CMYK SUNDAY 19 MARCH 2023 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR IMRAN APPEARS FOR HEARING, LIVE COVERAGE BANNED ANOTHER SALVO P6 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky. Rain/thundershower accompanied with gusty wind very likely. Temperature likely to be in the range of 2621 degrees Celsius. RAINFALL: 0.5mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY MOHUN BAGAN WINS TRUMP SAYS HE EXPECTS TO BE ARRESTED, CALLS FOR PROTESTS P11 P10 Modi, Hasina inaugurate first cross-border energy pipeline P12 ‘Situation on border with China fragile’ Foundation stone for construction of this pipeline was laid by the two PMs in 2018 Sept Max.92% Min. 61% Max: 29.4 °C (-5) SUN RISES 05:44 hrs MOON RISES 03:13 hrs Min: 23.1 °C (0) SUN SETS 17:47 hrs MOON SETS 14:17 hrs TEMPERATURE New moon on 21 March STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MARCH THUMBNAILS Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the virtual inauguration of India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline from Siliguri (India) to Parbatipur (Bangladesh), on Saturday.  ANI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MARCH rime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on Saturday jointly inaugurated the IndiaBangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP) in virtual mode.The foundation stone for construction of this pipeline was laid by the two Prime Ministers in September 2018. Numaligarh Refinery Limited has been supplying petroleum products to Bangladesh since 2015. This is the second cross-border energy pipeline between India and its neighbours. Cooperation in the power and energy sector has become one of the hall- P A lion seen at the Kamleshwar Dam located within the Gir National Park, on Thursday.  ANI Samajwadi Party begins two-day national execud tive meeting in Kolkata:The Samajwadi Party on Saturday began its two-day national executive meeting in Kolkata during which it will discuss the party's policies and strategies for the elections in three Hindi states due later this year and the Lok Sabha polls next year. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav, MP Jaya Bachchan and state unit chiefs from 20 states, and several other leaders were present at the meeting. marks of India-Bangladesh relations. IBFP is the first cross border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh with a capacity to transport one Million Metric Ton Per Annum (MMTPA) of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) to Bangladesh. Enhanced connectivity with Bangladesh will further strengthen people to people linkages between two sides.Bangladesh is India’s top-most development partner and its largest trade partner in the region. The operationalisation of the Friendship Pipeline will enhance ongoing energy cooperation between the two countries and will promote growth in Bangladesh, particularly in the agriculture sector.Mr Modi thanked Prime Min- ister Sheikh Hasina for her constant guidance on the project and expressed his wish to continue working with her for the benefit of the people of the two countries. While addressing the event, PM Modi said: “I am confident that this pipeline will further speed up the development of Bangladesh and be an excellent example of the increasing connectivity between both countries.”“In the last few years, under the able leadership of PM Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has made remarkable progress. Every Indian is proud of that and we're delighted that we've been able to contribute to this development journey of Bangladesh,” said Mr Modi. PM Modi further said that the India-Bangladesh friendship pipeline was initiated in September 2018, adding, "with the help of this pipeline NorthernWest Bengal districts will be provided 1 million metric tonnes of high-speed diesel. This will reduce the cost and will also reduce the carbon footprint of the supply." Speaking on the progress of connectivity between the two nations, he said: "I remember many years back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had talked about her vision of restoring the pre-1965 rail connectivity. And since then the two countries together have made a lot of progress."The inauguration of the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline is taking place a day after the birth I am confident that this pipeline will further speed up the development of Bangladesh and be an excellent example of the increasing connectivity between both countries NARENDRA MODI PRIME MINISTER anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “What an auspicious coincidence that today's inauguration is taking place a day after the birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman! Bangabandhu's 'Shonar Bangla' vision included the harmonious development and prosperity of the entire region. This joint project is a perfect example of their vision,” said PM. