04 FEBRUARY 2024 www.thestatesman.com INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR KTR CONCURS WITH BENGAL CM ON CONGRESS’ ROLE JHARKHAND EXPOSES SEVERAL FAULT LINES P4 TAX REFORMS P7 P6 P12 Bharat Ratna for LK Advani WEATHER GENERALLY CLOUDY SKY. LIGHT RAIN/THUNDERSHOWERS AT MOST PLACES ACCOMPANIED WITH GUSTY WINDS (SPEED 25-35 KMPH). THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 19 AND 10 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. He is one of the founding members of the BJP along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 FEBRUARY V RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 100 % Min. 36 % Max: 23.2 °C (+1) SUN RISES 7:07 hrs MOON RISES 02:46 hrs Min: 06. °C (-2) SUN SETS 18:02 hrs MOON SETS 12:18 hrs TEMPERATURE JAISWAL HITS DOUBLE TON, INDIA IN DRIVER’S SEAT Not only an honour for me, but also for ideals and principles: LK THUMBNAILS Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit resigns: Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Saturday resigned from the post citing personal reasons. In his letter to the President of India, Purohit said "Due to my reasons and certain other commitments, I tender my resignation from the post of Governor of Punjab and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh. Please accept the same on oblige." Notably, for the past months, the governor and state CM Bhagwant Mann were engaged in a war of words over different issues. In August, last year, Banwarilal Purohit sent a strongly worded letter to the CM, warning him that he could recommend President's rule in the state and also initiate criminal proceedings if his letters are not answered. Court allows Hemant Soren to participate in Jharkhand trust vote STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE RANCHI, 3 FEBRUARY A special court in Ranchi on Saturday allowed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren to participate in the trust vote in the State assembly on 5 February. The Jharkhand High Court, meanwhile, has scheduled the hearing for the petition filed by Mr Soren against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on the same day. Mr Soren, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on 31 January in a money laundering case, filed a petition before the special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court, seeking permission to participate in the trust vote sought by the new government. He was remanded to ED custody for five days by the court on 2 February. Mr Soren pleaded before the court that he is a member of the Assembly and has a right to participate in the special session. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 FEBRUARY BJP stalwart L K Advani on Saturday accepted the 'Bharat Ratna' with utmost humility and gratitude, saying it is not only an honour for him as a person but also for the ideals and principles that he strove throughout his life to the best of his ability. “Today I gratefully remember two persons with whom I had the honour of working closely ~ Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and 'Bharat Ratna' Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” he said in a state- ment. Mr Advani also expressed his gratitude to millions of BJP workers, swayamsevaks and others with whom he had the privilege of working throughout his journey in public life. “I also express my deepest feelings for all members of my family, especially my dear departed wife Kamla. They have been the greatest source of strength and sustenance in my life,” he added. “My sincere thanks to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bestowing this honour on me,”Mr Advani said. eteran BJP leader and former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who played an instrumental role in the rise of the saffron party as a major political force, was on Saturday named for the Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian award, for what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said were his contributions to the development of India. “The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Shri Lal Krishna Advani,” a one-line communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. Mr Advani, who is now in his nineties, brought the BJP into national reckoning in the true sense with his historic ‘Rath Yatra’ for Ayodhya's Ram Temple in the early 1990s. He is one of the founding members of the BJP along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and served as its president thrice. An elated PM Modi, who learnt the ropes of party politics under Mr Advani and was the main Advani fought against dynasty politics with his nation first policy: Modi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SAMBALPUR, 3 FEBRUARY The decision to honour former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani with the Bharat Ratna bears testimony to the fact that the country never forgets those who dedicate their lives in its service, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Saturday. At two different functions, the PM heaped praise on L K Advani and recalled that there was a time when the BJP was reduced to just two lead- ers, political untouchables, when the family and dynastic politics reigned supreme in the country. The two leaders fought to challenge this with their nation first principle. Today, the BJP is the biggest party and it has strengthened democracy in the country, said PM. organiser of his 'Rath yatra' in September 1990, in a social media post on X said he had spoken to the BJP stalwart and congratulated him on being conferred the honour. “One of the most respected statesmen of our times, his (Mr Advani) contribution to the development of India is