thursday Guns silent as IsraelHezbollah truce takes effect in lebanon 28 november, 2024 The ceasefire, brokered by the US and France to end 13 months of fighting, appeared to be holding on Wednesday epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard The ceasefire deal, which calls for an initial two-month halt to fighting, requires Hezbollah to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops are to return to their side of the border. With the deal taking effect, the Lebanese military started reinforcing its presence in the country’s south, where Hezbollah fighters have long held sway Trump picks head of medical research body President-elect has chosen Dr Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates, to lead the National Institutes of Health. Page 9 A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS l New Delhi l J8.00 Maha power end game in sight Shinde drops out of the CM race, says any call by Modi, Shah will be acceptable to his party Talks with Shah S u d h i r S u r yawa n s h i @ Mumbai Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday appeared to withdraw from the leadership race of the new gover nment in Maharashtra, claiming he was not an obstacle, adding any decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah will be acceptable for him and his Shiv Sena. The statement came after the BJP top brass in Delhi requested him to yield. “Shinde was told that they cannot disappoint the BJP rank and file who want to see their leader as chief minister, since the party was just 13 short of a simple majority in the assembly Shinde was . Stormy session Oppn steps up heat on Adani row, disrupts Parliament PREE T H A N A I R @ New Delhi THE Adani row continued to rock Parliament on Wednesday as neither the Lok Sabha nor the Rajya Sabha could transact any business. Both Houses were adjourned till Thursday . As soon as the House met for the day, Opposition members were on their feet demanding discussion on bribery charges against the Adani conglomerate, Manipur unrest, and the recent violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal. Several Opposition members including Congress’ Manickam Tagore K C Venugopal and Manish Tewari moved adjournment motions to discuss the Adani controversy As the mem. bers resorted to sloganeering, Speaker Om Birla asked them to allow the Question Hour, adding they can discuss their issues later. With the Opposition refusing to relent, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon amid the ruckus. As the protests continued after the House was reconvened, the Chair adjourned it for a day . Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged the government is protecting Adani, and reiterated his demand that the industrialist be arrested. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the Opposition will furnish evidence against the Adani group if the government demands it. Speaking to this newspaper, Congress MP Suresh Kodikunnil said his party will demand a JPC probe into Adani’s indictment in the US. The Upper House also witnessed sloganeering after Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar rejected 18 notices under Rule 267 of the House. Amid the din, the House was adjourned for the day P7 . Express read 3,760 Lebanese army moves to hezbollah’s turf X.com/TheMornStandard Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar persuaded to look at the larger picture,” a source said requesting anonymity . Clearing the air at a press meet in Thane, Shinde said, “I spoke with the prime minister and Union minister Amit Shah and informed them that whatever decision is taken by them will be acceptable to me and my party Even if I am not made ... CM, I will not be unhappy .” Reacting to Shinde’s an- Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are expected to fly to Delhi to meet Shah to discuss modalities of government formation. The new CM may continue to have two deputy CMs nouncement, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said, “We in the Mahayuti have always made decisions together. A few people had doubts, which Shinde ji has clarified. Soon we will meet our leaders and make the decision.” Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are expected to fly to Delhi to meet Shah. While Fadnavis is the frontrunner for heading the government, it might not be done deal, claim sources. Consider this: NCP and Shiv Sena have elected Ajit Pawar and Shinde as their legislative party leader respectively, but BJP has yet to take that call. “The top brass is exploring other options as they want to break the Vidarbha versus Western Maharashtra matrix. They are looking to promote an alternative leadership from North Maharashtra,” the source said. Its dark horses from North Maharashtra include Girish Mahajan and Radha Krishna VikhePatil. While Mahajan is close to Fadnavis, Vikhe-Patil has a good equation with Shah. “The names of some women leaders are also in circulation.” ‘Strange’: HC slams AAP govt for refusing Centre’s health support S h e k h a r S i n g h @ New Delhi THE Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed dismay over the city government’s refusal to accept financial aid under the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), a health scheme offering `5 lakh insurance coverage to underprivileged citizens. A bench comprising Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela described the refusal as “strange,” particularly given the capital’s ongoing struggles with inadequate healthcare infrastructure and financial