MONDAY 28 JULY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00 | LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘WARS WON WITH TIMELY DELIVERIES, NOT JUST BULLETS’ P4 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky. Light to moderate rain likely to occur. Maximum and Minimum Temperature likely to be around 31˚C and 27˚C respectively. RAINFALL: 0.4 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 97% P5 P11 Centre to erect statues of Raja Raja, Rajendra Chola in Tamil Nadu STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 27 JULY CHENNAI, 27 JULY Min: 26.2 ˚C (-0.5) SUN SETS 18:16 hrs MOON SETS 20:46 hrs Full Moon on 5 August THUMBNAILS Amy chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, on Sunday, visited a forward post at the Siachen Glacier, and interacted with troops of 18 JAK RIF. n SNS Thailand, Cambodia say willing to negotiate after clashes: Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday signalled their readiness to negotiate an end to a deadly border dispute following mediation efforts by US President Donald Trump. The fighting, now in its fourth day, has killed at least 34 people and displaced more than 168,000. Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday that he spoke to the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia. He said both sides agreed to meet to negotiate a ceasefire. (Page 9) C rediting the imperial Chola dynasty for giving the blueprint for a resurgent new India of the future, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday eulogised emperors Raja Raja and Rajendra Chola as the identities of Bharat, calling their rule a golden era for the country. PM Modi was participating in the birth anniversary celebration of Rajendra Chola I and the 1000th commemoration of his victory over the Sri Vijaya Kingdom of present-day Indonesia, at the ancient capital of Gangaikonda Cholapuram in Tamil Nadu’s Ariyalur district. He said: “The names, Raja Raja and his son, Rajendra, are identities of Bharat. Their empire, according to historians, was one of the golden eras of India. While Raja Raja built a navy, Rajendra expanded and strengthened it as a formidable force. During his reign, the country was very advanced not only in warfare but also in many domains and on those lines, we have to strengthen our armed forces.” “Though historians used to turn to Magna Carta of Britain as the mother of democracy, it is the Cholas who have the legitimate claim to that. The system of ‘kudavolai’, a method of voting to elect functionaries for local administration and panchayats was the precursor for modern democracy. US confirms no extension to 1 August tariff dealine AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 27 JULY As such, it is not the British, but the Cholas, who were the pioneers of democracy,” he said. “Unlike kings of those times, who brought hefty booty from conquered territories, Rajendra brought Ganga water and built a ‘jalasthambam’, a liquid pillar of victory – Chola Gangam, the massive lake abutting Gangaikonda Cholapuram, the capital, constructed to mark his successful military expedition to the Gangetic plains. They are pioneers of water management and it is a message very relevant in these days when we are confronted with climate change,” Mr Modi said. “As the people’s representative of Kashi (Varanasi), I’m proud to bring Ganga jal to Chola Gangam, the lake built by Rajendra,” he said. The PM, who released a commemorative coin on Rajendra Chola, said the temple that the monarch had erected as a replica of the Thanjavur Big temple, is one of the great monuments of the world. “Our government follows the footsteps of the Cholas in strengthening and integrating the nation and its people. Saivite philosopher Thirumoolar’s dictum ‘Anbe Sivam; (Love is Shiva), the futuristic vision is the guiding principle of our government and it is the mantra for saving the world from war and violence,” Mr Modi said and announced that statues for both Raja Raja and Rajendra would be erected in Tamil Nadu to honour them. (Another report on Page 4) Indian courts burdened with 5.29 cr cases backlog DEHRADUN, 27 JULY Lutnick said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was set to meet Trump to clinch a trade deal for Europe that would likely see a 15 per cent baseline tariff on most EU goods. Five countries have so far signed trade deals with the Trump administration ahead of next week's deadline. These are Britain, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan. Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday stated that trade talks between India and the US were 'making fast progress', with both sides looking to finalise the first tranche of the agreement by fall (September-October). Trinamul Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee will lead the first rally organised by her party as part of its ‘Bhasha Andolan’ (language movement) against the alleged targeting of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in other states in Bolpur in Birbhum district on Monday. As announced during Miss Banerjee’s 21 July address in Kolkata, the TMC commenced a series of protest meetings today against the alleged attacks on and harassment of migrant workers. Miss Banerjee had said such meetings will be held every Saturday and Sunday. Miss Banerjee left today for Birbhum to mark Nanoor Day. On 27 July 2000, 11 labourers were killed at Suchpur near Nanoor ~ allegedly by CPI(M) cadres ~ while trying to prevent a land grab. Tomorrow’s 3-kilometre rally in Bolpur will start at 2 p.m. from Tourist Lodge More and end at Jambuni More. The selection of Bolpur is symbolic, given its connection to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Recently, Visva-Bharati Santiniketan ~ founded by Tagore ~ was accorded World Cultural Her- Eight die, 28 injured in Mansa Devi Temple stampede in Haridwar PR SINGH The US administration on Sunday said the 1 August deadline for imposing reciprocal tariffs remains unchanged and there will be no extension this time. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick ruled out any possibility of an extension on the Fox News Sunday TV programme. “No extensions, no more grace periods. August 1, the tariffs are set. They'll go into place. Customs will start collecting the money, and off we go," Mr Lutnick was quoted as saying. He also said that the European Union (EU) needed to open its markets for more US exports to convince US President Donald Trump to reduce a 30 per cent tariff rate that is due to kick in on 1 August. “The question is, do they offer President Trump a good enough deal that is worth it for him to step off the 30 per cent tariffs that he set," Mr P12 Cholas gave blueprint Targeting of Bengali speakers: CM Mamata to kick off for modern India: PM ‘Bhasha Andolan’ from Bolpur M C RAJAN Min. 72% TEMPERATURE Max: 31.8˚C ( -0.8 ) SUN RISES 05:06 hrs MOON RISES 08:12 hrs CHINA’S TIBET DAM TO TONS FROM GILL, CREATE ECOLOGICAL SUNDAR, JADEJA EMBALANCES PULL OFF DRAW NITISH KUMAR SETS UP SAFAI KARMACHARI COMMISSION IN BIHAR Eight devotees died and 26 others were injured in a stampede at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar on Sunday morning. The administration attributed the stampede to panic that ensued after an electric wire fell on the temple steps amid the presence of a huge crowd of devotees. Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey said the exact cause of the stampede would be known only after a probe into the incident, but officials in the Haridwar district administration claimed that it happened due to panic after a live electric wire landed on the temple steps after falling an electric pole. “More details about the incident can be had only after the probe. The injured, who were shifted to a government hospital, are undergoing treatment,” said Haridwar District The injured are taken to hospital following a stampede at the Mansa Devi temple, in Haridwar on Sunday. n ANI Magistrate Mayur Dixit. The deceased include minors and elderly pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttarakhand. A district administration official informed that around 28 devotees were injured in the stampede. Five of the injured were in a critical condition and admitted at AIIMS, Rishikesh, while 23 others were undergoing medication at two government hospitals in Haridwar. The injured hail from various states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana, and Chandigarh. Reacting to the incident, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conveyed his condolences to the deceased devotees and announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to each the families of each deceased. In a social media post, Mr Dhami said: "The news of the heartbreaking incident on Mansa Devi Temple steps in Haridwar resulting in the death of six people is extremely saddening. I pray God to grant peace to the souls of the deceased devotees and provide strength to the grieving families to bear their sorrow. The state government will provide an assistance of ₹2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 each to the injured persons." Mr Dhami also announced a magisterial inquiry into the incident. According to Mr Pandey, the stampede occurred in the morning when the steps of the Mansa Devi temple, located on the hilltop, were heavily crowded with devotees. In a post on the X social media platform, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. Parliament functioning expected to return to normal as govt agrees to discuss Op Sindoor SHAHID K ABBAS NEW DELHI, 27 JULY NEW DELHI, 27 JULY Indian courts are burdened with a massive load of 5.29 crore pending cases, official data up to 21 July available on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) showed. The maximum number of 4.65 crore cases are pending in district and subordinate courts, followed by 63.30 lakh cases in High Courts and 86,742 cases in the Supreme Court, the data showed. Further, district and subordinate courts appear to have struggled to work at full strength. According to the Department of Justice, as against a sanctioned strength of 25,843 judicial officers as on 21 July, 2015, the lower courts are working with a strength of 21,122. Agencies (Details on Page 8) After a week-long impasse, Parliament is set to resume normal proceedings from Monday, with the government having agreed to hold a special discussion on Operation Sindoor, the military operation the Indian government had launched in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April. The development comes after an agreement was on Friday reached between the government and the Opposition to ensure the smooth functioning of both Houses during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament that started 21 July and has not transacted any constructive business since. The agreement was hammered out during a meeting convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla with floor leaders from various political parties and government representatives, including Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Congress Deputy Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi. As part of the agreement, the government has allocated 16 hours for the debate on Operation Sindoor. Operation Sindoor is a retaliatory military operation conducted by the Indian armed forces in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The operation aimed to neutralise the terrorists and prevent