DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2024, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 22 PAGES `7.00 (`8 BIHAR & RAIPUR, `15 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 OPPOSITION PARTIES PROTEST INSIDE AND OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT Opp demands Shah resignation over Ambedkar remark, PM slams Cong, its ‘rotten ecosystem’ Modi: Cong’s malicious lies can’t hide misdeeds, insult of Ambedkar My statement was distorted, always followed Ambedkar: Shah ASAD REHMAN NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 18 Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders during the Opposition protest in Delhi. ANI IN PARLIAMENT PAGE 6 raisedtheissueinbothHousesof Parliament and also staged protestsoutside,displayingAmb- edkar’s photographs and raising slogans like, “Amit Shah maafi maango; Babasaheb ka apmaan, nahin sahega Hindustan (Amit Shah, apologise; Babasaheb’s insult will not be tolerated).” CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 NSA Ajit Doval with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ahead of their meeting in Beijing on Wednesday. PTI VIKAS PATHAK NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 18 AS THE Congress spearheaded the Opposition attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remark which it alleged “insulted” Babasaheb Ambedkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ledthegovernmentandBJP’sdefence of Shah, accusing “the Union Ministers Amit Shah, J P Nadda and Kiren Rijiju at the BJP office in New Delhi on Wednesday. Praveen Khanna Congress and its rotten ecosystem” of perpetrating “malicious lies” to “hide their misdeeds of several years, especially their insult” of Ambedkar. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 India, China agree to resume Mansarovar Yatra, border trade after talks in Beijing SHUBHAJIT ROY NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 18 13 KILLED, 99 RESCUED AFTER NAVY SPEEDBOAT RAMS FERRY Disaster at sea off Mumbai If AAP back in power, all above age 60 to get free healthcare, says Kejriwal GAYATHRI MANI NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 18 AHEAD OF the Delhi Assembly electionsnextyear,AAPnational convener andformer CM Arvind KejriwalannouncedWednesday that all citizens of Delhi aged above 60 will get free medical care in government and private CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Arvind Kejriwal, CM Atishi on Wednesday. Tashi Tobgyal RELATEDREPORTS,PAGE4 MOVING TO repair bilateral ties that headed south after Chinese incursions in 2020 triggered a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, India and China agreed Wednesday on a set of “six consensus” including resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, trans-border river cooperation and Nathula border trade. This was announced by the two sides following talks in Beijing between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi who are also the Special Representatives (SRs). The Ministry of External Affairs, in a statement, said the SRs“providedpositivedirections E E X P L A I NE D Cong warns of protests across country, CMs of Opp-ruled states join chorus SETTING THE stage for another confrontation with the government, the Opposition on Wednesdaycutacrosspartylines todemandUnionHomeMinister Amit Shah's “removal” from the Cabinet,accusinghimof “insulting” Dr B R Ambedkar in his remarksinRajyaSabhaonTuesday. Calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to act “before midnight”,theOppositionparties SIX CONSENSUS REACHED ● THE FIRST of the six consensus — of taking measures for peace on the border and development of bilateral relations — points to efforts to mend ties damaged by China’s incursions in Ladakh. The meeting of the leaders in Kazan, Russia, in October set the ball rolling. forcross-bordercooperationand exchangesincludingresumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers and border trade”. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Passengers of the capsized ferry being rescued by the Navy and Coast Guard, in Mumbai on Wednesday. Express NAYONIKA BOSE & SAGAR RAJPUT MUMBAI, DECEMBER 18 AT LEAST 13 people, including four women and two children, died on Wednesday when a Navy speedboat “lost control” during “engine trials” and crashedintoaprivateferryheading from Gateway of India to BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY Elephanta Island, a popular tourist destination off the Mumbai coast, with over 110 passengers on board. The Navy said Wednesday evening that 99 people have been rescued sofar. Officialssaid efforts were on to look for possible survivors, adding that the condition of four of those rescued was critical. According to the Navy, one of its personnel and two from the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), who were on board the speedboat, were among the dead. According to preliminary information from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC),over110passengers, including five crew members, were on board the ferry, Neelkamal, when the inci- dent took place around 4 pm. The ferry departed Gateway of India around 3.15 pm and capsized near Uran in Karanja after being hit by the Navy craft. The ferry owner’s brother, who was at the spot, said the PAGE 10 FACE ON ROW OVER HC JUDGE’S REMARKS AGAINST MUSLIMS CJI Khanna briefs full court of SC on Collegium meeting with Justice Yadav APURVA VISHWANATH & SHYAMLAL YADAV NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 18 CHIEF JUSTICE of India Sanjiv Khannaapprisedthefullcourtof the Supreme Court Wednesday of the Collegium’s meeting with Allahabad High Court’s Justice Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav ShekharKumarYadav,TheIndian Express has learnt. The Collegium of the top five judges, headed by CJI Khanna, had met Justice Yadav Tuesday after his remarks targeting Muslims at a Vishwa Hindu Parishad event on December 8 led to an uproar and Opposition demands for his impeachment. The full court meeting was CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ‘This is my last day... I had a lot of fun’: Ashwin retires, in the middle of series to the buzz in the press box and on social media about the possible retirement of a “big player”. Behind Rohit, Ashwin seemed to be calming himself before his big announcement. He took a deep breath, composed himself and entered the room.The penny dropped when he said: “This is my last day... I had a lot of fun. I must say I've created a lot of memories alongside Rohit and several of my EXPRESSIN AUSTRALIA SRIRAM VEERA BRISBANE, DECEMBER 18 R ASHWIN stood in the corridor outside the press conference roomafterthethirdTestendedin a draw. Captain Rohit Sharma, walking just ahead of him, gestured to the waiting journalists. “Sabpatachalegaabhi(everything will be known now),” he said withalaugh,perhapsinreference PUT YOUR CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 MORE REPORTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 R Ashwin with Rohit Sharma in Brisbane, Wednesday. BCCI ASHWIN’S LEGACY PAGE 21 GRAB YOUR CHANCE TO WIN US$1 MILLION AND BE AMONG THE LUCKY 5,000. BUY YOUR TICKET AT DUBAIDUTYFREE.COM Kazan set ball rolling