MONDAY 08 JANUARY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER Fog/ Mist in the morning later mainly clear sky.Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 29 °C and 21 °C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 94 % Min. 49 % Max: 25.3°C (+1) SUN RISES 06:18 hrs MOON RISES 01:60 hrs Min: 16.7°C (+3) SUN SETS 17:7 hrs MOON SETS 13:12 hrs TEMPERATURE New Moon on 11 January THUMBNAILS Children take part in a Nagar Kirtan as part of celebrations of the Prakash Parv (birth anniversary) of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh at Dharmatala in Kolkata on Sunday.  SNS Amid BNP boycott, sporadic violence, Bangladesh records 40pc voter turnout: Amid sporadic violence and BNP boycott and strike, an estimated 40 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Bangladesh national elections on Sunday. Addressing mediapersons on Sunday evening, Awal said: "This is the initial estimate but the figure could change after the final count," Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said. The results will be announced at or before mid(PG9) night, the official said. Maldives govt suspends No rift, party united under CM Mamata Banerjee’s three for Modi insult leadership, says Abhishek The step was taken up after massive backlash from Indian social media users STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 7 JANUARY STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE he Maldivian government on Sunday suspended two ministers and a ruling coalition leader for making derogatory remarks against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, according to local media reports. The action from the Maldivian government came after massive backlash and a call to boycott Maldives as a tourist destination by several Bollywood celebrities for unprovoked hateful remarks against the Indian prime minister. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today issued a statement on the stand of the Government of India in relation to some posts on social media that are insulting to neighbouring India,” the Maldives government said in a statement. “Those who made such posts on social media while in government positions have now been suspended from their jobs, the Maldives government said in a statement. While the statement didn’t reveal their names, media reports identified them as Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef and Mahzoom Majid.(Photo) Reacting to the posts that PM Modi had made on social media about his Lakshadweep visit, Ms Shiuna had called him a “clown” and “puppet of Israel”. The minister had repost- Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamul Congress national general secretary, announced an old age pension scheme called Shroddarghyo and launched payment of Rs 1,000 per month to elderly persons living in areas under Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat. More than 75,000 elderly people will be benefited under the scheme without the assistance of the state government. Mr Banerjee announced the scheme while addressing a gathering at Pailan in Diamond Harbour area this afternoon. The event was simultaneously held in 164 locations in Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency with a meeting (sabha) in every area (anchal) and ward. There are seven Assembly constituencies under Diamond Harbour Parliamentary seat. The money for the scheme will be provided by the Trinamul Congress workers. A total of 76,120 residents will get this financial assistance. Mr Banerjee said 16,000 volunteers will disburse the financial assistance between 8 and 10 January. Elected representatives, local leaders and social activists handed over the cheques to the beneficiaries. He said: “While addressing a gift distribution programme at Falta on 10 KOLKATA, 7 JANUARY T Reportedly, over 8,000 hotel bookings and 2,500 flight tickets to Maldives have been cancelled by Indians after the Maldivian minister insulted Prime Minister Modi on X ed another Maldivian leader’s reaction to PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit in which he had termed the idea of competing with Maldives “delusional” and questioned how India will offer the so-called “service” that his country does. Earlier in the day, the Maldivian foreign ministry had distanced itself from their remarks, saying they were personal opinions and didn’t reflect the views of the government. “The Government of Maldives is aware of derogatory remarks on social media platforms against foreign leaders and highranking individuals. These opinions are personal and do not represent the views of the Government of Maldives...Moreover, the relevant authorities of the Govern- ment will not hesitate to take action against those who make such derogatory remarks,” a Maldives government statement issued earlier in the day said. India is understood to have strongly taken up the matter with Male through its High Commissioner. Reportedly, over 8,000 hotel bookings and 2,500 flight tickets to Maldives were cancelled by Indians after the Maldivian minister insulted PM Modi on X. Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed had also slammed Ms Shiuna’s“appalling” remarks and asked President Mohamed Muizzu’s government to distance itself from her comments. “What appalling language by Maldives Govern- ment official @shiuna_m towards the leader of a key ally, that is instrumental for Maldives’ security and prosperity. @MMuizzu gov must distance itself from these comments and give clear assurance to India they do not reflect gov policy,” he wrote on ‘X’. The bilateral ties between India and Maldives after Dr Mohamed Muizzu took over the country's government have been strained. A day after taking oath as the new Maldives President, Mr Muizzu, who is seen as pro-China had asked India to withdraw its military personnel from the Maldivian soil. Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, John Abraham and Shraddha Kapoor are among the celebrities who have come out in support of Lakshadweep as an alternate tourist destination to Maldives after the anti-India barbs from the archipelagic country's ministers. Rajnath to visit UK in first trip by a defence minister in 22 years STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 7 JANUARY Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will leave here on Monday on a two-day visit to London. He will be accompanied by a high-level Ministry of Defence delegation, comprising senior officials from DRDO, Service Headquarters, Department of Defence, and Department of Defence Production. This is the first visit of India's defence minister to the UK in 22 years - the last visit was by then defence minister George Fernandes to London on 22 January 2002. During his visit, Mr Singh will hold a bilateral meeting with his UK counterpart, Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps. They are expected to discuss a wide range of defence, security and industrial cooperation issues. He is also expected to call on UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and hold a meeting with Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs David Cameron. He will also interact with the CEOs and industry leaders of UK Defence Industry and meet with the Indian community there. During his visit, Mr Singh is expected to invite UK's leading defence manufacturers to invest in the defence sector in India. The two countries have also been considering cooperating on several defence projects. Mr Singh's talks with Defence Secretary Shapps would largely focus on sharing of critical technology and expanding bilateral industrial defence cooperation, people familiar with the matter said. The two sides are expected to discuss collaboration in joint development of fighter aircraft and other military platforms, they said. Mr Singh and Mr Shapps are also expected to discuss the situation in the Indo-Pacific, West Asia and Ukraine. In April 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then British counterpart Boris Johnson had agreed on a new and expanded IndiaUK defence partnership. During his visit to India, Johnson had announced that the UK is creating an Open General Export Licence (OGEL) for India to "reduce bureaucracy and slashing delivery times for defence procurement. The British prime minister also said that the UK will help India in the co-development of military hardware, including indigenous production of fighter jets. A statement issued after the talks between Modi and Johnson had said the two leaders reiterated their commitment to "transform" defence and security cooperation as a key pillar of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. CMYK November 2023 I had announced that an old age pension will start from 1 January 2024. Within two months, we worked to bring the pension to 76,120 beneficiaries through registration camps. More than 85,000 people had registered their names in the camps. Our volunteers had visited every home to cross check the data. A total16,380 volunteers have been assigned for the job." He said 15,000 to 20,000 people received the cheques today while the remaining 60,000 people will get it within the next 72 hours. Meanwhile, breaking his silence, Mr Banerjee brushed aside the rumours spread by some people with vested interests that a rift had been created between Mr Banerjee and party chairperson Mamata Banerjee. He said he would work for the party under the leadership of Miss Banerjee and in whichever manner she thinks him fit for the party. He said the old-timers Abhishek Banerjee brushed aside rumours of differences between younger and veteran leaders of the party, saying both old-timers and newer leaders are standing behind Miss Mamata Banerjee. He said he would work for the party in any manner she deems fit. are with Miss Banerjee and the new leaders are also standing by her. “If the party asks me to go to every constituency with a photograph of Mamata Banerjee I will obey this command," he said, adding in 2019, the victory margin was 3.22 lakh votes and in 2024 the margin will go to 4 lakh votes. Coming down heavily on the Centre, he said: “While some talk about Insaaf, Nyaay, others talk about Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas, what we did today in Diamond Harbour in Nyaay, Insaaf and Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas. As long I am here, no divisive force will be able to win.”