PUNJAB ON ALERT AS 34 MORE AMRITPAL AIDES HELD; HABEAS CORPUS PLEA IN HC
The police on Sunday conducted flag marches and searches across Punjab in their manhunt for radical preacher Amritpal Singh, arresting 34 more supporters and shifting four men in custody to a jail in far-off Assam.
The Punjab and Haryana high court has, however, asked the state govt to respond on Tuesday to a habeas corpus petition, that claiming that the preacher is already in illegal police custody and should be released.
The police stuck to their version that Amritpal gave them the slip during a car chase in Jalandhar district on Saturday.
The Punjab govt extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services till Monday noon. The official order, which exempted banking services, said this was to “prevent any incitement to violence and any disturbance of peace and public order”.
Four of the arrested men were brought to BJP-ruled Assam's Dibrugarh by a 27-member Punjab Police team accompanying them, according to an Assam police officer.
Inspector general of police Sukhchain Singh Gill said Amritpal Singh is still absconding. “Whatever the Punjab Police does in this case will be within the ambit of law. Everybody has a legal right and can avail whatever remedies are available under the law.”
PROTESTORS ATTACK INDIAN HIGH COMMISSION IN LONDON
India on Sunday night lodged a strong protest with the United Kingdom after Khalistan supporters took down the Tricolour from the Indian high commission in London.
Soon after videos emerged of Khalistan supporters pulling the flag down, the external affairs ministry summoned a senior UK diplomat in New Delhi. The ministry said it expected the UK govt to take immediate steps to identify, arrest and prosecute each of those involved in Sunday’s incident, and put in place stringent measures to prevent repeats.
Alex Ellis, the British high commissioner to India, tweeted: “I condemn the disgraceful acts today against the people and premises of the @HCI_ London — totally unacceptable.” The Indian external affairs ministry said in a statement: “An explanation was demanded for the complete absence of British security that allowed these elements to enter the high commission premises. She was reminded in this regard of the basic obligations of the UK govt under the Vienna Convention. “India finds unacceptable the indifference of the UK govt to the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK.”
KIREN RIJIJU DRAWS FLAK FOR REMARK ON JUDGES
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju’s remark about “some retired judges” being “part of the anti-India gang” has received flak from various Opposition leaders who have taken the minister to task for “talking like an outlaw” and “propagating injustice”.
Congress general secretary of communications Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “A Law Minister talking like an Outlaw. A Minister of Justice propagating Injustice. If this is not a threat to freedom AFTER speech what is?”
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar said, “A minister can’t make this statement and get away. Give proof. Don’t threaten. ‘(judges) will have to pay a price’. RSS didn’t participate in Freedom Struggle. and Hindu Mahasabha supported British. Don’t give us pro-India, anti-India gyan!”
CPI(M) leader and former Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac said, “Kiren Rijiju, on the roll — now he threatens judges: ‘Some retired judges part of anti-India gang; anyone against nation will have to pay’.Is he minister for law or lawlessness?”
'SAVARKAR SAMJHA KYA': CONG'S TWEET ON RAHUL GANDHI
A Delhi Police team reaching Rahul Gandhi's house on Sunday morning to inquire about his comment on 'raped women' in J&K during Bharat Jodo Yatra has added to the row over Rahul Gandhi. The BJP has been constantly demanding his apology for the comments he made during his recent UK visit. While the Congress defended that Rahul Gandhi has nothing to apologise for, the party on Sunday tweeted a smiling photo of Rahul Gandhi in the driver's seat of a car. "Sarvarkar samjha kya...Name is Rahul Gandhi," the tweet read.
Union law minister Kiren Rijiju reacted to the caption and wrote, "Please don't insult the soul of Veer Savarkar. Requesting in folded hands."
