SUNDAY www.thestatesman.com 05 JUNE 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 EX-TRUMP AIDE NAVARRO INDICTED DEFEND PUNJAB’S HARD-WON PEACE: BHAGWANT MANN P5 WEATHER Partly cloudy sky . Temperature will be in the range of 36-28 degrees Celsius. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max.89% TEMPERATURE THUMBNAILS Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama leaves the Tsughla Khang Temple after the end of annual "Mani Dhondrup" prayers, at Mcleodganj, in Dharamshala on Saturday.  ANI No cases of monkeypox reported so far: After samples from a five-year-old girl in UP's Ghaziabad, were sent for testing for monkeypox, government health sources have said that it is "unnecessary panic mongering" and that no cases of the disease have been rep- orted from India so far. "The sample of a susp- ected monkeypox case in Ghaziabad has been sent for testing, but it's unnecessary panic mongering. No monkeypox case has been reported in India Pg5 so far," the government sources said. Final autopsy report cites 'myocardial infarction' as reason for KK's death: The final postmortem and chemical analysis reports of playback singer known as KK, was handed over to the Kolkata Police on Saturday. Both the reports cited 'myocardial infarction' as the cause of the singer's death.As per the final post-mortem report, cholesterol accumulation narrowed the posterior intramuscular artery to a great extent which affected the pumping of blood by the heart. CHANDIGARH, 4 JUNE Parents of slain singer-actorturned-politician Shubhadeep Singh, alias Sidhu Moosewala, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Chandigarh on Saturday and demanded a CBI probe into their son's murder. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat, who had gone to the residence of Moosewala to express condolences to his parents, and Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher were present at the meeting that lasted for 15 to 20 minutes. The meeting was held at the Chandigarh airport. A day earlier, Moosewala's father, Balkaur Singh, wrote to Shah, demanding a probe into his son's killing by a central agency. Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann pledged to put the killers behind bars at the earliest. "Police have got vital clues regarding the murder of Sidhu Moosewala and the day is not far when we will nab the perpetrators of this heinous crime," he assured the aggrieved family during his visit to their native home in Mansa district. The chief minister said Moosewala was a multi-talented artist who was blessed with mesmerising voice and creativity. He said his untimely and tragic death has given a major blow to the music industry in general and millions of his fans in particular. In less than 24 hours after his security was curtailed by the government, Moosewala was shot dead by gangsters IANS on 29 May. P11 AAP accuses Assam CM of ‘PPE kit’ scam Sarma strongly refutes Delhi deputy CM Sisodia's explosive claims NEW DELHI, 4 JUNE Max: 34.7 °C (-1) Min: 29.1°C (+2) SUN RISES SUN SETS 04:52 hrs 18:18 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS 08:35 hrs 22:23 hrs Full moon on 14 June Moosewala murder case: Parents meet Shah, seek CBI probe P10 SNS& AGENCIES Min. 65% elhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday levelled a fresh allegation of corruption against Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing the latter of awarding PPE kits' contracts to his kin during the Covid emergency. Addressing a press conference, Sisodia said Sarma, the then Assam health minister, had given contracts to firms of his wife and son's business partners to supply PPE kits above market rates in 2020. Referring to a media report, the Deputy CM said that while the Assam government procured PPE kits for Rs 600 a piece from other companies, Sarma gave urgent supply orders to the firms of his wife and son's business partners for Rs D 990 a piece taking advantage of the emergency. “While the contract given to the firm of Sarma's wife was cancelled as the company could not supply PPE kits, another supply order was given to the firm belonging to the business partners of his son at a rate of Rs 1,680 per kit," Sisodia said. Speaking about Satyendar Jain's arrest, Sisodia referred to the ED's statement to court where it said the arrested minister is not an accused in the case, but is being questioned in the case. He said that all of BJP’s allegations against AAP leaders are proved untrue as they always make fake claims.Reacting to the issue, the Assam SWIATEK WINS FRENCH OPEN WOMEN'S TITLE KHAMENEI ACKNOWLEDGES IRAN TOOK OIL FROM GREEK TANKERS CM took to Twitter to brush aside the allegations. "At a time when the entire country was facing the worst pandemic in over 100 years, Assam hardly had any PPE Kits. My wife took the courage to come forward and donated around 1500 kits free of cost to the government to save lives. She didn't take a single penny," he said in a tweet. “While you Mr Manish Sisodia then showed