NEW DELHI 31 AUGUST 2025 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard https://epaper.morningstandard.in Restorer of Light in City of Silk PLUS: 12 PAGES For the Sake of Good Times MEMORY FIGHTS BACK Dhankhar seeks Raj MLA pension after VP resignation R A J E S H A S N A N I @ Jaipur BARELY a month after resigning as Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar has applied for a pension as a former member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly . Dhankhar, who represented the Kishangarh constituency in Ajmer district from 1993 to 1998 as a Congress MLA, has submitted his request to the Rajasthan Assembly Secretariat in Jaipur. If approved, he will receive a monthly pension of `42,000, along with other benefits av a i l a b l e t o former legislators in the state At 74, he joined the BJP in 2003 and had been Jagdeep receiving the Dhankhar MLA pension until 2019 when he was appointed Governor of West Bengal. After stepping down as Vice President in July citing health reasons, Dhankhar has largely stayed out of the public eye. Opposition questioned his resignation, but home minister Amit Shah said it was due to health reasons. Dhankhar’s political journey spans decades, and his pension application is under review. PUSHBACK TO CONCERNS ON E20 FROM INDUSTRY Overall gains in the usage of 20% ethanol-blended petrol outweigh their downside, claim officials of automotive and petroleum industries | P10 The Paradox of Power Without Progress MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE VOICES Devdutt Pattanaik Ganesh Saili Ravi Shankar Sathya Saran S Vaidhyasubramaniam Prabhu Chawla Shankkar Aiyar Namrata Joshi ‘I Wonder If there’s a Director in Me’ Don no longer plans to visit India for Quad Summit: NYT J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi arrived in China for his first visit in over seven years, marking a significant moment in the evolving India-China relationship. Modi’s arrival in Tianjin on Saturday evening is set against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty by US tariffs, which have disrupted international trade and altered geopolitics. The timing of the visit couldn’t be more critical, with Modi scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday for a high-stakes discussion on “stabilising the bilateral ties long term” and enhancing economic cooperation. The buzzword ahead of the meeting is stability Both India . and China are seeking to chart a course that ensures long-term stability in their relationship, while also addressing larger geopolitical issues. With both countries being key players in the global economic landscape, the talks will focus on collaborating to restore stability to the international economic order, which has been shaken by trade disputes, especially those instigated by Trump’s tariffs. A source said: “The long-term stability in the bilateral relationship is what the two sides are looking at, through greater trust and sensitivity to each other’s concerns.” Both nations have already made efforts to normalise ties since Modi and Xi’s last meeting in Kazan, prior to the 2020 border clashes that severely strained relations. The economic angle is central to the discussions. With the trade relationship under pressure, both sides are keen to explore ways to expand economic ties. Additionally, the resumption of direct flights and the EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi revival of people-to-people exchanges are expected to be key topics. “PM Modi himself spoke about the need for India and China, as two of the world’s largest economies, to work together to bring stability to the world economy amid current volatility said a ,” source familiar with the preparations. Modi’s visit is also set within a broader geopolitical context. With tensions in India-US ties over trade and tariffs, the prime minister’s diplomatic outreach to China is viewed as a move to carefully and pragmatically recalibrate India’s foreign policy in the face of shifting global alliances. The SCO summit, where Modi is attending, also provides an opportunity for him to m e e t Ru s s i a n P r e s i d e n t Vladimir Putin and other global leaders on the sidelines. As the summit progresses, all eyes will be on Modi and Xi’s talks, with the world watching to see how two major powers navigate the complexities of their ties and contribute to global economic stability . Prime Minister Narendra Modi with members of the Indian community in Tianjin, China | PTI Border peace is the basis of better ties Peace along the border remains a critical issue. A source added, “There is an understanding that peace along the border is the basis for the growth of our ties” Look forward to meeting leaders: PM “Landed in Tianjin, China. Looking forward to deliberations at the SCO Summit and meeting various world leaders,” Modi said on social media US President Donald Trump no longer has plans to visit India for the Quad Summit later this year, The New York Times reported on