DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE MONDAY, MAY 6, 2024, LUCKNOW, LATE CITY, 14 PAGES BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY HIT BY SEX ABUSE ROW, KARNATAKA AMONG STATES VOTING TOMORROW Constitution, quota at centre stage, Phase 3 campaign for 93 seats ends ModitargetsSP,Cong‘dynasticpolitics’; PMwantstotakeawayquota:Rahul VIKAS PATHAK NEW DELHI, MAY 5 ‘The West’s time in the sun is over... this is India’s moment’ KIRIL SOKOLOFF CHAIRMAN & FOUNDER, 13D RESEARCH & STRATEGY PAGE 12 `6.00 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 CAMPAIGNING ENDED on Sundayforthethirdphaseof the Lok Sabha elections, the run-up to which saw the Constitution and reservation issue dominating the poll discourse. With the first two phases registering a dip in voter turnout as compared to 2019,thequestioniswhetherthe third phase will buck the trend. While 94 constituencies across 12 states and Union Territories were scheduled to vote on Tuesday, the BJP has already won Surat in Gujarat unopposed, and the poll for Anantnag-RajouriseatinJammu and Kashmir has been deferred to May 25. However, polling in Betul in Madhya Pradesh, which was to be held in the second phase on April 26, was postponed to May 7 after the death of the BSP candidate. In the final hours of campaigning on Sunday, Prime DECISION 2024 ● Victory margins thin, Jharkhand wants migrants back in time for voting ● Behind BJP’s attempt to target Pandian’s wife KEYSEATS Shakeel Badayuni’s verses enliven poll campaigns as his house lies in ruins ●InGujarattribal belts,wateraccess,jobs toppriorityforvoters PAGES 7, 9 lies, while the Opposition leaders hit back in equal measure. Modi, who offered prayers at Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP stepped up the attack on the Congress and its INDIA bloc al- the Ram temple in Ayodhya and held a roadshow, addressed rallies in Uttar Pradesh where he lashed out at the “dynastic politics” of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, saying that while their leaders work to benefit only their own families, he was building a better future for the coming generations. Referring to himself and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said: “We don't have children. We are working for your children.” Modi also reiterated his chargethattheCongresswanted to carve out a quota for its CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 E E X P L A I NE D A NEW PROVISION in the Income-Tax Act in Budget 202324 that aimed to secure payments to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) within45daysof supplyof goods or services has resulted in a peculiar problem — that of large companies canceling orders to registered MSMEs and placing thesewithunregisteredMSMEs. While some MSME associations have approached the Supreme Court against the new norm,theUnionMSMEMinistry is learnt to have reached out to industry players for solutions. It has asked stakeholders to suggest ways to resolve the issues arising from the I-T Act and to recommend possible alternate mechanisms for timely clearance of MSME bills. This is the second time the Ministry is reaching out to MSMEs. A fortnight after presenting the Interim Budget for 2024-25, it had formally written to them seeking comments on the new clause in Section 43B of the I-T Act introduced in 202324 that aimed to secure timely payments for smaller units. A new clause (h) in Section 43B allowed for deduction for larger companies against payments done to MSMEs only after they were actually paid. Larger companies were otherwise not allowed to make deductions in their tax returns, resulting in the prospect of increased tax liability. This led to a peculiar problem. As balance sheets get audited in the assessment year 2024-25 for transactions in financial year 2023-24, bigger companies started flagging concernsaboutballooningtaxliability;andmanyMSMEownerstoo reported cancellation of orders due to the new tax clause. MSMEs also pointed to big companies shifting business to unregistered MSMEs, as it lends them the flexibility to not meet the mandatory provision and continue with a longer payment Hiccups in shift tonew ● credit cycle THE NEW clause aimed to secure MSME bills are paid by business houses within 45 days against the prevailing business cycle of 90-120 days. This is ironically hurting some MSMEs with firms shifting business to unregistered micro and small units. The Ministry has now sought suggestions to resolve this. cycle of 90-120 days, people aware of the developments said. “Many cancellations have beenreportedfromMSMEssuch as ancillary units and dedicated suppliers.Somecorporationsare also trying to force suppliers to cancel their MSME registration. Most peoplerealised the full impact of the tax provision only towardsJanuary-endbecausethey were supposed to get the payments by March 31 but did not. The earlier payment cycle between the buyer and the supplier would be longer, say 90 days or 120 days. But now companiesdon’twanttobuyfroman MSME,” said KE Raghunathan, National Chairman, Association of Indian Entrepreneurs Though theschemewaswell intentioned,itledto negativeresults, he said. “Most of the time, it is the companies making losses that resort to not paying (MSMEs) on time and even if theycometopaythepenalty,the beneficiaryistheI-Tdepartment and not the MSME that suffers. The scheme was well intentioned but has resulted in negative results,” Raghunathan said. The new provision has also unintentionally resulted in a competitionbetweenregistered and unregistered MSMEs, with many smaller entities opting to de-register themselves to surviveandnotlosebusiness.