DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 18 PAGES Projects for Assam, Bengal, PM promises real ‘poriborton’ SANTANU CHOWDHURY & ABHISHEK SAHA HOOGHLY, GUWAHATI, FEBRUARY 22 INAUGURATINGAstring of projects in the poll-bound states of West Bengal and Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday stepped up his attack against the Mamata Banerjeeled government in Bengal and said the BJP would bring “real poribortan (change)”tothestate. Addressing a public meeting at Dunlop Ground in Hooghly district, Modi said, “This time Bengal has made up its mind for poriborton (change) and the BJP will bring ashol poriborton (real change) in Bengal. It is impossible to develop the state as long as there is tolabaaz (extortion), syndicate and cut (money) culture. It cannot take place as long astheadministrationshieldsthe PM Modi at a meeting in Hooghly, Monday. Partha Paul goons. We have to ensure law and order. Aar noy anyay, amraa ashol poriborton chai (no more injustice, we want real change)." This is Modi’s second visit to Bengal this month. Sharpening his attack on the Trinamool government, the PM accused it of failing to provide CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CBI EXAMINES ABHISHEK SIS-IN-LAW PAGE 6 For a fee, House Finance panel head Sinha offers to advise, secure funds for firm JAY MAZOOMDAAR NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 22 RAISINGQUESTIONSofpropriety and conflict of interest, BJP MP Jayant Sinha, who is chairperson of the influential Parliamentary StandingCommitteeforFinance, has offered his services for an unspecified monthly fee to an entertainment company for which he has also offered to help secure“sufficientfinancingatthe right terms”. On February 12, records Must guard rights, says HC, gives Varavara Rao bail Six-month bail, court saysrightto healthpart of righttolife OMKAR GOKHALE MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 22 THE BOMBAY High Court Monday granted bail for six months to Varavara Rao, 82, held in the Elgar ParishadBhima Koregaon case, saying not doing so would amount to the court “abdicating” its “constitutional duty” as the “protector of human rights” and a violation of the fundamental right to health derived from the right to life in Article 21 of the Constitution. Turning down an appeal by the NIA for a three-week stay on the operation of the order, the high court granted bail to the poet-activist on health grounds, on a personal bond of Rs 50,000. Rao, who has been under custody awaiting trial since August 2018, was told to surrender after completion of the bail period of six months, or apply for an extension depending upon his health condition, supported by medical reports. An appeal by Rao to be allowed to return to CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 EXPLAINED THECORONASURGE PAGE 13 INSIDE DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI MP DEAD OF SUSPECTED SUICIDE IIM-C WAR: DIRECTOR WRITES TO GOVT AGAINST CHAIRMAN PAGES 5, 9 Noconflict… allmy professional workfully disclosed: JayantSinha show, after a meeting with NRI investor Arminder Singh Sawhney in which they reportedlydiscussedtheproject,Sinha wrotetoB4UNetworkCEOIshan SaksenainconnectionwithTiger Media,acompanylinkedtoB4U. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SINCE 1932 CONG-DMK ALLIANCE LOSES TRUST VOTE CongPuducherrygovtfalls, BJP,ADMKweighoptions Narayanasamy holds talks till the end, accuses BJP of ‘luring’ MLAs BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY ARUN JANARDHANAN PUDUCHERRY, FEBRUARY 22 MARKING THE end of the only Congress government in the south, with about three months left for polls, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his Council of Ministers submitted their resignations on Monday to L-G Tamilisai Soundararajan soon after a Motion of Confidence was defeated in the Assembly. The result of the floor test, which was called four days ago bytheL-G,wasonexpectedlines with the ruling Congress-DMK coalition losing majority with a NR Congress chief and Oppn leader N Rangasamy after the vote Monday. PTI spate of resignations over the last month, including two on Sunday, and reduced to 12 in a 33-member House with a current strength of 26. ButNarayanasamyremained defiant,holdingdiscussionswith Cabinet colleagues and MLAs in the Assembly complex before Rising bond yields rattle stock market: Sensex plunges 2.25% GEORGE MATHEW & SANDEEP SINGH MUMBAI, NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 22 THE RISE in bond yields across the world has disrupted the bull rally on the stock markets with the benchmark Sensex of the BSE plunging 1,145 points, or 2.25 per cent, to 49,744.32, taking the aggregate fall over the last five trading sessions to over 2,400 points, or 4.6 per cent. It closed at 52,154 on February 15. The NSE Nifty Index plunged 306 points at 14,675.70 as rising Covid cases in states like CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 entering the House, and finally leading his party in a walkout against three nominated BJP MLAs being allowed to cast their CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 MORE REPORTS PAGE 6 Markets watch bankers THE RISE in bond yields has impacted equity markets. But fund managers believe it is the direction of commodity prices and inflation that will chart the trajectory. For now, the markets are looking at the response of central bankers and for direction from them. `6.00 (`8 BIHAR & RAIPUR, `12 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 22 years after gangrape brought down Odisha govt, accused held in Lonavla AISHWARYA MOHANTY BHUBANESWAR, FEBRUARY 22 TWENTY-TWOyearsafteragangrape case rocked the Odisha government, leading to the resignation of then Chief Minister J B Patnaik in 1999, the Odisha police on Monday ar- Biswal raped estranged wife of an IFS officer. Express rested the prime accused from Maharashtra. The victim, then 29, the estrangedwifeof anIFSofficer,was travelling with a friend from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar on January 9, 1999, when their car was waylaid and she was gangraped allegedly by three men. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2