DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA ● REG.NO. MCS/067/2018 - 20 RNI REGN. NO. 1543/57 JOURNALISM OF COURAGE THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2024, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES `5.00 ● WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 11/04/2024 136 164 205 60 BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY FacingEDscrutiny,Delhiministerquits, saysAAPmiredingraft,norighttorule The ‘missing’ 7: As AAP hits the streets, most of its 10 MPs are not on ground AAP says BJP out to break its MLAs; his conscience prevailed: BJP response JATIN ANAND & MALLICA JOSHI NEW DELHI, APRIL 10 IN A setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi, its social welfare minister, Raaj Kumar Anand, resigned fromboththeparty andthegovernment on Wednesday, citing two key reasons. He alleged that the party was “mired in the quicksand of graft” and had no moral right to continue in gov- ernment, and also accused it of “ignoring the Dalit community”. Dismissing the charges, the AAP said it had “sympathy” for Anand, and alleged that the BJP was using central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to “break our ministers and MLAs”. AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told reporters that Anand had been summoned by the ED on April 12. This was later CONTINUEDONPAGE2 MALLICA JOSHI, JATIN ANAND & DEVENDRA PANDEY NEW DELHI, APRIL 10 Raaj Kumar Anand after quitting the Delhi Cabinet and AAP on Wednesday. PTI SINCE THE arrest of its national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on March 21, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has held several protests in Delhi as well as in other parts of the country. Most of its 10 Rajya Sabha members, however, have been conspicuous by their absence at these protests — with Sanjay Singh, Sandeep Pathak and N D Gupta the exceptions. After the defection of its lone Lok Sabha MP, Sushil Kumar Rinku, to the BJP recently, these MPs remain the AAP’s only CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PM: To put behind abnormality in ties, Oppn spreading falsehood on danger India & China must to Constitution if NDA wins, says PM address border issue ‘Congress never implemented ADDRESSES RALLY AT RAMTEK IN VIDARBHA Rejects minority discrimination charge: Usual tropes of some living in bubbles EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, APRIL 10 OBSERVING THAT stable and peacefulrelationsbetweenIndia and China are important for the region and the world, Prime MinisterNarendraModihassaid the two countries need to “urgentlyaddresstheprolongedsituation” on the border to put behind “the abnormality in our bilateral interactions”. In an interview with the Newsweekmagazine,Modi,referringtotheslideintieswithChina following the military standoff that began four years ago along theLineof ActualControlineastern Ladakh, said, “For India, the relationshipwithChinaisimportant and significant.” “It is my belief that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders sothattheabnormalityinourbi- lateralinteractionscanbeputbehindus.Stableandpeacefulrelations between India and China areimportantfornotjustourtwo countries but the entire region and world. I hope and believe that through positive and constructivebilateralengagementat the diplomatic and military levels,wewillbeabletorestoreand sustain peace and tranquility in our borders,” he said. On the Quad grouping that is seen as a counter to China in the Indo-Pacific, Modi said, “The US, Australia, Japan, India, China: All these countries are members of many groups. We are present in different combinations in different groups. Quad is not aimed against any country. Like many other international groupings, like SCO, BRICS and others, Quad is also a group of like-minded countries working on a shared positive agenda.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ‘MISLEADING’ ADS CASE SC rejects Baba Ramdev apology, sends warning to Uttarakhand on officers: ‘Will rip you apart’ SHUBHANGI KHAPRE MUMBAI, APRIL 10 WARNINGPEOPLEnottobelieve the INDIA bloc’s false narrative on threat to the Constitution if the NDA wins, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, saying that the party, which was spreading falsehood on dilution of the Constitution, never implemented it in the entire country when in power. Modi was addressing a campaign rally at Ramtek in eastern Vidarbharegionof Maharashtra. “In the last seven decades the Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Congress never implemented Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union minister Nitin Gadkari, NCP’s Praful Patel and the Constitution across the others at Ramtek in Nagpur district on Wednesday. PTI country. They have done injustice to the Constitution, whose architect was Dr Babasaheb Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondia, Praful Patel, Deputy CM wascreatingriftwithincommuAmbedkar. On the conGadchiroli-Chimur and Devendra Fadnavis and Union nities. trary, it was the NDA Chandrapur — will take minister Nitin Gadkari. The Referringtohisgovernment’s government which for place on