HYDERABAD  FRIDAY  JANUARY 27, 2023  `9.00  PAGES 36  LATE CITY EDITION NO BACKCHANNEL TALKS WITH INDIA, SAYS PAKISTAN MINISTER “At this moment, there is no such thing underway,” Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar told Pak Parliament BILAWAL BHUTTO ZARDARI UMAR ATA BANDIAL BUT EXPERTS PITCH FOR SECRET PARLEYS PAK REVIEWING INDIA’S INVITATIONS Her remarks came in the wake of experts, including former Pak foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, pitching for backchannel talks in the initial phase so that political compulsions don’t come into play. However, both sides have to generate public opinion for improved relations to create an enabling environment for peace, Kasuri told this newspaper recently ■ ■ India has invited Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and chief justice Umar Ata Bandial to the SCO meet in Goa in May Confirming it, Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the Pak govt is reviewing the invitations Art 370 MUST BE RESTORED BEFORE ANY TALKS WITH INDIA, SHARIF HAD SAID RECENTLY CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Sub-Mandal & kamandal is Modi formula for 2024 S H A H I D F A R I D I @ New Delhi Women personnel in a marching contingent of the CRPF during the 74th Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path in New Delhi on Thursday | PTI ; (centre) Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and (right) Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao salute the forces during Republic Day celebrations in Raj Bhavan and Telangana Bhavan, respectively, on Thursday WOMEN POWER POINT Theme of many tableaux was Nari Shakti; women officers led or participated in various marching contingents EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi INDIA’S spirit of self-dependence in the military and its women power stood out during the Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path here on Thursday Women officers led or par. ticipated in several marching contingents while Supreme Commander President Droupadi Murmu hosted her Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who was the chief guest for the event. A combined band and marching contingent of the Egyptian armed forces also took part in the parade that started around 10.30 am and ended close to noon after a fly-past. The Egyptian contingent was led by Col Mahmoud Mohamed Abdelfattah Elkharasawy . The unfurling of the Tricolour followed by the national anthem was accompaned by a 21gun salute using 105-mm Indian field guns. The indigenous guns replaced the vintage 25-pounders, reflecting the growing aatmanirbharta in defence. Military assets on display were mostly made-in-India, which included the main battle tank Arjun, the Nag Missile System (NAMIS) and the K-9 Vajra, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, Akash air defence missiles and Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicles. The Akash weapon system had Lt Chetana Sharma at the forefront. The Indian Air Force contingent comprising 144 air warriors and four officers, was led by Sqn Ldr Sindhu Reddy. The air force tableau, designed on the theme ‘Indian Air Force COVID-19 Min Mandaviya launches world’s 1st intranasal vax E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ New Delhi LAUNCHING the world’s first made-in-India intranasal Covid-19 vaccine, iNCOVACC, on the occasion of the 74th Republic Day on Thursday, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that it is a glorious tribute to the call for ‘ tmanirbhar Bharat’ A He, along with Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, launched the vaccine, which will be available in government hospitals for `325 and `800 in private ones. “Proud to launch iNCOVACC®, the world’s 1st intranasal vaccine for COVID, along with Minister @DrJitendraSingh Ji, on #RepublicDay A mighty display of India’s . research & innovation prowess under PM @NarendraModi Ji’s l e a d e r s h i p, ” M a n d av i y a CONTINUED ON P5 tweeted. Power Beyond Boundaries’, displayed a rotating globe highlighting IAF’s expanded reach, whereby it has been able to provide humanitarian assistance across borders, as also exercises conducted with friendly countries. Lt Commander Disha Amrith, posted at a strategic base, led the Navy’s contingent of sailors, which included three women, and six Agniveers, who are undergoing training as part PVC awardees Three Param Vir Chakra awardees and three Ashok Chakra awardees also took part in the parade, which also had a veterans’ tableau. A group of Shramyogis involved in the construction of the Central Vista, the Kartavya Path and the new Parliament were specially invited for the parade of the first batch inducted under the new armed forces recruitment scheme. The ceremony commenced with Prime Minister Modi visiting the National War Memorial and paying tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. The parade ended with a fly-past by 45 aircraft of the Indian Air Force, one from the Indian Navy and four helicopters of the Indian Army . A total of 23 tableaux — 17 from states and Union territories and six from various ministries and departments — took part with Nari Shakti being the theme of most of them. Tug of war between Raj Bhavan & TS Bhavan