MONDAY Case relates to dispute over a supply deed 19 JANUARY, 2026 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard ADVOCATES CAN’T USE RTI ACT TO SEEK DETAILS FOR CLIENTS’ CASES: CIC R U S S I A - H E L D PA R T S DRONE STRIKES CUT POWER IN 2L HOMES Hundreds of thousands in Russian-held parts of southern Ukraine were left without power on Sunday amid drone strikes PAGE 9 Using the transparency law in this manner fails to advance its core objectives, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has observed A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00  PAGES 12 17.5L THE OVERALL NUMBER OF RTI APPLICATIONS FILED DURING 2023–24 Modi targets Congress, Trinamool in poll-pitch against ‘infiltrators’ EU pushback against tariff threat over Greenland Accuses the two parties of endangering national security for the sake of vote-bank politics AGENCIES P R A S A N TA M A Z U M D A R & S U B H E N D U M A I T I @ Guwahati / Kolkata PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday mounted a sharp political attack on the Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC), accusing the two parties of endangering national security by protecting infiltrators for vote-bank politics. After laying the foundation stone for the `6,957 crore Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, and virtually flagging off two Amrit Bharat trains from Kaliabor in election-bound Assam’s Nagaon district, Modi accused the Congress of allowing infiltrators in exchange for votes during its years in power in the north-eastern state. Taking potshots at the Congress for its poor show in the recent Bihar Assembly election and Maharashtra local body polls, Modi said the grand old party has lost the trust of the nation and the BJP has become the first choice of people. “In the recent Bihar elections, even after 20 years, people gave a record number of votes to the BJP helping it win , PROJECTS WORTH `7,787 CR LAUNCHED Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a gathering during the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, in Nagaon, Assam on Sunday | PTI a record number of seats. Mumbai, for the first time, gave a record mandate to the BJP. In most cities of Maharashtra, people gave the BJP an opportunity to serve them,” he said. Modi also pointed to the BJP’s electoral breakthrough in Kerala, where the party secured the mayor’s post in Thiruvananthapuram for the first time. According to Modi, the results across states reflected a consistent national trend. “The voters today want good governance and development. That is why they like the BJP , ,” he said, adding that the results show the Congress is being repeatedly rejected by voters. Later in the day addressing a , rally at West Bengal’s Singur, Modi accused the TMC government of sitting idle on the Centre’s request to acquire land for fencing the Bangladesh border. “The Centre has been writing to the TMC government in Ben- PM launched development projects worth `7,787 crore in poll-bound Assam and West Bengal. In Assam, he laid the foundation stone for the `6,957 cr Kaziranga Elevated Corridor and virtually flagged off two Amrit Bharat trains. In West Bengal, Modi launched projects worth over `830 crore and flagged off three Amrit Bharat trains connecting Kolkata with other parts of the country | P8 gal for the past 11 years requesting land for border fencing to prevent infiltration in the state. But it sits idle on the issue,” Modi alleged. Sharpening his attack on the TMC, he said the party is “playing with the country’s security” by giving support to infiltrators from Bangladesh. “The state government is giving safety and security to infiltrators and that’s why they vote for TMC,” the PM said. Intel agencies warn of LeT recruitment drive in PoK M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi FIR against builder for techie’s death in basement EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi AN FIR has been registered against a builder as a 27year-old software engineer re por tedly drowned in Greater Noida’s Sector 150 after his car broke through the boundary wall of a roadside drain and fell into a water-filled basement at an under-construction building early on Saturday The build. er, who owns the project, has been booked for causing death by negligence. The victim, identified as Yuvraj Mehta, lived with his father in a high-rise apartment in Greater Noida and worked in Gurugram. According to police, Mehta lost control of his vehicle while negotiating a turn, causing it to plunge into the flooded basement. “Based on the complaint filed by the victim’s family a , case has been registered at Knowledge Park police station. It is being investigated, and strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty,” Joint CP Rajeev Narain Mishra said. After hours of searching, Mehta’s body was recovered early on Sunday Alleging de. lay in the rescue operation, the victim’s father said local residents had requested for barricades and reflectors, but no action was taken. Commissioner of Police Hemant Upadhyay defended the delay, citing safety concerns: “It was difficult to save him in darkness and dense fog. Entering the water could have caused more casualties.” The case relates to the termination of a fruit and vegetable supply contract at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Haryana. The