bhubaneswar l sunday l november 09, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l jeypore EDITION 66th SAARC Literature Festival begins today, without pakistan The four-day festival in New Delhi will see a mix of poetry, fiction and academic papers featuring celebrated voices from South Asia ‘pak writers barred till terrorism stops’ cross-border cultural exchangES The literature festival, organised by Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL), is hosting writers and scholars from all SAARC countries except Pakistan. Punjabi writer and president of FOSWAL Ajeet Cour said Pakistan’s participation in this edition is a “political issue”, and the organisers “cannot invite Pakistani writers till terrorism stops” ■ ■ The festival will begin with an inaugural session by Sahitya Akademi president Madhav Kaushik, scholar Ashis Nandy, and diplomats of the seven countries that are participating in this year’s event Established in 1986, FOSWAL has organised cross-border cultural exchange through conferences, festivals, and youth outreach fetes Nov 12 is when the festival will come to a close 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 different strokes Casual vs diligent on roping in manjhi D ashrath Manjhi’s new house vealed a few months ago that the Conhas a visitor. A surprise politi- gress leader had quietly — without any , cal visitor. Not the one you fanfare or publicity without even being would have expected if you asked — sponsored a five-room pucca knew the prequel to this story house for the Manjhi family. Media . But it’s the sequel that can con- briefly hailed the Good Samaritan act, tain clues to the difference be- then forgot all about it. Bihar had much more compelling tween India’s two national parties. Yes, the man who moved mountains in life business to attend to. There was the SIR, can move politics even in death— Rahul’s own yatra in the run-up to a hotthough not as much as he would have ly contested assembly election. A sidelight there was that Rahul had liked. Who’s Dashrath Manjhi? For those come visiting Gehlaur again. Bhagirath Manjhi, Dashrath’s sixty-somewho somehow missed out, he’s thing son, was the one who had the man who cut through a invited him for his first visit. That mountain all on his own, with a time Bhagirath had not asked for hammer and chisel, over 22 any favour. This time he did. He years. wanted a Congress ticket to conHis wife had died because test the election. Rahul assured medical care was 70 km away by him one. road, though just over the mounsantwana It made eminent sense too. The tain in reality. He swore that bhattacharya Congress was now speaking up such a fate should never befall Editor for Dalit rights with a new force. anyone again. And kept his What better way to illustrate it word. Town is now just a kilomethan to have Dashrath’s son contesting tre away from his Gehlaur village. He was feted belatedly as the ‘Moun- under its flag? Come candidate selection time, Bhagitain Man’, a postage stamp was issued in his name, films were made about his rath went to Delhi, camped for four days. life—a documentary, a Hindi movie, What came next was the usual Congress self-goal. Party apparatchiks denied him even a couple of Kannada films. But the destitution had not changed. a ticket. When Dashrath died, in 2007, home was When we visit Gehlaur, along the road still a thatched-roof hut. The lot of that Dashrath built, this new pucca many among his ‘Mahadalit’ commu- house — as we said — has a visitor. It’s nity of Musahars, and millions of oth- an “MLA from Chhattisgarh”. Some taners in Bihar. gible discomfort at encountering us, and Then came Rahul Gandhi. It was re- a hasty exit ensued. CONTINUED ON: P8 Bihar & SIR to storm Dec 1-19 Winter Session Opposition hits out at government over short Winter Session of Parliament P r e e t h a N a i r @ New Delhi The outcome of Bihar’s assembly elections is expected to dominate the Winter Session of Parliament, which will be held from December 1 to 19. The Opposition is also planning to up the ante on the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the alleged vote theft in Haryana and Maharashtra. Though there is no joint Opposition strategy on SIR so far, Opposition-ruled states Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala have intensified their protest against the exercise. All parties will come together to oppose the SIR during the session, said an Opposition leader. Speaking to the media, Congress leader Jairam PM Narendra Modi and Congress leader Ramesh said that the key Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressing poll issue will be the SIR. rallies in Bihar on Saturday | PTI “The Prime Minister’s silence on Trump’s statements is a major issue. The current relationship with China is unresolved... There hasn’t been a border agreement with China. We haven’t returned to the previous situation. Negotiations are being held between the two countries based on the new normal that China has established. Besides, there are many such issues regarding the rate of economic growth, GDP unemployment. , There is no shortage of issues. We keep issuing notices again and again, but no action is ever taken on them. The government does whatever it wants,” Ramesh said. CONTINUED ON P5 Apartment balcony crashes in Cuttack, 3 of family killed E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Cuttack A four-year-old kid was among three members of a family who were crushed to death after the balcony of an old neighbourhood apartment collapsed on their house in Cuttack on Saturday . Three more persons also suffered serious injuries in the mishap which took place near Hadi Bandhu School in Mani Sahu Chhak area at about 4.45 pm. The deceased were identified as Abdul Jalil (60), son Abdul Jahid (30) and grandson Abdul Mujahid (4). Critically injured Saina Begum, wife of Jahid, is undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital. A second child of the couple also sustained injuries. Two others, Reha Khan (8) and Rehamatun Nissa (50), both from the same neighbourhood were also hurt in the incident. All the injured are under constant observation. CONTINUED ON P5 WITH THIS ISSUE Malevolent Marauder PLUS 12 P AGES INSIDE Kerala Catholic Church’s first nun beatified I P5