DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 THE WORLD HARVARD DEFIES TRUMP, HIT WITH $2.2 BN GRANT FREEZE PAGE 17 EXPLAINED STRATEGY & DIPLOMACY TRUMP’S SLEDGEHAMMER PAGE 16 MONEY LAUNDERING PROBE ED names Sonia & Rahul in National Herald chargesheet; Cong says vendetta Normal Range 95 97 Security forces patrol Dhulian area in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, Tuesday. Partha Paul as part of the money laundering probe against Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which publishes the National Herald CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Haryana land deal: ED questions Vadra, he says agencies being misused 108% 96 99 98 96 94 91 93 106% 88 BENGALURU, NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi are majority shareholders of Young Indian, which is under ED scanner. PTI file 110 97 ANJALI MARAR & AMITABH SINHA NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 Before violence in Murshidabad, warning signs on social media RAVIK BHATTACHARYA SHAMSHERGUNJ, APRIL 15 RUMOURS ON WhatsApp groups, fake social media accounts and mass mobilisation came together to form the perfect storm in West Bengal’s Murshidabad, which was rocked by communal violence lastweekinthewakeof the new Waqf law. Followingtheviolence,which claimed three lives, police have blocked 1,093 social media accounts and arrested 221 people. Seniorofficialsfromthestate EXPRESS NETWORK DAY AFTER VIOLENCE, BHANGAR LIMPS BACK TO NORMALCY YOGI: MAMATA GAVE RIOTERS FREE HAND, LATHI IS THE ONLY SOLUTION PAGE 13 police and the district administration, as well as residents The Indian Express spoke to, said that several outfits had called rallies to protest against the new law. The first sign of trouble was on April 8, when protesters clashed with police in Umarpur on National Highway 12 and torched two police jeeps. “When the first incident of violence was recorded, police used tear gas and baton charge to control the situation,” an officer said. But April 11 was different. That day, NH-12 became a war zoneof sorts,withmobsburning buses, private vehicles, police jeeps and kiosks in Sajurmore THE INDIA Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast 105 per cent of the long-period average or normal rainfall in the upcoming June-September monsoon season. If the forecast holds good, this will be the second consecutive year of ‘above normal’ rainfall. Initsfirstlong-rangeforecast for the season, IMD said all the maindriversof Indianmonsoon, including El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, Indian E Why it lifts ● sentiments GOOD MONSOON rains are likely to sustain lower retail inflation, particularly food inflation. This along with lower crude oil prices is likely to aid consumption which has remained lacklustre for several quarters. Ocean Dipole (IOD), and snowcover around the North Pole, were favourable. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 GUJARAT DISTRICT CHIEF WHO PERFORMS WELL WILL BE MADE MINISTER WHEN CONG RETURNS TO POWER: RAHUL AT PARTY MEET PAGE 4 CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 Urdu isn’t alien, born in this land, We should have ability says SC, clears its use in signboard to stand up for our Languageisn’treligion,belongstoapeople:SCinAkolacase interests: Jaishankar ON INDIA’S POSITION ON TARIFFS, TIES MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 THEENFORCEMENTDirectorate (ED) Tuesday questioned Robert Vadra, businessman and husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, for around six hours in connection with a money laundering case linked to a land deal in Shikohpur, Haryana. The agency asked him to join the probeagainat11amWednesday. Vadra, 56, was earlier summoned by the agency on April 8 but he did not appear, following which a second summons was servedTuesday.“Recently,wegot somenewfactsduringourinvestigation and wanted to confront himwiththesefacts.AfterheappearedbeforetheED,theagency recordedhisstatementunderthe Preventionof MoneyLaundering 112% 108% 104% 100% 96% 92% 88% 84% 80% ■ Actualrainfall Seasonalrainfallcategory: <90%:Deficient; 90-96%:Belownormal; 96-104%:Normal; 104-110%:Abovenormal; >110%:Excess Source : IMD MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL & NIRBHAY THAKUR THEENFORCEMENTDirectorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against seven persons, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi andRahulGandhi,inconnection withitsmoneylaunderingprobe in the National Herald case. Callingit“politicsof vendetta and intimidation”, the Congress said it would hold protests outside ED offices on Wednesday. While the chargesheet was filed in a special PMLA court on April 9, Special Judge Vishal Gogne on Tuesday examined it on the point of cognizance and posted the matter for April 25. Last week, the ED had served notices to take possession of immovable assets worth Rs 661 crore — in Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow — that it had attached ■ Predictedrainfall 2024 CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 FORECAST TRACK