SATURDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 16 |` 5.00| LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘CM STALIN TWISTING EDUCATION REFORMS FOR POLITICAL GAIN’ PATEL STARTS TENURE WITH A WARNING TO AMERICA’S ENEMIES P12 SENSEX 75,311.06q424.90 WEATHER SMOG/MIST LIKELY IN THE MORNING.PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 28 AND 11 DEGREE CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 93 % TEMPERATURE Max: 26.6 °C (+1.1) SUN RISES 06:52 hrs MOON RISES 03:16hrs NIFTY ‘BIHAR POLL CRUCIAL FOR INDIA’ P6 22,795.90q117.25 P9 ` vs $ 86.71 GOLD 88,635.00 KERALA TO MEET VIDARBHA IN MAIDEN RANJI TROPHY FINAL P16 SILVER 1,09,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 75.86q0.62 ‘Deeply troubled by foreign interference in elections’ Relevant departments and agencies are looking into this matter, the MEA said Min. 39 % AGENCIES Min: 12.3 °C (+0.5) SUN SETS 18:16 hrs MOON SETS 12:23 hrs THUMBNAILS Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav tweets this picture on his X account of vultures to celebrate the increased number of endangered species in the state, on Friday. n ANI Govt, Naga groups to hold fresh formal talks soon, say officials: Officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the top leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) held a meeting in Dimapur on Friday and decided to hold fresh formal talks between the government and the dominant Naga group soon, officials said. NEW DELHI, 21 FEBRUARY I ndia on Friday said that relevant departments and agencies are looking into the information put out by the US administration about the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) meddling in Indian elections and spending millions to influence voter turnout in the country. “We have seen information that has been put out by the US administration regarding certain USAID activities and funding. These are obviously very deeply troubling. This has led to concerns about foreign interference in India's internal affairs," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi during a media briefing. “Relevant departments and agencies are looking into this matter. It would be premature to make a public comment at this stage. Relevant authorities are looking into this and hopefully we can come India, Pak hold flag meet on LoC in J&K’s Poonch, agree to stick to ceasefire agreement up with an update on that subsequently,” he added. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned the Biden administration's motive behind spending $21 million through the USAID to influence electoral outcome in India. “Why do we need to spend $21 million on voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected. We have got to tell the Indian Government... This is a total breakthrough," Mr Trump said while speaking at the FII Priority Summit in Miami on Thursday, India time. Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Trump had backed the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) decision to cancel the $21 million funding for "voter turnout in India". “Why are we giving $21 million to India? They got a lot more money. They are one of the highest taxing countries in the world in terms of us; we can hardly get in there because their tariffs are so high. I have a lot of respect for India and their Prime Minister, but giving $21 million for voter turnout? In India? What about voter turnout here?” Mr Trump remarked while speaking at his Mar-aLago residence in Florida. The Elon Musk-led DOGE had on 16 February announced the cancellation of the $21 million grant, outlining several foreign assistance programmes - the India voter turnout project topping the list - that had been deemed unnecessary or excessive. The department had also listed several other countries where the US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent, all of which have now been cancelled. It included $29M to “strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh” and $20M for “fiscal federalism” in Nepal. Questions are also being raised about the role of USAID and other organisations in Bangladesh during the Biden period and its role in ousting the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina, last August. All USAID aid programmes in Bangladesh have now been suspended. AGENCIES JAMMU, 21 FEBRUARY India and Pakistan held a flag meeting on Friday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district to address recent cross-LoC firing incidents. The flag meeting was held to de-escalate tension on the LoC in the wake of recent incidents of cross-LoC firing and an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in which two soldiers, including a captain, were killed, officials said. The Brigade commander-level flag meeting was held at the LoC crossing point, Chakan Da Bagh in the district. “Both sides held that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity on the borders was essential. The meeting lasted for around 75 minutes and was held in a congenial atmosphere. During the meeting, both sides agreed to honour the ceasefire agreement in the larger interest of peace on the borders," said officials. “The ceasefire violations along the borders of Jammu and Kashmir have been rare since the two countries renewed an agreement on 25 February 2021,” the officials said. In addition to the killing of two Indian Army soldiers in the Akhnoor sector of the LoC on 11 February, two other soldiers were injured in firing from the Pakistan side of the LoC in the Poonch and Rajouri districts. Cross-border firing in the Poonch sector was retaliated by the Indian Army, and reports said there were casualties on the Pakistan side. The Army and the security forces have been maintaining high vigil on the LoC and the hinterland because the traditional infiltration routes have remained open this winter due to scant snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired two security review meetings on J&K. During those meetings, Amit Shah gave orders to the security forces to ensure zero infiltration and zero tolerance for terrorists. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also chaired two security meetings recently, one in Srinagar and the other in Jammu. The Lt Governor asked the police and the security forces to dismantle the terror ecosystem by targeting terrorists, their over-ground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers. NEW DELHI, 21 FEBRUARY Amid the controversy over the United States Agency forInternationalDevelopment fundingof$21million forincreasing‘voterturnout’ inIndia,Congresssaidthat the “funds narrative” was perpetrated by the BJPled government to divert attention from its own sins of using foreign funds to destabilise the previous Congress governments. After US President Donald Trump flagged the the allocation by the previous administration of funds to ‘influence’ elections in India, the BJP had hit out at Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for allegedly acting as a “tool for foreign agencies” and aligning with global networks to undermine the country’s interests. SNS (Details on Page 5) Jaishankar and Wang Yi discuss border peace, Kailash Mansarovar yatra and connectivity NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 21 FEBRUARY „Both sides held that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity on the borders was essential. The meeting lasted for around 75 minutes and was held in a congenial atmosphere. During the meeting, both sides agreed to honour the ceasefire agreement in the larger interest of peace on the borders," said officials. BJP narrative to divert attention from own sins: Cong External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi on Friday discussed the management of peace and tranquility in border areas, the Kailash Mansarovar yatra, resumption of direct flight connectivity, and travel facilitation during a meeting on the sidelines of G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg. Mr Jaishankar is in South Africa to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting from 20 to 21 February. Briefing mediapersons here about External Affairs Minister Jaishankar's meeting with Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “The two ministers reviewed developments in the bilateral relationship since their last meeting in November, specifically the management of peace and Odisha minister promises justice in KIIT University incident STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BHUBANESWAR, 21 FEBRUARY With the Ministry of External Affairs closely monitoring the situation at KIIT Deemed University following the death of a Nepalese girl student and certain unsavoury incidents that took place on Sunday, Odisha’s Education Minister Suryavanshi Suraj on Friday confirmed in the state Assembly the arrest of 10 individuals ~ including employees, security guards, and ‘bouncers’~ in connection with the shocking events that followed the suicide of a Nepalese student. The tragic incident, in which a B.Tech student from Nepal Prakriti Lamsal, was found dead in her hostel room on 16 February sparked spontaneous protests by Nepalese students. tranquility in border areas.” There was also an exchange of views on G20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the MEA spokesperson said. After the meeting, Mr Jaishankar in a post on X said: “The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Johannesburg provided an opportunity to meet CPC Politburo member and FM Wang Yi of China this morning on its sidelines.” In his opening remarks during a meeting with Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi on the sidelines of G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg, Mr Jaishankar said: “I am glad that we could meet today on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Johannesburg. Such gatherings have provided an opportunity for our interaction even when our ties were going through a difficult phase.” “We should also recognise that in a polarised global situation, our two countries have worked hard to preserve and protect the G20 as an institution. This in itself testifies to the importance of international cooperation,” the External Affairs Minister said. “Since our last meeting in Rio during the G20 Summit in November 2024, there have been some notable developments. Our NSA and Foreign Secretary have visited China and there have been discussions about various aspects of our relationship,” he said. “These have included management of peace and tranquility in the border areas as well as other dimensions of our ties. I am glad today to have a further exchange of views,” Mr Jaishankar said. He said India and China are members of the G20, SCO and BRICS. India needs energetic leaders in every sector to find solutions to global complexities: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at the first edition