DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2024, KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 14 PAGES ASSANGE SET TO BE FREED AFTER U.S. ESPIONAGE CHARGE PLEA DEAL ISRAEL COURT RULES ARMY MUST DRAFT ULTRA-ORTHODOX JEWS PAGE 10 CRPF plans to raise mountain battalions to take on terror across J&K MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL NEW DELHI, JUNE 25 AGAINST THE backdrop of an uptick in terror attacks, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) plans to raise Mountain Battalions in Jammu and Kashmir, starting with training the existing battalions in mountainwarfaretoimprovetheiroperational efficiency, The Indian Express has learnt. On June 16, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had chaired a high-level meeting at North Block to review the security situation in J&K and take stock of preparedness for the Amarnath Yatra, which is set to begin on June 29. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha were among those in attendance. The CRPF is learnt to have highlighted during the meeting its proposal to create 659 posts for their Mountain Battalions. “After monitoring their (terrorists’) regular activities, it has been observed that over a period, they have moved from urban areas to the terrain of forests at higher reaches. Since they are changing their modus operandi, security establishments also have to reinvigorate their plans as per the current scenario,” a senior official said. J&K Zone is one of the largest zones under the CRPF’s jurisdiction, comprising six sectors where 80 operational battalions are deployed. On June 24, in a communication to the J&K range, it was informed that the CRPF Director Generalhasinstructedthatwork begin on raising Mountain Battalionstoconductoperations in higher reaches. “For a start, an existingbattalionmaybetrained in mountain warfare. For strengthening of intelligence setup,theproposalof creationof 659 posts is under active consideration in the Ministry of Home Affairs and once approved, will address the concerns. Furthermore, proposals for long CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 SPORT AFGHANISTAN ENTER T20 WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL PAGE 13 A CONTEST AFTER 26 YEARS, BOTH SIDES MOBILISE THEIR MPs SETBACK FOR DELHI CM Cong insisted on Dy Speaker post, did not accept Rajnath word on discussion later Trial court granted bail without going through entire material on record: HC Birla vs Suresh for Speaker post after NDA and Opp fail to reach consensus NEW DELHI, JUNE 25 LIZ MATHEW & MANOJ C G NEW DELHI, JUNE 25 PARLIAMENT APPEARED headed for a rare contest for the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post Wednesday after the government and Opposition failed to build a consensus Tuesday. The INDIA bloc, which demanded commitment from the government on choosing a Deputy Speaker from the Opposition ranks – as per convention – went ahead and announced its candidate for Speaker after the government pushed back on the issue. While the NDA renominated BJP MP Om Birla, who was Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha, for the post, the INDIA bloc fielded eight-time Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh. With the numbers on the NDA’s side, Birla is expected to win. Even the YSRCP, which has four MPs and is the TDP’s rival in Andhra Pradesh, has indicated that it is likely to support Birla’s candidature. Given that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken of “consensus” just a day earlier, sources said the BJP hopes to avoid a contest. If not, it expects to “expose” the Opposition’s numbers, including the “cracks within its ranks”. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Union Home Minister Amit Shah with NDA partners during the filing of nomination in support of BJP MP Om Birla for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker on Tuesday. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is seated behind. PTI E The divide ● deepens THE STRAINED government and Opposition ties will take another hit in case of election to the Speaker’s post. Only thrice has voting taken place for the post — 1952, 1967 and 1976. Twice, in 1991 and 1998, the Opposition's resolution in favour of its candidates was negated by a voice vote. AYUSHMAN BHARAT WELLNESS CENTRE Rebranding as mandir may foster adverse sentiments: Mizoram, Nagaland push back Both states cite Christian faith and civil society to oppose renaming ANONNA DUTT NEW DELHI, JUNE 25 THE CENTRE’S decision to rename the flagship Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre as Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs(AAM)hasfacedapushback from the North-eastern statesof MizoramandNagaland. Citingthe“sentiments”of society and the church, these two states expressed concerns and requested exemption from this renaming exercise, show records. These states continue to use the previous nomenclature of a“healthandwellnesscentre” as they await a word from the Centre on their objection. Last year, the Union Health Ministry decided to rebrand its flagship Ayushman Bharat health and wellness centres — the network of 1.6 lakh primary HC stays Kejriwal bail in ED case, CBI knocks on his door EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE EXPLAINED THE WORLD `6.00 (`12 IN NORTH EAST STATES & ANDAMAN) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 health centres across the country. These centres are now known as Ayushman Arogya Mandir, bearing the tagline “Arogyam Parmam Dhanam” (health is the greatest wealth). This change was first communicated to the states in November via a letter from the Mission Director of the National Health Mission, L S Changsan. Without much fanfare, the Centre, subsequently, made the changes to its website. InJanuarythisyear,Mizoram askedforanexemption.