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh with China was “fragile” and “dangerous” and made it clear once against that ties with Beijing could not return to normal until the border row was resolved.He said bilateral ties had entered a “challenging and abnormal phase” due to the heightened tensions at the border though both sides have made substantial progress in disengagement and discussions were on to scale down troop build-up at friction points. Recalling his recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang who was in New Delhi for the G20 foreign ministers' meeting, Mr Jaishankar said he had reiterated India's position that it was not possible to reconcile with a situation when there was a breach of peace in the border areas but the two countries continue the rest of relationship as if nothing Amritpal Singh on the run: Punjab Police Discuss democracy in India in India, not abroad, says Rajnath STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE CHANDIGARH, 18 MARCH Days after radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his supporters stormed a police station in Amritsar leaving six policemen injured, Punjab Police on Saturday launched a major crackdown on Mr Singh and his aides. Police said a total of 78 persons have been arrested and several detained so far in the crackdown, while Amritpal Singh, head of suspected proKhalistan outfit 'Waris Punjab De' is still on the run. There were reports earlier in the day that Mr Singh and at least six of his aides have been detained following the crackdown launched by police across several districts. Mobile internet services have been suspended in several districts of Punjab amidst the police action. “Punjab Police on Saturday launched a massive statewide Cordon And Search Operations (CASO) in the state against elements of Waris Punjab De (WPD) against whom several criminal cases Police said a total of 78 persons have been arrested and several detained so far in the crackdown, while Amritpal Singh, head of suspected pro-Khalistan outfit 'Waris Punjab De' is still on the run Police personnel stand guard at Mehatpur village, on Saturday. ANI stand registered," police said, adding that in the operation a total of 78 persons have been arrested so far, while, several others have been detained for questioning.Divulging more details, the official spokesperson of Punjab Police said that on Saturday afternoon, several activities of Waris Punjab De were intercepted by the Police at the Shahkot-Malsian Road in Jalandhar district and seven persons were arrested on the spot. “Several others including Amritpal Singh are on the run and a massive manhunt has been launched to nab them,” he added. In a live-streamed video shared on social media, a supporter of Mr Singh, apparently fleeing from the police, is heard saying that the police were chasing him. He is heard appealing to people to share the video as much as possible. In another video, one of Mr Singh’s aides is heard saying policemen were after 'bhai sahab' (Amritpal). He appeals to followers to reach in large numbers at the live location shared by him. Police and paramilitary forces have sealed Amritpal Singh's native village of Jallupur Khaira, in Amritsar district, where a large contingent of security forces has been deployed.Though there was no official comment on the operation, till the time of reporting, Punjab Police requested "all citizens to maintain peace and harmony". “Punjab Police is working to maintain law and order. Request citizens not to panic or spread fake news or hate speech,” the state police said in a tweet. Internet services have been suspended in some parts of Punjab till Sunday noon. Last month, Amritpal Singh and his supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into Ajnala Police Station in the outskirts of Amritsar city, and clashed with police for the release of one of Mr Singh’s aides. Reacting to the police action against Mr Singh today, Congress Member of Parliament from Ludhiana, Ravneet Singh Bittu, said the man (Amritpal) who “used to talk about taking up arms for Khalistan is today running away fearing the police”.“Does a Sikh ever run away? He would have faced the police if he had courage.” STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MARCH The Chief Justice of India, Justice D Y Chandrachud, on Saturday said the Collegium system is the best system developed by the judiciary for the appointment of Supreme Court and High Court judges in India.Speaking at the India Today Conclave, the CJI said the object of the Collegium system was to maintain independence and that can be done by insulating it from outside influences.The Collegium system of appointing judges has become a major bone of contention between the government and judiciary. “As the Chief Justice, I have to take the system as it is given to us... I am not saying every system is perfect but this is the best system we have developed. The object of this system was to maintain independence which is a cardinal value. We have to insulate the judiciary from outside influences if the judiciary has to be independent. That is the underlying feature of the Collegium," Justice Chandrachud said. On Law Minister Kiren Rijiju voicing displeasure over the Supreme Court Collegium revealing the government's reasons for not approving the names recommended by it for appointment as judges, Justice Chandrachud said: “He has a perception. I have a