CMYK WEDNESDAY www.thestatesman.com 22 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 ‘WAS NOT AWARE OF SHINDE'S CHIEF MINISTERIAL AMBITION’ JOHNSON'S WARNING P6 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain/thundershower very likely.Temperature likely to be in the range of 34-26 degrees Celsius. TEMPERATURE P5 P10 NDA’s Draupadi Murmu Political crisis deepens after MLC polls vs Opp’s Yashwant Sinha in Maha Fearing poaching by Shiv Sena, NEW DELHI, 21 JUNE Min. 60% Max: 34.2 °C (+1) Min: 26.3 °C (0) SUN RISES SUN SETS 04:53 hrs 18:24 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS ------- hrs 11:45 hrs New moon on 28 June THUMBNAILS Navy personnel perform Yoga onboard INS Satpura, on occasion of International Day Of Yoga.  ANI Rahul Gandhi questioned by ED for 5th day: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for the fifth round of questioning in connection with the National Herald case. He was questioned by a three-member team for about nine hours before being given a dinner break. On Monday, the Congress MP from Wayanad in Kerala was questioned for about 11 hours and left the ED's headquarters at around 12:10 a.m. Diplomat Ruchira Kamboj appointed India's Permanent Representative to UN: Senior diplomat Ruchira Kamboj was on Tuesday appointed India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.Kamboj, a 1987batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is presently serving as India's envoy to Bhutan. She will succeed T S Tirumurti as the Indian ambassador to the UN. Kamboj is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a brief statement. he BJP-led NDA Tuesday evening announced Draupadi Murmu’s name as its candidate for the upcoming Presidential elections, hours after the Opposition parties named former Union finance and external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha as their joint candidate for the post. Born on June 20, 1958, Murmu served as the Governor of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021 and was a minister in the Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha when the BJP was extending support to the Biju Janata Dal in that state. If elected, the 64-yearold will be the first tribal woman to become the President of India. The BJP’s parliamentary board discussed 20 names for the presidential nominee, it was decided to pick someone from east India, a tribal and a woman, said BJP Chief JP Nadda. Earlier today, Yashwant Sinha, who was the Finance and External Affairs Minister in the Vajpayee-led NDA government, was named the Opposition candidate for the 18 July presidential poll. “In the forthcoming Presidential elections, we have decided to elect a common candidate and stop the Modi government from doing further damage. At a meeting held today, we have chosen Yashwant Sinha as a common candidate,” Con- T I am grateful to Mamataji for the honour and prestige she bestowed on me in the TMC. Now a time has come when for a larger national cause I must step  Murmu, 64, was a strong contender for the post before aside from the party to the 2017 presidential elec- work for greater opposition unity. I am sure she tions. approves of the step  The first woman Gover- TMC leader Yashwant Sinha, NCP leader Majeed Memon address media after the opposition meeting on Tuesday.  ANI nor of Jharkhand, Draupadi Murmu started her political career as a councillor, later becoming the Vice-Chairperson of Rairangpur National Advisory Council gress Communication incharge Jairam Ramesh said while briefing the media after a meeting of the Opposition parties. “We appeal to all political parties to vote for Yashwant Sinha,” said Ramesh in an announcement that set the stage for a contest between the ruling dispensation and the Opposition for the top post. “We regret the fact that the Modi Government made no serious efforts in this direction. We, therefore, appeal to the BJP and its allies to support the candidature of Sinha so that the nation can have a worthy Rashtrapati elected unopposed,” a joint statement said The Opposition has YASHWANT SINHA TMC LEADER  A two-time BJP legis- lator from Odisha, Ms Murmu was a minister in the Naveen Patnaik cabinet when the BJD ruled the state with the support of BJP also formed a committee for Sinha's poll campaign. Following the announcement, Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee stated:"I would like to congratulate Shri Yashwant Sinha on becoming the consensus candidate, supported by all progressive opposition parties, for the upcoming Presidential Election.' Mr Sinha, who is vice president of the Trinamul Congress. resigned earlier in the day from that post. The announcement came after NCP chief Sharad Pawar, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and former West Bengal Gandhi declined the Opposition leaders’ request to contest the election. The Opposition leaders had another meeting today at Pawar’s residence for picking a joint consensus candidate for the presidential poll. That Mr Sinha would be the Opposition's candidate became clear this morning when the former Union minister resigned as Vice-President of the Trinamul Congress. "I