chennai l saturday l november 09, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l vellore EDITION Champions Trophy: BCCI says no to Pak travel, PCB not amused With less than three months to go for the ICC event, the relationship between two subcontinental countries could affect the venue for the event India proposes hybrid model again PCB chief not for any hybrid model Right from the beginning, the BCCI had maintained that the Indian government will take a call on whether the team would travel to Pakistan or not. On Friday, the BCCI reportedly claimed that they had intimated PCB about not travelling and had proposed a hybrid format like the Asia Cup where India played all their games in SL. This time India might opt for UAE ■ ■ Hours after reports emerged, PCB chairperson Mohsin Naqvi  categorically denied receiving any formal communication from the BCCI “Till today, no one has discussed any ‘Hybrid Model’ nor are we willing  to talk about it. But we have been showing good gestures for the last few years. No one should expect us to do it all the time,” Naqvi said 2008 The last time India travelled to Pakistan for cricket 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 Putin says India deserves status of Superpower Cites fastest growing economy, population, culture to make his point Y e s h i S e l i @ New Delhi India is a great country, now the largest in terms of population: 1.5 billion people, plus 10 million every year Vladimir Putin On India-China Putin acknowledged difficulties on the border between India and China but said wise and competent people who keep the future of their nations in mind, are searching for compromises and will eventually find them ON Brahmos “In fact, we made it (BrahMos) fit for use in three environments — in air, in sea and on land. These projects, conducted for the benefit of India’s security, are ongoing,” he said Russian President Vladimir Putin sprang a pleasent surprise by saying India deserves to be included in the list of global superpowers. Putin is among India’s closest allies, but seeking to add the country to the exclusive superpower club was a welcome gesture, particularly when even netas of the ruling alliance in the country have not sought to give it that spin. India’s articulated ambitions at present are to jump from the fifth largest economy in the world to the fourth and third positions, and to get a permanent seat at the UN Security Council. “India should undoubtedly be added to the list of superpowers, with its billion-and-ahalf population, the fastest growth among all economies in the world, ancient culture and very good prospects for further growth,” he said while address- Vision based on today’s realities “Our vision of where and at what pace our relations will develop is based on today’s realities. The volume of our cooperation is increasing many times over, every year,” President Putin said ing the plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday . Putin also called India a great country, with the largest population of 1.5 billion, and said they were developing relations with India in all directions. Both Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi share great vibes, with the former recently joking at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, “you understand me without a translator.” “President Putin has been extremely positive on India over the past few years and he has been consistently talking about two great powers - India and China, particularly as economic powerhouses. It’s in the same strain that he makes references to Prime Minister Modi. He has also been appreciative of India’s independent foreign policy former Ambas,” sador to Russia PS Raghavan told this newspaper. Putin said the volume of cooperation between Russia and India is increasing manifold. Talking about the defence cooperation between the two nations, he said, “look at how many types of Russian military equipment are in service with the Indian armed forces. There is a great degree of trust in this relationship. We don’t just sell our weapons to India, we design them jointly .” He referred to the BrahMos cruise missile and said that this was made for use in air, sea and land which has enhanced India’s security “These projects . show a high level of mutual trust and cooperation.” Cong trying to divide OBCs, restore J&K’s special status: Modi SUDHIR SURYAWANSHI @ Mumbai PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday kicked off his campaign for the Maharashtra assembly polls at Dhule, tearing into the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in general and the Congress in particular. He claimed during the Congress rule, there were two constitutions — one for India and another for Jammu and Kashmir. But the BJP government implemented Dr BR Ambedkar’s constitution in Jammu and Kashmir by removing Article 370, which granted special status to the state, he added. “The Congress was unhappy with this decision. So, it is try- BJP MLAs being marshalled out during a ruckus in J&K assembly on Friday | PTI ing to bring back Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir with the help of its ally. However, we will never allow this to happen,” Modi said. Modi’s comments came two days after the Omar Abdullahled government Jammu and Kashmir passed a resolution seeking restoration of statehood and special status. Attacking the MVA in Maharashtra, Modi