SOORAJ BARJATYA INTERVIEW 16 FEBRUARY 2025 THE SANDALWOOD EXPERT AND HIS CRAFT WORLD NO. 1 JANNIK SINNER HANDED THREE-MONTH BAN FOR DOPING www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 PAGE 12 SINCE 1818 PAGES 16 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER Mainly clear sky. Shallow to moderate fog in the morning. Maximum and Minimum Temperature most likely to be around 29˚C and 18˚C respectively. RAINFALL: 0.0 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 94% CVC orders probe into ‘Sheesh Mahal’ Probe was ordered after CPWD submitted a factual report on the matter AGENCIES GUWAHATI, 15 FEBRUARY Min. 32% TEMPERATURE Max: 29.5˚C (-0.5) SUN RISES 06:08 hrs MOON RISES 19:59 hrs Assam CM Sarma plans to set up SIT into Elizabeth Gogoi’s ‘Pakistan links’ Min: 17.3˚C (-1.4) SUN SETS 17:33 hrs MOON SETS 07:41 hrs New Moon on 28 February THUMBNAILS Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa pose for a selfie as they cross Cape Horn while sailing on the third leg of the Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition onboard INSV Tarini, on Saturday. nANI Hamas frees 3 Israeli hostages for 369 Palestinian prisoners: Hamas-led militants released three male Israeli hostages Saturday in the Gaza Strip and Israeli forces freed hundreds of prisoners in return, in the latest indication that a fragile ceasefire that had teetered in recent days is holding. Militants in the southern Gaza Strip paraded the three hostages before a crowd before releasing them. A tense dispute had jeopardised the nearly four week-old truce in recent days and threatened to renew the fighting. (Page 9) STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 15 FEBRUARY T he Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has directed a detailed investigation into the renovations at 6 Flag Staff Road, the former residence of AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal during his tenure as Chief Minister of Delhi. The CVC has asked the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to conduct a detailed investigation on allegations that “building norms were floated to construct a lavish mansion (Sheesh Mahal) covering 40,000 square yards (8 acres)”. The probe was ordered by the CVC on 13 February after the CPWD submitted a factual report on the matter on the complaint of BJP leader Vijender Gupta. According to the BJP MLA, he had written to the CVC on 14 and 21 October last year, raising concerns over alleged irregularities in the construction and renovation of the property, referred to as 'Sheesh Mahal.' He had claimed that adjacent government property, including Plot Nos. 45 and 47 on Rajpur Road (previously housing senior officers and judges in TypeV flats) and two bungalows (8-A & 8-B, Flag Staff Road), were demolished and merged into the new residence, violating ground coverage and floor area ratio (FAR) norms and lacked proper layout plan approvals. The CVC subsequently All that you value at home, you don’t practice abroad: EAM Jaishankar schools West on democracy AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 15 FEBRUARY External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar (EAM) delivered a sharp critique of Western attitudes towards democracy during the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. Speaking at a panel discussion titled ‘Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience,' EAM Jaishankar remarked: “There was a time, I’ve to say this in all honesty, where the West treated democracy as a Western characteristic and was busy encouraging non-democratic forces in the Global South. It still does. Everything you value at home, you don’t practice abroad." He also reflected on the vibrancy of India’s elections. “The mark on my index finger is a mark of a person who just voted. We just had an election in my state. Last year, we had a national election. In Indian elections, 2/3rd of national voters vote. We count the votes in a single day and nobody disputes the results after it is announced. Today, in the modern era, 20 per cent more voters vote than they did decades ago," he remarked. The EAM emphasised that despite global concerns, "we are voting well, we are optimistic about democracy." “The message is that somehow democracy is in trouble globally, and I will have to disagree with it. We are voting well, we are optimistic about democracy and for us, democracy has actually delivered.” Mr Jaishankar defended India’s democratic model, noting that the country’s choice to adopt democracy after Independence was rooted in its consultative and pluralistic society. “India chose a democratic model after Independence, it chose that model because we had fundamentally a consultative, pluralistic society,” he explained. On social media, Mr Jaishankar shared his thoughts on the panel, writing: “Started the #MSC2025 with a panel on ‘Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience’. Joined PM @jonasgahrstore, @ElissaSlotkin, and @trzaskowski_. Highlighted India as a democracy that delivers. Differed with the prevailing political pessimism. Spoke my mind on foreign interference.” Taking place in Munich, Germany, the Munich Security Conference 2025, is a global forum for discussing international security. EAM meets Ukrainian counterpart STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 15 FEBRUARY Amid attempts by US President Donald Trump to bring the Russia-Ukraine conflict to an end, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andry Sybiha on Friday and discussed various issues. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Germany's Munich. Mr Jaishankar also met with the Foreign Ministers of Argentina, Romania, Denmark and Austria, and the Finance Minister of Norway on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. forwarded the matter to the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) on 5 November 2024, for investigation. The CPWD submitted a factual report to the CVC on 5 December 2024, confirming violations. Based on this report, the CVC, on 13 February directed the agency to conduct a full-scale investigation into the matter and take action against those responsible. Mr Gupta, the former Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, welcomed the CVC’s decision, calling it a step toward accountability for alleged illegal construction and misuse of public funds at Mr Kejriwal's former residence. He also claimed that, apart from 'Sheesh Mahal,' several towers were under construction but work was halted immediately after the alleged scandal came to light. The investigation will examine the funds allocated for these structures and their intended purpose, he said. New India Cooperative Bank GM arrested by EOW in `122 crore fraud