am grateful to Mamataji for the honour and prestige she bestowed on me in the TMC. Now a time has come when for a larger national cause I must step aside from the party to work for greater opposition unity. I am sure she approves of the step," he tweeted. The eighty-five-yearold Sinha is a former IAS officer of the 1960 batch who spent over 24 years holding important posts during his service tenure. He later joined politics and became the Finance Minister in the Chandra Shekhar government (1990–1991) and then again worked as the Finance Minister and the External Affairs Minister in the Vajpayee government. He was a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party before he quit the party on 21 April 2018 because of his differences with the top party leadership. In March 2021, he joined the Trinamul Congress which he has now quit to contest the presidential poll. No question of Agnipath rollback: Doval PM to participate in BRICS Summit STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 JUNE Against the backdrop of protests in different parts of the country against the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the armed forces, the three service chiefs met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening and briefed him about their plan to implement the scheme and related issues. General Manoj Pande of the Army, Admiral Hari Kumar of the Navy, and Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari have over the past week issued statements to allay fears of protesting aspirants. National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, meanwhile, said that "there is no question" of a rollback, adding that the regimental system will remain untouched under the scheme. In an interview with a news agency, Mr Doval said several committees over the decades FACT FILE TOTAL CASES 4,33,19,396 ACTIVE CASES 79,313 NEW CASES 9,923 7,293 TOTAL DEATHS NEW RECOVERIES 5,24,890 UNION HEALTH MINISTRY FIGURES AS OF 8.00 A.M. TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2022 Bengal recorded 406 cases and one death India witnesses slight decline in cases:Showing a decline in the number of Covid cases, India reported 9923 fresh infections in the last 24 hours, stated the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday. India’s recovery rate stands at 98.61per cent. P12 BJP board decided to pick someone from east, a tribal and a woman: J P Nadda SNS & AGENCIES Governor Gopal Krishna RACE FOR RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max.88% FIH WOMEN’S HOCKEY WC: SAVITA TO LEAD INDIAN TEAM FRANCE: ELECTION EMBOLDENS LE PEN, UNDERCUTS MACRON have suggested bringing down the average age of armed forces. The National Security Adviser said the government's move was "not a knee-jerk reaction that has come overnight" but has been debated and discussed for over decades. “In 1970s, we had committees that talked about reorganisation and reforming the army including the usage of manpower, technology and others," he said. Amidst apprehensions that the newly launched Agnipath military recruitment scheme would change the composition of several regiments that recruit troops from specific regions as well as castes, he said the regimental system will remain untouched under the scheme. “The concept of regiments, nobody is tinkering with it. If there are regiments, then there will be regiments of artillery, electrical or mechanical engineers or mechanical engineers. They (regiments) will continue. ..The regimental system has not ended," Mr Doval said. The Department of Military Affairs also clarified that there is no change in the recruitment process for “Agniveers” adding that the traditional regimentation system in the military will continue. Addressing the media here (in photo), Additional Secretary, Department of Military AffairsLtGenAnilPurisaid,“There is no change in the recruitment process.The regimental process will be unchanged.We will take an undertaking and aspirants have to submit pledge that they were not involved in any arson or vandalism.”“Aginpath scheme balances three things ~ first, youthful profile of the armed forces; second, technical savvy and adaptable people joining the Army; third makes the individual future-ready.We need the best for the country's security", LtGen. Puri said. Air Marshal SK Jha said, Agniveers are being inducted gradually starting with two per cent in the first year. "The numbers will go nearly 6,000 in the fifth year and will be around 9,000-10,000 in the 10th year... Every enrolment in the Indian Air Force will now take place through 'Agniveer Vayu' only", he added. Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said the Indian Navy's recruitment calendar was decided for June 25, but it will start from June 22. NEW DELHI, 21 JUNE Amid the ongoing IndiaChina military stand-off at eastern Ladakh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, will attend the 14th BRICS Summit in a virtual format on 23-24 June. This includes a high-level Dialogue on global development with guest countries on 24 June, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. BRICS has become a platform for discussing and deliberating on issues of common concern for all developing countries. Prior to the summit, the PM will participate, by way of a recorded keynote speech, in the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum on 22 June. The grouping comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. BJP flying its Maha MLAs to Guj INDO ASIAN NEWS SERVICE GANDHINAGAR, 21 JUNE SNS & AGENCIES The BJP is all set to fly its 106 Maharashtra MLAs to Gujarat on a chartered flight, as the party fears poaching by the Shiv Sena. Meanwhile, in the evening another seven Shiv Sena MLAs landed in Surat. They were flown from Delhi to Surat. Party sources say that Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda will be flying to Ahmedabad. Sources also said that former Maharashtra chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadan- vis will have a meeting with Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde after landing in Surat. After that both will fly to Ahmedabad, where they will discuss future plans with senior leaders. The BJP wants to ensure that not a single BJP MLA switches sides. So it is flying all its 106 MLAs to Gujarat, to be housed in a resort near Ahmedabad. Sources said once the meeting of Eknath Shinde with senior BJP leaders is over, he will submit his resignation as minister in the Uddhav Thackeray cabinet to the governor. hotel in an attempt to pacify him and convince him to return. At least three ministers of the Sena-led MVA government are among the MLAs camping at the hotel. Shinde was, meanwhile, removed from the post of party legislative group leader in the Maharashtra Assembly. MLA Ajay Chaudhary will replace Shinde.Raut said discussions are also underway with Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Shinde is influential in the Shiv Sena and has been instrumental in strengthening the organisation in the Thane region. Meanwhile, Congress leaders met at party leader Balasaheb Thorat's official residence. Former chief minister Ashok Chavan also attended the meeting.Pawar has termed the issue as an “internal matter” of Shiv Sena and expressed confidence in the leadership of CM Thackeray to find a solution to the political crisis. (See Pg5) MUMBAI, 21 JUNE The troubles of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra have intensified further as a large group of Shiv Sena MLAs became “unreachable” on Tuesday, later fetching up at a luxury hotel in Surat in Gujarat. A day after suspected cross-voting took place in the Maharashtra MLC polls, prominent Shiv Sena leader and state cabinet minister Eknath Shinde went “inaccessible” with several party MLAs. The MLAs, who are reported to be as many as 30 in number, are camping at Surat’s Le Meridien hotel. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut confirming the developments, said, “Efforts are being made to topple the MVA government but BJP has to remember that Maharashtra is very different from Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh.” Later in the day, Milind Narvekar, the personal assistant of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, and MLC Ravindra Fatak held a meeting with Shinde at the Surat Military will try SF personnel involved in Nagaland killings INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 21 JUNE The Army will try the Special Forces (SF) personnel allegedly involved in the killing of 13 villagers in Nagaland's Mon district on December 4, 2021 as per the report of its own Court of Inquiry (CoI), a source revealed. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up by the Nagaland government, has already indicted 30 personnel, including an officer, of the 21 Para SF for the encounter that went wrong. Based on the SIT report, chargesheets have already been filed against the paratroopers under Sections 302, 307, 326, 120B and others of the IPC. While Section 302 deals with murder, Section 307 relates to attempt to murder. Section 326 involves 'causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons and means', Section 120B relates to criminal conspiracy. “If one were to go by the SIT's chargesheet, it would seem like a group of renegade soldiers went to the spot with the intention to kill innocent villagers. This is far from the truth. All the All the accused are highly-trained personnel of the Indian Army who were on a mission to neutralise a group of militants, including some of the top leadership of the NSCN (K-YA) accused are highly-trained personnel of the Indian Army who were on a mission to neutralise a group of militants, including some of the top leadership of the NSCN (K-YA). “It is unfortunate that the van carrying residents of Oting arrived at the spot exactly at the time when the militants were about to get there. The militants were close by and got away, thanks to the confusion," a senior officer in the Eastern Command said. According to another officer, the NSCN (K-YA) is a banned outfit that is against the peace process in Nagaland. In fact, this outfit has been active in the neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh over the last few months, carrying out abductions and extortions. The