FRIDAY 26 JANUARY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR FOCUS ON YOUTH, WOMEN,FARMERS & POOR, SAYS FM WAR CLOUDS OVER KOREAN PENINSULA P7 SENSEX 70,700.67359.64 P8 NIFTY 21,352.60101.35 INDIA IN CHARGE ON DAY 1 OF FIRST TEST ‘BJP NEEDS RAHUL GANDHI DURING ELECTIONS’ P10 GOLD 62,97050 ` vs $ 83.14 P12 SILVER 76,000700 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 80.12 Ram Temple is an expression of people’s faith: President Murmu says the temple is also a testament to people’s enormous trust in judicial process STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. MODERATE TO DENSE FOG IN THE MORNING. COLD DAY CONDITIONS AT ISOLATED PLACES. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 20 AND 06 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 97 % TEMPERATURE Max: 20.5 °C (0) SUN RISES 7:12 hrs MOON RISES 18:28 hrs Min. 54 % Min: 04.8 °C (-3) SUN SETS 17:55 hrs MOON SETS 08:21 hrs Rahul flies back to Delhi, to return to Bengal on Sunday: Just a few hours after Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered West Bengal from the neighbouring Assam on Thursday morning, party leader Rahul Gandhi decided to fly back to Delhi in the afternoon. E xtending greetings to people on the eve of the 75th Republic Day, President Droupadi Murmu said here on Thursday that the Ram Temple in Ayodhya stands as a grand edifice, giving a befitting expression not only of people’s faith but also as a testament to people’s enormous trust in judicial process. The President said earlier this week, the country witnessed the historic consecration ceremony of the idol of Lord Ram in the glorious new temple constructed at his birthplace in Ayodhya. She said when this event will be seen in the wider perspective, future historians will con- sider it a landmark in India’s continued re-discovery of its civilisational heritage. “The construction of the temple commenced after the due judicial process and the decision of the highest court of the land. Now, it stands as a grand edifice, giving a befitting expression not only of people’s faith but also as a testament to people’s enormous trust in the judicial process," the President said. Making a reference to the contributions of former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, who was conferred Bharat Ratna earlier this week, Murmu said he was one of the greatest advocates of backward classes who dedicated his life for their wel- fare. “I would like to mention here that the celebration of the birth centenary of a tireless champion of social justice, Shri Karpoori Thakur Ji, concluded yesterday. His life was a message. I pay my tribute to Karpoori Ji for enriching public life through his contributions,” she said. The President also spoke about Amrit Kaal in her address, saying that the period of Amrit Kaal is also going to be the period of unprecedented technological changes. She said technological advances like Artificial Intelligence and machine learning have moved from headlines into "our daily lives at a breathtaking speed". She further said there are numerous areas of concern in the foresee- able future, but there are also exciting opportunities ahead, especially for the youth. "They are exploring new frontiers. We need to do all we can to remove hurdles from their path and let them unleash their full potential. What they want is equality of opportunity. What they want is not the same old rhetoric of equality, but the realisation of our cherished ideal of equality," she added. “This is the time of an epochal transformation. We are given a golden opportunity to take the country to new heights. Contribution from every citizen will be crucial to achieve our goals. For this, I will appeal to all my fellow citizens to abide by our Fundamental Duties enshrined in the Constitution," she added. Macron arrives in Jaipur, to attend R-Day parade as chief guest today STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the pink city of Jaipur on Thursday as part of his two-day state visit to India during which he will be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on Friday. Mr Macron, who is accompanied by a high-level delegation, was received at the Jaipur Airport by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. “Bienvenue en Inde! President @EmmanuelMacron of France warmly welcomed by Governor @KalrajMishra of Rajasthan, EAM @DrSJaishankar & CM @BhajanlalBjp of Rajasthan as he arrived in the historic city of Jaipur. President Macron is the Chief Guest at the 75th Republic Day celebrations,”Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a social media post on X soon after the French leader's arrival. The French leader was extended an invitation for the Republic Day by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after US President Joe Biden expressed his inability to attend the celebrations in New Delhi due to domestic reasons. Mr Macron's visit caps the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the IndiaFrance Strategic Partnership. The pink city has been decked up with posters of PM Modi and the French leader, whose delegation includes top officials and business honchos. Mr Macron began his visit BJP’s campaign for polls off to a musical start STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY The BJP on Thursday kicked off its campaign for the Lok Sabha elections with a new theme song – "Sapne Nahi Haqeeqat Bunte Hai,Tabhi Toh Sab Modi Ko Chunte Hain" (No dreams, but the reality is weaved, that’s why Modi is chosen by all). The poll campaign was launched at the First Time Voters Conclave, NaMo Navmatdata Sammelan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the theme song in a 2-minute and 10-second video released by party’s National President JP Nadda. The music video showcases the dreams and aspirations of crores of Indians turned into reality by Prime Minister Modi. The campaign song depicts a grim state of affairs in India before the country chose NaMo (PM Modi) as the PM to lead the nation. With NaMo fulfilling his promise the dream of a devel- oped country no longer remained a dream. He chose the right paths to weave the dream into a reality. “That's why everyone chooses Modi…” goes the lyrics. The prime minister connected to the First Time Voters Conclave virtually and highlighted the power of the 'full majority government'. "Today, India's glory shines highly on the global stage. When I meet and greet global leaders, it's not Modi but 140 crore Indians who represent India, who represent this great nation. Today, India