MONDAY 20 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 UNWISE OPTIONS 'MY HINDU FAITH GIVES ME MY FREEDOM' P9 WEATHER MAINLY CLEAR SKY. SHALLOW FOG IN THE MORNING. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 27 AND 12 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY TEMPERATURE Max: 27.2°C (-1) SUN RISES 06:48 hrs MOON RISES 13:03 hrs P6 Min: 12.2°C (0) SUN SETS 17:26 hrs MOON SETS 00:14 hrs Jagaddhatri pujo at the Patuli Mela ground on Sunday in Kolkata.SNS Six cops on way for PM's rally killed in road accident in Raj: Six policemen who were assigned for VIP duty for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Churu district of Rajasthan died and one more was severely injured when their vehicle collided with a truck on NH 58 early Sunday morning. The injured was rushed to a government hospital in Jodhpur, the Superintendent of Police, Nagaur, Narayan Togas said. According to the police, the team from Khinvsar police station of Nagaur was going to Jhunjhunu in the early hours for the security of PM’s meeting to be held in Jhunjhunu in the afternoon when their vehicle collided with the heavy vehicle on National Highway 58. P12 Stage set for 7th Bengal India suffer heartbreak yet again as Travis ‘Heads’ Global Business Summit Australia’s 6th WC title win Top business leaders, industrialists expected to attend meet T THUMBNAILS he stage is ready for the 7th edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) which is scheduled to be inaugurated on 21 November at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in New Town. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be present along with her Cabinet ministers and senior bureaucrats headed by the Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi. The programme will start at 3 p.m. The two-day BGBS will be held at three venues, namely the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan and the Dhana Dhanya auditorium, where the concluding programme will be held on 22 November. The capacity of the main auditorium at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre is the biggest in the country. Business leaders including Mukesh Ambani, Niranjan Hiranandani, Sajiv Goenka, Sajjan Jindal, Sanjeev Puri, Purendu Chatterjee, Harvardhan Neotia are likely to be present at the function along with a host of industrialists. There will be delegations from the United King- Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee offers prayers at Dahi Ghat on the occasion of Chhath Puja, in Kolkata.  BISWAJIT GHOSHAL dom, Poland and several other countries. Chief Economic Advisor Amit Mitra is likely to attend the conference. There will be interactive sessions between the senior state government officials and foreign delegates, presentation by various state government departments and B2B meetings. Senior bureaucrats led by the Chief Secretary, Debbashis Sen, managing director Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) and senior police officers oversaw the final arrangements for the summit on Sunday. Pavements and railings in New Town, Eastern Metropolitan Bypass and those near Dhana Dhanya auditorium have been spruced up. Elaborate police arrangements will be made in the vicinity of the venues to avoid ‘Our cooperation with India is to ensure Indo-Pacific remains open, inclusive’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 NOVEMBER Ahead of the ‘2+2’ ministerial dialogue between the two countries on Monday, Australia has said its cooperation with India is at the heart of its approach to ensuring the Indo-Pacific remains open, inclusive and resilient. “India is a top-tier security partner for Australia and our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is one of practical, tangible actions that directly benefit the IndoPacific region,” Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles said. “This year has seen a number of firsts in our defence relationship, including an Indian submarine visit to Perth and Australia’s hosting of Exercise Malabar, demon- P4 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 19 NOVEMBER Max.98% Min. 46% ATP FINALS: DJOKOVIC BEATS ALCARAZ IN SEMIS ‘KCR SPEAKING LIKE SEEMANDHRA LEADERS’ strating the growing closeness of our defence and security partnership,” he said. Mr Marles and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong will hold the '2+2' ministerial dialogue with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi tomorrow. In a statement, the Australian government said the Australia–India relationship has never been more consequential. “We are working together through our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, as Quad partners and beyond to promote a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” it added. Canberra said the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue is a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship and an opportunity to progress their work together to shape the type of region the two nations want. The ministers on the two sides will advance cooperation on their shared regional interests, including in defence, security, renewable energy and technology. They will also discuss deepening trade and investment ties. The two sides will discuss ways to continue driving forward the Australia–India defence relationship and discuss the shared challenges