sexual socialization,
I can tell you that it
also makes scientific sense.
Gender is an identity and
is not based on someone’s
biological sex. That’s why I
believe it’s great news that
some dolls will better reflect
how children see
themselves.
Unfortunately, a doll
alone is not going to overturn
decades of socialization
that have led us to believe
that boys wear blue,
have short hair and play
with trucks; whereas girls
like pink, grow their hair
long and play with dolls.
More to the point, it’s not
IN PUNJAB, AN
AGRARIAN, MALE-
DOMINATED
SOCIETY, WOMEN
ARE EXPECTED TO
PRESERVE THEIR
FAMILY’S IZZAT,
OR HONOUR
going to change how boys
are taught that masculinity
is good and femininity is
something less – a view
that my research shows is
associated with sexual violence.
PINK GIRLS AND
BLUE BOYS
The kinds of toys American
children play with
tend to adhere to a clear
gender binary.
Toys marketed to boys
tend to be more aggressive
and involve action
and excitement. Girl toys,
on the other hand, are
usually pink and passive,
emphasizing beauty and
nurturing.
It wasn’t always like
this.
Around the turn of the
20th century, toys were
rarely marketed to different
genders. By the 1940s,
manufacturers quickly
caught on to the idea that
wealthier families would
buy an entire new set of
clothing, toys and other
gadgets if the products
were marketed differently
for both genders. And so
the idea of pink for girls
and blue for boys was
born.
Today, gendered toy
marketing in the U.S. is
stark. Walk down any toy
aisle and you can clearly
see who the audience is.
The girl aisle is almost exclusively
pink, showcasing
mostly Barbie dolls
and princesses. The boy
aisle is mostly blue and
features trucks and superheroes.
The emergence of a
gender-neutral doll is a
sign of how this binary of
boys and girls is beginning
to break down – at
least when it comes to
girls.
A 2017 study showed
that more than threequarters
of those surveyed
said it was a good
thing for parents to encourage
young girls to
play with toys or do activities
“associated with
the opposite gender.” The
share rises to 80% for
women and millennials.
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Dharmendra Pradhan
@dpradhanbjp
The #KarnatakaBypolls results is a
clear indication by the people that
#ModiParVishwasHai. Gratitude
to the people of Karnataka for
endorsing development over
divisive politics and voting for a
strong, stable and development
oriented Government under the
leadership of @BSYBJPji.
● Vol 1 ● Issue No. 16 ● RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Planet Survey No.148P, Changodar-Bavla Highway, Tal. Sanand, Dist. Ahmedabad.
Published at D/302 3rd Floor Plot No. 35 Titanium Square, Scheme No. 2, Thaltej Taluka, Ghatlodiya, Ahmedabad. Editor: Jagdeesh Chandra, Resident Editor : Darshan Desai, Managing Editor: Robin Roy, responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

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In J’khand, Rahul questions PM
Modi’s silence over rape cases
He also promised 27% reservation for the OBCs if a Congress govt is formed in the state
Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi addresses an election rally
at High School Ground in Hazaribagh on Monday.
Ranchi: Congress
leader Rahul Gandhi
on Monday slammed
PM Narendra Modi
and questioned his silence
over the recent
rape cases that shook
the nation.
“Have you made
New India? Every day
women are being
raped... Uttar Pradesh
MLA raped a woman.
Narendra Modi didn’t
even utter a word,” Rahul
said during a rally
here. The former party
chief said if Congress
comes to power in
Jharkhand, it will
“waive off farmers’
loans after forming the
government.” “We will
pay them Rs 2,500 for
grains (dhaan) and
your land will stay protected,”
he said.
He also promised 27
per cent reservation for
the OBCs if a Congress
government is formed
in the state. Jharkhand,
which has an 81-member
Assembly, is undergoing
polling in five
phases. Second round
of voting was held on
December 7.
The voting for the
third phase will be conducted
on December 12,
the fourth phase on December
16, and the fifth
and last phase on December
20. The counting
of votes will take place
on December 23. —ANI
PM MODI, RAGA HELD RALLIES
INDIA
AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
05
JNU students lathi-charged
during march to Raisina Hills
Police personnel during lathi-charge on students of JNU.
Police personnel lathi charge on students of JNU during a protest
march to Rashtrapati Bhawan.
—PHOTOS BY ANI
New Delhi: Delhi Police
resorted to lathicharge
after a clash with
protesting Jawaharlal
Nehru University
(JNU) students, who
were marching towards
Rashtrapati Bhawan.
The students were
marching from JNU
campus to Rashtrapati
Bhawan seeking to
meet President over fee
hike issue. During the
long march, the protesters
were seen holding
placards which read --
“Shiksha hai sabka
adhikar, band karo iska
vyapar.”
On December 5, Union
HRD Minister,
Ramesh Pokhriyal had
stated in a written reply
in Rajya Sabha that
Jawaharlal Nehru University
(JNU) has increased
hostel room
rents after about 40
years to meet the increased
expenditure on
maintenance of hostels.
In a written reply
over JNU fee hike, the
HRD minister had replied:
“JNU has informed
that in order to
meet the increased expenditure
on the maintenance
of hostels and
to run them on no profit
no loss basis, it has increased
room rents after
about 40 years.”
Students of JNU had
carried out a protest
march with torches inside
the varsity campus
late on Tuesday and demanded
the complete
rollback of hostel manual
and fee hike. Several
cases have also been
registered against students
since they started
their strike. —ANI
IN PARLIAMENT
Shiv Sena: Give
citizenship, but
no voting rights
for 25 years
Mumbai: Clearing its
stand on the Citizenship
(Amendment) Bill
-- CAB -- the Shiv Sena
on Monday questioned
whether the intention
of the bill was to "create
a vote bank" and
said it is not good for
the country. "Is it acceptable?"
Sena questioned
in its editorial
mouthpiece Saamana.
While it did not directly
oppose the bill, it
suggested Union Home
Minister Amit Shah to
revoke voting rights of
new citizens for the
next 25 years.
Sena also questioned
the move as it fears that
"selective acceptance"
of Hindu illegal immigrants
will act as a trigger
for a religious war
in the country.
Asaduddin Owaisi tears CAB in Lok Sabha
New Delhi: Hyderabad
MP Asaduddin Owaisi
wrapped up a heated debate
on the Citizenship
Amendment Bill by
tearing a copy of the
legislation in the parliament.
"It is an attempt
to divide the nation.
The proposed law is
against our country's
constitution," he declared
before ripping
the document in half.
The AIMIM chief said
that Gandhi gained the
title "Mahatma" after he
tore the discriminatory
citizenship card in
South Africa, and there
was no reason why he
should not do the same
with the Citizenship
Amendment Bill. "This
bill is against the constitution....
it is a conspiracy
to make Muslims
stateless," he said, adding
that the passage of
such a legislation will
only lead to a repeat of
the 1947 partition.
Owaisi also accused
the BJP-led government
of insulting the
country's freedom fighters
by trying to marginalise
Muslims, and wondered
why the government
was not concentrating
its efforts on retaking
parts of the
country under foreign
occupation instead.
LS passes bill to amend Arms Act
New Delhi: Lok Sabha
passed a Bill
which seeks to increase
punishment
for illegally making
or selling prohibited
arms and ammunition
after a reply by
Home Minister Amit
Shah.
He also moved an
official amendment
to The Arms (Amendment)
Bill, 2019,
which makes provision
that a person can
keep two licenced
weapons. Shah said
punishment for those
manufacturing illegal
weapons has been
enhanced.
“It is very necessary
to effectively control
arms and ammunition
for safety and
security, and maintaining
law and order
in any country,” Shah
said during his reply.
The Bill provides
seven years to life imprisonment
for manufacturing
and selling
illegal weapons,
seven to 14 years jail
for possessing illegal
weapons and life imprisonment
for
snatching the weapon
of a police personnel,
he said. —ANI
Include Shias in
CAB: Waqf Board
Lucknow: Lamenting
the plight of Shia Muslim
community, UP Shia
Central Waqf Board
chairman Wasim Rizvi
wrote to Home Minister
Shah requesting him to
include Shia community
in the Citizenship
Amendment Bill 2019.
“I would like to draw
your attention towards
the fact that in Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Afghanistan,
and also in
Syria, Saudi Arabia and
Kenya and other countries
wherever Sunni
are in majority and
Shia are in minority,
Shia’s are subjected to
extreme inhumanity
and are being murdered,”
read the letter.
‘CAB necessary to
protect non-Muslims’
New Delhi: Union Minister
Giriraj Singh on
Monday said that the
Citizenship Amendment
Bill to be introduced
in Parliament
today is necessary to
protect members of
non-Muslim communities
from India’s neighbouring
countries.
“The women of the
non-Muslim communities
in our neighbouring
countries are not safe.
For the protection of
non-Muslim communities
from our neighbouring
countries, the Citizenship
Amendment
Bill is going to be tabled
in the parliament,” Singh
said. —ANI
MINISTER SPEAK
Vijay Goel raises
Delhi fire incident
in Rajya Sabha
New Delhi: On the massive
fire in Delhi factory,
BJP lawmaker in Rajya
Sabha, Vijay Goel, in the
House stated that “Delhi
is on fire today”. “I do not
want to talk about whose
fault it is, as we won’t get
anything from the argument.
