The Evening Wrap: EC bars BRS president Chandrashekar Rao from campaigning for 48 hours

The Election Commission of India has barred Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao from holding any public meetings, rallies, shows and interviews as well as making “public utterances” in print, electronic and social media for a period of 48 hours starting 8 p.m. on Wednesday (May 1). The ECI strongly condemned the statement made by him at a press meet in Sircilla on April 5 and reprimanded the BRS president for his misconduct. Accordingly, the ECI has barred Rao from holding public meetings and other election related activities under Article 324. The ECI referred to a complaint filed by TPCC vice-president G. Niranjan alleging that the BRS president violated the model code by making derogatory and objectionable comments against the Congress party. The ECI said that the Model Code of Conduct provides that: “Criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work. Parties and candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism of other parties and their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.” It recalled several advisories issued to the BRS president in the past asking him to follow the MCC in letter and spirit. The Commission cited an advisory issued to Rao on November 4, 2023 cautioning him to be more careful in future. The same was the case with another advisory relating to his comments on May 17, 2019. “The Commission has found that Chandrasekhar Rao has not only violated the provisions of the MCC and the advisories while making objectionable and derogatory utterances, but he has also been violating the MCC provisions during the past elections,” the Commission said in the orders issued on Wednesday. Congress legal team seeks four weeks for Telangana CM Revanth to respond to Delhi Police notices on ‘doctored’ video of Amit Shah Congress party has asked for four weeks to respond to the notice issued by the Delhi Police to Telangana Chief Minister and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy in connection with the alleged ‘doctored’ video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Telangana Congress Legal Advisor and spokesperson M. Ramachandra Reddy said a letter has been addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dwaraka in New Delhi seeking four weeks for the Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to respond as he is the star campaigner for the party in Telangana and also in other states. He said the notice was issued to Revanth Reddy in the capacity of the president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) for the alleged doctored videos and not in an individual capacity or as the Chief Minister. The videos were posted by some Congressmen and Revanth Reddy’s responsibility is fixed as the TPCC president. Letters were also addressed to the DCP, Dwaraka, New Delhi seeking time of 15 days for other social media personnel of the Congress party who received notices for the alleged ‘doctored’ video. Reddy said the Delhi police went to the residence of a Congress worker Geetha and seized her mobile. He alleged that proper procedure was not followed by the Delhi police as there are reports that there were no women police when the team went to Geetha’s residence. The video of Amit Shah circulating on social media channels has the Minister stating that the BJP would abolish reservations if it was voted to power. The video was shared on the Congress platforms by the party workers and leaders. However, the BJP said that it was a doctored video. In the original video, Shah explained how the BJP would abolish reservations for Muslims and distribute that quota among the SC, ST and OBCs. Apparently, those who tampered with the video removed the Muslim reservation part and posted it on social media platforms to show that Shah was speaking about abolishing the SC, ST and OBC reservations. Plea in Supreme Court to set up medical panel to investigate Covishield ‘risk factors’ The controversy over the safety aspects of the Covishield vaccine reached the Supreme Court on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, with a petition seeking the constitution of an expert medical panel to study the risk factors. “More than 175 crore doses of Covishield have been administered in India. After Covid-19, there have been an increase in deaths due to heart attack and sudden collapse of persons. There have been a number of cases of heart attack even in youngsters. Now after the document filed in UK court by the developer of Covishield, we are compelled to think on the risk and hazardous consequences of Covishield vaccine which have been administered to the citizens at a large number,” the petition filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari said. The plea pointed out that AstraZeneca, the company which developed the vaccine, has said that its AZD1222 vaccine against Covid-19, which was made under licence in India as Covishield, could cause low platelet counts and formation of blood clots in rare cases. It said AstraZeneca has accepted a link between the vaccine and Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a medical condition characterised by abnormally low levels of platelets and the formation of blood clots. AstraZeneca’s vaccine formula was licensed to Pune-based vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII). The