- National

- Regional

- Science

- Edit

- Business

- Foreign

- Sports

National

- NEET paper leak case: 2 teachers among 4 booked in Maharashtra

- Mamata says Bengal must be involved in any talks on sharing of Teesta water

- Kuki-Zo hold rallies in Manipur, seek U.T. for community to end ethnic strife

- Will work for consensus in Parliament, says Modi

- Business before tempest

- Resolution to rename State ‘Keralam’ passed by Kerala Assembly

- Quite unusual for HC to reserve order affecting personal liberty: SC

- Title to a home

- India, Philippines rediscovering each other, BrahMos a game changer: envoy

- India, Pak. delegations reach J&K to inspect power projects under Indus Water Treaty

- SC denies Haryana’s plea against quashing of additional marks

- BJP to mark 50th anniversary of Emergency in Delhi

- Srinagar’s ‘World Craft City’ tag will promote global links

- Opposition to wait for govt.’s Speaker candidate

- IB chief, NHRC Secretary General get extension

- HC to pass verdict today

- 18th Lok Sabha opens with 262 MPs taking oath on the first day

- NTA reform committee to take a multi-pronged view to plug gaps

- CBI takes over five cases related to NEET; Bihar EOU hands over file

- On strike

- Modi continues to be ‘arrogant’ even after moral defeat: Kharge

- Use of artificial colours in kebabs banned in State

- Kerala govt. eases treasury restrictions

- Nadda named Leader of House in Rajya Sabha

- No urgency to implead CBI, ED in NEET case, says SC

- Ilaiyaraaja’s album Divya Pasurams released

- Akhilesh Yadav draws attention as ‘giant-killer’

- Kin of 11 Indians stuck in Russia take fight to Delhi

- Chief priest complains of water seepage in Ayodhya Ram Temple

- Visas not first priority for India in FTA with U.K.: High Commissioner

- 14210

- Maternity leave for parents of child born through surrogacy

- Symbol of the formless One

- Indian Army constructs 150-ft suspension bridge in 48 hours

- Indian mission pays tribute to Kanishka bombing victims

NEET paper leak case: 2 teachers among 4 booked in Maharashtra

Shoumojit Banerjee

Pune

While one teacher was arrested, another is being questioned, say police; they allegedly shared hall ticket details of some students with the third accused Kongalwar, linked to the money trail, who forwarded them to fourth accused Gangadhar

Burning issue: NSUI activists during a protest against the alleged irregularities in NEET-UG in New Delhi. SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP

The Maharashtra Police have booked four persons, including two zilla parishad teachers, in connection with the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) question paper leak case.

One of the teachers, Jalil Umrakhan Pathan, arrested on Sunday, was produced before a local court on Monday which remanded him in police custody till July 2. The other accused teacher — Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav — was detained by the police and is being questioned, said informed sources.

Teams have been formed to nab the third accused, Iranna Kongalwar, who hails from Nanded district, and is an Industrial Training Institute instructor in Latur.

Authorities suspect the two accused teachers of having relayed hall ticket details of students to Mr. Kongalwar — an important link in the money trail — who then forwarded them to the fourth accused, Gangadhar in Delhi, who is named in the FIR filed by the Latur police.

A case was registered against the accused at the Shivajinagar police station in Latur on Sunday.

Mr. Jadhav works at a school in Solapur while Mr. Pathan is a teacher in a school in Latur district. Both ran private coaching classes in Latur and have been accused of selling exam-related information to students for money.

Authorities revealed that Mr. Pathan had not shown up at the Katpur school since June 20. Following his arrest, zilla parishad officials are said to be actively considering his suspension.

Earlier, the Nanded branch of the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) had detained both Mr. Jadhav and Mr. Pathan on Saturday and let them off after hours of intensive questioning.

Sources said the ATS team raided the residences of Mr. Jadhav and Mr. Pathan after the duo reportedly exchanged suspicious messages through their WhatsApp chats pertaining to exam hall tickets, besides financial transactions on their phones.

A Special Investigation Team has been set up under Latur city sub-divisional police officer Bhagwat Funde to investigate the case, said officials.

Mamata says Bengal must be involved in any talks on sharing of Teesta water

Shiv Sahay Singh

Kolkata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying no discussion on the Teesta river treaty should be taken up with Bangladesh without the involvement of the State government.

She said that if Teesta river water was shared with Bangladesh, lakhs of people in north Bengal would be severely impacted due to inadequate availability of irrigation water.

In her letter, Ms. Banerjee said, “It is to convey my strong reservation that no discussion on sharing of Teesta water and the Farakka Treaty should be taken up with Bangladesh without the involvement of the State government. The interest of people in West Bengal is paramount, which should not be compromised at any cost.”

Referring to the recent visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi, where issues relating to the Ganga and Teesta rivers might have been discussed, the Chief Minister said such “unilateral deliberations without consultation and the opinion of the State government are neither acceptable nor desirable.”

“Now, they are trying to give Teesta waters. As if they are kings. If they do not listen to us and take any unilateral decision, there will be protests all over West Bengal and across the country,” Ms. Banerjee said at an administrative meeting.

The sharing of Teesta waters between India and Bangladesh was to be inked in 2011 under the United Progressive Alliance II government led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but Ms. Banerjee had objected to the agreement.

In her communication to the Prime Minister, Ms. Banerjee underlined that people of West Bengal share a very close relationship with Bangladesh geographically, culturally and economically.

‘No compromise’

“West Bengal has cooperated with Bangladesh on several issues in the past,” she said. But she said she could not compromise on an issue which had “severe implications and people of West Bengal will be the worst sufferers.”

The Trinamool Congress chairperson said that the Farakka Treaty (1996) of sharing Ganga water had changed river morphology in the eastern part of India and Bangladesh over many years, which had deprived West Bengal and negatively impacted the water availability in the State.

Kuki-Zo hold rallies in Manipur, seek U.T. for community to end ethnic strife

The Hindu Bureau

New Delhi

Protesters take out a rally in Manipur’s Churachandpur on Monday demanding a solution to the ethnic violence in the State. PTI-

The Kuki-Zo tribal bodies took out rallies across the hill districts of Manipur calling for the Centre to meet their demand to carve out a Union Territory for the community, to end the ongoing ethnic conflict in the State. They reiterated that a Union Territory with a legislature, as provided under Article 239A of the Constitution, was the solution to the crisis.

At the protest rallies held in the hill districts of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Chandel, Pherzawl-Jiribam, and Tengnoupal, many speakers reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should visit Manipur and show his intent to solve the crisis in the State.

The Kuki-Zo bodies also submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through district administrations, seeking that their demand for a political solution be expedited.

Counter-protests

Meanwhile, women vendors, also known as ‘Imas’ or ‘mothers’, of the Imphal Valley, along with other civilian women’s groups, held marchesin the capital city the same day, urging the Centre to “stop supporting Kuki militants”. They held posters with slogans such as “No separate administration”.

The conflict between the valley-based Meitei community and the hills-based Scheduled Tribe Kuki-Zo people has been under way since May 3, 2023. Over 220 people have been killed and tens of thousands internally displaced.

On Monday, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum in Churachandpur said thousands of people attended the march. The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) in Kangpokpi said it too took out a march in the district on Monday, with Janghoulun Haokip of the KIM saying, “It was a massive rally reflecting the sentiments of the people for a swift solution to their political demand. Memoranda were submitted.”

In Churachandpur, BJP MLA Paolienlal Haokip spoke to the crowd of protesters, saying that Kuki-Zo MLAs had sought a meeting with Mr. Modi a year ago, but were yet to be granted audience. “So now, if Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants a solution to this crisis, let him come to Lamka (Churachandpur),” he said.

Will seek consensus in Parliament, says PM as LS convenes

Nistula Hebbar

NEW DELHI

Starting point: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the media on the first day of Parliament session. SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, the first day of the 18th Lok Sabha, struck an aggressive note, stating that his government would “strive to drive a consensus both inside and outside the House”.

He said that the people of India wanted a “good and responsible” Opposition based on “substance rather than slogans”, and not one that indulged in “drama and disruption”.

He made these remarks in his customary address before the start of a Parliament session. In a barb clearly aimed at the Congress, he also mentioned that on Tuesday, the country would be entering the 50th anniversary of the year of the imposition of the Emergency by the then Indira Gandhi-led Congress government. “It will be our endeavour that we never see such days again,” Mr. Modi said.

Opposition MPs, meanwhile, gathered in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statute, now moved to ‘Prerna Sthal’, holding copies of the Constitution, raising slogans that they would protect it. From the appointment of the pro tem Speaker to the issues in the NEET exams, the Opposition and the Treasury are in combat mode from the get go of the session.

Mr. Modi responded by signalling what he understood by the mandate of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. “People have put their stamp of approval on the intentions and policies of this government,” he said. “Our responsibilities have risen by three times. I want to assure people of the country that we will work three times more in our third term and deliver three times more as well,” he said.

‘Matter of pride’

The Prime Minister described his alliance’s win in the election as “great and grand” and “a matter of pride”, noting that this was first time in the past 60 years that a government had assumed office for a third straight term.

He said it was a matter of pride that the oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected MPs would be taking place in the new Parliament building for the first time. He said that his government would always strive to “take everyone along and build consensus to serve the country and fulfil people’s aspirations”.

Come rain or shine

Splash of colour: A toy vendor walking on the Kozhikode beach in Kerala with an overcast sky in the backdrop on Monday.K. Ragesh

Kerala House passes motion to rename the State ‘Keralam’

The Hindu Bureau

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

The Kerala Assembly, in a unanimous decision on Monday, passed a resolution proposing a Constitutional amendment to change the name of the State to ‘Keralam’.

The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, called for invoking Article 3 of the Constitution to effectuate this change in the First Schedule. This resolution mirrors an attempt from last year, which was sent back by the Centre due to procedural issues.

Quite unusual for HC to reserve order affecting personal liberty: SC

Krishnadas Rajagopal

NEW DELHI

Top court does not intervene to lift Delhi HC order pausing release of Kejriwal on bail and posts hearing for tomorrow; ED asks court to wait for HC to give verdict, adding that trial court saw this as high-profile case; CM says he is not a flight risk

1 of 2

2 of 2 What will we pass an order on now? How do we know what the High Court has on its mind? Normally orders are not reserved like this... It is a bit unusual Justice Manoj Misra SC judge

The Supreme Court on Monday did not intervene immediately to lift a Delhi High Court order pausing the release of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on bail.

Mr. Kejriwal, in turn, asked why his freedom has been curtailed despite a trial court upholding his personal liberty and granting him bail on June 20 in the excise policy case.

“If we pass an order, it would be like prejudging the issue,” Justice Manoj Misra, heading a Vacation Bench, observed.

“But why cannot I be free? The trial court judgment of June 20 is in my favour. This is a question of personal liberty. I am the Chief Minister of Delhi. I am not a flight risk nor am I going to abscond. How can bail, once granted, be stayed?” Mr. Kejriwal’s lawyer, senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, reacted.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), which had moved the High Court the very next day after the trial court granted bail to Mr. Kejriwal bail, said the High Court was scheduled to pronounce its judgment on June 25. The High Court had reserved its verdict on the ED appeal on June 21.

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor-General S.V. Raju, for the ED, urged the top court to wait for the High Court verdict.

‘Wait for HC verdict’

Agreeing, Justice Misra said it would be more appropriate to wait for the High Court to pronounce its judgment. It posted the case for June 26.

“What will we pass an order on now? How do we know what the High Court has on its mind?” Justice Misra asked. However, the Bench conceded that it was quite unusual for a High Court to reserve orders in a case affecting personal liberty. “Orders are not reserved like this. It is a bit unusual, we will have it day after tomorrow,” Justice Misra remarked.

Mr. Singhvi wondered why the Supreme Court had to be so “deferential” to the High Court and wait for it to pass an order when the latter had, without even waiting for the trial court judgment to be uploaded, suspended Mr. Kejriwal’s bail.

“Bail granted is diverse from bail cancelled… It is unprecedented to pause a bail order on the very first day of hearing… The High Court passed an order of interim stay on the oral mentioning of Mr. Raju without even waiting for the trial court order to be uploaded… We should not have suffered a stay at all. This is a question of personal liberty,” he argued.

Judicial discretion

Senior advocate Vikram Chaudhari, also for Mr. Kejriwal, said the “balance of convenience” was in favour of the Chief Minister. The trial court had used its judicial discretion to grant him bail on June 20.

The trial judge had heard both sides in detail. The judgment records the submissions of the lawyers and reasons for grant of bail. There are more than five paragraphs devoted to the grounds for bail in the trial court judgment.

“There is a judicial pronouncement granting him bail under Section 45 of the PMLA. The Supreme Court had also granted him interim bail on May 10,” Mr. Chaudhari said.

Countering, Mr. Mehta said the trial judge had seen this as a high-profile case. “Everybody is an aam aadmi before the court. The trial court asked the ED to cut short its arguments. It did not go through the papers,” he argued.

Title to a home

Sri Lankan Tamils display documents related to house allotment at the Collectorate at Udhagamandalam in Tamil Nadu. They have been given the facilities in Gudalur as part of the Chief Minister’s housing scheme. M. SathyamoorthySATHYAMOORTHY M

India, Philippines rediscovering each other, BrahMos a game changer: envoy

Dinakar Peri

NEW DELHI

In January 2022, the Philippines concluded a $375-million deal with India for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. PTI PTI

Terming the BrahMos cruise missiles inducted by the Philippines a “game changer” which provides credible capabilities, Philippines envoy Josel F. Ignacio said India was a major source for the modernisation of the Philippines armed forces which was under way. “There is a renaissance in the relationship between India and the Philippines and they are rediscovering each other,” Mr. Ignacio said on Monday.

“It [the deal] is a great milestone for both countries. BrahMos is a game changer for the Philippines in that it confers credible defence and deterrent capabilities. For India, the significance is it is the first overseas export of the BrahMos and it is an affirmation of India’s rising capabilities and of its own indigenous defence industry. In a way, it expands India’s footprint overseas,” Mr. Ignacio said, speaking at the Observer Research Foundation.

In January 2022, the Philippines concluded a $375-million deal with India for three batteries of shore-based anti-ship variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, becoming the first export customer for the joint venture missile between India and Russia. The first batch of missiles was delivered this April.

Defence is one the most visible areas seeing a renaissance and catching widespread interest on both sides, the envoy noted. Elaborating, he said, the cooperation was underpinned by a MoU on defence cooperation signed in 2006 and this was reinforced in 2017 by a MoU between the Defence Ministries on industry and logistics cooperation.

New dimension

“This opened a new dimension in the cooperation because this opened up equipment transfers and purchases that we are seeing now,” the envoy said. This MoU is further backed by an implementing arrangement concerning defence material and equipment that facilitates government-to-government procurement.

“The Philippines over the past few years has seen India as one of the major sources of modernisation of the armed forces,” Mr. Ignacio said. The Philippines armed forces are currently in Phase 3 modernisation termed Horizin-3, he said.

India, Pak. delegations reach J&K to inspect power projects under Indus Water Treaty

Press Trust of India

Jammu

The delegations of India, Pakistan arrive to inspect hydroelectric power projects under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). PTI PTI

Delegations from India and Pakistan on Monday flew to Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir with neutral experts and began inspection of two power projects under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), officials said.

Nearly 40 people reached Jammu on Sunday evening and flew to Kishtwar this morning for inspection of various under-construction power projects in the Chenab valley region, the officials said.

This is the first visit by a Pakistani delegation to Jammu and Kashmir in more than five years under the dispute settlement mechanism of the 1960 treaty.

India and Pakistan signed the IWT after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory of the pact which sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two sides on the use of waters of a number of cross-border rivers.

A three-member Pakistan delegation inspected the Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai hydroelectric power projects under the provisions of the IWT for the last time in January 2019.

Immediately after landing at an Army camp, the delegation visited the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) headquarters, the officials said, adding that they left for the 85-MW Ratle hydroelectric power project site at Drabshalla for dam inspection. They will also visit the 1,000-MW Pakal Dul hydroelectric project on the Marusudar, a tributary of the Chenab, and other power projects in Kishtwar, the officials said.

SC denies Haryana’s plea against quashing of additional marks

Press Trust of India

New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a Punjab and Haryana High Court order quashing the Haryana government’s policy of granting additional marks to its residents in recruitment exams.

Terming the Haryana government’s policy a “populist measure”, a Vacation Bench of Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Rajesh Bindal refused to interfere with the High Court order, which had held as unconstitutional the socioeconomic criteria prescribed by the Haryana government to grant additional marks to certain classes of candidates in State government jobs.

“After perusing the impugned judgment, we find absolutely no error in the impugned judgment. The special leave petitions are dismissed,” it said.

As the hearing commenced, the court expressed disinclination to entertain the case and said, “Meritorious candidate after his performance gets 60 marks, somebody else has also got 60 marks but only because (of) five grace marks he goes up. They are populist measures. How do you defend such an action that one is getting five marks extra?”

Justifying the policy, Attorney-General R. Venkataramani said the government introduced the grace marks policy to give opportunities to those who were deprived of the security of public employment.

Mr. Venkataramani also pointed to the High Court’s direction of reconducting written tests, and said the application of socioeconomic criteria took place after the written test stage and not upon the Common Eligibility Test (CET).

The top court, however, dismissed the appeal. It was hearing an appeal filed by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s May 31 order.

BJP to mark 50th anniversary of Emergency in Delhi

The Hindu Bureau

NEW DELHI

The BJP on Monday said that it would launch a nationwide programme on June 25 to mark the 50th anniversary of the proclamation of the Emergency in 1975, to “expose” what it termed the “Congress party’s authoritarianism” and “disregard for the Constitution”.

A statement by the BJP’s media cell head Anil Baluni said party president J.P. Nadda would address workers at the national headquarters in New Delhi on the theme “Dark days of democracy”.

“To expose the Congress’s authoritarianism and its disregard for the nation’s Constitution, the BJP has launched a nationwide programme,” he said.

On June 25, 1975, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announced the imposition of Emergency on All India Radio, shortly after the Supreme Court granted a conditional stay to an Allahabad High Court verdict declaring her election to the Lok Sabha null and void.

The BJP programme is significant as the recently concluded Lok Sabha election saw a major theme with regard to the Constitution and perceived fears that the BJP, if granted a brute majority in the Lok Sabha, would substantially change the Constitution and provisions of reservations for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. On Monday, Opposition MPs held a protest, on the first day of the convening of the 18th Lok Sabha, holding aloft copies of the Constitution.

Srinagar’s ‘World Craft City’ tag will promote global links

Peerzada Ashiq

Srinagar

Srinagar has earned the World Craft City tag from the World Crafts Council (WCC), a non-government organisation working to empower artisans and safeguard craft heritage globally. Saleem Beg, head of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage-Kashmir (INTACH-K), described the honour as the “latest recognition of the skill base of Kashmir”.

“This will provide a boost to Kashmir’s traditional linkages with Central Asia and Iran. There are 14 Iranian cities listed as craft cities by the Council and, the honour for Srinagar, will lead to knowledge exchange,” he said.

This is likely to re-open Kashmir’s centuries-old linkages with craft centres in Central Asia and Iran.

“The Council is the modern-day means and medium to put the focus on places that have been engaged in creativity and aesthetics for centuries. There are 14 Iranian cities listed as craft cities by the Council and, the inclusion of Srinagar, will lead to knowledge exchange. The last century saw Kashmir’s traditional routes slowly closing down, the WCC has provided a new highway for Kashmir’s artisans to achieve a new trajectory,” Mr. Beg told The Hindu.

The executive board of the WCC, in a formal communication to officials, said that Srinagar city has earned the designation of WCC-World Craft City, from members of the Council’s sub-committee after a detailed tour of craft centres earlier this year.

Opposition to wait for govt.’s Speaker candidate

The Hindu Bureau

New Delhi

The Opposition will wait for the government to share its choice of candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker’s position before taking a call on putting up a candidate for the election.

The Speaker’s election is scheduled for Wednesday, but the office of the Speaker has not seen a contest in the recent past. The convention has been to arrive at a choice by consensus as the Lok Sabha Speaker is meant to be above partisan politics.

Sources told The Hindu, the Opposition would consider about a consensus candidate once it is officially informed about the NDA’s choice. A senior Congress leader said that if a senior BJP leader like Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached out to the Opposition, then a middle path could be arrived at. As the principal Opposition party with nearly 100 MPs, the Congress is keen that it gets the Deputy Speaker’s position as past convention has been to offer the post to the Opposition.

IB chief, NHRC Secretary General get extension

The Hindu Bureau

New Delhi

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved a year’s extension in service to Tapan Kumar Deka, Director, Intelligence Bureau (IB), a government order said.

Mr. Deka, a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1988 batch and belonging to the Himachal Pradesh cadre, was to complete his two-year tenure on June 30.

Bharat Lal, a retired Indian Forest Service officer from the Gujarat cadre, received an extension of one year as Secretary-General of the National Human Rights Commission. His term was to draw to an end on June 30.

A 1988-batch officer, Mr. Lal has been serving in the NHRC in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India on a contract basis since 2023.

HC to pass verdict today

The Hindu Bureau

NEW DELHI

The Delhi HC will pronounce its verdict on Tuesday on the ED’s petition challenging the bail granted to CM Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case. The Vacation Bench, on June 21, reserved its order.

The ED had moved an urgent plea before the High Court challenging the trial court’s bail order.

18th Lok Sabha opens with 262 MPs taking oath on the first day

Sandeep Phukan

New Delhi

President administers oath to Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, whose appointment was resisted by INDIA bloc ; Opposition waves copies of Constitution inside and outside Parliament in a show of strength; PM first member to take oath

Narendra Modi takes oath for the third time as a member of the Lok Sabha inside the new Parliament in New Delhi on Monday.ANIANI

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking oath as a member of the newly constituted Lower House of Parliament.

On the first day, as many as 262 members took their oaths or affirmations. As the Leader of the House, Mr. Modi was the first to take oath, in Hindi, amid chants of “Jai Shri Ram” from the Treasury benches.

Mr. Modi, who is serving his third term as Prime Minister, took oath as the Lok Sabha member for Varanasi. While the PM was taking the oath, Opposition members rose to their feet and waved copies of the Constitution.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also displayed a copy of the Constitution but did not get up.

Opposition members greeted Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan with slogans of “NEET”.

The proceedings were chaired by pro tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, who invited the panel of chairpersons to take oath soon after Mr. Modi. However, Opposition leaders K Suresh (Congress), T.R. Baalu (DMK) and Sudip Bandyopadhyay (Trinamool Congress) did not turn up.

Mr. Mahtab was administered his oath as a member of the new Lok Sabha and pro tem Speaker at the Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu.

The Congress and INDIA had objected to Mr. Mahtab’s appointment, saying eight-term member Mr. Suresh, a Dalit leader, has been overlooked.

Before the start, in a show of strength, INDIA bloc MPs assembled outside the Parliament building holding copies of the Constitution and shouted, “Save democracy”, “Save the Constitution.” Leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Mr. Bandyopadhyay, and Mr. Baalu gathered at the spot where Mahatma Gandhi’s statue once stood in the Parliament complex.

Three members missed the oath ceremony despite their names being called. One of them is Abdul Rashid Sheikh, known as Engineer Rashid, who could not take oath as he has been in jail since 2019 after being charged by the NIA in a terror funding case. The other two MPs are Independent member Pappu Yadav and YSR Congress Party’s Y.S. Avinash Reddy.

NTA reform committee to take a multi-pronged view to plug gaps

Maitri Porecha

New Delhi

K. Radhakrishnan is the head of the panel for NTA reforms.

The seven-member high- level committee to reform the working of the National Testing Agency (NTA) constituted by the Education Ministry had its first meeting on Monday evening in New Delhi.

The NTA has been under the scanner after the paper leak controversy around the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical undergraduates broke out.

Subsequently, the UGC-NET was scrapped for “lack of integrity” and some others were postponed.

The committee is discussing how to set up a solid process for conducting various entrance examinations end to end, a top source from the Ministry told The Hindu.

Headed by K. Radhakrishnan, former Chairman, ISRO, and Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT-Kanpur, the committee includes K. Ramamurthy from IIT-Madras; Randeep Guleria, former Director of AIIMS, Delhi; B.J. Rao, Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Hyderabad; Pankaj Bansal, Board member of Karmayogi Bharat; Aditya Mittal from IIT-Delhi; and Govind Jaiswal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education.

‘Well-versed’

Commenting on the issue, V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT-Madras, said: “Prof. Ramamurthy has been associated with conducting Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) from 2004 to 2006 in leadership positions. Also, Dr. K. Radhakrishnan is well versed with the IIT system and the manner in which examinations should be conducted.”

In two months, which might offer the time for 10 sittings, the committee is supposed to come up with a clear manual to fix a data security protocol to prevent the leaking of question papers.

The committee is also examining the processes by which question papers get printed, how printers are onboarded and how to train staff to follow due processes to minimise external participation, the source said.

The Education Ministry source quoted above said that the committee is looking at adding a data security vertical in the NTA organogram, and also said that the implementation of a transparent process will require organisational restructuring of the NTA.

The committee is also expected to examine different modes of conducting examinations.

CBI takes over five cases related to NEET; Bihar EOU hands over file

The Hindu Bureau

NEW DELHI/PATNA

A protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Sushil Kumar VermaSUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday took over five cases related to the recently held undergraduate National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG).

One of the cases pertains to the alleged paper leak in Bihar’s Patna, another is based on an alleged plot to help 30 candidates in the examination in Gujarat’s Godhra, and the remaining three cases are related to the impersonation of examinees in Rajasthan.

“All those arrested by the police in the respective States will be questioned by the CBI in due course,” an official said.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has also registered a case and arrested three persons. Two of them ran coaching classes in Latur and had purportedly sold information to some students, claiming that it would help them in the NEET.

The police have also invoked the recently notified Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The CBI may take over this case as well.

Besides, the Bihar Economic Offences Unit (EOU) officially handed over the NEET exam paper leak case to the CBI.

18 arrested so far

The EOU, Patna started an investigation into the case on May 5, and has so far arrested 18 people from Bihar and Jharkhand.

