DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE Mamata silent as Bengal burns, says UP CM ED names Sonia & Rahul in National Herald chargesheet; Cong says vendetta Mamata gave rioters free hand in name of secularism: Yogi MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL & NIRBHAY THAKUR EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE LUCKNOW, APRIL 15 NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 THEENFORCEMENTDirectorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against seven persons, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi andRahulGandhi,inconnection withitsmoneylaunderingprobe in the National Herald case. Callingit“politicsof vendetta and intimidation”, the Congress said it would hold protests outside ED offices on Wednesday. While the chargesheet was filed in a special PMLA court on April 9, Special Judge Vishal Gogne on Tuesday examined it on the point of cognizance and posted the matter for April 25. Last week, the ED had served notices to take possession of immovable assets worth Rs 661 crore — in Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow — that it had attached Security forces patrol Dhulian area in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, Tuesday. Partha Paul Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi are majority shareholders of Young Indian, which is under ED scanner. PTI file as part of the money laundering probe against Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which publishes the National Herald CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Haryana land deal: ED questions Vadra, he says agencies being misused RAVIK BHATTACHARYA SHAMSHERGUNJ, APRIL 15 RUMOURS ON WhatsApp groups, fake social media accounts and mass mobilisation came together to form the perfect storm in West Bengal’s Murshidabad, which was rocked by communal violence lastweekinthewakeof the new Waqf law. Followingtheviolence,which claimed three lives, police have blocked 1,093 social media accounts and arrested 221 people. Seniorofficialsfromthestate EXPRESS NETWORK DAY AFTER VIOLENCE, BHANGAR LIMPS BACK TO NORMALCY SC TO HEAR PLEAS CHALLENGING NEW WAQF ACT TODAY PAGE 7 police and the district administration, as well as residents The Indian Express spoke to, said that several outfits had called rallies to protest against the new law. The first sign of trouble was on April 8, when protesters clashed with police in Umarpur on National Highway 12 and torched two police jeeps. “When the first incident of violence was recorded, police used tear gas and baton charge to control the situation,” an officer said. But April 11 was different. That day, NH-12 became a war zoneof sorts,withmobsburning buses, private vehicles, police jeeps and kiosks in Sajurmore CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 112% 108% 104% 100% 96% 92% 88% 84% 80% ■ Actualrainfall 110 Normal Range 95 97 108% 96 99 97 98 96 94 91 93 106% 88 Seasonalrainfallcategory: <90%:Deficient; 90-96%:Belownormal; 96-104%:Normal; 104-110%:Abovenormal; >110%:Excess Source : IMD ANJALI MARAR & AMITABH SINHA BENGALURU, NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 THE INDIA Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast 105 per cent of the long-period average or normal rainfall in the upcoming June-September monsoon season. If the forecast holds good, this will be the second consecutive year of ‘above normal’ rainfall. Initsfirstlong-rangeforecast for the season, IMD said all the maindriversof Indianmonsoon, including El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, Indian E Why it lifts ● sentiments GOOD MONSOON rains are likely to sustain lower retail inflation, particularly food inflation. This along with lower crude oil prices is likely to aid consumption which has remained lacklustre for several quarters. Ocean Dipole (IOD), and snowcover around the North Pole, were favourable. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 GOVT & POLITICS AMID FACEOFF WITH CENTRE, STALIN SETS UP PANEL ON STATES’ AUTONOMY TEJASHWI MEETS RAHUL, KHARGE PAGE 6 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ‘Be careful’: SC objects to Allahabad Urdu isn’t alien, born in this land, High Court remarks in rape case says SC, clears its use in signboard MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 THEENFORCEMENTDirectorate (ED) Tuesday questioned Robert Vadra, businessman and husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, for around six hours in connection with a money laundering case linked to a land deal in Shikohpur, Haryana. The agency asked him to join the probeagainat11amWednesday. Vadra, 56, was earlier summoned by the agency on April 8 but he did not appear, following which a second summons was servedTuesday.