petition said the medical panel should be headed by an expert from AIIMS and supervised by a retired Supreme Court judge. Tiwari further sought directions to the Centre to establish a ‘Vaccine Damage Payment System’ citizens or families who have suffered debilitating health setbacks or even deaths after taking the vaccine. The plea has also called for strict action against the circulation of spurious vaccines. ‘Vote jehad’ appeal: U.P. Police book Congress leader Salman Khurshid, niece Maria Alam The Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday booked Congress leader Salman Khurshid and his niece Maria Alam after she called for a “vote jehad” in favour of the INDIA bloc candidate Naval Kishore Shakya from the Farrukhabad Lok Sabha seat. Seeking votes for Shakya on Monday, Alam, a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader, made an appeal for ‘vote jehad’, terming it as necessary in the current situation for the minority community to drive away the BJP government. Taking cognisance of her remarks, a case was registered against Alam for violating the provisions of the IPC and Representation of People Act, following a complaint made by the Flying Squad and Surveillance Team, police said, and added that a case was also registered against Khurshid, who was the chief guest at the election meeting in Kaimganj. “A case was registered against Maria Alam and Salman Khurshid on the basis of a complaint made by the Flying Squad and Surveillance Team. The case was registered under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the IPC and Section 125 (promoting enmity between classes in connection with election) of the Representation of People Act,” the Station House Officer of the Kaimganj Police Station, Ramautar, on Tuesday told PTI. “Together, do vote jehad — with intelligence, without being sentimental, and with silence. As we can only do vote jehad to drive away this Sanghi government,” Alam said while addressing an election meeting. Stressing that it was time to join hands, she added that otherwise this “Sanghi government will succeed in wiping out our existence”. “People say that Constitution and democracy are under threat. But I say that insaniyat (humanity) is under threat. Now there is an attack on insaniyat. If you want to save the country, its beauty and ‘ganga-jamuni’ (composite) culture, then vote very intelligently without getting influenced by anyone,” she said. The video of Alam’s statement has also gone viral on social media. Asked to comment on the statement by his niece, Khurshid said he generally avoids using such words because its literal meaning is misinterpreted. “Jehad means to fight against a situation. Her intention must have been to carry out vote jehad to protect the Constitution,” he said. On his candidature from the Farrukhabad seat for the INDIA bloc, Khurshid said he was offered a Congress ticket from Aligarh. But he had politely declined saying, “I am Salman Khurshid from Farrukhabad and I stay that only.” This was the first public meeting of the INDIA bloc in Farrukhabad, with most of the senior leaders of the Congress and the SP present together on the dais. Prajwal Revanna sexual harassment case: Hassan MP seeks 7 days to appear before SIT in Karnataka Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who was served a notice by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged ‘sex scandal’ to appear for questioning within 24 hours, has sought seven days’ time to do so, through his lawyers. In his first response since the alleged scandal broke, Prajwal Revanna posted on social media on May 1: “I am not in Bangalore to attend the enquiry. I have communicated to the CID Bangalore through my advocate. Truth will prevail soon.” Prajwal Revanna is said to be in Germany, where he flew from Bengaluru on April 28 using his diplomatic passport. Prajwal Revanna has posted the response his advocates have filed with the SIT. Lawyer Arun G. has said that his client (Prajwal Revanna) was not in India, and has been informed of the notice served on him. “My client has said he needs seven days’ time to come to Bengaluru and appear before the investigators. I request you to provide seven days’ time and grant another date for him to appear for questioning,” according to the lawyer’s letter. Two Indian spies expelled from Australia for trying to ‘steal secrets’ in 2020: Australian media Australia expelled two Indian spies in 2020 for allegedly trying to “steal secrets” about sensitive defence projects and airport security, the Australian media reported on April 30. While The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald said two Indian spies were booted out, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) did not mention any number. There was no immediate comment from Indian officials on the Australian media reports. “Indian spies were kicked out of Australia after being caught trying to steal secrets about sensitive defence projects and airport security, as well as classified information on Australia’s trade relationships,” the ABC report said. The so-called foreign “nest of spies” disrupted by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2020 was also accused of closely monitoring Indians living in Australia and developing close relationships with current and former politicians, it said. The reports came