STUDENTS SHOULD EMBRACE AMBEDKAR’S IDEOLOGY: CJI GAVAI EMPTY ULTIMATUM 03 AUGUST 2025 ‘COULDN’T HAVE ASKED ANYTHING MORE FROM HIM’ www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 PAGE 4 PAGE 6 PAGE 12 SINCE 1818 PAGES 12 |` 5.00 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER Generally cloudy sky. A few spells of Light to moderate rain/ thundershower very likely to occur. RAINFALL: 0.9 mm PM Modi lashes out at Oppn over Op Sindoor RELATIVE HUMIDITY PM launched 52 projects worth around Rs 2,200 cr during Varanasi visit Max. 96% MANOJ BHADRA Amader Para Amader Samadhan initiative kicks off across state Min. 75% VARANASI, 2 AUGUST TEMPERATURE Max: 32.2˚C (-0.3) SUN RISES 05:09 hrs MOON RISES 12:30 hrs Min: 26.8˚C (+0.2) SUN SETS 18:17 hrs MOON SETS 23:30 hrs Full Moon on 9 August THUMBNAILS A vendor arranges National flags ahead of Independence Day celebrations, in Kolkata on Friday.nANI 5 heavily armed terrorists killed in Kulgam encounter: In a major anti-terror operation, five terrorists of Lashkar-eTaiba (LeT) were killed on Saturday in an overnight gunfight with security forces in the Akhal area of South Kashmir's Kulgam, reports said. The joint operation by the Army, CRPF and J&K Police broke out on Friday evening. Official details of the encounter are awaited. One local terrorist killed in the encounter has been identified as Nazir Dar, resident of Pulwama. P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lashed out at the Congress and the Samajwadi Party for their ''negative attitude'' to Operation Sindoor, and called upon the people to use only 'Make in India' products, in an indirect response to US President Donald Trump's decision to slap 25 per cent tariff on Indian products. Calling upon the nation to adopt the mantra of “Vocal for Local”, PM Modi said every new item entering our homes must be Swadeshi, and this responsibility must be embraced by every Indian. PM Modi said Lord Shiva represents welfare, but assumes a fierce form when faced with terror and injustice. “The world witnessed this fierce form of India during Operation Sindoor,” he said, warning that “whoever attacks India will not survive—even in hell.” Issuing a stern warning, he declared: “If Pakistan dares to repeat its mistakes, missiles made in UP will wipe out terrorists.” Rahul accuses govt of intimidation STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 AUGUST Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has made a serious allegation against the government, claiming that the late Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was sent to intimidate him during the farmers' protest. However, Jaitley's son, Rohan Jaitley, strongly denied the claim. Mr Gandhi made these allegations while speaking at the Annual Legal Conclave 2025, organised by the AICC Law, Human Rights and RTI Department. He expressed concerns over the government's approach towards constitutional institutions and alleged that the ruling party is undermining democracy. Mr Gandhi claimed that Arun Jaitley was sent to threaten him during the farm laws protest, telling him to stop opposing the government. "Arun Jaitley ji was sent to me to threaten me. He told me 'if you carry on opposing the government, fighting the farm laws, we will have to act against you'," Mr Gandhi alleged. Rohan Jaitley countered Mr Gandhi's allegations, stating that his father would never have been involved in such activities. This would not have been the first time Rahul Gandhi and Arun Jaitley clashed, with Jaitley previously criticising Mr Gandhi's knowledge and expertise. While speaking at the Annual Legal Conclave today Mr Gandhi alleged that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, were rigged to favour the Bharatiya Janata Party. Addressing a massive public gathering at Banauli village in Sevapuri on Saturday, he dedicated the success of Operation Sindoor to Lord Mahadev, asserting that the mission succeeded only with Lord Mahadev’s blessings. On the occasion, PM Modi inaugurated or laid foundation stones for 52 projects worth around Rs 2200 crores and also released the instalment of Kisan Samman Nidhi to around 9.5 crore farmers in the country. Recalling the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 innocent lives, PM Modi said the grief of the victims’ families, especially their daughters Indian govt continues to source oil from Russia STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 AUGUST Indian oil refiners will continue to purchase oil from Russia and the decision is guided by several economic factors, including price, grade of crude, and logistics among others, government sources said on Saturday. The clarification came hours after US President Trump claimed that he has heard that India will not purchase Russian crude oil. "Indian oil refiners continue to source oil from Russian suppliers. Their supply deci- Nuns granted bail in Chhattisgarh conversion-trafficking case, walk free STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE RAIPUR, 2 AUGUST A special NIA court in Bilaspur on Saturday granted conditional bail to two Catholic nuns and a tribal youth arrested in a high-profile case of alleged religious conversion and human trafficking. The court observed that the accused had no prior criminal history and ordered their release on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each, subject to strict conditions, including surrendering their passports and not leaving the country without prior court approval. The accused, Sisters Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis, walked out of the Central Jail in Durg, Chhattisgarh, at 3.40 p.m. on Saturday, after spending eight days in custody. The two, along with a youth, Sukhman Mandavi, were taken into custody on 25 July at Durg railway station following a complaint by Bajrang Dal members. The latter had alleged that the three were coercing tribal girls from Narayanpur into converting to Christianity and were attempting to transport them out of the state under false pretenses. Initially detained by the Railway Protection Force in Durg, the case was referred to the National Investigation and children, deeply moved him. He shared that he had prayed to Baba Vishwanath for strength for the bereaved families and had vowed before the people of Kashi to avenge their pain ~ “the sindoor of our daughters” ~ a vow he now considers fulfilled. During his address, PM Modi also hit out at the Congress and Samajwadi Party for their "baseless statements" on the operation, asserting that such actions only strengthen the resolve of a united and self-reliant India. He credited the success of Operation Sindoor to the unity of 140 crore Indians, calling it the foundation Agency after the Durg Sessions Court declined to proceed, citing lack of territorial jurisdiction. The matter was then transferred to the special NIA court in Bilaspur. Mr Mandavi also walked out free on Saturday evening. During the hearing, defence counsel Amrito Das argued that the girls were neither kidnapped nor coerced, and that they belonged to Christian families who had willingly permitted them to travel. Consent letters from the girls’ parents were submitted to the court, affirming that the decision to travel was voluntary. “Both nuns are social workers with clean records. The case has been distorted to serve political agendas,” said Das. Special Judge Sirajuddin Qureshi, while granting bail, noted that no strong evidence of force or inducement had emerged in the preliminary probe. The two nuns looked tired but had smiles on their faces when they emerged from the jail and hugged their colleagues. sions are guided by price, grade of crude, inventories, logistics and other economic factors," news agency ANI quoted sources as saying. The government sources further explained the rationale behind India’s continued oil purchases from Russia, saying the country is the world’s second-largest crude producer with an output of about 9.5 million barrels per day and is also the second-largest exporter, supplying roughly 4.5 million barrels per day of crude and 2.3 million barrels per day of refined products. The sources, as quoted by the agency, further noted that concerns over the potential exit of Russian oil from global markets and the resulting disruption in traditional trade routes had driven Brent crude prices to spike to $137 per barrel in March 2022. Prajwal Revanna sentenced to life imprisonment AGENCIES BENGALURU, 2 AUGUST A Special Court for MPs/MLAs in Bengaluru sentenced Prajwal Revanna to life imprisonment till death and imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Saturday in connection with an obscene video and rape case involving a 47-year-old woman. Prajwal Revanna is the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. Judge Santosh Gajanana Bhat announced the verdict. The court sentenced Revanna to life imprisonment till death under IPC Section 376 (2) (N) for repeated rape and a Rs 5 lakh fine. The court further awarded life imprisonment and another Rs 5 lakh fine under the IPC Section 376 (2) (k) for committing rape on a woman while being in a position of control or dominance over such woman. The court has directed that Rs 7 lakh from the fine collected from Revanna be provided to the victim. of India’s strength. “This unity sparks a new consciousness each time,” he said, asking the crowd if they weren’t proud of India’s might and the operation’s success. He highlighted the precision strikes by Indian drones and missiles that reduced terror hideouts to rubble, adding that many of Pakistan’s airbases “are still in the ICU.” Launching a sharp attack on the opposition, he said, “The Congress, its allies, and friends cannot digest that India destroyed Pakistan’s terror bases. Pakistan’s sorrow is understandable ~ but why are Congress and SP sharing their grief?” he asked. He added: “On one side, the king of terror cries; on the other, Congress and SP weep over the condition of terrorists.” Accusing Congress of insulting the armed forces, he said the party is calling Operation Sindoor a “tamasha” (gimmick). “Tell me ~ can sindoor ever be a tamasha? Calling our army’s valour and our daughters’ honour a spectacle is shameful and will not be tolerated,” he asserted. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 2 AUGUST Amader Para Amader Samadhan (APAS), a flagship initiative of the Trinamul Congress government, was launched across West Bengal today. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the launch of the programme on her ‘X’ handle, stating: “Amader Para Amader Samadhan (APAS) is a unique flagship initiative aimed at institutionalising participatory governance and reimagining grassroots service delivery through public engagement and empowerment. APAS provides a platform where local residents can deliberate, identify, and prioritise their infrastructure needs at the local level." The initiative has an outlay of over Rs 8,000 crore, with Rs 10 lakh allocated per polling booth. A total of 80,000 polling booths are being covered through 27,000 camps. On the first day of APAS, 632 camps were held statewide. “I invite everyone to attend their local camps and participate in the discussions to make APAS a grand success. I also thank the government officials and stakeholders for ensuring a smooth rollout of the campaign,” the Chief Minister added. State Chief Secretary Manoj Pant is overseeing the functioning of the camps. Three booths have been grouped to form a para (local cluster), and government officials are on hand to engage with residents and listen to their grievances. Miss Banerjee conceptualised the APAS initiative drawing inspiration from the success of Duare Sarkar. Explaining its necessity, Miss Banerjee said: "Local issues like repairing roads or fixing school buildings damaged by rain need immediate attention. Civic bodies or panchayats may eventually address them, but often too late. APAS allows people to register their grievances and seek prompt resolutions." The camps will run for three months, during which officials will hear grievances, assess them, and take appropriate action. The initiative also provides an opportunity for Trinamul Congress workers to connect with local residents ~ important in the lead-up to the 2026 Assembly elections. Senior government officials noted strong public enthusiasm, with many eager to report issues in their neighbourhoods. Efforts will be made to provide immediate relief wherever possible. Trinamul Congress workers statewide are urging people to attend the APAS camps. Teasers inviting local participation have been sent via WhatsApp by party workers and leaders. In Ward 72 of Bhowanipore ~ within the Assembly constituency of Mamata Banerjee ~ party workers have contacted residents and encouraged them to join the APAS camp, which begins tomorrow.