DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2024, AHMEDABAD, LATE CITY, 18 PAGES BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY `5.00 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 NEW LOW IN BILATERAL TIES AFTER BRAMPTON ATTACK Freespeechhypocrisy,Canadablocked AussiebroadcastofJaishankar:Delhi Indian consular camps cancelled after Canadian authorities say can’t provide security NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 7 EXPLAINED SOLARALLIANCE STOCKTAKE PAGE 14 BILATERAL TIES between New Delhi and Ottawa plunged to a newlowafterCanadablockedan Australian news outlet which aired a press conference by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in Canberra where he made some strong remarks on the IndiaCanada standoff. Stating it was “surprised” over the “strange” Canadian move, the Ministry of External Affairs said the action “yet again highlights the hypocrisy of Canada towards freedom of speech”. Incidentally, Canada and Australiaarepartof theFiveEyes intelligence sharing alliance that also includes the US, UK and New Zealand. The MEA also announced cancellation of some scheduled consular camps in Canada, say- E E X P L A I NE D DIVYA A Crisis derails ● ties THE CANADIAN move to block Jaishankar’s remarks is the latest in the row between the two countries that has seen diplomats being recalled and some serious charges being traded. ing Canadian authorities had conveyed their inability to provide security to the organisers. Hours after Australia Today aired Jaishankar’s joint press conference with Wong in Canberra, where he voiced concern over the political space beinggranted toKhalistanextremists in Canada and noted that India had raised the matter with Australia,severalusersinCanada complained of the news outlet being blocked and questioned the timing. InNewDelhi,respondingtoa question on the blocking of Australia Today, Randhir Jaiswal, spokespersonfor the Ministry of ExternalAffairs,said,“Weunderstand that the social media handles and pages of this particular outlet, which is an important diasporaoutlet,havebeenblocked and are not available for viewers inCanada.Thishappenedjustan hour or a few hours after this particular handle carried the press conference CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ED searches 19 sites linked to Amazon, Flipkart vendors EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 7 MULTIPLE TEAMS of the Enforcement Directorate Thursday conducted searches at 19 premises of vendors selling their products on e-commerce platforms Amazon and Flipkart. The raids were conducted in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Panchkula. An official said ED decided to initiate its investigation under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) based on complaints that the e-commerce platforms are violating India’s FDI (foreign direct investment) rules by directly or indirectly influencing the sale price of goods or services and not providing a level playing field to vendors. “On the basis of their complaints,EDmademultiple teams and decided to conduct raids after coordinating on Thursday morning,” an official said. A source said the ED examined documents seized during the searches at premises linked to eight vendors, who have not been named so far. Whencontacted,anAmazon spokesperson declined to comment, while Flipkart did not respond to requests for a comment. Meanwhile, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) welcomedthe ED action. “The CAIT, along with several other trade bodies, has been raising these issues for the past few years,” CAIT secretary general and BJP MP from Delhi Praveen Khandelwal said in a statement. He claimed that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) had also issued penalty notices to the e-commerce platforms and their “preferred” sellers for engaging in anti-competitive practices that have adversely affected small traders and kirana stores. The CAIT and mainline mobile retailers' association AIMRA hadalsopetitionedtheCCIinthe past,seekingimmediatesuspension of operations of the platforms, alleging that the companies were engaged in predatory pricing andburningcashto offer heavy discounts on products. Pulled up by SC, Centre doubles fines for stubble burning Punjab farmer unions oppose move NIKHIL GHANEKAR NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 7 TWO WEEKS after the Supreme Court pulled up the Centre for rendering the Environmental ProtectionAct,1986, “toothless”, the Union Ministry of Environment,ForestandClimate Change on Wednesday doubled penalties for stubble burning andnotifiednewrulesunderthe Act for filing complaints and holding an inquiry. The Centre notified the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas(Imposition,Collectionand