a day after The Washington Post named an Indian RAW official for allegedly plotting to assassinate Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil last year. India on April 30 said The Washington Post report made “unwarranted and unsubstantiated” imputations on a serious matter. The Washington Post report also said that two RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) officers were expelled from Australia in 2020. The ABC said ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess first alluded to the spy ring in his annual threat assessment delivered in 2021, but he did not disclose which country was behind the activity. “The spies developed targeted relationships with current and former politicians, a foreign embassy and a state police service,” the report quoted Burgess as saying during his March 2021 speech inside ASIO’s Canberra headquarters. “They monitored their country’s diaspora community. They tried to obtain classified information about Australia’s trade relationships,” he said. Burgess also detailed how the “nest of spies” had successfully cultivated and recruited an Australian government security clearance holder who had access to “sensitive details of defence technology”, the ABC report said. NYPD storms Columbia University again to clear out anti-war student protestors A dramatic scene unfolded late April 30 at 9 p.m. as the New York Police Department (NYPD) brought in a military-grade vehicle with an extendable ramp to gain entry to a window of Hamilton Hall, the campus building occupied by student protestors since April 30 midnight. Dozens of NYPD officers in riot gear swarmed Columbia University around 9:30 p.m. and encircled key areas of the campus including the ‘Gaza Solidary Encampment’ and the Hamilton Hall that had been occupied by anti-war student protesters. Additional crowds of officers entered the campus on foot through the main gate. According to police, flash bangs were used to disorient the protesters as officers made their way inside Hamilton Hall. The officers blocked media and student journalists from entering the premises of Hamilton Hall while putting the entire campus on lockdown till the area was cleared of the protesters. According to police, at least 48 people were taken into custody on April 30 night, and three encampments were dismantled. At least two New York City Department of Correction buses full of protesters were seen being driven away from the school. Columbia said it had called the police to campus for the second time in less than two weeks after the building, Hamilton Hall, was “vandalized and blockaded.” President Minouche Shafik has also asked NYPD to maintain a presence on campus through at least May 17 to prevent further encampments or occupations. Poll roundup: Close on the heels of Arvinder Singh Lovely resigning from the post of Congress’ Delhi unit chief, former party MLAs Neeraj Basoya and Naseeb Singh have quit the party in protest against the alliance with AAP. The Congress had on April 30 appointed former MLA Devender Yadav as interim president of its Delhi unit after Lovely resigned citing the tie-up with AAP and statements of Congress candidates in the national capital, exposing the cracks in the party’s Delhi unit. In separate letters to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Neeraj Basoya and Naseeb Singh, who are AICC observers for West Delhi and North West Delhi Lok Sabha seats respectively, claimed the Congress workers are “upset” and feel “humiliated” due to the alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Gujarat’s Banaskantha, said “If you have two buffaloes, Congress will take away one if it wins the Lok Sabha polls.” “Congress has not fielded even 272 candidates, minimum seats for majority in LS, and they are talking of forming government. They should give in writing that they would not give reservation based on religion.” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on May 1 said that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge will finalise the candidates for the Rae Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh and the announcement will be made soon. While addressing a press conference at AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday, Ramesh said, “CEC has authorised the Congress President for Rae Bareli and Amethi and he will take the decision soon and you will know officially in the next 24 to 30 hours.” National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday raised questions about the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) move to delay the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency election in J&K and alleged “it was aimed at manipulating the voting pattern”. “We are seeing a conspiracy [in the ECI move]. The people who are not participating in the election were talking about postponing it. The BJP and J&K People’s Conference were talking. It is not related to candidates and voters. It is the conspiracy of the BJP. This is an attempt to deny Bakerwals [a nomadic community], who migrate to upper reaches in May, to cast their votes. I am hopeful they will stay back and migrate only after voting,” Abdullah said. The ECI has postponed the elections to May 25 from May 7 in the constituency, following multiple representations made by several political parties, including the BJP. In Brief:In a first, U.K. sends asylum seeker to Rwanda In a first, a migrant whose asylum application was rejected by the United Kingdom was sent to Rwanda under a voluntary scheme, according to reports in the British press. The unnamed man, who was relocated under a scheme that pays migrants £3,000 to leave, took a commercial flight out of the U.K. on April 30 and arrived in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, according to The Sun, which first reported the story. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had vowed last week to begin forcibly removing migrants with failed asylum claims to Rwanda starting in July in a bid to deter migrants from crossing the English Channel on boats to enter the U.K. DGCA deregisters all 54 Go First aircraft following Delhi HC order The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday deregistered all 54 Go First aircraft following a Delhi High Court order last week, in which the court had given the country’s aviation regulator five days to do so. A total of 14 aircraft lessors including SMBC Aviation Capital Limited, Sky Leasing, GY Aviation Lease, ACG Aircraft Leasing, BOC Aviation and China Development Bank Financial Leasing Company had moved the Delhi High Court last year seeking to regain control over the airline’s fleet of leased planes. This had followed the National Company Law Tribunal’s decision on May 10, 2023, to admit Go First’s plea for voluntary insolvency and consequential moratorium to protect the airline from adverse actions by its creditors. Salman Khan house firing | Accused Anuj Thapan dies in hospital after attempt to end his life in police custody Anuj Thapan (32), who was arrested in connection with firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s residence, died in a hospital where he was rushed to after attempting to end his life inside the lock-up of Mumbai Police’s crime branch, on May 1 afternoon. The deceased Anuj Thapan ended his life inside the toilet of the lock-up using a bedsheet. He was rushed to the State-run GT Hospital, where he was declared dead during treatment, the official said. An accidental death report will be registered at Azad Maidan police station in south Mumbai. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 01 May 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( EC bars BRS president Chandrashekar Rao from campaigning for 48 hours [The Election Commission of India has barred Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao from holding any public meetings, rallies, shows and interviews as well as making “public utterances” in print, electronic and social media for a period of 48 hours starting 8 p.m. on Wednesday (May 1).]( The ECI strongly condemned the statement made by him at a press meet in Sircilla on April 5 and reprimanded the BRS president for his misconduct. Accordingly, the ECI has barred Rao from holding public meetings and other election related activities under Article 324. The ECI referred to a complaint filed by TPCC vice-president G. Niranjan alleging that the BRS president violated the model code by making derogatory and objectionable comments against the Congress party. The ECI said that the Model Code of Conduct provides that: “Criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programme, past record and work. Parties and candidates shall refrain from criticism of all aspects of private life, not connected with public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism of other parties and their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.” It recalled several advisories issued to the BRS president in the past asking him to follow the MCC in letter and spirit. The Commission cited an advisory issued to Rao on November 4, 2023 cautioning him to be more careful in future. The same was the case with another advisory relating to his comments on May 17, 2019. “The Commission has found that Chandrasekhar Rao has not only violated the provisions of the MCC and the advisories while making objectionable and derogatory utterances, but he has also been violating the MCC provisions during the past elections,” the Commission said in the orders issued on Wednesday. Congress legal team seeks four weeks for Telangana CM Revanth to respond to Delhi Police notices on ‘doctored’ video of Amit Shah [Congress party has asked for four weeks to respond to the notice issued by the Delhi Police to Telangana Chief Minister and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy]( in connection with the alleged ‘doctored’ video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Telangana Congress Legal Advisor and spokesperson M. Ramachandra Reddy said a letter has been addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dwaraka in New Delhi seeking four weeks for the Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to respond as he is the star campaigner for the party in Telangana and also in other states. He said the notice was issued to Revanth Reddy in the capacity of the president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) for the alleged doctored videos and not in an individual capacity or as the Chief Minister. The videos were posted by some Congressmen and Revanth Reddy’s responsibility is fixed as the TPCC president. Letters were also addressed to the DCP, Dwaraka, New Delhi seeking time of 15 days for other social media personnel of the