constraints. “You may have differences of opinion, but you are refusing aid. None of your machines are functioning, and you don’t have the funds to fix them,” the Chief Justice remarked. The case stems from a PIL filed by seven BJP MPs, seeking the scheme’s implementation. The petitioners argued that the refusal leaves Delhi as the only UT without access to the health coverage, forcing residents to bear heavy out-ofpocket medical expenses. ‘virtually bankrupt’ The Delhi govt refuses to accept financial aid under the Centre’s health scheme AB-PMJAY is a health scheme offering `5 lakh insurance coverage to the underprivileged A bench terms the refusal ‘strange’, given the capital’s struggles with inadequate healthcare infra HC flags delays in hospital construction projects in the national capital due to severe financial constraints In their plea, the petitions accuse Delhi govt of prioritising political conflicts over public welfare PIL cites Manish Sisodia’s 2020-21 budget speech committing scheme’s implementation Delhi govt’s counsel dubs plea ‘misconceived’ and requests time to examine the scheme Chief Justice Manmohan was unequivocal in his criticism of the gover nment’s stance. “I am shocked. You are refusing `5 lakh for citizens in need while being virtually bankrupt. Your health minister and health secretary are not even communicating,” he said. The court noted delays in hospital construction projects due to financial stress and said the administration’s failure to utilise Central aid was exacerbating the situation. The petitioners accused the Delhi government of prioritising political conflicts over public welfare. “Clash of political ideologies must take a back seat for the welfare of residents,” the plea said. It highlighted that of the 36 states and UTs in India, 33 have implemented AB-PMJAY, with Odisha actively considering it, making Delhi’s non-compliance “arbitrary and unreasonable.” The plea also cited Manish Sisodia’s 2020-21 budget speech, where he committed to implementing the scheme. The government’s standing counsel argued that the plea appeared “misconceived” and requested time to examine it. The court adjourned the matter to November 28. l PAGES 12 people killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months Hundreds of refugees head home to south With its ally Hezbollah silencing the guns, Hamas on Wednesday said it is ready for ceasefire and prisonerexchange talks with Israel ■ Oppn, BJP on same page Waqf Bill JPC to seek extension till Budget Session P r e e t h a Nai r @ New Delhi line in a hurry . Later speaking to the media, Pal said, “Nishikant Dubey and others said since we have to invite and hear some other stakeholders and state officials, we need an extension. I will consider this and then we will bring a resolution before Lok Sabha tomorrow or the day after.” Earlier, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, DMK’s A Raja, AAP’s Sanjay Singh and TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee said the panel chairman was keen to wrap up the proceedings by the November 29 deadline without following due process. “The Speaker had indicated the committee could be given an extension, but it appeared that some “big minister” was directing Pal’s actions,” alleged Gogoi. Sanjay Singh said the panel hasn’t heard the governments of Delhi, J&K, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. “States that have maximum Waqf property weren’t called, including Delhi. Seven people died in Sambhal for Waqf property They are . not taking things seriously said ,” Kalyan Banerjee. With BJP members of a Joint Parliamentary Committee scrutinising the Waqf Amendment Bill joining the extension chorus, the panel will request Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to extend its tenure until the Budget Session, 2025. The panel was scheduled to submit its report by the first week of the ongoing session of Parliament. This paper was the first to report on November 10 that the Modi government, under pressure from allies Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and JD(U), may buy more time to table the revised Waqf Bill in Parliament and that the panel may seek more time to submit the report. On Wednesday, amid Opposition protests, BJP members Nishikant Dubey and Aparajita Sarangi urged panel chairman Jagadambika Pal to request the Speaker to postpone the submission of the committee report until the Budget Session. This came after the Opposition members boycotted the meeting saying the chair man w a s ke e n t o close proceedings by the November 29 dead- You read it first here on November 10 bangla on boil Assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam was killed during clashes between security personnel and followers of Chinmoy Krishna Das of Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote. | P9 30 detained over killing of lawyer in clash with police in chattogram Rescue works underway at the ancient site of Lothal after a pit dug to collect soil collapsed | special arrangement IITian dies as research pit in Lothal caves in Dili p S i n g h Ks h at r i ya @ Ahemedabad AN IIT-Delhi researcher who went to collect soil samples from the ancient Harappan civilization site of Lothal in Gujarat died after the cliff of a pit, dug to collect the samples, collapsed and buried four persons in a pile of soil on Wednesday . A team of researchers from IIT-Delhi and IIT-Gandhinagar descended into a 15-foot-deep pit dug using an excavator near an under-construction maritime museum at the archeological