COVID NOT GONE, CAN'T BE CARELESS, CAUTIONS PM MODI

Cautioning the nation that while the lockdown is over, the coronavirus is

still there, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the people not to be

careless and lower their guard during the festival season.

The battle against Covid-19 would not be over and successful until a vaccine

was found, the Prime Minister said. "In this festive season, the markets are

bright again but we should not forget that the lockdown might have ended but

Covid-19 still persists," Modi said in a 12-minute address to the nation on

Tuesday evening.

"With the efforts of every Indian over the last 7-8 months, India is in a

stable situation, and we must not let it deteriorate. We should improve it

further," he said.

The Prime Minister spoke in the backdrop of repeated warnings by experts

that with nearly all activities having returned to normal, the festival

season may result in a surge of infections.

This was Modi's seventh address to the nation since the outbreak of the

pandemic.

Every Indian has struggled during the pandemic, the Prime Minister said, but

the economic situation has now begun to slowly improve.

He pointed out that India had done better in terms of mortality rate and

recovery rate compared with countries like the United States and Brazil.

"Our recovery rate is among the highest in the world, the fatality rate is

low," Modi said.

"Out of every million, we have around 83 deaths. This, compared to other

nations, which have seen around 600 deaths per million, is much better. We

have more than 90 lakh beds, 12,000 quarantine centres, 2,000 labs for Covid

testing. India will soon cross the 10 crore mark in Covid testing. This has

been our strength."

The Prime Minister also lauded health workers for their selfless service

during the crisis.

But, Modi cautioned, "This is not the time to be careless, this is not the

time to think that Corona is gone or that there is no danger from it." In

Europe, America, and other countries, Modi said, the number of cases have

spiked again after falling. "We should continue to be careful and not be

callous until the vaccine for the virus is developed."

MALABAR EXERCISE: US WANTS QUAD TO BE 'MORE REGULARISED', CHINA 'NOTICES' IT

A day after New Delhi said that the Quadrilateral grouping of US, Japan,

India and Australia are sending their warships for the Malabar Exercise next

month, US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E Biegun on Tuesday said that

Quad should be "more regularised", and at some point "formalised" with the

passage of time.

Biegun, who did a telephonic briefing with journalists from India and

Bangladesh on Tuesday, said, "I will say that it is our view that in the

passage of time, the Quad should become more regularized and at some point

formalized as well as we really begin to understand what the parameters of

this cooperation are and how we can regularize it."

Earlier in the day, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato,

responding to questions, said in Tokyo, "If this is to be realised, it would

be welcomed by the Japanese government."

China gave a measured response, stating that it has "noticed" the

development and believes that military cooperation between countries "should

be conducive to regional peace and stability".

With Quad countries going for a military exercise within a month of the

Foreign Ministers' meeting, next steps are already being planned. So

Washington has put the idea of formalising it on the table. All eyes will

now be on other Quad countries, including India, on whether to give it some

sort of a permanent structure. China's response will be watched on this

front, as the group ponders on ways to regularise the grouping.

VIOLATIONS OF LAW CANNOT BE CONDONED UNDER PRETEXT OF HUMAN RIGHTS: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said the concerns of UN

High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) Michelle Bachelet about India

narrowing the space for civil society organisations by tightening the

Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) were misplaced.

Bachelet, former Chilean President, in a statement noted India's long

tradition of a strong civil society was at the forefront of human rights

advocacy within the country and globally. "But I am concerned that vaguely

defined laws are increasingly being used to stifle these voices,'' she

added.

But the MEA said, "India is a democratic polity based on the rule of law and

an independent judiciary."

The FCRA, amended last month, will "create even more administrative and

practical hurdles for advocacy-based NGOs", Bachelet said while citing the

case of Amnesty International closing its India offices after its bank

accounts were frozen. To this charge, the MEA said, "The framing of laws is

obviously a sovereign prerogative." It pointed out that violation of law

cannot be condoned because of altruistic motives. "A more informed view of

the matter was expected of a UN body," the MEA added.

