FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 16 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR US plans for Putin, Zelenskyy meeting BRIEFLY Monk who means business Page 09 Page 11 India-China stability key to global peace: PM NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 19 August Mumbai at standstill: Mumbai: Normal life was been disrupted in Mumbai and adjoining areas on Tuesday due to cloudburst-like heavy downpour at many places in Maharashtra since two days. Some villages in Vidarbha have been cut off due to flooding in rivers and drains. The Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rains in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts. Heavy rains continued overnight disrupting the suburban local train service, known as the lifeline of Mumbai, due to which people are stranded at various places. Page 5 Monorail passengers stuck, rescued: Mumbai: A total of 582 passengers were stranded after a Mumbai Monorail train stalled midway near Mysore Colony between Chembur and Bhakti Park on Tuesday evening due to a technical glitch. All the passengers were rescued by the Mumbai Fire Brigade with the help of snorkel vehicles, authorities said. Counseling for admissions in MBBS & BDS postponed: Kolkata: The state health department headed by the chief minister Mamata Banerjee has postponed NEET UG 2025 counseling process for admissions in MBBS and BDS courses for an indefinite period. P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday welcomed the steady and positive progress in bilateral ties between India and China since his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan last year, guided by mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, including the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. In a post on X after visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on him at the Prime Minister's official residence this evening, PM Modi said: “Glad to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Since my meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, India-China relations have made steady progress guided by respect for each other's interests and sensitivities. “I look forward to our next meeting in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday. ANI to regional as well as global peace and prosperity.” During the meeting, Wang Yi, who is a Member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China, handed over a message and invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping to PM Modi for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit being held in Tianjin in China. Mr Wang earlier in the day co-chaired with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval the 24th Meeting of the Special Representatives on the India-China Boundary Question. During the meeting, both sides acknowledged that peace and tranquillity have largely prevailed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since the 23rd round of talks, and stressed the need to sustain this momentum. Mr Doval and Mr Wang agreed on a five-point framework to deepen coordination and manage the complex boundary issue. First, Saradha scam: Sudipta Sen, Debjani Mukherjee acquitted in three cases AGENCIES Kolkata, 19 August Saradha chit fund company owner Sudipta Sen (photo left) and a director in the Saradha Group, Debjani Mukherjee (photo right), were on Tuesday acquitted in three cases in the chit fund scam. In 2013, three FIRs were registered against them at the Hare Street police station in central Kolkata. There were allegations of fraud of about Rs 10-15 lakh against them in the three cases. Later, the West Bengal government filed a case against them. On Tuesday, the Bankshall court acquitted Sen and Mukherjee in the three cases. However, despite their acquittal, they will not be released from jail as there are many pending cases against them related to fraud. There are more than 200 cases of fraud against the Saradha chit fund company. Apart from this, there are also cases against them by two Central investigation agencies ~ the CBI & the ED. Lawyers Shuvojit Bal and Abhijit Bal argued in the court on behalf of Mukherjee. Lawyer Shuvojit claimed that although 50 people were named as witnesses in these three cases, no testimony was received from about 15. The lawyer claimed that those who had alleged that they were cheated could not prove fraud and breach of trust. “That is why the court acquitted Sudipta and Debjani in the three cases of Hare Street Police Station. These three cases are the first cases against Sudipta and Debjani,” said the lawyer. they reaffirmed the importance of viewing the boundary question through a political lens, aiming for a fair and mutually acceptable settlement in line with the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles. Second, an Expert Group will be set up under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) to explore ‘Early Harvest’ opportunities in boundary delimitation ~ targeting areas where consensus may be more readily achievable. Another Working Group will also be formed to enhance border management protocols. The two sides agreed to expand the General Level Mechanism (GLM) beyond the Western Sector to include the Eastern and Middle Sectors, with an early meeting planned for the Western Sector to review progress and operationalise new measures. They also committed to using existing diplomatic and military-level mechanisms to initiate discussions on de-escalation, beginning with the formulation of guiding principles and modalities. Nehru admitted that IWT brought no benefit: Modi AGENCIES New Delhi, 19 August PM Narendra Modi, chairing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary meeting on Tuesday, said that former PM Jawaharlal Nehru had 'admitted' that the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan bought no benefit to India, according to sources. PM said that Nehru had partitioned the country twice, once with the Radcliffe line, and another during the treaty, which gave 80 per cent of the river's water to Pakistan. "Under the Indus Water