further attacks on civilians and security personnel. The Opposition had been demanding a discussion on the operation, seeking clarity on the government's response to the terrorist attack and the measures taken to prevent future attacks. Parliament's proceedings were disrupted for five consecutive days till Friday due to protests by the Opposition parties over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar being conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar as the Vice President of India, which the Opposition has attributed to differences with the government over the issue of an impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma of Allahabad High Court. The INDIA bloc MPs had been demanding a discussion on the SIR exercise in Bihar, citing concerns over voter disenfranchisement and alleging cheating in the voter list revision process. The protests had led to repeated adjournments of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, with the Opposition staging protests inside and outside Parliament. However, with the agreement in place, Parliament is now expected to function smoothly, allowing for meaningful discussions and debates on important issues, including Operation Sindoor. The Opposition, in turn, has agreed to cooperate with the government to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament. With the impasse now behind them, lawmakers can focus on discussing critical issues and holding the government accountable for its actions. itage status by UNESCO. Tagore remains one of the most revered Bengali cultural icons globally. Baul singers, dhamsa madol drummers, and Chhau dancers will flank the procession, celebrating Bengal’s rich cultural heritage. The rally will proceed along Sriniketan Road and culminate at Jambuni More, where the Chief Minister is expected to address a public meeting. Miss Banerjee will also attend an administrative review meeting during her visit. Among the key issues to be discussed are the Deucha Pachami coal block ~ India’s second largest ~ and the recent translocation of over 900 trees linked to development projects in the region. She is expected to return to Kolkata on Tuesday afternoon. Political observers suggest that this Bolpur rally marks the beginning of a broader electoral campaign by Miss Banerjee, aimed at both the 2026 Assembly elections and unifying the fragmented TMC leadership in Birbhum district. The TMC is reportedly targeting a clean sweep in Birbhum in the next Assembly polls. Attention now turns to the message Mamata Banerjee will deliver to the BJP and the Centre through this maiden rally. Meanwhile, the state police have heightened security ahead of the administrative meeting, rally, and mass gathering scheduled in Birbhum tomorrow. Bihar SIR: 65 lakh voters out of draft rolls INTENSIVE REVIEW n Of the 65 lakh electors being dropped from the draft electoral rolls in Bihar, ‐ 22 lakh are deceased ‐ 36 lakh have shifted permanently or were not found ‐ 7 lakh were enrolled at more than one place n There is a one‐month window for corrections, inclusions and deletions, from 1 August to 1 September. n Young citizens turning 18 by 1 October 2025 can register themselves during the same period. n The ECI has said no name will be removed without a formal speaking order, and appeals can be made under Section 24 of the RP Act, 1950 AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 27 JULY A day before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commission of India's decision to undertake a special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in pollbound Bihar, the ECI on Sunday said that it has successfully concluded the enumeration phase of the Special Summary Revision (SIR) in Bihar, held from 24 June to 25 July 2025. According to a detailed press release shared by the Election Commission, as many as 65 lakh voters will not figure in the state’s new draft electoral rolls, which are to be published on 1 August. This includes 22 lakh deceased electors (2.83 per cent), 36 lakh (4.59 per cent) who have permanently shifted or not found and seven lakh (0.89 per cent) who have enrolled at more than one place. According to the ECI, more than 7.24 crore electors, out of a total of 7.89 crore, submitted their enumeration forms. This large-scale campaign, which began just a few months before the high-stakes Bihar assembly elections, was aimed at ensuring “No Elector Left Behind”, with a focus on firsttime voters, urban populations, migrants, and vulnerable groups such as the elderly and persons with disabilities, the Election Commission said. Around 29 lakh forms were submitted digitally, either through the ECI website or mobile app, signifying an increasing shift towards techsavvy voter engagement. Young citizens turning 18 by 1 October 2025, are being encouraged to register from 1 August to 1 September. “ECI will conduct special campaigns across Bihar from August 1 to September 1 2025, to enrol such young electors, so that all eligible electors can be enrolled and no one is left out,” the ECI said. Volunteers and officials are assisting senior citizens and PwD voters in completing documentation. The draft roll will be made available both digitally and in print on 1 August. Any inclusions, deletions, or corrections must be submitted during the one-month window. No name will be removed without a formal speaking order, and appeals can be made under Section 24 of the RP Act, 1950. The Supreme Court, meanwhile, is slated to hear on Monday a batch of petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar. According to the causelist published on the website of the Supreme Court, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi will resume hearing the matter on 28 July.