However, Delhi is
on fire today. Twenty
years have passed since
the fire incident in Uphaar
Cinema, yet we
have learnt nothing from
it,” he said. —ANI
‘Will govt keep database on those who avail edu loans’
New Delhi: Congress
MP Manish Tewari
asked the government
in Lok Sabha on Monday
whether it will consider
maintaining a
central database that
will have information
about the employment
status of those who
have availed educational
loans through banks.
“The very basic idea
of education loan is
that you take the loan
and complete your education
and then get employed
and earn. By
that earning you repay
the loan,” said Manish
Tewari. “The unemployment
rate today is
the highest in 45 years.
Given the current economic
slowdown, will
the government consider
maintaining a central
database where
they have information
that somebody who has
availed education loan
has got employment or
not? Whether the employment
is self-employment
or employed
by somebody else,”
asked Tewari
MoS, Finance, Anurag
Singh Thakur replied
that there is no
provision for the Banks
to keep central data.
‘UDDHAV ORDERED US AGAINST
CUTTING TREES FOR MEMORIAL’
Aurangabad: A senior emerged that the memorial
would require the
Shiv Sena leader on Monday
claimed that Maharashtra
CM & party pres-
have received oral orders
felling of 1,000 trees. “We
ident Uddhav Thackeray from CM Uddhav Thackeray
on Sunday night
has given “oral orders”
against felling of trees for asking us not to touch
the proposed memorial of any tree for building the
his late father and Sena memorial. We will build
founder Bal Thackeray in the memorial by keeping
Aurangabad. On Sunday,
the ruling Sena got Sena leader Chandrakant
all the trees intact,” senior
trolled after media reports Khaire said.
On Sonia Gandhi’s birthday, Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy
distributes onions to party workers. He said, “she
has made immense sacrifices for the nation.”
SHIVRAJ STAGES PROTEST WITH
MOTHER OF 12-YR-OLD RAPE VICTIM
Bhopal: Former Madhya the culprits so that her
Pradesh CM Shivraj identity is not revealed.
Singh Chouhan staged a Chouhan sat on the protest
with the rape victim’s
protest in Roshan Pura,
demanding justice for mother, who wants the
the 12-year-old girl who culprits of her daughter to
was brutally raped and be punished in a manner
murdered at Manuabhan similar to the Telangana
Tekri in Bhopal. The girl rape and murder case.
was allegedly raped and The protestors raised
murdered by the accused slogans against the Kamal
in April. Her head was Nath-led government in
crushed with a stone by the state.
ONE-WAY TRAFFIC RESUMES
ON JAMMU-SRINAGAR HIGHWAY
Jammu: The one-way civilian traffic resumed on
the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway
on Monday, after a day-long closure to complete
some repair work & smooth passage of security
convoys, officials said. “Only Srinagar-bound
traffi c was allowed to move on the highway, the
only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest
of the country, this morning with 1 pm as cut off
timing,” the offi cials said. They said the decision
to restrict traffic to one-way was taken in view of
advisory issued by the IMD.

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INDIA
AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
06
Factory owner, manager in custody
New Delhi: A Delhi
court on Monday sent to
14-day police custody,
the owner and manager
of a factory in Anaj
Mandi area where a
massive fire claimed
the lives of 43 people on
Sunday.
Tees Hazari court
sent factory owner Rehan
and manager Furkan
to police custody
for interrogation in the
matter. Police had produced
the two before
the court seeking custody
after they were arrested
on Sunday.
A case has been registered
under Section 304
(punishment for culpable
homicide not
amounting to murder)
of the Indian Penal
Code (IPC) against
building owner Rehan,
who had absconded after
the fire broke out.
According to the police,
there are three different
owners of separate
portions of the
property.
“Rehan is the owner
and shareholder of the
factory, whereas manager
Furkan has worked
here since 2003. Rehan
and Furkan are childhood
friends,” police
said. —ANI
FIRE BREAKS
OUT AT ANAJ
MANDI AGAIN
DELHI FIRE INCIDENT
A police man pacifi es relatives of Anaj Mandi fi re victims who were shouting slogans while demanding for arrangement of ambulances
for carrying bodies, outside the mortuary at Maulana Azad Medical College Hospital in New Delhi on Monday. —PHOTO BY PTI
DELHI FIREMEN, HURT DURING RESCUE
OPS, DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL
New Delhi: Two Delhi Fire Service personnel, who were
injured while carrying out the rescue work at a fourstoreyed
building where a massive fire broke out, were
discharged from a city hospital on Monday, doctors
said. Rajesh Shukla was one of the first firemen to enter
the blazing building on Sunday morning and saved
11 people. Mr Shukla injured his legs in the rescue
operation and was admitted to the LNJP Hospital. Another
fi reman had received minor injury during rescue
operation and was also admitted to the hospital. “Both
fi remen were today discharged. —ANI
New Delhi: Two persons
were rushed to hospital after
a fire break broke out at Anaj
Mandi on Monday in the same
premises where 43 were killed
in a massive blaze on Sunday.
DELHI COURT ALLOWS VADRA TO
TRAVEL ABROAD FOR TREATMENT
New Delhi: A special
court in Delhi Robert
Vadra to travel abroad
for his medical treatment
and business purposes.
He is currently
on anticipatory bail in a
money laundering case.
Earlier in the day, the
court had reserved its
order on the plea by
Vadra seeking permission
to go abroad for
business and medical
treatment. ED in its reply
informed the court
that Vadra who was
scheduled to fly on
Monday had approached
the court in
the last minute leaving
no adequate time for
the agency to verify the
itinerary and other details.
KTS Tulsi, appearing
for Vadra said
that his client has always
cooperated with
the law enforcement
agency. He had earlier
also received similar
permission from the
court and followed every
instruction.—ANI
Soon after receiving the call
of fire, four fire tenders were
rushed to the spot. Speaking
about the rescue operation,
Delhi Police Constable Naresh
said: "When we received a PCR
One of the property owners of the four-storey building at Anaj
Mandi being produced in a court in New Delhi on Monday.
IN THE COURTYARD
HEARING ON
SHAHJAHANPUR
CASE ON JAN 8
New Delhi: SC adjourned
for January
8, the
plea of
Shahjahanpur
law student
in which she had
challenged the Allahabad
HC order that
allowed rape accused
BJP leader Chinmayanand
to access a
certified copy of the
statement recorded
by her. In Nov, the
Court granted an interim
stay on Allahabad
HC’s order, allowing
former Union
Minister Swami
Chinmayanand to access
a certified copy
of the statement recorded
by the law student.
The High Court
on December 6 granted
bail to a person,
who along with three
others, was charged
for trying to extort
money from former
union minister. —ANI
New Delhi: The Supreme
Court partially
relaxed ban on construction
in Delhi-NCR
and allowed such activities
from 6 am to 6 pm,
beyond which building
activities will remain
banned. This came after
Central Pollution
Control Board told the
top court that ban on
construction activities
in Delhi could be partially
lifted. The Bench
allowed construction
activities to re-start in
New Delhi: The SC issued
notice to the EC
on a plea of MP Mahua
Moitra seeking direction
to the poll body to
publish on its website
the constituency-wise
information collated in
Form 17C part I and II
and Form 20 for every
subsequent Parliamentary
and Assembly
elections.
A Bench headed by
Chief Justice SA Bobde
call, we immediately reached the
spot with Station House Officer.
Fire tenders too rushed to the
spot." "We were told by the SHO
to save as many people as we
can. We found a way to enter
BAN ON CONSTRUCTION IN
DELHI-NCR PARTIALLY RELAXED
Delhi with conditions
that rules for dust control,
setting up barriers
etc will be followed.
Partial lifting of construction
ban under
GRAP, as CPCB informs
court that Delhi air is
not severe but has improvement
to only
“poor”. The top court
noted that crop burning
fires have reduced in all
states. S Court asks for
data on steps being taken
to reduce problems
for farmers. —ANI
SC ISSUES NOTICE TO EC ON
PLEA BY MAHUA MOITRA
sought a response from
the EC. Form 17C Part I
is public disclosure and
due reporting of Account
of votes recorded,
Part II is a result of
counting and Form 20 is
the final result sheet.
The plea asks EC to
publish on its website
Constituency wise information
collated in
Form 17C part I & II for
Parliamentary and Assembly
election. —ANI
DELHI SEEKS
ANSWERS:
HARDEEP PURI
New Delhi: Union
Minister Hardeep
Singh Puri took on
Delhi CM Arvind
Kejriwal, asking
what action he has
taken on the reports
of inquiries into the
earlier incidences of
‘devastating’ fi re in
the national capital.
“Time has come
when Delhi seeks
answers. There have
been devastating
fi res in Arpit Palace
Hotel, Bawana
Industrial Area,
Kalindi Kunj, Chandni
Chowk, Netaji Subhash
Place to recount
a few. Every time an
inquiry was ordered.
Even today an inquiry
has been ordered,”
tweeted Puri. “All
concerned citizens of
Delhi including those
who lost their loved
ones or were injured
in accidents, want
to know what action
has Delhi CM taken
on reports of those
inquiries? Were they
made public? Is the
situation any better
now?” he tweeted.
the building. We first rescued a
person from the building where
the fire broke out and then two
other persons from the backside,
who were shifted to a hospital
for medical aid," he said.
