TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2023 www.thestatesman.com twitter.com/thestatesman facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR JAISHANKAR LAUDS UNESCO HERITAGE SITE STATUS FOR SANTINIKETAN P5 SENSEX 67,596.84241.79 WEATHER Partly cloudy sky with rain /thundershower very likely. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 31 °C and 28 °C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 88 % TEMPERATURE ‘PM'S REMARKS REFLECT UTTER DISREGARD FOR HISTORICAL FACTS’ NIFTY 20,133.3059.05 Max: 31°C Min: 28°C SUN RISES SUN SETS 05:13 hrs 18:05 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS 09:58 hrs 21:30 hrs New Moon on 29 September THUMBNAILS Devotees perform rituals at the Sangam as part of the Hartalika Teej celebrations, in Prayagraj, on Monday.  ANI Fresh monsoon spell claims 8 lives in Rajasthan: Eight persons including four women have died in rain related mishaps in Banswara district alone in the last 24 hours as the South West Monsoon revived and aggravated in Rajasthan. Out of 8 deceased, five drowned and three others died in the house collapse incidents, the Secretary of State Disaster, Relief and Civil Defense Department P C Kishan said. ` vs $ 83.2708 PAISE The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced today that its Aditya-L1 mission has commenced collecting scientific data, marking a milestone in India's solar exploration efforts. ISRO posted on X, “AdityaL1 Mission: Aditya-L1 has commenced collecting scientific data. The sensors of the STEPS instrument have begun measuring supra-thermal and energetic ions and electrons at distances greater than 50,000 km from Earth. P9 GOLD 61,090.00 P12 SILVER 74,500.00 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 93.580.54 Modi also highlighted the contributions of women parliamentarians bserving that it was due to the strength of Parliament that all doubts about the viability of India as a nation proved wrong, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, said the biggest achievement in the last 75 years has been the continuously growing trust of common citizens in their Parliament. Highlighting the changing composition of Parliament with the passage of the time as it grew more inclusive with representatives from all sections of society, he said, “Inclusive atmosphere has kept manifesting the aspirations of the people with full power.” He also highlighted the contributions of women parliamentarians which have helped in enhancing the dignity of the two Houses. The PM was speaking in the Lok Sabha on the opening day of the five-day special session of Parliament, a day before proceedings of the two Houses were shift- O ed to the new Parliament building. Talking about the old Parliament building, Modi mentioned that it served as the Imperial Legislative Council before India’s independence and was recognized as Parliament of India post-independence. He pointed out that even though the decision to construct this building was made by foreign rulers, it was the hard work, dedication and money spent by Indians that went towards its development. In the journey of 75 years, he said the House has created the best of the conventions and traditions which have seen the contribution of all and wit- This data helps scientists analyze the behaviour of particles surrounding Earth. The figure displays variations in the energetic particle environment, collected by one of the units.” The Supra Thermal and Energetic Particle Spectrometer (STEPS) instrument, a part of the Aditya Solar Wind Particle EXperiment (ASPEX) payload, has started its datagathering operations. STEPS, equipped with six sensors observing in various directions, is responsible for measuring supra-thermal and energetic ions ranging from 20 (kiloelectronvolt) keV/nucleon to 5 (mega electron volt) MeV/nucleon, as well as electrons exceeding 1 MeV. These measurements are essential for understanding the behaviour of particles around Earth, particularly in the presence of the Earth's magnetic field. The activation of STEPS took place on September 10, at a distance greater than 50,000 km from Earth, equivalent to over eight times the Earth's radius. After undergoing essential instrument health checks, data collection continued until the spacecraft moved beyond the 50,000 km mark from Earth. nessed by all. “We might be shifting to the new building, but this building will keep on inspiring the coming generation. As it is a golden chapter of the journey of Indian democracy,” he said. Referring to the success of Chandrayaan-3, Modi said it brought forth another dimension of India’s capabilities which was linked with modernity, science, technology and the prowess of its scientists and the strength of 140 crore Indians. He recalled how the House commended the nation's efforts at the time of Non-Aligned Movement summit in the past and expressed gratitude for the acknowledgement of the success of G20 Govt to provide 8 pc subsidy on PM Vishwakarma Yojana Loans: FM STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 SEPTEMBER Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will offer up to 8% subsidy for loans given to artisans under the PM Vishwakarma Yojana. Under the scheme, collateral-free credit support up to Rs 1 lakh in the first tranche and Rs 2 lakh in the second tranche at a concessional interest rate of 5% will be provided. Also, an incentive for digital transactions and marketing support is also provided under the scheme. Batting crash a sensational anti - climax PULAKESH MUKHOPADHYAY KOLKATA, 18 SEPTEMBER It happens but, when it does, you feel gobsmacked like never before. Pencilled in as a blockbuster, yesterday's Asia Cup summit showdown proved the dampest of squibs in a long time, though India, savouring Sri Lanka's lambs - to - slaughter loss to them, celebrated Mohammad Siraj's match winning feat which reduced the assorted twinkling stars of his heavyweight team to bit - role players. It was as if all India had needed were their pacemen and the opening duo to show up and well might the rest have rushed to the airport for an earlier flight home. True, fielding and, vitally, catching would still have been central to it but that was hardly the point. What was, was that bowlers seldom dominated limited limited - overs cricket quite to that extent as the thunderbolt - dispensing Hyderabadi did yesterday, reminding many people of Anil Kumble in the Hero Cup final against the West Indies at Eden Gardens, leaving the normally impassive, stiff upper - lip Jyoti Basu