DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE Let people decide if there is God in you, says RSS chief EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE PUNE, SEPTEMBER 6 Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party MP K C Venugopal in Delhi. PTI Vinesh joins Cong, gets a ticket; Bajrang a post: ‘Understood our pain’ ASAD REHMAN NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 6 HOURS AFTER they joined the party, the Congress on Friday fielded Olympian Vinesh Phogat from the Julana Assembly constituency in Jind DECISION district for the 2024 October 5 Haryana HARYANA Assembly elections and appointed Olympian Bajrang Punia the All India Kisan Congress’s working chairman. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY RASHTRIYA SWAYAMSEVAK Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that no one should proclaim himself as God anditshouldbelefttothepeople to decide if there is God in you. Addressing an event late ThursdayatJejuriinPunetomark the centenary year of Shankar Dinkar Kane — popularly known as Bhaiyyaji — who worked in Manipurtowardschildren’seducation, Bhagwat said that when peoplepraisehimasaholyfigure oranationalicon,heensuresthat it does not get into his head. “If one has to rise to such a height, one should make efforts. We should not consider ourselves as God. Let people decide if there is God in you,” he said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 THE CITY RELATED REPORT P6 `7.00 (`8 BIHAR & RAIPUR, `12 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 ON SIGNING FILES, SC ASKS: IS THERE ORDER RESTRAINING DELHI CM PAGE 3 CBI TO COURT ON FORMER R G KAR COLLEGE PRINCIPAL Nexus: ‘Ghosh favoured vendors, security aide’s wife for contracts’ ATRI MITRA & SWEETY KUMARI EXPRESS NETWORK KOLKATA, SEPTEMBER 6 THE CBI, which is probing the rape and murder of a juniordoctor and alleged financial irregularities at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, hastoldaspecialcourtthatitsinvestigation showed that Sandip Ghosh,principalof thecollegeat thetimeof therape-and-murder incident on August 9, had a SC REJECTS GHOSH PLEA; ED SEARCHES HIS RESIDENCE PAGE 9 Olympians Manu, Lovlina are guests at Adda today EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 6 PARIS 2024 might not go down asIndia’sbest-everOlympics.Yet, itwashistoricnoless.Forthefirst time in the 100-plus years of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Shooter Manu Bhaker and boxer Lovlina Borgohain “criminalnexus”with“othercoaccused” for “wrongful gain”. It also claimed that two vendors, who Ghosh knew from the time he was posted at the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, benefited from the award of hospital contracts after he moved to Kolkata. A firm belonging to his securityaide’swifewasalsoawarded a cafe contract by the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH), the agency alleged. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 FIRST AFTER WITHDRAWAL A thaw in chill: Delhi, Male hold defence talks Defence Secy-level dialogue touches on bilateral military exercises AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 6 FOR THE first time since India withdrewitsuniformedmilitary personnel from the Maldives early this year, New Delhi and Male held a defence dialogue here Friday at the level of top officialswheretheydiscussed“ongoing defence cooperation projects” and “forthcoming bilateral military exercises”. This is significant since a chill has gripped bilateral relations since President Mohamed Muizzu assumed office last year on the plank of his “India Out” campaign. The last defence cooperation dialogue was held in March last year in Male when then President Ibrahim Solih was in office, months before Muizzu took over as President. According to an official state- E E X P L A I NE D SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2024, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 24 PAGES ● Renewal roadmap TALKS ARE a bid to renew the Delhi-Male defence co-operation after the strain in ties following Muizzu’s India-Out campaign. Over the years, India has given equipment, trained personnel and is working on strategic projects in the island nation. mentbytheDefenceMinistryon the 5th Defence Cooperation Dialogue between India and the Maldives, the Indian delegation was led by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane while the Maldiviandelegationwasheaded CONTINUEDONPAGE2