POSSIBILITY OF NAGA GROUPS SIGNING AGREEMENT WITH INDIA, LEAVING NSCN (I-M)

OUT

The working committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) Tuesday

said it is ready for an agreement with the Government of India. The

announcement comes amid last week's speculation that the Naga Peace Talks

might collapse, and Thuingaleng Muivah, Ato Kilonser (general secretary) of

the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), stating in a

recent interview that the Nagas will never be part of the Indian Union or

accept India's Constitution.

Sources said Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Leader of the

Opposition T.R. Zeliang, along with North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA)

convener and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, met Union Home Minister

Amit Shah in New Delhi Tuesday over the talks.

The face-to-face talks between the NSCN (I-M) and the Centre held in the

national capital during the Covid-19 pandemic has been inconclusive, with

the Naga group remaining steadfast on its demand for a separate Naga

national flag and constitution, and the government also digging in its heels

against this.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

PAKISTANI OPPOSITION PARTIES HOLD ANTI-IMRAN KHAN RALLY IN KARACHI

After the first anti-government rally at Gujranwala on Friday, the Pakistan

Democratic Movement (PDM), comprising 11 opposition parties came together

again on Sunday night, in Karachi against Imran govt. Led by former prime

minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Sharif, the Pakistan Muslim League

(Nawaz) Vice President openly accused the prime minister of stealing the

country's money, denying medicines to the poor and downgrading the economy

of Pakistan.

Maryam brought up the Kashmir issue, mocking at Imran Khan for the

international humiliation he faced on the matter. She also blamed his

administration of alienating the nation from all the world powers with whom

Pakistan previously had great relations.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also dragged into the political

debate after Imran Khan alleged that Nawaz Sharif was speaking Modi's

language. This was following a rally by the senior Sharif, currently in

London, where he launched an attack on Pakistan's army chief Qamar Javed

Bajwa.

Maryam retaliated by targeting Imran Khan for presenting Kashmir to India on

a platter, highlighting his desperation to talk to Modi and Khan passing an

overnight ordinance for Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, all while audaciously

comparing her father with the Indian PM.

The event was a large affair with leaders including Pakistan People's Party

(PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former prime Minister Shahid

Khaqan Abbasi in attendance.

Following the Karachi rally on Sunday, Maryam's husband Safdar Awan was

arrested by the Karachi police from his hotel room.

SWEDEN BANS HUAWEI, ZTE FROM UPCOMING 5G NETWORKS CITING SECURITY THREAT

Sweden on Tuesday banned on security grounds the use of telecom equipment

from China's Huawei and ZTE in its 5G network ahead of a spectrum auction

scheduled for next month, joining other European nations that have

restricted the role of Chinese suppliers.

Telecoms regulator PTS said the decision followed advice from the country's

armed forces and security service, which described China as "one of the

biggest threats against Sweden".

European governments have been tightening controls on Chinese companies

building 5G networks, following diplomatic pressure from Washington, which

alleges Huawei equipment could be used by Beijing for spying. Huawei has

repeatedly denied being a national security risk.

"PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR FAUCI AND 'ALL THESE IDIOTS' ANY MORE": TRUMP

Donald Trump is trying to turn the government's top infectious disease

expert, Anthony Fauci, into a scapegoat for the nation's struggle with the

coronavirus, just weeks before the Nov. 3 election that hinges on the

president's handling of the pandemic.

Trump repeatedly assailed Fauci during campaign events on Monday, claiming

at one point that had he followed the advice of the director of the National

Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, hundreds of thousands more

Americans would have died.

The attacks followed an interview with Fauci on "60 Minutes" on Sunday,

where he said he wasn't surprised that the president had contacted Covid-19

himself.

In a nod to Fauci's widespread appeal, the president's cash-strapped

campaign just last week bought television ads featuring him - over the

doctor's objections - to add credibility to the administration's efforts to

fight the pandemic. But now, Trump is painting the esteemed doctor as a

Democrat whose advice shouldn't be followed.

"You know, Biden wants to lock it down. He wants to listen to Dr. Fauci,"

Trump said Monday at a Prescott, Arizona, rally, referring to his Democratic

opponent Joe Biden.

Those comments came hours after the president complained to his campaign

staff about Fauci. He said he couldn't fire the doctor because of public

perception. "People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots, all

these idiots who got it wrong," Trump said Monday in a call intended to

bolster morale among his staff. Trump's campaign invited reporters to listen

in.

