CMYK TUESDAY www.thestatesman.com 26 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 ISSUES FOR THE FM TO ADDRESS INCUMBENT WINS PORTUGAL’S PREZ ELECTION P10 MAN UNITED COMPOUNDS LIVERPOOL’S WOES ‘TRACTOR RALLY CELEBRATES INDIAN REPUBLIC’ P7 P5 P11 Our valiant soldiers foiled expansionist move: President India to exhibit military might at R-Day parade 32 tableaus to depict nation’s cultural heritage; Delhi under heavy security for farmers’ rally TRACTOR PARADE An effective response to the pandemic would not have been possible without the Constitutional value of ‘Fraternity' WEATHER RAM NATH KOVIND PRESIDENT OF INDIA Fog/mist in the morning and partly cloudy sky later. Temperature likely to be in the range of 26-17 degrees Celsius. PRESS TRUST OF INDIA RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max.89% TEMPERATURE The farmer unions claimed that around two lakh tractors are expected to participate in their parade which will move into the city from three border points~ Singhu,  Min. 59% Max: 26.1°C (N) Min: 16.6°C (2) SUN RISES SUN SETS 06:17 hrs 17:20 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS 14:12 hrs 03:11 hrs Full moon on 29 January Flypast rehearsal being conducted over Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.  VARUN JOSHI SNS & PTI NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY THUMBNAILS ndia will show its military might on Tuesday with Rafale fighter jets taking part in the Republic Day flypast for the the first time and the armed forces showcasing T-90 tanks, the Samvijay electronic warfare system, Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets, among others, said the Defence ministry on Monday. Total 32 tableaus~ 17 from states and union territories, six from the Defence ministry and nine from other Union ministries and paramilitary forces -- depicting the nation’s rich cultural heritage, economic progress and defence prowess will roll down the Rajpath at the Republic Day parade, the ministry said in a statement. “School children will perform folk arts and crafts displaying skills and dexterity handed down from I Preparation for Republic Day at Red Road. In Kolkata on Monday.  IANS Helicopter crashes in J&K, army pilot killed: A pilot of the Indian Army was killed and another critically injured when the helicopter they were flying on Monday crashed in Kathua district's Lakhanpur along Jammu and Kashmir--Punjab border. As per preliminary information, two pilots were onboard the chopper. Both pilots were rushed to the Army hospital where one of them succumbed and the other was critical. generations~ Bajasal, one of the most beautiful folk dances of Kalahandi in Odisha, Fit India Movement and Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” the ministry noted. A 122-member proud contingent of the Bangladesh armed forces will also march on Rajpath on Tuesday, the Ministry said. “The Bangladesh contingent will carry the legacy of legendary Muktijoddhas of Bangladesh, who fought against oppression and mass atrocities and liberated Bangladesh in 1971,” it added. India is currently celebrating the Swarnim Vijay Varsh - Golden Jubilee year ~commemorating the country’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh. The Indian Army will showcase the main battle tank T-90 Bhishma, infantry combat vehicle BMP-IISarath, mobile autonomous 131 more Covid deaths, 13,203 cases SNS & PTI NEW DELHI/ KOLKATA, 25 JANUARY With 13,203 new Coronavirus infections reported in the last 24 hours, India on Monday continued its streak of low single-day cases, recording the overall tally to 1,06,67,736, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare For the past 18 days, the country has been recording less than 20,000 daily new infections. Also, the death toll remained below 300-mark for the past 28 days. Delhi could be heading towards herd immunity: The outcome of the fifth round of sero-prevalence survey in the national capital has indicated that Delhi population could be heading towards attaining herd immunity against coronavirus infection, sources said on Monday. The survey has found that in one district, 50-60 per cent of the sampled population has developed antibodies to Covid19, they said. MHA vaccine advisory to states: Faced with the problem of circulation of rumours about the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines, the Centre has asked the states to check the spread of such misinformation and advised them to take penal action against those who are found to be involved in dissemination of wrong and ill-informed news. Bengal logs 252 fresh cases: West Bengal today registered 252 fresh Covid cases and 7 deaths due to infection. The total Covid case count is 5,68,355 and death toll is 10,122 in the state till now while there are 6,151 active cases. Kolkata recorded 57 cases and 3 deaths and North 24 Parganas recorded 74 fresh Covid cases and 1 death. launcher of the Brahmos missile system, multilauncher rocket system Pinaka, electronic warfare system Samvijay among others during the parade on Tuesday, the Defence ministry noted. A total of 38 IAF aircraft, include Rafale, and four planes of the Indian Army will participate in the flypast on Tuesday. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will have two tableaus at this year's parade, one showcasing light combat aircraft Tejas' successful take off from aircraft carrier INS Vikramadityain 2020, and another displaying full complement of the anti-tank guided missile systems, the Defence ministry said. The Republic Day parade ceremony will commence with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the National War Memorial. KOLKATA, 25 JANUARY 1,06,67,736 13,203 13,298 1,53,470 UNION HEALTH MINISTRY FIGURES AS OF 10.00 P.M. MONDAY 25 JANUARY 2021 NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY CRPF Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Mohan Lal who “chased and fired” at an explosivesladen car that rammed into a force bus in Pulwama killing him and 39 troops onboard in 2019 has been decorated with the highest police medal for gallantry on the eve of the Republic Day on Monday. A total of 207 police bravery medals were declared by the Union government apart from 89 President’s police medals for distinguished service and 650 police medals for meritorious service, as per a list published by the Union Home Ministry. Only two police personnel have been decorated with the top category President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) this ABE, GOGOI AMONG PADMA WINNERS  Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and music legend SP Balasubrahmanyam have been awarded Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in India, the government announced today. Celebrated singer SP Balasubrahmanyam was conferred the honour posthumously.  Former chief minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi and former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, both of whom died last year, have also been awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award posthumously. Former Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan has also been conferred the Padma Bhushan. time, CRPF’s Lal and late Jharkhand Police ASI Banua Oraon. As many as 205 personnel have been decorated with the second-highest police medal for gallantry or the PMG. 50-year-old ASI Lal was the picket commander of the CRPF road opening party deployed on 14 February, 2019 at milestone number 272 near the BSNL Tower in Lethpora, Pulwama on the Jammu-Srinagar highway when the dastardly terror attack was carried out by the Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist outfit. The attack car was being driven by suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Dar with about 200 kgs Tikri and Ghazipur  Each tractor will carry a Tricolour and there will be folk music and patriotic songs. Tractor rally today, Parliament march on Budget day: Farmers NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY Thousands of farmers will enter the national capital on their tractors under heavy security on Republic Day, even as they announced a foot march to Parliament on 1 February, when the annual Budget is presented, to press for their demands including a repeal of the three new agriculture laws. Heavy security has been deployed in view of the unprecedented ‘Kisan Gantantra Parade’ that will move into Delhi from three border points~ Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur (UP Gate). The farmer unions protesting for nearly two months against the three At a time when both India and China are pinning their hopes for an amicable solution to end the nine-month long border dispute at Eastern Ladakh through several rounds of de-escalation talks, reports of fresh clashes between soldiers of the Indian Army and the Chinese PLA at Naku La in North Sikkim was confirmed today by the Army. The Eastern Command spokesperson in Kolkata, today confirmed that a “minor face-off” between the Indian Army and the PLA occurred at Nakula area of North Sikkkim on 20 January. “It was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols” said the defence spokesperson here. Sources new Central farm laws said on Monday their tractor parade will start only after the official Republic Day parade on Rajpath concludes. They claimed around two lakh tractors are expected to participate in the parade. Addressing a press conference at Sinhu border here, senior union leader Darshan Pal announced the farmers will also organise a foot march to Parliament from different locations on the Budget day, a move being seen as a pressure tactic. Pal, who is a member of Krantikari Kisan Union, said the farmers remain firm in their demand their agitation will continue till their demands are met. See also Page 5 President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday asserted that while India remains committed to peace, its armed forces are “adequately mobilised” in a “well-coordinated” move to thwart any attempt to undermine national security as he referred to the “expansionist” move by China in Ladakh last year. “Our national interest will be protected at all costs,” the President declared in his address to the nation on the eve of the 72nd Republic Day during which he also sought to allay fears of farmers over the three contentious farm laws. “The path of reform at the initial stages may cause misapprehensions but the government is singularly devoted to the farmers’ welfare,” he said, as the protests by the farmer unions demanding repeal of the three laws continues at border points in Delhi. On the country's efforts to fight Covid-19, the President said an effective response to the pandemic would not have been possible without the Constitutional value of 'Fraternity' among the people of the country. He also took pride India, China hold marathon talks SNS & PTI NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY India and China held 16 hours-long marathon military dialogue to resolve an ongoing border dispute and thinning of forces along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh, government official said. The ninth Corps Commander level talks between both the countries took place at the Moldo Meeting point almost two months after the point out that the face-off in the North East comes despite the many rounds of ongoing talks between the two countries to resolve the border dis- Pulwama hero gets Prez gallantry medal posthumously PRESS TRUST OF INDIA A FARMER LEADER in the fact that India was called as “pharmacy of the world” for supplying medicine to several countries to contain sufferings across the globe. He felt that after about a year of this “unforeseen ordeal”, India today stands “not despondent but confident.” Paying tributes to the 20 Indian soldiers who laid down their lives at Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh last June during clashes with the Chinese