mon- umental. His is a life that started from working at the grassroots to serving the nation as our Deputy Prime Minister. He distinguished himself as our Home Minister and I&B Minister as well. His Parliamentary interventions have always been exemplary, full of rich insights,” the PM wrote. ‘Bengal govt to pay wages New India won’t tolerate of 21 lakh MGNREGA maritime piracy: Rajnath workers by 21 February’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 3 FEBRUARY On the second day of her sitin protest at Red Road against the non-clearance of funds meant for Bengal for various schemes by the Central government, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced that her government will clear the pending wages of 21 lakh MGNREGA workers by 21 February. Miss Banerjee, speaking from the protest stage in front of the BR Ambedkar statue, made it clear that although the funds were supposed to come from the Central government, her government would not be subservient to the Centre. “The pending wages for the work of 21 lakh people in the state will be cleared without any delay. The money will reach their bank accounts by 21 February,” Miss Banerjee announced. If the central government doesn't provide the funds, the state will arrange the necessary finances to meet the obligations, she said. Miss Banerjee in the same breath emphasised that the fight for the pending dues would continue. The Chief Minister vowed that the 21 lakh workers who were engaged for the MGNREGA rural job guarantee scheme will not face any problems, and stated that the state government will manage the funds, even if it means diverting resources within the state. “The Central government is depriving the state and MGNREGA workers. But this month, the pending wages for 21 lakh people will be disbursed,” Miss Banerjee said. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on board INS Sandhayak, first survey vessel (large ship), commissioned into the Indian Navy in a ceremony at the Eastern Naval Command ANI base, in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 FEBRUARY Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday asserted that India will not tolerate maritime piracy and smuggling under any circumstances, describing it as the pledge of ‘New India’. The minister was speaking at an impressive ceremony at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, after the commissioning of INS Sandhayak (Yard 3025), the first Survey Vessel Large (SVL) ship, into the Indian Navy. He lauded the Indian Navy for providing security not only to the Indian ships, but also those from friendly countries. Mr Singh referred to the recent drone attack on a British ship in the Gulf of Aden which resulted in the oil tankers catching fire. He commended the Indian Navy for its prompt response in extinguishing the fire, stating that the effort was recognised and appreciated by the world. Mr Singh also praised the Indian Navy for averting five piracy attempts and assist- ing ships attacked by drones and missiles in the last few days, in addition to rescuing 80 fishermen/marines. “The Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean region is facilitating safe trade, while ensuring peace and prosperity. Many defence experts are calling this the rise of a superpower. This is our culture ~ to protect everyone,” he said. Mr Singh emphasised that with increasing power, India is determined to eradicate anarchy not only from the region, but from the entire world. He reiterated India’s stand of maintaining freedom of navigation, trade and commerce among different countries. Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar asserted that 64 out of 66 ships and submarines under order are being built in Indian shipyards. This means that the Navy will invest thousands of crores in this sector, enhancing capacity of the shipyards, and capabilities of the workers as well as those employed in ancillary industries, he emphasised. World needs to expand cooperation for justice delivery: PM STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 FEBRUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the world needs to expand cooperation in criminal investigations and justice delivery, and when it happens, national jurisdictions will not delay justice, but become a tool to deliver it. He was inaugurating the Commonwealth Attorneys and Solicitors General Conference (CASGC) 2024 of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) on “Cross-Border Challenges in Justice Delivery.” Mr Modi said the nature and scope of crime has seen a radical change in recent times. Criminals have wide networks across various countries and regions. They use latest technology for both funding and operations. Economic crimes in one region Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with CJI Justice DY Chandrachud during the inaugural event of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) - Commonwealth Attorneys and Solicitors General Conference (CASGC) 2024, in ANI New Delhi on Saturday. are being used to fund activities in other regions. The rise of crypto-currency and cyber threats is posing new challenges, he said. Twenty-first century challenges cannot be fought with a 20th-century approach. There is a need to rethink, reimagine and reform, the Prime Minister told distinguished legal luminaries from across the world. He said legal systems need to be modernised to deliver justice. “This includes mak- ing our systems more flexible and adaptable,” he said. Sometimes, ensuring justice in one country requires working with other countries, Mr Modi said. Cooperation can happen even while respecting each other’s jurisdiction, he said. “When we collaborate, we can understand each other’s