The Congress on Sunday slammed the Delhi Police's action and questioned why the police suddenly showed up at Rahul Gandhi's residence months after the J&k statement of Rahul Gandhi. "This is very strange. Rahul Gandhi walked across the country for five months. And the Delhi police presented the same questions twice in three days. We asked them how many such political yatras come to their scrutiny like this. A politician meets several such people from all walks of life. It is not possible for the leader to follow up on each complaint," Singhvi said.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
======================
PUTIN VISITS OCCUPIED UKRAINE CITY
President Vladimir Putin of Russia travelled to Mariupol, a Ukrainian city his forces captured after a devastating siege, in a defiant and highly symbolic move that came two days after an international court issued a warrant for his arrest.
Putin flew by helicopter to Mariupol, a city on the Azov Sea that was a major industrial hub before the invasion, the Kremlin said on Sunday. In the city, Putin drove from the airport through several neighbourhoods, inspecting reconstruction works with a top Russian official responsible for infrastructure. The Kremlin also said that Putin spoke with some local residents.
Before the Russian invasion, Mariupol was home to over 400,000 people and the site of Europe’s largest steel plant.
It was Putin’s second unannounced trip of the weekend to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, and the closest the Russian leader has been to the front lines since the full-scale invasion last February.
The two visits were defiant gestures from the Kremlin less than 48 hours after an international court accused him of war crimes and issued an arrest warrant.
UBS AGREES TO BUY CREDIT SUISSE IN SWISS-ASSISTED BID TO CALM MARKETS
UBS agreed to buy rival Swiss bank Credit Suisse for 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.23 billion) in stock and agreed to assume up to 5 billion francs ($5.4 billion) in losses, in a shotgun merger engineered by Swiss authorities to avoid more market-shaking turmoil in global banking.
The deal includes 100 billion Swiss francs ($108 billion) in liquidity assistance for UBS and Credit Suisse from the Swiss central bank.
To enable UBS to take over Credit Suisse, the federal govt is providing a loss guarantee of a maximum of 9 billion Swiss francs for a clearly defined part of the portfolio, the govt said. This will be activated if losses are actually incurred on this portfolio. In that eventuality, UBS would assume the first 5 billion francs, the federal govt the next 9 billion francs, and UBS would assume any further losses, the govt said.
TERROR CHARGE AGAINST IMRAN KHAN
Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanuallah has said the govt plans to consult experts on initiating a process to declare Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a “proscribed” outfit.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan police on Sunday registered a terrorism case against Imran Khan and several PTI leaders for indulging in vandalism, attacking security personnel and creating unrest outside the judicial complex here ahead of a court hearing in a graft case involving the ousted premier.
THE REST
=========
4 MONTHS, 50 RALLIES IN MAHARASHTRA, ONE THEME
Starting November last year, at least 50 ‘Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha’ rallies have been held across Maharashtra, in almost all of the state’s 36 districts. Each of these events has followed a set pattern: a brief march through the heart of the city, amid a sea of saffron flags and caps, followed by a short rally, where speakers on a makeshift dais attack minorities, invoke “love jihad”, “land jihad”, “forced conversions”, and call for the economic boycott of the Muslim community.
For the record, the BJP distances itself from these rallies, saying they are by the Sakal Hindu Samaj, an umbrella body of Hindutva and Sangh organisations, but almost all of these events have had the presence of party leaders, including the local BJP MLA and MP. The speeches, however, are largely delivered by right-wing hardliners, including suspended BJP leader and Telangana MLA T Raja Singh, Kalicharan Maharaj and Kajal Hindustani — at least two of them (Singh and Maharaj) face hate speech cases both in the state and elsewhere.
CENTRE STARTS PROCESS OF EVICTION, SALE OF ENEMY PROPERTIES
The Union home ministry has started the process for eviction and sale of enemy properties, the immovable assets left behind by people who have taken citizenship of Pakistan and China.
There are a total of 12,611 establishments called enemy property, roughly estimated to be worth over Rs 1 lakh crore, in the country.
The enemy properties are vested with the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), an authority created under the Enemy Property Act.
According to a home ministry notification, the guidelines for disposal of the enemy properties have been changed under which the process for eviction of enemy properties now shall be initiated with the help of the District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner concerned before the sale of properties.
