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 ■ ■ MADURAI l saturday l november 08, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION keen to fight elections: Hasina from hideout Gautam Lahiri Independent journalist A fter 15 months of her stay in an undisclosed location in India, exiled former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has finally spoken her mind in an exclusive e-mail interview. For the first time, she accepts “leadership responsibility” for the killing of citizens during the mass protest against her government from July 15 to August 5, 2024. Here’s the full text of the interview: The Bangladeshi authorities have banned the Awami League from contesting the general elections early next year. Are your party members considering running as independents? The decision to ban the Awami League is deeply undemocratic and a clear violation of Bangladesh’s constitution and of the fundamental rights of the electorate. It short-changes millions of people. Historically, when parties have not participated in previous elections, Bangladeshi voters have simply not voted, rather than transfer their vote press clusive to other parties. So our priority is to continue fighting for the rights of our voters. If the Awami League and its members refuse to contest elections in any form, what do you think the impact will be for Bangladesh? We are not refusing to contest elections. On the contrary we , ardently wish to participate. But we have been banned from doing so by an administration that is itself unelected and which clearly has no respect for democracy . We have to break this cycle of parties either boycotting elections or being banned, because it undermines the legitimacy of the gover nment. Bangladesh badly needs to hold a free, fair and inclusive election, so that the country can begin to heal and move towards reconciliation. You cannot achieve this by banning the Awami League. We are woven into the country’s modern history and independence, and tens of millions support us. A report by the Human Rights Watch estimates that When parties don’t participate in polls, Bangladeshi voters have simply not voted, rather than transfer their vote to others around 1,400 people were killed and thousands were injured during the anti-government protests between July 15 and August 5 over a year ago. The report says the vast majority were shot by Bangladesh’s security forces. As the Prime Minister at the time, do you take responsibility for the state-inflicted violence that led to your ouster? I mourn each and every life lost in the tragic violence of last summer’s uprising. As the country’s leader, I ultimately take leadership responsibility but the implication that I ordered or directed the actions of the security forces on the ground is fundamentally incorrect. All actions were taken in good faith and with the sole intention of minimising the loss of life or the further breakdown in law and order. Top court fiat to clear public spaces nationwide of stray dogs and cattle Send them to designated shelters after sterilisation, vaccination, says three-judge bench s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a n t y @ New Delhi PM Narendra Modi releasing a commemorative coin, stamp of Vande Mataram | PTI Vande Mataram’s cuts sowed seeds of Partition: Modi Pa r v e z S u lta n @ New Delhi In a veiled criticism of the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said significant stanzas of the ‘Vande Mataram’ were axed in 1937, which sowed the seeds of Partition. He further asserted that ‘divisive philosophy’ is still a challenge before the country . “The spirit of Vande Mataram illuminated the entire nation during the freedom struggle. But unfortunately in 1937, , the key verses of Vande Mataram, a part of its soul, were separated. This division of Vande Mataram also sowed the seeds of the nation’s division. Why was this great mantra of nation-building treated with such injustice? This is important for today’s generation to understand because that divisive thinking remains a challenge for the country even today Modi said. ,” He was speaking at the inauguration of the year-long commemoration of 150 years of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ in New Delhi. He also released a commemorative stamp and coin on the occasion. The PM remarked that those who consider the nation a geopolitical entity, may find the idea of treating the nation as a mother puzzling. “But India is different. In India, the mother is the giver of birth, the nur- Authored by Bankim on November 7, 1875 Vande Mataram was written by Bankimchandra Chatterji on Akshaya Navami, which was on November 7, 1875. The song first appeared in the literary journal Bangadarshan as part of his novel Anandamath IN a sweeping directive on Friday, the Supreme Court ordered the removal of stray dogs from educational institutions, hospitals, railway stations, bus stands and other public places, directing that they be relocated to shelters following sterilisation. The court made it clear that stray dogs cannot be released back into the areas from which they are picked up. A special three-judge