PROTESTS INTENSIFY IN LANKA DESPITE; CABOINET RESIGNS

Sri Lankan police fired tear gas and water cannons at hundreds of university students during a protest in the central province despite a curfew on Sunday, as demands grew for appointment of an all-party interim govt to address the worst economic crisis that has plagued the country.

The govt's poor handling of the economic crisis where people currently endure long hours of power outages and scarcity of essentials has angered the public which planned country-wide protests on Sunday.

Apart from declaring a public emergency in Sri Lanka with immediate effect from April 1 and imposing a 36-hour curfew with effect from 6 pm Saturday to 6 am Monday, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s govt ordered internet service providers to restrict social media access, tightening curbs to prevent planned demonstrations.

The social media curbs were lifted after nearly 15 hours on Sunday.

Sri Lanka's Cabinet of Ministers resigned with immediate effect late on Sunday night. Speaking to reporters, Education Minister and Leader of the House, Dinesh Gunawardena said the Cabinet ministers handed over their resignations to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. He proffered no reason for the mass resignation.

However, political experts here said the ministers came under intense pressure from the public over the govt's alleged "mishandling" of the economic crisis, triggered by the shortage in the foreign exchange reserve.

BUREAUCRATS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER UNVIABLE POPULIST SCHEMES BY STATES IN MEETING WITH PM MODI

In a marathon meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with senior bureaucrats, a few officials raised concern over populist schemes announced by several states, claiming they are economically unsustainable and could take them down the same path as Sri Lanka,

The meeting was also attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister PK Mishra and Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba along with other top bureaucrats of the Union govt.

During the meeting, Modi categorically told bureaucrats to come out of the mentality of managing shortages to the new challenge of managing surplus. He told them to give up the old story of citing “poverty” as an excuse for not taking up major development projects and asked them to adopt a bigger perspective.

Citing the teamwork shown by the secretaries during the COVID-19 pandemic, Modi said they should act as secretaries of the govt of India and not merely as secretaries of their respective departments and should work as one team.

He also asked secretaries to give feedback and suggest loopholes in policies of the govt, including those which are not related to their respective ministries.

This was the ninth such meeting of the prime minister with secretaries since 2014.

CONG INDISPENSABLE, NOT KEEN ON HEADING UPA, SAYS SHARAD PAWAR

NCP president Sharad Pawar yesterday said he won’t lead an anti-BJP front and was also not keen on becoming the UPA chairperson. Speaking to reporters at Kolhapur, he said the Congress could not be excluded from any initiative aimed at providing an alternative to the BJP at the Centre.

“Recently, some youth workers of our party (NCP) passed a resolution asking me to become the chairperson of the UPA. But I am not at all interested in that position. I am not going to get into that. I will not take up that responsibility,” the former Union minister said.

He said the Congress had a pan-India presence. “You will find Congress workers in every village, district and state in the country. Reality is that the Congress, which has a wide presence, must be taken on board while providing an alternative (to BJP),” he said.

NITI AAYOG: INDIA ON CUSP OF MAJOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY

India is on the cusp of a major economic recovery and talks of possible stagflation are “overhyped” as a strong economic foundation is being laid with the reforms carried out by the govt over the past seven years, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Sunday.

Notwithstanding economic uncertainties triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war that is also impacting global supply chains, Kumar asserted that it was quite clear from all accounts that India will remain the fastest growing economy in the world.

“Given all the reforms that we have done in the past seven years, and given that we are seeing the end of the Covid pandemic hopefully, and the 7.8% rate of growth that we will get this year (2022-23), a very strong foundation is now being laid for further rapid increase in economic growth in the coming years,” Kumar said.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST / April 4

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Sunday 913

Active Cases 12,597 (-416)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,21,358 (7)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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IMRAN'S YORKER: PARLIAMENT DISSOLVED, POLLS IN 90 DAYS

Pakistan's beleaguered Prime Minister Imran Khan bowled a yorker at his rivals on Sunday by getting the presidential nod for the dissolution of Parliament, a move dubbed as 'unconstitutional' by the Opposition parties which approached the apex court to legally challenge the decision which has pushed the coup-prone country into further political and constitutional crisis.