April 19. On Mahayuti has fielded Raju Parve decision to drop Article 370, the first time ensured its Monday, he addressed a fromtheShivSenaledby Shinde Modi said, “For the first time it uniform implementarally at Chandrapur. from Ramtek. accorded justice to Dalits, adivation after abrogation of Reminding everyone “This election is not about sis and women in J&K.” Article 370. Through DECISION thatRamtekwasasacred electing an MP or a government. “Similarly, a false notion is 2024 Article 370, Jammu and place touched by the The mandate in favour of NDA being spread about CAA. It is beKashmir was accorded holy feet of Lord Ram, will amount to preserving the ing done as the Congress does separate rights,” he said. Modi urged people to conveyhis thousand years old rich Indian not want to see the poor, Dalits, It was Modi’s second poll “Ram Ram (regards)” to elders, legacy, culture and tradition,” tribals and women progress,” he rally within three days in menandwomenineveryhouse. Modi said. Warning that the IN- said.“ItwastheNDAwhichhonVidarbha region, where polling SeatedonthedaiswereChief DIAfrontwoulddividethecoun- ored a Dalit son from a poor forfiveconstituencies—Nagpur, Minister Eknath Shinde, NCP’s try, the PM said the opposition CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PASSED OFF AS ACCIDENTAL DEATH EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE Police exhume body of 18-month-old girl, arrest parents for murder in Thane NEW DELHI, APRIL 10 THE SUPREME Court on Wednesday said it will not accept the “unconditional and unqualified” apology tendered by yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his aide Acharya Balkrishna, the managing director of Patanjali Ayurved, over contempt of court notices issued in a case related toallegedpublishingof misleading advertisements. The bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, while seeking affidavitsfromUttarakhandofficials over the delay in action against Constitution across country’ Ramdev at the Supreme Court on Wednesday. ANI Patanjali, also warned the state “we will rip you apart, piece by piece” when it defended its officials.Thestatehadunderlinedthe bonafidesoftheofficialstowhich the bench took strong objection. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 SAGAR RAJPUT MUMBAI, APRIL 10 A MUMBRA-BASED couple was arrested Wednesday by Thane police for allegedly killing their 18-month-old daughter and burying her remains at a nearby graveyard. The police claimed that the couple, Jahid Shaikh (38) and his wifeNoorani (28),has notyet divulgedthereasonforkillingtheir daughter Labiba. According to police, the incident took place on March 18 but it came to light after an anonymous person, claiming to be one “SantoshMahadev”,sent a letter to them in the last week of March claiming that the girl was murdered by her parents. The police, later, exhumed theremainsof thechildandconducted a postmortem that revealed that she died of severe head injury and had also sustainedmultiple otherinjurieson her body. “The letter had details about the murder along with pictures of the child, showcasing injury marks on her body. The letter hadmentionedaphonenumber and also his address,” said an officer. While the police hit a wall with the phone number and the address, as both turned outto be wrong,theythenturnedtheirinvestigation towards nearby hospitals and graveyards. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ALLOWS CURATIVE PLEA ON AIRPORT METRO The Delhi Airport Metro Express Line. File Grave injustice, flags apex court, gives Rs 8,000-cr relief to DMRC Sets aside its own order that set aside order on arbitral; historic, says Puri Satyamev Jayate: Minister Hardeep Puri ANANTHAKRISHNAN G NEW DELHI, APRIL 10 Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri, in a post on X, hailed the verdict as “historic” and said “Satyamev Jayate!”. Congratulating DMRC, he said, “Our public sector utilities are strong & resolute in delivery of public service under the firm leadership” of PM Narendra Modi. SETTING ASIDE its own verdict and allowing a curative petition, the Supreme Court Wednesday held that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) didn’t have topayaboutRs8,000croretothe Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited (DAEML), an Anil-Ambani owned Reliance Infrastructure firm, as per a 2017 arbitral award. A three-judge bench, presided byChief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, upheld the January 15, 2019 order of the Delhi High Court Division Bench which had partly set aside that arbitral award asking DMRC to pay Rs 2,782.33 crore with interest to DAMEPL in connection with the construction and operation of the Airport Metro Express Line project here. A two-judge bench of the SC, of Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat, had, on September 9, 2021, set aside the DivisionBenchorder.Thereview petition filed by DMRC was also dismissed on November 23, 2021,followingwhichithadfiled a curative petition. Allowing the curative petition, the apex court Wednesday said that the HC division bench No liability imposed: Reliance Infra The Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, in a statement, said, “Reliance Infrastructure wishes to clarify that the Order dated April 10, 2024 passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court does not impose any liability on Reliance Infrastructure and the Company has not received any money from DMRC/DAMEPL under the arbitral award.