MONDAY 26 MAY 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘PAKISTAN WILL FACE CONSEQUENCES IF ATTACKS CONTINUE’ ‘STALIN ATTENDED NITI AAYOG MEET AS THERE ARE PROBLEMS’ ISRAELI STRIKES KILL 14 IN GAZA P4 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky.Light to moderate rain/thundershower likely to occur. RAINFALL: 00.6 mm P9 Op Sindoor aroused sense of patriotism, says PM Modi Min. 68% TEMPERATURE Max: 32.1˚C (-3.3) Min: 27.2˚C (+0.3) SUN RISES 04:53 hrs MOON RISES 02:57 hrs SUN SETS 18:14 hrs MOON SETS 16:24 hrs New Moon on 27 May THUMBNAILS SHAHID K ABBAS NEW DELHI, 25 MAY A juvenile Blackbuck seen leaping within an enclosure, at Sarthana Nature Park in Surat on Sunday. nANI Caste enumeration to aid inclusion; no politics involved in it, says Modi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that caste enumeration is a step towards his government’s model to bring the marginalised and those left behind in the mainstream of development. Addressing a day-long NDA Chief Ministers' Conclave, organized by the BJP in the national capital, he said the success of Operation Sindoor was also a reaffirmation of the achievements the country has made in its push towards self-reliance. PM Modi also expressed satisfaction over “extensive deliberations” on various significant issues during the programme. “Participated in the NDA Chief Ministers' Conclave in Delhi. We had extensive deliberations about various issues. Various states showcased their best practices in diverse areas including water conservation, grievance redressal, strengthening administrative frameworks, education, women empowerment, sports and more. It was wonderful to hear these experiences,” the PM posted on X. P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that Operation Sindoor has infused the whole country with a sense of patriotism and has painted it in the hues of the tricolour. Addressing his monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister underlined that Operation Sindoor has lent a new confidence and enthusiasm to the fight against terrorism across the world. Praising the valour displayed by armed forces during Operation Sindoor, he lauded the precision and accuracy with which armed forces destroyed the terrorist hideouts across the border. “The whole country is united against terrorism today and filled with resolve to end it,” the Prime Minister said, asserting: “Today every Indian's resolution is to eliminate terrorism." “You must have seen that in many cities, villages, and small towns of the country, Tiranga Yatras were organised. Thousands of people came out holding the tricolour, to pay their respects and honour to the country's armed forces,” he said. Asserting as to how the government has been efficacious in eradicating Maoist influence, the Prime Minister shared that people in the village Gadchiroli’s Katejhari rejoiced at the arrival of a bus for the first time. He recounted how the people in the village welcomed the bus by playing Dhol-Nagara and were overjoyed upon seeing the bus, which could never have plied to the village earlier, as it was affected by Maoist violence. Expressing satisfaction that the change in Katejhari is being felt in the neighbouring areas, the Prime Minister added that on account of the collective fight against Maoism, basic facilities have now started reaching such areas. Stressing how the children in Chhattisgarh’s Maoist-affected areas were passionate about science and sports, Mr Modi said such efforts reflect the courage of people living in these areas. Expressing a sense of pride at the rising standard of education in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada, where Maoism was once at its peak, the Prime Minister expressed happiness at the excellent results of Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district in the 10th and 12th standard examinations. He pointed out that Dantewada district topped in 10th standard results while it secured the sixth position in Chhattisgarh in the 12th standard examination. The Prime Minister said he was pleased to share with listeners of Mann Ki Baat that the population of lions in Gir, Gujarat, has increased from 674 to 891 in just five years. He said the number of lions that emerged after the lion census is very encouraging. Speaking about the recently organised Rising North East Summit, the Prime Minister mentioned that Crafted Fibers was a beautiful confluence of Sikkim’s tradition, the art of weaving, and fashion. Crafted Fibers was started by a person who is a veterinarian by profession, who connected traditional weaving with modern Bypolls in Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab & West Bengal to be held on 19 June STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 MAY The by-elections for the five assembly constituencies in Kerala, Gujarat, Punjab and West Bengal were announced by the Election Commission of India today. The voting is scheduled to be held