"He's been here for 500 years," Trump said. "He's like this wonderful sage,

telling us how - Fauci, if we listened to him, we'd have 700,000, 800,000

deaths. Every time he goes on television, there's always a bomb, but there's

a bigger bomb if you fire him."

THE REST

========

PUNJAB PASSES AMENDMENTS TO FARM LAWS UNANIMOUSLY; OVER TO PREZ

Punjab on Tuesday became the first State in the country to formally reject

the Central government's three agriculture sector legislations, with its

Legislative Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passing three Bills to negate

the Union laws.

The Assembly passed a resolution rejecting the Central legislations and

demanding their immediate annulment. It also sought an ordinance to protect

the MSP and ensure the continuance of procurement by the Centre.

The three State Bills provide for imprisonment of not less than three years

and fines for sale-purchase of wheat or paddy under a farming agreement

below the MSP, besides prevention of hoarding and black-marketing of

agricultural produce, among other things.

The provision of punishment for sale-purchase below the MSP has been

incorporated in The Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price

Assurance and Farm Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill,

2020.

The Essential Commodities ( Bill, 2020, seeks to amend the Centre's 'The

Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020' by amending section 1(2) and

section 3(1A) of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. It seeks to ensure

status quo ante as on June 4, 2020.

Article 254(2) of the Constitution allows a state to make changes to central

legislation on a subject on the concurrent list only if it gets Presidential

assent. The Congress does not expect President Ram Nath Kovind to clear any

move to circumvent the new farm laws but its leadership believes that

party-ruled states passing a counter Bill would be "a strong political

statement".

BIHAR ELECTIONS: TEJASHWI PROMISES 10 LAKH GOVT JOBS ON 'DAY 1'

Across rallies, the images are much the same. Crowds packed in, with very

few masks and no social distancing. But right from when RJD leader Tejashwi

Yadav's helicopter begins to descend, they begin cheering wildly, and then

follow him in a wave as he walks to the stage, and speaks.

With the first phase of polling for the Bihar Assembly elections a week

away, the crowds that are turning up to hear Tejashwi, the Mahagathbandhan's

chief ministerial candidate, at his rallies are becoming a talking point.

While the RJD is reading this as a sign that people in the state are ready

for change, the ruling JD(U) is at pains to explain that the turnout at

rallies are no measure of vote transferability.

What seems to be enthusing the crowd most is Yadav's promise - one that he

makes in each of his speeches - of 10 lakh government jobs in his first act

as chief minister.

Given Bihar's long history of caste and social justice politics, those

gauging the Opposition's chances have largely stuck to seeing whether the

RJD can expand beyond its core voter base of Yadavs and Muslims. RJD

leaders, however, believe that the rallies are proof that this conventional

wisdom may not hold true for 2020, a year of deep economic distress.

OPPN ALLIANCE TUKDE-TUKDE GANG, ANTI-NATIONAL, SAYS NADDA

Shifting the focus of his election speeches in Bihar from the RJD's

"misgovernance", BJP president J P Nadda on Tuesday alleged that the

Opposition Grand Alliance in the state is "dangerous" to the country and

targeted Congress leaders for their "anti-national" statements.

Terming the Opposition alliance, comprising RJD, Congress and the Left

parties, including CPI(ML), as the "tukde-tukde gang (people who want to

break India into pieces)" and "urban Naxals" Nadda, in election rallies at

Buxar and Arrah, cautioned the electorate that their votes should not cause

"disturbances" in the state.

"The Opposition alliance is an unholy combination, it is an unnatural

alliance. The three do not have any love for the society; they break the

society and disturb peace. You should understand this," Nadda said in Arrah.

Recalling the killing of "Ram bhakts" by activists of CPI(ML), Nadda said:

"This is that tukde-tukde gang, This is the gang that spread destruction in

the society. The interesting fact is that Tejashwi Yadav (RJD leader and

Opposition's CM candidate) does not even have an idea of what's happening.

Nineteen seats have been taken by CPI(ML).. Where is RJD? You know the

record of CPI(ML).wherever there are moves against the nation, it stands

with them - right from Shaheen Bagh. You know who are urban Naxals? You want

people who create disturbance in Bihar?"

On RJD, he asked people not to forget the "lawlessness" when the party

governed the state.

