FRIDAY 03 NOVEMBER 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 ‘INFIGHTING HAS WORSENED IN K’TAKA CONGRESS’ CONGRESS NOT KEEN ON INDIA BLOC, SAYS NITISH KUMAR P5 SENSEX 64,080.90489.57 WEATHER MAINLY CLEAR SKY. SHALLOW FOG IN THE MORNING. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 30 AND 16 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max.96% Min. 56% TEMPERATURE Max: 30.2°C (0) SUN RISES 06:35 hrs MOON RISES 22:08 hrs Min: 16.3°C (+1) SUN SETS 17:35 hrs MOON SETS 12:40 hrs THUMBNAILS Akshardham temple is covered in a thick layer of smog as Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor' for fifth straight day, in New Delhi on Thursday. ANI (MORE REPORTS ON P 2) Ban on construction work in Delhi-NCR, N schools advised to go online: As the air quality in the national capital fell into the "severe" category, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Thursday issued directions to ban construction activities in the entire National Capital Region except for essential government projects and also urged the state government in the NCR and GNCTD to contemplate discontinuing physical classes in schools for children up to Class V and con(SEE P2) ducting classes in an online mode. INDIA CAN BECOME GLOBAL MANUFACTURING HUB SOON: RAJNATH P4 NIFTY 19,133.25144.10 ` vs $ 83.199 PAISE P8 GOLD 61,640110 Cong & development cannot coexist: Modi Alleges Cong leaders & their relatives saw development in their assets STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 NOVEMBER P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a blistering attack on Congress, saying the grand old party and development cannot coexist. “You have seen the failure of the Congress government here in the last five years. In these years, only Congress leaders and their relatives saw development in their assets as their number of bungalows and cars increased,” he said at an election meeting at Kanker in poll-bound Chhattisgarh. The PM wondered what the poor, Dalits, backwards and tribals of the state got from the Congress-led government in the state. “Congress gave dilapidated roads and poorly-run hospitals and schools to the people of Chhattisgarh. Congress set a new record for bribery in government offices,” he alleged. The PM observed that BJP's mission is to strengthen Chhattisgarh's identity. BJP's mission is to protect the rights of tribals and the backward. BJP's mission is to bring Chhattisgarh into the top states of the country. It is the policy of the BJP that every section of society receives the benefit of development and progress NARENDRA MODI PRIME MINISTER the people of the state and the BJP worked together for the formation of Chhattisgarh much to the discomfiture of Congress. This election, he said, was not just to elect an MLA, or chief minister, but to decide the future of the people of Chhattisgarh and their children. “The BJP's mission is to strengthen Chhattisgarh's identity. The BJP's mission is to protect the rights of tribals and the backward. Our mission is to bring Chhattisgarh into the top states of the country,” he said. “Modi’s guarantee means a guarantee of fulfilment of every assurance… We have completed the tasks which seemed impossible nine years ago,” Mr Modi said, adding he had also ensured reservations for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The PM said: “It is the policy of the BJP that every section of society receives the benefit of development and progress. For the first time in history, the BJP decided to make the daughter of a tribal family the country's president, but Congress opposed it. They carried out propaganda against her. This protest of Congress was not against BJP but against the tribal daughters.” REETIKA READY FOR BIGGER CHALLENGES AFTER NAT’L GAMES P12 SILVER 74,800700 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 87.42 India destroy Sri Lanka, storm into semi-finals MUMBAI, 2 NOVEMBER Mohammed Shami was on fire with a five-wicket haul as India decimated Sri Lanka to enter the semi-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Thursday. It was an absolute masterclass from the Indian pacers. Jasprit Bumrah set the tone with a firstball wicket before Mohammed Siraj picked up three. Mohammed Shami, who followed, claimed a five-wicket haul (5 for 18 in 5 overs) as Sri Lanka were dismissed for a grand total of 55 runs. With the win, India also reclaimed the top spot in the Cricket World Cup 2023 points table and became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals. Earlier, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer struck superb halfcenturies to help India post 357/8 against Sri Lanka, despite a fifer for left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka (5-80), in Match 33 of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday.SNS ~(Details on page 12) Mahua Moitra storms out of LS ethics panel meeting STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 NOVEMBER Trinamul Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday barged out of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee meeting along with some opposition members as she alleged that she was asked “objectionable” questions over the ‘Cash-for-Query’ charges against her. Coming out of the committee meeting, Ms Moitra expressed anger over the questions asked at the meeting. A committee member, Mr Danish Ali (BSP), who had also walked out, said she was asked personal questions, and this was not proper. On the other hand, the Chairman of the Ethics Committee Vinod Sonkar said: “Instead of giving answers, she (Ms Moitra) got angry and used unparliamentary language for the Chairperson, and Committee members. Mr Ali, Mr Girdhari Yadav and other Opposition MPs tried to accuse the committee and walked out.”