THURSDAY 17 JULY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘SCOPE FOR UDDHAV THACKERAY TO SIT IN TREASURY BENCHES’ SHIFTING TRIANGLES P5 SENSEX 82,634.48 p63.57 WEATHER GENERALLY CLOUDY SKY. VERY LIGHT TO LIGHT RAIN ACCOMPANIED WITH THUNDERSTORM/LIGHTNING. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 33 AND 25 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: 015.0 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 100% Min. 72 % Max: 33.6°C (-1.9) SUN RISES 05:35 hrs MOON RISES 23:31 hrs Min: 23.6°C (-3.7) SUN SETS 19:20 hrs MOON SETS 12:53 hrs TEMPERATURE THUMBNAILS A tiger cools off in a pond in its enclosure at Sarthana Nature Park in Surat on Wednesday. nANI Only 6.85 per cent electors remaining to fill enumeration forms with 9 days to go: The Election Commission Wednesday said that as of today only 6.85 per cent of electors were left to fill the enumeration form ahead of the draft Electoral Roll publication on 1 August. "As on today, 6,99,92,926 of the existing electors have given their Enumeration Form to be included in the draft Electoral-Roll to be published on 1st August, 2025," the poll panel said in a press note. NEW DELHI, 16 JULY Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, and Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Wednesday wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to bring a legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to grant full statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. NIFTY 25,212.05 p16.25 ` vs $ 86.05 NEW DELHI, 16 JULY The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to “immediately” decide the revision pleas filed against the CBFC certification granted to the film Udaipur Files. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymala Bagchi was dealing with a plea filed by film producer Amit Johnny, who has challenged the Delhi High Court’s order that had temporarily stayed the release of the movie based on the Kanhaiya Lal murder case. In a brief hearing, the Justice Kant-led Bench asked the panel constituted by the Centre under Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act to decide the revision pleas “immediately without loss P10 GOLD `1,00,460 P12 SILVER `1,14,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 68.02 Govt to introduce 8 key Bills in Monsoon Session There will be a total of 21 sittings of both Houses, which will continue till 21 August NIKHIL VYAS The Select Committee of the Lok Sabha set up to examine the Income Tax Bill 2025, chaired by BJP leader Baijayant Jay Panda, adopted the draft report on the Bill along with the proposed amendments, which will be presented to Parliament on Monday, the first day of the Monsoon session. NEW DELHI, 16 JULY T he Union government plans to introduce eight new key Bills, including the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill of 2025 and the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill of 2025 in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament which will commence from 21 July. There will be a total of 21 sittings of both Houses during the Monsoon Session, which will continue till 21 August. According to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the Union government plans to take up the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025, the Indian Institute of Management (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Geoheritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) Bill 2025, the Mines and Mines (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2025, the National Sports Governance Bill 2025 and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025 for introduction and passing in the Lok Sabha. The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024, the “For the past five years, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have consistently called for the restoration of full statehood. This demand is both legitimate and fully grounded in their constitutional and democratic right,” the leaders said in their letter. They reminded Prime Minister Modi of his own commitments made on multiple occasions, citing his interview in Bhubaneswar on 19 May 2024, where he Supreme Court asks Centre to ‘immediately’ decide on Udaipur Files certification AGENCIES ROOT RECLAIMS NO.1 TEST BATTING SPOT P6 Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, the Indian Ports Bill, 2025, and the Income Tax Bill, 2025, are also expected to be taken up for passage in the lower house. Meanwhile, the Select Committee of the Lok Sabha set up to examine the Income Tax Bill 2025, chaired by BJP leader Baijayant Jay Panda, adopted the draft report on the Bill along with the proposed amendments, which will be presented to Parliament on Monday, the first day of the Monsoon session. The report of the Select Com- Kharge, Rahul Gandhi urge PM Modi to grant statehood to Jammu and Kashmir STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE PIYUSH GOYAL MEETS DEEP-TECH STARTUPS of time”. Section 6 vests the Centre with adequate powers to declare a film to be uncertified or pass orders providing for interim measures, including suspension of the film from public exhibition. Posting the matter for further hearing on 21 July, the apex court remarked: “We can wait for some time. We are told that a committee has been formed, and the Union (government) is looking into it. We can have the benefit of the Union of India’s view. Suppose the Union says there is nothing wrong with the movie, then we will see that. If they recommend some cuts, then also we can peruse the same. If the Centre was not taking up the matter, then it was different.” said: "The restoration of statehood is a solemn promise we have made and we stand by it." Mr Kharge and Mr Gandhi have been vocal about restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. In their recent interactions, they've highlighted the importance of democratic rights for the people of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Prime Minister Modi had previously assured that J&K would soon have an elected Assembly and attain statehood again. They also pointed out that the government had made similar assurances before the Supreme Court, stating that statehood would be restored at the earliest opportunity. The leaders also urged the government to introduce legislation placing Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Mr Kharge and Mr Gandhi further stressed that downgrading a full-fledged state to a Union Territory has no precedent in independent India. mittee will be presented to the Lok Sabha on 21 July, while the bill is likely to be passed in the Monsoon session, according to a member. After the submission of the report by the Committee, the government will consider its recommendations. The government aims to implement the new Income Tax law from 1 April 2026. The Income-tax Bill, 2025, which will replace the six-decadeold Income Tax Act of 1961, will make direct tax laws simple to understand, remove ambiguities and reduce tax disputes. The session is expected to witness stormy confrontations between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition. Among the likely flashpoints between the government and the Opposition will be the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, ahead of the State Assembly polls. The Opposition is also expected to seek answers from the government on Operation Sindoor and US President Donald Trump's claims of having averted a nuclear war between India and Pakistan by mediating a ceasefire. Cabinet welcomes Shukla’s return from int’l space station STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 JULY The Cabinet on Wednesday accorded a heartfelt welcome to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on his safe return