After handing over the case, a senior EOU official told The Hindu that the focus of the CBI would now be on the chain of custody of the question papers, in which the statements of several persons — from the examination centre, the State Bank of India branch, and the Blue Dart courier company’s offices in Hazaribagh — had been recorded.

The Bihar EOU had earlier said a partially burnt question paper seized from the Khemnichak play school in Patna matched with the question paper received from the National Testing Agency (NTA), and the series of that question paper had been sent to the examination centre at the Oasis School in Kallu Chowk, Hazaribagh.

“The envelope in which the NEET question paper was sealed was tampered with. There was no breach from the school’s side, and if there were any loopholes, it was from the transporter’s side,” the principal of the Oasis School, Ahsanul Haque, told The Hindu.

On strike

Around 1,000 junior doctors working at Gandhi Hospital and Osmania General Hospital and approximately 6,000 junior doctors across Telangana began their boycott of work on Monday. They are seeking timely stipends and better infrastructure. G. RAMAKRISHNA

Modi continues to be ‘arrogant’ even after moral defeat: Kharge

The Hindu Bureau

New Delhi

Mallikarjun KhargeANI

Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comments on the Emergency, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said that Mr. Modi continues to be “arrogant even after his moral and political defeat”.

“PM Modi made a longer than usual customary address today. Clearly, even after moral and political defeat, the arrogance remains!” Mr. Kharge said in a post on X.

“Narendra Modiji, you are giving advice to the Opposition. You are reminding us of the 50-year-old Emergency, but have forgotten the last 10 years of Undeclared Emergency, which was ended by the people,” he added.

Recalling the Prime Minister’s words that “people need substance, not slogans”, the Congress chief said Mr. Modi should remind himself of this. Mr. Kharge said the nation was expecting the PM to say something on important issues. He said the country was hoping that the PM would show sympathy towards the nation’s youth in the wake of question paper leak in NEET and other recruitment examinations, but Mr. Modi “did not take any responsibility for the massive rigging and corruption of his government”. “Modiji also remained silent about the recent train accident in West Bengal and utter mismanagement of the Railways,” he added.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the PM had shown no evidence that he understood the true meaning of the people’s verdict “which saw him eking out only a narrow and dubious win in Varanasi”.

Now, use of artificial colours in kebabs banned across Karnataka

The Hindu Bureau

Bengaluru

After gobi manchurian, the Karnataka government has now banned the use of artificial colours in kebabs made with vegetables, chicken, and fish across the State.

An official order to this effect was issued by the Food Safety and Quality Department on June 21.

This decision comes after the department collected and analysed 39 kebab samples from various locations by government-run laboratories. Tests revealed that eight of these were unsafe owing to the presence of artificial colouring agents. While the presence of sunset yellow colour was found in seven, one had sunset yellow and carmoisine colours, which are harmful to health.

“The use of such additives is prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products, Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, as they pose health risks. Hence, the use of such artificial colours has been banned in the preparation of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian kebabs,” the order said.

The violation of these rules can lead to imprisonment, ranging from a minimum of seven years up to life term and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh under Rule 59 of the Act, the order stated, adding that all those involved in the manufacturing and sale of kebabs should mandatorily comply with the order.

In March, the government had banned the use of artificial colours in edible items such as gobi manchurian and cotton candy.

Kerala govt. reduces Treasury restrictions

The Hindu Bureau

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

The Kerala government’s Finance Department has eased the restrictions on the treasury in clearing bills up to ₹25 lakh. Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal’s office said on Monday that directions had been issued to the Treasury department to clear bills up to ₹25 lakh.

Last year, citing financial crunch, the government had placed restrictions on the treasury from clearing bills over ₹5 lakh. The government had lowered the limit from ₹10 lakh set earlier in 2023.

Last year, the restrictions were placed at the height of the State’s battle with the Centre over the latter’s fiscal policies.

The Opposition UDF, on its part, had blamed poor financial management by the LDF government for the “dismal plight” of the treasury.

As part of the directions concerning the State Treasury, the Finance department had also directed public sector units and other State-controlled agencies in December 2023 to park their funds in the State Treasury.

Nadda named Leader of House in Rajya Sabha

The Hindu Bureau

NEW DELHI

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and Union Minister J.P. Nadda has been named Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha.

Mr. Nadda replaces Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who recently won the Lok Sabha election and took oath on Monday as a member of the Lower House of Parliament.

The Rajya Sabha convenes on July 27 and is expected to conclude proceedings on July 3.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

Besides Mr. Nadda, 11 members of the Upper House of Parliament are in the Union Council of Ministers.

Congratulating Mr. Nadda, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh urged him to accommodate the views of the Opposition in the House. “As Venkaiah Naidu garu might have said — if the Leader of the House can accommodate, the Opposition can cooperate,” he posted on X.

No urgency to implead CBI, ED in NEET case, says SC

The Hindu Bureau

NEW DELHI

The Supreme Court on Monday said there was “no urgency” to issue notice in a plea to implead the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the NEET-UG examination irregularities case pending in the top court.

A Vacation Bench headed by Justice A.S. Oka did not entertain an oral mentioning by advocate Mathews Nedumpara to issue notice to the CBI and ED.

Mr. Nedumpara, representing petitioner-students led by Shivangi Mishra, had approached the Supreme Court against alleged irregularities in the conduct of the undergraduate National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET- UG).

The petitioners have also called for the cancellation of the entire examination.

The Supreme Court has scheduled the case for a detailed hearing on July 8.

Ilaiyaraaja’s album

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI

Divya Pasurams, a special album containing pasurams from the Naalayira Divya Prabhandham, set to music by maestro Ilaiyaraaja, was launched at Krishna Gana Sabha here on Monday.

In an event organised by Mercuri Foundation, from the 4,000 verses of the Nalayira Divya Prabhandham, written by the 12 Alwars, eight pasurams were chosen for the album.

Mr. Ilaiyaraaja, said that after Thiruvasagam, many well-wishers had asked him to compose music for the Naalayira Divya Prabhandham too.

But, he said everything has a time for it, and this has happened at the right time too.

As the song, Pallandu Pallandu played in the auditorium, Mr. Ilaiyaraaja handed over the first copy of the special album to Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swamy.

Akhilesh Yadav draws attention as ‘giant-killer’

The Hindu Bureau

New Delhi

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav was the centre of attention in the Lok Sabha on Monday as his party emerged as the ‘giant-killer’ in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) in the recent Lok Sabha election.

With 37 MPs, the SP has become the third largest party in the Lok Sabha, after the BJP and the Congress. Mr. Yadav was seated in the front row of the Opposition benches.

While walking out of the Lok Sabha with a few of his colleagues, just before the House broke for lunch, he was greeted by other Opposition MPs for his party’s peformance.

Kin of 11 Indians stuck in Russia take fight to Delhi

Vijaita Singh

NEW DELHI

Those recruited by the Russian Army forced to work in 12-hour shifts with barely one meal a day; authorities appear to have blocked WhatsApp, other communication methods, say relatives

Danger zone: At least four Indians recruited by the Russian Army, are known to have been killed in the war. AP

Family members of 11 Indians stuck in the warzone on the Russia-Ukraine border arrived in New Delhi on Monday seeking return of the recruits. Some went home after they were not allowed to enter Parliament or were unable to meet a government representative.

Six of the 11 men stuck in Russia hail from the same village at Kaithal in Haryana. The other five are from Karnataka, Telangana and Jammu & Kashmir. As the new Lok Sabha convened on Monday, the relatives expected their grievances to be heard.

Aman Moun, 23, from Matour village in Haryana, said his younger brother Sahil, 21, went to Russia in February after he was promised the job of a security helper by an agent. However, on arrival, he was made to sign a contract and forced to fight alongside the Russian Army. He said Mr. Sahil was hit by a grenade and is injured.

“They are forcing him to work as a night guard and during daytime, he lies in the bunker. When we call the Indian Embassy in Moscow, officials are rude and ask us not to bother them,” he said.

At least four Indians recruited by the Russian Army, are known to have been killed in the war. Russian authorities are yet to hand over the bodies of two Indians who were missing for months and whose deaths were confirmed on June 11 by the External Affairs Ministry.

The relatives said the men were being forced to work in more than 12-hour shifts with barely one meal a day. They said earlier they could video-call their relatives on WhatsApp, but Russian authorities appear to have blocked the services. Syed Nawaz Ali, a head constable with the Karnataka Police, said his son Syed Ilyas Hussaini had been stuck in the war zone for the past six months and was physically and mentally broken.

“At least two Indians who went to Russia with him have been killed. He has not been given any salary. He went there as there are no jobs here and he has studied only till Class 10. He has worked in Dubai with an airlines where he made ₹25,000 a month. He went to Russia after being lured by a YouTube channel Baba Vlogs. He was promised ₹1.5 lakh a month and citizenship rights in six months,” Mr. Ali said.

Salman Syed, a resident of Hyderabad, whose brother Sufiyan is also stuck in Russia, said, “Sometimes they get food, sometimes they do not. He is forced to live in a godown. He works more than 12 hours digging trenches and tunnels. The frequency of calls has dropped since they blocked WhatsApp, only IMO messaging service works now,” said Mr. Syed as he waited outside Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi to meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

India has taken a stern view of the Russian Army’s continued recruitment of Indian nationals for the conflict, saying this is not in “consonance” with the India-Russia partnership.

The External Affairs Ministry said on June 11 that the matter had been taken up with the Kremlin and with the Russian Ambassador in New Delhi directly, calling for the “early release and return” of all Indians in the Russian Army.

Chief priest complains of water seepage in Ayodhya Ram Temple

Ishita Mishra

New Delhi

The recent rain in Ayodhya has been leading to seepage of water inside the Ram temple, priests say. REUTERS

A complaint of water seepage has been raised by the priests of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, after the town witnessed pre-monsoon showers recently. They have also complained of the lack of a drainage system in the sanctum sanctorum, making the ritual bathing of the deity a difficult task.

The chief priest, Mahant Satyendra Das, told The Hindu that when priests reached the temple after the rain during the weekend, they found it flooded with rainwater.

“We got it cleaned. The seepage was in the part where devotees stand. We are concerned that if it rains in the day, the devotees will be affected. The matter was taken to the temple construction committee and they have assured us that the seepage problem will be fixed in a couple of days,” he said.

Mr. Das said the temple committee — Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra — built a gigantic structure with breathtaking art, but failed to understand the basic needs of the temple.

“There is no drainage available inside the sanctum sanctorum due to which it has become difficult to bathe the deity in milk and water. The priests are spending a lot of time on cleaning the sanctum. This happened because the temple construction committee never consulted the priests on how the temple should be built,” he said.

The committee should have visited some temples and spoken to priests, he added.

Commenting on the issues raised by Mr. Das, Nripendra Misra, chairman of the committee who was in Ayodhya on Monday, said that he had seen rainwater dripping from the first floor of the temple. This was to be expected because the guru mandap is exposed to the sky, he said.

“With the construction of the second floor and completion of shikhar (tower), this opening will get covered. I also saw some seepage from the conduit as the work on the first floor is in progress. On completion, the conduit will be closed,” Mr. Misra said.

He said all the mandaps had a measured slope for clearance of water and the water in the sanctum sanctorum was manually absorbed.

“There is no design or construction issue. The mandaps which are open may get rainwater, a matter which was debated but the decision was to keep it open as per Nagar architectural norms,” he said.

Visas not first priority for India in FTA with U.K.: High Commissioner

Sriram Lakshman

LONDON

Vikram Doraiswami

A request for more visas for Indian citizens, often described in the British press as one of the central challenges to concluding an India-U.K. ‘free trade’ agreement (FTA), was not the top priority for the government, Indian High Commissioner to the U.K. Vikram Doraiswami has said.

“Visas are not the first priority for us in an FTA,” Mr. Doraiswami said. He was speaking at the first session of the India Global Forum on Monday in London. The forum, an annual event that brings together Indian and British policy makers, industrialists and others, is organised by Manoj Ladwa, a corporate lawyer-turned-government affairs adviser and close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India and the U.K. have been negotiating a trade agreement since 2022, with the 14th round completed before the Indian elections kicked off in April this year. India has been seeking greater ease of movement for highly skilled professionals (such as those in the IT and healthcare fields) to come to the U.K. to deliver services. It has also sought a reduction in tariffs on a number of goods. The U.K. has wanted greater access to the Indian services sector and a cut in duties on various goods, including whiskey and cars.

“We are not seeking to be essentially looking at the FTA as a means to bring people in the U.K.,” Mr. Doraiswami said. India was looking for a reasonable level of movement of natural persons to deliver services in the territory of the trade partner (the U.K. in this case) under Mode 4 of GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services), he said. Mr. Doraiswami specifically referred to intra-company transfers, saying there were over 970 subsidiaries of Indian companies in the U.K. and that firms would want an easier movement of employees across borders.

Regarding student visas, Mr. Doraiswami said it was up to the British electorate to decide on questions such as the post-study work visa in the U.K.

The programme was recently questioned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government on the grounds that the visas were being abused as a door to migration to the U.K.

“We’re not asking necessarily that you must make this [post-study visas] a critical part of the FTA,” Mr. Doraiswami said as he suggested that Indian students would judge the attractiveness of the U.K. as an educational destination relative to, for instance, the U.S., Canada or Australia where they had opportunities to work after their degree.

Without mentioning China, he said that for India it was critical that the rules-based order and freedom of navigation were observed in the Indo-Pacific and with the capacity of all states to contribute to the security of the region. This was also an area of importance to the U.K. and other European countries. The two countries could work together on this.

(set by Dr. X)

1 of 4

2 of 4

3 of 4

4 of 4 Scan to play

Across

1 Completely engrossed in rolling sleeves till here? (2,2,3,6)

8 Exposed stealing lady's ring (5)

9 Over throne, emperor is observing (9)

11 Extremely illustrious young lady in bar is contemptuous (10)

12 Film about eating disorder (4)

14 Spins ball using cracks to take wicket finally (7)

16 Snickered as man finally considered leaving wife (7)

17 Baby, ultimately pretty, captivating everyone completely (7)

19 Artist's representation of diva turned popular, enthralling many (2,5)

21 It's found in Hawaii, winged (4)

22 Dissected necrotic area with new instrument (10)

25 Insulating material also glows perhaps (5,4)

26 Accept a proposal ending in marriage (5)

27 Reversal in attitude caused by hater (6,2,5)

Down

2 Makes out with exotic lady say, perfectly captivating (5,2)

3 Toed line by acting in a submissive manner (10)

4 Jumps to pinch old rings (5)

5 Need line desperately to stay very excited (9)

6 Starting to become blue - breathe hard (4)

7 Batter overwhelmed by thirst, somewhat pale (7)

8 Criticising a dumbo breaking device (11)

10 Impressive end to show by most amorous fellow enthralled by drinks (5,6)

13 Rivals were battling for trophies (10)

15 Extremely sexy Monroe posing over grate heartily - further words are unnecessary! (3,2,4)

18 Hot woman jogging over smooth track beside canal (7)

20 More turbulent without government, region is unstable (7)

23 Typical iftar-hosting leader of Islam (5)

24 Telecommunications network is down on vacation (1,1,1,1)

Maternity leave for parents of child born through surrogacy

Press Trust of India

NEW DELHI

The Centre has notified amended rules to allow women government employees to take 180 days of maternity leave in case they have children through surrogacy.

The government has also allowed the “commissioning mother” (the intending mother of the child born through surrogacy) childcare leave and the “commissioning father” paternity leave of 15 days, read the changes made in the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972.

“In case of surrogacy, the surrogate, as well as the commissioning mother with less than two surviving children, may be granted maternity leave of 180 days, in case either or both of them are government servants,” read the amended rules notified by the Union Personnel Ministry.

Till now, there were no rules to grant maternity leaves to women government employees in case a child was born through surrogacy.

“In case of a child begotten through surrogacy, the commissioning father who is a male government servant with less than two surviving children may be granted paternity leave of 15 days within the period of 6 months from the date of delivery of the child,” the new rules say.

The commissioning mother with less than two surviving children may be granted child care leave, reads the Central Civil Services (Leave) (Amendment) Rules, 2024, notified on June 18.

Existing rules allow “a female government servant and single male government servant” child care leave for a maximum period of 730 days during entire service.

The “surrogate mother” shall mean the woman who bears the child on behalf of the commissioning mother.

And “commissioning father” would mean the intending father of the child born through surrogacy, the Personnel Ministry clarified in the amended rules.

Symbol of the formless One

Lord Siva, who is formless, took the form of lingas to enable us to worship Him. The linga is aruparupa, because we can see it, but we cannot fully comprehend the meaning of this symbol.

Sivalingas are seen in many shapes. There are lingas shaped like an umbrella, a hen’s egg, a cucumber and the crescent moon, elaborated K. P. Nallasivam in a discourse.

There are svayambhu lingas, that is self-manifested lingas, like the one in the Ayyarappan temple in Thiruvaiyaru.

The linga in Nallur changes colour five times a day. In this context, it is worth recalling the words of Manickavachagar, who refers to Siva as the One with five colours. There is an interesting story behind the linga in the Thirukkandrapur temple.

There was a woman devotee of Lord Siva, who worshipped a linga every day. Her husband was opposed to her devotion and flung the linga into the well. So she applied sacred ash on a stake in the cow shed. Such stakes used to tether cows are called ‘kattuthari’ in Tamil.

The stake that she worshipped is enshrined in the Thirukkandrapur temple. The Saivite saint Appar has praised this deity, referring to the fact that it was once a kattuthari.

In Pandanainallur, Parvathi, in the form of a cow, shed milk on the linga. When the owner of the cow thrashed it, it jumped up. Its hoof struck the linga and left a dent in the shape of a cow’s hoof. The dent can still be seen on the Sivalinga.

Indian Army constructs 150-ft suspension bridge in 48 hours

As heavy rain continues to lash parts of Sikkim and certain areas remain cut off, the engineers of the Army have successfully constructed a 150-foot suspension bridge in north Sikkim over a flowing river in less than 48 hours. The bridge has re-established connectivity to border villages cut off in persistent heavy rain and has provided much-needed relief to the local population affected by the severe weather. The suspension bridge was launched over waters flowing at speeds exceeding 20 knots. Photographs and videos shared by the Ministry showed the bridge being given final touches by the personnel over a fast-flowing river.

Indian mission pays tribute to Kanishka bombing victims

Terming the frequent acts glorifying militancy in Canada “deplorable”, India has emphasised that no government in the world should overlook the threat of terrorism emanating from its territories for political gains. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa and consulates in Toronto and Vancouver organised memorial services on Sunday, the 39th anniversary of the 1985 bombing in which 329 persons, most of them Canadians of Indian descent, on board an Air India jet, Kanishka, lost their lives. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa said that terrorism knows “no borders, nationality, or race”.

Regional

- Omar Abdullah pitchesfor release of MP-elect Rashid, other J&K prisoners as two NC leaders take oath as MPs

- Mumbai Cong. leaders demand change at the helm ahead of Assembly polls

- Survivors of hooch tragedy in T.N. recount their brush with death on June 18

- Tamil Nadu will urge Centre to take up caste census: Stalin

- Jarange-Patil accuses Minister Chhagan Bhujbal of creating rift between Marathas and OBCs

- West Bengal Police arrest man in connection with nephew’s murder

- CM Sawant meets PM, seeks guidance to build 'Viksit Goa'

- BJD will act as a strong Oppn. in Parliament, says Naveen

- H.P. bypolls: 15 candidates in fray after nomination scrutiny

- remanded in CID custody in sexual abuse case

- New link

- ‘January 25 will be observed as Tamil language martyrs’ day’

- Forest team captures 10-year-old tiger that preyed on domestic animals in Wayanad

- LTTE asked to explain why it should not be declared unlawful

- Cannot quash POCSO cases on basis of settlement: Kerala HC

- After SIT and CBI, ED begins probe into Valmiki scam

- Nara Lokesh takes charge as Minister, clears DSC file

- In a major reshuffle, Telangana transfers over 40 IAS officers

- Wild jumbos camp inside a school, farm in Idukki

- 46,000 birds to be culled in avian flu-hit Alappuzha

- Virtual meeting of coffee farmers across country today

Omar Abdullah pitchesfor release of MP-elect Rashid, other J&K prisoners as two NC leaders take oath as MPs

Peerzada Ashiq

SrinagAR

Engineer Rashid

As two fresh faces from the Kashmir Valley took oath as Members of Parliament on Monday, the National Conference (NC) in Srinagar raised its pitch seeking the release of prisoners, especially MP-elect Engineer Rashid, who won from the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.

NC vice-president Omar Abdullah termed the oath ceremony of new MPs, including NC’s Mian Altaf Larvi and Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, “a momentous occasion for democracy”.

“It is important to acknowledge that while the people of north Kashmir have elected Engineer Rashid, he should be given the opportunity to take his oath and represent his constituents. It is equally important to recognise the injustice faced by those imprisoned, who are unable or unwilling to participate in elections,” Mr. Abdullah said.

Referring to the need to release the hundreds of locals jailed in and outside Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Abdullah said his MPs would “vociferously demand justice for all prisoners, including Engineer Rashid.”

Mr. Abdullah lost the Lok Sabha elections to Mr. Rashid from the Baramulla constituency.

“It is tough watching my party colleagues taking oath in the Lok Sabha today. Such mixed emotions, I’m proud of their victory and the opportunity they’ve got to serve the people of Jammu and Kashmir. At the same time, I am gutted I won’t be representing the people of north Kashmir. That said, life goes on,” Mr. Abdullah said.

The former Chief Minister, however, made it clear that the party’s “main demands [inside the Parliament] will be a broader amnesty for all individuals detained after August 5, 2019.”

On NEET

Meanwhile, Mr. Abdullah took potshots at the new government over the NEET scam.“While attacking the Opposition is the prerogative of the Hon PM & we wouldn’t expect BJP being humbled in the recent polls to change that, it would have been in the fitness of things for the Hon PM to spare a few words for the young men & women for whom the #NEET scandal is the only issue that matters. Exam pe charcha isn’t a one off but a long term commitment to the interests & concerns of students,” Mr. Abdullah said in a post on X.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, who too lost in the recent elections from the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, also targeted the new government.

“While hundreds of elected MPs will take oath today after their well earned victories, lakhs of students across India who toiled day and night to take multiple competitive exams will watch helplessly as their hard work goes down the drain. Parliament — India’s temple of democracy — will stand stark in contrast to the despair and despondency these youngsters have been pushed into. Hope every parliamentarian will rise above party affiliation and raise their voice for our younger generation,” Ms. Mufti said.

Mumbai Cong. leaders demand change at the helm ahead of Assembly polls

Abhinay Deshpande

Mumbai

Varsha Gaikwad

Senior Congress leaders in Mumbai have called for replacing city unit chief and Dalit leader Varsha Gaikwad to strengthen the organisation ahead of the crucial Maharashtra Assembly polls in October.

The leaders argue that Ms. Gaikwad, who has been elected MP from the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha seat, will be unable to dedicate sufficient time to organisational matters. They have also expressed dissatisfaction with her leadership style.

Speaking to The Hindu, a former Minister said that due to Ms. Gaikwad’s new responsibilities, she would struggle to focus on organisational duties. Consequently, they have urged the party high command to consider replacing her. “It’s been over a year since she assumed office, and we haven’t seen any progress. People are leaving the party due to a lack of coordination,” he claimed.

Meeting sought

In a letter dated June 16, addressed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, 16 party leaders, including Rajya Sabha member Chandrakant Handore, former city party chiefs Janardhan Chandurkar and Bhai Jagtap, and former Minister Naseem Khan, requested a meeting to discuss revitalising the party in the country’s financial capital before the Assembly election, and the overdue municipal polls.

“Over the past few months, there has been a noticeable shift in public sentiment in Mumbai especially after Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra, which concluded in Mumbai. Various other factors, including dissatisfaction with the current administration and a growing desire for progressive leadership, have created a conducive environment for the INC to regain its foothold in this crucial metropolis. However, to capitalise on this momentum, it is imperative that we focus on fortifying our organisational framework in Mumbai,” the letter stated.

Strengthening the organisational capabilities would not only boost the Congress’s electoral prospects but also help in building a sustained and impactful presence in Mumbai, it further read.

The leaders, who went to Delhi to meet Mr. Kharge, AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal and others, claim that Ms. Gaikwad failed to convene all party leaders at the city unit office during a recent protest related to UGC-NET exam issues, prompting them to organise a separate protest in the suburbs.

They also allege that despite being in office for 13 months, Ms. Gaikwad has not initiated significant efforts to mobilise the party’s grassroots.

Criticism dismissed

When contacted, Ms. Gaikwad, however, dismissed these assertions, stating she had no knowledge of the letter. “A specific group is not only opposing me but undermining everyone. Even if someone else takes over, they would criticise the new president’s work. Instead of working against party leaders, they should offer constructive suggestions to strengthen the organisation,” she said.

Survivors of hooch tragedy in T.N. recount their brush with death on June 18

S. Prasad

KALLAKURICHI

Murugan, a survivor, with his family at their house at Karunapuram in Kallakurichi.S.S. KUMAR KUMAR SS

Five days after one of the worst-ever hooch tragedies hit Kallakurichi in north Tamil Nadu, in which 58 persons have died so far, Karunapuram, the epicentre of the tragedy, is still haunted by the memories of the night of June 18.

Flex boards with victims’ obituaries have been put up in front of a number of houses in the locality, while police personnel stand guard outside a residence which, until June 18, functioned round-the-clock as a retail outlet for spurious liquor, supplying the poisonous brew to the residents.

“People in the area started falling ill and were rushed to the Government Kallakurichi Medical College Hospital on June 19. I had no idea what was happening. I lost consciousness and was soon rushed to the hospital from where I was referred to the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) in Puducherry,” recounts M. Sathya, 27, one of the survivors.

Recalling the tragic night, Ms. Sathya, a mother of two, said she had been addicted to liquor from a young age.

On the night of June 18, Ms. Sathya and her sibling Vandana, a transperson, consumed the brew purchased from the bootlegger, Kannukutty alias Govindaraj, in the locality. Govindaraj has since been arrested.

