THURSDAY 20 MARCH 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 16 |` 5.00 | LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘PUTIN’S PROMISE ON ENERGY STRIKES AT ODDS WITH REALITY’ P10 SENSEX 75,449.05p147.79 WEATHER Generally clear. Hazy in the evening. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 34°C and 26°C respectively. NIFTY LALU APPEARS BEFORE E.D. IN LAND-FOR-JOB CASE WELFARE POLITICS P8 22,907.60p73.30 ` vs $ 86.44 IPL 2025: JAYAWARDENE WORRIED OVER BUMRAH’S ABSENCE P5 GOLD 91,160.00 P16 SILVER 1,14,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 70.66p0.11 Sunita Williams back home after 9-month space odyssey Williams’ and her fellow astronauts’ spacecraft splashed down off the Florida coast at 3.27 a.m. IST RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY SURYA S PILLAI Max. 77% Min. 60% NEW DELHI, 19 MARCH Max: 34.2˚C SUN RISES 05:40 hrs MOON RISES 23:05 hrs Min: 26.3˚C SUN SETS 17:47 hrs MOON SETS 09:00 hrs N TEMPERATURE New Moon on 29 March THUMBNAILS Chaos erupts during a special meeting of the Delhi Municipal Corporation for budget finalisation at the Aruna Asaf Ali Meeting Hall, Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Civic Centre, in New Delhi on Wednesday. n SUBRATA DUTTA Pleas on law relating to CEC's appointment: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it would hear on 16 April a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the law governing the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners, which dropped the Chief Justice of India from the panel for the selection of CEC and the Election Commissioners. The matter was earlier listed to be heard on Wednesday itself. (Page 5) ASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have returned to earth safely after their Crew 9 Dragon Spacecraft splashed down safely off the coast of Florida. The pair returned to earth after spending over nine months at the International Space Station (ISS) due to unexpected delays. Their spacecraft successfully splashed down off the Florida coast near Tallahassee, at 5.57 p.m. ET on Tuesday (3:27 a.m. IST, Wednesday). “ ‘Butch and Suni’ were accompanied by astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Grebyonkin who reached the ISS in December as part of a rescue mission planned by NASA and SpaceX. On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home,” radioed SpaceX Mission Control in California. An hour after their 17hour-long journey, the astronauts came out of their scorched capsule, waving and smiling at the CM Mamata calls for Bharat Ratna for Sunita Williams STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 19 MARCH NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore after their return to Earth on Tuesday. n AP cameras while being hustled away in reclining stretchers for medical checks. The Indian-origin Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore travelled to the ISS in June last year for a scheduled eight-day mission. They were forced to stay as the Boeing Starliner capsule developed issues with its propulsion system. The duo was the first crew to fly Boeing's Starliner in a Collector issues order to prevent demolition of Aurangzeb's tomb STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE MUMBAI, 19 MARCH The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar District Collector issued prohibitory orders on Wednesday for additional security to be provided to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Khultabad in the district, apprehending an attempt to vandalise or demolish the tomb. The death anniversary of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Shivaji Maharaj, falls on 29 March and the district administration is taking preventive measures to prevent any attempt to attack Aurangzeb's tomb on that date. According to sources, the district administration has received information that if a large number of supporters of a former MLA, Milind Ramakant Ekbote, reach the tomb of Aurangzeb in Khultabad, there is a strong possibility that his supporters and activists will attempt to vandalise or destroy the tomb of Aurangzeb, which is likely to create a rift between com- munities and large-scale law and order problems. “Presently , the holy month of Ramadan is underway and the session of the Maharashtra legislative assembly is also underway and I am convinced that if any inappropriate incident occurs in the said agitation, it is likely to have violent repercussions in the entire state of Maharashtra. Accordingly, I, Vinod Khirolkar, Additional District Magistrate, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, in exercise of the powers vested in me under Section 163 (1) of the Indian Civil Security Code, 2023, I am passing the following order,” the order issued by the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar District Collector stated. Meanwhile, police have so far arrested around 60 people in connection with the violence that took place in Nagpur on Monday. Eight workers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal surrendered before the Kotwali police on Wednesday after police registered FIRs against office-bearers of the two groups for hurting religious sentiments during their protest demanding the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb in Sambhajinagar. The VHP and Bajrang Dal allegedly burned a cloth chadar with "kalma" and "aayats" from a religious book inscribed over it while raising provocative slogans against Aurangzeb, which provoked a Muslim group led by Fahim Shamim Khan, a leader of the Minorities Democratic Party. Khan, who has been identified as the key instigator of the violence in Nagpur city on Monday evening, has also been arrested. test flight. The faulty capsule returned to earth last September. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the duo spent 286 days ~ 278 days longer than anticipated on the International Space Station, where they conducted over 4,500 orbits and travelled more than 121 million statute miles. India steadfast in its ‘zero-tolerance’ policy towards terrorism NEW DELHI, 19 MARCH India reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to a zerotolerance policy against terrorism at the 14th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting - Plus Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. Delivering the keynote address at the meeting here, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh emphasised the significance of a multi-faceted approach integrating robust domestic mechanisms, enhanced intelligence-sharing, and strong regional cooperation. Mr Singh underscored the evolving nature of terrorism, highlighting that threats are increasingly transnational and exacerbated by the use of advanced technology, cyber tools, and unmanned systems by terror groups. He noted that the Indo-Pacific region remains highly vulnerable to transnational terrorism and violent extremism. SNS ‘Without firing a bullet’: Rajnath Singh on Tawang’s integration and revocation of Article 370 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 MARCH Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that India has emerged as a strong and organised nation, commanding attention on global platforms. Speaking at the fifth edition of the Major Bob Khathing Memorial Event, Mr Singh highlighted how India, once overlooked in international forums, has now gained significant recognition. The event, organised by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and United Services Institution of India, honoured the legacy of Major Bob Khathing, who played a pivotal role in integrating Tawang into India. Drawing parallels between the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and Tawang’s integration, Mr Singh noted that both were accomplished without firing a single bullet. “We completely merged Jammu and Kashmir into India by removing the biggest hurdle—Article 370— without firing a single bullet. The work was carried out peacefully with full security, keeping all the stakeholders in mind,” he said. Urging citizens to uphold the principles of national security, integrity, and sovereignty, Mr Singh lauded Major Khathing as a great patriot whose contributions strength- ened national unity. He compared Khathing’s efforts in the North-East to those of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in unifying India, emphasising the significance of their contributions in nation-building. Mr Singh further highlighted Major Khathing’s role in the formation of Sashastra Seema Bal and Nagaland Armed Police, recognising his administrative acumen. The Defence Minister reiterated that the Government is committed to governance reforms through initiatives like ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’ and ‘Digital India,’ which have enhanced transparency and efficiency in administration. Reflecting on India’s foreign policy, Mr Singh credited the diplomatic skills of leaders like Major Khathing for shaping India’s global standing. “Today, India maintains a balance between hard and soft power in an unpredictable multipolar world. It is a matter of great pride that a new, strong, and organized India has emerged,” he asserted. Addressing India’s development trajectory, Mr Singh underscored the government’s commitment to the NorthEast, citing infrastructure projects such as the Sela Tunnel, connecting Tezpur in Assam to Tawang, and the Arunachal Frontier Highway. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today advocated for Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams to be conferred the Bharat Ratna, praising her outstanding achievements in advancing science by spending 286 days in space. Miss Banerjee, speaking in the Assembly today, said: “Welcome to Sunita and her fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore for landing safely on Earth after their mission in space. They initially went for only eight days but ended up spending 286 days there before making a triumphant return, defying all odds. Hats off to their physical endurance and patience throughout.” President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among several leaders, also congratulated Ms Williams and her fellow astronauts, on their safe return to Earth. President Murmu wrote on ‘X’: “Congratulations to the entire team behind the safe return of NASA’s Crew 9 mission on Earth! India's daughter Sunita Williams and her fellow astronauts have inspired everyone with their perseverance, dedication and never-say-die spirit.” “Sunita Williams, a trailblazer and an icon, has exemplified this spirit throughout her career,” PM Modi wrote in a message on X, adding: “Welcome back, #Crew9! The Earth missed you.” Tariffs, sanctions a reality in today’s world: EAM STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 MARCH External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday acknowledged that tariffs and sanctions have become a reality in the present global world order and various countries use them to protect their own economic interests. "Tariffs, sanctions, I think, whether we would like it or not they are a reality, countries use them. In fact, if one looks at the last decade, I would say we have seen a much greater weaponization of pretty much any kind of capability or any kind of economic activity. It could be financial flows, it could be energy supplies, it could be technology," he said at the Raisina Dialogue in response to a question. "This is a reality of the world. You fight for your business, because you are fighting for your employment, you are fighting for your comprehensive national power, of which business makes a very important contribution," Mr Jaishankar said.