THURSDAY INDIA NAMED IN U.S. DRUG REPORT 27 The 2025 Annual Threat Assessment of US Intelligence Community claims China and India directly and indirectly supply materials to drug traffickers targeting US MARCH, 2025 Non-state groups are often enabled, both directly and indirectly by China and India as sources of precursors and equipment for drug traffickers, the report claims epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard Says India, China among primary source nations for fentanyl precursor chemicals and pill pressing equipment PA K I S TA N 5 GET DEATH FOR BLASPHEMY Opioid deaths were caused by cartels, which also facilitated nearly 3M illegal migrant arrivals, straining US resources in 2024 ‘DIRECTLY THREATENING LIVES OF US CITIZENS’ A Pakistan court has sentenced five men to death for posting blasphemous content online, a prosecution lawyer said on Wednesday. A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9 Not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha: Rahul  NEW DELHI  J8.00 Major reorganisation and redeployment of troops M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi LEADER of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday claimed he was not allowed to speak in Parliament after Speaker Om Birla made “unsubstantiated” remarks about him. He also accused the Speaker of running the House in an “undemocratic manner.” Rahul’s remarks came after Birla asked him to follow parliamentary rules and maintain the dignity of the House. During Zero Hour, Birla noted that members had repeatedly violated procedural rules. “In this House, father and daughter, mother and daughter, husband and wife have been members. In this context, I expect the Leader of the Opposition to conduct himself in accordance with Rule 349 that deals with rules to be observed by members in the House,” the Speaker said. I haven’t done As Rahul stood up to respond, anything. I was sitting quietly. For Birla adjourned the House. the last 7-8 days, I Speaking to reporters later, have not been Rahul said, “There is a convenallowed to speak. tion that the Leader of the OpThere is no place position is allowed to speak. I for the Opposition requested him to let me speak, but the Speaker just ran away. Rahul Gandhi Leader of Opposition This is no way to run the House. He made unsubstantiated remarks about me, did not allow me to reply, and adjourned the House without reason.” When asked about Birla’s remarks, Rahul said, “... The Prime Minister spoke about Kumbh Mela. I also wanted to speak about unemployment, but I wasn’t allowed to. I don’t know what the Speaker’s thinking is. I am the LoP and our party is the main , Opposition party We are not allowed to speak.” . Later, 70 Congress MPs, including Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi and Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, met Birla to protest against the denial of an opportunity for Rahul to speak.  PAGES 12 Terrorist and transnational criminal outfits are directly threatening the US citizens, according to the report. “Cartels are largely responsible for more than 52,000 US deaths from synthetic opioids in the 12 months ending in October 2024 and helped facilitate nearly 3 million illegal migrant arrivals in 2024.” | P7 New division to boost strategic deterrence New Army division to defend Eastern Ladakh P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi 72 DIVISION TO GUARD LADAKH The new division is in process of getting raised. The headquarters are being raised with one of its brigade headquarters already deployed in Eastern Ladakh and it has begun functioning Sources The new permanent Army division being raised in Eastern Ladakh under the Northern Command is called 72 Division. This is in addition to the 3 Division, responsible for entire LAC UNIFORM FORCE TO MOVE BACK In an ad-hoc decision, Jammu Division-based counter terrorism unit Uniform Force was moved to the Line of Actual Control. It will now go back to Jammu THE Indian Army is in the process of raising a divisionlevel formation to be permanently positioned in the sensitive Easter n Ladakh area, sources told this newspaper. This will be in addition to the 3 Division, which is responsible for the entire Line of Actual Control (LAC). Terming it a major re-ORBAT move, sources said the new formation will be called 72 Division. ORBAT means ‘order of battle’ and Re-ORBAT is reorganising and redeployment of existing troops. In the Army a division com, prises 10,000-15,000 combat troops and 8,000 support elements, commanded by a Major General, and made up of 3 to 4 brigades. A brigade has a troop size of 3,500-4,000 with a Brigadier as commander. “The headquarters are being raised; one Brigade headquarter is already deployed in Eastern Ladakh and has begun functioning,” sources said. The larger elements of the formation are being trained in the western parts of the country “to synchronise the personnel, equipment and organisation as per specific tasking,” sources added. The 72 Division will be permanently placed under the Leh-based 14 Fire & Fury Cor ps, which was raised in September 1999 after the Kargil war. The Corps handles some of the most sensitive frontiers and battlefields in the world. The area that will be under the control of the 72 Division is currently being taken care of by the counter insurgency wing called ‘Uniform Force’. Its elements, in lesser numbers, were moved as an ad-hoc arrangement to fill the gap. The Uniform Force will soon move back to its old location in Reasi, Jammu Division. The Army’s decision to