bhubaneswar l monday l march 27, 2023 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION ISRO’s heaviest LVM3 rocket puts 36 satellites into orbit The 43.5-metre tall rocket, carrying internet satellites of UK-based OneWeb group, lifted off from Sriharikota at 9 am isro Complex manoeuvres in final stage The rocket deployed the first set of 16 satellites around 20 minutes after the lift-off with the rest deployed in later stages. As per NewSpace India Chairman and Managing Director D Radhakrishnan, the mission’s highlight was that the LVM3 performed a series of complex manoeuvres during the cryogenic-powered final stage to place satellites into indended orbits | P5 616 oneweb ready to deliver global services ■ This is the second dedicated mission of NewSpace India Ltd, the commercial arm of ISRO. OneWeb group’s first batch of 36 satellites were launched by the Indian space agency in October last year ■ The ones launched on Sunday were the final set of satellites OneWeb needs to deliver a broadband internet connection anywhere on Earth number of satellites OneWeb has on the orbit after sunday’s launch 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 Rahul martyr’s son, can’t betray country: Priyanka Congress holds ‘Sankalp Satyagraha’ protests across the country It’s a brazen display of sheer arrogance: BJP RAJ E SH KU M AR THAKUR @ New Delhi Priyanka Gandhi at the party’s ‘Sankalp Satyagraha’ to protest Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as MP, outside Rajghat in New Delhi on Sunday | Parveen Negi PR E E THA N AIR @ New Delhi “You don’t get a sentence of two years, you are not thrown CONGRESS leader Priyanka out of Parliament, you are not Gandhi Vadra on Sunday tore barred from contesting elecinto the BJP for calling her tions for eight years,” she said, brother Rahul Gandhi a ‘trai- adding the family has kept quitor’ and casting aspersions on et till now but not any longer. the Nehru-Gandhi family . “My brother even hugged the Addressing a gathering at PM and told him that he doesn’t the ‘Sankalp Satyagraha’ out- harbour any hatred towards side Rajghat, she said BJP lead- him. How much will you insult ers have repeatedly insulted one man?” she asked. her family, whose Launching a broadmembers have sacriside against Prime ficed their lives for the Minister Narendra country . Modi, Priyanka said: The Congress or“You can slap a case You (BJP) call us dynasts. Will you ganised similar satyaon me and put me in g rahas across the call Lord Ram and jail. But the truth is country on Sunday to Pandavas dynasts that the PM is a cowthen? Should we protest Rahul’s disard. He is hiding bebe ashamed that qualification from hind power.” our family Parliament. In Delhi, Taking a dig at BJP members the party wanted to leaders for portraying sacrificed their hold the protest at the Rahul Gandhi as ‘Paplives for the Rajghat but Delhi pocountry? pu’, Priyanka said the lice declined permisgovernment is scared Priyanka Gandhi, sion. Following this, of him after lakhs of Congress leader the leaders decided to people joined his sit outside the memoBharat Jodo Yatra. rial. “You call my brother, a She added: “Our family memmartyr’s son, a traitor and your bers shed blood for this flag and minister insulted my mother in the land. Those who think that Parliament. One of your chief they can threaten or put us in ministers said Rahul Gandhi jail are wrong. We are not doesn’t even know who his fa- scared. We will continue to ther is. Your PM asks why this fight for the democratic values family does not keep the sur- of the country she said. ,” name of Nehru... you have inMeanwhile, as a show of prosulted the entire family,” she test against Rahul’s disqualifisaid, adding that leaders of the cation, the Congress has asked ruling dispensation get away its MPs to wear black dress in with their words and deeds. Parliament on Monday . THE BJP on Sunday lashed out at the Congress for its ‘Satyagraha’ against Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Parliament following his conviction in a defamation case. BJP national president J P Nadda said the Congress protest is aimed at supporting a convicted person. “The court asked Rahul Gandhi to apologies but he did not do it because of his arrogance,” he said. Speaking in similar vein, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi termed it ‘a brazen display of arrogance. “It is against the country’s Constitution and the court’s verdict against Rahul Gandhi to justify his remarks against the ‘entire backward community’ of the country he said. ,” Dubbing the agitation as an insult to Mahatma Gandhi who organised Satyagrahas only for social causes, he said the Congress is doing it for political and personal causes of a convicted person. He alleged the Sankalp Satyagraha has nothing to do with fighting for truth, adding that Rahul was convicted by a court after due legal process and his disqualification as Lok Sabha MP came as a natural corollary . Questioning the real purpose of the Satyagraha, the BJP leader said: “Is it to justify the way you insulted the entire backward community of the country, or against the court which sentenced you, or against the provision under which you have to be disqualified?” Trivedi alleged that some Congress leaders, who were allegedly involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, participated in the party’s agitation. “They still want one set of laws for common people and another for their family he charged. ,” Amid encouraging