FRIDAY 22 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 NAIDU ARREST: TDP MLAS SUSPENDED FROM A.P ASSEMBLY . BADAL: PUNJABIS IN CANADA IN ‘STATE OF PANIC’ P3 SENSEX 66,230.24570.60 WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. POSSIBILITY OF DRIZZLE TOWARDS EVENING OR NIGHT. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 37 AND 27 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. PEACE NEEDED TO TACKLE GLOBAL EMERGENCIES P4 NIFTY 19,742.35159.05 P7 ` vs $ 83.0720 PAISE GOLD 60,050150 SILVER 74,500 Parliamentary approval for women’s reservation RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Rajya Sabha passed Quota Bill unanimously, with no abstentions and no opposition Max.86% Min. 53 % STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 SEPTEMBER TEMPERATURE Max: 37.2°C (+3) SUN RISES 06:10 hrs MOON RISES 13:54 hrs Min: 27.3 °C (+2) SUN SETS 18:18 hrs MOON SETS 23:00 hrs THUMBNAILS A sand artist expresses solidarity by creating a sand art protesting against the alleged illegal arrest of Andhra Pradesh’ former CM and party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, at Bapatla beach on Thursday. ANI Manipur violence: Dozens of people were inju- red when security forces fired tear gas shells on protesters in Manipur’s valley districts who were trying to storm police stations and court arrest demanding the unco- nditional release of five arrested youths on Thursday. Thousands of agitators, mostly women, tried to storm various police stati- ons in five valley districts of Bishnupur, Kak- ching, Thoubal, Imphal West, and Imphal East but Rapid Action Force and other security forces prevented them by firing tear gas shells. Women’s Reservation Bill will lead to new confidence among citizens, says PM T he Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill, 2023, providing for 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, on Thursday received Parliamentary approval with the Rajya Sabha passing it unanimously, with no abstention and no opposition. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Just before the Rajya Sabha took up voting on the Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said 132 MPs had spoken on the Bill in both Houses and urged the Upper House to support the Bill unanimously. The Bill received 215 votes in favour and none against. After a spirited debate that lasted till just before 10 p.m, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar put the Bill to vote and it received unanimous support of the House in the first instance. Voting by division had SNS & AGENCIES NEW DELHI , 21 SEPTEMBER Women visitors attend the proceedings of Rajya Sabha during the Special Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Thursaday.  ANI to follow as support by twothird of the members present and voting was to be ascertained. Clause-byclause voting followed from 10.15 pm Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman intervened in the debate on behalf of the Government and said the Bill was not brought because of the coming general elections. The BJP was consistent in supporting reservation for women in Parliament, and gave them quota in the Space missions will be beneficial for common people, Rajnath says Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the Parliament passing the Women's Reservation Bill will lead to a new confidence in the people of the country. "This Bill will lead to a new confidence in the people of the country. All members and political parties have played a significant role in empowering women and enhancing 'Nari Shakti'. Let us give the country a strong message," PM Modi said in Rajya Sabha before voting on the bill. He sought unanimous support for the Bill. He said there has been a discussion on the Women’s Reservation Bill in the two Houses for the past two days and over 132 members took part in the meaningful discussion which will be helpful. Manmohan Singh’s term, she said. Mrs Sitharaman said there would be no delay in the implementation of the legislation. But there were legal processes to be followed, supplementary amendments in the laws, quasi-judicial delimitation, and the Census were necessary requirements. She said the 2026 year for delimitation was already known. Readjustment of seats situation was created a long time back. After each Census the seats are readjusted. P12 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 92.800.45 India suspends visa services in Canada STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 SEPTEMBER India on Thursday suspended its visa services in Canada and asked the North American nation to reduce its diplomatic strength here, alleging Canadian diplomatic interference in the internal affairs of this country amidst an escalating row over the killing of 'Khalistan' supporter Hardeep Singh Nijjar. “You are aware of the security threats being faced by our High Commission and Consulates in Canada. This has disrupted their normal functioning. Accordingly. Our High Commission and Consulates are temporarily unable to process visa applications. We will