Rude remarks from ‘friendly 3rd country’ Munir, currently on a visit to the US, made the threat while addressing the Pakistani diaspora in Florida’s Tampa. “We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” Asim Munir said. In an apparent message to the US, the MEA said it is regrettable that these remarks were made from the soil of a friendly third country. MEA slams Munir, says India will not give in to nuclear blackmail. tirupati l tuesday l august 12, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION High drama as Bihar SIR stir spills onto Delhi’s streets Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader This fight is not political; it is aimed at saving Constitution... We want a clean, pure voter list Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress president BJP’s cowardly dictatorship will not work! This is a fight to protect people’s right to vote, a struggle to save democracy Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief It’s not the first time fingers have been raised at the EC. In UP polls, the SP raised issues multiple times Opposition members of Parliament barred from reaching the ECI office, briefly detained K’taka min sacked for embarrassing Cong P r e e t h a N a i r @ New Delhi In a day of high drama, the Opposition’s protest against the ongoing voter roll revision in Bihar spilled onto the streets with the Delhi Police detaining several top leaders of INDIA bloc, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, during their march to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) headquarters in the capital. While the march led by Rahul began from Parliament House at noon, the MPs were stopped midway as the police had placed multiple barricades on Parliament Street to block them from moving forward. While the police asked the MPs not to proceed further and made an announcement through a loudspeaker that they should send only 30 representatives forward, many MPs sat on the road and raised slogans against the alleged ‘vote theft’ and poll rigging. In the melee, some MPs including SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, TMC’s Mahua Moitra, Sagarika Ghose and the Congress’ Sanjana Jatav and Jothimani, scaled the barricades raising slogans. The protesting MPs were later whisked away by police in buses to the Parliament Street police station. TMC’s Moitra and Mitali Bag fainted while being detained. All of them were released after a brief detention. Later speaking to the media, Rahul said the Opposition is B a n s y K a l a ppa @ Bengaluru Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attends to TMC’s Mitali Bag after she fainted at the protest venue | PTI protesting for the right to vote for every Indian and demanding a “clean and pure” voter list, asserting that the issue of alleged irregularities pointed out by him will ‘explode’ soon as it is not related to a single constituency but the whole country . Indicating that he would not submit a signed affidavit as sought by the Election Commission, Rahul asserted that the data analysed by the Congress to provide proof of ‘vote theft’ was taken from the EC’s website. “They cannot talk as the truth is before the entire nation. This fight is not political; it is aimed at saving the Constitution,” said Rahul. Meanwhile, a war of words broke out between the EC and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who said that he had written to the EC requesting a meeting to collectively handover a memorandum. The ECI said Jairam had acknowledged its invitation for a meeting with 30 MPs but later “changed his tone”. 8 bills get nod Parliament passed 8 bills without discussion, including the National Sports Governance Bill, the National Anti-Doping (Amend) Bill and the I-T (No 2) Bill | P7 poll row: BJD set to go to HC Eight months after complaint to the ECI about irregularities in 2024 Assembly and LS polls in Odisha, the BJD will escalate the matter to the Orissa High Court | P7 On the surface, it seemed like a routine resignation. But behind the calm façade of Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna’s sudden exit from the Karnataka cabinet lies a web of controversy high-stakes power struggles , and whispers of betrayal that have set the state’s political corridors abuzz. The 74-year-old minister, a close confidant of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, part of the latter’s core support group and a key face of the ST community, suddenly resigned on the first day of the legislature session. The t i m i n g c o u l d n’ t have been more telling. The tipping point was a seemingly offhand comment. A few days ago, he had said that the controversial voter list in K N Rajanna the Mahadevapura assembly constituency which is central to , the Congress’ “vote theft” offensive, had been prepared during the Congress rule. This gave an impression that Congress too did not do anything on the very issue the party is fighting against. For the Congress brass, it was appalling. For Siddaramaiah, it was an embarrassment. Even before Rajanna sent in his resignation, the Chief Minister’s Office forwarded its recommendation for his ouster to Raj Bhavan. The message was clear: it was a purge. US trade talks on track; FCRA registration for RDT will be India draws red lines tional 25% tariff on India kicks in, apart from the existing 25% levy. A query sent to the US Amid growing uncertainty Trade Representative remained over the future of trade nego- unanswered till the time of filtiations with the US, this news- ing of the report. paper has learnt that the visit Meanwhile, the government of the US delegation in the last on Monday told members of the week of August is on schedule. Parliamentary Standing Com“There has been no change in mittee on External Affairs that the plans of the US delegation India has certain ‘red lines’ that visit to India as schedcan’t be crossed in the uled on August 24,” connegotiations with the fir med two persons US. Senior officials, infrom the Ministry of cluding Foreign SecreCommerce. tary Vikram Misri and There was speculation Commerce Secretary about the fate of trade Sunil Barthwal, briefed talks after US president the panel. Donald Trump recently Sources said the govDonald Trump ruled out talks with Inernment asserted its dia till the tariff issue is uncompromising stance resolved. on core sectors, especially agri“There has been no communi- culture and dairy while outlin, cation from the US so far (re- ing a strategy to cushion the garding the cancellation). Their economic blow through export visit is scheduled on August 24 diversification. and the meeting has been sched“Red lines were clearly