monDAY ashwin turns test 15 Off-spinner’s 5/43 helps India skittle out England for 134. With an overall lead of 249 and 9 wickets in hand, the hosts are strongly placed to square the series February, 2021 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard twitter.com/TheMornStandard second behind Kumble now TERROR ANOTHER PULWAMA Averted Cops arrest Kashmiri student and seize about 6.5 kg of IEDs in Jammu Page 7 A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS l New Delhi l J8.00 l PAGES 12 The Chennai spinner once again showed his craftsmanship, completing a 29th five-wicket haul in the process. He is now the second-highest wicket-taker in Tests played in India behind Anil Kumble, who has 350. Ashwin surpassed Harbhajan Singh’s tally of 265 wickets on Sunday Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin celebrate an English wicket England on the second day of the second Test in Chennai on Sunday | BCCI | P11 l e a d ro l e Kohli & Co would be hoping to take a substantial lead on the third day. With a lot of time remaining in the Test, England are staring at the inevitable Greta’s B’luru buddy in police custody Centre with TN, says Modi Express News Service @ New Delhi Bengaluru student Disha Ravi, who was arrested on Saturday for allegedly sharing with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg a ‘toolkit’ related to the farmers’ protest against the agri laws, was remanded in five-day police custody by a court on Sunday . The 22-year-old was picked up from her Bengaluru residence by a special cyber crime cell of Delhi Police, who had filed an FIR on February 4 against unknown persons for creating and sharing the toolkit on social media sites, “aimed at spreading disaffection against the Government of India”. She has been accused of ‘editing, sharing and spreading’ the toolkit — a Google docu- Booked for sedition and other charges Disha is the first to be arrested in the case. She has been booked on the charges of sedition, criminal conspiracy and promoting hatred among groups under Sections 124A, 120A and 153 A of the IPC. ment that was shared by Thunberg on her social media account. The Delhi Police had sought seven days’ custody of Disha, contending that they needed to probe a larger conspiracy against the government and ascertain her alleged links with “pro-Khalistani” movements. Duty Magistrate Dev Saroha, however, allowed only five days of custody . During the hearing, Disha broke down in the courtroom and told the judge that she had edited just two lines of the document and her only aim was to support the farmers’ protest. The police said that Disha, along with several others, edited the toolkit on February 3. In a press statement on Sunday, the Delhi Police alleged she was one of the editors of the ‘Toolkit Google Doc’ and metro still some time away from normal service was also a key conspirator in formatting and disseminating the document. Later, in a series of tweets, the police said Disha had started a WhatsApp group and collaborated with others to prepare the document. “She worked closely with them to draft the document. In this process, they all collaborated with the pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to spread disaffection against the Indian State. She was the one who shared the Toolkit Doc with Greta Thunberg. Later, she asked Greta to remove the main document after its incriminating details accidentally got into the public domain. This is many times more than the two-line editing that she claims,” the police’s tweets P4&7 claimed. DMRC chairman Mangu Singh says plans of resuming full-fledged operations are in place, assistance has been sought to recover losses incurred due to lockdown| P5 e x pre s s re a d FASTag must from Feb 16: Centre Rahul Gandhi gestures while addressing a rally in Assam’s Sibsagar district | Pti No CAA if Congress voted to power, Rahul’s poll promise in Assam Pra s anta M a z umdar @ Guwahati Congress has upped the ante ahead of Assam Assembly elections. Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said the party will not allow the implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), if it comes to power in the state. “No matter what, CAA will not happen,” Gandhi said at a rally in Sivasagar, pointing to the crossed CAA written on the traditional Assamese gamosa or upper-body wear he and other leaders were sporting. In an attempt to warm up to tea workers, he promised to increase wages, which has been a long-standing demand of the plantation workers. “What can you buy with `167? I want to tell you that we will hike your wages to `365,” Gandhi said. Facing a tough battle in the wake of the poll alignment between Congress and the minority-based All India United Democratic Front and the birth of regional parties Asom Jatiya Parishad and Raijor Dal, BJP is trying to woo the tea community The state has . 