Rushed to hospital

Once the symptoms started, both of them were rushed to the government hospital from where they were referred to Jipmer. Ms. Vandana was discharged on June 24.

Another survivor Paramasivam, 54, said he had no idea that he had consumed poisonous brew.

“I went home, practically unconscious, and slept. When I woke up in the morning, I felt giddiness and pain in the abdomen. I immediately went again to Kannukutty’s place at 5.30 a.m. and bought another pouch of the hooch and consumed it,” says Mr Paramasivam. He started vomiting after getting to his house and was rushed to the Government Kallakurichi Medical College and then referred to Jipmer.

Murugan, 58, another survivor said the outlet operated by Kannukutty functioned round-the-clock and both men and women used to buy sachets of the brew and consumed them regularly.

“The joint functioned in full public view. There should be no more sale of liquor in Karunapuram,” he said.

Tamil Nadu will urge Centre to take up caste census: Stalin

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI

Responding to PMK leader G.K. Mani’s demand for quota for Vanniyars, T.N. CM says a solution can be arrived at only after such an assessment

Firm stand: Chief Minister M.K. Stalin speaking at the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly session on Monday. Special arrangement Special arrangement

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday said the government would move a resolution in the current session of the Legislative Assembly urging the Centre to conduct a caste-based census along with the general census.

Replying to PMK floor leader G.K. Mani, who demanded the implementation of separate reservation for Vanniyars, the Chief Minister said this would be possible only after a caste-based census was conducted.

“Even in Bihar, the caste-wise census has been stayed by the High Court,” he said, and reminded Mr. Mani that his party, the PMK, was part of the ruling alliance of the BJP at the Centre. Mr. Stalin said a good solution to reservation for the Vanniyars could be found only if a caste-based census was conducted along with the general census. “We have decided to move a resolution in the Assembly to press the Centre with regard to this,” he said.

When Mr. Mani said the State government could implement the reservation for Vanniyars in a manner similar to what it had done for the Muslims (internally within the Backward Classes category), Law Minister S. Regupathy said the 10.5% internal reservation for Vanniyars was quashed by both the High Court and Supreme Court because it was introduced in a hurried manner without proper data and evidence.

He said the DMK government had given terms of reference to the Backward Classes Commission Committee, and was also collecting data on education and employment. “But details on economic and social status can be collected only through caste-based census,” he said.

‘Not anti-Vanniyar’

Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar alleged that the PMK sought to project the DMK as an anti-Vanniyar party even though it was late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi who implemented the 20% reservation for the Most Backward Classes in Tamil Nadu.

Jarange-Patil accuses Minister Chhagan Bhujbal of creating rift between Marathas and OBCs

The Hindu Bureau

Mumbai

Manoj Jarange-Patil Special Arrangement

Pro-Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Monday accused Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal of using inflammatory language aimed at creating a rift between Marathas and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

“If he [Mr. Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader] wants riots to happen in the State, the Maratha community should also stay vigilant,” Mr. Jarange-Patil said. The activist also announced that the future steps for the Maratha quota agitation would be decided after July 13.

Mr. Jarange-Patil said the Maratha community was now in trouble as he was left alone. “But I will fight back and ensure that the Maratha community gets reservation under the OBC category,” he said, speaking from a hospital bed in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (previously Aurangabad).

Heightened tension

The 41-year-old activist’s statement follows heightened tensions over the quota issue, especially after a hunger strike by OBC leaders that mobilised various backward classes and prompted government intervention.

On June 13, Mr. Jarange-Patil suspended his indefinite fast over the Maratha quota issue, six days after launching it, and set a deadline of one month before the Maharashtra government to accept the community’s demands, including implementation of the draft notification that recognises Kunbis as ‘sage soyare’ (blood relatives) of Maratha community members and a law to identify Kunbis as Marathas, warning that he would field candidates on all 288 Assembly seats in the State election if his demands were not met.

In February this year, the Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passed a Bill granting 10% reservation in education and jobs to the Maratha community under a separate category.

However, the community has been demanding quota under the OBC grouping, while the OBC leaders are demanding assurance that their quota will remain unaffected.

West Bengal Police arrest man in connection with nephew’s murder

Shrabana Chatterjee

Kolkata

The Barasat Police arrested the uncle of the 11-year-old boy who was kidnapped and murdered at the town in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

The boy, who went missing on June 9, was strangulated and his mutilated body was recovered from the bathroom of his uncle’s house on June 13.

“The suspect, Enger Nabi, and the deceased boy’s father are siblings and a dispute over ancestral property led to the murder,” said Barasat Superintendent of Police, Pratiksha Jharkhariya, at a press briefing.

Following the discovery of the boy’s body, rumours of child lifting spread in Barasat, Ashoknagar, Barrackpore, and Bongaon. Police arrested four Facebook group administrators for spreading misinformation that caused violence.

Rumours on social media claimed that child abductors were active in North 24 Parganas district and they were stealing organs of young children. The Barasat Police quashed the rumours and put out a statement saying, “There is no incident of child abduction in Barasat. Don’t listen to any rumours.”

However, multiple cases of mob violence were reported in the area. Last Saturday, a homeless man was attacked in Bongaon after locals mistook him for a child-lifter. The injured man was admitted to the sub-divisional hospital.

Policemen injured

On June 21, an angry mob in Ashoknagar beat up a 28-year-old woman with mental illness while she was riding a bicycle.

Three policemen were injured trying to save her and eight suspects were arrested in the case.

Another man was beaten up in Barrackpore on suspicion of child theft.

In Barasat, three people, including a woman, were attacked. Police cars were also vandalised in the violence.

CM Sawant meets PM, seeks guidance to build 'Viksit Goa'

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and sought the latter’s guidance to build ‘Viksit Goa’ as part of the Centre’s ambitious ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ vision. A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said Mr. Sawant congratulated Mr. Modi for becoming PM for a third consecutive term and wished him a successful tenure. He also met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and invited him to inaugurate the six-lane link road connecting National Highway 66 to the Manohar International Airport in Mopa in north Goa. PTI

BJD will act as a strong Oppn. in Parliament, says Naveen

Satyasundar Barik

Bhubaneswar

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will be a strong and vibrant Opposition in Parliament and make the Centre accountable for all issues, said party supremo Naveen Patnaik on Monday.

The BJD has nine members in the Rajya Sabha, while it failed to win any Lok Sabha seat this time. A meeting of the BJD Parliamentary Party was convened in Bhubaneswar, which was attended by the nine MPs.

Chairing the meeting, Mr. Patnaik told them to “be the voice of 4.5 crore people of Odisha in Parliament. We will be a very strong and vibrant Opposition and will make the Centre accountable for all issues. BJD MPs will raise all issues pertaining to the State’s development and the welfare of the people.”

H.P. bypolls: 15 candidates in fray after nomination scrutiny

Fifteen candidates are left in fray for the bypolls in three Assembly constituencies of Himachal Pradesh after the scrutiny of nomination papers, the State election department said on Monday. The three Assembly seats — Dehra, Hamirpur and Nalagarh — fell vacant after the resignation of three Independent MLAs who had voted for the BJP candidate in Rajya Sabha elections held in February and later joined the party. In a statement, the election department said after the scrutiny, five candidates are now in the fray in Dehra, four in Hamirpur and six in Nalagarh. It added that the candidates can withdraw their nominations on June 25 and 26. PTI

JD(S) MLC remanded in CID custody in sexual abuse case

The Hindu Bureau

Bengaluru

Suraj Revanna has been arrested following a complaint by a 27-year-old male Janata Dal (S) worker; his brother Prajwal, accused in three rape cases, remanded in judicial custody for 14 days

Suraj Revanna, left, will be in CID custody till July 1, while his brother Prajwal will be in judicial custody till July 8. file photo

Janata Dal (Secular) MLC Suraj Revanna, who has been arrested in a sexual abuse case, was on Monday remanded in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for eight days till July 1.

This came on a day when his younger brother, Prajwal Revanna, accused in three rape cases and who was in the custody of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe his alleged sex crimes, was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days till July 8. He was shifted to the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara here. The SIT has taken custody of Mr. Prajwal in all three rape cases already.

Mr. Suraj was arrested by the Hassan police following a complaint by a 27-year-old male Janata Dal (S) worker that he was allegedly assaulted on June 16 by the MLC at his farmhouse in Ghannikada.

The police have filed an FIR against him under Sections 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful confinement), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC following a complaint filed by the JD(S) worker. He was remanded in judicial custody on Sunday night.

The CID took over the probe into the case on Monday. Ashok Nayak, who has been appointed as Special Public Prosecutor in the case, sought his custody for 14 days in the Special Court of Magistrate for criminal cases against former and present MPs and MLAs.

The court remanded him in CID custody for eight days. Officials of the probe agency got Mr. Suraj to undergo a medical test and began his interrogation in the sexual abuse case.

Denies charge

Suraj Revanna, who is the eldest son of Holenarasipura MLA H.D. Revanna and grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, has categorically denied the charge. He had also alleged that the JD(S) worker had filed a “false complaint” in a bid to extort ₹5 crore from him.

Mr. Suraj’s close aide Shivakumar had filed a counter-complaint against the JD(S) worker in the case, alleging that he had been blackmailing and trying to extort money from the MLC. This case is being probed by the Hassan police and it has not been transferred to the CID.

New link

Work under way on a six-lane bridge across the Phalguni river at Kulur in Mangaluru. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is constructing the new bridge on the Kochi-Panvel National Highway-66 as the old arch bridge has become dilapidated. H.S. MANJUNATH

‘January 25 will be observed as Tamil language martyrs’ day’

The Hindu Bureau

Chennai

1 of 2

2 of 2 June 3, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, will be celebrated as Semmozhi Naal Vizha M.P. Saminathan Minister for Tamil Development, Information and Publicity

Minister for Tamil Development, Information and Publicity, M.P. Saminathan, on Monday announced in the Tamil Nadu Assembly that January 25 would be observed as ‘Tamil Mozhi Thiyagigal Naal’ (Tamil language martyrs’ day) from 2025.

Similarly, June 3, which is the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, would be celebrated as ‘Semmozhi Naal Vizha’, he said during the debate on demand for grants to his departments.

Competitions to be held

Making further announcements specific to Tamil Development Department, Mr. Saminathan said essay writing competitions, elocution contests would be held for Class XI and XII students and also for college students in every district. The winners would receive cash prize totalling ₹1,88,57,000.

Besides, the works of renowned Tamil scholars such as Aru. Azhagappan, Ramalingam, So. Sathyaseelan, Ma. Ra. Arasu, Pavalar Sa. Balasundaram, Ka. Pa. Aravanan, Ka. Tha. Thirunavukkarasu, Ra. Kumaravelan, and Kavignar Ka. Vezhavendhan, will be nationalised at a cost of ₹91,35,000.

Cash prize

The authors who write high quality books, and their publishers would receive a cash prize of ₹50,000 and ₹25,000 respectively, an increase from ₹30,000 and ₹10,000, which were given earlier.

Award distribution

The Minister said a statue would be erected for Kavignar Mudiyarasan in Sivaganga district at a cost of ₹50 lakh. Besides, the ‘Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar’ award (in memory of Karunanidhi) would be instituted and given to those who contribute and work towards the development of Tamil language along with a cash prize of ₹10 lakh and a gold medal weighing one sovereign.

The Tamil Mandram building in Chandigarh would be expanded and Tamil Sangam’s auditorium in New Delhi would be refurbished at a cost of ₹50 lakh each, he said.

Forest team captures 10-year-old tiger that preyed on domestic animals in Wayanad

The Hindu Bureau

KALPETTA

The tiger has sustained injuries and lost the canine tooth on the left, forest officials say. Special Arrangement

A male tiger that triggered panic among residents in the Kenichira area under the Chethalayath forest range in the south Wayanad forest division of Kerala was captured from a human settlement on Sunday.

The big cat, aged about 10, had triggered panic among the people for the past few days after it killed several domestic animals. Its capture has come as a relief to the villagers.

A forest team, led by South Wayanad forest divisional officer in-charge P. Ranjith, set up a cage near a cattle shed at Kenichira where the animal had reportedly killed a cow recently.

The animal entered the cage at 11 p.m. on Sunday.

The predator was shifted to the nearby Irulam forest station on Sunday. After 48 hours of medical observation, the animal might be shifted to the Lion Safari Park at Neyyar, South Wayanad forest divisional officer Ajith K. Raman told The Hindu.

Poor health condition

The animal had sustained injuries and lost the canine tooth on the left, Forest Department sources said.

The health condition of the animal was poor as it could not feed properly, sources added.

The loss of the canine tooth and the wounds might have forced it to resort to lifting domestic animals, sources said.

The animal is identified as Tholpetty-17, a resident of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

LTTE asked to explain why it should not be declared unlawful

S. Vijay Kumar

CHENNAI

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal has issued a notice to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to explain why it should not be declared unlawful.

The notice comes a month after the Centre issued a notification banning the LTTE saying it was of the opinion that the organisation was still indulging in the activities which were prejudicial to the integrity and security of India.

On June 5, 2024, the Centre constituted the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, under Section 5 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, comprising Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, Judge, Delhi High Court, for adjudicating whether or not there was sufficient cause for declaring the LTTE as an unlawful association.

Accordingly, the Tribunal issued notice to the LTTE to show cause in writing on June 14, 2024, to explain within 30 days why the organisation should not be declared as unlawful and why order should not be made confirming the declaration made by the Government of India. The LTTE was also given the option to appear before the Tribunal in New Delhi on July 23, 2024, through a duly authorised and instructed Counsel/Advocate.

T.N. notifies ban

Tamil Nadu government also notified the ban on LTTE on May 18, 2024, in which it stated that the Centre was of the opinion that even after its military defeat in May, 2009, in Sri Lanka, LTTE had not abandoned the concept of ‘Eelam’ and was clandestinely working towards the cause by undertaking fund raising and propaganda activities and the remnant LTTE leaders or cadres have also initiated efforts to regroup the scattered activists and resurrect the outfit locally and internationally.

POCSO cases cannot be quashed citing settlement, says Kerala HC

The Hindu Bureau

KOCHI

The court noted that offenders may secure a settlement through threats or bribery.VIBHU H

The Kerala High Court has held that cases relating to sexual assault against a minor and cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act as well as the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, cannot be quashed merely on grounds of settlement.

Justice A. Badharudeen made the observation recently while dismissing a petition from Ivin, a dance teacher in Thiruvananthapuram, seeking to quash a case filed against him for sexually assaulting a boy on the ground of settlement. He claimed that the case had been settled between him and the parents of the victim and they had filed affidavits in support of the settlement.

“Effacing abominable offences through quashing process would not only send a wrong signal to the community but may also accord an undue benefit to habitual or professional offenders who can secure a settlement through duress, threats, social boycotts, bribes or other dubious means,” the court said.

Grave crimes or offences that have a harmful effect on the social and moral fabric of society cannot be construed as between two individuals or groups only... it has the potential to impact society at large, the court added.

After SIT and CBI, ED begins probe into Valmiki scam

The Hindu Bureau

Bengaluru

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has begun probe into the alleged illegal diversion and laundering of money from the State-run Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.

This will be the third agency probing the scam.

Even as the State government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also been probing the scam based on an FIR registered by Mumbai-headquartered Union Bank of India, alleging embezzlement of funds to the tune of ₹88 crore. The ED has recorded the statements of two key accused J.J. Padmanabh, managing director of the corporation and Parashuram, an employee of the corporation, both presently lodged at the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara here.

The scam came to light when the corporation’s accounts superintendent Chandrashekharan P. was found dead on May 26. In a note, he alleged the illegal transfer of money from the corporation to various accounts.

Till date, eight persons have been arrested in connection with the case and ₹14.5 crore has been recovered from various accused.

Nara Lokesh takes charge as Minister, clears DSC file

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resources Development, IT Electronics & Communication and RTG Nara Lokesh, after taking charge on Monday, cleared the District Selection Committee (DSC) notification-related policy file and sent it for the approval of the Cabinet. Several teachers and student union leaders called on Mr. Lokesh and congratulated him.

Telangana government transfers over 40 IAS officers

The Hindu Bureau

HYDERABAD

In the first major reshuffle of IAS officers, A. Revanth Reddy-led Telangana government has transferred and given postings to over 40 bureaucrats on Monday.

Talk on the transfer of IAS officers has been in the air for some time now, but the government did not take up the process after the notification for Lok Sabha election was issued.

As the election process culminated on June 6, the Chief Minister held a series of discussions with senior officials led by Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari and finalised the list of the officers who were to be transferred.

Elephants raid school, farm in Kerala’s Kanthallur

The Hindu Bureau

IDUKKI

Wild elephants raided the premises of St. Joseph Lower Primary School Keezhanthur near Kanthallur in Marayur of Idukki on Sunday night destroying the entrance gate and the vegetable farms.

While the school authorities said two tuskers entered the school compound, officials said that the tuskers went away from the area only on Monday morning after camping there overnight.

The wild elephants were camping on the farmlands and the school premises. This, local residents alleged, led to panic among farmers preventing them from engaging in work.

46,000 birds to be culled in avian flu-hit Alappuzha

The Hindu Bureau

ALAPPUZHA

Rapid Response Teams of the Kerala Animal Husbandry Department will cull 34,033 birds in avian flu-hit Chennam-Pallipuram, Vayalar, and Thycattussery grama panchayats in Alappuzha on Tuesday.

The birds to be culled include chickens, ducks, and quail. A meeting chaired by District Collector Alex Varghese on Monday decided to cull 12,000 chickens at the bird flu-hit Puliyoor campus of Central Hatchery, Chengannur, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Coffee Board of India to hold virtual meet of farmers today

The Coffee Board of India is organising a virtual meeting of coffee farmers from across the country on Tuesday at 10.30 a.m. The meeting would plan and discuss the coffee roadmap for the next 10 years, said M. Karuthamani, Joint Director, Coffee Board of India. Farmers could present their innovative ideas and suggestions for the comprehensive development of the coffee sector, he added.

Science

- Could the key to our maths ability be hidden in our brains?

- From within the C of machines…

- Most Indians want stronger climate action, finds survey

Sayantan Datta

Reducing mathematical proficiency to biological readouts would be like reducing the Taj Mahal to marble blocks. Instead, the findings suggest an individual mathematical performance has neurobiological and transcriptomic correlates, ‘both of which can change with social experience’

1 of 2 Researchers scanned the brains of 219 students aged 7-13 years using MRI and then measured their mathematical skills. Representative image. thisisengineering/Unsplash thisisengineering/Unsplash

2 of 2 Researchers found that students who fared worse on the assessments had a higher grey matter volume in three regions of the brain: the posterior parietal cortex, the ventrotemporal occipital cortex, and the prefrontal cortex

In a scene from The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015), a biopic of the mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, G.H. Hardy (played by Jeremy Irons) asks Ramanujan (Dev Patel), “How did you know that theorem?” “It came to me,” Ramanujan says. The scene brought to life a famous aspect of Ramanujan’s mathematical prowess: he just knew the answers to complicated problems and often didn’t explain how he derived them.

Could his biology have given him this amazing ability?

In a study published in the journal Science Advances in May, researchers at Stanford University reported finding a relationship between school students’ performance in mathematical tests and their brain anatomy.

The authors also identified genes whose expression correlated, they said, with the students’ ability to do mathematics.

These correlations could be used to predict how much a student’s mathematical proficiency might improve with tuition, the authors added.

The findings have kicked up a storm, but neuroscientists and education researchers caution against reducing complex human abilities to biological readouts.

Maths in the brain

The researchers scanned the brains of 219 students aged 7-13 years using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to generate detailed images of the body’s internal structures.

Then they measured the students’ various mathematical skills, including “arithmetic calculations, number sense, and problem-solving abilities”, Vinod Menon, director of the Stanford Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory and one of the authors of the study, said.

Their performance in these tests was used to define their “mathematical ability.”

The researchers then computed the grey matter volume for 246 regions of the brains of all the students.

Grey matter is the brain part consisting largely of neuronal cell bodies, and which has been reported to be involved in vision, listening, memory, emotions, speech, decision-making, self-control, and muscle control.

The group used a statistical tool called canonical correlation analysis to identify relationships between grey matter volume and mathematical ability.

They found that students who fared worse on the assessments had a higher grey matter volume in three regions of the brain: the posterior parietal cortex, the ventrotemporal occipital cortex, and the prefrontal cortex.

These regions have been “implicated in numerical cognition”, the authors wrote in their paper.

These students also had less grey matter in other parts of the brain, including those associated with vision, the subcortical regions, and the posterior insula.

The researchers called this pattern of higher and lower volume in different parts the “mathematical ability-related imaging phenotype” (MAIP).

Maths in the genes

The authors then investigated whether the patterns in which genes were expressed in the brain correlated with MAIP. For this, they used the Allen Human Brain Atlas, a publicly available dataset containing the expression patterns of more than 60,000 genes in around 500 human brains.

The researchers found distinct, brain-wide gene expression profiles in the brain correlating with MAIP.

Which specific genes contribute the most to this correlation? Gene ontology enrichment analysis is a method to identify genes that are over- or under-represented in a set of genes whose expression patterns correlate with a biological observation.

They found that MAIP was associated most significantly with genes expressed in synapses — sites where neurons connect to each other — and those dictating the activity of voltage-gated potassium channels (VGPCs). In the brain, VGPCs return neurons to their resting state after a stimulus ‘excites’ it.

Predictability of performance

The authors hypothesised that if MAIP and corresponding gene expression profiles really determine students’ mathematical ability, we should be able to use this information to predict how well a student can learn maths when tutored. To test this hypothesis, the team worked with two groups of students being taught maths. The first group had 24 students and they were taught arithmetic problem-solving for eight weeks. The second group had 61 students; they were taught number sense for four weeks.

Before each group was tutored, the researchers scanned the brains of its students and generated their MAIP scans. Then they computed a “transcriptome similarity index” (TSI) — a number that accounted for students’ individual MAIPs and gene expression profiles. Finally, the researchers developed a model that could predict how much a student’s TSI would improve after the learning course.

They found their predictions were very close to the observed improvement among students.

Interpreting the data right

Bittu Rajaraman, associate professor of biology and psychology at Ashoka University, who studies numerical cognition, said the findings don’t indicate mathematical ability is “in-born”. Instead, they suggest an individual mathematical performance has neurobiological and transcriptomic correlates, “both of which can change with social experience.”

Prof. Menon agreed, adding that “education quality, socioeconomic status, cultural influences, and even attitudes towards maths learning” along with biological factors play a critical role in students’ mathematical proficiency.

However, he also said it is important to study the neurobiology of mathematical proficiency because non-biological factors “manifest through biological pathways” by changing gene expression and the strength of connections between neurons.

How children learn mathematics

Upinder Bhalla, who studies memory and plasticity at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, also flagged three concerns. (i) A small cohort of participating students: “Small samples can throw up unusual results occasionally that do not stand up to large-scale analysis.” (ii) While there are correlations between MAIP, gene expression patterns, TSI scores, and the students’ performance, they’re “mostly weak.” (iii) The study doesn’t consider family income and education level of a student’s parents.

Mathematics education researchers expressed more issues. Jeenath Rahaman, assistant professor of mathematical education at Azim Premji University, Bhopal, said the brain provides only the basic structural capacity for any kind of learning. For mathematics to be accessible and meaningful to students, understanding the “relationship between learners, teachers, the nature of mathematics, and the content of maths education” is more important.

Prof. Bhalla agreed. He said reducing mathematical proficiency to biological readouts would be like reducing the beauty of the Taj Mahal to marble blocks.

Jayasree Subramanian, associate professor of mathematics and a maths education researcher at SRM University, Andhra Pradesh, also pointed to existing critiques of standardised tests, which the study also uses.

In a school classroom, she said, while students were unable to gauge whether ½ is greater or lesser than ¼, they were quick to say “aadha” (half) is bigger than “paav” (quarter) — terms they were familiar with in their own languages.

Without incorporating context when interpreting a student’s mathematical ability, Dr. Subramanian said, we may risk getting their proficiency wrong. This in turn will affect what we end up describing as the anatomical and gene expression correlates of mathematical ability, she added.

(Sayantan Datta is a science journalist and a faculty member at Krea University. Datta posts on X @queersprings.)

Vasudevan Mukunth

1 of 2 Visual: Identify the individual on the right; he helped Mr. Ritchie make the language in Q1. The one on the left is the ‘K’ in Q3. A.C. DILLER (CC BY-SA 4.0)

2 of 2

Question 1

The American computer scientist Dennis Ritchie developed the C programming language in 1972 and 1973. Name the programming language that C succeeded. Mr. Ritchie had a hand in developing this one as well.

Question 2

C is an __________ programming language. This means the language describes what each step of a computer programme should do rather than what output it should have. Fill in the blank.

Question 3

Programmers have successively improved the C language over time. In 1978, Mr. Ritchie coauthored a book called ‘The C Programming Language’. The book became very popular as an introduction to C, and the version of C used in the book was called K&R C. ‘R’ stood for ‘Ritchie’ and ‘K’ for his coauthor. Name him.

Question 4

The prevailing standard version of C — and/or currently the best supported version — in use around the world is called Standard C. The first such standard was released in 1985. It was preceded by the K&R C. Name the American organisation that publishes these standards.

Question 5

C as a programming language is _____ _____. This description is one of two possible in a popular language classification scheme based on types and terms. For example, if x is said to be an integer, ‘x’ is the term and ‘integer’ is the type. During operations, C allows ‘x’ to be treated as another type as well. Fill in the blanks.

Answers:

1. The earth’s first geologic aeon, named for a Greek god – Ans: Hadean aeon

2. Period preceding the Cryogenian known for its stability – Ans: Boring Billion

3. The Silurian period succeeded the first event of which the earth has had five – Ans: Mass extinction

4. Geologic epoch called the “new dawn” – Ans: Eocene

5. Indian State for which our current geologic era is named – Ans: Meghalaya

Visual: Jurassic

First contact: Arpit Kumar | K.N. Viswanathan | Anupama Kaki | Himanshu Verma | Gaurav Badhan

Most Indians want stronger climate action, finds survey

The Hindu Bureau

Villagers of Akhupadar village guarding the forest to prevent deforestation, in Nayagarh district, Odisha. Biswaranjan Rout BISWARANJANROUT

Around 77% of Indians who responded to a survey said they want the country to make stronger climate commitments.