site, about 80 km from Ahmedabad. As they were collecting the samples, the cliff of the pit caved in burying them in soil. Surabhi Verma, a 23-year-old PhD scholar at IIT-Delhi died on the spot. Yama Dixit, a 45-yearold geologist, also from IIT-Delhi, sustained serious injuries and is under treatment at Bagodra government hospital. Bagodra police have launched an investigation into the incident. Situated near Sargwala village in Dholka taluka of Ahmedabad district, Lothal was a port town and a significant centre of the Indus Valley civilisation. This historical site was discovered in November 1954, and extensive excavations have since been conducted. Dacoits strike, passengers jump off moving bus U J W A L J A L A L I @ New Delhi Gukesh hits back D Gukesh converted his advantage with white pieces to restore parity at the ongoing chess World Championship in Singapore on Wednesday. The Indian teen controlled the game from start to finish. His opening preparation was more extensive than the Chinese world champion and it paved the way for the Indian’s first win | Pti | P11 MORE than 12 people who boarded a bus from Anand Vihar to Old Delhi Railway Station experienced a harrowing time when they were confronted by a group of dacoits. As the bus reached mid way , a gang of five men threatened the passengers with a surgical blade and robbed them. In a desperate attempt to save their lives, the passengers jumped out of the moving bus. According to the police, the dacoity was reported on November 24 at the Shastri Park police station. The police ar- rested five suspects — Umar alias Samir (24), Suhail alias Mamu (22), Md. Sumair (30), Sonu (35), and Arif (25). DCP (North-east) Rakesh Paweriya said that information was received at the Shastri Park police station that several people had been robbed while riding on a bus. Upon investigating, authorities learnt that 12-13 passengers had boarded the bus at Anand Vihar bus stand, heading towards Old Delhi Railway Station. “Mid way through the journey the suspects began robbing , the passengers. When the bus reached near Shastri Park, the Gang of five lFrom Anand Vihar, bus heads towards Delhi Railway Station on November 24 lMid way, a gang of 5 suspects threaten passengers with a surgical blade and rob them lThe passengers jump off the moving bus in a desperate attempt to save their lives lFive suspects arrested from New Usmanpur complainant, along with other passengers, managed to jump out of the bus” the DCP said. A case was registered under relevant sections of the BNS and a team was formed. The team reviewed several CCTV footage to trace the route taken by the bus. “Informers were activated on the ground. Photographs of suspected robbers and their aides were shown to people,” the DCP said. With the help of the CCTV footage, the cops tracked the bus in New Usmanpur. Subsequently, a raid was conducted and the accused were nabbed. Interrogation revealed that all the accused have criminals cases pending against them, with four being involved in same type of cases. Panel flags safety lapses in `531cr Pamban bridge, calls it to ‘century-old marvel’ Japanese Encephalitis resurfaces in capital M S T h a n a r aj @ Ramanathapuram The city on Wednesday reported a case of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) from West Delhi’s Bindapur after more than a decade. No details of the case were shared by authorities. However, MCD started containment measures and warned that the fatality rate is high and those who survive may suffer with various degrees of brain malfunction. The virus had hit the city in 2011 when 14 cases were reported. P3 The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), who carried out inspection on the new railway sea bridge at Pamban on November 13-14, has said that the century-old Pamban Bridge is a technical marvel but the newly-constructed bridge is built with glaring lapses in planning and execution. AM Chowdhary , CRS, Southern Circle, however, has authorised operation of trains with speed restriction on the new bridge. Considering the safety of the century-old railway sea bridge, the railways had started the construction of the new bridge next to the old one in 2019 at a cost of `531 crore. The CRS has pointed out lapses in planning and execution, including the center lift grider not being in conformity with the Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) design. “It is unfortunate that the railway board has been flouting its own guidelines by disassociating the RDSO from the project,” the CRS in its report said. The CRS also pointed out that adequate measures have not been taken to address corro- sion, since the area is known to have the second worst corrosive environment in the world. “Effects of corrosion are very severe even before the commissioning of the bridge. Railways A test run of a train on the new Pamban bridge in Ramanathapuram district | File picture must get some new methods to protect the bridge as the existing method is inadequate,” the CRS said. Authorising train operations, Chowdhary said, “Passenger and goods trains can be operated at a maximum speed of 75 kmph from Mandabam to Pamban. A speed restriction of 50 kmph shall be imposed over the lift grider, and based on performance and response, speed restriction can be relaxed. All BG diesel locomotives sanctioned in the line are permitted to run on the bridge.” He added that the officials shall inspect the lift span grider every year to certify its fitness for running of passenger traffic for the next five years.