CMYK WEDNESDAY www.thestatesman.com 18 MAY 2022 FIND US ONLINE Scan this with your smartphone twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd facebook.com/thestatesman1875 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘NO SHORTAGE OF FERTILIZERS, COUNTRY TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT SOON’ DRAWN TO NATO P6 WEATHER Partly cloudy sky. Rain/thundershower likely to occur. Temperature likely to be in the range of 35-29 degrees Celsius. P8 P9 TMC: Other states using PMAY name for funds RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY On 12 May, Bengal CM wrote to PM seeking release of MGNREGA, PMAY funds Max.83% KOLKATA, 17 MAY Min. 57% TEMPERATURE Max: 34.4 °C (-1) SUN RISES 04:56 hrs MOON RISES 19:41 hrs New moon on 30 SNS/AGENCIES Min: 28.8 °C (+2) SUN SETS 18:10 hrs MOON SETS 05:39 hrs May THUMBNAILS Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande takes over as the Colonel of the 61st Cavalry Regiment, in New Delhi on Tuesday. He is the 23rd Chief of the Army Staff to take over Colonelcy of the mounted Cavalry Regiment.  ANI Delhi HC to hear Sharjeel's bail plea on 26 May: The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the bail plea of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Sharjeel Imam, on May 26, seeking interim bail for alleged inflammatory speeches given by him at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and in the Jamia area during the anti-CAA agitation in 2019 and 2020.Imam was arrested in 2020 by the Delhi Police from Bihar's Jahanabad. Colonel Dharamvir, hero of the Battle of Longewala, passes away: Colonel Dharamvir, the hero of the Battle of Longewala in the 1971 war with Pakistan, passed away on Monday in Gurugram. He had commanded 23 Punjab between 1992 and 94. His role in the movie Border based in the Battle of Longewala was portrayed by actor Akshaye Khanna.Colonel Dharamvir was the first soldier who gave information to the army about Pakistan's attack to then Major Chandpuri. Kannada actor dies during fat removal surgery in Bengaluru Chethana Raj, a 21year-old TV star, died because of the hospital's negligence, her family alleges BENGALURU, 17 MAY In a shocking development, a 21-year-old Kannada small screen actress died while undergoing fat removal surgery in Bengaluru on Tuesday. According to police, she was undergoing surgery without knowledge of her parents. Chetana Raj is the young actress who succumbed during surgery. The parents are now alleging negligence on part of the surgeons. They are also saying that the surgery was conducted without proper equipment.Chetana Raj is a resident of Abbigere in Bengaluru. The hospital authorities are maintaining that the death occurred due to water getting deposited in her lungs during surgery. Chethana Raj had acted in popular serials 'Geetha', 'Doresaani', 'Olavina Nildana'. She had also acted in 'Havayaami', a Kannada movie.Govinda Raj, father of Chetana Raj explained that his daughter was admitted to the hospital at 8.30 am on Monday. By the time they got to know about it, the surgery had already started. By the evening, the lungs were filled with water or fat content and she had faced breathing problems. There were no proper facilities in IANS the ICU, he said. rinamul Congress has outlined a counter-campaign against the BJP claiming that the West Bengal’s dues under the PM Awas Yojana (PMAY ) should not be released as the state government is running the same scheme under a different name. Trinamul's counterstrategy will be to highlight other Indian states adopting the same method of running the scheme under different names and getting dues cleared. On 12 May, chief minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking the Central government to immediately release the state's dues for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and PM Awas Yojana. Shortly thereafter, T TMC’s counterstrategy will be to highlight other states adopting the same method of running the scheme under different names and getting dues cleared Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari also wrote to the Prime Minister claiming that although 32 lakh houses were constructed in West Bengal under PM Awas Yojona, in reality the state government was running the scheme under a different name Bangla Awas Yojana. He requested that Central funds under this housing scheme should not be released unless the state government runs the scheme under the name of PM Awas Yojona. However, the claims by Adhikari have proven to be slightly counter-productive as the Trinamul Congress leadership has decided to highlight examples with photographic documents where states like Uttar Pradesh and Delhi are also running the scheme under different names but were not deprived of dues. West Bengal finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said: "Several BJP-ruled states besides Uttar Pradesh are running PM AwasYojana under different names and hence, this cannot be an excuse for holding back the dues of the West Bengal government." She pointed out that in FRONTLINE WARSHIP Uttar Pradesh, the scheme is run under the name of UP Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana and still they are getting their dues, while in Delhi it is called the New Delhi Awas Yojana. “However, BJP leaders have not raised any question on this issue," she said. BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh said that it is not the question of PM Awas Yojana alone. “West Bengal is running every Central scheme under different names. It is a deliberate attempt to undermine the contributions of the Union government in the development of the state which no other state government is doing. And it is not just the name change that the Leader of the Opposition has highlighted in his letter to the Prime Minister, he also highlighted how Trinamool Congress leaders at different levels are misusing Central funds for filling up their own pockets,” Ghosh said. FACT FILE TOTAL CASES 4,31,25,370 ACTIVE CASES 16,400 NEW CASES 1,569 NEW RECOVERIES 2,467 TOTAL DEATHS 5,24,260 UNION HEALTH MINISTRY FIGURES AS OF 8.00 A.M. TUESDAY 17 MAY 2022 INS Udaygiri (Stealth Frigate) launched by defence minister Rajnath Singh, in (SEE PG5) Mumbai on Tuesday.  