MONDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00 | LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘DELHI'S ARROGANCE WILL BE MET WITH THE REAL FACE OF TAMILS’ RUBIO SAYS HAMAS MUST BE ERADICATED P9 WEATHER Partly cloudy. Hazy in the evening. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 32°C and 21°C respectively. POLITICS HEATS UP AS BJP CONG WARN EACH , OTHER OF LEGAL BATTLE P4 P8 NDLS stampede toll 18, mostly women and kids Railways sets up two-member committee to investigate tragedy RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 84% Min. 62% TEMPERATURE Max: 32.2˚C SUN RISES 06:06 hrs MOON RISES 21:38 hrs Min: 21.3˚C SUN SETS 17:34 hrs MOON SETS 08:39 hrs New Moon on 28 February LEFT: Police manage the crowd at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday evening. n ANI ABOVE: The kin of one of the victims of the stampede break down on Sunday. n SUBRATA DUTTA THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 FEBRUARY T Tourists visit the replica of the Taj Mahal at Seven Wonders Park in Ajmer. n ANI KKR, RCB to play IPL 2025 opener, Eden Gardens to host final on 25 May: The 'Mecca of Indian Cricket', Eden Gardens will mark both the commencement and the conclusion of the 18th season of the Indian Premier League 2025, by hosting the tournament opener between Defending Champions, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on 22 March and the final on 25 May. Eden Gardens, the home ground of KKR, will also play host to Qualifier 2 on 23 May. (Page 12) he death toll in Saturday night’s stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) stood at 18, officials said on Sunday, even as a political firestorm erupted over the incident. The deceased included eleven women and five children. Railway officials said that last night when passengers were waiting on Platform 14 for Prayagraj Express, an announcement was made about the arrival of a Special Train on Platform 12, and people started moving towards Platform 12 in large numbers, during which a passenger slipped and fell on another, which resulted in a stampede. There may have been confusion because of the announcement of trains having the same initial name ‘Prayagraj’, causing people to suddenly rush for the other platform. So far, the deceased have been identified as Asha Devi, Pinky Devi, SheelaDevi,Vyom,Poonam Devi, Lalita Devi, Suruchi, Krishna Devi, Vijay, Neeraj, Shanti Devi, Pooja Kumar, Sangeeta Malik, Poonam, Mamta Jha, Riya Singh, Baby Kumari and Manoj. According to sources, the majority of the injured sustained lower limb injuries, and a few have bone injuries. Some of them are still under observation, mainly at the LNJP Hospital, while some had been discharged. The Railways constituted a two-member committee to probe the stampede with Narsingh Deo, Principal Chief Commercial Manager (PCCM) of Northern Railway and Pankaj Gangwar, Principal Chief Safety Commissioner (PCSC) Northern Railway as members. The committee has started its probe and has directed to secure all the video footage of New Delhi Railway Station. Eyewitnesses said that the scene was chaotic as people slipped from stairs, falling on each other amid the heavy crowd. Another claimed that the crowd was unprecedented and beyond control despite the presence of the administration. The Central government was at the receiving end of a wave of Opposition criticism in the wake of the incident, with leaders of various political parties blaming government incompetence for the tragedy and many demanding the resignation of Railways Minister Ashwini Vashnaw. (More on Page 3 & 5) Adhering to pacts is central to stability Third batch of illegal Indian in Indo-Pacific, says EAM Jaishankar immigrants deported from STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 FEBRUARY External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday asserted that adhering to agreements and understandings is a central element to ensuring stability and predictability in the Indo-Pacific. His comments are significant against the backdrop of India's repeated contention that China has violated various border pacts between the two countries from time to time. The Indo-Pacific, Mr Jaishankar said, has been witnessing deeper tensions and sharper contestations. “The scenario is intrinsically maritime in nature, involving respect for and observance of international law. There are other concerns, some related and some autonomous. Stronger assertions of interests is one issue; concern about unilateral changes to the status quo another. From India’s own experience, we can say that adhering to agreements and understandings is a central element to ensuring stability and predictability,” he said, delivering the keynote address at the Indian Ocean Conference 2025 : Voyage to New Horizons of Maritime Partnership conference in Muscat. Mr Jaishankar observed that changes in the global order may be expressed through new ideas and concepts. But they are also reflected in the evolving landscape. The Indian Ocean region is no exception to that rule. “And this matters not just to us as inhabitants of this community, but given our salience in so many dimensions, to other regions and nations as well. After all, as we heard from previous speakers, the Indian Ocean is veritably a global lifeline. Its production, consumption, contribution and connectivity is central to the manner in which the world runs today,” he said. Speaking about West Asia, he said there is a serious conflict underway with the potential for further escalation and complication. At the same time, longstanding issues are being revisited, sometimes with a radically different approach. Its maritime consequence is visible in a serious disruption of global shipping, with considerable cost to economies. “There are questions which arise from our ability and willingness to respond, as indeed from the partnerships relevant to that task,” he noted. USA arrives in Amritsar AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 16 FEBRUARY A third batch of Indian nationals who had migrated illegally to the USA landed at the airport in Amritsar in Punjab on Sunday night, nearly 24 hours after the second batch of 116 deportees arrived in a US military aircraft. A total of 112 Indian nationals were in the third batch, also ferried in a C-17 Globemaster aircraft. Of these 31 are from Punjab, 44 from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, two from Uttar Pradesh and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Meanwhile, two cousins from Patiala in Punjab, who were among the 116 people deported in the second batch, were arrested in connection with a murder case, police said on Sunday. Police said Sandeep Singh and Pradeep Singh, who were wanted in a murder case registered in 2023, were arrested from the Amritsar airport after their landing late on Saturday night. Out of