In case of the enemy properties valued below Rs 1 crore, the custodian shall offer for purchase to the occupant first and if offer of purchase is refused by the occupant, then the enemy property shall be disposed of in accordance with the procedure specified in the guidelines, the notification said.
Those enemy properties having valuation of Rs 1 crore and below Rs 100 crore, shall be disposed of by the CEPI through e-auction or otherwise as may be decided by the central govt and at the rate determined by the Enemy Property Disposal Committee.
The highest number of enemy properties were found in Uttar Pradesh (6,255 properties), followed by West Bengal (4,088 properties), Delhi (659), Goa (295), Maharashtra (208), Telangana (158), Gujarat (151), Tripura (105), Bihar (94), Madhya Pradesh (94), Chhattisgarh (78) and Haryana (71).
KERALA CHURCH READY TO BACK BJP IF CENTRE SUPPORTS RUBBER FARMERS
The Kerala BJP’s bid to make inroads into the state’s Christian community has received a big boost, with the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church saying that it will support the BJP if the Central govt takes steps to improve the condition of rubber cultivators. The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church represents a dominant segment of Christians in the southern state.
The comments came on a day the RSS said dialogue with Christians in Kerala would continue, and added that the Christian community in Kerala was no more afraid of the RSS. The Sangh said state and district-level mechanisms had been set up for dialogue with Christians.
At a farmers’ meeting organised by the Catholic laymen association All Kerala Catholic Congress in Kannur, the church’s Archbishop Joseph Pamplany said, “Rubber prices have plunged … Who is responsible for it? Nobody … If the party that rules the Centre takes a favourable stand, the prices can be raised to Rs 250 per kg. We should understand that a protest becomes valuable in democracy only when it turns into a vote. We can tell the Central govt … (if) you buy rubber from farmers at Rs 300 per kg, whatever your party, we are ready to vote for you … The settler farmers will solve the BJP’s grouse that they don’t have an MP in Kerala.”
J&K GETS FIRST FDI PROJECT – ‘MALL OF SRINAGAR’ BY EMAAR
Almost a year after CEOs from several Gulf countries visited the Valley to explore investment opportunities, the UAE-based Emaar Group, the developer of the Burj Khalifa, marked its entry into J&K by announcing a shopping mall and an IT tower in Srinagar.
The announcement came on a day Srinagar hosted an India-UAE investors’ meet similar to the one held in March last year.
The J&K govt said Emaar’s projects mark the first foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Union Territory.
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha performed the ‘Bhumi Pujan’ (prayer ceremony)’ for the 10-lakh sq. foot mega-mall — “Mall of Srinagar” — and an IT tower at Sempora on the outskirts of Srinagar. He said an IT tower will also come up in Jammu.
“An IT tower of Rs 150 crore will be set up in Jammu. Land has been given for it. Its ground-breaking ceremony will be held next month,” Sinha said, adding the Emaar projects in Srinagar and Jammu will boost employment avenues.
ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT CAMPAIGN NONSENSE, SAYS MEGHNATH DESAI
British economist Meghnad Desai on Sunday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign “utter nonsense”.
Desai, a British peer, told reporters in Patna: “The Indian economy is really in nobody’s hands. The govt is trying to make it ‘atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant), but that is utter nonsense. Whatever the govt may say, nothing is happening. Nobody is coming to invest in the manufacturing sector.”
Taking potshots at the way the Indian economy has progressed, Desai said: “When people talk about India being the fifth biggest and richest economy in the world, they are statistically right. But we also need to see that the country is at the 150th position in per capita income across the world.”
Desai, however, said India, with around 26 crore rich people who could afford a US-kind of lifestyle, or 20 per cent of the Asian country’s population, was the largest economy in the world to invest in.
“The secret of India is that it is turning out to be an efficient service economy with digitisation and other such things. No investor is interested in the old-fashioned ideas of manufacturing giants. They are interested in the service economy across the world. This is the area that should be focused on,” he said.
PRIVATE SECTOR REFINERS MAKE MERRY THROUGH FUEL EXPORTS TO EUROPE
As Europe shuns Russian crude oil and petroleum fuels, India’s private sector refiners — Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy — have emerged as major beneficiaries, with a disproportionately high share in India’s fuel exports to the European continent despite accounting for just around a third of India’s refining capacity, as per an analysis of data shared by energy cargo tracker Vortexa.
Given the prevailing geo-politics, the two private sector refiners are seemingly playing an increasingly prominent role in the global crude oil and fuels supply map.
Both the public sector, as well as the private sector refiners in India ramped up imports of discounted Russian crude in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. However, data suggests that while public sector refiners have remained focussed on supplying fuel to the domestic market, private sector players have stepped up exports to Europe in a bid to partly bridge the fuel supply gap for the region.
According to analysts and industry insiders, Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy have emerged as significant gainers from the West’s punitive action against the Russian energy sector. This is because they are able to purchase Russian oil at a discount on the one hand, and earn robust margins on product supplies to Europe on the other.
In April-February, Indian refiners exported close to 2,24,900 barrels per day (bpd) of petroleum fuels to Europe, with private sector refiners accounting for a staggering 95 per cent, or over 2,13,300 bpd, Vortexa data showed. Public sector refiners like Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum exported just over 11,500 bpd of fuels to Europe.
INDIA VS AUS, 2ND ODI: INDIA SUFFER A HEAVY DEFEAT
An unbeaten 121-run opening partnership between Mitchell Marsh (66 not out) and Travis Head (51 not out) helped Australia thrash India by 10 wickets in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam on Sunday to level the three-match series 1-1.
Chasing a meagre target of 118 after Mitchell Starc's 5/53 had destroyed India's batting, the tourists completed the task in just 11 overs.
Mitchell Starc once again turned out to be tormentor-in-chief as his five-wicket haul blew away India for a lowly 117 against Australia.
Starc, who had three wickets in the previous game, took 5 for 53 in eight overs, including four in his first spell as India were bowled out for their third-lowest total against Australia, in just 26 overs.
With nip off the surface providing a lot of help, Starc bowled ideal back-of the length deliveries with a couple angled across the right-handers and a few which came in after pitching. The decisive damage was done by Starc while Sean Abbott (3/23) and Nathan Ellis (2/13) then bowled hard lengths to run through the lower-middle order in what turned out to be a disastrous day for the hosts.
Virat Kohli did hold one end up for a while with a 35-ball 31 and Axar Patel scored an entertaining unbeaten 29 studded with two sixes off Starc. Their innings were the only bright spots for India with their batting exposed once again by swing and pace.
Australia pace spearhead Starc claimed four wickets in his opening spell of 6-1-31-4, removing Shubman Gill (0), Rohit Sharma (13), Suryakumar Yadav (0) and KL Rahul (9) to leave India in tatters, and their extended batting line-up consisting of Ravindra Jadeja (16) and Patel could not trouble the scorers much.
PEREZ HOLDS OFF VERSTAPPEN TO WIN SAUDI GP
Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and Max Verstappen drove from 15th to second to give Red Bull a 1-2 finish Sunday in what is shaping up to be a runaway seaso n for the reigning Formula One champions. And there have only been two races so far. But it’s been two Red Bull wins, two 1-2 finishes, and an air of desperation from everyone else on the grid.
Fernando Alonso finished third for the second consecutive race – it was his 100th career podium, and he’s only the sixth driverto reach that mark. But even as the Spaniard enjoys a renaissance with his new Aston Martin team, he acknowledged he had little chance at beating Red Bull.
Verstappen won a record 15 races last season and a second consecutive F1 title, an d Perez added another two victories as the 17 total wins in 23 races easily gave Red Bull the constructors title. There have been no signs of an offseason drop in performance and George Russell, who finished fourth on Sunday, predicted after the season-opener that Red Bull would win every race this season.
Lewis Hamilton finished fifth as Mercedes went fourth and fifth just three days after the seven-time F1 champion said the team needed three other organizations not to finish a race for Mercedes to have a shot to win.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Avoid making irrevocable decisions when tired or hungry. - Robert Heinlein
OFF TRACK
An uncle of mine did who studied Economics in the 1960's returned to his old university for a visit. He was amazed to see that the examination questions were identical to the ones asked in his day.