case MUMBAI, 15 FEBRUARY The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police has arrested Hitesh Mehta, General Manager of New India Cooperative Bank, in connection with a Rs 122 crore financial fraud case. On Saturday, EOW officials conducted a raid at Mr Mehta’s residence in Dahisar, Mumbai, at Aryavrat Society, NL Complex. Following the search at his 14th floor apartment, Mr Mehta was taken into custody and brought to the EOW office for interrogation. An FIR was earlier registered at Dadar Police Station against Mr Mehta, accusing him of financial embezzlement. The complaint was lodged by Devarshi Shishir Kumar Ghosh, 48, the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank. On 17 February, Kokrajhar, once a focal point of the Bodoland movement, will host a special one-day Budget Session. GUWAHATI, 15 FEBRUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reiterated his commitment to the development of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), emphasising the government's sustained efforts to empower the Bodo community. “I fondly recall my visit to Kokrajhar, where I witnessed the vibrant Bodo culture. The NDA governments, both at the Centre and in Assam, have been working tirelessly to empower the Bodo community and fulfil Bodo aspirations. These efforts will continue with even greater vigour,” Mr Modi tweeted. His remarks come ahead of a historic legislative event in Assam. On 17 February, the state will achieve a significant milestone as Kokrajhar, once a focal point of the Bodoland movement, hosts a special one-day Budget Session. This marks the first time in Assam’s history that an Assembly session will be held outside Dispur. Highlighting the importance of this event, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated: “A key agenda will be strengthening the administration of Sixth Schedule areas, with the Governor’s Address as a major highlight.”Mr Sarma underscored the significance of this moment as a defining achieve- ment of his tenure and credited Prime Minister Modi’s vision for making it possible. Kokrajhar, a key town in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Region, has been at the heart of Bodo political and social movements for decades. The region witnessed prolonged insurgency and unrest as Bodo groups demanded greater autonomy and recognition of their ethnic identity. However, the signing of the Bodo Peace Accord in January 2020 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Min- ister Amit Shah paved the way for lasting peace and development. Reacting to Mr Sarma’s announcement, Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed the Centre’s dedication to the progress of BTR and the welfare of the Bodo people. “The NDA governments, both at the Centre and in Assam, have been working tirelessly to empower the Bodo community and fulfil Bodo aspirations. These works will continue with even greater vigour.” The upcoming Assembly session in Kokrajhar aligns with the government’s broader strategy to enhance political and economic inclusion in BTR. With the Governor’s Address expected to set the tone for discussions, the special session is likely to deliberate on key governance issues in tribal areas. unless a regular case is registered, the passport and visa of the alleged person involved will not be investigated. We will also investigate the entire ecosystem, including sympathisers. We are going to conduct a detailed investigation,” he added. He said there is also need to probe if during that period “there was attempt by ISI to infiltrate into the office of Chief Minister of Assam”. “That also has to be examined now,” he said. There has been a war of words between Himanta Biswa Sarma and Gaurav Gogoi over the latter's wife allegedly having links with the Pakistan agency. Mr Sarma had on Friday said that he wanted a clarification from the Congress' Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Apex court to hear pleas concerning Places of Worship Act on 17 February PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 15 FEBRUARY AGENCIES PM Modi reaffirms commitment to BTR development, empowerment of Bodo community STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Stepping up his attack on the allegations about the “links” of Elizabeth Gogoi, the British-born wife of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, with Pakistani intelligence agencies, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (photo) on Saturday said that there is "definite information" that she visited Pakistan even after her marriage and a decision to form a Special Investigation Team would to be taken at the meeting of the state Cabinet tomorrow. He said a regular case should be filed to investigate the individual’s passport and visa and that the entire ecosystem, including sympathisers, will be investigated. “We have definite information that Elizabeth Gogoi (wife of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi) has visited Pakistan even after her marriage. Whether she went with the MP or alone, these things will be confirmed. Many details are coming out," he said. “Tomorrow, the Assam Cabinet is going to meet and probably in that meeting, we will take a decision to form an SIT because “We are not accusing anyone, but we want some facts to come out. I have some questions. Firstly, is it true or false that the MP's wife worked in Pakistan? Secondly, if she has taken Indian citizenship or not. Thirdly, if the MP had visited Pakistan during this time and while meeting the Pakistan ambassador, if he had taken permission from the External affairs ministry or not....How can ISI and R&AW stay in the same house? ISI is Pakistan, and R&AW is India; it is not possible for them to live together,” Mr Sarma told reporters on Friday. Gaurav Gogoi has found himself at the centre of a controversy after a section of BJP leaders, led by Mr Sarma, raised questions over his wife's "foreign citizenship" and accused her of having ties with the ISI. They also questioned a meeting Mr Gogoi had with the then-Pakistani High Commissioner to India ten years ago in 2015. Mr Gogoi, who has dismissed the allegations, said that he will take appropriate legal action over the BJP’s “malicious and baseless” allegations against him and his wife. The Supreme Court will hear on Monday (17 February), a batch of cross-petitions questioning the validity of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, (POWA), and others seeking the effective and proper enforcement of the 1991 law, which prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on 15 August, 1947. The batch of cross-petitions are listed before a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar, and Justice K.V. Viswanathan.