SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER, 2024 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard THE MORNING STANDARD Wishes its readers a JAPANESE ATOMIC BOMB SURVIVORS’ ORGANISATION WINS PEACE PRIZE Our offices and press will remain closed today and there will be no edition of the paper on Sunday West Asia fires singe India’s basmati rice export to Iran A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI FORMER CM Arvind Kejriwal has prided himself on an unlikely ‘ally’– continents away – and none other than Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for this year’s US presidential polls. Known for his “revri” (freebies) policies, often criticized by the Opposition, Kejriwal used Trump’s recent campaign promise to slash energy costs as proof that the concept of government aid isn’t just a local phenomenon. Responding to a bold claim by Trump on X, where he promised to halve electricity and energy prices within a year if re-elected, Kejriwal said, “Trump has announced that he will reduce electricity rates by half. Free ki revdi reach US...” Trump, while speaking at the Detroit Economic Club on Thursday pledged to halve elec, tricity costs within a year if elected. “I will cut the price of energy and electricity in half within 12 months. We will seriously expedite our environmen- PAGES 12  13 trusts, collectively known as Tata Trusts, elect 67-yr-old as chairman with immediate effect B E N N K O C H U V E E D A N @ Mumbai PM Narendra Modi at the 19th East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Friday | PTI MODI CALLS FOR PEACE IN WEST ASIA & EURASIA, SAYS WAR NO SOLUTION Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called for the restoration of peace and stability in regions such as Eurasia and West Asia as soon as possible, saying that the most negatively affected countries due to ongoing conflicts in various parts of the world are those from the Global South. Addressing the 19th East Asia Summit (EAS), Modi said that solutions to problems cannot come from the battlefield. Amid increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region, the PM also said a free, open, inclusive, prosperous, and rules-based Indo-Pacific is key for the peace and progress of the entire region. “We believe that maritime activities should be conducted in accordance with UNCLOS. Ensuring freedom of navigation and airspace is essential. A robust and effective Code of Conduct should be developed. And, it should not impose restrictions on the foreign policies of regional countries,’ the PM said. “Our approach should focus on development and not expansionism,” Modi said. PM Modi was the first leader to be invited to address the EAS after the host and incoming chair. “We endorse ASEAN’s approach to the situation in Myanmar and support the Five-Point Consensus. Furthermore, we believe it is crucial to sustain humanitarian assistance and implement suitable measures for the restoration of democracy We believe . that, Myanmar should be engaged rather than isolated in this process,” said the PM. “As a neighbouring country, India will continue to uphold its responsibilities,’’ he said. The PM said he came from the land of Buddha, and this is not the age for war. “Solutions cannot be found on the battlefield. It is essential to respect sovereignty territorial integrity , , and international laws. With a humanitarian perspective, we must place a strong emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy,’’ he said. “Terrorism also poses a serious challenge to global peace and security. To combat it, forces that believe in humanity must come together and work in tandem,” the PM said. ‘Free ki revri reaches US’: Kejriwal invokes Trump to drive home his policy E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ New Delhi J8.00 Noel takes Tata baton from Ratan EFFECT OF WAR H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh THE fears of an expanding conflict in West Asia involving Iran and Israel have come to pinch India. The immediate victim is India’s basmati rice export, according to the Punjab Rice Millers and Exporters Association (PRMEA). India is the largest exporter of basmati in the world with 40% of the country’s exports coming from Punjab. About 25% of this variety is exported to Iran, which has banned imports for two months from October 21 to support its local crop. “Insurance companies have stopped providing coverage for exports to Iran,” PRMEA vice president Ranjit Singh Jossan told this newspaper. Basmati prices have fallen by `800 per quintal as exporters and millers no longer purchase it in the quantity that they used to. The Indian farmer is struggling on another front as a 15% surplus crop is expected this year, affecting expor ters and farmers of Punjab. India emerged as the world’s largest basmati rice exporter in 2023-24. It exported over 52 lakh metric tonnes of basmati, valued at `48,389.18 crore. However, compared to last year, the prices of basmati have fallen. Last year, 1,509 varieties of basmati were sold for `3,500 per quintal and now it is being sold at `2,700 per quintal. Saudi Arabia, a major importer of basmati rice, buys 1 million tons from India and has a significant seaport in Jeddah, close to Yemen. “Ships travelling in this route face threats from Houthi rebels, which previously created difficulties in the Red Sea. The current tensions involving Israel and Iran may lead to higher sea freight costs, potentially impacting basmati rice exports,’’ said Jossan.  