hyderabad l Monday l April 07, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Protesters march in U.S. cities against Trump ‘devastation’ Thousands of protesters flooded streets of US cities Sunday to oppose policies of Trump, in the largest demonstration in his new stint lens on ‘outrageous administration’ Opponents of Trump’s policies — from government staffing cuts to trade tariffs and eroding civil liberties — rallied in Washington, New York, Houston, Florida, Colorado, and Los Angeles, among other locations. “This outrageous administration is causing us to lose our allies across the world,” said Diane Kolifrath, 64, a bike tour guide ■ 1,200 helplessness in face of trump tirade ■ Trump has angered many Americans by moving aggressively to downsize, unilaterally impose conservative values and pressure even friendly countries over trade, causing stock markets to tank Many Democrats are irate that their party, in minority in the Congress, has seemed so helpless to resist Donald Trump’s moves locations in 50 states witnessed protests as part of hands off rally 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 BJP-led govt has allotted TN more funds than UPA regimes, says Modi E x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e @ Ramanathapuram ‘Harati’ for Revanth The chief minister was welcomed with a traditional ‘harati’ by the family of Srinivas Time has come for BJP to take charge in state: Kishan E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e hYDERABAD dIALOGUES WITH TakeMe2Space founder Ronak Kumar Samantray page 3 express read NHRC to probe deaths of 7 treated by quack New Delhi: Seven persons have died allegedly after being treated by a fake cardiologist at a missionary hospital in MP’s Damoh district, prompting the NHRC to launch a probe. @ Hyderabad Alleging that the previous governments led by TDP, Congress and BRS had failed to fulfil the aspirations of the people, Union Minister of Coal & Mines G Kishan Reddy on Sunday asserted that the time has come for BJP to “take charge” in Telangana. Addressing the party workers after hoisting the national flag at the BJP state office as part of the saffron party’s foundation day celebrations, Kishan reflected on the early days of the party recalling how people , had underestimated the BJP and doubted its potential to come to power. He paid tributes to the many BJP workers who, he said, sacrificed their lives fighting against Naxalites and Pakistan’s ISI, all in the spirit of nationalism. “Every party worker has the responsibility to honour their sacrifices,” he stated. Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Kishan said that the former has led the country for the longest time after Jawaharlal Nehru. Criticising the previous government for “failing” the people of Telangana, he said: “After 45 years, the time has come for BJP to take charge in Telan- gana.” Targeting the present Congress regime in the state, he accused the Revanth Reddy dispensation of failing to address public issues. “That’s why the people of Telangana are now looking towards the BJP he ,” added. Kishan, who is also the president of the state BJP, pointed out that people supported the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections and called the party’s win in two MLC seats a matter of pride. He also expressed confidence in the BJP emerging victorious in the upcoming local body elections. Continued on P4 Farmer ends 131-day fast in Punjab H a r p r eet B aj w a @ Chandigarh PUNJAB farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Sunday ended his hunger strike which he had started on November 26 last year to press for various demands of agitating farmers including a legal guarantee on MSP for crops. He reaffirmed the fight for a legal guarantee on MSP and said protests could resume if needed. The announcement came a day after Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu appealed to him to end his fast-unto-death. Breaking frontiers All-women tri-services crew to circumnavigate Indian Ocean mayan k s i n g h @ New Delhi A remarkable tale of determination and sisterhood is unfolding in the Indian Ocean. In a first for the tri-services, 11 fearless women officers from the armed forces will start sailing around the Indian Ocean beginning Monday . The Samudra Pradakshina expedition kicks off on April 7 from Mumbai’s Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre, and promises to be a testament to women power and inter-services camaraderie. The leadup to this moment has been nothing short of Herculean. The team, comprising six Army officers, one Navy officer, and four Air Force officers, underwent rigorous training at the Army Adventure Nodal Centre for Blue Water Sailing, under College of Military Engineering in Pune. With little to no sailing experience, they began from scratch, mastering theoretical and practical aspects of sailing, as well as building the physical strength and stamina needed for the gruelling demands of the sea. The Expedition by Numbers Distance to be covered: Over 4,000 nautical miles (approximately 7,400 km) Duration: 55 days, to be flagged off on April 7 at the Naval Training Centre Mumbai “T he selection process spanned over a year and tested physical fitness, endurance, teamwork, leadership qualities, psychological resilience, and boat-handling capabilities,” said a