FRIDAY 04 APRIL 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR P5 SENSEX 76,295.36 q322.08 MAINLY CLAER SKY. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 39 AND 19 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Min. 15% TEMPERATURE Max: 39.0˚C (+5.0) Min: 15.6˚C (-3.2) SUN RISES 06:07 hrs MOON RISES 10:38 hrs P4 NIFTY 23,250.10 q82.25 P9 ` vs $ 85.34 GOLD `93,180 P12 SILVER `1,03,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 70.01 Govt vs Oppn in Rajya Sabha as fiery exchanges over Waqf Bill continue WEATHER Max. 74% MUSK MAY EXIT WASHINGTON LSG TAKE ON FELLOW AFTER TURBULENT TIMES AT STRUGGLERS MI TRUMP'S DOGE ‘INDIA'S NORTHEAST EMERGING AS CONNECTIVITY HUB’ KHARGE, RAHUL SLAM GOVERNMENT OVER US TARIFFS SUN SETS 18:41 hrs MOON SETS 01:29 hrs THUMBNAILS Jamnagar Jaguar crash: The Indian Air Force has ordered a court of inquiry into the crash of a Jaguar two-seater fighter aircraft in Jamnagar, Gujarat, on Wednesday night that has left one pilot dead while the other escaped with grievous injuries. The illfated aircraft on a night training mission caught fire before breaking into pieces following the crash at around 9.30 pm near Suvarda village in Jamnagar. Videos of the site of the crash show the burning aircraft lying in the open fields. No civilian casualty was reported. In a statement issued on X, the IAF said that the injured pilot is undergoing treatment in the hospital. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 APRIL T he Waqf (Amendment) Bill is facing a crucial Rajya Sabha test on Thursday, a day after sailing through the Lok Sabha. Aftera12-hour-longdebate in the Lok Sabha, the Bill was passed late last night after a division – 288 MPs voting in favour,includingthosebelonging to the BJP’s NDA allies, the Janata Dal (United) and the Telugu Desam Party, against 232 opposing it. Union Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday piloted the Waqf Amendment Bill and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill in the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passing. Mr Rijiju said that the main purpose of the Bill is to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. Brushing aside the charges made by the Opposition, Mr Rijiju said: “The Bill is not against Muslims... We don't want to hurt anyone's religious sentiments. The Waqf board is set up only to oversee, and not manage, Waqf properties.'' Seeking support of Opposition members, Mr Rijiju said the Waqf Bill aims to accomplish unfulfilled tasks of previous governments. He appealed to the Congress and its allies to support the Waqf Amendment Bill, saying all the recommendations given by previous committees have been incorporated into the newly amended Bill. The Upper House witnessed repeated rounds of verbal squabbles as the treasury and opposition benches locked horns over the Bill and other issues. It also witnessed interventions from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who accused the opposition of spreading misinformation over the Waqf Bill and also rebutted charges that the BJP was trying to polarise the electorate with amendments in the legislation. The first face-off happened when Syed Naseer Hussain, Congress MP from Karnataka, accused the Centre of citing false claims on no legal recourse against the Waqf Tribunal order. “They say that under the existing Act, people can’t move court if they are not satisfied with the decision of the Tribunal. This is completely false. If this is the case, how come there are so many pending cases in the High Court and Supreme Court?” said the Congress lawmaker. Mr Shah stood to deflate the Congress MP’s claims. He stated that there was no provision for a civil suit against the Waqf Tribunal order, and it itself remains ‘discriminatory’ because this dilutes the claimant’s demands and reinforces Waqf’s claims. “In the 2013 Act, there was no provision for civil suit, which has a wider purview. The only provision was of writ petition in the High Court, which has a very limited purview,” Mr Shah pointed out. Mr Hussain, who was granted multiple extensions by the Chair on Congress' request, was unrelenting in attacking the Centre over what he called ‘flawed and forged’ references on 123 Waqf properties in the national capital. “Are you trying to make us second-class citi- zens? They are creating confusion over 123 properties. It is the same property comprising mosques, dargahs and graveyards, as allotted to the Waqf by the Britishers. Confusion is being created about its ownership, but the fact is that the British rulers handed it over to the Waqf after constructing Lutyens’ Delhi,” he said. He further accused the BJP of using the Waqf Bill as a means to drive a wedge between communities and to deepen polarisation. Union Minister and Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha JP Nadda hit out at the Opposition for their stance on the Waqf Amendment Bill and said the basic aim of this legislation is to bring in reforms and proper management of Waqf properties. Participating in the debate, Mr Nadda said: “The basic mantra of this bill is to bring transparency and accountability." “Because between 201325 this law was in the wrong direction, it has caused a lot of harm to the Muslim brothers. The land mafia has made a lot of money out of it,” Mr Nadda said. The Union Minister further said from 1913 till 2013, Waqf boards had 18 lakh hectares of properties. From 2013 till now, 21 lakh hectares of land were added to Waqf properties, he said. “To prevent the misuse of these lands and properties, we proposed an amendment to the Waqf Act of 2013. It is important to recognise that the law is an evolving process,” Nadda said. Earlier in the day, when the Waqf debate started, LoP Mallikarjun Kharge lashed out at the Centre and took strong objection to allegations against him, levelled by BJP MP Anurag Thakur in the Lok Sabha a day ago. Mr Kharge stated that he was deeply hurt by the charges and