GEHLOT RATCHETS IT UP, AIMS TO SHUT OUT SACHIN PILOT FOR GOOD

Effectively slamming the door on former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and ruling

out any possibility of rapprochement, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot

ratcheted up the rhetoric Monday, calling Pilot a "nikamma" and a "nakara"

(useless and worthless).

Gehlot's sharpest till date left the Congress leadership in New Delhi

squirming. From all accounts, the party leadership was still hopeful of a

reconciliation.

The CM's remarks came on the day a division bench of the Rajasthan High

Court, hearing a petition by rebel MLAs, questioned the show-cause notices

served on them by Speaker CP Joshi for skipping a party meeting. It said a

whip can only be issued for an Assembly session, not a party meeting. The

matter will be heard Tuesday.

Speaking to media persons, Gehlot said of Pilot: "Our state Congress

president, who was (president) for seven years. It is a big thing to be

president for seven years. he had the trust of Rahulji and Sonia Gandhiji.

But the manner in which he weaved a conspiracy in the last six months, to

separate from the party with the help of the BJP, join the BJP or topple the

government. When our (rebel) MLAs said they won't go to BJP, then it was

said that we will form a third front. If you resign, no BJP candidate will

contest against you, this promise was taken, and that an alliance government

will be formed, like Bihar."

"No one used to believe that this person can do such a thing. Innocent face,

good command over spoken Hindi and English - and he impressed the media in

the entire country," he said.

"Hum jaante thhey ye nikamma hai, nakara hai, kuch kaam nahi kar raha hai,

khali logon ko ladwa raha hai. (Pilot used to say) mere saath ho ki nahi ho?

Mein yahan baingan bechne nahi aaya hoon, mein yahan koi sabzi bechne nahi

aaya hoon. Mein mukhya mantri banne aaya hoon. (We knew he was useless and

worthless, and was merely trying to make people fight. Pilot used to say are

you with me or not. I am not here to sell brinjals or vegetables, I have

come here to be the CM).," Gehlot said.

Referring to the ongoing court case, Gehlot mocked and questioned Pilot for

hiring lawyers Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, saying they command a tall

fee. "Where is this money coming from?" he said.

He also claimed that rebel MLAs were being hostage. "Everyone knows how they

are being kept; their mobiles have been taken away. Many of them want to

come here. They are crying over the phone. Some say they are using the

barber's phone, others their son's phone," he said.

LAC DISPUTE: THE CHINESE STRATEGY ACCORDING TO RAHUL GANDHI

In another video attacking the government for the Chinese intrusions into

India, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi yesterday said, "LAC standoff is not

simply a border issue. It is a border issue designed to put pressure on the

Prime Minister of India. And they (China) are thinking of putting pressure

in a very particular way. And what they are doing, is that they are

attacking his image. They understand that in order for Mr Narendra Modi to

be an effective politician; in order for Mr Narendra Modi to survive as a

politician, he has to protect the idea of 'Chhapan Inch'."

Gandhi said the "real idea" behind the Chinese aggression is to tell PM Modi

that if he did not do what they say, they will destroy the idea of Mr Modi

as a strong leader.

"Now the question is, how will Mr Narendra Modi react. Will he take them on?

Will he take on the challenge and say absolutely not, I'm the Prime Minister

of India. I do not care about my image, I'm going to take you on. Or will he

succumb to them?" asked Gandhi.

He alleged that so far the Prime Minister has succumbed. "The worry I have

is, the Chinese are sitting in our territory today and the Prime Minister

has said publicly that they are not, which to me tells me that he is worried

about his image and he is defending his image. And if he allows the Chinese

to understand that they can manipulate him because of his image, the Indian

Prime Minister will no longer be worth anything for India," Gandhi said.

CPWD IN SC, SPELLS OUT REASONS FOR NEW CENTRAL VISTA

The CPWD, in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, has stated that the

Lok Sabha chamber in the proposed Parliament building will be "almost three

times the size of present chamber", while the "new Rajya Sabha Chamber will

be four times" the current one.

The affidavit came in response to petitions challenging the government's

plan to redesign the Central Vista comprising the Central Secretariat and

other government buildings.

The current strength of Lok Sabha, the CPWD pointed out, has remained at 545

as per the delimitation carried out on the basis of 1971 Census. "It is

likely to increase substantially after 2026 as the freeze on the total

number of seats is only till 2026, it said.

To cope with this, the new Lok Sabha Chamber, the affidavit said, will be

able to accommodate 876 members and 1224 members during joint sessions.