“They (companies) want to purchase CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 A farmhouse of the Deve Gowda family in Hassan where some of the videos were allegedly recorded. Express HASSAN, MAY 5 Large companies shift to unregistered MSMEs as tax liability piles up NEW DELHI, MAY 5 ‘Men questioning wives... shattering the lives of many women in Hassan’ KIRAN PARASHAR I-T clause to ensure MSMEs are paid on time creates hurdle AANCHAL MAGAZINE Identities out after Prajwal clips, many women leave home amid fear, stigma Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during a roadshow in Ayodhya on Sunday. Earlier, the PM offered prayers at the Ram temple and held rallies in Etawah and Dhaurahra. Vishal Srivastav ANOTHERREPORT,PAGE3 WITH VIDEO clips being circulated of multiple women who were allegedly sexually assaulted by JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, several women who were purportedly among the victims have left their homes in Karnataka’s Hassan district over the last 10 days. Hassan is the bastion of JD(S) chief and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda. Prajwal, Deve Gowda's grandson, is the sitting MP from Hassan, and is seeking re-election. While Prajwal left the country soon after polling in Hassan on April 26, his father, H D Revanna, MLA from Holenarasipur, was arrested on Saturday in connection with the abductionof awoman, allegedly topreventherfromapproaching the Special Investigation Team (SIT). “The entire district is in H D Revanna’s control. You speak ill about them and chances are high that it will reach them, because the family and the party INSIDE REVANNA: ARREST PART OF CONSPIRACY AGAINST ME WE CAN'T GO BACK TO OUR VILLAGE: VICTIM’S KIN PAGE 6 have a large following,” said a shopkeeper in Hagare, a village 20 km from Hassan city. The Indian Express visited three towns and five villages in the district, and spoke to several residents. None of them wanted to be named. The first FIR against Prajwal was filed on April 28, based on the complaint of a woman whose family has now left their CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 I and Yogiji are working for your children, Congress & SP for dynasties: PM in Etawah In Yadav bastions won by BJP, reconsolidation MAULSHREE SETH AYODHYA, MAY 5 PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi claimed on Sunday that whileheandUttarPradeshChief Minister Yogi Adityanath were workingfor“your(people’s)children, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party were working for the dynasties lording over them.” Addressing a public meeting inEtawahonthelastdayof campaigning for the third phase of Some think of Mainpuri, Kannauj and Etawah as their estate, while others regard Amethi and Raebareli as theirs. But Modi’s legacy is a pukka house of a poor person).” The PM claimed that neither him nor Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have children and this is the reason why their hard work is only for “your (people’s) children”. CampaigningfortheBJPcandidate in the SP bastion, the PM claimed that it was Mulayam Singh Yadav’s words in theLokSabhaelections,Modialleged that some “parivarvadi” (dynasts) treat Amethi and Raebareliastheir“jagir” (estate), others think same of Kannauj, Etawah and Mainpuri (all in Uttar Pradesh), in a swipe at the two Opposition parties. “In parivarvadiyon ki virasat kya hai? Koi Mainpuri, Kannauj aur Etawah ko apni jagir maanta hai..Koi Amethi aur Raebareli ko apni jagir samajhta hai…Lekin Modikivirasatekgareebkapakka gharhai (Whatarethesedynasts leaving behind as their legacy? Poonch terror attack ‘poll stunt’ to help BJP, says ex-CM Channi ANJU AGNIHOTRI CHABA JALANDHAR, MAY 5 CONGRESS LEADER and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi Sunday said the Poonch militant attack, in which an IAF corporal was killed and fourpersonnelwereinjured,was an “election stunt” to benefit the BJP. His remarks drew fire from the BJP, which accused the Congress of being disrespectful to soldiers and demanded an apology to the nation. savindhan taiyar kiya jata hai (These are stunts, not attacks. In the last elections, such stunts were carried out to make the BJP win).” “Yeh taiyar kiye huye... saare pehle se taiyar karke hamle karvaye jaate hain. Ye BJP ko jitane ka ek stunt hota, isme sacchai nahin hoti.Log marvana aurunki lashon par khelna BJP ka kaam hai. (Theseattacksareplannedinadvance and carried out. This is a stunt to make the BJP win, there is no truth in it. Getting people Channi is Cong’s LS candidate from Jalandhar ReferringtoSaturday'sattack in Poonch, Channi, who is the Congress candidate from Jalandhar, told reporters, “Yeh stuntbaazi ho rahi hai, hamle nahin ho rahen. Pichhli baar bhi jab election aate hain to aise stunt khelejate hain aur BJP ko jitane ka CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Parliament before the 2019 Lok Sabbha election that proved to be a blessing for the BJP-led NDA in securing a second term at the Centre. Referring to a recent slip of tongue by SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav asking for “BJP majority”, Modi said while