TUESDAY 12 AUGUST, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard MEA SLAMS MUNIR, SAYS INDIA WILL NOT GIVE IN TO NUCLEAR BLACKMAIL ISRAEL SCRIBE AMONG 40 KILLED BY FORCES Israeli forces killed at least 40 people across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Monday, including a well-known journalist, sparking outrage. PAGE 9 Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan’s “stock-in- trade”, the MEA said on Monday, in a strong response to the Pak Army Chief’s nuclear threat RUDE REMARKS FROM ‘FRIENDLY 3RD COUNTRY’ A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00  PAGES 12 Shift Delhi-NCR stray dogs to shelters: SC Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y This fight is not political; it is aimed at saving Constitution... We want a clean, pure voter list Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress president BJP’s cowardly dictatorship will not work! This is a fight to protect people’s right to vote, a struggle to save democracy @ New Delhi Sushmita Dev (left) and Mahua Moitra (second from left), both Trinamool Congress, scale a police barricade during a protest march by INDIA bloc MPs from Parliament to the Election Commission of India’s office in Delhi on Monday; and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attends to TMC’s Mitali Bag after she fainted at the protest venue | PTI HIGH DRAMA AS BIHAR SIR STIR SPILLS ONTO DELHI’S STREETS Opposition members of Parliament barred from reaching the ECI office, briefly detained Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief It’s not the first time fingers have been raised at the EC. In UP polls, the SP raised issues multiple times M K Stalin, Tamil Nadu CM The BJP has turned the poll panel into its election rigging machinery. We will not watch it happen in silence Dharmendra Pradhan , Union minister You can’t adversely impact PM Modi’s leadership, people’s mandate, constitutional system via fear Munir, currently on a visit to the US, made the threat while addressing the Pakistani diaspora in Florida’s Tampa. “We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” Asim Munir said. In an apparent message to the US, the MEA said it is regrettable that these remarks were made from the soil of a friendly third country | P7 P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi IN a day of high drama, the Opposition’s protest against the ongoing voter roll revision in Bihar spilled onto the streets with the Delhi Police detaining several top leaders of INDIA bloc, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, during their march to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) headquarters in the capital. While the march led by Rahul began from Parliament House at noon, the MPs were stopped midway as the police had placed multiple barricades on Parliament Street to block them from moving forward. While the police asked the MPs not to proceed further and made an announcement through a loudspeaker that they should send only 30 representatives forward, many MPs sat on the road and raised slogans against the alleged ‘vote theft’ and poll rigging. In the melee, some MPs including SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, TMC’s Mahua Moitra, Sagarika Ghose and the Congress’ Sanjana Jatav and Jothimani, scaled the barricades raising slogans. The protesting MPs were later whisked away by police in buses to the Parliament Street police station. TMC’s Moitra and Mitali Bag fainted while being detained. All of them were released after a brief detention. Later speaking to the media, Rahul said the Opposition is protesting for the right to vote for every Indian and demanding a “clean and pure” voter list, asserting that the issue of alleged irregularities pointed out by him will ‘explode’ soon as it is not related to a single constituency but the whole country . Indicating that he would not submit a signed affidavit as sought by the Election Commission, Rahul asserted that the data analysed by the Congress to provide proof of ‘vote theft’ was taken from the EC’s website. “They cannot talk as the truth is before the entire nation. This fight is not political; it is aimed at saving the Constitution,” said Rahul. Meanwhile, a war of words broke out between the EC and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who said that he had written to the EC requesting a meeting to collectively hand over a memorandum. The ECI said Jairam had acknowledged its invitation for a meeting with 30 MPs but later “changed his tone”. The EC rebutted Jairam’s claim that he has urged the panel to allow Opposition MPs to collectively hand over a memorandum and not for just a delegation. K’taka min sacked for embarrassing Cong 8 BILLS GET NOD SANS DEBATE Parliament passed 8 bills without discussion, including the National Sports Governance Bill, the National Anti-Doping (Amend) Bill and the I-T (No 2) Bill and Taxation Laws (Amend) Bill | P7 POLL ROW: BJD SET TO GO TO HC Eight months after complaint to the ECI about irregularities in 2024 Assembly and LS polls in Odisha, the BJD will escalate the matter to the Orissa High Court | P5 B A N S Y K A L A P