FRIDAY CREME DE LA CREME OF SPORTING STARS 31 The former India captain is back in Ranji Trophy after 12 years. Even before the play began, the Gautam Gambhir Stand, which can hold a crowd of 6,000 fans, was filled. JANUARY, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard WHEN RANJI MATCH TURNED SURREAL DONALD TRUMP WANTS TO SEND ILLEGALS TO GITMO The President unveiled a plan to detain undocumented migrants in Guantanamo Bay and ordered construction of detention camp to hold up to 30,000 migrants. G O M E S H S @ Chennai A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9 67 KILLED in copter-jet mid-air crash Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Black Hawk Intended route Potomac river American Eagle 5342 Rescuers look for survivors near the wreckage site in Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia on Thursday | AP HEALTH INSURANCE Irdai puts 10% cap on hike in premiums for senior citizens D I PA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi IN a bid to protect senior citizens—the most vulnerable age group with limited income sources—from steep hikes in health insurance premiums, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) on Thursday capped the annual increase on such premiums at 10%. In its order, the regulator said insurance firms must consult it before proposing any increase that goes above 10%, adding that IRDAI must be duly informed in case of withdrawal of individual health insurance products offered to senior citizens. IRDAI’s move comes in the wake of widespread complaints of arbitrary increase in premiums as well as rejection of claims by senior citizens. The regulator also took note of the fact that health insurance premium is dependent on claims outgo, which in turn depends on amount charged by hospitals for various treatments and procedures. It further noted that unlike in case of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), there are no centralised negotiations of charges with hospitals. In this context, it instructed health insurers to take necessary steps for common empanelment of hospitals and negotiate package rates in line with the PMJAY scheme.  NEW DELHI AGENCIES ALL 64 people aboard an American Airlines aircraft that collided with an Army helicopter are dead in the deadliest US air crash since 2001, President Donald Trump said on Thursday . At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the midair collision Wednesday night when the helicopter, a UH-60 Black Hawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, flew in the path of the aircraft as it was preparing to land at the Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington. Dramatic audio from air traffic controllers showed them repeatedly asking the helicopter if it had the passenger jet “in sight,” and then just before the crash telling it to “pass behind” the plane. “We don’t believe there are any survivors,” John Donnelly , the fire chief in the nation’s capital, said. J8.00 The plane was found upsidedown in three sections of the Potomac in waist-deep water. The chopper was carrying three army soldiers, who are also believed to have died, officials confirmed. “I just saw a fireball and it was gone,” one air traffic controller was heard telling a colleague after communication with the helicopter was cut. Transport officials said both aircraft we re o n s t a n d a rd fl i g h t patterns on a clear night with good visibility . In his remarks on the tragedy, Trump launched a broadside blaming diversity hires for the mid-air crash. “I put safety first. Obama, Biden and the  PAGES 12 Democrats put policy first... “They actually came out with a directive: ‘too white.’ And we want the people that are competent,” Trump said. “You say what was a helicopter doing in that track,” he said. Passengers on Wednesday’s flight included a group of figure skate r s, t h e i r c o a c h e s and family members returning from a development camp that followed the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. The two coaches were identified as Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who had won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships, and had competed twice P9 in the Olympics. Spectators at the Gautam Gambhir Stand on Thursday | PTI | P11 Sombre mood at Reagan National airport Inside Reagan National Airport, the mood was sombre Thursday morning as stranded passengers waited for flights to resume, sidestepping camera crews and staring out of the terminal’s windows at the Potomac River, where recovery efforts were barely visible at the distance. The airport is located a short distance from Washington. Don’t rush ‘1 poll’ plan, says JD(U) Amid EC nudge, ex-CM’s ‘dirty politics’ jibe at CEC at all-party meet YAMUNA WATER Stormy Parliament session to begin today P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi AT an all-party meeting convened by the BJPled NDA government on the eve of the Budget session of Parliament, key ally Janata Dal (United) flagged its concerns over the Centre’s ambitious ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill, saying it should not be ‘rushed through’ since it required wider consultations. The meeting was chaired by Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Kiren Rijiju, J P Nadda, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and L Murugan. Significantly, the JD(U) led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has always supported the idea of ‘one-nation-one-election’. In its memorandum submitted to the high-level committee last year, it said simultaneous elections are important to strengthen the architecture of good governance. The JD(U) added that it will reduce the financial burden associated with the frequent elections, as campaigning, logistics and security measures would be