stands strong and resilient, more than ever before. Notably, this is the power of a poorna bahumat sarkar'," he said. by touring the Amber Fort. Later, in the day, Mr Modi and the French President are scheduled to hold a roadshow in the pink city before going into bilateral talks at the Taj Ramgarh Palace. Notably, a French Armed Forces contingent is participating in the Republic Day parade and flypast alongside Indian troops and aviators. Mr Macron's state visit marks France's sixth participation, the highest of any other nation, as chief guest on India's Republic Day. Delhi rejects Islamabad’s charge linking it with Pak citizens’ killings STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY India on Thursday rejected Pakistan's claim that it has “credible evidence” linking Indian agents to the killings of two Pakistani citizens on Pakistani soil, saying this is the neighbouring country's latest attempt at peddling false and malicious antiIndia propaganda. “Pakistan will reap what it sows. To blame others for its own misdeeds can neither be a justification nor a solution,”Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to the charge made by Pakistan Foreign Secretary Syrun Qazi earlier in the day. “As the world knows, Pakistan has long been the epicentre of terrorism, organised crime, and illegal transnational activities.” “India and many other countries have publicly warned Pakistan cautioning that it would be consumed by its own culture of terror and violence,” the Indian spokesperson said. The Pakistan foreign secretary alleged that the method of assassination of the two Pakistani citizens was similar to attempts in Canada and the United States. “These are killings-for-hire cases involving a sophisticated international set-up spread over multiple jurisdictions,” he claimed. PM: Vote to make India ASI survey found temple structure ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 in Gyanvapi, says Hindu side STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 JANUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday told young voters that every vote counts in a democratic system and votes of the youth are vital to the direction the country takes to achieve the target of Viksit Bharat by 2047. Addressing the Namo Nav Matdata Sammelan (First Time Voters Conclave), via video conferencing, he said what the country achieves in the next few years in Space, defence, manufacturing, technology, innovation and many other sectors will depend on the youth largely. (Photo) "Today, when the country is working to become a Viksit Bharat by 2047, your vote will decide what will be the direction of India towards its goal. Where we will reach in the next few years in Space, defence, manufacturing, technology, innovation and many other sectors will all depend on you,” he said. “Our speed, direction, approach, all of this will be decided by you. You will decide the possibilities before the nation and you will manage the country during this period. In such a situation, the responsibility of making sure which people are elected will be on your votes," he said. "Your one vote and the direction of the country's development are interconnected," he stressed. When there is a stable government, it becomes easier for a country to make big decisions, the Prime Minister said. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE VARANASI, 25 JANUARY The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey report of the Gyanvapi mosque complex adjacent to Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple says that a temple structure has been found in the complex. The survey report was made public by the court of district judge Dr Ajay Krishna Vishwavesh late on Thursday evening. The Hindu side has expressed happiness over this report . They say everything has become clear from the survey report and it has been proved that a mosque was built by demolishing the temple. Now Hindus should be allowed to worship. However, the Muslim side has announced it would continue the legal fight. On Thursday, five plaintiffs linked to the Gyanvapi case received the hard copy of the ASI report. After receiving the survey report after 9 p.m, the Hindu side's lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain held a Press conference and said that according to the report, the structure of a temple has been found. Earlier in the day, the court refused to ban media coverage of the survey report. This demand was made by Anjuman Intejamia Masjid Committee. The court of District Judge Dr. Ajay Krishna Vishwesh had ordered the survey of Gyanvapi complex on 23 July 2023. On this basis, the ASI team surveyed the entire premises, except the sealed wuzukhana and then filed a report under seal in the court. Sources said the report of ASI survey is of 839 pages. It says that the dome of the mosque is only 350 years old and the western wall is built in Nagara style. The report says broken idols of Hanuman and Ganesh were found and a Trishul shape was present on the wall. The ASI had also found a stone slab of the Aurangzeb period in the mosque. Canada to probe Indian ‘interference’ in elections AGENCIES OTTAWA, 25 JANUARY Months after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of having a role in killing of pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist in New Delhi, Ottawa has now announced it intends to investigate alleged meddling by India in country's Federal elections in 2019 and 2021. The Foreign Interference Commission, which was set up last year by the Trudeau government to investigate interference by foreign governments in the last two federal elections in Canada, has said that it will also investigate India's alleged interference in the elections. The commission in a statement has asked the Canadian government to give it all information and documents related to the accusation. Ear- lier, the main target of the commission's work was alleged interference by China and Russia. Now, India has also been included in its investigation after India-Canada relations nosedived in the wake of Mr Trudeau's allegations against New Delhi in Nijjar's killing. The commission's terms of reference, published last year, direct it to assess possible interference by China, Russia, and other foreign states or non-state actors in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. The commission, scheduled to begin its hearings next Monday, will examine all information about foreign interference in the two elections and make recommendations to stop it.