perception and there is bound to be a difference of perceptions... I do not want to join issues with the law minister for his perception. I respect his perception and I am sure he has respect for ours as well.”Elaborating on the issue, the CJI said: “The reason why we put this (the reasons cited by the government to reject names for judgeship) on the Cong: Only way to probe Adani issue is through JPC SNS & AGENCIES LUCKNOW, 18 MARCH NEW DELHI, 18 MARCH Without naming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh said that issues relating to democracy in the country should be discussed in the country's Parliament and not in other countries. “The country's voice was gagged during the Emergency. Some people are deliberately defaming the country now," he said.The Defence Minister was addressing the swearing-in and Holi Milan ceremony of the Lucknow Vypar Mandal here on Saturday. “If anyone thinks that India's democracy is in danger, then it should be discussed with the parliamentarians of the country. There is no democracy like India anywhere in the world. BJP is not stopping anyone's voice. The voice was stopped in 1975. The voice was stopped by imposing an Emergency,” Mr Singh said.He added: CJI: Collegium best system we have developed for appointment of judges SNS & AGENCIES has happened. He had conveyed the same message to China's former Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is now a Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party and is playing a bigger role in foreign policy.Speaking at the India Today Conclave, the Indian foreign minister said China has to deliver and resolve the border situation to move forward.Referring to the recently reported statement by Rahul Gandhi on China, Mr Jaishankar said he felt “troubled” to see a political leader of the Congress leader's stature “running down national morale” by admiring China and unfavourably comparing India to it.“When I see someone drooling over China and being dismissive about India... His one-word description of China is ‘harmony’. His oneword description of India is ‘discord’. He speaks admiringly of China. China has done well but when he speaks of manufacturing in India, he runs it down in every possible way,” he said. Mr Jaishankar said Mr Gandhi also spoke about China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). “The BRI goes through POK (Pakistanoccupied Kashmir). It violates our national integrity and sovereignty. He (Rahul) doesn’t have a word to say about it,” said the minister. SC website is the desire of the present Collegium to meet the criticism that we lack transparency and a genuine belief that opening of the processes will foster greater confidence in the citizens.” The 50th CJI also defended the SC Collegium's reiteration of openly gay senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal for appointment as a judge of the Delhi High Court after it was rejected by the government, reiterating that the sexual orientation of a candidate for judgeship has nothing to do with his ability. Asked how independent is India's judiciary and if there any kind of pressure from the government, the CJI said there is absolutely no pressure from the government on how to decide cases.On the issue of challenges the judiciary is facing with 4.32 crore cases pending, the CJI said it is true that there is a large backlog of cases but it shows the faith of the people in coming to the courts for justice. CMYK Defence Minister Rajnath Singh being presented with a memento at a Holi Milan ceremony organised by Lucknow Udyog Vyapar Mandal on Saturday.  ANI “There is no need to tell what kind of crisis both Pakistan and Sri Lanka are facing. Nowadays there is talk that even in Pakistan there are talks that they too should have a Prime Minister like Modiji. People in Pakistan are also saying that Pakistan's Prime Minister should be like Modiji as our country is progressing fast. It hurts when our country is progressing and India's reputation is on the rise in the world and some people are trying to hurt India's reputation."“One person who had gone abroad asked people in Europe and America why are you sitting quietly when India's democracy is in danger" Mr Singh said, referring to remarks made by Rahul Gandhi in London.Mr Singh said that there should be a healthy tradition to run any organisation as no organization can progress due to competition. The Congress on Saturday said that the only way to comprehensively investigate the Adani issue is through a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) with appropriate powers as any other alternative will be reduced to an "exercise in legitimation and exoneration".Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier said that anyone who has evidence of wrongdoing in the matter is free to submit it to the Supreme Court-appointed expert committee. Referring to Mr Shah’s remarks, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh underlined that the mandate of the Supreme Courtappointed committee is to provide an overall assessment of the situation including the relevant causal factors which have led to the volatility in the securities market in the recent past.