Archives for September 2021

New Delhi: Senior Journalist and Executive Editor of NDTV, Ravish Kumar Friday called out Hathway Cable & Datacom Ltd, for dropping NDTV from their cable TV.

In a video shared on NDTV’s official YouTube Channel, Ravish Kumar claimed that a conspiracy was being hatched to sideline the channel and to not let its content reach its audience.

Ravish also explained how his team at NDTV works relentlessly to bring his Prime Time show for the audience and how a strategic conspiracy was being hatched to suppress their efforts and the channel.

He also took a dig at other news channels adding that his team at NDTV works in an organized way to bring the truth to the people.

Ravish then said his team would continue their efforts and will not be demoralized by such attempts at sidelining them. He also urged the audience to call out to the Hathway Cable company adding that people should call the company’s number and tag the official handle of the company (@HathwayCableTV) in their tweets demanding restoration of NDTV on its network.

New Delhi: Table tennis star Manika Batra has alleged that national coach Soumyadeep Roy asked her to throw a match during the Olympic qualifiers in March and that was the main reason she refused his help in the singles competition of the Tokyo Games.

Responding to Table Tennis Federation of India’s show cause notice, Manika strongly denied that she brought disrepute to the game by refusing Roy’s help.

According to TTFI sources, the world number 56 stated she would not have been able to focus on her match if someone who asked to her indulge in match-fixing months earlier was sitting by her side.

“Besides the need to avoid disturbance due to his last minute intervention, there was an additional and much more serious reason behind my preference to play without the national coach,” the Khel Ratna awardee alleged in her response to TTFI secretary Arun Banerjee.

“The national coach had pressurised me during the qualification tournament in Doha in March 2021 to concede my match to his student to enable her to qualify for Olympics – in short- to indulge in match-fixing,” she said.

Despite repeated attempts, Roy was not available for a response to the allegations. The player-turned coach has also not been asked to join the ongoing national camp and has been told by TTFI to present his side of the story.

“The allegations are against Roy. Let him respond and then we will decide future course of action,” said Banerjee when asked about Manika’s response to the show cause notice.

Roy is a former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist in the team event and also an Arjuna awardee.

Both Manika and Sutirtha Mukherjee, who train in Roy’s academy, ended up qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. Manika qualified on her higher world ranking after losing to Sutirtha, who secured the Olympic quota from the event held in Doha.

“I have evidence of this incident and I am ready to present it to the competent authorities at the appropriate time. For asking me to concede the match, the national coach personally met me in my hotel room and talked to me for nearly 20 minutes,” said Manika.

“He tried to promote his own student using unethical means under the pretext of national interest. He was accompanied by his student who trains in the private academy not only run by, but also named after him.

“From my side, I did not promise to oblige him and promptly reported this matter to a TTFI official. I decided not to obey the unethical command of the national coach. But his intimidation and pressure had its effect on my mental frame and consequently my performance.

“During the Olympics, I wanted to keep away from the demoralising effect of such a coach. Because, as a player representing India, it was my duty to serve my country in the best possible way.”

Manika made history by reaching the third round while Sutirtha also did well to reach the second round.

TTFI had called Manika’s refusal to take Roy’s advice as an act of indiscipline and showcaused her.

“I strongly deny the charge therein that I brought disrepute to TTFI, Government of India and the country and undermined the appointment of the national coach by playing my singles matches in the Tokyo Olympics without the presence of the national coach in the field of play.

“In fact and on the contrary, I have served my country and TTFI in the best possible way by playing my matches alone,” she wrote.

Manika also questioned TTFI for not taking action against Roy.

“I have been falsely charged with ‘bringing disrepute to the country by the sight of an empty chair of the coach’. But the truth is that the ’empty chair’ was the result of the national coach’s pressure tactics for match fixing and TTFI’s inaction to act on my prompt reporting of that incident and not the result of my so-called ‘indiscipline’.

“Unfortunately, when I raised the issue of the match fixing pressure tactics by the national coach again in my e-mail dated 14’th August 2021, TTFI refuted this issue outright without even a preliminary, impartial and transparent inquiry.

“Finally, to reiterate and summarise, I have done nothing wrong in playing my matches alone,” she asserted.

