FRIDAY 23 MAY 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘AMRIT STATIONS SYMBOLISE A SYNERGY OF SPEED AND PRIDE’ CM SOREN’S EDUCATION PUSH FOR JHARKHAND’S MARGINALISED YOUTH P5 SENSEX 80,951.99 q644.64 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky. Possibility of light rain / thundershower in some areas. RAINFALL: 038.2 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 98% P8 NIFTY 24,609.70 q203.75 ` vs $ 85.98 P9 RCB MEET SRH, EYE TOP-TWO BERTH P12 SILVER `1,01,000 GOLD `98,345 EAM rejects any offer of mediation on Kashmir STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Max: 31.8˚C (-3.6) Min: 22.4 ˚C (-4.5) NEW DELHI, 22 MAY E SUN SETS 18:13 hrs MOON SETS 13:13 hrs New Moon on 27 May THUMBNAILS A hippopotamus spotted with her calf inside their enclosure, at the National Zoological Park in New Delhi on Thursday. The female calf was born to her mother after a gap of four years. nANI CBI files charge sheet against Satyapal Malik in Kiru hydroelectric project case: The CBI on Thursday filed a charge sheet against former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik and five others in connection with alleged corruption in the award of Rs 2,200 crore civil work for Kiru hydropower project. The CBI has submitted its findings after three years of probe before a special court naming Malik and five others as accused. India hardens its stand against China, Turkiye for backing Pakistan xternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has rejected any offer of mediation by the international community, including US President Donald Trump, between India and Pakistan over Kashmir and made it clear that there will be consequences for Pakistan if terrorist attacks from its territory continue. An article in “De Volkskrant” during his visit to the Netherlands quoted the Indian minister as saying, '‘We want a definitive end to terrorism. Our message is therefore: yes, the ceasefire has put an end to military actions against each other for now, but if the terrorist attacks from Pakistan continue, there will be consequences. The Pakistanis must understand that very well.'’ Describing Pakistan as an epicentre of terrorism, Mr Jaishankar said terrorist groups active in Pakistan receive support from the Pakistani state. To strengthen his argument, he asked the questioner, ''Suppose there were large military centres in the middle of a city like Amsterdam where tens of thousands of people gathered for military training, would you say that your government knows nothing about that? Of course not.'' He said the world should not go along with the narrative that Pakistan does not know what is happening. The most notorious terrorists on the United Nations (UN) sanctions list are all in Pak- istan. They operate in the big cities, in broad daylight. Their addresses are known. Their activities are known. Their mutual contacts are known. ''So let's not pretend that Pakistan is not involved. The state is involved. The army is up to its neck in it.'' Mr Jaishankar disagreed with a suggestion that terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is partly the result of the Kashmir issue and that this should be resolved first to combat the menace. ''No, for us terrorism is an independent, completely unacceptable international crime that should not be condoned or justified,'' he said. He said, ''The terrorists targeted the vibrant tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir with their attack. So they are prepared to destroy things in Kashmir for their own, very limited, selfish purposes. They also deliberately gave the attack a very religious tint (Hindu versus Muslim, ed.). The world should not accept such practices.'' As for Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Jaishankar said it is a historical fact that it joined India when there was partition in 1947. ''Our position is that the illegal occupiers should return their illegally occupied parts to the rightful owner. And that is us.’' On whether the international community can mediate or whether India is going to accept President Trump's offer, the minister said, ''‘No, it is a bilateral issue between the countries involved.’' On whether India has the ambition to take China's place as the world's factory, he said, ''Our hope is indeed that the manufacturing of products in India will grow and that we will be more integrated into global production chains. New technology can be an entry point. So our interests in market access cover a much broader spectrum of modern products, such as electronic hardware, chemicals, or all kinds of pharmaceuticals.'' Asked if India already has the political influence it should have, since despite being the largest country in the world in terms of population, it is not yet a permanent member of the UN Security Council, he said, ''That permanent seat on the Security Council is indeed one of our goals. We believe that if the much-needed reform of the UN and the Security Council finally comes about, we will receive a lot of support for our claim.'' On whether India can also play a mediating role in ending the Russian war against Ukraine, he said India has a position that many countries in the Global South probably share. India strives for a peaceful solution to this conflict. ''If we can do something about it, we are open to it. But of course this depends on the parties involved.'' STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 22 MAY In the wake of reports that Pakistan used military hardware from China and Türkiye in the recent confrontation, India on Thursday hardened its stand against both the nations for backing the neighbouring country. “Mutual trust, mutual sensitivity, and mutual respect form the basis