ARMY WILL NOT ALLOW CHINA TO CHANGE LAC STATUS QUO, SAYS JAISHANKAR

The Indian Army will not let China change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) "unilaterally" and its current deployment along the frontier was not seen before, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, rejecting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the govt's handling of the border row.

"Today we have a deployment of the Indian Army on the China border that we have never had. It is done in order to counter Chinese deployment which was scaled up massively since 2020," Jaishankar said.

He was replying to a question during India Today's India-Japan conclave.

"If we were in denial then how is the Army out there? The Army did not go there because Rahul Gandhi asked them to go. Army went there because the prime minister of India ordered them to go," Jaishankar said, replying to Gandhi's allegations that the govt was hiding the fact that China took Indian territory along the LAC.

"People will say things; they may not be credible, they may sometimes contradict their own positions, their own behaviour. All that could happen. But the fact is what is finally the proof of the pudding. The proof of the pudding is that the Indian Army is deployed today to counter any attempt to unilaterally change the LAC," Jaishankar said.

"I am saying that it is the obligation of the Indian state and that is the duty and commitment of the Indian military that we will not let any country, and in this case China, change the LAC unilaterally," Jaishankar said.

"I think it is fairly obvious and most people in the country see that. You can make your polemical points. I think people will treat it as politics," he added.

Asked about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's criticism of the govt for increasing trade volume with China notwithstanding the border row, he said that India continues to import from that country because there was no adequate focus on the manufacturing sector.

Jaishankar said not much attention was given to the MSME sector and building supply chains as well after India opened up its economy in 1991. "When somebody says why imports are coming out of China, there are imports coming out of China because for 30 years, you did not give your industry the kind of support and protection you should have," Jaishankar said.

"It is only now in recent years that you have started to do it. Now you cannot reverse in five or 10 years what you have done in 30 years," he said.

INDIA’S EXPECTATION FROM PAKISTANIS NEVER VERY HIGH: JAISHANKAR ON PAK FM’S PERSONAL ATTACK AGAINST MODI

India's level of expectation from Pakistanis is “never very high”, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, in his first comments over the personal attack made by his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described Bhutto-Zardari's remarks as "uncivilised" and said they were a "new low" even for Pakistan.

"I think my ministry has said very clearly what we think about what he (Pakistan foreign minister) said. We said what we had to say," Jaishankar said.

When pressed further on whether he was upset over the remarks against the prime minister, Jaishankar said: "Our expectation levels with the Pakistanis are never very high."

'PITAI' WORD SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR OUR JAWANS; JAISHANKAR IN LS

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has strongly objected to the use of the term “pitai” (beating) by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while referring to the India-China clash in Tawang, and asserted that our soldiers have stood their ground in Yangtse in Arunachal Pradesh and should be "appreciated and honoured".

The Minister was replying to debate on the Anti-Martine Piracy Bill that was passed by Lok Sabha in near unanimity yesterday. 

The Minister then without naming Rahul Gandhi used his words ‘pitai’ for Indian troops after their clash with Chinese at Yangtse on December 9.

“We should not directly or indirectly criticize the jawans (troops). Our jawans are standing at 13,000 feet at Yangtse, they are standing on ground, they should be honoured”. “Don’t use the world ‘pitai’. Use of the word is inappropriate”.

I’M OPENING ‘MOHABBAT KI DUKAAN’ IN A MARKET OF HATE: RAHUL GANDHI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday explained his motive for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying that he was setting up a “shop for love in a market of hate”.

Addressing a rally in Alwar, Rajasthan, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state president Govind Singh Dotasra and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot, Gandhi said the Yatra had been going on for 100 days and that sometimes, he passed by BJP offices.

As he waves at them, he said, BJP workers stand with crossed arms. “They want to wave to Rahul Gandhi, but it isn’t allowed,” he said, adding that as he continued to wave at them, “one-two” waved back and then he blew them kisses in return. “I don’t hate them. I fight against the ideology, but I like them, saare jeev ache lagte hain (I like all beings),” he said.

Gandhi said BJP workers sometimes gestured at him with their hands, “Kya kar rahe ho tum (what are you doing?)”

“Their leaders sometimes ask, why is Rahul Gandhi walking? So it was in my mind for sometime, and I was thinking ‘what am I doing?’ I am walking, meeting people and hugging people, but what am I doing? And then I found the answer: nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan khol raha hun (setting up a shop for love in a market of hate),” Gandhi said.

“You hate me, abuse me, ye aapke dil ki baat hai (it is between you and your heart). Your market of hate and my shop of love,” he said.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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NATIONS REACH LANDMARK DEAL TO HALT BIODIVERSITY LOSS BY 2030

In a ‘landmark’ biodiversity agreement to protect nature, nations (or Parties as they are referred to in climate parlance) including India, approved a “Paris-style” deal to halt, protect and reverse biodiversity loss at the United Nations COP15 World Conference on Nature in Montreal this morning.

The deal followed intense negotiations to ensure that nature is pulled back from the brink by 2030 while keeping alive the plan to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius under the Paris Agreement. One of the most important targets includes the protection of 30% of the world’s lands, waters, coastal areas and oceans by 2030.

At present, 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine areas are under protection.

Over the next year these 196 govts will put into action what has been agreed—including creating plans by 2024 while rich nations will put $30 billion per annum by 2030 on the table—to save the lands, oceans, and species from pollution, degradation, and climate change.

CIA CHIEF PRAISES PM MODI, PRESIDENT XI FOR RAISING NUKE USE CONCERNS IN RUSSIA-UKRAINE CONFLICT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping raising concerns about the use of nuclear weapons had an impact on Russia, which has indulged in "nuclear sabre-rattling" over its war with Ukraine, CIA chief William Burns has said. "I think, very dangerous nuclear sabre-rattling that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and others around him have done," Burns said.

He said the sabre-rattling was meant to intimidate.  "We don't see any clear evidence today of plans to use tactical nuclear weapons," he said.

When asked about the comments by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Mark Milley, that winter may be a time for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, Burns said, "Most conflicts end in negotiations, but that requires seriousness on the part of the Russians in this instance that I don't think we see."

HOUSE PANEL RECOMMENDS CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST TRUMP IN CAPITOL RIOT CASE

The congressional committee that investigated last year's attack on the US Capitol recommended Monday that criminal charges be filed against former president Donald Trump. The House panel unanimously urged the Justice Department to pursue Trump for inciting an insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiring to defraud the US govt and making false statements.

"The committee has developed significant evidence that president Trump intended to disrupt the peaceful transition of power under our Constitution," Representative Jamie Raskin said as he outlined the panel's findings.

The committee's recommendations to the Justice Department will end up with a special counsel appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to look into Trump's role in the Capitol riot and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden.

THE REST

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DID PM MODI, XI DISCUSS BORDER SITUATION AT BALI, CHIDAMBARAM ASKS IN RS

Former Finance minister P. Chidambaram on Monday asked the govt in Rajya Sabha whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping discussed the border situation when they met at the G20 Summit in Bali, leading to objections and disruption from the Treasury benches.

Citing an additional Rs 500 crore sought for border roads in supplementary demand for grants, Chidambaram said he had the right to raise the conditions at the border while clarifying that he did not want any sensitive information.

“These are strategic and border roads in the Northeast,” he said. “We know who is the threat in the northern and eastern border. Has China conceded anything on Hot Springs? Have the Chinese agreed to discuss the friction points in the Doklam Junction and the Depsang Plains?”

“You are creating more buffer zones. What does a buffer zone mean? According to our information, it will be a no-patrol area. Does it mean we are no longer patrolling where we used to,” Chidambaram asked, leading to disruptions from BJP MPs.

The Congress leader asked the govt about infrastructure being built by the Chinese on the other side and said he did not want to know about the matching infrastructure on the Indian side as it may be a defence secret.

