MONDAY 25 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 RUSSIAN FM LAMBASTES WEST QUESTION MARK ON VASUNDHARA RAJE’S FUTURE P5 WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 35 AND 25 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY ‘DEMOCRACY BEING DEMOLISHED BRICK BY BRICK IN ANDHRA’ P9 P4 PM Modi flags off nine Vande Bharat trains RUN FEST AS INDIA COMPILE 399/5 IN 2ND ODI P12 SILVER START Says Speed, scale of infrastructure development matching aspirations of 140 cr Indians Max.98% Min. 56 % TEMPERATURE Max: 34.4°C (0) SUN RISES 06:11 hrs MOON RISES 15:42 hrs Min: 24.6 °C (+1) SUN SETS 18:15 hrs MOON SETS 02:20 hrs THUMBNAILS PM Narendra Modi flags off the nine Vande Bharat trains, via video conferencing, in New Delhi on Sunday.  ANI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 SEPTEMBER rime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off nine Vande Bharat trains via videoconferencing, on Sunday. During the occasion, he said the speed and scale of infrastructure development in the country are matching the aspirations of 140 crore Indians. These nine trains will boost connectivity across 11 states namely Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gujarat. Speaking on the occasion, the PM called the flagoff of the Vande Bharat trains an unprecedented occasion of modern con- P Devotees immerse an idol of Lord Ganesha in an artificial pond during the Ganesh Chaturthi in Nagpur on Sunday.  ANI Bengal CM undergoes health check-up: West u Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee underwent a health check-up at the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata on Sunday afternoon. While the exact nature of her health issue has not been disclosed, there have been rumours of a leg-related problem and consequent surgery. Specialists in orthopedics were present during her examination, which comes just a day after Mamata Banerjee's return from an extensive 12-day foreign trip, which included visits to Spain and Dubai. nectivity in the country. He said the trains that started on Sunday are more modern and comfortable. Mr Modi said these Vande Bharat trains are symbols of a new enthusiasm of new India. The PM expressed delight about the growing craze for Vande Bharat as he informed that more than 1 crore 11 lakh passengers have travelled in these trains, so far. He informed that 25 Vande Bharat trains are serving people in different states and Union territories. The PM said: “The day is not far when Vande Bharat will connect every part of the country.” Mr Modi also noted Vande Bharat’s utility for the people who wish to save time and perform same day travel. He also highlighted increased tourism in the places connected by Vande Bharat trains leading to increased economic activities. Stressing the importance of railways in the lives of common citizens, the Prime Minister lamented the neglect of this important sector in earlier times. Elaborating on the efforts of the current government for the transformation of Indian Railways, he informed about increased budget as this year's budget for railway is 8 times the rail budget of 2014. Similarly, work is going on for doubling, electrification and new routes, the Prime Minister added. Just a few days ago, the work of redevelopment of more than 500 major sta- tions of the country was started. These new stations built during the Amrit Kaal will be called Amrit Bharat Stations, the Prime Minister said. The new trains that were flagged off are: UdaipurJaipur Vande Bharat Express, Tirunelveli-Madurai-Chennai Vande Bharat Express, Hyderabad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, Vijayawada-Chennai (via Renigunta) Vande Bharat Express, Patna-Howrah Vande Bharat Express, Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express, RourkelaBhubaneswar-Puri Vande Bharat Express, RanchiHowrah Vande Bharat Express, and JamnagarAhmedabad Vande Bharat Express. Rahul Gandhi’s Rajasthan Three new criminal law bills have flavour assessment: ‘Very close’ of Indian soil: Shah STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 SEPTEMBER Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in five states, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday claimed that his party will certainly win at least two states – Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh while Telangana will be a probable victory. However, his assessment on Rajasthan is what would have his party’s Chief Ministerin the state, Ashok Gehlot, worried. The former Congress president predicted a very close race in the desert state where his party is in power. He, however, expressed hope that Congress will be able to retain power. “Right now, we are probably winning Telangana, we are certainly winning Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, we are very close in Rajasthan and we think we will be able to win,” Mr Gandhi said during an event in Delhi. Mr Gandhi said that Congress learned a very important lesson of building the narrative in Karnataka where his party went on to register a massive victory against the BJP. “We learned a very important lesson in Karnataka, and the lesson was that the BJP wins elections by distracting and not allowing us to construct our narrative. And so what we did in Karnataka, we fought the election in a way where the BJP could not define the narrative,” he said. The Congress leader also accused the BJP of creating distraction from pressing issues the country is facing at