Khan was widely expected to lose the no-confidence motion moved by an alliance of Opposition politicians in the National Assembly.

But in a surprise reprieve for the 69-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, the no-trust vote was dismissed as 'unconstitutional' by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, leading to vociferous protests by the Opposition.

Khan, who had effectively lost majority in the 342-member National Assembly, made a brief address to the nation in which the prime minister said he has recommended dissolution of the House and fresh elections. Khan congratulated the nation for the no-trust motion being dismissed, saying the deputy speaker had 'rejected the attempt of changing the regime [and] the foreign conspiracy'. "The nation should prepare for the new elections," he said, adding that the no-confidence was actually a 'foreign agenda'.

Later, President Arif Alvi's office said he has dissolved the National Assembly according to the advice of the prime minister.

The stunned Opposition termed the entire process to reject the no-confidence motion against the prime minister and dissolution of assembly against the Constitution and its lawmakers refused to leave the premises of the parliament house.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Marriyum Aurangzeb said: "Imran Khan is a traitor. He has taken an unconstitutional step and we are now protesting in National Assembly and will not go anywhere until this decision is cancelled".

Pakistan's powerful army said it has 'absolutely nothing' to do with the prevailing political situation in the country.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial has taken notice of the latest political situation, a court official said on Sunday.

THE RULE USED BY PAK DY SPEAKER

As the National Assembly met in the morning, apparently preparing to vote on the no-confidence motion, the Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Fawad Chaudhary, requested the Speaker to first decide on the constitutionality of the motion.

He quoted clause (1) of Article 5 to argue that the no-confidence motion, submitted to the Speaker in the first week of March, and tabled last week, went against the provisions of the Article.

Under the heading ‘Loyalty to the State and Obedience to the Constitution’, Article 5 has two clauses.

Clause (1) states that “Loyalty to the State is the basic duty of every citizen”; Clause 2 states that “obedience to the Constitution and law is the inviolable obligation of every citizen wherever he may be and every other person for the time being within Pakistan”.

Fawad Chaudhary used Clause 1 to reiterate Imran’s allegation of a “foreign conspiracy” against the govt. He said the no-confidence motion was a conspiracy hatched by a “powerful country” that did not want Pakistan to have an independent foreign policy.

“On March 7, our official ambassador was invited to a meeting attended by the representatives of other countries. The meeting was told that a motion against PM Imran was being presented,” Fawad Chaudhary said on Sunday, without specifying which ambassador he was referring to.

RUSSIA EXECUTED CIVILIANS, SAYS UKRAINE

Global outrage against Moscow mounted on Sunday over allegations that Russian forces had executed civilians in Ukraine, with Western leaders redoubling calls for war crimes investigations as the retreat of Russian troops from areas near Kyiv offered a clearer picture of the devastating toll of President Putin’s six-week-old war.

As Russian forces pull back from areas around the Ukrainian capital, civilians have emerged from basement shelters to clamour for bread distributed by the Ukrainian soldiers retaking territory. The husks of destroyed tanks clutter roads. Mines and booby traps have been hidden amid the wreckage. Bodies lay uncollected in streets littered with debris. The dead include civilians, some of whom Ukrainian officials accused Russian forces of executing.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said in an interview on CNN that the images were in line with the Biden administration’s warnings that Russian forces would commit abuses. “You can’t help but see these images as a punch to the gut. . . ,” Blinken said, adding: “We can’t become numb to this. We can’t normalise this. This is the reality of what’s going on every single day. ”

Liz Truss, Britain’s foreign secretary, said evidence was being collected to investigate war crimes and hold those re-sponsible to account, calling the reports of Russians targeting civilians “abhorrent. ”

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, tweeted that she was “appalled by reports of unspeakable horrors in areas from which Russia is withdrawing. ” Kaja Kallas, the PM of Estonia, said that images of dead civilians in Bucha and the Kyiv suburb of Irpin “recall the mass killings by Soviet and Nazi regimes,” adding: “This is not a battlefield, it’s a crime scene. ”

Russia's defence ministry denied the Ukrainian allegations, saying footage and photographs showing dead bodies in Bucha were "yet another provocation" by Kyiv.