from the International Space Station (ISS) on 15 July. “This is a moment of pride, glory and joy for the entire nation. The Cabinet joins the nation in celebrating the return of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to Earth, following the successful completion of his historic 18-day mission aboard the ISS,” said the resolution Committed to bringing significant change in farmers’ lives: PM Modi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE The new scheme aims to enhance agricultural productivity and promote sustainable practices in 100 districts across the country. NEW DELHI, 16 JULY Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the Cabinet's approval of the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhanya Agriculture Scheme, said his government was committed to bringing a significant change in the lives of the farmers. "We are committed to bringing a significant change in the lives of our farmer brothers and sisters. In this direction, the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhanya Agriculture Scheme has been approved today. This will not only increase crop production in the districts that have been lagging in the agricultural sector but also boost the income of our food providers," PM Modi said in a post on his X handle on Wednesday. The Union Cabinet, on Wednesday, approved the 'Prime Minister DhanDhaanya Krishi Yojana' for a period of six years, starting 2025-26, at an annual outlay of Rs 24,000 crore and is expected to benefit 1.7 crore farmers. The scheme aims to enhance agricultural productivity and promote sustainable practices in 100 districts across the country.It will not only increase crop production in the districts that have been lagging in the agricultural sector but also aims to boost the income of farmers. The scheme will be implemented through the convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 departments, along with state schemes and private sector partnerships. The hundred districts will be identified based on low productivity, low cropping intensity, and limited credit disbursement while, progress will be monitored through 117 key performance indicators using a digital dashboard. The scheme is expected to enhance agricultural productivity through crop diversification and sustainable practices. It would also boost post-harvest storage at panchayat and block levels and will contribute to Atmanirbhar Bharat goals. adopted at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The mission marks a significant milestone in India's space exploration journey as Group Captain Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS. “The Cabinet applauds the visionary and decisive leadership of PM Modi, whose strategic foresight, unwavering belief in India's space potential, and consistent guidance have enabled the country to chart new frontiers and emerge as a leader among space faring nations,” the adopted resolution said. Tear gas fired, chaos in Bhubaneswar over student’s suicide STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BHUBANESWAR, 16 JULY A protest by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) turned chaotic on Wednesday as police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse party workers attempting to break police barricades and march to the state secretariat here. The demonstration, held over the death of a 20-yearold student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore who set herself on fire after she allegedly faced mental and sexual harassment — saw injuries to several senior BJD leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo. Ms Deo was reportedly struck on the chest during the chaos. She, along with former ministers Pranab Prakash Das and Pritiranjan Ghadei (both sustaining injuries on their legs), were rushed to hospital for treatment. ‘BJP has unleashed terror ‘You need a dictionary!’ Apex court pulls up SIT for worse than Emergency’ misreading FB posts by Ashoka University professor STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 16 JULY The BJP-led government at the Centre has unleashed a reign of terror which is worse than the Emergency, Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee said today. Protest rallies were held across the state between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. during the day against the harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states. “The Centre has issued a notification and secretly circulated it among BJP-ruled states, stating that anyone speaking in Bengali can be detained and imprisoned for a month,” Miss Banerjee alleged, adding, “We will challenge the notification in a court of law.” She participated in a rally protesting attacks and harassment of Bengali-speaking individuals in BJP-governed states. The rally commenced at College Square and concluded at Dorina Crossing, covering a distance of 2 km. Miss Banerjee, speaking at a public meeting after the conclusion of the march, said that if such attacks continued, she would travel across the length and breadth of the country to protect the rights of Bengali speakers. “Why are you targeting migrant workers simply because they speak Bengali? They are skilled workers— some are gold artisans in Gujarat, others work as masons or plumbers across various states,” she said, adding, “Have we forgotten that Bengalis produced the highest number of freedom fighters? Both the National Anthem and the National Song were penned by Bengali poets. We have 1.5 crore people in Bengal who are not Bengali, yet we have never questioned their mother tongue.” PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 16 JULY The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing Facebook posts by Ashoka University’s Assistant Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, hauling it up for “misdirecting itself” and expanding the scope of investigation beyond the two FIRs registered. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi warned that the SIT must restrict its probe strictly to the content and language of the two Facebook posts made by Prof Mahmudabad concerning the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, and not conduct a “roving inquiry.” “Why is the SIT, on the face of it, misdirecting itself?” Justice Kant asked, adding: “They (SIT) can say it’s an opinion and no offence is made out. But why take two months for this?” Rejecting Additional Solicitor General SV Raju’s request for two more months to complete the investigation, the Court gave the SIT four weeks to wrap up the probe. Justice Kant remarked in a quip directed at the ASG: “You don’t need him (Mahmudabad)… you need a dictionary!” ASG Raju was appearinv for the Haryana government. The observation came in light of the SIT’s alleged misreading of Prof Mahmudabad's Facebook posts, which, according to the bench, needed a more nuanced linguistic interpretation, rather than police scrutiny. The Court clarified that Prof. Mahmudabad, who had already joined the probe and whose electronic devices had been examined, need not be summoned again. It also directed that interim protection from arrest would continue, while reaffirming that he remains free to publish social media posts and articles, except on sub judice matters. “It seems to us that it is not needed to summon the petitioner (Mahmudabad) again to join the investigation,” the Court said in its order. “The petitioner is free to write any online posts or articles except commenting on sub judice matter.” Two FIRs had been filed against Mahmudabad over his Facebook posts, one by Yogesh Jatheri citing charges under Sections 196, 197, 152, and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the other by Haryana Women’s Commission Chairperson Renu Bhatia, invoking Sections 79, 152, and 353.