a completely different side. You refused my multiple calls to help Assamese people stuck in Delhi. I can never forget one instance when I had to wait 7 days just to get an Assamese Covid victim’s body from Delhi's mortuary," he tweeted. “Stop sermonising and I will see you soon in Guwahati as you will face criminal defamation," said the Assam CM in another tweet. Earlier in the day, Delhi chief minister Mr Kejriwal upped the ante on the centre over the arrest of Satyendar Jain and announced that Mr Sisodia would be “exposing” a corruption scandal involving a senior BJP leader. The probe agency alleged that the minister in the Arvind Kejriwal government was involved in hawala transactions with a Kolkata-based firm in 2015-16.The arrest sparked a fresh war of words between Kejriwal and the central government.Earlier this week, the Delhi CM said Sisodia was on the radar of central investigative agencies and would be arrested next on some cookedup case. "I request PM, throw all of us in jail together," he had said in a video message. P12 Nine labourers killed in blast at UP’s Hapur factory, PM condoles deaths ASIAN NEWS INTERNATIONAL HAPUR (UTTAR PRADESH) , 4 JUNE Nine labourers died and at least 19 others were injured in a blast at an electronic equipment manufacturing factory in Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. Police and fire fighters have rushed to the spot, about 60km from Delhi, and rescue operations are underway. Multiple fire tenders have reached the spot and police have been investigating the matter. People who sustained injuries during the explosion have been shifted to the hospital and are being taken care of, the police said. Speaking to the media, Hapur Inspector-General of Police (IG) Praveen Kumar said, "A total of 19 injured and nine were dead in the explosion that took place at an electronic equipment manufacturing unit in Hapur. Injured being treated. We are probing the matter. Action will be taken against those responsible..." Meanwhile, minister of state for Road Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation General Vijay Kumar Singh expressed his condolences to the families of the victims who lost their lives in the incident. Police personnel at the site where an explosion occurred in a boiler at a chemical factory, in Hapur on Saturday. ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in a blast at a chemical factory. “The accident in the chemical factory of Hapur, Uttar Pradesh is heart-wrenching. I express my condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this. The state government is actively involved in the treatment of the injured and all possible help: PM @narendramodi," PMO India tweeted in Hindi. People who sustained injuries during the explosion have been shifted to the hospital and are being taken care Ministers of Patnaik govt resign en masse ahead of reshuffle STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BHUBANESWAR, 4 JUNE Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik sought the resignation of all 20 Ministers to effect the first cabinet reshuffle three years into his fifth successive term. The new team is to be sworn-in on Sunday. Speaker Surya Narayan Patro has also submitted his resignation to the deputy speaker . The papers were for- warded to Governor Ganeshi Lal for his acceptance on Saturday. The reshuffle was overdue and it was expected to take place soon after the Brajrajnagar by-elections, results of which were declared on Friday.Though the list of ministers is yet to be announced, informed sources including a few legislators who had received telephone calls from the Chief Minister, said at least 12 new members will be inducted. A few veterans and senior ministers are likely to be dropped and assigned a role in the BJD to work for the 2024 general elections. As many as four women – Pramilla Mallick, Tukuni Sahu, Usha Devi, Rita PM to launch LiFE Movement today Jubilee Hills rape case: 2 minors held STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE HYDERABAD, 4 JUNE NEW DELHI, 4 JUNE Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a global initiative ‘Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) Movement’ tomorrow via video conferencing. The launch will initiate ‘LiFE Global Call for Papers’ inviting ideas and suggestions from academics, universities and research institutions etc to influence and persuade individuals, communities and organisations across the world to adopt an environment conscious lifestyle. He will also deliver a keynote address during the programme. The programme will also witness participation of Bill Gates, Co-Chairman Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Lord Nicholas Stern, Climate Economist; Cass Sustein, Author of Nudge Theory; Aniruddha Dasgupta, CEO and PresidentWorld Resources Institute; Inger Andersen, UNEP Global Head; Achim Steiner, UNDP Global Head and David Malpass, World Bank President, among others.The idea of LiFE was introduced by the PM during the 26th