Treaty, 80 percent of the water was given to Pakistan. Later, through his secretary, Nehru admitted his mistake, saying that it brought no benefit," PM Modi said according to sources. PM likely to attend high-level military meet in Kolkata to address infiltration issues MEENAKSHI BHATTACHARYA New Delhi, 19 August In a strategic shift aimed at curbing Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reportedly set to initiate a high-level military meeting in Kolkata next month. Traditionally, such meetings are held in New Delhi, making this relocation to Kolkata a notabledeparturefromprecedent. The decision is seen as reflecting growing security concerns in the eastern region, particularly along the borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar. India has long expressed apprehensions about Pakistan, frequently accusing its neighbour of supporting cross-border terrorism. Now, Bangladesh and Myanmar have emerged as additional focal points of concern, drawing the attention of national security agencies and the Prime Minister himself. Sources indicate that the Eastern Command—India’s largest military command—is headquartered in this region. It includes the strategically sensitive Chicken’s Neck corridor, which borders Bangladesh and shares an extensive boundary with China. Given its geopolitical significance, the area is considered more vulnerable than other parts of the country. Military officials suggest India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad announced PERSPECTIVE Raut alleges `50k crore land scam Page 05 Wednesday, 20 August 2025 SPORTS WORLD NATION | that Prime Minister Modi is expected to address senior commanders during the proposed meeting in Kolkata. Discussions will centre on the current state of border security, anticipated threats, and the scale of military reinforcement required. Artillery deployment and tactical preparedness are also likely to be key agenda items. The issue of Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltration has become a prominent theme in the Prime Minister’s recent speeches, reflecting its importance to both the central government and the BJP. Compounding the challenge is a shift in leadership in Bangladesh, which has strained bilateral relations, while Myanmar remains under military rule. Several northeastern regions, including Bengal, are viewed by defence officials as potential transit routes for infiltrators. Additionally, China’s strategic posture in the region continues to be closely monitored. Although India’s diplomatic engagement with Beijing has evolved, defence sources stress that attention has not diverted from Arunachal Pradesh. The meeting, tentatively scheduled for the third week of next month, is expected to bring together commanders from the Eastern Command along with other senior military officials. However, an official announcement from New Delhi is still awaited. Page 16 Justice BS Reddy is INDIA bloc’s VP candidate Jaishankar embarking on 3-day visit to Russia STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 19 August INDIA bloc Vice-Presidential candidate and former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy (centre) arrives at the IGI airport in New Delhi on Tuesday. ANI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 19 August Former Supreme Court Judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy (Retd) was announced as the Vice-Presidential candidate by the INDIA bloc today. The Vice-Presidential election is slated for 9 September. Justice Reddy would be contesting against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s C P Radhakrishnan for the post. While announcing Justice Reddy’s candidature, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge described him as one of the nation’s most eminent and forward-thinking jurists. “All Opposition parties have nominated Shri B Sudershan Reddy as their joint candidate for the position of the Vice President of India. B. Sudershan Reddy is one of India’s most distinguished and progressive jurists. He has had a long and eminent legal career, including as Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, and Judge of the Supreme Court. He has been a consistent and courageous champion of social, economic, and political justice. His judgments show how he stood for the poor, protected the Constitution, and upheld fundamental rights,” he said. Justice Reddy, hailing from Telangana, will file his nomination on 21 August. Born on 8 July 1946, Justice Reddy started his legal career in 1971 as an advocate with the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh. In 1995, Justice Reddy was elevated as permanent judge of Andhra Pradesh High Court. He became Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court in 2005 and was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2008, where he served until his retirement in 2011. Amid ongoing tariff tensions between India and the United States, EAM S Jaishankar will undertake a three-day official visit to Russia beginning Tuesday, aimed at deepening the longstanding India-Russia relationship. Mr Jaishankar's visit comes amid escalating trade tensions between India and the United States over India's oil purchases from Russia. US President Donald Trump recently increased tariffs imposed on Indian goods to 50 per cent, in what is seen as a sign of his frustration over failing to stop the Russia-Ukraine war. Mr Jaishankar will address the India-Russia Business Forum meeting in Moscow. During the visit, the EAM will also meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and review the bilateral agenda and share perspectives on regional and global issues. "The visit aims to further strengthen the longstanding and time-tested India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership," an MEA statement said. Mr Jaishankar's visit follows National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval's recent trip to Moscow, where he held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, First Deputy Prime Minister Manturov, and Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu.