FRIDAY 01 AUGUST 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00 X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR FADNAVIS PRAISES ACQUITTAL OF MALEGAON BLAST ACCUSED ABANDONED BY BJP , SNUBBED BY AIADMK, OPS QUITS NDA P4 SENSEX 81,185.58 q296.28 TRADE SHOCK DEMANDS A RESOLUTE RESPONSE P5 NIFTY 24,768.35 q86.70 ` vs $ 87.60 ‘GAMBHIR UNDER PRESSURE’ P7 P12 SILVER `1,15,000 GOLD `1,01,320 RAINFALL: 028.7 mm CM Mamata pledges `1.10 lakh for Puja committees RELATIVE HUMIDITY BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 71.99 The CM announced that the Puja Carnival on Red Road will be held on 5 October WEATHER Generally cloudy sky with a few spells of Light to moderate rain/ thundershower very likely to occur. Max. 99% Min. 95% TEMPERATURE Max: 28.3˚C (-4.2) SUN RISES 05:08 hrs MOON RISES 10:46 hrs Min: 25.7˚C (-0.9) SUN SETS 18:18 hrs MOON SETS 22:19 hrs Full Moon on 9 August THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 31 JULY C Women plant rice saplings in the field of Karimpur Manimala in Nadia, West Bengal, on Thursday. n ANI Senior IPS Officer SBK Singh takes charge as Delhi Police Commissioner: Shashi Bhushan Kumar Singh, an IPS officer and current Director General of Home Guards in Delhi, on Thursday took over as the Commissioner of Delhi Police after being given the additional charge of the post at Police Headquarters (PHQ) here. He succeeds Sanjay Arora, who retires on July 31. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an order appointing SBK Singh, an IPS officer, as the new Commissioner of Police for Delhi. The order, issued on Thursday, states that “With the approval of the Competent Authority, Sh SBK Singh, IPS (AGMUT:1988), presently posted as Director General of Home Guards, Delhi, is hereby assigned the additional charge of the post of the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, w.e.f. 01.08.2025 and until further orders.” hief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Thursday that the state government will provide Rs 1.10 lakh in financial assistance to each club or puja committee for this year’s Durga Puja. Miss Banerjee met representatives of various Durga Puja committees on Thursday and assured that 80 per cent of their power bills will be waived. Additionally, the committees will not be required to pay for fire and other services. Swami Jnanalokanandaji, secretary of Swami Vivekananda’s ancestral house; Mural Bhai, secretary of Adyapith; and monks from various communities were among those who attended the meeting. Ministers Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Chandrima Bhattacharya, and Dr Shashi Panja were also present. Senior officials, including Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and City Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma, attended along with representatives from CESC, the Fire and Emergency Services, Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Public Works Department, and other agencies. The Chief Minister announced that the Puja Carnival on Red Road will be held on 5 October, with similar carnivals scheduled across the districts. Without naming the BJP, she said: “They claim I do not allow Durga Puja in Bengal. They are the biggest liars. There are 45,000 major Pujas across the state. They never verify facts before making statements. UNESCO has accorded Durga Puja the Intangible Cultural Heritage tag. People from around the world are coming to watch the carnival.” She added: “There are some who only spread negativity and go to court challenging the state government's decision to finan- cially support the Puja committees.” She urged the public not to harass migrant workers from other states. “It’s true that Bengali-speaking migrant workers have been harassed and attacked in other states. But our people must show restraint and uphold our tradition of unity in diversity,” she said. Miss Banerjee requested police personnel to manage city traffic and guide pandal hoppers efficiently. “I urge private television channels not to sensationalise any Puja committee. When visitor numbers are hyped, people tend to flock to that pandal, creating stampede-like situations,” she said. She also directed police to ensure the safety of women visiting pandals and called for special fire safety arrangements. “Instead of deploying large fire tenders, the Fire and Emergency Services department should use two-wheeler fire tenders that can navigate narrow lanes and bylanes,” she said. “As people begin stepping out from Mahalaya on 21 September, a week before Durga Puja, police deployment should start earlier than in previous years. Proper coordination between Puja committees and the state and district administration is essential,” she added. Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar said coordination meetings at the district level will begin shortly. Measures are being put in place to ensure a peaceful Puja, he added. Jhargram will be second location for CM’s Bhasha Andolan rally AGENCIES KOLKATA, 31 JULY After Bolpur in Birbhum district, tribal dominated Jhargram district would be the next location for Mamata Banerjee’s protest rally on the issue of the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states, which the Chief Minister had described as yet another 'Bhasha Andolon (Language Movement)'. While the Bolpur rally was conducted on July 28, the tentative date of the second rally at Jhargram is August 6, confirmed a senior member of the West Bengal Cabinet, who refused to be named. Political observers feel that, like Bolpur, Jhargram also had been chosen keeping the historical significance of the place with whom Bengal and Bengalis are associated in a major way. “The reason for choosing Birbhum as the starting venue of the protest, which Mamata Banerjee describes as another 'Bhasha Andolan (Language Movement)', is