THURSDAY 04 JANUARY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘BRS IS THE VOICE OF TELANGANA’ MP CM REMOVES COLLECTOR WHO INSULTED TRUCKER P5 SENSEX 71,356.60535.88 WEATHER MAINLY CLEAR SKY. MODERATE FOG IN THE MORNING. COLD DAY CONDITIONS AT ISOLATED PLACES. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 17 AND 07 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY.\R\N. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY TEMPERATURE Max: 15.6°C (-4) SUN RISES 07:15 hrs MOON RISES 01:03 hrs P4 NIFTY 21,517.35148.45 P8 ` vs $ 83.193 PAISE GOLD 63,820270 THUMBNAILS Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav shares a video of three cheetah cubs after their birth by Namibian cheetah ANI 'Aasha' in MP's Kuno National Park. Wrestlers protest at Jantar Mantar: Nearly a year after India’s top wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat rallied at Jantar Mantar demanding the arrest of thenWrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh after accusing him of sexual misconduct against female grapplers, hundreds of young grapplers on Wednesday assembled at the same location protesting the loss of one crucial year of their careers, a situation for which they blamed the trio of Sakshi, Bajrang and Vinesh. (PG12) rimeMinisterNarendraModionWednesday said the BJP will defeat the INDI AllianceinKeralaandtheState knowsthatifthereisoneparty whichcanamplifyitsgrowth, it'stheBJP,notanyLeftistparty or alliance. Launching a sharp attack on the CPI (M)-led Left and theCongressattheBJPMahilaConferenceinThrissur,Kerala, he said the Left party and the Congress have been two parties in name only. When it comes to corruption, crime ornepotism,bothofthemdo everything together, he said.(Photo) “Now by forming the INDI Alliance, they have declared that there is no difference between their ideology and policies,” the Prime Minister said. He said the whole country is witnessing building of infrastructure like roads, modern railways and airports, “but the government of INDI Alliance, just to oppose Modi, doesn't let any work happen here.” He said the INDI Alliance wants full freedom for loot in Kerala.Goldsmugglingreported from the State, and from which offices, is not a secret for anyone, he said. “Theydon'twantanybody to question them regarding the funds received from the Central government for poor people and infrastructure and therefore try to hinder implementation of all Central government schemes in the State,” he said. Mr Modi said “the INDI Alliance knows only one thing, and that is how to hurt our faith. They have made temples and our festivals mediums for loot. The kind of politics that is being played with Thrissur Pooram is unfortunate.” He said the kindofmismanagementthat has come to light in Sabarimala has caused a lot of inconvenience to devotees. This is proof of the incompetence of the State government, the Prime Minister said.HesaidtheLDFandUDF governments which ruled Kerala after Independence considered women weak. TheLeftandtheCongresskept the law to give reservation to women in the Lok Sabha andtheVidhanSabhaspending for years. But Modi made thepromiseofreservationfor women in the legislature and kept the promise. The Nari Jaishankar speaks to his Ukrainian counterpart, discusses ongoing war SC notice to LS secy general on Mahua expulsion STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 JANUARY ShaktiAdhiniyamhasbecome a law, he said. “In the last 10 years, we tookseveralstepstomakelife easier for women, we gave 10 croreUjjwalagasconnections, howdidithappen?Modihad giventheguarantee,”hesaid. Similarly, 11 crore families’ women got drinking water connections, 12 crore families’ women got toilets; the BJP Government provided Re 1 sanitary pad, he said. It was Modi Guarantee when bank accounts were opened for 60 lakh women in Kerala; Mudra loans were given to 20 crore women in the country, and pregnancy leave increased to 26 weeks. Aslongasthecountryhad Left and Congress coalition governments,Muslimwomen sufferedtripletalaq.Modigave aguaranteetoMuslimwomen freedom for this and they got it from him with honesty, he said. He said children of Kerala are contributing to the world and are settled globally. Be it Covid, Sudan, Ukraine, or Gaza, “we have seen many crises. No matter howbigthetroubleis,theBJP govt has rescued all its citizens.” BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 76.080.19 cussed further cooperation on the “peace formula”. In this regard, he said he informed Dr Jaishankar of Ukraine’s vision for the Global Peace Summit of leaders. He said the two of them agreed to hold the first meeting of the India-Ukraine InterGovernmental Commission in the near future. “The rejuvenation of this primary mechanism of our bilateral ties will allow us to jointly move forward in a comprehensive manner,” he added. The phone conversation between them came days after Dr Jaishankar paid a five-day visit to Russia. India has been treading cautiously ever since the war broke out in Ukraine in February 2022, keeping in mind its long-standing ties with Russia. However, it has repeatedly called for cessation of hostilities and resolution of the crisis through peaceful diplomatic talks. The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Lok Sabha secretary general on a plea by TMC leader Mahua Moitra challenging her expulsion from the House on the cash-for-query allegation. The court was told that her indictment by the Ethics Committee and expulsion was carried out in violation of the rule of natural justice both before the Ethics committee and the House (Lok Sabhas). Issuing notice, a Bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta gave the Lok Sabha Secretary General three weeks’ time to reply and another three weeks to Mahua Moitra to file her rejoinder to the Secretary General’s reply and posted the matter for further hearing in the week comm- encing from 11 March, 2024. (PG5) TRIDIB BAPARNASH NEW DELHI, 3 JANUARY Ideally, South Africa being all out for 55 should have been the headline of the day but wait: India’s innings imploded inside 11 