TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR STALIN SLAMS BJP OVER ONE NATION ONE POLL COMMUNAL RIOTS HAVE DROPPED BY 97-99 PC IN UP SINCE 2017: YOGI P8 SENSEX 81,748.57 q384.55 WEATHER SMOG/SHALLOW FOG LIKELY IN THE EVENING/NIGHT. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 24 AND 05 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 94 % TEMPERATURE CENTRAL AMERICA BRACES FOR INFLUX OF VULNERABLE MIGRANTS P5 NIFTY 24,668.25 q100.05 ` vs $ 84.88 P9 GOLD 79,215.00 THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE 12 Indians die due to carbon monoxide poisoning In Georgia: At least 12 Indian nationals were found dead at a restaurant due to carbon monoxide poisoning in Georgia, according to the Indian mission in the capital Tbilisi. The bodies were discovered on the second floor of a building housing an Indian food restaurant at a ski resort. “Mission has just learned about the death of 12 Indian nationals in Gudauri, Georgia. Deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Mission is in touch with the local authorities to get details of the Indian nationals who lost their lives. All possible assistance will be given," said the Indian embassy in Georgia while offering condolences. SILVER 92,500 NEW DELHI, 16 DECEMBER S ri Lanka's new President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Monday assured India that the island nation will not allow its territory to be used in any manner inimical to the security of India as well as towards regional stability, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that the two neighbouring countries have decided to explore the possibility of concluding a framework agreement on defence cooperation. ''The two nations have also agreed on cooperation in hydrography. We believe that the Colombo Security Conclave is an important platform for regional peace, security and development. Under this, cooperation will be enhanced on topics like maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber-security, fight against smuggling and organised crime, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,'' Mr Modi said at a joint press conference with Mr Dissanayake after wide-ranging talks between the two leaders. Mr Dissanayake, who is in India on his first visit abroad after a landslide victory in the elections in the island nation in November, said the cooperation with India will certainly flourish under his leadership. PM Modi said India has so far provided $ 5 billion in line of credit and grant assistance to Sri Lanka. ''We have cooperation in all 25 districts of Sri Lanka and the selection of our projects is always based on the development priorities of the partner countries,'' he added. Taking India-Sri lanka development cooperation forward, he said India has decided that grant assistance will be given for the rehabilitation of the signalling system of the Maho-Anuradhapura railway section and Kankesanthurai Port. Under education cooperation, from next year, monthly scholarships will be given to 200 students in the universities of Jaffna and Eastern Province. In the next five years, 1500 civil servants of Sri Lanka will be trained in India. Along with housing, renewable energy and infrastructure, India will also cooperate for the development of agriculture, dairy and fisheries in Sri Lanka. India will also participate in the unique digital identity project in Sri Lanka, the PM said. A joint statement issued at the end of the talks said the PM assured the Lankan leader India's the island nation occupies India's ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and ‘SAGAR’ vision. He also reiterated India’s consistent support to the country in times of need and in its quest for economic recovery and stability, and prosperity for its people. The two leaders instructed officials to finalise discussions on the bilateral MoU on Debt Restructuring. They agreed that a strategic shift from debt-driven models towards investment-led partnerships across different sectors would ensure a more sustainable path to economic recovery, development and prosperity in Sri Lanka. The two leaders appreciated that the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) has enhanced the trade partnership between the two countries, while acknowledging that there is immense potential for further expanding the trade ties. They agreed to continue discussions on the Economic & Technological Cooperation Agreement. As natural partners, both leaders underscored the common challenges faced by the two countries in the Indian Ocean Region and reaffirmed their commitment to work together in countering traditional and non-traditional threats as well as to ensure a free, open, safe and secure Indian Ocean Region. Congress, BJP spar over PMML’s demand for return of Nehru’s letters STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 DECEMBER A war of words erupted between the Congress and the BJP on Monday after the Prime Minister Museum and Library (PMML) Society asked the grand old party to return late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s historical letters that were withdrawn from the museum allegedly on Sonia Gandhi's orders in 2008. The PMML kicked up a political row by urging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to return the letters removed from the museum in 2008 at the instance of her mother and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Sonia Gandhi. Rizwan Kadri, a member of the PMML Society, has Nirmala tears into Cong for ‘brazenly amending Constitution to help family’ ‘Those who despised tricolour, Constitution are lecturing us’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 DECEMBER STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 DECEMBER Highlighting