NEW DELHI 09 NOVEMBER 2025 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard https://epaper.morningstandard.in PLUS: 12 PAGES The Good Mafia and Their Climate Cartel MAGAZINE MALEVOLENT MARAUDER EXCLUSIVE VOICES Finding Your Way in the Labyrinth CASUAL VS DILIGENT ON ROPING IN MANJHI HIMACHAL Pradesh BJP MLA Hans Raj has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after a woman in her early twenties accused him of assaulting her when she was a minor. The 42-year old legislator from Churah Assembly constituency in Chamba district was booked under Section 6 of the POCSO Act and Section 69 (sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). A senior police officer said that a case was registered under the POCSO Act at the women’s police station in Chamba. “Her statement was recorded before a magistrate, and a medical exam was conducted,” he said. An FIR was lodged against Hans Raj on November 6 for kidnapping, wrongful confinement, assault, and criminal intimidation on the complaint of the survivor’s father, who accused the MLA and his aides of forcibly taking his daughter to Shimla and threatening them of dire consequences. Himachal Pradesh Women’s Commission chairperson Vidya Negi sought a report from police. Hans Raj is the third BJP leader from the state facing sexual assault charges in the last one month. On October 11, 81-year old Ram Kumar Bindal, brother of HP BJP president Rajiv Bindal, was arrested for allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman. On October 14, a rape case was registered on Brijeshwar, son o f fo r m e r S h i m l a M P Virender Kashyap. A Phoenix for a Burning Nation The Stillness of Kings AMMA SPEAKS Mettle to the Metal ASHRATH Manjhi’s new house has a visitor. A surprise political visitor. Not the one you would have expected if you knew the prequel to this story . But it’s the sequel that can contain clues to the difference between India’s two national parties. Yes, the man who moved mountains in life can move politics even in death—though not as much as he would have liked. Who’s Dashrath Manjhi? For those who somehow missed out, he’s the man who cut through a mountain all on his own, with a hammer and chisel, over 22 years. His wife had died because medical care was 70 km away by road, though just over the mountain in reality He swore that such a fate should . never befall anyone again. And kept his word. Town is now just a kilometre away from his Gehlaur village. He was feted belatedly as the ‘Mountain Man’, a postage stamp was issued in his name, films were made about SANTWANA his life—a documentary, a BHATTACHARYA Hindi movie, even a couple EDITOR of Kannada films. But the destitution had not changed. When Dashrath died, in 2007, home was still a thatched-roof hut. The lot of many among his ‘Mahadalit’ community of Musahars, and millions of others in Bihar. Then came Rahul Gandhi. It was revealed a few months ago that the Congress leader had quietly — without any fanfare or publicity, without even being asked — sponsored a fiveroom pucca house for the Manjhi family Me. dia briefly hailed the Good Samaritan act, then forgot all about it. Bihar had much more compelling business to attend to. There was the SIR, Rahul’s own yatra in the run-up to a hotly contested assembly election. A sidelight there was that Rahul had come visiting Gehlaur again. Bhagirath Manjhi, Dashrath’s sixty-something son, was the one who had invited him for his first visit. That time Bhagirath had not asked for any favour. This time he did. He wanted a Congress ticket to contest the election. Rahul assured him one. It made eminent sense too. The Congress was now speaking up for Dalit rights with a new force. What better way to illustrate it than to have Dashrath’s son contesting under its flag? Come candidate selection time, Bhagirath went to Delhi, camped for four days. What came next was the usual Congress self-goal. Party apparatchiks denied him a ticket. When we visit Gehlaur, along the road that Dashrath built, this new pucca house — as we said — has a visitor. It’s an “MLA from Chhattisgarh”. Some tangible discomfort at encountering us, and a hasty exit ensued. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressing poll rallies in Bihar on Saturday | PTI KEY BILLS P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi Among the bills likely to be taken up are the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the J&K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, which proposes the removal of top government functionaries under arrest for 30 days THE outcome of Bihar’s assembly elections is expected to dominate the the Winter Session of Parliament, which will be held from December 1 to 19. The Opposition is also planning to up the ante on the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the alleged vote theft in Haryana and Maharashtra. Though there is no joint Opposition strategy on SIR so far, Opposition-ruled states Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala have intensified their protest against the exercise. All parties will come together to oppose the SIR during the session, said an Opposition leader. Speaking to the media, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the key issue will be the SIR. “The Prime Minister’s silence on Trump’s statements is a major issue. The current relationship with China is unresolved... There hasn’t been a border agreement with China. We haven’t returned to the previous situation. Negotiations are being held between the two countries based on the new normal that China has established. Besides, there are many such issues regarding the rate of economic growth, GDP unemploy, ment. There is no shortage of issues. We keep issuing notices again and again, but no action is ever taken on them. The government does whatever it wants,” Ramesh said. This session is set to be one of the shortest since 2014. The previous winter session ran from November 25 to December 20. Opposition parties rapped the government for ‘curtailed’ session. Ramesh said the session is “an unusually delayed and truncated one”. “It will be just 15 working days. What is the message being conveyed? Clearly, the government has no business to transact, no Bills to get passed, and no debates to be allowed.” Echoing the view, TMC leader Derek O’Brien said the government is avoiding parliamentary scrutiny . “15-day Winter Session announced. Setting dubious records. Parliament-ophobia. PM Narendra Modi and team continue to suffer from the acute condition called Parliament-ophobia, a morbid fear of facing Parliament,” he wrote on X. The last session of Parliament had as many as 21 sittings spread over 32 days, during which 12 bills were passed by the Lok Sabha and 15 by the Rajya Sabha. P8 City chokes under dense haze, pollution stir today I F R A H M U F T I @ New Delhi AS temperatures begin to fall in the city its air quality , has worsened, plunging deeper into the “very poor” category on Saturday. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, the city recorded an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 335 on Saturday morning, compared to 322 on Friday The AQI had touched . 361 in the evening. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed that Delhi was the most polluted urban centre in the country on Friday . The situation has triggered a public outcry Licypri. ya Kangujam, a young climate activists from Manipur, who will be in Delhi on Sunday to join the mass protest against air pollution at India Gate, said, “Delhi’s air pollution is the true symbol of the failure of our leaders and the system. Instead of blaming each other, the government should enact a strong climate policy to make a permanent solution.” Canada got intel on Nijjar’s killing from UK spies: Report CONTINUED ON P8 RAMASWAMY GETS TRUMP’S BACKING IN OHIO GOVERNOR RACE US President threw his weight behind Indian-origin Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, saying he will be a “great” governor of Ohio. Ramaswamy had an unsuccessful run during the Republican presidential primary last year. Later, he endorsed Trump | P9 MAGSAYSAY WINNER Educate Girls founder Safeena Husain, centre, poses for pictures with others in Manila, Philippines, on Saturday after the Indian non-profit received the Ramon Magsaysay Award | PTI NEW DELHI: A new docu- pre-approved officials. The inmentary has claimed that tercepted calls were reportBritish spy call intercepts edly between individuals helped Canada draw alleged believed to be working for the links between India and the Indian gover nment and 2023 killing of Khalistani sep- referred to three “targets” — aratist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, British activist ‘Inside the Deaths that Avtar Singh Khanda, and USRocked India’s Relations with based Gurpatwant Singh Panthe West’, produced by nun — followed by discusBloomberg Originals, reports sions suggesting Nijjar’s that the UK’s Government “elimination.” Communications Khanda died in BirHeadquarters (GCHQ) mingham in June 2023 intercepted conversafrom blood cancer, tions