Utilisation of Environmental Compensation for Stubble Burning) Amendment Rules, Says want to send message of peace to world when it is needed the most MIHIR VASAVDA MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 7 Marshals remove BJP MLAs after a ruckus in the J&K Assembly on Thursday. Shuaib Masoodi Ruckus in J&K House: Some MLAs bring another ‘tougher’ special status resolution BASHAARAT MASOOD SRINAGAR, NOVEMBER 7 A DAY after the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly passed a resolution moved by the Omar Abdullah government seeking dialogue for restoration of J&K’s special status, five non-BJP Opposition MLAs submitted a resolution to the Speaker that JAMMU, NOVEMBER 7 2024,fordoublingenvironmental compensationimposedforstubble burning. Theamendedruleswere notified under the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 "unequivocally” rejected the decisions of August 5, 2019. Unlike Wednesday when most of the non-BJP Opposition parties supported the government resolution, with riders, the MLAs attacked the ruling National Conference (NC), hinting that it had an understanding with the Centre. Thefivelegislators– People’s Conference’sSajadLone,Peoples DemocraticParty'sWaheedPara and Fayaz Mir, and Independent MLAsSheikhKhursheedAhmad and Shabir Ahmad Kullay – said their‘People’sResolution’,which mentioned the contentious Articles 370 and 35 A, stemmed from public anger over the one movedbytheOmargovernment. Thursday also saw a scuffle break out in the Assembly after Independent legislator Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad, the brother of MPEngineerRashid,broughta banner that read: “We demand restorationofArticle370and35A and the release of political prisoners”. BJP legislators jumped into the Well of the House to snatch the banner, after which Sajad Lone, Waheed Para and NC’s Hilal Lone followed them into the Well to support Ahmad. FROM THE country’s religious diversitytosendingamessageof peace to the world “at a time when it is needed the most”, India's “strategic position along theancientsilkandspiceroutes” to its “continued rise on the global stage” — all these form part of the Indian Olympic Association's pitch for the 2036 Olympic Games, The Indian Express has learnt. The IOA's letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) sent last month, declaring its “intent to hosttheOlympicandParalympic Games in Bharat (India)”, was drafted in consultation with the government. It marks an important step in India's bid for the 2036 Games. Other countries in the race include Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Confirming the contents of the letter, two officials involved in India's 2036 bid said it has dipped into the country's “vast cultural diversity, shaped by thousands of years of history”. “Our society is a mosaic of religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism, each contributing to our rich cultural heritage and society,” the letter is learnt to say. “The entire nation is united in this dream by the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ — a Sanskrit phrase that means ‘the world is one family’ — and to seek peace, friendship and collective progress among all nations. This is India’s and our Olympic bid’s message to the world at a time when it is needed most,” it says, according to sources. The “desire to host the Olympics is a national priority” and “enjoys incredible support at all levels of government, our CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 THE WORLD WON’T CONCEDE THE FIGHT THAT FUELED CAMPAIGN: HARRIS AFTER TRUMP WIN PAGE 16 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 2 village defence guards The Shaina effect: Congress candidate killed in J&K, militant makes a show of ‘respect for women’ outfit claims credit SADAF MODAK & ARUN SHARMA The new rules will come into effect immediately. File In 2036 Olympics bid, India underlines religious diversity, silk and spice routes TWO VILLAGE Defence Guards (VDGs) were killed by militants in Chatroo area of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, police said. The victims have been identified as Kuldeep Kumar and Nazir Ahmad, both residents of Kuntwara. In a post on social media, the KashmirTigers,anoffshootof the Jaish-e-Mohammad which mainly operates in the Kashmir Valley,claimedresponsibilityfor thekillings.Italsopostedwhatit saidwerephotographsof thevictimswiththeireyesblindfolded. The Kishtwar police control room confirmed the killings. Securityforceshavebeenrushed to the area. According to district officials, the victims were reported missing earlier in the day. Sources said the victims had gone to the forests in Chatroo’s Kuntwara area to graze their sheep in