bengaluru l friday l september 11, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 42 l late city EDITION U.S. govt ad asking ‘Mr Singh’ to self-deport kicks off row An advertisement by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asking ‘Mr Singh’ to self-deport has sparked a controversy Road safety ad tells Sikh man not to drive Comes amid Self-deport campaign by DHS The DHS posted AI imagery on X targeting Sikh truck drivers. The ad, part of its campaign against unlicensed commercial drivers, features a brownbearded man with a tagline: “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive, Mr Singh.” A video clip shows Optimus Prime, the protagonist in Transformers movie series, demanding that the man self-deport ■ ■ The reference to ‘Mr Singh’ was criticised by advocacy groups. “Racist, un-American, anti-Indian profiling/trolling by @DHSgov should shock nation’s collective conscience,” the Hindu American Foundation said The row comes amid a campaign by the DHS asking eligible illegal immigrants to self-deport and get an exit bonus of $2,600 1,19,018 People in the U.S. identify as sikh, according to the 2020 census 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 Last-ditch efforts for joint statement Iran, UAE divided over the language on the war and responsibility for the conflict; Palestine not a major obstacle Tight security cover 15,000 paramilitary personnel deployed across the national capital as part of multi-layered security system J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi 500+ CCTV cameras, including highresolution and specialised surveillance cameras, to keep a round-the-clock watch over key areas Massive deployment of forces to maintain law and order, security and traffic management Security arrangements will cover airport, hotels and other locations that may be visited by the dignitaries Enhanced access control, vigilance and robust security measures in place at Bharat Mandapam, the main venue of the summit Similar arrangements at hotels where foreign dignitaries will stay Ethiopia Foreign Affairs Minister Gedion Timothewos Hessebon, left, being received at Delhi Airport | PTI Regulator mulls mandatory dope test of all pilots across airlines S L a l i t h a @ New Delhi With an Air India pilot on the Phuket-Delhi sector recently testing positive for marijuana, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is learnt to be considering making drug testing for all pilots of all airlines mandatory sources said. , Parallelly, Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the government would finalise the new guidelines regarding pilot testing. Following the marijuanapositive report, Air India sacked Captain Sudeep Vashistha. His AI 2379 flight suffered a midair triple hydraulic failure on August 4, which left 24 people on board injured. India has 25,001 pilots of whom 13,989 are work in the six domestic airlines, the civil aviation ministry told the Lok Sabha in February Existing regu. lations permit testing of 10% of pilots on a random basis. A government source said that due to the persistent push from the civil aviation ministry to make dope testing of cockpit crew stringent, the DGCA was working out the details. “No official order has been released yet. It would take some time for the regulator to lay down the procedure in black and white. But this is the direction in which they are working.” Naidu has repeatedly stressed the need for 100% testing of pilots. On September 3, he said that while pushing for it, “Public safety and the logistics involved for airlines, both need to be balanced.” Briefing newspersons after an event here on Thursday, Naidu said, “Regarding the Civil Aviation Requirement draft on the pilot testing, the DGCA is still having discussions with different stakeholders. Hopefully before the end of , this month, we would be able to finalise the new guidelines.” W ITH THIS ISSUE CITY’S BEST WEEKEND GUIDE 42 PAGES, INCLUDING 24 OF INDULGE (TABLOID) Political-level efforts are under way to bridge differences and secure a joint statement at the BRICS summit in New Delhi this weekend, but the escalating West Asia crisis is putting that consensus-building effort under strain, with Iran and the UAE divided over the language on the war and responsibility for the conflict. “Stakes are very high here. And we are trying at every level, including at the political level, to reach a consensus on the language of the joint statement where it deals with West Asia. These negotiations often go down to the wire,” a source familiar with the discussions said. The immediate challenge is to find language that can accommodate Tehran’s insistence that the unilateral attack on Iran and its violation of the UN Charter be explicitly reflected, while addressing the UAE’s demand for recognition of what it describes as Iranian attacks on its sovereignty and territory . The UAE delegation at the September 12-13 summit will be led by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed PM-Putin bilateral today Russian President Vladimir Putin will reach India early Friday on a three-day visit during which he will attend the 18th BRICS Summit and hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the same day bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Saudi Arabia will be represented by Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. Sources said formulations referring to attacks on sovereignty territorial , integrity and violations of the UN Charter are being discussed in broader