When Chidambaram began speaking about a video of Modi and Xi meeting in Bali, BJP member G V L Narasimha Rao objected and said the topic was not related to the discussion on the Bill.

After being asked to take note of the rule in question by Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chidambaram continued that according to a video of the meeting, Modi and Xi shook hands and Modi was the one who did the talking. “I just want to know, without going into the details, was the border situation discussed? Just, yes or no,”

Chidambaram’s statements came after the Opposition staged a walkout earlier in the day over their demand for a discussion on the recent clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh.

SANATAN DHARMA AND ISLAM ARE NOT SO WEAK THAT THEY CAN GET AFFECTED BY COLOURS, SAYS DANISH ALI IN LOK SABHA

The controversy surrounding Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone-starrer ‘Besharam rang' reached Parliament on Monday with a member expressing surprise and dismay over the furore over saffron and green colours sported by the two actors in the song.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, BSP member Danish Ali said the Sanatan Dharma and Islam are not so weak that they could get affected by colours.

Several Opposition members were seen supporting Ali as he expressed surprise and dismay over the attack from the right wing over the saffron costume sported by Deepika and Shah Rukh's apparent green.

Apparently, some maulvis have also objected to the use of green colour in the song.

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale also said that calling “saffron colour ‘besharam’ was an insult to Buddhism". Speaking to media, Athawale said saffron is not only the colour of the BJP or the Shiv Sena, but it’s the colour of the clothes that Gautam Buddha wore.

ON 'LATKAS'-'JHATKAS' REMARK, SMRITI IRANI'S AMETHI CHALLENGE TO RAHUL GANDHI

Union minister Smriti Irani on Monday hit back at Congress leader Ajay Rai, after he accused her of visiting her Lok Sabha constituency Amethi only to show "latkas" and "jhatkas"- an unflattering reference to dance moves, and dared Rahul Gandhi to contest from the seat in 2024.

“Heard you (Rahul Gandhi) have announced to contest from Amethi in 2024 from one of your provincial leaders in an indecent manner. So, should I take it as certain that you would contest from Amethi? Won’t run away to another seat? Won’t get scared? PS: You & Mummy ji need to get your misogynistic goons a new speechwriter,” she tweeted.

FREEDOM STRUGGLE HEROES NOT INCORRECTLY DEPICTED IN TEXTBOOKS: GOVT

The Union govt has disagreed with the observations made by a parliamentary panel that many historical figures of the Indian freedom struggle have been portrayed in an “incorrect manner” in history textbooks, according to a report presented in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

However, the Rajya Sabha Department-Related Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, chaired by BJP MP Vivek Thakur, has “not accepted” the stand of the govt.

The matter came to light after the list of action taken on the report on reforms in content and design of school textbooks, which was tabled in the House in November 2021, was presented in the Rajya Sabha.

“The department (Education Ministry) in its reply has informed the committee that the present NCERT textbook of classes VIII, X and XII (Part III) have portrayed freedom fighters by adopting an event-oriented approach and they have not been depicted in an incorrect manner,” according to the report, which contains the response of the Department of School Education and Literacy and the NCERT. This response was listed in the “observations/recommendations in respect of which replies of the govt have not been accepted by the committee” section of the report.

FOLLOW QUOTA LAW FOR ADMISSION IN RESEARCH, RECRUITMENT AT IITS: SC

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to follow the reservation policy for admission in research degree programmes and recruitment of faculty members at IITs as provided under the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers' Cadre) Act, 2019.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by a man named SN Pandey seeking direction to the Centre and the IITs to follow the reservation policy with regard to admissions in research programmes and recruitment of faculty members, claiming the guidelines were being violated.

Pandey, in his plea filed through advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey, had also sought directives for creation of a mechanism for resolving harassment complaints by students/scholars related to research work and to constitute a committee of technical experts to review the performance of the existing faculty.

He had sought cancellation of the appointment of non-performing faculty due to violation of reservation norms and formulation of a transparent recruitment policy.

