INDIA DEEPLY CONCERNED OVER DETERIORATING SITUATION IN UKRAINE

Speaking at the UN Security Council briefing on Ukraine on Thursday, India's top envoy at the UN TS Tirumurti said there was an "urgent need” to address the humanitarian needs of the affected population. He underscored that it is important that humanitarian action is always guided by the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. "These measures should not be politicised,” he asserted.

“India continues to remain deeply concerned at the ongoing situation, which has progressively deteriorated since the beginning of the hostilities. The conflict has resulted in the death of civilians; displacement of thousands of people internally and the outflow of more than three million refugees to neighbouring countries. The humanitarian situation has worsened, particularly in the conflict zones,” Tirumurti said.

He said India had ensured the safe return of about 22,500 Indians from Ukraine. “We have also assisted nationals from 18 other countries in that process. We are deeply appreciative of the facilitation rendered by the authorities of Ukraine and its neighbouring countries in ensuring their safe return,” he said.

Tirumurti said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for an immediate ceasefire and emphasised that there is no option but the path of dialogue and diplomacy.

"We stand ready to continue to engage on these objectives in the Security Council, as well as with the parties, in the coming days. We continue to underline the need to respect the UN Charter, international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,” he said.

CENTRE ASKS STATES TO BE MINDFUL OF COVID SURGE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Citing the resurgence of coronavirus cases in southeast Asia and parts of Europe, the Centre has asked the states to restart monitoring influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infections so that no early warning signals are missed and Covid is controlled.

Testing for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) cases has been the pillars of Covid management for the govt. However, the testings were stopped recently as India has been recording a steady decline in Covid cases.

As part of intensified surveillance, patients being hospitalised with ILI and SARI will again be tested for Covid and positive samples will be sent for genome sequencing.

In a letter, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has asked all states and Union Territories to ensure an adequate number of samples are submitted to the INSACOG network for timely detection of new Covid variants.

SONIA GANDHI MEETS GHULAM NABI AZAD

Two days after some of the Congress’s G-23 leaders met and issued a statement calling for “collective and inclusive leadership and decision-making at all levels”, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad Friday met party president Sonia Gandhi at her residence in New Delhi.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Azad said, “The meeting with Sonia Gandhi was good. All members of the Congress party decided unanimously that she (Sonia) should continue as the president; we just had some suggestions that were shared.”

“The Working Committee was asked for suggestions on the reasons for the defeat in the five states. The discussion was held to fight unitedly in the forthcoming Assembly elections to defeat the opposition parties,” Azad said.

On Thursday, former party president Rahul Gandhi met former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda — his first meeting with a G-23 leader after the Assembly poll rout which has deepened the schism.

'THE KASHMIR FILES' IGNITES A DEBATE

Film director Vivek Agnihotri, who has kicked up a political storm with his movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley due to terrorism, has been given ‘Y’ category security with CRPF commando cover.

This move came weeks after Agnihotri claimed a threat to his life over the release of his film.

The film is being actively pushed by several BJP-ruled state govts by either offering tax concessions or giving govt employees special leave to watch it. The Opposition has, however, termed the film one-sided and too violent. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referring to the response to ‘The Kashmir Files’, has said the film has rattled the “entire ecosystem” which claims to be the torchbearer of freedom of expression but does not want the truth to be told.

On the other hand, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel said the film shows “half-truths” and doesn’t have any real message except showing violence.

Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said an atmosphere should be created for the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley. He emphasised that the film incorrectly depicts the political scenario of the time of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. “The truth is that when the exodus happened, Farooq Abdullah was not the Chief Minister. This took place during Governor Raj and Jagmohan Sb was Governor (of J&K). VP Singh was in power and who stood behind him, the BJP,” he said.

Omar questioned why the film did not show that the BJP was in power supporting VP Singh at the Centre during the time of the exodus. “It is not okay to twist this way,” he said.

