tuesdAY 20 august, 2024 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard Nepal to export close to 1,000 MW of power to India, says Jaishankar war on gaza Blinken says last chance for truce Antony Blinken on Monday urged Israel and Hamas not to derail negotiations that he said may be a “last opportunity” to secure a Gaza truce. Page 9 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called it a new milestone after holding talks with his Nepalese counterpart Arzu Rana Deuba in Delhi 251 MW to be sourced from 12 projects A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS l New Delhi l J8.00 l Nepal was already exporting 690 megawatts (MW) of electricity from 16 hydropower projects to India. Now, an additional 251 MW of power, sourced from 12 hydropower projects, will be exported, taking the total power exports to India to 941 MW. Nepal exported electricity worth more than `10 billion to India in the last fiscal, a statement said PAGES 12 H e m a C o m m i t t ee r e p o r t Rampant sexual abuse in Kerala film industry E XP R E S S N E W S S E R VIC E @ T’Puram Calcutta High Court lawyers stage a protest against the alleged sexual assault and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar College and Hospital, in Kolkata on Monday | PTI Intimidation steps up protests TMC MP seeks HC protection; top docs appear for police questioning after leading march E x p ress Ne w s S er v i c e @ Kolkata Transfer racket With the streets of Kolkata continuing to see protests by people from all walks of life against the horrific rape and murder of a PG student at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray on Monday moved the Calcutta High Court fearing arrest, and two leading doctors faced police questioning for allegedly spreading misinformation on social media. The CBI continued interrogation of former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh for the fourth straight day and also prepared for a polygraph test on Sanjoy Roy a civic volunteer arrested , in the case. The CBI got a local court approval for the lie-detector test, days after performing A senior CBI officer said, “A racket of transfer-posting of doctors was functioning at RG Kar. The going rate for each transfer was around `20-`30 lakh. The victim protested against the illegal system in various forums.” RG Kar ex-principal Sandip Ghosh Prepare a module/scheme for protection of doctors and medical service personnel against any violence in the hospitals — Delhi Medical Association plea to SC, which will hear case the suo motu at 10.30 am today a psychoanalysis test on him. “I have moved Calcutta High Court against the illegal notice of the police, intimidation and high-handedness. The matter is likely to be heard on Tuesday the MP said. ,” On Sunday, the police summoned Ray a three-time mem, ber of the Upper House, for his post on X, which said: “CBI must act fairly Custodial inter. rogation of Ex Principal and Police Commissioner is a must to know who and why floated suicide story Why wall of hall . demolished, who patronised Roy to be so powerful, why snif fer do g used after 3 days.100s of such questions.” Senior doctors Kunal Sarkar and Subar na Goswami responded to another crackdown attempt by the police for post- ing about the incident on social media. They led a march of hundreds of healthcare professionals from Calcutta Medical College to Kolkata Police headquarters, before they appeared for questioning. Doctors on strike tied black rakhis as a mark of protest. In various parts of the state, women tied black rakhis to their brothers. Artists gathered at the Academy of Fine Arts for a protest rally and lawyers of the Calcutta High Court joined them. Governor C V Ananda Bose said, “In West Bengal, democracy is degenerating… Today, we have to take a pledge to protect our daughters or sisters. This society should become a place where women feel happy and secure. We have failed in our mission to our sisters. This is the time for all men to correct themselves.” P4 & 8 Docs turn road outside Nirman Bhavan into OPD Ash i sh S r i v a s ta v a @ New Delhi Into the eighth day of their strike, resident doctors turned the street outside Nirman Bhavan, the Ministry of Health’s headquarters, into an open multi-specialty OPD. Over 50 doctors from 36 specialties, including neurology, orthopedics, medicine, and surgery, sat on the ground, offering consultations to patients. Holding A4 sheets that listed their expertise, the doctors formed a queue opposite the ministry building. Equipped with basic tools, they attended to patients, inquiring about their medical history and writing prescriptions on the back of pamphlets. The doctors said they felt safer on the streets in the presence of police than within the hospital walls. “Our demand for safety is in the patient’s interest. We can only work when we feel safe. Only a Central law can ensure it,” said Dr Pratigya from RML Hospital. Dr Akshita from Safdarjung Mpox scare: Airports told to be vigilant Interim HC relief for Sidhu in MUDA case In an interim relief to Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka HC on Monday directed the special court to defer proceedings till August 29—the next date of hearing—and, till then, not to precipitate matters over the complaints filed. The plaints sought directions to order a probe against the CM in connection with the MUDA site allotment to his wife. P5 Centre files affidavit on triple talaq