ANI CBI books PC’s son Karti in ‘bribe-for-visa’ case STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 17 MAY The CBI has filed a fresh case against Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram (in pic), son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, for allegedly facilitating visas of 250 Chinese nationals after receiving illegal gratification of Rs 50 lakh, officials said on Tuesday. The CBI on Tuesday morning started coordinated search operations at nine locations in multiple cities in the country, including Karti Chidambaram's residences in Chennai and Delhi, they said. The searches are being conducted at three locations in Chennai, three in Mumbai, and one each in Karnataka, Punjab and Odisha, they added. A CBI team also visited the official residence of Karti Chi- dambaram and Congress leader Chidambaram at Lodhi Estate here, the officials said. In the new case which is an offshoot of an ongoing probe, the CBI has alleged that Karti had received Rs 50 lakh alleged bribe to facilitate the visa of 250 Chinese nationals during the UPA regime for a power project, the officials said.Congress leader P Chidambaram in a tweet said, "This morning, a CBI team searched my residence at Chennai and my official residence at Delhi. The team showed me a FIR in which I am not named as an accused. The search team found nothing and seized nothing. I may point out ‘20 pc Twitteraccounts fake, deal cannot move forward’ ASIAN NEWS INTERNATIONAL WASHINGTON, 17 MAY Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Tuesday said that he will proceed with his $ 44 billion take over of Twitter only if the microblogging giant is able to prove that less than 5 per cent of its users are bots. “20 pc fake/spam accounts, while 4 times what Twitter claims, could be *much* higher. My offer was based on Twitter's SEC filings being accurate. Yesterday, Twitter's CEO publicly refused to show proof of it. This deal cannot move forward until he does," Musk tweeted. His tweet came in response to a Twitter user who wrote that the Billionaire entrepreneur may be looking for a better deal as the previously quoted amount of $44 billion seems too high with 20 per cent users being fake or spam accounts. This comes a day after Twitter CEO Parag Agarwal issued a series of tweets amid the debate surrounding the spam controversy between the company and Musk. that the timing of the search is interesting."The CBI has registered the case against five accused including private persons based in Chennai, Mumbai, private companies based in Mumbai, Mansa (Punjab), etc and unidentified public servants and private persons. According to the CBI, the case has been registered on certain allegations including bribery to facilitate the issuance of a visa to a Chinese company beyond the ceiling. The other four accused in the case have been identified as S Bhaskararaman based in Chennai, Vikas Makharia, representing Mansa (Punjab) based private company, M/s Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, Mansa (Punjab), M/s Bell Tools Limited, Mumbai, and other unidentified public servant(s) and private person(s). SEE PG5 RAHANE RULED OUT OF THE REMAINDER OF IPL ‘22 LANKA'S PM PROPOSES SELLING OFF FLAG CARRIER Bengal recorded 48 cases and zero deaths SC Collegium recommends transfer of T’gana HC CJ to Delhi HC NEW DELHI, 17 MAY The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court as the new Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. The Collegium also recommended the elevation of Justice Vipin Sanghi, Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, as the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand HC. After the retirement of Justice DN Patel as the Chief Justice of the Delhi HC, the post fell vacant.The Collegium further recommended the elevation of Justice AA Sayed, SS Shinde, Rashmin M Chhaya and Ujjal Bhuyan as Chief Justices of HP, Rajasthan, Guwahati and Telangana High ANI Courts respectively. P12 Protect ‘Shivling’, no restriction on Muslims in Gyanvapi mosque: SC SNS& AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 17 MAY The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the area within Gyanvapi mosque where the 'Shivling' has been found needs to be protected, but there should be no restriction on Muslims entering the mosque to offer namaz. A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and P.S. Narasimha issued the notice on a plea filed by the Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Varanasi, against the Allahabad High Court's April order, which dismissed a petition challenging a Varanasi court's order to appoint an advocate as a Court Commissioner to inspect the Gyanvapi Masjid complex. The top court, which is likely to take up the matter for further hearing later this week, said that the Shivling found inside the mosque during the survey needs to be protected, but the restrictions on Muslims entering the mosque to offer namaz is not correct. It, however, did not entertain a plea for stay of pro- Security personnel guard outside the Gyanvapi mosque after its survey by a commission, in Varanasi on Tuesday. ceedings before the trial court, which was scheduled to receive the Court Commissioner's survey report. Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing the petitioner, contended that the trial court was not correct in ordering sealing of ‘wuzukhana’ ~ a place for washing hands, feet, and face before offering prayers ~where the ‘Shivling’ has been purportedly found. Citing the Places of Worship Act, he said the status quo has been changed and the wuzukhana has been used for time immemorial. Ahmadi sought permission for use of the wuzukhana, saying its usage is essential before namaz. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the India rejects Pak resolution on J&K delimitation move STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 17 MAY India today categorically rejected the resolution passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan on the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir, regretting that the neighbouring country continued to interfere in India's internal affairs instead of putting its own house in order. In response to media queries regarding the resolution, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Pakistan has no locus standi to pronounce on or interfere in matters that were internal to India, including the Indian territories under Pakistan’s illegal and forcible occupation. “The entire territory of the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has been, is and shall always remain an integral part of India. The delimitation exercise in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir is a democratic exercise based on the principles of extensive stakeholder consultation and participation, he said and charged Islamabad with indulging in baseless and provocative anti-India propaganda. The spokesperson further said; ''We reiterate that Pakistan must immediately cease anti-India cross-border terrorism and shut down its infrastructure of terrorism; stop the grave and persistent Pakistan has no locus standi to pronounce on or interfere in matters that were internal to India, including the Indian territories under Pakistan’s illegal and forcible occupation ARINDAM BAGCHI MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SPOKESPERSON human rights violations in Pakistan occupied Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh (PoJKL); refrain from effecting any further material changes in the status of PoJKL; and vacate the Indian territories that are under its illegal and forcible occupation.” This came a day after India rejected the comments made by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the delimitation exercise in J & K. Following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 dividing the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in two union territories, the Delimitation Commission was appointed to redraw the Assembly constituencies of J&K.On May 5, the Commission submitted its report, recommending 90 Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory. Uttar Pradesh government, however, said if anyone put his foot on the 'Shivling' during wuzu, it would disturb law and order, and urged the top court to seal the area.After hearing arguments, the top court ordered sealing of the area. A court in Varanasi has removed a top official involved in the filming of the Gyanvapi mosque complex and has given a two-day extension to submit the report. The commissioner in charge of the job, Ajay Mishra, an advocate, was removed after lawyers representing the Hindu petitioners and the mosque respondents had a heated argument in court today over the findings of the filming being leaked to the media even before the report was submitted to the court. SC directs ED to interrogate Abhishek, his wife in Kolkata NEW DELHI, 17 MAY The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the Delhi High Court's order, which dismissed Trinamul Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee and his wife’s challenge to the ED's summons issued in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged West Bengal coal scam. However, the top court allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to summon Banerjee at its Kolkata office, and added that it will not tolerate any hooliganism or obstruction, when ED questions Banerjee in Kolkata. A bench headed by Justice U.U. Lalit said the state government will provide assistance to the Enforcement Directorate officials, who will have to give a 24-hour prior notice to question Banerjee and his wife. "If there is any kind of hooliganism or infraction, we will not tolerate it,”said the bench, also comprising Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia. Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju told the apex court that Banerjee is a potential accused in the coal scam and the ED needs to interrogate him in Delhi. Raju said it will be very difficult to interrogate him in Kolkata. Last week, Raju told the top court that Banerjee is an influential politician. IANS (See Pg3) HM reviews preparations for hassle-free Amarnath Yatra STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 17 MAY Home minister Amit Shah today held high-level review meetings on preparations for the up-coming Amarnath Yatra, including security and safety of pilgrims. The meetings were attended by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Chief of Army Staff Manoj Pande, Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Director of Intelligence Bureau, and the chief secretary of the Union Territory. The meeting on the safety of the Yatra and facilities required for the pilgrims was attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also. The Yatra is being resumed Union home minister Amit Shah holds a high-level meeting with J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and top officials from the CRPF and Home Ministry to review the security preparedness of the Amarnath Yatra in New Delhi on Tuesday. ANI after a gap of two years due to Covid-19. The Home Minister said the Modi Government wanted Amarnath Yatra pilgrims to have hassle free Darshan, without any problems. He directed that arrange- CMYK ments be made for all essential facilities including movement, lodging, electricity, water, communication and health of the pilgrims. The Home Minister said this was the first Yatra after the pan- demic and in case the Yatris faced health related problems due to high altitude, there should be adequate arrangements to resolve them. He said the number of mobile towers be increased on the Yatra route for better communication and dissemination of information. He instructed deployment of equipment for immediate removal of hurdles, in case there were landslides. Shah directed that oxygen cylinders be arranged in adequate supply, along with an adequate number of medical beds at altitudes above 6,000 feet, and deployment of ambulances and helicopters to deal with any emergency medical situations be made. He said that all types of transport services be increased during the Amarnath Yatra for the convenience of yatris. The chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir said that for the first time every Yatri will be given a RF ID card and would be insured for Rs 5 lakh. A tent city, Wi Fi hotspots and proper lighting will be arranged on the yatra’s travel route. Along with this, online live Darshan of Baba Barfani, live telecast of the morning and evening aarti at the holy Amarnath Cave and religious and cultural programs will be organized at the Base Camp.