NEW DELHI 16 FEBRUARY 2025 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard https://epaper.morningstandard.in PLUS: 12 PAGES MAGAZINE HACKED & HELPLESS EXCLUSIVE VOICES Small is the New Big Prevention is Better than Sure Anand Neelakantan Ravi Shankar Devdutt Pattanaik Neha Sinha Anuja Chandramouli Prabhu Chawla Shankkar Aiyar Anuradha Goyal Punjab chief minister objects to Amritsar being chosen arrival point US sends back 119 Indians in military aircraft J AYA N T H J A C O B & H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ New Delhi / Chandigarh EXPRESS READ 3 AAP councillors switch sides, BJP largest party The BJP became the single largest party in MCD House on Saturday after three AAP councillors switched over, boosting the saffron party’s chances of winning mayoral polls scheduled in April. The development will have no immediate impact on the AAP’s mayor whose term will be over in March. Anti-defection law is not applicable in case of councilors switching sides. | P3 10 Kumbh devotees killed, 19 injured in UP At least 10 people were killed and 19 others injured when a car carrying Maha Kumbh devotees from Chhattisgarh collided with a bus on the Prayagraj-Mirzapur highway around Friday midnight. The Bolero car crashed into the bus around 2 am in Prayagraj. The bus was also reportedly carrying pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh. In a seperate incident, fire broke out at camp store in Maha Kumbh. THE US on Saturday sent back 119 illegal Indian immigrants on a military aircraft—the second such deportation since Donald Trump took office as President—triggering a fresh political controversy with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann protesting the choice of Amritsar as the arrival point. While Mann alleged the BJPled government at the Centre deliberately chose Amritsar as the landing site to ‘defame Punjab’, sources told this newspaper that the arrival airport is decided after taking in view the deportees’ convenience for returning home. The sources pointed out that many of those deported are from the border areas of Punjab. Saturday’s flight had 67 people from Punjab and 33 from Haryana. They have been detained along the USMexico border. Amritsar has been a primary arrival point for deportees for some time, including in October last year when a group of illegal immigrants were sent back from the US through a chartered flight. However, the Trump administration’s use of a military plane to deport immigrants has sparked protests in India, with concerns raised over deportees arriving in handcuffs. India is understood to have raised the issue of inhuman treatment of its citizens with the US, but the US has once again chosen to send them back on a military aircraft. After arriving at the airport ‘Why not land in Delhi’ Accusing the Centre of trying to defame his state, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann asked why the deportation plane always lands in Punjab and not in Delhi. A third plane carrying 157 deportees is also expected on Sunday to receive the deportees on Saturday night, Mann said: “Do not make our holy city Amritsar a deportation centre.” Expressing concer ns over how the Indian citizens would be treated onboard, Mann said the Centre should have sent a plane to bring them home. Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that restraints are part of the Standard Operating Procedure of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement while deporting illegals. But legal experts say the use of shackles hurts the deportees’ dignity and violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), 1976 and the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 1984. Punjab police make first arrest, nab travel agent H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh PUNJAB police made its first arrest of a travel agent involved in illegal immigration practices, following the deportation of 104 Indians from the US on February 5. Anil Batra, one of four accused, was arrested for sending a US deportee to the US via the “Dunki route.” Talking to this newspaper, inspector Abhey Singh Chauhan said that based on a complaint of Gurwinder Singh of Bhadson, Patiala, a case was registered on February 8 against t r ave l a g e n t A n i l B at r a and three others who had sent Singh to US via the ‘Dunki route’. Batra allegedly took `45 lakh from Singh to facilitate his travel to the US. Singh was first sent to Dubai, then to Suriname, and eventually made his way to the US via Central America, with the help of traffickers and smugglers. The arrest comes after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to probe complaints of fraudulent travel agents involved in deceptive immigration practices. The SIT has registered 10 FIRs against travel agents who allegedly deceived victims with false promises of f acilitating ille g al entry into the US. Police have frozen Batra’s bank account, which had a balance of `6.35 lakh. Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav has urged the general public to come forward with any information that could assist in apprehending travel agents who facilitate illegal entry into the US, and advised citizens to only approach registered agents for immigration services. Nine Whole Yards of the Dream Draper On Stranger Tides The Weight of Being a Woman IN fresh trouble for Arvind Kejriwal, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has ordered an investigation into alleged financial and regulatory irregularities in the renovation of his official residence at 6 Flagstaff Bungalow, which the BJP has dubbed “sheesh mahal”. A complaint by BJP MLA Vijender Gupta has led to the probe, ordered on February 13. The BJP had also urged L-G V K Saxena to cancel the merger of four properties with the ‘sheesh mahal’. “After examination of the factual report regarding complaint 75059/2024, CVO Central Public Works Department has been advised to conduct a detailed investigation into the matter. Based on the investiga- FIRST WOMAN GUV OF VATICAN APPOINTED Sister Raffaella Petrini, an Italian nun, was named on Saturday as president of the Vatican City State, making her essentially the governor of the 108-acre territory in Rome. The 56-year-old had previously been secretary general of the Vatican administration | P9 tion report, the competent authority will initiate suitable action,” the CVC said. Gupta initially raised his concern on October 14, 2024, alleging unauthorised construction. He claimed that government properties, including Plot Nos. 45 and 47 on Rajpur Road — previously occupied by senior officials and judges in TypeV flats — and two bungalows (8-A & 8-B, Flag Staff Road) were demolished and merged into the new structure. He added the construction violated ground coverage and floor area ratio norms and proceeded without layout approvals. Following the complaint, the CVC registered the case for examination on October 16. In November 2024, it forwarded the matter to CPWD for scrutiny On October 21, Gupta filed . another complaint with CVC, alleging misuse of public funds for extravagant renovations and interior decorations. He accused the former CM of spending crores of taxpayers’ money on luxury amenities, far exceeding reasonable limits. The CVC acknowledged the matter’s seriousness on November 5. On December 5, CPWD’s chief vigilance Officer submitted a report based on Gupta’s complaint, ultimately leading to the CVC’s decision to launch an investigation. AMMA SPEAKS You have the Power to be Free Kumbh rush leads to chaos at New Delhi station, many hurt RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR & S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi A massive crowd surge at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday led to chaos, leaving at least a dozen people, including four women, injured. The incident occurred as thousands of passengers gathered to board trains heading to Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. According to a senior official from the Delhi Fire Service, they received a call around 9.55 pm regarding a stampede-like situation at platforms 14 and 15. Four fire tenders quickly arrived at the scene. “Several people have been taken to hospital. However, no fatalities have been reported so far,” Delhi Fire Service Director Atul Garg said. Despite the commotion, the Northern Railways dismissed reports of a stampede, calling them unfounded. “There is no stampede (at New Delhi Railway Station). It is only a rumour. Northern Railways was r unning two planned special trains (for Prayagraj),” the Nor ther n Railways CPRO said. Eyewitnesses claimed that the incident occurred when people on the overbridge started running towards the platform, seeing a train arriving at the station. The rush of people was so large that even people with confirmed tickets could not board the trains. Over 50,000 people had reached the New Delhi railway station to go to Prayagraj for Kumbh. Some of them complained they missed the trains because they were not allowed to board them due to the stampedelike situation. The railways denied it, saying it controlled the crowd for safety reasons. The situation was under control, Delhi Police and RPF had reached the station, and passengers were being evacuated, the railways said. The injured were taken to hospitals, and special trains were being run to evacuate the sudden rush, minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. SEPARATE CASES COMPILE LIST OF AAP APPOINTMENTS, Two students found dead in SAYS CHIEF SECY Ashoka univ A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi DAYS after the change of guard in the national capital, Chief Secretary Dharmendra directed all secretaries and heads of departments on Saturday to compile a list of the AAP government’s appointments of chairpersons and members. The move may spark controversy as the AAP gov, ernment has been