CMYK MONDAY 22 MAY 2023 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC www.thestatesman.com KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ZELENSKYY DENIES THAT BAKHMUT IS OCCUPIED BY RUSSIAN FORCES TO THE RUN-OFF P6 WEATHER Humid and discomfort weather very likely. Rain or thundershower likely to occur in some areas.Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 36 °C and 28°C respectively. ‘PREZ MURMU SHOULD INAUGURATE NEW PARLIAMENT, NOT PM’ P10 P5 Resist unilateral attempts to change status quo: PM RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Institutions created in last century do not reflect realities of present, says Modi; seeks reforms Max. 88 % Min. 46 % Max: 35.4°C (0) SUN RISES 04:55 hrs MOON RISES 05:54 hrs Min: 29.0°C (+2) SUN SETS 18:12 hrs MOON SETS 19:59 hrs STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 MAY TEMPERATURE Full Moon on 04 June THUMBNAILS Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her son Raihan Vadra pay tribute to former PM Rajiv Gandhi on his 32nd death anniversary at Veer Bhoomi at Rajghat on Sunday.  SNS Dinesh Gope, supremo of banned Maoist outfit, arrested: Jharkhand-based Maoist outfit People's Liberation Front of India's supremo (PLFI) Dinesh Gope, who had a reward of Rs 30 lakh on his head, was arrested in Delhi following a raid by the National Investigation Agency on Sunday, officials said. Gope, alias Kuldeep Yadav alias Badku, was earlier charge sheeted by the NIA in a case related to the recovery of demonetised currency of Rs 25.38 lakhs from PLFI operatives. nderlining the need for all countries to respect the UN Charter, international law and sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked the global community to jointly raise its voice against unilateral attempts to change the status quo. “India has always been of the opinion that any tension, any dispute should be resolved through peaceful means, through dialogue. And if there is a solution from the law, then it should be accepted. And it was in this spirit that India resolved its land and maritime boundary dispute with Bangladesh,” he said addressing a working session of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima. His comments are significant against the backdrop of the ongoing SinoIndian military stand-off at eastern Ladakh which started in April-May 2020 after Beijing attempted to unilaterally change the status quo at the border. Mr Modi told the gath- U Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders pay tribute at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan on Sunday. ANI ering that he had met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday on the margins of the G7 Summit, adding that he did not consider the current situation in the wartorn country as an issue of politics or economy. “I believe that this is a matter of humanity, a matter of human values. From the very beginning, we have maintained that dialogue and diplomacy is the only way. And we will make every possible effort to contribute, in whatever way India can, for resolv- ing this situation,” he added. Mr Modi said global peace, stability, and prosperity were the common objectives of the global community. “In today's interconnected world, crises in any one region affect all the countries. And, the developing countries, which have limited resources, are the worst affected. In the current global situation, these countries are facing the maximum and most profound impact of the food, fuel, and fertilizer crisis,” he added. He said the current situation raised the question as to why the world community was facing the need to discuss matters of peace and stability in distinct forums. He wondered why the United Nations, which was established with the very purpose of establishing peace, often failed to prevent conflicts today. “Why has even the definition of terrorism not been accepted in the UN yet? If introspection is done, then one thing is clear. The institutions created in the last century are not in line Centre’s ordinance: Nitish extends support to Kejriwal Kejriwal lines up meetings with Mamata, Pawar, Uddhav STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 MAY Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal addresses a Press conference with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav at Mr Kejriwal's residence, in New Delhi on Sunday.  ANI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 MAY Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday extended his support to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal against the Centre bringing in an ordinance to give the control of the bureaucracy back to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor. Mr Kumar held a meeting with his counterpart Arvind Kejriwal at the latter’s residence in the national capital on Sunday. Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav was also present at the meeting. Addressing the media after the meeting, the Bihar CM hit out at the Centre over the ordinance, asking: “How can powers given to an elected government be taken away? It's against the Constitution.” “We stand with Arvind Kejriwal,” the Bihar chief minister asserted. Mr Kumar, who Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that he will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on 23 May and then presidents of all opposition parties across the country in the coming days to seek support against the Centre bringing an ordinance to give the control over the bureaucracy in the NCT back to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor. He said on 23 May, he will go to Kolkata and meet the West Bengal Chief Min- ister at 3 pm. The Delhi Chief