MONDAY www.thestatesman.com 20 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 P6 WEATHER GENERALLY CLOUDY SKY. LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN/THUNDERSHOWERS ACCOMPANIED WITH GUSTY WINDS (SPEED 30-40 KMPH). THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 32 AND 24 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max: 96% P5 P10 ‘Concessions not a reaction to protest; reform was long pending’ Cong to protest nationwide today, to meet President Min: 65% Min: 24.5°C (-3) SUN SETS 19:22 hrs MOON SETS 11:30 hrs Department of Military Affairs Additional Secretary Lieutenant General Anil Puri addresses a press conference regarding the Agnipath Recruitment Scheme in New Delhi on Sunday. Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi and Air Marshal Suraj Kumar Jha also seen.  ANI THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI,19 JUNE A Members of the LGBTQ community take part in the Pride Parade rally, in Kolkata on Sunday.  SNS Jaishankar meets Bangladeshi FM : External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met with the Bangladeshi foreign minister AK Abdul Momen on Sunday for the 7th India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission meeting.Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "A warm welcome to FM Dr. AK Abdul Momen for the 7th IndiaBangladesh Joint Consultative Commission meeting. Our regular meetings reflect our Pg5 unique friendship." Task force for protection of minorities in Pak: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the formation of a task force to oversee the implementation of the rights of minorities after the National Asse- mbly unanimously passed a resolution over the matter, it emerged on Sunday. The task force, comprising 23 parliamentarians, senators and ex-officio members, will be headed by MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, who is also the patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council. Pg9 s the protests and agitations against Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the armed forces continue in several parts of the country, Lt Gen Anil Puri, Additional Secretary, Dept of Military Affairs, today clarified the scheme will be implemented and there is no question of a rollback. Lt Gen Puri was addressing a Joint military briefing on Agnipath recruitment scheme with Air Marshal S.K. Jha, Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi and LG C. Bansi Ponnappa. Lt Gen Puri said that this reform was long pending. "We want to bring youthfulness and experience with this reform. Today, a large number of jawans are in their 30s and officers are getting command much later than in the past", said Lt Gen Puri while addressing media on Agnipath scheme. Referring to the provisions of reservations in different ministries, Lt Gen Puri said that announcements were pre-planned and not in reaction to the arson and agitation which took place after the Agnipath scheme announcement. He also clarified that all recruitment will be through Agnipath scheme only. "Around 17,600 people are taking premature retirement from the three Services every year. No one ever tried to ask them what they will do after retirement," Puri said. He also added that Agniveers would get the same allowance in areas like Siachen and other areas which are applicable to the regular soldiers serving at present. On the ongoing protest, Lt General Puri said, “Indian Army's foundation in discipline. No space for arson, vandalism. Every individual will have to take a pledge that they were not part of protests or NEW DELHI, 19 JUNE As Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in National Herald case on Monday, the Congress is gearing up to protest on two issues - Agnipath scheme and Rahul Gandhi's questioning by the ED. Party General Secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted, "Tomorrow lakhs of Congress workers across the country will vandalism”. “Registration process for the first batch of Agniveers will start from June 24 and from July 24, phase 1 online examination process will begin", said Air Marshal Jha. He informed that the first batch would be enrolled by December and training would commence by December 30. Talking about the recruitment process in Indin Navy, Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi said the first batch of naval Agniveers will start reaching the training establishment INS Chilka in Odisha from November continue peaceful protest against the anti-youth Agnipath scheme & against Modi Govt's vendetta politics targeting its leader Shri Rahul Gandhi, MP." He also said that Congress delegation will meet President Ram Nath Kovind in the evening. The Congress will start its day with party General Secretary Ajay Maken addressing a press conference at 9 a.m. on Monday.Earlier on Sunday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra led the Congress protest at Jantar Mantar(in pic) against the central government's new scheme of recruitment in defence forces. 