THIRUVANANTHAPURAM l saturday l January 13, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION Modi opens India’s longest bridge linking mumbai to Navi Mumbai Built at a cost of K17,840 crore, the bridge will cut travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai from two hours to 20 minutes It’s 21.8 km long with a 16.5 km sea link foundation laid for next mega project The six-lane trans-harbour bridge is 21.8 km long with a 16.5 km long sea link and will also reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Pune. The project’s foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016. “The sea bridge is a reflection of Viksit Bharat. It shows India’s infrastructural prowess and march towards being a developed nation,” Modi said on Friday ■ ■ With months left for Lok Sabha elections, Modi attacked the Opposition saying, “Before 2014, mega scams used to be the topic of discussion. But (now), mega projects getting completed is the talk” He laid the foundation stone for another mega project on Friday — an D8,000 crore tunnel that links east and south Mumbai A375 is the two-way toll for cars on Atal Setu. It is K1,245 for buses 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 MT’s ‘autocracy speech’ continues to reverberate British Royal Air Force’s Typhoon FGR4 conducting precision strikes in Yemen | X US, UK walk the talk as missiles hit Houthi sites y e s h i S e l i @ New Delhi Blinken, Jaishankar discuss situation Hours before strike began, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken dialled India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to gave him a heads-up about the impending strike. The two “discussed the US’s and India’s shared concerns over the reckless Houthi attacks in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” the US State Dept said in a statement THE US and the UK on Friday launched their first military response to Yemen-based Houthi rebels’ persistent drone and missile attacks on commercial ships passing through the Red Sea, striking over 60 targets at 16 sites of the Iranbacked militant group. US officials said warship- and submarinelaunched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets were used to hit Houthi targets deep inside Yemen. While both the US and the UK claimed the massive strike crippled Houthis’ ability to threaten ships, the battle-hardened militant group vowed to avenge the attack on their assets. They said five of their fighters were killed and six others injured in the strikes. According to a post-strike assessment by the US Air Force’s Mideast command, the rebels’ command-and-control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities, and air defence radar systems were destroyed in the strikes. US President Joe Biden said the strikes were meant as a message to the rebels to stop disrupting trade, while British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said they were in self defence. Meanwhile, oil prices surged over fears that the regional conflict may escalate to become a much wider conflict. Brent futures were up 4% at $80.52 a barrel on Friday while US West Tex, as Intermediate crude rose 4.1% to $74.99. The Houthis have launched 27 attacks on commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea since mid-November. The US had issued multiple warnings over several days before it retaliated on Friday . Express News Service @ Kozhikode The row ignited by M T Vasudevan Nair at the opening of the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) continued to rage for the second day on Friday with peo, , ple from different walks of life chiming in. While UDF leaders and a section of writers asserted that MT was indirectly referring to, what they termed, the “autocratic” style of functioning of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the CPM blamed the media for distorting the speech. Terming MT’s words “sharp”, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said they should not fall on deaf ears. “The so-called impartial intellectuals should listen to his words,” he said, and hoped that the speech will bring long-lasting changes in society . Former KPCC president K Muraleedharan said writers too have started recognising the real face of Pinarayi. “What MT Writers too have started recognising the real face of Pinarayi. What MT said was about Pinarayi. It could be applicable to Narendra Modi as well There is no need to link it with the current situation... MT himself has said he is not responsible for the interpretations given to his speech... K Muraleedharan, Vadakara MP M B Rajesh, LSG Minister said was about Pinarayi. It could apply to Narendra Modi as well,” he said. In a Facebook post, writer N E Sudhir said MT had told him before the KLF function that he would touch on something of consequence. When he met MT after the speech, the latter said, “I didn’t criticise anyone but stated some plain reality. It would be great if the words pave the way for some introspection,” Sudhir wrote. Writer N S Madhavan said MT has opened a big opportunity for the Left for correction. Poet and Kerala Sahitya Akademi president K Satchidanandan, however, said he would like to view MT’s remarks as general observations on the issue of power. There could be various interpretations, he said, adding only MT can explain whether he had any particular person. Writer Paul Zacharia said though what MT said is a serious issue related to power, he would not comment more because he is not interested in controversies. Meanwhile, CPM leaders chose to target the media for twisting the remarks and trying to place the party on the defensive. LDF convener E P Jayarajan, who had stated that MT was referring to Modi and the Union government, said the renowned litterateur should be dragged into the controversy  ● More on P4 . E X P RE S S RE A D Thomas Isaac skips ED questioning Kochi: Former Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac did not turn up before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday for interrogation in the Masala Bonds case involving the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board. It is learnt that Isaac has informed ED that he is a part of the organising committee of the Migration Conclave scheduled to be held in Tiruvalla and will not appear for questioning until January 21. P5 16 pages, including 4 pages of THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Express Sangh aims to cover 50L houses with ‘Akshat’ distribution K S SREE J ITH @T’Puram Determined to fully cash in on the Ayodhya sentiment ahead of the general