WEDNESDAY 04 JUNE 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 16 |` 5.00 | LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR KAMAL HAASAN REFUSES APOLOGY, HALTS RELEASE OF 'THUG LIFE' IN K’TAKA AUDACIOUS DEFIANCE P6 SENSEX 80,737.51 q636.24 WEATHER Partly cloudy sky. Hot and humid weather likely. RAINFALL: 00.0 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 91% PRESSURE MOUNTS ON YUNUS P8 NIFTY 24,542.50 q174.10 P11 ` vs $ 85.70 NE flood fury: 44 dead, over 5.5 lakh affected PM has extended full support, assuring timely assistance to tackle the crisis Min. 46% TEMPERATURE SUN SETS 18:18 hrs MOON SETS 23:48 hrs Full Moon on 11 June THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE GUWAHATI, 3 JUNE President Droupadi Murmu addresses the Indian Administrative Service officers inducted from the State Civil Services and attending the 127th Induction Training Programme at LBSNAA, at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday. nANI INDIA to push for special session: Leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on Tuesday resolved to make a cohesive effort to push the Modi-government to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor and subsequent developments, including US President Donald Trump's claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan's recent statement acknowledging “initial losses” of air assets. (Details on Page 5) T he north-eastern region of India is grappling with a severe flood crisis, with the death toll rising to 44 and over 5.5 lakh people affected across multiple states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended full support to the affected states, assuring timely assistance and coordinated efforts to tackle the crisis. “The government is closely monitoring the situation. I have spoken to the Chief Ministers of the affected states and assured all possible support. The Centre stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of the Northeast,” Mr Modi said in a statement issued after his conversations with regional leaders. In Assam, the worst-hit state, 17 people have lost their lives, and more than 5.35 lakh residents across 22 districts are affected. Districts like Sribhumi, Cachar, and Nagaon are among the most impacted, with the Brahmaputra and its tributaries flowing above danger levels. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been actively monitoring the situation, visiting floodaffected areas and coordinating relief efforts. Arunachal Pradesh has reported 12 fatalities due to landslides and flash floods, particularly affecting districts like Lohit, West Centre to table impeachment motion against Justice Varma in upcoming Parliament session AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 3 JUNE The Central government is preparing to initiate impeachment proceedings against Allahabad High Court judge, Justice Yashwant Varma, following serious allegations of financial impropriety. According to highly placed sources, a motion seeking his removal will be brought in the upcoming session of Parliament. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju is expected to lead consultations with all political parties ahead of tabling the motion. Crossparty consensus would be crucial, given the constitutional thresholds required for the removal of a judge. The move came after Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with Union Minister of State (Inde- pendent Charge) for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal. Following this, Mr Shah held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Subsequently, government sources said that the impeachment motion would be tabled in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, and Mr Rijiju would hold talks with opposition parties. Mr Shah and BJP President J P Nadda, who is the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, later met Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who is also the Chairman of the Upper House. It is being surmised that the impeachment motion may be introduced in the Rajya Sabha. Justice Varma, then a Delhi High Court judge, is at the centre of a controversy after a large quantity of unaccounted cash was allegedly recovered from his residence after a fire at his official residence in New Delhi. The then Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, had ordered Justice Varma’s transfer to Allahabad High Court, his parent court. A three-member inquiry committee, set up under the inhouse mechanism for judicial accountability, found the allegations serious enough to merit removal proceedings against Justice Varma. The report was later forwarded by Justice Khanna to the President and the Prime Minister. Kameng, and Dibang Valley. Governor Lt General K T Parnaik (Retd) has urged residents to remain vigilant in high-risk zones. Meghalaya has seen six deaths resulting from landslides, drowning, and lightning strikes, with areas like Cherrapunji and Mawsynram experiencing exceptionally heavy rainfall. In Mizoram, five people have died due to landslides and house collapses, with districts like Aizawl, Champhai, and Serchhip being the most affected. Sikkim has reported three deaths following a landslide in the Mangan district that struck a military camp, claiming the lives of two army personnel and a porter. Tripura has record- P16 SILVER `1,00,100 GOLD `99,805 Max: 37.7˚C (+1.9) Min: 29.1˚C (+1.3) SUN RISES 04:52 hrs MOON RISES 11:41 hrs DJOKOVIC CLINCHES 100TH WIN ed two fatalities, with over 10,000 people displaced due to the floods. Nagaland and Manipur reported one death each. The India Meteorological Department has forecast more heavy rainfall in the coming days, prompting state administrations to issue high alerts and evacuate people from low-lying areas. With Prime Minister Modi's