126 Assembly seats and in about one-third of them, votes of tea garden workers determine the fate of candidates. Gandhi also committed to protecting the principles of the Assam Accord signed between All Assam Students’ Union and the Central government in 1985, at the end of six years of agitation against illegal immigration. “Congress leaders and I will defend and protect the principles of Assam Accord. We will not retreat one inch,” Gandhi asserted. The former Congress chief said Assam has the issue of illegal immigration, but the people in the state have the confidence and ability to resolve it through dialogues. Trying to strike a local chord, he said that he learnt many things from for mer Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, adding that whenever he visited Assam, he made it a point to speak to the late leader. “Given Assam’s diversity, it’s is a complex state for those coming from outside. He (Gogoi) would educate me on different subjects. Every time I returned, I learnt something new,” he added. Gandhi said he was hurt when he saw Gogoi’s name on the list of (Padma Bhushan) awardees because it also contained the name of a former bureaucrat from the Prime Minister’s Office, who tried different things to be on the PM’s good books. “Gogoi was my guru. So I didn’t like it,” Gandhi said. New Delhi: The government on Sunday said it has made FASTags mandatory from February 16 and any vehicle not fitted with it will be charged double the toll at electronic toll plazas across the country. The deadline for the implementation of FASTag would not be extended further. The Ministry of Road and Highways said all lanes in the plazas on National Highways shall be declared as ‘FASTag lane of the fee plaza’ | P8 after `8K-crore infra doles State polls in mind, PM speaks on various issues including fishermen T M U R U G A N A N D H A M @ Chennai THE message was clear, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation for new projects worth a massive `8,126 crore on Sunday in Chennai — the Centre has kept its word on delivering development in Tamil Nadu. The top projects launched include the inauguration of the Chennai Metro extension from Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar, beginning of works on the fourth railway line from Chennai Beach to Attipattu, and laying of foundation to renovate the Grand Anicut. In his 40-minute speech, the Prime Minister touched upon several issues that have political relevance, and are likely to be debated during the elections. He pointed out that the Centre had facilitated the renaming of Devendra Kula Vellalar subsects, saying, “Their name, Devendra, rhymes with my own, Narendra.” He said the decision was more than a mere name-change. “It was about justice, dignity and opportunity .” Modi then said the Centre was doing everything for the welfare of both Sri Lankan Tamils and Tamil Nadu fishermen. While thanking the PM for accepting his invitation, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami appealed for Central funds to renovate the Grand Anicut. He said that the Grand Stepping out of courtroom, judges in Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch district donned a new hat — that of counsellors — to help the mainstreaming of teenage tribal girls rescued from prostitution. Pushed into the trade by their own parents, 15 Banchhada tribe girls rescued by social activists and police in 2019 Their name, Devendra, rhymes with my own, Narendra. It was more than a name-change. It was about justice, dignity and opportunity PM on renaming of Devendra Kula Vellalar sub-sects More projects Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for a slew of projects across the State through video conference on Saturday India not top choice for MNCs leaving china K umar V i kram @ New Delhi ITBP personnel carry out rescue and restoration work at Raini village in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Sunday | Pti U’khand toll swells to 51 as 13 more bodies recovered, 155 still missing VI N E E T U padh yay @ Dehradun A week after efforts began to rescue 37 workers trapped in the tunnel of Tapovan hydropower project following Uttarakhand flash floods, the bodies of six of them were retrieved after clearing sludge up to 180 metres inside. The alternative parallelly pursued to bore into the floor of the tunnel to reach a silt filtration tunnel below in the hope that the workers were stuck there, was abandoned, as bodies are being retrieved from the main tunnel itself. Garhwal division commissioner Ravinath Raman said 13 bodies were recovered today — seven in Raini village and six from the Tapovan tunnel. The toll has now gone up to 51 and 155 others are missing. The NTPC Ltd, which runs the hydel power plant, has also launched an operation in the vicinity of Tapovan barrage to recover the bodies. Swati Bhadauria, district magistrate of Chamoli, said, “We have seven ambulances and a chopper on standby to provide immediate medical assistance and transportation in case anyone is found alive. We are also continuing our relief operations in affected villages using air support.” A trolley bridge was installed in Tapovan by a team of PWD and the Army. Work to install other two is on in Raini and Juwagad villages to connect them with the rest of the world. Meanwhile, the Central Water Commission is conducting simulation studies on a new lake in the upper reaches of the Rishiganga, 