ROW OVER EC’S MEET: CENTRE SAYS LETTER WAS FOR SECRETARY, NOT CEC

Amid a controversy over a government communication reportedly calling the Chief Election Commissioner to a meeting, the law ministry Saturday said the letter was meant for a secretary of the poll panel or a representative of the CEC, and the subsequent virtual interaction with the CEC and two ECs was to iron out differences over electoral reforms.

In a statement, the law ministry said the Prime Minister’s Office had written to the cabinet secretary, the law secretary and the legislative secretary for a meeting on November 16 on common electoral rolls. “It was not addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner. Since Election Commission of India has the necessary expertise and mandate regarding electoral roll and in the light of the previous letters of the Chief Election Commissioner addressed to the Law Minister, Secretary, Legislative Department thought it appropriate to invite officials of Election Commission to this meeting,” the statement read.                      

“After receipt of the letter by the ECI, the Chief Election Commissioner spoke to Secretary, Legislative Department expressing his displeasure over the expression in the middle part of the letter which gave an impression that it was expected of the CEC to attend the meeting. Secretary, Legislative Department clarified that the letter was for Secretary or a representative of the CEC familiar with the subject to attend the meeting,” the statement said.

“The subsequent interaction with the Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners was an informal one and meant for ironing out two or three aspects for the final proposal,” the statement said.

The opposition has hit out at the government, claiming that by “summoning” CEC to the PMO, the government has undermined the autonomy of the poll panel.

FIVE CENTRAL ASIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS TO DISCUSS AFGHANISTAN AT DELHI TABLE

Amid concerns over human rights as well as the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, New Delhi and Islamabad are engaging, each on its own track, with key partners in the region and beyond with a conference in each capital Sunday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will host the 3rd meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi Sunday. Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will participate. Their previous meeting was organised by India in October 2020 via video-conference. Three of these five, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, share a border with Afghanistan.

In Islamabad on Sunday, Pakistan will host the 17th extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers, with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi saying he hoped they will “reach a consensus on measures to improve the situation in Afghanistan”.

Significantly, Foreign Ministers of the five Central Asian countries are also members of the OIC grouping and they will skip the meeting in Islamabad to attend the dialogue in New Delhi.

Sunday’s conference in new Delhi will also set the stage for the presence of the leaders of these five Central Asian nations at the Republic Day celebrations next month, Covid situation permitting.

MODI PRAISES ADITYANATH'S CRIME ELIMINATION LEGACY, CALLS HIM 'UPYOGI’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday used a new coinage UPYOGI or ‘UP plus Yogi bahut hai upyogi’ to praise Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath for “eliminating” mafias and undertaking a lot of developmental work in the state.

The prime minister was addressing a rally after laying the foundation stone of 594-km-long Ganga Expressway,

Intensifying his attack on the opposition ahead of the crucial assembly elections, the prime minister said, “There are some political parties, which have problems with the country’s heritage and development. They have problems with the heritage, as they are more bothered about their vote bank. They have problems with development, as the dependence of the poor and common man on them is reducing day by day.”      

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at the coinage and at the chief minister, whom he called “unupyogi” (useless) and cited instances of crimes against Dalits and women under his rule. In his tweet Akhilesh said, “The daughter of Hathras, the farmers of Lakhimpur, the trader of Gorakhpur, women who are feeling insecure, unemployed youths, the Dalits, and the backward class (people) are saying for UP, the current government is not useful, it is useless”.

ONLY INDIA-MADE EQUIPMENT FOR OUR FORCES, US, RUSSIA TOLD: RAJNATH SINGH

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday that India had conveyed to the US, Russia, France and many of its partner countries that military platforms and equipment required by the Indian armed forces had to be manufactured in the country.

Referring to regional geopolitical developments, he said God had given India some neighbours who did not feel good seeing its growth and that the one born out of Partition was becoming weak worrying about India’s development.

