WEDNESDAY 30 JULY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00 X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR REVANTH TO CAMP IN DELHI OVER BACKWARD CLASSES BILLS ‘INDIA IS NO LONGER A SOFT STATE’ P5 SENSEX 81,337.95 p446.93 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky with a few spells of Light to moderate rain/ thundershower very likely to occur. RAINFALL: 048.7 mm SUN RISES 05:07 hrs MOON RISES 09:04 hrs NIFTY 24,821.10 p140.20 ` vs $ 86.96 P8 No world leader asked India to stop Op Sindoor: PM Modi On the night of 9 May, US Vice President JD Vance tried to talk to me. He tried for an hour, but I was busy in a meeting with the forces. When I called him back, he told me Pakistan was planning a big attack. My answer was that if this is Pakistan's intention, it will have to pay a heavy price. NEW DELHI, 29 JULY Min: 25.3˚C (-1.4) P SUN SETS 18:19 hrs MOON SETS 21:17 hrs Full Moon on 9 August THUMBNAILS Participants ride a horse cart as they take part in the traditional horse cart race ‘Ekka', in Prayagraj on Monday. nANI Pralay missile clears user trials with pinpoint accuracy: Boosting India's air defence capabilities, two consecutive successful flight-tests of Pralay missile were conducted by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island off the coast of Odisha, here today. The flight tests were carried out as a part of User Evaluation Trials to validate the maximum and minimum range capability of the missile system. rime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday firmly rejected US President Donald Trump's repeated claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Replying to the debate on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha, PM Modi emphasized that no world leader, including the US President asked India to stop its military operation. “No leader of any country asked India to stop Operation Sindoor,” Prime Minister Modi said in the Lok Sabha, rejecting US President Donald Trump's claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Mr Modi emphasised India's sovereignty and commitment to national security, highlighting the success of Operation Sindoor in eliminating terrorist threats. Mr Modi revealed that US Vice President JD Vance attempted to reach out to him on May 9, warning of a potential large-scale attack from Pakistan. “My response was clear: if Pakistan attacks, it will have to pay a heavy price,” he said. The Prime Minister highlighted the operation's success, stating PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI that it sent a strong message to terrorists and their masters. “We destroyed terror sites deep inside Pakistan within 22 minutes to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam attack," he added. Modi claimed that Pakistan's airbases are still recovering from the damage inflicted during the operation. The operation was launched after the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, which targeted civilians based on their religion, killing 26 civilians, mostly tourists. The Prime Minister asserted that the international community Gandhis attack govt for lack of political will, security failure STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 29 JULY of that sort happened after the Pahalgam terror attack,” she said. She demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, holding them responsible for the security lapse at the site of the attack, which, she said, was being actively promoted as an attractive tourist place by the government. Joining the debate later in the day, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi accused the government of tying the hands of the Indian armed forces during Operation Sindoor, which he claimed was the reason for ‘tactical losses’ during the operation. The Congress MP said that the government lacked political will in punishing the Pahalgam perpetrators. “Yesterday, the Defence Minister compared the 1971 war with Operation Sindoor. I must add that this government’s resolve stands nowhere close to the then Congress leadership.” Sharpening his pitch, LoP Rahul Gandhi praised the Armed Forces but held the government responsible for the ‘losses and setbacks’ during the operation. In a frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he challenged him to call out the US President’s lies on forcing a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and also claimed that the Operation Sindoor was executed to bolster his image, in a wave of ghastly terror attacks in Pahalgam. largely supported India's actions, with only three countries speaking in favour of Pakistan at the UN. "No leader in the world asked us to stop Operation Sindoor," PM Modi stated, underscoring India's commitment to national security and sovereignty. The Prime Minister highlighted the success of Operation Sindoor, saying it sent a strong message to terrorists and their masters. He praised the nation's unity in foiling the conspiracy behind the Pahalgam attack, saying, "Today, I thank the countrymen that the country foiled that con- Bihar rolls: SC fixes 12–13 August for hearing challenge to SIR PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 30 JULY Observing that it will intervene if there was mass exclusion of voters from electoral rolls in Bihar in the wake of the Special Intensive Revision by the Election Commission of India, the Supreme court on Tuesday fixed 12-13 August for hearing a batch of petition challenging the exercise triggered ahead of the state assembly elections slated for October-November. Addressing the concerns that over 65 lakh voters may be deleted from the draft electoral rolls scheduled to be published on 1 August as part of the ECI’s ongoing SIR exercise, a bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, assured the petitioners that the Court would intervene immediately if any mass exclusion takes place. CM warns against attempts to disenfranchise voters DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY BIRBHUM, 29 JULY Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that in Haryana, ten detention camps have been set up to hold Bengali-speaking migrant labourers. “Under pressure from the West Bengal government, 30 detained labourers were released,” she claimed. The Chief Minister, speaking at an administrative meeting at Illambazar in Birbhum district today, raised concerns over voter disenfranchisement, alleging that during the implementation of the NRC in Assam, approximately 17 lakh names were deleted