FRIDAY 05 JUNE, 2026 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard WEST ASIA MARUTI UNVEILS INDIA’S FIRST FLEXIBLE FUEL CAR HEZBOLLAH REJECTS TRUCE The Hezbollah’s chief on Thursday rejected a conditional truce and instead demanded a comprehensive ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9 NEW DELHI   J8.00  The country’s largest carmaker said Wagon R Flex Fuel features an advanced engine control unit that automatically adapts to varying ethanol blends, allowing customers to operate the car on any mix of petrol and ethanol. This comes a day after Hero MotoCorp launched India’s first flexfuel motorcycles, the Splendor+ and HF Deluxe | P10 PAGES 12 `1.84 L CR IS FOREX SAVINGS BY MOVING TO ETHANOL SINCE ’14, GOVT CLAIMS B&B POLICY AXED, HOTEL MANAGER AT LARGE E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ New Delhi A day after a devastating fire at a hotel in Malviya Nagar claimed 21 lives, the Delhi gover nment on Thursday announced it would withdraw its bed and breakfast (B&B) policy and inspect all establishments operating under the scheme, even as investigators probing the blaze found multiple safety violations at the property, including a locked roof exit, cooking equipment in guest rooms and an unauthorised restaurant operating with LPG cylinders. Police said hotel manager Jai Mishra, who remains absconding, handled all operations and accounts and was listed as the owner of the B&B for licencing purposes. Special teams have been formed to trace him. Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said action would be taken against establishments found violating licence condi- tions. “If any establishment registered under the scheme is found running more than six rooms, its licence will be cancelled,” he said. The decision comes amid questions over the effectiveness of the B&B scheme, which was introduced ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games to promote affordable accommodation in residential areas. Offic i a l s a n d f o r m e r f i r e that the policy did not mandate department personnel said the fire extinguishers or other firepolicy contains significant safety measures. “There gaps in safety provisions. was only a provision that More than 2,500 rooms heat and smoke detecMALVIYA across 700 properties tors were desirable, NAGAR are currently regisleaving their installatered under the B&B tion to the owner’s scheme in Delhi. discretion,” he said. “The provision reFlourish Stay had quiring the owner to reside in been granted a silverthe building was later removed category licence in 2024 for from the scheme. In this acci- six rooms, valid until 2027. Indent, we see that the owner was vestigators, however, found not living there,” a fire depart- that it lacked mandatory firement official said. He added safety clearance and was oper- ating 25 rooms, including some in the basement. Police further revealed that the establishment was running a tea-and-snack outlet permitted under its licence as a full-fledged restaurant. The structure had never received a sanctioned building plan from the MCD. Investigators found that the building’s roof exit was locked when the blaze broke out, potentially blocking a crucial escape route. Findings revealed cooking utensils in 22 rooms. Fire officials found electric stoves, cooking heaters and other appliances from the rooms, indicating that long-term occupants were preparing food inside the hotel, sources said. According to investigators, the restaurant was operating without a proper gas connection. Four LPG cylinders were found on the premises. The restaurant staff have not yet been traced. MORE REPORTS ON P3 Owner expanded floors The probe has revealed that owner Lavkesh Bajaj had initially operated the business in a two-storey structure before expanding it by another twoand-a-half floors. He had purchased the property in 2022. 30 passports, 50-60 phones While the blaze destroyed all hotel registers, investigators recovered more than 30 passports and 50-60 mobile phones, helping police identify foreign victims. Joint CP (Southern Range) Vijay Kumar said 20 people are undergoing treatment, six of whom were critical. ‘Hospital next door’ In Malviya Nagar, a phrase dominates hotel signboards, rental ads and online listings: “Walking distance from Max Hospital.” In a neighbourhood once marketed for its proximity to the Metro, closeness to healthcare has become the most valuable commodity. P3 Oppn churn as DMK will skip Monday meet J I T E N D R A C H O U B E Y @ New Delhi Centre engaging with DMK and TMC amid buzz on second shot at delimitation bill 5 KILLED IN BIHAR ICU P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi To honour the sentiments of party workers who are pained by the betrayal of Congress, the DMK will not participate in the INDIA bloc meeting DMK statement DMK silent on alliance The DMK, however, did not spell out if it was severing ties with the INDIA bloc. Incidentally, the party also received approval from the Lok Sabha secretariat on Thursday to sit apart from Congress in the House NDA just 42 short NDA currently needs just 42 more votes in the LS for any constitutional amendment. Any shift in Oppn strength could prove decisive for bills on the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal and delimitation CPM yet to take a call CPI(M) is yet to take a final call on attending the meeting. It has serious reservations over the conduct of the Congress, the largest party in the Opposition alliance, a leader said THE Opposition INDIA bloc appears headed for a major churn, with two of its key constituents — the DMK and the Trinamool Congress — grappling with challenges that could test the alliance’s unity and future. On Thursday, the DMK announced it would skip the INDIA bloc meeting on June 8, citing discontent over Congress “betrayal”. Long-time allies Congress and DMK are at loggerheads after the grand old party joined the Vijay-led TVK government in Tamil Nadu following the DMK alliance’s defeat in the assembly polls. “While the DMK will not attend this meeting, it will continue, as always, to raise its voice on issues affecting the welfare of the nation that may be brought forward by the other parties participating in the meeting,” said a party statement. Incidentally the DMK received approval from , the Lok Sabha secretariat on Thursday to sit separate from the Congress. Though TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee are expected to attend the June 8 meeting, their party appears to be on the brink of a upheaval, with speculation on a exodus of its parliamentarians. The unrest follows a rebel faction backed by 58 MLAs claiming to be the “real TMC”. At least nine TMC Lok Sabha MPs and three Rajya Sabha members are said to be negotiating with the BJP . Besides, sources said at least two Lok Sabha MPs are in touch with the Congress. With 28 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 13 in the Rajya Sabha, the TMC remains the third-largest party after the BJP and the Congress. The developments come amid speculation that the Centre is likely to reintroduce the delimitation bill during the upcoming Monsoon Session and has been engaging with the DMK and TMC to strengthen its position. In the previous Budget session, the constitutional amendment linking delimitation to the women’s reservation bill was defeated by the Opposition, though the NDA held 298 seats in the LS. With the DMK and TMC holding 22 and 28 MPs respectively, all eyes are now on the two parties. With the DMK and TMC holding 22 and 28 MPs respectively all eyes are now on the two parties. , Opposition sources said the issues are expected to be discussed at the June 8 meeting, where senior leaders will discuss a joint strategy to take on the BJP-led government and reinforce Opposition unity. However, cracks are evident as a CPI(M) leader told this paper that the party is yet to take a final call on attending the meeting. The party has serious reservations over the conduct of the Congress. “The CPM has taken a strong view of the Congress’s allegations of a BJP-CPI(M) understanding in Kerala, especially at a time when the Opposition parties are attempting to work together at the national level against the BJP There is dis. satisfaction among several constituents of the INDIA bloc. The Samajwadi Party and other allies also have serious issues with the Congress. It has failed to uphold alliance commitments,” said the leader. SW monsoon hits Kerala 5 days late The charred remains of the ICU of a private hospital in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district on Thursday, where five patients choked to death following a pre-dawn blaze. The staff allegedly ran away, leaving the patients in the lurch | PTI | P8 EXPRESS READ Jaishankar, Cooper review India-UK ties India, Venezuela agree to deepen ties J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi India and the UK on Thursday unveiled a series of initiatives spanning critical minerals, education and maritime security, as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper reviewed bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the conflict in West Asia. P7 Adi Kailash yatra: Over 30K permits in 34 days The pilgrimage to Adi Kailash and Om Parvat in Uttarakhand’s frontier district of Pithoragarh is witnessing a huge surge this year, with more than 30,000 inner line permits issued within just 34 days of the yatra’s commencement. The yatra began on May 1 with the opening of the portals of the Lord Shiva temple near the Parvati Kund at Jolingkong. THE Southwest Monsoon reached the Kerala coast on June 4 — three days behind its usual June 1 arrival date. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the monsoon has set in over Kerala, Mahe, parts of Karnataka, and the Bay of Bengal. The IMD had forecast a May 26 onset. “There is a fiveday delay from the forecast date,” said Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, IMD’s Director General of Meteorology . The monsoon is expected to reach Delhi by June 27 and cover the entire country by July 8. The outlook for the season is not encouraging. The IMD has predicted this monsoon season (June to September) is likely to be below normal, with expected rainfall at 90% of the Long Period Average (LPA) of 870 mm. Rainfall will be normal (94-106%) over East and Northeast. Even the monsoon core zone, essential for rainfed agriculture, is projected to receive less than 94% of the LPA. Conversely, the South Peninsula and Central India are expected to receive less than 94% of the LPA, while the Northwest may see rainfall below 92% of the LPA. A weak monsoon could hurt food production, as it did in 2023 when the country experienced a deficient monsoon with total rainfall 6% below average. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on Thursday | PTI Venezuela is a resource-rich country. It’s not just about critical minerals; it has also gold, diamonds and other materials Rudrendra Tandon, Secretary (East), External Affairs Ministry INDIA and Venezuela on Thursday agreed to deepen cooperation in energy and explore a broader economic partnership spanning critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, automobiles and mining, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive talks with Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez. The meeting came at a time when India is seeking to diversify crude oil supplies following disruptions in global energy markets caused by the West Asia crisis, while Venezuela is looking to expand export markets and attract investment after years of the US sanctionsrelated isolation. The focal point of the talks was on long-term energy partnership, with both sides highlighting their natural comple- Preferred energy partner Rodriguez said her country views India as a “preferred energy partner”. India imported around 427,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan crude in May, making it the second-largest buyer after the United States mentarity “They see India as a . stable demander for many years to come. Therefore, there exists a perfect complementarity for India and Venezuela to work in the energy sector, in both upstream and downstream,” Secretary (East) in the External Affairs Ministry Rudrendra Tandon told reporters after the meeting. Rodriguez, who began a fiveday visit on Wednesday, is expected to tour Indian energy facilities, including the Reliance refinery in Jamnagar. “The Venezuelan leader will be exposed to the sophistication that India has achieved in the energy sector,” Tandon said. Beyond oil, the two sides explored opportunities in critical minerals, gold, diamonds and broader mining cooperation. “Venezuela is a resource-rich country It’s not just about criti. cal minerals; it has also gold, diamonds and other materials,” Tandon said, adding the talks included assessing reserves and potential collaboration in exploration and extraction. The talks also addressed unresolved commercial issues. India raised the matter of more than $500 million in dividends owed to ONGC Videsh from its investments in Venezuela, along with outstanding payments of $700-800 million due to Indian pharmaceutical companies. “It is our money Tan,” don said. “They are very sensitive to the issue.” BEING PRAGG Lonely life of a champ, burnout & more Even if you have the physical energy, you don’t have the mental energy to keep doing the same thing at every tournament. I just want to play chess and chill (now). I don’t want to think about the next two-year cycle —R Praggnanandhaa S W A R O O P S W A M I N AT H A N @ Oslo IT’S great when sportspersons talk about processes. Methods. It’s a rare peek into their rarified air where only excellence is allowed. Sometimes, it’s better when sportspersons allow themselves to be vulnerable in the company of travelling journalists. It’s a glimpse into the life of an elite athlete, someone who left school to chase greatness as a child. Before the ninth round at Norway Chess, R Praggnanandhaa, once the world’s youngest IM, is pouring his heart out. In a very candid interview, something very rare by the standards of Indian sportspersons, the 20-year- old admits to burnout because of a very punishing 2025. Before that, he also concedes that he would have liked some school or college friends to hang out with whenever he’s in Chennai. But he has none. “I would have loved to have some school or college friends (in Chennai),” the World No. 14 says. “But you have to give (up) certain things (to achieve certain things).” While he doesn’t regret it — he admits that if had a normal childhood, he wouldn’t be where he is — the yearning is hard to miss. It’s basically a look into the somewhat lonely life of an elite chess player. In a wild two month period in the middle of 2025, he played tournaments in France, Poland, Romania, Armenia, Uzbekistan and Croatia. Spanning multiple formats and in different continents, the then teen willed himself to complete this crazy schedule, in part, to qualify for the Candidates again. Post this mad two month sequence, he went to both North America as well as South America over the next few months, sandwiched by a tournament in Asia. That punishing jour ney eventually was rewarded as he qualified for the Candidates but it ultimately ended in disappointment. SUICIDE NOTE OF NEET-UG ASPIRANT SAYS NO COURAGE FOR RETEST Madhya Pradesh’s Akanksha Chaturvedi, 18, who died by suicide on May 20, said in a note that there was “no guarantee” she would score good marks in the NEET-UG retest, and apologised to her parents for the extreme step | P8