The results of the 2024 People’s Climate Vote survey, conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the University of Oxford’s Department of Sociology, and GeoPoll, were published on June 20. They show a general trend worldwide of the people of most countries wanting stronger climate commitments to address climate change.

Around 33% of those surveyed in India said they think about climate change every day; more than half worry about it more relative to the previous year. Only 26%, however, think India is addressing climate change “very well.”

The survey comes right after north and central India suffered from an intense heat wave, with extreme temperatures recorded at various locations in the country.

At the same time, thousands of trees in Uttar Pradesh are likely to be felled to make way for the annual ‘Kanwar yatra,’ a Hindu pilgrimage. According to an affidavit submitted in May to the National Green Tribunal by the special secretary of Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department in response to a news report, fewer than 33,776 trees will be felled for the construction.

The Upper Ganga Canal Road (Right Bank) has been proposed to counter heavy traffic flow on National Highway 58 which passes through Ghaziabad, Meerut, and Muzaffarnagar, and chokes during the Kanwar yatra period in the Hindu month of Shravan when almost one crore pilgrims take part in long processions. The affidavit listed a district-wise detail of how many plants and trees will be impacted.

“That it is further submitted that the actual felling of trees will be less than 33,776 as the felling of trees will be done only in width of 15 meters where height of embankment is less, The calculation of affected trees (33,776) was initially done on the basis of 20-metre width,” the affidavit said.

Another extensive tree-felling project has been improved under the Union government’s ambitious ₹72,000-crore Great Nicobar Project, where 9.64 lakh trees are expected to be cut to make way for a transshipment port, an international airport, a township, and a 450-MVA gas and solar power plant on Great Nicobar island.

These are highly biodiverse evergreen tropical forests. The island itself is home to nearly 650 species of flora and 330 species of fauna, including endemic species such as the Nicobar shrew, the Nicobar long-tailed macaque, the Great Nicobar crested serpent eagle, the Nicobar paradise flycatcher and the Nicobar megapode, among many others.

Compensatory afforestation will be carried out in Haryana as “the scope of plantation in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is very limited,” former Minister of State (Environment) Ashwini Kumar Choubey had said in 2023 — a statement that hasn’t gone down well with environmentalists.

Edit

- The Court spells the way in Himalaya’s development

- From China tilt to a balancing with Beijing and Delhi

- Nicobar triangle

- Alter the status quo

- letters to the editor

- data point

- Human dignity versus religious practices

- Internal strife weakens BJD in Odisha

- fifty years ago Month x, xxxx

- a hundred years ago Month x, xxxx

- The NITI Aayog’s project in Great Nicobar

- How the PESA has boosted forest conservation in India

- Quiz yourself on India’s first-ever Test match that began on June 25, 1932

- Know your English

The Court spells the way in Himalaya’s development

Archana Vaidya a natural resource management/ environmental law consultant and a Governing Council member of the Sustainable Development Forum, Himachal Pradesh

It is a well-established fact that the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is both India’s water tower and also the critical provider of invaluable ecosystem goods and services. Despite this understanding, there has always been dissonance between the special development needs and the development model being pursued in the IHR. As the economy of the region is dependent on the health and the well-being of its natural resources, plundering the same in the name of development will inevitably and surely lead the IHR towards its economic ruin.

In view of some of the recent judgments of the Supreme Court of India, we seem to be headed towards a more robust rights-based regime where sustainable development would be a fundamental right. The tone and tenor of the Court’s judgments highlighting the competing rights of people and nature are a clear sign of the direction in which the development versus environment debate in India is headed. In State of Telangana and Others vs Mohd. Abdul Qasim (Died) Per Lrs, the Court had said that the need of the hour is to adopt an ecocentric view of the environment, where nature is at the core. The Court said, “Man being an enlightened species, is expected to act as a trustee of the Earth...The time has come for mankind to live sustainably and respect the rights of rivers, lakes, beaches, estuaries, ridges, trees, mountains, seas and air.... Man is bound by nature’s law.”

A model of destruction

According to this approach, nature is not an object of protection but a subject with fundamental rights, such as the right to exist, to survive, and to persist and regenerate vital cycles. The current development model being pursued in the IHR is in total contravention of this approach. We are witnessing a ‘bumper crop’ of hydroelectric power stations on the rivers and streams in the IHR, without any care for the rights of these rivers and streams. There is a reckless widening of existing hill roads to four lanes in the name of development — in any case, these roads are getting washed away in many places in the IHR every time a river is in spate.

A post-disaster need assessment report by the National Disaster Management Authority on the floods in 2023 in Himachal Pradesh identified, unsurprisingly, rampant construction in violation of norms, regulations (and even court orders in many cases) right on river beds and flood plains, on the steep slopes, in seismic zones, in landslide-prone areas and the loss of green cover as the reasons for the disaster. The Teesta dam breach in Sikkim and the monsoon floods and landslides in Himachal Pradesh — both events in 2023 — are a stark reminder of the havoc our development model is causing to the environment, ecology and communities, especially in the mountains. The mountains, climate, forests, rivers, air and land all are crying for their right to survive in the IHR. In whatever approach we choose to adopt, whether ecocentric or anthropocentric, there is a need to align aspirations for growth and development in the IHR with the science and the rights of both people and nature.

Intersectionality of rights

In another matter of public interest litigation (PIL) titled Ashok Kumar Raghav vs Union of India and Ors., the Supreme Court asked the central government and the petitioner to suggest a way forward so as to enable the Court to pass directions on the carrying capacity of the Himalayan States and towns. In the case of the Great Indian Bustard, the Court has recognised the right of the people of this country to be free from the adverse impacts of climate change. Unfortunately the Court’s verdict in the Great Indian Bustard case is being interpreted in a very narrow sense — as if the Court has given a clean chit to all renewable energy projects over and above the concerns for biodiversity or any other right that might get compromised. The Court is not only cognisant but also committed to the conservation of species and has underscored the importance of taking proactive measures “not reactive” to protect the Great Indian Bustard. The Court modified the previous order where a blanket ban was imposed on a very large area despite the report of the Wildlife Institute of India, which had identified 13,663 square kilometres as the “priority area”, and the rest as “potential areas” and as “additional important areas” for the Great Indian Bustard. The Court has explained in the judgement the non-viability of underground power transmission lines.

In fact, the Court has explained in detail, with examples of many international and national obligations, to explain the intersectionality between the fundamental rights enshrined in Articles 14 and 21, specifically, and human rights which include the right to development and the newly minted right to be able to adapt to climate change. The top court went on to say: “without a clean environment which is stable and unimpacted by the vagaries of climate change, the right to life is not fully realised... The inability of underserved communities to adapt to climate change or cope with its effects violates the right to life as well as the right to equality. The right to equality under Article 14 and the right to life under Article 21 must be appreciated in the context of the decisions of this Court, the actions and commitments of the state on the national and international level, and scientific consensus on climate change and its adverse effects”.

It is a given that unless infrastructure is sustainable and dependable, it cannot become the foundation for people’s pursuit of their developmental goals. Sustainability of infrastructure necessarily means that it is resilient to the adverse impacts of climate change and consequent disasters. This is essential to ensure equality, equity and equal access to people, to various opportunities all across the country — as is the mandate of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. Disasters are also known to amplify social inequality as the poor are the worst hit and the most inadequately equipped to deal with the consequences. To pursue a path of sustainable development can also be said to be a fundamental right, as a natural corollary or an integral part or a sub-set of the right to be free from the adverse impacts of climate change. The state must honour this. Hopefully, the Court’s judgment is a much-needed nudge and serves as the basis for a legal framework for necessary course correction for development in general and in the IHR in particular.

Development and disaster resilience

While there is no denying that as we are a lower-middle income country with a large and young population, rapid development is India’s destiny. The interconnection between disasters and unregulated development has become increasingly pronounced and visible. The only way forward is for disaster management to be incorporated in development planning, both from a perspective of prevention and resilience. Our actions in the name of development, in total disregard of nature in most cases, is to be blamed for these unnatural disasters resulting from natural hazards. The development plans, policies and laws that underpin them too play a pivotal role in the making of these disasters. There is an urgent need for planning stage convergence of different authorities so that when there is a plan for any development, all concerns about disaster and climate resilience are also factored in, and the project reaches implementation stage only after the green signal in these areas. We need both development and disaster resilience. We also need science, policy and action to be in conformity with each other, in an integrated approach with the involvement of all including policymakers, planners, the scientific fraternity and communities.

In view of these judgments of the Supreme Court and also the new fundamental right to be free from the adverse impacts of climate change, it is now a fundamental right for people in general and of IHR in particular to have a development model that is sustainable and in sync with the carrying capacity of the IHR.

From China tilt to a balancing with Beijing and Delhi

1 of 2 Harsh V. Pant Vice President – Studies and Foreign Policy, Observer Research Foundation

2 of 2 Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy Associate Fellow, Neighbourhood Studies, Observer Research Foundation

From calling India a “bully” to visiting New Delhi as an invitee to the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India for a third term, in June 2024, Mohamed Muizzu’s India policy is one of blowing hot and cold. Ever since his swearing-in in November 2023 as the President of the Maldives, Mr. Muizzu has embraced a “pro-Maldives” policy that reduces his country’s dependence on India, increases relations with China, and diversifies its foreign policy with others. More than six months after his swearing-in and impairing Male’s ties with India, his foreign policy is now seeing some recalibration.

Mr. Muizzu’s foreign policy is shaped by domestic and external factors. Coming to power through a party that has led the “India Out” campaign, the leader has used anti-Indian rhetoric and diversification from India to further nationalist and religious sentiments and voter base in the Maldives. Both he and his party also enjoy close ties with China and deem it as a “pro-efficient” partner that would fund their ambitious projects. Further, owing to the increasing geostrategic importance of the Maldives and Male’s interest in reducing ties with India, he hopes to deepen the Maldives’s relationship with Japan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Male’s economic difficulties

However, economic difficulties at home in Male, extra-regional powers falling short of expectations, and India’s accommodative policy are now compelling Mr. Muizzu to rethink his strategy. First, the economy of the Maldives continues to be in deep trouble — there are increasing debt maturities, low revenues, and a decline in foreign reserves. It has a debt-to-GDP ratio of 110% and a foreign reserve of $622 million, while its annual debt servicing accounts for $512 million for 2024 and 2025, and around one billion in 2026. With its heavy dependence on imports, food and fuel inflation, and a low production base, the government is struggling to maintain its foreign reserves. It has even convinced its top import partners, India and China, to pay for imports in local currency.

Ties with China and India’s policy

Second, China is falling short of Male’s expectations. Mr. Muizzu’s visit to China in January 2024 saw both countries signing over 20 Memorandum of Understanding. There was also agreement to revive the Belt and Road Initiative projects and free trade agreement with China. The Maldives also signed a defence pact with China in March 2024, has agreed to explore implementing the Global Security Initiative, has upgraded the relations to a ‘China-Maldives Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership’ from 2024 to 2028, and even permitted a Chinese ‘spy’ ship to dock in Male. On its part, besides a few strategic investments, Beijing is hesitant to invest in the country’s mega-infrastructure. China’s focus is on community development and housing projects, and capacity-building initiatives.

Reports estimate that the Maldives owes China around $1.5 billion. While China promised a five years’ debt relief earlier, it is now disclosed that debt relief would complicate the prospects of future borrowing. The Chinese Ambassador has also expressed wariness in offering new loans because of Male’s increasing debt burden, declaring that Beijing would assist in the form of grants. This has fractured Mr. Muizzu’s hopes of attracting funds and investments from China, which happens through commercial loans, and not grants. Similarly, other countries have also been slow to reciprocate to his demands of economic partnerships and have primarily focused on capacity building and maritime security due to their other strategic preoccupations and commitments.

Third, India’s accommodative policy and fulfilment of Mr. Muizzu’s demands and requests have facilitated this rapprochement.

First, India has maintained high-level engagements despite Male’s anti-Indian rhetoric and close relations with China. India’s Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar has met his Maldivian counterpart on multiple occasions. In addition, India replaced its 76 military personnel with civilian experts at the request of the new Maldivian government. It has increased its development assistance from ₹400 crore to ₹600 crore (a 50% increase) for 2024, and its export quota of food products to the Maldives by 5%, and construction items by 25%.

The signal from New Delhi

Amid these economic hardships and China’s lacklustre response, the Maldivian Foreign Minister, Moosa Zameer, visited India in May, marking the first high-level visit of the government. India expressed to him the need to uphold “reciprocal sensitivities” and responded to the Maldives’ request by extending a $50 million treasury bill for a year on zero interest (through the State Bank of India). This visit also saw India inviting Mr. Muizzu to Mr. Modi’s swearing-in.

On India’s part, the invitation extended to Mr. Muizzu indicates that New Delhi will continue to engage with Male, regardless of who is in power. There is hope that the Maldivian leader, now with a super-majority in the Maldivian Parliament, would reciprocate India’s accommodative policy by respecting its sensitivities. On the other hand, with nearly 65% of Indian EXIM loans yet to be disbursed and prospects of additional grants and concessional loans, Mr. Muizzu hopes that the invitation offers an opportunity to improve bilateral ties with India and rescue the country’s economy.

This is not to suggest that Mr. Muizzu has embraced a pro-India policy. Along with an attempt to deepen partnerships with others, his equation with China remains unchanged. Both countries even continue to maintain regular high-level exchanges. What has perhaps changed is his realising that he cannot completely alienate India and that he would benefit more by balancing and playing one country against the other rather than taking sides. As India and China compete and try to outdo each other in the region, Mr. Muizzu is possibly betting on increasing his agency to further the Maldives’ interests.

Nicobar triangle

Without consultations, Centre should not embark on infrastructure project

The Union Tribal Affairs Ministry will be looking into the forest clearance paperwork of the ₹72,000-crore infrastructure project on Great Nicobar Island, a major initiative of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram told this newspaper. This is a significant step for the government, in its third term, as it brings to the surface the contentious and difficult choices that governments face while addressing the trilemma of infrastructure development, preserving pristine biodiversity respect and, being sensitive to the rights of the indigenous inhabitants, and tribals. The Great Nicobar Project involves developing a trans-shipment port, an international airport, township development, and a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant on the island. The project area is expected to cover over 130 sq. km. of pristine forest, and has been accorded a stage-1 environmental clearance — one of the mandatory prerequisites — by an expert committee. The government told Parliament in August 2023 that 9.6 lakh trees could be felled and ‘compensatory afforestation,’ for the loss of this unique rainforest ecosystem, had been planned, thousands of kilometres away, in the vastly different ecological zone of Haryana. The Galathea Bay in the Nicobar islands hosts multiple rare species including the leatherback turtle, and the project imperils their future.

The government contends that its motive is to leverage the strategic location with the Great Nicobar Island located only 90 km away from the western tip of the Malacca Strait, an important shipping route between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. However, critics and some of the government’s policy advisers suggest that tourism is a key imperative for the exercise. The Environment Ministry, which is a regulator of environmental policy, has opted to be secretive about the project. Details on the environmental clearance process and the appraisal process, usually a public document, have been kept under wraps. There also seems to be haste on the part of the island administration to proceed while ignoring the rights of the local tribes — the Shompen in particular — regarding consent. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, a constitutional body, has demanded an explanation from the district administration on these grounds. The National Green Tribunal had tasked a committee, headed by the Secretary of the Environment Ministry, to submit a report on the approval of forest clearances. This too is not public. Without transparency, it would be foolhardy for the government to attempt such a massive upheaval of the islands and it should, with its new mandate, immediately correct course.

Alter the status quo

The expansion of conflict in Manipur calls for decisive change

More than a year since an ethnic conflagration flared up, resulting in 221 deaths and the displacement of nearly 50,000 people, something remains rotten in the State of Manipur. The conflict has now spread to hitherto peaceful districts such as Jiribam even as the Imphal valley and other areas have seen rising extortion and abductions. The increase in armed militias in both the valley and hill areas, who are armed with weapons looted from constabularies, has contributed to this situation. For the past year, the Union government has sought to maintain a tenuous peace by subjecting the State to a de facto imposition of the provisions of Article 355 of the Constitution, without officially announcing them, even as it continues with the same political leadership so as to provide a fig leaf of power to the Chief Minister who is from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been barely involved even to seek a humanitarian pause in the conflict and to work towards a peaceful resolution, while Home Minister Amit Shah routinely calls up security briefings, but to little avail. In the latest meeting with a host of security and administrative officials, the Chief Minister was not invited. The Union government’s indecisive vacillation and the State government’s inability to rise above its leadership’s ethnic biases have ensured that the Manipur conflict remains on a slow burn even as the electorate in the State has already given a strong message on this situation. In the general election, the Opposition Congress party scored a decisive win in the Inner and Outer Manipur constituencies, despite the blatant intimidatory tactics by the militias to deter voters, especially in the valley.

The writing on the wall is clear. The persistence of the status quo is doing little to resolve the conflict and is only furthering the ethnic divide. The Union and the State governments must heed the people of Manipur’s call for change. A change in leadership is now inevitable at the helm of affairs of government but a mere shifting of chairs will not suffice. There must be a renewed attempt to curb the antisocial militias and to disarm them in the hill areas and in the valley, while simultaneously ensuring that civil society actors, who are committed to peace and amity cutting across ethnic sections, are empowered to talk to each other and work out the modalities of bringing back normalcy. The representatives of the governments in the neighbouring States and the newly elected parliamentarians can also help in bringing about a reconciliation between the hostile ethnic groups. But all this can happen only if there is a decisive change in the current state of affairs in Manipur.

Toddy tapping

I write this letter as a retired (and first) Dean of Kanyakumari Government Medical College, Tamil Nadu. Every year, many fall victim to spurious (methanol-added) arrack. Those who are addicted to arrack consume this toxic liquor. To avoid this, the government must think of opening toddy shops. Toddy is a natural product from palm and coconut trees. In Kerala, coconut toddy is common and is cheaper than Indian-made foreign liquor and arrack. Farmers can generate income for themselves and the government as well. The government should grant licences to tape toddy from palmyra trees.

Dr. Arunachalam,

Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu

The state of the nation

On going through newspapers and watching television, one is left with the indelible impression that we are fast moving away from a civil society. In the toxic liquor tragedy in Tamil Nadu, it cannot be denied that officials are involved.

What is it that is going to result from an inquiry into the NEET fiasco? The examples can go on. This is the sorry state of affairs in India. There is hardly any probity in any sphere.

N.G.R. Prasad,

Chennai

Epic upset

With their brand of attacking cricket, the Afghanistan players have proved that they are no pushovers in the shorter versions of cricket when they prevailed over the mighty Australians in the ongoing T20 World Cup (‘Sport’ page, June 24). For a country sharply divided along ethnic lines, the Afghanistan cricket team has been a unifier.

R. Sivakumar,

Chennai

Was the Ram Mandir a voting issue in the 2024 LS polls?

Ganesh Ramesh Kulkarni

Despite the temple’s popularity, economic issues such as unemployment and inflation remained critical concerns for voters

The Ram Mandir was inaugurated on January 22, 2024, and was strategically planned by the incumbent government just three months prior to the commencement of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This event garnered considerable attention across the nation, making the social landscape more fertile for the BJP, as the party intended to do.

As we know, political parties enter the electoral fray by addressing issues they believe will resonate with voters, and this year was no exception.

However, one distinctive feature of the BJP’s campaign stood out: for the first time, instead of merely promising to construct the Ram Mandir, the BJP anchored its bid for power on the completion of the temple’s construction, among other issues.

But how do Indian voters feel about the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and how did it reflect in the voting pattern in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election?

The CSDS post-poll data tries to address this question of whether the Ram Mandir resonated with the voters for a long period or was momentary. In response to an open-ended question of ‘most approved work of the BJP-led NDA government’, 22% mentioned the construction of the Ram Mandir, making it the most liked work of the BJP government. Table 1 shows the responses to the question: Which is the one work done by the Union government in the past five years that you have disliked the most?

While the Ram Mandir enjoys the highest likeability among Indians, it is notable that efforts to reduce poverty and create employment opportunities, the second and third most liked works of the BJP government, each stand at a distant 6%.

Though the Ram Mandir garnered the highest approval ratings, the CSDS post-poll further delved into understanding the ‘most disapproved work of the BJP-led NDA government’ among the section that mentioned the Ram Mandir as the most approved work of the BJP-led NDA government.

In response to an open-ended question about the ‘most disapproved work of the BJP-led NDA government’ among that section for whom Ram Mandir was the most approved work, it was discovered that 29% expressed discontent with the rise in prices, and even more concerning, 27% expressed dissatisfaction with the efforts of the government in addressing unemployment.

Increasing poverty also emerged as one of the highly disliked works of the government, with 11% expressing concern over this issue. And, other issues mentioned were in single digit percent. Table 2 shows the responses to the question: Which is the one work done by the Union government in the past five years that you have disliked the most?

It is interesting to note that while people support the construction of the Ram Mandir, they are also considerate of the economic challenges prevailing in the country, including issues such as unemployment, inflation, and poverty, among other issues.

While navigating through these multiple issues, where the Ram Mandir is the most approved work of the government along with other relatively highly disapproved work in the same section, it becomes very tricky to understand what issues will be at the forefront for the voting choice.

On this domain of voter choice, the data show that economic issues appear to take precedence over social and political issues when deciding whom to vote for.

In response to an open-ended question in the CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll study, among those who cited ‘Ram Mandir’ as the most liked work of the government, a quarter (25%) identified unemployment as the most important voting issue, while two in 10 (22%) mentioned price rise. Table 3 shows the responses to the question: Finally when you vote in the Lok Sabha election, which issue will be most important for you while arriving at your final decision about who to vote for?

A relatively smaller proportion of 19% considered the construction of Ram Mandir as a significant voting issue. This suggests a notable disparity between the issues that are considered achievements of the government and those issues that become voting issues.

Examining the voting preferences of voters who considered the Ram Mandir a significant issue, it is evident that the BJP had a substantial lead, capturing 63% of these voters.

Additionally, two in 10 of these voters were in support of the BJP allies. In contrast, only 19% of voters for whom the Ayodhya temple was a crucial issue chose the Opposition. It is also important that this question about vote choice was asked in a pre-poll study; hence, respondents were asked about their voting intentions rather than who they had voted for. Table 4 shows the responses to the question: If Lok Sabha elections are held tomorrow, which party will you vote for?

Despite the BJP’s consistent efforts, it could not fully convert its popularity into a decisive voting issue. While the Ram Mandir became a highly favoured initiative of the BJP-led NDA government, it was unable to translate this support into a widespread electoral issue. Had the BJP managed to turn this popular sentiment into a voting issue, it would have performed significantly better, as the party was the preferred choice for voters who prioritised it.

Ganesh Ramesh Kulkarni is a Research Intern at the Lokniti - CSDS

Human dignity versus religious practices

P. Selvi Advocate and Mediator at the Madras High Court

On May 17, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court allowed the resumption of “annadhanam” (offering free food) and “angapradakshanam” (circumambulation) at the final resting place of Nerur Sathguru Sadasiva Brahmendral on the eve of his Jeeva Samathi day. The practice of doing ‘angapradakshanam’ by rolling on the plantain leaves left behind by devotees after eating food from them, in the belief that it would offer spiritual benefit, had been in vogue for over 100 years. However, it was halted by a Division Bench order in a public interest litigation (PIL) petition in 2015.

Nine years later, Justice G.R. Swaminathan reinstated the practice by invoking Article 25(1) of the Constitution that guarantees the right to freely profess, practise, and propagate religion. The judge linked the belief of the devotees, who claim to derive spiritual benefit from such practice, to the right to privacy, a fundamental right under the Constitution. He argued that if the right to privacy includes “gender and sexual orientation”, it also includes “spiritual orientation”. “It should not affect the rights and freedoms belonging to others. So as long as this Rubicon is not crossed, it is not open to the State or the courts to impinge on one’s action,” he said.

The judge overlooked the people’s movement that culminated in the judicial decisions that recognised sexual orientation, which cannot be equated with a spiritual orientation, especially as angapradakshanam on the plantain leaves left behind by devotees is customary and religious rather than spiritual. He cited the Mahabharata to support his decision, arguing that spiritual benefits are conferred by rolling on leftover food. He sums it up by holding that the customary practice is protected as a fundamental right under Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(d), 21 and 25(1) of the Constitution.

Justice Swaminathan overruled the Division Bench’s order on the ground that the devotees and the trustees of the Adhistanam, who were the necessary parties in the PIL petition, were neither included as parties nor heard and held the order to be a fallacy as it suffered from an egregious breach of the principles of natural justice.

The Division Bench order noted that all devotees irrespective of their castes indulged in the practice of rolling on the leftover plantain leaves. It concluded that such religious and customary practices affect human dignity and violate the rights of equality and life under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. Despite the voluntary acts of the devotees, the court ordered the practice to be stopped immediately in 2015. The Division Bench relied on a case from Karnataka that is pending in the Supreme Court, where a similar practice was performed at the Kukke Subramanya temple in Dakshina Kannada district. The Supreme Court stayed the practice in December 2014 and directed the respondents therein not to allow anyone to roll on leftover plantain leaves.

Justice Swaminathan negates the Supreme Court order noting that the Karnataka case involved only Brahmins’ leftovers that persons of other communities rolled over, while in the present case, all devotees participated irrespective of their community. He observed that “in fact, the custom on hand points to communal amity and social integration”. The reasoning is due to the erroneous understanding of the facts in the Supreme Court case, which arose on an appeal from the Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court. Before the Division Bench, the respondents agreed that the rolling on plantain leaves ceremony would be open to all persons, and said that they would discontinue the practice of the Brahmin community alone eating the food offered to the deity as ‘naivedyam’. They also said that the food served on the plantain leaves would not have been tasted or partially eaten. It would be placed in the outer yard over which willing devotees could perform the ritual. The appeal in the Supreme Court was by the State of Karnataka which was stayed as the rituals were against public order, morality, and health, which are the restrictions on the right to worship under Article 25(1)of the Constitution.