Congress party who received notices for the alleged ‘doctored’ video. Reddy said the Delhi police went to the residence of a Congress worker Geetha and seized her mobile. He alleged that proper procedure was not followed by the Delhi police as there are reports that there were no women police when the team went to Geetha’s residence. The video of Amit Shah circulating on social media channels has the Minister stating that the BJP would abolish reservations if it was voted to power. The video was shared on the Congress platforms by the party workers and leaders. However, the BJP said that it was a doctored video. In the original video, Shah explained how the BJP would abolish reservations for Muslims and distribute that quota among the SC, ST and OBCs. Apparently, those who tampered with the video removed the Muslim reservation part and posted it on social media platforms to show that Shah was speaking about abolishing the SC, ST and OBC reservations. Plea in Supreme Court to set up medical panel to investigate Covishield ‘risk factors’ [The controversy over the safety aspects of the Covishield vaccine reached the Supreme Court on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, with a petition seeking the constitution of an expert medical panel to study the risk factors.]( “More than 175 crore doses of Covishield have been administered in India. After Covid-19, there have been an increase in deaths due to heart attack and sudden collapse of persons. There have been a number of cases of heart attack even in youngsters. Now after the document filed in UK court by the developer of Covishield, we are compelled to think on the risk and hazardous consequences of Covishield vaccine which have been administered to the citizens at a large number,” the petition filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari said. The plea pointed out that AstraZeneca, the company which developed the vaccine, has said that its AZD1222 vaccine against Covid-19, which was made under licence in India as Covishield, could cause low platelet counts and formation of blood clots in rare cases. It said AstraZeneca has accepted a link between the vaccine and Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a medical condition characterised by abnormally low levels of platelets and the formation of blood clots. AstraZeneca’s vaccine formula was licensed to Pune-based vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII). The petition said the medical panel should be headed by an expert from AIIMS and supervised by a retired Supreme Court judge. Tiwari further sought directions to the Centre to establish a ‘Vaccine Damage Payment System’ citizens or families who have suffered debilitating health setbacks or even deaths after taking the vaccine. The plea has also called for strict action against the circulation of spurious vaccines. ‘Vote jehad’ appeal: U.P. Police book Congress leader Salman Khurshid, niece Maria Alam [The Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday booked Congress leader Salman Khurshid and his niece Maria Alam after she called for a “vote jehad” in favour of the INDIA bloc candidate Naval Kishore Shakya from the Farrukhabad Lok Sabha seat.]( Seeking votes for Shakya on Monday, Alam, a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader, made an appeal for ‘vote jehad’, terming it as necessary in the current situation for the minority community to drive away the BJP government. Taking cognisance of her remarks, a case was registered against Alam for violating the provisions of the IPC and Representation of People Act, following a complaint made by the Flying Squad and Surveillance Team, police said, and added that a case was also registered against Khurshid, who was the chief guest at the election meeting in Kaimganj. “A case was registered against Maria Alam and Salman Khurshid on the basis of a complaint made by the Flying Squad and Surveillance Team. The case was registered under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the IPC and Section 125 (promoting enmity between classes in connection with election) of the Representation of People Act,” the Station House Officer of the Kaimganj Police Station, Ramautar, on Tuesday told PTI. “Together, do vote jehad — with intelligence, without being sentimental, and with silence. As we can only do vote jehad to drive away this Sanghi government,” Alam said while addressing an election meeting. Stressing that it was time to join hands, she added that otherwise this “Sanghi government will succeed in wiping out our existence”. “People say that Constitution and democracy are under threat. But I say that insaniyat (humanity) is under threat. Now there is an attack on insaniyat. If you want to save the country, its beauty and ‘ganga-jamuni’ (composite) culture, then vote very intelligently without getting influenced by anyone,” she said. The video of Alam’s statement has also gone viral on social media. Asked to comment on the statement by his niece, Khurshid said he generally avoids using such words because its literal meaning is misinterpreted. “Jehad means to fight against a situation. Her intention must have been to carry out vote jehad to protect the Constitution,” he said. On his candidature from the Farrukhabad seat for the INDIA bloc, Khurshid said he was offered a Congress ticket from Aligarh. But he had politely declined saying, “I am Salman Khurshid from Farrukhabad and I stay that only.” This was the first public meeting of the INDIA bloc in Farrukhabad, with most of the senior leaders of the Congress and the SP present together on the dais. Prajwal Revanna sexual harassment case: Hassan MP seeks 7 days to appear before SIT in Karnataka [Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who was served a notice by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged ‘sex scandal’ to appear for questioning within 24 hours, has sought seven days’ time to do so, through his lawyers.]