the 116 people in the second batch, 65 belonged to Punjab and 33 belonged to Haryana. Eight persons were from Gujarat, two each from UP, Goa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir. The first round of deportation after the inauguration of Donald Trump as US President had taken place on 5 February, when a US military aircraft transported 104 Indians to Amritsar. Many of the deportees were reported to have been shackled and restrained during that flight, which caused political uproar in India, including in Parliament. Allegations of similar treatment were made by those who arrived in the second batch. Elon Musk-led DOGE cancels USD 22 million intended for ‘voter turnout in India’; BJP targets Congress AGENCIES WASHINGTON, 16 FEBRUARY The US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk has announced the cancellation of a $22 million funding intended for "voter turnout in India" on Saturday (local time). In a post on X, the official DOGE handle listed the number of spendings by the US taxpayer that have been cancelled, including “USD 21M for voter turnout in India.” BJP's Amit Malviya took to his X to react to the announcement. “$21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India's electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!” his post read. “It is becoming increasingly evident that the Congress-led UPA systematically enabled the infiltration of India's institutions by forces opposed to the nation's interests - those who seek to weaken India at every opportunity,” he wrote. Once again, he alleged, it was the billionaire US-based investor George Soros, a “known associate” of the Congress party and the Gandhis, “whose shadow looms over our electoral process”. “Those questioning the ‘transparent and inclusive’ process of appointing India's Election Commissioner had no hesitation in handing over the entire Election Commission of India to "foreign operators,” he added in another swipe at the Congress. Other funding cancelled by the US department included, USD 10 million for “Mozambique voluntary med- ical male circumcision.” The allocation for ‘voter turnout’ in India was part of a total of USD 486 million allocated to the 'Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening,' which also included USD 22M for an 'inclusive and participatory political process' in Moldova, according to the DOGE post. A USD 29 million intended for "strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh" and a USD 39 million for "fiscal federalism" and "biodiversity conservation" in Nepal was also cancelled. Similarly, USD 1.5 million for “voter confidence” in Liberia, USD 14 million for “social cohesion” in Mali, USD 2.5 million for “inclusive democracies in Southern Africa,” USD 2.3 million for "strengthening independent voices in Cambodia", USD 32 million to the Prague Civil Society Centre, USD 40 million for “gender equality and women empowerment hub”, USD 14 million for “improving public procurement” in Serbia and USD 47 million for “improving learning outcomes in Asia” were also cancelled by DOGE. This comes as DOGE has continued to outline significant changes in government spending over the last few weeks. During PM Narendra Modi's recent visit he held a meeting with Mr Musk. The two discussed strengthening collaboration between entities in India and the US in innovation, space exploration, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development. PM Modi and Elon Musk also spoke about opportunities to deepen cooperation in emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and good governance. CHAMPIONS TROPHY: BATTING-SORTED INDIA LOOK FAVOURITES FOR TITLE P12 Mamata Banerjee calls for better planning for Mahakumbh pilgrims STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 16 FEBRUARY West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday emphasised the need for better planning and management for pilgrims, as she expressed her condolences over the loss of 18 lives in a tragic stampede at New Delhi railway station on Saturday night. The incident had occurred as thousands of passengers gathered to board trains heading to the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. Expressing her condolences, Miss Banerjee posted on her X handle: “The tragic loss of 18 lives in the Delhi stampede is deeply heartbreaking. This painful incident highlights the importance of careful planning and management, especially when it comes to the safety of citizens. Pilgrims on their way to the Mahakumbh should have been met with proper support and facilities, not dis- tress. It is essential to ensure that such journeys are safe and well-organised. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, and I pray for the swift recovery of the injured." According to local sources, a large crowd had gathered at platforms 12 and 13, waiting for the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express, both scheduled to pass through Prayagraj. However, when these trains did not arrive on time, rumors began circulating that they had been cancelled. At this moment, the special Kumbhbound Prayagraj Express pulled into platform 14. Hearing this, desperate passengers, including those waiting for the other two trains, rushed towards the platform to board it. In the ensuing chaos, many lost their footing, resulting in a deadly stampede. Cong demands Vaishnaw’s resignation, says no moral right to continue in his post AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 16 FEBRUARY The Congress on Sunday demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the New Delhi railway station stampede, which killed 18 people, saying that he had no "moral right" to continue in his position. Speaking at a press conference, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said the Railway Minister must take responsibility for the mishap and called on the central government to dismiss him. “The Railway Minister The Congress earlier accused Railway Minister Vaishnaw of „hiding‰ the deaths in the stampede. should take responsibility for this accident and resign from his post immediately, or the government should dismiss him. In view of yesterday's mismanagement and massacre, the Railway Minister has no moral right to remain in his post,” Ms Shrinate said. Accusing the Railway Minister of "hiding the death toll", the Congress leader said the common man cannot be left vulnerable to a minister who claims the death of people to be a "minor incident". “The common Indian cannot be left at the mercy of such a Railway Minister who calls the death of people a 'minor incident' and hides the death toll instead of expressing sympathy for the victims," Ms Shrinate added. She claimed that there were "two India" where "the king" arranges VVIP dip and helicopter rides for his friends while commoners are forced to die in the crowd and suffocate on railway platforms.