FRIDAY 16 MAY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR P6 SENSEX 82,530.74 p1,200.18 NEERAJ CHOPRA DONALD TRUMP OPPOSES APPLE'S PLAN TO MAKE AND TARGETS 90M AT DIAMOND LEAGUE SHIP IPHONES FROM INDIA RAHUL GANDHI KICKS OFF YOUTH OUTREACH IN BIHAR TAKE ONUS OF KANCHA GACHIBOWLI: KTR TO REVANTH P5 NIFTY 25,062.10 p395.20 ` vs $ 85.49 P10 GOLD `95,300 SILVER `97,000 PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. POSSIBILITY OF VERY LIGHT RAIN/THUNDERSTORM/LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 41 AND 26 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. EAM spells out terms for talks with Pak, US RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY NIKHIL VYAS WEATHER Max. 59 % TEMPERATURE Max: 40.6°C (+1.1) SUN RISES 05:30 hrs MOON RISES 22:39 hrs Min. 21 % Min: 25.5 °C (0.0) SUN SETS 19:06 hrs MOON SETS 08:48 hrs THUMBNAILS A cattle egret nourishes her babies in Guwahati on Thursday. nANI India revokes security clearance of Turkey's Celebi Airport Services: India on Thursday revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground-handling company Celebi Airport Services, citing national security concerns. The move comes amid growing backlash after Turkiye extended support to Pakistan during heightened tensions with India. The Turkish company handles around 70 per cent of the ground operations at Mumbai airport, including passenger services, load control, flight operations, cargo and postal services, warehouses and bridge operations. NEW DELHI, 15 MAY E xternal Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Thursday made it clear that all issues between India and Pakistan will be resolved bilaterally, virtually rejecting US President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate between the two countries on the Kashmir issue. Talking to mediapersons after the inauguration of the Embassy of Honduras here, Jaishankar said, "Our relations and dealings with Pakistan will be strictly bilateral. That is a national consensus for years, and there is absolutely no change in that. The prime minister (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) made it very clear that talks with Pakistan will be only on terror." He said Pakistan has a list of terrorists that needs to be handed over, and they have to shut down the terrorists' infrastructure. "They (Pakistan) know what to do. We are prepared to discuss with them (Pakistan) what is to be done about terrorism. Those are the talks which are feasible," Jaishankar said. The External Affairs Minister further asserted that there is no change in its position to keep the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism. "The Indus Waters Treaty is PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 15 MAY interplay between the Executive and Judiciary, particularly in the context of Articles 200 and 201, which deal with the assent process for Bills passed by State legislatures. The referral arises out of the April 8, 2025, judgment by a bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan, which had set a deadline of three-months for the President to decide on a Bill sent by a Governor for consideration and in the event of any delay in adhering to the prescribed Misri to brief Parl panel on current India-Pak foreign policy developments on Monday SHAHID K ABBAS NEW DELHI, 15 MAY Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will depose before the Standing Committee of Parliament on External Affairs on Monday to brief the panel on 'Current Foreign Policy Developments regarding India and Pakistan,' the panel’s agenda posted on the Lok Sabha website said. The meeting of the Parliament panel headed by Congress Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor assumes significance as it comes in the backdrop of the abrupt ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan to stop all firings and military actions on land air and sea after four days of intense cross- BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 64.39 ‘Pak’s nuclear weapons should be placed under IAEA’s supervision’ On trade between India & US, Jaishankar said that any deal must be mutually beneficial held in abeyance and will continue to be held in abeyance until the cross-border terrorism by Pakistan is credibly and irrevocably stopped," he said. "The only thing which remains to be discussed on Kashmir is the vacating of illegally occupied Indian territory in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir; we are open to that discussion," Jaishankar said. Spelling out India's position on a host of issues following the highly-successful Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar highlighted that New Delhi received massive international support after the heinous Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 which resulted in the death of 26 innocent civilians. The Resistance Front (TRF), an international terrorist organisation affiliated to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), owned responsibility for the killings. "Let me say a few things here. One, we actually got a lot of international support. Many ministers, many leaders called the Prime Minister, and many ministers called me as well. We had a Security Council resolution which very clearly stated that the perpetrators of this attack should be held accountable. On the morning of May 7, we held them accountable through the action that was taken through Operation Sindoor," the EAM said. He also cleared India's stance on cessation of firing and the military action. "We achieved the goals which we set out to do by destroying the terrorist infrastructure. Since key goals were achieved, I think we reasonably took the position, because even at the start of the operation, we had sent a message to Pakistan saying we are striking at terrorist infrastructure, we