( In his first response since the alleged scandal broke, Prajwal Revanna posted on social media on May 1: “I am not in Bangalore to attend the enquiry. I have communicated to the CID Bangalore through my advocate. Truth will prevail soon.” Prajwal Revanna is said to be in Germany, where he flew from Bengaluru on April 28 using his diplomatic passport. Prajwal Revanna has posted the response his advocates have filed with the SIT. Lawyer Arun G. has said that his client (Prajwal Revanna) was not in India, and has been informed of the notice served on him. “My client has said he needs seven days’ time to come to Bengaluru and appear before the investigators. I request you to provide seven days’ time and grant another date for him to appear for questioning,” according to the lawyer’s letter. Two Indian spies expelled from Australia for trying to ‘steal secrets’ in 2020: Australian media [Australia expelled two Indian spies in 2020 for allegedly trying to “steal secrets” about sensitive defence projects and airport security, the Australian media reported on April 30.]( While The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald said two Indian spies were booted out, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) did not mention any number. There was no immediate comment from Indian officials on the Australian media reports. “Indian spies were kicked out of Australia after being caught trying to steal secrets about sensitive defence projects and airport security, as well as classified information on Australia’s trade relationships,” the ABC report said. The so-called foreign “nest of spies” disrupted by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2020 was also accused of closely monitoring Indians living in Australia and developing close relationships with current and former politicians, it said. The reports came a day after The Washington Post named an Indian RAW official for allegedly plotting to assassinate Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil last year. India on April 30 said The Washington Post report made “unwarranted and unsubstantiated” imputations on a serious matter. The Washington Post report also said that two RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) officers were expelled from Australia in 2020. The ABC said ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess first alluded to the spy ring in his annual threat assessment delivered in 2021, but he did not disclose which country was behind the activity. “The spies developed targeted relationships with current and former politicians, a foreign embassy and a state police service,” the report quoted Burgess as saying during his March 2021 speech inside ASIO’s Canberra headquarters. “They monitored their country’s diaspora community. They tried to obtain classified information about Australia’s trade relationships,” he said. Burgess also detailed how the “nest of spies” had successfully cultivated and recruited an Australian government security clearance holder who had access to “sensitive details of defence technology”, the ABC report said. NYPD storms Columbia University again to clear out anti-war student protestors [A dramatic scene unfolded late April 30 at 9 p.m. as the New York Police Department (NYPD) brought in a military-grade vehicle with an extendable ramp to gain entry to a window of Hamilton Hall, the campus building occupied by student protestors since April 30 midnight.]( Dozens of NYPD officers in riot gear swarmed Columbia University around 9:30 p.m. and encircled key areas of the campus including the ‘Gaza Solidary Encampment’ and the Hamilton Hall that had been occupied by anti-war student protesters. Additional crowds of officers entered the campus on foot through the main gate. According to police, flash bangs were used to disorient the protesters as officers made their way inside Hamilton Hall. The officers blocked media and student journalists from entering the premises of Hamilton Hall while putting the entire campus on lockdown till the area was cleared of the protesters. According to police, at least 48 people were taken into custody on April 30 night, and three encampments were dismantled. At least two New York City Department of Correction buses full of protesters were seen being driven away from the school. Columbia said it had called the police to campus for the second time in less than two weeks after the building, Hamilton Hall, was “vandalized and blockaded.” President Minouche Shafik has also asked NYPD to maintain a presence on campus through at least May 17 to prevent further encampments or occupations. Poll roundup: - Close on the heels of Arvinder Singh Lovely resigning from the post of Congress’ Delhi unit chief, [former party MLAs Neeraj Basoya and Naseeb Singh have quit the party in