WEDNESDAY 21 FEBRUARY 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 PUTIN WAITS FOR WESTERN SUPPORT FOR KYIV TO WITHER BRAVE ODYSSEY P6 SENSEX 73,057.40349.24 NIFTY 22,196.9574.70 P9 P4 ` vs $ 82.956 PAISE RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Top court also issues show cause notice to presiding officer Anil Masih Min. 55% Max: 30.5°C SUN RISES 06:10 hrs MOON RISES 14:55 hrs Min: 19.4°C SUN SETS 17:40 hrs MOON SETS 04:09 hrs TEMPERATURE Truth can be troubled, but not defeated: Kejriwal New Moon on 24 February STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE THUMBNAILS NEW DELHI, 20 FEBRUARY AAP councillor Kuldeep Kumar (middle) after the Supreme Court declared him as winner of the election to the post of Mayor of Chandigarh . AGENCIES PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 20 FEBRUARY The rooftops of houses seen covered with snow after an area receive heavy snowfall, in Leh on Tuesday. ANI PM to inaugurate Raisina Dialogue: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate on Wednesday the 9th edition of the Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the international community. Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic (Greece), Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, will join the inaugural session as the Chief Guest, and deliver the keynote address. Maha Assembly unanimously passes 10 pc Maratha quotas bill: The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Maratha Reservation Bill giving 10 pc quotas to the community in education and government jobs. The Bill was introduced in the assembly at the Special Session of the Legislature this afternoon and CM Eknath Shinde detailed the govt’s position on the quotas issue. Now, the Marathas will be entitled to 10 pc reservations in educational institu(P5) tions and in state government jobs. P12 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 81.260.85 n a big boost to the AAP-Congress combine, the Supreme Court on Tuesday declared the Aam Aadmi Party-Congress combine’s candidate Kuldeep Kumar as Mayor of Chandigarh and quashed the election result announced by the presiding officer Anil Masih on 30 January. The top court also directed its Registrar ( Judicial) to issue Mr Masih a show cause notice for his misconduct and making false statements before the court. Quashing the election result in which Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Manoj Kumar Sonkar was declared elected as Mayor after the invalidation of eight votes cast in favour of the AAP-Congress candidate, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, heading a three-judge bench, said that for the reasons detailed in the order, “ , … I we have come to the conclusion that the results declared by the Presiding Officer are unlawful and have to be set aside. We order accordingly.” The Bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, in its order said: “The petitioner (Kuldeep Kumar) is declared to be the validly elected candidate for the post of Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.” The court, referring to the result sheet, noted that while Kuldeep Kumar got 12 votes, the eight votes which were treated as invalid wrongly, were validly passed in his favour. Adding the eight votes would make his tally 20 votes. On the other hand, the BJP candidate Manoj Kumar Sonkar polled 16 votes. The Bench said: “This Court is duty bound to ensure that the democratic process is not set at nought by such subterfuges. We are therefore of the view that the Court must step in (in) such exceptional circumstances to ensure that the basic democratic mandate is ensured.” Referring to the statement made by the Presiding Officer Anil Masih before the court on Monday that he had marked eight ballot papers as they were defaced, the court, which today examined all the ballots, said that it is evident that none of the ballots are defaced. Stating that the Presiding Officer has made a deliberate attempt to deface eight ballots which were cast in favour of APP-Congress combine’s candidate Kuldeep Kumar, the Court said that his conduct has to be deprecated at two levels - he unlawfully altered the course of Mayoral election and making a solemn statement before the Court expressing falsehood for which he must be held accountable. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday expressed his gratitude towards the Supreme Court for declaring the AAP-Congress candidate as the winner instead of the previously declared BJP candidate, in the Chandigarh Mayoral polls. Arvind Kejriwal congratulated Kuldeep Kumar on behalf of the INDIA alliance on becoming the mayor of Chandigarh, saying that this was possible because of Indian democracy and the honourable Supreme Court. Mr Kejriwal further said: "We have to preserve the impartiality of our democracy and autonomous institutions at any cost."The AAP chief while addressing a Press conference in the National Capital hailed the top court's verdict, calling it historic and added that in the present times it holds a lot of significance. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in his reaction on the development said that truth prevailed at last and welcomed the decision of the apex court regarding the mayoral polls in Chandigarh. J&K witnessing balanced development after abrogation of Article 370, says Modi in Jammu SP SHARMA JAMMU, 20 FEBRUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Jammu and Kashmir is now moving towards overall development after the abrogation of Article 370, which he said was the biggest roadblock in its balanced progress. Mr Modi was addressing a massive public meeting after inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of projects worth Rs.32,000 crores. Braving rain and bad weather, thousands of men and women from across the Union territory reached the MAM Stadium to listen to Mr Modi. Mr Modi said: “It is because of the abrogation of Article 370, I have urged the people to help BJP win 370 seats and NDA win 400+ seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections." "Article 370 was the biggest hurdle in the development of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP government has removed it and now the UT is moving towards overall balanced development.” In an indirect attack on the Abdullah and Mufti clans, Mr Modi said