8 km upstream from Raini village, and exploring the possibility of a controlP7 led blast to drain it. Prostitution to mainstream, with inspiration from judges and 2020 had interaction with judges led by District and Session Judge Hridesh during a workshop in Neemuch. Aged between 14 and 17 years, these girls hailed from Neemuch, Mandsaur and Ratlam. At the workshop organised jointly on Saturday by Neemuch District Legal Services Authority and NGO Project Mission Mukti, Anicut, built by King Karikala Chozhan, stands tall even after many centuries, showcasing the engineering skills of Tamils. Earlier, while speaking about the Anicut, Modi quoted Tamil savant Avvaiyar and said the structure was an example of Atma Nirbhar Bharat. At the end of the event held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Modi held the hands of Palaniswami and deputy CM O Panneerselvam, and raised them high to thunderous applause and cheers. Party sources claimed the gesture was a clear-cut message — the BJP’s alliance with the “current leadership” of the AIADMK is inP6 fallible and strong. P O S T C O V ID s econ d c h a nce E x p re s s N e w s Ser v i c e @ Bhopal Prime Minister Narendra Modi hands over the indigenously developed Arjun Main Battle Tank (Mark 1A) to Indian Army personnel in Chennai on Sunday | pti these girls were encouraged to take inspiration from the success attained by young women of their own tribe. The parents of the rescued girls were also present. Flanking them were 25 young tribal women who, after being rescued and rehabilitated, have attained success in diverse professions. “You and your parents have to decide whether to plunge again into earning easy and quick money or replicate the feats of other girls of your own community who have since taken a different route to make careers in diverse fields, spanning from teaching to nursing and from Aanganwadi workers to police constables,” Judge Hridesh told the teenagers. The Banchhada tribe has for generations pushed its minor girls into highway and roadside prostitution. It has been forcing girls trafficked from other states into prostitution rackets operated from deras (makeshift shelters) and illegal dhabas on MP-Rajasthan highway . “It’s the first time that judges have taken time out of busy schedule for helping the girls rescued from prostitution,” said advocate Akash Chouhan of the Project Mission Mukti. However, it is learnt through media reports that most of Despite the Centre and these 58 companies shifted various state governments their base to Vietnam, Taiannouncing several initia- wan, Thailand etc. and only tives to attract multination- a few came to India,” the reals looking to shift base out- port said. side China post-Covid-19 However, according to a pandemic, India has been parliament reply, four comleft behind by countries like panies in the Electronic SysVietnam, Taiwan and Thai- tem Design Manufacturing land, which have emerged as sector have shifted base to the preferred destinations India and many others have for most such companies. shown interest. Taking note of The committee apthis, a parliamentapreciated the efforts ry standing commitmade by the Centre tee has flagged adin this direction sayministrative and ing the policy changregulatory hurdles es and the incentive in India as among schemes announced the main reasons. are “welcome meas“The committee ures”. Their success, Learning feels that the main however, depends on from challenges faced by the implementation rivals the country present“through seamless The panel ly are administraco-ordination berecommended tive and regulatory tween various minthat the hurdles, inadequate istries and departgovernment and costly credit fam e n t s o f should look cility, tedious land Government of Ininto the policy acquisition procedia as well as the changes dure, inadequate instate governments,” introduced by frastructure faciliit added. countries like ties, high logistics Many countries Vietnam, cost and large unorare competing to atTaiwan, ganised manufacturtract foreign invesThailand that ing sector, among tors and reorienting made them others,” stated the their capacities and more attractive standing committee strategies. A proacto the in its report titled tive approach comcompanies ‘Attracting investbined with credibilshifting bases ment in post-Covid ity to meet the Economy: Challengcommitments will es and Opportunities for In- be a crucial factor to attract dia’, which was recently ta- investment, it said. bled in Parliament. The panel recommended The report said many that the government look companies have shifted their into the policy changes inmanufacturing bases out of troduced by countries like China, “motivated not only Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, by political but also econom- etc. that made them more atic reasons”, during past one tractive to the foreign comyear. “To capitalise on the panies. It also suggested to evolving situation and to at- the government to enter into tract such companies, a few more international trade countries including India agreements which are benannounced special policies. eficial to India.