NEW DELHI 29 SEPTEMBER 2024 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24 facebook/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard GEN Z-KASHMIR https://epaper.morningstandard.in PLUS: 12 PAGES Colostrum Till the Cows Come Home A NEW TIDE When in TN, Do What the Dravidians Do MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE VOICES Anand Neelakantan Sheila Kumar Dilip Sinha Balaji Vittal Walking with Marco Polo and Italo Calvino Sathya Saran Prabhu Chawla Shankkar Aiyar Nanditha Krishna Of Pinocchio and Holy Relics The Horror and Humanity of It All AMMA SPEAKS Far and Few, But Always New The Power to Transform Your Life Another son rise as Udhayanidhi to be Deputy CM HASSAN NASRALLAH LEBANON Beirut ISRAEL West Bank An orange ball of flame rises up in the air after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut | AP Hezbollah head Nasrallah killed, Khamenei shifted to safe place AGENCIES HEZBOLLAH on Saturday confirmed the death of its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli strike, which dealt a body blow to the Iran-backed terror outfit. Israel had bombarded Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut below residential buildings on Friday where Nasrallah was holed up, but took 24 hours to confirm the hit. Nasrallah has joined his fellow martyrs, a statement from Hezbollah said adding it would continue its war against Israel for Palestine. Following his death, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is said to have been shifted to a secure location inside his country amid high security Reuters report, ed. Khamenei declared five days of mourning for Nasrallah. “I… offer my condolences for the martyrdom of the great Nasrallah and his martyred companions and announce five days of public mourning in Islamic Iran,” he said in a statement. Israel said it carried out the precise airstrike on Friday when the Hezbollah leadership were at their headquarters south of Beirut. Lebanese Health Ministry said six persons were killed and 91 injured in Israeli strike on its HQ. Besides Nasrallah, Abbas Nilforushan, a prominent general of Revolutionary Guard, died in the same airstrike, according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency . Hashem Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah, could be the “most likely” successor to Hezbollah, AFP reported. Both the US and Saudi Arabia have put Safieddine, a senior Cong poll promises: Martyr status to farmers who died during stir, `2 cr to families H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh THE Congress on Saturday released its manifesto for the October 5 Haryana elections, which includes establishing a farmer welfare commission, memorial for cultivators who died during the agitation, a job to one member of their family, reconstituting the Haryana Minority Commission to give `2 crore to families of the “martyred” soldiers, and promoting labour-intensive units to generate employment. It also promises to close the Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP), or the family ID portal—the BJP government’s flagship programme—and review the property ID scheme and ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal. All other portals, which are not public-friendly, will be reviewed. The Congress has been taking on the BJP government over the portals’ issue, with Bhupinder Singh Hooda dubbing the ruling dispensation ‘portal ki sarkar.’ Reorganisation of the Scheduled Caste Commission also figures in the poll promise along with shutting down of the BJP’s Haryana Kushal Rozgar Nigam set up for providing contractual employment. If voted to power, the party will form a fast track court to deal with cases of paper leak for job exams besides a recruitment calendar for the entire year. On the lines of the Sainik Welfare Board, a paramilitary welfare board will be set up, it said. The party also promised to frame strict laws to prevent mob lynching, hate murders, honour killings and other crimes. For the Sikh community, the party has promised to hold the elections of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Par- bandhak Committee. To make Haryana a drug-free state, the party promised to form a de-addiction commission and to increase the number of de-addiction centres. In addition, the creamy layer limit for the backward classes will be raised from `6 lakh to `10 lakh and a backward class welfare commission will be set-up for the uplift of OBC. It also promised the formation of a Brahmin welfare commission and a Punjabi welfare board. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Ashok Gehlot and HPCC chief Udai Bhan and others were present on the occasion. Gehlot exuded confidence that his party would form the government, saying, “The Congress has the credibility that whatever it promises, it fulfils.” P8 member of Hezbollah’s powerful decision-making Shura Council, on their respective lists as designated “terrorists” in 2017. Meanwhile, the UN refugee chief said on Saturday that 50,000 people fled to Syria amid escalating Israeli air strikes on Lebanon. “More than 50,000 Lebanese and Syrians living in Lebanon have now crossed into Syria fleeing Israeli air strikes,” Filippo Grandi said on X, adding that “well over 200,000 people are displaced inside Lebanon”. Israelis welcomed Nasrallah’s elimination. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel one day after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel last October 7, which triggered Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza with Hamas. Hezbollah said it was acting in support of Hamas. P9 Lebanon announced three days of mourning for Nasrallah’s death. Flags to fly at halfmast on public buildings. His cousin Hashem Safieddine could most likely be the successor to lead Hezbollah AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced five days of national mourning. Iran vice president warned the killing will lead to Israel’s destruction Will handle additional portfolio of planning and development hitherto held by Stalin ism K Ramachandran. A Raj Bhavan press release said that the Governor has acTHE much-anticipated eleva- cepted the recommendations tion of DMK scion Udhayani- of the chief minister regarding dhi Stalin as Deputy Chief the cabinet changes. The swearMinister and the cabinet re- ing-in ceremony of the four shuffle was announced on Sat- minister-designates will hapurday night. Apart from being pen on Sunday at 3.30 pm. the Deputy CM, Sports and The reshuffle also involved Youth Welfare Minister Udhay- major portfolio changes. The anidhi will additionportfolio of Higher ally handle the portfoEducation has been lios of Planning and taken away from K Development, which Ponmudy. He will be i s c u r re n t ly h e l d now be the Minister by Chief Minister of Forests. M K Stalin. Forests Minister M As part of the CabiMathiventhan has net reshuffle, former been assigned the Meteoric rise portfolio of Adi Draviministers V Senthil Balaji, who recently Udhayanidhi’s dar and Tribal Welgot bail after pro- rise has been fare, which is presentlonged incarceration meteoric. He was ly being held by N in a money launder- inducted into the Kayalvizhi Selvaraj. ing case, and S M Na- Stalin cabinet in Selvaraj will now sar, who was dropped 2022. He is an handle the portfolios from the cabinet last MLA from of Human Resources year, are being rein- the ChepaukManagement (HRM) ducted. Govi Chezhi- Thiruvallikeni and ex-servicemen an, the MLA of Thiru- constituency Welfare. vidaimarudur Thangam Thennarreserved constituency, who is asu, who is presently holding also the chief government whip HRM along with Finance, will in the Assembly, and R Rajen- handle Environment, Pollution dran, who is the Salem North Control Board and Climate MLA, will become ministers. Change in addition to Finance They two are being inducted and Archaeology subjects, the after dropping Milk and Dairy Raj Bhavan release said. RS RaDevelopment Minister Mano jakannappan, who is handling Thangaraj and Minorities Wel- Backward Classes Welfare, will fare and Non-Resident Tamils be the new minister for Milk Welfare Minister Gingee K S and Dairy Development, Khadi Masthan and Minister for Tour- and Village Industries. EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Chennai JAISHANKAR TEARS INTO PAK, SAYS ONLY ISSUE LEFT IS VACATING PoK RELEVANCE OF THE U.N. “The world has changed profoundly and so have its concerns and opportunities. To address both and strengthen the order, it is essential that the UN be the central platform for finding common ground and that it certainly cannot be by remaining anachronistic,’’ Jaishankar said. “By coming together, sharing experiences, pooling resources and strengthening our resolve, we can change the world” Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi EXTERNAL Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday lit into Pakistan for making cross-border terror part of its state policy and said the only issue left to be resolved is the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan. “Countries get left behind due to circumstances beyond their control but some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences a premier example is our neighbour Pakistan,’’ said Jaishankar while addressing the UN General Assembly in New York. Jaishankar said that the misdeeds of countries like Pakistan affect others as well, especially the neighbourhood when its policy instills such fanaticism among its people that its GDP can only be measured in terms of radicalisation and its exports in the form of terrorism. “Today we see the ills it sought to visit on others consume its own society It can’t . blame it on the world; this is one karma,’’ he quipped. A dysfunctional nation (Pa- kistan) on coveting the lands of others must be exposed and must be countered. “I heard some bizarre assertions at this very forum yesterday so let me make India’s position perfectly clear. Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism policy will never succeed and it can have no expectation of impunity On the contrary actions . will certainly have consequences. The issue to be resolved between us now is only the vacation of the illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan and of course the abandonment of Pakistan’s long standing attachment to terrorism,’’ Jaishankar said. He also spoke about the resolution of conflicts through dialogue and reforms in the UN, which began with 51 members and now has 193. FM booked for ‘extortion’ via electoral bonds EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bengaluru A first information report (FIR) was registered against Union Finance Minister Nir mala Sitharaman, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and others by the Tilaknagar police in the city’s southeast division on Saturday . The FIR was based on a private complaint filed by Adarsh R Iyer, co-president ofthe Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath (JSP), alleging extortion by Nirmala and others through now-scrapped electoral bonds. Iyer stated in his complaint that the accused extorted corporates and money bags to the tune of `8,000 crore. It was registered after directions from the 42 Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) of the Special Court for People’s Representatives that had passed the order on Friday . Nirmala has been named accused number 1, former BJP state president Naleen Kumar as accused number 4 and Vijayendra as accused number 5. BJP state and national officebearers too have been named as other accused. The police invoked Sections 384 (extortion) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) read with 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Iyer, a resident of Mahalakshmi Layout in the city, alleged in his complaint that Nirmala used ED to carry out raids, seizures and arrests of various corporates, their CEOs, MDs, etc for extortion. Luxe watches land minister’s son in big trouble SIDDHARTH PRABHAKAR @ Chennai KANGANA ‘EMERGENCY’ IN SGPC HURDLE The SGPC said on Saturday that the film ‘Emergency’ by BJP MP will not be allowed to screen in Punjab for hurting Sikh community | P8 P Harsha Reddy, son of Telangana revenue minister Srinivasa Reddy, personally collected four high-end luxury watches from an intermediary in Macau in January this year after payments for them were made by his accountant P Subramanyam using USDT (a form of cryptocurrency) and through hawala transactions, sources said citing evidence available with central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED on Friday searched at least 16 places linked to the minister and his son, who is a director of the family-owned Raghava Constructions, across Telangana. Harsha has been identified as the buyer of the watches, sources said. Mohammed Faherdeen Mubeen, a Chennai-based intermediary had been allegedly , tasked with buying seven luxury watches totally worth `5 crore from a shop in Hong Kong by another intermediary and Vijaywada native Alokam Naveen Kumar on behalf of Harsha Reddy, intelligence sources said citing evidence in the ongoing investigation. H a r s h a a l l e g e d ly bought the watches to be given as gifts in a family wedding, sources said. The brands he wanted were Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and Rolex. Legal import of these watches attracts a customs duty in excess of 40%. Mubeen was in the business of buying such luxury watches from a specific shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, a tourist hub in Hong Kong. He would later sell them to high-net-worth individuals. Subramanyam allegedly paid `5 crore through USDT and hawala routed through Hyderabad and Mumbai for buying them. According to sources, Mubeen travelled from Hong Kong to Macau and handed over the four watches on January 25 to Harsha Reddy, who was there on a holiday There is . digital evidence available to establish this, sources said, without divulging further details. They added that Harsha and his relatives managed to bring these watches into India without declaring them to Customs at Hyderabad airport. The case unravelled when one more luxury watch bought by Mubeen on Harsha’s behalf was seized by Chennai Customs on February 5. The watch was to be collected by Naveen. Investigations led Customs to Naveen and later to Harsha.
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