on 19 June, with the counting of votes slated four days later on 23 June. In a statement, the ECI said that the last date to file nominations is 2 June. The seats due for polls include Kadi and Visavadar in Gujarat, Nilambur in Kerala, Ludhiana West in Punjab and Kaliganj in West Bengal. While the seat for Kadi (SC) fell vacant following the death of 68-year-old Karsanbhai Punjabhai Solanki, due to prolonged cancer battle, the Visavadar constituency’s MLA Bhayani Bhupendrabhai Gandubhai, from Aam Aadmi Party, had tendered his resignation. He later joined Bharatiya Janata Party. Nilambur’s MLA PV Anwar had resigned, shortly after joining the Trinamool Congress in Kerala, in January this year, as a result of which the seat fell vacant. Formerly, he had contested for the seat as CPI(M)’s candidate. Ludhiana West constituency, in Punjab, fell vacant following the death of Congress MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi, following an accidental injury while cleaning his pistol. As per the reports, while Congress and AAP have already named their candidates, BJP is yet to declare its candidate. Further, West Bengal’s Kaliganj seat fell vacant after TMC MLA Nasiruddin Ahamed died following cardiac arrest in February this year. The ECI said that the Gazette Notification for the same will be issued on 26 May, and the last date for the scrutiny of nominations will be 3 June. Further, the candidates can withdraw their candidatures by 5 June. With the announcement of the dates, the Model Code of Conduct has been put in places where the by-elections are slated to be held. The commission also stated that the candidates with criminal antecedents are required to publish information in this regard in newspapers and through Television channels on three occasions during the campaign period. “A political party that sets up candidates with criminal antecedents is also required to publish information about criminal background of its candidates, both on its website and also in newspapers and Television channels on three occasions,” the statement read. India becomes world’s fourth largest economy STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 MAY India has officially surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy, according to NITI Aayog CEO B V R Subrahmanyam. This milestone was announced during a press briefing following the 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog where Subrahmanyam attributed this achievement to favorable geopolitical and economic conditions currently benefiting India. Further, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also projected India's nominal GDP to reach approximately $4.187 trillion in 2025, slightly P12 There is int’l understanding for Op Sindoor: Jaishankar PM lauded the precision & accuracy with which armed forces destroyed the terrorist hideouts RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 92% P5 CSK FINISH CAMPAIGN WITH 83-RUN WIN OVER GT ahead of Japan's $4.186 trillion. IMF predicts global economic growth at 2.8% in 2025 and 3% in 2026, much lower than India's estimates. This achievement underscores India's significant economic growth, driven by factors such as a favorable busi- ness environment, increased manufacturing activities, and substantial foreign investments. The country's economic policies and reforms have been instrumental in this progress. Looking ahead, India is projected to continue its upward trajectory, with expec- tations to overtake Germany by 2028, potentially becoming the world's third-largest economy by then. "It's only the United States, China, and Germany which are larger, and if we stick to, you know, what is being planned, what is being thought through, it's a matter of another 2, 2.5 to 3 years; we would become the third largest economy,” Subrahmanyam added. Notably, the April edition of the World Economic Outlook report by the IMF mentioned that the nominal GDP for fiscal year 2026 is estimated to touch nearly $4,187.017 billion, slightly more than the GDP of Japan, projected at $4,186.431 billion. Lalu Yadav disowns elder son, expels him from RJD for ‘irresponsible behaviour’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE PATNA, 25 MAY RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has disowned his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, and expelled him from the party for six years, following the circulation of videos and photographs featuring Tej Pratap with a woman named Anushka Yadav. The viral content, including a post by Tej Pratap claiming a 12-year relationship with Anushka and footage of her observing Karva Chauth for him, has caused significant upheaval within the Yadav family. LaluYadavtookthedrastic step on Sunday, reportedly concernedthatthecontroversy could damage the political future and public image of his younger son, Tejashwi Yadav,whoisbeingpositioned as the next Chief Minister of Bihar. In a statement posted on the social