MONDAY 11 MARCH 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR UK’S POLL BUDGET JAGAN MOHAN SLAMS TRIPARTITE ALLIANCE P4 WEATHER Mainly clear sky very likely. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 32 °C and 19 °C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY P6 P10 Six sitting MPs dropped as TMC announces list in rally Lok Sabha polls : Kirti Azad, Yusuf Pathan, June Malliah among those fielded Max. 85 % Min. 28 % Max: 31.7°C (-1) SUN RISES 05:50 hrs MOON RISES 05:47 hrs Min: 19.0°C (-3) SUN SETS 17:44 hrs MOON SETS 17:49 hrs TEMPERATURE ‘CHH’GARH HAS POTENTIAL TO BE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND INDIA’S GROWTH’ New Moon on 10 March THUMBNAILS Farmers from Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee block the railway track as they stage a nation-wide 'Rail Roko Andolan', at Devidaspura, in Amritsar on Sunday. ANI Kerala veterinary student died of brutal assault, says anti-ragging squad report: A r critical report of the anti-ragging squad regarding the suspected suicide death of JS Sidharth, a second-year student of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University campus at Pookode in Wayanad, has come to light. The interim report of the anti-ragging squad reveals details of the brutal physical assault and public trial Sidharth faced at the hands of his batchmates and seniors on February 16, 17, and 18.he report says that Sidharth was assaulted at four different places ~ the hilltop near the water tank in front of the men’s hostel, room number 21 on the first floor of the hostel, the hostel courtyard, and the corridor at the entrance of the dormitory. Pg4 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 10 MARCH he Trinamul Congress’s list of 42 candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha election contains a few surprises, some new faces and ensured representation of the old guard while six sitting MPs were dropped. The list of candidates was announced from the podium at the mammoth Janagarjan Sabha gathering at Brigade Parade Ground this afternoon. The announcement, for all Lok Sabha seats from Bengal, also put paid to any lingering hopes on the part of the Congress for a seat-sharing arrangement in Bengal. Eleven women candidates have been nominated for the Lok Sabha election. They are Mala Roy, Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Shatabdi Roy, Mahua Moitra, Pratima Mondol, Shaoni Ghosh, June Malliah, Mitali Bag, Sujata Khan, Dr Sharmila Sarkar and Rachana Banerjee. Abhishek Banerjee, party’s national general secretary read out the list at the instruction of party’s chairperson Mamata Banerjee. Six sitting party MPs were not given tickets. They are Mimi Chakraborty ( Jadavpur), Nusrat Jahan (Basirhat), Aparupa Poddar (Arambag), Arjun Singh T Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee addresses the party's 'Janagarjan Sabha' rally, at the Brigade Ground in Kolkata on Sunday. BISWAJIT GHOSHAL (Barrackpore) and CM Jatua from Mathurapur and Sunil Mondol from East Burdwan. Actor-turned-politician Shaoni Ghosh, who is the president of the Trinamul Youth Congress will fight from Jadavpur Parliamentary seat. She replaces another actor Mimi Chakraborty. Actor Rachana Banerjee will make her political debut contesting against sitting BJP MP Locket Chatterjee from Hooghly. The other actors who will be contesting are June Malliah from Midnapore, Satabdi Roy in Birbhum, Dipak Adhikari (Deb) from Ghatal and Bollywood veteran Shatrughan Sinha,who will contest from Asansol. Two popular cricketers, Kriti Azad and Yusuf Pathan, will contest from Burdwan-Durgapur and Behrampur, respectively. Of the old guard who were renewed their tickets, Abhishek Banerjee will contest from Diamond Harbour, Professor Saugata Roy will contest from Dum Dum, Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar will contest from Barasat, Mala Roy and Sudip Bandyopadhyay will contest from Kolkata South and Kolkata North. Kalyan Bandyopadhyay will contest from Srirampur while Prasun Banerjee, former India football skip- per will contest from Howrah.Brushing aside all speculation that she will not be given ticket, Mohua Moitra will contest from Krishnagar. Partha Bhowmick, state minister for Irrigation andWaterways department will fight from Barrackpore in place of Arjun Singh. Four MLAs who joined TMC from BJP have been given tickets. Biplab Mitra will take on BJP’s state president Sukanta Mazumdar in Balurghat. Krishna Kalyani will contest from Raigunj, Biswajit Das from Bongaon and Mukutmani Adhikari will contest from Ranaghat. Prakash Chik Baraik, Rajya Sabha MP will con- After Goel’s exit, Centre India signs free trade to appoint 2 new election pact with EFTA countries commissioners by 15 Mar The agreement enhSTATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 10 MARCH AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 10 MARCH Two election commissioners are likely to be appointed by 15 March to fill the vacancies created by the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey and the surprise resignation of Arun Goel, news portals reported on Sunda. Days before the poll panel was expected to announce the schedule for the LS polls, Mr Goel resigned on Friday His resignation was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday. This leaves Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar as the sole member of the poll authority. Mr Pandey had demitted office on 14 February on attaining the age of 65 years. A search committee under Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and comprising the Home Secretary and the Department of Personnel and Training Sec- retary will first prepare two separate panels of five names each for the two posts. Later, a selection committee headed by the PM and comprising a Union minister and Leader of the Congress party in the LS Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will then name two persons for appointment as election commissioners. The election commissioners will be appointed by the President. Sources said the selection committee could meet either on 13 or 14 March depending on the convenience of the members and the appointments are likely to be made by 15 