deliveries in the third session of the opening day, leaving them all out for 153, though after gaining a 98-run first innings lead in the second Test. While the bowlers made amends in Cape Town, the batting department that lasted a little over a 100 overs combined in Centurion, once again disappointed as only three Indian batters managed to cross single digits, squandering the decent start provided by a 55-run second wicket partnership by skipper Rohit Sharma (39) and Shubman Gill (36) that took them to 105 for 3 before the South African pacers unleashed the carnage. Virat Kohli (46), the third batter to reach double digits, offered some late resistance before losing his partners, eventually falling short of a half century. In one of the most ordinary displays of batting, the visitors went from being 153 for 4 at the start of the 34th over to 153 all out with a ball to go in the 36th. It start- ed with Lungi Ngidi breaking the 43-run partnership between KL Rahul and Kohli by dismissing the former off the second ball of the 34th and then dismissing Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah for ducks.Then Kohli fell to Rabada off the first ball of the next over on 46 after which Siraj was run out after a mix-up with Prasidh Krishna. Krishna himself then fell to Rabada off the fifth ball of that over. Ngidi, who returned after a long injury lay-off, looked pedestrian in his first spell, but returned with a triplewicket maiden to turn things around for his side after left-arm pacer Nandre Burg- er set the tone with another three-wicket burst in the second session. Kagiso Rabada, the pace spearhead, was equally effective, cleaning up the tail and ended up with three wickets. The hosts lost three more wickets, including that of stand-in skipper Dean Elgar, playing in his farewell Test, in their second essay, taking the count to 23 wickets on day 1 of the Test, getting to 62 for 3 at stumps. Earlier in the day, Mohammed Siraj (photo) took a career-best six-wicket haul, to bundle out the hosts for a paltry 55 ~ their lowest ever total after their readmission in Tests. Hindenburg case: SC refuses SIT/ CBI probe STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 JANUARY External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday held “useful” talks with his Ukranian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, exchanging views on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict as well as bilateral ties. “A useful conversation with FM @DmytroKuleba of Ukraine today. Discussed advancing our bilateral cooperation in the year ahead. Exchanged views on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine,” the Indian leader said in a post on microblogging site 'X'. The Ukrainian foreign minister also wrote on 'X': “My first call in 2024 was with @DrSJaishankar on Ukrainian-Indian relations. I informed my counterpart of Russia's recent escalation of terror and mass air attacks, which caused civilian suffering and destruction.” Mr Kuleba said he dis- SILVER 78,600300 Says LDF & UDF govts which ruled Kerala after Independence considered women weak P Min: 7.3°C (0) SUN SETS 17:38 hrs MOON SETS 12:11 hrs P12 India Kerala knows BJP will Cape Town Test:fall onlose 6 for 0; 23 wickets Day 1 defeat INDI bloc: Modi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 JANUARY Max.94% Min. 60% DE MINAUR STUNS DJOKOVIC TO GIVE AUSTRALIA QF LEAD ‘NO PROPOSAL TO CUT FUEL PRICES’ PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 3 JANUARY The Supreme court on Wednesday refused to order a CBI or SIT investigation into the Hindenburg report on the Adani group of companies, stating that no ground is made out for transferring the investigation from the market regulator. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is probing the allegations made by the Hindenburg Research group that the Adani group of companies violated rules and regulations to shore up their share prices, which eventually suffered a meltdown in the wake of Hindenburg releasing its report. “The facts of this case do not warrant a transfer of investigation from SEBI. In an appropriate case, this Court does have the power to transfer an investigation being carried out by the authorised agency to an SIT or CBI. Such a power is exercised in extraor- Truth has prevailed: Gautam Adani AGENCIES AHMEDABAD , 3 JANUARY Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Wednesday welcomed the ruling of the Supreme Court declining to transfer the probe into the Adani-Hindenburg matter from market regulator SEBI to a SIT (Special Investigation Team) or the CBI. Adani tweeted saying that the judgement shows that truth has prevailed and said he was grateful to those who stood by the Adani Group. “Satyameva Jayate. I am grateful to those who stood by us," he posted on X. dinary circumstances when the competent authority portrays a glaring, wilful and deliberate inaction in carrying out the investigation. The threshold for the transfer of investigation has not been demonstrated to exist” said a Bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra in a judgment today. The court, however, directed that “the SEBI and the investigative agencies of the Union Government shall probe into whether the loss suffered by Indian investors due to the conduct of Hindenburg Research and any other entities in taking short positions involved any infraction of the law and if so, suitable action shall be taken.” Ruling out transferring the investigation from the Securities and Exchange Board of India to the CBI or a Speciial Investigation Team, the court noted that out of 24 cases relating to the Adani Group, the market regulator has concluded its probe into 22 cases and in the remaining two cases the investigations are pending due to inputs being awaited from foreign regulators. “SEBI has completed twenty-two out of the twenty-four investigations into the allegations levelled against the Adani group. Noting the assurance given by the Solicitor General on behalf of SEBI we direct SEBI to complete the two pending investigations expeditiously, preferably