J&K has been a victim of dynastic rule for decades and the youth were the biggest victim. "The dynasts were only concerned about their families, not about your interests, your families...I am happy that Jammu and Kashmir has now got freedom from this dynastic politics. Women have also got their rights after abrogation of Article 35A that denied basic rights to the womenfolk," he said. Common people of J&K got assurance of social justice mentioned in the Constitution for the first time after abrogation of Article 370, he said Record number of schools, colleges, universities have been established in the country in the last 10 years and in J&K alone, 50 new degree colleges were set up, he said. "There was a time when schools were burnt, today schools are being decorated. Today, health facilities are improving rapidly in Jammu and Kashmir. Before 2014, there were 4 medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir, now there are 12 medical colleges,” the PM said. Referring to the forthcoming movie ‘Article 370’, Mr Modi said: "I have heard that a film on Article 370 is going to be released this week. It is a good thing as it will help people in getting correct information." "We have taken a pledge of 'Viksit Jammu and Kashmir'. I have full faith in you and I know that we will make Jammu and Kashmir 'viksit'. Your dreams remained unfulfilled for the past 70 years. However, Modi will fulfil your dreams in the next few years," the PM said. CMYK CM Mamata slams BJP after ‘Khalistani’ jibe hurled at Sikh cop EAM strongly defends India’s ties with Russia STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SC quashes Chandigarh Mayor election result Max. 71% SILVER 75,500 GOLD 64,110.00 Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 30 °C and 19 °C respectively. WEATHER KYLIAN MBAPPE AGREES TO JOIN REAL MADRID: REPORT ‘CONGRESS WILL NOT WIN EVEN 30 SEATS’ Strongly defending India's strong ties with Moscow, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has asserted that just as India does not expect Europe to have a view of China that is identical to its own, the Western world should understand that India cannot have a view of Russia that is identical to the European one. “Let us accept that there are natural differences in relationships,” he remarked in an interview to a leading German economic daily, Handelsblatt during his visit for the Munich Security Conference. Underlining the fact that every country conducts a relationship based on its past experiences, Mr Jaishankar said Russia has never hurt India's interests while the relations of powers like Europe, the USA, China or Japan with Russia have all seen ups and downs. “We have had a stable and always very friendly relationship with Russia. And our relationship with Russia today is based on this experience. For others, things were different, and conflicts may have shaped the relationship. We, on the other hand, had a politically and militarily much more difficult relationship with China, for example,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar added. He did not agree with a suggestion that India's ties with Russia have caused a strain in India-Europe relations. On India and the EU resuming negotiations on a free trade agreement, he said FTAs are very complex, and one with the EU is the most complex in the world for any country because it also discusses many nontrade issues. KOLKATA, 20 FEBRUARY Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday condemned the BJP for its divisive politics after some saffron party leaders in Sandeshkhali called a Sikh police officer a Khalistani. IPS officer Jaspreet Singh, who along with his team was deputed at Dhamakhali and had put up barricades to stop Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari from visiting Sandeshkhali, was allegedly called a "Khalistani" by a group of BJP supporters. Reacting to the incident, Miss Banerjee on her ‘X’ handle wrote: “Today, the BJP’s divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per @ BJP4India every person wearing a TURBAN is a KHALISTANI. I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS @ SISTERS, revered for their SACRIFICES and UNWAVERING DETERMINATION to our nation. We stand firm in protecting Bengal’s social harmony and will take stern lawful measure to prevent any attempt to disrupt it.” Miss Banerjee two days back while commenting on the incidents of Sandeshkhali had remarked that it was RSS that was trying to disturb the area. TMC national spokesperson Mr Saket Gokhale wrote on ‘X’: “In defiance of High Court directives, inflammatory speeches & divisive remarks continue unchecked, resulting in a halt to all legal actions against @ SuvenduWB. He brazenly brands others as Pakistani or Khalistani without repercussion, all under the PROTECTION of the Judiciar y’s decisions. UNFORTUNATE.” Mrs Chandrima Bhattacharya, state finance minister, said: “It is BJP’s culture to divide among people on the basis of their religion and caste.” She said the ADG (Law and Order) has said stern action would be taken against those who had tried to instigate people in Sandeshkhali, as per reports. She said the president of National Commission for Women (NCW ) Mrs REkha Sharma had visited Sandeslhali with a purpose of maligning the Bengal government. “She did not visit Manipur. She is asking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to resign, we demand the Prime Minister’s resignation as he did not go to Manipur where women were abused,” she said. Mr Bratya Basu, education minister, meanwhile urged the High Court to take cognisance as Mr Suvendu Adhikari has flouted its order during his visit to Sandeshkhali. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 20 FEBRUARY
The Statesman is one of India's oldest English newspapers. It was founded in Kolkata in 1875 and is directly descended from The Friend of India (founded 1818). The Englishman (founded 1821) was merged with The Statesman in 1934. The Delhi edition of The Statesman began publication in 1931. The Statesman Weekly is a compendium of news and views from the Kolkata and Delhi editions. Printed on airmail paper, it is popular with readers outside India. The Statesman (average weekday circulation approximately 180,000) is a leading English newspaper in West Bengal. The Sunday Statesman has a circulation of 230,000.