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PUNJAB, HARYANA LOCK HORNS OVER WHO GETS TO KEEP CHANDIGARH

The govts of Punjab and Haryana have locked horns over the issue of the state capital, Chandigarh. On Friday, the Punjab Assembly passed a resolution that reprised the state's claim on the Union Territory of Chandigarh, which was built in 1953 and happens to be the joint capital of both Punjab and Haryana. The Punjab Assembly has urged the central govt to immediately transfer Chandigarh to Punjab.

Now, Haryana is following suit by convening a special Assembly session on April 5 to discuss various issues, including the long pending demand to transfer Chandigarh back to Haryana and the transfer of Hindi-speaking areas to the state .

Haryana has expressed surprise over Punjab's sudden move to stake claim to Chandigarh. CM Manohar Lal Khattar said that Punjab should have taken into confidence all the stakeholders before raising such a demand.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij slammed Punjab for demanding Chandigarh and said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was a 'bachcha party' which was unaware about the real issues concerning both the states. Vij said that the AAP govt was trying to divert the public attention towards other issues as it has miserably failed to fulfil the election promises made to the people of Punjab to seek votes. "Besides Chandigarh, we also demand construction of the SYL Canal and transfer of Hindi-speaking areas to the state," he said.

KARNATAKA: HALAL MEAT ISSUE BEING RAISED TO DISTURB PEACE, SAYS SIDDARAMAIAH

The issue of whether people should consume halal meat or any other form of meat is a non-issue but is being made out to be a major issue by right-wing groups to sow the seeds of division in society, Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said in a joint press conference with state Congress president D K Shivakumar on Sunday.

“Unnecessarily they are raising issues that affect relationships and ties between people and communities. These are not issues that are relevant to people or the lives of people. They are raising these issues and disturbing the peace in society,” Siddaramaiah said, during the course of criticising the economic policies of the BJP govts in the state and Centre.

The joint press conference by Siddaramaiah and the KPCC chief was the first since senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on April 1 called for unity among top party leaders in Karnataka while going into the Assembly polls scheduled for April 2023.

CBI NO MORE CAGED PARROT, SAYS KIREN RIJIJU

Asserting that the CBI is no more a “caged parrot”, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju has said that it is truly performing its duty as India’s top criminal investigating agency.

During a hearing in the coal scam case, the Supreme Court had in 2013 described the CBI a “caged parrot”.

In a tweet on Sunday, Rijiju shared a video of his address on Saturday at the first-ever conference of investigating officers of the CBI.

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had on Friday said the CBI’s credibility had come under scrutiny.

BLOCKCHAIN SYSTEM IN GADCHIROLI TO WEED OUT FAKE CASTE CERTIFICATES

The Maharashtra govt is in the process of implementing a system to authenticate govt-issued caste certificates through a blockchain system. The system, to be put in place in the Maoism-affected Gadchiroli district, will allow instant, 10-second verification that will rule out any duplication or forgery of caste certificates. It will also help protect the rights of the tribals, say govt officials.

The project is the first of its kind in the country and assumes significance as Gadchiroli is one of the most backward districts in Maharashtra with a tribal  population of around 70 per cent. Once the project is implemented, any third party, such as employers, educational institutions, govt agencies, judicial bodies etc., can verify the authenticity of caste certificates. Officials said the use of blockchain will protect the privacy of all the data without exposing it to the internet. The process, they said, will involve merely scanning a QR code.

Further, blockchain implementation ensures the immunity of the citizens from any kind of ‘de-platformation’ in the future. In other words, once the information is stored on  a blockchain, no one will be able to erase the caste records.

