Amidst fierce opposition, FCRA amend bill to come up in lS today KANNUR l wednesday l april 01, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l city EDITION Despite widespread objections, Lok Sabha is set to take up the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) for passage on Wednesday The amendment allows the Centre to appoint a designated authority, which would control funds and assets if the FCRA certificate of an NGO is cancelled, surrendered or ceased. Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, expressed concern over the proposed amendments | P9 The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India wrote to home minister Amit Shah seeking wider consultation and safeguards against ‘excessive state control over civil society’ 80% of Christian NGOs in Kerala have FCRA licence: Union Min George Kurian CHENNAI MADURAI VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU KOCHI HYDERABAD VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■ ■ ■ Ranjith held in sexual assault case E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @Kochi Filmmaker Ranjith was arrested on Tuesday night in connection with a sexual assault case taken up on a complaint filed by a young actress. The complainant, who is acting in Ranjith’s upcoming film, alleged that he attempted to sexually assault her at a film location. She submitted her complaint directly to the state police chief. The police recorded the actress’ confidential statement two days ago, after which proceedings were initiated. Ranjith was taken into custody from Muttam, near Thodupuzha, while he was on his way to Idukki. He is currently in the custody of Thodupuzha police and is expected to be handed over to Kochi city police later. Sources said the arrest followed due procedure based on preliminary inquiry . ■ ■ Go get your own oil: Trump Won’t help you, a livid Trump tells allies who are not supporting the US in its war with Iran First oil cargo from Iran headed to port in Gujarat day 32 a g e n c i e s @ Dubai EGGED by a massive wave of disapproval for US-Israel’s unilateral decision to invade Iran, President Donald Trump on Tuesday expressed frustration with allies who have been unwilling to do more to support the US war effort, telling them to “go get your own oil” as the conflict with Iran and its closure of the Strait of Hormuz roiled global markets. The president’s social media tirade came after US strikes hit a city home to one of Iran’s main nuclear sites, sending a massive fireball into the sky. Iran rubbished this claim and soon attacked a fully loaded Kuwaiti oil tanker in the Persian Gulf. Trump, who has vacillated between insisting there is progress in diplomatic talks with Iran and threatening to expand the war, directed blame at US allies like A g e n c i e s @ New Delhi A screengrab from a video shared by US President Donald Trump which shows a US military strike in Isfahan, Iran, on Tuesday | X US IT firms on Iran’s radar  Iran said Tuesday it would target leading US technology firms like Apple, Google and Meta in the Gulf if more Iranian leaders were killed. It listed the names of 18 firms and asked their staff to leave the region the UK and France that have refused to enter a war with no clear endgame that they were not consulted on. “You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the USA. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially decimated. The , hard part is done. Go get your own oil!” Trump wrote. He singled out France for not letting planes fly over French territory, saying Paris has been “VERY UNHELPFUL,” and that “The USA is going to REMEMBER THIS forever!!!” `3,000 welfare pension, free IndiGo taps IATA chief LPG, AIIMS: NDA unveils Walsh as CEO ‘Vikasita Keralam’ roadmap ARS H A D K H AN @ New Delhi MAJOR PROMISES  Bhakshya Arogya Suraksha Card with a monthly recharge of J2,500, for women from poor, BPL households  Welfare pension of J3,000 per month for women heads of poor households, widows and those above 70 years  Two free LPG cylinders per year, one each during Onam & Christmas, to poor families  Establishing Kerala’s first AIIMS  20,000 litres of free water per month for every household  Revamping devaswom boards  Establishing a high-speed Railway network connecting T’Puram to Kannur. E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @T’Puram The BJP-led NDA on Tuesday released its manifesto for the April 9 Kerala assembly elections, laying out an expansive welfare and development roadmap under the banner of ‘Vikasita Keralam’, with a mix of direct cash support, infrastructure expansion and institutional reforms. At the heart of the manifesto is a targeted social welfare push aimed at economically vulnerable households. The NDA has promised a Bhakshya Arogya Suraksha Card for women from poor and BPL families, offering a monthly recharge of `2,500 that can be used for groceries and medicines. In addition, a