the moment. “The main issues in India are concentration of wealth, huge inequality in wealth, massive unemployment, huge unfairness towards the lower caste, towards OBCs, and towards tribal communities. These are issues. Now, BJP can’t contest those. So let’s have Bidhuri make a statement. Let’s get together and sort of have elections together. Let’s change the name of India. This is all distraction. We understand it. And we’re not going to let them do it,” the Congress leader said. Assembly elections are scheduled to take place in five states ~ Rajasthan, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram ~– later this year. These Assembly elections are being seen as a semi-final to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 SEPTEMBER Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the three criminal laws proposed by the government do not have a colonial imprint but have the flavour of Indian soil, Their focus is to protect the constitutional and human rights of citizens, he said, addressing an International Lawyers Conference organised by the Bar Council of India in Delhi. The three new laws are coming into the criminal justice system after almost 160 years with a completely new approach and new system. Alongside, three initiatives have also been taken by the government to create a lawfriendly ecosystem, Mr Shah said. The first is e-courts, the second inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS)and the third is adding new technology to these three proposed laws, he Union Home minister Amit Shah presents a 'Vidhi Ratna' to the wife of late lawyer Soli Sorabjee during the concluding session of the 'International Lawyers' Conference 2023 organised by the Bar Council of India,in the Capital on Sunday.SUBRATA DUTTA said. Three Bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha on 11 August which are intended to replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Criminal Procedure Act, 1898, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur tweeted this picture congratulating the trio of Ramita Jindal, Mehuli Ghosh and Ashi Chouksey, who opened India's medal tally, for bagging a silver medal in the women's 10m Air Rifle team event in the 19th Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou. Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also congratulated the participants of the Asian Games who won medals. Miss Banerjee tweeted: “My heartiest congratulations to Mehuli Ghosh from our Bengal, Ashi Chouksey and Ramita Jindal for securing women’s team silver in the 10m Air Rifle shooting event.” ANI Govt mulls cancelling OCI cards of Khalistani terrorists, confiscating their properties STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 SEPTEMBER A day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated the properties of Canada-based ‘designated individual terrorist’ Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, it is learnt that the government has asked the investigative agencies to identify the properties of other terrorists wanted in India sitting abroad. Sources privy to the matter said that the government has asked the agencies to identify the properties of the terrorists settled abroad. The source also said that the government has asked the agencies to identify Khalistani terrorists settled in countries like US, UK, Canada and Australia and cancel their Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) so that they can't come to India. This comes a day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated the properties of Pannun in Chandigarh and Amritsar. The source said that the step will help the government to choke the finances of these terrorists from India and also not allow them to visit here. The source said that the government has identified 19 absconding Khalistani terrorists staying in countries like US, UK, Canada, UAE, Pakistan and other countries. Paramjit Singh Pamma, based in UK, Wadhwa Singh STRICT MEASURES matter said that the government has asked the agencies to identi- fy the properties of the terrorists settled abroad.  The source said that the govt has identified 19 absconding Khalistani terrorists staying in countries like US, UK, Canada, UAE, Pakistan and other countries.  The source said that their properties will be confiscated under Section 33(5) of UA(P)A. Babbar aka Chacha based in Pakistan, Kulwant Singh Muthda (UK), JS Dhaliwal, US, Sukhpak Singh (UK), Harriet Singh aka Rana Sungh (US), Sarabjit Singh Benoor (UK), Kulwant Singh aka Kanta (UK), Harjap Singh aka Jappi Dingh (US), Ranjit Singh Neeta (Pakistan), Gurmeet Singh aka Bagga, Gurpreet Singh aka Baaghi (UK), Jasmin Singh Hakimzada, (UAE), Gurjant Singh Dhillon (Australia), Jasbit Singh Rode (Europe and Canada), Amardeep Singh Purewal (USA), Jatinder Singh Grewal (Canada), Dupinder Jeet (UK) and S Himmat Singh in the USA. The source said that their properties will be confiscated under Section 33(5) of UA(P)A. Earlier the security agencies identified a group of 11 individuals, believed to be both gangsters and terrorists, currently residing in Canada, the United States, and Pakistan. Of these, eight suspects are sus- pected to be operating from within Canada. The list includes the names of gangsters and terrorists like Harvinder Sandhu aka Rinda believed to be in Pakistan, Lakhbir Singh aka Landa, Sukhdool Singh aka Sukha Duneke (killed three days ago), Arshdeep Singh aka Arsh Dalla, Ramandeep Singh aka Raman Judge, Charnjit Singh aka Rinku Bihla, Sanawer Dhillon and Gurpinder Singh aka Baba Dalla, all believed to be in Canada. The list also includes names of gangsters and terrorists like Gaurav Patyal Lucky and Anmol Bishnoi believed to be in the USA. The source said that the government's action will help in dealing with the terrorists who have been staying abroad with OCI cards and choke their movements in India so that they are not able to target the gullible youths for radicalising them to join their movement in India.  