of the SOUL Leadership Conclave at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Friday. n ANI NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 21 FEBRUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that there is a need for energetic leaders in every sector who can find solutions to global complexities and needs while prioritising India's interests on the global stage. "These leaders should have a global approach but retain a local mindset," Mr Modi said at the School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL) Leadership Conclave 2025 here. The Prime Minister inaugurated the first School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL) Leadership Conclave 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam here. Addressing the Conclave, Mr Modi said: “India is emerging as a global powerhouse.” He said for this momentum to increase across all sectors, world-class leaders and international leadership are needed. Highlighting the potential of leadership institutions like SOUL to be game changers, the Prime Minister said such international institutions are not only a choice but a necessity. Me Modi noted the importance of preparing individuals who understand both the Indian mind and the international mindset, and who are ready for strategic decision-making, crisis management, and futuristic thinking. He highlighted that to compete in international markets and global institutions, leaders who understand international business dynamics are required. Mr Modi added that the role of SOUL is to prepare such leaders, with a large scale and scope, and with high expectations from them. Welcoming all the distinguished leaders and the upcoming young leaders of the future, the Prime Minister remarked that some events are very dear and today was one such event. “Development of better citizens is necessary for Nation building, Development of excellent Leaders is necessary in every field,” Mr Modi said. He remarked that it was necessary to groom excellent leaders in every sector, which is the need of the hour. Therefore, the Prime Minister highlighted, the School of Ultimate Leadership is an important milestone in the development journey of Viksit Bharat. India-US trade pact to be 'mother of all deals': Piyush Goyal ASHOK TUTEJA KOCHI, 21 FEBRUARY India will soon start discussing a trade pact with the Donald Trump administration in the United States that will potentially be the “mother of all deals”, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced on Friday. Addressing the Invest Kerala Global Summit, he said the proposed accord will signal a strong and powerful engagement with the US and provide huge opportunities to both Indians and Americans to work together to complement each other's strengths. The two-day summit, which was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, was attended by Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeeva and Union Minister for Skill Development Jayant Chaudhary. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari addressed the gathering via video conferencing. The summit is being attended by nearly 3000 delegates from India and abroad. Mr Goyal said India is also in talks with the European Union, the United Kingdom, Oman and some other countries for trade pacts. “This is the time not to miss the boat and to invest in India, invest in Kerala, because those who miss the boat may be left at the shore,” he added. Describing Kerala as an attractive destination for investments, he offered the Centre's strong support to the state in realising its full potential in terms of attracting investments. “Look at what all Kerala offers to the investors.Whether it is tourism, whether it is manufacturing, whether it is logistics. In every sphere, Kerala is at the forefront of development,” he said. The minister went on to praise Kerala for all that it brings on the table for the investors. “Today, the entire country is working with the spirit of cooperative federalism. All states are working in tandem with the Centre in the spirit of collaboration, and, of course, there must be some competition also,” he said. Addressing the gathering, the Kerala chief minister asserted that the investors coming to the state will not face any hurdle in their way to leverage the state’s strategic advantages to set up industries. “We have assured that no investor coming to Kerala will have to face the cobweb of procedural delays and meet barriers of red tape,” Mr Vijayan said while opening the summit. Observing that the summit is taking place at a time when Kerala’s investment scenario is on the cusp of a historic transformation, he said: “We have made major strides in simplifying procedures as regards investments.” Mr Vijayan said Kerala has witnessed the establishment of 6,200 startups with an investment of Rs 5,800 crore, creating 62,000 jobs. “We aim to have 15,000 startups and create 100,000 jobs by 2026,” he added. Citing a slew of legislative and policy initiatives that have transformed the state’s industrial landscape, he said “these changes brought about by the state government are not incremental but substantial.” After making outstanding achievements in human development, the state is now taking a leap towards the status of an investment hub with the government playing the role of facilitator and catalyst, paying attention to formulation of policies and their last-mile implementation, the chief minister said.