in SC The Centre has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court defending its 2019 law criminalising instant triple talaq. It said the 2019 Act helps in ensuring the larger constitutional goals of gender justice and equality of married Muslim women and subserve their fundamental rights of non-discrimination. P7 Major findings 1 Sexual demands made to women for their very entry into cinema 2 Torture of women who refuse sexual demands 3 Silencing of women under threat of ban from work in cinema 4 Malayalam film industry is in the clutches of an all-male power group comprising 10-15 people 5 Cyber attacks unleashed by ‘fan clubs’ on those who draw the ire of the power group As long as the power structure exists Malayalam film industry... constitution of ICC (Internal Complaints Committee) will be of no use Justice K Hema committee report F aya z w a n i @ Srinagar A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) inspector was killed in a terrorist attack in assembly election-bound Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Monday . A police official said terrorists attacked an area domination patrol team comprising the local police and CRPF personnel at Chill in Dudu area of Udhampur. The security forces returned the fire, and in the ensuing gunfight CRPF inspector Kuldeep Kumar of the 187th battalion sustained bullet injuries, the official said. Kumar was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to injuries. Udhampur will go to polls on October 1, the final phase of the three-phase elections. Soon after the attack, additional troops reached the area and a massive manhunt was launched to track down the terrorists with the help of drones and sniffer dogs. Monday’s attack comes five days after terrorists and security forces engaged in a series of gun battles in a day-long encounter in the dense Akar forest area of the neighbouring Doda district during which an Army captain was killed. Earlier, on August 11, two soldiers and a civilian were killed in an encounter in a remote area in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. On July 16, four Army personnel, including a captain, died after being injured in a gunfight with heavily armed terrorists in a forest area of the Doda district of J&K. There has been a sudden surge in terror attacks in the Jammu region in which over a dozen security personnel, mostly from the Army were killed. The militants have changed their strategy and are resorting to jungle warfare and hit and run attacks along forest areas. About 4000 more troops including 500 elite para commandos have been deployed. Noida cops’ brotherly act: No traffic fine on women Express read The health ministry has asked all airports as well as authorities at land ports on borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan to remain alert about incoming passengers reporting Mpox symptoms. It has identified RML, Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge as nodal centres in Delhi for isolation, management and treatment of any Mpox patient. Hospital echoed similar sentiment. “We’re not afraid to work. We’re always available for our patients. But we need a safe environment. What happened to the doctor in Kolkata could happen to anyone. I’m a PG trainee just like her. My parents now call me four times a day to check if I’m okay,” she said. “All brothers have failed to provide justice to our sister in Kolkata. We must protect our colleagues from such incidents,” said Dr Rajesh Acharya from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. Casting couch, sexual harassment, blackmailing, unofficial ban, gender discrimination, lack of basic facilities including toilets and changing rooms, rampant alcohol and drug abuse, denial of roles and remuneration, and lack of a proper legal system to address the problems are some of the key issues faced by women working in the Malayalam film industry According to the . Justice Hema Committee, constituted to look into harassment faced by women in the field, the industry is controlled by a group of 10-15 men. This powerful lobby, which the report terms ‘mafia’, can impose unofficial bans and banish anyone. Almost five years after the committee submitted it, the Kerala government released the report on Monday under the RTI Act, after a slew of legal battles before the State Information Commission and the Kerala High Court. The three-member panel, headed by Justice K Hema, had former IAS officer K B Valsalakumari and veteran actor Sarada as its members. The government released a 233-page report after removing close to 65 pages from the original document, which is based on testimonies of more than 50 professionals, including actors and technicians. The most important finding of the panel is about an all-male power group. It says these individuals are prominent persons who are at the forefront of the Malayalam film industry “Certain actors in cin. ema (some of them are also producers, distributors, exhibitor or directors) — all male — gained enormous fame and wealth and they are in full control the whole industry now,” the report said. At the behest of this group, many individuals, including famous actors, were banned from cinema. Offending any member of the group, even for a silly reason, could invite a ban. “If a member from the power group is not pleased with someone in cinema (be he/she an actor, producer, director or anyone in cinema, however efficient), because of