When he pointed this out to a member of staff, he replied, "That's true, but, of course, the answers are completely different now."
The Punjab govt extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services till Monday noon. The official order, which exempted banking services, said this was to “prevent any incitement to violence and any disturbance of peace and public order”.
Four of the arrested men were brought to BJP-ruled Assam's Dibrugarh by a 27-member Punjab Police team accompanying them, according to an Assam police officer.
Inspector general of police Sukhchain Singh Gill said Amritpal Singh is still absconding. “Whatever the Punjab Police does in this case will be within the ambit of law. Everybody has a legal right and can avail whatever remedies are available under the law.”
PROTESTORS ATTACK INDIAN HIGH COMMISSION IN LONDON
India on Sunday night lodged a strong protest with the United Kingdom after Khalistan supporters took down the Tricolour from the Indian high commission in London.
Soon after videos emerged of Khalistan supporters pulling the flag down, the external affairs ministry summoned a senior UK diplomat in New Delhi. The ministry said it expected the UK govt to take immediate steps to identify, arrest and prosecute each of those involved in Sunday’s incident, and put in place stringent measures to prevent repeats.
Alex Ellis, the British high commissioner to India, tweeted: “I condemn the disgraceful acts today against the people and premises of the @HCI_ London — totally unacceptable.” The Indian external affairs ministry said in a statement: “An explanation was demanded for the complete absence of British security that allowed these elements to enter the high commission premises. She was reminded in this regard of the basic obligations of the UK govt under the Vienna Convention. “India finds unacceptable the indifference of the UK govt to the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK.”
KIREN RIJIJU DRAWS FLAK FOR REMARK ON JUDGES
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju’s remark about “some retired judges” being “part of the anti-India gang” has received flak from various Opposition leaders who have taken the minister to task for “talking like an outlaw” and “propagating injustice”.
Congress general secretary of communications Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “A Law Minister talking like an Outlaw. A Minister of Justice propagating Injustice. If this is not a threat to freedom AFTER speech what is?”
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar said, “A minister can’t make this statement and get away. Give proof. Don’t threaten. ‘(judges) will have to pay a price’. RSS didn’t participate in Freedom Struggle. and Hindu Mahasabha supported British. Don’t give us pro-India, anti-India gyan!”
CPI(M) leader and former Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac said, “Kiren Rijiju, on the roll — now he threatens judges: ‘Some retired judges part of anti-India gang; anyone against nation will have to pay’.Is he minister for law or lawlessness?”
'SAVARKAR SAMJHA KYA': CONG'S TWEET ON RAHUL GANDHI
A Delhi Police team reaching Rahul Gandhi's house on Sunday morning to inquire about his comment on 'raped women' in J&K during Bharat Jodo Yatra has added to the row over Rahul Gandhi. The BJP has been constantly demanding his apology for the comments he made during his recent UK visit. While the Congress defended that Rahul Gandhi has nothing to apologise for, the party on Sunday tweeted a smiling photo of Rahul Gandhi in the driver's seat of a car. "Sarvarkar samjha kya...Name is Rahul Gandhi," the tweet read.
Union law minister Kiren Rijiju reacted to the caption and wrote, "Please don't insult the soul of Veer Savarkar. Requesting in folded hands."
The Congress on Sunday slammed the Delhi Police's action and questioned why the police suddenly showed up at Rahul Gandhi's residence months after the J&k statement of Rahul Gandhi. "This is very strange. Rahul Gandhi walked across the country for five months. And the Delhi police presented the same questions twice in three days. We asked them how many such political yatras come to their scrutiny like this. A politician meets several such people from all walks of life. It is not possible for the leader to follow up on each complaint," Singhvi said.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
======================
PUTIN VISITS OCCUPIED UKRAINE CITY
President Vladimir Putin of Russia travelled to Mariupol, a Ukrainian city his forces captured after a devastating siege, in a defiant and highly symbolic move that came two days after an international court issued a warrant for his arrest.
