TUESDAY 05 MARCH 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 Generally clear. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 32°C and 20°C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 61% Min. 57% Max: 32.2°C SUN RISES 05:54 hrs MOON RISES 01:33 hrs Min: 20.5°C SUN SETS 17:41 hrs MOON SETS 12:13 hrs TEMPERATURE CM tears into BJP for blocking jobs for poor CM Mamata addressed multiple issues, ranging from electoral controversies to developmental projects BISWABRATA GOSWAMI TAMLUK, 4 MARCH hief minister Mamata Banerjee today convened a pivotal meeting in Nimtouri, East Midnapore, where she addressed multiple issues, ranging from electoral controversies to developmental projects. From the platform, Miss Banerjee not only lambasted her political adversaries but also outlined her government's vision for the region. On the contentious Nandigram Assembly poll results she targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari. Without mincing words, Miss Banerjee alluded to allegations of electoral malpractice and corruption, underscoring the prolonged legal battle surrounding the Nandigram case. “The case of Nandigram is under trial. It's been two-and-a-half years. People will answer it,” she asserted. Miss Banerjee, without naming the BJP leader, made pointed remarks about corruption in school education in East Medinipur and hinting at the involvement of the leader in question. She accused C New Moon on 10 March THUMBNAILS Security personnel with a sniffer dog inspect an area ahead of PM Modi's visit, who is scheduled to address a public rally on 7 March, in Srinagar on Monday.  ANI SBI requests SC to extend deadline to give Electoral Bonds info: The State Bank of India (SBI) has requested the Supreme Court to extend the deadline till June 30 for giving information about electoral bonds to the Election Commission.The Supreme Court in a historic judgment last month had struck down the electoral bonds scheme and told SBI to give the information to the Election Commission (EC) by 6 March. him of blocking jobs and alleged that he went to court out of fear of being caught. The chief minister also accused the unnamed leader of job loss to the poor. She claimed that despite the leader's attempts to portray himself as a saint, he was involved in corruption and malpractice. “I’m abreast of all the news. But, I will not let anyone lose their job. He went to the court for fear of being caught. Gaddar is the most corrupt.” She also castigated the central government for its purported negligence towards Bengal's developmental needs. Emphasizing the absence of financial support for the Ghatal Master Plan, Miss Banerjee reiterated her commitment to prioritizing flood control measures in the region. Despite the lack of assistance from the Center, Miss Banerjee vowed to undertake the Ghatal Master Plan, showcasing her administration's resilience in the face of adversity. Underscoring her government's achievements, Miss Banerjee highlighted a slew of development initiatives that have transformed the landscape of East Midnapur. From the expansion of railway infrastructure, exempli- fied by the Digha-Tamluk line, to the implementation of projects like Jalswapna, which have provided clean water access to over 11 lakh residents, Miss Banerjee emphasized her administration's commitment to fostering inclusive growth and development. Miss Banerjee also refuted allegations of financial mismanagement levelled against her government by the Prime Minister and the central government. Challenging the figures presented regarding funds allocated to Bengal, Miss Banerjee asserted her government's transparency and dedication to welfare schemes, including housing initiatives that have resulted in the construction of over 43 lakh houses across the state. In a bid to address prevailing employment concerns, Miss Banerjee announced the continuation of the Karmashree scheme, promising job opportunities for cardholders for up to 50 days starting from April-May. Additionally, she unveiled plans to increase dearness allowance (DA) by four per cent for contractual Group C and Group D employees, underscoring her government's commitment to improving the livelihoods of its workforce. Corruption, bribery by legislators erode probity in public life: SC PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 4 MARCH In a significant judgment, a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court on Monday unanimously ruled that the lawmakers do not enjoy immunity of privileges from prosecution in the case of accepting bribe for casting vote or making speech in the legislature – both in the Parliament and the State Assemblies, stating that “corruption and bribery by members of the legislatures erode probity in public life.” Overruling the 1998 majority judgment by a five-judge constitution bench which had granted immunity from prosecution to a member of the legislature who had allegedly engaged in bribery for casting a vote or speaking in the legislature, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud heading a seven- judge bench today said, “Articles 105 and 194 of the Constitution seek to sustain an environment in which debate and deliberation can take place within the legislature. This purpose is destroyed when a member is induced to vote or speak in a certain manner because of an act of bribery.” Speaking for the bench, Justice Chandrachud said,“Bribery is not rendered immune under Article 105 (2) and the corresponding provision of Article 194 because a member engaging in bribery commits a crime which is not essential to the casting of the vote or the ability to decide on how the vote should be cast. The same principle applies to bribery in connection with a speech in the House or a Committee.” Besides Chief Justice, the seven-judge bench also comprising Justice AS Bopanna, Justice MM Sundresh, Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, Justice JB Pardiwala, Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Manoj Misra while overruling the majority view in 1998 judgment, said that protecting from prosecutions a lawmaker allegedly engaged in bribery for exercising vote or speaking in the legislature has “wide ramifications on public interest, probity in public life and parliamentary democracy.” In an important conclusion, the court said that an act of a lawmaker entering into an act involving acceptance of bribe in itself is sufficient to initiate prosecution against him irrespective of whether the consequent act of casting vote or making speech was in conformity with the understanding of quid pro quo. Bharat is my family: PM Modi hits back at Opposition Justice Gangopadhyay resigns STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 4 MARCH HYDERABAD, 4 MARCH Slamming the remark made by RJD chief Lalu Prasad that he has no family, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that the leaders of INDI Alliance parties were fuming because he was questioning their dynastic politics and that the entire country was his family. Soon after the Prime Minister’s statement at a rally in Adilabad in Telangana, the BJP leaders and ministers changed their “X” bio to read “Modi ka parivar” indicating a campaign similar to the “Main bhi chowkidar” launched by the Saffron party in the run-up to the 2019 general elections. The Prime Minister also accused the Congress and the BRS of being hand in glove since the former was busy covering up for the latter over the Kaleshwaram scam. Earlier in the day Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy addressed the Prime Minister as an “elder brother” and sought his coopera- tion in Telangana’s development. Speaking at a public rally in Adilabad after an official programme, the Prime Minister attacked the parties of INDI Alliance after yesterday’s Jan Vishwas Maharally at Patna which was addressed by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD leaders including Lalu Prasad and Tejaswi Yadav. The RJD chief had said what can they do if Modi did not have a family. Retaliating Mr Modi said “Corruption, dynastic politics and appeasement – the parties of INDI alliance are all submerged in these.” He went on to add “Their leaders are now fretting and fuming. I question their dynastic rule. That is why they have started to say Modi has no fam- ily. Tomorrow they might say you have never served a sentence so you cannot come into politics. My brothers and sisters of Telangana my life is an open book ... I left home with a dream that I will live for the people of my country. Every moment will be for you. I will have no dream of my own ... This is why crores of people regard me as their own, that is why I say all the 140 crore people of this country comprise my family.” Attacking the Congress and BRS, the other two major parties in Telangana, the Prime Minister said that nothing changed in Telangana with the coming of Congress instead of the BRS. He said, “ Just like when the TRS became BRS, nothing had changed ; similarly after the Congress took the place of BRS (in state government), nothing is going to change because they are all the same. The BRS had committed scams like Kaleshwaram during its reign, the Congress government instead of taking action are sitting on the files. You are good, I am good, you had your fill now it is my turn – this is what they do.” Earlier in the day, at an official programme where the Prime Minister unveiled completed projects and laid the foundation stone for new ones, worth Rs 56,000 crore, he was welcomed by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. You abused your rights: SC to Udaynidhi on Sanatana row STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 4 MARCH The Supreme Court on Monday questioned Tamil Nadu Minister Udaynidhi Stalin over his remarks calling for the eradication of‘Sanatana Dharma’ and told him that he is“not a layman but a minister”. A bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta told senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for Stalin that the DMK leader was not a layman but a minister and he should know the consequences of his remarks. The bench said,“You abuse your rights under freedom of speech and expression and right to freedom of religion and then come to the Supreme Court for protection under Article 32? Don’t you know the consequences of what you said?” Stalin approached the top court seeking the clubbing of multiple FIRs registered against him in several states over his remarks. Singhvi sought relief from the top court to club all the FIRs, saying FIRs are registered in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, and Maharashtra. Singhvi, during the hearing, relied on the cases of Arnab Goswami, Nupur Sharma, Mohd Zubair, and Amish Devgan where the top court had agreed to club FIRs. "If I have to move six High Courts, I will constantly be tied up in this... This is persecution before the prosecution." To this, the bench commented,“You are not a layman. You are a minister.You should know the consequences.” The bench then posted the matter for hearing on March 15. DMK leader Stalin made the remarks comparing 'Sanatana Dharma' to diseases like 'malaria' and 'dengue' while advocating for its elimination on grounds that it was rooted in the caste system and historical discrimination. His remarks triggered a massive political controversy across the country. It led to several criminal complaints being filed against him. CMYK AGENCIES Calcutta High Court's Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay on Monday ended his career on the Bench with a recommendation for proceedings against a district judge in West Ben- gal's East Midnapore. There were speculations about his resignation in the media. It is being speculated that he may join a political party soon. He came to the court on Monday morning and one after another, recused himself from all cases before him, including those which are partly heard or those where the verdicts are reserved. He briefly heard a vigilance-related case against a district judge in East Midnapore and recommended proceedings against him to Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam.