TUESDAY INDIA AND CHINA AGREE TO RESUME KAILASH MANSAROVAR YATRA 28 JANUARY, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who is in Beijing on a two-day visit, held wide-ranging talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday X.com/TheMornStandard J A PA N SEX SCANDAL ROCKS FUJI TV DIRECT FLIGHT SERVICES TO BE RESTARTED The TV network said on Monday its president and chief were resigning to take responsibility for a sex assault scandal linked to one of top TV celebrities. A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9  NEW DELHI  J8.00  During their talks, the two sides decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of this year. “The relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements,” a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said. They also agreed in principle to resume direct air services between the two countries | P7 PAGES 12 Waqf Bill gets FETING NEW IDEAS, OLD WISDOM JPC nod with 14 amendments I EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Chennai Report expected to be tabled in Parliament ahead of February 5 Delhi assembly polls P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi WHAT IS NEW Right to appoint officer to determine whether a property is Waqf or not given to the state govt instead of the District Collector in proposed bill Mandatory clause to include 2 non-Muslims in Central Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards dropped. Proposes change in the composition of the Waqf Board by increasing it to three members, including a scholar WHAT NEXT JPC will circulate final draft among the members on Tuesday It will meet on January 29 to adopt the report Report to be submitted to LS Speaker on January 31 and tabled in Parliament before Feb 5 Delhi polls A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) scrutinising the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill approved it on Monday setting the tone for its ta, bling for discussion and passage during the forthcoming Budget session of Parliament. While the panel led by BJP MP Jagadambika Pal adopted 14 amendments suggested by the ruling NDA members, all those proposed by the Opposition were rejected 10:16 by voice vote. The bill, introduced during the Monsoon session, had proposed 44 amendments to the Waqf Act, 1995. While the Opposition was up in arms against the panel chairman for allegedly breaking rules and bulldozing the proceedings, Pal said that the amendments were put to vote in a democratic manner. However, DMK MP A Raja said, “The chairman himself called the names of the mover of the amendments (given by us) and he himself moved the amendments on our behalf and conducted the head count. And he announced the rejection of our amendments. We will move the Supreme Court if it becomes a bill.” Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Pal said one of the alterations aims to empower the state government to appoint an officer to determine whether a property is Waqf or not — instead of the District Collector who was given absolute powers to do so in the proposed bill. In the Waqf Act 1995, that power is vested in survey commissioners and additional commissioners. The panel also approved changes to another contentious provision that mandated the inclusion of two non-Muslim members in the Central Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards. It dropped the term mandatory and proposed changes in the composition of the Waqf Board by increasing it to three members, including a scholar. Another change was on the ‘Waqf by user’ provision. While the bill knocked it off entirely the , panel approved amendments that said the the ‘Waqf by user’ law will not apply retrospectively , so long as the property is registered. However, Congress MP and JPC member Imran Masood contested the proposal saying 90% of Waqf properties are not registered. Speaking to this newspaper, Masood accused the government of trying to create unrest by bringing in the new bill. BACK TO BATTERED HOME Tens of thousands of Palestinians streaming into the most heavily destroyed parts of Gaza on Monday after Israel lifted its blockade in the north for the first time since the war with Hamas began, following a ceasefire pact | AP | P9 MPACTFUL conversations and thought-provoking debates marked the 13th edition of the ThinkEdu Conclave, presented by SASTRA University, held at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai on Monday. A stellar lineup of speakers, from policymakers to academicians, reflected on the contemporary challenges and opportunities in education and beyond. The day began with a Saraswati Vandana by the students of MOP Vaishnav College for Women, followed by ceremonial lighting of lamp. In his welcome address, Prabhu Chawla, editorial director of The New Indian Express, highlighted the legacy of ThinkEdu as India’s leading education conclave, underscoring its commitment to fostering dialogue between modernity and traditional knowledge. Prabhu Chawla