Putin flew by helicopter to Mariupol, a city on the Azov Sea that was a major industrial hub before the invasion, the Kremlin said on Sunday. In the city, Putin drove from the airport through several neighbourhoods, inspecting reconstruction works with a top Russian official responsible for infrastructure. The Kremlin also said that Putin spoke with some local residents.
Before the Russian invasion, Mariupol was home to over 400,000 people and the site of Europe’s largest steel plant.
It was Putin’s second unannounced trip of the weekend to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, and the closest the Russian leader has been to the front lines since the full-scale invasion last February.
The two visits were defiant gestures from the Kremlin less than 48 hours after an international court accused him of war crimes and issued an arrest warrant.
UBS AGREES TO BUY CREDIT SUISSE IN SWISS-ASSISTED BID TO CALM MARKETS
UBS agreed to buy rival Swiss bank Credit Suisse for 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.23 billion) in stock and agreed to assume up to 5 billion francs ($5.4 billion) in losses, in a shotgun merger engineered by Swiss authorities to avoid more market-shaking turmoil in global banking.
The deal includes 100 billion Swiss francs ($108 billion) in liquidity assistance for UBS and Credit Suisse from the Swiss central bank.
To enable UBS to take over Credit Suisse, the federal govt is providing a loss guarantee of a maximum of 9 billion Swiss francs for a clearly defined part of the portfolio, the govt said. This will be activated if losses are actually incurred on this portfolio. In that eventuality, UBS would assume the first 5 billion francs, the federal govt the next 9 billion francs, and UBS would assume any further losses, the govt said.
TERROR CHARGE AGAINST IMRAN KHAN
Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanuallah has said the govt plans to consult experts on initiating a process to declare Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a “proscribed” outfit.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan police on Sunday registered a terrorism case against Imran Khan and several PTI leaders for indulging in vandalism, attacking security personnel and creating unrest outside the judicial complex here ahead of a court hearing in a graft case involving the ousted premier.
THE REST
=========
4 MONTHS, 50 RALLIES IN MAHARASHTRA, ONE THEME
Starting November last year, at least 50 ‘Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha’ rallies have been held across Maharashtra, in almost all of the state’s 36 districts. Each of these events has followed a set pattern: a brief march through the heart of the city, amid a sea of saffron flags and caps, followed by a short rally, where speakers on a makeshift dais attack minorities, invoke “love jihad”, “land jihad”, “forced conversions”, and call for the economic boycott of the Muslim community.
For the record, the BJP distances itself from these rallies, saying they are by the Sakal Hindu Samaj, an umbrella body of Hindutva and Sangh organisations, but almost all of these events have had the presence of party leaders, including the local BJP MLA and MP. The speeches, however, are largely delivered by right-wing hardliners, including suspended BJP leader and Telangana MLA T Raja Singh, Kalicharan Maharaj and Kajal Hindustani — at least two of them (Singh and Maharaj) face hate speech cases both in the state and elsewhere.
CENTRE STARTS PROCESS OF EVICTION, SALE OF ENEMY PROPERTIES
The Union home ministry has started the process for eviction and sale of enemy properties, the immovable assets left behind by people who have taken citizenship of Pakistan and China.
There are a total of 12,611 establishments called enemy property, roughly estimated to be worth over Rs 1 lakh crore, in the country.
The enemy properties are vested with the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), an authority created under the Enemy Property Act.
According to a home ministry notification, the guidelines for disposal of the enemy properties have been changed under which the process for eviction of enemy properties now shall be initiated with the help of the District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner concerned before the sale of properties.
In case of the enemy properties valued below Rs 1 crore, the custodian shall offer for purchase to the occupant first and if offer of purchase is refused by the occupant, then the enemy property shall be disposed of in accordance with the procedure specified in the guidelines, the notification said.
Those enemy properties having valuation of Rs 1 crore and below Rs 100 crore, shall be disposed of by the CEPI through e-auction or otherwise as may be decided by the central govt and at the rate determined by the Enemy Property Disposal Committee.