supplier’s advocate sought to use the RTI Act to obtain information on behalf of his client. “It appears that the appellant has sought information on behalf of his client per se, which is not permissible,” the CIC said. PAKISTAN-BASED terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has launched a renewed and intensified recruitment campaign with an aim to establish new training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Indian intelligence agencies have learned. The recruitment campaign is being spearheaded by senior LeT commander Nasr Javed. Sources said Javed has visited several strategic locations in PoK over the past few months to mobilise local youth. Over the past two weeks, he was in Mirpur, Kotli and Poonch districts of PoK. During these visits, he addressed more than four open rallies organised by the PoK unit of Lashkar-e-Taiba and held over 10 closed-door meetings with local operatives and sympathisers. The primary objective of these engagements, intelli- Eight soldiers injured in J&K encounter Eight soldiers were injured in a gunfight with terrorists in a remote forested area in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Sunday, officials said | P8 gence sources said, is to recruit young men for the new LeT training camps expected to come up soon in PoK. Javed is considered a key operational figure within LeT and is known for his expertise in terrorist training. As per the sourc- es, Javed has been tasked with raising a new unit in PoK, with a specific mandate to prepare recruits for counter-insurgency and cross-border operations. Noting that the recruitment push is not confined to PoK, the intelligence sources said in November last year, Javed, along with LeT operative Abdul Rauf, held more than 50 rallies and secret meetings across Pakistan’s Sindh province. “Security agencies assess that these coordinated visits across provinces point to an effort to build a broader pool of recruits and revive LeT’s operational strength nationwide,” a source said. Meanwhile, intelligence inputs suggest that efforts to reactivate Markaz-e-Taiba, the LeT’s headquarters, are gaining pace. Buildings damaged during Operation Sindoor are being repaired with photographs and videos of construction activity circulating on social media, sources said. EXPRESS READ Death toll in Iran protests over 5,000 Kohli ton in vain as India suffer historic defeat At least 5,000 people have been killed in protests in Iran, including about 500 security personnel, Reuters reported citing an unnamed Iranian official on Sunday. The consolidated death toll was based on verified figures, with the official accusing “terrorists and armed rioters” of killing “innocent Iranians” | P9 Virat Kohli smashes his 85th international ton, but New Zealand had the last laugh as they beat India by 41 runs to win their first ODI series in the country. Less than 18 months ago, Black Caps handed India a 3-0 hammering in red-ball cricket and now have followed it up with a sensational ODI series win weeks before the T20 World Cup. Daryl Mitchell Red Cross personnel walk amid the ruins in Jabalia, Gaza Strip on Saturday | AP Trump invites Modi to join ‘Board of Peace’ Leyen, and the leaders of France, Germany Australia , US President Donald Trump and Canada. has invited Prime Minister More details about the Narendra Modi to join a pro- proposed body surfaced afposed “Board of Peace” for ter letters sent by Trump to Gaza, in a significant out- Argentine President Javier reach as Washington seeks Milei and Paraguayan Presito shape the post-war gov- dent Santiago Peña were ernance and reconstruction posted by the two leaders on of the besieged enclave. social media. In his letter to The invitation letter was Milei, Trump said the board sent on January 16. would work to “solidify “It is my Great Honor to peace in the Middle East” invite you, as Prime and pursue a “bold Minister of the Renew approach to republic of India, to solving global join me in a criticonflict.” Our effort will cally Historic and A draft charter bring together a Magnificent effort circulated by the distinguished to solidify Peace in Trump administrathe Middle East group of nations tion to around 60 ready to building and, at the same countries reported...lasting peace time, to embark on ly requires member Donald Trump, a bold new approach states to contribute to resolving Global in letter to PM Modi $1 billion in cash for Conflict!” the letter memberships exfrom the US presit e n d i n g b e yo n d dent said. three years. Pakistan’s Foreign Office Trump has named former had earlier said Prime Min- British PM Tony Blair as a ister Shehbaz Sharif had founding executive member also been invited to be part of the board, alongside Jared of the initiative. Kushner, US Secretary of Several global leaders State Marco Rubio, Middle have been invited to be part East envoy Steve Witkoff of the board, including and World Bank Group PresTurkish President Recep ident Ajay Banga. Tayyip Erdogan, Egyptian Trump unveiled the initiaPresident Abdel Fattah el- tive as part of the second Sisi, European Commission phase of a ceasefire between President Ursula von der Israel and Hamas. P9 J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi EUROPEAN leaders on Sunday slammed US President Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs over their opposition to his