CMYK FRIDAY www.thestatesman.com 15 JANUARY 2021 FIND US ONLINE Scan this with your smartphone twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd facebook.com/thestatesman1875 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC* KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR 20-YEAR-JAIL TERM FOR SOUTH KOREAN EX-PRESIDENT BUDGET MUSINGS P9 WEATHER Mainly clear sky with mist/fog in the morning. Temperature most likely in the range of 25-14 degress Celsius. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max.78% TEMPERATURE Min. 51% Max: 24.9°C (-1) Min: 16.4°C (2) SUN RISES SUN SETS 06:18 hrs 17:12 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS 07:16 hrs 18:22 hrs Moon next quarter on 21 January THUMBNAILS OPPOSITION BLASTS VIJAYAN OVER GOLD SMUGGLING CASE P6 P4 House votes 232-197 one week after violent pro-Trump loyalists stormed Capitol egged on by president’s call to overturn Biden’s win ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON, 14 JANUARY resident Donald Trump was impeached by the US House for a historic second time, charged with “incitement of insurrection” over the deadly mob siege of the U.S. Capitol in a swift and stunning collapse of his final days in office. With the Capitol secured by armed National Guard troops inside and out, the House voted 232-197 on Wednesday to impeach Trump. The proceedings moved at lightning speed, with lawmakers voting just one week after violent proTrump loyalists stormed the Capitol, egged on by the president’s calls for them to “fight like hell” against the election results. Ten Republicans fled Trump, joining Democrats who said he needed to be held accountable and warned ominously of a P “clear and present danger” if Congress should leave him unchecked before Democrat Joe Biden’s inauguration on 20 January. Trump is the only U.S. president to be twice impeached. It was the most bipartisan presidential impeachment in modern times, more so than against Bill Clinton in 1998. The Capitol insurrection stunned and angered lawmakers, who were sent scrambling for safety as the mob descended, and it revealed the fragility of the nation’s history of peaceful transfers of power. The riot also forced a reckoning among some Republicans, who have stood by Trump throughout his presidency and largely allowed him to spread false attacks against the integrity of the 2020 election. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invoked Abraham Lincoln and the Bible, imploring lawmakers to uphold their oath to defend PRESS TRUST OF INDIA CHANDIGARH, 14 JANUARY Whatsapp: Open to queries from govt on privacy policy update Bhartiya Kisan Union national president Bhupinder Singh Mann on Thursday said he is recusing himself from the fourmember committee appointed by the Supreme Court to resolve the deadlock between farmers and the Centre over the new agri-marketing laws. Mann’s announcement came on a day when his organisation’s Punjab unit decided to disassociate itself from him. Farmer unions and Opposition parties too had raised doubts over the Under fire over its recent privacy policy update, WhatsApp on Thursday said it is open to answering any questions from the government on the issue and is aware that the company will have to “compete” for users’ trust with rivals such as Signal. WhatsApp Head Will Cathcart said the Facebook-owned company remains committed to privacy and security of users across India and will continue to explain to users that their messages are end-toend encrypted. Rival messaging platforms such asSignaland Telegram had seen phenomenal rise in downloads soon after WhatsApp sought user consent to its updated privacy policy that seeks to share some data with Facebook. “We know we have to compete for users’ trust when it comes to privacy and that’s very good for the world. People should have choices in how they communicate and feel confident that no one else can see their chats,” Cathcart said. Asked if WhatsApp had seen an exodus of users to rival apps like Signal and Telegram, Cathcart answered in negative. “No. We’re grateful that people continue to use WhatsApp to communicate. We think competition on privacy is good because it will help make apps even more private and secure in the future, he added. PTI composition of the panel, insisting that its members have been in favour of the three laws in the past. Mann said he is thankful to the apex court for nominating him to the panel but would give up any position to prevent Delhi poultry marked safe from avian flu PRESS TRUST OF INDIA NEW DELHI, 14 JANUARY NEW DELHI, 14 JANUARY P12 A US president twice impeached MOST BIPARTISAN PRESIDENTIAL IMPEACHMENT He must go, he is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love. NANCY PELOSI HOUSE SPEAKER  Trump was first impeached by the House in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine, but the Senate voted in 2020 acquit.  The soonest Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell would start an impeachment trial is next Tuesday, the day before Trump is already set to leave the White House the Constitution from all enemies, foreign “and domestic.” She said of Trump: “He must go, he is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love.” Holed up at the White House, watching the proceedings on TV, Trump later released a video statement in which he made no mention at all of the impeachment but appealed to his Speaker Nancy Pelosi, leads the final vote of the impeachment of President Donald Trump supporters to refrain from any further violence or disruption of Biden’s inauguration. “Like all of you, I was shocked and deeply saddened by the calamity at the Capitol last week,” he said, his first condemnation of the attack. He appealed for unity “to move forward” and said, “Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for. BKU leader recuses from SC farm panel Nepal FM arrives in India on three-day visit: d Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali arrived in New Delhi on Thursday on a three-day visit during which he will co-chair the India-Nepal Joint Commission meeting with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, and is expected to discuss Covid-19-related cooperation and bilateral ties. Gyawali is the senior-most political leader from Nepal to visit India after PM K P Sharma Oli triggered a border row last year by publishing a new political map that showed the three Indian territories -- Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh -- as part of Nepal. INDIA GO INTO THE BATTLE OF BRISBANE All the three municipal corporations in the national capital lifted the ban on sale, storage of poultry or processed chicken meat on Thursday, within 24 hours of its imposition, after 100 samples taken from Asia's largest 'chicken mandi' in Ghazipur tested negative for bird flu. The Delhi government also allowed the Ghazipur poultry market, biggest supplier of poultry products in the region, to open. Bird flu has not spread among chickens in Delhi, an official said on Thursday after the 100 samples taken from the Ghazipur market tested negative. The results come a farmers’ interests from being compromised. As a farmer myself and a union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country, the exMP said in a statement. The apex court had on Tuesday stayed the implementation of the three Central laws till further orders and announced the formation of a committee to hear the More reports on Page 5 PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the rollout of India’s Covid-19 vaccination programme on 16 January, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. He is likely to interact via video link with some healthcare workers from across the country who will be receiving the shots on the first day, according to sources. Modi is also likely to launch the Co-WIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network) App, a digital platform created for real-time monitoring of Covid19 vaccine delivery and distribution, they said. The Health Ministry said, “The massive countrywide Covid-19 vaccination drive will be rolled out by Prime PM Modi is likely to interact via video link with some healthcare workers from across the country who will be receiving the shots on the first day of Covid vaccination drive on 16 January Minister from 16 January. This would be the world’s largest immunisation exercise. Therefore, it has been decided by the Ministry of Health in consultation with the office of the President of India to reschedule the Polio vaccination day, also known as the National Immunisation Day (NID) or ‘Polio Ravivar’ to 31 January.” A limited number of sites out of the 2,934 inoculation cen- A boatman breaks ice on the frozen Dal Lake in Srinagar as the Kashmir valley recorded the (SEE PAGE 5) coldest night after a gap of 30 years.  SNS tres have been shortlisted from where the beneficiaries can interact with the Prime Minister and the authorities in those centres have been asked to make provisions for information technology infrastructure for providing a twoway interactive communication facility to enable it to link and interact with the national launch site through a video link, the sources said. Officials at New Delhi’s AIIMS and Safdarjung hospitals, which are among the shortlisted facilities, said they are “ready for a two-way communication”. Around three lakh healthcare workers will get vaccine shots at 2,934 sites across the country on the first day of the massive nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive, a senior official said. Pongal politics ahead of elections in Tamil Nadu STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE CHENNAI, 14 JANUARY The harvest festival Pongal is the most revered festival in Tamil Nadu, an agrarian state. Even though the pandemic situation curtailed the festivities a little bit, people celebrated it with gaiety and of course with Jallikkattu, the bull-taming sport. But the upcoming Assembly elections gave a political twist to the festivities this time with national political leaders making a beeline to the state. Rahul Gandhi, J P Nadda and Mohan Bhagwat are either currently visiting Tamil Nadu or doing so shortly. Former Congress president Gandhi made a day-long visit to Madurai (photo) to witness the bull taming sport and celebrate Pongal along with people. Though he is not taking part in any political functions in the city, he said he came here to express his solidarity with the farmers of the country. Gandhi and DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin attended the jallikattu event at Avaniyapuram in Madurai, the first day of the Pongal celebrations in the state. During the function, Rahul said, “I have specially come here since Tamil culture, language and history is important for the future of India and it needs to be respected by everyone in India. I have come here to give a message to those people who think they can rupture Tamil people and push aside Tamil language and culture.” He later joined a Pongal feast with local people. Interacting with mediapersons at Madurai airport, Gandhi said the Modi government will be forced to take back the farm laws in the coming days. “If anybody thinks that they can suppress farmers agitation and this country will continue to prosper, they just have to look at our history. Whenever Indian farmers are weak, India is weak,” he added. Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said, “You are suppressing the farmers and helping a handful of crony businessmen. When Covid lashed the country, you did not support the common man. Whose Prime Minister are you? Are you the Prime Minister of people or of two-three selected businessmen?” Gandhi’s visit, however, saw #Goback_Rahul trend on Twitter. A number of BJP functionaries and right-wing groups accused the Congress leader of opportunistic politics. BJP national president JP Nadda is also expected to visit Tamil Nadu during Pongal celebrations. CMYK lican strategist said on Wednesday. Unlike his first time, Trump faces this impeachment as a weakened leader, having lost his own reelection as well as the Senate Republican majority. Even Trump ally Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader, shifted his position and said on Wednesday the president bears responsibility for the violence at the Capitol. In making a case for the “high crimes and misdemeanors” demanded in the Constitution, the fourpage impeachment resolution relies on Trump’s own incendiary rhetoric and the falsehoods he spread about Biden’s election victory. Ten Republican lawmakers, including thirdranking House GOP leader Liz Cheney of Wyoming, voted to impeach Trump, cleaving the Republican leadership, and the party itself. ICEBOUND PM to launch vaccination drive NEW DELHI, 14 JANUARY day after civic authorities imposed a temporary ban on sale and storage of poultry or processed chicken meat. Earlier, samples taken from crows and ducks at parks and lakes in the national capital tested positive for the avian influenza. This prompted the Delhi government on Monday to ban the sale of processed and packaged chicken brought from outside the city and shut the wholesale poultry market in east Delhi for 10 days as a precautionary measure. Bird flu is suspected in four samples of heron taken from Hastsal Park, a Delhi animal husbandry unit official said, adding that these samples have been sent to Bhopal for confirmation. Details on Page 5 grievances of the farmers and the opinion of the government. BKU (Punjab) chief Baldev Singh Mianpur claimed that Mann might have decided to change his stand after he got a whiff of their meeting. We decided to disassociate ourselves from Mann as he did not consult with us to work as a committee member, Mianpur said. He said the BKU does not recognise the SCappointed committee and they are with other farm bodies seeking a repeal of the new farm laws. ... No true supporter of mine could ever disrespect law enforcement.” Trump was first impeached by the House in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine, but the Senate voted in 2020 acquit. He is the first president to be impeached twice. None has been convicted by the Senate, but Republicans said on Wednesday that could change in the rapid- ly shifting political environment as officeholders, donors, big business and others peel away from the defeated president. Biden said in a statement after the vote that it was his hope the Senate leadership “will find a way to deal with their Constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation.” The soonest Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell would start an impeachment trial is next Tuesday, the day before Trump is already set to leave the White House, McConnell’s office said. The legislation is also intended to prevent Trump from ever running again. McConnell believes Trump committed impeachable offenses and considers the Democrats’ impeachment drive an opportunity to reduce the divisive, chaotic president’s hold on the GOP a Repub, Earlier Union home affairs minister Amit Shah was scheduled to visit Chennai, especially to have talks regarding the state Assembly polls and to attend the annual day celebrations of Thuglak magazine. However, Amit Shah cancelled the trip and asked Nadda to handle these tasks. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat participated in Pongal celebrations on Thursday and visited the house of a functionary of the organisation where he recited a couplet from the Tamil classic Tirukkural, authored by Tamil savant Tiruvalluvar. Bhagwat also performed a ‘gau puja’ (cow worship). He is on a two day visit to the city. Bhagwat, it is said, will take part in Pongal celebrations in Chennai. India logs 16,946 new cases SNS & PTI NEW DELHI, 14 JANUARY India’s Covid-19 caseload increased to 1,05,12,093 with 16,946 infections being reported in a day, while recoveries have surged to 1,01,46,763, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday. The death toll has increased to 1,51,727 with 198 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 a.m. showed. Bengal records 680 new cases: West Bengal today registered 680 fresh Covid-19 cases and 17 deaths due to infection. The total Covid case count is 5,63,475 and death toll is 10,010 in the state as of Thursday, while there are 7,272 active cases. Kolkata recorded 159 cases and 4 deaths. In the 1,05,12,093 2,13,603 16,946 17,652 1,51,727 UNION HEALTH MINISTRY FIGURES AS OF 8.00 A.M. THURSDAY 14 JANUARY 2021 last 24 hours, 694 patients were discharged. No foreign dignitary as chief guest on Republic Day STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 14 JANUARY The Central government has decided not to invite any foreign dignitary as the chief guest for the Republic Day parade this year in view of Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of External Affairs said today. “Due to the global Covid19 pandemic, it has been decided that there will be no foreign head of state or head of government as the chief guest for the Republic Day event,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing. Earlier, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was scheduled to come to India as the chief guest for the Republic Day. Johnson, however, has cancelled his visit following the rapid spread of the new coronavirus strain in the United Kingdom. This will be the first time in over five decades that the Republic Day celebrations will not have a foreign dignitary as the chief guest. The last time the parade did not have a chief guest was in 1966 when Indira Gandhi was sworn in as the Prime Minister on 24 January after the demise of Lal Bahadur Shastri. There were two other years when the Republic Day parade did not have a chief guest, once in 1952 and then in 1953.