RAHUL GANDHI DISAPPROVES OF KAMAL NATH'S 'ITEM' REMARK AGAINST MP MINISTER

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday disapproved of Madhya Pradesh

Congress chief Kamal Nath's 'item' remark against Minister Imarti Devi,

saying it was 'unfortunate'.

"One cannot treat women with disrespect. Kamalnath ji is from my party. But

I don't like personally that type of language that Kamalnath ji has used. I

do not appreciate it. It is unfortunate," Gandhi, on a three-day visit to

Kerala, told reporters.

Kamal Nath has expressed regret over his remark but asserted that he did not

say anything disrespectful.

FUTURE-RIL DEAL: JEFF BEZOS-KISHORE BIYANI BATTLE BEGINS IN SINGAPORE

The arbitration proceedings between Jeff Bezos-led Amazon and Kishore

Biyani-headed FutureGroup have begun in Singapore.

This follows a dispute over Future's sale of its retail and wholesale

businesses to MukeshAmbani-led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).

Amazon had sent legal notice to Future, alleging the retailer's Rs

24,713-crore asset sale to RIL breached an agreement with the American

e-commerce giant.

Last year in August, Amazon bought a 49 per cent stake in Future Coupons for

Rs 1,430 crore.

Future Coupons owns 7.3 per cent in Future Retail. The deal had a few

conditions including a "non-compete" clause and "right of first refusal"

(RoFR) clause, which meant Future could not sell its shares without approval

from Amazon.

Apparently, there was a non-compete clause too, due to which Future Group

could not do the deal with certain specific competing parties without

speaking to Amazon.

IT IS A GAME OF SKILL: RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT REJECTS PLEA TO BAN DREAM11

The Rajasthan High Court has dismissed a petition seeking a ban on Dream11

claiming the fantasy sports platform amounted to betting or gambling. The

court said "the format of online fantasy game is a game of mere skill".

The petition also accused Dream11 of evading the goods and services tax

(GST) since it is paid on the 20 per cent sum retained by the company and

not on the entire amount. The court said this issue will be decided by the

GST authorities.

The Dream11 platform allows users to play fantasy cricket, hockey, football,

kabaddi, and basketball.

IPL: KINGS XI PUNJAB BEAT DELHI CAPITALS, IN A 3RD CONSECUTIVE WIN

Nicholas Pooran smashed a 28-ball 53 as Kings XI Punjab defeated Delhi

Capitals by five wickets in Dubai yesterday. KXIP scored 167 for five in 19

overs to notch up their third successive win in the tournament.

Earlier, opener Shikhar Dhawan blasted a second successive unbeaten hundred

but KXIP pulled things back in the death overs to restrict Delhi Capitals to

a below-par 164/5.

KXIP have 4 wins from 10 mtches while Delhi have 7 from their 10

INDICATORS

Sensex 40,544 (+113), Nifty 11,897 (+24), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

47,575.76

Nasdaq 11,516 (+38) Dow 28,309 (+113), S&P 3,443 (+16)

US$-Rs. 73.31 GBP-Rs. 94.91, Euro-Rs. 86.52, UAE Dhm-Rs.19.95, Can$-Rs.

55.70, Aus$- Rs. 51.65

GBP 0.77 /US$, Euro 0.84 /US$, Jap.Yen 105.54 /US$, Aus$ 1.41 /US$, Sing

1.35 /US$, Bang Taka 83.19 /US$, Can$ 1.31 /US$, Mal Ring 4.14 /US$,

Pak Re 162.19 /US$, Phil Peso 48.49 /US$, Russian Rouble 77.58 /US$, NZ$

1.52 /US$, Thai Baht 31.21 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 28.10 /US$, Norway NOK 9.29

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 12,084

Dollar Index 92.94 Brent Crude 42.88 BDI 1,409

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,919 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,064 / 4,964

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 62,000

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of

leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of

non-essentials. - Lin Yutang

OFF TRACK

A New York man bought a new fridge for his house. To get rid of his old

fridge, he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying "Free. You

want it you take it".

For three days the fridge sat there without even one person looking twice at

it. He eventually decided that people were too un-trusting of this deal as

it seemed too good to be true, so he changed the sign to read "Fridge for

sale $50". The next day someone stole it.