FRIDAY The International Cricket Council confirmed that 2025 Champions Trophy will be played in Pakistan and a neutral venue. This was necessitated after India refused to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns 20 DECEMBER, 2024 2025 CT INDIA LIKELY TO PLAY IN DUBAI epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard DECADE OF ABUSE EX-HUSBAND GETS 20 YRS IN PRISON A court in France on Thursday sentenced the ex-husband of Gis’le Pelicot to a maximum 20 years of imprisonment for drugging and raping her. PAGE 9 ‘IMPROPRIETY’ Deputy Chair rejects Oppn bid to impeach Dhankhar in RS RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi RAJYA Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Thursday dismissed the impeachment notice against Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. Terming the Opposition’s bid an act of impropriety, Harivansh said the notice was drafted in haste and with the clear intent to tarnish Dhankhar’s reputation and undermine constitutional institutions. The three-page ruling, tabled in the House by Rajya Sabha Secretary General Pramod Chandra Mody, said the notice was flawed and lacked substantive evidence. “A look at the notice reveals it could not be more casual and cavalier, wanting on every conceivable aspect and severally flawed—absence of addressee, absence of resolution text, incumbent Vice President’s name not correctly spelt in the entire petition, documents and videos asserted not made part, premised on the links of disjointed media reports...” it noted. The notice cited a lack of trust in Dhankhar and accused him of being biased against the Opposition members. Harivansh, tasked with addressing the matter after Dhankhar recused himself, condemned the motion as a “misadventure” intended to demean the constitutional office of the Vice President. In his ruling, Harivansh cited several reasons for dismissing the notice, which he found to be personally targeting Dhankhar and designed to attract publicity rather addressing valid concerns. “The gravity of this personally targeted notice bereft of facts and aimed at securing publicity makes its expose expedient, being misadventure in deliberate trivializing and demeaning of the high constitutional office of Vice President of the largest democracy .” There are indications that Dubai would be the venue where India would play their Champions Trophy matches 1 A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS ‘PITCHED BATTLE’ OUTSIDE HOUSE  NEW DELHI  J8.00 TWO BJP MPs INJURED UNPRECEDENTED FRACAS Rahul Gandhi visits BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi who got injured in the clash | PTI RAHUL BOOKED BY POLICE OVER SCUFFLE KHARGE DEMANDS PROBE INTO ‘ASSAULT’ THe Delhi Police registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi under Section 117 (grievous hurt), 125 (endangering life of others), 131 (criminal force), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the BNS | P7 Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, saying he was physically pushed by BJP MPs on Parliament premises, adding he lost his balance. He demanded a probe into the ‘assault’ | P7  SECURITY forces on Thursday killed five Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, including its operations commander Farooq Ahmed Bhat alias Farooq Nali, in a six-hour-long encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district. Two Army personnel were also in injured in the gunfight. Five AK rifles, 12 magazines, four grenades, and cash were recovered from the encounter site. Farooq was slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani’s last surviving aide and one of the most wanted terrorists in J&K. “We received infor mation about the presence of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists in the Kadder area of Kulgam. The joint operation was launched by police, CRPF and Army in the village around 3.30 am today. During the search operation, security personnel came under fire,” said Brigadier Anirudh Chauhan, commander of 2 Sector Rashtriya Rifles, adding that the troops returned the fire, killing five terrorists. “With Thursday’s encounter, Hizbul has effectively been wiped out from Shopian and Kulgam districts,” he said. Chau- K’taka BJP leader taken into custody for ‘derogatory’ remarks on minister N AU S H A D B I JA P U R @ Belagavi BJP stages protest THE 10-day winter session of the Karnataka legislature ended here on Thursday Soon after the . Council was adjourned sine die, BJP MLC CT Ravi was arrested on a complaint filed by the aide of Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar over his alleged derogatory remarks in the House. Security was tightened around the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha as soon as the news spread. Hebbalkar’s supporters gheraoed Ravi at the soudha entrance, while some tried to attack him inside the premises. When the House was supposed to resume proceedings at 4 pm, Hebbalkar’s supporters tried to enter the Council hall on the second floor of the soudha, raising slogans against Ravi. But cops foiled their attempt. Opposition MLCs told report- BJP legislators staged a protest outside the soudha after CT Ravi was taken away by police. They denied allegations that Ravi made derogatory remarks against minister Laxmi Hebbalkar. ers the allegations against Ravi were false and he did not make any derogatory remarks against Hebbalkar. They accused Congress legislators of conspiring to tarnish Ravi’s image. BJP MLC Arun said it was unfortunate that Ravi was attacked inside the soudha. MLC Chennaraj Hattiholi said many MLCs, including Yatindra Siddaramaiah, had stated that they heard Ravi making derogatory remarks against Hebbalkar in the House. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, ministers HK Patil, Priyank Kharge and senior leaders met Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti and held a meeting over Ravi’s remarks. When the House resumed proceedings after three hours of protests, Horatti read out a complaint filed by Hebbalkar and adjourned the House sine die. Ravi and opposition MLCs left the House even as Congress legislators raised slogans. A team of policemen arrested Ravi as he came out of the soudha. Ravi’s remarks against Hebbalkar echoed in the Lower House also. Amid noisy scenes in the House, Khader announced that the matter would be referred to the Privilege Committee. and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue Apart from Champions Trophy, this arrangement will apply for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (hosted by India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (hosted by India and SL) CROSS-COMPLAINTS FILED Ambedkar Statue on Parliament’s premises to the Makar Dwar. But THE ongoing political face-off took at Makar Dwar, over 100 BJP meman ugly turn on Thursday after the bers had already assembled with Opposition and the ruling BJP got placards in their hands. into a ‘pitched battle’ outside ParA commotion followed while Raliament over Union home minister hul along with some others tried to Amit Shah’s remarks on B R enter the Parliament House. In the Ambedkar. Allegations flew thick melee, a few MPs fell down. Some and fast with both sides accusing of the Opposition MPs also climbed each other of resorting to a wall near the gate. violence, which left two BJP While Parliamentary AfMPs — Pratap Sarangi and fairs Minister Kiren Rijiju Mukesh Rajput — in hospiclaimed that both MPs were Will physical tal with head injuries. seriously injured by Rahul strength be While the BJP alleged and demanded his apology, used in that Leader of Opposition the latter denied the chargParliament? Rahul Gandhi pushed their es. “I was trying to enter Shivraj Singh MPs, the Congress said its Parliament and the BJP Chouhan, BJP party chief Mallikarjun MPs were stopping me, Kharge lost his balance afpushing me and threatenThe BJP is ter being pushed by the ing me,” Rahul said. indulging in While BJP’s Anura g BJP’s members. distraction Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj “Rahul Gandhi pushed an rushed to the Parliament MP who fell on me, after Rahul Gandhi, Street Police Station to file a which I fell. I was standing Congress complaint against Rahul, annear the stairs when Gandhi came and pushed an MP who other allegation came from BJP MP then fell on me,” Sarangi said. Both S Phangnon Konyak, who accused the MPs were admitted to Delhi’s Gandhi of ‘misbehaving’ with her. Shortly thereafter, Congress MPs Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Unprecedented scenes unfolded also filed a police case against the after the Opposition MPs and BJP BJP MPs for manhandling their members came face to face at the leaders. Later, Kharge and 15 ConMakar Dwar, Parliament’s main gress MPs submitted letters to entrance. As announced in the Speaker Om Birla demanding action morning, the Opposition INDIA against the BJP MPs who misbebloc members marched from the haved with Rahul and Kharge. P7 P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi Burhan Wani’s last surviving aide among 5 Hizbul terrorists killed F AYA Z W A N I @ Srinagar PAGES 12 2 The ICC said that India han, however, added that Hizbul is not the only terror outfit operating in the Valley. “We will continue anti-terror operations in J&K.” DIG, South Kashmir, Javed Iqbal said that Farooq was was active in south Kashmir since 2015. Farooq was categorised as ‘ ++’ terrorist and had managed A to hoodwink security forces in the past. He had taken over as the Hizb operational commander after the killing of former commander Saifullah in a gunbattle in Srinagar in 2020. “Farooq was involved in many incidents and 37 FIRs were registered against him at different police stations,” the DIG said. PUTIN SAYS UKRAINE WAR BOOSTED RUSSIAN MILITARY, ECONOMY Russian president on Thursday boasted that his military operation in Ukraine has strengthened Moscow | P9 ACB names KTR accused No 1 in Formula-E case C H I T H A L U R I R E V A N T H @ Hyderabad THE Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday named Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president and former Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao, known as KTR, as Accused No. 1 (A-1) in the alleged Formula E race case. The case was lodged the day after ACB received a letter from Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari. Earlier, Governor Jishnu Dev Varma granted consent to prosecute KTR, the son of former CM K Chandrashekhar Rao, and others involved. The cases were filed under Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC, alleging misuse of government funds. KTR, however, dismissed all allegations of corruption, criticising the ACB for filing the case. Apart from KTR, former Municipal Administration and Urban Development principal secretary Arvind Kumar was named the second accused and former Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) chief engineer BLN Reddy the third accused. The case concerns allegations that HMDA transferred `54.88 crore to a private firm without approval from the then state government. 8x8 8x8 EXPRESS READ Capital air foul, enters ‘severe plus’ category The city’s air quality on Thursday plummeted to ‘severe plus’ category, with a 24-hour average AQI of 451 recorded at 4 pm, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. The city witnessed high levels of PM2.5, with 32 of the 35 monitoring stations recording air quality in severe plus category. | P4 Special court to hear AAP legislator case The Delhi High Court on Thursday transferred from the Dwarka court to the Rouse Avenue court a case under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act involving AAP MLA Naresh Balyan. The MLA was arrested in the case on December 4. | P3 Farmer leader on fast faints, SC asks Mann govt why no med tests H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh THE condition of Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a Punjab farmer leader who is on a hunger strike demanding the acceptance of their demands, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops, worsened as he fainted on Thursday, the Take care of leader 24th day of his protest. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court repri- The Supreme manded the Punjab government for not Court came conducting medical tests on the 70-year- down heavily old. It urged the government to persuade on Punjab him to take treatment for a week, allowing government others to continue with the protest. for not A two-judge bench of Justices Surya conducting Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said medical assist- medical tests ance should be provided to the Samyukta on 70-yearKisan Morcha (Non-Political) convener old Jagjit without forcing him to break his fast. Singh “Dallewala lost consciousness for 10 Dallewal and minutes while emerging from the tempo- urged it to rary hut following a bath at Khanauri bor- persuade der. He vomited before fainting. He was him to take quickly wrapped in a blanket and taken to treatment a designated area behind the stage, where for a week. the doctors examined him and provided him water. A team of doctors is currently attending to his needs,” a close aide said. Meanwhile, expressing solidarity, the Khap Panchayats of Haryana have pledged support to the protesting farmers and scheduled a mahapanchayat in Hisar on December 29. Diversity: Signages to have info in 4 languages Order issued Dept of Arts has directed all authorities concerned to ensure that the sequence of languages on signages should be Hindi, English, Punjabi and Urdu, with uniform font sizes for all. A S I S H S R I VA STAVA @ New Delhi TO promote linguistic inclusivity, the city will soon feature Hindi, English, Punjabi, and Urdu on road signages, directional boards, and the names of the public places, in compliance with a recent directive from the Department of Arts, Culture and Language. This order applies to metro stations, hospitals, public parks, and roads managed by the PWD. The department oversees 1,250 km of roads in the city and , updates to signages will begin immediately . Additionally, bureaucrats working with the Delhi gover nment will also be required to display their names in the four languages on boards outside their offices. In a written communication, the department directed all departments, civic bodies and autonomous authorities to ensure compli- ance with the Act, following instructions from L-G VK Saxena. The communication specifies that the sequence of languages on boards and signages should be Hindi, English, Punjabi and Urdu, with uniform font sizes for all. Currently most sign, boards and nameplates display information in Hindi and English. According to the department, the initiative aligns with The Delhi Official Languages Act, 2000, which designates Hindi as the primary official language and Punjabi and Urdu as secondary official languages. According to the department, the initiative aligns with The Delhi Official Languages Act, 2000, which designates Hindi as the primary official language and Punjabi and Urdu as secondary official languages. As per the 2023 Delhi Statistical Handbook, Punjabi is spoken by 8.73 lakh people and Urdu by 8.67 lakh.