of India-China relations,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing when asked to comment on reports that Pakistani forces flew Chinese-made J-10C fighters during the four-day conflict with India. "Our NSA and the Chinese Foreign Minister and Special Representative on Boundary Issue Wang Yi had spoken to each other on May 10, 2025, when NSA conveyed India’s resolute stance against cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan," the MEA spokesperson said. He said the Chinese side Max voters assigned to polling station No talks, no trade, not even water: PM Modi warns Pakistan reduced from 1,500 to 1,200: EC STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BIKANER, 22 MAY In a loud and clear message to Islamabad post ''Operation Sindoor'', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made it clear that India would not allow Pakistan access to its rightful share of water and that playing with Indian blood would come at a steep cost. “This resolve is India's commitment, one that no force in the world can shake”, he declared while asserting that any discussion with Pakistan would solely revolve around Pakistan-OccupiedKashmir (PoK). He warned that if Pakistan continued exporting terrorists, it would face economic ruin. "There will be no trade no talks with Pakistan and not even water from India be given, this is the firm resolve of new India," the PM said. "No power in the world can deviate India from this resolve. Playing a bloody game with India would cost Pakistan dearly," PM Modi said while addressing a public meeting in Palana, Bikaner District, Rajasthan, exactly a month after the Pahalgam terror attack. He categorically reiterated that even a single terror attack against India henceforth will make Pakistan liable for paying the heavy cost. "We will retaliate appropriately and effectively. The time, mode (of gravity), and other conditions would be decided and dictated by our armed forces," the PM said. "We will not distinguish between terrorists and those who support them—whether defending a government or operating independently, both will be treated as one. The excuse of state and non-state actors will no longer be accepted to justify actions or situations," PM cautioned. The nuclear blackmailing would also not deter or scare us, Modi said. "This operation was not revenge or retaliation, rather it was the new mode of deliv- ering justice by India. This is the 'Samarth Bharat's Raudra Swaroop (Avtar)'", Modi asserted. Pakistan can not win against India in direct and full-blown war, that is why for decades that country had been inflicting terrorism as the proxy war, he said. He then affirmed, "Let it be clear—Modi is calm and composed in mind, but his blood runs hot. It’s not just blood that flows through Modi’s veins, it's fiery sindoor—a symbol of unwavering passion and resolve.'" Earlier, in his address, the Prime Minister talked about the intensified efforts made by his government in expansion, upgradations and updation of the Indian Railways' network. NEW DELHI, 22 MAY The Election Commission on Thursday announced that the maximum number of electors assigned to a single polling station has been restricted from 1500 to 1200, a step which is expected to significantly reduce overcrowding and waiting time at polling booths. This is also a step to make the voting process more accessible and streamlined for citizens. Recognizing the growth of urban settlements, highrise buildings and residential colonies, the poll panel also has a vision for the setting up of additional polling booths within such societies to make voting more convenient and locally accessible to voters. Furthermore, voter information slips are being redesigned to become more user-friendly, with serial numbers and part numbers now displayed more prominently for easy identification of polling details. In a move to enhance the accuracy of the electoral rolls, the EC will now directly obtain death registration data from the Registrar General of India (RGI), and once verified, this data will be used to remove the names of deceased persons from the rolls, ensuring greater authenticity. The poll panel has also conducted an extensive outreach program to engage political parties across the country, and so far a total of 4,719 meetings have been held at the levels of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), District Electoral Officers (DEOs), and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), with over 28,000 representatives of political parties participating in these consultative sessions. In line with this, 40 meetings were held at the CEO level, 800 at DEO level and 3,879 at the level of EROs across the country. Additionally, the Commission has held meetings with the heads of several National and State-level political parties, including AAP, BJP, BSP, CPI(M) and NPP, among others. The Commission is also focusing on strengthening the workforce involved in the election process through targeted training and identification measures. India planning modular space station by 2035: ISRO chairman STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BHUBANESWAR, 22 MAY The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to put in space the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), a modular space station, by 2035, ISRO’s Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Space, Dr. V. Narayanan, said here on Wednesday. The launching of BAS will enhance India’s presence in space research and foster advancement in space technology, Dr. Narayanan said while interacting with students, researchers and faculty members of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) here. “India’s first ever human space