SATURDAY 03 MAY 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 16 |` 5.00 | LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR POONAM GUPTA TAKES CHARGE AS RBI DEPUTY GOVERNOR ‘TERRORISTS HAVE A SHELF LIFE’ P9 SENSEX 80,501.99 p259.75 WEATHER Partly cloudy sky. Maximum & Minimum temperature most likely to be around 33˚C and 25˚C respectively. RAINFALL: 0.0 mm Min. 52% NIFTY 24,346.70 p12.50 Max: 32.0˚C (-3.4) Min: 21.3˚C (-4.8) ` vs $ 84.37 GOLD `96,890 Full Moon on 12 May THUMBNAILS Devotees gather at Kedarnath Dham following the opening of the portals, in Rudraprayag on Friday. nANI US approves over $131 million military sale to boost India's maritime security: The United States has approved a potential $131 million foreign military sale to India aimed at enhancing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. The Government of India had requested to buy SeaVision software (including requested software enhancements); Technical Assistance Field Team (TAFT) training; remote software and analytic support; access to SeaVision documentation; and other related elements of logistics and programme support. The estimated total cost is $131 mn. According to the US Defense Cooperation Agency, this proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the USIndian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defense partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific & South Asia regions. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 2 MAY rime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday took a jibe at the opposition INDIA bloc during the inauguration of the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala, stating that “many will lose sleep tonight” as he shared the stage with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. “I want to tell the Chief Minister—you are a strong pillar of the INDIA alliance. Shashi Tharoor is also sitting here, and today’s event will give sleepless nights to several people,” PM Modi remarked, pointing to the unusual optics of opposition leaders sharing the stage with him. However, the person translating his speech into Malayalam omitted this portion. Noticing this, the Prime Minister quipped: “Message chala gaya jahan jana tha” (“The message has reached where it was meant to”). Notably, Mr Tharoor was present at the Thiruvananthapuram airport on Thursday evening to receive PM Modi, a gesture that has sparked political speculation. On Thursday, Mr Tharoor also shared photographs of his meeting with PM Modi. “Despite delays at the dysfunctional Delhi airport, I managed to land in Thiruvananthapuram in time to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival in my constituency,” Mr Tharoor posted, sharing images of a warm handshake between the two. There has been ongoing speculation about Mr Tharoor’s growing proximity to the BJP. Unlike many other opposition leaders, Mr Tharoor has openly praised PM Modi on multiple occasions. Earlier this year, when former US President Donald Trump described Mr Modi as a “tough and better negotiator,” Mr Tharoor welcomed the comment, saying, “That sounds very good.” On Friday, the Prime Minister formally dedicated the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, built at an estimated cost of 8,867 crore, to the nation. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Union Ministers Suresh Gopi and George Kurien, State Pahalgam aftermath: SC protects Srinagar family facing deportation to Pakistan PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 2 MAY with a direction to the authorities to verify these documents and any other fact that may be brought to their notice. Let a decision be taken at the earliest. We are not setting a timeline,” the bench said in its order. The court clarified that till such a decision is taken, no coercive action, including deportation, shall be taken against the petitioners. It further observed that if the authorities ultimately decide against the petitioners, they would be at liberty to approach the Jammu and Kashmir High Court for redressal. “If the petitioner is dissatisfied with the final decision, a plea may be made before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court,” the bench said, while also emphasising that the present order should not be treated as a precedent, as it has been passed in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case. Appearing for the petitioner family faced with the prospects of deportation, advocate Nanda Kishore told the bench that the family comprised a married couple and their four children, all Indian nationals with valid identity documents issued by the Indian government. Advocate Nanda Kishore further stated that while one family member had roots in Pakistan, he had long ago surrendered his Pakistani passport and had since acquired Indian identification documents, including a valid Indian passport. Ports Minister VN Vasavan, MP Shashi Tharoor, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, and others attended the event. Developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), Vizhinjam is India’s first deepwater container transshipment port. Designed to enhance India's standing in global maritime trade, the port is being developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) basis. With a handling capacity of up to 5 million TEUs annually, the port has already seen around 250 container ships dock since it began trial operations in July 2024. PM Modi seized the moment to spotlight the Kerala government’s cooperation with the private sector. Referring to the Ports Minister’s speech acknowledging Adani as a partner, Mr Modi said: “This shows a change.” He humorously added, “Adani completed Vizhinjam Port quickly. Adani's port has been operating in Gujarat for 30 years. People from Gujarat will be upset if they learn Adani built a bigger port in Vizhinjam,” eliciting laughter. Highlighting India’s aspirations in maritime development, Mr Modi said Vizhinjam would bring new economic stability to Kerala and the nation. “This port has emerged as a symbol of new-age development,” he said, noting that 75 per cent of India’s transshipment used to take place at foreign ports, causing massive revenue loss. “This is now set to change. India’s money will now serve India, and the funds that once flowed abroad will generate opportunities for Kerala and the people of Vizhinjam,” he said. Underscoring the role of the private sector, Mr Modi said that thousands of crores have been invested in Indian ports over the last decade through PPPs, upgrading them to global standards and enhancing efficiency. He announced plans to develop a shipbuilding and repair cluster in Kochi, which will create jobs and opportunities for local youth. He added that a new policy introduced in the Union Budget aims to promote large ship construction in India, expected to significantly benefit MSMEs and spur entrepreneurship. Nepalese student found dead in Odisha’s KIIT STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BHUBANESWAR, 2 MAY A first-year undergraduate student from Nepal, Prisa Sah, was found dead in her hostel room at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar on Thursday in what appears to be a case of suicide. This marks the second such incident involving a Nepali female student at KIIT in less than three months. A similar tragedy