DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA ● REG.NO. MCS/067/2018 - 20 RNI REGN. NO. 1543/57 JOURNALISM OF COURAGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2025, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES `5.00 ● WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 2021 CASE: TOP COURT SAYS PEOPLE NOT GIVEN ‘REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY’ TO RESPOND TO NOTICES Demolitions in Prayagraj inhuman and illegal, shock conscience, says SC, orders `10-lakh each in 6 weeks Meet the girl who ran with books: 8 yrs, wants to become ‘IAS adhikari’ ‘Girl running away from demolished hut with clutch of books... shocked all’ ANANTHAKRISHNAN G NEW DELHI, APRIL 1 CRITICISING THE demolition of some houses by local authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj in 2021 as “inhuman and illegal”, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said the “high-handed” manner in which this was done “shocks our conscience”. It directed the PrayagrajDevelopmentAuthority topayRs10lakheachtothoseaffected within six weeks. The bench of Justices A S Oka andUjjalBhuyanwashearingan appeal against the Allahabad High Court's decision, on March BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY 8, 2021, to dismiss a clutch of petitions against the demolitions carriedoutthepreviousday.The petitioners included a professor, a lawyer and three others. Saying that the appellants werenotgivena“reasonableopportunity” to explain their position, the SC said: “These cases shockourconscience.Residential premises of the appellants have been high-handedly demolished... Carrying out demolition insuchamannershowsinsensitivity on the part of the statutory developmentauthority...Theauthorities, and especially the development authority, must CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 MAULSHREE SETH LUCKNOW, APRIL 1 A screenshot of a video clip of a girl running with her books during a demolition drive in Ambedkar Nagar, UP, March 21 FOR EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Ananya Yadav, the schoolbag containing Hindi, English and “ginti ki” (maths)booksishermostprized possession,amediumtooneday become an “IAS adhikari” and “protectthecountry”.So,whena shed close to where the bag was kept caught fire during a demolition drive in Uttar Pradesh’s Ambedkar Nagar on March 21, India finalises US trade deal terms, Trump says Delhi ‘dropping’ tariffs Gujarat offer for stents with US FDA nod: Twice the price RAVI DUTTA MISHRA NEW DELHI, APRIL 1 98 126 155 66 Maharashtra to have e-bike taxis in cities with population of over one lakh VALLABH OZARKAR MUMBAI, APRIL 1 THEMAHARASHTRACabineton Tuesday cleared a proposal of the transport department to allow electric bike taxi services in cities of the state having population of more than one lakh. The services will benefit the passengers who want to travel in the urban areas for upto 15 kilometres. Under this policy, only electric bike taxis under transport category will be allowed, with an aim to provide people with the option of “last mile connectivity” along with cheap travel. Only drivers betweenthe20and50 yearsof age will be able to provide bike taxi services.Womenpassengerswill be able to opt for a female driver. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik made the announcement after a weekly Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Sahyadri guest house. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 USTR FLAGS KEY BARRIERS: INTERNET SHUTDOWNS TO CURBS ON GM FOODS PMO’s intervention helps finalise Terms of Reference of bilateral pact 02/04/2025 she rushed to save it. Little did Ananya know that a video of her running with the bag would catch the attention of the country’s top court. During a hearing on Tuesday, a Bench of Justices A S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan cited the video that is viral online and said it had “shocked everyone.” “There is a recent video in which small huts are being demolished by bulldozers. There is a small girl running away from A DAY before the US reciprocal tariffskickinonApril2,Indiahas agreedtotheTermsof Reference for the Bilateral Trade Agreement with the US following an intervention from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The ToR outlines the framework of the BTA and typically requires clearance from the highest political office before negotiations begin. “The PMO is keenonaswiftfinalisationof the deal,” a senior government official told The Indian Express. Finalisation of the ToR was still pending on Saturday when US negotiators