Mulayam is not alive today but hisbrotherhasspokenwhatwas in the mind of the former chief minister. “Modiisworkingtomakethe countrystrongforthenext1,000 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 THE WORLD HAMASSAYS LATESTTRUCE TALKSENDED PAGE 10 INSIDE U.P. WOMAN GETS JAIL FOR FALSE TESTIMONY PAGE 6 for Mulayam nephews LALMANI VERMA & DHEERAJ MISHRA VOTE SHARE (%) FIROZABAD, BADAUN, MAY 5 ESAR RIZVI, 32, and friend Mohammad Faizuddin, 34, have devised a test to determine whomtovoteforthistimeinthe Firozabad Lok Sabha seat. They aremakingroundsoftheelection offices of both the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), located 300 metres apart in Firozabadtown, tosee “which party treats us, and hence Muslim voters, better”. At the BSP office, the two are leaving when candidate Chowdhary Basheerarrives, and appeals to both friends to vote for him. Basheer’s rival and the SP candidate is a nephew of the late Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akshaya Yadav. In the internecine battle within the Mulayam family, Akshaya's father Ram Gopal Yadav has mostly been at odds with his powerful cousin and Mulayam’sbrotherShivpalYadav. Now, with Mulayam having passedawayandwiththeSPbattling a powerful BJP, the family hasforgedatentativepeace.This, Badaun Firozabad Uttar Pradesh FIROZABAD 2014 2019 38.07 46.09 48.4 43.41 10.76 — 0.67 — BADAUN Party 2014 2019 BJP 32.31 47.3 SP 48.5 45.59 INC — 4.8 BSP 15.28 — Party BJP SP BSP INC SP, BSP were allies in 2019; Cong didn’t contest Firozabad in 2019, Badaun in 2014; Source: EC at the cost of fielding as many as five family members in the Lok Sabha polls — including SP chief Akhilesh and wife Dimple, Akhilesh's cousin Dharmendra Yadav, and Akshaya and Shivpal's son Aditya. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ‘Divided on religion’: Delimitation deepens faultlines in two Assam seats PAGE 1 ANCHOR SUKRITA BARUAH CHENGA (ASSAM), MAY 5 IN CHENGA area of Assam’s Barpeta district, the set of Lok Sabha candidates on election posters can change from one villagetothenext.InSutiyaparavillage, for instance, the posters are of candidates for the Barpeta Lok Sabhaseat.Butinthenextvillage of Kakdhowa, the posters are of the Dhubri constituency candidates.Alittlefurther,inHilaBazar, itistheBarpetacandidatesagain. Golab Hussain, whose roadside grocery store displays posters of the CPI(M)’s Barpeta candidate,ManoranjanTalukdar, as well as the Congress’s Dhubri nominee, Rakibul Hussain, explains that across the road from the shop is Sutiyapara village, part of the Barpeta constituency, and behind the shop is Gelabil village, part of the Dhubri seat. Until last year, Gelabil was part of Barpeta constituency. It was made a part of Dhubri during the delimitation of parliamentaryandAssemblyseatslast year. Among the 14 parliamentary seats in Assam, Dhubri and Barpeta saw the most drastic changes during the exercise. “We feel that we have been divided on the basis of religion... Assamese Hindu villages are in Barpeta and Muslim villages are in Dhubri,” says Hussain. Dhubri, which is the state’s western-most constituency and includes areas bordering Bangladesh,hasAssam’shighest percentageof votersfromtheminority community. After delimitation, several Muslim-majority belts of neighbouring Barpeta — whichwasalsoaMuslim-majority constituency earlier — have been made a part of Dhubri. The result is that Dhubri has CHANGED BOUNDARIES Post-delimitation Pre-delimitation Barpeta Dhubri Vote share (%) in Dhubri Party 2014 2019 AIUDF 43.27 42.66 INC 26.49 29.23 AGP 0.72 23.72 BJP 21.83 — Vote share (%) in Barpeta Party 2014 2019 INC 23.04 44.23 AGP 6.11 34.61 AIUDF 32.73 17.05 BJP 29.22 — Source: Election Commission; Note: AGP, BJP were allies in 2019 become, by far, Assam’s most populous Lok Sabha constituency. It has 26.43 lakh voters, more than 85 per cent of whom are Bengali-speaking Muslims. It has over 4.5 lakh more voters than the secondmost populous constituency, Darrang-Udalguri, which has 21.87 lakh voters. A related outcome of the delimitation is that in Barpeta, which now has 19.5 lakh voters, the percentage of Muslim voters — also predominantly Bengalispeaking — has decreased from around 50 per cent to an estimated 30-35 per cent. “Ultimately 7.84 lakh voters from old Barpeta have been movedtoDhubri,of whichmore than 7 lakh are Muslims,” says Aminul Islam, AIUDF MLA from Mankachar under Dhubri Lok Sabha seat. The Chenga Assembly segment, earlier part of the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat, now forms the eastern part of the redrawn Dhubri constituency and is wherethelinesof separationappear the starkest. Shah Alam Khan’s house, in Muslim-dominated Haripur gram panchayat, is now under the Dhubri seat. However, a few hundredmetrestothesouthand north are houses that come un- der panchayats with largely Bengali Hindu populations and are part of the Barpeta seat. To the east is a panchayat with a largelyAssameseHindupopulation, which is also part of Barpeta. “The way our area has been separated feels like we have beenputinacornerassomesort of punishment,” says Khan, a local businessman. “People can clearly see that the separation is on religious lines, although we have been living in harmony all these years… I’m not interested inthiselection,Ifeelverydisconnected from it,” he adds. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Lucknow