systems better. Greater understanding brings greater synergy. Synergy boosts better and faster justice delivery,” the Prime Minister said. Justice has great importance in Indian thought, he said. Ancient Indian thinkers said justice is at the root of independent self-governance. Without justice, even the existence of a nation is not possible, the Prime Minister said. “When we speak of reforms, there needs to be a focus on making justice systems more citizen-centric,” he said. Ease of Justice is a pil- lar of justice delivery. In this space, India has many lessons to share. In 2014, people of India blessed him with the responsibility of the Prime Minister, he said. Before that, he worked as the Chief Minister in Gujarat. “Back then, we decided to set up evening courts. This helped people attend court hearings after their work hours. This gave justice but also saved time and money. Hundreds of thousands of people benefited from this,” he said. India also has a unique concept of Lok Adalat, the Prime Minister said. It means People's Court, he said. These courts provide a mechanism for settlement of small cases related to public utility services. This is a pre-litigation process. Such courts have resolved thousands of cases and ensured easy justice delivery. Legal education is a key instrument in boosting justice delivery. Education is where both passion and professional competence are introduced to young minds, he said. Worldwide, there is a discussion on how to bring more women into every domain. When the number of women in law schools increases, the number of women in the legal profession will also increase. The world needs young legal minds with diverse exposure. Legal education also needs to adapt to changing times and technologies. A focus on understanding the latest trends in crimes, investigation and evidence will be helpful, he said. There is a need to help young legal professionals with greater international exposure. “Our finest law universities can strengthen exchange programmes between countries,” he said. PM unveils projects worth more than `68,000 cr in Odisha STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SAMBALPUR, 3 FEBRUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for projects worth more than Rs 68,000 crore here and addressed a public meeting where he attacked the Congress while not uttering a word against the state BJD government. “Modi and BJP guarantee ensures development and Viksit Bharat,” he said while accusing the previous Congress governments of ‘vote bank politics’ and ‘scams’. Addressing a Modi Guarantee samavesh here, the PM highlighted the achievements of his government and the budget. In 10 years 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty and empowering the poor is Modi’s guarantee. The youth, women, farmers, and fishermen have my guarantee of development and when Modi gives a guarantee it means it will be fulfilled, he said. The aim is that not a single person will have to live in a thatched house. Four crore pucca houses have been built and two crore more houses will be built as per the latest budget, he said. Enhancing income of farmers and reducing input costs for farmers is another step and now we will provide Nano DAP, the MSP has been increased manifold in ten years, he added. He spoke of rural electrification targets, and LED bulbs before noting that the latest is rooftop solar power. Anganwadi and Asha workers will be covered under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Already one crore women have become lakhpati didis and the target in this budget is to increase it to three crore women, This is Modi Guarantee, he said. Prior to 2014, budgetary allocations were made and big scams took place but now Modi stands are a guarantee to ensure that there is no corruption, he said. Those who have nothing to give as collateral for loans , have Modi as their guarantor by way of Mudra loan scheme, he said. Coming down heavily on the Congress, he said, they treated the tribals as a vote bank. They used to visit Kalahandi district in Odisha, take photographs and highlight the poverty, he chided. The BJP government , on the other hand, nominated a tribal woman Droupadi Murmu as its presidential candidate . The Congress and its allies opposed her, he recalled. CJI calls for equitable access to legal education AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 3 FEBRUARY Batting for equitable access to legal education, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud on Saturday said that admissions processes to law schools should not only consider academic performance but also factors such as socioeconomic background, diversity, and life experiences. Delivering the inaugural address at the 2024 Commonwealth Attorneys and Solicitors General Conference (CASGC), Chief Justice of India Chandrachud said that as we strive to modernise legal education, we must also confront the question of equitable access to legal education. “Entrance tests for admission to law schools must not be exclusionary. We must ensure that our admissions processes are fair, transparent, and inclusive,” he said. Speaking further, CJI Chandrachud said that law officers serve as the primary point of contact between the courts and the government and they not only function as representatives of the government but also as officers of the court. “Law officers bear a greater responsibility in upholding ethical standards compared to private practitioners, given their role as guardians of the rule of law... It is imperative that law officers remain impervious to the politics of the day and conduct themselves with dignity in court, ensuring the integrity of legal proceedings,” Chief Justice of India said.