On the need for the new Central Vista, it said work on the present

Parliament building was started in 1921 and completed in 1927 and "it is

almost 100 years old and a Heritage Grade-I building".

"Over the years, the Parliamentary activities and the number of people

working therein and visitors have increased manifold. Therefore it is

showing signs of distress due to over utilisation and is not able to meet

the current requirements in terms of space, amenities and technology," the

affidavit said. The different locations of the government offices "result in

difficulty in inter-departmental coordination, inefficiency, linger travel

time causing traffic congestion and pollution".

COVID-19 DASHBOARD - (Nos. IN INDIA / Nos. WORLDWIDE)

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 11,54,513 (+36,808) / 1,48,52,700 (+2,09,839)

Total Deaths 28,099 (+596) / 6,13,213 (+4,302)

Total Recovered 7,24,702 (+24,303) / 89,06,690 (+1,71,392)

Active Cases 4,01,712 (+11,909) / 53,32,797 (+34,145)

TOP IMPACTED NATIONS SO FAR: (AND SOME OF INDIA'S NEIGHBOURS)

Country, Total Cases / Total Deaths / Recovered Cases / Active

Cases

1 USA 39,61,429 / 1,43,834 /

18,49,989 / 19,67,606

2 Brazil 21,21,645 / 80,251 /

14,09,202 / 6,32,192

3 India 11,54,917 / 28,099 /

7,24,702 / 4,02,116

4 Russia 7,77,486 / 12,427 /

5,53,602 / 2,11,457

5 South Africa 3,73,628 / 5,173 /

1,94,865 / 1,73,590

6 Peru 3,57,681 / 13,384 /

2,45,081 / 99,216

7 Mexico 3,49,396 / 39,485 /

2,22,068 / 87,843

8 Chile 3,33,029 / 8,633 /

3,03,992 / 20,404

9 Spain 3,11,916 / 28,422 / N/A

/ N/A

10 UK 2,95,372 / 45,312 / N/A

/ N/A

11 Iran 2,76,202 / 14,405 /

2,40,087 / 21,710

12 Pakistan 2,65,083 / 5,599 /

2,05,929 / 53,555

16 Bangladesh 2,07,453 / 2,668 /

1,13,556 / 91,229

111 Sri Lanka 2,730 / 11 /

2,041 / 678

TOP IMPACTED INDIAN STATES SO FAR

State / Confirmed Cases / Active Case / Recovered /

Deceased

Maharashtra 3,18,695 / 1,31,334 /

1,75,029 / 12,030

Tamil Nadu 1,75,678 / 51,351 / 1,21,776

/ 2,551

Delhi 1,23,747 / 15,166 / 1,04,918

/ 3,663

Karnataka 67,420 / 42,212 / 23,796 /

1,408

Andhra Pradesh 53,724 / 28,800 / 24,228 /

696

Uttar Pradesh 51,160 / 19,137 / 30,831 /

1,192

Gujarat 49,439 / 11,614 / 35,659 / 2,166

Telangana 46,274 / 11,529 / 34,323 /

422

West Bengal 44,769 / 17,204 / 26,418 /

1,147

Rajasthan 30,390 / 7,627 / 22,195 /

568

Bihar 27,455 / 9,732 / 17,535 / 187

Haryana 26,858 / 6,277 / 20,226 /

355

Assam 25,093 / 7,931 / 17,096 / 63

Madhya Pradesh 23,310 / 6,888 / 15,684 /

738

Odisha 18,110 / 5,075 / 12,910 / 125

Jammu and Kashmir 14,650 / 6,122 / 8,274 /

254

Kerala 13,279 / 7,616 / 5,615 / 44

Punjab 10,510 / 3,130 / 7,118 / 262

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

UK SUSPENDS EXTRADITION ARRANGEMENTS WITH HONG KONG

Britain's government suspended its extradition arrangements with Hong Kong

on Monday, after China imposed a tough new national security law.

As tensions grow with Beijing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he had

concerns about the new law and about alleged human rights abuses in China in

particularly in regard to the treatment of the Uighur minority. An arms

embargo on China will be extended to Hong Kong, he said. "We will protect

our vital interests," Raab said. "We will stand up for our values and we

will hold to China to its international obligations."

Raab followed the example of the United States, Australia and Canada by

suspending extradition arrangements with the territory. The review of the

extradition measures comes only days after Britain backtracked on plans to

give Chinese telecommunications company Huawei a role in the UK's new

high-speed mobile phone network amid security concerns fueled by rising

tensions between Beijing and Western powers.