Justice Swaminathan’s judgment focused on the devotee’s rights to continue with the ritual under the pretext of protection of their fundamental rights. However, it failed to examine the duty of every citizen to develop a scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform enshrined in the Constitution.

Existing conflict

At the heart of the judgment is the conflict between cultural relativism and universalism. The universalists argue for adoption of human rights standards, whereas the cultural relativists rely on customary laws and practices and religious beliefs. The judge has chosen the relativist argument and has moved away from the norms in international instruments, where the Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights mention human dignity. The judge failed to recognise that traditional and religious practices are steeped in superstitious beliefs and are the refuge of the ignorant and fearful, who guard against the challenge to their privileges.

It is the duty of the state to change religious and customary practices, such as rolling over leftovers, that are unhealthy, harmful, and strike at human dignity. While an outright rejection of such practices may open up a Pandora’s Box, the State could educate the believers through reason and rational discussions and pave for a community that is humane and prone to the spirit of inquiry.

Internal strife weakens BJD in Odisha

Subhankar Nayak

The party failed to secure any Lok Sabha seats, marking its worst performance

After being in power in Odisha for almost a quarter of a century, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) not only lost the Assembly election to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but also failed to win a single Lok Sabha seat in the State. The BJD’s worst performance since its inception can be attributed to multiple factors. More than the BJP’s winning strategy, the BJD’s defeat has more to do with the way it has been functioning as a political party in recent years.

First, bureaucratic hubris became a key reason behind the BJD’s unacceptability among the voters. The party functioned more as a corporate entity, with bureaucrats seen as senior managers. The roles of the BJD’s elected representatives became redundant, with district administrators being considered more powerful than local leaders. The governance’s feedback mechanism was also dependent on local officers. This hampered the popularity of the BJD leaders as they relied on the mercy of the administrators.

In rural belts, the extraordinary surge in perceived grievances of the citizenry over governance issues, as a result of administrative ineffectiveness, gave way to the paribartan (change) narrative. The everyday lives of people in these belts are greatly affected by the functioning of local block offices and police stations. Despite the introduction of pro-people initiatives, these local grievance redress centres were perceived as centres of corruption, a clear departure from the intent of the BJD in its early years.

Second, organisational failure further exacerbated the BJD’s predicament. The absence of a mechanism to deal with inner party conflicts and to accommodate the growing number of aspirants resulted in many BJD loyalists switching sides at the last moment. In most areas, displeased cadres were waiting for the opportune moment to teach the party a lesson, over issues such as faulty candidate selection and unmet long-standing demands. The top leadership, however, was too complacent, relying heavily on the towering popularity of party chief Naveen Patnaik to notice the pressing tensions on the ground. The party’s organisational secretary contesting a new Lok Sabha seat against the Union Education Minister, deserting his home district, a BJD bastion, became emblematic of the unimpressive electioneering of the BJD. The party not only lost from that seat, it was also decimated from one of its bastions.

Further, organisationally, the dependence on the bureaucratic structure was such that once the Election Commission took action against a few key officers, it rattled the party functioning. The overt centralisation within the party also prevented local leaders from countering the opponents’ tactics without permission from the top.

The BJD operates under the assumption that voters’ memories are short-lived. This approach seems to have influenced its ticket distribution strategy and announcement of populist schemes. The party chose to field many of its tainted leaders or their kins, assuming the voters had forgotten their past transgression. Moreover, the party was the last to release its manifesto. Some of the popular promises — such as free electricity or pension for the self-help group members — could not be disseminated well. While in government, it also waited until the very end (enactment of the model code of conduct) to announce some popular measures.

Third, the BJD’s ideological bankruptcy seemed to have brought more damage than good to the party. The party broke its official alliance with the BJP in 2009, citing its secular stand, but it supported almost all Bills brought by the BJP-led government in the subsequent years. The fact that Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was nominated to the Upper House by the BJD reveals a lot about the party’s confused stand. The Minister came back to Odisha to campaign against the BJD, only a few months after his nomination. Many voters were perplexed by the strange game that the BJP and the BJD were playing. The BJD cadre was left with no strong motivation to counter the BJP on the ground.

The BJD, which takes pride in winning elections continuously, has failed this time. However, the popularity of Mr. Patnaik has remained intact. If it were to revive, the foremost goal should be to establish itself as a strong political opponent of the BJP.

Subhankar Nayak is a policy researcher. X: @subhankarnayak

Likely H. Bomb Test: Agency report widely quoted in U.S.

Washington, June 24: A UNI report from New Delhi has been quoted widely in American news media to suggest that India intends to follow up its recent modest underground nuclear test with a spectacular hydrogen bomb test.

The Washington Post described the UNI as “a news agency that is heavily influenced by the Government of India and went on to add that Delhi had not commented on the agency’s report about an imminent thermonuclear test - the inference that the “Post” report drew from this was that the report had substance.

It noted that Dr. R. Ramanna, Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre had told a group of scientists two weeks ago that India planned another event “which may thrill the nation more than the May 18 underground nuclear test.”

The “Post” report by one of its Washington staff also concluded that the Indian test had set off a chain reaction among other non-nuclear weapon countries and that in the near future, Iran and Japan would also join the nuclear club.

The report suggested that Iran which, according to it, felt its claim to regional hegemony challenged by a nuclear India, would acquire nuclear knowhow and materials from France.

S.I. RY. Schools.

Coimbatore, June 23: During the year which ended 31st March 1924, seven schools were maintained by the South Indian Railway Company for the benefit of children of their employees, both Indian and Anglo-Indian, at which 540 scholars attended, which included boys and girls up to the seventh standard.

From Railway funds, from Government grant and from fees, the schools are maintained and the amounts respectively are Rs. 23,376, Rs. 6,634 and Rs. 3,923 respectively making a total of Rs. 33,933.

The number of scholarships to the children of the Indian employees, attending schools under private management amounts to a total of 186 and the sum spent is Rs. 2,840.

Provision for the year 1924-25 is made for Rs. 5,000.

The NITI Aayog’s project in Great Nicobar

Rishika Pardikar

Why has the Congress party called for an ‘immediate suspension’ of all clearances granted to NITI Aayog’s mega project on Great Nicobar island? What are the ecological and social concerns? Why is there a threat of frequent earthquakes?

Ecological wealth: A view of the Indira Point in the Great Nicobar Island of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Getty ImagesMajority World

The story so far:

On June 17, the Congress party demanded an “immediate suspension” of all clearances granted to NITI Aayog’s mega project on Great Nicobar island in the light of “violations of due process, legal and constitutional provisions protecting tribal communities, and the project’s disproportionate ecological and human cost.” The party also demanded a “thorough impartial review of the proposed project, including by the parliamentary committees concerned.” Other political parties have also raised concerns about the project. In its 2024 election manifesto, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) promised to “scrap the environmentally disastrous and pro-corporate Islands Development Plan for Andaman and Nicobar”. The Tribal Council of Great Nicobar and Little Nicobar and a host of environmentalists, wildlife conservationists, and tribal rights groups have also opposed the project.

Where is Great Nicobar and which are the communities living there?

The island of Great Nicobar is the southernmost tip of India and a part of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago that comprises 600-odd islands. It is hilly and covered with lush rainforests that are sustained by around 3,500 mm of annual rainfall. The rainforests and beaches host numerous endangered and endemic species including the giant leatherback turtle, the Nicobar megapode, the Great Nicobar crake, the Nicobar crab-eating macaque, and the Nicobar tree shrew. It has an area of 910 sq km with mangroves and Pandan forests along its coast.

The island is home to two tribal communities — the Shompen and the Nicobarese. The Shompen, around 250 in total, mostly live in the interior forests and are relatively isolated from the rest of the population. They are predominantly hunter-gatherers and are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group within the list of Scheduled Tribes.

The Nicobarese community practises farming and fishing. It has two groups: the Great Nicobarese and the Little Nicobarese. They use different dialects of the Nicobarese language (the Shompen have their own unique language). The Great Nicobarese lived along the island’s southeast and west coast until the tsunami in 2004, after which the government resettled them in Campbell Bay. Today, there are around 450 Great Nicobarese on the island. Little Nicobarese, numbering around 850, mostly live in Afra Bay in Great Nicobar and also in two other islands in the archipelago, Pulomilo and Little Nicobar.

The majority on Great Nicobar comprises people who settled on the island from mainland India. Between 1968 and 1975, the Indian government settled retired military servicemen and their families from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, among a few others, here. Around 330 households were given around 15 acres of land across seven revenue villages on the island’s east coast: Campbell Bay, Govindnagar, Jogindernagar, Vijaynagar, Laxminagar, Gandhinagar, and Shastrinagar. Campbell Bay is also an administrative hub that includes local offices of the Andaman and Nicobar administration and the panchayat. There were also short-term and long-term migrations of fisherfolk, agricultural and construction labourers, businesspersons, and administrative staff comprising foresters, engineers, teachers, etc. from both the mainland and the Andaman Islands. The construction contractors came after the 2004 tsunami. Overall, the population of settlers on the island today is around 6,000. All population data is an approximation provided by researchers who have worked in Great Nicobar.

What is the NITI Aayog project?

In March 2021, NITI Aayog unveiled a ₹72,000 crore plan called ‘Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island at Andaman and Nicobar Islands’. It includes the construction of an international transshipment terminal, an international airport, a power plant, and a township. The project is to be implemented by a government undertaking called the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO).

The plan states: “The proposed port will allow Great Nicobar to participate in the regional and global maritime economy by becoming a major player in cargo transshipment. The proposed airport will support the growth of maritime services and enable Great Nicobar Island to attract international and national visitors to experience the outstanding natural environment and participate in sustainable tourism activity.” Although NITI Aayog put forth the project in its present form, it has a long history. Plans for developing a port in Great Nicobar have been around since at least the 1970s, when the Trade Development Authority of India (now called ‘India Trade Promotion Organisation’) conducted techno-economic feasibility studies. The core aim has persisted since then — a port located near one of the world’s busiest international sea routes (the Malacca Strait) which will allow increased participation in global maritime trade.

Why is there opposition?

The mega project has been heavily criticised for its ecological costs and for potential violations of tribal rights.

The project requires the diversion of about 130 sq km of forest land and the felling of around 10 lakh trees. In January, 2021 the Indian government denotified two wildlife sanctuaries — the Galathea Bay wildlife sanctuary and the Megapode wildlife sanctuary — to make way for the project. In the same month, the government released a ‘National Marine Turtle Action Plan’ that lists Galathea Bay as a marine turtle habitat in India.

The transshipment terminal is expected to be developed at Galathea Bay, one of the world’s largest nesting sites for the giant leatherback turtle. Both this species and the Nicobar megapode are listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection Act), 1972 — the highest level of protection for wild animals under Indian law (numerous species, especially endemic ones, are likely yet to be documented in Great Nicobar given the limited number of surveys conducted so far). In November 2022, the Tribal Council of Great Nicobar and Little Nicobar withdrew the no-objection certificate (NOC) it had provided for the project stating the administration had concealed important information about the use of tribal reserve lands and that they had obtained tribal communities’ consent in a rushed process.

Some of the land classified as “uninhabited” in NITI Aayog’s plan is also part of the Great Nicobarese’s ancestral land. Since their post-tsunami resettlement, they have repeatedly sought to return to these lands — only to be met with administrative apathy. Today, the mega project also stands in the way of their demands to return.

As for the Shompen, one of the biggest threats is disease. Since the Shompen have had little contact with the outside world, they haven’t yet developed immunity to infectious diseases that affect India’s general population. Some Shompen settlements also overlap with the areas the NITI Aayog has proposed to be used for the transshipment terminal.

Earlier this month, the local panchayat of Campbell Bay raised concerns over the social impact assessment process for land acquisition for the airport. Researchers who work on disaster management have also raised concerns that proponents of the mega project have failed to adequately assess earthquake risk. The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago is located in the “ring of fire”: a seismically active region that experiences several earthquakes throughout the year. According to some estimates, the region has experienced close to 500 quakes of varying magnitude in the last decade. The area is in category V: the geographical zone with the most seismic hazard.

Rishika Pardikar is a freelance environment reporter based in Bengaluru.

How the PESA has boosted forest conservation in India

G. Sampath

The Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act empowered the Scheduled Tribes as political actors; and as they needed to protect trees for their livelihoods, it made them hostile to commercial timber and mining

Need to empower: Women from the Singapathy tribal settlement collecting firewood for fuel at the foothills of the Western Ghats in Coimbatore in 2023. PERIASAMY. MPERIASAMY M

Gulzar, Saad, Apoorva Lal, and Benjamin Pasquale (2023). ‘Representation and Forest Conservation: Evidence from India’s Scheduled Areas’. American Political Science Review (2024) 118, 2, 764-783.

The policy approach to conservation in India has long grappled with two kinds of conflicts: conservation versus resource extraction by local communities, and conservation versus ‘economic development’. The state has tended to follow a piecemeal approach, at times leaning one way, at other times the other, with the direction determined by competition between sections of the political elite at the national, state, and local levels.

In such a scenario, it goes without saying that greater the centralisation of political power, the greater the say of the national and/or state elites, which, predictably, would foster a privileging of the interests of big capital over that of local communities. In other words, deforestation driven by mining, power projects, commercial timber, big dams etc. could prevail over conservation and/or livelihoods of forest communities — a noticeable phenomenon in India. Where conservation initiatives do take off, they often follow a top-down approach, leading to situations where local communities lose access to traditional forest lands critical for their sustenance.

Is there a policy approach that might reconcile these contradictions? There is, says this paper. The authors, Saad Gulzar, Apoorva Lal and Benjamin Pasquale, argue that providing mandated political representation to marginalised communities boosts forest conservation while securing, at the same time, their economic interests. If that is so, the next question would be: what kind of political representation?

This article makes the case for a combination of decentralisation and democratisation, where marginalised local communities — living in, or in proximity to, forests — enjoy not just token political representation but have actual say in both decision-making and resource management.

The methodology

How do the authors arrive at this conclusion? They draw on a data-driven study of an institution mandated to provide precisely the kind of political representation they propose: the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA). Passed in 1996, PESA extends local government councils to Scheduled Areas. Under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, regions with predominantly tribal populations are categorised as ‘Scheduled Areas’, a territorial designation thatrecognises the customary rights of the Scheduled Tribes (ST).

Though the 73rd Amendment, passed in 1992, formalised local self-government through the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) in the non-Scheduled Areas, it did so without “mandated representation for STs”. PESA, however, took it a step further. It “introduced an electoral quota that requires all chairperson positions, as well as at least half the seats on each local government councils to be reserved for ST individuals.” Incidentally, in States where PESA has not been implemented well, as in Gujarat, for instance, the most common failure has been the absence of mandated ST representation in gram sabha committees.

This variegated governance landscape has one virtue. It offers comparable data sets of local self-governance and forest cover that differ in geography and over time for villages: with local self-government in Scheduled Areas (with mandated ST representation); for villages with local self-government without mandated ST representation; and also, villages which adopted PESA earlier, and those that did so later. In tracking these different sets of villages for rates of deforestation and afforestation over time, the authors adopt what they call a “difference-in-differences’ framework. As they explain, “We use the staggered adoption of PESA institutions across States, and within-state variation in Scheduled Areas versus non-Scheduled Areas, in a difference-in-differences framework that enables us to isolate the causal effect of ST-mandated representation on forest outcomes.”

Unlike earlier studies of this kind, which relied on field work in small communities to track local changes in forestation outcomes, this paper uses “remote-sensing microdata that have recently become available from satellites such as LANDSAT, Sentinel, and DMSP.” They use two such datasets — the MEaSURES Vegetation Continuous Fields (VCF), and the Global Forest Cover (GFC) dataset for 2001-17.

Equitable representation

Tracking the increase and decrease of tree and vegetation cover over time and across the forested areas around these different sets of villages, they found that “boosting formal representation for ST led to an average increase in tree canopy by 3% per year as well as a reduction in the rate of deforestation.” The effects were also larger for areas that had more forest cover at the start of the study period. The study also showed that the rise in tree canopy and fall in deforestation only began to happen “after the introduction of PESA elections that mandate quotas for ST.” In other words, the mere presence of PRIs or local self-government — which were introduced from 1993 — “without mandated representation for the ST, had no conservation effects.”

This was not a case of correlation but causation. When empowered as political actors, the STs had an economic incentive to protect trees, which they needed for their livelihoods centred on sale of non-timber forest produce and daily caloric intake — a dependency that made them hostile to commercial timber and mining, two deadly drivers of deforestation. As the authors sum up, “under PESA, ST are able to better pursue their economic interests which in turn leads to better forest conservation, a mechanism we call ‘forest stewardship’.”

The paper also provides qualitative and quantitative evidence for a second mechanism instrumental for improvement of overall forest health: opposition to mining interests, “where the increase to ST representation enables ST communities to resist mining and other large-scale commercial operation.” The paper finds that prior to PESA, areas close to mines experienced higher rates of deforestation. But the introduction of PESA elections led “to a greater reduction in deforestation for PESA villages close to mines”. Interestingly, they provide evidence that the introduction of PESA also “increased the incidence of conflict around mining”.

On democratic decentralisation

The study further compares the impacts of PESA with that of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA), a legislation that aimed to bolster ST rights to forest lands. It found that FRA had “no discernible additional impacts” on conservation “beyond those caused by PESA.” The paper makes a key theoretical distinction between administrative decentralisation (where the priority is efficient execution) and democratic decentralisation. It is possible to have village-level governing councils empowered with budgets for execution but lacking discretionary power on resource management. That won’t do. “Unlike administrative decentralisation, democratic decentralisation ‘refers to representative and downwardly accountable local actors who have autonomous, discretionary decision-making spheres, with the power and resources to make significant decisions pertaining to people’s lives.’”

In conclusion, if mandated political representation for marginalised communities is one institutional mechanism that can yield better results in conservation, a second, one, according to the study, is “vesting powers in a single umbrella institution — for instance, a political institution that empowers marginalised voices.” A single institution — rather than multiple ones vested with different mandates — is critical because it would be “better at recognising how to balance the dual policy objectives of development and conservation; and it can “consolidate power into a more substantive and meaningful democratic authority.”

Forest-dwelling ST communities are one of the most impoverished and politically marginalised populations in India. Fresh evidence, as seen in the findings of this paper, of complementarities between achieving conservation goals and economic development of vulnerable populations is good news for policymakers, who are duty-bound to protect their rights and ensure their welfare.

Quiz yourself on India’s first-ever Test match that began on June 25, 1932

V. V. Ramanan

Visual question: Name this tearaway fast bowler who not only took India’s first Test wicket but also topped it with figures of 5/93 in England’s first innings.THE HINDU ARCHIVESUNKNOWN

Question 1

Where was the Test held and what was the result of the match?

Question 2

The designated ‘official’ captain and vice-captain for the tour stepped down for the Test and a veteran star was chosen to lead the side. Who were the two ‘Royals’ and who earned the distinction of being India’s first skipper?

Question 3

Name the England captain, the highest scorer across both the teams, who would become ‘infamously’ famous later that year.

Question 4

Name the siblings who donned the India whites in the historic first Test.

Question 5

What distinction does fast bowler Bill Bowes share with the 11 Indians who played in that match?

Question 6

Lall Singh, who played his only Test in 1932, was not born in the Indian sub-continent. In which present-day Asian country was he born?

Questions and Answers to the previous day’s daily quiz: 1. The singles winners who won in both amateur and open eras. Ans: Billie Jean King, Margeret Court, John Newcombe and Rod Laver

2. The only player to have won all three types of titles four or more times in the open era. Ans: Martina Navratilova

3. The two players figured in the longest match to be held in Wimbledon history. Ans: John Isner of the U.S. versus Nicolas Mahut of France in 2010

4. The two players in the open era to win the Gentlemen singles without losing a single set in the entire tournament. Ans: Bjorn Borg in 1976 and Roger Federer in 2017

5. Name the two pairs of players in the open era to have won six doubles titles together. Ans: Serena and Venus Williams in Women’s Doubles and Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge in the Gentlemens Doubles

6. The only male player to have won four mixed doubles titles in the open era, each with a different partner. Answer: Leander Paes

7. The first brother–sister combination to win a Grand slam doubles title together. Ans: Tracy and John Austin

Visual: The name of the plate. Ans: It is given to the winner of the Ladies singles and its name is Venus Rosewater Dish

Early Birds: Bharath Viswanathan| Tamal Biswas

Know your English

K. Subrahmanian

1 of 2

2 of 2

“Scam (P. Krishnamurthy, Mormugao Harbour).”

“A word that is very much in the news these days. A scam is ‘a dishonest scheme; a swindle’. So a fraudulent or a deceptive operation can be referred to as a scam.

Vijay was caught in an insurance scam.

The athlete was involved in a betting scam.

I have just come up with a scam that’s bound to make us all rich.

Scam has also another meaning; it is a ‘large scale plan to smuggle and distribute illegal drugs’. Nobody is really sure about the origin of this word. In fact, most dictionaries do not include scam; it is basically American slang.”

“Curtain lecture (M. Sudhakar, Guntakal).”

“The lecture refers to the scoldings that a wife gives her husband at bed time, especially at a time when all that he wants to do is sleep! Just as we hang mosquito nets around our beds, it was common practice in England during the 17th and 18th centuries to hang drapes or curtains around their beds. When the couple got into their bed and the curtain were drawn, the wife began her complaints. Hence the expression ‘curtain lecture’. The expression became very popular during the mid 19th century when William Jerrold’s Mrs. Caudle’s Curtain-lectures was published in Punch. The expression is still in use today. It also refers to any dressing down or scolding given to anyone in private. The scolding needn’t necessarily be given by a wife, it can be anyone — parents, relatives, friends, etc. And what’s more, the place for the curtain lecture needn’t be restricted to the bedroom. It can be given anywhere; but what is important is that it should be out of earshot of others. In other words, the reprimand should not be heard by others.

My father gave me a curtain lecture on cigarette-smoking.”

“Ms. Mary Isabella Chandy, Areekattu, Quilon, writes: “I am sending you a clipping from a newspaper, depicting a scene from an episode in The Phantom serial. The queen in the picture is dressed as a bride for her fourteenth marriage. Referring to the bridegroom a lady asks, “What number husband is this?”. Her companion answers, “Fourteen”. In your ‘Know your English’ column in The Hindu dated 12-5-1987 there was an interesting discussion, relating to the framing of a direct question to elicit the information regarding the order of a person’s birth in his family. What is your opinion about an expression like ‘What number child are you in your family?’”

“It sounds odd to me, but if you like you can ask the question and say that a similar question was found in The Phantom serial. But be prepared for a long session over this with the person concerned. What is possible in the phantom world may not be possible in the real world.”

Published in The Hindu on June 23, 1992.

Business

- Current account logs $5.7-bn surplus in Q4 after 10 quarters

- Bank deposits are showing growth, but are they protected?

- SEBI to tighten rules on banker inspections

- Everton Tea India eyes new markets to raise sales volume

- Critical minerals: first six blocks awarded

- Law firms may tap Gen AI to cut errors

- Wheat stock limits to curb hoarding: govt.

- ‘Scanty monsoon spikes food prices’

- Biocon firm gets EMA nod to make Bevacizumab for Europe

- Amara Raja arm inks pact on Gotion’s Li-ion tech

- Hero MotoCorp to increase prices from July on input cost

- JM Financial arm opens Gen AI Lab for stockbroking

- Hikes, nosy neighbours afflict Zimbabwe’s rural mobile users

- European IPOs fizzle out as political turmoil roils stocks

- China, EU are open to talks on plans to hike tariffs on Chinese EVs

- For a byte of AI

- Quant MF: ‘SEBI crackdown can hit investors’

Current account logs $5.7-bn surplus in Q4 after 10 quarters

The Hindu Bureau

MUMBAI

India’s current account recorded a surplus backed by a narrowing of trade deficit to $50.9 billion in Q4 FY24 from $52.6 billion a year ago

Welcome swing: Overall, India’s FY24 current account deficit moderated to $23.2 bn from $67 bn in FY23. REUTERSFRANCIS MASCARENHAS

India’s current account balance recorded a surplus of $5.7 billion (0.6% GDP) in Q4 FY24 against a deficit of $1.3 billion (0.2% GDP) a year ago as per data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday. The merchandise trade deficit at $50.9 billion in Q4 FY24 was lower than $52.6 billion a year ago and Q4 services exports grew 4.1% year-on-year (YoY) on the back of rising software exports, travel and business services, the RBI said.

“India’s current account turned to a welcome surplus in Q4 FY24 after a gap of ten quarters, at $5.7 billion, exceeding ICRA’s more modest expectations. The turnaround to a surplus from a deficit in the year-ago period, was primarily driven by a narrowing in the merchandise trade deficit print to a ten-quarter low of $50.9 billion in Q4 FY24 from $69.9 billion in Q3 FY24,” Aditi Nayar, Chief Economist, ICRA said in her comment.

Higher services receipts

Net services receipts at $42.7 billion was higher than a year ago ($39.1 billion), which contributed to the current account surplus in Q4 FY24, it added.

As per RBI’s data, net outgo on the primary income account, mainly on payments of investment income, rose to $14.8 billion from $12.6 billion YoY.

Private transfer receipts, mainly representing remittances by overseas Indians was $32 billion, a rise of 11.9% YoY.

In the financial account, net foreign direct investment flows were $2 billion in Q4 FY24 compared with $6.4 billion a year ago.

Net foreign portfolio investment recorded an inflow of $11.4 billion in Q4 FY24 from a net outflow of $1.7 billion during Q4 FY23.

Net inflows under external commercial borrowings amounted to $2.6 billion in Q4 FY24 compared with $1.7 billion a year ago.

Non-resident deposits recorded a higher net inflow of $5.4 billion than $3.6 billion in Q4 FY23.