consolidated. The ‘One Nation, One Election Bill’ introduced during the Winter Session of Parliament, has been sent to a 39-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for scrutiny . Raising the issue at the meeting, JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha said the gover nment shouldn’t be in a hurry to implement the bill, which proposes simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies. It must hold wider consultations, said Jha. Besides, NDA allies Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and JD (U) joined Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi in questioning the seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha. The allies claimed it was decided without consulting the MPs. During the last winter session of Parliament, TDP member Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy had openly expressed unhappiness over his seat allocation. RAPS NEW UGC RULES Last week, the JD (U) had differed with the new UGC draft regulations saying it would limit the role of an elected state govt in the appointment of Vice Chancellors and also in the field of higher education OPPN’S DEMANDS The Opposition intends to corner the government on the proposed Waqf (Amend) Bill, the Maha Kumbh stampede, new UGC draft norms, the downward trend in the economy and other issues Setback to AAP-Cong combine as BJP wins Chandigarh mayor poll H A R P R E E T BA J WA @ Chandigarh ALLEGED cross-voting allowed BJP’s Harpreet Kaur Babla to win the mayoral election of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on Thursday . Efforts of the AAP and Congress to win the seat came to nought, though they were in alliance and with majority votes. Three councillors allegedly voted against party lines, swinging the outcome in favour of the BJP. Babla got 19 votes, and her rival Prem Lata of AAP 17 — no vote was found invalid. In the 35-member house, AAP has 13 councillors and its ally Congress six. The BJP’s strength is 16. Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari has a voting right as an ex-officio member of the corpo-  RANJI Trophy matches usually draw a handful of crowds. So, when the Delhi and District Cricket Association officials reached the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday and found more than 5,000 fans waiting for entry at 7.30 am, they were stunned. More started to trickle as the sun warmed. There is only one from the cricket royalty that could have drawn such a crowd — Virat Kohli. The name was enough to draw people from all walks of life. It was not cricket they came for, but the man who has turned into a Pied Piper of sorts. The former India captain is back in Ranji Trophy after 12 years and fans were not to miss the chance. Even before the play began, the Gautam Gambhir Stand, which can hold a crowd of 6,000 fans, was filled. The DDCA opened the Bishan Singh Bedi Stand as well, and more than 15,000 fans watched Kohli spend time on the field as Delhi bowled first. Kohli’s participation comes after India’s failure Down Under and the BCCI mandate to play domestic cricket. Though other stars played the previous round, Thursday showed why Kohli is still the creme de la creme. The ‘Kohli, Kohli’ chants echoed through the day One fan entered the field and tried . to touch the 36-year-old’s feet. Soon, security was beefed up, with paramilitary forces patrolling the boundary ropes. Since Kohli is yet to bat, DDCA officials expect more fans on Friday “The crowd is expected tomorrow as well. It will . be managed with the help of the police. If there is a capacity crowd of 37,000, then we can manage,” said Sharma. BJP’s Harpreet Kaur Babla new mayor ration. Thus, the alliance had an extra vote this year, taking its tally to 20. The result is a setback for the AAP-Congress alliance. The consolation for the opposition alliance was the post of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. Jasbir Singh Bunty of Congress became the senior deputy mayor, polling 19 votes against Bimla Dubey of BJP who man, aged 17 votes. Taruna Mehta of Congress was elected as deputy mayor with 19 votes, defeating Lakhbir Singh Bill of BJP who , got 17. The mayor’s post was reserved for women for a year this time. In the the run-up to the polls, Congress councillor, Gurbax Rawat, switched loyalties and joined the BJP . The alliance councillors were shifted to a hotel in Ropar to prevent defections, but crossvoting did happen. The election was conducted under the supervision of former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge Jaishree Thakur, appointed by the Supreme Court as an independent observer. The proceedings were recorded on camera. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the Congress “betrayed” the AAP . MUKESH RANJAN & ANUP V E R M A @ New Delhi WITH the Election Commission expressing dissatisfaction with Arvind Kejriwal’s response to its notice over his claim that the Haryana government was “mixing poison” in Yamuna, the AAP supremo on Thursday accused Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar of getting indulged in “dirty politics” and alleged that he was seeking a post-retirement job. The EC said that Kejriwal’s remarks on the poisoning of the Yamuna river had prima facie been found to “promote disharmony and enmity between groups”, potentially leading to public disorder. The EC sought further clarification on several points, seeking a response by 11 am on January 31, failing which action will be initiated. At a press meet, Kejriwal threw a challenge at the poll panel, saying he would send three bottles of Yamuna water to Kumar and other commissioners to drink the “highammonia” water. He also alleged the CEC of acting in favour of the BJP . The AAP chief said he suspects that he would be arrested in the next two days and history will never forgive Kumar for the damage he has inflicted on democratic system. “Cash is being openly distributed, but they fail to see it. Every day blankets are being , distributed. But they don’t notice this. We even pointed out whose house is being used to EC refutes AAP claim on raid at Mann residence E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ New Delhi AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav during a roadshow in Kirari constituency | PTI store the money yet they turn , a blind eye,” Kejriwal said. The EC, in a letter on Thursday pointed out that while Ke, jriwal had provided a reply it , failed to address the critical issue of his statement about the alleged poisoning of Yamuna. “The statement, which Kejriwal made, equated the act to ‘an act of war between nations’ and claimed that it was timely detected by engineers of the Delhi Jal Board,” it said, adding that “no factual or legal evidence had been provided to substantiate the claim”. It directed Kejriwal to submit a pointed reply . The poll panel asked Kejriwal to clarify the type of poison allegedly mixed by the Haryana government in Yamuna, supporting evidence regarding the quantity and nature of the poison, the method and location of its detection, and the role of DJB engineers in preventing the “poisonous” water from entering Delhi. Cash is being openly distributed, they fail to see it. Every day, blankets are being distributed. They don’t notice. We even pointed out whose house is being used to store money, yet they turn a blind eye Arvind Kejriwal ‘SCANT INFO’ The EC asked Kejriwal to clarify with more details on the the type of poison allegedly mixed by Haryana govt in Yamuna, the supporting evidence regarding its quantity and nature, the method and location of its detection. IN yet another confrontation between the AAP and the Election Commission, ruling party leaders, including Atishi, on Thursday claimed that poll panel officials and the Delhi Police raided Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Kapurthala House. However, the New Delhi District Election Office clarified that actions were taken in response to cVIGIL Complaint ID 1282744 regarding alleged cash distribution at Kapurthala House, which falls under the jurisdiction of the New Delhi Assembly constituency . The AAP leaders called the raid the BJP’s “yet another politically motivated move”. They slammed the party for misusing agencies to target opposition leaders while ignoring blatant violations of the Model Code of Conduct by BJP leaders. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal questioned the “selective targeting” of opposition leaders, highlighting that BJP leaders were distributing cash, blankets, sarees, shoes, jackets, shawls, and even gold chains ahead of the elections. “The Chief Minister of Punjab resides in Delhi at Kapurthala House, which is his official residence. It seems that a raid is being conducted on the Chief Minister of Punjab,” Kejriwal told reporters at a press meet. Mann reacted to the development on ‘X’ and wrote, “Today, a team from the Election Commission, along with the Delhi Police, arrived at my residence, Kapurthala House, in Delhi to conduct a raid. In Delhi, BJP members are openly distributing money, yet neither the Delhi Police nor the Election Commission seems to notice anything. No action is being taken against this.” He alleged that the Delhi Police and the EC were working under the BJP’s influence to malign the image of Punjab and its people. MORE REPORTS ON PG 3 & 4 PUNJABI POP Bonding over melodies beyond manifestos A S H I S H S R I V A S TA V A @ New Delhi BARELY few days ahead of the election, political parties are leaving no stones unturned and hitting the right notes — literally The city’s bustling streets . and vibrant intersections are no longer just filled with speeches and slogans, but with beats, melodies, and the electrifying presence of pop artists. From Punjabi to Bhojpuri and Haryanvi music, the campaign trail has transformed into a cultural fest, drawing thousands of young voters to ‘MiniElection Concerts’ — a new-age formula for political outreach. Recently, Punjabi singer Campaign trail turns into cultural fest Along with time-tested door-todoor canvassing, political parties are orchestrating star-studded spectacles, with beats replacing banners and lyrics carrying poll promises. From Punjabi to Bhojpuri and Haryanvi music, the campaign trail has transformed into a cultural fest, drawing young voters. Mankirt Aulakh set the stage for this fusion of entertainment and electioneering in Khyala, where he turned a poll rally into a musical spectacle, drumming up support for Ra- jouri Garden BJP candidate Manjinder Singh Sirsa. As Aulakh sang his hit numbers, thousands of young attendees swayed to the rhythm, soaking in not just the music but also the political message urging them to vote on February 5. The AAP has also tuned into this trend. Punjabi singer Harman recently took to the stage in support of AAP candidate Jarnail Singh in Tilak Nagar. According to an AAP leader, the strategy allows them to combine their candidates’ work with the mass appeal of popular artists, creating a direct link with young voters. The Congress, too, is not far behind, with party leaders roping in artists to bring energy to the last leg of the campaign. This cultural shift in electioneering is not confined to major parties. Independent candidates in Sikh-dominated seats may call big names from the Punjabi music industry to amplify voter engagement. Political parties, once primarily reliant on door-to-door canvassing, are now orchestrating star-studded spectacles. With beats replacing banners and lyrics carrying political promises, Delhi’s electoral battleground is no longer just about manifestos, but melodies that move the masses.