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 | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | Tuesday, 02 September 2025 SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS Market snaps 3-session losing run Page 12 BRIEFLY ‘Friendship between India, US to be bedrock of cooperation’ Page 11 Modi & Putin hold bilateral Mohta project illegality cannot be ‘mitigated’ meeting amid US tariffs SCO condemns Pahalgam attack New Delhi, 1 September Jammu: Troops of the White Knight Corps of the Indian Army on Monday foiled an infiltration bid by Pakistan backed terrorists in the Balakot sector of the Poonch district. The White Knight Corps said that "At about 5.30am today, troops of the Corps in the general area of Balakot detected suspicious movement near the Line of Control (LoC)". "Fire was immediately opened by alert troops preventing the infiltration attempt". "Own troops have been repositioned and re-oriented to ensure foolproof domination of the area using all available means. Troops are maintaining high alerts in their respective areas", the White Knight Corps added. Bihar SIR New Delhi: Noting the submission of the Election Commission that claims and objections to the Bihar draft electoral rolls will be considered even after the September 1 deadline and the final publication of rolls, the Supreme court on Monday directed the Bihar Legal Services Authority (BLSA) to instruct all district legal services authorities to depute or notify para-legal volunteers for assisting voters and political parties in online submission of claims, objections and corrections. The bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, taking this on record, directed the BLSA to instruct all district legal services authorities to depute or notify para-legal volunteers for assisting voters & political parties in online submission of claims, objections and corrections. Page 16 NATION SHAHID K ABBAS Infiltration bid foiled along LoC in Poonch US Open: Djokovic, Alcaraz make history to reach quarterfinal Page 5 Xi urges bigger role for SCO at Tianjin summit P rime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday agreed to strengthen economic ties and ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors, including trade, fertilizers, space, security, and culture. The two leaders held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, where they discussed regional and global issues, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the US tariffs. The meeting between PM Modi and President Putin comes at a time when India is facing pressure from the US administration to reduce its purchase of Russian crude oil. The US has imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports, partly in response to New Delhi's continued import of Russian crude. Despite this pressure, India and Russia have been strengthening their bilateral ties, with PM Modi and President NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 1 September PM Modi & Russian President Putin in conversation as they arrive for a bilateral meeting in Tianjin, China on Monday. ANI Putin discussing ways to expand their energy cooperation and trade relations. The meeting, which lasted for 50 minutes, also focused on strengthening economic ties and discussing regional and global issues, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. PM Modi and President Putin discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors, including trade, fertilizers, space, security, and culture. "Had an excellent meeting with President Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. Discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors, including trade, fertilizers, space, security, and culture," PM Modi tweeted. The two leaders also exchanged views on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, with PM Modi emphasising the need for a peaceful resolution. "We have consistently discussed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. We welcome all recent peace efforts and hope that all parties will move forward constructively," PM Modi stated. "We must find a way to end the conflict as soon as possible and establish lasting peace. This is the call of humanity." In a major diplomatic win for India, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Monday strongly condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack and stressed that the perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of such attacks "must be brought to justice". The SCO nations also strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, underlining that double standards in the fight against the menace are "unacceptable". The ten-member grouping, which includes China, Russia and India, called on the international community to combat terrorism, including cross-border movement of terrorists. The condemnation of the April 22 Pahalgam attack came after PM Modi's appeal to the SCO leaders to adopt a resolute position against terrorism and to work collectively to eliminate the menace. ‘BJP shamelessly used Army to dismantle stage’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 1 September Coming down heavily on the BJP, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the saffron party is India's shame. She was addressing a gathering after the Army dismantled the