SATURDAY 09 NOVEMBER, 2024 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard CHAMPIONS TROPHY: BCCI SAYS NO TO PAK TRAVEL, PCB NOT AMUSED RUSSIA ATTACKS ON THREE UKRAINE REGIONS Moscow mounts an aerial campaign that Ukraine says it needs more help to counter as doubts deepen over what Kyiv can expect from US. PAGE 9 With less than three months to go for the ICC event, the relationship between two subcontinental countries could affect the venue for the event INDIA PROPOSES HYBRID MODEL AGAIN A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00 PUTIN SAYS INDIA DESERVES STATUS OF SUPERPOWER  Right from the beginning, the BCCI had maintained that the Indian government will take a call on whether the team would travel to Pakistan or not. On Friday, the BCCI reportedly claimed that they had intimated PCB about not travelling and had proposed a hybrid format like the Asia Cup where India played all their games in SL. This time India might opt for UAE PAGES 12 1967 VERDICT NIXED SC lifts crucial bar that kept AMU out of the minority list Cites fastest growing economy, population, culture to make his point Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi India is a great country, now the largest in terms of population: 1.5 billion people, plus 10 million every year VLADIMIR PUTIN ON INDIA-CHINA Putin acknowledged difficulties on the border between India and China but said wise and competent people who keep the future of their nations in mind, are searching for compromises and will eventually find them ON BRAHMOS “In fact, we made it (BrahMos) fit for use in three environments — in air, in sea and on land. These projects, conducted for the benefit of India’s security, are ongoing,” he said S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y IN a landmark verdict on his last day in office on Friday a , Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud overruled by 4:3 its 1967 position that the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) can’t claim minority status because it was created by a statute. The seven-judge bench, however, left the issue of deciding AMU’s minority status to a regular bench while laying down a series of tests to make the determination. The bench should also examine the 2006 decision of the Allahabad High Court, which struck down a 1981 amendment conferring minority status on the varsity — based on the principles laid down in this judgment. While the CJI authored the majority judgment on behalf of justices Sanjiv Khanna, J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and S C Sharma wrote separate dissenting opinions. “The decision in Azeez Basha is overruled. The question on deciding the minority status of AMU must be done on the basis of the tests laid down in the present case. Papers to be placed before the CJI for constituting a bench to decide the issue and correctness of 2006 Allahabad HC judgment,” the CJI said in his verdict. In 1967, a five-judge bench in the Azeez Basha case had held that AMU was a Central university and couldn’t be considered a minority institution. In the majority RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin sprang a pleasent surprise by saying India deserves to be included in the list of global superpowers. Putin is among India’s closest allies, but seeking to add the country to the exclusive superpower club was a welcome gesture, particularly when even netas of the ruling alliance in the country have not sought to give it that spin. India’s articulated ambitions at present are to jump from the fifth largest economy in the world to the fourth and third positions, and to get a permanent seat at the UN Security Council. “India should undoubtedly be added to the list of superpowers, with its billion-and-ahalf population, the fastest growth among all economies in the world, ancient culture and very good prospects for further growth,” he said while address- VISION BASED ON TODAY’S REALITIES “Our vision of where and at what pace our relations will develop is based on today’s realities. The volume of our cooperation is increasing many times over, every year,” President Putin said ing the plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday . Putin also called India a great country, with the largest population of 1.5 billion, and said they were developing relations with India in all directions. Both Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi share great vibes, with the former recently joking at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, “you understand me without a translator.” “President Putin has been extremely positive on India over the past few years and he has been consistently talking about two great powers - India and China, particularly as economic powerhouses. It’s in the same strain that he makes references to Prime Minister Modi. He has also been appreciative of India’s independent foreign policy former Ambas,” sador to Russia PS Raghavan told this newspaper. Putin said the volume of cooperation between Russia and India is increasing manifold. Talking about the defence cooperation between the two nations, he said, “look at how many