left India after four days of talks. Both sides are now ready for formal negotiations where India is expected to lower tariffs on American goods in exchange for US concessions, the government official said. US President Donald Trump saidTuesdaythatIndiawaswillingtocuttariffs,hintingatpossible relief for India from sweep- KAUNAIN SHERIFF M NEW DELHI, APRIL 1 President Donald Trump’s tariff orders are to kick in on April 2. Reuters file ing US tariffs. “I heard that India is going to be dropping its tariffs substantially. A lot of countries are going to drop their tariffs,” Trump said during a White House press briefing. A query to the Commerce and Industry Ministry spokesperson did not elicit a response till late evening. PuttingpressureonIndiaand other trading partners, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) also raised a range of concerns in its report ‘Foreign Trade Barriers’ CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 BSE Sensex fell 1,390.41 points Tuesday. Ganesh Shirsekar Ahead of tariffs today, Sensex plunges 1.8% HITESH VYAS MUMBAI, APRIL 1 THE DOMESTIC stock market came under heavy pressure on Tuesday,thefirstdayofthefinancialyear2025-26,withtheSensex crashing1.8percentandtheNifty tanking 1.5 per cent amid uncertainty ahead of US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs to be announced on April 2. The BSE’s 30-share Sensex lost 1.8 per cent, or 1,390.41 points, to close at 76,024.51. The broader Nifty 50 fell 1.5 per cent, or 353.65 points, to end at 23,165.7. “Amid heightened global volatilityaheadof theanticipated CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 EXPRESS NETWORK IN AN ORDER being viewed as favouring American businesses, theGujaratgovernmenthasintroduced a differential pricing system for stents to be used to treat patients under the flagship Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. The order says stents approved by the United States Food and Drug AdministrationwillbepricedatRs25,000 perstent,andthoseclearedbythe Indiandrugregulatorwillcostless than half, or Rs 12,000 per stent. Currently, all drug-eluting stents (DES), used to treat blockedheartarteries,arepriced at Rs 35,000. Indian medical manufacturers have now raised concerns over the new pricing policy,callingit“discriminatory” and urging the government to CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chile President Gabriel Boric Font ahead of their meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Tuesday. Praveen Khanna REPORTS,PAGES6,13 Opposition members protest in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. PTI LIZ MATHEW NEW DELHI, APRIL 1 THEGOVERNMENTwillbeintroducing the contentious Waqf (Amendment)BillonWednesday, two days before the Budget Session concludes on April 4, ignoring the Opposition’s protests. Accusing the government of “bulldozing” through its agenda and ignoring issues they wanted to raise in Parliament, a united Opposition walked out of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting which was held Tuesday to decide allocation of time for discussions in the Lok Sabha for the rest of the session. TheOppositionpartiescalledthe EXPLAINED LAW THE WAQF BILL DEBATE PAGE 9 Bill an “assault” on the Constitution. However, later in the evening, a meeting of 22 INDIA bloc parties decided to take part in the discussion and voting on the Bill on Wednesday. “All the 22 parties in the INDIAblochavedecidedtotakepart inthediscussionandvoteagainst theBill.Wehopethegovernment does not do any mischief and CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 GUIDELINES IN MAHARASHTRA Excessive sanction of projects leading to bill payment delays: PWD to limit new works ALOK DESHPANDE MUMBAI, APRIL 1 ACCEPTING THAT excessive sanction of projects over the approved budget of the department is leading to the delay in bill payment of road works, resulting in cost escalation due to delays in execution of project and affecting the quality of works, the Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) on Tuesday issued guidelines in a bid to limit new works. “It is necessary to formulate a specific policy regarding the newly sanctioned works through the Public Works Department and limit the number of newly sanctioned works,” said the guidelines. It added, “The works which cost more than the budget received by the government have been sanctioned. Therefore, it is impossible for the government topaythebillsforthesaidworks from the budget received by the government. If the sanctioned CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Path forward may