PA @ Bengaluru ON the surface, it seemed like a routine resignation. But behind the calm façade of Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna’s sudden exit from the Karnataka cabinet lies a web of controversy high-stakes power struggles , and whispers of betrayal that have set the state’s political corridors abuzz. The 74-year-old minister, a close confidant of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, part of the latter’s core support group and a key face of the ST community, suddenly resigned on the first day of the legislature session. The timing couldn’t have been more telling. The tipping point was a seemingly offhand comment. A few days ago, he had said that the controversial voter K N Rajanna list in the Mahadevapura assembly constituency which is central to the , Congress’ “vote theft” offensive, had been prepared during the Congress rule. This gave an impression that Congress too did not do anything on the very issue the party is fighting against. For the Congress brass, it was appalling. For Siddaramaiah, it was an embarrassment. Even before Rajanna sent in his resignation, the Chief Minister’s Office forwarded its recommendation for his ouster to Raj Bhavan. The message was clear: it was a purge. THE Supreme Court on Monday directed the shifting of stray dogs from the residential localities of Delhi-NCR to dedicated dog shelters within eight weeks. Terming the rise in stray dog biting a “grim situation”, the top court said that “immediate steps need to be taken” in this aspect. “We are not doing this for us; it is for the public interest. So, no to be free of stray dogs,” said a two-judge bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan. “For the time being, forget the rules,” the apex court amicus curiae Gaurav Agarwala, who suggested the steps that can be taken to address the stray dog menace. “NCT Delhi, MCD, NMDC shall at an earlier start picking up stray dogs from all localities, particularly vulnerable localities and cities. How to do it is for the authorities to look into and if they have to create a force, do it earlier …Round up all stray dogs from all localities, whether sterilised or unsterilised,” the SC ordered. It added, “However, what is important, and without which EXPRESS READ L-G can nominate five members to J&K House The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has submitted to the J&K HC that the UT’s Lt-Governor can nominate five members to the Assembly without the nod of the elected government. | P8 Porn clip plays in DM’s meet with edu dept An online meeting of the education department chaired by the Maharajganj DM on August 7 was disrupted when a porn clip was played. Two unidentified participants have been booked. Robbers loot 14-kg gold, cash from Jabalpur bank In a daring heist, five robbers looted 14 kg of gold worth `14 crore and `5 lakh in cash from the ESAF Small Finance Bank branch in Jabalpur’s Khitola on Monday. Daycare nightmare: MANN ROLLS BACK LAND POOLING POLICY Nanny bites, assaults toddler in Gr Noida H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh N A M I TA B A J PA I @ Lucknow A 15-month-old girl was slapped, bitten, pushed, and beaten with a plastic bat by a nanny at a daycare centre in Greater Noida. The incident was caught on CCTV camera, prompting police action against the daycare operator and the minor assistant. According to sources, the video showed the assistant shoving a toy into the baby’s mouth, pushing her Two twice, and repeatedly hitting booked her on the back and chest. Authorities Monika Devi, a resident of are probing if the society where the daycare the daycare operates, regularly sent her had a licence. daughter Vedanshi Patel to the The operator Blippy Daycare for two hours and assistant daily. On August 4, when the were booked woman went to pick her up, she under relevant found the baby crying inconsolsections of ably. The woman then noticed the BNS. bite marks on both of Vedanshi’s thighs. When Monika confronted the daycare operator, Charu, and the assistant, both responded aggressively. Based on her complaint, Sector-142 police took the minor assistant into custody. According to Vinod Kumar Mishra, investigating officer and Kotwali incharge, the daycare operator showed gross negligence by entrusting the care of about 12 young children to a minor. A case has been registered. AMID growing backlash from farmers and Opposition parties, apart from internal dissent, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab Government has withdrawn the controversial land pooling policy . A statement from Vikas Garg, Principal Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development, said: “The Government hereby withdraws the Land Pooling Policy dated 14.5.2025 and its subsequent amendments. Consequently all , actions, such as LOIs issued, registries done, or any other action taken under it, shall be The move follows growing backlash from farmers and Opposition parties. | PTI reversed henceforth.” The Punjab and Haryana High Court had stayed the policy last week, criticising the government for introducing it without an environmental or social impact