NOTICE TO
STATES OVER
STARVATION
DEATHS
New Delhi: The SC
issued a notice to all
states over allegations
of starvation
deaths of persons
who did not get rations
because they
did not have Aadhaar
cards. A bench
headed by Chief
Justice SA Bobde
sought a response
from the states on
whether a person being
denied rations
over Aadhaar. CJI
Bobde said, “I was
part of the bench
(which decided Aadhar
case) it said people
can’t be denied
services over Aadhaar.
We want to appoint
a high powered
committee to
probe this issue.”
Solicitor General
Tushar Mehta informed
that reports
suggest that these
deaths are not starvation
deaths. —ANI
POWERGallery
SECRETARIES POSTING AFTER DEC 13
According to sources, GoI is likely to appoint
one dozen IAS offi cers as Secretaries in various
ministries and departments after December
13. Presently nine posts of Secretaries are
lying vacant, including in PMO. Two posts are
going to fall vacant this month.
1987 BATCH IAS OFFICERS LIKELY TO BE
POSTED AS NEW SECRETARIES
Govt is likely to post about half a dozen IAS
offi cers of 1987 batch as Secretaries in GoI.
WILL SINHA GET EXTENSION OR AN
IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENT ?
Latest buzz in the power galleries is that Amarjeet
Sinha , Secretary, Rural Development will
either get six months extension in service or a
post retirement important assignment. He is
1983 batch Bihar cadre IAS offi cer.
PRAMOD AGRAWAL APPOINTED CMD OF
COAL INDIA
A 1991 batch IAS offi cer of Madhya Pradesh
cadre, Pramod Agrawal has been appointed
Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Coal
India Limited (CIL). He will succeed incumbent
Anil Kumar Jha retiring in January, 2020.
M AJIT KUMAR APPOINTED MEMBER, CBIC
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
has approved the appointment of M. Ajit Kumar
as a Member of Central Board of Indirect
Taxes and Customs (CBIC). He is an IRS
(C&CE) offi cer of 1984 batch.
KAMINI CHAUHAN RATAN JOINS GOI
Kamini Chauhan Ratan has joined the Government
of India as Joint Secretary Higher Education.
She is 1997 batch IAS officer of UP cadre.
HUNT FOR SUCCESSOR TO A K
CHAUDHRY AS CHAIRMAN, SAIL ON
The Government of India has started searching
successor of Anil Kumar Chaudhary, Chairman,
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), one year
before expiration of Chaudhary’s term. A vacancy
of this post is arising on January 1, 2021.
JAVED AKHTAR RELIEVED TO JOIN AS
DIRECTOR, CBDT
Javed Akhtar has been relieved to join as Director
(TPL-III), Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
on deputation basis. He is an IRS-IT officer.
FIVE IAS OFFICERS PROMOTED TO CHIEF
SECRETARY GRADE IN TAMIL NADU
Five IAS offi cers of 1989 batch presently
serving in the cadre: S Krishnan, S K Prabhakar,
Harmander Singh, Md Nasiumuddin and
Dayanand Kataria have been promoted to the
grade of Chief Secretary in Tamil Nadu.
DR DIPANKAR BANERJEE APPOINTED AS
DIRECTOR, ARIES, NAINITAL
Dr Dipankar Banerjee, Professor, IIA, has been
appointed as Director, Aryabhatta Research
Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES),
Nainital.
CBDT: MRS PATRA APPOINTED AS MEMBER
Mrs Seema Khorana Patra (IRS IT:1983) was
on Monday appointed as Member, CBDT.
Presently, she is Principal Chief Commissioner
of Income Tax, Delhi Region. Her appointment
is considered against a post which fell vacant
in February this year after Sushil Chandra was
made Election Commissioner in CEC.
DISAPPOINTING NEWS FOR IPS OFFICERS:
CENTRE SET TO CUT POSTS UNDER CDR
If some well-placed sources are to be believed
the news appears discouraging for IPS
offi cers. Reportedly, the NaMo administration
is set to reduce the sanctioned posts for IPS
offi cers under the Central Deputation Reserve.
ASSAM: SEC 144 IMPOSED IN
SONITPUR DISTRICT
Sonitpur: In the wake ship Amendment Bill,”
of protests in the state said Sonitpur Superintendent
of Police,
over The Citizenship
(Amendment) Bill, 2019, Sanjeet Kumar Krishna.
Section 144, which prohibits
assembly of more currently going on in
Debate over the Bill is
than four people in an the Lok Sabha. The Citizenship
(Amendment)
area, has been imposed
in Assam’s Sonitpur Bill, 2019, seeks to
district. “Section 144 grant Indian citizenship
has been imposed in the to non-Muslim refugees
district in the wake of from Pakistan, Bangladesh,
and protests over Citizen-
Afghanistan.
PAKISTAN VIOLATES CEASEFIRE
IN POONCH’S SHAHPUR
Poonch: Pakistan on Monday violated
ceasefire in the Shahpur sector of Poonch
district. A statement said the at about 1545
hours, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire
violation along LoC in Shahpur sector
in District Poonch(J&K). Indian Army is
retaliating befittingly. On Dec 2, Centre had
informed Rajya Sabha that there have been
950 incidents of ceasefire violation along the
Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir
region from August to October.
ARMY FIRES EXCALIBUR ARTILLERY
AMMUNITION AT EXTENDED RANGES
Pokhran: Indian Army the American precision-guided
Excalibur
fi red the American-origin
Excalibur guided longrange
artillery ammu-
inventory. The Excalibur
artillery ammunition in its
nition from the M-777 ammunition has been
ultra-light howitzers in acquired under the fast
Pokhran fi ring ranges. track procedure and can
The fi ring was witnessed hit targets at extended
by senior leadership of ranges. The ammunition
Indian Army including can be busted in the air &
DG Artillery Lt Gen Ravi after its penetration into
Prasad. In October, the bunker-type structures by
Indian army had inducted using its different fuses.
MAN RAPES 5-YEAR-OLD, SMASHES
HER HEAD WITH STONE
Nagpur: A 32-year-old man has been arrested
for raping and murdering a five-year-old tribal
girl by smashing her head with a stone in Maharashtra’s
Nagpur district. The body of the
girl, who was missing since December 6, was
found on an agriculture farm in Linga village
in Kalmeshwar taluka, some 25 km away from
Nagpur. Sanjay Puri is a resident of Mohgaon
village in the district. Police said a case has
been filed under sections 376, 302 (POCSO)
Act and SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

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SPORTS
AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
07
Indian Women’s team clinches 3rd SAG gold, beats Nepal 2-0
Nepal: The Indian
women’s football team
won its third consecutive
gold medal at the
South Asian Games after
beating hosts Nepal
2-0 in the summit clash.
Bala Devi was the
star of the show as she
struck a brace on either
side of the half
time to guide India to a
comfortable victory
over the home side in
the final. The 29-yearold
striker also ended
as the top-scorer of the
tournament, netting
five goals in four
matches.
India went on the offensive
from the very
start, as the likes of
Sangita Basfore and
Ratanbala Devi dominated
proceedings
from the middle of the
park. Ratanbala
fetched the first clearcut
chance for India as
she connected a Ranjana
Chanu cross but her
NO CHANCES
An intricate move
was converted into a
chance by Ratanbala
as she finished off
the chance to score
her second goal of
the match in the 56th
minute. Indians kept
dominating the game
even after taking
the 2-0 lead and the
Nepalese were unable
to create chances.
shot flew over the
crossbar. India goalkeeper
Aditi Chauhan,
who has had a fantastic
tournament by not conceding
a single goal in
five matches, turned
provider when she
found Bala, with a long
ball upfield.
The mercurial striker
duly converted the
chance to give India
the lead in the 18th
minute. India had another
chance around
the half-hour mark,
when a Ranjana corner
was headed down by
captain Ashalata Devi
towards Sandhiya, but
the latter was flagged
offside. Aditi made a
couple of impressive
saves on either side of
the half-time break to
keep India in the lead.
Head coach Maymol
Rocky soon brought on
Manisha in place of
Sandhiya, & the move
had instant impact.
WADA bans Russia from 2020
Olympics & 2022 World Cup
4-year ban from all sport events
by World Anti-Doping Agency
Committee decided to uphold
recommendations in a meeting
Russian PM said ban was part of
‘chronic anti-Russian hysteria’
Davis drops
high 50, Lakers
beat Wolves
Lausanne: Russia has
been handed a four-year
ban from all major
sporting events by the
World Anti-Doping
Agency (Wada).
It means the Russia
flag and anthem will
not be allowed at events
such as the Tokyo 2020
Olympics and Paralympics
and football’s 2022
World Cup in Qatar.
But athletes who can
prove they are untainted
by the doping scandal
will be able to compete
under a neutral
flag. Russian prime
minister Dmitry Medvedev
said the ban was
part of “chronic anti-Russian
hysteria”.
“It is obvious that significant
doping problems
still exist in Russia,
I mean our sporting
community,” he said.
“This is impossible to
deny. “But on the other
hand the fact that all
these decisions are repeated,
often affecting
athletes who have already
been punished in
one way or another, not
to mention some other
points - of course this
makes one think that
this is part of anti-Russian
hysteria which has
become chronic.”
