TUESDAY 29 JULY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ASSAM CM MEETS PM MODI, BRIEFS HIM ON WELFARE SCHEMES SC QUESTIONS JUSTICE YASHWANT VERMA P4 SENSEX 80,891.02 q572.07 WEATHER GENERALLY CLOUDY SKY. LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN ACCOMPANIED WITH THUNDERSTORM/ LIGHTNING. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 30 AND 24 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: 000.0 mm P8 NIFTY 24,680.90 q156.10 ` vs $ 86.67 TEMPERATURE Max: 35.6°C (+0.7) SUN RISES 05:42 hrs MOON RISES 10:44 hrs Min: 28.4°C (+1.1) SUN SETS 19:14 hrs MOON SETS 22:00 hrs THUMBNAILS SHAHID K ABBAS NEW DELHI, 28 JULY Stampede at Ausaneshwar Mahadev Temple in UP's Barabanki: A tragic incident occurred at the Ausaneshwar Mahadev Temple in Barabanki during the third Monday of the holy month of Shravan, when a stampede took place in the temple premises, leading to the death of two devotees and injuries to 29 others, including women and children. The stampede took place around 2 AM during the Jalabhishek ritual. According to initial reports, the chaos was triggered after news of an electric short circuit spread among people present at the premises. Authorities stated that the electric wires snapped and fell onto a tin shed inside the temple complex after some monkeys jumped on them, causing a short circuit. GOLD `1,01,355 P12 SILVER `1,13,100 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 68.96 No PM Modi-Trump call during Operation Sindoor, India acted alone: EAM Rajnath warned Pakistan that any future misadventure would prompt resumption of the Operation Min. 64% A view of Lingaraj temple as devotees arrive to perform 'Jalabhishek' on a Monday of the Shravan month, in Bhubaneswar on Monday nANI ‘ALL THE FAST BOWLERS ARE FIT’ P9 Operation Sindoor not over, only on pause: Rajnath Singh RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 84% SHORTENING THE 50-DAY DEADLINE FOR RUSSIA D efence Minister Rajnath asserted Monday that the military operation against cross-border terrorism is not over, but only on pause. Initiating the debate on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha, Singh emphasized that India achieved all its political and military objectives without yielding to external or internal pressure. He revealed that Indian forces destroyed nine terror sites, including seven major camps, in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, within a 22-minute operation. Operation Sindoor refers to a military operation conducted by the Indian armed forces as a retaliatory strike in response to a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead. The Operation Sindoor targeted terrorist camps and infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) resulting in the elimination of approximately 100 terrorists and was paused after Pakistan's DGMO requested a ceasefire. The Defence Minister refuted claims that the operation was halted due to diplomatic or military pressure, stating, "We achieved what we set out to do." He was apparently rejecting US President Donald Trump's claim that he brokered the India-Pakistan ceasefire. "India halted its operation because all the political and military objectives studied before and during the conflict had been fully achieved," Singh said, asserting: "To suggest that the operation was called off under pressure is baseless and entirely incorrect." "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India has transformed into a nation that no longer hesitates to take decisive action against terrorism. We've shifted from compiling dossiers to taking bold steps, responding to threats with strength and striking at the root of terrorism to eradicate it," Singh claimed. He warned Pakistan that any future misadventure would prompt resumption of Operation Sindoor, emphasizing that the operation's pause is not a sign of weakness. "Any misadventure from Pakistan in the future, and we will resume Operation Sindoor," Singh said, asserting: "India will protect its motherland at all costs. Let us all rise above party lines and unite in the spirit of ‘Sangachchhadhwam Samvadadhwam.’" Comparing India's approach, Singh said: "India first extends the hand of friendship, but it also knows how to twist the wrist if any country betrays it." Addressing Opposition criticism, the defence minister underlined:"Not once did the Opposition ask how many Pakistani aircraft were downed. If you must ask questions, ask whether Operation Sindoor was successful and our answer is a resounding yes.” Singh confirmed that India possesses concrete evidence of the destruction caused inside PoK. Singh also praised the preparedness and performance of India's defense systems during the operation, stating that Pakistan's retaliatory attempts were completely unsuccessful. "Our Air Defence system, CounterDrone units, and electronic warfare equipment completely foiled every attack from Pakistan. Not a single Indian target was hit, and none of our key assets suffered damage." Three heavily armed Pakistani terrorists killed in encounter STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, 28 JULY Three heavily-armed Pakistani terrorists were killed in ‘Operation Mahadev’, jointly launched by the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army, J&K Police, and CRPF in the Harwan area on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday. The Indian Army confirmed that three terrorists were killed in the encounter. “Three terrorists have been neutralised in an intense firefight. Operation Continues,” the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army wrote on X. Contact with these terrorists was established in the morning in the Lidwas area of Srinagar's Upper reaches in Harwan of Zabarwan mountains, security forces said. The security forces, acting on an intelligence input, launched an anti-terror operation in the Harwan area. Soon, reinforcements were rushed to the area, and the combing operations were intensified to track down the terrorists. After a brief gun battle, the security forces personnel managed to trap the