the district's rich association with Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and the Gurudev-founded Visva Bharati University at Bolpur-Santiniketan in the district. NIA court acquits all 7 accused in 2008 Malegaon blast case SHASHIKANT SHARMA NEW DELHI, 31 JULY A National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all the seven accused, including former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Colonel Prasad Purohit, in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case. The other accused who were acquitted by the NIA court are retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sameer Kulkarni. They were acquitted of all charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Arms Act, and other relevant laws. The judgment comes after a long trial in the case that spanned nearly 17 years. After examining 323 prosecution witnesses and eight defence witnesses, the (L-R) Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Purohit, Sameer Kulkarni, Major (retired) Ramesh Upadhyay, & Ajay Rahirkar. n Agencies court reached its judgment that acquitted the accused of all charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act, and all other relevant laws. The court also ordered the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) ADG to initiate a probe into the matter of planting explosives in the house of the accused Sudhakar Dharmasthala mass grave case: SIT recovers skeletal remains at 6th burial site AGENCIES MANGALURU, 31 JULY In a significant development in connection with the mass grave allegation case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has recovered human bones during the excavation of one of the purported burial sites at a Hindu pilgrimage centre in Mangaluru district of Karnataka, sources confirmed on Thursday. According to SIT sources, two bones were recovered from the sixth purported burial site located in a forested area. Following the recovery, the SIT has shifted its full focus to a careful and detailed excavation of the site. In the wake of the discovery, SIT chief DGP P. Mohanty and DIG M.N. Anuchet are rushing to the site. The excavation is being carried out in the presence of the Tehsildar, forensic science experts, and SIT personnel. The recovered bones will be documented and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for further examination and DNA analysis. Sources stated that the whistle blower has claimed that he had buried eight bodies at the site in question. However, no official statement has been released yet regarding the discovery. Digging at the purported burial sites continued for the third consecutive day on Thursday, despite rain. Of the 13 alleged burial sites, excavation work is currently underway at sites numbered 6, 7, and 8. Chaturvedi. Delivering its verdict, the NIA court said that while the investigation proved that the blasts indeed occurred, the prosecution could not provide “cogent evidence” to prove the involvement of the accused. The court observed in the verdict that the prosecution could not prove that explosives were stored and assembled at Colonel Purohit’s residence and placed in the motorcycle that allegedly belonged to Pragya Thakur. The court also questioned the flawed investigation and pointed out several discrepancies in the way evidence was collected at the blast site by the investigation officer. The court also said that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) could not be applied to the case as the sanction for prosecution was not obtained in accordance with the rules. The court also gave a clean chit to Colonel Purohit’s ‘Abhinav Bharat’ organisation, saying there was no evidence that the funds of the outfit were used for terror activities. Blast victim’s to challenge verdict in High Court: Advocate Shahid Nadeem, representing the victims of the blast, said that they will challenge their acquittal in the High Court. “The bomb blast has been proved by the court. We will challenge this acquittal in the High Court. We will file the appeal independently,” Advocate Nadeem said. Victory of Hindutva, says Pragya Thakur: Addressing the judge in the NIA court in Mumbai, Pragya Singh Thakur said that she was falsely implicated in the case as part of a conspiracy to defame Bhagwa (the saffron colour of Hindutva). “I said this from the very beginning that those who are called for investigation, there should be a basis behind that. I was called by them for investigation and was arrested and tortured. This ruined my whole life. I was living a sage’s life, but I was made an accused, and no one was willing to stand with us. I am alive because I am a Sanyasi. They defamed Bhagwa through a conspiracy,” she said. Colonel Purohit thanks NIA court for restoring common man’s faith in the system: Reacting to the verdict, Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit thanked the court for restoring the faith of the common man in the system. “I thank you for giving me a chance to serve my nation and my organisation with the same conviction that I was doing before I was framed in this matter. I don’t blame any organisation for all this. Organisations like investigating agencies are not wrong, but people inside the organisations are the ones who have done wrong. I thank you for restoring the faith of the common man in the system,” he said while addressing the judge. Govt assures protection of national interests in face of Trump tariffs STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 31 JULY Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal Thursday said that the government will take all necessary steps to protect India's national interests in view of the 25 per cent tariffs imposed by the US on Indian goods. He emphasised that the government is committed to safeguarding the interests of Indian farmers, workers, and