are not striking at the military and the military has an option of standing out and not interfering in this process. They chose not to take that good advice. Once they got badly hit on the morning President asks SC on assent to Bills In a move to seek clarity whether courts can interfere with the exercise of powers by the President and Governor in giving assent to a bill passed by a State legislature under Article 200 and Article 201 of the constitution, the President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday invoked her powers under Article 143(1) of the Constitution to refer a landmark Supreme Court ruling—which set timelines for Governors and the President to give assent to Bills—for the Court’s advisory opinion, calling into question whether the judiciary can impose such time-bound mandates on the Governors and the President.. This move sets the stage for a constitution bench to deliberate over 14 questions raised by the President on the P12 border drone and missile strikes and the subsequent bragging by US President Donald Trump that it was the US that brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Speaking at the US-Saudi Arabia Investment Forum, Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed he persuaded both India and Pakistan to "trade goods, not nuclear missiles." During the upcoming Parliament panel meeting, the Foreign Secretary is expected to brief the members about the details of the sequence of events which led to the launching of Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent military actions by the two countries against each other. time limit appropriate reasons would have to be recorded and conveyed to the concerned State government and the same is open to judicial review. The top court has set the time limit of three months for deciding on a bill referred to the President for consideration, stating “The position of law is settled that even where no time limit is prescribed for the exercise of any power under a statute, it should be exercised within a reasonable time. The exercise of powers by the President under Article 201 cannot be said to be immune to this general principle of law.” The core of the dispute arising from the April 2025, judgment is that the Governors must act on Bills within a reasonable timeframe even though no deadline is mentioned in Article 200'; a three-month period was set for the President to act on Bills reserved under Article 201 and in case of delay, a "deemed assent" could be inferred, subject to judicial review. The top court verdict had come on a petition by the Tamil Nadu government that had challenged the repeated delays by the Governor R.N. Ravi in giving assent to the Bills passed by the State legislature. President Murmu in her 14-question reference questions whether timelines can be judicially imposed where the Constitution is silent?, Is "deemed assent" constitutionally valid? and Is such judicial direction tantamount to violating separation of powers? The reference states that Article 200 and Article 201 do not provide any time-bound mandate and the concept of "deemed assent" does not exist in the constitutional framework. of May 10. Today, the satellite pictures which actually bring out graphically how much damage we did and how little damage they did," Jaishankar said. At the inauguration of the Honduras embassy, the EAM said, "For us, it was very good that we have a new Embassy of Honduras. They are one of the countries that expressed strong solidarity when the Pahalgam terrorist attack took place." On trade between India and the United States, Jaishankar said talks were ongoing, with negotiations still underway. Talking to mediapersons here, the External Affairs Minister stressed any trade deal must be mutually beneficial and work for both countries. "On the trade remarks. Let me say this that look between India and US trade talks have been going on, negotiations have been going on. In fact, we have, I think our team is just going at this point. These are very complicated negotiations. They are very intricate, intricate," he said. Jaishankar added that no decision has been made yet and cautioned against premature judgments. "Nothing is decided, you know. But any trade deal, any trade deal has to be mutually beneficial. Any trade deal has to work for both the countries, and I think that would be our expectation from the trade deal and until that is done, I think any judgement on it would be premature," he said. S P SHARMA JAMMU, 15 MAY Calling Pakistan a "rogue nation", Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday wondered if nuclear weapons are safe in the hands of such a country and that nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should take control of the same. Days after the nucleararmed neighbours ended their worst military conflict in the past nearly three decades, Singh said “Today, from the soil of Srinagar, I want to raise this question before the entire world -- are nuclear weapons safe in the hands of such an irresponsible and rogue nation?" He made these remarks while addressing troops of the Chinar Corps at the Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar during his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the “Operation Sindoor”. Rajnath Singh was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Army Chief Upendra 10 militants killed by Assam Rifles in Manipur's Chandel STATES NEWS SERVICE IMPHAL, 15 MAY The Assam Rifles, operating under the Indian Army's Spear Corps, launched a significant counter-insurgency operation in Manipur's Chandel district, near the Indo-Myanmar border. Acting on specific intelligence regarding the movement of armed militants near New Samtal village in Khengjoy Tehsil, the troops engaged in a firefight resulting in the neutralization of at least 10 militants. A