the morning, but did not return in the evening. The militant outfit later released a statement on social CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 SIDDHANT KONDUSKAR MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 7 ON WEDNESDAY afternoon, during his roadshow in GrantRoadareain the Mumbadevi DECISION constituency in 2024 South Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA the Congress's sitting MLA Amin Patel waves to local residents from an open vehicle. He is flankedbywomenactivistsof the UddhavThackeray-ledShivSena (UBT). Most of his supporters thronging the rally are also Amin Patel campaigns in Mumbadevi. X women, some leading the roadshow,sometrailingit,allof them shouting slogans in his favour. In the course of his campaign overthelastseveraldays,Patel,61, has been asserting that he “re- spects women”, going on later to highlight his “accomplishments” as the MLA of this seat for three consecutive terms since 2009. Patel has resorted to this “firefighting” in the face of a backlash over the alleged derogatoryremarksmadeby his ally Uddhav Sena's South Mumbai MP Arvind Sawant against his rival Shaina N C, the fashion designer and former BJP national spokesperson contesting the Mumbadevi seat on a ticket of the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Sawant faces an FIR registered by the Mumbai police on Shaina's complaint, following CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Surat spa fire kills Sikkim woman on first day at work, along with friend PAGE 1 ANCHOR KAMAAL SAIYED SURAT, NOVEMBER 7 ON WEDNESDAY, a 30-year-old Sikkim woman, Benu Limboo, had no hint that her first day at workatSurat’sAmrutyaSpaand SalonCentre—locatedintheupmarket City Light Road area — will be her last. Only three days ago, Limboo had moved from Maharashtra’sLonavalato Surat, possibly in the hope of a better life. A huge fire that broke out at the spa in Surat also claimed the life of her 33-year-old friend Manisha Damai. Both died of asphyxiation after inhaling smoke, police said, adding that their bodies were found in the bathroom of the spa, situated on the third floor of a building. As the Surat City Police booked spa ownerDilshadKhan and Sun Gym owners, Vasim Mistry and Shahnavaz Mistry, where the spa was situated, initial probe has indicated that the fire started after a short circuit in one of the electric panels in the gym. The spa’s glass doors had fingerprint sensors, and the po- lice suspect Limboo and Damai were unable to open the door in time while three of their colleagues were able to escape. The spa had reopened on Tuesday after the Diwali holidays while the gym was to reopen on Thursday. The entire premisehasnowbeensealedfor probe. According to police, Limboo and Damai knew each other from before and had worked at a spa in Lonavala. It was Damai who had asked Limboo to move to Surat for work and had recommended her to spa owner Khan. Damai had quit her job two Officials of the Surat Fire Department, and police personnel at the site of the incident, on Thursday. Hanif Malek months back to shift to Surat.Three days ago, Limboo settled in a rented quarter allotted by Khan at Ghod Dod Road. Limboo was to get Rs 18,000 per month as salary while Manisha was paid Rs 22,000. Sources in the Surat Fire Departmentsaidthatapartfrom Limboo and Damai, there were three other women, including firm manager Smita Supa and two employees Avi and Emy, who were present in the spa when the incident occurred. The spa is set up on an elevated structure inside the Sun Gym on the third floor of Shiv Pujacomplex.Sincethegymwas closed, only a caretaker, Chetan, was present for some cleaning work, said fire officials. Talking about the cause of fire, Vesu fire officer Ishwar Patel said, “The fire erupted in the electric panel, possibly due to a short circuit, along the reception centre at the gym. On noticing the flames, caretaker Chetan raised an alarm and also alerted the people working at the spa. Initially all five women ran behind them, but due to some unknown reason, Limboo and Damai went back inside but could not come out”. “Damai’s body was found in the bathroom while Limboo’s wasfoundin the manicurepedicure room. The inside doors of the spa are made of glass and have fingerprint sensors, but no handle. Only staffers knew how to open them. Limboo might have tried to open the door but her finger might not have reached the sensor point due to the smoke,” Patel added. According to the officials in the Surat Fire Department, the fire spread fast due to the sofas and other inflammable items such as curtains, and cushions. Theentiregymareawascovered with smoke as the floor has no ventilator, said officials. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Ahmedabad