thursDAY India invites Boris Johnson as 2021 Republic day chief guest december, 2020 Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly extended the invite to the UK premier during a telephonic conversation on Nov 27 03 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard twitter.com/TheMornStandard rap on knuckles However, a British High Commission spokesperson said that the mission cannot confirm or deny the news. “We can’t confirm one way or the other. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is keen to visit India as soon as possible,” the official said. Modi is likely to travel to London next year for the G-7 summit. An invitation for the same was extended to him by Johnson TWITTER FLAGS DOWN Malviya Video post of BJP’s IT cell head tagged as “manipulated media” Page 7 A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS l New Delhi Fresh proposal cooking; Shah to meet Amarinder Talks with farmers today; unions seek special Parliament session Express News Service @ New Delhi The Union government is likely to come up with a fresh proposal to resolve the current stalemate during talks with farmer unions on Thursday, even as the agitators, while claiming that more people will join their protest, demanded a special session of Parliament to repeal three contentious farm sector reform laws. The decision to make a revised proposal was taken at a meeting Union home minister Amit Shah had with colleagues Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal at his residence on Wednesday, a day after the government’s talks with farmers ended inconclusively . Ahead of the talks, Shah is expected to meet Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday morning to discuss the way forward. Singh may even attend the meeting with farmers later to help arrive at a settlement, said sources. For his part, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar again appealed to the farmers to end their protests. “I appeal to the farmers to end their protests and arrive at a solution Transporters’ turn to threaten strike The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) has called for a strike in support of the agitating farmers. “Starting December 8, we will halt the movement of supplies in entire North India including Delhi, J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan,” it said through discussions. Also, people of Delhi have to show patience. The government understands that they are facing difficulties,” he said. As for the farmers, they kept up their belligerence, warning the Centre against attempting to sow discord among their ranks. Contrary to the narrative being built by the government, their campaign was not limited to farmers from Punjab, they sought to emphasise. Labelling it as a movement of farmers from across the country the union leaders said , Thursday’s meeting with Tomar and Goyal would have wider representation from their side. “The government tried to show this is just a movement of farmers from Punjab.... We have also decided that farmer leaders from all over the country should participate in the talks,” said Darshan Pal, president of the Krantikari Kisan Union. He also demanded that the government call a special session of Parliament to repeal the three farm sector laws. Protesting farmers also announced that on Saturday they , will burn effigies of the Modi government and those of corporate biggies like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani. “We’ll burn effigies in every district of Maharashtra on Thursday and in Gujarat on Saturday. Thursday is the last chance for the government to take a decision to repeal the laws, otherwise this movement will become huge and the government will fall,” warned Pratibha Shinde of the Lok Sangharsh Morcha. Earlier, leaders of 32 farmer unions met at Delhi’s Singhu border to draw up a list of sticking points in writing on the three laws, as requested by the government. The list will be presented to the government P5 & 7 on Thursday  . l J8.00 l Express News Service @ New Delhi the Union government’s announcement on Tuesday that the entire population will not be given the Covid shot is a major deviation from its earlier stance, as in one of the first meetings on the vaccination chaired by PM Narendra Modi in June, it had clearly stated “that vaccination must be affordable and universal — no person should be left behind.” It also goes against the declared objective of most developed countries that have announced universal vaccination. While the US, Australia and the EU have said they will provide free vaccination to all, some other countries such as the UK and Canada have prebooked vaccine doses in excess of their population. Following the meeting chaired by Modi on June 30, the government had issued a statement that mentioned four guiding principles that would form the foundation of the national effort of Covid-19 immunisation. “First, that vulnerable groups should be identified and prioritised for early vaccination, for exam- Delhi Covid watch status of cases Today 5,329 82 -3,944 Cumulative 5,38,680 9,342 30,302 5,78,324 Patient Management Occupied Vacant h os p i ta