strengthened welfare pension of `3,000 per month has been promised for women heads of poor households, widows and senior citizens above 70 years. The manifesto — released by BJP national president Nitin Nabin — has also pledged two free LPG cylinders annually, during Onam and Christmas, for poor families, and 20,000 litres of free water per month for every household. Healthcare features prominently in the manifesto, with a promise to expand the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY to cover all Malayalees and to establish Kerala’s first AIIMS, addressing a long-standing demand for advanced tertiary care infrastructure in the state.The NDA has proposed a high-speed railway corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur, the completion of all phases of Kochi Metro, and new metro projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. The manifesto promises to “protect” key pilgrimage centres, including Sabarimala and Guruvayur temple, by revamping devaswom boards to enhance devotee participation. It also promised a time-bound CBI probe into the Sabarimala gold theft case and a dedicated infrastructure ● More on P6 mission for the hill shrine.  InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of India’s largest airline IndiGo, on Tuesday appointed seasoned William Walsh as CEO. Walsh, popularly known as Willie, is currently the director-general of International Air Transport Association (IATA) and was formerly CEO of British Airways and International Airlines Group, a holding company which owns Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, Level and Vueling. His tenure at IATA comes to a close on July 31, 2026 and he is expected to join IndiGo not later than William Walsh the August 3. IndiGo’s appointment of a new CEO comes weeks after the sudden departure of Pieter Elbers. The airline’s promoter and MD Rahul Bhatia has taken interim charge of the company’s management. The changes in top-level management came three months after operational disruptions at the airline that crippled India’s aviation sector. Last week, IndiGo had appointed Air India Express MD and CEO Aloke Singh as chief strategy officer. “The aviation landscape is evolving rapidly and IndiGo is well-positioned to , be at the forefront of this change,” Walsh said. At least nine dead in Bihar temple stampede ‘Poor crowd management led to deaths’ RA M AS H AN K AR @ Patna At least nine devotees, eight of them women, were killed and 10 others injured in a stampede at a temple in Bihar’s Nalanda district on Tuesday . The incident took place around 8.30 am when a large number of devotees gathered at the Maa Sheetla Mandir located at Maghra village to offer morning prayers. Nalanda district magistrate Kundan Kumar said eight women died on the spot, while a man succumbed to his injuries later. The condition of four persons is critical. “When devotees were entering the temple, several women Scene at the Maa Sheetla Mandir after the stampede on Tuesday morning | pti collapsed due to dehydration and suffocation,” he said. The district administration has suspended four policemen, including the SHO of Deepnagar police station, under whose jurisdiction the temple comes. Sources said 2,500 police personnel were deployed for security of President Droupadi Murmu, who was attending an event at Nalanda University . Official sources said 25,00030,000 people assembled at the temple on the last Tuesday of the month, considered an auspicious day. Locals said there was not enough police force to manage the crowd and alleged the authorities were busy with the President’s visit INDIA’s first Iranian crude oil cargo since 2019 may be headed towards a port in Gujarat, according to ship tracking data. Indian refiners have been looking to purchase a few cargoes of Iranian oil on water following the recent sanctions waiver by Washington. “Following the US administration’s decision to grant a 30-day window for Iranian oil “on the water” due to regional conflict, the vessel Ping Shun is now en route to Vadinar (in Gujarat) with 600,000 barrels of crude. This is the first such delivery since May 2019 and comes at a critical time for Indian refiners facing tightening inventories,” said Sumit Ritolia, Lead Research Analyst, Refining and Modelling at commodity market analytic firm Kpler. Express Read Bhide is first woman BMC chief Mumbai: Ashwini Bhide, a 1995-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as the first woman commissioner of the Asia’s largest and richest civic body the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). She will take over from outgoing chief Bhushan Gagrani, who retired on Tuesday after completing a two-year term. Bhide’s current assignment is Additional Chief Secretary in the CMO. She has also worked as an additional commissionerat BMC earlier. Bhide, who is considered close to CM Devendra Fadnavis, was his top choice for the post. P10