Sources privy to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor to become They’re now trying to lynch basis of world trade, says PM Modi during Mann ki Baat me outside Parliament: Ali STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 SEPTEMBER Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the India-Middle EastEurope Economic Corridor is going to become the basis of world trade for hundreds of years to come and history will always remember that it was initiated on Indian soil. During his “Mann Ki Baat” radio show on All India Radio, on Sunday, he said that India had suggested the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor during the recently held G20 Summit. “During the time when India was very prosperous, the Silk Route was a part of discourse in our country and in the world. This Silk Route was a major medium of business and trade. Now in modern times, India has suggested another Economic Corridor in G20. This is the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor,” Mr Modi said during the 105th episode of “Mann Ki Baat”. The prime minister said after the success of Chandrayaan-3, the grand hosting of G20 Summit doubled the joy of every Indian. “Bharat Mandapam has turned out to be a celebrity in itself. People are taking selfies with it and posting them with pride,” he said. In this summit, India has proved the mettle of its leadership by making the African Union a full member of the G20, Mr Modi said. In the broadcast, Mr Modi also announced that the “G20 University Connect Programme” will be held on 26 September, where lakhs of university students across the country will connect with each other. Many prestigious institutions like IITs, IIMs, NITs and medical colleges will also participate in it, he said. The Prime Minister said he will also be participating in the programme. “I wish that if you are a college student, you must watch this programme to be held on 26 September and join it. In this, many interesting exchanges are going to take place on the future of India and on the future of the youth. I myself shall participate in this programme,” he said. “I am also waiting to communicate with our college students,” the prime minister said. He also mentioned “World Tourism Day” in the broadcast. “Two days from now, September 27, is ‘World Tourism Day’. Some people view tourism just as a means of touring and travelling, but a very big aspect of tourism is related to employment,” Mr Modi said. Mr Modi said the fascination about India has risen a lot in the last few years and after the successful organisation of G20 Summit, the interest of the people of the world towards India has grown further. “More than one lakh delegates came to India for G20. They got acquainted with the diversity here, different traditions, different types of cuisines and our heritage. The wonderful experiences that the delegates who came here have carried back with them will further expand tourism,” he said. In the broadcast, Mr Modi also mentioned Santiniketan and the Hoysala temples of Karnataka, which were recently declared world heritage sites. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 24 SEPTEMBER Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Danish Ali on Sunday demanded action against another BJP MP, Nishikant Dubey, for accusing him of instigating Ramesh Bidhuri in the Lok Sabha by using “unpardonable” words against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ramesh Bidhuri, BJP’s South Delhi MP on Thursday abused Mr Ali in the Lok Sabha. The BSP leader wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking action against Mr Bidhuri for what he termed was an act of “verbal lynching”. Amid the uproar over Mr Bidhuri’s remarks, another BJP MP Nishikant Dubey claimed that it was Mr Ali who first provoked Mr Bidhuri by making “highly objectionable and derogatory remarks against our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.” Reacting to Mr Dubey’s allegations, Danish Ali said that a BJP MP verbally lynched him inside the Parliament and they are now trying to do the same thing outside. “If what Nishikant Dubey is saying is true, there must be a video of the same... Is it true that all the BJP MPs were sitting and laughing there? This means that they did not come in sup- port of the PM… They did my verbal lynching on the house… Now they are trying to lynch me outside…,” Mr Ali said in a Press conference in Delhi. The BSP MP called for inquiry into Mr Dubey’s claims and asked the Speaker to take an action against him as well. In a letter to Speaker Om Birla, Mr Dubey had accused Mr Ali of giving a running commentary during Mr Bidhuri’s address in Lok Sabha on Thursday (21 September), as well as making derogatory remarks intended to cause him to lose his cool. He alleged that Mr Ali made “highly objectionable” remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the BSP MP called PM Modi “Neech” which triggered Mr Bidhuri and he fell in Mr Ali’s trap.