designs on Greenland, warning transatlantic ties were at risk. Several European countries — including Denmark, of which Greenland is an autonomous territory — emphasised they “stand united” against Trump’s vow on Saturday to hit them with tariffs of up to 25 percent unless Greenland is ceded to the United States. “Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,” Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden warned in a joint statement Sunday . The European Union, which clinched a deal with Washington in July for most EU exports to face a 15-percent US levy has , called an extraordinary meeting of its ambassadors in Brussels on Sunday . France’s President Emmanuel Macron will ask the EU to activate a never-before-used “anti-coercion instrument” against the United States if Trump makes good on his tariff threat, Macron’s aides said. The bloc’s weapon, dubbed its trade “bazooka”, allows curbing imports of goods and services into the EU, a market of 27 countries with a comb i n e d p o p u l at i o n o f 4 5 0 million. Italy’s far-right Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, called the threatened tariffs a “mistake”. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel meanwhile called Trump’s threat an “inexplicable” “blackmail”. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was planning to discuss the situation with Trump “at the earliest.” Delhi spends `231 cr to tap hill rain in Yamuna, but not a drop flows in A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi TWENTY-NINE years ago, the governments of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for tapping monsoon flows in the Renukaji, Kishau, and Lakhwar dams to ease Delhi’s water shortage. However, till today the plan remains on paper, with no work started to direct the flows to the Yamuna and its tributaries. The status of the project is confounding since the Delhi government has already paid `230.73 crore for the three dams. Officials estimate the three reservoirs could meet the capital’s drinking water needs for the next 25 years. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged the delay in a recent Delhi Jal Board (DJB) audit, noting despite their status as projects of national importance, construction has not yet begun owing to pending approvals from the Upper Yamuna River Board and the National Green Tribunal. “In order to utilise the flow of the river during monsoon, an MoU was signed (November 1994) by the basin States to build two dams on Yamuna River, one at Renukaji in Himachal Pradesh and another at Kishau in Uttarakhand. Delhi Jal Board (DJB) made payment of 230.73 crore for construction of Renukaji dam (`214.84 crore), Kishau dam (`8.10 crore) and another dam at Lakhwar (`7.79 crore) to HP and Uttarakhand (UK) Gover nments (March 2022). These projects were declared as projects of national importance. However, work on Renuka dam, Lakhwar and Kishau dams was under planning and approval stage with the Upper Yamuna River Commission (UYRC). The possibility of augmentation of raw water availability from Yamuna River in the near future is thus remote,” the CAG noted. Once completed, the Lakhwar dam can supply around 135 MGD to Delhi. The Renukaji and Kishau projects could add another 275 MGD and 372 MGD respectively, helping stabilise environmental flow in the river and reducing dependence on seasonal inflows. CONTINUED ON P3 Himachal apple season turns bitter, output down by 50% due to disease, rain H A R P R E E T BA J WA @ Chandigarh APPLE production in the disaster-hit Himachal Pradesh declined by approximately 50% this year owing to torrential rains, harsh weather, and a severe fungal disease. As heavy rains damaged the connecting roads to the apple belts of the state, the fruit could not reach the markets. Now, a prolonged dry spell and lack of snowfall have left apple growers anxious, with fears that the crop could suffer further. The state government has sought the Centre’s urgent intervention against the crippling influx of foreign apples besides seeking inclusion of apples in the “special category” to shield growers from international competition. The hill state generates around `4,500 crore annually from apple production, and its apple economy supports nearly 2.5 lakh apple growers and creates about 10 lakh human days of employment every year. It produces about 5.5 lakh metric tonnes of apple every year. Talking to this newspaper, Harish Chauhan, a leading apple grower and the convener of the Kisan Samyukt Manch, said, “Around 50% apple trees in each orchard were affected by the Alternaria leaf spot fungal infection, as Alternaria blotch primarily damage leaves of apple plants, resulting in premature defoliation and damage to fruit.’’ “Due to this fungal infection, the size of the apple remained small as it shrunk by about 50%. The quality was bad especially colour of the fruit, and there was a 50% decline in the yield. This fungus multiplied in the apple crop due to high rainfall and moisture levels,’’ he said, adding the problem was complicated as due to heavy rains roads were damaged during the monsoon thus making the markets inaccessible and the crop had to be dumped. APPLE CART TOPPLES Around half the apple trees were infected by Alternaria fungus, shrinking fruit size and reducing yield Apple prices crashed as a box fell from about `2,500 to `1,000–`1,200