In an address at the annual convention of the FICCI, he said most of the countries in the world, including the US, Russia and France, were friends of India. In this context, he said India, at the same time, made it clear to them that the military hardware required by the Indian armed forces would have to be produced in the country. The Defence Minister said the message to the countries producing military equipment has been that “Come make in India, come make for India and come make for the world”.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST 19/Dec

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Saturday 6,906

Active Cases 83,913 (-652)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 4,77,422 (89)

Total Vaccination: 137.46 Crores (+76,54,466)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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RUSSIAN MILITARY SENDS N-CAPABLE BOMBERS ON PATROL OVER BELARUS

Russia sent a pair of nuclear-capable longrange bombers to patrol the skies over Belarus on Saturday, a mission intended to underline close defence ties between the two allies amid tensions with the West.

The Russian defence ministry said the two Tu-22M3 strategic strike bombers practised “performing joint tasks with the Belarusian air force and air defence”. Su-30 fighter jets that Russia has supplied to Belarus escorted the bombers. Saturday’s four-hour patrol marked Russia’s third such mission in Belarus since last month and took place amid Western concerns over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine’s border.

Moscow has denied harbouring plans to invade Ukraine and pressed the US for security guarantees that would exclude Nato expanding into Ukraine or deploying weapons there.

Some Ukrainian officials have voiced concern that Russia may use Belarus as a base for attacking their country from the north.

LONDON PUT ON ALERT OVER RISING HOSP CASES; NETHERLANDS TO GO INTO TIGHT LOCKDOWN

Britain reported a surge in cases of the fast-spreading Omicron variant on Saturday, and London’s mayor declared a “major incident” to help the capital’s hospitals following a sharp rise in Covid-19 admissions. The total number of Omicron cases recorded across the country hit almost 25,000 on Friday, up by more than 10,000 cases from 24 hours earlier, the UK health security agency (UKHSA) said in its latest data.

Seven people believed to have had the Omicron variant had died as of Thursday, up from one death in the UKHSA’s previous data which ran up to Tuesday. Hospitalisations of people thought to have the variant increased to 85 from 65.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a “major incident” — which allows for closer coordination between different public agencies and possibly more central government support - as Covid-19 hospital admissions in the city rose by nearly 30% this week.

Meanwhile, nations across Europe are moving to reimpose tougher measures to stem-Covid-19 infections spurred by Omicron variant, triggering calls for protests from Paris to Barcelona. The Dutch government said that it was imposing a tough nationwide lockdown starting Sunday in an attempt to rein in sharply rising levels of cases.

THE REST

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HINDUTVAWADI BATHES ALONE IN GANGA’: RAHUL GANDHI

In his second visit to Amethi after the 2019 defeat, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his 'Hindu versus Hindutvawadi' salvo.

"On one side is Hindu. On the other is Hindutvawadi. On one side is truth, love and non-violence and on the other is falsehood, hatred and violence," he said.

"Hindutvawadi bathes alone in Ganga, but a Hindu will bathe with crores of others," Gandhi said at a public gathering, taking a swipe at the prime minister who recently inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi after taking a holy dip. "For the first time, we saw a man standing alone in the Ganges taking a bath. Hindus bathe with lakhs of people, but these Hindutvawadis were standing alone in the Ganges. Even Rajnath Singh and Yogi Adityanath did not find a place," Rahul Gandhi said.

"A Hindu spends his entire life finding, understanding and fighting for truth. Hindu faces his fears and never lets them turn into hatred, anger or violence, but Hindutvawadi only indulges in politics of lies and has nothing to do with the truth. He only uses lies to snatch power," Rahul Gandhi said.

"Modi ji will sometimes take a bath in the Ganges, sometimes go to Kedarnath. Today in Ladakh, the Chinese army is sitting inside India and has snatched land from India and made it its own, but the prime minister neither said nor did anything about it," he said.

IS MODI ‘SCARED OR ASHAMED’ TO UTTER INDIRA GANDHI'S NAME, ASKS SHIV SENA

In a sharp attack, the Shiv Sena on Saturday pointedly asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "scared or ashamed" of uttering the late PM Indira Gandhi's name during the recent 50 years celebrations of the liberation of Bangladesh.