Stating that no single community suffered in isolation, Abdullah said: “We deeply regret the killing of Kashmiri Pandits. This should not have happened. But Kashmiri Muslims did not get killed or Sikhs did not die?” He added that members of all religious communities had to leave their homes. “Some Muslims and Sikhs also left their home and Kashmir and never came back, alongside the Pandits,” he added.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST / March 19

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Friday 2,075

Active Cases 27,802 (-1,379)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,16,352 (27)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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IN VIDEO CALL, BIDEN WARNS XI OF CONSEQUENCES FOR BACKING RUSSIA

US President Joe Biden and China's Xi Jinping spoke for nearly two hours on Friday as the White House looked to deter Beijing from providing military or economic assistance for Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

China’s foreign ministry, in a readout after the video conversation, deplored “conflict and confrontation” as “not in anyone’s interest”, but assigned no blame to Russia and gave no indication of next steps.

The White House said Biden underscored to Xi the “implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia.

Ahead of the call, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden would question Xi about Beijing’s “rhetorical support” of Putin and an “absence of denunciation” of Russia’s invasion.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying pushed back, calling the US administration “overbearing” for suggesting that China risks falling on the wrong side of history.

China on Friday also sought to highlight its calls for negotiations and its donations of humanitarian aid, while accusing the US of provoking Russia and fuelling the conflict by shipping arms to Ukraine. Xi also renewed China’s criticism of sanctions imposed on Russia over the invasion, according to Chinese state media.

In the days after Putin deployed Russian forces in Ukraine, Xi’s govt tried to distance itself from Russia’s offensive but avoided the criticism many other nations have levelled at Moscow. At other moments, Beijing’s actions have been provocative, including amplifying unverified Russian claims that Ukraine ran chemical and biological weapons labs with US support.

Earlier this week, the US informed allies that American intelligence had determined that China had signalled to Russia that it would be willing to provide both military support for the campaign in Ukraine and financial backing to help stave off the impact of severe sanctions imposed by the West. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday reiterated that the Biden administration remains concerned that China is considering providing military equipment. He said Biden would make clear to Xi “that China will bear responsibility for any actions it takes to support Russia’s aggression, and we will not hesitate to impose costs”.

PUTIN APPEARS AT BIG RALLY IN MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the invasion of Ukraine before a packed soccer stadium on Friday but coverage of his speech on state television was unexpectedly interrupted by what the Kremlin said was a technical problem with a server.

Speaking on a stage at the centre of Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, Putin promised to tens of thousands of people waving Russian flags and chanting “Russia, Russia, Russia” that all of the Kremlin’s aims would be achieved.

“We know what we need to do, how to do it and at what cost. And we will absolutely accomplish all of our plans,” Putin told the rally from a stage decked out with slogans such as “For a world without Nazism” and “For our president”.

Before Putin spoke, Russia’s stirring national anthem, with the words “Russia is our sacred state” boomed out across the stands of the stadium used in the 2018 Soccer World Cup along with more modern pop hits such as “Made in the U.S.S.R.”.

Pan-Slavist poetry by Fyodor Tyutchev, whose verses warned Russians that they would always be considered slaves of the Enlightenment by Europeans, was read out.

LICENCE OF RT, RUSSIA-BACKED BROADCASTER, REVOKED IN UK

Britain’s communications regulator on Friday revoked the licence of the statefunded Russian broadcaster RT amid concern that its coverage of the war in Ukraine was biased.

The decision comes as the regulator, Ofcom, conducts 29 investigations into the impartiality of RT’s coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russian regulators on Friday accused US tech giant Google and its video subsidiary YouTube of “terrorist” activities, the first step towards a possible access ban. Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor said YouTube users “are sharing adverts with calls to shut down railway communications between Russia and Belarus”.

THE REST

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SWEARING-IN CEREMONY OF UP GOVT TO BE HELD ON MARCH 25

The swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected BJP govt in Uttar Pradesh will be held in the state capital on March 25. The ceremony will take place at the Ikana stadium at 4 pm of March 25, a senior official said.

