bengaluru l thursday l august 21, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 20 l late city EDITION Israel to mobiliZe reservists for expanded Gaza operation Israel’s plan includes calling up 60,000 reservists and extending the service of an additional 20,000 currently serving in Gaza Strip Humanitarian crisis could get worse This comes as negotiators scramble to bring Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire ending 22 months of fighting, while international leaders and rights groups warn that an expanded assault, which Israel wants, could deepen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, with most residents displaced, neighborhoods in ruins, and communities facing the threat of famine ■ 62K israel eyes ‘militant groups’ in hamas ■ Although Israel has killed much of Hamas’ senior leadership, parts of the militant group are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets towards Israel, an official said | P12 It remains unclear when the Gaza operation will begin, but it could be a matter of days as such a mobilization is largest in months more than 62,000 Palestinians killed by Israel in two years 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 Delhi CM Rekha attacked during public hearing, 1 held N i t i n R a w at & D i l i p S i ng h K s h at r i ya @ New Delhi/Ahmedabad Opposition members protest in the Well of the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session of Parliament on Wednesday | PTI Now, people will have to decide whether it is right for a minister, CM or PM to run govt while in jail We are going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at his will This is a Black Bill. I strongly condemn this Bill, which strikes at the very root of democracy This draconian step comes as a death knell for democracy and federalism in India This bill is unconstitutional… Who will arrest PM? BJP wants to make our country a police state Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader M K Stalin, Tamil Nadu CM Mamata Banerjee, Bengal CM Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM chief Acrimonious scenes in Lok Sabha as govt introduces 3 contentious bills Bills to sack PM, CMs, ministers sent to JPC PR E E THA N AIR @ New Delhi The Lok Sabha on Wednesday witnessed unruly scenes as Home Minister Amit Shah introduced three Bills for the removal of prime minister, chief ministers, and ministers under arrest for 30 consecutive days on serious charges. The Bills—the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill 2025, Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025—propose that if a PM, CM, or a Union minister is held in custody for 30 consecutive days for offences carrying a jail term of five years, they will lose their jobs on the 31st day . The Bills have been sent to a Joint Committee of Parliament comprising 21 members from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha for scrutiny . The constitutional amendment bill will need the support of at least two-thirds of the members in both Houses. The ruling alliance currently lacks such a majority on its own. The introduction of the Bill after 2 pm led to unprecedented scenes as members of TMC and express read CM: Modified report to ensure fairness, equality Bengaluru: CM Siddaramaiah reaffirmed his cabinet decision to modify recommendations of Justice HN Nagamohan Das Commission for internal quota for SC by forming three groups among 101 castes to share the 17% quota| P4 Only tax terrorism, no development: Ashoka Bengaluru: LoP R Ashoka hit out at State Government for increasing and introducing more taxes as it does not have funds for development. He said the govt is indulging in “tax terrorism” | P4 Top court Questions powers of governors If a governor has the power to permanently withhold assent to the Bills passed by State legislature, it could leave the elected govt at the whims and fancies of an unelected person, SC said while hearing Presidential reference case | P9 BJP nearly came to blows. When Speaker Om Birla allowed Opposition MPs to speak, Trinamool members charged into the Well, shouting slogans and some even tore copies of the draft law in front of Shah. Several MPs including Congress’s K C Venugopal, Manish Tewari, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi and RSP’s N K Premachandran spoke against the bills, saying they violated constitutional principles, targeted federalism, and carried the risk of misuse. Shah defended the bills, saying: “We can’t be so shameless to occupy constitutional positions while facing serious charges.” The House plunged into chaos when a TMC MP moved towards Shah’s chair, and a few BJP members including Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Ravneet Singh Bittu rushed to shield Shah. Three House marshals formed a protective ring. Amid the ruckus, Shah moved the motion by voice vote to send the bills to a joint committee. The panel, whose members will soon be named, has been asked to submit its report to the House by the last day of the first week of the next session. Shah-KC war of words Congress MP K C Venugopal