THURSDAY 03 JULY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 16 |` 5.00 | LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR NDA BUILT NEW BIHAR FROM THE ASHES OF ‘JUNGLE RAJ’: RAJNATH P5 SENSEX 83,409.69 q287.60 WEATHER Generally Cloudy sky with one or two spells of light to moderate rain/ thundershower very likely to occur. IRAN’S PRESIDENT ORDERS SUSPENSION OF COOPERATION WITH IAEA ‘HAVE TO STAND BY SIDDARAMAIAH,’ SAYS SHIVAKUMAR P6 NIFTY 25,453.40 q88.40 ` vs $ 85.64 P11 GOLD `1,00,440 SILVER `1,10,000 RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 95% NEW DELHI, 2 JULY Min. 77% TEMPERATURE Max: 31.9˚C (-0.7) Min: 26.6 ˚C (-0.1) SUN SETS 18:25 hrs MOON SETS 23:18 hrs Full Moon on 11 July THUMBNAILS Monsoon session of Parliament extended by nine days: President Droupadi Murmu has approved the government's proposal to convene the Monsoon Session of Parliament from 21 July to 21 August, extending the session by nine days. It had previously been announced that the Monsoon session was to continue till 12 August. Shamik Bhattacharya is new Bengal BJP president: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appointed Shamik Bhattacharya as the new president of its West Bengal unit after he emerged as the sole nominee for the post on Wednesday. He succeeds Sukanta Majumdar. (Details on Page 3) in this regard,” it said. It, however, stopped short of naming Pakistan, whom India has held responsible for the Pahalgam attack. T he four Quad nations have condemned the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack in the strongest terms, and called for bringing the perpetrators, organisers, and financiers of the assault to justice without any delay. They also reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open IndoPacific, and opposed any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong attended the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Washington on Tuesday. The Quad members unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms. The joint statement released following the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting said: “The Quad unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, and renews our commitment to counterterrorism cooperation.” “We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April, 2025, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, while injuring several others. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and extend our heartfelt wishes for a swift and full recovery to all those injured,” the statement said. “We call for the perpetrators, organisers, and financiers of this reprehensible act to be brought to justice without any delay and urge all UN Member States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant UNSCRs, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities Jaishankar meets Hegseth Mr Jaishankar met US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon and said he had a productive conversation on advancing the India-US defence partnership, building on growing convergences of interests, capabilities and responsibilities. Mr Hegseth, on his part, said the USA and India are “mutually aware of the security concerns in the region, and both nations have the ability to counter that threat together”, according to a US Department of Defence readout. “...we hope we can complete several major pending US defence sales to India, expand our shared defence industrial cooperation and coproduction efforts, strengthen interoperability... between our forces, and then formally sign a new 10-year Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership,” he was quoted as saying. Trump says trade deal between USA & India, with ‘much less tariffs’, soon Supreme Court introduces SC/ST reservation in staff appointments STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 JULY PARMOD KUMAR United States President Donald Trump confirmed that a trade deal between the US and India, with “much less tariffs” will soon be announced. “I think we are going to have a deal with India. And that is going to be a different kind of a deal. It is going to be a deal where we are able to go in and compete. Right now, India does not accept anybody in. I think India is going to do that, and if they do that, we are going to have a deal for much less tariffs,” Mr Trump said, while speaking with reporters on board Air Force One. India faces the looming return of Mr Trump’s currently suspended 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs on many of its exports to the USA. Imposed on 2 April, the tariffs were paused for 90 days, and without another agreement, they will likely resume automatically. The US President’s comments come hours after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that the USA and India are nearing a deal to lower tariffs on American imports to the South Asian country and to help India avoid levies imposed by the Trump administration, which will rise sharply next week. In a historic administrative reform, the Supreme Court has for the first time implemented a formal reservation policy for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates in direct recruitment and promotional posts within the registry. A circular dated 24 June notified that the Model Reservation Roster and Register will come into effect from 23 June, in compliance with Rule 4A of the Supreme Court Officers and Servants (Conditions of Service and Conduct) Rules, 1961, and the Department of Personnel & NEW DELHI, 2 JULY India faces the looming return of Mr TrumpÊs currently suspended 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs on many of its exports to the USA. Imposed on 2 April, the tariffs were paused for 90 days, and without another agreement, they will likely resume