ALPHABET CEO SUNDAR PICHAI MEETS PM MODI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a meeting with Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday and said it was a delight to discuss innovation, technology and more issues with him.

“Was a delight to meet you Sundar Pichai and discuss innovation, technology and more. It is important the world continues to work together to leverage tech for human prosperity and sustainable development,” Modi tweeted.

Pichai expressed his thanks to the prime minister for the “great meeting” with him. “Inspiring to see the rapid pace of technological change under your leadership. Look forward to continuing our strong partnership and supporting India’s G20 presidency to advance an open, connected internet that works for all,” he tweeted.

54 COMPANIES IN RS 1 TRN M-CAP CLUB

Companies with more than Rs 1 trillion market capitalisation (m-cap) have gone up by five in 2022, notwithstanding the muted gains in the benchmark BSE S&P Sensex. There are 54 companies with an m-cap of Rs 1 trillion or more, up from 49 at the end of 2021.

Equity markets were volatile in 2022 due to monetary tightening, fears of global recession, and the crisis arising out of a Russia-Ukraine stand-off. Runaway inflation and China’s Covid woes put equities through the wringer.

India managed to stave off a big correction, notwithstanding record overseas outflows, as a result of domestic liquidity support and relatively better economic prospects.

India’s dematerialised accounts crossed the 100-million mark this year. The decline in crude oil prices further emboldened investor sentiment. Crude prices declined 34 per cent from their highs in May this year.

The gains of Indian equity benchmarks were, however, muted compared to last year. In 2021, the Sensex gained 22 per cent. So far this year, the Sensex has risen 6 per cent.

MUSK VOTED OUT AS CEO OF TWITTER BY POLL HE LAUNCHED

After weeks of turmoil since he bought the company, Elon Musk surveyed Twitter about whether he should remain in charge, and said he would abide by the result. Musk asked Twitter users on Sunday if he should step down as head of the social media platform. More than 17 million votes were cast and delivered a clear verdict: 57. 5% said he should quit, in a Twitter “poll” that closed on Monday.

After voting ended there was no immediate response from Musk on Twitter. If he follows through, Musk would be handing over the reins of the company that he bought for $44 billion in October. The turbulent weeks since then have been marked by mass layoffs at the firm, falling advertising sales, executive resignations and various high-profile user accounts suspended for infractions of newly invented policy.

INDICATORS

Sensex 61,806 (+468), Nifty 18,420 (+151), Trading Value NSE (Rs.crores) 47,194

Nasdaq 10,546 (-159) Dow 32,758 (-163), S&P 3,818 (-35)

(US$-Rs. 82.64 GBP-Rs. 100.61, Euro-Rs. 87.69, UAE Dhm-Rs. 22.49, Can$-Rs. 60.51, Aus$- Rs. 55.44

GBP 0.82 /US$, Euro 0.94 /US$, Jap.Yen 136.42 /US$, Aus$ 1.49 /US$, Sing 1.35 /US$, Bang Taka 102.67 /US$, Can$ 1.36 /US$, Mal Ring 4.42 /US$,

Pak Re 224.42 /US$, Phil Peso 55.36 /US$, Russian Rouble 66.98 /US$, NZ$ 1.56 /US$, Thai Baht 34.79 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 36.62 /US$)

Bitcoin - USD 16,566

Dollar Index 104.33 Brent Crude 80.75 BDI 1,560

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,785 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,411 / 4,960, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 73,100

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

People can cry much easier than they can change. - James Baldwin

OFF TRACK

A man from Texas was visiting his friend in New York. For three days all the host heard from him was... "In Texas we have the best this, the largest that, the fastest that, etc. etc.' It eventually became very annoying.

The host thought he could outdo his Texan friend by showing him the "Magnificent Niagara", knowing there was nothing in Texas that could compare to this "Wonder of Water and Power".

While standing at the brink watching millions of gallons of water rushing over, the host asked the Texan, "Do you have anything like this in Texas?"

The Texan waited a moment before he answered, "No, but we have a plumber who could fix it."