The Sena also took note that President R. N. Kovind visited Dhaka for the victory celebrations but did not even mention the name of Bangladesh's creator, Indira Gandhi there.

"By ignoring Indira in such a manner you can write neither the history of India nor the world. But who will explain this to such narrow-minded rulers of our country. Its an insult to woman-power," the Sena asked in a stinging edit in the party newspapers, 'Saamana' and 'Dopahar Ka Saamana'.

Taking another swipe at Modi, the Sena said a ruler can build temples or buildings and clean up a river, "but cannot dismember Pakistan to create a Bangladesh" which only Indira Gandhi had the courage to do. "Instead of indulging in 'surgical strikes', Indira Gandhi ordered a direct attack by the Indian Army to teach Pakistan a lesson. Even the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy were used, Karachi Port was destroyed," the Sena added. Forgetting her is akin to ignoring Mother India, the Sena said.

MAN BEATEN TO DEATH OVER 'SACRILEGE' BID AT GOLDEN TEMPLE

A man was beaten to death yesterday evening for an act of “desecration” in the holiest of Sikh shrines, Darbar Sahib (the Golden Temple), in Amritsar.

The incident took place Saturday evening when the man jumped golden grills inside the sanctum sanctorum, picked a historical sword and reached near the place where a Sikh priest was reciting the holy Guru Granth Sahib.

The man was caught and when he was being taken to the SGPC office, the angry crowd thrashed him badly that later led to his death.

Deputy Commissioner of Police P S Bhandal said the man, hailing from UP, was around 30-year-old and his antecedents were being verified.

IN POLL RUN-UP, I-T SEARCHES FOUR CLOSE TO AKHILESH

The Income Tax Department conducted searches Saturday at the houses of a SP leader and three others considered close to SP president Akhilesh Yadav.

Reacting to the searches, Akhilesh Yadav said the searches were being conducted to target Rai because the “BJP is scared” that “they are going to lose the UP elections”. "If they had the information earlier, then why the search agency chose this time, two months prior to polls. It shows that the ED and the CBI will also come to the state to fight the polls," he further said.

‘WE DON’T CANCEL SHOWS’: KTR EXTENDS HYDERABAD INVITE TO MUNAWAR FARUQUI & KUNAL KAMRA

Stand-up comedians Munawar Faruqui and Kunal Kamra are welcome to perform in Hyderabad where their shows “will not be cancelled”, Telangana IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) has said.

Speaking at an event in the city Friday, KTR, who is also the chief minister’s son, extended an “open invitation” to the stand-up comedians to perform in Hyderabad as “it is welcoming of all cultures and criticism”.

He also took a dig at “cosmopolitan” Bengaluru where Faruqui’s show was cancelled last month. KTR said Bengaluru “claims to be a cosmopolitan city, but takes comedy too seriously”.

ED ARRESTS NBFC CEO IN PROBE AGAINST CHINESE-BACKED LOAN APPS

Pavitra Pradip Walvekar, promoter, director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Kudos Finance and Investment Private Limited, an NBFC, was taken into custody on Friday. The action is linked to the ED’s investigation against a number of Indian NBFCs which are in the business of instant personal loans through mobile apps (applications).

“It  (Kudos) is not involved in the lending business at all. It has miniscule staff and is blindly allowing fintech companies to operate at the back of MoUs between self (NBFC) and fintech mobile app companies. “Thus, the entire lending operation is being done by the fintech app from its own funds,” ED alleged.

“The accused NBFC is only lending its licence and the fintech apps are the ones acting like the “real NBFCs” and doing end-to-end micro-lending and “reaping “majority benefits”. In return, Kudos is taking a commission without doing any due diligence or hardwork,” the ED alleged.

ROHINI COURT BLAST: DRDO SCIENTIST ARRESTED FOR ‘PLANTING EXPLOSIVES TO KILL NEIGHBOUR’

A senior DRDO scientist, Bharat Bhushan Kataria (47), has been arrested for allegedly planting an improvised explosive device in a tiffin box with an intention to kill his neighbour in the Rohini district court in New Delhi earlier this month, police said on Saturday. The IED that triggered a low-intensity explosion in courtroom on December 9 had left a person injured.