gushing as The Statesman spoke to him in Dr BC Roy Clubhouse. But if you were alive to the shock value of the way the final had panned out, you would have had to be rooting for Sri Lanka, ISL IS GETTING BETTER EVERY YEAR Citizens’ trust in Parliament our biggest achievement: PM ISRO's Aditya-L1 mission commences data collection with STEPS Instrument BANGALORE, 18 SEPTEMBER P4 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 SEPTEMBER Min. 81 % SNS & AGENCIES ‘AS US PRESIDENT I WOULD ENFORCE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS’ who were like someone trying to sit down on a chair pulled back nanoseconds ago. A nasty surprise. The effect of the statistical details of the defeat suffered by the hosts was just as ego deflating. When a Test team fold up for 50 in a One - Day International, you are likely to be left wondering how many they would have mustered in a Twenty20. You might not have come out of it feeling like a million dollars. And, beguiled by Sri Lanka's spunky fight versus Bangladesh, we had bypassed how the islanders had had two sub - 100 totals earlier in this season, against India and New Zealand. After the batting debacle yesterday, they stood no chance. Holding the bat, which is to be made the most of in white - ball cricket or you get nowhere, they foozled it. Much of the Press in Sri Lanka said that poor shot selection had left the home side undone, often a point made rather unkindly when bowlers shine forth in splendour but an accurate observation in the present context. The islanders had batted abysmally. Chris Silverwood spoke subsequently of the pratfall being good as a World Cup alarm - "a kick up up the rear end" - but Pakistan too had referred to their Asia Cup defeat by India as a wake - up call before crashing out of the tournament. It is quite likely that Sri Lanka will now come to be rocked by charges that not everything in the humiliating shellacking was a straightforward cricketing reverse, just as their World Cup final loss to India in 2011 has spawned innuendos and doubts which linger and, circulating, reach shores far and near. Pakistanis, presumably emotionally supercharged, have hit X, previously Twitter, alleging rigging, naming Jay Shah as the mastermind. At the moment, India find an inspiratio n in the triumph ahead of the global competition where the Asian rivals, inclusive of Bangladesh, will be back in the fray with the same popular aspirations as those that marked the tournament that ended yesterday. Rahul Dravid's tutorial success in limited-overs cricket will scotch unwelcome media rumours at least until the Men in Blue go into the World Cup but, honestly, contrasting sharply with the convention- Activists demand match-fixing probe against SL COLOMBO, 18 SEPTEMBR Cricket fans and anti-corruption activists have demanded for a police probe on malpractices and alleged match fixing over Sri Lanka’s humiliating defeat against India at the Asia Cup final on Sunday. A civil rights organisation, Citizen Power Against Bribery, Corruption and Wastage filed a complaint at the Police Headquarters in Colombo alleging that there is a serious suspicion over Sri Lankan cricketers’ performance and specially getting out for such a small number of runs. SEE PAGE 12 al game, admitting of the fullest possible exposure of the entire range of the cricketing skills of top players, arithmetically circumscribed bat and - ball battles will always imply taking pot luck, especially T20s. The feel - good factor victories induce is only transient in the age of commercialised plentitude , making the grind hard though the islanders will not be under the same kind of pressure. Not by a long shot. CMYK by the Chair. The PM said the success of G20 was of 140 crore Indians and not of any particular individual or party. Pointing out the negative tendencies of a few people to create doubts about the capabilities of India, Modi stated that a consensus was achieved for the G20 Declaration and a roadmap for the future was created here. The PM recalled that when, as the first-time MP he came to , Parliament and paid his obeisance by bowing to the building. He said that it was an emotional moment, and he could not have imagined that. “It is the power of the democracy of India that a poor child who used to earn livelihood on a railway station reached Parliament. I never imagined that the nation would give me this much love, respect, and blessings,” he said. The PM also touched upon Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Ram Manohar Lohia, Chandra Shekhar, Lal Krishna Advani, and others who have enriched the discussions in the House and emboldened the voice of the common citizens. PM chairs cabinet meet NEW DELHI, 18 SEPTEMBER A key meeting of the Union Cabinet -- called on the first day of the Parliament's five-day special session -- is in progress, sources said. Though the agenda is not known yet, the meeting is garnering interest in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's earlier comment that "historic decisions" will be taken in this special session. There is speculation that the cabinet may clear anything from reservation for women or Other Backward Classes, "One Nation One Election" and even a change of name of the country. What further spiked interest was a series of key meetings held ahead of the cabinet meeting. BJP chief JP Nadda was also present in the SNS meeting. Sena row: SC criticises Maha Assembly Speaker PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 18 SEPTEMBER The Supreme court on Monday gave Maharashtra legislative assembly Speaker two weeks’ time to apprise it (the court) on the time frame for completing the record and deciding the disqualification petitions against 56 MLAs pending before him since long, as court flayed him (the Speaker) for just not do8ing anything despite its May 11, 2023, order. Expressing strong displeasure, constitution bench judgment, Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud heading a bench also comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra said that they expect “deference and dignity to the directions” issued by it and stated “It cannot go on indefinitely.We will hear it after two weeks, let him tell us after two weeks on the steps he has taken and give the time frame to decide the matter.” “We expect deference and dignity to the directions issued in exercise of the Constitutional power. We now direct procedural directions shall be issued by the Speaker within a week setting out a timeline to complete the proceedings.”