FRIDAY 05 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 WILL NOT CHANGE PARTY ANYMORE: NITISH KUMAR TURKEY IS PAYING FOR ERDOGAN’S MISSTEPS P7 SENSEX 74,227.63350.81 WEATHER Hot and discomfort Weather very likely. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 37 °C and 28 °C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL P5 NIFTY 22,514.6580.00 P10 GOLD 70,470600 ` vs $ 83.37 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SILIGURI, 4 APRIL Min. 55 % Max: 35.8°C (+1) Min: 27.7°C (+3) SUN RISES SUN SETS 05:26 hrs 17:53 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS 02:10 hrs 13:16 hrs New Moon on 08 April THUMBNAILS A pair of chinkara drink water during a summer day inside an enclosure, at the Bikaner Zoo on Thursday. ANI ED files prosecution complaint against Hemant Soren: Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Ranchi has filed a Prosecution Complaint against Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren under PMLA, 2002 for acquiring, possessing, and concealing proceeds of crime in the form of an 8.8acre immovable property at Bariyatu, Ranchi. hief Minister Mamata Banerjee charged on Thursday the BJP is not observing the electoral model code of conduct(MCC). Addressing a public meeting at Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar today, Mamata Banerjee said: “The BJP does not obey the election code of conduct. BJP is contesting elections with the help of Central agencies. They are campaigning door to door asking the people to cast vote for BJP and avoid trouble from the agencies. Don’t bow down your head. They need to be taught a good lesson.” The BJP’s objective is ‘one nation one political party’, Miss Banerjee charged. “The BJP is trying to establish the system of‘one nation, one political party’. That is the BJP’s sole aim and policy,” she said. Charging that the BJP is anti-Bengal and deprived it of Rs 1.74 lakh crores, Miss Banerjee said: “You can trust a snake but C not the BJP Miss Banerjee, .” who addressed a second public meeting at Malbazar, in Jalpaiguri, also came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who campaigned in Cooch Behar today. “I have come to know Prime Minister said Election Commission is keeping a close eye on the overall situation in Bengal. Have you bought the Election Commission?” she asked. Miss Banerjee added: “BJP has nominated candidates who are accused in several criminal and murder cases.” Without naming former Superintendent of Police in Cooch Behar, Debashis Dhar, who is contesting on a BJP ticket from Birbhum, directly, Miss Banerjee said: “The BJP has fielded a candidate, who killed five minority and Rajbanshi people in Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar in the last Assembly polls, from Birbhum Lok Sabha seat though vigilance clearance has not yet been granted.The state government registered two cases against him. Despite objections, the Central government has granted clearance and BJP has fielded him paying no heed to the law.” Attacking the BJP candidate for Cooch Behar, Nisith Pramanik, without naming him, she said: “He STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SILIGURI, 4 APRIL is a gangster babu. Thousands of criminal cases were registered against a man, who is Union Minister of Home Affairs. In my party he was an aapod (disaster), now he is an asset in BJP Shame . shame shame. Shame of the country, constitution and democracy. Why can’t BJP nominate gentlemen! “Will I divulge all cases against you? I have maintained a register of all cases. What connection do you have Assam? Being a minister he has developed his own resources like a zamindar and hatched nasty conspiracies. He has done nothing for Cooch Behar,” Miss Banerjee said. She added: “The Election Commission has been transferring state government officials. How many officers associated with NIA, CBI, ED and IT have been transferred? I want to know what steps have been taken against them.” “It can’t be continued in democracy. My humble request to Election Commission, please look into the matter and do the needful,” she said. Indian workers have gone to Israel as part of mobility agreement: MEA New-gen ballistic missile successfully flight-tested STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BALASORE, 4 APRIL The Mobility Agreement predates the conflict. We are conscious of their (Indian workers) safety and have urged the Israeli authorities to ensure their safety and well-being NEW DELHI, 4 APRIL The first batch of Indian workers has gone to Israel in the midst of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war as part of a mobility agreement India has signed with the West Asian nation, the government confirmed on Thursday. “The Mobility Agreement predates the conflict. We are conscious of their (Indian workers) safety and have urged the Israeli authorities to ensure their safety and well-being,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing here. Asked if there was any possibility of these workers being sent to areas affected by the conflict, the spokesper- RANDHIR JAISWAL MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SPOKESPERSON son said: “They are mainly construction workers...you know construction happens where economic activity takes place.” The MEA spokesperson’s statement came two days after the Israeli Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, posted on microblogging site 'X' a picture of the first batch of Indian workers who were to leave for Israel. “Today we had a farewell event from the first batch of 60+ Indian construction workers going to Israel under the G2G agreement.” “This is an outcome of the hard work of many, including @NSDCINDIA. I’m sure that the workers become ‘ambassadors’ of the great P2P relations between India and Israel,” Mr Gilon wrote. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 89.060.29 ‘Strong govt needed to make India third largest economy’ BJP’s objective is one nation, one political party, says Mamata Banerjee TEMPERATURE P12 SILVER 85,3004,300 BJP ignoring Model Code of Conduct: CM RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 94 % SRH READY FOR ANOTHER CLINICAL SHOW AGAINST CSK CONGRESS SILENT ON CANDIDATES FOR RAE BARELI, AMETHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that a strong government is needed to make the country the world’s third largest economy. Addressing a mammoth election rally at Raas Mela ground in Cooch Behar Mr Modi today said: “ We need to bring India's economy to third position globally. For that a strong and stable government should be formed at the Centre. Delhi needs a strong government, not a weak government.” “Keep in mind while voting that this is the country's election,” Mr Modi added. “Today, the whole world says Modi is the world leader, can take big decisions. But I am just a public servant,” the Prime Minister said. Showcasing his dream Viksit Bharat, Narendra Modi said: “People's dreams are Modi's guarantee. Where others' hopes end, Modi's guarantee begins. Fulfilling the dream of 140 crore people is Modi guarantee.” “Congress had given the slogan of eradicating poverty. But the BJP government has lift- Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with BJP candidate from Balurghat constituency, Sukanta Majumdar, during a public rally in Cooch Behar on Thursday. ANI ed 32 crore people out of poverty in ten years. After five hundred years, the Ram temple has been built in Ayodhya. BJP government has taken tough steps to prevent corruption and terrorism. Abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir was possible because the intention was right,” Mr Modi said. “The progress that has been made in ten years is a trailer, there is still a lot left. There’s a lot for Bengal to look forward to,” he said. Attacking the Trinamul Congress over the Sandeshkhali issue, the Prime Minister said: “A desperate TMC is trying to save the culprits in Sandeshkhali. The cul- Delhiites shouldn’t face any trouble: Kejriwal’s latest message from Tihar STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 4 APRIL The Strategic Forces Command (SFC), working with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), conducted a successful flight test of the New Generation Ballistic Missile Agni-Prime from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha at around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The test met all the trial objectives validating its reliable performance, as confirmed from the data captured by a number of range sensors deployed at different locations, including two downrange ships placed at the terminal point. The launch was witnessed by the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Strategic Forces Command and senior officials from DRDO & the Indian Army. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO, SFC and the Armed Forces for the successful test. He stated that the successful development and induction of the missile will be an excellent force multiplier for the Armed Forces. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has issued a message to his MLAs through his wife Sunita Kejriwal, exhorting them to visit their respective areas regularly and solve the problems of the denizens pertaining to various government departments besides other problems faced by them. Mr Kejriwal, who is the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), said that the people of Delhi should not face any trouble because he is in jail. Addressing a virtual press conference on Thursday, Sunita Kejriwal read out a message sent from Tihar jail by the Chief Minister that is addressed to all the AAP MLAs. “I am in jail. Because of this none of my fellow Delhiites should face any kind of trouble. Every MLA should visit the area daily and ask people whether they are facing any problem. Whatever problem someone has, solve it,” she quoted the Chief Minister as President Murmu launches 1st INDIA bloc yet to hit the campaign home-grown therapy for cancer trail for first phase LS polls in UP STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 4 APRIL MANOJ BHADRA President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday launched India’s first home-grown gene therapy for cancer at IIT Bombay, calling it a shining example of the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The launch of India’s first gene therapy is a major breakthrough in the battle against cancer, Ms Murmu said. As this line of treatment, named “CAR-T cell therapy”, is accessible and affordable, it provides a new hope for the whole of humankind, she said and expressed confidence that it will be successful in giving new lives to countless patients. The President said CAR-T cell therapy is considered one of the most phenomenal advances in medical science. It has been available in the developed nations for some time, but it is extremely costly, and beyond the reach of most patients around the world. She noted the therapy being launched today is the world’s most affordable CAR-T cell therapy. The President observed It has been 19 days since the elections for the 18th Lok Sabha were announced in the country but apart from BJP no party is visible on the campaign trail till now in Uttar Pradesh. While barely a fortnight is left for the first phase of polling on eight seats of UP on 19 April, neither senior party leaders of the Samajwadi Party nor of Congress were campaigning for their respective candidates. The nomination process ended on Thursday for the second phase of polls for eight seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already started an election rally from Western UP on March 31 from Meerut. Now, he is again coming to Saharanpur on April 6. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jayant Singh were in Muzaffarnagar on Wednesday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is holding Prabudh conferences in the districts and has already cov- LUCKNOW, 4 APRIL President Droupadi Murmu addresses a gathering during the launch of India's first home-grown gene therapy for cancer, at IIT Bombay, in Mumbai on Thursday. ANI that India’s first CAR-T cell therapy was developed through collaboration between the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and Tata Memorial Hospital in association with industry partner ImmunoACT. She said that this is a praiseworthy example of academia-industry partnership, which should inspire many more similar efforts. The President said IIT Bombay is renowned, not only in India but across the world, as a model of technology education. In the development of CAR-T cell therapy, technol- ogy is not only being put in the service of humanity, but partnerships have been with an eminent institution from another field as well as with industry. This has been made possible by the focus IIT, Bombay has placed on research and development over the last three decades. She said that with the knowledge base and skills of the faculty and students of IIT Bombay and other similar institutions, India as a whole, would benefit greatly from the technological revolution underway. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge being felicitated by party leader Sachin Pilot and others during a public meeting in Chittaurgarh, Rajasthan on Thursday. ANI ered more than 10 districts so far. Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak were also visiting the districts. RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary is also holding rallies daily. But it is a rival of the INDIA alliance till now as no one has any official information as to when the Opposition parties, especially the Samajwadi Party and Congress, will start campaigning. There is an alliance of the Samajwadi Party and Congress in the state. The SP is contesting 63 seats and Con- CMYK prits will be punished and they will be in jail for life.” The Prime Minister also said: “INDIA alliance is doing false politics and spreading false propaganda about CAA. Citizenship to all is Modi’s guarantee. TMC, Congress and Left will try to scare you, don’t worry, trust me.” “They fight each other here but work together in Delhi,” he added. “There is a mountain of money in TMC leaders’ houses. Whoever looted people’s money, will be punished. They are involved in extortion, corruption and politics of murder,” Mr Modi said, adding: “I say eradicate corruption, they say save corruption.” gress on 17 seats. In the first and second phases of elections, the Samajwadi Party is contesting 14 seats and Congress on two seats. Congress has the seats of Saharanpur and Amroha. There are Samajwadi Party candidates the remaining seats. From the opposition's point of view, the campaign has been lackluster so far. SP President Akhilesh Yadav is still busy finalising the candidates. Many candidates have been changed and there is bickering within rank and file in several con- stituencies going to polls in the first two phases. At the same time, Congress is contesting the elections on only two Lok Sabha seats. The big question is whether Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, or other star campaigners of Congress would come to campaign on other seats or not. If they do come, when will they come? It has not been decided as yet. The INDIA candidates are eagerly awaiting Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav to come together to hit the campaign trail. The campaigning for the first phase will come to a close on April 17 at 5 pm. In such a situation, meetings will have to be held in the first phase districts of Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit. On the other hand, a campaign of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will also gain momentum only after Eid. Party chief Mayawati and her successor Akash Anand will start campaigning on April 14. saying. Urging the party MLAs to extend their full support in solving all the problems of the people of Delhi, Sunita stated the Chief Minister in his message said: "I am not talking about solving only the problems of government departments, we have to try to solve other problems of the people as well.” “The two crore people of Delhi are my family, no one in my family should be sad for any reason. God bless everyone. Jai Hind.” Chief Minister Kejriwal has sent several messages from jail after his arrest on 21 March by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the liquor policy case. In all his messages, he has reiterated his resolve to serve the people of Delhi. Advisory for Indian nationals travelling to Cambodia The govt also advised job-seekers to thoroughly check the background of the prospective employer in Cambodia. NEW DELHI, 4 APRIL The government on Thursday advised Indian nationals intending to visit Cambodia for employment to do so only through authorised agents. It also advised them to thoroughly check the background of the prospective employer in Cambodia. “It has come to attention that Indian nationals, lured by fake promises of lucrative job opportunities in Cambodia, are falling into the trap of human traffickers. These Indian nationals are coerced to undertake online financial scams and other illegal activities,” the Ministry of External Affairs said. The MEA said it is, through the Indian mission in Phnom Penh, is working closely with the Cambodian authorities to address the issue as well as provide continuous assistance to the affected Indian nationals.SNS
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