continues on R-Day EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Hyderabad THE discord between Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao came to the fore once again on Republic Day as the two held separate celebrations at the Raj Bhavan and Telangana Bhavan on Thursday . In her address, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan went on the offensive against the State government and even took an indirect dig at Chandrasekhar Rao saying, “All farmers should have farmhouses but only a few ryots own such expensive properties at present”. Tamilisai also announced that she would send a report against the State government to the Centre for “undermining Republic Day activities and for not respecting the Constitution”. While the Chief Minister stayed away, Chief Secretary (CS) Santhi Kumari, Director General of Police (DGP) Anjani Kumar and other officials attended the function at Raj Bhavan. As Tamilisai, who is also the Lt Governor of Puducherry, had to attend the Republic Day event at the former French Colony the function at Raj Bhavan , was held early, at 7 am. Speaking to reporters in Puducherry , she said she had not expected BBC Docu Vs Kash Files sparks tension in UoH EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Hyderabad MILD tension prevailed in the University of Hyderabad (UoH) on Thursday as students belonging to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) screened The Kashmir Files and the banned BBC documentary on the Gujarat riots, separately, on the campus. ABVP students staged a protest outside the campus’ main gate alleging that the college security personnel were not letting students inside. ABVP cent r a l wo rk i n g c o m m i t t e e member Sharavan B Raj said, “Hindrances were created on the instructions of the university Vice-Chancellor. Due to this, the screening of The Kashmir Files, which depicts the exodus of Kashmiri migrants in the 1990s, was delayed for an hour.” The recent screening of India: The Modi Question, the outlawed documentary in the Veli, vada block of the campus had given rise to conflict between the two student groups. In response, the ABVP had given a call to screen the Anupam Kher-starrer. The north complex, which was the proposed venue for the screening of both movies, was abuzz with a mix of excitement and tension in the run-up to the shows. Before the screening, SFI activists led a rally from the North Hostel block to the shopping complex in the block to uphold the ideals of the Indian Constitution on the occasion of Republic Day . However, they later informed visitors of a change in the venue of the screening. CONTINUED ON P5 CS, DGP attend event at Raj Bhavan While the CM stayed away, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, Director General of Police (DGP) Anjani Kumar and other officials attended the function at Raj Bhavan. the Telangana Chief Minister to attend the Republic Day function at Raj Bhavan. “In fact, I wrote a letter to the State government with a request to conduct Republic Day celebrations in a g rand manner,” she added. Tamilisai said she received a letter from the State government two days ago stating that the function would be held at Raj Bhavan and that the CS and DGP would be attending. “Some well-wishers approached the HC. The State government wanted me to unfurl the flag at Raj Bhavan due to time constraints,” she said. “There is no public participation in Republic Day celebrations, undermining the importance of the day. The State government did not follow the guidelines issued by the Centre in conducting the function. It will be written in the history of Telangana that the Constitu- tion was not respected,” the governor added. BRS to lodge complaint with Prez Murmu A day earlier, the Telangana High Court directed the State government to conduct Republic Day celebrations. Chandrasekhar Rao, after unfurling the National Flag at Pragathi B h av a n , v i s i t e d P a r a d e Grounds and paid floral tributes at the Martyrs Memorial. He also lit the Amar Jawan Jyoti. However, he skipped the function held at Raj Bhavan. In response to Tamilisai’s statements, the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has indicated that it will lodge a complaint with President Droupadi Murmu for her political remarks against the CM in the presence of State government officials. BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha took to Twitter and put out what could perhaps be interpreted as a dig at the Governor. “Choosing the country’s infrastructure over Central Vista during the pandemic is what we demanded. Choosing farmers, labourers and unemployed youth over focusing on wealth generation for a few is exactly what we have been fighting for. Thank you for echoing the vision of CM KCR Garu (sic),” she wrote. EXPRESS READ Congress launches Haath Se Haath Jodo yatra in TS Hyderabad: The Indian National Congress formally launched the “Haath Se Haath Jodo Abhiyan” in various districts across the State on Thursday. Telangana Pradesh Congress Commitee (TPCC) president and Malkajgiri MP A Revanth Reddy began his yatra from Madanapalli village of Bomraspet mandal in Vikarabad district, which comes under his native constituency Kodangal, after offering his prayers at the