There was an accretion off oreign exchange reserves to the tune of $30.8 billion excluding valuation effects in Q4 FY24 compared with $5.6 billion a year ago.

Balance of payments

Overall, India’s FY24 current account deficit moderated to $23.2 billion (0.7% GDP) from $67.0 billion (2% GDP) in FY23.

Net invisibles receipt was higher during FY24 than a year ago, primarily on account of services and transfers. In FY24, portfolio investment recorded a net inflow of $44.1 billion against an outflow of $5.2 billion a year ago.

FY24 net FDI inflow was $9.8 billion compared with $28 billion in FY23.

Bank deposits are showing growth, but are they protected?

Gomathi Sundarrajan

Chennai

Most of us would have a fixed deposit with banks. But how well protected are our deposits? It turns out that only 44% of bank deposits were covered by insurance as of September 2023. And this proportion has been sliding YoY since 2021, per RBI data. In September 2022, 49% of deposits were insured while in September 2021 and 2020, it was 50.9%.

Meanwhile, with interest rates rising, there has been a growth in deposits. On an absolute basis, the year-on-year growth in value of insured deposits was 3.4% from September 2022 to September 2023. This growth was higher in previous years at 6.4% from 2021 to 2022 and 10.9% from 2020 to 2021.

In case a bank collapses, insurance on a deposit protects customers from losing their money. In India, the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the RBI, is the entity responsible for deposit insurance. The insurance cover for deposits was earlier ₹1 lakh per depositor per bank and this was increased to ₹5 lakh in February 2020.

The number of banks registered with DICGC deposit insurance has also been decreasing in the past three years. It was 2,058 in FY21, 2,040 in FY22, and then further slid to 2,026 in FY23 and 1,997 as of FY24.

The decline in insurance cover for deposits is seen across all categories of banks. As of September 2023, rural and co-operative banks had the highest coverage at 82% and 65% as of September 2023.

‘Higher cover needed’

Analysts and bankers note the current insurance cover of ₹5 lakh needs revision with growing deposits and rising inflation.

“A viable solution to this problem would be DICGC revising insurance coverage in the interval of 3 to 5 years in accordance with the inflation, thereby maintaining real value of the coverage,” Vijay Kuppa, CEO, InCred Money said. In terms of deposits insured to per capita GDP, India is still on par with European countries though behind U.S., China and Brazil, he adds.

At a talk in Rome last week, Michael Debabrata Patra, Deputy Governor of RBI, said the size of the Deposit Insurance Fund, measured by its ratio to insured deposits, at 2.02% was comparable with the global median. “The Corporation has targeted the achievement of a ratio of 2.5% by March 2028.”

During FY24, the total claims settled by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation was ₹1,431.5 crore.

(The writer is an intern with The Hindu businessline)

Regulator SEBI to tighten rules on banker inspections

Ashley Coutinho

Mumbai

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI ) may turn the heat on investment bankers, with more frequent inspections of past deals, said two people in the know.

All back-up documents for deals, including initial public offerings and qualified institutional placements, may now be required to be uploaded on a cloud-based repository maintained by exchanges 10-15 days after the draft prospectus is filed.

Supporting claims

These are documents supporting claims made in the offer documents about capital structure, promoter disclosures, objects of issue and company’s order book, among other things.

This will allow the regulator to carry out inspections more often — may be after one or two deals — rather than wait out several months. The regulator may also refuse to greenlight an offer document if the back-up documents are not as per its expectations.

At present, the law firms send a soft copy of the back-up documents to the merchant bankers only after the deal is completed. This is accessed by the regulator only during inspections, which are done every year or two at bankers’ premises.

“The new system will enable the regulator to carry out its inspections on a more ongoing basis. The matter is under discussion and the details are yet to be worked out,” said a banker.

“The timelines are being moved up and the responsibility of the bankers and lawyers will increase. It shows that the regulator is serious about maintaining certain standards of due diligence,” added a lawyer.

An email sent to SEBI did not immediately get a response.

Lead managers have to certify the disclosures made in the offer document are in conformity with SEBI norms. The regulator, however, reserves the right to take up, at any point of time, any irregularities or lapses in the offer document with the managers. The filing of offer documents does not absolve the company from any liabilities under section 34 of the Companies Act, 2013.

Inspections try to ascertain if the rules governing merchant banking were adhered to and adequate due diligence was done on past deals, especially with regard to issue objectives, capital structure and litigation.

What used to be an ad-hoc process, has now become far more stringent and streamlined in the past two years, with several banks coming under the regulatory glare, said industry officials.

(The writer is with The Hindu businessline)

Everton Tea India eyes new markets to raise sales volume

N. Anand

CHENNAI

Everton Tea India Pvt. Ltd. plans to raise tea-bag production capacity by 20% at its Sri City SEZ unit, near Nellore, to cater to the needs of export market, said a top executive.

“Currently, we are producing 2.8 million tea bags per day, and it will be increased to 3.6 million tea bags by CY25,” General Manager Roshan Gunawardhana told The Hindu.

As part of expansion, two more machines will be added taking the total to 23. It would cost about ₹20 crore and funded by the parent company, he said.

According to him, the expansion will occur in the adjacent facility and civil works will start in couple of months. With the increase in production capacity, R&D lab will be moved to the new block.

The firm packs more than 150 varieties of tea bags, of which almost 120 varieties are for private-label segments such as Walmart, Coop, Coles, Sam’s Club and Carrefour.

The balance is exported under the Everton brand.

“Ours is a 100% export-oriented unit, with 60% being shipped to our parent firm in Italy, 30% to customers in Mexico and 10% to Australia and Central Asia thus taking the total to more than 30 countries,” he added.

Having forayed recently into Germany, Italy, France and Poland, the firm is eyeing new markets such as Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Central America.

The Indian subsidiary of Everton SpA, Italy commenced its operations in Sri City SEZ during 2012 with two machines making two lakh flavoured and herbal tea bags per day. During FY24, the company posted a revenue of ₹100 crore and this year, it hopes to do ₹115 crore.

Critical minerals: first six blocks awarded

The Hindu Bureau

NEW DELHI

Union Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Monday introduced a fresh tranche of auctions for mining rights in 21 blocks of critical and strategic minerals, announced winners for six blocks that were part of the first such auction held last November and promised to kick off the auction process for offshore minerals in his first 100 days in office.

Mr. Reddy said the auction of mining rights in offshore areas will begin with 10 offshore blocks that have been identified. The first mining activity for critical minerals is likely to yield phosphorite, lithium, graphite and manganese, in the first six blocks awarded in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

“We will work to ensure the mines awarded today, will begin production at the earliest possible,” Mines Secretary V.L. Kantha Rao said, adding the government is keen to attain self-sufficiency in the import-dependent sector.

Law firms may tap Gen AI to cut errors

Mini Tejaswi

Bengaluru

Generative Artificial Intelligence, or GenAI, is poised to transform the legal profession with many law firms and corporate legal departments already exploring its potential, say tech savvy legal professionals and tech experts.

Law firms and corporate legal departments are experimenting with tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, legal professionals told The Hindu.

“This experimentation marks the beginning of a shift towards more deliberate planning and the establishment of required policies for GenAI use.”

Kalindhi Bhatia, Partner at law firm BTG Advaya, said she recognised the potential of GenAI, particularly in contract management. ‘‘With the help of GenAI platforms we can streamline processes, reduce errors, and enhance efficiency,” she added.

Anju Gandhi of SNG & Partners, said, ‘‘It aids in contract analysis, improving compliance while reducing manual labour.”

Wheat stock limits to curb hoarding: govt.

Prabhudatta Mishra

New Delhi

Amid speculation over wheat shortage, the Centre on Monday invoked the Essential Commodities Act to impose stock limit on the food grain, prescribing the maximum quantity that users can hold at any point in time. The Stock Limit Order, effective June 24, will be valid till March 31, 2025.

Asking stakeholders to conform to the stock limits within 30 days, the Food Ministry, said each trader or wholesaler can hold a maximum of 3,000 tonnes at any point while limiting retailers (including big chains) to 10 tonnes. For big chain retailers, it is 3,000 tonnes at their depots. Stock limit for processors has been fixed at 70% of their monthly installed capacity multiplied by remaining months of FY2.

The Centre said this is to curb hoarding and not due to shortage.

(The writer is with The Hindu businessline)

‘Scanty monsoon spikes food prices’

The Hindu Bureau

NEW DELHI

The stalled monsoon has delayed Kharif crop sowing and the persistent heat wave in parts of India is fuelling food costs, mainly vegetables, whose average retail prices have risen about 45.1% this month, economic researchers noted on Monday.

Following a rapid onset to cover half the country in the first half of June, there was no further advance of the monsoon over the past week, and cumulative rainfall was 18% below the long period average as of June 23, Barclays India economists Shreya Sodhani and Amruta Ghare pointed out in a report.

“The stalled rainfall... has delayed Kharif sowing and a significant delay will impact food output and Rabi sowing season, as farmers will have less time to prepare their fields after the Kharif harvest,” said a report by Emkay Global Financial Services.

Biocon firm gets EMA nod to make Bevacizumab for Europe

Biocon Biologics Ltd. (BBL), a biosimilar firm and a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd., has received approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to make biosimilar Bevacizumab at its monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) drug substance facility at Bengaluru. This would provide significant additional capacity to address patients’ needs across European markets. Bevacizumab is used to treat health conditions such as colorectal cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer.

Amara Raja arm inks pact on Gotion’s Li-ion tech

The Hindu Bureau

HYDERABAD

Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies (ARACT) has signed a technical licensing agreement with Gotion High-Tech Co. subsidiary GIB EnergyX Slovakia s.r.o. to get access to Gotion’s LFP technology for lithium-ion cells.

The agreement, as part of which GIB EnergyX will license Gotion’s LFP technology for lithium-ion cells, enables Amara Raja to make world-class LFP cells in both cylindrical and prismatic form factors.

Last year, Amara Raja announced an outlay of ₹9,500 crore for Amara Raja Giga Corridor.

Hero MotoCorp to increase prices from July on input cost

Hero MotoCorp said it will raise prices of select motorcycle and scooter models by up to ₹1,500 with effect from July 1 to partially offset the impact of higher input costs. The price revision will be up to ₹1,500 and the exact quantum of increase will vary by specific model and market, the country's largest two-wheeler maker said in a statement. “The revision has been necessitated to partially offset the impact of higher input costs,” the company added. PTI

JM Financial arm opens Gen AI Lab for stockbroking

BlinkX, the digital stockbroking arm of JM Financial, unveiled BlinkX Gen AI Lab, claimed to be one of the first in the stockbroking industry. This lab is expected to personalise client engagement by driving innovation towards personalised trading strategy, risk management, portfolio optimisation and faster decision-making capabilities. Its AI-driven Nudge Engine would send personalised nudges to customers based on their behaviour and channel preference.

Hikes, nosy neighbours afflict Zimbabwe’s rural mobile users

Agence France-Presse

Matobo, Zimbabwe

Mobile phones attached to sticks in yards or strapped on tree branches in a desperate search for network coverage are a common sight in Zimbabwe ; in sub-Saharan Africa, about one in four people use mobile phones to get online—but 15% of the population live in areas with no coverage

1 of 2 Out of service: Mobile penetration is over 97% in Zimbabwe but connectivity is problematic in rural areas. AFPZINYANGE AUNTONY

2 of 2 If you get the connection, you don’t have privacy. Sensitive family issues end up being known to the whole village Sakhile SibindiA villager

As the sun sets over Zimbabwe’s Matobo Hills, boys throw stones to chase baboons away. Their goal isn’t to enjoy the view of dusk but to search for a mobile network without interference from wild animals.

Silozwe, a village less than 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the southern city of Bulawayo, the southern African country’s second largest, sits in a connectivity black hole.

To an outsider, the daily stream of villagers clambering up the hill might look like a pilgrimage to a rain-making ceremony, but it’s a communal trek to make phone calls, send messages and check social media.

“Grown up as I am, it’s hard for me to get up the hill, and sometimes I still fail to connect,” said Sakhile Sibindi, 60, a grandmother who walks five kilometres to reach the spot from her home.

Rural connectivity issues are not unique to Zimbabwe.

About a third of the world’s population, or 2.6 billion people, do not have internet access, according to the United Nations, which has a target to get everyone online by 2030.

“The internet is an essential tool to access information, employment opportunities and education. People without meaningful access may be left behind,” the UN’s International Telecommunication Union said in a 2023 report.

In sub-Saharan Africa, about one in four people use mobile phones to get online—but 15% of the population live in areas with no coverage, according to GSMA, a telecom industry group.

Prying ears

The Matobo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its distinctive rock boulders, provide some relief to Silozwe’s residents.

But it has some clear drawbacks, like nosy fellow connectivity hunters eavesdropping on phone calls, said Ms. Sibindi.

“If you get the connection, you don’t have privacy,” she said after stopping there on her way back from a routine health check.

“Sensitive family issues end up being known by the whole village.”

Accessibility is also an issue.

“If someone gets sick at night, you cannot come here to make a phone call. If it’s death, you will stay with a corpse in your house because you cannot reach out for help,” said Sibindi.

Some local residents have found ingenious workarounds.

Mobile phones attached to sticks in yards or strapped on tree branches in a desperate search for network coverage are a common sight.

Anna Tiyo, a 42-year-old whose husband works in South Africa, used an old metal barrel to set up a makeshift network station under a fortuitously discovered, well-connected tree.

“One day, I got tired of walking in the sun across the field, so I sat here under this tree, watching some videos on my smartphone,” she said.

“WhatsApp messages started coming in, and that’s how I found this network spot.”

Others ask bus drivers and shopkeepers to deliver written or oral messages for them.

Out of reach

Living in an offline area can be costly for those trying to do business, in a country with high poverty and unemployment rates.

Bukhosibethu Moyo, a 29-year-old building contractor, said coverage gaps cost him clients and money, as he can’t take calls or mobile payments.

“Most of my clients say they fail to reach me for several days,” he said.

“They end up hiring people from the city who are readily available online.”

Mobile penetration is over 97% in Zimbabwe, and there are more than 14.5 million active subscriptions in a country of 16 million people, according to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.

But the government has acknowledged that connectivity is problematic in rural areas.

It has promised investments and recently launched a programme to equip rural schools with computers.

“We now have a state-of-the-art optic fibre network, a National ICT policy, and a Smart Zimbabwe Master Plan,” communication minister Tatenda Mavetera wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in March.

“These initiatives will transform Zimbabwe into a digital powerhouse, boost our economy, improve our lives, and connect us to the world.”

But progress has been slow, leaving many villagers feeling neglected.

“We are part of this country and deserve access to the same opportunities as those in urban areas,” said Ms. Tiyo.

The ministry of communication did not reply to a request for comment.

European IPOs fizzle out as political turmoil roils stocks

Reuters

LONDON

Gauging risk: Investors are worried about the political surge to the right. REUTERSBENOIT TESSIER

The European IPO market is unlikely to see any new candidates until after the summer, as political uncertainty has roiled markets, bankers said.

This week Italian luxury sneaker brand Golden Goose and Spanish fashion retailer Tendam both postponed planned listings citing the impact that France’s snap election had on markets.

The election call last week in response to a drubbing in a European Union vote by the far right pushed down the euro while French blue-chip stocks dropped and bonds tumbled.

But several bankers stress the market is not closed for deals, as year to date share sale volumes have staged a recovery. In one example this week, frozen bakery goods company Europastry announced its intention to list in Spain and raise at least 225 million euros.

“I don’t think the market is closed but clearly for an IPO market that was tentatively recovering it has been a bit of a knock,” said Andreas Bernstorff, head of equity capital markets at BNP Paribas.

Even if there are fewer IPO candidates as political uncertainty continues, with some even shifting their plans to 2025, share sales in already listed companies will continue, bankers said. Block trades are still popular with investors with around $150 million shares in Johannesburg-listed Momentum Metropolitan sold this week.

“The recent volatility we have seen around French elections is more likely to affect continental European transactions which are sensitive to the macroeconomic environment, but equally there is a good debate in Europe around pro-growth policies which could benefit investor sentiment,” said Alex Watkins, co-head of equity capital markets international at JP Morgan.

Share sales across Europe, Middle East and Africa year to date have reached $89.8 billion, up 45% from the same period last year, Dealogic data shows. That is still off the recent high of $168 billion for the same period in 2021. The value of IPOs year to date stands at $19.5 billion, up 117% from the same period last year, with successful offerings from CVC, Galderma and Puig.

Political shock

But the shock announcement of a parliamentary election in France which kicks off June 30 caused a spike in volatility and a sell-off in stocks. Last week the Euro STOXX 50 volatility index jumped to its highest level since October.

On Tuesday night Golden Goose and its owner buyout fund Permira, decided to pull an IPO it had announced at the end of May. The at least 508 million euro offering was thrown into doubt as shares of France’s LVMH and another luxury peer Moncler sank.

Part of Permira’s decision was uncertainty over the after-market, notably given the performance of another of its IPOs Dr Martens, people familiar with the matter said. The British bootmaker’s shares are down 78% since its 2021 float.

The summer is typically a quieter period for new issues and some bankers have been warning that investors are being selective about deals they will back.

“There is a moderate pipeline post summer, but it won’t be a bonanza,” Mr. Watkins said. “The pipeline is building strongly for 2025 onwards.”

Investors are concerned about the potential impact of the French elections and are worried about what a surge to the right politically will mean for the European Union, and for issues like Ukraine and fiscal policy, one equity capital markets banker said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. elections in the autumn are also likely to have an impact on the timing of IPOs, but bankers believe investors are less concerned about the potential for market volatility. That could mean a better chance for those companies looking to list from September onwards.

China, EU are open to talks on plans to hike tariffs on Chinese EVs

Associated Press

BANGKOK

Threat perception: The EU plans to impose provisional tariffs of 17.4%-38.1% on China EVs for four months starting on July 4. APCaroline Chen

China and the European Union are open to holding talks on the EU’s recent decision to sharply raise tariffs on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles, officials from both sides say.

China’s Commerce Ministry and Germany’s Economy Minister said over the weekend that each side was willing to hold talks on the issue. Meanwhile, Chinese state media said Beijing is pushing for the EU to give up plans to sharply raise provisional tariffs on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles by July 4.

Escalating a trade dispute over Beijing’s subsidies that Brussels worries are hurting European automakers, the EU plans to impose provisional tariffs of 17.4% to 38.1% on EVs from China for four months starting on July 4. That’s on top of the 10% duties for all imported EVs. They would apply to vehicles exported to Europe by both Chinese and foreign brands, including Tesla.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said preliminary results from an investigation into Chinese EV subsidies showed the country’s battery EV ‘value chain’ benefits from ‘unfair subsidisation’ that hurts EU rivals.

Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held a video conference with European Commission Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said.

“The two sides agreed to launch consultations on the EU’s anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles,” it said.

“The doors are open for discussions. And I hope this message was heard,” Germany’s Economy Minister and Vice-Chancellor, Robert Habeck said while on a visit to China.

For a byte of AI

Securing supply chain: China’s ByteDance is working with U.S. chip designer Broadcom on developing an advanced AI processor, two sources said, a move that would help TikTok’s owner secure sufficient supply of high-end chips amid U.S.-Sino tensions.REUTERSALY SONG

Quant MF: ‘SEBI crackdown can hit investors’

Suresh P. Iyengar

Mumbai

Safety net: Quant’s cash reserve and large-cap stocks can help mitigate the impact, says Garg. REUTERSFRANCIS MASCARENHAS

The crackdown by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on Quant Mutual Fund in a suspected front-running case can shake investor confidence in the fast-growing mutual fund industry, fear MF watchers.

Cash cushion

Akshat Garg, AVP-Research, Choice Wealth, said investor confidence, especially of those transitioning from traditional assets such as fixed deposits and saving accounts to mutual funds, will be significantly undermined if the allegation of front-running proves true.

While redemptions can happen, he said, Quant’s cushion of cash reserves and large-cap stocks can help mitigate the impact.

Front-running is unlawful where fund managers, dealers, or brokers use privileged knowledge about impending large transactions to execute their own trades in advance.

SEBI conducted search and seizure operations at Quant MF offices in Mumbai and at premises of suspected beneficiaries in Hyderabad. Founded by Sandeep Tandon, Quant MF is one of the fastest growing fund houses. Its average assets under management increased multifold to touch ₹90,000 crore from ₹200 crore in FY19.

In an e-mail to investors, Quant MF said it received inquiries from SEBI. “We are committed to cooperate with the regulator. We will furnish data to SEBI on a regular basis,” it said.

(The writer is with The Hindu businessline)

Foreign

- Quality check

- Russia’s Dagestan region mourns as toll in militant attacks climb to 20

- ‘Intense’ phase of Gaza war is winding down, says Israel PM

- Fire at lithium battery factory in South Korea kills 22 workers

- Apple becomes the first target of EU’s new digital competition rules aimed at big tech

- Labour will reset partnership with India, says shadow foreign secretary Lammy

- French far-right leader Bardella says his R-N party ‘ready’ to govern

- Death count hits 15 as wildfire rips through Turkiye’s Kurdish region

- Pakistani teenager kills man from minority group over ‘blasphemy’

- Iran says it has agreed to start talks with Bahrain on resuming ties

- Russia warns U.S. following Kyiv’s strike on Crimea

- After forced withdrawals, U.S. pushes for improved military ties with Africa

- EU targets Russia’s ‘ghost fleet’, expresses concern over its ‘hybrid attacks’

- Soaking up the sun

- Spotlight on sanctions in Iran presidential campaign

- German far-right leader back in court over Nazi slogan

- Cybersecurity group flags rise in attacks on Taiwan firms

Quality check

An avocado farmer inspects the colour of the water on his farm in Chile after a liquid spill from a tailings dam, which is used to store harmful byproducts of mining operation, following heavy rains in the country’s south-central regions in Penablanca in Valparaiso. REUTERSIVAN ALVARADO

Russia’s Dagestan region mourns as toll in Islamist attacks climbs to 20

Associated Press

MOSCOW

Soothing hug: Officials blamed the attacks on Islamist extremists in the predominantly Muslim region in the North Caucasus.AFPHANDOUT

Russia’s southern region of Dagestan held the first of three days of mourning on Monday following a rampage by Islamist militants who authorities say killed 20 people, most of them police, and attacked houses of worship in apparently coordinated assaults in two cities.

Sunday’s violence in Dagestan’s regional capital of Makhachkala and nearby Derbent was the latest that officials blamed on Islamist extremists in the predominantly Muslim region in the North Caucasus, as well as the deadliest in Russia since March, when gunmen opened fire at a concert in suburban Moscow, killing 145 people.

The affiliate of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan that claimed responsibility for March’s raid quickly praised the attack in Dagestan, saying it was conducted by “brothers in the Caucasus who showed that they are still strong.”

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War argued that the Islamic State group’s North Caucasus branch, Vilayat Kavkaz, likely was behind the attack, describing it as “complex and coordinated.”

The Investigative Committee, the country’s top state criminal investigation agency, said all five attackers were killed. Of the 20 people killed, at least 15 were police. At least 46 people were injured.

Among the dead was the Rev. Nikolai Kotelnikov, a 66-year-old Russian Orthodox priest at a church in Derbent. The attack came as the Orthodox faithful celebrated Pentecost, also known as Trinity Sunday.

The Kele-Numaz synagogue in Derbent also was set ablaze.

Shortly after the attacks in Derbent, militants fired at a police post in Makhachkala and attacked a Russian Orthodox Church and a synagogue there.

Russian news reports said the attackers included the two sons and a nephew of Magomed Omarov, the head of the main Kremlin’s party United Russia’s regional branch in Dagestan. Omarov was detained by police for interrogation, and United Russia quickly dismissed him from its ranks.

‘Intense’ phase of Gaza war is winding down, says Israel PM

Agence France-Presse

Gaza Strip

This does not mean that the war is about to end , but the war in its intense phase is about to end in Rafah, says Netanyahu; Defence Minister Yoav Gallant is in Washington for critical talks on arms

Irreparable loss: A man mourns by the body of a Palestinian doctor during his funeral at al-Ahli Arab hospital on Monday.AFPOMAR AL-QATTAA

A day after Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the “intense phase” of the Gaza war is winding down, the Army bombed Hamas on Monday as the Palestinian militant group again demanded a permanent end to the fighting.

The right-wing Premier spoke in a TV interview on Sunday evening as his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant travelled to Washington for what Mr. Gallant called “critical” talks with Israel’s top ally and arms supplier.

He stressed that this “does not mean that the war is about to end, but the war in its intense phase is about to end in Rafah”.

“The goal is to return the kidnapped and uproot the Hamas regime in Gaza,” the Premier said, again rejecting the permanent ceasefire demanded by Hamas.

Mr. Netanyahu said Israel would then be able to “redeploy some forces to the north” on the border with Lebanon, where Israel has traded fire with the Hezbollah.

When asked about Gaza post-war scenarios, he said Israel would maintain “military control in the foreseeable future” but that “we also want to create a civilian administration, if possible with local Palestinians” and regional backing.

Israeli forces kept bombing targets on Monday across the besieged Gaza Strip. In Gaza City in the north, Al-Ahli hospital medics said late on Sunday that at least five persons were killed in an air strike on a facility of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

Fire at lithium battery factory in South Korea kills 22 workers

Associated Press

SEOUL

Catching a breath: Firefighters take a break as rescue continues at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong on Monday.REUTERSKIM HONG-JI

A fire likely sparked by exploding lithium batteries swept through a manufacturing factory near South Korea’s capital on Monday, killing 22 mostly Chinese migrant workers and injuring eight, officials said.

The fire began after batteries exploded as workers were examining and packaging them on the second floor of the factory in Hwaseong city, just south of Seoul, at around 10:30 a.m., fire officials said. They said they would investigate the cause of the blaze.

The dead included 18 Chinese, two South Koreans and one Laotian, local fire official Kim Jin-young told a televised briefing. He said the nationality of one of the dead could not be immediately verified.

In the past few decades, many people from China, including ethnic Koreans, have migrated to South Korea to seek jobs. Like other foreign migrants from Southeast Asian nations, they often end up in factories or in physically demanding and low-paying jobs.