types of Russian military equipment are in service with the Indian armed forces. There is a great degree of trust in this relationship. We don’t just sell our weapons to India, we design them jointly .” He referred to the BrahMos cruise missile and said that this was made for use in air, sea and land which has enhanced India’s security “These projects . show a high level of mutual trust and cooperation.” Cong trying to divide OBCs, restore J&K’s special status: Modi S U D H I R S U R YA W A N S H I @ Mumbai PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday kicked off his campaign for the Maharashtra assembly polls at Dhule, tearing into the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in general and the Congress in particular. He claimed during the Congress rule, there were two constitutions — one for India and another for Jammu and Kashmir. But the BJP government implemented Dr BR Ambedkar’s constitution in Jammu and Kashmir by removing Article 370, which granted special status to the state, he added. “The Congress was unhappy with this decision. So, it is try- BJP MLAs being marshalled out during a ruckus in J&K assembly on Friday | PTI ing to bring back Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir with the help of its ally. However, we will never allow this to happen,” Modi said. Modi’s comments came two days after the Omar Abdullahled government Jammu and Kashmir passed a resolution seeking restoration of statehood and special status. Attacking the MVA in Maharashtra, Modi urged people not to elect ‘the corrupt’ alliance which he alleged first illegally formed a government and then looted the state. MVA is an alliance of Opposition parties in Maharashtra comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and the Congress. Modi alleged the Congress wants to create rift among the OBCs by making them fight among themselves. “Congress thinks only when the OBCs are weakened, will the path to power open for the grand old party,” he alleged. Modi claimed that this is a strategy followed by the Congress since the days of Jawaharlal Nehru. Maharashtra is a crucial state to win for the BJP after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Modi, who is scheduled to address 10 rallies across the state, said India’s growth story will be incomplete without Maharashtra. P8 DETERMINING THE STATUS @ New Delhi 1 2 3 4 Consider the genesis of the educational institution; identify who was the brain behind establishing the institution Determine the purpose for which it was established. Must predominently be for the benefit of a religious or linguistic minority Trace steps taken towards the implementation of the idea — who all funded, who made effort to obtain land, etc Who took steps for establishing institution, such as obtaining permissions, constructing buildings, and arranging other infrastructure opinion on Friday the court , held that the valid proof of ideation of a minority community to establish the institution can be determined from letters and other materials. “Indicia can be proven by private communication and speeches relating to the struggles of the minority community. It is also not necessary to prove that administration rests with the minority....The right guaranteed by Article 30(1) is applicable to universities established before the commencement of the Constitution.” Justice Datta, in his opinion said AMU was not a minority institution. He wondered how a two-judge bench could at all request that the case be placed before a bench of at least seven judges, adding another simliar bench could well doubt the ‘basic structure’ doctrine and request a 15-judge bench for adjudication. Lokpal seeks Sebi chief’s explanation on complaints EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi TAKING cognizance of complaints of impropriety and conflict of interest filed by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and two others, anticorruption body Lokpal on Friday sought explanation from Sebi chief Madhabi Puri Buch on the matter. The complaints were made on the basis of a report by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research, according to an official order which asked Buch to submit her response within four weeks. The Lokpal said its order, signed by Lokpal chairperson Justice A M Khanwilkar and five other members, is only procedural and not an expression of its opinion on any matter. “This opportunity is being afforded to the named RPS as per the mandate in the third proviso of sub section (1) of Section 20 of the Lokpal Act, before the bench would proceed to determine whether there exists a prima facie case for investigation into the allegations,” it said. The order, signed by judicial members Justices L Narayana Swamy Sanjay Yadav and Ritu , Raj Awasthi, and members Sushil Chandra and Ajay Tirkey, said Buch can file an affidavit within four weeks from the receipt of the order. The Lokpal has listed the matter on December 19 for further consideration. In a post on X on September 13, Moitra said she had filed a complaint with the Lokpal, urging it to forward it to the ED or CBI for preliminary probe