THURSDAY 06 FEBRUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR GEN CHAUHAN LAUNCHES KEY INFRA INITIATIVES TRUMP PROPOSES USA TAKING OVER THE GAZA STRIP P9 SENSEX 78,271.28q312.53 MAINLY CLEAR SKY. SHALLOW FOG/MIST LIKELY IN THE MORNING. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 25 AND 09 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY TEMPERATURE P5 NIFTY 23,696.30q42.95 ` vs $ 87.46 GOLD 87,290.00 Min. 47% Max: 23.7˚C (+0.4) Min: 11.0˚C(+1.6 ) SUN RISES SUN SETS 07:06 hrs 18:05 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS 12:04 hrs 02:37 hrs THUMBNAILS Art College students celebrate as they take the idol of Goddess Saraswati for immersion, marking the end of Saraswati Puja in Patna on Wednesday. n ANI Bangladesh resumes visa and consular services in Agartala after 2-month suspension: The Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala has announced the resumption of visa and consular services from 5 February, ending a two-month suspension imposed after a security breach at the mission. The services were halted on 3 December, a day after a group of protesters stormed the mission premises in response to the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Dhaka. (P8) NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 5 FEBRUARY The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, reiterated his call for a nationwide caste census as he underlined the paradox of representation without power for the country’s Dalits, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and tribals. Speaking at a programme pertaining to the birth anniversary of the Dalit icon Jaglal Chaudhary in Patna, Mr Gandhi, observing that India’s backward classes do have political representation, but that has not translated into real power in their hands. “Dalits have been given representation, but due to lack of actual participation in the power structure, it means nothing,” Mr Gandhi said. He also repeated his call to save the Constitution of India, contending that only the Constitution could give the backward classes true representation, and that is why, according to him. the BJP and the RSS wanted to change it. Invoking Rohit Vemula, a student activist who committed suicide in January 2015, he said that all RSS leaders did bow to Ambedkar, but they didn’t respect what he fought for. “They will do it in a subtle way to deceive you,” he said. Mr Gandhi said the new political establishment under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has further diminished the representation of Dalits, Voters show their inked fingers after casting votes at Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, Qutub Road, Sadar Bazar, in the Capital on Wednesday. n SUBRATA DUTTA assembly seats in Delhi while only two exit polls have predicted the victory of the AAP. The Delhi Assembly polls saw a triangular contest between the ruling AAP and Opposition parties BJP and Congress. According to the Peoples Pulse poll survey, the BJP and its allies may get 51-60 seats out of 70 seats, AAP may win up to 10-19 seats and Congress zero seats. As per P-MARQ, the BJP and its allies may get 39-49 seats while the AAP is poised to win 21-31 tribals and backward classes of the society. However, he promised that it wouldn’t continue anymore and asserted that Dalits and the backwards would get a share in power as per their population. In order to achieve these goals, Mr Gandhi stressed the need to conduct a caste survey across the country, making policies based on the collected data and implementing them with full determination. He also cited the example of Telangana in this regard. “The Caste Census will tell us the actual number of Dalits, backward classes, minorities, and the poor from the general category. Based on this, we will analyse their representation in the judiciary, media, institutions, and bureaucracy to uncover the reality,” he said. Mr Gandhi said that not a single Dalit, OBC, or tribal holds a leadership position in India's top 200 companies. seats. It has predicted 01 seats for the grand old party. According to the WeePreside exit poll, the AAP may get 46-52 seats while the BJP may win up to 18-23 seats. It has also predicted 0-1 seats for the grand old party. Poll Diary has predicted 42-50 seats for the BJP and its allies and 18-25 for the AAP. Meanwhile, JVC has predicted 39-45 seats for the saffron party and its allies in Delhi while the AAP is poised to win 2231 seats. RBI likely to cut repo rate by 25 basis points for 1st time in 5 years AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 5 FEBRUARY The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in all likelihood, is set to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points for the first time in almost five years, aligning with the Budget's objectives of stimulating economic activity while managing a prudent fiscal position, which provides comfort on currency and inflation fronts, industry experts said on Wednesday. The central bank last reduced the repo rate by 40 basis points to 4 per cent in May 2020, to help the economy tide over the crisis following the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, the repo rate stands at 6.50 per cent. Given the Union Budget's emphasis on reviving consumption to support economic growth, the RBI might consider turning the policy rate cycle. (Details on Page 10) Mahakumbh: PM takes holy dip at Triveni Sangam STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE MAHAKUMBH NAGAR, 5 FEBRUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sacred dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati during the Prayagraj Mahakumbh here on Wednesday. He immersed himself in the Triveni Sangam amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns. Before his ritual bath, PM Modi offered prayers to Lord Surya, chanted on Rudraksha (dried seeds used for prayers by Hindus and Buddhists) beads, and performed rituals, honouring the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, followed by Ganga Puja and Aarti. Adhering to traditions, Prime Minister Modi first touched the holy waters in reverence before offering