raise a permanent division in East Ladakh is important as the situation along the 832-km LAC remains sensitive, which calls for constant vigil and strategic preparedness. A standoff took place between Chinese and Indian troops in May 2020 at Finger-4 near Pangong Lake, followed by a deadly clash in June in Galwan valley . After several rounds of talks, Indian and Chinese troops completed their disengagement in the Depsang and Demchok areas of Ladakh in October last year, following which patrolling resumed. However, the troops from both sides remain in the vicinity of the LAC. EXPRESS READ Kamra told to appear in person Rejecting comedian Kunal Kamra’s request for a week to appear before it, the Mumbai Police decided to issue him a second summons, asking him to appear in person for questioning in connection with his controversial remarks reportedly aimed at Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The first summons asked him to appear on Tuesday, but he sought more time | P8 Betting scam: CBI raids Baghel house The CBI on Wednesday conducted searches at 60 locations, including the residence of former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with the alleged `6,000 crore Mahadev betting app scam, officials said. The teams swooped down at Baghel’s residences in Raipur and Bhilai and houses of a senior police officer and a close associate of former CM. RAGINGEVACUATED IN SC stays ‘totally insensitive’ Allahabad HC remark BLAZE 24 KILLED, 29K S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y SOUTH KOREA’S WORST FIRE Wind-driven wildfires that were among South Korea’s worst ever have ravaged the country’s southern regions, killing 24 people, destroying more than 300 structures and forcing 28,800 residents to evacuate, officials said. | P9 @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Allahabad High Court’s recent observations on the grabbing of a minor girl’s breasts and pulling the drawstrings of her “pyjama” not amounting to an attempt to rape and said it reflected total “insensitivity” and “inhuman approach”. Taking strong exception to the HC’s observations, the court termed it a “very serious matter”. The court took suo motu cognisance of the matter after “We J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi EPS-Shah meet adds to speculation AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday night, sparking speculation about a potential revival of the AIADMK-BJP alliance ahead of the 2026 TN elections. with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday night, sparking speculation about a potential revival of the AIADMK-BJP alliance. The AIADMK, the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu, had severed its ties with the BJP in September 2023, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, citing differences with the party’s state leadership. The new Pamban Bridge that Modi will inaugurate will replace the old 1914 bridge that was closed in 2022 due to corrosion. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw previously shared details on social media about “India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge” in November 2024. The new bridge, which spans over 2.5 km and was built by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) at a cost of Rs 535 crore, is designed to handle faster trains and increased traffic. Va i s h n aw e m p h a s i z e d that the bridge symbolizes progress and modern engineering, enhancing connectivity between the mainland and Rameswaram. the Women of India” collective wrote to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna. Accused Pawan and Akash allegedly grabbed the breasts of an 11-year-old girl in the Kas- ‘STRICT ACTION MUST BE TAKEN AGAINST JUDGE’ The National Federation of Indian Women demanded action against Allahabad HC Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra over his controversial observations. It demanded gender sensitivity training for judges ganj district of UP Thereafter, . one of them broke the string of her pyjama while trying to pull it down, attempted to drag her beneath a culvert and allegedly tried to rape her. But due to the intervention of passers-by they , couldn’t proceed. “It is a very serious matter,” Justice Gavai said, “exhibiting total insensitiveness on the part of the judge.” Minor kidnapped, killed for `10L ransom; 3 held Amid alliance talks with AIADMK, Modi in Rameswaram to open Pamban Bridge PRIME Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Tamil Nadu on April 6, during the festival of Ram Navami, to offer prayers at the Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram and inaugurate the new Pamban Bridge. The PM, sources said, will arrive in Rameswaram from Sri Lanka on April 6 after concluding a bilateral visit. He will be in Thailand on April 3 and 4 for the sub-regional BIMSTEC summit. Following the event, Modi will embark on a two-city trip of Colombo and Anuradhapura until April 6. His visit comes amid indications of the BJP reviving its relationship with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) ahead of the 2026 state Assembly elections. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami met 52,000 N I T I N R AWAT @ New Delhi KHELO INDIA PARA GAMES Medallists pose during the presentation ceremony of the SW Class-3 table tennis event at the Khelo India Para Games 2025 in New Delhi on Wednesday | PTI INDIA CALLS REPORT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BIASED India flayed the 2025 Annual Report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which recommend sanctions against India’s external intelligence agency, RAW. | P7 A 15-year-old boy was kidnapped and murdered by his friends in north Delhi’s Wazirabad area. The accused, all minors, later demanded a ransom of `10 lakh from the victim’s family, police said on Wednesday The incident came to light . on Monday when Wazirabad police received a PCR call reporting the kidnapping of a boy a resident , of Milan Vihar, from Mukherjee Nagar. A case was registered at Wazirabad police station, and an investigation was launched. CCTV footage revealed that the victim, Vaibhav Garg, a Class IX student, was last seen with three minors, two 17-yearolds and a 16-year-old, on a bike near Jharoda Pushta Road. The police apprehended the suspects, who confessed to having kidnapped and killed Vaibhav for ransom of `10 lakh on Sunday, DCP (north) Raja Bathia said. “My son got a call from his friends around 7 p.m. on Sunday. He left the house at 7.25 p.m. and reached Pusta around 7.30 p.m., where two people came, made him sit between them on a bike and left the area. He called me around 8.35 p.m. asking to transfer ` 50 online,” he said. When his mother started calling him around 9 p.m., the calls were disconnected after one bell. At 9:21 p.m., the mobile was switched off, Garg said. When attempts to locate him went in vain, the father lodged a missing complaint. Around 1.30 a.m., the man got a call demanding a `10 lakh ransom, failing which the caller threatened to kill the boy . Police checked his call detail records, nabbed the alleged persons, and recovered the body . BJP, AAP legislators on same page over pay hike Can’t force students to buy books from specific vendors: Govt to pvt schools A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi DELHI legislators may get hike in salaries, allowances, and other facilities, with S p e a ke r Vi j e n d e r G u p t a forming a five-member committee to submit recommendations within a fortnight. The committee will also consider MLAs’ requests to increase the number of staff for constituency-related works and the remuneration of data-entry operators provided to them. During the discussion in the House, MLAs from both the ruling and opposition parties pressed for a pay hike. This comes close on the heels of the Centre notifying a 24% hike in MPs’ salaries. “Two issues were discussed by the House, including one related to data entry operators and increasing the honorarium (of MLAs) in line with MPs,” Gupta told the House on Wednesday . 5-member committee formed Speaker Vijender Gupta formed a 5-member committee to submit recommendations within a fortnight. BJP MLA Abhay Verma chairs the committee, which includes Surya Prakash Khatri (BJP), Poonam Sharma (BJP), Sanjeev Jha (AAP), and Vishesh Ravi (AAP). In March 2023, Delhi’s MLAs enjoyed a pay hike of 67%, after a gap of 12 years. After the last revision, the MLAs get `90,000 a month. The monthly salaries and allowances of the chief minister, cabinet ministers, speaker, deputy speaker, chief whip, and LoP went up from `72,000 to `1.7 lakh. The Speaker said that the decision was taken considering the sentiments and requirements of the members. The committee’s objective is to examine the current status of salaries and allowances and consider potential amendments so that MLAs may receive suitable facilities. BJP MLA Abhay Verma chairs the committee, which includes Surya Prakash Khatri (BJP), Poonam Sharma (BJP), Sanjeev Jha (AAP), and Vishesh Ravi (AAP). The committee will consider the legislators’ workload, responsibilities, and necessary resources. BJP MLAs cite Goa, J&K pay scale Salary less than DMs: AAP MLAs BJP MLAs said they should get respectable salaries like those in other states/UTs, including Goa and J&K. They also raised the issue of increasing the number of data-entry operators given to MLAs and enhancing their remuneration as per the Minimum Wages Act. During the discussion in the House on Wednesday, AAP MLAs said that their salaries and perks were less than those of district magistrates and SDMs. They also demanded a “respectable” pension for former MLAs. Currently, Delhi MLAs get `90,000 a month. A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi THE government has issued directives to private schools regarding the sale of books, writing materials, and uniforms. They have been warned against forcing parents to buy these items from specific vendors or school-appointed suppliers. The move will protect parents from unnecessary financial burdens and ensure transparency within the education system, the government said. Education Minister Ashish Sood on Wednesday said that private unaided schools must transparently display the list of prescribed books, education- al materials, and other required items on the school premises. This information must also be prominently displayed on school notice boards and official websites. He also said that all schools must display this list in a public place on their campuses. Any school failing to comply will be held accountable. Under the powers vested in the Directorate of Education (DoE), nine instructions have been mandated for all private unaided schools. The schools must upload a list of required books and uniform specifications on their official website before the academic session. Schools and principals should ensure that students and parents are not pressured to purchase extra study materials beyond the prescribed curriculum. The DoE will closely monitor adherence to these guidelines and take strict action against any violations.