small entrepreneurs. Mr Goyal said that India will examine the implications of the US tariffs and take appropriate actions to protect its national interests. Making a statement in both theHousesofParliamentregarding the 25 per cent import tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump on Indian goods, Mr Goyal said: "We are committed to safeguarding the interests of our farmers, workers, and small entrepreneurs." Mr Goyal emphasised that India never finalises trade deals based on deadlines, prioritising national interests instead. “India never enters into trade deals based on deadlines or time pressure. A deal is accepted only when it is fully matured, well-negotiated, and in the national interest," he said. He expressed optimism about the ongoing trade deal negotiations with the USA, stating that both countries are looking for a mutually beneficial agreement. The US has Wednesday announced a 25 per cent tariff on imports from India, effective August 1, prompting concerns about the impact on bilateral trade. India and the US have been engaged in negotiations to conclude a fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade agreement. Asserting that the government is closely examining the implications of the newly announced US tariffs on Indian goods and will act accordingly to safeguard national interests, Mr Goyal said that India is engaged in trade discussions withvariouscountries,including the USA, to forge bilateral trade arrangements and create better opportunities for Indian exporters. “The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is holding talks with exporters, industries, and all stakeholders and gathering information on their assessment of this issue. The government gives utmost priority to the safeguarding of the welfare of farmers, labourers, entrepreneurs, industrialists, exporters, MSMEs, and stakeholders of the industrial sector,” he said. He said that India was a self-sufficient economic power, among the top five economies and will soon become the thirdlargest economy. He also noted that there was a steady rise in India’s exports in the last 11 years. SC asks Parliament to consider whether Speakers should decide defection cases under the anti-defection law PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 31 JULY With repeated delays by presiding officers across the country in acting on the petitions seeking disqualification on grounds of defection, the Supreme Court on Thursday called on Parliament to consider whether entrusting the task of adjudicating disqualification petitions to the Speaker or Chairman of legislatures under the Tenth Schedule has effectively served its purpose in combating political defections. Delivering judgment on a set of petitions involving ten MLAs of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) who crossed over to the Congress in MarchApril 2024, a bench of the Chief Justice of India, Justice B.R. Gavai, and Justice Augustine George Masih directed the Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly to decide all disqualification petitions pending against the MLAs within three months from the date of the verdict. “If we do not issue any direction, it will amount to permitting the Speaker to repeat the widely criticised situation of ‘operation successful, patient died’,” Chief Justice Gavai remarked, authoring the Court’s judgment. The Court said that although it does not possess advisory jurisdiction, the continued delays in deciding disqualification petitions raise important questions for Parliament to consider. “It is for the Parliament to consider whether the mechanism of entrusting the Speaker/Chairman, the important task of deciding the issue of disqualification on the ground of defection, is serving the purpose of effectively combating political defections or not,” the Court observed. “If the very foundation of our democ- racy and the principles that sustain it are to be safeguarded, it will have to be examined whether the present mechanism is sufficient or not.” The bench, however, reiterated that it was for Parliament to take the final call on revisiting the framework. Quashing the 22 November 2024 judgment of the Division Bench of the Telangana High Court ~ which had overturned an earlier Single Judge’s direction ~ the Supreme Court restored the 9 September 2024 ruling which had merely instructed the Assembly Secretary to place the disqualification petitions before the Speaker and Speaker, in turn, to fix a schedule of hearings within four weeks. The top court made it clear that the Telangana Speaker must conclude the disqualification proceedings within three months and should not permit the MLAs facing defection charges to prolong the matter unnecessarily. “If any MLA attempts to protract the proceedings, the Speaker would draw an adverse inference,” the bench ordered. The Court declined the appellants’ plea ~ filed by BRS and BJP MLAs ~ to itself adjudicate the disqualification petitions, citing consistent position beginning from the landmark Kihoto Hollohan case and other judgments, which holds the Speaker as the first authority to decide such matters under the Tenth Schedule. Criticising the Division Bench for interfering with the Single Judge’s limited direction to initiate proceedings, the top court said: “There was absolutely no occasion for the learned Judges of the Division Bench of the High Court to have interfered with the well-reasoned order of the learned Single Judge.” The dispute relates to three BRS MLAs ~ Danam Nagender, Venkata Rao Tellam, and Kadiyam Srihari ~ who were elected in the December 2023 Assembly polls but allegedly defected to the Congress in early 2024. Their disqualification was sought by fellow BRS legislators and one BJP MLA through petitions filed before the Speaker under the Tenth Schedule. (Related report on Pg 4)