March. India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States ~ Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland ~ on Sunday signed a landmark Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) which promises to bring significant economic benefits, such as better integrated and more resilient supply chains, new opportunities for businesses and individuals on both sides leading to increased trade and investment flows, job creation, and economic growth. Speaking on behalf of the EFTA Member States at the signing ceremony, Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin stated that “EFTA countries gain market access to a major growth market. Our companies strive to diversify their supply chains while render- ances market access and simplifies customs procedures making it easier for Indian and EFTA businesses to expand their operations in the respective markets. ing them more resilient. India, in return, will attract more foreign investment from EFTA, which will ultimately translate into an increase in good jobs. All in all, the TEPA will allow us to make\ better use of our economic potential and create additional opportunities for both India and the EFTA States”. The agreement enhances market access and simplifies customs procedures making it easier for Indian and EFTA businesses to expand their operations in the respective markets. The agreement further aims to facilitate and promote investment opportunities between the Parties. The TEPA was signed by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Swiss Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Guy Parmelin, Iceland Minister of Foreign Affairs Bjarni Benediktsson, Liechtenstein Minister of Foreign Affairs, Liechtenstein Dominique Hasler and Norway Trade and Industry Minister Jan Christian Vestre. The agreement marks a significant milestone in the relationships between the EFTA states and India. It reflects the culmination of dedicated efforts to foster a deeper economic partnership, underscoring the importance of dialogue, cooperation, and mutual understanding, a press release from EFTA said. test from Alipurduar. Jagadish Chandra Basunia will contest for the first time from Cooch Bihar. Shantiram Mahato, former state minister who had lost by a slim margin in the 2021 Assembly election will contest from Purulia. Arup Chakraborty, sitting MLA from Taldangra, will contest from Bankura. Gopal Lama will contest from Darjeeling. Trinamul Congress IT head Debangshu Bhattacharya from Tamluk. Mitali Bag will contest from Arambag, replacing Aparupa Poddar. Kalipada Soren, who was recently awarded Bangabibhusan, will contest from Jhargram. Abu Taher Khan will contest from Murshidabad. Shahnewaz Ali Rehan will contest from Malda South. Prasun Bandyopadhyay, former IPS officer, will contest from Malda North. Dr Sharmila Sarkar, a teacher in Calcutta Medical College and Hospital will contest from Burdwan East. Sajda Ahmed will contest from Uleberia. Pratima Mondol and Bapi Halder will contest from Jainagar and Mathurapur constituencies respectively. Haji Nurul Islam will contest from Basirhat Lok Sabha seat. Sujata Khan will contest against Saumitra Khan, her former husband, from Bishnupur. Delhi: After 10-hr rescue operation, man’s body pulled out from borewell STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 10 MARCH In a fateful incident, a man died after falling into an unused borewell in Delhi's Keshopur, the police said on Sunday. The body of the deceased was extracted in a more than 10-hour-long rescue operation by civic agencies including the NDRF and the DFS. The rescue operation was assiduously carried out by digging a hole parallel to the borewell in a bid to reach out to the victim while avoiding any harm to him. The man, who is said to be around 30 years of age, fell into the abandoned borewell on Saturday night. But his identity is yet to be established, according to information received by the police. CHIRAG-SATWIK BEAT WORLD CHAMPIONS P12 ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ is the biggest lie: CM launches scathing attack at Brigade Bengal’s garjan (raising voice in the loudest manner) is BJP’s bisarjan (immersion)... He (PM) has given many guarantees since 2014 but till date has failed miserably to keep the promises. He will come before the election and it will all evaporate once it is over.... MAMATA BANERJEE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 10 MARCH Trinamul Congress chairperson and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday that Modi Ki Guarantee is the biggest lie, as she launched the party’s Lok Sabha election campaign at a massive Janagarjan Sabha rally at the city’s Brigade Parade Ground. The TMC also announced its candidates for all 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal at the rally, with the party going it alone as Miss Banerjee had previously made clear. Addressing the gathering, Miss Banerjee said: “They have brought down the price of cooking gas by Rs 100 per cylinder because of election and it will go up again after the polls are over. He has given many guarantees since 2014 but till date has failed miserably to keep the promises. He will come before the election and it will all evaporate once it is over.” Coming down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra for deliberately spreading lies, she said: “Before making any statement, Prime Minister should crosscheck the facts. In 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 the Centre did not give a single penny to set up houses for rural poor. Why speak lies? Speak the truth. I assure that if the Centre does not give money to build houses for 11 lakh rural poor, the state government will set up their houses from 1 May.” Reiterating that the BJP has no right to ask for votes in Bengal, Miss Banerjee said: “People of Bengal had elected 18 BJP MPs in 2019. But what did they do for Bengal?” She added they have deprived Bengal and urged people not to give any vote to the saffron party leaders. Miss Banerjee added: “It is unprecedented that the Election Commissioner Arun Goel has resigned before the Lok Sabha election and the Commission is silent on the matter.” Miss Banerjee reiterated