MONDAY 01 APRIL 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR P9 WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDLY SKY. GUSTY WINDS (SPEED 30-40 KMPH) VERY LIKELY TO PREVAIL. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 34 & 20 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 85 % Min. 27 % Min: 21.3 °C (+3) SUN SETS 18:39 hrs MOON SETS 10:33 hrs THUMBNAILS Tourist vehicles at the snow-covered Atal Tunnel after fresh snowfall in Rohtang on Sunday. ANI Four dead in Jalpaiguri nor’wester: A Nor’wester suddenly hit a part of Jalpaiguri district this afternoon and claimed four lives. Several people were serious injured as many houses collapsed during a heavy cyclonic storm that lasted a few minutes at Maynaguri in Jalpaiguri.They were brought to Jalpaiguri Medical College hospital. Following instructions from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb rushed to the hospital to help the victims who are undergoing treatment in hospital.He left for the spot this evening to take stock of the situation. SRINAGAR, 31 MARCH The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday recorded the statement of the Kashmiri family whose member was allegedly forced into the Russia-Ukraine war. “We have recorded the statements of the family members of Azad Yousuf Kumar, a local who was allegedly unwittingly thrust into the Russia-Ukraine conflict after being deceived,” CBI in a statement said. The agency recorded their statements recently after filing an FIR against 19 people and visa consultancy firms linked to the exploitation of the Indian youth. Azad's elder, Sajad said the families of 12 other affected Indian men have been contacted by the CBI and they emphasised their desire for the safe return of their loved P10 P12 Action against corrupt Solidarity with Kejriwal, Soren: INDIA bloc seeks will continue, says PM their immediate release STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE MEERUT, 31 MARCH P rime minister Narendra Modi, while launching his Lok Sabha poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, asserted that there would be no break in the action being taken against politicians involved in corruption. "When I am taking action on corruption, some people have lost their temper, and my dear countrymen. I say Modi is guaranteed. Modi's mantra is remove corruption. They say save the corrupt," said the PM. "This election is a fight between two camps. One camp is in the field to remove corruption and the other is in the field to save the corrupt," Mr Modi said while addressing the NDA rally here in the presence of RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary and other NDA contituent partners. The PM said: "I am not only taking action against the corrupt, I am also returning the money of those whose money has been looted by these corrupt and dishonest people. Together, these people have formed an INDIA bloc." Denouncing the INDIA bloc rally of Delhi, Mr Modi made it clear: "They (Oppo- CBI records statement of Kashmiri family ‘forced’ into Russia-Ukraine war AGENCIES P7 COLLINS TOPPLES RYBAKINA IN MIAMI WTA 1000 FINAL Modi launches his Lok Sabha poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh from Meerut TEMPERATURE Max: 35.2 °C(+1) SUN RISES 6:10 hrs MOON RISES 01:28 hrs ‘MUKHTAR ANSARI’S HEART SHOWED YELLOW AREA’ HOW AMERICA HELPED CREATE A NARCO-STATE POPE OVERCOMES HEALTH CONCERNS, CELEBRATES EASTER ones. It must be mentioned that the CBI had on March 8 dismantled a human trafficking network funnelling Indian individuals into the war zone and identified key facilitators, including agents based in Russia. Family said that Azad, a 31-year-old engineering graduate from Pulwama, initially sought job opportunities in Dubai, but was misled by false promises, ultimately finding himself caught up in the war as a mercenary for the Russian army. The family also spoke of the perilous situation at the Ukraine border and said that they had asked the government to intervene for his safe return. As per the family, Azad left for Dubai on December 14 last year in search of a job after being lured by a YouTuber, Faisal Khan. But little did the young man know that he would be fighting a war. Prime Minister Narendra Modi being garlanded by BJP leaders during the public meeting ahead of Lok Sabha elections, in Meerut on Sunday. sition leaders) think Modi will be scared of this but for me my entire India is my family. I am proud of the steps being taken to protect our country from corruption. I will fight against them. That is why big and corrupt people are behind bars today." "Bail is not being granted even by the Supreme Court and that is why many big corrupt people have to make beeline of the courts and the whole country must have seen on their TV that at some places, piles of notes are coming out from ANI under the bed, at some places there are pieces of notes from the walls. You must have saw piles of notes in the washing machine," he claimed. He said that when India reaches the position of the world’s third biggest economy, poverty will definitely go away in the country. Together a powerful, powerful country will be