stage and removed the banners of Trinamul Congress from the area situated next to the Gandhi statue on Mayo Road where the party organised meetings every Saturday and Sunday to protest against the attack and humiliation of Bengali-speaking migrant workers. Miss Banerjee said: “BJP is such a shameless party that they have used the Army to dismantle the stage. I have nothing to say against the Army, I am blaming the BJP for such an act." Miss Banerjee said her party had taken permission from the Army and paid the requisite fees. "The Army should have talked to the commissioner of police, who in return would have taken up the matter with theparty.Ihavealwaysmaintained a very cordial relation with the Army. But such misuse of the Army is unbelievable. Our members hold the meeting peacefully and traffic is not disrupted." Kunal Ghosh, party's state general secretary said the meetings from now will be held on Rani Rashmoni Avenue every Saturday and Sunday. Trinamul Congress' sister organisations organise the meetings. Miss Banerjee said when she was approaching Mayo Road, the Army personnel were seen running away. "I asked them to stop but they refused to listen to me. We had a meeting on Sunday. They have damaged the sound system." Kunal Ghosh said after trying out different means the BJP is letting loose the Army against Trinamul Congress." First they let loose the ED and CBI against Trinamul leaders just to scare them. Then they stopped the dues of MGNREGA, rural houses, roads and water connections. Now, they are sending the Army to dismantle the Trinamul podium. What a shame. This had never happened in the past when the Army was used by the ruling party against the Opposition. Law and order is a state subject and the Army cannot work on its own. He said the people of Bengal are watching everything and their views will be reflected in the 2026 Assembly election. Trinamul Congress has raised its voice against the attack and humiliation of migrant workers in BJP ruled states. Following the instructions of Miss Banerjee, meetings by Trinamul's sister organisations are held every Saturday and Sunday at the venue. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 1 September A Division Bench of Calcutta High Court rejected virtually all arguments in mitigation advanced by the promoter of Elita Garden Vista, while holding that a 16th tower constructed illegally in its New Town project must be demolished. The court also ruled that owners of flats in this tower had no rights vis-à-vis owners in the other 15 towers, whose land had been appropriated for the construction of the 16th tower. The project was promoted by Sushil Mohta (photo above) of the Merlin group along with Pradeep Sureka (photo right) of the Sureka group and Prakash Bachhawat (photo far right) of the JB group. The Division Bench of Mr Justice Rajasekhar Mantha and Mr Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta rejected all arguments advanced by the promoter of “mitigating circumstances” to stop demolition of the tower. Mr Abhrajit Mitra, S e n i o r Advo c a t e , h a d p re s e n t e d t h re e s u c h circumstances – first, that a long period of time had elapsed, that money had been invested and rights (of purchasers in the 16th tower) had been created; second, that the 16th tower had a sanction plan and its structural validity was unchallenged, and third, that the sale agreements enabled the promoter to make further constructions without the consent of the existing flat owners. Dealing with the first factor cited by Mr Mitra, the court held: “The first circumstance cannot be termed as mitigating, given the dicta of the Supreme Court… where it was held that inaction over a passage of time does not legitimize an illegal construction.” In respect of the second f a c t o r, t h e c o u r t h e l d : “Whether the second circumstance qualifies as mitigating one has to be considered with reference to the re duction of the undivided share of the flat owners of the 15 towers, and a consequent violation of the right under Art 300A of the Constitution, and not with reference to the structural validity of tower no.16. Article 300A enables the State to deprive a person of his property, provided that the State is authorised by a statute in that regard. The NKDA Act does not e m p owe r t h e N K DA t o deprive a person of his land by allowing a promoter to make construction thereon.” Further, it said: “The grant o f a re v i s e d p l a n f o r construction on land, not owned by the applicant, without the consent of the original owners thereof, amounts to the acquisition of the land without notifying the original owners…The flat owners of the 15 Towers have Article 300A in their favour, whereas the flat owners of the 16th tower have no such right since the 16th tower was illegally built on muscle power. The only refuge of the flat owners of the 16th tower is the equity. Unfortunately, equity cannot be invoked against a gross statutory illegality. Equity cannot be taken advantage of by the people who have used their muscle power to build the 16th tower.” Dealing with the third, the Court held: “The third circumstance cannot also be accepted as a mitigating circumstance given the dicta of the Supreme Court in Jayantilal Investments where it was held that the Promoter is bound to disclose to