l 18,693 7,366 11,327 c a r e c e ntr e 7,942 442 7,009* h e a l t h c e ntr e 562 127 435 *491 beds of CCC are occupied by persons under quarantine including travellers who came by Vande Bharat Mission and Bubble flights 18,423 Home Isolation Testing Status 36,370 RTPCR/CBNAAT/ TrueNat tests conducted 42,579 Rapid antigen test conducted today Containment Zones 5,772 @ Chennai/Rameswaram/T’puram M a n o j V i s w a n at h a n @ Kochi TWO years after it allowed two young women to visit the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple following a Supreme Court verdict, the CPM-led Kerala government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) seem to have changed their stance on women’s entry to the hill shrine. The portal launched by the TDB in association with the Kerala Police for online services, like virtual queue for darshan, says that “females and other gender (trans) less than 50 years and above 65 years won’t be allowed.” Pilgrims either take the traditional forest routes or the one from Pamba which is less physically challenging to reach the temple. The Kerala government had earlier said children below 10 years and those above 65 years won’t be permitted due to Covid restrictions. The TDB, which manages the temple, had argued before the five-member constitution bench of the Supreme Court in February 2019 it was against discriminating anyone based on their biological attributes. The government had also opposed the review petitions filed against the September 28, 2018 verdict that allowed women’s entry at the temple. Hindu Aikya Vedi, which had launched a fierce protest against entry of young womens in the temple, termed the move a political gimmick in view of the upcoming local body and Assembly polls. However, the TDB chose to distance itself from the new decision saying the portal is managed by the police. The new guidelines evoked angry response from activists. “This exposes the double stand of the Left government,” said Bindhu Ammini, one of the two women who managed to enter the temple in the dead of the night on January 2, 2019 with police escort. Source: Delhi health bulletin | December 02 Tamil Nadu battle-ready as Cyclone Burevi inches closer EXP R ESS NEWS SE R VICE The swaying trees, choppy sea, and an inclement weather seemed to herald the arrival of cyclone Burevi, expected to make a landfall between Pamban and Kanniyakumari on Thursday. While Minister for Revenue, Disaster Management and Information Technology RB Udhayakumar landed in Ramanathapuram to assess the preparedness, PMNarendra Modi Republic day chief guest was Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Selective amnesia on universal shots? Total beds Kerala govt bars young women in Sabarimala PAGES 12 2020 immunity race Recovered Death Active cases Total +ve Farmers take a break from their dharna at Singhu on the Delhi-Haryana border on Wednesday | PARVEEN NEGI Can’t confirm, says British High Commission called up Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, assuring support to the State. With the cyclone inching towards Tamil Nadu’s southern coast, Udhayakumar expressed confidence in the measures put in place to mitigate the nature’s possible fury . “Officials are monitoring the waterbodies in Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, T h o o t h u k u d i , R a m a n at h apuram, and Sivaganga districts round-the-clock,” he said. ple doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, non-medical frontline corona warriors, and vulnerable people among the general population..,” it said. “.. second, that vaccination of “anyone, anywhere” should take place, i.e. without imposition of any domicile related restrictions for getting the vaccine; third, vaccination must be affordable and universal — no person should be left behind; and fourth, the entire process from production to vaccination should be monitored and supported in real time with use of technology .” In contrast, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday said: “I just want to make this clear that the government has never spoken about vaccinating the entire country “It’s important that .” we discuss such scientific issues, based on factual information only .” ICMR chief Balram Bhargava said vaccinating the entire population may not be required if the “critical mass” is vaccinated and the chain of virus transmission is continued on P8 broken.  