created. He said that today India is doing unprecedented work on infrastructure. Today new opportunities are being created in the country and today the women power of the country is creating new dimensions. PM Modi said efforts were on to make three crore women Lakhpati Didi. "Namo Drone Didi Yojana is also going to change the fate of the sisters in the villages. In this, modern drones are being given to women self-help groups. These drones are going to change the future of our farming and make farming work easier. When village daughters become drone pilots, their pride will increase, their earnings will also increase and farming will also become easier," he said. The PM said that reservation for women in Lok Sabha and Assembly has also become possible through Nari Shakti Abhinandan Act. "It is our government that has provided permanent houses to four crore poor people and has protected the dignity of women by building more than 11 crore toilets. It is our government which has removed darkness from the lives of more than 2.5 crore houses by providing electricity connections to them. 2.5 crore sisters have been providing facilities, security and respect for mothers, sisters and daughters in the country for the last 10 years," he claimed. HAPPY MOMENT Students in a jubilant mood as they celebrate their success after the declaration of Bihar Board 10th Results, in Patna on Sunday. ANI PHOTO BY~ SUBRATA DUTTA SANTU DAS NEW DELHI, 31 MARCH Top leaders from the Opposition INDIA bloc on Sunday slammed the Narendra Modi-led government over a wide range of issues, including "misuse" of Central probe agencies, and vowed to contest the Lok Sabha elections together to oust the ruling BJP. At the "Save Democracy" mega rally organised by the Opposition bloc at the Ramlila Maidan here on Sunday in the wake of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on behalf of the Opposition, put forth five demands, including immediate release of Kejriwal and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren. The other four demands include a level-playing field to be ensured by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the Lok Sabha elections, cessation of action against the Opposition parties by investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax (IT) Department with the aim of rigging the elections. Besides, the INDIA bloc demanded that "coercive" action to financially strangle Opposition parties during the elections should stop immediately and a Supreme Court (SC)-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be formed to investigate the funds raised by the BJP through electoral bonds. The rally, seen as show of strength by the Opposi- tion ahead of the LS polls, was attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former party president Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress PartySharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP)president Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, chief of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) Farooq Abdullah. Senior leader of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Tejashwi Yadav and Trinamul Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien were also present on the occasion. Among other prominent leaders were senior AAP leaders Gopal Rai, Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely, Sunita Kejriwal, wife of Delhi CM Kejriwal; and Kalpana Soren, wife of Hemant Soren. Addressing the mammoth gathering, Congress President Kharge said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not want democracy, his mindset is of dictatorship. One by one, he is finishing our institutions." He alleged that Opposition leaders are being intimidated by "misusing" Central probe agencies. Referring to the IT notices to Congress, he said: "Money was stolen from the party's accounts. Rs 3,567 crore penalty has been imposed (by the I-T) so that we cannot campaign in the elections." "We have to fight to save the democracy and the Constitution. You will secure Various methods like appointing the umpires of choice, buying out the players and intimidating the captains, same way Modi had appointed the Election Commissioners of his choice, was trying to pressurise the judiciary and had jailed Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal, just ahead of the elections CONGRESS LEADER RAHUL GANDHI your rights only if there is a Constitution," he said. Echoing similar sentiments, Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to win the general elections through "match-fixing". He alleged Narendra Modi wants to change the Constitution by winning elections through "match-fixing". Referring to the “Ab ki Baar,Chaar Sau Paar” slogan of the BJP aiming to win 400 seats in the upcoming LS polls, Gandhi said, "The entire NDA cannot reach even 180 seats without manipulating the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and other intimidating tactics." Drawing an analogy of "match-fixing", he said, "Various methods like appointing the umpires of choice, buying out the players and intimidating the captains, same way Modi had appointed the Election Commissioners of his choice, was trying to pressurise the judiciary and had jailed Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal, just ahead of the elections. " TMC MP Derek O’Brien called it BJP Vs democracy. He coined a new slogan: “Modi guarantee, zero warranty” and demanded a “white paper from the government on the 2019 Pulwama attack. The TMC parliamentarian categorically said, “The TMC was, is, and will be part of the INDIA bloc.” Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren said, "Our leader, Hemant Soren, has never bowed down, nor will he ever do so in the future. We are the product of struggle. We are all one and will save the democracy by ousting the dictatorial BJP government." You can arrest Kejriwal, but how will you arrest his thought...Together we will teach a lesson to the BJP PUNJAB CM BHAGWANT MANN The arrest of Arvind Kejriwal & Hem- ant Soren is an attack on the democracy & Constitution of the S country NCP-SP PRESIDENT SHARAD PAWAR Prez visits Advani to confer Bharat Ratna; Modi ‘Startling & eye-opening’: Modi attacks Cong for hails his contribution in shaping modern India ‘giving away’ Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 31 MARCH President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday conferred the Bharat Ratna on BJP stalwart and former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani. The President Murmu visited Mr Advani, who has not been keeping well, at his home in New Delhi to bestow upon him the nation's highest civilian honour. The formal ceremony was attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and the family members of the veteran politician. “Shri Advani, a doyen of Indian politics, has served the nation with unwavering President Droupadi Murmu confers Bharat Ratna upon veteran BJP leader LK Advani, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks on at the latter's residence in New Delhi on Sunday. SNS dedication and distinction for over seven decades. Born in Karachi in 1927, he migrated to India in 1947 against the backdrop of par- tition. With his vision of cultural nationalism, he toiled hard for decades, across the length and breadth of the country, and brought about a transformation in the sociopolitical landscape. When the Emergency put India’s democracy at risk, the indefatigable crusader in him helped guard it against authoritarian tendencies,'' the Rashtrapati Bhavan later said in a post on microblogging site X. PM also later wrote on X: “It was very special to witness the conferring of the Bharat Ratna upon Shri LK Advani Ji. This honour is a recognition of his enduring contributions to our nation's progress. His dedication to public service and his pivotal role in shaping modern India have left an indelible mark on our history. I am proud to have got the opportunity to work with him very closely over the last several decades." STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 31 MARCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday attacked the Opposition Congress for allegedly giving away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka during the tenure of the Indira Gandhi government in 1974. Citing a "startling" news report, Mr Modi accused the grand old party of "weakening India's unity and integrity" during its long years of rule. "Eye opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away #Katchatheevu. This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people's mindswe can't ever trust Congress! Weakening India's unity, integrity and interests has been Congress' way of working for 75 years and counting," PM Modi wrote in a social media post on 'X'. Katchatheevu is an uninhabited island between India's Rameshwaram and Sri Lanka, which has traditionally been used by fishermn of both countries. In 1974, during the Prime Ministership of Indira Gandhi, India and Sri Lanka signed the "Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement" and New Delhi accepted Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory. The 1974 agreement formally stamped Sri Lanka's sovereignty over the island. Reacting to the Prime Minister’s comments, Congress leaders called them "selective pieces of propaganda" and asked what he was doing the last nine years. "The problem with the PM is that he makes statements without any references. If any agreement like this was made, we should know what it was. Secondly, what was the Prime Minister doing for 9 years then? If he was in a pos- session of this information, why was he quiet about it all this while? These are selective pieces of propaganda that they fake out.” “It is all because elections are going on in Tamil Nadu. All the surveys show the BJP will be badly smashed in Tamil Nadu," Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said. Prime Minister Modi's remarks came amid Congress party's recent take down of the central government over alleged Chinese incursion in Ladakh. Sharing a speech of Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate yesterday accused the Modi government of hiding China's occupation of Indian land in the Union Territory.
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