21. He also made clear that both male and female will be recruited through the Agnipath scheme. "The Indian Navy has 30 women officers at present sailing on different Indian Navy ships. We have decided that under the Agnipath scheme, we will recruit women also. They will be deployed on warships," the Navy official added. “By December, we will get the first batch of 25,000 Agniveers and the second batch would be inducted around February 2023 making it 40,000," said Lt Gen Bansi Ponappa. Patna-Delhi SpiceJet E-visas for over 100 Sikhs, Hindus plane makes emergency in Afghanistan on ‘priority’: Centre landing after wing fire The statement by ISKP also read that the attack ASIAN NEWS INTERNATIONAL STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JUNE A major tragedy was averted when a Delhi-bound aircraft, with 185 passengers on board, made an emergency landing at Jayprakash Narayan International Airport in Patna after one of the wings caught fire. All the passengers plus the flight crew were safely rescued. A senior SpiceJet official told a news agency that a SpiceJet B737-800 aircraft was operating from Patna to Delhi. On takeoff, during rotation, the cockpit crew suspected a bird hit on one of the engines. “As a precautionary measure and as per SOP, the captain shut down the affected engine and decided to return to Patna," the official said, adding that the aircraft landed safely in Patna and passengers were safely deboarded. Post flight inspection showed a bird hit with 3 fan blades got damaged. The flight took off from Patna airport on 'CONSTANT CHANGES PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE MORE LEADERS' P12 Govt: No question of Unprecedented steps taken to resolve Delhi’s problems: PM ‘Agnipath’ rollback TEMPERATURE Max: 30.7°C (-8) SUN RISES 05:24 hrs MOON RISES 00:28 hrs BIDEN’S OPTIMISM COLLIDES WITH MOUNTING POLITICAL CHALLENGES OM BIRLA ON ANTI-DEFECTION LAW, DHARNAS BY MPs XI’S FEELERS NEW DELHI ,19 JUNE The airport official said the fire was reported by an onlooker at a time when the aircraft was flying over Phulwarisharif locality. Sunday at 12 noon and it returned again to the airport after 25 minutes. The airport official said the fire was reported by an onlooker at a time when the aircraft was flying over Phulwarisharif locality. The local resident of Phulwari Sharif informed Patna police which further communicated to airport authority. The airport officials contacted the ATC officials who further informed the pilot about the incident. The airline company has provided another aircraft for the passengers to fly to New Delhi. Meanwhile, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also issued a statement sharing similar details. Following the attack on Karte Parwan Gurdwara in Kabul on Saturday that resulted in the death of two persons, India has decided to grant e-visas to over 100 Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan on priority. As per Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sources, the decision was taken late last night. Meanwhile, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) on Sunday claimed the responsibility for the Karte Parwan Gurdwara attack in Kabul. ISKP released a statement claiming responsibility for the attack. According to ISKP, ‘Abu Mohammed al Tajiki’ carried out the attack which lasted for three hours. The group claimed that besides submachine guns and hand grenades, four IEDs and a car bomb were also used in the attack. It further claimed that about 50 Hindu Sikhs and Taliban members were killed in was conducted as revenge for the insult of Prophet Mohammed by an Indian politician. the attack.The attack was conducted as revenge for the insult of Prophet Mohammed by an Indian politician. However, in the attack, only two people were killed and seven others were wounded. Strong action has already been taken against those who made derogatory remarks. A statement was also issued by concerned quarters emphasizing respect for all religions, denouncing insult to any religious personality or demeaning any religion or sect. Vested interests that are against India-Kuwait relations have been inciting the people using these derogatory comments. The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma from the party's primary membership and expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal after their alleged inflammatory remarks against minorities. At least two civilians, including a Sikh man and a Muslim security guard, died after an attack by ISKP in Afghanistan's Kabul city on Saturday. Initial inputs suggested that an explosion took place outside the gate of the Gurdwara killing at least two people. Another explosion was later heard from inside the complex and some shops attached to the Gurdwara caught fire. The holy Guru Granth Sahib from Gurudwara in Afghanistan's capital city Kabul was retrieved from the complex, from which plumes of smoke were seen billowing out after the attack early this morning, according to visuals posted on social media. Visuals posted by locals on social media show a barefoot man carrying the Guru Granth Sahib on his head. The visuals show two or three more people, all walking without footwear accompanying him. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JUNE Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Union government has taken unprecedented steps to solve the problems of Delhi-NCR in the last eight years. Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the main tunnel and five underpasses of the Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor Project here,(in pic) the Prime Minister said, "In the last 8 years, we have taken unprecedented steps to solve the problems of DelhiNCR. In the last 8 years, the metro service in Delhi-NCR has expanded from 193 km to 400 km, more than double." He asked people to develop a habit of using the metro and public transport. Similarly Eastern and Western Peripheral expressway, Delhi-Meerut expressway have helped citizens of Delhi a great deal, the Prime Minister said. Referring to his conversations with the citizens and other stakeholders at the Kashi railway station, the Prime Minister said there is a great change in the mindset of the common man and the government is making all the effort to keep working according to that change. He pointed out that DelhiMumbai Expressway, DelhiDehradun Expressway, DelhiAmritsar Expressway, DelhiChandigarh Expressway and Delhi-Jaipur Expressway are making Delhi one of the best connected capitals of the world. He also talked of Delhi Meerut Rapid rail system made by indigenous technology as part of the measures that are cementing Delhi's identity as capital of India and will benefit the professionals, common people, students, youth, school and office going commuters, taxi- auto drivers and the business community. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister called the project a big gift from the central government to the people of Delhi. He recalled the enormity of the challenge in completing the project due to the traffic congestion and the pandemic. He credited the new work culture of New India and workers and engineers for completing the project. “This is a New India that solves the problems, takes new pledges and works tirelessly to realize those pledges," the Prime Minister said. Modi said this Assam floods claim 62 lives; over 31 L hit The Congress has taken a step back for the sake of opposition unity in the presidential polls as the opposition parties will meet on June 21 to discuss the candidate for the Presidential election. The meeting will be chaired by NCP chief Sharad Pawar. The Congress is not pushing anybody's candidature and will go with the opposition's choice for the sake of opposition unity. Sources say that Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge made the point in the meeting convened by Mamata Banerjee on 15 June that the party is aware that many of the parties around this table compete with each other in assembly elections. But that has not prevented this meeting from taking place. "Each one of us has taken a larger national view and come here for a bigger cause. Let this spirit continue,” Kharge said. The reason for the Congress stepping back is opposition unity as parties like the TRS have openly said that they are not going to share the stage with the Congress and did not Mamata may depute Abhishek for meet KOLKATA, 19 JUNE The differences between Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and other opposition parties over selection of a unanimous opposition candidate for the Presidential polls, seem to be widening, as she, in all probability, will skip the meeting called by NCP chief Sharad Pawar on June 21. Instead, she is likely to depute her nephew and TMC nation- al general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee to attend. Officially, the Trinamul leadership is stating that her most likely absence in the meeting will be because of her pre-scheduled appointment on that day. However, party insiders said that the actual reasons might be the growing grievances in the mind of the CM over certain developments since she convened a similar meeting on this count IANS on 15 June. come for the meeting. Now with Pawar taking centre stage it is expected that many parties who skipped the meeting may join in. Sources say that 17 parties will attend the meeting on Tuesday. The parties have to arrive at a consensus on the candidate's name after Sharad Pawar declined to contest. The opposition parties had on June 15 decided to field a joint candidate in the Presidential polls next month. Kharge had said, "I want to right away say clearly that the Congress party will play a constructive role in ensuring that the parties assembled here this afternoon arrive at a consensus candidate in the next few days. Let us be proac- Four terrorists killed in J&K encounters STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE ASIAN NEWS INTERNATIONAL JAMMU, 19 JUNE GUWAHATI , 19 JUNE Floods and resultant landslides in Assam have claimed 62 lives this year so far. In the last 24 hours, eight people have died after drowning in flood waters - two each in Barpeta and Karimganj districts, one each in Darrang, Hailakandi, Nalbari and Sonitpur districts and eight people are still missing. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), out of 62 people, 51 people died in floods while 11 were in landslides so far. Nearly 31 lakh people of 32 districts - Bajali, Baksa, Barpeta, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Cachar, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Hojai, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Karbi Anglong West, Karimganj, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Sivasagar, South Salmara, Tamulpur, Tinsukia, Udalguri, have affected in the second wave of the deluge. Following the torrential rains in Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and neighbouring country Bhutan, the water level of all major rivers of the state are rising and many rivers are flowing above danger level marks in several places. The administration of the flood-hit districts has set up 514 relief camps and 302 relief distribution centres and 1,56,365 people are currently lodgings in the relief camps. Apart from it, many floodaffected people are taking shelter on roads, embankments, and high lands after the flood waters inundated their homes.In the last 24 hours, the rescue teams of the Indian Army, NDRF, SDFR, Fire and Emergency Services and district administration have rescued 9,102 persons including children, and women from different floodaffected areas in 22 districts. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed all district administration that, adequate food supply should be ensured in all flood-affected districts and relief operations should not be compromised. Prez poll: Congress not to field its candidate, to back Opposition’s choice INDO ASIAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JUNE tunnel is part of the campaign to transform Pragti Maidan according to the needs of the 21st century. He lamented the fact that despite changing India, Pragti Maidan which was created to showcase India got lagged behind due to lack of initiative and politics. “Unfortunately there was not much 'Pragati' (progress) of the Pragati Maidan," he said. Despite a lot of fanfare and publicity earlier, this was not done. "The Government of India is working continuously for state of the art facilities, exhibition halls for world class events in the capital of the country," he added by talking about such establishments like the International Convention and Expo Centre in Dwarka and the redevelopment project in Pragati Maidan. “Modern infrastructure developed by the central government is changing the picture of Delhi and Making it modern. This change in picture is a medium of changing destiny also," he said. He also reiterated the need for environment sensitive and climate conscious infrastructure development. He gave the example of New Defence Office Complex at the Africa Avenue and Kasturba Gandhi Road as an illustration for the attitude of dealing proactively with long pending problems, environment friendly construction and care for those who are working for the country. tive and not be reactive". The Congress is pushing for a joint candidate from the opposition to give a tough challenge to the ruling BJP and to test the waters for opposition unity ahead of the general elections. The Congress said the candidate should be someone committed to upholding the Constitution, its values, principles and provisions in letter and spirit, someone committed to guaranteeing that all institutions of our democracy function without fear or favour, someone committed to protecting the rights of all our citizens and preserving the secular fabric of our diverse society, someone committed to speaking out boldly against the forces of prejudice, hatred, bigotry and polarization and someone committed to being a powerful force for furthering social justice and empowerment. The last meeting of opposition leaders called by TMC Congress supremo and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was held for building a consensus on a joint opposition candidate. In the meeting, a resolution was passed to field a common candidate. Four terrorists, including a Pakistani, were killed in two separate encounters on Sunday in north and south Kashmir. Two terrorists each have so far been eliminated in the on going encounters at Kupwara and Kulgam. The killed terrorists belonged to Lashkare-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-eMohammad (JeM) outfits. Heavy exchange of fire between the security forces and terrorists was going on in Kupwara where two LeT terrorists, including a Pakistani, have been killed and two to three more were trapped, said IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar. The two terrorists killed in Damhal Hanjipora area of Kulgam have been identified as a 'C' category LeT Haris Sharief of Srinagar and Zakir Padder (C-category of) of Kulgam. An arrested terrorist, Showkat Ahmed Sheikh of Lolab who guided security forces to a terrorist hideout in Kupwara, was also trapped in the ongoing encounter. The Kupwara Police launched a joint anti-terrorist operation alongwith Army's 28RR on the disclosure of the arrested terrorist. During search of hideouts, the hiding terrorists fired upon joint search parties and the security forces also retaliated, in which one terrorist initially got killed. FACT FILE TOTAL CASES 4,32,96,692 ACTIVE CASES 72,474 NEW CASES 12,899 NEW RECOVERIES 8,518 TOTAL DEATHS 5,24,855 UNION HEALTH MINISTRY FIGURES AS OF 8.00 A.M. SUNDAY 19 JUNE 2022 Delhi recorded 1,530 cases and 3 deaths