from electoral rolls, including over 7 lakh Hindus, and also Sikhs, Christians, and Nepalese. “The Centre is once again attempting to reintroduce the NRC in Bengal. I urge genuine voters to verify that their names have not been omitted,” she said. BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 68.78 Three terrorists killed in Operation Mahadev behind Pahalgam killing: Shah to LS “ SHAHID K ABBAS In a two-pronged attack in the Lok Sabha, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the Narendra Modi government for the failure to provide security to the common people in Kashmir and lacking the political will to punish the Pahalgam attack perpetrators. Ms Vadra, Congress MP for Wayanad in Kerala, participating in the debate on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha , took the government to task for its “failure to provide security to common people visiting Kashmir on the fateful day of the Pahalgam terror attack”. “The Narendra Modi government would often talk about the Mumbai terror attack, accusing the then UPA government of not doing much about it, but I want to remind it that accountability was owned by all concerned and the heads moved, but nothing P12 SILVER `1,13,378 GOLD `1,01,195 Min. 89% TEMPERATURE Max: 30.0˚C (-2.6) P4 THE OVAL: SHAPING CRICKETING HISTORY PM rejected Donald Trump’s claims of brokering ceasefire, said India maintained its sovereignty RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 99% ‘ARE TOP OFFICERS OF INDIAN ARMED FORCES ON PAKISTAN’S SIDE?’ She called on citizens to “question the BLOs” (Booth Level Officers) if their names are deleted, saying it is a constitutional right. “Students should enrol themselves after turning 18. Matuas, Rajbanshis, and minorities ~ everyone must ensure their names are included in the electoral rolls.” “It’s shameful that the Assam government is issuing notices to Bengal residents. I condemn such actions and strongly disapprove of their treatment of our people,” she added. Highlighting Bengal’s contributions to India’s freedom movement and cultural renaissance, Miss Banerjee reminded that the national anthems of both India and Bangladesh were penned by Bengalis ~ Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. “Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay gave us the slogan ‘Vande Mataram’; Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Subhas Chandra Bose, Khudiram Bose, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and Swami Vivekananda were all icons of India’s freedom struggle. We will not tolerate the suppression of Bengali language and culture.” She criticised the central government's alleged mistreatment of Bengali-speaking citizens, saying: “Gurudev spoke of unity in diversity. Bengal’s rich culture ~ from Chau dance to Baul and Ranpa ~ is unmatched. We may give our lives, but we will not tolerate the BJP’s atrocities against Bengalis. ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ has been twisted into ‘Beti Porain’ in BJP-ruled states. Bengal will fight with its head held high.” Questioning exaggerated figures, she said: “They claim 1.5 lakh people in Bengal are Rohingyas. But nine lakh are already in camps in Bangladesh, and the UN has reported a total of 17 lakh Rohingyas worldwide. So how could 1.5 lakh have come to Bengal?” Miss Banerjee alleged that central funding to West Bengal has been blocked out of “jealousy”, despite the state’s consistent top-ranking performance in schemes such as rural road construction, the Abasan housing scheme, and 100day employment programmes over the last five years. “Compare our data with that of the so-called ‘double engine’ governments. Hundreds of inspection teams have visited West Bengal from the Centre over the years, but no teams have scrutinised BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan or Odisha. A girl was burnt alive ~ but where is the Women’s Rights Commission?” she asked. spiracy with unity." The Prime Minister accused the Congress party of not supporting the country on Operation Sindoor. He said, India got the support of all the countries during Operation Sindoor but did not support the valour of the Armed Forces. "We had said from day one that our action was non-escalatory. No leader in the world asked us to stop Operation Sindoor. On the night of May 9, US Vice President JD Vance tried to talk to me. He tried for an hour, but I was busy in a meeting with the forces. When I called him back, he told me Pakistan was planning a big attack. My answer was that if this is Pakistan's intention, it will have to pay a heavy price," the Prime Minister asserted. SHAHID K ABBAS NEW DELHI, 29 JULY The three terrorists -- Suleman, Afghan, and Jibran -- killed in Operation Mahadev in Harwan area of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday were the attackers involved in the 22 April Pahalgam attack, Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. He said the operation was carried out jointly by the Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police. Mr Shah revealed the names of the terrorists killed in the operation as Suleman, Afghan, and Jibran, adding that the bodies were identified by individuals who had been detained by agencies for supplying food to the terrorists. "Those who killed our innocent citizens in the Baisaran Valley included these three terrorists, and all three were killed yesterday. I extend heartfelt congratulations to all the personnel of the Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police on behalf of the House and the entire country. Today I want to say this clearly. PM Modi and our security forces not only eliminated the terrorists but also targeted those who sent them. The day Lashkar-e-Taiyyaba claimed responsibility for the attack, we gave the responsibility of justice to our forces. We made sure that no terrorist and no terror sponsor could escape the consequences," he told Parliament. Mr Shah emphasised that allthreeterroristswereregistered voters in Pakistan, and equipment found at their camp was sourced from Pakistan. "We don't believe in giving warnings, we take action," Mr Shah said in the Lok Sabha as he slammed the opposition for their criticism. Mr Shah criticised the Opposition for questioning security lapses and the government's handling of the situation. "Terrorists got killed and you are not happy? You should be celebrating," he remarked, urging MP Akhilesh Yadav to let him complete his speech and outline facts regarding Operation Mahadev.