media platform X, Lalu Yadav said: "Ignoring moral values in one's personal life undermines our collective struggle for social justice. The behaviour, public conduct, and irresponsibility displayed by my eldest son do not align with our family’s values and traditions. Therefore, under these circumstances, I am removing him from both the party and the family. He will have no further role in either. He is hereby expelled from the party for six years." He further stated: "He is old enough to distinguish between right and wrong in his personal life." fashion and turned it into a social enterprise. He said the International Yoga Day will be celebrated on the 21st of June, and it reminds everyone to incorporate yoga into their daily lives. “The zeal and enthusiasm among people all over the world with regard to ‘Yoga Day’ is amply visible. Myriad institutions are sharing their preparations,” he said, highlighting that during these years, people made the Yoga Chain or Yoga Ring. On the topic of Ayurveda, the Prime Minister said work has started on a dedicated traditional medicine module under the International Classification of Health Interventions, which will help in making AYUSH reach the maximum number of people across the world in a scientific manner. On the issue of cleanliness, the Prime Minister cited an example of members of the ITBP team, which, while climbing mountain peaks, also took up the task of removing the garbage lying near the top. Highlighting that the Khelo India Games, being held in five cities in Bihar, were a big hit, Mr Modi said that over five thousand athletes reached Bihar from all over India. He congratulated all the medal winners, especially the top three winners – Maharashtra, Haryana, and Rajasthan. He said a total of 26 records were made in the Khelo India Games this time. Referring to World Bee Day, which was celebrated on May 20, the Prime Minister said this was an example of health, selfemployment, and self-reliance. He observed that during the last 11 years, a sweet revolution has taken place in beekeeping in India as the honey production, which about a decade ago was around 70-75 thousand metric tonnes a year, has now gone up to around 1.25 lakh metric tonnes. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 MAY External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has asserted that there was a lot of international understanding for India’s decision to launch ‘’Operation Sindoor’’ to destroy terrorist bases in Pakistan in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam attack. “This was a horrific, particularly brutal terrorist attack because it was meant to create a fear psychosis and destroy the tourism economy of Kashmir, which is the mainstay. And it also meant, in a way, to sow religious discord, the manner in which it was done. So what we were responding to was terrorism,’’ he said in an interaction at the German Council on Foreign Relations during his visit to the European nation. Mr Jaishankar recalled that the UN Security Council had, three days after the Pahalgam attack, issued a statement saying that the people who did it should be brought to justice, they should be held accountable.‘’Andthatisexactly what we did on the 7th of May (the day India launched Operation Sindoor). So, we targeted terrorist headquarters and terrorist centers,’’ he said. Mr Jaishankar disagreed with a suggestion that it was a conflict between India and Pakistan in Kashmir, saying it was a response to a terrorist attack. ‘’And a terrorist attack which is part of a pattern which has not only targeted the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, but other parts of India as well. So, it's very important to clarify, because when you project it as a conflict, you're really putting the perpetrator and the victim, without meaning to, I understand, at the same level,’’ he added. India’s campaign, he said, is against terrorists. “Now, the terrorists in this case happened to be located in the country next door, because that country next door has for many, many years used terrorism as a kind of a tool in its attempts to pressurize us or call it what you will. So, in a way I'm laboring the point. But I'm doing it because, when it comes to terrorism, I think today, there's virtually no country which would say, I approve of what is done. Or no country which would say, I don't condemn what was done. And if I were to say, I have the right to defend myself, my people, I have the right to secure my country, I think most, much of the world would agree with me,’’ he added. Mr Jaishankar was happy to point out that Germany was among the first nations to condemn the Pahalgam attack. ‘’We are very encouraged both by the very early condemnation of the terrorist attack, as well as the very clear message which we got on the 7th of May, and again today from (German) Minister Wadephul, that Germany recognizes India's right to defend itself against terrorism,’’ he added.