Lord Hanuman’s temple in the village | P4 PRIME Minister Narendra Modi is preparing a heady cocktail for the next general election in 2024. Along with the winning combination of Hindutva and welfarism, Modi plans to appropriate the reservation plank and deny the opposition one of its biggest election issues. The PM had set up a fourmember commission headed by Justice (Retd) G Rohini on October 2, 2017, to examine if the Other Backward Classes need to be sub-categorised to ensure equitable distribution of the reservation benefits. After 13 extensions, the commission’s term ends on January 31, 2023. Sources said the panel may submit its report anytime to the government. The commission was formed because government data revealed that over 90% of the OBC quota benefits were cornered by about a dozen dominant castes such as Yadavs, Jats, Kur mis, Vokkaligas, Sainis, Thevars, Ezhavas etc. The OBC quota is meant for over 3,000 castes and communities categorised as backward by the Mandal Commission. Therefore, the commission recommends sub-classifications of the dominant castes to ensure a more equitable distribution of benefits. It also suggests dividing the 3,000 OBC communities into four categories with a fixed percentage of benefits going to each type from the overall 27% OBC reservation. Empowering smaller OBC communities may bring huge electoral benefits for the BJP. The party has already successfully experimented with the idea in Uttar Pradesh by creating a social coalition of nonYadav OBC castes. The biggest pushback to Modi’s BJP has come from the leaders of the dominant OBC castes. Among them are Lalu Yadav, his son Tejashwi Yadav and Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Akhilesh Yadav in UP H D Deve , Gowda and son H D Kumaraswamy in Karnataka from the non-Congress parties. From the Congress, most of the top leaders leading the charge against the BJP in the states belong to the OBCs — Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan, Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Haryana, D K Shivkumar and Siddaramaiah in Karnataka. These opposition OBC leaders recently stirred the caste cauldron by demanding a nationwide caste census. They reject the 2006 National Sample Survey Organisation report, which puts the total OBC population at 41%, down from 52% mentioned in the Mandal Commission report of 1980. Nitish has already started a caste survey in Bihar. The Rohini report, therefore, may prove to be the BJP’s ace in caste politics. It has the potential to ignite a debate on the denial of benefits to the overwhelming number of OBC communities. It may, however, face criticism over the authenticity of the data used by it. Social justice, coupled with opening a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya, which is likely to witness a global gathering bigger than the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, and subsidised foodgrain for 80 crore people, is the plank on which the PM will enter the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. No pucca house for this Padma Shri winner E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Bhopal TRIBAL labourer-turned-painter Jodhaiya Bai Baiga, 84, one of the 91 Padma Shri awardees this year, is still awaiting a pucca house that was promised to her when she was given the Nari Shakti Puraskar in Delhi last year. Jodhaiya Bai The octogenarian, a widow, lives with her teenage grand-daughter Rupa in the clay plaster- and asbestos-thatched hut at Lorha village, Umaria district, Madhya Pradesh. She is elated at being selected for the coveted award but is equally sad for not having a proper house. Recounting her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the eve of Nari Shakti Puraskar in March 2022, she said: “I hugged Modiji and shared my pain about not having a pucca house, after which he promised that I will get a house. But I still live in a kutcha house.” However, Umaria district collector K D Tripathi told this newspaper that her name doesn’t figure in the list of those selected for PM Awas scheme. “Being awarded Padma Shri and getting a PM Awas are two separate issues. Linking them would be inappropriate,” he added. DECCAN KNITWEAR DEMOLITION BEGINS GHMC picks cheapest bidder, drops him double quick S B A C H A N J E E T S I N G H @ Hyderabad IN a sudden turn of events, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) cancelled the work order for the demolition of the burnt multi-storeyed commercial complex in Secunderabad on Thursday . The works had to be delayed with many claiming that it would only begin on Friday morning, However after finding a replacement, the demolition process around 11.30 at night. While the project was initially handed to SK Mallu, officials found that he does not possess the latest machinery to demolish such a high-rise building. The same project was the handed over to another contractor, Malik Trading and Demolition Agency (owned by Krishna Prasad). Meanwhile, a small fire broke out in the building on Thursday afternoon as well as late in the night. Fire tenders were pressed into service to douse CONTINUED ON P5 the flames. Workers carry out the demolition of the recently burnt commercial complex in Minister’s Road, Secunderabad, on Thursday night