automatically. Notably, earlier this week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at an event in New York had said: “We are in the middle — hopefully more than the middle — of a very intricate trade negotiation.” A team of Indian officials visited Washington last week in a push to finalise an agreement before the tariff pause expires on 9 July. Special Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, who is heading the Indian delegation, has extended his stay by another day to try to break the impasse. The India–US tariff issue stems from longstanding trade tensions, particularly around market access, high import duties, and trade imbalances. Disputes also emerged over India’s high duties on products such as motorcycles, agricultural goods, and tech items, along with policies like data localisation. Several of these disagreements escalated to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Training’s 1997 guidelines. The 167-page document titled Res. Roster/01/2025 prescribes a 200-point reservation roster, earmarking 15 per cent reservation for SCs and 7.5 per cent for STs — amounting to 30 SC and 15 ST positions for every 200 sanctioned posts. The roster covers various administrative cadres, with precise slotting of SC/ST reservations based on serialised entries ~ Senior Personal Assistant: 94 posts (14 SC, 6 ST, 74 UR); Assistant Librarian: 20 posts (3 SC, 1 ST); Junior Court Assistant: 437 posts (65 SC, 32 ST, 340 UR); Junior Court Assistant-cum-Program- practices that have been followed for centuries. It is not something that political powers can dictate.” In the statement that directly challenges external attempts to interfere in the spiritual affairs of Tibet, the 89-year-old Nobel Peace laureate stressed that no government, including the Chinese, has any role to play in the process of identifying his reincarnation. The remarks from the Dalai Lama came amid growing concerns among Tibetan communities and human rights organisations over China’s attempts to assert control over Tibetan Buddhism by potentially appoint- ing a successor of its own choice. Beijing has consistently maintained that it will have the final say in the reincarnation process, a claim widely rejected by the Tibetan dias- mer: 20 posts (3 SC, 1 ST); Junior Court Attendant: 600 posts (reserved entries distributed across roster points); Chamber Attendant: 105 posts (16 SC, 8 ST). Each roster maps SC/ST eligibility against fractional entitlement ~ e.g., in junior court Assistant Cadre SC vacancies arise at 7th, 15th, 20th, 27th positions, while ST entries fall on 14th, 28th, 40th positions and so on — ensuring mathematical precision in compliance. The roster is supplemented with Initial Reservation Registers for each cadre, functioning as live documents to track cumulative reservation compliance in real-time. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 JULY Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday arrived in Ghana on a two-day visit, marking the first time an Indian prime minister has visited the country in over three decades. President John Dramani Mahama gave PM Modi a warm welcome at the airport, where he was accorded a Guard of Honour and a 21gun salute. During his visit, PM Modi will hold high-level talks with President Mahama to review bilateral relations and identify new areas of cooperation. The two leaders will discuss ways to strengthen trade, investment, and economic ties between the two nations. Ghana is one of West Africa's fastest-growing economies, and India is its largest destination for exports, with gold accounting for over 70 per cent of India's imports from Ghana. During his visit, the prime minister will address the Ghana Parliament on Thursday marking a significant moment in the history of India-Ghana relations. India and Ghana are expected to sign key agreements focusing on trade, infrastructure, healthcare, and digital technology. The visit aims to boost economic ties, with a focus on vaccine development, defense cooperation, and digital infrastructure partnerships. PM Modi's visit to Ghana is part of a five-nation tour that will also take him to Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia, where where over the next few days he will be attending various bilateral, multilateral and other programmes. In a departure statement posted on his X handle, ahead of emplaning to Ghana, the Prime Minister said: “Over the next few days, I will be attending various bilateral, multilateral and other programmes in Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia. Looking forward to interacting with world leaders and discussing ways to make our planet better.” Asserting that the visit aims to deepen historical ties, open new avenues for cooperation, and strengthen partnerships across the Global South, the Prime Minister said the trip will reinforce bonds of friendship. Mr Modi’s five-nation visit includes his participation in the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro scheduled be held from 6-7 July. During the Summit, the Prime Minister will exchange views on key global issues, including reform of global governance, peace and security, strengthening multilateralism, responsible use of artificial intelligence, climate action, global health, economic and financial matters. SBI tags Reliance Communications’ loan as ‘fraud’, names Anil Ambani in letter to RBI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 JULY The State Bank of India (SBI) has officially classified Reliance Communications’ (RCom) loan account as “fraud,” in a significant development concerning the Anil Ambani-led telecom company that is currently under insolvency proceedings. The decision was conveyed in a letter dated 23 June 2025, which RCom received on 30 June, the company said in