mentioning though British authree individuals — thorities ruled out including Nijjar, who foul play. Following was declared a terrorthe film’s release, the ist by India in 2020. Sikh Federation UK Hardeep The intelligence was wrote to Security MinSingh Nijjar allegedly shared with ister Dan Jarvis seekCanada under the Five ing clarity on why Eyes alliance of the UK, US, such intelligence was withC a n a d a , Au s t r a l i a a n d held. Pannun, also designated New Zealand. a terrorist by India, is shown According to the documen- in the film claiming he fears tary British intelligence pro- for his life. , vided Ottawa with a sensitive India has rejected Canadifile in July 2023, hand-deliv- an allegations as ‘absurd and ered and restricted to a few motivated’. PTI Kerala’s first Catholic nun, Mother Eliswa, beatified A N N A J O S E @ Kochi IN a long-awaited moment for the sisters of the Congregation of the Teresian Carmelites and the residents of Ochanthuruth village in Kerala’s Ernakulam, thousands of faithful gathered on Saturday at the Vallarpadam Basilica to witness the beatification of Mother Eliswa, the first nun of the Catholic Church in Kerala. Cardinal Sebastian Francis, special representative of Pope Leo XIV and bishop of Penang, Malaysia, officially proclaimed Mother Eliswa as blessed. The cardinal read out the declaration issued by the pontiff in Latin. In his entreaty, the metropolitan of Verapoly archdiocese, Joseph Kalathiparambil, said, “Mother Eliswa’s holy, courageous, and unwavering life of faith and love will be an inspiration to many .” Speaking after the proclama- Now, Ujjwala in slum clusters to check toxic air A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi THE Delhi government has directed the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to conduct a survey across all slum areas to identify families still using traditional stoves or coal-fired heaters. CM Rekha Gupta said Ujjwala Yojana benefits will be extended to such families to help them transition to cleaner cooking fuel, in a move to control pollution. She said teams of officials are already on the ground, taking action against pollution sources and implementing targeted measures to clean identified hotspots. Based on the findings of the survey, the government will prepare a list of families still dependent on traditional fuels and prioritise them for Ujjwala gas connections. The government said that pollution control cannot be limited to industrial or vehicular sectors alone, it also requires intervention at the domestic level. Smoke emitted from stoves and coal burners in slum areas not only pollutes the air but also poses serious health hazards to residents. EXPRESS READ ROAD TO SAINTHOOD Oswald Cardinal Gracias (R) unveils the devotional image of Mother Eliswa in Kochi as Cardinal Sebastian Francis and Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli look on | T P SOORAJ How to Smile in the Face of Sadness Opposition hits out at govt over short session of Parliament D H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh Devdutt Pattanaik Prabhu Chawla Anu Aggarwal Shankkar Aiyar Ravi Shankar Namrata Joshi Utkarsh Amitabh Bihar, SIR to dominate Dec 1-19 Winter Session DIFFERENT STROKES Himachal BJP MLA booked under POCSO Act Portrait of an Ordinary Man tion, Cardinal Sebastian said, “So today, with immense joy and gratitude, we rejoice to witness this historic moment for the global Carmelite family for the archdiocese of , Verapoly for the church , of Kerala, for India, for Asia, and for the universal church.” The bells of the church were rung as the cardinal announced the beatification. Cardinal Dr Oswald Gracias unveiled the image of Blessed Mother Eliswa. And, her relics were placed on the altar. Eliswa was declared a servant of God in March 2008 and was proclaimed venerable in November 2023. On April 14, 2025, Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of Mother Eliswa. Born on October 15, 1831, Eliswa was the first of eight children of Thomman and Thanda, of the Vyppissery Capithan family of Ochanthuruth. CANADA 3 deported for targeting Punjabis The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has deported three foreign nationals over extortion threats, shootings, and violence targeting Indianorigin Punjabi businesses in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. The agency has also initiated probes into 78 foreign nationals who may be inadmissible to the country. Officials said the removals represent a step in efforts to dismantle organized networks.