Kataria had planted the IED in a tiffin box and left the bag containing the tiffin box inside the courtroom as he wanted to kill his neighbour, who is a lawyer, police said. “Both the parties had lodged several cases against each other. They live in the same building. Prima facie, it seems that Kataria had a grudge against the lawyer,” a senior police officer said.

HOTELS BOOKED TILL JAN; BIZ PUSHING 2019 LEVELS

Struggling to survive since last March, hotels across segments in desi leisure destinations are witnessing their “best ever” holiday rush this winter and are sold out right up to the first week of January. Top Indian hospitality companies say the Omicron fear has led to many rich Indians cancelling their plans to usher in New Year in foreign locales. They are now scouring for whatever good property is available at any given rate in destinations like Goa, Rajasthan and the popular hill resorts.

Tariffs are back to, if not higher than, the pre-Covid 2019 levels in the leisure destinations. Even city hotels are seeing healthy occupancies due to weddings and the new trend of staycation or local people checking into a hotel for a few days, say hoteliers.

ADELAIDE TEST, DAY 3: AUSTRALIA ON COURSE FOR VICTORY

Australia appeared on course for victory after dominating the third day too of the day-night second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

Spearheading Australia's pace attack, Mitchell Starc combined with spinner Nathan Lyon to bundle out England for 236.

The hosts, who had declared their first innings on 473-9, finished the day on 45-1 for an overall lead of 282 and looking primed to go 2-0 up in the five-Test series.

SRIKANTH CREATES HISTORY; ENTERS WORLD BADMINTON FINAL

Kidambi Srikanth etched his name in the history books by becoming the first Indian man to reach the finals of the BWF World Badminton Championships with a come-from-behind win over compatriot Lakshya Sen in Huelva, Spain, on Saturday.

In a historic all-Indian men's singles semi-final, Srikanth saw off Sen 17-21, 21-14, 21-17 in a thrilling contest that lasted an hour and nine minutes.

While former world number one Srikanth has now given himself a real chance of winning the top prize, Sen signed off with a maiden bronze, joining the legendary Prakash Padukone (bronze in 1983) and B Sai Praneeth (bronze in 2019) as the Indian medal winners at the showpiece.

India's P V Sindhu has won two silvers, besides two bronze and the coveted gold in 2019, while the women's doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa had also won a bronze, in 2011. Also, Saina Nehwal has a silver and a bronze to her name in the marquee event.

Srikanth had endured injuries and a loss of form which saw him miss the Tokyo Olympics this year, since winning four Super Series titles in 2017.

GANGULY PRAISES KOHLI'S ATTITUDE BUT NOT HAPPY WITH HIS FIGHTING NATURE

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is an admirer of Virat Kohli's attitude but he expressed his disappointment at the way the current Test skipper keeps picking fights with different people involved in the sport.

Kohli created a major controversy in Indian cricket after he contradicted Ganguly's comments, saying that he wasn't told to continue as the T20I captain unlike what the BCCI president said in a recent interview.

Ganguly claimed that he personally asked the Delhi batter to not quit as the T20I skipper but Kohli denied having any such conversation with any BCCI official.

At an event in Gurgaon, Ganguly was asked which player's attitude does he like best. Answering the question, he said, "I like Virat Kohli's attitude but he fights a lot."

Earlier this week Ganguly broke his silence on Kohli's explosive comments in the press conference before departing for the tour of South Africa. "I have got nothing to say. We will deal with it, leave it to the BCCI," the former India captain said.

BCCI is of course anguished but the board is in a very tricky situation, sources have said. On one hand, if they come out in open and say that Kohli's claims are not true, it paints a bad picture about the skipper to the fans and other stakeholders of the sport. On the other hand, if they remain silent, it would appear that the board mistreated the captain.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

To be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win. - Zig Ziglar

OFF TRACK

A famous conductor on tour with his orchestra was handed this note from a member of his audience one night, following a concert:

“I don’t like to tell tales out of school,” it read, “but I think you should know that the man who hit that little triangular bell only played when you looked at him.”