substantial cache of arms and ammunition was recovered during the operation, which remains ongoing as of May 15 . This operation is part of a broader crackdown on insurgent groups across Manipur. Just days earlier, on May 10, security forces arrested 13 individuals allegedly affiliated with banned outfits such as the Kangleipak Communist Party – People’s War Group (KCP-PWG), who were reportedly involved in extortion activities. Manipur's Chandel district, sharing a porous border with Myanmar, has long been a hotspot for insurgent activities, with militants often exploiting the challenging terrain and cross-border routes for movement and operations. The region has witnessed several high-profile attacks in the past, including the 2021 ambush that claimed the lives of Colonel Viplav Tripathi, his family, and four Assam Rifles personnel, an incident that led to a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe. The recent operation underscores the Indian Army's intensified efforts to curb insurgency in the Northeast, aiming to restore peace and stability in the region. Digital arrest: IFSO cracks case, returns 92-year-old’s `2 crore lost to fraudsters STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 15 MAY For a 92-year-old retired surgeon, IFSO proves to be a boon as after a crackdown by it on two suspects involved in a digital arrest scam, the senior citizens got his Rs 2.2 crore back after losing them to fraudsters, police said on Thursday. The action was followed by a complaint from the senior citizen who alleged of receiving multiple unsolicited calls from various numbers and the callers impersonated themselves as the officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Maharashtra Police, falsely claiming that several FIRs had been registered against the victim, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (IFSO Special cell) Dr Hemant Tiwari. The victim was subjected to digital arrest, was shown forged court orders and coerced into participating in what the accused termed as virtual hearing which was actually an overwhelming fake and manipulative series of incidents, Tiwari said. The cop mentioned that after the complaint, a case under section 308(2), 318(4), 319(2), 61(2), and 3(5), related to cheating, extortion and criminal conspiracy of BNS was registered and investigation was taken up. Based on the digital footprints and technical analysis, the accused Amit (42) and Hari (27), who were operating fraudulent bank accounts were arrested from Ghaziabad and Guwahati. The Cop mentioned that the syndicate impersonated as officials from the Police, CBI, Customs, and other government bodies would inform victims that multiple FIRs were registered against them. Initially, they threatened the victims with arrest and severe penalties, but later shifted to a more sympathetic tone, suggesting it could be The Cop mentioned that the syndicate impersonated as officials from the Police, CBI, Customs, and other government bodies would inform victims that multiple FIRs were registered against them. a case of mistaken identity and to resolve the issue, they instructed the victims to lodge a formal complaint and transfer their savings into specified accounts for "verification," falsely promising that the funds would be refunded after the verification process. Dwivedi. “I believe that Pakistan's nuclear weapons should be placed under the supervision of the IAEA”, he said. “The extent of India's resolve against terrorism today can be gauged from the fact that we have not even cared about their nuclear blackmail. The whole world has seen how irresponsibly Pakistan has repeatedly issued nuclear threats to India”, he said. The Defence inspected Pakistani shells that were dropped in J&K. Some debris were displayed at the Badami Bagh Cantonment. He also visited the Srinagar IAF station and interacted with the soldiers. Rajnath Singh said, “I feel proud to be here among you amid such adverse conditions. The entire nation is proud of whatever you all did during Operation Sindoor, under the able leadership and guidance of PM Narendra Modi. Before being your Defence Minister, I was an Indian citizen. Besides being the Defence Minister, I am here to express gratitude to you as an Indian citizen”. SC slams MP minister for remarks on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 15 MAY The Supreme Court on Thursday sharply criticised the Vijay Shah - a Cabinet Minister in Bharatiya Janata Party’s Madhya Pradesh government - for his slanderous remarks targeting Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, an Indian Army officer who recently briefed the national and international media on Operation Sindoor — the military response to the Pahalgam terror strike. The court said that persons holding constitutional office must exhibit a sense of responsibility, especially during moments of national sensitivity. Not granting an immediate relief and posting for Friday – May 16 - the Shah’s plea for stay on the FIR registered on the direction of Madhya Pradesh High Court for his scandalous remarks against Col. Sofiya Qureshi, a bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustus George Masih observed that such comments, whether misunderstood or not, require measured conduct from those in public life. “When this country is going through such a situation… He has to know what he is saying. Just because you are a minister,” said CJI Gavai, disapproving of the minister’s controversial remarks. Shah's advocate sought an urgent hearing and stay on the FIR, arguing that the statement was "widely misunderstood" and the minister had already issued a public apology. “We will hear it tomorrow. You know who you are. We know nothing will happen. Just because you are a minister,” Justice Gavai remarked, indicating disapproval over misuse of public privilege.