The BJP won 255 seats in the 403-member assembly and its allies won 18 other seats paving way for the return to power for the second consecutive term.

CONTROVERSY OVER COLOUR OF TURBAN IN BHAGAT SINGH PHOTOGRAPH AT PUNJAB CM’S OFFICE

Two days after the AAP’s Bhagwant Mann took over as chief minister of Punjab, the photograph of the revolutionary Bhagat Singh installed at his office has run into a controversy. Mann—who chose Bhagat Singh’s ancestral village, Khatkar Kalan in Nawanshahr district, to take his oath—has always idolised Bhagat Singh, expressing that he wants to create a Punjab that the freedom fighter had dreamt of. However, the basanti (yellow) turban Bhagat Singh is seen wearing in the photo is being objected to, primarily for the photo’s lack of authenticity.

Even before the Punjab poll results were declared, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and the party’s chief ministerial face, Bhagwant Mann, had announced that if the party came to power, the photos of Bhagat Singh and Dr BR Ambedkar would adorn the walls of govt offices, moving away from the tradition of putting the chief minister’s photos.

Mann says that he dreams of creating an egalitarian Punjab that Bhagat Singh had dreamt of and sacrificed his life for.

According to researchers, the photo installed is “not an authentic photograph” of the freedom fighter but merely “an imagination”. Chaman Lal, honorary advisor to Delhi’s Bhagat Singh Resource Centre and the author of several books on the freedom fighter, says, “We have clarified many times that Bhagat Singh never wore any basanti or kesari turban. It is all imagination……Paintings created with imagination should never be used for official purposes.”

Meanwhile, Jagmohan Sandhu, a 77-year-old nephew of Bhagat Singh—son of his sister Bibi Amar Kaur—says that the debate was “insignificant” and what matters was the implementation of his vision for Punjab and the entire country.

CATHOLIC EDUCATION BODY WANTS ALL HOLY BOOKS INCLUDED IN SCHOOL CURRICULUM

The Gujarat Education Board of Catholic Institutions based in Mirzapur, Ahmedabad has written to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel requesting the state govt to ‘include the principles of all holy books in the school curriculum in keeping with National Education Policy 2020 to make India a vibrant democratic country.’

English has been made mandatory from Class 1 and Bhagavad Gita for classes 6 to 12 in Gujarat.

Father Teles Fernandes, secretary of Gujarat Education Board of Catholic Institutions in his letter stated, “the introduction of Bhagwad Gita from Classes 6 to 12 in Gujarat govt schools from the academic year 2022-23 is not an issue in itself but given the diversity in religious plurality in our beloved country India it would be imperative that the impressionistic minds of the young students are also given the taste of other whole scriptures of major world religions like the Quran, Avesta, Baha ‘i, Bible, Tanakh and Talmud, Guru Granth Sahib et al”.

‘NO QUESTION OF HIS RESIGNATION’: NCP BACKS JAILED MINISTER NAWAB MAILK

The NCP decided to ask the Maharashtra govt to distribute portfolios held by Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and party leader Nawab Malik among his NCP colleagues. Malik — who is currently in judicial custody after being arrested last month by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged money laundering and links with the underworld — will, however, retain his rank of minister, said the party. Malik holds the portfolios of skill development and minority affairs in the Maharashtra govt.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Maharashtra NCP chief and cabinet minister Jayant Patil said, “His (Malik’s) bail plea was rejected once again. Hence, the charge of his responsibilities will be given to others in the next two to four days. We have decided to make this alternate temporary arrangement until he is available again.”

Demands for Malik’s resignation from the cabinet had rocked the assembly earlier this month, with BJP MLAs raising slogans of “Nawab Malik kaun hai? Dawood ka dalaal hai (Who is Nawab Malik? He is Dawood’s middleman).”

But even though the NCP has decided to reassign Malik’s portfolio for ease of work, Patil maintained that Malik “was arrested in a wrong manner hence (there was) no question of taking his resignation”, reiterating the party’s earlier support to the minister.