be reviewing the situation on a regular basis," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing. He confirmed that e-visa services would also remain suspended. “The issue is not about travel to India. Those who have valid visas, OCI (cards) are free to travel to India. The issue is the incitement of violence, inaction by the Canadian authorities and the creation of an environment that disrupts the functioning of our Consulates which is what is NEW DELHI, 21 SEPTEMBER do something in the future,” he further said. On the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, the minister said it was not an exception, but a result of the development of India’s social, cultural, and scientific trends. He described the success of Chandrayaan-3 as a testament to the robust scientific ecosystem taking shape in the country. “Chandrayaan-3 shows that science education is improving in our schools and colleges, and industries are producing and supplying quality products. Efforts were also made by previous governments. Therefore, everyone who has contributed towards developing scientific temperament within the nation deserves compliments,” he said. Mr Singh termed Chandrayaan-3 as a huge achievement for the entire nation and stated that there are many developed countries which, despite being more resourcerich, are trying to reach the Moon, while India has become the first country to reach the south pole of the Moon with limited resources. He credited the success to the intellectual prowess and dedication of Isro scientists towards the development of the nation. Today, India is among the leading nations in the field of science due to their relentless efforts, he said. The minister pointed out that of the 424 foreign satellites launched by India, so far, 389 have been launched in the last nine years of the Modi government. NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR, 21 SEPTEMBER The Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover of Chandrayaan-3, which are currently in "sleep mode" near the Moon’s South Pole after having completed their set tasks, are expected to awake on Friday (22 September). ISRO is now gearing up to try to reestablish communication with the solar-powered lander and rover, to revive them so that they can continue with scientific experiments. “We have put both the lander and rover on sleep mode because temperature would go as low as minus 120-200 degree Celsius. From 20 September onwards, sunrise will be going on at the Moon and by 22 September we hope that the solar panel and other things will be fully charged, so we will be trying to revive both the lander and rover,” ISRO's Space Applications Centre Director Nilesh Desai said. IAF Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team perform full dress rehersals on the eve of air show in Jammu, on Thursday.  ANI MP CM Shivraj unveils shankaracharya’s statue STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE VARANASI, 21 SEPTEMBER Prime Minister Narendra Modi will gift an International Cricket Stadium to sports enthusiasts of the state in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi, on 23 September. The Prime Minister, who will be visiting his Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi on Saturday, will lay the foundation stone of the Interna- tional Cricket stadium. The PM will also participate in the closing ceremony of Kashi Sansad Sanskritik Mahotsav 2023. He will also inaugurate 16 Atal Awasiya Vidyalayas built across Uttar Pradesh, during the programme. The Uttar Pradesh government led by chief minister Yogi Adityanath has spent Rs 121 crores on land acquisition for the construction of the International Cricket Stadium in Varanasi. Moreover, the BCCI will spend Rs 330 crores on the stadium's construction. Cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar are likely to attend the foundation stone laying ceremo- ny of the stadium. This stadium will be ready in about 30 months near Ring Road in Ganjari village of Rajatalab area of Varanasi. The Uttar Pradesh government has given this land measuring 30.86 acres on long-term lease to the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA). On this land, the making us temporarily stop the issuance of visa services,” he said. The spokesperson said India has already categorically told Canada that there should be parity in strength and rank of the diplomatic staff of the two countries. The number of Canadian diplomats in India was much higher than the Indian diplomats posted in Canada. “We have conveyed our position to them...discussions are going on. I assume there will be a reduction on the Canadian side,” he added. Asked if Canada had shared any information with India over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's charge about the involvement of Indian agencies in the June 2023 killing of Nijjar, the spokesperson said no specific information has been shared so far. “We are willing to look at any specific information,” he added. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 SEPTEMBER PM Modi to lay foundation stone for International Cricket stadium in Varanasi on Saturday STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE A view of the Canadian Embassy, at Shantipath in New Delhi on Thursday. ANI DGCA suspends Air India’s flight safety chief for norm failures GETTING READY SNS & AGENCIES STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Rejecting the notion that the achievements in space do not in any way benefit the people, defence minister Rajnath Singh said there are multidimensional uses of India’s space missions which have a huge impact on the people as well. Mr Singh said this during a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission and other achievements of the nation in the space sector, on Thursday. Giving examples, Mr Singh said better predictions of cloudbursts will be beneficial for farmers and better prediction of cyclones will be beneficial for those living in coastal areas and fishermen. “More importantly, space missions to the Moon or Sun help to awaken the scientific temperament in a child living in a remote village. These inspire the young minds to party at various levels also, she said. Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal replied to the debate in the House where 72 members participated in the debate. Mrs Sitharaman said women’s reservation has been part of the election manifestoes of the BJP over the years. The Amendment has been thoughtfully crafted. This Bill is not a “jumla,” she said. The BJP had supported the Bill during Prime Minister ISRO plans to re-awaken Vikram, Praygan STARC, MAXWELL OUT, SMITH IN FOR FIRST ODI Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will build an international cricket stadium at a cost of Rs 330 crore. The stadium with a capacity of 30,000 spectators will have 7 pitches (practice and main wicket) and state-of-the-art stands to be constructed in line with international norms. The stadium is likely to be ready by December 2025. The stadium, as envisages, will incorporate elements of spirituality and religious art. It will have a half-moon shape, and its floodlights will resemble trishul (a trident). The design will include patterns resembling bel leaves, and the structure will feature the shape of a damaru (a musical instrument associated with Lord Shiva). There will be a spectator gallery resembling the stairs of Ganga Ghat. BHOPAL, 21 SEPTEMBER Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today unveiled the 108-feet tall statue of Adi Guru Shankaracharya on the Mandhata hill at Omkareshwar in the Khandwa district of the state.(Photo) The statue, called ‘Ekatma Ki Murti’ (Statue of Oneness) depicts Acharya Shankar’s childhood image at the age of 12 years. It is made of Ashtadhatu. On the occasion, Mr Chouhan said this statue would spread the message of peace and unity to the entire world. Several revered seers and spiritual leaders including Swami Avadheshanand Giri Maharaj, Parmatmanand Ji, Swami Swaroopanand, Swami Tirthanand and others were present on the occa- sion. Clad in a dhoti and a saffron cloth on his shoulders, the CM also laid the foundation stone of the AdvaitLok to be built at the site at a cost of more than Rs 2200 crore. According to state government officials, the statue consists of 88 percent copper, 4 percent zinc and 8 percent tin. It weighs around 100 tons. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has suspended Air India’s chief of flight safety in response to safety concerns within the carrier. The directorate suspended Captain Rajeev Gupta for a month after it conducted a comprehensive surveillance of the airline on 25 and 26 July and found serious deficiencies in various critical areas. During the surveillance, DGCA scrutinised key aspects, including internal audits, accident prevention efforts, and the availability of essential technical manpower. The findings raised significant concerns about Air India’s adherence to safety protocols and regulatory requirements. A major concern identified with the airlines was the inadequacy of accident-prevention measures. The DGCA noted that the organisation fell short of ensuring comprehensive accident prevention work, which is pivotal in safeguarding passengers and flight operations. Shortage of the required technical manpower, a vital element in maintaining aviation safety standards, was another shortfall observed. Air India was found to be lacking in the number of technical personnel needed as specified in the approved flight safety manual and relevant civil aviation requirements. The DGCA found fault with the internal audit and spot checks carried out by the airline, stating that some of these inspections were conducted in a token manner, failing to meet regulatory requirements. Following this, the directorate reviewed AI’s actiontaken report and subsequently issued show-cause notices to the responsible post holders. After getting their replies, the DGCA, citing a lack of diligence, directed Air India not to assign any audit, surveillance or spot checks related to DGCA compliance to the auditor involved in the perfunctory inspections.