a regulatory filing on 1 July. “This is to inform you that the Company has received a letter dated June 23, 2025 (received on June 30, 2025) from SBI (marked to the Company and its erstwhile director - Anil Dhirajlal Ambani), inter alia, stating that SBI has decided to report the loan account of the Company as ‘fraud’ and to report the name of Anil Dhirajlal Ambani... to the RBI,” the filing stated. The action follows a longdrawn-out process initiated by the bank, which issued show-cause notices to RCom in December 2023, March 2024, and September 2024. Dalai Lama says successor to be chosen in accordance with Tibetan traditions Ahead of his 90th birthday on 6 July, the 14th Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, reaffirmed that the centuries-old institution of the Dalai Lama will continue. He made it clear that the authority to decide the succession lies solely with the Tibetan people. In a video message issued by the office of the Dalai Lama, Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, the spiritual leader said: “The next Dalai Lama will be chosen according to Tibetan traditions. The decision will be based on spiritual and cultural BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 67.76 Quad urges swift action against PM Modi embarks Pahalgam attack perpetrators on 5-nation tour, lands in Ghana NIKHIL VYAS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SHIMLA, 2 JULY P16 At Washington meet, Quad members unequivocally condemn terrorism in all its forms RAINFALL: 032.4 mm SUN RISES 04:56 hrs MOON RISES 11:14 hrs MANOLO MARQUEZ RESIGNS AS INDIA COACH pora and global religious leaders. On Wednesday, a Chinese spokesperson said that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama “must be approved by the central government.” “The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama and other great Buddhist figures must be chosen by drawing lots from a golden urn, and approved by the central government,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular news briefing, referring to a method introduced by a Qing dynasty emperor in the 18th century. “The Chinese government implements a policy of freedom of religious belief, but there are regulations on religious affairs and methods for managing the reincarnation of Tibetan living Buddhas,” Ms Mao said. The Dalai Lama has addressed the issue in the past, stating that he may choose not to reincarnate or could reincarnate outside of Tibet. In his latest statement, however, he reaffirmed his commitment to the continuation of the lineage, reassuring Tibetans around the world that the spiritual leadership will endure. “The purpose of the Dalai Lama is to serve the Tibetan people and preserve the teachings of compassion and wisdom,” he said. SBI said it reviewed the company’s replies but found them unsatisfactory in addressing breaches of loan terms and explaining irregularities in account conduct. The matter was escalated to SBI’s fraud identification committee, which ultimately concluded that the loan should be reported as fraudulent under Reserve Bank of India (RBI) norms. RCom clarified that the loans referenced by the SBI pertain to the period before the company entered into the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) in 2019. It pointed out that under Section 32A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), once a resolution plan is approved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), the company is shielded from liability for past offences. “The credit facilities or loans referred to in the SBI letter... are required to be necessarily resolved as part of a resolution plan or in liquidation, under the IBC,” RCom said. The resolution plan has already received approval from creditors but is still awaiting final clearance from the NCLT. The company also confirmed it is seeking legal advice on the matter. No link between Covid-19 vaccines and sudden deaths among youth: Indian health agencies STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 JULY Amid public concerns around sudden, unexplained deaths, particularly among young adults, India’s top medical research bodies have found no evidence linking Covid19 vaccines to such fatalities. Two independent studies, led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), have affirmed the safety and efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines administered in the country. “The findings are conclusive, Covid-19 vaccination does not increase the risk of sudden death in young adults,” said the official statement from the Health Ministry, referring ICMR’s to a recently completed case–control study led by the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai. The multicentric study, titled “Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India,” was conducted across 47 tertiary hospitals in 19 states and Union Territories between May and August 2023. It reviewed deaths of individuals who appeared healthy but died suddenly between October 2021 and March 2023. According to researchers, the comprehensive data analysis found no direct link between vaccination and these fatalities. A second, ongoing prospective study titled: “Establishing the cause in sudden unexplained deaths in young” is being carried out by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, in collaboration with ICMR. While the study is still underway, early findings indicate that heart attacks—or myocardial infarction—remain the leading cause of sudden deaths in the 18–45 age group. According to the official document, preliminary data suggest that the pattern of causes of sudden deaths has not changed significantly over the years; moreover, genetic mutations have been identified as a possible cause in many of the unexplained death cases.