UNs Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow last year. The idea promotes an environment conscious lifestyle that focuses on 'mindful and deliberate utilisation' instead of 'mindless and destructive consumption'. Police today arrested two more minors including the “son of a VIP” taking the total number of arrest to three in the Jubilee Hills minor rape case while Telangana BJP president has demanded a CBI inquiry into the case alleging investigation carried out by the city police were not fair after investigators ruled out the involvement of the son of the MLA. The son of a minority board chairman was one of the accused arrested today. BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao also claimed that the sexual assault had taken place in the red Mercedes Benz and not the Innova as stated by the police and alleged they were trying to shield the son of the AIMIM MLA by derailing the investigations.SNS PG4 Sahu are expected to be in the ministry while the others are Pratap Deb, Atanu S Nayak, Rajendra Dholkia, Preetiranjan Ghadei, Aswini Patro, Prasant Muduli, Rohit Pujari, Srikant Sahu, Pradip Amat. Some of the Ministers who have been retained are Naba Das, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Samir Das, Ashok Panda, Tukuni Sahu, Niranjan Pujari , Prafulla Mallik.The list doing the rounds is that of 18 while  The explosion took place in the boiler of a chemical factory in Dhaulana industrial area in Hapur.  Multiple fire tenders have reached the spot and police have been investigating the matter.  District Magistrate of Hapur Medha Roopam said that nine people had died while 19 others were injured and undergoing treatment. of, the police said. Speaking to the media, Hapur District Magistrate (DM) Medha Roopam said, “Permission was there for manufacturing electronics goods but has to be probed what really was happening...” “A committee will be formed. Forensic team finding out what chemical has been retrieved (in the explosion at the manufacturing factory," she added. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives due to a blast at a chemical factory in Hapur. "Authorities concerned have been directed to hurry up with the relief work and have been ordered to take the injured persons for their treatment," the Hindi tweet read further. PEACOCK’S DAY OUT there are at least three more vacancies. Ministers like Arun Sahoo, Dibya Shankar Mishra, Pratap Jena , Bikram Arukha had been embroiled in controversies. There fate remains in the balance till the time of filing this report. Interestingly, it is for the first time that CM has opted to seek the resignation of all the ministers before finalising his new cabinet. A peacock seen near the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on a hot summer day, in New Delhi on Friday.  ANI Terror-stricken Bihari workers fleeing Valley STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, 4 JUNE After a large number of Dogra Hindu and Kashmiri Pandit employees fleeing Kashmir out of fear triggered by targeted killings by terrorists, now the Bihari labourers have also started packing up to leave the valley following a grenade attack at them a day after a labourer was shot dead in Budgam. In an overnight incident, terrorists tossed a grenade injuring two Bihari labourers at Aglar Zainpora area of Shopian. Police said that the two labourers sustained minor injuries. A day earlier, a 17-year old Bihari labourer identified as Dilkhush was shot dead and another injured by terrorists. A bank manager, Vijay Kumar, belonging to Rajasthan was also shot dead inside the bank in Kulgam. These incidents have created fear among the outside School students appeal to stop the killing of innocent people in Kashmir valley.  ANI labourers who have started packing up their belongings for moving out of the valley. A labourer said that about 24 persons from Bihar were working at the spot in Shopian where terrorists tossed a grenade. “We had come here to earn our livelihood and not to get killed by terrorists. We will move to some other state and work there in safe environment”, he said. A large number of Bihari labourers migrate to Kashmir every year to work in brick kilns. Hizbul Mujahideen com- mander Nisar Khanday was killed in an encounter last night with security forces at Rishipora in south Kashmir’s Anantnag. One AK-47 assault rifle and ammunition was recovered from him. In the initial exchange of fire, three Army personnel and a civilian were injured. All injured were immediately airlifted to Army’s 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar for treatment and are stated to be stable, said the police. The education department on Saturday transferred 177 Kashmiri Pandit teachers from various districts of the Valley to Srinagar city. The decision was taken after the recent targeted killings in the Kashmir Valley in which Kashmiri Pandits, non-Locals and locals were targeted. The central government had on Friday indicated that the Kashmiri Pandit employees recruited in Kashmir under the PM’s Package would not be transferred outside the valley but would be adjusted in safe places in the valley. The Kashmiri Pandit employees have rejected these transfers and were sticking to their demand of being sent to Jammu until the situation improved in Kashmir. However, the government does not want to send them outside Kashmir and become a partner in ethnic cleansing of the valley. More than 60% Kashmiri Pandit employees are reported to have fled the valley and reached Jammu although the administration has set up check posts at several places on the Srinagar—Jammu highway to stop such migration. The Dogra employees recruited under the SC quota several years ago in Kashmir have also returned here in large numbers and on Saturday blocked the main bridge over the Tawi River demanding transfer to Jammu. Remove deo’s obscene ad: Centre toTwitter,YouTube Corbevax approved by DCGI as STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 4 JUNE The Centre has asked Twitterand YouTube to take down video advertisements of a deodorant brand Layer’r Shot for their alleged obscene content. "It has come to the notice of the ministry that an inappropriate and derogatory advertisement of a deodorant is circulating on social media. The Ministry has asked Twitter and YouTube to immediately pull down all instances of this advertisement," the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting tweeted, attaching the email it has sent to the platforms. Also, the TV channel on which it appeared has already pulled it down on directions of the Broadcasting Ministry, The move by the Ministry came after the advertising body ASCI found the advertisements going against the existing codes another tweet said. The move by the Ministry came after the advertising body Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) found the advertisements going against the existing codes. The Ministry found that the ads violate the Rule 3(1)(b)(ii) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, and are detrimental to the portrayal of women in the interest of decency or morality. The video has been watched around a million times and has been shared in other social media platforms, the Ministry said in the email to the platforms. "The ad is in serious breach of the ASCI Code and is against public interest. We have taken immediate action and notified the advertiser to suspend the ad, pending investigation," the email said. The ad was brought into the notice of ASCI via Twitter by some viewers on Friday, as per a report. Earlier in the day, a notice from Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairman Swati Maliwal said the DCW has taken suo-moto cognizance of a misogynistic advertisement of the perfume brand being played repeatedly in mass media. According to DCW, this advertisement is clearly promoting sexual violence against women and girls and encouraging a rapist mentality amongst men. "The advertisement is cringe-worthy, and should not be allowed to be played on mass media”, wrote DCW. The DCW has registered an FIR into the matter and has also sought detailed action taken report on the matter by June 9. The DCW has also written to I&B Minister Anurag Thakur about the controversial advertisement.“I request you to kindly urgently act on the matter. These advertisements need to be taken off air without any further delay. Also, robust systems should be built to ensure certain check and balances to make sure that such filthy advertisements that promote rape culture are never played again on mass media”,wrote the DCW. first heterologous Covid booster ASIAN NEWS INTERNATIONAL HYDERABAD , 4 JUNE Biological E. Limited, a Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical and vaccines company, on Saturday, announced that its Corbevax vaccine has been approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) as a heterologous booster dose for individuals aged 18 years and above after six months of administration of primary vaccination (two doses) of Covaxin or Covishield vaccines for restricted use in an emergency situation. A statement issued by pharmaceutical and vacci- nes company read,“The Corbevax is the first such vaccine in India to be approved as a heterologous boo ster. Recently, BE has furnished its clinical trials data to the DCGI who after a detailed evaluation and deliberations with the Subje- ct Experts Committee granted their approval for administering the Corbevax vacci- ne as a heterologous booster dose to people who have already taken two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin." Biological E's clinical trial data showed that the Corbevax booster dose provided significant enhancement in immune response and FACT FILE TOTAL CASES 4,31,72,547 ACTIVE CASES 22,416 NEW CASES 3,962 NEW RECOVERIES 2,697 TOTAL DEATHS 5,24,677 UNION HEALTH MINISTRY FIGURES AS OF 8.00 A.M. SATURDAY 04 JUNE 2022 Bengal recorded 31 cases and zero deaths the excellent safety profile required for an effective booster, said the statement.