New Delhi: All 612 districts in India are vulnerable to climate change, but 100 districts, mostly in the eastern part of the country, are most vulnerable, a study said.

The study was carried out by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore along with IIT Mandi and IIT Guwahati and supported by the Department of Science and Technology.

Eight states in the country, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Assam, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal, all in eastern India, are found to have higher vulnerability, Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Adviser and Head, Policy Coordination and Programme Management (PCPM) Division, and a climate change expert at the Department of Science and Technology (DST), underlined at a policy dialogue.

“All 612 districts in India studied are vulnerable to climate change, but there are 100 districts mostly on eastern parts of the country which are most vulnerable as per a vulnerability assessment study carried out by IISc, Bangalore along with IIT Mandi and IIT Guwahati and supported by the Department of Science and Technology,” a statement by the DST said.

Pointing out to an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Gupta said the global temperature which has already increased to 1.1 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era level is likely to further increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius in next two decades.

India too is expected to experience greater impact of global warming in the time to come and there may be an increase in frequency, severity and duration of heat waves. Monsoon may become more erratic, Gupta said.

There may be more frequent droughts and floods. The Indian seas may witness more sea-level rise. There has already been increase in sea level in last two decades, he added.

Tropical cyclones may also increase in number. With the increase of carbon dioxide content in the oceans, the sea water may become more acidic, Gupta pointed out at the programme organised by National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Ministry of Home Affairs and DST in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

“Next two decades are going to be very crucial. IPCC’s working group report gives stark warnings for global climate impacts. The two-degree rise in global temperatures may come earlier than expected. It may have a huge impact on India, especially on agriculture, health and water security. India is confronted with a challenge of addressing such impacts,” he added.

Maj Gen M K Bindal, Executive Director, NIDM, MHA warned that the danger mark has been reached, rapid access to information is needed to protect lives and livelihood and the use of science, technologu and innovation (STI) is key to fight climate change problems.

Bengaluru The Karnataka government on Friday decided to organise the famous Mysuru Dasara festival this year in a “simple and traditional” manner, keeping in mind the COVID-19 concerns.

“Mysuru Dasara is also the Nada Habba (state festival). Last year we celebrated it in a traditional and simple manner due to COVID. This time too we will celebrate it likewise,” Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said

He was speaking to reporters after chairing a high-level committee meeting on Mysuru Dasara.

Bommai said that all the rituals connected with the celebrations such as inauguration of the festivities atop Chamundi Hills, Jamboo Savari (procession of caparisoned elephants) and lighting of the entire city for 10-days will be conducted.

“We have decided to release Rs six crore to celebrate Dasara festival at Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Sriragapatna,” he said.

The Chief Minister, in response to a question, said festivities and cultural events will be restricted to the Amba Vilas Palace and the Chamundeshwari Temple. The renowned Jamboo Savari will also take place inside the Mysuru Palace premises like the last year.

The high-level committee authorised the Chief Minister to select the eminent personality to inaugurate the 10-day cultural and religious festival.

“We have authorised the CM to choose who should inaugurate the festival this time, Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar, who is in charge of COVID-19 affairs in Mysuru district, said.

The 10-day long festivities will be flagged off on October 7 at the Chamundi Hills. Last year, the government had chosen five corona warriors to inaugurate the festival.

Somashekar said the Jamboo Savari will take place on October 15 at 2.45 pm.

Noting that last year, 150 people were permitted for the inaugural, 50 for cultural events and 300 for the Jamboo Savari, he said “We asked the CM to double this. But experts have warned of a third wave of COVID-19 in September-October. So after September 20, depending on the situation, a decision will be taken. If cases go up, then last year’s restrictions on the number of people will continue.”

The Chief Minister said the meeting also decided to release Rs 8.09 crore arrears of the 2019 Dasara.

“I have directed the officials to maintain financial discipline, see to it that the expenditure does not cross the grant released for the year and ensure accountability, as well as transparency,” he said.

Several elected representatives at the meeting requested the CM to establish a Tourist Circuit in Mysore region.

“I will discuss with the minister for tourism and officials concerned to make optimum utilisation of the opportunity under the existing tourism policy,” Bommai said, adding that tourism has taken a hit due to COVID-19, resulting in economic slowdown. In this background, concrete steps will be taken to promote tourism.