Mr. Kim said that one factory worker remained out of contact and rescuers continued to search the site. He said that two of the eight injured were in serious condition.

The fire started at one of the factory buildings owned by a battery manufacturer, Aricell. Authorities would investigate whether fire extinguishing systems were at the site and if they worked.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous in consumer goods from laptops to cellphones. They can overheat if damaged, defective or packaged improperly, leading to fires and explosions and making them a hazard for shipment aboard aircraft.

Apple becomes the first target of EU’s new digital competition rules aimed at big tech

Associated Press

LONDON

European Union regulators on Monday levelled their first charges under the bloc’s new digital competition rulebook, accusing Apple of preventing app makers from pointing users to cheaper options outside its App Store.

The rulebook, also known as the DMA, is a sweeping set of regulations aimed at preventing tech “gatekeepers” from cornering digital markets under threat of heavy financial penalties. The commission opened an initial round of investigations after it took effect in March, including a separate ongoing probe into whether Apple is doing enough to allow iPhone users to easily change web browsers, and other cases involving Google and Meta.

Apple has been facing pressure on both sides of the Atlantic to tear down some of the competitive barriers around its lucrative iPhone franchise. The U.S. Justice Department has filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Apple this year, accusing it of illegally monopolising the smartphone market and boxing out competitors, stifling innovation and keeping prices artificially high. App makers such as Spotify had complained for years about Apple’s requirement that subscriptions only be bought through iOS apps, allowing the company to take a commission of up to 30%.

Apple now has a chance to respond to the findings. The commission must make a final decision on Apple’s compliance by March 2025. The company could face fines worth up to 10% of its global revenue, which could amount to billions of euros.

Labour will reset partnership with India, says shadow foreign secretary Lammy

Sriram Lakshman

LONDON

Days before the U.K.’s general election, the Opposition Labour Party’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, reiterated that his party would reset its relationship with India. Mr. Lammy is all but certain to be the country’s next Foreign Secretary, given that Labour is most likely — as per polls — to form the next U.K. government after the country’s July 4 elections.

Speaking on Monday afternoon at the India Global Forum, Mr. Lammy outlined some of the areas of cooperation — notably trade, climate and security.

“We need a reset,” he said, saying a reset with of the U.K.’s relationship with the Global South was needed, starting with India.

Referring to former Conservative U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s recital of a colonial-era Rudyard Kipling poem during a visit to a temple in Myanmar, Mr. Lammy said, “If I recite a poem, it will be by Tagore.”

The Labour Party has also been seeking to reset its own relationship with India after some evidence that British Indians, who have traditionally supported the Labour Party were moving to the Conservative Party. The shift, as per some data available from 2021, was led more by Hindus and Christians.

The ‘free trade’ deal (FTA), being negotiated by India and the U.K., was a floor not a ceiling to the relationship, Mr. Lammy said.

He also stressed the emphasis a Labour government, under Keir Starmer, would place on climate action, including by appointing a climate envoy and reversing the watering down of the U.K.’s climate targets by the Rishi Sunak government.

Speaking of a power alliance abroad, Mr. Lammy said, “There can be no energy transition without an Indian energy transition.”

French far-right leader Bardella says his R-N party ‘ready’ to govern

REUTERSGONZALO FUENTES

French far-right leader Jordan Bardella said on Monday his National Rally (RN) party was ready to govern as he pledged to curb immigration and tackle cost-of-living issues ahead of the country's most divisive election in decades. Weekend polls suggested the RN would win 35-36% in the first round on Sunday. afp

Death count hits 15 as wildfire rips through Turkiye’s Kurdish region

APUgur Yildirim

The death toll from last week’s wildfire that ripped through Turkiye's mainly Kurdish southeast has risen to 15, with experts pointing to faulty wiring as a possible cause. The blaze broke out on Thursday between the cities of Diyarbakir and Mardin. More than 1,000 sheep and goats perished as a result of the blaze. afp

Pakistani teenager kills man from minority group over ‘blasphemy’

AFPASIF HASSAN

A 14-year-old seminary student stabbed a man belonging to the Shia minority Muslim community to death for allegedly speaking against the companions of Prophet Muhammad in Pakistan's Punjab province, the police said on Monday, the second blasphemy-related killing in the country in four days. pti

Iran says it has agreed to start talks with Bahrain on resuming ties

REUTERSOFFICE OF THE IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER

Iran and Bahrain have agreed to launch negotiations on how to restore diplomatic relations that have been severed for nearly eight years, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Monday. Bahrain cut ties with Iran in 2016, following in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia after its embassy came under attack from angry protesters. afp

Russia warns U.S. following Kyiv’s strike on Crimea

Agence France-Presse

Moscow

The Kremlin on Monday warned the U.S. of “consequences” and summoned its Ambassador Lynne Tracy after Moscow said a Ukrainian strike with a U.S. missile on Crimea killed four persons.

Moscow has increasingly blasted Washington and Kyiv’s Western backers for supplying weapons to be fired on Russian targets, calling them direct participants in the two-year conflict.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Sunday’s strike on Sevastopol “barbaric” and accused Washington of “killing Russian children”.

Mr. Peskov also pointed to comments by President Vladimir Putin earlier this month about arming countries to potentially strike Western targets.

After forced withdrawals, U.S. pushes for improved military ties with Africa

Associated Press

GABORONE

Chairperson of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff arrived in Botswana on Monday for a chiefs of defence meet, as the country faced an inflection point in Africa with juntas in Mali, Burkino Faso and Niger reassessing their ties with the West and turning to Russian-linked mercenaries for security help

Not welcome: Nigeriens protest against the presence of U.S. troops in the country, in Niamey. File photoMahamadou Hamidou

The forced U.S. troop withdrawals from bases in Niger and Chad and the potential to shift some troops to other nations in West Africa will be key issues as the top U.S. military officer meets with his African counterparts this week at a chiefs of defence conference.

Gen. C.Q. Brown, chairperson of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Botswana on Monday as the U.S. faced a critical inflection point in Africa with juntas that overthrew democratic governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger reassessing their ties to the West and turning instead to mercenaries linked to Russia for security assistance.

Speaking to presspersons as he travelled to Gaborone, Gen. Brown said that as the U.S. pulls its 1,000 troops out of Niger, including from a critical counterterrorism and drone base there, other West African nations want to work with the U.S. and may be open to an expanded American presence.

The conference, he said, will give him a chance to speak with a number of his African counterparts, and listen to their objectives and concerns.

“There are other countries in the region where we already have either small presence or have relationships,” Gen. Brown said. “Part of this is looking at how we continue to build on those relationships which may provide opportunities for us to posture some of the capabilities we had in Niger in some of those locations.”

The U.S. needs to have a dialogue with those nations to see what type and size U.S. military presence they would want, he said, adding, “That’s why this conference is important.”

Gen. Brown and other defence officials said the conference was a chance to show African leaders that the U.S. can listen and accept local solutions.

The U.S., said one defence official, has to adjust to the solutions that Africans have identified and not impose external Western ideals.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military relationships, said the Botswana meeting is an opportunity to foster military relationships throughout the continent.

Extremist violence

The troop cuts at key bases in Africa’s Sahel region raise questions about how to battle what has been a growing tide of violence by extremist groups, including those linked to the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda.

The defence official said that the U.S. was concerned about the spread of extremist activity from multiple groups into coastal West Africa in particular.

Niger’s ruling junta ordered U.S. forces out of the country in the wake of last July’s ouster of the country’s democratically elected President by mutinous soldiers. French forces had also been asked to leave as the junta turned to the Russian mercenary group Wagner for security assistance. Washington officially designated the military takeover as a coup in October, triggering U.S. laws restricting military support and aid. The fracture has broad ramifications for the U.S. because it forced troops to abandon the critical drone base at Agadez that was used for counterterrorism missions in the Sahel.

A senior defence official said the withdrawal of U.S. forces and all the equipment from Niger is about 30% complete, and will be completed on September 15 as required. The official said that the pace of the pullout will ebb and flow, based on when the weapons systems and equipment of the troops are taken out. Roughly 600 troops currently remain there.

Soon afterward, Chad ordered U.S. forces out of Adji Kossei Air Base near N’Djamena. About 75 U.S. Army special forces relocated to Europe, and about 20 troops remain in the country along with Marine security forces assigned to the U.S. Embassy.

The U.S. has described the troop cuts in Chad as temporary and could be revisited now that the presidential election there is over. And Gen. Brown said that the U.S. will work with the Embassy leadership in Chad to take a look at what the future U.S. presence there will be.

Some African nations have expressed frustration with the U.S. for forcing issues, such as democracy and human rights, that many see as hypocrisy, given Washington’s close ties to some autocratic leaders elsewhere. Meanwhile, Russia offers security assistance without interfering in politics, making it an appealing partner for military juntas that seized power in places like Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years.

A key element in any U.S. discussions with African leaders is to recognise that the U.S. must calibrate what it asks and expects of those governments and their militaries, said Mvemba Dizolele, director of the Africa Programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

“Security and defence policy makers in the United States should not approach Africa thinking that deep inside every African military officer is an American officer waiting to come out,” Mr. said Dizolele. “That’s just not realistic. Every African officer is an officer who’s trying to do the best within the conditions that they’ve been dealt.”’

He said that the U.S is not always ready to engage with some African countries because of various obstacles such as the Leahy Law that prohibits certain military assistance to foreign forces that violate human rights, and Congressional spending restrictions that limit aid to countries whose leadership was overturned in a coup.

Meanwhile, other countries such as Russia and China will provide any military aid and equipment that the African countries can afford to buy, said Mr. Dizolele.

EU targets Russia’s ‘ghost fleet’, expresses concern over its ‘hybrid attacks’

Associated Press

Brussels

Secret shipment: The EU estimates around 6 billion cubic metres of Russian LNG was shipped via the bloc’s ports last year.REUTERSYORUK ISIK

The European Union (EU) on Monday slapped new sanctions on Russia over its war on Ukraine, targeting Moscow’s shadow fleet of tankers moving liquefied natural gas (LNG) through Europe.

At a meeting in Luxembourg, where the sanctions were endorsed, EU Foreign Ministers also expressed concern about a rise in hybrid attacks by Russia — including allegations of election interference, cyber-attacks and sabotage.

In an effort to push Russia into using more costly routes for energy purposes, the EU will “forbid reloading services of Russian LNG in EU territory for the purpose of transshipment operations to third countries,” the Ministers said in a statement.

The EU estimated that about 4-to-6 billion cubic metres of Russian LNG was shipped via EU ports last year. Russia is suspected of running a “ghost fleet” of up to 400 ships to evade sanctions and keep up the flow of energy earnings so that it can finance the war.

The measures will target ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore transfers as well as reloading operations. It also involves a crackdown on the re-export of LNG via the EU, plus a ban on new investments to help Russia complete LNG projects it is working on.

Scores of new “entities” — often companies, banks, and other agencies — were also added to the EU’s list, including some in China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Many are accused of circumventing the bloc’s sanctions or providing sensitive equipment to Russia.

Targeted entities

More than 50 officials were also being targeted with asset freezes, as well as travel bans. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and scores of lawmakers and oligarchs are among more than 1,700 people already listed by the EU.

Over 400 entities previously hit include companies working in the military, aviation, shipbuilding and machinery sectors, the Wagner mercenary group, political parties and banks.

As they arrived for the meeting, some Ministers insisted that action must be taken to end hybrid attacks in Europe by Russia that take place in a “grey zone” just below the threshold of military action which are aimed at destabilising Ukraine’s backers.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that “there’s a plethora of actions they have been undertaking against European countries.”

Finland has closed border crossings with Russia, blaming the Kremlin for an orchestrated campaign exploiting migrants.

“There is no observer status in Europe anymore to Russia’s aggression. We are all victims of Russia’s aggression,” she said. “It is crucial that we keep on aiding Ukraine because Russia only understands power.”

Her Lithuanian counterpart, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said there is “ample evidence” of malign activity by Russia.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think that we are yet sending the right message,” he said. “Moscow has to get a very clear message that whenever they escalate, they will receive an answer from our side.”

Soaking up the sun

Celebrating nature: Women wearing wreaths of flowers and herbs take part in the celebration of the holiday of Ivan Kupala in Kyiv, Ukraine on Sunday. The ancient festival on the summer solstice symbolises the birth of the summer sun – Kupalo. AFPANATOLII STEPANOV

Spotlight on sanctions in Iran presidential campaign

Agence France-Presse

Tehran

Massoud PezeshkianMORTEZA FAKHRINEJAD

Iranians broadly deplore Western sanctions that have battered the economy, but the country’s six presidential candidates offer differing solutions — assuming the winner gets a say on foreign policy.

With the June 28 snap election fast approaching, debates between the candidates vying for Iran’s second-highest office have featured a key question: should Tehran mend ties with the West?

Under the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died last month in a helicopter crash, Western governments have expanded sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme as well as its support for militant groups across West Asia and for Russia in its war in Ukraine. The sanctions have sharply reduced Iran’s oil revenues, heavily restricted trade and contributed to soaring inflation, high unemployment and a record low for the Iranian rial against the U.S. dollar.

In two televised debates focused on the economy ahead of the presidential polls, “almost all the candidates explained that the sanctions have had devastating effects”, said Fayyaz Zahed, a professor of international relations at the University of Tehran.

While the six contenders — five conservatives and a sole reformist — have all vowed to tackle the economic hardships, they offered varying views on Iran’s relations with the West. “If we could lift the sanctions, Iranians could live comfortably,” said reformist candidate Massoud Pezeshkian, considered one of three frontrunners.

Mr. Pezeshkian, who is backed by key reformist groups in Iran, called for “constructive relations” with Washington and European capitals in order to “get Iran out of its isolation”.

Meanwhile ultraconservative candidate Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator, has called for Tehran to press ahead with its long-running anti-Western policy. “The international community is not made up of just two or three Western countries,” Mr. Jalili has repeatedly said in debates and campaign rallies.

German far-right leader back in court over Nazi slogan

Agence France-Presse

FRANKFURT

Germans hold a banner reading ‘Bjoern Hoecke is a Nazi’, during the AfD leaders trial in Halle on Monday.REUTERSCHRISTIAN MANG

Controversial German far-right politician Bjoern Hoecke went on trial on Monday over a banned Nazi slogan that has already earned him a conviction.

Mr. Hoecke, a member of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), was fined 13,000 euros in May for knowingly using the phrase “Alles fuer Deutschland” (Everything for Germany) at a 2021 campaign rally.

A motto of the Sturmabteilung paramilitary group that played a key role in Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, the phrase is illegal in Germany, along with the Nazi salute and other slogans and symbols from that era.

Mr. Hoecke, a former high school history teacher, claimed he was unaware of the slogan’s Nazi past but judges in Halle agreed with prosecutors that he fully understood what he was saying.

The same court will now have to decide whether Mr. Hoecke, the leader of the AfD in the eastern region of Thuringia, is guilty of knowingly using the slogan a second time at a party gathering in his home State in December 2023.

Mr. Hoecke had called out the phrase “everything for” and allegedly incited the crowd to reply “Germany”. If convicted, he could face a fine or up to three years in jail, according to German media. A verdict could come as early as this week.

Considered an extremist by German intelligence services, Mr. Hoecke has long courted controversy. He once called Berlin’s Holocaust monument a “memorial of shame” and has urged a “180-degree shift” in the country’s culture of remembrance.

Cybersecurity group flags rise in attacks on Taiwan firms

Associated Press

HONG KONG

A suspected Chinese state-sponsored hacking group has stepped up its targeting of Taiwanese organisations, particularly those in sectors such as government, education, technology and diplomacy, according to cybersecurity intelligence company Recorded Future.

In recent years, relations between China and Taiwan, a self-governed island across the Taiwan Strait that Beijing claims as its territory, have deteriorated. The cyberattacks by the group known as RedJulliett were observed between November 2023 and April 2024, during the lead up to Taiwan’s presidential elections in January and the subsequent change in administration.

RedJuliett has targeted Taiwanese organisations in the past, but this is the first time that activity was seen at such a scale, a Recorded Future analyst said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

It has been observed attempting to break into systems of more than 70 Taiwanese organisations including three universities. It was unclear if RedJuliett managed to break into those organisations; Recorded Future only said it observed the attempts to identify vulnerabilities in their networks. The hacking patterns match those of Chinese state-sponsored groups, according to Recorded Future.

It said that based on the geolocations of IP addresses, RedJulliett is likely based out of Fuzhou, in China’s Fujian province, whose coast faces Taiwan.

Sports

- Rohit leads the way as the Men in Blue post mammoth 205 against Australia

- India’s ground fielding stood out in series win

- Proteas hold nerve, heartbreak for WI

- SCOREBOARD

- Chase fourth to score a 50, take three or more wickets in a match

- New Proteas team always seems to get over the line, says Shamsi

- Afghanistan has everything to play for as it takes on Bangladesh

- Sky is the limit, we are ending with heaps of learnings: USA’s Anderson

- Gill to lead India in Zimbabwe T20I series

- Germany manages to hold Switzerland, tops group

- JSW Group marks 100 years of India’s Olympic journey

- USA and Uruguay make winning starts to their campaigns

- England will look to respond to critics

- Stimac acted with the sole intent of maligning the federation: AIFF

- Double delight for Sreeja

- Sinner wins maiden grasscourt title at Halle Open

- Pegula overcomes Kalinskaya to win Berlin Ladies Open

- Paul reigns supreme at Queen’s Club

- Aditi and Diksha qualify for Paris Olympics

- Jeswin disappoints in Guadalajara Athletics Meeting

- Shaking things up: a new look for the Indian squash team

Rohit roars as India merrily marches into semifinal

Ayan Acharya

Gros Islet (St. Lucia)

The skipper reaches his fifty off 19 balls, his fastest in T20s, before making a 41-ball 92 ; despite Head’s counterattack, the bowlers keep their nerve; Men in Blue to meet defending champion England

1 of 2 Hitmen: Rohit smashed four sixes and a four off a Starc over before turning his attention to the other bowlers while Bumrah took the crucial wicket of Head. K.R. DEEPAK

2 of 2

Rohit Sharma once again elevated the muscular exercise of T20 six-hitting into an aesthetic art form as his 41-ball 92 headlined India’s 24-run win in its final T20 World Cup Super 8 game against Australia at the Daren Sammy Stadium on Monday. India will face England in the second semifinal in Guyana on June 27. Australia will await the result of the Afghanistan-Bangladesh match to learn its fate.

Travis Head, India’s nemesis in recent ICC tournaments, loomed large once again as Australia chased a target of 206. With 107 needed off 60 balls and Head smashing 54 off just 26, one could’ve understood if the Indian players had a tingling sensation and hairs prickling on their arms.

Despite an early setback with David Warner’s wicket, Head and Mitchell Marsh’s 81-run second-wicket partnership kept Australia in the hunt.

Though Axar Patel’s acrobatic catch in the deep removed Marsh and Kuldeep Yadav bamboozled Glenn Maxwell with a googly, the Indian attack struggled to contain Head’s onslaught as he cleared his front leg to access both sides of the wicket.

Australia had brought the equation down to 58 off the last four overs, with six wickets intact. It called for the showman, mind-reader and the master to change the course of the game. And so arrived Jasprit Bumrah. With a loopy slower off-cutter on leg-stump, he induced a false shot to have Head caught at cover for 76 off 43.

After going for 15 in his first two overs, Bumrah’s third went for just five and effectively sealed the game in India’s favour.

Earlier, despite overnight showers threatening to delay play, the weather cleared just in time.

This match was played on the same surface where South Africa defended 163 against England; the impact of the prevailing east-to-west wind, blowing at 21 kph, became evident immediately.

Australia brought back Mitchell Starc for Ashton Agar and chose to bowl, while India remained unchanged. Australia struck in the second over when Virat Kohli attempted to pull a short ball from Josh Hazlewood, resulting in a sharp catch by Tim David at mid-on.

Rohit’s explosive response was swift and stunning in the subsequent over. Starc’s strategy to swing the ball into the right-hander with the wind misfired as he bowled his most expensive T20 over (29). Rohit, with his trademark flair, bludgeoned five boundaries, including four sixes, to notch up his fastest T20 fifty off just 19 balls. He continued to dominate, dispatching Adam Zampa for a towering six and punishing Marcus Stoinis with three consecutive boundaries. His aggressive footwork against the pacers, exploiting the lack of swing on a flat track, was pivotal.

Despite losing Rishabh Pant to Zampa, India raced to 100 in just 8.4 overs, its quickest century in T20 World Cups. Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav were forging a formidable partnership when Starc’s change in tactics — switching to round the wicket and employing off-cutters — saw Rohit depart in the 12th over.

India’s strategy of maintaining a right-left batting combination to counter Zampa paid off, yielding 41 off his four. However, Suryakumar’s dismissal for 31 arrested the momentum. Hardik Pandya’s brisk cameo (27 n.o., 17b) propelled India past 200, a total that was enough to maintain its unbeaten run.

India’s ground fielding stood out in series win

N. Sudarshan

BENGALURU

Shock and awe: Harmanpreet’s Women in Blue produced a commanding display to blank South Africa 3-0.K. MURALI KUMARMURALI KUMAR K

The 3-0 sweep of South Africa in the ODI series that concluded on Sunday couldn’t have come at a better time for India.

Apart from helping the team banish the bad memories from the 0-3 loss to Australia at the start of the year, it has set the ball rolling on India’s preparation for the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year.

Though T20 format-specific skills weren’t necessarily put to test, it provided an opportunity to evaluate players’ form and fitness, try different batting and bowling combinations and assess overall fielding standards.

Smriti Mandhana came out of this with flying colours, scoring 117, 136 and 90 in her three outings. Apart from her pleasing strokeplay, what stood out was her endurance. India batted for a total of 140.4 overs across the three games and Smriti was at the crease during 122.3 of those.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was back among the runs too, scoring an excellent hundred in the second match, her first since September 2022. But the form of Shafali Verma — 52 runs in three innings — was worrying.

However, with India scheduled to play three T20Is in Chennai against the Proteas after the one-off Test, the 20-year-old is expected to get her mojo back, for the shortest format is her safe space. India tried D. Hemalatha and Priya Punia at No. 3, an experiment that is set to see more iterations.

There were also promising ODI debuts for leg-spinner Asha Sobhana and pacer Arundhati Reddy. Asha, 33, who forced her way into India’s white-ball squads on the back of a stellar WPL, took a four-wicket haul in her first outing.

In contrast, Arundhati, 27, is no international novice, having made her T20I debut back in 2018 and played 26 matches since. Out of the squad from July 2021, the right-arm pacer came up good for the Delhi Capitals in WPL 2024 and then for South Zone in the inter-zonal multi-day tournament.

Such has been her growth, that Harmanpreet trusted her to bowl the penultimate over in the second ODI that India won by a nerve-wracking four runs. In the final encounter, Arundhati was among the best players (10-0-36-2), with both wickets sharp catches off her own bowling.

The most heart-warming aspect of the series though was India’s ground fielding. Jemimah Rodrigues was a livewire, especially in the second game where she saved more runs than the margin of victory. While the catching is still a work in progress, coach Amol Muzumdar will be pleased.

“Fielding comes first, no matter what,” Shreyanka Patil said, after Sunday’s contest. You might have scored a hundred or gotten a duck or maybe a five-for or nothing, if you’re there saving five runs, that’s still a win for your team.

“Everyone is putting in that extra bit of work after bowling or batting for an hour during practice. The results are showing and we’re all happy.”

Proteas hold nerve, heartbreak for WI

Agence France-Presse

North Sound (Antigua)

Sealing the deal: Jansen hits the winning six. AFPANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS

South Africa edged the West Indies by three wickets in a rain-affected Super 8 match on Sunday to reach the T20 World Cup semifinals and eliminate the co-hosts.

Chasing a revised target of 123 in 17 overs, South Africa stuttered to 110 for seven as Roston Chase took three wickets, but crossed the finish line when Marco Jansen hit the first ball of the final over for six.

Player-of the-Match Tabraiz Shamsi took three for 27 after South Africa won the toss and restricted the West Indies to 135 for eight.

Chase top-scored with 52, featuring in an 81-run third-wicket partnership with Kyle Mayers (35 off 34 balls). Jansen’s unbeaten 21 saw the Proteas to victory at 124 for seven when he smashed the final six off Obed McCoy.

The scores: West Indies 135/8 in 20 overs (Mayers 35, Chase 52, Shamsi 3/27) lost to South Africa 124/7 in 16.1 overs (Stubbs 29, Russell 2/19, Joseph 2/25, Chase 3/12) by DLS method.

Toss: South Africa. PoM: Shamsi.

INDIA

Rohit Sharma b Starc 92 (41b, 7x4, 8x6), Virat Kohli c David b Hazlewood 0 (5b), Rishabh Pant c Hazlewood b Stoinis 15 (14b, 1x4, 1x6), Suryakumar Yadav c Wade b Starc 31 (16b, 3x4, 2x6), Shivam Dube c Warner b Stoinis 28 (22b, 2x4, 1x6), Hardik Pandya (not out) 27 (17b, 1x4, 2x6), Ravindra Jadeja (not out) 9 (5b, 1x6); Extras (lb-1, w-2): 3; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs): 205.

FALL OF WICKETS

1-6 (Kohli, 1.4 overs), 2-93 (Pant, 7.6), 3-127 (Rohit, 11.2), 4-159 (Suryakumar, 14.3), 5-194 (Dube, 18.4).

AUSTRALIA BOWLING

Starc 4-0-45-2, Hazlewood 4-0-14-1, Cummins 4-0-48-0, Zampa 4-0-41-0, Stoinis 4-0-56-2.

AUSTRALIA

David Warner c Suryakumar b Arshdeep 6 (6b, 1x4), Travis Head c Rohit b Bumrah 76 (43b, 9x4, 4x6), Mitchell Marsh c Axar b Kuldeep 37 (28b, 3x4, 2x6), Glenn Maxwell b Kuldeep 20 (12b, 2x4, 1x6), Marcus Stoinis c Hardik b Axar 2 (4b), Tim David c Bumrah b Arshdeep 15 (11b, 1x4, 1x6), Matthew Wade c Kuldeep b Arshdeep 1 (2b), Pat Cummins (not out) 11 (7b, 1x6), Mitchell Starc (not out) 4 (7b); Extras (b-5, lb-1, w-3): 9; Total (for seven wkts. in 20 overs): 181.