The UK has accused the Beijing government of a serious breach of the

Sino-British Joint Declaration under which the UK returned control of Hong

Kong to China in 1997, and announced it would open a special route to

citizenship for up to 3 million eligible residents of the community.

Beijing has objected to the move. China's ambassador to Britain, Liu

Xiaoming, recently described the offer as gross interference in Chinese

affairs.

US NSA CHIEF VOWS TO HIT BACK AT NATIONS INTERFERING IN 2020 ELECTIONS

One of America's top spy chiefs vowed that the US will hit back at foreign

nations attempting to interfere in the 2020 presidential election, a warning

delivered days after fresh charges of Russian hacking against the West.

"We're going to act when we see adversaries attempting to interfere in our

elections," General Paul Nakasone, director of the National Security Agency

and head of US Cyber Command.

NSA efforts to secure the November election include broadening the agency's

interagency partnerships and studying the techniques of US adversaries,

Nakasone added.

"We're going to know our adversaries better than they know themselves," he

said.

Nakasone's comments come after reports of Russian hacking once again

surfaced last week, with the U.K., U.S. and Canada accusing Russia of

attempting to steal international research to develop a Covid-19 vaccine.

Britain also accused Russia of attempting to interfere in the country's

general election last year by disseminating documents relating to trade

talks with the US Russia rejected the charges.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Monday that he is putting

Russia and other foreign governments "on notice" that he would act

aggressively as president to counter any interference in U.S. elections. "If

any foreign power recklessly chooses to interfere in our democracy, I will

not hesitate to respond as president to impose substantial and lasting

costs," Mr. Biden said.

THE REST

========

OXFORD UNIVERSITY'S COVID-19 VACCINE ON TRACK

In a significant development, the Covid-19 vaccine jointly developed by

British-Swedish company AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford has been

found to be safe and induced an immune response in early-stage clinical

trials. The AZD1222 vaccine, based on a chimpanzee adenovirus called

ChAdOx1, elicited antibody and T-cell immune responses, according to results

published in The Lancet medical journal on Monday.

The Oxford shot is one of the front runners in the vaccine race and is

already undergoing a combined Phase II/III trials in the UK, Brazil and

South Africa.

Oxford's AZD1222 vaccine is made from a genetically engineered virus that

causes the common cold in chimpanzees. However, the virus has been modified

so that it doesn't cause infection in people and also to mimic the

coronavirus.

The Pune-based Serum Institute of India will produce one billion doses of

this vaccine.

GOVT WARNS AGAINST USE OF N-95 MASKS WITH VALVED RESPIRATORS

The Centre has written to all states and union territories warning against

the use of N-95 masks with valved respirators by people, saying these do not

prevent the virus from spreading out and are "detrimental" to the measures

adopted for its containment.

The Director General of Health Services (DGHS) in the Ministry of Health, in

a letter to the Principal Secretaries of health and medical education of

states, said it has been observed that there is "inappropriate use" of N-95

masks, particularly those with valved respirators, by the public other than

designated health workers.

OMAR ABDULLAH THREATENS TO SUE OVER CONGRESS LEADER'S SACHIN PILOT DIG

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah yesterday threatened legal action

against Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for implying that

Congress rebel Sachin Pilot's moves were linked to he and his father being

released from detention in Kashmir earlier this year. Bhupesh Baghel, in

turn, refused to back down, saying he would "keep asking questions".

Omar Abdullah, whose sister Sara is married to Sachin Pilot, was freed after

seven months of detention in Srinagar on March 24. Days before that, his

father and former Union Minister Farooq Abdullah was also released from

house arrest.

"I am fed up of the downright malicious and false allegation that what

Sachin Pilot is doing is somehow linked to my or my father's release from

detention earlier this year. Enough is enough. Mr Bhupesh Baghel will be

hearing from my lawyers," Omar Abdullah tweeted last evening, along with a

formal rebuttal from the National Conference.

Baghel retorted: "Please do not try to turn this tragic demise of democracy

into an opportune moment Omar Abdullah ji. The 'allegation' was only a

question asked, and we will keep asking it, as will the country."

To which, Omar Abdullah shot back: "You can send your answer to my lawyers.

This is what is wrong with the Congress today, you don't know your friends

from your opponents. This is why you people are in the mess you are in. Your

'question' was malicious and will not go uncontested."

MINSITER SHEKHAWAT QUESTIONS AUDIO TAPES' AUTHENTICITY

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday questioned the

authenticity of the audio clips, cited by the Congress to allege his

involvement in a purported bid to topple the Rajasthan government, and

sought to know its source and how the state police got it.