RECORD 2023 CRITICISINGTHEAllahabadHigh Court’s recent remarks that a rape complainant had “herself invited trouble”, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said judges have to be “careful” while dealing with such cases. While granting bail to an accused in a rape case on March 11, Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh of the Allahabad HC had said the court was “of the view that even if the allegation of the victim is accepted as true, then it can also beconcludedthatsheherself invited trouble and was also responsible for the same.” On Tuesday, the Supreme Court bench of Justices B R Gavai and A G Masih had assembled to hear another case in which it had taken suo motu cognizance of a separate order of the Allahabad HC, dated March 17, in which the HC had observed that grabbing a girl’s breasts and breaking the drawstrings of her pyjama were “notsufficient”toholdthecharges of rape or attempt to rape. “There is another order now byanotherjudge.Yes,bailcanbe granted. But what is this discussion that ‘she herself invited troubleetc’.Onehastobecareful when saying such things, especially on this side (judicial),” Justice Gavai said on Tuesday. “Complete justice should not only be done but also seen to be done. How a common person perceives such orders will also have to be seen,” said Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is assisting the court in the matter. The March 11 order refers to an incident dating back to September 21 last year. According to police sources, the complainant,apostgraduatestudentinNoida,hadgonetoattend a music performance in South Delhi with her friends. She met the accused — who was known to one of her friends — there. In her complaint, she told police that the accused told her he would drop her back to Noida but took her to an apartment in Gurgaon, where he allegedly COMMERCE SECRETARY Sunil Barthwal said Tuesday that the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) talks with the US are focused on the exchange of “right facts” and the “true picture” of trade between the two countries. This comes as US President Donald Conditions favourable, 105% of normal rainfall this monsoon, says forecast 2022 NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PAGES 17, 18 NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 Trumphasconsistentlysoughtto pressurisetradepartners,accusing them of “ripping the US off” on goods trade, but overlooking theadvantagesthatAmericaenjoys in the services sector. “When we engage with the US team, all the facts are on the table, and the negotiations are based on the right facts and the data we exchange with them. That is completely rooted in the 2021 ANANTHAKRISHNAN G CHINA ORDERS AIRLINES TO SUSPEND BOEING JET DELIVERIES INDIA, EU WEIGH EARLY HARVEST TRADE PACT RAVI DUTTA MISHRA & SOUMYARENDRA BARIK 2020 ‘Be careful’: SC objects to Allahabad HC remarks in rape case AMID ESCALATING global trade tensions, the Commerce and Industry Ministry is assessing the risks of significant trade diversion from other countries to India and is particularly concerned about the likely surge in imports of US farm produce and factory goods from China, Vietnam and Indonesia into the country, a government official said on Tuesday. 2019 NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 “A recent assessment highlighted the risk of merchandise dumping intoIndiaduetoreciprocal tariffs amid global trade tensions. Rising US costs may promptexportersfromcountries like China, Vietnam, and Indonesia — all facing US trade deficits—todivertgoodstoIndia, potentially triggering import surges. Additionally, Chinese retaliatorytariffsonUSgoodscould further increase the inflow of US agriculturalproductsintoIndia,” the official said. Unlikeothercountries,China Talks with the US to be based on ‘true picture’ of bilateral trade: Govt EXPLAINED RAVI DUTTA MISHRA & AANCHAL MAGAZINE INSIDE 2018 Identified some countries for intense monitoring, says Commerce Secy Above normal rain likely, says IMD; may spur consumption 2016 Govt fears trade war may trigger import surge of US farm, Chinese factory goods MONSOON FORECAST 2015 BY UNNY TO SUPPORT STAKEHOLDERS, DGFT LAUNCHES GLOBAL TARIFF AND TRADE HELPDESK 2014 BUSINESS AS USUAL `5.00 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 2017 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2025, AHMEDABAD, LATE CITY, 20 PAGES ANANTHAKRISHNAN G NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 PARIMAL A DABHI ANAND, APRIL 15 Robert Vadra outside the ED office on Tuesday. ANI THE CASE FILE EXPLAINED, PAGE 16 Act (PMLA),” a source said. Hoursafterreceivinganotice CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 INDIA IS trying to ensure that its partners, platforms, options and choices are as broad as possible, External Affairs Minister S JaishankarsaidonTuesdayinresponse to a question related to India’s attempts at strengthening its global standing in the shifting world of tariffs and diplomatic alliances. Participatinginaninteractive S Jaishankar in Anand on Tuesday. session with the students of