Vaccination from next week in the UK, Russia E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ New Delhi I just want to make this clear that government has never spoken about vaccinating the entire country. It’s important that we discuss such scientific issues, based on factual information only Union health secretary The UK on Wednesday became the first country in the West to approve a Covid-19 vaccine, leapfrogging over the US and Europe to grant emergency use authorisation to a jab developed jointly by US pharma major Pfizer and German firm BioNTech. Vaccination is set to begin early next week. Hours later, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered universal vaccination with the homegrown Sputnik V “Let’s agree on this . — you will not report to me next week, but you will start mass vaccination,” Putin reportedly told Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova. UK’s approval came just 23 days after Pfizer released the first data from its phase 3 trial. While it showed 95% efficacy against Covid, the sticking point was the need to store it at -700C. The UK has so far bought 40 million doses of the vaccine, enough to inoculate 20 million or about 30% of the population, as two shots per person are needed to develop immunity . The World Health Organisation (WHO), too, is examining Pfizer’s data. A WHO emergency use listing would allow countries to authorise it for national emergency use and open the door to its international supply . CCTVs must at interrogation rooms of probe agencies:SC EXP RESS NEWS Servi ce @ New Delhi In a ruling that sets out about to fix police accountability the , Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre and the states and Union Territories to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment at all police stations across the country . In addition, the government was asked to set up CCTV cameras at the offices of all investigating agencies which conduct interrogations and have the power of arrest, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (head office in photo), the Enforcement Directorate, the National Investigation Agency the Narcotics Control , Bureau, Department of Revenue Intelligence and Serious Fraud Investigation Office. A three-judge bench headed by Justice R F Nariman ruled that states and UTs should ensure that CCTV cameras are installed at each and every police station at all entry and exit points, main gate, lock-ups, corridors, lobby and reception as also areas outside the lockup rooms so that no part is left uncovered. The CCTV systems CCTV cameras must then be installed with such recording systems so that the data that is stored thereon shall be preserved for a period of 18 month — Supreme Court must be equipped with night vision and have audio as well as video footage, it said. It shall be mandatory for the Centre and the states/UTs to purchase such systems which allow storage of data for maximum period possible, at least one year, said the bench. While dealing with a matter related to custodial torture, the Supreme Court had on April 3, 2018 ordered installation of CCTV cameras at all the police stations to check human rights abuses, videography of crime TINSEL scene and setting up of a Central Oversight Committee and such a panel in all states and UTs. It had in September impleaded all states/ UTs to find out the exact position of CCTV cameras in police stations as well as constitution of Oversight Committees in accordance with its 2018 order. The bench noted that till November 24, only 14 states filed reports and majority of them had failed to disclose the exact position of CCTV cameras in police stations and other details. In Mumbai, Yogi also lists the `200-crore bond of Lucknow Municipal Corporation at Bombay Stock Exchange. Invites industrialists to invest with promise of security | P8 YOGI WOOS Movie industry with film City project W E L L NESS Want government job in Jharkhand? Quit tobacco, first M U K ESH R AN J AN @ Ranchi The Jharkhand government will make it mandatory for government job-seekers to give an undertaking through affidavits stating that he or she will refrain from chewing or smoking tobacco. The provision will be implemented in the state from April 1, 2021 in order to discourage the practice of chewing and smoking of tobacco. During a meeting of Tobacco Control Co-ordination Committee headed by Chief Secretary Sukhdeo Singh on Tuesday, it was also decided that the shops selling tobacco products cannot sell other edible items such as tea and biscuits. Although the Tobacco Con- trol Act is already in place in Jharkhand but only 150 traders have secured licences. Moreover, they also provide tea and biscuits at their shops, which is illegal. During the meeting, it was decided that Provision not new in the country In the recent years, Rajasthan had sought ‘no smoking’ undertaking in government jobs. In 2014, the State Personnel and Training Department had said applicants should undertake an oath on a paper stating they do not smoke cigarette and chew gutka Ranchi, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Khunti, Saraikela-Kharsawan and Hazaribagh would be declared as tobacco -free districts. “Those in government jobs will have to give an affidavit that they will not consume tobacco in any form,” stated the release by health, education and family welfare department. During the meeting, Singh also directed officials concer ned to prohibit banned brands of ‘gutkha’ at the entry points itself and implement it strictly all over the state. Singh also directed officials to ensure that tobacco products are not sold within the radius of 100 meters from schools and strict action must be taken against the shopkeepers who are violating the rule. In April, the government had imposed a ban on all tobacco products to prevent spitting in public places in the wake of rising Covid cases.