that 'India's Constitution has stood the test of time', the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Monday slammed the Congress for brazenly amending the Constitution from time to time to help the family and dynasty. Opening the discussion on the glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India in the Rajya Sabha, she said, ''..The Congress party brazenly kept amending the Constitution to help the family and dynasty... These amendments were not to strengthen democracy but to protect those in power, the process was used to strengthen the family.'' The Finance Minister said Con- gress' record in curtailing freedom of speech was unmatched. Referring to the arrests of poet and lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri and actor Balraj Sahni to slam former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru over freedom of speech, she said,'' ...Majrooh Sultanpuri and Balraj Sahni were both jailed in 1949. During one of the meetings organised for the mill workers in 1949, Majrooh Sultanpuri recited a poem that was written Ambani, Adani drop out of Bloomberg’s $100 bn club STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 DECEMBER Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani, and Adani Group chief Gautam Adani have dropped out of Bloomberg’s USD 100 billion club this year. The duo ranked among India’s wealthiest and some of Asia’s richest individuals, and have been dropped due to various business challenges. Ambani’s energy and retail sectors have been struggling, with investor concerns about rising debt weighing on the performance while Adani’s business empire has been shaken by a US Department of Justice investigation that could reduce funding opportunities and complicate the BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 73.99 Sri Lankan President Disanayake says the cooperation with India will flourish under his leadership Min: 04.5 °C (-4) SUN SETS 17:28 hrs MOON SETS 09:51 hrs World Chess Champion D Gukesh besides his parents during a press conference after winning the FIDE World Chess Championship in Chennai on Monday. n ANI P12 ‘Won’t allow our territory to be used against India’ Min. 28 % Max: 24.5 °C (+1) SUN RISES 07:08 hrs MOON RISES 19:24 hrs INDIA IN TROUBLE AFTER ANOTHER BATTING COLLAPSE securing of new contracts. According to Bloomberg’s wealth index, the wealth of many of India’s richest individuals has continued to rise, with the 20 wealthiest adding USD 67.3 billion to their fortunes since the beginning of the year. The largest gains were seen by technology mogul Shiv Nadar, who added USD 10.8 billion, and Savitri Jindal, whose family controls the Jindal Group, with an increase of USD 10.1 billion. Bloomberg said Ambani’s fortune peaked at USD 120.8 billion in July. However, his company Reliance faced setbacks, including weaker earnings from its energy division and slower consumer demand in retail. Ambani’s fortune stood at $96.7 billion as of December 13. against Jawaharlal Nehru and therefore he had to go to jail. He refused to tender an apology for the same and was jailed...Congress's record of curtailing freedom of speech didn't confine it to these two people.'' The minister went on to say, "Nehru", a political biography which was written by Michael Edwards in 1975, was banned. They also banned a film called "Kissa Kursi Ka" just because it questioned Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son..." There was ruckus in the Rajya Sabha when the minister challenged-The 39th Amendment 1975-which was added during Indira Gandhi's regime. She pointed out the Constitutional amendments were brought in to nullify a judgement that arose between Indira Gandhi vs Raj Narain wherein the order of the Allahabad High Court setting aside the election of Indira Gandhi was challenged. ''To save her 'Kursi' Indira Gandhi brought the 39th Amendment 1975 bill'', she said. “During the pendency of this case in the Supreme Court, the Congress enacted the 39th Constitutional Amendment Act in 1975 which added Article 392 (A) to the Constitution which says that elections to the President, Vice President, Prime Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker cannot be challenged in any court in the country and it can be done only before a parliamentary committee. Imagine that for a person to save her chair, an amendment was made even before the court judgement,” she thundered. Emphasising that all must adhere to the Constitution and its Preamble, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, Monday said merely pointing fingers at each other won’t help. He slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on the Constitution (in the Lok Sabha), and allegd that those who haven't fought for the country can't grasp its significance. Speaking during the discussion on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India in the House of Elders, Kharge said, "Merely pointing fingers at each other won't help. The Jan Sangh had once aimed to structure the Constitution based on the laws of Manusmriti. This was the intent of the RSS. Those who despise the tricolour, the Ashoka Chakra, and the Constitution are now lecturing us. On the day the Constitution was implemented, these people burned effigies of Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru at Ramlila Maidan. They insult the NehruGandhi family without shame," he said. He said in 1949, RSS leaders opposed the Constitution of India because it was not based on Manusmriti. ''... Neither did they accept the Constitution nor the tricolour. On 26 January 2002, for the first time, the tricolour was hoisted at the RSS headquarters under compulsion. Because there was a court order,” he pointed out. During his a little morethan-an-hour speech, the Congress leader said, ''...Those who did not fight for the country, how will they know the importance of freedom and the Constitution?'' He alleged PM Modi was the 'top liar' as he failed to deliver on promises and misled India for the past 11 years. " ...The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) was teaching us and said that we lie but the number one liar is the Prime Minister. It was said that Rs15 lakh will be given but nothing came...these people are misleading the country and deceiving the people by lying...The Prime Minister should have told what he has done in the last 11 years to strengthen the Constitution...'', he said. Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain passes away at 73 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 DECEMBER Tabla maestro and Padma Vibhushan Zakir Hussain passed away late last night at the age of 73 in San Francisco from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an official statement from his family said on Monday. Hussain was a four-time Grammy award winner and has received the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award. Through his performances, he transformed the tabla into a globally loved solo instrument. He is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola, his daughters Anisa Qureshi and her family, Isabella Qureshi and her family, his brothers Taufiq and Fazal Qureshi, and his sister Khurshid Aulia. The artist's family said in the statement, "His prolific work as a teacher, mentor and educator has left an indelible mark on countless musicians. He hoped to inspire the next generation to go further. He leaves behind an unparalleled legacy as a cultural ambassador and one of the greatest musicians of all time. "The family requests privacy at this time," it added. Born in Mumbai in 1951, Hussain began training under his father Ustad Allarakha Khan, a tabla maestro himself. He had described growing up in an "atmosphere of music 24 hours a day". By age seven, he was performing in concerts alongside his father. Condolence messages have poured in from across the country and abroad when the news broke. Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X, "Deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain Ji. He will be remembered as a true genius who revolutionized the world of Indian classical music. He also brought the tabla to the global stage, captivating millions with his unparalleled rhythm. "Through this, he seamlessly blended Indian classical traditions with global music, thus becoming an icon of cultural unity. His iconic performances and soulful compositions will contribute to inspire generations of musicians and music lovers alike. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and the global music community," he said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Hussain's death was "a great loss for the music world", while the US embassy in India said he was a "true maestro" and would be "forever in our hearts". A child prodigy, Hussain has collaborated with virtually all of India's legendary performers, including Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan and Shivkumar Sharma. India bestowed the honour of Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri on the legend. He has also been a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and a lifetime honour award of Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship. He won two Grammy Awards with Mickey Hart for Planet Drum, and three more this March -one with John McLaughlin, and the band Shakti, and two for his collaborations with Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Rakesh Chaurasia. Notably, Zakir Hussain is also the first Indian to take home three Grammy Awards in one night. written to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi requesting him to give back the documents that he called an "important aspect of its history" and were withdrawn from the museum allegedly on the order of senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. "In September 2024, I wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi requesting that the 51 cartons from approximately eight different sections, which were part of the Nehru collections at the Prime Ministers' Museum (formerly the Nehru Memorial), be either returned to the institution, or we be granted permission to scan them, or provided with their scanned copies. This would allow us to study them and facilitate research by various scholars," he said. Nation pays homage to 1971 war heroes on Vijay Diwas STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 DECEMBER President Droupadi Murmu paid tribute to the brave soldiers of the 1971 war on Vijay Diwas, honoring their sacrifices and valor. In a post on X, the President expressed gratitude to the martyrs, stating that their ultimate sacrifice remains a source of inspiration and pride for the nation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also saluted the courage and patriotism of the Armed Forces, highlighting their role in ensuring India's safety. “India will never forget their sacrifice and service,” said Singh as he laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. Other leaders, including Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, and Vice-Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, also participated in the solemn ceremony, paying homage to the fallen heroes by laying wreaths. Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the nation in honoring the soldiers, lauding their selfless dedication and unwavering resolve. In a message, he described Vijay Diwas as a tribute to their extraordinary bravery and indomitable spirit, which safeguarded the nation and brought glory to India.