Wada’s executive
committee made the
unanimous decision to
Banned from competing since 2015
Russia has been banned from competing as a
nation in athletics since 2015. Despite the ban,
Russia will be able to compete at Euro 2020 -
in which St Petersburg will be a host city - as
European football’s governing body Uefa is not
defi ned as a ‘major event organisation’ with
regards to rulings on anti-doping breaches. Fifa
is in contact with Wada to clarify the extent of
the decision in regards to football.
Gujarat restricts Hyderabad to 233
New Delhi: Gujarat’s
gamble of making Hyderabad
bat first in the
Ranji Trophy Elite
Group A match paid
rich dividends as the
bowlers restricted the
home to team to a modest
233 on the first day at
Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.
It was not the kind of
start which newly-appointed
captain Tanmay
Agarwal would
have hoped for. He was
out in the fourth over,
not moving at all at the
crease and trying to offer
a defensive jab to
pacer Chintan Gaja,
only to be caught at
short-leg. Debutant.
Shashidhar Reddy
looked good in the beginning,
but was soon
cleaned up by pacer
Roosh Kalaria, leaving
the home team in a spot
of bother. P. Akshath
Reddy was due for a big
innings this season and
his hopes to make
amends vanished when
he leaned forward and
played away from the
body, and was bowled by
left-arm pacer Nagwaswalla.
The normally reliable
B. Sandeep too
failed to capitalise on
two dropped chances before
perishing cheaply.
impose the ban on Russia
in a meeting in Lausanne,
Switzerland, on
Monday.
It comes after Russia’s
Anti Doping Agency
(Rusada) was declared
non-compliant
for manipulating laboratory
data handed over
to investigators in January
2019. It had to hand
over data to Wada as a
condition of its controversial
reinstatement
in 2018 after a threeyear
suspension for its
vast state-sponsored
doping scandal.
Wada says Rusada
has 21 days to appeal
against the ban. If it
does so, the appeal will
be referred to the Court
of Arbitration for
Sport (Cas).
Wada president Sir
Craig Reedie said the
decision showed its “determination
to act resolutely
in the face of the
Russian doping crisis”.
He added: “For too long,
Russian doping has detracted
from clean
sport. The blatant
breach by the Russian
authorities of Rusada’s
reinstatement conditions
demanded a robust
response. But
Wada vice-president
Linda Helleland said
the ban was “not
enough”.
Dhoni is all set to produce a
TV show on military officers
New Delhi: The Indian
cricket star Mahendra
Singh Dhoni will
be producing an anthology
telling stories
of decorated army officers.
Studionext in collaboration
with Dhoni,
who is a Honorary
Lieutenant Colonel in
the Parachute Regiment
of the Territorial
Army, will bring forward
the unique anthology
of episodic stories
on army officers.
“The show will narrate
stories of the brave
Param Vir Chakra and
Ashoka Chakra awardees.
With compelling
stories and intriguing
content on board, the
show is slated for a 2020
release,” said a source.
12TH HOME WIN
Ankara: Los Angeles
Lakers beat Minnesota
Timberwolves
142-125 on Sunday
night for their fourth
consecutive win in
the National Basketball
Association
(NBA). Lakers’ superstar
duo LeBron
James and Anthony
Davis were in form
as they combined for
82 points and 19 assists.
Davis scored a
season-high 50 points
along with 7 rebounds
while James
posted double double
with 32 points and 13
assists in 28 minutes
at Staples Center. Davis
and James totaled
for 82 points, their
most ever in a game
as teammates. Alex
Caruso and Danny
Green also scored in
double figures to accompany
Davis and
James over the Timberwolves.
For the
losing side, Karl-Anthony
Towns and Andrew
Wiggins each
produced 19 points.
The Lakers improved
to 21 wins and
3 losses with this victory
while the Timberwolves
dropped to
10 wins and 12 defeats.
Luka Doncic
passed Michael Jordan
for the most consecutive
games with
at least 20 points, 5
assists and 5 rebounds,
since the
NBA/ABA merger in
1976. Doncic racked
up 27 points, 7 rebounds
and 8 assists,
but Mavericks fell to
the Sacramento
Kings at home, 110-
106. NBA legend Oscar
Robertson holds
the record in that category
with 29
straight matches,
when he established
such run in the
1964/65 season.
MEN’S T20 LEAGUE
BBL: Julia Price of Australia to become first ever woman coach
•••
Former player
Julia Price is all
set to join
Brisbane Heat
as an assistant
coach of the
franchise in the
upcoming men’s
Big Bash
League
Brisbane: In a historic
development, former
Australia wicketkeeper
Julia Price has become
the first-ever female
coach of the Big Bash
League (BBL).
Notably, Julia has
been appointed as the
assistant coach of the
Brisbane Heat for the
forthcoming season of
the Big Bash League
and is all set to work
along with head coach
Darren Lehmann and
Ryan Harris who is the
bowling coach there. In
addition to them, Gavin
Fitness is the coaching
assistant for Brisbane
Heat for the ninth season.
A veteran of 107
matches for Queensland
between 1993-94 and
2006-07 and 38 matches
for Tasmania, Julia
Price will officially join
the team on 1 January
night when the team
will be up against Perth
Scorchers at the Metricon
Stadium.
The same was confirmed
in a statement
released by the team.
I’m pretty excited about (the
role), I have to admit. I’m really
looking forward to the opportunity
to be around the guys and
seeing how they do it differently to what
the girls do.
—Julia Price, Former cricketer
In addition to being
one of the greats in the
Australian domestic
cricket circuit, Price
has played as many as
10 Test matches for 84
ODIs for the Australian
senior national team.
She even played her
part in her country’s
1997 and 2015
World Cup wins.
Currently, she is
the head coach of
the USA Women’s
team, an assignment
she took up
after having coached
Tasmania and Women’s
Big Bash League side
Hobart Hurricanes for
the first three editions.
In two of these 3 seasons,
she was at the
helm of a team that
reached the semis. “I’m
pleased the Heat have
been able to go in a direction
that we haven’t
seen yet in the BBL in
having a woman on the
coaching staff, but I
don’t believe it will be
the last time it happens
either. Hopefully, this
works well for ‘Pricey’
and assists her with her
role with USA Cricket
in the future,” said
Price. “I’m very excited
at this opportunity provided
to me by the
Heat,” she added. Meanwhile,
Lehmann also
welcomed her addition
to the coaching staff.
“We’d been chatting
about whether there
were some professional
development opportunities
for her through
her USA role and we
just went from there,”
Lehmann said.

Nothing is final; neither success
nor failure – have the courage of
conviction – daily.
2ND FRONT
—Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor, First India
8
www.fi rstindia.co.in I www.fi rstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefi rstindia I facebook.com/thefi rstindia I instagram.com/thefi rstindia AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
AND QUIET FLOWS... DEFYING THE
DOWNTURN, THE VIJAY RUPANI WAY
FROM PG1
already resolved 4,300
online grievances till
date.” As a strong
backup to the MSME
sector, the Vijay Rupani
Government has made it
mandatory as a policy
initiative that all government
purchases
should be routed
through the Government
E-Market Place
(GeM). “This is a onestop
platform to facilitate
the MSME sector to
supply their products
through a dedicated portal
to various government
departments, organizations
and also public
sector undertakings
(PSUs),” MK Das says.
The total government
purchases
through the GeM portal
have been to the
tune of Rs 1,534.4
crore. Besides an average
saving of about 20
per cent to 25 per cent
adding to the state coffers,
this initiative helps
the MSME units to have
direct committed buyers.
An increase of viability
for this sector directly
results in employment
generation.
To boost Gujarat’s legendary
entrepreneurial
spirit, the Gujarat Government
has devised
strong policies to help
Start-ups in a big way.
Gujarat has secured the
Prime Minister’s Award
for Excellence in Public
Administration in recognition
of its efforts to
encourage and inspire
Start-ups.
The Gujarat Government
has supported
as many as 222
Start-ups under its
“Assistance for Startups
Scheme,” while a
total of 74 such startups
have already been
commercialized or are
at early stages of commercialization.
At an interaction with
the captains of industry
at the Gujarat State
Council of Federation of
Indian Chambers of
Commerce and Industry,
State Energy Minister
Saurabh Patel said the
State had remained
largely oblivious to the
“so-called economic
slowdown” Except the
diamond industry,
which may be facing a
crisis because of lack
of exports, all other
key industries in Gujarat
like pharmaceuticals
and engineering
are doing quite well.
Buttressing his arguments,
Patel pointed out
that a key yardstick in
deciding the progress of
economic activity is the
industrial power consumption.
He said instead
of going down, it
has only increased over
the last one year in Gujarat.
“So where is the
downturn?” asks Saurabh
Patel.
Thus display of immense
willpower and
defying the general
trend in the country is
the hallmark of this
Rupani government
and he’s capable of
tuning in THE Government
machinery to
get the MOST done...
turning the tables and
making things work
in favour of the State
has been the USP of
this government.
Telangana HC: Preserve bodies of
rape-murder accused till Dec 13
Officials examine site where police shot dead four men suspected of raping and killing vet.
Hyderabad: The Telangana
High Court
on Monday ordered
the state administration
to preserve till
December 13 the bodies
of the four accused
of the rape and
murder of a woman
veterinarian, who
were gunned down
by the police last
week.
The matter has
been posted for hearing
on December 12.