even personal prejudice, all the members of the power group join hands, and such a person is prevented from working in cinema,” it added. The report noted that members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) are being targeted for the simple reason that they protested against atrocities in the industry . The panel said there should be a forum to address the issues. Now, CRPF officer killed in poll-bound Udhampur U j w a l J a l a l i @ New Delhi bonds of unity A student ties a ‘rakhi’ to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Raksha Bandhan celebrations with school children in New Delhi on Monday | PTI Modi to visit war-hit Ukraine on August 23 Yesh i se l i @ New Delhi Narendra Modi will travel to Kyiv and hold talks with President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy on August 23, in the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine since 1992. Modi’s visit comes a day ahead of the Ukraine National Day, which falls on August 24. It also comes weeks after he visited Russia and held talks with President Vladimir Putin, drawing criticism from Zelenskyy . “Prime Minister’s engagements in Kyiv will touch a range of aspects of bilateral ties,” a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said. The two leaders are also likely to discuss the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. India has always been advocating diplomacy and dialogue to resolve the conflict, Tanmaya Lal, Secretary (West), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said. Before visiting Ukraine, Modi will travel to Poland and hold talks with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Modi is also expected to interact with the Indian community in Poland. The visit, the first by an Indian PM in 45 years, comes as Poland and India mark 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Call it pure brotherly love or professional naiveté, the Noida police decided not to prosecute women driving two-wheelers for any traffic violation on Monday Rather, the police dis. tributed free helmets. “We distributed helmets to all our sisters riding two-wheelers on Raksha Bandhan. This is a lifesaving gift from our side,” said DCP (Traffic) Yamuna Prasad. The cops were seen at several intersections, stopping women riders, greeting them with a smile, and handing them a white helmet for gratis. “We are advising people, especially women to obey traffic rules and celebrate the festival with their loved ones without any worries. The traffic ran smoothly as policemen were present at major intersections,” said the DCP . However, the traffic police also issued a warning, saying serious traffic violations would still result in strict action. The DCP visited Noida Sector 37 to participate in the initiative. The traffic police aimed to distribute 1,000 helmets. In Delhi, the police encouraged people to follow traffic rules, by signifying the meaning of the word ‘bandhan’ and comparing it with the car seat belts and the strap of a helmet. “Raksha bandhan manaane jaa rahe? Toh ek bandhan aur yaad rakhna: Car ki seat belt & helmet ka strap. RakshaBandhan bhi and SurakshaBandhan bhi (going out for rakshabandhan, do remember two hings: car’s seat belt and helmet’s strap)” the Delhi Police posted on X. ‘Raksha Bandhan’, signifying the undying ties of love and af- No licensing regime for OTT apps: Govt R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi The government has decided not to bring over-the-top (OTT) communication apps such as WhatsApp, Skype, and Telegram under the licensing regime. According to sources, the exclusion of OTT apps from the consultation process during the formation of the Telecom Bill makes it impossible to subject them to any licensing. The Cellular Operators Association of India, which represents Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, has been pushing for the inclusion of OTTs under the licensing regime, citing similarities in the services offered. But many industry bodies, including the Internet & Mobile Association of India, Nasscom, Broadband India Forum, and US-India Strategic Partnership Forum have cautioned against this move. The Telecommunication Bill 2023, which proposed changes in the telecom sector, was passed in Parliament in December 2023. But there was confusion whether the bill would cover OTT services. Later, the then communication minister Ashwini Vaishnaw clarified that OTTs are regulated by the IT Act, and the process will continue to stay that way . fection between a sister and brother, was celebrated with enthusiasm. In some places, the women demonstrated secular culture by tying rakhis on members of other communities. Heavy rush was seen in the early hours at rakhi stalls and sweets shops made a brisk business. A large number of people visited tastefully decorated temples and offered prayers. L-G VK Saxena celebrated the fest with school children. “After getting rakhi tied by the children, Saxena told them and the accompanying teachers that they were now a part of his family and he would do whatever was possible to ensure their happiness and wellness,” an official statement said. saudi ‘prince forged dad’s signature’ A former Saudi official has told BBC that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman forged his father’s signature on the royal decree that launched the kingdom’s war against Yemen’s Houthi rebels | P9
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