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Allowing curative plea, how Supreme Court pushes the envelope APURVA VISHWANATH NEW DELHI, APRIL 10 SETTING ASIDE the 2017 arbitral award that required the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to pay nearly Rs 8000 crore to Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Infrastructure, the Supreme Court has expanded the scope of its “extraordinary powers” to intervene beyond constitutionally prescribed processes. A curative writ petition, that the Supreme Court has invoked in reviving the 2019 Delhi High Courtjudgmentthatpartiallyset asidetheDelhiMetroarbitration award, is a sparingly used judicial innovation to correct a “grave miscarriage of justice”. Constitutionally, a final ruling of the Supreme Court can only be questioned in a review petition, that, too, on narrow procedural grounds. In 2002, in Rupa Hurra v AshokHurra,theSCallowedcurative writs as the last resorttocorrectjudgments thatare“oppressivetojudicial conscience and would cause perpetua● tion of irremediable injustice.” However, exercising curative jurisdictioninacommercialcase pushes the envelope and raises questions on the finality of a E EXPLAINED RAAJ KUMAR ANAND ALSO SAYS DALITS BEING IGNORED BY PARTY CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 EXPLAINED PAGE 11 Blending caste with faith, BJP tries to open a space in Tamil Nadu PAGE 1 ANCHOR P VAIDYANATHAN IYER VELLORE, APRIL 10 JOTHIPANDIANandShivaKumar, two young men who run a small officeacoupleofkilometresfrom theSaintGobainglassfactory,off the Chennai-Sriperumbudur highway, couldn’t agree if sitting Lok Sabha MP and DMK candidateDMKathirAnandwouldretain his seat in Vellore, a neighbouring constituency. Kathir Anand, 49, is the son of Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan, a DMK veteran, who entered the state Assembly in 1971, and is a 10time MLA. But this time, Kathir facesatoughbattleandthereare many factors at play — a big one being Prime Minister Narendra Modi and how his combative nominee and state BJP president K Annamalai has changed the party’s image in the state. The BJP and its pronounced presence in the state is not lost on Jothi Pandian. “We are Vanniyars and our vote is for the Pattali Makkal Katchi (symbol: mango), which has tied up with BJP… What I personally believe is for us Vanniyars to prosper, Hindureligionhastosurviveand thrive,” he says, placing his community in the rubric of religion. It is not the first time that the SRamadoss-ledPMK,whichrepresents the Vanniyars and demands reservation for them, has allied with the BJP; in the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 Assembly elections too, it was in an AIADMK-ledalliancewiththeBJP. Vanniyars have a significant presence in north Tamil Nadu in parliamentary constituencies such as Vellore, Arakkonam, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Tiruvannamalai. Jothi Pandian’s understanding of society struc- Cut-outsof PrimeMinisterNarendraModi, TamilNaduBJP chief KAnnamalai(left),andpartycandidateACShanmugam atVelloreFortgroundonWednesday. P Vaidyanathan Iyer tures, and his locating of the Vanniyar caste within the Hindu fold may appear quite simple at one level. But such social engineering that BJP is seen to be attempting in Tamil Nadu, the last frontier for the party which is perceived by many in the state as anti-Tamil and anti-minorities, requires remarkable understandingof theTamilculture,society and history. The cementing of caste identity with religious identity and riding two horses at the same time is viewed as a key BJP strategy in Tamil Nadu. Not doing so risks the BJP being captive to its image of being a ‘pro-Brahmin’, upper caste-dominated party. But whether this outreach to the middle castes will help it, or be counter-productive given the distinctsocialreformmovement in thestate, is a difficultquestion to answer. The BJP has been trying to find space in Tamil Nadu ever since the demise of AIADMK’s star leader J Jayalalitha, who eventually inherited the politicallegacyof MGRamachandran. Indeed, none of the Dravidian parties have in the past offered support to the BJP’s core Hindutva ideology — it was always tactical, says Ramu Manivannan, an academician, who has worked in Delhi University for almost 15 years, andwasheadof thedepartment of politics in Madras University. “Thedeclineof Congressover thelastdecade,transitioninpolitical leadership in Dravidian parties here — BJP foresaw all this. It systematically started preparing for many years now,” he said. In the absence of an alliance with AIADMK, the three-way splitintheMGR-foundedparty— Edappadi Palaniswami, O Panneerselvam and TTV Dhinakaran (Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, a BJP ally now)—definitelydoesn’thurtthe CONTINUED ON PAGE 2