The high court directed
that the bodies will be
transported to Gandhi
Medical College and
will be preserved there
till December 13.
The petitioner has
sought registration
of an FIR, investigation
and action
against police personnel
who were involved
in the encounter.
The accused, Mohammed
Arif, Naveen, Shiva,
and Chennakeshavulu,
were killed in the
police encounter at
Chatanpally, Shadnagar
on the morning of
December 6.
On Sunday, a complaint
was filed
against Cyberabad
Police alleging that
the four suspects
were killed in a fake
encounter. —ANI
SC TO HEAR PLEA ON DEC 11
T
—File Photo
HYDERABAD
ENCOUNTER: SIT
BEGINS PROBE
Hyderabad: The Special
Investigation
Team, set up by the
Telangana government
to probe the killing
of four accused in
the rape and murder
of a veterinarian in
“retaliatory” firing by
police, on Monday got
down to business, even
as the state High Court
directed authorities to
preserve their bodies
till December 13.
The Terms of Reference
(ToR) of the SIT
include, investigating
the cause and circumstances
leading to the
death of the four persons,
and completing
investigation and submitting
a report before
a competent court of
law, it said. —PTI
Nirbhaya case:
Another convict
files review
petition in SC
New Delhi: The capital
punishment to the
four culprits of the
heinous 2012 Delhi
gangrape case has
once again come under
a cloud of doubt
as one of the convicts
has filed for a review
petition against his
death sentence.
Akshay Thakur filed
his review petition on
Monday, a few days after
the home ministry
recommended President
Ram Nath Kovind
to reject the mercy plea
filed by another accused
Vinay Kumar.
The SC has already
rejected a similar
plea filed by Vinay
Kumar, Mukesh Singh
and Pawan Gupta.
If the SC dismisses
Akshay Thakur's review
petition, he will
have the option to file a
mercy plea with the
president. The six involved
were arrested
and convicted. —ANI
Hindu body moves
SC against 5-acre
plot to Muslims
New Delhi: Akhil
Bharat Hindu Mahasabha,
a litigant in the
Ram Janmabhoomi-
Babri Masjid title dispute
case, moved the
Supreme Court on
Monday against the
direction to allot a
five-acre plot to the
Sunni Waqf Board for
building a mosque in
Ayodhya.
Seeking a “limited
review” of the apex
court’s November 9
verdict which cleared
the way for construction
of a Ram Temple
at the disputed site in
Ayodhya, ABHM became
the first Hindu
body to seek the review.
It has also sought
deletion of findings declaring
the disputed
structure as a Mosque.
Separately, 40 persons,
including rights
activists, have jointly
AYODHYA VERDICT
moved the top court
seeking review of its
verdict in the Ayodhya
case claiming that
the judgement “errs
in both fact and law”.
A 3-judge bench of the
apex court, headed by
then Chief Justice Dipak
Misra, had on March
14 last year made it clear
that only the parties to
the original lawsuits
would be allowed to put
forth their arguments in
the case and had disallowed
some of the activists
from intervening in
the matter. —PTI
TALL FEAT
Statue of Unity outnumbers footfall of Statue of Liberty
New Delhi: The Statue
of Unity, which stands
at 182 meters tall, is the
world’s tallest statue,
twice the size of the
Statue of Liberty. It is
India’s tribute to India’s
first deputy prime minister
Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel’s contributions.
The Statue of
Unity was unveiled by
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on October
31, 2018, which also
marked the 143rd birth
anniversary of Sardar
Patel, the Ironman of
India. This astounding
piece of art is located
in Gujarat’s Narmada
district and to reach it,
one has to reach
Kevadiya first.
Only after a year of
its inauguration, the
Statue of Unity
has surpassed the
Statue of Liberty in
the number of visitors.
The Statue of
Unity is now getting
an average of 15,000
tourists per day while
the Statue of Liberty
has an average of
10,000 tourists visiting
the statue per day.
A statement by Sardar
Sarovar Narmada
Nigam Ltd said, “With
74 per cent increase
over the daily average
of the first year, that is,
November 1, 2018, to October
31, 2019, daily average
of 15,036 is now
registered in the first
month of this second
year. This has further
increased to 22,430 on
weekend days. The Statue
of Liberty of New
York, United States, attracts
around 10,000
visitors a day!”
With 22,430 visits
on weekends and
15,000 visits on an average,
the Statue of
Unity now attracts
an average of 50 per
cent more visitors
than the Statue of
Liberty and 100 per
cent more visitors on
weekends. The Statue
of Liberty is a
133-year-old statue.
In the statement,
Sardar Sarovar Narmada
Nigam Ltd credited
the rise in footfall
at the monument to the
addition of several
new tourist attractions
such as jungle
safari, children’s nutrition
park, cactus
garden, butterfly
garden, Ekta nursery,
dino trail, river
rafting, boating,
alongside multiple
budget accommodation
options.
“These additional
tourist attractions have
led to a sharp increase
in the daily tourists’
footfall during November
2019,” it said.
When the Statue of
Unity was inaugurated,
several distracters
had cast aspersions
on the revenue that
this statue would be
able to attract and the
footfall it might get.
Media claimed that
the Taj Mahal earns
Rs 25 crore in revenue
a year. Rathee estimated
that the Statue
of Unity would be
lucky to get even 10%
of that, suggesting
that the Statue would
expect to make just
about Rs 2.5 crore.
It is now being revealed
that till November
30 this year,
a total of 30,90,723
tourists have visited
Kevadia generating a
total income of
Rs 85.57 crore. In
fact, only in the first
11 months of the
statue being inaugurated,
26 lakh people
had visited the Statue
of Unity.
2 IAS couples
change cadre
on wed grounds
Gandhinagar: A popular
belief is that marriages
are made in the heavens.
But, it is the couples
who have to manage and
adjust their married life
in this mundane world.
At least two such couples,
both IAS officers,
have changed their respective
cadres on the
marriage ground. The
2018-batch Gujarat cadre
IAS officer Aparna Gupta
has been transferred to
Rajasthan to be with her
husband Mayank Manish
of same batch. Similarly,
2019-batch IAS Nidi
Siwach has got her cadre
changed from Jharkhand
to Gujarat to live with her
husband Ram Niwas Bugalia
who also belongs to
2019 batch.

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AHMEDABAD, TUESDAY
DECEMBER 10, 2019
‘NEW ERA OF
WONDER’
The much awaited trailer of Wonder Woman 1984 is
out and it more than fulfils the desires of the avid
fans with a new battle, a new armour, new villains,
edgier action and a reunion with her long-last love.
Gal Gadot has teased the beginning of a ‘new era of wonder’
in the trailer.
Gadot is reprising her role as Diana Prince, aka Wonder
Woman, in the sequel of the mega hit 2017 DC film.
The trailer, which was released on Sunday, garnered over
five million views in less than 24 hours on the official
YouTube site of Warner Bros. In the trailer of Patty Jenkins’
project, Wonder Woman is seen wearing a shinier
version of her armour and flaunts her fighting skills
with her golden Lasso of Truth. The trailer ends with
Gadot stepping out in her new golden armour. The film
is slated to open on June 5, 2020.
—IANS
Gal Gadot
STAR SCREEN AWARDS 2019
GULLY No. 10!
RANVEER SINGH, ALIA BHATT STARRER ‘GULLY BOY’
BAGS 10 AWARDS AT ‘STAR SCREEN AWARDS 2019’!
Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt posing with their awards
T
he 26th Star
Screen Awards
were held in Mumbai
on Sunday.
This is an annual
awards ceremony
for honouring excellence.
Many superstars
such as Ayushman Khurrana,
Ranveer Singh, Alia
Bhatt, Sara Ali Khan,
Deepika Padukone graced
the event.
Ayushman Khurrana
won the Best Actor award
(male) for his brilliant
turn as an upright cop in
rape-investigative drama
Article 15 and for his comic
role as a prematurely balding
man in ‘Bala’. This
definitely wraps up 2019
for him with a bang!
With Gully boy still ringing
in our ears, Ranveer
Singh naturally took home
the Best Actor (popular
choice) award. He definitely
rapped his way into everyone’s
hearts with his
compelling performance
in director Megha Gulzar’s
‘Gully Boy’.
Ranveer Singh, who
turned up on the red carpet
in his flashy suit and
sunglasses, also won the
Entertainer Of The Year
Ayushman Khurrana
award. He was accompanied
by Deepika Padukone.
He lived up to his entertainer
title as he danced
along with Sara Ali Khan
on their hit song Aankh
Maarey. Singh took to his
social media account to express
his excitement at the
win. “Gosh! Double Whammy!
‘Best Actor in a Leading
Role’ for #GullyBoy &
‘Entertainer of the Year’ at
the #StarScreenAwards,”
posted a beaming Singh on
his Instagram.
It was a big night for
Gully Boy as Alia Bhatt
won the Best Actress for
her role as Safeena, the
occasionally violent, but
feisty girlfriend of Singh
in the rap-to-riches
underdog tale.
Actress Yami Gautam
got a nod for her comic
timing for her role in
Bala, as a flighty Tik Tok
sensation while Taapsee
Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar
won the Best Actress
- Critics award for
their roles as sharp shooter
grannies in ‘Saand Ki
Aankh’. While they were
blasted for being age inappropriate
to play older
women, this seemed to be
a validation for their performances.
