TUESDAY 14 JANUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00| LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR AMERICAN ROLE IN TARGETING INDIA GERMAN DIVIDE~II P6 P7 P4 SENSEX 76,330.01q1,048.90 NIFTY WEATHER J&K becoming hub of tunnels & bridges: PM SMOG/ SHALLOW FOG LIKELY IN THE EVENING/NIGHT. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 19 AND 09 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 100 % TEMPERATURE ` vs $ 86.50 GOLD 80,600.00 The tunnel has been built at a cost of more than `2,700 crore in the state S P SHARMA Min. 67 % Max: 18.5 °C (-1.4) SUN RISES 07:15 hrs MOON RISES 18:10 hrs 23,085.95q345.55 Min: .09.4 °C (+2) SUN SETS 17:46 hrs MOON SETS 08:24 hrs THUMBNAILS Artistes dressed in traditional attire perform during the Sankranti and Pongal celebrations, at Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy's residence in New Delhi on Monday. n ANI NTA reschedules January 15 UGC-NET Exam due to festivities: The National Testing Agency announced on Monday that it has postponed the UGC-NET December 2024 examination scheduled for January 15, citing overlapping festivities. The decision was made following multiple requests from aspirants highlighting the observance of Pongal, Makar Sankranti, and other festivals on the same day, according to an official statement from the testing body. The UGC-NET December 2024 examination, conducted to determine eligibility for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor positions, and Ph D admissions, was initially scheduled to take place from January 3 to January 16. However, only the January 15 exam has been postponed. JAMMU, 13 JANUARY P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir is regaining its identity as “paradise on earth”, leaving behind the difficult days of the past. He was in the city to inaugurate the strategic 6.4 km-long Sonamarg Tunnel on the SrinagarLeh highway that is being seen as the first leg to provide all weather road connectivity between J&K and the Union Territory of Ladakh that borders China and Pakistan. The tunnel has been built at a cost of more than Rs.2700 crore and bypasses the avalanche prone highway. The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, Union Ministers of State, Dr. Jitendra Singh and Ajay Tamta were among those present on the occasion. Addressing a large gathering after dedicating the tunnel to the nation, Modi said “Jammu and Kashmir of the 21st century is scripting a new chapter of development”. There is an atmosphere of peace in Jammu and Kashmir and the valley is scripting a new story of development. We are seeing its effect on tourism that is increasing with every passing year. The Prime Minister noted that people now enjoy ice cream at Lal Chowk even at night, and the area remains lively. He praised the local artists for transforming Polo View Market into a new habitat center, with musicians, artists, and singers frequently performing there. The Prime Minister observed that people in Srinagar now comfortably watch movies with their families in cinema halls and shop with ease. He emphasized that such significant changes cannot be achieved by the government alone and credited the people of Jammu and Kashmir for strengthening democracy and securing their future. In an obvious reference to CM Omar Abdullah’s demand of restoration of J&K’s statehood, PM said “Modi is known for implementing his promises and all promises will be met at an appropriate time”. Acknowledging that it was truly the new era of Jammu and Kashmir, Modi People of India reaffirmed their trust in PM Modi: Ashwini Vaishnaw slams Zuckerberg AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 13 JANUARY Union IT and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday expressed "disappointment" over a recent claim made by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg regarding the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking on Joe Rogan's podcast, Zuckerberg suggested that "incumbents basically lost every single election in 2024", making an indirect reference to India. Zuckerberg's comments on the podcast reflected his belief that there was a global decline in trust in governments following the Covid19 pandemic. He attributed this decline in public trust to factors such as inflation, economic policies related to the pandemic, and the general handling of Covid-19 by governments worldwide. In his view, this dissatisfaction contributed to the loss of incumbents in elections around the world. In response to Zuckerberg's remarks, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took to the social media platform X to set the record straight, particularly with regard to India’s 2024 elections. He strongly contested Zuckerberg's claim, highlighting that the BJP-led NDA coalition's victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was "decisive" and demon- strated strong governance and public trust. Ashwini Vaishnaw wrote in his post: "As the world's largest democracy, India conducted the 2024 elections with over 640 million voters. People of India reaffirmed their trust in NDA led by PM @narendramodi Ji’s leadership." He further asserted: "Mr. Zuckerberg's claim that most incumbent governments, including India in 2024 elec- tions, lost post-COVID is factually incorrect." Ashwini Vaishnaw also highlighted several key achievements under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including free food distribution to 800 million people, the administration of 2.2 billion free vaccines, and India's role in providing aid to other nations during the Covid-19 pandemic. "From free food for 800 million, 2.2 billion free vaccines, and aid to nations worldwide during COVID, to leading India as the fastestgrowing major economy, PM Modi's decisive 3rd-term victory is a testament to good governance and public trust," the Union Minister wrote. Ashwini Vaishnaw concluded his remarks with a call to uphold facts and credibility, stating: "It's disappointing to see misinformation from Mr. Zuckerberg himself. Let's uphold facts and credibility." 