INDIA WANTS SOLUTION THROUGH DIALOGUE, WON’T ALLOW UNILATERAL ACTION ON LAC: DEFENCE MINISTER

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday that India wants a solution to the border dispute with China through dialogue and asserted that the government would never allow the sanctity of borders to be violated.

The Modi government has made it clear to the forces that any unilateral action on the LAC should not be ignored, he said.

The defence minister said that there have been “perception differences” on the border with China. “Despite this, there are some agreements, protocols which the armies of both countries follow to conduct patrols.”    Referring to the clashes in eastern Ladakh last year, Singh said Chinese forces had ignored the “agreed protocols.”               

“We cannot allow the Chinese Army PLA to act on the LAC in a unilateral manner under any circumstances. “That is what the Indian Army did that day in Galwan and bravely confronted the PLA soldiers and forced them to retreat,” he said while terming it as a “historic” incident.

The current happenings in Afghanistan have raised new security questions, he said, adding that the government is alert and no anti-national force should be allowed to encourage terrorism from across the border by taking advantage of the situation.

He also asserted the central government is capable of dealing with any situation.

JALLIANWALA BAGH MEMORIAL REVAMP EVOKES CRITICISM

The recent renovation at the Jallianwala Bagh has come under fire, with historians accusing the planners of ‘Disneyfying’ the monument and erasing the memories of that horrific day of April 13, 1919, when Col Dyer opened fire on a group of peaceful protesters, killing almost 1,000 of them.

The Jallianwala Bagh has undergone several repairs and touch-ups over the years. But the narrow alley leading to the Bagh had remained untouched for almost 100 years. While many other things changed, the constricted entrance made of Nanakshahi bricks, through which Dyer’s soldiers marched into the Bagh, continued to evoke the horrors of that day. Last year in July, it was rebuilt into a gallery with murals, leaving no trace of the old alley. It’s this break from the past that has led many to question the latest makeover of the memorial.

The narrow lane — which was blocked by British soldiers making it impossible for anyone to escape from the Bagh on that horrific day — now has a shiny new floor. Besides this, it has been partially covered to keep the birds from sitting on the sculptures.

Before and after photos of this lane, shared by a historian, have led to a storm on social media, with some netizens calling the revamp a bid to erase history.

RAHUL ATTACKS GOVT, ASKS IF ARTICLES 15 AND 25 OF CONSTITUTION ‘SOLD’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday attacked the government over the incident of a tribal man allegedly being tied to a vehicle and dragged as well as some other recent instances of mob violence, and asked if Articles 15 and 25 of the Constitution had been sold.

Taking to Twitter, Gandhi shared a video collage which included a purported clip of a 40-year-old tribal man allegedly being thrashed by eight persons who tied him to the rear side of a vehicle with a rope that dragged him some distance in Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch district. The man died during treatment at the district hospital last week.

The video collage also included a purported video of the incident in which a Muslim scrap dealer was allegedly threatened and forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ by two men at a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district.

“Have Articles 15 and 25 of the Constitution also been sold?” Gandhi tweeted, tagging the video collage.

Article 15 of the Constitution says that the state shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, while Article 25 deals with freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.

3RD WAVE COULD PEAK BETWEEN OCT-NOV

India may see a third wave of Covid-19 peaking between October and November if a more virulent mutant than the existing ones emerge by September, but its intensity is expected to be much lower than the second wave, a scientist involved in the mathematical modelling of the pandemic said on Monday.

Manindra Agrawal, an IIT-Kanpur scientist who is part of the three-member team of experts that have been tasked with predicting any surge in infections, said if no new virulent emerges, then the situation is unlikely to change.

If the third wave peaks, the country may see only 1 lakh daily cases as against more than 4 lakh when the deadly second wave was at its peak in May.

Last month, the model suggested that the third wave could peak between October and November and the daily cases could shoot between 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh every day if a more virulent mutant of SARS-CoV2 drive fresh infections.

KEY COVID NUMBERS

Current Active Cases Countrywide: 3,64,222

New Cases in last 24 hours: 30,245

Recovered in last 24 hours: 36,244

Change in no. of Active cases in last 24 hours: -6,204

No. of deaths in last 24 hours (Total Covid Deaths so far): 205 (4,38,592)

Daily Tests (Sunday): 15,03,596

Daily Positivity Rate (Proportion of Positives among total Tested): 2.9%

Percentage of Population Vaccinated (At Least One Dose / Two Doses): 36.6% / 10.9%

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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FINAL US EVACUATION FLIGHT LEAVES KABUL, ENDING 20-YEAR OCCUPATION

United States’ military presence in Afghanistan, spanning over 20 years ended on Tuesday as its last evacuation flight left the Afghan soil, marking an end of its war in the country. The last flight out of Kabul, “is now clearing the airspace above Afghanistan,” the head of US Central Command, Gen Kenneth McKenzie said.

The US ended its stay in Afghanistan the same way it had started in 2001 with a misdirected airstrike that killed 10 civilians, including seven children, on Sunday evening even as the Taliban blamed it for being the catalyst for the Kabul airport attack on August 26.