Sara Ali Khan won Most
Promising Actor (Female)
for ‘Kedarnath’ and Kartik
Aaryan won Baat Nayi
Award for ‘Lukka Chuppi’.
The star studded evening
was lit up all the more
as the bevy of Bollywood
Beauties sashayed forth in
their best! Kriti Sanon
looked sizzling in a white
body hugging dress as Urvashi
Rautela looked ravishing
as always. Kiara
Advani wore a black gown
to the awards ceremony.
—Agency
CLOCKWISE: Deepika Padukone,
Urvashi Rautela, Taapsee Pannu
and Kriti Sanon

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AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
10
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No ‘Senorita’
without Mendes
FACE OF THE DAY
S
inger Camila Cabello
says performing
the hit song ‘Senorita’
without her
boyfriend and cosinger
Shawn
Mendes is ‘lonely’.
The 22-year-old performed
the song solo in Inglewood,
California, on Friday, but
she said, it’s ‘lonely’ without
Mendes.
“It’s lonely. I don’t like it. I
want him back,” she said of
her real-life boyfriend. “But
it’s fun. The fans sing it, and
it’s cool.”
Cabello took the stage just
hours after dropping her
new album, ‘Romance’.
“It feels amazing (to see
reactions online). I just also
have the sweetest, most
amazing fans in the world,
and just seeing their reactions
and seeing how invested
they are in the music and
seeing what songs they connect
to and them just kind of
pointing things out in the
album just feels so exciting
and rewarding,” she shared.
“I think like, writing the
album is amazing, but the
second best thing is release
day and getting to see what
everybody is saying. I feel so
thankful, I really do. I’m excited,”
she expressed.
She will also announce
her next single next week.
She’s also working on music
for the upcoming ‘Cinderella’
movie that she is starring
in.
—IANS
SEJAL KUMAR, Content Creator
YOUR DAY
Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva
IF IT’S
YOUR
BIRTHDAY
TODAY
ARIES
MAR 21 - APR 20
You may have to
try hard to
convince your
boss to
implement your idea but it all
will be worth it. You may go
to a far land for holidays.
Property dealers will make
double profits today. You
must not give up on your
love, remember nothing
valuable comes easy.
GEMINI
MAY 21 - JUNE 21
You have a good
health and there
is nothing to
worry as such. To
prevent any monetary loss,
you should care to read
your business proposal
twice before taking any
decision. In office, you may
need to persuade someone
to stand in your favour but it
will be worth it.
This year onwards you
are on a ride where you
will overcome all your
obstacles and make your
dreams into reality. You will
enjoy luxuries. Have a great
day!
TAURUS
APR 21 - MAY 20
Avoid getting
into any
arguments. Your
past
investments will give you
returns beyond your
imagination. You will
spend time with your
family elders. You will
soon buy your dream
house and your spouse
may be the luck factor.
CANCER
JUNE 22 - JULY 23
Business people
will get new
opportunities to
spread the
business and to make more
money. You like to have a
luxury lifestyle, make sure
you are working hard for it.
You will get lots of
encouragement from your
friends to do something
good. You may fall in love.
Camila Cabello
PATI PATNI AUR WOH
DIRECTOR: MUDASSAR AZIZ
CAST AND CREW : KARTIK AARYAN,
BHUMI PEDNEKAR, ANANYA
PANDAY AND APARSHAKTI
KHURANA
AMBER CINEMA: 10:00, 4:00, 10:15
HIMALAYA MALL: 8:50, 10:15,
12:45, 3:15, 5:45, 8:15, 10:00, 10:45
CINEMAX (DEVARC): 8:50, 10:40,
11:40, 1:30, 2:30, 5:20, 7:10, 8:10,
10:00, 11:00
CINEMAX (SHIV): 9:50, 10:50, 1:40,
4:30, 7:20, 10:10
CINEPOLIS (AHMEDABAD ONE):
10:10, 1:00, 3:50, 6:40, 9:30
CITY GOLD (SATELLITE): 10:00,
10:30, 12:30, 3:00, 4:15, 5:15, 7:45,
9:30, 10:30
CITY GOLD (ASHRAM ROAD): 9:00,
10:30, 11:30, 1:15, 2:15, 3:30, 5:00,
7:45, 9:30, 10:30
DEVI MULTIPLEX (NARODA): 10:00,
1:00, 2:00, 4:30, 7:15, 10:00, 10:30
MIRAJ CINEMAS CINE PRIDE: 9:00,
10:40, 11:40, 1:20, 2:20, 4:00, 5:00,
6:40, 7:40, 9:20, 10:20
MIRAJ CITY PULSE: 9:00, 10:00,
11:00, 11:40, 12:40, 1:40, 2:20,
3:20, 4:20, 5:00, 7:00, 7:40, 8:35,
9:40, 10:20, 11:15
MUKTA A2 CINEMAS: 9:00, 10:00,
11:15, 12:30, 1:45, 3:30, 6:00, 8:30,
11:00
PVR (ACROPOLIS): 8:50, 11:40,
2:30, 5:20, 8:10, 11:00
PVR (ARVED TRANSCUBE): 8:50,
10:40, 11:40, 1:30, 2:30, 4:20, 5:20,
6:00, 7:10, 8:10, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00
PVR (MOTERA): 8:50, 10:40, 11:40,
1:30, 2:30, 4:20, 5:20, 7:10, 8:10,
THEATRE
10:00, 11:00
RAJHANS CINEMAS (NIKOL): 10:00,
12:30, 1:30, 3:00, 5:30, 8:00, 9:45,
10:35
RAJHANS CINEMAS (SATADHAR):
8:50, 9:45, 11:30, 4:20, 7:00, 9:30
SB MULTIPLEX: 9:00, 11:45, 1:00,
2:30, 3:45, 5:15, 8:00, 10:00, 11:00
TIME CINEMA: 9:30, 10:45, 11:30,
1:30, 2:15, 3:55, 6:45, 7:45, 9:45,
10:30
AMBER CINEMA: 1:15, 7:15
HIMALAYA EBONY LOUNGE: 1:30,
4:45, 7:15
CHHOTU MAHARAJ CINE
RESTAURANT: 11:00, 6:00
CINEWORLD (NARODA): 9:30,
12:00, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, 10:00
CITY GOLD (BAPUNAGAR): 9:30,
10:00, 12:00, 12:30, 2:00, 3:00,
4:30, 5:30, 7:00, 8:00, 9:30, 10:30
CITY GOLD (BOPAL): 9:00, 9:30,
10:00, 11:30, 12:30, 2:00, 3:15,
4:30, 5:45, 8:15, 9:45, 10:35
CITY GOLD (MOTERA): 9:00, 11:45,
2:15, 5:00, 7:45, 10:15
K SERA SERA: 9:30, 1:00, 3:15,
5:45, 8:15, 10:40
MIRAJ CINEMAS: 10:00, 11:00,
1:00, 1:45, 4:00, 7:00, 10:00
NEWFANGLED MINIPLEX: 8:01,
9:01, 10:31, 1:01, 2:01, 4:01, 7:01,
8:45, 9:31, 10:45
RUPAM ARTH CINEPLEX: 12:30
5D THEATRE: 10:10, 1:00, 3:50,
6:40, 9:30
R WORLD INOX: 8:55, 10:00, 11:30,
12:40, 2:20, 3:30, 4:30, 5:10, 6:20,
7:15, 8:00, 9:30, 10:50
CITY PULSE MALL: 9:00, 10:05,
11:45, 2:30, 4:20, 5:15, 8:00, 9:45,
10:45
CITY
DIAL
POLICE
100
FIRE
101
Do you want to add your establishment here? Email your details to www.firstindia.co.in
CARS & SHOWROOMS
Audi ............................ 0787 878 8136
BMW ........................... 090992 34567
Mercedes-Benz (CG Road) .................
.................................... 078787 33555
Ford ............................. 099306 08586
Honda .......................... 086575 88792
Maruti Suzuki (Kataria Automobiles) ..
................................... 079 6134 3781
Planet Hyundai (Maninagar) ...............
.................................... 098250 05590
BLOOD BANKS
Cross World Bank and Sankalp ..........
...................................... 91521 23660
Red Cross Blood Service ....................
.................................... 097222 69610
Indian Blood Service .... 098980 30960
Green Cross Voluntary Blood Bank
..................................... 07926408820
White Cross Blood Bank and Path.
Lab ............................... 07922815227
DIAL-UP-A-DISH
Domino’s ..............................6888688
Pizza Hut (CG Road) ....... 0794019480
Pizza Hut (Ashram Rd) .. 07923988398
Subway (Navrangpura) . 07940049990
Subway (Paldi) ............. 07940040002
McDonald’s (Himalaya Mall) ...............
................................... 022 6600 0666
Java+ Mariott (Ramdev Nagar) ...........
..................................... 07966185000
EYE BANK
C.S.Samarya Red Cross International
Eye Bank ....................... 07927413333
HOSPITALS
Bodyline Hospital .......... 07698003120
Stavya Spine Hospital . 079 2656 5657
AMBULANCE
102/108
Sadhna Orthopaedic Hospital .............