tarpan (offering made to divine entities) and prayers to the Sun. Clad in a black kurta, saffron sash, and a Himachali cap, he offered akshat (raw unbroken rice sprinkled with water), naivedya (offering to deity or nature), flowers, fruits, and a red chunari (cloth used to cover the top of a dress) to the divine confluence, amid Vedic hymns reverberating in the air. Following the dip, he performed Aarti of the three sacred rivers. The Tirtha Purohit present at the site honoured him with a tilak. After the US C-17 military aircraft lands in Amritsar with illegal immigrants CHANDIGARH, 5 FEBRUARY Rahul Gandhi reiterates call for holding nationwide caste census PATNA, 5 FEBRUARY BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 75.43q0.79 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE E IMRAN MOJIB P12 SILVER 1,07,000 Voting for 70-seat Delhi Assembly ended at 6 pm with turnout hovering around 60 pc xit polls telecast by different private TV channels, on Wednesday evening, predicted comfortable victory for the BJP in the Delhi Assembly elections. Voting for the 70-seat Delhi Assembly ended at 6 p.m. with the turnout hovering around 60 per cent. Voter turnout stood at 57.70 till 5 p.m, with the highest registered at Mustafabad constituency at 66.68 per cent. The 11hour voting remained largely peaceful except for some sporadic complaints of bogus voting and model code violation If the exit polls prove correct, the saffron party will return to power in the national capital after a gap of 27 years. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), according to the exit polls, could finish with 25 to 30 seats in the 70 member Delhi Assembly while Congress may end up with one seat. Most of the exit polls have predicted a big win for the BJP as the saffron party is projected to get over 40 seats out of 70 ABHISHEK SHARMA JUMPS TO NO.2 IN ICC T20I BATTERS’ LIST P4 Exit polls predict big win for BJP WEATHER Max. 93% T’GANA GOVT FACES OBJECTION OVER QUOTA FOR MADIGAS puja, PM Modi and CM Adityanath shared a boat ride back to the helipad. After his Sangam dip, PM Modi wrote on social media: “Blessed to be at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. The Snan at the Sangam is a moment of divine connection, and like the crores of others who have taken part in it, I was also filled with a spirit of devotion.” “May Maa Ganga bless all with peace, wisdom, good health and harmony,” he added. Prime Minister Modi arrived at Prayagraj Airport in the morning and proceeded to the DPS helipad aboard an MI-17 helicopter, where Chief Minister Adityanath received him. From there, he travelled to Arail Ghat and boarded a boat to head toward the Triveni Sangam. Accompanied by CM Adityanath, the Prime Minister discussed the arrangements made for the Mahakumbh and the facilities provided for devotees. During the boat ride, he also acknowledged the greetings of the devotees gathered at the Sangam and waved to them. Upon reaching the Triveni Sangam, PM Modi joined thousands of common devotees already performing their ritual baths. Notably, despite the VVIP movement, there was no restriction on public participation, allowing devotees to continue their sacred dips alongside the Prime Minister. Matrize exit poll has predicted a close contest between the BJP and AAP. It said the the saffron party is likely to win 3540 seats and the AAP 3237 seats. It has predicted one seat for the Congress. According to People's Insight exit poll, the BJP is likely to emerge victorious in 40-44 seats and AAP 25- 29 seats. The Congress, it said, can win a 0-1 seat. Meanwhile, Chanakya Strategies has predicted 39-44 seats for the BJP, 25-28 seats for the AAP and 2-3 seats for Congress. DV Research has predicted a clear lead for BJP in 36-44 seats and the AAP is expected to secure a distant second spot with 26-34 seats. Delhi recorded a turnout of 57.70 per cent till 5 pm on Wednesday. Votes will be counted on 8 February. The AAP has dominated the last two assembly polls in Delhi. In the 2020 assembly elections, it won 62 out of 70 seats and BJP won eight. Congress, which ruled the national capital for 15 years, failed to open its account in the last two assembly polls. SEE PAGES 2 and 3 As many as 104 illegal Indian immigrants deported from the United States landed on Wednesday at Sri Guru Ramdasji International Airport in Amritsar in a US military aircraft, according to sources. Thirty of them are from Punjab, 33 each are from Haryana and Gujarat, while three each are said to be from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two are from Chandigarh, the sources said. Initially, there were reports that the US C-17 Globemaster was carrying 205 illegal Indian immigrants but the authorities were not disclosing any specific details in this regard. Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal Tuesday said that many people from the country entered the USA on work visas which later expired. This made them illegal immigrants, he said. Mr Dhaliwal is also planning to meet External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar next week to discuss the issue, while Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav has said the police are all prepared to extend every possible support needed. It is learnt that documents and other details of the immi- grants at the airport are being verified by the competent authorities. A US Embassy spokesperson in New Delhi Tuesday expressed his inability to share specific details but reiterated that the actions taken send a "clear message that illegal migration is not worth the risk." "I have received a number of inquiries on the report of a deportation flight to India. I can't share any details on those inquiries, but I can share, on the record, that the United States is vigorously enforcing its border, tightening immigration laws, and removing illegal migrants. These actions send a clear message: illegal migration is not worth the risk," he said. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing in New Delhi recently: "We are against illegal immigration, especially because it is linked to several forms of organised crime."