“Recently,wegot somenewfactsduringourinvestigation and wanted to confront himwiththesefacts.AfterheappearedbeforetheED,theagency recordedhisstatementunderthe Preventionof MoneyLaundering Before violence in Murshidabad, warning signs on social media UTTAR PRADESH Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday hit out at his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of “encouraging communal unrest under the guise of secularism” in the wake of violence in parts of the eastern state over the Waqf Amendment Act. Addressing a gathering in Hardoi on the sidelines of the inauguration and foundation-laying ceremony of 729 development projects worth Rs 650 crore, Adityanath claimed, “She (Banerjee) has given the rioters a free hand in the name of secularism. Only firm action, 'lathi', can put a check on the rioters, not words. Before 2017, Uttar Pradesh was plagued by frequent riots. We restored law and order as rioters only understand one language — the language of 'lathi'. Mere words cannot stop them.” Similar“uncheckedviolence” is now unfolding in Bengal, where the administration has chosensilenceoveraction,healleged. “Bengal is burning and theirCMcallsriotersmessengers ■ Predictedrainfall 2024 MONEY LAUNDERING PROBE CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 FORECAST TRACK RECORD 2023 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 COMMERCE SECRETARY Sunil Barthwal said Tuesday that the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) talks with the US are focused on the exchange of “right facts” and the “true picture” of trade between the two countries. This comes as US President Donald Conditions favourable, 105% of normal rainfall this monsoon, says forecast 2021 PAGE 9 PAGES 12, 13 NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 Trumphasconsistentlysoughtto pressurisetradepartners,accusing them of “ripping the US off” on goods trade, but overlooking theadvantagesthatAmericaenjoys in the services sector. “When we engage with the US team, all the facts are on the table, and the negotiations are based on the right facts and the data we exchange with them. That is completely rooted in the 2022 TRUMP’S SLEDGEHAMMER CHINA ORDERS AIRLINES TO SUSPEND BOEING JET DELIVERIES INDIA, EU WEIGH EARLY HARVEST TRADE PACT RAVI DUTTA MISHRA & SOUMYARENDRA BARIK 2020 EXPLAINED AMID ESCALATING global trade tensions, the Commerce and Industry Ministry is assessing the risks of significant trade diversion from other countries to India and is particularly concerned about the likely surge in imports of US farm produce and factory goods from China, Vietnam and Indonesia into the country, a government official said on Tuesday. 2019 HARVARD DEFIES TRUMP, HIT WITH $2.2 BN GRANT FREEZE PAGE 12 NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 “A recent assessment highlighted the risk of merchandise dumping intoIndiaduetoreciprocal tariffs amid global trade tensions. Rising US costs may promptexportersfromcountries like China, Vietnam, and Indonesia — all facing US trade deficits—todivertgoodstoIndia, potentially triggering import surges. Additionally, Chinese retaliatorytariffsonUSgoodscould further increase the inflow of US agriculturalproductsintoIndia,” the official said. Unlikeothercountries,China Talks with the US to be based on ‘true picture’ of bilateral trade: Govt EXPLAINED THE WORLD RAVI DUTTA MISHRA & AANCHAL MAGAZINE INSIDE 2018 Identified some countries for intense monitoring, says Commerce Secy Above normal rain likely, says IMD; may spur consumption 2016 Govt fears trade war may trigger import surge of US farm, Chinese factory goods MONSOON FORECAST 2015 BY UNNY TO SUPPORT STAKEHOLDERS, DGFT LAUNCHES GLOBAL TARIFF AND TRADE HELPDESK 2014 BUSINESS AS USUAL `6.00 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 2017 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2025, LUCKNOW, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES ANANTHAKRISHNAN G NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 Robert Vadra outside the ED office on Tuesday. ANI THE CASE FILE EXPLAINED, PAGE 9 Act (PMLA),” a source said. Hoursafterreceivinganotice CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CRITICISINGTHEAllahabadHigh Court’s recent remarks that a rape complainant had “herself invited trouble”, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said judges have to be “careful” while dealing with such cases. While granting bail to an accused in a rape case on March 11, Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh of the Allahabad HC had said the court was “of the view that even if the allegation of the victim is accepted as true, then it can also beconcludedthatsheherself in- vited trouble and was also responsible for the same.” On Tuesday, the Supreme Court bench of Justices B R Gavai and A G Masih had assembled to hear another case in which it had taken suo motu cognizance of a separate order of the Allahabad HC, dated March 17, in which the HC had observed that grabbing a girl’s breasts and breaking the drawstrings of her pyjama were “notsufficient”toholdthecharges of rape or attempt to rape. “There is another order now byanotherjudge.Yes,bailcanbe granted. But what is this discussion that ‘she