The Rajasthan Police SOG (special operations group), which is probing the

case, had earlier sent a notice to Shekhawat, asking him to give his voice

sample and record his statement.

Shekhawat said, "They (police) should first clarify about authenticity of

these tapes. Who recorded it and where did the SOG get it from.

Investigation should be carried out to find out if these tapes are genuine

or not."

His remarks indicated that he is unlikely to join the probe amid a raging

political controversy over the audio clips.

The Congress has alleged that the BJP leader's voice figure in them, a

charge refuted by him.

NEW CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT COMES INTO FORCE

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019, empowering consumers and seeking to

revamp the process of administration and settlement of consumer disputes

with strict penalties, including jail term for adulteration and misleading

advertisements by firms and punishment for manufacture or sale of products

containing adulterant or spurious goods, came into force from yesterday.

Every e-commerce entity is required to provide details about it on its

platform. "It shall acknowledge the receipt of any consumer complaint within

forty-eight hours and redresses the complaint within one month from the date

of receipt."

They are also required to provide information relating to return, refund,

exchange, warranty and guarantee, delivery and shipment, modes of payment,

grievance redressal mechanism, payment methods, security of payment methods,

charge-back options, etc.

SC HEARING ON TIMELINES FOR AGR DUES, NO HEARING AT ALL ON AMOUNTS DUES

The Supreme Court Monday said it will not hear "even for a second" arguments

on re-assessment of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) related dues of telecom

companies which run into about Rs 1.6 lakh crore. A bench of Justices Arun

Mishra, S Abdul Nazeer and M R Shah reserved verdict on the issue of

timeline for staggered payment of AGR-related dues by telecom companies.

When the counsel appearing for one of the telecom companies disputed the

DoT's calculation of AGR related dues and said that the figures have to be

checked, the bench shot back: Everybody is disputing the dues. Tell us only

the instalment part and the time (for payment of dues). What is happening in

this country. We will not permit this to happen in this country.

"We have decided the definition of AGR and based on that, demands have been

raised by the DoT and we are not going to reopen this."

ICC MEN'S T20 WORLD CUP 2020 POSTPONED, OPENS WINDOW FOR IPL

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2020 has been officially postponed after the ICC

board met online on Monday. As per the ICC release, "disruption caused by

COVID-19" forced the T20 World Cup postponement.

The global event was supposed to be held from October 18 to November 15 in

Australia.

The postponement paves the way for the BCCI to organise this year's IPL in

October-November, likely in the UAE.

ENGLAND WIN MANCHESTER TEST: BEN STOKES' ALL-ROUND SHOW LEVELS SERIES

England bowled out West Indies for 198 in the final session on Day 5 to win

the second Test by 113 runs and level the three-test series at 1-1 in

Manchester on Monday.

England had declared their second innings at 129/3 in the first session

after Ben Stokes smashed 78 off 57 deliveries, setting the tourists a target

of 312 with 85 overs left in the day. England pacers struck early to reduce

the visitors to 37/4 but were left frustrated when Shamarh Brooks and

Jermaine Blackwood stitched together a 100-run partnership until Stokes

dismissed Blackwood at the stroke of tea. The visitors were finally all out

in 71st over of the innings.

Scores: England 469/9 (decl) & 129/3 (decl); West indies 287 & 198

INDICATORS

Sensex 37,419 (+399), Nifty 11,022 (+120), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

56,333

Nasdaq 10,767 (+264) Dow 26,681 (+9), S&P 3,252 (+27)

US$-Rs. 74.61 GBP-Rs. 94.04, Euro-Rs. 85.35, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.31, Can$-Rs.

55.01, Aus$- Rs. 52.22

GBP 0.79 /US$, Euro 0.87 /US$, Jap.Yen 107.23 /US$, Aus$ 1.42 /US$, Sing

1.38 /US$, Bang Taka 83.19 /US$, Can$ 1.35 /US$, Mal Ring 4.26 /US$,

Pak Re 167.19 /US$, Phil Peso 49.32 /US$, Russian Rouble 71.60 /US$, NZ$

1.52 /US$, Thai Baht 31.75 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 27.39 /US$, Norway NOK 9.25

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 9,175

Dollar Index 95.63 Brent Crude 43.35 BDI 1,710

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,818 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,894 / 4,794

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 52,920

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you

didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away

from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.

Discover. - Mark Twain

OFF TRACK

To get his mind off his losing streak at the racetrack, the horse owner

started taking in customers for horseback riding. Being a novice, a customer

freaked when his mount took off.

"How do I stop?" he yelled.

"Bet on it!" the owner hollered back.