said, “The BJP MP must prove his allegations. If he can, I will resign. But if he fails to do so, he should resign from the House.” India, Thailand elevate ties Apex court upholds cancellation of 25,753 school jobs in Bengal to strategic partnership The two countries also exchanged memorandums across a range of sectors STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 APRIL I ndia and Thailand on Thursday decided to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership as Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that India believes in the policy of development and not expansionism. “India supports ASEAN unit and ASEAN centrality. India and Thailand support a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based order in the IndoPacific,” he said after wideranging talks with his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Bangkok. The two countries also exchanged memorandums across a range of sectors, including one on the establishment of an India-Thailand strategic partnership. “India and Thailand's centuries-old relations are connected through our deep cultural and spiritual ties. The spread of Buddhism has connected our people. From Ayutthaya to Nalanda, there has been an exchange of intellectuals. The tales of Ramayana are a part of Thai people's lives. The influence of Sanskrit and Pali is reflected in language and traditions even today,” the Indian leader said. He said he was grateful to the Thai government that during his visit, a commemorative stamp, based on Ramayana mural paintings from the 18th century, was issued. Earlier, the PM arrived in Thailand to attend the 6th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit, saying BIMSTEC has over the past decade emerged as a significant forum for promoting regional development, connectivity and economic progress in the Bay of Bengal region. Mr Modi was accorded a warm welcome on his arrival by top Thai officials and the large Indian diaspora at the K’taka HC denies interim protection to X Corp STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BENGALURU, 3 APRIL The Karnataka High Court on Thursday refused to grant interim protection to Elon Musk’s social media company, X Corp, that had claimed that the Union government was misusing legal provisions to censor through its take down orders. During the course of proceedings in the Karnataka High Court today, X Corp said that it followed the law of the land in its operations, but alleged that several government functionaries issued take-down orders that were akin to censoring. The Elon Musk company, represented by senior advocate KG Raghavan, alleged that the government “wanted us to join Sahyog portal. The is in effect a censorship portal”, which was countered vehemently by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. Mr Raghavan argued in the court of Justice M Nagaprasanna that X Corp was entitled to interim relief as the law was completely codified in Section 69A of the IT Act. His prayer was to not to take action except in accordance with section 69 A IT Act. How can one say “I will issue blocking orders under Section 79 (3), which was supposed to be done under Section 69A, IT Act, he questioned. Mr Raghavan also claimed that the Centre had threatened to withdraw safe harbour protections unless it accepted the take-down orders. Bangkok Airport. “Landed in Bangkok, Thailand. Looking forward to participating in the upcoming official engagements and strengthening the bonds of cooperation between India and Thailand,” PM Modi wrote on the X social media platform shortly after his arrival. Earlier in a statement before his departure on his four-day visit to Thailand and Sri Lanka, he observed that with its geographical location, India’s North-Eastern region lies at the heart of BIMSTEC. “I look forward to meeting the leaders of the BIMSTEC countries and engaging productively to further strengthen our collaboration with the interests of our people in mind,” he added. The PM said during his visit, he would have the opportunity to engage with Prime Minister Shinawatra and the Thai leadership, with a common desire to elevate ageold historical ties, which are based on the strong foundations of shared culture, philosophy, and spiritual thought. After completing his Thailand visit, he will pay a twoday visit to Sri Lanka from 46 April. This follows the highly successful visit of President Disanayaka to India last December. ''We will have the opportunity to review progress made on the joint vision of 'Fostering Partnerships for a Shared Future' and provide further guidance to realise our shared objectives,'' he added. He expressed confidence that these visits will build on the foundations of the past and contribute to strengthening close relationships with the two nations for the benefit of people and the wider region. Shortly after he arrived in Bangkok, Mr Modi, expressing admiration for the deep cultural and civilisational ties between India and Thailand, witnessed an enriching performance of the Thai Ramayana, Ramakien. AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 3 APRIL The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the Calcutta High Court's order cancelling 25,753 appointments in teaching and non-teaching posts made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016. “In our opinion, this is a case wherein the entire selection process has been vitiated and tainted beyond resolution. Manipulations and frauds on a large scale, coupled with the attempted cover-up, have dented the selection process beyond repair and partial redemption. The credibility and legitimacy of the selection are denuded,” a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said. Disposing of a batch of petitions, including the West Bengal government’s appeal, the CJI Khanna-led bench made certain modifications in the directions issued by the Calcutta High Court. “We find no valid ground or reason to interfere with the direction of