THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER 2024 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘OPPOSITION WANTS HOUSE TO FUNCTION’ SYRIA’S EUPHORIA MAY BE PREMATURE P7 SENSEX 81,526.14p16.09 WEATHER Cloudy. Hazy in the evening. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 25°C and 14°C respectively. SOUTH KOREA MARTIAL LAW CASE: EX-DEFENSE CHIEF ATTEMPTS SUICIDE P5 NIFTY 24,641.80p31.75 P9 ` vs $ 84.86 Dhankhar biggest disruptor in RS: Oppn Vice President behaves like the spokesperson of ruling party, says Kharge Max. 69% STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Max: 25.4˚C SUN RISES 06:06 hrs MOON RISES 14:07 hrs Min. 50% NEW DELHI, 11 DECEMBER Min: 14.8˚C SUN SETS 16:53 hrs MOON SETS 02:37 hrs S Full Moon on 15 December THUMBNAILS Shikaras seen on the water of Dal Lake on a winter day under a partly cloudy sky, in Srinagar on Wednesday.n ANI tepping up its attack on Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Congress-led Opposition on Wednesday called him the “biggest disruptor” in the Upper House and accused him of running the House in a partisan manner. A day after nearly 60 Rajya Sabha members belonging to the Opposition INDIA bloc submitted notice for a no-confidence motion to the Rajya Sabha Secretary General against Dhankhar, the house witnessed pandemonium over the move. Addressing a joint press conference of the INDIA parties in the Rajya Sabha at the Constitution Club, CongressPresidentMallikarjun Kharge, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said: “I am deeply saddened that the Chairman has left us with no option but to go ahead with this notice. For the last three years, instead of allowing Opposition members to raise critical issues,heresortedtoschooling senior leaders, speaking down to them like a head- master as though there were students in a classroom.” “For the first time in our history, we have a Chairman who openly criticises the Opposition parties in public forums and behaves as a spokesperson for the ruling party. He routinely denies the Opposition the opportunity to present their views in the house,” he added. As the custodian of the House and the protector of the rights of every member, Mr Kharge said, the Chairman is expected to rise above politics, seek consensus, and ensure that thevoicesofallthemembers and parties are heard. Accusing Mr Dhankar of openly encouraging and provoking the Treasury benchestomakeoutrageous remarks against the Opposition, he said the Chair looks at the Opposition leaders inside the House as his opponents. “It seems to us that he is working as the spokesperson of the government for its next promotion. I have no hesitation in saying that the biggest disruptor in the RajyaSabhaistheChairman himself. If the house is in disarray, the biggest reason for it is our Chairman.” Bengaluru techie's wife, her kin booked for abetment of suicide STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BENGALURU, 11 DECEMBER After a 34-year-old techie committed suicide in Bengaluru, an FIR has been registered against his wife and her family members for allegedly harass- ing him, police said on Wednesday. They said the FIR has been registered against the deceased's wife Nikita Singhania, mother-in-law Nisha Singhania, brother-in-law Anurag Singhania and his wife's uncle Sushil Singhania, for abetment of suicide. “The FIR was lodged at the Marathahalli police station in Bengaluru following a complaint by the brother of the deceased Atul Subhash,” police said. According to the complaint, Subhash married Nikita in 2019 and they had a child together. The complaint alleges that the four accused filed a false case against the techie after his divorce and demanded Rs 3 crore for the settlement of the case. Subhash was found hanging at his house in Bengaluru on Monday. He reportedly left behind a 24-page suicide note and a nearly 90-minute long video wherein he alleged that his wife and her family members filed several false cases against him and his family. P12 SILVER 1,03,000 GOLD 80,015.00 RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY TEMPERATURE WORLD CHESS C'SHIP: DING, GUKESH IN ANOTHER DRAW BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 72.99p0.80 New RBI Governor takes charge: Former Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra on Wednesday took charge as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. His tenure is for three years. Addressing a press conference after assuming charge, Sanjay Malhotra said It’s a huge responsibility, and all decisions will be taken with the public interest in mind. “It’s an honour to head this prestigious institution, but more than that, it's a huge responsibility,” Mr Sanjay said. “I will try to ensure policy continuity and stability. We will continue to collaborate with formal financial inclusions,” he added. (Page 10) Grateful to leaders who honoured me: Mamata STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 11 DECEMBER Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed her gratitude to the leaders who have expressed support for her to lead the INDIA bloc, amid growing talk about a change in the alliance's leadership. While talking to the press this afternoon on the second day of her trip to Digha, Miss Banerjee said: “Let the people keep faith on the INDIA alliance. I feel honoured for the regard the leaders have given to me. I wish good health of those who have given me so much regard. Let INDIA alliance stay well." Miss Banerjee, however, made no statement regarding her willingness to lead the Opposition alliance. Earlier, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar had expressed his support for Miss Banerjee to take up a leadership role in the INDIA bloc, Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad had also backed Miss Banerjee for the leadership role in the INDIA bloc. Mr Tejaswi yadav had also said that Miss Banerjee should lead the INDIA alliance but a consensus in the matter should be taken. While giving an interview to a Bengali television channel last week, Miss Banerjee had said she was willing to work for the deveopment of Bengal.