bench comprising justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria issued the order while hearing a long-pending case on stray dogs. “Every stray dog shall be forthwith removed from such premises and relocated to a shelter after sterilisation. They shall not be released in the same area,” the bench said. The bench held that the recurrence of dog bite incidents within institutional areas, including sports complexes, re- turer, and when her children are in danger, she is also the destroyer of evil. In the past, the world has seen the rise of this form of India,” he said. Noting that Vande Mataram is relevant in every era, in an apparent reference to Operation Sindoor, he said, “When the enemy dared to attack India’s security and honour through terrorism, the whole world saw that if the new India is the embodiment of Kamala and Vimala (forms of Goddess Durga) for the service of humanity, then it also knows to become Durga — the wielder of 10 weapons — for the destruction of terror,” Modi added. The PM said Vande Mataram is not merely a word; it is a mantra, energy a dream, and a , solemn resolve. “This one word fills our present with self-confidence, and gives new courage to our future. There is no such goal that we Indians cannot achieve,” said Modi. Highlights of the Sc order SC has made it the responsibility of the municipal body to remove stray dogs 1 School, colleges to conduct awareness sessions on first-aid in dog bite cases, reporting protocols 2 Dedicated highway patrol teams to to report in case of a cattle blocking highway flected not only administrative apathy but also a “systemic failure” to secure these premises from preventable hazards. The court expressed concern that India continues to report one of the world’s highest stat i s t i c s o f r ab i e s - re l at e d mortality . The bench then directed authorities to ensure the removal of all cattle and other stray animals from state highways, Chaos at Delhi airport People wait outside the arrivals gate at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The Delhi airport, the country’s busiest, plunged into chaos on Friday as 800 flights were delayed due to tech glitches in the air traffic control system | pti KSFE: 67.22 tonnes Manappuram Finance: 56.4 tonnes Indel Money: 6 tonnes reserves of Spain (282 tonnes) and UK (310 tonnes). That is gold worth `4.6 lakh crore, based on current prices. Kerala’s NBFCs have built up this vast reserve over decades. In a state where gold is a savings instrument, a status symbol, and a financial lifeline, the business of gold loans has be- national highways and expressways, stating that “it is a matter of grave and continuing public concern... that accidents caused by cattle on publ i c r o a d s h ave b e c o m e alarmingly frequent.” The bench categorised its order in three parts. The first dealt with compliance, and mandated all states and Union Territories to submit comprehensive affidavits within eight E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ Salem Four days after bodies of two elderly women were found floating in a pool of water in an abandoned stone quarry C Ayy, anar, a 55-year-old man from Omalur who is suspected to have murdered the victims for gain, was shot in the leg and arrested by police near Orukkamalai at Sangagiri taluk in Salem early on Friday . Periyammal (74), wife of Annamalai, and Paavayi (70), wife of Marimuthu, both Ayyanar residents of Edaganasalai in Sangagiri taluk, went missing on November 3 after they left their homes for grazing their goats. Thangappan (45), son of Periyammal, lodged a missing complaint with the Magudanchavadi police. During a search operation, police found the bodies of both women floating in water inside the stone quarry near Magudanchavadi on November 4.  P7 ‘EPS’s son, sons-in-law now running AIADMK’ Expelled AIADMK leader and Gobichettipalayam MLA K A Sengottaiyan on Friday claimed that it was the BJP which had approached him and expressed the need to unite the two factions of the AIADMK. Dismissing allegations that he was being used by the saffron party to create divisions, Sengottaiyan asserted that the BJP “did not use me to divide the party”. Addressing mediapersons in Gobichettipalayam, Sengottaiyan said, “It was the BJP that invited me and spoke about the need for AIADMK’s unity. I told them that AIADMK has no other alternative than to support the BJP, and similarly, the BJP in TN has no other alternative than to support AIADMK. I also told them that the BJP should help us return to power in the state, and we K A Sengottaiyan addressing the press in Gobichettipalayam | express Sengottaiyan alleged that EPS’s son and sons-in-law are now running AIADMK, and loyal workers are being made to bow before people who know nothing about the party. He also questioned EPS over the Kodanad estate murder case. “EPS seeks CBI probe in every issue, but does not insist on one in Kodanad case,” he said will help the BJP fulfil its goals in 2029.” The Gobichettipalayam MLA said a united AIADMK would be strong enough to draw other parties into its fold rather than seek alliances. Referring to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) refusal to join the AIADMK-led alliance, he said, “If the AIADMK stands united, it will not have to approach others for support — instead, parties will automatically come towards it.” Accusing the AIADMK of being caught in the grip of dynastic politics, Sengottaiyan alleged that the party was being run not by general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), but by his family members. “Now, the AIADMK is being controlled by his son and sons-in-law,” he charged.  