flight mission, ‘Gaganyaan’ is expected to be launched in March 2027 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 64.01 Jaishankar said terrorist groups active in Pakistan receive support from the Pakistani government Min. 61% TEMPERATURE SUN RISES 04:54 hrs MOON RISES 01:03 hrs ISRAELI POLITICIAN CRITIQUES THE GAZA WAR’S TOLL ON PALESTINIANS for which four test pilots are undergoing training to be astronauts,” he informed. This will be preceded by launching of uncrewed missions to test systems as India’s objective is to become a global space power by 2047, Dr. Narayanan said adding only Russia, the United States and China had been successful to independently launch humans into space till now. Dr. Narayanan, a rocket propulsion expert, said though India’s space program had started in 1962, it had traversed a long way technologically since then and was contemplating to take an Indian to the Moon and bring him back safely. Pointing out that ISRO was established in 1969 when the US had already become successful in putting Neil Armstrong on the Moon, he said despite the late start ISRO had made phenomenal progress and succeeded in putting the first 35 kg satellite in space in 1980. “Since then, India has been able to develop six gen- erations of launch vehicles and created a record by conceiving a 40-storey high rocket in only 27 days,” he said. There was a time, Dr. Narayanan said, when India was mocked, insulted and denied access to cryogenic engine technology. But India had, since then, been able to develop three such engines, two of them indigenously. “India is the only country which soft landed Chandrayaan-3 on Moon’s south pole and is the first to find water molecules on the lunar surface,” he said adding the country created a world record by placing more than 100 satellites in space on a single mission. India is also the only nation to have reached Mars’ orbit in its very first attempt, Dr. Narayanan said. Chandrayan-4, Dr. Narayanan said, would be a complex mission as it would be expected to bring back lunar samples. India planned to launch Chandrayaan-5 in collaboration with Japan. One of ISRO’s significant achievements has been the successful completion of a docking experiment involving two satellites which was executed with exceptional precision on 16 January , 2025. The docking happened when the satellites were travelling at a speed of 28,400 km per hour, he said. Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of SOA’s International Advisory Board and former Director of IIT, Kharagpur was present. SOA’s Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda welcomed Dr. Narayanan while Prof. Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs), proposed the vote of thanks. Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) conducted the program. is well aware that mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual sensitivity remain the basis of India-China relations. India also stressed that it expects Türkiye to "strongly urge" Pakistan to end its support to cross-border terrorism and take credible and verifiable actions against the terror ecosystem it has harboured for decades. "We expect Türkiye to strongly urge Pakistan to end its support to crossborder terrorism and take credible and verifiable actions against the terror ecosystem it has harboured for decades. Relations are built on the basis of sensitivities to each other’s concerns," the MEA spokesperson said. Highlighting the Indus Waters Treaty, the MEA spokesperson said that the treaty will remain in "abeyance" until Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for crossborder terrorism." The cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan came after India's 'Operation Sindoor', launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The operation targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), leading to intense clashes, including Pakistan's attempted drone attacks on Indian cities along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) and shelling along the LoC. Japan, UAE extend full support to India in its fight against terrorism STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 22 MAY Japan and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday extended their full support to India in its fight against terrorism in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam attack. An all-party parliamentary delegation led by Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Jha met top Japanese leaders in Tokyo, reaffirming India's unwavering stand against terrorism under the global outreach campaign of Operation Sindoor. The delegation includes BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi and Brij Lal, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member John Britas, and senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid. Their visit marks the beginning of India's unprecedented diplomatic campaign to expose Pakistan's sustained role in cross-border terrorism following the April 22 Pahalgam attack. In Tokyo, the delegation held key talks with Takashi Endo, Chairman of the Japanese House of Representatives Committee on National Security, and conveyed India's unified and resolute stance against terrorism in all its forms. Endo expressed Japan's strong solidarity with India in its fight against terror, according to the Indian Embassy. The delegation also met Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, who reiterated Tokyo's support and praised India's restraint in the face of provocation. Meanwhile, another all-party delegation led by Shiv Sena MP Dr Shrikant Shinde held meetings with leaders of the UAE in Abu Dhabi, reiterating India's strong stance against terrorism.