followed by a “full FIR enquiry”. EXPRESS READ India votes against Pak resolution at UNGA FINAL SITTING Outgoing Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud with CJI-designate Justice Sanjiv Khanna, senior lawyer Kapil Sibal and others at a farewell function on Friday | PTI | P7 1 more held for temple attack in Brampton White House chief of staff is Susie Wiles India voted against a Pakistan resolution on the ‘Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels’. The resolution in First Committee of the UNGA was adopted by recorded vote with 179 members voting in favour. Israel abstained. The Canadian police has held one person and booked two others for inciting violence during demonstrations outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton. Ranendra Lal, 54, Banerjee from Toronto was charged with public incitement. Donald Trump on Thursday named his campaign manager Susie Wiles as his White House chief of staff, making her the first woman ever to hold this powerful position in any administration. “Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally respected.” | P9 Help cleans out 92-yr-old owner’s house, stays on to duck cops U J W A L J A L A L I @ New Delhi A domestic help hired at a house of a 92-year-old woman in south Delhi’s Lodhi Colony area allegedly stole her gold and silver jewelry, but did not flee. Police said the suspect, Ganesh Dutt, has been arrested. He reportedly told the police that he continued working at the house to portray himself as innocent and hoodwink the police investigation. Deputy Commissioner of Po- lice (south) Ankit Chauhan said the woman lodged a complaint with the police stating that she was living alone as her child lives abroad. “On October 25, while she was checking her ornaments in her cupboard, she did not find them. She suspected robbery, but did not complain against any particular individual,” the DCP said. Based on her statement, the police registered an FIR and initiated a probe. A police team visited the house and gathered Suspect wanted to evade suspicion, say cops The police said the motive behind the 24-year-old suspect not to run away was to evade suspicion. “Since there was no trespass reported, we continued to question Ganesh Dutt. Finally, Dutt broke down. Jewellery pieces have been recovered from his sister’s place,” said the police. more infor mation. It also checked the CCTV footage of the house as well as surrounding areas. “Some important clues were collected after scanning the CCTV footage. We also got some inputs through our informers,” said the police officer. The CCTV footage led the police team to believe that there was no trespass in the complainant’s house,” the officer said. The police questioned the complainant again and re- viewed multiple CCTV footage from the locality “That led us . to the identification of the primary suspect, Ganesh Dutt, the domestic help,” said the DCP . Initially he declined to admit his involvement in the crime, but on sustained interrogation, he broke down. Upon his instance, the stolen jewellery was recovered from his sister’s residence in Ghitorni in south Delhi. He was placed under arrest, the police said. Further investigation is continuing. PILOT PROJECT Choking capital turns to drones for fighting pollution E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ New Delhi TO check rising air pollution in the national capital, the Delhi government has launched a pilot project that uses drones to spray water. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Friday that pollution levels are higher than normal at 13 hotspots in the city . To effectively reduce pollu- tion in these areas, a demonstration of water spraying by drones was conducted on Friday at Anand Vihar — a pollution hotspot. Rai said the project is aimed at places other than roads within the hotspot areas. Rai said that mobile antismog guns were already being used to spray water on roads. “If the pilot project is successful, it will help in spraying wa- ter in places other than roads within the hotspots,” the minister said. “Our aim is to make the maximum use of modern technology to combat pollution,” said Rai. Each drone can carry up to 15 litres of water. A report on its effectiveness will be sent to the environment department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.” “The engineers from the Environment Department and DPCC will analyse the data and submit a report to us. If this project is successful, we will expand the drone spraying to other hotspots,” Rai added. He stated that to address the problem of pollution during the winter season, the government on September 25 announced a winter action plan with 21 focus points. “One of the major initiatives under this plan is to reduce pollution at hotspots using drone technology Rai said. ,” The Delhi Winter Action Plan contains 21 points to reduce pollution. Hotspot A demonstration of water spraying by drones was conducted on Friday at Anand Vihar, a pollution hotspot. Mobile antismog guns are already being used to spray water on roads. Gopal Rai at the trial run of the drone-based mist spraying | PTI