Minister will also meet Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar and former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray this week in Mumbai to seek support against the Centre's ordinance on the transfer of bureaucrats in the National Capital. Mr Kejriwal will meet Mr Thackeray on 24 May and Mr Pawar on 25 May. Addressing the media after his meeting with the Bihar Chief Minister, Kejriwal announced his upcoming meetings with prominent opposition leaders. is attempting to unite Opposition forces against the BJPled government at the Centre, said: "(We) will hold meetings in the future as well, we are trying to bring together all Opposition parties in the country." Addressing the media on the issue of the ordinance, Mr Kejriwal said, Nitish Kumar has said that he stands with the people of Delhi. Mr Kejriwal said: “I thank Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav for coming to Fear of jinx haunts Karnataka Cong leaders over Speaker’s post INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE BENGALURU, 21 MAY Senior Congress leaders in Karnataka, who are being offered the Speaker’s post in the new Assembly, are unwilling to take the responsibility, sources have said, apparently afraid that the post is jinxed. A series of leaders who became Speakers in Karnataka have subsequently lost elections and their political careers ended. The jinx continued with the defeat of Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri, who was the Speaker of the previous state Assembly under the BJP government. His defeat shocked the party and Mr Kageri was distraught as the defeat had raised the question on his strengths as a strong leader. Political observers say that since 2004, whoever has held the post of Speaker has suffered severe setbacks in their political careers. Krishna from K R Pet constituency, who was the Speaker in the S M Krishna-led Congress government in 2004 lost the election in 2008. Political observers say that since 2004, whoever has held the post of Speaker has suffered severe setbacks in their political careers Senior Congressman Kagodu Thimmappa, who donned the role of Speaker in 2013 lost a subsequent election in 2018. K B Koliwad, five term member of the Assembly, was the Speaker in 2016 and lost in the general elections in 2018, as well as a bypoll in 2019. Rameshkumar, who was the Speaker in the Congress JD(S) government in 2018, lost in the 10 May election. The Congress party is finding it difficult to convince senior leaders to take the post. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced that veteran Congress leader R V Deshpande will become pro rata Speaker and the new Speaker would be elected in the three-day maiden session of the new Assembly starting from Monday. Sources in Congress said that Dr G Para- meshwara straightaway said no when he was offered the post and was made a Cabinet minister. The party is contemplating to make someone from among senior leaders like T B Jayachandra, H K Patil, B R Patil and Y N Gopalakrishna the Speaker. None of them, however, are interested, sources said. Mr Jayachandra, who had lost his seat to the BJP in 2019 bypolls, had emerged victorious this time. H K Patil is a prominent Lingayat leader from Gadag, and is considered for a plum cabinet berth. And so is B R Patil from the Aland constituency. Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar and senior BJP leader K G Bopaiah, who were the Speakers when the BJP was in power in Karnataka, lost in the recently concluded Assembly polls, thereby facing setbacks in their political careers. All the leaders, who are being offered the post, are maintaining that they would prefer to remain MLAs rather than become the Speaker, Congress sources said. us. The constitutional bench of the Supreme Court had given all the powers to the Delhi government by 5-0, which after eight days the Centre overturned by bringing an ordinance, and gave all the power to Lt Governor. It is against the Constitution.” The Delhi CM said: “Today when Nitish Kumar ji came, we had a detailed discussion and he said we are in your support. Nitish Kumar Ji said that he is standing with the people of Delhi and will fight together against the Centre in this injustice." The AAP leader also said if the entire Opposition comes together in the Rajya Sabha against the ordinance, then it will be a big victory. “If the Centre brings this ordinance in the form of a Bill and all non-BJP parties come together, then this bill can be defeated in the Rajya Sabha. If this happens then it will be a semi-final and in 2024 a clear message will go that the BJP government is leaving,” he added. with the system of the 21st century. They do not reflect the realities of the present. That is why it is necessary that reforms should be given concrete shape in big institutions like the UN,” he added. It would also have to become the voice of the Global South. “Otherwise we will just keep talking about ending conflict. The UN and the Security Council will become just a talk shop,” Mr Modi said. The PM noted that in India, as also in Japan, Lord Buddha has been followed for thousands of years. “There is no such problem in the modern age, whose solution we cannot find in the teachings of the Buddha. Buddha had given the solution centuries ago to the war, unrest, and instability that the world is facing today,” he said. Before leaving on the second leg of his current three-nation tour, Mr Modi also met UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The two leaders reviewed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between their two countries and also took stock of the progress in India-UK FTA negotiations. GREEN'S CENTURY