HYDERABAD FRIDAY AUGUST 23, 2024 `9.00 PAGES 36 LATE CITY EDITION SC TELLS HARYANA, PUNJAB TO PERSUADE FARMERS TO VACATE SHAMBHU BORDER The Supreme Court on Thursday told the states to persuade agitators to remove their tractors and trollies from the interstate border PANEL BEING SET UP TO SOLVE THEIR ISSUES: COURT STATES URGED TO ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS The court told the Haryana and Punjab governments to inform the agitating farmers that a multi-member panel was being constituted for the redressal of their grievances “for all times”. The Supreme Court said the panel may have the power and authority to make recommendations to the state and, if need be, the Union governments on steps to resolve farmers’ grievances ■ The court was hearing Haryana’s plea against a high court order asking it to remove barricades erected at the Shambhu border near Ambala ■ The bench asked the representatives of both Punjab and Haryana to continue engaging with the farmers and directed them to apprise the court about the outcome of such meetings on the next date of hearing September 2 WHEN THE COURT WILL TAKE UP THE MATTER FOR FURTHER HEARING 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 SC says justice & med can’t stop, urges end to stir CM IN DELHI TO INVITE SONIA, RAHUL TO TG Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his deputy, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, are in Delhi to invite Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge to celebrate the implementation of `2 lakh crop loan waiver and to unveil the the Rajiv Gandhi statue in front of the Secretariat | P4 WILL RELEASE `12K CR FOR WAIVER: REVANTH CBI status report says crime scene at RG Kar where doc was killed, was tampered with The chief minister made it clear on Thursday that `12,000 crore more would be released to waive crop loans. He said that the govt has released `18,000 crore so far. The `12,000 crore will be to waive loans of farmers who clear amounts in surplus of the `2 lakh cut-off mark S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, ministers and party cadre protest at the Enforcement Directorate office in Hyderabad demanding the resignation of SEBI chairperson and an ED investigation into allegations levelled by Hindenburg of a scam | VINAY MADAPU REVANTH LEADS CONG PROTEST AGAINST ADANI EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE CM’s Adani raga different from Rahul’s, says KTR THE CBI in a status report on its probe into the rape and murder of a trainee doctor on August 9 at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, told the Supreme Court on Thursday that the crime scene was altered and tampered with. Initially the Kolkata police told the parents that it was suicide, but later they said she was murdered. Taking the CBI report on record, a threejudge bench led by the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud appealed to the protesting doctors to return to work, saying justice and medicine cannot afford to be stopped. “We earnestly appeal to all doctors. We are here to ensure their safety and protection. Please trust us, that is why we have not left the matter to the (Calcutta) High Court,” the bench said. It also directed a Sealdah court to pass its order on the CBI’s application for a lie detector test on accused Sanjoy Roy by Friday . The court directed the states not to take any coercive steps and adverse action against the protesting doctors. “How can public health infrastructure function if doctors don’t return to work?” the court wondered. It asked the health ministry to convene a meeting with the Chief Secretaries of states and Directors General of Police to ensure the safety of the doctors willing to return to work. The meeting should be completed within a week and states shall take remedial measures within two weeks, the court said. While directing states not to disrupt peaceful protests, it said, “the order should not be misconstrued to mean that the authorities are precluded from exercising their regulatory powers in accordance with law.” The bench, however, categorically said peaceful protests should not be disrupted. Justice JB Pardiwala, a member of the bench, expressed concern at the manner in which the police handled the case. The postmortem was conducted on August 9 between 6.10 pm and 7.10 pm though the case of unnatural death was registered at 11.30 pm and the FIR recorded at 11.45 pm. Autopsy means unnatural death, yet the case was recorded later. “The entire procedure followed by the police is something I have not come across in my 30 years of career,” he remarked. What is the reason the FIR is lodged almost 14 hours after the discovery of the body? The most important thing is that the principal of the college should have come straightaway to the college and directed the filing of the FIR. Who was he in touch with? What was the purpose? AL-QAEDA Delhi Police busts terror module, arrests 14 from 3 states U J W A L J A L A L I @ New Delhi THE Special Cell of Delhi Police, in coordination with its counterparts in Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, busted an Al-Qaeda-inspired terror module and detained 14 people, including six who were undergoing training in handling weapons. Al-Qaeda is a banned terrorist organisation listed in the first schedule of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). It is proscribed under Section 35 of the UAPA. A senior police officer said the module, as per the current state of operations, was being led by one Dr Ishtiyaq based in Ranchi, Jharkhand. “It was aspiring to declare Khilafat and execute serious