that Bengal will not allow implementation of either CAA or NRC. “We will not allow them to be taken to detention camp,” she said, referring to people who might be affected by the implementation of the CAA and NRC. Criticising the divisive politics of the BJP, she said: “It is unfortunate that they call a Sikh officer wearing a turban a Khalistani, a Muslim a Pakistani and Bengalis Bangladeshis.” She apprehended that the BJP will soon let loose the ED and CBI to scare the opposition. She said it is most unfortunate that the Centre did not release funds for the job card holders of MGNREGA. “ It is a Constitutional obligation to clear the dues. They didn’t it. The state government has cleared dues of 59 lakh job card holders. We have introduced a scheme and the job card holders will get 50 days work.” She said Bengal’s garjan (raising voice in the loudest manner) is BJP’s bisarjan (immersion).” She said the voice that has been raised from the meeting against deprivation will put an end to BJP’s misrule in Bengal. Referring to Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay (Retd) she said: “I will not taken anyone’s name but it was seen that a former judge touched the feet of BJP leaders.” She urged people to vote for TMC in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election as it will always stand by the side of people. Projects worth ` 34,000 cr dedicated to UP’s Azamgarh ‘PM’s outreach to Putin helped prevent STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 10 MARCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated, dedicated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development initiatives worth more than Rs 34,000 crore in an event held at Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Modi noted the change of such programmes happening at places like Azamgarh instead of being held in Delhi. “Azamgarh, which was counted among the backward areas, is writing a new chapter of development today,” he said. Mr Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 15 airport projects across the country worth more than Rs 9800 crore. He inaugurated 12 new Terminal Buildings of Pune, Kolhapur, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Delhi, Lucknow, Aligarh, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, Moradabad, Shravasti and Adampur Airports. The PM laid the foundation stone of three new Terminal Buildings of Kadapa, Hubli and Belagavi airports. To illustrate the speed of the completion of airports, the Prime Minister informed that Gwalior terminal was completed in just 16 months. “This initiative will make air travel easier and accessible for the common citizens of the country,” he said. Mr Modi emphasised that the record of the government of completing announced projects in time repudiates the allegation of these projects being election gimmicks. “People are seeing that Modi is made of different material. I am working relentlessly to create a Viksit Bharat,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister said that along with airport, highway and railway infrastructure, projects related to education, water and environment received a new push today. Giving a new guarantee to the people of Azamgarh, the Prime Minister said that ‘Azamgarh will remain ‘Aajanm’ a ‘Vikas ka Garh’ (bastion of development forever). Breaking into local dialect, the Prime Minister said with airport, hospital and medical college, Azamgarh is no longer dependent on the neighbouring big cities. The Prime Minister said that in the last 10 years, the region is seeing politics of development in place of the earlier politics of appeasement and dynasty. This trend got a new momentum under the leadership of Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, Mr Modi said. He said cities like Aligarh, Moradabad, Azamgarh, Shravasti which were ignored as backward areas of Uttar Pradesh are getting air connectivity due to rapid overall development. Mr Modi said just like welfare schemes, modern infrastructure is moving beyond metro cities to small towns and villages. “Small cities have equal rights to airports and good highways as big metro cities,” he emphasised. “We are increasing the strength of the Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities so that urbanization continues unabated,” said the PM. Mr Modi emphasized the importance of connectivity and infrastructure development in the region. CMYK potential N-attack on Kyiv in late 2022’ AGENCIES WASHINGTON DC, 10 MARCH As the Russia-Ukraine conflict raged in 2022, the United States started "preparing rigorously" for a potential nuclear strike by Moscow against Kyiv, in what would have been the first nuclear attack since the US dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki nearly eighty years before, CNN reported citing two senior administration officials. The report stated that outreach from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other countries also played an important role in averting the crisis. The Biden administration was specifically concerned Russia might use a tactical or battlefield nuclear weapon, the officials said. Amid the fears, the US sought to enlist the help of non-allies including India, to discourage Russia from such an attack, as reported by CNN. “One of the things we did was not only message them directly but strongly urge, press, encourage other countries, to whom they might be more attentive, to do the same thing," the senior administration official said. US officials say that outreach and public statements from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others helped avert a crisis. "I think we believe showing the international community the concern about this, particularly the concern from key countries for Russia and the Global South, was also a helpful, persuasive factor and showed them what the cost of all this could be," CNN quoted a senior administration official as saying. “I think the fact that we know, India weighed in, China weighed in, others weighed in, may have had some effect on their thinking," the senior administration official added. "I can't demonstrate this positively, but I think that's our assessment."
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