................................... 079 2657 6470
Shalby Hospital ........... 079 4020 3000
Avron Hospital ............. 090818 30100
CIMS Hospital .............. 098250 66664
FOREX
Polo Forex Pvt. Ltd. Currency
Exchange ..................... 090998 04461
Sambhav Forex Pvt. Ltd. ......079 2646
9909
Thomas Cook (Lal Bungalow,
Ahmedabad) ................ 086575 35806
INTERNET SERVICES
UN Internet Service Provider (CG
Road, Navrangpura) .... 079 4050 7676
AHMEDABAD BY SIGHT
Sidi Saiyyed Mosque ... 079 2550 7147
Dada Harir Stepwell .... 079 2550 7147
Sabarmati Riverfront ... 079 2658 0430
Gujarat Science City .... 079 2970 3122
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International
Airport ........................ 079 2286 9211
Tourism Corporation of Gujarat ..........
................................... 079 2657 8046
GAS COMPANIES
Jay Jyoti Gas Agency ... 085090 88306
Adani Gas ................... 079 2754 2988
Bharat Gas Offi ce ........ 1800 233 3555
Reliance Gas - Sheth Gas Service
..................................... 07926584544
MEDICINES 24×7
Tapan Medical Stores .. 079 2545 1918
Karnavati Medical Store .......079 2657
5799
Akshar Medical Store ... 098982 24888
ORDER A CAKE...& MORE
CHILD HELPLINE
1098
HELP IN SUFFERING
26305080
Dangee Dums (Narangpura) ...............
................................... 079 6615 3044
Dangee Dums (Ambavadi) ..................
.................................... 098980 88885
Cakes N Bakes (University Road)
.................................... 094265 18499
Kabhi B Bake Studio (Ambavadi) ........
.................................... 099988 14719
PAMPER THYSELF
O2 Spa (Raddisson Blu Hotel) ............
.................................... 099980 61211
The Thai Spa (Ahmedabad One Mall)
.................................... 075672 25441
Hummingbirds Spa (CG Road) ...........
................................... 079 4037 3377
Enrich Salon (University Area) ...........
.................................... 090995 73000
B&B Salon & Nails (Navrangpura)
.................................... 099794 24891
Shades of Blackk Spalon (Vastrapur)
.................................... 076000 98000
Lakme Salon (Navrangpura) ...............
................................... 079 4007 6019
FLORISTS
Aristo Florist (Ambavadi) ...................
.................................... 099093 33322
Rami Brothers (Navrangpura) ............
................................... 079 2656 5080
Orchid Florist (Navrangpura) ..............
.................................... 098797 78891
Ferns N Petals (Satellite) ....................
.................................... 093761 15848
UTILITIES
AMC (Danapith Rd.) - 079 2539 1811
WHEELCHAIR/OXYGEN/WALKERS
Torchit Pvt. Ltd. ........... 073836 35420
Silverline Meditech Ltd... 91521 68755
LEO
JULY 24 - AUGUST 23
You may get a
promotion and a
hike and your
career will be on
the next level. You must work
on your strategies if the
current ones are not helping
out in the business. You must
stop acting suspicious, it is
not healthy for your
relationship. You will spend
money in luxury items.
LIBRA
SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22
You can expect
decent returns
from your past
investments.
Family will help you by
sharing some home
burdens. On professional
front, you will live upto
the expectation of your
boss and he will reward
you big time. You will
spend money on comfort.
SAGITTARIUS
NOV 23 - DEC 22
Eating right and in
proportion is what
you need right
now. Those who
have a wanderlust will soon
find themselves going on
frequents tours. You are
famous in your social circle
but don’t let that effect you
in a way that you feel forced
to do things. Your parents
may need emotional support.
AQUARIUS
JAN 21 - FEB 19
A huge profi t
from business
cannot be ruled
out for some.
You may feel the work
pressure in offi ce today
probably because of
someone’s absence. You
may meet your childhood
friends today. Your father
will give your the advice
worth millions.
VIRGO
AUG 24 - SEP 23
You have a
reputation of
being a go getter
and this is what
separates you from the rest
on professional front. On
academic front, you may
win some competition for
which you really worked
hard. You will change
someone’s life by helping
them in the time of need.
SCORPIO
OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22
You must make
all efforts to stay
focused today,
on work front.
On academic front,
sometimes you feel you
are fully prepared and
sometime you feel vice
versa so don’t pay much
attention to the feelings
rather concentrate on your
preparation.
CAPRICORN
DEC 23 - JAN 20
Someone close
may need your
care and
support. On
professional front, you will
stand strong against all
that is wrong. Don’t trust
the newly made friends
with investment related
details. You must travel to
take a break from your
recent boring schedule.
PISCES
FEB20 - MARCH 20
Your fi nances
are always
under your
control. Its not
easy for other to fool you.
You must keep away from
people have talk negative
or those who have
negative vibe. Don’t take
chances when it comes to
your wife, do what will
please her.

B
ollywood actress Alia Bhatt recently
got upset after father Mahesh Bhatt
lost his cool at Shaheen Bhatt’s book
launch. He was asked a question
about ‘fitting in’ in the society after
which he lashed out. In a video that
has surfaced online, the entire Bhatt
family can be seen answering questions
when the ace-filmmaker gets carried away
and started screaming. In the background,
Alia can be heard saying, “I told you this will
happen,” the actress then tries her best to
interrupt and stop him but in vain.
Alia’s sister Shaheen Bhatt has recently
launched her book titled ‘I have never been
(Un)Happier’. At the book launch event, the
entire Bhatt family came in support of
Shaheen who has penned down her battle
with depression. Mahesh Bhatt, Soni
Razdan, Pooja, Shaheen and Alia Bhatt
were seen at the do answering questions
from the media at the book launch event.
Amidst the question-answer round, Mahesh
Bhatt lost his cool and got emotional.
The ace-filmmaker got carried away
and started screaming when a worried
Alia Bhatt interrupted telling him that she
knew this would happen. Shaheen has
penned down the psychological battles
that she has faced over time, including
battling depression and anxiety.
Mahesh was seen giving an impassioned
speech, which was about fitting
into society. He was answering a journalist’s
question on the same when he lost his temper
and says, “I can’t expect a young little girl to
fit into this sick world where brutality is legitimized.”
—Agency
ETC
11
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UPSET ALIA
AT SHAHEEN’S BOOK LAUNCH
Bhatt family at the book launch event
AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
TV GOSSIP...
IS ARHAAN KHAN FAKE?
Lots of drama is going on in the house of ‘Bigg
Boss’, and one of the high points in recent episodes
has been Arhaan Khan’s proposal to Rashami
Desai. Wild card entry Arhaan has been cosying up
to Rashami ever since he entered the house, and his
public display of attention towards Rashami has been
noticed by all. The drama had reached its peak when
Arhaan proposed to Rashami, who, however, did not
give any reply at that very moment. However, spanner
in the works for Arhaan was thrown by none other than
show host, Salman Khan. During Weekend Ka Vaar,
Salman revealed to Rashami that Arhaan is already
married. In fact, he is a father of a child. —IANS
EKTA BIDS ADIEU TO YHM
E
kta
Kapoor’s much talked about show Yeh Hai
Mohabbatein after six years is all set to bid adieu
to its viewers. Ekta Kapoor
has shared a video on her Instagram
account with the show’s
favourite Karan Patel and Divyanka
Tripathi Dahiya. She said
the word alternative stressing on
ALT giving a smile. Ekta wrote,
“Every end is a beginning ...
every bye is a hiiiii.... let’s meet
soon in ‘alt’ernate or parallel
universe #goodbyeyhm.” —Agency
Shivangi Joshi
LOVE BEING
AN ACTOR
Rishta Kya
Kehlata Hai’
actress Shivangi
Joshi ‘Yeh
says she loves her profession,
and her fans
play a huge role in it.
“Any profession can
be hectic. It totally depends
on people and
how much time they
make for themselves
and others. It’s important
to make time for
yourself in this industry.
For example, I still
go out for movies and
family gatherings after
I finish shooting,” she
said.
—IANS
Prabhudheva
Prabhudheva
REACTS ON ‘DABANGG 3’
RANVEER REACTS
TO DEEPIKA’S CHOPPED HAIR
Actress Deepika Padukone on Sunday treated her
fans with a picture of her new hairdo. It seems
she has chopped off her hair. “Tadaaaaa!!,”
Deepika captioned the image.
Her picture has garnered a lot of comments from
social media users and her friends from the film industry,
leaving them in awe of her look. Deepika’s
husband Ranveer has the best reaction to Deepika’s
look. “Maar daal do mujhe,” he commented on the
image. Actress Alia Bhatt is also in love of Deepi-
ka’s short hair. She called her “beauty.” Filmmaker
Farah Khan complimented Deepika, say-
ing “so nice. ”
On work front, Deepika will next be seen in
‘Chhapaak’, where she is playing the char-
acter of an acid attack survivor.
—IANS
Deepika Padukone
Prabhudheva returns as director in Bollywood
with the Salman Khan-starrer ‘Dabangg 3’. He
is of the opinion that the film portrays the superstar
exactly in the way his fans want to see
him. “It is an all-out Salman Khan film. How you want
to see Salman Khan, how I want to see him and how
everybody wants to see him -- the film is just that. Chulbul
is like Chulbul. If you change him, people will
not like it. Also, this time it is bigger than (Dabangg)
one and two,” said Prabhudheva.