terms. Tehran, however, wants the reference to the unilateral attack and the alleged violation of the UN Charter to remain intact, rather than “being subsumed into a generic formulation,” a source pointed out. The UAE has strongly rejected Iranian allegations concerning its role in the conflict. The UAE sees “Iranian attacks as a violation of the UN Charter and international law and allegations over its independent decision-making.” Iran, meanwhile, has accused Gulf states of hosting US military infrastructure of facilitating American operations against it. Tehran maintains that its “retaliatory strike targets only the US military bases and American military installations wherever they are located”. The Palestine language, by contrast, is not emerging as the major obstacle. Sources said that there is a “broad acceptance” of retaining the formulation from the 2025 Rio declaration describing the Gaza Strip as “an inseparable part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory” and stressing the importance of unifying Gaza and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority . The difficulty over West Asia is particularly significant because BRICS has traditionally managed to bridge differences and produce a leaders’ declaration. Its expansion from five members to 11, however, has brought together countries with increasingly divergent geopolitical interests of late. The New Delhi summit could therefore become a crucial test of whether an expanded BRICS can convert its idea of multipolarity and Global South solidarity into a functioning consensus mechanism when the geopolitical fault lines run through the grouping itself. Court frames PMLA charges against Lalu & family E X PRESS NE W S SERVICE Land as bribe @ New Delhi A Delhi court on Thursday ordered framing of money laundering charges against former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and six others in the alleged IRCTC hotels money laundering case. Special judge Vishal Gogne said there was a “strong suspicion” against the accused and rejected their arguments that the nature, timing, and course of investigation appear inspired by political vendetta. Out of 16 accused, Judge Lalu Prasad Yadav Rabri Devi Tejashwi Yadav Gogne discharged seven and framed charges against the other nine accused. The court had earlier framed corruption and other charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav and several other accused persons in the case lodged by the CBI. During his tenure as railway minister in 2004, Lalu Prasad allegedly handed over the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels to a company after receiving a bribe in the form of a prime land in Patna According to the case, Lalu Prasad, during his tenure as railway minister in UPA-I gover nment, handed over the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels to a company in 2004 after receiving a bribe in the form of a prime land in Patna. The transaction was through a benami company owned by Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Chand Gupta, who was also a former Union minister. The ED lodged a separate case against Lalu, his family members, and others under the PMLA to probe the alleged laundering of the proceeds generated in the crime. The CBI also named Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both of whom were directors of Sujata Hotels, and Delight Marketing company now known as , Lara Projects, and the then IRCTC managing director P K Goel as accused in its FIR. ‘Drudha Karnatakada Sankalpa’ event being inaugurated at Vidhana Soudha’s banquet hall in Bengaluru on Thursday | Nagaraja Gadekal DKS unveils ‘Strong Karnataka’ roadmap D eva ra j B H i r e h a l l i @ Bengaluru Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday unveiled an ambitious roadmap for a “Strong Karnataka”, setting a target of making the state a $1 trillion economy by 2037, while announcing a slew of measures on jobs, land reforms, education, investment, agriculture and technology . Addressing the ‘Drudha Karnatakada Sankalpa’(resolve for a strong Kar nataka) programme at Vidhana Soudha’s banquet hall during an event to mark the completion of his government’s 100 days, Shivakumar said economic growth would go hand in hand with social justice, water security em, ployment, education and balanced regional development. “This is not a celebration of the government’s 100 days, but a resolution for a ‘Strong Karnataka’. The state must be economically strong, socially empowered, technolo gically advanced and deeply rooted in vande mataram 2 stanzas at govt functions ONLY The Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms has issued an order mandating that only the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ are to be sung at all government functions, except those attended by the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister or Governor | P4 ED raids politically motivated, have no investments abroad: Jarkiholi Naushad Bijapur @ Belagavi Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Thursday said that the Enforcement Directorate’s searches at his properties could be politically motivated or linked to allegations against him. He questioned the need for an extensive search when the documents sought could h ave b e e n o b t a i n e d through a notice. Jarkiholi said the ED action had raised suspicion, particularly as he believed there were ‘bigger fish’ involved in the matter. “I have answered all questions asked by the ED officials. For questions to which I did not