terrorists and neutralise them. The process ofidentifyingbodiesoftheneutralised terrorists was on, but unofficial reports claim that two of these terrorists were involved in the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April, in which 26 people were killed after ascertaining their religion. (P 3) NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 28 JULY External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Monday made it clear to Pakistan that India will not yield to nuclear blackmail, and cross border terrorism will get an appropriate response. Intervening in the debate in the Lok Sabha on India's strong, successful and decisive 'Operation Sindoor' in response to terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jaishankar also stated that terrorists will not be treated as proxies, terror and talks can't go together and terror and good neighbourliness cannot coexist. ''Blood and water cannot flow together...the challenge of cross-border terrorism continues, but Operation Sindoor marks a new face, that is now the new normal,'' the External Affairs Minister said. He further said through Mass inclusion, not exclusion, should be goal: SC to ECI BJP hits out at Chidambaram, Oppn too distances PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 28 JULY The Supreme Court on Monday told the Election Commission to adopt a voter verification approach based on “mass inclusion, not mass exclusion,” as it questioned the poll body’s refusal to accept Aadhaar and voters IDs as valid proof of identity under the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi did not accept the ECI’s argument that Aadhaar and EPIC cards can be forged, pointing out that “10 out of 11 documents already accepted by the Commission can be equally faked.” The Court said forgery is always a possibility, but that cannot be a reason to discard widely held documents like Aadhaar or voter ID cards. “Tomorrow, 10 out of 11 documents may be found to be fake. It has to be seen on a case-to-case basis,” Justice Kant observed. The bench added, “For that matter, any document on Earth can be forged.” The oral observations came during a hearing on a batch of petitions challenging What is management doing: Supreme Court over student suicides AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 28 JULY The Supreme Court on Monday expressed serious concern over rising student suicides in educational institutions, questioning the management of IIT Kharagpur and Sharda University over their handling of recent cases. A Bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan, while hearing a suo motu case, demanded accountability from both institutions. “Why are students committing suicide? What is the management doing?” the Bench asked pointedly, directing both Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal police to file detailed status reports within four weeks. In the case of Sharda University, the court was informed by Amicus Curiae Aparna Bhatt that the father of the deceased dental student had lodged an FIR two hours after the incident. A suicide note was found, and two individuals have been arrested. However, the court criticised the university for not following prior Supreme Court directives. “Did the students inform the father? Why didn’t the college management communicate this? Is it not their responsibility to inform the police and the parents immediately?” the court asked, raising concerns over administrative negligence. the June 24 ECI order initiating SIR in Bihar ahead of the State Assembly elections due in October–November 2025. Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan sought an interim stay on the August 1 publication of the draft rolls under the SIR, arguing that petitioners refrained from seeking interim relief earlier because they were assured a hearing before that date. The matter has been posted for Tuesday, July 29, for setting a final hearing schedule. Under the SIR guidelines, the ECI has mandated that voters not found on the 2003 rolls must provide proof of Indian citizenship. For those born after December 2004, documents of both parents are required, and where a parent is a foreign national, passport and visa records at the time of birth must be submitted. This move has drawn sharp criticism from civil society, with petitioners—including Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), PUCL, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, RJD MP Manoj Jha, and activist Yogendra Yadav—arguing that the directive: Violates Articles 14, 19, 21, 325, and 326 of the Constitution; Contravenes the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and Rule 21A of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960; Shifts the burden of proof from the state to the citizen; Excludes widely held documents like Aadhaar and ration cards, disproportionately affecting poor and rural voters. In its affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the ECI has argued that the process is constitutionally backed by Article 324, which gives it plenary powers over electoral roll preparation. itself from his ‘homegrown terrorists’ remark STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 28 JULY Congress leader P Chidambaram’s remark suggesting that the terrorists involved in Operation Sindoor may have been "homegrown" rather than from the neighbouring country, has invited sharp reactions from the BJP and its allies, even as some opposition parties also distanced themselves from the comment. The remarks were made hours before the Parliament was to take up a detailed discussion on Operation Sindoor – the military and diplomatic response to the Pahalgam terror attack against Pakistan. “It is clearly visible that whenever India faced a terrorist attack, Congress never spoke against Pakistan. Take the 26/11 attack, for example, Congress did nothing and failed to give a strong response,” Union minister Anurag Thakur, reacting sharply to his remark, said. Chidambaram, who served as Union Home Minister and Finance Minister in the Congress-led UPA, questioned the government's