The chief minister directed the officials to submit an estimate for developing infrastructure in Mysuru in connection with the Dasara celebrations.

New Delhi: Congress leader Manish Tewari and Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi were involved in a war of words on Twitter on Friday after the former stated that Tehelka magazine founder-editor Tarun Tejpal was “honourably exonerated” in a sexual assault case recently, with Chaturvedi terming the remarks “shameful”.

It started with Tewari praising Tejpal in a tweet, saying, “My college senior the much maligned, hugely politically persecuted & now honourably exonerated the brilliant & mercurial Tarun Tejpal has written this teaser of his new book Animal Farm. Tarun at his evocative & provocative best. Welcome back friend.”

This drew a sharp response from Chaturvedi who, on a sarcastic note, said, “Today I got to know that Tarun Tejpal was ‘honorably exonerated’ and ‘politically persecuted’.”

To rubbish a woman’s sexual assault by this cosy club smacks of their sick mindset, the Rajya Sabha MP lashed out at Tewari.

“They believe they can behave as they wish around women and laugh off the serious crime. Shameful,” she tweeted.

Hitting back at Chaturvedi, Tewari said unlike her, as a lawyer, he knows how to read a judgment and respect it.

“Tarun Tejpal was tried and found innocent. That is the cold hard fact. Goa Government has gone to High Court. If you have a problem say what you have too in the High Court of Mumbai & Goa,” he said.

Responding to the Congress MP, Chaturvedi shot back saying, the Goa government has challenged this district court verdict in the high court and so the “celebration” over his ‘exoneration’ can be on hold.

“More power to the young lady who had the courage to take such powerful clique head on,” Chaturvedi said.

“Unlike you Manish Tewari just being a lawyer and ability to read a judgement does not put you on a higher plain. Also this is a free platform I have a right to opinion as much as you have a right to pat the back of an alleged rapist,” she tweeted.

Slamming Chaturvedi, Tewari tweeted, “It actually does @priyankac19. It makes me acutely conscious about respecting rule of law & judgments delivered by Courts established under our Constitution.”

“Please do not cross the line of libel & defamation. I would be anguished to take a fellow MP & former Colleague to Court,” he said.

Chaturvedi called Tewari’s remarks a threat to “silence” her and said that as a lawyer he should realise that her first tweet wasn’t even tagged or marked to him, and he “chose to jump in”.

“Ignorance of the law is bliss, ain’t it @priyankac19. The law of libel recognises a slur by implication also Mam,” Tewari shot back.

Chaturvedi slammed Tewari, saying ignorance of law is better than ignorance of morality as for the former, one can hire lawyers, the latter unfortunately can’t be taught and is ingrained.

Responding to tweets criticising his praise for Tejpal, the Congress leader put out “facts”, stating that the Tehelka founder was charged and tried by a court of law and the case went on from 2013 to 2021.

“With multiple appeals to HC & SC. Ultimately a Lady judge found him innocent on all charges & acquitted him. Goa Govt has filed an appeal challenging acquittal,” he said.

“Tarun Tejpal & Tehelka’s political persecution started in 2001 due to Operation West End…. Multiple raids by Law enforcement agencies btwn 2001-04. Bankrupting of Tehelka to silence it forcing it to shut down,” he tweeted.

The Goa government in late May challenged the acquittal by a sessions court of Tejpal in the sexual assault case in the Bombay High Court.

On May 21, a sessions court in Goa had acquitted Tejpal of the charge of sexually assaulting a former woman colleague inside the elevator of a luxury hotel in the state in 2013.

The alleged incident had taken place on November 7, 2013.

Tejpal stepped down as editor-in-chief of Tehelka in the wake of sexual assault allegations.

Mangaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has established a new sub-zonal office at Kankanady in Mangaluru district that began functioning from Friday.

The office is located at E-7, Central Excise Staff Quarters, Kankanady in Mangaluru and it will function under its existing zonal office in the state that is based in the capital city of Bengaluru, the agency said in a statement.

The new office will be headed by a deputy director rank officer and have jurisdiction over 15 districts of the state — Dakshina Kannada, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bellary, Bidar, Bijapur, Gadag, Haveri, Davangere, Dharwad, Gulbarga, Uttara Kannada, Koppal, Udupi and Raichur, it said.

Two similar sub-zonal offices were recently established by the ED in Shillong (Meghalaya) and Imphal (Manipur).

The ED functions under the Union finance ministry and apart from enforcing the criminal anti-money laundering law PMLA, it also implements the civil sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and Fugitive Economic Offenders Act that was brought in 2018.

NEW DELHI: India’s largest private insurer HDFC Life Insurance on Friday said it would take over the life insurance unit of Exide Industries Limited (EIL) — Exide Life Insurance — in a stock and cash deal that will value the enterprise at Rs. 6,687 crore. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approvals, will make it the largest acquisitions in the life insurance space which has 23 private players and one state-owned insurer, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).

“We have been eyeing this opportunity for quite some time,” Vibha Padalkar, chief executive officer at HDFC Life, said in a call with media on Friday. The buyout, she said, will accelerate the growth of the agency business of HDFC Life and other distribution channels like brokers, direct and co-operative banks. Bengaluru-based Exide Life, with a “strong” foothold in South India, especially in Tier 2 and 3 towns, complements HDFC Life’s geographical presence, and will provide access to a wider market,  Padalkar added.

Besides, Exide Life has a solid proprietary agent network, which is expected to bolster HDFC Life’s proprietary channel growth. Currently, the proprietary channel constitutes 15% of the business for HDFC Life. The merger would add about 40% to the topline of HDFC Life Agency over the next 2-3 years, according to the company. HDFC Life’s agent base will grow to 1,44,605 from the current 1,07,895. “The reliance on bancassurance has gone down and companies have built their own models and that is the objective and core rationale of the deal to grow our proprietary channel,” said the HDFC Life CEO.

Of the Rs. 6,687 crore that HDFC Life will be paying to acquire Exide Life, Rs. 726 crore will be payable in cash, and the balance by issuing 87.02 million equity shares of face value of Rs. 10 of the company issued at a price of Rs. 685 per share to EIL. 

Exide Industries has made a total investment of Rs. 1,679.59 crore in its insurance arm so far. On completion of the deal, Exide Industries will hold a 4.1% stake in HDFC Life and mortgage lender HDFC Ltd, which holds 49.9% stake in HDFC Life, will see its stake come down to 47.9%. The proposed sale is expected to be completed before June 2022.

Analysts expect this deal to fuel further consolidation in the sector where competition is heating up. The proposed acquisition will mark the first acquisition in the life insurance space in at least a decade. Earlier, Reliance Capital, the NBFC arm of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, had acquired the entire stake in AMP Sanmar from Australian insurer AMP and the Sanmar group in October 2005 for a little over `100 crore. HDFC Life had earlier intended to acquire Max Life but the deal did not go through because of regulatory hurdles.

“The AUM of Exide Life, however, is relatively small for there to be any concerns this time… so it should sail through,” Shriram Subramanian, founder and MD of corporate governance advisory firm InGovern said. Exide Life Insurance’s asset under management (AUM) was to the tune of Rs. 18,780 crore as of June 30, 2021.

Pure life covers have seen a renewed interest in the post-Covid-19 world and going forward it should see a boost in demand. Further, with the foreign direct investment in the insurance sector increased to 74%, there could be more such transactions as promoters of smaller companies exit the space by selling their stake to foreign firms.

JAMMU: The Army has foiled a major infiltration bid by a group of heavily armed terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, officials said on Friday.

“A group of heavily armed Pakistani terrorists attempted to infiltrate along the LoC in Poonch sector last night (Thursday),” he said.

“The infiltrators were challenged and heavy firing ensued,” the spokesman said.

Owing to undulating terrain and heavy undergrowth, the terrorists managed to break contact and escape back towards Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under the cover of darkness, he said.

A thorough search of the encounter site was carried out, and a huge quantity of supplies left behind by the terrorists was recovered, including clothing, packaged food items and medicines with Pakistani markings, Lt Col Anand said.

The Indian Army maintains a determined resolve to thwart any infiltration attempts or nefarious designs by anti-national elements, he said.