troops, the President said the past year “was a time of adversity, and it came from many fronts.” “We faced an expansionist move on our borders, but our valiant soldiers foiled it. To achieve this objective, 20 of them had to lay down their lives.” Kovind said the nation shall remain grateful to those brave soldiers. “Though we reiterate our commitment to peace, our defence forces Army, Air Force and Navy are adequately mobilised in a well-coordinated move to thwart any attempt to undermine our security. Our national interest will be protected at all costs. We have also ensured a widespread understanding in the international community of India’s firm and principled stand,” the President said. Indian Army and PLA clash at Naku La in Sikkim STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE 1,84,182 NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY No one should carry any weapon or drink alcohol of explosives inside. The CRPF said Lal, after passing of few vehicles of the cavalcade, noticed this car “running alongside the convoy and trying to enter between the convoy vehicles.” The brave official “signalled and chased the car to stop but could not match its speed”. “Ultimately, finding no other option, he fired towards the suspicious car to stop but the car rammed into a nearby running CRPF bus and a huge blast took place,” the force said. The sub-officer who belonged to the 110th battalion of the force has been decorated with the PPMG for displaying gallantry during this incident, the force said. The Central Reserve Police Force, the lead force for antiNaxal operations and counter- terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir, also led the gallantry medals tally with a total 69 medals (1 PPMG and 68 PMG) followed by 52 earned by the JK Police, 20 by the Border Security Force, 17 by the Delhi Police and 13 by Maharashtra Police and others. Two personnel of the IndoTibetan Border Police (ITBP) force, tasked to guard the Line of Actual Control with China, have also been given the police medal for gallantry. Deputy Commandant Rajesh Kumar Luthra has been decorated for displaying courage to defuse a faceoff with Chinese troops at Ladakh in July, 2019 while another officer of the border guarding force, Assistant Commandant Anurag Kumar Singh, has been awarded for counter-terrorist operation in J&K in 2017. CMYK last dialogue. It started at 10.30 am on Sunday and ended at 2.30 a.m. on Monday. Lieutenant General P .G.K. Menon, the Corps Commander of Leh-based HQ 14 Corps, led the Indian delpute along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Eight months ago, the army of both the countries had clashed at Galwan val- egation. India has sought complete disengagement and withdrawing of forces from the disputed areas. The Ministry of External Affairs representative was also part of dialogue.The eight Corps Commander level talks had taken place happened on 6 November. Though the talks ended in a deadlock, both countries had agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels. ley which left several Indian soldiers dead. The recent skirmish in Sikkim is said to have taken place when a PLA patrol Andhra parents kill daughters with trident, dumbbells STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE HYDERABAD, 25 JANUARY Inashockingincident,well-educated parents killed their grown up daughters at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, bludgeoning them with dumbbells and trident as a part of occult practices and even claimed they can be brought back to life. After complaints from neighbours, the police entered the three storeyed newly-built house of Dr V Purushotham Naidu, as associate Professor of Chemistry at Government Degree College in Chennai and his wife V Padmaja, a gold medallist in Mathematics and working in an IIT coaching centre. They found the two young women, both in their 20s dead with their heads par- tially tonsured and wrapped in red sarees. One of the bodies were found in the Puja room while the other in another room as the family had observed some rituals on Sunday evening. The police said the parents spoke incoherently and even claimed given a day’s time their daughters can be brought back to life. Sunday marked the end of Kali Yug, claimed the parents and believed the daughters will be resurrected for a better life. The mother had killed the daughters and the father had been an accomplice and parents were arrested by police. The police also said the parents were contemplating suicide but might have been prevented by the arrival of police. team allegedly attempted to intrude into the Indian territory and were resisted by the Indian Army. It led to a brawl between the two armed forces. It is learnt that soldiers from both sides received grievous injuries while no firearms were used in the conflict, as learnt from defence sources. At present, the area is under control of the Indian Army while a palpable tension is apparent. It is useful to remember that the Army commander of the Eastern Command, Lt Gen. Anil Chauhan had last month told the Press that the Chinese PLA is setting up defences near the border opposite Sikkim and Kameng sector while the Indian Army is also taking reciprocal action. EC rolls out e-voter cards NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY The Election Commission on Monday rolled out the electronic version of the voters’ photo identity card which can be stored on mobile phones and downloaded on personal computers. The e-voter card, available in the PDF format which cannot be edited, can be selfprinted and laminated by the voter when required. With its formal launch on Monday, electors in pollbound Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry can use e-voter card in AprilMay polls. The ‘PV’ physical voter card would continue to be in use. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has said that mock trials for remote voting facility for electors would begin soon. PTI