“Iwould like to express my concern regarding the instructions for rebranding of existing Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) as Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM),” Principal Secretary Esther Lal Ruatkimi wrote to then Union Health Secretary. “As you are aware, Mizoram CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Rahul to be Leader of Opp in Lok Sabha: ‘Will raise voice of people’ P7 ASAD REHMAN NEW DELHI, JUNE 25 THE CONGRESS announced on Tuesday evening that senior party leader and MP Rahul Gandhi will be the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha. Announcing the decision after a meeting of the INDIA bloc floor leaders at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence, THE EXPRESS INTERVIEW KODIKUNNIL SURESH CONGRESS MP, SPEAKER CANDIDATE party general secretary incharge of organisation K C Venugopal said CPP chairperson SoniaGandhihadwrittentoprotem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, informing him about the decision. “Other office-bearerswillbedecidedlater,”hesaid. This will be the first time in 10 years that the Lok Sabha will have a Leader of Opposition. The Congress failed to get the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 UP Govt clears Britannia not leaving Bengal, Tata Sons plan says TMC govt amid suspense to build temple over Kolkata factory’s fate museum ATRI MITRA in Ayodhya KOLKATA, JUNE 25 Politically EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE LUCKNOW, JUNE 25 THE UTTAR Pradesh government Tuesday approved a proposal from the Tata Sons to build a museum of temples in Ayodhya from its corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund. To be called the Indian Temple Museum, it will be built at a cost of Rs 650 crore in ManjhaJamtharavillageinSadar tehsilof Ayodhya.AnotherRs100 crore will be spent on developingbasicinfrastructureatthesite. Providing details of the UP cabinetapprovalof theTataSons proposal, state Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh said land for the museum will be provided on a 90-year lease by the tourism department at a nominal rate of Re 1 a year. According to the UP government,thestatecabinetapproved the proposal to sign a tripartite MoU involving the Union Ministry of Culture, UP government and Tata Sons to build and run the temple museum. The UP Principal Secretary, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 IN THE wake of Britannia Industries Limited announcing thatall120-oddpermanentemployees at its Taratala factory in Kolkata have accepted the VRS (voluntary retirement scheme) offer, the West Bengal governmentonTuesdaysaidtalksof the leading Indian multinational food products company leaving the state were unfounded. motivated propaganda: Amit Mitra “BritanniaisnotleavingWest Bengal. It is politically motivated propaganda that the food company is leaving the state. They (Britannia Industries) are very much in West Bengal and soon CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 HOURS AFTER the Delhi High Court allowed the application of theEnforcementDirectorateand stayed the June 20 trial court order granting bail to Delhi Chief MinisterArvindKejriwalinanalleged money laundering case, the CBI prepared the grounds to arrest him in the Delhi excise policycaseitisinvestigatingseparately. Sources said the CBI questioned Kejriwal in Tihar Jail Tuesday – arrested by the ED on March 21, he is currently lodged there–andwillapproachaDelhi court Wednesday to seek his custody. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, in a video post, alleged: “Just when there was a chance that CM Arvind Kejriwal was likely to get bail from the Supreme Court, the BJP-led Centre has hatched a conspiracy with the CBI… to file a false case and get him placed under arrest… The entire country is witnessing this crime, this atrocity by the Centre.” On Tuesday, Justice Sudhir BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY Kumar Jain of Delhi High Court stayed the trial court order granting bail to Kejriwal, saying the vacation judge did so “without going through and appreciatingtheentirematerialbrought on record by the rival parties which reflects perversity” in the June 20 order. Justice Jain, who had reserved his verdict on June 21 on the ED application for a stay, made it clear that nothing in his order should be taken as an opinion or observation on the merits of the ED’s main petition CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Moscow & Delhi work on PM visit to Russia, first since Ukraine war July 8-9 likely date; Putin aide says actively preparing for visit by Modi EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, JUNE 25 NEWDELHIandMoscowareexploring a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 8-9. Sources said preparations are underway for the possible visit, but there has been no official confirmation from either side about the visit. TheTribuneTuesdayreported that Modi will undertake a “quick day-long trip” to Moscow on July 8. This will be Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to Russia after it attacked Ukraine in February 2022, and is significant given India’s tactful diplomacy on ties with Moscow and the West in the backdrop of their hostility. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin. File Modi had last visited Russia in 2019, when he had gone to Vladivostok for the 20th IndiaRussia Annual Summit. News agency PTI quoted a CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA Barely days to go for new codes but official translations are still pending, states wait DAMINI NATH, KIRAN PARASHAR & SHAJU PHILIP NEW DELHI, BENGALURU, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JUNE 25 IN FIVE days, in a move that will overhaul the country’s criminal laws, the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second)Sanhita,2023(thenew IPC); the Bharatiya Nagarik NEW CRIMINAL CODE THE COUNTDOWN Suraksha(Second)Sanhita,2023 (the new CrPC); and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Act, 2023 (the new Evidence Act), – are set to be operationalised. Even as states prepare for the implementation, organising trainingsessionsforbureaucrats, judges and police personnel, a keyconcernremains:theselaws are yet to be officially notified in regional languages. From Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to Odisha and West Bengal, local translations will be crucial to ensure people can access this at the police station level,thetrialcourtsandprisons. ItislearntthattheCentrehad written to states in March, three months after the laws had been passed, to translate them to scheduled languages. The Hindi and English versions of the law received the President’s assent CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Death on farm sheds light on hard lives of illegal Indian migrants in Italy PAGE 1 ANCHOR SUNANDA MEHTA PUNE, JUNE 25 ALL THROUGH last weekend, Gurmukh Singh, 52, was busy finalising the details of a protest march he is organising on Tuesday, at Lazio, a region in Central Italy. The march is both to pay tributes to Satnam Singh, a 31-year-old Indian farm labourerwhodiedinanaccident at a melon farm on June 19, and to highlight the hazardous work conditions of undocumented Indian migrants in Italy. Satnam Singh, an illegal migrant from Moga in Punjab, was killed after he was sucked into a heavy machine on the farm, leaving him with a severed arm andcrushedlegs,afterwhichhis employerallegedlydumpedhim outside his house and fled. Gurmukh, head of the Indian community in Lazio, has appealed to immigrant farm labourers in the region to stop work after 2 pm on June 25 and assemble at the main bus stand in the city of Latina for the protest march. Gurmukh says he sees his ownstoryinSatnam's.For,itwas some three decades ago that GurmukharrivedinItalyfromhis village near Jalandhar as an undocumented labourer and was soon trapped in a quagmire of debt and exploitation. Little has changed since then or in the 50odd years since Indian immigrants started making their way to the dairies and farmlands of Europeinthehopeof abetterlife. “Things were even worse then because we had no means of communicatingwithourfamilies or with each other. We lived inside our homes — mostly discarded caravans — and didn’t daretoventureoutforfearof be- SikhworkersatadairyfarmatCalabriainItaly. Alessandra Corrado ing found out. I was luckier than mostasIhadabetterownerwho got my papers sorted out and in six years, I became a legal immigrant. Fifteen years ago, I left the farms and set up my own shop,” says Gurmukh. It's the kind of reversal of fortunes that Satnam Singh, too, would have hoped for himself when he arrived in Napoli three yearsagothroughtheillegalroute, lured by agents with stories of a lifeofplentyinoneofthemostdeveloped countries of the world. But it ended disastrously for Satnam. On June 17, while working on his owner's farm in Agro Pontino, a rural part of Lazio that's two hours from Rome, he was caught in the grip of a machine that's set up to gather the swathes of cloth used for covering the harvested melon. As the machine sucked him in, Satnam's arm was wrenched off and his legs were crushed. “Writhing in pain, he called out to his fellow labourers. The owner panicked, ordered Satnam to be put into one of the crates,puthisseveredarminanother crate and drove him towards his house. He then dumped him in front of the gate with the crate of severed arm and sped away. His wife ran screaming to her neighbours for help. By the time an air ambulancearrivedandhewasairlifted to hospital, he had lost a lot of blood. Two days later, he died in Rome,” recounts Gurmukh. Police have filed a case against the Italian owner over potential charges of manslaughter and failure to assist a person in danger. For now, Satnam's wife has been given special residence permit. “Satnam is the 100th migrant worker who has died in Italy this year,” says Carlo Caprioglio, researcherandaggregatelecturerof the Legal Clinic on Migration and AsylumatRomaTreUniversityin CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Kolkata