MONDAY 21 APRIL 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00 | LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR THE BOOM FADES P6 WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. OCCASIONAL SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS (SPEED 10-20 KMPH). THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 40 AND 25 DEGREE CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 71 % TEMPERATURE P5 P9 US VP arrives today for key talks with PM Trade pact, global issues to top agenda during Vance’s 4-day India visit STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 APRIL Min. 35 % Max: 39.8 °C (+3.0) SUN RISES 05:59 hrs MOON RISES 02:10 hrs ‘RUSSIA TRYING TO CREATE AN IMPRESSION OF A CEASEFIRE’ KHARGE ACCUSES BJP OF POLITICS OF INTIMIDATION Min: 26.0 °C (+4.4) SUN SETS 18:50 hrs MOON SETS 11:56 hrs THUMBNAILS Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta flags off the launch of 1,111 GPS-enabled water tankers on Sunday. Subrata Dutta (SEE ALSO PAGE 2) Gurdwara in Canada vandalised with proKhalistan graffiti: A prominent gurdwara in Vancouver, Canada, was vandalised with proKhalistan graffiti overnight, sparking outrage among the local Sikh community. The incident occurred at the Khalsa Diwan Society (KDS) gurdwara. The gurdwara administration shared images on its official X, showing the word "Khalistan" spray-painted in several locations along the wall surrounding the temple's parking lot. The vandalism came to light on Saturday morning. The talks between the two leaders are significant as they will take place against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's move to impose ÂreciprocalÊ tariffs on the USAÊs trading partners, including India. U S Vice President J D Vance will arrive here on Monday on a four-day official visit to India during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian leaders on a range of issues, including the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). On his maiden trip to India, Mr Vance will be accompanied by his Indian-origin wife, Usha Vance, and their three children. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the US leader will land in India at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Mr Vance's visit marks the first by a sitting US Vice- President to India in over a decade, with the last being former US President Joe Biden's visit in 2013. Mr Vance and his family are scheduled to visit the famous Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Delhi and also visit a shopping complex. The American leader is scheduled to meet PM Modi in the evening. The two leaders are expected to focus on an early finalisation of the proposed BTA as well as on ways to boost the overall trajectory of bilateral ties. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar are expected to join the discussions. The talks are significant as they will take place against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's move to impose reciprocal tariffs on the USA’s trading partners, including India. After the talks, the PM will host dinner in honour of the American Vice-President and his delegation. The US Vice-President will be accompanied by a five-member high-level US delegation, including rep- Five dead as cloudburst triggers flash flood, key Jammu-Srinagar highway damaged resentatives from the Pentagon and the State Department. Mr Vance and his family will be in Jaipur on Tuesday, where they will visit a number of historical sites, including the Amer Fort. In the afternoon, the US leader is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre. The summit will see participation from top Indian and American officials, with Vance expected to articulate his vision for enhanced bilateral trade and investment. Mr Vance and his family will begin their visit to Agra on the morning of 23 April to tour the iconic Taj Mahal and other monuments. According to the MEA, the visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations and the implementation of the outcomes of the India-US Joint Statement issued on 13 February during the PM’s visit to Washington. The two sides will also exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest. Mr Vance’s visit coincides with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s trip to the US during which she is scheduled to meet several key figures in the Trump administration. A high-level team of Indian officials is also leaving for Washington to advance discussions on the BTA. RCB REGISTERS 7-WICKET WIN OVER PBKS P12 Opposition goes after BJP for its MPs’ attack on judiciary STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 APRIL Several leaders of the INDIA bloc parties, including Congress, on Sunday, attacked the BJP for the remarks made by its MPs, Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma, on the judiciary and asked the party why no action was being taken against them. The BJP, however, has distanced itself from the remarks made by its MPs. Its national president JP Nadda,calling the remarks their personal opinion, said the party has always respected the judiciary. Dubey (photo), a fourtime MP from Jharkhand, stoked a controversy after he told a news agency that the“SupremeCourtisresponsible for inciting religious wars in the country. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court foreverything,thenParliament and the Assembly should be shut… Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna is responsible for all the civil wars happening in this country.” Endorsing Mr Dubey, Mr Sharma, the former deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, said: “According to the Constitution of India, no one can direct the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. No one can challenge the President as she is supreme.” BJP president JP Nadda said that the statements made by Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma were their personal opinions. „BJP neither agrees with such statements nor does it ever support them. BJP completely rejects these statements,‰ he wrote on X. Attacking the BJP, Congress general secretary incharge of Communications Jairam Ramesh wrote in a post on X: “The distancing of the outgoing BJP president from the atrocious remarks made by two BJP MPs on the Chief Justice of India carries little meaning. These MPs are repeat offenders when it comes to hate speech and are very often used by G2 to attack communities, institutions, and individuals.” Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said: “If the continued silence of the Prime Minister on these repeated attacks on the Indian Constitution is not tacitly supportive of them, why has no action Former K’taka DGP found murdered, wife prime suspect POINT OF RESISTANCE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, 20 APRIL At least three people, including two children and a woman, were killed due to flashfloods triggered due to a cloudburst during the early hours of Sunday in the Ramban district of Jammu. Some people are feared missing and official confirmation in this regard is awaited. Two more people, including a woman, died in the Arnas area of the Reasi district after being struck by lightning. This has taken the number of deaths in the region to five. Several cattle heads have also perished due to the devastation. The Kargil district of Ladakh has received unseasonal snowfall affecting normal life. The flash-flood has left a trail of destruction across the Ramban district. Several AGENCIES BENGALURU, 20 APRIL residential houses have been destroyed and a large number of taxis, buses and loaded trucks were buried under the debris that the flashflood carried. The 270-km vital JammuSrinagar highway has been washed away at several places and was buried under landslides as a result of which hundreds of vehicles and those travelling in them were stranded at different places. The Ramban district admin- istration said that about 100 people have been rescued so far and shifted to safe places. Officials confirmed that a cloudburst struck Seri Bagna village in Ramban, killing three people, including two brothers ~ Aqib Ahmad and Mohammad Saqib. More than 40 houses and shops were destroyed in the Dharam Kund village of Ramban due to flash-flood. Several vehicles were washed away in the flood. Protesters rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during the Day of Action that saw tens of thousands staging protests in communities large and small across the USA against the Donald Trump administration and its perceived assault on democratic ideals. n AGENCIES Bangladesh seeks Interpol Red Notice Residents of PoK themselves will demand merger with India: Rajnath against ousted PM Sheikh Hasina STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE AGENCIES DHAKA, 20 APRIL Bangladesh has requested Interpol to issue a red notice against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 11 others in connection with a case alleging conspiracy to overthrow the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, according to local media reports. According to the reports, the request was submitted by the Bangladesh Police Headquarters amid an ongoing investigation into charges of inciting civil war and plotting to unseat the transitional administration. Bangladeshi daily The Dhaka Tribune quoted Assistant Inspector General (Media) Enamul Haque Sagor as confirming the development. "These applications are filed in connection with allegations that emerge during investigations or through ongoing case proceedings," he stated. been taken against these two MPs? Has Nadda ji issued show-cause notices to these two MPs?.” Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said whatever the two MPs had said is the thinking of the BJP. “If anyone is creating rifts between religions, then it is the BJP. The BJP is dividing the society in the name of religion and caste. This is a very well planned programme. Whatever was said is the thinking of the BJP,” he said. Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav demanded contempt proceedings to be initiated against the two BJP MPs. The red notice, once issued, would enable law enforcement agencies globally to locate and provisionally detain the accused individuals pending extradition or other legal actions. “Interpol plays a key role in identifying the locations of fugitives residing abroad. Once the whereabouts of any absconding individual are confirmed, that information is relayed to Interpol,” said Sagor, adding that the red notice request is currently being processed. The Daily Star noted that the police undertake such procedures based on appeals from courts, public prosecutors, or investigating agencies. The Chief Prosecutor's Office of the International Crimes Tribunal had previously urged the police to seek Interpol's assistance for Hasina's arrest. That formal appeal was made in Novem- ber last year. Hasina, who is currently facing over 100 cases ranging from mass murder to corruption, fled Bangladesh on 5 August last year following a massive student-led movement that resulted in the collapse of her 16-year rule under the Awami League. Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has been residing in India since then. Most of her former ministers and top party leaders have either been arrested or have fled the country in an attempt to evade trial on serious charges, including crimes against humanity. While addressing the Awami League supporters online from India in February, the ousted Prime Minister of Bangladesh accused the Yunus-led interim government of turning the nation into an alleged hub of "terrorism" and "lawlessness." LUCKNOW, 20 APRIL Defence Minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh said that the people of PakistanOccupied Kashmir (PoK) themselves will soon demand annexation with India. “I am confident that the day is not far when the people of PoK will say they want to be merged with India,” Mr Singh said. “There was once a demand, raised from Lucknow itself by the Muslim League, to form Pakistan. Now the time has come for PoK to be integrated with India.” Highlighting India’s growing strength, Mr Singh noted: "Today, India's military capabilities have significantly increased. The BrahMos missile, manufactured in Lucknow, will not only serve India but will also be exported worldwide. I will inaugurate the facility on May 11." Mr Singh was addressing a Prabudh Sammelan organised by the city BJP on Sun- day. He emphasised India's rising economic stature, stating: “India is currently the world's fastest-growing economy. The global community now recognises the strength of India's knowledge traditions. We must make India a developed nation, building on this heritage.” He said: “Our government has performed miraculously. Earlier, India was perceived as a country of the poor. Today, that perception has changed. India's economy has climbed from 11th to 5th position globally, and financial experts predict that we will break into the top three within the next two years.” Discussing industrial and defence advancements, Mr Singh pointed out: “Eleven years ago, only two factories manufactured mobile phones in India. Today, we have 270 manufacturing units. India now ranks first globally in digital transactions... Earlier, we had to import even small defence components. Now, defence exports have surged from Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 18,000 crore, and by 2029, this figure is expected to touch Rs 50,000 crore.” Former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash was found murdered at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday. The 68-year-old retired officer was discovered in a pool of blood at his home in HSR Layout in Bengaluru. Om Prakash, a 1981 batch IPS officer, served as the 38th Director General of Police (DGP) of Karnataka in 2015. Sources said his wife, Pallavi, was the prime suspect in the murder, and has been detained. Police sources also stated that the murder took place against the backdrop of a family dispute. Sources added that it was Om Prakash’s wife who informed the police about the incident. Senior police officers rushed to the spot and have started the investigation. The body has been shifted to St. John’s Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The police have seized the knife used in the crime from the residence. Om Prakash had reportedly been stabbed three times. Om Prakash hailed from Champaran in Bihar. During his career, he served as the Commandant General of Home Guards and worked in the Fire and Emergency Services, Civil Rights Enforcement, and other departments. He had also served in the State Vigilance Commission, Karnataka Lokayukta, and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Additionally, he held the post of Transport Commissioner and was preferred for handling communal tensions in the Bhatkal region of Karwar district. He was involved in investigating two major terrorist attacks in Bengaluru. He played a key role in the arrest of the accused in the bomb blast near the BJP headquarters on 17 April 2013, and the Church Street bomb blast case on 28 December 2014.