assessment. Under the policy, the state planned to acquire 65,533 acres across 21 cities and towns to develop industrial and residential zones, in what would have been the largest land acquisition in Punjab since 1966. Announced in June, it faced immediate protests from political parties and farmer unions. Some AAP leaders also expressed dissent. Sources said the decision followed a meeting of senior bureaucrats involved in framing the policy with the party’s top leadership two days ago. Senior AAP functionaries also met ministers and party leaders, and the state leadership unanimously felt the policy was politically damaging. With the next Assembly elections in mind, AAP was feeling the mounting pressure as farmer protests intensified. the entire exercise would go futile, not a single stray dog should be released, and if we know that this has happened, we will take stern action.” While refusing to hear any pleas by animal rights activists, the top court added that there was “no room for sentiment” (for the dog lovers) and warned that any individual or organisation hindering the rounding up of stray dogs will face contempt of court action. The SC passed these directions after taking suo motu cognisance of the tragic and brutal death of a six-year-old girl in Delhi due to rabies following a dog bite. The court also directed that dogs be detained in pounds, and the dog shelter to be monitored by CCTV mechanism to ensure that no dogs are taken out. P4 6-YR-OLD DIED OF DOG BITE ON JULY 26 The case in which the top court took suo motu cognisance was that of Chavi Sharma, a six-year-old from Delhi’s Pooth Kalan area who was attacked on June 30 by a stray dog. Despite proper treatment, the girl could not be saved and succumbed to the infection. US trade talks on track; India draws red lines P U S H P I TA D E Y & J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi AMID growing uncertainty over the future of trade negotiations with the US, this newspaper has learnt that the visit of the US delegation in the last week of August is on schedule. “There has been no change in the plans of the US delegation visit to India as scheduled on August 24,” confirmed two persons from the Ministry of Commerce. There was speculation about the fate of trade talks after US president Donald Trump recently ruled out talks with India till the tariff issue is resolved. “There has been no communication from the US so far (regarding the cancellation). Their visit is scheduled on August 24 and the meeting has been scheduled in the third week of August,” said an official. The next round of negotiations is to take place in Delhi on August 25—just before an additional 25% tariff on India kicks in, apart from the existing 25% levy . A query sent to the US Trade Representative re- Donald Trump mained unanswered till the time of filing this report. Meanwhile, the government on Monday told members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs that India has certain ‘red lines’ that can’t be crossed in the negotiations with the US. Senior officials, including Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal, briefed the panel. Sources said the government asserted its uncompromising stance on core sectors, especially agriculture and dairy while outlin, ing a strategy to cushion the economic blow through export diversification. “Red lines were clearly flagged,” a source said, “particularly against the US demand to open India’s agri and dairy sectors. There will be no compromise on these.” Top court upholds Madras HC order to axe flagpoles in public places S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi IN an important decision, the Supreme Court has rejected an appeal and upheld the order of the Madras High Court directing political parties and other organisations to remove permanent flagpoles erected by them in public places, in- cluding national highways and government lands. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi pronounced the order recently after hearing an appeal filed by Kathiravan challenging the HC’s judgment. The petitioner’s counsel challenged the direc- tion and argued that the HC had passed a variety of directions though the relief sought in the underlying case was limited. After hearing his submission, Justice Maheshwari asked, “How can you use government land for political benefits?” The court also stressed that the scope of HC jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution is wide in nature, and dismissed the appeal. The root of the litigation is the order passed by Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on January 27, 2025 to remove flagpoles installed by political parties, communal or- ganisations and others in public places within 12 weeks. “After removal of flagpoles, the authorities concerned are directed to recover the cost of removal of flagpoles from the respective political parties,” the judge had said. An appeal filed against the order was rejected by a division bench headed by Justice J Nisha Banu in March. 12-WEEK DEADLINE The Madurai Bench of the HC on January 27, 2025 ordered removal of flagpoles installed by parties.