the intending purchaser about the entire project, and in the present case the promoter did not notify the flat owners of the 15 towers that there will be a 16th tower. Further, the said circumstance cannot enure to any benefit to the promoter and flat owners of the 16th tower.” The court held that the transfer by the promoter to the original flat owners could not be made conditional, and the clauses in the agreement p ermitting additional construction violated both the Transfer of Property Act as well as the C ontract Act. The court took “serious exception” to an argument advanced by the promoter to justify reduction in the undivided share of the open area, by saying that there had been an addition in the common facilities provided to residents. This justification, the court held “seeks to bargain undivided share in the land by an increase in the common facilities. The flat owners of the 15 towers have lost their undivided share in the land. Instead, they have not been provided any land, but an increase in the number of common facilities, which cannot compensate for the reduction of their share in the land and particularly in the open common areas.” Total disaster: Furious Trump Afghanistan quake claims 800, Modi condoles loss of lives blasts India’s ‘one-sided’ trade STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 1 September PARWINDER SANDHU New Delhi, 1 September Dubbing the trade relation between India and US as completely “one-sided” and “disaster”, US President Donald Trump criticised New Delhi’s trade policies. Trump’s volatile statement comes hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with met Chinese president Xi Jinping and Russia President Vladimir Putin, at the ongoing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China. “What few people understand is that we do very little business with India, but they do a tremendous amount of business with us. In other words, they sell us massive amounts of goods, their biggest ‘client,’ but we sell them very little—until now a totally one -sided relationship, and it has been for many decades,” Trump wrote in a scathing post on Truth Social. Described the trade relationship as a “totally one-sided disaster,” Trump while citing concerns over trade imbalances and limited market access, wrote, “The reason is that India has charged us, until now, such high Tariffs, the most of any country, that our businesses are unable to sell into India. It has been a totally one sided disaster!” He also expressed his displeasure over India importing a large chunk of crude oil and military products from Russia. “Also, India buys most of its oil and military products from Russia, very little from the U.S. They have now offered to cut their Tariffs to nothing, but it’s getting late. They should have done so years ago. Just some simple facts for people to ponder!!!” his post read. Since returning to the Oval Office, Tr ump has raised U.S. tariffs on imports from numerous countries, a move that has, in several cases, strained international trade relations with the US. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed deep sadness over the loss of lives in the recent earthquake that struck Afghanistan, killing over 800 people and injuring more than 2,500. In a post on X, he conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. "Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the earthquake in Afghanistan. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this difficult hour, and we wish a speedy recovery to the injured. India stands ready to provide all possible humanitarian aid and relief to those affected," he said. The earthquake, which measured 6 on the Richter scale, struck eastern Afghanistan, with the epicenter located near the Pakistan border. The affected areas include Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, where rescuers are racing against time to find survivors. Afghanistan is prone to deadly earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India will extend assistance in this hour of need. "The devastating earthquake in Kunar Province of Afghanistan is a matter of deep concern. Express our support and solidarity to the Afghan people as they respond to it. India will extend assistance in this hour of need. Our condolences to the families of the victims. And our prayers for early recovery of the injured," he said in a social media post. India has a history of providing assistance to Afghanistan in times of crisis. In 2022, after a devastating earthquake killed over 1,000 people, India expressed its commitment to providing aid and support. The international community has also come forward to offer support, with the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations expressing deep sympathy for the affected people and pledging assistance. Rescue teams are navigating remote areas with limited communication to assess the full extent of the damage and provide aid, with officials noting that the toll is preliminary as efforts continue, the official media added. Afghanistan is especially vulnerable to earthquakes as it sits on top of several fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian plates meet. The mountainous terrain of eastern Afghanistan is also prone to landslides, making it harder for emergency services to carry out rescues.