referred to Amit Shah’s arrest when he was a Gujarat minister in 2010, Shah hit back saying he had quit before the arrest to uphold moral values Poll-bound Assam to get IIM The country’s 22nd Indian Institute of Management will come up in Guwahati with a central outlay of `555 crore, as both Houses of Parliament cleared the bill. Assam goes to polls next year LS passes bill banning online money games RAK E SH K U MAR @ New Delhi The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which aims to ban online games played with money The government says the move is to . tackle gaming addiction, money laundering, and financial fraud linked to such platforms. The Bill says no individual, company or plat, form can offer, promote, or facilitate online money games in India. It also bans advertisements for such games on TV social media, or any dig, ital platform and prohibits banks and payment firms from processing such transactions. Sources said online money gaming is very addictive, leading to social harm and also financial loss. An official said 45 crore players lost money , with an estimated `26,000 crore loss annually . The Bill proposes the creation of a central authority that will issue guidelines and directions, which all gaming platforms must follow. Online money games as those where users deposit money in the hope of winning cash or other rewards. It covers all forms of online betting, including fantasy sports, card games like poker and rummy and online lotteries. , The Bill was passed by a voice vote after brief comments from Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, even as opposition members staged protests. Once cleared by both Houses of Parliament, offering or facilitating online money gaming will become a punishable offence, with jail terms of up to three years and fines of up to `1 crore. Advertising such games could attract two years in prison or `50 lakh fine. Those processing payment for these games also face up to three years’ imprisonment or a fine of `1 crore. IN a glaring breach of security, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public hearing at her residence on Wednesday morning. The attacker, Rajesh Khimjibhai Sakaria, from Rajkot in Gujarat, was arrested on the spot and is being jointly interrogated by IB and Delhi Police’s Special Cell. Police have registered an FIR under attempt to murder charges in connection with the attack. Sakaria has also been booked for allegedly assaulting and obstructing public servant from discharging his duty . Sakaria reportedly became upset over Delhi’s civic drive to capture stray dogs. Eyewitnesses described a commotion as Sakaria approached Gupta with what appeared to be court documents. Af- Attacker’s mother seeks forgiveness Rajesh Sakaria’s mother said her son is not part of any political group but just loses self control when it comes to animals. She sought forgiveness | P9 ter handing them over, he allegedly grabbed her by the hair and slapped her, hurling expletives before security personnel intervened. Gupta was taken to a hospital after she sustained minor injuries. DCP Jagdish Bangarva said Sakaria was booked in five cases between 2017 and 2024, including assault, criminal intimidation, and liquor-related charges, but was acquitted in four. 20-year-old Dalit girl’s charred body found in C’durga, boyfriend held E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Chitradurga A 20-year-old Dalit college student was allegedly murdered and burnt to death by her boyfriend in Chitradurga. The police have taken the accused, a 21-year-old unemployed school-dropout, into custody for questioning. Various Dalit organisations and ABVP, the student wing of the BJP alleged the victim , was raped and murdered. The police are, however, yet to confirm the charges of rape. Superintendent of Police Ranjit Kumar Bandaru said the body of a young woman was found in a charred state on Tuesday in a vacant plot on NH 48 in Gonur village under Chitradurga Rural Police Station limits. The police suspect the victim was killed and the body burnt using petrol by the accused. The victim was a second year BA student at Government Women’s College in Chitradurga. She stayed at the college hostel and had informed the hostel warden that she will be going to her village at Koverahatti in Hiriyur taluk on August 14. She told her family that she was going out with a friend Chethan. Later when she did not reach home and could not be reached on her mobile phone, the victim’s mother went to the hostel on Tuesday to check her whereabouts. The mother also lodged a complaint with the police. On Tuesday evening, the mother identified her daughter’s charred body at the mortuary of Chitradurga District Hospital based on a tattoo on her hand.  