reports of a record number of Olive Ridley turtles laying eggs on Odisha coastline, a recent study by a group of researchers claimed the changing cyclone patterns along the east coast has been posing a severe threat to their survival. The climatic phenomenon is also forcing the sea turtles to look for new and safer locations. The study ‘Impact assessment of severe cyclonic storm Asani on the nesting grounds of Olive Ridley turtle, Rushikulya Estuary and spit in Odisha’ conducted by 12 researchers from four universities in India and Brazil revealed cyclones caused heavy erosion and morphological changes along the shoreline and sand spit near the Rushikulya region, a critical habitat for turtles. The frequency of seStudy region - Rushikulya estuary in vere cyclonic storms Ganjam district (SCSs) that hit Odisha follows a bimodal pattern. The south coast region that is mostly affected by cyclones is one of the main breeding sites for endangered Olive Ridley turtles that follow a specific schedule in space and time for the mass nesting behaviour. The most frequent season of SCS is post-monsoon autumn (October), which is followed by pre-monsoon summer (May). The state has recorded 396 cyclonic events - depression, cyclonic storm and SCSs in last 130 years. The last decade (2010-2020) had the highest contribution of about 20 Continued on P5 per cent of SCSs in coastal Odisha.  E x p r e ss N e ws Se r v i c e @ Bidar/Bengaluru Defending the Karnataka government’s decision to withdraw a 4% reservation for Muslims in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category recently and distributing it among Lingayats and Vokkaligas, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the Constitution has no provision to provide reservation to any particular religion. Congress leaders termed it an attempt to create hatred. Hitting out at them, Shah appreciated the Basavaraj Bommai government’s decision to use that 4% reservation to increase the quota for Lingayats and Vokkaligas by 2% each. In a major decision on Friday, the Karnataka cabinet scrapped the 4% OBC quota for Muslims under 2B category and moved them to the Economic Weaker Section. The freed-up quota was used to increase the reservation Actor Innocent dies The veteran Malayalam actor and former Kerala MP, who had been batlling cancer for the past few years, breathed his last at a private hospital in Kochi. for Vokkaligas from 4% to 6% and for Lingayats from 5% to 7%. Shah, who was speaking after unveiling a statue of Sardar Vallabhabhai Patel at the Martyrs’ Memorial at Gorta village in Bidar district, alleged that the previous Congress government had provided the 4% quota to appease the minorities. ‘No provision for reservation based on religion’ Union home minister Amit Shah said there is no provision in the Constitution to give reservation based on religion. “The BJP never believes in appeasement. So, it decided to change the reservation,” Shah said strongly defending the state government’s decision No rest till BJD is ousted from power: Samal to BJP workers E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bhubaneswar THE newly-appointed president of BJP’s state unit Manmohan Samal on Sunday asserted that his party will come to power in Odisha in 2024 with absolute majority . After getting a rousing reception at the state party office here, Samal in his address to BJP workers said the BJD government is on its way out as the people are completely disillusioned with its misrule and failure on many fronts. Acknowledging the hard task ahead, the third time president gave a clarion call to party workers to take a pledge not to take rest till the ouster of BJD from power. “The BJP has come a long way from being dubbed as a sign board party to the position of main Opposition replacing the Congress. With a popular mandate of nearly 39 per cent vote, the party needs a little push to reach the goal post,” he said. Superb Sunday 4 Manmohan Samal addresses party workers in Bhubaneswar | Express Dropping the hint that election may happen anytime soon in the state as the BJD is contemplating to advance the election to 2023, he said the regional party has started feeling unnerved after getting to know that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most popular leader with approval rating of 91 per cent and the BJP has popular rating of 78 per cent. “The next Assembly election may happen anytime, may be after three months or six months. We must stay ready and there is no time for rest,” he said. He called upon This was India’s fourth gold at the world women’s boxing championships. The last time India had won four gold medals was in 2006 (New Delhi) party workers to make up their mind that they will return to their homes only after the election is over. “I am ready to work day and night. I need your support. We must set aside our difference till the common goal is achieved,” he exhorted. Well-known for his composure and organisational skills, Samal told party workers that there is no alternative to hard work. In his address, Sundargarh MP Jual Oram said the BJD has surpassed the records of the Congress as corruption has spread to all levels of administration. The people are feeling disgusted and they want to get rid of it as soon as possible. With the appointment of Samal, national BJP vice-president Baijayant Panda said, the notice period of the state government has started. The party is confident that Samal with his rich experience will be able to bring it to power. mumbai