DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2024, LUCKNOW, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES Sukhbir Badal escapes attack on Day 2 of guard duty at Golden Temple, shooter held ‘Apology can’t absolve Akali sins’: Attacker’s FB post earlier Accused a former militant, was at shrine Tuesday too, say police KAMALDEEP SINGH BRAR AMRITSAR, DECEMBER 4 KAMALDEEP SINGH BRAR & VARINDER BHATIA PUNJAB’SFORMERDeputyChief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal (62) had a narrow escape on Wednesday as a man, identified as a former militant, attempted to open fire at him while the ShiromaniAkaliDal(SAD)leader was on “punishment” guard duty at the Golden Temple here. Theattackwasfoiledbyapolice officer who was part of Badal’s security detail — he is a Z-plus protectee. Even as the attacker,NarainSinghChaura(68), was overpowered, he managed to fire a bullet. The bullet hit the AMRITSAR, CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 4 THE MAN who opened fire at former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday, as he sat on guard duty at Golden Temple, is a former employee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and an ex-militant. In recent years though, Narain Singh Chaura, 68, was known more as a political and Narain Singh Chaura (bottom left) tries to shoot at Sukhbir Singh Badal (in wheelchair) . ANI MOREREPORTS,PAGES8,9 shrine's entrance wall behind Badal, who escaped unhurt. Police later said a 9mm pistol was recovered from Chaura. Police sources said CCTV footage showed that Chaura was attheGoldenTempleonTuesday too, when Badal and other Akali leaders began the religious CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 5 years, 107 deaths in hospital fires, same story of zero accountability INSIDE IN ONLINE ADDRESS TO SUPPORTERS IN NY, HASINA TARGETS YUNUS PAGE 5 SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT FACES IMPEACHMENT PAGE 12 Delhi Police arrests Balyan under MCOCA as he gets bail in extortion case The AAP MLA was first arrested on Nov 30 NIRBHAY THAKUR NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 4 AAM AADMI Party MLA Naresh Balyan, who was arrested by Delhi Police on Saturday in connection with an extortion case filed last year, was granted bail Wednesdaybutwasarrestedina separatecaselodgedunderprovisionsof theMaharashtraControl ofOrganisedCrimeAct(MCOCA). During the hearing of his bail plea in the extortion case, Delhi Police informed the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Paras Dalal that they would arrest the MLA in the MCOCA case. “We will be arresting Naresh Balyan in a different MCOCA FIR. We will be arresting him right now,” Special Public Prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh submitted before the Rouse Avenue Court. Earlier in the day, police moved an application before Additional Sessions Judge Vandana Jain in Dwarka Court, seeking permission to question Balyan in connection with the MCOCA case while he was in custody. The Special Public CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 The Indian Express looked at hospital fires with a minimum casualty of 5 and found a pattern of cutting corners, lack of punitive action & cases stretching on ANONNADUTT, SOHINIGHOSH, PRATIPACHARYA, SREENIVASJANYALA &ANKITAUPADHYAY CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 MAHARASHTRA GOVT FORMATION Fadnavis to take oath as CM today, Shinde drags out suspense on his role Ajit Pawar to be sworn in as Deputy CM, no other ministers to be named as yet SHUBHANGI KHAPRE, VALLABH OZARKAR & ALOK DESHPANDE MUMBAI, DECEMBER 4 MORE than 10 days after the MahayutiswepttheMaharashtra elections, the suspense is finally over. At 5.30 pm on Thursday, DevendraFadnaviswillbesworn in as Chief Minister at Mumbai’s historic Azad Maidan. While it is confirmedthatAjitPawarwillbe taking oath as Deputy CM along with him, Eknath Shinde is also likelyto,thoughaconfirmationis still awaited. Inanotherindicationthatthe negotiations between Mahayuti partners BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP Mahayuti leaders Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Wednesday. Sankhadeep Banerjee BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY are still continuing, no other leader will be taking oath for now. Maharashtra can have a ministry of 43 members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who helped pull off the BJP’s historic 132-seat win in Maharashtra, will be present for the swearing-in. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Delhi to Mumbai, Rajkot to Dhanbad Rahul stopped on way to Sambhal: ‘As Leader of Opp, right to visit’ NEW DELHI, MUMBAI, PUNE, AHMEDABAD, RANCHI, HYDERABAD, BHOPAL, DECEMBER 4 WHEN A fire at a government hospital killed 18 newborns in Jhansi last month, the headlines were all too familiar — a possible shortcircuit,ahealthcaresystem operating beyond capacity, and high-level probes to fix responsibility. The Indian Express looked at the cause and aftermath of 11 prominent hospital fires in the lastfiveyears,whichclaimed107 lives,andfoundthatinallbutone casefromearlierthisyear,theaccused — hospital owners or heads — are out on bail. Significantly, in seven instances, court cases are still dragging on. The Indian Express looked at hospitalfiresthatclaimedfiveor more lives. To be sure, this is a fraction of the total hospital or clinicfiresinthepasthalf-decade — between January 2020 and October2024,therewereatleast 105 such reported incidents. Significantly,therewasanincrease in fatal fire incidents during Covid-19 — nine of the 11 incidentsTheIndianExpresslooked at took place in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Five took place in 2021 when the pandemic was at its peak and the healthcare system was overstretched. There were many other startling revelations — at least eight of the 11 fires were likely caused by short circuits, with improper maintenance of electrical lines andequipmenttoblame;several hospitals ignored basic safety measuresandlackedfirefighting equipment like extinguishers, hoses, sprinklers and welltrained staff; and the government agencies failed to keep a check on hospitals running on expiredfirecertificates,violating constructionnorms,andmissing key safety measures in place. `6.00 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 Assam Govt bans beef at restaurants, gatherings CM Sarma announced decision after Cabinet meeting SUKRITA BARUAH GUWAHATI, DECEMBER 4 Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra after being stopped by UP Police on Wednesday. Tashi Tobgyal NEETIKA JHA GHAZIABAD, DECEMBER 4 A rescued newborn after being shifted from the NICU ward of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi, where 18 newborns died last month. Vishal Srivastav NEW DELHI Status: Trial ongoing, two accused dead in judicial custody BHARUCH, GUJARAT Status: Trial ongoing, nine dead accused out on bail 6 18 AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT Status: Trial ongoing, three dead accused on bail JABALPUR, MP Status: Trial yet to begin dead 8 8 RAJKOT, GUJARAT Status: Trial ongoing, five dead accused on bail 5 VIRAR, MAHARASHTRA Status: Trial underway, two dead accused on bail DHANBAD, JHARKHAND Status: Owners deceased dead 15 5 VIJAYAWADA, ANDHRA PRADESH Status: Trial ongoing, five dead accused on bail MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA Status: Trial ongoing, two dead accused on bail 10 11 AHMEDNAGAR, MAHARASHTRA Status: Prosecution sanction pending with dead government 11 BHANDARA, MAHARASHTRA Status: No criminal action dead 10 A CONGRESS delegation led by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and party MPs Priyanka Gandhi and K C VenugopalwasstoppedbyUttar Pradesh Police from going to violence-hit Sambhal, at the Ghazipur border with Delhi on Wednesday morning. After being stuck for around two hours on the six-lane DelhiMeerut Expressway, which saw deployment of over 200 police personnel, Rahul said, “I am trying to go to Sambhal. It is my rightastheLeaderof Opposition. The police are not allowing me. I even told them I am ready to go alone or accompanied by them. They told us if I return in a few days, I will be allowed.” The Gandhis had on Tuesday announced their visit to Sambhal, where four persons were killed and several policemen injured during clashes over a court-ordered survey at the ShahiJamaMasjidonNovember 24. The court had ordered the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 2 jail officials suspended over SP leaders’ meet with Sambhal violence accused EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE LUCKNOW, MEERUT, DEC 4 TWO DAYS after a Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation visited Moradabad jail to meet the accused in the Sambhal violence case, the Uttar Pradesh prisons department on Wednesday suspended the jailer and deputy jailerforallegedlyfacilitatingthe “unauthorised” meeting. Officials also pointed out that there were “lapses in protocol.” The department has also recommended action against Moradabad jail's Senior Superintendent (SSP), Pawan Pratap Singh, in a letter to the state government. The jailer and CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ASSAMCHIEFMinisterHimanta Biswa Sarma Wednesday announced a complete ban on the public consumption of beef in the state — including in restaurantsandcommunitygatherings. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting held earlier in the day. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Sarma claimed that the move was prompted by a discussion on some recent statements by Congress leaders, who accused the BJP of wooing voters “with beef”inSamaguri—theMuslimmajority seat the BJP won in the bypoll last month. According to the latest decision,beef cannotbeservedinany hotels,restaurantorcommunity functions—whetherreligiousor otherwise. According to the CM, provisions to this effect will be added to the existing Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 INSIDE FARMERS WILL COMPLY WITH KISAN PANCHAYAT’S DECISION: TIKAIT PAGE 3 LIMITED SUCCESS IN CAPTURING ‘CHINA PLUS ONE’ CHANCE: NITI AAYOG PAGE 13 Indian-origin artist wins Turner Prize: ‘Weaves personal, political, spiritual’ VANDANA KALRA NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 4 INDIAN-ORIGINSCOTTISHartist Jasleen Kaur has won the prestigious Turner Prize 2024 for her exhibition, “Alter Altar”, that reflects on plurality, personal and political themes. The jury — chaired by Alex Farquharson, Director, Tate Britain — praised “the considered way in which Kaur weaves together the personal, political and spiritual… choreographing a visual and aural experience thatsuggestsbothsolidarity and joy”. It also highlighted Kaur’s “abilitytogatherdifferentvoices through unexpected and playful combinations of material”. At 38, Kaur was the youngest nominee for this year’s award that includes a cash prize of £25,000. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the prize. The other shortlisted artists included Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson and Delaine Le Bas. Born in Glasgow, Kaur’s great-grandfather reportedly moved from Punjab in 1950, threeyearsafterPartition;herfa- ther owns a hardware store in Scotland. Her prize-winning exhibition“AlterAltar”,firstshown in Glasgow last year, also reflects on her own family history as migrants to Scotland and her upbringing. It featured, among others, a vintage red Ford Escort covered with a huge crocheted doily, a reference to her father’s migrant aspirations, worship bells, IrnBru orange resin, an Axminster carpet, and family photographs. Also playing were soundtracks that were part of Kaur’s growing up years, from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to Bob Marley. In several interviews, Kaur E EXPLAINED PAGE 1 ANCHOR Jasleen Kaur at the award ceremony in London. David Parry/PA Media Assignments The Turner ● Prize SINCE IT was established in 1984, the Turner Prize has emerged as one of the most prestigious art awards. Recognising the work of a British artist, it endeavours to highlight recent developments in contemporary British art. Indian-origin British artist Anish Kapoor won the prize in 1991. has often discussed her multicultural upbringing and influences. If her 2021 series, “Gut Feelings Meri Jaan”, explored ideasaroundinheritanceandbelonging, history and archive, in the 2018 “I Keep Telling Them These Stories”, she used archival footage and recordings gathered from India and Scotland to explore culture as praxis, family, identity and origins. Her 2019 publication, “Be Like Teflon”, commissioned by Panel for GlasgowWomen'sLibrary,comprises conversations between Kaur and women of Indian heritage living in the UK. Her website describes her as: “An artist making with the slurry of life. Raised amidst betrayal, secrecyandbanishedoutsiders,her work is to make sense of what is out of view or withheld. She is calledtowardsplurality,declassifications,polyphony,theblur.She is practising singing in the sediment till she is intoxicated.” In an interview on the Tate website, Kaur states: “There’s this particular theory that I grew up with from the Sikh tradition which talks about Miri Piri, which is this balance of the political and the spiritual. I’m really interestedinthatdualityandI’ve becomequiteobsessedwiththis CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Lucknow