P5 crude import Will protect India from any U.S. sanctions: Russia j aya n t h j a c o b @ New Delhi AMID rising tensions between New Delhi and Washington over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, Moscow has put in place a “special mechanism” to protect its energy ties with India from possible US sanctions, Russian Charge d’Affaires Roman Babushkin said on Wednesday . Babushkin defended India’s right to energy security call, ing Western pressure “unjustified” and “neo-colonial.” His remarks come days after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated the US’s possible secondary tariffs on India, adding to the 25% duties already in effect. The Russian diplomat stressed that the Russia-India strategic partnership has grown rapidly across key sectors, particularly defense and energy and asserted Mos, cow’s role as a “partner of choice” for New Delhi’s military requirements. He said both nations are committed to expanding trade volumes to $100 billion by 2030 and that InRoman Babushkin dia’s increasing energy needs make the Russian oil partnership indispensable. “Russia is the largest supplier of crude oil to India. If India were to bow to external pressure and stop this procurement, it wouldn’t result in any meaningful cooperation with the West,” Babushkin said. “On the contrary the sanctions , are hurting those who are imposing them.” When asked about the potential discount India might get, he said “a five per cent swing is possible subject to negotiation.” India has justified its imports of Russian oil on strategic and economic grounds. Babushkin said, “Our special mechanism is in place to navigate sanctions-related disruptions,” he said. Roaring beauty The famous Jog Falls in Shivamogga district in full glory after water was released into the Sharavathi river from Linganamakki reservoir. The Sharavathi catchment area has been receiving heavy rainfall | Nagaraj PWD Minister Parvesh Verma said that the chief minister has sustained injuries to her hand, shoulder and head. A senior police official, who is privy to the probe, said that it was a serious attack, adding that it could have been life threatening. Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra said, “Such an attack on anyone, that too on a woman chief minister, who is dedicated to public work round the clock, was unheard of in Delhi.” Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said that CM Gupta is “shaken”, but is doing fine. Police sources said that the Ministry of Home Affairs is likely to review the security arrangements of CM Gupta after a report of the incident is submitted by the police. CM Gupta was accorded ‘Z’ category security by Delhi Police. Former Delhi chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi condemned the attack on Gupta. Worrisome 66% industries operating sans consent in K’taka: CAG E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @Bengaluru The CAG report citing Subject Specific Compliance Audit (SSCA) on the functioning of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), on Wednesday stated that 66 per cent of industries in Karnataka operated without valid Consent for Establishments (CFE) or Consent for Operations (CFO). Also, many continued operations even after approvals had expired. The CAG pointed to information gathered from the departments of Industries and Commerce, Forests and Railways, and cross-verified it with Karnataka State Pollution Control Board data, which revealed that of 2,756 industries, 1,827 (66%) had obtained consents; 66 industries and 22 railway stations/sheds/sidings were covered under the consent net. The SSCA, conducted from 2018-19 to 2022-23, also noted that 2,556 applicants which were issued CFE did not obtain CFO, and neither did they renew the CFO. This list included 1,809 industries and 747 apartments, with the most being in Mysuru and Mangaluru. The auditors pointed out: “KSPCB did not maintain a comprehensive database of industries operating in Karnataka, and hence there was no assurance that all industries operating complied with environmental laws. KSPCB had also not coordinated with other departments, including railways, industry and commerce and local bodies.”  CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 NGT orders not binding on state govt: Min Boseraju E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @Bengaluru Karnataka Minor Irrigation Minister NS Boseraju on Wednesday said on the floor of the House that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders are not binding on the state government, and that the tribunal only “gives suggestions” to the states. While responding to a debate in the Legislative Council on the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTDCA) Amendment Bill-2025, which proposes reducing the buffer zone around lakes, the minister said that the NGT is not a constitu- tional court, and so its orders are not binding. “Its orders are not binding on us. The NGT is a tribunal. They give suggestions and directions to the states to protect the environment,” he said, while defending the bill. Shar ply criticising Boseraju, noted environmentalist AN Yellappa Reddy a , former Indian Forest Service officer, said, “He (Boseraju) must be speaking from the top of his head and must be ignorant. He cannot make such statements as NGT orders are definitely binding on the states.” Unlike other courts, NGT also comprises experts, and orders are based on facts, said Reddy  . P4