know the answers, I have sought time. If they issue a notice, I will respond to it,” he said. The minister also rejected the ED’s reported contention that he had m a d e i nve s t m e n t s abroad, particularly in African countries. “They are saying that I have invested abroad. I have not made any investment. I have only said that we intend to invest and have been making preparations for it,” he said. Jarkiholi confirmed that the ED had found between Rs 1 crore and Rs 2 crore in cash at his residence during the search- es, but maintained that the money belonged to his family and had been kept at his house. He said the officials had also taken away some documents. The minister said the searches were conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Jarkiholi echoed Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s earlier assertion that Congress leaders were being targeted by central investigating agencies. “The Chief Minister had already said that our leaders are being targeted. I thought they would eventually come to us, but I did not expect the action to be taken against me so soon,” he said.  More: P4 SC refuses to reconstitute panel probing police excesses SUCHI T RA KALYAN M OHAN T Y @ New Delhi Restoring lifeline Members of the Nepali Army construct a bridge on Wednesday, the 16th day after a devastating flash flood and mudslide washed it away, at Devighat in Nuwakot. The toll from the flash floods climbed to 1,365 | pti Lalbagh safe, tunnel road route to be realigned Bosky Khanna @ Bengaluru After withdrawing the controversial Bill to use 5% of parkland for infrastructure and utility works, the state government has made another Uturn: the proposed tunnel road will not run through Lalbagh. Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Ramalinga Reddy told TNIE, “Lalbagh land will not be used for the tunnel road project. Alternative routes have been suggest- ed. However, the final decision is yet to be taken.” Sources said the government is looking at a part of Nimhans land, cemetery land near Wilson Garden or even digging through Lalbagh Road. On August 24, the Assembly had passed the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in haste. On September 4, following strong opposition from citi- zens, experts and activists, the cabinet withdrew the Bill. CM DK Shivakumar had said it would be placed before the public again, with amendments based on public suggestions. The Bill had triggered concerns over the takeover of land in Lalbagh and tunnelling under Lalbagh rock, a part of the 3.5billion-year-old Dharwar Craton. It was to be acquired for the 17.5km tunnel road from its values,” Shivakumar said. The chief minister said Karnataka’s GDP has risen to Rs 32.81 lakh crore, registering 8.1% growth and staying ahead of the national growth rate. Among the major announcements, he said five lakh residential sites would be distributed to houseless rural families in the first phase, while 1,000 government schools would be upgraded as Karnataka Public Schools at the panchayat level with CSR and World Bank support. The government also proposed 7.5% reservation in higher education for rural students who studied in government schools. On investment, Shivakumar said projects worth Rs 43,214 crore were approved during the first 100 days of his government.Describing land reforms as the government’s “sixth guarantee”, Shivakumar said 26 lakh property records in Bengaluru were being scanned and digitised, while more than one crore property records across Karnataka would be taken up for ‘phodi’. P4 Hebbal to Silk Board. According to the state government, the project would cost Rs 17,782crore. Adani Group is the lowest bidder for executing the project. Mobility experts, including researchers from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), had pointed out that Bengaluru does not need a tunnel road. Instead, public transport, particularly Metro connectivity needs to be , increased and the Suburban Rail project executed. E x p r e s s Re a d PM: Space station by ’35, Indian on Moon by ’40 New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi on Thursday called for cooperation in space, saying, “The promise of space is infinite. Our responsibility is collective.” In his virtual address to the International Space Summit in Paris, Modi said India’s approach to space was rooted in the ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth, One Family, One Future. He said India would establish a space station by 2035 and send an astronaut to the Moon by 2040. P11 THE Supreme Court on Thursday refused to reconstitute the committee headed by former top court judge R Subhash Reddy to examine allegations of police excesses against students and violence against police personnel during the Jantar Mantar protests. The SC clarified its stance while responding to submissions that the presence of exMeghalaya DGP L R Bishnoi raised apprehensions of bias. A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant said it will not proceed on the presumption that the panel is biased. “Committee is our extended hand. We will not agree to any changes. The committee will be working under the supervision of the Supreme Court... If anyone feels the committee has gone wrong somewhere, you tell us. We will give open hearing,” the CJI observed. The SC set up the five-member panel on August 20. The other members are former Punjab and Haryana HC chief justice Ravi Shankar Jha, ex-Delhi High Court judge Shalinder Kaur, and former CBI director Rishi Kumar Shukla.