Nihon Hidankyo, ‘a grassroots movement by Hiroshima, Nagasaki survivors’, gets the award for its efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons | P9 tal approvals and quickly double our electricity capacity This . will drive down inflation, and make America and Michigan the best place on earth to build a factory,” Trump’s post read. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva accused Kejriwal of misquoting Trump. Sachdeva clarified that Trump has clearly stated in his election speech that if elected, he would increase electricity production and lower rates, which is a sound economic decision. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha also joined in with a post on X on Friday where he praised Kejriwal for “setting the benchmark for gover nance globally .” “Trump’s 50% off on electricity bills shows how @ ArvindKejriwal has set the benchmark for governance globally! His governance model — affordable electricity, free water, quality healthcare, and free world class education — is a shining example of welfarism done right. The world takes notice,” Chadha said in the post. Solutions cannot be found on the battlefield... With a humanitarian perspective, we must place a strong emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy Narendra Modi, Prime Minister East Asia Summit At the 19th East Asia Summit, PM Modi said, “I come from the land of Buddha, and I have repeatedly stated that this is not the era of war. Solutions to problems cannot come from the battlefield” India’s Act East Policy The East Asia Summit is a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy, said PM Modi. Malaysia is the next chair and New Delhi has extended its all support for a successful presidency. THE 13 trusts, collectively known as Tata Trusts, on Friday elected Noel Naval Tata (67) as chairman with immediate effect, following the death of his half-brother Ratan Tata two days ago. The election was necessitated since Ratan Tata died on Wednesday night without a will on matters regarding the trusts that he led for close to four decades. Of the trusts, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust are the most prominent, and between them hold 55% of Tata Sons. All the 13 trusts together control 66.4% of Tata Sons, the holding company of the $165-billion Tata Group. “The trustees of various trusts that comprise the Tata Trusts met at a joint meeting held here this morning… after condoling the demise of Ratan Naval Tata, the chairman of the Tata Trusts, and recalled his yeoman services not only to the Tata Group but also to na- GROUP VETERAN 1 Low-profile, Irish national linked to Tata Group for over 40 years 2 Holds degree from Sussex University in the UK and INSEAD in France 3 The son of Naval H Tata and Swiss businesswoman Simone H Tata 4 Married to Aloo Mistry, daughter of late Pallonji Mistry and sister of late Cyrus Mistry. They have three children— daughters Leah and Maya and son Neville 5 Leah Tata is vice-president at The Indian Hotels Co, Maya is associated with Tata Capital while Neville is involved in Trent and Star Bazaar tion-building,” the trusts said in a statement on Friday . In separate meetings thereafter, it was unanimously decided to appoint Noel Naval Tata as the chairman of the various trusts that constitute the Tata Trusts and also designate him as chairman, Tata Trusts, the trusts said. Reacting to his appointment, Noel Tata said, “I am deeply honoured by the responsibility . I look forward to carrying on the legacy of the late Ratan Tata and the founders of the Tata Group.” “We rededicate ourselves to carrying on our developmental and philanthropic initiatives INDIA bloc mulling rotational EVEREST LoP in Lok Sabha, says BJP CLIMBER’S REMAINS FOUND AFTER 100 YRS R A J E S H K U M A R T H A K U R @ New Delhi THE INDIA bloc is reportedly considering a rotational arrangement for the post of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha. BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said on Friday that she “heard” about this possibility and suggested that if the Opposition believed Rahul Gandhi is not capable of handling the responsibility of the LoP , it should take such a decision. She emphasized that it was up to the Opposition to manage its internal matters. The speculation about the “rotational ar rangement” arose following reports that Rahul Gandhi left a Haryana review meeting called by the Congress. Neither Congress nor its allies have refuted such a re- port. A senior Congress leader dismissed the idea of a rotational LoP as an attempt by the BJP to sow discord within the INDIA bloc, emphasizing that traditionally the LoP comes from the single largest party, which is the Congress. At a BJP media briefing at the party’s central office on Friday, Swaraj stated: “Yes, I have also heard it... but this is an internal matter of the Opposition.” She said the Opposition has many capable leaders, who can handle the work of the LoP well. Meanwhile, constitutional experts have dismissed the rumour as baseless and unfeasible, saying only a member belonging to the largest party can be appointed as the LoP. The tradition is that an MP from the single largest party (Congress) in the opposition having at least 10% seats is made as the LoP. In the present situation, no other party is touching that status of Congress. This newspaper dropped a message with Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera seeking his comment, his reply was not received till the filing the story . On Friday, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya posted on ‘X’: “According to the media, Rahul Gandhi got up and stormed out of the Haryana review meet, blaming leaders for infighting.” Malviya continued in the same post that if such a report was true, it reflected poorly on Rahul’s leadership. “It’d reflect poorly on his leadership, his ability to manage a fluid situation, besides making him look petulant. Opposition parties should stripe him of his status as LoP he said. ,” EXPRESS READ India’s forex reserves drop by $3.71 billion India’s forex reserves dropped by $3.709 billion to $701.176 billion for the week ended October 4, RBI said on Friday. Last week, the reserves had jumped to an all-time high of $704.885 billion. | P10 Bagmati Exp hits goods train, 6 coaches derail An express train rammed into a stationary train at Kavarapettai in TN and some passengers were injured, officials said. Six coaches of Bagmati Express, after crossing Ponneri station, were derailed. Kavarapettai is near Chennai. | P5 DANCE OF DEVOTION Women perform Dhunuchi dance during the Durga Puja celebrations at a pandal in Safdarjung Enclave | SHEKHAR YADAV Capital shame: 1K rape cases in 6 months this year U J W A L J A L A L I @ New Delhi IT was midnight of June 27 when the parents of a missing 10-year-old girl dialed the Narela police station and reported her disappearance. They also informed them about a suspect who had already been caught. The police rushed to the spot and questioned the suspect Rahul. Shortly after the PCR call, a girl’s body was found in an abandoned plot near the complainant’s house. The cops took Rahul into custody along with one more person named Devdutt and charged and continuing to play our part in nation-building,” he said. Founded in 1892 by Jamsetji Tata, the Tata Trusts is the oldest and the largest philanthropic institution in the country. Some of the most notable institutions the trusts operate include the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences with multiple campuses, the more than 1500-bedded Tata Memorial Hospital dedicated for cancer treatment and research in Mumbai, and the iconic NCPA or the National Centre for Performing Arts, to name a few. A Tata group veteran described Noel’s appointment as “keeping in mind Ratan Tata’s approach of ‘moving on’.” “Noel is the right choice,” he added. Terming Noel as a “very nice and sensible man”, R Gopalakrishnan, former board member of Tata Sons, told a TV channel that “he would do very well for the trusts.” P10 them with kidnapping, gangrape, and murder. A fortnight back, a 4-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered by her uncle in north Delhi’s Narela area. As per data compiled by the Delhi Police, which was exclusively accessed by this newspaper, the police have registered 1,040 cases of rape till June 30 this year. In the corresponding period of last year, 1,034 women were allegedly sexually assaulted. Early this year, the government implemented three new criminal laws which had sev- eral new features promising to overhaul the criminal justice system. One of them was the inclusion of section 69 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita which punishes people who commit sexual intercourse by deceitful means such as false promises of marriage, employment, or promotion, and identity suppression. An offender faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fine. The police registered three such cases under section 69 of the BNS in July this year. Data for the other months was not available. 1,699 2,076 2,084 2,141 2023 2021 2020 2022 1,040 2024* NO. OF CASES REPORTED UPTO JUNE 30 * Restricts right to mobility Violence against women is frequent on streets, in public transport and public places. Such occurrences restrict women’s right to mobility, discouraging their freedom and limit their access to essential services. Thinning snow exposed the remains of Briton Andrew Irvine, who went missing in 1924 while chasing the dream of scaling the world’s highest mountain | P9 Bungalow in Civil Lines given to Atishi U J W A L J A L A L I @ New Delhi FINALLY, Chief Minister Atishi has an official home address: 6, Flagstaff Road, Civil Lines. The bungalow gained its pre-eminence on Friday after a round of a controversy between the ruling AAP and the BJP. The CM was earlier made to vacate the premises. In a letter, the PWD stated that the bungalow was allotted to Atishi according to the provisions of Delhi Administration Allotment of Government Residences (General Pool) Rules, 1977. It requested her to submit an acceptance duly forwarded with three copies of family photo within eight days after which she will be given an “authority slip” to enable her to take possession of the property . “In case of failure to take possession within the time specified, the allotment will be treated as cancelled,” said the letter. The letter also mentions that the allottee will have to vacate any other government bungalow within 15 days after taking possession of the new residence. Atishi was allotted an AB-17 bungalow on Mathura Road after her appointment as a minister. This is not the first time the residence has faced controversy Last year, Kejriwal and AAP . faced criticism over alleged irregularities and cost overruns in the 2020-21 reconstruction of the bungalow. While Kejriwal was initially allotted the residence in 2015, the Vigilance Department later launched an investigation into the renovation, leading to disciplinary action against 10 PWD officials. The CBI is also probing the matter.