also cautioned against the over-reliance on artificial intelligence (AI), emphasising the importance of balancing pro g ress with values. INSIDE NHRC Chairperson V Ramasubramanian inaugurates the 13th edition of ThinkEdu Conclave 2025 in Chennai by lighting the lamp on Monday; (from left) SASTRA University V-C S Vaidhyasubramaniam, Dinamani Editor K Vaidiyanathan, TNIE CEO Lakshmi Menon and Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla are seen | P RAVIKUMAR The inaugural session featured Justice V Ramasubramanian, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), who tackled the complex relationship between rights, duties, and the Indian soul. Moderated by Dinamani editor K Vaidiyanathan, Justice Ramasubramanian highlighted India’s diversity as both a strength and challenge. ASSESS PERFORMANCE, NOT DNA OF NHRC: RAMASUBRAMANIAN I P5 Modi, Don discuss West Asia, Ukraine Officials from the US Department of Homeland Security have started visiting gurdwaras in New York and New Jersey to search for undocumented immigrants after Trump administration removed protections shielding religious places from immigration and customs enforcement actions | P7 defence, the PMO said in the statement. They exchanged views on global issues, including the situation in West Asia and Ukraine, and reiterated their commitment to work together to promote global peace, prosperity and security it said. , , They agreed to remain in touch and meet soon at a mutually convenient date. UTTARAKHAND 1ST STATE TO IMPLEMENT UNIFORM CIVIL CODE Pushkar Singh Dhami announced UCC’s implementation on Monday, saying “the constitutional and civil rights of people across all religions have become uniform” | P8 HC reserves order on plea for MUDA probe by CBI E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ B’luru THE Karnataka High Court on Monday reserved its judgment on a petition seeking transfer of the MUDA case, currently being probed by the Lokayukta police, to the CBI. The HC also took on record the sealed-cover report submitted by the Lokayukta police on its probe into the alleged illegal allotment of 14 sites to Kar- nakata Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife B M Parvathy by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). A single bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna directed the Lokayukta cops not to file the final probe report before the trial court till the HC pronounces its verdict in the matter. Appearing for the pet i t i o n e r, M y s u r u - based social activist Snehamayi Krishna, senior advocate Maninder Singh argued that the matter should be referred to the CBI for impartial probe, considering the administrative and political compulsions of the Lokayukta agency . Opposing the transfer of the case to the CBI, the state government’s counsel senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that the probe is underway and a status report is already filed. The HC stayed the ED summons to Parvathy and urban development minister Byrathi Suresh in the case. Without knowing anything about the contents of the report and how the investigation has been conducted, can it be transferred out? —Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal Politics, culture, aspiration The afternoon sessions shifted focus to political and cultural narratives. In “The Culture Project: Values for the Viksit Bharatiya,” Mukunda CR, joint general secretary of the RSS, advocated for a three-language policy encompassing one’s mother tongue, a regional language, and a career language. P5 DIRECTOR TOLD ME NOT TO TAKE CHARACTERS HOME: KARTI I P5 WEALTH MULTIPLIED Dhanwati Chandela (AAP) 56 CR+ INCREASE Raj Kumari Dhillon (IND) 24 Cr (51%) 13 Cr (30%) Dr Ajay Dutt (AAP) 109 CR+ 52 Cr (93%) Raghuvinder 11 Cr+ (93%) Shokeen (AAP) Checks at US gurdwaras for illegal immigrants moderated by senior journalist Kaveree Bamzai, Tharoor decried the rising animosity between the government and opposition, emphasising the need to restore trust and communication in Parliament. Dr Ujwala Chakradeo, ViceChancellor of SNDT Women’s University, and Prof Basuthkar J Rao, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hyderabad, THAROOR: ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE REWARDING THAN ATTENDING PARL I P5 Kailash Gahlot (BJP) J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed a range of issues, including the wars in West Asia and Ukraine, in their first telephonic conversation after the latter was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. “Delighted to speak with my dear friend President @realDonaldTrump @POTUS,” he said. “We are committed to a mutually beneficial and trusted partnership. We will work together for the welfare of our people and towards global peace, prosperity, and security Modi wrote on X. ,” Modi congratulated Trump on his “historic second term”, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. The two leaders discussed various aspects of the wideranging bilateral Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and measures that could be taken to advance it, including in the areas of technology , trade, investment, energy and , He underscored the need to balance rights with duties to build a just society He raised . concerns about the delay by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) in according accreditation to the NHRC. Following this, Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament, delved into India’s parliamentary proceedings. In a session shared insights into making campuses more inclusive in the session titled, “A Campus for Everyone: Making Higher Education Inclusive.” Prof Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, UGC Chairman, spoke on the need to rebuild India’s examination system in his session on “Testing Times.” Moderated by Prof S Vaidhyasubramaniam, Kumar proposed adaptive testing models and emphasised aligning entrance exams with school curricula to reduce the reliance on coaching centres. In a forward-looking session on AI, Shekar Nair, Co-founder of Upekkha, tackled the hype and reality of AI. Nair emphasised the need to adapt to AI-driven changes in the workplace. Those who fail to embrace AI risk being replaced by it, he said. 9 Cr+ (321%) 48 CR+ 46 CR+ 12 CR+ 23CR+ 2 CR+ 11 CR+ 72 CR+ 59 CR+ Assets in 2020 Assets in 2025 Kejriwal moves EC over ‘poison in water’ against Haryana, Saini hits back Delhiites want ‘AAPda-mukt’ capital: Panda H A R P R E E T BA J WA & A N U P V E R M A THE BJP is optimistic about securing a two-thirds majority, defeating the ruling AAP, national vice-president and Delhi BJP in-charge Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda has told this newspaper. He cited “widespread public discontent” against AAP which , he called “AAPda” due to its alleged failure in driving development, as the primary reason. Drawing on feedback from all assembly seats, Panda said, “Delhi wants to become ‘AAPda-mukt’ and bloom in prosperity with lotus under Modi’s guarantees.” He said, “The people have trust in Modi’s guarantee and don’t want to cope with AAPda even for a moment.” On the AAP’s future, he said, “As everything comes full circle, AAPda rule in Delhi has also come full circle. The janata (public) are tired of its fake promises and lack of development and now want to give us a chance.” He claimed that AAP lacks a credible leader as many includ, ing Arvind Kejriwal, face corruption charges. “The bail conditions are very strict as AAPda’s earlier face (referring to Kejriwal) cannot sign papers. There are classroom scams, medical scams, and many others. He can’t go to the CMO. He can’t become CM,” Panda said. He said Purvanchali voters, neglected by AAP in last three elections, are now leaning toVERBATIM ON PG 7 wards BJP . @ Chandigarh/New Delhi HOURS after Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP-led Haryana government of “mixing poison” into the Yamuna river, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini sharply responded on Monday, saying that the Delhi government’s mismanagement has led to residents lacking access to clean water. CM Atishi, along with her Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, also lodged a complaint against the Haryana government with CEC, alleging an “irrational rise” in ammonia levels in the Yamuna water flowing into the capital. In a letter to the CEC, they accused the neighbouring state of “jeopardizing” the water supply for the people of Delhi, which they said is “bound to have serious consequences for the conduct of fair elections in Delhi.” EC sources confirmed receiving a representation from Atishi and Mann alleging that an increased quantity of ammonia in the water supply from Haryana to Delhi will adversely impact the water supply in the capital during the poll process. The EC has directed the Haryana government to provide a factual report on the matter on Tuesday by 12 pm. Saini accused Kejriwal of “systematically” diverting 28 drains into the Yamuna and accused him of forcing Delhi residents to consume contaminated water. Claiming that the people would teach Kejriwal a lesson in the polls, the Haryana CM said, “People of Delhi are still forced to drink contaminated water in 10 years of AAP rule.’’ Saini alleged that Kejriwal has a habit of making baseless allegations. He said he had asked Kejriwal to send his chief secretary and officers to Haryana, especifically to Sonipat, from where Haryana supplies water to Delhi, to inspect the water’s quality . On Atishi’s allegation, the Delhi Jal Board dubbed the AAP government’s statement as “false, misleading, and factually incorrect”. “Water in river Yamuna is of the same quality as it is in annual winter season and people of Delhi are assured that there is no cause of concern for drinking water quality the DJB CEO stated. ,” In response, the AAP said the DJB letter is a proof that Haryana is forcing Delhi into a manufactured water crisis. P3 & 4 R A J E S H K U M A R T H A K U R @ New Delhi