16 mn take dip in Sangam on Paush Purnima STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE MAHAKUMBH NAGAR, 13 JANUARY On Paush Purnima, the first bathing festival of Mahakumbh, about 16 million devotees have taken a dip in the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati by 4 pm on Monday. If the claims of the fair administration are to be believed, by late evening the figure may cross 20 million. A government official here has claimed that 16 million devotees have taken a dip in the Sangam till 4 PM. Still a vast sea of devotees including students, youth as well as elders including women are reaching the Sangam bank for bathing. Extensive security arrangements have been made by the government. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have hailed the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj as the "Mahakumbh of Unity," a message that resonated widely on social media, with #Ekta_Ka_Mahakumbh trending during Paush Purnima Snan Parv on Monday, the opening day of Mahakumbh. Users started sharing posts with #Ekta_Ka_Mahakumbh, celebrating the event's spiritual and cultural significance on social media platforms X and Instagram actively right since morning. By afternoon, the hashtag topped trending charts, showcasing widespread public participation and the collective spirit of unity symbolised by this historic gathering. Thousands of users actively shared photos, videos, and information REJUVENATED SINDHU, EYE COMEBACK AT INDIA OPEN 2025 ‘INDIA NOW AMONG TOP 25 GLOBAL ARMS EXPORTERS’ related to the event, sparking widespread engagement. Several hashtags emerged in these discussions, with #Ekta_Ka_Mahakumbh standing out as the most prominent one. By 3:30 pm, nearly 70,000 users had used the hashtag, sharing their experiences of the massive crowd, the Sangam Snan, and the deep spiritual significance of Sanatan faith. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also joined the conversation, and his use of the hashtag triggered a surge of responses, quickly propelling #Ekta_Ka_Mahakumbh to the top of the trending charts. The hashtag was further amplified by influential figures and institutions, including former Amethi MP and BJP leader Smriti Irani, the Government of India’s MyGovIndia handle, Namami Gange, Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan, UP Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, and Minister Sandeep Singh. mentioned the recent international cricket league held in the region after forty years and car racing scenes around the beautiful Dal Lake. He said that Gulmarg was becoming the winter games capital of India, having hosted four Khelo India Winter Games, with the fifth edition starting next month. Modi paid homage to the seven workers of the tunnel who were killed in a terrorist attack in October and said that the challenge was accepted by other workers and they have completed the tunnel well within time. The Sonamarg tunnel will make the lives of the people of Sonamarg as well as Kargil and Leh much easier. Modi said, “Two days ago, CM Omar Abdullah posted some pictures of this place on social media. After seeing those pictures, my eagerness to come here among you increased even more. As the Chief Minister has just told you, I have had a long association with all of you and whenever I come here, I start remembering the days when I used to work as a worker of the BJP. P12 SILVER 1,02,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 80.68p0.92 India summons Bangladeshi diplomat amidst tensions over border issues NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 13 JANUARY India on Monday summoned Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner Md. Nural Islam and formally rejected Dhaka's charge that India was attempting to construct barbed wire fencing at five specific locations along the over 4000-KM long IndoBangladeshi border. The Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to the South Block here. After the meeting, it was conveyed that with regard to security measures at the border, including fencing, India observed all protocols and agreements between the two governments and between the Border Security Force and Border Guard Bangladesh. "India reiterated its commitment to ensuring a crimefree border by effectively addressing the challenges of cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking. Barbed wire fencing, border lighting, installation of technical devices and cattle fences are measures for securing the border," the MEA said in a statement. India conveyed its expectation that all earlier under- standings will be implemented by Bangladesh and that there will be a cooperative approach to combating cross-border crimes, it added. The Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner was summoned by the MEA, a day after Dhaka summoned Indian envoy Pranay Verma to express concern and raise ‘objections’ over fencing at the border. Amid deepening strain in ties between the two nations, the Indian diplomat was summoned by the foreign office in Dhaka on Sunday following allegations in the Bangladeshi media that India was attempting to construct barbed wire fencing at five specific locations along the over 4000-KM long IndoBangladeshi border. In a statement, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said Indian diplomat Verma was called to Ambassador Md Jashim Uddin's office over the “recent activities of of the Border Security Force (BSF)” along the IndoBangladesh border and told that New Delhi should avoid any “provocative actions that could escalate tensions along the shared border.” It said, “Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Ambassador Md Jashim Uddin on Sunday expressed the deep concern of the Government of Bangladesh to the High Commissioner of India Pranay Verma at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the recent activities of the Border Security Force (BSF) of India along the Bangladesh-India Border.” During the meeting with the Indian diplomat, the Bangladesh foreign secretary called the fencing at the India-Bangladesh border “unauthorised” and stressed that such activities “have caused tensions and disturbances along the border.”