NEW DELHI 11 FEBRUARY 2024 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24 facebook/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard https://epaper.morningstandard.in The Eyes Have It PLUS: 12 PAGES Care About Cancer Care MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE VOICES Swipe, Spend, Regret Beauty and the Boost Pushpesh Pant Balaji Vittal Ajai Sahni Ganesh Saili Shampa Dhar-Kamath Prabhu Chawla Shankkar Aiyar Nanditha Krishna Utterly Butterly Brown The Great Wall of Modern Myth AMMA SPEAKS The Most Spiritual Zodiac Signs Last 5 yrs saw India reform, perform and transform, says PM Feels laudatory resolution on Ram temple construction will give constitutional strength to future generations BIDEN SAYS INDO-PACIFIC PLAN MADE US SECURE The US has said the execution of its IndoPacific Strategy in 2022 has expanded bilateral partnership with India in unprecedented ways | P9 IN yet another setback to the Opposition INDIA bloc post Nitish Kumar’s somersault, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal today announced that his party would contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and the lone seat of Chandigarh UT. It virtually closes all doors for the laboured projection of the CongressAAP alliance in the state. Kejriwal was addressing a rally at Khanna, a town known for the grain market in Ludhiana district, on the launch of the party’s free ration scheme. “Bless AAP with a victory on all 14 seats of Punjab and Chandigarh the way you did in the Assembly polls two years back by AAP victory in 92 out of the 117 Punjab Assembly seats,” Kejriwal said. EXPRESS READ Farm stir: Haryana suspends mobile net The Haryana government on Saturday ordered the suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS in seven districts ahead of farmers’ proposed ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on February 13. According to an official order, mobile internet services will remain suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts from 6 am on February 11 to 23:59 pm on February 13. P3 Wankhede moves HC against ED’s case Former Mumbai NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede has moved Bombay High Court challenging the ED’s case against him. The ED lodged the money laundering case against Wankhede after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR in an alleged `25 crore bribe demand from Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s family to spare his son Aryan Khan in a drugs case. AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal at a rally in Ludhiana on Saturday | PTI Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said party candidates will be announced by the end of this month. About a month back, Mann had let it be known that the ruling AAP will contest all seats in Punjab. Kejriwal took a dig at the Congress and SAD, saying neither the Akalis nor Congress took any step for the well-being of the people in their party of the Ram Temple as ushering in a “new era of governance and public welfare”. Targeting the Opposition, he said, “It is true that not everyone has the capacity for these things. Some people are brave to face it while others run away from the battlefield. But posterity will remember the speeches made today as having sensitivity, resolve and sympathy .” For generations, people dreamt of one having just Constitution, he said, adding this House made it possible by removing Article 370 that gave special rights. “People in J&K were deprived of justice. By abrogating Article 370, we provided them justice.” said Modi. “We can say with satisfaction that the work for which many generations waited for centuries was accomplished in the 17th Lok Sabha,” he added. P7 Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the Lok Sabha on Saturday | PTI Next 25 yrs crucial The next 25 years are crucial for the nation, the PM said, adding the nation has taken the resolve to achieve its dreams. The transgender community, which felt disrespected, has been given an identity, he said rules. “If I ask you today, in 75 years, the Congress ruled for so many years, tell me one good work the Congress has done. You will not remember. If I ask you Akali Dal ruled for so many years, tell me one good work the Akali Dal has done, you will not remember,” said Kejriwal. Kejriwal’s announcement will add to the turmoil in the opposition bloc. TMC chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has already said her party would go it alone in the state for LS polls. Mann said the centre has adopted a hostile attitude against all non-BJP-ruled states. He blamed the Centre for the now-scrapped farm laws, adding that the BJP continues with the hostile attitude by stalling funds meant for various welfare schemes in Punjab. To contest in 13 seats Punjab CM Mann said that candidates for all the 13 Lok Sabha seats will be announced by month-end If I ask you today, in 75 years, the Congress ruled for so many years, tell me one good work the Congress has done. You will not remember Arvind