facing the region. Australian Foreign Minister Wong will also meet her counterpart Jaishankar for the long-standing annual Australia~India Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue. Ms Wong, meanwhile, said: “The India–Australia partnership is central to the stability and prosperity of our shared region.” “Along with our deepening defence and security cooperation, Australia is committed to partnering with India more closely for the benefit of our region, in the Indian Ocean, in Southeast Asia and in the Pacific.” TRIDIB BAPARNASH traffic jams and ensure smooth movement of the guests. The guests will be put up in the star hotels in New Town and in the city. One of the major thrust areas at the BGBS will be the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises and Textile ( MSME). Bengal occupies the second position in MSMEs in the country and the effort is to make it the Number 1 state. Miss Banerjee is expected to brief foreign delegates in detail about why Bengal is the ideal business destination in India. Among other points, Bengal is the gateway to the North East and has a huge hinterland. The state government has set up land bank and no man day was lost in the past one decade. The state government is investment friendly and will provide all necessary to the in investors. Tourism has been given the status of an industry and Bengal is coming up in the tourism sector in a big way. The money spent by the state government and the Centre to improve the coast line is likely to increase the volume of tourists in the coastal areas. Digha has been developed and there is scope for investment in the tourism sector in Digha, Mandarmani and Sunderbans. India sends 32 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Palestine AHMEDABAD, 19 NOVEMBER It’s been a 10-year-long wait for an ICC silverware, 12 for a 50-over World Cup... and the wait continues as Australia braved a partisan crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium to make light work of India when it mattered the most and walk away with the 2023 World Cup champions title – their sixth in the 50over format. For those cricket fans in their mid-30s, who were in their teenage years and cried themselves to sleep the night of 23 March 2003, Travis Head rubbed salt to India’s wounds with a match-winning century to take the Kangaroos home by six wickets, bringing back memories of Ricky Ponting’s feat in Johannesburg two decades back. India’s performance on Sunday was only a pale shadow of their dominant self throughout the sporting extravaganza, that started with a six-wicket win against the same opponents in Chennai and went on to win 10 games on the bounce before falling short on the big stage. On the eve of the encounter, Australia skipper Pat Cummins had famously said: “Nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent.” He walked the talk on D-Day by restricting India for a sub-par 240 to seize the momentum right after the first powerplay! While India pulled the strings in the second innings by reducing Australia to 47 for 3, the joy was shortlived as Travis Head anchored India's Jasprit Bumrah tries to console Mohammed Siraj after losing the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 final match. ANI the chase with a calculative century. India’s initial change in tactic worked well as Mohammed Shami, used as a first change till Sunday’s final, was employed to operate with the new ball, and he delivered with the key wicket of David Warner before Jasprit Bumrah pegged back the Kangaroos with the wickets of Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith to loud chants of the crowd. Finding Australia in a spot, Kohli started goading the crowd to pile up the pressure but Head held his nerves to bring up his half century off 58 deliveries, and found the perfect second fiddle in Marnus Labuschagne to steer the team out of a precarious position. A couple of boundaries off left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav got Head to 97 before he crossed over for a double to reach 99 and one ball later sprinted for another single to complete his fifth ODI century – one he may never top! Immediately after, Head mounted the pressure on the Indians, launching Ravindra Jadeja for a flat six even as Labuschagne satisfied himself labouring between the 22 yards to bring up a sedate unbeaten 58 off 110 balls, as the fourth wicket partnership of 192 runs eventually took the Aussies to the finish line. FESTIVE MOMENTS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 NOVEMBER A second Indian Air Force (IAF) C17 aircraft, carrying 32 tonnes of aid, on Sunday departed for the El-Arish Airport in Egypt to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Palestine, who are caught up in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. In a post on X, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed New Delhi's commitment to extend humanitarian assistance to Gazans, posting, "We continue to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Palestine. Second @IAF_MCC C17 aircraft carrying 32 tonnes of aid departs for the El-Arish Airport in Egypt." Earlier, India sent 38 tonnes of humanitarian relief for civilians caught up in the ongoing ground offensive by the Israeli forces in the Strip. Devotees perform rituals during Chhath Puja at ITO Chhath ghat, on Sunday.  