urged people not to elect ‘the corrupt’ alliance which he alleged first illegally formed a government and then looted the state. MVA is an alliance of Opposition parties in Maharashtra comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and the Congress. Modi alleged the Congress wants to create rift among the OBCs by making them fight among themselves. “Congress thinks only when the OBCs are weakened, will the path to power open for the grand old party,” he alleged. Modi claimed that this is a strategy followed by the Congress since the days of Jawaharlal Nehru. Maharashtra is a crucial state to win for the BJP after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Modi, who is scheduled to address 10 rallies across the state, said India’s growth story will be incomplete without Maharashtra. 1967 verdict nixed SC lifts crucial bar that kept AMU out of the minority list S u c h i t r a K a lya n M o h a n t y In a landmark verdict on his last day in office on Friday a , Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud overruled by 4:3 its 1967 position that the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) can’t claim minority status because it was created by a statute. The seven-judge bench, however, left the issue of deciding AMU’s minority status to a regular bench while laying down a series of tests to make the determination. The bench should also examine the 2006 decision of the Allahabad High Court, which struck down a 1981 amendment conferring minority status on the varsity — based on the principles laid down in this judgment. While the CJI authored the majority judgment on behalf of justices Sanjiv Khanna, J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and S C Sharma wrote separate dissenting opinions. “The decision in Azeez Basha is overruled. The question on deciding the minority status of AMU must be done on the basis of the tests laid down in the present case. Papers to be placed before the CJI for constituting a bench to decide the issue and correctness of 2006 Allahabad HC judgment,” the CJI said in his verdict. In 1967, a five-judge bench in the Azeez Basha case had held that AMU was a Central university and couldn’t be considered a minority institution. In the majority Expressing concern over the colonial practice of employing orderlies for household chores, the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu home secretary to hold an inquiry into the employment of orderlies in the residences of higher officials of the prisons department and free them. 2 3 4 Consider the genesis of the educational institution; identify who was the brain behind establishing the institution Determine the purpose for which it was established. Must predominently be for the benefit of a religious or linguistic minority Trace steps taken towards the implementation of the idea — who all funded, who made effort to obtain land, etc Who took steps for establishing institution, such as obtaining permissions, constructing buildings, and arranging other infrastructure opinion on Friday the court , held that the valid proof of ideation of a minority community to establish the institution can be determined from letters and other materials. “Indicia can be proven by private communication and speeches relating to the struggles of the minority community. It is also not necessary to prove that administration rests with the minority....The right guaranteed by Article 30(1) is applicable to universities established before the commencement of the Constitution.” Justice Datta, in his opinion said AMU was not a minority institution. He wondered how a two-judge bench could at all request that the case be placed before a bench of at least seven judges, adding another simliar bench could well doubt the ‘basic structure’ doctrine and request a 15-judge bench for adjudication. @ New Delhi Taking cognizance of complaints of impropriety and conflict of interest filed by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and two others, anticorruption body Lokpal on Friday sought explanation from Sebi chief Madhabi Puri Buch on the matter. The complaints were made on the basis of a report by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research, according to an official order which asked Buch to submit her response within four weeks. The Lokpal said its order, signed by Lokpal chairperson Justice A M Khanwilkar and five other members, is only procedural and not an expression of its opinion on any matter. “This opportunity is being afforded to the named RPS as per the mandate in the third proviso of sub section (1) of Section 20 of the Lokpal Act, before the bench would proceed to determine whether there exists a prima facie case for investigation into the allegations,” it said. The order, signed by judicial members Justices L Narayana Swamy Sanjay Yadav and Ritu , Raj Awasthi, and members Sushil Chandra and Ajay Tirkey, said Buch can file an affidavit within four weeks from the receipt of the order. The Lokpal has listed the matter on December 19 for further consideration. In a post on X on September 13, Moitra said she had filed a complaint with the Lokpal, urging it to forward it to the ED or CBI for preliminary probe followed by a “full FIR enquiry”. Seeman booked for remarks on Karuna Final sitting Outgoing Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud with CJI-designate Justice Sanjiv Khanna, senior