Though the US had claimed its “self-defence unmanned over-the-horizon air strike” had taken out a car-borne suicide bomber, local media reported that those killed were two families waiting for word to leave for a flight to the US. Two cars and several houses in the city were also destroyed in the attack.

The US had claimed its first drone strike in Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, had killed Taliban supremo Mullah Omar, who in reality died of TB in 2013. In that case, it was not known who was actually killed instead. The US initially said it had no indication of civilian casualties but faced with mounting photo evidence, it ordered a probe.

The controversy has also raised doubts about claims of the United States to have killed the mastermind of the Kabul attacks a day later in an airstrike in a remote province.

With its claims of providing security in Kabul under question after the bloodbath at the airport, the Taliban blamed American soldiers for bringing thousands of people to the airport. “They are incapable of guaranteeing the security of Afghans,” said its spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid.

The local media was itself under pressure as images appeared of a TV anchor flanked by two armed Taliban gunmen, as he was reading the news, while 150 Afghan journalists wrote an open letter to the UN to protect them against threats. Tolo News journalist Behesta Arghand, the first woman scribe to interview a Taliban leader, has disclosed that she has already fled the country out of “fear of Taliban”.

The United States’ military spent a busy day, evacuating 1,200 in 26 flights and fended off a spate of rocket attacks aimed at the airport.

US MILITARY DISABLED SCORES OF MILITARY ASSETS BEFORE LEAVING KABUL AIRPORT

The US military disabled scores of aircraft and armored vehicles as well as a high-tech rocket defense system at the Kabul airport before it left Monday, a US general said.

Central Command head General Kenneth McKenzie said 73 aircraft that were already at Hamid Karzai International Airport were "demilitarized," or rendered useless, by US troops before they wrapped up the two-week evacuation of the Taliban-controlled country.

"Those aircraft will never fly again... They'll never be able to be operated by anyone," he said.

He said the Pentagon, which built up a force of nearly 6,000 troops to occupy and operate Kabul's airport when the airlift began on August 14, left behind around 70 MRAP armored tactical vehicles -- which can cost up to $1 million apiece -- that it disabled before leaving, and 27 Humvees. The vehicles "will never be used again by anyone," he said.

The US also left behind the C-RAM system -- counter rocket, artillery, and mortar -- that was used to protect the airport from rocket attacks.

The system helped fend off a five-rocket barrage from the Islamic State on Monday. "We elected to keep those systems in operation up until the very last minute," before the last US aircraft left, McKenzie said. "It's a complex procedure and time-intensive procedure to break down those systems. So we demilitarize those systems so that they'll never be used again."

THE REST

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‘OFFICER’S CHOICE OF WORDS INCORRECT, BUT STRICTNESS WAS NEEDED’: HARYANA CM

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, while reacting to IAS officer Ayush Sinha’s controversial instructions to the cops posted in Karnal to lathicharge protesting farmers if anyone breached the security cordon, said “although the officer’s choice of words was not correct, strictness had to be maintained to ensure law and order situation there was kept under check”.

Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh on Monday, Khattar said, “If any action has to be taken [against the officer], it would first have to be assessed by the district administration. The DGP is also looking into it. To maintain law and order, strictness had to be ensured.”

Explaining the action by the cops, Khattar said, “Today, you have called me here. But, if somebody says that they would not allow the CM to reach a certain place, is it correct? They [farmers] need to understand that they are not gaining anything out of such protests. People are no longer sympathetic towards them. I am getting phone calls that they [farmers] need to be dealt with strictly. But we are exercising restraint because they are our people.”

He added, “There is freedom of speech, but there are limitations to every freedom. If I flex my muscle and move my fist in the air and my fist hits your nose, that cannot be construed as my freedom.”

This comes a day after Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala said that the government would certainly take action against Sinha.

BJP ON DAHI HANDI BAN: ‘IS MAHARASTHRA GOVERNMENT TAKING ORDERS FROM TALIBAN?’

Scaling up its attack on the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the BJP on Monday questioned “why are all restrictions being enforced on Hindu festivals in Maharashtra”.

BJP MLA and chief whip in Maharasthra Assembly, Ashish Shelar said: “Is this government taking orders from Taliban? Why are all restrictions being enforced on Hindu festivals in Maharashtra?”

The state government has banned the annual “Dahi Handi” celebrations on Janmashtami citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Claiming the Shiv Sena was compromising on its “Hindutva”, he said it was the same party that raised “hue and cry” when the Bombay High Court court had restricted the height of human pyramids during Dahi Handi celebrations.

The BJP, however, has decided to symbolically observe the event despite the state government ban.

Apart from BJP, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has also threatened to defy the government orders on Dahi Handi. The MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said, “Why should government restrict the festival. We will celebrate ensuring all Covid guidelines. What kind of government is ruling Maharashtra which disallows peaceful festival celebration?”

YOGI BANS MEAT AND LIQUOR TRADE IN MATHURA

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday imposed a complete ban on the sale of liquor and meat in Mathura. "The officers concerned are directed to make plans for the ban as well as for the engagement of people involved in such activities in some other trade," he said.