elections, the Sangh parivar in Kerala aims to cover 35-50 lakh houses in the state with distribution of ‘ kshat’ (worshipped rice) from A the Ram temple by January 15. The parivar organisations, including RSS, VHP Hindu Aikya , Vedi, BJP, Sevabharathi and BMS, began the initiative on January 1. VHP state president Viji Thampi is the lone leader scheduled to attend the consecration representing sangh organisations in the state. As many as 26 seers representing different mutts, including Mata Amritanandamayi, Swami Chidanandapuri, Swami Udit Chaithanya, Swami Amrithswarupananda Puri, Swami Viviktananda and Swami Brahmaswaroopananda, are expected to take part in the cere m o n y. O t h e r prominent in- vitees include actor Mohanlal, director Priyadarshan, SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair, thantri of Guruvayur temple Chennas Dineshan Namboodiripad and that of Sabarimala temple Kandaru Rajeevaru, in addition to some business magnates and few Padma award winners. “They were invited by the temple trust,” Viji Thampi told TNIE. “Invitation has been extended to individuals who had donated more than `1 crore. The priests will be brought to Ayodhya by the Margdarshak Mandal, the organisation of priests under VHP”, he said. RSS workers and leaders who have been actively participating in the distribution of ‘Akshath’ are jubilant at the reception they are receiving from people. “We are receiving great response from people,” RSS prantha karyavahak P N Easwaran told TNIE.  ● More on P4 Twin blow as industrial output down, inflation up M o n i k a Ya d a v @ New Delhi IN a double whammy to the economy, India’s industrial output growth plummeted to an eight-month low of 2.4% in November 2023 — down from the previous month’s 16-month high of 11.6% — while retail inflation rose to a four-month high at 5.69% in December. The fall in industrial output was largely due to the poor performance of the manufacturing sector, whose output growth dropped to a sevenmonth low of 1.2% in Novem- ber. In the same month, consumer durables production saw a sharp decline of 5.4%, marking its lowest output since the peak of the second Covid wave in June 2021. Similarly, electricity generation in November 2023 dwindled to its lowest level since February, a stark contrast to the 20.4% surge registered in October. Of the 23 manufacturing segments, only six experienced growth in November. Among the segments that showed notable growth were coke and refined petroleum products (14.2%), other transport equipment (9.8%), and motor vehicles (9.2%). However, furniture output dropped by 30.5%. Computers and electronics fell by 25% exceeding their 15.2% cumulative decline thus far in 2023-24. Wearing apparel production continued its downward trend, dropping 20.5%. Meanwhile, the mining sector exhibited a growth of 6.8%, reaching its highest production levels since April 2023. And, consumer non-durables output hit its highest level since January 2023. Notably though retail infla, tion was high in December 2023, it remained within the Reserve Bank’s upper limit of 6% for the fourth straight month. The rise in retail inflation was primarily driven by food articles, despite a deceleration in prices of cereals and vegetables compared to the previous month. M aya n k s i n g h @ New Delhi strong run Ernakulam’s Rajam Gopi, 68, paces to victory in the women’s 100m race at the 5th State Masters’ Games that began at Maharaja’s College Stadium in Kochi on Friday | A Sanesh 27 foreign devotees experience ‘thulabharam’ bliss A foreign devotee offers thulabharam at the Guruvayur temple in the presence of Mounayogi Harinarayanan and his disciples In a first for the Guruvayur temple, a group of 27 foreign devotees — belonging to France, Germany, Australia and Brazil — offered ‘thulabharam’ on Friday morning. They performed the famed ritual using the water from the manikinar (holy well) located on the eastern side of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Comprising men and women, the foreign devotees are disciples of Mounayogi Harinarayanan of the Sai Sanjeevani Trust in Guruvayur and have been practising Hindu rites and rituals for the past 15 years, said Sajeev Kumar N K, a person acquainted with the group. Sita Leite, from France, told TNIE that it was an exceptionally interesting experience. “At the moment of offering the weight of my body how sym... The Sangh Parivar invite extended to the Sivagiri Mutt has created a difference within the Mutt. Swami Sachidananda, president of Sivagiri Mutt, said none from the Mutt takes part in temple ceremonies outside the purview of Sivagiri Mutt. Meanwhile, Swami Brahmaswaroopananda, head of Sree Gurunarayana Ashram in Thrissur, said he got the invite and would like to attend the ceremony. P4 IAF aircraft’s debris found 7 years after it went missing First for Guruvayur A n u K u r u v i l l a @Kochi Difference of opinion bolic this is... I could easily surrender myself to Lord Krishna and felt lifted. This state of lightness lingered for some time. This ritual is so meaningful and allows us to feel and experience what surrender is,” Leite said. She said India brings so much to the world, helping people remain connected with the divine. “This is the reason why many pilgrims, like us, travel from all over the world to learn and discover more from India.” Fellow Frenchwoman Danielle had this to say: “Stepping onto the scale, letting go, offering, surrendering to Krishna the weight and limits of the ego was a profound experience. It opened up space inside, bringing peace and silence.” Sajeev pointed out that foreign devotees offering ‘thulabharam’ using the water from the manikinar was ● More on P5 a novelty  . Over seven years after an Indian Air Force An-32 aircraft with 29 defence personnel on board went missing during an operational mission, its debris appear to have been spotted on the sea bed 3.1 km off the coast of Chennai. The debris was found last month by scientists at the Chennai-based National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), which had recently deployed an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) equipped with multiple payloads, including a multibeam SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging) and high-resolution cameras, at the last-known location of the aircraft. The AUV picked up strong SONAR reflections from the seabed at a depth of 3,400 metres. The team at NIOT clicked pictures of the debris and sent them to the Air Force, which studied them and concluded that the debris belonged to an An-32 aircraft.