SATURDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 16 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR PATEL STARTS TENURE WITH A WARNING TO AMERICA’S ENEMIES ‘STALIN TWISTING EDUCATION REFORMS FOR POLITICAL GAIN’ ‘BIHAR POLL CRUCIAL FOR INDIA’ P10 P6 P9 SENSEX 75,311.06q424.90 WEATHER Thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. Hazy. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 30°C and 21°C respectively. NIFTY 22,795.90q117.25 ` vs $ 86.71 AGENCIES Min. 71% NEW DELHI, 21 FEBRUARY Min: 21.8˚C SUN SETS 17:36 hrs MOON SETS 11:54 hrs I TEMPERATURE New Moon on 28 February THUMBNAILS Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav tweeted 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. 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. „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 an official. 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 an official. “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 official said. BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 75.86q0.62 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. BJP narrative to divert attention from own sins: Cong 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 6) Jaishankar and Wang Yi discuss border peace, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and connectivity NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 21 FEBRUARY JAMMU, 21 FEBRUARY SILVER 1,09,000 GOLD 88,635.00 Relevant departments and agencies are looking into this matter, the MEA said Max. 86% AGENCIES P16 ‘Deeply troubled by foreign interference in elections’ RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max: 30.5˚C SUN RISES 06:03 hrs MOON RISES 01:15 hrs KERALA TO MEET VIDARBHA IN MAIDEN RANJI TROPHY FINAL 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 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 Odisha minister promises justice in KIIT varsity 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, Odisha’s Education Minister Suryavanshi Suraj on Friday confirmed the arrest of 10 individuals ~ including employees, security guards, and ‘bouncers’~ in connection with the shocking events that followed the student’s suicide. A B.Tech student from Nepal, Prakriti Lamsal, was found dead in her hostel room on 16 February, which sparked spontaneous protests by Nepalese students. As videos of the incident flooded social media, outrage erupted both in Odisha and internationally, with the Nepalese government expressing sharp discontent. The controversy also triggered intense criticism of the Odisha government and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for their initial silence on the matter. Replying to a notice for adjournment in the state Assembly, Minister Suraj assured that justice would be served and those responsible for both the student's death and the mistreatment of Nepalese students would be held accountable. A highpowered committee, along with an ongoing police investigation, will examine multiple aspects: the circumstances leading to the student’s suicide, any previous complaints of harassment, the university’s response, the reasons behind the forced eviction of Nepalese students, and the perpetrators of the violent assault, Suraj said, even as BJD and Congress MLAs staged a walkout, expressing their dissatisfaction over the Minister’s reply. 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. Mother Language Day: Mamata Banerjee urges use of Bengali STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 21 FEBRUARY "Language plays an important role in the lives of a nation and its people," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday. She was addressing a gathering to celebrate International Mother Language Day at Deshpriya Park this afternoon. “We have recognised different languages. Language speaks about the identity of individuals. It speaks about the culture and tradition of a nation,” she said, urging people use Bengali, which is the second most spoken language in the country. Miss Banerjee paid rich tributes to Pratul Mukhopadhyay, the lyricist, composer, and singer who passed away recently in the city. “I went to SSKM Hospital, where he was receiving treatment, two days before his death. He was frail and unable to talk. I told him that he would have to sing once again. He looked at me, his eyes full of tears, and expressed his inability to sing any more,” she said. Miss Banerjee garlanded Mukhopadhyay’s portrait kept on the stage. Since the Trinamul Congress government came to power in 2011, the programme to commemorate International Mother Language Day used to start with a solo song by Mukhopadhyay, namely, "Ami Banglaye Gan Gayi" (I Sing Songs in Bengali). The popular song was sung by Mr Vivek Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, at the programme. State IT Minister Babul Supriyo sang a song. Iman Chakraborty sang a kirtan, while Lopamudra Mitra sang a song composed by Jibananda Das. The widow of Mukhopadhyay was on the stage and garlanded her husband’s portrait. Poet Joy Goswami recited a poem written by Bhaskar Chakraborty. Srijato also recited a poem. Writer Abul Basar, Monoranjan Byapari, painter Yogen Chowdhury, Tridib Chatterjee, and Sudhangshu Dey, along with Trinamul Congress MP Mala Roy, Mayor Firhad Hakim, and ministers Aroop Biswas and Indranil Sen, attended the function. ‘India-US trade pact to be mother of all deals’ 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.”