uled in the third week of Au- flagged,” a source said, “pargust,” said an official. ticularly against the US deThe next round of negotia- mand to open India’s agri and tions is to take place in Delhi on dairy sectors. There will be no August 25—just before an addi- compromise on these.” P U SH P ITA D EY & J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi restored: Amit Shah E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Anantapur Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured a delegation of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders from Anantapur that their plea to restore the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of the Rural Development Trust (RDT) will be considered positively with a deci, sion expected within a week. The TDP group, led by Union Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, met Shah at his Parliament office on Monday to urge immediate action to revive RDT’s ability to collect foreign donations, which is critical for its 55-year legacy of serving the poor in Anantapur. The delegation highlighted RDT’s non-partisan efforts in alleviating poverty across caste and religious lines in one of India’s most economically disadvantaged regions. They highlighted that FCRA restrictions have disrupted RDT’s operations since 2021, despite a renewal application submitted three months ago. The leaders, including MPs Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Sana Satish Babu, BK Parthasarathy, Ambika Lakshmi Narayana, and MLAs Kalava Srinivasulu, Paritala Sunitha, Amilineni Surendrababu, Daggubati Prasad, and MS Raju, stressed RDT’s vital role in delivering healthcare, education, and sustainable development in remote areas of Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. P4 focused on long term benefits: Govt SC orders Delhi-NCR purge of all stray dogs in eight weeks Express News Service @ New Delhi @ Vijayawada With criticism emerging from various quarters about the forceful adoption of ‘Bangaru Kutumbams’ by ‘Margadarshis’ (mentors) under the P4 program, Swarna Andhra P4 Foundation Vice Chairman C. Kutumba Rao clarified that P4 is a strategic, people-centric movement launched with the sole objective of improving lives across Andhra Pradesh. “It is a mission for the people, by the people, and to the people - cutting across political lines, communities, regions, or economic status. The program is built on participation, not politics,” Rao said in a release issued on MonP4 day . S U CHITRA K ALYA N M OHA N TY the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Delhi government and the civic authorities of Delhi-NCR to round up all stray dogs at the earliest and put them in dog shelters to be set up by the civic authorities of Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad within eight weeks. The ruling by a bench of justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan came on a suo motu case initiated by it over the spike in incidents of dog bites leading to rabies. The bench also directed that the dog shelters should have sufficient personnel to sterilise and immunise the dogs, aside from looking after them. The centres would be under CCTV surveillance to ensure the dog remains in the facility, the court added. The bench held that the situation is so grim there is no room for sentiments. It warned of strict action against individuals and organisations in case of obstruction, which might also prompt the court to initiate contempt proceedings. The court said while the order is clear about what should be done, it is for the civic bodies to decide how to implement it. “For this, if they have to create a force they shall do it at the earliest,” the bench said. The court had initiated suo motu proceedings on July 28 following media reports highlighting the tragic death of a six-year-old girl in Delhi due to rabies following a dog bite. The bench posted the matter for hearing after six weeks. All these animal activists, will they be able bring back who have fallen prey to rabies? High Court upholds polling center changes Express News Service @ Vijayawada The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday refused to intervene in multiple petitions related to the Pulivendula Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) by-elections in YSR Kadapa district, dismissing challenges to polling center changes and other electoral issues. Justice Gannamaneni Ramakrishna Prasad rejected petitions filed by YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders, noting that the election process had already commenced and 97% of voters were informed about the new centers via voter slips. In the first case, YSRCP leaders Tummala Hemanth Reddy and others contested the relocation of polling centers from Erraballi and Nalagondavaripalli villages to Nallapureddipalli, alleging violations of State Election Commission (SEC) guidelines, including lack of newspaper notifications and an increased distance from 2 km to 4 km. Senior advocate P Veera Red. dy and others argued on behalf of the petitioners. The SEC’s counsel countered that guidelines were followed, with details displayed at ZPTC and MPTC offices, though no newspaper ads were published. Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas, representing the state government, stated that the relocation process began on July 11 with a draft notification inviting objections, followed by a final one. He emphasized that voter slips compensated for any lapses, and judicial interference post-process initiation was unwarranted. Justice Prasad criticized the SEC for not adhering to its circular on newspaper publications, but ruled that voter slip distribution addressed the shortfall. He dismissed the petitions, declining intervention. In a related ruling, a Division Bench upheld a single judge’s directives for conducting the elections smoothly, freely, and impartially, ensuring no disruptions to law and order. YSRCP leaders had sought neutral observers, CCTV recording of the process, permission for polling agents during ballot transport and strong room storage, and restraint on arresting opposition leaders. The single judge had instructed the SEC, the district collector, and the police to take necessary measures. Challenging this, YSRCP filed an appeal, with senior advocate S. Sriram arguing that requests for observers and CCTV were rejected. YSRCP Requests Rejected YSRCP requests for observers and CCTV rejected. The Bench clarified that the single judge’s orders were appr opriate and noted the SEC’s compliance with the petition, resolving the appeal. Two more petitions were withdrawn after the court refused intervention.