GUIDES MI TO 8-WICKET WIN OVER SRH P12 Rare moment: PNG PM touches Modi’s feet on his arrival ASIAN NEWS INTERNATIONAL PORT MORESBY, 21 MAY As Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Sunday, a rare moment was seen at Port Moresby airport where PNG Prime Minister James Marape touched his feet and sought his blessings (photo). PM Modi arrived in the Indo-Pacific country on the second leg of his three-country visit. Upon PM Modi's arrival, the Indian national anthem was played and the two prime ministers stood still in respect. PM Modi was also accorded a guard of honour on his arrival. This is PM Modi's first tour to PNG, as well as the firstever visit by any Indian Prime Minister to the IndoPacific country. Usually, Papua New Guinea doesn't give a ceremonial welcome to any leader coming after sunset. But the nation made a special exception for PM Modi, and a full-fledged ceremonial welcome was given to him. A traditional folk dance performance was also staged outside the airport to welcome PM Modi to PNG. During his Papua New Guinea visit, PM Modi is set to co-chair the 3rd Summit of the Forum for India-Pacif- ic Islands Cooperation (FIPIC III Summit) on Monday. PM Modi's Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape will also be there. The FIPIC Summit will see participation from leaders of 14 countries. Normally all of them rarely converge together due to connectivity and other issues. FIPIC was launched during PM Modi's visit to Fiji in 2014. Apart from the FIPIC engagements, PM Modi will also have bilateral interactions with Papua New Guinea Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae, Prime Minister Marape and some of the other PIC Leaders participating in the Summit. After his visit to Papua New Guinea, PM Modi will travel to Sydney at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. CLEANING SPREE Volunteers take part in the G20 Mega Beach Clean Up event at Besant Nagar Beach, in Chennai on Sunday.  ANI A different Kashmir: Sharada Peeth & 20 Hindu temples built amidst turmoil ‘No forms, ID cards needed for exchange of ` 2k notes’ SHAMSHER CHANDEL NEW DELHI, 21 MAY JAMMU, 21 MAY State Bank of India (SBI) customers will not be required to submit any ID cards or fill out any requisition forms to exchange their Rs 2000 currency notes. They however would be allowed to exchange a maximum of ten currency notes of Rs 2000 at a time, according to a communication shared by the SBI with all its circles. SBI, in its communication with all the circles, also clarified its May 19 Annexure III ~a requisition slip having dedicated columns for details of customer's identity proof, now stands withdrawn with immediate effect. “Please arrange accordingly and extend all cooperation to members of the public so that the exercise is conducted in a smooth and seamless manner without any inconvenience to the public,” SBI said in its comAGENCIES munication. At a time when Kashmiri Pandits were relocating themselves to Delhi and other parts of India due to fear of being persecuted, some secular people quietly working in the opposite direction were those who wanted the revival of Kashmiryat (communal harmony and religious syncretism). Ravindra Pandita, the chairman of the Sharada Peeth construction committee, began with a vision of setting up Hindu temples in the Valley. “It began in 2006, and 17 years later 20 temples and a gurdwara, including the famous Sharada Devi temple have been built with the help of Muslim and Sikh community,” Mr Pandita said. What’s more, while 19 temples have been built all across the Valley, the Sharada Peeth has been built right on the border, in the last Indian village called Teetwal. This temple which was recently inaugurated CMYK was built with the help of Muslims and Sikhs. “In fact, the construction committee of the temple had four Muslim members and a Sikh member,” said Capt (retd) Mohammad Illyas, who is himself one of the members of the committee. Capt Illyas adds, “The construction of Sharada Peeth and dozens of other temples is a slap on the face of those who say Kashmiriyat is dead. We are a secular people and live as one.” Hamid Mir, another Sharada Peeth construction committee member, says the construction of the peeth will boost tourism, and very soon like the Amarnath Yatra, they will start a Sharada Devi Yatra to the original site of the Sharada Peeth in Pakistanoccupied Kashmir. “Talks are on with the government on the Pakistan side and God willing they shall soon grant permission for an annual yatra,” Mr Mir adds. “There has been this realisation that communal harmony is very important for the development of Kashmir. And in the last couple of years somehow that seems to have been achieved. We are creating a conducive environment for the peaceful return of our Pandit brethren and the first step towards that is to revive the temples,” Mr Mir adds. Joginder Singh, the pradhan of Sri Teg Bahadur Gurdwara, Teetwal says that along with the temple, a gurdwara has come up. This gurdwara existed alongside the original Sharada temple before 1947. But after the Kabaili attack, both the temple and the gurdwara were destroyed. “Now, alongside the temple, a gurdwara has been constructed with the help of Pandits, the army, and also the local Muslims.” The ruined Hindu temple of Sharada Peeth, which was an educational and cultural centre for the Kashmiri Pandits, was earlier located in Muzaffarabad, now part of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Like the Amarnath Yatra, Hindu pilgrims used to visit the Sharda Peeth every year to pay homage to the goddess Sharada. Now to revive the Sharada Peeth, the temple has been built in Teetwal village right at the border.