He suggested that those engaged in liquor and meat trade may take up selling milk in order to revive the glory of Mathura, that was known for producing huge quantity of animal milk.

UAE RESUMES TOURIST VISA FOR FULLY VACCINATED PEOPLE FROM INDIA

The United Arab Emirates has from Monday resumed issuing tourist visas to those who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) of UAE had jointly announced on Saturday that from August 30, application for tourist visas would be open to people from all countries, provided they are fully vaccinated with one of the WHO-approved Covid-19 vaccines.

The move comes as part of UAE’s strategy to create a balance between public health and the activities of vital sectors, and in support of the national efforts to achieve sustainable recovery and economic growth, it said.

The decision applies to citizens of all countries, including those arriving from the previously banned countries. Arriving passengers on tourist visa must take mandatory rapid PCR test at the airport. The rules for the unvaccinated, including exempted categories, remain in place.

TOKYO PARALYMPICS: INDIAN GET 2 GOLD, 2 SILVER AND BRONZE ON MONDAY

Shooter Avani Lekhara scripted history on Monday as she became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, firing her way to the top of the podium in the R-2 women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event here.

The 19-year-old from Jaipur, who sustained spinal cord injuries in a car accident in 2012, finished with a world record equalling total of 249.6, which is also a new Paralympic record.

She is only the fourth Indian athlete to win a Paralympics gold after swimmer Murlikant Petkar (1972), javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia (2004 and 2016) and high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu (2016).

Sumit Antil broke the world record thrice with three of his six javelin throws in the final of the Tokyo Paralympics on Monday. With this, World No. 1 in the F64 category, he won India’s second gold in the Tokyo Paralympics and the first in athletics.

The 23-year-old from Sonepat in Haryana, who lost his left leg below the knee after he was involved in a motorbike accident in 2015, sent the spear to 68.55m in his fifth attempt, which was the best of the day by quite a distance and a new world record.

In fact, he bettered the previous world record of 62.88m, also set by him, five times on the day. His last throw was a foul. His series read 66.95, 68.08, 65.27, 66.71, 68.55 and foul.

Australian Michal Burian (66.29m) and Sri Lanka’s Dulan Kodithuwakku (65.61m) took the silver and bronze respectively.

The F64 category is for athletes with a leg amputation, who compete with prosthetics in a standing position. Sumit was initially a wrestler but an accident in 2015 brought his life to a halt. He gave up on his dream to become a wrestler but continued on the sporting path.

Earlier in the day, javelin throwers Devendra Jhajharia and Sundar Singh Gurjar won silver and bronze respectively in the men's Standing Javelin (F46). Devendra Jhajharia grabbed silver with a personal best throw of 64.35m. This was also his third medal at Paralympic Games. Sundar captured bronze with a season-best throw of 62.58m.

Discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya clinched a silver medal in the men's F56 event.

The 24-year-old, a B.Com graduate from New Delhi's Kirorimal College, sent the disc to a best distance of 44.38m in his sixth and last attempt to clinch the silver. Son of an Army man, Kathuniya suffered a paralytic attack at the age of eight which left him with coordination impairments in his limbs.

US OPEN: ANDY MURRAY LOSES IN A DAY 1 THRILLER

In an entertaining contest featuring plenty of the smart play, hard hustling and clutch serving that carried Andy Murray to the US Open championship nearly a decade — and a pair of hip operations — ago, he did not quite have enough to come out ahead after almost five hours in high heat and humidity, against No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Rattled by a lengthy delay before the final set, Murray wound up losing to the much younger Tsitsipas 2-6, 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 as the year’s last Grand Slam tournament got underway with fans in the stands a year after they were banned because of the coronavirus pandemic.

With exits for Murray and 2014 champion Marin Cilic, who stopped playing because of an injury in the fifth set against Philipp Kohlschreiber, the only man left in the draw after day one with even one Grand Slam title is No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

He will debut Tuesday night as he tries to break a tie for the men’s mark of 20 majors with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam.

Given his age and health history, it was remarkable that Murray was out there at all, let alone coming close to becoming, at No. 112 this week, the lowest-ranked man to upset an opponent in the top three at the US Open since the computerised ATP rankings began in 1973. After a third-round exit at Wimbledon early last month, Murray sounded rather glum about his future, frustrated that his body wasn’t well enough to allow him to practice as much as he’d like to be properly competitive.

Wildcard Brandon Nakashima toppled fellow American John Isner (19th seed) 7-6(7) 7-6(6) 6-3 in the first round of the U.S. Open on Monday.

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Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,812 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,750 / 4,650, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 68,400

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: "And this, too, shall pass away." - Abraham Lincoln

OFF TRACK

A college graduate applies for a job as an industrial spy. Together with several other applicants, he is given a sealed envelope and told to take it to the fourth floor. As soon as the young man is alone, he steps into an empty hallway and opens the packet. Inside, a message reads: "You've been shortlisted. Report to the fifth floor."