assurance of central support, including potential deployment of defence personnel and additional funds under the National Disaster Response Fund, the region is focusing on both immediate relief and strengthening long-term resilience to extreme weather events. ‘Pakistan’s policy to bleed India by a thousand cuts keeps it antagonistic’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 JUNE Observing that terrorism has “no defined logic” and hence cannot be a “rational act of warfare”, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Tuesday said Pakistan’s policy of not having good relations with India springs from its decision “to bleed India by a thousand cuts”. “In 1965, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declared a thousand-year war against India when he addressed the United Nations Security Council,” said the CDS while addressing a gathering at Pune University. “Is terrorism a rational act of warfare? I don't think that's, because terrorism has no defined logic. As far as our adversary is concerned, it has taken the decision to bleed India by a thousand cuts,” he said. Holding Pakistan General Asim Munir responsible for initiating the recent conflict, the CDS pointed towards General Munir's speech wherein he spoke against Hindus and India. "Venom was spewed by General Asim Munir against India and Hindus in a speech weeks before what happened in Pahalgam,” General Chauhan said, reiterating India’s stance on terror that water and blood cannot flow together. “We have raised the bar as we have connected terror to war,” he observed, while iterating India’s resolve that any terror attack would now onwards be considered as an act of war. Operation Sindoor, the top defence official said, created history as far as air warfare is concerned. “Successful operations were carried out against an adversary. If you are able to carry out relentless operations deep inside with precision and offensive intent. It was a big achievement and we were able to penetrate those air defence networks,” he observed. The CDA also reiterated India’s stance concerning Operation Sindoor, saying it is not over as yet. “It continues. It's a temporary cessation of hostilities,” he said, underlining the “need to keep our guard up”. "From our side, we didn't want to get into a longdrawn conflict. We've seen our experience in Operation Prakaram. We were there for almost nine months. It involves a lot of expenditure, disrupts everything. We had seen this to some extent after Balakot, there was a deployment which we had mobilised. "In this particular case, what happened was that before this mobilisation could be completed, the operations were halted," Global outreach: UK, Liberia, Egypt back India's zero tolerance against terrorism NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 3 JUNE The United Kingdom (UK), Liberia and Egypt have strongly backed India's zero tolerance against terrorism, and conveyed their respective stand to the Indian all-party parliamentary delegations. The multi-partyu delegations’ visits to different countries come under India’s unprecedented diplomatic campaign to expose Pakistan’s sustained role in cross-border terrorism following the 22 April Pahalgam attack. An all-party delegation, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, held high-level engagements in London with UK ministers, parliamentarians, party leaders, think tanks, and India friendship groups, highlighting Operation Sindoor as a significant shift in India's counter-terrorism approach. The leaders also discussed strengthening India–UK collaboration against cross-border terrorism. The delegation received wide-ranging support, reaffirming shared commitments to global security, justice, and strategic partnership. Another all-party parliamentary delegation led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Eknath Shinde, concluded a threeday official visit to Liberia, reinforcing India’s global campaign against terrorism and strengthening bilateral ties with the West African nation. These included meetings with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. During the meetings, the Liberian leadership reaffirmed its support for India's counter-terrorism efforts, including "Operation Sindoor", and emphasised the need for unified international action against terror networks. In Cairo, NCP (SP) Supriya Sule-led all-party delegation called on League of Arab States Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Tuesday, underscoring India's unified stance and collective determination to combat terrorism. The leaders stressed that countering terrorism is a priority for both the Arab League and India. RCB end 18-year wait for IPL title, beat Punjab Kings by 6 runs TRIDIB BAPARNASH NEW DELHI, 3 JUNE After 70 hard-fought league matches, two qualifiers and an eliminator, the stage was set for a finale 17 years in the making. Two of the original IPL franchises ~ Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) ~ both long haunted by near-misses and heartbreak, stood on the cusp of long-awaited glory. And in the end, Royal Challengers Bengaluru broke the curse, etched their name into IPL history, and finally lifted the coveted trophy after defeating Punjab Kings by six runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Going by the perfect batting conditions at the Motera, Punjab Kings might have fancied their chances after restricting RCB for 190/9. However, the weight of the occasion, combined with a disciplined and clinical bowling performance from the Bengaluru outfit, proved too much for Shreyas Iyer’s men despite Shashank Singh’s fighting 61. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave Punjab Kings a lively, if erratic, start in their pursuit of 191, stitching together 43 runs in the first five overs. But their stand was cut short by Josh Hazlewood, who struck the first blow for RCB as Phil Salt pulled off a sharp catch in the deep to dismiss Priyansh. The momentum shifted swiftly, with Krunal Pandya and Romario Shepherd tightening the screws by removing Prabhsimran and the inform Shreyas Iyer (1), plunging Punjab into trouble. Australian wicketkeeperbatter Josh Inglis offered a glimmer of hope with a flurry of clean, powerful strokes, briefly reigniting Punjab’s chase but Krunal Pandya returned to apply the chokehold, delivering a decisive spell of 2/17 from his four overs that looked to seal the contest in RCB’s favour. With the pressure mounting, Punjab’s fading title hopes rested on the young and relatively unheralded pair of Nehal Wadhera and Shashank. The duo fought back valiantly, adding 38 for the fifth wicket, but just as a recovery seemed possible, veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned for his second spell and shut the door. In the space of three balls, he dismissed Wadhera and the incoming Marcus Stoinis, before Yash Dayal removed Azmatullah Omarzai to all but extinguish Punjab’s dreams of a maiden IPL crown. Earlier, returning to action after the birth of his child, Salt signalled RCB’s attacking intent early, launching a six and a four to put Punjab Kings under pressure. However, his brisk cameo was short-lived BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 64.00 as Kyle Jamieson, after conceding a boundary, dismissed the Englishman to bring Punjab back into the contest. Virat Kohli, taking his time to settle in, was joined by Mayank Agarwal (24) with the responsibility of steadying the innings. The pair worked well together, with Agarwal shifting gears to ensure RCB ended the powerplay at 55/1, though the scoring rate remained modest. To disrupt the flourishing partnership, Iyer turned to Yuzvendra Chahal and the seasoned leg-spinner struck immediately. On his second delivery, he removed Agarwal, who, after showing signs of form, fell attempting a big shot, only to find Arshdeep Singh at deep backward square leg. Captain Rajat Patidar (26) walked in and got off to a promising start, smashing a six off Chahal. But once again, Jamieson checked RCB’s momentum, breaking the 40run third-wicket stand by dismissing Patidar, who had managed a couple of sixes and a four in his 16-ball stay. ith wickets falling around him, the pressure mounted on Kohli to anchor the innings and push the scoring rate. RCB managed to limp to the 100-run mark by the 12th over, but Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer handled his bowling changes astutely, effectively stifling Bengaluru’s progress. Needing to shift gears quickly, RCB looked to Kohli for a push. However, in a bid to up the ante, the 36-yearold fell short of his half-century, caught by Azmatullah Omarzai for 43, leaving RCB’s innings stuttering at a crucial juncture. the officer said. “…As far as the Pakistani side is concerned, I can make two guesses. One, that they were losing things faster at a very long distance, and they thought that if this continued for some more time, they were likely to lose more, and hence they picked up the telephone,” General Chauhan said. “This was the kind of first no contact warfare which we fought, except for what was happening on the Line of Control. It was a mix of kinetic and non-kinetic operations,” he explained. The CDS also said Pakistan was informed after India hit terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir that India would strike back with more force in case it retaliated. “We had informed Pakistan on the day we launched the surgical strikes on the 7th of May. When there was rhetoric from the Pakistani side, we also said that in case Pakistan hits us, hits the military establishments, we are going to hit them back, hit them harder,” he said. “On the 10th of May, at about 1 a.m, their (Pakistan) aim was to get India to its knees in 48 hours. Multiple attacks were launched,” he said, adding that they escalated the conflict. "Operations which they thought would continue for 48 hours, folded up in about 8 hours and then they picked up the telephone and said they wanted to talk,” the CDS said. ECI to provide faster voter turnout updates during elections STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 JUNE The Election Commission has decided to upgrade its Voter Turnout (VTR) sharing process involving the real-time reporting and public disclosure of approximate voting trends during an election. "The Election Commission of India is now introducing a streamlined, technologydriven system to provide timely updates on the approximate voter turnout percentage trends, " the poll panel Tuesday said in release. This new process, which is a system that provides quick updates on the percentage of votes cast in various constituencies, will significantly reduce the time lag associated with the earlier manual reporting methods, the poll panel said. The initiative aligns with the Commission’s commitment to ensure timely public communication, which has often been underlined by the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on various occasions. Under the statutory framework of Rule 49S of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, Presiding Officers (PROs) are required to furnish Form 17C, detailing the account of votes recorded, to polling agents, who are nominated by the candidates and are present at the polling station at the close of poll. The approximate voting percentage trends will continue to be published every two hours as before while the voter turnout data will now be entered into ECINET by PROs immediately after the close of the poll. The updated VTR App will become an integral part of ECINET before the Bihar elections, the Election Commission assured.