The highest number of enemy properties were found in Uttar Pradesh (6,255 properties), followed by West Bengal (4,088 properties), Delhi (659), Goa (295), Maharashtra (208), Telangana (158), Gujarat (151), Tripura (105), Bihar (94), Madhya Pradesh (94), Chhattisgarh (78) and Haryana (71).
KERALA CHURCH READY TO BACK BJP IF CENTRE SUPPORTS RUBBER FARMERS
The Kerala BJP’s bid to make inroads into the state’s Christian community has received a big boost, with the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church saying that it will support the BJP if the Central govt takes steps to improve the condition of rubber cultivators. The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church represents a dominant segment of Christians in the southern state.
The comments came on a day the RSS said dialogue with Christians in Kerala would continue, and added that the Christian community in Kerala was no more afraid of the RSS. The Sangh said state and district-level mechanisms had been set up for dialogue with Christians.
At a farmers’ meeting organised by the Catholic laymen association All Kerala Catholic Congress in Kannur, the church’s Archbishop Joseph Pamplany said, “Rubber prices have plunged … Who is responsible for it? Nobody … If the party that rules the Centre takes a favourable stand, the prices can be raised to Rs 250 per kg. We should understand that a protest becomes valuable in democracy only when it turns into a vote. We can tell the Central govt … (if) you buy rubber from farmers at Rs 300 per kg, whatever your party, we are ready to vote for you … The settler farmers will solve the BJP’s grouse that they don’t have an MP in Kerala.”
J&K GETS FIRST FDI PROJECT – ‘MALL OF SRINAGAR’ BY EMAAR
Almost a year after CEOs from several Gulf countries visited the Valley to explore investment opportunities, the UAE-based Emaar Group, the developer of the Burj Khalifa, marked its entry into J&K by announcing a shopping mall and an IT tower in Srinagar.
The announcement came on a day Srinagar hosted an India-UAE investors’ meet similar to the one held in March last year.
The J&K govt said Emaar’s projects mark the first foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Union Territory.
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha performed the ‘Bhumi Pujan’ (prayer ceremony)’ for the 10-lakh sq. foot mega-mall — “Mall of Srinagar” — and an IT tower at Sempora on the outskirts of Srinagar. He said an IT tower will also come up in Jammu.
“An IT tower of Rs 150 crore will be set up in Jammu. Land has been given for it. Its ground-breaking ceremony will be held next month,” Sinha said, adding the Emaar projects in Srinagar and Jammu will boost employment avenues.
ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT CAMPAIGN NONSENSE, SAYS MEGHNATH DESAI
British economist Meghnad Desai on Sunday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign “utter nonsense”.
Desai, a British peer, told reporters in Patna: “The Indian economy is really in nobody’s hands. The govt is trying to make it ‘atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant), but that is utter nonsense. Whatever the govt may say, nothing is happening. Nobody is coming to invest in the manufacturing sector.”
Taking potshots at the way the Indian economy has progressed, Desai said: “When people talk about India being the fifth biggest and richest economy in the world, they are statistically right. But we also need to see that the country is at the 150th position in per capita income across the world.”
Desai, however, said India, with around 26 crore rich people who could afford a US-kind of lifestyle, or 20 per cent of the Asian country’s population, was the largest economy in the world to invest in.
“The secret of India is that it is turning out to be an efficient service economy with digitisation and other such things. No investor is interested in the old-fashioned ideas of manufacturing giants. They are interested in the service economy across the world. This is the area that should be focused on,” he said.
PRIVATE SECTOR REFINERS MAKE MERRY THROUGH FUEL EXPORTS TO EUROPE
As Europe shuns Russian crude oil and petroleum fuels, India’s private sector refiners — Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy — have emerged as major beneficiaries, with a disproportionately high share in India’s fuel exports to the European continent despite accounting for just around a third of India’s refining capacity, as per an analysis of data shared by energy cargo tracker Vortexa.