terrorist activities within the country the of,” ficer said, adding the members of the module had received “indoctrination” and weapons training at various locations. Police have also recovered arms, ammunition, and objectionable literature. The six individuals who were being trained in weapon handling were nabbed from Bhiwadi in Rajasthan. Eight more persons were detained from Jharkhand and UP for questioning. Multiple teams of the anti-terror unit are interrogating the suspects at various locations. “As the interrogation is going on, more arrests are anticipated,” said the official cited above. Last year, a Delhi court had convicted four operatives of AlQaeda in Indian Subcontinent for conspiracy to commit terror acts across the country and recruiting members for the terror group. CHIEF Minister A Revanth Reddy launched a no-holdsbarred attack on the BJP on Thursday accusing the saffron , party which is heading the coalition ruling at the Centre of becoming a threat to the nation. Addressing a protest organised by Congress workers demanding an investigation into alle g ations raised in the Hindenburg report, Revanth demanded the NDA government agree to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the allegations of a nexus between Madhabi Puri Buch, the SEBI chairperson, and the Adani Group. During the protest at the zonal office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Hyderabad, Revanth, along with other Congress leaders, submitted a representation to ED officials seeking a thorough investigation into the matter. “When the party gives a call, everyone, irrespective of their position, should obey It’s the reason I am . participating in this protest,” he said. The TPCC chief accused We are least bothered if the BRS merges with the BJP. The important question is why is KCR not questioning the BJP and KTR not posting messages about this robbery on Twitter? CM Revanth Reddy Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dodging questions related to the Adani group in Parliament. He pointed out India’s debt burden had shot up from `55,000 crore in 2014 to `1.15 lakh crore during Modi’s tenure, claiming that the prime minister doubled the country’s debt compared to the 16 prime ministers who preceded him. Revanth said that PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah believed only in the “Hum do.. Hamare do” approach and alleged that they were facilitating corruption and allowing the country’s wealth to be looted. He demand- ed the resignation of the SEBI chairperson and an ED investigation into the alleged scam. The chief minister also targeted the BRS for remaining silent on the Hindenburg report. “We are least bothered if the BRS merges with the BJP. The important question is why is KCR not questioning the BJP and KTR not posting messages about this robbery on Twitter?” he asked. Alleging that the BRS was tacitly supporting the BJP , he demanded that the pink party clarify its stance on the JPC. Responding to threats by BRS leaders that they would remove the statue of Rajiv Gandhi in front of the Secretariat, Revanth said: “No force will be able to remove the statue. If anyone touches the Rajiv Gandhi statue, they will end up receiving bruises on their back. Let them come forward and announce the date to remove the statue.” He said that the government will install a statue of Telangana Talli in the Secretariat premises and unveil it on December 9, the birthday of Sonia Gandhi whom he described as the “living example of Telangana Talli”. CONTINUED ON P4 EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE Women journos allege attack by Cong workers @ Hyderabad No ‘satisfactory replies’ to Waqf bill JPC’s queries E N S @ Hyderabad TIES POLISHED Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk ahead of their summit meeting in Warsaw on Thursday | P7 1 2 3 STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP DEFENCE PRODUCTION ACTION PLAN ANNOUNCED India and Poland upgraded ties to the level of a “strategic partnership” and inked a social security pact to promote the mobility of skilled workers Donald Tusk expressed Poland’s eagerness to be a key partner in India’s aim to boost domestic defence production and modernise its armed forces 5-year action plan announced for strategic partnership in defence, trade, agri-tech, energy, green technology, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals and mining INSIDE TG ASKED BY CENTRE TO GIVE `2.5K CR TO AP? I P5 SPECIAL SUMMARY REVISION OF ROLLS KICKS OFF ACROSS TG, YOUNGSTERS WHO TURN 18 ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2025, CAN REGISTER AS VOTERS I P2 CONGRESS workers on Thursday allegedly attacked two women journalists, Avula Sarita and Vijaya Reddy in Kondar, eddypalli, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s native village in Vangoor mandal of Nagarkurnool district. The journalists had gone there to verify if farmers had benefitted from the crop loan waiver scheme. “Congress workers physically assaulted us while we were reporting on the implementation of the waiver. Our camera was smashed, phones were snatched and we were pushed into mud,” Sarita alleged. Around a dozen vehicles followed her vehicle when she was on her way to Veldanda police station to file a complaint. She reached the police station but alleged they tried to assault her there too. BRS working president KT Rama Rao posted on X: “Strongly condemn the attack on the female journalists in CM’s native village Kondareddypalli by Congress goons. It is not just a big blot on the democratic system but also the basic decency that is expected out of any human