P7 @ Erode Muthoot Finance: 208 tonnes (Source: Annual reports) SC says all highways to prominently display helpline numbers at regular intervals Suspect in Salem double murder shot in leg, held E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e SPARKLING NUMBERS Muthoot FinCorp: 43.69 tonnes 4 repeat offender BJP approached me to unite AIADMK, says sengottaiyan More gold in Kerala than in UK reserves! IF Kerala’s non-banking financiers were a country they would , rank 16th in the world for gold reserves — right after Portugal and ahead of the United Kingdom, Spain, and Austria. Together, Kerala-based non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) now hold 381 tonnes of gold, a stash that surpasses the official reserves of several European nations and testifies to the state’s enduring obsession with the yellow metal. The combined holdings of Muthoot Finance, Manappuram Finance, Muthoot FinCorp, Kerala State Financial Enterprises Ltd (KSFE), and Indel Money outweigh the gold All govt and private hospitals to maintain a stock of antirabies vaccines Continued on: P11 EPS expels 14 more supporters huge holding RA J E S H A B RA H A M @ Kochi 3 weeks, detailing steps taken to address lapses identified in the amicus curiae’s report. Chief Secretaries will be held accountable for lapses, it said. The second part reaffirmed an earlier Rajasthan High Court directions on stray cattle, instructing all states to conduct joint drives to remove stray animals from highways. The third part requires all states and UTs to identify government institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, railway stations, and bus terminals within two weeks and secure them with fencing to prevent stray animal ingress. Local bodies and panchayats must inspect all listed premises once every three months. Any failure will attract strict action against responsible officials. The Supreme Court was hearing a suo motu case, initiated on July 28 over a media report on stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in the national capital. The next hearing is on January 13. As for the UN’s fatality estimate, we dispute that figure. It is significantly higher than the Ministry of Health’s own calculations and is based on undocumented and closely controlled evidence supplied to the UN Human Rights Commissioner by the interim government. It also appears to contain many members of the security forces and Awami League officials killed in the riots, but that hasn’t been made clear. The government has had over 15 months to arrive at an accurate death count, yet has still not published a definitive list of the dead. Total 381 tonnes come culturally rooted and economically powerful. “In tier-3, tier-4, and tier-5 cities, gold loans are the first preference for any immediate requirement,” says Umesh Mohanan, CEO, Indel Money . With RBI tightening unsecured lending rules, NBFCs find themselves in a sweet spot. Borrowers prefer gold-backed credit, where funds are instant, secured, and flexible. However, this boom has also spurred the unorganised sector. Mohanan says 63% of gold loans are in the unregulated space — pawnshops, small financiers, and local lenders. Meanwhile, a leading player, Muthoot FinCorp, attributes the growth to disciplined borrowers and stable demand. “We aren’t seeing customers rush back to borrow more just because prices are up,” says Muthoot FinCorp CEO Shaji Varghese. “Though the loan tenure is 12 months, most customers redeem their gold in 5-6 months. They close the loan when their purpose is met and move on.” express read stop SIR copyright case body-shaming SC to hear DMK HC refuses to stay petition on Nov 11 ‘Nayagan’ release Press, artiste fora support actor Gouri New Delhi: Accepting the DMK’s plea for an urgent hearing, the CJI-bench of the Supreme Court said on Friday that it will hear on November 11 the party’s plea challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ordered by the Election Commission of India in Tamil Nadu | P7 Chennai: Chennai Press Club and South Indian Artistes Association on Friday voiced support for actor Gouri G Kishan, who slammed a YouTuber for asking a derogatory question about her weight during a press meet for the promotion of her film “Others” on Thursday. The press club called the YouTuber’s conduct “sexist & unethical” | P2 Chennai: The Madras HC on Friday refused to stop the re-release of actor Kamal Haasan’s iconic movie Nayagan, which is scheduled to hit the screens again as a part of his 71st birthday celebrations. No prima facie case was made out on copyright infringement, Justice N Senthilkumar said | P2