Given the prevailing geo-politics, the two private sector refiners are seemingly playing an increasingly prominent role in the global crude oil and fuels supply map.
Both the public sector, as well as the private sector refiners in India ramped up imports of discounted Russian crude in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. However, data suggests that while public sector refiners have remained focussed on supplying fuel to the domestic market, private sector players have stepped up exports to Europe in a bid to partly bridge the fuel supply gap for the region.
According to analysts and industry insiders, Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy have emerged as significant gainers from the West’s punitive action against the Russian energy sector. This is because they are able to purchase Russian oil at a discount on the one hand, and earn robust margins on product supplies to Europe on the other.
In April-February, Indian refiners exported close to 2,24,900 barrels per day (bpd) of petroleum fuels to Europe, with private sector refiners accounting for a staggering 95 per cent, or over 2,13,300 bpd, Vortexa data showed. Public sector refiners like Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum exported just over 11,500 bpd of fuels to Europe.
INDIA VS AUS, 2ND ODI: INDIA SUFFER A HEAVY DEFEAT
An unbeaten 121-run opening partnership between Mitchell Marsh (66 not out) and Travis Head (51 not out) helped Australia thrash India by 10 wickets in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam on Sunday to level the three-match series 1-1.
Chasing a meagre target of 118 after Mitchell Starc's 5/53 had destroyed India's batting, the tourists completed the task in just 11 overs.
Mitchell Starc once again turned out to be tormentor-in-chief as his five-wicket haul blew away India for a lowly 117 against Australia.
Starc, who had three wickets in the previous game, took 5 for 53 in eight overs, including four in his first spell as India were bowled out for their third-lowest total against Australia, in just 26 overs.
With nip off the surface providing a lot of help, Starc bowled ideal back-of the length deliveries with a couple angled across the right-handers and a few which came in after pitching. The decisive damage was done by Starc while Sean Abbott (3/23) and Nathan Ellis (2/13) then bowled hard lengths to run through the lower-middle order in what turned out to be a disastrous day for the hosts.
Virat Kohli did hold one end up for a while with a 35-ball 31 and Axar Patel scored an entertaining unbeaten 29 studded with two sixes off Starc. Their innings were the only bright spots for India with their batting exposed once again by swing and pace.
Australia pace spearhead Starc claimed four wickets in his opening spell of 6-1-31-4, removing Shubman Gill (0), Rohit Sharma (13), Suryakumar Yadav (0) and KL Rahul (9) to leave India in tatters, and their extended batting line-up consisting of Ravindra Jadeja (16) and Patel could not trouble the scorers much.
PEREZ HOLDS OFF VERSTAPPEN TO WIN SAUDI GP
Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and Max Verstappen drove from 15th to second to give Red Bull a 1-2 finish Sunday in what is shaping up to be a runaway seaso n for the reigning Formula One champions. And there have only been two races so far. But it’s been two Red Bull wins, two 1-2 finishes, and an air of desperation from everyone else on the grid.
Fernando Alonso finished third for the second consecutive race – it was his 100th career podium, and he’s only the sixth driverto reach that mark. But even as the Spaniard enjoys a renaissance with his new Aston Martin team, he acknowledged he had little chance at beating Red Bull.
Verstappen won a record 15 races last season and a second consecutive F1 title, an d Perez added another two victories as the 17 total wins in 23 races easily gave Red Bull the constructors title. There have been no signs of an offseason drop in performance and George Russell, who finished fourth on Sunday, predicted after the season-opener that Red Bull would win every race this season.
Lewis Hamilton finished fifth as Mercedes went fourth and fifth just three days after the seven-time F1 champion said the team needed three other organizations not to finish a race for Mercedes to have a shot to win.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Avoid making irrevocable decisions when tired or hungry. - Robert Heinlein
OFF TRACK
An uncle of mine did who studied Economics in the 1960's returned to his old university for a visit. He was amazed to see that the examination questions were identical to the ones asked in his day.
When he pointed this out to a member of staff, he replied, "That's true, but, of course, the answers are completely different now."
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