high Nikhat stars Nikhat Zareen dug deep in the final to claim her second world title. Fighting in 50kg for the first time in the the event, she got the better of Nguyen Thi Tam of Vietnam 5-0. She had won the 2022 edition in 52kg Lovely Borgohain Frequent cyclonic storms pose threat to sea turtles: Study Hem a n t K u m a r R o u t @ Bhubaneswar Shah backs scrapping of Muslim quota; Cong cross Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain also had a gruelling fight. She was tested to the extreme by Australia’s Caitlyn Parker in the 75kg final. But her hand was raised after an absorbing final to make it four out of four for the hosts. This is her third medal and first title in the worlds Satwik-Chirag’s swiss victory Men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty beat China’s Ren Xiang Yu and Tan Qiang in the final of the Swiss Open Super 300 badminton tournament. The 2022 World Championships bronze medallist beat the world No. 21 pair 21-19, 24-22 Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals by seven wickets to lift the first Women’s Premier League Sciver-Brunt again After restricting Delhi Capitals to 131/9 in the final, Mumbai overhauled the target with three balls to spare. Nat Sciver-Brunt led the charge with an unbeaten 60, while MI skipper supported her with a well-made 37. MI’s Issy Wong got two wickets of three balls in her first over to put brakes on Delhi Capitals | P11 Overall, it was the fifth career world tour title for the Indian pair, who had claimed the India Open and French Open last year, besides securing the Thailand Open in 2019 and Hyerabad Open in 2018 Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar wondered whether Lingayats and Vokkaligas had asked the government to take away the minority reservation to give it to them. “The existing 56% cap on reservation should have been expanded to increase the reservation for the two communities. Lingayats had asked for a 15% quota and Vokkaligas 12%,” he said. “Why is the BJP government trying to sow hatred between communities by scrapping the Muslims OBC quota? Are minorities not our people,” he asked. express read Panel seeks shorter UPSC selection time New Delhi: Asserting that the nearly 15 months long recruitment process wastes candidates’ prime years besides taking a heavy toll on their physical and mental health, a Parliamentary Committee has asked the Union Public Service Commission to reduce the civil services examination’s selection cycle. The panel also sought reasons for the low turnout of candidates in civil services examination | P7 Air India and Nepal jet almost collided Kathmandu: A major tragedy was averted on Friday when an Air India and a Nepal Airlines aircraft came close to collision mid-air but the warning systems alerted the pilots whose timely action prevented the disaster, authorities said here on Sunday. Nepal aviation regulator has suspended three employees of the air traffic controller department for “carelessness” Khalistan protest at India’s US mission Washington: A group of Khalistan supporters gathered in front of the Indian Embassy here and many of their speakers tried to incite violence. They also hurled abusive language and openly threatened Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Secret Service personnel and the local police intervened to keep situation from going out of control 24 new Covid-19 cases in Odisha Bhubaneswar: With the detection of 24 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours, the active cases inched closer to 100 in the state after more than four months. Odisha had recorded 26 cases on November 9 last when the active cases stood at 132. The test positivity rate was around 0.3 per cent | P2 animal rights No milk, please! Cow’s having an ‘off day’ M u k e s h R a n ja n @ Ranchi A day of rest after nearly a week of hard work is something that we all cherish. But, what about farm animals? They are often put to work for days on end in most places. But, two dozen villages in Jharkhand, where people give their cattle a weekly off day when no work is demanded of them, is a notable exception. Cows and buffalos are not even milked on their ‘off day’. It is a day for rest and leisure, not to mention good food. According to the elderly ani, mals remain healthy and energetic if they are given a day of rest at least once a week. The practice is followed by all cattle owners in the region and it is considered a sin if villagers make their cattle work on their designated holidays. It may sound a novel initiative but it is not. The villagers claim the practice has been in force for over a hundred years. Representative picture Sanjay Ganjhu, a resident of Turisot village under Chakla Panchayat in Latehar, said the tribals don’t take work from cattle on Thursdays, while nontribals do so on Sundays. “On Sundays, we don’t put our cattle at work, no matter how urgent it is. It has been considered a sin to take work from our cattle on Sundays,” said Rameshwar Singh, former head of Heth-Pochra Panchayat.“It is being practiced since ages which are also being followed by them without any question,” he added. District animal husbandry officials too confirmed that it has been a long-observed practice in the villages to give cattle one day off per week, when they get extra care. The practice reportedly began after an ox, which was put to regular work, collapsed and died while ploughing a field. According to villagers, it began in one village and spread to the adjacent villages.