accused of appointing party members and close aides of ministers to various non-official posts, allegedly bypassing established laws and government regulations. According to sources, the services department has received a list of non-official appointees from several departments. After being compiled, the list will be for- S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi TMS reported on Jan 13, 2025 warded to the chief secretary for further order. The former HoDs and secretaries have been directed to prepare a list of non-official appointments of chairpersons and members made by the AAP government. “All the departments and their organisations shall submit a list of non-official appointments made under various acts and rules about their respective departments,” read the minutes of the 100-day agenda of bureaucrats meeting. CVC launches probe into ‘Kejriwal’s ‘sheesh mahal’ building norm breach A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi ‘Mean People make Me Angry’ LEFT IN THE LURCH Customers of the New India Cooperative Bank gather outside a branch in Mumbai on Saturday after the RBI imposed restrictions on issuing loans and withdrawals due to liquidity concerns and governance issues | PTI TWO BA second year students were found dead in separate locations late Friday night at Ashoka University in Sonipat’s Rai, raising serious concerns about campus security . Dhruv Jyoti Sahu (20), an undergraduate student from Bengaluru, allegedly jumped from the 10th floor of a university building in a case of suspected suicide. The police recovered a handwritten note from his room, though it did not offer reasons for his actions. Another student, Vignesh Guda Sahu (19), from Telangana, was found unconscious near the university’s main gate. He had gone to a tea stall near the main gate at around 12.30 am. He was declared dead on arrival at a hospital. Sonipat Police confirmed that forensic teams and investigators are examining both cases. “We are waiting for the postmortem to determine the exact cause of death. Nothing is being ruled out at this stage,” said a senior Haryana police official. The police are interviewing students, faculty members, and staff to piece together the personal, academic, and social backgrounds of the deceased. In a statement, Ashoka University Vice-Chancellor Somak Raychaudhury expressed deep sorrow over the tragic deaths. “It is with profound sorrow that we share the news of the sad demise of two of our students in tragic, unrelated incidents on 14-02-25. A suicide note was recovered from a student’s room, and he was found unconscious shortly after. A few hours later, a second student was reported to have experienced loss of consciousness outside the campus. They were rushed in our ambulance to the nearest hospital where they were declared dead,”the statement read. BOUQUETS AND BRICKBATS Tharoor’s praise for Kerala in TNIE column sparks Cong backlash EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ T’Puram/Malappuram/Kozhikode FINDING itself in an embarrassing situation after party MP Shashi Tharoor heaped praise on the Left-ruled Kerala, calling the state a model of economic innovation and sustainable growth, the Congress leadership launched an open attack on him. While several Congress lead- ers, including V D Satheesan, K C Venugopal, and Ramesh Chennithala, dismissed Tharoor’s arguments in his column in The New Indian Express that appeared on February 14, he, understandably, found support among the Left leadership. Even as his views sparked uproar, Tharoor stuck to his ground, saying the article was in Kerala’s interest. In his column, Tharoor said Kerala has emerged as a dynamic centre for startups. He termed Industries Minister P Rajeeve’s claim that a business can be opened in just two minutes as an “astonishing development”. Soon after the article appeared, Rajeeve shared it on social media, thanking Tharoor. Brushing aside Tharoor’s comments, Leader of Opposition Satheesan said the party will examine the circumstances under which such claims were made. When somebody in the government does something well, one should acknowledge and praise it. I’ve criticised and praised in fairness and on the basis of specific points —Shashi Tharoor Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan asked the party national leadership to respond to Tharoor’s comments. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said Tharoor’s views did not conform to reality. “Kerala’s industry sector is in a bad state. Is there any development happening in the coir and fisheries sectors,” he asked. Ramesh Chennithala said Tharoor had a misunderstanding. “Kerala is not an investment-friendly state. Several enterprises were shut during the LDF’s tenure,” he said. It’s learnt that the party leadership may seek disciplinary action against Tharoor. Without mentioning Tharoor, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, “His statements were based on facts and numbers.”