NEW DELHI 12 APRIL 2026 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard BALLADS AND BULLETS https://epaper.morningstandard.in PLUS: 12 PAGES Art in Residence MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE VOICES Devdutt Pattanaik Ravi Shankar Prabhu Chawla Balaji Vittal Shankkar Aiyar Ajai Sahni Madhavan Narayanan Beware of Snoop Dog ‘I Don’t Have to Prove Myself to Anyone’ Elon’s Electric Shocks Carry on, Doctor AMMA SPEAKS The Ultimate Science The Salt of the Earth World waits and watches as direct US-Iran talks get underway in Pak Iran’s Araghchi says Iran will retaliate if attacked again, US side focusses on getting Strait freed A G E N C I E S @ Islamabad U-turn on same stipend for all med undergrads K A V I TA B A J E L I - D AT T @ New Delhi THE Centre appears to be backtracking on bringing pay parity for all undergraduate medical interns — in gover nment and private medical colleges. Earlier, the Union health ministry had twice written to the National Medical Commission (NMC) on “examining” the issue of pay parity . And NMC had accepted that there is no stipend parity . The next step was for the NMC to amend provision of the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations, 2021, which states that “all interns shall be paid stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/ University or State.” As for the Post-Graduate Medical Education (PGME) Regulation-2023, there is no distinction between interns working in government or private medical colleges. The Supreme Court had on October 28, 2025 slammed the NMC for “dragging its feet” on non-payment of stipend to interns. However, a recent RTI reply by the Medical Education Policy Section (MEP) under the health ministry said, “All matters relating to framing, amendment, and implementation of medical education regulations fall within the domain of NMC....Therefore, in view of the above, no further action is required to be taken by the MEP Section in the matter, as the subject falls within the domain of the National Medical Commission (NMC).” The MEP had on April 2 responded to a query on pay parity by RTI activist, Dr KV Babu. Speaking with this paper, Dr Babu said, “Though the government initially took a proactive decision to amend CRMI regulations in line with PGME regulations, the nominated, almost vacant, Undergraduate Medical Education Board is not inclined to amend the norms for stipend.” ‘DABBA’ CODED METHODS Terrorists in Punjab are using two coded methods—‘dabba calling’ & ‘dead letter box’— to execute their plots | P8 AMERICAN and Iranian officials were holding face-to-face talks in Pakistan on Saturday, the most significant since the 1979 Islamic revolution as the foes try to end a war that plunged West Asia into violence and rocked the world economy . The trilateral direct negotiations were taking place with host Pakistan in capital Islamabad, a senior White House official said, a departure from recent practice where both sides held talks via a mediator while seated in separate rooms. Al-Jazeera reported that the talks had resumed after a dinner break. The US delegation was being led by Vice President J D Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s sonin-law Jared Kushner, the official said, making it the highest level of American contact since the Islamic republic was established. The Iranian delegation, composed of more than 70 members, was being led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, joined by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. They had earlier decided to begin talks Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prior to their meeting in Islamabad on Saturday | PTI with their US counterparts after meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to Iranian media reports. Iran and the United States outlined competing proposals ahead of the talks. Iran’s 10-point proposal called for a guaranteed end to the war and sought control over the Strait of Hormuz. It included ending fighting against Iran’s “regional allies,” explicitly DAY 43 calling for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah apart from, quite importantly, unfreezing of sanctioned Iranian assets. The United States’ 15-point proposal includes restricting Iran’s nuclear program and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. In a related development, Mohammad Reza Aref, Iran’s first vice president, said the peace talks could produce a deal if the American side worked in the in- terest of the US in sync with President Donald Trump’s America First approach. “However, if we face representatives of ‘Israel First’, there will be no deal,” he said in a social media post. Iran doubled down on parts of its earlier proposal, telling Iranian state television it had presented some ideas as “red lines” in meetings with Sharif. Those included reparation for US-Israeli strikes and releasing Iran’s frozen assets. Aref cautioned that the world will face “greater costs” if there was no peace deal. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the American side has agreed to release Iran’s frozen assets. However, there is no confirmation yet. On Saturday Trump said on so, cial media that the US had begun “clearing out” the strait, but it was unclear whether he was referring to the reported use of mines there or Iran’s broader ability to control the area. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was entering negotiations with “deep distrust”, and said Iran was totally prepared to retaliate if attacked again. AP& AFP EXPRESS READ Asha Bhosle suffers heart attack, in hosp Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle suffered a heart attack on Saturday and was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. Her condition is critical, though her family is yet to react. The 92-year-old singer had pulmonary issues. Bhosle, with a career spanning eight decades, is the younger sister of Lata Mangeshkar. Some of her popular songs are ‘Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko’, and ‘Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar’. Biometric attendance must for all officers The Delhi government has directed all departments to install biometric attendance systems, making it must for all employees, including additional chief secretaries and principal secretaries, to mark their presence at 9.30 am daily. The move comes after CM Rekha Gupta conducted a surprise inspection at the State GST office on Wednesday. Until now, only junior officials were required to use biometric systems. P3 100% ROAD TAX WAIVER FOR EVs PRICED UP TO `30L A D I T I R AY C H O W D H U R Y @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, J P Nadda and Speaker Om Birla in Delhi on Saturday | PTI Rare bonhomie as PM Modi asks Rahul about his mother’s health RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi POLITICAL civility between netas of opposite camps in the Parliament complex isn’t as visible as it was in the past. But on Saturday on the sidelines of , a function at Prerna Sthal within the Parliament premises to mark Mahatma Jyotiba Phule’s 200th birth anniversary, there was a rare and interesting exchange. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had come to pay his respects at the event. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Minister J P Nadda, and several others were already present. So was Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. When the prime minister arrived and spotted Rahul in the gathering, he did not simply nod and move on. He walked over, greeted him, and asked about the health of his mother. “How is Sonia ji?” the prime minister was heard asking. Those standing nearby caught the exchange. Rahul apparently hadn’t expected the query There was a brief mo. ment of surprise. But he responded quickly apprising the , PM about his mother’s health, her recent hospitalisation in Delhi, and how she was subsequent convalescence. Sonia was recently admitted at a Delhi hospital and recently discharged. Even though Modi and Rahul spoke for a few minutes, the conversation was unhurried, the kind you might exchange with someone you have known for years under different circumstances. Ministers and officials, including Nadda and Birla, looked on with interest, and perhaps surprise, at such an unusual moment between the country’s two major leaders. For a brief while, they seemed removed from the sharp edges of political rivalry and one-upmanship, especially during poll time. THE Delhi government on Saturday released its new draft electric vehicle policy and said that all cars registered in the national capital with an ex-showroom price of `30 lakh or less would be granted 100% exemption on road tax and registration fees till March 31, 2030. The draft Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2026-2030 proposed a 50% exemption for strong hybrid EVs. “Electric cars with exshowroom price above `30 lakh registered in Delhi shall not be granted any exemption from road tax and registration fees,” the draft stated. It also said that from January 1, 2027, new registrations of only electric three-wheelers shall be permitted in Delhi. “The policy seeks to accelerate electric vehicle adoption, improve air quality and create a supportive ecosystem for electric mobility The . policy will be applicable from the date of the notification,” the draft stated. The government has invited feedback and com- 2-wheeler subsidy The draft policy says people buying electric two-wheelers may get a subsidy of up to `30,000 in the first year from the date of notification. The ex-factory price of the vehicle must not exceed `2.25 lakh. ments on the draft policy from the public within the next 30 days. “No objections or suggestions received after the expiry of the given period shall be considered,” an official circular stated. Launched in August 2020 as one of the key initiatives of the previous AAP government, the EV policy aims to tackle vehicular pollution and promote the adoption of EVs in the city The policy’s . initial three-year term ended in August 2023 and the government had been extending it since then. According to the circular, the policy aims to reduce air pollution and promote clean mobility in the national capital by accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles. In addition to that, the policy is also inspired by the Right to Clean Air under Article 21 of the Constitution. P3 Ghaziabad will get aerocity, int’l cricket stadium N A M I TA B A J PA I @ Lucknow GHAZIABAD is set for a major transformation as the Uttar Pradesh government has approved an international cricket stadium and aerocity project worth Rs `2,200 crore in the district. As a result, the western UP is set to get its first international cricket stadium. According to Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) Vice-Chairman Nand Kishore Kalal, under the proposed plan in Rajnagar Extension (Morti area), the international cricket stadium will be developed on 37 acres at a cost of `400 crore. Around it, an aerocity will be built over an area of 380 acres with an estimated investment of `1,800 crore, Kalal said. The facilities at the proposed stadium will match international standards, said officials. “It will have seating capacity for more than 30,000 people, along with a media centre and high-tech lighting system. With its completion, western UP will get the opportunity to host major international matches. The aerocity would be the biggest strength of the project, Kalal said, adding, “It will include hotels, luxury resorts, shopping malls, retail zones, hitech business hubs, office spaces and entertainment centres.” ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Parents don’t watch him live as Ayush creates history A N M O L G U R U N G @ Chennai AS Ayush Shetty was making history in China on Saturday, his parents were staying away from live action. It was a conscious choice. Call it superstition or belief this ritual has become a norm for the family ever since he started playing international events. Instead, they were just doing their prayers and hoping for the best. His mother Shalmili has been part of every victory and loss during his early days. She has been his constant company while travelling across the Young Ayush Shetty with paretns and sister Aadhya | SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT country trying to make a mark. Yet, when Ayush graduated to international arena, his parents are yet to watch him live. “We don’t watch his live matches. Whatever matches are on, we just pray to God and sit. We never watch live matches. We watch the highlights later. This mostly started after he started playing international matches. We didn’t watch his world junior win too, only highlights,” Shalmili told this daily . “The academy (Centre of Excellence, where Ayush trains) also always asks us ‘you want to watch, you want to travel with him’,” she said. Shalmili’s prayers were answered on Saturday Ayush dis. covered water in the desert at the ongoing Asian Championships in Ningbo. Most of his smashes were on points. By the time the semifinal contest reached the business end, the usually-assured World No 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn could be seen scrambling to stay alive. After a captivating 75-minute contest, Ayush won 10-21, 21-19, 21-17. He is now the first from the country to reach the final (men’s singles) since 1965. She recaleld all those days when she had to shift to Bengaluru and raise Ayush and sister alone. “We had to adjust and it was not easy she said. P11 ,” HISTORIC MOMENT Artemis II astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch pose after splashdown and recovery operations in the Pacific Ocean after their moon orbit, the first by humans in more than 50 years, in San Diego, California, USA | NASA/PTI | P9