As a first step, the project will begin in the Etapalli subdivision of the district which comprises villages from Etapalli and Bhamragad. These regions have a huge tribal population who need the caste certificates to access various govt subsidies and benefits.

OUT ON BAIL, HATE SPEECH ACCUSED YATI NARSINGHANAND STIRS ROW

Notorious for making intemperate remarks, Yati Narsinghanand, the head priest of the Dasna Devi temple, stoked yet another controversy on Sunday with his comment that “50 per cent of Hindus will convert” in 20 years if a Muslim became the prime minister of India.

Addressing a ‘Hindu Mahapanchayat’ for which the Delhi administration had not granted permission, he also exhorted Hindus to take up arms to fight for their existence.

The Mahapanchayat was organised at Burari grounds in New Delhi by the same group which had earlier held similar controversial events in Haridwar and at Jantar Mantar in the national capital, where anti-Muslim slogans were raised. Several other Hindu supremacist leaders also attended the Sunday event.

Narsinghanand is currently on bail in connection with the Haridwar hate speech case.

0“Only in 2029 or in 2034 or in 2039 a Muslim will become the prime minister. Once a Muslim will become the PM, 50 per cent Hindus will convert, 40 per cent will be killed and the remaining 10 per cent will either live in refugee camps or in other countries in the next 20 years. “This will be the future of the Hindus. If you want to avoid this future, then become a man and take up arms,” Narsinghanand is seen saying in a video of the Mahapanchayat which is being circulated on social media.

CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGES FEEL PINCH AS INDIA'S NEW TAX REGIME STARTS

Domestic cryptocurrency exchanges have witnessed a sharp fall in volumes on the first three days of April following the implementation of the new tax regime. The fall in volumes is between 15 and 55 per cent among various crypto exchanges. Even the number of visitors on these exchanges has fallen.

The fall in volumes, however, has varied among exchanges. The 30 per cent flat tax, no provision to set off losses in the same categ+ory, applicability of TDS and GST, not only increases compliance for small investors but also restricts growth of the ecosystem. All these were proposed in the Union Budget presented on February 1, and came into force from last Friday, that is April 1.

According to a poll of 97 blockchain developers in India conducted by CREBACO Global, most of them are considering relocating abroad.

IPL MATCH 11: LIVINGSTONE'S ALL-ROUND SHOW HELPS PUNJAB SINK CSK

England all-rounder Liam Livingstone justified his Rs 11.50 crore price-tag with a smashing all-round show while rookie seamer Vaibhav Arora announced his arrival on the big stage during Punjab Kings' comfortable 54-run decimation of Chennai Super Kings at Brabourne Stadium yesterday.

Livingstone blasted a superb 32-ball-60 to lay the platform for Punjab before Chennai Super Kings bowlers made a brilliant comeback at the death, restricting Mayank Agarwal led side to 180/8 after 20 overs.

Later, little known Himachal Pradesh seam bowler Arora (4-0-21-2) performed as if he owned the stage, dismissing Robin Uthappa and Moeen Ali with CSK bowled out for 126 in 18 overs to continue their losing run in IPL 2022.

CSK have now lost all 3 matches played so far while Punjab have won 2 of their 3.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

All human progress, even in morals, has been the work of men who have doubted the current moral values, not of men who have whooped them up and tried to enforce them. - H.L. Mencken

OFF TRACK

A suspicious husband hired a private investigator to follow his wife and in less than a week, had all the information that he needed on the "other man".

Being a man of the 21st century and all, he decided to handle the matter in what he judged to be sophisticated and business- like manner. He sent the following e-mail to his wife's lover: Sir, It has been brought to my attention that for some time now you have been carrying on an affair with my wife. So that we may settle this matter in an intelligent fashion, please be at my office at 3 PM on Friday next.

The "other man" was highly amused by the husband's formal manner and sent the following reply: Dear Sir, I have received a copy of your mass mailing this morning. You may be advised that I will attend the scheduled conference in your office's auditorium.