‘Dabangg 3’ recently courted controversy when
certain sections raised objection to the title song
‘Hud hud Dabangg’, over certain scenes in the
number showing saffron-clad sadhus dancing
with guitars.
“If I say anything about it, it will become a
controversy. Whatever I comment now - good
or bad - they will ask why you said this. Let
it pass. Let the film release,” said the director.
He added, “The film has a strong love
story. It mainly talks about how Chulbul
Pandey became Chulbul.” —IANS
...her Instagram post
Excited about
‘The Family Man 2’
Telugu star Samantha
Akkineni, who
makes her digital
debut with Manoj
Bajpayee’s much-awaited
web-series ‘The Family
Man 2’, has said that she
can’t wait for a new set of
audience to see her work
through the edgy actiondrama
web series.
“I am doing the series
The Family Man, so I think
that’s my first step (towards
the Hindi film industry).
I enjoyed being
a part of The Family
Man a lot. I am very
happy that season
one got a lot of appreciation.
I am
enjoying working
with the
team of the show
and I can’t wait
for a new set of audience
to see my work,”
said Samantha, at the
launch of designer
Kresha Bajaj’s new
collection Acropora.
Samantha, who
shot to fame as Samantha
Ruth Prabhu,
married actor Naga
Chaitanya Akkineni
in October 2017, and
is a daughter-in-law
of South Indian superstar
Akkineni
Nagarjuna. Samantha
Ruth
Prabhu was last
seen in the fantasy
drama ‘Oh!
Samantha Akkineni Baby’. —IANS

Labour dept to set
up hostels for kids
of migrant labourers
CITY FIRST
In an attempt to ensure
that schooling
of children of
migrants who
work as construction
labourers is not affected,
the state Labour
and Employment department
has decided
to set up hostels for
such children.
The Gujarat Building
and other Construction
Workers’
Welfare Board, which
functions under the
Labour and Employment
department has
planning to create hostel
facilities for children
of migrating construction
labourers.
The scheme will be
implemented by.
“There is a lot of migration
of construction
labourers from
tribal-dominated districts,
mainly due to
the lack of adequate
CITY FIRST
First India is pleased to
introduce one of the renowned
Astrologer Govind
Mundada from
Bhagyadrasta Astro Vaastu
Pvt. Ltd. He is giving his Astrological
advices to the clients
from last 18 Years. He has
been felicitated & Awarded by
lots of organisations.
Let’s start our spiritual
conversation with our Astrologer
Govind Mundada.
• What is Astrology ?
Astrology in simple words is
a mathematical calculations
of 9 Planets, 27 Nakshatras ,
12 Rashis. It is calculated on
www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia
employment opportunities
locally. The children
also migrate
along with the labourer
parents, which leads
to many of them dropping
out of school and
discontinuing schooling.
We have come up
with this scheme to
create hostel facility in
local school for such
children so that their
education is not affected.
We are confident
this scheme will
help children of migrating
workers complete
their schooling,”
said Vipul Mittra IAS,
additional chief secretary,
Labour and Employment
department.
Under the scheme,
hostel facility will be
set up in existing government
and grant-inaid
primary and secondary
schools in districts
with high outward
migration.
cityfirstgujarat@gmail.com
JO SARALTA SE SAFALTA DILAYE
NEWS YOU
CAN USE
planetary position at the
time of your Birth & Current
Planetary Transits.
• How much does Astrology
Effects individual Human
Being?
Planets never remain the
same, often, they are in transit,
sometimes weakly placed
or badly placed, many a
times, you would find them
favorable, they establish connections
with each other and
so on. All these movements
have significant impact on
You should always give
back: SGCCI President
CITY FIRST
K
etan Desai is a hard
man to get in touch
with. Then again, he is
the president of South
Gujarat Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
(SGCCI). Not just
that, he holds the unique distinction
of holding three governing-body
positions--treasurer,
vice-president, and president--
in three consecutive
years. It is interesting to see
how he got to this position, given
his is a case that goes against
the popular concept that all Gujaratis
are businessmen. “I
come from a family of serviceclass
people,” he says, straight
off the bat, “we had no experience
in business.”
A member of the Anavil community
that focuses on “academics
rather than business”,
Desai says, “I am only the second
person from my community
to become president of SGCCI.
And the body has been around
Ketan Desai
our lives, and go on to form
the basis of the extensive science
called astrology.
for 80 years!”
So, how did a science graduate
become an industry stalwart?
“It was entirely my confidence,”
Desai says, when asked
what drew him to business in
the first place. “I had been working
for a processing house, when
someone asked me to join them
in a new textile dyes and chemicals
venture as a working partner.
Soon, we were supplying to
• How your Astrological
advice is different from
others?
We provide Easy & Feasible
Remedies to our Clients for
any kind of Grah Dosh in
there Horoscope. That’s why
thousands of people throughout
the world are connected
with us.
• What is the importance
of Gemstones in Astrological
Remedy?
When a planet is positioned
in a weak place and if it is
also beneficial and auspicious
in the natal chart of a
person then such a planet
should be made strong by the
gems of that. This is mainly
CITY BUZZ
processing houses.”
However, while affability is
good, can only take you that far.
Undoubtedly, business acumen
plays a bigger role, and Desai
has that in spades.
“There were some payment
issues in the processing business,”
he says, explaining how
he diverged into a seemingly
unrelated sector. “Textile dyes
and chemicals, and machine
tools--both had their own issues,
but they helped me grow as a
businessman,” he adds.
Having joined SGCCI as a
member, his work in and for the
industry body earned him a position
in the managing committee
in 2009-10.
“Wherever you come from,
you should always give back,”
he said. And give back he does.
Apart from giving time to SGC-
CI, he also helped start an alumni
association at his alma mater,
Sir PT College in Surat, where
he has served as association
alumni treasurer for the past 12
years. cityfirstgujarat@gmail.com
based on the fact that during
Rig Veda, Gemstones were
used so as to gather the Sun
rays into one's own body. The
second purpose of the gemstones
in astrological remedies
is that they act as cosmic
filter protecting our
body from the harmful rays
that is trying to enter particular
planet.
Thank You Sir for your specific
answers. I hope our
readers will definetly get
benefits.
You all can contact Govind
Sir on Bhagyadrasta for
your queries or email us on
First India.
cityfirstgujarat@gmail.com
AHMEDABAD | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019
12
FOOD FOR
THOUGHT @ JLF
The world’s most iconic literary meet
to programme culinary experts
CITY FIRST
The grand dame
of global literary
festivals, the
Jaipur Literature
Festival, from 23rd
– 27th January 2020 is
set to embark on its
13th edition and welcome
more than 250
authors, thinkers, politicians
and popular culture
icons at the Diggi
Palace Hotel in Jaipur,
Rajasthan and provide
its customary magical
experience for all art,
culture and literature
enthusiasts.
While the ‘greatest
literary show
on Earth’ will
amalgamate
literature,
art and
music, the
2020 edition
will feature in
its repertoire unique
tales about food and the
memories food inspires
in each of us.
Set against the beautiful
backdrop of the
Pink City, the Festival’s
cuisine section will be
headlined by acclaimed
authors – Madhur Jaffrey
and Asma Khan.
Jaffrey’s life has
been shaped by the array
of meals she has
Asma Khan
Madhur Jaffrey
feasted on during her
childhood in Delhi, her
summer travels in the
Himalayan foothills
and during her eventual
shift to Britain. Additionally,
the first-ever
British chef to have
featured on Netflix’s
Emmynominated
Chef ’s Table,
Asma
Khan, will
enlighten
audiences
about her
journey with food
through her unique lineage
associated with
both Rajput and Bengali
aristocracies. Even
though Asma’s journey
with food began in order
to overcome feelings
of homesickness,
it finally culminated in
a restaurant in London
employing a bunch of
home-cooks.
cityfirstgujarat@gmail.com
SEASON OF WEDDINGS & CELEBRATIONS
The Reception of
Sarah and Zahir
was held at Diggi
Palace, Jaipur on
Sunday. Sarah is
the daughter of
Haider Ali Zaidi
(SP Bharatpur)
and Dr Rana Zaidi.
Dignitaries from
all over came to
bless them.
Ritu Singh, Rohit Parihar and Sunil Arora
Dr Rana Zaidi, Sarah & Zahir, Sunil Arora and Haider Ali
Vijay Bansal and
Vishwendra Singh
—PHOTOS BY NAIM KHAN
Dr Rana Zaidi, Sarah & Zahir,
Haider Ali and Jagdeesh Chandra
Haider Ali and Ashok Lahoti
Dr Renu Jain, Sunil Arora, Vishwas Jain, Rakesh Bhargava and Umesh Dhingra
Shanti Dhariwal and Sunil Arora
—PHOTOS BY SUNIL SHARMA
Harshita and Rahul
were tied in a
lifelong loving bond
on Sunday evening
at Entertainment
Paradise. Harshita is
the daughter of Dr
Renu and Vishwas
Jain and, Rahul is the
son of Dr Sunita and
Vineet Mehta. The
who’s who of Jaipur
attended the wedding.
Rafiq Khan
Biju George
Yunus Khan and
Rajpal Singh Shekhawat
Neelu Gupta, Dr Rana Zaidi, Sarah & Zahir,
DB Gupta and Haider Ali Zaidi Neeraj K Pawan Joga Ram Sandeep Bakshi Somesh Sharma