FALL OF WICKETS

1-6 (Warner, 0.6), 2-87 (Marsh, 8.6), 3-128 (Maxwell, 13.1), 4-135 (Stoinis, 14.1), 5-150 (Head, 16.3), 6-153 (Wade, 17.1), 7-166 (David, 17.5).

INDIA BOWLING

Arshdeep 4-0-37-3, Bumrah 4-0-29-1, Axar 3-0-21-1, Hardik 4-0-47-0, Kuldeep 4-0-24-2, Jadeja 1-0-17-0.

Toss: Australia.

PoM: Rohit.

India won by 24 runs.

Chase fourth to score a 50, take three or more wickets in a match

APLynne Sladky

West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase became the fourth player overall and second player from his team to score a half-century and take three or more wickets in a T20 World Cup match. Chase accomplished this feat (52 runs and three for 12) during his side’s Super 8 clash against South Africa at Antigua.

New Proteas team always seems to get over the line, says Shamsi

APLynne Sladky

Tabraiz Shamsi is delighted that South Africa has managed to get over the line in close finishes at the ongoing T20 World Cup. “Obviously most of the games have been a lot closer than we would have liked, but the amazing thing is that this new Proteas team always seems to get over the line,” Shamsi said.

Afghanistan has everything to play for as it takes on Bangladesh

K.R. DEEPAKDEEPAK KR

Afghanistan will take on Bangladesh in a crucial T20 World Cup Group 1 Super 8 match in St Vincent on Monday. “Yeah, it’s a nice feeling to have the fact that we’re playing the last game. You will know exactly what the scenario is and then what’s needed to win,” Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott said.

Sky is the limit, we are ending with heaps of learnings: USA’s Anderson

ANI

USA’s fairytale run was cut short by the “Big Boys” but Corey Anderson says his assorted team is signing off from the T20 World Cup with “heaps of learnings”. “Sky is the limit really... the last few years there’s always been whispers around what’s happening in America with cricket... hopefully we can grow that,” Anderson said.

Gill to lead India in Zimbabwe T20I series

Sports Bureau

Mumbai

Gill.FILE PHOTO: VIJAY SONEJI

Shubman Gill will lead a relatively inexperienced India squad for a five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe next month.

The squad:

Shubman Gill (Capt.), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, and Tushar Deshpande.

The schedule: July 6, 7, 10, 13, and 14.

All matches start at 4.30 p.m. IST.

Germany manages to hold Switzerland, tops group

Reuters

FRANKFURT

Fuellkrug’s last-gasp equaliser cancels Ndoye’s strike ; Swiss also seal a last-16 spot; Hungary rides on Csoboth’s 100th-minute winner against Scotland, stays in contention for a round-of-16 berth

1 of 2 In the nick of time: Fuellkrug, second from right, heads home to help Germany share points with Switzerland. AFP

2 of 2

Striker Niclas Fuellkrug scored a stoppage-time equaliser as host Germany rescued a point after a 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Sunday to seal top spot in Group A and maintain its momentum going into the last 16 of Euro 2024.

Swiss forward Dan Ndoye had threatened to spoil the party with a first half opener, but Germany, which had already sealed a last-16 place before kickoff, is now on a seven-game unbeaten run stretching back to November and kept plugging away until the equaliser eventually came through Fuellkrug’s powerful header.

The home side had a goal disallowed and several penalty appeals rejected by Italian referee Daniele Orsato, and it looked to be a frustrating night before Fuellkrug finished one of its 18 attempts at goal in a feverish atmosphere in Frankfurt.

It denied the Swiss what would have been a second win over Germany in 22 competitive matches dating back to 1959, but its passage through to the last-16 is also secure. Germany topped the pool with seven points from its three games, two ahead of Switzerland.

In another Group A match, Hungary snatched a 100th-minute winner to beat Scotland 1-0 and put itself in contention for a last-16 spot while condemning the Scots to yet another failure at a major tournament.

Kevin Csoboth’s breakaway goal with the last kick off the match ensured Hungary finished third in the group with three points while Scotland crashed out bottom with two.

Nasty injury

The game was paused for a lengthy period in the 68th minute after a horrible clash between Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn and Barnabas Varga.

Varga appeared to be knocked out cold and needed urgent treatment, and Hungary players erected blankets around him as a screen while they looked in distress.

The forward was carried off the field on a stretcher to applause from the crowd. He was taken to Stuttgart Hospital where Hungarian media said he was conscious and communicating with staff.

Hungary must wait to see whether it will qualify for the last 16 in one of the places reserved for the best four third-placed finishers.

Germany will now face the second-placed team in Group C on June 29, while Switzerland will play the second-placed team in Group B.

The results: Group A: Switzerland 1 (Ndoye 28) drew with Germany 1 (Fuellkrug 90+2); Scotland 0 Hungary 1 (Csoboth 90+10).

JSW Group marks 100 years of India’s Olympic journey

Sports Bureau

NEW DELHI

Inauguration of Olympic exhibition in Paris on Sunday.

The JSW Group marked Olympic Day in Paris with the inauguration of the exhibition, celebrating the legacy of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Olympic Movement, along with the commemoration of 100 years of India’s presence in the Games, in Paris, on Sunday.

The IOC President Thomas Bach, Ambassador of India in France, Jawed Ashraf, JSW Foundation chairperson Sangita Jindal, Inspire Institute of Sport Founder, Parth Jindal, president of Pierre de Coubertin Family Association, Mrs. Alexandra de Navacelle, Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra were present at the inauguration.

The exhibition will be open to public till the end of the Paralympics on September 10.

“JSW Group is pleased to support the curation of 100 years of India at Olympics, at the Genius of Sport exhibition in Paris. Through this we celebrate the life and legacy of Pierre de Coubertin and 100 years of India’s remarkable Olympic journey and success.

“We share Pierre de Coubertin’s vision and belief that sport has the ability to change the world differently by transcending borders and bringing people together in the spirit of peace and friendship,” said Sangita Jindal, the Chairperson of JSW Group.

“We are on the cusp of the greatest sporting event in the world, and it was our desire at JSW to do something more in the city of Paris,” said Parth Jindal.

USA and Uruguay make winning starts to their campaigns

Agence France-Presse

ARLINGTON

Opening salvo: Araujo celebrates with fellow-scorer Vina after netting Uruguay’s first goal.Getty ImagesRich Storry

Christian Pulisic scored one goal and set up another as the United States launched its Copa America campaign with a clinical 2-0 Group C victory over Bolivia on Sunday.

In the same group, Darwin Nunez was on strike as 15-time Copa winner Uruguay beat a determined Panama 3-1 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Pulisic fired the host into the lead after only three minutes. Receiving the ball from a corner on the left, the American captain darted towards the edge of the area and whipped a rasping shot goalwards.

Bolivia goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra got a hand to it but could not stop the ball flying into the roof of the net.

The US doubled the lead in the 44th minute and once again Pulisic was heavily involved.

In the other group match, Maximiliano Araujo put Uruguay ahead in the 16th minute with a beautifully executed left-foot shot into the far, top corner. Marcelo Beilsa’s side gave itself some breathing space when Nunez doubled the lead in the 85th minute.

Matias Vina’s perfectly timed header from a Nicolas de la Cruz free-kick put an end to the contest. Panama received some reward in the final minutes with Michael Amir Murillo finishing off a swift break.

The results: Group C: USA 2 (Pulisic 3, Balogun 44) bt Bolivia 0; Uruguay 3 (Araujo 16, Nunez 85, Vina 90+1) bt Panama 1 (Murillo 90+4).

England will look to respond to critics

Aneesh Dey

CHENNAI

1 of 2

2 of 2

In their search for a first international trophy since 1966, Gareth Southgate and his players had fresh hopes pinned on them ahead of Euro 2024. Placed in a relatively easy group, along with Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia, England was expected to cruise through.

After a 1-0 win against Serbia and a 1-1 draw against Denmark, the Three Lions are, yet again, under scrutiny for underperforming with a star-studded line-up.

Southgate's biggest criticism has been playing Trent Alexander-Arnold as a holding midfielder, which has forced others out of position.

“I don’t understand why we should be doing that. I would have picked Declan Rice as the holding midfielder and Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham in front of him. Now, we have to see [Phil] Foden out of position and someone like [Cole] Palmer on the bench," former England international Michael Owen told The Hindu in a virtual interaction.

One of England’s glaring problems has been its lack of penetration. Out of 1014 passes, only 54 have been in a key attacking area, and just 79 have made it to the final third with a mere 14 inside the opposition penalty area.

While Owen feels that there might be a change in personnel, he doubts whether Southgate will tinker with formations for his last group match against Slovenia.

(England’s match against Slovenia on June 26 (12.30 a.m.) IST and all other Euro 2024 matches will be telecast live on the Sony Sports Network).

Stimac acted with the sole intent of maligning the federation: AIFF

Sports Bureau

KOLKATA

The All India Football Federation refuted the charges made by the ousted coach of the National men’s football team, Igor Stimac, saying that head coach misrepresented facts while acting with “the sole intent of maligning the Federation.”

“Mr. Stimac’s communication — apparently made with the sole intent of maligning the AIFF and showing its personnel in poor light — is not befitting of a professional who has served the organisation for over five years and was extended the full support of the AIFF during this period,” the AIFF said in a statement to the media.

Right decision

“This conduct has only reinforced the AIFF’s belief that the right decision was made, with just cause, to terminate his contract and move forward in the interests of Indian football,” the statement added.

Taking up the specific allegations and charges levelled by Stimac during an online interaction with the media, the AIFF in its exhaustive reply argued that the coach was given “complete support by the AIFF” while president Kalyan Chaubey “had five meetings with him in 18 months” since the new regime took over in September 2022.

The AIFF’s response over Stimac threatening to file a lawsuit in the FIFA tribunal against breach of contract however remained ambiguous.

“The executed contract provides for a salary raise to $30,000 per month from Feb. 2024 to Jan. 2025 (as approved by the Core Committee) and $40,000 per month from Feb. 2024 to Jan. 2026 (without Core Committee approval for the said amount).

“The specific instructions regarding inserting termination clauses favourable to AIFF were also not followed before executing the contract.

“However, certain clauses for termination for cause were retained in the contract,” the statement said.

Double delight for Sreeja

Press Trust of India

Lagos

Sreeja.

Paris Olympics-bound Sreeja Akula on Sunday became the first Indian paddler to win a WTT Contender singles title when she defeated Ding Yijie of China 4-1 in the final here.

Sreeja also returned with a second gold as she partnered with Archana Kamath to get the better of compatriots Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghorpade 3-0 (11-9, 11-6, 12-10) in the women’s doubles as India ended its campaign with three gold and a silver.

India also bagged the men’s doubles gold when the duo of Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar blanked Azeez Solanke and Olajide Omotayo 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-8).

In the women’s final, Akula had a jittery start losing the first game against her Chinese rival 10-12.

But she came back strongly to win the next four games 11-9, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 to clinch the gold.

Sinner wins maiden grasscourt title at Halle Open

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner won his first-ever grasscourt tournament, beating former champion Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(8), 7-6(2), in the Wimbledon warm-up ATP tournament in Halle, Germany, on Sunday. The triumph means Sinner is the first player since Andy Murray in 2016 to win his first tournament after becoming World No. 1. The fifth-seeded Pole Hurkacz, 27, won Halle two years ago and was chasing a second title of the season after winning on clay at Estoril in April.

Pegula overcomes Kalinskaya to win Berlin Ladies Open

Jessica Pegula saved five match points before beating Anna Kalinskaya 6-7(0), 6-4, 7-6(3) in the final of the Berlin Ladies Open. It was the American’s first WTA title this year and fifth of her career. It was also Pegula's first career title on grass.

Paul reigns supreme at Queen’s Club

Tommy Paul defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-1, 7-6(8) to win the Queen’s Club tennis final in London on Sunday. Victory gave the fifth-seeded American his third ATP tour title but first on grass, with Queen’s long one of the leading warm-up events for Wimbledon.

Aditi and Diksha qualify for Paris Olympics

Press Trust of India

New Delhi

Indian golfers Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar on Monday secured qualification to the upcoming Paris Olympics via the world rankings. The two women join Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar (men’s section) to form a four-member Indian team.

While it will be a third appearance for Aditi at the Olympics which is also the most for an Indian, Diksha will be competing for the second time.

For Shubhankar and Bhullar, it would be their maiden appearance at the Olympics.

Jeswin disappoints in Guadalajara Athletics Meeting

National long jump record holder Jeswin Aldrin finished fifth with a disappointing 7.65m at the Guadalajara Athletics Puma Meeting, a World Athletics Continental Tour-Challenger event, in Guadalajara, Spain, on Sunday. The 22-year-old from Tamil Nadu, the World No. 1 early last year when he broke the national record with his 8.42m in the Indian Open jumps meet in Ballari, had a foul-ridden series in Spain and could manage just one legal jump. Meanwhile, Jay Pradeep Shah (10.68s), Kathirivan Hariharan (11.07), Muhammed Lazan (11.22) and Sachin Binu (10.88) were in action in the 100m semifinals and failed to progress to the final.

Shaking things up: a new look for the Indian squash team

K. Keerthivasan

CHENNAI

Following India’s spectacular performance at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou – with the team securing five medals in a competitive field – the SRFI is focused on promoting younger players with an eye on the 2026 Asian Games in Japan and the sport’s much-awaited Olympic debut in Los Angeles ’28, the National Federation explained

1 of 2 M. VEDHAN & SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTVEDHAN M

2 of 2

When the Indian contingent reached the venue for the 22nd Asian team squash championships in Dalian, China, their opponents looked at them with wonder and astonishment for the composition of the squad.

For this was the first time that the squad didn’t have both Saurav Ghosal (men) and Joshna Chinappa (women) in a decade or so for a prestigious tournament such as the Asians.

There were no expectations when the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) announced a young team full of debutants, excluding Velavan Senthilkumar (top, in pic), who played a stellar role in the previous edition in 2022 when India bagged a gold.

Young blood

SRFI, in its release, clearly stated that it had selected the team with the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Olympics in mind. “Following India’s spectacular performance at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou – with the team securing five medals in a competitive field – the SRFI is focused on promoting younger players with an eye on the 2026 Asian Games in Japan and the sport’s much-awaited Olympic debut in Los Angeles ’28,” the National Federation explained.

While the men’s team finished sixth the women’s outfit came fifth. No doubt, it was not a performance to write home about. But there were lots of positives and lessons which the SRFI and players have learnt from the outing.

Cyrus Poncha, SRFI Secretary, who has watched the Indian team from close quarters for more than two decades, said it was a creditable performance from a young team.

“Our expectations from both men’s and women’s teams were to finish in the top six. The performance by our girls especially was quite good and heartening, with Rathika (in pic) leading the team. It was unchartered territory. Our aim was to give exposure to our bench,” he said.

The push they needed

Giving opportunities to the younger players, insisted Cyrus, will push the seasoned players to perform better. “There are other players in the mix. In men’s, we have Ramit Tandon, who is the highest-ranked Indian in the world. Of course, there is Abhay Singh and Velavan. Veer Chotrani has just graduated from Cornell University and he is looking at playing full-time. That is a plus point for us. The athletes who played now in China are our upcoming players. They will do better and that in turn will push the seasoned players to work harder," he observed.

The absence of Saurav Ghosal, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal has left a void in the Indian team, said Cyrus, but added that he was confident that the young team would steadily fill the huge gap that is coming to light. “We believe Abhay (world ranked 66), Velavan (WR 55) can take up the mantle as they have the potential to improve their rankings and fill the void in the longer run. Once they are ‘up’ there, we will not feel the absence,” assured the SRFI Secretary.

For 26-year-old Velavan, it was his first chance to lead a young team in the men’s section and one, he said, he really enjoyed. “It was a great opportunity to lead the team, it was a new role that I really loved. I was the oldest member of the team. The players have potential and all they need is exposure and experience. The future of Indian squash is bright,” he assured.

Grouped in Pool D with Kuwait, Japan and Mongolia, India (men) finished second, losing only to Japan 0-3. In the quarterfinals against Pakistan, India went down 1-2. On the other hand, the women’s team (Pool A) defeated Macau, Chinese Taipei and Mongolia but lost to both Malaysia and South Korea, and failed to make the semifinals.

Unlucky circumstances

Due to visa issues, Velavan reached Dalian the night before the tournament and was not in the best shape to play two ties versus Kuwait (3-0) and Japan (0-3). According to Poncha, had it not been for the delay, Velavan, perhaps, would have put in a much-better performance in the match against Japan. A victory for Velavan, he argued, would have tiled the scales in India’s favour.

The defeat to Pakistan in the quarterfinals wasn’t one-sided. After Muhammad Asiam Khan beat Rahul Baitha in the first match, Velavan levelled the scores, defeating a lower-ranked (185) Nasir Iqbal.

Suraj Kumar Chand, playing his first-ever International tournament, lost to Noor Zaman in the third and deciding tie in three straight games.

The 23-year-old spoke about his experience playing against Zaman. “I played the third match. There was pressure against Noor Zaman but I had hope. The team was supportive. They told me not to take pressure. Velavan was very supportive as he told me how to prepare well before the match. It was a great learning experience playing against top players from Japan and Pakistan,” he said.

The Indian women's team was pitted in Pool A with top-seed Malaysia and fifth seed Korea. It was never going to be easy as only the top two teams from each of the two groups qualified for the semifinals. India lost to Malaysia and Korea in 0-3 identical margins and failed to enter the knock-out stage.

Lessons learnt

Nevertheless, Rathika was delighted with her maiden International outing. “If we had defeated Korea in our last pool match, we would have won a medal. Obviously, we lacked experience. We will get better,” she said.

Wearing the India jersey, Rathika said, was a great experience and winning the first match was special against Macau’s Liu Kwai Chi. “A dream was realised playing for India,” she added.

Rathika further noted, playing against S. Sivasangari of Malaysia was something she will cherish for a long time. “That experience of playing with a top-10 player I can never replicate in training,” she said.

The best part, said the 23-year-old, was scripting her biggest upset in her international career, beating Singapore’s Au Yeong Wai Yhann (WR 88) in five games. “In the 5-8 placings, I played my second match against Yhaan. The match went on for 56 minutes. It was my best match at the Asians,” she said.

The transition from junior to senior is seldom easy as the balls are hit harder and the angles more acute. Rathika noted she has learnt a lot and will employ her lessons in upcoming tournaments.

Nineteen-year-old Pooja Arthi said the Asian teams showed where she needed to improve in order to survive in the professional circuit. “I want to compete in more PSA tournaments and be a part of the Indian women’s team for the 2026 Asian Games,” she said.

India has always done well in the Asian team championships. The men’s contingent has won gold (2022), silver on three occasions and bronze on five occasions while the women’s team has replicated the same medal tally with its solitary gold coming in 2012..

It was a pragmatic move by SRFI to bring together a young Indian outfit for the Asian team championships. The younger players and the seasoned ones, SRFI hopes, will work harder and deliver for the country in major events.

Table of Contents

The Hindu Jun 25, 2024

National

NEET paper leak case: 2 teachers among 4 booked in Maharashtra

Mamata says Bengal must be involved in any talks on sharing of Teesta water

Kuki-Zo hold rallies in Manipur, seek U.T. for community to end ethnic strife

Will work for consensus in Parliament, says Modi

Business before tempest

Resolution to rename State ‘Keralam’ passed by Kerala Assembly

Quite unusual for HC to reserve order affecting personal liberty: SC

Title to a home

India, Philippines rediscovering each other, BrahMos a game changer: envoy

India, Pak. delegations reach J&K to inspect power projects under Indus Water Treaty

SC denies Haryana’s plea against quashing of additional marks

BJP to mark 50th anniversary of Emergency in Delhi

Srinagar’s ‘World Craft City’ tag will promote global links

Opposition to wait for govt.’s Speaker candidate

IB chief, NHRC Secretary General get extension

HC to pass verdict today

18th Lok Sabha opens with 262 MPs taking oath on the first day

NTA reform committee to take a multi-pronged view to plug gaps

CBI takes over five cases related to NEET; Bihar EOU hands over file

On strike

Modi continues to be ‘arrogant’ even after moral defeat: Kharge

Use of artificial colours in kebabs banned in State

Kerala govt. eases treasury restrictions

Nadda named Leader of House in Rajya Sabha

No urgency to implead CBI, ED in NEET case, says SC

Ilaiyaraaja’s album Divya Pasurams released

Akhilesh Yadav draws attention as ‘giant-killer’

Kin of 11 Indians stuck in Russia take fight to Delhi

Chief priest complains of water seepage in Ayodhya Ram Temple

Visas not first priority for India in FTA with U.K.: High Commissioner

14210

Maternity leave for parents of child born through surrogacy

Symbol of the formless One

Indian Army constructs 150-ft suspension bridge in 48 hours

Indian mission pays tribute to Kanishka bombing victims

Regional

Omar Abdullah pitchesfor release of MP-elect Rashid, other J&K prisoners as two NC leaders take oath as MPs

Mumbai Cong. leaders demand change at the helm ahead of Assembly polls

Survivors of hooch tragedy in T.N. recount their brush with death on June 18

Tamil Nadu will urge Centre to take up caste census: Stalin

Jarange-Patil accuses Minister Chhagan Bhujbal of creating rift between Marathas and OBCs

West Bengal Police arrest man in connection with nephew’s murder

CM Sawant meets PM, seeks guidance to build 'Viksit Goa'

BJD will act as a strong Oppn. in Parliament, says Naveen

H.P. bypolls: 15 candidates in fray after nomination scrutiny

remanded in CID custody in sexual abuse case

New link

‘January 25 will be observed as Tamil language martyrs’ day’

Forest team captures 10-year-old tiger that preyed on domestic animals in Wayanad

LTTE asked to explain why it should not be declared unlawful

Cannot quash POCSO cases on basis of settlement: Kerala HC

After SIT and CBI, ED begins probe into Valmiki scam

Nara Lokesh takes charge as Minister, clears DSC file

In a major reshuffle, Telangana transfers over 40 IAS officers

Wild jumbos camp inside a school, farm in Idukki

46,000 birds to be culled in avian flu-hit Alappuzha

Virtual meeting of coffee farmers across country today

Science

Could the key to our maths ability be hidden in our brains?

From within the C of machines…

Most Indians want stronger climate action, finds survey

Edit

The Court spells the way in Himalaya’s development

From China tilt to a balancing with Beijing and Delhi

Nicobar triangle

Alter the status quo

letters to the editor

data point

Human dignity versus religious practices

Internal strife weakens BJD in Odisha

fifty years ago Month x, xxxx

a hundred years ago Month x, xxxx

The NITI Aayog’s project in Great Nicobar

How the PESA has boosted forest conservation in India

Quiz yourself on India’s first-ever Test match that began on June 25, 1932

Know your English

Business

Current account logs $5.7-bn surplus in Q4 after 10 quarters

Bank deposits are showing growth, but are they protected?

SEBI to tighten rules on banker inspections

Everton Tea India eyes new markets to raise sales volume

Critical minerals: first six blocks awarded

Law firms may tap Gen AI to cut errors

Wheat stock limits to curb hoarding: govt.

‘Scanty monsoon spikes food prices’

Biocon firm gets EMA nod to make Bevacizumab for Europe

Amara Raja arm inks pact on Gotion’s Li-ion tech

Hero MotoCorp to increase prices from July on input cost

JM Financial arm opens Gen AI Lab for stockbroking

Hikes, nosy neighbours afflict Zimbabwe’s rural mobile users

European IPOs fizzle out as political turmoil roils stocks

China, EU are open to talks on plans to hike tariffs on Chinese EVs

For a byte of AI

Quant MF: ‘SEBI crackdown can hit investors’

Foreign

Quality check

Russia’s Dagestan region mourns as toll in militant attacks climb to 20

‘Intense’ phase of Gaza war is winding down, says Israel PM

Fire at lithium battery factory in South Korea kills 22 workers

Apple becomes the first target of EU’s new digital competition rules aimed at big tech

Labour will reset partnership with India, says shadow foreign secretary Lammy

French far-right leader Bardella says his R-N party ‘ready’ to govern

Death count hits 15 as wildfire rips through Turkiye’s Kurdish region

Pakistani teenager kills man from minority group over ‘blasphemy’

Iran says it has agreed to start talks with Bahrain on resuming ties

Russia warns U.S. following Kyiv’s strike on Crimea

After forced withdrawals, U.S. pushes for improved military ties with Africa

EU targets Russia’s ‘ghost fleet’, expresses concern over its ‘hybrid attacks’

Soaking up the sun

Spotlight on sanctions in Iran presidential campaign

German far-right leader back in court over Nazi slogan

Cybersecurity group flags rise in attacks on Taiwan firms

Sports

Rohit leads the way as the Men in Blue post mammoth 205 against Australia

India’s ground fielding stood out in series win

Proteas hold nerve, heartbreak for WI

SCOREBOARD

Chase fourth to score a 50, take three or more wickets in a match

New Proteas team always seems to get over the line, says Shamsi

Afghanistan has everything to play for as it takes on Bangladesh

Sky is the limit, we are ending with heaps of learnings: USA’s Anderson

Gill to lead India in Zimbabwe T20I series

Germany manages to hold Switzerland, tops group

JSW Group marks 100 years of India’s Olympic journey

USA and Uruguay make winning starts to their campaigns

England will look to respond to critics

Stimac acted with the sole intent of maligning the federation: AIFF

Double delight for Sreeja

Sinner wins maiden grasscourt title at Halle Open

Pegula overcomes Kalinskaya to win Berlin Ladies Open

Paul reigns supreme at Queen’s Club

Aditi and Diksha qualify for Paris Olympics

Jeswin disappoints in Guadalajara Athletics Meeting

Shaking things up: a new look for the Indian squash team