SNS (SEE ALSO PAGE 02) Cong leaders tried to run out each 2-2.5 days to rescue trapped workers: Nitin Gadkari other for 5 years in Rajasthan: PM STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE DEHRADUN, 19 NOVEMBER STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE JAIPUR, 19 NOVEMBER Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday compared the fiveyear term of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to a cricket match where the Congress leaders tried to run out each other and fixed the match through corruption and bribes. "In their (Congress leaders) fight, far from scoring runs for the Congress, they were busy running each other out. Those who are left are becoming hit wickets by making wrong statements on women and other issues. The remaining ones do match fixing by taking money and bribes,” Mr Modi told a BJP's poll rally in Churu district. “When their team is so bad, then what runs will they score and what work will they do for you in the next five years? We have to score five to seven centuries at every polling booth,” he said. The PM said that under Congress rule, it has become difficult to even take the name of God in this land. “On the one side, there is BJP, which gets the Kartarpur Sahib corridor built, while on the other, the Congress does not even allow Shobha Yatra to take place here during its rule. They ban the procession of Gods and Goddesses, but promote the rally of terrorist organisation PF,” he alleged. While elaborating on the points he had raised in his previous speeches, of corruption in mines, money-gold deposited in private lockers, a minister's comment over MardanaPurush in rape cases, paper leak, red diary, and appeasement policy during the Gehlot government, the PM said: “The Congress has spread corruption. If the BJP is voted to power, all the corrupt people will be thrown out and the BJP will score development quickly. Victory will be for Rajasthan; victory will be for the future of farmers, women and youth.” Union minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, who visited the site of the collapsed Uttarkashi tunnel on Sunday, said he hoped rescue teams will reach the workers trapped inside the tunnel in the next two to twoand-a-half days. Mr Gadkari reached the mishap site in the morning along with Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and held marathon meetings with rescue teams on the actions taken so far to rescue the 41 workers trapped inside the tunnel for the past week. (photo) “If the auger machine works properly, we will be able to reach the stranded workers in two to two amd a half days,” Mr Gadkari said, speaking to the media at the tunnel site after the meeting. “We are concerned for those trapped inside the tunnel... We are consulting with experts from US, Switzerland and other countries for their rescue, Mr Gadkari said, adding that private tunnel experts working for different organisations in the region have also been roped in. According to officials engaged in the rescue work, meanwhile, the entire exercise to rescue the trapped workers has been revised. Now the focus is on a five-point strategy to save the 41 lives trapped inside the tunnel for more than seven days. Escape passage drilling will be taken up from five sides. Union Road Transport and Highways Joint secretary Mahmood Ahmed will lead the revised plan. According to the new action plan, the rescue operation will be taken up by five central agencies with support from the state government. Drilling and excavation works will go on simultaneously from four sides including both ends of the tunnel, top of the tunnel as well as left and right directions. Agencies roped in for the renewed rescue plan include Central government PSUs National Highways and Infrastructure Development Company Limited (NHIDCL), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Tehri Hydropower Development Corporation(THDC) and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). Apart from them, the Border Road Organisation (BRO) and the construction wing of the Indian Army have also been roped in the rescue operation as the Centre renewed its efforts on all fronts. NHIDCL Director Anshu Manish Khalko informed that a survey of the area surrounding the under construction tunnel has been done to explore the possibilities of drilling from the earmarked five directions. Nearly 100 metres vertical drilling will be taken up from top of the tunnel to smoothen food supplies path for the workers while 170 metres drilling from two sides will help evacuate trapped workers. Besides this, drilling of escape passage will be taken up at both extremes of the tunnel from Silkyara and Polgaom (towards Uttarkashi) village directions. Mahmood Ahmed, who is also MD, NHIDCL, will head the operation at Silkyara while Dr Neeraj Khairwal will be nodal officer for the Uttarakhand government. The decision to revise rescue efforts was taken after a visit of PMO team made up of Mahmood Ahmed, PMO Deputy secretary Mangesh Ghildiyal, former advisor of prime minister Narendra Modi Bhaskar Khulbe, along with two geological experts including senior geologist Varun Adhikari on Saturday. The under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the UttarkashiYamunotri national highway collapsed in the early hours of 12 November, trapping a total of 41 workers inside.