herself invited troubleetc’.Onehastobecareful when saying such things, especially on this side (judicial),” Justice Gavai said on Tuesday. “Complete justice should not only be done but also seen to be done. How a common person perceives such orders will also have to be seen,” said Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is assisting the court in the matter. The March 11 order refers to an incident dating back to September 21 last year. According to police sources, the complainant,apostgraduatestudentinNoida,hadgonetoattend a music performance in South Delhi with her friends. She met CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Languageisn’treligion,belongstoapeople:SCinAkolacase ANANTHAKRISHNAN G NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 UPHOLDING THE use of Urdu on the signboard of a municipal councilbuildinginMaharashtra, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said language is culture and must not become a cause for dividingpeople,andUrdu“isthe finestspecimenof Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, or the Hindustani tehzeeb”. The bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran refused to interfere with the Bombay High Court’s findingthattheuseof Urduisnot prohibited under the Maharashtra Local Authorities (OfficialLanguages)Act,2022,or in any provision of law. A former councillor had filed a petition challenging the use of Urdu on the signboard of the PaturMunicipalCouncilbuilding in Akola district of Maharashtra. “Our misconceptions, perhapsevenourprejudicesagainst a language, have to be courageously and truthfully tested against the reality, which is this great diversity of our nation: our strength can never be our weakness. Let us make friends with Urdu and every language,” the SC said. Thecourtsaiditisa“misconception that Urdu is alien to India”, adding that “it is a language which was born in this land”. Writingforthebench,Justice Dhuliaelaboratedonthebench’s views on Urdu and languages in general. “Language is not religion. Language does not even represent religion. Language belongs to a community, to a region, to a people; and not to a CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Dharmender, Sunny & a spin: Bobby aka Digvesh Rathi, IPL’s latest star PAGE 1 ANCHOR NIHAL KOSHIE NEW DELHI, APRIL 15 DHARMENDER, AN assistant at a shop selling building materials, named his first two sons — what else, Sunny and Bobby. Later,hehadathirdone.Pleased, he called him Happy. Earlier this month, in his modest house, in oneof themanybuildingsstanding cheek by jowl in a bylane of Saboli in Northeast Delhi, Dharmender’s life turned into a feel-good sports movie. Bobby,whotheworldknows as Digvesh Rathi, has been this IPL season’s breakout spinner. Picked by Lucknow SuperGiants for Rs 30 lakh, the 25-year-old mystery spinner got the Player of the Match award for his figures of 1/21 in a high-scoring game against Mumbai Indians, in just his fourth game of his debut IPL season. That night, when Bobby was being interviewed, Dharmender shed tears, older brother Sunny had a lump in his throat and mother Manju was in the puja room. The family has been with Digveshthroughhismanystrug- gles and made sacrifices too. BrotherSunny,aformerleft-arm spinner, was equally good at cricket. But Dharmender couldn’t afford two cricketers in the family, so Sunny dropped out. Sunny now works as a police constable at the Mandoli Prison Complex. It’s Sunday, Sunny’s weekly off and he is happy to talk about his brother’s skills and struggles. “He’s here because of his sheer hard work. Digvesh had no godfather,wehadnomoneyorinfluence. We were advised to move out of Delhi. Par bhag kyun jaye (Butwhywouldwerunaway)?,” Sunny tells The Indian Express. (Left) Digvesh Rathi; (above) brother Sunny with father Dharmender, mother Manju at their Delhi home. Nihal Koshie Dharmender says he always believed his son would make it. “Even when he suffered setbacks, he was passionate about thegame,”hesayswhilegivinga quick tour of the small trophy cabinet in the living room. Digvesh’smotherManjusays she is happy to leave everything to God. “I didn’t watch when he played his first game... When he calls,IonlytellDigveshnottoget carried away by success. And I check if he has slept and eaten well,” she says. Sunny narrates the story of how Digvesh, the batsman with a Virender Sehwag-like cover drive when he was 13, took to bowling.Thosedays,hesays,the brothers trained on their own at the Poorvi Delhi Khel Parisar in East Delhi’s Tahirpur, where battingslotswerelimitedandindemand. “When it was Digvesh’s turn to bat, most of the good bowlers were disinterested in bowling because he wasn’t a known name. When he played good strokes against them, their ego was hurt too. Players brought their own cricket balls, sotheydidn’twanttowasteiton him. I would bowl to him for hoursbutfacingonlyonebowler limits a batsman,” Sunny says. Inspired by West Indies CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Lucknow