Kejriwal, AAP convenor EPFO hikes interest rate on deposits to 8.25% from 8.15% for FY23-24 E N S ECO N O MI C BU REAU @ New Delhi THE Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees Provid e n t F u n d O r g a n i z at i o n (EPFO) has recommended an 8.25% rate of interest to its subscribers for FY2023–24. The total amount it recommended for the distribution is `1,07,000 crore to EPF members for FY 2023–24, as compared to `91,151.66 crore in the financial year 2022–23. The interest rate for fiscal year 2022–23 was 8.15%. This is the highest amount ever the board has recommended for distribution to its subscriber accounts. “The Central Board recommended an annual rate of interest of 8.25% to be credited on EPF accumulations in members’ accounts for the financial year 2023–24. This interest rate will be officially notified in the government gazette after approval RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav leaves after an alliance meeting in Patna on Saturday | PTI R A M A S H A N K A R @ Patna Jolt to INDIA, AAP to go it alone in Punjab HA RPREET BAJWA @ Chandigarh DIDN’T START IT, BUT WILL FINISH THE GAME: RJD RJD MP Manoj Jha said legislators of the RJD and other constituents of the grand alliance expressed their willingness to stay together for the next 48 hours. “All legislators are staying together, entertaining themselves and discussing politics. We had not started the game, but we will finish it,” he remarked, referring to Nitish’s defection. BJP leader Nikhil Anand claimed that a few MLAs of the RJD were uncomfortable, so the party was making all its legislators hostage Drama ahead of floor test, Oppn shepherded to Tejashwi’s house P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi DELIVERING his speech on the last day of the 17th Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the last five years saw the nation reform, perform and transform and move towards “big changes” at a fast pace. Highlighting the achievements of his government, Modi said long awaited decisions were taken during his tenure such as the repeal of Article 370, the passage of women’s reservation bill, new criminal laws and the banning of Triple Talaq. “During this Lok Sabha’s term, several decisions for which many generations waited for long were taken. I feel that those who drafted the Constitution would bless us for this,” Modi said, adding that gamechanging reforms laid the foundation of a strong India. Speaking about the discussion on the Ram temple’s construction in the Lok Sabha and the House’s adoption of a laudatory resolution, the PM said it will give constitutional strength to the future generations to feel proud of the country’s values. Both Houses passed a resolution terming the construction Let Our Growth Help Others Grow by the Ministry of Finance,” reads the CBT press note. The board took the decision in its 235th meeting held on Saturday in Delhi, chaired by Bhupendra Yadav, Minister for Labour and Employment. The board will send the interest rate recommendation to the finance ministry for concurrence. Once approved, the amount will be credited to the accounts of subscribers. The board said the income of the people has grown by more than 17.39% this financial year compared to the last fiscal. “The interest rate offered by EPFO tends to be higher compared to other comparable investment avenues available to subscribers. This indicates confidence in the credit profile of EPFO’s investments, as well as its ability to provide attractive returns to its members,” reads the press note. Interest rate on EPF over last 10 yrs EPF RATE (%) 2014-15 8.75 2015-16 8.8 2016-17 8.65 2017-18 8.55 2018-19 8.65 2019-20 8.5 2020-21 8.5 2021-22 8.1 2022-23 8.15 2023-24 8.25 THE air in Patna was loaded with intrigue on Saturday ahead of the floor test in the legislative assembly on Monday — necessitated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar jumping ship from the grand alliance and joining the NDA. On a day when five JD(U) legislators failed to show up at a luncheon hosted by a senior minister, the RJD shepherded all Opposition MLAs to former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav’s official residence. It was reminiscent of resort politics to avoid horse-trading. The Opposition lawmakers were not even allowed to make or take phone calls, and were asked to stay on at Tejashwi’s house till the floor test is through. As for the JD(U), it issued a whip to all its MLAs to take part in the floor test. Minister Shrawan Kumar, who is also the JD (U)’s chief whip, warned that those defying the whip would lose their membership. Curiously, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar spent just 15 minutes at Shrawan Kumar’s residence where the lunch was hosted. JD (U) has 45 MLAs in the assembly Five of them — San. jeev, Bima Bharti, Shalini Mishra, Sudarshan and Dilip Rai — gave the lunch a miss. But they assured senior party leaders on the phone that they would participate in the legislature party meeting at the house of state education minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary on Sunday . In the Opposition camp, arrangements for the recreation of all legislators have been made at Tejashwi’s house during their stay there. Artists with musical instruments were seen entering the residence late in the evening. RJD leaders have been deployed in strength to take care of the MLAs and MLCs. The personal staff of the legislators brought in suitcases full of clothes to make the stay of the MLAs comfortable. The decision to keep the lawmakers together was made after a meeting of the Opposition alliance’s legislature party in the presence of RJD chief Lalu Yadav. In all, 77 RJD, 12 CPI(M-L), 2 CPI and 2 CPM MLAs partipipated in the meeting. Ahead of JNUSU polls, scuffle on campus as charges fly thick & fast I F R A H M U F T I @New Delhi A scuffle broke out late Friday night between RSS-affiliated ABVP and Left-backed groups on the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University during a meeting on students’ union polls, with both sides claiming some of their members were injured. There was no immediate reaction from the JNU administration. The student groups clashed during the University General Body Meeting (UGBM) at the Sabarmati dhaba to elect members of the election commission for the 2024 JNUSU polls. Left-affiliated Democratic Security Students’ Federation (DSF) al- personnel leged ABVP members ob- intervene structed the UGBM by en- In videos croaching upon the dais and shared by heckling council members. both groups In videos shared by both on social groups on social media, union media, union members belonging to the two members sides can be seen arguing and belonging to sloganeering as university se- the two sides curity personnel try to control can be seen the situation. arguing and “In response to the JNU ad- sloganeering ministration’s announcement as university of the start of the JNUSU elec- security tions for 2023-2024, the ABVP personnel try teamed up with the adminis- to control the tration to obstruct the UGBM,” situation. the DSF said in a statement. The SFI claimed that JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh was attacked by ABVP students and that water was thrown at her during the ruckus.The ABVP said its secretary Vikas Patel was allegedly attacked by DSF activists. Another student, Prashanto Bagchi, was also thrashed, it added. ARMY CHIEF FOR UNIFIED GOVT AS POLLS THROW UP HUNG PAK HOUSE Gen Asim Munir called for a unified govt as the nation appeared to be heading towards a hung Parliament Imran-backed independents top the table Of the 255 seats for which results were available, independents supported by Imran Khan won 101, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz 73, Pakistan Peoples Party 54 and the rest to smaller parties. Amid allegations of poll irregularities, the US and the EU demanded a probe PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shehbaz is reported to have met PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari and his son Bilawal. Later, Shehbaz spoke with MQM-P, too 133 MINIMUM SEATS REQUIRED TO FORM A NEW GOVT | P9 File photo of women on warpath in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal | EXPRESS Prohibitory orders in Sandeshkhali after huge protests against TMC PRANAB MO NDAL @ Kolkata THE Nandig ram protests brought the Trinamool Congress to power in West Bengal 13 years ago. Now a similar stir is giving the TMC a wake up call. Since February 7 in North 24 Parganas’ Sandeshkhali, a massive assembly of women, mostly from Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes, with sticks and brooms, are protesting the alleged sexual assault and land grab by local TMC leaders. The main target of the protesters is TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, who has gone underground for a month now. The protesters want him arrested and alleged that he is under police protection. “Shahjahan and his men, who used to be our tormentors, have been absconding for the past one month, ever since the attack on the Enforcement Directorate officers. So, we mustered courage to narrate our plight,” said Minati Sardar, one of the protesters. The protest slowly snowballed into a violent one: they set fire to business outlets of local TMC leaders, which they say was set up on their lands. Later the villagers set fire to a poultry shop and ransacked liquor shop of local TMC leader Shibaprasad Hazra. Apprehending the situation could go out of control, the district administration clamped Section 144 of CrPC and suspended internet services for an indefinite period in four panchayat areas in Sandeshkhali. A senior TMC leader admitted that the scale of the Sandeshkhali agitation in unprecedented ever since the party camed to power. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar sought home minister Amit Shah’s intervention to “save the tribals”. The National Commission for SCs, too,sought a report from the state government within three days.
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