UK ENDS COVID INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

All remaining Covid-19 pandemic related international travel restrictions, including filling in Passenger Locator Forms before arrival and compulsory predeparture tests for unvaccinated travellers, have been scrapped from Friday, the UK govt has announced.

The change, which had been announced by the Department for Transport (DfT) earlier, came into effect at 4am GMT (9. 30 IST). The govt has said that it will keep a range of “contingency measures in reserve”, which would enable “swift and proportionate” action to delay any future harmful variants of Covid-19 entering the country. “Everything we have worked for, every jab, every test, and the sacrifices made by the whole country means that finally, nearly two years on, we can all travel without bureaucratic restrictions,” said UK aviation minister Robert Courts.

According to officials, the default approach in future will be to use the “least stringent measures”, if appropriate, to minimise the impact on travel as far as possible, with contingency measures only being implemented in extreme circumstances.

CBI BOOKS FORMER J-K BANK CHAIRMAN IN RS 800-CRORE LOAN CASE

The CBI has booked former J&K Bank chairman Mushtaq Ahmad Shaikh and 18 others for a Rs 800-crore loss to the bank caused due loans to REI Agro, which were issued in violation of guidelines, without tangible security and on fake documents, officials said.

In addition to officials of the bank, the CBI has also booked REI Agro chairman Sanjay Jhunjhunwala, and vice president and managing director Sandeep Jhunjhunwala, they said on Friday.

The case was earlier probed by the anti-corruption branch of Jammu and Kashmir and it had found during its preliminary inquiry that loans worth Rs 800 crore were sanctioned to the group on the basis of fake documents between 2011 and 2013 and in violation of guidelines, the officials said.

SEN, TREESA-GAYATRI MARCH INTO ALL ENGLAND SEMI-FINALS

Unseeded Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand on Friday became the first Indian pair to reach the semi-finals of the All England Championships, joining in-form Lakshya Sen, who too reached the last four round of the men's singles competition in Birmingham.

Playing their first Super 1000 event, women's doubles pair of Treesa and Gayatri, World No 46, recorded the biggest win of their career, a stunning 14-21, 22-20, 21-15 win over world championship silver medallists and second seeds Lee Sohee and Shin Seungchan of Korea.

World Championships bronze medallist Sen had earlier in the day advanced to the men's singles semi-finals after his opponent Lu Guang Zu of China gave a walkover due to an injury suffered in the last match.

The 20-year-old Sen from Almora, who had secured his maiden Super 500 title at India Open in January and then claimed a runner-up finish at the German Open last week, will face the winner of the match between Malaysia's sixth seed Lee Zii Jia and Japan's second seed Kento Momota in the last four round.

INDICATORS

(Indian Stock markets were closed yesterday on account of Holi.)

Nasdaq 13,894 (+279) Dow 34,755 (+274), S&P 4,463 (+51)

US$-Rs. 75.66 GBP-Rs. 99.51, Euro-Rs. 83.71, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.59, Can$-Rs. 59.76, Aus$- Rs. 55.55

GBP 0.76 /US$, Euro 0.90 /US$, Jap.Yen 118.66 /US$, Aus$ 1.36 /US$, Sing 1.35 /US$, Bang Taka 84.34 /US$, Can$ 1.26 /US$, Mal Ring 4.19 /US$,

Pak Re 178.63 /US$, Phil Peso 52.18 /US$, Russian Rouble 101.86 /US$, NZ$ 1.45 /US$, Thai Baht 33.20 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 29.25 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 41,846

Dollar Index 98.21 Brent Crude 107.93 BDI 2,588

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,921 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,177 / 4,745, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 72,900

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are to some extent a gift. Good Character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece...by thought, choice, courage, and determination. - John Luther

OFF TRACK

Two mice live in a movie studio warehouse and are looking for food. Suddenly one hears the other chewing.

"What did you find?" he asks.

"I am not sure," comes the answer. "It looks like a film. Let me see...Ah, yes. It is  'Gone with the Wind'."

"And how is it?"

"Nothing great. The book was better."