Charotar University of Science and Technology (CHARUSAT) in Anand district, Jaishankar further said that India should have the ability and strength to stand CONTINUEDONPAGE2 UPHOLDING THE use of Urdu on the signboard of a municipal councilbuildinginMaharashtra, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said language is culture and must not become a cause for dividingpeople,andUrdu“isthe finestspecimenof Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, or the Hindustani tehzeeb”. The bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran refused to interfere with the Bombay High Court’s findingthattheuseof Urduisnot prohibited under the Maharashtra Local Authorities (OfficialLanguages)Act,2022,or in any provision of law. A former councillor had filed a petition challenging the use of Urdu on the signboard of the PaturMunicipalCouncilbuilding in Akola district of Maharashtra. “Our misconceptions, perhapsevenourprejudicesagainst a language, have to be courageously and truthfully tested against the reality, which is this great diversity of our nation: our strength can never be our weakness. Let us make friends with Urdu and every language,” the SC said. Thecourtsaiditisa“misconception that Urdu is alien to India”, adding that “it is a language which was born in this land”. Writingforthebench,Justice Dhuliaelaboratedonthebench’s views on Urdu and languages in general. “Language is not religion. Language does not even represent religion. Language belongs to a community, to a region, to a people; and not to a CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 ‘Surat particulate emissions market cuts pollution in industrial plants by up to 30%’ PAGE 1 ANCHOR NIKHIL GHANEKAR NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 THE WORLD'S first-ever market for trading in particulate matter emissions — launched in Gujarat's Surat in 2019 through partnerships with researchers from the University of Chicago, Yale University, and Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (JPAL) — has reduced pollution by 20-30% among participating industries while lowering their compliance costs, according to a recent study published in The Quarterly Journal of Economics. The Surat Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) seeks to curb air pollution by allowing industrial plantstobuyandsellpermitsfor particulate matter emissions to stay within a fixed pollution limit.Acapissetonthetotalpollution limit that the plants have to meet. Those that stay within the limit can sell their unused permits to others that exceed theirs. This approach, known globally as a cap-and-trade system, has been used in Europe for greenhouse gases and in China for carbon emissions. The Surat ETS is run by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) in collaboration with the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), JPAL, Yale University and industry associations. Surat was chosen for the pilot market as it is a highly industrialised city where industrial pollution contributes nearlyathirdof theambientparticulate matter, the study says. A cluster of industrial plants inSurattradedpermitsonaplatform hosted by the National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange e-Markets Limited (NeML). Plants that failed to comply with emission caps or The Surat Emission Trading Scheme seeks to curb air pollution by allowing industrial plants to buy and sell permits for emissions to stay within a fixed limit. File permitrequirementswerefined. Arandomisedcontrolledtrial (RCT), conducted between April 2019 and March 2021, studied 162 plants randomly assigned to participate in the emissions market and 155 others that continued to follow existing particulate matter regulations. The plants participating in the market were predominantly from the textile sector. The study was conducted by researchers from EPIC, Yale University, and the University of Warwick. ItfoundthatplantsintheETS reduced emissions significantly more than those under conven- tional regulation, and had permitstocovertheiremissions99% of thetime.Theseplantscutparticulate matter emissions by 2030%, while also lowering pollutioncontrolcostsby11%,thereby improving compliance. In contrast, plants outside the market failed to meet pollution norms fornearlyathirdof thestudyperiod. “The market delivered a rare win-win-winbyreducingpollution, decreasing abatement costs, and raising the government's success at enforcing the law. And it did all this in a setting where there was great scepticism that pollution markets could work,” said study co-authorMichaelGreenstone,Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics at the University of Chicago. The researchers tracked pollutionreductionsusingacontinuous online monitoring system installed before the market’s launch, along with trading and compliance records. Prior to the rollout, mock trials were held to train participants in trading and compliance protocols.Initially,theemissions cap was set at 280 tons per month, based on estimates assuming plants operated at full CONTINUEDONPAGE15 Ahmedabad