source. Crew: 11 women officers from India’s Armed Forces Vessel: IASV Triveni, which will set a world record as the first Tri-Services team to circumnavigate the world The training regimen was exhaustive and thorough, exposing the officers to various classes of boats and essential sailing skills such as navigation, meteorology, and emergency response. The crew embarked on several training expeditions, gradually increasing in complexity and distance. They started with short day trips, progressing to day and night expeditions covering significant distances. Their training routes included voyages from Mumbai to Karanja, Murud, Goa, Kochi, Porbandar, Lakshadweep and back. Each training expedition presented its own set of challenges, from unpredictable weather to mechanical issues and physical toll of continuous sailing. Le ss th an 1 ye ar 1 to 3 ye ars how long have cases been pending? 3 to 5 ye ars High Court District & subordinate courts 5 to 10 ye ars 13,861 (1%) Borum Srinivas, a beneficiary of ‘sanna biyyam’ scheme Touching on the ongoing arrests of TN fishers by the Sri Lankan Navy, Modi, who was returning from his two-day visit to the island nation, said the centre stands firmly with fishermen in times of crisis. “Due to the efforts of the Indian government, more than 3,700 fishermen have been brought back safely from Sri Lanka in the last 10 years. Of these, over 600 fisher men were freed just in the past year. You may also remember that some of our fishermen were sentenced to death. But we worked tirelessly to bring them back alive and reunite them with their families in Bharat.” Noting that several states have started providing medical education in regional languages, the prime minister urged the state government to introduce medical courses in Tamil. prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two major India-backed railway projects in Anuradhapura in north-central Sri Lanka on Sunday, before wrapping up his three-day trip to the island nation. Accompanied by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Modi of ficially launched the upgraded MahoOmanthai railway track and the newly installed signalling system for the Maho-Anuradhapura segment. Both projects are backed by Indian assistance. These upgrades are expected to enhance connectivity and safety across Sri Lanka’s northern rail network. The projects are seen as a significant contribution by India to Sri Lanka’s infrastructure development. “These landmark railway modernisation projects implemented under the IndiaSri Lanka development partnership represent a significant milestone in strengthening north-south rail connectivity in Sri Lanka,” External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. 41,361 (17%) Thanks to this scheme, we are able to eat well. This initiative is truly a blessing for the poor After participating in the ‘kalyanam’ of Lord Ram at Bhadrachalam, Revanth Reddy visited the home of Borum Srinivas and his wife Radha—beneficiaries of the ‘sanna biyyam’ (fine rice) scheme—at Mutyalampeta in Sarapaka panchayat, Burgampadu mandal. Accompanying the CM were Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Minister for Agriculture, Cooperation and Handlooms Thummala Nageswara Rao, Minister for Revenue, Housing, and Information & Public Relations Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy Mahabubabad , MP P Balram Naik, MLA Payam Venkateshwarlu, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari and other senior officials. The family welcomed the chief minister and other dignitaries with a traditional ‘harathi’. The chief minister later shared a meal with the family and engaged in a warm, friendly conversation, enquiring about their daily life and well-being. During the visit, Srinivas and his family expressed heartfelt gratitude for the ‘sanna biyyam’ scheme. They described it as a transformative initiative that allows economically weaker sections to enjoy nutritious, satisfying meals. “Thanks to this scheme, we are able to eat well. This initiative is truly a blessing for the poor,” the family said, describing it as a “great scheme driven by a humanitarian perspective.” J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi 1,29,318 (14%) e x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e @ Khammam 76,386 (31%) CM has meals with ‘sanna biyyam’ scheme beneficiary 1,66,959 (18%) chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his wife Geetha Reddy offered ‘pattu vastralu’ (silk clothes) and ‘muthyala talambralu’ to the deities of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita at the Bhadrachalam temple on behalf of the state government on Sunday on the occasion of Sri Ram Navami. Officials from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) also made offerings of silk clothes. Meanwhile, thousands of devotees gathered at the temple to witness the celestial wedding (Kalyanam) of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. The sacred ritual was performed during the auspicious Abhijit Muhur tham. The priests conducted the traditional ‘Jeelakarra Bellam’ ceremony at noon, followed by the ‘Mangalya Dharana’. The wedding concluded with the ‘Talambralu’ ritual, where sacred rice was showered over the divine couple. The entire event took place in the vibrantly decorated Mithila Stadium. To facilitate smooth distribution of ‘talambralu’, the temple authorities set up 80 dedicated counters. Additionally, over two lakh extra ‘laddu prasad- ams’ were prepared, with 20 special counters established for their distribution. Preparations are also in full swing for ‘pattabhishekam’ (coronation) of Lord Ram, on Monday Governor Jishnu Dev . Va r m a w i l l a t t e n d t h e ceremony . The day began with ‘abhishekam’ (ritual cleansing) followed by ‘alankaram’ (decoration) of the deities. At 10 am, the idols were taken in a grand procession from the sanctum sanctorum to the Kalyana Mandapam at Mithila Stadium amid chanting of Vedic hymns. The idols were later seated on a silver throne. Subsequent rituals included ‘ P u n yav a c h a n a m ’ , ‘ S a m prokshanam’, ‘Rakshabandhanam’, and ‘Mokshabandhanam’. During the auspicious Abhijit Muhurtham in the afternoon, the ‘Suvarna Yagnopaveetham’ (golden sacred thread) was presented to Lord Ram, followed by the ‘Kanya Varanam’ ritual. Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, ministers Konda Surekha, Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Thummala Nageswara Rao, MLAs and Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari were among those who attended the ceremony . 34,367 (14%) @ Khammam Touching on the ongoing arrests of TN fishers by the Sri Lankan Navy, Modi said, “Due to efforts of the Indian government, over 3,700 fishermen have been brought back safely from Sri Lanka in the last 10 years.” 3,36,016 (36%) B Satyana r ayana Re d d y 2 India-backed rail projects in Sri Lanka 3,700 rescued in 10 yrs 47,978 (20%) CM presents silk clothes to Lord Ram Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off a dedicated train service connecting the island to the mainland on Sunday | Express 2,91,727 (31%) The chief minister has lunch at the residence of a ‘sanna biyyam’ scheme beneficiary at Mutyalampeta village on Sunday 44,440 (18%) Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, along with his wife, carries ‘pattu vastralu’ during Sita Rama Kalyanam at Bhadrachalam on Sunday The BJP-led central government has provided Tamil Nadu three times the funds allocated by the earlier UPA regimes, of which the DMK was a part, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Rameswaram on Sunday in an indirect attack on the , Dravidian major which is in power in Tamil Nadu. His government’s allocations had boosted Tamil Nadu’s economic and industrial growth, he said. “Yet, some people have a habit of complaining without reason and they keep crying about things. Let them cry he ,” added, during his address at a government event to open the first vertical span sea railway bridge at Pamban and flag off a train service linking the island to the mainland. He also dedicated various completed projects worth `8,300 crore to the nation and laid foundation stone for the four-laning works of a section of NH-40. Chief Minister MK Stalin, who earlier urged the PM to allay TN’s concerns about delimitation, skipped the event although s t at e m i n i s t e r s we re i n attendance. Stating that the centre has prioritised TN’s infrastructure, Modi said the railway budget for the state had increased seven-fold in the past decade, from `900 crore before 2014 to over `6,000 crore now. In tri-lingual speech in Tamil, Hindi and English, the PM invoked Tamil culture, tradition and language. Mocking leaders from Tamil Nadu for writing to him in English, he said, “Sometimes, I am surprised when I receive letters from some leaders of Tamil Nadu —not a single one signs their name in Tamil. Tamil is a matter of pride, and I urge everyone to at least sign their names in Tamil to honour this glorious language.” Ab ov e 10 ye ars 11.82l cases pending in TG HC, lower courts M an d a Ra v i n d e r Re d d y @ Hyderabad A significant backlog of pending cases has become a major burden on courts across Telangana. According to data submitted by the Ministry of Law and Justice to Parliament, a staggering 11.82 lakh cases are currently pending in the Telangana High Court, as well as in district and subordinate courts. Of these, 9,37,881 cases are pending in district and subordinate courts, while 2,44,532 cases remain unsolved in the high court. The National Judicial Data Grid reveals that 55,222 cases have been pending for over a decade across all courts in the state. Notably 17% of the pend, ing cases in the high court — 41,361 — have remained unresolved, while 13,861 cases have been pending in the district and subordinate courts for about 10 years. Four cases have been lan- guishing in the high court since 1967 — nearly 58 years. One case has been pending since 1968, three since 1969, seven since 1979, 16 since 1980, 31 since 1981 and 43 since 1983. In the district and subordinate courts, one case has been pending since 1975. Two cases date back to 1981, four each to 1984 and 1985, six to 1986, eight to 1987 and 21 to 1988. Legal experts attribute the pendency to various factors including frequent adjournments, complexity of cases, inadequate infrastructure, judicial vacancies and lack of cooperation from stakeholders. The main contributor to the delay is the high number of cases under stay orders. Other factors include absconding accused in criminal matters, unavailability of counsel, delays in receiving relevant documents and noncooperation from witnesses.  Continued on P5