immediate attribution of the attack to Pakistan, saying, “What if they were homegrown terrorists? Why have you assumed they came from Pakistan? Where is the evidence? Has the NIA identified them? Where did they come from? Has the NIA revealed anything? Perhaps the terrorists were created here. The government is also hiding the extent of damage India suffered.” The Congress leader’s comment led to several harsh counter comments, with many questioning why the Congress could not respond properly when faced with such attacks during its regime. “Before 2014, the country witnessed several terrorist attacks. Did you ever try to eliminate those terrorists or the masterminds behind the camps?” BJP MP CP Joshi questioned. Arun Govil, first time MP best known for portraying Lord Ram on screen, also reacted sharply saying, “There can be no bigger lie in this world than what Chidambaram has said.” Teen sensation Divya stuns Humpy to win FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 28 JULY Rising star Divya Deshmukh has etched her name in chess history by defeating veteran compatriot Koneru Humpy to win the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025, held in Batumi, Georgia. The thrilling final was decided in tense tiebreaks on Monday after the two classical games ended in draws. Displaying remarkable composure, the 19-year-old Deshmukh seized her opportunity in the second rapid encounter while playing with the black pieces. Capitalising on a critical endgame error by the experienced 38-year-old Humpy, Divya steadily increased her advantage and converted it to clinch the title. By winning the prestigious tournament, Divya also secured her Grandmaster title. She is now the fourth Indian woman to reach this elite status, joining the ranks of the country’s chess legends. The FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup final showcased the best of Indian chess, pitting two talented players from the same country against each other on a global stage. The classical games played over the weekend had ended in tense draws, with both players showcasing resilience and elite-level play. In Saturday's opening game, Divya, playing with the white pieces, built a commanding position but let Humpy equalise late. The second game on Sunday was more balanced, though Divya admitted she “wandered into trouble for no apparent reason” before holding on. Saving her best for the tiebreaks, the young sensation capped off a memorable win. After the first rapid game ended in a draw, the second saw Humpy crack under time pressure, making critical blunders that Divya pounced on. With nerves of steel, Divya closed out the win to become the 2025 Women’s World Cup champion. “It was fate,” said an emotional Divya after the final. “Before the tournament, I was thinking that I could maybe earn a Grandmaster norm here. And at the end, I became a Grandmaster.” Divya’s victory is even more remarkable considering the odds. She came into the tiebreaks as the underdog — Humpy, a two-time World Rapid Champion and currently world No. 5 in classical chess, was widely expected to dominate in the faster format. In contrast, Divya was ranked No. 18 in classical, No. 22 in rapid, and No. 18 in blitz on the FIDE women’s list. PM congratulates Deshmukh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to Divya Deshmukh on her historic win in the FIDE Women's World Chess Champion 2025. "A historic final featuring two outstanding Indian chess players! Proud of the young Divya Deshmukh on becoming FIDE Women's World Chess Champion 2025. Congratulations to her for this remarkable feat, which will inspire several youngsters. Koneru Humpy has also displayed immense prowess throughout the championship. Best wishes to both players for their future endeavours," Modi said in a post on platform X. Operation Sindoor, "India sent a message - we will defend ourselves, and we will do so decisively". Jaishankar said only three countries, including Pakistan, opposed India’s response. The overwhelming global sentiment, he said, was in support of India's right to self-defence. The External Affairs Minister credited Indian diplomacy for the US decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistanbacked terror outfit, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). “There was no call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump between April 22 and June 17,” the External Affairs Minister said, putting to rest speculation that international pressure played a role during the Operation Sindoor phase. NITI Aayog’s report says 248 million rise out of poverty in a decade STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 28 JULY India presented the Voluntary National Review (VNR) 2025 at the United Nations highlighting a decade of focused policy action and significant achievements across key areas of sustainable development. Presented by the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Suman Bery, the report showcases how concerted efforts have led to transformative outcomes, positively impacting the lives of millions. One of the most notable achievements has been in the area of poverty alleviation. Over the past 10 years, an estimated 248 million individuals have escaped Multidimensional Poverty (MPI), reflecting the success of inclusive development policies and targeted welfare programs. Food security has been a critical area of intervention, with the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana ensuring the provision of free food grains to millions of vulnerable households. This initiative played a pivotal role in maintaining nutritional stability, especially during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In the health and nutrition sector, flagship schemes like POSHAN Abhiyaan and Ayushman Bharat have significantly enhanced access to quality nutrition and affordable healthcare, the report highlighted. India's clean energy transition has gained momentum through landmark initiatives such as the National Green Hydrogen Mission, PM-KUSUM, and the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.