the High Court that the services of tainted candidates, where appointed, must be terminated, and they should be required to refund any salaries/payments received. Since their appointments were the result of fraud, this amounts to cheating. Therefore, we see no justification to alter this direction,” added the top court. Further, it said that candidates not specifically found to be tainted, the entire selection process has been rightly declared null and void due to the egregious violations and illegalities, and as such, the appointments of these candidates are cancelled. “However, candidates who are already employed need not be asked to refund or restitute any payments made to them. However, their services will be terminated. Furthermore, no candidate can be appointed once the entire examination process and results have been declared void,” the court said. As regards those candidates who do not fall in the tainted category and who have previously worked in departments of the state or autonomous bodies, the court said that they must be allowed to apply to their previous positions in various government departments or autonomous bodies. In a relief to disabled candidates, it said that these candidates will be permitted to continue and will receive wages until the fresh selection process and appointments are completed. State’s education system will collapse, fears CM Mamata STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 3 APRIL West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday expressed her respect for the judiciary but stated her inability to accept the Supreme Court's verdict upholding the cancellation of 25,753 appointments in school jobs in 2016. She questioned who would teach in schools now and suggested that the ruling might be part of a conspiracy by the Centre, CPM, and BJP to undermine the state's education system and push Bengal backwards. At a press conference held at Nabanna, the Chief Minister said: “I have the utmost respect for the judiciary, but I find it difficult to accept this verdict. However, as per the Supreme Court ruling, those still employed will not be required to refund the money they have received.” She added: “I stand with the deserving aspirants who have been deprived of jobs due to this ruling. While I respect the judiciary, I reserve the right to express my opinion and criticise the verdict. Please do not distort my comments." Referring to the ruling, she said: “They should have been given a chance to defend themselves. Do not forget that they are teaching in schools. How many should be punished for the mistake of one person? We will expedite the recruitment process in line with the Supreme Court's ruling.” Trump rolls out reciprocal tariffs, imposes 27 pc tax on India STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 APRIL US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday far-reaching new tariffs on nearly all trading partners, including a 27 per cent tax on goods imported from India. Mr Trump, in a Rose Garden announcement on Wednesday local time, imposed a baseline rate of 10 per cent on all imports and higher individualised rates for dozens of countries, including 27 per cent for India, 34 per cent for China and 20 per cent for the European Union. The levies are half of what the USA deemed the trading partner countries imposed on goods from America, a combined total of tariffs and non-monetary barriers. Other countries hit with higher rates are the UK, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, the EU, Vietnam, Cambodia, Switzerland, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Many of the targeted countries are treaty allies of the USA, but Mr Trump said friends have been more unfair to the USA on matters of trade than foes, reiterating his long-running beef with countries with high trade surpluses with the USA or those that he has perceived levy high import duties on American goods. “India, very, very tough," Mr Trump said on Wednesday, reading out the new levies from a chart brought up to him by Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick at the presentation. “Very, very tough. The Prime Minister just left. He's a great friend of mine, but I said, ‘You're a friend of mine, but you're not treating us right’. They charge us 52 per cent. You have to understand that we charge them almost nothing." The Indian levy on imports from the USA, is calculated by the USA in this instance, following a formula that includes both monetary and non-monetary levies and bar- riers. The new American levy on imports from India was put at half, 27 per cent. Pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, copper, or energy products from India are said exempt from the elevated tariff. On the other hand, Indian textiles, engineering goods, electronics, and gems and jewellery sector exporters are expected to hit hardest by the tariffs. In New Delhi, the Ministry of Commerce said the Department of Commerce is carefully examining the implications of the various measures announced by Mr Trump on reciprocal tariffs. The Department is engaged with all stakeholders, including Indian industry and exporters, taking feedback of their assessment of the tariffs and assessing the situation, it said. The Depart- ment is also studying the opportunities that may arise due to this new development in the US trade policy, it said. The Union Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, also said that India will review and assess the impact of reciprocal tariffs. While talking to reporters Mr Chaudhary said: “For Donald Trump, it's America First, and for Modi ji, it's India First. We will analyse it first, then assess its impact and see how to deal with it." Mr Modi, and Mr Trump had announced on 13 February 2025 ‘Mission 500’ which aims to double the bilateral trade to US $500 Billion by 2030. Accordingly, discussions are ongoing between Indian and US trade teams for a multi-sectoral bilateral trade agreement.