being.” Vangoor police registered cases under Sections 126(2), 352,351(1), 79 r/w 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the alleged attackers. @ Hyderabad SUGGESTING that there were several differences between Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy BRS working , president KT Rama Rao said both leaders should sit together and decide whether Adani was a good person or not. Then, they should issue a statement on Adani, Rama Rao said during an informal chat with reporters here on Thursday . Reacting to the chief minister’s dharna before the Enforcement Directorate office which demanded the Centre order a JPC probe into the allegations of irregularities against the Adani group, Rama Rao said the BRS had already demanded that a sitting judge of the Supreme Court hear the issue. He recalled that the BRS government never allowed investments from the Adani group into the state. “BRS didn’t allow coal production and meters for agriculture motors proposed by Adani,” Rama Rao said, adding that Adani ventured into Rajasthan when it was ruled by the Congress and was now doing business in CONTINUED ON P4 Telangana. P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi AMID fierce attack from Muslim bodies, the first meeting of the Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill saw dissenting voices from various Opposition members as well as NDA allies on the proposed law. Though the Telugu Desam Party, a key ally of the NDA supported the bill in the Lok Sabha, it called for wider consultations during the JPC meeting, said sources. Early this week, TDP Parliamentary party leader and JPC member Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu told this paper that the party has begun consultations with all communities, including Muslims about their concerns. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board claimed that TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu and JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar have assured Muslim bodies that their parties would oppose the Waqf Bill. It also said it will launch a nationwide movement if the bill is not withdrawn. Another BJP ally, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), said that the Muslim commu- SC bench to WB counsel CONSIDER ALL SUGGESTIONS National Task Force formed by the SC will take note of the suggestions of all stakeholders while formulating a national protocol for the safety of healthcare professionals PORTAL TO POOL IDEAS The bench directed the govt to open a portal for stakeholders to submit their suggestions for the task force nity’s concerns should be addressed and pitched for more consultations. Speaking to TNIE, some of the MPs said the ministry failed to give ‘satisfactory replies’ to the queries raised in the meeting. Though not part of the INDIA bloc, YSR Congress’ V Vijaysai Reddy also raised objections to several clauses of the bill, sources said. Several opposition members questioned the proposed amendments such as empowering district collectors in deciding on the ownership of a disputed land, and to WITH THIS ISSUE CITY’S BEST WEEKEND GUIDE 36 PAGES, INCLUDING 24 OF INDULGE (TABLOID) induct non-Muslim members on Waqf boards. Committee Chairperson Jagdambika Pal described the over six-hour meeting, as ‘fruitful’. He asserted that voices of different stakeholders would be heard. “We will discuss all 44 amendments and bring a comprehensive bill by the next session,” he said. He said the committee would call various Muslim bodies representing different sects to hear their views. AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi launched a scathing attack terming it as ‘unconstitutional’, said sources. Congress, NC finalise seat-sharing for J&K polls Rahul Gandhi. Mallikarjun Kharge at a press meet in Srinagar on Thursday | ZAHOOR PUNJABI F AYA Z W A N I @ Srinagar THE Congress and National Conference on Thursday finalised seat-sharing for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls. The announcement came after the meeting of top Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi with NC leader Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah. “The Congress leadership deliberated with the Abdullahs on forging a pre-poll alliance for the Assembly polls. Both parties discussed the issue in detail and decided that forging alliance is a must to keep divisive forces away,” a Congress leader told this paper. While the exact number of seats allocated to both parties was not revealed, sources said the Con- gress will fight from most of the 43 seats in Jammu while NC will focus on the Valley . The three-phase elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will be held on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results will be declared on October 4. Of the 90 seats, 47 are in Kashmir and 43 in Jammu. Kharge and Rahul arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday. On Thursday they visited the Gup, kar residence of Farooq to meet him and Omar. During the meeting, Rahul stressed on the restoration of J&K’s statehood. Taking a dig at the Modi government for downgrading J&K state into a Union Territory he said it was , the first time in the country’s history that a state was converted into a UT. After the meeting, Farooq Abdullah told reporters that the Congress, NC and CPI(M) are on the same page and will fight the Assembly elections together. According to sources, CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami is likely to contest from Kulgam in south Kashmir. This seat will be spared for him by the NC.
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