‘BJP DOES POLITICS TO SERVE THE NATION’ 19 MAY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd Facebook.com/thestatesman ‘IF PAK MAKES MISTAKE, WE’LL WIPE IT OUT’ PAGE 5 ROYALS LOOK FOR MUCH-NEEDED IMPETUS VS KKR PAGE 10 PAGE 12 India’s National Newspaper since 1818 PAGES 12 | `5.00 | LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. STRONG SURFACE WINDS(SPEED 25-35 KMPH ) DURING THE DAY.HEAT WAVE CONDITIONS AT MANY PLACES. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 44 AND 28 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. Delhi CM's aide arrested INDIA alliance busy in destroying Delhi: PM in Maliwal assault row Bibhav Kumar has also lodged a complaint with police against Maliwal RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 70 % TEMPERATURE Max: 43.7 °C (3) SUN RISES 05:28 hrs MOON RISES 15:24 hrs Min. 18 % Min: 27.1 °C (1) SUN SETS 19:08 hrs MOON SETS 03:17 hrs THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MAY C A woman florist with bundles of statice flowers, in Senapati, Manipur, on Saturday. ANI FSSAI alerts fruit traders: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has alerted traders’/fruit handlers/Food Business Operators (FBOs) operating ripening chambers to strictly ensure compliance with the prohibition on calcium carbide for artificial ripening of fruits, particularly during the mango season. The FSSAI also advised Food Safety Departments of States /UTs to remain vigilant and take serious action and deal stringently against those indulging in such unlawful practices. (Pg 5) hief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's close aide Bibhav Kumar was arrested by the Delhi Police on Saturday in connection with the alleged misconduct with the AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. It is said that police may likely question other people also in this connection in the days to come. It is said that Bibhav Kumar has also lodged a complaint with police and also declared that he was ready for the investigation into the incident. Following his arrest in the evening, several party leaders could be seen visiting Mr Kumar's residence in visuals shared by news agencies. This follows after Ms Maliwal recorded her statement before a magistrate in this connection at the Tis Hazari court on Friday. Mr Kumar's arrest comes two days after an FIR was filed against him at the Civil Lines police station on Thursday, which was after police recorded her statement in connection with the alleged misconduct. Ms Maliwal has alleged that the CM's aide attacked her, slapping her in the face and kicking her in the chest and abdomen on 13 May morning, when she had gone to meet the chief minister. The FIR was filed under IPC Sections 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 354B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (Punishment Our aim is to protect the Constitution: Rahul Gandhi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MAY Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the aim of the INDIA bloc is to protect the Constitution and appealed to people to safeguard it by ousting the ruling BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Addressing his maiden rally here in support of the three INDIA bloc candidates— JP Agarwal, Udit Raj and Kanhaiya Kumar ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, he said: “Our aim is to protect this Constitution. If this goes away, which the BJP wants, Narendra Modi ji wants ... so, the first work is to safeguard this book, ‘Constitution’ because this is your future, your dream and voice of your heart.” Accusing the BJP of misusing the Enforcement Direc- torate and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), he said: “Arvind Kejriwal ji and Hemant Soren ji were put in jail. There is a list of leaders from the Congress to. Our fight is to save the Constitution.” Attacking Prime Minister Modi, he said, “Narendra Modi ji worked for 22 to 25 people. He waived off Rs 16 lakh crore of big billionaires including Adani and Ambani but not of small businessmen and farmers. He privatised the Red Fort which is a symbol of the country.” Referring to demonetization and GST, he claimed businesses were shut at large scale because of it. “In Chandni Chowk, there are small and medium businessmen, traders. I want to ask you what did Narendra Modi ji do for you in the last 10 years?” he asked the gathering. Senior party leadersP Chidambaram and Ajay Maken, Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav and AAP leaders, among others were present at the rally. The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), part of the INDIA bloc, announced seatsharing in Delhi and several states for the general elections. As per the agreement, of the seven parliamentary seats in Delhi, Congress is contesting in three parliamentary seats and AAP in four constituencies. for criminal intimidation), and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). The BJP on the other hand has questioned Mr Kejriwal's silence on the issue, and hit out at the AAP chief for not speaking a word on the issue, saying that once he would praise the same leader and now when the alleged incident took place at his own residence with her, he is not breaking his silence. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva has hit out at the Delhi CM, saying that instead of speaking on various issues, he must first answer on the incident involving his own party's MP and come forward informing who is responsible for the same. Meanwhile, another purported video of Ms Maliwal which shows her being escorted out from the CM residence where she could be seen walking surfaced on social media, referring to which the AAP has claimed that everything that Ms Maliwal has alleged seems to be contradictory as she can be seen walking and not in the condition which she had said she was in after being attacked by Mr Kumar. You can put in jail whoever you want: Kejriwal dares PM Modi NEW DELHI, 18 MAY Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to arrest him and other AAP leaders, announcing that he along with his top party leaders will march to the BJP headquarters on Sunday at 12 p.m. Addressing a press conference on Saturday evening, Mr Kejriwal alleged that Prime Minister Modi is playing 'Jail ka Khel' with the AAP. "You can see how they (BJP) are after AAP. One after another, they are putting AAP leaders behind bars. I would like to tell the PM- you are playing this 'jail ka khel'. Tomorrow, I am coming to the BJP headquarters with all my top leaders, MLAs, and MPs at 12 noon. You can put in jail whoever you want," Kejriwal said. SNS (SEE P2) STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MAY Campaigning for the fifth phase of voting in Lok Sabha elections concluded on Saturday evening. In the fifth phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge , former party president Rahul Gandhi and party’s general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had campaigned extensively in different states which will go to polls on 20 May. On the last day of the campaign, Mr Shah held a road show in UP’s Amethi for BJP’s nominee and Union Minister Smriti Irani while Congress’ Priyanka Vadra for KL Sharma. Mr Kharge held a joint press conference with the parties of the INDIA bloc in Mumbai. A total of 695 candidates are in the fray for the 49 parliamentary constituencies spread across eight States and Union Territories. The 49 Lok Sabha seats, include 14 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh, 13 in Maharashtra, seven in West Bengal, five each in Bihar NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 18 MAY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday came down heavily on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi over the alleged corruption in the now scrapped excise policy and slammed the Congress for embracing the AAP at the instance of the party's 'royal family' for vote bank politics. “Delhi aur Haryana mein Dosti, Punjab mein kushti (friendship in Delhi and Haryana, wrestling in Punjab). This is what the INDIA bloc is,” he said while addressing an election rally at Ghonda in North-East Delhi in support of BJP MP candidates Manoj Tiwari from North-East Delhi, Harsh Malhotra from East Delhi and Praveen Khandelwal from Chandni Chowk constituency. Mr Modi was obviously referring to the seat adjustment between the AAP and the Congress in Delhi and Haryana although they fight against each other in Punjab. Without directly referring to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other top leaders of AAP, PM Modi alleged they had indulged in corruption worth crores of rupees in the liquor scam and were now visiting jails. “The same Congress party, which After Kharge snub, Adhir says Situation in Bishkek calm: Kyrgyzstan won’t stop fight against TMC Foreign Ministry after India issues advisory STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 18 MAY Hours after getting a snub from the Congress high command over his hardline stance against Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president, on Saturday sent a strong message to the party leadership and said that he would continue his fight against Miss Banerjee and the TMC. Mr Chowdhury told reporters in Berhampore in Murshidabad district: “As a soldier of the Congress I will continue my fight against her and her party Trinamul Congress. It’s a political fight of morality not from any personal grudge. I am fighting to save Congress here in our state.” “I can’t entertain someone who wants to destroy our party. It can’t go on. I am also a member of the CWC and party high command,” Mr Chowdhury, a five-time MP from Berhampore who has been nominated again from the seat this time as well. Mr Chowdhury remarked earlier on Thursday that he did not trust the chief minister and that she could move towards BJP. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said it's the party high command to take a call, not Adhir Ranjan. “Mamata Banerjee has said that she will support INDIA from outside; in the past also such things happened. During the Congressled UPA, the Communists supported from outside,” said Mr Kharge in Mumbai earlier today. Campaign ends for 5th phase of Lok Sabha polls and Odisha, three in Jharkhand, and one each in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Prominent candidates from the BJP are Union Ministers Rajnath Singh (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh), Smriti Irani (Amethi) and Piyush Goyal (Mumbai North, Maharashtra); prominent candidates from Congress include Rahul Gandhi (Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh) and KL Sharma (Amethi). Other key candidates are former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah(Baramulla) and president of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Chirag Paswan (Hajipur, Patna). The Lok Sabha elections are being held in seven phases between 19 April and 1 June. The first phase of polling was held on 19 April, second phase on 26 April, third phase on 7 May and fourth phase on 13 May. The first phase recorded 66.14 per cent voter turnout, second 66.71 per cent, third 65.68 per cent and fourth 69.16 per cent. The results will be declared on 4 June. PM Modi along with BJP candidates during a public meeting for the Lok Sabha elections, in New Delhi on SUBRATA DUTTA Saturday. was earlier taking the credit for exposing the liquor scam, was now supporting the AAP and was silent on the scam," the Prime Minister said. Hitting out at CongressAAP alliance in Delhi, the Prime Minister said: “The INDI Alliance is hell-bent on creating hindrances to development works.They are responsible for breaking the trust of the people.” Mr Modi said: “They formed the government to end corruption, but now they are busy defending themselves against corruption charges.” “Amid development works happening here, the INDIA alliance is busy in destroying Delhi...They are not leaving any opportunity to loot the people of Delhi. These people had come in the name of eliminating corruption, but today they are in jail due to scams worth crores of rupees," he said. Mr Modi hit out at the grand old party for contesting just three Lok Sabha seats in the national capital, saying: “Four generations of Congress ruled in Delhi, but today such is the state of the party that they can't even contest in four seats here.” 889 candidates to contest in sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MAY The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday said 889 candidates are in the fray for the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls, scheduled to be held on 25 May. In a statement, the ECI said: “889 candidates from eight States/Union Territories (UTs) to contest elections in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls. This includes 20 contesting candidates for the adjourned poll in Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency (PC) of Jammu and Kashmir.” “A total of 1,978 nominations were filed for 57 PCs across the seven States/UTs going for polls in this phase. After the scrutiny of all nominations filed, 900 nominations were found to be valid. In Anantnag-Rajouri, 28 nominations were filed and 21 nominations were found to be valid,” it said. The poll panel informed that for the sixth phase, Uttar Pradesh had a maximum of 470 nomination forms submitted for 14 parliamentary seats, followed by Haryana with 370 nominations filed for elections to 10 seats. Ranchi parliamentary seat in Jharkhand received the maximum number of nominations with 70 forms filed followed by North-East Delhi seat in Delhi with 69 nomination forms, it said. Average number of contesting candidates in a seat for the sixth phase is 15, it added. In the sixth phase, the polling will be held in 58 seats across eight States and Union Territory ~ Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. AGENCIES BISHKEK, 18 MAY Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that the situation in Bishkek is calm and under full control and all necessary measures have been taken to ensure security and maintain peace and stability. The Kyrgyzstan Ministry said that destructive forces are deliberately disseminating untrue and false information about the situation in the country in foreign media outlets and social networks, particularly in Pakistan. In a statement, Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic informs that destructive forces are deliberately disseminating untrue and false information about the situation in the Kyrgyz Republic in foreign mass media and social networks, especially in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan." "The Ministry informs that the situation in the city of Bishkek of the Kyrgyz Republic is calm and under full control, and all necessary measures have been taken to ensure security, maintain peace and stability," it added. Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged journalists and the blogger community to publish only offi- cial and confirmed information from the competent authorities of the country. “Therefore, the Ministry urges public information media, bloggers, community representatives, as well as foreign experts to take only official and confirmed information from the competent authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic," Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.Reportedly, there have been several incidents of mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek since Friday evening, the Pakistan embassy in Kyrgyzstan said in a social media post, adding that the situation heated up. (See also Page 9)
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