in February had sparked campus-wide protests, leading to students vacating hostels and prompting a government-ordered investigation. However, no such unrest was reported following Thursday's incident. According to the state government, local police were informed of the incident around 8 p.m. Prisa, a first year computer science student, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her room after she was absent during the 7 p.m. attendance check. Commissioner of Police S. Devdutt Singh confirmed that she was alone in the room at the time. No suicide note has been recovered so far, and an investigation is currently underway. Authorities have notified the Nepal Embassy. The post-mortem examination will be conducted at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after the arrival of her parents, said the Commissioner of Police. The University authorities have informed the student's family and are extending full cooperation to the police in their investigation, stated a release issued by KIIT on Friday. KMC orders closure of rooftop restaurants in city STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 2 MAY Two days after the tragic fire incident at Burrabazar, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation today decided to close all rooftop restaurants within KMC limits. The civic body is soon to issue a notification on this matter, informed mayor Firhad Hakim today. The decision comes against the backdrop of the inferno at a hotel in the central business district of Burrabazar on Wednesday. The massive fire claimed P16 SILVER `98,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 63.11 ‘Many will lose sleep’: Vance hopes Pakistan will cooperate with India in PM's jibe at INDIA bloc hunting down terrorists P SUN SETS 18:04 hrs MOON SETS 23:11 hrs The Supreme Court on Friday by an interim order protected a Srinagar-based family facing the prospects of deportation to Pakistan, directing the authorities not to take any coercive action against them until verification of their claim of being Indian citizens is completed. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh directed that the authorities concerned verify the documents furnished by the family, including Aadhaar cards, voter ID, PAN cards, and other government-issued documents, and take an appropriate decision at the earliest. “Besides the human element, there are issues which need to be verified... Since factual pleas need verification, we dispose of the same without expressing anything on merits, P10 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE TEMPERATURE SUN RISES 05:04 hrs MOON RISES 08:59 hrs P12 RCB EYE SEASON DOUBLE OVER CSK PM Modi shares stage with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 91% AFTER MIKE WALTZ’S DEPARTURE, MARCO RUBIO TAKES ON TWO KEY ROLES at least 15 lives while 13 others were injured. A Special Investigation Team was formed to investigate the cause of the fire. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday visited the Rituraj Hotel, the site of the fire, and issued a stern message to business owners to follow fire safety norms. She warned of strict government action if the norms continue to be flouted. She also made a surprise visit to various eateries in Park Street while returning from the Rituraj Hotel and flagged her concerns about fire safety measures. Rescue operations on after the massive fire in the Rituraj Hotel in Kolkata. n ANI File Following her surprise visit, six bars and restaurants in Celica Park, formerly known as Magma House, in the hotspot of Park Street have been closed. According to Mr Hakim, no rooftop restaurants would be allowed to operate within the KMC limits from now. Also, multi-storey buildings would no longer be able to hire out their rooftops for commercial purposes. Speaking on the sidelines of his weekly programme, ‘Talk To Mayor,’ Mr Hakim pointed out that rooftop is a common place under the 170/4 section of the Building Rules of the KMC Act. He also underscored that rooftops cannot be sold off or occupied but must be kept free. The mayor also reiterated that people need to be more aware. Mr Hakim said the civic body lacks the manpower to search every corner of the city for such establishments. Citizens also have to be aware and act responsibly to prevent such mishaps. According to sources, a high level meeting between the KMC, the city police and the state Fire and Emergency Services Department is likely to take place next week. US State Dept reiterates support, says stands firmly with India STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 MAY STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 MAY Backing India’s stance over the Pahalgam terrorist attack, US Vice President J D Vance has expressed the hope that Pakistan will cooperate with India to ensure that terrorists operating in the neighbouring country are hunted down. “We hope that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn’t lead to a broader regional conflict. And we hope frankly that Pakistan, to the extent that they are responsible, cooperates with India to make sure that the terrorists, sometimes operating in their territory, are hunted down and dealt with,” he said. Mr Vance said the USA is in touch with both Pakistan and India, and expressed the hope that New Delhi’s response to the 22 April terrorist attack does not lead to a broader regional conflict. Asked by Fox News if the Trump administration is worried about the breakout of tensions between India and Pakistan, he said: “Sure, I am worried about anytime you see a hotspot breaking out, especially between two nuclear powers. We’ve been in close contact with our friends in India and Pakistan.'' His statement came after US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth spoke with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday and reiterated full support of the Trump administration in India’s fight against terrorism. “The US stands in solidarity with India and supports India’s right to defend itself,” a Defence Ministry statement quoted him as saying. During the conversation, Mr Singh told Mr Pete Hegseth that Pakistan has a history of supporting, training, and funding terrorist organisations. “Pakistan has been exposed as a rogue state, fuelling global terrorism and destabilising the region. The world can no longer turn a blind eye to terrorism,” he said. The USA has reiterated its support for India against terrorism, saying it firmly stands with India against terrorism. The US government, however, urged India and Pakistan to work together to "de-escalate tensions" that have been on a surge in the aftermath of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 innocent civilians. "As the President (Donald Trump) articulated to Prime Minister Modi last week, the United States stands strong with India against terrorism and Prime Minister Modi has our full support," US Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a press briefing on Friday. “The Secretary (of State, Marco Rubio) encouraged (both India and Pakistan) to work toward a responsible solution that maintains longterm – I should say – let me correct that – a responsible resolution that maintains long-term peace and regional stability in South Asia,” Ms Bruce said, clarifying that Mr Rubio made calls yesterday to the Indian external affairs minister & the Pakistani PM.