within three months,”the court ordered. Speaking for the Bench, Chief Justice Chandrachud said: “The reliance placed by the petitioner on the OCCPR report (the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project Report) to suggest that SEBI was lackadaisical in conducting the investigation is rejected. Hospitals can’t admit patients to ICU without consent: Govt issues guidelines CM skips ED summons again; AAP alleges conspiracy to keep him away from LS polls AGENCIES STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 JANUARY The government has come up with guidelines for hospitals on ICU admissions and directed that hospitals cannot admit critically ill patients in the ICU without the consent of the patient and family. According to the latest guidelines, patients who are critically ill should not be admitted to an ICU if they do not give their consent. “Critically ill patients should not be admitted to the ICU; if Patient's or next-of-kin informed refusal to be admitted in ICU.” The guidelines also mention that the specialist in the ICU should also have specific qualifications. The Intensivist should have a postgraduate qualification in Internal Medicine, Anaesthesia, Pulmonary Medicine, Emergency Medicine, or General Surgery, with an additional qualification in intensive care, or at least one year’s training in a reputed ICU abroad. Alternatively, they are required to have at least three years’ extensive experience in ICUs. The new guidelines have been developed by doctors with expertise in critical care medicine working in different levels of Hospital and Intensive Care Units (ICU) across the country. The criteria for admitting a patient to ICU should be based on organ failure and the need for organ support or in anticipation of deterioration in the medical condition, the guidelines stated, The guidelines specified priority for “Patients with severe acute (or acute-onchronic) illness requiring intensive monitoring and/or organ support. Any medical condition or disease with anticipation of deterioration Patients who have experienced any major intraoperative complication (e.g. cardiovascular or respiratory instability).Patients who have undergone major surgery, (e.g. thoracic, thoraco-abdominal, upper abdominal operations, trauma who require intensive monitoring or at a high risk of developing postoperative complications).” “The following critically ill patients should not be admitted to ICU ~ patient's or next of kin's informed refusal to be admitted in ICU, any disease with a treatment limitation plan. Anyone with a living will or advanced directive against ICU care. Terminally ill patients with a medical judgement of futility. Low priority criteria in case of pandemic or disaster situation where there is resource limitation (e.g. bed, workforce, equipment),” the guidelines state. The ICU discharge criteria guidelines state: “Return of physiological aberrations to near normal or baseline status. Reasonable resolution and stability of the acute illness that necessitated ICU admission. Patient/family agrees for ICU discharge for a treatment-limiting decision or palliative care. Based on lack of benefit from aggressive care (should be a medical decision, not obligating family agreement and as far as possible should not be based on economic constraint." The guidelines also goes into detail on the minimum patient monitoring required while awaiting an ICU bed and the minimum monitoring required for transferring a critically ill patient to an ICU. NEW DELHI, 3 JANUARY Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday skipped for the third time the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleging that the notices were an attempt to stop him from campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections. The AAP further alleged the BJP was using the ED and CBI as "political weapons" to intimidate opposition leaders, and to hinder the success of the INDIA alliance. The third summons by the ED was sent to Mr Kejriwal on 22 December, when he was in a Vipassana meditation camp. Earlier, before leaving for the 10-day mediation, he had skipped the summons issued to him on 18 December, asking to appear on 21 December. The ED had initially summoned Mr Kejriwal to join questioning in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor scam on 2 November, which the Delhi CM had skipped, saying that the summons were unsustainable in law. Addressing a Press conference on Wednesday, senior AAP leader and Cabinet Minister Atishi said: "The BJP's ED is unlawfully using summons to stop Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal from campaigning in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections." Atishi questioned on what basis Mr Kejriwal is being summoned, emphasising that the ED has not provided any answers to the letters of the CM yet. She also questioned what are these questions from the ED for which responses can only be given verbally at the ED office. She said: "The BJP-led Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued an illegal summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the third time. In the previous two summons, CM Arvind Kejriwal questioned the legality of the summons, raising several queries in letters to the ED. He sought clarification on the basis and capacity in which he was being summoned, whether as a witness, a suspect, the CM of Delhi, or as the AAP National Convener. Despite three letters to the ED, he has not received any responses." She added that hence it is evident that these summons are "unlawful", as the ED has not provided any clarification in response to Arvind Kejriwal's queries. The minister said: “The lack of communication from the ED suggests that the officials are aware of the dubious nature of the summons. The absence of a response indicates that these summons are politically motivated and have been sent on the directions of BJP." Atishi pointed out that if the summons were legitimate, the ED would have addressed CM Arvind Kejriwal's queries and specified the reasons for calling him. (SEE Page 2)