lawyer Kapil Sibal and others at a farewell function on Friday | PTI MP/MLA graft cases can be segregated: TN ‘Male tailors can’t take women’s measurements’ Karur: Thanthonimalai police on Thursday registered a case against Seeman, chief coordinator of Naam Tamilar Katchi, for allegedly making derogatory remarks against former chief minister and DMK leader M Karunanidhi | P4 Chennai: The TN government on Friday made a suggestion before the Madras HC for segregation of corruption and non-corruption cases against MP/MLAs so that corruption cases registered by the DVAC can be fast-tracked | P4 Lucknow: Men should not take women’s measurements at tailor shops, not cut a woman’s hair, nor train her in the gym. These are among the radical remedies mooted by the Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission to stymie the ill intentions of men TN declares snake bite as notified disease VCK chief rejects rumours, E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Chennai The Tamil Nadu government on Friday announced that snake bites have been declared as a notified disease under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, becoming only the second state in India after Karnataka to do so. The state reports around 13,000-16,000 snake bite cases in the official portal every year, 75% of which are from nonvenomous snakes, said Dr T S Selvavinayagam, director of public health and preventive medicine. This move is in line with the Union Health Ministry’s action plan to reduce snake bite deaths by half by 2030, an official release said, adding that it would also improve data collection, clinical infrastructure and allocation of anti-venom to hospitals. The World Health Organisation has also launched a global initiative to control snake bite- induced deaths and disabilities, the release said. A Government Order was issued by the state’s health department on November 4 and a notification was later published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, mandating all public and private hospitals to compulsorily notify snake bites in the Integrated Health Information Platform-Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IHIP-IDSP).  P5 HC orders probe into use of orderlies by officials, wants them freed “In view of the above situation, we direct the home secretary to conduct an elaborate enquiry either with the assistance of CBCID police or by getting necessary inputs from the intelligence wing and initiate all appropriate actions against the prison authorities who have engaged the uniformed personnel/ public servants for their 1 Express News Service express read colonial hangover E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Chennai Determining the status @ New Delhi Lokpal seeks Sebi chief’s explanation on complaints residential work or personal work,” a division bench of Justices S M Subramaniam and M Jothiraman said in a recent order. The bench also said those who employ orderlies deserved to be punished under service rules and laws that bar officials from employing de par tment staff as orderlies. Recalling that the orderly system in the uniformed services was abolished by the government way back in 1971, the bench noted that the home secretary had written a letter to the DGP on taking action against employing orderlies. Similar instructions could have also been issued to the Director General of Prisons to en- sure such a system is not followed in the prisons department, the bench said. The orders were passed on a petition filed by one Sujatha alleging that inadequate, unhygienic facilities are being provided to the prisoners locked in Central Prison-II at Puzhal and lack of enough warders to attend to duty as per the prison manual.  P5 reaffirms bond with DMK coalition, achieving successive wins in the 2019, 2021, and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal 2024 general and local body Katchi (VCK) president and elections,” he said. Chidambaram MP Thol Thiru“With the 2026 Assembly mavalavan on Friday said that elections ahead, these forces some factions are working to want to disrupt the coalition engineer a rift in the DMK al- and prevent its success,” he liance by using VCK as a added. tool. He said that rumours reIn a detailed statement ad- garding alliances surface dressed to party memwhenever VCK raises bers, where he reafissues concer ning fir med the par ty’s public welfare. “Whencommitment to the ever we speak up on DMK-led Secular Propublic issues, oppog r e s s iv e A l l i a n c e nents try to amplify (SPA), Thirumavalaminor differences bevan said that forces tween us and the rulpretending to support ing party,” he said. VCK were attempting T h i r u m av a l av a n Thirumavalavan to instigate the party also addressed recuragainst the alliance. ring speculation about Reflecting on the history of the VCK’s long-standing dethe SPA, Thirumavalavan not- mand for power-sharing, exed that the alliance, compris- plaining that those who are ing more than 10 parties in- against the party use this to cluding the DMK and VCK, hint at a possible alliance with was formed in 2017 during the Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kastruggle for Cauvery water zhagam and as VCK’s tool to rights. “Since then, it has apply pressure on DMK ahead grown into a robust electoral of the state elections.  P5 E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Chennai