be difficult, we are prepared to walk: Misri on China ties NEW DELHI, APRIL 1 GUEST FROM SANTIAGO 22 INDIA bloc parties decide to take part in discussion, voting on Bill PRESIDENTS, PMs EXCHANGE MESSAGES ON 75 YEARS OF RELATIONS SHUBHAJIT ROY 21 KILLED IN BOILER BLAST AT GUJARAT FIRECRACKER WAREHOUSE PAGE 8 SAMBHAL MOSQUE WHITEWASH: SC JUNKS PLEA PAGE 6 Govt to introduce Waqf Bill in House today, Opp says ‘bulldozing’ agenda SETTING THE stage for a “path forward” after a bitter military standoff along the Line of Actual Control, Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India. Premier Li Qiang also exchanged congratulatory messages with Prime Minister The Tianjin window THE MEETING between Xi and Modi in Kazan last year set the stage for disengagement at two key points along the LAC, and all eyes now are on a possible meeting this autumn during the SCO summit in Tianjin. Narendra Modi. The messages were released byBeijing,notDelhiwherethere is cautious optimism — the Chinese outreach is the latest ever since Modi and Xi met last October on the sidelines of the BRICSSummitintheRussiancity of Kazan. Thetwoleadersareexpected to meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Tianjin in China later this year. These congratulatory messages are intended to create a positive atmosphere for the two leaders to meet though the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 TMC-Govt double engine powers Abhishek Diamond Harbour delivery model PAGE 1 ANCHOR SWEETY KUMARI, RAVIK BHATTACHARYA & ATRI MITRA DIAMOND HARBOUR (SOUTH 24 PARGANAS), APRIL 1 DRIVING DOWN the longest flyover in West Bengal, a 7.5-km stretch in South 24 Parganas district, it is hard to miss Abhishek Banerjee. The Trinamool Congress MP towers in billboards on either side, welcomingpeopleto‘SebaashrayHealth Camps’ in his constituency Diamond Harbour. The TMC national general secretary claims that between January 2 and March 20, the first phaseof theinitiative,morethan 12 lakh people availed of free services at the Sebaashray camps, with expenses of those referred to private hospitals also taken care of. The health camps were just the latest, and most visible, aspect of Abhishek’s much-touted ‘DiamondHarbourModel’—the othersbeingpensioncamps,fasttracking of government services andmegaprojects,andoutreach measureslike‘EkDaakEAbhishek (Abhishek a call away)’ — ensuring that the constituency stands apart from the other 41 Lok Sabha seats in the state. FortheOpposition,thisflows from the privilege of being the No. 2 in the ruling party, and the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. And proof thattheoverallsystemislagging. Health camps Under the 75-day Sebaashray first phase, 40-50 health camps were held for around 10 days in each of the seven Assembly segments falling under Diamond Harbour. For every 42 health camps (or Billboards of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee in Diamond Harbour constituency. Partha Paul roughly an Assembly segment each), there was a ‘model camp’. TMC leaders said Abhishek personally monitored the scheme, with his — and the party’s — social media feed full of details and visuals from the camps every day. Abhishek’s MPLADS funds took care of most of the expenses, with the MLAs (all seven underDiamondHarbourbelong to the TMC) and councillors pitching in. Lok Sabha data shows 100% utilisation of his MPLADS funds by Abhishek — with Rs 13.46 crore spent on infrastructure and allied areas, Rs 1.28 crore on health and Rs 0.42 crore on education. There was no dearth of support,saysAbdulKhalequeMolla, the MLA from Metiabruz. The programme’soverallmedicalcoordinator, Dr Akhbar Hossain, says around 1,200 government doctorswere“volunteers”—this has also raised eyebrows — with 12 hospitals brought on board for referral cases. Partha Sarathi Dasgupta, a TMC local booth president and thein-chargeof acampinBudge Budge town, in the Assembly segment by the same name, told The Indian Express that the idea was to “augment government health care”. “The primary health centres (PHCs) lack infrastructure.Andif onegoestoabig government hospital (there are twointhevicinity),testscantake months. We did the basic tests here, and for those such as MRI, we took patients to model camps.” One of the doctors who volunteered at the Budge Budge campwasIndranilBagchi,anMD posted at Barasat Government Hospital, nearly 55 km away. He was at the camp on his weekly offs,Bagchisays,withtheTMCorganising their pick-up and drop. ManburAli,adoctorwiththe Kolkata Municipal Corporation, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2