Saturday, outlining how relations between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi deteriorated in recent months. In its report titled “The Nobel Prize and a Testy Phone Call: How the Trump-Modi Relationship Unraveled”, sources familiar with Trump’s schedule revealed that after initially assuring Modi of a visit to India for the Quad Summit later this year, Trump now has no plans to make the trip in the fall. There has been no official word on the NYT’s claims. The fallout reportedly began after the US President’s repeated claims that he had “solved” the India-Pakistan conflict in May — a statement India vehemently denied. The report indicates that Modi became increasingly frustrated with Trump’s interventions, with tensions reaching a boiling point after their June 17 phone call. Trump claimed during the call that Pakistan was going to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. The not-so-subtle implication was that Modi should do likewise, the paper said. But Modi said US role had nothing to do with the truce. GST 2.0 revenue loss: 8 Oppn-ruled states seek relief for 5 years with 2024-25 as the base year. They have also demanded that THE Congress party announced any additional levies on ‘sin’ on Saturday that eight opposi- and luxury goods be fully tion-led states have backed the transferred to the states. proposal to simplify the Goods Ramesh further pointed out and Services Tax (GST) rate that the Centre retains 17-18% slabs and reduce rates for mass of its revenue through cesses consumption items. However, that are not shared with the these states have stressed the states. He called these demands need for safeguards to protect perfectly legitimate and backed their fiscal interests. by research from the Congress leader Union Finance MinisJairam Ramesh urged try’s National Institute the government to enof Public Finance & Polsure that the benefits of icy (NIPFP). rate reductions are The Congress leader passed on to consumers reiterated that his party and not used as a headhas long advocated for a line-grabbing tactic. simplified GST system, Jairam Ramesh He also emphasised particularly one that the importance of adbenefits small and mevancing cooperative federal- d i u m - s i z e d e n t e r p r i s e s ism during the upcoming GST (MSMEs). Council meeting. The eight The Congress leader said his states—Karnataka, Himachal party has advocated for a simPradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, plified GST framework, parPunjab, Tamil Nadu, Telanga- ticularly for MSMEs, and hopes na, and West Bengal—have that the upcoming GST Councalled for compensation for the cil meeting will prioritise genpotential revenue losses they uine cooperative federalism will incur due to the rate cuts, over political posturing. The GST Council, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will meet in New Delhi on September 3-4 to discuss moving to a two-slab taxation system and review recommendations on rate rationalisation, compensation cess, and health insurance Kalkaji temple sewadar beaten to death over prasad N I T I N R A W AT @ New Delhi A 35-year-old sewadar at Kalkaji Temple in southeast Delhi was beaten to death following a scuffle over prasad, police said on Saturday . A purported CCTV footage of the incident shows a group of people assaulting the victim with sticks. Yogendra Singh, a resident of Hardoi district in Uttar Pradesh, was serving the Kalkaji Temple for the last 14-15 years. After the incident, police filed an FIR, and five of the accused have been nabbed. According to a senior police officer, a PCR call was received regarding a fight at the Kalkaji temple on Friday night. Inquiry revealed that the accused had gone to the temple for darshan. After darshan, they demanded “chunni prasad” from the victim, which he declined, leading to an argument. The accused assaulted the victim with sticks and fist blows. The victim was taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre, where he succumbed during treatment, DCP (southeast) Hemant Tiwari said. A case under section 103(1)/ 3(5) of BNS has been registered. Five people have been apprehended in this case. They have been identified as Mohan (19), Kuldeep Bidhuri (20), Atul Pandey (30), Nitin Pandey (26) and Anil Kumar (55). Pandey was apprehended by the public and handed over to police. Another sewadar Raju stated that after aarti, they were relaxing in their dharamshalas, when 10-15 men dragged the victim out and beat him to death. Pt Sidharth Bhardwaj, secretary Shri Kalkaji Mandir Prabandhak Sudhar Committee (Reg), and Pt Akarshan Bhardwaj stated that after the unfortunate incident, the temple management has initiated a comprehensive set of measures aimed at enhancing security for all individuals within the temple premises. Assaulted by 10-15 men The incident took place when, after a fight over chunni prasad, the young sewadar was relaxing in his dharamshala. Around 10-15 men came and dragged him out and assaulted him. Though he was rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre, he succumbed to his injuries. EXPRESS READ SCBA flags low no. of women judges in SC, HCs The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has shown concern over the low number of women judges in the apex court and state high courts across the country. It sought elevation of more women judges in judicial appointments to both the courts. Mann ministers on flood review talk cruise trips The Punjab govt is under fire after three ministers inspecting floodhit areas of Tarn Taran were caught on camera discussing luxury cruises in Sweden and Goa. The clip was being streamed live on Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar’s Facebook page. Surat industries in limbo as Trump tariffs in force With the 50% US tariff on Indian goods now in effect, Gujarat’s Surat—a city reliant on its diamonds and textile industries— face an unprecedented disruption. Exports worth billions have stalled, and artisans fear mass unemployment. | P8 ROMAN DE LA PARIS FOR SATCHI AFTER OLYMPIC HEARTBREAK 2 nd SECOND TIME THE INDIAN PAIR HAS WON A WORLDS MEDAL P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi GST COUNCIL TO MEET ON TWO-SLAB TAXATION AMMA SPEAKS Selfless Prayers Bring Peace for All FIVE ARRESTED Both aiming at long-term stability while addressing larger geopolitical challenges All eyes on Modi-Xi talks to stabilise bilateral ties today Carrying the Burden Within The Art of Being Seen 4th SATWIKCHIRAG’S FOURTH WIN AGAINST MALYSIAN PAIR Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty celebrate their win and secure second World Championships medal on Friday | BAI S W A R O O P S W A M I N AT H A N @ Chennai PARIS is often referred to as the city of love. It’s easy to see why . The leitmotifs of the French capital has been one of romance, allure and seduction. The Notre Dame. The Monalisa. The Eiffel Tower. In Before Sunset, a movie set in Paris, Richard Linklater’s in a seminal three-part exploration of love and relations hips, Jesse, played by Ethan Hawke, remarks to Celine (Julie Delpy), ‘Life is tough... If we didn’t suffer, we would never learn anything’. In a way wherever there’s love, heartbreaks linger. To a dreamer, pain is a reminder that they have to work harder. Eleven months ago, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were crestfallen. The dream of an Olympic medal had slipped past them in Paris, their favourite city Facing Malaysia’s . Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, their arch-rivals, in quarterfinals of the Games, they had come within five points. Post that loss, for three months, the duo didn’t play a competitive tie as they wanted to heal. What a difference a year makes. As India slept on Friday night, they exorcised those demons in the same city and against the same opponents in the quarterfinals of the World Championships. Sure, there’s perhaps no greater heartache than missing out an Olympic medal but winning a Worlds medal will act as a balm. The straight games win, achieved with uncommon comfort for such a stage, is also a reminder of the talent they possess. In 2024, they suffered. In 2025, the P11 deliverance will be sweet. 4 in 10 students in Delhi take pvt coaching, says NSS survey I F R A H M U F T I @ New Delhi NEARLY four out of every ten school students in Delhi attend private coaching classes, well above the national average of one in four, according to the latest National Sample Survey (NSS) on education. The Comprehensive Modular Survey on Education, part of the 80th round of the NSS conducted between April and June 2025, placed Delhi sixth among all states and UTs. Tripura topped the list with 78.6%, followed by West Bengal and Odisha. The findings underline that Delhi’s dependence on coaching begins early with 30.2% , of primary students already enrolled—higher than the national average of 22.9%. At the secondary level, 51.6% of students reported being in coaching, compared to 37.8% nationally. At the higher secondary stage, the share shot up to 59.2%, against 37.9%. Urban Delhi reported even higher participation, with 61% of students in coaching, nearly equal for boys (60.3%) and girls (61.8%). In rural Delhi, however, only 31.4% of higher secondary students re- ported coaching. The survey also revealed a gender gap: Across school levels, girls in were consistently more likely to attend coaching than boys—42.7% versus 36.5% overall. At the middle school level, 41.8% of students reported being in coaching, compared to the all-India average of 29.6%. Interestingly, in urban Delhi, boys (43.2%) were ahead of girls (39.3%), a reversal of the national trend where girls marginally lagged. Based on smaller samples, the pre-primary data showed that 7% of children were in tuition, slightly below the national figure of 11.6%. The survey covered 52,085 households and 57,742 students nationwide, using computer-assisted interviews to assess enrolment, spending on education, and reliance on private coaching.