Assam Rifles has been busy in Arunachal Pradesh, dealing with the NSCN (K-YA). Three CRPF jawans killed in Maoist ambush in Odisha STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BHUBANESWAR, 21 JUNE Three CRPF personnel were killed in a Maoist ambush at a security post in Odisha's Nuapada district on Tuesday, and seriously injured a few others,officials said on Tuesday. Those killed in the ambush were identified as Shishupal Singh, Shivlal (both an assistant sub-inspectors), and Dharmendra Kumar Singh, a constable. Details of Maoists’ offensive are yet to be received. According to reports, some of the CRPF personnel in the operation to flush out the Maoists from their hideouts have sustained grievous injury. The spot of the incident is bereft of mobile connectivity.Exact sequence of events leading to the ambush is yet to emerge. Even the number of injured personnel is not known . The deceased Shishupal Singh hailed from Lalgari village under Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh while Shivlal is from Paiga village of Mahendragarh district of Haryana.Constable Dharmendra Kumar Singh belonged to Saraya village Rohtas district in Bihar, said a senior police official. Yoga is for entire humanity not merely for an individual: PM on IDY celebrations STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 JUNE Prime Minister Narendra Modi today led the nation in the 8th International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations as he took part along with thousands of participants in a mass yoga demonstration at the Mysore Palace ground. Karnataka governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal were among those present on the occasion. Integrating the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” with IDY celebrations, mass yoga demonstrations were held at 75 iconic locations across the country under the leadership of 75 Union Ministers, along with the demonstration by the PM at Mysore. The yoga demonstrations were also being held by various educational, social, political, cultural, religious, corporate and other civil society organisations across the country. Indian embassies in different parts of the globe also organised yoga demonstrations. Several foreign missions in India too actively participated in the IYD celebrations. Speaking on the occasion, the PM said the yogic energy, which has been nurtured for centuries by the spiritual centres of India like Mysuru, was giving direction to global health. “Today yoga is becoming a basis for global cooperation and is providing a belief of a healthy life to mankind,” he added. He said that today Yoga PM Narendra Modi participates in the mass yoga demonstration at Mysore Palace Ground, in Mysuru, on Tuesday.  ANI has come out of the households and has spread all over the world and this was a picture of spiritual realisation, and that of natural and shared human consciousness, espe- cially in the last two years of an unprecedented pandemic. “Yoga has now become a global festival. Yoga is not only for any individual but for the entire humanity. Therefore, CMYK this time the theme of the International Day of Yoga is Yoga for humanity,” he said. He thanked the United Nation and all the countries for taking this theme globally.Quoting Indian sages the PM emphasised; “Yoga brings peace for us. The peace from yoga is not merely for individuals. Yoga brings peace to our society. Yoga brings peace to our nations and the world. And, Yoga brings peace to our universe.”He said; “This whole universe starts from our own body and soul. The universe starts from us. And,Yoga makes us conscious of everything within us and builds a sense of awareness” The PM remarked that India was celebrating Yoga Day at a time when the country was celebrating its 75th year of independence, the Amrit Mahotsav. This widespread acceptance of Yoga Day, The Prime Minister said, was the acceptance of that Amrit spirit of India which gave energy to India's freedom struggle. “That is why Mass Yoga demonstrations are being organised at 75 iconic locations across the country which have been witness to the glorious history of India and have been the centre of cultural energy. The experience of collective yoga at the historical sites of India is like tying together India's past, India's diversity, and India’s expansion,” he elaborated. He also informed about the novel programme ‘Guardian Yoga Ring’ which was a collaborative exercise between 79 countries and United Nations organisations along with Indian missions abroad to illustrate Yoga's unifying power that surpasses national boundaries. The theme for this year’s Yoga Day is “Yoga for Humanity”. Protesters attack Yoga event organised by Indian Embassy in Maldives: An International Yoga Day event organized by the Indian embassy in Male was disrupted after a mob stormed a stadium where over 150 people were celebrating the event, an American media outlet quoting the organizer reported on Tuesday. According to Fox 5, the crowd stormed the stadium and attacked participants and vandalized property. However, the police in the Maldives used pepper spray and tear gas to control the mob.