protest against the alliance with AAP](. The Congress had on April 30 appointed former MLA Devender Yadav as interim president of its Delhi unit after Lovely resigned citing the tie-up with AAP and statements of Congress candidates in the national capital, exposing the cracks in the party’s Delhi unit. In separate letters to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Neeraj Basoya and Naseeb Singh, who are AICC observers for West Delhi and North West Delhi Lok Sabha seats respectively, claimed the Congress workers are “upset” and feel “humiliated” due to the alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party. - Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Gujarat’s Banaskantha, said “If you have two buffaloes, Congress will take away one if it wins the Lok Sabha polls.” “Congress has not fielded even 272 candidates, minimum seats for majority in LS, and they are talking of forming government. They should give in writing that they would not give reservation based on religion.” - Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on May 1 said that party chief [Mallikarjun Kharge will finalise the candidates for the Rae Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh]( and the announcement will be made soon. While addressing a press conference at AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday, Ramesh said, “CEC has authorised the Congress President for Rae Bareli and Amethi and he will take the decision soon and you will know officially in the next 24 to 30 hours.” - [National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday raised questions about the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) move to delay the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency election in J&K]( and alleged “it was aimed at manipulating the voting pattern”. “We are seeing a conspiracy [in the ECI move]. The people who are not participating in the election were talking about postponing it. The BJP and J&K People’s Conference were talking. It is not related to candidates and voters. It is the conspiracy of the BJP. This is an attempt to deny Bakerwals [a nomadic community], who migrate to upper reaches in May, to cast their votes. I am hopeful they will stay back and migrate only after voting,” Abdullah said. The ECI has postponed the elections to May 25 from May 7 in the constituency, following multiple representations made by several political parties, including the BJP. In Brief: In a first, U.K. sends asylum seeker to Rwanda [In a first, a migrant whose asylum application was rejected by the United Kingdom was sent to Rwanda under a voluntary scheme]( according to reports in the British press. The unnamed man, who was relocated under a scheme that pays migrants £3,000 to leave, took a commercial flight out of the U.K. on April 30 and arrived in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, according to The Sun, which first reported the story. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had vowed last week to begin forcibly removing migrants with failed asylum claims to Rwanda starting in July in a bid to deter migrants from crossing the English Channel on boats to enter the U.K. DGCA deregisters all 54 Go First aircraft following Delhi HC order [The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday deregistered all 54 Go First aircraft following a Delhi High Court order last week, in which the court had given the country’s aviation regulator five days to do so](. A total of 14 aircraft lessors including SMBC Aviation Capital Limited, Sky Leasing, GY Aviation Lease, ACG Aircraft Leasing, BOC Aviation and China Development Bank Financial Leasing Company had moved the Delhi High Court last year seeking to regain control over the airline’s fleet of leased planes. This had followed the National Company Law Tribunal’s decision on May 10, 2023, to admit Go First’s plea for voluntary insolvency and consequential moratorium to protect the airline from adverse actions by its creditors. Salman Khan house firing | Accused Anuj Thapan dies in hospital after attempt to end his life in police custody [Anuj Thapan (32), who was arrested in connection with firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s residence, died in a hospital where he was rushed to after attempting to end his life inside the lock-up of Mumbai Police’s crime branch, on May 1]( afternoon. The deceased Anuj Thapan ended his life inside the toilet of the lock-up using a bedsheet. He was rushed to the State-run GT Hospital, where he was declared dead during treatment, the official said. An accidental death report will be registered at Azad Maidan police station in south Mumbai. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [Sign up for free]( Today’s Top Picks [[Watch | Race for Rajgarh | Election 360] Watch | Race for Rajgarh | Election 360]( [[Indian Institute of Astrophysics releases video of moon occulting Antares] Indian Institute of Astrophysics releases video of moon occulting Antares]( [[Daily Quiz | On International Workers’ Day] Daily Quiz | On International Workers’ Day]( [[DRDO tests missile-assisted torpedo delivery system] DRDO tests missile-assisted torpedo delivery system]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [click here]( Manage your newsletter subscription preferences [here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](